US3626860A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Foldable expendable four-way entry pallet
Assignee: WALNUT IND CO
•
Filing: 1970-06-01
•
Granted: 1971-12-14
•
Expires: 1990-06-01
Abstract
Abstract A foldable expendable four-way entry pallet, merchandise container or other article carrier constructed of corrugated paperboard including a planar deck and foldable, reinforcing log pockets or sleeves secured to the underside of the deck. Log sleeves are formed in pairs at opposite ends of a piece of double-faced single-wall corrugated board and the entire intervening web is adhesively secured to the underside of the deck. Single or multiple pairs of log sleeves may be used with the log orientation of plural pairs being parallel and the sleeves being foldable flatwise toward the deck when the reinforcing logs are removed. Each log sleeve is provided with a pair of windows having centers spaced apart the proper distance to permit projection therethrough of the fork of a fork lift truck, and the windows of the paralleled sleeves are aligned in rows orthogonal to the log sleeves. The reinforcing logs fit slidably closely within the log sleeves and may be of expanded polystyrene or any other suitable rigid frangible material. The portions of the logs exposed through the windows of the sleeves are notched or otherwise formed to break out cleanly when impacted by the fork of a fork lift truck to permit the fork to pass through the windows, and are also top-notched to provide for passage of banding straps.
Inventors
- 👤 David H Blatt
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 18:07
CPC Classifications
B; B65; B65D; B65D19/00; B65D19/0004; B65D19/0006; B65D19/0008; B65D19/002; B65D19/0024; B65D19/0026; B65D2519/00; B65D2519/00004; B65D2519/00009; B65D2519/00014; B65D2519/00019; B65D2519/00049; B65D2519/00054; B65D2519/00258; B65D2519/00263; B65D2519/00273; B65D2519/00283; B65D2519/00293; B65D2519/00313; B65D2519/00323; B65D2519/00328; B65D2519/00333; B65D2519/00398; B65D2519/00432; B65D2519/00442; B65D2519/00547; B65D2519/00552; B65D2519/00557; B65D2519/00562
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
133 words
An article carrier comprising in combination, a. a deck having an upper surface for receiving merchandise, and an undersurface, b. a plurality of parallel spaced-apart reinforcing log holder sleeves secured to and depending from said deck, each of said sleeves having sidewall regions which are provided with at least a first pair of aligned windows lying in planes extending transversely to said deck, and c. a plurality of reinforcing logs each of substantially the same cross-sectional size and shape as that of the log holder sleeves and being slidable into an associated log holder sleeve to thereby rigidify said sleeve, each said log being made of a rigid frangible material and a portion of said log being exposed on opposite sides thereof through the aforesaid aligned windows of said associated log holder sleeve.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
133 words
An article carrier comprising in combination, a. a deck having an upper surface for receiving merchandise, and an undersurface, b. a plurality of parallel spaced-apart reinforcing log holder sleeves secured to and depending from said deck, each of said sleeves having sidewall regions which are provided with at least a first pair of aligned windows lying in planes extending transversely to said deck, and c. a plurality of reinforcing logs each of substantially the same cross-sectional size and shape as that of the log holder sleeves and being slidable into an associated log holder sleeve to thereby rigidify said sleeve, each said log being made of a rigid frangible material and a portion of said log being exposed on opposite sides thereof through the aforesaid aligned windows of said associated log holder sleeve.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
62 words
An article carrier as described in claim 1 wherein each of said sleeves sidewall regions is provided with at least a second pair of aligned windows lying in planes extending transversely to said deck, said first and second pairs of windows being spaced apart longitudinally along said sleeve a distance equal to the fork-to-fork spacing of the forks of a forklift truck.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
72 words
An article carrier as described in claim 1 wherein each of said reinforcing logs is provided with fracture assisting means operative to cause said log to completely fracture transversely to the log length when the log is subject to transverse impact through said sleeve windows, whereby, at least a portion of said log within the said sleeve windows is separable from said log and displaceable from said sleeve through said sleeve windows.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
77 words
An article carrier as described in claim 1 wherein each of said reinforcing logs is provided with at least one region of reduced cross-sectional area operative to cause said log to completely fracture transversely to the log length when the log is subjected to transverse impact through said sleeve windows, whereby, at least a portion of said log within the said sleeve windows is separable from said log and displaceable from said sleeve through said sleeve windows.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
67 words
An article carrier as described in claim 1 wherein each said sleeve comprises a plurality of flat surfaces extending longitudinally of the sleeve length with at least some of said flat surfaces being movable about hiNging lines to selectably compact said sleeves substantially flatwise by movement toward said deck or to open out said sleeves to their log receiving cross section by movement away from said deck.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
50 words
An article carrier as described in claim 1 wherein said log holder sleeves are formed in parallel spaced apart pairs at opposite ends of a piece of corrugated paperboard, and wherein the area of the latter between said log holder sleeves is secured fixedly against the undersurface of said deck.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
17 words
An article carrier as described in claim 1 wherein said reinforcing logs are made of expanded polystyrene.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
65 words
An article carrier as described in claim 1 wherein the upper surface of said reinforcing logs is recessed downward for the full width of said log within that portion of the log which is exposed through each of said windows, whereby a banding strap may be passed through each of said windows and said log upper surface recess for securing articles to said article carrier.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
69 words
An article carrier as described in claim 2 wherein each of said reinforcing logs is provided with fracture assisting means operative to cause said log to completely fracture transversely to the log length when the log is subjected to transverse impact through said sleeve windows, whereby, at least a portion of said log within the said sleeve windows is separable from said log and displaceable from said sleeve windows.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
25 words
An article carrier in claim 3 wherein said log fracture assisting means is positioned within said sleeve window when said log is within said sleeve.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
56 words
An article carrier as described in claim 3 wherein said log fracture assisting means comprises at least one region of reduced cross-sectional area positioned substantially centrally within said sleeve window when said log is within said sleeve, and a pair of regions of reduced cross-sectional area positioned substantially at the opposite side edges of said window.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
67 words
An article carrier as described in claim 9 wherein each said sleeve comprises a plurality of flat surfaces extending longitudinally of the sleeve length with at least some of said flat surfaces being movable about hinging lines to selectably compact said sleeves substantially flatwise by movement toward said deck or to open out said sleeves to their log receiving cross section by movement away from said deck.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
56 words
An article carrier as described in claim 9 wherein said log fracture assisting means comprises at least one region of reduced cross-sectional area positioned substantially centrally within said sleeve window when said log is within said sleeve, and a pair of regions of reduced cross-sectional area positioned substantially at the opposite side edges of said window.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
69 words
An article carrier as described in claim 11 wherein the upper surface of said reinforcing logs is recessed downward for the full width of said log at the said at least one region of reduced cross-sectional area positioned substantially centrally within said sleeve window, whereby a banding strap may be passed through each of said windows and said log upper surface recess for securing articles to said article carrier.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
56 words
An article carrier as described in claim 12 wherein said log fracture assisting means comprises at least one region of reduced cross-sectional area positioned substantially centrally within said sleeve window when said log is within said sleeve, and a pair or regions of reduced cross-sectional area positioned substantially at the opposite side edges of said window.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
17 words
An article carrier as described in claim 15 wherein said reinforcing logs are made of expanded polystyrene.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
CA659213A
Cited
US2444183A
Cited
US2828007A
Cited
US3026078A
Cited
US3216376A
Cited
US3269336A
Cited
US3302593A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-12-13 | 1975-06-14 | 1975-12-14 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-12-13 | 1979-06-14 | 1979-12-14 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-12-13 | 1983-06-14 | 1983-12-14 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |