Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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This invention relates to a method of making a support
attachable to the wall of a shipping container and a method of
spacing a container from a surface using such a support.
Shipping containers used in industry to package and
transport various products, component parts and the like
frequently take the form of relatively large boxes of corru-
gated material or cardboard which are sometimes supplied in
knocked-down form and assembled as required. The bottom wall
of such containers may be relatively weak because of the
inherent nature of the box material or because the bottom side
actually comprises flaps folded and secured together. In any
event, handling and stacking of such containers by means of
fork-lift trucks is facilitated if the box is disposed on some
sort of pallet. Conventional reuseable pallets made of wood or
other materials are commercially available. However, they must
be stored before and after use and this requires space. In
addition, such pallets are relatively costly and deposit
arrangements are sometimes required to insure their return to
the supplier.
Cheaper disposable pallets have been made from a flat
sheet of corrugated material to the bottom surface of which
discrete rolls of corrugated material are attached by conven-
tional air-drying gluing processes. Again, however, such
pallets are relatively large and require an undue amount of
storage space. Furthermore, the manufacture of such pallets
requires considerable space to house the pallets till the glue
sets. Strips of wood, such as 2 x 4's, or other materials, have
also been glued directly to the bottom of previously assembled
containers by conventional air-drying glues, to provide con-
tainers having built-in pallets. However, these arrangements
have drawbacks. For example, wood is costly and is not ordinarily
salvageable or reuseable for pallet purposes. Made-up containers
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having built-in pallet means require relatively costly manu~ac-
turing techniques and more storage space than simple conventional
knock-down type corrugated boxes or containers.
The following patents further disclose the state of
the art in palletized containers: United States Patents
3,247,810, 3,331,496; 3,398,703, 3,425,367, 3,464,371; 3,519,190
3,605,651, 3,695,506 and 3,697,029.
The present invention aims to overcome the problems
discussed by providing a new way of making a load-bearing
support for adhesive attachment to the wall of a container to
space it from a surface. In accordance with the invention, as
load-bearing body material, narrow sheet material, preferably
corrugated sheet material, is selected with the parallel edges
and the corrugations perpendicular thereto. The sheet material
is assembled into a packed body of contiguous layers with the
parallel edges exposed to present generally flat opposed sur-
faces. A rigid facing piece is adhesively secured to each of
the opposed surfaces. A coating of instant bonding adhesive
and a removable protectlve sheet is applied to the outer sur-
face of one facing piece. In one form of the invention, thesheet material is selected in the form of an elongated strip
and the assembling is effected by winding it into a packed
cylindrical body with the free end attached to the adjacent
layer to hold the support together. In another embodiment, the
sheet materlal is selected in the form of a plurality of rect-
angular strips and the assembling is effected by stacking the
strips eide-by-s:ide in adjacent contiguous relationship to form
a packed body of rectangular cross-section. Preferably, in these
structures, the adjacent layers are adhesively secured together.
The facing pieces may be applied as separate sheets of relatively
rigid material or by wrapping a sheet of flexible material, for
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example, corrugated material, around the packed structure to
provide the facing strips and securing the free end of the
flexible material to the structure. The wrapped around sheet
may, if desired, be adhesively secured to the surfaces all
around the packed structure. The corrugated material may be
made from paperboard or other material from which corrugated
is usually made.
In the use of the support, a container having a
designated wall to be spaced and a support are also selected.
The removable sheet is removed from the support to uncover the
adhesive face. The adhesive surface of the support is then
pressed against the designated wall of the container to which
it will immediately adhere by the action of the adhesive. One
or several supports may be applied to one or more walls of the
container in various arrangements depending on the spacing or
supporting function desired.
According to a broad aspect, the present invention
provides a method of making an elongated load bearing support
of rectangular cross-section to be attached by pressure sen-
sitive adhesive to a shipping container having a bottom walland a pair of spaced apart side walls to space said bottom wall
from a support surface and strengthen said bottom wall, com-
prising the steps of: selecting a plurality of elongated rec-
tangular strips of corrugated sheet material having elongated
spaced apart edges and in which the corrugations are perpen-
dicular to said spaced apart edges, stacking said plurality
of elongated rectangular strips side-by-side in adjacent con-
tiguous relationship to form an elongated packed body of con-
tiguous layers with said spaced apart edges of said strips
exposed so as to present generally flat opposed elongated
parallel surfaces, adhesively securing together said contiguous
layers to prevent displacement of said layers relative to each
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other, providing a first facing piece and a second rigid
facing piece, adhesively securing said first facing piece to
one of said flat opposed surfaces and adhesively securing said
second rigid facing piece to the other of said flat opposed
surfaces to strengthen and rigidify said elongated packed body
and protect said edges of said strips, conforming the length
of said elongated support substantially to the dimension bet-
ween one pair of said spaced apart side walls and applying a
coating of pressure sensitive adhesive and a removable protec-
tive sheet for said pressure sensitive adhesive to the outersurface of at least one of said first and second facing piece.
