CA1132921A - Stackable pallet with stacking buffer members - Google Patents
Stackable pallet with stacking buffer membersInfo
- Publication number
- CA1132921A CA1132921A CA350,098A CA350098A CA1132921A CA 1132921 A CA1132921 A CA 1132921A CA 350098 A CA350098 A CA 350098A CA 1132921 A CA1132921 A CA 1132921A
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- feet
- pallet
- ribs
- pallets
- foot
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Expired
Links
Landscapes
- Pallets (AREA)
Abstract
ABSTRACT.
A one-piece pallet comprises a substantially rectangular panel which forms the load-bearing surface 10 of the pallet.
Hollow feet 1 are located along the edges of the panel and a further foot 1a in the geometric centre thereof. The feet 1, 1a are disposed so as to project and taper downwardly of the panel, the latter having an opening above each foot 1, 1a.
Upwardly open channel-shaped ribs 2 interconnect each two neighbouring feet 1 and further ribs 3 extend diagonally from the central foot 1a toward respective corner feet 1. Each rib 3 has, at its free end, an integrally formed stacking buffer member 3a, whose height is smaller than that of the feet 1, 1a and whose length and width are greater on the bottom side of the panel than on the top side thereof. In a stacked position of a plurality of such pallets the nesting feet of the pallets are prevented from jamming by the buffer members3a which by virtue of being part of the ribs 3 are less liable to be accidentally damaged during handling of the pallets.
A one-piece pallet comprises a substantially rectangular panel which forms the load-bearing surface 10 of the pallet.
Hollow feet 1 are located along the edges of the panel and a further foot 1a in the geometric centre thereof. The feet 1, 1a are disposed so as to project and taper downwardly of the panel, the latter having an opening above each foot 1, 1a.
Upwardly open channel-shaped ribs 2 interconnect each two neighbouring feet 1 and further ribs 3 extend diagonally from the central foot 1a toward respective corner feet 1. Each rib 3 has, at its free end, an integrally formed stacking buffer member 3a, whose height is smaller than that of the feet 1, 1a and whose length and width are greater on the bottom side of the panel than on the top side thereof. In a stacked position of a plurality of such pallets the nesting feet of the pallets are prevented from jamming by the buffer members3a which by virtue of being part of the ribs 3 are less liable to be accidentally damaged during handling of the pallets.
Description
11329;2 This invention relates to a one-piece pallet having a load-; bearing sur*ace with cavities formed therein to provide hollow downwardly tapering feet and having upwardly open channel-shaped ribs extending from a central zone of the pallet whose depth is less than that of said feet, such pallets are usually formed ~ from a non-expandable mixture of lignocellulose-containing fibres - and a thermosetting bonding agent by subjecting the mixture to heat and pressure in a suitable mould. When empty, a plurality of such pallets may be stacked one on top of another in a nesting relationship and thus be stored in a relatively small space.
j Pallets of similar construction are well known and have per-formed their function satisfactorily. However, they suffer from the disadvantage that when empty and stacked, although they occupy only a small amount of space, they often become jammed with j~ each other on account of their nesting tapering feet, so that they can be separated only with great difficulty by hand, and not at all ~ mechanically.
i!' ~ Pallets are know which overcome this difficulty by providing discrete buffer members on their underside to prevent the undesired jamming. However, these buffer members present yet another dis-advantage since they can be easily damaged when handled either by hand or by fork lift.
The invention aims at obviating the foregoing disadvantages of the prior art by forming a pallet with buffer means in such a ' way that they are protected against destruction or damage.
" Accordingly, the present invention consists in a one-piece ,~ .
., :~,.. . . . . . ...
" ~ ,,' ' "' ': ~
. , ., ,- ,.: ~ , . ~
,,: ,. ,; , -,: - . . :
: ~, . ,, - - , -. ~ . ...
92~
pallet having a load-bearing surface with cavities formed therein to provide hollow downwardly tapering feet, upwardly open channel-shaped ribs extending from a central zone of the pallet whose depth is less than that of the feet, at least some of said ribs having a terminal portion which is so constructed that the length of the rib and the width of the terminal portion are greater on the pallet underside than on its top side, to provide a stacking buffer zone in the load-bearing surface, whereby for storage pur-poses a plurality of such pallets may be stacked one on top of another with their feet in loosely nesting relationship.
