Molded Plastic Stackable Shiping Structure For EV Battery Packs

Abstract

A molded plastic shipping structure which can be used for EV battery packs wherein the structure is provided with corner posts that allow for stacking loaded structures in aligned configurations and unloaded/empty structures to be stacked in a staggered, lower volume configuration.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A returnable cargo-bearing structure comprising:
 a body made of durable plastic having a cargo bed surface;   a plurality of posts having top ends; said posts being attached peripherally to the body and extending upwardly from the cargo bed surface;   the posts having exposed bottom features underlying the cargo bed surface with sockets located to receive therein the top ends of posts from an underlying and aligned second said cargo-bearing structure whereby multiples of said cargo-bearing structures can be stacked in an aligned and vertically spaced configuration.   
     
     
         2 . A shipping structure as defined in  claim 1  wherein the body has molded-in raised corner structures extending above said cargo bed surface configured to provide mounting locations for said posts wherein the posts extend through and above said corner structures. 
     
     
         3 . The shipping structure defined in  claim 2  wherein the body is provided with a set of holes that are offset from the posts whereby two or more structures can be stacked in a non-aligned staggered configuration with the posts of a lowermost structure extending through said holes to reduce the volume occupied by the stacked non-aligned structures relative to the volume occupied by structures stacked in the aligned configuration. 
     
     
         4 . The shipping structure as defined in  claim 1  wherein the posts comprise a cylindrical metal pin with a top and bottom wherein each pin has a first mounting flange attached to the post at the bottom and second mounting flange attached to the post midway between the top and bottom of the posts;
 the flanges being arranged in abutting contact with vertically spaced surfaces on the mold plastic body and secured to said surfaces in substantially permanent relationship therewith. 
 
     
     
         5 . A shipping structure as defined in  claim 4  further comprising backing plates attached to the molded plastic bodies in juxta position relative to the mounting flanges and secured thereto by screws or the like. 
     
     
         6 . A shipping structure as defined in  claim 1  wherein the body is substantially rectangular and the posts are arranged at the corners thereof. 
     
     
         7 . A shipping structure as defined in  claim 5  wherein the pallet has molded in raised corner structures with closed tops and the post extend through and above said tops. 
     
     
         8 . A returnable pallet type cargo-bearing shipping structure comprising:
 a generally rectangular molded plastic body having a cargo bed surface with a plurality of retainer bosses formed along at least two peripheral sides thereof;   said body further having integral raised corner structures formed peripherally at the corners thereof;   a plurality of metal posts mounted to said corner structures and extending through and above said structures, each post having flanges underlying respective surfaces of said body;   one of said flanges being located at the bottom of a post and providing a socket that can receive the top of a post of a second, underlying cargo bearing structure onto which the structure is stacked in an aligned and vertically spaced apart configuration.   
     
     
         9 . A returnable pallet type shipping structure comprising:
 a molded plastic body defining a cargo bed surface with a plurality of spaced and upwardly extending peripheral structures integral with said body;   a plurality of metal posts mounted in said raised structures and extending above said cargo bed;   means for interconnecting two or more of said bodies in aligned and vertically spaced relationship, and, alternatively, in a non-aligned and mutually contacting relationship.   
     
     
         10 . A returnable shipping structure comprising:
 a molded plastic body defining a cargo loading deck;   a plurality of posts mounted to and extending upwardly from the body at peripherally spaced locations;   the body having first means for stacking two or more loaded bodies in an aligned and first vertically spaced relationship via said posts; and   the body having second means for stacking two or more unloaded bodies in a staggered and a second vertically spaced relationship via said posts wherein said second vertically spaced relationship is less vertically spaced than said first relationship.