WO2005019048A1

WO2005019048A1 - Nestable load support

Info

Publication number: WO2005019048A1
Application number: PCT/EP2004/008983
Authority: WO
Inventors: Dietrich Haaf
Original assignee: Recover Systems Gmbh
Priority date: 2003-08-13
Filing date: 2004-08-11
Publication date: 2005-03-03
Also published as: EP1654164A1; DE10337147A1; US20080011205A1

Abstract

Disclosed is a nestable load support (1), preferably made of plastic, comprising a deck (3), an outer edge (9) that extends along the entire periphery, several legs (5) which are formed by one respective cavity in the deck with two sidewalls (7) and a bottom (8), the sidewalls and the bottom forming a trapezoidal cross section, and at least one respective recess (19) for the forks of a stacker in the sidewalls of the legs. The outer edge and the deck are connected to each other exclusively via the sidewalls and the bottoms of the legs.

Description

Nestable load carrier

description

The invention is based on a nestable load carrier, also called a pallet, with a deck, with a circumferential outer edge and with several feet, the feet being formed by a depression in the deck with two side walls and a bottom, the side walls and the Form a trapezoidal cross-section of the foot, with at least one recess for the tines of a truck on the side walls of the feet.

In connection with the invention, the terms "load carrier" and "pallet" are used synonymously. Nestable load carriers, as are known from the prior art, have various disadvantages in daily use. Because the bending stiffness of the load carrier is determined exclusively by the deck, the load carrier is either very heavy and takes up a lot of space or the bending stiffness leaves something to be desired. As a result, if the load carrier is only partially undermined by a forklift and is then raised, part of the load carrier can break off and the goods on the load carrier can be damaged.

For example, from DE 2 216 631 or EP 1 323 636 AI a pallet with several feet on each side of the pallet is known, which have a trapezoidal cross section. In the areas of an outer edge of the pallet where there are no feet, the outer edge and the deck are connected to one another by means of stiffening ribs.

In the case of the pallets known from DE 2 043 832 A, DE 1 456 707 A, DE 94 06 395 U and WO 93/00474, the deck extends on two sides of the pallet up to its outer edge. During use, pallets are often hit very roughly by the forklift truck, the forklift truck striking the outer contour of the pallet with its tree. This leads to the introduction of sometimes high forces into the structure of the pallet, which can lead to destruction of the pallet.

The invention has for its object to provide a nestable load carrier, the resilience, especially its bending stiffness, meets the highest requirements. At the same time, the load carrier should be very unbreakable even in rough use and be producible with low material and / or manufacturing costs.

This task is carried out with a deck, with a circumferential outer edge and with several feet, the feet being formed by a depression in the deck with two side walls and a floor, and the side walls and the foot forming a trapezoidal cross section, with at least one each Cut-out for the tines of a truck on the side walls of the feet, solved by the fact that the outer edge and the deck are connected to each other only via the side walls and the bases of the feet.

Advantages of the invention

The pallet according to the invention has a very high level of flexural rigidity in relation to the weight forces exerted on the pallet by the goods on the pallet. This bending stiffness is not dependent on the direction because of the surface resistance torque of the pallet according to the invention which is the same over the circumference of the pallet. Therefore, the pallet according to the invention can be lifted from all sides with a forklift or inserted and set down in a listening rack warehouse or the like. On the other hand, the pallet according to the invention is very flexible with respect to lateral forces, that is to say forces which are introduced, for example, from the tree of a forklift when the tines are moved into the pallet according to the invention. As a result, the edge of the pallet according to the invention can dodge the tree of a forklift in the direction of the deck and thus reduce the momentum introduced by the forklift into the pallet over a long distance. As a result, the material loads on the pallet are very low even with these dynamic loads.

Even if an unloaded pallet according to the invention falls from a truck or a loading ramp, the structure of the pallet according to the invention absorbs sufficient energy through elastic deformation that the pallet is not damaged. This effect allows the use of relatively brittle materials, for example recycled plastic, without disadvantages in the breaking strength of the pallet according to the invention.

