Patent Application
20200010238
The present invention relates generally to pallets, and in particular to a reusable pallet suitable for use in pallet pooling arrangements.
Pallets are flat transport structures that support materials and/or goods while being lifted or otherwise manipulated by material handling equipment, such as a forklift, pallet jack, or front loader. Pallets generally have a planar supporting surface and feet or runners that elevate the supporting surface above the ground to protect the supported goods from coming into contact with moisture, dirt and debris. Goods can be placed on a pallet, secured with strapping or stretch wrap, and shipped. Four-way pallets allow pallet jacks and forklifts to approach the pallets from any side to move them. Pallets can be made of a variety of materials, including wood, plastic and metal.
Pallet pooling is the shared use of standard pallets among multiple customers. Pallet pooling has become common to allow pallet users to outsource the expense, labor and skills required to deal with a high volume of pallets and focus on their core business. In pallet pooling arrangements, a pallet management company provides pallet users or shippers with reuseable pallets at one end of a supply chain (e.g., at the user's warehouse). The reuseable pallets are then retrieved by the pallet management company at the other end of the supply chain (e.g., at retail store locations). The pallets are then inspected, cleaned and reconditioned as needed, and then sent back into the supply chain for use by the same user or other users. In larger organizations, the empty pallets are transported by semi-loads to and from various locations in the supply chain. A standard 53′×102″×9′ dry van trailer will hold approximately 540 conventional block pallets.
There is a need for an improved pallet that can be nested when stacked in a semi-load of empty pallets, while still meeting or exceeding all of the functional requirements of a standard block pallet.
An object of the present invention is to provide a nestable block pallet that allows a greater number of pallets to be transported in a semi-load of empty pallets.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a block pallet having a pallet deck with sufficient strength that the pallet only needs to be supported by feet located at the four corners of the pallet during use.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a block pallet having a pallet deck with a metal reinforcement frame inside a plastic exterior to provide increased strength.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a shearable foot feature that allows a foot of the pallet to become detached before damaging the pallet deck.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a nestable pallet having a foot design and holes in the pallet deck that allow pallet feet to slip through the deck top when pallets are nested together.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a block pallet having feet with a rack gripping foot tread design to prevent the pallet from slipping.
Numerous other objects of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in this art from the following description wherein there is shown and described embodiments of the present invention, simply by way of illustration of some of the modes best suited to carry out the invention. As will be realized, the invention is capable of other different embodiments, and its several details are capable of modification in various obvious aspects without departing from the invention. Accordingly, the drawings and description should be regarded as illustrative in nature and not restrictive.
The present invention will become more clearly appreciated as the disclosure of the present invention is made with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings:
A quad foot nestable block pallet 10, 10′ according to embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to
Two embodiments of a nestable block pallet 10, 10′ according to the present invention are illustrated in the drawings. A pallet 10 according to the first embodiment is illustrated in
The present invention provides a quad foot nestable block pallet 10, 10′ that uses a four corner block foot construction. Nestable pallets 10, 10′ fit together when empty, thereby reducing the amount of space needed for storage. The block foot construction allows the pallets 10, 10′ to be compatible with and sit on a standard pallet rack 12 designed for an industry standard 40 inch×48 inch pallet.
The block pallet 10 has a rectangular pallet deck 13 with a generally planar upper surface 14. A plurality of pallet feet 11 are arranged to support the pallet deck 13 at the four corners of the pallet deck 13. In the preferred embodiments, the pallet 10 has only four pallet feet, which are located at each of the four corners of the pallet deck 13. The pallet 10 is open on a bottom side 15 with a clear span between the pallet feet 11 to allow multiple pallets 10 to be nested together in a stack 16. The pallet deck 13 has sufficient strength that no additional supports are necessary between the pallet feet 11 at the four corners.
