DK2722285T3

DK2722285T3 - Plastic Pallet with stiffening element

Info

Publication number: DK2722285T3
Application number: DK12188830.9T
Authority: DK
Inventors: Richard Metzler; Stefan Mueller; Gat Ramon; Stephanie Wedeward; Sebastian Stegeman
Original assignee: Cabka Gmbh & Co Kg; Lidl Stiftung & Co Kg
Priority date: 2012-10-17
Filing date: 2012-10-17
Publication date: 2016-07-18
Also published as: HUE029714T2; PL2722285T3; EP2722285B8; EP2722285B1; SI2722285T1; EP2722285A1; ES2575698T3; RS54872B1; HRP20160792T1; CY1117716T1

Description

Field of the invention

The invention relates to a plastic pallet. Such a pallet comprises a deck for storage of objects to be transported, in particular of goods. In addition it comprises feet which are formed projecting from an underside of the deck as well as runners which are formed in each case connecting at least two feet to each other at their undersides.

State of the art

Plastic pallets are used predominantly for the transport of goods within a plant or between different plants as well as for the display of goods in sales spaces. They can be produced, for example, in injection-moulding processes from polymers, recycled plastics or mixtures thereof, wherein the use of additives such as reinforcing fibres is also possible. The deck can comprise a continuous, substantially closed loading surface; however, the loading surface can also be formed by a grid or ribbed structure. The latter is advantageous in particular in the transport or in the storage of goods to be cooled as the goods to be transported can then also be cooled from below.

On the underside of the deck, i.e. facing the floor, feet are formed projecting downwards. They serve, above all, to facilitate transport with vehicles, such as for example fork-lift trucks, the forks of which can then pull into the interspaces between the feet. At the same time, the feet must also be capable of bearing the weight of the pallet with the goods stored on it without this resulting in material fatigue. A frequently encountered configuration provides nine feet on the underside of the deck. In each case four feet are placed at the corners and a further four feet are placed in the centres of each of the edges. The ninth foot is usually arranged beneath the geometric centre of gravity of the deck or of the loading surface. Depending on the size of the pallet, more or fewer feet can also be used. In the case of half-pallets with the dimensions of 800 mm x 600 mm in length and breadth, even six feet can be sufficient for example if these are of an appropriate size. The feet can be formed in one piece on the underside of the deck and produced together in an injection-moulding process; however, they can also be manufactured separately and then, for example, screwed to the deck. In the latter case, the material for the feet can be determined separately, for example a material can be chosen with a higher impact resistance than that of the material which is used for the deck.

In the case of in-plant transport, for example in warehouses, very often roller and chain conveyors are also used in addition to industrial trucks such as fork-lift trucks or pallet trucks. In order to allow stable transport on the latter transport means, plastic pallets designed for this purpose also comprise runners which are formed in each case connecting the undersides of at least two feet to each other. In the case of a pallet or half-pallet with nine feet, three runners can be used for example, each of which runners connects three feet to each other. In this case the runners are arranged parallel to each other; their longitudinal direction usually lies parallel to the narrower edge of the pallet but this is not absolutely prescribed. It is also possible to use perimetric runners and runners which also connect the feet to each other along the longer edge of the pallet with the result that, for example, six runners are used on the undersides of the feet. Like the feet, the runners can be manufactured in one piece with the pallet; however, they can also be produced separately and then, for example, be screwed to the feet of the pallet, or glued or clipped onto the feet.

In order to obtain the greatest possible stability during transport of the loaded plastic pallets, when placed on roller conveyors, the pallets are aligned such that the runners are oriented along the direction of transport; in the case of chain conveyors on the other hand, the runners are usually aligned transverse with respect to the direction of transport, in this case the pallet with the goods is supported with the runners on the chains.

When roller or chain conveyors are used the runners are therefore also exposed to a higher degree of wear. Precisely in the case of chain conveyors the - as a rule two - chains rest against the runners in the centre between two feet, i.e. where the greatest deflection of the runners is also to be expected in the case of loaded pallets. This leads to rapid material fatigue. In the case of roller conveyors, a larger distance between the individual rollers can also lead to a deflection which leads to greater loading on the foot edges facing towards the front in the direction of transport since, because of the deflection, these no longer lie at the level of the transport plane formed by the upper edges of the rollers, but lie below it with the result that the foot edge bumps against the next roller during the forward movement.

