AU774821B2

AU774821B2 - A method of mounting a box to a pallet and a box and pallet formed by the method

Info

Publication number: AU774821B2
Application number: AU48802/00A
Authority: AU
Inventors: William Sutcliffe
Original assignee: MICOR PACKAGING Pty Ltd
Current assignee: MICOR PACKAGING Pty Ltd
Priority date: 1999-07-23
Filing date: 2000-07-24
Publication date: 2004-07-08
Anticipated expiration: 2020-07-24
Also published as: AU4880200A

Description

W Regulation 3.2

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT

(ORIGINAL)

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Name of Applicant: Actual Inventor: Address for Service: Invention Title: Micor Packaging Pty. Ltd.

of 54-56 Elliott Road, Dandenong South 3175, Victoria, Australia SUTCLIFFE, William DAVIES COLLISON CAVE, Patent Attorneys, 1 Little Collins Street, Melbourne 3000, Victoria, Australia A Method Of Mounting A Box To A Pallet And A Box And Pallet Formed By The Method Details of Associated Provisional Application Nos: PQ1778/99 Filed 23 July, 1999 PQ3047/99 Filed 24 September, 1999 The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to us: P:OPER\GCikq3047~p doc-24107/00 -2- A METHOD OF MOUNTING A BOX TO A PALLET AND A BOX AND PALLET FORMED BY THE METHOD Boxes such as cardboard packing boxes are sometimes connected to pallets for secure shipping thereof. Various types of taping systems are known but, generally speaking, these are labour intensive.

It is known to provide some arrangements whereby there is mechanical interlocking between the box and pallet.

One known system involves providing a cardboard panel which is hinged along one edge to the upper surface of a pallet. This can be done by arranging for part of the panel to extend beneath the wooden slats defining the top of the pallet. A mechanical interlock with a cardboard box can be effected by swinging the flap upwards and then rotating bottom panels of the box so as to underlie the pallet panel. The box and pallet panel can then be swung downwardly so as to rest upon the top slats of the pallet. Any goods or objects placed in the box tend to assist in maintaining the mechanical interconnecting between the box and the pallet. Normally the lower part of the panel extends across the whole pallet beneath the wooden slats thereof. This technique therefore requires a substantial amount of high grade cardboard material to be used.

Another known arrangement utilises a mounting panel of somewhat complex shape which is mounted to the top surface of the pallet. The mounting panel is cut and provided with crease lines so that it can be folded into a position so that it defines a three dimensional structure which projects outwardly from the centre of the pallet. A box can then be placed over the pallet with the three dimensional structure located in the open bottom of the box. Once the box has been placed on the pallet, the mounting panel is unfolded so that it again lies in a plane which is generally parallel to the top of the pallet and overlies adjacent bottom panels of the box. The mounting panel is arranged to cooperate with top slats of the pallet so as to hold the mounting panel in its three dimensional shape during assembly. Because of the materials used, tolerances cannot normally be accurately maintained and therefore in practice the interlock between the F9OPERISPAD3t3O36 -3holding panel and the slats of the pallet are not always effective to hold the three dimensional shape of the panel. This makes the product difficult to use.

The object of the present invention is to provide a novel technique which overcomes at least some of the disadvantages noted above.

According to the present invention there is provided a method of mounting a box to a pallet, the box having a bottom defined at least in part by bottom panels, the method including the step of mounting first and second mounting panels to a pallet, interlocking free edges of the panels together so that the edges are spaced from the pallet, the interlocked panels forming first and second recesses, locating a first one of the bottom panels of the box in the first recess and rotating the box so that a second of the bottom panels, opposite to the first bottom panel lies in the second recess, disengaging the interlocked free edges of the mounting panels and folding the mounting panels downwardly so that they generally overlie the top surface of the pallet, and the bottom panels are retained between the top surface of the pallet and the mounting panels to thereby hold the box on the pallet.

The invention also provides a box and pallet assembly including a box having a bottom defined at least in part by bottom panels, a pallet having an upper surface, first and second mounting panels and means for fixing the mounting panels to the upper surface of the panel and wherein said mounting panels include interlocking means for temporarily ii :interlocking the mounting panels together in a position in which opposed side edges thereof are spaced from the upper surface of the pallet and when inerlocked form first and second recesses, whereby one bottom edge of the box can be placed on or adjacent to the pallet such that a first bottom panel is received in the first recess, and the box rotated so S" that an opposite bottom edge swings past said mounting panels so as to be located adjacent to the pallet in the second recess and wherein the interlocking means can then be released so that the mounting panels can move into positions in which they overlie at least parts of the bottom panels of the box to thereby hold the box onto the pallet.

0e *e *i p:OPER\Sg~"318086 IMpi doc-20~0/04 -3A- Preferably, the mounting panels are formed by crease lines in an integral sheet of cardboard material.

