Patent ID: 6435349
Filing Date: 2002-08-20
Classification: B65D,Y02W

Abstract:
A reusable packaging system for use in delivery of goods in a case to a consumer and return of the case to a supplier of goods for re-use, said reusable packaging system comprising a collapsible case, a case delatcher, a box washer, a case erector, a case filler, and a case sealer;wherein said case has a planar bottom, a planar top, opposed planar sides, and opposed planar ends, and is made from plastics sheet material; wherein said planar bottom comprises a pair of side flaps and a pair of end flaps, wherein one of said pair of side flaps or said pair of end flaps overlies the other pair of flaps when in an assembled condition, and wherein said overlying pairs of flaps are secured one to another by at least four snap locks, each comprising mating male and female snap lock halves, arranged to be latched together when said overlying pair of flaps are in their overlying condition; wherein said planar top comprises at least one pair of flaps which close said case when they are in a case-closing condition so as to be perpendicular to said opposed planar sides and said opposed planar ends, and so as to be parallel to said planar bottom; wherein said case delatcher is arranged so as to mechanically delatch said snap locks of an empty case having folded open top flaps, and to fold open said side flaps and said end flaps of said case bottom; wherein said box washer is arranged to wash and dry open cases having all top and bottom flaps in a folded open condition, and to fold each washed open case to a flat configuration; wherein said case erector is arranged to erect a case from a flat configuration to an erected condition whereby said pair of bottom flaps and said pair of end flaps of said planar bottom are assembled together, and said top flaps are in their open condition; wherein said case filler is arranged so as to re-fill a washed and erected case with fresh goods for delivery to a consumer; and wherein said case sealer is arranged to fold said top flaps to their case-closing condition and to apply a sealing tape thereacross so as to seal said filled case.