GB2464334A

GB2464334A - Load Bearing Unitary Members Allowing Access by Lifting Apparatus

Info

Publication number: GB2464334A
Application number: GB0818081A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Paul William Cheney
Original assignee: IPS
Current assignee: IPS
Priority date: 2008-10-03
Filing date: 2008-10-03
Publication date: 2010-04-21
Also published as: GB0818081D0

Abstract

Handling apparatus for a load having a plurality of unitary members 10 placed at spaced intervals and attached to the base 8 of a load 2, defining spaces 12 to allow access to the base by a movement, lifting or handling apparatus e.g. forklift trucks (16, figure 2). The members may be moulded from recycled paper or card pulp. The members may be square or rectangular blocks (figure 3) or parallel, elongate members extending along part or the whole width of the base (figure 4). They may be environmentally friendly, being detached from the base and recycled or re-used. The load may be a plurality of containers 4 for retail stacked together on a permanent base 6, 8 for display and transport. Wood or plastic pallets are not required and the load does not have to be a conventional size.

Description

Goods handling apparatus The invention relates to the provision of goods handling apparatus, and in particular to apparatus which allows the goods to be transported from a point of production or packaging, to a retail location efficiently and in an environmentally friendly and economical manner.

In many cases, retail products are manufactured at a first location and packaged at that location into larger retail containers for transport. The packaging can take place at the location of manufacture or alternatively may take place at a different location. In either case there is a need to transport these retail containers, typically as part of a load of a predetermined size, to the retail outlet.

Conventionally, in order to allow the load to be transported the same are required to be handled by movement means such as forklift trucks or similar apparatus. This therefore means that the load is required to be retained as a single item which often means wrapping the load in plastic or other binding material and also placing the load onto a pallet which is of a known size.

Conventionally these pallets are provided by third parties and can either be hired or bought. In either case they represent an additional expense to be incurred and also require further handling and transport in that the same need to be returned to the original supply location. However there is a need for access to be gained to the base of the load in order to allow the prongs of the handling and movement means to pass below the load and hence be able to lift the load as a single unit for movement.

It is also known to provide alternative means to pallets which comprise elongate, multiple component items which comprise an outer casing in which are located a series of strengthening components which, in one embodiment, are in the form of cylinders with their centre axes running in parallel to the height axis of the load. However it is found that these items can be difficult to form and also represent wastage of material as the same are discarded after use.

The aim of the present invention is therefore to provide handing apparatus which can be used in conjunction with a load to allow the load base to be accessible to movement and lifting apparatus, whilst ensuring that the load is retained as a single unit and can be moved as such. However the aim is to provide the handling means in a form which is more economical and more environmentally friendly.

In a first aspect of the invention there is provided handling apparatus for a load, said apparatus including a plurality of members, said members arranged at spaced intervals and attached to the base of the load, so as to allow access to the base by movement apparatus wherein each of said members is a unitary member.

By unitary is meant that each member is a single component. Preferably the unitary member is preformed.

In one embodiment the members are moulded. Preferably the members are moulded from paper pulp. Preferably the paper pulp includes at least a percentage of recycled paper.

Typically the members are provided as blocks or in an elongate form so as to pass along at least part of the width of the base. In one embodiment the member is provided to pass along substantially all of the width of the base of the load.

Typically, after use on the load, the members are detached and passed for recycling, therefore ensuring that the same need not be discarded.

In one embodiment the members are attached to the base of the load by adhesive.

In one embodiment the load comprises a plurality of containers, said containers stacked together within a predetermined base area. Typically the containers are stacked on a sheet material base and the said members are attached to the underside of the same. In one embodiment the sheet material base is provided as part of a display stand which is incorporated within the load and which is used to present the containers for purchase at the retail location.

In a further aspect of the invention there is provided a retail load, said load required to be transported from a first location to a second location and required to be moved by lifting apparatus to and from transport means, said load having a base, and wherein to the underside of the base are attached a plurality of unitary members at spaced intervals so as to define passages for access of the lifting apparatus to support the load.

In one embodiment the load comprises a plurality of containers, said containers restrained in a predefrned configuration on the base for transport.

In one embodiment, once moved to the retail location, any outer packaging is removed and the containers of the load are displayed for purchase whilst supported by the said members. Once the containers have all been purchased the members can be passed for recycling.

In a further aspect of the invention there is provided a method for forming a load of retail containers, said method comprising forming a base for said load, said base formed to allow access of movement apparatus, placing onto said base a plurality of said retail containers in a predefmed configuration, providing retaining means to retain the containers in the configuration to form the load of predefined dimensions and wherein the base includes a plurality of unitary members in a spaced configuration.

In one embodiment the members are used in sita, and are fitted at the point of display, rather than being used for transport purposes.

Typically said load can be moved by the prongs of movement means such as a fork lift passing through the gaps defined by the members at the base. In one embodiment the containers are placed onto a sheet material which extends across the area of the load and to the underside of which the said members are attached.

The provision of the moulded paper members on the base of the load which is typically a point of sales or transit & display/merchandising unit, enables the unit to be transported & displayed with the members still attached and means that the conventional pallets do not have to be used to support the load. It also means that the dimensions of the load can be defined with respect to the containers which make up the load, rather than the size of the pallets, which is conventionally the case. Conventionally if the containers, when combined to form the load, do not marry with the size of the pallet, additional filler or packaging is required to be provided for transport purposes and then discarded at the retail outlet.

In a further aspect of the invention there is provided a member for use in supporting a load at a set distance from a support surface, said member having a first face for contact with the support surface and an opposing face for attachment to the load, wherein said member is preformed by moulding.

