Sleeve for transporting items

Abstract

A sleeve for covering an item during transport, particularly for transporting household appliances. In a preferred form the sleeve has a generally cuboidal body with four rectangular planar side walls

Description

The present invention relates to sleeves for transporting items, in particular for transporting household appliances. Covers and sleeves for transporting goods are known in the prior art for facilitating the transport and handling of goods. Manual handling means transporting or supporting a load by hand or bodily force. It includes lifting, lowering, pushing, pulling, moving or carrying a load. A load is a moveable object, such as a box or package, a person or an animal, or something being pushed or pulled, such as a roll cage or pallet truck. Manual handling injuries are part of a wider group of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). The term ‘musculoskeletal disorders’ includes injuries and conditions that can cause pain to the back, joints and limbs. Manual handling risks can be found across all kinds of workplaces - on farms and building sites, in factories, offices, warehouses, hospitals and while making deliveries. Heavy manual labour, repetitive handling, awkward postures and previous or existing injuries or conditions are all risk factors for developing MSDs. Specifics are laid down in the Manual Handling Operations Regulations (Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992) and the Health and Safety Executive have issued guidelines to assist employers educate their staff in how best to perform manual handling operations, including lifting and lowering, pushing and pulling. The present invention assists in ameliorating the problems associated with lifting and lowering and pushing and pulling items during manual handling operations, whilst also protecting the item being handled during the operation. In accordance with a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a sleeve for covering an item during transport comprising at least one side wall, a carrying cradle extending between the side walls forming a base, and a lid defining a chamber for receiving an item to be transported, wherein the at least one side wall has a releasably fastenable edge such that the at least one sidewall may provide an opening to the chamber when the releasably fastenable edge is unfastened and wherein the sleeve comprises first and second carrying handles disposed on the at least one side wall opposite one another. The carrying cradle may comprises a plurality of straps which form a base to support the weight of the item to be transported during lifting. The straps may be secured to the at least one side wall. Each strap may comprise a continuous length of material. In this way the carrying strength of the cradle is significantly improved. The straps may be arranged into pairs, each pair of straps associated with at least one handle. The sleeve advantageously has two pairs of straps. The sleeve may comprise four side walls. Each side wall may comprise a rectangular panel. The side wall may be manufactured from any suitable material, including woven coated 200+30gsm polypropylene fabric, with the clear coating on the inside The side wall may comprise means to protect the item and the environment from incidental knocks that might occur during transportation and handling. The means to protect the item may comprise a resiliently deformable material. The resiliently deformable material may comprise woven coated 70+30gsm polypropylene fabric and optionally with the clear coating on the inside. The closable lid may include reflective tape to facilitate visibility in dark work environments and indicate the top of the loaded sleeve when an item is contained therein. The first and second carrying handles may comprise one or more pairs of handles. Advantageously the first and second carrying handles each comprise 3 pairs of handles disposed at discrete points on the side wall. The carrying handles may comprise 50mm wide black webbing. The carrying handles may be mounted on the carrying cradle. The side wall and lid may be internally fitted with fluted polypropylene sheet material (eg. Correx (RTM)) and foam for protection. The at least one side wall may comprise a double layer of flexible material forming a pocket therebetween. The pocket may accommodate padding to protect the item to be transported when loaded into the sleeve. The internal face of the at least one sidewall may comprise at least one strap support member. Advantageously, the sleeve may comprise a pair of strap support members either side of the at least one side wall. The strap support member may comprise a length of strengthening material that is connected to and extends between the straps, perpendicularly to each strap’s central axis. The strap support member may comprise the same material as the strap. The support member may be stitched in place. The support member better secures the straps to the at least one sidewall. The sleeve may comprise internal and / or external pockets secured with 25mm wide Velcro (RTM) to house instructions manuals, power leads and the like. The base may further comprise a skid plate. The skid plate may comprise hardened plastics base to facilitate sliding of the loaded sleeve and abrasion protection during transportation and handling. The plastics material may comprise polyethylene, high density polyethylene and mixtures thereof. The skid plate may be releasably secured to the sleeve. Advantageously, the skid plate may be secured at its corners to the at least one side wall. The releasable securing means may comprise hook and loop fastenings. The present invention will now be described by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 shows an embodiment in accordance with the present invention in an unfastened configuration; Fig. 2 shows the embodiment of Fig. 1 in a fastened configuration. Fig. 1 shows a sleeve 10 having a generally cuboidal body having four side walls 12, 14, 16, 18, a base 20 and a closable lid 22. Side walls 12, 14 16 and 18 have a generally rectangular planar panels, each having a top edge, lower edge and two side edges. The side walls are connected to one another at their side walls with side walls 12 and 18 each having a free side edge 30, 32 that are fastenable to one another to form a box closable by lid 22 to define an internal chamber to accommodate an item to be transported and safely handled. The fasteners comprise four side release buckles 26. Base 20 has a removable skid plate 30 that is releasably secured by hook and loop fasteners. Disposed proximal to the corners of lower edges of the side walls 14, 18 are tabs 29 that secure the skid plate to the sleeve. The skid plate 30 is made of any suitable material that provides the ability to slide the sleeve when containing an item for transport without damaging the item housed within the chamber. Four webbing straps 40 extend between the lower edges of side walls 14, 18 and extend up their exterior faces. The straps 40 are each a continuous length of webbing material. They are secured to the exterior surfaces via stitching or other suitable fastenings. The straps 40 are connected to one another by a centrally disposed retaining member 42 that extends perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis of the straps 40 and is fixed to each strap. This prevents the webbing straps 40 from moving too far apart from one another which might otherwise result in the item being transported and handled slipping out of the sleeve. The webbing straps 40 are arranged into pairs of straps that are connected to one another via handles. The handles are arranged in six pairs, three pairs disposed on either side of the sleeve on the exterior of side walls 14 and 18. The pairs of handles are disposed at discrete points along the webbing length to facilitate convenient handling of the loaded sleeve in use. A first pair 70, 72 is disposed proximally to the lower edge of the side wall, a second pair 74, 76 is disposed distally to the lower edge of the side wall and a third pair 78, 80 is disposed equidistantly between the first and second pair. The remaining three pairs of handles are disposed on the exterior of the opposing side wall 14 and correspondingly disposed in a first pair 70’, 72’, a second pair 74’, 76’ and a third pair 78’, 80’. Lid 22 is hingedly mounted on the upper edge of side wall 18 and has a downwardly depending flange 60 extending around the perimetral edge of the lid 22. The flange assists in locating the lid in the correct position when closed and overlie the upper edge of side panels 12, 14, 16. In use, to load the sleeve, the sleeve is in its unfastened configuration with the lid opened. An item to be transported such as a washing machine, a dishwasher, refrigerator etc. is tilted to allow the skid plate and webbing straps 40 to be slid into position under neath the item. The item is returned to its standing position on top of the webbing straps and skid plate. The side wall 12 is moved and fastened using the side release buckles, securing it to side wall 18 enveloping the item. Lid 22 is the closed and optionally secured to one or more of the side walls using hook and loop fasteners. Using the handles, the loaded item can then be safely handled during transportation. The skid plate allows easy sliding of the loaded item and also serves to protect the 10 15 four straps 40 from abrasion extending the life of the sleeve. Thus, the sleeve serves to protect the item, its environment and facilitate safe manual handling of the item during transportation.

