# US 2021/0276761 A1 · Universal top cap > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2021/0276761 A1 - Document ID: US20210276761A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 17/188,410 - Filed: 2021-03-01 - Published: 2021-09-09 - Earliest claimed: 2020-03-09 - Assignees: ORBIS Corporation - Applicants: ORBIS Corporation - Inventors: Joachim Banik - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20210276761A1 ## CPC - B65D 19/18: made wholly or mainly of plastics material - B65D 19/385: {Frames, corner posts or pallet converters, e.g. for facilitating stacking of charged pallets} - B65D 19/0095: {and each contact surface having a stringer-like shape} - B65D 19/10: of skeleton construction, e.g. made of wire - B65D 2519/00024: Metal - B65D 2519/00034: Plastic - B65D 2519/00059: Metal - B65D 2519/00069: Plastic - B65D 2519/00164: Metal - B65D 2519/00174: Plastic - B65D 2519/00208: Plastic - B65D 2519/00233: Metal - B65D 2519/00273: made of more than one piece - B65D 2519/00293: made of more than one piece - B65D 2519/00318: made of one piece - B65D 2519/00323: made of more than one piece - B65D 2519/00333: contact surface having a stringer-like shape - B65D 2519/00338: contact surface having a discrete foot-like shape - B65D 2519/00422: on the walls - B65D 2519/00427: on the lid or cover - B65D 2519/00502: whereby at least one side wall is made of two or more pieces - B65D 2519/00512: skeleton type - B65D 2519/00626: sidewalls connected via corner posts - B65D 2519/00646: by means of hinges - B65D 2519/00701: Structures not intended to be disassembled - B65D 2519/00711: removable lid or covers - B65D 2519/009: whereby all side walls are hingedly connected to the base panel - B65D 2519/00965: when loaded - B65D 2519/00975: through the side walls - 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 ## Abstract The invention is directed to a universal top cap having structure for securely mating with and supporting a pallet, or a steel mesh container or a collapsible container. The top cap includes an upper support surface having an upwardly extending lip structure along a perimeter of the upper surface. The upper surface is also provided with recesses and protrusions which enable the top cap to mate with the various items. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A top cap comprising: An upper support surface having a generally rectangular outer perimeter, the upper support surface including: structure for supporting a pallet; structure for supporting a steel mesh container; and structure for supporting a collapsible container. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The top cap of claim 1 wherein the structure for supporting a pallet and the structure for supporting the steel mesh container comprises an upper lip structure extending upward from the perimeter of the top cap. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The top cap of claim 2 wherein the upper lip structure includes a first portion extending upward from a first corner of the upper support surface, a second portion extending upward from a second corner of the upper support surface, a third portion extending upward from a third corner of the upper support surface, and a fourth portion extending upward from a fourth corner of the upper support surface. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The top cap of claim 3 wherein the structure for supporting the pallet and the structure for supporting a steel mesh container comprises a plurality of protrusions extending upward from the upper support surface. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The top cap of claim 4 wherein each of the plurality of protrusions has a generally cylindrical shape. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The top cap of claim 5 wherein the structure for supporting a collapsible container comprises a plurality of recesses to hold runners of the collapsible container. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The top cap of claim 6 wherein the plurality of recesses includes a first recess proximate a first side of the upper surface, a second recess proximate a second side of the upper surface, and a third recess proximate a middle portion of the upper surface. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The top cap of claim 6 wherein the collapsible container is formed from plastic. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The top cap of claim 1 wherein the top cap is formed from plastic. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The top cap of claim 1 wherein the top cap includes a lower lip structure extending downward from the perimeter of the top cap ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The top cap of claim 10 further comprising a plurality of ribs extending downward from a lower surface of the top cap opposing the upper support surface. ### Claim 12 (depends on 7) The top cap of claim 7 having a first raised portion between the first recess and the third recess, and a second raised portion between the second recess and the third recess. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The top cap of claim 12 wherein the first raised portion and the second raised portion include channels for matting with lower structure of another transport system. ### Claim 14 (depends on 7) The top cap of claim 7 wherein each of the first recess, second recess and third recess includes at least one of the plurality of protrusions. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The top cap of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of angled segments along the perimeter of the upper support surface for accommodating straps used to secure the top cap to a container. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The top cap of claim 14 wherein each of the first recess, second recess and third recess include a first protrusion and a second protrusion proximate a first end of the upper support surface. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The top cap of claim 16 wherein each of the first recess, second recess and third recess include a third protrusion and a fourth protrusion proximate a second end of the upper support surface. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The top cap of claim 17 wherein each of the first recess, second recess and third recess include a fifth protrusion proximate a middle portion of the upper support surface. ### Claim 19 (depends on 10) The top cap of claim 10 wherein the lower lip structure includes a first notch and a second notch spaced from the first notch along a first side of the top cap, and a first notch and a second notch spaced from the first notch along a second side of the top cap, wherein the notches facilitate use of a first and second fork tine to lift a stack of the top caps. ### Claim 20 (depends on 3) The top cap of claim 3 wherein the upper lip structure has a double wall construction.