DUNNAGE PLATFORM

• US 20110107943A1
• Filed: 01/14/2011
• Published: 05/12/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Airdex Corporation
• Original Assignee: Airdex International, Inc.
• Inventors: Dummett, Laurence W.
• Granted Patent: US 8,163,363 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 108/57.27
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2791/006 Using vacuum
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 44/569 Shaping and joining components with different densities or hardness
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 51/08 Deep drawing or matched-mould forming, i.e. using mechanical means only
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 51/10 Forming by pressure difference, e.g. vacuum
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 51/12 of articles having inserts or reinforcements
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 51/16 Lining or labelling
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2025/00 Use of polymers of vinyl-aromatic compounds or derivatives thereof as moulding material
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2105/04 cellular or porous
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/7178 Pallets
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2553/00 Packaging equipment or accessories not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 37/185 Laminating sheets, panels or inserts between two discrete plastic layers
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 38/0036 Heat treatment for heating or cooling of layers during lamination B32B37/06, B32B37/08
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 19/0012 forming a continuous plane contact surface
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 19/0018 and each contact surface having a discrete foot-like shape
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00034 Plastic
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00044 Combination, e.g. different elements made of different materials, laminates
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00069 Plastic
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00079 Combination, e.g. different elements made of different materials, laminates
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00268 made of one piece
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00288 made of one piece
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00318 : made of one piece
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00338 : contact surface having a discrete foot-like shape
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00462 : Applied in mold, e.g. bi-injection molded reinforcement
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00557 : without separate auxiliary elements
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/0086 : Protection against environmental hazards, e.g. humidity, bacteria, fire
• CPC Class Codes: C08J 2325/06 : Polystyrene
• CPC Class Codes: C08J 2425/00 : Characterised by the use of homopolymers or copolymers of compounds having one or more unsaturated aliphatic radicals, each having only one carbon-to-carbon double bond, and at least one being terminated by an aromatic carbocyclic ring; Derivatives of such polymers
• CPC Class Codes: C08J 9/365 : Coating
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 108/901 : Synthetic plastic industrial platform, e.g. pallet
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1011 : Overedge bending or overedge folding
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1028 : by bending, drawing or stretch forming sheet to assume shape of configured lamina while in contact therewith
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/103 : Encasing or enveloping the configured lamina
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/1352 : Polymer or resin containing [i.e., natural or synthetic]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/1376 : Foam or porous material containing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/233 : Foamed or expanded material encased
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/239 : Complete cover or casing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/249953 : Composite having voids in a component [e.g., porous, cellular, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/249955 : Void-containing component partially impregnated with adjacent component
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/249958 : Void-containing component is synthetic resin or natural rubbers

Abstract

A dunnage platform is in the general shape of a rectangular slab with legs extending form one side. The dunnage platform is made from an expanded polystyrene core. A chemical combination process is used to chemically combine portion of the core proximal to its surface with high impact polystyrene. In a first of two parts of the combination process, the core is placed in a forming mold with one of its two sides and two thirds of its thickness extending therefrom. A heated sheet of high impact polystyrene is brought into contact with the portion of the core extending from the mold. In a similar manner, the other of the two sides of the core is made to extend from the forming mold for contact with a heated sheet of high impact polystyrene.

Claims

1. A thermoplastic dunnage platform, comprising:

an expanded polymer core with a first side, a second side with an edge, and a width between the first side and the second side, wherein said first side is a substantially flat surface and wherein said expanded polymer core further comprises legs extending from the second side;

wherein there is a marginal space between the edge of the second side and at least some of the legs;

wherein the legs are at least twice the width of the expanded polymer core;

a first high impact thermoplastic sheet conformally combined with said expanded polymer core and having a shape defined by the expanded polymer core, wherein said first side of said expanded polymer core and part of said width is covered by said first high impact thermoplastic sheet;

a second high impact thermoplastic sheet conformally combined with said expanded polymer core and having a shape defined by the expanded polymer core, wherein said second side of said expanded polymer core and part of said width is covered by said second high impact thermoplastic sheet; and

wherein one of the first high impact thermoplastic sheet and the second high impact thermoplastic sheet is overlapped by the other of the first high impact thermoplastic sheet and said second high impact thermoplastic sheet along at least a portion of said width.

2. The shelf of claim 1 wherein one of the first high impact thermoplastic sheets and the second high impact thermoplastic sheets is overlapped by the other of the first high impact thermoplastic sheet and the second high impact thermoplastic sheet along at least about one-third of said width.

3. The platform of claim 1 wherein the legs have sloping sides.

4. The thermoplastic dunnage platform of claim 1, wherein said first side of said expanded polymer core and more than half of said width is covered by said first high impact thermoplastic sheet and wherein said second side of said expanded polymer core and more than half of said width is covered by said second high impact thermoplastic sheet.

5. The thermoplastic dunnage platform of claim 1, wherein said first and said second high impact thermoplastic sheets and said expanded polymer core are combined at a reduced pressure and increased temperature.

