Patent Application
20240239554
This invention is in the field of shipping pallets. This invention relates generally to a plastic replacement for a wooden shipping pallet that provides for improvements in stacking and protection of goods shipped on a pallet. The invention may also be applied to other storage uses.
Many types of goods are shipped on pallets made of wood. Wooden pallets are typically constructed with three or more stringer boards that support several top deckboards. In a block pallet, the stringer boards are positioned over a series of blocks, such as eight blocks distributed around a perimeter of the pallet and beneath the stringers, with bottom deckboards connecting blocks distributed along a width of the pallet. In stringer pallets, the stringer boards may run along the length of the pallet and serve to elevate the top deckboards above the bottom.
The forks of a pallet jack or forklift may be inserted into an opening of the width side of the pallet and used to lift the pallet using all or most of the top deckboards. In block pallets and stringer pallets with notched stringerboards, the forks of a pallet jack or forklift may also be inserted into an opening of the length side of the pallet and used to lift the pallet using all or most of the stringerboards. Standard pallets used in North America are typically 48 inches long and 40 inches wide, and are widely used in the grocery industry to ship foodstuffs. Food and other goods shipped by pallets may be wrapped with plastic film to bundle the goods together and sometimes secure the goods to the pallet or top deckboards.
Wooden pallets can be heavy, can be easily broken or degrade over time, and do not allow stacking of pallets of goods on top of one another without subjecting the goods to the weight of pallets above them. In addition, wooden pallets do not offer protection to the sides of goods packaged and shipped on pallets. Produce and packaged food shipped by pallets can be easily damaged or destroyed during distribution, resulting in food that may not be suitable for resale. In the best case, some or all of the food that is damaged during distribution can be salvaged. In many cases, however, some of the food that is damaged during distribution is simply thrown away, wasting many resources, such as those required to grow, prepare, and package the food, as well the shipping resources. Overall, these losses exacerbate food waste, increase greenhouse gas emissions, decrease food supply and availability, and raise the price of food.
The present application provides an alternative to wooden pallets that helps solve many of the previously mentioned issues and relates to plastic pallets that provide protection for the sides of shipped goods and that can be easily stacked, limiting losses incurred during distribution. These alternatives are described herein as shipping devices. The invention, however, is not restricted to shipping devices for food and may also be used for storage, household purposes (including home storage), transport of non-food items, and other uses.
Example shipping devices described herein are beneficial for protecting the goods transported using The devices by including protective side walls. The devices are also stackable, providing good stability by using retractable pegs that can engage recesses in the top of another shipping device, which can further reduce damage to shipped goods. The devices can also be made of recyclable materials, such as plastic, which can allow them to be stronger and more durable than wood, but also recyclable in the case where the plastic wears out or breaks. Use of recyclable materials can also be beneficial because The devices can be made out of recycled materials.
In one example, a shipping device comprises a base including a horizontal platform for supporting goods, the horizontal platform having a width and a length, the base including one or more side openings sized, shaped, and positioned to receive forks of a forklift or pallet jack; four retractable pegs positioned within and extendable from a bottom of the base; and four side walls extending vertically from the horizontal platform and including a recess at each corner where two of the four side walls meet, each of the recesses positioned at a top of a respective corner and sized, shaped, and positioned to receive a retractable peg, the four side walls and the horizontal platform defining a cavity or storage area for receiving, holding, or retaining goods. In some examples, the four recesses in the four side walls are positioned to receive four retractable pegs of a second shipping device to allow stacking of the second shipping device over The device. Stated another way, the four retractable pegs can be positioned so that they are received by four recesses of a second shipping device to allow stacking of The device over the second shipping device.
Optionally, the four side walls are removably attached to the base. This can be beneficial for loading goods into The device, making access to the storage area easier. Removable side walls can also allow easier reuse and recycling of the devices in the case of breakage because the part that breaks can simply be replaced instead of having to replace the entire shipping device. In some examples, a shipping device may comprise four side corners extending vertically from the horizontal platform, with each of the recesses positioned at a top of a respective side corner. The four side walls may each be removably attached to and positioned between two respective corners. Each side wall and each side corner may include two interlocking joints for removably attaching the side walls and side corners to each other. In some examples, the horizontal platform and the four side corners comprise a unitary body, though examples are contemplated where the horizontal platform and the four side corners are different components that can be fixedly or removably attached to one another.
In some examples, the side walls include one or more holes, channels, or openings through a horizontal thickness of the side walls. This can allow for airflow to pass through the side walls, which can be beneficial when shipping produce, for example. The holes, channels, or openings can also allow for easily seeing the goods inside the device without having to remove the goods from the device. In some examples, the side walls have a lattice structure including the one or more holes, channels, or openings. Optionally, the side walls have a honeycomb structure including the one or more holes, channels, or openings.
As noted above, The device can comprise a recyclable material. For example, the base and/or the side walls can comprise a recyclable material, such as plastic or metal. Strong recyclable plastics or aluminum, for example, can be used. In some cases, combinations of metal and plastic can also be used, such as where parts of a shipping device comprising plastic include metal reinforcements.
The device can be any suitable size. For example, a length of the device may be from 12 inches to 50 inches. For example, the width of the device may be from 12 inches to 50 inches. In some cases, the length and width of the device may be the same size, or they may be different. The length and width of the device may be based on standard pallet sizes. A few non-limiting example sizes include 40 inches in width and 48 inches in length, 42 inches in width and 42 inches in length, 48 inches in width and 48 inches in length. A height of the base and the four side walls together may be any suitable height. Example heights include, but are not limited to from 12 inches to 50 inches.
The retractable pegs of the device can be retained by and in corresponding openings in the bottom of the base. In some examples, the retractable pegs each engage a corresponding spring or resilient member in the base for forcing extension of the retractable pegs from the bottom of the base when not under a compressive load. In some other cases, however, springs or resilient members are not used and the retractable pegs can simply be extended when they are not sitting on the ground, such as due to the force of gravity pulling the retractable pegs down. The retractable pegs can include a lip or wider section than the openings in the bottom of the base to allow the retractable pegs to not fall out. The retractable pegs can have any suitable shape or size. For example, an extendible length or overall length of the retractable pegs from the bottom of the base is from 2 inches to 8 inches. In some examples, a cross-sectional dimension of the retractable pegs is from 1 inch to 3 inches. The corresponding recesses in each corner, where the retractable pegs engage to provide rigidity to stacked plurality of shipping devices, may be from 1 inch to 3 inches, so as to match or be slightly bigger than the retractable pegs.
The device can be moved using a standard forklift or pallet jack, and may include one or more side openings in the base to allow the forks of the forklift or pallet jack to be positioned below the horizontal platform. The one or more side openings may correspond to channels in the base extending length-wise or width-wise across the bottom of the base.
Without wishing to be bound by any particular theory, there can be discussion herein of beliefs or understandings of underlying principles relating to the invention. It is recognized that regardless of the ultimate correctness of any mechanistic explanation or hypothesis, an embodiment of the invention can nonetheless be operative and useful.
In general the terms and phrases used herein have their art-recognized meaning, which can be found by reference to standard texts, journal references, and contexts known to those skilled in the art.
The four side walls 110 of shipping device 100 include a lattice structure, illustrated as a honeycomb structure 130, to allow airflow through the side walls 110 and easy viewing of the inside of shipping device 100. Honeycomb structure 130 also allows the side walls 110 to be lighter in weight and use less materials than solid side walls, while still providing good structural rigidity.
In a specific example, shipping device 100 has a width of 45 inches, a length of 48 inches, and a total height of 12 inches, the side opening 125 can have a height of 4 inches, the retractable pegs 120 and recesses 115 can be 6 inches long and have a diameter of 2 inches, and the side walls can be 4 inches thick. These dimensions are intended to be exemplary only and are not limiting.
In a specific example, shipping device 400 has a width of 40 inches, a length of 48 inches, and a total height of 40 inches from the bottom of base 405 to the top of side corners 407, the side opening 425 can have a height of 4 inches, the retractable pegs 420 and recesses 415 can be 6 inches long and have a diameter of 2 inches, and the side walls can be 4 inches thick. These dimensions are intended to be exemplary only and are not limiting. In the configuration shown, two of the four side walls 410 have the same dimensions as one another and can be interchanged with one another, but different dimensions as the other two side walls. The side walls can be inserted into the corresponding openings between side corners facing either direction (e.g., frontways or backways, such as rotated 180 degrees about the vertical direction).
