US20080110897A1 - Pouch Assembly for Use In A Container - Google Patents
Pouch Assembly for Use In A Container Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- US20080110897A1 US20080110897A1 US11/953,471 US95347107A US2008110897A1 US 20080110897 A1 US20080110897 A1 US 20080110897A1 US 95347107 A US95347107 A US 95347107A US 2008110897 A1 US2008110897 A1 US 2008110897A1
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- US
- United States
- Prior art keywords
- pouch assembly
- support rods
- wall
- container
- end panels
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Abandoned
Links
- 239000000463 material Substances 0.000 claims description 13
- OKTJSMMVPCPJKN-UHFFFAOYSA-N Carbon Chemical compound [C] OKTJSMMVPCPJKN-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 claims description 4
- 239000011152 fibreglass Substances 0.000 claims description 4
- 229910002804 graphite Inorganic materials 0.000 claims description 4
- 239000010439 graphite Substances 0.000 claims description 4
- 239000004753 textile Substances 0.000 claims description 3
- 239000004744 fabric Substances 0.000 description 7
- 230000003993 interaction Effects 0.000 description 3
- 239000004677 Nylon Substances 0.000 description 1
- 229910000831 Steel Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- 239000003562 lightweight material Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000000034 method Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000012986 modification Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000004048 modification Effects 0.000 description 1
- 229920001778 nylon Polymers 0.000 description 1
- 239000004033 plastic Substances 0.000 description 1
- 229920003023 plastic Polymers 0.000 description 1
- 239000006223 plastic coating Substances 0.000 description 1
- 229920000728 polyester Polymers 0.000 description 1
- 239000004800 polyvinyl chloride Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000009958 sewing Methods 0.000 description 1
- 239000010959 steel Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000003466 welding Methods 0.000 description 1
Images
Classifications
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
- B65D81/00—Containers, packaging elements, or packages, for contents presenting particular transport or storage problems, or adapted to be used for non-packaging purposes after removal of contents
- B65D81/02—Containers, packaging elements, or packages, for contents presenting particular transport or storage problems, or adapted to be used for non-packaging purposes after removal of contents specially adapted to protect contents from mechanical damage
- B65D81/05—Containers, packaging elements, or packages, for contents presenting particular transport or storage problems, or adapted to be used for non-packaging purposes after removal of contents specially adapted to protect contents from mechanical damage maintaining contents at spaced relation from package walls, or from other contents
- B65D81/07—Containers, packaging elements, or packages, for contents presenting particular transport or storage problems, or adapted to be used for non-packaging purposes after removal of contents specially adapted to protect contents from mechanical damage maintaining contents at spaced relation from package walls, or from other contents using resilient suspension means
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
- B65D25/00—Details of other kinds or types of rigid or semi-rigid containers
- B65D25/02—Internal fittings
- B65D25/04—Partitions
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
- B65D25/00—Details of other kinds or types of rigid or semi-rigid containers
- B65D25/02—Internal fittings
- B65D25/10—Devices to locate articles in containers
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
- B65D81/00—Containers, packaging elements, or packages, for contents presenting particular transport or storage problems, or adapted to be used for non-packaging purposes after removal of contents
- B65D81/02—Containers, packaging elements, or packages, for contents presenting particular transport or storage problems, or adapted to be used for non-packaging purposes after removal of contents specially adapted to protect contents from mechanical damage
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
- B65D2585/00—Containers, packaging elements or packages specially adapted for particular articles or materials
- B65D2585/68—Containers, packaging elements or packages specially adapted for particular articles or materials for machines, engines, or vehicles in assembled or dismantled form
- B65D2585/6802—Containers, packaging elements or packages specially adapted for particular articles or materials for machines, engines, or vehicles in assembled or dismantled form specific machines, engines or vehicles
- B65D2585/6875—Containers, packaging elements or packages specially adapted for particular articles or materials for machines, engines, or vehicles in assembled or dismantled form specific machines, engines or vehicles engines, motors, machines and vehicle parts
- B65D2585/6882—Containers, packaging elements or packages specially adapted for particular articles or materials for machines, engines, or vehicles in assembled or dismantled form specific machines, engines or vehicles engines, motors, machines and vehicle parts vehicle parts
Definitions
- This invention relates generally to dunnage for use in shipping containers, and more particularly, to a pouch assembly for use in a shipping container.
