Returnable shipping container
OwnerLawrence D. Cutterinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Structures and a method for restraining a package within a returnable shipping container are provided to eliminate the need for buffering or filler materials (dunnage), particularly those materials that are environmentally unfriendly and otherwise likely to be discarded. Desirable shipping containers intended for reuse are provided with various features which enhance their utilization in a cycle of transportation out from and back to a source. These features include those associated with security, integrity, protection from the environment, addressing, automation, payment, inspection, education in volume for return, facilitation for tracking the container throughout the transport route and assurance of its eventual return.
Claims13
A container for shipping a package, said container comprising:
- a rigid structure for containing said package and having a closable opening;
- a flat panel providing closure for said closable opening;
- a transparent window on said flat panel;
- a first structure on one side of said flat panel holding a first removeable printed medium so as to be visible through said transparent window,
- and a second structure that includes an opaque slidable portion moveable between a first position and a second position to hide or reveal a second set of printed medium,
- said first printed matter medium containing information coded in a format which facilitates requires machine readability, said information including a first address and which also separately includes human readable information which also includes said first address, said printed medium also including, on its reverse side, a second address indicating an address in human readable form and also in a form which requires machine readability of an address to which said container is to be returned.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.