Round-Trip Container

The present application claims the benefit U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/567,167, filed Mar. 19, 2024, the entire contents of which are expressly incorporated by reference.

The present application generally relates to product packaging, and more specifically, but not exclusively, to a round-trip mailing container for electronic devices.

A round-trip mailing container is designed to be sent to a user, who opens the container and places an item to be shipped inside. The user then ships the item-containing round-trip container back to the sender, or to another third-party.

An exemplary round-trip container is an outer envelope which includes a return envelope located internal to the outer envelope. As a specific example, a creditor may send an outer envelope that is addressed to a consumer. This outer envelope is an “outbound” container. The outer envelope can include a bill due to be paid as well as a return envelope addressed to the creditor or to a third party such as a payment processing service.

After opening the outer envelope, the customer can insert payment and/or payment information into the return envelope and place the return envelope in the mail to be delivered to the creditor. This return envelope is the “return” container.

Some round-trip containers are designed for carrying often-fragile three-dimensional objects as may be returned by a consumer to the manufacturer of the product, or to a third-party repair shop and/or fulfillment house. These types of round-trip containers are frequently utilized for returns and warranty service with consumer electronic products such as phones, tablets, computers, routers, headphones, watches, and the like.

When the consumer receives the round-trip container, they open it and insert the defective or unwanted item into the container. The consumer then closes the container (typically with packing tape) and delivers the container to a shipping carrier to be returned to the desegrated party.

Another frequent use of round-trip containers relates to trade-ins for preowned electronic devices that are returned to a new product seller when the consumer purchases a new product.

For example, cell phones, tablets, and laptop computers are often sold with the requirement that the purchasing customer trade in and return their existing phone, tablet or laptop to the seller of the new product. In such a transaction, the consumer will purchase his new device from a seller that he either picks up at a store or has it shipped to her by the seller. To obtain the older device being traded in, the seller, or usually, a fulfillment house under contract with the seller, will send a shipping container to the seller in which the buyer can ship the trade-in product to the seller-designated party.

The purchaser then opens the return container, inserts the trade-in device into the return box, then seals the return box, and then takes the return box to a carrier so that the carrier, such as UPS or FedEx may ship it back to the fulfillment house, who then deals with the disposal of the device pursuant to the desires of the seller.

This type of return process is described in the Applicant's Pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 17/941,954, filed Sep. 9, 2022, the disclosure of which is fully incorporated herein by reference.

As will be appreciated, electronic devices are available in a wide variety of sizes and overall dimensions. For example, an iPhone 16 Pro Max has dimensions of 6.42×3.06×0.32 inches, a Samsung Galaxy S22 has dimensions of 5.75×2.78×0.30 inches, the iPad Pro 13-inch has dimensions of 11.09×8.48×0.20 inches.

Electronic devices such as smartphones, tablets, and laptops typically include a rectangularly cuboid overall shape having height and width dimensions which are commonly significantly greater than a depth dimension. As will be appreciated, dimensions of electronic devices vary widely depending upon the type of device (e.g., laptop overall dimensions are often larger than tablet dimensions, tablet dimensions are often larger than smartphone dimensions). Moreover, dimensions of electronic devices can vary significantly even across different models of the same type of device (e.g., the iPhone 16 Pro Max has dimensions of 6.42×3.06×0.32 inches while the iPhone 13 mini has dimensions of 5.18×2.53×0.30 inches.

Due to the significant variations in dimensions between devices, numerous shipping boxes and/or shipping box inserts are typically required, with each. A shipping box having an enlarged interior to accommodate multiple sizes of devices would not be suitable as the electronic device must be securely retained within the shipping box. Retention of the device reduces the likelihood of damage to the electronic device (e.g., damaged screens, dented/chipped corners or sides, and/or loose or damaged internal connections) as could occur if the device freely slid within the box during shipping.

Two primary methods are known for securing laptops, tablets, and similarly shaped devices in a shipping container. The first method employs cut foam members that are sized to provide a window into which the device can be placed. The window dimensions are typically tailored to a specific device. Preferably, the window is sized so that it snuggly receives the device within the window.

