Patent Grant
12043444
In commercial food and beverage manufacturing, manufacturers adhere to high standards of hygiene. Further, many manufacturers manufacture products in large quantities. Large quantities of some products are heavy, and manufacturers use machines to transport such quantities. Many machines, such as forklifts or conveyors, use pallets to assist in transportation by stacking products on the pallet and then maneuvering the pallet with the products to a particular location. During use, a pallet might become dirty from debris particles that accumulate onto the pallet from the food products being transported. As a result, the pallet could require cleaning prior to its next use.
At a high level, aspects of the technology relate to hygienic pallet designs. One example provides a pallet formed of a food-grade polymer material. The pallet comprises a load supporting surface on which molds can be placed or stacked for transportation. The pallet also comprises support lips that support a mold or mold stack from moving off a pallet edge during transportation. The support lips extend upward and away from the load supporting surface and away from the pallet edge.
The pallet can have at least two support lips that are separated. The separation of the support lips forms a channel that extends to the pallet edge. Channel walls are comprised of chamfered edges of the support lips, and a base of the channel is a planar extension of the load supporting surface. The channels help facilitate the movement of liquid and debris off of a pallet, thus reducing the drying time and reducing the amount of liquid cleaning agent that is needed to clean the pallet, since debris particles are more easily moved off the pallet during cleaning.
The molds or mold stacks placed onto the load supporting surface can be placed within stacking sections, which are areas or portions of the load supporting surface. The stacking sections can be defined by and separated by section dividers. The section dividers of the pallet may also be formed such that they extend upward and away from the load supporting surface, and they may be positioned perpendicular to the support lips at locations corresponding to channels, which helps to facilitate movement of debris and liquid through the channels.
This summary is intended to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that is further described by this disclosure. The summary is not intended to identify key or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter. Additional objects, advantages, and novel features of the technology will provided in part in the description that follows, and in part will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon examination of the disclosure or learned through practice of the technology.
The present technology is described in detail below with reference to the attached drawing figures, wherein:
Hygienic pallets suitable for use in food manufacturing industries, including pallets that can be used in manufacturing confectionaries, are provided by this disclosure. Methods for using the pallets and methods for manufacturing the pallets are also provided.
As noted in the background section, food manufacturers adhere to strict levels of hygiene when manufacturing food products, including confectionaries like chocolates and candies. Such hygiene standards are adhered to during all parts of the manufacturing process, including transporting large quantities of food product within a facility.
When transporting heavy loads, which typically result from such large quantities, manufacturers often use pallets that can be maneuvered by machinery, such as forklifts or conveyor systems. Thus, there is even a need within the industry to have pallets that maintain the desired high level of hygiene.
The present disclosure provides for pallets that improve upon the already high standard of hygiene maintained by many manufacturers. One example pallet that offers improved hygiene for use in food manufacturing facilities, among other potential uses, includes a pallet formed of a polymer and having an internal rigid framework that provides additional support for the pallet.
The pallet can have a load supporting surface that is the surface on which a load rests when it is being transported by the pallet. The load supporting surface of the pallet can have stacking sections, which may be areas or locations of the load supporting surface where objects, such as a confectionary or chocolate mold, may rest. For instance, the load supporting surface can be divided into a plurality of stacking sections where a mold or mold stack can be placed. By dividing the load supporting surface into stacking sections, higher numbers of molds can be placed or stacked, increasing the quantity of goods that can be transported and increasing the efficiency of the supply chain process.
The stacking sections can be delineated by section dividers and support lips provided by the pallet. As will be illustrated, the pallet has pallet edges that form the overall shape of the pallet. The support lips can be positioned along the edges, and extend upward from the load supporting surface and away from one of the pallet edges. The support lips help provide support to a mold on the load supporting surface so that the mold does not move about during transportation and slide off the pallet edge. The section dividers can also extend upward and away from the load supporting surface, and can be positioned so that they extend across a portion of the load supporting surface, thereby separating the load supporting surface into stacking sections where molds may be stacked. In some pallet designs, the support lips, the section dividers, and the load supporting surface are formed from one integrated piece of material, such as a polymer, including food-grade polymers, or another food-grade material, such as stainless steel. This helps facilitate washing the pallet because it reduces or eliminates areas where debris, such as food or other contamination, might accumulate. It also facilitates drying time, since there are fewer to no places where water can accumulate on the pallet.
