AU1362500A - An improved construction of a collapsible pallet - Google Patents

Description

P/00/011 Regulation 3.2

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 a a b aa a a a a a.

ORIGINAL

COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDARD PATENT Invention title: AN IMPROVED CONSTRUCHON OF A COLLAPSIBLE PALLET BOX The following statement is a fuli description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to us: dxbm M0l10610664v1 999995 28.01.2000 This invention relates to an improved construction of a collapsible pallet box.

BACKGROUND ART- Pallet boxes of the type to which this Invention relates are constructed so that a box which generally consists of removable sides is supported on a pallet platform. The pallet box can also have a lid. Pallet boxes are generally formed in a particular manner with side and end walls which are supported on a platform surface of a pallet. When the pallet and pallet box are not in use, the lid, if any, and the sides of the pallet box can be disassembled and stacked on top of the platform of the pallet so the disassembled pailet and pallet box will occupy a minimum of space both for transportation and storage.

It is well known to construct pallets and pallet boxes from timber and similar materials, but a major disadvantage with such pallets is the excessive weight necessary to provide the pallets with sufficient strength to have a viable service life. When pallets are manufactured from timber, the question of efficient cleaning of the pallets and pallet boxes also arises in that it can be difficult to satisfactorily clean the pallet and this can be a significant disadvantage particularly when transporting goods that may be of a perishable or edible nature.

It is also known to manufacture component parts of pallets and pallet boxes from plastics material with the parts being assembled in a manner similar to timber pallets.

While the use of plastics materials reduces the problem of hygiene, because the parts are initially separate, they must be robust and this can result in a pallet which also suffers from 'excessive weight and manufacturing costs.

Another disadvantage with pallets and pallet boxes formed from component parts of timber and/or plastics materials is because such pallets are generally of a subhstantial weight, they contribute significantly to the cost of transporting and stacking the pallets.

Consequently, the cost of shipping goads in such known pallets is higher than desirable, particularly when the pallets are to be returned empty to the point of dispatch, Such latter costs are usually added to the cost of transportation.

It is apparent that the design of a successful pallet and pallet box must take into account various parameters. The assembled pallet box must be light and have considerable strength to withstand rough handling during its life and it should be formed from durable and hygienic materials. In addition, the pallet box must be able to be readily disassembled in a manner that the component parts can be stacked onto the pallet platform and occupy a minimum amount of space. Furthermore the actual pallet should be constructed so it can be utilised with fork lift vehicles both of the low lift and high lift variety and also so that it can be readily adapted- to other means of lifting as is known in the an.

Apart from merely stacking goods on a pallet, it is also well known to include with the pallet removable or permanent walls and a lid that in effect create a packing case from the pallet that is able to be easily manipulated by a fork lift. Pallet boxes arc used when the goods on the pallet require better protection than that already provided by their own packaging, such as in environments where there is an increased likelihood of physical damage from other crates and vehicles.

When storing both empty and full pallet boxes, use of space can be maximised by stacking the boxes on top of each other. This is facilitated by providing means on the upper and Idwer surfaces of the pallet boxes that- ensure steady stacking and reduce the likelihood of the stacked boxes falling.- Similar problems exist for the side and upper surfaces of these pallet boxes as is described above for the pallet alone. These include achieving the optimum balance between strength and weight for the materials used to ensure an adequate life expectancy and yet keeping production and storage costs to a mimimum. Further problems include ensuring that the pallet box is stackable with or without its lid, that the box side elements are easily added or removed and stored and that the material used to construct the box side elements is easily kept clean.

Prior Art US Patent specification 5597084 di scloses a collapsible pallet bin which has a rectangular base, two side walls and two end walls. The side walls are connected to the base by a sliding movement. When int that position, the end walls are connected to the side walls and to the base. Three of the four walls are interlocked to the base.

20 US Patent specification 5467885 discloses a container which has a rectangular base, two opposing side walls and two opposing end walls which are hinged to the base so they can be collapsed by folding onto each other or extended vertically to define an interior to the base.

US Patent specification 4674647 discloses a collapsible pallet type of container which is designed for nesting whether it is in the erected or collapsed mode. The container has a base, a pair of opposing side walls which are pivotally attached to a pair of opposing end walls. The side and end walls pivot on the base'to lie on top of the base or can be pivoted to assume an erected position.

While it is apparent collapsible containers which can be from manufactured from plastics material are well known, it is also apparent that the prior known containers are all comparatively expensive to manufacture and therefore costly to purchase. The need therefore exists for a simple, economical and rugged container which has side and end walls which can readily be assembled on the pallet platform and which when assembled, exhibit adequate service life. In addition it is tecessary that the pallet box can be collapsed by separating the side and end walls from the other component parts and laid onto the platform of a pallet to form a compact pile on the pallet.

