US3044658A - Shipping container - Google Patents

Description

July 17, 1962 SHIPPING CONTAINER Filed May 12, 1958 2 l6 /6 T. C. COMBS ETAL 30 77-/E0D0RE C .C OMBS 16 JA MES M. DOBBIE IN VEN T 0R5 ATToRMr/ United States Patent 3,044,658 SHIPPING CONTAINER Theodore C. Combs, San Marino, and James M. Dobbie, Pasadena, Calif., assignors to Zero Manufacturing Company, Burbank, Calif, a corporation of California Filed May 12, 1958, Ser. No. 734,707 9 Claims. (Cl. 220-80) This invention relates to a shipping container for various types of objects such as missiles, alignment fixtures, test equipment, optical gear and other instrumentation.

Conventional shipping containers have been foundto be quite inadequate when utilized in shipping such articles as missiles, complex electronic instrumentation, and other manufactured devices which are susceptible to corrosion and to malfunctioning due to exposure to climatic conditions. Conventional shipping containers are unable to cope with such variations of temperature and climatic conditions and thus the instrumentation and other objects shipped therein are frequently permanently damaged.

It is, therefore, an object of our invention to provide a shipping container consisting of a plurality of prefabricated parts including various extruded shapes constituting the frame members and vertical posts of the container and adapted to receive a plurality of sheet metal panels which serve as constituent elements of the shipping container.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a shipping container of the aforementioned character wherein the frame members and corner posts of the shipping container are constituted by extruded shapes of substantially rectangular, tubular configuration andwherein said tubular extruded shapes are provided with jaws defining panel receiving slots in the plane of the innermost walls thereof.

One of the major hazards encountered in conventional shipping containers is the fact that the wall or bottom and top structures thereof are frequently damaged by juxtaposition of the shipping container to a protruding object or to an adjacent container. This largely attributable to the fact that, in conventional containers, the

frame members and corner posts are substantially in the same plane as the panel sections thereof.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a shipping container of the aforementioned character wherein the side, end, top, and bottom panels are disposed inwardly in the plane of the inner walls of the frame members and corner posts and wherein the tubular bodies of the frame members and the corner posts serve as buffers isolating the panels of the shipping container from damage.

A further object of our invention is the provision of a shipping container of the aforementioned character wherein the panels themselves are provided with a plurality of outwardly directed stiifeners which, due to the recessed location of the panels, have their outermost portions disposed inwardly of the plane of the outermost portions of the tubular bodies of the frame members and the corner posts, thus preventing said stitfeners from impinging upon adjacent objects or containers.

It is frequently necessaryto isolate the contents of shipping containers of the character under consideration here from contamination by the ambient air and for this purpose the containers must be pressure tight. Conventional containers wherein conventional joints are utilized are, of course, quite inadequate for this purpose due to the fact that the sealing of the joints between the panel and supporting structures thereof is extremely difiicult.

Another object of our invention is the provision of a container of the aforementioned character wherein the inner walls of the jaws defining the aforementioned panel receiving slots incorporate a plurality ofpockets adapted to receive a suitable sealant and adhesive whereby the edges of the panels of the container disposed in the slots defined by said jaws may be permanently and securely sealed against the infiltration of ambient air into the interior of the container. I

A further object of the invention is the provision of shipping container of the aforementioned character wherein the component parts can be maintainedin the inventory of the manufacturer and shipping containers of any desired size be assembled therefrom. While in the disclosure appearing herein'below a specific shape of shipping container is described, it is, of course, to be understood that a variety of different shapes of containers may be provided incorporating the basic elements of the invention.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following specification and the accompanying drawing which is for the purpose of illustration only and in which: 7

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a shipping container constructed in accordance with the teachings of the invention;

:FIG. 2 is a transverseQsectional view taken on the broken line 2--2 of FIG. 1 showing a transverse segment of the container;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary, sectional-view of a typical corner post constructed in accordance with the teachings of the invention;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged, fragmentary, sectional view of an alternative 'form'of corner post construction; and

FIG. 5 is a transverse, sectional view of an alternative form of frame member utilized in fabricating the shipping container of the invention.

