Patent Grant
9375101
This invention relates to travel cases and shipping containers and more specifically to a method and tradeshow display apparatus that converts from a palletable shipping container into display cabinet(s) and/or table(s), for example, useful for demonstrating and/or displaying goods at a trade show.
Numerous conventional display-demonstration systems have been attempted, but all leave much to be desired.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,951,283 to Savoie issued Oct. 4, 2005 with the title “Storage and transport system for collapsible tradeshow displays” and is incorporated herein by reference. Savoie describes a storage and transport system for collapsible tradeshow displays preferably comprises a crate and framework in combination with components of a collapsible display system. By providing a crate and framework for more vertical storing and accessing the components and for organizing the components as they are placed in the crate, users may more efficiently set up and tear down the display system where there is limited floor space. The crate is durable and the framework securely holds components in place for safe and secure transportation.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,718,494 to Luddemann issued Feb. 17, 1998 with the title “Convertible storage system” and is incorporated herein by reference. Luddemann describes a convertible system which is changeable from a portable storage mode to a display mode is formed by a first container, a second container and conversion material. The second container and the conversion material are held within the first container when the system is in the storage mode and the conversion material is removable from the first container and used to convert the system from the storage mode to the display mode.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,027,188 to Nickens issued Feb. 22, 2000 with the title “Case-to-counter conversion kit” and is incorporated herein by reference. Nickens describes a case-to-counter conversion kit that includes two case bodies that are positioned to form a storage space between them. Two shelves are attached between the case bodies to provide storage surfaces and to lock the bodies together, thereby forming a stable base for a counter. The shelves include tongues along opposite edges of the shelves. The tongues slide into tracks or moldings attached in channels which are located on opposing faces of the case bodies, thereby locking the shelves and bodies together. A multi-section counter top is attached to the tops of the case bodies and locked in place by pins located in channels on the tops of the case bodies which engage slots in mating faces of the counter top sections. A roll-up counter top cover fits into a recess in the top of the counter assembly. A flexible panel is wrapped around the case bodies and secured in place with hook and loop fasteners. A hinged door is attached to the flexible panel and provides access to the storage space between the case bodies. The shelves, counter top sections, and counter top cover are designed to fit in the case bodies when not in use.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,988,244 to Haws, Jr. issued Aug. 2, 2011 with the title “Modular merchandise pod” and is incorporated herein by reference. Haws, Jr. describes a modular merchandise pod that includes a generally elongated merchandise pod base having first and second ends, a rack assembly carried by the merchandise pod base and disposed generally midway between the first and second ends and a rack assembly top panel carried by the rack assembly.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,948,447 to Weis et al. issued May 24, 2011 with the title “Mobile display” and is incorporated herein by reference. Weis et al. describe a mobile, multi-room display environment that is “cratable” or “palletizeable.” The display environment has a first room, the first room having a first set of sensory cues, and a second room, the second room having a second set of sensory cues substantially different from the first set of sensory cues. The first and second rooms are designed for temporary use and can be easily disassembled for transport from one location to another in a separate crate or on a pallet. By “cratable” it is meant that the mobile display is designed to be disassembled and the component parts placed into a crate or crates for storage or transport for re-assembly at a different time or location. By “palletizeable” it is meant that the modular components of the mobile display are designed to be secured to a pallet for storage and transport for re-assembly at some other time or location.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,673,092 to Lamson et al. issued Jun. 16, 1987 with the title “Multi-level rack assembly” and is incorporated herein by reference. Lamson et al. describe a multi-level rack assembly comprising a plurality of base members each including a generally rectangular platform portion and an upstanding tubular portion at each corner of the platform portion having a plug dividing the interior thereof into upper and lower tubular volumes; a plurality of side support members each including a pair of spaced upstanding tubular portions and truss means interconnecting the tubular portions; and a plurality of core rod means sized to fit slidably within the tubular portions of the base members and of the side support members. In one embodiment, the core rods are elongated and unitary and have a length somewhat greater than the length of the side support member tubular portions so that the core rods may extend vertically within the side support member tubular portions and seat at their lower ends in the upper tubular volumes of the tubular portions of a lower base member and seat at their upper ends in the lower tubular volumes of the tubular portions of an upper base member. In another embodiment, each of the core rod means comprises a pair of core rod members each including an upper portion sized to fit slidably within the lower end of the tubular portion of an associated side support member or the lower tubular volume of a tubular portion of an upper base member; a lower rod portion sized to fit slidably within the upper end of the tubular portion of the associated side support member or the upper tubular volume of a tubular portion of a lower base member; and a collar portion intermediate the upper and lower rod portions to define the respective seated positions of the upper and lower rod portions.
