EP3093250B1 - Spacing element for a transport pallet and transport pallet - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a spacer for a transport pallet according to the preamble of claim 1 protection and transport pallets with such a spacer element.

Transport pallets are used in the merchandise management for the storage and transport of goods and goods of all kinds. For optimal utilization of the loading volume of transport vehicles, but also to allow an exchange of transport pallets, pallet systems have prevailed with standardized dimensions. Thus, in Europe, the Euro-pallet is widely used with the dimensions of 1200 mm x 800 mm. However, it has been found that pallets of this size are unsuitable for some applications because of poor handleability. Especially in the food sector, where the goods are offered and sold on the pallet itself in the shop, smaller pallets with dimensions of 800 mm x 600 mm have recently become established. Compared to the Euro pallet, these pallets are only half as big, which is why they are also called a half pallet or Düsseldorf pallet.

An important feature for transport pallets is their suitability to be able to be driven under the load of all four sides of the pallet with a pallet truck. In Euro pallets, this requirement is not a problem because the tines of a lift truck find enough space on each pallet side between the spacer blocks of a pallet. However, if you want to drive a half-pallet from its narrow side with a truck, so this is only possible if instead of the usual spacer blocks narrow spacers are arranged, which do not restrict the clear space excessively.

Solutions known in the prior art for this purpose provide U-shaped sheet-metal profiles as spacers, in which the opposite legs hold the bottom and cross-boards of a pallet at a distance and the web area sets the necessary distance. The connection of the spacer plates with the bottom and cross boards via rivets, which extend through the legs of the spacer elements. Such a spacer plate is made, for example EP 2 671 815 A1 known. Other spacers according to the prior art are in DE 20 2012 104 608 U1 and DE 10 2008 037 781 A1 disclosed. However, it has been shown that such pallets are not up to the rough transport operation and therefore often have to be repaired. For this purpose, it is necessary to solve the rivet, which is possible with only disproportionately large amount of time and often consequential damage to the cross boards and floorboards. Against this background, the invention has the object to provide a transport pallet, which is more stable compared to the prior art and can be repaired easier and faster.

This object is achieved by a spacer element with the features of the protection claim 1 and a transport pallet with such a spacer element.

Advantageous developments emerge from the subclaims.

By clamping the ends of the bottom and longitudinal or transverse boards each between a leg and a tab of a spacer element according to the invention a largely rigid connection between the parts arises. The additional provision of fasteners on the tabs, which interact with the bottom, longitudinal or transverse boards, a previously achieved in transport pallets high rigidity and stability is achieved.

The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to an embodiment shown in the drawing, wherein further features and advantages of the invention will become apparent.

Fig. 1

eine Schrägansicht auf eine erfindungsgemäße Transportpalette gemäß einer ersten Ausführungsform,

Fig. 2

eine Draufsicht auf die in Fig. 1 dargestellte Transportpalette,

Fig. 3

eine Seitenansicht auf die kürzere Querseite der in Fig. 1 dargestellten Transportpalette,

Fig. 4

eine Seitenansicht auf die längere Längsseite der in Fig. 1 dargestellten Transportpalette,

Fig. 5

eine Schrägansicht auf ein erfindungsgemäßes Abstandselement,

Fig. 6

eine Draufsicht auf das in Fig. 5 dargestellte Abstandselement,

Fig. 7

einen Längsschnitt durch das in Fig. 6 dargestellte Abstandselement entlang der dortigen Linie VII - VII

Fig. 8

einen Querschnitt durch das in Fig. 6 dargestellte Abstandselement entlang der dortigen Linie VIII - VIII

Fig. 9

eine Schrägansicht auf eine erfindungsgemäße Transportpalette gemäß einer zweiten Ausführungsform und

Fig. 10

eine Schrägansicht auf eine erfindungsgemäße Transportpalette gemäß einer dritten Ausführungsform.

