U.S. patent application number 12/554753 was filed with the patent office on 2009-12-31 for turf pallet and system.
This patent application is currently assigned to COREX PLASTICS PTY LTD.. Invention is credited to Derek Robert CHAPMAN.
Application Number | 20090325720 12/554753 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 36179403 |
Filed Date | 2009-12-31 |
United States Patent
Application |
20090325720 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
CHAPMAN; Derek Robert |
December 31, 2009 |
TURF PALLET AND SYSTEM
Abstract
A lightweight turf pallet is formed of High Density Polyethylene
and is formed by a twin-skin vacuum molding process under high
pressure. The pallet has top and bottom faces each with an array of
frustoconical 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 comer
joiner members and surface pads is also described and claimed.
Inventors: |
CHAPMAN; Derek Robert;
(Victoria, AU) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Fleit Gibbons Gutman Bongini & Bianco PL
21355 EAST DIXIE HIGHWAY, SUITE 115
MIAMI
FL
33180
US
|
Assignee: |
COREX PLASTICS PTY LTD.
Victoria
AU
TRANSFORMED PLASTIX PTY LTD.
Victoria
AU
|
Family ID: |
36179403 |
Appl. No.: |
12/554753 |
Filed: |
September 4, 2009 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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11772664 |
Jul 2, 2007 |
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12554753 |
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11079794 |
Mar 14, 2005 |
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11772664 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
472/92 ;
108/57.16; 108/57.25; 108/57.33 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E01C 13/045 20130101;
E01C 13/08 20130101; E01C 13/083 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
472/92 ;
108/57.25; 108/57.33; 108/57.16 |
International
Class: |
A63C 19/00 20060101
A63C019/00; B65D 19/00 20060101 B65D019/00; B65D 19/40 20060101
B65D019/40; B65D 19/32 20060101 B65D019/32; B65D 19/38 20060101
B65D019/38 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Oct 19, 2004 |
AU |
2004906058 |
Claims
1. A lightweight turf pallet, comprising: spaced top and bottom
faces being made of plastic material and defining a periphery; two
opposing edges interconnecting said spaced top and bottom faces
along said periphery; an array of substantially frustoconical
cavities being formed in each of said spaced top and bottom faces,
the cavities on said spaced top and bottom faces being coaxial and
being joined at their apices to form opposed cavities with a web
therebetween, said web having at least one drainage hole therein,
and an open-ended steel reinforcing member being disposed between
said spaced top and bottom faces and extending between said two
opposing edges, said reinforcing member defining at least part of a
tine pocket facilitating lifting and transportation of the pallet
using a forklift.
2. The pallet according to claim 1, wherein said spaced top and
bottom faces include high-density polyethylene.
3. The pallet according to claim 1, wherein said pallet is formed
by a twin-skin vacuum molding process under high pressure.
4. The pallet according to claim 1, wherein: a first part includes
said spaced top and bottom faces, said two opposing edges, said
array of substantially frustoconical cavities, and said open-ended
steel reinforcing member; and a second part includes spaced top and
bottom faces being made of plastic material and defining a
periphery; two opposing edges interconnecting said spaced top and
bottom faces along said periphery; an array of substantially
frustoconical cavities being formed in each of said spaced top and
bottom faces, the cavities on said spaced top and bottom faces
being coaxial and being joined at their apices to form opposed
cavities with a web therebetween, said web having at least one
drainage hole therein, and an open-ended steel reinforcing member
being disposed between said spaced top and bottom faces and
extending between said two opposing edges, said reinforcing member
defining at least part of a tine pocket facilitating lifting and
transportation of the pallet using a forklift; an edge of said part
being connected to an edge of said further part to form a
rectangular pallet.
5. The pallet according to claim 4, wherein said first part has a
groove formed in said edge and said second part has a groove in
said edge; and an aluminum joining member interconnects said first
part and said second part, said aluminum joining member being
inserted in said groove in said first part and inserted in said
groove in said second part.
6. The pallet according to claim 1, wherein one of said cavities on
said bottom face is arranged at each corner of said pallet and is
positioned to receive a substantially complementary projection on a
joining member for joining adjacent pallets to form an extended
surface.
7. The pallet according to claim 1, wherein: said reinforcing
member has a U-shaped cross section with extremities, and flanges
extending laterally from said extremities, said U-shaped cross
section opening downward; and a steel plate spans said flanges to
cap said U-shaped channel member.
8. The pallet according to claim 7, wherein said steel plate is
further connected to a U-shaped channel member of a further
pallet.
9. 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 an upstanding wall extending around the
perimeter of the pallets when joined and forming a perimeter
member.
10. The system according to claim 9, wherein said surface pads are
formed of acrylonitrite butadiene styrene (ABS).
11. The system according to claim 9, wherein said corner joiner
members are plastics pads with upstands for engaging in
corresponding said cavities in the underside of each pallet at said
corners.
12. The 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.
13. A system for constructing a recreation or sporting surface,
comprising: a first pallet according to claim 1; and a second
pallet according to claim 1; said first pallet and said second
pallet being coplanar and joined along adjacent edges to form a
rectangular pallet; said reinforcing member of said first pallet
and said reinforcing member of said second pallet being joined to
form a common reinforcing member.
14. The system according to claim 13, wherein said reinforcing
member of said first pallet and said reinforcing member of said
second pallet are collinear.
