CA2372480C

CA2372480C - Protective packaging enclosure for shock sensitive products

Info

Publication number: CA2372480C
Application number: CA 2372480
Authority: CA
Inventors: Forrest Smith
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2002-02-15
Filing date: 2002-02-15
Publication date: 2009-10-13
Anticipated expiration: 2022-02-15
Also published as: CA2372480A1

Abstract

A protective packaging enclosure for shock sensitive products is formed as a clamshell, with two halves that are hinged together along a pair of sides or a pair of ends. The clamshell protective enclosure is dimensioned, in each case, for the known dimensions of thickness, length, and width of a specific shock sensitive product. The protective enclosure is rectilinear in configuration, and has inwardly directed convolutions formed on each of the side and end walls, where the distance between the closed convolutions on the sides or ends is not greater than the respective width or length of the shock sensitive product to be protected. The base walls of the clamshell halves are also formed with at least one dimple, so that at least one product contacting surface of each of the base walls, and at least two product contacting surfaces of each of the side walls and end walls, is in contact with the shock sensitive product. Significant shock protection is provided by the protective packaging enclosure in the event that the shock sensitive product in the protective packaging enclosure is dropped.

Description

PROTECTIVE PACKAGING ENCLOSURE
FOR SHOCK SENSITIVE PRODUCTS
FIELD OF TIHE INVENTION:
[0001] This invention relates to protective packaging enclosures, and particularly to protective packaging enclosures for shock sensitive products. The protective packaging enclosures of the present invention are formed as clamshells, which fit together to conipletely enclose the shock sensitive product to be protected.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION:

[0002] Shock is a major concern for manufacturers of many high tech products.
In particular, shock is a major concern for the components of computers and the like, which are manufactured by one of several major component manufacturers for delivery to hundreds, if not thousands, for computer manufacturers and assemblers.

[0003] Particularly, shock sensitive products include hard drives, CD and DVD
drives, as well as motherboards, cards, floppy disk drives, and unmounted CPUs.

[0004] Indeed, even fully assembled products may be shock sensitive. They may include lap-top and hand-held computers, personal digital assistants, and the like;
and more particularly, shock sensitive products may include boards and cards therefor that are intended to be rack-mounted in broadcast and computer networking, web support services, and the like.

[0005] However, the greatest concern of manufacturers of shock sensitive products is in respect of hard drives and CD and DVD drives, before they are properly mounted into a computer case. It is to such shock sensitive products as hard drives for computers, CD
and DVD drives, and the like, that the following discussion is particularly directed.

[0006] A hard drive for a computer may have a mass of several hundred grams, in a relatively compact configuration. Thus, hard drives may have relatively high density. Needless to say, a computer hard drive or the like is a very sensitive, highly designed product, with extremely critical alignment of track reading heads, laser elements in the case of CL) or DVD drives, and the like.

[0007] While the manufacturers of such devices go to extreme lengths to shock proof their products, or to design them so that in the event that they are dropped they will not be damaged or misaligned, such efforts eventually reach a stage where they are not cost effective, or where the size of the shock sensitive product is to be compromised.

[0008] Accordingly, protective packaging is required for these products -especially newly manufactured, unmounted, shock sensitive devices. What is surprising is the fact that the shock sensitive products are most likely to be dropped only a very short distance -say, six inches - and manufacturers of such shock sensitive products are establishing acceptance criteria to be applied to protective packaging enclosures therefor. Those criteria will differ from manufacturer to manufacturer and from product category to product category, but nonetheless they seek to reduce shock being transmitted to their manufactured shock sensitive products to less than about 50 Gs or, at most, 75 Gs. Indeed, less than 30 Gs is a criterion which manufacturers of hard drives, in particular, would be happy to achieve.

[0009] An unprotected shock sensitive product, even if dropped a clistance of six inches onto a hard surface, may experience deceleration of certain of its components, in the range of 100 Gs or more. Almost certainly, the shock sensitive product will have been damaged in such circumstances.

[0010] Accordingly, a protective packaging enclosure is required for the shock sensitive products, so that immediately upon their final assembly they may be placed into their protective packaging enclosure for further handling. That is a stage when most damage may occur, by the shock sensitive products being dropped by individuals who are handling them for purposes of packaging them into outer packaging containers for quantity shipments.

