Abstract:
A container ( 10, 200 ) includes a body defining an open front ( 22, 222 ) of the container ( 10, 200 ). The container ( 10, 200 ) further includes a plurality of conveyors ( 24, 302, 306, 98, 100, 110, 280, 112 ) within the container ( 10, 200 ) for supporting parts ( 28 ) and for sequentially loading and unloading the parts ( 28 ) on and off the conveyors ( 24, 302, 306, 98, 100, 110, 280, 112 ). The container ( 10, 200 ) includes a pair of fork-lift sleeves ( 124, 126, 227 ) for receiving tongs ( 128, 130 ) of a fork-lift truck to provide for an effective way for loading and unloading the container ( 10, 200 ) with variety of parts ( 28 ) of different shapes and dimensions and for engaging the parts ( 28 ) from different angles and for supporting and sequentially moving the parts ( 28 ) into and out of the container ( 10, 200 ).

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     This application is a divisional and a continuation-in-part of co-pending application Ser. No. 10/309,984 filed Dec. 04, 2002. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0003]     The subject invention relates to a container for storing parts.  
         [0004]     2. Description of the Prior Art  
         [0005]     Numerous containers for storing parts, storage systems, and mechanisms for storing and retrieving articles within the storage area are known in the prior art and are widely used today. U.S. Pat. No. 5,964,562 to Bernard, II et al and U.S. Pat. No. 5,024,318 to Schwarze et al. disclose a variety of conveyors used in warehouses.  
         [0006]     The U.S. Pat. No. 5,964,562 patent to Bernard, II et al. shows an apparatus for exchanging articles that includes an article holder, a vertical mast having a vertical mast axis and a shuttle ring assembly to hold the articles. The apparatus is designed for a warehouse usage. The U.S. Pat. No. 5,024,318 patent to Schwarze et al shows a conveyor track including carriers supported in the track for holding individual parts wherein each of the parts is supported by the carrier on top or bottom of the part. In addition to the prior art patents cited above, different conventional shipping containers for storing parts are known to be used in the industry today.  
         [0007]     However, one of areas of continuous development and research is the area of a more advanced design of a convenient and compact storage container with an extra storage space that may provide for storing a wide variety of differently shaped parts that include solid and hollow portions and that can be moved between various locations.  
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF INVENTION  
       [0008]     A container includes a body that has a bottom, a top, a back, and first and second ends defining an open front of the container. A pair of conveyor of the container extends are spaced one from the other and extend in between the back and the open front within the container for supporting parts and sequentially loading and unloading the parts on and off the conveyor. The container is characterized by defining at least one opening adjacent the bottom for receiving tongs of a fork-lift truck.  
         [0009]     An advantage of the present invention is to provide for a convenient and compact storage container with an extra storage space that can be movable between various locations.  
         [0010]     Another advantage of the present invention is to provide for a container adaptable for storing a wide variety of parts that comprise solid and hollow portions in the container, and ability of an operator to load and unload the parts wherein the operator is positioned outside the container.  
         [0011]     Accordingly, the container shown in the present invention is new, efficient, and may provide for an effective way of loading and unloading the container with a variety of parts including different shapes and dimensions. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0012]     Other advantages of the present invention will be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:  
         [0013]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a container;  
         [0014]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a conveyor supported on a supplemental post;  
         [0015]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the container including a crank extending from the conveyor;  
         [0016]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of a first alternative embodiment of the container that shows first, top, side, and diagonal conveyors;  
         [0017]      FIG. 5  is a partial and perspective view of a second alternative embodiment of the container;  
         [0018]      FIG. 6  is a side view of the conveyor that shows a belt entrained around a gear, a plurality of hooks extending from an outer surface of the belt, and a plurality of tabs extending from an inner surface of the belt to engage with the gear for sequentially moving the belt backward and forward during loading and unloading operations;  
         [0019]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view of a third alternative embodiment of the container;  
         [0020]      FIG. 8  is a side view of the third alternative embodiment of the container shown in  FIG. 7 ; and  
         [0021]      FIG. 9  is a front view of the third alternative embodiment of the container shown in  FIGS. 7 and 8 . 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0022]     Referring to the  FIGS. 1 through 6 , wherein like numerals indicate like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, a container is generally shown at  10 . As shown in  FIG. 1 , the container  10  may include a body that with a bottom wall  12 , a back wall  14 , and first and second sides or side walls  16 ,  18 , extending outwardly from the bottom wall  12  and interconnected by a top wall  20  to define an open front  22 . The container  10  is characterized by a first conveyor, generally indicated at  24 , extending in a cantilevered fashion from the back wall  14  to a distal end  26  adjacent the open front  22  within the container  10  for supporting parts, generally indicated at  28 , and sequentially loading and unloading the parts  28  on and off the conveyor  24 .  
