Claims
- 1. A support apparatus for receiving and supporting two or more pieces of roll stock, said support apparatus comprising:(a) a plurality of roll support cradle portions, each of said roll support cradle portions comprising (i) an outward surface shaped in an arcuate segment of pre-selected dimensions adapted for securely receiving a piece of roll stock of substantially complementary shape, (ii) a first end wall portion, and (iii) a second end wall portion; (b) a plurality of pairs of opposing sidewall portions, one of said plurality of pairs provided for each one of said plurality of roll support cradle portions, each of said opposing sidewall portions sloping inwardly and upwardly toward its companion roll support cradle portion; (c) a first base, said first base providing structural support to (i) each one of said pairs of opposing sidewall portions, which, in turn, each provide structural support for a companion roll support cradle portion, (ii) said first end wall portion, and (iii) said second end wall portion; and (d) one or more support platforms in each of said roll support cradle portions.
- 2. The support apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein each of said one or more support platforms further comprises(a) first and second inwardly and downwardly sloping interior wall portions, each having a lower end portion and (b) a bottom support foot, said bottom support foot located adjacent said lower end portion of said first and said second inwardly and downwardly sloping interior wall portions, and (i) extending laterally across at least a portion of said roll support cradle portion, and (ii) extending downwardly to a location substantially even with said first base.
- 3. The apparatus as set forth in claim 2, wherein each of said first and second inwardly and downwardly sloping interior wall portions of said support platforms is angled downwardly and inwardly at a preselected angle alpha and beta, respectively.
- 4. The apparatus as set forth in claim 3 wherein said angle alpha (α) is about 20 degrees.
- 5. The apparatus as set forth in claim 3 wherein said angle beta (β) is about 20 degrees.
- 6. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein each of said opposing sidewall portions is angled upward and inward at an angle sigma (Σ) of about 20 degrees, with respect to a plane perpendicular to said first base.
- 7. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said support platform comprises a generally concave, stadium bowl shape.
- 8. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein each of said roll support cradle portions has a bottom portion, and wherein said bottom portion is elevated above said base.
- 9. The apparatus as set forth in claim 8, wherein said bottom portion of said roll support cradle portion is elevated about 0.25 inches above said base.
- 10. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said first end wall portion further comprises a plurality of strengthening flutes, said strengthening flutes oriented along the plane of said first end wall portion.
- 11. The apparatus as set forth in claim 10, wherein said flutes each comprise a long, rounded groove in said first end wall portion.
- 12. The apparatus as set forth in claim 11, wherein three flutes are provided in said first end wall portion.
- 13. The support apparatus of claim 12, wherein said plastic material is a recycled plastic, material.
- 14. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein at least one of said opposing sidewalls further comprise a plurality of strengthening flutes.
- 15. The apparatus as set forth in claim 14, wherein both of said opposing sidewalls comprise a plurality of strengthening flutes.
- 16. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1, further comprising one or more strengthening ridges, said one or more strengthening ridges extending between said first end wall portion and said second end wall portion of adjacent roll support cradle portions.
- 17. The apparatus as set forth in claim 16, wherein at least two strengthening ridges are provided between said first end wall portion and said second end wall portion of adjacent roll support cradle portions.
- 18. The apparatus as set forth in claim 17, wherein said strengthening ridges are trapezoidal in cross-sectional shape.
- 19. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1, further comprising:(a) a second set of roll support cradle portions, each of said second set of roll support cradle portions comprising (i) an outward surface shaped in an arcuate segment of pre-selected dimensions adapted for securely receiving a piece of roll stock of substantially complementary shape, (ii) a third end wall portion, and (iii) a fourth end wall portion; (b) a second set of pairs of opposing sidewall portions, one of said plurality of pairs provided for each one of said plurality of roll support cradle portions, each of said opposing sidewall portions sloping inwardly and upwardly toward its companion roll support cradle portion; (c) a second base, said second base providing structural support to (i) each one of said second set of pairs of opposing sidewall portions, which, in turn, each provide structural support for a companion roll support cradle portion, (ii) said third end wall portion, and (iii) said fourth end wall portion; (d) one or more support platforms in each of said roll support cradle portions in said second set of roll support cradle portions.
- 20. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said support apparatus comprises a strong, flexible plastic material.
- 21. The support apparatus as set forth in claim 20, wherein the plastic material comprises polyethylene terephthalate.
- 22. The support apparatus as set forth in claim 20, wherein said support apparatus comprises a thermoformed solid.
- 23. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said first base portion comprises, along a longitudinal axis, first and second edge portions, and wherein said first and second edge portions each further comprise a plurality of registration locks, said registration locks arranged in complementary interfitting fashion so that a first one and a second one of said support units are interlockingly engaged and thus registered each to the other when first and second support units are placed in back-to-back configuration.
- 24. The support apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said first base of said support apparatus is sufficiently thin so that at least 16 support apparatus units are stackable in one inch of stacking height.
- 25. The support apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said first base of said support apparatus is sufficiently thin so that at least 20 support apparatus units are stackable in one inch of stacking height.
- 26. The support apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said first base of said support apparatus is sufficiently thin so that at least 25 support apparatus units are stackable in one inch of stacking height.
- 27. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said second end wall portion further comprises a plurality of strengthening flutes, said strengthening flutes oriented along the plane of said second end wall portion.
- 28. The apparatus as set forth in claim 27, wherein said flutes each comprise a long, rounded groove in said second end wall portion.
- 29. The apparatus as set forth in claim 28, wherein three flutes are provided in said second end wall portion.
- 30. The combination of(a) a plurality of support apparatus units as set forth in claim 1, and (b) a plurality of rolls of roll stock, wherein (1) a first support layer of two singular support apparatus units, said support apparatus units placed in a substantially parallel, spaced apart relationship with said first base on a selected substrate, said two singular support apparatus units supporting thereon a 1st tier layer in a series of layers from 1 to N layers, said 1st tier layer comprising multiple of rolls of said roll stock, (2) a second support layer of two back-to-back units of said plurality of roll supports stacked on said 1st tier layer of rolls of roll stock, to secure said 1st tier layer and to support a second tier layer of rolls of roll stock. (3) additional support layers of back-to-back configuration roll supports and additional layers of rolls of roll stock thereon, above said second tier layer of roll stock, through an Nth and final layer of rolls of roll stock.
PRIORITY, RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application is a Continuation-In-Part of prior application Ser. No. 09/613,652, filed Jul. 11, 2000, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,322,034, issued Nov. 27, 2001, which was a Continuation-In-Part of prior application Ser. No. 09/330,536, filed Jun. 11, 1999, now US Pat. No. 6,209,839, issued Apr. 3, 2001, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein in their entirety by this reference.
US Referenced Citations (36)
Continuation in Parts (2)
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Number |
Date |
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09/613652 |
Jul 2000 |
US |
Child |
09/997060 |
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US |
Parent |
09/330536 |
Jun 1999 |
US |
Child |
09/613652 |
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US |