FR2818619A1 - Pallet has parallel, square section tubes, into which forks of fork-lift truck may be inserted which are mounted on inverted U-profiles with floor mounted between them, center of which rests on ground - Google Patents

Abstract

The pallet has parallel, square section tubes (2), into which the forks of a fork-lift truck may be inserted. These are mounted on inverted U-profiles (4) with a floor (3) mounted between them, the center of which rests on the ground. A second floor (6), with a profiled surface corresponding to the shape of the articles to be stored on it, may be mounted above the first.

Description

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 The present invention relates to a pallet for the storage and / or transport of objects.

 By the term "pallet" is meant a raised plate, generally made of wood, which overhangs two parallel sleeves for the passage of the forks of a handling device such as a motorized and lifting trolley. The tray is intended to support the objects to be stored and / or transported.

 Such equipment is widely used in a number of industries, in particular in the sector of automotive suppliers, that is to say suppliers of parts and / or equipment intended to be transported after production, to automobile assembly sites. .

 Most of this is done by truck and, to a lesser extent, by rail.

 Whatever the means of transport used, we are faced with a storage problem directly linked to the cumulative height of the objects and the pallet on which they rest. Indeed, the height of the assembly thus formed is equal to the sum of the respective heights of the pallet and of the objects.

 Thus, for example, when the objects transported are ventilation units for automobiles, these are generally deposited in pairs on the same pallet, at the place of production.

 The pallets are then stacked inside a truck. For a common trailer height, we generally manage to stack four pallets.

 As everyone knows, the sale price of a product necessarily includes the cost generated by its transport. The more we manage to store a large number of objects in the same truck, the lower the cost of transport.

 The object of the present invention is precisely to propose a pallet which, when it receives one or more objects on its tray, occupies a total height less than that of a pallet such as that described above, carrying the same object or objects.

 In this way, the present invention aims to make it possible to store in a single space, by stacking, a higher number of pallets than in the past.

 This objective is achieved, in accordance with the invention, by means of a pallet for the storage and / or transport of objects, which comprises two sleeves

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 tubular and parallel for the passage of the forks of a handling device, as well as a support plate for said objects, characterized in that said plate extends between said sleeves and is lowered relative to the latter.

 By the expression "lowered tray" is meant the fact that the surface on which the objects to be stored and / or transported will be deposited extends, when the pallet is placed flat on the ground, at a height less than that from the top of the sleeves.

va s'étendre, à partir du sol, à une hauteur inférieure à celle de la paroi supérieure desdits fourreaux. De cette manière, la hauteur de l'ensemble palette/objets sera voisine, voire sensiblement égale à celle ces objets pris seuls. So, when the sleeves have a rectangular section, this tray

will extend, from the ground, to a height less than that of the upper wall of said sleeves. In this way, the height of the pallet / objects assembly will be close to, or even substantially equal to that of these objects taken alone.

 Furthermore, according to other advantageous but non-limiting characteristics: - said plate is flat and extends in alignment or substantially in alignment with the lower wall of the sleeves, which have a rectangular section; - Said sleeves each rest on a profile in the form of an inverted channel, the opening of which is directed opposite to said sleeves; - Said profiles comprises a wing, called "interior", which is connected to said plate; - Said plate extends substantially at the base of said profiles; - It comprises a secondary plate, also lowered, which is superimposed on the main plate and which is in particular suspended from the upper walls of said sleeves; - Said secondary plate has reliefs complementary to those of the objects to be stored and transported; - It comprises a pair of arches in the general shape of an inverted "U", the wings of which are articulated on the opposite faces of the sleeves or channels, so that they are movable between two extreme positions, namely a retracted position in which they extend in the space delimited by the sleeves and the plate, and a raised position in which they extend above said sleeves; - in the raised position, the wings of the arches form an obtuse angle with the horizontal;

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 - Rigids are fixed stiffening elements which, in the raised position, bear on the upper walls of said sleeves.

 Other characteristics and advantages of the present invention will appear on reading the detailed description which will follow of certain preferred embodiments.

- la figure 2 est une vue, également en perspective, d'un deuxième mode de réalisation de cette palette ; - la figure 3 est une vue de face d'un troisième mode de réalisation de la palette ; - la figure 4 est une vue en perspective de la palette de la figure 3 ; - la figure 5 est une vue de face de deux palettes superposées, la palette inférieure, conforme à un quatrième mode de réalisation de l'invention, comportant des arceaux en une position relevée ; - la figure 6 est une vue des palettes de la figure 5, selon le plan de coupe VI-VI ;

- la figure 7 est une vue de face de deux palettes superposées, la palette inférieure, également conforme au quatrième mode de réalisation, ayant ses arceaux en position escamotée ; - la figure 8A est un schéma montrant un camion dans la remorque duquel sont gerbées plusieurs palettes conformes à l'état de la technique ;

- la figure 8B est un schéma d'un chariot élévateur apte à manipuler lesdites palettes ; - la figure 8C est une vue analogue à la figure 8A, le chargement de la remorque étant constitué d'une superposition de palettes conformes à la présente invention. This description will be made with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: - Figure 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of the pallet according to the invention;

- Figure 2 is a view, also in perspective, of a second embodiment of this pallet; - Figure 3 is a front view of a third embodiment of the pallet; - Figure 4 is a perspective view of the pallet of Figure 3; - Figure 5 is a front view of two superimposed pallets, the lower pallet, according to a fourth embodiment of the invention, comprising arches in a raised position; - Figure 6 is a view of the pallets of Figure 5, along the section plane VI-VI;

- Figure 7 is a front view of two superimposed pallets, the lower pallet, also according to the fourth embodiment, having its hoops in the retracted position; - Figure 8A is a diagram showing a truck in the trailer of which are stacked several pallets according to the state of the art;

- Figure 8B is a diagram of a forklift capable of handling said pallets; - Figure 8C is a view similar to Figure 8A, the loading of the trailer consisting of a stack of pallets according to the present invention.

 The pallet shown in Figure 1 is for example made of metal.

However, other materials can be used, in particular wood or plastic.

 The structure of this palette is extremely simple. It actually consists of two parallel sleeves 2 and a plate 3.

 Like traditional pallets, it affects, seen from above, an elongated rectangular shape.

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 The longitudinal sleeves 2 have a tubular shape and a rectangular section. Their upper and lower walls are referenced 20 and 21, while their external and internal walls are referenced 22 and 23.

 These sleeves are preferably open at their two ends, so that a manipulator carriage can indifferently position its forks on one side or the other.

 Of course, the mutual spacing between the two sleeves 2, as well as their length, will have been chosen so as to be able to work with traditional handling devices.

 The two opposite faces 23 of the sleeves 2 are connected by a rectangular plate 3 of the same length. In the example shown here, the plate extends exactly in the extension of the lower walls 21 of the sleeves.

 This means that when the pallet rests on the ground or on a support by its walls 21, the entire plate 3 is supported on the support.

 In a different embodiment, the plate could be positioned at a height, for example intermediate between the top and the base of the walls 22 and 23.

 In any event, the plate 3 is lowered relative to said sleeves 2, that is to say that it is located, relative to the ground, at a height less than that of the upper wall 20 of the sleeves.

 For the manufacture of such a pallet, the sleeves and tray can constitute separate parts which are assembled. However, in the case where the pallet is made of metal, it can be obtained by folding a single sheet.

 When we consider the pallet of Figure 1, we easily understand that when an object is positioned on the tray 3, the height of the assembly thus formed is equal to the total height of the object, increased by thickness (negligible) of the plate. One thus constitutes a "lowered" pallet, so that by superposition of several pallets of this type, one succeeds in positioning, in the same space, a number greater than that which would have been obtained with conventional pallets in accordance with state of the art.

 In the embodiment of FIG. 2, the sleeves 2 each rest on a profile 4 in the form of an inverted channel, the opening of which is directed opposite the sleeves 2.

 More precisely, each channel is formed by the bottom wall 21 of the sleeves 2 which constitutes the bottom, and by two side walls 40 and 41.

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 The so-called outer wall 40 consists of a downward extension of the outer wall 22 of the sleeves.

 As for the inner wall 41, it is inclined relative to the vertical, so as to converge by its lower edge in the direction of the center of the pallet.

 Between these two walls 41 extends the support plate 3 proper.

 When this pallet is made of metal, the assembly consisting of the plate 3 and the walls 41 can be obtained by folding the same sheet, the assembly being welded to the sleeves and to the wall 40, which also constitute a set of the same room.

 Again, when an object is placed on the plate 3, the height of the assembly thus formed is equal to the height of the object, increased by the thickness of the plate 3.

 The structure of the pallet in Figures 3 and 4 is relatively similar to that of the pallet in Figure 2.

 However, it differs from it by the additional equipment which will be described below.

 On the upper faces 20 of the sleeves 2 are arranged stops 5 in the form of cylindrical tubes.

 When the pallet is made of metal, these stops are preferably of the same metal and welded to the sleeves.

 They extend in the immediate vicinity and parallel to the longitudinal outer edge of said upper faces 20.

 The pallet here comprises a second plate, called "secondary plate" 6, also lowered, which is fixed to the pallet at the level of the upper walls 20 of the sleeves 2, along its longitudinal edges 61.

 In the embodiment shown here, the secondary plate 6 consists of a sheet with a rectangular contour made of a thermoformed plastic.

 Here it has reliefs 60 intended to receive and wedge the complementary shapes of an object to be stored and transported.

 The secondary plate 6 is suspended, which means that it does not touch the main plate 3.

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 However, in a complementary embodiment, this secondary plate could rest, completely or partially, on the main plate.

 The secondary plate can be provided fixed permanently on the pallet, but can also be provided removable.

 In such a case, the pallet can also be used with or without the secondary tray, the latter being reserved for the transport and storage of materials whose surface is irregular.

 The means for fixing the plate 6 to the pallet are of known type (riveting, bonding, clipping, etc.).

 With or without secondary plate, the total height H of the pallet is unchanged.

 In FIGS. 5 to 7 two superimposed pallets are shown, the lower pallet being equipped with a pair of so-called "stacking" arches.

