This invention relates to a pallet for use in transporting merchandise. In particular but not exclusively, it relates to a pallet which can facilitate the delivery of beverages such as beer and soft drinks.
Beer and soft drinks are commonly transported from distributors to retail establishments such as supermarkets, convenience stores, bars, and restaurants by special-purpose delivery trucks. A delivery truck of this type usually has roll-up doors on the sides of the truck which can be raised to allow the driver to access storage bays inside the truck. The storage bays can be loaded with merchandise at a warehouse with a fork lift. However, merchandise is usually unloaded from the delivery truck by hand. When the driver of such a delivery truck is making deliveries to a retail establishment, he rolls up one or more of the doors of the truck, removes the desired beverages by hand from one or more of the storage bays, and places the beverages on a hand cart. The driver then rolls the loaded hand cart to the appropriate location within the retail establishment where the beverages are to be delivered. Beverages stacked in the storage bays of the delivery truck may be 6 or more feet off the ground, so transferring beverages between the storage bays and a hand cart requires significant physical effort on the part of the driver, which makes the work both tiring and the cause of injuries, such as back injuries. In addition, since the roll-up doors are on the outside of the delivery truck, the driver is frequently exposed to the weather while making a delivery. Thus, conventional beverage delivery trucks impose a significant physical strain on drivers, and work absences by delivery truck drivers due to sickness or injury are a frequent problem and a significant expense for beverage wholesalers and delivery companies which use such delivery trucks.
The present invention provides a pallet for use in transporting merchandise which can reduce the physical burden on a worker making deliveries of the merchandise.
The present invention also provides a pallet arrangement for use with a vehicle such as a delivery truck and a method of arranging pallets within a delivery truck.
The present invention additionally provides a method of securing merchandise on a pallet.
The present invention further provides a method of using a pallet to deliver merchandise.
According to one form of the present invention, a pallet includes a pallet body having a top surface for supporting a load. A foot-driven winch is mounted on the pallet body, and a flexible tie-down for restraining a load on the pallet body is connected to the winch. The winch can preferably be operated by the foot of a user standing on the top surface of the pallet body. In preferred embodiments, the winch includes a kick wheel which can be rotated by foot to rotate the winch to roll up the tie-down on the winch and tighten the tie-down against the load.
The tie-down is preferably capable of being detachably connected to the pallet in any of a plurality of locations.
According to another form of the present invention, a pallet arrangement comprises a plurality of pallets disposed on the floor of a vehicle such as a delivery truck such that the pallets define a surface substantially spanning the width of the floor of the truck. Loads can be disposed on the pallets on so as to define one or more aisles along which a worker can roll a hand cart to access the loads.
According to yet another form of the present invention, a method of restraining an item on a pallet comprises passing a tie-down over the item and then rotating a kick wheel of a winch connected to the tie-down by foot to tighten the tie-down against the item.
According to a further form of the present invention, a method of delivering merchandise includes securing an item of merchandise to each of a plurality of pallets and transporting the loaded pallets into a vehicle such as a delivery truck and placing the pallets on a floor of the vehicle in a plurality of rows and columns to define a surface substantially spanning a width of the floor of the vehicle. The items are disposed so as to define an aisle along which a hand cart can be rolled atop the surface. The vehicle is driven to a location to which merchandise is to be delivered, a hand cart is rolled along the aisle to an item to be delivered, the item is transferred from the pallet to the hand cart, and the loaded hand cart is rolled along the aisle and out of the vehicle.
A pallet according to the present invention is not restricted to use with any particular type of merchandise, but it is particularly advantageous when used in the transport of beverages such as beer or soft drinks from a warehouse or factory to a retail establishment.
A number of preferred embodiments of a merchandise pallet according to the present invention will be described while referring to the accompanying drawings.
The pallet body 11 can be made of a wide variety of materials, such as any of the materials typically used for pallets for use with fork lifts, including wood, metal, and plastic. The pallet body 11 is not restricted to having any particular structure, and it may, for example, have the same overall structure as the body of a conventional pallet. By way of example, the deck 12 of the pallet body 11 may comprise slats, one or more plates or sheets, or a grid. Although not shown, openings for weight reduction, ventilation, or drainage, for example, may be provided in the deck 12 or side walls 13 of the pallet body 11. The top surface 12a of the pallet body 11 may be substantially planar, but it is also possible for it to have variations in height, such as indentations for receiving loads. In the illustrated embodiment, the deck 12 comprises a steel plate, and the side walls 13 comprise steel plates welded to the outer edges of the deck 12. Unillustrated stiffeners may be secured to the underside of the deck 12 to increase its rigidity and make the deck 12 a substantially rigid member. The deck 12 is preferably sufficiently rigid that a delivery person can stand atop the deck 12, roll a loaded hand cart atop the deck 12, and place loads of merchandise atop the deck 12 without the deck 12 undergoing significant bending deformation.
The illustrated pallet body 11 is open at its lower end over the entire region bounded by the side walls 13, and the only portions of the pallet body 11 which contact a surface on which the pallet 10 is resting are the lower ends of the side walls 13. However, it is also possible for the lower end of the pallet body 11 to be partially or entirely closed off by plates, slats, boards, or flanges, for example, secured to the lower ends of the side walls 13.
As best shown in
As shown in
The winches 30 can be mounted on the pallet body 11 in any convenient location, including on an exterior surface of the pallet body 11 such as on top of the deck 12 or on an exterior surface of one of the side walls 13. Preferably, however, each winch 30 is disposed mostly or entirely underneath the deck 12 so as to protect the winches 30 from damage, so as not to interfere with the placement of a load atop the deck 12, so as to make it easier to stack empty pallets atop each other, and to make it possible to place adjoining pallets with their sides as close to each other as possible. Preferably the winches 30 are installed so that they can be operated by a person standing atop the deck 12 of a pallet 10.
Each winch 30 may include a ratchet mechanism 33 for allowing the drum 32 to rotate in a first direction while selectively preventing rotation in the opposite direction. The illustrated ratchet mechanism 33, which may be of conventional structure, includes a ratchet wheel 34 secured to the drum 32 (such as by welding, press fitting, or some type of connector) so as to rotate therewith and a pawl 35 which is pivotably mounted on the frame 31 for movement with respect to the ratchet wheel 34 between an engaged position and a disengaged position. When the pawl 35 is in its engaged position, it permits rotation of the ratchet wheel 34 and the drum 32 in the clockwise direction in
Each winch 30 also includes a member referred to as a kick wheel 36 by which a worker can rotate the drum 32 with his foot to operate the winch 30. The kick wheel 36 can be supported in any manner that enables it to rotate the drum 32. In the present embodiment, each winch 30 includes a short, perforated, tubular shaft 37 which is secured to one end of the drum 32, and the kick wheel 36 fits over one end of the shaft 37 and is secured thereto. The kick wheel 36 can have any shape which enables it to be rotated by the foot of a worker standing atop the pallet 10. In the present embodiment, the kick wheel 36 comprises a gear having a plurality of teeth 36a projecting radially from its periphery. Examples of other possible forms of the kick wheel 36 are a disk, a cylindrical member such as a tube or a cage, and a polygonal member such as a polygonal plate.
In the winches of
Winches equipped with a frame, a drum, a ratchet mechanism, and a perforated tubular shaft are commercially available as off-the-shelf components. The winches 30, 30′, and 30″ shown in
The ratchet mechanism 33 and the kick wheel 36 can preferably be operated from the top side of the pallet 10 by a person standing atop the pallet 10. To enable such operation, the deck 12 of the pallet 10 may be formed with one or more openings for allowing access to the pawl 35 of the ratchet mechanism 33 and the kick wheel 36. As shown in
Alternatively, the upper end of the kick wheel 36 may be disposed flush with or below the top surface 12a of the deck 12 of the pallet 10, and an opening in the deck 12, such as the second slot 16, for accessing the kick wheel 36 can be made wide enough for a worker to insert a portion of his foot into the opening to rotate the kick wheel 36. The same is true of the kick wheels 36′ and 38 of
Each tie-down 40 can be any flexible member capable of being wrapped around one of the drums 32 and passed around a load disposed atop the pallet 10 to secure the load to the pallet 10. In the present embodiment, each tie-down 40 comprises a strap (i.e., a flexible member having a width greater than its thickness) of the type commonly used with winches to secure a load on a flat bed truck, such as a polymeric woven strap available from Kinedyne Corporation. Other examples of tie-downs which are capable of being used, depending upon the characteristics of the load, are ropes and elastic cords such as bungee cords. Depending upon the nature of the load, it may also be possible to use a metal strap. However, when transporting beverages, a polymeric woven strap is particularly suitable because the broad area of the strap reduces damage to packaging and the strap can restrain a load on a pallet without it being necessary to apply a high tension to the strap.
