AU721917B2 - An article - Google Patents

Description

S F Ref: 389078

AUSTRALIA

PATENTS ACT 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT

ORIGINAL

p a.

Name and Address of Applicant: Specialised Packaging Services Pty. Ltd P.O. Box 419 Harbord NSW 2096

AUSTRALIA

Actual Inventor(s): Address for Service: Invention Title: ASSOCIATED PROVISIONAL [31] Application No(s) P01612 Spruson Ferguson, Patent Attorneys Level 33 St Martins Tower, 31 Market Street Sydney, New South Wales, 2000, Australia An Article APPLICATION DETAILS [33] Country

AU

[32] Application Date 12 August 1996 The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me/us:- 5815 An Article Technical Field The present invention relates to containers and in particular relates to containers which may be disassembled for storage. More particularly, it relates to containers, the sides of which may be locked together.

Background of the Invention It is usual when transporting goods in containers, to load those goods into the containers at the point of supply and eventually remove those goods from the containers at the destination point. The containers are then returned either to a central depot, the point So of supply or otherwise. One disadvantage is that transporting the empty containers after discharge of the delivered goods may lead to transport inefficiencies. For example, if a container ship discharges its contents at a destination and proceeds to another destination, the volume occupied by the containers is the same as the volume occupied by the containers containing the cargo just delivered. It may be that the container ship needs to 15 take on board containers with different cargo where the original containers would not be suitable. In this case, the original containers would merely occupy space which could profitably be occupied by cargo.

So..Collapsible containers are known. For example, collapsible cardboard containers S:used in office archive boxes are well known. However, a disadvantage with this type of container is that it is only stable for relatively small volumes. Thus, this type of container would not be able to be scaled up to a structure able to accommodate appreciable loads.

Object of the Invention It is the object of the present invention to overcome or substantially ameliorate the above disadvantages.

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Summary of the Invention There is disclosed herein a container panel of generally square or rectangular configuration comprising: a panel body having generally parallel spaced edge portions; a first flange extending from a first one of said edge portions and having its major direction of extension towards the other edge portion so as to define a first slot; a second flange, extending from said other edge portion and defining a second slot, which second slot faces in a direction generally normal to the direction in which the first slot faces; and wherein the container panel is intended to engage similarly constructed container panels to form a side wall of a container, with the first flanges thereof engaged within associated second slots, and the second flanges engaged within associated first slots.

[N:\L1BTr]00975:hrw Preferably a plurality of the above container panels cooperates to provide a container of square or rectangular configuration, with each panel being moved into position by having its first flange engaged within an associated second slot and then being pivoted so that the second flange engages within an associated first slot.

Preferably a container employing the above container panels, would be provided with a top and bottom configured such that when the container was dismantled, the container panels would be stored in a cavity defined by the cooperating top and bottom.

Brief Description of the Drawings A preferred form of the present invention will now be described by way of o example with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein: Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view of a plurality of similarly constructed containers; Figure 2 is a schematic perspective view of one of the containers of Figure 1 in a transport configuration, a parts exploded configuration and a constructed configuration; o 15 Figure 3 is a schematic perspective view of the sides of the container of Figures 1 and 2; and Figures 4 and 5 schematically depict in plan view the method of constructing the container of Figure 1.

Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiment In the accompanying drawings there is schematically depicted a container *.The container 10 consists of a top member 11 cooperating with a bottom member 12 and a side wall consisting of four side panels 13. The top member 11 includes a generally planar portion 14 from which there depends shaped flanges 15 at the corners.

The bottom member 12 consists of a generally planar portion 16, with each side S 25 being provided with a side flange 17. The members 11 and 12 cooperate with the panels 13 to retain the panels 13 in their desired location.

Each of the panels 13 consists of a generally planar body 18 having opposite generally parallel edge portions 19 and 20. The edge portion 19 has extending from it a flange 21 having an arcuate base 22. The flange 21 and body 18 cooperate to define a slot 23 which is open towards the other edge portion Extending from the edge portion 20 is a shaped flange 24 which provides a slot 25 facing in a direction generally normal to the direction faced by the slot 23 and generally normal to the body 18. The slot 23 faces generally parallel to the body 18.

The slots 23 and 25 are of a or configuration in transverse cross section and are dimensioned so as to receive an associated flange 21 or 24.

In constructing the container 10, a first one of the panels 13A is supported and then a second panel 13B positioned so that its flange 21 is secured within an associated [N:\LIB'T]00975:hrw slot 25 of the panel 13A. A third panel 13C is similarly positioned so as to engage the panel 13B. Finally, the fourth panel 13D is placed in position by the method best illustrated in Figure 5. More particularly, the flange 21 is located in the slot 25 of the panel 13C. The panel 13D is then pivoted in the direction of the arrow 26 so that the s flange 24 of panel 13D is located in the slot 23 of the panel 13A. The panels 13A, B, C and D are then retained in position by the flanges 17 until the member 11 is placed in position so that the panels 13 remain captive by engagement with the flanges To dismantle the container 10, first of all the top member 11 is removed. This then releases one of the panels 13 for pivoting movement and disengagement from its associated adjoining panels 13. The reverse procedure described with reference to Figures 4 and 5 is then followed.

The top and bottom members 11 and 12 are configured so that the flanges align with flanges 17 to form a box (as best seen in Figure 2) within which four of the :panels 13 may be located. As best seen in Figure 2, if the panels are stacked as illustrated they will fit in a cavity defined by the top and bottom members 11 and 12.

[N:\LIBT]00975 :hrw

Claims (4)

1. A container panel of generally square or rectangular configuration comprising: a panel body having generally parallel spaced edge portions; a first flange extending from a first one of said edge portions and having its major direction of extension towards the other edge portion so as to define a first slot; a second flange, extending from said other edge portion and defining a second slot, which second slot faces in a direction generally normal to the direction in which the first slot faces; and wherein the container panel is intended to engage similarly constructed container panels to form a side wall of a container, with the first flanges thereof engaged within associated second slots, and the second flanges engaged within associated first slots.

2. The container panel of claim 1, wherein each edge portion and associated flange are joined by a base so that each edge portion, associated base and 15 flange co-operate to have a generally "U-shaped" configuration. .o A container having a top and bottom member and a side wall constructed of a plurality of container panels according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the top "member and the bottom member have flanges which retain the panels in a predetermined i* relationship so that the container has a square or rectangular configuration.

4. The container of claim 3, wherein one of said members has comer flanges and the other has side flanges located between corners of the member. The container of claim 4, wherein the top and bottom members cooperate to form a box within which the panels may be stacked and retained in the box.

6. A container substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the 25 accompanying drawings. Dated 19 April, 2000 Specialised Packaging Services Pty Ltd Patent Attorneys for the Applicant/Nominated Person SPRUSON FERGUSON [1 :\DayL i b\L I BTT]00975.doc: K El-I