Shipping container for lawn and garden tractors constructed from re-usable materials

Abstract

A shipping container for transporting small vehicles such as garden tractors includes a plastic pallet constructed fiber-reinforced recycled materials and a framework constructed of metal and plastic parts. The framework is structured to reinforce the load at orthogonal angled and therefore to limit swaying of the load during shipping. Furthermore, components of the shipping container can be folded and shipped flat for assembly.

1 . A shipping package for a small vehicle, the shipping package comprising: 
 a polygonal horizontal pallet having a top and a bottom surface;    a post receiving indent formed in at least each of the corners of the top of the horizontal pallet;    a plurality of support posts, each of the support posts being received in one of the post-receiving indents;    a plurality of brackets, equivalent in number to the plurality of support posts, the brackets being coupled to the support posts and arranged orthogonally around the corners of the pallet, wherein at least a portion of each of the brackets extends along a length of the pallet and at least a portion of each of the brackets extends along a width of the pallet.    
   
   
       2 . The shipping package as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the horizontal pallet comprises a recycled plastic material.  
   
   
       3 . The shipping package as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the horizontal pallet comprises a recycled plastic material reinforced with fibers.  
   
   
       4 . The shipping package as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the horizontal pallet is compression molded.  
   
   
       5 . The shipping package as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the brackets are snap-fit into the pallet.  
   
   
       6 . The shipping package as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the support posts are constructed of a roll form metal material.  
   
   
       7 . The shipping package as defined in  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of post-receiving indents in the bottom of the horizontal pallet for receiving the posts from a second shipping container beneath the pallet.  
   
   
       8 . The shipping package as defined in  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of hand hold apertures formed in the pallet.  
   
   
       9 . The shipping package as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the horizontal pallet further comprises at least one wheel well formed in the pallet for receiving a wheel.  
   
   
       10 . The shipping package as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the horizontal pallet further comprises at least one wheel chock formed in the pallet for limiting the motion of a wheel.  
   
   
       11 . The shipping package as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the horizontal pallet is rectangular.  
   
   
       12 . A foldable shipping container for a small vehicle, the shipping container comprising the following: 
 a substantially rectangular horizontal pallet including a top and a bottom surface;    a plurality of post-receiving indentations formed in at least the corners of both the top and the bottom of the pallet;    a plurality of bracket-receiving apertures formed in the pallet;    a plurality of posts sized and dimensioned to be received in the post-receiving indentations in the pallet;    a plurality of brackets equivalent in number to the number of corners, each of the brackets comprising a first wall hingedly coupled to a second wall, each of the walls including a clip sized and dimensioned to be received in one of the bracket-receiving apertures, and at least one clip sized and dimensioned to secure the posts to the brackets; and    wherein the shipping container is constructable from separately shipped components by folding the first and second walls of the brackets along the hinge and inserting the brackets into the bracket-receiving apertures, inserting the posts into the post-receiving indentations in the pallet, and securing the post with the clips.    
   
   
       13 . The shipping container as defined in  claim 12 , wherein the pallet is compression molded from a recycled plastic material reinforced with fibers.  
   
   
       14 . The shipping container as defined in  claim 12 , wherein the brackets comprise a plastic material.  
   
   
       15 . The shipping container as defined in  claim 12 , wherein the posts are roll formed steel.  
   
   
       16 . The shipping container as defined in  claim 12 , wherein the pallet includes a steel reinforcement between the post-receiving indents in the top and the bottom of the pallet.  
   
   
       17 . A shipping container, comprising: 
 a rectangular pallet compression molded from recycled plastic materials including fiber reinforcements, the pallet being molded to include first and second tracks for receiving the wheels of a vehicle, a plurality of post-receiving indentations formed in the corners of the pallet, and a plurality of bracket-receiving apertures;    a plurality of brackets, each of the brackets comprising a first wall and a second wall hingedly connected to the first wall, the brackets being received in the bracket-receiving apertures wherein one of the first and second walls extends along the length of the pallet and the other of the first and second walls extends along a width of the pallet, the first and second walls being provided around a corner of the pallet in a substantially orthogonal configuration; and    a plurality of steel posts received in the post-receiving apertures, each of the posts being received in the clips in the brackets;    wherein a vehicle is mountable on the tracks between the posts and the brackets, the posts providing a mounting location for a second pallet stacked onto the pallet, and the brackets protect the container from swaying during shipping.    
   
   
       18 . The shipping container as defined in  claim 17 , wherein the pallet is molded to include at least one wheel well for receiving a wheel of the vehicle.  
   
   
       19 . The shipping container as defined in  claim 18 , wherein the pallet is molded to include at least one wheel chuck for limiting motion of the vehicle.  
   
   
       20 . The shipping container as defined in  claim 17 , wherein the steel posts are roll formed.