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.

Description

FIELD

This disclosure relates generally to packaging systems and methods and more specifically to multi-axial, thin wall, blow-molded plastic structures, and their use in systems and methods for packaging cushioning, particularly for packaging cushioning of Information Handling Systems (IHSs).

BACKGROUND

Typical cushioning for Information Handling Systems (IHSs) and related components such as displays, or the like is characterized by either molded paper pulp, Expanded Polyethylene (EPE) foam, Styrofoam, or REFLEX™ thermoformed cushions. Production of these materials is typically either slow, labor intensive, environmentally unfriendly, and/or the cushions do not work well.

As the value and use of information continue to increase, individuals and businesses seek additional ways to process and store information. One option is an IHS. An IHS generally processes, compiles, stores, and/or communicates information or data for business, personal, or other purposes. Because technology and information handling needs and requirements may vary between different applications, IHSs may also vary regarding what information is handled, how the information is handled, how much information is processed, stored, or communicated, and how quickly and efficiently the information may be processed, stored, or communicated. The variations in IHSs allow for IHSs to be general or configured for a specific user, or for a specific use such as financial transaction processing, airline reservations, enterprise data storage, global communications, etc. In addition, IHSs may include a variety of hardware and software components that may be configured to process, store, and communicate information and may include one or more computer systems, data storage systems, and networking systems.

IHSs provide users with capabilities for accessing, creating, and manipulating data. IHSs often implement a variety of security protocols in order to protect this data during such operations. A known technique for securing access to protected data that is accessed via an IHS is to segregate the protected data within an isolated software environment that operates on the IHS, where such isolated software environments may be referred to by various names, such as virtual machines, containers, dockers, etc. Various types of such segregated environments are isolated by providing varying degrees of abstraction from the underlying hardware and operating system of the IHS. These virtualized environments typically allow a user to access only data and applications that have been approved for use within that particular isolated environment. In enforcing the isolation of a virtualized environment, applications that operate within such isolated environments may have limited access to capabilities that are supported by the hardware and operating system of the IHS.

Existing IHS shipping cushioning typically uses EPE laminated cushions. Issues encountered with such packing include cost, high component part count, and complex cutting and lamination process to make the cushioning structures from foam plank. Further, EPE cushions are not generally recyclable, due to lack of recycling infrastructure. Supply chain issues encountered may include off-site manufacturing and the transportation and storage large amounts of physically large inventory of such packaging.

SUMMARY

Embodiments of multi-axial, thin wall, blow-molded plastic structures, systems and methods for packaging cushioning are described. In an illustrative, non-limiting example, a multi-axial blow-molded packing cushion is a resilient, hollow, thin-walled, generally parallelepiped blow-molded body that has first and second, opposite ends, which each have a groove defined by the blow-molded body across each end. The grooves may each be sized and shaped to receive opposite edges of a rectangular opening in a packing insert. The grooves may each defined adjacent a bottom of the blow-molded body and the bottom of the blow-molded body may define a chamfered bottom edge at each end, so as to define a lip adjacent the bottom of the blow-molded body, between, and by, the grooves and chamfered edges. Thereby, each multi-axial, generally parallelepiped, blow-molded packing cushion may be snap-fitted into a packing insert rectangular opening by sliding a first end of the packing cushion into a rectangular opening, aligning a first groove defined by the blow-molded body across the first end with a first edge of the 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 over a second edge of the rectangular opening with the second grove aligned with the second edge of the rectangular opening. Thusly, the packing insert maintains (the) multi-axial, generally parallelepiped, blow-molded packing cushion(s) in the rectangular opening(s), so that the packing insert may be disposed in (an) outer packaging (box) between a packed item and the outer packaging on each side of the packed item. The resilient, hollow, thin-walled, generally parallelepiped blow-molded body may be blow-molded polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyester, and/or post-consumer resin (PCR), High Density Polyethylene (HDPE), Polypropylene (PP), or the like, and may define a vent or valve configured to enable gradual ingress and egress of air from the body due to change in exterior air pressure and/or impact.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention(s) is/are illustrated by way of example and is/are not limited by the accompanying figures, in which like references indicate similar elements. Elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale.