 This pallet has the same structure as that described with reference to Figures 3 and 4.

 However, the secondary plate 6 has a length slightly less than the total length of the sleeves 2, so that there are on either side of the longitudinal ends of this plate open areas where the sleeves 2 are directly accessible.

 In these regions, the walls 41 of the channels 4 have a pair of yokes 42.

 On these yokes are articulated, around longitudinal and horizontal axes A, the parallel wings 70 of arcs 7 in the shape of an inverted "U".

 The arches are shown in the raised position in Figures 5 and 6.

 This means that their base 71, which separates the two wings 70, is arranged horizontally and overhangs the sleeves 2.

 As can be seen in FIG. 5, the wings 70 are slightly bent so as to form with the horizontal, when the poles are in this raised position, an obtuse angle.

 If necessary, the wings of the arches can be fitted with spring blades intended to keep them in the raised position.

 It may be a spring leaf, the central part of which is wound helically on a cylindrical tube attached to the yokes 42, while its ends bear respectively against the associated wing 70 of the arch and against the floor of the palette.

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 The rigidity of this assembly is improved by elements 8, called "stiffeners". They have the shape of a "U", with a base 80 and two parallel wings 81. These elements are linked to the arches by their wings 81 and are able, as can be seen in FIG. 5, to come to bear on the upper face 20 of the sleeves 2 when the hoops are in the raised position. In this position, they wedge against the stops 5.

 Thus, it is possible to set up another pallet of the same type (such as that shown in dashed lines in FIG. 5), this superposition being possible by the fact that the channels 4 of the upper pallet are positioned on the above the arches. In order not to weigh down Figure 5, the upper palette has been shown without arches.

 The rounded shape of the zones 72 which connect the base 71 to the wings 70 of the arches, as well as the inclined orientation of the walls 41 of the channels facilitate this superposition operation.

 Note that Figure 6 is a simplified view, insofar as the secondary plate of the pallets has not been shown.

 When two pallets cleared of their objects must be stacked one on the other, they are positioned as shown in Figure 7, which means that care has been taken beforehand to rotate the hoops 7 of the pallet lower so as to bring them back into the space which separates the two sleeves 2, so that the assembly does not protrude above the upper wall of these sleeves.

 In FIGS. 8A and 8C is shown a truck C of known type, with a trailer R capable of receiving a superposition of pallets supporting various objects.

 In Figure 8B is shown a handling device, consisting of a forklift E of known type.

 Referring to Figure 8A, there is shown a superposition of four pallets of known type, adapted to be placed inside the trailer.

 The useful height of the trailer is such that it is possible to stack four PI pallets on it? 4.

 The height of this stack is equal to four times the height of the pallets proper, increased by the height of the objects transported.

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 In FIG. 8C, we realize that, for the same useful trailer height, it is possible to stack five pallets PI to Ps on which the same objects will have been positioned.

 Indeed, as already said above, the height of each pallet with its load is equal to the height of this load increased by a few millimeters (thickness of the tray (s)).

 It is therefore obvious that for a given volume of trailer, it is possible to transport, thanks to the pallet of the invention, a higher number of objects. This makes it possible to reduce transport costs accordingly.

Claims (10)

1. Pallet for the storage and / or transport of objects, which comprises two tubular and parallel sleeves (2) for the passage of the forks of a handling device, as well as a plate (3) for supporting said objects, characterized in that said plate (3) extends between said sleeves (2) and is lowered relative to the latter.  2. Pallet according to claim 1, characterized in that said plate (3) is planar and extends in alignment or substantially in alignment with the bottom wall (21) of the sleeves (2), which have a rectangular section.  3. Pallet according to claim 1, characterized in that said sleeves (2) each rest on a profile (4) in the form of an inverted channel, the opening of which is directed opposite to said sleeves.  4. Pallet according to claim 3, characterized in that said sections (4) comprises a wing (41), called "interior", which is connected to said plate (3).  5. Pallet according to one of claims 3 or 4, characterized in that said plate (3) extends substantially at the base of said profiles (4).  6. Pallet according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that it comprises a secondary plate (6), also lowered, which is superimposed on the main plate (3) and which is in particular suspended from the upper walls (20 ) of said sleeves (2).  7. Pallet according to claim 6, characterized in that said secondary plate (6) has reliefs (60) complementary to those of the objects to be stored and transported.  8. Pallet according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that it comprises a pair of arches (7) in the general shape of an inverted "U", the wings (70) of which are articulated on the faces ( 23; 41) opposite the sleeves (2) or channels (4), so that they are movable between two extreme positions, namely a retracted position in which they extend in the space delimited by the sleeves (2 ) and the plate (3), and a raised position in which they extend above said sleeves (2). <Desc / Clms Page number 10>  9. Pallet according to claim 8, characterized in that in the raised position, the wings (70) of the arches (7) form with the horizontal an obtuse angle (a).  10. Pallet according to claim 9, characterized in that the hoops (7) are fixed stiffening elements (8) which, in the raised position, bear on the upper walls (20) of said sleeves (2).