GB2439616A

GB2439616A - Method and apparatus for forming a pallet made from a single blank

Info

Publication number: GB2439616A
Application number: GB0525142A
Authority: GB
Inventors: John Leslie Neave
Original assignee: DS Smith PLC
Current assignee: DS Smith PLC
Priority date: 2003-01-24
Filing date: 2004-01-26
Publication date: 2008-01-02
Anticipated expiration: 2024-01-26
Also published as: GB2439616B; GB0525142D0

Abstract

A method of forming a pallet 100 from a single blank 12 of material, comprises the steps of providing a blank of creasable and severable material, forming crease means 4, 4' and cuts therein to provide members foldable out of the plane of the blank, providing means to secure contacting parts of the blank when folded together, folding the blank about crease means 4, 4', and securing overlapped parts together to form a sleeve with two overlapping surfaces 12, 13 lying over one another and substantially in parallel prior to subsequent erection of the pallet 100. Apparatus for forming a sleeve for forming a sleeve as previously described is also claimed.

Description

LOAD HA1DLIIG APPARATUS The invention relates to load handling

apparatus, particularly a pallet.

Pallets are used in grocery and retail distribution and in industry for handling loads. The pallets are often loaded with a load which can be transported round say a factory or warehouse site on fork-lift trucks or the like. Also, the pallets can be loaded onto a lorry or truck for transporting a load over distance. Such pallets must be strong enough to perform their function. Traditionally such pallets have been made of wood. Whilst being able to support a load, such pallets are heavy, bulky and are liable to break or splinter, which is a health or injury hazard for operatives. Such pallets too are often "recycled" in the sense of being returned after use to an authorised depot, but such systems consume substantial space for storage of pallets prior to return, and require numerous lorry journeys to effect that return. There is also a risk that pallets will be lost or damaged.

As an alternative to wood, lighter pallets made from foldable and creasable materials such as corrugated cardboard have been produced. However prior non-wooden pallets of this kind have proved difficult to manufacture cost effectively, requiring as they do several parts which need to be assembled.

it is accordingly an object of the invention to seek to mitigate these disadvantages.

According to the invention there is provided a pallet, formed. from a single blank of material, comprising a creasable material which is foldable about crease means formed therein, whereby to form a sleeve with major surfaces superposed and with one displaced with respect to the other prior to subsequent erection of the pallet.

The pallet may be erected ready for use from a flat form into its final form, in an erecting apparatus, particularly when the blank is made of creasable material which may be foldable about crease means formed therein.

The single blank of material may thus comprise a fluted blank of planar material, for example corrugated material such as cardboard.

The pallet may comprise an upper in use surface for receiving a load, a lower in use surface Substantially parallel to the upper surface and spaced therefrom in an erected condition of the pallet by walls which space the two surfaces apart, and support devices which have substantially the same height as the walls and are adapted to rigidify the pallet. This provides for ease of erecting a pallet from the sleeve.

There may be in the erected pallet areas of the blank which are secured to one another by securing means, preferably adhesive.

Some at least of the areas may comprise a member formed by cutting and creasing and extending internally of the erected pallet to form an internal supporting wall for supporting the upper and lower surfaces in the erected, spaced apart condition.

The members may be in the lower in use surface and providing therein in the erected pallet, apertures for receiving the wheels of a pallet truck.

Each member may be attached to the in use lower surface by crease means aioit which it is hingable to extend to the inner surface of the upper in use surface and having a flap formed by a hinge line by which flap the member is secured to the upper (in use) surface.

The member may have a pair of further hinge lines extending substantially at right angles to the crease lines and additional flaps extending in planes substantially at right angles to the first flap and formed by cuts substantially at right angles to the hinge lines, whereby the additional flaps can be hinged to provide additional support members between the hinge line and first flap and extending between the upper and lower surfaces of the pallet.

The additional flaps may have a projection and the lower surface through slots for receiving an associated respective projection for interlocking the additional flaps and lower surface. This provides for a positive forming of the pallet from the blank.

There may be a plurality of spaced rows of members as considered transversely of the pallet.

The additional flaps of each member may be directed towards one another.

