Illinois Tool Works Inc.

Jeffrey W O'Hara

John A Rometty

Lloyd W Lenig

Nancy L Roach

A four-sided, clam-shell-like container is formed from a preformed, rigid U-shaped cross-section. The U-shaped member has a base wall and opposing side walls. The base and side walls and the intersection of the base and side walls are rigid. The base wail has a thickness having a slot is formed therein. The slot extends longitudinally along a length of the base wall and is formed in an inner surface thereof into the thickness of the base wall. The slot defines base wall sections adjacent and connected to one another by a portion of the thickness of the base wail. The base wall portions and the side walls adjacent thereto are foldable inward along the slot so as to form a four-sided, generally rectangular shaped cross-section container such that ends of the side walls are near one another and are foldable outward for stacking and storing the U-shaped members.

Four-sided container

A high density nesting packaging container has first and second preformed, rigid U-shaped members each having a U-shaped cross-section. The U-shaped members are configured to fit into one another to form a rectangular cross-section container. Each of the U-shaped members has a base wall and opposing side walls, the intersection of the base and side walls being rigid. The base wall has a thickness. A narrow slit is formed in the base wall, extending longitudinally along the base wall and formed from an inner surface of the wall into the thickness of the base wall. The base wall is foldable along the slit so as to form a generally W-configuration cross-section. The thus W-configuration, U-shaped members are nestable with each other. When the U-shaped member is unfolded to the U-shaped cross-section, the opposing surfaces formed by the slit abut one another to maintain the crate in the U-shaped cross-section.

Nestable rigid U-crates

A high density nesting packaging element is a preformed, rigid U-shaped member. The U-shaped member has a base wall and upstanding opposing side walls, in which the intersection of the base and side walls is rigid. The base wall has a thickness and a narrow slit is formed in the base wall, extending longitudinally along the base wall. The slit is formed from an inner surface of the wall into the thickness of the base wall. The base wall is foldable along the slit so as to form a generally W-shaped configuration cross-section. When folded into the W-shaped configuration, the members are nestable with each other. When the member is unfolded to the U-shaped cross-section, the opposing surfaces formed by the slit abut one another to maintain the member in the U-shaped configuration.

A packaging container for a load having a projection such as a nailing fin is made from two rigid U-boards. An inner U-board supports the weight of the window/door frame while preventing the nailing fin from having contact, directly or indirectly, with the ground or sides of the fin crate. The nailing fin provides one supporting wall for the inner U-board while a second, outer U-board provides a second supporting wall. Both walls prevent the inner U-board from spreading out or collapsing under the weight of the window/door. The inner U-board is formed as a continuous element or as discrete elements. The nailing fin is incorporated into the fin crate to form a support member and part of the packaging container.

Apparatus and method for packaging a load having projections

A packaging container has a heavy duty integrated handle. The container is formed from a rigid unit of generally U-shaped cross-section having a main body portion with a generally flat bottom wall and upstanding, opposing sidewalls, wherein the bottom wall is reinforced with reinforcing material. Reinforced hand openings are formed in the reinforced bottom wall, configured for a user to insert a hand for use as the handle for the packaging container.

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Cherry Valley, IL, United States of America

Jeffrey W O'Hara