To further enhance washing and drying the pallet, which many manufacturers perform before or after use of the pallet, the pallet can include one or more channels that facilitate the flow of liquid and debris away from the load supporting surface to the pallet edge. A channel can be formed from two or more support lips. That is, two support lips can be separated, e.g., having a separation between the two support lips. The channel can be formed from the separation. For instance, a portion of each of the separated support lips forms a channel wall of the channel. Put another way, each support lip comprises a support lip perimeter edge around the support lip, and the support lip perimeter edge of a first support lip can be separated from the support lip perimeter edge of the second support lip. The base of the channel can be formed from an extension of the load supporting surface that is between support lips. The channel may extend from the pallet edge inward or toward the opposite pallet edge.
In some designs, a portion of the support lip that forms the channel wall comprises a chamfered edge. Chamfered edges may be located along the support lip perimeter edges opposite that of the pallet edge from which the support lip extends. In this way, the channel may have a channel opening that is larger than another channel opening of the same channel. Here, a first channel opening may be adjacent to the pallet edge and can generally be described as an egress channel where a liquid would generally exit the channel and off of the pallet edge. The opposite channel opening of the same channel, e.g., a second channel opening that opens toward the opposite pallet edge and that can generally be described as an ingress channel opening where liquid can enter the channel, is larger due to the chamfered edges of the support lips. This aids further aids in the removal of liquids from the load supporting surface of the pallet by directing the flow of the liquid away from the load supporting surface toward and off the pallet edge.
The section dividers of the pallet can be positioned relative to the channels. For instance, a midline of the section divider, i.e., a section divider midline, can be aligned with a midline of the channel, i.e., a channel midline. In this way, liquid on the pallet from a cleaning process, or other debris or liquid exposed to the load supporting surface when using the pallet, is directed toward the channel opening and toward the pallet edge by the section dividers.
When manufacturing a pallet with these benefits, a polymer can be formed within a rigid frame. The polymer can include a non-porous, food-grade material, such as polyethylene. For example, a rigid frame may be positioned within a pallet mold. A rotational molding process can be used to deposit a non-porous, food-grade material, such as polyethylene, around the rigid frame while the rigid frame is positioned within the pallet mold. Once removed from the pallet mold, the resulting pallet encases the rigid frame and comprises features corresponding to features of the pallet mold. Other food-grade materials, including metals are contemplated and may be used. This provides the pallet with sufficient rigidity and increases its load capacity, while at the same time, providing for external food-grade material and reducing the overall weight of the pallet as compared to another design that might only have a surface coating of material.
In operation, the pallets can be used to move stacked molds that contain confectionaries or other objects. Any debris that lands on the pallet during operation or cleaning is efficiently moved off the pallet due to the design of the section dividers and the support lips that form the channel. The pallet can be used by placing a base mold onto a stacking section that is defined by the section dividers and the support lips, and since a pallet may contain multiple stacking sections, multiple base molds may be placed onto the load supporting surface within the stacking sections. When using stackable molds, additional molds can rest on the base mold. In this way, the pallet can carry a large number of molds by providing support to a base mold so that it does not readily slide around during movement, helping to prevent tipping of molds stacked onto the base mold.
It will be realized that the pallet previously described is only an example that can be manufactured and used based on the description that follows, and it is provided as an example to more easily understand the technology and to better recognize its benefits. Additional examples will be described with reference to the figures.
When referencing the figures and throughout the discussion generally, certain positional terms may be used, such as “up,” “down,” “top,” and “bottom.” These positional words, among others, are intended to refer to a pallet when the pallet is resting in a flat position with its load supporting surface opposite a surface on which the pallet is resting. Put in terms of a coordinate system, in this position, the load supporting surface extends along a plane created by an x-axis and a z-axis, while a y-axes extends vertical and perpendicular through the plane of the x- and z-axes.
