AU2011100828A4 - A light weight fork lift container - Google Patents

Abstract

A light weight encapsulating container for transporting goods, comprising a base having a 5 floor incorporating fork lift channels, the base including one or more first side walls and an exposed edge at floor level engageable with a top portion having second side walls adapted to engage with the first side walls, wherein in use, inter engagement of the top and base portions comprises the container which can be readily transported with a fork lift apparatus without the requirement of a separate pallet. - 10 - pop OC,

Description

INNOVATION PATENT APPLICATION A LIGHT WEIGHT FORK LIFT CONTAINER FIELD OF THE INVENTION 5 This invention refers to containers in particular but exclusively to a light weight container for transporting goods which can be handled easily by a fork lift apparatus. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Containers especially for air travel and other light weight applications are well known in 0 the prior art. These containers are usually made of light weight materials such as aluminium or plastic. Containers of these types are usually strapped on top of a pallet, normally a wooden pallet, for transporting goods. In other forms of the prior art, goods are also wrapped in plastic sheeting and then strapped onto wooden pallets for transport. Goods can also be packed into cardboard boxes or various other containers 15 and then fastened on to the pallets. In all the previous examples the goods themselves are separate to the pallets which are normally recycled and used for transporting other goods. As a result, such pallets often get damaged due to continual use which can also result in damaging the goods. As the goods are often exposed to weather conditions the integrity of the sheets in which the goods are wrapped in or the water resistance of the boxes in which the goods have been placed in and tied to the pallet is a limiting factor. In rougher than usual handling there is often the possibility the goods and/or their packaging can become detached from the pallets themselves leading to down time as well as extra cost, particularly if the goods sustain damage. 5 OBJECT OF THE INVENTION It is therefore a object of the present invention to seek ameliorate or eliminate some or all of the above disadvantages of the prior art by providing a novel and innovative light weight encapsulating container for the transporting of goods. 0 5 -2 - STATEMENT OF INVENTION In one aspect, the invention resides in a light weight encapsulating container for transporting goods, comprising: a base for placing goods to be transported; 5 the base potion having a floor incorporating fork lift channels; the base including one or more first side walls; the base further including an exposed edge at floor level; a top portion engageable with the base; the top portion having second side walls adapted to engage with the first side walls, 0 wherein in use, inter engagement of the top and base portions as well as the first and second side walls comprises the container that encapsulates the goods which can be readily transported with a fork lift apparatus without the requirement of a separate pallet. Preferably the base and first side walls are moulded in one piece in a light weight 15 material such as polypropylene or more preferably polyethylene. Preferably the top and second side wall members are also moulded in one piece from light weight material such as polypropylene or more preferably polyethylene. -3- Preferably the base has three first side walls wherein a pair of opposing first side walls extends between the top of an intermediate first side wall sloping downwards to the exposed edge of the base at floor level. Suitably the top potion has specially configured second side walls wherein at least a pair 5 of opposing second side walls engage with the sloping first side walls of the base portion. Preferably there are lockable latches for releasable engagement between the side walls of the base and top portion which allow the top portion to be removed completely. In another example, the top and base portions can be hinged together along a common 0 side wall edge such that the container opens and closes in a clam shell manner. -4- BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In order for the invention to be better understood and put into practice, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, wherein; Figure 1 shows a top portion of a preferred embodiment of the invention. 5 Figure 2 shows the base portion of the preferred embodiment of the invention of Figure 1, Figure 3 shows the top and base portions of Figure 1 and Figure 2, respectively, in the assembled position. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Referring now to Figure 1 there is shown a top portion 10 of a preferred embodiment of the invention comprising triangular configured opposing side walls 12, 14 joining a rectangular roof, 16 and intermediate side wall. 18 Referring now to Figure 2 there is shown a base portion 20 which includes a floor 22 5 configured with fork lift channels 22a, 22b for engagement by the tines of the fork lift apparatus. The base portion has sloping opposing first side walls 24, 26 joined with an intermediate rectangular back panel or wall. 28 - 5- Referring now to Figure 3 there is shown the top portion 10 over laying the base portion 20 to provide an encapsulated light weight rectangular container 30 for transporting goods according to the invention. It will be obvious that the top and base portion including the side walls can be moulded 5 in separate unitary fashion from polypropylene or any other suitable plastic material. Another material to be considered may be glass reinforced plastic or even recycled composite timber or other resinous material. For security the top and base portions may be joined together with releasable lockable latches (not shown) or may be sealed together with a breakable seal to access the 0 goods within the container. 15 -6- VARIATIONS It will of course be realised that while the foregoing has been given by way of illustrative example of this invention, all such and other modifications and variations thereto as would be apparent to persons skilled in the art are deemed to fall within the broad scope 5 and ambit of this invention as is herein set forth. In the specification the terms "comprising" and "containing" shall be understood to have a broad meaning similar to the term "including" and will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated integer or step or group of integers or steps but not the exclusion of 0 any other integer or step or group of integers or steps. This definition also applies to variations on the terms "comprising" and "containing" such as "comprise", "comprises", "contain" and "contains". 15 20 -7 -

Claims (5)

1. A light weight encapsulating container for transporting goods, comprising: a base for placing goods to be transported; 5 the base potion having a floor incorporating fork lift channels; the base including one or more first side walls; the base further including an exposed edge at floor level; a top portion engageable with the base; the top portion having second side walls adapted to engage with the first side walls, 0 wherein in use, inter engagement of the top and base portions as well as the first and second side walls comprises the container that encapsulates the goods which can be readily transported with a fork lift apparatus without the requirement of a separate pallet.

2. A light weight encapsulating container as claimed in Claim 1. wherein the base has three 15 first side walls wherein a pair of opposing first side walls extends between the top of an intermediate first side wall sloping downwards to the exposed edge of the base at floor level. -8-

3. A light weight encapsulating container as claimed in Claimed 2. wherein the top potion has specially configured second side walls wherein at least a pair of opposing second side walls engage with the sloping first side walls of the base portion.

4. A light weight encapsulating container as claimed in any of the above claims wherein 5 there are lockable latches for releasable engagement between the side walls of the base and top portion which allow the top portion to be removed completely.

5. A light weight encapsulating container as claimed in any of the above claims wherein the top and base portions can be hinged together along a common side wall edge such that the container opens and closes in a clam shell manner. 0 - 9-