Transportation base load unitizer

Abstract

A transportation base load unitizer for unitizing a load on a transportation base, such as a pallet. The unitizer comprises at least one elastic section and at least one protection section for providing greater protection to a load on a transportation base than the at least one elastic section. The unitizer is configured such that, in use, the unitizer holds together as a unit and protects a load on a transportation base.

1 - 17 . (canceled) 
     
     
         18 . A transportation base load unitizer for unitizing a load on a transportation base, the unitizer comprising at least one elastic section and at least one protection section for providing greater protection to a load carried on a transportation base than the at least one elastic section, the unitizer being configured such that, in use, the unitizer holds together as a unit and extends at least the height of a load carried on a transportation base for protecting the load without requiring connection to the transportation base, wherein the unitizer is in the form of a prefabricated sleeve configured to be expanded to a stretched state for positioning around the load and then relaxed to a contracted state, without requiring any releasable fastening means to releasably fasten a first part of the unitizer to a second part of the unitizer, and wherein the at least one elastic section is arranged to provide a substantially uniform restoring force circumferentially around the unitizer, along the height of the unitizer, such that, in use, said at least one elastic section spans the height of the load. 
     
     
         19 . A transportation base load unitizer according to  claim 18 , wherein at least one of the at least one protection section comprises durable material. 
     
     
         20 . A transportation base load unitizer according to  claim 18 , wherein at least one of the at least one protection section comprises plastics. 
     
     
         21 . A transportation base load unitizer according to  claim 18 , wherein at least one of the at least one protection section comprises polypropylene. 
     
     
         22 . A transportation base load unitizer according to  claim 18 , wherein the sleeve is closed at one end. 
     
     
         23 . A transportation base load unitizer according to  claim 18 , wherein the unitizer is configured for repeated use. 
     
     
         24 . A transportation base load unitizer according to  claim 18 , further comprising a plurality of said protection sections, each of which comprises a sheet. 
     
     
         25 . A transportation base load unitizer according to  claim 24 , comprising four of said sheets. 
     
     
         26 . A transportation base load unitizer according to  claim 18 , wherein at least one of the at least one protection section comprises at least one sheet and an elastic section of the at least one elastic section is located between adjacent sheet edges of the at least one sheet. 
     
     
         27 . A transportation base load unitizer according to  claim 26 , wherein said at least one elastic section comprises at least one elastic strip. 
     
     
         28 . A transportation base load unitizer according to  claim 27 , wherein the elastic sections comprise a plurality of elastic strips spaced apart axially. 
     
     
         29 . A transportation base load unitizer according to  claim 27 , wherein the at least one elastic strip extends circumferentially between adjacent edges of the at least one sheet. 
     
     
         30 . A transportation base load unitizer according to  claim 18 , wherein said transportation base comprises a pallet. 
     
     
         31 . A transportation base load unitizer according to  claim 26 , in which the at least one elastic section is in the form of a one continuous elastic strip connecting adjacent sheet edges. 
     
     
         32 . A method of unitizing a load on a transportation base, using a transportation base load unitizer in the form of a prefabricated sleeve comprising at least one elastic section and at least one protection section for providing greater protection to a load carried on a transportation base than the at least one elastic section without requiring connection to the transportation base on which the load is carried, the method comprising elastically deforming the at least one elastic section around a load that has a height on the transportation base and then relaxing the at least one elastic section to contract around the load, to hold the load together as a unit and protect the load along the height of the load, without requiring any releasable fastening means to releasably fasten a first part of the unitizer to a second part of the unitizer, and wherein the at least one elastic section is arranged to provide a substantially uniform restoring force circumferentially around the unitizer, along the height of the unitizer, such that, in use, said at least one elastic section spans the height of the load. 
     
     
         33 . A method according to  claim 32 , wherein the transportation base comprises a pallet. 
     
     
         34 . A transportation base load unitizer according to  33 , wherein the elastic strip spans the height of the unitizer.