Method and apparatus for staging and shipping building materials

Abstract

A pallet assembly and method of use for carrying a building kit. The pallet assembly includes a base, an A-frame operably engaged with the base, a first upright support of the A-frame operably engaged with the base at a first position defined at a first angle measured relative to the base, and a second upright support of the A-frame operably engaged with the base at a second position opposite to the first position and defined at a second angle measured relative to the base. The pallet assembly may also include a pair of cleats operably engaged with the base and spaced apart from the A-frame.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of staging a building kit on a pallet assembly, comprising:
 engaging a base of the pallet assembly with a support frame of the pallet assembly, the support frame comprising:
 a first upright support of the support frame operably engaged with the base at a first position; and 
 a second upright support of the support frame operably engaged with the base at a second position opposite to the first position; wherein the support frame has an A-shaped configuration; 
   staging a building kit onto the pallet assembly in a preconfigured arrangement;   effecting the building kit to be removed in a predetermined order of operations; and   effecting a building to be constructed from the building kit based on the preconfigured arrangement.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of staging the building kit onto the pallet assembly further comprises:
 supporting the building kit, by the support frame, along at least one plane of the support frame that is non-parallel to the base.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of staging the building kit onto the pallet assembly further comprises:
 supporting a first set of building materials of the building kit, by the first upright support, along a first plane relative to the base; and   supporting a second set of building materials of the building kit, by the second upright support, along a second plane relative to the base;   wherein the first plane and the second plane are each non-parallel to the base.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of staging the building kit onto the pallet assembly further comprises:
 staging a first set of building materials of the building kit onto the base and the support frame at a first position; and   staging a second set of building materials of the building kit onto the base and the support frame at a second position opposite to the first position;   wherein the first set of building materials and the second set of building materials are separated from one another by the support frame.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the step of staging the building kit onto the pallet assembly further comprises:
 staging a third set of building materials inside of a storage compartment defined by the support frame and the base, collectively;   wherein the third set of building materials is separated from the first set of building materials and the second set of building materials by the support frame.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the step of effecting the building kit to be removed further comprises:
 effecting the first set of building materials to be removed from the support frame and the base at the first position in a first step of the predetermined order of operations;   wherein the first set of building materials is adapted to build a first portion of the building kit.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the step of effecting the building kit to be removed further comprises:
 effecting the second set of building materials to be removed from the support frame and the base at the second position in a second step of the predetermined order of operations subsequent to the first step;   wherein the second set of building materials is adapted to build a second portion of the building kit.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the step of effecting the building kit to be removed further comprises:
 effecting a third set of building materials of the building kit to be removed from the support frame and the base at a third position in a third step of the predetermined order of operations subsequent to the first step and the second step;   wherein the third set of building materials is adapted to build a third portion of the building kit.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of staging the building kit onto the pallet assembly further comprises:
 staging a first set of building materials of the building kit onto the base and the support frame; and   staging a second set of building materials of the building kit onto the base and the support frame;   wherein the second set of building materials is supported by the first set of building materials on the support frame.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the step of staging the building kit onto the pallet assembly further comprises:
 staging a third set of building materials inside of a storage compartment defined by the support frame and the base, collectively;   wherein the third set of building materials is separated from the first set of building materials and the second set of building materials by the support frame.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the step of effecting the building kit to be removed further comprises:
 effecting the second set of building materials to be removed from the support frame and the base in a first step of the predetermined order of operations; and   wherein the first set of building materials is adapted to build a first portion of the building kit.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the step of effecting the building kit to be removed further comprises:
 effecting the first set of building materials to be removed from the support frame and the base in a second step of the predetermined order of operations subsequent to the first step;   wherein the second set of building materials is adapted to build a second portion of the building kit.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the step of effecting the building kit to be removed further comprises:
 effecting a third set of building materials of the building kit to be removed from the support frame and the base in a third step of the predetermined order of operations subsequent to the first step and the second step;   wherein the third set of building materials is adapted to build a third portion of the building kit.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of staging the building kit onto the pallet assembly further comprising:
 supporting the building kit with a pair of cleats on the base, wherein the pair of cleats is spaced apart from the first upright support and the second upright support.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of staging the building kit onto the pallet assembly further comprising:
 supporting a first set of building materials of the building kit with a first cleat on the base, wherein the first cleat is spaced apart from the first upright support; and   supporting a second set of building materials of the building kit with a second cleat on the base, wherein the second cleat is spaced apart from the second upright support.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of staging the building kit onto the pallet assembly further comprises that a total height measured between the pallet assembly and the building kit is less than or equal to eight feet. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 supporting a first set of building materials of the building kit, by the first upright support, at a first angle measured between the first upright support and the base; and   supporting a second set of building materials of the building kit, by the second upright support, at a second angle measured between the first upright support and the base; and   wherein the second angle is greater than the first angle.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the first angle measured between the first upright support and the base is approximately 70 degrees. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the second angle measured between the second upright support and the base is approximately 85 degrees. 
     
     
         20 . A method of staging a building kit on a pallet assembly, comprising:
 engaging a base of the pallet assembly with a support frame of the pallet assembly, the support frame comprising:
 a first upright support of the support frame operably engaged with the base at a first position; and 
 a second upright support of the support frame operably engaged with the base at a second position opposite to the first position; wherein the support frame has an A-shaped configuration; 
   staging the building kit onto the first upright support and the second upright support simultaneously in a preconfigured arrangement;   effecting the building kit to be removed in a predetermined order of operations; and   effecting a building to be constructed from the building kit based on the predetermined order of operations.