Devices and methods for packing

1. A device for packing an object, comprising:

a main section having a planar opening side with an opening defined therein, a body side disposed opposite from the opening side, and multiple peripheral sides extending between the opening side and the body side, an object cavity being defined in the main section between the peripheral sides that is continuous with the opening defined in the planar opening side of the main section, the object cavity being configured to receive a portion of the object through the opening for packing;

a hinge feature defining a hinge line at an intersection of one of the peripheral sides of the main section with the planar opening side such that the hinge line is co-planar with the planar opening side; and

a buffer section coupled to the peripheral side of the main section by the hinge feature, the buffer section being configured to fold about the hinge line from an extended position to a folded packing position relative to the main section;

where the buffer section has opposing first and second sides, where the hinge feature is disposed adjacent and contiguous with the planar opening side of the main section and hingeably couples the buffer section to the main section such that the first side of the buffer section faces the same direction as the opening side of the main section when the buffer section is disposed in its extended position, and such that the second side of the buffer section is disposed in face-to-face relationship with an exterior surface of a peripheral side of the main section when the buffer section is positioned in its folded packing position.

2. The device of claim 1 , where the foldable buffer section at least partially supports the packing device against external forces so as to strengthen the packing device against bending in response to the external forces.

3. The device of claim 1 , where the main section includes two opposing peripheral sides with the object cavity defined therebetween; where the device further comprises a buffer section coupled to each of the two opposing peripheral sides of the main section by a respective hinge feature, each of the buffer sections being configured to fold about its respective hinge line from an extended position to a folded packing position relative to the main section; where each of the respective hinge features is disposed adjacent and contiguous with the planar opening side of the main section and hingeably couples one of the respective buffer sections to the main section such that the first side of each given buffer section faces the same direction as the opening side of the main section when the given buffer section is disposed in its extended position, and such that the second side of the given buffer section is disposed in face-to-face relationship with the peripheral side of the main section when the given buffer section is positioned in its folded packing position.

4. The device of claim 1 , where the main section and buffer section are dimensioned to be received and contained within the interior of a shipping container with a portion of the object received within the object cavity of the main section, and with the buffer section positioned in its folded packing position.

5. The device of claim 1 , where each of the main section, hinge feature and buffer section are formed from a single piece of material.

6. The device of claim 1 , where each of the main section, hinge feature and buffer section are formed from a single piece of molded pulp fiber.

7. The device of claim 1 , wherein the object for packing is an information handling system.

8. A device for packing an object, comprising:

a main section having an opening side, a body side and multiple peripheral sides, an object cavity being defined in the main section between the peripheral sides that is continuous with the opening side of the main section, the object cavity being configured to receive a portion of the object for packing;

a hinge feature defining a hinge line on one of the peripheral sides of the main section; and

a buffer section coupled to the peripheral side of the main section by the hinge feature, the buffer section being configured to fold about the hinge line from an extended position to a folded packing position relative to the main section;

where the main section has at least two spaced main section extension members that extend between the opening side and the body side to define a buffer retention cavity between the main section extension members, the buffer retention cavity being defined in at least one of the peripheral sides of the main section;

where the buffer section has opposing first and second sides with at least one buffer extension member defined on the second one of the opposing sides;

where the buffer section has opposing first and second sides, where the hinge feature is disposed adjacent and contiguous with the planar opening side of the main section and hingeably couples the buffer section to the main section such that the first side of the buffer section faces the same direction as the opening side of the main section when the buffer section is disposed in its extended position, and such that the second side of the buffer section is disposed in face-to-face relationship with an exterior surface of a peripheral side of the main section when the buffer section is positioned in its folded packing position; and

where the buffer retention cavity is dimensioned and configured to receive the at least one buffer extension member in a mated position between the at least two spaced main section extension members; and where the hinge feature hingeably couples the buffer section to the main section such that the buffer extension member of the second side of the buffer section is received within the buffer retention cavity of the main section when the buffer section is positioned in its folded packing position, and such that the buffer extension member of the second side of the buffer section is not received within the buffer retention cavity of the main section when the buffer section is positioned in its extended position.

9. The device of claim 8 , where the buffer retention cavity of the main section is defined in a first peripheral side of the main section; such that the buffer extension member of the second side of the buffer section is received within the buffer retention cavity of the main section when the buffer section is positioned in its folded packing position.

10. The device of claim 8 , where the buffer retention cavity of the main section has dimensions shaped complementary to, and the at least two main spaced main section extension members are configured to frictionally mate with, the shape of the buffer extension member of the buffer section when the buffer extension member is received within the buffer retention cavity of the main section in a manner that acts to frictionally retain the buffer section in the folded packing position between the at least two main spaced main section extension members relative to the main section.

