Multi-axial, thin wall, blow-molded plastic structures, systems and methods for packaging cushioning

Abstract

A multi-axial blow-molded packing cushion is a resilient, hollow, thin-walled, generally parallelepiped blow-molded body, having opposite ends, each end defining a groove thereacross. The grooves are each sized and shaped to receive opposite edges of a rectangular opening in a packing insert. Each packing cushion may be snap-fitted into the packing insert rectangular opening by sliding a first end of the packing cushion into a rectangular opening, aligning a first groove defined across the first end of the packing cushion with a first edge of the rectangular opening and pressing down on the packing cushion to snap-fit a second groove defined across a second end of the packing cushion over a second edge of the rectangular opening, with the second grove aligned with the second edge of the rectangular opening. The packing insert, with maintained cushions, is disposed between a packed item and outer packaging, on each item side.

1 . A multi-axial blow-molded packing cushion comprising:
 a resilient, hollow, thin-walled, generally parallelepiped blow-molded body comprising:
 a first end and an opposite second end; 
 a first groove defined by the blow-molded body across the first end, the first groove sized and shaped to receive a first edge of a rectangular opening in a packing insert board; and 
 a second groove defined by the blow-molded body across the second end sized and shaped to receive a second edge of the rectangular opening in the packing insert board, opposite the first edge. 
   
     
     
         2 . The blow-molded packing cushion of  claim 1 , wherein each of the first groove and the second groove is sized and shaped to first receive either of the first or second edge of the rectangular opening in a packing insert board, such that the other of the first groove or the second groove is enabled to snap-fit receive the other of the first or second edge of the rectangular opening in the packing insert board. 
     
     
         3 . The blow-molded packing cushion of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second grooves are each defined adjacent a bottom of the blow-molded body. 
     
     
         4 . The blow-molded packing cushion of  claim 3 , wherein the bottom of the blow-molded body defines a chamfered edge at each of the first and second ends. 
     
     
         5 . The blow-molded packing cushion of  claim 3 , wherein the first and second grooves each define a lip adjacent the bottom of the blow-molded body. 
     
     
         6 . The blow-molded packing cushion of  claim 5 , wherein the bottom of the blow-molded body defines a chamfered edge at each of the first and second ends, each lip defined between, and by, the first and second grooves the chamfered edge defined at each of the first and second ends, respectively. 
     
     
         7 . The blow-molded packing cushion of  claim 1 , wherein the body is cuboidal. 
     
     
         8 . The blow-molded packing cushion of  claim 1 , wherein the body is non-cuboidal. 
     
     
         9 . The blow-molded packing cushion of  claim 1 , wherein the body further comprises a vent configured to enable gradual ingress and egress of air from the body due to change in exterior air pressure and/or impact. 
     
     
         10 . The blow-molded packing cushion of  claim 1 , wherein the body is blow-molded polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyester, and/or post-consumer resin (PCR), high density polyethylene (HDPE) or polypropylene (PP). 
     
     
         11 . A packing system comprising:
 outer packaging;   at least one packing insert board sized and shaped to be located between a packed item and the outer packaging, each packing insert board comprising a plurality of rectangular openings, each rectangular opening sized and shaped to snap-fit receive a multi-axial, generally parallelepiped, blow-molded packing cushion; and   each multi-axial, generally parallelepiped, blow-molded packing cushion comprising:
 a resilient, hollow, thin-walled, blow-molded body comprising:
 a first end and an opposite second end; 
 a first groove defined by the blow-molded body across the first end, the first groove sized and shaped to receive a first edge of one of the rectangular openings in the one packaging insert board; and 
 a second groove defined by the blow-molded body across the second end sized and shaped to receive a second edge of the one rectangular opening in the one packing insert board. 
 
   
     
     
         12 . The packing system of  claim 11 , wherein the outer packaging comprises a box. 
     
     
         13 . The packing system of  claim 12 , wherein the at least one packing insert board comprises a single packing insert board configured, shaped and sized to be folded to be sized and shaped to be located between the packed item and the outer packaging box, such that at least one of the rectangular openings, and one multi-axial, generally parallelepiped, blow-molded packing cushion snap-fit received therein is located between the packed item and the outer packaging box. 
     
     
         14 . The packing system of  claim 13 , wherein the at least one rectangular opening, and the one multi-axial, generally parallelepiped, blow-molded packing cushion snap-fit received therein is located between the packed item and the outer packaging box on each side of the packed item and/or each side of the outer packaging box. 
     
     
         15 . The packing system of  claim 12 , wherein the at least one packing insert board comprises a plurality of packaging boards, each shaped and sized to be located between the packed item and the outer packaging box, such that at least one of the rectangular openings, and one multi-axial, generally parallelepiped, blow-molded packing cushion snap-fit received therein is located between the packed item and the outer packaging box. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the packed item further comprises an inner box containing an item to be shipped. 
     
     
         17 . The packing system of  claim 16 , wherein the packing system is an information handling system (IHS) packing system and the item to be shipped is an IHS contained in the inner box. 
     
     
         18 . A method for packing an item, comprising
 assembling at least one packing insert sized and shaped to be located between a packed item and outer packaging, each packing insert comprising a board defining at least one rectangular opening, each rectangular opening sized and shaped to snap-fit receive a multi-axial, generally parallelepiped, blow-molded packing cushion, assembling each packing insert comprising:
 snap-fitting one multi-axial, generally parallelepiped, blow-molded packing cushion into each of the packing insert board rectangular openings by:
 sliding a first end of the one packing cushion into one rectangular opening, aligning a first groove defined by the blow-molded body across the first end with a first edge of the one rectangular opening; and 
 pressing down on the packing cushion to snap-fit a second groove defined by the blow-molded body across a second end of the packing cushion, opposite the first end, over a second edge of the one rectangular opening with the second grove aligned with the second edge of the one rectangular opening, the packing insert board maintaining the one multi-axial, generally parallelepiped, blow-molded packing cushion in the one rectangular opening; and 
 
   disposing the at least one packing insert in the outer packaging located between the packed item and the outer packaging on each side of the packed item.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein each multi-axial, generally parallelepiped, blow-molded packing cushion is blow-mold formed on-demand, co-located with the assembling and disposing of the packing insert in the outer packaging. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the item is an information handling system (IHS).