Shock resistant storage bin and pallet assembly

• US 4,887,537 A
• Filed: 02/04/1985
• Issued: 12/19/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 02/04/1985
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: General Motors Corporation (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: General Motors Corporation (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Kellogg, George E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Zugel, Francis K.
• Application Number:
  US06/697,971
• Time in Patent Office: 1,779 Days
• Field of Search: 108/55.1, 108/55.3, 108/55.5, 108/56.1
• US Class Current: 108/55.1
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 19/44 Elements or devices for locating articles on platforms
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 77/0466 the containers being mounted on a pallet

Abstract

A storage container such as a bin or tank is received on a pallet having a shock isolation arrangement which will reduce damage to the container and the goods contained therein. The pallet is formed with a hollow square frame having rolled or otherwise formed edges arranged to retain rubber-like hose sections which engage the container sides adjacent each container corner and absorb horizontal plane shock as well as some vertical plane shock. Once the rubber hose sections are inserted in the pallet frame while the container is in position thereon, the sections will hold the frame and the container together so that they may be transported as a unitary assembly. The rubber-like hoses will continue to isolate the container from impacts transmitted to the pallet in typical handling operations. The assembly may be readily moved by a forklift or other similar equipment.

Claims

1. A transportable storage mechanism having a pallet and a storage device mounted on said pallet and shock absorbent means resiliently securing said pallet and said storage device together to isolate said storage device from transport impact by absorbing horizontal plane shock, said mechanism more specifically comprising:

said storage device having a substantially horizontal bottom and side means defined by panel means secured to said bottom and extending upwardly therefrom to form a container in which goods may be stored and transported, and flange-like retention means extending outwardly of said container adjacent said bottom;

said pallet having a substantially horizontal frame section receiving said container bottom thereon in supporting relation, leg means appropriately spaced on the underside of said frame section and supporting said frame section and said container in a raised position, said leg means providing horizontal and vertical clearance under said frame section for suitable lifting and transporting means such as the forks of a forklift to extend thereunder and lift said storage mechanism and any goods therein, said pallet further having raised lip-like means formed on said frame section and extending in spaced relation about said container horizontally above said retention means but vertically clear thereof so as to permit said container to be moved vertically onto and from said pallet when said shock absorbent resilient securing means are not in place, said lip-like means cooperating with said retention means to define keyway-like space means extending substantially horizontally about said container;

said shock absorbent resilient securing means being resilient key means received in said keyway-like space means after said container is placed on said pallet frame section in supporting relation, said shock absorbent resilient securing means substantially surrounding said container in shock absorbing resilient engaging relation with said container and said pallet raised lip-like means and sufficiently filling said keyway-like space means to cooperate with said lip-like means and said flange-like retention means to resiliently but positively lock said pallet and said container together to provide the transportable storage mechanism;

said lip-like means having at least one discontinuous section permitting insertion and removal of said shock absorbent resilient securing means.

2. A storage container and pallet assembly having a shock isolation arrangement for protecting and reducing damage to said container, said assembly comprising:

a storage container having a substantially horizontal bottom section and substantially vertical side sections cooperating to define a generally rectangular container adapted to hold goods to be stored and to be moved and transported by machines such as forklifts and the like,

said rectangular storage container having retaining ledge means extending generally horizontally outward therefrom in the vicinity of said bottom wall, said retaining ledge means being located at least on either side of and adjacent to each corner of said container;

a pallet formed as a rectangular frame having pallet support means extending downwardly from the underside thereof to support said frame with sufficient clearance to accommodate the forks of a forklift and the like, said pallet further having upwardly extending flange means at each corner of said rectangular frame with the upper edges thereof extending inwardly of said frame, said flange means being discontinuous about said frame to provide at least one entry gap between at least two of the corners of said frame;

said storage container being received on said pallet with its bottom section supported by said frame within said upwardly extending flange means, said storage container retaining ledge means and said flange means being so aligned as to cooperatively provide lock channel means defined by said container side wall sections, said retaining ledge means and said flange means, said flange means inwardly extending upper edges being higher than said retaining ledge means;

and resilient flexible locking and shock absorbing members formed into lengths which are inserted through said at least one entry gap and received in said lock channel means and engaging said pallet and said container adjacent each corner, said members absorbing horizontal plane shock and locking said container and said pallet together into an assembly, said members being removable through said at least one entry gap for replacement and to separate said container and said pallet.

