Receptacles – Blank – Corner fold
Reexamination Certificate
1999-06-18
2001-10-30
Moy, Joseph M. (Department: 3727)
Receptacles
Blank
Corner fold
C220S062200, C229S122320
Reexamination Certificate
active
06308850
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a liner for lining a container, such as a shipping container, railway container, trucking container, storage container or transport container. The present invention also relates to a method for lining a container.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Produce and goods are frequently stored and transported in large containers. Such large containers typically have inside dimensions of 7′8″ (2337 mm) wide, 7′2″ (2145 mm) high and 19′4″ (5905 mm) long. However, there is no standard dimensions for such containers and in practice there is variation in the dimensions between containers. Furthermore, some containers may be approximately 40′ (12.2 m) long. In addition to variations in the internal dimensions of containers, there is also variability in design details of the inner structure of containers, particularly in the corner post region and in the design features along internal edges of the container. Containers are typically made of metal and may have wooden floor installed therein.
Such containers typically have one end that comprises a lockable door or doors. The containers are loaded with produce and goods by opening the door or doors and stacking the produce and goods inside the container. As the containers age, they may start to rust in places, paint may start to flake from inside surfaces, dirt may build up on the floor and in corners and rails in the container, and grease and other contaminants may be deposited inside the container.
If a container is to be used for transporting food or food products, strict requirements are placed on the quality of the container. In order to meet the requirements for food export quality containers, the container must be clean on the inside and have no rust, flaking paint or other contaminants that may fall from the container onto the cargo. In order to meet food export quality container guidelines, it is currently necessary to steam clean or chemically wash the inside of each container each time the container is turned around and loaded with a new cargo. Repainting may also be required. These steps increase the time required to turn around a container and also increase the costs involved in turning around the container.
Food quality containers are becoming more widely used for export and transport of food products such as dairy cargoes, nuts, fruit, canned food, rice, etc. Such cargoes are typically bagged or boxed at a food preparation plant and the containers are subsequently loaded with the bagged or boxed products.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION AND OBJECT
Attempts have been made to provide container liners without commercial success. For example AU-A-88293/82. The Sherman company discloses a body liner for truck bodies in which liner sheets are clamped at the top and bottom. This arrangement does not lend itself to shipping containers and requires special clamping means to hold the liner in place. It would be prohibitively expensive to convert existing containers to this configuration.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,447,225 Davis et al, discloses a tray-shroud for shipping and storing packaged goods in which the shroud is a pre-formed sleeve, filled with goods, which telescopes into the tray. This arrangement does not differ greatly from the individual putting of the goods in boxes. It is expensive and each shroud must be designed for a specific tray. As such it is not commercially attractive.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus and a method for lining a container.
According to a first aspect the present invention provides a liner for a container, the container including side walls, at least one end wall, a roof and a floor, the liner including:
at least one first side panel for positioning adjacent a first side wall
at least one second side panel for positioning adjacent a second side wall
at least one end panel for positioning adjacent the at least one end wall
wherein each of said at least one first side panel, at least one second side panel and at least one end panel include a main body panel and further include at least one foldable or hingeable flap provided on at least one edge of said main body panel, each of said panels being made from a self-supporting paperboard material, such as corrugated paperboard whereby the liner does not require separate elements to hold it in place.
The liner may further include at least one roof panel for positioning above a load of cargo in said container.
The liner may further include at least one floor panel for positioning on the floor of the container.
The liner may also include at least one second end panel for positioning adjacent a second end of the container. The second end of the container may comprise one or more doors and the at least one second end panel is located adjacent said one or more doors when said one or more doors is closed.
Preferably, the at least one roof panel includes a main body portion and at least one foldable or hingeable flap provided on at least one edge of the main body panel.
The at least one second end panel may also include a main body panel and at least one foldable or hingeable flap provided on at least one edge of the main body panel.
Similarly, the at least one floor panel may include a main body panel and at least one foldable or hingeable flap provided on at least one edge of the main body panel.
Preferably one, some or each of the at least one first side panel, at least one second side panel, at least one said panel, at least one second end panel, at least one roof panel and at least one floor panel include foldable or hingeable flaps provided on two opposed edges of the main body panel.
Preferably, said panels are made from a double face corrugated paperboard.
Preferably, the flap or flaps provided on an edge or on two opposed edges of the main body panel are formed by forming a fold line to delineate the edge or the two opposed edges of main body panel. In this case, each flap is defined by the material between a respective fold line and the edge of the panel.
The main body panel of the side panels and end panels preferably have a height that is substantially the same as the internal height of the container. The at least one end panel preferably comprises one end panel and this panel has a width that is preferably the same as the internal width of the container. The one end panel most preferably has foldable or hingeable flaps provided on two opposed edges of the main body panel. The end panel is preferably fitted into the container by placing the main body portion of the end panel against the end of the container and folding the flaps substantially perpendicularly to the main body panel such that the flaps are adjacent to either side walls of the container or the roof and floor of the container. Preferably, the end panel is oriented such that flaps lie adjacent the side walls of the container,
The side wall panels preferably include flaps on two opposed edges. The side wall panels are positioned inside the container such that the main body panel lies against the side wall and the flaps are folded substantially perpendicularly to the main body panel and the flaps lie adjacent to the roof and the floor of the container. The side wall panels positioned rearmost inside the container are most preferably positioned such that the rearmost vertical edge of the side wall panel is positioned close to the main body panel of the end panel (and suitably almost touching the end panel) with the flaps of the end panel located between the side wall panel and the side wall of the container. In this way, the positioning of the end panel and the side wall panels and their respective flaps ensure that the liner provides a substantially closed surface between the container walls and the cargo.
Once at least some of the side wall panels have been positioned inside the container, the at least one floor panel can be placed on the floor. The floor panel preferably has a width substantially the same as the internal width of the container. If the floor panel(s) comprise a main body
Coom Noel
Peters Glenn Arthur
Moy Joseph M.
Paul & Paul
VISY R & D pty Ltd.
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