Pallet with plastic legs

• US 5,555,820 A
• Filed: 04/24/1995
• Issued: 09/17/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/1988
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Lyle H. Shuert
• Original Assignee: Lyle H. Shuert
• Inventors: Shuert, Lyle H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chen, Jose V.
• Application Number:
  US08/426,876
• Time in Patent Office: 512 Days
• Field of Search: 108/901, 108/902, 108/51.1, 108/56.1
• US Class Current: 108/57.25
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 51/10 Forming by pressure difference, e.g. vacuum
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 51/267 Two sheets being thermoformed in separate mould parts and joined together while still in the mould B29C49/0691 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 24/002 formed with structures, e.g. cores placed between two plates or sheets, e.g. partially filled totally filled B29D99/0021
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 19/0002 Platforms, i.e. load supporting devices without provision for handling by a forklift
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 19/0012 forming a continuous plane contact surface
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 19/0018 and each contact surface having a discrete foot-like shape
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00034 Plastic
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00069 Plastic
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00104 Plastic
• 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 2519/00318 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 2519/00338 contact surface having a discrete foot-like shape
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00378 whereby at least one spacer is made of two or more pieces
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00432 Non-integral, e.g. inserts B65D2519/00462 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00557 without separate auxiliary elements
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00562 chemical connection, e.g. glued, welded, sealed
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00567 mechanical connection, e.g. snap-fitted
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/0094 : nestable
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 108/901 : Synthetic plastic industrial platform, e.g. pallet

Abstract

A plastic pallet having an upper platform and a plurality of plastic legs attached to and extending downward from the underside thereof. The plastic legs comprise upper and lower molded plastic sheets. The upper sheet comprises a generally planar top panel and a skirt extending downwardly from the periphery thereof and having a distal edge defining an annular bonding surface. The top panel further has a hollow conical boss extending downwardly therefrom and including an annular sidewall portion and a bottom wall portion at the lower end thereof. The lower sheet is identical to the upper sheet but is rotated to an inverted position such that a skirt and hollow boss extend upwardly from a lower panel, the distal edge of the skirt defining an annular bonding surface and the hollow boss having an annular side wall portion and a top wall portion at the upper end thereof. When the upper and lower sheets are brought together, the bonding surfaces of the upper and lower sheet skirt edges are placed in registry with one another and fused together, the bottom wall portion of the top panel boss is fused to the upper surface of the bottom panel, the top wall portion of the bottom panel boss is fused to the lower surface of the top panel, and the side wall portions of the top and bottom panel bosses are fused together along an angled interface therebetween.

Claims

1. A plastic pallet comprising a generally planar plastic platform structure having an underface and a plurality of individual modular legs extending downwardly from the underface in spaced relation, characterized in that:

a plurality of spaced downwardly facing attachment surfaces are defined on the underface of the platform structure;

each leg comprises a modular plastic structure of closed box configuration including an upper portion defining an upwardly facing attachment surface, a lower portion positioned in underlying relation to the upper portion, and an annular portion interconnecting the upper and lower portions to complete the closed box leg configuration and maintaining the upper and lower portions in spaced relation; and

the legs are secured to the platform structure by positioning the upwardly facing attachment surfaces of each leg adjacent a respective downwardly facing attachment surface on the underface of the platform structure and fusing the upper portion of each leg to the underface of the platform structure at the interface of the attachment surfaces to fixedly secure the legs in spaced relation to the underface of the platform structure.

2. A plastic pallet according to claim 1 wherein:

the annular portion of each leg comprises an outer skirt portion; and

each leg further includes a central column positioned within the outer skirt portion and interconnecting the upper and lower portions.

3. A plastic pallet according to claim 1 wherein:

each leg is formed of first and second sheets of plastic material fused together to provide the box configuration.

4. A plastic pallet comprising a generally planar plastic platform structure having an underface and a plurality of individual modular legs extending downwardly from the underface in spaced relation, characterized in that:

a plurality of spaced downwardly facing attachment surfaces are defined on the underface of the platform structure;

each leg comprises a modular plastic structure including a top panel, a bottom panel, an outer shell extending between and interconnecting the top and bottom panels of the leg and an inner column structure extending between and interconnecting the top and bottom panels of the leg and coacting with the outer shell to define an annular space therebetween; and

the legs are fused in spaced relation to the underface of the platform structure by fusing the top panel of each leg to an attachment surface on the underface of the platform structure.

5. A plastic pallet according to claim 4 wherein:

each leg is formed of two sheets of molded plastic fused together to define a box structure.

6. A plastic pallet according to claim 5 wherein:

the two sheets of each leg comprise an upper sheet and a lower sheet;

the upper sheet of each leg includes a planar portion, defining the top panel of the leg, and a downwardly extending boss;

the lower sheet of each leg includes a planar portion, defining the bottom panel of the leg, and an upwardly extending boss; and

the upwardly and downwardly extending bosses are fused together to form the inner column structure.

7. A plastic pallet according to claim 6 wherein:

the upper sheet further includes a downwardly extending skirt portion in surrounding relation to the top panel;

the lower sheet further includes an upwardly extending skirt portion in surrounding relation to the bottom panel;

the upwardly and downwardly extending skirt portions are fused together to form the shell.

8. A plastic pallet comprising a polygonal platform structure having a generally planar underface and a plurality of individual modular legs extending downwardly from the underface in spaced relation and including at least one individual leg proximate each corner of the platform structure, characterized in that:

a plurality of spaced downwardly facing attachment surfaces are defined on the underface of the platform structure including at least one attachment surface proximate each corner of the platform structure;

each leg comprises a first molded plastic sheet defining a first planar main body portion and a first annular skirt portion extending from the main body portion to define a first annular surface and a second plastic sheet defining a second planar main body portion and a second annular surface corresponding in size and configuration to the first annular surface;

the first and second sheets are fused together at their respective annular surfaces to form a hollow leg of closed box configuration having first and second main body portions spaced apart by the annular skirt portion; and

the leg is secured to the platform structure by fusing one of the main body portions to a respective attachment surface on the underface of the platform structure.

9. A pallet according to claim 8 wherein:

the first plastic sheet comprises an upper sheet, the first annular skirt portion extends downwardly from the first main body portion, the first annular surface comprises a downwardly facing annular surface, the second plastic sheet comprises a lower sheet and further includes a second annular skirt portion extending upwardly form the second main body portion, and the second annular surface faces upwardly and is defined by the upper annular edge of the second skirt portion.

10. A pallet according to claim 8 wherein:

the pallet further includes a generally planar base structure; and

the other main body portion of the leg is fused to an upper surface of the base structure so that the leg, in coaction with other legs, separates the platform structure and base structure to define passageways therebetween for the entry of material handling equipment.

11. A pallet including:

a generally planar plastic platform structure; and

a modular plastic pallet leg including an upper plastic sheet including a generally planar main body portion having an upper surface secured to an underface of the platform structure and an upper boss opening in the upper surface and including an annular side wall extending downwardly from the main body portion, and a lower plastic sheet including a generally planar main body portion and a lower boss opening in a lower surface of the main body portion of the lower sheet and including an annular side wall portion extending upwardly from the main body portion and fused to the downward extending side wall of the upper boss.

12. A pallet according to claim 11 wherein:

the pallet further includes a generally planar plastic base structure and the main body portion of the lower surface of the lower sheet is secured to an upper face of the base structure by fusion.

13. A pallet according to claim 11 wherein:

the upper boss includes an annular side wall and a bottom wall;

the lower boss includes an annular side wall having a height generally corresponding to the height of the annular side wall of the upper boss and a top wall; and

the side wall of the upper boss is fused to the side wall of the lower boss, the bottom wall of the upper boss is fused to an upper surface of the lower sheet, and the top wall of the lower boss is fused to a lower surface of the upper sheet.

14. A pallet according to claim 13 wherein:

the upper sheet includes an upper annular downwardly extending skirt in surrounding relation to the upper boss;

the lower sheet includes a lower annular upwardly extending skirt in surrounding relation to the lower boss; and

a lower annular edge of the upper skirt is fused to an upper annular edge of the lower skirt.

15. A pallet including a generally planar platform structure having upper and lower faces, and a plurality of plastic legs secured to the lower face of the platform structure in spaced relationship with one another and extending downwardly therefrom, each leg comprising:

a molded plastic upper sheet defining a generally planar top panel and a skirt extending downwardly from a periphery of the top panel, a distal edge of the skirt defining an annular bonding surface, the top panel having an upper surface secured to an underface of the platform structure and a hollow upper boss opening in the upper surface of the top panel and including an annular side wall portion extending downwardly from the upper surface of the top panel; and

a molded plastic lower sheet defining a generally planar bottom panel and a skirt extending upwardly from a periphery of the bottom panel, a distal end of the skirt defining an annular bonding surface, the bottom panel having a lower surface and a hollow lower boss opening in the lower surface of the bottom panel and including an annular side wall portion extending upwardly from the lower surface of the bottom panel;

the bonding surface of the upper sheet skirt and the bonding surface of the lower sheet skirt being in registry with one another and being fused together and the side wall portions of the upper and lower bosses being in contact and fused together.

