U.S. patent application number 12/753224 was filed with the patent office on 2010-10-07 for drum pallet.
This patent application is currently assigned to THE FABRI-FORM COMPANY. Invention is credited to Roy Lee Fehrman, JR., David Paul Jones.
Application Number | 20100251940 12/753224 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 42825112 |
Filed Date | 2010-10-07 |
United States Patent
Application |
20100251940 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Jones; David Paul ; et
al. |
October 7, 2010 |
Drum Pallet
Abstract
A one-piece pallet for securing and stacking drums thereon may
include a tray having downwardly and inwardly tapering peripheral
side walls, a top surface having a plurality of raised support
surfaces, each shaped to engage a bottom of a container, a
plurality of raised dividers, each of said dividers being
positioned between adjacent support surfaces and being shaped to
engage a side wall of a drum resting on said adjacent support
surfaces. The side walls may have outer raised ribs terminating
adjacent one of the support surfaces and shaped to engage a side
wall of a drum resting on said adjacent one of said support
surfaces. The dividers may include inner raised ribs having
terminal portions opposite the terminal portions of the outer
raised ribs such that a drum resting on any one of said support
surfaces is constrained by the terminal portions of the inner and
outer raised ribs from lateral movement relative to the tray.
Support pedestals extend from a bottom surface of the tray, and the
pedestals each include an arcuate groove shaped to engage an upper
periphery of a drum that may facilitate stacking of the pallet.
Inventors: |
Jones; David Paul; (Warren,
OH) ; Fehrman, JR.; Roy Lee; (Cambridge, OH) |
Correspondence
Address: |
THOMPSON HINE L.L.P.;Intellectual Property Group
P.O. BOX 8801
DAYTON
OH
45401-8801
US
|
Assignee: |
THE FABRI-FORM COMPANY
New Concord
OH
|
Family ID: |
42825112 |
Appl. No.: |
12/753224 |
Filed: |
April 2, 2010 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
61166094 |
Apr 2, 2009 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
108/53.3 ;
108/53.5 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D 2519/00069
20130101; B65D 19/004 20130101; B65D 2519/00268 20130101; B65D
2519/00338 20130101; B65D 2519/0094 20130101; B65D 2519/00965
20130101; B65D 2519/00288 20130101; B65D 2519/00034 20130101; B65D
2519/00815 20130101; B65D 2519/00318 20130101; B65D 71/70
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
108/53.3 ;
108/53.5 |
International
Class: |
B65D 19/38 20060101
B65D019/38; B65D 19/04 20060101 B65D019/04 |
Claims
1. A drum pallet comprising: a tray having a top surface and a
bottom surface; said top surface including a plurality of support
surfaces, each of said support surfaces being shaped to receive and
support a bottom portion of a container; and a plurality of raised
dividers, each of said dividers being positioned adjacent one of
said support surfaces and shaped to engage a bottom portion of a
container supported on said adjacent one of said support surfaces
and thereby prevent relative lateral movement between said tray and
said bottom portion of said container supported on said adjacent
one of said support surfaces; and said bottom surface having a
plurality of grooves formed therein, said grooves being shaped to
receive an upper portion of a container and thereby prevent
relative lateral movement between said tray and said upper portion
of a container received by said grooves, said grooves being
positioned on said bottom surface to correspond to said support
surfaces; whereby said tray is capable of being placed upon said
upper portions of a grouping of containers received and supported
on said support surfaces of a second one of said tray immediately
below said tray, such that relative lateral movement between said
tray and said second one of said tray and upper portions and lower
portions of each container of said grouping of containers is
prevented.
2. The drum pallet of claim 1 wherein each of said raised dividers
is positioned on said top surface between adjacent ones of said
support surfaces.
3. The drum pallet of claim 2 wherein said raised dividers include
raised ribs, said raised ribs having terminal portions shaped and
positioned to contact and secure a bottom portion of a container
positioned on an associated one of said support surfaces.
4. The drum pallet of claim 3 wherein said raised ribs include said
terminal portions at opposite ends thereof, whereby said terminal
portions are capable of contacting and securing bottom portions of
containers positioned on said support surfaces adjacent to an
associated one of said dividers.
