CLIAMS:We claim:
1. A shipping configuration comprising:
an insert having a plurality of arrest zones formed of a plurality of cut and
fold lines to receive an ampule, wherein the arrest zones are configured to arrest the
lateral, vertical and sideways movement of the ampule; and
an outer pack having at least one buffer panel having an opening to receive a neck portion of the ampule and a plurality of space flaps to maintain a pre-determined distance between the outer pack and the insert.
2. The shipping configuration system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of arrest zones
comprises at least one arrest zone having a width and a height that is approximately slightly greater than the maximum width of a neck portion of the ampule but lesser than the width of a body portion of the ampule.
3. The shipping configuration of claim 1 wherein the plurality of arrest zones comprises
at least one arrest zone having a width and a height that is approximately slightly
greater than the maximum width of the body portion of the ampule.
4. The shipping configuration system of claim 1 wherein the plurality of arrest zones comprises at least one arrest zone having a width and a height that is lesser than the maximum width of an end portion of the ampule.
5. The shipping configuration system of claim 1 wherein the insert and the out pack are
formed from a single blank.
6. The shipping configuration system of claim 1 wherein the insert and the out pack are formed from a two separate blanks.
,TagSPECI:Field of the invention:
The present invention relates to the packaging of fragile materials. More particularly, the present invention relates to packaging of glass ampules.

Background of the Invention
The present invention relates to the packaging of fragile materials and more particularly to packaging of glass ampules.
This background information is provided to reveal information believed by the applicant to be of possible relevance to the present invention. No admission is necessarily intended, nor should be construed, that any of the preceding information constitutes prior art against the present invention.

Summary of the Invention
A shipping configuration system is described and includes an insert having a plurality of arrest zones formed of a plurality of cut and fold lines to receive an ampule, wherein the arrest zones are configured to arrest the lateral, vertical and sideways movement of the ampule. The shipping configuration system further includes an outer pack having at least one buffer panel having an opening to receive a neck portion of the ampule and a plurality of space flaps to maintain a pre-determined distance between the outer pack and the insert.
Statement of the Invention
A shipping configuration system for ampules that includes a primary arresting mechanism having a plurality of arrest zones and secondary arresting mechanism formed in an outer pack that in receives the insert and complements the primary arresting mechanism.

Brief description of the drawings
FIG. 1 represents a perspective view of an insert blank of the present invention; and
FIG. 2 represents a perspective view of an insert erected from the insert blank of the present invention in a folded position; and
FIG. 3 represents a perspective view of the insert of the present invention with an inserted ampule in a folded position; and
FIG. 4 represents a blank of an outer pack of the present invention; and
FIG. 5 represents a blank of an outer pack of the present invention in a half-folded position; and
FIG. 6 represents the outer pack formed from the blank in accordance with the present invention; and
FIG. 7 represents the outer pack with the insert in accordance with the present invention; and
FIG. 8 represents a shipping configuration system in accordance with the present
invention.

Detailed description of the invention
Referring to FIGS. 1-2, an insert blank 100 of the present invention includes a first panel 102, a second panel 104, a third panel 106 and a fourth panel 108. The blank has a plurality of fold lines F1-F9 and a plurality cut lines C1-C5. The panels 102 and 108 are is
folded down along the fold line F1 and F3 respectively. The blank 100 is folded along the fold line F2 and there panels 104 and 106 form a V-shaped portion 110 thereby. The rectangular portion defined within cut lines C1, C2 and the fold lines F4 and F5 is folded up along the fold line F2 to form an arrest zone 112. Similarly, the rectangular portion defined within cut lines C3, C4 and the fold lines F6 and F7 is folded up along the fold line F2 to
form an arrest zone 114. The arrest zones 112 and 114 are dimensioned as per the design of an ampule 116 to be housed.
Referring to FIG. 2-3, the ampule 116 is pushed through the arrest zone 112 and 114 in direction indicated by an arrow A1. The width and height of the arrest zone 112 is such that any forward, vertical and sideways movement of the ampule 116 is braked or arrested.
The dimensions of the arrest zone 112 are such that the width and the height of the arrest zone 112 are slightly greater than the maximum width of a neck portion 118 of the ampule 116. The width and the height of the arrest zone 112 are slightly smaller than the maximum width of a body portion 120 of the ampule 116. The dimensions of the arrest zone 114 are such that the width and height of the arrest zone 114 are slightly greater than the maximum
with the body portion 120 of the ampule 116. An arrest zone 122 defined by the cut line C5, the fold lines F8 and F9 and the boundary of the insert blank 100 that is proximal to the cut line C5 is erected so as to restrict the back movement of the inserted ampule 116. The dimensions of the arrest zone 122 are such that the width and the height of the arrest zone 122 is slightly smaller than the width of the end portion 124 of the ampule 116.
Referring to FIG. 4, a blank 200 for an outer pack of the present invention includes a left panel 202, a front panel 204, a right panel 206 and a rear panel 208. The panels 202 and 204 are form sides of the outer pack as shown in FIG. 8. The panel 202 is contiguous to the panel 204 and the panel 206 lies between panels 204 and 208. The panels 204 and 208 each
include an end panel 210, 212 respectively. The panels 204 and 208 each include a buffer panel 214 and 216 respectively. Buffer panel 214, 216 each has an opening 218, 220 respectively. The dimension of the openings 218, 220 is such that the width and height of the openings 218, 220 is smaller than the maximum width and height of the neck portion 118 of the ampule 116. The rear panel 208 has a glue flap 222.
Referring to FIGS. 4-6, the panel 208 is folded along a fold line F10 such that the glue flap 222 aligns with the panel 204. The panel 202 is folded along a fold line F11 such that the panel 202 is aligned with and positioned over the glue panel 222. The glue flap 222 is glued to the panel 202 and four walls of the outer pack 224 are erected.
The buffer panel 214 has spacer flaps 226, 228 and 230 and the buffer panel 216 has
spacer flaps 232, 234 and 236. The function these spacer flaps 226-236 is to maintain a safe distance d between the end panels 212, 210 and the openings 218 and 220 respectively when the outer pack 224 is formed. The distance d is always greater than the part of the neck portion 118 that juts out of openings 218, 220. The openings 218, 220 act as a secondary arresting mechanism when the primary arresting mechanism formed by arrest zones 112 fails.
Therefore, the shipping configuration system in accordance with the present has a two arrest mechanism. The primary arresting mechanism is the insert having a plurality of arrest zones and secondary arresting mechanism is formed in an outer pack that in receives the insert and complements the primary arresting mechanism.
In this particular preferred embodiment the insert and the outer pack are erected from two separate blanks. However, in yet another embodiment the insert and the outer pack may form part of a single blank.