Abstract:
The specification discloses a collapsible pallet box or container composed of a pallet platform and four upright panels connected together at the corner edges by flexible material to form a polygon expandable to a rectangle or collapsible to a flattened parallelogram. The bottom of the polygon panels are removably attached to the pallet. The tops of the panels have a stabilizing grid with interconnected compression elements between the panels to stabilize the panel tops in the expanded rectangular configuration, and interconnectable, releasable hook and loop fasteners on the grid and on the polygon upper end, at the corners of the grid and recessed into the corners of the polygon, to keep the grid secured to the polygon and thereby keep the polygon locked to the pallet.

Description:
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     An object of this invention is to provide an improved collapsible pallet box container assembly having the advantages of the prior patented structure, but with improved stability of the assembly when even very rough handling conditions occur. 
     The novel container has its collapsible polygon retained in secure interconnected relationship to the pallet by a locking grid of interconnected compression members. The locking grid is held securely to the polygon by hook and loop fasteners on tensile ribbons at the corners of the polygonal containers. Attachment and detachment of these hook and loop fasteners is readily performed when desired, but detachment does not accidently occur. This grid, as so held, securely retains the base of the polygon in interlocking relation to the pallet by the uniquely retained grid holding the panels in place. 
     The collapsible polygon walls can be totally enclosing so as to retain smaller items such as produce, e.g., apples or small manufactured parts or the like, or can be partially open so as to retain larger items such as plants, nursery stock, large manufactured parts, produce such as watermelons, bagged potatoes, or the like. 
    
    
     These and other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent to those in the art upon studying the following specification in conjunction with the drawings. 
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one form of the novel pallet container; 
     FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the subassembly components of the pallet container in FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is a sectional, perspective, exploded view of a corner portion of the pallet container; 
     FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of the collapsed upright polygon forming part of the pallet container; 
     FIG. 5 is a plan view of the collapsed polygon of FIG. 4; and 
     FIG. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the end portion of the collapsed polygon in FIGS. 4 and 5. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring now specifically to the drawings, the pallet container assembly 10, sometimes designated a pallet box container, includes an upper collapsible polygonal subassembly 12 interfitted with a lower pallet subassembly 14. 
     In the depicted embodiment, the term &#34;ends&#34; of the assembly is used for convenience to refer to one pair of opposite vertical panels or walls while the other pair called the &#34;sides&#34; are here shown to be the pair of opposite vertical panels or walls that hook onto the pallet. Obviously, all four panels can be considered to be &#34;side panels,&#34; in one manner of speaking. The two opposite panels that hook onto the pallet may be horizontally longer, shorter, or of the same length as the other two panels. Thus, the terms &#34;ends&#34; and &#34;sides&#34; are used for clarity and convenience only. 
     Pallet subassembly 14 includes a platform typically formed of plywood, plastic and/or a plurality of wood tie boards 17A and 17B, as of oak or the like, mounted by suitable fasteners such as nails or screws onto a substructure formed of a plurality, here three, of spaced parallel girders or runners 18 typically of wood or plastic and formed, for example, of &#34;four by four&#34; or &#34;two by four&#34; inch members. These girders are shown extending across both ends and the center of the pallet, each optionally having a pair of spaced side openings (not shown) to receive a pair of tines of a fork lift. The fork lift tines can also be inserted between the girders in conventional fashion. The layer of boards adds strength as well as serving to support product and enabling appropriate interengagement with the upper subassembly 12, as will be explained more fully hereinafter. Alternatively, the base can be all plastic, i.e., polymeric material such as a molded structure, even without screws or other fasteners. A second, floor-engaging, bottom panel (not shown) may be mounted to the bottom of the girders, if desired. The ends of the girders extend beyond the platform, i.e., beyond the end of boards 17A, to create upper support and stop surfaces 18A (FIGS. 2 and 3) for the lower edges of vertical end panels of the upper subassembly to rest upon, as will be explained hereinafter. 