[0011] Typically, after its manufacture, a shock sensitive product such as a hard drive may be shipped in quantities of ten or twenty to a customer. However, not only must each of the shock sensitive products in the quantity package be protected in the event that t.hat: package is dropped, they must be protected in the event that an individual shock sensitive product is dropped on its way to the package in which it will be placed. Other danger to the shock sensitive products, of course, occurs when they are being unpackaged from the quantity packaging in which they have been shipped, typically by unskilled or semi-skilled workers who are employed in the receiving room of a computer manufacturer or the like.

[0012] It will be appreciated that most shock sensitive products of the sort as particularly contemplated herein have generally rectilinear configuration. It will also be appreciated that the most common kind of drop for such products is for them to be dropped onto one of the corners of the product. That is to say, shock forces are more typically transmitted to components of the shock sensitive product when it is dropped on a corner than when it is dropped on a side, end, bottom, or top surface.

[0013] However, various shock sensitive products of the sort contemplated herein may have specific dimensions of thickness, length, and width, which differ from product to product and which most certainly differ from manufacturer to manufacturer - particularly, length and thickness. On the other hand, the protective packaging enclosures of the present invention are provided for the specific and known dimensions of thickness, length, and width for any one such product or family of similarly sized products. It is recognized, of course, that in quantities of thousands, hundreds of thousands, or millions, of such protective packaging enclosures as are taught by the present invention, the per unit cost is minimal; and the incremental cost for making new molds for shock sensitive products having differing dimensions of thickness, length, and -width are also minimal.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION:

[0014] In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a protective packaging enclosure for a shock sensitive product, where the product is substantially rectilinear in overall configuration, and has known dimensions of thickness, length, and width.

[0015] The protective packaging enclosure comprises a clamshell configuration having a first half clamshell and a second half clamshell, where the half clamshells are j oined together by a hinge element.

[0016] The first half clamshell, the second half clamshell, and the hinge element are all molded from a plastics material as a unitary body.

[0017] The protective packaging enclosure, when closed, has a substantially rectilinear configuration, but its dimensions of thickness, length, and width are greater than the known dimensions of thickness, length, and width of the shock sensitive product to be protected.

[0018] Each of the first and second half clamshells has a major base wall, a pair of opposed side walls, and a pair of opposed end walls.

[0019] Each one of the pair of opposed side walls, and each one of the pair of opposed end walls is convoluted. The convolutions are such that there are at least two inwardly directed convolutions formed in each one of the pairs of opposed side walls and end walls.

[0020] Each one of the at least two inwardly directed convolutions in each of the pair of opposed side walls and the pair of opposed end walls has a product contacting surface.

[0021] The product contacting surfaces of the inwardly directed convolutions of each side wall and each end wall are in a respective plane; and wherein the distance between the contacting surface planes of the pair of opposed side walls is substantially equal to the known dimension of width of the shock sensitive product. Also, the distance between the contacting surface planes of the pair of opposed end walls is substantially equal to the known dimension of length of the shock sensitive product.

[0022] Each of the first half clamshell and the second half clamshell is formed having a peripheral lip, and each such lip has a down-turned outer lip surface and an inner lip surface.

[0023] The hinge element is formed between a pair of down-turned outer lip surfaces in an end wall or a side wall of each of the half clamshells.

[0024] The peripheral lips of the first and second half clamshelis are formed so as to comprise a mating pair of male and female lips. Thus, the outer peripheral surfaces of the male lips are received in and retained by the inner peripheral surfaces of the female lips.

[0025] At least one inwardly directed dimple is formed in each rriajor base wall of each of the first and second half clamshells.

[0026] Each of those dimples has an inwardly directed height w:hich is such that, when a shock sensitive product is enclosed in the protective packaging enclosure, and the protective packaging enclosure is closed with the male and female lips in mating configuration, then each of the inwardly directed dimples in the major base walls contacts the shock sensitive product.

[0027] Alternatively, each of the product contacting surfaces in each of the pair of opposed side walls and the pair of opposed end walls is opposed to, and faces, a product contacting surface in the opposed side wall or the opposed end wall, respectively.

[0028] Typically, each ofthe convolutions in each of the pair of opposed side walls, and each of the pair of opposed end walls, is curved away from the respective product contacting surface of each.

