FIELD OF INVENTION
This invention is related to pellet construction, and in particular, to a modular pallet assembly having modular pallets which are locked together with connecting units.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The general utility of pallets is well known for their use as a loading platform for storage and movement products in quantity. Pallets provide a stable base for a manufacture or distributor of a product to stack items thereon allowing for ease of movement by use of a forklift or pallet jack.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,887,529 discloses a modular pallet with interlocking inserts. The modular pallet used to form the pallet device by a first and a second rails. The first rail and the second rail combine the four modular pallets to form a “big” pallet device. However, the size of the pallet device is fixed to four pallets, and the pallet does not consider for vertical alignment.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,234,087 discloses a modular pallet system has two or more pallets, each of which has four legs and which is capable of standing on its own as an independent unit. The pallets are formed to dimensions which are a fraction of conventional pallet sizes, such that one pallet alone serves as a quarter of a standard dimensioned pallet, while two pellets combined serve as a half of a standard dimensioned pallet. However, the corners of the each pallet are formed as a connecting area, the connecting structure is complicated and need to assemble by specific direction. Since the corners of the pallets have special design, the edge of the pallet is not neat. And the pallet does not consider for vertical alignment.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provide a modular pallet assembly comprised of a plurality of modular pallets, the modular pallet assembly can easily expand or change area by adding or reducing the modular pallets. The modular pallets can be assembled or decomposed by hand, and can stack alignment for vertical direction.
The modular pallet assembly is comprised a plurality of modular pallets, each modular pallet has a support member and four connect members. The modular pallets are connected by connecting units; the connecting unit has a support base and four protrusions on the support which corresponding to the connecting member to form a modular pallet assembly. Since the modular pallets and connecting units can be added or reduced at user's choice to form different size of modular pallet assembly to increase the usage flexibility. The assembly of the modular pallets and the connecting units can easily take apart and re-assemble by hand to increase the usage convenience. The connecting member of the modular pallet has a connecting area, and the connecting area installs four protruding edges. The protruding edge set up a guiding surface for vertical alignment of the stacked modular pallet assembly.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
FIG. 1 is an exploded view of the modular pallet assembly.
FIG. 2-1 is a perspective view of the first embodiment.
FIG. 2-2 is a bottom view of the first embodiment.
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the second embodiment.
FIG. 4-1 is a perspective view of the third embodiment.
FIG. 4-2 is a fragmentary isometric view of the third embodiment.
FIG. 4-3 is another fragmentary isometric view of the third embodiment.
FIG. 5 is a fragmentary isometric view of this invention.
DETAIL DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
FIG. 1 is an exploded view of the modular pallet assembly. The modular pallet assembly 1 is composed of a plurality of modular pallets 10 and at least one connecting unit 20. The modular pallet 10 is formed as a rectangular structure and divided into a support member 11 and four connecting members 12. The support member 11 has a loading surface 111, and the loading surface 111 comprises staggered support ribs 112 and through holes 113 to reduce the weight of the modular pallet 10. Said connecting member 12 is installed at the four corners of the modular pallet 11 and each of connecting member 12 has a connecting area 121. The connecting area 121 sets up four protruding edges 122, at the central portion of each protruding edges 122 having a connecting hole 123. The connecting unit 20 is a cube structure and comprising a supporting base 21. The supporting base 21 installs four protrusions 22 and the protrusions 22 corresponding to the connecting holes 123 of the connecting member 12. The surface of protrusion 22 is forming by cutting edges 221 to increase the friction between the protrusions 22 and the connecting holes 123. Additionally, the protrusion 22 having a locking member 222 to engage to the connecting holes 123.
FIG. 2-1 and 2-2 are the first embodiment of this invention. Two modular pallets 10 are connected by six connecting units 20 to form a modular pallet assembly 1. Each modular pallet 10 has two connecting holes 123 corresponding to the four protrusions 22 of the central two connecting units 20. And the other connecting units 20 are connected to one modular pallet 10 for support function. The connecting unit 20 has two functions: connect function and support function. The opposite side of support ribs 112 of the modular pallet 10 installs enhancing ribs 114 to increase the strength of the modular pallet 10.
FIG. 3 is the second embodiment of the invention. Nine modular pallets 10 are connected by sixteen connecting units 20 to form a modular pallet assembly 1. Referring to the first and the second embodiments, the modular pallets 10 and connecting units 20 can be added or reduced at user's choice to form different size of modular pallet assembly 1 to increase the usage flexibility. And the assembly of the modular pallets 10 and the connecting units 20 can easily take apart and reassembly unarmed to increase the usage convenience.
Referring to FIG. 4-1, 4-2 and 4-3 is the third embodiment of this invention. The modular pallet assemblies 1 can stack vertically and alignment by a guiding surface 124 installed on the protruding edge 122 of connecting member 12. When upper connecting unit 20 stacks to lower protruding edge 122, the guiding surface 124 will direct the connecting unit 20 to the connecting area 121. FIG. 5 is a fragmentary isometric view of this invention. Prior modular pallets or assembly pallets will be deformed or separated when loading the goods. This invention installs a clipping unit 30 at the connecting member 12 of two modular pallets 10. The clipping unit 30 has a fixing portion 31 and a locking portion 32. The fixing portion 31 clips two modular pallets 10, and the modular pallet 10 sets up a locking level 115 for locking portion 32 interlocking.
Consequently, the invention has been described above by way of embodiment examples only, and the invention may be modified in several ways within the scope of protection, as defined by the appended patent claims.
Patent Application
20080127865