The end of each tie-down 40 which is secured to the drum 32 of one of the winches 30 (which will be referred to as the fixed end) can be passed through the slot 32a in the drum 32 and then wrapped around the drum 32. The other end of the tie-down 40 (which will be referred to as the free end) can be secured to the deck 12 of the pallet 10. The free end may be permanently fixed to the deck 12 of the pallet 10, and a load may be placed underneath the tie-down 40 by loosening the tie-down 40, sliding the load beneath the tie-down 40, and then tightening the tie-down 40 against the load. However, it is generally easier to secure and release a load disposed atop the pallet 10 if the free end of the tie-down 40 can be detachably secured to some portion of the pallet body 11, such as to the deck 12. In addition, it is convenient if the free end of the tie-down 40 can be secured to the pallet body 11 in a variety of locations in accordance with the size of the load which is to be restrained by the tie-down 40. Any of a wide variety of mechanisms can be used to secure the free end of the tie-down 40 to the pallet body 11, including hooks, rings, and pins. The present embodiment uses a detachable fitting 41 similar to that described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,867,623 and sold by Kinedyne Corporation as a “Series E Fitting”. This fitting 41, which is schematically illustrated in
At a distance in the widthwise direction of the pallet 10 from where the winches 30 are installed, the deck 12 of the pallet 10 has two slots 17 through which the tie-downs 40 can pass between the lower side and the upper side of the deck 12. In order to reduce chafing of the tie-downs 40 as they pass through the slots 17, a smooth rod 20 may be secured to the underside of the pallet body 11 beneath the slots 17, and the tie-downs 40 may pass around the rod 20 before passing through the slots 17. Rollers may be mounted on the rod 20 to reduce the friction between the tie-downs 40 and the rod 20.
In order to prevent the forks of a fork lift from catching on the tie-downs 40 when being inserted into the openings 14 in the side walls 13, a member such as a guard plate 19 extending between opposite lengthwise ends of the pallet 10 may be disposed underneath the deck 12 above the openings 14 for forks, and the tie-downs 40 can pass above the guard plates 19 as shown in
A worker standing atop the pallet 10 can apply a certain amount of tension to a tie-down 40 by rotating the corresponding kick wheel 36 with his foot. Each winch 30 may further include structure which enables a worker to apply a still higher tension to the tie-downs 40, i.e., to apply a higher torque to the winch 30 than is possible than by rotating the kick wheel 36 by foot. With the winch 30 shown in
The pallet 10 of
In
The shape of a pallet according to the present invention as viewed in plan will usually be rectangular (which includes a square shape) since vehicles, equipment, and buildings for handling pallets are usually designed for use with rectangular pallets, but other shapes are also possible.
The dimensions of a pallet according to the present invention are not restricted and can be selected in accordance with the size of the load or loads which the pallet is intended to support. Conventional pallets for use in the beverage industry are usually of a standard size, a few examples of which are 32×36 inches, 28×38 inches, 40×48, and 48×48 inches as measured in plan, and it is possible to use such dimensions for a pallet according to the present invention. Giving a pallet according to the present invention the same dimensions as a standard beverage pallet makes it possible to store the pallet when not in use in areas designed for use with standard pallets and makes it possible to handle the pallet with equipment designed for handling standard pallets. In one form of the present invention, a pallet according to the present invention has a width such that when a plurality of the pallets are disposed side by side in a delivery truck, their combined widths substantially span the interior width of the body of the delivery truck. For example, each pallet can have a width which is slightly less than ½ the width of the interior of the body of the delivery truck so that two pallets placed face to face can substantially span the width of the interior of the body of the delivery truck. The height of the pallet is also not restricted but is preferably at least large enough to enable the forks of a fork lift to be inserted beneath the deck of the pallet. An example of a typical height of the pallet is on the order of 6 inches.
A pallet according to the present invention is not restricted to use with any particular type of vehicle. For example, it can be used with conventional beverage delivery trucks, general-purpose delivery vans, pickup trucks, and flat bed trucks. However, it is particularly effective to use a pallet according to the present invention with a truck having a floor or a bed with a height above the ground such that the truck can be loaded and unloaded via a loading dock so as to make it unnecessary for the driver of the truck to manually raise and lower merchandise when loading or unloading the truck. Examples of such trucks designed for use with a loading dock are so-called box trucks and tractor-trailers. The truck preferably has an enclosed storage compartment for merchandise (such as the body of the truck in the case of a box truck and a trailer in the form of a tractor-trailer) with an interior which is tall enough for a worker to stand comfortably inside in the storage compartment while unloading merchandise and more preferably tall enough for a fork lift to be driven into the storage compartment to transport a loaded pallet into the storage compartment. An example of a suitable height of the interior of the storage compartment is 78 inches or more.
When two opposing pallets 10 on opposite widthwise sides of a truck 60 are separated by a gap, the size of the gap measured in the widthwise direction of the truck is preferably sufficiently smaller than the width of the wheels of a hand cart so that a hand cart can roll along the gap without the wheels falling into the gap. The wheels of a hand cart typically have a width of 3 or more inches, so a gap between opposing pallets 10 is preferably at most 2 inches.
The space between the innermost ends of the tracks 42 of two opposing pallets 10 defines an aisle 63 along which a delivery person can pass while pulling a hand cart in order to access loads 50 of goods on the pallets 10. An example of a suitable width for the aisle 63 in order to give the delivery person sufficient room to maneuver in the aisle 63 and to turn the hand cart around if necessary is approximately 40 inches.
