EP1919787A1

EP1919787A1 - Pallet having great dimensional stability and load-bearing capacity

Info

Publication number: EP1919787A1
Application number: EP06775853A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Mark Arinstein
Original assignee: Mark Arinstein Maschinen and Anlagen GmbH
Current assignee: Mark Arinstein Maschinen and Anlagen GmbH
Priority date: 2005-08-16
Filing date: 2006-08-14
Publication date: 2008-05-14
Also published as: JP2009504522A; WO2007019833A1; IL189520A0

Abstract

The invention relates to a pallet which is provided with great dimensional stability and load-bearing capacity and is used for storing and transporting all types of goods. The invention is characterized in that the plastic parts of the pallet comprise reinforcement elements which extend below the base plate of the pallet, in the region of the legs and/or within the base plate of the pallet.

Description

Pallet with high dimensional stability and carrying capacity

The invention relates to a pallet with high dimensional stability and carrying capacity for storing and transporting goods of all kinds. The pallet is essentially made of plastic and thus has a lower dead weight. Nevertheless, the range has a high stability and is characterized by a high load capacity.

It is therefore particularly suitable for the transport and storage of very heavy or large loads.

The pallet is suitable for transporting general cargo, but it could also be stored loose parts and bulk goods and transported. In particular, the range is suitable in storage for storing heavy items in high-bay warehouses.

In transport and warehousing, pallets are in circulation in many different ways. On the one hand, this concerns the size of the pallets and, on the other hand, the material from which the pallets are made.

In transport z. As for retail pallets are often used made of wood. For years, pallets of standardized sizes have been in use.

A major disadvantage of wooden pallets, however, is their high weight.

Plastic pallets have been known for years. Thus, in DE utility model 7214376 from 17.04. Describe a hard foam fiber pallet in 1972. It is essential that this palette made of polyurethane or polystyrene or of another plastic. For stability and elasticity plastic fibers are foamed. A special design is not provided.

In DE Utility Model G 92 16 019.0 dated 24.11.1992 a plastic pallet is disclosed, which consists essentially of a top plate, a bottom part and with spacers in between. This range is suitable for storing and transporting goods, but requires some care in handling.

A disadvantage of the known plastic pallets is that they are expensive due to the manufacturing process. Also known plastic pallets are only limited in the rough transport process. Due to the material properties of the plastic, pallets produced from it are not very stable in shape.

There are a number of solutions on the one hand to exploit the advantages such as low weight of the plastic pallet, and on the other hand to ensure greater dimensional stability and strength.

In the utility model DE 20017086 a transport pallet made of plastic is described with reinforcing cross. Here, the pallet has been provided on its upper side with at least one extending transversely to the feet reinforcing beam made of metal. With this solution, a range for a specific application has been presented, which is not universally applicable.

In the patent application DE 19753213 a plastic pallet is disclosed, which consists essentially of a pallet deck and runners. The pallet deck has chambers in which stiffening profiles can be inserted. The stiffening profiles are here after the production of the pallet decks subsequently introduced into special chambers. If necessary, the stiffening profiles can also be removed from the plastic pallet. The reinforcement profiles lie parallel to the outer sides of the pallet within the pallet deck. Due to the way in which the stiffening profiles are introduced into the pallet deck, however, an increase in the bending stiffness is only possible within narrow limits. Furthermore, covers are required for the chambers in which the stiffening profiles are located. This plastic pallet was specially developed for spe- cific hygiene requirements and is therefore not intended for universal use.

In the German patent application DE 199 39 286 a support structure for a pallet is described. It is a construction that can be used to reinforce special plastic pallets for use in high-bay warehouses. Due to the support structure, the pallet is to be given a high load-bearing capacity and a high flexural rigidity in the longitudinal and transverse directions. For this purpose, a rib arrangement consisting of stiffening ribs is used. The stiffening ribs extend both parallel and obliquely to the outer sides of the pallet. By choosing the thickness and the number of reinforcing ribs, the range can be adapted to different requirements. A disadvantage of such a pallet construction is that in order to increase the carrying capacity and the dimensional stability, the supporting structure has to be made more and more massive. For a very high load capacity and dispute, this increases the weight of the pallet, which in turn reduces the weight advantages of the plastic pallet.

The invention is therefore based on the object to make a range of plastic such that both a high load capacities and a high dimensional stability is achieved. The pallet should be light in relation to its load capacity. The shape and the size of the pallet should correspond to the normal pallets, thus the use of the usual Transport and storage aids such as pallet trucks and forklifts is possible. It should be able to realize much higher load capacities, with the known reinforced pallets.

The range should be universally applicable and have low production costs.

The object is achieved by a pallet with the features of claim 1.

The invention is based on the following thoughts. To increase the carrying capacity and the dimensional stability of plastic pallets reinforcing elements have been introduced into the base plate of the pallet so far. The reinforcing elements were introduced both individually and as a combination of different elements in the base plate. The use of the reinforcing elements within the base plate of the pallet limited the design height of the reinforcing elements. Ultimately, the entire load or load absorption took place within the plane of the base plate.

The invention provides a solution in which reinforcing elements extend below the base plate of the pallet in the region of the feet and / or within the base plate of the pallet.

The pallet has a base plate of approximately rectangular format, an upper side of the base plate for receiving the goods to be stored or transported, and feet having a rectangular cross-section which tapers from the base plate towards the bottom of the foot. The height of the feet is dimensioned such that a means of transport or a lifting means can be guided under the pallet.

Essential for reinforcing elements below the base plate in the area of the feet is, that the feet are arranged in rows, which are parallel extend to the longitudinal or front side of the base plate,

- That in the bottom of the feet grooves are incorporated, which extend in the longitudinal direction of the feet and thus also parallel to one side of the base plate, - that the grooves are in the lower sides of a series of adjacent feet in alignment and

- That in the grooves foot rails can be introduced, which connect at least two adjacent feet on the undersides.

Other features are that in the bottom of the feet each 2 grooves are incorporated, which run parallel. In these grooves foot rails can be introduced, which have a U - shaped cross-section. The U - shaped Fußschienen- have on their legs spring elements with which the beams can be firmly but detachably secured in the feet of the pallet.

In addition, it is provided that the U - shaped foot rails have a reduced cross-section in the area between the feet.

The top of the baseplate contains pits that correspond in size and location to the bottoms of the feet of the pallet. In the top of the base plate channels are additionally present, which extend between these recesses and correspond in size and location in the bottom of the feet inserted foot rails

Within the base plate of the pallet, the reinforcing elements consist of longitudinal struts and cross struts, which are connected to form a network structure. If the feet of the pallet are connected to one another by means of foot rails and if these rails are connected via webs to the connection points of longitudinal struts and cross struts, a spatial grid structure for the reinforcing elements arises from the network structure of the reinforcement elements in the base plate of the pallet. By the Spatial arrangement of the reinforcing elements within the pallet create new conditions for the dimensioning of these reinforcing elements. To produce a high load capacity and dimensional stability, it is now more possible to use reinforcing elements with a lower material input. The spatial structure allows the use of reinforcing elements with low material thickness, whereby a high dimensional stability is ensured by the embedding of the reinforcing elements in the plastic of the pallet. That is, the spatial lattice structure of the reinforcing elements takes over the loads acting on the pallet and thus provides a high load capacity and dimensional stability, while the plastic surrounding the reinforcing elements provides for the dispute between the reinforcing elements themselves. The shape of the reinforcing elements, in particular the design of the surfaces, ensures an intimate connection between the reinforcing elements and the surrounding plastic.

As plastic for the base plate and the feet of the pallet Styrofoam is preferably used.

The advantages of the invention are that a light pallet can be realized by the material used Styrofoam, which is variably applicable and which has the required strength by the reinforcing elements. Further details can be found in the embodiment.

The invention will be explained in more detail in the embodiment.

Figures 1 to 8 show embodiments of the pallet according to the invention with details of the reinforcing elements, which are located below the base plate of the pallet in the region of the feet.

Figures 9 to 11 show details of the reinforcing elements within the base plate of the pallet and formation of the spatial grid structure ..

FIG. 1 shows a pallet in a perspective view from above. The base plate 1 has a rectangular format, wherein the corners are slightly rounded. At the bottom 3 of the base plate are the feet 4, with which the pallet can be placed on a shelf or on another pallet. The feet 4 have a rectangular cross-section. At the bottom 3 of the base plate 1, the cross-section of the feet is larger than at the footprint below. The height of the feet and thus the free space under the base plate 1 is chosen so large that conventional transport or lifting, z. B. a pallet truck, including can be moved.

In the top 2 of the base plate 1 recesses 11 are incorporated. The location and extent of these recesses 11 are designed so that the feet of a same range can be turned off with their footprint therein. Furthermore, on the upper side 2 of the base plate 1 channels 12 are present, which extend between the recesses 11, parallel to the longitudinal side of the pallet.

Figure 2 shows a pallet of Figure 1 laterally from below. As can already be seen in FIG. 1, the feet 4 are arranged in rows which extend parallel to the longitudinal or end side of the base plate 1. Here in the example 3 rows of feet 4 are each parallel to the longitudinal side of the base plate 1 available. There are 2 rows on the outer sides of the base plate 1, while the third row in the

Center of the base plate 1 is located. It should also be noted that the feet, which have a rectangular cross section, extend with their longitudinal sides parallel to the longitudinal side of the base plate 1. Each row of feet consists of 3 feet, 1 foot each at the end faces and one foot centered to the longitudinal side of the base plate 1. In the bottom of the feet 5, ie at their installation surfaces, grooves 7 are incorporated. These grooves extend in the longitudinal direction of the feet and thus parallel to the longitudinal side of the base plate 1. The position of the grooves 7 is identical to each foot, so that the grooves on the underside of a row of feet are in alignment.

In these grooves 7 foot rails 8 can be introduced, which connect at least two adjacent feet 4 in a series of feet together. In FIG. 2, one foot rail 8 is provided for each row of feet 4, which extends over the entire length of a foot row. The foot rails 8 are hereby shown in the position prior to attachment to the feet 2.

Figure 3 shows an enlarged view of the underside of a foot 4 and of a foot rails 8. As can be seen, in the bottom of each foot, two grooves 7 are incorporated, which run parallel. Accordingly, the foot rails 8 have a U-shaped cross section in order to penetrate with their legs for fastening in the grooves 7. The legs of the U-shaped foot rails 8 have spring elements 9 on their upper side. With the aid of these spring elements 9, the foot rails 8 can engage in the grooves 7 on the undersides of the feet 5. The spring effect creates a connection between the foot rails 8 and the feet 4, which is sufficiently durable for the intended transport and storage processes. If necessary, the beams can also be removed again.

FIG. 4 shows a pallet according to the invention with inserted beams

FIG. 5 shows a pallet as described so far. In contrast to Figure 4, however, a modified foot rails 8 is used here. While the foot rails 8 as before in the figures 2 to 4 describe one on the With inserted foot rails 8, the areas of reduced cross-section in the space between 6 see between the feet 4. The advantage is that the area with a reduced Cross section with a means of transport, such as a pallet truck, can drive over cheaper.

As already mentioned, it is important in transport and storage processes that the pallets are both robust and lightweight. The base plate 1 and the feet 4 of the pallet according to the invention form a unit manufacturing technology and are made of plastic polystyrene.

For the transport and storage processes, it is therefore advantageous if mechanical protection can be applied to heavily stressed parts of the pallet. FIG. 6 shows a pallet according to the invention with a side protection on the longitudinal side of the pallet. In the lower part of FIG. 6, the side contactor is shown separately. The side guard here is a modification of a foot rail 8. While according to Figures 2 to 4, the foot rail 8 has a constant U-shaped cross-section extends according to Figure 6, the outer leg of the beam as an extension 13 to the top 2 of the base plate. 1 In this case, within the extension 13 in the space between the feet 4 openings 6 for driving over with means of transport, analogous to the foot rail 8 according to FIG. 5

To protect the feet 4 and the base plate 1 in the rough transport process protective caps 14 are still provided, which are mounted as shown in Figure 7, on the front sides of the pallet.

In a further embodiment of the invention, Figure 8 shows a pallet for the transport of loose objects or bulk material with a lateral edge 15. This edge 15 on the The top of the pallet 2 encloses an area that is large enough to accommodate the feet of a same pallet.

FIG. 9 shows a pallet according to the invention with reinforcing elements within the base plate of the pallet. To illustrate the reinforcing elements, a section through the sectional plane I-I is shown in FIG.

Between two feet 4 a row is in each case a gap 6, which is dimensioned according to the retraction of a lift truck or for the forks of a forklift. Alternatively, however, forklifts and pallet trucks can also reach under the pallet from the short transverse side.

Figure 10 shows the reinforcing elements according to the invention in perspective view corresponding to the position in the pallet of Figure 9. Parallel to the longitudinal side of the pallet extending longitudinal struts 16. Cross struts 17 are parallel to the transverse side of the pallet. Longitudinal struts 16 and cross struts 17 are dimensioned in their height such that they are located within the base plate 1. Here in the exemplary embodiment are three longitudinal struts 16, two in the region of the longitudinal sides of the pallet and the third in the middle between these and three transverse struts 17, two in the region of the transverse sides of the pallet and the third in the middle between them. The longitudinal struts 16 and the transverse struts 17 are connected to each other, so that a network structure is formed.

As a comparison of FIG. 10 with FIG. 9 shows, the connection points of longitudinal struts 16 and transverse struts are located

17 within the base plate 1 each above the feet 4. From the connection points of longitudinal struts 16 and cross struts 17 webs 18 lead perpendicular to the bottom 5 of the feet 4. As already stated, three feet 4 are arranged in a row. The webs 18 a number of feet 4 are connected to each other via foot rails 8. Thus, the reinforcing elements form a spatial lattice structure consisting of Longitudinal struts 16, cross struts 17, webs 18 and foot rails 8.

FIG. 11 shows a section through a pallet according to the invention. The sectional area is indicated in FIG. 9 as a sectional plane I-I. The section through the pallet with its base plate 1 extends in the region of the feet 4. The longitudinal struts 16 and the transverse struts 17 are arranged between the upper side 2 and the lower side 3 within the base plate 1. From the connection points of longitudinal struts 16 and cross struts 17 webs 18 lead to the lower portion of the feet 4. There, the webs 18 are connected to the foot rails 8, which in turn each connect the three feet 4 a row of feet at the bottom.

As a material for the longitudinal struts 16, cross struts 17 and the webs 18 may be sheet steel, for. B. 0.5 mm thick, galvanized or not galvanized used. The sheet contains recesses, here circular, whose size can be up to 80% of the material height. Longitudinal struts 7 and cross struts 8 have a U-shaped cross-section 11.

This construction of the reinforcing elements ensures that they can be completely penetrated by the plastic of the pallet.

As can be seen in the figures, the upper side 2 of the base plate is structured. The structures best of rectangular recesses 11 which are interconnected by channels 12. As already stated, the feet 4 have a conical cross section. That is, they taper from the bottom of the base plate 3 start toward the bottom of the feet 5. Each in a row arranged feet 4 are connected by foot rails 8. The recesses 11 and channels 12 on the upper side 2 of the base plate correspond in position and shape to the feet 4 and the foot rails 8 of a pallet. Thus, identical pallets can engage in one another for stacking, whereby the stackability of the pallets is improved. As shown in particular in FIGS. 5, 9 and 10, the foot rails 8 in the intermediate spaces 6 between the feet 4 have areas with a reduced cross-section 10. As a result, a simple retraction of a lift truck in the gap 6 is possible. The transition from the U-shaped profile to the areas of reduced cross-section 10 in this case has the shape of a triangle. This can be prevented that the lift truck rubs when entering the gap 6 on the feet 4.

In a further embodiment of the invention, the foot rails 8 extend to the outside of the feet 4. Thus there is a stop protection for the pallet. When the pallet is hit in the area of the feet on the front side, the force is absorbed by the foot rail. The plastic material in the area of the foot is thereby relieved.

Pallet with high dimensional stability and carrying capacity

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

I. Base plate 2. Top of the base plate 3. Bottom of the base plate

4th foot

5. Bottom of a foot

6. Interspace - openings for means of transport 7. Grooves

8. Foot rail

9. spring elements

10. reduced cross section

II. Wells 12. Channels

13th extension

14. Protective caps

15th edge

16. Longitudinal strut 17. Cross strut

18th bridge

19. u - profile

20. recess

21. Transition from u-profile to cross-section reduction

Claims

Pallet with high dimensional stability and carrying capacity

1. Pallet with high dimensional stability and carrying capacity for storing and transporting goods, mainly made of plastic, with a base plate of approximately rectangular format, with an upper surface of the base plate for receiving the goods to be stored or transported, with an underside of the base plate with Feet for placing the pallet on a tray, with feet having a rectangular cross-section, tapering from the base plate towards the underside of the foot and with a height of the feet that a means of transport or a lifting means can be guided under the pallet, characterized in that the plastic parts the pallet contain reinforcing elements extending below the base plate of the pallet in the area of the feet and / or within the base plate of the pallet.