It shows

Fig. 1

an oblique view of a transport pallet according to the invention according to a first embodiment,

Fig. 2

a top view of the in Fig. 1 illustrated transport pallet,

Fig. 3

a side view on the shorter transverse side of in Fig. 1 illustrated transport pallet,

Fig. 4

a side view on the longer longitudinal side of in Fig. 1 illustrated transport pallet,

Fig. 5

an oblique view of an inventive spacer element,

Fig. 6

a top view of the in Fig. 5 illustrated spacer element,

Fig. 7

a longitudinal section through the in Fig. 6 shown spacer along the line there VII - VII

Fig. 8

a cross section through the in Fig. 6 shown spacer along the line VIII - VIII

Fig. 9

an oblique view of a transport pallet according to the invention according to a second embodiment and

Fig. 10

an oblique view of a transport pallet according to the invention according to a third embodiment.

Subject of the Fig. 1 to 4 is a transport pallet 1 according to the invention according to a first embodiment, which is formed in the present case of a half-pallet, with a longer side of 800 mm and a shorter transverse side of 600 mm. The pallet 1 has a cover layer 2 for receiving the goods to be stored or transported. The cover layer 2 may be formed by a closed plate or, as in the present embodiment, by a number of axially parallel cover boards 3, which are fastened with or without joint on a pallet substructure.

The pallet substructure consists of three frame-like pallet skids 4, each consisting of a floor board 5, which forms the footprint, and a thereto in the clear distance axis and plane parallel to running the cross-board 6. The floorboards 5 and cross boards 6 are held by external spacers 7 and a middle spacer 8 at a distance from each other. The resulting clear space allows a lift truck driving under the pallet 1 with its tines. The three pallet skids 4 are connected to each other via the cover layer 2.

While the middle spacer elements 8 are formed in a known manner of wooden blocks, the outer spacer elements 7 consist of a stamped and bent part, the closer embodiment of the Fig. 5 to 8 evident. The spacer 7 is thus punched out of a flat sheet and brought substantially only by appropriate bends in its final form. In the spacing direction, the spacer element 7 has a U-shaped cross section with a web 9, whose longitudinal direction coincides with the distance direction. The upper transverse edge of the web 9 goes into a transversely projecting upper leg 10 and the lower Transverse edge in a transverse direction in the same direction lower leg 11th

The longitudinal edges of the web 9 connecting the upper leg 10 to the lower leg 11 are double-folded and thus form first stiffening ribs 12 projecting transversely from the web inner surface, wherein the stiffening ribs 12 are not connected to the upper leg 10 and lower leg 11.

The web 9 has in its central region a rectangular opening 13, whereby the web 9 has a frame-like shape. The extending in the spacing direction longitudinal edges of the opening 13 are in turn bent inwardly, whereby on each longitudinal side of the opening 13, a second stiffening rib 14 is formed, which extends parallel to the first stiffening rib 12 over the length of the opening 13.

In the web region between the first stiffening rib 12 and the second stiffening rib 14, a bead 15 parallel to the axis is formed, which gives the web 9 an additional rigidity.

From the inside of the web 9 and starting from the two transverse edges of the opening 13 also extends in each case a tab 16 which is inclined in the delivery state of the spacer 7 relative to the upper or lower legs 10, 12 at an angle α to the opening 13, wherein the Angle α is preferably greater than 10 °. Since the spacer 7 is a stamped and bent part and the tab 16 is made by bending, the tab leg 17 is integrally protruding from the web 9.

The tab head 18 has fastening means in the form of three spikes 19, which are formed by bending the tab end in the direction of the legs 10, 11. In the present case, the tab head 18 has two outer mandrels 19 and a central mandrel 19, wherein the central mandrel 19 is offset from the outer mandrels 19 to the tab 17. The spines 19 taper toward their free end.

The distance between the three pins 19 from the web 9 is greater than the distance of the free edge of the upper and lower leg 10, 11 from the web. 9

In the middle tab portion between tab 17 and tab head 18 is a thorns 19 opposite, provided in approximately spherical curvature 20 with an eccentric, Laschenfuß 17 towards offset opening 21. In this way, an intervention for a lever tool is created with which the tab 16 For Repair work on the transport pallet 1, for example, to replace a floorboard 5 or crossboard 6, can be bent back.

The spacer (7) is as stated above a stamped and bent part, wherein at least one of the parts tab (16), legs (10, 11) and stiffening rib (12, 14) is formed by bending. Here, the outer first stiffening ribs (12) are formed by double bending.

The production of a non-positive connection between the spacer element 7 and a bottom board 5 and cross-board 6 is mainly made Fig. 7 clearly, where floor board 5 and the board 6 are indicated by dashed lines. After an inventive spacer 7 is attached to the free ends of a bottom board 5 and crossboard 6, the strained in the delivery state of the spacers 7 at an angle α tabs 16 are pressed against the opposite inner sides of the bottom board 5 and crossboard 6, wherein the mandrels 19th penetrate into the wood of the bottom board 5 and crossboard 6 and there provide a positive connection. In this state, the angle α of the bend is 0 °. Are the pallet skids 4 completed in this way, so the deck boards 3 can be nailed to the cross boards 6 to obtain the finished pallet 1.

To release the tab 16 in case of repair, a suitable tool is inserted with its free end into the opening 21 and levered over the associated transverse edge of the web opening 13. In this case, the tool end presses against the inside of the buckle 20 and bends in this way the entire flap 16 in the clear space between the bottom board 5 and the back board 6.

In the in the FIGS. 1 to 4 illustrated transport pallet 1, the clear width LWQ between the cross-board 6 and the bottom board 5 is less than the clear width LWI between the cover layers 2 of two superimposed transport pallets. 1

The different clearances on the longitudinal and transverse sides of the transport pallet 1 can result in automated storage systems, such as high-bay warehouses, for example, where the load-carrying devices of the high-bay warehouses do not properly transport the pallet.

Fig. 9 shows a transport pallet 101, which is particularly suitable for use in automated storage systems such as high-bay warehouse. In this transport pallet 101 The clear width LWq on the shorter transverse side essentially corresponds to the clear width LWI on the longer longitudinal side between two transport pallets 101 stacked one above the other.

At the in Fig. 9 illustrated transport pallet 101, the cover layer 102 comprises a plurality of axially parallel arranged cover layer cross boards 106 which are arranged on a pallet substructure.

The pallet substructure consists of three floorboards 105, on each of which a middle spacer element 8 is arranged in the form of a wooden block and in which two outer spacer elements 7 are provided from a stamped and bent part at their free ends and connected thereto.

At the distance between the outer spacer elements 7 and the middle spacer element 8, three longitudinal boards 103a, 103b are arranged perpendicular to the floorboards 105. The middle longitudinal board 103b rests on the spacer elements 8 in the form of a wooden block. The two outer longitudinal boards 103a are attached to the outer spacer elements 7 of a stamped and bent part.

The mandrels 19 of the spacer elements 7 from a stamped and bent part in this case engage in the manner described above in the floorboard 105 and in the outer longitudinal boards 103a of the pallet substructure.

The cover layer cross-boards 106 are fastened in the same orientation as the floor boards 105 on the longitudinal boards 103a, 103b.

Instead of a plurality of cover layer cross-boards 106, a continuous cover plate can also be used, if not shown.

At the in Fig. 9 illustrated embodiment, the pins 19 of the spacer 7 at the outer end of the longitudinal board 103a engage laterally in this. In the embodiments in which the mandrels are tooth-like and aligned substantially parallel to the web 9, this means that the mandrels 19 engage between the wood fibers of the longitudinal boards 103a made of wood.

It has been found that the engagement of the teeth substantially parallel to the fibers of the longitudinal boards 103a may cause the connection between the Longboard 103a and the spacer 7 can solve under heavy load.