5. The drum pallet of claim 1 wherein said bottom surface further
comprises a plurality of pedestals, said pedestals being shaped
such that said support surfaces are elevated above a surface upon
which said tray is placed.
6. The drum pallet of claim 5 wherein said pedestals are shaped and
positioned on said bottom surface to provide clearance for
receiving forks of a lift truck therebetween such that said tray is
capable of being supported upon and lifted by forks of a material
handling vehicle.
7. The drum pallet of claim 6 wherein said plurality of support
pedestals include a central pedestal located substantially
centrally of said tray, corner pedestals located adjacent corners
of said tray, and mid-length pedestals located between adjacent
ones of said corner pedestals.
8. The drum pallet of claim 7 wherein said tray further comprises
downwardly extending side walls forming about the periphery of said
top surface and said bottom surface, said side walls including
outer portions of said corner pedestals.
9. The drum pallet of claim 8 wherein said downwardly extending
side walls include outer portions of said mid-length pedestals.
10. The drum pallet of claim 7 wherein said pedestals have open
tops shaped to receive the bottom portions of said pedestals of a
second one of said pallets such that said pallet is stackable and
nestable.
11. The drum pallet of claim 8 wherein said side walls form outer
portions of said mid-pedestals.
12. The drum pallet of claim 5 wherein said grooves are formed in
bottom surfaces of said pedestals, whereby, when said tray is
placed upon said grouping of containers such that upper portions of
said containers thereof engage said grooves, spaces are formed
between said pedestals and between said bottom surface and said
grouping of containers shaped to receive forks of a lift truck.
13. The drum pallet of claim 1 wherein said tray is made entirely
from a single sheet of thermoformed plastic.
14. The drum pallet of claim 1 wherein said tray further comprises
downwardly extending side walls extending about the periphery of
said top surface and said bottom surface.
15. The drum pallet of claim 14 wherein said side walls include
raised ribs shaped to engage a bottom portion of a container
supported by an associated one of said support surfaces.
16. The drum pallet of claim 1 wherein said support surfaces are
substantially flat and include transverse grooves extending
thereacross.
17. A drum pallet comprising: a tray made from a single sheet of
thermoformed plastic and having a top surface and a bottom surface;
said top surface including a plurality of support surfaces, each of
said support surfaces being substantially flat with transverse
grooves thereacross and shaped to receive and support a bottom
portion of a container thereon, said support surfaces being
substantially flat and including transverse grooves extending
thereacross; and a plurality of raised dividers, each of said
raised dividers being positioned between adjacent ones of said
support surfaces and including raised ribs, said raised ribs having
terminal portions shaped and positioned to engage a bottom portion
of a container supported on said adjacent ones of said support
surfaces and thereby prevent relative lateral movement between said
tray and said bottom portion of said container supported on said
adjacent one of said support surfaces; said bottom surface having a
plurality of grooves formed therein, said grooves being shaped to
receive an upper portion of a container and thereby prevent
relative lateral movement between said tray and said upper portion
of a container received by said grooves, said grooves being
positioned on said bottom surface to correspond to said support
surfaces; whereby said tray is capable of being placed upon said
upper portions of a grouping of containers received and supported
on said support surfaces of a second one of said tray immediately
below said tray, such that relative lateral movement between said
tray and said second one of said tray and upper portions and lower
portions of each container of said grouping of containers is
prevented; a plurality of support pedestals extending from said
bottom surface and being shaped such that said support surfaces are
elevated above a surface upon which said tray is placed; said
support pedestals being shaped and positioned on said bottom
surface to provide clearance for receiving forks of a lift truck
therebetween; said support pedestals including a central pedestal
located substantially centrally of said tray, corner pedestals
located adjacent corners of said tray, and mid-pedestals located
between adjacent ones of said corner pedestals; downwardly
extending side walls extending about a periphery of said top
surface and said bottom surface, said side wall forming outer
portions of said corner pedestals and said mid-pedestals; and said
pedestals including grooves formed in the bottom surfaces thereof,
whereby, when said tray is placed upon said grouping of containers
such that upper portions of said containers thereof engage said
grooves, spaces are formed between said pedestals and between said
bottom surface and said grouping of containers shaped to receive
forks of a lift truck.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. provisional
patent application Ser. No. 61/166,094 filed Apr. 2, 2009.
