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US 11,834,224 B2Granted
Pallet and panel storage system and related methods
OwnerMark Harold Costelloinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Disclosed are systems, apparatus and methods for transporting a palletized stack of bottles or other similar bulk-produced containers using a unique pallet base and a unique set of side panels that may be engaged with the base and with each other in order to protect the stacks of bottles on the pallet base during shipping and transport. Embodiments of the invention dampen vibrations, protect the bottles from exterior contaminants, and allow the bottles to be viewed from the outside. Embodiments of the invention also provide reusable pallet systems that are easy to assemble and disassemble, and ship back for reuse.
Claims25
An apparatus for use in transporting a stack of fragile containers comprising:
- a. a rectangular pallet base having a flat top surface with a plurality of openings along a perimeter of said surface;
- b. a pair of first panels, each such first panel having top, bottom, right, and left edges, an interior surface and an exterior surface, the interior and exterior surfaces being along a first plane, wherein at least one male connecting member is provided on said bottom edge for engagement with one of said plurality of openings in said pallet base, wherein at least one hook is provided at an edge of said exterior surface, and wherein at least one rod is provided at an upper corner of said interior surface, each rod extending outward in a direction that is perpendicular to said first plane;
- c. a second pair of panels, each such second panel having top, bottom, right, and left edges, an interior surface and an exterior surface, the interior and exterior surfaces being along a second plane, wherein at least one male connecting member is provided on said bottom edge for engagement with one of said plurality of openings in said pallet base, wherein at least one opening is provided at an edge of said exterior surface for receiving said at least one hook, and wherein at least one slot is provided at an end of said right and left edges for receiving said at least one rod;
- and
- d. a lid for engagement over said panels when assembled together, wherein the rods and slots comprise metals that magnetically attract.
2 more elements
A pallet panel container system for use in transporting a stack of fragile containers comprising:
- a. a rectangular pallet base having a flat top surface with a plurality of openings along a perimeter of said surface;
- b. a plurality of panels, each panel having top, bottom, right, and left edges, an interior surface and an exterior surface, and a vibration dampening element on said interior surface, wherein at least one male connecting member is provided on said bottom edge for engagement with one of said plurality of openings in said pallet base, wherein at least one hook is provided at one of the right or left edges of said exterior surface, and at least one receiving opening is provided at the other of said right or left edges of said exterior surface, such that the at least one hook of a first panel may engage with the at least one receiving opening of an adjacent panel;
- and
- c. a lid for engagement over said panels when four of said panels are assembled together,
- wherein a plurality of first attractive elements are provided on one of said right edges or said left edges, and a plurality of second attractive elements are provided on the other of said right edges or said left edges, wherein said first and second attractive elements comprise metals that magnetically attract.
2 more elements
A method of securing stacks of bottles for transport comprising the steps of:
- a. loading stacks of bottles onto a rectangular pallet base, the pallet base comprising a flat top surface with a plurality of openings along a perimeter of said surface, wherein the stacks are separated by slip sheets;
- b. engaging male connecting members located on bottom edges of left and right side panels with openings on opposite sides of the pallet base, each such side panel further comprising a top, right, and left edges, an interior surface and an exterior surface, the interior and exterior surfaces being along a first plane, wherein at least one receiving opening is provided at an edge of said exterior surface, and wherein a pair of metallic slots are provided at ends of said right and left edges;
- c. tilting each of said side panels up to a generally vertical position;
- d. engaging male connecting members located on bottom edges of front and rear panels with openings on opposite sides of the pallet base between said side panels, each such front and rear panel further comprising top, right, and left edges, an interior surface and an exterior surface, the interior and exterior surfaces being along a second plane, wherein at least one hook is provided at an edge of said exterior surface, and wherein a pair of magnetic rods are provided at upper corners of said interior surface, each rod extending outward in a direction that is perpendicular to said second plane;
- e. tilting each of said front and rear panels up to a generally vertical position and inserting said rods into said slots for temporary magnetic engagement;
- f. engaging each of said hooks of said front and rear panels with one of said receiving openings on a side panel to form a four-sided enclosure around said stacks of bottles;
- and
- g. placing a lid on the four-sided enclosure to form a completed container.
5 more elements
An apparatus for use in transporting a stack of fragile containers comprising:
- a. a rectangular pallet base having a flat top surface with a plurality of openings along a perimeter of said surface;
- b. a pair of first panels, each such first panel having top, bottom, right, and left edges, an interior surface and an exterior surface, the interior and exterior surfaces being along a first plane, wherein at least one male connecting member is provided on said bottom edge for engagement with one of said plurality of openings in said pallet base, wherein at least one hook is provided at an edge of said exterior surface, and wherein at least one rod is provided at an upper corner of said interior surface, each rod extending outward in a direction that is perpendicular to said first plane;
- c. a second pair of panels, each such second panel having top, bottom, right, and left edges, an interior surface and an exterior surface, the interior and exterior surfaces being along a second plane, wherein at least one male connecting member is provided on said bottom edge for engagement with one of said plurality of openings in said pallet base, wherein at least one opening is provided at an edge of said exterior surface for receiving said at least one hook, and wherein at least one slot is provided at an end of said right and left edges for receiving said at least one rod;
- and
- d. a lid for engagement over said panels when assembled together,
- wherein a first attractive element is provided adjacent to one of said rods or slots, and a second attractive element is provided adjacent to a complementary other of said rods or slots, wherein said first and second attractive elements comprise metals that magnetically attract.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.