At the in Fig. 10 illustrated embodiment of a transport pallet 201, this disadvantage is taken into account.

Fig. 10 shows the in Fig. 1 Each pallet skid 4 has a bottom board 5 and a transverse board 6, wherein the bottom boards 5 and the cross boards 6 are held in each case via the outer spacer elements 7 of a stamped and bent part at a distance.

The mandrels 19 of the outer spacer 7 made of a punched and bent part engage on the front side of the crossboard 6 and thus transversely to the fiber direction of the wood crossboard in the transverse board 6. Such a compound is more stable than the compound described above, in which the mandrels in parallel to the fiber direction of the wooden longitudinal board 103a engage.

On the pallet runners 4 are arranged transversely to these cover layer boards 203a, 203b, 203c in the longitudinal direction of the transport pallet 201. In this case, the two edge-side cover layer boards 203a and the middle cover layer board 203b, which rests on the block-like spacer element, are made thicker than the remaining cover layer boards 203c.

Preferably, the two edge-side cover layer boards 203a and the middle cover layer board 203b have a thickness which corresponds approximately to the sum of the thickness of a transverse board 5 and the thickness of one of the remaining cover layer boards 203c.

Additionally or alternatively, the two edge-side cover layer boards 203a and the middle cover layer board 203b may be twice as thick as a transverse board 6.

In the two edge-side cover layer boards 203a and in the middle cover layer board 203b, recesses are provided transversely to the axial direction of the cover layer board 203a, 203b in the underside of the cover layer boards 203a, 203b, in which the runners 4 are inserted with an exact fit or at least approximately exact fit.

The thickness of the edge-side cover layer boards 203a and the middle cover layer board 203b and the depth of the cutout in the cover layer boards 203a and 203b are selected such that an edge-side cover board 203a arranged on the pallet runner 4 or middle cover sheet board 203b forms a substantially flat surface with the remaining cover layer boards 203c.

Preferably, the cutout has a depth corresponding to the thickness of the transverse board 6 when the thickness of the peripheral decking boards 203a and the middle decking board 203b corresponds to the sum of the thickness of the transverse board 6 and the thickness of another decking board 203c.

While the cutout in the middle of the cover layer boards 203a, 203b is groove-like or channel-shaped, the cut-out on the two end sides of the cover layer boards 203a, 203b is in the form of an undercut, so that the outside of the pallet runner 4 and the front side of the cover layer boards 203a, 203b form a substantially flat surface.

In the Fig. 10 illustrated embodiment now has substantially the same inside width in the transverse and in the longitudinal direction. In addition, the mandrels of the outer spacer elements 7 engage from a stamped and bent part transversely to the fiber direction into the edge-side cover layer boards 203a, so that there is a firm connection between the spacer element 7 and the edge-side cover layer board 203a.

In an alternative embodiment associated with Fig. 10 described embodiment of a transport pallet 201 may be provided instead of the plurality of cover layer boards 203 a continuous cover layer plate. Here, a recess extending in the transverse direction of the cover plate for receiving the pallet runners 4 is provided on the underside of the cover plate. Preferably, the cover layer plate is twice as thick as the transverse boards. 6

In a further alternative embodiment associated with Fig. 10 described embodiment of a transport pallet, only the edge-side cover layer boards 203a are thicker than the remaining cover layer boards.

In all illustrated embodiments, the floorboard 5 at least partially on its longitudinal edges bevels. The bevels serve as an insertion aid for the tines of a lifting vehicle such as a forklift.

The in the FIGS. 1 to 4 . 9 and 10 shown transport pallets can also be used with a different outer spacer element than the outer spacer 7 shown.

In addition, the described outer spacers 7 can be used from a stamped and bent part in transport pallets of any size.