BACKGROUND
[0002] This disclosure relates to pallets and, more particularly,
to a stackable pallet for transporting containers, such as
drums.
[0003] Pallets are used to transport large items or containers of
smaller items or granular material or liquids in a manner that
facilitates the loading and unloading of the items or containers on
a conveyance by a material handling vehicle. Ideally, a pallet is a
substantially flat, square platform that is capable of supporting
goods without sagging or other deformation. The goods or containers
placed on a pallet usually are bound together and to the pallet by
strapping or shrink wrap. Pallets preferably are shaped to receive
the forks of a lift truck, pallet jack, front loader or other
mobile jacking device.
[0004] Pallets promote efficient movement of goods to and from
means of transportation. Pallets are best used on modes of
transportation having relatively clean, level, flat surfaces. Such
surfaces include railcars, trailers and shipping containers.
[0005] Pallets are usually made of wood and have a useful life of a
single or a few shipments. Pallets also may be made of other
materials, such as metal and plastic. Plastic pallets may be molded
into complex shapes, may be cleaned and sterilized, and may be
sufficiently rugged to withstand multiple shipments. Another
advantage of plastic pallets is that they may be shaped to be
nestable and stackable.
[0006] Drum pallets are shaped to support cylindrical drums,
typically three or four standard fifty-gallon drums. Such drum
pallets may be made of plastic and may be molded to include fork
entrances. In addition, the pallets may include molded-in rings to
secure standard drums, and molded-in rings on runners on the
underside to facilitate stacking. A disadvantage of such plastic
drum pallets is that they may be molded from two pieces, which may
increase the cost. Also, such pallets do not include means to
contain spills or leaks.
SUMMARY
[0007] The present disclosure is directed to a drum pallet that may
be made from a single sheet of plastic. The disclosed pallet may be
made of high density polyethylene. In one aspect, the pallet may be
made by thermoforming a single sheet of plastic.
[0008] The pallet may have raised support surfaces capable of
supporting containers such as drums securely, peripheral side walls
for strength, integral legs or pedestals spaced to accommodate
forks from a lift truck or other material handling vehicle, and
grooves formed in the pedestals shaped to receive top portions of
containers, thereby facilitating stacking loaded pallets. In one
aspect, the pallet may include an open bottom surface that
facilitates nestable stacking of pallets when not in use.
[0009] In one aspect, the side walls may form a continuous rim
about the top surface of the pallet for spill containment, and
added resistance to warping or deformation of the tray. Further,
certain of the pedestals may be positioned at the corners and
mid-lengths of the pallet, and the side walls may form an outer
component of such pedestals. The side walls may include
corrugations that may strengthen the side walls and legs of the
pallet in the vertical direction.
[0010] In another aspect, the pallet may include a plurality of
dividers formed on the top surface and positioned between adjacent
support surfaces. The dividers add strength to the pallet and
resistance to deformation. The dividers may include raised ribs,
which may add strength to the dividers. The raised ribs may include
opposing terminal portions shaped to engage and help locate the
bottoms of drums placed upon the support surfaces.
[0011] Other objects and advantages of the disclosed drum pallet
may be apparent from the following description, the accompanying
drawings and the appended claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0012] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the disclosed pallet;
[0013] FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the pallet of FIG. 1;
[0014] FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the pallet taken at
line 3-3 of FIG. 2;
[0015] FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of the pallet taken at
line 4-4 of FIG. 2;
[0016] FIG. 5 is a bottom plan view of the pallet of FIG. 1;
[0017] FIG. 6 is a schematic, side elevational view of two stacked
groupings of drums, each on a pallet of the design shown in FIG.
1;
[0018] FIG. 7 is a detail in perspective showing an engagement of a
drum rim with a pedestal groove of the pallet of FIG. 1; and
[0019] FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a grouping of drums engaged
by pallets of the design shown in FIG. 1 on their upper and lower
surfaces.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0020] As shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 3 and 4, the disclosed drum pallet,
generally designated 10, may be in the form of a generally square,
one-piece tray 12 having downwardly extending, inwardly tapering
side walls 14, 16, 18, 20. One or more of the side walls 14, 16,
18, 20 may include downwardly extending corrugations 22 to add
strength. The side walls 14, 16, 18, 20 may together form a
continuous, outer peripheral rim. This continuous rim may be
desirable for adding strength and containing spills and leaks from
drums or other containers carried by the pallet 10.
