Cathode ray tube or funnel shipping and/or storage container

Claim 2

A durable, high-stackable, multi-tiered, hydrophobic shipping/storage container for television cathode ray tubes or funnels or other articles having a massive funnel at one end and a fragile neck at the other end, said container comprising: a base defining a first plurality of cavities configured and sized to individually snugly receive the faces of a like first plurality of face-down tubes or funnels and also defining a second plurality of cavities configured and sized to individually snugly receive the necks of a second plurality of face-down tubes or funnels, said base having integral hollow legs spaced around the periphery of the container for elevating the container body sufficiently to pass the forks of a fork-lift truck therebeneath such that said container serves as its own skid; a cap defining cavities configured and sized to individually snugly receive the necks of the face-down tubes or funnels; and a plurality of posts positioned between said base and cap and in said hollow legs of said base for spacing said base and cap and for giving stacking strength to the container, said container being structured to be stacked post-on-post such that said posts support substantially the entire load of any stacked-on containers.

Claim 3

The container defined by claim 1 including a shrink-wrap outer covering primarily for sealing the container contents from moisture and dirt.

Claim 4

The container defined by claim 1 wherein said container is rectangular, said base and cap are rectangular and said posts are four in number -- one being provided in each corner, said base and cap having integral corner provisions for receiving and holding said posts.

Claim 5

A durable, high-stackable, multi-tiered, hydrophobic shipping/storage container for television cathode ray tubes or funnels or other articles having a massive funnel at one end and a fragile neck at the other end, said container comprising: a base defining a plurality of cavities configured and sized to snugly receive the faces of a like plurality of face-down tubes or funnels; at least one intermediate shelf having openings configured and sized to fit over and rest upon said face-down tubes or funnels and other openings for receiving a plurality of face-up tubes or funnels such that said tubes or funnels are supported on said shelf in space-conserving relationship between said face-down tubes or funnels; a cap defining cavities configured and sized to snugly receive the faces of said face-up tubes or funnels; and a plurality of posts positioned around the periphery of the container between said base and cap for spacing said base and cap and for giving stacking strength to the container, said container being structured to be stacked post-on-post such that said posts support substantially the entire load of any stacked-on containers.

Claim 6

A durable, high-stackable, multi-tiered, hydrophobic shipping/storage container for television cathode ray tubes or funnels or other articles having a massive funnel at one end and a fragile neck at the other end, said container comprising: a base defining a plurality of cavities configured and sized to snugly receive the faces of a like plurality of face-down tubes or funnels; at least one intermediate shelf having openings configured and sized to fit over and rest upon said face-down tubes or funnels and other openings for receiving a plurality of face-up tubes or funnels such that said tubes or funnels are supported on said shelf in space-conserving relationship between said face-down tubes or funnels; a cap defining cavities configured and sized to snugly receive the faces of said face-up tubes or funnels; and a plurality of posts positioned around the periphery of the container between said base and cap for spacing said base and cap and for giving stacking strength to the container, said container being structured to be stacked post-on-post such that said posts support substantially the entire load of any stacked-on containers.

Claim 7

The container defined by claim 4 including a shrink-wrap outer covering primarily for sealing the container contents from moisture and dirt.

Claim 8

The container defined by claim 4 wherein said base, shelf and cap are nestable and are formed from a material selected from the group consisting of structural foam, ABS, SMC fiberglass, BMC fiberglass, polypropylene, polyethylene, acrylic reinforced with chopped fiberglass, sprayed chopped fiberglass with gel-coated surface, steel or aluminum.

Claim 9

The container defined by claim 5 wherein said container has legs for elevating the container body sufficient for passage of the forks of a fork-lift truck therebeneath such that said container serves as its own skid.

Claim 10

The container defined by claim 7 wherein said container is rectangular, said base, shelf and cap are rectangular and said posts are four in number -- one beng provided in each corner, said cap, shelf and base having integral corner provisions for receiving and holding said posts, said cap having means at each corner defining a recess for receiving the leg of a stacked-on container.

Claim 11

The container defined by claim 4 wherein said base has a plurality of cavities for snugly receiving the necks of said face-up tubes or funnels and said cap has a plurality of cavities for snugly receiving the necks of said face-down tubes or funnels.

Claim 12

The container defined by claim 9 wherein said other openings in said shelf for receiving a plurality of face-up tubes or funnels are each surrounded on the bottom side by an integral cone for guiding an inserted tube or funnel into the appropriate neck-receiving cavity in said base.

Claim 13

The container defined by claim 9 including insert means configured and sized to fit into the face-receiving cavities in said base and cap and itself defining a different cavity for receiving a tube or funnel of different size or shape.

Claim 14

A durable, high-stackable, multi-tiered, hydrophobic, self-skidded shipping/storage container especially for cathode ray tubes, comprising: a stiff, rectangular, nestable, sheet-like base defining four rectangular cavities configured and sized to snugly receive the faces of four face-down tubes; a stiff, rectangular, nestable, sheet-like shelf having four openings configured and sized to receive the funnels of said face-down tubes and two openings configured and sized to receive the funnels of two face-up tubes nestled in space-conserving relationship between said face-down tubes, said shelf, when assembled, fitting over and resting upon the funnels of said face-down tubes and supporting the funnels of said face-up tubes; a stiff, rectangular, nestable, sheet-like cap defining two cavities configured and sized to snugly receive the faces of said two face-up tubes and four cavities configured and sized to snugly receive the necks of said four face-down tubes; four posts, one at each corner of the container, positioned between said base and cap for spacing said base and cap and for giving stacking strength to the container, said cap, shelf and base having integral corner provisions for receiving and holding said posts, said container being structured to be stacked post-on-post such that said posts support substantially the entire load of any stacked-on containers; and skid obviating means formed integrally in said base and defining a passageway for the forks of a fork-lift truck beneath the container body.

