CA2163430A1 - Integrally formed plastic pallet - Google Patents

Abstract

A one piece pallet (20) is provided with openings (82, 84, 86, 88, 90, 92) for receiving a center tie strap (50). The pallet (20) may be used to store and transport tall stacks of empty aluminum beverage containers. The pallet (20) can be economically produced with very flat surfaces.

Description

W~94/27875 216 3 4 3 0 PCT~S9410S695 INTEGRALLY FORMED PLASTIC PALLET

BACRGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of the Invention:

~he present invention relates to a pallet for supporting one or more articles for storage and/or transport. In particular, ~he present invention relates to pallets for supporting large numbers of lightweight containers in tall stacks.

DescriPtion of the Related Art:

In the beverage container industry it is known to support a large number of empty cans on a pallet for storage and transport. Empty aluminum beverage cans are very light and therefore can be arranged in very tall stacks. The empty containers may be arranged on pallets in stacks that are seven feet high or even higher.

When cans are stacked in such high stacks, it is important that the cans be securely fastened together so that they do not ~all off during storage and transport. It is also important for the pallet to be very flat so that the tall stack of cans does not become unstable. The prior art does not provide a satisfactory system for securing a tall stack of cans to a pallet. Also, in the prior art, it has been difficult to provide pallets with the desired degree of flatness.

SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26) _ W094/2787S 2 - . ~ 3 4 3 ~- PCT~S94/05695 Prior art pallets are disclosed in U.S. Patents Nos.
3,680,495 (Pike), 3,757,704 ~Allgeyer), 3,795,206 (Utz), 3,895,588 (Miller), 4,597,338 (Kreeger), and 4,848,247 (Kuipers), German Patent Documents Nos. 2,241,289 and 2,733,456, and Japanese Patent Document No. 219,746.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The disadvantages of the prior art pallets are overcome to a great extent by the present invention, in which a pallet includes an upper deck for supporting an article (such as empty aluminum cans), a base, and spacers for -~upporting the deck above the base, with at least one of the spacers having an opening for receiving a center tie strap.

In another aspect of the present invention, the pallet has substantially flat upper and lower surfaces.

In another aspect of the invention, the spacers are aligned to receive the prongs of a fork lift truck in four different directions.

In another aspect of the invention, the pallet is produced in one integral piece.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved means for securing articles to a pallet.

Another object of the invention is to provide a pallet that can be used with a tie strap inserting lance.

SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26) W094l2787~ PCT~S94tO5695 216343~

Another object of the invention is to provide an economical pallet with very flat surfaces (preferably with a flatness of no more than one-hundred thousandths of an inch and rectangular dimensions of approximately forty-four inches by fifty-six inches).

Another object of the invention is to provide an economical, light weight, durable pallet for storing and/or transporting one or more articles.

Another object of the invention is to provide a pallet that can be easily picked up and transported by a fork lift tru,k.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention wil]. become apparent from the following detailed description and drawings which illustrate preferred embodiments of the present invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a top view of a pallet constructed in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an isometric view of the pallet of FIG. 1, in use.

FIG. 3 is a front view of the pallet of FIG. 1.

SUBSTITUTE SHEET ~RULE 26) W O 94/2787S PCTrUS94/0569~
,~
~ 2~6343 4 FIG. 4 is an end view of the pallet of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view taken along the line 5-5 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 6 is a cross sectional view taken along the line 6-6 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 7 is a cross sectional view taken along the line 107-7 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 8 is an enlarged cross sectional view taken along the line 8-8 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 9 i3 an enlarged cross sectional view taken along the line 9-9 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 10 is an enlarged cross sectional view taken along the line 10-10 of FIG. 1.
FIG. 11 is an enlarged, partial cross sectional view taken along the line 11-11 of FIG. 4.

FIG. 12 is an enlarged cross sectional view taken 25along the line 12-12 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 13 is an enlarged cross sectional view taken along the line 13-13 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 14 is an enlarged view of the portion of FIG. S
indicated by circle 14-14.

SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RU~E 26) W O 94/27875 21 6 3 ~ 3 ~ PCTrJS94/05695 FIG. 15 is a broken away enlarged view of a portion of FIG. 1, with the friction plug removed.

FIG. 16 is a cross sect ~nal view of the broken away portion of FIG. 15, taken along the line 16-16.

FIG. 17 is a top and side perspective view of a friction plug for the pallet of FIG. 1.
FIG. 18 is a cross sectional view of the plug of FIG.
17, taken along the line 18-18.

FIG. 19 is a bottom and side perspective view of the plu~ of FIG. 17.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring now to the drawings, there is shown in FIG.
1 a pallet 20 constructed in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. The pallet 20 includes an upper deck 22, a flat base 24 (FIG. 5), and spacers 26, 28, 30, 32, 34, 36, 38, 40, 42 for supporting the deck 22 above the base 24. The pallet 20 is preferably constructed in one integral piece by injection molding andJor structural foam molding processes, described in more detail below.

As illustrated in FIG. 2, the pallet 20 may be used to sup~ort a tall stack of empty aluminum beverage cans 44 (i.e., cans that have not yet been filled and that have not SIJBS~ITI ITE SHEET (RIJLE 26) W094l27875 PCT~S94/05695 '216343~ --yet received covers). The empty cans 44 are very light and therefore can be stacked very high (e.g., to a height of seven feet). It is also possible to load a full pallet 20 onto another stack of cans 44 to store the cans 44 in a very tall column. Within each stack, the individual layers of cans 44 are separated from each other by slip sheets 46.
The cans 44 are secured to the pallet 20 by three lateral and two longitudinal tie straps 48, 50, 52, 54, 56.

To ensure that the tall stacks of cans 44 do not fall over, it is important for the upper surface 58 (FIG. 3) of the pallet 20 to be very flat and parallel with the flat lower surface 60 of the base member 24. In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, the upper and lower pallet surfaces 58, 60 each have a flatness of no more than one-hundred thousandths of an inch (0.100 inch).

The spacers 26, 28, 30, 32, 34, 36, 38, 40, 42 are arranged to provide passageways for receiving prongs (not illustrated) of a forklift truck in four different orientations. Passageways marked by arrows 62 and 64 (FIG.
5) receive the forklift prongs in the first and second (lateral) orientations, and passageways marked by arrows 66 and 68 receive the prongs in the third and fourth (lengthwise) orientations.

Openings 70, 72, 74, 76 (FIGS. 3 and 4) are defined by the peripheral spacers 26, 28, 30, 32, 36, 38, 40, 42 at the ends of the prong receiving passageways 62, 64, 66, 68.
As illustrated in FIG. 5, the spacers 26, 28, 30, 32, 36, 38, 40, 42 located around the periphery of the pallet 20 SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26) W094/27875 PCT~S94/05695 21 63~ o have outwardly diverging side faces 78 for guiding the fork.lift truck prongs into the passageways 62, 64, 66, 68.
To further assist in guiding the prongs into the pallet 20, the upper deck 22 and the base 24 have angled edges 80 between each of the peripheral spacers 26, 28, 30, 32, 36, 38, 40, 42. The angled guiding edges 80 are shown in detail in FIG. 9. Except for the outwardly diverging side surfaces 78, the side walls of the spacers 26, 28, 30, 32, 34, 36, 38, 40, 42 are orthogonally aligned to define straight passageways 62, 64, 66, 68 for the forklift prongs.

Two of the lateral tie straps 48, 52 for securing the cans 44 to the pallet 20 may be inserted through the lateral prong receiving passageways 62, 64. The longitudinal tie straps 54, 56 may be inserted through the lengthwise prong receiving passageways 66, 68. An important feature of the illustrated embodiment of the invention is that the central lateral tie strap 50 can be inserted through aligned openings 82, 84, 86, 88, 90, 92 (FIG. 5) formed in the center spacers 32, 34, 36. This way, three symmetrically spaced apart, parallel lateral tie straps 48, 50, 52 can be used to secure the cans 44 to the pallet 20.
This provides for a very balanced and secure arrangement.
Further, each of the straps (even the central lateral strap 50) can be installed using a conventional strap inserting machine (not illustrated). The lance for the known machine will fit through the prong receiving - 30 passageways 62, 64, 66, 68 and also through the aligned center openings 82, 84, 86, 88, go, 92. Preferably, the SUBSTITIJTE SHEET (Rl)LE 26~

