Abstract:
A method for delivering articles using a container having a substantially vertical rear wall with a baseplate extending therefrom is disclosed herein. A plurality of articles may be loaded onto the baseplate. The rear wall, baseplate, and articles are preferably transported to the destination. Once at the final destination, the articles can be removed from the baseplate by sliding the baseplate and rear wall away from the articles. In some embodiments, the rear wall remains substantially vertical during transportation to the destination. In other embodiments, the rear wall can be removably connected to a wheeled apparatus for secure transport.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a continuation of co-pending U.S. application Ser. No. 13/772,842 filed on Feb. 21, 2013, which claims priority to Provisional Application No. 61/604,931 filed on Feb. 29, 2012, where both applications are herein incorporated by reference in their entirety. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     Embodiments generally relate to an apparatus and method for efficiently transporting various articles, including but not limited to retail store articles such as beverages, food stuffs, and other consumer products for retail sale. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE ART 
     Consumer retail companies have been searching for more efficient ways of loading and delivering products to their customers. Currently, the major distributors of consumer retail products use Direct Store Delivery (DSD) as the method of delivering products from the distributor directly to the retail store, bypassing a retailer&#39;s warehouse. In this method, the vendor manages the product from order to shelf. While this method is preferable, there has been little innovation and advancement in the efficiency in the execution of product loading and delivery methods. 
     Using the beverage industry as an example, most beverage distributors divide their customer orders into two categories, bulk (box trailer) and route (sideload) truck deliveries. Bulk orders are typically for large retail customers who order quantities that would fill a pallet or multiple pallets of mixed SKU&#39;s. Bulk accounts typically are large grocery chains or general merchandise stores that have a truck dock area for receiving. Bulk orders are normally discrete picked to pallets, stretch wrapped and loaded in reverse route stop sequence for delivery. The pallets are typically moved into the customer&#39;s facility via pallet jack at the receiving docks. 
     Route orders are generally smaller customer orders like convenient stores, liquor stores or local bars and restaurants. Route orders are typically “batch” picked for a group of customers by package type to pallets and delivered via sideload delivery truck. Each pallet on the sideload truck is comprised of the aggregate quantity of each package and flavor for the “batch” of customer orders on the truck. This means that warehouse personnel “batch” pick the product once in the warehouse and the driver picks the discrete customer orders off of the truck into stacks of products which may fit on a two-wheel hand truck. 
     In studying sideload drivers in the soft drink industry, on a 16 bay truck, the driver typically handles each case on the truck four (4) times before delivering it. He also opens the overhead sliding bay doors 283 times per day to accomplish the day&#39;s deliveries. It has been found that this method causes a number of operation and ergonomic issues including inefficient handling practices and decreased productivity, product damage from handling and weather, inability to meet customer delivery windows, reduced customer service and merchandising time, and poor ergonomic conditions leading to OSHA and workers compensation issues. 
     These negative operational issues coupled with the effect of the SKU proliferation and the ever changing world of new packaging has had an immense impact on both the order picking and DSD process across many different industries. There is now a desire for a better means of truck loading and delivery to allow distribution facilities to increase productivity and provide an ergonomically friendly work environment for the delivery driver. 
     SUMMARY OF THE EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS 
     Exemplary embodiments provide an apparatus and method for transporting articles. A container is used which contains a rear wall and two side walls for containing the various articles. A base plate is preferably attached to the rear wall so that the container remains in an upright position when loaded with articles. A wheeled apparatus may engage with the container so that the container may be easily positioned within a transport vehicle, removed from the transport vehicle, and delivered to the customer. Once on site, the container can be removed from the articles without requiring the user to lift and remove each of the articles, saving the user time and ergonomic stress. The container can then be returned to the shipping hub for re-use. 
     The foregoing and other features and advantages of the exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be apparent from the following more detailed description of the particular embodiments, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       A better understanding of an exemplary embodiment will be obtained from a reading of the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings wherein identical reference characters refer to identical parts and in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective illustration of an exemplary embodiment of the apparatus for transporting articles while in use. 
         FIG. 2  is a front side perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of the container. 
         FIG. 3  is a rear side perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of the container. 
         FIG. 4  is a front perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of a wheeled apparatus for use with the container. 
         FIG. 5  is a rear view of the wheeled apparatus of  FIG. 4  when engaged with an embodiment of the container. 
