Dunnage platform

• US 8,163,363 B2
• Filed: 01/14/2011
• Issued: 04/24/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Airdex Corporation
• Original Assignee: Airdex International, Inc.
• Inventors: Dummett, Laurence W
• Primary Examiner(s): Miggins, Michael C
• Application Number:
  US13/006,726
• Publication Number:
  US 20110107943A1
• Time in Patent Office: 466 Days
• Field of Search: 428/35.7, 428/36.5, 428/71, 428/76, 428/304.4, 428/306.6, 428/308.4
• US Class Current: 428/36.5
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2791/006 Using vacuum
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 44/569 Shaping and joining components with different densities or hardness
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 51/08 Deep drawing or matched-mould forming, i.e. using mechanical means only
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 51/10 Forming by pressure difference, e.g. vacuum
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 51/12 of articles having inserts or reinforcements
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 51/16 Lining or labelling
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2025/00 Use of polymers of vinyl-aromatic compounds or derivatives thereof as moulding material
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2105/04 cellular or porous
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/7178 Pallets
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2553/00 Packaging equipment or accessories not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 37/185 Laminating sheets, panels or inserts between two discrete plastic layers
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 38/0036 Heat treatment for heating or cooling of layers during lamination B32B37/06, B32B37/08
• 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 2519/00044 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 2519/00268 made of 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 2519/00338 : contact surface having a discrete foot-like shape
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00462 : Applied in mold, e.g. bi-injection molded reinforcement
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00557 : without separate auxiliary elements
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/0086 : Protection against environmental hazards, e.g. humidity, bacteria, fire
• CPC Class Codes: C08J 2325/06 : Polystyrene
• CPC Class Codes: C08J 2425/00 : Characterised by the use of homopolymers or copolymers of compounds having one or more unsaturated aliphatic radicals, each having only one carbon-to-carbon double bond, and at least one being terminated by an aromatic carbocyclic ring; Derivatives of such polymers
• CPC Class Codes: C08J 9/365 : Coating
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 108/901 : Synthetic plastic industrial platform, e.g. pallet
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1011 : Overedge bending or overedge folding
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1028 : by bending, drawing or stretch forming sheet to assume shape of configured lamina while in contact therewith
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/103 : Encasing or enveloping the configured lamina
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/1352 : Polymer or resin containing [i.e., natural or synthetic]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/1376 : Foam or porous material containing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/233 : Foamed or expanded material encased
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/239 : Complete cover or casing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/249953 : Composite having voids in a component [e.g., porous, cellular, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/249955 : Void-containing component partially impregnated with adjacent component
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/249958 : Void-containing component is synthetic resin or natural rubbers

Abstract

A dunnage platform is in the general shape of a rectangular slab with legs extending form one side. The dunnage platform is made from an expanded polystyrene core. A chemical combination process is used to chemically combine portion of the core proximal to its surface with high impact polystyrene. In a first of two parts of the combination process, the core is placed in a forming mold with one of its two sides and two thirds of its thickness extending therefrom. A heated sheet of high impact polystyrene is brought into contact with the portion of the core extending from the mold. In a similar manner, the other of the two sides of the core is made to extend from the forming mold for contact with a heated sheet of high impact polystyrene.

Claims

1. A load bearing structure comprising:

an expanded polystyrene core with a first side, a second side and a width;

a first high impact polystyrene sheet combined with said expanded polystyrene core, wherein said first side of said expanded polystyrene core and part of said width is covered by said first high impact polystyrene sheet; and

a second high impact polystyrene sheet combined with said expanded polystyrene core, wherein said second side of said expanded polystyrene core and part of said width is covered by said second high impact polystyrene sheet, wherein said first and said second high impact polystyrene sheets overlap along at least a portion of said width.

2. The load bearing structure of claim 1, wherein said expanded polystyrene core has a portion proximal to its surface chemically combined with said first high impact polystyrene sheet to form a strengthened polystyrene.

3. The load bearing structure of claim 1, wherein said expanded polystyrene core has a portion proximal to its surface chemically combined with said second high impact polystyrene sheet to form a strengthened polystyrene.

4. The load bearing structure of claim 1, wherein said first side and more than half of said width is covered by said first high impact polystyrene sheet and wherein said second side and more than half of said width is covered by said second high impact polystyrene sheet.

5. The load bearing structure of claim 1, wherein said first high impact polystyrene sheet is overlapped by said second high impact polystyrene sheet along at least a portion of said width.

6. The load bearing structure of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of legs extending from one side of the expanded polystyrene core, wherein one or more of the plurality of legs have sloping sides.

7. The load bearing structure of claim 6, wherein the load bearing structure comprises a dunnage platform.

8. A dunnage platform in the general shape of a rectangular slab comprising:

a core with a first side, a second side, and an edge, separating said first side and said second side;

a first polymer sheet covering said first side and a portion of said edge of said core; and

a second polymer sheet covering said second side and a portion of said edge of said core, wherein said first and said second polymer sheets overlap at the edge, wherein said core has a portion proximal to its surface combined with said second polymer sheet to form a strengthened polymer substantially the entire edge of the core.

9. The dunnage platform of claim 8, wherein said core is an expanded polystyrene core.

10. The dunnage platform of claim 8, wherein said core has a portion proximal to its surface combined with said first polymer sheet to form a strengthened polymer.

11. The dunnage platform of claim 8, wherein said core has a portion proximal to its surface chemically combined with said first polymer sheet to form a strengthened polymer.

12. The dunnage platform of claim 8, wherein said first polymer sheet is a high impact polystyrene sheet.

13. The dunnage platform of claim 8, wherein said core has a portion proximal to its surface chemically combined with said second polymer sheet to form a strengthened polymer.

14. The dunnage platform of claim 8, wherein said second polymer sheet is a high impact polystyrene sheet.

15. The dunnage platform of claim 14, wherein said core is an expanded polystyrene core, said expanded polystyrene core having a portion proximal to its surface chemically combined with said second high impact polystyrene sheet to form a strengthened polystyrene.

16. A load bearing structure comprising:

a core made from expanded polystyrene, said core having a first side, a second side, and an edge separating said first side and said second side;

a first non porous sheet covering said first side; and

a second non porous sheet covering said second side, wherein said core having a portion proximal to its surface thermally combined with one or both said first non porous sheet and said second non porous sheet forms a strengthened polystyrene, wherein said first and said second non porous sheets overlap at the edge.

17. The load bearing structure of claim 16, wherein said non porous sheets are thermally combined proximal to the edge of said expanded polystyrene core.

18. The load bearing structure of claim 16, wherein said expanded polystyrene core and said non porous sheets are thermally combined at reduced pressure.

19. The load bearing structure of claim 16, wherein said non porous sheets overlap along at least a portion of said edge.

20. The load bearing structure of claim 16, wherein said first non porous sheet is thermally combined with at least two thirds of the thickness of said expanded polystyrene core.