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic illustration of a prior art Information Handling System (IHS) packaging system.

FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic illustration of example IHS packaging system, according to some embodiments of the present systems and methods.

FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic general top view illustration of an example IHS packaging system, according to some embodiments of the present systems and methods.

FIG. 4 is an illustration of an example multi-axial, thin wall, blow-molded plastic cushion, according to some embodiments of the present systems and methods.

FIG. 5 is a side elevation view of the example multi-axial, thin wall, blow-molded plastic cushion, according to some embodiments of the present systems and methods, the opposite side being generally the same.

FIG. 6 is a top plan view of the example multi-axial, thin wall, blow-molded plastic cushion, according to some embodiments of the present systems and methods.

FIG. 7 is an end elevation view of the example multi-axial, thin wall, blow-molded plastic cushion, according to some embodiments of the present systems and methods, the opposite end being generally the same.

FIG. 8 is a bottom plan view of the example multi-axial, thin wall, blow-molded plastic cushion, according to some embodiments of the present systems and methods.

FIG. 9 is an illustration of example initial packing installation of a multi-axial, thin wall, blow-molded plastic cushion, according to some embodiments of the present systems and methods.

FIG. 10 is an illustration of completing installation of the multi-axial, thin wall, blow-molded plastic cushion of FIG. 9, according to some embodiments of the present systems and methods.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Existing Information Handling Systems (IHSs) packaging cushioning, such as for servers, larger monitors, large desktops, and the like, uses Expanded Polyethylene (EPE) laminated cushions. As noted, issues arise with respect to such packing, including high cost, high component part count, complex cutting and lamination processes employed to make the cushioning structures from foam plank, and the like. Also, supply chain issues arise with respect to off-site manufacturing and transporting and storing large amounts of such physically large packaging.

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic illustration of prior art IHS packaging system 100. Packing system 100 employs outer packaging 102, such as a box made of (corrugated) cardboard. Packing system 100 further includes upper and lower EPE foam cushions 104 and 106, respectfully, which may require, for example, up to forty-three cut and laminated pieces of EPE plank. Upper and lower EPE foam cushions 104 and 106 secure and cushion packed item 108. Further, one such EPE foam cushion, such as illustrated upper EPE foam cushion 106 may need to be further formed, using additional EPE foam planking to accept and cushion accessory box 110, or the like, adding further cost and expense.

Embodiments of the present systems and methods improves upon the shortcomings of existing systems by utilizing rapid plastic blow-molding techniques to make packaging cushions on-demand thus eliminating significant amounts of time, such as up to ninety-five percent of the typical time spent in the value chain. Further, embodiments of the present systems and methods are expected to lower CO² footprint for a packaging operation, as well. Embodiments of the present systems and methods use blow-molded thin wall, closed plastic cushioning structures to achieve such ends. For example, when combined with high-speed blow-molding, up to ninety-five percent of the typical value chain of transporting and storing the cushions can be eliminated by locating the cushion manufacturing within the IHS product factory, or the like. In accordance with embodiments of the present systems and methods, a cushion blow molded, on-demand, in the factory boxing line, can eliminate ninety-five percent of the transportation, space, and time spent by a cushion in the existing value chain. Most of the current process is shipping and storing air. Speed changes things. Use of low-cost blow molding enables a different way of operating optimizing flow of cushions to boxes within the same facility. Whereas existing molded paper pulp cushion take up to twelve days between molding and packing (one day to mold, ¼ day to truck to a warehouse, where it is typically stored for up to ten days awaiting use, another ¼ day trucking to the facility where the product is packed, and ½ day packing). The present on-demand, on-site, blow-molded cushion is, in accordance with embodiments of the present systems and methods, used within a half day of being blow-molded.