11. A packing device system, comprising:

at least two packing devices, each of the two packing devices comprising:

a planar opening side with an opening defined therein, a body side disposed opposite from the opening side, and multiple peripheral sides extending between the opening side and the body side, an object cavity being defined in the main section between the peripheral sides that is continuous with the opening defined in the planar opening side of the main section, the object cavity being configured to receive a portion of the object through the opening for packing,

a hinge feature defining a hinge line at an intersection of one of the peripheral sides of the main section with the planar opening side such that the hinge line is co-planar with the planar opening side, and

a buffer section coupled to the peripheral side of the main section by the hinge feature, the buffer section being configured to fold about the hinge line from an extended position to a folded packing position relative to the main section,

where the buffer section has opposing first and second sides, where the hinge feature is disposed adjacent and contiguous with the planar opening side of the main section and hingeably couples the buffer section to the main section such that the first side of the buffer section faces the same direction as the opening side of the main section when the buffer section is disposed in its extended position, and such that the second side of the buffer section is disposed in face-to-face relationship with an exterior surface of a peripheral side of the main section when the buffer section is positioned in its folded packing position; and

where the object cavity of a first one of the two packing devices is configured to receive a first end of the object for packing, and where the object cavity of a second one of the two packing devices is configured to receive a second end of the object for packing, the first and second ends of the object being opposing ends of the object for packing.

12. The system of claim 11 , where each respective one of the two packing devices is dimensioned to be received and contained within the interior of a shipping container with the buffer section of each of the packing devices being positioned in its folded packing position relative to the main section of the respective packing device, and with the opposing ends of the object being received within the object cavity of the main section portion of each of the respective two packing devices such that the object is freely suspended within the interior of the shipping container between the two respective packing devices.

13. The system of claim 11 , further comprising a shipping container having an interior configured to receive the two packing devices together with an object for packing that is positioned between the two packing devices with a first end of the object for packing being received within the object cavity of the first packing device and with the second end of the object for packing being received within the object cavity of the second packing device, and with the buffer section of each of the respective packing devices being positioned in its folded packing position relative to the main section of the respective packing device.

14. The system of claim 11 , further comprising an object for packing and a shipping container, the two packing devices being positioned within the interior of the shipping container together with the object for packing and with the object being positioned between the two packing devices such that a first end of the object for packing is received within the object cavity of the first packing device and such that the second end of the object for packing is received within the object cavity of the second packing device, and with the buffer section of each of the respective packing devices being positioned in its folded packing position relative to the main section of the respective packing device.

15. The system of claim 11 , where each of the main section, hinge feature and buffer section of each packing device are formed from a single piece of molded pulp fiber.

16. The system of claim 11 , wherein the object for packing is an information handling system.

17. A method for packing an object, comprising:

providing at least one packing device, comprising:

a main section having a planar opening side with an opening defined therein, a body side disposed opposite from the opening side, and multiple peripheral sides extending between the opening side and the body side, an object cavity being defined in the main section between the peripheral sides that is continuous with the opening defined in the planar opening side of the main section, the object cavity being configured to receive a portion of the object through the opening for packing,

a hinge feature defining a hinge line at an intersection of one of the peripheral sides of the main section with the planar opening side such that the hinge line is co-planar with the planar opening side, and

a buffer section coupled to the peripheral side of the main section by the hinge feature, the buffer section being configured to fold about the hinge line from an extended position to a folded packing position relative to the main section,

where the buffer section has opposing first and second sides; where the hinge feature is disposed adjacent and contiguous with the planar opening side of the main section and hingeably couples the buffer section to the main section such that the first side of the buffer section faces the same direction as the opening side of the main section when the buffer section is disposed in its extended position, and such that the second side of the buffer section is disposed in face-to-face relationship with an exterior surface of a peripheral side of the main section when the buffer section is positioned in its folded packing position, or

where the buffer section is configured to fold about the hinge line from the extended position through the opening defined in the planar opening side of the main section to a folded packing position with the buffer section received inside the main section such that the first side of the buffer section faces the same direction as the opening side of the main section when the buffer section is disposed in its extended position, and such that the first side of the buffer section is disposed in face-to-face relationship with an interior surface of a peripheral side of the main section when the buffer section is positioned in its folded packing position;

providing an object for packing;

positioning at least a portion of the object for packing within the object cavity of the packing device to form an assembly of the packing device with the object;

providing a shipping container having an interior configured to receive the assembly of the object and the packing device;

folding the buffer section about the hinge line from the extended position to the folded packing position relative to the main section; and

then positioning the assembly of the object and the packing device within the interior of the shipping container.