[0029] The plastics material from which the protective packaging enclosure may be molded can be such as to have electrical conductive properties. If so, then the shock sensitive product when enclosed therein, is electrically shielded.

[0030] At least a major portion of each of the pair of opposed side walls, the pair of opposed end walls, and the major base walls of the first and second half clamshells may be textured so as to at least partially obscure visibility therethrough.

[0031] However, at least a portion of at least one dimple on one of'the major base walls may be molded so as to be planar, whereby a label on the shock sensitive produict when enclosed therein, is visible for reading or scanning.

[0032] Typically, there are at least three inwardly directed convolutions formed in each of the at least one pair of opposed side walls or the pair of opposed end walls.

[0033] A pair of inwardly directed posts may be formed in the major base walls of at least one of the first and second half clamshells, in a region other than where the dimple is formed, so as to function as nesting locators for the protective packaging enclosure during handling thereof.

[0034] In some cases, the distance between the contacting surface planes of the pair of opposed side walls is slightly greater than the known dimension of width of the shock sensitive product; and the distance between the contacting surface planes of the pair of opposed end walls is slightly greater than the known dimension of length of the shock sensitive product.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS:

[0035] The novel features which are believed to be characteristic of the present invention, as to its structure, organization, use and method of operation, together with further objectives and advantages thereof, will be better understood from the following drawings in which a presently preferred embodiment of the invention will now be illustrated by way of example. It is expressly understood, however, that the drawings are for the purpose of illustration and description only and are not intended as a definition of the limits of the invention. Embodiments of this invention will now be described by way of example in association with the accompanying drawings in which:

[0036] Figure 1 is a perspective view from the outside surfaces of a first embodiment of protective packaging enclosure in keeping with the present invention;

[0037] Figure 2 is a perspective view of the embodiment of Figure 1, looking at the inside surfaces thereof;

[0038] Figure 3 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of protective packaging enclosure in keeping with the present invention, looking at the inside surfaces thereof;

[0039] Figure 4 is a is a view similar to that shown in Figure 1of a third embodiment of protective packaging enclosure in keeping with the present invention, viewed from the outside surfaces thereof;

[0040] Figure S is a perspective view ofthe embodiment ofFigure 4, viewed from the inside surfaces thereof;

[0041] Figure 6 is a set of traces of acceleration forces imparted to a shock sensitive product when packaged in a proprietary packaging enclosure for the manufacturer of that shock sensitive product; and [0042] Figure 7 is a set of traces similar to those of Figure 6 and to the same scale, showing an identical drop test using the protective packaging enclosure of the preSent invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS:

[0043] The novel features which are believed to be characteristic of the present invention, as to its structure, organization, use and method of operation, together wi:th further objectives and advantages thereof, will be better understood from the following discussion.

[0044] The principal features of the present invention are easily understood from a review of Figures 1 and 2, to which reference is now made. However, the same reference numerals are used throughout the following discussion of any of Figures 1 through 5, for the same elements as they are found in the various embodiments of those Figures.

[0045] Referring now to Figures 1 and 2, a protective packaging enclosure 10 is shown, being configured to protect a shock sensitive product which has a substantially rectilinear overall configuration. Needless to say, the shock sensitive product to be protected has known dimensions of thickness, length, and width.

[0046] The protective packaging enclosure 10 comprises a clamshell configuration, having a first half clamshell 12, a second half clamshell 14, and a hinge element 16 joining the first and second half clamshells 12, 14 together.

[0047] Any embodiment of the present invention is such that the first and second half clamshells, and the hinge element, 12, 14, 16, respectively, are molded fi~om a plastics material as a unitary body. Typically, the protective packaging enclosures of the present invention are vacuum molded, using complex articulated molds, but they may be injection molded or by other suitable molding techniques as are well known to those skilled in the art.

[0048] It will be understood that when the protective packaging is closed, it has a substantially rectilinear configuration. It will also be understood that wher.i the protective packaging enclosure 10 is closed, its substantially rectilinear configuration has dimensions of thickness, length, and width, each of which are greater than the known dimensions of thickness, length, and width, of the shock sensitive product to be protected. Each of the first and second half clamshells 12, 14, has a respective major base wall 18, 20. Each has a pair of opposed side walls 22, 22, and 24, 24, respectively; and each of the first and second half clamshells has a pair of opposed end walls, 26, 26 and 28, 28, respectively.

