Plastic pallet

• US 9,038,546 B2
• Filed: 07/13/2011
• Issued: 05/26/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/13/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alpha Paletten LizenzGmbH
• Original Assignee: Meppp B.V.
• Inventors: Ten Bok, Michal Henricus Maria
• Primary Examiner(s): TRAN, HANH VAN
• Application Number:
  US13/809,788
• Publication Number:
  US 20130160680A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,413 Days
• Field of Search: 108/56.1, 108/56.3, 108/57.17, 108/57.21, 108/57.25, 108/57.27, 108/901, 108/902
• US Class Current: 108/57.17
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 44/0407 by regulating the temperature of the mould or parts thereof, e.g. cold mould walls inhibiting foaming of an outer layer
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 44/586 with a cavity increasing in size during foaming
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 69/02 of moulding techniques only
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 19/0004 Rigid pallets without side walls
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 19/0026 and each contact surface having a stringer-like shape
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 19/0048 and each contact surface having a stringer-like shape
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 19/0095 and each contact surface having a stringer-like shape
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 19/38 Details or accessories
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2203/10 Transponders
• 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 2519/00273 made of more than one piece
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00288 made of one piece
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00293 made of more than one piece
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00298 skeleton type
• 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 2519/00373 whereby at least one spacer is made of one piece
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/00572 with separate auxiliary element, e.g. screws, nails, bayonets
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/0084 : Separated elements, e.g. including in-moulded elements
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2519/0099 : single dismountable pallet element, e.g. for replacement
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 108/902 : Made with deformable integral fastening elements
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49947 : by applying separate fastener

Abstract

A plastic pallet described herein may have a plastic upper deck with an upper side on which goods can be stacked. Furthermore, a plurality of plastic skids are present, spaced apart from the upper deck and arranged substantially parallel to the upper deck. Plastic spacer blocks are located between the upper deck and the skids. The upper deck and the skids are manufactured as separate parts which in an assembled state are tightened together by tightening pins. The tightening pins each extend through a bore in each of the spacer blocks and corresponding holes in the upper deck and the skids.

Claims

1. A plastic pallet comprising:

a plastic upper deck having a compact skin region and a foamed core region, and having an upper side on which goods can be stacked,

a plurality of plastic skids having a compact skin region and a foamed core region, said plastic skids being spaced apart from the upper deck and arranged substantially parallel to the upper deck, and

plastic spacer blocks that are located between the upper deck and the skids, wherein the spacer blocks are formed by moulding as separate parts in which the plastic spacer blocks have a compact skin region and a foamed core region or are made as an entirely compact part, wherein the upper deck and the skids are separate parts that are tightened together by plastic tightening pins, which each extend through a bore in each of the spacer blocks and corresponding holes in the upper deck and the skids, and wherein the plastic tightening pins form weak points for breakage.

2. The plastic pallet according to claim 1, wherein the pallet comprises three substantially parallel plastic skids.

3. The plastic pallet according to claim 1, wherein the upper deck comprises a plurality of substantially parallel longitudinal slats on the upper side and a plurality of substantially parallel transverse slats located on the opposite side that faces the skids.

4. The plastic pallet according to claim 1, wherein the upper deck is made in one piece with a compact skin region and a foamed core region.

5. The plastic pallet according to claim 1, wherein on a side of the upper deck that faces the skids, at a zone surrounding each of the holes for the tightening pins, a recessed area is provided which has an outer contour that corresponds with at least part of the outer contour of the associated spacer block, such that an upper end of the spacer block is received in said recessed area thereby fixing the block with respect to the upper deck in transverse and rotational direction.

6. The plastic pallet according to claim 1, wherein on a side of the skids that faces the upper deck, at a zone surrounding each of the holes for the tightening pins, a recessed area is provided which has an outer contour that corresponds with at least part of the outer contour of the associated spacer block, such that a lower end of the spacer block is received in said recessed area thereby fixing the block with respect to the skid in transverse and rotational direction.

7. The plastic pallet according to claim 1, wherein the tightening pins are made of nylon.

8. The plastic pallet according to claim 3, wherein outer longitudinal slats and a central longitudinal slat of the upper deck have a greater width than intermediate slats.

9. The plastic pallet according to claim 1, wherein the pallet has dimensions of 1200 mm×

800 mm.

10. The plastic pallet according to claim 1, wherein the pallet has a height of about 144 mm.

11. The plastic pallet according to claim 1, wherein an upper side of the upper deck is provided with an anti-slip layer of one or more labels integrated in the upper side of the upper deck.

12. The plastic pallet according to claim 11, wherein the labels are provided by in-mould labelling during injection moulding of the upper deck.

13. The plastic pallet according to claim 1, wherein at least parts of the pallet are made of recycled plastic material.

14. The plastic pallet according to claim 1, wherein the tightening pins are provided with a detection circuit or another electronic detection means, by which the pallet can be identified.

15. The plastic pallet according to claim 1,

wherein the upper deck is manufactured by injection moulding, and further comprising a label arranged on the upper side of the upper deck by means of in-mould labelling.

16. The plastic pallet according to claim 1,

wherein the upper deck is manufactured by injection moulding, and wherein an anti-slip label is arranged on the upper side of the upper deck by means of in-mould labelling.

17. The plastic pallet of claim 1, wherein the plastic tightening pins further comprise a rigid shaft portion and a flexible deformable shaft portion.

18. A method for manufacturing a plastic pallet, wherein the pallet

comprises a plastic upper deck with an upper side on which goods can be stacked, a plurality of plastic skids spaced apart from the upper deck and arranged substantially parallel to the upper deck, and plastic spacer blocks that are located between the upper deck and the skids, the method comprising:

forming the upper deck and the skids by injection moulding using a mould having retractable inserts, in which the mould is filled with a plastic resin containing a foaming agent in such a way that the resin does not foam during filling of the mould;

retracting the retractable inserts in a mould wall whereby core areas of the moulding are allowed to foam, wherein the upper deck and skids are provided with holes;

forming the spacer blocks having a bore by injection moulding;

assembling the plastic pallet by placing the spacer blocks between the skids and the upper deck; and

inserting a plastic tightening pin through the bore in each of the spacer blocks and through corresponding holes in the upper deck and skids, thereby tightening the upper deck, the spacer blocks and the skids together and wherein the plastic tightening pin forms a weak point for breakage.

19. The method according to claim 18, further comprising operating the inserts by a cam mounted on a cam shaft.

20. A plastic pallet comprising a plastic upper deck with an upper side on which goods can be stacked, the upper deck being formed in one piece having a plurality of substantially parallel longitudinal slats on the upper side and a plurality of substantially parallel transverse slats located on the opposite side, a plurality of plastic skids spaced apart from the upper deck and arranged substantially parallel to the upper deck, and plastic spacer blocks that are located between the upper deck and the skids, wherein the upper deck and the skids are separate parts that are tightened together by plastic tightening pins, which each extend through a bore in each of the spacer blocks and corresponding holes in the upper deck and the skids and wherein the plastic tightening pins form weak points for breakage-, wherein the upper deck has a compact skin region and a foamed core region, the plastic skids have a compact skin region and a foamed core region, and the spacer blocks are formed as separate parts and have a compact skin region and a foamed core region or are made as an entirely compact part.