FR2898109A1 - Load supporting pallet`s plate for loading power lift truck yoke, has case for housing retractable stop comprising stop body with pivoting unit which cooperates with another pivoting unit of case to form articulation between two positions - Google Patents

Abstract

The plate has a case (22) for housing a retractable stop (20), delimiting a cavity and comprising a pivoting unit (24), where the cavity opens through an opening at a load supporting surface. The stop has a stop body (28) having a pin (32) and molded from a plastic material. The body has another pivoting unit (30) cooperating with the former pivoting unit for forming an articulation between one position in which the body is housed entirely in the cavity and another position in which the pin projects from the cavity beyond the surface.

Description

The present invention relates to a pallet tray of load support

  retractable stop, and a pallet having such a tray. The handling pallets sometimes have smooth surfaces that have insufficient frictional force with a load that can be placed on the pallet, so that the load can move to the surface of the pallet deck. A first solution to this problem is the formation of a surface having an increased coefficient of friction in contact with the load. Another solution is the incorporation of retractable retaining stops normally assuming a projecting position when no load is placed on them, but which pass under the surface of the tray when a load is placed on them.

  For example, EP-242 076 discloses such a pallet in which stops forming a grid of retaining bars are arranged on the load bearing surface so that they can move between an extended position, projecting from the load bearing surface, and a position retracted under this support surface, the stops being biased by springs to the projecting position. These abutments, like other known abutments, must be retained so as not to be ejected when they are pushed towards the protruding position by a spring. As a result, they are mounted between an inner member and an outer member. The manufacture of such a pallet thus requires the mounting of the stops on an outer member, the mounting of the outer member on the inner member with the interposition of at least one spring by stop, and the fixing of the outer member on the inner organ. A first disadvantage is therefore the complexity of the mounting operations. A second disadvantage is that, in case of deterioration of a stop, the replacement requires either a return to the manufacturer or complex operations. The invention relates to a pallet and a pallet tray delimiting retractable stop housing housings which can be inserted and removed directly by the opening of the housing housings; thus, each stop may be considered removable, although it is still firmly retained in its housing housing. It is then possible to make pallet plates having a large number of housing housings, some only with retractable stops. More specifically, the invention relates to a retractable thrust load bearing pallet tray, which comprises at least one housing housing defining, under the load bearing surface, a cavity which opens out through an opening at the support surface of the housing. the housing housing comprising a first pivot member, and at least one stop body having a lug, the body dimensions being sufficiently small so that the stop body can be housed substantially entirely in the housing cavity; housing, the stop body having a second pivot member for cooperating with the first pivot member of the housing to form a hinge of the stop body between a first position in which the stop body is housed substantially entirely in the cavity and a second position in which the lug of the abutment body protrudes from the cavity beyond the load bearing surface, the pivot axis of the hinge being substantially parallel to the load bearing surface. Preferably, the stop body further comprises a retaining member of the abutment body in the cavity when it occupies its second position. Preferably, the retaining member is close to the lug. Preferably, the stop body further comprises a return member of the stop body to its second position. Preferably, the size of the opening is such that the abutment body can be introduced into the cavity through the opening formed on the load bearing surface. In one embodiment, the first and second pivot members together form a nestable type joint. In another embodiment, the first and second pivot members together form an articulation by simple linear contact. Preferably, the abutment body and the return member form an integral abutment subassembly. Preferably, the integral subassembly also comprises the retaining member. Preferably, the abutment subassembly is in one piece injection molded or molded by spinning and cutting.

  In one embodiment, the return member is placed between the lug and the hinge. In another embodiment, the return member is on the side of the opposite articulation to that of the lug. In one embodiment, the housing housing has a parallelepipedal shape having a symmetry with respect to a plane perpendicular to the load bearing surface and a diagonal of the opening of the cavity, so that the housing body can take, in the housing housing, two positions offset by 90 * in the plane of the support surface. In another embodiment, the housing housing has a parallelepipedal shape having a fourth order symmetry around a central axis perpendicular to the load bearing surface, so that the housing body can take four positions offset by 90 'relative to each other. Preferably, the cavity has a channel connecting the bottom of the housing to a side surface of the tray. The invention also relates to pallets whose plateau is as defined in the preceding paragraphs. Other features and advantages of the invention will be better understood on reading the following description of embodiments, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: FIGS. 1 and 2 are respectively a top view and a bottom view of a pallet comprising retractable stops according to the invention; Figures 3 and 4 are side elevational views of both sides of the pallet of Figures 1 and 2; FIGS. 5 to 7 are sections of a retractable abutment placed in a housing housing a pallet plate as shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, FIG. 5 showing the abutment in protruding position, FIG. representative in the down position and Figure 7 shows a section along the line 7-7 of Figure 5; and Figure 8 is a block diagram of another type of retractable stopper according to the invention which can be manufactured by cutting a section made by spinning. Figures 1 to 4 show a pallet whose tray corresponds to an embodiment of the invention. More specifically, the pallet has a load bearing surface 10 which is flat and without protrusion. This surface is delimited by a plate 12 which is carried by feet 14 which form spaces for the passage of a forklift fork. In the embodiment shown, the plate has a perforated surface as indicated by the openings 16, in a manner well known in the art, especially for the passage of water that could create a film between a load and the surface and reduce the coefficient of friction.