         FIG. 6  is a front side perspective view of another exemplary embodiment of the container. 
         FIG. 7  is a rear side perspective view of another exemplary embodiment of the container. 
         FIG. 8  is a top view of the embodiment of the container shown in  FIGS. 6 and 7 , showing the positioning for differently sized packages and kegs. 
         FIG. 9  is a rear view of the container embodiment shown in  FIGS. 6 and 7 , indicating the section line A-A. 
         FIG. 10  is a sectional view along the section line A-A indicated in  FIG. 9 . 
         FIG. 11  is a front view of an exemplary embodiment of a wheeled apparatus for use with the container shown in  FIGS. 6 and 7 . 
         FIG. 12  is a side view of an exemplary embodiment of the wheeled apparatus shown in  FIG. 11 . 
         FIGS. 13A-13C  are side views of the wheeled apparatus of  FIG. 11  engaging with the container of  FIGS. 6 and 7 . 
         FIG. 14  is a top view of a truck loaded with a plurality of containers. 
         FIG. 15  is a side view of the loaded truck from  FIG. 14 . 
         FIG. 16  is a top view of an exemplary embodiment of a container. 
         FIG. 17  is a perspective view of a plurality of containers nested together. 
         FIG. 18  is a side view of an exemplary embodiment of a container. 
         FIG. 19  is a perspective view of one embodiment for an apparatus for moving a plurality of containers. 
         FIG. 20  is a front view of an apparatus for moving a plurality of containers and having a rotating latching assembly, where a container is being loaded onto the apparatus. 
         FIG. 21  is a front view of the apparatus shown in  FIG. 20 , where a container has been loaded onto the apparatus. 
         FIG. 22  is a top view of a truck being loaded with containers by the apparatus shown in  FIG. 20 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The invention is described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which exemplary embodiments of the invention are shown. This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the exemplary embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. In the drawings, the size and relative sizes of layers and regions may be exaggerated for clarity. 
     The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the invention. As used herein, the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises” and/or “comprising,” when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof. 
     Embodiments of the invention are described herein with reference to illustrations that are schematic illustrations of idealized embodiments (and intermediate structures) of the invention. As such, variations from the shapes of the illustrations as a result, for example, of manufacturing techniques and/or tolerances, are to be expected. Thus, embodiments of the invention should not be construed as limited to the particular shapes of regions illustrated herein but are to include deviations in shapes that result, for example, from manufacturing. 
     Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. It will be further understood that terms, such as those defined in commonly used dictionaries, should be interpreted as having a meaning that is consistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant art and will not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense unless expressly so defined herein. 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective illustration of an exemplary embodiment of the container  400  used with a wheeled apparatus  350 . In some embodiments the wheeled apparatus  350  may be a hand truck or modified version of the same. 
       FIG. 2  is a front side perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of the container  400 , which preferably contains a rear wall  55  and a pair of sidewalls  35  and  45  extending away from the rear wall  55 . It is preferable for sidewall  35  to contain cutouts  90  and for sidewall  45  to contain cutouts  95 . These cutouts  90  and  95  may provide the ability to transport a plurality of containers  400  with a skid steer, fork lift, pallet jack or any other device for transporting containers or pallets, the device having a pair of elongate members for inserting into the cutouts  90  and  95 . This embodiment also contains a base plate portion  25  extending from the rear wall  55 . In this particular embodiment, the base plate  25  is an extension of a rear plate  80  which may be fastened to the rear wall  55  using fasteners  75 . This particular design is not required however, as the base plate  25  may simply be an extension of the rear wall  55  without the need to attach a separate component. 
       FIG. 3  is a rear side perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of the container  400 . A transparent window  200  is preferably positioned on the rear wall  55  and contains an opening  210  for accepting shipping documents, receipts, handling instructions, bar codes, or any other information pertinent to the contents within the container  400 . In this embodiment, the rear plate  80  is fastened to the rear wall  55  with fasteners  75 . The rear plate may also contain the aperture  85  for securing the container  400  to the wheeled apparatus  350 . The aperture  85  can take on many forms, with the only requirement being that it accepts the corresponding securing feature in the wheeled apparatus  350 . In this embodiment, the aperture  85  is simply an opening. In alternative embodiments, the aperture  85  may be a portion of the rear wall  400 , rather than a separately attached component. 
