Abstract:
A container including at least three sidewalls with corners therebetween defining an internal space for storage of at least one item, the sidewalls having an open base and an open top. The sidewalls are foldable about the corners for ease of storage. There is also a cover for the internal space; and a pallet onto which the sidewalls can be placed. The sidewalls have at least one perforated line to enable the height of the sidewalls to be varied.

Description:
FIELD OF INVENTION  
       [0001]     This invention relates to a container for containing and transporting objects and refers particularly, though not exclusively, to a disposable container for storing, and transporting objects. The use of such a container is particularly relevant, though not exclusively so, for heavy loads that require the use of forklifts to be transported.  
       BACKGROUND  
       [0002]     Boxes that transport or courier companies provide for their clients&#39; use are usually in sizes conforming to industry standards. Boxes of different sizes are usually manufactured to meet the needs of different clients. It is essential that the companies keep track of the available stocks of a box of a particular size in order to not have a surplus or a shortage of a particular box size.  
         [0003]     The size of the boxes usually determines the load limit allowable in a particular box. Boxes with contents weighing greater than 50 kg will generally be too heavy for package handlers to lift. As such, many of the larger boxes require the use of forklifts for movement from one place to another. Currently, the boxes need to be placed on pallets to be moved about. Generally, there are no matching of packages to pallets. Also, cardboard boxes are used as they can be stored in a folded condition. Cardboard boxes are generally not suitable for heavy loads. Furthermore, pallets are generally made of timber. Timber pallets cause problems when being moved across international borders due to possible pest migration.  
       SUMMARY OF INVENTION  
       [0004]     In accordance with a first aspect, there is provided a container comprising at least three sidewalls with corners therebetween and having an open base, and an open top. The sidewalls define an internal space for storage of at least one item. The sidewalls are foldable about the corners for ease of storage. A cover is provided to cover the open top and the internal space. Also included is a pallet onto which the sidewalls can be placed. The sidewalls each have at least one perforated line to enable the height of the sidewalls to be varied.  
         [0005]     The sidewalls may be made of a material selected from: cardboard, treated cardboard and a plastics material. Preferably, the material is weather-resistant.  
         [0006]     The at least one perforated line may be parallel to an edge of the sidewalls for folding along the at least one perforated line, or for being sheared along the at least one perforated line, to vary the height of the sidewalls.  
         [0007]     The pallet may have a top, the top being planar and solid, and being of length and width slightly greater than the corresponding dimensions of the open base. A gap may be formed between an outer edge of the at least three sidewalls and a peripheral edge of the top of the pallet. The open base may be for enabling of the at least one item to be placed directly on the pallet.  
         [0008]     The cover may be shaped to conform with the storage space defined by the sidewalls and may comprise a cover top and cover sides, the cover being adapted to removably cover the open top, and to locate on an outer surface of each of the at least three sidewalls in the manner of a snug fit.  
         [0009]     The pallet may be formed of a material selected from: cardboard, plastics and treated cardboard. The material may be weather-resistant.  
         [0010]     The sidewalls and the pallet may combine to form an open-top box; and the top of the pallet may form a solid base for the sidewalls. The open-top box may be closed by the cover. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS  
       [0011]     In order that the invention may be better understood and readily put into practical effect, there shall now be described by way of non-limitative example only preferred embodiments of the present invention, the description being in reference to the accompanying illustrative drawings in which:  
         [0012]      FIG. 1  shows a perspective view of a preferred embodiment;  
         [0013]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the container of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0014]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the pallet in  FIG. 1 ; and  
         [0015]      FIG. 4  shows various dimensions and load ratings of a preferred embodiment 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0016]     Referring to  FIG. 1 , there is shown a container  20 . The container  20  may be made from a disposable or recyclable material such as, for example, cardboard or plastics. It may be a weather-resistant material such as, for example, treated cardboard. If biodegradability/disposability is required, it would be preferable if treated cardboard is used.  
         [0017]     The container  20  has four integral and mutually perpendicular sidewalls  24 .  FIG. 1  shows the container  20  with four sidewalls  24  such that a rectangular storage area is defined by the sidewalls  24 . In other embodiments of the present invention, there may different numbers of sidewalls  24 , depending on a preferred shape of the storage area. For example, three sidewalls  24  may be used to define a triangular storage area, five sidewalls  24  may be used to define a pentagonal storage area, eight sidewalls  24  may be used to define an octagonal storage area, and so forth. The sidewalls  24  may be formed from a cardboard blank.  