         [0023]     The bottom wall  12  of the container  10  includes four corners  30 ,  32 ,  34 ,  36  and includes front  38 , back  40 , and end  42 ,  44  beams interconnected at the corners  30 ,  32 ,  34 ,  36  wherein the bottom wall  12  is supported on the front  38 , back  40  and end  42 ,  44  beams, respectively. Referring specifically to the structure of the beams, the front  38 , back  40 , and end beams  42 ,  44  comprise channels with a C-shaped cross-section.  
         [0024]     The container  10  includes a pair of front  48 ,  50  and back  52 ,  54  vertical posts, respectively, at each of the corners  30 ,  32 ,  34 ,  36  of the bottom wall  12  extending upwardly from the intersection of the front  38 , back  40 , and end  42 ,  44  beams to respective tops. The front  48 ,  50  and back  52 ,  54  vertical posts are interconnected with front  56 , back  58  and end  60 ,  62  top beams at their respective tops to support the top wall  20  positioned on the top beams  56 ,  58 ,  60 ,  62 .  
         [0025]     Shown in  FIGS. 1, 3  and  4 , the container  10  may include at least one supplemental beam  64  that extends between the back vertical posts  52 ,  54  wherein the supplemental beam  64  extends between the top  58  and bottom  40  beams. The container  10  includes at least one supplemental post  66  disposed between the back vertical posts  52 ,  54  and extending between the back top  56  and bottom  40  beams.  
         [0026]     The container  10  may include at least one diagonal beam  68 , as shown in  FIG. 4 , that extends between the back vertical post  54  and the supplemental beam  64  at the respective tops. In addition, the container may include at least one diagonal beam  70  that extends between the back vertical post  52  and the bottom beam  40  at the respective tops. The diagonal beam  68  comprises a hollow tube structure. The bottom  38 ,  40 ,  42 ,  44 , the top  56 ,  58 ,  60 ,  62 , the diagonal  68  beams and the vertical posts  48 ,  50 ,  52 ,  54  comprise a channel with a C-shaped cross-section.  
         [0027]     The first conveyor  24  extends in a cantilevered fashion from the back wall  14  and supported on the supplemental post  66 . The first conveyor  24  includes a belt  72  that is disposed in an endless loop. As illustrated in  FIGS. 2 and 6 , the belt  72  presents an inner  74  and an outer  76  surface and includes a plurality of projections  78  extending outwardly and spaced from one another along the outer surface  76  for cradling the parts  28  between the projections  78 . The projections  78  of the belt  72  extend outwardly to a hook  80  for retaining the parts  28  between and within the projections  78 . The inner surface  74  of the belt  72  may include a plurality of tabs  82  spaced from one another and outwardly extending from said inner surface  74  of the belt  72 . The belt  72  is entrained about a plurality of pulleys  84 . The belt  72  may consist of a flexible material such as rubber, plastic, leather, and the like.  
         [0028]     The conveyor  24  may include a pair of spaced booms, generally indicated at  86 , to engage the pulleys  84  positioned between the booms  86 . Each of the booms  86  includes a plate  88  having top  90  and bottom  92  edges spaced a distance less than the diameter of the pulleys  84  and an enlarged portion  94  adjacent the back wall  14  and extending a greater distance than the diameter of the pulleys  84 . The booms  86  may include a plurality of axles  96  extending therebetween wherein each axle  96  supports one of the pulleys  84 .  
