CN100396571C

CN100396571C - Disposable/recyclable pallet and making method

Info

Publication number: CN100396571C
Application number: CNB028064879A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 菲利普·J·卢卡斯; 利奥·W·迈耶
Original assignee: Coors Brewing Co
Current assignee: Coors Brewing Co
Priority date: 2001-03-14
Filing date: 2002-02-22
Publication date: 2008-06-25
Anticipated expiration: 2022-02-22
Also published as: WO2002072433A3; WO2002072433A2; HK1061004A1; CA2440362A1; JP2004533374A; CN1496323A; AU2002245503A1; EP1370466B1; DE60222102D1; EP1370466A4; US20020129747A1; EP1370466A2; EP1370466B8; ATE371603T1

Abstract

A pallet for supporting a load of packages is disclosed. The pallet includes a support structure comprising flexible film wrapped around at least one of the layers of the load. The flexible film is wrapped around two axes which are generally perpendicular to one another and preferably located within the same plane such that the flexible film covers at least a majority of the layer(s). The pallet also includes a base adhered to the flexible film which is adapted to receive forks of a forklift. The base may be contructed from multiple pieces of a disposable/recyclable material such as plastic foam (a.k.a. Styrofoam).

Description

Method with afterwards discardable/reusable pallet and manufacturing pallet

Technical field

The present invention relates generally to pallet, this pallet is used for supporting and transporting a load-carrying that comprises a plurality of packages, and, particularly, relate to method with discardable and/or reusable pallet in back and manufacturing pallet.

Background technology

Pallet generally is used for supporting a load-carrying that comprises a plurality of packages, load-carrying can be by a kind of crane-car such as a fork truck be raised and transport.The several layers package can place on the pallet, and in order to make the load-carrying on the pallet stable, load-carrying can be used, and for example, flexible winding material or thermal contraction winding material are fixed around the periphery of load-carrying.

Some pallets have platform and pedestal of a carrier package spare, have the passage of " fork " that be used to receive a fork truck on the pedestal.These pallets, this paper with the lower part in be called " desk-top pallet ", generally adopt timber or plastics to make, and can repeated use.Use the drawback of this type pallet to comprise the expense of making pallet, space that storage trays is required and expense, the expense of destination of the load transportation on pallet and the pallet, and for the repeated usage of pallet, pallet transported the expense and the inconvenience of returning from the destination to them.Use relative heavier pallet (for example, wood pallets) that cost of transportation is significantly increased, because the restriction of weight, using relatively, heavier pallet can make the quantity that betransported product reduce.In addition, because these pallets are normally reusable, so they can often suffer breakage (especially wood pallets).

A kind of relatively substitute of thin and lighter desk-top pallet is called as " sheet template (slipsheet) " or " sheet type pallet (slip pallet) ".With reference to Fig. 1, for example a kind of sheet type pallet 10 of routine can be the thin plate of being made by lighter material, such as having the plastic product that one or more extends edge 12.Sheet type pallet 10 carrier package spares 20 and in order to make load-carrying 22 stable; package winds up around the periphery (that is to say around a vertical axis) of load-carrying usually; a special crane-car 24 of making is caught an edge of sheet type pallet; for example the edge 12; sheet type pallet 10 is dragged on the platform 26, promotes and transport load-carrying 22 then in a desired manner.When load-carrying 22 is raised out and is transported on the platform 26, the weight of load-carrying 22 is transferred to (shown in " L1 " and " L2 ") on the tail end (rear end) 16 from head end 14, may impaired package (20a for example, 20b) be positioned at these two

ends

14,16 minimum which floor on 18.It is big more to promote angle " A ", and (for example, 20b) weight on " L2 " is big more, particularly is positioned at minimum which floor package on 18 at those to be applied to the package that is positioned at rear end 16.

No matter being to use desk-top pallet still is sheet type pallet, in the process of transportation because the vibration of load-carrying and extruding all may make minimum which floor package impaired.

