Patent Application
20160159517
Aspects generally relate to (and are not limited to) an apparatus for a damaged collapsible bin having a damaged fork-lift entry structure.
A collapsible bin (foldable bin) is a container (metal or plastic) that may be disassembled or dismantled into separate pieces or folded in order to save storage space. These types of containers can be reassembled or unfolded for future use.
It will be appreciated there exists a need to mitigate (at least in part) at least one problem associated with existing damaged collapsible bins. After much study of the known systems and methods with experimentation, an understanding of the problem and its solution has been identified and is articulated as follows:
To mitigate, at least in part, at least one problem associated with existing damaged collapsible bins, there is provided (in accordance with a major aspect) an apparatus (also called, a collapsible bin runner replacement). The apparatus is for a damaged collapsible bin having a damaged fork-lift entry structure. The apparatus includes a replacement structural member configured to have structural integrity. The apparatus also includes a replacement connection member operatively extending from the replacement structural member. The replacement connection member is configured to be operatively attached to the damaged fork-lift entry structure in such a way that the damaged collapsible bin is operatively redeployed as a repaired collapsible bin.
To mitigate, at least in part, at least one problem associated with existing damaged collapsible bins, there is provided (in accordance with a major aspect) an apparatus (also called, a collapsible bin runner replacement). The apparatus is for a damaged collapsible bin having a damaged fork-lift entry structure. The apparatus includes a replacement structural member configured to have structural integrity. The apparatus also includes a replacement connection member operatively extending from the replacement structural member. The replacement connection member being configured to be operatively attached to the damaged fork-lift entry structure in such a way that the damaged collapsible bin is operatively redeployed as a repaired collapsible bin. An instance of the replacement connection member is positioned on opposite sides of the replacement structural member. The replacement connection member includes a connection panel member defining a connection-panel hole configured to receive a connector assembly. This is done in such a way that the connector assembly operatively connects the connection panel member to the damaged collapsible bin thereby converting the damaged collapsible bin into the repaired collapsible bin.
Other aspects are identified in the claims.
Other aspects and features of the non-limiting embodiments may now become apparent to those skilled in the art upon review of the following detailed description of the non-limiting embodiments with the accompanying drawings.
The non-limiting embodiments may be more fully appreciated by reference to the following detailed description of the non-limiting embodiments when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:
The drawings are not necessarily to scale and may be illustrated by phantom lines, diagrammatic representations and fragmentary views. In certain instances, details unnecessary for an understanding of the embodiments (and/or details that render other details difficult to perceive) may have been omitted.
Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding components throughout the several figures of the Drawings. Elements in the several figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not been drawn to scale. The dimensions of some of the elements in the figures may be emphasized relative to other elements for facilitating an understanding of the various disclosed embodiments. In addition, common, but well-understood, elements that are useful or necessary in commercially feasible embodiments are often not depicted to provide a less obstructed view of the embodiments of the present disclosure.
The following detailed description is merely exemplary and is not intended to limit the described embodiments or the application and uses of the described embodiments. As used, the word “exemplary” or “illustrative” means “serving as an example, instance, or illustration.” Any implementation described as “exemplary” or “illustrative” is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other implementations. All of the implementations described below are exemplary implementations provided to enable persons skilled in the art to make or use the embodiments of the disclosure and are not intended to limit the scope of the disclosure. The scope of the invention is defined by the claims. For the description, the terms “upper,” “lower,” “left,” “rear,” “right,” “front,” “vertical,” “horizontal,” and derivatives thereof shall relate to the examples as oriented in the drawings. There is no intention to be bound by any expressed or implied theory in the preceding Technical Field, Background, Summary or the following detailed description. It is also to be understood that the devices and processes illustrated in the attached drawings, and described in the following specification, are exemplary embodiments (examples), aspects and/or concepts defined in the appended claims. Hence, dimensions and other physical characteristics relating to the embodiments disclosed are not to be considered as limiting, unless the claims expressly state otherwise. It is understood that the phrase “at least one” is equivalent to “a”. The aspects (examples, alterations, modifications, options, variations, embodiments and any equivalent thereof) are described regarding the drawings. It should be understood that the invention is limited to the subject matter provided by the claims, and that the invention is not limited to the particular aspects depicted and described.
The functional collapsible bin 901 is known and is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,917,255 (Published on 17 Apr. 1990; Inventor: Dennis M. Foy, et al.; COLLAPSIBLE CONTAINER) and in U.S. Pat. No. 6,142,329 (Published on 7 Nov. 2000; Inventor: Moshe Dotan; KNOCK-DOWN BIN).
A fork-lift truck 903 is used to move the functional collapsible bin 901 within a warehouse. The functional collapsible bin 901 include or is made of a plastic material. The functional collapsible bin 901 includes a fork-lift entry structure 907 configured to receive a fork structure 905 of the fork-lift truck 903. Once the fork structure 905 is received in the fork-lift entry structure 907, the fork-lift truck 903 may lift and move the functional collapsible bin 901 (within the warehouse, etc.).
From time to time, the fork-lift truck 903 may inadvertently damage the functional collapsible bin 901 (depicted in
Of course, it will be appreciated that the damaged fork-lift entry structure 902 includes a damaged fork lift entry runner (configured to receive the fork structure 905 of the fork-lift truck 903 depicted in
Referring to the embodiments depicted in
In accordance with an option (as depicted in
In accordance with another option (as depicted in
More specifically, the replacement structural member 102 and the replacement connection member 104 are configured to be: (A) inserted in the damaged fork-lift entry structure 902; and (B) operatively secured to the damaged fork-lift entry structure 902 (depicted in
In accordance with another options: (A) the replacement structural member 102 includes a galvanized steel portion (and any equivalent thereof); (B) the replacement connection member 104 includes a galvanized steel portion; and (C) the replacement structural member 102 and the replacement connection member 104 includes a galvanized steel portion. It will be appreciated that any suitable material may be used as a replacement material for the galvanized steel material.
In accordance with a specific option (depicted in
In accordance with a specific option (depicted in
In accordance with an option depicted in
In accordance with an option depicted in
In accordance with a specific option (depicted in
This written description uses examples to disclose the invention, including the best mode, and also to enable any person skilled in the art to make and use the invention. The patentable scope of the invention is defined by the claims, and may include other examples that occur to those skilled in the art. Such other examples are within the scope of the claims if they have structural elements that do not differ from the literal language of the claims, or if they include equivalent structural elements with insubstantial differences from the literal language of the claims.
It may be appreciated that the assemblies and modules described above may be connected with each other as required to perform desired functions and tasks within the scope of persons of skill in the art to make such combinations and permutations without having to describe each and every one in explicit terms. There is no particular assembly, or component that may be superior to any of the equivalents available to the person skilled in art. There is no particular mode of practicing the disclosed subject matter that is superior to others, so long as the functions may be performed. It is believed that all the crucial aspects of the disclosed subject matter have been provided in this document. It is understood that the scope of the present invention is limited to the scope provided by the independent claim(s), and it is also understood that the scope of the present invention is not limited to: (i) the dependent claims, (ii) the detailed description of the non-limiting embodiments, (iii) the summary, (iv) the abstract, and/or (v) the description provided outside of this document (that is, outside of the instant application as filed, as prosecuted, and/or as granted). It is understood, for this document, that the phrase “includes” is equivalent to the word “comprising.” The foregoing has outlined the non-limiting embodiments (examples). The description is made for particular non-limiting embodiments (examples). It is understood that the non-limiting embodiments are merely illustrative as examples.