What is needed is a shipping container having an enclosed volume for shipping and security of its contents, wherein the container readily converts into display cabinet(s) and/or table(s) and/or shelving unit(s), and then reconverts back into a secured enclosure for overnight storage and/or back into a shipping container.
In some embodiments, the present invention provides a method and apparatus for making travel cases and shipping containers that convert into furniture, as well as a resulting method and apparatus that converts from a palletted shipping container (a shipping container having a built-in pallet base suitable for use with a forklift) into display cabinet(s) and/or table(s) that are useful, for example, for demonstrating and/or displaying goods at a trade show.
In some embodiments, the present invention provides a method for making a convertible travel case that converts from a palletable enclosed shipping container into one or more display cabinets and/or tables. This method includes forming a first unit of the container that includes a plurality of open-faced boxes including a first open-faced box having a height and an inner volume and a second open-faced box having a height and an inner volume, including forming the second open-faced box on a bottom pallet portion having at least one forklift-accessible opening configured to allow the convertible travel case to be lifted and carried by a forklift, wherein the height of the second open-faced box including the bottom pallet portion is substantially equal to the height of the first open-faced box; forming a second unit of the container; connecting the first open-faced box and the second open-faced box of the first unit to one another along an edge of each; unfolding the first dual-box unit along an axis of the connected edges of the first open-faced box and the second open-faced box of the first unit from a first enclosed shipping configuration in which the first open-faced box is folded against the second open-faced box, to a second display configuration in which the first open-faced box is on a floor next to the second open-faced box; and removably connecting a second unit to the first unit to selectively enclose the inner volume of the first open-faced box and the inner volume of the second open-faced box when in the first enclosed shipping configuration.
In some embodiments, the present invention provides a convertible travel case apparatus that converts from a palletable enclosed shipping container into one or more display cabinets and/or tables. The convertible travel case apparatus includes a first unit that includes a plurality of open-faced boxes including: a first open-faced box having a height and an inner volume and a second open-faced box having a height and an inner volume, wherein the first open-faced box and the second open-faced box of the first unit are connected to one another along an edge of each by a first edge-connector system, wherein the second open-faced box includes a bottom pallet portion having at least one forklift-accessible opening configured to allow the apparatus to be lifted and carried by a forklift, wherein the first dual-box unit is configured to be unfolded along an axis of the first edge-connector system from a first enclosed shipping configuration in which the first open-faced box is folded against the second open-faced box, to a second display configuration in which the first open-faced box is on a floor next to the second open-faced box, and wherein the height of the second open-faced box including the bottom pallet portion is substantially equal to the height of the first open-faced box; and a second unit that connects to the first unit to selectively enclose the inner volume of the first open-faced box and the inner volume of the second open-faced box when in the first enclosed shipping configuration.
Although the following detailed description contains many specifics for the purpose of illustration, a person of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that many variations and alterations to the following details are within the scope of the invention. Specific examples are used to illustrate particular embodiments; however, the invention described in the claims is not intended to be limited to only these examples, but rather includes the full scope of the attached claims. Accordingly, the following preferred embodiments of the invention are set forth without any loss of generality to, and without imposing limitations upon the claimed invention. Further, in the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments, reference is made to the accompanying drawings that form a part hereof, and in which are shown by way of illustration specific embodiments in which the invention may be practiced. It is understood that other embodiments may be utilized and structural changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. The embodiments shown in the Figures and described here may include features that are not included in all specific embodiments. A particular embodiment may include only a subset of all of the features described, or a particular embodiment may include all of the features described.
