Cross-brace assembly and method of assembling and use

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11427375-B2
Application number	US-202016814102-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 10, 2020
Priority date	Mar 10, 2020
Publication date	Aug 30, 2022
Grant date	Aug 30, 2022

Abstract

A cross-brace assembly for a package for a household appliance and method of assembling are provided. The cross-brace assembly can include a holder having a body having opposing first and second sides. The body includes first and second inner tabs that include first and second apertures, respectively. A first outer tab projects from the first side of the body, adjacent to the first inner tab, and a second outer tab projects from the second side of the body, adjacent to the second inner tab. A brace having opposing first and second ends can be received within the first and second apertures such that the first end of the brace is disposed adjacent the first outer tab and the second end of the brace is disposed adjacent the second outer tab to retain the brace relative to the holder.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A package for a household appliance, comprising:
a container comprising a first wall and a second wall, opposite the first wall;
a cross-brace assembly, comprising:
a holder having a body comprising a first side and a second side, opposite the first side;
a first inner tab and a second inner tab, spaced from the first inner tab, wherein the first and second inner tabs project from respective first and second openings formed in the body, and wherein the first inner tab comprises a first aperture and the second inner tab comprises a second aperture;
a first outer tab projecting from the first side of the body, adjacent to the first inner tab;
a second outer tab projecting from the second side of the body, adjacent to the second inner tab; and
a brace having opposing first and second ends, and

wherein the brace is received within the first and second apertures such that the first end of the brace is disposed adjacent the first outer tab and the second end of the brace is disposed adjacent the second outer tab to retain the brace relative to the holder, and wherein the first and second apertures are configured such that when the first inner tab and the second inner tab lie in substantially the same plane as the body, the first aperture provides a first gap between the body and at least one edge of the first inner tab, and the second aperture provides a second gap between the body and at least one edge of the second inner tab.

2. The package of claim 1 , wherein the first inner tab and the second inner tab are one of cut, stamped, or punched from the body.

3. The package of claim 1 , wherein the holder comprises one of cardboard, polymeric material, card stock, paper, corrugated material, or combinations thereof.

4. The package of claim 1 , wherein the brace comprises one of aluminum, metal, metal alloy, wood, polymeric material, cardboard, corrugated material, or combinations thereof.

5. The package of claim 1 , wherein the first outer tab comprises an outer surface abutting the first wall and the second outer tab comprises an outer surface abutting the second wall.

6. The package of claim 1 , wherein the first outer tab comprises an inner surface abutting the first end of the brace and the second outer tab comprises an inner surface abutting the second end of the brace.

7. The package of claim 1 , wherein the first and second inner tabs and the first and second outer tabs are integrally formed with the body.

8. A cross-brace assembly, comprising:
a holder having a body comprising a first side and a second side, opposite the first side;
a first inner tab and a second inner tab, spaced from the first inner tab, wherein the first and second inner tabs are formed in the body, and wherein the first inner tab comprises a first aperture and the second inner tab comprises a second aperture;
a first opening formed in the body adjacent to the first inner tab;
a second opening formed in the body adjacent to the second inner tab;
a first outer tab projecting from the first side of the body, adjacent to the first inner tab; and
a second outer tab projecting from the second side of the body, adjacent to the second inner tab, and
wherein the first and second inner tabs are configured to be moveable into a position in which the first and second inner tabs extend at an angle relative to the body, and wherein the first and second apertures are configured to receive a brace therein to retain the brace between the first and second outer tabs, and wherein the first and second openings are configured such that when the first inner tab and the second inner tab lie in substantially the same plane as the body, the first opening provides a first gap between the body and at least one edge of the first inner tab, and the second opening provides a second gap between the body and at least one edge of the second inner tab.

9. The cross-brace assembly of claim 8 , further comprising:
a brace having opposite first and second ends, and
wherein the brace is received within the first and second apertures such that the first end of the brace is disposed adjacent the first outer tab and the second end of the brace is disposed adjacent the second outer tab.

10. The cross-brace assembly of claim 9 , wherein the first outer tab comprises an inner surface abutting the first end of the brace and the second outer tab comprises an inner surface abutting the second end of the brace.

11. The cross-brace assembly of claim 8 , wherein the first inner tab and the second inner tab are one of cut, stamped, or punched from the body.

12. The cross-brace assembly of claim 8 , wherein the first and second inner tabs and the first and second outer tabs are integrally formed with the body.

Assignees

• Whirlpool Co

Inventors

• Hariharan Homprakash
• Jayabal Jayakumar
• Narayanan Sadasivam

Classifications

• B65D2585/6817

  refrigerators · CPC title

• B65D2585/6815

  kitchen devices, including unspecified devices, e.g. Haushaltgeräte · CPC title

• B65D5/445 Primary

  Reinforcements formed separately from the container · CPC title

• B65D2585/6837

  tv or computers · CPC title

• B65D2585/6855

  washing machine · CPC title