Recyclable pallet assembly

• US 5,402,735 A
• Filed: 09/01/1993
• Issued: 04/04/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 09/01/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Milton V. Dejean
• Original Assignee: Ingersoll-Rand Company (Trane Technologies plc)
• Inventors: DeJean, Milton V.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chen, Jose V.
• Application Number:
  US08/115,952
• Time in Patent Office: 580 Days
• Field of Search: 108/51.1, 108/51.3, 108/56.1, 108/901, 108/902, 108/56.3
• US Class Current: 108/57.17
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 19/0081 forming a continuous plane contact surface
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 19/0095 and each contact surface having a stringer-like shape
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00034 Plastic
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00059 Metal
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00069 Plastic
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00273 made of more than one piece
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00293 made of more than one piece
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00298 skeleton type
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00318 made of one piece
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00323 made of more than one piece
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00333 contact surface having a stringer-like shape
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00343 contact surface being substantially in the form of a panel
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00572 with separate auxiliary element, e.g. screws, nails, bayonets
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00985 the pallet being not usable as a pallet after dismounting
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 108/902 Made with deformable integral fastening elements

Abstract

A material handling apparatus includes a plurality of runners extruded from a thermoplastic material to a predetermined dimension that is uniquely sized for an individual load to be handled. Each runner defines an upper load supporting surface, an opposed bottom surface having formed therein a tab locating channel, and a pair of opposed lateral surfaces. Each lateral surface has formed therethrough a predetermined number of bar locating apertures. A plurality of bars are extruded from a thermoplastic material to a predetermined dimension that is uniquely sized for the individual load to be handled. The bars are insertably received by a respective bar locating aperture of an individual runner. At least one stabilizer has a main body and a predetermined number of tab members made integral with the stabilizer main body. Each tab member is received by the tab locating channel of an individual runner. A plurality of fastening structure removably mount the at least one stabilizer on the runners.

Claims

1. A pallet for use in handling a unique load, the pallet comprising:

at least two extruded thermoplastic runners dimensioned to efficiently interact with the unique load, each runner having opposed first and seconds ends, an upper load supporting surface, an opposed bottom surface, and a pair of opposed lateral surfaces, and formed in the bottom surface of each runner is a continuous channel extending from the first end of each runner to the second end, and formed through the opposed lateral surfaces of each runner, in predetermined locations, are a plurality of fastener receiving apertures;

a plurality of extruded thermoplastic support bars;

a plurality of support bar locating apertures formed in predetermined lateral surfaces of the runners, for individually locating a respective support bar;

at least two stabilizers having a main body which includes a predetermined number of tab members, each tab member having a first end which is formed integrally with the stabilizer, an opposed second end, and opposed lateral surfaces which have formed therethrough a plurality of fastener receiving apertures, each stabilizer having a number of tab members equal to the number of extruded thermoplastic runners, and wherein each tab member is dimensioned to be insertably received at a predetermined location within the continuous channel of an individual runner; and

a plurality of fasteners for removably mounting the at least one stabilizer on the runners.

2. A material handling apparatus comprising:

a plurality of runners extruded from a thermoplastic material to a predetermined dimension that is uniquely sized for an individual load to be handled, each runner defining an upper load supporting surface, an opposed bottom surface, having formed therein a continuous channel extending from a first runner end to a second runner end, and a pair of opposed lateral surfaces having formed therethrough, in predetermined locations, a plurality of fastener receiving apertures;

a plurality of extruded thermoplastic support bars;

a plurality of support bar locating apertures formed in predetermined lateral surfaces of the runners, each support bar locating aperture insertably receiving a respective support bar;

at least one stabilizer having a main body which includes a predetermined number of tab members formed integrally with the stabilizer main body, each stabilizer main body having a number of tab members equal to the number of extruded thermoplastic runners of the material handling apparatus, each tab member having formed therethrough a plurality of fastener receiving apertures; and

a plurality of fastening means for removably coupling the at least one stabilizer with the runners.

3. A method of manufacturing a pallet comprising the following steps:

determining the dimensions of a unique load to be handled;

extruding a thermoplastic material to form a predetermined number of individual runners sized to efficiently interact with a unique load, each runner extruded to form a shape that defines an upper load supporting surface, an opposed bottom surface having formed therein a tab locating channel, and a pair of opposed lateral surfaces;

extruding a thermoplastic material to form a predetermined number of individual bars sized to efficiently interact with the unique load;

forming through predetermined lateral surfaces of each runner a predetermined number of bar locating apertures to permit each runner to insertably mate with each of the bars in a generally perpendicular orientation;

insertably positioning the individual bars in respective bar locating apertures;

forming at least one stabilizer having a main body and a predetermined number of tab members made integral with the stabilizer main body;

insertably positioning each tab member of a stabilizer into the stabilizer locating channel; and

removably mounting each tab member on a respective runner.

4. A method of manufacturing a pallet comprising the following steps:

extruding a thermoplastic material to form a predetermined number of individual runners, each runner having an upper load supporting surface, an opposed bottom surface, and a pair of opposed lateral surfaces;

forming in the bottom surface of each runner at least one tab locating aperture;

forming through the opposed lateral surfaces of each runner a predetermined number of bar locating apertures;

extruding a thermoplastic material to form a predetermined number of individual bars;

insertably positioning the individual bars in the bar locating apertures;

forming at least one stabilizer having a main body and a predetermined number of tab members made integral with the stabilizer main body;

insertably positioning each tab member of a stabilizer into a respective at least one tab locating aperture.