EP1588951B1 - Palette hergestellt aus einem aus einer geformten Faserplatte bestehenden Material - Google Patents

Palette hergestellt aus einem aus einer geformten Faserplatte bestehenden Material Download PDF

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Publication number
EP1588951B1
EP1588951B1 EP05250867A EP05250867A EP1588951B1 EP 1588951 B1 EP1588951 B1 EP 1588951B1 EP 05250867 A EP05250867 A EP 05250867A EP 05250867 A EP05250867 A EP 05250867A EP 1588951 B1 EP1588951 B1 EP 1588951B1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
pallet
molded fibrous
panel
panel material
molded
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Fee Related
Application number
EP05250867A
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English (en)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP1588951A1 (de
Inventor
Jimmy W. Cassidy
Don Jenkins
Lawrence E. Renck
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Sonoco Development Inc
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Sonoco Development Inc
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Filing date
Publication date
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Publication of EP1588951A1 publication Critical patent/EP1588951A1/de
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP1588951B1 publication Critical patent/EP1588951B1/de
Expired - Fee Related legal-status Critical Current
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    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
    • B65D19/00—Pallets or like platforms, with or without side walls, for supporting loads to be lifted or lowered
    • B65D19/0004—Rigid pallets without side walls
    • B65D19/0006—Rigid pallets without side walls the load supporting surface being made of a single element
    • B65D19/0008—Rigid pallets without side walls the load supporting surface being made of a single element forming a continuous plane contact surface
    • B65D19/001—Rigid pallets without side walls the load supporting surface being made of a single element forming a continuous plane contact surface the base surface being made of a single element
    • B65D19/0014—Rigid pallets without side walls the load supporting surface being made of a single element forming a continuous plane contact surface the base surface being made of a single element forming discontinuous or non-planar contact surfaces
    • B65D19/0016—Rigid pallets without side walls the load supporting surface being made of a single element forming a continuous plane contact surface the base surface being made of a single element forming discontinuous or non-planar contact surfaces and each contact surface having a stringer-like shape
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
    • B65D19/00—Pallets or like platforms, with or without side walls, for supporting loads to be lifted or lowered
    • B65D19/0004—Rigid pallets without side walls
    • B65D19/0006—Rigid pallets without side walls the load supporting surface being made of a single element
    • B65D19/0008—Rigid pallets without side walls the load supporting surface being made of a single element forming a continuous plane contact surface
    • B65D19/002—Rigid pallets without side walls the load supporting surface being made of a single element forming a continuous plane contact surface the base surface being made of more than one element
    • B65D19/0024—Rigid pallets without side walls the load supporting surface being made of a single element forming a continuous plane contact surface the base surface being made of more than one element forming discontinuous or non-planar contact surfaces
    • B65D19/0026—Rigid pallets without side walls the load supporting surface being made of a single element forming a continuous plane contact surface the base surface being made of more than one element forming discontinuous or non-planar contact surfaces and each contact surface having a stringer-like shape
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
    • B65D19/00—Pallets or like platforms, with or without side walls, for supporting loads to be lifted or lowered
    • B65D19/0004—Rigid pallets without side walls
    • B65D19/0006—Rigid pallets without side walls the load supporting surface being made of a single element
    • B65D19/003—Rigid pallets without side walls the load supporting surface being made of a single element forming discontinuous or non-planar contact surfaces
    • B65D19/0032—Rigid pallets without side walls the load supporting surface being made of a single element forming discontinuous or non-planar contact surfaces the base surface being made of a single element
    • B65D19/0036—Rigid pallets without side walls the load supporting surface being made of a single element forming discontinuous or non-planar contact surfaces the base surface being made of a single element forming discontinuous or non-planar contact surfaces
    • B65D19/0038—Rigid pallets without side walls the load supporting surface being made of a single element forming discontinuous or non-planar contact surfaces the base surface being made of a single element forming discontinuous or non-planar contact surfaces and each contact surface having a stringer-like shape
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
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    • B65D19/00—Pallets or like platforms, with or without side walls, for supporting loads to be lifted or lowered
    • B65D19/0004—Rigid pallets without side walls
    • B65D19/0006—Rigid pallets without side walls the load supporting surface being made of a single element
    • B65D19/003—Rigid pallets without side walls the load supporting surface being made of a single element forming discontinuous or non-planar contact surfaces
    • B65D19/0042—Rigid pallets without side walls the load supporting surface being made of a single element forming discontinuous or non-planar contact surfaces the base surface being made of more than one element
    • B65D19/0046—Rigid pallets without side walls the load supporting surface being made of a single element forming discontinuous or non-planar contact surfaces the base surface being made of more than one element forming discontinuous or non-planar contact surfaces