The terminal portion of the rib is thus formed by the rib running out into the load-bearing surface which is accompanied by the gradual narrowing of the rib. Such arrangement of the '~ stacking buffer zone provides a continuity in the rib which thus retains its rigid construction and its stiffening function.
In one aspect of the present invention, there is pro-vided a one-piece pallet having a load-bearing surface with cavi-ties formed therein to provide hollow downwardly tapering feet, upwardly open channel-shaped ribs extending from a central zone ; 20 of the pallet whose depth is less than that of the feet, at least some of said ribs having a terminal portion which is so constructed that the length of the rib and the width of the terminal portion are greater on the pallet underslde than on its top side, to provide a stacking buffer zone in the load-bearing surface, whereby for storage purposes a plurality ofsuch pallets may be stacked one on top of another with their feet in loosely nesting relationship.
f ~
~ 3 . . .
. '~' , .
.
' :.- , . - :
., .
.
, ~132921 In order that the invention may be more readily undsr-stood, reference is made to the accompanying drawings which illustrate diagrammatically and by way of example one embodiment thereof, and in which:-Fig. 1 is a top view of a quarter of an upper surface of a one-piece pallet, Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical section on the line A-A of Fig. 1 showing the end portion of a diagonal rib which constitutes a stacking buffer zone, and Fig. 3 is a similar view to that of Fig. 2 on the line B-B of Fig. 1.
In the following description, it is assumed that the pallet is made by a suitable pressure-moulding process of ligno-cellulo-e-j .
.
:.
,j , -3a-., ,: , . , " . ~: . .
"
113Z9Zl containing particles (chips or fibres) which are mixed with a thermosetting bonding agent, although it may also be made of any other suitable material or by a different process. Thus, for example, instead of consisting o~ a mixture of glue-coated lignocellulose particles, the pallet may be pressed or in~ection moulded of a suitable plastics, for example, of a polymerising, thermoplastic or duroplastic type which, if desired, may also be roinforced, or of a structural foam plastics on a duromer or ela~stomer base.
The one-pieoe pallet illustrated comprises a substantially reotangular panel which forms a load-bearing surface 10 and which is supported at the centre by a foot 1a and by a plurality of feet 1 spaced around the edge of the panel. These feet are substanti-ally pot-shaped and conically tapered downward, i.e. into the plane o~ the drawing. At the Ievel of the load-bearing surface 10 the feet~ are open. Between the feet 1 are open channel-shaped ribs 2 which are of lesser depth than the feet 1, 1a. Further channel-shaped ribs3(only one shown) extend diagonally from the centre foot 1a toward each foot 1 located at a corner of the panel.
This ri~ 3 terminates a predetermined distancè from the respective corner foot and has at its end a stacking buffer zone 3a which is more clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 3.
In Fig. 2 the ends of two ribs 3 are shown in longitudinal section which ribs belong to two different pallets that are in a stacked arrangement. me lower rib is drawn in solid lines and the upper one in chain-dotted lines. It can also be seen that : ,' , - , . ... ..
, : , , . , ~ - .
.. .. . .
. ~
113Z92i the outer limit 4 of rib 3 has a larger magnitude than the inner limit.5. In this way an adequately lsrge bearing surface 6 is provided between the ribs of the upper and lower pallets so that a plurality of pallets can be stacked and supported one upon another. It Will be appreciated that in a stacked condition the pallets nest one within the other by engagement of the respective feet of an upper pallet with those of the lower pallet, but the feet àre prevented from jamming by virtue of the provision of the buffer zones 3a which by their arrangement provide an appropriate clearance or so-called stacking height.
A similar aspect is evident from Fig. 3 which shows a trans-verse.section of the rib 3 at the buffer zone 3a. The differing widths of the inner-opening 7 and the outer limit 8 forms a bearing surfaoe 9 whereby the pa}lets, which are separated by the "stacking"
height, may loosely lie against each other.
In this way the stacking buffer zone is integrated in a rib so that lt is not exposed and therefore protected from damage.
',-It will be understood that each of the elements described aboveJ
or two or more together, may also find a useful application in other 1 types of pallets differing from the types described above.
.
, .
;;, .
