TRANSPORTATION BASE LOAD UNITIZER

Abstract

A transportation base load unitizer for unitizing a load on a transportation base, such as a pallet. The unitizer comprises at least one elastic section and at least one protection section for providing greater protection to a load on a transportation base than the at least one elastic section. The unitizer is configured such that, in use, the unitizer holds together as a unit and protects a load on a transportation base.

Claims

1-17. (canceled)

18. A transportation base load unitizer for unitizing a load on a transportation base, the unitizer comprising at least one elastic section and at least one protection section for providing greater protection to a load carried on a transportation base than the at least one elastic section, the unitizer being configured such that, in use, the unitizer holds together as a unit and extends at least the height of a load carried on a transportation base for protecting the load without requiring connection to the transportation base, wherein the unitizer is in the form of a prefabricated sleeve configured to be expanded to a stretched state for positioning around the load and then relaxed to a contracted state, without requiring any releasable fastening means to releasably fasten a first part of the unitizer to a second part of the unitizer, and wherein the at least one elastic section is arranged to provide a substantially uniform restoring force circumferentially around the unitizer, along the height of the unitizer, such that, in use, said at least one elastic section spans the height of the load.

19. A transportation base load unitizer according to claim 18, wherein at least one of the at least one protection section comprises durable material.

20. A transportation base load unitizer according to claim 18, wherein at least one of the at least one protection section comprises plastics.

21. A transportation base load unitizer according to claim 18, wherein at least one of the at least one protection section comprises polypropylene.

22. A transportation base load unitizer according to claim 18, wherein the sleeve is closed at one end.

23. A transportation base load unitizer according to claim 18, wherein the unitizer is configured for repeated use.

24. A transportation base load unitizer according to claim 18, further comprising a plurality of said protection sections, each of which comprises a sheet.

25. A transportation base load unitizer according to claim 24, comprising four of said sheets.

26. A transportation base load unitizer according to claim 18, wherein at least one of the at least one protection section comprises at least one sheet and an elastic section of the at least one elastic section is located between adjacent sheet edges of the at least one sheet.

27. A transportation base load unitizer according to claim 26, wherein said at least one elastic section comprises at least one elastic strip.

28. A transportation base load unitizer according to claim 27, wherein the elastic sections comprise a plurality of elastic strips spaced apart axially.

29. A transportation base load unitizer according to claim 27, wherein the at least one elastic strip extends circumferentially between adjacent edges of the at least one sheet.

30. A transportation base load unitizer according to claim 18, wherein said transportation base comprises a pallet.

31. A transportation base load unitizer according to claim 26, in which the at least one elastic section is in the form of a one continuous elastic strip connecting adjacent sheet edges.

32. A method of unitizing a load on a transportation base, using a transportation base load unitizer in the form of a prefabricated sleeve comprising at least one elastic section and at least one protection section for providing greater protection to a load carried on a transportation base than the at least one elastic section without requiring connection to the transportation base on which the load is carried, the method comprising elastically deforming the at least one elastic section around a load that has a height on the transportation base and then relaxing the at least one elastic section to contract around the load, to hold the load together as a unit and protect the load along the height of the load, without requiring any releasable fastening means to releasably fasten a first part of the unitizer to a second part of the unitizer, and wherein the at least one elastic section is arranged to provide a substantially uniform restoring force circumferentially around the unitizer, along the height of the unitizer, such that, in use, said at least one elastic section spans the height of the load.

33. A method according to claim 32, wherein the transportation base comprises a pallet.

34. A transportation base load unitizer according to 33, wherein the elastic strip spans the height of the unitizer.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

[0026] An embodiment of the invention will now be described in more detail, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying FIGURE, in which:

[0027] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a transportation base load unitizer embodying the present invention, holding together a load, as a unit, on a transportation base.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0028] A transportation base load unitizer and a method of unitizing a load on a transportation base, such as a pallet (for example, of the pallet type described in the background to the invention section above) will now be described with reference to FIG. 1.

[0029] In this example, the unitizer 8 is in the form of a sleeve or tube open at both ends. It includes protection sections each made of a sheet 10 (in this example, there are four sheets). Each sheet is connected to a neighbouring or adjacent sheet by an elastic section 12. The interconnecting sheets and protection sections form the sides of the sleeve.

[0030] In this example, the elastic sections each take the form of a plurality of substantially planar elastic strips 13. The elastic strips are equally spaced apart axially between adjacent sheets. The sheets and the elastic sections are made from different materials. The sheets are relatively less elastic than the elastic sections. In this example, they are made from inelastic material. The sheets are in the form of a durable material, such as plastics, for example, polypropylene. The elastic sections are made from elastic or resilient material that includes, for example, rubber strands.

[0031] In an alternative arrangement (not shown), each elastic section is in the form of one continuous elastic strip, each elastic strip connecting adjacent sheets 10, such that there are no gaps or spaces between adjacent sheets. Thus, in use, each elastic strip spans the height of the load.

[0032] In use, when surrounding goods 14 on a pallet 12, a restoring force provided by the elasticity or resilience of the elastic sections 16 of the sleeve 8 between the sheets 10 causes it to hold the goods together. The inelastic sheets of durable material provide protection for the goods (they provide greater protection than the elastic sections).

[0033] When in use, holding and unitizing a typical square or near-square cross-section load 14 on a pallet 16, the sleeve 8 takes on a corresponding or similar cross-sectional shape (square or near square) as the load. In other words, it has four sides with a corner 18 at each corner of the load. In this configuration, the sleeve has an elastic section 16 on each side of the sleeve and, in particular, towards the middle of each side. Each sheet engages with and provides a force to a corner formed by the goods on the pallet. In this example, it is a portion towards the middle of each sheet that engages with a corner formed by the goods on the pallet.

[0034] The sleeve 8 is located around the goods 14 to be held or unitized as follows. The sleeve is elastically deformed or stretched to increase its circumference by circumferentially elastically deforming or stretching the elastic sections 16. It is then lowered over the load of goods 14 on the pallet 16 such that the sleeve circumferentially surrounds or is around the load or goods 14 on the pallet 16. The elastic portions of the sleeve 8 are then allowed to relax and their resilience causes the goods 14 to be held together firmly.

[0035] The sleeve 8 forming the unitizer may be applied to a unit load of goods 14 on a pallet 16 as described above by a single person. However, it is quicker and easier for the sleeve 8 to be applied to the goods 14 by two people. This method of holding the goods is considerably quicker than using shrink or stretch wrap to hold the goods and also affords greater protection.

[0036] Such an embodiment will stabilise the goods 14 loaded on a pallet 16 whilst also giving good protection to the goods 14. The sleeve or unitizer described may be used many times on various unit loads.

[0037] An additional feature (not shown) is that the sleeve 8 may be closed at one end forming a cover such that it covers the top of the goods 14 on the pallet 16. Thus, it will provide protection to the top of the goods.

[0038] The or each sheet 10 forming part of the unitizer 8 in the example described have a continuous surface. That is to say, there are no holes in the surface. Alternatively, the sheet may be wholly or in part include one or more holes through it, such as being of netting or webbing.

[0039] The sleeve 8 may include identifying marks to indicate an owner, the type of pallet load or display advertising (not shown). It may also include an electronic device (not shown) to indicate the location of the sleeve.

[0040] It is to be understood that the above disclosure merely describes examples of embodiments of the present invention and that there are variations and modifications that may be made to the examples described within the scope of the present invention.