Modern inventory and logistical systems, such as those involving mail-order warehouses, airport luggage systems, custom-order manufacturing facilities, and freight carriers, face significant challenges in logistics and storage for items of varying sizes and weights. In inventory systems tasked with transporting, storing, and moving large items with high throughput, delays in transferring inventory items between carriers and storage facilities can significantly impact efficiencies. Furthermore, in inventory systems that require moving groups of large items, the process of breaking up or recombining groups of items for storage is often labor-intensive and can exacerbate risks of damage or mishandling of items.
Existing inventory and logistical systems employ pallets to carry inventory items, individually or in groups. In some cases, pallets can include features that retain the inventory items. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 9,540,139 discloses a pallet that includes a frame extending upward from a pallet. In general, pallets without built-in features for retaining items provide less secure storage; while pallets with built-in features are more difficult to store and to load or unload. Thus, the inventors have identified a need for pallets that can retain inventory items securely without obstructing the loading or unloading process.
Various embodiments in accordance with the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings, in which:
In the following description, various embodiments will be described. For purposes of explanation, specific configurations and details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments. However, it will also be apparent to one skilled in the art that the embodiments may be practiced without the specific details. Furthermore, well-known features may be omitted or simplified in order not to obscure the embodiment being described.
The pallet 100 includes retention features including first and second retention rails 110a and 110b, in accordance with embodiments. The retention rails 110a, 110b connect with the pallet body 102 by way of retention assemblies 118a, 118b, (cumulatively 118) respectively. The retention assemblies 118a and 118b are located at opposite sides 102a, 102b of the pallet body 102, respectively, with the first retention assembly 118a adjacent the first side 102a, and the second retention assembly 118b adjacent the second side 102b. The first and second sides 102a, 102b are defined by a front face 103a of the pallet body 102, and by a rear face 103b. The retention rails 110a, 110b shown herein are substantially U-shaped members which connect with the retention assemblies 118a, 118b at two points each along the first and second sides 102a, 102b of the pallet body 102. In alternative embodiments, the retention rails 110a, 110b can have other configurations operable to provide support across two sides of a pallet body. For example, alternative retention rails may but substantially T-shaped, connecting at a single point along a side of a pallet body; or alternative retention rails may have more than two connection points to a pallet body. According to some embodiments, the retention assemblies 118a, 118b are assembled with the pallet body 102 via sets of recesses 142a, 142b positioned in the first and second sides 102a, 102b of the pallet body. The sets of recesses 142a, 142b include sets of openings in the front face 103a and rear face 103b of the pallet body 102, respectively.
Retention features of the pallet 100 can further include strap receiving elements 124a, 124b (cumulatively retention elements 124) located on the retention rails 110a, 110b which provide anchors for looping or anchoring straps or ties to the retention rails and/or to any inventory on the pallet. In some embodiments, two first retention elements 124a are provided at opposite ends of the first retention rail 110a and two second retention elements 124b are provided at opposite ends of the second retention rail 110b. However, in alternative embodiments, any suitable number of retention elements can be provided across retention rails. A variety of structures can be used as retention elements. For example, according to some embodiments, retention elements 124a, 124b can include L-shaped extensions from the retention rails 110a, 110b. According to some alternative embodiments, retention elements can include notches provided in retention rails through which straps or ties can be threaded, can include rings or brackets attached with retention rails, and can include both closed loop structures, open structures, or open structures that include closing features.
