Plastic pallet having replaceable deck

• US 20060260517A1
• Filed: 03/01/2006
• Published: 11/23/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/24/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: The Engineered Pallet Company LLC
• Original Assignee: The Engineered Pallet Company LLC
• Inventors: Moore, Roy E. Jr.
• Application Number:
  US11/365,209
• Publication Number:
  US 20060260517A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 108/57.250
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 19/0059 forming a continuous plane contact surface
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00024 Metal
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00034 Plastic
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00069 Plastic
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00273 made of more than one piece
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00293 made of more than one piece
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00318 made of one piece
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00348 contact surface of other form
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00442 on the base surface
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00567 mechanical connection, e.g. snap-fitted
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00572 with separate auxiliary element, e.g. screws, nails, bayonets
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/0099 single dismountable pallet element, e.g. for replacement

Abstract

A plastic pallet is described having a removable deck, which deck may be removed by operation or destruction of fasteners such as pins or integral flared-over nubs or spin welded posts, which attach the deck to a circumscribing frame, or by machined away portions of the deck from the rest of the frame.

Claims

1. A plastic pallet, comprising a deck component and a frame component, and wherein the deck component is removably secured to the frame component by a fastener.

2. A plastic pallet in accordance with claim 1, wherein the deck component includes a plurality of fastener holes configured to receive fasteners to removably secure the deck component to the frame component.

3. A plastic pallet in accordance with claim 2, wherein the deck component is configured to receive deformable nubs provided on the frame component.

4. A plastic pallet in accordance with claim 3, wherein the nubs are configured to deform upon heating and/or application of force to a diameter greater than the diameter of the holes of the deck component.

5. A plastic pallet in accordance with claim 4, wherein the deformable nubs comprise a thermoplastic.

6. A plastic pallet in accordance with claim 1, wherein the frame component includes a plurality of fastener holes configured to receive fasteners to removably secure the deck component to the frame component.

7. A plastic pallet in accordance with claim 6, wherein the fasteners comprise nubs protruding from a surface of the deck component.

8. A plastic pallet in accordance with claim 1, wherein the deck component comprises a lattice or grid that spans the interior of the top of the pallet and a top plate.

9. A plastic pallet in accordance with claim 8, wherein the lattice comprises a plurality of rails.

10. A plastic pallet in accordance with claim 9, wherein the rails are integral with the top plate deck component, and wherein the top plate is configured to be removed by machining.

11. A plastic pallet in accordance with claim 9, wherein the top plate is welded or adhered to the lattice and wherein the top plate is configured to be removed by machining

12. A method of replacing a deck from a plastic pallet, comprising unscrewing a fastener connecting a deck component and a frame component and installing a new deck component, drilling out a fastener connecting a deck component and a frame component and installing a new deck component, melting a thermoplastic fastener connecting a deck component and a frame component and installing a new deck component, or machining away a deck component surface.

13. A method in accordance with claim 12, wherein installing a new deck component comprises welding or adhering a substitute deck component to said frame component.