     The side panels 24 and end panels 26 are shown formed of vertical slats 19 and 21, respectively. As depicted, the panels totally enclose the interior space. However, these slats 19 and/or 21 could be spaced apart to be partially open, if desired. The panels have upper and lower portions. The opposite ends of horizontal boards 17A and 17B extend beyond the outside girders 18 (FIG. 2). As shown, at least two boards 17B have their opposite ends extending further beyond girders 18 as shown here by boards 17B immediately inward of the end boards (FIG. 2). This enables the lower edges of the upper subassembly side panels to rest thereon. The extended ends of the central boards 17A interfit with latching shoulders 25 on the lower inside faces of the downwardly extended, longer, center one or moreslats 19A of vertical slats 19 that form the side walls 24. These shoulders 25 hook beneath the ends of the center boards 17A on opposite sides of the pallet, to form a type of a &#34;tongue and groove&#34; connection to the upper subassembly that prevents the polygon from lifting free of the pallet, as described hereinafter. Optionally, a plywood or other material layer (not shown) on boards 17 could extend beyond the ends of the girders 18 to engage the vertical panels in a like manner to that described. 
     As noted, collapsible upright polygonal subassembly 12 is formed of a plurality of four vertical panels 24 and 26. The panels are arranged in generally rectangular configuration, the two upright side panels 24 being generally parallel to each other, and the two upright end panels 26 being generally parallel to each other and generally normal to side panels 24 when the polygon is expanded. The vertical end edges of end panels 26 are adjacent to and horizontally spaced slightly from the vertical end edges of side panels 24 formed of slats 19 (including slats 19A). Each of the side panels preferably has a plurality (here three) of vertically spaced, horizontal stringers 24A, to the inner faces of which are attached the slats 19. Similarly, each of end panels 26 is formed with its plurality of adjacent vertical slats 21 secured together by a plurality (here three) of horizontal, vertically spaced, parallel stringers 26A. 
     Extending between and connecting the edges of each of panels 24 to adjacent edges of panels 26 are a plurality (here three) of upper, lower and intermediate flexible tension means forming connector material, prefrably in the form of straps 46A, preferably of woven polymeric material basically comparable to that conventionally used for vehicle safety seat belts. In order to conserve belting material, these connectors preferably do not extend clear around the inner periphery of the polygonal structure, but rather are in segments at the corners, having the ends thereof fixedly sandwiched and secured between the horizontal stringers and vertical upright slat elements of the side panels and the end panels. This can be achieved by stapling through the upright elements, belt segments and horizontal stringers, and/or adhering the components together. Although three belt segments are shown for each corner, the number thereof could be varied. The belt segments are shown located near the top portion, the central portion, and the bottom portion, respectively, of each of the four corners of subassembly 12. Specifically, belt elements 46A are secured at the corners between the upright slats 19 and 21 and horizontal stringers 24A and 26A as shown by the upper and lower belt elements 46A in FIG. 3. The components thus form a continuum capable of collapse into a flat parallelogram subassembly (FIGS. 4 and 5), or expansion into a rectangular polygon (FIGS. 1 and 2). When the polygon is collapsed or otherwise not attached to the platform, the belts may be slack. When the polygon is expanded and assembled to the platform with the top grid in place, the belts are initially somewhat taut and, when the container is filled, become totally taut. The space enclosed by the polygon could be divided as by a vertical insert divider (not shown), if desired. 
     In the preferred embodiment, the peripheral dimension of the combined panels and the flexible tension elements in relaxed condition at the base of the polygon is of a length dimension approximately the same as the peripheral dimension of the platform formed by boards 17A and 17B. The connection between the polygon and the pallet is with a hooking connection like a tongue and groove arrangement. In the illustrated embodiments, the center slats 19A on both sides 24 of the polygon are extended down further than the other slats, and have attachment blocks 27 mounted on the inside faces of the lower ends of these slats, to form upwardly facing shoulders 25 (FIGS. 2 and 3) on opposite sides of the polygon, as noted previously. These shoulders 25 hook beneath the outer ends of center boards 17A on pallet 14. This is a similar connection to the tongue and groove connection depicted in U.S. Pat. No. 5,109,986. Using this connection between the polygon and the platform, the bottom periphery of the polygon is engaged around the platform, and the lower belts are caused to be pulled tight, removing slack, to cause the lower end of the polygon to interfit tightly with the pallet. This connection is further stabilized by the special grid at the upper end of the polygon. 