[0021] While the tray 12 may have a generally square shape when
viewed from above, as best shown in FIG. 2, in one aspect the tray
may have rectangular, oblong or other shape. However, a
substantially square shape may be preferable for most applications
in that a generally square pallet 10 is more resistant to tipping
when loaded with drums or other containers and may be easier to fit
within, and be loaded and unloaded in a confined space, such as in
a trailer, railroad boxcar or shipping container.
[0022] The drum pallet 10 may be unitary and made entirely from a
single sheet of plastic by thermoforming. While other types of
plastic may be used, a high-density polyethylene (HDPE) may be
preferred.
[0023] The tray 12 may include a top surface 23 having a plurality
of integrally formed, raised support surfaces 24, 26, 28, 30, each
shaped to receive the bottom portion 32 of a container 34, such as
a drum (see FIG. 6). Each of the support surfaces 24, 26, 28, 30
may include integral grooves 36, 38 in a cruciform pattern
extending in the plane of the support surface to provide beam
strength and resistance to deflection.
[0024] The tray 12 also may include a plurality of raised, elongate
dividers 40, 42, 44, 46, each of which may be formed integrally
with, and extend upwardly from the top surface 23 and may extend
along centerlines of the tray between two adjacent support surfaces
24, 26, 28, 30. For example, divider 40 may extend between support
surface 24 and support surface 30, divider 42 may extend between
support surface 24 and support surface 26, divider 44 may extend
between support surface 26 and support surface 28 and divider 46
may extend between support surface 30 and support surface 28.
[0025] Each divider 40, 42, 44, 46 may include a plurality of inner
raised ribs 48, 50, 52, each of which may extend transversely of
the divider toward the center of the adjacent support surfaces 24,
26, 28, 30. The inner raised ribs 48, 50, 52 each may have terminal
portions 53 shaped and positioned to contact and secure a bottom
portion of a container or drum 34 positioned on an associated one
of the support surfaces 24, 26, 28, 30 to prevent relative lateral
movement between the bottom portion and the support surfaces.
[0026] Each side wall 14, 16, 18, 20 of the tray 12 may include two
pairs of outer raised ribs 54, 56 that extend inwardly toward the
center of the associated support surface 24, 26, 28, 30. The pairs
of outer raised ribs 54, 56 are spaced on the side walls 14, 16,
18, 20 such that each support surface 24, 26, 28, 30 includes two
associated pairs of raised ribs 54, 46. Preferably, the outer ribs
54, 56 are positioned directly opposite the inner raised ribs 48,
50, 52 of an opposing divider 40, 42, 44, 46. Outer raised ribs 54,
56 each may include a terminal portion 57 shaped and positioned to
contact and secure a bottom portion of a drum 34 positioned on an
associated one of the support surfaces 24, 26, 28, 30 to prevent
relative lateral movement between the bottom portion of the drum
and the support surface.
[0027] Thus a container or drum 34 positioned on each of the
support surfaces 24, 26, 28, 30 may be engaged by terminal portions
53 of the inner raised ribs 48, 50, 52 on two sides, and the
terminal portions 57 of the outer raised ribs 54, 56 on two
opposing sides. For example, a container or drum 34 positioned on
support surface 26 (see FIG. 1) may be secured in position by
terminal portions 53 of inner raised ribs 48, 50, 52 of divider 42
on a first quadrant, terminal portions 57 of raised ribs 54, 56 of
outer wall 16 on an opposite quadrant, terminal portions 53 of
inner raised ribs of divider 44 on another quadrant, and terminal
portions 57 of outer raised ribs 54, 56 on outer wall 14 on an
opposite quadrant.
[0028] In one aspect, the support surfaces 24, 26, 28, 30 and
associated dividers 40, 42, 44, 46 may be shaped to create
identical and repeatable units within the tray 12. This design may
enable the pallet 10 to be scaled to accommodate any number of
drums 34. Further, the arrangement of support surfaces 24, 26, 28,
30 may be symmetrical about lengthwise and widthwise tray 12
centerlines, so that the pallet 10 may be used in either
orientation, which may facilitate ease of use.