Turning now to
As illustrated in
Pallet 100 may comprise any number of support lips. Pallet 100, as illustrated in
In general, support lips may be positioned coincident with a pallet edge, such as first pallet edge 104 of pallet 100. Here, support lips aid in positioning a load onto the pallet, such as how a load would be positioned on load supporting surface 102 of pallet 100. Moreover, the position of some support lips aids during transportation of a load. Since a load experiences force during transportation, the support lips help keep the load from moving about a pallet. This is particularly beneficial in keeping a load from moving off a terminal edge of the pallet. As such, pallet designs comprising support lip configurations can be used to carry larger and heavier loads in a safer manner.
As illustrated by
Among the support lips extending away from second pallet edge 106, pallet 100 is shown comprising third support lip 110A and fourth support lip 110B. Each of third support lip 110A and fourth support lip 110B extends upward and away from load supporting surface 102. That is, upward and away from load supporting surface 102 along the y-axis. Each of third support lip 110A and fourth support lip 110B extends in a direction from second pallet edge 106 toward first pallet edge 104.
Continuing with
Likewise, third support lip 110A may also be separated from fourth support lip 110B. Third support lip 110A may have third support lip perimeter edge 166, while fourth support lip 110B may have fourth support lip perimeter edge 168, where third support lip perimeter edge 166 is separated from fourth support lip perimeter edge 168. As such, a second separation is formed between third support lip perimeter edge 166 and the fourth support lip perimeter edge 168.
The first separation between first support lip 108A and second support lip 108B forms first channel 112. It will be realized that, since pallet 100 can comprise any number of support lips, pallet 100 can also comprise any number of channels. As shown in
Similarly, the second separation between third support lip 110A and fourth support lip 110B forms second channel 114. Second channel 114 extends in a direction from second pallet edge 106 toward first pallet edge 104.
In some aspects, pallet 100 comprises one or more optical registration marks, such as optical registration mark 115. Optical registration mark 115 generally comprises any object that can be recognized by an optical recognition device, such as those employing cameras and utilizing image recognition software. In an aspect, optical registration mark 115 comprises a polymer, such as any of those described herein, and may comprise a different color of the same polymer used in forming pallet 100. This is beneficial because the optical registration mark also comprises a food-grade material and may be subject to washing or cleaning cycles without damage or degradation; while at the same time, the different color allows the optical recognition device to identify optical registration mark 115 against the pallet 100. In an alternative embodiment, optical registration mark 115 comprises a different material than pallet 100 and is a different color than pallet 100.
As illustrated, optical registration mark 115 is disposed on load supporting surface. In this example, optical registration mark 115 is further disposed within second stacking section 146. In this way, when a mold is placed within second stacking section 146, the mold covers optical registration mark from view of the optical recognition device. As such, the optical recognition device facilitates determination of whether a mold is present in second stacking section 146. In practice, optical registration mark 115 can also be used to align a mold within second stacking section 146.
In some aspects, optical registration mark 115 is planar with respect to load supporting surface 102. This allows molds to more easily be placed on and removed from load supporting surface 102. This also helps to not impede water flow during a cleaning process, and at this same time, provides a hygienic surface, as there is no place for water or other debris to collect.
With reference now to
In particular,
As shown in
In some aspects, first base 120 is formed from a first planar extension of load supporting surface 102. What is meant by planar is that the portion of load supporting surface 102 extending between first support lip 108A and second support lip 108B and forming first base 120 of first channel 112 extends along a same plane as another portion of load supporting surface 102 that is not between first support lip 108A and second support lip 108B. In another arrangement, the first extension of load supporting surface 102 between first support lip 108A and second support lip 108B is non-planar, for instance, it curves away from a plane along which another portion of load supporting surface 102 that is not between first support lip 108A and second support lip 108B extends. Put differently, the first extension may curve along the y-axis, while another portion of load supporting surface 102 extends along the plane created by the x- and z-axes. The downward curve can further aid in fluid and debris removal during use and cleaning.
In general, channels can comprise channel openings to facilitate liquid and debris passing through the channels. As shown in
First channel 112 comprises first sidewall 132 and second sidewall 134. First sidewall 132 may be formed of a portion of first support lip 108A, while second sidewall 134 may be formed of a portion of second support lip 108B.
