FR2595661A1 - Goods-handling pallet - Google Patents

Abstract

The pallet according to the invention comprises a first series of elongate elements 1 disposed in a first direction and at least one second series of elongate elements 2 in a direction transverse to the first direction and which are fixed to an upper part of the elements of the first series. It is characterised in that the elements of the first and second series comprise at least one plane part disposed on the edge and in that the elements of the second series have an edge height h less than an edge height H of the elements of the first series.

Description

 The present invention relates to a handling pallet.

Many types of handling pallets are already known. The handling pallet most used to date is generally a wooden pallet comprising a first series of elongated elements arranged in a pre-clever direction and a second series of elongated elements laid flat on the first series of elongated elements according to a second direction, generally perpendicular to the first direction, and fixed to the upper part of the elements of the first series, for example by means of staples or nails. Pallets of this type are very useful for
Common handling, but they remain limited in size and cannot withstand a high load.

In addition, during their manufacture, it is necessary to intervene punctually to achieve each point of connection between the elements of the second series and the elements of the first series and the manufacture is therefore expensive.

 Metallic pallets are also known in which a corrugated sheet is fixed on support profiles. Such a pallet can be very resistant, but in this case it is also very heavy.

 In addition, if it is desired to produce pallets of this type of different dimensions, it is necessary to provide for a complex cutting operation of the corrugated sheet taking into account in particular the pitch of the latter.

 An object of the present invention is to provide a pallet which is light while being very resistant, which can be manufactured easily, and the dimensions of which can be modified at will during manufacture.

 With a view to achieving this aim, a handling pallet is provided according to the invention comprising a first series of elongated elements arranged in a first direction and at least a second series of elongated elements arranged in a second transverse direction at the first direction and fixed to an upper part of the elements of the first series, the elements of the first and of the second series comprising at least one flat part disposed on the edge, and the elements of the second series having a height on the lower edge at a height on edge of the elements of the first series.

 It has been found that a pallet of this type produced with metal dishes is particularly interesting both from the point of view of its lightness and of its resistance to efforts. In addition, during manufacture, the dimensions can be varied by simply presetting the length of the elements of your first and second series. Finally, the elements of your first and second series can be associated with each other in a single operation, for example by electro-forging or by forcing when it is metallic elements, or by high frequency welding. when it comes to plastic parts.

 According to an advantageous version of the invention, the elements of the second series are embedded in the elements of the first series. Thus, the resistance of the connections between the elements of the first series and the elements of the second series is increased, and the rigidity of the pallet is also increased.

 According to another advantageous aspect of the invention, the elements of the first series have openings aligned with each other in groups, preferably the openings are formed by cutouts extending over part of the height of the elements from of a lower edge of these. Thus, these openings allow the introduction of lifting forks in a direction perpendicular to the elements of the first series so that the pallet can be lifted either by introduction of the lifting forks between the elements of the first series parallel to them, either by introduction into the openings perpendicular to the elements of the first series.

 According to an embodiment of the invention, the elements of the first and of the second series have an upper edge extending in the same plane. Thus, the upper surface of the pallet is presented without roughness and objects can be slid on it in any direction.

According to another aspect of a particular embodiment of the invention, the elements of the first series are profiles comprising at least one horizontal sole and at least one vertical wall. Thus, the vertical walls ensure the rigidity of the pallet by their association with the elements of your second series, while the horizontal sole ensures a distribution of the force on the ground
According to yet another aspect of an embodiment of the invention, the elements of the second series are profiles in L, or in inverted U or T, having one or more branches vertically embedded in the elements of the first series and a part extending in a plane parallel to an upper edge of the elements of the first series.

Thus, the branches embedded in the elements of the first series ensure the rigidity of the pallet while the parts extending in a plane parallel to the upper edge of the elements of the first series provide bearing or sliding surfaces to the part top of the pallet.

Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will become apparent in the light of the description which follows in connection with the attached drawings, among which
- Figure 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the invention;
- Your Figure 2 is a partial side view illustrating different shapes of the elements of the second series;
- Figure 3 is a partial end view illustrating a particular form of elements of the first series;
- Figure 4 is a partial top view of an alternative embodiment of the invention;
- Figure 5 is a partial elevational view of an element of your first series before assembly.

 With reference to FIG. 1, the pallet according to the invention comprises a first series of elongated elements 1 arranged in a first direction and a second series of elongated elements 2 arranged in a second direction transverse to the first direction. For example, the elements of the second series are perpendicular to the elements of the first series.

 In the embodiment illustrated for FIG. 1, the elements 1 of the first series and the elements 2 of your second series are metallic dishes arranged on the edge and the elements 2 of the second series have a height on edge h less than the height on edge H of the elements of the first series. Elements 2 of the second series are embedded in Elements 1 of the first series. In the embodiment of FIG. 1, this embedding is total so that the elements of the first and of the second series have an upper edge extending in the same plane and the upper part of the pallet is therefore in the form with an open but flat surface. If desired, the pallet can of course be covered with a sheet forming a continuous flat surface.

 The elements 1 of the first series are preferably pierced with openings 3 which lighten the pallet without significantly reducing its resistance. The openings 3 are preferably aligned in groups and thus allow the introduction of a bar used for handling the pallet.

 For the handling with a forklift, there is preferably provided in the elements 1 of the first series of openings 4 formed by cutouts extending over part of the height of the elements 1 from an edge lower of these. In connection with an appropriate spacing E of certain elements 1 of the first series, a pallet is thus obtained under which forks can be introduced on 4 sides.

 If one wishes to reduce the upper friction surface of the pallet or create a passage under the load, provision is advantageously made along the upper edges of the elements 1 for cuts (not shown) similar to the cuts 4 for the lower edge but of lesser height .