The cut foam packaging method functions in a workmanlike manner. However, numerous drawbacks exist. For example, this method requires a wide variety of foam pieces including different window sizes to be formed, stored, and inserted into a shipping container to accommodate a particular device.

The second method currently utilized in return containers is to provide an insert having a plastic open-ended sleeve including a generally rectangular shape. The sleeve is fixedly adhered on two opposing sides, with two opposing ends of the sleeve remaining open. To operate the return container, the electronic device is slid into one of the open ends, below the plastic of the sleeve and above the material of the insert.

Although this method can accommodate larger variations in devices than the first method, significant drawbacks exist. For example, as the opposing ends of the sleeve remain open, the electronic device can slide back and forth within the sleeve during shipment, thereby increasing the likelihood of the electronic device being damaged.

Therefore, further technological developments are desirable.

A first form of the present application is directed to a round-trip mailing container for use with a shipped device. The container comprises a body that includes a plurality of body panels that define an interior cavity sized for receiving a shipped device. The body panels include a portal panel moveable between an open position, providing access to the cavity, and a closed position, in which access is prevented to the cavity.

A closure flap is provided for securing the portal panel to another body panel to maintain the portal panel in a closed position. The body panels include a resting surface disposed in the cavity that is sized and configured for receiving a shipped device. A multi-layer securing sheet is coupled to the resting surface.

The flexible securing sheet comprises a first adhesive sheet having a non-adhesive upper surface, and an adhesive containing lower surface. A second sheet comprises a release member that has an upper surface that is adhesively coupled to the adhesive containing lower surface of the first adhesive sheet.

When the shipped device is placed on the resting surface, the release member is separated from the first adhesive sheet and the first adhesive sheet is located over the shipped device. The adhesive sheet adhesively engages the resting surface outwardly from a perimeter of the shipped device to securely position the shipped device to the resting surface.

A platform can be positioned in the cavity. The platform includes a resting surface and vertically disposed perimeter flaps. The perimeter flaps place the resting surface of the platform in a spaced relation from a bottom panel of the container.

The portal panel includes an exterior surface and an interior surface. A padding member is coupled to the interior surface of the portal panel. The padding member is disposed above the resting surface and is sized to engage the shipped device placed on the resting surface.

Another form of the present application includes a round-trip mailing container for use with a shipped device. The container includes a container body having an interior cavity. A portal panel is operably coupled with the container body, and the portal panel is movable between an open position in which access is provided to the interior cavity, and a closed position.

A resting surface is located within the interior cavity, and the resting surface is configured to receive the shipped device.

A multi-layer flexible device retention sheet is located at the resting surface. The flexible device retention sheet includes an adhesive sheet and a release sheet. An adhesive is located at a lower surface of the adhesive sheet, and the release sheet is releasably positioned at the lower surface of the adhesive sheet in a manner such that the release sheet covers the adhesive.

The release sheet is configured to be removed from the adhesive sheet to expose the adhesive. The adhesive sheet is structured to extend over the shipped device received by the resting surface and a perimetral portion of the lower surface of the adhesive sheet is configured to adhere to the resting surface around an outer perimeter of the shipped device.

The shipped device can be one of a smartphone, tablet, or laptop. The mailing container can include a platform located within the interior cavity. An upper surface of the platform can include the resting surface, and the platform elevates the resting surface above a bottom panel of the container body.

An outer edge portion of the adhesive sheet can be coupled with the platform prior to removal of the release sheet from the adhesive sheet.

An upper surface of the platform can include a substantially rectangular form. The flexible device retention sheet can include a substantially rectangular form. The flexible device retention sheet is placed upon and substantially covers the upper surface of the platform.

The portal panel includes a top panel of the container body. The portal panel is foldably coupled with a side panel of the container body and the portal panel further includes a closure flap configured to retain the portal panel in the closed position.

