Plastic pallet design

• US 6,705,237 B2
• Filed: 08/24/2001
• Issued: 03/16/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/24/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: The Engineered Pallet Company LLC
• Original Assignee: Infiltrator Systems Incorporated (Infiltrator Water Technologies, LLC)
• Inventors: Brochu, Ronald P., Moore, Roy E. Jr., Swistak, Daniel J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chen, Jose V.
• Application Number:
  US09/938,954
• Publication Number:
  US 20020112653A1
• Time in Patent Office: 935 Days
• Field of Search: 108/51.11, 108/51.3, 108/901, 108/57.25, 108/57.26, 108/57.32, 108/56.1, 108/56.3
• US Class Current: 108/57.25
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 19/0012 forming a continuous plane contact surface
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00024 Metal
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00029 Wood
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00034 Plastic
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00044 Combination, e.g. different elements made of different materials, laminates
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00069 Plastic
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00079 Combination, e.g. different elements made of different materials, laminates
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00099 Wood
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00104 Plastic
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00114 Combination, e.g. different elements made of different materials, laminates
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00129 Metal
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00134 Wood
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00139 Plastic
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00149 Combination, e.g. different elements made of different materials, laminates
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00278 the load supporting surface and the base surface being identical
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00293 made of more than one piece
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00303 Cell type, e.g. honeycomb
• 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 2519/00373 : whereby at least one spacer is made of one piece
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00378 : whereby at least one spacer is made of two or more pieces
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00412 : on the base surface
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00432 : Non-integral, e.g. inserts B65D2519/00462 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00437 : on the load supporting surface
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00447 : on the non-integral separating spacer
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00462 : Applied in mold, e.g. bi-injection molded reinforcement
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00467 : on or in the load supporting surface
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00472 : on or in 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 2519/008 : Drainage means
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00835 : Integral
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/0086 : Protection against environmental hazards, e.g. humidity, bacteria, fire

Abstract

A pallet includes an upper deck, a support material disposed within the upper deck, an upper frame member supporting the upper deck, a plurality of foot members disposed on the upper frame member, and a lower frame member disposed on the plurality of foot members. The upper deck includes a first half and a second half disposed in communication with a major face of the first half. Numerous variations in which the pallet is collapsible or includes reinforcement members are within the scope of the pallet disclosed.

Claims

1. A pallet comprising:

an upper deck configured from a support material;

an upper frame member supporting said upper deck;

a plurality of foot members disposed in physical contact with said upper frame member; and

a lower frame member disposed in physical contact with said plurality of foot members, wherein said upper deck is configured using at least two plates disposed in a spaced relationship except for a portion thereof where facing surfaces defining a surface of each of the at least two plates operably join to form a support element disposed between and connecting said at least two plates, and wherein said support element comprises at least two support members disposed between and normal to said at least two plates.

2. The pallet of claim 1, wherein a second support material is disposed between said at least two plates and said at least two support members.

3. The pallet of claim 2, wherein said support material is selected from the group consisting of plastic, wood, fiberglass, and combinations comprising at least one of the foregoing support materials.

4. The pallet of claim 2, wherein said support material comprises foam.

5. A pallet, comprising:

an upper deck;

a lower frame member arranged in a parallel planar relationship with said upper deck;

a plurality of foot members connected to said upper deck and said lower frame member; and

a reinforcement member positioned in physical contact with said upper deck, said reinforcement member comprising,

a first plate,

a second plate disposed in a spaced relationship with said first plate, and

a support element disposed between said first plate and said second, wherein said support element further comprises a support member disposed between and normal to facing surfaces of said first plate and said second plate, said support member includes perforated openings.

6. The pallet of claim 5, wherein said upper deck comprises a composite polymer material.

7. The pallet of claim 6, wherein said composite polymer material comprises,

a biaxial weave of fibrous polymer, and

a sheet of polymer bonded to said biaxial weave of fibrous polymer.

