FR2709286A1 - Plastic pallet for transporting tubs filled with various foodstuffs - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a plastic pallet for transporting tubs filled with various foodstuffs. This pallet comprises a substantially square tray (1) provided at its periphery with an edging (2) and with a central foot (3), having a square cross-section, and oriented under the tray (1) in such a way that the diagonals of the square are substantially perpendicular to the peripheral edges of the tray (1). This pallet is particularly suitable for transporting, among the vines, tubs intended for the collection of bunches of grapes.

Description

 The present invention essentially relates to a plastic pallet for the transport of containers filled with various foodstuffs, such as the bunches of grapes collected during the harvest.

 Wooden pallets used for transporting various objects have been known for a long time.

 These wooden pallets are most often used in the agriculture sector, but they have a number of drawbacks. They are heavy, unwieldy, prone, in the long run, to deterioration under the effect of bad weather and impact on uneven terrain, and they are not very easy to clean or maintain. In addition, materials such as wood being subject to strong variations (especially humidity and rain), added to the deterioration of the elements, varies the tare of the pallet in a significant way (sometimes several kilograms). All these and other disadvantages are particularly marked in the agriculture sector.

 Also, the present invention aims to remedy all these drawbacks by proposing a plastic pallet having good mechanical strength while remaining relatively light and easy to handle and maintain, which poses no problem for its gripping by the forks a forklift, in the fields for example, that is to say on uneven ground, and which advantageously form a constant tare.

 To this end, the subject of the invention is a plastic pallet for the transport of containers filled with various foodstuffs, such as bunches of grapes, of the type comprising a substantially square tray provided with feet at its periphery and at its center, characterized in that the central leg, of square shape in cross section, is oriented under the plate of the pallet so that the diagonals of the square are substantially orthogonal to the peripheral edges of the plate.

 It is therefore already understood that the external faces of the square constituting the central leg will play the role of deflectors when inserting the forks of the lift truck into the pallet. This means that, whatever the position of the pallet on uneven ground, for example, we will be sure that the pallet is correctly gripped by the forks of the forklift.

 According to another characteristic of this pallet, the feet at the periphery of the pallet are constituted by edges comprising on at least two opposite sides of the tray, two openings defining a support bar on the floor of the pallet, which bar is provided * a reinforcing reinforcement.

 The pallet according to this invention is preferably made by rotational molding and the tray has a multiplicity of slots and / or chimneys which, as will be explained below, not only stiffen said tray but allow immediate evacuation of water during cleaning the pallet.

 The latter is further characterized in that the aforementioned reinforcing frame is embedded in the pallet support bar on the ground.

 It will also be specified here that the plate of the pallet has an upper peripheral rim with possibly notches extending up to the level of the upper plane of the plate and located substantially in the middle of the sides of the plate and / or in the corners thereof. .

 This palette is further characterized by the fact that the underside of the plate is striated so as to form a relief in the form of a grid.

However, other characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear better in the detailed description which follows and refers to the appended drawings, given solely by way of example, and in which:
- Figure 1 is a perspective view of a pallet according to the invention and resting on the ground by means of rails;
- Figure 2 is a bottom view in perspective of this pallet;
- Figure 3 is a plan and top view of the pallet; and
- Figure 4 is a sectional view along the broken line IV-IV of Figure 3.

 It can be seen in the drawings that a plastic pallet according to this invention and produced by rotational molding essentially comprises a substantially square plate 1, an edge 2 on the four sides of the pallet and allowing it to rest on the ground, and a central leg 3, of square shape in cross section, projecting towards the bottom of the plate 1 and capable of participating with the edges 2 in supporting the ground of the pallet.

 As can be seen in Figure 4, the tray 1 has the shape of a hollow double envelope ending at its periphery by the fallen edges 2 which together have a somewhat pyramidal shape so as to make the pallets stackable.

 The central leg 3 also has a pyramidal shape, as seen in Figures 2, 3 and 4, it being understood that in cross section, it has a square shape.

 This central leg 3, as can be seen clearly in FIGS. 2 and 3, is oriented, under the plate 1 of the pallet, in such a way that the diagonals D of the square are substantially orthogonal to the fallen edges 2 of the plate 1.

