KR20090114477A - Load distributing apparatus for corner posts - Google Patents

Abstract

An apparatus for distributing a load placed on top of a packaging unit is provided. The apparatus includes a set of molded plastic caps (19) that fit over the upper ends of corner posts (17) and a rectangular top frame (21) mountable to the caps (19) to evenly distribute the load across the entire cross sectional profile of the corner posts (17) to prevent one or more of the posts (17) from buckling or otherwise failing.

Description

Load balancer for corner posts {LOAD DISTRIBUTING APPARATUS FOR CORNER POSTS}

This patent application is directed to a palletized packaging assembly. More specifically, the present patent application includes a means for distributing a stacking load that minimizes buckling effects that may occur due to offstacking and includes a packaging assembly comprising a vertical support post. (packaging assembly).

Items such as outdoor air conditioners or large household appliances (washing machines, dryers, microwave ovens, etc.) are often packaged and shipped in packaging units in which the goods are placed on a transport base and surrounded by boxes or cardboard, where vertical support The post is inserted between the article and the cardboard. The support posts are generally located adjacent to the four inner corners of the cardboard (which may also be called corner posts) and typically extend from the carrying base to the top of the cardboard. The posts not only protect the article from lateral impact forces, but also provide axial (vertical) lamination strength. Loads placed on top of the packaged article are supported by the support posts and not supported by the packaged article.

When the packaging units are not perfectly stacked and stacked vertically (a phenomenon called "off-stack"), the corner posts that meet the off-stacked loads in front are less than the optimum dispersion of loads on the corner post walls (lamination loads). It can be more easily broken (buckling) due to the force. Even in the best case, off-stack can cause the corrugated cardboard to be slightly wrinkled. In the worst case, off-stack can lead to collapse of the stacked units.

Therefore, the main object of the present invention is to provide a packaging system which prevents the support posts from bending due to off-stack.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a shipping package in which the load placed on top of the packaged unit is more evenly distributed throughout the support post wall.

Additional and additional objects are shown in the detailed description, the accompanying drawings, and the appended claims.

The present invention provides a base on which an article packaged thereon is placed and transported, a box or cardboard surrounding the article at four sides and tops, and a base to protect the article from lateral impact forces and provide lamination strength. Device for distributing a load disposed on a packaging unit of a kind having a support post extending vertically from the top. The device functions to distribute the load placed on top of the packaging unit more evenly across the walls of the four corner posts to minimize buckling that can occur when the load is off-stacked.

The apparatus includes a plurality of support posts fitting or caps mounted on the upper ends of the support or corner posts, and an upper frame fitted to the caps. Each cap includes a platform and means for mounting the cap on the top end of the corner post. The mounting means may comprise a side wall extending downward from the platform and configured to surround at least a portion of the support post. The cap side wall may partially or completely surround the upper end of the support post, and preferably form a friction fit with the support post.

The upper frame is configured to rest fixedly on the cap platforms and has an upper load bearing surface. The upper frame may include front and rear horizontal crossbeam members and side crossbeam members connected at their respective ends to form a rectangular structure. The weight of the load placed on the upper, load bearing surface of the upper frame is distributed throughout the upper frame and along the entire end wall surface of the corner post.

In essence, the corner posts and the upper frame not only protect the article from lateral impact forces, especially at the four vertical corners of the package, but also compressive forces due to other packaged units stacked on top even when other units are off-stacked. A protective cage is formed around the packaged article, protecting the article from the article.

1 is an exploded view of a packaging assembly carried on a pallet comprising a load balancing device according to the invention.

FIG. 2 is a top perspective view of the support post cap as a component of the load balancing device of FIG. 1. FIG.

3 is a bottom perspective view of the support post cap of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a packaging assembly similar to FIG. 1 showing corrugated cardboard in phantom to better illustrate the load balancing device of the present invention. FIG.

5 is a partially enlarged view of the load dispersing device of FIG. 4.

6 is a sectional view taken along line 6-6 of FIG.

7 is a bottom perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the support post cap according to the present invention.

8 is a top perspective view of the support post cap of FIG.

9 is an exploded view of the cap, top frame and shipping pallet assembly illustrating the modified usage of the top frame and caps of the present invention.

10 is a perspective view of the cap, top frame and shipping pallet assembly of FIG. 9 showing an assembled state;

Although the invention may be embodied in many forms, one or more embodiments are shown in the drawings and described in detail herein, and this application should be considered as an illustration of the principles of the invention and the invention being illustrated by the embodiment (s) It should be understood that this is not intended to be limited to.