8. The pallet of claim 7, wherein said biaxial weave of fibrous polymer is selected from the group consisting of polypropylene, polyethylene, and combinations of the foregoing materials.

9. The pallet of claim 7, wherein said biaxial weave of fibrous polymer further comprises an additive selected from the group consisting of fibrous glass, fibrous carbon, UV stabilizing compounds, biocidal compounds, and combinations of the foregoing additives.

10. The pallet of claim 5, wherein said upper deck comprises a non-skid surface.

11. The pallet of claim 5, wherein said openings further comprise a geometric shape selected from the group consisting of circular, substantially circular, oblong, multi-sided, and combinations comprising at least one of the foregoing shapes.

12. The pallet of claim 5, wherein said openings comprise triangular shapes arranged to be alternating in orientation such that a truss pattern is defined thereby, said truss pattern extending along a length of said support members.

13. The pallet of claim 5, wherein said first plate is perforated with openings.

14. The pallet of claim 13, wherein said openings further comprises a geometric shape selected from the group consisting of circular, substantially circular, oblong, multi-sided, and combinations comprising at least one of the foregoing shapes.

15. The pallet of claim 5, wherein said reinforcement member comprises a material selected from the group consisting of steel, aluminum, titanium, chromium, molybdenum, carbon, composites and alloys of the foregoing materials, and combinations comprising at least one of the foregoing materials.

16. The pallet of claim 5, wherein said support element comprises a material selected from the group consisting of foam, plastic, wood, fiberglass, porous ceramic, porous metal, and combinations comprising at least one of the foregoing materials.

17. The pallet of claim 5 further comprising a second reinforcement member positioned in physical contact with said lower frame member.

18. The pallet of claim 5, wherein said reinforcement member comprises a material having a yield strength of greater than or equal to about 50,000 psi.

19. The pallet of claim 5, wherein said reinforcement member further comprises a corrosion prevention material disposed on a surface thereof.

20. The pallet of claim 5 having a weight per unit area based on an upper deck dimension of less than or equal to about 4.5 lb/ft2.

21. The pallet of claim 20, wherein the weight per unit area based on the upper deck dimension is about 2.5 lb/ft² to about 4.5 lb/ft².

22. A reinforcement structure disposed within a deck of a pallet, said reinforcement structure comprising:

a first reinforcement member extending from a first edge of the deck to an opposing edge of said deck;

a second reinforcement member extending from a point on said first reinforcement member intermediate ends of said first reinforcement member to an edge of said deck adjacent to said first edge of said deck; and

a third reinforcement member extending from a point on said first reinforcement member intermediate ends of said first reinforcement member and opposing the point on said first reinforcement member at which said second reinforcement member extends front to an edge of said deck adjacent to said first edge of said deck and opposing the edge of said deck at which an end of said second reinforcement member is disposed.

23. The reinforcement structure of claim 22, wherein said second reinforcement member and said third reinforcement member are attached to opposing sides of said first reinforcement member.

24. The reinforcement structure of claim 22, wherein said arrangement of reinforcement members is positioned within said deck of the pallet with an angled from an arrangement of reinforcement members positioned within a second deck of said pallet positioned adjacent to and parallel to said deck of said pallet.

25. A reinforcement structure disposed within a deck of a pallet, said reinforcement structure comprising:

a first reinforcement member extending from a first edge of said deck to an opposing edge of said deck; and

a second reinforcement member extending from an edge of the deck adjacent and substantially normal to the first edge of the deck, crossing over said first reinforcement member, and extending to an edge of the deck opposing the edge from which said second reinforcement member originates.

26. The reinforcement structure of claim 25, wherein a point at which said first reinforcement member crosses over said second reinforcement member occurs at a point intermediate opposing ends of said first reinforcement member and intermediate opposing ends of said second reinforcement member.