The rows of members may be positioned intermediate the length of the pallet This provides for a neat construction, and appearance.

There may be a support member adjacent each end of the pallet, formed by parts of the lower surface hinged thereto and separated therefrom by cuts, and the respective support members may define receptors for a respective fork of spaced forks of a fork lift or similar lifting apparatus.

The blank may have two pairs of major crease means comprising crease lines formed at each end of the blank, each pair being spaced by a distance equivalent to the height of the formed pallet, whereby when the pallet is formed by folding about the major crease lines, free ends overlap and are secured together to form the pallet.

The part of the blank between each pair of major crease lines may form an end wall of the pallet, and preferably each end wall may have inwardly foldable end support members which together form an entry for a fork lift element.

The respective crease lines may extend transversely to flutes of the blank.

The pallet may have walls on all four sides.

According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided a method for forming a pallet from a single blank, comprising the steps of providing a blank of creasable and severable material, forming crCase means and cuts therein to provide members foldable out of the plane of the blank, providing means to secure contacting parts of the blank when folded together, folding the blank about the crease means, and securing overlapped parts of the blank together to form a sleeve with two overlapping surfaces lying over one another and substantially in parallel prior to subsequent erection to form a pallet.

The method may comprise the step of shifting the overlapping surfaces bodily with respect to one another to form the pallet. This is a relatively simple forming step.

According to a third aspect of the invention there is provided apparatus for forming a sleeve from a single blank for providing a pallet, comprising sequentially a feeder for a single blank, at least one die cutter for cutting and creasing to form support members of the sleeve, a station for providing securing together of overlapping and contacting parts of the blank when folded, a folding unit for folding the blank, and a stacker for receiving a formed sleeve.

There may be two die cutters, one of which may be reversed with respect to the other and each being positioned together upstream of the folding section. This provides for forming a reverse crease.

The apparatus may be in combination with a device for forming a pallet received from the apparatus by moving overlapping surfaces thereof bodily with respect to one another to provide spaced apart surfaces and actuating integral support devices of the pallet to support the surfaces in said spaced apart relation.

A pallet embodying the invention is hereinafter described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a first embodiment of a single die cut blank of corrugated cardboard; Fig. 2 is a plan view of a second embodiment of a single blank; Fig. 3 is a plan view of a third embodiment of a single blank; Fig. 4 is a plan view of a fourth embodiment of a single blank Fig. 5 is a plan view of a fifth embodiment of a single blank; Fig. 6 is a plan view of a sixth embodiment of a single blank; Figs. 7 to 10 are respective views of a pallet formed from a single blank, Figs. 7 and 8 being respective perspective and plan views of an upper (in use) surface of the pallet and Figs. 9 and 10 are respective perspective and side elevational views of the lower (in use) surface of the pallet; Fig. II is a schematic plan view of a single blank showing glueing regions; Figs. 12 to 15 show schematic views of a blank for forming a further embodiment of pallet according to the invention, Fig. 12 showing a die cut blank prior to folding and with glueing areas indicated in shading, Fig. 13 showing a perspective view of a sleeve formed by folding and glueing the blank of Fig. 12 Fig. 14 showing a perspective top view of the pallet erected from the sleeve of Fig. 13, and Fig. 15 showing a perspective bottom view of the pallet erected from the sleeve of Fig. 13; Figs. 16 to 19 show schematc views of a blank for forming a further embodiment of pallet according to the invention, Fig. 16 showing a die cut blank prior to folding and with glueing areas indicated in shading, Fig. 17 showing a perspective view of a sleeve formed by folding and glueing the blank of Fig. 16, Fig. 18 showing a perspective top view of the pallet erected from the sleeve of Fig. 17, and Fig. 19 showing a perspective bottom view of the pallet erected from the sleeve of Fig. 17; Figs. 20 to 22 show schematic view of a blank for forming a further embodiment of pallet according to the invention, Fig. 20 showing a die cut blank prior to folding and with glueing areas indicated in shading, Fig. 21 showing a perspective top view of the erected pallet, and Fig. 22 showing a perspective bottom view of the erected pallet Figs. 23 to 25 show schematic views of a blank for forming a further embodiment of pallet according to the invention, Fig. 23 showing a die cut blank prior to folding and with glueing areas indicated in shading, Fig. 24 showing a perspective top view of the erected pallet, and Fig. 25 showing a perspective bottom view of the erected pallet and Figs. 26 and 27 show schematically respective plan and side elevational views of apparatus for producing sleeves which are adapted for erection subsequently to form a pallet.