Returning to the figures, FIG. 1 shows an exploded view of a packaging assembly 10 comprising the load dispersing device of the present invention. The packaging assembly generally includes a base 18 on which the packaged article 50 is placed, a box or cardboard 34 surrounding the four sides of the article 50, and between the packaged article 50 and the cardboard 34. And support posts 17 inserted into the support posts. The support post 17 is located adjacent to the four inner corners of the cardboard 32 (and therefore may also be called corner posts) and extends from the base 18 to near the top of the cardboard. The corner posts 17 protect the article 50 from lateral impact forces and provide axial (vertical) lamination strength for the entire unit 10. Loads placed on top of the packaged article 50 are supported by the support posts 17 as described further below.

The article 50 to be packaged may be any large article, such as the air conditioning unit illustrated in FIG. 1. The article 50 is typically placed on the carrying base 18 during manufacture, which finally serves as the bottom of the cardboard 32 box. The assembled unit 10 may be disposed on the shipping pallet 12 so that the unit 10 may be moved by a forklift truck or other means.

As detailed above in the patent application, which is owned together and pending, the cardboard box 32 and the transport base 18 are two opposing end stops 16 forming part of the shipping pallet 12. Wedging the cardboard 32 and conveying base 18 between them, and fixing the corrugated bottom flaps 38 and conveying base side panels 28 to the sides of the shipping pallet 12 It may be fixed to the shipping pallet 12.

Referring again to FIG. 1, the shipping cardboard 32 includes four vertical sidewalls 34, top flaps 40, and four relatively narrow bottom flaps 36, 38. The bottom flaps 36, 38 include front and rear flaps 36 and side flaps 38 and at least themselves do not function as the bottom of the cardboard box. Rather, the cardboard front and rear flaps 36 work together with the carrying base 18 to form the cardboard box bottom. More specifically, in the assembled packaging unit 10, the corrugated front and rear flaps 36 are pushed under the transport base 18 between the transport base 18 and the shipping pallet 12 and the side flaps ( 38 extend downward in roughly the same plane as the corrugated sidewalls 34 and staple to pallet runners 15.

The corner posts 17 shown in FIG. 1 are disposed in the cardboard 32 adjacent to the inner corner of the cardboard 32 to provide for corner impact protection and axial strength. The corner posts 17 may be spirally wound cardboard corner posts of the type manufactured and sold by Sonoko Products Company, Hartsville, South Carolina, USA. However, any suitable support structures can be used for corner impact protection and axial strength, including, without limitation, angle boards.

The present invention is a system that more evenly distributes the load placed on top of the packaging unit 10 over the entire end wall surface of the corner posts. More specifically, the present invention comprises a set of caps 19 and an upper frame 21, the frame having an overall cross-sectional area of a set of vertical support posts 17 with a load placed on top of the unit 10. Helps spread across the profile, helping to prevent one or more posts 17 from buckling or otherwise breaking.

2 and 3 are respectively top and bottom perspective views of the support post cap 19 according to the invention. The cap 19 may be made of molded plastic or any suitable material, and the platform 52, sidewall member 54 configured to extend downward from at least a portion of the platform periphery and surround the upper portion of the support post 17. And an upper wall member 56 extending upwardly from the periphery of the platform 52 for holding the upper frame 21.

The shape of the support post cap 19 and in particular the platform 52 is largely determined by the cross-sectional shape of the corner posts 17. For example, and without limiting the invention, in the illustrated embodiment, the platform 52 is substantially L-shaped to fit the L-shaped cross-sectional profile of the corner post 17. The platform 52 should contact as much of the end wall face of the corner post 17 as possible, preferably the entire end wall face. The periphery of the cap 19 of FIGS. 2 and 3 includes an outer edge 53 and an arcuate (curved) inner edge 55 forming a right angle, which also substantially matches the cross-sectional shape of the corner posts. do.

Preferably, the cap 19 forms a friction fit with the upper end of the corner post 17. As shown in FIG. 3, an optional rib 58 is a corner post bead 60 extending inwardly to further secure the support post cap 19 to the support post 17. It extends inwardly from the sidewall member 54 at a position corresponding thereto. As shown in FIG. 6, the ribs 58 may extend far enough inward so that the free end of each rib is in contact with the outside of the corresponding bead vertex 61 (apex), adding to the friction fit.

4 is a perspective view of the packaging assembly 10 and a box of cardboard 32 is shown in phantom to better illustrate the load balancing device of the present invention. The upper frame 21 is substantially rectangular and has four corners, each corner mounted to one of the four support post caps 19. The upper frame 21 includes front and rear horizontal crossbeam members 62 and side crossbeam members 64 joined at their respective ends to form a rectangular frame-like structure. The upper, load bearing surface of the upper frame 21 is formed by the front and rear crossbeam members 62, including one of the crossbeam members 64 being part of the load bearing surface, although other configurations are possible. do.

One or more optional central crossbeam members 66 may be coupled to the upper frame 21 for added strength. The crossbeam member 66 extends from one side crossbeam 64 to the other intermediate front and rear crossbeams 62, or from the front crossbeam 62 to the rear crossbeam intermediate the side crossbeams 64. It can extend to 62.