While the construction and mode of operation of the invention will be described in conjunction with a shipping container, it is of course, to be understood that the principles thereof may be applied with equal cogency to various types of containers and that there is no intention that the principles of the invention be limited to the particular application discussed hereinbelow.

Referring to the drawing and particularly to FIGS. 1-2 thereof, there is shown a shipping container 10' constructed in accordance with the teachings of the invention, said shipping container being of substantially rectangular configuration and including a top portionlz and a bottom portion 14. The top and bottom portions include and utilize various extruded shapes, as will be apparent from the discussion hereinbelow but, in the present embodiment of the invention, the bottom portion 14 is considerably deeper than the top portion 12 of the shipping container 10.

Among the extruded sections utilized in fabricating the shipping container 10 are vertically oriented corner posts 16 which also serve as frame members on the top and bottom portions 12 and 14 of said container. Since the cross-sectional configuration of the corner posts 16 is adequately disclosed in FIGS. 2 and 3 of the drawing, no cross section of the corner posts in their location and vertical orientation at the corners of the top and bottom portions 12 and 14 of the shipping container 10 is incorporated in the drawing, it being understood that the cross sections of the corner posts are identical with these members when utilized as horizontal frame members in the container 10.

Intermediate frame members 18 are also utilized in fabricating the top and bottom portions 12 and 14 of the shipping container 10 and the top edge of the bottom portion 14 is defined by rim frame members 20 of the configuration shown in FIG. 2 of the drawing. The bottom edge of the top portion 12 of the container 10 is defined Patented July 17, 1962 by rim frame members 22 and 24, the rim frame member 22 serving for the sides and back of the top portion 12 and the rim frame member 24 serving for the front portion thereof, as will be made apparent in greater detail hereinbelow.

Each of the frame members and corner posts is, as best shown in FIG. 2 of the drawing, of substantially rectangular, tubular cross section and each is preferably formed from aluminum extrusions since such extrusions are light-weight, relatively economical and permit the maintenance of relatively close manufacturing tolerances. Moreover, a large stock and inventory of standard lengths of the frame and corner posts members can be maintained and cut to size when the need for a predetermined length or configuration of shipping container arises.

At this juncture it appears appropriate to point out that, while the shipping container shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawing is of rectangular configuration, it is, of course, not intended to limit the principles and teachings of the invention to a specific configuration of shipping container since it is conceivable that the frame members and/ or corner posts of the invention be utilized in various types of containers such as containers of cylindrical and other configurations.

The corner posts 16 which, as best shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawing, also serve as horizontally oriented frame members, include an outer wall means indicated as exterior walls and a right-angularly shaped inner wall means or interior wall 32 which is of thicker cross section than the exterior walls 30 which include two inner walls meeting at a crest or edge, these inner walls having even thicker extensions beyond their junctions with the exterior walls 30, each extension having a pair of jaw members 34 spaced to define panel receiving slots 36, as best shown in FIG. 3 of the drawing. The jaw members 34 and the slots 36 defined thereby can thus be considered as lying in substantially the same plane as the plane of the adjacent edges of the interior or innermost wall 32 of the respective corner posts 16 or can be alternatively considered as being located on the side walls 30 adjacent the intersections of the side walls 30 with the interior or innermost wall 32.

In any event, when disposed at the corners of the top and bottom portions 12 and 14 of the shipping container 10, the slots 36 defined by the jaw members 34 are adapted to receive the opposite extremities of panels 40 formed from aluminum or other desirable material. To insure that a fluid-tight seal will be attained between the co-opcrating extremities of the panels 40 and the inner walls of the jaw members 34, said jaw members are provided with elongated grooves 42 therein which constitute pockets for the reception of adhesive sealing materials which perform the joint function of sealing the panels in the slots against infiltration of ambient air or moisture and of securing the panels against displacement from said slots.

Typical of the adhesives utilized are epoxy resin adhesives, but alternative resins may be utilized if desired.

Also incorporated in the container 10 are the intermediate frame members 18, each of which has three exterior walls 44 and an innermost or interior wall 46 having jaw members 34 at its opposite edges defining panel receiving slots 36. Thus, the slots 36 in the intermediate frame members 18 are adapted to receive the contiguous edges of top and bottom panels 48, as best shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawing. Of course, the inner walls of the jaw members 34 of the intermediate frame members 18 incorporate adhesive receiving pockets 42 for the reasons previously mentioned.

The rim frame member 20 encompasses the upper edge of the bottom portion 14 of the shipping container 10 and includes exterior walls 50 and an interior or innermost wall 52 having jaw members 34 formed upon one edge thereof, an upper wall 54 being provided on each of Cir the sections of the rim frame member 20 and having spaced, upwardly directed alignment and sealing ribs 56 and 58 provided thereupon. The ribs 56 and 53 constituting male members, will be described in greater detail hereinbelow.

Of course, the slots 36 in the lowver edges of the innermost walls 52 of the rim frame members 20 receive the upper edges of the panels 40 and incorporate the adhesive receiving pockets 42 for permitting the fluid-tight afiixation of said upper edges in the aforementioned slots.

The rim frame members 22 and 24 on the lower edge of the top portion 12 of the shipping container 18' are cooperative with the rim frame members 20, the rim frame members 22 being located at the back and sides of the top portion 12 of the container 10 and each of said members including exterior walls 63 and an innermost wall 62, as best shown in FIG. 2 of the drawing, having jaw members 34 formed integrally therewith and defining slots of the character of the slots 36 previously described as incorporated in the other frame members and corner posts.

A lower wall 66 is provided which incorporates a female alignment groove 68 and a seal receiving groove 70 in which is located a seal 72. Thus, the male alignment rib 56 is received in the alignment groove 68 and the male sealing rib 58 engages the seal 72 to provide a fluidtight seal between the rim members 20 and 22. It will be noted that the rim members 20 and 22 are joined in operative relationship with each other by means of a hinge 74 at the back of the shipping container 10, but such a hinge is, of course, not dictated in all applications or embodiments of the invention.

The rim frame member 24 located in the front of the top portion 12 of the shipping container 10 includes an exterior wall 60 and an innermost wall 62 having slot defining jaws 34 provided on one edge thereof. The lower wall 66 incorporates female grooves 68 and 70 which serve the same function as the grooves in the previously discussed rim frame member 22. The primary distinction between the rim frame member 22 and the frame member 24 lies in the provision of a continuous groove 76 which is adapted to receive a latch member indicated at 77 maintaining the top and bottom portions 12 and 14 of the shipping container 10 in closed and sealed relationship.

An alternative jaw construction for the frame members and posts is shown in FIG. 4 of the drawing wherein one of the jaws 78 is bent outwardly away from the other to define a slot 80 which is open wider at its outer extremity than at its inner extremity to facilitate the entry of the contiguous edge of a panel into the slot 80. Moreover, the inner walls of the jaws 78 may be provided with protrusions 82 and co-operating recesses 84 so that when the bent jaw 78 is crimped or otherwise deformed into operative engagement with the contiguous surface of an associated panel, the protrusions 82 on the inner wall of the jaw will deform the panel and create a mechanical joint between the panel and the associated jaws.

An alternative front rim member is shown in FIG. 5 of the drawing and differs from the previously described and disclosed rim member 24 in that the jaws 34 defining the slot 36, instead of being directed upwardly to engage the contiguous edge of a panel, are directed laterally to engage the top panel of a top portion of a shipping container.

The side panels 40 of the bottom portion 14 of the shipping container 10 are provided with outwardly projecting integral ribs 92 which serve as stiffeners therefor and which, as best shown in FIG. 2 of the drawing, have their outermost surfaces disposed inwardly of the plane of the outermost exterior wall '30 of the horizontally oriented frame member constituted by the corner post extrusions 16.