Claim 15

A durable, high-stackable, multi-tiered, hydrophobic, self-skidded shipping/storage container especially for cathode ray tubes, comprising: a stiff, rectangular, nestable, sheet-like base defining four rectangular cavities configured and sized to snugly receive the faces of four face-down tubes; a stiff, rectangular, nestable, sheet-like shelf having four openings configured and sized to receive the funnels of said face-down tubes and two openings configured and sized to receive the funnels of two face-up tubes nestled in space-conserving relationship between said face-down tubes, said shelf, when assembled, fitting over and resting upon the funnels of said face-down tubes and supporting the funnels of said face-up tubes; a stiff, rectangular, nestable, sheet-like cap defining two cavities configured and sized to snugly receive the faces of said two face-up tubes and four cavities configured and sized to snugly receive the necks of said four face-down tubes; four posts, one at each corner of the container, positioned between said base and cap for spacing said base and cap and for giving stacking strength to the container, said cap, shelf and base having integral corner provisions for receiving and holding said posts, said container being structured to be stacked post-on-post such that said posts support substantially the entire load of any stacked-on containers; and skid obviating means formed integrally in said base and defining a passageway for the forks of a fork-lift truck beneath the container body.

Claim 16

The container defined by claim 12 including a shrink-wrap outer covering primarily for sealing the container contents from moisture and dirt.

Claim 17

The container defined by claim 12 wherein said base, shelf, cap and posts are formed from a material selected from the group consisting of structural foam, ABS, SMC fiberglass, BMC fiberglass, polypropylene, polyethylene, acrylic reinforced with chopped fiberglass, sprayed chopped fiberglass with gel-coated surface, steel or aluminum.

Claim 18

The container defined by claim 14 wherein said base has integral hollow legs which constitute said skid-obviating means and which constitute said provision in said base for receiving and holding said posts.

Claim 19

The container defined by claim 15 wherein said base includes two cavities configured and sized to snugly receive the necks of said face-up tubes.

Claim 20

A durable, high-stackable, hydrophobic, multitiered, self-skidded shipping/storage container especially for cathode ray tube funnels, comprising: a stiff, rectangular, sheet-like base defining a predetermined number of rectangular cavities configured and sized to snugly receive the faces of a like number of face-down funnels; a tiered plurality of rectangular, sheet-like shelves each having openings in said predetermined number, said openings each being configured and sized to fit over a face-down funnel, said shelf having near each opening means for preventing a funnel which is placed face-down on said shelf over the protruding neck of an underlying face-down funnel from slipping on said shelf, each shelf, when assembled, fitting over and resting upon underlying face-down funnels and supporting in nested relationship with the underlying funnels the funnels of another set of face-down funnels; a stiff, rectangular, sheet-like cap defining cavities configured and sized to snugly receive the necks of the top layer of said face-down funnels; four posts, one at each corner of the container, positioned between said base and cap for spacing said base and cap and for giving stacking strength to the container, said cap, shelf and base having corner provisions for receiving and holding said posts, said container being structured to be stacked post-on-post such that said posts support substantially the entire load of any stacked-on containers; and skid obviating means formed integrally in said base and defining a passageway for the forks of a fork-lift truck beneath the container body.

Claim 21

A durable, high-stackable, hydrophobic, multitiered, self-skidded shipping/storage container especially for cathode ray tube funnels, comprising: a stiff, rectangular, sheet-like base defining a predetermined number of rectangular cavities configured and sized to snugly receive the faces of a like number of face-down funnels; a tiered plurality of rectangular, sheet-like shelves each having openings in said predetermined number, said openings each being configured and sized to fit over a face-down funnel, said shelf having near each opening means for preventing a funnel which is placed face-down on said shelf over the protruding neck of an underlying face-down funnel from slipping on said shelf, each shelf, when assembled, fitting over and resting upon underlying face-down funnels and supporting in nested relationship with the underlying funnels the funnels of another set of face-down funnels; a stiff, rectangular, sheet-like cap defining cavities configured and sized to snugly receive the necks of the top layer of said face-down funnels; four posts, one at each corner of the container, positioned between said base and cap for spacing said base and cap and for giving stacking strength to the container, said cap, shelf and base having corner provisions for receiving and holding said posts, said container being structured to be stacked post-on-post such that said posts support substantially the entire load of any stacked-on containers; and skid obviating means formed integrally in said base and defining a passageway for the forks of a fork-lift truck beneath the container body.

Claim 22

The container defined by claim 17 wherein at least the uppermost one of said shelves has additional openings for receiving face-up funnels nestled in space-conserving relationship between the funnels in the top layer of face-down funnels, and wherein said cap has cavities configured and sized to snugly receive the faces of said face-up funnels.

Claim 23

The container defined by claim 17 including a shrink-wrap outer covering primarily for sealing the container contents from moisture and dirt.

Claim 24

The container defined by claim 17 wherein said base has integral hollow legs which constitute said skid-obviating means and which constitute said provision in said base for receiving and holding said posts.