Corner protector for picture frames and the like

• US 5,447,233 A
• Filed: 10/15/1993
• Issued: 09/05/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Steven H. Smith
• Original Assignee: Steven H. Smith
• Inventors: Smith, Steven H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gehman, Bryon P.
• Application Number:
  US08/136,366
• Time in Patent Office: 690 Days
• Field of Search: 206/453, 206/586, 206/521, 206/523, 40/159.1, 248/345.1
• US Class Current: 206/453
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2581/055 Plastic in general, e.g. foamed plastic, molded plastic, extruded plastic
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 81/057 Protectors contacting four surfaces of the packaged article, e.g. four-sided corner protectors

Abstract

Disclosed is a corner protector used for packing framed pictures, mirrors, and the like, the protector formed of a single block of expanded polystyrene-like lightweight material and having an upright and a horizontal external wall, spaced-apart parallel side walls, and a forward wall that inclines at 45° to the upright and horizontal walls. A shaped cavity for receiving the corner of the framed article is provided in the inclined wall, the cavity characterized by a tiered structure of progressively wider slots.

Claims

1. A corner protector for the corner of an article, the corner having two substantially planar faces and a vertical edge face that is perpendicular to a horizontal edge face, said protector comprising:

a. a body of expanded polymeric material with spaced-apart external opposite side walls, a horizontal bottom wall and a vertical back wall, and a front wall that lies at 45 degrees to said body bottom and back walls;

b. a shaped cavity that opens to said front wall, for receiving a said article corner, and characterized by a tiered structure that includes a central slot that has a vertical wall for abutting the vertical edge face of said article corner and a horizontal surface for abutting the horizontal edge face of said article corner;

c. an intermediate article corner-receiving slot having a substantially greater width than said central slot with two vertical co-planar surfaces for abutting the vertical edge face of a said article corner, and a pair of co-planar horizontal surfaces for abutting the horizontal edge face of said article corner, said co-planar horizontal surfaces spaced a predetermined distance forward of said vertical wall of said central slot, and said co-planar horizontal surfaces spaced a predetermined distance above said horizontal surface of said central slot; and

d. at least a third article corner-receiving slot substantially wider than said intermediate slot, and having a pair of vertical spaced-apart co-planar surfaces for engaging the vertical edge face of a said article corner, and a pair of spaced-apart co-planar horizontal surfaces for engaging the horizontal edge face of said article corner, said pair of vertical surfaces of said third slot spaced a predetermined distance forward of said vertical surfaces of said intermediate slot, and said horizontal surfaces of said third slot spaced a predetermined distance above said horizontal surfaces of said intermediate slot.

2. A corner protector as defined in claim 1 wherein said cavity is bilaterally symmetrical about a vertical plane that is parallel to said opposite side walls, and extending through the middle of said central slot.