The cutout in the feet ensures that the load carrier according to the invention can be moved under and raised with the tines of a forklift. At the same time, the feet take on the function of a runner in the area of the cutout, so that the required bending rigidity is also guaranteed in the area of the cutouts. In other words, the feet can be dimensioned so large or so long that they enable the load carrier according to the invention to be sufficiently rigid, without the handling of the load carrier according to the invention suffering. The cutouts in at least one side wall of a foot make it possible to move the load carriers in the manner which has been known for a long time with the aid of forklifts or the like.

Because the feet have a trapezoidal cross section, the load carrier according to the invention is straightforward nestable. In addition, the recess in the side walls of the feet can be made in a molding tool without a slide. This firstly saves considerable tool costs and secondly drastically increases the output of load carriers according to the invention from the molding tool. This results in considerable cost advantages in the manufacture of the charge carrier according to the invention compared to the charge carriers known from the prior art.

If, as is known from the prior art, plastic pallets are produced in tools with slides, the ejection rate of this mold is limited by the long travels of the slide.

In a further embodiment of the load carrier according to the invention it is provided that the feet extend essentially over the entire length of the deck and thus form a skid. The advantages of a load carrier with a skid with regard to resilience and bending stiffness can thus also be fully realized with the design of the feet according to the invention.

In order to further stabilize the load carrier according to the invention, it can be provided that several feet or runners together form a square or a rectangle. Thanks to these closed squares, the load carrier can be loaded evenly in all directions. It differs from conventional wooden Euro pallets with, for example, three runners arranged parallel to each other, which are more rigid in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the runners than perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the runners.

An optimum strength and bending stiffness of the load carrier according to the invention is obtained if, as claimed in a further advantageous embodiment, the Cut edges of the side walls of the feet with the deck run parallel to the outer edges of the deck.

The load carrier according to the invention can have a rectangular or square base area, in particular a base area, the dimensions of which correspond to the dimensions specified in relevant industrial standards, so that the load carrier according to the invention is compatible with other standard-compliant load carriers.

To further reinforce the load carrier according to the invention, the deck and / or the runners can be reinforced by a plurality of ribs.

In a particularly advantageous manner, the load carrier is made from plastic, in particular from recycled plastic, so that fully automated production at a consistently high quality level is possible with low raw material costs.

In a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, the recess is wider than the prong of a fork of a forklift or pallet truck and the recess is higher than the fork of a forklift or pallet truck, so that a forklift or pallet truck with at least one prong of its fork enters the recess can and can lift the load carrier.

Further variants of the invention provide that two cutouts running parallel to one another are provided, so that the load carrier according to the invention can be lifted from all sides with a forklift or pallet truck. Because of the two recesses running parallel to one another, two tines of the fork of a forklift or lift truck can be inserted into the load carrier, so that the load carrier's safety against tipping is improved when it is raised. Further refinements of the invention provide that the distance between the central axes of the cutouts is between 340 mm and 400 mm, in particular 370 mm, and / or that the height of the cutouts is greater than 85 mm and that the width of the cutouts is greater than 160 mm , so that the load carrier according to the invention can be lifted, transported and parked with commercially available pallet trucks.

In a further addition to the invention, the dimensions of the recesses correspond to the standardized dimensions of transport pallets, so that the load carriers according to the invention can be used and transported in trucks, containers or other means of transport without compatibility problems.

drawing

Further advantages and advantageous refinements of the invention can be found in the following drawing, its description and the patent claims. All of the features described in the drawing, its description and the patent claims can be essential to the invention both individually and in any combination with one another.

The drawing shows:

Figure 1 is a top view of a first embodiment of a load carrier according to the invention; FIGS. 2 and 3 each show a sectional view of the first exemplary embodiment, FIG. 4 shows a side view of a load carrier according to the invention as shown in FIG. 1; FIG. 5 shows a sectional illustration of a plurality of charge carriers according to the invention according to FIG. 1 stacked one inside the other; Figure 6 is a bottom view of the first embodiment of a load carrier according to the invention, Figure 7 is a top view of a second embodiment of a load carrier according to the invention; FIGS. 8 and 9 each show a sectional view of the second exemplary embodiment; FIG. 10 shows a side view of a load carrier according to the invention as shown in FIG. 7; FIG. 11 shows a side view of a plurality of stacked inventive load carriers according to FIG. 7; and FIG. 12 shows a view from below of the second exemplary embodiment of a charge carrier according to the invention.

