FR2840287A1 - Large plastics foam pallet has a plate with grooves at the under side, in a swallowtail section, to take inserted bars with foot blocks to define the passages for the forklift tines - Google Patents

Abstract

The large pallet of a foam plastics, with feet to allow the insertion of the tines of a forklift truck, has a plate (10) with lateral grooves (12) at its under side (11) with a swallowtail cross section. Bars (13), with a prismatic base (14) matching the groove shapes, have blocks (15) for the feet to define the passages (16) to take forklift tines. The bars slide along the grooves for attachment to the plate.

Description

secured to each other in this position.

  Field of the invention The present invention relates to a pallet of large dimensions, in expanded plastic material, provided with feet for the passage

  Forks of a handling cart.

  We already know in a general way such large pallets, for example 2 m x 1 m produced in different materials. These pallets are sometimes made by cutting a profile (a) (figure 1) in a block of material such as expanded polystyrene

(PSE).

  0 The cutting is done with a saw or a hot wire and the pallets then have the shape of figure 1 with a plate 1 and feet 2,

  monoblock. (The pallet is shown in the returned position in Figure 1).

  This pallet configuration only allows it to be taken with the forks of a handling trolley in the F1 direction and not

  in the transverse direction F2 because the forks have no passage.

  Cutting the length of the pallet is relatively complicated because, given the large length of the pallet, a very large cutting device (saw or hot wire) is needed, simultaneously cutting the profile like the profile b represented to the right of the o figure 1 in the feet 2, either with a movable hot wire which comes above

of each foot 2 to cut it.

  In practice, however, such a cut is not carried out because it is too complicated. Object of the invention The aim of the present invention is to develop a pallet allowing it to be taken up with a lift truck in the 4 directions of the pallet, by the 2 large sides, in opposite directions and by the small sides also in directions. opposite, which is simple to

  realize and result in a space-saving palette.

  n / a For this purpose [the invention relates to a pallet of large dimension, in expanded plastic material, of the type defined above characterized by: a plate with in its lower face transverse grooves with dovetail section, - bars formed of a prismatic section base correspond to that of the dovetail section grooves, this base being provided with blocks forming feet, distributed in the longitudinal direction of the base to allow forks for passage intervals of the forks 'a handling machine, the bars being intended to be slid into the transverse grooves

of the plateau.

  s The realization of the plateau and its dovetail grooves is very simple; more the volume of the grooves being very less than the volume between the feet 2 and the plate 1 of the embodiment of pa lette known according to Figure 1, the material to clear a block to obtain the pallet plate according to [' invention is relatively small or inver

  You can use the block of the thickness of the plate.

  The bars are also produced in a simple manner either by molding or by extrusion followed by the cutting of the intervals between the

blocks forming the feet.

  These bars slide easily into the grooves in

  is dovetail and remain there by friction effect.

  However, these bars can also be extracted from the dovetail grooves to reduce the size of the vice pallet, for example for return transport and / or delivery from the manufacturer of the pallet to the first user. It is thus possible to group together the plates and the bars of several pallets into a space-saving assembly and in any case less bulky than the nesting of the known pallets according to FIG. 1, which require an offset between the plates of the pallets when those -this nested wind head 2 to 2. The underside of the pallet between the bars may have divergent shapes to facilitate the grip of the pallet by the appropriate handling means or reduce the quantity of materials used or even optimize the

  cutting by possible embedding of the plates.

  According to an interesting characteristic, the prismatic base has a height greater than the section of the dovetail groove of the plate. This prismatic base of height greater than the depth of the prismatic grooves of the plate constitutes a useful reinforcement in certain cases of pallets intended to receive relatively heavy loads. In addition it allows to realize the dovetail grooves with s a falble depth in the thickness of the plate so as not to

  weaken the plateau at the level of the grooves.

  According to another interesting characteristic, the prismatic base has a height equal to the section of the groove in the dovetail of the plate. This is suitable for pallets that do not require reinforcement by ribs or beams formed by the bar rettes. This also facilitates the introduction of the handling forks in the interval between the blocks of each bar since there is no difference.

  sence of height between the underside of the plate and the interval between the blocks.

  According to another advantageous characteristic, the plate comprises trots transverse grooves, one near each end, one at

  middle of the tray, each receiving a bar.

  This embodiment is the most usual and the most versatile. According to another advantageous characteristic, the transverse grooves of the plate wind parallel to each other and parallel to the side of the plate. This makes it easy to place the pallets in the grooves. However, a solution with certain grooves, for example the intermediate groove which would not be parallel to the other two grooves and bars, would make it possible to increase the intermediate support points of the pallet or to start them differently from a parallel arrangement, without for as much to obstruct the passage of the handling forks since these have enough space between the bars at the same time in the direction of the bars

  o rettes and between the studs in the direction perpendicular to the bars.

  According to another advantageous characteristic, the plate and its wind grooves produced by the cutting of a block. This cut can no

  be done with a saw or hot wire.

  The tray and its bars are preferably made of expanded polystyrene or expanded polypropylene, the material used for

  the tray and the bars are not necessarily the same.

  Finally the wind bars can be extracted in the grooves with a dovetail section which allows to replace a damaged bar or to extract all the bars for the re-shipment of

vicious pallets.