Preferably, the mounting panels are located laterally of an integral central panel which is fixed to the upper surface of the pallet. The fixing may include staples and/or glue or bonding.

o o P:OPERMGCPFq3O47cap doc-247m -4- The invention will now be further described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a schematic plan view of a pair of mounting panels; Figure 2 is a schematic perspective view of the mounting panels interlocked together; Figure 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating one technique for interlocking the mounting panels; Figure 4 is a perspective view of a pallet; Figure 5 is a perspective view showing mounting of a box on the pallet; Figure 6 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an intermediate step in the assembly; Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view of the completed assembly, taken along the line 7-7; ~Figure 8 is a schematic plan view of the completed assembly; and Figure 9 is a plan view showing typical dimensions of the mounting panels.

Referring first to Figure 5, there is shown a pallet and box assembly 2, the assembly including a pallet 4, box 6 and a pair of mounting panels 8 and 10. The top surface of the pallet 4 is defined by the upper surfaces of pallet slats 12, in the usual way.

20 The mounting panels 8 and 10 are fixed to the slats 12, as will be described hereinafter. In the position shown in Figure 5, opposed edges 14 and 16 of the panels are interlocked i together and spaced away from the slats 12. This enables the box 6 to be swung into S•position on the pallet as will be described below.

The box 6 is typically formed from cardboard and has four sidewalls 18, each formed with an integral bottom panel 20, 22, 24 and 26. The box 6 would normally include top panels of conventional form but these have been omitted for clarity of illustration. The panels 8 and 10 and cardboard box can be made from various grades of cardboard, especially corrugated cardboard of single, double or triple construction and having a thickness of at least 10 Omm.

In the position shown in Figure 5, the bottom panel 22 of the box is located on the pallet so that a bottom edge 28 of the box is located adjacent to a top edge of the pallet.

The box can then be pivoted about the edge 28 so that it overlies the pallet and the bottom panels 20, 22, 24 and 26 also lie on the slats 12. This is diagrammatically shown in Figure 6. Once in this nposition the interlocking edges 14 and 16 of the mounting panels 8 and P: PERMSgwW I1O6 spdo-2YO4 can be disengaged and then swung downwardly so that they generally lie in the same plane as the top of the pallet. The dimensions of the mounting panels 8 and 10 are such that their lateral edges lie adjacent to the bottom edges of the box. Thus parts of the mounting panels 8 and 10 will overlie the bottom flaps 20, 22, 24 and 26 of the box, as diagrammatically illustrated in Figure 8. This provides a sound interlock between the pallet and mounting panels 8 and 10 of the box 6.

Figure 9 shows in more detail the preferred shape of the mounting panels 8 and Normally these are formed from a single piece 30 of cardboard which typically has the dimensions shown in the drawing. These dimensions would be appropriate for a box designed to cooperate with a square box having internal dimensions of 1140mm x 1140mm and a height of say 670mm.

The piece 30 is cut so as to have opposed lateral slots 32 and 34. The piece 30 is also formed with crease lines 36 and 38 which define a central panel 40. Normally the central panel 40 is fixed to the pallet slats 12 by means of staples and/or gluing. It will be noted that the slots 32 and 34 are defined by angular edges 42 and 44 and a base edge 46.

In the interlocked position, as in Figure 5, the slots 32 and 34 form recesses into which bottom panels are inserted when mounting the box to the pallet. The crease lines 36 and 38 are spaced inwardly from the ends of the base edges 46 by a distance which is approximately comparable to the thickness of the cardboard material forming the bottom panels 20, 22, 24, 26 of the box 6. In the final position of the panels 8 and 10, this inward i: :spacing of the crease lines defines step portions 48 in the mounting panels. Thus, the bottom of the box can therefore generally have a flat shape in the final assembly because the step portions 48 accommodate for at least part of the thicknesses of the bottom panels.

Normally the bottom panels 20, 22, 24, 26 will have a width in the range 100mm to 200mm. The depths of the slots 32 and 34 are greater than these widths so as to provide a clearance between the base edges 46 thereof, as diagrammatically shown in Figure 8. This again helps to maintain flatness of the bottom of the box in its assembled condition.

Figure 9 also shows optional crease lines 50 and 52 adjacent to the slots 32 and 34.

-"-This enables extra folds to be made on the crease lines 50 and 52 so that the mounting panels 8 and 10 can be brought into juxtaposition relative to one another, as shown in broken lines on Figure 3. This provides somewhat more flexibility in use.

oo P2oPER'Sg V3 IBS q.%4=2(YOS004 -6- The piece 30 also has its corners removed so as to form inclined corner edges 54, as shown. As best seen in Figure 6, the comer edges 54 and inclined edges 42 and 44 permit rotation of the bottom edge 58 of the box into its final position without undue distortion of the sidewalls of the box. This is diagrammatically illustrated in Figure 6 where the broken line 56 represents the locus of movement of the bottom edge 58. In other words, if the inclined edges 42, 44 and 54 were not provided, there would be significant undesirable distortion of the box during assembly.

