Continuously Extruded Unitary Blank (CUBE) Pallet and Method of Making

• US 20190329473A1
• Filed: 04/29/2019
• Published: 10/31/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Keith A. Langenbeck
• Original Assignee: Keith A. Langenbeck
• Inventors: Langenbeck, Keith A
• Granted Patent: US 10,814,541 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2793/009 after shaping
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 44/20 for articles of indefinite length
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 44/50 using pressure difference, e.g. by extrusion or by spraying B29C44/468 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/0021 combined with joining, lining or laminating
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/0022 combined with cutting
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/022 characterised by the choice of material
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/11 comprising two or more partially or fully enclosed cavities, e.g. honeycomb-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2025/06 PS, i.e. polystyrene
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2105/046 with closed cells
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/7178 Pallets
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 19/0016 and each contact surface having a stringer-like shape
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 19/04 with bodies moulded or otherwise fabricated in one piece
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00034 Plastic
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00069 Plastic
• 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 2519/00333 contact surface having a stringer-like shape
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00781 for moving on a surface, e.g. wheels, pads B65D2519/00825 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00796 Guiding means for fork-lift

Abstract

A continuously extruded unitary blank (CUBE) has a top, a bottom, two sides and at least one webbing there between parallel to the two sides. The CUBE has a front cut end and a rear cut end which define two open face channels to accommodate the forks of a fork lift and pallet jack. Two spaces are manufactured in the two sides and in the at least one webbing to accept a lateral insertion and a lateral removal of the forks. Chamfers are manufactured in edges of the cutouts to facilitate the insertion and the removal of the forks from the pallet. Chamfers are also manufactured in the front and rear cut ends to facilitate accommodation of the forks. Voids are manufactured in the bottom to allow pallet jack wheels to pass into the pallet and rest on a surface for a lifting of the pallet from the surface.

Claims

1. A pallet configured to accommodate forks of a fork lift and forks and wheels of a pallet jack for a movement of the pallet on a surface, the pallet comprising:

a continuous unitary extrusion blank (CUBE) comprising a top, a bottom, two sides and at least one webbing there between parallel to the two sides and joining the top and the bottom;

a front cut end and a rear cut end configured by a cut of the CUBE perpendicular to the two sides, wherein a first CUBE front end extrusion is opened and uncut and a last CUBE rear end extrusion is closed and uncut; and

a plurality of CUBE surfaces and geometries reduced in mass by processing to form a finished pallet.

2. The pallet of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of cutouts machined from the two sides and from the at least one webbing to accept a lateral insertion and a lateral removal of the forks therefrom.

3. The pallet of claim 2, further comprising a plurality of chamfers machined from a plurality of edges of the cutouts to facilitate the insertion and the removal of the forks of the fork lift and forks and wheels of the pallet jack therefrom.

4. The pallet of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of chamfers machined from the front cut end and from the rear cut ends to facilitate the accommodation of the forks of the fork lift and the forks and wheels of the pallet jack therein.

5. The pallet of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of voids machined from the bottom to allow the wheels of the pallet jack to pass into the pallet and rest on the surface for the movement of the pallet via a lifting of the pallet from the surface.

6. The pallet of claim 1, wherein a cross section of the CUBE across any two material points thereof defines a plurality of random and gas filled closed mini cells sharing walls between adjacent cells.

7. The pallet of claim 1, wherein the top and the bottom further comprise surface ribbing to increase a friction grip of the pallet top and the pallet bottom with a respective load and with the surface.

8. A method of making a pallet configured to accommodate forks of a fork lift and forks and wheels of a pallet jack for a movement of the pallet on a surface, the pallet comprising:

continuously extruding a unitary blank (CUBE) comprising a top, a bottom, two sides and at least one webbing there between parallel to the two sides and joining the top and the bottom;

cutting the CUBE perpendicular to the two sides and to the at least one webbing to define two open face channels in a front cut end and in a rear cut end of the CUBE to accommodate the forks; and

reducing a mass of a plurality of CUBE surfaces and geometries to form a finished pallet

9. The method of making the pallet of claim 8, further comprising cutting the CUBE to a predetermined length ‘

on the fly,’

with no interruption or change to a constant speed of the CUBE as it leaves an extruder.

10. The method of making the pallet of claim 8, further comprising machining a plurality of cutouts and a plurality of chamfers from the two sides and from the at least one webbing to respectively receive and to facilitate a lateral reception and a removal of the forks.

11. The method of making the pallet of claim 8, further comprising machining a plurality of voids from the bottom to allow the wheels of the pallet jack forks to pass into the pallet and rest on the surface for the movement of the pallet via a lifting of the pallet from the surface

12. The method of making the pallet of claim 8, further comprising machining a plurality of chamfers from the front cut end and from the rear cut ends to facilitate the accommodation of the forks of the fork lift and the forks and wheels of the pallet jack therein.

13. The method of making the pallet of claim 8, further comprising disposing a blowing agent or blowing a gas into a continuously extruding polymer to produce the CUBE having a cross section across any two material points thereof defining a plurality of random and gas filled closed mini cells sharing walls between adjacent cells.

14. The method of making the pallet of claim 8, extruding a surface ribbing in the top and the bottom via a ribbing pattern in an extrusion die for the CUBE to increase a friction grip of the pallet top and the pallet bottom with a respective load and with the surface.

15. The method of making the pallet of claim 8, further comprising a front end of a first CUBE that precludes a cut thereto and finishing a rear end of a last CUBE that precludes a cut thereto.

16. The method of making the pallet of claim 8, further comprising blocking portions of an extrusion die of the CUBE to produce a plurality of voids in the bottom in a direction of the extrusion, the voids configured to accommodate the forks and the wheels of the pallet jack lifting the pallet.

17. The method of making the pallet of claim 8, further comprising blocking portions of an extrusion die of the CUBE to produce a plurality of voids in the two sides and in the at least one webbing in the direction of the extrusion, the voids configured for the lateral reception and removal of the forks.

18. The method of making the pallet of claim 8, further comprising blocking portions of an extrusion die of the CUBE to produce a plurality of chamfers in the two sides and in the at least one webbing in the direction of the extrusion, the chamfers configured for the lateral reception and removal of the forks.

19. The method of making the pallet of claim 8, further comprising blocking portions of an extrusion die of the CUBE to produce a plurality of chamfers in the front end and in the rear end in the direction of the extrusion, the chamfers configured to accommodate the forks.

20. A pallet configured to accommodate forks of a fork lift and forks and wheels of a pallet jack for a movement of the pallet on a surface, the pallet comprising:

a continuously extruding a unitary blank (CUBE) comprising a top, a bottom, two sides and at least one webbing there between parallel to the two sides and joining the top and the bottom,

wherein perpendicular to the two sides and to the at least one webbing the CUBE has a front cut end and a rear cut end which define two open face channels therein to accommodate the forks;

a plurality of spaces manufactured in the two sides and in the at least one webbing to accept a lateral insertion and a lateral removal of the forks therefrom;

a plurality of chamfers manufactured in a plurality of edges of the cutouts to facilitate the insertion and the removal of the forks therefrom;

a plurality of chamfers manufactured in the front cut end and in the rear cut ends to facilitate the accommodation of the forks therein; and

a plurality of voids manufactured in the bottom to allow the wheels of the forks to pass into the pallet and rest on the surface for the movement of the pallet via a lifting of the pallet from the surface.