    • B65D19/0048—Rigid pallets without side walls the load supporting surface being made of a single element forming discontinuous or non-planar contact surfaces the base surface being made of more than one element forming discontinuous or non-planar contact surfaces and each contact surface having a stringer-like shape
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
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    • B65D2519/00—Pallets or like platforms, with or without side walls, for supporting loads to be lifted or lowered
    • B65D2519/00004—Details relating to pallets
    • B65D2519/00009—Materials
    • B65D2519/00014—Materials for the load supporting surface
    • B65D2519/00019—Paper
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
    • B65D2519/00—Pallets or like platforms, with or without side walls, for supporting loads to be lifted or lowered
    • B65D2519/00004—Details relating to pallets
    • B65D2519/00009—Materials
    • B65D2519/00049—Materials for the base surface
    • B65D2519/00054—Paper
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
    • B65D2519/00—Pallets or like platforms, with or without side walls, for supporting loads to be lifted or lowered
    • B65D2519/00004—Details relating to pallets
    • B65D2519/00258—Overall construction
    • B65D2519/00263—Overall construction of the pallet
    • B65D2519/00268—Overall construction of the pallet made of one piece
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
    • B65D2519/00—Pallets or like platforms, with or without side walls, for supporting loads to be lifted or lowered
    • B65D2519/00004—Details relating to pallets
    • B65D2519/00258—Overall construction
    • B65D2519/00263—Overall construction of the pallet
    • B65D2519/00273—Overall construction of the pallet made of more than one piece
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
    • B65D2519/00—Pallets or like platforms, with or without side walls, for supporting loads to be lifted or lowered
    • B65D2519/00004—Details relating to pallets
    • B65D2519/00258—Overall construction
    • B65D2519/00283—Overall construction of the load supporting surface
    • B65D2519/00288—Overall construction of the load supporting surface made of one piece
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
    • B65D2519/00—Pallets or like platforms, with or without side walls, for supporting loads to be lifted or lowered
    • B65D2519/00004—Details relating to pallets
    • B65D2519/00258—Overall construction
    • B65D2519/00283—Overall construction of the load supporting surface
    • B65D2519/00303—Cell type, e.g. honeycomb
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
    • B65D2519/00—Pallets or like platforms, with or without side walls, for supporting loads to be lifted or lowered
    • B65D2519/00004—Details relating to pallets
    • B65D2519/00258—Overall construction
    • B65D2519/00313—Overall construction of the base surface
    • B65D2519/00318—Overall construction of the base surface made of one piece
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
    • B65D2519/00—Pallets or like platforms, with or without side walls, for supporting loads to be lifted or lowered
    • B65D2519/00004—Details relating to pallets
    • B65D2519/00258—Overall construction
    • B65D2519/00313—Overall construction of the base surface
    • B65D2519/00323—Overall construction of the base surface made of more than one piece
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
    • B65D2519/00—Pallets or like platforms, with or without side walls, for supporting loads to be lifted or lowered
    • B65D2519/00004—Details relating to pallets
    • B65D2519/00258—Overall construction
    • B65D2519/00313—Overall construction of the base surface
    • B65D2519/00328—Overall construction of the base surface shape of the contact surface of the base
    • B65D2519/00333—Overall construction of the base surface shape of the contact surface of the base contact surface having a stringer-like shape
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
    • B65D2519/00—Pallets or like platforms, with or without side walls, for supporting loads to be lifted or lowered
    • B65D2519/00004—Details relating to pallets
    • B65D2519/00258—Overall construction
    • B65D2519/00313—Overall construction of the base surface
    • B65D2519/00358—Cell type, e.g. honeycomb
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
    • B65D2519/00—Pallets or like platforms, with or without side walls, for supporting loads to be lifted or lowered
    • B65D2519/00004—Details relating to pallets
    • B65D2519/00258—Overall construction
    • B65D2519/00398—Overall construction reinforcements
    • B65D2519/00402—Integral, e.g. ribs
    • B65D2519/00407—Integral, e.g. ribs on the load supporting surface
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
    • B65D2519/00—Pallets or like platforms, with or without side walls, for supporting loads to be lifted or lowered
    • B65D2519/00004—Details relating to pallets
    • B65D2519/00258—Overall construction
    • B65D2519/00398—Overall construction reinforcements
    • B65D2519/00402—Integral, e.g. ribs
    • B65D2519/00412—Integral, e.g. ribs on the base surface
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
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    • B65D2519/00—Pallets or like platforms, with or without side walls, for supporting loads to be lifted or lowered
    • B65D2519/00004—Details relating to pallets
    • B65D2519/00547—Connections
    • B65D2519/00552—Structures connecting the constitutive elements of the pallet to each other, i.e. load supporting surface, base surface and/or separate spacer
    • B65D2519/00557—Structures connecting the constitutive elements of the pallet to each other, i.e. load supporting surface, base surface and/or separate spacer without separate auxiliary elements
    • B65D2519/00562—Structures connecting the constitutive elements of the pallet to each other, i.e. load supporting surface, base surface and/or separate spacer without separate auxiliary elements chemical connection, e.g. glued, welded, sealed

Definitions

  • the invention relates to pallets for supporting items during shipment and storage.
  • the invention relates to a pallet formed predominately from fibrous material.
  • the drawbacks associated with wooden pallets are well known, as noted for example in U.S. Patent No. 5,184,558. Briefly, such drawbacks include heaviness, which makes the pallets cumbersome to handle and costly to ship, relatively great expense because of the costliness of wood, and difficulty and expense of disposing of the pallets when their useful life has been expended.
  • non-wooden pallets Because of such problems, various types of non-wooden pallets have been proposed. Some of these pallets are based on corrugated paperboard materials; others are based on honeycomb sandwich types of sheet materials. Still others are one-piece structures molded from fibrous material.
  • Pallets based on corrugated paperboard materials suffer from relatively poor rigidity because corrugated paperboard material by its nature is weak in bending parallel to the running direction of the flutes. Attempts have been made to improve rigidity in all directions by forming laminations of multiple layers of corrugated paperboard with the flutes in successive layers being oriented orthogonally. There is thus a need for a substantial number of separate pieces of corrugated sheet material, each die cut to appropriate size and shape, the pieces then being glued together. Thus, production and assembly of a pallet from such materials is relatively complex and expensive.
  • Pallets formed from honeycomb sandwich materials likewise tend to consist of a substantial number of separate pieces, and hence are relatively complex and expensive to produce and assemble. Additionally, the bond between the honeycomb cells and the face sheets represents a weak link in honeycomb sandwich structures; if this bond should break, the structure loses a great deal of its bending stiffness. In honeycomb sandwich panels based on paper, furthermore, exposure of the panels to water or other liquids can substantially weaken the panels.
  • the invention addresses the above needs and achieves other advantages, by providing a pallet formed of molded fibrous panel material of a special type having substantial strength and relatively light weight.
  • the pallet can be constructed from a small number of separate pieces of the panel material, or even from a single piece of the panel material.
  • a pallet is constructed of a molded fibrous panel material comprising a sheet portion defining opposite planar surfaces, and a grid of intersecting ribs projecting from one of the planar surfaces of the sheet portion, the sheet portion and ribs being integrally molded in one piece from fibrous material.
  • the fibrous material can be, for example, recycled paper fibers. If water-resistance is required, the molded fibrous panel material can be impregnated with a suitable resin.
  • the panel has substantial rigidity and integrity by virtue of its one-piece construction and the grid of intersecting ribs.
  • a pallet in accordance with the invention comprises a horizontal portion of the molded fibrous panel material forming an upper support surface of the pallet, and at least two spaced runners joined to and extending downward from the horizontal portion for engaging the ground to space the horizontal portion above the ground.
  • Each runner comprises at least two vertical portions of the molded fibrous panel material arranged in parallel relation and bonded to one another.
  • a single panel member is folded along a series of parallel fold lines extending across a width of the member, so as to form the runners and the horizontal portion from the single member.
  • the grooves are formed in the panel to create the fold lines.
  • the grooves represent regions in which fibrous material that would otherwise be there is missing or removed.
  • the grooves preferably are generally V-shaped with a 90-degree included angle between opposite side walls of the grooves so that the panel can be folded 90 degrees about the fold line.
  • the grooves either can be molded into the panel when it is molded, or alternatively can be formed by mechanically removing material (e.g., by routing) from the panel after it is formed.
  • a top panel is affixed atop the horizontal portion of the pallet, such as by gluing.
  • the top panel gives added strength to the pallet and also presents a smooth top surface.
  • the top panel in one embodiment comprises a laminated multi-layer sheet, for example formed from paperboard sheets.
  • the top panel can be another piece of the molded fibrous panel material, with the ribs facing downward toward the horizontal portion of the pallet.
  • the ribs of the top panel can be bonded to the ribs of the horizontal portion, optionally with an intervening piece of sheet material (e.g., paperboard or the like) disposed therebetween.
  • the molded fibrous panel material forming the horizontal and vertical portions of the pallet can comprise a single layer of the molded fibrous panel material, such that one side of the panel is planar and the other side has exposed ribs.
  • the panel material can comprise a double layer wherein the two layers are joined rib-to-rib, for added rigidity.
  • FIGS. 1 and 2 show a molded fibrous panel 20 that is used for constructing pallets in accordance with the invention.
  • the panel 20 can be formed by a process generally similar to that disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 4,702,870 to Setterholm et al., or by a process such as described in co-pending U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 10/729,686, filed on December 5, 2003, entitled "Apparatus and Process for Forming Three-Dimensional Fibrous Panels".
  • the process produces a three-dimensional panel that has a sheet portion 22 defining opposite planar surfaces 24 and 26, and a grid of intersecting ribs 28 projecting from one surface 24 of the sheet portion.
  • an aqueous fiber stock is deposited into a mold comprising a porous support plate or screen on which are affixed a plurality of resilient elastomeric mold pieces or projections of truncated conical or pyramidal shape.
  • the mold pieces are spaced apart on the porous support plate so that intersecting channels are defined between the mold pieces.
  • the aqueous stock fills the mold to a depth greater than the height of the mold pieces, so the stock covers the upper surfaces of the mold pieces.
  • a flat mold plate is urged against the stock and presses the stock down into the mold; the stock is dewatered through openings in the porous support plate. The pressure dewaters and densifies the panel, and the wet panel is then dried fully to complete the process.
  • the panel 20 advantageously can have a thickness ranging from about 6.35 mm to about 19.05 mm (about 1 ⁇ 4-inch to about 3 ⁇ 4-inch) or more.
  • the panel can be formed from recycled paper fibers.
  • the panel can be impregnated with a resin to render it water-resistant, if desired.
  • An advantage of the panel over the prior art is its relatively large strength-to-weight ratio, which makes possible the construction of pallets of relatively light weight but substantial strength.
  • FIG. 3 depicts a pallet 30 in accordance with a first embodiment of the invention.
  • the pallet 30 is constructed from a single molded fibrous panel 20 and a top panel 50 .
  • the molded fibrous panel 20 is rectangular in shape.
  • the panel 20 is folded along a series of parallel fold lines to form three runners 32, 34, 36 spaced apart and parallel to one another, as further described below.
  • the top panel 50 is then bonded to the folded panel 20 by gluing or the like.
  • the formation of the runner 32 is depicted in FIGS. 4A, 4B, and 5; the other runners are formed in a similar fashion.
  • the panel 20 is provided with a series of spaced, parallel fold lines A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J (FIG. 3); the fold lines A, B, and C are used for forming the first runner 32.
  • the fold line A is spaced from one edge of the panel 20 by a distance corresponding to a desired vertical extent of the runner 32; panel section 20a is defined between the panel edge and the fold line A .
  • the fold line B is spaced from the fold line A by a minimum distance roughly equal to 1.5 to 2 times the thickness of the panel; panel section 20b is defined between fold lines A and B .
  • the fold line C is spaced from the fold line B by a distance approximately equal to the vertical height of the runner minus the thickness of the panel 20; panel section 20c is defined between the fold lines B and C , and a panel section 20d is connected to the panel section 20c at the fold line C .
  • each groove preferably is V-shaped; the opposite side walls of the groove preferably define an angle of substantially 90 degrees therebetween. Accordingly, when the panel is folded 90 degrees about the fold line, the opposite side walls of the groove come into substantially abutting relation and can be glued together to secure the panel in the folded position.
  • the V-shaped grooves can be formed in various ways.
  • the grooves are formed during the molding process, by suitably configuring the mold.
  • the panel can be molded without grooves, and then the panel can be routed, machined, or otherwise mechanically operated upon to remove material to form the grooves.
  • the panel sections 20a and 20b are folded as a unit 90 degrees clockwise about the fold line B as shown in FIG. 4B, then the panel section 20a is folded relative to panel section 20b 90 degrees clockwise about the fold line A .
  • the panel sections 20a and 20c are parallel to each other and are rib-to-rib.
  • These panel sections are glued together to form the runner 32.
  • the runner is then folded 90 degrees counterclockwise about the fold line C , with the resulting structure being shown in FIG. 5.
  • Panel section 20d forms a horizontal portion of the pallet on which a load will be supported.
  • the other runners 34 and 36 and further horizontal portions are similarly formed by folding the panel about the respective fold lines D-J .
  • the top panel 50 is attached atop the panel 20 by gluing or the like to complete the pallet construction.
  • FIG. 6 illustrates a portion of a pallet 30' in accordance with a second embodiment of the invention.
  • This pallet is essentially the same as the pallet 30 described above, except that the panel 20 is reinforced in the region of the fold lines A and B by a reinforcing web 52.
  • the reinforcing web 52 is employed to prevent or minimize fiber breakage in the region of the fold lines that may otherwise result upon folding of the panel.
  • the reinforcing web may be an adhesive tape such as a pressure-sensitive adhesive tape comprising a substrate of paper or cloth having a layer of pressure-sensitive adhesive thereon.
  • the reinforcing web preferably is affixed to the panel prior to folding.
  • FIG. 7 A third embodiment of the invention is depicted in FIG. 7.
  • the pallet 130 shown in FIG. 7 is generally similar to the pallet 30 previously described, except as noted herein.
  • the pallet 130 has a panel 20 folded along fold lines A, B, C , etc., so as to form runners 32, etc., as previously described, and a top panel 50 affixed atop the panel 20.
  • the runners are reinforced with additional stiffening members.
  • the runner 32 is shown having a stiffening member 60 disposed between the panel portion 20a and the panel portion 20c that make up the runner.
  • the stiffening member is bonded to the panel portions 20a and 20c with adhesive or the like.
  • the fold lines A and B are spaced slightly farther apart than in the previously described pallet 30, so that when the panel portions 20a and 20c are parallel to each other there is a space between them substantially equal to the thickness of the stiffening member 60.
  • the stiffening member 60 can comprise various materials, including but not limited to metal, wood, hard plastic, hard rubber, fiber-reinforced plastic, multi-layer paperboard laminations, and the like.
  • FIG. 8 shows a fourth embodiment of the invention.
  • the pallet 230 of FIG. 8 is generally similar to the pallet 30 described above, except that the top panel 250 comprises a fibrous molded panel of the type shown in FIG. 1.
  • the top panel 250 has a sheet portion 252 and ribs 258 projecting therefrom.
  • the top panel 250 is bonded to the panel 20 that forms the runners of the pallet.
  • the panel 20 has its ribs 28 projecting upwardly and the top panel 250 has its ribs 258 projecting downwardly, and the two panels are bonded rib-to-rib.
  • FIG. 9 A fifth embodiment of the invention is illustrated in FIG. 9.
  • the pallet 330 of FIG. 9 is constructed in a fashion similar to that used for constructing the pallet 30, except that the starting panel 320 used for forming the runners is a double-layer panel having two panels of the type illustrated in FIG. 1, bonded rib-to-rib (with or without an intervening sheet therebetween). Thus, both opposite surfaces of the panel 320 are smooth and planar.
  • the panel is provided with grooves along the desired fold lines by routing or the like, as previously described, and is folded to form the runners 332, etc., and the horizontal portions 320d, etc.
  • the horizontal portions of the panel 320 already comprise a double-layer of panel material, there is no need for an additional top panel.
  • the entire pallet is formed from one double-layer panel.
  • the runners can be further strengthened, if desired, by stiffening members.
  • each runner such as the runner 432 shown in the drawing, is formed by bonding together two or more separate and discrete pieces of panel material, and is then bonded to a top panel of the pallet.
  • the runner 432 comprises two double-layer pieces of panel material 440 and 442 bonded together.
  • the piece 440 comprises two panels 440a and 440b bonded together rib-to-rib (with or without an intervening sheet therebetween); likewise, the piece 442 comprises two panels 442a and 442b bonded together rib-to-rib (with or without an intervening sheet therebetween).
  • the pallet 430 includes a top panel 450 comprising a double-layer piece of panel material having two panels bonded together rib-to-rib (with or without an intervening sheet therebetween).
  • the top panel could be a single layer of the panel material, or could be another type of construction such as a multi-layer paperboard lamination.
  • the runners could be formed of fewer than four layers of the panel material; for example, the runners could comprise two layers of the panel material.
  • the runners could include stiffening members as previously described.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Pallets (AREA)

