Patent Application
20060049070
The invention relates to a shipping base for articles including household appliances and the like.
Household appliances, such as washing machines, dryers and the like, need to be delivered from the factory, to the store and to the customer in an undamaged condition. Such appliances are typically large, bulky and/or heavy. The exterior of such appliances commonly consists of a skin of metal panels that, for reasons of weight and economy, are not particularly robust. Also, such appliances often have exposed operable parts or connectors. The positioning of these elements and/or their proximity to the outer periphery of the appliance may place them at risk of damage during shipment and delivery. Delivery of a damaged or inoperable appliance can have a significant effect on customer satisfaction with a brand or a retailer. Even superficial damage to the exterior panels can easily render the appliance unacceptable to the customer and ultimately saleable only at an extremely reduced price. It is therefore desirable to provide for the support and protection of the appliance during shipping and delivery so as to avoid structural and cosmetic damage.
Appliances are sometimes shipped mounted on a base or pallet, which supports the bottom end and which is often slightly larger than the appliance itself. The base is designed to be handled mechanically, such as by a forklift, hand truck or the like. The base serves to protect the appliance by providing a relatively rigid and stable support or engagement surface. When being moved, the lifting mechanism will engage the base, typically without engaging the appliance itself.
One example of a prior shipping base, which was proposed for use with large appliances, is shown in published U.S. Patent Application No. 2003/0057342, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. This shipping base comprises a rectangular frame of molded plastic. The sides or rails of the frame comprise upright walls. Each pair of adjacent walls is joined by a horizontal web. The webs are alternately at the top and bottom. The exposed walls at the sides of the rails, facing outwards and facing into the open interior of the frame, are solid. The other walls are of lattice construction, for light weight and economy of material.
Terms such as “top,” “bottom” and “horizontal” as used in this specification refer to the relative position of the features in use of the base, resting on a horizontal support with an appliance or other article mounted on it. The “upright” walls are then typically a few degrees off vertical, for ease of molding.
One embodiment of the invention provides a base for shipping or storing an article, the base comprising a frame, the frame comprising rails, at least one rail comprising two outer upright walls, with respect to a normal orientation of the base in use, at least two intermediate walls between the outer walls, webs joining the bottom of each outer wall to the bottom of the adjacent intermediate wall, and at least one web joining together the intermediate walls.
The outer walls may be solid. Some or all of the intermediate walls may be of trussed or other open construction. The at least one rail may have exactly four walls, with the tops of the two intermediate walls being joined by a single horizontal web, so that the rail as a whole has a roughly W-shaped cross-section.
Another embodiment of the invention provides a shipping base comprising a frame with at least one rail having longitudinal walls connected by webs alternately at the top and the bottom, wherein at least two bottom webs are solid and are joined along the length of the rail directly to solid walls.
A further embodiment of the invention provides a base comprising rails meeting at corners. At least one rail comprises a first solid side wall. A first solid bottom web is joined to the first solid side wall along the bottom edge of the first solid side wall and a first side of the first solid bottom web. A first internal wall is joined to the first solid bottom web along the bottom edge of the first internal wall and a second side of the first solid bottom web. A top web is joined to the first internal wall along the top edge of the first internal wall and a first side of the top web. A second internal wall is joined to the first top web along the top edge of the second internal wall and a second side of the top web. A second solid bottom web is joined to the second internal wall along the bottom edge of the second internal wall and a first side of the second solid bottom web. A second solid side wall is joined to the second solid bottom web along the bottom edge of the second solid side wall and a second side of the second solid bottom web.
The face of the base that is upwards in the normal orientation in use may be provided with formations to engage, support, and/or retain an appliance or other article on the base. For example, the base may be provided with sockets to receive feet of such an appliance, or with supports for lower edges of a frame or bodywork of such an appliance. Examples of such supports are shown in above-mentioned patent application no. 2003/0057342 in the form of projecting ribs 100. Examples of such sockets are shown in above-mentioned patent application no. 2003/0057342 in the form of sockets 14 and 120.
Another embodiment of the invention provides a combination of a base according to the invention and an appliance or other article mounted on the base.
The basic aspects of the present invention may be combined in a number of forms. The preferred aspects of the various constructions may be used in conjunction with one another or used alone. The various features provide certain advantages over the prior art. These advantages will be described herein and will be understood by those skilled in the art upon reviewing the description and drawings.
For the purpose of illustrating the invention, there are shown in the drawings forms of the invention which are presently preferred; it being understood, however, that this invention is not limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown. In the drawings:
Referring to the accompanying drawings, where like numerals identify like elements, there is shown one form of a shipping base according to the present invention, which is identified generally by reference numeral 20. The shipping base 20 is preferably injection molded from a plastic material, such as polypropylene. The specific polymer, filler or reinforcement material can be varied to meet the specific requirements of the application.
Throughout this specification, terms such as “top”, “bottom,” and “vertical” are used in the interest of clarity with reference to an orientation of the base in a typical use with an appliance positioned there-above. It is not required that the base be provided below the appliance or that the base be maintained exactly in this orientation. Variation of the structures may be defined whereby portions of base are oriented vertically or at some angle with respect to horizontal. Also, when separated from the appliance, the base may be stored and transported in any convenient orientation.
The shipping base 20 as illustrated is in the general form of a rectangular frame, with front and rear rails 22, 24 and two side rails 26, 28. Referring especially to
As is best seen in
Referring now to
In this condition, the weight of the article 50 on the base 20 may be supported in large part by the end of the part of the first support 54 that actually supports the base 20, under the base 20 between the feet 52. The contact force that supports the base at this point is symbolized in
The forces in the opposite direction are much less, because the feet 52 are typically much closer to the outside of the base 20 than to the middle. Thus, even if the base 20 is supported at its extreme edges, the distance between the points of support and the points of loading by the weight force 52 is small, so the bending moments generated are small.
As shown in
As may be seen in
The bottom webs 42, 44 are joined along their outer edges to the solid inner and outer walls 32, 30. This forms, in effect, a solid L-section member along the bottom corners of the rail 22, 24, which is a structure highly resistant to bending and buckling in the regions most subject to compressive stress. The weight and material of the rails 22, 24 is thus concentrated where it is needed.
The embodiment shown in the drawings is intended for use in conditions where the sort of bending moments shown in
The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential attributes thereof and, accordingly, reference should be made to the appended claims, rather than to the foregoing specification, as indicating the scope of the invention. For example, although the base has been shown with rectangular wells or sockets 48 at all four corners, some appliances have adjustable feet at two or all four corners. A base intended for use with such an appliance may be provided with sockets, such as those shown in above-mentioned U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2003/0057342, or with other appropriate formations, at two or all four corners.
Also, depending on the location of the feet of the particular appliance, some or all of the sockets may be positioned away from the corners of the base, or along the front, back or sides.
The outer edges of any or all of the rails 22, 24, 26, 28 may be recessed downwards as described in above-mentioned U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2003/0057342. In some cases, lowering of the outer edge may be required along only some edges, for example, it may not be required at the rear of the appliance. Thus, any combination of raised and lowered surfaces may be provided on the edges. Other variations are contemplated and will be understood by those in the art.