  Drawings The present invention will be described below in more detail with the aid of the annexed drawings in which: - Figure 1 shows an embodiment of a known pallet in s5 view in reverse perspective, - Figure 2 shows a embodiment of a pallet according to the invention formed by a plate and 3 bars partially turned over, FIG. 3 shows the plate of the pallet of figure 2 in normal position, the underside being turned towards the teas, - Figure 4 is a perspective view of an inverted bar, the

blocks being turned upwards.

  Description of an embodiment

  According to FIG. 2, the view of a retoumee pallet according to the invention shows this pallet composed of a tray 10 with in its lower face 11 grooves 12 in dovetail. These gorges have

  preferably all the same section in the tray and through wind.

  io Wiles wind preferably carried out in the direction of the small side of the pla-

  sheet 10 (this one, of large dimension, indeed in general has a length

  very much greater than the width, for example 2 m x 1 m).

  Each groove 12 has a dovetail section and receives a bar 13 formed from a prismatic base 14 carrying blocks 15 for

  s feet. Between the blocks 15, there are vicious intervals 16.

  According to the embodiment represented (Figures 2 and 4) the

  bar 13 has block trots 15 two at each end and one at mid

  location. Bars 13 for different grooves 12 vent identi

  without this identity being essential. We can indeed

  sager bars having a base or preferably only blocks

  or feet larger than the part of the base 14 the bar for-

  border on either side of the groove 12 and form a larger bearing surface, for example if the pallet is intended to receive loads

2s relatively heavy.

  The bars 13 wind slipped in the grooves with section in

  dovetail 12 as shown by the assembled shape of the pallet

shown in Figure 2.

  Figure 3 shows the tray 10 returns with its grooves

12 has dovetail section.

  According to the embodiment shown in Figures 2 and 4, the prismatic base 14 of the bars 13 is higher than the depth of the dovetail section grooves and thus exceeds relative to the lower face 1 1 of the tray 1O. The base 14 of the bars 13

  s can constitute a transverse reinforcement means for the plate 10.

  But it is also possible to give the base 14 pr-

  material of each bar or certain bars a height equal to the depth of the prismatic section groove 12, so that the s

  surface of the intervals 16 between the blocks 15 either at the level of the lower face

  11 of the plateau. This facilitates the engagement of the forks in the in-

  tervalles 16 between the blocks 15 of the plates since the fork can be positioned relative to the level of the lower surface 11 (visible from

s outside) of tray 10.

  The four directions of engagement of the forks of a machine

  wind handling represented by arrows F1, F2, F3, F4.

  According to the embodiment of FIG. 2, the plate comprises

  door trots transverse grooves 12 each receiving a bar 13 with lO a groove 12 near each end of the plate 10 and a groove 12 with

  a bar 13 in the middle position.

  Advantageously, the grooves 12 wind parallel to each other and parallel to the short side of the plate 10. But these grooves do not necessarily wind parallel for example the intermediate groove 12 between the two end grooves 12 can be non-parallel so start again feet 14 of this bar otherwise, depending on possible loads

  that the pallet should receive.

  The plate and its wind grooves are preferably produced by cutting a block. This cutting can be done either with a saw or with a wire

hot.

  It is particularly interesting that the plate 10 and the bars 13 are made of expanded polystyrene or expanded polypropylene. The material of the tray and the bars can be different in

  static configuration function, depending on the load to be received and the re-

s partition of charges.

  Finally it should be noted that the bars 13 wind housed in an extractable manner in their groove 12 of the plate 10 which allows the

  times to replace worn or damaged bars with the forks of the

  handling gins and also to reduce the size of the defective pallets for the return, by grouping the trays together and the bars

between them.

Claims (8)

REVENDIC: ATIONS   1) Pallet of large dimensions, in expanded plastic, provided with feet for the passage of the forks of a handling trolley, characterized in that if it comprises - a plate (1O) with in its lower face (11) transverse grooves (12) with dovetail section - bars (13) formed by a prismatic base (14) of section corresponding to that of the grooves (12) with dovetail section, this 0 base (14) being provided with blocks (15) forming feet, distributed in the longitudinal direction of the base to leave spacing intervals (16) of the forks of a handling machine, the bars (13) being intended to be glide in the gorges transver dirty (12) of the plate (10).   2) Pallet according to claim 1, characterized in that the prismatic base (14) has a height greater than the section of the groove   (12) in dovetail of the plate (10).   3) Pallet according to claim 1, characterized in that the prismatic base (14) has a height equal to the section of the groove (12) in dovetail of the plate (10).   4) Pallet according to claim 1, characterized in that the plate (10) comprises trots transverse grooves (12), one near each end, one in the middle of the plate, each receiving a bar rette (13).    ) Pallet according to claim 1,., Characterized in that the bars (13) are housed in an extractable manner in the grooves (12) a   s5 dovetail section of the plate.   6) Pallet according to claim 1,., Characterized in that the transverse grooves (12) of the plate wind parallel to each other and to shelf side.   7) Pallet according to claim 1, s characterized in that   the plate (10) and its grooves (12) wind made by cutting a block.   8) Pallet according to claim 5, characterized in that   to cut is done with a hot f1.   9) Pallet according to claim 1, characterized in that the plate (10) and the bars (13) wind made of expanded polystyrene or