Method of Packaging a Storage Building Kit of Parts

Abstract

A kit of parts can be assembled into a storage building in a first configuration and a shipping package suitable for handling with pallet handling equipment in a second configuration. The kit of parts comprises a plurality of base elements including wooden floor panels and wooden floor joists arranged to be assembled into a building floor structure in the first configuration and into a pallet base with an upright frame structure thereon in the second configuration. Metal wall and roof panels are mounted in an upright orientation either on the building floor structure to form a building or on upright frame structure of the pallet base to form a tall narrow shipping package.

1 . A method of packaging a kit of parts arranged for assembly into a storage building in which the kit of parts comprises a plurality of base elements arranged to be assembled into a building floor structure, a plurality of wall panels arranged to be mounted on the building floor structure to define building walls, and a roof structure arranged to be supported on the building walls to define a building roof, the method comprising:
 constructing a pallet base and an upright frame structure mounted on the pallet base using the base elements of the kit of parts; and   supporting the wall panels and the roof structure in an upright orientation on the pallet base alongside the upright frame structure.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein the base elements in the kit of parts include a plurality of floor panels arranged to be mounted in a generally common plane in the building floor structure, the method including stacking the floor panels to form the pallet base. 
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 2  including forming the pallet base to be elongate in a longitudinal direction and stacking the floor panels such that a horizontal dimension of pallet base perpendicular to the longitudinal direction corresponds to approximately half a minimum horizontal dimension of the building floor structure. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 1  including constructing the pallet base and the upright frame structure such that the pallet base is elongate in a longitudinal direction and the upright frame structure has a height which is greater than a horizontal width of the pallet base perpendicular to the longitudinal direction. 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 1  including constructing the pallet base to be elongate in a longitudinal direction and comprise a pair of skids mounted on a bottom side of the pallet base to extend substantially a full length of the pallet base in the longitudinal direction. 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein the base elements comprise a plurality of wooden frame members. 
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein the base elements comprise a plurality of floor joists. 
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein the base elements include a pair of skid members arranged to fully span parallel and spaced apart from one another across a bottom of the building floor structure, the method including constructing the pallet base to be elongate in a longitudinal direction and mounting the pair of skids on a bottom side of the pallet base to extend substantially a full length of the pallet base in the longitudinal direction. 
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein the base elements include a plurality of floor frame members arranged to be mounted horizontally in the building floor structure, the method including constructing the upright frame structure to comprise the floor frame members in an upright orientation. 
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 9  including constructing the pallet base to be elongate in a longitudinal direction and constructing the upright frame structure to comprise opposing first and second sides spanning in the longitudinal direction which are mounted to the base at lateral spaced apart positions and which extend upwardly and inwardly towards respective top ends which are joined together at a central apex of the upright frame structure. 
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 10  including constructing the upright frame structure to comprise a plurality of arches which are spaced apart from one another in the longitudinal direction, each arch comprising a first base element and a second base element each of which is elongate between opposing first and second ends, the first ends of the base elements of each arch being mounted to the base at laterally spaced apart positions and the second ends of the base elements of each arch being joined with one another at a top of the upright frame structure such that the first base elements lie in a common plane defining the first side of the upright frame structure and the second base elements lie in a common plane defining the second side of the upright frame structure. 
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 9  including supporting each of the wall panels substantially parallel to and alongside a respective one of the first and second sides of the upright frame structure. 
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 9  wherein the roof structure comprises a substantially flat roof panel, the method including supporting the roof panel substantially parallel to and alongside a respective one of the first and second sides of the upright frame structure. 
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein the wall panels comprise corrugated metal panels and the base elements comprise wooden members arranged to support the panels thereon when assembled to comprise either one of the building floor structure or the pallet base and upright frame structure. 
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 1  including reducing the base elements to a finished dimension arranged for use in the building floor structure prior to constructing the base elements into the pallet base and the upright frame structure. 
     
     
         16 . A kit of parts arranged for assembly into a storage building, the kit of parts comprising:
 a plurality of base elements;   a plurality of wall panels; and   a roof structure;   the kit of parts being arranged to be assembled into a first configuration comprising a storage building in which the plurality of base elements define a floor structure of the building, the plurality of wall panels are mounted on the floor structure to define side walls of the building, and the roof structure is supported on the side walls of the building to define a roof of the building; and   the kit of parts being arranged to be assembled into a second configuration comprising a package in which the base elements define a pallet base and an upright frame structure mounted on the pallet base to extend upwardly therefrom, and the wall panels and the roof structure are supported in an upright orientation on the pallet base alongside the upright frame structure.   
     
     
         17 . The kit of parts according to  claim 16  wherein the base elements include a plurality of floor frame members mounted horizontally in the floor structure in the first configuration and mounted in the upright orientation in the upright frame structure in the second configuration. 
     
     
         18 . The kit of parts according to  claim 16  wherein the pallet base is elongate in a longitudinal direction and the upright frame structure comprises opposing first and second sides spanning in the longitudinal direction which are mounted to the base at lateral spaced apart positions and which extend upwardly and inwardly towards respective top ends which are joined together at a central apex of the upright frame structure. 
     
     
         19 . The kit of parts according to  claim 16  wherein the base elements comprise a plurality of floor panels mounted in a generally common plane in the floor structure in the first configuration and mounted stacked one above the other in the pallet base in the second configuration. 
     
     
         20 . The kit of parts according to  claim 19  wherein the pallet base is elongate in a longitudinal direction and the floor panels are stacked in the second configuration such that a horizontal dimension of pallet base perpendicular to the longitudinal direction in the second configuration corresponds to approximately half a minimum horizontal dimension of the floor structure of the building in the first configuration.