16. A pallet according to claim 15 wherein:

the annular side wall portion of the upper and lower bosses have substantially equal heights;

the upper boss includes a bottom wall portion at the lower end of the side wall portion fused to the upper surface of the bottom panel; and

the lower boss includes a top wall portion at the upper end of the side wall portion fused to the lower surface of the top panel.

17. A pallet according to claim 16 wherein the side wall portions of the top and bottom panel bosses taper in complementary fashion so as to define an angled interface therebetween and the side wall portions are fused together at the angled interface.

18. A pallet according to claim 17 wherein the side wall portions of the top and bottom panel bosses each have a groove running along the angled interface and projecting toward a concave side of the boss such that when the side wall portions are fused together the groove in the top boss side wall portion cooperates with the groove in the bottom boss side wall portion to form a hollow stiffening column running along the angled interface between the top panel and the bottom panel.

19. A pallet according to claim 18 wherein the platform structure comprises:

an upper plastic panel sheet including a generally planar main body portion having upper and lower surfaces and a plurality of spaced hollow bosses opening in the upper surface of the main body portion and each including an annular side wall portion extending downwardly from the lower surface of the main body portion and a bottom wall portion at a lower end of the annular wall portion; and

a lower plastic panel sheet including a generally planar main body portion having upper and lower surfaces and a plurality of spaced hollow bosses opening in the lower surface of the main body portion and each including an annular side wall portion extending upwardly from the upper surface of the main body portion and a top wall portion at an upper end of the annular wall portion;

wherein the bottom wall portions of the upper panel sheet bosses are fused to the upper surface of the lower panel sheet main body portion at locations between adjacent lower panel sheet bosses, the top wall portions of the lower panel sheet bosses are fused to the lower surface of the upper panel sheet main body portion at locations between adjacent upper panel sheet bosses and the annular side wall portions of at least some of the upper panel sheet bosses are fused to the annular side wall portions of at least some of the lower panel sheet bosses.

20. A pallet according to claim 19 wherein:

the pallet further includes a base structure secured to the lower ends of the legs;

the base structure has a construction corresponding to the construction of the platform structure so as to include upper and lower sheets respectively defining downwardly extending and upwardly extending intermeshing bosses with side wall portions of at least some of the upwardly extending bosses fused to side wall portions of some of the downwardly extending bosses.

21. A pallet according to claim 15 wherein the pallet further includes a base structure secured to the lower ends of the legs so that the legs, the platform structure, and the base structure coact to define passageways for the receipt of material handling equipment.

22. For use as a part of a plastic pallet including a generally planar platform structure having upper and lower surfaces, a plastic leg securable to the lower surface of the platform structure such that the leg extends downwardly therefrom, the leg comprising:

a molded plastic upper sheet defining a generally planar top panel and a skirt extending downwardly from a periphery of the top panel, a distal edge of the skirt defining an annular bonding surface, the top panel having an upper surface securable to an underface of the platform structure and a hollow upper boss opening in the upper surface of the top panel and including an annular side wall portion extending downwardly from the upper surface of the top panel and a bottom wall portion at a lower end of the side wall portion; and

a molded plastic lower sheet defining a generally planar bottom panel and a skirt extending upwardly from a periphery of the bottom panel, a distal end of the skirt defining an annular bonding surface, the bottom panel having a lower surface and a hollow lower boss opening in the lower surface of the bottom panel and including an annular side wall portion extending upwardly from the lower surface of the bottom panel and a top wall portion at an upper end of the side wall portion;

the bonding surface of the upper sheet skirt edge and the bonding surface of the lower sheet skirt edge being in registry with one another and fused together, the bottom wall portion of the top panel boss being fused to the upper surface of the bottom panel, the top wall portion of the bottom panel boss being fused to the lower surface of the top panel, and the side wall portion of the top panel boss being fused to the side wall portion of the bottom panel boss.