         [0029]     In one embodiment of the present invention, the container  10  may include at least one additional top conveyor  98  supported by and extending in a cantilevered fashion from the back wall  14  to the open front  22  within the container  10  and spaced from the first conveyor  24 . The container  10  may include at least one additional bottom conveyor  100  supported on and extending in a cantilevered fashion from the back wall  14  to the open front  22  within the container  10  and positioned below the first conveyor  24 . The top  98  and bottom  100  conveyors are supported on the supplemental post  66  that is disposed between the back vertical posts  52 ,  54  and extend between the back top  58  and bottom  40  beams of the container  10 . The outer surface  76  of each of the first  24 , top  98 , and bottom  100  conveyor belts  72  face the top  20  and bottom  12  walls, respectively.  
         [0030]     In another embodiment, the container  10  may include at least one additional side conveyor  110  supported on the vertical beam  64  and extending in a cantilevered fashion from the back wall  14  to said open front  22  within the container  10  wherein the side conveyor  110  is spaced from the first conveyor  24 . The outer surface  76  of the belt  72  of the side conveyor  110  faces the first  16  and second  18  end walls, respectively.  
         [0031]     In still another embodiment, as shown in  FIG. 4 , the container  10  may include at least one diagonal conveyor  112  supported on the diagonal beam  68  and extending in a cantilevered fashion from the back wall  14  to the open front  22  within the container  10  with the outer surface  76  of the belt  72  thereof facing diagonally.  
         [0032]     The container  10  may take the form of anyone of several embodiments for sequentially loading and unloading the parts  28  on and off the conveyor  24 . In one embodiment, as illustrated in  FIGS. 3 and 6 , the container  10  may include a gear  114  positioned between the booms  86  to engage with the tabs  82  spaced from one another and outwardly extending from the inner surface  74  of the belt  72  and a crank  116  extending from the gear  114  for rotating the gear  114  manually around an axis. The crank  116  may be used by an operator  118  for rotating the conveyor belt  72  through the loop for moving the conveyor belt  72  for sequentially loading and unloading the parts  28  on and off the conveyor  24 . In the alternative embodiment, as shown in  FIG. 1 , the container  10  may include an electric motor  120  mounted to the conveyor  24  to move the belt  72  for sequentially loading and unloading the parts  28  on and off the conveyor  24 .  
         [0033]     Referring back to  FIG. 3 , the front  38 , back  40 , and end  42 ,  44  beams interconnected at the corners  30 ,  32 ,  34 ,  36  to support the bottom wall  12  may include at least two of the front  38 , back  40 , and end  42 ,  44  beams vertically spaced one from the other and extending horizontally across the bottom wall  12  to define at least one opening  122 . A pair of fork-lift sleeves  124  and  126  are disposed in the opening  122  between the front  38 , back  40 , and end  42 ,  44  beams connected thereto. The fork-lift sleeves  124  and  126  extend from the open front  22  toward the back  14 . Alternatively, the fork-lift sleeves  124  and  126  may extend transversely to the open front  22  between the open front  22  and the back  14 . The fork-lift sleeves  124  and  126  are designed to receive forks  128  and  130  of a fork-lift truck (not shown) for moving the container  10  between various locations. At least one supplemental side beam  132  extends parallel the end beams  42  and  44  and the end top beams  60  and  62  interconnecting the front  48  and  50  and the back  52  and  54  vertical posts.  
         [0034]      FIGS. 7 through 9  illustrates a third alternative embodiment of the present invention wherein like reference numerals are offset by  200 . The container  200  presents a shape different from the shape of the aforementioned first and second embodiments of the container  10 . In particular, the container  200  presents an elongated shape adaptable for receiving and storing greater number of the parts  28 . As shown in  FIG. 7 , the container  200  includes a body having a bottom wall, generally indicated at  212 , a back wall  214 , and first and second sides or side walls, generally indicated at  216 ,  218 , respectively, extending outwardly from the bottom wall  212  and interconnected by the top wall  220  to define an open front, generally indicated at  222 .  
