U.S. patent application number 10/752398 was filed with the patent office on 2005-07-07 for pallet.
Invention is credited to Gab, Christopher N..
Application Number | 20050145144 10/752398 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 34711623 |
Filed Date | 2005-07-07 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050145144 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Gab, Christopher N. |
July 7, 2005 |
Pallet
Abstract
A pallet has an upper deck that is shaped to accommodate a wrap
securing goods to the pallet. The pallet according to the disclosed
embodiment of the present invention includes at least one
projection from each corner of the pallet upper deck. The
projections prevent the wrap from slipping off the adjacent edge of
the pallet upper deck. For decks that include upper and lower deck
sections joined together, the projections also assist in locating
and orienting the deck sections relative to one another before
being joined.
Inventors: |
Gab, Christopher N.; (Playa
Vista, CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Konstantine J. Diamond
4010 E. 26th Street
Los Angeles
CA
90023
US
|
Family ID: |
34711623 |
Appl. No.: |
10/752398 |
Filed: |
January 5, 2004 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
108/55.3 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D 2519/00288
20130101; B65D 2519/00562 20130101; B65D 2519/00069 20130101; B65D
2519/00034 20130101; B65D 2571/00018 20130101; B65D 2519/00308
20130101; B65D 19/38 20130101; B65D 2519/00273 20130101; B65D
2519/00338 20130101; B65D 2519/00318 20130101; B65D 2519/00333
20130101; B65D 2519/0094 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
108/055.3 |
International
Class: |
B65D 019/44 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A pallet comprising: a deck having an upper surface for
supporting a plurality of goods, the upper surface at least
substantially bounded outwardly by side edges, end edges and corner
edges between the side edges and end edges; a plurality of supports
extending downward from the deck; and at least one projection
extending outwardly from at least one edge of the side edges, the
end edges and the corner edges.
2. The pallet of claim 1 wherein the deck includes an upper deck
section having an upper panel with a plurality of openings, and
wherein the deck includes a lower deck section having a lower panel
from which extend the plurality of supports, each of the openings
aligned with one of the plurality of supports in the lower deck
section.
3. The pallet of claim 1 wherein the corner edges are rounded.
4. The pallet of claim 1 wherein the at least one projection
extends from at least one of the corner edges.
5. The pallet of claim 1 wherein the at least one projection
includes an upper surface that is at least substantially flush with
the upper surface of the deck.
6. The pallet of claim 1 further including a plurality of goods on
the upper surface and further including a wrap wrapped over the
plurality of goods and at least partially around the at least one
edge adjacent the at least one projection.
7. The pallet of claim 6 wherein the pallet is a nestable
pallet.
8. A pallet comprising: a deck having an upper surface for
supporting a plurality of goods, the upper surface at least
substantially bounded outwardly by side edges, end edges and corner
edges between the side edges and end edges; a plurality of supports
extending downward from the deck; and at least one projection
extending outwardly from each of the corner edges.
9. The pallet of claim 8 wherein the corner edges are rounded
between the side edges and the end edges.
10. The pallet of claim 9 wherein the at least one projection does
not extend outwardly past the side edges or past the end edges.
11. The pallet of claim 10 wherein an upper surface of the at least
one projection is at least substantially flush with the upper
surface of the deck.
12. The pallet of claim 11 wherein an upper surface of the at least
one projection is flush with the upper surface of the deck.
13. A pallet comprising: a deck having an upper surface for
supporting a plurality of goods, the upper surface bounded by a
circumferential edge; a plurality of supports extending downward
from the deck; and at least one projection extending outwardly from
the circumferential edge.
14. The pallet of claim 13 wherein the at least one projection
includes a plurality of projections.
15. The pallet of claim 14 further including a plurality of goods
on the upper surface and further including a wrap wrapped over the
plurality of goods and at least partially around at least one of
the supports between the plurality of projections.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] This invention relates to a pallet for storing and
transporting goods.
[0002] Pallets are often to used to store and transport a load of
goods. The pallets maintain the goods at a distance above the floor
such that they can be readily lifted and moved by a fork of a lift
truck. Some pallets have stringers or double decks forming openings
that receive the forks of the lift truck. Other pallets are
nestable within one another when empty to facilitate storage and
transport.
[0003] The load may shift relative to the pallet during
transportation of the pallet and load. A plastic wrap is sometimes
used to help secure the load to the pallet. The wrap is wrapped
around the load and around vertical supports of the pallet so that
the connection between the pallet and load is more securely
maintained. The wrap helps prevent a shift of the load relative to
the pallet.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0004] The present invention provides a pallet with an upper deck
that is shaped to accommodate a wrap securing goods to the pallet.
The pallet according to the disclosed embodiment of the present
invention includes at least one projection from at least one corner
of the pallet. The projections assist in preventing the wrap from
slipping off the adjacent edge of the pallet upper deck and
maintain the connection between the pallet and the load.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0005] Other advantages of the present invention can be understood
by reference to the following detailed description when considered
in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:
[0006] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a pallet according to the
present invention.