- a large number of different container structures are utilized by manufacturers to ship a variety of different products to end users, which may be, for example, assembly plants.
- end users which may be, for example, assembly plants.
- an assembly plant assembling a particular automobile might utilize a number of different parts from different manufacturers.
- These manufacturers ship their respective parts to the assembly plant in container structures where the parts are then removed from dunnage inside the container structure and assembled into a finished automobile.
- the weight of the dunnage in the containers is of particular concern.
- the lighter the combined container and associated dunnage inside the container the less costly it is to ship the container, either full of product or empty. Additionally, the lighter the combination container and associated dunnage, the easier it is for a worker to lift and/or move the container from one location to another, i.e. from the back of a truck to a desired location in an assembly plant.
- Dunnage inside a container may assume numerous forms depending upon the desired application.
- One form of dunnage for use in containers is a pouch supported by support members extending from one side of the container to the other.
- U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,725,119; 6,062,410 and 6,230,916 all disclose such pouches supported by wire cables.
- Such pouches allow vertical access to the interior of the pouches.
- Each pouch or cell may store one or more products for storage and/or shipment. The pouches prevent the products from contacting each other and/or harming each other during shipment.
- the support rods supporting the pouches had to have sufficient rigidity to span the width of the container and be strong enough to support the pouch and product(s) inside the pouch without collapsing.
- the support rods be made of a rigid, heavy material, such as steel, for example. If the support rods were not sufficiently rigid, the pouch would collapse when product was placed therein. Consequently, such rigid support rods added significant weight to the container, increasing the cost of shipment of the container, whether or not the pouches were filled with products. It also made moving containers filled with such dunnage cumbersome.
- the present invention is directed to a pouch assembly for use in a container and/or box.
- the container allows access to product inside the container from the top of the container.
- the pouch assembly comprises a pair of end panels preferably sized to fit snugly in the container.
- Each of the end panels has inner and outer walls, each of the walls having a series of holes therein.
- the end panels are preferably made of plastic, they may be made of any type of material.
- Flexible support rods extend through the holes of the end panels and span approximately the width of the container. More specifically, each support rod passes through two holes in each end panel. The frictional interaction between the support rod and the end panels prevents the support rod from accidently becoming disengaged from the end panels when product is inserted and/or removed from pouches inside the container. The location of the holes in the end panel may enable one or more of the flexible support rods to be bowed upwardly or downwardly, if desired.
- the flexible support rods support dunnage in the form of pouches.
- the pouches may be made of any desired material.
- One material which has proven suitable is a textile fabric such as nylon or polyester.
- the textile material may be coated with a plastic coating such as polyvinylchloride (PVC), for example.
- PVC polyvinylchloride
- Each pouch is preferably supported by two support rods extending through pockets formed in opposed sides of the pouch.
- opposed sides of the pouch comprise separate pieces of material and/or fabric secured together using sewing, welding or any other suitable method.
- the pouches are formed of one piece of fabric having multiple pockets formed therein to receive and retain the support rods.
- the flexible support rods are made of a lightweight material such as fiberglass or graphite. Although flexible, the support rods are rigid enough to support the weight of the pouch and product even when spanning relatively long distances, i.e. from end panel to end panel.
- One advantage of the present invention is that product may be either inserted or removed from dunnage inside a container without dislodging the support rods supporting the dunnage.
- the pouches may be supported with rods which are of a lesser weight than those heretofore used to support dunnage of significant length.
- FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a pouch assembly and container according to one preferred embodiment of the present invention
- FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the pouch assembly of FIG. 1 ;
- FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of a portion of the pouch assembly of FIG. 1 ;
- FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of a portion of the pouch assembly of FIG. 1 ;
- FIG. 4A is a side elevational view of a portion of an alternative embodiment of pouch assembly.
- FIG. 5 is a top plan view of the pouch assembly and container of FIG. 1 .
- the pouch assembly 10 is illustrated in a container 12 in FIG. 1 and outside the container 12 in FIG. 2 .
- the generally rectangular container 12 has a bottom 14 , a pair of end walls 16 and a pair of side walls 18 , the end and side walls 16 , 18 extending upwardly from the bottom 14 of the container.
- the bottom 14 , end walls 16 and side walls 18 define an interior 20 of the container 12 . See FIG. 1 .
- the distance “L” between the inner surfaces 19 of the end walls 16 defines the length of the interior 20 of the container 12 .
- the distance “W” between the inner surfaces 21 of the side walls 18 defines the width of the interior 20 of the container 12 .
- the height of the end walls 16 and side walls 18 defines the depth “D” of the container 12 .
- the pouch assembly 10 comprises a pair of end panels 22 .
- the end panels 22 are identical to each other but face opposite directions.
- Each end panel 22 has an upper portion 24 shown in detail in FIG. 3 and a lower portion 26 as shown in FIG. 2 .
- the upper and lower portions 24 , 26 of the end panel 22 share a common inner wall 28 .
- the upper portion 24 of the end panel 22 further comprises a horizontally oriented top wall 30 and an outer wall 32 which is vertically oriented and generally parallel the inner wall 28 of the end panel 22 .
- the lower portion 26 of the end panel 22 has a bottom flange 34 and two opposed side flanges 36 extending outwardly from the inner wall 28 of the end panel 22 . As shown in FIG.
- the end panels 22 are preferably sized to fit inside the interior 20 of the container 12 snugly, but may be any desired size. Although one configuration of end panel 22 is illustrated and described, other configurations or types of end panels 22 may be used in accordance with the present invention.
- the pouch assembly 10 further comprises a plurality of pouches 38 which are supported by support rods 40 .
- each pouch 38 has a generally U-shaped configuration including opposed sides 42 and a bottom 44 . Although the bottom 44 of each pouch 38 is illustrated contacting the bottom 14 of the container 12 , the bottom 44 of the pouch 38 may be raised off the bottom 14 of the container 12 .
- each pouch 38 is formed by joining together multiple J-shaped pieces of material 45 at junctures 46 .
- These junctures 46 may be stitches, welds or any other securing devices.
- a pocket 48 adapted to receive and retain one of the support rods 40 .
- the pocket 48 is preferably formed by doubling over the material and securing it to itself at securement 50 . See FIG. 4 .
- the support rods 40 may be secured to the tops of the J-shaped pieces of material 45 in any other known manner.
- each of the support rods 40 extends through one of the pockets 48 formed in one of the sides 42 of one of the pouches 38 . Consequently, the weight of each pouch 38 and its contents are supported by two support rods 40 extending from one end panel 22 to the other end panel.
- each support rod 40 has a pair of opposed end portions 52 which project outwardly beyond the pocket 48 through which the support rod 40 passes. As illustrated in FIG. 3 , each end portion 52 of a support rod 40 passes through a hole 54 formed in the inner wall 28 of an end panel 22 and through a hole 56 formed in the outer wall 32 of the same end panel 22 .
- the holes 54 , 56 in an end panel 22 may be located so as to orient the support rod 40 passing therethrough in a desired orientation.
- the holes 54 , 56 shown in FIG. 3 are located so as to impart an upwardly directed bow or arch to the support rod 40 .