In one embodiment the member is moulded from a paper and/or card pulp or mash. In one embodiment at least a portion of the paper or card is recycled.

In one embodiment the member is recycled once the load has been removed.

Typically the member is used, in conjunction with other members, to support the load during transport and subsequent display for removal of goods from the load for purchase.

Specific embodiments of the invention are now described with reference to the accompanying drawings; wherein Figure 1 illustrates a perspective view of a load in accordance with one embodiment of the invention; Figure 2 illustrates the load of Figure 1 being lifted; Figure 3 illustrates a plan view of the base of the load in accordance with one embodiment of the invention; and Figure 4 illustrates a plan view of the base of the load in accordance with another embodiment of the invention.

Referring firstly to Figure 1 there is illustrated a load 2 in accordance with one embodiment of the invention. The load comprises a series of containers 4 stacked onto of each other and provided within a retaining means 6. In this case it is desired that the retaining means as well as being used for the transport of the containers ( and goods therein) to a retail location, is also subsequently used as a retail display from which consumers can select to purchase one or more containers.

The retaining means in this embodiment includes a base of sheet material 8 but there is a need for the lifting apparatus used to lift and move the load to gain access to the underside of the load in order to move the same. This is achieved in the current invention by providing a series of members 10 which are attached to the underside of the sheet material 8. The members are provided in a configuration which is selected to provide sufficient support for the load when the same is on a floor so as to prevent sagging of the load, while at the same time providing sufficient gaps 12 so as to ensure access of the movement apparatus to the underside of the load.

The members 10 are pre-formed unitary members, preferably of moulded paper pulp material with the paper pulp being mixed with other appropriate known ingredients in order to be able to shape the same and ensure that the member hardens to give the required rigidity and support.

Figure 2 illustrates the load of Figure 1 being lifted from a floor 14 by the prongs of a forklift lifting apparatus and it will be seen that the prongs 16 of the forklift locate in the gaps 12 between the members to support the load and hence lift and move the same.

Figures 3 and 4 illustrate two possible configurations and shapes of the members in accordance with the invention. In Figure 3 the members 10 are provided in the form of a. square or rectangular block and the same are located across the sheet material to provide the required support. In Figure 4 the members are provided in the form of elongate articles of a length which is substantially the same as the depth or width of the base.

In each case the size and shape of the members used and the spacing of the same can be selected depending on the dimensions of the load to which the same are to be fixed and/or the weight of the same.

In each case the members are typically attached to the base by using a adhesive although mechanical attachment means could be used if required.

Once the load is empty the members can be recycled.

The current invention therefore provides several advantages including the fact that the members are fully recyclable and therefore there is no need to return the same after use, hence reducing transport costs. The packaging requirements are also reduced as no frtments or fillers are required as the load is shaped fit with the product containers which form the same.

Transport costs are also reduced by utilizing available vehicle/pallet space due to units being custom made & designed around the product container and there is a positive environmental impact on transport (reduction in food miles) & packaging (reduced waste).

Claims

Claims 1. Handling apparatus for a load, said apparatus including a plurality of members, said members arranged at spaced intervals and attached to a base of the load so as to define spaces which allow access to the base by movement apparatus, wherein each of said members is a preferred unitary member.
2. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the members are moulded.
3. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the members are formed from paper or card pulp.
4. Apparatus according to claim 3 wherein the paper pulp includes at least a percentage of recycled paper.
5. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the members are provided in an elongate form so as to pass along at least part of the width of the base. * ..*

:
6. Apparatus according to claim 5 wherein the members * ** * provided to pass along substantially all of the width of the base of the load. *

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7. Apparatus according to claim 5 wherein the members are : located along respective parallel axes. *

****** * *
8. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein after use with the load the members are detached.
9. Apparatus according to claim I wherein the members are attached to the base of the load by adhesive.
10. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the load includes a plurality of containers, said containers stacked together within a predetermined base area.
11. Apparatus according to claim 10 wherein the containers are stacked on a sheet material base and said members are attached to the underside of the same.
12. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the sheet material base is provided as part of a display stand incorporated as part of the load and used to present the containers of the load for purchase at a retail location.
13. A retail load, said load required to be transported from a first location to a second location and required to be moved by lifting apparatus to and from transport means, said load located on a base and wherein to the underside of the base are attached a plurality of unitary members at spaced intervals so as to define passages for access of the lifting apparatus to support and move the load.
14. A load according to claim 13 wherein the load comprises a plurality of containers restrained in a predefined configuration on the base for transport. S..S*.5.5.

*
15. A load according to claim 13 wherein any outer packaging is removed once the load has been moved to the retail location and the containers of the load are displayed for purchase while supported by said members and base.
16. A method for forming a load of retail containers, said method comprising forming a base for said load, said base formed to allow access of movement apparatus, placing onto said base a plurality of said retail containers in a predefined configuration, retaining the containers in the configuration to form the load and wherein the base includes a plurality of unitary members in a spaced configuration on the underside to space the base from a support surface, said members preformed.
17. A method according to claim 16 wherein the members are used in situ and are fitted at the point of display.
18. A method according to claim 16 wherein the load can be moved by the prongs of lifting apparatus passing through spaces defined by the members on the base.
19. A member for use in supporting a load at a set distance from a support surface, said member having a first face for contact with the support surface and an opposing face for attachment to the load, wherein said member is preformed by moulding.
20. A member according to claim 19 wherein the member is moulded from a paper and/or card pulp or mash.
21. A member according to claim 19 wherein at least a portion of the paper or card is recycled. S.. * S *.S..... * . * S. * S S.. *S S