Summary of the invention

Look back aforementioned content, an object of the present invention is to provide a pallet, the main function of this pallet is as discardable/reusable desk-top pallet after a kind of the using.Another object of the present invention provides a kind of pallet that can produce damping effect in the process of transportation load-carrying.Further object of the present invention provides a kind of method of making this pallet.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, a kind of pallet that piles up is provided, comprise that a plurality of packages and one are suitable for the supporting construction of supporting packaging part thereon, it is characterized in that: described supporting construction comprises at least one described package layer and centers on first axis of pitch and the flexible membrane of described at least one the package layer of second axis of pitch winding that described first axis of pitch is basically perpendicular to described second axis of pitch; A pedestal adheres on the described flexible membrane that twines described at least one package layer; And described supporting construction and described a plurality of package are fixed by periphery.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, provide a kind of manufacturing to pile up the method for pallet, it is characterized in that this method comprises: a) form a supporting construction, comprise with flexible membrane around first axis of pitch twine at least one package layer and with flexible membrane around twining described at least one package layer with vertical substantially second axis of pitch of described first axis of pitch; B) pedestal is adhered on the described flexible membrane that twines described at least one package layer; C) on described supporting construction, place a plurality of packages; D) the described a plurality of packages that twine described supporting construction and support around periphery by described supporting construction.

Description of drawings

Lexical or textual analysis of the present invention shown in the accompanying drawing and presently preferred embodiment, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a lateral plan of a crane-car, and this crane-car is being handled and is being placed on a load-carrying on the conventional sheet type pallet;

Fig. 2 is that an axle that waits that is placed on a load-carrying on the pallet of the present invention is schemed;

Fig. 3 is a decomposition view such as axle such as grade after pallet shown in Fig. 2 is removed load-carrying;

Fig. 4 is a bottom plan view of pallet shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is the bottom plan view of another embodiment of pallet;

Fig. 6 is the front elevation of a load-carrying on the pallet shown in a Fig. 2, and this load-carrying is promoted by the fork of a fork truck.

The specific embodiment

As shown in Figure 2, the pallet 100 among the present invention is applicable to and supports a load-carrying 50 that comprises a plurality of packages 52 that load-carrying can be raised and transport such as a fork truck by a kind of crane-car of routine.A common load-carrying 50 is made up of several layers 54, and comprises a bottom 54a.Package 52 can be, for example, and the carboard of rectangle as shown in FIG..Yet these packages 52 only are exemplary, it should be understood that the pallet 100 among the present invention goes for supporting the package of other form.In addition, shown in the size of load-carrying 50 equally also only be that some are exemplary, the pallet 100 among the present invention goes for supporting other load-carrying structure.For example, several load-carryings 50 and pallet 100 can be stacked on the top of other load-carrying and pallet, and nethermost pallet 100 goes for supporting all stackings other load-carrying 50 and pallet 100 thereon.

As shown in Fig. 2-3, pallet 100 can comprise a pedestal 102 and a supporting construction 104.Supporting construction 104 utilizes minimum one deck at least in which floor of load-carrying 50 (for example, 54a) as one " platform " being used to support other layer 54.When describing bottom 54a, it should be understood that two-layer or more layer 54 can be used as supporting construction 104 with respect to supporting construction 104.

With reference to Fig. 3, package 52 the layer 54a with the setting adjacent one another are of a kind of required structure, the structure of for example a kind of square or rectangle (be often referred to a kind of " support holder structure ", perhaps package be arranged in have a pallet size the layer).The layer 54a of package 52 can comprise 68, one the

4th sides

70,66, one the 3rd sides, 64, one second sides, 62, one first sides, 60, one bottom surfaces of an end face.The layer 54a of package 52 is wrapped in 110 li of a kind of flexible membranes in following described mode then, to such an extent as to all

surfaces

60,62,64,66,68,70 (perhaps the major part on these surfaces) are at least covered by flexible membrane 110, thereby make the layer 54a wound up can be used as one " supporting construction " and support remaining layer 54 (Fig. 2) that the platform of this and a kind of desk-top pallet is similar.Then, pedestal 102 is adhered on the flexible membrane 110 of bottom surface 62 of layer 54a, and this pedestal can be made up of the parts 106 that the lighter material of a plurality of employings is made.After being loaded into the remainder layer 54 of package 52 on the pallet 100, whole load-carrying 50 (Fig. 2), for example as is known in the art, can fix around its periphery with flexible winding material or thermal contraction winding material and (that is to say,

