Patent Application
20170233135
Field of the Invention
The embodiments of the present invention relate to a pallet, and more particularly, the embodiments of the present invention relate to a combination for use as a pallet alone or modified for use as a container.
Description of the Prior Art
Numerous innovations for pallets have been provided in the prior art, which will be described below in chronological order to show advancement in the art. Even though these innovations may be suitable for the specific individual purposes to which they address, nevertheless, they differ from the embodiments of the present invention in that they do not teach a combination for use as a pallet alone or modified for use as a container.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,279,204—issued to Propst on Jul. 21, 1981 in U.S. class 108 and subclass 53.3—teaches a pallet having a generally rectangular body including a honeycomb core enclosed within top, bottom, and side walls. Each of the side walls has at its upper end an upwardly and inwardly inclined portion, and has at its lower end a downwardly and inwardly inclined portion. Hollow tapered legs are provided at the corners of the pallet.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,285,731—issued to McIntyre on Feb. 15, 1994 in U.S. class 108 and subclass 51.3—teaches a corrugated paperboard pallet including a base member having first and second pairs of opposite sides and a plurality of column-shaped support members secured to the bottom side of the base member. The support members have apertures at opposing ends thereof for receiving flaps from the base member and support blocks so as to secure the support members to the base member.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,329,861—issued to McCarthy on Jul. 19, 1994 in U.S. class 108 and subclass 51.3—teaches a lightweight, recyclable, and nearly completely paper pallet. The pallet is made of a honeycomb paper base and honeycomb paper support runners or blocks. The blocks are protected and strengthened by a rigid paper cap. The base, runners, blocks, and cap may also have a protective liner, such as, polyethylene, or be otherwise treated to enhance water and moisture resistance.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,403,024—issued to Frketic on Apr. 4, 1995 in U.S. class 280 and subclass 43.12—teaches a hand pallet truck of the type including a head frame and a pair of forks projecting forwardly therefrom. A hinge portion of the forks can be folded upwardly from the operating position to a storage position latched to the frame. The hinged forks include a stub fork portion at the frame projecting slightly outwardly from the frame for receiving a portion of the pallet. The link bar that operates the wheels of the fork is also hinged but can only pivot in the lowered position of the forks and frame. A locking arrangement locks the hinged forks in the operating position.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,448,956—issued to Ong et al. on Sep. 12, 1995 in U.S. class 108 and subclass 51.3—teaches a pallet including a flat top member having depending sides and a base member including eight generally triangular elements, each formed from closely packed elements of single-face corrugated paperboard in which the corrugations are perpendicular to the top member, and forklift openings formed in the edges of the base elements. In another form, the pallet is formed from a single winding of single-face corrugated paperboard to define a central square opening, a pair of opposed generally triangular openings, a pair of opposed truncated triangular openings 90° to the triangular openings, a further pair of larger truncated triangular openings located at 45° to the preceding pair, a further pair of slightly larger truncated triangular openings at 90° to the preceding pair, two further opposed pairs of larger triangular openings at 45° to each of the preceding openings, and triangular openings at the corners of the pallet defined by a square peripheral element of the wound corrugated board. The foregoing openings define load-bearing beam members that intersect the direction of support of the pallet by the forks of the fork lift truck, which are inserted between feet adhesively secured to the pallet body. Being made from corrugated board, the pallet may be recycled.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,461,988—issued to Cummings et al. on Oct. 31, 1995 in U.S. class 108 and subclass 51.3—teaches a recyclable and lightweight pallet having a plurality of elongated runners and mating crosspieces. Each runner includes a plurality of elongated, parallel, and juxtaposed runner sections of fiber board, with laterally extending assembled openings defined therein and longitudinally spaced-apart therealong. Each elongated, parallel, and juxtaposed crosspiece section of fiber board jointly define opposed assembled ends. Each assembled end of each crosspiece is formed to mate with an assembled opening in one of the plurality of runners. The runners and mating crosspieces form a generally rectangular pallet.