The underside of the upper frame 21 may be flat or may have any suitable shape that fits with the support post caps 19. FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of the corner of the upper frame 21 as seen fitted in one of the support post caps 19. The corner of the upper frame 21 rests on the cap platform 52 and fits against the cap upper wall member 56. The cap 19 fits over the top of the corner post 17 such that the top wall face of the corner post 17 (ie the top edge of the corner post) is adjacent to the bottom surface of the platform 52.

7 and 8 are bottom and top views of an alternative embodiment of the support post cap 69 useful in the present invention. Similar to the cap 19 shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, this modified support post cap 69 is used to mount the upper part of the corner member 21, the platform member 72 on which the upper frame 21 is mounted. Side wall members 74 extending downward from the outer circumference of the platform 72 to partially enclose, and upper wall members 76 extending upward from the outer circumference of the platform 72. Unlike the cap 19 shown in FIGS. 2, 3, and 6, this alternative embodiment 69 includes nubs or projections 68 extending downward from the underside of the platform 72. . The protrusions 68 are intended to extend into the hollow areas of the corner post 17 and to help place the cap 69 over the corner post 17.

9 and 10 illustrate other uses of the caps 69 of the present invention, where they are intended for shipment placed on top of the frame 81 to help the article 50 (not shown) move out when moving down the assembly line. It is used to secure the frame 81 to the pallet 82. As shown in the figures, the caps 69 are turned upside down to help the protrusions 68 protrude upward, helping the shipping pallet 82 to rest on the cap 69. The caps 69 fit on the top of the four corners of the frame 81. The shipping pallet 82 is then placed on the “projection side” of the four caps 69. The caps 69, the frame 81 and the shipping pallet 82 are locked together. If the frame 81 is part of a packaging unit 10 as shown in FIG. 1, the structure shown in FIGS. 9 and 10 has one unit 10 on top of another unit 10 to prevent off-stacking. ) Can be used to fix

The packaging assembly carried in the pallet of the present invention can be assembled and used in the following manner.

First, the shock absorbing members 30 are disposed on the lower panel 20 as shown in FIG. 1 so that the composite transport base 18 forms the transport base 18 shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, and then the front And the rear panels 26 folded up and folded over the cushioning members 30. The side panels 28 are left to extend outward in the same plane as the bottom panel 20.

Next, the article 50 to be assembled and transported is typically placed on the transport base 12 as the article 50 moves along the manufacturing assembly line. In the illustrated embodiment, the article is an air conditioner outdoor unit 50 having an embossed (protruding) lower part (not shown) that fits within a three-dimensional space formed by the cushioning members 30 and the lower panel 20. to be. The air conditioner frame or housing rests on the top walls 29 covering the cushioning member 30. Thus, the transport base top panels 29 are positioned below the article 50 and the transport base side panels 28 remain outwardly extended.

Next, a shipping cardboard 32 box with an open bottom is placed on the article 50 and the transport base 18. In this step the corrugated bottom flaps 36, 38 in the assembly of the final packaging unit 10 can be unfolded outward as shown in FIG. 8.

The corner posts 17 and the caps 19 are then inserted near the inner corner of the cardboard 32 box between the cardboard 32 box and the article 50. Then, the upper frame 21 is fixed to the corner post upper caps 19. The lower ends of the corner posts rest on the carrying base bottom panel 20 near the corner of the bottom panel 20. The corner posts 17, the upper caps 19 and the upper frame 21 together extend the entire height of the box of cardboard 32.

As the article 50, the cardboard 32 box and the conveying base 18 continue to move along the conveyor line, the corrugated front (front) and rear (rear) flaps 36 automatically fold down below the conveying base 18. It may or may not be fixed to the underside of the carrying base bottom panel 20. The corrugated side flap 38 is spread outward and rests on the carrying base side panel 28 which still extends outward.

At the end of the conveyor line, the article 50, cardboard 32, and the transport base 18 are lifted together and placed on the shipping pallet 12. The cardboard 32 box and conveying base 18 are forward and rearward of the shipping pallet 12 as shown in FIGS. 9-12 to prevent the cardboard 32 and conveying base 18 from moving back and forth. It is sandwiched between stops 16. As clearly shown in FIGS. 9 and 11, the corrugated front and rear bottom flaps 36 remain folded under the transport base 18 and intervene between the transport base 18 and the shipping pallet 12. (Sandwiched).

Then, as shown in FIG. 10, the corrugated side flap 38 that is outwardly folded over the carrying base side panel 28 is folded down so that the carrying base side panel 28 is as shown in FIG. 12. It is interposed between the pallet side runner 15 and the cardboard side flap 38. The cardboard side flaps 38 and the side panels 28 are then removably secured to the pallet side runners 15 by staples 42 or other means.