In the example provided by pallet 100, first support lip 108A comprises a chamfered edge. The chamfered edge of first support lip 108A forms first sidewall 132 of first channel 112. Second support lip 108B is illustrated as comprising a second chamfered edge, where the second chamfered edge of second support lip 108B forms second sidewall 134 of first channel 112. The chamfered edges help facilitate the removal of liquid and debris by diverting the liquid or debris into the channel.
Referencing
Second channel 114 comprises third sidewall 140 and fourth sidewall 142. Third sidewall 140 may be formed of a portion of third support lip 110A while fourth sidewall 142 may be formed of a portion of fourth support lip 110B.
Third support lip 110A can comprise a chamfered edge. The chamfered edge of third support lip 110A forms third sidewall 140 of second channel 114. Fourth support lip 110B is also illustrated as comprising a chamfered edge, and the chamfered edge of fourth support lip 110B forms fourth sidewall 142 of second channel 114. The chamfered edges of third support lip 110A and fourth support lip 110B help facilitate the removal of debris and fluid through second channel 114 during use or cleaning of pallet 100.
Turning back to
In general, section dividers divide stacking sections of a load supporting surface of a pallet. In doing so, section dividers assist in stabilizing molds or other objects within stacking sections during transportation. Section dividers can also assist with directing the flow of liquid and debris off the load supporting surface during use or during cleaning. For instance, section dividers can direct the flow of liquid or debris toward channels that facilitate moving the liquid or debris off the load supporting surface of the pallet.
One such arrangement of section dividers is illustrated in
As shown in
Likewise, stacking sections can also be at least partially defined by support lips. For example, first support lip 108A, first section divider 116, second section divider 118, and third support lip 110A define a partial boundary of first stacking section 144, while second support lip 108B, first section divider 116, second section divider 118, and fourth support lip 110B define a partial boundary of second stacking section 146.
Each of first stacking section 144 and second stacking section 146 can comprise a portion of load supporting surface 102. First stacking section 144 and second stacking section 146 are illustrated using dashed lines that represent theoretical boundaries. As illustrated, first section divider 116 and second section divider 118 can separate a first portion of load supporting surface 102 that corresponds to first stacking section 144 from a second portion of load supporting surface 102 that corresponds to second stacking section 146.
First section divider 116 is illustrated as being spaced apart from and perpendicular to first pallet edge 104. That is, a long axis of first section divider 116 is oriented perpendicular to first pallet edge 104 and is further oriented perpendicular to a long axis of first support lip 108A and second support lip 108B.
In the aspect illustrated, first section divider 116 is positioned at second channel opening 130. As shown, first section divider 116 comprises first section divider end 148 that is opposite second section divider end 150 in the direction extending from first pallet edge 104 toward second pallet edge 106. First section divider 116 may have a length that is relatively greater than a width when measuring the length from first section divider end 148 to second section divider end 150. Said differently, the length measured along the z-axis is greater than the width measured along the x-axis. By having a greater length than width, and being positioned perpendicular to first pallet edge 104, first section divider 116 facilitates the removal of liquid and debris by directing the liquid and debris through second channel opening 130, while at the same time, increasing the surface area of load supporting surface 102 that can be utilized as a stacking section.
First section divider 116 comprises a first section divider midline that extends from first section divider end 148 to second section divider end 150. The first section divider midline may be about equidistant the width of first section divider 116. In
Further, first channel 112 comprises a first channel midline. The first channel midline may be about equidistant between first sidewall 132 and second sidewall 134 of first channel 112. As illustrated, third theoretical dashed line 152 is also shown extending through the first channel midline of first channel 112. Put another way, first section divider 116 can be positioned such that the first section divider midline of first section divider 116 is aligned with the first channel midline of first channel 112. The positioning of first section divider 116 in this manner helps facilitate the removal of fluid and debris from load supporting surface 102 regardless of the direction of movement.
Pallet 100 also comprises second section divider 118. In general, second section divider 118, illustrated in
Second section divider 118 comprises third section divider end 154 that is opposite fourth section divider end 156 in the direction extending from second pallet edge 106 toward first pallet edge 104. Second section divider 118 may have a length along the z-axis that is relatively greater than a width along the x-axis, e.g., when measuring the length from third section divider end 154 to fourth section divider end 156, thus helping facilitate removal of liquid and debris through fourth channel opening 138.