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,493,962—issued to McCarthy on Feb. 27, 1996 in U.S. class 108 and subclass 51.3—teaches a lightweight, recyclable, and nearly completely paper pallet. The pallet is made of a honeycomb paper base and honeycomb paper support runners or blocks. The blocks are strengthened by a rigid paper cap. The base, runners, blocks, and cap may also have a protective liner, such as, polyethylene, or be otherwise treated to enhance water and moisture resistance.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,690,037—issued to Hill on Nov. 25, 1997 in U.S. class 108 and subclass 51.3—teaches a pallet having a substantially inelastic, flexible, and load-supporting platform, and a plurality of support blocks for maintaining the platform above a ground support. To transport the pallet and its load from place to place, a lifting assembly has a pair of forks for fitting in channels between the support blocks. The forks are laterally extendable with respect to each other so that a side of each fork can engage a facing side of a support block to maintain the support block and a load thereon in a substantially upright position.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,941,177—issued to Anderson on Aug. 24, 1999 in U.S. class 108 and subclass 51.3—teaches a recyclable, heavy duty, lightweight, moisture resistant, and corrugated fiberboard pallet. All major components are made of double walled and corrugated fiberboard that has been laminated for moisture control, and are connected with an adhesive. A top pallet assembly is composed of two rectangular support sheets and a load sheet. Attached to the bottom of the pallet top assembly are a series of runners. Each runner includes a single sheet of fiberboard that is scored and folded so as to form a four-sheet thickness, including eight walls of fiberboard with corrugations vertically placed. Attached to each runner is a runner brace. Each runner brace is scored and wraps around a runner, with excess fiberboard being used to connect the runner to the pallet top assembly. A pallet bottom is secured to the lower surfaces of the runner braces.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,148,740—issued to Jackel et al. on Nov. 21, 2000 in U.S. class 108 and subclass 57.32—teaches a lightweight pallet, especially for holding payloads in a spacecraft, has a sandwich construction with a core grid of longitudinal carrier beams and cross-connectors mounted between a top flat sheet metal plate and a bottom flat sheet. A cross-beam is secured to the front end and to the rear end of the pallet. The cross-beams carry journal pins for mounting the pallets to respective yokes in the cargo bay of a spacecraft. The cover plates are provided with cut-outs forming square or rectangular holes with rounded corners. Hole patterns or threaded holes are provided for the connection of junction plates and payloads to the pallet. The junction plates are secured where the longitudinal beams and the cross-connectors meet. At least one of the two laterally outer longitudinal beams has a recess for the recessed mounting of a payload supply unit, such as, a power supply. The recess is then closed again by a plate. The longitudinal beams and the cross-connectors are essentially hollow, except for cross-ribs connecting the chords of the longitudinal beams and cross-trusses in a box frame of the cross-connectors.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,322,517—issued to Hurst et al. on Dec. 4, 2012 in U.S. class 198 and subclass 465.4—teaches a lightweight pallet for supporting and carrying workpieces along an overhead transfer conveyor. A metallic conveyor carrier is carried by the overhead transfer conveyor, and a lightweight and non-metallic base is connected to the conveyor carrier. A first lightweight and non-metallic support member is connected to, and extends downward from, the base. The first support member is substantially planar and supports the workpiece. A first lightweight and non-metallic brace member is connected to the base and the first support member for supporting the first support member. The first brace member is substantially planar. The first brace member extends substantially perpendicular to the first support member. The first support member and the second support member cooperate to define a substantially T-shaped structure that extends downward from the base.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,752,489—issued to Linares on Jun. 17, 2014 in U.S. class 108 and subclass 51.3—teaches a pallet construction having a body including a plurality of interconnected structural members defining at least an upper support surface, a bottom, and a plurality of interconnecting sides. A plurality of stand-offs extend from underside-projecting locations of the body in order to elevate the bottom an upward distance from a ground supporting location. A mesh, or other sheer material, is also provided. The mesh is applied over at least the upper support surface, and in additional variants along each of the extending side surfaces so that the body establishes a three dimensional and volume defining interior. In order to support the mesh, the body includes upper and lower vertically spaced and rectangular perimeter defining members separated by spaced-apart and vertically interconnecting members.