[0049] Each of the pair of opposed side walls 22, 22 and 24, 24 and each of the pair of opposed end walls 26, 26, and 28, 28, respectively, is convoluted. There are at least two inwardly directed convolutions 30 formed in each of the respective side walls and end walls.

[0050] Each of the at least two inwardly directed convolutions 30 has a product contacting surface 32. It will be seen in Figure 2 that, typically, each of the product contacting surfaces 32 in each of the pair of opposed side walls 22, 22 and 24, 24, and in each of the pairs of opposed end walls 26, 26 and 28, 28, respectively, is opposed to, and faces, a product contacting surface in the opposed side wall or end wall, respectively.

[0051] The distance between the opposed product contacting surfaces 32 in the side walls is typically substantially equal to the known width of the shock sensitive!
product to be protected.

Likewise, the distance between the opposed product contacting surfaces 32 in the end walls, is typically substantially equal to the known length of the shock sensitive product to be protected.

[0052] However, it will also be understood that the product contacting surfaces 32 of each one of the convolutions 30 formed in each one of the pair of opposed side walls and in each one of the pair of opposed end walls, are in a respective plane. Thus it is not necessary that the convolutions 30 in the opposed side walls are opposed to and face each other, so long as the distance between the respective planes in the side walls is substantially equal to the ]mown width of the shock sensitive product, and the distance between the respective planes in the end walls is substantially equal to the known length of the shock sensitive product.

[0053] Moreover, it must be noted that by the term "substantially equal" as it is used herein, Applicant means that the respective distances and lengths being spoken of' are the same as or nearly the same as, the distance or length to which the comparison is being macie.
This is because some manufacturers of shock sensitive products such as hard drives, or CD or DVD
drives, in particular, require that there be some tolerance for placing the shock sensitive product into its protective packaging enclosure; whereas other manufacturers want zero tolerance, or even a slightly less distance between the planes of the product contacting surfaces, than the vvidth and/or length of the shock sensitive product, so that the product must be slightly forced into place in the protective packaging enclosure.

[0054] It is seen in Figures 1 and 2 that each of the first half clamshells 12 and 14 is formed having a peripheral lip; and each of the peripheral lips has a down-turned outer lip surfaces 36, and inner lip surface 38. It will also be seen from Figures 1 and 2 that the hinge element 16 is formed between the pair of down-turned outer lip surfaces 36; and it will be understood from a comparison of Figures 3, 4, and 5, with Figures 1 and 2, that the hinge element may be formed between a pair of end walls, or a pair of side walls, one of each of the respective half clamshells.

[0055] It will be particularly understood from Figures 1 and 2 that the peripheral lips of the first and second half clamshells are formed so as to be configured as a mating pair of male and female lips 40,42, respectively. It will be understood that the outer peripheral surface 36 of the male lips are received in and retained by the inner peripheral surfaces 38 of the female lips 40 when the half clamshells 12 and 14 are closed with respect of one to the other.

[0056] There is at least one inwardly directed dimple 42 which is formed in each major base wall 18, 20, of the first and second half clamshells 12, 14, respectively.

[0057] The inwardly directed height of each of the dimples 44 is such that, when a shock sensitive product has been enclosed in the protective packaging enclosure 10, and the protective packaging enclosure is closed with the male and female lips 40, 42 in mating configuration, then each of the inwardly directed dimples will contact the shock sensitive product on the top and bottom surface thereof, respectively.

[0058] Figure 3 illustrates a further embodiment of the protective packaging enclosure of the present invention which is virtually identical with that of the Figure 1, except that the two half clamshells 12, 14, are joined together by a hinge element 16 formed at the sides thereof, rather than the ends thereof.

[0059] It will be seen in any of the Figures that each of the convolutions 30 in each of the side walls and end walls is formed so as to be curved away from the respective product contacting surface 32 thereof. That configuration, of course, provides for additional shock absorption characteristics apart from those which will be demonstrated by the plastics material per se.

[0060] It is also noted in each of the Figures 1 through 5 that, typically, there are at least three inwardly directed convolutions 30 formed in each of the side walls and end walls of each of the half clamshells 12, 14.

