CA2243080A1 - Pallet - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a single sheet pallet comprising an upwards facing loadbearing surface, the loadbearing surface having four side edges which two by two are essentially mutually parallel, four legs each of which is arranged at a respective corner of the loadbearing surface and extending downwards from this, and side flanges extending downwards from each of the four side edges.
The invention further relates to an assembly comprising four such pallets, each pallet covering an area corresponding to one fourth of a standardized pallet, and further comprising a support element having a central cutout for one leg of each of the four pallets, and along the circumferential edge cutouts for the remaining three legs of each pallet, and means for connecting the support element to the pallets.

Description

PC~ K96~C0338 1 .
~mende~ paGe 24.~2.1~9 ~alLet The inve~ti~n ra;a.es ts ~ ~ing 2 sh~et Falle~ co~pris-~g a~
~pwa,~s ~a~ing lc2dbea~in~ sur~ , .he loadbe~r-iLlg ~urf~ce h~vi~g ~cu~ side ed~es ~h~c~ two ~y t~c a~e e~senLial~y ~ut~aily pa~allel, ~our ~e~s e~c:~ of which is a_r~ged ~t a respe~i~e correr Oc the lcacl~eari~L~ sur~ace and ex,..~n~ling down.wards L rom this .

1 C ~arious types o~ pall2ts are knGr~ ithin the area c~
~ra-.spo~_aiia-, storase ahd prcsc~tat~Gn o~ ci r~r~nt yc~s.

~~OlT~. US pater._ No. 1 508 83~ r_ pallet of ~he aQo~re-~entione~
~ype 1 s 1;~0W-L~ In thi~ previcusly know;L ~onst~lct- on edge 15 por~iolls a~ twe 2pposiL e sides ar ~e:lt dGwnwa~ds _c fcr:~L a si~ por~io~ ccmpris~g legs. Lr order tc pro~i~e 2 ~af- ' Ci-ent s'_reng~l ar.~ r-g~dity o~ t:r-s co~st-~c'ion -t i3 ~eC~5-.sa~y ~o ma:~ufcctu~e .he Fallet ~ro~q a sh~t rnaterial ~a~. ing a ccns~deraDle t:~-ckness, w~ h ~nr:ùences th~ we-ght a-d, ~0 ~GreOVer, tf,.2 ç3~ts 0~ bo~h manu~acturing arld tra~s~or.a.ic~..

A si.~i'ar const-uc- e~ is ~nown ~rom ~S paten~ ~c. 1 7~1 185.
The ~_o~em relGti~g to the s.~enq~h and r ~_city of Lhe cons_ructicn is realized in this late~ p-lbl ~ation. In order 2~ to provide a sufficient ri~i~y, se~arâte s-lppor~ el2~ent3 are a~ranged ~_ween ~he ~op ~art a~Ad each s~de pa~t o~ _he pallet. This i5 a ti~a anc cost con~u~ing ope~atior,.

US ~97529 disclos~s a sin~ie s;~ee- oaL' Bt -om~_isirg an ~.lpw~rd fac_r~g cad~eari~g s~r;Aace anà side oarts ~ormed s~
~ending ~ part OL t;~e sheet dowrwa~as at an ~ngle of 30 . The do ~ ward ~enc pcr~s ~ the sneet are furt:er benc at the outer ed~e~ sc as to ~o~m box bea~s by csnnection, e.q.
w~d.iny, to the Load beal-ing eur~ce and to inwardly ~olce~
~art~ of t~e downwzrd ~end part at punched acc2ss sit~s fo~
li'ting means. At ~he cor~ers flaps r~rr.ing parts o~ each ~ow~ward bend part a ~A~ 'ol~e~ to abut an adJace~ do~ward --,~MEN~D SHEET

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PC'i'/~ OU33~ 2 Amenc~ed page ~ 4 0 7 .1 ~ ~ 8 bend part ~o- c~nnec' ion to ~is by -~eldi~ .he oro~idins o~
the l~ox ~e~r.s a~d f_lded and welde~ corr~r -lar.,s ~e rec~ssa;:~ in crcer to p~vic~.~ a suf..icierltl~r ~i~idit~ o~ the pal le~. It 1 s ~b~lcus t~.at l:ris ~ o~ c~n~trl~ on is lRI~OU~-5 i~.t~s- ve ard c~nber2cme, ~er~by nvolvi~g hi~h p~od~;ctior ccsts. ~ thermcra t~e prov~ d:n~ c~ i~g an~ ~GX bearr.s ma~es the cle~ning cf s~ch pal 1 e~ dif-~icult. ~r~e doc~ ent f~rthe~ dicclasès a pallet m~n~act-~red frcn trree pa~tia~
el~mPnts .

