# US 11,440,701 B2 · Structural block assembly

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- Number: US 11,440,701 B2
- Document ID: US11440701B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/718,382
- Filed: 2019-12-18
- Published: 2020-07-09
- Granted: 2022-09-13
- Earliest claimed: 2018-07-25
- Assignees: Paxxal Inc.
- Applicants: Paxxal Inc.
- Inventors: Omar Shawaf; Ezzeldin Elmassry; Ben Stoller; Ellwood Phillip Hunt, III; Thomas Richard Hopson, III
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11440701B2

## CPC

- B65D 19/0016: {and each contact surface having a stringer-like shape}
- B65D 19/38: Details or accessories
- B29C 65/18: using heated tools
- B29C 65/58: Snap connection
- B29C 66/1142: {Single butt to butt joints}
- B29C 66/322: {Providing cavities in the joined article to collect the burr}
- B29C 66/41: {Joining substantially flat articles (B29C66/47 and subgroups take precedence); Making flat seams in tubular or hollow articles (B29C66/51 and subgroups take precedence)}
- B29C 66/543: {joining more than two hollow-preforms to form said hollow articles}
- B29C 65/20: with direct contact, e.g. using "mirror"
- B29C 65/72: by combined operations {or combined techniques}, e.g. welding and stitching
- B29C 66/131: {Single flanged joints, i.e. one of the parts to be joined being rigid and flanged in the joint area}
- B29C 66/532: {Joining single elements to the wall of tubular articles, hollow articles or bars}
- B29C 66/73921: {characterised by the materials of both parts being thermoplastics}
- B29L 2031/7178: {Pallets}
- B65D 2519/00034: Plastic
- B65D 2519/00069: Plastic
- B65D 2519/00104: Plastic
- B65D 2519/00273: made of more than one piece
- B65D 2519/00278: the load supporting surface and the base surface being identical
- B65D 2519/00288: made of one piece
- B65D 2519/00318: made of one piece
- B65D 2519/00333: contact surface having a stringer-like shape
- B65D 2519/00378: whereby at least one spacer is made of two or more pieces
- B65D 2519/00562: chemical connection, e.g. glued, welded, sealed
- B65D 2519/00567: mechanical connection, e.g. snap-fitted
- B65D 2519/00791: handles, handgrip holes
- B65D 2519/00796: Guiding means for fork-lift
- B65D 2519/008: Drainage means
- 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
- B29C: SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING (making preforms B29B11/00; making laminated products by combining previously unconnected layers which become one product whose layers will remain together B32B37/00 - B32B41/00)
- B29L: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASS B29C, RELATING TO PARTICULAR ARTICLES

## Abstract

A block assembly for connecting a first section and a second section of a load bearing assembly includes a male fitting and a female fitting. The male fitting includes a male fitting body and a projection extending from the male fitting body. The female fitting includes a female fitting body and defines a fitting cavity extending within an interior of the female fitting body. The male fitting couples with the female fitting by inserting the male fitting body within the fitting cavity and moving the male fitting body toward a base of the female fitting. The projection on the male fitting interacts with an interlocking joint on the female fitting to resist detachment of the male fitting with respect to the female fitting.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A block assembly for connecting a first section to a second section of a load bearing assembly, wherein the first section includes a fitting attachment section including a first section flange and a fitting attachment channel, and wherein the second section includes a cavity surrounding a second section opening and a cavity lip positioned within the cavity, the block assembly comprising:
a male fitting comprising:
a male fitting body including a top portion and a bottom portion;
a male fitting flange attached to said top portion of said male fitting body, wherein said male fitting flange is attachable to the first section flange to attach said male fitting to the first section of the load bearing assembly;
a projection extending from said male fitting body;
a female fitting comprising:
a female fitting body including an upper portion and a lower portion and defining a fitting cavity extending within an interior of the female fitting;
an interlocking joint defined in said female fitting body;
a fitting base attached to the lower portion of said female fitting body, said fitting base including a female fitting lip;
wherein said female fitting is configured to fit into the second section opening and wherein said female fitting lip is attachable to the cavity lip to attach said female fitting to the second section of the load bearing assembly;
wherein said male fitting is configured to couple with said female fitting by inserting said male fitting body within said fitting cavity and moving said male fitting body toward the fitting base of the female fitting;
wherein said projection interacts with the interlocking joint on said female fitting to resist detachment of said male fitting with respect to said female fitting; and
wherein the upper portion of said female fitting body is configured to fit within the fitting attachment channel of the first section of the load bearing assembly when the first section and the second section are connected.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The block assembly of claim 1, wherein said female fitting includes a projection opening defined through at least a portion of said female fitting body.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The block assembly of claim 2, wherein when said projection is received in said projection opening, said projection and said projection opening interact to resist movement of said male fitting with respect to said female fitting.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The block assembly of claim 2,
wherein said projection includes an angled surface connected to a projection top surface at a projection edge;
wherein said projection opening is surrounded by a projection opening inner surface that includes a projection opening top surface; and,
wherein said projection top surface is parallel to said projection opening top surface when said projection is received within said projection opening.

