Plastic pallet design

• US 6,955,129 B2
• Filed: 12/05/2003
• Issued: 10/18/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/24/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: The Engineered Pallet Company LLC
• Original Assignee: The Engineered Pallet Company LLC
• Inventors: Moore, Roy E. Jr., Swistak, Daniel J., Brochu, Ronald P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chen, Jose V.
• Application Number:
  US10/729,616
• Publication Number:
  US 20040118325A1
• Time in Patent Office: 683 Days
• Field of Search: 108/57.25, 108/51.11, 108/57.28, 108/57.27, 108/901, 108/902, 108/57.26, 248/346.02
• 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

In one embodiment, composite pallet comprises: an upper deck, an upper frame member supporting the upper deck, a plurality of foot members disposed in physical contact with the upper frame member, and a lower frame member disposed in physical contact with the plurality of foot members. The upper deck comprises a first half, a second half disposed in communication with a major face of the first half, and a support material disposed between the first half and the second half.

Claims

1. A composite pallet, comprising:

an upper deck, comprising,

a first half,

a second half disposed in communication with a major face of said first half, and

a support material disposed between said first half and said second half;

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.

2. The composite pallet of claim 1, wherein said first half and said second half further comprise protrusions extending therefrom, said protrusions on said first half being correspondingly matable with said protrusions on said second half.

3. The composite pallet of claim 2, wherein said protrusions include holes, and wherein said holes define about 5% to about 40% open space in said upper deck.

4. The composite pallet of claim 3, wherein said holes effectuate fluid communication between said first half and said second half.

5. The composite pallet of claim 4, wherein said holes of said first half include material extending from edges of said holes, said material being inserted through said holes of said second half and deformed to retain said first half to said second half.

6. The composite pallet of claim 3, wherein said protrusions on said first half are attached to said protrusions on said second half to join said first half to said second half.

7. The composite pallet of claim 1, wherein edge portions of said first half are crimped to edge portions of said second half such that holes in said first half align with holes in said second half.

8. The composite pallet of claim 1, wherein said support material comprises foam.

9. The composite pallet of claim 8, wherein said foam is selected from the group consisting of polyurethane, polystyrene, polyethylene, and combinations comprising at least one of the foregoing materials foams.

10. The composite pallet of claim 1, wherein said upper frame member further comprises a post extending therefrom through a hole in said upper deck, said post being deformed to retain said upper deck to said upper frame member.

11. The composite pallet of claim 1, wherein said upper frame member includes a rounded outer edge.

12. The composite pallet of claim 1, wherein said lower frame member includes a rounded outer edge.

13. The composite pallet of claim 1, wherein said foot member includes a rounded outer surface.

14. The composite pallet of claim 1, wherein each of said foot members is collapsible.

15. The composite pallet of claim 1, wherein said first half and said second half are formed and attached via a twin sheet thermo-forming technique.

16. The composite pallet of claim 1, wherein said upper deck comprises a composite polymer material formable into said first half and said second half of said upper deck.

17. The composite pallet of claim 16, 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.

18. The composite pallet of claim 17, wherein said biaxial weave of fibrous polymer is selected from the group consisting of polypropylene, polyethylene, and combinations of the foregoing materials.

19. The composite pallet of claim 17, 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 at least one of the foregoing materials additives.

20. The composite pallet of claim 17, wherein said biaxial weave of fibrous polymer further comprises fibrous glass.

21. The composite pallet of claim 17, wherein said biaxial weave of fibrous polymer further comprises fibrous carbon.

22. The composite pallet of claim 17, wherein said biaxial weave of fibrous polymer further comprises a biocidal compound.

23. The composite pallet of claim 1, wherein said upper deck comprises a non-skid surface.

24. The composite pallet of claim 1, wherein said upper deck is bowed out of the plane thereof.