     In the embodiment shown, it may be preferable to construct the rear plate  80  and base plate  25  as a singular component and preferably comprised of metal. This is not required however, as plastics and composites may also be used to create the rear plate  80  and base plate  25 . Also in an exemplary embodiment, the rear wall  55  and side walls  35  and  45  may be comprised of plastic or a composite material. This is not required however, as these components could also be made of wood, metal, or a composite material as well. 
     In this embodiment, the rear wall  55  contains a recessed portion, defined between a pair of vertical edges  47  for accepting a portion of the wheeled apparatus  350 . The vertical edges  47  may be sized and positioned to surround the wheeled apparatus  350  to further secure the container  400  to the wheeled apparatus  350  when desired. Also in this embodiment, the rear wall  55  contains a recessed portion  48  for accepting a base plate of the wheeled apparatus  350  (discussed further below). This embodiment also contains a badge portion  15  which may provide valuable information such as RFID, the owner of the container, barcodes, and any other pertinent information as to the contents of the container, destination for the contents, and final destination for the container. 
       FIG. 4  is a front perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of a wheeled apparatus  350  for use with the container.  FIG. 5  is a rear view of the wheeled apparatus  350  of  FIG. 4  when engaged with another embodiment of the container  401 . In this embodiment, the wheeled apparatus contains a frame which is supported by a means  315  for rolling the frame, typically a pair of wheels on an axle. This embodiment contains an optional base plate  310 , which folds up (when engaging the wheeled apparatus  350  with the container) or down (when using the wheeled apparatus  350  as a traditional hand truck). 
     This embodiment of the wheeled apparatus  350  also contains an elongate member  320  for engaging with the aperture  86  on the rear wall of the container  401 . In this particular embodiment, the elongate member  320  travels vertically to engage/disengage with the aperture  86 . Here, the elongate member  320  is a flat bar while the aperture  86  is a slot. In this embodiment, the aperture  86  is fastened to the rear wall of the container  401 . Of course, many other designs are possible for removably securing the wheeled apparatus  350  to the container  401 , including but not limited to bolts or other fasteners or spring-loaded clips. This embodiment of the container  401  also contains a pair of vertical strips  325  which are positioned on the rear wall of the container  401  and sized to surround the frame of the wheeled apparatus  350  when engaged with the container  401 . 
       FIG. 6  is a front side perspective view of another exemplary embodiment of the container  403 . In this embodiment, the base plate  105  is simply a unitary piece with the entire container  403 , possibly molded from the same material as the rest of the container  403 . A pair of vertical locating ribs  110  travel up the front side of the rear wall of the container  403 . A cutout  101  may be positioned at the top of the rear wall to improve the visibility of the user when moving the container  403 . 
       FIG. 7  is a rear side perspective view of another exemplary embodiment of the container  403 . A pair of vertical edges  125  extend vertically along the edges of the container  403  and also extend rearward away from the rear wall  130 . The spacing between the edges  125  is preferably selected so that the edges  125  surround the vertical rails  510  of a wheeled apparatus  500  (discussed further below) when engaging with the container  403 . A stabilizing rib  140  also preferably extends rearward away from the rear wall  130 . The stabilizing rib  140  is also preferably sized so as to fit within the wheeled apparatus  500  to further secure the container  403  to the wheeled apparatus  500 . One or more apertures  180  are preferably placed within the rear wall  130  so as to interact with the wheeled apparatus, further securing the two together. A notch  160  may be positioned at the bottom of the rear wall  130  and sized so as to accept a portion of the wheeled apparatus. Optionally, an identifying badge or window  150  may be positioned on the sidewall  135  of the container  403 . 
       FIG. 8  is a top view of the embodiment of the container  403  shown in  FIGS. 6 and 7 , showing the positioning for differently sized packages  810  and kegs  800  and  805 . For a traditional half-barrel keg  800 , the vertical locating ribs  110  are preferably sized to allow the keg  800  to fit between the ribs  110  for stabilization when transporting the container  403 . Alternatively, the space between the vertical locating ribs  110  and the sidewall  135  should preferably be sized to accept a traditional quarter-barrel pony keg  805 . 