side

64,66,68 around layer 54a, 70 and the respective side of remainder layer 54 fix), thereby make load-carrying stable on pallet.One deck by utilizing load-carrying 50 or more layer 54 are as supporting construction 104, and whole pallet 100 can be removed behind the destination that arrives it, and whole pallet 100 and load-carrying 50 can be utilized, repeated usage, and/or abandon.Especially, be used for layer 54 as the package 52 of supporting construction 104, certainly by last user with 50 uses of remaining load-carrying.The flexible membrane 110 and the pedestal 102 that are used for overplate 54 can be by making with afterwards discardable/reusable material.Therefore, when dismounting pallet 100, the discardable and/or repeated usage of flexible membrane 110 and pedestal 102 usefulness back.Used term in this application " with the back discardable/reusable " implication comprised the routine definition of " discardable " and " reusable " with the back because have a kind of with after the end user of discardable/reusable product have usually whether selection abandons or the power of this product of repeated usage.

Flexible membrane 110 can be, for example, a kind of plasticity Stretch material, this material is by the Oklahoma, ADU Stretch Films of Tulsa company produces.Flexible membrane 110 can be with the equipment of the stretched winding material of routine such as by the Florida, and the equipment (referring to " www.itwmima.com ") that Mima OfTamarac company sells is wrapped in the outside of package 52.As shown in Figure 3, the layer 54a of package preferably by flexible membrane 110 around two axis AA, BB twines.Especially, flexible membrane 110 can on a first direction, cover end face 60, the first sides 64 such as R1 direction (this direction can be that clockwise direction also can be an anticlockwise direction), on the bottom surface 62 and second side 66 around axis AA.Film 110 is along load-carrying translation on the D1 direction, preferred and a part of overlaid that has wound up, and (perhaps the major part on these surfaces) at least covered by flexible membrane 110 up to all

surfaces

60,62,64,66.As to be described in detail below, need with flexible membrane 110 covering

surfaces

60,62,64,66 that surpass one deck.Then, flexible membrane 110 on a second direction, covers end face 60, the three sides 68 such as R2 direction (this direction equally also can be clockwise direction or anticlockwise direction), on bottom surface 62 and the 4th side 70 around axis BB.Film is along load-carrying translation on the D2 direction, and preferably with a part of overlaid that has wound up, (perhaps most surfaces) at least covered by flexible membrane 110 up to all

surfaces

60,62,68,70.As to be described in detail below, need equally with flexible membrane 110 covering

surfaces

60,62,68,70 that surpass one deck.Equally also need be on one or more surface (especially in the bottom surface 62 and one or more side 65,66, on 68,70) flexible membrane 110 on reserve one or more opening (among the figure not show), this opening allows package 52 current drainages of a leakage.Axis AA, BB most preferably are and are positioned at identical plane (for example horizontal plane A BAB), and these two axis AA, and BB is roughly orthogonal, as shown in Figure 3, to such an extent as to end face 60 and bottom surface 62 covers 110 layers of flexible membranes that

double side

64,66,68,70.

As previously mentioned, pedestal 102 adheres on layer flexible membrane of 54a bottom surface 62 110.Pedestal 102 therefore must be enough solidly (comprise in addition to support whole load-carrying 50, foregoing be stacked on this load-carrying top other load-carrying and with afterwards discardable/reusable pallet), and pedestal is preferably by a kind of lighter, reusable/as to make with the discardable material in back, such as the plastic foam of a kind of " polystyrene foam ".By utilizing a kind of resilient material such as plastic foam, pedestal 102 can produce a kind of effect of damping and become a kind of bumper of harmonic oscillation, and this pedestal can make owing to the damage to package 52 that vibration and extruding caused of load-carrying 50 in the handling process reduces to minimum.Yet pedestal 102 also can be made by other material, such as rubber, and plastics, perhaps timber, and those before be repeated the material that uses, such as prefabricated wood.

