초록 ▼

A reusable plastic base serves as a pallet which may be lifted by the skids of a forklift truck. A sleeve is removably attached to the base and forms the side walls of the container. In the preferred embodiment, the sleeve is made of corrugated material having tabs formed along its lower edge. The t

A reusable plastic base serves as a pallet which may be lifted by the skids of a forklift truck. A sleeve is removably attached to the base and forms the side walls of the container. In the preferred embodiment, the sleeve is made of corrugated material having tabs formed along its lower edge. The tabs are adapted to pass through slots in the base and be folded underneath the base to hold the components together. The base is preferably designed with a peripheral groove lying substantially at floor level to receive the edge of the sleeve. Compressive loads applied to the container are transferred by the sleeve directly to the floor thereby minimizing deformation of peripheral portions of the base.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A container (10) comprising: a reusable pallet (14) having a plurality of slots (62) extending vertically through the pallet at spaced locations about its periphery with each slot opening at its upper end in the upper face of the pallet and opening at its lower end in a first portion of the lo

1. A container (10) comprising: a reusable pallet (14) having a plurality of slots (62) extending vertically through the pallet at spaced locations about its periphery with each slot opening at its upper end in the upper face of the pallet and opening at its lower end in a first portion of the lower face of the pallet; and a sleeve (12) having a plurality of tabs (32) formed at spaced locations along its lower edge foldable about vertical fold lines (38) and aligned with said slots (62) so that said tabs may be passed downwardly through the upper ends of said slots to a position in which the upper edges of the tabs are generally aligned with said lower face first portions whereafter the tabs may be folded inwardly underneath the pallet to juxtapose the upper edges of the tabs to said lower face first portions, with the tabs essentially perpendicular to the plane of the pallet, to thereby secure the sleeve to the pallet. 2. The container of claim 1 wherein the lower face of said pallet (14) further includes second portions (40) adapted to rest on a supporting surface for the container; said first lower face portions are raised above the level of said second lower face portions to define indentations (42-48) in said lower face (40) which are adapted to receive the skids of a forklift truck or the like and which house the folded under tabs. 3. The container of claim 2 which further comprises: receiving means (54) on peripheral portions of the pallet (14) extending substantially to said second lower face support portions (40), said means (54) being adapted to receive edges (28) of the sleeve (12) whereby downward compressive loads applied to the container are transferred by the sleeve substantially directly to said second lower face support portions to thereby minimize deformation of the peripheral portions of the pallet. 4. The container of claim 3 wherein said receiving means comprises a groove (54) formed in the upper face (52) of the pallet (14) substantially coplanar with said slots (62). 5. The container of claim 1 which further comprises: means (78) extending orthogonally to said slots (62), operative to maintain said tabs (32) in their folded condition. 6. The container of claim 5 wherein said means comprises a channel (78) formed in said first lower face portions (52) of the pallet. 7. The container of claim 1 which further comprises: ramp means (70) formed in the upper pallet face (52) adjacent each slot (62), operative to guide bent flaps into alignment with their respective slots (62). 8. A container (10) comprising: a reusable plastic pallet (14) having a plurality of transverse slots (62) located about its periphery; a sleeve (12) having a plurality of tabs (32) aligned with said slots (62) adapted to pass therethrough and be folded underneath portions of the pallet so that the plane of each tab is essentially perpendicular to the plane of the pallet to thereby secure the sleeve to the pallet; a plurality of channels (78) formed in outer face portions (40) of the pallet and operative to respectively maintain said tabs (32) in their folded condition; and, abutment means (82,84) located between each of said slots (62) and channels (78), operative to maintain the tabs (32) in a first position aligned with the respective slot (62) or in a second position orthogonally thereto. 9. The container of claim 8 wherein said abutment means comprises side shoulders (82, 84) of a wedge shaped camming surface (80) sloping towards the intersection of said channel (78) and slot (62). 10. A container (10) comprising: a generally planar base (14) providing a bottom for the container; a sleeve (12) removably positioned on the base (14) for providing sides for the container; said base including support faces (40) on the lower face of the base defining a downwardly facing support surface for the base adapted to rest on an upwardly facing underlying supporting surface; upwardly opening grooves (54) formed along peripheral portions of the upper surface of the base (14) and adapted to receive lower portions of the sleeve with the lower edges (28) of said lower portions positioned at substantially the same level as said support faces; and indentation means (42-48) located inboard of corner portions of the base (14) for defining relieved access areas in sides of the base for receiving skids (50) of a forklift truck or the like; whereby downward compressive loads applied to the container are transferred by the sleeve (12) substantially directly to the supporting surface thereby minimizing deformation of peripheral portions of the base (14). 11. The container of claim 10 wherein: said indentations means comprise downwardly opening tunnels running laterally across the lower face of the base (14); and said container further includes coacting releasable attachment means defined on said sleeve and on said base in the vicinity of said tunnels. 12. The container of claim 11 wherein said base is made of plastic material and said sleeve is an open ended box made of corrugated material. 