These ~hr~ ~re~J o~sly kno~n pal ets a_e cbvisus:y ~.o' cGn3tructed _o~ staclcir.g as the sides and le~s e;~ h~
dow~:lwards in a ve-~_c~_ mann~r.

_ F~rt~r prev,~l;.S-~ .~ncwn pai' ~t c_n3t-lc'_~ O.LS incl_~3e w~cden pal.lets an~A; pla:~ti~ m.a_~rial pa'lets.

The wocclen pal_ets, e-g. t:~e so-called ~UR-pal_ets, are hea~ry anc~ ther~re di_ ' icult to hand' e . ~o-eG~e-, l~-e wcod~n 20 r~ater a~ here~~.t ~r~vides n~l~Lerous ~'e2d 5~aces ~h~he.re b~c~r_2 growtr c~n take place. As the woc~er. ~a_let is ~ ''icult tc clean it s nct possible t ~ e t~ s i- con-.ec-t on w' th ~3ca p~:~duc~s. su_h pa_' ets sccupy a ce:ls~ ra~' e spa~e ~.~hen st~cke-2i The .~ncwr. plas~ic ma~erial ~allets, li.ke t~.e wood~n Fallev,ara di~_icul ~ tc clean due t~ cc~nst~ucti~ns inc;l ud- ng riDs in the l~adbea~in~r s..rfe.ce a d 1 eg~; a_sc bei:lg prc~ri~e~ with in~ernal ri~s. ~ue to t. internal rl~s _n the l~g~ I_he~e 30 ~alLeLs like the wooden ~allets r C~-C'lpy a c~nsi~lera~le space when stac}ced.

The wooden ar.d the plastic mater al p~l' ets as .kr.cwn today a7-e n~t considere~l rele~ant in relaticn ';~ tl-e sinsle s: eet 35 pall.ets which un~er almos~ ail cit~cumstarce~ pr~vicle ~or a high hygienir- standard.

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A~lEN{~E~ SHEET

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CA 02243080 l998-07-l4 PCTf~K~00338 3 , AL~.~ ndcd page 2~c2.l3sd The obj ect of th~ Freser.~ rentio L ls ~o ~r~ e a s ng:e sh~t pal'et c~ the type ~entionea in th~ in~roductcry F r~
of. the ~escripti~n ~ whic~ a sufficie~ rigidi.y -s ~tained wit~ a reduced thi~'~nes~ o4 the sheet ~r3~ w~-c:q th.e pallet i5 m~llufact~.,red and ~~here the ~allet is si~ ler s~er ~rom a m~ f~turi~g ~oin~ of view.

According to he i~_ntivn ~hi~ ~bject is obtainec by a lC single ~.eet wniGh fllrther c~ ises side fl~ly~ ex~endi~g dow~lwar~s ~r~m each of t'~e ~our s-de ed~es, t~here t:~e -eg~ ~t e~ch sidc a~e ~on~ec-ed ~o an adjacent side fla-ge Z~ w~n~r~
~he les~s ha~e a non-lineax cross sec:tion show-~g bot~. c~nca~e an~ conve~ psrtions ~een frcm b~h s:des of the sheet.
:s By pr~v~ding s cLe~lar.ges a~ all four sides c~f .he pal et a~.
i~prove~ rigidity is cbta-Led in all load directi~ns. Th-s ~ ws for t:~e -lse of a ~educea thick~ess ~ t~e material sheet uscd ~~ ~anuf~c~ur ng the pallet. ~ e rig dity c~ tie con tr,_cl:ion 15 furthcr increased whe~ .he le~s at eac:~ side are connected to the ad~ ac2n' ' an~e. In this mann~r a co~i~uous circ~ferential flange is fcrmec o. the ~ et, the legs o th~ ~allet .o~inq parts o.~ th~s fl~ge. ~y mar.u.~act-arina the ;egs w-th a ron-linea- ~rcs~ sectior.
~hvwing both convex a~d corcave portions qee~ 2~m bcth s des o~ ~.he $:r~ it has been made possi~le tc ~vide a ~a~l~t wi_hout ove-lapp ng pla~e p~rL~ w~ich in t~ rio~ ar~ need to ]~e connec~ea, e.g. by ~s~di~g, 1~ ord~r _~ pro~ide a suf~icient ri~idit~. The c~rved sh~e of the le~ ~u~t:~er 3G provide~ ~-igidi-y to the leg its~l~ du~ _o all inc~eased seccnd mo.~ent of area. U~e o~ ~ reduced th_ckn~s5 ~Liarufaf-t~ring material i3 r.e~by ~ossibJe. ~.ccordir.g the inven.ion a . pa'l~t has been desig~.ed which i~ mu~.A simp'er fro~ a manu~acturing poi~ of view compared to th~ p.-i~- art pc:lsts and wh~ch at th~ same time provides a suJ~i~-ie~t rigid- ~y.
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AMEN~D ~ItEET :, ~ CA 02243080 1998-07-14 .

PCT/DKg6~0G338 4 ~m.en~ed page 24. a2 .1993 TPe non-linea~ c-oss secti~ leqs pre~e_ably ha-~e zn S-shaped c~os~ sectio~.

Tke free edye ~or- cn of at l~ast t~o, pre~e-a~ly ~11, si~e ; fJ.~rye~ at ~Ltuclly parallel sid~ ed~es ar.~ ~efer2bly be~t i:lward~3 ~o ~.~ to ~e es~r~ lly ~a~allel _o th~ loacib~ri~
s~rface. T~ s featu_e allcws ~or ~ bett~r and mo~e oomror-ta~le mOn~a. h~n~ a o~ ~he palL2ts. ~creover, _h2 irwaldY
hent 2dge port o~s ~:ro~ri.d~e a suppo~irg s!rface t~wa_~s 1C pailet li~ting a-d trars~Qrting e~ men~ a~d a ~up~orting sur ace for stacki-~ o~ t~e pa~lle~ on ~ ja~an_ pallet.

~:~e legs ar~ prefe~ably ir.clined ~wn-~a~-ds a~ o~ rds f~o~
t;~e ;oadbeari~g su~face :n ~rder ,o allcw a stacking 'Q'~
1~ s~veral palle~ ereby ~he argle O A incl-nat~o-. pref~rably is so that t:~e ir~wa~ds ~nt ed~e portiors cf t~e side fla~ges o~ cne pallet abut cn the ' oadbeari~$ s~rrace ~f a secor.~
s~b; ~cenAt pallet with~_ any contacl be~wc~n tke 1e~s o ~ke ~w~ ~al1els. This mean~ ~ha~ the h~-sht oE t:~c s de 'l~e deEiIles the ~ angle of lnclin~ti~. This pa11et cons~ucticn a1_G-~s ror a com~act stacki-g c~ ~lle~s accordill~ to ~he in~bnt o~. A p~'1et placec on _op o~ a suL~jacellt pa:let wil' ~n1y add the heig~t ~f the si~e Elange L~ t~l~ total l~el~ht vf th~ stack.
A support part is prere~a~1y prcvide~ a~ L~le 1 ow~r ~ of ea~h :~g . In a pre~erxed em~ci~e~ this s~p~or~ e'~em~-.t. i.s ~nstit~=~d by a~l outwar~s ~Qnt e~c port or c~ t:~e 1~g.

The lca~cQaring s~r~ace c~ the pa11e~ is pre~ferably prov-ded with corrugati~ns or im~ass ons in orcer to obtain a profile with an i~.pr~ad ~igidity.
The pa1i~t arcording ~ t~ inventicn is pre~e~2~1y ~.a~fac-t~r~d with ~ nsions correspondi~g ~o ~ ~uart~r of thc ar~a .
- .~A~ S;~ 1 ..

~ J'~K~0~338 5 - - -Amende~ p~Lse 2~ . 02 .1~8 of tne stz~arci~e~ p~_le~, e ~. a so-ç~., le~ E'J~-P~11e~, wh1 c.r. measur2s 12~0 x 8C0 ~m. Othex stan~ard ~a 1et size.s 2re ~;se~ in a. g. ths US~ o- G~ . The auate~-pallet - s us~d ir e . ~.
supe--marke~,s, -r, o~ de~ tc transpcrt ~nd p:resent a li~ited S a~ur~ c~ goods ~. th.P sa1 es are~.

~h~ s means that the ~l~rter-palle~ cor~espcr.d~ng _~ th~ EUR-s a~ard mea~u-es ~aOO X ~0 mm. Tn t~ c~nne~t o:~ it is ~,~
p2rt:icul ar i~.pcrtance -hat the pr~Jec':~ on of t~e pa 1 el~
10 with:in ~hese me-sures, r.eroby a33~r~rg .h~t fo~r of these ~all~l~s ~e~i ~e ~he same are~ as a .~ta-~cardized fu' 1 si z~
l:;a1lf~. Furth~r it is required t~at t:Le ~i~le edges o.~ t:~e t~211et extenc~ -,,c ~he rec~ ted din~.cnsion. This r~ n~ ~haL ~:-e ~.eg5 in or~r to extena ~ownwards and outwards fr~ he l5 lo~ rif.ng s~rf~ ~ust extend r--om ar ~tly~ w,.thi~ e cu~er recL zLIl~ula~ diJne~:;i o~ . Here~y _he lowex pzrl~ of t~e leg c-t~e ~p~ion~l sup?or~ part a t ~l~e lewer ~a~t of l;:le ~ ~J s fall 5 Wit~ r t~:e ree~~-gular c~late~ '.let ~ n.

20 Cta.~clard pa_l et 1i-t1 ng ar.d ~rzn~po~ ~in~ ec3~3;.pr~nt rea~
~e~t~in widLh bet~"ee~ the l~gs ef the palle- and a -e-~..in he~ t t.G ~he support edge cr s~rfa_e to Gl-Ut cn !:he 1 ._ing ~rd ~xanspc r. ng eculpmer . . By a au~ let t:~e legs _kera~ore ~rc ~r-anaed at -he ~horter sids~ Or the palle~
25 bear1r~g a suf:Ci~ ently wide spacs a~: _he lc-aer si~tes ~o al- ow a llfting a~d ~ra~spc ~ r~S~ ap~ara~us to ~e intr~du-ec ur.deL~ the pal l et ~rom _hi 3 5 ide .

The pal:e' accord-ng tc the inver' -cn m.ay _~ usea in ar 30 assenLbly ccLLE~ris r~ ~our pal ets accardi:lg to the invent- Ol~r e~ch pa' let co~eri~lg an ~rea correspor.di~g tc c~e fcu~t~ o~ a stancl2rd:~ed ~alle~ !e as~embly f~rther c~ ?ri~i~g .

- a support~ ele~,~t ~.aving a cer._r~ cut-out fcr o-e :eg of 35 each o~ t.he four pallets, and 'along the c~ rcur~fere~.ti~l ed~e C~lt-OU_s rOr the :r:~m~in1n~ three 1 eg~; n~ each pallel, ~rsd ,. . ~

5.-~.
PCTJ~Kgo~00338 Amended page 24 . 02 . lg38 - ~Le~ns for connecting the support element to the pallets.
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He reby it is possible to h~le an ~ssenbly ccmprising lour 5 pa.llets as a full size standardi~ed pallet without ar~nging 1:h~se paliets on a full si~e pallet. Hereby the one-piece fu:Ll size pal let c~n be omittod anc1 when necess~ry sepa~ate the pallets ~om each other l~y remcv_ng the suppo~t elements ~01- s~bs~uent irdi~idual h~rdli~g of the pallets. The 10 support element car be a metal or plastic material plate.
W~.ere the hy~ienic recruirements are lower a wccden plate element, e.g. ~ pl~wooà plate elerQentr can ~e used. Such plat- elem~nt IG~V at the ~ircu~nferenl:ial edge be reinforced by means of a metzl band f~tened ta the eiemert.
In orde to allcw th~ as~embl~ to be tr~nsporte~ on co~eyor syste~ comp~ising rolle~s the assem~ly Ir..ay ~uri h~_ comprise at least two supp~r~ raiLs, each arrang2d under ~ne rcw' o~
iegs, hereby ccnstituting continuouq su~port plcLnes abuttir~g 20 the rollers.

In the ~llo~ing a pre~erred e~bodiment of the ~all~t according to the invent~on will be described ~ore detailec~
with reference ~o the draw ngs, wllerein Figure 1 i9 a per:~eotive view of a pallet, .

