Patent Grant
10377528
The present disclosure relates generally to shipping pallets. In particular, shipping pallets with unique polygonal internal closed cell structures, utilizing arched filleted legs and single piece molding are described.
Shipping pallets are designed and built to protect and ship loads and help to make those loads more easily stacked and moved. Known shipping pallets are not entirely satisfactory for the range of applications in which they are employed. For example, most existing shipping pallets are made of wood and represent a highly inefficient use of lumber and natural resources. Most wood shipping pallets do not last longer than a year, and with nails embedded in the wood, end up in landfills instead of being reused or recycled. Additionally, wood shipping pallets have a limited load weight before breaking. Wood shipping pallets cannot be used for certain types of goods as well. For example, they cannot be used for certain types of produce or food products because they cannot withstand the elements like water and cold, which the food products must be subjected to in order to keep longer. Current pallets are not fireproof, weatherproof, chemical resistant, and do not adequately distribute uneven or large weights.
Thus, there exists a need for shipping pallets that improve upon and advance the design of known shipping pallets. Examples of new and useful shipping pallets relevant to the needs existing in the field are discussed below.
A method, system, apparatus, or device to support or move objects. The apparatus may include a substrate. The apparatus may include a rib structure that may be disposed at an interior portion of the substrate. The rib structure may include a first chamber extending downwardly from a first plane to a second plane. A wall of the first chamber may taper inwardly to form a first inverted dome. The rib structure may include a second chamber extending downwardly from the first plane to the second plane to form a second inverted dome. A wall of the second chamber may taper inwardly to form a first inverted dome.
The present description will be understood more fully from the detailed description given below and from the accompanying drawings of various embodiments of the present embodiment, which is not to be taken to limit the present embodiment to the specific embodiments but are for explanation and understanding.
The disclosed shipping pallets will become better understood through review of the following detailed description in conjunction with the figures. The detailed description and figures provide merely examples of the various inventions described herein. Those skilled in the art will understand that the disclosed examples may be varied, modified, and altered without departing from the scope of the inventions described herein. Many variations are contemplated for different applications and design considerations; however, for the sake of brevity, each and every contemplated variation is not individually described in the following detailed description.
Throughout the following detailed description, examples of various shipping pallets are provided. Related features in the examples may be identical, similar, or dissimilar in different examples. For the sake of brevity, related features will not be redundantly explained in each example. Instead, the use of related feature names will cue the reader that the feature with a related feature name may be similar to the related feature in an example explained previously. Features specific to a given example will be described in that particular example. The reader should understand that a given feature need not be the same or similar to the specific portrayal of a related feature in any given figure or example.
The present disclosure is directed to a shipping pallet with a single-piece base, where the base is a substantially planar substrate with a top side and a bottom side. The pallet includes a plurality of legs formed from depressions in the substrate, and each leg protrudes from the bottom side of the substrate in an arcuate fashion. A plurality of partitions are disposed normally from the top side of the substrate with each partition smoothly meeting the substrate in an arcuate fashion. A lid is configured to fit atop the single-piece base covering the plurality of partitions to form a closed polygon cell system.
In some examples of the pallet, the plurality of partitions is a patterned rib structure made of polygonal shapes. The polygonal shapes are primarily any polygonal shape with a number of sides in a range from four sides to twenty sides. In some examples, the polygonal shapes primarily include a hexagonal shape. In other examples, the polygonal shape primarily includes a pentagonal shape. Still, in other examples, the polygonal shape primarily includes an octagonal shape.
The shipping pallet may have the plurality of legs formed from depressions in the substrate such that each of the legs are hollow. In this example, the plurality of partitions extend into the legs which are hollow and smoothly meet the top of the substrate inside the hollow legs in an arcuate fashion.
The shipping pallet may be a single piece base that is formed by a single injection molding process.
Further, in some examples, the depressions of the legs form an angle with the bottom of the substrate. The angle is obtuse and the depressions of the legs and the substrate form a flattened domed structure to effectively transfer weight.
In alternate examples of the shipping pallet, the shipping pallet may include a substrate with a top side and bottom side. There may be a plurality of legs formed from the substrate that protrude from the plane of the substrate normal to the bottom side, thereby creating corresponding depressions in the top side of the substrate. A rib structure may be disposed on the top side of the substrate that meets the substrate in an arcuate fashion. The rib structure may be a series of polygonal shapes and cover substantially all of the top side of the substrate, with the rib structure extending into the depressions created by the plurality of legs.