[0061] Typically, the plastics material from which the protective packaging enclosures 10, 50, 60, as illustrated, are molded, is such as to have electrical conductive properties. Thus, when a shock sensitive product is enclosed in any of the protective packaging enclosures of the present invention, it will be electrically shielded. Accordingly, the protective packaged shock sensitive products may be handled by workers without risk of damage to electronic components within the shock sensitive products.

[0062] Typically, so as to provide a surface which may be more easily gripped by a human hand, or an appropriate piece of handling machinery, and so as to at least partially obscure visibility through the protective packaging enclosure of the present invention, at least a major portion of each of the pairs of opposed side walls and end walls, and the major base walls, of each of the first and second half clamshells is textured.

[0063] However, as seen in Figures 4 and 5, a dimple 62 may be formed in one of the major base walls of either of the half clamshells in such a manner as to be planar and translucent. Thus, a label which is placed on the shock sensitive product when it is enclosed in the protective packaging enclosure 60 is visible through the planar dimple 62, in such a manner that it may be read or scanned.
As an example, machine reading of the serial numbers of the shock sensitive products being packaged, for purposes of shipping manifests and the like, may be easily accommodated.

[0064] A pair of inwardly directed posts 48 may be formed in a major base wall of at least one of the first and second half clamshells 12, 14. These posts function as nesting locators for the protective packaging enclosure during handling thereof. That is, as the protective packaging enclosure is being handled towards a location where it will be taken froni a stock thereof, one at a time, so as to have a shock sensitive product placed therein, the nesting locators will co-operate with a pair of machine fingers at each assembly or packaging station.

[0065] Figures 6 and 7 are drop test traces of a typical computer hard drive manufactured by one of the world's leading manufacturers thereof. The same equipment was used to produce each of Figures 6 and 7, but the manufacturer's own proprietary protective packaging enclosure was employed in the tests illustrated in Figure 6 whereas a protective packaging enclosure in keeping with the present invention was employed in the tests of Figure 7.

[0066] In each test, a computer hard drive was placed into the respective proprietary or subject protective packaging enclosure, and dropped from a distance of six inches so as to land on a corner 46, as shown in the drawings.

[0067] Acceleration was measured in each of three mutually perpendicular axis, identified as the X-Axis, the Y-Axis, and the Z-Axis, with traces 70, 72, and 74, respectively.

[0068] It will be seen in Figure 6 that the maximum G forces imparted to the computer hard drive, when dropped from six inches in the proprietary protective packaging enclosure of the computer hard drive manufacturer, reached 68 Gs.

[0069] On the other hand, the maximum forces imparted to the same computer hard drive when dropped from six inches onto its corner when enclosed in the protective packaging enclosure of the present invention, was 25.4 Gs.

[0070] Moreover, it is seen in Figure 6 that there was significant chatter, at least in the Z-Axis; whereas the protective packaging enclosure of the present invention had reasonably well settled down by the time that 40 milliseconds had elapsed.

[0071] Figures 6 and 7 provide graphic evidence of the ability of'the protective packaging enclosure of the present invention to withstand shock loading, so that considerably less shock is transmitted to the shock sensitive product which is enclosed therein. The configuration of the protective packaging enclosure of the present invention, with pairs of opposed product contacting surfaces in each of the six major claims which define the substantially rectangular configuration of the shock sensitive product - two sides, two ends, top, and bottom - so as to immediately take up shock loading after the protective packaging enclosure has contacted the clrop surface but the shock sensitive product continues to move according to its own inertia. Such a configuration is unknown previously, but is significant as to the shock protection for shock sensitive products.

[0072] There has been described protective packaging enclosures for shock sensitive products, with several representative embodiments being illustrated. Other embodiments and configurations may, of course, be derived from the above teachings, without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

[0073] Other modifications and alterations may be used in the desiam and manufacture of the apparatus of the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the accompanying claims.

[0074] Throughout this specification and the claims which follow, imless the context requires otherwise, the word "comprise", and variations such as "comprises" or "comprising", will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated integer or step or group of ir.itegers or steps but not to the exclusion of any other integer or step or group of integers or steps.