Finally, the corrugated top flaps 40 are folded together until flat against the top of the top frame 21 to complete the packaging assembly 10. The completed packaging assembly 10 has a cardboard 32 box, a transport base 18 and a shipping pallet 12 by staples 42 and, to a lesser extent, between the shipping pallet end stops 16. It is a monolith in the sense that it is held together by the fitting of the cardboard 32 box and the carrying base 18. The corner posts 17, the caps 19 and the upper frame 21 extend from the carrying base lower panel 20 to the corrugated upper flap 40 and are sufficient to allow other packaging units 10 to be stacked thereon. Provides axial (vertical) strength.

Therefore, a packaging assembly 10 has been described that can be stored and moved in stacked arrangements. In an important feature of the invention, the caps 19 and the upper frame 21 are units 10 stacked on top of the entire end wall of the corner posts 17 to prevent the posts 17 from buckling. Distribute the load from The caps 19 can be made of molded plastic and the upper frame 21 can be made of cardboard or wood. Of course, any suitable materials may be used for the caps and the top frame, and other packaging elements.

It is to be understood that the above-described embodiments of the present invention are merely specific examples that serve to illustrate the principles of the present invention. Modifications and variations of the present invention are conceivable without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth above and the appended claims. The claims are intended to cover all such modifications and variations as come within this scope.

As mentioned above, the present invention is used to provide a packaging assembly comprising a vertical support post and comprising means for distributing the load to minimize the buckling effect that may occur due to offstacking.

Claims (16)

An apparatus for distributing the load loaded on the top of the packaging unit 10 over the entire support post wall, In the apparatus, the packaging unit 10 comprises a support post 17 and a base 18 extending vertically upwards from the base 18 and terminating at the upper edge. A plurality of support post caps (19), each support post cap (19) having a platform (52) configured to contact an upper edge of one of the support posts (17) and the support post cap ( A plurality of support post caps 19, comprising means for mounting 19 on the support posts 17, An upper frame 21 configured to extend between the support post caps 19 and to be fixed to the cap platform 52, wherein the upper frame 21 supports the load loaded on top of the packaging unit 10; The upper frame 21 having an upper surface for Which includes, a load balancing device. 2. The load balancing device according to claim 1, wherein the cap mounting means comprises a side wall (5) configured to extend downward from the platform (52) and surround at least a portion of the support post (17). 3. The load balancing device of claim 2, wherein the platform (52) has a perimeter and the sidewall (54) extends downward from at least a portion of the platform perimeter. 3. The support post cap 19 of claim 2, wherein each support post cap 19 extends from the sidewall member 54 to further secure the support post cap 19 to the support post 17. 58) further comprising a load balancing device. The load balancing device according to claim 1, wherein the support post cap (19) forms a friction fit with the support post (17). The load balancing device according to claim 1, wherein the platform (52) is configured to contact the entire upper edge of one of the support posts (17). 7. The load balancing device according to claim 6, wherein each support post cap (19) further comprises an upper wall member (56) extending upward from the platform (52) to hold the upper frame (21). The load distributing device according to claim 1, wherein the upper frame (21) is substantially rectangular and has four corners, each corner mounted to one of the support post caps (19). 2. The upper frame (21) according to claim 1, wherein the upper frame (21) comprises front and rear horizontal crossbeam members (62) and side crossbeam members (64) coupled to their respective ends to form a structure such as a rectangular frame, Load balancer. 10. The load distributing device according to claim 9, wherein the upper, load bearing surface of the upper frame (21) is formed by the front and rear crossbeam members (62). 2. The load balancing device of claim 1, wherein each support post cap comprises a protrusion (68) extending downward from the bottom of the platform. 12. The load distributing device according to claim 11, wherein the protrusion is configured to extend into the hollow area of the support post (17). The load balancing device according to claim 1, wherein the support post cap (19) is molded plastic. A device for supporting a loaded load, A base 18, A support post 17 which lies on the base 18 and extends upwardly towards a second load bearing second base 21, each support post 17 having an upper cross-sectional area; With the support post 17, A load support cap 19 attached to the top of each vertical post and covering the top cross-sectional area. Including, The second base 21 overlies the cap 19, The load carrying device supported by the second base (21) is distributed over the upper cross-sectional area of the vertical post (17). An apparatus for distributing the load loaded on the upper part of the packaging unit 10, An upper frame 81 having four corners, A molded plastic cap 69 configured to fit in the four corners of the upper frame 81; A shipping pallet 82 placed on the cap 69 Which includes, a load balancing device. 14. A load balancing device according to claim 13, wherein the cap (69) comprises an upwardly protruding protrusion (68; nub) that assists in installing the shipping pallet (82) to the cap (69).

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