3. A storage container and pallet assembly comprising:

a storage container;

a pallet supporting said storage container for transport by a forklift or the like;

lower lip means on said container and upper lip means on said pallet defining with said container and said pallet a series of substantially horizontally spaced tunnel-like spaces positioned about said container and having access ends;

and lengths of resilient hose-like members removably received in said tunnel-like spaces and resiliently engaging said storage container and said pallet and locking them together to form said assembly, said hose-like members having shock absorbent capability and isolating said storage container from impact shocks which may be imparted to said pallet;

said lengths of resilient hose-like members being inserted in said tunnel-like spaces through said access ends for replacement and for separation of said container and said pallet.

4. A transportable storage mechanism having a pallet and a storage device mounted on said pallet and shock absorbent means resiliently securing said pallet and said storage device together to isolate said storage device from transport impact by absorbing impact shocks imparted to said pallet, said mechanism more specifically comprising:

said storage device having a substantially horizontal bottom and side means defined by panel means secured to said bottom and extending upwardly therefrom to form a container in which goods may be stored and transported, and flange-like retention means extending outwardly of said container adjacent said bottom;

said pallet having a substantially horizontal frame section receiving said container bottom thereon in supporting relation, leg means appropriately spaced on the underside of said frame section and supporting said frame section and said container in a raised position, said leg means providing horizontal and vertical clearance under said frame section for suitable lifting and transporting means such as the forks of a forklift to extend thereunder and lift said storage mechanism and any goods therein, said pallet further having raised lip-like means formed on said frame section and extending in spaced relation about said container horizontally above said retention means but vertically clear thereof so as to permit said container to be moved vertically onto and from said pallet when said shock absorbent resilient securing means are not in place, said lip-like means cooperating with said retention means to define keyway-like spaces extending substantially horizontally about said container;

said shock absorbent resilient securing means being resilient key means made of lengths of hoses or the like and received in said keyway-like spaces after said container is placed on said pallet frame section in supporting relation, said shock absorbent resilient securing means being in shock absorbing resilient engaging relation with said container and said pallet raised lip-like means and sufficiently filling said keyway-like spaces to cooperate with said lip-like means and said flange-like retention means to resiliently but positively lock said pallet and said container together to provide the transportable storage mechanism;

said pallet raised lip-like means having at least one discontinuous section permitting insertion and removal of said shock absorbent resilient securing means into, and from said keyway-like spaces.

5. A storage container and pallet assembly having a shock isolation arrangement for protecting and reducing damage to said container, said assembly comprising:

a storage container having a substantially horizontal bottom section and substantially vertical side sections cooperating to define a generally rectangular container adapted to hold goods to e stored and to be moved and transported by machines such as forklifts and the like,

said rectangular storage container having retaining ledge means extending generally horizontally outward therefrom in the vicinity of said bottom wall, said retaining ledge means being located at least on either side of and adjacent to each corner of said container;

a pallet formed as a rectangular frame having pallet support mean extending downwardly from the underside thereof to support said frame with sufficient clearance to accommodate the forks of a forklift and the like, said pallet further having upwardly extending flange means at each corner of said rectangular frame with the upper edges thereof extending inwardly of said frame, said flange means being discontinuous about said frame to provide at least one entry gap between any two adjacent corners of said frame;

said storage container being received on said pallet with its bottom section supported by said frame within said upwardly extending flange means;

said storage container retaining ledge means and said flange means being so aligned as to permit vertical movement of said container relative to said pallet and cooperatively providing lock channel means defined by said container side wall sections, said retaining ledge means and said flange means, said flange means inwardly extending upper edges being higher than said retaining ledge means;

and resilient flexible locking and shock absorbing members formed into lengths which are inserted through said entry gaps and received in said lock channel means and engaging said pallet and said container adjacent each corner, said members absorbing horizontal plane shock imparted to said pallet and also locking said container and said pallet together into an assembly, said members being removable through said entry gaps for replacement and to permit separation of said container and said pallet.