In some examples, the polygonal shapes are primarily any polygonal shape with a number of sides in a range from four sides to twenty sides. For some examples, the polygonal shapes primarily include a hexagonal shape. In other examples, the polygonal shape primarily includes a pentagonal shape. Still, in other examples, the polygonal shape primarily includes an octagonal shape. In these examples, the rib structure extends into the depressions created by the plurality of legs and smoothly meets the top side of the substrate in an arcuate fashion.
The shipping pallet, the substrate, the plurality of legs, and the rib structure may be formed by a single injection molding process.
In some examples, the polygonal shapes have a width, where the width is a minimum of four inches in diameter.
The shipping pallet may also include a lid, where the lid is configured to fit atop the rib structure covering the rib structure to form a closed polygon cell system.
In other examples of a shipping pallet, the shipping pallet may include a single-piece base, where the base includes a substantially planar substrate with a top side and a bottom side. It may include a plurality of legs formed from depressions in the substrate such that each leg protrudes from the bottom side of the substrate in an arcuate fashion. There may be a plurality of chambers formed on the top side of the substrate where each chamber includes a plurality of chamber walls to create the chamber. Each chamber wall smoothly meets the substrate in an arcuate fashion. There may also be a lid configured to fit atop the single-piece base covering the plurality of chambers to form a closed polygon cell system. The chambers may have a diameter where the diameter may be in a range from four inches to sixteen inches.
The shipping pallet uses the latest in high-end software and engineering to create a shipping pallet that outperformed most of its contemporaries and provides a needed product for most. The beneficial physical and chemical properties of plastics led to its use with the shipping pallet rather than wood, as further explained later. Upon researching, thinking, testing and taking inspiration from engineering concepts, the current pallet was created. The shipping pallet, with its significantly reduced weight when considering its load metrics, with a repeating internal structure, along with other structural and material features, creates a new market worthy shipping pallet.
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For example, shipping pallet 100 is uniquely structured and manufactured that has a best weight to strength ratio. It includes areas to be lifted by a forklift or straps, and is a standard four-sided pallet of a standard size of forty by forty-eight inches wide, and between five and ten inches in height. The shipping pallet includes a unique design to have a high weight-to-strength ratio and is similar in weight to the standard wood pallet. It is highly cost-effective and easy to manufacture using an injection molding process. Because it is made from plastic, the shipping pallet is fireproof, chemical resistant, element resistant, durable, impact resistant, and can increase the life of the pallet from the standard one year to between three and five years. The internal polygon closed cell structure is easy to make and manufacture, but will last longer and is even recyclable.
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The pallet 1102 may be a transportation structure with a relatively flat top surface 1106 configured to support and/or transport the object 1104 in a stable fashion while being lifted by the lifting device 1100. The pallet 1102 may include legs 1108 and arches 1112 between the legs 1108 configured to receive the forks 1110 of the lifting device 1100. For example, the arches 1112 may curve upwardly from the legs 1108 to form a curved portion where the forks 1110 may be inserted between the legs 1108. Once the forks 1110 are inserted, as the forks 1110 of the lifting device 1100 are raised or lowered, the pallet 1102 loaded with the object 1104 may also be raised or lowered, respectively.
The pallet 1102 may be configured to disperse downward force from the object 1104 placed on a top surface 1106 of the pallet 1102 that extends along a first plane 1128. The downward force from the object 1104 on the first plane 1128 is shown by the hollow arrows extending downwardly from the object 1104 in
The internal structure of the pallet 1102 may also include internal chambers 1118-1126. In one embodiment, the internal chambers 1118-1126 may be inverted domes. For example, the inverted domes may each include a cylindrical chamber wall that tapers inward and downward to a bottom part of the cylindrical chamber. In one embodiment, the inverted domes may be substantially U-shaped. In one example, the U-shape may taper to an apex at the bottom of the curve. In another example, the U-shape may be flat at the bottom of the curve.
