Storage container and corner post thereof

• US 8,100,279 B2
• Filed: 01/26/2007
• Issued: 01/24/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/26/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Flex Box Limited
• Original Assignee: Flex Box Limited
• Inventors: Nielsen, Ole Henrik, Wong, Daniel
• Primary Examiner(s): Stashick, Anthony
• Assistant Examiner(s): VOLZ, ELIZABETH J
• Application Number:
  US11/699,230
• Publication Number:
  US 20080179319A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,824 Days
• Field of Search: 220/1.5, 410/4, 410/24, 410/26
• US Class Current: 220/1.5
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 88/022 in multiple arrangement, e.g. stackable, nestable, connected or joined together side-by-side
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 88/121 ISO containers
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 90/0006 Coupling devices between containers, e.g. ISO-containers coupling devices between containers and vehicles B60P7/13

Abstract

A storage container is provided, having a first container and a second container. Each of the first and second containers includes top and bottom front rails, first and second front corner posts, and first and second side panels. In each of the first and second containers, the top and the bottom front rails and the first and second front corner posts are disposed at a front end thereof to define an opening into the interior thereof. The front end of the first container and the front end of the second container face each other. The first and second side panels of the first container are spaced to define a first interior width therebetween. The first and second front corner posts of the first container are spaced to define a second interior width therebetween. The first and second interior widths of the first container are substantially equal to each other.

Claims

1. A storage container comprising:

a first container including a top front rail, a bottom front rail, a first front corner post, a second front corner post, a first side panel, and a second side panel, the top front rail, the bottom front rail, the first front corner post and the second front corner post of the first container being disposed at a front end of the first container to define an opening into the interior of the first container;

a second container including a top front rail, a bottom front rail, a first front corner post, a second front corner post, a first side panel, and a second side panel, the top front rail, the bottom front rail, the first front corner post and the second front corner post of the second container being disposed at a front end of the second container to define an opening into the interior of the second container; and

a joining apparatus removably coupled between the front end of the first container and the front end of the second container, the joining apparatus engaging the first and second front corner posts of the first container and the first and second front corner posts of the second container to place the interiors of the first and second containers in communication with one another and define an inner volume of the storage container,

wherein the front end of the first container and the front end of the second container face each other;

wherein the first and second side panels of the first container are spaced to define a first interior width therebetween;

wherein the first and second front corner posts of the first container are spaced to define a second interior width therebetween;

wherein the first and second interior widths of the first container are substantially equal to each other; and

wherein the joining apparatus comprises a first side joining panel removably coupled between the first front corner posts and a second side joining panel removably coupled between the second front corner posts, and the first and second side joining panels are spaced apart by a distance substantially equal to the second interior width.

2. The storage container of claim 1, wherein the first front corner post is formed of a material having a first corner post material thickness, the second front corner post is formed of a material having a second corner post material thickness, and the second interior width is at least as great as a difference between the first interior width and a sum of the first and second corner post material thicknesses.

3. The storage container of claim 1, wherein the first interior width is a distance between innermost surfaces of the first and second side panels in a widthwise direction extending between the first and second side panels, and the second interior width is a distance between innermost surfaces of the first and second front corner posts in the widthwise direction.

4. The storage container of claim 1,

wherein the first and second side panels of the second container are spaced to define a first interior width therebetween;

wherein the first and second front corner posts of the second container are spaced to define a second interior width therebetween; and

wherein the first and second interior widths of the second container are substantially equal to each other.

5. The storage container of claim 4, wherein the first and second interior widths of the first container and the first and second interior widths of the second container are substantially equal to one another.

6. The storage container of claim 1,

wherein the first container further includes a first front panel coupleable between the first and second front corner posts of the first container.

7. The storage container of claim 6,

wherein the second container further includes a second front panel coupleable between the first and second front corner posts of the second container.

