# US 10,308,421 B2 · Bulk material shipping container unloader

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 10,308,421 B2
- Document ID: US10308421B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/489,074
- Filed: 2017-04-17
- Published: 2017-08-03
- Granted: 2019-06-04
- Earliest claimed: 2013-01-22
- Assignees: Arrows Up, LLC
- Applicants: Arrows Up, LLC
- Inventors: C. John Allegretti
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10308421B2

## CPC

- B65D 88/30: specially adapted to facilitate transportation from one utilisation site to another (collapsible hoppers B65D88/52)
- B65D 88/022: {in multiple arrangement, e.g. stackable, nestable, connected or joined together side-by-side}
- B65D 88/26: Hoppers, i.e. containers having funnel-shaped discharge sections (B65D88/34 - B65D88/78 take precedence)
- B65D 90/14: Legs, e.g. detachable
- B65D 90/587: {having a linear motion}
- B65G 65/40: Devices for emptying otherwise than from the top
- B65D 88/32: in multiple arrangement
- B65D 90/54: Gates or closures
- B65D: CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
- B65G: TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS (packaging B65B; handling thin or filamentary materials, e.g. paper sheets or thread, B65H; cranes B66C; portable mobile or lifting or hauling appliances, e.g. hoists, B66D; devices for lifting or lowering goods for loading or unloading purposes, e.g. fork-lift trucks, B66F9/00; emptying bottles, jars, casks, barrels or similar containers, not otherwise provided for, B67C9/00; delivering or transferring liquids B67D; filling or discharging vessels for liquefied, solidified or compressed gases F17C; pipe-line systems for fluids F17D)

## Abstract

A bulk material shipping container unloader having an expandable supporter, a pallet receiver supported by the extendable supporter, and a material director supported by the pallet receiver.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A bulk material shipping container unloader configured to support a bulk material shipping container including a pallet including a first bottom corner leg, a second bottom corner leg, a third bottom corner leg, and a fourth bottom corner leg, the bulk material shipping container unloader comprising:
(a) a supporter including a plurality of legs and a plurality of feet respectively attached to the legs, wherein a footprint of the plurality of feet is larger than footprint of the plurality of legs;
(b) a pallet receiver supported by the supporter and configured to support the pallet of the bulk material shipping container, the pallet receiver including:
(i) a plurality of pallet support bases including a front pallet support base, a rear pallet support base spaced apart from the front pallet support base, a first side pallet support base connected to the front pallet support base and the rear pallet support base, and a second side pallet support base spaced apart from the first side pallet support base and connected to the front pallet support base and the rear pallet support base,
(ii) a plurality of stacking guides connected to and extending above a plurality of the pallet support bases,
(iii) a plurality of pallet holding walls connected to and extending above a plurality of the pallet support bases, wherein one or more of the plurality of pallet holding walls is interior with respect to one or more of the plurality of stacking guides, and
(iv) a plurality of nesting supports connected to and extending above the pallet support bases, said plurality of nesting supports including a first nesting support configured to engage a bottom surface of the first bottom corner leg of the pallet of the bulk material shipping container, a second nesting support configured to engage a bottom surface of the second bottom corner leg of the pallet of the bulk material shipping container, a third nesting support configured to engage a bottom surface of the third bottom corner leg of the pallet of the bulk material shipping container, and a fourth nesting support configured to engage a bottom surface of the fourth bottom corner leg of the pallet of the bulk material shipping container; and
(c) a material director fixedly connected to the pallet receiver by welding and supported by the pallet receiver, said material director defining an opening, and including:
(i) a first downwardly extending material directing wall,
(ii) a second downwardly extending material directing wall,
(iii) a first downwardly extending material directing side wall integrally connected to the first downwardly extending material directing wall and the second downwardly extending material directing wall, and
(iv) a second downwardly extending material directing side wall integrally connected to the first downwardly extending material directing wall and the second downwardly extending material directing wall, and
wherein said first downwardly extending material directing wall, said second downwardly extending material directing wall, said first downwardly extending material directing side wall, and said second downwardly extending material directing side wall define a chamber having a fixed shape configured to receive material from the bulk material shipping container supported by the pallet receiver and to direct the received material through the chamber.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The bulk material shipping container unloader of claim 1, wherein the supporter includes a plurality of leg stabilizers attached to the legs.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The bulk material shipping container unloader of claim 1, wherein one of the downwardly extending material directing walls defines a material unloading port which defines the opening.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The bulk material shipping container unloader of claim 1, which includes a nozzle connected to one of the downwardly extending material directing walls.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The bulk material shipping container unloader of claim 1, wherein the first downwardly extending material directing side wall and the second downwardly extending material directing side wall extend downwardly toward each other.

