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US 11,987,418 B2Granted
Folded post runner
AssigneeSonoco Development, Inc.
InventorClifton Moore
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A folded post support system for supporting a pallet, comprising a hollow elongated enclosure and an insert disposed with the interior of the enclosure. The insert is made from a hollow cylindrical structural post that has been folded in an accordion fashion to form a series of post segments. Each post segment is connected to at least one adjacent post segment along a living hinge.
Claims18
A folded post support system for supporting a pallet, the support system comprising:
- a rectilinear, hollow elongated enclosure made from a single folded blank, the enclosure defining an interior and having a length (Le);
- and
- an insert disposed within the interior of the enclosure, the insert made from a hollow cylindrical structural post that has been cut and then folded in an accordion fashion, the insert having a length (Li);
- the post comprising an outer wall, an inner wall, a first side wall extending between the outer wall and the inner wall, a second side wall extending between the outer wall and the inner wall opposite the first side wall, two outer corners extending longitudinally from an end of the post to an opposite end, and two inner corners extending longitudinally from the end of the post to the opposite end, the post having a length (Lp);
- the post defining a plurality of cuts, each cut extending peripherally but only partially around the post so that one of the two side walls is uncut and forms a living hinge, the cuts being evenly distributed along the length (Lp) of the post in the longitudinal direction to create a plurality of connected hollow cylindrical segments of equal lengths;
- each segment comprising an outer wall corresponding to part of the post outer wall, an inner wall corresponding to part of the post inner wall, two outer corners corresponding to parts of the two post outer corners, two inner corners corresponding to parts of the two post inner corners, a first side wall corresponding to part of the post first side wall and a second side wall corresponding to part of the post second side wall;
- wherein
- each post segment is connected to at least one adjacent post segment along one of the living hinges;
- and
- at least one sidewall of each post segment abuts a sidewall of an adjacent post segment.
7 more elements
A folded post support system comprising:
- a hollow elongated enclosure defining an interior and having a length (Le);
- and
- an insert disposed within the interior of the enclosure, the insert made from a hollow post that has been cut and then folded in an accordion fashion, the insert having a length (Li);
- the post comprising an outer wall, an inner wall, a first side wall extending between the outer wall and the inner wall, a second side wall extending between the outer wall and the inner wall opposite the first side wall, and two longitudinal ends;
- the post defining a plurality of cuts, each cut extending peripherally but only partially around the post so that either the first side wall or the second side wall is uncut and forms a living hinge, the cuts being evenly distributed along a length (Lp) of the post in the longitudinal direction to create a plurality of connected hollow segments of equal lengths;
- wherein, in the assembled insert
- each post segment is connected to at least one adjacent post segment along a living hinge;
- and
- at least one sidewall of each post segment abuts a sidewall of an adjacent post segment.
6 more elements
An insert useful as a component of a load support system, the insert comprising:
- a plurality of hollow cylindrical post segments arranged side-by-side, each post segment having a hollow interior and comprising an outer wall, an inner wall, two outer corners, two inner corners and two side walls;
- wherein
- each post segment is connected to at least one adjacent post segment along a linear hinge line;
- and
- the post segments are aligned in a longitudinal direction with at least one side wall of each post segment abutting a side wall of an adjacent post segment.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.