Shipping container for supporting fragile panels

Abstract

A shipping container for detachably supporting fragile panels therein, said shipping container comprising a floor and an upright panel extending upwardly in relation to said floor. Panel restraining means in adjacent surfaces of said floor and said upright panel support said fragile panels in spaced-apart generally parallel planes. A clamp panel is detachably connected to the shipping container and upright and spaced apart from the upright panel with the fragile panels between the upright panel and the clamp panel. Removable rigid panel connecting bars of substantially identical lengths removably are connected to a top edge of said fragile panels and held between the upright panel and the clamp panel. Resilient means restrain said connecting bars from displacement by a compression force exerted on opposed ends of said panel connecting bars.

1 . A shipping container for detachably supporting fragile panels therein, said shipping container comprising a floor and an upright panel extending upwardly in relation to said floor, panel restraining means in adjacent surfaces of said floor and said upright panel for supporting said fragile panels in spaced-apart generally parallel planes, a clamp panel adapted to be detachably connected to the shipping container and be upright and spaced apart from the upright panel with the fragile panels between the upright panel and the clamp panel, removable rigid panel connecting bars of substantially identical lengths removably connectable to a top edge of said fragile panels and held between the upright panel and the clamp panel, and resilient means to restrain said connecting bars from displacement by a compression force exerted on opposed ends of said panel connecting bars. 
     
     
         2 . A shipping container as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said resilient means is defined by a resilient surface in the clamp panel adapted to be positioned against a first end of said panel connecting bars, an opposed end of said panel connecting bars abutting said upright panel, and clamping means to urge said resilient surface against said first end of said panel connecting bars to generate said compression force. 
     
     
         3 . A shipping container as claimed in  claim 2  wherein said resilient surface is constituted by a panel of resilient foam material having at least a partial memory characteristic. 
     
     
         4 . A shipping container as claimed in  claim 2  wherein said clamping means is comprised by pivotal connecting arms pivotally connected to opposed vertical side edges of said clamp panel and adapted to be secured to a latching mechanism secured to opposed vertical side edges of said upright panel, said latching mechanism being displaceable to apply a pulling force on said pivotal connecting arms to displace said clamp panel towards said upright panel a predetermined distance to cause the compression force on said first end of said panel connecting bars. 
     
     
         5 . A shipping container as claimed in  claim 4  wherein said opposed vertical side edges of said clamp panel and opposed vertical side edges of said upright panel are supported along parallel vertical planes transversally extending between said upright panel and said clamp panel. 
     
     
         6 . A shipping container as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said panel restraining means is constituted by a plurality of panel edge restraints associated with said adjacent surfaces of said floor and upright panel, said restraints in said floor and upright panel being aligned co-extensively to support said fragile panels in upright parallel vertical planes. 
     
     
         7 . A shipping container as claimed in  claim 6  wherein said panel edge restraints are straight parallel grooves integrally formed in said floor and upright panel. 
     
     
         8 . A shipping container as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said panel connecting bars are each provided with at least one slide block slideably secured thereto, said at least one slide block having a panel receiving slot in a bottom surface thereof for receiving therein an upper edge portion of an associated one of said fragile panels. 
     
     
         9 . A shipping container as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein the at least one slide block comprises block arresting means to immovably set said side blocks at predetermined locations along said panel connecting bars. 
     
     
         10 . A shipping container as claimed in  claim 8  wherein said panel receiving slot is one of a through slot, and a partial slot having a butt end adapted to abut against a corner of the fragile panel. 
     
     
         11 . A shipping container as claimed in  claim 10  wherein two of said slide blocks are provided on each said panel connecting bar, with one of the two slide blocks having said through slot and another of the two slide blocks having a butt end. 
     
     
         12 . A method of detachably supporting fragile panels in a shipping container, said container having a floor and an upright panel extending upwardly in relation to said floor, said upright panel and floor having panel restraining means in adjacent surfaces thereof, said method comprising:
 i) positioning one or more of said fragile panels upright and supportingly engaged in a bottom edge and adjacent side edge thereof by said restraining means,   ii) positioning a removable panel connecting bar engaged with a top edge of an associated one of said one or more fragile panels, and   iii) restraining said panel connecting bars with compression force by connecting a clamp panel to the shipping container in such a way that the panel connection bars are held between the clamp panel and the upright panel.   
     
     
         13 . A method as claimed in  claim 13  wherein restraining said panel connecting bars comprises clamping said connecting bars between said upright panel and said clamp panel using a compressible surface on the clamp panel urged against a free end of said panel connecting bars. 
     
     
         14 . A method as claimed in  claim 13  wherein positioning a removable panel connecting bar comprises adjusting a position of at least one sliding block along each said panel connecting bar, such that the at least one sliding block for receiving in a slot of the at least one sliding block an upper edge portion of an associated one of said fragile panels. 
     
     
         15 . A method as claimed in  claim 15  wherein adjusting a position of at least one sliding block along each said panel connecting bar comprises immovably setting the at least one sliding block in said position. 
     
     
         16 . A method as claimed in  claim 13 , wherein connecting the clamp panel to the shipping container comprises latching and clamping the clamp panel to the upright panel, and clamping the clamp panel to the upright panel to apply the compression force on the panel connecting bars. 
     
     
         17 . A method as claimed in  claim 13 , further comprising removing the clamp panel, and any one of the panel connecting bars, and pulling one said fragile panel associated with the removed panel connecting bar out of the shipping container, the pulling being in the plane of the fragile panel.