Granted Patent B2

US 7,873,542 · App. 11/725,913 · Granted Jan 18, 2011

Assignee: Coca-Cola Refreshments USA, Inc.

Abstract

Claims (42)

1. A method of distributing beverages to account locations on a route by a truck of the type having a trailer with a floor and side walls, utilizing mini-pallets adapted to be carried with a hand truck comprising the steps of:

(a) receiving beverage orders from account locations at a beverage warehouse facility;

(b) loading mini-pallets with beverages corresponding to a beverage order from an account location;

(c) placing the loaded mini-pallets for the account location into the trailer along the sidewalls in a fashion that leaves a center aisle to accommodate the passage of a hand truck;

(d) repeating steps (b) and (c) for additional account locations on the route;

(e) loading a bulk pallet with beverages corresponding to a beverage order from an account location and placing the loaded bulk pallet at the rear of the trailer;

(f) first driving the truck to any account location for which a loaded bulk pallet has been placed in the trailer and off loading the bulk pallet at such location;

(g) driving the truck to an account location on the route;

(h) positioning a hand truck in the center aisle adjacent to a loaded mini-pallet corresponding to the account location;

(i) placing a tongue of the hand truck under the loaded mini-pallet and lifting the loaded mini-pallet with the hand truck;

(j) off loading the mini-pallet and hand truck from the trailer to the account location;

(k) returning the hand truck to the trailer and repeating steps (h) through (j) for each loaded mini-pallet corresponding to the beverage order for the account location;

(l) driving the truck to the next location on the route; and

(m) repeating steps (h) through (k) until the route is complete.

2. The method of distributing beverages of claim 1 wherein the trailer has a lift gate that is used to off load the loaded mini-pallet and hand truck from the trailer.

3. The method of distributing beverages of claim 1 wherein in step (c) the loaded mini-pallets are placed in bays defined by walls extending inward from the side walls.

4. The method of distributing beverages of claim 1 wherein in step (c) the loaded mini-pallets are placed in carts that are then loaded into the trailer.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the carts are not supported for travel on wheels, and the carts are loaded into the trailer by a forklift.

6. The method of claim 4 wherein the side walls of the trailer are fitted with a plurality of attachment points, the carts are supported for travel on wheels and said carts have a floor, a rear wall with two locking fittings, two side walls and an openable front and the method of loading a cart into the trailer comprises moving the cart to a position in the trailer adjacent to a side wall wherein the two locking fittings are secured to two attachment points on the side wall.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the locking fittings are supported on rear corner post portions projecting upwardly from the rear wall.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein attachment points of the side wall may be secured to locking fittings from at least two carts.

9. The method of claim 6 wherein the openable front is at least partially covered by a tarp.

10. A method of claim 4 wherein the carts have a deck movable from a stowed retracted position to an extended generally horizontal aisleway-forming operative position by which opposed carts aligned with rear walls against side walls of the trailer can form a raised deck above the floor of the trailer in the center aisle.

11. A method of distributing beverages to account locations on a route by a truck of the type having a trailer with a floor and side walls, utilizing mini-pallets adapted to be carried with a hand truck comprising the steps of:

(a) receiving beverage orders from account locations at a beverage warehouse facility;

(b) loading mini-pallets with beverages corresponding to a beverage order from an account location;

(c) placing the loaded mini-pallets for the account location into the trailer along the sidewalls in a fashion that leaves a center aisle to accommodate the passage of a hand truck;

(d) repeating steps (b) and (c) for additional account locations on the route;

(e) driving the truck to an account location on the route;

(f) positioning a hand truck in the center aisle adjacent to a loaded mini-pallet corresponding to the account location;

(g) placing a tongue of the hand truck under the loaded mini-pallet and lifting the loaded mini-pallet with the hand truck;

(h) off loading the mini-pallet and hand truck from the trailer to the account location;

(i) returning the hand truck to the trailer and repeating steps (f) through (h) for each loaded mini-pallet corresponding to the beverage order for the account location;

(j) driving the truck to the next location on the route;

(k) repeating steps (f) through (j) until the route is complete;

wherein in step (c) the loaded mini-pallets are placed in carts that are then loaded into the trailer; and wherein the carts have a deck movable from a stowed retracted position to an extended generally horizontal aisleway-forming operative position by which opposed carts aligned with rear walls against side walls of the trailer can form a raised deck above the floor of the trailer in the center aisle.

12. The method of distributing beverages of claim 11 wherein the trailer has a lift gate that is used to off load the loaded mini-pallet and hand truck from the trailer.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein the carts are not supported for travel on wheels, and the carts are loaded into the trailer by a forklift.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein the side walls of the trailer are fitted with a plurality of attachment points, the carts are supported for travel on wheels and said carts have a floor, a rear wall with two locking fittings, two side walls and an openable front and the method of loading a cart into the trailer comprises moving the cart to a position in the trailer adjacent to a side wall wherein the two locking fittings are secured to two attachment points on the side wall.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the locking fittings are supported on rear corner post portions projecting upwardly from the rear wall.

16. The method of claim 14 wherein attachment points of the side wall may be secured to locking fittings from at least two carts.

17. The method of claim 14 wherein the openable front is at least partially covered by a tarp.

Assignments (1)

Continuity (8)