- the hole 54 through the inner wall 28 of the end panel 22 is located slightly above the hole 56 through the outer wall 32 of the end panel 22 . In such an orientation, when one or more products (not shown) are placed in the pouch 38 supported by arched or bowed support rods 40 , the combined weight of the pouch 38 and product (not shown) may move the support rods 40 to a horizontal position or orientation shown by the horizontal line 58 shown in FIG. 3 .
- the combined weight of the pouch 38 and product (not shown) will not collapse the support rods 40 and/or the pouch 38 , even using lightweight, flexible support rods 40 .
- the support rods 40 may be made of a lighter weight material than heretofore possible due, at least in part, to the interaction between the end panels 22 and the support rods 40 .
- the support rods 40 may be made of a flexible material due, at least in part, to the interaction between the end panels 22 and the support rods 40 .
- the holes 54 , 56 in the end panels 22 may be located to orient the support rods 40 in a horizontal orientation without such an upwardly directed bow or arch. In certain application, such orientation may be desirable prior to loading products in the pouches 38 .
- the pouches 38 a are not created by joining together individual pieces of fabric, but instead are formed from one relatively long piece of fabric 60 folded around support rods 40 a .
- the piece of fabric 60 is secured together with securements 50 a to create pockets 48 a , through which the support rods 40 a pass or extend.
- each side 42 a of each pouch 38 a has a double ply thickness and each pouch 38 a has a bottom 44 a .
- this double-ply feature may be desirable.
- one of the support rods 40 may flex forwardly into a flexed position as shown in solid lines from a relaxed position shown in dashed lines without one or both of the end portions 52 of the support rod 40 becoming dislodged from one or both of the end panels 22 .
- the double walled engagement of the support rod 40 with each end panel 22 makes it difficult for the support rod to disengage from one or both end panels 22 due to the frictional engagement therebetween.
Abstract
A pouch assembly is provided for use in a shipping container. The pouch assembly comprises dunnage in the form of a plurality of pouches for storing and transporting parts. The pouch assembly includes two end panels located inside the container and flexible support rods extending between the end panels for supporting individual pouches. The pouch assembly provides vertical access to product residing inside the pouches or cells inside the container.
Description
- This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/018,298 filed Dec. 21, 2004 entitled “Pouch Assembly For Use In A Container”, which is fully incorporated herein.
- This invention relates generally to dunnage for use in shipping containers, and more particularly, to a pouch assembly for use in a shipping container.
- A large number of different container structures are utilized by manufacturers to ship a variety of different products to end users, which may be, for example, assembly plants. In the automobile industry for example, an assembly plant assembling a particular automobile might utilize a number of different parts from different manufacturers. These manufacturers ship their respective parts to the assembly plant in container structures where the parts are then removed from dunnage inside the container structure and assembled into a finished automobile.
- In certain applications, the weight of the dunnage in the containers is of particular concern. The lighter the combined container and associated dunnage inside the container, the less costly it is to ship the container, either full of product or empty. Additionally, the lighter the combination container and associated dunnage, the easier it is for a worker to lift and/or move the container from one location to another, i.e. from the back of a truck to a desired location in an assembly plant.
- Dunnage inside a container may assume numerous forms depending upon the desired application. One form of dunnage for use in containers is a pouch supported by support members extending from one side of the container to the other. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,725,119; 6,062,410 and 6,230,916 all disclose such pouches supported by wire cables. Such pouches allow vertical access to the interior of the pouches. Each pouch or cell may store one or more products for storage and/or shipment. The pouches prevent the products from contacting each other and/or harming each other during shipment.
- Prior to the present invention, when pouches were used as dunnage in a wide container the support rods supporting the pouches had to have sufficient rigidity to span the width of the container and be strong enough to support the pouch and product(s) inside the pouch without collapsing. This necessitated that the support rods be made of a rigid, heavy material, such as steel, for example. If the support rods were not sufficiently rigid, the pouch would collapse when product was placed therein. Consequently, such rigid support rods added significant weight to the container, increasing the cost of shipment of the container, whether or not the pouches were filled with products. It also made moving containers filled with such dunnage cumbersome.
