Unique cardboard box container for replacing wood pallets

Abstract

A unique cardboard box container for replacing wood pallets is disclosed. In its unfolded, flattened form the cardboard box comprises a central rectangular panel with two contiguous side panels and two end tabs contiguous to the two ends of the central rectangular panel. The side panels have creases extending the length of the side panels for folding the side panels over a boxed strip or panel product placed on the central rectangular panel. The two end tabs are also creased enabling the end tabs to be folded over the ends of a layer of boxed strip or panel product placed over the folded side panels, which overlay the boxed strip or panel product placed on the central rectangular panel. Two cardboard box containers are aligned in parallel to form two stringers and a layer of boxed strip or panel products is placed on the stringers with the end tabs of the two cardboard box containers folded over the ends of the layer. The ends of the overlapping end tabs are fastened together to form a unitized platform base on which additional layers of boxed strip or panel products can be placed for transporting or shipping.

1 . A cardboard box container for replacing wood pallets which in its unfolded, flattened form comprises a central rectangular panel; two side panels contiguous to the central rectangular panel, both of said side panels having creases extending the length of the side panels and being located at a distance from the side edges of the central rectangular panel substantially equal to the height of a boxed strip or panel product which is to be placed on the central rectangular panel; and two end tabs contiguous to the two ends of the central rectangular panel, both of said end tabs being creased, with the creases located at a distance from the end edges of the central rectangular panel substantially equal to twice the height of the boxed strip or panel product which is to be placed on the central rectangular panel.  
   
   
       2 . The cardboard box of  claim 1  in which the length of the two side panels is substantially equal to the length of said central rectangular panel.  
   
   
       3 . The cardboard box of  claim 1  in which the width of the side panels is sufficient that the side panels overlap when they are folded over the boxed strip or panel product placed on the central rectangular panel.  
   
   
       4 . The cardboard box of  claim 1  in which the length of the end tabs measured from the creases to the ends of the end tabs is greater than one half the length of the central rectangular panel.  
   
   
       5 . The cardboard box of  claim 2  in which the width of the side panels is sufficient that the side panels overlap when they are folded over the boxed strip or panel product placed on the central rectangular panel.  
   
   
       6 . The cardboard box of  claim 2  in which the length of the end tabs measured from the creases to the ends of the end tabs is greater than one half the length of the central rectangular panel.  
   
   
       7 . The cardboard box of  claim 3  in which the length of the end tabs measured from the creases to the ends of the end tabs is greater than one half the length of the central rectangular panel.  
   
   
       8 . The cardboard box of  claim 1  in which a boxed strip or panel product is placed on the central rectangular panel and both side panels are folded over said boxed strip or panel product.  
   
   
       9 . The cardboard box of  claim 8  in which the length of the two side panels is substantially equal to the length of said central rectangular panel.  
   
   
       10 . The cardboard box of  claim 9  in which the width of the side panels is sufficient that the side panels overlap.  
   
   
       11 . A platform base comprising two cardboard boxes aligned in parallel; each of said cardboard boxes having a central rectangular panel with a boxed strip or panel product placed on said central rectangular panel and covering substantially the entire surface of said central rectangular panel; each of said cardboard boxes having two side panels contiguous to the central rectangular panel with the side panels of each of said cardboard boxes folded over and enclosing said boxed strip or panel product; a layer of boxed strip or panel product overlaying the side panels of both of said cardboard boxes and placed at right angles to both of said cardboard boxes; each of said cardboard boxes having two end tabs contiguous to the two ends of the central rectangular panel with both of said end tabs on both of said cardboard boxes folded over and enclosing both ends of said layer of boxed strip or panel product; with both of said end tabs on both of said cardboard boxes being of sufficient length that they overlap when they are folded over the ends of said layer of boxed strip or panel product; and said folded over end tabs on both of said cardboard boxes being fastened to each other to form a unitized structure.  
   
   
       12 . The platform base of  claim 11  in which the length of the two side panels on each of said cardboard boxes is substantially equal to the length of the central rectangular panel on both cardboard boxes.  
   
   
       13 . The platform base of  claim 11  in which the width of the side panels on both of said cardboard boxes is sufficient that the side panels overlap the boxed strip or panel product.  
   
   
       14 . The platform base of  claim 11  in which the end tabs are fastened by means selected from the group consisting of adhesives, mechanical fasteners or slots formed in the ends of the tabs.  
   
   
       15 . The platform base of  claim 12  in which the end tabs are fastened by means selected from the group consisting of adhesives, mechanical fasteners or slots formed in the ends of the tabs.  
   
   
       16 . The platform base of  claim 13  in which the end tabs are fastened by means selected from the group consisting of adhesives, mechanical fasteners or slots formed in the ends of the tabs.  
   
   
       17 . The platform base of  claim 13  on which additional layers of boxed strip or panel products are stacked for transporting or shipping.  
   
   
       18 . The platform base of  claim 17  in which each additional layer of boxed strip or panel products is placed at a right angle to the layer beneath it.  
   
   
       19 . The platform base of  claim 17  in which the additional layers of boxed strip or panel products is unitized by means selected from a group consisting of banding or applying stretch wrap or heat shrink wrap to the perimeter of the layers.  
   
   
       20 . The platform base of  claim 18  in which the additional layers of boxed strip or panel products is unitized by means selected from a group consisting of banding or applying stretch wrap or heat shrink wrap to the perimeter of the layers.