Bin riser

Abstract

Various embodiments of the present disclosure provide a bin riser positionable between different types of shipping bins to enable these shipping bins to stably stack atop one another in a way that inhibits an adjacent stack of shipping bins from toppling over during transit.

The invention is claimed as follows: 
     
         1 . A bin riser comprising:
 a first deck;   a second deck; and   a spacer assembly connected to and extending between the first and second decks, the spacer assembly comprising a first spacer spaced apart from a first side edge of the first deck and partially defining a first stacking guide receipt area of the first deck, and a second spacer spaced apart from a second side edge of the first deck and partially defining a second stacking guide receipt area of the first deck.   
     
     
         2 . The binriser of  claim 1 , wherein the first deck is configured to enable the first stacking guide receipt area to be partially separated from the first deck, and wherein the second deck is configured to enable the second stacking guide receipt area to be partially separated from the first deck. 
     
     
         3 . The binriser of  claim 2 , wherein the first deck includes a first weakened area that at least partially defines the first stacking guide receipt area, and wherein the second deck includes a second weakened area that at least partially defines the second stacking guide receipt area. 
     
     
         4 . The binriser of  claim 3 , wherein the first and second weakened areas comprise perforations. 
     
     
         5 . The binriser of  claim 1 , wherein the first spacer is spaced apart from a first side edge of the second deck and partially defines a first stacking guide receipt area of the second deck, and the second spacer is spaced apart from a second side edge of the second deck and partially defines a second stacking guide receipt area of the second deck. 
     
     
         5 . The bin riser of  claim 1 , wherein the first deck is the same shape and size as the second deck. 
     
     
         6 . The binriser of  claim 1 , which is symmetrical about a first plane including a first central longitudinal axis between the first deck and the second deck. 
     
     
         7 . The binriser of  claim 6 , which is symmetrical about a second plane including a second different central longitudinal axis between the first deck and the second deck. 
     
     
         8 . The bin riser of  claim 7 , which is symmetrical about a third plane including a third different central longitudinal axis between the first deck and the second deck. 
     
     
         9 . The binriser of  claim 1 , wherein the spacer assembly comprises a plurality of individual spacers. 
     
     
         10 . The binriser of  claim 9 , wherein each spacer is adhesively connected to the first deck and the second deck. 
     
     
         11 . The binriser of  claim 9 , wherein a plurality of the spacers are each positioned closer to a third side edge of the first deck than the first spacer is positioned to the first side edge of the first deck 
     
     
         12 . The binriser of  claim 11 , wherein a plurality of the spacers are positioned closer to a fourth side edge of the first deck than the first spacer is positioned to the first side edge of the first deck. 
     
     
         13 . The bin riser of  claim 12 , which is symmetrical about a first plane including a first central longitudinal axis between the first deck and the second deck, which is symmetrical about a second plane including a second different central longitudinal axis between the first deck and the second deck, which is symmetrical about a third plane including a third different central longitudinal axis between the first deck and the second deck, wherein the first deck is the same shape and size as the second deck, wherein the first deck includes a first weakened area that at least partially defines the first stacking guide receipt area, wherein the first deck is configured to enable the first stacking guide receipt area to be partially separated from the first deck, wherein the second deck includes a second weakened area that at least partially defines the second stacking guide receipt area, and wherein the second deck is configured to enable the second stacking guide receipt area to be partially separated from the first deck. 
     
     
         14 . The bin riser of  claim 13 , wherein the first deck and the second deck comprises a corrugated panel, and each spacer comprises multiple attached corrugated panels. 
     
     
         15 . A method of stacking shipping bins, said method comprising:
 positioning a first shipping bin at a designated location, a top end of the first shipping container including an upwardly extending stacking guide;   positioning a binriser on the top end of the first shipping bin such that part of a stacking guide receipt area of a first deck of the binriser engages the upwardly extending stacking guide of the first shipping bin and partially deforms; and   positioning a second shipping bin on a second deck of the bin riser.   
     
     
         16 . A method of stacking shipping bins of  claim 15 , wherein the positioning of the bin riser on the top end of the first shipping bin such that part of a stacking guide receipt area of the first deck of the bin riser engages the upwardly extending stacking guide of the first shipping bin causes the stacking guide receipt area to partially separates from the first deck of the bin riser.