[0007] FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of area A of the
pallet of FIG. 1.
[0008] FIG. 3 is a top view of the pallet of FIG. 1.
[0009] FIG. 4 is a bottom view of the pallet of FIG. 1
[0010] FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of area B of the pallet of FIG.
4.
[0011] FIG. 6 is a side elevational view of the pallet of FIG. 1
with a load of goods secured thereon.
[0012] FIG. 7 is an end elevational view of the pallet of FIG.
1.
[0013] FIG. 8 is an alternate embodiment of a pallet according to
the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0014] A perspective view of a pallet 20 according to the present
invention is shown in FIG. 1. The pallet 20 includes an upper deck
section 22 and a lower deck section 24. The upper deck section 22
includes an upper panel 26 having side edges 28, end edges 30, and
corner edges 32, shown as rounded. A lip 33 extends downwardly from
the outer circumference of the upper panel 26. A projection 34
extends outwardly from each corner edge 32 of the upper deck
section 22.
[0015] The lower deck section 24 has a lip 35 extending upwardly to
mate with the lip 33 of the upper deck section 22. The lower deck
section 24 includes a plurality of supports or feet 40 extending
downwardly therefrom. The upper deck section 22 includes a
plurality of openings 36 aligned with the feet 40. Ribs 38 extend
downwardly from the upper panel 26 around each opening 36 and
connect with the walls of the feet 40. The feet 40 of the pallet 20
nest within the holes 36 of a similar pallet 20 stacked thereunder
to reduce their overall height when stored or shipped empty.
[0016] The upper deck section 22 and lower deck section 24 are
molded separately and subsequently joined at the lips 33, 35 and
ribs 38 are joined with the feet 40. The deck sections 22, 24 are
preferably joined by welding, adhesive or other known methods. The
projections 34 assist in locating and orienting the upper deck
section 22 relative to the lower deck section 24.
[0017] FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of one of the corners 32 of the
pallet 20 of FIG. 1. The projection 34 has an upper surface 44 that
is flush and continuous with an upper surface 46 of the upper panel
26 of the upper deck section 22.
[0018] FIG. 3 is a top view of the pallet 20, showing the plurality
of openings 36, ribs 38 and feet 40. As can be seen in FIG. 3, the
projections 34 do not extend outwardly to the side past the side
edges 28, as shown by dashed line S, or outwardly to the ends past
the end edges 30, as shown by dashed line E. Thus, the projections
34 do not interfere with the storage or transportation of the
pallet 20.
[0019] FIG. 4 is a bottom view of the pallet 20, in which a lower
panel 50 of the lower deck section 24 is shown. The plurality of
feet 40 extend downwardly from the lower panel 50 of the lower deck
section 24. FIG. 5 is an enlarged bottom view of the area B of FIG.
4. FIG. 5 shows one of the corners 32 of the pallet and the
underside of the projection 34.
[0020] FIG. 6 is a side view of the pallet 20 with a plurality of
goods 60 stacked on the upper panel 26. Two wraps 62, 63 are
wrapped over the goods 60 and the side edges 28, then around one of
the feet 40 under the upper deck section 22 and over the goods 60.
The wraps 62, 63 are retained at the corners 32 by the projections
34. The projections 34 keep the wraps 62, 63 from slipping off the
corner 32 of the pallet 20. The wraps 62, 63 may be a plastic
sheet, cloth, rope, tarp or the like. Additionally, or
alternatively, wraps could be wrapped around the end edges 30 of
the pallet 20 between projections 34.
[0021] FIG. 7 is an end view of the empty pallet 20.
[0022] FIG. 8 illustrates an alternate embodiment of a pallet 60
according to the present invention. The pallet 60 has an upper deck
62 and a lower deck 64 separated by a plurality of supports or
columns 66. A corner projection 74a extends outwardly from each
rounded corner edge 72 of the upper deck 62. As shown, the
projections 74a may extend from a location substantially flush with
an upper surface of the upper deck 62. Alternatively, or
additionally, the projections 74b (only one alternate projection
74b is shown, but four would preferably be provided) may extend
from a mid-point on the corner columns 66. Alternatively, or
additionally, the projections 74c (only one alternate projection
74c is shown, but four would preferably be provided) may extend
from the lower deck 64 at a point substantially flush with a lower
surface of the lower deck 64.
[0023] While embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and
described, it is not intended that these embodiments illustrate and
describe all possible forms of the invention. Rather, the words
used in the specification are words of description rather than
limitation, and it is understood that various changes may be made
without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. There
are many different configurations for plastic pallets and many
variations in design, many of which would benefit from the present
invention. For example, the pallet components are preferably formed
of polypropylene via an injection molding process, but of course
can be formed of any type of plastic applicable for the desired
use. The number and arrangement of supports 40, 66 may vary
according to the size of the pallet 20, 60 and the intended
application for the pallet 20, 60. The alternate locations of the
projections 74b, 74c in FIG. 8 are also applicable to the nestable
pallet 20 of FIGS. 1-7.
* * * * *