| CPC B65D 19/0004 (2013.01) [B65D 2519/00054 (2013.01); B65D 2519/00338 (2013.01)] | 18 Claims |
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1. A folded post support system for supporting a pallet, the support system comprising:
a rectilinear, hollow elongated enclosure made from a single folded blank, the enclosure defining an interior and having a length (Le); and
an insert disposed within the interior of the enclosure, the insert made from a hollow cylindrical structural post that has been cut and then folded in an accordion fashion, the insert having a length (Li);
the post comprising an outer wall, an inner wall, a first side wall extending between the outer wall and the inner wall, a second side wall extending between the outer wall and the inner wall opposite the first side wall, two outer corners extending longitudinally from an end of the post to an opposite end, and two inner corners extending longitudinally from the end of the post to the opposite end, the post having a length (Lp);
the post defining a plurality of cuts, each cut extending peripherally but only partially around the post so that one of the two side walls is uncut and forms a living hinge, the cuts being evenly distributed along the length (Lp) of the post in the longitudinal direction to create a plurality of connected hollow cylindrical segments of equal lengths;
each segment comprising an outer wall corresponding to part of the post outer wall, an inner wall corresponding to part of the post inner wall, two outer corners corresponding to parts of the two post outer corners, two inner corners corresponding to parts of the two post inner corners, a first side wall corresponding to part of the post first side wall and a second side wall corresponding to part of the post second side wall; wherein
each post segment is connected to at least one adjacent post segment along one of the living hinges; and
at least one sidewall of each post segment abuts a sidewall of an adjacent post segment.
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