FR2676711A1 - Pallet made of corrugated cardboard and pre-cut blank for making the said pallet - Google Patents

Abstract

In the said pallet, a support plate (10) comprises two panels (16, 18) made of corrugated cardboard and substantially having the same dimensions, superimposed with surface alignment, and having interlocking elements which ensure the cohesion of the said panels (16, 18), protrude from the lower face (40) of the support plate (10) and ensure the retaining of a base section (12) consisting of a semi-folded box which can be slipped over the said interlocking elements, on which elements it is self-locking.

Description

CORRUGATED PAPERBOARD PALLET AND PRE-CUT BLANK FOR
MANUFACTURE OF SAID PALETTE
The present invention relates to a corrugated cardboard pallet, comprising a support plate and at least one base part projecting beyond the latter.

 The invention further relates to a precut blank for making said pallet.

 According to the state of the art, it is known to manufacture pallets from corrugated cardboard. Compared to traditional wooden pallets, a pallet of this type offers the advantage of simple removal after use. It can be eliminated without harming the environment, and can in particular be used for recycling paper.

 In the known pallet made of corrugated cardboard, a disadvantage is that its base parts are permanently fixed to the support plate, by manual stapling. Therefore, the assembly of the pallet requires a large amount of work and the storage of pallets, as a reserve or temporarily until removal, requires a lot of space. The staples represent an undesirable foreign body when reprocessing the corrugated cardboard.

 The object of the invention is to provide a pallet of the type mentioned in the introduction, consisting exclusively of corrugated cardboard, without any foreign substance, which is of stable shape, has a large load-bearing capacity, can be assembled in a simple manner and without auxiliary means, and can be temporarily stored after use, with a small footprint, to be finally eliminated without harming the environment.

 According to the invention, this object is achieved thanks to a pallet of the aforementioned type, characterized in that the support plate consists of two corrugated cardboard panels having essentially the same dimensions, applied one on the other with surface concordance the, and on which are fitted interlocking elements which ensure the cohesion of said corrugated panels, protrude from the underside of the support plate in the nested position, and form a system for retaining the base part, which consists of a semi-folded box which can be slipped over the interlocking projecting elements and is firmly retained, on the latter, by self-locking.

 The bottom of the semi-folded box forms an uninterrupted seat surface of the base part. This is advantageous for transporting the pallet on a roller track or similar device.

 In order to guarantee the greatest possible ability of the support plate to support loads, the two corrugated panels are preferably mutually oriented so that the direction of the corrugations of the upper corrugated board extends transversely in relation to the direction of the corrugations of the lower panel of corrugated cardboard

 Flaps integrally cut out, preferably provided as interlocking elements on the upper and lower corrugated panels, are connected to the corrugated panel by means of folds, and can be deployed in such a way that the flaps of the two corrugated cardboard panels protrude beyond the underside of the support plate and form a closed frame around the periphery, and materializing a system for retaining a base part. This interlocking mode guarantees a particularly stable structural arrangement and a secure cohesion of the panels with each other, and with the base part (s).

 A preferred variant of the invention provides that the flaps are essentially rectangular and are separated, corrugated panels, by parallel parallel folds and by a central meeting edge with uninterrupted cutting, extending transversely to the direction of the undulations of said corrugated panels; and that, when deployed, the flaps of each panel considered in corrugated tone form the side walls of a rectangular frame, mutually opposite and adjacent to the flaps of one other corrugated panel. In this embodiment, all the flaps of the upright frame have a vertical groove, so that said frame provides optimal support.

 Interlocking interlocking means may be provided on the transverse edges of the flaps of the two corrugated cardboard panels, means by means of which said flaps can be locked on each other in the deployed state. This variant of the invention provides the advantage that the frame is kept coherent and is stabilized around the periphery, and forms a particularly robust restraint system for a basic part. In a technically preferred embodiment from the manufacturing point of view, central tabs are housed as means of interlocking on the transverse edges of the flaps of one of the corrugated panels, and the transverse edges of the flaps of the other corrugated board have notches in which said tabs penetrate with interlocking effect.

 In order to further simplify manual mounting, there may be provided, on the longitudinal edges of the flaps, a gripping orifice in particular central, preferably semi-circular and obtained by breaking a punched configuration in particular central, preferably circular and made to meet said flaps.

 The semi-folded box of the base part is preferably folded from a separate precut blank. Preferably, the basic configuration and the height of the opening of the box essentially coincide with those of the frame, so that the semi-folded box completely covers said frame at the threading stage and comes apply, by the upper edges of its side walls, against the underside of the support plate. In this variant embodiment, the semi-folded box also fulfills a support function. The frame is additionally stabilized thanks to the semi-folded box which covers it, so that shear forces acting on the base part are impeccably absorbed.

 In a variant of the invention which is technically preferable from the point of view of handling, the support plate is rectangular, preferably with the dimensions of the European format 80 cm × 120 cm. It is possible to attach, on the support plate, several base parts of the same pre-cut blank, preferably six in number, between which there remain, in accordance with the European standard, interstices intended to grip the pallet by underneath using a stacker stacker, forklift or similar.

 The two corrugated panels and the base parts have respective clean pre-cut blanks which can be produced in a simple and inexpensive manner, and can be easily assembled by hand, to form a pallet, without any means auxiliaries or use of foreign materials. When the pallet is designed to be disposable, it can, after use, be unfolded again in an equally easy manner, and be stored with small bulk until it is removed.

The invention will now be described in more detail by way of non-limiting example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which
FIG. 1 is the perspective view of a corrugated cardboard pallet, comprising a support plate made up of two corrugated cardboard panels, as well as six basic parts of identical embodiments
Figure 2 is a section of the pallet, along the line
II-II of Figure 1;
Figure 3 is a plan view of the pre-cut cardboard blank of a base portion
FIG. 4 is a plan view of the precut blank of the corrugated upper panel of the support plate; and
FIG. 5 is a plan view of the precut blank of the lower corrugated board panel of the support plate.

 The pallet illustrated in FIG. 1 comprises a support plate 10 of rectangular basic configuration, in European format having the dimensions 80 cm x 120 cm, and six substantially square base parts 12 which are arranged with spacing in two rows of three, parallel to the longitudinal sides 14 of the support plate 10, to the underside 40 of the latter. The support plate 10 consists of two panels 16, 18 of corrugated cardboard of the same dimensions, applied one on the other with surface concordance, each of which has its own pre-cut blank. The directions of the corrugations 20, 22 of the two panels 16, 18 extend transversely with respect to each other, that is to say parallel to the transverse sides of the support plate 10 in the case of the upper panel 16, and parallel to the longitudinal sides 14 in the case of the lower panel 18.

The blanks precut of the upper 16 (see FIG. 4) and lower 18 (see FIG. 5) panels comprise, at the six mounting locations of the base parts 12, two respective rectangular flaps 24, 26 which have been joined and specially cut out , and whose common base surface corresponds to that of a base part 12. The flaps 24 of the upper panel 16 are offset by 90 "relative to the flaps 26 of the lower panel 18.

 The flaps 24, 26 are connected to the panel 16, 18 considered, on one of their longitudinal sides, by means of a fold 28, 30 extending transversely relative to the direction of the undulations of said panel 16, 18. Two semi-circular gripping orifices 36, 38, specularly arranged opposite one another at the center of longitudinal meeting edges 32, 34 between the flaps 24, 26 mutually opposite, are obtained by breaking a punched configuration 82 of round shape, occupying a central position. The gripping orifices 36, 38 facilitate the deployment of the flaps 24, 26.

 At the mounting locations of the base parts 12, when the upper 24 and lower 26 flaps are folded 90 "in the direction of the lower face 40 of the support plate, the two flaps 24 of the upper panel 16 made of cardboard, which face each other, are placed between the two flaps 26 of the lower panel 18 of corrugated cardboard, facing each other, so that an upper flap 24 and a lower flap 26 meet alternately, at right angles, by their transverse edges 44, 50. In this position, the two flaps 24, 26 form a rectangular frame 42 closed on the periphery, projecting from the underside 40 of the support plate, and materializing a system for retaining a portion base 12. Central tabs 46, formed on the transverse edges 44 of the lower flaps 26, fit into corresponding notches 48 formed on the transverse edges 50 of the upper flaps 2 4, and consequently ensure cohesion between the frame 42 and the panels 16, 18. There is agreement between the directions of the undulations of the four flaps 24, 26 folded back to form the frame 42. This frame 42 has a vertically uninterrupted groove, and therefore exercises an optimal support function.

 A semi-folded rectangular box of suitable size threaded, as a basic part, onto each of the six rectangular frames 42 projecting beyond the underside 40 of the support plate, is firmly retained by self-locking on each frame 42 and provides additional stabilization of the latter.

 The six semi-folded boxes are identical, and all have their own pre-cut blank. As illustrated in FIG. 3, the precut blank consists of a rectangular bottom plate 52, on which four side walls 54, 56 of the same height are articulated. Flaps 60, formed on the transverse edges 58 of the two longitudinal side walls 54, can be bent 90 "towards the inside of the box, when said walls 54 are erected, so that they come apply against the erected transverse lateral walls 56. The flaps 60 are facing each other with small spacing, on the vertical passing through the center of the transverse lateral walls 56, and they come vertically to flush with the upper edges 62 of said walls 56.

 A respective tab 64 formed on the upper edges 62 of the transverse lateral walls 56 by two longitudinal folds 78, the spacing of which corresponds to twice the thickness of the material, can be bent at 1800 towards the inside of the box. and occupies about two thirds of the height of said transverse walls. A respective tab 68, developed on a transverse edge 66 of this tab 64, extends approximately from the center of said transverse edge 66 to an outer longitudinal edge 70 of said tab 64. When the tabs 64 are folded down, the tabs 68 penetrate in suitable indentations 72 specially provided for this purpose on the adjacent longitudinal side walls 54, and they mutually secure said walls by interlocking.

