AU2011100549A4

AU2011100549A4 - Packaging System

Info

Publication number: AU2011100549A4
Application number: AU2011100549A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Richard Michaels
Original assignee: CAPRAL Ltd
Current assignee: CAPRAL Ltd; Ozkor Pty Ltd
Priority date: 2011-05-13
Filing date: 2011-05-13
Publication date: 2011-06-16
Anticipated expiration: 2019-05-13
Also published as: NZ618610A; AU2011100549B4; AU2011100549C4; WO2012155191A1

Description

AUSTRALIA Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION Innovation Patent Applicant: Capral Limited Invention Title: Packaging System The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method for performing it known to us: -2 PACKAGING SYSTEM 5 Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a packaging system used in the transportation of an elongate or extruded product. 10 Background Elongate products, such as aluminium or plastic extrusions, are typically long products that are fragile and/or easily damaged. Due to the nature of such products, they are often transported in batches or groups that can be difficult to 15 handle, due to the size, weight, shape and fragility of the batches or groups. Thus the transportation and storage of such elongate and extruded products presents unique difficulties. Typically, these products will be stacked for transportation, with timber skids, 20 cleats or pallets used to vertically separate groups of the products. However, whilst timber is cheap and thus commonplace for such purposes, it is liable to move or become loose in transit, resulting in damage to the products, and may not present an appropriate surface for lifting the groups of products after transportation (e.g. using a forklift). Packing straps are used to tie the stacked 25 products, however those products can still shunt relative to each other in transit. Furthermore, the straps can damage the surface of the products and leave nothing to support the products after the straps have been removed and before removal of the products from the transportation surface - such a surface being, for example, the flat bed of a flat bed truck, a train carriage or shipping 30 container. 26377181 (GHMatters) P85864.AU 13/05/11 -3 Timber skids and cleats are rarely reused due in part to their inconsistent sizing, and the consequent difficulty in locating appropriately sized timber skids and cleats for a particular application, but also due to the costs associated with recycling and freighting empty skids and cleats. 5 An alternative, recyclable, system for transporting elongate or extruded products has been proposed, which involves placement of products in a three sided metal skip. However, the metal skips are heavy, expensive and occupy a lot of space even when empty, thus making them difficult to be cost-effectively 10 returned to a product supplier. Such metal skips are also of fixed dimensions and are thus only suitable for use with products or groups of products of a limited range of dimensions. It is desired therefore to provide a packaging system which overcomes one or 15 more of the abovementioned disadvantages of current packaging systems, or at least provides a useful alternative. Summary of the Invention 20 In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a packaging system for the transportation of an elongate product, comprising at least two spaced apart cleat units through which the product is supported, each cleat unit including a lower cleat, an upper cleat and side upright supports that interconnect the lower and upper cleats at their ends to form a space through 25 which the product is supported. The upper and lower cleats may be of planar, generally rectangular, form and include a pocket located at each corner of the respective cleat for receiving one of the upright supports. 30 The upper and lower cleats may include a hollow interior for receiving, through a side slot, a reinforcing planar member. 26377181 (GHMatters) P85864.AU 13/05/11 -4 The upper and lower cleats may include a strapping recess oriented centrally along a length of the cleats for accommodating a strap. The pockets of the lower cleats may be closed to form upper and lower blind 5 recesses. Contrastingly, the pockets of the upper cleats may be open to allow the upright supports to pass therethrough such that one cleat unit can be stacked above another cleat unit by interlocking upright supports in the lower cleat unit with the lower blind recesses in the upper cleat unit. 10 Brief Description of the Drawings Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described by way of non-limiting example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 15 Figure 1 is a top perspective view of a packaging system in use; Figure 2 shows a perspective view of a cleat unit of the packaging system of Figure 1; 20 Figure 3 is a bottom perspective view of an upper cleat of the cleat unit of Figure 2; Figure 4 is a top perspective view of the upper cleat of Figure 3; 25 Figure 5A is a bottom perspective view of a lower cleat of the cleat unit of Figure 2; Figure 5B is a close-up partial bottom perspective view of a lower cleat; 30 Figure 6 is a top perspective view of the lower cleat of Figure 5A; 2637718_1 (GHMatters) P85864 AU 13/05/11 -5 Figure 7 is an exploded view of a cleat unit; and Figure 8 is a top perspective view of a packaging system packaging stacked elongate products. 