     Also shown in this figure is the nesting ledge  136 , which travels along the sidewalls  135 , parallel to the container  403 . In this embodiment, each sidewall  135  extends away from the rear wall  130  until ceasing at an edge  137 . Preferably, the sidewalls  135  extend outward and away from the rear wall  130  at an angle greater than 90 degrees, so that two containers  403  could be nested together for storage and/or transport. Preferably when nesting, the edges  137  of a first container  403  would rest against the nesting ledges  136  of a second container. This provides some stability to the nested containers for stacking and/or transportation. 
       FIG. 9  is a rear view of the container embodiment shown in  FIGS. 6 and 7 , indicating the section line A-A.  FIG. 10  is a sectional view along the section line A-A indicated in  FIG. 9 . In this view, one specific embodiment for the aperture  180  can be observed. In this embodiment, the aperture  180  contains a pass-through portion  181  with an adjacent ledge  182 . 
       FIG. 11  is a front view of an exemplary embodiment of a wheeled apparatus  500  for use with the container  403  shown in  FIGS. 6 and 7 . This embodiment of the wheeled apparatus  500  comprises a frame which has a pair of vertical rails  510  with adjoining horizontal rails. At least one pair of horizontal rails  520  may be sized to accept the stabilizing rib  140 . In this particular embodiment, the horizontal rails  520  are positioned relative to the vertical rails  510  so as to define a shape which has substantially the same dimensions as the stabilizing rib  140 . Specifically shown here, the stabilizing rib  140  is a rectangle which fits within another rectangle created by the horizontal rails  520  and vertical rails  510 . Of course the stabilizing rib  140  could take on many shapes and sizes, while all that is necessary here would be to have features on the wheeled apparatus  500  which correspond with the stabilizing rib. 
       FIG. 12  is a side view of an exemplary embodiment of the wheeled apparatus  500  shown in  FIG. 11 . A plate  580  may extend from the bottom of the wheeled apparatus  500  and preferably sized to fit within the notch  160  at the bottom of the container  403 . Of course, the wheeled apparatus  500  preferably contains some type of rolling means such as wheels  575 . These are known in many shapes, sizes, and designs but will not be further described herein as any means for rolling the apparatus  500  would work with the exemplary embodiments herein. 
       FIGS. 13A-13C  are side views of the wheeled apparatus  500  of  FIG. 11  engaging with the container  403  of  FIGS. 6 and 7 .  FIG. 13A  shows the apparatus  550  just before starting to engage with the container  403 . The latch  550  here is pivotally fastened to the vertical rail  510  at pivot point  554 . This embodiment of the latch  550  contains a rear portion  552  (for disengaging the latch  550  with the aperture  180 ) and a front portion having a notch  551  and a slanted approach  553 . Here, the latch  550  is preferably biased with a spring so that the notch  551  is vertically oriented. 
       FIG. 13B  shows the latch  550  as it begins to engage with the aperture  180 . As the latch  550  moves toward the aperture  180 , the slanted approach  553  makes contact with and begins to slide along the ledge  182 , which causes the latch  550  to rotate about the pivot point  554 . As the latch  550  moves closer and closer to the container  403 , eventually the notch  551  will be underneath the ledge  182  of the container  403 . At this point, as shown in  FIG. 13C , the biasing of the latch  550  will cause the latch  550  to rotate until the notch  551  has returned to a substantially vertical orientation and the ledge  182  is seated within the notch  551 . The container  403  is now secured to the wheeled apparatus  500  for transport. To disengage the two, a user may apply an upward force on the rear portion  552  of the latch  550 , causing it to rotate about pivot point  554  and disengage from the aperture  180 . One or more additional latches  555  may also be used with an exemplary embodiment. 
       FIG. 14  is a top view of a truck loaded with a plurality of containers  400 . As shown here, the rear walls of the containers  400  may face the rear of the truck such that a plurality of containers  400  can be loaded from the rear of the truck. The truck is preferably loaded by starting in the front of the truck  960 . The width of the containers  400  may be selected such that a given number of containers  400  may substantially span the width between the sidewalls  901  of the truck, thus leaving only a relatively small amount of space for the containers to move (side to side) once positioned in the truck. To secure the containers front to back, they should preferably be positioned against a vertical support (such as the front wall of the truck) and either with another container directly behind them or with a strap or brace  950  running from sidewall  901  to sidewall  901 . Thus, as containers  400  are removed from the back of the truck, to secure the remaining containers it is only necessary to replace the strap or brace  950 . A wheeled apparatus  250  can be stored as shown and used to load/unload the containers  400 . 