Second section divider 118 comprises a second section divider midline that extends from third section divider end 154 to fourth section divider end 156. The second section divider midline may be about equidistant the width of second section divider 118. In
Further, second channel 114 comprises a second channel midline. The second channel midline may be about equidistant between third sidewall 140 and fourth sidewall 142 of second channel 114. As illustrated, fourth theoretical dashed line 158 is also shown extending through the second channel midline of second channel 114. Second section divider 118 may be positioned such that the second section divider midline of second section divider 118 is aligned with the second channel midline of second channel 114.
In some aspects of the technology, section dividers may be positioned on opposite ends of the pallet. As illustrated by pallet 100 in
Turning briefly to
As described, stacking sections can be at least partially defined by support lips and section dividers. To illustrate using pallet 300, first support lip 306A and first section divider 308A each partially define first stacking section 302A. First section divider 308A, along with second support lip 306B and second section divider 308B, each partially define second stacking section 302B. Likewise, third stacking section 302C is partially defined by second section divider 308B, third support lip 306C, and third section divider 308C. Fourth stacking section 302D is partially defined by third section divider 308C, fourth support lip 306D, and fourth section divider 308D. Fifth stacking section 302E is partially defined by fourth section divider 308D and fifth support lip 306E. As noted, there may be other components of pallet 300 not shown that also define partial boundaries of stacking sections 302A-302E, such as additional support lips and section dividers on an opposite side of pallet 300.
Moreover, pallet 300 also comprises channels 310A-310D. Each of channels 310A-310D is formed from a separation between support lips 306A-306E and is positioned at a location between each of stacking sections 302A-302E. As previously described, channels 310A-310D facilitate the removal of fluid and debris that might be on the load supporting surface of pallet 300 during use or cleaning.
Referencing now
As described, pallets may be used to transport molds or other objects.
At block 504, a second mold is loaded onto a second stacking section of the load supporting surface, where the first stacking section and the second stacking section are separated by and at least partially defined by a section divider. Similarly, the second mold can be a base mold within the second stacking section and have other molds of a second set of molds stacked thereon. This may be done by stacking molds onto the base mold, or placing the second set of molds and the base mold within the second stacking section simultaneously.
At block 506, the pallet having the first mold and the second mold loaded thereon is repositioned from a first location to a second location.
In addition to transporting the first mold and the second mold, the method may include washing the pallet. The pallet may be washed after having removed the first mold and the second mold. Washing the pallet can include spraying the pallet with a liquid cleaning agent. The liquid and any debris on the pallet is removed from the pallet through the channels.
In an aspect, the first support lip and the second support lip can be formed such that each of the first support lip and the second support lip comprises a chamfered edge that forms a sidewall of the channel.
The method may also comprise forming a first section divider that extends upward and away from the load supporting surface, the first section divider being spaced apart from and perpendicular to the first pallet edge and the second pallet edge. In a more specific aspect, in forming the first section divider, the first section divider is positioned such that a section divider midline is aligned with a channel midline.
Moreover, the method may also comprise forming a second section divider having a second section divider midline extending upward and away from the load supporting surface, and the first section divider midline can be aligned with the second section divider midline.
In general, the components of the pallet, including the load supporting surface, support lips, and section dividers, can be formed of a polymer material. The polymer material may be a food-grade material. In one example, the polymer material is polyethylene, such as high-density polyethylene (HDPE) or polyethylene terephthalate (PET), or another like food-grade polymer. In some cases, non-polymer food-grade materials can be used, such as some metals, including stainless steel.
The components of the pallet may be formed of a material that does not comprise polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). The material may not comprise latex or natural rubber. The material may not comprise phthalate esters or adipates. The material may not comprise bisphenol A, F, or S. The material may not comprise naphthalene or methylnaphthalene.