It is apparent that numerous innovations for pallets have been provided in the prior art, which are adapted to be used. Furthermore, even though these innovations may be suitable for the specific individual purposes to which they address, nevertheless, they would not be suitable for the purposes of the embodiments of the present invention as heretofore described, namely, a combination for use as a pallet alone or modified for use as a container.
Thus, it is an object of the embodiments of the present invention to provide a combination for use as a pallet alone or modified for use as a container, which avoids the disadvantages of the prior art.
Briefly stated, another object of the embodiments of the present invention is to provide a combination that can be used as a pallet alone or modified to be used as a container. The combination includes a pallet and a container. The pallet rests on a horizontal surface and can be used as a pallet when used alone. The container has a bottom and selectively extends upwardly from the pallet. The pallet forms the bottom of the container when the pallet is modified to be used as the container. Further included are a method for constructing the pallet and a method for constructing the container.
The novel features considered characteristic of the embodiments of the present invention are set forth in the appended claims. The embodiments of the present invention themselves, however, both as to their construction and to their method of construction together with additional objects and advantages thereof will be best understood from the following description of the specific embodiments when read and understood in connection with the accompanying figures of the drawing.
The figures of the drawing are briefly described as follows:
Referring now to the figures of the drawing, in which like numerals indicate like parts, and particularly to
The overall configuration of the combination 20 can best be seen in
The combination 20 comprises a pallet 22 and a container 24. The pallet 22 is for resting on a horizontal surface 26 and is for use as a pallet when used alone. The container 24 has a bottom 28 and selectively extends upwardly from the pallet 22, with the pallet 22 forming the bottom 28 of the container 24 when the pallet 22 is modified for use as the container 24.
The overall configuration of the pallet 22 can best be seen in
The pallet 22 comprises a bottom layer 30, an intermediate layer 32, a top layer 34, and a plurality of legs 35. The intermediate layer 32 overlies, and is attached to, the bottom layer 30. The top layer 34 overlies, and is attached to, the intermediate layer 32. The plurality of legs 35 of the pallet 22 depend from the bottom layer 30 of the pallet 22 and are for resting on the horizontal surface 26.
The specific configuration of the bottom layer 30 of the pallet 22 can best be seen in
The bottom layer 30 of the pallet 22 comprises a plurality of stringers 36.
The plurality of stringers 36 of the bottom layer 30 of the pallet 22 are slender, elongated, of equal length to each other, parallel to each other, coplanar with each other, equally spaced-apart from each other, aligned with each other, extend in a first direction, preferably, are made from wood, and have widths and heights.
The specific configuration of the intermediate layer 32 of the pallet 22 can best be seen in
The intermediate layer 32 of the pallet 22 comprises a plurality of stringers 38.
The plurality of stringers 38 of the intermediate layer 32 of the pallet 22 are slender, elongated, of equal length to each other, parallel to each other, coplanar with each other, equally spaced-apart from each other, aligned with each other, extend in a second direction, preferably, are made from wood, and have widths and heights.
The widths and the heights of the plurality of stringers 38 of the intermediate layer 32 of the pallet 22 are equal to the widths and the heights of the plurality of stringers 36 of the bottom layer 30 of the pallet 22, respectively, so as to allow the plurality of stringers 38 of the intermediate layer 32 of the pallet 22 and the plurality of stringers 36 of the bottom layer 30 of the pallet 22 to be interchangeable with each other.
The second direction of the plurality of stringers 38 of the intermediate layer 32 of the pallet 22 is perpendicular to the first direction of the plurality of stringers 36 of the bottom layer 30 of the pallet 22, and as such, ties the plurality of stringers 38 of the intermediate layer 32 of the pallet 22 and the plurality of stringers 36 of the bottom layer 30 of the pallet 22 to each other, respectively.
The intermediate layer 32 of the pallet 22 further comprises a plurality of nails 40.