Pedestal 102 can be by the adhesive of any routine, such as double faced adhesive tape adheres on the flexible membrane 110 of bottom surface 62.Yet,, can not need to use a kind of independent adhesive by utilizing a kind of injection molded material such as a kind of plastic foam (claiming polystyrene foam again).Especially, when plastic foam takes off from a mould, in the regular hour section, still has viscosity.In first method, the pedestal of being made by a kind of plastic foam 102 is pressed onto when it also has viscosity on the flexible membrane 110 of package 52 bottom surfaces 62, allows its complete slaking then, thereby pedestal 102 is fixed on the flexible membrane 110.In another method, pedestal 102 by fully the plastic foam of slaking make.At least one surface of pedestal 102 (such as the surface 107 of each parts 106 among Fig. 3) can be heated, and has had viscosity or partial melting up to surface 107.Then, tacky surfaces 107 can be pressed onto on the flexible membrane 110 of package 52 bottom surfaces 62.When pedestal 102 cooled down, pedestal was adhered on the flexible membrane 110.

Shown in Fig. 2 and 4, pedestal 102 preferably comprises a plurality of path 10s 8 of the fork (for example 56 among Fig. 6) that is used for receiving a fork truck.Pedestal 102 can be as shown in FIG. the fork that receives fork trucks from any side 120,122,124,126, perhaps as shown in Figure 5, pedestal can only be from two sides, for example 120,122, receive the fork of fork truck.For the pedestal 102 that forms 8, one examples of a plurality of path 10s as shown in Fig. 2 and 4 can comprise a plurality of foregoing parts 106.In order to form a plurality of passages 208 as shown in Figure 5, elongated parts 206 can be provided, and except elongated shape, parts 206 are just the same with parts described here 106.Selectable (not showing among the figure), pedestal 102 can be made up of a single material components, as long as path 10 8,208 is applicable to a fork truck.For example, the parts 106,206 that illustrate can connect by the thinner material components that is positioned in the path 10 8,208.

Parts 106 should have a consistent relatively height " H1 " (Fig. 3), this height is reserved a sufficiently high gap " H2 " for 50 times (Fig. 2) in load-carrying, and this gap allows the fork (for example 56 among Fig. 6) of a fork truck can be easy to be inserted in the path 10 8.For example, the height of parts " H1 " can be between about 3 to 4 inches.The height that gap " H2 " should equal parts " H1 " deducts because any deflection (settling) of the parts that weight causes 106 of load-carrying 50, and the size of deflection (settling) depends on the material that pedestal 102 is adopted.

Referring now to Fig. 4, parts 106 can have any required surface size, for example, and " W2 " and " W3 ".Though it is what show in the drawings is the parts 106 of rectangle, it should be understood that parts 106 can have any cross sectional shape, for example, foursquare, circular or polygonal.In addition, the surface size of each parts 106 does not need to equate with the surface size of other any one parts 106, unless need to form enough path 10s 8." overlay area " of pedestal equals whole skin area sum, " A1 " of parts 106+" A2 "+" A3 "+" A4 "+" A5 "+" A6 "+" A7 "+" A8 "+" A9 " sum for example, at this, the skin area of each parts, such as " A1 ", equal the product of the surface size of each parts, for example, " W2 " multiply by " W3 ".Multiply by " W5 " with the whole skin area " W4 " of bottom surface 62 and compare, the weight of load-carrying 50 and the material that pedestal 102 is adopted are depended in required overlay area, as shown in following example.

Used here flexible membrane 110, winding material and special characteristic that pedestal 102 had are corresponding to the special characteristic of load-carrying 50 and change.Give one example, the load-carrying 50 of a package 52 (for example this package can comprise the jar that beverage is housed) nearly weighs 2200 pounds greatly.For a pallet 100 with sufficient intensity and cost economy of the present invention is provided, a kind of flexible membrane 110 is used, such as a kind of thickness winding material that can stretch of the plasticity between 0.0075 to 0.0095 inch greatly, and most preferably be about 0.008 inch.Film 110 can have one and be approximately 100% to 200% prestension, but most preferred about 200%.The tensile force that is applied on the winding material equipment that can stretch is arranged between about 20 pounds to 50 pounds, and most preferably is 25 pounds.It should be noted intensity and careful the choosing of content that the setting of thickness and tensile force should reference package spare can be born.Especially, a thicker film often needs a higher tensile force setting, and too high tensile force setting may cause the damage of package 52 (especially packed in cases part).

