Pallet with attachable upper and lower members

• US 6,029,583 A
• Filed: 07/02/1996
• Issued: 02/29/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 07/02/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Allibert-Contico, LLC
• Original Assignee: Allibert-Contico, LLC
• Inventors: LeTrudet, Stephane F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chen, Jose V.
• Application Number:
  US08/674,667
• Time in Patent Office: 1,337 Days
• Field of Search: 108/53.3, 108/56.3, 108/56.1, 108/901, 108/902, 108/51.1, 108/57.25, 108/57.26
• 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 2519/00318 made of one piece
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00333 contact surface having a stringer-like shape
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00407 on the load supporting surface
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00557 without separate auxiliary elements
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00567 mechanical connection, e.g. snap-fitted
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/0094 nestable
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00985 the pallet being not usable as a pallet after dismounting

Abstract

A pallet comprising a lower member and an upper member. The lower member includes a base, a plurality of protrusions extending upwardly from the base, and a plurality of holding fingers extending laterally from the protrusions. The upper member is configured for attachment to the lower member. The upper member includes a deck and a plurality of legs extending down from the deck. Each leg has at least one side wall and a notch in the side wall engageable with one of the laterally extending holding fingers of the lower member. The legs are sized and configured to space the deck of the upper member above the base of the lower member when the upper member is attached to the lower member to define tine-receiving channels between the deck and base for receiving the tines of a fork-lift truck. The upper and lower members are configured so that when the upper member is attached to the lower member, then the laterally extending holding fingers engage the notches in the leg side walls of the upper member to secure the upper member to the lower member.

Claims

1. A pallet comprising:

a lower member including a base, a plurality of protrusions extending upwardly from the base, and a plurality of holding fingers extending laterally from the protrusions, the base, protrusions and holding fingers comprising a single unitary piece; and

an upper member configured for attachment to the lower member, the upper member including a deck and a plurality of legs extending down from the deck, each leg having at least one side wall and a notch in the side wall engageable with one of the laterally extending holding fingers of the lower member, the legs being sized and configured to space the deck of the upper member above the base of the lower member when the upper member is attached to the lower member to define tine-receiving channels between the deck and base for receiving the tines of a fork-lift truck, the deck and the legs comprising a single unitary piece;

the upper and lower members being configured so that when the upper member is attached to the lower member, then the laterally extending holding fingers engage the notches in the leg side walls of the upper member to secure the upper member to the lower member.

2. A pallet as set forth in claim 1 wherein the upper and lower members are configured for snap engagement of the laterally extending holding fingers with the notches of the side walls.

3. A pallet as set forth in claim 1 wherein each notch defines an opening through its associated side wall.

4. A pallet as set forth in claim 1 wherein the legs are generally hollow and taper downwardly from the deck of the upper member so that the legs of the upper member are nestable with legs of another member identical to the upper member when the lower member is not connected to the upper member.

5. A pallet as set forth in claim 1 wherein the base of the lower member includes a plurality of sockets, each socket being configured for receiving a lower portion of at least one leg when the upper member is connected to the lower member.

6. A pallet as set forth in claim 1 wherein two of said holding fingers extend oppositely from each of the protrusions, and wherein the plurality of legs comprise a plurality of pairs of adjacent legs, the oppositely extending holding fingers associated with each protrusion being configured for engaging the notches of one of the pairs of adjacent legs when the upper member is connected to the lower member.

7. A pallet as set forth in claim 6 wherein the base of the lower member includes a plurality of sockets, each socket being configured for receiving a lower portion of at least one leg when the upper member is connected to the lower member.

8. A pallet as set forth in claim 7 wherein the holding fingers are generally wedge shaped for urging the legs outwardly relative to the holding fingers as the legs are inserted into the sockets, said holding fingers having shoulders engageable with the notches in the leg side walls to interfere with separation of the upper member from the lower member.

9. A pallet as set forth in claim 1 wherein said lower member constitutes a first lower member, said pallet further comprising:

a second lower member, said second lower member including a second base, a second plurality of protrusions extending upwardly from the second base, and a second plurality of holding fingers extending laterally from said second plurality of protrusions;

the upper member and said first and second lower members being configured so that when the upper member is attached to the lower members, then the laterally extending holding fingers of said first and second lower members engage the notches in the leg side walls of the upper member to limit vertical movement of the upper member relative to the first and second lower members.