Referring to the drawings, all relate to a pallet which is erected from a sleeve which is made from a single blank 1 of material such as corrugated cardboard. Thus a corrugated sheet or blank is used.

Such a material is creasable, foldable and cuttable being foldable about crease (or hinge) means in the form of lines formed in a major surface thereof.

In all the figures showing blanks 1, cuts in the material of the single blank 1 are denoted by numeral 2, and crease or hinge lines by numeral 3. Like parts are generally indicated by like numerals throughout, for ease of reference.

Referring to Fig. 1, the single blank I shown has three pairs 4,4' of parallel transverse crease or fold lines, one pair 4 being adjacent one end 5 of the blank 1 and the other two pairs 4' being intermediate the length of the blank 1. The pair 4 of fold lines has cuts 2 through the thickness of the blank 1 to form a support device 6 in the form of a flap which flap can hinge about a hinge or crease line 3' orthogonally arranged to the crease lines and extending in the direction of the arrow F'. The flaps 6 formed between the other two pairs 4' of crease lines have projections 7 which are associated with slots 8 of rectangular configuration through the thickness of the blank. There are also four square holes 9 cut through the thickness of the blank to form apertures in the formed pallet for receiving in use a wheel positioned at the end of a fork of a pallet truck.

By application of securing means in the form usually of glue to a part or parts of the blank which overlap, in this case along an edge strip 10 and the opposite edge 11, when the blank I is folded upwardly out of the plane of the material so that the edge strip 10 contacts, and is secured to, the surface of the blank and the edge 11 is secured to the surface of the blank which is below the one viewed on Fig. l,just beyond the line of the pair of hinge lines 4, a pallet 1 is formed with upper 12 and lower 13 surfaces in parallel and longitudinally displaced in the direction of the arrow F. Thus a sleeve is formed.

On pushing the formed sleeve from opposite sides, the surfaces 12, 13 of the sleeve are moved apart by the distance W' of the spacing between the pairs of hinge lines 4, 4' which form the walls of the pallet, and hence the height thereof, so that when the flaps 6 are pushed out of the plane of the walls, inwardly of the pallet 1, by hinging about the hinge lines 3' so that they are orthogonally positioned with respect to the walls W', the pallet 1 is erected to form a rigid, load bearing integral unit, from the single blank 1.

Forks of a fork lift apparatus can then be inserted in fork-receiving apertures (see Fig. 10 for example) 14 between the respective walls and a central wall formed by the edge strip and blank material between the hinge lines 4,4'.

Referring now to Fig. 2, the single blank 1 shown has two spaced pairs 4' of transverse fold lines with flap or support members 6 formed as in Fig. 1. There are also through slots 8 as in the first embodiment. In addition, there are additional members 15 cut out of the blank and hingable with respect thereto by crease lines 15', the members each having a flap or tongue and further flaps or support members which are cut out except at the hinge line. The flaps 15 at the left hand end as viewed form a trapezoidal kind of aperture, the sides of which match or are complementary to broad notches 16 at one end 17 (the right hand end as viewed in Fig. 2) of the blank 1, the opposite end of which has support flaps 18 with a projection 19 and a hinged edge strip 20. Securing mean such as adhesive is applied along the edge 17 and edge strip 20 respectively, so that when the blank 1 is folded about the hinge lines 4', the spacing W' between which again determines the wall height, the edge 17 overlies the edge so that the angled cut outs 15 and notches 16 are vertically aligned and is secured thereto by the adhesive and the edge strip 20 is secured to the blank I to form two longitudinally offset surfaces in contact to form a sleeve, which when a force is applied raises the surfaces 12, 13 by the height of the wall W' such that when the flaps 6 are orthogonally pushed out of the plane of their flap members, the pallet is formed in a rigid, erected manner for receiving a load, from the one blank. There are tongues 20' which are glued to the inside surfaces of the blank when it is folded to form the sleeve.