In fabricating the various shipping containers which can be assembled from the component parts described in detail hereinabove, it is obvious that if a stock of lengths of the various extrusions constituting the frame members and corner posts is kept on hand, together. with a stock of sheet material, containers of different sizes and shapes, as dictated by the ultimate end use thereof,

can be fabricated simply by cutting the frame members and corner posts to the desired lengths and by cutting the sheet material into panels which will conform to the dimensions of the openings defined by the co-operative frame members and corner posts. vTherefore, it is possible for a manufacturer to keep a supply of raw material adapted for use in fabricating a large number of shipping containers in a relatively small storage space and it is also possible to fabricate a large number of containers upon relatively short notice because of the simple assembly techniques which are utilized.

After the panels 40 and 48 have been fabricated from the appropriate sheet material, such as aluminum sheet stock, the edges thereof are wiped with epoxy adhesives and located in the slots of the contiguous post and frame members. After the various post and frame members have been assembled about the edges of the panels 40 and '48, the abutting corners thereof, which have been appropriately mitered or otherwise shaped, can be weldedv or otherwise suitably affixed to each other by conventional techniques.

Among the inherent advantages of the shipping container of the invention and the tubular shapes constituting the frame members and corner posts thereof, is the fact that the tubular shape of the frame members and corner posts imparts a rigidity to the shipping containers not found in prior art constructions. Moreover, since the panels constituting the enclosing portions of the shipping container are disposed in the plane of the innermost Walls of the various frame members and corner posts, the container is further rigidified and the tubular portions of the frame members and corner posts serve as hand holds and as buflfer or bumper means whereby the relatively fragile panels are isolated from contact with contiguous articles or surfaces and particularly from damaging contact with sharp protrusions and projections.

Of particular importance is thefact that the inner walls of the jaws on the various posts and frame members are provided with adhesive receiving pockets or grooves whereby the individual panels can be secured in fluid-tight relationship With the individual frame members and corner posts. It will also be noted that the recessed character Of the panels permits the incorporation of outwardly projecting reinforcing ribs therein or thereupon. Nevertheless, the reinforcing ribs still have their outermost portions disposed inwardly of the outermost Walls of the associated frame members and corner posts.

If a fluid-tight joint between the contiguous edges of the panels and the adjacent jaws of the frame members and corner posts is not desired, a mechanical joint may be achieved by the utilization of jaw members of the character of those shown in FIG. 4 of the drawing at 78 wherein a mechanical bond between the panels and the jaw members is achieved by crimping the outwardly bent jaw members 78 and the protrusions 82 thereupon into operative relationship with the adjacent surface of a panel.

The invention thus provides a relatively simple means whereby shipping, storage, and housing containers of various configurations and sizes may be readily and expeditiously manufactured and whereby fluid-tight characteris tics can be achieved with a minimum expenditure of time and labor. Also characteristic of the shipping con- 7 tainer of the invention is the fact that the component elements thereof can be dis-assembled, if desired, after 1 A high-strength panel-sided shipping container providing maximum internal rectilinear cubage therefor, said container comprising panels secured to frame members providing external protection for the panels and reenforce ment at the panel edges largely outside the container, certain of said frame members each comprising an extruded tubular member having a cross section defined by integral outer and inner wall means completely surrounding an internal space extending longitudinally of the frame member, said inner wall means including two inner walls joined at right angles to each other along adjacent inner edges each having a junction zone extending longitudinally of the frame member and spaced uniformly from said inner edges, each inner wall having an extension beyond its junction zone forming a part of said inner wall means and substantially aligned with the corresponding inner wall and integral therewith at said junction zone, each extension having a panel-receiving slot substantially aligned with the corresponding inner wall and terminating in a bottom wall closely adjacent the corresponding junction zone, said panel-receiving slot being laterally bounded by side surfaces parallel to the midplane of the corresponding inner wall and embracing a panel edge therebetween, said outer wall means being integral with said inner wall means at said two junction zones and looping right angularly outward therefrom in widely spaced relation to said adjacent inner edges, the direct distance from either junction zone to the outermost portion of said outer wall means beingseveral times the thickness of the corresponding extension thereby exposing said outer wall means outwardly beyond s'aid extensions to provide hand spaces for lifting the container and its contents. 2. A container as defined in claim 1 in which each extension provides jaw members bounding said panel-receiving slot, and wherein that jaw member nearest the interior of said containeris longer, in a direction away from said bottom wall, than the other of said jaw members to provide a panel stop for the edge of a panel when the same is aligned with said slot for insertion thereinto.