When using polymers, including polyethylene, the polymer can be spun, molded, milled, or the like to form the components of the pallet. For instance, polyethylene can be spun onto an internal rigid frame, such as the frame described with respect to pallet 400 and
One specific method suitable for forming the pallet comprises rotational molding. Using this method, a pallet is rotationally molded around a rigid frame using a pallet mold. A pallet mold can be formed having features corresponding to the features described and illustrated by
One example method suitable for forming a pallet mold comprises milling aluminum, or other rigid material, into a shape having features corresponding to the pallet formed by the pallet mold. Milled aluminum is particularly beneficial because it provides a lightweight metal that can be heated during the rotational molding process, and from which a molded polymer material can be easily removed. The pallet mold may be configured to support a rigid frame that is encased by the polymer during the rotational molding process.
The pallet mold and a polymer material can be heated within an oven as the pallet mold is being rotated so that the polymer material is distributed around the pallet mold and around the rigid frame. As the polymer material is cooled, it cures or otherwise solidifies to form the pallet. In this way, the rotational molding process forms the pallet within the pallet mold, and because the pallet mold supports the rigid frame, the resulting pallet encases the rigid frame. The pallet is then removed from the pallet mold, and the process can be repeated to form another pallet.
Rotational molding has been found to provide additional benefits over some other known molding methods, such as injection molding or three-dimensional printing. The rotational molding process tends to produce a molded polymer pallet that is more pliable relative to other methods, even when the same polymer material is used. This allows the pallet produced by the rotational molding process to support larger loads and to be subjected to a higher degree of environmental stresses before material fractures or other structural failures occur. Further, the rotational molding process reduces the amount of polymer material used during the molding process without compromising the strength of the molded pallet.
The load supporting surface may be sandblasted or polished. After forming the load supporting surface, the load supporting surface can be polished with at least a 120 grit material. This can enhance the flow of debris or fluid across the load supporting surface and through the channels of the pallet due to the smooth texture created by the polishing.
Any combination of the components may be formed as integral pieces. That is, one component may be formed of the same material and have no physical delineation from another component, but rather, is provided as one integral monolithic piece. For instance, a support lip or section divider may extend from a load supporting surface as one integral piece of material. In other cases, the components, such as the support lips and the section dividers, may be formed separately from the load supporting surface of the pallet and coupled to the load supporting surface, for instance, by welding, gluing, or using another like bonding method.
The subject matter of the present technology is described with specificity herein to meet statutory requirements. However, the description itself is not intended to limit the scope of this disclosure. Rather, the inventors have contemplated that the claimed or disclosed subject matter might also be embodied in other ways, to include different steps or combinations of steps similar to the ones described in this document, in conjunction with other present or future technologies.
Moreover, although the terms “step” or “block” might be used herein to connote different elements of methods employed, the terms should not be interpreted as implying any particular order unless indicated or stated otherwise.
Words such as “a” and “an,” unless otherwise indicated to the contrary, include the plural as well as the singular. Thus, for example, the constraint of “a feature” is satisfied where one or more features are present. Furthermore, the term “or” includes the conjunctive, the disjunctive, and both (a or b thus includes either a or b, as well as a and b).
The term “about,” when used in the context of approximation, can be interpreted as ±10% unless otherwise indicated. For example, the phrase “about 2.0” could be interpreted as a range equal to or between 1.8 and 2.2.
The relative terms “parallel” and “perpendicular” are intended to mean a relative angular difference of 0° (degrees) and 90°, respectively. However, it will be understood that, in part due to manufacturing tolerances and other design tolerance, such terms should be interpreted as “about parallel” and “about perpendicular,” or about 0° (degrees) and about 90°.
From the foregoing, it will be seen that this technology is one well adapted to attain all the ends and objects described above, including other advantages that are obvious or inherent to the structure. It will be understood that certain features and subcombinations are of utility and may be employed without reference to other features and subcombinations. This is contemplated by and is within the scope of the claims. Since many possible embodiments of the described technology may be made without departing from the scope, it is to be understood that all matter described herein or illustrated the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.
This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 17/497,179, filed on Oct. 8, 2021, and entitled, “Hygienic Pallet and Methods of Use and Manufacture,” the entirety of which is expressly incorporated by reference.
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| International Search Report and Written Opinion received for PCT Application No. PCT/US2022/39839, mailed on Nov. 1, 2022, 11 pages. |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20230391500 A1 | Dec 2023 | US |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 17497179 | Oct 2021 | US |
| Child | 18450954 | US |