Embodiments of the present systems and methods use of blow-molded cushioning structures, which can be used in repeatable combinations for use in IHS packaging, such as packaging of servers, monitors, all-in ones, notebooks, desktops, etc. Elastic thin-walled plastic structures are used in accordance with embodiments of the present systems and methods, whereas EPE foam, Styrofoam or non-elastic molded paper pulps have been typically used previously. Further, by using repeatable cushioning elements, the component count and structural complexity of the present cushion system is reduced in embodiments of the present systems and methods. Further, for the same cushioning rate, hollow, thin wall structures are more efficient than solid foam blocks since less material is required. Hence, in some embodiments, some of the resulting cost savings can be invested back into larger cushions to protect against higher drop heights, or the like. For example, various cushion thickness and size, as well as the material used to blow-mold the cushions, can be changed to “tune” the cushions to the product. Thereby, embodiments of the present packaging systems and methods, though the use of the present blow-molded cushions can follow the contours of the packaged product, unlike laminated EPE which is comprised of orthogonal surfaces. This may be particularly advantageous for packing curved monitors, curved bezels on desktops, and/or the like.

In light of the forgoing, embodiments of the present systems and methods are directed to multi-axial, thin wall, blow-molded plastic structures, and their use in systems and methods for packaging cushioning, particularly for packaging cushioning of IHSs. However, packaging of any large electronic or fragile device that now uses EPE foam, Styrofoam, large molded paper pulp cushions, or the like, may make use of embodiments of the present multi-axial, thin wall, blow-molded plastic structures, and their use in systems and methods for packaging cushioning. Packaging by television manufacturers is but one example.

FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic illustration of example IHS packaging system 200, according to some embodiments of the present systems and methods, while FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic general top view illustration of open example IHS packaging system 200, according to some embodiments of the present systems and methods. Packing system 200 likewise employs outer packaging 202, such as a box made of (corrugated) cardboard, or some other sort of somewhat rigid board, such as a corrugated plastic, or the like. Packing system 200 further includes inner packing insert 204 sized and shaped to be located between packed item 206 and outer packaging 202. Each board of packing insert 204 defines at least one, usually a plurality of, rectangular opening(s) 208. Each rectangular opening 208 is sized and shaped to snap-fit receive a multi-axial, generally parallelepiped, blow-molded packing cushion 210. packing cushions 210 are described in greater detail below, with respect to FIGS. 4 through 8. In accordance with embodiments of the present systems and methods, the packed item may, as illustrated, be an inner box containing an item to be shipped, for example, in the present IHS packing system, the item to be shipped is an IHS contained in the inner box.

As illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, packing system 200 may employ a single packing insert board 204, which is configured, shaped and sized to be folded to be located between packed item 206 and outer packaging box 202, such that at least one of rectangular openings 208, and thereby multi-axial, generally parallelepiped, blow-molded packing cushion 210 snap-fit received therein, is disposed between packed item 206 and outer packaging box 202, in most embodiments, between packed item 206 and outer packaging box 202 on each side of packed item 206 and/or each side of outer packaging box 202. Alternatively, packing insert 204 may be made up of a plurality of packaging boards, each shaped and sized to be located between packed item 206 and outer packaging box 202, such that at least one of rectangular openings 208, and thereby multi-axial, generally parallelepiped, blow-molded packing cushion 210 snap-fit received therein, is disposed between packed item 206 and outer packaging box 202. Embodiments of the present systems and methods may also accommodate packing of accessory box 212, such as once packed item 206 is secured and cushioned. Accessory box 212 may be secured and cushioned by blow-molded cushions 210 and insert 204 used to secure and cushion packed item 206, with little or no further packing or cushioning, in accordance with embodiments of the present systems and methods.