Object of the Invettion It is therefore an object of this invention to provide an improved collapsible pallet S9 box which will achieve the above desiderata.

9o 20 Disclosure of the Invention S"Accordingly one form of the invention may be said to comprise a pallet box for application to a substantially rectangular pallet having a platform, said box comprising two opposing side and two opposing end walls adapted to be supported on the platform of the pallet by corner pieces located adjacent each corner of the platform, each said corner piece having a projection which extends upwardly from the platform said projection including a slot and wherein at least one wall includes means adapted to engage in the slot of a corner piece, and wherein the said walls include a releasable locating means adapted to maintain the upright edges of contiguous side and end walls in predetermined relationship.

Preferably the releasable locating means comprises a socket positioned adjacent the vertical edge of each side and end walls in a manner that when the side walls and end wall are located on the platform, the socket on one wall will be positioned above the socket of the contiguous wall to form a pair of sockets and the bores of the two sockets will be in alignment, means being provided to retain the two sockets in alignment.

Preferably the means to retain the two sockets in alignment comaprises a peg which can be engaged within the aligned bores of a pair of sockets.

Preferably the peg includes bifurcated legs to enable the peg to be frictionally retained within the aligned bores of a pair of sockets and wherein the bifurcated portions of legs of the peg -can be compressed to enable the peg to be withdrawn from the bores of the pair of sockets and to thereby separate the two sockets.

Preferably the means to engage in a slot of the upright projection of a corner piece 20 comprises an anchor which includes a lug adapted to lock into the said slot.

Preferably the lug consists of a member which extends outwardly ftrm a base plate and terminates in an outer member whidch is spaced from the base plate to form a gap between the outer member and the base plate.

Preferably the platform includes a channel associated with the platform, said channel being adapted to locate the lower edge of at least one wall on the platform.

Brief Description of the drawings A preferred form of the invention will now be described with the aid of the accompanying drawings, wherein: Figure 1 is an exploded view of a typical pallet and pallet box made according to this invention.

Figure 2 is a view of a pallet with the container portion shown in a collapsed condition ready for transportation and/or storage.

Figure 3 is a view of a corner support.

Figure 4 is a partially cut away illustration of two corners of an assembled pallet r Figure 5 is a view of side connector members.

Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments of the Invention As illustrated in the drawings, the pallet box comprises a pallet 1 surmounted by a pallet platform 2. The pallet is preferably manufactured of a plastics material as will be known in the art and may include tunnels 3 into which the forks of a fork lift vehicle can engage. As indicated, the pallet platform is substantially rectangular in shape. A plurality of corner support pieces 5 are provided, each of which preferably having a floor 4 and two upstanding sides 7 which extend upwardly from the floor at approximate right angles to each other. Bach side 7 is provided with a blind slot Bras illustrated. The floors 4 of the corner pieces are adhered to the surface of the pallet platform 2 so the corner pieces, will each be positioned adjacent each corner as illustrated in Figure 2.

The pallet box includes two opposing side walls 10 and two opposing end walls 11.

Bach side wall 10 is preferably provided with two anchors 14 (see Figure each of which is located adjacent an upright edge on a face of the wall which when the pallet box is assembled will be the outside surface of the wall. Bach anchor 14 consists of a base plate 15 and a lug 16. Iii the form illustrated the lug 16 comprises a member which extends outwardly from one face of the base plate 15 and terminates in -an outer member which is spaced from and extends parallel to the base plate 15 so a gap is formed between the outer member and the base plate 15. It will be understood the outer member can be in a configuration other than parallel to the base plate 15. The base plate 15 includes means whereby it may be suitable adhered or fixed to the side wall 10. It will be understood the anchors 14 cam, in addition or instead oZ be included with the end walls 11.

20 if desired, a channel 20 can be adhered to the platform 2 of the pallet 1 with the channel being so positioned that a side wall can be held in a more or less vertical manner and the lower edge of the side wall dropped into the channel 20 which will prevent lateral movemnent of the side wall in relation to the platform. The channel can extend all or part way around the platform depending upon the type of usage intended.

