Patent Application
20140321959
The present disclosure relates generally to transportation of materials, and particularly to a recyclable pallet suitable for transportation of loose materials.
Pallets are used for transportation of cargo from one place to another. In general, the primary function of a pallet is to support the cargo off the floor so as to facilitate manipulation of the cargo by a forklift, pallet jack, or similar device.
The present disclosure provides a versatile apparatus for storing and delivering materials in a convenient and sanitary manner.
The apparatus and method disclosed herein facilitates clean and sanitary transport of loose, frozen or moisture-saturated materials from an origin to a destination. The apparatus comprises a recyclable pallet operable to capture any material, including moisture, dust or loose cargo, that may leak, thaw or shake loose from a quantity of material to be transported on the pallet. In certain embodiments, the pallet may incorporate a retention chamber or volume to retain such material.
Other features and advantages of the present disclosure will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon reference to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
For a better understanding of the disclosure, and to show by way of example how the same may be carried into effect, reference is now made to the detailed description along with the accompanying figures in which corresponding numerals in the different figures refer to corresponding parts and in which:
While the making and using of various embodiments of the present disclosure are discussed in detail below, it should be appreciated that the present disclosure provides many applicable inventive concepts, which can be embodied in a wide variety of specific contexts. The disclosure is primarily described and illustrated hereinafter in conjunction with various embodiments of the presently-described systems and methods. The specific embodiments discussed herein are, however, merely illustrative of specific ways to make and use the disclosure and do not limit the scope of the disclosure.
Wall segments 104-118 comprise front wall segment 104, rear wall segment 106, left wall segment 108, right wall segment 110, front left wall segment 112, front right wall segment 114, right rear wall segment 116 and left rear wall segment 118. In the embodiment shown in
Wall segments 104 and 106 are shown disposed orthogonally to wall segments 108 and 110. In alternate embodiments, wall segments 104, 106, 108 and 110 may be disposed at different angles to one another. Similarly, wall segments 112, 114, 116 and 118 are shown disposed generally at 45-degree angles to wall segments 104-110. Those of skill in the art will appreciate that alternate embodiments may employ wall segments disposed at alternate angles.
Pallet skids 120 and 124 extend downwardly from base 102, supporting base 102 above the floor, thereby facilitating movement, loading and unloading of pallet 100 using a forklift, pallet jack or other apparatus. Pallet skid 120 comprises an outer vertical wall 124, a floor 126 and an inner vertical wall 128. Pallet skid 122 comprises an outer vertical wall 130, a floor 132 and an inner vertical wall 134. In the embodiment shown in
In the embodiment shown in
In certain embodiments, pallet skids 120 and 122 are open on top and sealed at the bottom, in order to securely catch and retain any moisture or other material that may leak, drip or thaw out from the cargo disposed on and within pallet 100. As one example, pallet 100 may be employed effectively to transport products in the meatpacking industry. In this application, pallet skids 120 and 122 will capture and retain blood, water or other fluids that may thaw or seep out of the materials being transported. In one embodiment, the combined internal volume of pallet skids 120 and 122 is approximately one gallon, but alternate embodiments may have a larger or smaller volume, as appropriate to the application.
As noted above, a wide variety of configurations may be encompassed within the general structure depicted in
Pallet 100 may be made of any suitable material, so long as the material is strong enough to maintain structural integrity carrying the payload for which it is designed and withstand the environment within which it will be used. Metals such as aluminum and steel, or any number of plastics may be used, depending on the application. Where caustic chemicals may be stored on or used to clean pallet 100, stainless steel or polyethylene may be preferred. All of these variations are within the spirit and scope of the present disclosure, as will be appreciated by those of skill in the art.
Similar embellishments, and various combinations thereof, are all comprehended by the present disclosure. In fact, all embodiments described herein are presented for purposes of illustration and explanation only. The specific compositions, configurations, orientations and operations of various features, portions and members may be provided in a number of ways in accordance with the present disclosure.
Although certain functionalities may have been represented herein by a single component for the sake of simplicity, those of skill in the art will recognize that the functions of a single component may be performed by multiple separate components in certain embodiments. Thus, the embodiments and examples set forth herein are presented to best explain the present disclosure and its practical application and to thereby enable those skilled in the art to make and utilize the disclosure.
As previously explained, those skilled in the art will recognize that the foregoing description and examples have been presented for the purpose of illustration and example only. The description as set forth is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the disclosure to the precise form disclosed. Many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching without departing from the spirit and scope of the following claims.