FIG. 4 is an illustration of example multi-axial, thin wall, blow-molded plastic cushion 210, according to some embodiments of the present systems and methods. FIG. 5 is a side elevation view of example multi-axial, thin wall, blow-molded plastic cushion 210, according to some embodiments of the present systems and methods, the opposite side being generally the same. FIG. 6 is a top plan view of example multi-axial, thin wall, blow-molded plastic cushion 210, according to some embodiments of the present systems and methods. FIG. 7 is an end elevation view of example multi-axial, thin wall, blow-molded plastic cushion 210, according to some embodiments of the present systems and methods, the opposite end being generally the same. FIG. 8 is a bottom plan view of example multi-axial, thin wall, blow-molded plastic cushion 210, according to some embodiments of the present systems and methods. Multi-axial blow-molded packing cushion 210 is a resilient, hollow, thin-walled, generally parallelepiped blow-molded body having first end 402 and opposite, second end 404. Parallelepiped thin-walled, generally parallelepiped blow-molded body 210 may be non-cuboidal, as illustrated, or cuboidal. First groove 406 is defined by the blow-molded body across first end 402. First groove 406 is sized and shaped to receive a first edge of rectangular opening 208 in packing insert 204. Corresponding second groove 408 is defined by the blow-molded body across second end 404, and is sized and shaped to receive a second edge of rectangular opening 208 in packing insert 204, opposite the first edge. Although these grooves and edges are described as “first” and “second” these designations are for convenience of description only, in that both blow-molded body 210 and opening 208 are generally (laterally) symmetrical.

FIG. 9 is an illustration of example initial packing installation 900 of multi-axial, thin wall, blow-molded plastic cushion 210, according to some embodiments of the present systems and methods, and FIG. 10 is a corresponding illustration of completing installation of multi-axial, thin wall, blow-molded plastic cushion 210 of FIG. 9, according to some embodiments of the present systems and methods. As noted, in accordance with embodiments of the present systems and methods, multi-axial, generally parallelepiped, blow-molded packing cushions 210 may be blow-mold formed, on-demand, co-located with (i.e., in the same factory, facility, or other location) where packing of item 206 is carried out. While various arrangements can be deployed to attach and locate blow molded cushions 210, in the illustrated embodiments, packing insert 204, which as noted, is sized and shaped to be disposed between packed item 206 and outer packaging box 202, is assembled by snap-fitting one multi-axial, generally parallelepiped, blow-molded packing cushion 210 into each packing insert rectangular opening 208. This assembly is initiated in FIG. 9, for example, by a first end of packing cushion 210 being slid into rectangular opening 208, such that first groove 406 defined by the blow-molded body across first end 402 of packing cushion 210 aligns with, and engages, first edge 902 of rectangular opening 208. Then, in accordance with FIG. 10, for example, second groove 408 defined by the blow-molded body across second end 404 of packing cushion 210 in packing cushion 210 is snapped into place over second edge 904 of rectangular opening 208, with second grove 408 aligned with, and engaging, second edge 904 of rectangular opening 208. In accordance therewith, packing insert 204 maintains multi-axial, generally parallelepiped, blow-molded packing cushion 210 snap-fitted in rectangular opening 208. Thereby, packing insert 204 is prepared to be disposed in outer packaging box 202, between packed item 206 and outer packaging box 202 on each (e.g., all) side(s) of packed item 206.

Returning to FIGS. 4 through 8, attention is directed to further detail of blow-molded packing cushion 210. As noted, blow-molded packing cushion 210 is generally (laterally) symmetrical. For example, each of first groove 406 and second groove 408 is sized and shaped to first receive either of first or second edge 902 or 904 of rectangular opening 208 in packing insert 204, such that the other of first or second groove 406 or 408 is enabled to snap-fit receive the other of first or second edge 902 or 904 of rectangular opening 208. Also, to such ends, first and second grooves 406 and 408 are, in accordance with embodiments of the present systems and methods, each defined adjacent bottom 410 of blow-molded body 210. In turn, in accordance with embodiments of the present systems and methods, bottom 410 of blow-molded body 210 defines chamfered edge 412 and 414 at each of first and second ends 402 and 404 of blow-molded cushion body 210, so as to provide a curved, or angled, bottom edge at ends 402 and 404 to assist with the above-described snap-fit installation of multi-axial, thin wall, blow-molded plastic cushion 210, in rectangular opening 208 of packing insert 204, according to some embodiments of the present systems and methods. This arrangement provides lips 416 and 418 adjacent bottom 410 of blow-molded body 210. That is, bottom 410 of blow-molded body 210 defines chamfered edge 412 and 414 at each of first and second ends 402 and 404, respectively, with each lip, 416 and 418, defined between first and second grooves 406 and 408 and respective chamfered edge 412 and 414. Blow-molded packing cushion body 210 may further define a vent (or valve) 420 configured to enable gradual ingress and egress of air from the body due to change in exterior air pressure and/or impact. Further, blow-molded packing cushion body 210 may be is blow-molded polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyester, post-consumer resin (PCR), High Density Polyethylene (HDPE), Polypropylene (PP), and/or the like. Thereby, the present blow-molded cushions are easily recyclable.