Description of the embodiments

FIG. 1 shows a first exemplary embodiment of a load carrier 1 according to the invention in a view from above. Figures 2 and 3 show sections along lines A-A and B-B (see Figure 1) of the first embodiment. In the load carrier 1 according to the invention, many components, such as. B. the feet 5, several times. For reasons of clarity, not all components are provided with reference numerals in the figures.

First, the essential features of the load carrier 1 according to the invention are explained below with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3:

The load carrier 1 according to the invention consists of a deck 3, on which several feet 5 are molded. As can be clearly seen from FIG. 2 (section AA), the feet 5 have one trapezoidal cross-section. The trapezoidal cross section of the feet 5 is formed by side walls 7 and a floor 8, the side walls extending from the deck 3 to a lower edge 17. For reasons of clarity, not all side walls 7 and all floors 8 have been provided with reference symbols.

As can be seen from the view from above in FIG. 1, four feet 5 are combined to form a square. The feet 5, which extend in the immediate vicinity and parallel to the outer edges 9 of the load carrier 1, form a large square, the edge length of which is almost equal to the outer dimensions of the load carrier 1. Since the side walls 7 of feet 5 arranged at right angles to one another have the same cross-sectional profile and the same dimensions, they meet on the diagonals 11 of the load carrier 1. Therefore, only two side walls 7 arranged parallel to one another are necessary in order to form a foot 5 in this exemplary embodiment.

If, in other exemplary embodiments, which are not shown in FIG. 1, the feet 5 do not meet at their ends with another foot 5 at an angle of 90 °, then at these ends of the foot 5 further side walls, which preferably also run conically to one another, would have to be used , can be provided.

Another foot 5, which consists of four side walls 7, is arranged in the center of the load carrier 1. This increases the footprint of the pallet according to the invention.

Since the feet 5 extend from the deck 3 to a lower edge 17 of the load carrier 1, the feet 5 increase the bending stiffness of the load carrier 1 quite considerably. So that the load carrier 1 according to the invention can be lifted and transported with commercially available forklifts or forklifts, recesses 19 are provided in the side walls 7, the dimensions of which are selected such that a prong of a forklift (not shown) can be inserted.

From the section along the line AA (see FIG. 2) it is clear that there are 5 recesses 19 in all feet, so that the tines of a forklift can be completely inserted into the load carrier 1, for example from right to left, and thus the load carrier 1 can be lifted and moved using a forklift (not shown).

In the top view from above, the possible entry and exit directions are indicated by thick arrows 21 in which the tines (not shown) of a forklift can be moved into and out of the load carrier 1.

In the sectional views along the lines A-A and B-B (see FIGS. 2 and 3), the dimensions of the cutouts 19 and the distance between two cutouts 19 running parallel to one another can be clearly seen. It has proven to be advantageous if the width B of the recesses 19 is greater than 160 mm and the height H of the recesses 19 is greater than 85 mm. Then the usual tines of forklifts can be easily inserted into the recesses 19.

It can also be seen from FIGS. 1 to 3 that the deck 3 is reinforced by ribs 23. The feet 5 are also reinforced by ribs 25. The height of the ribs 25 can determine, among other things, how deep a second load carrier 1 (not shown), which is placed on the load carrier 1 from above and nested, dips into the lower load carrier 1. Along the section line AA (see FIG. 2), care must be taken that both the ribs 23 and the ribs 25 are only so high that they do not impair the free passage of one or more tines of a forklift truck. In other words, the height H of the recesses 19 must not be reduced by the ribs 23 and 25.

It also follows from FIG. 2 that the wall thickness of the side walls 7, the bevel of the side walls 7 and the height H of the cutouts 19 are coordinated with one another in such a way that the load carrier 1 according to the invention can be produced by a molding tool which consists only of an upper part and a lower part exists and has no sliders. This results in considerable cost savings both in the manufacture of the tool and in the production of the load carrier 1 according to the invention, since the cycle time for the production of a load carrier 1 made of plastic, in particular of recycled plastic, can be drastically reduced compared to a tool with a slide.

