Supports: racks – Knockdown
Reexamination Certificate
2000-11-30
2002-07-23
Gibson, Jr., Robert W. (Department: 3634)
Supports: racks
Knockdown
C211S187000, C211S207000, C211S175000, C211S101000, C211S055000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06422407
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an article transporting/storing apparatus for carrying articles when the articles are transported or stored, or for any other purpose.
2. Description of the Related Art
Article transporting/storing apparatus for use in transporting a variety of articles or storing them have been conventionally known. Such articles include industrial products such as electric products, parts thereof, building materials, furniture, natural products, etc. A conventional article transporting/storing apparatus of this type is generally composed of a palette for carrying articles thereon; four posts fixed to four corners of the palette in an upright posture with respect to an article carrying surface of the palette; and coupling members for securely coupling adjacent posts with each other. For transporting or storing articles with such an article transporting/storing apparatus, the articles are accommodated in a space defined inside the four posts, and carried on the palette, such that the articles are transported or stored together with the article transporting/storing apparatus.
However, while articles subjected to transportation and storage with this type of article transporting/storing apparatus widely range from a large sized article to a small sized article, the above-mentioned conventional article transporting/storing apparatus has a fixed volume of the space available for accommodating articles. Therefore, although an article transporting/storing apparatus of a particular size may be used to transport or store an article of a size suitable to the article transporting/storing apparatus, an article of a size larger than the article accommodating space of the article transporting/storing apparatus cannot be accommodated therein, so that the article transporting/storing apparatus cannot be used to transport or store the article. On the other hand, if the article transporting/storing apparatus is used to transport or store an article extremely smaller than the article accommodating space, this will cause unfavorable results, such as a lower transportation efficiency, a wasteful use of the space available for installing the article transporting/storing apparatus, etc.
OBJECT AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an article transporting/storing apparatus which eliminates the disadvantages of the conventional counterpart.
To achieve the above object, the present invention provides an article transporting/storing apparatus which includes a plurality of posts, a post coupling mechanism, and at least one article carrier. The post coupling mechanism is arranged and configured to couple adjacent posts to each other such that at least one spacing between the posts can be adjusted. The article carrier is supported by at least some of the plurality of posts.
The article transporting/storing apparatus advantageously may include the carrier holding mechanism through which the article carrier is supported by the posts, wherein the carrier holding mechanism is adapted to hold the article carrier at a different position in a longitudinal direction of the posts.
Also advantageously, the article carrier may removably attached to the posts.
Further advantageously, the carrier holding mechanism may include a carrier receiving member removably fixed to the post for supporting the article carrier from below.
Further advantageously, the carrier holding mechanism may include a carrier pressing member removably fixed to the post for pressing an upper surface of the article carrier.
Further advantageously, the article transporting/storing apparatus may further includes a positioning mechanism for positioning the article carrier with respect to the post.
Further advantageously, the article carrier may adjustably be configured such that a profile thereof is changed.
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patent: 2459024 (1949-01-01), Gipson
patent: 3082711 (1963-03-01), Vetere
patent: 3533502 (1970-10-01), Hansen
patent: 3788242 (1974-01-01), Hassel et al.
patent: 3850295 (1974-11-01), Black
patent: 4500146 (1985-02-01), Peterson
patent: 5131547 (1992-07-01), Goldberg
patent: 5233931 (1993-08-01), McCorkle
patent: 5234116 (1993-08-01), Kristinsson et al.
patent: 6036034 (2000-03-01), Battaglia et al.
patent: 6311856 (2001-11-01), Battaglia et al.
patent: 11-348985 (1999-12-01), None
Gibson , Jr. Robert W.
Ricoh & Company, Ltd.
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