Load bearing structure

• US 10,287,054 B2
• Filed: 06/24/2015
• Issued: 05/14/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lesweek Pty Ltd
• Original Assignee: Airdex Corporation
• Inventors: Imbrecht, Rick, Lin, Chi Kong
• Primary Examiner(s): Rohrhoff, Daniel J
• Application Number:
  US15/321,179
• Publication Number:
  US 20170197752A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,420 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 63/04 by folding, winding, bending or the like
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/02 by heating, with or without pressure
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/08 using ultrasonic vibrations non-plastics element to plastics elements B29C65/645
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/48 using adhesives , i.e. using supplementary joining material; solvent bonding
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/5042 covering both elements to be joined
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/5057 positioned between the surfaces to be joined B29C65/5035 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/542 by injection
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/0382 the coating material being in liquid or paste form joining by applying molten plastics B29C65/40
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/0384 the coating material being in tape, strip or band form joining using adhesive tapes covering both elements to be joined B29C65/5042
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/112 Single lapped joints
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/1122 Single lap to lap joints, i.e. overlap joints B29C66/45, B29C66/472, B29C66/52272 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/1142 Single butt to butt joints
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/135 Single hemmed joints, i.e. one of the parts to be joined being hemmed in the joint area
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/43 Joining a relatively small portion of the surface of said articles B29C66/45 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/5326 said single elements being substantially flat
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/836 Moving relative to and tangentially to the parts to be joined, e.g. transversely to the displacement of the parts to be joined, e.g. using a X-Y table B29C66/65 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/7178 Pallets
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 19/0018 and each contact surface having a discrete foot-like shape
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 19/0026 and each contact surface having a stringer-like shape
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 19/18 made wholly or mainly of plastics material
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 19/44 : Elements or devices for locating articles on platforms
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00034 : Plastic
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00044 : Combination, e.g. different elements made of different materials, laminates
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00059 : Metal
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00064 : Wood
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00069 : Plastic
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00129 : Metal
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00134 : Wood
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00139 : Plastic
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00174 : Plastic
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00208 : Plastic
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00268 : made of one piece
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00273 : made of more than one piece
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00288 : made of one piece
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00318 : made of one piece
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00323 : made of more than one piece
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00333 : contact surface having a stringer-like shape
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00338 : contact surface having a discrete foot-like shape
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00437 : on the load supporting surface
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00467 : on or in the load supporting surface
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00502 : whereby at least one side wall is made of two or more pieces
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00562 : chemical connection, e.g. glued, welded, sealed
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00587 : side walls directly connected to each other
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00611 : side walls maintained connected to each other by means of auxiliary locking elements, e.g. spring loaded locking pins
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00641 : Structures intended to be disassembled
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00661 : side walls maintained connected to pallet by means of auxiliary locking elements, e.g. spring loaded locking pins
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00711 : removable lid or covers
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00805 : Means for facilitating the removal of the load
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00815 : on the pallet
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/0082 : in the side wall
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2571/00111 : Arrangements of flexible binders

Abstract

The present invention provides a movable load bearing structure with a surface that includes antimicrobial agents capable of eliminating, preventing, retarding or minimizing the growth of microbes and also minimizing cross-contamination when the load bearing structure is being reused for cargos that differ from a previously transported cargo, for example, different food types, such as poultry, fresh vegetables, and fresh fruit. The load bearing structure may be a dunnage platform or a container for storing and/or shipping cargo.

Claims

1. A loading bearing structure comprising:

an expanded polymer core having a top side, a bottom side and a width having a thickness therebetween joining the top side and the bottom side;

at least one polymer sheet having a first side with outer edge portions, said first side of said polymeric sheet including the outer edge portions are combined with said bottom side, the width and at least a portion of said top side of said expanded core; and

at least one edge protector positioned about a portion of the bottom side and a portion of the width close to the bottom side of the load bearing structure for accommodating at least one cargo-holding feature;

wherein said outer edges of said first side of the polymeric sheet is sealed to portions of the polymeric core by at least one sealing feature.

