Package for shipping and storing photovoltaic panel products

Abstract

A packaging system for storing and transporting one or more flat panel products, the packaging system comprising a plurality of tines, a method of machine-assisted loading a packaging system comprising a plurality of tines, and a method of storing and transporting one or more flat panel products using a packaging system comprising a plurality of tines with alternating channel depths.

1 . A package for shipping one or more flat panel products, the package comprising:
 a pallet;   a planar base forming a mounting surface on the pallet;   a container frame;   a plurality of combs affixed to the frame, each of the combs comprising a plurality of tines;   the tines being spaced to define a plurality of channels dimensioned to accept flat panel products having a predetermined thickness;   the tines being dimensioned to create spaces between adjacent channels;   
     
     
         2 . The package of  claim 1  wherein the combs are comprised of at least two layers of corrugated cardboard. 
     
     
         3 . The package of  claim 2 , wherein the free ends of the tines are rounded. 
     
     
         4 . The package of  claim 2 , wherein the free ends of the tines are pointed. 
     
     
         5 . The package of  claim 2 , comprising a means for increasing the effective width of the channels during a machined-assisted loading of photovoltaic panels. 
     
     
         6 . The package of  claim 5 , wherein the tines are deflected by a distance equal to 50% of the space between tines during the step of machine-assisted loading of the photovoltaic panels. 
     
     
         7 . The package of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of channels comprise a rounded base section that allows flat panels to be loaded at an angle with respect to an axis perpendicular to the planar base section. 
     
     
         8 . The package of  claim 7  wherein the angle with respect to an axis perpendicular to the planar base section is at least 10 degrees. 
     
     
         9 . The package of  claim 1  wherein spaces between at least one set of tines comprises:
 a first depth; 
 a second depth; 
 and wherein the spaces between tines have an alternating and repeating pattern of a first depth and a second depth; 
 and wherein the first depth is greater than the second depth by an amount greater than or equal to a dimension of an edge mounted feature of the flat panel product. 
 
     
     
         10 . The package of  claim 8  wherein the first depth is between 5 and 8 centimeters and the second depth is between 10 and 16 centimeters. 
     
     
         11 . The package of  claim 8  wherein the first depth is between 3 and 11 centimeters and the second depth is between 14 and 25 centimeters 
     
     
         12 . The package of  claim 8  wherein the container frame comprises reinforced cardboard. 
     
     
         13 . The package of  claim 12 , wherein the free ends of the tines are rounded. 
     
     
         14 . The package of  claim 12 , wherein the free ends of the tines are pointed. 
     
     
         15 . The package of  claim 12 , comprising a means for increasing the effective width of the channels during a machined-assisted loading of photovoltaic panels. 
     
     
         16 . The package of  claim 15 , wherein the tines are flexible during the step of machine-assisted loading of the photovoltaic panels. 
     
     
         17 . The package of  claim 16 , wherein the plurality of channels comprise a rounded base section that allows flat panels to be loaded at an angle with respect to an axis perpendicular to the planar base section. 
     
     
         18 . The package of  claim 17  wherein the angle with respect to an axis perpendicular to the planar base section is at least 10 degrees. 
     
     
         19 . The package of  claim 8  wherein the pallet comprises recycled PET. 
     
     
         20 . A method of storing and transporting one or more flat panel products comprising machine-assisted loading of a flat panel product into a package, and wherein the package comprises:
 a pallet;   a planar base forming a mounting surface on the pallet;   a container frame;   a plurality of combs fixed to the frame, each of the combs comprising a plurality of tines;   the tines being spaced to define a plurality of channels dimensioned to accept flat panel products having a predetermined thickness;   and wherein at least one set of tines comprises;   a first depth;   a second depth;   and wherein the spaces between tines have an alternating and repeating pattern of a first depth and a second depth;   and wherein the first depth is greater than the second depth by an amount greater than or equal to a dimension of an edge mounted feature of the flat panel product.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20  wherein the combs are comprised of at least two layers of corrugated cardboard. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the free ends of the tines are rounded. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the free ends of the tines are pointed. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 20 , comprising a means for increasing the effective width of the channels during a machined-assisted loading of photovoltaic panels. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the tines are flexible during the step of machine-assisted loading of the photovoltaic panels. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the plurality of channels comprise a rounded base section, the method further comprising loading flat panels at an angle with respect to an axis perpendicular to the planar base section. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26  wherein the angle with respect to an axis perpendicular to the planar base section is at least 10 degrees.