Plastic knockdown bin-pallet for loading, transporting and storing fruits, vegetables, fish or other foods

Claim 1

A five major component plastic, knockdown, stackable, bin-pallet for loading, transporting, and storing fruits, vegetables, fish or other foods, which after the initial manufacture thereof is easily assembled and disassembled without using tools and fasteners, and when assembled, being handled by a forklift and being stackable, while protecting the fruits, vegetables, or fish which are loaded therein, and when unloaded and preferably disassembled, being easily cleaned and consolidated for convenient storage and transportation, comprising: a. a base component having female receiving structures spaced about the sides thereof; b. two side female components having: male depending structures spaced to enter some of the female receiving structures spaced about the sides of the base component; lower partial corner structures; and vertical receiving hole structures in each of the lower partial corner structures; and c. two side male components having: male depending structures spaced to enter some of the female receiving structures spaced about the sides of the base component; upper partial corner structures; vertical receiving hole structures in each of the upper partial corner structures; and depending rods securely fitted, in part of their length up into the vertical receiving hole structures of these two side male components, and extending below for subsequent removable entry, upon assembly of the plastic bin, into the respective vertical receiving hole structures in each of the lower partial corner structures of the two side female components. d. eight plastic corner post structures, each being one half the height of the respective female and male side components, each having a central receiving hole to receive and position portions of a metal reinforcing rod; e. four metal reinforcing rods for positioning, in part of their length, into a respective central receiving hole of a respective plastic corner post structure; f. metal fastening assemblies used, during the manufacturing of this plastic bin-pallet, to selectively position two of the plastic corner post structures to each plastic side component so upon assembly of this plastic knockdown bin-pallet, the eight plastic corner post structures become four respective corner columns; and whereby, each selected one of the four metal reinforcing rods is optionally and preferably inserted, throughout one half of its length during the initial manufacture, up into a central receiving hole of one of four of the eight plastic corner post structures, optionally and preferably secured by selected metal fastening assemblies to a respective plastic side component, at a respective top side portion thereof, and thereafter, when the other three metal reinforcing rods are so inserted in three more corner post structures likewise secured by using metal fasteners, then these two plastic side components, become the initially manufactured completed two plastic male side wall assemblies of this plastic bin-pallet; and whereby, when each one of the four remaining plastic corner post structures are optionally and preferably secured by selected metal fastener assemblies to a respective plastic side component, at a respective lower side position thereof, then these two plastic side components, become the initially manufactured completed two plastic female side wall assemblies of this plastic bin-pallet, with each respective central receiving hole of each corner post structure being positioned to receive the previously on-inserted one half length of a respective metal reinforcing rod, to continue the continuity of the reinforcing rod through the depth of each respective corner column, formed, upon assembly, by two corner post structures.