Abstract: A supporting structure for positioning a product within an outer shipping container takes the form of a plastic bladder shaped on one side to provide a cavity having internal dimensions matching external dimensions of the product and shaped on the other to have external dimensions matching internal dimensions of the shipping container. The air bladder may be either a vertical or a horizontal positioning elements and is typically used pairs within a single container. The air bladder is compact and can be discarded after use with minimal environment impact. In examples shown, the air bladder is of a plastic material such as polyethylene and is produced by blow molding, making it particularly suitable for disposal after use by a recycling process, thereby further reducing potential environmental impact.

Abstract: A supporting structure for positioning a product within an outer shipping container takes the form of a plastic air bladder shaped on one side to provide a cavity having internal dimensions matching external dimensions of the product and shaped on the other to have external dimensions matching internal dimensions of the shipping container. The air bladder may be either a vertical or a horizontal positioning elements and is typically used in pairs within a single container. The air bladder is compact and can be discarded after use with minimal environment impact. In examples shown, the air bladder is of a plastic material such as polyethylene and is produced by blow molding, making it particularly suitable for disposal after use by a recycling process, thereby further reducing potential environmental impact.

Abstract: A package for one or a plurality of card-like items is provided, having a protective outer shell and an inner insert into which the card-like items may be placed. The shell and insert may be a monolithic structure, or they may be produced separately, possibly of different materials--although both are typically corrugated cardboard. The insert has front, bottom, and rear articulated panels, each having a fold line along the length thereof so that each panel protrudes inwardly into the interior of the shell at the fold line, and a cover panel. At least one and usually a plurality of slots is formed in each of the articulated panels, so that an edge of any card-like item to be placed into the package is inserted into the slots. In general, as the edge of each card-like item intrudes into the slot in the bottom articulated panel, and the cover panel is closed over the top edge, at least the rear articulated panel tends to protrude further into the shell to secure the item.

Abstract: A collapsible protective carton of corrugated cardboard is constructed from either one or two blanks and contains a suspended product protecting cradle dividing the carton interior into upper, lower, and central compartments. The central compartment is the primary product holding compartment, while the upper and lower compartments provide both protection against crushing and potential additional storage space for flat items such as instruction manuals or computer disks. At each end of the carton, a diagonal web member assists in locating the product in the center of the carton and provides additional protection against blows or pressure upon either end of the assembled carton. Cut-outs in two of the panels defining the central compartment serve not only to help position the central compartment within the outer carton but also to weaken those panels sufficiently to permit light products to deform the diagonal web members more readily if the carton should be dropped.

Abstract: To form a product supporting packaging insert, a substantially rectangular flat blank of a material such as polyproplene foam, corrugated cardboard, or honeycomb cardboard is die cut to form a lateral end segment at one end of the blank, a pair of longitudinal parallel side segments adjoining the lateral end segment, and a longitudinal central segment adjoining the lateral end segment. The central segment of the blank is provided with a tab receptacle at its end facing the end segment and the end segment is provided with a tab facing the end of the blank. To assemble a product supporting packaging insert from the blank, the end segment of the blank is pivoted on fold lines separating it from the side segments and the tab inserted into the tab receptacle.