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Method of making a panel structure and pallet utilizing same

  • US 5,401,347 A
  • Filed: 12/18/1992
  • Issued: 03/28/1995
  • Est. Priority Date: 12/18/1992
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. A method of forming a twin sheet plastic panel structure comprising:

  • forming a first plastic sheet by heating the sheet to a heated, flowable state and thermoforming the heated, flowable sheet to include a generally planar main body portion having inner and outer surfaces and a plurality of spaced hollow bosses opening in the outer surface of the main body portion and each including an annular side wall portion extending inwardly from the inner surface of the main body portion and an inner wall portion at the inner end of the annular side wall portion;

    forming a second plastic sheet by heating the sheet to a heated, flowable state and thermoforming the heated, flowable sheet to include a generally planar main body portion having inner and outer surfaces and a plurality of spaced hollow bosses opening in the outer surface of the second sheet main body portion and each including an annular side wall portion having a height substantially equal to the height of the annular side wall portions of the first sheet bosses and extending inwardly from the inner surface of the second sheet main body portion and an inner wall portion at the inner end of the side wall portion; and

    with said sheets still in a heated, flowable state, bringing said sheets together to fuse the annular side wall portions of some of said first sheet bosses to the annular side wall portions of some of said second sheet bosses;

    the configurations of the side wall portions of the first and second sheet bosses providing an interference fit as between the side wall portions of the first and second sheet bosses when the sheets are brought together so that the fusion of the first and second sheet side wall portions occurs along a relatively wide area adjacent the initial line of contact between the first and second sheet annular side wall portions.

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