The invention has been generally described and it
will now be referred to in more detail by reference to the
accompanying drawings, which illustrate preferred showings
of supports made by the method of the invention and containers
to which such supports have been applied. Referring more
particularly to the d~awings:
Figure 1 is an isometric view from the top of a
container having supports secured to it according to the
invention
Figure 2 is an isometric view of the bottom wall
of the container shown in Figure 1:
Figure 3 is an enlarged end view of a support
shown in Figures 1 and 2
Figure 4 is an isometric view of a support shown
in Figures 1, 2 and 3
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Figure 5 is an isometric view of another form of
support;
Figure 6 is an isometric view of a cylindrical
support;
Figure 7 is a bottom plan view of the support shown
in Figure 6,
Figure 8 is an isometric view of the bottom of a
container employing cylindrical supports
applied in accordance with one aspect of
the invention,
Figure 9 is a view similar to Figure 8 but showing
supports applied in accordance with another
aspect, and
Figure 10 is an isometric view showing two containers
disposed in side-by-side relationship with
supports applied in accordance with the
invention used for palletizing and to per-
form a spacing function therebetween.
Referring to Figures 1 and 2, the numeral 10 desig-
nates a conventional shipping container as used in industry topackage and transport various products, component parts or other
contents and with which the present invention is advantageously
employed to space the container from a surface. Figure 1 shows
the container 10 resting on one side to provide a view of its
underwall. The container 10, for example, may take the form of
a box formed of corrugated material or cardboard which is
supplied to the user in the form of a flat knocked-down blank
to be assembled when needed. The container 10 comprises a top
wall comprising two inwardly foldable flaps 12 and 14, a bottom
wall also comprising two inwardly folded flaps 16 and 18 best
seen in Figure 2, a front wall 20, a rear wall 22, a front wall
24 and a rear wall 26. The mating edges of the top flaps 12 and
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14 are sealable by a strip of adhesive paper or tape 30, as
shown in Figure 2. The mating edges of the bottom flaps 16 and
18 are also sealed by a strip of adhesive paper or tape 32, as
shown in Figures 1 and 2.
To facilitate the handling and stacking of container
10 by means, for example of a fork-lift truck or similar appara-
tus, or merely to space the container from the surface on w~ich
it rests supports made according to the invention in the form of
elongated legs or runners 34 and 36 are secured to the bottom
side of the container by means of a quick-drying adhesive, such
as a pressure sensitive adhesive.
As Figure 2 best shows, the supports 34 and 36 are
elongated and of rectangular cross-section, and in this example
are arranged in spaced apart relationship on the bottom wall of
a container 10 so that their longitudinal axes extend trans-
versely to the mating edges of the flaps 16 and 18 on the bottom
wall of the container. When the elongated supports 34 and 36
are arranged in this manner they serve to strengthen the under-
side of the container 10 as well as to provide means for spacing
it from the surface on which it rests thereby providing a
palletized container easily liftable by a fork-lift truck.
Since the supports 34 and 36 are made identically,
only the manufacture of the support 36 will be described in
detail. A plurality of long narrow corrugated sheet material
strips are selected, with the long sides having parallel edges
and corrugations perpendicular thereto. The material may be
of corrugated paperboard of the type readily available in the
container industry. These strips are arranged alongside one
another and secured against displacement, in a stack, by fold-
ing an outer sheath 42 around the stack and securing it togetheras by applying glue at 44 or several staples 46. In assembling
the structure, glue may also be applied to adhesively secure the
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adjacent strips 40 together, prior to wrapping with the sheath
42. Glue may also be applied to the inner sides of the sheath
42 as at 50. As Figure 3 shows, each strip has been preferably
arranged in a plane transverse (i.e. at right angles) to the
bottom surface of the container 10, thus enabling a support 36
to support a greater compressive load.
