Rackable plastic pallet
First Claim
1. A pallet comprisingan upper plastic structure defining a planar platform section defining an upwardly facing load receiving surface;
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Accused Products
Abstract
A plastic pallet in which a plurality of beam assemblies are positioned beneath the plastic main body of the pallet to discourage warpage and failure of the pallet, especially in racked, loaded storage situations. The plastic structure of the pallet includes a planar platform section defining an upwardly facing load receiving surface and a plurality of legs extending downwardly from the platform section to define tunnels therebetween for receipt of the forks of a forklift truck. The beam structures extend in parallel fashion beneath the plastic structure. Each beam structure includes a central upstanding spine portion received in downwardly opening grooves defined in the bottoms of aligned legs, and a base portion which extends beneath the bottoms of the legs to provide a base on which each pallet may rest. Each beam structure is formed of a central tubular steel beam encapsulated by upper and lower plastic sheets which are fused together to totally enclose the steel beam and to form the base portion of the beam structure.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A pallet comprising
an upper plastic structure defining a planar platform section defining an upwardly facing load receiving surface; - and
a lower plastic structure comprising a first plastic sheet secured to the under face of said upper plastic structure, a second plastic sheet having portions thereof fused to the under face of portions of said first plastic sheet and having further portions thereof spaced downwardly from further portions of said first plastic sheet to define a hollow therebetween, a rigid beam received within said hollow and encapsulated between said first and second sheets, the under face of said second plastic sheet forming the lower surface of said pallet and defining a downwardly facing support surface on which the pallet may rest. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A pallet comprising:
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an upper plastic structure including a planar platform section defining an upwardly facing load receiving surface and a plurality of legs extending downwardly from said platform section to define tunnels therebetween for receipt of the forks of a forklift truck; and a lower plastic structure comprising a first plastic sheet secured to the under face of said legs of said upper plastic structure, a second plastic sheet having portions thereof fused to the under face of portions of said first plastic sheet and having further portions thereof spaced downwardly from further portions of said first plastic sheet to define a hollow therebetween, and a rigid beam received within said hollow and encapsulated between said first and second sheets, the under face of said second plastic sheet forming the lower surface of said pallet and defining a downwardly facing support surface on which the pallet may rest. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8)
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9. A pallet comprising:
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a plastic structure including a planar platform section defining an upwardly facing load receiving surface and a plurality of legs extending downwardly from said platform section to define tunnels therebetween for receipt of the forks of a forklift truck and each having a downwardly opening groove at the bottom thereof; and a plurality of beam structures extending beneath said plastic structure with each beam structure secured to the bottom of at least one leg, each of said beam structures including a base section and a central upstanding spine section, each spine section being received in at least one of said grooves and said base sections being positioned beneath the bottoms of said legs to provide a base on which the pallet may rest, each beam structure including a metallic beam forming said spine section and a plastic housing encapsulating said beam and forming said base section. - View Dependent Claims (10)
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11. A pallet comprising:
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a main body plastic structure defining an upwardly facing load receiving surface defined by a first upper plastic sheet and downwardly facing attachment surface means defined by a second lower plastic sheet fused to said first sheet at selected locations and otherwise spaced downwardly from said first sheet to define a twin sheet construction; and a base plastic structure assembly positioned beneath said platform section, secured to said attachment surface means of said main body plastic structure to provide a base on which the pallet may rest, and including a plurality of rigid beams extending generally parallel to said load receiving surface. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A pallet comprising:
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an upper plastic structure defining a planar platform section defining an upwardly facing load receiving surface; and a plurality of beam structures positioned in parallel spaced relation beneath said platform section and secured to said upper plastic structure and each including a rigid beam encapsulated within a plastic housing structure; each housing structure being formed separately from said upper plastic structure, being structurally distinguished from said upper plastic structure, and including a base section; said base sections being positioned beneath said upper plastic structure to provide a base on which the pallet may rest; said upper plastic structure including a plurality of legs extending downwardly from said platform section; said legs defining a plurality of downwardly opening grooves at the bottoms of said legs; and said beam structures being received in said grooves. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification