I don't know enough about patents, but Jobs was definitely obsessed with the "out of the box" experience and wanted Apple products to be unlike anyone else's products in that regard.
I remember having a 12" Powerbook delivered to my Windows-using office - everyone gathered round to look at the packaging - and then were amazed when the computer was up and running, and connected to the internet, within two minutes.
The first one I randomly looked at was Apple TV. It lists 14 people for an ornamental design for a square media player.
Another is how to package an iPod in a box? Seems unnecessary to patent all these things.