Shipping and stocking container
AssigneeTarget Brands, Inc.
InventorMichael Tripp
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A shipping container is configured to transport goods from a distribution center, to a retail location, and onto the sales floor of the retail location. The shipping container glides on wheels and is stackable. The shipping container is configured to receive forklift forks from multiple sides. At least one of the channels includes a surrounding framework to safeguard against tilting. The lid is selectively mountable in two orientations to close the container or to provide handles for propelling and/or steering the shipping container. An expandable storage location for empty packaging is provided at an exterior of the shipping container.
Claims20
A shipping container comprising:
- a body including a peripheral wall extending upwardly from a base along a height of the shipping container, the base extending along a length and a width of the shipping container, the length being orthogonal to the width, the height being orthogonal to the width and to the height, the peripheral wall cooperating with the base to define an interior accessible through an open top of the body, the open top being defined by the peripheral wall;
- a lid configured to mount to the body in a blocking orientation and to mount to the body in an unblocking orientation, the lid seating on the peripheral wall and extending across the open top of the body to block access to the interior through the open top when the lid is disposed in the blocking orientation, the lid having a first major surface that faces the interior of the body when the lid is disposed in the blocking orientation, the lid having a second major surface that faces away from the interior when the lid is disposed in the blocking orientation, the first major surface of the lid facing an exterior surface of the peripheral wall when the lid is disposed in the unblocking orientation so that the interior of the body remains accessible through the open top, the second major surface of the lid including a plurality of handholds.
A method of transporting items in a shipping container, the shipping container including a body defining an interior accessible through an open top, the method comprising:
- attaching a lid to the body of the shipping container in an unblocking orientation, wherein the lid does not block access to the interior of the shipping container through the open top when disposed in the unblocking orientation, the lid having first and second major sides facing in opposite directions, the first major side of the lid facing the body of the shipping container when the lid is disposed in the unblocking orientation and the second major side of the lid facing away from the body of the shipping container when the lid is disposed in the unblocking orientation;
- and
- grasping a handhold on the lid to propel the shipping container while the lid is disposed in the unblocking orientation, the handhold being disposed at the second major side of the lid.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.