Pallet of synthetic material

• US 3,964,400 A
• Filed: 08/28/1974
• Issued: 06/22/1976
• Est. Priority Date: 06/17/1974
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: B.V. Houtindustrie"De Phoenix"
• Original Assignee: B.V. Houtindustrie"De Phoenix"
• Inventors: Brand, Albertus
• Primary Examiner(s): Frazier, Roy D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lyddane, William E.
• Application Number:
  US05/501,284
• Time in Patent Office: 664 Days
• Field of Search: 108/51-58
• US Class Current: 108/57.25
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 19/0012 forming a continuous plane contact surface
• 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 2519/00288 made of one piece
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00308 grid type, e.g. perforated plate
• 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 2519/00363 grid type, e.g. perforated plate
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00407 on the load supporting surface
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00412 on the base surface
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00557 without separate auxiliary elements
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00567 mechanical connection, e.g. snap-fitted
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00796 Guiding means for fork-lift

Abstract

A pallet of synthetic material comprising an upper platform, a lower platform and upright hollow columns which interconnect the upper and the lower platform, wherein the columns are integrally formed with the upper platform and comprise lower, downwardly extending locking hooks which are snapped through upright locking holes in the lower platform and which are received within the lower platform.

Claims

1. A pallet of synthetic material comprising an upper platform;

a lower platform having locking holes therein, nine upright hollow columns interconnecting said upper and said lower platform, each column having an upright outer wall defining the periphery thereof, said columns comprising eight outer columns and a central inner column, four of said outer columns being positioned in the corners of the pallet and the other four outer columns being each positioned intermediate two corners of the pallet, downwardly extending locking hooks at the lower ends of each of said column, said hooks being snapped through said locking holes in said lower platform, said upper platform and said columns jointly forming an integral unit, said lower platform forming an integral unit, each said locking hook being located within the cross-sectional dimensions of its respective column, said lower platform including a perforated top wall, nine downwardly extending main stiffening ribs being formed underneath said top wall, the upright outer wall of each said column being aligned with one each of said main stiffening ribs of the lower platform, each main stiffening rib defining a periphery corresponding to that of the aligned upright outer wall of its corresponding column, auxiliary downwardly extending stiffening ribs extending between each main stiffening rib and a central junction, said locking holes in the lower platform being located proximate said main stiffening ribs and having a rectangular cross-section, said locking hooks engaging underneath the perforated top wall, said top wall of said lower platform including a rectangular framework portion, the width of said framework portion substantially corresponding to the width of said other four outer columns positioned thereabove, central strips joining in the central zone of said top wall above which said central inner column is located, connecting the central area of opposite sides of said framework portion to each other, said framework portion of the top wall of the lower platform including outer downwardly and outwardly extending guide edges positioned between successive main stiffening ribs, the upper platform comprising a perforated top wall, and downwardly extending stiffening ribs formed underneath said top wall, and a plurality of downwardly extending stiffening ribs being formed within each column extending between the upright wall of said column and a central junction.

2. A pallet according to claim 1, wherein the framework portion of the top wall of the lower platform has rectangular openings, downwardly extending further stiffening ribs extending in parallel with the edges of said openings being formed below said framework portion.

3. A pallet according to claim 2, wherein the framework portion of the top wall of the lower platform comprises downwardly and inwardly extending inner edges between successive of said main stiffening ribs.

4. A pallet according to claim 3, wherein downwardly extending auxiliary stiffening ribs are formed below the guide edges of the framework portion of the top wall of the lower platform, said auxiliary stiffening ribs being connected to said further stiffening ribs extending between said successive rectangular openings.

5. A pallet according to claim 4, wherein said central strips of the top wall of the lower platform each comprise downwardly and outwardly extending guide edges on both sides thereof.

6. A pallet according to claim 5, wherein downwardly extending longitudinal and transverse stiffening ribs are formed below the central strips of the top wall of the lower platform.

7. A pallet according to claim 6, wherein the top wall of the upper platform is provided with a plurality of substantially rectangular openings, downwardly extending stiffening ribs being formed below said top wall and covering the entire length and the entire width of the upper platform parallel to the edges of said openings.

8. A pallet according to claim 7, wherein said downwardly extending stiffening ribs below the outer edge zones of the top wall of the upper platform between successive outer columns extend perpendicular to the adjacent outer edge and decrease in height in the outward direction, at least outer upright wall portions of said other four outer columns being rounded, the top wall of the upper platform, the top wall of the lower platform and said four outer columns positioned in the corners of the pallet having aligned and rounded corners, the upright wall portions of successive outer columns facing each other inwardly converging.