Claims

1. A sleeve for covering an item during transport comprisingat least one side wall, a carrying cradle forming a base, and a lid defining a chamber for receiving an item to be transported,5 wherein the at least one side wall has a releasably fastenable edge such that the at least one sidewall is capable of providing an opening to the chamber when the releasably fastenable edge is unfastenedand wherein the sleeve comprises a first and second carrying handle disposed on the at least one side wall.io 2. The sleeve as claimed in claim 1 further comprising four side walls.

3. The sleeve as claimed in claim 2 wherein each side wall comprises a rectangular planar panel.

4. The sleeve as claimed in claim 1,2 or 3 wherein the side wall further comprises means to protect the item and the environment from incidental knocks that might15 occur during transportation and handling.

5. The sleeve as claimed in claim 4 wherein the means to protect the item comprises a resiliently deformable material.

6. The sleeve as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5 wherein the lid is closeablymounted on the sleeve.

7. The sleeve as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6 wherein the first and second carrying handles comprise one or more pairs of handles.

8. The sleeve as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 7 wherein the first and second carrying handles each comprise three pairs of handles disposed at discrete points on the side wall.

9. The sleeve as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 8 wherein the carrying cradle comprises two or more straps.

10. The sleeve as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 9 wherein the carrying cradle comprises four straps.

11. The sleeve as claimed in any one or more of the preceding claims wherein each strap comprises a continuous length of material.

12. The sleeve as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 11 wherein the carrying handles are mounted on the carrying cradle.

13. The sleeve as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 12 wherein the base comprises a skid plate.

14. The sleeve as claimed in claim 13 wherein the skid plate is releasably secured to the sleeve.

15. The sleeve as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 14 wherein the at least one side wall and / or lid comprise resiliently deformable material.

16. A method of transporting an item comprising the use of a sleeve as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 15.

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