Figure 9 also shows in more detail interlocking tabs 60 and 62. The tabs 60 and 62 are formed by providing inclined cuts in the opposed edges 14 and 16. The tabs 60 and 62 are thus dovetail in shape. Figure 3 diagrammatically illustrates the mounting panels 8 and fixed onto the slats 12 of the pallet. It will be seen that the central panel 40 overlies the slats 12. The panels 8 and 10 are folded upwardly about the crease lines 36 and 38 so that the edges 14 and 16 lie adjacent to one another. Once in this position, an operator can deflect the tabs 60 and 62 laterally so that one of the tabs is engaged in the slot formed by the cuts in the adjacent panel. In the arrangement diagrammatically shown in Figure 3, the tab 62 has been deflected towards the tab 60 so that it interlocks with the slot cut in the panel 8 to define the tab 60. It is, of course, possible to deflect the tabs in the opposite direction and achieve a similar effect. Because of the tapering shapes of the tabs 60 and 62 there is a dovetail interlocking effect which is simple to form. Also, the interlocking can be easily released by deflecting the tabs 60 and 62 to be in or near their original positions so that there is no longer any interlocking.

*I:ii It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the method and apparatus of the invention provide a simple but effective way of coupling a box to a pallet. The amount of additional material required is comparatively low and the tabs 60 and 62 provide a Csimple but effective technique for interlocking the panels and disengaging them when required.

30 As can be seen from Figure 8, the dimensions of the panels 8 and 10 are such that the edges thereof lie inwardly adjacent to the bottom edges of the box 6. In other words, the panels 8 and 10 have a snug fit within the box and this also assists in maintaining a good mechanical coupling of the box to the pallet.

0600 9* 0* P:oPERf\Sw I1 U6 sqcd.doc-254 -7- Figure 9 includes typical dimensions for the panel 30 for use with a box which has a nominal 1140mm x 1140mm base. In this case, the tabs may be 80mm long at the side edges and 40mm long at their inner edges and have a depth of say 40mm. These dimensions of course can be varied to suit different sized boxes.

Normally the central panel 40 would be the only part of the panel 30 which is joined to the pallet. In this way the mounting panels 8 and 10 can be reused with new boxes. Alternatively the panels 8 and 10 could be fixed to the pallet by staples or the like which also pass through the bottom panels 20, 22, 24 and 26 of the box in order to form a stronger but single use assembly.

The reference to any prior art in this specification is not, and should not be taken as, an acknowledgment or any form of suggestion that that prior art forms part of the common general knowledge in Australia.

Many modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

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Claims

1. A method of mounting a box to a pallet, the box having a bottom defined at least in part by bottom panels, the method including the steps of: mounting first and second mounting panels to a pallet, interlocking free edges of the panels together so that the edges are spaced from the pallet, the interlocked panels forming first and second recesses, locating a first one of the bottom panels of the box in the first recess and rotating the box so that a second of the bottom panels, opposite to the first bottom panel lies in the second recess, disengaging the interlocked free edges of the mounting panels and folding the mounting panels downwardly so that they generally overlie the top surface of the pallet, and the bottom panels are retained between the top surface of the pallet and the mounting panels to thereby hold the box on the pallet.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein a single piece of cardboard is formed with fold lines which define said first and second panels and a central panel therebetween.

3. A method as claimed in claim 2 wherein the first and second recesses are formed by first and second slots in the cardboard respectively, each slot defined by a base edge and inclined edges from the base edge to a side edge of each mounting panel. o•

4. A method as claimed in claim 3 wherein said base edges define the ends of said central panel. 0 A method as claimed in claim 4 wherein said fold lines are spaced inwardly from :i the ends of said base edges, the portions of the base edges from the fold lines to the ends of the base edges defining step portions in the mounting panels, S: 30 the step portions extending upwardly relative to the central panel when the mounting panels overlie the bottom panels of the box, so that the remainder of the mounting panels are generally in a plane above the central panel to provide a generally flat bottom of the o box.

S 35

6. A method as claimed in any one of claims 2 to 5 wherein said step of mounting is effected by mounting the central panel to the top surface of the pallet. P:.OPERSPgw23 1 OS6 m .doc.25OV04 -9-

7. A method as claimed in claim 6 wherein the central panel is glued and/or stapled to the top surface of the pallet.

8. A method as claimed in any one of claims 2 to 7 wherein said fold lines are parallel to each other and to said free edges.