18. The method of claim 17 , further comprising:

providing at least two packing devices, each of the two packing devices comprising:

a main section having a planar opening side with an opening defined therein, a body side disposed opposite from the opening side, and multiple peripheral sides extending between the opening side and the body side, an object cavity being defined in the main section between the peripheral sides that is continuous with the opening defined in the planar opening side of the main section, the object cavity being configured to receive a portion of the object through the opening for packing,

a hinge feature defining a hinge line at an intersection of one of the peripheral sides of the main section with the planar opening side such that the hinge line is co-planar with the planar opening side, and

a buffer section coupled to the peripheral side of the main section by the hinge feature, the buffer section being configured to fold about the hinge line from an extended position to a folded packing position relative to the main section,

where the buffer section has opposing first and second sides, where the hinge feature is disposed adjacent and contiguous with the planar opening side of the main section and hingeably couples the buffer section to the main section such that the first side of the buffer section faces the same direction as the opening side of the main section when the buffer section is disposed in its extended position, and such that the second side of the buffer section is disposed in face-to-face relationship with an exterior surface of a peripheral side of the main section when the buffer section is positioned in its folded packing position, or

where the buffer section is configured to fold about the hinge line from the extended position through the opening defined in the planar opening side of the main section to a folded packing position with the buffer section received inside the main section such that the first side of the buffer section faces the same direction as the opening side of the main section when the buffer section is disposed in its extended position, and such that the first side of the buffer section is disposed in face-to-face relationship with an interior surface of a peripheral side of the main section when the buffer section is positioned in its folded packing position;

providing an object for packing that has first and second opposing ends;

positioning the first end of the object for packing within the object cavity of a first one of the two packing devices and positioning the second end of the object for packing within the object cavity of a second one of the two packing devices to form an assembly of the first and second packing devices with the object therebetween;

providing a shipping container having an interior configured to receive the assembly of the object and first and second packing devices;

folding the buffer section of each of the two packing devices about the hinge line from the extended position to a folded packing position relative to the main section of each of the two packing devices; and

then positioning the assembly of the object and first and second packing devices within the interior of the shipping container such that the object is freely suspended within the interior of the shipping container between the two packing devices.

19. The method of claim 17 , where each of the main section, hinge feature and buffer section of each packing device are formed from a single piece of molded pulp fiber.

20. The method of claim 17 , wherein the object for packing is an information handling system.

21. A device for packing an object, comprising:

a main section having a planar opening side with an opening defined therein, a body side disposed opposite from the opening side, and multiple peripheral sides extending between the opening side and the body side, an object cavity being defined in the main section between the peripheral sides that is continuous with the opening defined in the planar opening side of the main section, the object cavity being configured to receive a portion of the object through the opening for packing;

a hinge feature defining a hinge line at an intersection of one of the peripheral sides of the main section with the planar opening side such that the hinge line is co-planar with the planar opening side; and

a buffer section coupled to the peripheral side of the main section by the hinge feature, the buffer section being configured to fold about the hinge line from an extended position to a folded packing position relative to the main section;

where the buffer section has opposing first and second sides, where the buffer section is configured to fold about the hinge line from the extended position through the opening defined in the planar opening side of the main section to a folded packing position with the buffer section received inside the main section such that the first side of the buffer section faces the same direction as the opening side of the main section when the buffer section is disposed in its extended position, and such that the first side of the buffer section is disposed in face-to-face relationship with an interior surface of a peripheral side of the main section when the buffer section is positioned in its folded packing position.

22. The device of claim 21 , where the main section has at least one buffer retention cavity defined in the opening side of the main section, the buffer retention cavity being dimensioned and configured to receive at least a portion of the buffer section; and where the hinge feature hingeably couples the buffer section to the main section such that at least a portion of the buffer section is disposed within the buffer retention cavity when the buffer section is positioned in its folded packing position, and such that no portion of the buffer extension member is received within the buffer retention cavity of the main section when the buffer section is positioned in its extended position.

23. The device of claim 21 , further comprising a buffer retention cavity defined in the main section between the peripheral sides that is continuous with the opening defined in the planar opening side of the main section; where the hinge feature is disposed adjacent and contiguous with the planar opening side of the main section and hingeably couples the buffer section to the main section such that at least a portion of the first side of the buffer section is received within the buffer retention cavity when the buffer section is positioned in its folded packing position.