13. A container (10) comprising: a generally rectangular reusable pallet (14) having a lower face (40) configured so that at least the corners of the pallet have bottom surfaces which form a downwardly facing lower support surface on the lower face of the pallet which is adapted to rest on an upwardly facing underlying supporting surface for the container, a plurality of indentations (42-48) running laterally across said lower face (40) and inboard of the corners providing relieved areas for receiving skids (50) of a forklift truck or the like; and an open ended rectangular sleeve (12) providing side walls (18-24) for the container (10) and including a plurality of tabs (32) formed in a lower edge (28) of the sleeve (12) and adapted to be folded toward the center of the sleeve (12); said pallet (14) further including a groove (54) formed in an upper face (52) of the pallet (14) and adapted to receive the lower edge (28) of the sleeve (12), said groove (54) extending downwardly to substantially the level of said bottom surfaces (40); tab attachment sections (60) formed in peripheral portions of each of said indentations (42-48), said tab attachment sections (60) each including a slot (62) extending transversely through the pallet and substantially coplanar with said groove (54), said slots (62) being in alignment with the tabs (32) in the sleeve; whereby the sleeve (12) may be attached to the pallet (14) by nesting the edge (28) of the sleeve in the pallet groove (54), with the tabs (32) passing through their respective slots (62) and then folding the tabs (32) underneath the indentations (42-48) toward the center of the container. 14. The container of claim 13 wherein each of said tab attachment sections (60) further includes: a ramp (70) formed in said lower face (52) sloping towards said slot (62) and adapted to guide bent tabs (32) into alignment with their respective slots (62). 15. The container of claim 14 wherein said tab attachment sections (60) further comprises: a channel (78) for each of the tabs (32) formed in said upper face (40) and extending generally orthogonally to said slot (62), adapted to maintain said tabs (32) in their folded condition. 16. A container (10) comprising: a generally rectangular reusable plastic pallet (14) having an outer face (40) configured so that at least the corners of the pallet have bottom surfaces which are adapted to rest on a supporting surface for the container, a plurality of indentations (42-48) running laterally across said outer face (40) and inboard of the corners providing relieved areas for receiving skids (50) of a forklift truck or the like; an open ended rectangular sleeve (12) made of corrugated material providing side walls (18-24) for the container (10), a plurality of tabs (32) formed in a lower edge (28) of the sleeve (12) and adapted to be folded towards middle portions of the sleeve (12); said pallet (14) further including a groove (54) formed in an upper face (52) of the pallet (14) and adapted to receive the lower edge (28) of the sleeve (12), said groove (54) extending downwardly to substantially the level of the outer face (40); tab attachment section (60) formed in peripheral portions of said indentations (42-48), said tab attachment section (60) each including a slot (62) extending transversely through the pallet and substantially coplanar with said groove (54), said slot (62) being in alignment with tabs (32) in the sleeve; said tab attachment section (60) further including a ramp (70) formed in said inner face (52) sloping towards said slot (62) and adapted to guide tabs (32) into alignment with their respective slots (62); said tab attachment section (60) further comprising a channel (78) for each of the tabs (32) formed in said outer face (40) and extending generally orthogonally to said slot (62), adapted to maintain said tabs (32) in their folded condition; and said tab attachment further comprising a wedge-like camming surface (80) sloping towards the intersection of said channel (78) and slot (62) providing shoulders (82 and 84) for maintaining said tabs (32) in a first position in alignment with their respective sleeve walls and in a second position folded with respect thereto, whereby said sleeve (12) may be attached to the pallet (14) by nesting (28) of the sleeve in the pallet groove (54), with the tabs (32) passing through their respective slots (62) and then folding the tabs (32) underneath the indentations (42-48). 17. The container of claim 16 which further comprises: a cover (16) being substantially the mirror image of pallet (14), with an upper edge (26) of the sleeve (12) including tabs (30) which are removably attached to the cover (16) in the same manner that tabs (30) on the lower edge (28) are attached to the pallet (14). 18. An enclosure (14,16) adapted to be removably attached to a sleeve (12) having foldable tabs (30,32) formed in an edge (26,28) thereof, said enclosure comprising: a generally rectangular member (14,16) in which at least the corners thereof have outer face portions (40) lying in the same plane and constituting an outer support surface for said member; elongated indentations (42-48) in the outer face (40) of said member located inboard of the corners and adapted to provide relieved areas for receiving the skids (50) of a forklift truck or the like; receiving means (54) on peripheral portions of an inner face (52) of said member, extending to substantially the same level as said outer face portions, adapted to receive an edge (26,28) of the sleeve; and a plurality of slots (62) extending transversely through the indentations (42-48) and adapted to receive the tabs (30,32) of the sleeve. 19. The enclosure of claim 18 wherein said member is formed of two skins of vacuum formed sheets of polyethylene fused together. 20. The enclosure of claim 18 which is adapted to provide either a pallet (14) or a cover (16) for a container (10) employing the sleeve (12) for its side walls (18-24). 21. A container according to claim 20 wherein said side walls are made of corrugated material. 22. A container including: a reusable pallet (14) having a plurality of transverse slots (62) formed in raised indentations (42-48) located inboard of corner portions of the pallet (14) for defining relieved access areas in sides thereof for receiving skids (50) of a forklift truck of the like; and a sleeve comprising side walls (18-24) having lower edges (28) adapted to rest on the pallet so that at least the corners of the side walls lie in substantially the same plane as a lower face (40) of the pallet (14) on which said pallet is supported and below the raised indentations (42-48), and a plurality of tabs aligned with said slots (62) adapted to pass therethrough and be folded underneath the raised indentations (42-48) in the pallet to secure the sleeve thereto. 23. A container according to claim 22 wherein said pallet (14) further includes a groove (54) formed in an upper face (52) of the pallet (14) substantially co-planar with said slots (62), and wherein portions of the lower edges (28) of the sleeve are adapted to be received within said groove (54).