Further material loading arises when the pallets are stopped on the roller or chain conveyor in transit or at the end of transit before they are transported further or transported off by other transport means, wherein, however, the rollers or chains of the respective conveyor continue to rotate under the runners. As a rule, rollers and chains are made from steel and are thus harder than the plastic pallets or their runners which are also manufactured from plastic. This leads, in particular in the case of chain conveyors, to increased material abrasion which significantly shortens the life of the runners. If the pallets are manufactured in one piece, i.e. feet and runners are injected directly onto the deck, the life of the pallet is thereby significantly reduced since those plastics or plastic mixtures are usually used for the production of one-piece plastic pallets with which a high impact resistance of the pallet can be set. Such plastics have a rather low modulus of elasticity and are therefore to be classed as soft, which results in a stronger deflection of the runners. If the runners are worn out, the whole pallet has to be replaced.

However, as a rule it is more expensive to replace a whole pallet than to replace only a part thereof. In order to minimize wear, it is proposed in the state of the art for example to manufacture the runners separately from a harder material. Such a pallet is described in DE 10 2009 008 277 A1. Here, the runners are connected to the pallet body detachably and can be detached from the pallet body without a great use of force as soon as a vertical force acts on the runners from above by means of pressure on the pallet. The runners can therefore be exchanged relatively easily, and they are also manufactured from a more flexurally resistant material than the pallet body, for example from polypropylene with glass fibre content. However, compared with one-piece manufacture, the production of a pallet with separate runners is more expensive since several moulds must be provided with the result that the production is associated with higher costs. In addition, different material mixtures must be provided.

Another possibility for increasing the stability of the runners is to provide metal reinforcements in the runners. This is, for example, the case in the applicant’s model CPP 726-M, wherein there the metal reinforcements serve in particular to increase the load capacity. The pallet is manufactured in several parts; the metal reinforcements are screwed to the runners and are not visible from the outside. Changing the metal reinforcement is very laborious in the case of this pallet, likewise the recycling, for which the metal reinforcement must be separated from the rest of the pallet. In addition, although the metal reinforcement increases the rigidity of the runner, it does not prevent the wear described above during transport on roller or chain conveyors. A pallet with great dimensional stability and load-bearing capacity is described in WO 2007/019833 A1. There, the pallet is manufactured from plastic and comprises on the underside individual feet. Foot rails made of sheet steel which connect feet arranged in rows are fastened to these feet in correspondingly arranged grooves. In cross section the foot rails have a u-shaped profile on which spring elements are formed for non-positive connection to the pallet in the grooves. In the inserted state they finish flush with the underside of the feet.

Description of the invention

The object of the invention is therefore to further develop a plastic pallet of the type described at the beginning to the effect that the deflection of the runners and the wear on them is minimized.

This object is achieved in the case of a plastic pallet of the type described at the beginning in that at least one groove-shaped recess running in the longitudinal direction of the runner is formed on the underside of at least one of the runners, wherein a stiffening element made of a material with a higher modulus of elasticity than that of the material from which the runners are moulded is inserted into the at least one recess. The stiffening element is fixed in the recess via fixing means.

The stiffening element can, for example, be moulded bar-shaped with a round or polygonal cross section and fill at least a part of the groove in the longitudinal direction of the runner. However, for reasons of symmetry and stability it is advantageous to fill the groove completely in an area which is located preferably between the outer edges of two corner feet of the pallet lying opposite each other, i.e. along the whole runner. The groove can be open from end to end and at the ends, but it can also be enclosed in the longitudinal direction with the result that the stiffening element is held in the runner in a positive-locking manner in the longitudinal direction of the groove. If the runner extends over an area of more than two feet, for example over three feet, in principle several stiffening elements can also be arranged consecutively in the same or in different grooves, wherein each stiffening element covers in each case an area between two feet.

When a material with an appropriately high modulus of elasticity is used, the material use can be minimized; in this case, for example, flatter ribbon-like stiffening elements can also be used. The arrangement of several stiffening elements in grooves running parallel to each other on a runner is also a possible variant, likewise the formation of a groove taking up the whole width of the runner. In order to keep the wear and tear uniformly low, such stiffening elements are preferably formed in each of the runners, and in the case of several runners which are at right angles to each other in at least those runners which are parallel in one direction; if necessary, however, all of the runners can be provided with stiffening elements with the result that in this case the orientation of the pallet on roller or chain conveyors is no longer important.

The fixing means for fixing the stiffening element in the recess can, for example, comprise screws with which the stiffening element is screwed into the groove, with the result that it cannot fall out from underneath. The mechanical stress on these screw connections is, however, quite high because as a rule a slight deflection is to be expected in the case of loading despite the stiffening. In a preferred embodiment, the fixing means in addition or alternatively therefore comprise at least one lug, which partially covers the at least one recess and fixes the stiffening element in the recess in a positive-locking manner. Such a lug can be formed parallel to the base or standing surface of the runner, for example, in the form of an arc of a circle on the edge of the recess; it projects partially over the recess and prevents the stiffening element from falling out. It is advantageous for smaller lugs to be distributed more or less uniformly along both edges of the groove, also offset, with the result that as good as possible a hold is ensured.

The lugs can be provided with a certain elasticity which makes it possible to remove the stiffening element for example by hand with the aid of a screwdriver by overcoming the force exerted by the lugs because of the leverage of the screwdriver being applied to the edge of the groove. Compared with a screw connection, this makes it possible to change such a stiffening element more quickly, should this be necessary, and in addition the mechanical stresses in the case of a deflection are lower than in the case of a screw connection.

In principle, with the bar-shaped or ribbon-like stiffening element - wherein, in the case of a ribbon-like design, the thickness of the ribbon is several millimetres as a rule - the deflection can already be minimized or even almost prevented with correspondingly thick stiffening elements. If, however, the stiffening elements are those made of metal, for example, the mass of the whole pallet is thereby possibly increased by a not inconsiderable amount if the stiffening elements are too thick. On the other hand, stiffening elements which are too thin may possibly not sufficiently prevent a deflection and thus more rapid wear.

In order to better distribute the forces acting on the runners or stiffening elements of the plastic pallet in particular when using rollers or chain conveyors and in order further to minimize the deflection at least one stabilizing element projecting from the stiffening element is therefore arranged on the stiffening element, which stabilizing element is formed engaging in a corresponding holder which is formed by an opening on one of the feet. In this way, the forces arising during transport on roller or chain conveyors which lead to deflection are also conducted into the at least one stabilizing element which, for its part, transmits them to the foot because the holder formed in the foot, for its part, is bordered at least partially by walls or grid or ribbed structures correspondingly serving as walls, which limits a displacement of the stabilizing element out of its resting position, i.e. out of the position which the stabilizing element assumes in the case of an unloaded, undeflected stiffening element. A displacement exceeding the play available to the stabilizing element in the holder is prevented by the walls of the holder.

Moreover, the stabilizing element is formed projecting from the stiffening element at a predetermined angle and is connected to the stiffening element at a fixed angle. The latter means that the connection between the stiffening element and the stabilizing element is formed so stable that it counteracts a change in the angle between the stabilizing element and the stiffening element if the stabilizing element engages in the holder at the foot and if, during transport for example on a chain conveyor, the stiffening element is so heavily loaded by goods resting on the pallet that it deflects. In this way, the deflection at the ends of the stiffening element can be minimized even further. This angular stability is determined on the one hand by the selection of corresponding materials and, depending on this, by the thickness of the stiffening element and the dimensions of the connection. The stabilizing element can, for example, be welded to the stiffening element, screwed to it or it can also be formed on it in one piece. A detachable connection between the stabilizing element and the stiffening element is also conceivable in that, for example, pins are formed on the stabilizing element with which it is inserted into blind holes which are formed on the stiffening element. The connection can be effected to fit accurately, with little clearance fit, or with interference fit. The blind holes can be formed, for example, at the ends of the stiffening element with the result that the pins engage in the stiffening element along the longitudinal direction thereof. A connection which can be detached in this way has the advantage that the stiffening element can be replaced when it wears without the stabilizing elements also needing to be replaced.

In principle, the deflection is already reduced if such a stabilizing element is attached only at one end of the stiffening element; however, such a stabilizing element is preferably arranged at both ends of the stiffening element since the deflection then occurs symmetrically and the loading on the pallet and the runners and thus also the wear and tear thereof takes place uniformly. Also, the stabilizing elements do not necessarily have to sit at the end of the stiffening element; here, however, the leverage is greatest over the length of the stiffening element. In addition or alternatively it is possible to provide more than one stabilizing element at each end, for example two stabilizing elements per foot. If the pallet, feet and runners are formed such that the runners extend, for example, over three feet, one of which is arranged approximately in the centre of the runner, one or more stabilizing elements can also be arranged at this position of the central foot in the stiffening element. When several stiffening elements are used in one runner, the stabilizing elements can also have dimensions such that they connect these stiffening elements.

The at least one stabilizing element is preferably formed plate-shaped, wherein the broad sides of the plate are oriented transverse to the longitudinal direction of the runners. In this way, as large as possible a surface area can be obtained on which the forces arising during the deflection are distributed, with the result that the loading on the walls of the holder can be kept low. The holder can be designed in such a way that, in the deflection-free state or in the case of a small deflection, the broad side of a plate-shaped stabilizing element rests almost completely on a wall surface.

The design of the at least one stabilizing element as a plate-shaped body is not essential; other structures are also suitable for use as stabilizing element. Thus, for example, the stiffening element can be moulded with the stabilizing element on it in one piece from a strand of material of corresponding thickness in the manner of a bracket, i.e. the stabilizing elements are moulded simply by bending the ends around at each end of the stiffening element.

In order to better distribute the force applied by the at least one stabilizing element to the walls of the holder and to relieve the holder in particular of local pressure peaks it is advantageous to partially fill at least the area of the holder in the feet with foam, i.e. to fill it with a foam material in which the stabilizing element is then supported. The foamed material, for example polyurethane, can be chosen to have a Shore hardness in a large range such that it is capable, in the case of a deflection of the stiffening element which is in principle to be expected but is restricted by the walls of the holder, of attenuating a movement of the stabilizing element out of its resting position in the area where the stabilizing element has a certain play. The area of the groove-shaped recess can also be completely or partially filled with a plastic foam which can be composed, for example, such that it assumes a durable connection to the material of the runners and the feet. In this way, a bed can be produced for the stiffening element with the stabilizing elements which can serve not only to attenuate a relative movement of the stiffening element with the stabilizing elements against the runners or the feet, but also to reduce the mechanical loading on the feet and runners by this relative movement by means of this attenuation and finally also to reduce noise emissions during the use of the pallet. For general stiffening or reinforcement, the internal spaces of the feet can also be filled with foam.

In a preferred embodiment, the holder for the at least one stabilizing element is designed as an opening accessible from the deck. In this case, the fixing means preferably comprise a connection which can be detached from the deck between the at least one stabilizing element and the holder. This connection can be designed, for example, as a snap-on connection which comprises at least one projection formed on the holder, on which at least one engagement hook formed on the stabilizing element engages, with the result that the stabilizing element is fixed in the holder in a positive-locking manner. Two engagement hooks can be used for example.

The engagement hooks are expediently connected to the stabilizing element flexibly, with the result that they can be pressed away from the projections without special aids, whereby the connection is detached. In place of a snap-on connection, other detachable connections can also be used, for example screw or plug connections. Connections which are not readily detachable, such as an adhesive bond, are also conceivable alternatives if the intended use should make a particularly strong connection necessary.

The stiffening element described previously and its combination with one or more stabilizing elements is particularly suitable for plastic pallets in which the deck, feet and/or runners are formed in one piece, since in the case of such pallets the same material is used for two or all of the components which as a rule represents, however, only a compromise for the individual components. The effect of the stiffening element is particularly clear here.

In a particularly preferred embodiment, the stiffening element comprises an overhang with respect to the standing surface of the runner in the recess of which it is inserted. Depending on the choice of material for the stiffening element, it can in this way be controlled whether either the stiffening element on the runner or the rollers or chains of the corresponding conveyor are exposed to greater wear and tear. In order to keep the wear on the components of the conveyor, the rollers or chains, as low as possible, the stiffening element is preferably manufactured from aluminium which, in combination with steel, also has favourable friction behaviour for the use of conveyor belts. Even an overhang of a few tenths of a millimetre is sufficient to substantially reduce the wear, with the result that the additional material cost is kept within limits.

It is understood that the features mentioned above and those yet to be explained below can be used not only in the stated combinations but also in other combinations or alone without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Brief description of the invention

The invention is explained in even more detail below by way of example with reference to the attached drawings which also disclose features essential to the invention. There are shown in:

Fig. 1 a plastic pallet,

Fig. 2 a stiffening element with stabilizing elements applied thereon,

Fig. 3 a section of a holder for the stiffening element and

Fig. 4 a comparison of the bending behaviour of the stiffening element with and without stabilizing elements.

Detailed description of the drawings

In Figure 1 first of all the structure of a typical plastic pallet 1 is shown from the underside. Here, the plastic pallet 1 is manufactured in one piece but it can also be composed of several parts. The plastic pallet 1 comprises a deck 2 which is arranged in Figure 1 on the side of the pallet facing away from the observer. Feet 4 and 5 which project downwards from the deck 2 are formed on the underside 3 of the deck 2. The plastic pallet 1 shown here, which can, for example, be a half-pallet with the measurements of 800 mm x 600 mm or also a larger pallet with measurements such as e.g. 1200 mm x 800 mm, has nine feet 4, 5 in total. The feet 4 on the longer sides of the pallet are formed narrower than the feet 5 which lie between them; however, this design of the feet is not absolutely prescribed, all of the feet can just as well be designed the same. In addition, the plastic pallet 1 has three runners 6 which in each case connect three feet 4, 5 to each other and are arranged parallel to each other and to the narrower edges of the plastic pallet 1. This is also to be understood purely by way of example: the plastic pallet 1 can alternatively or in addition also just as well comprise runners along the longer narrow side of the pallet, at right angles to the runners 6 shown here.

At least one groove-shaped recess 7 running in the longitudinal direction of the runners 6 is formed on the underside of at least one of the runners 6, here on all three runners 6. In the case of the runners 6 shown here, in each case one recess 7 is provided which is arranged centrally with respect to the transverse axis of each of the runners. However, several groove-shaped recesses can also be formed on one runner 6, for example two on the margins of the runner or three, then on the margins and in the centre. It is also possible in addition to design the whole underside of the runner 6 as a single recess 7 with the result that only the margins of the runner 6 remain. A stiffening element is inserted in the at least one recess 7. Such a stiffening element is moulded from a material which has a higher modulus of elasticity than the material from which the runner 6 is moulded. The stiffening element is fixed in the recess via fixing means.

Such a stiffening element 8 is shown by way of example in Figure 2; here it is a bar-shaped element, for example also made of a plastic or made of a metal such as, for example, aluminium. The stiffening element 8 can, for example, be fixed in the runners 6 via screws, wherein, in the case of loading which can lead to a deflection - even if also to a substantially smaller degree than without stiffening element 8 - such connections can be so greatly mechanically stressed that these connections are destroyed in unfavourable circumstances. More advantageous are other, purely positive-locking connections, such as can be achieved for example when lugs lying opposite each other at certain distances are moulded from the plastic material of the pallet on the outside of the groove-shaped recess 7, which lugs prevent the stiffening elements 8 from falling downwards when the plastic pallet 1 is standing upright.

In the example shown in Figures 1-3, the stiffening element is, however, not fixed in the recess directly by such fixing means, but rather a stabilizing element 9 is arranged at each end of the stiffening element 8 in relation to its longitudinal direction. Each of the stabilizing elements 9 is formed engaging in a corresponding holder 10 on one of the feet 4. The stabilizing elements 9 project from the stiffening element 8 at a predetermined angle, here at a right angle. They are formed plate-shaped, and their broad sides are aligned transverse to the longitudinal direction of the runners 6 and of the stiffening element 8. In particular, the stabilizing elements 9 are at fixed angles with respect to the stiffening element 8: the holders 10 which are formed as openings or indentations are bordered by walls which counteract and restrict a displacement of the stabilizing element 9 out of its resting position, which can be caused, for example, by loading the plastic pallet 1 with goods on a chain conveyor. Because of the angular stability, on loading caused by deflection, the angle between the stiffening element 8 and the stabilizing element 9 does not change or changes only negligibly, also when the displacement of the stabilizing element 9 is limited by the walls of the holder 10.

In this case, the fixing means which serve to fix the stiffening element in the recess 7 are advantageously not attached to or formed on the recess 7 or the stiffening element 8 but comprise a connection between the stabilizing elements 9 and the holder 10. This connection is advantageously designed detachable, with the result that the stiffening element 8 with the stabilizing elements 9 attached thereto can be replaced if necessary, for example on wearing out. In the example shown, the fixing means comprise a snap-on connection, for which flexible engagement hooks 11 are formed on the stabilizing elements 9. These engage with projections 12 formed in the holder 10 - represented for example in Fig. 3 - with the result that the stabilizing elements 9 are fixed in the holder 10 in a positive-locking manner. In the embodiment shown in Fig. 3, the holder 10 is designed as an opening accessible from the deck 2, with the result that the connection can be detached without further aids.

In order to improve the hold of the stabilizing elements 9 and of the stiffening element 8 in the holders 10 or the recess 7 and in order to better distribute the forces which can arise during a deflection locally and thereby to avoid local pressure peaks as well as in order to achieve an additional attenuation of the displacement, the recess 7 and the holders 10 can be partially filled with a plastic foam, for example with a polyurethane foam with a lower Shore hardness than that of the material used for the plastic pallet 1. This filling of the interspaces between the stiffening element 8 and the runner 6 or between the stabilizing elements 9 and the walls of the holders 10 with foam can also result in a reduction in the noise pollution which could be caused by a relative movement between stiffening elements 8 or stabilizing elements 9 and the runners 6 when the plastic pallet 1 is transported.

The connection between the stabilizing elements 9 and the stiffening element 8 is at a fixed angle, i.e. on loading the stiffening element 8 which leads to a deflection, the stabilizing elements 9 held in the holders 10 counteract such a deflection since the angle at which the stabilizing elements 9 project from the stiffening element 8 is kept almost constant. Because the displacement of the stabilizing elements 9 is limited by the walls of the holder 10 and because the connection of the stabilizing elements 9 and the stiffening element 8 is at a fixed angle, the deflection is considerably reduced. The connection between the stabilizing element 9 and the stiffening element 8 can be formed, for example, as a welded or a screw connection, the stabilizing elements 9 can also be formed in one piece on the stiffening element 8. A particularly preferred design which is particularly stable and manages with less material compared with a one-piece manufacture consists in providing blind holes in each case at the ends of the stiffening elements 8 in the longitudinal direction into which corresponding pins formed on the stabilizing elements 9 are plugged. This also makes it possible to replace the stiffening element 8 irrespective of the state of wear of the stabilizing elements 9.

In Figure 4 the deflection of the stiffening element 8 is outlined by way of example, wherein in Figure 4a the deflection of a stiffening element 8 without stabilizing elements 9 is shown and in Figure 4b the deflection is shown for a stiffening element 8 with stabilizing elements 9 with the same loading. The arrow symbolizes in each case the loading caused by the cargo. The pallet is supported on a chain conveyor, the chains of which are symbolized by the triangles.

In a particularly preferred design, the groove-shaped recess 7 and the stiffening element 8 inserted in the recess 7 have dimensions such that the stiffening element 8 comprises an overhang with respect to a base - also referred to as standing surface - of the runner 6 on which the runner normally rests and into the recess 7 of which it is inserted. This overhang is preferably a few tenths of a millimetre but can also be in the range of millimetres. If, for example, aluminium is used as material for the stiffening element, the wear of the runners 6 made of plastic on roller or chain conveyors, in particular in those situations in which the rollers or chains are rotating but the further transport of the plastic pallet 1 is impeded, can be significantly reduced since by means of the overhang first of all only the stiffening element 8 is exposed to increased wear. Only when this overhang has been stripped, for example by a continuous movement of the chain of a chain conveyor, is the runner 6 of the plastic pallet 1 affected. The life of such a plastic pallet 1, in which the runners 6 are manufactured in one piece on the pallet, can be significantly increased in this way.

Although choosing stiffening elements 8 made of another material which is comparable in terms of hardness with that of the chain or the rollers of the corresponding conveyor reduces the wear of the stiffening element 8, the wear on the conveying components is increased, which as a rule is not advantageous. In any case, when the stiffening element 8 is worn out, i.e. the overhang has been reduced to nothing by material removal for example by a chain conveyor, the plastic pallet 1 can be used further by replacing the stiffening element 8 and optionally also the stabilizing elements 9. In the case of the snap-on mechanism presented here, which represents only one of various possibilities for fixing, the replacement can be effected in a user-friendly manner by hand without large expense by pressing the engagement hooks 11 towards each other and subsequently pressing the stabilizing elements 9 downwards out of the pallet. The life of the pallet is further increased with little additional cost in that the stiffening element 8 can be changed without special expense.

By using stiffening elements 8 and optionally stabilizing elements 9 in the plastic pallet 1 described previously, not only can the mechanical loading on the runners 6 and thus on the pallet in the form of a deflection during transport on conveying equipment be reduced, but the life of such a plastic pallet 1 can also be substantially extended.

List of reference numbers 1 Plastic pallet 2 Deck 3 Underside of the deck 4 Foot 5 Foot 6 Runner 7 Recess 8 Stiffening element 9 Stabilizing element 10 Holder 11 Engagement hook 12 Projection

Claims

A plastic pallet (1) comprising - a tire (2) for storing articles to be transported, - feet (4, 5) formed protruding from a underside (3) of the tire (2), - feet ( 6) which are designed to connect at least two feet (4, 5) to each other on their undersides, characterized in that - at least one groove (7) is formed on the underside of at least one of the members (6) ) extending in the longitudinal direction of (6) - a stiffening element (8) of a material having a higher modulus of elasticity than the material of which the members (6) are formed, is inserted in the at least one recess (7); - wherein the stiffening element (8) is fixed in the recess (7) by means of fasteners, - at least one stabilizing element (9) is projected therefrom at a predetermined angle and is angularly stable connected thereto, and the at least one stabilizing element (9) is designed to act in a corresponding recess (10) on one of the feet (4).

Plastic pallet (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the fastening means comprise at least one nose which partially covers the at least one recess (7) and securely forms the stiffening element (8) in the recess (7).

Plastic pallet (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that - the stiffening element (8) is formed in the form of rod or ribbon, and - in each case, a stabilizing element (9) is arranged in the ends of the stiffening element (8).

Plastic pallet (1) according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that - the uptake (10) is formed as an opening accessible from the tire (2), and - the fastening means comprise a connection between the at least one stabilizing element ( 9) and the receptacle (10), which can be released from the tire (2) by.

Plastic pallet (1) according to claim 4, characterized in that the connection is formed as an engagement joint and comprises at least one projection (12) formed on the mount (10), as at least one engagement hook (11) formed on it. at least one stabilizing element (9) grips so that the at least one stabilizing element (9) is fixedly molded in the recess (10).

Plastic pallet (1) according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the at least one stabilizing element (9) is formed plate-shaped with wide sides across the longitudinal direction of the rods (6).

Plastic pallet (1) according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the at least one stabilizing element (9) is connected to the stiffening element (8) via a welding, adhesive or screw connection, that at least one stabilizing element (9) and the stiffening element (8) is formed in one piece or that the at least one stabilizing element (9) is connected to the stiffening element (8) via a releasable plug connection.

Plastic pallet (1) according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that a gap between the stiffening element (8) and the middle (6) and / or between the at least one stabilizing element (9) and a wall limiting the uptake (10) ), is foamed with a plastic.

Plastic pallet (1) according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the stiffening element (8) inserted in the recess (7), relative to the base surface of the middle (6), in whose recess (7) it is inserted in, has a protrusion.

Plastic pallet (1) according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the stiffening element (8) is made of aluminum.