Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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~140895
FURNITURE BASE
This invention relates to a method of packaging furniture support bases
and relates particularly but not exclusively to a method of packing furniture
support bases ("multi-arm~ support bases ) having a plurality of spaced arms
5 disposed about a central boss portion to which the ~support leg~ (or other upright
support member) of the article of furniture is attached. The most common such
multi arm support bases include from four to six, usually five, arms equally
spaced about the central boss portion and are made from any suitable synthetic
plastics or metal material.
In the known prior art, multi arm support bases are packaged for transport
in cardboard cartons. The bases are either merely stacked one on top of another
in a single stack or in two such stacks side by side with the amms of one stack of
bases interposed between the arms of the other stack of bases. The stacking
and packaging of bases in such a manner results in a large empty space volume
1~ in the carton. In the case of the single stack the occupied space volume is only
about 11% of the total box volume and in the case of the side by side stacking
the occupied space volume is about 13-15% of the total carton volume. The
increase in occupied volume of the side by side stacking is not as great as may
be expected as it is necessary to include spacing packaging to prevent damage
20 in transit of the ends of the base arms.
A problem has existed in recent years since the introduction of synthetic
plastics material multi arm support bases in that transport costs for synthetic
piastics material bases is up to two times the transport cost of the same numberof equivalent sized metal bases in the identical sized carton. This is due to
25 shipping and freight rates being determined on a volume as against weight rate
for lighter weight larger volume cartons. International Application No.
PCT/AU92/00205 (WO 92/19499 - ~the PCT Application~) describes a method of
packaging multi arm support bases, said bases preferably having five arms
equidistantly radially disposed about a central axis which comprises:- placing
30 one set of bases in a carton one by another in a substantially ordered stack;placing a second set of bases in said carton one by another in a substantially
ordered stack in a plane substantially parallel to and gsnerally co-axially
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disposed in the same direction as the first set of bases; placing a third set ofbases in said carton one by another in a substantially ordered stack in a plane at
right angles to the plane of the first set of bases; and placing a fourth set of bases
in said carton one by another in a substantially ordered stack in a plane at right
5 angles to the plane of the first set of bases and generally co-axially disposed in
the same direction as the third set of bases. The Application also discloses a
package of such bases.
The present invention seeks to overcome the problem of the costs of
packaging for transport of furniture support bases and to reduce the costs of
10 such bases to the user and to provide an alternative to, or improvement in, the
method and packaging described in the PCT Application by either increasing the
number of bases in a package or by placing the same number of bases in a
package in a different manner.
With reference to the following description, a substantially ordered stack
15 or set of bases is intended to mean a stack or set of bases (whether in upper- to
under-side, upper- to upper-side, or under- to under-side relationship or
otherwise) in which the central axes of the bases in the stack or set are generally
co-axially disposed and any arm of a base is disposed in the same general
direction as an arm of another base in the stack or set and in which the general20 planes of the bases in the stack or set are substantially parallel. Furthermore the
multi arm support base can be considered to have the various arms further
identified as a "head", as "outstretched amms" and as ~legs" if the support base is
seen to have a "human" form or caricature of a person with outstretched arms
and legs akimbo. Whilst the above serves to differentiate between the
2~ otherwise identical arms it will be appreciated that the term "head" could beapplied to any one of the arms with appropriate adjustment of the terminology
applied to the other arms or~appendages~.
The present invention therefore, in one preferred form, provides a method
of packaging a number of multi-arm support bases in a carton, said bases
30 having a plurality of arms disposed about a central axis which method
comprises:
placing one set of bases in said carton one by another and generally
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co-axially disposed; and
placing another set of bases in said carton one by another in a
substantially ordered stack in a plane at right angles to the plane of the first set of
bases.
The present invention also provides a package comprising a number of
multi-arm support bases in a carton, said bases having a plurality of arms
disposed about a central axis which package comprises:
one set of bases in said carton one by another and generally co-axially
disposed; and
another set of bases in said carton one by another in a substantially
ordered stack in a plane at right angles to the plane of the first set of bases.Preferably the sets of bases comprise pairs of Uunder- to under-side" multi
arm supports. Preferably the one and another sets of bases have the same
number of bases in the set, the axes of the sets are disposed substantially at
15 right angles and the heads~ of the two sets of bases are disposed in opposite
directions. Preferably there are from six to ten most preferably eight bases in
each set.