[0029] The top surface 23 of the tray 12 may be shaped to provide a
depression forming a central leg or pedestal 58 that extends
downwardly from the bottom surface 59 (see FIG. 5). Similarly, the
bottom surface 59 may be shaped to form corner pedestals 60, 62,
64, 66, and mid-length pedestals 68, 70, 72, 74 with the side walls
14, 16, 18, 20. The pedestals 60, 62, 64, 66, 68, 70, 72, 74 may be
shaped and spaced to provide two opposing pairs of longitudinal
openings 76, 78 and two opposing pairs of transverse openings 80,
82 sized to receive the forks of a forklift truck or other lifting
device (not shown). The pedestals 60 - 74 may be arranged such that
forks may be inserted beneath any of the side walls 14, 16, 18,
20.
[0030] Also as shown in FIG. 5, the corner pedestals `60, 62, 64,
66 may include arcuate grooves 84, the mid-pedestals 68, 70, 72, 74
each may include pairs of arcuate grooves 86, 88, and the central
pedestal 58 may include four arcuate grooves 90. The portion of the
bottom surface 59 immediately below each of the support surfaces
24, 26, 28, 30 the tray 12 (see FIG. 2) may be bounded by arcuate
grooves 84, 86, 88, 90, which are oriented relative to each other
to form segments of a circle shaped to receive the raised rim 92 of
the container 34 (see FIG. 8). As shown in FIG. 7, the rim 92 of
the container 34 may be received within arcuate groove 86 of
mid-length pedestal 72.
[0031] In this fashion, each of a grouping of four containers 34
positioned beneath a pallet 10 may be prevented from lateral
movement relative to the pallet above it by the engagement of the
rims 92 of the container with the arcuate grooves 84, 86, 88, 90 of
each of the pedestals 58, 60, 62, 64, 66, 68, 70, 72, 74. An
advantage of placing the grooves 84, 86, 88, 90 on the bottom
surfaces of the pedestals 58, 60, 62, 64, 66, 68, 70, 72, 74 may be
that a pallet 10 is capable of stacking securely on the rims 92 of
containers or drums 34 below it and yet provide spaces between the
pedestals and drums to allow forks of a lift truck (not shown) to
be inserted between the pallet and drums (see FIGS. 6 and 8).
[0032] As shown in FIG. 1, in one aspect, the side walls 14, 16,
18, 20 may taper downwardly and inwardly, the vertical walls of the
dividers 40, 42, 44, 46 may taper downwardly and outwardly, and the
vertical walls of the pedestals 60, 62, 64, 66, 68, 70, 72, 74 may
taper downwardly and inwardly. The top surface 23 may be formed
such that the interiors of the pedestals 58, 60, 62, 64, 66, 68,
70, 72, 74 are open and shaped to receive the bottom portions of
pedestals from a second pallet 10' (see FIG. 8). Further, the
bottom surface 59 (see FIG. 5) includes depressions corresponding
to the dividers 40, 42, 44, 46 and shaped to receive the upper
portions of the dividers of a superposed pallet. This construction
enables multiple pallets 10, 10' to be stacked in a nested
relationship when not in use.
[0033] As shown in FIG. 8, a first pallet 10 may be placed on top
of a grouping of four containers 34 such that the rims 92 of the
containers 34 engage the arcuate grooves 84, 86, 88, 90 (see FIG.
5) and are restrained from relative lateral movement. At the same
time, a second pallet 10' may receive the bottom portions 32 of the
containers 34 on the support surfaces 24, 26, 28, 30 (see FIG. 1)
and likewise constrain relative lateral movement, while at the same
time elevating the containers to enable the entire structure to be
lifted by a forklift device (not shown).
[0034] The pallet 10 described herein may have the advantage of
being unitary in construction, shaped such that it is stackable and
nestable, made up of repeating units to provide a measure of
scalability and include forklift channels both in a longitudinal
and a transverse direction. The single-piece pallet 10 disclosed
herein facilitates the stacking of containers, such as drums, in
that it receives the bottom portions of containers on support
surfaces formed in its upper surface, and receives the upper rims
of the drums in its underside.
* * * * *