       FIG. 15  is a side view of the loaded truck from  FIG. 6 . As shown, traditional pallets  900  may be positioned along with the containers  400  so that both large clients and small clients may be serviced from the same truck. In this embodiment, the first stop in the delivery may be the traditional pallets  900 . Afterwards, the driver removes containers, as they move towards the front  960  of the truck for stops 2 and onward. Of course, with the exemplary embodiments herein, the pallets  900  could easily be the 3 rd  or 5 th  stop on the driver&#39;s delivery schedule as the relatively small and mobile nature of the containers  400  allows them to slip past the pallet  900  so that the driver can deliver smaller clients first prior to delivering to the larger clients. These exemplary embodiments allow the driver&#39;s schedule to be determined purely by location of the clients and maximum efficiency and not by whether the clients are large or small. 
       FIG. 16  is a top view of an exemplary embodiment of a container  402 . In this preferred embodiment, the sidewalls  35  and  45  extend from the rear wall  55  at an angle greater than 90 degrees.  FIG. 17  is a perspective view of a plurality of containers  402  nested together. 
       FIG. 18  is a side view of an exemplary embodiment of a container  402  having the cutouts  90  positioned near the center of the container  402 . As shown in  FIG. 9 , this positioning of the cutouts  90  allows a plurality of nested containers  402  to be easily picked up and moved by a skid steer, fork lift, pallet jack or any other device for transporting containers or pallets, the device having a pair of elongate members for inserting into the cutouts  90 . 
       FIG. 19  is a perspective view of one embodiment for an apparatus  1000  for moving a plurality of containers  403 . The apparatus  1000  preferably contains a frame  1010  which accepts a plurality of containers  403 , preferably such that the containers  403  are slightly angled backwards toward the rear wall so that they can be loaded with products during the picking phase of the distribution process. Wheels or casters  1025  are preferably attached to the frame  1010  along with a handle  1015  for moving the apparatus  1000  around. 
       FIG. 20  is a front view of an apparatus  1000  for moving a plurality of containers  403  and having an optional rotating frame  1050  and latching assembly, where a container  403  is being loaded onto the apparatus  1000 . Here, a rotating frame  1050  is pivotally fastened to the frame  1010  at pivot point  1060 . The rotating frame  1050  preferably contains at least one latch  550 , similar to those described above in  FIGS. 11-13C . Alternatively, many other types of securing means may be used to secure each container  403  to the rotating frame  1050 , including but not limited to the elongate member  320  and aperture  86  described above, as well as straps, pins, etc. 
     As shown in  FIG. 20 , rotating frame  1050  may be rotated outward so that it is near vertical and the latches  550  can engage with the apertures  180  in the container  403 .  FIG. 21  is a front view of the apparatus  1000  shown in  FIG. 20 , where the latches  550  have engaged with the apertures  180  and the rotating frame  1050  has been rotated inward, leaning the container  403  towards its rear wall. At this point, the container  403  has been securely loaded onto the apparatus  1000  and is ready for transport. Of course, although shown with space for two pairs of back-to-back containers  403 , the apparatus  1000  could be designed to hold any number of containers  403  as the particular number of four is not required for the invention. Preferably, the frame  1010  of the apparatus  1000  contains a pair of access slots  1090  which allow the apparatus  1000  to be used with any type of skid steer, fork lift, pallet jack or any other device for transporting containers or pallets, the device having a pair of elongate members for inserting into the access slots  1090 . 
       FIG. 22  is a top view of a truck being loaded with containers  403  by the apparatus  1000  shown in  FIG. 20 . Here, one or more containers  403  can be positioned between the sidewalls  901  of the truck and against the front of the truck  960  and unloaded. The apparatus  1000  can then rotate approximately 180 degrees to now position the opposing container(s)  403  against the front of the truck  960  for unloading. 
     Having shown and described a preferred embodiment of the invention, those skilled in the art will realize that many variations and modifications may be made to affect the described invention and still be within the scope of the claimed invention. Additionally, many of the elements indicated above may be altered or replaced by different elements which will provide the same result and fall within the spirit of the claimed invention. It is the intention, therefore, to limit the invention only as indicated by the scope of the claims.