BACKGROUND ART It is a significant requirement for the international shipment of containers including containers of the types described in the above PCT patent specifications that cross border authorities must be able to access the container to inspect its cargo. It is highly desirable that the container particularly of the type described above, not be fully dissembled in order to achieve the inspection. Full disassembly of the container for inspection is time consuming and therefore costly and also there is a high risk that the inspectors will not reposition the packaging components correctly. Thus the operating performance of the container could be adversely affected thus reducing the quality of the cargo. This problem would be worsened if the container needed to be transported after inspection. Transportation after inspection would not be unusual as inspection normally takes place at the port of entry or at the importers'bonded premises.

Where the container is formed by fluted cardboard panels to provide channels for the movement of cooling or heating air then the panels must be able to be configured in a way that is compatible with standard pallet sizes to allow transportation and storage.

OBJECT It is an object of the present invention to provide a panel and/or a container and/or a method of forming at least part of a container which will go at least some way towards meeting the foregoing requirements in a simple yet effective manner or which will at least provide the public with a useful choice.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION Accordingly in one aspect the invention consists in a panel, the panel being substantially rectangular and formed of self supporting material, at least two spaced apart substantially parallel fold lines being formed across the panel so that the panel is divided into at least three panel parts, the panel being of a size such that in use one panel part can substantially form a top cover of a container and two panel parts can form a front panel for a container.

Preferably three fold lines are provided across the panel to provide four panel parts, one of the panel parts forming in use, the rear panel of a container.

Preferably the panel includes longitudinal passageways therein.

Preferably the panels are formed by at least a pair of spaced apart facing sheets and a core therebetween, the core containing the passageways.

Preferably the core is formed by fluted cardboard material.

Preferably the sheets include inner and outer sheets, the inner sheet and core being cut away to form the fold line on one side of a front panel and the outer sheet and core panel being cut through to form the fold line on the other side of that panel.

Preferably the length of the front panel parts is such that in use the front panel part having fold lines at each end thereof is substantially smaller in length than the other front panel part.

Preferably the smaller front panel part provides approximately thirty percent (30%) of the length of the front panel parts.

In a further aspect the invention consists in a container including a panel, the panel being formed according to any one of the preceding paragraphs.

In a still further aspect the invention consists in a method of forming at least part of a container comprising the steps of providing a self supporting sheet of material having inner and outer sheets of material separated by a core material, the core material having longitudinal air passageways therein, forming substantially parallel fold lines in the sheet of material in a manner such that the panel includes at least three panel parts, one of which comprises a top container panel part and two of which contain front container panel parts, the fold line between the top panel part and the adjacent front panel part having the inner facing sheet and core cut away and the fold line between the two front panel parts having outer panel and core panel cut through.

To those skilled in the art to which the invention relates, many changes in construction and widely differing embodiments and applications of the invention will suggest themselves without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims. The disclosures and the description herein are purely illustrative and are not intended to be in any sense limiting.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS One preferred form of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which, Figure 1 is a perspective view of one preferred form of panel according to the invention in a folded state, Figure 2 is a perspective view of a container utilising the panel of Figure 1, Figure 3 is a view as in Figure 2 with the front panels partly open,

Figures 4 to 9 are cross-sectional views of a container as in Figures 2 and 3 showing the steps required to inspect the contents of the container.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTON Referring now to the drawings, a panel 1 is provided which has at least two and preferably three transverse fold lines dividing the panel 1 into a plurality of panel parts.

The panel is formed from self supporting material and may be formed from cardboard or other material so as to provide a pair of facing panels 2 and 3 separated by a core 4. The core may be formed, for example, from fluted cardboard material. In any event the core is provided with longitudinal passageways 5 through which a gas usually air, is blown. In the prefered form of the invention fold lines are provided at 10,11 and 12. This enables panel parts 15,16,17 and 18 to be provided. The construction provides at least the front and top of a container and preferably the front, top and back. A construction without panel 18 and fold line 12 would provide the double front panels 15 and 16 for the purpose hereinafter described but would not necessarily provide a continuous gas path from front to back as hereinafter described. The sides are provided as will be described further hereinafter.

In order to obtain the correct fitting of the panel 1 in the construction, the fold line 11 is formed by cutting through the outer facing sheet 3 and core 4 preferably in the form of a"V"shape so that when the panel parts 16 and 17 come together as shown in Figure 2, there is a close fit of those panel parts when the panel parts are substantially at 90° one to the other. In relation to the fold line 10 however the outer sheet 3 and core 4 are cut through so that the panel parts 15 and 16 have a close fit when they lie substantially in the same plane. This enables the flutes or other air passageways within the core 4 to form a substantially continuous passageway from the bottom back of the container to the top back across the top and down the front of the container to the bottom front.

The sides 19 and 20 of the container are formed of a similar fluted cardboard or other device providing air passageways which only have a pair of score lines at the top sides so that in use either the back top front panel overlies the side top side panel at the top or vice versa.

The construction is arranged to be positioned on a pallet 25 which may contain for example, refrigeration and/or heating equipment and also an air mover such as a fan. The pallet 25 is arranged such that air may be blown up one side of the container across the top and down the other side and up, for example the back, across the top and down the front or vice versa so as to circulate air through the heating or cooling means within the pallet 25. Air flow passageways are shown in Figure 4 which shows a pallet 25, the panels 15,16,17 and 18 in a closed position and a surrounding insulation having back panels 30, front panel 31 and top panel 32.

Corresponding side panels would also be provided.

In Figure 5 the front panel 31 and top panel 32 of the insulation have been removed and in Figure 6 the front panels formed by panel parts 15 and 16 have begun to be open. The opening steps have continued in Figure 7 until in Figure 8 the front panel parts 15 and 16 are positioned above the top panel 17 and indeed may rest thereupon. Inspection of the contents of the container may then be carried out.

In Figure 9 the front panel parts 15 and 16 have been suspended and supported on the front insulation panel 31 whilst the top insulation panel 32 has been replaced. The front insulation panel part 31 may then be taken away and the front panel parts 15 and 16 returned to the position of Figure 5. The front insulation panel 31 may then be replaced as in Figure 4, the container resealed and shipped or stored as desired.

Thus it can be seen that a panel and/or a container and/or a method of forming at least part of a container are provided which has the advantage that the container may be readily opened requiring the cutting of a minimum number of seals such as tape placed at the intersections of the panels forming the container in a way such that the container may be opened without substantially affecting the integrity of the container and in which generally produce will not need to be removed. If produce is removed clear guidance is provided by the walls of the container as

to how the container should be refilled. The container can be re-enclosed in a simply yet effective manner.

Also in particular the panel forming the front top and back of the container is able to be folded in a simple manner in a way that the folded down panel is compatible with standard pallet sizes.

This is possible as the front top and back is able to be folded down into a three layer construction wherein part of the front panel in the folded down form lies substantially co-planar with the top panel. Without this facility the front panel could not be placed within the boundary of the back panel and the folded down panel would be somewhat greater in length.