In this example, lap noted earlier can be approximately flexible membrane 110 width " W1 " (Fig. 3) 25% to 40%, and most preferably be about 30%.Find less relatively when overlapping when having only (for example be approximately in this example " W1 " 25%), " bight subsides (corner crush) " damage can drop to minimum.Yet when relatively large when overlapping together (for example, be approximately " W1 " 50%), it is minimum that the parallel motion of package 52 can be reduced to.Therefore, overlapping can be adjusted to make the effect that do not need to occur minimize.Total quantity around the whole circle winding material of every axis AA, BB can that is to say between 3 to 5 that in this example, total number of plies of flexible membrane 110 can be between 6 and 10.Obtain a more solid pallet if desired, and/or a heavier load-carrying is placed on the pallet, total number of plies of flexible membrane can increase easily, especially because the cost of flexible membrane itself is generally all relatively low.For the pedestal of being made up of a plurality of parts 106 102 that obtains 100, one examples of pallet recited above can be utilized, these parts are made by 40 pounds to 60 pounds other polystyrene foams of level, and the height of " H2 " is approximately 3 inches.Pedestal 102 with these features can bear the load-carrying that a maximum is approximately 40 pounds/in2.2200 pounds load-carrying of example preferably utilizes a pedestal, this pedestal has an overlay area (defined as the front), the about 25% to 40% of " W5 " be multiply by for the total surface area " W4 " of bottom surface 62 of layer 54a in this overlay area, and most preferably is about 30%.When one of use had the pedestal of big overlay area, the overlay area was big more, and the fork of fork truck (for example 56 among Fig. 6) is inserted in the path 10 8 difficult more.Can find out clearly that pedestal 102 among the present invention lacks than conventional pallet and use many materials.In addition, be understandable that the used material of the plastic foam/polystyrene foam and the pallet of routine compares, for example plastics or timber are a kind of relatively cheap materials.

With reference to Fig. 2 and Fig. 3, by twining one deck or multilayers (for example 54a) with flexible membrane 110, thereby and a pedestal 102 adhered to form pallet 100 on the flexible membrane, remaining layer 54 can be placed on the pallet 100.Then, for the periphery that makes load-carrying 50 is fixed, whole load-carrying 50 can be twined with flexible membrane along its periphery, for example, around axis CC (a vertical axis, this axis is approximately perpendicular to axis AA and BB, and face ABAB), this flexible membrane is such as being the winding material that can stretch, thermal contraction winding material, or known similar material in this technical field.

Fig. 6 has shown the load-carrying 50 on the pallet 100 of being placed on of an example among the present invention, and this load-carrying is mentioned by the fork of fork truck (not having among the figure to show).When the load-carrying 50 that winds up is raised, fork 56 acts on the hoisting force " L3 " in the load-carrying 50, the neighboring 210 of " L4 " and load-carrying (such as, come the package row of outside) weight " L5 ", " L6 " combined action meeting causes load-carrying to form arcuation (shown in " DD ").Yet, because the supporting construction 104 of pallet 100 on both direction (for example, around as axis AA and BB among Fig. 3) winding that is stabilized, and since between the individual packaging spare of 104 li of supporting constructions of twining (for example between

package

130 and 132, between 132 and 134, between 134 and 136) the phase mutual friction, supporting construction 104 can not make this arcuation influential effect stable to load-carrying 50.

