Shipping tray assembly for an article having casters

• US 4,798,294 A
• Filed: 08/31/1987
• Issued: 01/17/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/1987
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Philips Electronicsnorth America Corporation (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: North American Philips Corp. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Bodi, Richard
• Primary Examiner(s): Marcus, Stephen
• Assistant Examiner(s): Gehman, Bryon
• Application Number:
  US07/091,673
• Time in Patent Office: 505 Days
• Field of Search: 206/320, 206/326, 206/335, 206/592, 206/386, 206/594, 206/597, 206/521, 206/598, 206/583, 206/586, 206/591, 206/600, 358/229, 248/346, 229/23 R, 312/7.2, 217/37, 108/55.1, 108/55.3, 108/56.1, 108/56.3, 108/53.1, 220/1.5
• US Class Current: 206/600
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2585/6837 tv or computers
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2585/6872 tractors
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 85/68 for machines, engines or vehicles in assembled or dismantled form

Abstract

A shipping tray assembly for use in shipping an article having casters whereby a section of the tray assembly can be removed so that the article may be rolled out of the tray on its casters.

Claims

1. A shipping tray assembly for use in shipping an article having casters extending below its bottom, said tray assembly comprising a first surface, a first raised segment on said surface for supporting a first portion of the bottom of such an article, a second raised segment on said surface for supporting a second portion of the bottom of such an article, said raised segments being high enough so that when such an article is supported on them its casters are out of contact with said surface, and holding means holding said first and second segments in fixed relationship to one another, said holding means being releasable whereby said fixed relationship can be changed, said holding means upon being released enabling said second raised segment to be removed from said tray assembly thereby providing an opening in said assembly whereby an article with casters extending below its bottom and located inside said tray assembly can have its casters lowered onto said surface and can be rolled out of said assembly through said opening.

2. A shipping tray assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein said first surface is located in a box-like unit comprised of a panel of fibreboard, said holding means being two flaps on said panel.

3. A shipping tray assembly as claimed in claim 2, wherein part of said second raised segment is capable of serving as a handle to aid in unpacking a box-like unit.

4. A shipping tray assembly as claimed in claim 3, wherein said second raised segment includes a wall and said flaps are secured to said wall and can be cut to enable said second raised segment to be removed from said box-like unit.

5. A shipping tray assembly as claimed in claim 4, wherein said first surface is one side of a Masonite panel.

6. A shipping tray assembly as claimed in claim 5, wherein said first segment is fixed to said Masonite panel.

7. A shipping tray assembly as claimed in claim 4, wherein said first surface is one side of a wood panel.

8. A shipping tray assembly as claimed in claim 7, wherein said first segment is fixed to said wood panel.

9. A shipping tray assembly as claimed in claim 4, wherein said second raised segment comprises two built up corrugated base elements with a space between them joined by a bar-shaped corrugated section, said section between said base elements serving as said handle.

10. A shipping tray assembly as claimed in claim 9, wherein said base elements and said bar section are joined together by gluing.