     This connection of the polygon to the platform can be achieved by first expanding the polygon from its folded condition and resting it on the platform. Then preferably one side 24 of the polygon is lowered and hooked onto the pallet by hooking block 27 below the ends of boards 17A. Then the opposite side is pressed past the boards, lowered and similarly hooked. Outward movement of the second side to hook it can be achieved by striking the lower inner face of this panel with a tool, a fist or a foot. Then one end 26 of the polygon is lowered past the end of the pallet. During this process, there is some temporary vertical offset between at least one of the end panels and the side panels. The flexible straps 46A enable this to readily occur. It will be noted that the drawings show the longer, endmost vertical slats 19B to be extended downwardly to lie adjacent to the other edges of pallet 14. This adds stability. 
     After the lower end of the polygon is so attached to the platform, the upper portion of the polygon is stabilized in fully expanded rectangular configuration in a fashion causing the lower connections just noted to be biased inwardly and remain secured. This is done by inserting and securing a novel grid 60 which has a pair of elongated, spaced, wedging compression members 40 such as wood boards, secured together by a plurality, here three, of transverse connectors e.g., boards 62, as by staples 64 or other suitable fastening devices and/or adhesive. This grid could also be made of molded polymer or the like. This grid is lowered and elements 40 are pressed between the upper ends of two of the opposite panels, here shown to be end panels 26 (FIG. 2). Elements 40 are adjacent to and have their long edges snugly engaging the inside upper faces of the other two panels 24, forcing panels 24 outwardly. The opposite outer ends of connector boards 62 preferably overlap the top edges of the side panels 24 to rest thereon and limit vertical insertion of the grid. At the corners of grid 60 are hook and loop devices 80. These employ a plurality of hook and loop fastener elements such as those known as &#34;Velcro&#34;® brand fasteners. Specifically, there are shown to be four flexible ribbons 80 secured at their upper ends to the four corners of grid 60, preferably sandwiched between elements 40 and connectors 62 and held there as by staples 64 or other suitable fasteners and/or adhesive (FIG. 3). These ribbons alternatively have the hooks or the loops thereon. Cooperating with these ribbons are strips 82 (FIG. 3) of material sewn, glued, stapled or otherwise fastened to the outer faces of the corner belts 46A, at the top of the corners of the polygon (FIGS. 3 and 6) and having the alternative loops and hooks thereon, i.e., ribbons 80 can have the loops and strips 82 the hooks, or vice versa. These strips are recessed into the spaces between the panels. When the grid is installed, i.e., forced in place at the top of the polygonal box container, ribbons 80 can be quickly and easily flexed down and pressed into engagement with strips 82 after the grid is firmly in place, to secure the grid. The ribbons 80 are thus nestled into the spaces between the panels, i.e., the ends of stringers 24A and 26A, so as to avoid being accidently lifted or snagged. Yet they are readily accessible. Optionally, supplemental nails, staples or other fasteners can be forcibly inserted down through these compression elements 40 into the underlying shoulder of side panels 24. 
     Experimentation has shown that this improved construction is highly stable and secure, even under rough handling conditions, and while retaining heavy loads. Yet, the structure can be readily disassembled by pulling ribbons 80 loose, lifting grid 60, removing the upper polygon by lifting each end 26 first over the top of the pallet, then releasing shoulders 25 from the ends of boards 17A, removing and collapsing the polygon. 
     When the assembly is not employed for storing or hauling products, but rather is to be stored or shipped in a compact condition, the upper polygonal subassembly is collapsed into a parallelogram configuration like that depicted in FIGS. 4 and 5, as explained. The collapsed polygon can be laid on the pallet in a compact condition, if desired, or stacked for storage and/or shipping. 
     The polygon could be secured to the pallet by a plurality of hook and loop fasteners, as by having a plurality of hook-type elements secured to the pallet and a like plurality of cooperative loop-type fasteners on the polygon, or vice versa, the fasteners being secured together around the periphery of the pallet and of the polygon. This could be in addition to the hooked connection depicted, or instead of such. 
     Conceivably the details of the preferred embodiment of the invention as set forth herein could be modified to suit particular circumstances, materials, or articles to be shipped. For example, the collapsible container and/or the pallet could be made of materials other than wood. The platform could be made of one layer or two. The assembly could also have hooked connections to the pallet at four panels instead of two. The lower edges of the vertical panels could conceivably be removably connected to the pallet by other connections therebetween instead of the tongue and groove connection, or in addition to the tongue and groove connection. Other possibilities or changes will occur to those in the art upon studying this disclosure. Hence, the invention is not intended to be limited to the specific exemplary and preferred embodiment illustrated, but only by the scope of the appended claims and the reasonably equivalent structures to those defined therein.