The plurality of nails 40 of the intermediate layer 32 of the pallet 22 maintain the plurality of stringers 38 of the intermediate layer 32 of the pallet 22 and the plurality of stringers 36 of the bottom layer 30 of the pallet 22 perpendicular to each other by being positioned where the plurality of stringers 38 of the intermediate layer 32 of the pallet 22 intersect the plurality of stringers 36 of the bottom layer 30 of the pallet 22, respectively.
The specific configuration of the top layer 34 of the pallet 22 can best be seen in
The top layer 34 of the pallet 22 comprises a plurality of deckboards 42.
The plurality of deckboards 42 of the top layer 34 of the pallet 22 are slender, elongated, of equal length to each other, parallel to each other, coplanar with each other, aligned with each other, extend in a third direction, preferably, are made from wood, and have widths and heights.
The widths of the plurality of deckboards 42 of the top layer 34 of the pallet 22 are wider than the widths of the plurality of stringers 36 of the bottom layer 30 of the pallet 22, respectively, and are wider than the widths of the plurality of stringers 38 of the intermediate layer 32 of the pallet 22, respectively.
The heights of the plurality of deckboards 42 of the top layer 34 of the pallet 22 are less than the heights of the plurality of stringers 36 of the bottom layer 30 of the pallet 22, respectively, and are less than the heights of the plurality of stringers 38 of the intermediate layer 32 of the pallet 22, respectively.
The third direction of the plurality of deckboards 42 of the top layer 34 of the pallet 22 is perpendicular to the second direction of the plurality of stringers 38 of the intermediate layer 32 of the pallet 22, and as such, ties the plurality of deckboards 42 of the top layer 34 of the pallet 22 and the plurality of stringers 38 of the intermediate layer 32 of the pallet 22 to each other, respectively.
The third direction of the plurality of deckboards 42 of the top layer 34 of the pallet 22 is equal to the first direction of the plurality of stringers 36 of the bottom layer 30 of the pallet 22.
The top layer 34 of the pallet 22 further comprises a plurality of nails 44.
The plurality of nails 44 of the top layer 34 of the pallet 22 maintain the plurality of deckboards 42 of the top layer 34 of the pallet 22 and the plurality of stringers 38 of the intermediate layer 32 of the pallet 22 perpendicular to each other by being positioned where the plurality of deckboards 42 of the top layer 34 of the pallet 22 intersect the plurality of stringers 38 of the intermediate layer 32 of the pallet 22.
The specific configuration of the plurality of legs 35 of the pallet 22 can best be seen in
The plurality of legs 35 of the pallet 22 are spaced-apart from each other, are cubic-shaped, and as such, have a plurality of sides 46 that are equal to each other, respectively.
The plurality of legs 35 of the pallet 22 depend from the plurality of stringers 36 of the bottom layer 30 of the pallet 22 where the plurality of stringers 36 of the bottom layer 30 of the pallet 22 intersect the plurality of stringers 38 of the intermediate layer 32 of the pallet 22 for allowing the plurality of legs 35 of the pallet 22 to provide multiple spaces therebetween for lifting the pallet 22 by a forklift or the like.
The plurality of sides 46 of the plurality of legs 35 of the pallet 22 are equal to the widths of the plurality of stringers 38 of the intermediate layer 32 of the pallet 22, respectively, and are equal to the widths of the plurality of stringers 36 of the bottom layer 30 of the pallet 22, respectively.
The method of constructing the pallet 22 can best be seen in
The method of constructing the pallet 22 comprises the steps of:
The overall configuration of the container 24 can best be seen in
The container 24 comprises the pallet 22 having bores 68. The container 24 further comprises pegs 70, posts 72, and side panels 74. The pegs 70 of the container 24 are disposed in the bores 68 of the pallet 22, respectively. The posts 72 of the container 24 extend upwardly from the pegs 70 of the container 24, respectively. The side panels 74 of the container 24 extend between adjacent posts 72 of the container 24.
The specific configuration of the bores 68 of the pallet 22 can best be seen in
The pallet 22 has corners 76. The bores 68 of the pallet 22 are disposed at the corners 76 of the pallet 22, respectively, are slender, vertically oriented, and open into the top layer 34 of the pallet 22 and extend vertically downwardly therefrom into at least one of the second layer 32 of the pallet 22 and the first layer 30 of the pallet 22.