The outer legs 1114 and the inner leg 1116 may be formed by depressions in the substrate of the pallet 1102. In one embodiment, the internal structure of the pallet may include first leg chambers 1118 and second leg chambers 1120 at locations corresponding to the outer legs 1114 of the pallet 1102. The first leg chambers 1118 and the second leg chambers 1120 may be internal chambers that extend into an internal portion of the outer legs 1114. For example, the first leg chambers 1118 may be an inverted dome-shaped chamber along an outer perimeter of the pallet 1102 and an exterior portion of the outer legs 1114 that extends downwardly and inwardly from the first plane 1128 at the top surface of the device 1104 to a third plane 1132 at the bottom of the outer legs 1114. In this example, the first leg chambers 1118 may taper inwardly as they extend downward from the first plane 1128 to the third plane 1132.
In another embodiment, the second leg chambers 1120 may be inverted dome-shaped chambers along an outer perimeter of the pallet 1102 and an inner portion of the outer legs 1114 extend downwardly and inwardly from the first plane 1128 at the top surface of the pallet 1102 to the third plane 1132 at the bottom of the outer legs 1114. In this example, the second leg chambers 1120 may taper inwardly as they extend downward from the first plane 1128 to the third plane 1132.
In one embodiment, the first leg chambers 1118 and the second leg chambers 1120 may be located next to each other and both extend downwardly into the interior portion of the outer legs 1114. In another embodiment, the inverted dome shapes of the first leg chambers 1118 and/or the second leg chambers 1120 may be cylindrical. In another embodiment, the inverted dome shape of the first leg chambers 1118 and/or the second leg chambers 1120 may be partially cylindrical. For example, as the chamber wall of a second leg chamber 1120 extends downwardly a portion of the chamber wall may unevenly extend inwardly to cause the cylindrical shape to be uneven. In this example, the chamber wall may unevenly extend inwardly to accommodate the arch 1112 that extends between the outer legs 1114 and the inner leg 1116.
In another embodiment, the internal structure of the pallet 1102 may include arch chambers 1122 at a location corresponding to the arch 1112 of the pallet 1102. The arch chambers 1122 may be internal chambers that extend into an internal portion of the pallet 1102 located above the arch 1112. For example, an arch chamber 1122 may be an inverted dome-shaped chamber at an inner portion of the pallet 1102 between the outer legs 1114 and the inner leg 1116. The inverted dome shape of the arch chamber 1122 may extend downwardly and inwardly from the first plane 1128 at the top surface of the pallet 1102 to the second plane 1130 of the substrate. In this example, the arch chambers 1122 may taper inwardly as it extends downward from the first plane 1128 to the second plane 1130.
In one embodiment, the internal structure of the pallet 1102 may include one or more first interior chambers 1124 and one or more second interior chambers 1126 at a location corresponding to the inner leg 1116 of the pallet 1102. The first interior chambers 1124 and the second interior chambers 1126 may be internal chambers that extend into an internal portion of the inner leg 1116. For example, a first interior chamber 1124 may be an inverted dome-shaped chamber along an outer edge portion of the inner leg 1116 that extends downwardly and inwardly from the first plane 1128 at the top surface of the pallet 1102 to the third plane 1132 at the bottom of the inner leg 1116. In this example, the first interior chamber 1124 may taper inwardly as it extends downward from the first plane 1128 to the third plane 1132.
In another embodiment, the second interior chamber 1126 may be an inverted dome-shaped chamber along an inner portion of the inner leg 1116 that extends downwardly and inwardly from the first plane 1128 at the top surface of the pallet 1102 to the third plane 1132 at the bottom of the outer legs 1114. In this example, the second interior chamber 1126 may taper inwardly as it extends downward from the first plane 1128 to the third plane 1132.
In one embodiment, the first interior chamber 1124 and the second interior chamber 1126 may be located next to each other and both extend downwardly into the interior portion of the inner leg 1116. In another embodiment, the inverted dome shape of the first interior chamber 1124 and/or the second interior chamber 1126 may be cylindrical. In another embodiment, the inverted dome shape of the first inner chamber 1114 and/or the second interior chamber 1126 may be partially cylindrical. For example, as the chamber wall of the first interior chamber 1124 extends downwardly, a portion of the chamber wall may unevenly extend inwardly to cause the cylindrical shape to be uneven. In this example, the chamber wall may unevenly extend inwardly to accommodate the arch 1112 that extends between the outer legs 1114 and the inner leg 1116.
