PALLETIZED CONTAINER ASSEMBLY WITH MULTIPURPOSE ADAPTER

Abstract

A palletized container assembly comprises a pallet base of substantially conventional design, a four-walled sleeve and a pallet adapter providing in one location an interface between the bottom edge of the sleeve and the pallet base and in another location providing a cover for the container assembly by being inverted and placed over the top edge of the container sleeve. Various reinforcement structures can be molded into the pallet adapter.

Claims

1-17. (canceled)

18. A method of constructing a container assembly using a base pallet of a type having a flat upper loading surface and plurality of hollow feet extended to the surface, comprising: placing an adapter plate that is separate from the base pallet on the loading surface wherein the adapter plate has an upwardly opening peripheral groove and features molded into a bottom surface and arranged to co-locate into the plurality of hollow feet to prevent sliding and rotation of the adapter plate relative to the loading surface; and placing a sleeve on the adapter plate with a bottom edge of the sleeve extended into the peripheral groove.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the adapter plate has ring features formed on the surface opposite of the groove opening and sized to fit contactingly into the hollow pallet feet to prevent lateral sliding of the adapter plate.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the pallet base is rectangular and the sleeve has four walls wherein some of said walls have apertures formed therein adjacent to lower edges.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the sleeve is collapsible.

22. The method of claim 18, further comprising a clip fixedly attached to the sleeve proximate to the bottom edge and configured to fit into the peripheral groove of the adapter plate.

23. The method of claim 18, further comprising: contacting a cover plate with a top edge of the sleeve in an inverted orientation at a cover groove of the cover plate.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the cover plate and the adapter plate have a structure that is essentially uniform.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein each of the adapter plate and the cover plate have a peripheral rim configured and sized to fit around edges of the sleeve.

26. A method of constructing a container, comprising: contacting a base pallet having a generally flat top surface and plurality of hollow feet that are spaced apart and extended to the flat top surface with an adapter plate on the flat top surface, wherein the adapter plate comprises a flat upper surface that overlays the flat top surface, an upward-opening peripheral groove, and features molded into a bottom surface and spaced to co-locate with an extend into the hollow feet to prevent lateral movement and rotation of the adapter plate relative to a loading surface; and mounting a multi-walled sleeve into the adapter plate so that a lower edge of the sleeve fits into the upward-opening peripheral groove of the adapter plate.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the container further comprises a clip fixedly attached to the sleeve proximate to the bottom edge and configured to fit into the peripheral groove of the adapter plate.

28. The method of claim 26, wherein the sleeve further comprises reinforcing components molded and/or integrated into the adapter plate.

29. The method of claim 26, wherein the base pallet and/or the adapter plate have as a shape of a rectangle and/or a square.

30. The method of claim 26, further comprising: contacting a cover plate onto a top edge of the multi-walled sleeve to enclose the multi-walled sleeve in combination with the adapter plate.

31. A mold, comprising: an adapter plate having a continuous outer rim portion forming a channel between a rim and a planar portion, the adapter plate configured to connect with a base pallet at adapter opposing features of the adapter plate so that the base pallet supports the adapter plate and mitigates or prevents sliding between the adapter plate and the base pallet; and a multi-wall sleeve connected with the adapter plate at the continuous outer rim to form a container.

32. The mold of claim 31, wherein the adapter plate and the base pallet connect at base hollow feet of the base plate and the adapter opposing features of the adapter plate.

33. The mold of claim 31, wherein opposing features of the adapter plate have a shape of a ring.

34. The mold of claim 31, further comprising a cover adapter connected with a continuous top edge of the multi-wall sleeve.

35. The mold of claim 34, wherein the cover adapter comprises cover ring features that are configured to interface with stacked hollow feet of a stacked pallet.