Further embodiments of the present systems and methods may employ thin wall blow-molded plastic cushion of various shapes, made of various materials. For example, as noted various cushion thickness and size, as well as the material used to blow-mold the cushions, can be changed to “tune” the cushions to the product, and while parallelepiped non-cuboidal and cuboidal shapes are discussed above, other shapes may also be used. For example, modular thin wall blow-molded plastic cushions may be employed in embodiments of the present systems and methods. Such modular cushions might, for example, define a socket on one end and a plug on the opposite end, allowing modular thin wall blow-molded plastic cushion allowing these modular cushions to be snapped together, in a train-like fashion. This enables lengthening of the thin wall blow-molded plastic cushion. Such “trained” modular thin wall blow-molded plastic cushions could be deployed around the packed item, between the packed item and the outer packaging (box), with or without the use of inserts. Such embodiments may be particularly well suited for use at corners of items, such as IHS monitors, or the like, such as to snap-together corner cushion pieces.

For purposes of this disclosure, an IHS may include any instrumentality or aggregate of instrumentalities operable to compute, calculate, determine, classify, process, transmit, receive, retrieve, originate, switch, store, display, communicate, manifest, detect, record, reproduce, handle, or utilize any form of information, intelligence, or data for business, scientific, control, or other purposes. For example, an IHS may be a personal computer (e.g., desktop or laptop), tablet computer, mobile device (e.g., Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) or smart phone), server (e.g., blade server or rack server), a network storage device, or any other suitable device and may vary in size, shape, performance, functionality, and price. An IHS may include Random Access Memory (RAM), one or more processing resources such as a Central Processing Unit (CPU) or hardware or software control logic, Read-Only Memory (ROM), and/or other types of nonvolatile memory. Additional components of an IHS may include one or more disk drives, one or more network ports for communicating with external devices as well as various I/O devices, such as a keyboard, a mouse, touchscreen, and/or a video display. An IHS may also include one or more buses operable to transmit communications between the various hardware components.

Although the invention(s) is/are described herein with reference to specific embodiments, various modifications and changes can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention(s), as set forth in the claims below. Accordingly, the specification and figures are to be regarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense, and all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the present invention(s). Any benefits, advantages, or solutions to problems that are described herein with regard to specific embodiments are not intended to be construed as a critical, required, or essential feature or element of any or all the claims.

Unless stated otherwise, terms such as “first” and “second” are used to arbitrarily distinguish between the elements such terms describe. Thus, these terms are not necessarily intended to indicate temporal or other prioritization of such elements. The terms “coupled” or “operably coupled” are defined as connected, although not necessarily directly, and not necessarily mechanically. The terms “a” and “an” are defined as one or more unless stated otherwise. The terms “comprise” (and any form of comprise, such as “comprises” and “comprising”), “have” (and any form of have, such as “has” and “having”), “include” (and any form of include, such as “includes” and “including”) and “contain” (and any form of contain, such as “contains” and “containing”) are open-ended linking verbs. As a result, a system, device, or apparatus that “comprises,” “has,” “includes” or “contains” one or more elements possesses those one or more elements but is not limited to possessing only those one or more elements. Similarly, a method or process that “comprises,” “has,” “includes” or “contains” one or more operations possesses those one or more operations but is not limited to possessing only those one or more operations.

Claims

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).