9. A method as claimed in claim 8 including the step of providing cuts in said free edges to define first and second tabs in said first and second mounting panels respectively interlocking the first and second panels about said fold lines so that said free edges are adjacent to one another with the first and second tabs adjacent to one another deflecting the tabs so that the first tab enters and interlocks with the opening in the second mounting panel from which said second tab was deflected.

10. A method as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 9 wherein after said mounting panels are folded downwardly said free edges overlie third and fourth of said bottom panels.

11. A box and pallet assembly including a box having a bottom defined at least in part by bottom panels, a pallet having an upper surface, first and second mounting panels and means *i .for fixing the mounting panels to the upper surface of the panel, and wherein said mounting panels include interlocking means for temporarily interlocking the mounting panels together in a position in which opposed side 25 edges thereof are spaced from the upper surface of the pallet and when interlocked form first and second recesses, whereby one bottom edge of the box can be placed on or adjacent to the pallet such that a first bottom panel is received in the first recess, and the box rotated so that an opposite bottom edge swings past said mounting panels so as to be located adjacent to the pallet in the second recess and S 30 wherein the interlocking means can then be released so that the mounting panels can move into positions in which they overlie at least parts of the bottom panels of the box to thereby hold the box onto the pallet.

12. A box and pallet assembly as claimed in claim 11 wherein the first and second S 35 panels are integrally formed from a sheet of cardboard. P-.OPER'S923 13086 Sed t.d.-2W 8 j 0 4

13. A box and pallet assembly as claimed in claim 12 wherein the panels are defined by first and second fold lines having a central panel therebetween.

14. A box and pallet assembly as claimed in claim 13 wherein the central panel is connected to the top surface of the pallet.

A box and pallet assembly as claimed in claim 14 wherein said interlocking means includes first and second tabs formed in respective side edges of the first and second mounting panels.

16. A box and pallet assembly as claimed in claim 15 wherein said tabs are wedge shaped.

17. A box and pallet assembly as claimed in any one of claims 11 to 16 wherein, in the completed assembly, the side edges of the panels are adjacent to internal bottom side edges of the box.

18. A box and pallet assembly as claimed in any one of claims 13 to 17 wherein the first and second recesses are formed by first and second slots in the cardboard respectively, each slot defined by a base edge and inclined edges from the base edge to a side edge of each mounting panel. :2

19. A box and pallet assembly as claimed in claim 18 wherein said base edges define the ends of said central panel.

A box and pallet assembly as claimed in claim 19 wherein said fold lines are :i spaced inwardly from the ends of said base edges, the portions of the base edges from the fold lines to the ends of the base edges defining step portions in the mounting panels, S: 30 the step portions extending upwardly relative to the central panel when the mounting i panels overlie the bottom panels of the box, so that the remainder of the mounting panels are generally in a plane above the central panel to provide a generally flat bottom of the see* o.oo box. oo 0 P :OPERS(M23 IM0S6 qxi doc-2WQ/04 -11-

21. A pair of mounting panels for use in the method as defined in any one of claims 1 to 10 or the assembly as defined in any one of claims 11 to 20 including first and second mounting panels defined by parallel fold first and second lines which also define an elongate central panel.

22. A pair of mounting panels according to claim 21 wherein the first and second panels have free edges which are parallel to said first and second fold lines and wherein interlocking first and second interlocking tabs are located in said first and second free edges respectively.

23. A pair of mounting panels according to claim 22 wherein the first panel has third and fourth side edges and the second panel has fifth and sixth side edges which are co- linear with the third and fourth side edges respectively.

24. A pair of mounting panels according to claim 23 wherein the comers of the panels at the free edges thereof are inclined.

A pair of mounting panels according to claim 23 or 24 wherein the slot forming the first recess in the interlocked position is between the third and fifth side edges, and the slot forming the second recess in the interlocked position is between the fourth and sixth side edges.

26. A pair of mounting panels according to claim 25 wherein the first slot is defined by first and second inclined edges and a first base edge and the second slot is defined by third 0 S 25 and fourth inclined edges and a second base edge.

27. A pair of mounting panels according to claim 26 wherein said first and second base edges define the ends of said central panel. i*l 06 0 a. 0 0 P OPER'Sg(\s31 808 spLc, doe-20i4 -12-

28. A pair of mounting panels according to claim 27 wherein said first and second fold lines are spaced inwardly from the ends of said first and second base edges, the portions of the base edges from the fold lines to the ends of the base edges defining step portions in the mounting panels, the step portions extending upwardly relative to the central panel when the mounting panels overlie the bottom panels of the box, so that the remainder of the mounting panels are generally in a plane above the central panel to provide a generally flat bottom of the box.

29. A method of mounting a box to a pallet substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

A box and pallet assembly substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

31. A panel substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings. DATED this 20th day of May, 2004 MICOR PACKAGING PTY. LTD. S 25 By its Patent Attorneys DAVIES COLLISON CAVE