As discussed above, the pallet 1102 may be configured to disperse downward force from the object 1104 placed on the top surface 1106 of the pallet 1102 that extends along the first plane 1128. The downward force from the object 1104 on the first plane 1128 may initially be placed on the inner chambers 1118-1126. As the downward force from the object 1104 is placed on the inner chambers 1118-1126, the inverted dome shapes of each of the inner chambers 1118-1126 may direct the downward force toward a bottom center area of each of the inverted domes of the inner chamber 1118-1126, as shown by the hollow arrows in
As the downward force is directed to the bottom center of each of the inverted domes of the inner chambers 1118-1126, the downward force may be focused at the bottom center area of each of the inner chambers 1118-1126. The focused downward force is then dispersed downwardly and outwardly by the corresponding arches 1112, outer legs 1114, and inner leg 1116 so that the downward force is equally dispersed across the lifting device 1100 and to the ground. The dispersed force may reduce a weight of the device 1100 and increase an amount of weight that the lifting device 1100 may hold by providing a structure that disperses the force so that the weight to strength ratio is increased.
In one example, as a downward force is applied from the object 1104 onto the arch chambers 1122, the corresponding arch 1112 may disperse the downward force from the arch chambers 1122 downward toward the ground and outwardly toward the outer legs 1114 and inner leg 1116. In one example, an arch 1112 may disperse the downward force from the arch chambers 1122 equally between an outer leg 1114 and an inner leg 1116.
In another example, as the downward force is applied from the object 1104 onto the first leg chambers 1118 and the second leg chambers 1120, the corresponding outer legs 1114 may disperse the downward force from the first leg chambers 1118 and the second leg chambers 1120 downward toward the ground and outwardly along the bottom surface of the outer legs 1114 along the third plane 1132. In another example, as the downward force is applied from the object 1104 onto the first interior chambers 1124 and the second interior chambers 1126, the corresponding inner leg 1116 may disperse the downward force from the first interior chambers 1124 and the second interior chambers 1126 downward toward the ground and outwardly along the bottom surface of the inner leg 1116 at the third plane 1132. In another example, an upward force may be reversely applied from the outer legs 1114 and an inner leg 1116 to the chambers 1118-1126. For example, when upward pressure is applied to the outer legs 1114 and/or the inner legs 1116, the upward force may be focused by the outer legs 1114 and/or the inner legs 1116 toward the bottom of the chambers 1118-1126. The chambers 1118-1126 may then disperse the force across the top surface of the pallet 1102.
When the object 1134 only applies the downward force to the portion of the top surface 1106, the pallet 1102 may be configured to disperse the downward force across at least a portion of the pallet 1102. For example, the object 1134 may be placed at a center of the pallet 1102 and apply downward force on the first plane 1128 to one or more of the arch chambers 1122, the first interior chambers 1124, and the second interior chambers 1126. As the downward force from the object 1134 is placed on the inner chambers 1122-1126, the inverted dome shapes of each of the inner chambers 1122-1126 may direct the downward force toward a bottom center of each of the inverted domes of the inner chamber 1122-1126, as shown by the hollow arrows in
As the downward force is directed to the bottom center of each of the inverted domes of the inner chambers 1122-1126, the downward force is focused at the bottom center of each of the inner chambers 1111-1126. The focused downward force may be dispersed downwardly and outwardly by the corresponding arches 1112, outer legs 1114, and inner leg 1116 so that the downward force is equally dispersed across the pallet 1102 and to the ground. In one example, as a downward force is applied from the object 1134 onto the arch chambers 1122 where the object 1134 rests, the corresponding arches 1112 may disperse the downward force from the arch chambers 1122 downwardly toward the ground and outwardly toward the outer legs 1114 and inner leg 1116. In another example, as the downward force is applied from the object 1134 onto the first interior chambers 1124 and the second interior chambers 1126, the corresponding inner leg 1116 may disperse the downward force from the first interior chambers 1124 and the second interior chambers 1126 downward toward the ground and outwardly along the bottom surface of the inner leg 1116 along the third plane 1132. The size of the object 1104 in
The corner legs 1202 may be located the corners of the pallet 1200. In one example, each of the corner legs 1202 may be dome shaped with a flat top. In one embodiment, the corner legs 1202 may reach from a first horizontal plane 1216 extending along a top surface of the pallet 1200 to a third horizontal plane 1220 extending along a bottom surface of the pallet 1200. In one example, the corner legs 1202 may include walls that taper inwardly as they extend from the first horizontal plane 1216 to the third horizontal plane 1220. The walls of the corner legs 1202 may taper inwardly until they reach the third horizontal plane 1220 where the walls then flatten out along the bottom surfaces of the corner legs 1202 and along the third horizontal plane 1220 to form bases of the corner legs 1202. In another example, a first wall or portion of the wall of a corner leg 1202 may extend from the first horizontal plane 1216 to the third horizontal plane 1220 and a second wall or a portion of a wall of the corner leg 1202 may extend from a second horizontal plane 1218 (located between the first horizontal plane 1216 and the third horizontal plane 1220) to the third horizontal plane 1220.