         [0018]     The container  20  may also have a cover  38  which is placed over open top  46  and around a top rim  44  of the sidewalls  24  and covers the contents placed in the storage area. The cover  38  has a top  36  of the same shape as the open top  46 . The cover  38  also has sides  36 . The cover  38  may be formed from a single cardboard blank and is preferably dimensioned so that sides  36  pass over the outer surface of each of the sidewalls  24  in the manner of a snug fit. The cover  38  is preferably a relatively tight fit over sidewalls  24  but is readily removed from and inserted onto sidewalls  24 .  
         [0019]     The sidewalls  24  have an open base  22 . As there is no integral top or cover to container  20 , the sidewalls  24  maybe easily folded for storage by being folded about corners  28 .  
         [0020]     Each sidewall  24  may have at least one perforated line  26  running parallel to an edge  27  at the base  22 . In  FIGS. 1 and 2 , there are shown a first perforated line  26 , a second perforated line  30 , and a third perforated line  32 . The number and placement of the perforated lines may be as desired or required. The heights of each perforated line above edge  22  may be set to conform with industry standards for freight/transportation boxes. For example, third line  32  may at half the height of the sidewalls  24  so that container  20  holds half the volume. Line  30  may be at ⅔rds the height; and line  26  may be at ¾ of the height.  
         [0021]     When a perforated line is sheared, cuts may be made down each of the corners  28  to a preferred line of perforation such as, for example the third perforated line  32 , the sidewall  24  is then sheared along the perforated line  32  on each sidewall  24 . The height of the container  20  is then lowered to that of the third perforated line  32 . Alternatively, each sidewall  24  may be folded about the perpendicular line into the storage area defined by the sidewalls  24  to strengthen each sidewall  24 .  
         [0022]      FIG. 4  shows different instances of identical containers  20  with sidewalls  24  of different heights after folding or shearing along the various perforated lines. The use of perforated lines along each sidewall  24  enables the use of a single standardised container that may be customised to meet the needs of different load and height requirements of objects to be stored and transported. There may no longer be a need for transport/courier companies to manufacture containers of different dimensions for objects of different load and height requirements.  
         [0023]     The base  22  is open so that the sidewalls  24  may be placed on pallet  40  with the outer edge of sidewalls  24  (indicated by line  52  on  FIG. 3 ) being slightly inside the peripheral edge of top  42  of pallet  40 . In this way a small gap  54  is created. The top  42  of pallet  40  is planar, and solid. It is of a length and width slightly greater than the corresponding dimensions of sidewalls  24  to form the gap  54 . Therefore, when sidewalls  24  are placed on pallet  40 , the top  42  of the pallet  40  is the base of the sidewalls  24 . The combination of sidewalls  24  and pallet thus form an open-top box able to be closed by the cover.  
         [0024]     Top  42  is of the same shape as base  22 . The pallet  40  has rails  48  with gaps  50  to allow the container  20  to be lifted by forklifts without being placed on a separate pallet. The pallet  40  may also be formed from cardboard and preferably is weather resistant.  
         [0025]     In this way sidewalls  24  may be placed on top  42  of pallet  40 , and product to be transported placed inside the sidewalls  24 . The height of sidewalls  24  may then be varied using one of the perforated lines  26 ,  30 ,  32  (or none of them) and cover  38  placed over sidewalls  24 . Straps or the like (not shown) may then be used to secure the assembly. Alternatively, the products to be transported may be placed on pallet  40 , and sidewalls  24  placed over them. By having the product to be transported directly on top  42  of pallet  40 , the risk of slippage during transport is reduced. Also, as sidewalls  24  have no base, there is no risk of container  20  being lifted and the heavy contents falling through its base and being damaged. By being having a pallet, there is a clear indication to workers that a forklift is to be used and manual handling is not to be performed. If sidewalls  24  had a base (thereby forming a box), there may be a tendency for workers to attempt manual lifting. This may be quite dangerous.  
         [0026]     The container  20  may be able to carry varying loads depending on the height of sidewalls  24  and the load capacity of the pallet  40 . The higher the sidewalls  24 , the greater the possible load rating of the container  20 .  
         [0027]     Whilst there has been described in the foregoing description preferred embodiments of the present invention, it will be understood by those skilled in the technology concerned that many variations or modifications may be made to details of design or construction without departing from the present invention.  
       LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS  
       [0000]    
       
           20  container  
           22  container open base  
           24  container sidewalls  
           26  first perforated line  
           27  edge  
           28  corners of  24   
           30  second perforated line  
           32  third perforated line  
           34  cover sides  
           36  cover top  
           40  pallet  
           42  pallet top  
           44  top rim  
           46  open top  
           48  rails  
           50  openings  
           52  line of outer edge of  24   
           54  gap  
           56  periphery of  42