US20060065168A1

US20060065168A1 - Paper pallet

Info

Publication number: US20060065168A1
Application number: US10/950,203
Authority: US
Inventors: Fu-Mei Chen
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2004-09-24
Filing date: 2004-09-24
Publication date: 2006-03-30

Abstract

A pallet includes a top plate, a bottom plate fixed below the main plate, and a plurality of spaces mounted below a general plane of the bottom plate. The top plate includes a main section and two enveloping sections respectively on two sides of the main section of the top plate. A protective folding section is provided between each enveloping section and the main section of the top plate. At least one reinforcing plate is sandwiched between the main section of the top plate and the enveloping sections of the top plate. The protective folding sections form front and rear edges of the pallet, preventing damage to the pallet during use.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a pallet. In particular, the present invention relates to a paper pallet.
2. Description of the Related Art
Paper pallets are more widely used than conventional wooden pallets and metal pallets, as the paper pallets are light, inexpensive, and recyclable. FIG. 1 of the drawings illustrates a typical paper pallet made of corrugated paper and comprising a top plate 90 and a bottom plate 92 supporting the top plate. After cargo is placed on the top plate 90, the cargo is tied up with a strip made of, e.g., polyethylene. However, the strip in a tightened state is apt to bite a front edge 91 and a rear edge of the top plate 90, resulting in damage to the paper pallet and even falling of the cargo. Further, the damaged front and rear edges 91 might cause injury to the workers.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An objective of the present invention is to provide a pallet that would not be damaged during use.
In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, a pallet comprises a top plate, a bottom plate fixed below the main plate, and a plurality of spaces mounted below a general plane of the bottom plate.
The top plate includes a main section and two enveloping sections respectively on two sides of the main section of the top plate. A protective folding section is provided between each enveloping section and the main section of the top plate. At least one reinforcing plate is sandwiched between the main section of the top plate and the enveloping sections of the top plate. The protective folding sections form front and rear edges of the pallet, preventing damage to the pallet during use.
In an embodiment, the bottom plate includes a plurality of recessed sections in which the spacers are mounted. The bottom plate includes two enveloping sections respectively on two sides thereof. Each enveloping section of the bottom plate is folded inward to cover an associated recessed section. In another embodiment, each enveloping section of the bottom plate includes an insertion section that is inserted into the associated recessed section and sandwiched between associated spacers and a sidewall of the associated recessed section.
In a further embodiment, the bottom plate includes a main section and two enveloping sections respectively on two sides of the main section of the bottom plate. A protective folding section is provided between each enveloping section and the main section of the bottom plate. The main section of the bottom plate is mounted below the enveloping sections of the top plate. Each enveloping section is sandwiched between the reinforcing plate and the main section of the top plate. The protective folding sections of the bottom plate form left and right edges of the pallet, preventing damage to the pallet during use.
The pallet may further include a plurality of moisture-proof members mounted below the spacers. Each moisture-proof member is a plate including a plurality of sections with a plurality of rows of cutouts defined between each two adjacent sections, allowing the plate to be folded along the rows of cutouts to stack the sections. Each moisture-proof member may be parallelepiped.
Other objectives, advantages, and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a top perspective view of a conventional paper pallet.
FIG. 2 is a top perspective view of a pallet in accordance with the present invention.
FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of a top plate of the pallet in accordance with the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a perspective view illustrating folding of the top plate in FIG. 3.
FIG. 5 is a top perspective view of a bottom plate and spacers of the pallet in accordance with the present invention.
FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 5, illustrating a modified embodiment of the bottom plate.
FIG. 7 is a perspective view illustrating a modified embodiment of the pallet in accordance with the present invention.
FIG. 8 is an exploded perspective view of a top portion of the pallet in FIG. 7.
FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the top portion of the pallet in FIG. 8.
FIG. 10 is a portion, partly cutaway, of the top portion of the pallet in FIG. 7.
FIG. 11 is a sectional view of the top portion of the pallet in FIG. 10.
FIG. 12 is a flattened view of a moisture-proof member of the pallet in FIG. 7.
FIG. 13 is a perspective view illustrating folding of the moisture-proof member in FIG. 12.
FIG. 14 is a perspective view of a modified embodiment of the moisture-proof member.
FIG. 15 is an exploded perspective view of a modified embodiment of a bottom plate in FIG. 8.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 2 illustrates an embodiment of a pallet in accordance with the present invention. The pallet comprises a top plate 10, a bottom plate 20, and a plurality of spacers 30 mounted to a general plane of an underside of the bottom plate 20. The illustrated pallet is made of corrugated paper. It is, however, noted that the pallet can be made of any other suitable material.
As illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, the top plate 10 comprises a main section 11 forming a top side of the pallet. The top plate 10 further includes two enveloping sections 14 and 15 respectively on two sides of the main section 11, with a protective folding section 12, 13 being provided between each enveloping section 14, 15 and the main section 11.
As illustrated in FIG. 4, the enveloping sections 14 and 15 are folded downward and inward, with at least one reinforcing plate (two reinforcing plates 16 and 17 in this embodiment) being sandwiched between the main section 11 and the enveloping sections 14 and 15. The protective folding sections 12 and 13 form front and rear edge of the top plate 10 to prevent damage to the top plate 10 when a cargo is placed on the top plate 10 and tied up with a strip.
Referring to FIG. 5, the bottom plate 20 includes a plurality of recessed sections 21. The spacers 30 are parallelepiped and bonded in the recessed sections 21. Further, each of two sides of the bottom plate 20 includes an enveloping section 22 that is folded inward to cover an associated recessed section 21. FIG. 6 illustrates a modified embodiment of the bottom plate 20, wherein each enveloping section 22 includes an insertion section 23 that is folded downward and inserted into the associated recessed section 22 and sandwiched between the associated spacers 30 and a sidewall of the associated recessed section 22.
FIG. 7 illustrates a modified embodiment of the pallet in accordance with the present invention. In this embodiment, the pallet comprises a top plate 100, a bottom plate 40, and a plurality of rows of spaced spacers 30 mounted to a general plane of an underside of the bottom plate 40. The pallet is so constructed that two forks (not shown) of a forklift (not shown) can be extended through either a longitudinal direction of the pallet or a transverse direction of the pallet, and the cargo can be tied up along either the longitudinal direction or the transverse direction of the pallet without causing damage to the pallet.
In this embodiment, as illustrated in FIGS. 7 through 11, the top plate 100 is substantially the same as the top plate 10 in the embodiment shown in FIG. 2. More specifically, the top plate 10 comprises a main section 11 forming a top side of the pallet. The top plate 10 further includes two enveloping sections 14 and 15 respectively on two sides of the main section 11, with a protective folding section 12, 13 being provided between each enveloping section 14, 15 and the main section 11.
The bottom plate 40 includes a main section 41 below the enveloping sections 14 and 15 of the top plate 100. As illustrated in FIGS. 8 and 9, the bottom plate 40 includes an enveloping section 45 on each of two sides thereof, with a protective folding section 43 being provided between each enveloping section 44, 45 and the main section 41. As illustrated in FIGS. 9 and 10, the bottom plate 40 extends along a direction parallel to the extending direction of the folding sections 12 and 13 of the top plate 100. Referring to FIGS. 9, 10, and 11, each enveloping section 44, 45 outside the main section 11 of the top plate 100 is folded upward and inward to be inserted and sandwiched between the upper reinforcing plate 16 and the main section 11 of the top plate 100. The protective folding sections 43 of the bottom plate 40 form the left and right edges of the pallet to prevent damage to the pallet when the cargo is tied up along the transverse direction of the pallet whereas the protective folding sections 12 and 13 forms the front and rear edges of the pallet to prevent damage to the pallet when the cargo is tied up along the longitudinal direction of the pallet. Each enveloping section 44, 45 may include a folding line to assist in insertion of the enveloping sections 44 and 45.
The pallet in FIG. 7 further includes a moisture-proof members 50 attached to an underside of an associated row of spacers 30. As illustrated in FIGS. 12 and 13, each moisture-proof member 50 is a plate before folding. The plate includes a plurality of sections 51 with a plurality of rows of cutouts 52 defined between each two adjacent sections 51, allowing the plate to be folded along the rows of cutouts 52 to stack the sections 51. The solid portions 53 and 54 in each folding line along which the sections 51 are folded prevent falling off after glue is applied to the plate.
FIG. 14 shows a modified embodiment of the moisture-proof plate, wherein the moisture-proof plate 500 is parallelepiped after folding. FIG. 15 illustrates a modified embodiment of the bottom plate 100 in FIG. 8. In this embodiment, the enveloping sections (now designated by 440 and 450) are longer to provide a larger enveloping area.
Although specific embodiments have been illustrated and described, numerous modifications and variations are still possible without departing from the essence of the invention. The scope of the invention is limited by the accompanying claims.

