Carrier for self-supporting sheet-like articles such as printed circuit boards

Claim 1

A carrier for self-supporting, sheet like, generally planar articles such as printed circuit boards and the like, said carrier being readily disassemblable for storage and assemblable for use and comprising: first and second independent frames each defining a rigid structure generally lying in one plane, said rigid structure of at least one of said frames defining an opening sufficiently large to permit an article to pass therethrough; first and second panels each defining a rigid structure lying generally in one plane and having front and back edges, said panels including support elements for receiving and supporting the edges of articles inserted between said panels in the direction from said front edges toward said back edges thereof; and means for readily coupling and decoupling said panels to and from said frames with said frames in generally mutually parallel spaced relation and said panels in generally mutually parallel spaced relation, and with the planes defined by said panels extending generally perpendicularly to the planes defined by said frames, said panels being coupled to said frames by said coupling means such that said support elements are positioned to receive and support edges of articles passed through said opening in said one frame and to position said articles in generally mutually parallel relation with the planes thereof in generally perpendicular relation to the respective planes of both said frames and said panels; whereby in the assembled condition of said carrier, said frames, said panels, and said articles respectively provide rigidity in three mutually perpendicular planes.