Apparatus and method for side by side couplable pallets and carts

• US 20120134771A1
• Filed: 11/18/2011
• Published: 05/31/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cannon Equipment Company (IMI PLC)
• Original Assignee: Cannon Equipment Company (IMI PLC)
• Inventors: Larson, Merle A., Morgan, Ralph T., Geraghty, Patrick J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,931,420 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 414/800
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 2207/02 rigidly
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 2501/02 Dimensions
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 3/02 involving parts being adjustable, collapsible, attachable, detachable or convertible
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 19/42 Arrangements or applications of rollers or wheels
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00024 Metal
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00034 Plastic
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00164 Metal
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00174 Plastic
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00502 whereby at least one side wall is made of two or more pieces
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00512 skeleton type
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00616 structures not intended to be disassembled
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00631 sidewalls not connected to each other, e.g. spaced apart frames
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00666 Structures not intended to be disassembled
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00746 divisible into sub-pallets of smaller dimensions
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00781 for moving on a surface, e.g. wheels, pads B65D2519/00825 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49 Method of mechanical manufacture
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

A pallet or cart which can be coupled to a similar pallet or cart in a side by side relationship is disclosed. The pallet or cart, at its one or right side, has coupling means at the top and bottom, which cooperate with associated coupling means on the top and bottom of the opposite or left side of an adjacent pallet or cart. The coupling means and associated coupling means can be connected to connect the two pallets or carts together to make them capable of being moved together, and even be lifted together by a standard lift truck or fork lift or a standard pallet jack. The coupling means are also releasable so that, when necessary, each pallet or cart may be used as would be a single pallet or cart. The pallet or cart may have one or more foldable shelves therein.

Claims

1. A pallet adapted to be connected in side by side relationship with a similar pallet, said pallet having at its top and bottom adjacent one side coupling means which are adapted to connect to associated coupling means on the other side of the similar pallet, said pallet having ground engaging means to stand alone.

2. A pallet as in claim 1, wherein said pallet has associate coupling means adjacent its other side.

3. A pallet as in claim 1, wherein said ground engaging means is at least three wheels, wherein said pallet can be moved as a cart.

4. A pallet as in claims 1, 2 or 3, wherein said pallet can be lifted, moved and/or lowered by one of a lift truck with a two tang fork and a pallet jack.

5. A pallet as in claim 1, wherein said pallet has a bottom, said bottom being adapted to accept a tang of a lift truck or a pallet jack.

6. A pallet as in claim 5, wherein said pallet bottom accepts said tang of lift truck in one direction and said pallet jack in a generally perpendicular direction.

7. A pallet as in claim 1, wherein said coupling means and said associated coupling means have connecting positions and non-connecting stored positions.

8. A pallet as in claim 1, wherein said coupling means is adapted to act on a part of the structure of the other pallet which forms the associated coupling means.

9. A pallet as in claim 1, wherein a foldable shelf is provided in the pallet.

10. A pallet as in claim 9, wherein the pallet has at least three wheels and operates as a cart, being moveable on said wheels.

11. A cart as in claim 10, wherein said cart has four wheels, and said shelf can be folded generally vertical against the cart out of the way, or folded horizontally to function as a shelf.

12. A cart as in claim 11, wherein said cart and shelf have hinge means to permit the shelf to pivot, and latch means to hold the shelf in its folded and unfolded positions.

13. A pair of pallets as in claim 1, wherein two of said pallets are, connected to each other in a side by side relationship, said coupling means and associated coupling means being releasably connected together to side by side join said pallets.

14. A pair of pallets as in claim 13, wherein said pair of pallets can be lifted, moved and/or lowered by one of lift truck and a pallet jack.

15. A method of building a cart capable of being connected to a similar cart, comprising the steps of providing coupling means on or adjacent one side of the cart and associated coupling means on the other side of the cart.

16. The method of claim 15, comprising two of said carts and the step of coupling the two carts side by side together.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein said pair of carts have wheels, the step of moving the carts either coupled side by side or uncoupled individually on said wheels.

18. The method of claim 15, comprising the step of providing a bottom on the cart capable of accommodating at least one tang of lift truck for raising the cart.

19. The method of claim 15, comprising the step of providing a bottom on the cart capable of accommodating a pallet jack for raising the cart.

20. The method of claim 19, comprising the step of providing said bottom on the cart capable of accommodating a lift truck tang for raising the cart.

21. A method of restocking a store comprising the steps of:

coupling two carts together side by side;

moving the coupled carts together while one of filling the carts and/or moving them to a place for transport,

raising the carts with one of a standard two tang fork lift or pallet jack, lowering the carts for transport,

transporting the carts to a new location,

raising the carts,

moving the carts in the new location,

lowering the carts, and if desired,

uncoupling the carts for using them individually for restocking at the new location.