3. A high-strength panel-sided shipping container providing maximum internal rectilinear cubage therefor, said container comprising panels secured to frame members providing external protection for the panels and reenforcement at the panel edges largely outside the container, certain of said frame members each comprising an extruded tubular member having a cross section defined by integral outer and inner Wall means completely surrounding an internal space extending longitudinally of the frame member, said inner wall means including two inner walls joined at right angles to each other along adjacent inner edges, each inner wall having an extension thicker than said inner wall forming a continuation thereofand integral therewith, each inner wall and its thicker extension having outwardly-facing surfaces offset from each other at a junction zone extending longitudinally of the frame member, each thicker extension having a panel-receiving slot terminating in a bottom wall closely,

adjacent the corresponding junction zone, said panelreceiving slot having inner and outer sides parallel to the midplane of the corresponding inner wall and embracing a'panel edge therebetween, the central midplane of each panel-receiving slot lying within the confines of the corresponding inner wall between the opposed faces thereof,said outer wall means being integral with said inner Wall means at said junction zones and looping outwardly from the latter beyond said adjacent inner edges, 7

said internal space being bounded'to a large extent by the inner surfaces of said outer wall means and to a smaller extent'by the outwardly-facing surfaces of said inner walls.

4. A high-strength panel-sided shipping container providing maximum internal rectilinear cubage therefor, said frame members providing external protection for the P 1 panels and reenforcement at the panel edges largely outside the container, certain of said frame members each comprising an extruded tubular member having a cross section defined by integral outer and inner wall means completely surrounding an internal space extending longitudinally of the frame member, said inner wall means including an inner wall having an extension thicker than such inner wall forming a continuation thereof and integral therewith, said inner wall and said thicker extension thereof having coplanar inwardly-facing surfaces on one side facing away from the axis of said internal space, said inner wall and said thicker extension having outwardlyfacing surfaces offset from each other at a junction zone extending longitudinally of the frame member, said thicker extension having a panel-receiving slot terminating in a bottom wall closely adjacent said junction zone, said slot having inner and outer sides parallel to the midplane of said inner wall and embracing a panel edge therebetween, at least one such side having a shallow elongated adhesive-containing groove extending longitudinally of said slot throughout the length thereof, each adhesive groove facing the central midplane of said panel receiving slot, said outer wall means being joined integrally with said inner wall and its extension at said junction zone throughout the length of the latter, said outer wall means Y looping outwardly in rectilinear form and returning to and being integral with said inner wall means at another junction zone thereof parallel to said first-named junction zone, said outer wall means having inner surfaces bounding said internal space, said offset outwardly-facing surface of said inner wall facing and lying parallel to one of said inner surfaces of said outer wall means to bound a portion of said internal space, the extended central midplane of said panel-receiving slot being substantially parallel to and closely adjacent said outwardly facing internalspace-bounding surface of said inner wall.

5. A frame member as defined in claim 4 in which said inner and outer sides of said panel-receiving slot are respectively on the same side of the midplane of such slot as are the inwardly-facing and outwardly-facing surfaces of said inner wall, and in which said outwardlyfacing surface of said inner wall is substantially coplanar with said outer side of said panel-receiving slot.