### Claim 6

A bulk material shipping container unloader configured to support a bulk material shipping container including a pallet including a first bottom corner leg, a second bottom corner leg, a third bottom corner leg, and a fourth bottom corner leg, the bulk material shipping container unloader comprising:
(a) a supporter including a plurality of legs and a plurality of feet respectively attached to the legs, wherein a footprint of the plurality of feet is larger than footprint of the plurality of legs;
(b) a pallet receiver supported by the supporter and configured to support the pallet of the bulk material shipping container, the pallet receiver including:
(i) a plurality of pallet support bases,
(ii) a plurality of pallet holding walls connected to and extending above the pallet support bases and including a front pallet support base, a rear pallet support base spaced apart from the front pallet support base, a first side pallet support base connected to the front pallet support base and the rear pallet support base, and a second side pallet support base spaced apart from the first side pallet support base and connected to the front pallet support base and the rear pallet support base,
(iii) a plurality of stacking guides connected to and extending above respective corners of the pallet holding walls, wherein one or more of the plurality of stacking guides is exterior with respect to the plurality of pallet holding walls, and
(iv) a plurality of nesting supports respectively connected to and extending above the pallet support bases, said plurality of nesting supports including a first nesting support configured to engage a bottom surface of the first bottom corner leg of the pallet of the bulk material shipping container, a second nesting support configured to engage a bottom surface of the second bottom corner leg of the pallet of the bulk material shipping container, a third nesting support configured to engage a bottom surface of the third bottom corner leg of the pallet of the bulk material shipping container, and a fourth nesting support configured to engage a bottom surface of the fourth bottom corner leg of the pallet of the bulk material shipping container; and
(c) a material director fixedly connected to the pallet receiver by welding and supported by the pallet receiver, said material director including:
(i) a front downwardly extending material directing wall,
(ii) a rear downwardly extending material directing wall,
(iii) a first downwardly extending material directing side wall, and
(iv) a second downwardly extending material directing side wall,
said first downwardly extending material directing side wall integrally connected to the first downwardly extending material directing wall and the second downwardly extending material directing wall, said second downwardly extending material directing side wall integrally connected to the first downwardly extending material directing wall and the second downwardly extending material directing wall, and
wherein said first downwardly extending material directing wall, said second downwardly extending material directing wall, said first downwardly extending material directing side wall, and said second downwardly extending material directing side wall define a chamber having a fixed shape configured to receive material from the bulk material shipping container supported by the pallet receiver and to direct the received material through the chamber.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The bulk material shipping container unloader of claim 6, wherein the supporter includes a plurality of leg stabilizers attached to the legs.

### Claim 8 (depends on 6)

The bulk material shipping container unloader of claim 6, wherein one of the downwardly extending material directing walls defines a material unloading port which defines the opening.

### Claim 9 (depends on 6)

The bulk material shipping container unloader of claim 6, which includes a nozzle connected to one of the downwardly extending material directing walls.

### Claim 10 (depends on 6)

The bulk material shipping container unloader of claim 6, wherein the first downwardly extending material directing side wall and the second downwardly extending material directing side wall extend downwardly toward each other.