- Accordingly, there is a need for a pouch assembly for use in a container having pouches supported by lightweight rods rigid enough to support the weight of the fabric pouch and the product therein.
- The present invention is directed to a pouch assembly for use in a container and/or box. The container allows access to product inside the container from the top of the container.
- The pouch assembly comprises a pair of end panels preferably sized to fit snugly in the container. Each of the end panels has inner and outer walls, each of the walls having a series of holes therein. Although the end panels are preferably made of plastic, they may be made of any type of material.
- Flexible support rods extend through the holes of the end panels and span approximately the width of the container. More specifically, each support rod passes through two holes in each end panel. The frictional interaction between the support rod and the end panels prevents the support rod from accidently becoming disengaged from the end panels when product is inserted and/or removed from pouches inside the container. The location of the holes in the end panel may enable one or more of the flexible support rods to be bowed upwardly or downwardly, if desired.
- The flexible support rods support dunnage in the form of pouches. The pouches may be made of any desired material. One material which has proven suitable is a textile fabric such as nylon or polyester. The textile material may be coated with a plastic coating such as polyvinylchloride (PVC), for example.
- Each pouch is preferably supported by two support rods extending through pockets formed in opposed sides of the pouch. In one embodiment, opposed sides of the pouch comprise separate pieces of material and/or fabric secured together using sewing, welding or any other suitable method. In another embodiment, the pouches are formed of one piece of fabric having multiple pockets formed therein to receive and retain the support rods.
- The flexible support rods are made of a lightweight material such as fiberglass or graphite. Although flexible, the support rods are rigid enough to support the weight of the pouch and product even when spanning relatively long distances, i.e. from end panel to end panel.
- One advantage of the present invention is that product may be either inserted or removed from dunnage inside a container without dislodging the support rods supporting the dunnage.
- Another advantage of the present invention is that the pouches may be supported with rods which are of a lesser weight than those heretofore used to support dunnage of significant length.
- The objectives and features of the present invention will become more readily apparent when the following detailed description of the drawings is taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:
-
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a pouch assembly and container according to one preferred embodiment of the present invention; -
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the pouch assembly ofFIG. 1 ; -
FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of a portion of the pouch assembly ofFIG. 1 ; -
FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of a portion of the pouch assembly ofFIG. 1 ; -
FIG. 4A is a side elevational view of a portion of an alternative embodiment of pouch assembly; and -
FIG. 5 is a top plan view of the pouch assembly and container ofFIG. 1 . - Referring to the drawings and particularly to
FIG. 2 , there is illustrated apouch assembly 10 according to one preferred embodiment of the present invention. Thepouch assembly 10 is illustrated in acontainer 12 inFIG. 1 and outside thecontainer 12 inFIG. 2 . Referring toFIG. 1 , the generallyrectangular container 12 has abottom 14, a pair ofend walls 16 and a pair ofside walls 18, the end andside walls bottom 14 of the container. Thebottom 14,end walls 16 andside walls 18 define aninterior 20 of thecontainer 12. SeeFIG. 1 . The distance “L” between theinner surfaces 19 of theend walls 16 defines the length of theinterior 20 of thecontainer 12. Similarly, the distance “W” between theinner surfaces 21 of theside walls 18 defines the width of theinterior 20 of thecontainer 12. The height of theend walls 16 andside walls 18 defines the depth “D” of thecontainer 12. Although one type ofcontainer 12 is illustrated and described, the present invention may be used in any type of container. - As best illustrated in