10. A pallet comprising:

a lower member including a base, a plurality of protrusions extending upwardly from the base, and a plurality of holding fingers, at least two of such holding fingers extending laterally from each protrusion in generally opposite directions; and

an upper member configured for attachment to the lower member, the upper member including a deck and a plurality of legs extending down from the deck, each leg having at least one side wall and a notch in the side wall engageable with one of the holding fingers of the lower member, the legs being sized and configured to space the deck of the upper member above the base of the lower member when the upper member is attached to the lower member to define tine-receiving channels between the deck and base for receiving the tines of a fork-lift truck;

the upper and lower members being configured so that when the upper member is attached to the lower member, then each protrusion is positioned between opposing side walls of a pair of said legs and the holding fingers associated with said each protrusion engage the notches in said opposing side walls to limit vertical movement of the upper member relative to the lower member.

11. A pallet as set forth in claim 10 wherein the base of the lower member includes a plurality of sockets, each socket being configured for receiving a lower portion of at least one of the legs of the upper member when the upper member is connected to the lower member, said sockets being engageable with the legs of the upper member to limit lateral movement of the upper member relative to the lower member.

12. A pallet as set forth in claim 11 wherein said notches define openings through the leg side walls, said holding fingers being configured so that portions thereof extend into said openings when the upper member is attached to the lower member.

13. A pallet as set forth in claim 12 wherein the holding fingers are generally wedge shaped for urging said opposing side walls of said pair of legs laterally outwardly relative to the protrusions as the legs are inserted into the sockets, said holding fingers having shoulders engageable with the notches in the leg side walls to interfere with separation of the upper member from the lower member when the holding fingers are in alignment with said openings.

14. A pallet as set forth in claim 13 wherein said legs and holding fingers are configured for a snap engagement of the holding fingers with the notches in the leg side walls.

15. A pallet as set forth in claim 10 wherein the legs are generally hollow and taper downwardly from the deck of the upper member so that the legs of the upper member are nestable with legs of another member identical to the upper member when the lower member is not connected to the upper member.

16. A pallet as set forth in claim 10 wherein the protrusions are generally hollow and taper upwardly from the base of the lower member so that the protrusions of the lower member are nestable with protrusions of another member identical to the lower member when the lower member is not connected to the upper member.

17. A pallet as set forth in claim 10 wherein the base, protrusions and fingers comprise a first single unitary piece, and wherein the deck and the legs comprise a second single unitary piece.

18. A pallet as set forth in claim 10 wherein the lower member has a width and length approximately equal to the width and length of the upper member.

19. A pallet comprising:

a lower member including a base, a plurality of protrusions extending upwardly from the base, a plurality of holding fingers, and a plurality of leg-receiving sockets, at least one of such holding fingers extending laterally from each protrusion; and

an upper member configured for attachment to the lower member, the upper member including a deck and a plurality of legs extending down from the deck, each leg having at least one side wall and a notch in the side wall engageable with one of the holding fingers of the lower member, the legs being sized and configured to space the deck of the upper member above the base of the lower member when the upper member is attached to the lower member to define tine-receiving channels between the deck and base for receiving the tines of a fork-lift truck;

the upper and lower members being configured so that when the upper member is attached to the lower member, then the laterally extending holding fingers engage the notches in the leg side walls of the upper member to limit vertical movement of the upper member relative to the lower member and portions of the legs are received in the sockets, said sockets being engageable with the legs in a manner for limiting lateral movement of the upper member relative to the lower member when the legs are received in the sockets.

20. A pallet as set forth in claim 19 wherein said notches define openings through the leg side walls, said holding fingers being configured so that portions thereof extend into said openings when the upper member is attached to the lower member.

21. A pallet as set forth in claim 19 wherein said legs and holding fingers are configured for a snap engagement of the holding fingers with the notches in the leg side walls.

22. A pallet as set forth in claim 19 wherein the base, protrusions and fingers comprise a first single unitary piece, and wherein the deck and the legs comprise a second single unitary piece.

23. A pallet as set forth in claim 19 wherein the legs are generally hollow and taper downwardly from the deck of the upper member so that the legs of the upper member are nestable with legs of another member identical to the upper member when the lower member is not connected to the upper member.