The specific configuration of the pegs 70 of the container 24 can best be seen in
The pegs 70 of the container 24 are disposed snugly in the bores 68 of the pallet 22 and extend vertically upwardly therefrom to past the top layer 34 of the pallet 22 to terminal portions 78.
The pegs 70 of the container 24 are slender, stubby, of equal length to each other, parallel to each other, vertically aligned with each other, and are, preferably, made from fiberglass.
The pegs 70 of the container 24 are substantially cylindrically shaped and have exterior surfaces 80. The exterior surfaces 80 of the pegs 70 of the container 24 are textured to increase gripping power to the pallet 22 when inserted into the bores 68 of the pallet 22 so as to eliminate a need for fasteners so as to allow the container 24 to readily revert back to the pallet 22 if so desired by a user.
The specific configuration of the posts 72 of the container 24 can best be seen in
Each post 72 of the container 24 has a proximal end 82, a free distal end 83, and a pair of adjacent interior sides 84. The proximal end 82 of each post 72 of the container 24 has a blind bore 86 extending axially therein.
The blind bore 86 of the proximal end 82 of each post 72 of the container 24 snugly receives the terminal portion 78 of an associated peg 70 of the container 24, and in doing so, the posts 72 of the container 24 extend vertically upwardly from the corners 76 of the pullet 22, respectively.
Each post 72 of the container 24 is substantially square-shaped in plan view, is slender, elongated, of equal length to each other, parallel to each other, vertically aligned with each other, and is, preferably, made from wood.
The pair of adjacent interior sides 84 of each post 72 of the container 24 have blind slots 88 therein, respectively. The blind slots 88 of the pair of adjacent interior sides 84 of each post 72 of the container 24 extend axially therealong from the proximal end 82 of an associated post 72 of the container 24 to the distal end 83 of the associated post 72 of the container 24, are perpendicular to each other, and, preferably, are disposed at midpoints of the pair of adjacent interior sides 84 of the posts 72 of the container 24.
The specific configuration of the side panels 74 of the container 24 can best be seen in
Each side panel 74 of the container 24 is a piece of sheet material 90. The piece of sheet material 90 of each side panel 74 of the container 24 is substantially rectangular-shaped, thin, flat, and has a pair of opposing ends 92 and a lower edge 94.
The piece of sheet material 90 of each side panel 74 of the container 24 connects adjacent posts 72 of the container 24 to each other. One blind slot 88 of one adjacent interior side 84 of one post 72 of the container 24 slidingly receives one opposing end 92 of the piece of sheet material 90 of an associated side panel 74 of the container 24. A facing blind slot 88 of one adjacent interior side 84 of an adjacent post 72 of the container 24 slidingly receives the other opposing end 92 of the piece of sheet material 90 of the associated side panel 74 of the container 24 until the lower edge 94 of the piece of sheet material 90 of the associated side panel 74 of the container 24 contacts the pallet 22.
The side panels 74 of the container 24 have a hook and loop fastener (VELCRO®) strap 96. The hook and loop fastener (VELCRO®) strap 96 of the side panels 74 of the container 24 extends horizontally and snugly around the container 24, and in so doing, maintains the side panels 74 of the container in the posts 72 of the container 24, to thereby maintain the container 24 constructed.
The method of constructing the container 24 can best be seen in
The method of constructing the container 24 comprises the steps of:
It will be understood that each of the elements described above or two or more together may also find a useful application in other types of constructions differing from the types described above.
While the embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated and described as embodied in a combination for use as a pallet alone or modified for use as a container, nevertheless, they are not limited to the details shown, since it will be understood that various omissions, modifications, substitutions, and changes in the forms and details of the embodiments of the present invention illustrated and their method of construction can be made by those skilled in the art without departing in any way from the spirit of the embodiments of the present invention.
Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the embodiments of the present invention that others can by applying current knowledge readily adapt them for various applications without omitting features from the standpoint of prior art fairly constitute characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of the embodiments of the present invention.