5 Detailed Description A packaging system 10, as shown in Figure 1, is used for the transportation of an elongate product 12. The packaging system 10 includes four cleat units 14 10 through which the product is supported. It will be appreciated that a packaging system 10 may include two or more cleat units 14 as appropriate to support a particular elongate product 12. Moreover, the cleat units 14 can be spaced as appropriate to, for example, accommodate 15 a particular elongate product 12 or to account for different types of cleat material. For example: heavier elongate products 12 may require a greater number of cleat units 14 to be used in order to adequately support its weight; a product 12 with non-uniform weight distribution may require non-uniform cleat unit 14 distribution along its length; and cleat units 14 made from lighter 20 materials may warrant the use of more cleat units 14 in order to properly support the elongate product 12, without damage to either the elongate product 12 or cleat units 14. In packaging systems heretofore available, the planks or pallets are generally 25 fixed in position relative to one another or are simply sandwiched between two products 12 (or a product 12 and the transport surface) to be retained in position. The former allows little variability in length and must therefore be assembled to suit the particular dimensions of an elongate product 12. The latter allows shunting and movement of elongate products 12, and is simply a 30 support for the weight of the elongate product 12. 26377181 (GHMatters) P85864.AU 13/05/11 -6 Therefore, in contrast to packaging systems heretofore available, packaging system 10 can be adapted to support elongate products 12 of different sizes and weights for transportation on the transport surface. 5 Each cleat unit 14, as shown in Figure 2, includes a lower cleat 16, an upper cleat 18 and side upright supports 20. The side upright supports 20 interconnecting the lower and upper cleats 16, 18 at their ends, form a space 22 through which the product 12 is supported. 10 The cleat units 14 can form a substantially rigid structure so that there is little or no relative movement of the lower and upper cleats 16, 18 during transportation. Thus shunting of cleat units 14 against each other can be prevented. 15 While two side upright supports 20 are shown at either end of the lower and upper cleats 16, 18, it will be appreciated that one or more side upright supports 20 may be used at either end, though use of at least two such side upright supports 20 is preferred for the purpose of stability and rigidity. 20 In the present embodiment, the lower and upper cleats 16, 18 include a hollow interior 24 (visible through side slot 26) for receiving a reinforcing planar member 28. In the present case, the interior of the upper cleat 18 is empty, whereas that of the lower cleat 16 is occupied by a reinforcing planar member 28. 25 As shown in Figure 1, the reinforcing planar members 28 extend along an underside of the elongate product 12 effectively increasing the area of the contact surface between the cleat units 14 and the product 12. The increased contact area of the combination of the lower cleat 16 and reinforcing planar 30 member 28 distributes the weight of the product 12 over a greater surface area and thus reduces the risk of damage to the surface or surface finish of the product 12. Moreover, the increased contact area between the packaging 26377181 (GHMatters) P85864 AU 13/05/11 -7 system 10 and the elongate product 12 can increase the friction required to slide the product 12 from the space 22 between the lower and upper cleats 16, 18, thereby reducing the likelihood of undesired movement of the elongate product 12 when in transit. 5 An upper cleat 18, as shown in Figure 3, is of a planar, generally rectangular, form. The upper cleat 18 includes a pocket 30 located at each corner for receiving an end of one of the side upright supports 20. 10 The upper cleat 18 includes two beams 32i, 32ii that extend, in use, laterally across the elongate product 12. The beams 32i, 32ii are connected by a plate 34 spanning between the beams 32i, 32ii along substantially the entire length thereof. 