15. The system according to claim 13, wherein: said reinforcing
member of said first pallet and said reinforcing member of said
second pallet, each of said reinforcing members having a U-shaped
channel member extending between said opposing edges of said
pallet, having opposed sides ending in laterally opposing
extremities, and having an open side directed towards said bottom
face of said pallet; and said reinforcing member of said first
pallet and said reinforcing member of said second pallet share a
steel plate connected to said U-shaped channel of said first pallet
and said U-shaped channel of said second pallet to form a
rectangular section tine pocket.
16. A turf pallet, comprising: a part having a top face and a
bottom face; a reinforcing member with a U-shaped cross section
opening downward, said reinforcing member being disposed on said
bottom face of said part and spanning said part.
17. The turf pallet according to claim 16, wherein: said bottom
face has a channel formed therein; and said reinforcing member is
disposed in said channel.
18. The turf pallet according to claim 16, further comprising a
plate connected to said reinforcing member and disposed beneath
said reinforcing member to define an open-ended pocket for
receiving a forklift tine.
19. The turf pallet according to claim 16, wherein said U-shaped
reinforcing member has a flange on each opposing side of said
channel, said flanges at least partially overlapping said bottom
face of said part.
20. The turf pallet according to claim 19, further comprising a
plate connected to said U-shaped reinforcing member, disposed
beneath said U-shaped pocket, and spanning said flanges to define
an open-ended pocket for receiving a forklift tine.
21. The turf pallet according to claim 16, further comprising: a
further part having a top face and a bottom face and a reinforcing
member with a U-shaped cross section opening downward, said
reinforcing member being disposed on said bottom face of said part
and spanning said part; a plate overlying said reinforcing member
in said part and overlying said reinforcing member in said further
part.
22. The turf pallet according to claim 16, further comprising: a
further part having a top face and a bottom face and a reinforcing
member with a U-shaped cross section opening downward, said
reinforcing member being disposed on said bottom face of said part
and spanning said part; said reinforcing member of said part being
aligned with said reinforcing member of said further part.
23. The turf pallet according to claim 22, wherein: said part has a
side with a groove formed therein; said further part has a side
with a groove formed therein; said side of said part opposes said
side of said further part; and a joiner member engages said groove
in said part and said groove in said further part.
24. The turf pallet according to claim 23, wherein said joiner
member has an I-shaped cross section.
25. The turf pallet according to claim 22, further comprising a
perimeter member for providing an upstanding wall in which to
retain turf, said perimeter member extending around an outer edge
of said part and said further part.
26. The turf pallet according to claim 22, wherein said part and
said further part have a rebate formed therein around said part and
said further part when said part and said further part are
joined.
27. The turf pallet according to claim 16, wherein: said bottom
surface of said has an aperture formed therein; and a corner joiner
has a first protrusion inserted in said aperture in said bottom
surface of said part and a second protrusion configured to insert
into an aperture in a bottom surface of a further part.
28. The turf pallet according to claim 27, wherein said corner
joiner has four protrusions, each of said four protrusions being
configured to insert in an aperture in a respective part, said
corner joiner further having a cruciform disposed between said four
protrusions.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser.
No. 11/772,664, which is a continuation of U.S. application Ser.
No. 11/079,794, filed Mar. 14, 2005, which is now abandoned.
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT
[0002] Not Applicable
THE NAMES OF PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT
[0003] Not Applicable
INCORPORATION-BY-REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT
DISC
[0004] Not Applicable
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0005] 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
[0006] 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.
[0007] 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.
[0008] 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.
[0009] A further object is to provide an improved system for
constructing a recreation or sporting surface.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0010] 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 frustoconical cavities
formed in each face, the cavities on opposed faces being coaxial
and being joined at their apices to form a web therebetween.
[0011] 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,
comer joiner members for joining the adjacent comers 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
[0012] 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:
[0013] FIG. 1 is an exploded view of the components of a turf
pallet system according to the invention;
[0014] FIG. 2 is a part perspective end view of a turf pallet as
shown in FIG. 1;
[0015] FIG. 3 is a part perspective sectional view of the pallet
shown in FIG. 2;
[0016] FIG. 4 is a perspective underside view of the pallet shown
in FIGS. 1-3;
[0017] 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
[0018] 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.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0019] 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 molded from HDPE using a vacuum molding
process under high pressure. The separate parts (10) each include
spaced parallel reinforcing members (12) formed from steel and
fully enclosed within the molding.
[0020] 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 aluminum
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.
[0021] When the two parts (10) are rigidly joined together to form
a flat square tray or pallet, galvanized 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 tines of a forklift truck.
[0022] 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 molded by means of a
high pressure vacuum molding process in a twin skin configuration
and internally have an array of essentially frustoconical pockets
forming cavities in the upper and underside of the parts. The
pockets on opposed sides are joined by a web (30) at their apices
(17) and a hole (18) is provided between opposed cavities in the
web (30).
[0023] 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 molded 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 acrylonitrite butadiene styrene (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.
[0024] 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 corner joiner (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 comers of the pallets.
[0025] 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.
[0026] The unique internal design comprising opposed frustoconical
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 minimizes thump and echo from activity on the
surface, whilst also facilitating drainage.
[0027] 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.
* * * * *