EP0185567A1 - Pallet converter - Google Patents

Abstract

1. A handling pallet converter formed of two identical parts each comprising two uprights (5) joined together so as to form a frame (8), characterized in that the parts are independent and that each upright has, at its upper part, a right angle bracket (9-12) able to come to bear under the upper cross piece (3) of the upper pallet, the distance separating the support edge (9a) of each bracket and the lower end (5a) of the upright being slightly greater than that separating the lower face (3a) of said upper cross piece and the ground.

Description

The present invention relates to a handling pallet converter.

We know that a pallet is made up of a tray designed to be grasped by the fork of an elevator and on which rest goods generally enclosed in cardboard boxes.

To allow several loaded pallets to be placed one on top of the other without the risk of crushing the goods, a frame called "pallet converter" is used consisting of four uprights joined at their upper part and bearing on the angles of the pallet lower.

In this way, the upper pallet does not rest directly on the load of the underlying pallets.

Currently, to deliver goods, these are placed on pallets which are then stacked and loaded into a truck.

As during transport the whole is subjected to vibrations, it is necessary to use a converter to prevent the upper pallet from crushing the cardboard boxes placed on the lower ones.

During each delivery, the delivery person immediately collects the converters and the installation and removal of these must be as fast as possible.

• -la mise en place du convertisseur doit pouvoir être effectuée sans l'aide d'outils, après le chargement de la palette ;
• -le retrait du convertisseur doit pouvoir être effectué même si la palette supérieure repose encore sur celle inférieure.

The problem posed therefore consists in making a converter simultaneously fulfilling the conditions below:

• -the installation of the converter must be possible without tools, after loading the pallet;
• - it must be possible to remove the converter even if the upper pallet still rests on the lower one.

Although there are converters fulfilling the first condition above, none of these can be dismantled if the upper pallet is not removed beforehand.

This is a serious drawback when these converters are used to make deliveries by truck.

Indeed, as trucks generally allow two pallets to be stacked, it is advantageous to unload these two pallets in a single operation during delivery, then remove the converter by letting the upper pallet rest ge of the lower one, which is perfectly possible because the cardboard boxes can withstand relatively large static forces.

In the current state of the art, if a converter is used, it is necessary, during delivery, to remove the upper pallet to allow recovery of the converter, hence an additional operation which increases the total time necessary for delivery and, therefore, the cost thereof.

The present invention which overcomes these drawbacks is remarkable in that the converter is formed from two identical and independent parts each consisting of two uprights, joined together, each upright having at its upper part a square tab capable of coming to bear under the upper cross member of the upper pallet, the distance separating the support edge of said tab and the lower end of said upright being slightly greater than that separating said upper cross member and the ground.

• La figure 1 est une vue en perspective d'une palette devant être utilisée avec le convertisseur de l'invention ;
• La figure 2 est une vue en perspective montrant un mode de réalisation de l'une des parties du convertisseur de l'invention;
• Les figures 3,4 et 5 sont des vues à plus petite échelle montrant la mise en place du convertisseur ;
• Les figures 6 et 7 sont des vues partielles montrant à plus grande échelle des détails peu apparents sur les figures 4 et 5.
• La figure 8 est une vue en perspective de l'une des deux parties du convertisseur, montrant un autre mode de réalisation;
• La figure 9 est une vue partielle, en élévation, montrant la mise en place du convertisseur de la figure 8 ;
• La figure 10 est une vue analogue à la figure 9 montrant le convertisseur durant le déplacement de la charge à l'aide d'un palettiseur usuel ;
• La figure 11 est une vue analogue à la figure 9 montrant la position relative des palettes et du convertisseur durant le transport ou le stockage.

The invention will be better compared with the following description made with reference to the accompanying drawings by way of indicative example only, in which:

• Figure 1 is a perspective view of a pallet to be used with the converter of the invention;
• FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of one of the parts of the converter of the invention;
• Figures 3,4 and 5 are views on a smaller scale showing the installation of the converter;
• FIGS. 6 and 7 are partial views showing, on a larger scale, details which are not very apparent in FIGS.
• FIG. 8 is a perspective view of one of the two parts of the converter, showing another embodiment;
• Figure 9 is a partial view, in elevation, showing the installation of the converter of Figure 8;
• Figure 10 is a view similar to Figure 9 showing the converter during the movement of the load using a conventional palletizer;
• Figure 11 is a view similar to Figure 9 showing the relative position of the vanes and the converter during transport or storage.

Referring to the drawings, it can be seen that FIG. 1 shows a usual pallet comprising three lower crosspieces 1 on which studs 2 are fixed, joined at their upper part by crosspieces 3 extending orthogonally to those 1 and supporting the floor of the pallet formed by the slats 4.

The converter of the invention consists of two identical and independent parts, one of which is shown in FIG. 2.

In its simplest form, each part is made up of two identical uprights 5 joined by a cross-member 6 and a cross-member 7, the assembly producing a non-deformable frame 8.

Each upright has at its upper part a bracket 9 at an angle.

If we refer to Figure 3; which shows two pallets loaded with boxes C, in cardboard for example, we see that the problem is that the load formed by the upper pallet does not risk, during the transport of the assembly in a truck, from damage by crushing goods resting on the lower pallet.

This result is obtained by using two frames 8, previously described, which are arranged on either side of the lower pallet so that the tabs 9 are supported under the lateral crosspieces 3 of the upper pallet.

According to an important characteristic of the invention, the distance separating the support edge 9a from the legs 9 and the lower ends 5a of the uprights 5 is slightly greater than the distance separating the lower face 3a from the crosspieces 3 and the ground.

In this way, and as shown in Figures 4 and 6, when the tabs 9 are supported under the crosspieces 3, the uprights 5 are inclined.

To complete the installation of the converter, it suffices to exert a slight push at the base of the two frames 8 (arrow F, FIG. 6).

At the end of this action, the upper pallet no longer rests on the load of the lower pallet but rests on the ground or on the floor of the truck through the uprights 5 (Figures 5 and 7).

It follows from the above explanations that the installation and removal of the converter of the invention can be carried out when two loaded pallets are superimposed.

If necessary, to improve the fixing of the frames 8, these have at their lower part tabs 10 similar to those 9, which can get caught under the upper cross member 3 of the lower pallet.

According to another characteristic of the invention, each frame 8 has at its upper part tabs 11 whose length is less than those 9 and which can bear between the slats 4 on the upper lateral crosspieces 3 of the upper pallet.

These legs 11 allow, in particular, to hang the frames 8 prior to the introduction of the assembly into the truck. The lateral push to carry out the final positioning of the frame can then be carried out when loading the adjacent pallets.

According to another embodiment, each upright 5 has towards its upper part a square tab 12 whose length is slightly greater than the width of the cross-member 3.

A tooth 13 is provided at the end of the tab 12, extending upwards.

To put each frame 8 in place, lift the load slightly using a standard palletizer shown diagrammatically by one of the branches B of its fork, then place the frame as shown in Figure 9 and complete its setting place by a slight push at its base (arrow Fl in Figure 9). This action results in placing the square 12 under the cross member 3 and the tooth 13 in front of the edge 3d of said cross member.

When the load is to be moved, the small tabs 11 bear on the cross-member 3 and the teeth 13 bear against its 3d edge, thus opposing the pivoting towards the outside of the frame 8 and its falling during this displacement (figure 10).

When the load is lowered, the lower ends of the uprights 5 bear on the ground and the upper cross members 3 bear on the legs 12, the upper pallet no longer resting on the load on the lower pallet (FIG. 11).

In this position, which corresponds in particular to that of transporting the load by truck, it has been noted that the teeth 13 significantly increase the stability of the assembly.

To remove the frames 8, after lifting the load slightly (as shown in Figure 10), move the frame 8 upwards and rotate it in the opposite direction to the arrow F1.

To improve the maintenance of the frames 8 and the stability of the assembly, there are provided at the lower part 5a of the uprights 5 of the legs 14, provided with teeth 15, similar to those 12, which are inserted under the crosspieces 3 of the lower palette.

Claims (6)

1-Pallet handling converter, characterized in that it consists of two identical and independent parts each formed by two uprights (5) joined together to form a frame (8), each upright having at its upper part a tab (9), at right angles, capable of coming to bear under the upper crossmember (3) of the upper pallet, the distance separating the bearing edge (9a) of each tab and the lower end (5a) of the upright being slightly greater than that separating the lower face (3a) of said upper cross member and the ground. 2- Pallet converter according to claim 1, characterized in that each upright has at its lower part a tab (IO), at right angles, capable of being jammed by a lateral thrust, under the corresponding upper cross member, of the lower pallet. 3-Pallet converter according to any one of claims 1 and 2, characterized in that each frame (8) has at its upper part legs (11) at right angles, capable of being supported, between the slats (4) of the upper pallet, on the upper face of the upper crosspieces (3). 4- Pallet converter according to claim 3, characterized in that the length of the legs (11) is less than that of the legs (9). 5- Pallet handling converter according to claim l, characterized in that it is provided in the upper part of the uprights (5) of the brackets (12) whose length is slightly greater than the width of the crosspiece (3 ) of the pallet under which said legs are supported, a tooth (13) extending upward being provided at each of the ends of said legs (12). 6-Pallet handling converter, according to claim 5, characterized in that angle brackets (14) are provided in the lower part of the uprights; said legs being similar to those (12) upper and being capable of being inserted under the crosspieces of the lower pallet.

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