15 The beams 32i, 32ii provide flexural rigidity to the cleat unit 14 in the vertical direction (i.e. normal to the top surface of the elongate product 12), whereas both beams 32i, 32ii and the plate 34 provide flexural rigidity in the horizontal plane (i.e. a plane parallel to the top surface of the elongate product 12). 20 A degree of torsional rigidity is also provided by end plates 35. A reinforcing planar member 28 (as shown in the lower cleat 18 in Figure 2) can be received in the hollow interior 24 in the direction indicated by arrow X. In the present case, the reinforcing planar member 28 will only extend into one of said 25 beams 32i, until it comes into abutment with an internal wall 38 of that beam (the internal wall 38 of the second beam 32ii being more easily visible in Figure 3). The reinforcing planar member 28 of the present embodiment therefore extends 30 out one side of the upper cleat 18. However, it will be appreciated that the internal walls 38 may also include slots similar to slots 26 (as shown in Figure 2), such that the reinforcing planar member 28 extends through a first side slot 26377181 (GHMatters) P85864.AU 13/05/11 -8 26i in a first beam 32i, underneath plate 34 and into a second side slot 26ii (shown in broken lines) in a second beam 32ii. Thus the reinforcing planar member 28 can extend out one or both sides of the upper cleat 18. 5 As shown in Figure 4, the upper cleat 18 also includes on its upper surface a central recess 36 defined by the plate 34 and side walls 38. The recess 36 extends along the length of the cleat 18 and into slots 40 that extend from recess 36 towards the lower cleat 16. Advantageously, a strap (not shown) or sling may be received in the recess 36 and slots 40 to more securely retain the 10 cleat unit 14 in position. Since the recess 36 and slots 40 are recessed into the cleat 18, a strap used with the packaging system 10 will not shift, longitudinally relative to the product 12, off the upper cleat 18. 15 A lower cleat 16, as shown in Figures 5A and 5B, is similar to the upper cleat 18 except that its pockets 30i are blind (i.e. do not extend through the lower cleat 16 but are instead blocked off by a plate 42). A side upright support 20 is thus inserted into the top of each pocket 30i and comes into abutment against 20 the plate 42, thereby maintaining the end of the side upright support 20 in position within the pocket 30i. As an alternative to the plates 42, each pocket 30i may be include an internal constriction 44, as shown in Figure 5B. Such an internal constriction 44 would 25 allow one side upright support 20 to be inserted into the top of the pocket 30i, while another side upright support 20 is inserted into the bottom of the pocket 30i. Both side upright supports 20 would then abut the internal constriction 44 (or internal plate as the case may be). As such, the constriction 44 (or internal plate) in the pocket 30i effectively creates upper and lower blind recesses 30 allowing cleat units 14 to be stacked atop one another by interlocking side upright supports 20 in a lower cleat unit 14 with the lower blind recesses in the upper cleat unit 14 (discussed further in relation to Figure 8). 26377181 (GHMatters) P85864.AU 13/05/11 -9 The internal constriction 44 would also allow the pocket 30i of the lower cleat 16 to be received over a lug or other feature that is fixed to the transport surface (not shown). In so doing, the lower cleat 16, and thus the entire cleat unit 14, would be rigidly positioned relative to the transport surface. 5 While not strictly necessary, the plate 34 of the upper cleat 18 has been replaced, in the lower cleat 16, by a sleeve 46 as shown in Figures 5A and 6. A reinforcing planar member 28 is thus received through the slot 26 in one side of the lower cleat 16, and extends through the sleeve 46 to the other side of the 10 lower cleat 16. If desired, the reinforcing planar member 28 can extend out both sides of the lower cleat 16. Since the lower cleat 16 is that which provides most support to the weight of the elongate product 12, it will generally be desirable that the lower cleat 16 be 15 provided with the reinforcing planar member 28 in preference to the upper member 18. The hollow interior 24 of the lower cleat 16 also presents a slot 26 into which the tines of a forklift (not shown) can be inserted to lift the elongate product 12 20 rearwardly off the truck. Similarly, the elongate product 12 may be lifted from the side by insertion of tines into the recesses 47, as shown in Figure 5A, of a plurality of lower cleats 16. Lifting elongate products 12 from the side can thus be facilitated by spacing the lower cleats 16 along an elongate product 12 at intervals matching the distance between the tines, or similar, of a forklift or 25 other lifting machine (e.g. a gantry crane using slings passing through the recesses 47). Advantageously, by configuring the lower cleats 16 in this manner, contact between a forklift and an elongate product 12 can be substantially avoided, thus reducing the risk of damage to the elongate product 12. 