An additional tab 76, articulated on an upper edge 74 of each longitudinal side wall 54, can be folded 1800 towards the interior of the box, in contact with the longitudinal side wall 54 respectively associated. The width of the legs 76 has a slight oversizing, so that said legs are firmly retained by self-locking on the longitudinal side wall 54, and stabilize the tabs 68 in their nesting position. A rib of material 80, oriented upwards between the longitudinal folds 78, extends at the height of the upper edges of the longitudinal side walls 54.

 The opening of the upright semi-folded box has the same height as each of the frames 42 projecting from the underside 40 of the support plate. The basic configurations of the box and of the frame 42 are mutually harmonized so that said box can be threaded onto said frame 42, and is firmly retained on the latter by self-locking. In the threaded state, said box is in abutment against the lower face 40 of the support plate by the upper edges 62, 74 of its side walls 56, 54. Thus, this box also fulfills a support function. Its bottom plate 52 materializes the seat surface of the base part 12.

 It goes without saying that many modifications can be made to the invention as described and shown, without going beyond its ambit.

Claims (11)

- CLAIMS  1. Corrugated cardboard pallet, comprising a support plate and at least one base portion projecting beyond the latter, pallet characterized in that the support plate (10) consists of two panels (16, 18 ) made of corrugated cardboard having essentially the same dimensions, applied one on the other with surface concordance, and on which are fitted interlocking elements which ensure the cohesion of said panels (16, 18) of corrugated cardboard, protrude from the underside (40) of the support plate (10) in the nested position, and form a retaining system for the base part (12), which consists of a semi-folded box which can be threaded on the protruding interlocking elements and is firmly retained thereon by self-locking.  2. Pallet according to claim 1, characterized in that the direction of the corrugations (20) of the upper panel (16) of corrugated cardboard extends transversely with respect to the direction of the corrugations (22) of the lower panel (18) of cardboard corrugated.  3. Pallet according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the flaps (24, 26) joined integrally cutting, provided as interlocking elements on the upper (16) and lower (18) cardboard panels corrugated, are connected to the corrugated board panel (16, 18) by means of folds (28), and can be deployed in such a way that the flaps (24, 26) of the two corrugated board panels (16, 18) protrude beyond the underside (40) of the support plate (10) and form a frame (42) closed on the periphery, and materializing a system for retaining a base part (12).  4. Pallet according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the flaps (24, 26) are essentially rectangular and are separated, panels (16, 18) of corrugated cardboard, by folds parallel (28, 30) and by a central meeting edge (32, 34) with interrupted uninterrupted cutting, extending transversely with respect to the directions of the corrugations (20, 22) of said corrugated panels (16, 18); and by the fact that, in the deployed state, the flaps (24, 26) of each considered panel (16, 18) of corrugated cardboard form the side walls of a rectangular frame (42), mutually opposite and adjacent to the flaps (24, 26) of the other panel (16, 18) of corrugated cardboard.  5. Pallet according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that interlocking means for reciprocal cooperation are provided on the transverse edges (44, 50) of the flaps (24, 26) of the two panels (16 , 18) in corrugated cardboard, means by which said flaps (24, 26) can be locked on each other in the deployed state.  6. Pallet according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that central tabs (46) are formed on the transverse edges (44) of the flaps (26) of one (18) of the cardboard panels corrugated, and the transverse edges (50) of the flaps (24) of the other panel (16) of corrugated cardboard have notches (48) in which said tabs (46) penetrate with interlocking effect.  7. Pallet according to any of claims 1 to 6, characterized by the presence, on the longitudinal edges (32, 34) of the flaps (24, 26), of a gripping orifice (36, 38) in particular central , preferably semi-circular and obtained by breaking a punched configuration (82), in particular central, preferably circular and practical at the meeting (32, 34) of said flaps (24, 26).  8. Pallet according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the semi-folded box of the base part (12) is folded from a separate pre-cut blank; and in that the basic configuration and the height of the opening of the box essentially coincide with those of the frame (42), so that the semiplied box completely covers said frame (42) at the stage of l 'threading and comes to apply, by the upper edges (62, 74) of its side walls (54, 56), against the underside (40) of the support plate (10).  9. Pallet according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the support plate (10) is rectangular, preferably with the dimensions of the European format 80 cm x 120 cm; and by the fact that several, preferably six base parts (12) of the same pre-cut blank, can be attached to the support plate (10).  10. Pre-cut blank for making a panel (16, 18) of corrugated cardboard from a pallet according to any one of claims 1 to 9.  11. Pre-cut blank for making a base part (12) of a pallet according to any one of claims 1 to 9.