In previously known plastic pallets, a slide has to be provided which moves laterally into the mold and takes up the space which must be kept free for the recesses 19. It is immediately clear that the tool costs would rise sharply due to such a long slide (not shown) and that a much larger press would also be required to produce the load carrier 1 according to the invention.

A further advantage of the charge carrier according to the invention can be explained with reference to FIG. 2 in conjunction with FIG. 1. It can be seen from FIG. 2 that the outer edge 9 and an edge 27 of the deck 3 are not connected to one another directly, but rather via the side walls 7 and the bottom 8 of the foot 5. This allows the outer edge 27 to dodge towards the deck 3 if one is lateral Load, which is indicated in Figure 2 by an arrow 29, acts on the pallet. A load of this type often occurs when the tines (not shown) of a forklift are inserted into the recesses 19 and the mast (not shown) of the forklift hits the outer edge 9.

Because the transfer of lateral forces from the outer edge 27 to the deck 3 takes place over the entire circumference only via the side walls 7 and the floors 8, the breakage resistance of the pallet according to the invention is ensured from all sides and also at the corners thereof.

FIG. 4 shows a single load carrier 1 according to the invention in a side view. In this illustration it can be clearly seen how the deck 3 is supported over its entire length by the peripheral foot 5, so that a very rigid load carrier 1 results. Since the recesses 19 are arranged approximately in the area of the neutral fiber, namely in the middle between the upper edge of the deck 3 and the lower edge 17 of the feet 5, they weaken the load carrier 1 only to a very slight extent with regard to its bending rigidity. As a result, the feet 5 namely form a belt which runs below the cutouts 19 and thus contributes significantly to the bending stiffness of the load carrier 1 according to the invention.

In Figure 5, three nested charge carriers 1 are shown in section. It is clear that the nestability of the load carriers 1 can reduce the volume of a plurality of load carriers 1 nested in one another to a fraction of the sum of the individual volumes. This contributes considerably to saving transport costs of the load carriers 1 according to the invention to their place of use. It is further clear from FIG. 5 that the height of the ribs 23 and 25 also determines how deeply one load carrier 1 can dip into the other. FIG. 6 shows the load carrier 1 according to the invention in a view from below. The ribs 23 which stiffen the deck 3 are visible in the view from below. The recesses 19 are also visible in this view. In order to avoid repetitions and not to impair the clarity of the illustration, not all components are also provided with reference numerals in FIG. 6.

FIGS. 7 to 12 show a second exemplary embodiment of a charge carrier 1 according to the invention. Because of the similarities to the first exemplary embodiment, reference is made to the associated figure descriptions in order to avoid repetitions, and only the essential differences are explained below. For reasons of clarity, not all components are also provided with reference numerals in FIGS. 7 to 12.

The load carrier 1 according to the invention consists of a deck 3, on which several feet 5 are molded. As can be clearly seen from FIGS. 8 and 9, the feet 5 have a trapezoidal cross section. The feet 5 are formed by side walls 7 and floors 8. For reasons of clarity, not all side walls 7 and not all floors 8 have been provided with reference numerals.

As can be seen from FIG. 7, four feet 5 are put together to form a square. The feet 5, which extend in the immediate vicinity and parallel to the outer edges 9 of the load carrier 1, form a large square, the edge length of which is almost equal to the outer dimensions of the load carrier 1.

In the interior of the large square formed from four feet 5, four further small squares are arranged, which also each consist of four feet 5 running at an angle of 90 ° to one another. With this arrangement of 5 x 4 Feet 5, which are each arranged in a square, thus always run two feet 5 parallel to one another, so that a profile in the form of a "W" results in the section through the load carrier according to the invention. This "W" is shown in simplified form in FIG. 7 and provided with the reference number 13. Reference number 15 denotes a dashed line along which the charge carrier 1 has the previously described "W" -shaped cross section. This "W" -shaped cross section is also present in the other three small squares formed from four feet 5 each.

This exemplary embodiment also combines high bending stiffness with great elasticity and break resistance against lateral loads in the direction of arrow 29 (see FIG. 9). This means that a recycled plastic can also be used here without there being any disadvantages with regard to the load capacity and service life of the pallet.