The leading digit(s) of reference numbers appearing in the Figures generally corresponds to the Figure number in which that component is first introduced, such that the same reference number is used throughout to refer to an identical component which appears in multiple Figures. Signals and connections may be referred to by the same reference number or label, and the actual meaning will be clear from its use in the context of the description.
In some embodiments, one part of the clamshell includes a first pair of polyhedrons (e.g., in some embodiments, five-walled rectangular units, each unit having a top wall, a bottom wall, and three side walls attached at right angles to the top wall, the bottom wall and to their adjacent wall(s); in other embodiments, other polyhedrons shapes may be used). The first pair of five-walled rectangular units are stacked one on top of the other for shipping, the upper unit being hinged (or otherwise connected, at least for shipment) to the lower unit, the upper unit, without a pallet base, having substantially or exactly the same vertical dimension and horizontal dimensions as the lower unit with its pallet base, such that when unfolded, the pair of units stand side-by-side to form a desk-like piece of furniture for a tradeshow display. The bottom wall of the top unit and the top wall of the lower unit form the top exterior surface of the “desk.”
In some embodiments, another part of the clamshell includes a second pair of polyhedrons (e.g., in some embodiments, again these are also five-walled rectangular units stacked one on top of the other, the upper unit being hinged (or otherwise connected, at least for shipment) to the lower unit, the upper unit (without a pallet base) having substantially or exactly the same vertical dimension and horizontal dimensions as the lower unit with its pallet base, such that when unfolded, the pair of units site side-by-side to form a desk-like piece of furniture for a tradeshow display, wherein the top surfaces of the unfolded units being co-planar. The top surfaces of the desk-like piece of furniture formed by the first pair of units are facing one another when stacked or folded and assembled into their shipping configuration, thus protecting these surfaces from the scuffs that typically result from standard shipping and moving activities.
When assembled into their shipping configuration, the first pair of stacked five-walled rectangular units and the second pair of stacked five-walled rectangular units are assembled to each other with their respective open sides facing each other so that no sides remain open, in order to form an enclosure that can be used to store and safeguard other tradeshow paraphernalia, handouts, samples, literature and the like. In some embodiments, the first pair of stacked five-walled rectangular units each has substantially the same depth as the second pair of stacked five-walled rectangular units, while in other embodiments, they have different depths. In some embodiments, the second pair of stacked units is replaced by a third modular component formed by a single five-walled rectangular unit (or a flat panel having no partially enclosed volume) having the same height and width as the overall height and width of the first pair of stacked five-walled rectangular units. In some embodiments, the second pair of stacked units is replaced by a fourth modular component formed by a pair of side-by-side five-walled rectangular units having the same height and overall width as the overall height and width of the first pair of stacked five-walled rectangular units. In some embodiments, the enclosed shipping container includes the third modular component formed by the single five-walled rectangular unit with its open face facing and attached to the fourth modular unit formed by the pair of side-by-side five-walled rectangular units having the same height and overall width as the overall height and width of the third modular component.
Thus, in some embodiments, the convertible shipping container devices of the present invention can be formed by any two-unit combination of the first (two stacked open-faced boxes of a first depth), second (two stacked open-faced boxes of a second depth different from the first depth), third (a single open-faced box) and fourth (a pair of side-by-side open-faced boxes) modular units.
In some embodiments, the devices of the present invention are sized for convenient loading or unloading by forklift or pallet jack. In some embodiments, devices of the present invention are less than three cubic meters in volume, and weigh less than 450 kg (about 1000 pounds) when loaded. In some embodiments, devices of the present invention are less than five cubic meters in volume, and weigh less than 2250 kg (about 5000 pounds) when loaded. In some embodiments, devices of the present invention are less than ten cubic meters in volume, and weigh less than 4,500 kg (about 10,000 pounds) when loaded.
In embodiments having a “built-in” pallet base, “built-in” is meant to indicate that the pallet base is a permanent part of at least some portions of the modular device, such that those portions are used in the tradeshow display without removing their pallet base. In some embodiments, some portions of the device not having a pallet base are attached (such as by a hinge) or attachable (such as by a separable attachment feature) to the portions having a pallet base.