The pallet feet 11 each have an upper end 17 and a lower end 18. The pallet feet 17 protrude downwardly from the four corners of the pallet deck 13 with the upper ends 17 of the pallet feet 11 engaging the pallet deck 13. The lower ends 18 of the pallet feet 11 engage a support surface, such as a floor or support rack 12, on which the pallet 10 is supported. The pallet feet 11 are only connected to each other via the pallet deck 13, thereby leaving a clear span between the lower ends of the pallet feet 11 to allow multiple pallets 10 to be nested together in a stack 16.
The pallet has an overall height and an opening height below the pallet deck 13 sufficient to insert forks of a forklift 19 for lifting and moving the pallet 10. For example, the overall pallet height can be approximately 5.5 inches, and the opening height below the pallet deck can be approximately 3.5 inches to meet the functional requirements of an industry standard pallet.
With the pallets 10 nested together, the total height of the stack 16 is substantially less than the combined heights of the individual pallets 10. For example, in a stack of three nested pallets 10, the stack 16 will have a total height of approximately two times the height of one pallet 10. In a stack of five nested pallets 10, the stack 16 will have a total height of approximately three times the height of one pallet 10.
The pallet 10 has a length and a width, and the length is greater than the width. For example, to match the industry standard pallet size, the pallet length can be approximately 48 inches, and the pallet width can be approximately 40 inches.
The pallet feet 11 are each L-shaped in plan view with a long side 20, a short side 21, and a notch 22. The pallet feet 11 are each arranged with the long side 20 extending in a direction of the length of the pallet 10, and the short side 21 extending in a direction of the width of the pallet 10. In the first embodiment, the pallet feet 11 are arranged with the notches 22 facing inwardly toward each other. In the second embodiment, the pallet feet 11 are arranged with the notches 22 facing outwardly away from each other.
The block pallet 10 according to the present invention combines the strength from a conventional top and bottom board pallet into a rigid single deck 13 with minimal deflection and eliminates the need for a bottom support under the block feet 11. This elimination of the bottom support allows for a nestable block pallet 10. The pallet 10 also has openings on all four sides allowing four-way entry with the forks of a forklift 19.
In preferred embodiments, the pallet deck 13 is made of a metal reinforcement frame 23 covered by a plastic shell 24. The metal reinforcement frame 23 comprises a grid of flat metal elements that are welded or otherwise fastened together in a pattern to provide structural strength to support a load on the pallet deck 13 with a low amount of deflection. While a plastic reinforcement frame could be used instead of the metal reinforcement frame, a plastic frame without metal reinforcement will be more susceptible to material fatigue and sagging over an extended time period. The metal and plastic materials used in the pallets 10 will resist insects, bacteria and fungi, and will also allow the pallets to be recyclable. The upper surface 14 of the pallet deck 13 is etched to help prevent the pallet contents from slipping.
In the pallet 10 according to the first embodiment, holes 25 are strategically formed in the long sides of the pallet deck 13 between but adjacent to the locations where the pallet feet 11 are attached to the pallet deck 13. The holes 25 are cutouts in the sides of the pallet deck 13 and are substantially L-shaped in plan view with an open side facing outwardly from said pallet deck 13 to accommodate and correspond to the L-shaped pallet feet 11. The holes 25 are arranged to allow the block feet 11 of the second pallet 10 to slide through the deck 13 of the first pallet 10 directly behind the block feet 11 of the first pallet 10, and the other set of feet 11 to hang over the narrow end of the first pallet 10. This allows the pallets 10 to rest deck-to-deck without rotating adjacent pallets 10 in the stack 16 relative to each other.
The clear span construction of the pallet 10 allows the pallet feet 11 of the third pallet 10 on the stack 16 to rest on the first pallet deck 13 directly over the four block feet 11 of the first pallet 10 and allows a forklift space between the pallet decks 13 to enter and disassemble a stack of pallets 10. The pallet deck 13 of the second pallet 10 in the stack 16 is positioned between the pallet decks 13 of the first and third pallets 10. This stacking configuration is repeated, for example, until 35 pallets are put onto the stack 16, and will allow 910 pallets to be loaded in a standard 53 foot×102 inch×9 foot box trailer, which compares to a maximum of 540 conventional block pallets in the same trailer. The nested pallets 10 provide an improvement in space utilization and a substantial savings in transport costs to move empty pallets.