FIG. 2 , thepouch assembly 10 comprises a pair ofend panels 22. Theend panels 22 are identical to each other but face opposite directions. Eachend panel 22 has anupper portion 24 shown in detail inFIG. 3 and alower portion 26 as shown inFIG. 2 . The upper andlower portions end panel 22 share a commoninner wall 28. As best illustrated inFIG. 3 , theupper portion 24 of theend panel 22 further comprises a horizontally orientedtop wall 30 and anouter wall 32 which is vertically oriented and generally parallel theinner wall 28 of theend panel 22. Thelower portion 26 of theend panel 22 has abottom flange 34 and twoopposed side flanges 36 extending outwardly from theinner wall 28 of theend panel 22. As shown inFIG. 1 , theend panels 22 are preferably sized to fit inside the interior 20 of thecontainer 12 snugly, but may be any desired size. Although one configuration ofend panel 22 is illustrated and described, other configurations or types ofend panels 22 may be used in accordance with the present invention. - As best illustrated in
FIG. 2 , thepouch assembly 10 further comprises a plurality ofpouches 38 which are supported bysupport rods 40. As best illustrated inFIG. 4 , eachpouch 38 has a generally U-shaped configuration includingopposed sides 42 and a bottom 44. Although the bottom 44 of eachpouch 38 is illustrated contacting the bottom 14 of thecontainer 12, the bottom 44 of thepouch 38 may be raised off the bottom 14 of thecontainer 12. - As shown in
FIG. 4 , according to one preferred embodiment of the present invention, eachpouch 38 is formed by joining together multiple J-shaped pieces ofmaterial 45 atjunctures 46. Thesejunctures 46 may be stitches, welds or any other securing devices. At the top of each J-shaped piece ofmaterial 45 is apocket 48 adapted to receive and retain one of thesupport rods 40. Thepocket 48 is preferably formed by doubling over the material and securing it to itself atsecurement 50. SeeFIG. 4 . However, thesupport rods 40 may be secured to the tops of the J-shaped pieces ofmaterial 45 in any other known manner. - As illustrated in
FIGS. 1 and 2 , each of thesupport rods 40 extends through one of thepockets 48 formed in one of thesides 42 of one of thepouches 38. Consequently, the weight of eachpouch 38 and its contents are supported by twosupport rods 40 extending from oneend panel 22 to the other end panel. - As illustrated in
FIG. 2 , eachsupport rod 40 has a pair ofopposed end portions 52 which project outwardly beyond thepocket 48 through which thesupport rod 40 passes. As illustrated inFIG. 3 , eachend portion 52 of asupport rod 40 passes through ahole 54 formed in theinner wall 28 of anend panel 22 and through ahole 56 formed in theouter wall 32 of thesame end panel 22. - The
holes end panel 22 may be located so as to orient thesupport rod 40 passing therethrough in a desired orientation. For example, theholes FIG. 3 are located so as to impart an upwardly directed bow or arch to thesupport rod 40. As seen inFIG. 3 , thehole 54 through theinner wall 28 of theend panel 22 is located slightly above thehole 56 through theouter wall 32 of theend panel 22. In such an orientation, when one or more products (not shown) are placed in thepouch 38 supported by arched or bowedsupport rods 40, the combined weight of thepouch 38 and product (not shown) may move thesupport rods 40 to a horizontal position or orientation shown by thehorizontal line 58 shown inFIG. 3 . However, due in part to the bow or arch imparted to thesupport rods 40 by the location of theholes end panels 22, the combined weight of thepouch 38 and product (not shown) will not collapse thesupport rods 40 and/or thepouch 38, even using lightweight,flexible support rods 40. - Thus, one advantage of the
pouch assembly 10 of the present invention is that thesupport rods 40 may be made of a lighter weight material than heretofore possible due, at least in part, to the interaction between theend panels 22 and thesupport rods 40. Another advantage of thepouch assembly 10 of the present invention is that thesupport rods 40 may be made of a flexible material due, at least in part, to the interaction between theend panels 22 and thesupport rods 40. In alternative embodiments, theholes end panels 22 may be located to orient thesupport rods 40 in a horizontal orientation without such an upwardly directed bow or arch. In certain application, such orientation may be desirable prior to loading products in thepouches 38. - In an alternative embodiment shown in
FIG. 4A , thepouches 38 a are not created by joining together individual pieces of fabric, but instead are formed from one relatively long piece offabric 60 folded aroundsupport rods 40 a. The piece offabric 60 is secured together with securements 50 a to createpockets 48 a, through which thesupport rods 40 a pass or extend. In this embodiment, eachside 42 a of eachpouch 38 a has a double ply thickness and eachpouch 38 a has a bottom 44 a. Depending upon the application, this double-ply feature may be desirable. - As shown in