The present invention also in another preferred form, provides a method
of packaging a number of multi-arm support bases in a carton, said bases
20 having a plurality of arms disposed about a central axis which method
comprises:
placing one set of bases in said carton one by another in a substantially
ordered stack and generally co-axially disposed;
placing another set of bases in said carton one by another in a
25 substantially ordered stack in a plane substantially at right angles to the plane of
the one set of bases and generally axially disposed at right angles to the axis of
the one set of bases;
placing a further set of bases in said carton one by another in a
substantially ordered stack in a plane at right angles to the plane of both the one
30 and the another sets of bases; and
placing yet another set of bases in said carton one by another in a
substantially ordered stack in a plane at right angles to the plane of the another
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and the further sets of bases and generally co-axially disposed in the same axial
direction as the one set of bases.
The present invention also in another preferred form also provides a
package comprising a number of multi-arm support bases, said bases having a
5 plurality of arms disposed about a central axis which package comprises:
one set of bases one by another in a substantially ordered stack;
another set of bases one by another in a substantially ordered stack in a
plane substantially at right angles to the plane of the one set of bases and
generally axially disposed at right angles to the axis of the one set of bases;
a further set of bases one by another in a substantially ordered stack in a
plane at right angles to the plane of both the one and the another sets of bases;
and
yet another set of bases one by another in a substantially ordered stack in
a plane at right angles to the plane of the another and the further sets of bases
15 and generally co-axially disposed in the same axial direction as the one set of
bases.
Preferably the another and the further sets of bases are disposed in pairs
in upper- to upper-side or under- to under-side relationship. Preferably the
another set of bases are placed 'head up', the further set of bases are placed
20 'head down' and the one and the yet another sets of bases are placed flat, i.e.
with the planes of the bases substantially parallel to the base of the package.
Preferably the arms of the bases are equidistantly radially disposed about the
central axis. Preferably the bases have from three to six, most preferably five
arms. The number of bases in each set is primarily determined by the relative
25 dimensions of the arms and central boss section of the support base and the
angle of taper of the arms from the central boss section to the free ends of thearms. The number of bases in each set can be readily determined by trial and
experiment and may in normal circumstances vary from three to six. For a base
with five arms as illustrated, there are two bases in the one and yet another sets
30 and eight in the another and the further sets.
It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that it is not necessary to
place the support bases in a conventional cardboard carton. It is possible to
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assemble the bases as previously described on a base and ~shrink wrap~ the
assembly in plastic film. A frame or other support can then be attached to the
base to enable the packs to be stacked one on another to form a 'carton' other
than a conventional cardboard carton .
The present invention therefore also provides a method of packaging a
number of furniture support bases, said bases having five arms equidistantly
radially disposed about a central axis which comprises
placing a first set of two bases one by another in a substantially ordered
stack;
placing a second set of eight bases one by another in a substantially
ordered stack in a plane substantially at right angles to the plane of the first set of
bases and generally axially disposed at right angles to the axis of the first set of
bases;
placing a third set of eight bases one by another in a substantially ordered
15 stack in a plane at right angles to the plane of both the first and second sets of
bases; and
placing a fourth set of two bases one by another in a substantially ordered
stack in a plane at right angles to the plane of the second and third sets of bases
and generally co-axially disposed in the same direction as the first set of bases.
In the first method or package described above it will be seen that there is
provided an alternate way of placing sixteen bases in a package as compared
to the package of the PCT Application. In the second method or package it will
be seen that there is provided a package of the same dimensions and volume of
the package of the PCT Application but including twenty bases, an increase of
2~ twenty -five percent.
Thus it will be seen that the invention broadly discloses a method of
packaging a number of furniture support bases in a carton, said bases having a
plurality of arms disposed about a central axis which method comprises:- placinga first set of two bases flat in said carton one by another in a substantially
30 ordered stack; placing a second set of eight bases head up~ in said carton one
by another in a substantially ordered stack in a plane substantially at right
angles to the first set of bases; placing a third set of eight bases "head down~ in
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said carton one by another in a substantially ordered stack in a plane at right
angles to the plane of the first and second set of bases; and placing a fourth set
of two bases in said carton one by another in a substantially ordered stack in aplane at right angles to the plane of the second and third sets of bases and
generally co-axially disposed in the same direction as the first set of bases. The
second and third sets of bases are generally co-axially disposed at right angles.