Claims (24)

  1. Palette (30), die vorherrschend aus geformtem Fasermaterial gebildet wird, die aufweist:
    ein geformtes Fasereplattenmaterial (20), das einen Plattenabschnitt (22), der entgegengesetzte ebene Flächen (24, 26) definiert, und ein Gitter von sich schneidenden Rippen (28) aufweist, die aus einer der ebenen Flächen (24) des Plattenabschnittes vorstehen, wobei der Plattenabschnitt (22) und die Rippen (28) zusammenhängend in einem Stück aus Fasermaterial geformt werden;
    einen horizontalen Abschnitt (50) des geformten Faserplattenmaterials, der eine obere Auflagefläche der Palette bildet;
    wobei die Palette außerdem mindestens zwei beabstandete Kufen (32, 34, 36) aufweist, die verbunden sind mit und sich nach unten erstrecken vom horizontalen Abschnitt (50) für eine Berührung mit dem Erdboden, um den horizontalen Abschnitt (50) über dem Erdboden mit Abstand anzuordnen, wobei jede Kufe mindestens zwei vertikale Abschnitte des geformten Faserplattenmaterials aufweist, die in einer parallelen Beziehung angeordnet und miteinander verbunden sind.
  2. Palette nach Anspruch 1, bei der jede Kufe ein separates Versteifungselement (60) umfasst, das angeordnet zwischen und mit zwei der vertikalen Abschnitte verbunden ist.
  3. Palette nach Anspruch 1, bei der der horizontale Abschnitt und die vertikalen Abschnitte alle zusammenhängend und periodisch miteinander längs einer Reihe von beabstandeten parallelen Faltlinien (A-J) im geformten Faserplattenmaterial verbunden sind.
  4. Palette nach Anspruch 3, bei der jede Faltlinie (A-J) eine Nut im geformten Faserplattenmaterial aufweist.
  5. Palette nach Anspruch 4, bei der die Nuten in das geformte Faserplattenmaterial geformt werden.
  6. Palette nach Anspruch 4, bei der die Nuten durch mechanisches Entfernen von Fasermaterial aus dem geformten Faserplattenmaterial gebildet werden.
  7. Palette nach Anspruch 4, bei der mindestens einige der Nuten im Allgemeinen V-förmig mit einem eingeschlossenen Winkel von etwa 90 Grad zwischen entgegengesetzten Seitenwänden der Nut sind.
  8. Palette nach Anspruch 1, die außerdem eine obere Platte (250, 450) aufweist, die oben auf dem horizontalen Abschnitt befestigt ist.
  9. Palette nach Anspruch 8, bei der die obere Platte ein mehrlagiges Schichtmaterial aufweist.
  10. Palette nach Anspruch 9, bei der das Schichtmaterial Pappe aufweist.
  11. Palette nach Anspruch 8, bei der die obere Platte ein anderes Stück des geformten Faserplattenmaterials aufweist.
  12. Palette nach Anspruch 11, bei der die Rippen der oberen Platte nach unten liegen und die Rippen des horizontalen Abschnittes nach oben liegen, um den Rippen der oberen Platte gegenüberzuliegen.
  13. Palette nach Anspruch 12, bei der die Rippen der oberen Platte direkt mit den Rippen des horizontalen Abschnittes verbunden sind.
  14. Palette nach Anspruch 12, bei der die Rippen der oberen Platte mit den Rippen des horizontalen Abschnittes mittels eines dazwischen angeordneten Trennstückes des Plattenmaterials (260) verbunden werden, wobei das Platteninaterial mit den Rippen der oberen Platte und des horizontalen Abschnittes verbunden ist.
  15. Palette nach Anspruch 3, bei der das geformte Faserplattenntaterial, das den horizontalen und die vertikalen Abschnitte bildet, eine einzelne Schicht des geformten Faserplattenmaterials aufweist.
  16. Palette nach Anspruch 3, bei der das geformte Faserplattenmaterial, das den horizontalen und die vertikalen Abschnitte bildet, zwei Schichten des geformten Faserplattenmaterials aufweist, die Rippe an Rippe verbunden sind.
  17. Palette nach Anspruch 3, die außerdem eine Verstärkungsrippe aufweist, die mit einer Seite des geformten Faserplattenmaterials längs mindestens einer der Faltlinien verbunden ist.
  18. Palette nach Anspruch 17, bei der die Verstärkungsrippe ein Selbstklebeband aufweist.
  19. Palette nach Anspruch 3, bei der das geformte Faserplattenmaterial in der Reihenfolge von einem Ende zu einem entgegengesetzten Ende des geformten Faserplattenmaterials aufweist:
    eine erste, zweite und dritte Faltlinie für das Bilden einer ersten Kufe;
    eine vierte, fünfte, sechste und siebente Faltlinie für das Bilden einer zweiten Kufe; und
    eine achte, neunte und zehnte Faltlinie für das Bilden einer dritten Kufe.
  20. Palette nach Anspruch 1, bei der das geformte Faserplattenmaterial aus wieder aufbereiteten Papierfasern gebildet wird.
  21. Palette nach Anspruch 20, bei der das geformte Faserplattenmaterial mit einem Harz imprägniert wird, um das geformte Faserplattenmatcrial im Wesentlichen wasserbeständig zu machen.
  22. Palette nach Anspruch 1, bei der jede Kufe ein erstes Paar Schichten des geformten Faserplattenmaterials aufweist, die Rippe an Rippe verbunden sind.
  23. Palette nach Anspruch 22, bei der jede Kufe ein zweites Paar Schichten des geformten Faserplattenmaterials aufweist, die Rippe an Rippe verbunden sind, und die mit dem ersten Paar verbunden sind, so dass die Kufe vier Schichten aufweist.
  24. Palette nach Anspruch 22, bei der der horizontale Abschnitt ein separates Stück des geformten Faserplattenmaterials aufweist, das mit den Kufen verbunden ist.
EP05250867A 2004-03-03 2005-02-15 Palette hergestellt aus einem aus einer geformten Faserplatte bestehenden Material Expired - Fee Related EP1588951B1 (de)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US10/792,629 US20050193926A1 (en) 2004-03-03 2004-03-03 Pallet formed from molded fibrous panel material
US792629 2004-03-03

