Modular shipping container and clip for assembling components thereof

• US 5,123,541 A
• Filed: 03/26/1991
• Issued: 06/23/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Wilbert Incorporated (Berkshire Hathaway Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Fieldcrest Cannon, Inc. (GGST LLC), Penda Corporation (Kruger Family Industries, LLC)
• Inventors: Cutler, deceased, Bruce, Giannini, Dennis A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Foster, Jimmy G.
• Application Number:
  US07/675,434
• Time in Patent Office: 455 Days
• Field of Search: 24/287, 24/457, 24/458, 24/498, 24/499, 24/519, 24/520, 24/564, 24/684, 24/605, 206/386, 206/595-600, 220/4.01, 220/4.21, 220/4.26, 220/4.28, 220/4.33, 292/80, 292/83, 292/95, 292/111, 292/121, 292/124
• US Class Current: 206/600
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 19/20 made wholly or mainly of paper
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00034 Plastic
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00069 Plastic
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00159 Paper
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00208 Plastic
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00268 made of 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 2519/00338 contact surface having a discrete foot-like shape
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00407 on the load supporting surface
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00497 whereby at least one side wall is made of one piece
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00597 integrally formed
• 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 2519/00915 and one or more side walls being foldable along a median line
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/44017 with specific mounting means for attaching to rigid or semirigid supporting structure or structure-to-be-secured
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/44026 for cooperating with aperture in supporting structure or structure-to-be-secured
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/0894 Spring arm

Abstract

A modular shipping container and a clip for use therein to interconnect various components of the container, such as the sidewalls, bottom pallet, and top pallet. The container components are designed for compact storage and easy assembly. The clip used in the container includes a first portion for affixing the clip to the sidewall structure and a second portion having a rigid arm extending from the first portion. A resilient flex arm is attached to the end of the rigid arm farthest the first portion and extends generally toward the first portion. The flex arm has a locking face thereon for engaging an edge of a receiving slot in the pallet. Insertion of the clip into the receiving slot removably interconnects the sidewall structure to the pallet.

Claims

1. A modular shipping container, comprising:

a pallet having a clip receiving slot; and

a sidewall structure having a clip affixed near an edge thereof, said clip comprising a first portion having means for affixing said clip to said sidewall structure and a second portion comprising a rigid arm extending outwardly from said first portion in the plane of said sidewall structure, a resilient flex arm attached to the end of said rigid arm farthest from said first portion and extending generally toward said first portion, said flex arm being biased outwardly from said rigid arm and having a locking face thereon for engaging an edge of said receiving slot, whereby said second portion may be inserted into said receiving slot to removably interconnect said sidewall structure and said pallet.

2. The container as defined in claim 1 further comprising a clip affixed to the opposite edge of said sidewall structure and a second pallet secured to said other edge of said sidewall by said clip.

3. The container as defined in claim 1 further comprising a tab extending from said flex arm which defines said locking face.

4. The container as defined in claim 3 wherein said tab further comprises a deflecting face to facilitate easy insertion of said clip into said receiving slot.

5. The container as defined in claim 4 wherein said tab may be depressed to deflect said flex arm toward said rigid arm to move said locking face from its position in engagement with said pallet to permit removal of said clip from said receiving slot.

6. The container as defined in claim 3 further comprising a reinforcing rib extending on interior surfaces of said flex arm and rigid arm, whereby said flex arm and rigid arm are stiffened and whereby said tab will not collapse.

7. The container as defined in claim 1 wherein said first portion comprises an outside flange and an inside flange arranged in a U-shape for surrounding a portion of said sidewall structure.

8. The container as defined in claim 7 further comprising securing means passing through said U-shaped flanges and said sidewall structure to affix said clip along said edge of said sidewall structure.

9. The container as defined in claim 7 wherein said means for affixing said clip to said sidewall structure comprises a clip retaining hole extending through said sidewall structure and between said outside and inside flanges, and a pair of depressed spacers positioned on respective ones of said outside and inside flanges and so as to extend partially through said retaining hole from the opposite ends thereof.

10. The container as defined in claim 9 wherein said spacers are perforated, and said means for affixing said clip to said sidewall structure further comprises a pin extending transversely through said perforations of said spacers.

11. The container as defined in claim 10 wherein said pin includes a head at each end thereof, and wherein said heads are sized so as to be received within the associated spacer and so that the heads are recessed below the outer surfaces of the outside and inside flanges.

12. The container as defined in claim 1 wherein a plurality of said clips are affixed to said edge of said sidewall structure.

13. The container as defined in claim 1 wherein said sidewall structure is foldable for easy storage.

14. The container as defined in claim 1 wherein said sidewall structure further comprises a recessed area along its edge at which point said clip is affixed.

15. A clip having first and second portions for removably interconnecting a pallet having a clip receiving slot therein and a sidewall structure having a clip affixed along an edge thereof so that the pallet and sidewall structure may be assembled to form a modular shipping container, said clip comprising:

a first portion comprising parallel outside and inside flanges arranged in a U-shape for surrounding a portion of the sidewall structure;

a pair of perforated spacers positioned on respective ones of said outside and inside flanges, with said spacers being transversely aligned and extending into the space between said flanges;

a pin for being received through said perforations of said spacers to affix said clip to the sidewall structure, said pin having a head at each end thereof, with said heads being of a size larger than said perforations in said spacers and smaller than said spacers and so that said heads are totally received in said associated spacers; and

a second portion comprising a rigid arm extending outwardly from said first portion in a plane generally parallel to said outside and inside flanges, a resilient flex arm attached to the end of said rigid arm farthest from said first portion and extending generally towards said first portion, said flex arm being biased outwardly from said rigid arm and having a locking face thereon for engaging an edge of the receiving slot, whereby said second portion may be inserted into the receiving slot to removably interconnect the sidewall structure and the pallet.

16. The clip as defined in claim 15 further comprising a tab extending from said flex arm which defines said locking face.

17. The clip as defined in claim 16 wherein said tab further comprises a deflecting face to facilitate easy insertion of said clip into the receiving slot.

18. The clip as defined in claim 16 wherein said tab may be depressed to deflect said flex arm toward said rigid arm to move said locking face from its position in engagement with said pallet to permit removal of said clip from the receiving slot.

19. A clip having first and second portions for removably interconnecting a pallet having a clip receiving slot therein and a sidewall structure having a clip affixed along an edge thereof so that the pallet and sidewall structure may be assembled to form a modular shipping container, said clip comprising:

a first portion having means for affixing said clip to the sidewall structure; and

a second portion comprising;

a rigid arm extending outwardly from said first portion in the plane of the sidewall structure;

a resilient flex arm attached to the end of said rigid arm farthest from said first portion and extending generally toward said first portion, said flex arm being biased outwardly from said rigid arm and having a locking face thereon for engaging an edge of the receiving slot;

a tab extending from said flex arm for defining said locking face; and

a reinforcing rib extending on interior surfaces of said flex arm and said rigid arm to stiffen said flex arm and said rigid arm and to prevent collapse of said tab, whereby said second portion may be inserted into the receiving slot to removably interconnect the sidewall structure and the pallet.