The arrangement shown in
Each of the pallets 10 can be individually transported into or out of the truck body 61 by a fork lift having forks which can be engaged with the openings 14 in the pallet 10. Here, a fork lift includes all types of wheeled devices equipped with forks and capable of lifting and transporting a load, including equipment in which the operator is sitting or standing on the fork lift as well as equipment with which the operator stands on the ground while operating the fork lift, such as motor-driven or hand-pulled pallet jack. A load 50 may be disposed on a pallet 10 after the pallet 10 has been transported into the truck 60, but it is particularly efficient to first secure a load 50 atop a pallet 10 disposed outside of the truck 60 (such as in a warehouse or factory) and then to transport the loaded pallet 10 into the truck body 61 with a fork lift. Loaded pallets 10 can be transported into the truck body 61 one by one and placed on the floor 62 of the truck body 61, starting from the front of the truck 60 and working towards the rear. The pallets 10 can be removed from the truck body 61 by a fork lift by the reverse procedure, starting from the rear of the truck. When the pallets 10 are being removed from the truck body 61 while still loaded with merchandise, they can be removed from the truck body 61 one by one. However, if the pallets 10 which are being removed from the truck body 61 are empty, the fork lift can first stack a plurality of empty pallets 10 on top of each other while they are still inside the truck body 61, and then the fork lift can remove a stack of the pallets 10 from the truck body 61 at one time.
The process of securing a load atop a pallet 10 is typically as follows. The worker performing the loading first disconnects the free end of one of the tie-downs 40 from the corresponding track 42 and moves the tie-down 40 away from the region on the top surface 12a of the pallet 10 where the load is to be placed. He then places the load atop the pallet 10. The worker then moves the pawl 35 of the ratchet mechanism 33 to its disengaged position to allow the winch 30 to freely rotate, and he passes the tie-down 40 over the top of the load and attaches the free end of the tie-down 40 to one of the openings 43 in the track 42 by means of the fitting 41 attached to the free end of the tie-down 40. At this time, the tie-down 40 only loosely contacts the load, so in order to tighten the tie-down 40 against the load, the worker moves the pawl 35 to its engaged position and then rotates the kick wheel 36 with his foot to wind up the tie-down 40 on the corresponding winch 30. After the worker has rotated the kick wheel 36 as far as he can with his foot, if he desires to further tighten the tie-down 40, he can engage a lever 45 with one of the teeth 36a of the kick wheel 36 and further rotate the kick wheel 36 with the lever 45. When the tie-down 40 has been sufficiently tightened, the lever 45 is disengaged from the kick wheel 36. The winch 30 is prevented by the ratchet mechanism 33 from rotating backwards to loosen the tie-down 40.
When a worker, such as a delivery person, desires to remove all or a portion of a load from a pallet 10, he first uses the lever 45 to slightly rotate the kick wheel 36 far enough in the direction increasing the tension in the tie-down 40 (the clockwise direction in
A conventional delivery truck for beverages is not intended to be used with a loading dock and requires the delivery person to stand on the ground outside the truck when unloading merchandise from the truck. In addition, merchandise within a conventional beverage delivery truck must be lowered from the truck by hand and placed onto a hand cart at the time of delivery. In contrast, a delivery truck employing pallets according to the present invention can be pulled up to a loading dock and unloaded or unloaded with the floor of the body of the truck at substantially the same height as the loading dock. When the delivery person is standing on the pallets inside the delivery truck, the loads are stacked at the level of his feet, and he can transfer an entire load onto a hand cart by simply slipping the hand cart underneath the load, and the loaded hand cart can be rolled out of the truck body and onto the loading dock.
If the delivery truck is equipped with a lifting mechanism (commonly referred to as a lift gate) for raising and lowering loads between the ground and the body of the truck, the delivery truck can make deliveries to retail establishments not equipped with a loading dock while still enabling the delivery person to transfer merchandise out of the truck on his hand cart without having to do any lifting of the merchandise. If the lift gate is raised to the level of the floor of the truck body or to the level of the top surface of the pallets disposed on the floor of the truck body (whichever level is more convenient for the delivery person), the delivery person can roll a loaded hand cart from atop the pallets onto the lift gate, lower the lift gate to the ground, and then roll the hand cart from the lift gate onto the ground and into the retail establishment.
Whether a delivery truck carrying pallets according to the present invention is used with or without a loading dock, the delivery person can be shielded from the weather while transferring merchandise from the pallets onto his hand cart, and he is not required to do any heavy lifting to remove a load from his delivery truck. As a result, the use of a pallet according to the present invention reduces the physical burdens on the delivery person and contributes to a decrease in fatigue, sickness, and work-related injuries of delivery persons.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/064,890 filed on Apr. 1, 2008, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference.
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