Retention features of the pallet 100 can also include integrated strap source elements 120, 122, in accordance with embodiments. Strap source elements 120, 122 can be attached with or embedded in the pallet body 102, and may include one or more retractable straps 126, 128. The retractable straps 126, 128 can be readily extended from the source elements 120, 122, either singly or in combination, and used in conjunction with strap receiving elements 124a, 125b to secure items to one or both of the retention rails 110a, 110b. The retractable straps 126, 128 can be run through the retention elements 124a, 124b and/or attached to the retention elements by way of end loops 130, 132 or the like. Strapping configurations are shown in more detail with reference to
Retention features of the pallet 100 can be oriented in stowed, upright, or open (i.e. loading) configurations. For example, the retention rails 110a, 110b are shown in an upright configuration 114, where the retention rails are secured perpendicular to the upper support structure 104 of the pallet 100 and extending upward from the first and second edges 102a, 102b. In a stowed configuration 112, the retention rails 110a, 110b can be folded inward toward the upper support structure 104 of the pallet 100 and secured at or below the upper support structure 104, e.g., in voids 140a, 140b. This stowed configuration 112 may be used when a pallet is being stored, stacked, or moved together with other pallets, or when the pallet is being used to support inventory that does not require further retention features. In some cases, e.g. where a pallet is to be loaded asymmetrically, one retention rail may be retained in the upright configuration 114 while the other rail is stowed in the stowed configuration 112, so that the stowed rail does not impede loading or unloading of inventory. Alternatively, both retention rails 110a, 110b can be folded away from the upper support structure 104 of the pallet 100 into an open configuration 116. In the open configuration 116, one or both retention rails 110a, 110b are positioned more than 90 degrees from the stowed configuration 112, i.e., beyond the upright configuration 114. In some embodiments, the open configuration 116 can be less than 180 degrees from the stowed configuration, such that one or both retention rails 110a, 110b are expanded apart from one another to provide easier access to cargo on the pallet 100. In some embodiments, and as shown, the open configuration 116 can be more than 180 degrees from the stowed configuration 112, so that one or both of the retention rails 110a, 110b extend below the top surface 105 of the upper support structure 104. The open configuration 116 allows the pallet 100 to be loaded or unloaded from any side without the retention rails 110a, 110b obstructing the loading or unloading process. The retention rails 110a, 110b can then be readily returned from the open configuration 116 to an upright configuration 114 without requiring adjustment of inventory positioned on the pallet 100. One of the retention rails 110a, 110b can be left in the upright configuration 114 while the other of the retention rails is moved to the open configuration 116 in order to facilitate a loading process that stacks inventory against the upright retention rail. In some alternative embodiments, the open configuration 116 can be defined by the retention rails 110a, 110b being positioned approximately 180 degrees from the stowed configuration 112. Loading configurations are shown in more detail with reference to
The transition of the retention rails 110a, 110b between stowed, upright, and open configurations can be facilitated by retention assemblies 118a, 118b (cumulatively 118).
The pivot bracket 200 includes an insert 204 received in a bracket receiving element 202 of the pallet body 102. The insert 204 is preferably aligned with a void 140 for receiving a retention rail. The insert 204 has a sidewall 216 that supports a pivot element 206, which can include a pin, bolt, or any other suitable element for pivotally supporting a retention rail (such as, e.g., retention rails 110a, 110b shown in
In some embodiments, retention rail 110 and/or retention elements 124 may interact with the void 140 when in the stowed configuration 112, e.g. by mechanical interference, to retain the retention rail in the void. In some cases, further retention features, such as straps or pins, may be added to the void 140 to retain the retention rail 110.
The retention rail 110 shown in
The slider 410 has a lower position 420a and an upper position 420b. When the slider 410 is in the upper position 420b, the retention rail 404 is free to move between the stowed position 400a, the upright position 400b, and the open position 400c. In the stowed position 400a, the retention rail 404 can rest on top of or above a pallet-side edge 422 of the bracket insert 406. Similarly, in the open position 400c, the retention rail 404 can rest on top of or above an outside edge 424 of the bracket insert 406. The positioning of the pallet-side and outside edges 422, 424 with respect to the pivot element 412 is similar to the positioning of the pallet-side and outside edges 208, 212 with respect to pivot element 206 as shown in
When the retention rail 404 is in an upright position 400b, the slider 410 and bracket insert 406 cooperate to form a locking mechanism to secure the retention rail 404 in the upright position 400b. The slider 410 can be moved into the lower position 420a which secures the retention rail 404 within the bracket 406 to engage the locking mechanism. In some embodiments, travel of the slider 410 within the bracket 406 can be limited. For example, a pin 418 within a groove or elongate hole 416, or similar mechanical means, may be used to prevent the slider 410 from exiting the bracket 406. In some embodiments, a spring element 414 can be provided in an interior 408 of the bracket 406 for biasing the slider 410 toward the lower position 420a; or alternatively, for biasing the slider toward the upper position 420b.
