Sled configured for shipping vessel

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2020223584-A1
Application number	US-201916248067-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 15, 2019
Priority date	Jan 15, 2019
Publication date	Jul 16, 2020
Grant date	—

Abstract

A sled includes a deck having a top surface and a cradle section configured to hold a shipping vessel. The cradle section includes a length that extends from a back of the deck towards a front of the deck. First and second wedges extend at least the length of the cradle section and each include at least an outer facing surface and an upper facing surface. The outer facing surface of the first wedge defines a first side of the cradle section and the outer facing surface of the second wedge defines a second side of the cradle section. The upper facing surfaces of each of the first wedge and the second wedge is oriented at an angle relative to the top surface of the deck such that each upper facing surface of each wedge slopes downwardly from an outer edge to an opposing inner edge.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A sled configured to hold a shipping vessel, the sled comprising:
a deck including a top surface and a cradle section configured to hold a shipping vessel, the cradle section having a length that extends from a back of the deck towards a front of the deck; a first wedge extending at least the length of the cradle section and including at least an outer facing surface and an upper facing surface, wherein the outer facing surface of the first wedge defines a first side of the cradle section of the sled; a second wedge spaced apart from the first wedge, extending at least the length of the cradle section and including at least an outer facing surface and an upper facing surface, wherein the outer facing surface of the second wedge defines a second side of the cradle section of the sled; wherein the upper facing surface of the first wedge is oriented at an angle relative to the top surface of the deck such that the upper facing surface of the first wedge slopes downwardly from an outer edge of the upper facing surface of the first wedge to an opposing inner edge of the upper facing surface of the first wedge; and wherein the upper facing surface of the second wedge is oriented at an angle relative to the top surface of the deck such that the upper facing surface of the second wedge slopes downwardly from an outer edge of the upper facing surface of the second wedge to an opposing inner edge of the upper facing surface of the second wedge.

2 . The sled of claim 1 , further comprising:
a first back wall that defines a portion of a back of the cradle section; and a second back wall spaced apart from the first back wall that defines a portion of the back of the cradle section.

3 . The sled of claim 2 , wherein a top of the first back wall is oriented at an angle relative to the top surface of the deck such that an outer portion is located a distance from the top surface of the deck that is greater than a distance that an opposing inner portion is located from the top surface of the deck and wherein a top of the second back wall is oriented at an angle relative to the top surface of the deck such that an outer portion of the top of the second back wall is located a distance from the top surface of the deck that is greater than distance that an opposing inner portion of the top of the second back wall is located from the top surface of the deck.

4 . The sled of claim 2 , further comprising:
a first side wall that further defines the first side of the cradle section, wherein the first side wall is connected to the first back wall; and a second side wall that further defines the second side of the cradle section, wherein the second side wall is connected to the second back wall.

5 . The sled of claim 4 , wherein the first side wall, the second side wall, the first back wall and the second back wall comprise interior wall members that form a lattice.

6 . The sled of claim 1 , further comprising:
a first pocket located in the cradle section on the deck of the sled and defined at least by an inner facing surface of the first wedge; a second pocket spaced apart from the first pocket, located in the cradle section of the deck and defined at least by an inner facing surface of the second wedge; and wherein the first pocket and the second pocket are configured to receive and stabilize feet of the shipping vessel.

7 . The sled of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of wheels mounted to a bottom of the deck so that the sled is configured to be mobile along a floor.

8 . The sled of claim 1 , further comprising a user workspace section, wherein a back of the user workspace section is defined by the cradle section and a front of the user workspace is defined by a front of the sled.

9 . A sled configured to hold a shipping vessel, the sled comprising:
a deck including a top surface and a cradle section configured to hold the shipping vessel, the cradle section having a length that extends from a back of the deck towards a front of the deck; a first back wall that defines a portion of a back of the cradle section; a second back wall spaced apart from the first back wall that defines a portion of the back of the cradle section; wherein a top of the first back wall is oriented at an angle relative to the top surface of the deck such that an outer portion is located a distance from the top surface of the deck that is greater than a distance that an opposing inner portion is located from the top surface of the deck; and wherein a top of the second back wall is oriented at an angle relative to the top surface of the deck such that an outer portion is located a distance from the top surface of the deck that is greater than distance that an opposing inner portion is located from the top surface of the deck.

10 . The sled of claim 9 , further comprising:
a first side wall that defines the first side of the cradle section, wherein the first side wall is connected to the first back wall; and a second side wall that defines the second side of the cradle section, wherein the second side wall is connected to the second back wall.

11 . The sled of claim 10 , wherein the first side wall, the second side wall, the first back wall and the second back wall comprise interior wall members that form a lattice.

12 . The sled of claim 9 , further comprising:
a first wedge extending at least the length of the cradle section and including at least an outer facing surface and an upper facing surface, wherein the outer facing surface of the first wedge defines a first side of the cradle section of the sled; and a second wedge spaced apart from the first wedge, extending at least the length of the cradle section and including at least an outer facing surface and an upper facing surface, wherein the outer facing wedge defines a second side of the cradle section of the sled.

13 . The sled of claim 12 , wherein the upper facing surface of the first wedge is oriented at an angle relative to the top surface of the deck such that the upper facing surface of the first wedge slopes downwardly from an outer edge of the upper facing surface of the first wedge to an opposing inner edge of the upper facing surface of the first wedge and wherein the upper facing surface of the second wedge is oriented at an angle relative to the top surface of the deck such that the upper facing surface of the second wedge slopes downwardly from an outer edge of the upper facing surface of the second wedge to an opposing inner edge of the upper facing surface of the second wedge.

14 . The sled of claim 12 , further comprising:
a first pocket located in the cradle section on the deck of the sled and defined at least by an inner facing surface of the first wedge; a second pocket spaced apart from the first pocket, located in the cradle section of the deck and defined at least by an inner facing surface of the second wedge; and wherein the first pocket and the second pocket are configured to receive and stabilize feet of the shipping vessel.

15 . The sled of claim 9 , further comprising a plurality of wheels mounted to a bottom of the deck so that the sled is configured to be mobile along a floor.

16 . The sled of claim 9 , further comprising a user workspace section, wherein a back of the user workspace section is defined by the cradle section and a front of the user workspace is defined by a front of the sled.

17 . A method of using a sled to pick and place inventory, the method comprising:
carrying, using forks of a forklift, a shipping vessel to the sled, wherein the sle

Assignees

• Target Brands Inc

Inventors

• Tripp Michael R
• Lewis Slade A
• Israel Azariah J
• Gustin Jeremy J
• Paley Noah S
• Mcmillan Thomas E
• Sales David J
• Frank Michael G
• Ewald Sukie C
• Kondrath Max A
• Loza Carlos A

Classifications

• B62B3/002

  characterised by a rectangular shape, involving sidewalls or racks · CPC title

• B62B2202/10

  Heavy objects, e.g. ISO-containers · CPC title

• B62B2203/28

  Guiding the forks into the pallets · CPC title

• B65D2519/00796

  Guiding means for fork-lift · CPC title

• B65D19/42 Primary

  Arrangements or applications of rollers or wheels · CPC title