FIG. 5 , one of thesupport rods 40 may flex forwardly into a flexed position as shown in solid lines from a relaxed position shown in dashed lines without one or both of theend portions 52 of thesupport rod 40 becoming dislodged from one or both of theend panels 22. The double walled engagement of thesupport rod 40 with eachend panel 22 makes it difficult for the support rod to disengage from one or bothend panels 22 due to the frictional engagement therebetween. When a user is removing one or more products from apouch 38, it may happen that the user accidently moves one ormore support rods 40 to a flexed position as shown inFIG. 5 . - While we have described several preferred embodiments of the present invention, persons skilled in the art will appreciate changes and modifications which may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. For example, although one configuration of dunnage is illustrated and described, the present invention may be used with other configurations of dunnage. Therefore, we intend to be limited only by the scope of the following claims and equivalents thereof:
Claims (19)
1. A pouch assembly for use in a container, said pouch assembly comprising:
a pair of end panels, each of said end panels having inner and outer walls, each of said walls having a hole therein;
flexible support rods extending between said end panels, each of said support rods passing through one of said holes in each of said walls of said end panels such that said support rods are bowed; and
pouches supported by said support rods.
2. The pouch assembly of claim 1 wherein said outer wall is shorter than said inner wall.
3. The pouch assembly of claim 1 wherein said support rods are made of fiberglass.
4. The pouch assembly of claim 1 wherein said support rods are made of graphite.
5. The pouch assembly of claim 1 wherein said pouches are secured together.
6. The pouch assembly of claim 1 wherein each of said end panels has flanges extending outwardly from the inner wall.
7. A pouch assembly for use in a container, said pouch assembly comprising:
a pair of end panels, each of the end panels having an upper portion and a lower portion sharing a common inner wall, the upper portion of each end panel having a top wall and an outer wall, said outer wall being generally parallel said common inner wall, said inner and outer walls each having a hole therethrough, said hole through said inner wall being located slightly above the hole through the outer wall of the end panel;
a plurality of flexible support rods extending between the end panels, each of the support rods passing through at least two of the holes in each of the end panels to impart an arch in said support rods; and
pouches supported by the support rods.
8. The pouch assembly of claim 7 wherein the pouches are made of a textile material.
9. The pouch assembly of claim 7 wherein each of said end panels has flanges extending outwardly from the common inner wall.
10. The pouch assembly of claim 7 wherein the support rods are made of fiberglass.
11. The pouch assembly of claim 7 wherein the support rods are made of graphite.
12. The pouch assembly of claim 7 wherein the pouches are secured together.
13. The pouch assembly of claim 7 wherein said outer wall is shorter than said common inner wall.
14. A pouch assembly for use in a container, said pouch assembly comprising:
a pair of end panels, each of the end panels having an upper portion having plurality of holes therethrough and a lower portion having a bottom flange adapted to contact a bottom of the container and side flanges extending outwardly to contact sides of a container;
a plurality of flexible support rods extending between the end panels, each of the support rods passing through at least two aligned holes in each of the end panels to impart an arch to said support rod; and
dunnage hanging from the support rods.
15. The pouch assembly of claim 14 wherein the dunnage comprises pouches.
16. The pouch assembly of claim 14 wherein the support rods are made of fiberglass.
17. The pouch assembly of claim 14 wherein the support rods are made of graphite.
18. The pouch assembly of claim 15 wherein the pouches are secured together.
19. The pouch assembly of claim 14 wherein said upper portion of said end panel has an inner wall and an outer wall, said outer wall being shorter than said inner wall.