2. Pallet with high dimensional stability and carrying capacity for storing and transporting goods according to claim 1, characterized in that the feet are arranged in rows which extend parallel to the longitudinal or front side of the base plate, that grooves are incorporated in the underside of the feet extending in the longitudinal direction of the feet and thus also parallel to one side of the base plate, that the grooves in the lower sides of the in a series of adjacent feet in alignment and that in the grooves reinforcing elements are introduced as foot rails, the at least two adjacent Connect feet to their undersides.

3. pallet with high dimensional stability and carrying capacity for storing and transporting goods according to claim 2, characterized in that in the underside of the feet in each case 2 grooves are incorporated, which run parallel and in that the introduced into the grooves foot rails have a u - shaped cross-section.

4. pallet with high dimensional stability and carrying capacity for storing and transporting goods according to claim 3, character- ized in that the u-shaped foot rails have on their legs spring elements with which the beams can be firmly but detachably secured in the feet.

5. pallet with high dimensional stability and carrying capacity for storing and transporting goods according to claim 1, characterized in that the reinforcing elements within the base plate (1) of the range of longitudinal struts (16), these run parallel to the longitudinal side of the pallet, and from cross struts (17 ), which run parallel to the lateral side of the pallet, and that longitudinal and transverse struts (16, 17) are connected to one another, so that a network structure is formed, wherein the network nodes in the base plate of the pallet are in the region above the feet (4).

6. pallet with high dimensional stability and carrying capacity for storing and transporting goods according to claim 5, characterized in that reinforcing elements as foot rails (8) connect the feet (4) on their undersides with each other, that the longitudinal and transverse struts (16,17) of their network nodes are connected to the foot rails (8) via further reinforcing elements as webs (18) and that the webs (18) extend perpendicularly from the network nodes through the feet (4) to the foot rails (8), whereby a spatial grid structure of the reinforcing elements , formed by longitudinal and transverse struts (16, 17), and foot rails (8) and webs (18) arises.

7. pallet with high dimensional stability and carrying capacity for storing and transporting goods according to claim 6, characterized in that the longitudinal and transverse struts (16, 17) and the foot rails (8) have a U-shaped cross section (19) and that the longitudinal and transverse struts (16, 17) and the webs (18) have recesses (20) for positive engagement with the plastic of the pallet and for weight reduction.

8. pallet with high dimensional stability and carrying capacity for storing and transporting goods according to claim 7, characterized in that the reinforcing elements consist of sheet steel and contain recesses whose size is up to 80% of the material height or web height.

9. pallet with high dimensional stability and carrying capacity for storing and transporting goods according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the foot rails (8) each parallel to the in the base plate (1) located longitudinal struts (16), i. run parallel to the longitudinal side of the pallet and have over its entire length a constant cross-section.

10. Pallet with high dimensional stability and carrying capacity for storing and transporting goods according to one of the preceding

Claims characterized in that the foot rails (8) are each parallel to the longitudinal struts (16) located in the base plate (1), i. run parallel to the longitudinal side of the pallet and that in the space (6) between the feet (4) has a reduced cross section (10) for driving over e.g. with a pallet truck or retracting with forklift is present.

11. Pallet with high dimensional stability and carrying capacity for storing and transporting goods according to one of the preceding Claims, characterized in that the side of the U-shaped foot rails (8) facing the outside of the base plate has an extension which extends in its height-wise extent as far as the upper side 2 of the base plate so that lateral protection for the feet 4 and the base plate 1 is formed, leaving in the region of the extension between the feet openings for means of transport or lifting means.

12. pallet with high dimensional stability and carrying capacity for storing and transporting goods according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the top of the base plate recesses (11) corresponding in size and location to the undersides of the feet of the pallet and that in the Top of the base plate in addition channels (12) are present, which extend between these recesses and correspond in size and location in the bottom of the feet inserted foot rails.

13. pallet with high dimensional stability and carrying capacity for storing and transporting goods according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the upper side of the base plate at its 4 outer sides has an outer edge (15).

14 pallet with high dimensional stability and carrying capacity for storing and transporting goods according to claim 14, characterized in that the area within the outer edge (15) is so large that the feet of a same range find space in it.

15. Pallet with high dimensional stability and carrying capacity for storing and transporting goods according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that for the narrower end faces of the range protective caps (14) for the protection of Base plate and the feet are provided, which consist of metal or plastic.

16. Pallet with high dimensional stability and carrying capacity for storing and transporting goods according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the plastic for the pallet consists of Styrofoam.