30 The sleeve 46 may also be replaced by a hollow or solid central beam (not shown). Accordingly, reinforcing planar members 28 would extend into the 263771B1 (GHMatters) P85854.AU 13/05/11 -10 slots 26 in the same manner as described in relation to the upper cleat 18. Moreover, replacing the sleeve 46 with a hollow or solid beam strengthens the lower cleat 16 and also increases its structural rigidity. 5 The lower cleat 16 also includes a recess 48 and slots 50 that are respectively similar to recess 36 and slots 40 as shown in Figure 4. The recess 48 and slots 50 allow the lower cleat 16 to be independently secured to the transport surface (not shown). This concept is discussed further in relation to Figure 8. 10 An exploded view of an alternative cleat unit 52 is shown in Figure 7. Whilst the upper cleat 18, side upright supports 20 and reinforcing planar member 28 are as hereinbefore described and will thus need not be described in further detail, the sleeve 46 of the lower cleat 16 has been replaced by a plate 54 similar to plate 34 of the upper cleat 18 as shown in Figures 3 and 4. 15 By replacing the sleeve 46 with a plate 54, a channel 56 is created, for receiving an insert 58. In some embodiments, the lower and upper cleats 16, 18 will be fabricated from steel and as such present a hard surface to the elongate product 12. To reduce the risk of damage to the surface or surface 20 finish of the elongate product 12, the insert 58 can be fabricated from a softer material, e.g. timber, composite, etc, to bear against the elongate product 12 and thereby at least mitigate potentially damaging contact between the elongate product 12 and the lower cleat 16. Alternatively, the insert 58 may be fabricated from a rubberised material, or other material having a relatively high 25 coefficient of friction, so that the lower cleat 16 effectively "grips" the elongate product 12. It is commonly the case that elongate products 12 are desired to be transported in stacks, such as that shown in Figure 8. While the cleat units 14i surrounding 30 the upper elongate product 12i may be positioned independently of the cleat units 14ii surrounding the lower elongate product 12ii, it can often be advantageous to align the cleat units 14i, 14ii atop one another as shown. 26377181 (GHMatters) P85864.AU 13/05/11 - 11 Where the pockets of the lower cleat 16i of the upper cleat unit 14i contain no plate 42 or constriction 44, as discussed in relation to Figures 5A and 5B, each of the side upright supports 20 can extend through both cleat units 14i, 14ii that are stacked atop one another. Alternatively, the side upright supports 20 may 5 extend from the lower cleat 16ii of the lower cleat unit 14ii through the upper cleat 18ii of the lower cleat unit 14ii, and into the pocket of the lower cleat 16i of the upper cleat unit 14i. In such circumstances, the constriction 44 can be particularly advantageous as it presents upper and lower blind recesses to side upright supports 20 extending into the pocket from both above and below 10 respectively. Moreover, it is preferred that separate side upright supports 20 are used for each cleat unit 14i, 14ii, since it allows the cleat units 14i, 14ii to each remain intact when the upper cleat units 14i, along with the corresponding elongate product 12i, are unloaded from the lower cleat units 14ii. 15 By inclusion of the recesses 36, 48 and slots 40, 50 of the upper and lower cleats 18, 16 as discussed above in relation to Figures 4 and 6, the upper cleat 18ii of the lower cleat unit 14ii, and/or the lower cleat 16i of the upper cleat unit 14i, can be secured by straps to the transport surface. As such, those cleats 16i, 18ii provide an intermediate securement to the stack of elongate products 20 12 to assist in inhibiting movement thereof. Instead of providing an upper cleat 18ii of the lower cleat unit 14ii, and a lower cleat 16i of the upper cleat unit 14i, one of the cleats 16i, 18ii (the "intermediate" cleat) can function as both cleats 16i, 18ii. In effect this would define a cleat 25 unit 14 having an upper cleat 18i on top of an upper elongate product 12i, a lower cleat 16ii beneath a lower elongate product 12ii and an intermediate cleat between the two elongate products 12i, 12ii. Provided the intermediate cleat (not shown) contains a slot 26 and/or recess 47, as discussed above in relation to Figures 5A and 6, a lifting machine (e.g. a forklift) will be able to engage the 30 intermediate cleat and lift the upper elongate product 12i off the lower elongate product 12ii. Such an arrangement would also reduce the amount of handling required to position the lower and upper cleats 16, 18. 