Retention assemblies 118 and 400 described above with reference to
In operation, the retention rail 504 can be pivoted by a user from the stowed position 500a and through the upright, and open positions 500b, 500c by causing a base end 506 of the retention rail to pass through the recess 520. The recess 520 can include a moving element 524 elastically coupled with a base 526 of the recess, e.g. by a spring 528 or any suitable elastic element. The base 506 of the retention rail 504 can displace the moving element 524 as the retention rail is moved through the upright position 500b. The moving element 524 of the recess 520 can also be shaped to interact with a base 506 of the retention rail 504 in order to lock the retention rail in the upright position 500b. In some cases, the base 506 can include locking features 508 shaped to interact with the moving element 524 of the recess 520. In combination, the locking features 508 and a stiffness of the spring 528 cause the retention rail 504 to be stable in the upright position 500b until acted on by a suitably strong outside force.
The various embodiments of retention assemblies described above with reference to
Once the item 602 is positioned against the second retaining rail 110b, the item 602 can be secured to the second retaining rail 110b, e.g., via a retaining strap 126. According to some embodiments, the retaining strap can originate at a strap source element 120, and can be secured around the item 602 by way of strap receiving elements 124b. After loading, the first retention rail 110a can be raised to an upright position 114 and locked in place. Alternatively, the first retention rail 110a can be stowed in a stowed position 112. In some cases, the first retention rail 110a may be placed in a stowed position 112 prior to loading the pallet 102.
The items 702 can be further secured to the pallet 102 by way of retaining straps 126, 128. The retaining straps 126, 128 can originate from strap source elements 120, 122, and can be looped through strap receiving elements 124b on the second retention rails 110b and connected with strap receiving elements 124a on the first retention rails by strap end loops 130, 132, so that the straps 126, 128 fully enclose the items 702 in combination with the first and second retention rails 110a, 110b. Although both
It will be understood that various components of the systems and assemblies described above may be combined or omitted without deviating from the spirit of the disclosure. For example, various retention features and components of the disclosed retention assemblies may be combined unless clearly contraindicated.
The specification and drawings are to be regarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense. It will, however, be evident that various modifications and changes may be made thereunto without departing from the broader spirit and scope of the disclosure as set forth in the claims.
Other variations are within the spirit of the present disclosure. Thus, while the disclosed techniques are susceptible to various modifications and alternative constructions, certain illustrated embodiments thereof are shown in the drawings and have been described above in detail. It should be understood, however, that there is no intention to limit the disclosure to the specific form or forms disclosed, but on the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, alternative constructions, and equivalents falling within the spirit and scope of the disclosure, as defined in the appended claims.
The use of the terms “a” and “an” and “the” and similar referents in the context of describing the disclosed embodiments (especially in the context of the following claims) are to be construed to cover both the singular and the plural, unless otherwise indicated herein or clearly contradicted by context. The terms “comprising,” “having,” “including,” and “containing” are to be construed as open-ended terms (i.e., meaning “including, but not limited to,”) unless otherwise noted. The term “connected” is to be construed as partly or wholly contained within, attached to, or joined together, even if there is something intervening. Recitation of ranges of values herein are merely intended to serve as a shorthand method of referring individually to each separate value falling within the range, unless otherwise indicated herein and each separate value is incorporated into the specification as if it were individually recited herein. All methods described herein can be performed in any suitable order unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context. The use of any and all examples, or exemplary language (e.g., “such as”) provided herein, is intended merely to better illuminate embodiments of the disclosure and does not pose a limitation on the scope of the disclosure unless otherwise claimed. No language in the specification should be construed as indicating any non-claimed element as essential to the practice of the disclosure.
Disjunctive language such as the phrase “at least one of X, Y, or Z,” unless specifically stated otherwise, is intended to be understood within the context as used in general to present that an item, term, etc., may be either X, Y, or Z, or any combination thereof (e.g., X, Y, and/or Z). Thus, such disjunctive language is not generally intended to, and should not, imply that certain embodiments require at least one of X, at least one of Y, or at least one of Z to each be present.
Preferred embodiments of this disclosure are described herein, including the best mode known to the inventors for carrying out the disclosure. Variations of those preferred embodiments may become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon reading the foregoing description. The inventors expect skilled artisans to employ such variations as appropriate and the inventors intend for the disclosure to be practiced otherwise than as specifically described herein. Accordingly, this disclosure includes all modifications and equivalents of the subject matter recited in the claims appended hereto as permitted by applicable law. Moreover, any combination of the above-described elements in all possible variations thereof is encompassed by the disclosure unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context.
All references, including publications, patent applications, and patents, cited herein are hereby incorporated by reference to the same extent as if each reference were individually and specifically indicated to be incorporated by reference and were set forth in its entirety herein.
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