6. A rectilinear parallelepiped high-strength shipping container providing maximum internal rectilinear cubage therefor while providing reenforcement largely outside the container, said container having four bottom corners each of which comprises two tubular horizontal frame members extending toward each other at right angles, an

upright tubular frame member extending at right angles to each of said horizontal frame members, and three panels at right angles to each other having edges respectively attached to said three frame members exclusively by adhesive, each of said tubular frame members being a tubular member having a cross section defined by in- Y tegral outer and inner wall means completely surrounding an internal space extending longitudinally of the frame member, said inner wall means of each tubular frame member including two inner walls joined at right angles to each other along adjacent inner edges and bounding a portion of the internal Space of such frame member, there being a junction zone along portions of each inner wall spaced uniformly from said adjacent inner edges and extending longitudinally of said frame member, each such inner wall having an extension beyond its junction zone forming a part of said inner wall means and substantially aligned with the corresponding inner wall and integral therewith at said junction zone, each extension having a narrow panel-receiving slot substantially aligned with the corresponding inner wall and closly adjacent thereto terminating in a bottom wall closely adjacent the corresponding junction zone, said slot being laterally bounded by side surfaces parallel to the midplane of the corresponding inner wall and spaced apart and receiving the edge of a corresponding panel and of a width only slightly greater than the thickness of such panel, at least one side surface of said panel-receiving slot having a shallow adhesive groove facing-the central midplane of the slot and extending throughout the length thereof, there being an adhesive in such slot and such adhesive grooves thereof, said adhesive forming the sole attachment between such panel edge and such tubular frame member, the ratio of depth to width of said panel-receiving slot being at least about 3:1, said outer wall means of each tubular frame member being integral with said inner wall means thereof at the two junction zones thereof and looping right-angularly outward therefrom around said adjacent inner edges in widely spaced relation thereto, such outer wall means providing an external crest forming a protective edge of said container, the direct distance from either junction zone outward to said external crest being several times the thickness of the corresponding extension thereby exposing such outer wall means outwardly beyond said extension and the panel adhered thereto to provide a hand space for lifting the container and its contents.

7. A rectilinear parallelepiped high-strength shipping container providing maximum internal rectilinear cubage therefor while providing reenforcement largely outside the container, said container having four bottom corners each of which comprises two tubular horizontal frame members extending toward each other at right angles, an upright tubular frame member extending at right angles to each of said horizontal frame members, and three panels at right angles to each other having edges respectively attached to said three frame members exclusively by adhesive, each of said tubular frame members being a tubular member having a cross section defined by integral outer and inner wall means completely surrounding an internal space extending longitudinally of the frame member, said inner wall means of each tubular frame member comprising two inner walls joined at right angles to each other at adjacent inner edges, each inner wall having an extension forming a continuation thereof in a direction away from said inner edges and integral with such inner wall at a junction zone extending longitudinally of the frame member, each extension having a narrow panel receiving slot substantially aligned with the corresponding inner wall with its extended central midplane substantially parallel to and closely adjacent the outwardly-facing internal-space-bouncling surface of said inner wall whereby forces in the planes of said panels are transmitted directly to the respectively aligned inner walls, there being an adhesive in each slot forming the sole attachment between the panel edge therein and the corresponding tubular frame member, said outer wall means of each tubular frame member being integral with said inner wall means thereof at the two junction zones thereof and looping outwardly therefrom around said adjacent inner edges in widely spaced relation thereto, said outer wall means having four integral side walls at right angles to each other comprising two wider side walls meeting in an external crest diagonally opposite said adjacent inner edges of said inner wall means and two narrower side walls extending to said two junction zones of such inner wall means.

8. A rectilinear container as defined in claim 7, in which each extension is thicker than the corresponding inner wall from which it extends, each such inner wall and its extension having coplanar surfaces facing the interior of said container, each such inner wall and its extension having outwardly-facing surfaces offset from each other at said junction zone and respectively facing the internal space of the corresponding frame member and the exterior of said container.

9. A rectilinear container as defined in claim 7 in which the panel-receiving slot of each extension divides the latter to form inner and outer jaw members disposed respectively closer to the interior and exterior of said container, and in which said inner jaw member is longer than said outer jaw member in a direction away from the bottom wall of such panel-receiving slot to provide a panel stop engagea'ble by the edge of a panel to be inserted into such 8101:.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 861,311 Norris July 30, 1907

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