U.S. patent application number 11/079794 was filed with the patent office on 2006-04-20 for turf pallet and system.
This patent application is currently assigned to COREX PLASTICS PTY LTD. Invention is credited to Andrew Berry, Derek Robert Chapman.
Application Number | 20060081159 11/079794 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 36179403 |
Filed Date | 2006-04-20 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060081159 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Chapman; Derek Robert ; et
al. |
April 20, 2006 |
Turf pallet and system
Abstract
A lightweight turf pallet is formed of High Density Polyethylene
and is formed by a twin-skin vacuum moulding process under high
pressure. The pallet has top and bottom faces each with an array of
frusto-conical cavities formed in rows on each face, the cavities
on opposed faces being coaxial and joined at their apices to form a
web therebetween. A system for constructing a recreation or
sporting surface comprising such pallets, together with corner
joiner members and surface pads is also described and claimed.
Inventors: |
Chapman; Derek Robert;
(Victoria, AU) ; Berry; Andrew; (Victoria,
AU) |
Correspondence
Address: |
FLEIT KAIN GIBBONS GUTMAN BONGINI & BIANCO
21355 EAST DIXIE HIGHWAY
SUITE 115
MIAMI
FL
33180
US
|
Assignee: |
COREX PLASTICS PTY LTD
Victoria
AU
TRANSFORMED PLASTIX PTY LTD.
Dandenong
AU
|
Family ID: |
36179403 |
Appl. No.: |
11/079794 |
Filed: |
March 14, 2005 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
108/57.25 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E01C 13/045 20130101;
E01C 13/08 20130101; E01C 13/083 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
108/057.25 |
International
Class: |
B65D 19/38 20060101
B65D019/38 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Oct 19, 2004 |
AU |
2004906058 |
Claims
1. A lightweight turf pallet formed of plastics material having
spaced top and bottom faces and comprising an array of cavities
formed in each face, the cavities on opposed faces being coaxial
and being joined at their bases to form a web therebetween.
2. A pallet according to claim 1, wherein said cavities are
substantially frusto-conical and said oppose cavities are joined at
their apices.
3. A pallet according to claim 2, wherein said pallet is formed by
a twin-skin vacuum moulding process under high pressure, and steel
reinforcing is provided therein, said reinforcing defining at least
part of tyne pockets facilitating lifting and transportation of the
pallet using a fork lift.
4. A pallet according to claim 3, wherein said web has one or more
drainage holes therein.
5. A pallet according to claim 4, made primarily from High Density
Polyethylene (HDPE).
6. A pallet according to claim 1, manufactured from two like parts
arranged coplanar and joined along adjacent edges to form a
rectangular pallet.
7. A pallet according to claim 6, wherein said parts are joined by
aluminium joiner members that are slid between the two parts from
opposite edges and interlock with grooves provided in said adjacent
edges.
8. A pallet according to claim 5, wherein said reinforcing
comprises spaced U-shaped channels extending across the width of
the pallet and enclosed within said HDPE, said channels having
outwardly directed flanges on the sides of the channels and being
open in a direction towards the underside of the pallet, and a
steel plate extending across the width of the pallet and fixed,
through said HDPE, to said flanges, to form said tyne pockets.
9. A pallet according to claim 8, wherein a rebate extends around
the upper perimeter of the pallet to receive a moulded rectangular
perimeter member providing an upstanding wall for retaining said
turf on said pallet.
10. A system for constructing a recreation or sporting surface,
said system including a series of pallets as defined in claim 1,
corner joiner members for joining the adjacent corners of four said
pallets together, surface pads comprising a plastics sheet for
placing on top of each said pallet to provide sound deadening in
use, said surface pads having holes therein for drainage purposes,
and natural or synthetic turf on top of said surface pads and
retained thereon by said perimeter member.
11. A system according to claim 10, wherein said surface pads are
formed of acrylonitrite butadiene styrene (ABS).
12. A system according to claim 10, wherein said corner joiner
members are plastics pads with generally conical upstands for
engaging in corresponding said cavities in the underside of each
pallet at said corners.
13. A system according to claim 11, wherein said corner joiner
members have an upstanding central cruciform for locating and
supporting the respective corners of the pallet.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to a turf pallet and to a
system for constructing a recreation or sporting surface. More
particularly the invention relates to a lightweight turf pallet for
supporting natural or synthetic turf, in use, in storage, or during
the growth period for natural turf in a manner whereby
transportation, installation and replacement are readily
accommodated and other factors such as drainage and aeration are
optimized.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Prior art turf pallets consist of large trays formed from
steel composite and rely on their mass to stay in position. They
suffer the disadvantage of being heavy and cumbersome and,
therefore, are difficult to transport and place in position. They
may also suffer rust and corrosion which can ultimately cause
failure of the pallet in use.
[0003] It is conceivable that lighter material than steel could be
used to construct the pallet but the problem then is to provide the
strength and rigidity necessary to support loads estimated to be
around 1500 kg/ft.sup.2.
[0004] Accordingly it is an object of the present invention to
provide an improved turf pallet that overcomes one or more of the
disadvantages associated with existing turf pallets, or that at
least provides a useful alternative.
[0005] A further object is to provide an improved system for
constructing a recreation or sporting surface.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] In one form of the invention provides a lightweight turf
pallet formed of plastics material having spaced top and bottom
faces and comprising an array of generally frusto-conical cavities
formed in each face, the cavities on opposed faces being coaxial
and being joined at their apices to form a web therebetween.