Because the modular transportable convertible tradeshow display and shipping enclosure is portable and transportable, it can be reused at many locations and for many purposes. The enclosure can be closed to substantially its shipping configuration and locked in order to secure valuable samples overnight at a tradeshow, and easily and quickly opened to tradeshow configuration the next morning, wherein the external container again becomes furniture of a sales booth. Similarly, at the end of a tradeshow, the enclosure can be closed to its shipping configuration and locked in order to secure valuable samples for shipment to its next location.
Referring again to
Note that the cross-hatch shading of all the Figures does not represent a cross-section of a metal unit, but rather is intended to indicate the different outer faces of the various exterior (and interior) walls of the convertible shipping container 101.
In the method used in some embodiments of the invention,
In any of the hinged configurations shown and described herein, a non-hinged connector system may be substituted for the hinge to obtain a similar embodiment of the present invention.
In some embodiments, the present invention provides a convertible travel case apparatus that converts from a palletable shipping container into one or more display cabinet(s) and/or table(s). The apparatus includes: a first dual-box unit that includes a first open-faced box having a height and an inner volume and a second open-faced box having a height and an inner volume, wherein the first open-faced box and the second open-faced box are connected to one another along an edge of each by a first hinge, wherein the second open-faced box includes a bottom pallet portion having at least one forklift-accessible opening configured to allow the apparatus to be lifted and carried by a forklift, wherein the first dual-box unit is configured to be unfolded along an axis of the first hinge from a stacked configuration in which the first open-faced box is stacked upon the second open-faced box to a dual-table configuration in which the first open-faced box is side-by-side next to the second open-faced box, and wherein the height of the second open-faced box including the bottom pallet portion is substantially equal to the height of the first open-faced box; and a second unit that connects to the first unit to enclose the inner volume of the first open-faced box and the inner volume of the second open-faced box.
In some embodiments of the apparatus, the second unit also includes a first open-faced box having a height and an inner volume and a second open-faced box having a height and an inner volume, wherein the first open-faced box of the second unit and the second open-faced box of the second unit are connected to one another along an edge of each by a second hinge, wherein the second open-faced box includes a bottom pallet portion having at least one forklift-accessible opening configured to allow the apparatus to be lifted and carried by a forklift, wherein the second unit is configured to be unfolded along an axis of the second hinge from a stacked configuration in which the first open-faced box of the second unit is stacked upon the second open-faced box of the second unit to a dual-table configuration in which the first open-faced box of the second unit is side-by-side next to the second open-faced box of the second unit, and wherein the height of the second open-faced box of the second unit including the bottom pallet portion is substantially equal to the height of the first open-faced box of the second unit.
In some embodiments, the convertible travel case apparatus is made of plywood and/or tough resilient polymer facing sheets affixed by adhesive, rivets, bolts and/or the like to a structural frame of aluminum or steel, for example. In some embodiments, the convertible travel case apparatus is made of a tough polymer sheet blow-molded to the desired shape and size. Other materials and construction methods will be obvious to persons of skill in the art, and are included in the claimed invention.
In some embodiments, the present invention provides a convertible travel case apparatus (such as, for example, convertible shipping container 101, 201, 203, or 207) that converts from a palletable enclosed shipping container (such as shown, for example, in
In some embodiments of the apparatus (such as, for example,
In some embodiments of the apparatus (such as, for example,
In some embodiments (such as shown in
In some embodiments, the second unit and the first unit have substantially equal sizes and shapes.
