AU2007237719A1

AU2007237719A1 - Pallet and loaded article securing method using the same

Info

Publication number: AU2007237719A1
Application number: AU2007237719A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Takao Nukaya
Original assignee: Toyota Steel Center Co Ltd
Current assignee: Toyota Steel Center Co Ltd
Priority date: 2006-03-17
Filing date: 2007-03-08
Publication date: 2007-10-25
Anticipated expiration: 2027-03-08
Also published as: AU2007237719B9; AU2007237719B2; CN101351388B; JP4074876B2; CN101351388A; WO2007119320A1; JP2007246153A; TR200801569T1

Description

VERIFICATION I, Seiji KOJIMA Kojima International Patent Office ATSUTA DAIDOSEIMEI-Bldg.2F, 7-26, Jingu 3-chome, Atsuta-ku, Nagoya-shi, Aichi 456-0031, Japan Verify that to the best of my knowledge and belief the following is a true English translation made by me of International Application No. PCT/JP2007/054592 filed on March 8, 2007. Dated this 30th day of January 2008 Seiji KOJ A SPECIFICATION PALLET AND LOADED ARTICLE SECURING METHOD USING THE SAME [TECHNICAL FIELD] [0001] The present invention relates to a pallet and a loaded article securing method using the same. More specifically, the present invention relates to a pallet that can secure easily and reliably a loaded article of different flat-surface shapes and sizes, and a loaded article securing method using the same. [BACKGROUND ART] [0002] A thin metal blank sheet material used for an automotive part is generally transported in the form of layers. In this case, an exclusive packing box is made according to a flat-surface shape and size of the blank material and used for the transport. In recent years, however, automobile model changes have frequently taken place, each of which requires changes in the flat-surface shapes and sizes of the blank materials. In response to such changes, the exclusive packing box needs to be refabricated, which is accompanied by an issue of a transport cost increase. In addition, the blank materials are generally transported on a material table or as is within the factory. However, if the blank machining is outsourced, a transport distance between a machining site and a storage site of the blank materials becomes longer, and thus a realization of a transport pallet for optimum transportation of the blank materials has been desired. [0003] As a solution to the aforementioned issue, a related art proposes a transportable pallet compatible with the blank materials of different flat-surface shapes and sizes. (Refer to Patent Document 1 for example.) Disclosed in Patent Document 1 is a pallet including a pallet main body on which a plurality of round holes 8 are formed and an article 1 is loaded, a plurality of supporting poles 3 1 which are erected on the pallet main body to support side faces of the loaded article, and a hoop 4 for binding the plurality of the erected supporting poles. In this case, an insert pin 5 insertable in the round hole 8 is provided at a lower end of each supporting pole 3 in an offset manner. Accordingly, if the supporting pole on the pallet main body is rotated, in the erected state, around the insert pin 5 and bound by the hoop 4, blank materials of different flat-surface shapes and sizes can be secured tightly without leaving any clearance. [0004] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. JP-A-2003-267372 [DISCLOSUER OF THE INVENTION] [PROBLEMS TO BE SOLVED BY THE INVENTION] [0005] The pallet according to Patent Document 1 has an outer peripheral surface of the supporting pole bound by the hoop 25 (shown by an imaginary line) as shown in FIG. 12. Therefore, a phase (vector), in a circumferential direction of the blank material, of a hoop binding force Fl' applied to the supporting pole substantially matches a phase (vector), in the circumferential direction of the blank material, of a reaction force F2 applied to the supporting pole. Accordingly, depending on a way the hoop is wound around, binding of the plurality of the supporting poles may become loose and the loaded article may not be securely fixed. Therefore, according to Patent Document 1, two hoops are used for binding operation for the sake of safety, which is time consuming and troublesome. Further, according to the aforementioned patent, when an operator sets support shafts upright on the pallet main body, the support shafts are rotated around the insert pins, respectively, to bring them in contact with the side faces of the loaded article. Then, the hoop must be wound around each support shaft while keeping contact therewith, thus resulting in a troublesome operation. [0006] In light of the circumstances described above, it is an 2 object of the present invention to provide a pallet which can secure easily and reliably a loaded article of different flat surface shapes and sizes, and a loaded article securing method using the same. [MEANS FOR SOLVING PROBLEM] [0007] 1. A pallet which comprises: a pallet main body which has a plurality of holes and onto which an article is loaded, a plurality of support members erected detachably on said pallet main body, and a binding member which surrounds said support members and a loaded article to secure the same, characterized in that said support member is constructed such that a lower eccentric shaft insertable in said hole is provided in an offset manner at a lower end of a support shaft which supports a side face of said loaded article, and said support member includes an upper eccentric shaft which is provided at an upper end of said support shaft in such a manner as to be offset to a side opposite to said lower eccentric shaft, and with which said binding member comes into contact. 2. The pallet according to 1 above, further comprising a move stopper which is provided at the upper end of said upper eccentric shaft and prevents said binding member from moving upward. 3. The pallet according to 1 above, wherein a ratio (Ll/L2) of an offset amount (Li) of said lower eccentric shaft and an offset amount (L2) of said upper eccentric shaft is less than 1. 4. The pallet according to 1 above, further comprising a plurality of stack support members which are erected detachably on said pallet main body and vertically stacks and supports other pallets, wherein a side face of said stack support member is provided with a pin insertable in said hole. 5. The pallet according to 1 above, further comprising a plurality of receiving members disposed on said pallet main body such that said article can be loaded on said receiving members, wherein at 3 least one of the plurality of said receiving members is located detachably on said pallet main body by a locating pin inserted in said hole. 6. The pallet according to 5 above, wherein said pallet main body is provided with a plurality of indicators for indicating attaching positions of said receiving members, which are predetermined according to a shape and size of said article. 7. The pallet according to 1 above, wherein said article is a stack of sheet materials. 8. A method for securing a loaded article to the pallet according to 1 above, which comprises steps of: loading an article on a pallet main body, erecting a plurality of support members on said pallet main body by inserting lower eccentric shafts of said support members in the holes on said pallet main body along a loaded article, and securing the plurality of said support members and said loaded article by a binding member winding in a ring-like form around upper eccentric shafts of said support members while keeping contact between said binding member and said upper eccentric shafts. 9. The method according to 8 above, further comprising a move stopper which is provided at the upper end of said upper eccentric shaft and prevents said binding member from moving upward. 10. The method according to 8 above, wherein a ratio (L1/L2) of an offset amount (Ll) of said lower eccentric shaft and an offset amount (L2) of said upper eccentric shaft is less than 1. 11. The method according to 8 above, further comprising a plurality of stack support members which are erected detachably on said pallet main body and vertically stacks and supports other pallets, wherein a side face of said stack support member is provided with a pin insertable in said hole. 12. The method according to 8 above, wherein said article is a stack of sheet materials. 13. A method for securing a loaded article to the pallet according to 5 above, which comprises steps of: disposing receiving members on a pallet main body such that the receiving members come into contact with a bottom face of an 4 article at two or more points thereof, wherein the number of said receiving members provided is the same as the number of the contact points on the bottom face of said article; loading an article on said receiving members; erecting a plurality of support members on said pallet main body by inserting lower eccentric shafts of said support members in the holes on said pallet main body along a loaded article, and securing the plurality of said support members and said loaded article by a binding member winding in a ring-like form around upper eccentric shafts of said support members while keeping contact between said binding member and said upper eccentric shafts. 14. The method according to 13 above, wherein said pallet main body is provided with a plurality of indicators for indicating attaching positions of said receiving members, which are predetermined according to a shape and size of said article. 15. The method according to 13 above, further comprising a move stopper which is provided at the upper end of said upper eccentric shaft and prevents said binding member from moving upward. 16. The method according to 13 above, wherein a ratio (L1/L2) of an offset amount (Li) of said lower eccentric shaft and an offset amount (L2) of said upper eccentric shaft is less than 1. 17. The method according to 13 above, further comprising a plurality of stack support members which are erected detachably on said pallet main body and vertically stacks and supports other pallets, wherein a side face of each of said stack support members is provided with a pin insertable in said hole. 18. The method according to 13 above, wherein said article is a stack of sheet materials. [EFFECTS OF THE INVENTION] [0008] According to the pallet of the present invention, loaded articles of various flat-surface shapes and sizes can be secured easily and reliably. That is, after an article is loaded on a pallet main body, support members (lower eccentric shafts) are inserted in holes on the pallet main body along the loaded article 5 such that the support members surround the loaded article. Then, a binding member is wound around upper eccentric shafts of the support members while keeping contact therewith. Consequently, side faces of the loaded article are supported by the support shafts of the multiple support members, and thus the support members and the loaded article are secured on the pallet main body. As a result, when securing the support members and the loaded article by the binding member, a phase (vector), in a circumferential direction of the loaded article, of a binding force of the binding member applied to each support member becomes offset with respect to a phase (vector), in the circumferential direction of the loaded article, of a reaction force applied to each support member. Accordingly, a rotational force is generated on the respective support members in the binding direction, and thus the side faces of the loaded article are securely pressed by the respective support shafts of the support members. In consequence, the loaded article of various flat-surface shapes and sizes can be secured easily and reliably by using the minimum required number of the binding members (basically one). Furthermore, when erecting the support members on the pallet main body, there is almost no need to manually rotate each support member to adjust a pressure force applied to the loaded article. Furthermore, if the support member includes a move stopper, the binding member can be reliably prevented from coming off the upper end of the support member (upper eccentric shaft). In addition, when a ratio (L1/L2) of an offset amount (Li) of the lower eccentric shaft and an offset amount (L2) of the upper eccentric shaft is smaller than 1, a rotational force in the binding direction can be generated on the support member more suitably. Furthermore, in a case in which a plurality of stack support members are further provided and insert pins insertable in the aforementioned holes are provided on side faces of the stack support members, other pallets are stacked and supported by the plurality of the stack support members erected on the pallet main body. Therefore, a transport efficiency and a storage space efficiency can be improved. Moreover, the stack support members 6 can be positioned transversely on the pallet main body by removing the respective stack support members from the pallet main body and inserting the insert pins of the stack support members in the holes on the pallet main body. Consequently, a return pallet can be made compact. Furthermore, in a case in which a plurality of receiving members are further provided and at least one of them is positioned detachably onto the pallet main body by a locating pin which is inserted in the aforementioned hole, an article can be loaded on or unloaded from the pallet main body by utilizing a space between the receiving members. In addition, the attaching positions of the receiving members on the pallet main body can be adjusted easily, thereby achieving adaptability to more various types of articles having different flat-surface shapes and sizes. Furthermore, in a case in which the pallet main body is provided with a plurality of indicators indicating the attaching positions of the receiving members, which are predetermined according to the shape and size of different types of articles, the attaching positions of the receiving members can be adjusted more easily and quickly. Moreover, in a case in