Plastic pallet

• US 5,546,872 A
• Filed: 01/23/1995
• Issued: 08/20/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Joseph R. Young
• Original Assignee: Joseph R. Young
• Inventors: Young, Joseph R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chen, Jose V.
• Application Number:
  US08/377,142
• Time in Patent Office: 575 Days
• Field of Search: 108/51.1, 108/56.1, 108/56.3, 108/901, 108/902
• US Class Current: 108/56.1
• 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 2519/00278 the load supporting surface and the base surface being identical
• 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 2519/00343 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: Y10S 108/902 Made with deformable integral fastening elements

Abstract

A plastic pallet having a top pallet section and a base pallet section secured together with bolt and nut type fasteners to form a longitudinal and a transverse skid passageway. Each of the nut and bolt type fasteners is locked in place by a plurality of deformable locking flaps disposed within a locking mechanism recess. The base pallet section includes a surface having a plurality of interconnecting channels formed therein for channeling water in any direction. The top pallet section includes four observation apertures positioned to allow simultaneous viewing of a longitudinal and a transverse skid passageway.

Claims

1. A plastic pallet of the type having a top pallet section and a base pallet section adapted to receive load bearing structures thereon and facilitating transportation by use of a fork lift, the improvement comprising:

a) said top pallet section having a first surface, second surface and four observation apertures, said second surface of said top pallet section having nine top leg members extending vertically therefrom;

b) a base pallet section having a unitary waffle section having a third surface having a plurality of interconnecting channels formed therein and a fourth surface having nine base leg members extending vertically therefrom, said top leg members and said base leg members being aligned in a manner such that a longitudinal skid passageway and a transverse skid passageway are formed between said second surface of said top pallet section and said base pallet section, and each of said four observation apertures is positioned in a manner to allow simultaneous viewing of one longitudinal skid passageway and one transverse skid passageway;

c) nine top bolt-locking mechanisms formed within said top pallet section, each said top bolt-locking mechanism including a top bolt-locking recess formed into said first surface of said top pallet section, a top bolt passageway passing through said top bolt locking recess and one of said nine top leg members, and eight radiating members extending vertically within the top bolt-locking recess, each radiating member having a deformable locking flap extending vertically therefrom;

d) nine base bolt-locking mechanisms formed within said base pallet section, each said base-locking mechanism including a base bolt-locking recess formed into said third surface of said base pallet section, a base bolt passageway passing through said base bolt locking recess and one of said nine base leg members, and eight radiating members extending vertically within the base bolt-locking recess, each radiating member having a deformable locking flap extending vertically therefrom;

each said base bolt passageway being in alignment with one of said top bolt passageways when said top leg members and said base leg members are aligned in a manner such that a longitudinal skid passageway and a transverse skid passageway are formed between said second surface of said top pallet section and said base pallet section; and

nine bolt and nut type fasteners having a threadably connectable bolt and nut, each of said nine bolts extending through one of said aligned top and base locking-bolt passageways in a manner such that a head portion of said bolt is entirely disposed within a said top bolt-locking recess, each of said nine nuts being threaded onto one of said nine bolts in a manner such that each said nut is entirely disposed within one of said base bolt-locking recess and each of said eight deformable locking flaps within each of said top and base bolt-locking recesses is deformed sufficiently to exert a locking force against one of said nine bolt and nut type fasteners.