FR2706422A1 - Palette incorporating means for writing and reading information remotely. - Google Patents

Abstract

The subject of the invention is a support, called a pallet, for the storage and handling of objects. This support, which comprises a platform (10) supported by a set of pads (6), is characterized in that it incorporates an electronic "chip" (4), of the type intended for writing and reading. remote information, housed inside the central block (2) of said sets of pads (6); the electronic "chip" (4) is incorporated in a card (16), which is placed inside a slot (18) and which is embedded in flexible synthetic material filling said slot (18), its reading face being included in a plane orthogonal to the platform (10) and concurrent with the lateral planes (12, 14) of the pallet.

Description

 The invention is in the field of containers for storing and transporting objects, and its object is a support, said pallet, for the storage and handling of said objects.

 Pallets are known comprising a surface, said platform, on which are intended to rest the objects, the platform being maintained substantially parallel to the ground and at a distance from the latter, by means of a set of pads, to allow its gripping by means of the forks of a forklift.

 The evolution of techniques, and in particular "object recognition" techniques of the barcode type, has provided said pallets means for identifying by optical reading the objects they support.

 A first disadvantage of this mode of identification reported on pallets lies in the fact that the latter are brought to be placed in various environments, sometimes hostile; however, in such environments, the reading of said bar codes is made difficult or impossible, especially in a humid environment.

 A second disadvantage lies in the fact that bar codes are commonly reported on the pallets by gluing a support formed of a plastic sheet or paper, said sheet can be removed maliciously or because of the moisture possibly present in the said environments surrounding the pallets.

 A third disadvantage lies in the fact that the bar code equipping a pallet must necessarily be changed according to the different uses of the pallet, and that it is common to find outdated bar codes on the same pallet, which can cause problems. errors as to the said recognition.

 However, a problem to be solved lies in the fact that the pallets are circulated to different suppliers of the objects they support, following a complex distribution circuit. It appears that pallets are currently diverted from the use for which they are originally intended to "disappear" at any of the stages of said distribution circuit.

 Furthermore, electronic means are known for writing and reading information remotely, comprising a small integrated circuit, called "chip", associated with an antenna, cooperating with means, placed at a distance, able to transmit and to receive information via low frequency radio channels.

 The object of the invention is to solve the above-mentioned problem and to propose a pallet made identifiable in a certain way, which can be quickly located and provided with information relating to its origin, its destination and the objects it supports. .

 According to the invention, a carrier for storing and handling objects, of the kind of support, called a pallet, comprising a surface, said platform, on which is intended to rest the objects, said surface being maintained substantially parallel to the ground and at a distance from the latter by means of a set of pads, is mainly characterized in that it incorporates at least one electronic "chip" of the type intended for remote registration and reading of information. .

 It follows from these provisions that the pallet can be identified and can communicate information, for example about its provenance and / or the objects it supports, and that the information listed is not likely to be altered by the different surrounding environments successively the pallet, or be unfortunately removed or modified, the "chip" is the type of those made inviolable.

 According to a preferred embodiment, said set of pads comprising a prismatic pad, said central pad, located in the central zone of the pallet, the electronic "chip" is housed inside said central stud.

 It follows from this provision that the "chip" electronics is located in the place least exposed to shocks of the pallet, the latter being commonly subject to side impacts or inflicted by the forks of trucks.

 Preferably, the electronic "chip" having at least one so-called read face is held on the pallet so that its reading face is generally in a plane orthogonal to the platform and concurrent with the any of the lateral planes of the pallet.

 It follows from this provision that in the case where a plurality of pallets are stacked, each of their respective electronic "chip" can be read and written by a reading and writing device, and that said reading device and The writing may be presented along any of the side faces of the pallets.

 Advantageously, the central stud is synthetic soft material, so as to make it suitable for damping any shocks that would be detrimental to the electronic "chip" it contains.

 It will be noted that the central block is advantageously connected to the platform by the usual means, namely by nailing, and that its consistency is conducive to offering a high resistance to tearing.

 According to a first embodiment, the electronic "chip" is coated with the constituent material of the central pad, so that it can advantageously be put in place at the time of the elaboration of the latter.