### Claim 5 (depends on 2)

The block assembly of claim 2, wherein said projection opening extends through said fitting base of said female fitting body.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The block assembly of claim 1, wherein the female fitting is configured to fit into the second section opening so that the female fitting extends completely through the second section of the load bearing assembly.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The block assembly of claim 1, wherein said male fitting includes a channel defined through said male fitting body and positioned adjacent to said projection, and wherein said channel of the male fitting is configured to allow deflection of said projection into an interior of said male fitting upon application of force to said projection.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The block assembly of claim 1, wherein said male fitting includes two male fitting flanges and a male fitting flange groove defined between said male fitting flanges, wherein said male fitting flange groove aligns with the fitting attachment channel when said male fitting flanges are aligned with the first section flange, and wherein plastic is able to flow through said male fitting flange groove when said male fitting is welded to the first section.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The block assembly of claim 1, wherein said fitting base includes a base channel positioned between said female fitting lip and said female fitting body, and wherein plastic is able to flow through said base channel when said female fitting is welded to the second section.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The block assembly of claim 1, wherein said fitting base is made from a material that is resistant to wear compared to the second section of the load bearing assembly.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The block assembly of claim 1, wherein an interior surface of said male fitting includes internal ribs and wherein said interior of said female fitting includes internal ribs.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The block assembly of claim 1, further comprising:
a limit stop positioned within said fitting cavity; and,
wherein said limit stop is configured to interact with said male fitting when said male fitting is inserted into said fitting cavity to provide additional resistance to prevent removal of the male fitting from said fitting cavity.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The block assembly of claim 1, further comprising:
a drainage port extending through said fitting base, wherein said drainage port is configured to allow liquid to drain from said fitting cavity.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The block assembly of claim 1, wherein said male fitting is configured to be attached to a deck of a pallet assembly, and wherein said female fitting is configured to be attached to a stringer of the pallet assembly.

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

The block assembly of claim 1, wherein said projection extends from said male fitting body at a concave angle.

### Claim 16 (depends on 1)

The block assembly of claim 1, wherein said projection extends perpendicularly from said male fitting body.

### Claim 17 (depends on 1)

The block assembly of claim 1, wherein said projection extends from said male fitting body at a convex angle.

### Claim 18 (depends on 1)

A method of forming a load bearing assembly including a first section and a second section and the block assembly of claim 1, comprising:
attaching said male fitting to the first section of the load bearing assembly;
attaching said female fitting to the second section of the load bearing assembly;
inserting the male fitting into said fitting cavity defined in said female fitting;
applying force to move said male fitting within said fitting cavity until said male fitting is positioned within fitting cavity so that said projection interacts with the interlocking joint defined in said female fitting body; and
wherein when said projection interacts with said interlocking joint, said male fitting resists detachment from said female fitting to attach the first section of the load bearing assembly to the second section of the load bearing assembly.

### Claim 19

A method of forming a load bearing assembly including a first section and a second section, comprising:
attaching a male fitting to the first section of the load bearing assembly, wherein said male fitting includes a male fitting body and a projection extending from said male fitting body;
attaching a female fitting to the second section of the load bearing assembly, wherein said female fitting includes a female fitting body defining a fitting cavity extending within an interior of the female fitting and one or more projection openings defined extending into said female fitting body;
inserting the male fitting into said fitting cavity defined in said female fitting;
applying force to move said male fitting within said fitting cavity until said male fitting is positioned within said fitting cavity so that said projection is received in said projection opening in said female fitting; and
wherein when said projection is received in said projection opening of said female fitting, said projection member and said projection opening resist detachment of said male fitting from said female fitting to attach the first section of the load bearing assembly to the second section of the load bearing assembly.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The method of claim 19, further comprising:
welding the male fitting to the first section of the load bearing assembly by hot plate welding; and
welding the female fitting to the second section of the load bearing assembly by hot plate welding.