In some embodiments (such as shown in
In some embodiments, the present invention provides a method for making a convertible travel case that converts from a palletable enclosed shipping container into one or more display cabinets and/or tables. This method includes forming a first unit of the container that includes a plurality of open-faced boxes including a first open-faced box having a height and an inner volume and a second open-faced box having a height and an inner volume, including forming the second open-faced box on a bottom pallet portion having at least one forklift-accessible opening configured to allow the convertible travel case to be lifted and carried by a forklift, wherein the height of the second open-faced box including the bottom pallet portion is substantially equal to the height of the first open-faced box; forming a second unit of the container; connecting the first open-faced box and the second open-faced box of the first unit to one another along an edge of each; unfolding the first dual-box unit along an axis of the connected edges of the first open-faced box and the second open-faced box of the first unit from a first enclosed shipping configuration in which the first open-faced box is folded against the second open-faced box, to a second display configuration in which the first open-faced box is on a floor next to the second open-faced box; and removably connecting a second unit to the first unit to selectively enclose the inner volume of the first open-faced box and the inner volume of the second open-faced box when in the first enclosed shipping configuration.
In some embodiments of the method, the connecting the first open-faced box and the second open-faced box of the first unit includes using a first hinge, wherein the axis of the first hinge is horizontal, and wherein the unfolding of the first dual-box unit is done along the horizontal axis of the first hinge from a stacked shipping configuration in which the first open-faced box is stacked upon the second open-faced box, to a dual-table display configuration in which the first open-faced box is side-by-side next to the second open-faced box.
In some embodiments of the method, the forming of the second unit includes forming a single open-faced box having a height and an inner volume, and forming at least one forklift-accessible opening in a bottom pallet portion of the second unit that allows the case as a whole to be lifted and carried by a forklift, wherein the height of the single open-faced box of the second unit including its bottom pallet portion is substantially equal to the combined height of the second open-faced box of the first unit stacked upon the first open-faced box of the first unit, The method further includes moving the second unit away from the open-face-to-open-face enclosed shipping configuration in which the single open-faced box of the second unit is open-face-to-open-face facing the first open-faced box and the second open-faced box of the first unit to a tall-display plus double desk configuration in which the first open-faced box of the second unit is separated from the first open-faced box of the first unit.
Some embodiments of the method further include connecting the second unit to the first unit in the open-face-to-open-face enclosed shipping configuration using a plurality of connectors.
In some embodiments of the method, the forming of the second unit also includes forming a first open-faced box having a height and an inner volume and a second open-faced box having a height and an inner volume, and wherein the second open-faced box of the second unit includes a bottom pallet portion having at least one forklift-accessible opening configured to allow the case as a whole to be lifted and carried by a forklift, and wherein the height of the second open-faced box including the bottom pallet portion of the second unit is substantially equal to the height of the first open-faced box of the second unit, the method further including: connecting the first open-faced box and the second open-faced box of the first unit to one another along an edge of each; unfolding the second unit along an axis of the connected edges of the first open-faced box and the second open-faced box of the second unit from a stacked configuration in which the first open-faced box of the second unit is stacked upon the second open-faced box of the second unit to a dual-table configuration in which the first open-faced box of the second unit is side-by-side next to the second open-faced box of the second unit.
In some embodiments of the method, the second unit and the first unit have substantially equal sizes and shapes as one another.
In some embodiments of the method, the connecting of the first open-faced box and the second open-faced box of the first unit includes using a first hinge, wherein the axis of the first hinge is vertical, and wherein unfolding of the first dual-box unit is done along the vertical axis of the first hinge from a open-face-to-open-face shipping configuration in which the first open-faced box encloses at least a portion of the second open-faced box, to a display configuration in which the first open-faced box is side-by-side next to the second open-faced box.
In some embodiments of the method, the forming of the second unit includes forming a first open-faced box having a height and an inner volume, and the method further includes: connecting the first open-faced box of the second unit by a second hinge to the first open-faced box of the first unit along an edge of the first open-faced box of the first unit that is on an opposite side of the first open-faced box of the first unit relative to the second open-faced box of the first unit, wherein the first open-faced box of the second unit includes a bottom pallet portion having at least one forklift-accessible opening configured to allow the case to be lifted and carried by a forklift, and unfolding the second unit along the vertical axis of the second hinge from the open-face-to-open-face enclosed shipping configuration in which the first open-faced box of the second unit is open-face-to-open-face facing the first open-faced box of the first unit to a triple-display configuration in which the first open-faced box of the second unit is side-by-side next to the first open-faced box of the first unit, and wherein the height of the first open-faced box of the second unit including its bottom pallet portion is substantially equal to the height of the first open-faced box of the first unit.
