US4019634A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Collapsible shipping container
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1975-03-19
•
Granted: 1977-04-26
•
Expires: 1995-03-19
Abstract
Abstract Disclosed is a collapsible shipping container comprising an upper storage section and a lower pallet section secured to said upper section by a plurality of pins. The upper storage section includes a pair of U-shaped panels which, when fastened to the pallet section, form four sides of the shipping container. A detachable lid is thereafter secured to the top of said container by straps and said lid, said panels, and said pallet form the interior surfaces of said shipping container. The pallet includes upper and lower sections which are connected together through raised portions thereby forming a plurality of foot pedestals. The resulting pallet is accessible by fork lift truck from any direction and can be swung by any crane. A unique resilient snap-lock fastener comprising a pair of resilient arms extending from a base and adapted to pass through a recess in said pallet section and to engage a lip located internal to said pedestals secures said panel sections to said pallet section. The fastener may be inserted manually and the shipping container may be erected or collapsed with ease. The container is additionally equipped with a plurality of thrust-absorbing tabs for improved structural integrity and cardboard plys which permit easy inspection.
Inventors
- 👤 Pierre Edmond Michel Bonnot
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 16:14
CPC Classifications
B; B65; B65D; B65D19/00; B65D19/02; B65D19/06; B65D2519/00; B65D2519/00004; B65D2519/00009; B65D2519/00014; B65D2519/00034; B65D2519/00049; B65D2519/00069; B65D2519/00084; B65D2519/00104; B65D2519/00119; B65D2519/00139; B65D2519/00154; B65D2519/00159; B65D2519/00164; B65D2519/00169; B65D2519/00174; B65D2519/00189; B65D2519/00208; B65D2519/00258; B65D2519/00263; B65D2519/00273; B65D2519/00283; B65D2519/00288; B65D2519/00293; B65D2519/00313; B65D2519/00323; B65D2519/00492; B65D2519/00497; B65D2519/00547; B65D2519/00552; B65D2519/00557; B65D2519/00567; B65D2519/00572; B65D2519/00577; B65D2519/00582; B65D2519/00587; B65D2519/00592; B65D2519/00597; B65D2519/00616; B65D2519/00621; B65D2519/00636; B65D2519/00641; B65D2519/00661; B65D2519/00706; B65D2519/00716; B65D2519/00736; B65D2519/00865; B65D2519/00875; B65D2519/0091; B65D2519/00915; B65D2519/0093; B65D2519/00935; B65D2519/00955; B65D2519/00965; B65D2519/00975
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
125 words
A collapsible shipping container comprising an upper section and base portions, a pallet for supporting said upper section, and fastener means for attaching said upper section to said pallet, said pallet having openings therein, said base portions having openings therein overlying said openings in said pallet, said fastener means including a flat base, resilient arms extending from said base, said arms extending through the openings in the pallet and through the openings in said base portions, each of said resilient arms carrying a flange pair defining a groove for receiving a portion of said pallet surrounding said openings, one member of said flange pair providing a surface which rests on said portion of said pallet and thereby shares in sustaining the load in said container.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
125 words
A collapsible shipping container comprising an upper section and base portions, a pallet for supporting said upper section, and fastener means for attaching said upper section to said pallet, said pallet having openings therein, said base portions having openings therein overlying said openings in said pallet, said fastener means including a flat base, resilient arms extending from said base, said arms extending through the openings in the pallet and through the openings in said base portions, each of said resilient arms carrying a flange pair defining a groove for receiving a portion of said pallet surrounding said openings, one member of said flange pair providing a surface which rests on said portion of said pallet and thereby shares in sustaining the load in said container.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
36 words
The collapsible shipping container of claim 1 wherein said container comprises side wall means including a pair of generally U-shaped panels which when fastened to said base means overlap to form four walls of said container.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
32 words
The collapsible shipping container of claim 2 wherein said upper section includes a detachable lid which in combination with said side walls, said base means, and said pallet, forms an enclosed container.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
38 words
The collapsible shipping container of claim 3 wherein said U-shaped cardboard panels are each provided with a score line along a predetermined path to permit outward bending of said panels for an easily accessible opening where they overlap.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
54 words
The collapsible shipping container of claim 2 wherein each of said U-shaped panels includes a pair of thrust-absorbing tabs which extends partially toward the bottom of said container when in position and which transform at least part of a vertical stacking load into a horizontal component directed toward the sides of said U-shaped panels.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
23 words
The collapsible shipping container of claim 1 wherein said pallet is a four-way pallet accessible by fork lift truck from all four sides.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
34 words
The shipping container of claim 6 wherein said pallet further includes an upper and a lower half, each half including a plurality of raised portions, which, when connected together, form a plurality of pedestals.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
23 words
The collapsible shipping container of claim 1 wherein said pallet is a four-way pallet accessible by fork lift truck from all four sides.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
35 words
The collapsible shipping container of claim 8 wherein said pallet further includes an upper and a lower half, each half including a plurality of raised portions which, when connected together, form a plurality of pedestals.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
17 words
The collapsible shipping container of claim 9 wherein said pallet includes at least eight of said pedestals.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
36 words
The collapsible shipping container of claim 1 wherein the other of said flange pair cooperates with said the portions of said pallet surrounding said opening to compress said resilient arms as they pass through said recess.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
81 words
The collapsible container of claim 1 wherein said flat base of said fastener means has an upper surface and including a flange on said upper surface spaced from one end of said flat base, and wherein said pallet has an upstanding flange around its perimeter, said flange on said flat base and said upstanding flange providing a groove for receiving the bottom edges of said U-shaped panels, whereby said bottom edges are restrained from lateral movement away from said upstanding flange.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
134 words
A collapsible shipping container comprising, an upper storage section, a pallet for supporting said upper storage section, and fastening means for attaching said upper storage section to said pallet, said upper storage section including a pair of U-shaped panel sections each having base means which are securable to said pallet by said fastening means, said pair of U-shaped panel means overlapping so as to form four walls of said container, each of said U-shaped panels including a pair of thrust-absorbing tabs which extend partially toward the bottom of said container when in position, said tabs connected by a horizontal panel extending along the upper edge of one side of said container, said tabs transforming at least part of a vertical stacking load into a horizontal component directed toward the sides of said U-shaped panels.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
134 words
A collapsible shipping container comprising, an upper storage section, a pallet for supporting said upper storage section, and fastening means for attaching said upper storage section to said pallet, said upper storage section including a pair of U-shaped panel sections each having base means which are securable to said pallet by said fastening means, said pair of U-shaped panel means overlapping so as to form four walls of said container, each of said U-shaped panels including a pair of thrust-absorbing tabs which extend partially toward the bottom of said container when in position, said tabs connected by a horizontal panel extending along the upper edge of one side of said container, said tabs transforming at least part of a vertical stacking load into a horizontal component directed toward the sides of said U-shaped panels.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
37 words
The collapsible shipping container of claim 13 wherein said U-shaped cardboard panels are provided with a score line along a predetermined path to permit outward bending of said panels for an easily accessible opening where they overlap.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US2484975A
Cited
US2699912A
Cited
US3100046A
Cited
US3357628A
Cited
US3493101A
Cited
US3537635A
Cited
US3524415A
Cited
US3650459A
Cited
US3680496A
Cited
US3771714A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1980-04-25 | 1980-10-25 | 1981-04-26 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1984-04-25 | 1984-10-25 | 1985-04-26 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1988-04-25 | 1988-10-25 | 1989-04-26 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |