EP0450732A1

EP0450732A1 - Partitioned pallet

Info

Publication number: EP0450732A1
Application number: EP91200796A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Ype Batstra
Original assignee: Van Hoorn Exploitatie Bv Mij
Current assignee: Van Hoorn Exploitatie Bv Mij
Priority date: 1990-04-04
Filing date: 1991-04-04
Publication date: 1991-10-09
Also published as: NL9000794A

Abstract

A pallet assembly for more than one stack of packagings, such as boxes (D), provided with a bearing surface (1) for the stacks and a base part (5) arranged under the bearing surface for co-operation with the tines of a lifting device, for example a fork lift truck, wherein the bearing surface (1) is split into a number of carrier parts (2) corresponding with at most the number of stacks, wherein each carrier part is provided with at least three wheels (3), and which base part (5) is provided with a number of members (7) each supporting a wheel (3), said members being mutually connected by a lengthwise girder (6) guiding the carrier parts, so ensuring an easy manipulation of the packages being stacked upon the carrier parts, those being grouped upon the base part for further transportation.

Description

The invention relates to a pallet assembly for more than one stack of packagings, such as boxes, provided with a bearing surface for the stacks and a base part arranged under the bearing surface for co-operation with the tines of a lifting device, for example a fork lift truck.
Such a pallet assembly has standard dimensions, for example the dimensions of a so-called EURO-pallet, on which for example four stacks of boxes can be placed. These boxes come from the manufacturer with uniform products and are taken to the distribution depot or distributor as one transportable unit arranged on a pallet. There the distributor has to rearrange the boxes to form new groups, this time with different products, and to take these to the retail trader on a pallet which can be handled by a fork lift truck. The drawback to such a distribution method is the large amount of manual labour, the rearrangement of the stacks and possible extra storage, which require a lot of time and involve heavy work for the operating staff.
The invention has for its object to embody a pallet assembly of the type described in the preamble such that the above stated drawbacks are obviated.
The pallet assembly according to the invention is distinguished in that the bearing surface is split into a number of carrier parts corresponding with at most the number of stacks, wherein each carrier part is provided with at least three wheels, and which base part is provided with a number of members each supporting a wheel, which members are mutually connected by a lengthwise girder guiding the carrier part.
Owing to the sub-division of the bearing surface into separate carrier parts on which at least one stack of packagings is grouped, each stack can be easily manipulated because of the rollable carrier part. The base part, which serves as support for the rollable carrier parts, is at least suitable for assembling at least two carrier parts and preferably four, so that operating staff can easily assemble stacks of at least two different products into a larger group, which can be further handled by a fork lift truck or the like.
The support members are preferably formed by a strip extending transversely under the lengthwise girder and the pitch distance of which corresponds with that of the wheels under the carrier part. In this embodiment the tines of a lifting device can be placed between the wheels in order to lift the base part with the carrier part standing thereon.
According to a further development of the invention the lengthwise girder extends over four transverse strips, wherein the middle transverse strips display a supporting surface lying lower than the outer transverse strips. The carrier parts hereby undergo a slightly slanting positioning such that the stacks laid thereon incline toward each other, which furthers stability.
The carrier part can be positioned and blocked simply by embodying the supporting surface on the middle transverse strips as recesses into which fits the wheel of the carrier part.
In order to be able to roll the carrier part easily onto the base part easily it is recommended to form the lengthwise girders from two beams lying at a mutual distance, wherein the carrier part is provided on the underside with at least one block-shaped element fitting between these beams. This block-shaped element serves as guiding when the leading wheel of the carrier part travels over the first supporting surface of the transverse strip. For easy feed it is recommended to provide the block-shaped element with a chamfering at the front side.
Above mentioned and other features will become apparent from the figure description of an embodiment following hereinafter. In the drawing:

Fig. 1 shows a perspective top view of a pallet according to the invention,
Fig. 2 shows a perspective view corresponding with fig. 1 of a half-pallet, in particular the base part according to the invention.

The pallet according to the invention consists of a bearing surface 1, which in the embodiment shown is divided into four carrier parts 2, each of which is constructed from planks of a particular material, for example wood, which are mutually connected by a connecting member (not shown) on the underside thereof. The surface area of the carrier part is such that a box D or a stack thereof can be placed thereon. The contour line of the box is generally equal to that of the bearing surface of the carrier part 2.
Each carrier part is provided with wheels 3, whereof the leading ones are non-pivoting and the rear ones 3' are pivotable. These are moreover provided with a blocking brake 4.
It will be apparent that the carrier part 2 with the stack of boxes D placed thereon is easy to roll and manipulate with the wheels 3.
The pallet further consists of a base part 5 which is constructed from two longitudinal beams 6 arranged at a mutual distance embodied as a lengthwise girder. Placed underneath these beams 6 is a number of transverse strips 7, four in the embodiment shown, wherein the pitch distance between the pairs of transverse strips is equal to that of the wheels 3.
Adjacent the beams 6 each transverse strip is embodied with a roll-on surface 8 and a roll-off surface 9, wherein the top surface 10 forms the supporting surface. The top surface 10 of the middle transverse strips 7' is preferably embodied with a recessing 11 in which the non-rotating wheel 3 is fittingly received. Arranged on the underside of the carrier part 2 is a block-shaped element 12 which on the leading or outward facing side is provided with a chamfering 13. A block-shaped element 14 is likewise arranged at the height of the pivoting wheels 3'. These elements fit between the longitudinal beams 6 and provide a guiding of the carrier part 2 when the carrier part 2 runs up over the base part 5.
It is noted that the leading block-shaped element 12 strikes against a connecting member 16 when the carrier part 2 stands with the wheels 3 on the transverse strips 7. It is further noted that due to the recess 11 in the middle transverse strips 7' the carrier part 2 assumes a slightly inclined position, whereby the stacks on the carrier part 2 likewise incline toward each other, whereby stable stacking is obtained during transporting of the complete pallet by means of a fork lift truck.
To this end the fork lift truck can place the tines of the lifting device between the transverse strips 7, 7' and below the longitudinal beams 6, which are slightly recessed between these transverse strips at 18.
The pallet is used as follows. At the manufacturer the carrier parts 2 can be loaded with boxes D holding uniform products, wherein the carrier parts 2 can be moved on either side onto the base part 5 until four have been placed next to each other, see fig. 1. The whole can then be loaded and unloaded with the fork lift truck.
At the distributor the carrier parts 2 with the stack of boxes standing thereon can be moved away separately, wherein the base part 7 with other carrier parts 2 and boxes with other products are arranged on the base part. Such a pallet with different products can then be taken to the retailer. The retailer is free to handle the stacks of boxes separately on the rollable carrier part 2.
The invention is not limited to the embodiment described above, wherein it is noted that the pallet can have not only four, but also two or more carrier parts 2.
The lengthwise girder formed by the beams 6 can also be embodied as single unit, wherein the carrier part can be embodied with two block-shaped elements on either side of the longitudinal beam.

Claims

Pallet assembly for more than one stack of packagings, such as boxes, provided with a bearing surface for the stacks and a base part arranged under the bearing surface for co-action with the tines of a lifting device, for example a fork lift truck, characterized in that the bearing surface is split into a number of carrier parts corresponding to at most the number of stacks, wherein each carrier part is provided with at least three wheels, and which base part is provided with a number of members each supporting a wheel, which members are mutually connected by a lengthwise girder guiding the carrier part.
Pallet assembly as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the support members are formed by a strip extending transversely under the lengthwise girder, wherein the pitch distance between two strips corresponds to that of the wheels under the carrier part.
Pallet assembly as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the lengthwise girder extends in each case over four transverse strips and the middle transverse strips have a supporting surface which lies lower than that of the outside strips.
Pallet assembly as claimed in claim 3, characterized in that the supporting surface on the middle transverse strips is embodied as a recess.
Pallet assembly as claimed in any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the lengthwise girder consists of two beams lying at a mutual distance and the carrier part is provided on the underside thereof with at least one block-shaped element to be received fittingly between these beams.
Pallet assembly as claimed in claim 5, characterized in that the block-shaped element has a chamfering on the outward facing side.
Pallet assembly as claimed in any of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one wheel of the carrier part is embodied with a blocking brake.