W O 97/26197 PCT~DK9~ B

Figure 2 i5 a top view of the pallet shown in Figure 1, ~igure 3 is a side view of the pallet shown in Figures 1 and 2, Figure 4 is an end view of the pallet shown in Figures 1 through 3, Figure 5 is a bottom view of the pallet shown in Figures 1 through 4, Figure 6 is an enlarged side and end view of a corner area of a pallet, ~5 Figure 7 is an enlarged top view of a corner area of a pallet, Figure 8 shows an embodiment with enhanced side flange rigidity, Figure 9 shows two pallets immediately before stacking, Figure ~0 is a side view of three stacked pallets, ~5 Figure 11 is a top view of a metal sheet for manufacturing a pallet, and Figure 12 shows an assembly comprising four pallets.
~0 Figure 13 is a side view of the assembly shown in figure 12.
I
From fig. 1 it appears that the preferred embodiment of the pallet according to the invention comprises a loadbearing upwards facing surface 1. The loadbearing surface 1 has four side edges 2, 3; 4, 5 which two by two are mutually parallel.
At respective corners of the loadbearing surface 1 legs 6, 7, CA 02243080 l998-07-l4 W O 97/261~7 PCTADK~6/00338 8, 9 extend downwards and outwards from the loadbearing surface. The lower free end portion of each leg forms a support portion 10. From each side edge 2, 3; 4, 5 a side flange ll extends downwards, and provides an improved rigidity o~ the construction. In the loadbearing surface an impression 13 has been provided. The impression comprises a central essentially rectangular part and rectininear parts which extend from the corners of this rectilinear part towards the corners of the pallet.

From figs 2 and 7 it appears more clearly that the legs in cross section are double curved, e.g. are formed with an S-shape. :Cn this context the wording "double curved'l is to be understood as being convex or concave seen from both sides.
From fig. 7 it appears that the leg 7 extends downwards from the loa(~bearing surface along a curved line which innermost limitations are indicated by a dotted line 16. Since the construction due to the load imparted thereon in this area will be influenced by considerable forces it is of importance that the impression 13 extends beyond this imaginary line in order to provide an improved rigidity of the construction in this area.

Figs 3 and 4 show the pallet seen from the side and the end, respect.ively.

From fig. 5, which shows the pallet seen from below, the inwardly bent edge portions of the side flanges appear. As previously explained, these edge portions provide for an improved m~nl~l handling and moreover serve as support portions when a pallet is lifted and transported by means of a transporting device.

Fig. 8 shows a modified pallet where impression 17 has been made in the side flange 11 and at the same time in the loadbearing surface 1 and the inwardly bent portion 12, in order to improve the rigidity of the side flange in the CA 02243080 l998-07-l4 transversal direction towards and away from the opposed side flange. However, the impression does not necessarily include an impression in the loadbearing surface or the indwardly bent portion as a sufficient rigidity can be obtained by making an impression in the side flange and either the loadbearing surface or the inwardly bent portion. The impression can in this case be partly spherical.

Fig. 9 shows two pallets ;~~~;ately before a stacking. Fig.
10 shows three stacked pallets. It is clear that a pallet placed on top of a subjacent pallet only adds the height of its side flange to the total stack height.

Fig. 11 shows a sheet 14 for manufacturing a pallet according to the invention. The pallet is indicated in a topview by a dotted line.

Fig. 12 shows an assembly comprising four pallets according to the invention. The four pallets are for the sake of clarity indicated by dotted lines. The side edges abut opposed side edges of adjacent pallet hereby providing a continuous loadbearing surface only interrupted in the leg area. A support element 15 in the form of a plate 15, having a central cutout 18 and further cutouts 19 along the circum-ference. From fig. 13 it appears that the support element 15abuts the inwardly bent lower portion of the side flanges.
The support element is secured by connecting means, e.g. a strap.

Claims (8)

C l a i m s

1. A single sheet pallet comprising:

- an upwards facing loadbearing surface, the loadbearing surface having four side edges which two by two are essentially mutually parallel, - four legs each of which is arranged at a respective corner of the loadbearing surface and extending downwards from this, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in comprising - side flanged extending downwards from each of the four side edges - where the legs at each side are connected to an adjacent side flange, - where the legs have a non-linear cross section showing both concave and convex portions seen from both sides of the sheet.

2. A pallet according to claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the legs have an S-shaped cross section.

3. A pallet according to any one of the claims 1 or 2, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that a free edge portion of at least two, preferably all, side Flanges at mutually parallel side edges are bent inwardly so as to be essentially parallel to the loadbearing surface.

4. A pallet according to any one of claims 1 through 3, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that each leg at its lower end has a support part.

5. A pallet according to any one of claims 1 through 4, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the legs extend in an inclined manner downwards and outwards from the loadbearing surface .

6. A pallet according to any one of claims 1 through 5, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the loadbearing surface comprises corrugations and/or impressions .

7. A pallet according to claim, 6, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that at least one corrugation or impression (13) extends beyond a line (16) between the outer upper corners of each leg.

8. A pallet according to any one of claims 1 through 7, c h r a r a c t e r i z e d in being manufactured from a single sheet of formable material, preferably a metal sheet, such as a steel plate, an aluminum or aluminum alloy plate, a composite material plate or the like.