[0007] Another form of the invention provides a system for
constructing a recreation or sporting surface, said system
including a series of pallets as described the preceding paragraph,
corner joiner members for joining the adjacent corners of four said
pallets together, surface pads comprising a plastics sheet for
placing on top of each said pallet to provide sound deadening in
use, said surface pads having holes therein for drainage purposes,
and natural or synthetic turf on top of said surface pads and
retained thereon by said perimeter member.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0008] In order that the invention may be more readily understood
one particular embodiment will now be described in more detail with
reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:
[0009] FIG. 1. is an exploded view of the components of a turf
pallet system according to the invention;
[0010] FIG. 2 is a part perspective end view of a turf pallet as
shown in FIG. 1;
[0011] FIG. 3 is a part perspective sectional view of the pallet
shown in FIG. 2;
[0012] FIG. 4 is a perspective underside view of the pallet shown
in FIGS. 1-3;
[0013] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a joiner member for joining
the corners of four adjacent pallets, shown in position connected
to the pallet of FIGS. 1-4; and
[0014] FIG. 6 is similar to FIG. 2 but shows the interconnection of
two like parts which together form a pallet according to this
particular embodiment of the invention.
[0015] A turf pallet as provided according to the present
embodiment consists essentially of two separate parts (10) which
are joined together in the manufacturing process to provide a flat
square tray for supporting natural or synthetic turf (11). The
separate parts (10) are moulded from HDPE using a vacuum moulding
process under high pressure. The separate parts (10) each include
spaced parallel reinforcing members (12) formed from steel and
fully enclosed within the moulding.
[0016] As is evident in FIGS. 1 and 2, the reinforcing members (12)
consist essentially of channel members having flanges (13) on the
extremities of the opposed sides of the channel. The reinforcing
members (12) define inverted channels extending across each of the
parts (10) on the underside thereof. The opposed sides of the
separate parts (10) have grooves (14) extending part way along the
opposed sides from each end and adjacent the top and bottom edges
respectively. Separate joiner members (15) formed from aluminium
extrusion and having essentially an I-beam construction are forced
along the opposed edges to engage the grooves (14) and attach the
two parts (10) together.
[0017] When the two parts (10) are rigidly joined together to form
a flat square tray or pallet, galvanised steel plates (16) are
riveted or screwed through the HDPE to the flanges (13) of the
reinforcing members (12), as is shown more clearly in FIGS. 2 and
4. The plates (16) extend across both the separate parts (10) and,
in combination with the reinforcing members (12) form open-ended
pockets suitable for receiving the tynes of a forklift truck.
[0018] Turning now to FIGS. 2, 3 and 6, the internal construction
of the parts (10) forming the pallet or tray is shown in more
detail. As mentioned previously the parts are moulded by means of a
high pressure vacuum moulding process in a twin skin configuration
and internally have an array of essentially frusto-conical pockets
forming cavities in the upper and underside of the parts. The
pockets on opposed sides are joined at their apices (17) and a hole
(18) is provided between opposed cavities.
[0019] A rebate (19) extends around three sides of each of the
parts (10) such that when the two parts are joined together the
rebate extends around the perimeter of the resulting pallet or
tray. The rebate accommodates a moulded perimeter member (20)
which, when in place, provides an upstanding wall that extends
around the perimeter of the pallet to retain turf (11) and other
material such as sand/rubber mix (not shown) on the surface of the
pallet. A plastics sheet (22) of ABS material is placed on top of
the pallet and in use, is located under the turf (11). The sheet
(22) is provided with holes therein to allow drainage between the
turf and the pallet.
[0020] As can be seen in FIG. 5, a corner joiner (23) is provided
for joining the adjacent corners of four pallets together in use.
The joiner member (23) has four spaced upstanding protrusions (24)
of essentially conical shape that are adapted to locate in
corresponding apertures (25) (FIG. 4) in the underside of each
pallet. A central cruciform (26) on the corner joiner (23) locates
and supports the respective corners of the pallets.
[0021] As mentioned previously the turf (11) may be natural or
synthetic turf. In the case of natural turf, the turf is grown on
the tray which then acts as a lightweight transportable pallet and
finally as a support device for the turf in use. In other words the
plastics pallet of the present invention provides a turf growing
tray, a transportable pallet and a base surface for a sporting or
recreation surface. Whilst the pallet according to the particular
embodiment described above is formed essentially from two
components that are joined together, a second embodiment (not
shown) provides a single part pallet thus avoiding the need for
joining two parts together.
[0022] The unique internal design comprising opposed frusto-conical
cavities enables the pallet to carry the high compression loadings
required for the particular use and also allows even air
circulation and drainage under the surface of the turf for
providing a stable temperature. The plastics sheet (22) provides
sound deadening and minimises thump and echo from activity on the
surface, whilst also facilitating drainage.
[0023] Clearly, the invention is not limited to the particular
embodiment as described above as modifications may be readily
incorporated. For example the internal design of the pallet may be
modified provided sufficient strength is attained for long term
use. Also, whilst the described embodiment relates to a square
pallet it could equally be a rectangular shape other than square.
Conceivably it could be non-rectangular provided the shape was such
to allow interconnection of the pallets to form a continuous
surface.
* * * * *