:, ,- - - . . :- -
j Pallets of similar construction are well known and have per-formed their function satisfactorily. However, they suffer from the disadvantage that when empty and stacked, although they occupy only a small amount of space, they often become jammed with j~ each other on account of their nesting tapering feet, so that they can be separated only with great difficulty by hand, and not at all ~ mechanically.
i!' ~ Pallets are know which overcome this difficulty by providing discrete buffer members on their underside to prevent the undesired jamming. However, these buffer members present yet another dis-advantage since they can be easily damaged when handled either by hand or by fork lift.
The invention aims at obviating the foregoing disadvantages of the prior art by forming a pallet with buffer means in such a ' way that they are protected against destruction or damage.
" Accordingly, the present invention consists in a one-piece ,~ .
., :~,.. . . . . . ...
" ~ ,,' ' "' ': ~
. , ., ,- ,.: ~ , . ~
,,: ,. ,; , -,: - . . :
: ~, . ,, - - , -. ~ . ...
92~
pallet having a load-bearing surface with cavities formed therein to provide hollow downwardly tapering feet, upwardly open channel-shaped ribs extending from a central zone of the pallet whose depth is less than that of the feet, at least some of said ribs having a terminal portion which is so constructed that the length of the rib and the width of the terminal portion are greater on the pallet underside than on its top side, to provide a stacking buffer zone in the load-bearing surface, whereby for storage pur-poses a plurality of such pallets may be stacked one on top of another with their feet in loosely nesting relationship.
The terminal portion of the rib is thus formed by the rib running out into the load-bearing surface which is accompanied by the gradual narrowing of the rib. Such arrangement of the '~ stacking buffer zone provides a continuity in the rib which thus retains its rigid construction and its stiffening function.
In one aspect of the present invention, there is pro-vided a one-piece pallet having a load-bearing surface with cavi-ties formed therein to provide hollow downwardly tapering feet, upwardly open channel-shaped ribs extending from a central zone ; 20 of the pallet whose depth is less than that of the feet, at least some of said ribs having a terminal portion which is so constructed that the length of the rib and the width of the terminal portion are greater on the pallet underslde than on its top side, to provide a stacking buffer zone in the load-bearing surface, whereby for storage purposes a plurality ofsuch pallets may be stacked one on top of another with their feet in loosely nesting relationship.
f ~
~ 3 . . .
. '~' , .
.
' :.- , . - :
., .
.
, ~132921 In order that the invention may be more readily undsr-stood, reference is made to the accompanying drawings which illustrate diagrammatically and by way of example one embodiment thereof, and in which:-Fig. 1 is a top view of a quarter of an upper surface of a one-piece pallet, Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical section on the line A-A of Fig. 1 showing the end portion of a diagonal rib which constitutes a stacking buffer zone, and Fig. 3 is a similar view to that of Fig. 2 on the line B-B of Fig. 1.
In the following description, it is assumed that the pallet is made by a suitable pressure-moulding process of ligno-cellulo-e-j .
.
:.
,j , -3a-., ,: , . , " . ~: . .
"
113Z9Zl containing particles (chips or fibres) which are mixed with a thermosetting bonding agent, although it may also be made of any other suitable material or by a different process. Thus, for example, instead of consisting o~ a mixture of glue-coated lignocellulose particles, the pallet may be pressed or in~ection moulded of a suitable plastics, for example, of a polymerising, thermoplastic or duroplastic type which, if desired, may also be roinforced, or of a structural foam plastics on a duromer or ela~stomer base.
The one-pieoe pallet illustrated comprises a substantially reotangular panel which forms a load-bearing surface 10 and which is supported at the centre by a foot 1a and by a plurality of feet 1 spaced around the edge of the panel. These feet are substanti-ally pot-shaped and conically tapered downward, i.e. into the plane o~ the drawing. At the Ievel of the load-bearing surface 10 the feet~ are open. Between the feet 1 are open channel-shaped ribs 2 which are of lesser depth than the feet 1, 1a. Further channel-shaped ribs3(only one shown) extend diagonally from the centre foot 1a toward each foot 1 located at a corner of the panel.
This ri~ 3 terminates a predetermined distancè from the respective corner foot and has at its end a stacking buffer zone 3a which is more clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 3.
In Fig. 2 the ends of two ribs 3 are shown in longitudinal section which ribs belong to two different pallets that are in a stacked arrangement. me lower rib is drawn in solid lines and the upper one in chain-dotted lines. It can also be seen that : ,' , - , . ... ..
, : , , . , ~ - .
.. .. . .