W094/2787~ PCT~S94/05695 , ' , .. . ..

aligned center openings 82, 84, 86, 88, 90, 92 are each approximately five inches wide to accommodate the standard tie strap inserting lance. For some applications, the widths of the center openings 82, 84, 86, 88, 90, 92 may be greater than or less than five inches. For example, the width of each of the center openings 82, 84, 86, 88, 90, 92 may advantageously be within a range of from approximately two inches to approximately ten inches.

In the illustrated embodiment, each of the spacers 26, 28, 30, 32, 34, 36, 38, 40, 42 has internally facing vertical ribs 94 for strengthening the pallet 20. The ribs 94 also aid in cooling the pallet 20 to reduce the cooling cycle time in the pallet manufacturing process. The vertical ribs 94 provide rigidity and thereby make it possible to reduce the total weight of the pallet 20. The pallet 20 is also rigidified by triangular braces 96 and honeycombed surfaces 98 (FIGS. 11 and 12). In the illustrated embodiment, the triangular braces 96 are provided only for the end spacers 28, 40. In an alternative embodiment of the invention, the other spacers 26, 30, 32, 34, 36, 38, 42 may also have triangular strengthening ribs. The pallet 20 is also rigidified by full depth ribs 97.
The upper deck 22 and the base member 24 have a large number of openings 100, 102. The openings 100, 102 reduce the total weight of the pallet 20 and also provide passageways for fluid (such as water) to travel through the pallet 20 for cleaning and drainage.

SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RIJEE 26) W5~94l27875 PCT~S94/05695 9` ~30 In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the upper deck 22 and the base member 24 are both rectangular and approximately the same size. Preferably, the pallet 22 is approximately forty-four inches wide and approximately fift:y-six inches long. The preferred embodiment of the invention is advantageously wider than standard pallets.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the pallet 20 is formed of structural foam. A particularly advantageous material for the pallet 20 is high density polyethylene structural foam. This material is preferred because it has good processability, is light weight, durable and relatively inexpensive. The pallet 20 may be formed by a structural foam molding (multiple nozzles) process. The pallet 20 may also be formed by an injection foam molding process.

The pallet 20 is preferably injection molded and cured in one piece. As a result of the molding process, and to reduce weight, each of the spacers 26, 28, 30, 32, 34, 36, 38, 40, 42 is open at the bottom.

Further, it has been found that providing the aligned openings 82, 84, 86, 88, 90, 92 through the center spacers 32, 34, 36 makes it easier to mold and cure the pallet 20 with very flat upper and lower surfaces 58, 60.

As illustrated in FIG. 1, friction plugs 120, 122, 124, 126 may be attached to the upper deck 22 of the pallet 20 to engage the bottom surface of the flat base 24 of anot:her pallet 20, to increase the friction between the two SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26) W O 94/27875 PCTrUS94/05695 2163~30 10 pallets 20. As illustrated in FIG. 5, the flat base 24 has friction surfaces 128 with no openings 102. This ensures that the friction plugs 120, 122, 124, 126 are not inadvertently inserted through the base openings 102.
An arrangement for attaching the plugs 120, 122, 124, 126 to the pallet 20 is illustrated in FIGS. 15 and 16.
For each friction plug 120, 122, 124, 126, there i~ an essentially identical plug receiving opening 130. The plug receiving opening 130 is located between a shortened upper deck opening 132 and a standard upper deck opening 134.