In another embodiment, the first perimeter legs 1204 may be located along a first side and/or a third side of the pallet 1200 between the corner legs 1202. Each of the first perimeter legs 1204 may be dome shaped with flat tops. For example, the first perimeter legs 1204 may extend from the first horizontal plane 1216 to the third horizontal plane 1220. In one example, the first perimeter legs 1204 may include walls that taper inwardly as they extend from the first horizontal plane 1216 to the third horizontal plane 1220. The walls of the first perimeter legs 1204 may taper inwardly until they reach the third horizontal plane 1220 where the walls then flatten out along a bottom surface of the first perimeter legs 1204 and along the third horizontal plane 1220 to form bases of the first perimeter legs 1204. In another example, a first wall or a portion of a wall of the first perimeter legs 1204 may extend from the first horizontal plane 1216 to the third horizontal plane 1220 and a second wall or a portion of a wall of the first perimeter legs 1204 may extend from the second horizontal plane 1218 to the third horizontal plane 1220.
In another embodiment, the second perimeter legs 1214 may be located along a second side and/or a fourth side of the pallet 1200 between the corner legs 1202. Each of the second perimeter legs 1214 may be dome shaped with a flat top. For example, the second perimeter legs 1214 may extend from the first horizontal plane 1216 to the third horizontal plane 1220. In one example, the second perimeter legs 1214 may include walls that taper inwardly as they extend from the first horizontal plane 1216 to the third horizontal plane 1220. The walls of the second perimeter legs 1214 may taper inwardly until they reach the third horizontal plane 1220 where the walls then flatten out along a bottom surface of the second perimeter legs 1214 and along the third horizontal plane 1220 to form bases of the second perimeter legs 1214. In one embodiment, the first perimeter legs 1204 and the second perimeter legs 1214 may be the same or similar shapes, such as square or rectangular shaped legs with walls that taper inwardly toward the third horizontal plane 1220. In another example, a first wall or a portion of a wall of the second perimeter legs 1214 may extend from the first horizontal plane 1216 to the third horizontal plane 1220 and a second wall or a portion of a wall of the second perimeter legs 1214 may extend from the second horizontal plane 1218 to the third horizontal plane 1220. In another embodiment, the first perimeter legs 1204 and the second perimeter legs 1214 may be different shapes. For example, the first perimeter legs 1204 may be square shaped legs with walls that taper inwardly toward the third horizontal plane 1220 and the second perimeter legs 1214 may be rectangular shaped legs with walls that taper inwardly toward the third horizontal plane 1220.
In another embodiment, the inner leg 1212 may be located at a center of the pallet 1200. For example, the inner leg 1212 may be equidistance from the corner legs 1202, the first perimeter legs 1204, and the second perimeter legs 1214. The inner leg 1212 may be dome shape with a flat top. For example, the inner leg 1212 may extend from the second horizontal plane 1218 to the third horizontal plane 1220. In one example, the inner leg 1212 may include walls that taper inwardly as they extend from the second horizontal plane 1218 to the third horizontal plane 1220. The walls of the inner leg 1212 may taper inwardly until they reach the third horizontal plane 1220 where the walls then flatten out along a bottom surface of the inner leg 1212 and along the third horizontal plane 1220 to form a base of the inner leg 1212.