  In known manner, the lower surface of the plate has ribs 18 which give the necessary mechanical strength. These ribs form a grid, the edges having additional ribs for increasing the mechanical strength of the tray edges.

  The plate has several retractable stops 20 according to the invention. These are described in more detail with reference to FIGS. 5 to 7. Each retractable stop 20 comprises a housing housing 22 of generally parallelepipedic shape, opening at the surface 10 of load support by a rectangular opening. . At the innermost edge of the tray, the housing housing comprises a first pivot member 24 which, in the particular case, comprises two outer sectors delimiting a hollow cylinder. On the opposite side to the first pivot member 24, the cavity of the housing 22 opens on the side of the plate by a slot whose upper part forms a stop surface 26. A retractable abutment body 28 in one piece comprises a second member pivoting member 30, in the form of a cylinder of dimensions complementary to those of the hollow cylinder of the first pivot member 24, and a pin 32 for projecting above the load bearing surface as shown in FIG. stop body 28 has, on the side of the lug 32, a pin 34 intended to be pressed against the stop surface 26. The stop body 28 also has an elastic arm 36 which bears against the bottom of the housing 22 and thus always exerts an upward movement force of the lug 32. Thus, in this embodiment, the abutment body 28 comprises the pivot member 30, the lug 32 and its lug 34, and the elastic arm 36. Thus, the figu re 5 represents the normal position of the stop body when no load is placed on the tray. Figure 6 shows the abutment body fully depressed in the housing housing 22, the lug being fully retracted. However, in a variant, it is possible that the lug protrudes slightly, of the order of 1 mm, so that, without forming a stop, it forms an asperity which increases the coefficient of friction of a load with the plate.

  The first pivot member 24 of the housing 22 and the second pivot member 30 of the stop body 28 are resiliently snapped into each other. Indeed, the two cylinder sectors delimited by the housing body 22 leave between them an angle at the center of the lower cylinder at 180 '. The establishment of the second pivot member 30, shown as a cylinder sector covering approximately 270 ', therefore requires a forced insertion of the pivot member 30 in the cylindrical housing formed by the pivot member 24 In this way, the abutment body 28 is resiliently held in the joint formed by the two pivot members 24 and 30. As the pin 34 retains the other end of the stop body, it can not come out naturally. housing housing. When placing the abutment body 28 in the housing housing 22, the portion having the pin 32 is introduced first in the lower position, as shown in Figure 6, and the cylinder of the pivot member 30 is applied above the pivot member 24 and force-fed. The force of the spring 36 then automatically returns the abutment body 28 to the position shown in FIG. 5.

  FIG. 7 indicates that the spring 36 is advantageously formed opposite an opening of the abutment body 28 so that the abutment body can be molded in one piece of plastic material comprising both the pivot member 30, the pin 32, the pin 34 forming a retaining member and the spring 36 forming a return member. The abutment body can be inexpensive not only because it is an easily molded plastic part, but also because the housing housing is made directly during the molding of the pallet plate, and because the Editing operation is extremely simple, as previously described. Accordingly, a pallet tray according to the invention, provided with retractable stops, can have a low cost. The pallet shown in Figures 1 to 4 comprises two retractable stops on each side. However, it is possible for a pallet platen to have a much lower or higher number of housing housings, with only some housings being used, depending on the conditions set by the user.

  In an alternative embodiment, it may be advantageous to make retractable stops having different symmetries.