Fig. 3 shows a sleeve similar to Fig. 2, the main differences being that left hand flaps 6 of Fig. 2 are removed prior to folding to form the sleeve.

Referring to Fig. 4, the blank shown therein is similar to that of Fig. 2, except that in addition there are longitudinal edge members 21 which when a pallet is erected from the sleeve determine that the pallet is closed on all sides, and not just at the ends. Entry for forks of a fork lift apparatus are provided by flaps 21' which are folded out of the plane of the edge strips 21 inwardly of the pallet-ito support the surfaces 12 and 13 in a rigid manner as before.

The single blank of Fig. 5 is similar to those described herembefore in that it is formed into a sleeve which is erected to form a pallet, there being in Fig. 5 no intermediate supporting wall, the rigidity of this formed pallet being provided by the flaps 6, tongues 20' of the flaps as in all the embodiments being secured as by glueing to a surface of the blank to which it comes into contact on folding about the pair of hinge lines 4,4', the opposite edges of the blank overlapping and the overlapping parts being secured as by adhesive as before, the flaps or support devices 6 as before providing rigidity and stability of the erected pallet formed as an integral unit from the single blank.

This provides for a relatively smaller blank size than those required in Figs. I to 4.

The single blank of Fig. 6 is similar to that of Fig. 5 with the addition of opposite edge strips 21 to form a sleeve which is closed on all sides, except when the tongues 20' are pushed in, as described with reference to Fig. 5.

Figs. 7 to 10 show different views of a pallet 100 formed from a sleeve itself formed from a single blank 1, there being an upper surface 12, a lower surface 13 and walls W' defining the height of the pallet 100 formed by hinge or crease lines of the blank and support flaps turned out of the plane of the blank and secured as by adhesive to an opposite surface of the blank, the support flaps having support members which are folded out of the plane thereof as by being pushed out to extend orthogonally of the support flaps to form a rigid, erected pallet.

Fig. 11 shows schematically a blank similar to that of Fig. 2, and showing areas 22 to which adhesive is applied so that those parts become glued to parts of the surface of the blank which they contact on folding about the major hinge lines 4'. The flaps are of Z-shape in end elevation, in all embodiments, in the erected pallet 100.

Referring now to Figs. 12 to 15, the embodiment sown is formed from an initially flat corrugated sheet or blank of cardboard. There is a panel which is a major upper surface 12 of the pallet, the major surface thus being a surface adapted for receiving and supporting a load.

The blank I is generally oblong or rectangular in plan, and there are two end panels respectively one at either end of the panel forming the upper surface, the end panels in the erected pallet forming the lower surface 13 thereof.

There are various flaps formed in the blank, and areas to which an adhesive such as glue is applied are shown shaded and indicated by the letter G', the areas G' being on a surface of the blank which is an inner surface of a sleeve formed therefrom and from which a pallet is ultimately erected.

There are slots which can receive tabs of flaps during a forming operation.

In operation the blank is die-cut and glue is applied in the area G'. The die-cut blank is then folded so that the opposite end panels lie substantially parallel to and over the panel 12 about hinge lines. The glued areas contact opposite surfaces of the blank, and flaps which are joined to the blank by hinge lines at right angles to the direction F' of the corrugations or flutes form, in the erected pallet, substantially vertical supports or anti-crushing means when a load is applied to the surface of the pallet formed from the sleeve.

As can be seen from Fig. 15, the cut-outs or flaps are folded out of the plane of the blank and glued areas G' are secured to the underside of the panel 12 forming the upper surface of the formed pallet.

The embodiment of Figs. 16 to 19 is similar to that of the previous embodiment, the main difference being lateral flaps which in the erected pallet, are folded to wrap' the corners and walls adjacent entry ports for lines of a fork-lift truck to enhance the side wall strength of the erected pallet, as is shown in Figs. 18 and 19.

in the previous two embodiments intermediate support members or flaps provide a central rib along the length of the pallet The further embodiment shown in Figs. 20 to 22 is similar to those described previously, the larger flaps having a different configuration, and there being an additional row of flaps in the panel forming the upper surface. As there is no central rib, there is an extra row of flaps 2, and only one fold over to provide a glue point via the glued edge strip 10 which is 2lued to the outside U. A yet further embodiment is shown in Figs. 23 to 25, the difference from the immediately preceding embodiment being the addition of lateral flaps, akin to those of the embodiment of Figs. 16 to 19, so they will not be described again.

Turning now to Figs. 26 and 27, these show apparatus 200 forming a sleeve of all embodiments.

The apparatus 200 shown is one for continuous production of sleeves, comprises a station 201 for receiving raw material, i.e. corrugated sheet or blanks previously formed on a corrugator. The sheets or blanks are then fed sequentially from the station 202, whence they pass to a feeder 203 and print unit 204. After this, they pass downstream to a first, or bottom, die cutter 205, thence to an upper, or top, die cutter 206. The die-cut blanks, which now have the requisite flaps and fold lines imparted to them at the die cutters 205, 206 are then passed to and through a glueing and folding station 207 at which the glue areas 0 are first laid down prior to folding so the necessaiy glue contact is made to form a folded, glued, sleeve, which is not erected. It is essentially flat, with the major surfaces overlying one another, and longitudinally offset. The formed sleeve is then passed through a compressing and drying station 208 to ensure curing or setting of the glue, the formed sleeves being then received on a stacker 209, or down stacker, before being assembled at a discharge station 210 for subsequent despatch.

Although an "in-line" apparatus 200 has been described, it will be understood that the sequence of operations described may be carried out separately. In this latter case, a stack of die act blanks will be removed from the die cutter and fed into a separate folding and glueing machine via a stack of die cut blanks placed in a separate feeding magazine for the folding and glueirig machine. Glue is applied to the die cut blank as necessary to form a folded, glued sleeve. The production of sleeves in separate units may be advantageous for lower volume production of such sleeves.

In all the embodiments, the product formed from the die cut blank is a folded glued, sleeve, adapted for erection to provide a pallet from a unitary or single blank.

These sleeves are erected as required to form a usable pallet. An operation to erect the pallet from the sleeve can be carried out where desired, which may be at the premises of an end user, or at a location such as a factory where the sleeves are made. As described hereinbefore, in some embodiments, reinforcing or strengthening flaps are glued together at two ends of the pallet during the erection process.

It will be understood that in essence the invention relates to production of a one-piece sleeve which is erectable to form a pallet, the sleeve being formed from a single blank of material, suitably formed with appropriate panels and flaps, the arrangement of which in the blank being such that a surface to form a load bearing surface and a surface forming a base are overlying, and relatively slightly displaced longitudinally in the unerected condition of the sleeve, the respective surfaces being connected by parts or intermediate members of the blank which lie at an angle between and secured to the major surfaces and which when the sleeve is shifted bodily, are erected to erect the pallet, those parts or intermediate members providing strength against crushing when a load is applied to the load bearing surface. The respective surfaces may suitably be overlying and may be substantially in contact.

Stated in another way in all embodiments the single blank is folded to have its major surfaces lying one over the other, closely adjacent and longitudinally offset to form a sleeve which is erectable to form a pallet by "pushing" the sleeve so that the major surfaces are vertically, in use, over one another. Side flaps 6 are pushed in from opposite sides by suitable pusher means such as a ram and engage in slots 8 when present to provide for additional vertical support of the load-bearing surface 12.

It will be understood that the pallets 100 described herein are light, rigid, strong, relatively inexpensive as they are formed from a sleeve formed from a single blank 1 which can be formed directly by folding and glueing. Moreover, as the pallets are made of corrugated cardboard, or the like, they can be recycled after use through established

F

recycling channels and the like. Also, the danger of injury when using the pallets instead of wooden pallets is much reduced as the pallets do not splinter and are much lighter.

