Container with integrated pallet for shipping television screens

Abstract

A container for shipping screens for large screen television sets has a screen support platform with a top surface for supporting a plurality of the screens stacked thereon. A pallet is integrated with the screen support platform, and a tubular side wall having an open top end and an open bottom end is adapted to rest at its bottom end on the pallet, with the side wall disposed around a stack of screens supported on the platform. A cover is provided for placement over the open top end of the tubular side wall. The screen support platform, pallet, side wall, and cover are all constructed of corrugated cardboard. In a preferred embodiment, a tray forms the top deck of the pallet, and the support platform is received in the tray.

1 - 11 . (canceled)  
   
   
       12 . A container for shipping at least one object having a curved configuration, comprising: 
 a platform having a surface for supporting the at least one object; and    a side wall disposed around the at least one object when the at least one object is supported on said platform, wherein    said surface of said platform is curved complementary to the curvature of the at least one object; and    said platform and said side wall being constructed of corrugated cardboard.    
   
   
       13 . The container according to  claim 13 , further comprising a tray, wherein said tray is positioned to receive said platform.  
   
   
       14 . The container according to  claim 13 , wherein said open bottom end of said side wall of said container rests on said tray.  
   
   
       15 . The container according to  claim 13 , further comprising an annular space located between a side wall of said tray and an outer periphery of said platform.  
   
   
       16 . The container according to  claim 15 , wherein said open bottom end of said side wall of said container extends into said annular space.  
   
   
       17 . The container according to  claim 12 , further comprising a pallet.  
   
   
       18 . The container according to  claim 17 , wherein said pallet is integrated with said platform.  
   
   
       19 . The container according to  claim 17 , wherein said side wall of said container is adapted to rest on said pallet.  
   
   
       20 . The container according to  claim 12 , wherein said platform comprises a top sheet.  
   
   
       21 . The container according to  claim 20 , wherein said top sheet defines a support surface for the at least one object to be placed on said platform and is curved to conform to the curvature of the at least one object.  
   
   
       22 . The container according to  claim 20 , wherein said top sheet is curved to conform to the curvature of the at least one object.  
   
   
       23 . The container according to  claim 12 , wherein said platform comprises a frame.  
   
   
       24 . The container according to  claim 23 , wherein said frame has a top surface that is curved to conform to the curvature of the at least one object.  
   
   
       25 . The container according to  claim 23 , wherein said frame comprises a pair of spaced apart side frame members.  
   
   
       26 . The container according to  claim 25 , wherein said frame further comprises at least one cross beam extending between the side frame members.  
   
   
       27 . The container according to  claim 26 , wherein said at least one cross beam has a top surface that is curved to conform to the curvature of the at least one object.  
   
   
       28 . The container according to  claim 27 , wherein said at least one frame cross beam has a top surface that is concave.  
   
   
       29 . The container according to  claim 26 , wherein said at least one frame cross beam has a top surface and a bottom surface, the distance between a middle portion of said top surface and said bottom surface is less than the distance between an edge portion of said top surface and said bottom surface.  
   
   
       30 . The container according to  claim 12 , further comprising a pallet that comprises a bottom deck, a top deck, and pallet blocks between the bottom deck and top deck, said pallet blocks defining openings between the top and bottom decks into which the tines of a forklift can be inserted.  
   
   
       31 . The container according to  claim 30 , further comprising a tray, wherein said tray rests on said pallet and is positioned to receive said platform.