 According to a second embodiment, the electronic "chip" being incorporated in a rigid plate, called a card, the central stud has an insertion slot of the card, said slot opening only on the face of the stud on which is intended to rest the platform, and the card is embedded in flexible synthetic material filling the said insertion slot.

 It follows from these provisions that the electronic "chip" is protected from the ambient environment, and in particular dust that could alter its inscription or reading.

 Advantageously, the central block is colored to allow rapid visual recognition of a pallet of the invention among a lot of usual pallets.

The present invention will be better understood and details thereof will appear in the description which will be made of a preferred embodiment, in connection with the figures of the attached sheet, in which
FIG. 1 is a perspective representation of a pallet of the invention,
FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of a detail of FIG. 1, which represents the central stud of the pallet,
FIG. 3 is a perspective top view of the same stud,
Fig.4 is a sectional view along the diagonal of the same pad.

 In Fig.1 and 2, a handling pallet incorporates, housed in its central block 2, an "electronic chip" 4 for the registration and remote reading of information. This information concerns, for example, the location, the origin, the destination of the pallet, as well as the nature and quantity of the foodstuffs it carries.

 As a result, a pallet park can be managed by computer means, any of the pallets making up said park being able to receive and deliver information at each stage of its wanderings, and thus be immediately identified and located.

 We first notice the particular location of the "chip" electronic 4 inside the central stud 2 of the pads, such as 6, the pallet. This appropriate location is the one that exposes the least electronic "chip" 4 shocks, sparing him the side impacts that are usually subject pallets, and protecting the forks of forklifts.

 It will then be noted on FIGS. 2 to 4 the particular arrangement of the electronic "chip" 4 inside the central stud 2: the latter 4 is oriented vertically and along the diagonal 8 of the prism forming the central stud 2. The Electronic "chip" 4 is thus maintained on the pallet so that its reading faces are generally in a plane orthogonal to the platform 10 and concurrent with any of the lateral planes, such as 12 and 14 , from the palette.

 Finally, it will be noted in FIG. 4 the advantageous manner in which the electronic "chip" 4 is housed inside the central stud 2: the latter 4 is supported by a rigid plate 16 which is inserted into a slot 18 formed in the central block 2, then embedded in the flexible synthetic material 20 filling the slot 18. Furthermore, the slot 18 is blind and open on the upper face 22 of the pad 2, this face 22 being that intended to be covered by the platform. form 10. It follows from these provisions that the "chip" electronic 4 is protected from dirt and moisture that may be present in the different media that the palette will meet.

 It will be noted that the conformation of the pallet represented in FIG. 1 is a standardized conformation and is only preferred, and that according to the invention, the electronic "chip" 4 can be incorporated into any storage and handling medium comprising a platform 10 maintained by pads 6 substantially parallel to the ground and at a distance from the latter.

 Also, although a preferred embodiment of the invention has been described and shown, it should be understood that the scope of the present invention is not limited thereto but extends to any support with the characteristics listed above.

Claims (2)

1.- Storage and handling of objects, of the kind  support, said pallet, comprising a surface, called  platform (10), on which is intended to rest the  objects, said surface (10) being substantially maintained  parallel to the ground and away from it by means of  a set of skates (6), characterized  in that it incorporates at least one  electronic chip (4) of the type intended for  2. The pallet according to claim 1, said set of skates  (6) comprising a prismatic block, said central stud (2),  located in the central zone of the pallet, characterized  in that the electronic "chip" (4)  is housed inside said central stud (2) 3.- Pallet according to claim 1, the "chip" electronic  (4) having at least one face, called reading,  characterized  in that the electronic "chip" (4)  is held on the pallet so that its face  reading is generally included in a plan  orthogonal to the platform (10) and competing with one  any of the lateral planes (12 and 14) of the pallet, 4.- pallet according to claim 2, characterized  in that the central stud (2) is in  synthetic flexible material; 5. Pallet according to claim 4 characterized  in that the electronic "chip" (4)  is coated by the constituent material of the central block  (2) 6. Pallet according to claims 2 and 3 characterized  in that, the electronic "chip" (4)  being incorporated in a rigid plate (16), said card,  the central stud (2) has an insertion slot (18) of  the card (16), said slot (18) opening only  on the face (22) of the stud (2) on which is intended to  rest the platform (10), and  in that the card (16) is embedded  in flexible synthetic material (20) filling the  said insertion slot (18)