In the pallet 10′ according to the second embodiment illustrated in
The nestable block pallet feet 11 are separate components of the pallet construction. The feet 11 are detachable from the pallet deck 13, 13′ and are connected to the pallet deck 13, 13′ by shear members 26. The shear members 26 each include a rod 27 that extends vertically through a bore 28 in the pallet feet 11. The rod 27 has an upper end 29 with a hook for attaching to a hole 30 in the metal reinforcement frame 23 of the pallet deck 13 and a lower threaded end 31. A nut 32 is threaded onto the lower end 31 of the rod 27 to secure the pallet feet 11 to the pallet deck 13. Each shear member 26 will be able to absorb an impact of normal operating forces, but will shear and allow the feet 11 to detach upon encountering a greater force, such as a direct hit by a forklift fork. The feet 11 can be replaced easily if they are damaged by simply bolting on a new foot 11.
The pallet feet 11 each have a hollow construction with an upper rim 33 that engages a lower surface of the pallet deck 13. The hollow construction minimizes weight while maintaining the structural strength of the feet 11. First and second protrusions 34, 35 extend upwardly from the upper rim 33 of the pallet feet 11 to engage a corresponding structure 36, 37 on the bottom side of the pallet deck 13 to keep the pallet feet 11 aligned relative to the pallet deck 13. The protrusions 34, 35 are shearable to allow the feet 11 to move relative to the pallet deck 13 when the feet 11 encounter a force, such as a direct hit by a forklift fork. A plurality of grooves 38 are formed in a bottom surface of the pallet feet 11 to provide a gripping foot tread.
The upper surface 14 of the pallet deck can be provided with a raised bead around the edge of the pallet deck 13. Additional raised beads can be provided at spaced intervals across the pallet deck 13. The raised beads can reduce the slip coefficient and help prevent products from slipping off of the pallet 10, 10′.
The nestable block pallets 10, 10′ according to the present invention have several unique features, some of which are described below:
1. Nestable Pallet Deck (first embodiment). The pallet 10 according to the first embodiment can be nested so that the pallet 10 overhangs on the narrow (i.e., 40 inch) side of the 40 inch×48 inch pallet creating a 40 inch×54 inch footprint. L-shaped holes 25 are provided in the deck 13 of the pallet 10 for the foot 11 of the next pallet 10 to slip through and the deck 13 of the second pallet 10 to rest on the deck 13 of the first pallet 10. The third pallet 10 moves back to sit directly on top of the first pallet 10 again slipping through the L-shaped hole 25 in the deck 13 of the second pallet 10 directly on top of the first pallet 10. This pattern is repeated until 35 pallets are put onto the stack 16. A standard swing door 53 foot long dry van trailer will hold 26 stacks for a total of 910 pallets. The nestable pallets 10 of the first embodiment can thus be used in a pallet pooling system with increased transportation efficiencies between pallet users and shippers.
2. Nestable Pallet Deck (second embodiment). The pallet 10′ according to the second embodiment can be nested so that the pallet 10′ overhangs the long (i.e., 48 inch) side of the 40 inch×48 inch pallet creating a 48 inch×48 inch foot print. A square hole 25′ is provided in the deck 13′ of the pallet 10′ adjacent to each of the four pallet feet 11. For example, a square 3 inch×3 inch hole 25′ may be provided in the deck 13′ of the pallet 10′. The second pallet 10′ is turned a quarter of a turn and is placed on the first pallet 10′ with the feet 11 sliding through the pallet deck 13′ and the second deck 13′ resting on the top of the deck 13′ of the first pallet 10′. The third pallet 10′ is then placed squarely on top of the first pallet 10′ slipping through the holes 25′ on the second pallet 10′ and resting on the pallet deck 13′ directly above the feet 25′ of the first pallet 10′. This pattern is repeated until 35 pallets are put onto the stack 16′. A standard swing door 53 foot long dry van trailer will hold 26 stacks for a total of 910 pallets. The nestable pallets 10′ of the second embodiment can thus be used in a pallet pooling system with increased transportation efficiencies between pallet users and shippers.