[0075] Moreover, the word "substantially" when used with an adjective or adverb is intended to enhance the scope of the particular characteristic; e.g., substantially rectilinear is intended to mean having a generally rectilinear configuration with definable top and bottoni surfaces, definable side edges, and defmable ends.

Claims

1. A protective packaging enclosure for a shock sensitive product, where the product is substantially rectilinear in overall configuration, and has known dimensions of thickness, length, and width;
said protective packaging enclosure comprising a clamshell configuration having a first half clamshell and a second half clamshell, joined together by a hinge element;

wherein said first half clamshell, said second half clamshell, and said hinge element are molded from a plastics material as a unitary body;
wherein said protective packaging enclosure, when closed, has a substantially rectilinear configuration, with dimensions of thickness, length, and width which are greater than the known dimensions of thickness, length, and width, of the shock sensitive product to be protected;
each of said first and second half clamshells having a major base wall, and a pair of opposed side walls, and a pair of opposed end walls;
wherein each one of said pair of opposed side walls and said pair of opposed end walls is convoluted, having at least two inwardly directed convolutions formed therein;
wherein each one of the at least two inwardly directed convolutions in each of said pair of opposed side walls and said pair of opposed walls has a product contacting surface;
wherein the product contacting surfaces of the inwardly directed convolutions of each side wall and each end wall are in a respective plane;

wherein the distance between the contacting surface planes of said pair of opposed side walls is substantially equal to said known dimensions of width of said shock sensitive product, and the distance between the contacting surface places of said pair of opposed end walls is substantially equal to said known dimension of length of said shock sensitive product;
wherein each of said product contacting surfaces in each of said pair of opposed side walls and said pair of opposed end walls is opposed to, and faces, a product contacting surface in the opposed side wall or end wall, respectively;

wherein each of said first half clamshell and said second half clamshell is formed having peripheral lips, each having a down-turned outer lip surface and an inner lip surface;

wherein said hinge element is formed between a pair of down-turned out lip surfaces in an end wall or a side wall of each of said half clamshells;
wherein said peripheral lips of said first and second half clamshells are formed as a mating pair of male and female lips, where the outer peripheral surfaces of said male lips are received in and retained by the inner peripheral surfaces of said female lips;
wherein at least one inwardly directed dimple is formed in each major base wall of each of said first and second half clamshells; and wherein each dimple has an inwardly directed height such that, when a shock sensitive product is enclosed in said protective packaging enclosure, and said protective is closed with said male and female lips in a mating configuration, each of said inwardly directed dimples contacts said shock sensitive product.

2. The protective packaging enclosure of claim 1, wherein each of said product contacting surfaces in each of said pair of opposed side walls and said pair of opposed end walls is opposed to, and faces, a product contacting surface in the opposed side wall or end wall.

3. The protective packaging enclosure of claim 1, wherein each of said convolutions in each of said pair of opposed side walls and said pair of opposed end walls is curved away from the respective product contacting surface of each.

4. The protective packaging enclosure of claim 1, wherein the plastics material from which said protective packaging enclosure is molded, is such as to have electrical conductive properties, whereby a shock sensitive product when enclosed therein is electrically shielded.

5. The protective packaging enclosure of claim 1, wherein at least a major portion of each of said pair of opposed side walls, said pair of opposed end walls, and said major base walls, of said first and second half clamshells, are textured so as to at least partially obscure visibility therethrough.

6. The protective packaging enclosure of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of said at least one dimple on one of said major base walls is molded so as to be planar, whereby a label on a shock sensitive product when enclosed therein is visible for reading or scanning.

7. The protective packaging enclosure of claim 1, wherein at least the inwardly directed convolutions are formed in each of at least one of said pair of opposed side walls and said pair of opposed end walls.

8. The protective packaging enclosure of claim 1, wherein a pair of inwardly directed posts is formed in the major base wall of at least one of said first and second half clamshells in a region other than where said dimple is formed, so as to function as nesting locations for said protective packaging enclosure during handling thereof.

9. The protective packaging enclosure of claim 1, wherein the distance between the contacting surface planes of said pair of opposed side walls is slightly greater than the known dimension of width of said shock sensitive product, and the distance between the contacting surface planes of said pair of opposed end walls is slightly greater than the known dimension of length of said shock sensitive product.