In another embodiment, the pallet 1200 may include intermediate portions that extend between the corner legs 1202, the first perimeter legs 1204, the second perimeter legs 1214, and the inner leg 1212. The intermediate portions may include the first arches 1206 and the second arches 1210. In one example, each of the first arches 1206 may extend between one of the corner legs 1202 and one of the first perimeter legs 1204 or the second perimeter legs 1214. The first arches 1206 may be curved structures of the pallet 1200 that curve downwardly from the second horizontal plane 1218 to the third horizontal plane 1220. In another example, each of the second arches 1210 may extend between one of the first perimeter legs 1204 or the second perimeter legs 1214 and the inner leg 1212. The second arches 1210 may be curved structures of the pallet 1200 that curve downwardly from the second horizontal plane 1218 to the third horizontal plane 1220.
In one embodiment, a side wall of a corner leg 1202 may taper downward toward a first edge of the arch 1206 and a side wall of a first perimeter leg 1204 or second perimeter leg 1214 may taper downward toward a second edge of the first arch 1206. The side wall of the corner legs 1202, the side wall of the first perimeter leg 1204 or the second perimeter leg 1214, and a middle or intermediate portion between the side walls may form a first arch 1206. In another embodiment, a side wall of the inner leg 1212 may taper downward toward a first edge of the second arch 1210 and a side wall of a first perimeter leg 1204 or a second perimeter leg 1214 may taper downward toward a second edge of the second arch 1210. The side wall of the inner leg 1212, the side wall of the first perimeter leg 1204 or the second perimeter leg 1214, and a middle or intermediate portion between the side walls may form a second arch 1210.
As discussed above, the first arches 1206 and/or the second arches 1210 may aid in dispersing downward pressure from an object placed on the top surface of the pallet 1200. The first arches 1206 and/or the second arches 1210 may also provide openings to receive the arms or forks of a lifting device, such as the lifting device 1100 in
In another embodiment, the pallet 1200 may include domes 1208 that each extend between a corner leg 1202, a first perimeter leg 1204, a second perimeter leg 1214, the inner leg 1212, a first arch 1206 between a corner leg 1202 and a first perimeter leg 1204, another first arch 1206 between a corner leg 1202 and a second perimeter leg 1214, a second arch 1210 between the center leg 1212 and a first perimeter leg 1204, and another second arch 1210 between the inner leg 1212 and a second perimeter leg 1214.
In one embodiment, a corner of the corner legs 1202 may taper upwardly toward a first corner of one of the domes 1208, a corner of a first perimeter leg 1204 may taper upwardly toward a second corner of the dome 1208, a corner of a second perimeter leg 1214 may taper upwardly toward a third corner of the dome 1208, and a corner of the inner leg 1212 may taper upwardly toward a fourth corner of the dome 1208. In another embodiment, one or more of the domes 1208 may taper inwardly from the second horizontal plane 1218 to the first horizontal plane 1216. In another embodiment, one or more of the domes 1208 may taper inwardly from the second horizontal plane 1218 to a defined distance below the first horizontal plane 1216. In one example, a dome 1208 may include a cylindrical chamber wall that tapers inward and upwardly toward the top side of the pallet 1200.
The size, shape, number, and location of the corner legs 1202, the first perimeter legs 1204, the second perimeter legs 1214, the inner leg 1212, the first arches 1206, the second arches 1210, and the domes 1208 are not intended to be limiting. In one example, the corner legs 1202, the first perimeter legs 1204, the second perimeter legs 1214, the inner leg 1212, the first arches 1206, the second arches 1210, and/or the domes 1208 may be square shaped. In another example, the corner legs 1202, the first perimeter legs 1204, the second perimeter legs 1214, the inner leg 1212, the first arches 1206, the second arches 1210, and/or the domes 1208 may be rectangular shaped. In another example, the corner legs 1202, the first perimeter legs 1204, the second perimeter legs 1214, the inner leg 1212, the first arches 1206, the second arches 1210, and/or the domes 1208 may be cylindrical shaped. In another example, the edges of the corner legs 1202, the first perimeter legs 1204, the second perimeter legs 1214, the inner leg 1212, the first arches 1206, the second arches 1210, and/or the domes 1208 may be straight. In another example, the edges of the corner legs 1202, the first perimeter legs 1204, the second perimeter legs 1214, the inner leg 1212, the first arches 1206, the second arches 1210, and/or the domes 1208 may be rounded or curved. In another example, the corner legs 1202, the first perimeter legs 1204, the second perimeter legs 1214, the inner leg 1212, the first arches 1206, the second arches 1210, and/or the domes 1208 may be uniformly shaped. In another example, one or more of the corner legs 1202, the first perimeter legs 1204, the second perimeter legs 1214, the inner leg 1212, the first arches 1206, the second arches 1210, and/or the domes 1208 may have different shapes.