3. Pallet Deck Construction. The pallet deck 13, 13′ has a reinforcement metal frame 23 inside a plastic shell 24. The upper deck surface 14 is etched to prevent pallet contents from slipping off the surface 14. The underneath side of the pallet 10, 10′ is closed by the plastic shell 24.
4. Shearable/Replaceable Foot. The shearable foot 11 allows the foot 11 of the pallet 10, 10′ to become detached from the pallet deck 13, 13′ by shearing off the shear members 26, 33, 34 used to connect the foot 11 to the deck 13, 13′. For example, the plastic protrusions 33, 34 on the upper rims 32 of the feet 11 keep the feet 11 aligned and in place, and the threaded shear member 26 holds the foot 11 to the deck 13, 13′. The plastic protrusions 33, 34 are also designed to shear prior to damaging the pallet deck 13, 13′. The protrusions 33, 34 can then be removed from the pallet deck 13, 13′, and a new foot 11 can be attached to the pallet deck 13, 13′.
5. L-Shaped Foot. The L-shaped foot 11 allows more deck surface to be available to support the pallet contents while still allowing the pallet feet 11 to slip through the deck top 13, 13′ and the pallets 10, 10′ to nest together. For example, the L-shaped foot 11 can be 5 inches on the short side 21, 6½ inches on the long side 20, and have a notch 22 of 2½ inches×2½ inches. In the first embodiment the notch 22 is provided on the inside of the pallet foot 11, and in the second embodiment the notch 22 is provided on the outside of the pallet foot 11 (e.g., the same pallet feet 11 can be used in the first and second embodiments, but rotated 180 degrees so that the notch 22 faces inwardly in the first embodiment and outwardly in the second embodiment).
6. Rack Gripping Foot Tread. The bottom of each of the feet 11 have a series of deep grooves 35 for gripping the rack bars 12 and preventing the pallet 10, 10′ from slipping out of the rack 12. The grooves 35 run parallel to the short side of the pallet 10, 10′.
7. Quad Foot Configuration. The nestable pallet 10, 10′ of the present invention employs a quad foot configuration. The quad foot configuration utilizes an L-shaped foot 11 in each of the four corners of the pallet 10, 10′. The pallet deck 13, 13′ is made to support the pallet 10, 10′ and its contents up to 3,000 pounds with deflection of less than 3/16 inch. This eliminates the bottom boards required by conventional pallet construction to provide the necessary deck strength and allows easy entry for material handling equipment.
8. Nestable and Rackable Pallet. The present invention provides a pallet 10, 10′ that combines the rackability of a block pallet allowing the pallet 10, 10′ to be placed in a rack 12 for storage with the space saving features of a plastic nestable pallet. The L-shaped foot 11 provides a similar surface area as a block pallet so that pallets 10, 10′ can be stored lengthways in a standard 42 inch rack or sideways in a 36 inch rack.
The following functional design requirements are met by the pallet 10, 10′ of the present invention.
The following additional design requirements are met by the pallet of the present invention.
The following material requirements are met by the plastic material used to make the pallet of the present invention.
While the invention has been described in connection with specific embodiments thereof, it is to be understood that this is by way of illustration and not of limitation, and the scope of the appended claims should be construed as broadly as the prior art will permit.
This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/981,742 filed on May 16, 2018, now U.S. Pat. No. 10,414,541, and claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/507,206 filed on May 16, 2017. The entire contents of these related applications are incorporated herein by reference.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62507206 | May 2017 | US |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 15981742 | May 2018 | US |
| Child | 16571176 | US |