which the article is a stack of sheet materials, the stacks of various flat-surface shapes and sizes can be secured easily and reliably. [00091 According to a loaded article securing method for the pallet of the present invention, an article is first placed on the pallet main body or the receiving members. Then, the lower eccentric shafts of the support members are inserted in the holes on the pallet main body along the loaded article, so that the loaded article is surrounded by the plurality of the support members. Thereafter, the binding member is wound around the upper eccentric shafts of the support members while keeping contact therewith. As a result, side faces of the loaded article are supported by the support shafts of the plurality of the support members, and thus the loaded article is secured. Accordingly, when the support members and the loaded article are secured by the binding member, a phase (vector), in the circumferential direction of the loaded 7 article, of the binding force of the binding member applied to each support member becomes offset with respect to a phase (vector), in the circumferential direction of the loaded article, of the reaction force applied to each support member. Consequently, a rotational force is generated on each support member in the binding direction, and thus the side faces of the loaded article are securely pressed by the respective support shafts of the support members. In consequence, the loaded articles of various flat-surface shapes and sizes can be secured easily and reliably by using the minimum required number of the binding members (basically one). Furthermore, when erecting the support members on the pallet main body, there is almost no need to manually rotate each support member to adjust a pressure force applied to the loaded article. [BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS] [0010] FIG. 1 is a plane view of a pallet according to an embodiment; FIG. 2 is a view on arrow II in FIG.1; FIG. 3 is a view on arrow III in FIG.1; FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the pallet according to the embodiment; FIG. 5 is a perspective view illustrating a stacked condition of the pallet; FIG. 6 is a longitudinal sectional view of a main portion of the pallet in the stacked condition; FIG. 7 is a side view of a support member according to the embodiment; FIG. 8 is an enlarged view on arrow VIII in FIG. 7; FIG. 9 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line IX-IX in FIG. 7; FIG. 10 is an explanatory illustration of an operation of stacking blank materials on the pallet; FIG. 11 is an explanatory illustration of an operation of erecting the support member on the pallet; FIG. 12 is an explanatory illustration of an operation of 8 binding the support members by a binding member; FIG. 13 is an explanatory illustration of an example of returning an empty pallet; FIG. 14 is an explanatory illustration of another configuration of the support member; and FIG. 15 is an explanatory illustration of yet another configuration of the support member. [DESCRIPTION OF REFARENCE NUMERALS AND SIGNS] [0011] 1; pallet main body, 7a; (through) hole, 8a; (through) hole, 15; stack support member, 16; insert pin, 17a to 17e; receiving member, 19; locating pin, 20,20',20''; support member, 21; support shaft, 22; lower eccentric shaft, 23; upper eccentric shaft, 24; move stopper, 25, binding member, 26; indication line, P; pallet, and B; stack of sheet materials. [BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION] [0012] 1. Pallet A pallet according to the present invention includes a pallet main body, a support member, and a binding member, each description of which is given below. The pallet, for example, can further include a stack support member and a receiving member (to be explained later). [0013] The "pallet main body" is a portion onto which an article is loaded, and is not particularly limited in terms of the structure, shape, material, or the like, provided that it has a plurality of holes. The shape of the hole is normally round, but it can be a polygon, provided that a lower eccentric shaft (to be explained later) of the support member rotates. In this case, the "article" is not particularly limited, but a sheet material stack composed of layers of sheet materials, a roll, a block, a device, or the like can conceivably employed. The conceivable sheet materials include a blank material processed by a press machine, a laser cutter, or a shear cutter. In this 9 case, the aforementioned pallet main body, for example, may be provided with an engaging portion which engages with a locating pin provided on a table onto which a machined part is placed and which is attached to the press machine or the like. [0014] The pallet main body can be provided with an upper board member and a lower board member both of which have a number of holes and are vertically disposed facing each other. In this case, it is preferable to set a diameter of the holes on the upper board member larger than that of the holes on the lower board member, and to insert a stepped lower eccentric shaft (to be described later) of the support member in the respective holes (refer to FIG. 6). The intention of this configuration is to achieve a smoother rotation of the lower eccentric shaft relative to the hole. (00151 The pallet main body can be provided with a guide member having an inverted U-shaped longitudinal section into which a fork of a forklift can be inserted to guide insertion thereof. The guide member preferably includes a longitudinal guide member which extends in a longitudinal direction of the pallet main body and a horizontal guide member which extends in a horizontal direction of the pallet main body. The "support member" is erected detachably on the pallet main body to secure a loaded article and prevent falling thereof. The support member should preferably be a continuously-formed object provided with a lower eccentric shaft, a support shaft, and an upper eccentric shaft in this order, each description of which is given later, or a connected body which consists of a combination of such shafts. The support member is generally formed in a linear shape such as a bar. The "support shaft" is a portion which contacts a side face of an article (loaded article) loaded on the pallet to support the loaded article. [0016] The shape, size, material, and the like of the support shaft are not particularly limited. A sectional shape of the support shaft is generally round, but it can be an ellipse, polygon, or 10 the like, provided that the support shaft can support the side face of the article (loaded article). In addition, the support shaft may be a hollow cylinder or a solid core shaft. [0017] The "lower eccentric shaft" is not particularly limited in terms of the shape, material, or the like, provided that it is disposed at the lower end of the support shaft in such a manner as to be offset with respect to the shaft center of the support shaft, and can be inserted in the aforementioned holes. The offset amount of the lower eccentric shaft with respect to the support shaft can be selected appropriately according to a diameter of respective shafts and the like. Furthermore, a sectional shape of the lower eccentric shaft is generally round, but it can be a polygon, provided that the shaft rotates smoothly relative to the hole. Moreover, the lower eccentric shaft may be a hollow cylinder or a solid core shaft. Further, the lower eccentric shaft 22 can be formed in a stepped form as shown in FIG. 7, and, for example, may include a large diameter shaft portion 22a which is inserted in a large diameter hole 7a of the upper board member 7 and a small diameter shaft portion 22b which is inserted in a small diameter hole 8a of the lower board member 8, which both compose the pallet main body. [0018] The "upper eccentric shaft" is not particularly limited in terms of the shape, material, or the like, provided that it is disposed at the upper end of the support shaft in such a manner as to be offset with respect to the shaft center of the support shaft to the side opposite to the lower eccentric shaft, and is able to become in contact with the aforementioned binding member. The offset amount of the upper eccentric shaft with respect to the support shaft can be selected appropriately according to a diameter of respective shafts and the like. Furthermore, a sectional shape of the upper eccentric shaft is generally round, but it can be a polygon, provided that the shaft can be bound by the binding member. Moreover, the upper eccentric shaft may be a hollow cylinder or a solid core shaft. [0019] 11 Now referring to FIG. 8, a ratio (L1/L2) of the offset amount Li of the lower eccentric shaft 22 and the offset amount L2 of the upper eccentric shaft 23 is preferably smaller than 1, and particularly preferably between 0.3 and 0.7. Furthermore, a shaft center of the upper eccentric shaft 23, for example, may be located on a radial straight line connecting the shaft center of the support shaft 21 and that of the lower eccentric shaft 22. Accordingly, a rotational force in the binding direction can be suitably generated on the support member 21. Moreover, a diameter of the support shaft 21 may be set, for example, larger than that of the lower eccentric shaft 22 and the upper eccentric shaft 23, respectively, so that the horizontal sections of the lower eccentric shaft 22 and the upper eccentric shaft 23 can be disposed, respectively, within a projection plane of the horizontal section of the support shaft 21. In this case, the diameter of the upper eccentric shaft 23 is preferably smaller than that of the lower eccentric shaft 22. [0020] Furthermore, the aforementioned condition, that is, "offset to the side opposite to the lower eccentric shaft", refers to a state in which, when the shaft center of the lower eccentric shaft is located in one of the areas defined by a radial straight line which passes through the shaft center of the support shaft and is perpendicular to an offset direction of the lower eccentric shaft with respect to the support shaft, the shaft center of the upper eccentric shaft is located in the other area. [0021] The support member may include a move stopper provided at the upper end of the upper eccentric shaft to prevent the binding member from moving upward (coming off). The move stopper may be, for example, a flat plate protruding in a centrifugal direction from the upper end rim of the upper eccentric shaft (refer to FIG. 7). [0022] The "binding member" mentioned above is not particularly limited in terms of the shape, material, quantity, or the like, 12 provided that it can surround the loaded article and the multiple support members erected on the pallet main body to secure the loaded article. A linear object (such as band and string), a ring object, and the like made of fiber, rubber, or the like can be used as the binding member. [00231 The pallet according to the present invention can further include a stack support member for vertically stacking other pallets and supporting them. The shape, material, quantity, and the like of the stack support member are not particularly limited. However, the stack support member is generally formed in a linear shape. The stack support members 15 erected on the pallet main body 1 are generally installed at the corner portions of the pallet main body 1. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, however, the stack support members 15 may be disposed at the corner portions and peripheral portions of the pallet main body 1. The stack support member can conceivably be installed in such condition that it is (1) attached detachably to the pallet main body and provided on a side face thereof with an insert pin insertable in the aforementioned hole, (2) supported in a foldable manner on the pallet main body, and (3) secured fixedly to the pallet main body. [0024] Furthermore, the pallet according to the present invention can further include a plurality of receiving members on the pallet main body, and an article can be placed on the top of the receiving members. The shape, material, quantity, size, and the like of the receiving member are not particularly limited. The receiving member is generally formed in a long object, a block, or the like. The receiving members can conceivably be secured to the pallet main body by, for example, (1) using a securing method such as welding and screw tightening, and (2) inserting locating pins in the holes formed on the pallet main body. In the present invention, the aforementioned method (2) is preferably used, and it is particularly preferable that at least 13 one of the plurality of the receiving members is detachably located on the pallet main body by the locating pin inserted in the hole. Moreover, in the case where the method (2) is adopted, the pallet main body is preferably provided with a plurality of indicators for indicating attaching positions of the receiving members, which are predetermined according to varieties of loaded articles having different flat-surface shapes and sizes. As an indication method for the indicator, any one of color, marker, pattern, and the like, or a combination of two or more of them can be used. [00251 2. Loaded article securing method for the pallet A loaded article securing method for the pallet according to the present invention refers to a method for securing a loaded article to the pallet of the present invention which does not use the aforementioned receiving members. This securing method includes steps of loading (I), erecting (I), and binding (I). In other words, the loaded article securing method for the pallet according to the present invention includes the following processes: a loading process (I) in which an article is loaded on the pallet main body; an erecting process (I) in which a plurality of the support members are erected on the pallet main body by inserting the lower eccentric shafts of the support members in the holes on the pallet main body along the loaded article; and a binding process (I) in which the loaded article and the plurality of the support members are secured by winding the binding member in a ring-like form around the upper eccentric shafts of the support members while keeping contact therebetween. [0026] In the "loading process (I)", a method for loading the article on the pallet main body (such as transport and arrangement of the article and timing) is not particularly limited. In the "erecting process (I)", the respective lower eccentric shafts of the multiple support members are inserted in a plurality of the holes formed on the pallet main body such that the multiple support members are erected on the pallet main body 14 in such a manner as to surround the loaded article. In this case, an erecting method (such as support member arrangement and timing) is not particularly limited. It is not necessary to use a large number of the support members to surround the loaded article, but it is preferable to arrange multiple support members at appropriate intervals such that a line connecting adjacent support members substantially coincides with a contour of the article (loaded article). In the "binding process (I)", using the multiple support members erected in the erecting process (I), the binding member made of fiber, rubber, or the like is wound around the upper eccentric shafts of the upper ends of the support members to secure the multiple shaft members and the loaded article on the pallet main body. In this case, a binding method, timing, and the like are not particularly limited. To surround the support shafts and the loaded article, single or multiple linear objects as well as a ring object can be used. The binding member is made into a ring-like form in the binding process (I). The binding process (I) may be a process in which a rotational moment in a binding direction is generated on each support shaft in the bound state. [0027] Furthermore, another method according to the present invention is a method for securing an article (loaded article) on the pallet of the present invention which uses a receiving member. This method includes a disposing process (II) in which the receiving members are disposed on the pallet main body in such a manner as to come into contact with a bottom face of the article at two or more points thereof, in which case the number of the receiving members provided is the same as the number of contact points on the bottom face of the article. Furthermore, the method includes an erecting process (II) in which a plurality of the support members are erected on the pallet main body by inserting the lower eccentric shafts of the support members in the holes on the pallet main body along the loaded article, and a binding process (II) in which the loaded article and the plurality of the support members are secured by winding the binding member in a ring-like form around the upper eccentric shafts of the support 15 members while keeping contact therebetween. [0028] In the "disposing process (II)", a method for disposing the receiving members on the pallet main body is not particularly limited. However, in this process, a plurality of the receiving members should preferably be disposed such that the article does not slip, tilt, or fall down on the receiving members. Accordingly, a height of the respective receiving members from the pallet main body should preferably be the same. In addition, a contact face of each of the receiving members which contacts the article is generally flat. Moreover, the respective receiving members may have different shapes and lengths. In the "loading process (II)" above, a method for loading an article on the receiving members (such as transport and arrangement of the article and timing) is not particularly limited. The same description of the erecting process (I) and the binding process (I) mentioned above can be applied to the "erecting process (II)" and the "binding process (II)", respectively. [0029] 3. Structure of securing a loaded article on the pallet A structure of securing a loaded article on the pallet according to the present embodiment may include the pallet of the present invention and a loaded article loaded on the pallet. According to this structure, respective lower eccentric shafts of a plurality of the support members are inserted in a plurality of the holes formed on the pallet main body so that the plurality of the support members are erected on the pallet main body in such a manner as to surround the loaded article. In addition, a binding member may be wound around the respective upper eccentric shafts of the plurality of the erected support members to bind the plurality of the support members. [EMBODIMENT] [0030] Hereafter, the present invention will be described in detail using an embodiment with reference to the attached drawings. Note 16 that in the present embodiment, a sheet stack B (refer to FIG. 1) composed of multiple layers of blank sheet materials machined by a press machine is used as an example of the "article" according to the present invention. [0031] (1) Pallet structure Referring to FIGS. 1 to 4, a pallet P according to the present embodiment includes a pallet main body 1 constructed by securing a bottom board member 3 by welding or the like at the lower ends of a plurality of leg members 2 (six members in the figure) shaped in square pipes extending in a vertical direction. An upper board member 7 and a lower board member 8 both of which are shaped in a flat rectangle, are secured on the respective leg members 2 via a spacer member 5 and a reinforcing member 6 (refer to FIGS. 2 and 3) by welding or the like such that the upper board member 7 and the lower board member 8 face with each other with a predetermined space secured therebetween in the vertical direction. Furthermore, the upper board member 7 and the lower board member 8 are provided with a number of round through holes 7a and 8a (refer to FIGS. 6 and 7), respectively, at vertically corresponding positions at predetermined intervals. A diameter of the through hole 7a formed on the upper board member 7 is set larger than that of the through hole 8a formed on the lower board member 8. On the upper board member 7, a straight line 1 connecting respective centers of adjacent through holes 7a (refer to FIG. 1) is angled at a predetermined angle A (15 degrees for example) to the side of the upper board member 7. In addition, similarly with the lower board member 8, a straight line 1 connecting respective centers of adjacent through holes 8a is angled at a predetermined angle A (15 degrees for example) to the side of the lower board member 8. [0032] Secured on a lower surface of the lower board member 8 by welding or the like are a plurality of longitudinal guide members 9 (two members in FIG. 2) and a plurality of horizontal guide members 10 (two members in FIG. 3), both of which have inverted U shaped longitudinal sections and into which a fork (not shown) of a forklift is insertable. In addition, a plurality of V-shaped 17 engaging members 12 (four members in FIG. 1) are secured by welding or the like to opposing side edges between the reinforcing member 6 and the bottom board member 3. Each of the engaging members 12 is structured to engage with a locating pin 13 provided on a table 30 onto which a machined part is placed and which is attached to a press machine (not shown) (refer to FIG. 10). [00331 Now referring to FIG. 6, stack support members 15 each shaped in a square pipe extending in a vertical direction for vertically stacking and supporting another pallet P are detachably attached to the leg members 2. A lower end of each stack support member 15 is provided with a lower insert portion 15a which can be inserted in the internal space of the leg member 2 from above. Furthermore, an upper end of each support member 15 is provided with a truncated pyramid-shaped upper insert portion 15b which can be inserted in the internal space of the leg member 2 from bottom. Further, as shown in FIG. 2, one side face of each stack support member 15 is provided with, at predetermined intervals, a plurality of insert pins 16 (two pins in the figure) insertable in the holes 7a. [0034] Referring to FIG. 1, a plurality of receiving members 17a to 17e (five members in the figure) each shaped in a square pipe extending in a horizontal direction of the pallet P are provided in parallel on the pallet main body 1. Of the receiving members 17a to 17e, the receiving members 17a, 17b, and 17c located close to the center of the pallet P are secured on a top face of the upper board member 7. In addition, a support piece 18 having an L-shaped longitudinal section is secured by welding or the like to both longitudinal ends of the receiving members 17d and 17e located close to the outer side of the pallet P. Moreover, a stepped locating pin 19 is inserted in the hole 7a via a long hole 18a formed on the support piece 18, and thereby each of the receiving members 17d and 17e is positioned adjustably on the pallet main body 1 (refer to FIG. 6). [0035] A plurality of the support members 20 for supporting the 18 sheet stack B are detachably erected on the pallet main body 1. Referring to FIG. 7, each of the support members 20 has a support shaft 21, a lower eccentric shaft 22, an upper eccentric shaft 23, and a move stopper 24, and is formed in a linear shape overall. Note that in the present embodiment, the support member 20 formed by carving a piece of steel bar is used as an example. However, the support member 20 is not limited thereto, and can also employ a structure in which portions corresponding to the support shaft 21, the lower eccentric shaft 22, the upper eccentric shaft 23, and the move stopper 24, respectively, are secured together by welding or the like. (0036] The support shaft 21 is formed in a cylinder having a predetermined outer diameter (32 mm for example) and a predetermined shaft length (400 mm for example). [0037] The lower eccentric shaft 22 is provided in an offset manner at the lower end of the support shaft 21 by a predetermined offset amount Ll (3 mm for example). The lower eccentric shaft 22 is formed in a stepped form including a large diameter shaft portion 22a insertable in the hole 7a of the upper board member 7 and a small diameter shaft portion 22b which is connected to the lower end of the large diameter shaft portion 22a and is insertable in the hole 8a of the lower board member 8. The large diameter shaft portion 22a is formed in a cylinder having a predetermined outer diameter (26 mm for example) and a predetermined shaft length (63 mm for example). Furthermore, the small diameter shaft portion 22b is formed in a cylinder having a predetermined outer diameter (19 mm for example) and a predetermined shaft length (16 mm for example). [0038] The upper eccentric shaft 23 is provided in an offset manner at the upper end of the support shaft 21 by a predetermined offset amount L2 (6 mm for example) to the side opposite to the lower eccentric shaft 22. The upper eccentric shaft 23 is formed in a cylinder having a predetermined outer diameter (20 mm for example) and a predetermined shaft length (25 mm for example). Formed in 19 the upper eccentric shaft 23 is a through hole 23a that penetrates therethrough in a horizontal direction intersecting the shaft center. A string or the like is inserted through the insert hole 23a to bind a number of support members 20. [0039] In this case, a ratio (L1/L2) of the offset amount Li of the lower eccentric shaft 22 and the offset amount L2 of the upper eccentric shaft 23 is 0.5. In addition, the shaft center of the upper eccentric shaft 23 is located on a radial straight line connecting the shaft center of the support shaft 21 and that of the lower eccentric shaft 22. Moreover, an outer diameter of the support shaft 21 is set larger than the respective outer diameters of the lower eccentric shaft 22 and the upper eccentric shaft 23 so that the respective horizontal sections of the lower eccentric shaft 22 and the upper eccentric shaft 23 are disposed within a projection plane of the horizontal section of the support shaft 21. Furthermore, a diameter of the upper eccentric shaft 23 is set smaller than that of the lower eccentric shaft 22 (large diameter shaft portion 22a). [0040] The move stopper 24 described above is provided at the upper end of the upper eccentric shaft 23, and is formed in a disc protruding in a centrifugal direction from the upper end rim of the upper eccentric shaft 23. Further, the move stopper 24 prevents the binding member 25, which is pressurized against the upper eccentric shaft 23, from moving upward. In this case, a well-known resin hoop is used as the binding member 25. [0041] (2) Method for securing a loaded article on the pallet Next, a description will be given of a method for securing the sheet stack B on the pallet P structured as above. Referring to FIG. 10, the pallet P is transported by a forklift or the like, and the locating pins 13 on the table 30 of a piler are engaged with the engaging members 12 of the pallet P to position the pallet P at a predetermined position on the table 30. Then, punched-out blank materials are loaded one by one on the receiving members 17a to 17e of the pallet P by suction hands 20 31 or the like provided to the piler. [0042] Now referring to FIG. 11, the lower eccentric shafts 22 of the support members 20 are inserted in the holes 7a and 8a of the respective upper and lower board members 7and 8 so that the multiple support members 20 are erected on the pallet main body 1 in such a manner as to surround the sheet stack B. Then, as shown in FIG. 4, the binding member 25 is wound around the respective upper eccentric shafts 23 of the multiple erected support members 20 to secure these multiple support members 20 and the sheet stack B on the receiving members 17a to 17e. In this case, as shown in FIG. 12, a phase (vector), in a circumferential direction of the sheet stack B, of a binding force Fl of the binding member 25 applied to the support member 20 is offset with respect to a phase (vector), in the circumferential direction of the sheet stack B, of a reaction force F2 applied to the support member 20. Consequently, a rotational moment M in the binding direction is generated on the support member 20, and thus a side face of the sheet stack B is securely pressed by the support shaft 21 of the support member 20. [0043] Thereafter, as necessary, a plurality of the pallets P are stacked on top of the other via the stack support members 15 as shown in FIG. 5, and the plurality of the pallets P are stored or transported in the stacked state. Furthermore, when returning an empty pallet P, the stack support members 15 and the support members 20 are removed from the pallet main body 1, and, as shown in FIG. 13, insert pins 16 of the stack support members 15 are inserted in the holes 7a of the upper board member 7. Then, in a space surrounded by the transversely-mounted stack support members 15 and the receiving members 17a, 17b, and 17c, a number of the support members 20 are placed. In this state, the empty pallet P is returned. [0044] (3) Effects of the embodiment According to the pallet P of the present embodiment, the support member 20 is constructed by providing the upper eccentric 21 shaft 23 at the upper end of the support shaft 21 in such a manner as to be offset to the side opposite to the lower eccentric shaft 22. In addition, the binding member 25 formed in an endless belt shape is wound around the respective upper eccentric shafts 23 of a plurality of the support members 20 erected on the pallet main body 1 so as to bind the plurality of the support members 20. Therefore, when binding the respective support members 20 by the binding member 25, the phase (vector) of the binding force F1 of the binding member 25 is offset with respect to the phase (vector) of the reaction force F2, thereby causing a rotational moment M in the binding direction around the shaft center of the respective support members 20. As a result, the side faces of the loaded article are securely pressed by the support shafts 21 of the support members 20. In consequence, loaded articles of various flat-surface shapes and sizes can be secured easily and reliably by using a single binding member 25. In addition, since each support member 20 rotates in a direction of pressing the loaded article during the binding process, there is almost no need to, when erecting each support member 20 on the pallet main body 1. manually rotate each support member 20 to adjust a pressure force applied to the loaded article. Furthermore, a strength required for the support member 20 can be lessened by the use of the binding member 25. (For example, the weight or the number of the support members 20 used can be reduced.) Moreover, according to the present embodiment, a disc-shaped move stopper 24 is provided at the upper end of the upper eccentric shaft 23, thereby preventing more reliably the binding member 25 from coming off the support member 20. Further, according to the present embodiment, a ratio (L1/L2) of the offset amount Ll of the lower eccentric shaft 22 and the offset amount L2 of the upper eccentric shaft 23 is set to a value smaller than 1 (0.5 in this case). As a result, a rotational force in the binding direction can be generated on the support member 20 more suitably. In addition, according to the present embodiment, the insert pins 16 insertable in the holes 7a of the upper board member 7 are provided on the side faces of the stack support members 15 for 22 stacking and supporting other pallets P. Therefore, the stack support members 15 can be positioned transversely on the pallet main body 1 by inserting the insert pins 16 of the stack support members 15 in the holes 7a. In consequence, the return pallet P can be made compact. Moreover, according to the present embodiment, a plurality of long receiving members 17a to 17e are arranged in parallel on the pallet main body 1. Accordingly, by inserting a fork of a forklift or the like into a space between the plurality of the receiving members 17a to 17e, an article can be loaded on or unloaded from the pallet main body 1. Furthermore, the receiving members 17d and 17e disposed close to the outer side are positioned detachably on the pallet main body 1 by the locating pins 19 inserted in the holes 7a of the upper board member 7. Therefore, the attaching positions of the receiving members 17d and 17e on the pallet main body 1 can be adjusted easily, thereby achieving a better adaptability to more various articles of different flat-surface shapes and sizes. [0045] Note that the present invention is not limited to the aforementioned embodiment, and can be modified within the scope of the present invention according to a purpose and application. For example, as shown in FIG. 13, the pallet P according to the present embodiment described above may be such that the pallet main body 1 is provided with a plurality of indication lines 26 (shown by imaginary lines in the figure), colored in different colors, for indicating the attaching positions of the receiving members 17d and 17e, which are predetermined in accordance with the shape and size of various loaded articles having different flat-surface shapes and sizes. Consequently, the attaching positions of the receiving members 17d and 17e can be adjusted more easily and quickly in accordance with different types of loaded articles. Furthermore, according to the aforementioned embodiment, the support member 20 is structured such that the respective shaft centers of the support member 21, the lower eccentric shaft 22, and the upper eccentric shaft 23 are located on a straight line. 23 However, for example, as shown in FIG. 14, a support member 20' may be constructed such that a straight line L3 connecting the shaft center of the support shaft 21 and the eccentric shaft center of the lower eccentric shaft 22 and a straight line L4 connecting the shaft center of the support shaft 21 and the eccentric shaft center of the upper eccentric shaft 23 intersect with each other at a predetermined angle (30 degrees for example). In addition, according to the aforementioned embodiment, the support member 20 is structured such that the respective horizontal sections of the lower eccentric shaft 22 and the upper eccentric shaft 23 are located within the projection plane of the horizontal section of the support shaft 21. However, for example, as shown in FIG. 15, a support member 20" can be structured such that a part of the horizontal section of both or either one of the lower eccentric shaft 22 and the upper eccentric shaft 23 protrudes from the projection plane of the horizontal section of the support shaft 21. [INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY] [0046] The present invention is widely used as an art for transporting articles of various flat-surface shapes and sizes, and more specifically, the present invention is suitably used as an art for transporting a stacked article that consists of layers of blank sheet materials. 24

