o 00
CN
AUSTRALIA
Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDARD PATENT Applicant(s): REHRIG PACIFIC COMPANY Invention Title:
PALLET
The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me/us: O PALLET O4) BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No.
0 5 60/716,019 filed on September 9, 2005.
This invention relates to a pallet. Pallets are often used to store and transport N goods. Pallets maintain the goods at a distance above the floor such that they can readily be lifted and moved by a forklift. Plastic pallets are lighter and more durable Sthan wooden pallets. Some plastic pallets include a deck from which a plurality of columns extends downwardly. Fork-receiving openings are defined between the columns.
Some plastic pallets are nestable, i.e. the columns of an empty pallet are partially received within the columns of an empty pallet stacked there below. This reduces the overall stacking height of the empty pallets.
Other pallets include a lower deck or stringers (or running boards) connecting the bottoms of the columns. This improves the stability of the loaded pallets when stacked. However, the stringer pallets do not nest when empty and therefore have a higher stacking height.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A pallet according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a deck and a plurality of columns extending downwardly from the deck. The columns have hollow interiors that open upwardly through the deck, such that the pallet is nestable, i.e. the columns of a similar pallet will be at least partially received within the columns of the pallet when stacked thereon.
A plurality of running boards is removably connectable to the bottoms of the columns. The running boards improve the stability of the pallet when stacked with other loaded pallets. Prior to connection to a pallet, the running boards are nestable with one another when stacked.
The pallet deck includes a plurality of reinforcement pockets formed therein between adjacent pair of columns. The reinforcement pockets increase the stiffness and strength of the deck, while permitting the pallet to be molded as a single part.
O BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 0Other advantages of the present invention can be understood by reference to tthe following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein: 00 5 Figure 1 is a perspective view of a pallet according to the present invention.
Figure 2 is top view of the pallet.
(Ni Figure 3 is a bottom view of the pallet.
r Figure 4 is an end view of the pallet.
SFigure 5 is a side view of the pallet.
Figure 6 is a perspective view the pallet of Figure 1 connected to a plurality Sof running boards.
Figure 7 is an end view of the pallet and running boards of Figure 6.
Figure 8 is a side view of the pallet and running boards of Figure 6.
Figure 9 is a bottom view of the pallet and running boards of Figure 6.
Figure 10 is a top view of the pallet and running boards of Figure 6.
Figure 11 is a perspective view of the pallet of Figure 1 nested with a similar pallet.
Figure 12 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the running boards of Figure 6.
Figure 13 is a perspective view of the running board of Figure 12 nested with a similar running board.
Figure 14 is a side view of the running boards of Figure 13.
Figure 15 is a sectional view of the running boards of Figure 14.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A pallet 10 according to the present invention is shown in Figure 1. The pallet 10 includes a deck 12 from which extend downwardly a plurality of corner columns 14a, side columns 14b, end columns 14c and a center column 14d, henceforth collectively referenced generally as "columns 14." Each column 14 defines an interior 15 opening upwardly through the deck 12. The deck 12 includes a lip 16 extending downwardly from a peripheral edge of the deck 12.
ID A plurality of reinforcement pockets 18 are molded into the upper surface of 0 the deck 12 between each adjacent pair of columns 14. Each reinforcement pocket b18 extends from one column 14 to the adjacent column 14 and includes a pair of opposed side walls 20, a pair of opposed end walls 22, perpendicular ribs 24 and a 0 5 floor 26. The floor 26 is generally parallel to the upper surface of the deck 12 and in a plane spaced downwardly from the upper surface of the deck 12.
Figure 2 is a top view of the pallet 10. Figure 3 is a bottom view of the pallet 10. Each column 14 includes a peripheral wall 30 and a bottom wall 32. A pair of Oapertures 34 are formed through the bottom wall 32.
S 10 Referring to Figure 3, a plurality of small gussets 36 extend from the lip 16 Sof the deck 12 to the side walls 20 of the reinforcement pockets 18. The gussets 36 reinforce the periphery of the deck 12 outward of the reinforcement pockets 18. The gussets 36 also provide angled leading surfaces for contact with the forks of a forklift lifting the pallet 10, to reduce the force of impact of the forks with the deck 12 and/or reinforcement pockets 18.
Figure 4 is an end view of the pallet 10. Figure 5 is a side view of the pallet Each of the columns 14 includes a plurality of notches 38 formed in each side of the column 14. In the embodiment shown, the notches 38 are not formed in the ends of the columns 14, but could be formed in the ends in addition to or instead of the sides.
Figure 6 is a perspective view the pallet 10 of Figure 1 connected to a plurality of running boards 40. Each of the running boards 40 includes a plurality of pockets 42 connected by runners 44.
Figure 7 is an end view of the pallet 10 and running boards 40 of Figure 6.
Figure 8 is a side view of the pallet 10 and running boards 40 of Figure 6. Figure 9 is a bottom view of the pallet 10 and running boards 40 of Figure 6.
Figure 10 is a top view of the pallet 10 and running boards 40 of Figure 6.
Snap-fit tabs 46 of the running boards 40 (Figure 9) are snap-fit into the apertures 34 in the bottom walls 32 of the columns 14 to removably secure the running boards (Figure 9) to the pallet Figure 11 is a perspective view of the pallet 10 of Figure 1 nested with a similar pallet 10'. The columns 14' of the upper pallet 10' are partially received ID within the interiors 15 of the columns 14 of the pallet 10. This reduces the overall 0 stacking height of the empty pallets 10, Figure 12 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of one of the running boards 40 of Figures 6-10. Each of the pockets 42 includes two pair of 00 5 flexible snap-fit tabs 46 projecting upwardly from the bottom wall of the pocket 42.
Each pocket 42 further includes two opposing pair of protrusions 48 into the pocket IC 42. The running board 40 is identical to those in Figures 6-10, with the exception that it further includes a pair of pyramids 50 projecting upwardly from the runners 44 adjacent each outer pocket 42. The pyramids 50 interlock with a recess on the ID 10 underside of a similar running board 40' stacked thereon as shown in Figure 13.
SFigure 13 is a perspective view of the running board 40 of Figure 7 nested with a similar running board 40'. Figure 14 is a side view of the running boards of Figure 13. Figure 15 is a sectional view of the running boards 40, 40' of Figure 14. The pyramids 50 of the lower running board 40 are partially received within recesses on the underside of the upper running board 40', such that ribs 52' projecting downwardly from the runner 44' are interlocked between the pyramids for more stable stacking of multiple running boards 40, The pallet 10 and runners 40 may be injection molded, compression molded, thermoformed, twin sheet thermoformed or formed by some other suitable process of a plastic, such as polypropylene or HDPE.
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 In the claims which follow and in the preceding description of the invention, except where the context requires otherwise due to express language or necessary implication, the word "comprise" or variations such as "comprises" or "comprising" is used in an inclusive sense, i.e. to specify the presence of the stated features but not to preclude the presence or addition of further features in various embodiments of the invention.
It is to be understood that, if any prior art publication is referred to herein, such reference does not constitute an admission that the publication forms a part of the common general knowledge in the art, in Australia or any other country.