Claims

CLAIMS

A method for forming a pallet from a single blank, comprising the steps of providing a blank of creasable and severable material, forming crease means and cuts therein to provide members foldable out of the plane of the blank, providing means to secure contacting parts of the blank when folded together, folding the blank about the crease means, and securing overlapped parts of the blank together to form a sleeve with two overlapping surfaces lying over one another and substantially in parallel prior to subsequent erection to form a pallet.

2. A method according to Claim 1, including the step of passing the formed sleeve through a compressing and drying step whereby to cure or set any glue used in forming the sleeve.

3. A method according to Claim 2, including the step of stacking the formed sleeve(s) to provide a stack thereof.

4. A method according to any preceding claim, further comprising the step of shifting the overlapping surfaces of a formed sleeve bodily with respect to one another to erect the pallet.

5. A method of forming a pallet from a single blank of material, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

6. Apparatus for forming a sleeve from a single blank for providing a pallet, comprising sequentially a feeder for a single blank, at least one die cutter for cutting and creasing to form support members of the sleeve, a station for providing securing together of overlapping and contacting parts of the blank when folded, a folding unit for folding the blank, and a stacker for receiving a formed sleeve. p.

7. Apparatus according to Claim 6, there being two die cutters, one of which is inverted with respect to the other and each being positioned together upstream of the folding section.

8. Apparatus according to Claim 6 or Claim 7, the means to secure contacting parts of the blank when folded together comprising a glueing and folding station.

9. Apparatus according to Claim 8, comprising, downstream of aforesaid stations, a compressing and drying station to ensure curing or setting of any glue.

10. Apparatus according to any of Claims 6 to 9, the apparatus being an "in-line" apparatus whereby the different stations are arranged sequentially in a single apparatus.

11. Apparatus according to Claim 6 to 10, in combination with a device for forming a formed sleeve received from the apparatus by moving overlapping surfaces thereof bodily with respect to one another to provide spaced apart surfaces and actuating integral support devices to support the surfaces in said spaced apart relation to form an erected pallet.

12. Apparatus for forming a pallet from a single blank of material, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Amendments to the claims have been tiled as follows CLAiMS 1. A method for forming a pallet from a single blank, comprising the steps of providing a blank of creasable and severable material, forming crease means and cuts therein to provide members foldable out of the plane of the blank, providing means to secure contacting parts of the blank when folded together, folding the blank about the crease means, and securing overlapped parts of the blank together to form a sleeve with two overlapping surfaces lying over one another and substantially in parallel prior to subsequent erection to form a pallet.

2. A method according to Claim 1, including the step of passing the formed sleeve through a compressing and drying step whereby to cure or set any glue used in forming the sleeve.

3. A method according to Claim 2, including the step of stacking the formed sleeve(s) to provide a stack thereof.

u. * 4. A method according to any preceding claim, further comprising the step of shifting the overlapping surfaces of a formed sleeve bodily with respect to one : ** another to erect the pallet. 44 *i

I I'.

5. A method of forming a pallet from a single blank of material, substantially as * :1. hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

6. Apparatus for forming a sleeve from a single blank for providing a pallet according to a method of any preceding claim, comprising sequentially a feeder for a single blank, at least one die cutter for cutting and creasing to form support members of the sleeve, a station for providing securing together of overlapping and contacting parts of the blank when folded, a folding unit for folding the blank, and a stacker for receiving a formed sleeve. i8

7. Apparatus according to Claim 6, there being two die cutters, one of which is inverted with respect to the other and each being positioned together upstream of the folding section.

8. Apparatus according to Claim 6 or Claim 7, the means to secure contacting parts of the blank when folded together comprising a glueing and folding station.

9. Apparatus according to Claim 8, comprising, downstream of aforesaid stations, a compressing and drying station to ensure curing or setting of any glue.

10. Apparatus according to any of Claims 6 to 9, the apparatus being an "in-line" apparatus whereby the different stations are arranged sequentially in a single apparatus.

11. Apparatus according to Claim 6 to 10, in combination with a device for forming a formed sleeve received from the apparatus by moving overlapping surfaces thereof bodily with respect to one another to provide spaced apart surfaces and actuating integral support devices to support the surfaces in said spaced apart relation to form an erected pallet.

12. Apparatus for forming a pallet from a single blank of material, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.