The plug receiving opening 130 has four radially inwardly protruding indents 136, 138, 140, 142 for securely, frictionally engaging the respective exterior surface 144 (FIG. 18) of the friction plug 120. (In the illustrated embodiment, all four of the plugs 120, 122, 124, 126 are essentially identical to each other.) At the bottom surface 146 of the plug receiving opening 130, there are through openings 148, 149 for facilitating fluid co~mll~;cation through the upper deck 22 of the pallet 20.
A boss member 150 projects upwardly through the middle of the plug receiving opening 130. The boss member 150 has radially outwardly projecting indents 152, 154, 156, 158 for securely engaging the inner circumferential surface 160 of the friction plug 120. When the friction plug 120 is received within the opening 130, the bottom surface 162 of the plug 120 is in contact with the bottom surface 146 of the opening 130, the upper surface 164 of the boss member 150 is in contact with an intermediate surface 162 of the friction plug 120, and axial openings 164, 166 through the SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26) W ~94l27875 PCT~S94/05695 6 3 ~ 3 o boss member 130 and the friction plug 120 are aligned with each other to facilitate fluid communication through the pallet 20.

Preferably, the friction plugs 120, 122, 124, 126 are each made of solid rubber with a relatively high coefficient of friction, such as styrene butadiene rubber.

An advantageous feature of the illustrated embodiment is that the pallet 20 may be conveniently used either with or without the friction plugs 120, 122, 124, 126. The plugs 120, 122, 124, 126 may also be conveniently replaced should they become damaged.

The above description is intended to illustrate preferred embodiments which can achieve the objects, features and advantages of the present invention. It is not intended that the present invention be limited thereto.
Any modifications coming within the spirit and scope of the following claims is to be considered part of the present invention.

What is claimed as new and desired to be protected by ~etters Patent of the United States is:

SUBSTIT~JTE SHEET (RULE 26)

Claims (19)

1. A pallet, comprising:
an upper deck for supporting at least one article;
a base for supporting said pallet; and spacers for supporting said deck above said base, at least one of said spacers including an opening for receiving a tie strap.

2. The pallet of claim 1, wherein said upper deck has a substantially flat upper surface.

3. The pallet of claim 2, wherein said upper deck has openings extending through said upper surface.

4. The pallet of claim 3, wherein said base has a substantially flat lower surface, with said upper and lower surfaces being substantially parallel to each other.

5. The pallet of claim 4, wherein said base has openings extending through said lower surface.

6. The pallet of claim 5, wherein said upper deck and said base are both rectangular and are each approximately forty-four inches wide and fifty-six inches long.

7. The pallet of claim 1, wherein said base is open beneath said spacers.

8. The pallet of claim 1, wherein said spacers include first, second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth end spacers and first, second and third center spacers, said second end spacer being located between said first and third end spacers, said second center spacer being located between said first and third center spacers, said fifth end spacer being located between said fourth and sixth end spacers, said first center spacer being located between said first and fourth end spacers, said second center spacer being located between said second and fifth end spacers, said third center spacer being located between said third and sixth end spacers.

9. The pallet of claim 8, wherein said first, second and third center spacers include aligned openings for receiving the tie strap, said aligned openings being located between said upper deck and said base.

10. The pallet of claim 9, wherein said pallet is arranged to receive first and second fork lift prongs between said upper deck and said base in first and second orientations.

11. The pallet of claim 10, wherein said first, second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth end spacers and said first and third center spacers include side walls that diverge outwardly away from each other to guide the fork lift prongs into said pallet.

12. The pallet of claim 11, wherein said upper deck and said base include angled surfaces for guiding the fork lift prongs into said pallet.

13. The pallet of claim 11, wherein said second center spacer has rectangular side walls.

14. The pallet of claim 10, wherein said aligned openings are each approximately five inches wide.

15. The pallet of claim 10, wherein said first, second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth end spacers and said first, second and third center spacers include internally facing vertical ribs for rigidifying and cooling said pallet.

16. The pallet of claim 10, wherein said upper deck and said base are integrally formed as a one-piece unit.

17. The pallet of claim 16, wherein said pallet is formed of structural foam.

18. The pallet of claim 17, wherein said structural foam includes high density polyethylene.

19. The pallet of claim 1, further comprising a friction plug for engaging a base of a second pallet, and wherein said upper deck includes an opening for receiving said plug.