 Thus, the central leg 3 will play, by its faces 3a, the role of a deflector at the insertion of the forks of a forklift (not shown) in the openings 4 formed in the edges 2. This is particularly advantageous when 'we use the pallets in the paths between the rows of vines where the positioning of these pallets in the axis of the paths is particularly difficult. In other words, without special handling of the pallet, the insertion of the forks of the forklift by a pair of openings 4 allows, thanks to the central leg 3, an automatic and correct repositioning of said pallet as well as its gripping by said forks.

 5 has been shown in the figure, a reinforcing metal frame embedded in the edges 2, that is to say more precisely in bars 6 (see Figures 1 and 4) defining the underside of the openings 4 and intended for bear on the ground, or else on rails or the like identified at 7 in FIG. 1. Thus, in the latter case, the reinforcing reinforcements 5 will give the bars 6 excellent rigidity preventing any possible deterioration of the edge 2. On note that the use of rails such as 7 advantageously allows the gripping of an alignment of pallets resting on these rails, by means of any device and not shown, from below, since the rails 7 provide a free space between the borders 2 and the ground.

 The tray 1 comprises a multiplicity of slots 8 and chimneys 9 which not only reinforce the rigidity of the tray 1 in the form of a double envelope, but which allow the immediate evacuation of the water when the pallet is cleaned. These slots 8 and chimneys 9 are flared in the direction of the underside of the plate I of the pallet, as can be seen in FIG. 4, and their number and their organization on the plate I can be any.

 This plate 1 also includes an upper peripheral rim clearly visible at 10 in FIGS. 1 and 4. This peripheral rim, participating with the edges 2 in good rigidity of the pallet, includes notches 1 1 which can be seen clearly on the Figure 1, which extend to the level of the upper plane of the tray 1 and which are located in the middle of the sides of this tray and in the corners thereof. It will also be observed that the rim 1 and bosses of suitable shape and shown schematically at 21 in FIG. 1, allow a positive positioning of the tanks (which may be four in number depending on the embodiment of the pallet shown here), on the upper face lb of tray 1.

 As can be seen in Figure 2, the underside of the tray 1 also has a grid 20, reducing the sliding of the pallet on the forks of the forklift during handling.

 A plastic pallet has therefore been produced according to the invention having excellent mechanical strength, which is therefore particularly suitable for use on particularly difficult terrain, very light and easy to handle, and comprising a central leg whose four faces 3a act as deflectors vis-à-vis the forks of a forklift, which forks will necessarily escape this central leg when they are inserted into the pallet, and this while automatically and correctly repositioning said pallet, whatever its positioning on the ground.

 Of course, the invention is in no way limited to the embodiment described and illustrated, which has been given only by way of example.

 Thus the organization and the number of slots and chimneys in the tray, as well as the dimensions and the shape of the reinforcing reinforcement in the edges of the pallet can be arbitrary without departing from the scope of the invention. .

 This means that the invention includes all the technical equivalents of the means described as well as their combinations if these are carried out according to the spirit.

Claims (6)

 1. Plastic pallet for the transport of containers filled with various foodstuffs, such as bunches of grapes, of the type comprising a substantially square tray (1) provided with feet at its periphery and at its center, characterized in that the foot central (3) square in cross section, is oriented under the plate (1) of the pallet so that the diagonals (D) of the square are substantially orthogonal to the peripheral edges of the plate (1).  2. Pallet according to claim 1, characterized in that the feet at the periphery of the pallet consist of edges (2) comprising, on at least two opposite sides of the plate (1) two openings (4) defining a bar ( 6) supporting the pallet on the ground, which bar (6) is provided with a reinforcement frame (5).  3. Pallet according to claim 2, characterized in that it is obtained by rotational molding and the plate (1) comprises a multiplicity of slots (8) and / or chimneys (9).  4. Pallet according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the aforementioned reinforcement frame (5) is embedded in the bar (6) for supporting the pallet on the ground.  5. Pallet according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the plate (1) has an upper peripheral rim (10) with possibly notches (11) extending up to the level of the upper plane of the plate (1) , and located substantially in the middle of the sides of the tray and / or in the corners thereof.  6. Pallet according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the lower face (la) of the plate (1) is striated so as to produce a relief in the form of a grid (20).