27. The reinforcement structure of claim 25, wherein the point at which said first reinforcement member crosses over said second reinforcement member results in a point having an increased thickness, the point of increased thickness being positioned to be concealable within a foot member disposed adjacent the deck of the pallet.

28. A reinforcement structure disposed within a deck of a pallet, the reinforcement structure comprising:

a structural hub member, said structural hub member being disposable substantially equidistant from edges of the deck; and

a plurality of reinforcement members supported at said structural hub member and extendable to the edges of the deck, wherein at least two reinforcement members of the plurality of said reinforcement members have ends defining a length thereof, one end of each being received at said structural hub member.

29. The reinforcement structure of claim 28, wherein said structural hub member comprises a plurality of legs extending radially and planarly therefrom, each of the legs being configured to receive a corresponding reinforcement member from said plurality of reinforcement members.

30. The reinforcement structure of claim 29, wherein each of the legs extending from said structural hub member is configured to receive the corresponding reinforcement member thereover, each of the reinforcement members being retained on the legs.

31. The reinforcement structure of claim 29, wherein each of the legs extending from said structural hub member is configured to receive the corresponding reinforcement member axially into an end thereof, each of the reinforcement members being retained on the legs.

32. A reinforcement structure disposed within a deck of a pallet, the reinforcement structure comprising:

a reinforcement member, said reinforcement member being extendable from a first edge of the deck to an opposing edge of the deck, said reinforcement member comprising a plurality of legs depending from opposing sides of said reinforcement member, each leg of said plurality of legs extending planarly from said reinforcement member; and

a plurality of sub-reinforcement members, said plurality of sub-reinforcement members corresponding in number to said plurality of legs depending from opposing sides of said reinforcement member and being supported at said plurality of legs, each sub-reinforcement member of said plurality of sub-reinforcement members have a one end being extendable to the edge of the deck and an opposite end being extendable to a corresponding leg of the plurality of legs.

33. The reinforcement structure of claim 32, wherein the legs of said plurality of legs are configured to receive the corresponding sub-reinforcement member thereover, each of the sub-reinforcement members of said plurality of sub-reinforcement members being retained on the legs.

34. The reinforcement structure of claim 32, wherein the legs of said plurality of legs are configured to receive the corresponding sub-reinforcement member axially therein, each of the sub-reinforcement members of said plurality of sub-reinforcement members being retained on the legs.

35. A reinforcement structure disposed within a deck of a pallet, the reinforcement structure comprising:

a first reinforcement member extendable between opposing edges of the deck, said first reinforcement member having an opening disposed laterally therethrough at a point intermediate opposing ends thereof; and

a second reinforcement member received through said opening defined by said first reinforcement member, said second reinforcement member being extendable between opposing edges of the deck.

36. A pallet, comprising:

an upper deck;

a lower frame member arranged in a parallel planar relationship with said upper deck;

a plurality of foot members connected to said upper deck and said lower frame member; and

a reinforcement member positioned in physical contact with said upper deck, said reinforcement member comprising,

a first plate,

a second plate disposed in a spaced relationship with said first plate, and

a support element disposed between said first plate and said second plate, wherein said support element comprises a support member disposed between and normal to facing surfaces of said first plate and said second plate, and wherein a support member thickness is different from a first plate thickness or a second plate thickness.

37. The pallet of claim 36, wherein a support member thickness is less than said first plate thickness and said second plate thickness.

38. The pallet of claim 36, wherein said support material comprises foam.

39. A pallet, comprising:

an upper deck;

a lower frame member arranged in a parallel planar relationship with said upper deck;

a plurality of foot members connected to said upper deck and said lower frame member; and

a reinforcement member positioned in physical contact with said upper deck, said reinforcement member comprising,

a first plate,

a second plate disposed in a spaced relationship with said first plate,

a support element disposed between said first plate and said second plate, wherein said support element comprises a support member disposed between and normal to facing surfaces of said first plate and said second plate, and

a support material is disposed adjacent to said support member.