With reference to Fig. 1-6, a kind of method of making above-mentioned pallet 100 is disclosed.This method can comprise first step, this step be with a kind of flexible membrane 110 around a first axle AA or BB, (for example bottom 54a) winds up the one deck at least in the multilayer of load-carrying 50.Second step comprised with a kind of flexible membrane 110 and around one second axis BB or AA identical layer 54a being wound up that described second axis was approximately perpendicular to first axle and preferably is positioned at identical plane ABAB with first axle.Then, a pedestal 102 is adhered on the flexible membrane 110.If a kind of plastic foam is used as pedestal 102 such as polystyrene foam, the step that pedestal 102 is adhered on the flexible membrane 110 can comprise, provide and do not have the plastic foam of complete slaking parts, the plastic foam parts are pressed onto on the flexible membrane, make the complete slaking of plastic foam then, therefore make assembly adhere on the flexible membrane 110.Selectable, as noted earlier, also can use a pedestal 102 of forming by the plastic foam parts of complete slaking.At least one surface on the pedestal 102 (for example surface 107 of the assembly of each shown in Fig. 3 106) can be heated, and has viscosity or partial melting up to surface 107.Then, tacky surfaces 107 can be pressed onto on the flexible membrane 110 of package 52 bottom surfaces 62.When pedestal 102 cooled down, pedestal was adhered on the flexible membrane 110.

Claims

1. one kind is piled up pallet, comprises that a plurality of packages and one are suitable for the supporting construction of supporting packaging part (104) thereon, is characterized in that:

Described supporting construction (104) comprises at least one described package layer (54) and centers on first axis of pitch (AA) and the flexible membrane (110) of described at least one the package layer (54) of second axis of pitch (BB) winding that described first axis of pitch (AA) is basically perpendicular to described second axis of pitch (BB);

A pedestal (102) adheres on the described flexible membrane that twines described at least one package layer (54); And

Described supporting construction and described a plurality of package are fixed by periphery.

2. the pallet that piles up as claimed in claim 1 is characterized in that: described at least one package layer (54) is the described bottom (54a) that piles up pallet.

3. the pallet that piles up as claimed in claim 1 is characterized in that: described first axis of pitch (AA) is positioned at identical plane (ABAB) with described second axis of pitch (BB).

4. the pallet that piles up as claimed in claim 1 is characterized in that: described flexible membrane (110) and described pedestal (102) are by making with afterwards discardable/reusable material.

5. the pallet that piles up as claimed in claim 1 is characterized in that: the parts (106,206) that described pedestal (102) is made than light material by a plurality of employings are formed.

6. the pallet that piles up as claimed in claim 5 is characterized in that: described is plastic foam than light material.

7. the pallet that piles up as claimed in claim 1 is characterized in that: the whole face area of described pedestal (102) be described at least one package layer (54) the bottom surface whole face area about 25% to 40%.

8. method that pallet is piled up in manufacturing is characterized in that this method comprises:

A) form a supporting construction, comprise with flexible membrane (110) around first axis of pitch (AA) twine at least one package layer (54) and with flexible membrane (110) around with vertical substantially described at least one the package layer (54) of second axis of pitch (BB) winding of described first axis of pitch (AA);

B) pedestal (102) is adhered on the described flexible membrane (110) that twines described at least one package layer (54);

C) on described supporting construction, place a plurality of packages;

D) the described a plurality of packages that twine described supporting construction and support around periphery by described supporting construction.

9. method as claimed in claim 8 is characterized in that: described at least one package layer is the described bottom (54a) that piles up pallet.

10. method as claimed in claim 8 is characterized in that: described first axis of pitch (AA) and described second axis of pitch (BB) are positioned at same level (ABAB).

11. method as claimed in claim 8 is characterized in that: the described step that pedestal (102) is adhered on the described flexible membrane (110) comprises:

A) the plastic foam parts (106,206) that provide at least one not have complete slaking;

B) described at least one plastic foam parts (106,206) are pressed on the described flexible membrane (110);

C) make the slaking fully of described at least one plastic foam parts (106,206), thereby described at least one plastic foam parts (106,206) are adhered on the described flexible membrane.

12. method as claimed in claim 8 is characterized in that: the described step that pedestal (102) is adhered on the described flexible membrane (110) comprises:

A) the plastic foam parts (106,206) that provide at least one to have first surface (107);

B) the described first surface (107) of described at least one the plastic foam parts (106,206) of heating makes described first surface have viscosity;

C) the described first surface (107) of described at least one plastic foam parts (106,206) is pressed on the described flexible membrane (110); And

D) the described first surface cooling of described at least one plastic foam parts (106,206), thus described at least one plastic foam parts are adhered on the described flexible membrane (110).