Claims (13)

1. Spacer element for a transport pallet (1; 101; 201) to be arranged in each case between the ends of a bottom board (5) and of a transverse board (6) or between the ends of a bottom board (105) and of a longitudinal board (103a) of a transport pallet (1; 101; 201), the spacer element (7) being U-shaped and having a web (9) that extends in the spacing direction, as well as an upper leg (10) extending transversely to said web, and a lower leg (11) extending transversely to said web, which legs form a support for the bottom board (5; 105), for the transverse board (6) or for the longitudinal board (103a) of the transport pallet (1; 101; 201), characterised by at least one upper tab (16) that extends so as to be plane-parallel with the upper leg (10) in order to form an upper receptacle for an end of the transverse board (6) or for an end of the longitudinal board (103a), and by at least one lower tab (16) that extends so as to be plane-parallel with the lower leg (11) in order to form a lower receptacle for an end of the bottom board (5), a tab foot (17) of the upper tab (16) and lower tab (16) being rigidly connected to the web (9), and a tab head (18) comprising fastening means for frictionally connecting the transverse board (6), the longitudinal board (103a) or the bottom board (5; 105) to the spacer element (7).
2. Spacer element according to claim 1, characterised in that the fastening means consist of at least one pin (19) that is oriented towards the upper leg (10) or the lower leg (11).
3. Spacer element according to either claim 1 or claim 2, characterised in that the upper and/or lower tab (16) comprises an opening (21) between the tab foot (17) and the tab head (18), in which to position a tool.
4. Spacer element according to any of claims 1 to 3, characterised in that the upper and/or lower tab (16) is formed of the material of the web (9) by bending the corresponding web regions and creating a web opening (13).
5. Spacer element according to any of claims 1 to 4, characterised in that an outer first reinforcing rib (12) is arranged along each of the longitudinal edges of the web (9) that connect the upper leg (10) and the lower leg (11), and/or in that a web opening (13) is arranged in the web (9), along each longitudinal edge of which web opening an inner second reinforcing rib (14) is arranged.
6. Spacer element according to any of claims 1 to 5, characterised in that a web opening (13) is arranged in the web (9), and the upper and lower tabs (16) are each arranged on a transverse edge.
7. Spacer element according to any of claims 1 to 6, characterised in that beads are formed in the web (9).
8. Transport pallet comprising a top layer (2; 102; 202) that is supported by a substructure, the substructure comprising bottom boards (5; 105), transverse boards (6) or longitudinal boards (103a, 103b) and outer spacer elements (7), the outer spacer elements (7) holding the bottom boards (5) and transverse boards (6) or the bottom boards (105) and longitudinal boards (103a, 103b) at a clear distance from one another, characterised in that the outer spacer elements (7) are designed according to any of claims 1 to 7.
9. Transport pallet according to claim 8, characterised in that the bottom boards (5) and the transverse boards (6) are orientated so as to be mutually parallel and are held at a distance from one another by means of the outer spacer elements (7) and thus form a frame-like pallet skid (4), a plurality of pallet skids (4) being provided, which skids are arranged so as to be parallel and spaced apart, and on which the top layer (2; 202) is arranged.
10. Transport pallet according to claim 9, characterised in that the top layer comprises a plurality of longitudinal boards (203a, 203b; 203c), at least the two edge-side longitudinal boards (203a) being thicker than the remaining longitudinal boards and comprising recesses transversely to the axial direction thereof, in which recesses the pallet skids (4) are arranged.
11. Transport pallet according to claim 8, characterised in that the longitudinal boards (103a) are orientated perpendicularly to the bottom boards (105), and the bottom boards (105) and the longitudinal boards (103a) are held at a distance from one another by means of the spacer elements (7), and in that the bottom boards (105) and the longitudinal boards (103a) form a frame-like substructure on which the top layer (102) is arranged.
12. Transport pallet according to any of claims 8 to 11, characterised in that the substructure comprises a block-like spacer element (8).
13. Transport pallet according to any of claims 8 to 12, characterised in that the upper longitudinal edges of the bottom boards (5; 105) are chamfered at least in portions.

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