A package of bases packed by the method is also disclosed.
Other preferred features of the invention will be determined from the
following description of preferred embodiments of the invention with reference to
10 the accompanying drawings in which:
Fig. 1 is a schematic plan view of bases stacked in a carton in accordance
with a known method .
Fig. 2 is a side elevation of a base shown in Fig. 1 in the direction A.
Fig. 3 is a side elevation of a base shown in Fig. 1 in the direction B.
1~ Fig. 4 is a schematic plan view of bases stacked in a carton in accordance
with an alternative known method.
Fig. ~ is a side elevation view of bases stacked in a carton substantially in
accordance with the method of the PCT Application.
Fig. 6 is a plan view of bases stacked in accordance with an alternate
20 method of the PCT Application.
Fig. 7 shows an exploded side view of the order in which bases are
packed in accordance with a preferred forms of the present invention.
Referring to Figs. 1 to 3 generally there is shown in plan view a stack of
multi arm support bases 10 in a carton 11. The bases each comprise five arms
25 14 equidistantly disposed radially about a central boss section 12 having an axis
13. The axis 13 of the boss section 12 is substantially perpendicular to the
general plane of the base 10 and is adapted to receive an upright member to be
connected for example to a chair or table in subsequent manufacturing
processes. The base 10 generally has an upper-side 1~ and under-side 16.
30 The bases are customarily stacked in under to upper-side configuration but may
be stacked in a random manner. It will be seen that there is a large unoccupied
volume in a carton containing for example a ten high stack of bases. In Figs. 1
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to 3 and particularly Fig. 1 the multi arm support base 10 can be considered to
have the various arms 14 further identified as follows: arm 1 4h may be referredto as the "head~, arms 1 4a may be referred to as "outstretched arms~ and arms
141 be referred to as "legs" if the support base is seen to have a "human"
5 caricature of a person with outstretched arms and legs akimbo. Whilst the
above serves to differentiate between the otherwise identical arms it will be
appreciated that the term Uhead'' could be applied to any one of the arms with
appropriate adjustment of the terminology applied to the other arms.
As shown in Fig. 4 the bases 10 may be placed in the carton 17 in two
10 side by side stacks with one arm (or "head~) 14a of one stack of bases
interposed between two adjacent arms (legsn) 14b, 14c of the other stack of
bases. Such side by side stacking of bases reduces the volume occupied by a
set number of bases as compared to the stack of Fig. 1 but it is clear that there is
still a large unoccupied volume remaining in the carton.
Referring to Fig. ~ there is shown in side elevation a package of bases 10
stacked in accordance with the PCT Application in a carton 20. The bases 10
are disposed in the carton 20 as follows. A first set 21 of four bas~s 10 are
placed in the carton 20. A second set 22 of four bases 10 is placed in the car~on
in a plane substantially parallel to the side of the carton and in planes at right
20 angles to the first set 21 of bases. The second set 22 of bases is disposed to
one side of the axis 24 of the first set 21 of bases.
A third set of bases 33 is placed in the carton in similar manner to the
second set 22 but on the opposite side of axis 24 of the first set of bases. Theaxes 25 of the second and third sets of bases are approximately co-axial. It will
25 be appreciated that the nature and configuration of the bases results in the
arrangement being not strictly co-axial as the bases may move to a certain
extent when packed in the carton due in part to any taper on the arms 14 from
the central boss 12 to the extremities of the arms.
A fourth set of 23 of four bases is then placed in ths carton in planes
30 substantially parallel to the planes of the first set of bases. The arms 25a of the
first set of bases are interposed between the arms 25b of the second set of
bases and so on. The axis of the fourth set of bases being substantially co-axial
21~0895 R~:CE~I~/C~ 1 3 DEC1993
with the axis of the first set of bases.
Referring to Fig. 6 there is shown a plan view of an alternative method of
the PCT Application. The bases 10 which have five arms are stacked in carton
26 as follows.
A first set 27 of four bases 10 is inserted in the carton 26 in upper- to
under-side configuration with the upper-side of the outermost base 10a facing
the side of the carton. A second set 28 of four bases 10 is inserted in the carton
26 in upper- to under-side configuration with the upper-side of the outermost
base 1 Ob facing the side of the carton opposite to that of base 1 Oa.