 It will be understood that the rigidity of the pallet is obtained by providing elements from the first and from the second series comprising at least one flat part arranged on the edge. In the case of Figure 1, the elements 1 and 2 are flat and are therefore completely arranged on the edge. Figure 2 illustrates alternative embodiments of the elements of the second series. For example, the elements of the second series can be L-shaped sections 5 having a first branch 6 embedded vertically in the elements 1 of the first series and a second branch 7 extending in a plane parallel to the upper edges of the elements 1 of the first series. As for elements 2, elements 5 can either be completely recessed in elements 1, as illustrated on the right-hand part of FIG. 2, or only partially recessed, for example with the branch 7 projecting relative to the upper edge of the elements 1 as illustrated on the left-hand side of FIG. 2. It will be noted in this connection that the different variants of profiles have been illustrated in the same figure, but a pallet will generally comprise profiles of a single type across the pallet.

 According to another embodiment also illustrated in FIG. 2, the elements of the second series can be inverted U profiles 8 having branches 9 vertically embedded in the elements 1 of the first series and a back 10 s' extending in a plane parallel to the upper edge of the elements 1 of the first series. As for the L-shaped sections 5, there is illustrated in FIG. 2 a section 8 whose back is completely embedded in the elements 1 (to the right of the figure) and a section 8 whose back is projecting from the upper edge of elements 1 (left part of the figure).

 Figure 3 illustrates an alternative embodiment of elements of the first series. In this alternative embodiment, the elements of the first series are profiles 11 comprising a horizontal sole 12 and vertical walls 13. In the illustrated embodiment, the elements 2 of the second series are only part and bond embedded in the walls 13 of the elements 11 and therefore protrude relative to the upper edge thereof.

 FIG. 4 illustrates, in partial view from above, another alternative embodiment of the invention in which the elements 2 of the second series are corrugated plates which ensure better rigidity of the pallet during lateral introduction of products onto the aspalette.

It will be noted that the pallet according to the invention can be produced very easily by electro-forging. For this, it suffices to have metallic elements 1 on the lower electrode plate of the electroforging machine, while maintaining these on the edge, by means of
of the tools associated with the lower plate of the machine.

Metal elements 2 of the second series are then placed transversely to the elements 1 and the upper plate of the machine is lowered and the latter is supplied with current. At the level of the contact between the lower edge of the elements 2 and the upper edge of the elements 1, the flow of current causes the metal to melt and the elements 2 gradually become embedded in the elements 1. The lowering movement of the upper plate of the machine is adjusted according to the degree of embedding that is desired. In order to facilitate the positioning and holding in position of the elements 2 of the second series during the lowering of the upper plate of the machine, provision is advantageously made , in the upper edge of the elements of the first series, notches 14, preferably in the form of a comma slightly inclined relative to the vertical, the notches 14 of two adjacent elements 1 preferably having a reverse inclination.

 When a pallet is made from metallic elements, it is possible to cover it with a plastic coating according to the usual coating methods.

 The pallet according to the invention can also be made of plastic material according to a process similar to that of electro-forging, this time replacing the embedding and the electrical resistance welding by an embedding and a high frequency welding.

 Of course, the present invention is susceptible of variant embodiments which will appear to those skilled in the art. For example, without departing from the scope of the invention, it is possible to provide a third series of elements similar to the elements of the second series and arranged parallel to the elements of the first series, so that the density of the grid at the top of the pallet is increased without excessively increasing the weight of the pallet. In this case, the elements of the second and ia third series are preferably embedded in one another but can be simply fixed to the upper edge of the elements of the first series without embedding in them, the rigidity of the pallet being ensured by the embedding between the elements of the second and the third series.

 One can also provide elements of the first series in the shape of an inverted T, the horizontal bar of the T forming the sole 12 and the vertical bar forming the branch 13. The elements 1 of the first series can also be dishes placed on edge and formed according to a wave as shown in FIG. 4 in connection with the elements 2.

Of course, the shape of the wave can be arbitrary, in particular it can be square, rectangular, triangular, trapezoidal or in arcs of circles. The corrugated elements 1 may or may not be fitted with a sole 12.

Claims (10)

 1. Pallet handling comprising a first series of elongated elements (1) arranged in a first direction and at least a second series of elongated elements (2) arranged in a second direction transverse to the first direction and fixed to an upper part elements of the first series, characterized in that the elements of the first and of the second series comprise at least one flat part (1,13; 2,6,9) arranged on the edge, and in that the elements of the second series have a height on edge (h) less than a height on edge (H) of the elements of the first series.  2. Pallet seton claim 1, characterized in that the elements (2) of the second series are embedded in the elements (1) of the first series.  3. Pallet according to claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that the elements (1) of the first series have openings (3) aligned with each other in groups.  4. Pallet according to claim 3 characterized in that the openings are formed by cutouts (4) extending over a portion of the height of the elements (1 from a lower edge thereof.  5. Pallet according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the elements of the first and second series have an upper edge extending in the same plane.  6. Pallet according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the elements of the first series are profiles (11) comprising at least one horizontal sole (12) and at least one vertical wall (13).  7. Pallet according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the elements of the second series are L-shaped profiles (5) having a first branch (6) embedded vertically in the elements of the first series and a second branch (7) extending in a plane parallel to an upper edge of the elements of the first series.  8. Pallet according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the elements of the second series are inverted u-shaped profiles (8) having branches (9) embedded vertically in the elements of the first series and a back (10) extending in a plane parallel to an upper edge of the elements of the first series.  9. Pallet according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the elements (2) of the second series are wavy.  10. Dish for the production of a pallet according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that it comprises on one side notches (14) in the form of a comma.