. ~
113Z92i the outer limit 4 of rib 3 has a larger magnitude than the inner limit.5. In this way an adequately lsrge bearing surface 6 is provided between the ribs of the upper and lower pallets so that a plurality of pallets can be stacked and supported one upon another. It Will be appreciated that in a stacked condition the pallets nest one within the other by engagement of the respective feet of an upper pallet with those of the lower pallet, but the feet àre prevented from jamming by virtue of the provision of the buffer zones 3a which by their arrangement provide an appropriate clearance or so-called stacking height.
A similar aspect is evident from Fig. 3 which shows a trans-verse.section of the rib 3 at the buffer zone 3a. The differing widths of the inner-opening 7 and the outer limit 8 forms a bearing surfaoe 9 whereby the pa}lets, which are separated by the "stacking"
height, may loosely lie against each other.
In this way the stacking buffer zone is integrated in a rib so that lt is not exposed and therefore protected from damage.
',-It will be understood that each of the elements described aboveJ
or two or more together, may also find a useful application in other 1 types of pallets differing from the types described above.
.
, .
;;, .
:, ,- - - . . :- -
Claims (4)
1. A one-piece pallet having a load-bearing surface with cavities formed therein to provide hollow downwardly tapering feet, upwardly open channel-shaped ribs extending from a central zone of the pallet whose depth is less than that of the feet, at least some of said ribs having a terminal portion which is so constructed that the length of the rib and the width of the ter-minal portion are greater on the pallet underside than on its top side, to provide a stacking buffer zone in the load-bearing surface, whereby for storage purposes a plurality of such pallets may be stacked one on top of another with their feet in loosely nesting relationship.
2. A pallet as claimed in claim 1, wherein said feet are conically shaped.
3. A pallet as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein said feet are uniformly spaced around the periphery of the pallet and further channel-shaped ribs are provided which connect each two neighbouring feet.
4. A pallet as claimed in claim 1, wherein a further hollow foot is provided in the geometric centre of the pallet and said at least some ribs extend from said further foot toward the periphery of the pallet.
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA350,098A CA1132921A (en) | 1980-04-17 | 1980-04-17 | Stackable pallet with stacking buffer members |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA350,098A CA1132921A (en) | 1980-04-17 | 1980-04-17 | Stackable pallet with stacking buffer members |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA1132921A true CA1132921A (en) | 1982-10-05 |
Family
ID=4116730
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA350,098A Expired CA1132921A (en) | 1980-04-17 | 1980-04-17 | Stackable pallet with stacking buffer members |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| CA (1) | CA1132921A (en) |
-
1980
- 1980-04-17 CA CA350,098A patent/CA1132921A/en not_active Expired
Similar Documents
| Publication | Publication Date | Title |
|---|---|---|
| GB2076359A (en) | A stackable pallet with stacking buffer members | |
| US5168817A (en) | One-piece pallet | |
| US3696761A (en) | Dual purpose nesting pallets | |
| US5813355A (en) | Twin-sheet thermoformed pallet with high stiffness deck | |
| US4254873A (en) | Pallet | |
| US8215244B2 (en) | Plastic pallet | |
| US4674414A (en) | One-piece pallet with plurality of legs | |
| US3187691A (en) | Molded pallet | |
| US4029023A (en) | Four-way pallet | |
| US6209464B1 (en) | Indexed pallet | |
| US6138582A (en) | Synthetic resin pallet and manufacturing method therefor | |
| EP0725010B1 (en) | Stackable pallet | |
| US3707127A (en) | Goods supporting pallet | |
| CA1225045A (en) | Sidewall assembly for tote box | |
| US20040134390A1 (en) | Nestable pallet | |
| CA2336484A1 (en) | Pallet assembly | |
| KR20010033924A (en) | Plastic pallet | |
| US20060032411A1 (en) | Modular Pallet and Method | |
| EP0436783B1 (en) | Pallet with a tray on it for preventing the load formed of transport crates from slipping and a stacked pile comprised of these elements | |
| EP0305082A1 (en) | Pallets | |
| CA1132921A (en) | Stackable pallet with stacking buffer members | |
| EP1606178B1 (en) | Plastic transport pallet | |
| WO2005105590A1 (en) | An arrangement in a loading ledge | |
| EP1544117B1 (en) | Strengthened stackable pallet | |
| EP0326239A1 (en) | Method of producing a pallet |
Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| MKEX | Expiry |