A padding member can be attached to an inner surface of the top panel. An interior portion of the adhesive sheet is located over the shipped device. The entire perimetral portion of the lower surface of the adhesive sheet can be adhered with the resting surface to retain the shipped device to the resting surface in a pouch-like manner.

An interior portion of the lower surface of the adhesive sheet can be free of adhesive. The adhesive can be a contact adhesive. The adhesive sheet can be a flexible, transparent polymer.

Another form of the present application is directed to a container system including a container body having an interior cavity. A portal panel is operably coupled with the container body and the portal panel is movable between an open position and a closed position. The portal panel provides access to the interior cavity when placed in the open position.

A platform is positioned within the interior cavity and the platform is located above a bottom panel of the container body. An upper surface of the platform is configured to receive a shipped device thereon.

A flexible device retention sheet includes an adhesive sheet and a release sheet. An an edge portion of the adhesive sheet is adhered with the platform. An adhesive is adhered to a perimetral portion of the lower surface of the adhesive sheet, and the release sheet is removably engaged with the adhesive at the lower surface of the adhesive sheet.

The release sheet is removed from the adhesive sheet to expose the adhesive. An interior portion of the adhesive sheet extends over the shipped device received by the platform. The entire perimetral portion of the lower surface of the adhesive sheet is adhered with the resting surface, thereby retaining the shipped device to the platform in a pouch-like manner.

Other embodiments include unique round-trip packaging apparatuses, systems, and methods. Further embodiments, inventions, forms, objects, features, advantages, aspects, and benefits of the present application are otherwise set forth or become apparent from the description and drawings included herein.

For purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles of the invention, reference will now be made to the embodiments illustrated in the drawings and specific language will be used to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the invention is thereby intended, any alterations and further modifications in the illustrated device, and any further applications of the principles of the invention as illustrated therein being contemplated as would normally occur to one skilled in the art to which the invention relates.

As utilized herein the term “mail”, “shipping” and derivations thereof (e.g., “mailed”, “mailing”, “mails”, “shipped” etc.) are intended to include all forms of container shipping and/or transport. Exemplary mailing service providers include the U.S. Postal Service, FedEx, UPS, DHL, and other shipping carriers, courier services, and post services, as are known.

The term “container” is intended to include a variety of apparatuses in which objects are housed during mailing. Exemplary containers include envelopes, boxes, hard and soft packages and packaging, and other containers which are able to house an item to be mailed.

Referring now, a round-trip mailing containeris shown for use with a shipped device, such as a tablet type computer or a laptop computer. The containercomprises a bodythat includes a plurality of body panels that define an interior cavitythat is sized and configured for receiving the shipped device.

The bodyincludes a bottom panel, a first side panel, a second side panel, a third side panel, and a fourth side panel. The four side panels,,,, and the basedefine the interior cavityinto which the shipped itemcan be placed.

A portal member, depicted as portal panelis movable between a closed positionand an open position. The portal panelis depicted as including top panel. The base paneland the portal panelare generally similar in size and shape, and have generally identical, or close to identical, widths and lengths.

The portal panelprovides selective access to the cavity. The portal panelis movable between an open position, depicted in, and a closed position, depicted in. In the open position, the portal panelpermits access to the cavity. In the closed position, the portal panelprevents access to the cavity.

A closure flapis provided for securing the portal panelto the other body panel members, such as the front side member. The containerincludes a resting surfacelocated within the cavity. The resting surfaceis sized and configured for receiving the shipped devicethereon.

A flexible device retention sheetis located upon the resting surface. Instructionscan be adhered to the device retention sheet, as is depicted in. The device retention sheet has a multi-layer design, including an adhesive sheet, having an adhesivelocated thereon, and release sheet.

The portal panelalso includes a first side flap, a second side flap, and a front or closure flap. When in the closed position, the first side flapand second side flapare sized and positioned to be disposed in a parallel plane with, being interiorly received by the second side paneland the fourth side panels. The closure flapis configured to be disposed exteriorly of the first side panel.