Patent Application
20130015184
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
This invention relates industrial shipping racks and an efficient device for storing material on these racks.
The most common manner of securing items to industrial shipping racks is stretch plastic shrink wrap or “stretch film.” Stretch film contains many difficulties, notably it can only be used once and is expensive. A single use can cost $78. Virtually no stretch film is recycled and it requires 120-240 years to biodegrade in a landfill. As a result, others have proposed solutions to replacing stretch film in some settings, but these are woefully insufficient when compared to the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,549,654 issued to Anderson describes a rack which is used to move soiled clothing from a usage point to a laundry point. The rack discloses a cloth cover which covers a series of shelves that further comprise a series of baskets in which some laundry is stored in each basket. Anderson teaches, that by keeping materials isolated from the edges of the container, the container will be able to contain the materials. This teaches away from the current invention which utilizes a series of fasteners and more rugged material to keep the contents of the container in place by having a reinforced cover as opposed to using a plurality of shelves and baskets.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,923,458 issued to Hooper discloses a canvas tarp that covers the top and two sides of a wheeled cart. Hooper only teaches a way to cover the top and two sides of a cart and uses a plurality of metal bars to secure the other sides. As with Anderson, the Hooper device, if it worked, would be used in commercial settings where a pallet's motion can be carefully controlled by an operator and there was no need to secure the remaining sides. However, the present invention teaches a device that can be used in industrial settings, where, unlike the cargo in Hooper and Anderson, cargo moves wildly and requires a more sophisticated theory of reinforcement.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,954,384 issued to Hartwell teaches a fabric cover for moving food items. Like Anderson and Hooper it teaches keeping cargo stationary in order to move it and it does not teach a top enclosure or use of a desiccant to control moisture.
Additionally, none of the above stated references teach the security features for this invention. Pilfering is a known problem in industrial storage racks and the security straps and grommets taught in the claimed invention directly address that problem.
The present invention includes methods, systems, and other means for protecting cargo on an industrial shipping rack. The invention is a resusable cover with integrated fasteners for transporting material on an industrial shipping rack which comprises a body. The body has five primary portions an upper main flap distinguished from a rear panel section at an upper flap fold line. Similarly, the rear panel section is distinguished from a right panel section at a right panel section fold line and the rear panel section is additionally distinguished from a left panel section at a left panel section fold line. The right panel section is distinguished from a forward right panel section at a forward right panel section fold line and the left panel section is distinguished from a forward left panel section at a forward left panel section fold line. The upper main flap is mechanically coupled to left upper flap side flap at a left upper flap side flap fold line. Similarly, the upper main flap is mechanically coupled to a right upper flap side flap at a right upper flap side flap fold line. Additionally, the upper main flap is mechanically coupled to an upper flap forward flap at an upper flap forward flap fold line. Here, the forward left panel section is mechanically coupled to the forward right panel section by an attachment mechanism and the attachment mechanism comprises a attached securement webbing mechanically coupled to a first D-ring and second D-ring.
Having thus described the invention in general terms, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, which are not necessarily drawn to scale, and wherein:
Embodiments of the present invention overcome many of the obstacles associated with moving materials on industrial shipping racks, and now will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings that show some, but not all embodiments of the claimed inventions. Indeed, the invention may be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will satisfy applicable legal requirements. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout.
Cover assembly 10 comprises upper main flap 26 which is mechanically coupled to rear panel section 52. Rear panel section 52 is mechanically coupled to right panel section 54 and left panel section 56. Right panel section 54 is further mechanically coupled to forward right panel section 60. Left panel section 56 is further mechanically coupled to forward left panel section 58. In some embodiments this configuration may be separate sections mechanically coupled by sewing and in other embodiments this configuration may be a single piece of material without mechanical couplings and with fold lines as shown in
Upper main flap 26 further comprises a left upper flap side flap 28, a right upper flap side flap 28, upper flap forward flap 32. Right upper flap side flap 28 further comprises right upper flap side flap hook fastener 98. Left upper flap side flap 28 further comprises Left upper flap side flap hook fastener 98. Upper flap forward flap 32 further comprises upper flap side flap hook fastener 92. Forward left panel section 58 is mechanically coupled to attachment securing webbing 20 and view window 22.
To use the device a user places rear panel section 52 immediately adjacent to left rear post 86 and right rear post 86 such that right panel section fold line 62 is immediately adjacent to right rear post 86. The user then wraps left panel 56 such that is immediately adjacent to left rear post 86 and left front post 88 such that left front post 88 is immediately adjacent to forward left panel section fold line 70. The user then wraps right panel 62 such that is immediately adjacent to right rear post 86 and right front post 88 such that right front post 88 is immediately adjacent to forward right panel section fold line 64.
As shown, right panel 62 further comprises right panel section loop fastener 102. Forward right panel section 60 further comprises right panel section loop fastener 96, and D-ring 82, which is mechanically coupled to tension release cord 90. Left panel desiccant bag pouch 50 is mechanically couple to left panel section 56. Center panel desiccant bag pouch 50 is mechanically couple to center panel section 52.
As shown view window 22 is mechanically coupled to forward left panel section 58. A user can also mechanically couple logo 16 or packing slip pouch 18 to left panel section 58. Logo 16 is mechanically coupled to left panel section 58 with permanent labeling such as silk screening, embroidery, fabric paint, and other techniques and can be any color and in any location.
Forward left panel section 58 further comprises view window 22, forward left panel desiccant bag pouch 50 left corner grommet 72, left security strap 78 and left security strap grommet 80. Forward left panel section 58 further comprises securement webbings 20. Forward right panel section 60 further comprises forward right panel desiccant bag pouch 50 right corner grommet 72, right security strap 78 and right security strap grommet 80. Right panel section 60 is mechanically coupled to right panel desiccant bag pouch 50. Center panel section 52 is mechanically coupled to center panel desiccant bag pouch 50. Right panel section 54 is mechanically coupled to right panel desiccant bag pouch 50.
The use of security straps and grommets to prevent pilfering is a novel feature of the device and this novel feature can be manifested in many ways including the usage of locks, locking bolts and similarly effective mechanisms that would secure all but the intended user from using the device.
Forward right panel section 60 is mechanically coupled to D-ring webbing 76, which is further mechanically coupled to D-ring 82 and tension release cord 90. To secure forward right panel section 60 to forward left panel section 58, a user mechanically couples attached securement webbing 20 to D-ring 82 in a well-known manner. To uncouple attached securement webbing 20 from D-ring 82, a user applies force to tension release cord 90 in a well-known manner. A user could mechanically couple logo 16 into any position on this view in the manner stated above.
To mechanically couple upper main flap 26 to forward left panel section 60 and forward left panel 58, a user mechanically couples upper flap forward hook fastener 92 to forward left panel section loop fastener 94 and forward right panel section loop fastener 96. Similarly, a user can mechanically couple upper main flap 26 to right panel section 54 by mechanically right upper flap side flap hook fastener 98 to right panel section loop fastener 102. Additionally, a user can mechanically couple upper main flap 26 to left panel section 56 by mechanically coupling left upper flap side flap hook fastener 98 to left panel section loop fastener 100.
This application claims priority to provisional patent application 61/506,452 filed on Jul. 11, 2011.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 61506452 | Jul 2011 | US |