Priority Applications (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US11/953,471 US20080110897A1 (en) | 2004-12-21 | 2007-12-10 | Pouch Assembly for Use In A Container |
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US11/018,298 US7322485B2 (en) | 2004-12-21 | 2004-12-21 | Pouch assembly for use in a container |
US11/953,471 US20080110897A1 (en) | 2004-12-21 | 2007-12-10 | Pouch Assembly for Use In A Container |
Related Parent Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
US11/018,298 Continuation US7322485B2 (en) | 2004-12-21 | 2004-12-21 | Pouch assembly for use in a container |
Publications (1)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
US20080110897A1 true US20080110897A1 (en) | 2008-05-15 |
Family
ID=36594399
Family Applications (2)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
US11/018,298 Expired - Fee Related US7322485B2 (en) | 2004-12-21 | 2004-12-21 | Pouch assembly for use in a container |
US11/953,471 Abandoned US20080110897A1 (en) | 2004-12-21 | 2007-12-10 | Pouch Assembly for Use In A Container |
Family Applications Before (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
US11/018,298 Expired - Fee Related US7322485B2 (en) | 2004-12-21 | 2004-12-21 | Pouch assembly for use in a container |
Country Status (1)
Country | Link |
---|---|
US (2) | US7322485B2 (en) |
Cited By (1)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
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US20100122962A1 (en) * | 2008-11-14 | 2010-05-20 | Excellerate Enterprise Co., Ltd. | Storage Device |
Families Citing this family (12)
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US20100079047A1 (en) * | 2008-09-30 | 2010-04-01 | Tuang Hock Koh | Notebook cabinet |
US20100147861A1 (en) * | 2008-12-11 | 2010-06-17 | Andochick Scott E | Storage tray with magnetic attachment |
FR2971241B1 (en) * | 2011-02-09 | 2014-05-09 | Peugeot Citroen Automobiles Sa | FACILITY INTERFACE FOR LOGISTIC CONTAINER |
US9108790B2 (en) * | 2012-04-25 | 2015-08-18 | Jeffry A. Daley | Divider and cutting board |
US9487329B2 (en) | 2013-03-25 | 2016-11-08 | Orbis Corporation | Sleeve pack assembly with latching mechanism |
US9382037B2 (en) | 2013-10-15 | 2016-07-05 | Bradford Company | Container having multiple layers of tracks including at least one non-linear track |
US9422081B2 (en) | 2013-11-15 | 2016-08-23 | Bradford Company | Container having non-linear and linear tracks for supporting movable dunnage |
US9211999B2 (en) * | 2013-11-15 | 2015-12-15 | Bradford Company | Container having non-linear tracks for supporting movable dunnage |
US9764876B2 (en) | 2015-01-02 | 2017-09-19 | Orbis Corporation | Sleeve pack assembly |
PL235298B1 (en) * | 2017-08-01 | 2020-06-15 | Hester Spolka Z Ograniczona Odpowiedzialnoscia | Collapsible container unit |
JP7240621B2 (en) * | 2018-09-28 | 2023-03-16 | 大日本印刷株式会社 | Combination of container and rack |
US11577883B2 (en) | 2019-04-05 | 2023-02-14 | Orbis Corporation | Latch for a sleeve pack assembly |
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US8267260B2 (en) * | 2008-11-14 | 2012-09-18 | Excellerate Enterprise Co., Ltd. | Storage device |
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
US7322485B2 (en) | 2008-01-29 |
US20060131312A1 (en) | 2006-06-22 |
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Legal Events
Date | Code | Title | Description |
---|---|---|---|
STCB | Information on status: application discontinuation |
Free format text: ABANDONED -- FAILURE TO RESPOND TO AN OFFICE ACTION |