Interlocking corner protectors for stackable enclosures

Abstract

An improved system and design of interlocking corner protectors for use with stackable enclosures employs a unique interlocking structure whose geometry allows the protectors to serve as interlocking elements when mated with an identical or compatible protector, and to serve as a foot or spacer when the enclosure is placed on a plane surface. The system and the unique structure allows for efficient production and stockage. A first type of protector, which can be fabricated from a first tool, is useable on any corner of a 90 degree cornered enclosure. A second type of protector, which can be fabricated from a second tool, is useable on any corner which combines 90 degree and 135 degree angles, corner and is compatible with and interlocks with the first type of protector. When applied to suitably dimensioned enclosures, the protectors allow the enclosures to stack and to interlock compatibly with one another, whether the enclosures have 90 degree or 135 degree corners. Thus, merely two types of protectors need be fabricated and stocked, thereby reducing tooling costs and parts stocks.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An interlocking, stackable corner protector for enclosing and protecting the corners of enclosures having 90 degree corners, and for enabling said enclosures to be stacked and interlocked with enclosures having identical or compatible protectors, comprising: 
 a first and a second side, the planes of each side oriented and fixed at a position generally 90 degrees from one another, and having inner surfaces that are adjacent to the inside angle formed by the sides and outer surfaces that are adjacent to the outside angle formed by the sides, 
 said first side having a first axis of symmetry and a first axis of complement, which axes are generally orthogonal to one another and lie close to or on the outer surface of the first side, the first axis of symmetry being parallel to the line of intersection of the first and the second side,  
 said second side having a second axis of symmetry and a second axis of complement, which axes are generally orthogonal to one another and lie close to or on the outer surface of the second side, 
 said second axis of symmetry being parallel to the line of intersection of the first and the second side, and spaced from said line of intersection by a distance generally equal to the distance by which the first axis of symmetry is spaced from the line of intersection,  
 said second axis of complement lying generally in a plane that includes the first axis of complement;  
 
 a first pattern of raised and depressed elements which are raised and depressed with respect to the outer surface of the first side, the contours of which pattern are generally symmetrical with reference to the first axis of symmetry and generally complementary with respect to the first axis of complement, and having a reference point oriented toward the line of intersection of the first and second sides, and;  
 a second pattern of raised and depressed elements which are raised and depressed with respect to the outer surface of the second side, which pattern is essentially equivalent to the first pattern rotated 180 degrees about to an axis that is generally orthogonal to the second axis of symmetry and the second axis of complement, so that the reference point of the second pattern is oriented toward the line of intersection of the first and second sides.  
   
     
     
         2 . An interlocking, stackable corner protector for enclosing and protecting the corners of Enclosures having corners combining 90 degree and 135 degree angles, and for enabling said enclosures to be stacked and interlocked with enclosures having identical or compatible protectors interlocked, comprising: 
 a first and a second side, the planes of each side oriented and fixed at a position generally 135 degrees from one another, and having inner surfaces that are adjacent to the inside angle formed by the sides and outer surfaces that are adjacent to the outside angle formed by the sides, 
 said first side having a first axis of symmetry and a first axis of complement, which axes are generally orthogonal to one another and lie close to or on the outer surface of the first side, the first axis of complement being parallel to the line of intersection of the first and the second side,  
 said second side having a second axis of symmetry and a second axis of complement, which axes are generally orthogonal to one another and lie close to or on the outer surface of the second side, 
 said second axis of complement being parallel to the line of intersection of the first and the second side, and spaced from said line of intersection by a distance generally equal to the distance by which the first axis of complement is spaced from the line of intersection,  
 said second axis of symmetry lying generally in a plane that includes the first axis of symmetry;  
 
 a first pattern of raised and depressed elements which are raised and depressed with respect to the outer surface of the first side, the contours of which pattern are generally symmetrical with respect to the first axis of symmetry and generally complementary with respect to the first axis of complement, and having a reference point oriented toward the line of intersection of the first and third sides;  
 a second pattern of raised and depressed elements which are raised and depressed with respect to the outer surface of the second side, which pattern is essentially a copy of the first pattern that has been translated to a position on the second side, the reference point of which pattern is oriented toward the line of intersection of the second and third sides, the contours of which pattern are generally symmetrical with reference to the second axis of symmetry and generally complementary with respect to the second axis of complement,  
 a third side, the plane of which side is positioned generally orthogonally to the planes of the first and second sides, and having an inner surface that is adjacent to the inside angles formed by the third side with the first and second sides, and an outer surface that is adjacent to the outside angles formed by the third side with the first and second sides, 
 said third side having a third axis of symmetry and a third axis of complement, which axes are generally orthogonal to one another and lie close to or on the outer surface of the third side, 
 said third axis of symmetry being orthogonal to the line of intersection of the first and the second sides, and spaced from said line of intersection by a distance generally equal to the distance by which the first axis of complement is spaced from the line of intersection,  
 said third axis of complement intersecting the line of intersection of the first and second sides, and bisecting the angle formed by the first and second sides, and;  
 
 a third pattern of raised and depressed elements which are raised and depressed with respect to the outer surface of the third side, which pattern is essentially a copy of the first pattern, the reference point of which is oriented away from the line of intersection of the first and second sides, the contours of which pattern are generally symmetrical with respect to the third axis of symmetry and generally complementary with respect to the third axis of complement.  
 