A coating or layer 52 of quick drying or instant bond-
ing adhesive, preferably pressure sensitive adhesive, is applied
to the upper side 51 of the support 36 during manufacture. A
removable sheet or layer 54 of paper or film, treated to prevent
it from adhering permanently is applied to the layer 52 for
eventual peeling away.
After the container 10 has been assembled and at least
the bottom side has its flaps 16 and 18 folded inwardly and - -
suitably secured in place, as by the tape 32 to form a wall,
the supports 34 and 36 are suitably arranged and attached to the
bottom wall. In attaching a support 34 or 36, the protective
sheet 54 is stripped away and the adhesive coated surface 50 -
pressed against the wall of the container 10. The quick drying
or instant bonding adhesive takes hold immediately to secure
the support 34 or 36 to the container wall. Figures 1 and 2
show two elongated supports 34 and 36. Additional supports,
arranged in a desired manner and with desired spacing may be
applied to the wall of the container.
Figure 5 is a perspective view of another type of
elongated support 60 made similarly to support 36. A plurality
of strips 62 of corrugated material or cardboard are secured
together as at 64 by adhesive. Unlike support 36, a folded
outer sheet is not wrapped around the outside. Rather a facing
piece 63 formed of corrugated material is glued by a suitable
adhesive to the face presented by the edges of the strips 62.
The strips 63 and 65 are applied to strengthen and rigidify the
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entire support 60 and protect the edges of the strips 62 forming
the surface of the stack. Applying the top strip 63 provides a
flat uninterrupted surface for the layer 68 of instant bonding
adhesive. The bottom strip 65 is of hardboard, selected to be
rugged and strong and capable of withstanding scuffing and
scraping. As with the support 36, a layer 68 of quick drying or
instant bonding adhesive protected by a removable sheet 70 is
applied to the upper surface 66 of the top strip 63. The support
60 is applied by the same method and for the same purpose as the
support 36, as described earlier.
Figures 6 and 7 show still another type of support
72, manufactured in accordance with the invention. Figures 8
and 9 show pluralities of supports 72 which have been affixed
to the underside of containers 74 and 76, respectively. The
containers 74 and 76 are similar to the container 10. In this
case, each support 72 is made by winding or rolling a long
narrow strip 80 of corrugated material or cardboard of uniform
width into a generally cylindrical body. Glued as at 82 or a
staple 84 is applied to the free end of the strip 80, to secure
it in place and prevent the strip 80 from unravelling. A coat-
ing or layer 88 of quick drying adhesive is applied to one flat
end of the cylindrical body 72 serving as the upper side of the
support. A removable sheet or layer 90 of paper or film is
applied over the glue to protect it until ready for use.
The supports 72 may be usefully applied to the bottom
of a container in various arrangements. Figure 8 shows supports
72 arranged symmetrically, one near each box corner. Figure 9
shows nine supports 72 arranged in symmetrical rows of three
each. It is preferable to place the supports as shown in Figure
9 rather than as in Figure 8 if the containers 75 have to carry
a substantially heavier load.
Figure 10 shows two containers lOa and lOb arranged
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in side-by-side relationship. Two spaced apart supports 36 have
been applied to the bottom wall of each container to space it
from its supporting surface. In addition, a support 34a has
been applied to a side or end wall 20 to serve as a buffer or
spacer against the adjoining container lOb.
As an example of dimensions, making one embodiment of
support 60 of the type shown in Figure 5, the components were
selected so that the support was about 27-1/2 inches long, 4
inches wide and 3 inches high. About twenty strips 62 of
corrugated material, each of the order of 3-3/16th of an inch
thick were selected, assembled, and each joined to its adjacent
strip by conventional air drying adhesive. For the bottom strip
65, hardboard of the order of 1/8th of an inch thick was selec-
ted, and for the top strip 63, there was selected corrugated
material of the order of l/8th of an inch to 3/16th of an inch
thick.
It is evident that the invention provides a convenient
way of spacing a shipping carton from a surface and a new way of
making supports for this purpose economically from readily avail-
able material. By selecting and assembling sheet material inthe manner described, material which is normally, as a single
ply, weak from a load-bearing point of view is so assembled into
a structure in which it receives the thrust of the load edge-
wise and mutual cooperation of the contiguous sheets in stacked
relationship resists buckling so that the composite structure
has considerable compression strength. The strength is further
enhanced by the facing pieces to cover the exposed edges of the
sheet material and the adhesive securing the sheets. Where
corrugated material is used the structure is cellular so the
strength-weight factor is improved.
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