Claims

1. A pallet comprising:

a top plate including a main section and two enveloping sections respectively on two sides of the main section of the top plate, a protective folding section being provided between each said enveloping section and the main section of the top plate, at least one reinforcing plate being sandwiched between the main section of the top plate and the enveloping sections of the top plate, the protective folding sections forming front and rear edges of the pallet;

a bottom plate fixed below the main plate; and

a plurality of spacers mounted below a general plane of the bottom plate.

2. The pallet as claimed in claim 1, with the bottom plate including a plurality of recessed sections, with the spacers being mounted in the recessed sections, with the bottom plate including two enveloping sections respectively on two sides thereof, and with each said enveloping section of the bottom plate being folded inward to cover an associated one of the recessed sections.

3. The pallet as claimed in claim 2, with each said enveloping section of the bottom plate including an insertion section that is inserted into the associated recessed section and sandwiched between associated spacers and a sidewall of the associated recessed section.

4. The pallet as claimed in claim 1, with the bottom plate including a main section and two enveloping sections respectively on two sides of the main section of the bottom plate, a protective folding section being provided between each said enveloping section and the main section of the bottom plate, the main section of the bottom plate being mounted below the enveloping sections of the top plate, each said enveloping section being sandwiched between said at least one reinforcing plate and the main section of the top plate, with the protective folding sections of the bottom plate forming left and right edges of the pallet.

5. The pallet as claimed in claim 4, with the pallet further including a plurality of moisture-proof members mounted below the spacers.

6. The pallet as claimed in claim 5, with each said moisture-proof member being a plate including a plurality of sections with a plurality of rows of cutouts defined between each two adjacent sections, allowing the plate to be folded along the rows of cutouts to stack the sections.

7. The pallet as claimed in claim 5, with each said moisture-proof member being parallelepiped.