US 11,987,440 B2
Fan blade shipping and storage box
William J. Rushin, Greenwood, IN (US)
Assigned to UNITED AIRLINES, INC., Chicago, IL (US)
Filed by UNITED AIRLINES, INC., Chicago, IL (US)
Filed on Jun. 21, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/845,923.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/202,658, filed on Jun. 18, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2022/0402688 A1, Dec. 22, 2022
Int. Cl. B65D 85/68 (2006.01); B65D 25/04 (2006.01); B65D 43/16 (2006.01); B65D 81/05 (2006.01)
CPC B65D 85/68 (2013.01) [B65D 25/04 (2013.01); B65D 43/166 (2013.01); B65D 81/058 (2013.01); B65D 2585/6807 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A storage container comprising:
a housing defining a plurality of container rows, each row having a plurality of compartments each for housing a fan blade comprising a blade tip end and a blade root end, the plurality of container rows being parallel to one another and extending along a longitudinal axis of the storage container;
each of the plurality of compartments comprising at least one compartment wall separating the compartment from an adjacent compartment, and each of the plurality of compartments having a first retention holder having a receptacle slot shaped to retain the blade tip in place at a first end of the compartment and a second retention holder having a receptacle slot shaped to retain the blade root end in a second end of the compartment,
wherein at least one of the first retention holder and the second retention holder is removable from the respective compartment, wherein each of the first retention holder and the second retention holder has a press fit against the respective compartment walls when retaining a fan blade in place and against lateral movement within the compartment and against twisting movement within the compartment;
the housing further comprising a plurality of retainer walls each spanning a respective container row and each movable between an access position allowing user access to insert and remove fan blades and a retaining position blocking user access to insert and remove fan blades; and
a container lid forming a press fit with the housing to retain the fan blade against transverse movement out of the housing during transportation of the storage container.