2. A loading bearing structure having a top side, a bottom side and a width therebetween, comprising:

an expanded polymer core with a top side, a bottom side and a width having a thickness therebetween joining the top side and the bottom side;

a first polymer sheet having a first side and a second side, with outer edges, said first side and its outer edges are combined with said bottom side and at least part of said thickness of said width of said expanded polymer core;

a second polymer sheet having a first side and a second side, with outer edges, said second side and its outer edges are combined with said expanded polymer core on said top side and at least part of the thickness of the width of said expanded polymer core, forming an overlap between said outer edges of said first sheet and said outer edges of said second sheet about the width;

wherein at least a portion of said overlapped outer edges between the first and second the polymeric sheets are sealed by at least one sealing feature; and

at least one edge protector positioned about the bottom edge and a portion of the width close to the bottom edge of the load bearing structure for accommodating at least one cargo-holding feature.

3. The load bearing structure of claim 2, wherein said outer edges of said first side of the polymeric sheet is sealed to portions of the polymeric core by at least one sealing feature.

4. The load bearing structure of claim 2 wherein said at least one sealing feature comprise a sealing liquid, a sealing chemical composition, a self-healing composition, a sealing tape, a mechanical sealing device, a heat sealing device or combinations thereof.

5. The loading bearing structure of claim 2, wherein said at least one sealing feature comprises a good solvent of said core or said polymeric sheet.

6. The load bearing structure of claim 2 wherein at least a portion of said overlapped outer edges between the first and second the polymeric sheets are sealed by at least one sealing feature.

7. The loading bearing structure of claim 6, wherein said at least one sealing liquid comprises tetrachloroethylene.

8. A load bearing structure for loading, transporting or storing cargo, comprising:

an expanded polymer core having a top side, a bottomside and a width having a thickness therebetween joining the top side and the bottom side, said bottom side having a bottom edge close to said width and said bottom side, and said top side having a top edge close to said width;

at least one polymer sheet having a first side with outer edges is combined with said expanded polymer core on said bottom side, and at least a portion of the thickness of the width of said expanded polymer core; and

at least one edge protector positioned about the bottom edge and a portion of the width close to the bottom edge of the load bearing structure for accommodating at least one cargo-holding feature.

9. The load bearing structure of claim 8 wherein said edge protectors are positioned continuously or intermittently around the loading bearing structure.

10. The load bearing structure of claim 8 further comprising another edge protector positioned about the top edge and a portion of the width close to the top edge.

11. The load bearing structure of claim 8, wherein said outer edges of said first side of the polymeric sheet is sealed to portions of the polymeric core by at least one sealing feature.

12. The load bearing structure of claim 8, wherein said edge protector is flushed with the rest of the structure.

13. The load bearings structure of claim 8, wherein the edge protector protrudes from the rest of the structure.

14. The load bearing structure of claim 8, wherein said edge protector is placed onto the core prior to covering the core with at least one polymeric sheet.

15. The load bearings structure of claim 8, wherein said edge protector is placed onto the structure after the core is covered with at least one polymeric sheet.

16. The load bearing structure of claim 8 further comprising an antimicrobial agent.

17. The loading bearing structure of claim 8, wherein said loading bearing structure is adapted for receiving cargo generated in a clean room to facilitate shipping and minimizing risk of contamination or damage.

18. The loading bearing structure of claim 8 wherein said cargo comprises electronic parts or pharmaceuticals.

19. The load bearing structure of any of claim 8, wherein said at least one polymer sheet are combined with said expanded polymer core on said bottom side, the width and at least a portion of said top side of said expanded polymer core.

20. The load bearing structure of any of claim 8 further comprising a second polymeric sheet with outer edges are combined with said expanded polymer core on said top side and at least a portion of portion of the thickness of the width of said expanded polymer core, forming an overlap between said outer edges of said first sheet and said outer edges of said second sheet about the width.