6. The thermoplastic dunnage platform of claim 1, wherein said first and said second high impact thermoplastic sheets are heated to a temperature in a range between:

293°

F.; and

375°

F.

7. A thermoplastic dunnage platform, comprising:

an expanded polymer core with a first side, a second side with an edge, and a width between the first side and the second side, wherein said first side is a substantially flat surface, wherein said expanded polymer core further comprises legs expensing from the second side;

wherein there is a marginal space between the edge of the second side and at least some of the legs;

wherein the legs are at least twice the width of the expanded polymer core.

a first high impact polystyrene sheet conformally combined with said expanded polymer core and having a shape defined by the expanded polymer core, wherein said first side of said expanded polymer core and part of said width is covered by said first high impact polystyrene sheet;

a second high impact polystyrene sheet conformally combined with said expanded polymer core and having a shape defined by the expanded polymer core, wherein said second side of said expanded polymer core and part of said width is covered by said second high impact polystyrene sheet; and

wherein the first high impact polystyrene sheet is overlapped by said second high impact polystyrene sheet along at least a portion of said width.

8. The platform of claim 7 wherein;

one of the first high impact thermoplastic sheets and the second high impact thermoplastic sheets is overlapped by the other of the first high impact thermoplastic sheet and the second high impact thermoplastic sheet along at least about one-third of said width.

9. The platform of claim 7 wherein the legs have sloping sides.

10. The thermoplastic dunnage platform of claim 7, wherein said first side of said expanded polymer core and more than half of said width is covered by said first high impact polystyrene sheet and wherein said second side of said expanded polymer core and more than half of said width is covered by said second high impact polystyrene sheet.

11. The thermoplastic dunnage platform of claim 7, wherein said first and said second high impact polystyrene sheets and said expanded polymer core are combined at a reduced pressure and increased temperature.

12. The thermoplastic dunnage platform of claim 7, wherein said first and said second high impact polystyrene sheets are heated to a temperature in a range between:

293°

F.; and

375°

F.

13. A thermoplastic dunnage platform, comprising:

an expanded polystyrene core with a first side, a second side with an edge, and a width between the first side and the second side, wherein said first side is a substantially flat surface and wherein said expanded polystyrene core further comprises legs extending the second side,

wherein there is a marginal space between the edge of the second side and at least some of the legs;

wherein the legs are at least twice the width of the expanded polystyrene core;

a first high impact thermoplastic sheet conformally combined with said expanded polystyrene core and having a shape defined by the expanded polystyrene core, wherein said first side of said expanded polystyrene core and part of said width is covered by said first high impact thermoplastic sheet;

a second high impact thermoplastic sheet conformally combined with said expanded polystyrene core and having a shape defined by the expanded polystyrene core, wherein said second side of said expanded polystyrene core and part of said width is covered by said second high impact thermoplastic sheet; and

wherein the first high impact thermoplastic sheet is overlapped by said second high impact thermoplastic sheet along at least a portion of said width.

14. The platform of claim 13 wherein one of the first high impact thermoplastic sheets and the second high impact thermoplastic sheets is overlapped by the other of the first high impact thermoplastic sheet and the second high impact thermoplastic sheet along at least about one-third of said width.

15. The platform of claim 13 wherein the legs have sloping sides.

16. The thermoplastic dunnage platform of claim 13, wherein said first side of said expanded polystyrene core and more than half of said width is covered by said first high impact thermoplastic sheet and wherein said second side of said expanded polystyrene core and more than half of said width is covered by said second high impact thermoplastic sheet.

17. The thermoplastic dunnage platform of claim 13, wherein said first and said second high impact thermoplastic sheets and said expanded polystyrene core are combined at a reduced pressure and increased temperature.

18. The thermoplastic dunnage platform of claim 13, wherein said first and said second high impact thermoplastic sheets are heated to a temperature in a range between:

293°

F.; and

375°

F.

19. A thermoplastic dunnage platform, comprising:

an expanded polymer core with a first side, a second side with an edge, and a width between the first side and the second side, wherein said first side is a substantially flat surface and wherein said expanded polymer core further comprises legs extending from the second side;

wherein there is a marginal space between the edge of the second side and at least some of the legs;

wherein the legs are at least twice the width of the expanded polymer core;

a first high impact thermoplastic sheet conformally combined with said expanded polymer core and having a shape defined by the expanded polymer core, wherein said first side of said expanded polymer core and part of said width is covered by said first high impact thermoplastic sheet;

a second high impact thermoplastic sheet conformally combined with said expanded polymer core and having a shape defined by the expanded polymer core, wherein said second side of said expanded polymer core and part of said width is covered by said second high impact thermoplastic sheet; and

wherein one of the first high impact thermoplastic sheet and the second high impact thermoplastic sheet is overlapped by the other of the first high impact thermoplastic sheet and said second high impact thermoplastic sheet along at least about one-third of said width.