In one embodiment, an inner chamber 1302 may have an inverted dome shape. The inverted dome shape may include one or more chamber walls 1306. For example, the inner chamber 1302 may be a single chamber wall 1306 that is a cylindrical dome that tapers downwardly from a top surface of the pallet 1300 to form an inverted dome with a rounded vault 1308 at a bottom of the cylindrical dome. In another example, the inner chamber 1302 may include multiple chamber walls 1306 that are connected together to form the inverted dome with the rounded vault 1308.
In one embodiment, the inverted domes may be substantially U-shaped. In one example, the U-shape may taper to an apex at the bottom of the curve. In another example, the U-shape may be flat at the bottom of the curve. The shape of the inner chambers 1302 is not intended to be limiting. For example, the inner chambers 1302 may be rectangularly shaped, square shaped, or other polygonal shapes with tapered walls that extend downwardly to a vault at the bottom of the dome.
In one example, an inner chamber 1302 may include a first portion of the first chamber wall extends from the first horizontal plane at the top surface of the pallet 1300 to a second horizontal plane at a middle portion of the pallet 1300. The inner chamber 1302 may also include a second portion that extends from the first horizontal plane along an inner wall of a hollow leg so that it transitions from the second horizontal plane to a third horizontal plane at the bottom surface of the pallet 1300 and at a bottom portion of the hollow leg. The inner chamber 1302 may also include a third portion that extends from the first horizontal plane to the third horizontal plane. The first portion of the inner chamber 1302, the second portion of the inner chamber 1302, and the third portion of the inner chamber 1302 may form a chamber wall that extends along the second horizontal plane where a leg is not located and then extends down into the hollow portion of the leg to maintain the inverted dome within the hollow portion of the leg, as shown in
In another example, the chamber walls 1306 of the inner chambers 1302 may extend upwardly and/or downwardly to conform to one or more of the legs 1202, 1204, 1214 in
The disclosure above encompasses multiple distinct inventions with independent utility. While each of these inventions has been disclosed in a particular form, the specific embodiments disclosed and illustrated above are not to be considered in a limiting sense as numerous variations are possible. The subject matter of the inventions includes all novel and non-obvious combinations and sub-combinations of the various elements, features, functions and/or properties disclosed above and inherent to those skilled in the art pertaining to such inventions. Where the disclosure or subsequently filed claims recite “a” element, “a first” element, or any such equivalent term, the disclosure or claims should be understood to incorporate one or more such elements, neither requiring nor excluding two or more such elements.
Applicant(s) reserves the right to submit claims directed to combinations and sub-combinations of the disclosed inventions that are believed to be novel and non-obvious. Inventions embodied in other combinations and sub-combinations of features, functions, elements and/or properties may be claimed through amendment of those claims or presentation of new claims in the present application or in a related application. Such amended or new claims, whether they are directed to the same invention or a different invention and whether they are different, broader, narrower or equal in scope to the original claims, are to be considered within the subject matter of the inventions described herein.
This application is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 15/658,834, filed 25 Jul. 2017.
| Number | Name | Date | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3695168 | Granatstein | Oct 1972 | A |
| 3762342 | Lawlor | Oct 1973 | A |
| 5142994 | Sandberg | Sep 1992 | A |
| 5566624 | Brown et al. | Oct 1996 | A |
| 6357366 | Frankenburg | Mar 2002 | B1 |
| 8701571 | Grant | Apr 2014 | B2 |
| 20120174834 | Grant | Jul 2012 | A1 |
| Number | Date | Country |
|---|---|---|
| 102010009801 | Nov 2010 | DE |
| WO-9410051 | May 1994 | WO |
| Entry |
|---|
| Oxford Living Dictionary definition of “cylindrical” (Year: 2019). |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20190031393 A1 | Jan 2019 | US |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 15658834 | Jul 2017 | US |
| Child | 16011297 | US |