So that the load carrier 1 according to the invention can be lifted and transported with commercially available forklifts or forklifts, recesses 19 are provided in the side walls 7, the dimensions of which are selected such that a prong of a forklift (not shown) can be inserted.

From the section along the line BB (FIG. 9) it becomes clear that there are 5 recesses 19 in all feet, so that the tine of a forklift can be completely inserted into the load carrier 1, for example from right to left, and thus the load carrier 1 with the help a forklift (not shown) can be lifted and moved.

In the top view from above (FIG. 7), thick arrows 21 indicate the possible entry and exit directions in which the tines (not shown) of a forklift in the load carrier 1 can be moved in and out. The load carrier 1 according to the invention is equally flexible and unbreakable from all sides.

It can also be seen from FIGS. 7 to 9 that the deck 3 is reinforced by ribs 23. The feet 5 are also reinforced by ribs 25. The height of the ribs 25 can determine, among other things, how deep a second load carrier 1 (not shown), which is placed on the load carrier 1 from above and nested, dips into the lower load carrier 1.

Along the section line B-B (see FIG. 9), care must be taken that both the ribs 23 and the ribs 25 are only so high that they do not impair the free passage of one or more tines of a forklift truck. In other words, the height H of the recesses 19 must not be reduced by the ribs 23 and 25.

From the sectional view along the line BB it also follows that the wall thickness of the side walls 7, the slope of the side walls 7 and the height H of the cutouts 19 are coordinated with one another in such a way that the load carrier 1 according to the invention can be produced by a molding tool which consists of only one Upper part and a lower part exists, and has no slider.

FIG. 10 shows a single load carrier 1 according to the invention in accordance with the second exemplary embodiment in a side view. The side view corresponds to that of the first exemplary embodiment (see FIG. 4) and reference is made to what has been said about FIG.

FIG. 11 shows two nested charge carriers 1 according to the second exemplary embodiment. It becomes clear that the nestability of the load carriers 1 means the volume of a plurality of load carriers 1 nested one inside the other can be reduced to a fraction of the sum of the individual volumes. This contributes considerably to saving transport costs of the load carriers 1 to their place of use.

FIG. 12 shows the load carrier 1 according to the invention in a view from below and a side view. The ribs 23 which stiffen the deck 3 are visible in the view from below. The recesses 19 are also visible in this view.

Claims

claims

1. Nestable load carrier (1), with a deck (3), with a circumferential outer edge (9) and with several feet (5), the feet (5) each having a recess in the deck (3) with two side walls (7 ) and a bottom (8) are formed, the side walls (7) and the foot (8) forming a trapezoidal cross section, with at least one recess (19) for the tines of a stacker, the side walls (7) of the feet (5) , characterized in that the outer edge (9) and the deck (3) are connected to one another exclusively via the side walls (7) and the bases (8) of the feet (7).

2. load carrier (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the feet (5) extend substantially over the entire length of the deck (3) and form a skid.

3. load carrier (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that parallel to the outer edges (9) of the deck (3) at least one foot (5) is present.

4. load carrier (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that several feet (5) or runners together form a square or a rectangle.

5. load carrier (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cut edges of the side walls (7) with the deck (3) run parallel to the outer edges (9) of the deck (3).

6. load carrier (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the load carrier (1) has a rectangular or square base.

7. load carrier (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the deck (3) is reinforced by a plurality of ribs (23).

8. load carrier (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the runners () are reinforced by a plurality of ribs (25).

9. load carrier (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the load carrier (1) made of plastic, in particular made of recycled plastic.

10. load carrier (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the recess (19) is wider than a prong of the fork of a forklift or pallet truck, and that the recess (19) is higher than the fork of a forklift or pallet truck.

11. load carrier (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that two mutually parallel recesses (19) are present.

12. load carrier (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the distance between the central axes of the recesses (19) is between 340 mm and 400 mm, in particular 370 mm.

13. load carrier (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the height of the recesses (19) is greater than 85 mm, and that the width of the recesses (19) is greater than 160 mm.

14. Load carrier (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the dimensions of the recesses (19) correspond to the standardized dimensions of transport pallets.