Plastic pallet

• US 6,006,677 A
• Filed: 01/08/1998
• Issued: 12/28/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 01/08/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Rehrig Pacific Company
• Original Assignee: Rehrig Pacific Company
• Inventors: Wilkerson, Jeffrey L., Musser, Brian T., Apps, William P.
• Primary Examiner(s): WILKENS, JANET MARIE
• Application Number:
  US09/004,389
• Time in Patent Office: 719 Days
• Field of Search: 108/56.1, 108/56.3, 108/901, 108/902, 108/57.25, 108/57.29, 108/57.31, 108/57.33, 108/51.11
• US Class Current: 108/57.25
• 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 2519/00288 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 2519/00333 contact surface having a stringer-like shape
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00363 grid type, e.g. perforated plate
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00407 on the load supporting surface
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00412 on the base surface
• 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 2519/00835 Integral
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 108/902 Made with deformable integral fastening elements

Abstract

An improved pallet made of a synthetic resin wherein the underside of the upper deck is substantially planar, and the supports which separate the upper and lower decks are integrally formed with and project upwardly from the lower deck, and are secured to the underside of the upper deck. The upper ends of the supports are received in recesses in the underside of the upper deck, and the recesses and the supports preferably have mating elements which snap-actingly engage one another to lock the supports in the recesses when the decks are assembled. Preferably, the supports are tapered, the lower ends of the supports being wider than the upper ends thereof. The top surface of the upper deck, the bottom surface of the lower deck, and the underside of the upper deck in the fork-receiving regions between the supports may have a slip-resistant scuffed texture.

Claims

1. In a synthetic resin pallet, for use with a fork lift, comprising separately molded upper and lower decks spaced apart by a plurality of supports to define therebetween fork-receiving regions beneath the upper deck, the improvement wherein an underside of the upper deck is substantially planar, and the supports are integrally formed with and project upwardly from the lower deck and are secured to the underside of the upper deck, the supports having lower ends and upper ends, the upper ends of the supports being received in recesses in the underside of the upper deck, wherein the supports are tapered, the lower ends of the supports being wider than the upper ends thereof.

2. A pallet according to claim 1 wherein each of the supports is hollow, has a side wall, and has in its interior upright stiffening ribs which project inwardly from said side wall.

3. In a synthetic resin pallet, for use with a fork lift, comprising separately molded upper and lower decks spaced apart by a plurality of supports to define therebetween fork-receiving regions beneath the upper deck, the improvement wherein an underside of the upper deck is substantially planar, and the supports are integrally formed with and project upwardly from the lower deck and are secured to the underside of the upper deck,

wherein each of the supports is tapered and includes a lower end and an upper end, the lower end of each support being wider than the upper end thereof.

4. A pallet according to claim 3 wherein the upper ends of the supports are received in recesses in the underside of the upper deck.

5. A pallet according to claim 4 wherein the recesses and the supports have integrally formed mating elements which snap-actingly engage one another to lock the supports in the recesses when the upper and lower decks are assembled.

6. A pallet according to claim 3 wherein one of the supports is located substantially at the center of the pallet, and the other supports are located substantially at the periphery of the pallet, the central support being the largest support.

7. A pallet according to claim 6 wherein the pallet is generally rectangular with nine supports between the decks, one support being located at each corner of the pallet, and one support being located medially of each side of the pallet, the supports defining two fork-receiving regions for forks entering from each side of the pallet.

8. A pallet according to claim 7 wherein the lower deck comprises a generally rectangular perimeter base from which the peripheral supports project, and an integrally formed X-shaped central base from which the central support projects, the central joining with the perimeter base medially of each side thereof.

9. A pallet according to claim 8 wherein the perimeter base and the central base define four large openings through the lower deck.

10. A pallet according to claim 3 wherein each of the supports is hollow, has a side wall, and has in its interior upright stiffening ribs which project inwardly from said side wall.

11. In a synthetic resin pallet, for use with a fork lift, comprising separately molded upper and lower decks spaced apart by a plurality of nine supports to define therebetween fork-receiving regions beneath the upper deck, the improvement wherein the underside of the upper deck is substantially planar, and the supports are integrally formed with and project upwardly from the lower deck and are secured to the underside of the upper deck, one of the supports being located substantially at the center of the pallet, and the other supports are located substantially at the periphery of the pallet, the central support being the largest support, wherein the pallet is generally rectangular, one support being located at each comer of the pallet, and one support being located medially of each side of the pallet, the supports defining two of said fork-receiving regions for forks entering from each side of the pallet, the bottom deck includes a generally rectangular perimeter base from which the peripheral supports project, and an integrally formed X-shaped central base from which the central support projects, the central base joining with the perimeter base medially of each side thereof, the perimeter base and the central base defining four large openings through the lower deck, and

wherein portions of the central support protrude into the large openings.

12. A pallet according to claim 11 wherein the underside of the perimeter base and the underside of the central base have reinforcing ribs, some of said reinforcing ribs lying beneath the supports, the reinforcing ribs beneath the supports being more closely spaced than elsewhere in the perimeter base and the central base.

13. A pallet according to claim 11 wherein the corner supports are circular in cross-section, the medial side supports are oblong in cross-section with rounded ends in the areas adjacent the fork-receiving regions, and the central support is rectangular in cross-section with rounded corners.

14. A pallet according to claim 13 wherein the supports are tapered, the lower ends of the supports being wider than the upper ends thereof.

15. A pallet according to claim 14 wherein the top of the perimeter base and the top of the central base have beveled edges.

16. A pallet according to claim 14 wherein each of the supports is hollow, has a side wall, and has in its interior upright stiffening ribs which project inwardly from said side wall.

17. A pallet according to claim 13 wherein the top of the perimeter base and the top of the central base have beveled edges.