  In a variant, a housing housing comprises pivoting members on two adjacent sides of a cavity of generally square shape. In this way, the stop body can be mounted in a first direction or in a 90 direction of the first. In another variant, the housing housing may comprise at each edge both a pivot member and an abutment surface, so that the stop body can be mounted with four different positions, distant 90. from each other . This feature is especially advantageous when the housing housing is not at an edge of the plate but for example close to a central axis. Indeed, such retractable stops then allow to delimit a surface portion corresponding for example to half or a quarter of the surface of the pallet, for the support of reduced size loads. As indicated in FIGS. 5 and 6, the stop surface 26 is formed at the end of a slot which opens out of the tray and which reaches the bottom of the housing housing 22. In this way, when the pallet is exposed to the weather, water that can enter the housing housing 22 escapes automatically through the opening thus formed. In the embodiment of FIGS. 5 to 7, the articulation, formed by the pivoting members 24, 30, and the lug 32 are placed on opposite sides of the stop body 28, and the spring 36 has a intermediate position. This characteristic is not essential. Figure 8 shows schematically a variant in which the arrangement is different. In the embodiment of FIG. 8, a housing housing 38 delimits a cavity 40 having an opening itself delimited by projecting edges 42 which are overhanging with respect to the cavity 40. The abutment body 44 comprises a partially cylindrical section portion 46 for pivoting against a hollow cylinder sector portion 48 of the bottom of the housing 38. The stop body 44 comprises an arm 50 which carries a lug 52 provided with a pin 54 forming a retaining member edge 42 of the opening. On the opposite side to the articulation formed by the two pivoting members 46, 48, an elastic arm 56 forms a return member which is also in abutment against a flange 42 of the cavity 40. Thus, in this embodiment, the stopper body 44 comprises the pivoting member 46, the arm 50, the lug 52 and its stud 54, and the elastic arm 56. In this embodiment, the return member 56 is on the side of the articulation 46, 48 opposite that of the pin 52. In addition, it is noted that, subject to a suitable dimensioning of the flanges 42, another cylindrical housing 48 may be provided at the bottom of the housing 38 so that the stop body 44 can be reversed. In the embodiment of Figure 8, the abutment body 44 can be simply cut into a profile having the section shown in Figure 8, the profile being obtained by spinning. In this embodiment, it is also possible to arrange, in the direction of the hinge axis 46, 48, a plurality of stop bodies 44 which are juxtaposed so that they can bend independently of one another and can thus forming an elongate pin 52 stop which can bend in segments. Although two retractable abutment embodiments have been described in which the abutment body constitutes a one-piece subassembly comprising a hinge, a stop lug, a retaining member and a return member, this provision is not essential. It is possible that various elements are assembled.

  For example, in the embodiment of Figures 5 to 7, the retaining pin 34 may be replaced by a tapped hole in which is screwed a screw inserted from outside the cavity so that it comes to be applied against the stop surface 26.

  Similarly, the return member shown in the form of an elastic arm 36 may be replaced by any other return member acting on the one hand against the housing and on the other hand against the stop body. However, even when the abutment body is formed of several separate elements, it is desirable that all these elements are assembled as a subset, before being introduced into the housing housing.

  Although there is described an integral return member of the abutment body 28, 44, it is also possible that a spring is held by the housing housing. For example, an elastic return blade may be molded with the housing housing so that, in the free position, its surface is close to the load bearing surface but does not protrude outside of it. Although embodiments have been described in which both the housing cavity and the stopper body are made of plastic, for example polypropylene or polyoxymethylene, it is possible for abutment bodies to be formed of a metallic material, for example aluminum alloy.

Claims (10)

  1. Load bearing pallet tray retractable stop, characterized in that it comprises at least one housing housing (22, 38) delimiting, under the load bearing surface, a cavity which opens out through an opening at the a load bearing surface, the housing housing (22, 38) comprising a first pivot member (24, 48), and at least one stop body (28, 44) having a pin (32, 52), the dimensions the body being sufficiently small so that the abutment body (28, 44) can be housed substantially entirely in the cavity of the housing housing (22, 38), the abutment body (28, 44) having a second pivoting member (30, 46) for cooperating with the first housing pivot member (24, 48) to form a hinge of the stop body between a first position in which the stop body (28, 44) is housed substantially in its entirety. the cavity and a second position in which the lug (32, 52) d The abutment body projects beyond the cavity beyond the load bearing surface, the pivot axis of the hinge being substantially parallel to the load bearing surface.   2. Tray according to claim 1, characterized in that it further comprises a member (34, 54) for retaining the abutment body (28, 44) in the cavity when it occupies its second position.   3. Tray according to one of claims 1 and 2, characterized in that it further comprises a member (36, 56) for returning the stop body (28, 44) to its second position.   Tray according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the dimension of the opening is such that the abutment body (28, 44) can be introduced into the cavity through the opening formed on the support surface. loads.   5. Tray according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the first and the second pivot member (24, 30) together form an interlocking type joint.   6. Tray according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the abutment body (28, 44) and the return member (36, 56) form a fixed abutment subassembly.   7. Tray according to claim 6, characterized in that the abutment subassembly is in one piece injection molded.   8. Tray according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the return member (36) is placed between the lug (32) and the hinge.   9. Plate according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the housing housing (22, 38) has a parallelepiped shape having a symmetry with respect to a plane perpendicular to the load bearing surface and along a diagonal of opening the cavity, so that the stop body (28, 44) can take, in the housing housing (22, 38), two positions offset by 90. in the plane of the support surface.   10. Tray according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cavity has a channel connecting the bottom of the housing (22, 38) to a side surface of the tray.