   
     
     
         3 . A system of interlocking, stackable corner protectors, utilizing compatible protectors suitable for 90 degree corners and combinations of 90 degree and 135 degree corners, comprising: 
 a first stackable corner protector for enclosing and protecting the corners of enclosures having 90 degree corners, and for enabling said enclosures to be stacked and interlocked with enclosures having identical or compatible protectors, comprising: 
 a first and a second side, the planes of each side oriented and fixed at a position generally  90  degrees from one another, and having inner surfaces that are adjacent to the inside angle formed by the sides and outer surfaces that are adjacent to the outside angle formed by the sides, 
 said first side having a first axis of symmetry and a first axis of complement, which axes are generally orthogonal to one another and lie close to or on the outer surface of the first side, the first axis of symmetry being parallel to the line of intersection of the first and the second side,  
 said second side having a second axis of symmetry and a second axis of complement, which axes are generally orthogonal to one another and lie close to or on the outer surface of the second side, 
 said second axis of symmetry being parallel to the line of intersection of the first and the second side, and spaced from said line of intersection by a distance generally equal to the distance by which the first axis of symmetry is spaced from the line of intersection,  
 said second axis of complement lying generally in a plane that includes the first axis of complement;  
 
 a first pattern of raised and depressed elements which are raised and depressed with respect to the outer surface of the first side, the contours of which pattern are generally symmetrical with reference to the first axis of symmetry and generally complementary with respect to the first axis of complement, and having a reference point oriented toward the line of intersection of the first and second sides, and;  
 a second pattern of raised and depressed elements which are raised and depressed with respect to the outer surface of the second side, which pattern is essentially equivalent to the first pattern rotated 180 degrees about an axis that is generally orthogonal to the second axis of symmetry and the second axis of complement, so that the reference point of the second pattern is oriented toward the line of intersection of the first and second sides;  
 
 a second interlocking, stackable corner protector for enclosing and protecting the corners of enclosures having corners combining 90 degree and 135 degree angles, and for enabling said enclosures to be stacked and interlocked with enclosures having identical protectors or the first corner protector interlocked, comprising: 
 a first and a second side, the planes of each side oriented and fixed at a position generally 135 degrees from one another, and having inner surfaces that are adjacent to the inside angle formed by the sides and outer surfaces that are adjacent to the outside angle formed by the sides, 
 said first side having a first axis of symmetry and a first axis of complement, which axes are generally orthogonal to one another and lie close to or on the outer surface of the first side, the first axis of complement being parallel to the line of intersection of the first and the second side,  
 said second side having a second axis of symmetry and a second axis of complement, which axes are generally orthogonal to one another and lie close to or on the outer surface of the second side, 
 said second axis of comp being parallel to the line of intersection of the first and the second side, and spaced from said line of intersection by a distance generally equal to the distance by which the first axis of complement is spaced from the line of intersection,  
 said second axis of symmetry lying generally in a plane that includes the first axis of symmetry;  
 
 a first pattern of raised and depressed elements which are raised and depressed with respect to the outer surface of the first side, the contours of which pattern are generally symmetrical with respect to the first axis of symmetry and generally complementary with respect to the first axis of complement, and having a reference point oriented toward the line of intersection of the first and third sides;  
 
 a second pattern of raised and depressed elements which are raised and depressed with respect to the outer surface of the second side, which pattern is essentially a copy of the first pattern that has been translated to a position on the second side, the reference point of which pattern is oriented toward the line of intersection of the second and third sides, the contours of which pattern are generally symmetrical with reference to the second axis of symmetry and generally complementary with respect to the second axis of complement,  
 a third side, the plane of which side is positioned generally orthogonally to the planes of the first and second sides, and having an inner surface that is adjacent to the inside angles formed by the third side with the first and second sides, and an outer surface that is adjacent to the outside angles formed by the third side with the first and second sides, 
 said third side having a third axis of symmetry and a third axis of complement, which axes are generally orthogonal to one another and lie close to or on the outer surface of the third side, 
 said third axis of symmetry being orthogonal to the line of intersection of the first and the second sides, and spaced from said line of intersection by a distance generally equal to the distance by which the first axis of complement is spaced from the line of intersection,  
 said third axis of complement intersecting the line of intersection of the first and second sides, and bisecting the angle formed by the first and second sides, and;  
 
 a third pattern of raised and depressed elements which are raised and depressed with respect to the outer surface of the third side, which pattern is essentially a copy of the first pattern, the reference point of which is oriented away from the line of intersection of the first and second sides, the contours of which pattern are generally symmetrical with respect to the third axis of symmetry and generally complementary with respect to the third axis of complement.  
 
 
   
     
     
         4 . The device of    claim 1   , wherein the patterns are generally half circles.  
     
     
         5 . The device of    claim 2   , wherein the patterns are generally half circles.  
     
     
         6 . The devices of    claim 3   , wherein the patterns are generally half circles.