Claims

1. A pallet which comprises: a pallet main body which has a plurality of holes and onto which an article is loaded, a plurality of support members erected detachably on said pallet main body, and a binding member which surrounds said support members and a loaded article to secure the same, characterized in that said support member is constructed such that a lower eccentric shaft insertable in said hole is provided in an offset manner at a lower end of a support shaft which supports a side face of said loaded article, and said support member includes an upper eccentric shaft which is provided at an upper end of said support shaft in such a manner as to be offset to a side opposite to said lower eccentric shaft, and with which said binding member comes into contact.

2. The pallet according to claim 1, further comprising a move stopper which is provided at the upper end of said upper eccentric shaft and prevents said binding member from moving upward.

3. The pallet according to claim 1, wherein a ratio (Ll/L2) of an offset amount (Li) of said lower eccentric shaft and an offset amount (L2) of said upper eccentric shaft is less than 1.

4. The pallet according to claim 1, further comprising a plurality of stack support members which are erected detachably on said pallet main body and vertically stacks and supports other pallets, wherein a side face of said stack support member is provided with a pin insertable in said hole.

5. The pallet according to claim 1, further comprising a plurality of receiving members disposed on said pallet main body such that said article can be loaded on said receiving members, wherein at least one of the plurality of said receiving members is located 25 detachably on said pallet main body by a locating pin inserted in said hole.

6. The pallet according to claim 5, wherein said pallet main body is provided with a plurality of indicators for indicating attaching positions of said receiving members, which are predetermined according to a shape and size of said article.

7. The pallet according to claim 1, wherein said article is a stack of sheet materials.

8. A method for securing a loaded article to the pallet according to claim 1, which comprises steps of: loading an article on a pallet main body, erecting a plurality of support members on said pallet main body by inserting lower eccentric shafts of said support members in the holes on said pallet main body along a loaded article, and securing the plurality of said support members and said loaded article by a binding member winding in a ring-like form around upper eccentric shafts of said support members while keeping contact between said binding member and said upper eccentric shafts.

9. The method according to claim 8, further comprising a move stopper which is provided at the upper end of said upper eccentric shaft and prevents said binding member from moving upward.

10. The method according to claim 8, wherein a ratio (L1/L2) of an offset amount (LI) of said lower eccentric shaft and an offset amount (L2) of said upper eccentric shaft is less than 1.

11. The method according to claim 8, further comprising a plurality of stack support members which are erected detachably on said pallet main body and vertically stacks and supports other pallets, wherein a side face of said stack support member is provided with a pin insertable in said hole. 26

12. The method according to claim 8, wherein said article is a stack of sheet materials.

13. A method for securing a loaded article to the pallet according to claim 5, which comprises steps of: disposing receiving members on a pallet main body such that the receiving members come into contact with a bottom face of an article at two or more points thereof, wherein the number of said receiving members provided is the same as the number of the contact points on the bottom face of said article; loading an article on said receiving members; erecting a plurality of support members on said pallet main body by inserting lower eccentric shafts of said support members in the holes on said pallet main body along a loaded article, and securing the plurality of said support members and said loaded article by a binding member winding in a ring-like form around upper eccentric shafts of said support members while keeping contact between said binding member and said upper eccentric shafts.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein said pallet main body is provided with a plurality of indicators for indicating attaching positions of said receiving members, which are predetermined according to a shape and size of said article.

15. The method according to claim 13, further comprising a move stopper which is provided at the upper end of said upper eccentric shaft and prevents said binding member from moving upward.

16. The method according to claim 13, wherein a ratio (L1/L2) of an offset amount (Ll) of said lower eccentric shaft and an offset amount (L2) of said upper eccentric shaft is less than 1.

17. The method according to claim 13, further comprising a plurality of stack support members which are erected detachably on said pallet main body and vertically stacks and supports other pallets, wherein a side face of each of said stack support members 27 is provided with a pin insertable in said hole.

18. The method according to claim 13, wherein said article is a stack of sheet materials. 28