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP1588951A1 EP1588951A1 (de) 2005-10-26
EP1588951B1 true EP1588951B1 (de) 2007-03-28

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EP05250867A Expired - Fee Related EP1588951B1 (de) 2004-03-03 2005-02-15 Palette hergestellt aus einem aus einer geformten Faserplatte bestehenden Material

Country Status (5)

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US (1) US20050193926A1 (de)
EP (1) EP1588951B1 (de)
CA (1) CA2497076A1 (de)
DE (1) DE602005000764T2 (de)
MX (1) MXPA05002401A (de)

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TW200635830A (en) * 2004-12-29 2006-10-16 Hunter Paine Entpr Llc Composite structural material and method of making the same
US20070107639A1 (en) * 2005-11-04 2007-05-17 Dixon Douglass W Pallet having corrugated components and modular method of making same
AT508288B1 (de) * 2009-05-18 2011-02-15 Fronius Int Gmbh Vorrichtung zum schutz eines gehäuses einer schweisskomponente
EP3354587A1 (de) 2017-01-25 2018-08-01 Air Bamboo Industrial GmbH Palette mit gefaltetem holzfurnier
US10377528B2 (en) * 2017-07-25 2019-08-13 Haissam Haidar Closed polygonal cell shipping pallet

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Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
DE602005000764D1 (de) 2007-05-10
CA2497076A1 (en) 2005-09-03
DE602005000764T2 (de) 2008-01-10
EP1588951A1 (de) 2005-10-26
MXPA05002401A (es) 2005-10-05
US20050193926A1 (en) 2005-09-08

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