A TRANSPORT CASE

Abstract

A transport case for items to be transported, comprises: - a lid, sides and a base, the base having: - a front/back and left/right extending array of locator engagement positions and - a plurality of locators engageable in selected ones of the arrayed positions for locating items placed on the base for transportation, the arrangement being such that inter-engagement of the locators and the base provides continued location of items during transport, and wherein the locators comprise or are of foam; and a method of transporting an item comprises packing the item into the transport case.

Description

Claims

1. A transport case for items to be transported, comprising: • a lid, sides and a base, the base having: • a front/back and left/right extending array of locator engagement positions and• a plurality of locators engageable in selected ones of the arrayed positions for locating items placed on the base for transportation, the arrangement being such that inter-engagement of the locators and the base provides continued location of items during transport, and wherein the locators comprise or are of foam.

2. A transport case as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sides, lid and base are formed of board or sheet metal and have foam lining.

3. A transport case as clamed in claim 1, wherein the base per se, and/or an inner base on an outer base, and/or the base foam lining is/are formed with an array of bores and the locators are each provided with or by one or more pegs for engagement with the bores.

4. A transport case as claimed in claim 3, wherein the lid’s foam lining is removable and the pegs are of a length to extend from the base to the lid.

5. A transport case as claimed in claim 3, wherein the lid is provided with an array of engagement positions.

6. (canceled)

7. (canceled)

8. A transport case as claimed in claim 3, wherein the pegs or some of them are provided in squat U-shape to span an item being transported, with the legs preferably being arranged at a multiple of a diagonal spacing of the bores.

9. A transport case as claimed in claim 1, wherein the locators can be of small squares or rectangles each corresponding to one or at least less than two pitches of the bores or the grooves at least in one direction and wherein the locators have eccentric bores for their pegs, enabling them to be turned about their pegs for selecting engagement position with an item being transported.

10. (canceled)

11. A transport case as claimed in claim 3, where the peg and locator arrangements or some of them are split into a bore engaging part and a locator part adjustably arranged on the bore engaging part.

12. A transport case as clamed in claim 1, wherein the base or its lining is formed with an orthogonal array of grooves and the locators are equally provided with complementary formations whereby the selectable inter-engagement is provided.

13. A transport case as clamed in claim 1, wherein the array is an orthogonal wire grid and the locators are resilient straps with hooks at their ends and the hooks are adapted to engage the grid and extend between the base and the lid for their location in engagement with the grid.

14. A transport case as claimed in claim 1, including: • a cross member carried by the pegs and arranged to extend over the transport item;• means for securing the cross member to the pegs; and• one or more foam or other blocks on the cross member for holding the transport item against the base.

15. A transport case for items to be transported, comprising: • sides and a base, the base having: • a front/back and left/right extending array of locator engagement positions and• a plurality of locators engage-able in selected ones of the arrayed positions for locating items placed on the base for transportation, the arrangement being such that inter-engagement of the locators and the base provides continued location of items during transport, and wherein the locators are of foam.

16. A transport case according to claim 1, in which the locator engagement array is provided in the form of a pair of connected, spaced sheets, each having an array of aligned apertures, the alignment of the apertures providing determined orientation of a locator pin in them where the locators and the transport items are secured with respect to the sheets.

17. A transport case as claimed in claim 16, wherein the two spaced sheets are metallic or of resin bonded board, and they are provided with a peripheral frame, preferably of box or channel section with the resilient mountings at the corners and/or sides of the case.

18. A transport case according to claim 1, in which an array apertured board or a pair of connected spaced sheets are provided with resilient mountings in the case, to the base and/or the sides, whereby shock forces from handling and transport of the case are at least partially isolated from the board and the board or sheets.

19. (canceled)

20. A transport case according to claim 1, wherein the locators have at least one chamfered corner.

21. A transport case according to claim 20, wherein at least one of the outer corners are chamfered.

22. (canceled)

23. A transport case according to claim 1, wherein there are slits along the inner corners of the locators.

24. A method of transporting an item comprising packing the item into a transport case according to claim 1.

25. (canceled)

26. A method or transporting an item according to claim 24, wherein multiple items are transported in one transport case.