In some embodiments, the present invention provides a convertible travel case apparatus that converts from a palletable enclosed shipping container into one or more display cabinets and/or tables. This apparatus includes: open-faced means for enclosing a first inner volume; open-faced means for enclosing a second inner volume; means for connecting the open-faced means for enclosing the first inner volume to the open-faced means for enclosing the second inner volume; wherein the open-faced means for enclosing a second inner volume includes means for receiving a forklift fork to allow the apparatus to be lifted and carried by the forklift, wherein a height of the open-faced means for enclosing the second inner volume including the means for receiving the forklift fork is substantially equal to a height of the open-faced means for enclosing the first inner volume; means for unfolding along an edge axis the open-faced means for enclosing the first inner volume relative to the open-faced means for enclosing the second inner volume, thus going from a first enclosed shipping configuration in which the open-faced means for enclosing the first inner volume is folded against the open-faced means for enclosing the second inner volume, to a second display configuration in which the open-faced means for enclosing the first inner volume is on a floor next to the open-faced means for enclosing the second inner volume, and means for selectively enclosing the first inner volume and the second inner volume when in the first enclosed shipping configuration.
In some embodiments of the apparatus, the means for connecting the open-faced means for enclosing the first inner volume to the open-faced means for enclosing the second inner volume includes a first hinge, wherein the axis of the first hinge is horizontal, and wherein the means for unfolding is done along the horizontal axis of the first hinge from a stacked shipping configuration in which the open-faced means for enclosing the first inner volume is stacked upon the open-faced means for enclosing the second inner volume, to a dual-table display configuration in which the open-faced means for enclosing the first inner volume is side-by-side next to the open-faced means for enclosing the second inner volume.
In some embodiments of the apparatus, the means for selectively enclosing the first inner volume and the second inner volume when in the first enclosed shipping configuration includes means for selectively enclosing a third inner volume when the apparatus is in the first enclosed shipping configuration; means for receiving a forklift fork, wherein a height of the means for selectively enclosing a third inner volume including its means for receiving a forklift fork is substantially equal to the combined height of the open-faced means for enclosing a second inner volume stacked upon the open-faced means for enclosing a first inner volume, and the apparatus further includes means for moving the means for selectively enclosing a third inner volume away from the open-face-to-open-face enclosed shipping configuration in which the means for selectively enclosing the third inner volume is open-face-to-open-face facing the open-faced means for enclosing the second inner volume stacked upon the open-faced means for enclosing the first second inner volume, and to a tall-display plus double desk configuration in which the means for selectively enclosing the third inner volume is separated from the means for selectively enclosing the first inner volume.
It is to be understood that the above description is intended to be illustrative, and not restrictive. Although numerous characteristics and advantages of various embodiments as described herein have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of various embodiments, many other embodiments and changes to details will be apparent to those of skill in the art upon reviewing the above description. The scope of the invention should be, therefore, determined with reference to the appended claims, along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled. In the appended claims, the terms “including” and “in which” are used as the plain-English equivalents of the respective terms “comprising” and “wherein,” respectively. Moreover, the terms “first,” “second,” and “third,” etc., are used merely as labels, and are not intended to impose numerical requirements on their objects.
This application claims priority benefit, under 35 U.S.C. §119(e), of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/911,442 filed Dec. 3, 2013 by Jared L. Elliott,et al., titled “Convertible travel case and method,” which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
| Number | Name | Date | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2791323 | Schreckengost | May 1957 | A |
| 3226172 | Bateman | Dec 1965 | A |
| 4673092 | Lamson et al. | Jun 1987 | A |
| 5718494 | Luddemann | Feb 1998 | A |
| 6027188 | Nickens | Feb 2000 | A |
| 6951283 | Savoie | Oct 2005 | B2 |
| 7841676 | Hawkins | Nov 2010 | B2 |
| 7948447 | Weis et al. | May 2011 | B2 |
| 7988244 | Haws, Jr. | Aug 2011 | B2 |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20150150388 A1 | Jun 2015 | US |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 61911442 | Dec 2013 | US |