To assemble a side wall 10 onto the pallet 1, the lower edge of the wall is engaged in the channel 20 and the wall is slid so the outer wall of the anchor will pass through the blind slot 8. The wall 10 can then be moved longitudinally to position the gap between the outer wall and the base plate 15 of the anchor 14 over the edge of the slot 8. Both side walls can be positioned in a similar manner on the pallet.platform. When the anchor has engaged in the slot 8, a clearance gap 21 will be left between the upright end edge l0a and the inside of the second wall of the corner piece-5. This clearance gap is approximately equal to the thickness of the material forming the end walls 11. As can be seen particularly from Figure 4, after the side wall 10 has been positioned and anchored, the enl wall I11 can be lowered onto the platform so the lower part of the wall will enter thz clearance gap 21 while the remainder of the vertical edge of the end wall 11I wil-l butt against the vertical edge of the side wall 0 The vertical edges of the side walls 10 and the end walls I11 are maintained in contact by a releasable locating means. In a highly preferred form, the locating means comprises sockects 25 positioned on the vertical edges of the side walls and end walls. Each socket has a flap 26 by which the socket is connected to the respective end or side wall.

The sockets are so positioned that when the side walls and the end walls have been located on the platform 2, the socket on the edge of one wall will be located above the socket on the 20 contiguous wall, with the bores of the sockets being in alignment. The two sockets can be locked together by means of the peg 28 whidch preferably has at least one end bifurcated as at 29. The peg is passed into the bores of the sockets and remains within the sockets by reason of the friction exerted by the bifurcated portion of the peg. Preferably but not necessarily the vertical edge of each side and end wall is provided with a pair of sockets The pallet box may also include a lid 30 which can be formed of a plastic material and which has a perimeter wall 31 which is shaped so the lid can be placed over the top of the assembled end and side walls. Suitable means, not shown in the drawings can be employed to maintain the lid in position on the pallet. box. Preferably the perimeter wall is also of a size that when the pallet box has been disassembled and the sides and end walls stacked on the platform as indicated in Figure 2, the lid can be placed over the corner pieces to assist in retaining the component parts in position on the platform.

To disassemble an assembled pallet box, the lid 30 is removed and the bifu~rcated portion 29 of the peg 28 is compressed so the peg can be removed from thea socket 25. This **procedure is continued until all the pegs have been -removed. The end walls can then be lifed out of their position and the side walls slid longitudinally to disengage the lugs 16 0000 from the slots 8. By moving the lower end of the side walls 10 away from the edge of the platform, the wall and the lug 16 can be lifted from the slot and the wall lifted away from the platform.

The side and end walls 10 and 11 can then be stacked on the platform of the pallet as illustrated in Figure 2 where it can be seen that the end walls are longer than the side walls which is necessary to enable the vertical edges of the end walls to enter into the clearance gap 21. If the pallet box includes a lid, that can also be stacked onto the pallet platform. As is also illustrated, the corner pieces are of a sufficient height that when stacked, the side and end walls, and the lid when utilised, will all lie wit~hin the confines of the corner pieces.

Having read the foregoing description, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that modifications and amendments can be made to the pallet box which still come within the general concept of the invention. All such modifications and amendments are intended to be included within the scope of this specification.

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Claims (8)

1. A pallet box for application to a substantially rectangular pallet having a platform, said box comprising two opposing side and two opposing end walls adapted to be supported on the platform of the pallet by corner pieces located adjacent each corner of the platform, each said corner piece having a projection which extends upwardly from the platform said projection including a slot and wherein at least one wall includes means adapted to engage in the slot of a corner piece, and wherein the said walls include a releasable locating means adapted to maintain the upright edges of contiguous side and end walls in predetermined relationship.

The pallet box as claimed in claim 1, wherein the releasable locating means comprises a socket positioned adjacent the vertical edge of each side and end walls in a manner that when the side walls and end wall are located on the platform, the socket on one wall will be positioned above the socket of the contiguous wall to form a pair of sockets and the bores of the two sockets will be in alignment, means being provided to retain the two sockets in alignment.

3. The pallet box as claimed in claim 2, wherein the means to retain the two sockets in 20 alignment comprises a peg which can be engaged within the aligned bores of a pair of sockets.

4. The pallet box as claimed in claim 3, wherein the peg includes bithircated legs to enable the peg to be fictionally retained within the aligned bores of a pair of sockets and wherein the bifurcated portions of the legs of the peg can be compressed to enable the peg to be withdrawn from the bores of the pair of sockets and to thereby separate the two sockets.

The pallet box as claimed in claim 1, wherein the means to engage in a slot of the upright projection of a comer piece comprises an anchor, which includes a lug adapted to lock into the said slot.

6. The pallet box as claimed in claim 5, wherein the lug consists of a member which extends outwardly from a base plate and terminates in an outer member which is spaced from the base plate to form a gap between the outer member and the base plate.

7. The pallet as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the, platform 99 includes a channel associated with the platform, said channel being adapted to locate the lower edge of at least one wall on the platform. 0

8. The pallet box substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.