US 5,295,445 AGranted

Spacer device for use in cooling containers supported thereon to the temperature of the surrounding environment

AssigneeWilliam J. Locke

InventorsWilliam J. Locke, Thomas G. Jensen

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Abstract

The invention is a pallet useful as a spacer with containers for heat transfer. The invention includes a plurality of longitudinal and lateral elongated U-shaped channel members having a bottom, sidewalls and flanges at the ends of sidewalls. Each of the members of one of the groups generally opposed to the members of the other group and at right angles to the other group with the bottom of each member of each group facing outward. Strengthening plates are disposed at the intersections of the members which are efficient in transferring thermal energy.

Claims13

Dependent claims

A spacer device adapted to support containers having a first temperature in an environment having a second temperature and operative to rapidly allow thermal transfer of heat between the containers and the environment comprising:

a plurality of individual discrete elongated U-shaped first channel members each having a longitudinal axis and formed by a planar first bottom wall and a pair of first sidewalls connected to said bottom wall to form a U-shaped first channel, said first sidewalls each projecting upwardly from said first bottom wall and each terminating in a laterally projecting first flange with said first flanges oppositely projecting from one another in substantially parallel spaced apart relation to said first bottom wall, said first channel members organized as a first set with each of said first channel members in said first set being positioned in an equal spaced apart parallel relation to one another with the U-shaped first channels thereof opening in a common first direction;
a plurality of individual discrete elongated U-shaped second channel members each having a longitudinal axis and formed by a planar second bottom wall and a pair of second sidewalls connected to said second bottom wall to form a U-shaped second channel, said second sidewalls each projecting upwardly from said second bottom wall and each terminating in a laterally projecting second flange with said second flanges oppositely projecting from one another in substantially parallel spaced apart relation to said second bottom wall, said second channel members organized as a second set and with said second channel members in the second set being positioned in an equal spaced apart parallel relation to one another with the U-shaped channels thereof opening in a common spaced direction opposite the first direction and with each of said second channel members oriented transversely to said first channel members so that said first and second channel members cross one another at intersections so that said first and second flanges are in contact with one another at the intersection, at least some of said first and second flanges attached to one another at respective intersections in a manner sufficient to rigidly interconnected the first set of first channel members and the second set of second channel members so that said first and second bottom walls may be positioned in operation to contact and support said containers;
and
strengthening plates disposed between at least one of said first and at least one of said second channel members proximate said intersection of said first and second members.

1 more element

a plurality of elongated U-shaped first channel member each having a longitudinal axis and formed by a planar first bottom wall and a pair of first sidewalls connected to said bottom wall to form a U-shaped first channel, said first sidewalls each projecting upwardly from said first bottom wall and each terminating in a laterally projecting first flange with said first flanges oppositely projecting from one another in substantially parallel spaced apart relation to said first bottom wall, said first channel members organized as a first set with each of said first channel members in said first set being positioned in a spaced apart parallel relation to one another with the U-shaped first channels thereof opening in a common first direction;
a plurality of elongated U-shaped second channel members having a longitudinal axis and formed by a planar second bottom wall and a pair of second sidewalls connected to said second bottom wall to form a U-shaped second channel, said second sidewalls each projecting upwardly from said second bottom wall and each terminating in a laterally projecting second flange with said second flange oppositely projecting from one another in substantially parallel spaced apart relation to said second bottom wall, said second channel members organized as a second set and with said second channel members in a second set being positioned in a spaced apart parallel relation to one another with the U-shaped channels thereof opening in a common second direction opposite the first direction and with each of said second channel members oriented transversely to said first channel members so that said first and second channel members cross one another at intersections so that said first and second flanges are proximate one another at the intersections;
a strengthening plate interposed between at least one of said first channel members and one of said second channel members proximate their respective intersection;
and
attachment means for attaching said first and second flanges at selected attachment locations at some of the intersections to rigidly interconnect the first set of first channel members and the second set of second channel members.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

patentgrep

Loading patent…

Abstract

a plurality of individual discrete elongated U-shaped first channel members each having a longitudinal axis and formed by a planar first bottom wall and a pair of first sidewalls connected to said bottom wall to form a U-shaped first channel, said first sidewalls each projecting upwardly from said first bottom wall and each terminating in a laterally projecting first flange with said first flanges oppositely projecting from one another in substantially parallel spaced apart relation to said first bottom wall, said first channel members organized as a first set with each of said first channel members in said first set being positioned in an equal spaced apart parallel relation to one another with the U-shaped first channels thereof opening in a common first direction;
a plurality of individual discrete elongated U-shaped second channel members each having a longitudinal axis and formed by a planar second bottom wall and a pair of second sidewalls connected to said second bottom wall to form a U-shaped second channel, said second sidewalls each projecting upwardly from said second bottom wall and each terminating in a laterally projecting second flange with said second flanges oppositely projecting from one another in substantially parallel spaced apart relation to said second bottom wall, said second channel members organized as a second set and with said second channel members in the second set being positioned in an equal spaced apart parallel relation to one another with the U-shaped channels thereof opening in a common spaced direction opposite the first direction and with each of said second channel members oriented transversely to said first channel members so that said first and second channel members cross one another at intersections so that said first and second flanges are in contact with one another at the intersection, at least some of said first and second flanges attached to one another at respective intersections in a manner sufficient to rigidly interconnected the first set of first channel members and the second set of second channel members so that said first and second bottom walls may be positioned in operation to contact and support said containers;
and
strengthening plates disposed between at least one of said first and at least one of said second channel members proximate said intersection of said first and second members.

1 more element