26377181 (GHMatters) P85864 AU 13/05/11 - 12 In contrast to heretofore known packaging systems, the cleat units 14i, 14ii can interlock through the side upright supports 20. In so doing, the stack of elongate products 12 can remain stable even after strapping has been removed. 5 Due to the simple construction of the cleat units 14, assembly and disassembly of the cleat units 14 is simple. Also, each of the cleats 16, 18 is of substantially uniform shape, thus allowing the cleat units 14 to be disassembled and stacked for return to, for example, a dispatch department thereby encouraging recycling 10 of the packaging system. Since the spacing of the cleat units 14 is determined by the particular application, the lower and upper cleats 16, 18 can be fabricated from timber, plastic, metals, any other appropriate material or combination thereof as is desired, and the number of cleat units 14 adjusted to suit that application. Accordingly, light weight materials can be selected for applications, particular where manual handling of the cleat units 14 is required (e.g. to reduce strain on the handler). 20 In addition, damage to one of the lower and upper cleats 16, 18 or side upright supports 20 does not result in the entire cleat unit 14 becoming useless. Instead only the damaged part need be repaired or replaced for the cleat unit 14 to once again be rendered functional. 25 For smaller elongate products 12 cages or mesh (not shown) can be fastened to the cleat units 14 along the sides of the elongate products 12 to preclude those elongate products 12 from escaping from between the side upright supports 20. Also, the shape of the reinforcing planar members 28 can be adapted to suit a surface of the elongate product 12. Therefore, if a cylindrical 30 elongate product 12 is desired to be transported, the reinforcing planar members 28 may present a concave surface to the elongate product 12. 26377181 (GHMatters) P85864.AU 13/05111 - 13 Advantageously, the cleat units 14 can reduce damage to the elongate products 12 when they are stacked on top of one another, since the side upright supports 20 positively locate the ends of cleat units 14i, 14ii relative to each other as shown in Figure 8. In so doing, the weight of an elongate product 12i 5 is transferred downwardly to the transport surface through the side upright supports 20, rather than through an elongate product 12ii that is lower in the stack. This also eliminates the shunting effect as the cleat units 14 surrounding all of the elongate products 12 can be made to move in unison. 10 It will be understood to persons skilled in the art of the invention that many modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. In the claims which follow and in the preceding description of the invention, 15 except where the context requires otherwise due to express language or necessary implication, the word "comprise" or variations such as "comprises" or "comprising" is used in an inclusive sense, i.e. to specify the presence of the stated features but not to preclude the presence or addition of further features in various embodiments of the invention. 20 It is to be understood that, if any prior art publication is referred to herein, such reference does not constitute an admission that the publication forms a part of the common general knowledge in the art, in Australia or any other country. 25 26377181 (GHMatters) P85864.AU 13/05111

Claims

1. A packaging system for the transportation of an elongate product, comprising at least two spaced apart cleat units through which the product is S supported, each cleat unit including a lower cleat, an upper cleat and side upright supports that interconnect the lower and upper cleats at their ends to form a space through which the product is supported.

2. The packaging system as claimed in claim 1, wherein each upper and 10 lower cleat is of a planar, generally rectangular, form with a pocket located at each corner of the respective cleat for receiving one of the upright supports.

3. The packaging system as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the cleats 15 include a hollow interior for receiving through a side slot a reinforcing planar member.

4. The packaging system as claimed in claim 2 or 3, including a strapping recess oriented centrally along a length of the cleats for accommodating a 20 strap.

5. The packaging system as claimed in claim 2, or claim 3 or 4 when dependent on claim 2, wherein the pockets of the lower cleats are closed to form upper and lower blind recesses, while the pockets of the upper cleats 25 are open to allow the upright supports to pass therethrough, whereby one cleat unit can be stacked above another cleat unit by interlocking upright supports in the lower unit with the lower blind recesses in the upper cleat unit. 26377181 (GHMatters) P85864.AU 13/05/11