8. A storage container comprising:

a first container including a top front rail, a bottom front rail, a first front corner post, a second front corner post, a first side panel, and a second side panel, the top front rail, the bottom front rail the first front corner post and the second front corner post of the first container being disposed at a front end of the first container to define an opening into the interior of the first container;

a second container including a top front rail, a bottom front rail, a first front corner post, a second front corner post, a first side panel, and a second side panel, the top front rail, the bottom front rail, the first front corner post and the second front corner post of the second container being disposed at a front end of the second container to define an opening into the interior of the second container; and

a joining apparatus removably coupled the front end of the first container and the front end of the second container, the joining apparatus engaging the first and second front corner posts of the first container and the first and second front corner posts of the second container to place the interiors of the first and second containers in communication with one another and define an inner volume of the storage container,

wherein the front end of the first container and the front end of the second container face each other;

wherein the first and second side panels of the first container are spaced to define a first interior width therebetween;

wherein the first and second front corner posts of the first container are spaced to define a second interior width therebetween;

wherein the first and second interior widths of the first container are substantially equal to each other; and

wherein at least one front corner post of the first and second front corner posts of the first container comprises a base, a first leg and a second leg to form a U-shaped portion and further comprises an end connecting portion extending from the first leg and parallel to the base.

9. The storage container of claim 8, wherein a surface of the end connecting portion contacts an end portion of the corresponding side panel.

10. The storage container of claim 9,

wherein the at least one front corner post includes both the first and second front corner posts, and

wherein the second interior width is at least as great as a difference between the first interior width and a sum of respective thicknesses of the end connecting portions of the first and second front corner posts.

11. The storage container of claim 8,

wherein the at least one front corner post further comprises a return end portion extending from the second leg and parallel to the base.

12. The storage container of claim 11,

wherein the return end portion has a first end and a second end, and wherein the first end is attached to the second leg and the return end portion is longer than any remaining portion of the at least one front corner post that extends from the second end.

13. A storage container comprising:

a top front rail, a bottom front rail, a first front corner post, a second front corner post, a first side panel, and a second side panel, the top front rail, the bottom front rail, the first front corner post, and the second front corner post being disposed at a front end of the storage container to define an opening into an interior of the storage container,

wherein the first and second side panels are spaced apart to define a first interior width therebetween,

wherein the first and second front corner posts are spaced apart to define a second interior width therebetween,

wherein each of the first and second front corner posts comprises;

a base;

a first leg including a first end attached to a first end of the base;

a second leg attached to a second end of the base opposite the first end of the base to form a U-shaped portion; and

an end connecting portion extending from a second end of the first leg opposite the first end of the first leg, the end connecting portion contacting an end portion of a corresponding one of the first and second side panels, and

wherein the second interior width is at least as great as a difference between the first interior width and a sum of respective thicknesses of the end connecting portions of the first and second front corner posts.

14. The storage container of claim 13, further comprising a front panel coupled between the first and second front corner posts.

15. A storage container comprising:

a top front rail, a bottom front rail, a first front corner post, a second front corner post, a first side panel, and a second side panel, the top front rail, the bottom front rail, the first front corner post, and the second front corner post being disposed at a front end of the storage container to define an opening into an interior of the storage container,

wherein innermost surfaces of the first and second side panels in a widthwise direction extending between the first and second side panels are spaced apart to define a first interior width therebetween,

wherein innermost surfaces of the first and second front corner posts in the widthwise direction are spaced apart to define a second interior width therebetween,

wherein the first and second interior widths are substantially equal to each other, and

wherein at least one front corner post of the first and second front corner posts comprises a base extending in a first direction from a first end to a second end, a first leg extending in a second direction from the second end of the base to a distal end, a second leg extending in the second direction from the first end of the base to a distal end to form a U-shaped portion together with the base and the first leg, and an end connecting portion extending in the first direction from the distal end of the first leg and parallel to the base, the end connecting portion contacting an end portion of a corresponding one of the first and second side panels.

16. The storage container of claim 15, wherein the at least one front corner post further comprises a return end portion extending in the first direction from the distal end of the second leg and parallel to the base.