In a specific example, shipping device 600 has square base, with a width of 48 inches, a length of 48 inches. Shipping device can have a total height of 40 inches from the bottom of base 605 to the top of side corners 607, the side opening 625 can have a height of 4 inches, the retractable pegs 620 and recesses 615 can be 6 inches long and have a diameter of 2 inches, and the side walls can be 4 inches thick. These dimensions are intended to be exemplary only and are not limiting. In such a configuration where the width and length are the same size, the four side walls 610 can all be equivalent and can be interchanged with one another, simplifying assembly and use. The side walls 610 can be inserted into the corresponding openings between side corners facing either direction (e.g., frontways or backways, such as rotated 180 degrees about the vertical direction), and embodiments are contemplated where side walls 610 are square shape and include appropriate interlocking joint components (e.g., recesses), and optionally handles, on all four sides, allowing the side walls 610 to be inserted into any opening between side corners 607 in almost any orientation (e.g., frontways, backways, rotated 90 degrees, etc.).
For example, bottom 622 can pass through an opening in the bottom of base 605, with the opening sized large enough to allow bottom 622 to pass but small enough to prevent top 621 from passing. When placed on the ground, retractable peg 620 can be retracted completely into base 605, but gravity can allow retractable peg 620 to drop down so that the bottom 622 is exposed. In the configuration shown in
U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,530,481, 3,327,654, 8,038,448.
U.S. patent Application Publication No. 2020/0277103.
All references throughout this application, for example patent documents including issued or granted patents or equivalents; patent application publications; and non-patent literature documents or other source material; are hereby incorporated by reference herein in their entireties, as though individually incorporated by reference, to the extent each reference is at least partially not inconsistent with the disclosure in this application (for example, a reference that is partially inconsistent is incorporated by reference except for the partially inconsistent portion of the reference).
All patents and publications mentioned in the specification are indicative of the levels of skill of those skilled in the art to which the invention pertains. References cited herein are incorporated by reference herein in their entirety to indicate the state of the art, in some cases as of their filing date, and it is intended that this information can be employed herein, if needed, to exclude (for example, to disclaim) specific embodiments that are in the prior art.
When a Markush group or other grouping is used herein, all individual members of the group and all combinations and subcombinations possible of the group are intended to be individually included in the disclosure. As used herein, “and/or” means that one, all, or any combination of items in a list separated by “and/or” are included in the list; for example “1, 2 and/or 3” is equivalent to “'1′ or ‘2’ or ‘3’ or ‘1 and 2’ or ‘1 and 3’ or ‘2 and 3’ or ‘1, 2 and 3’”.
Every formulation or combination of components described or exemplified can be used to practice the invention, unless otherwise stated. Specific names of materials or components are intended to be exemplary, as it is known that one of ordinary skill in the art can name the same material or components differently. One of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that methods, device elements, and materials, other than those specifically exemplified can be employed in the practice of the invention without resort to undue experimentation. All art-known functional equivalents, of any such methods, device elements, and materials are intended to be included in this invention. Whenever a range is given in the specification, for example, a distance range, all intermediate ranges and subranges, as well as all individual values included in the ranges given are intended to be included in the disclosure.
As used herein, “comprising” is synonymous with “including,” “containing,” or “characterized by,” and is inclusive or open-ended and does not exclude additional, unrecited elements or method steps. As used herein, “consisting of” excludes any element, step, or ingredient not specified in the claim element. As used herein, “consisting essentially of” does not exclude materials or steps that do not materially affect the basic and novel characteristics of the claim. Any recitation herein of the term “comprising”, particularly in a description of components of a composition or in a description of elements of a device, is understood to encompass those compositions and methods consisting essentially of and consisting of the recited components or elements. The aspects illustratively described herein suitably may be practiced in the absence of any element or elements, limitation or limitations which is or are not specifically disclosed herein.
The terms and expressions which have been employed are used as terms of description and not of limitation, and there is no intention in the use of such terms and expressions of excluding any equivalents of the features shown and described or portions thereof, but it is recognized that various modifications are possible within the scope of the invention claimed. Thus, it should be understood that although the present invention has been specifically disclosed by preferred embodiments and optional features, modification and variation of the concepts herein disclosed may be resorted to by those skilled in the art, and that such modifications and variations are considered to be within the scope of this invention as defined by the appended claims.