36. The mold of claim 35, wherein another container is configured to connect with a tope surface of the stacked pallet.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0007] The various features, advantages and uses of the present apparatus will become more apparent by referring to the following detailed description and drawing in which:

[0008] FIG. 1 is exploded view of a container assembly according to the innovative subject matter herein;

[0009] FIG. 2 shows the container assembly of FIG. 1 in the fully assembled state;

[0010] FIG. 3 shows two container assemblies of the type shown in FIG. 2 stacked one atop the other;

[0011] FIG. 4 shows a container assembly with a modification to the location of the groove making the connection between the sleeve and the pallet adapter;

[0012] FIG. 5A is front view of two container assemblies stacked upon one another with a reinforcement feature in the pallet adapter;

[0013] FIG. 5B shows the two container assemblies of FIG. 5A stacked upon one another from the side;

[0014] FIG. 5C is a detail from the container assembly of FIGS. 5A and 5B illustrating a reinforcement beam having an M configuration;

[0015] FIG. 6A shows two stacked container assemblies from the front;

[0016] FIG. 6B shows the two container assemblies of FIG. 6A from the side;

[0017] FIG. 6C shows a detail of the manner in which an upper pallet engages the pallet adapter of a lower assembly when used as a cover;

[0018] FIG. 7A shows another set of container assemblies stacked upon one another in a front view;

[0019] FIG. 7B is a side view of the container assemblies from FIG. 7A;

[0020] FIG. 7C shows an enlarged detail of a reinforcement plate molded into an pallet adapter used as a cover;

[0021] FIG. 8 shows a container assembly fully incorporating the pallet adapter; and

[0022] FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the reinforcement plate which is molded into the corners of the pallet adapter shown in FIGS. 7A-7C.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSRATIVE EMBODIENTS

[0023] Referring first to FIGS. 1,1A, 2, 3 and 4 there is shown a container assembly 10 comprising the combination of a molded plastic pallet base 12, a four-walled collapsible sleeve 14 and two identical molded plastic pallet adapters 16 and 18, plate 16 being located between the top surface of the pallet base 12 and the bottom edge of the sleeve 14, while plate 18 is inverted and used as a cover for the container assembly. The top edge of the sleeve 14 fits into the groove 26 in plate 18.

[0024] Describing the pallet base 12 in greater detail, it is of essentially conventional configuration and structure in that it has a flat rectangular deck surface and nine integral feet 20 arranged in three rows of three each. The feet 20 open to the deck surface but have closed bottom surfaces (not shown). Moreover, the feet 20 are tapered and may be ribbed for additional strength as desired.

[0025] The sleeves 14 and 14A have four vertical walls joined by corner hinges 35 and as shown, is open to the top bottom edges which are continuous. Vertical center hinges 40 are provided on two opposite walls so that the sleeve 14 may be folded flat accordion style for return to a loading destination. An optional hinged door 36 is provided along with oval shaped openings 38 to provide hand holds.

[0026] The pallet adapters 16 and 18 respectively shown engaging the bottom and top edges of the sleeve 14 are identical but inverted relative to one another to perform the two separate functions described above. Both pallet adapters 16 and 18 have a continuous groove or track 26 running around all four-sides thereof just inboard of an outer rim 22. Both pallet adapters also have oval-shaped features 30 molded in with inner and outer surfaces on the ungrooved side for purposes to be described.

[0027] More specifically, the outer surfaces of features 30 of the pallet adapter 16 shown between the lower edge of the sleeve and the top surface of the pallet base 12 fit into the top openings of the pallet feet 20 for stability; i.e., to prevent lateral and rotational movement of plate 16 relative to the pallet 12. One the other hand, the inner surfaces of the ring features 30 on the pallet adapter 18 acting as a cover receive the bottoms of the feet on an upper pallet base to provide a stabilizing feature in the stacked arrangement of FIG. 3. The ring features are shaped in dimensioned to match the shape and dimensions of the pallet feet and those shapes and dimension may vary; for example, the pallet feet and ring elements 30 may be round, rectangular or square, as long as they match one another. The rings may be partial as shown. In addition, it is not necessary that the number of structures 30 be the same as the number of pallet feet as long as they achieve the desired functions of stability. The features 30 can vary in number and shape beyond what is indicated in the drawings. Overall, their purpose is to prevent lateral and rotational movement between the adaptor plates and the pallets with which they are in contact in the assembled and stacked relationships.