         [0035]     The bottom wall  212  of the container  200  includes four corners  230 ,  232 ,  234 ,  236  and includes front  238 , back  240 , and end  242 ,  244  bottom beams spaced from one another and interconnected at the corners  230 ,  232 ,  234 ,  236 . Referring specifically to the structure of the beams, the front  238 , back  240 , and end beams  242 ,  244  comprise channels with a C-shaped cross-section. The container  200  further includes front  248 ,  250  and back  252 ,  254  vertical posts, respectively, at each of the corners  230 ,  232 ,  234 ,  236  of the bottom wall  212  extending upwardly from the intersection of the front  238 , back  240 , and end  242 ,  244  beams to respective tops. The front  248 ,  250  and back  252 ,  254  vertical posts are interconnected with the back  258  and end  260 ,  262  top beams at their respective tops.  
         [0036]     The container  200  may include at least one supplemental beam, i.e. wall  264  that extends between the back vertical posts  252 ,  254  and the front vertical posts  248 ,  250 , respectively. At least one side supplemental beam  265  extends between the back vertical posts  252 ,  254  and the front vertical posts  248 ,  250 . The container  200  presents at least one additional top beam  267  extending between and interconnecting the top beams  256 ,  260  for reinforcing the container  200 . The container  200  further includes two rails  270  extending parallel to the top end beams  256 ,  260  and interconnecting the additional top beam  267  and the back top beam  258  for holding the parts  28  within the container  200 .  
         [0037]     As best shown in  FIG. 7 , the container  200  includes two additional bottom beams  272  interconnected with and extending between the front  238  and back  240  bottom beams, with the beams  272  spaced from the end bottom beams  242 ,  244 . A pair of fork-lift sleeves  227 , spaced in parallel relationship to one another for receiving the tongs  128  and  130  of the fork-lift truck. Each fork-lift sleeve  227  extends through the end bottom beams  242 ,  244  and the additional bottom beams  272  transversely to the open front  222  between the open front  222  and the back wall  214 . Alternatively, the fork-lift sleeves  227  may extend from the open front  222  toward the back wall  214 . A pair of supplemental side beam  276  and  278  extends parallel the end bottom beams  242  and  244  and the end top beams  260  and  262  interconnecting the front  248  and  250  and the back  252  and  254  vertical posts.  
         [0038]     The container  200  includes two side conveyors  280  each connected to the side supplemental beams  265  for supporting the parts  28  and sequentially loading and unloading the parts  28  on and off the side conveyor  280 . The side conveyor  280  may include a pair of spaced booms, generally indicated at  286 , to engage pulleys  284  positioned between the booms  286 . A work surface defined by a belt  292  is entrained about the pulleys  284 , and presents an outer surface  294  of the belt  292  having plurality of tabs  296  spaced from one another and outwardly extending from the outer surface  294  of the belt  292 . The belt  292  may be formed from a flexible material such as rubber, plastic, leather, and the like. The gear  300  is positioned between the booms  286  for moving the conveyor belt  292  for sequentially loading and unloading the parts  28  on and off the conveyor  280 .  
         [0039]     Two bottom conveyors  302 ,  306  are supported on the respective bottom beams  272  and extend from the back wall  214  to the open front  222  within the container  200  and positioned below the side conveyor  280 . The bottom conveyors  302  have the same mechanical structure as the above described side conveyors  280 . However, each bottom conveyor  302  and  306  may include an electric motor  304  mounted to thereto for moving the belt  292  to sequentially load and unload the parts  28  on and off the bottom conveyors  302  and  306 . At least one link  308  operably interconnects each of the bottom  302  and  306  and the side  280  conveyors for facilitating sequential motion of each side  280  and bottom  302  and  306  conveyors for sequentially loading and unloading the parts  28  on and off the side  280  and the bottom  302  and  306  conveyors.  
         [0040]     Obviously, many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings. The invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described within the scope of the appended claims, wherein that which is prior art is antecedent to the novelty set forth in the “characterized by” clause. The novelty is meant to be particularly and distinctly recited in the “characterized by” clause whereas the antecedent recitations merely set forth the old and well-known combination in which the invention resides. These antecedent recitations should be interpreted to cover any combination in which the incentive novelty exercises its utility. In addition, the reference numerals in the claims are merely for convenience and are not to be read in any way as limiting.