Patent ID: 6550227
Filing Date: 2003-04-22
Classification: B65B,B65D

Abstract:
A method of crating and palletizing an object, said method comprising the steps of:providing a reusable pallet having a supporting platform, an internal, upstanding container-supporting structure, means for indicating prior usage, and a surrounding fastening surface comprised of a plurality of adjacent, articulated fastening surface portions; locating and tying down said object on said platform; enclosing said object and said pallet platform with an upstanding container having an open end and including a marginal fastening area, said marginal fastening area overlapping said plurality of articulated fastening surface portions; reading said prior-usage indicating means to detect prior usage of said pallet in order to determine unused areas of the fastening surface; providing a pre-loaded screwdriver for inserting pre-loaded threaded screws into said fastening surface portions; and controllably inserting the fastening screws through said overlapping container marginal fastening area and into the unused areas of the underlying pallet fastening surface to secure said container to said pallet in response to the reading of said prior usage indicating means.