A third set 29 of four bases 10 is inserted in the carton 26 in upper to
under-side configuration with the upper-side of the outermost base 10c facing a
side of the carton adjacent that which base 10a or 10b faces. A fourth set 30 offour bases 10 is inserted in the carton 26 in upper- to under-side configurationwith the upper-side of the outermost base 10d facing the side of the carton
15 opposite that of base 10c.
The axes 31 of the bases of sets 27 and 28 are substantially co-axial. The
axes 32 of the bases of sets 29 and 30 are substantially co-axial and at
approximately right angles to the axes 31 of the bases of sets 27 and 28.
With reference to the "head~, "armsn, Ulegs" terminology referred to in
relation to Figs. 1 to 3 the heads of the sets of bases 21 and 23 of Fig. 5 are
disposed in opposite directions to each other. Similarly the heads of the sets of
bases 27 and 28 in Fig. 6 are disposed in the opposite direction to the heads ofthe sets of bases 29 and 30. In the embodiments illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6 theaxes 24 and 25 in Fig. 5 and the axes 31 and 32 in Fig. 6 are not coplanar.
Depending on the dimension of the bases between the upper and
under-sides it is thus possible to stack twenty bases in a carton of the same size
previously used for from ten to sixteen bases.
It will be readily understood that whilst the bases in each set have been
shown placed in upper- to under-side relationship, the bases do not have to be
30 placed in such a relationship but may be placed in upper to upper or lower to lower relationship or any other random or ordered relationship.
It will be readily appreciated that there is still a large volume of
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unoccupied space in the carton.
Referring to Fig. 7 thers is shown one preferred package 40 in
accordance with the present invention. The package comprises one set 41 of
two bases 41a, 41b disposed substantially co-axially in under- to under-side
5 relationship with the axis being disposed substantially vertically. A second set 42
of eight bases 42a to 42h are disposed in under- to under-side pairs 'head up'
on top of the first set 41 such that the bases are substantially co-axially disposed
and axially disposed at right angles to the axis of the first set 41 of bases. A third
set 43 of eight bases 43a to 43h are disposed in under- to under-side pairs
10 'head down' such that the bases in the set are substantially co-axially disposed
and axially disposed at right angles to the second set 42 of bases so that the
heads of the bases of the third set 43 are disposed between the bases of the
second set 42 of bases. A fourth set 44 of two bases 44a, 44b are disposed on
top of the third set 43 of bases co-axially with and in substantially the same
15 disposition and relationship as the first set 41 of bases.
Depending on the dimension of the bases between the upper and
under-sides it is thus possible to stack twenty bases in a carton of the same size
previously used for from ten to sixteen bases.
It will also be seen from Fig. 7, that an alternative method of packing and
20 package for sixteen multi arm support bases is shown. It is possible to pack the
sixteen bases (second and third layers) in two sets of eight bases in pairs of
multi arm support bases in base to base relationship, in which the two sets of
eight bases are disposed with their axes and their planes substantially at rightangles.
Thus as against the known method of packaging ten bases in a suitable
sized carton with the bases merely stacked one on top of another it is possible to
package from sixteen up to twenty bases in substantially the same size and
volume box thus increasing the numerical capacity of the box by from 60% to
100%. Transportation costs are thus substantially reduced as the packaging
method of the invention enables up to 60% to 100% more bases to be
transported for the same cost as previously. Such a reduction in the cost of
transport per base permits significant cost savings to the consumer.
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Whilst the various sets of bases have been referred to as one, second,
third or fourth set of bases the order in which the sets of bases are placed in a
carton depends on various factors such as the number of arms of the
multi-armed support bases in the sets, whether the sets of bases are inserted in5 the carton as shown in Fig. 5 or as shown in Fig. 6 and whether the sets of bases
are inserted into the carton via the "top" or via a ~side~ of the carton. It may be
desirable to include sheets of protective material such as paper or plastic
between the bases or sets of bases to avoid scuffing or marking of the upper
surfaces of the bases caused by relative movement between tha bases during
10 transport and handling.
Whilst we have described preferred methods and features of the
invention, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes may be
made to the invention described without departing from the spirit of the invention
broadly described herein.
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