[0028] It is apparent in FIG. 1 that the pallet base 12, be of essentially conventional structure and design except for the presence of the optional reinforcement beams 34, i.e., the pallet does not have an upwardly opening groove to receive the bottom of the sleeve 14. Instead, the pallet adapter 16 which rest on top of the pallet base 12 provides a continuous four-side groove 26 to receive the continuous bottom edge of the sleeve 14.

[0029] As described in our aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 11,542,061, plastic clips 29 described in more detail in that patent are used to provide locking connections between the sleeve 14 and slots 32 which are formed in the pallet adapter as desired. Accordingly, the pallet adapter 16/18 not only provide an engagement feature between a container sleeve 14 and a conventional ungrooved pallet base but also serve as a cover having a stabilization feature for a second container assembly stacked upon the first. Again, the pallet adapter 16 and 18, both at the lower location and the upper location, are identical and interchangeable.

[0030] Turning now to FIG. 4, the container assembly 10a shown there also comprises the combination of a pallet base 12, a sleeve 14a and two pallet adapter 16a and 18a, the lowermost of which is located with a groove facing up to receive the bottom edge of the container sleeve 14a while the uppermost pallet adapter 18a serves as a cover on top of the sleeve 14a. it will be noted that the upper most pallet adapter 18a also shows the features 30 to provide stability in a stacked combinations as shown by way of examples in FIGS. 3, 5A and 6A as well as FIGS. 5B and 6B.

[0031] The primary difference between the structures shown in FIGS. 2 and 4 is the relocation of the groove in the pallet adapter 16a to a more inboard location to accept the bottom edge of a sleeve of slightly smaller lateral dimensions. This relocation results in less bending force on the outer areas of the pallet base.

[0032] FIG. 5A and 5C shows two container assemblies 10 stacked upon one the other wherein the pallet adapter 16 are modified to receive three M-shaped reinforcement beams 42 which are molded into the pallet adapter in three parallel locations in FIGS. 5A and 5C. FIG. 5A shows the stacked container assemblies 10 from the front while FIG. 5B shows the stacked container assemblies from the side. It is apparent that the assemblies are rectangular, but this is not a critical characteristic; i.e., they may be square or even rounded.

[0033] FIGS. 6A and 6B are similar but show the pallet adapter without the reinforcement feature; see also FIG. 6C where the foot 20 of an upper most pallet is shown engaged into an edge feature on the pallet adapter 16 serving as a cover when mounted on the wall of the sleeve 14. It will be noted that the feet of the upper pallet 12 fit into the oval ring features 30 of the cover plate 18. FIG. 6B shows how relocating the sleeve more inwardly places the sleeve edge over the feet of the pallets and transmits load forces from the upper container in the stack down through the pallet feet to the ground thereby eliminating the tendency of the load forces to bend the outer peripheral areas of the lower pallet.

[0034] Looking now to FIGS. 8 and 9, a steel reinforcement plate 44 of essentially triangular shape is molded into the corners of the pallet adapter 16/18 to provide added strength and resistance to bending when the container structure is loaded and/or stacked upon one another. The reinforcement plates 44 are substituted for the beam type reinforcement structures 42 shown in FIG. 5C. The steel reinforcement plates 44 have a triangular body as well as edge flanges 46 and 48 which lie along or adjacent to the outside edge surfaces of the pallet adapter 16 as best shown in FIG. 8.

[0035] By way of review and summary, the innovation described herein comprises a tray like pallet adapter which allows a conventional pallet to be used in constructing a sleeve type container wherein the pallet adapter is useful not only for an assembly adapter but also as a cover. The pallet adapter provides a further feature in the presence of oval shaped molded-in features 30 on one surface which receive and stabilize the feet of a stacked container pallet to provide anti-slide and anti-rotation stabilization when used both as adaptor and cover. Other innovations disclosed herein include various types of reinforcement structures molded into the pallet adapter to resist bending forces.

[0036] Still further, features include various location of the open groove in the pallet adapter to modify the location of the sleeve edge receiving groove toward a more inward location also to resist bending deformation of the molded plastic structures. Although described with reference to specific and detailed embodiment it will be understood that various revisions in dimensions and configurations will be apparent with those skilled in the art and lay within the scope of the innovation disclosed herein.