US20100095875A1 - Pallet with floor clearance - Google Patents

Abstract

A pallet may include a deck having a load carrying surface and a lower surface, and at least two spaced apart support legs. The legs may have one or more passages formed therethrough at a level beneath the lower surface of the deck to enable receipt of packaging material through the legs and beneath the deck to facilitate securing an object to the deck. The legs and deck may be made out of plastic materials, and may be formed in one-piece or in separate pieces connected together by complementary and mated connection features. The deck may include a plurality of friction elements adapted to engage an object on the deck to, for example, reduce slippage of the object relative to the deck.

Description

REFERENCE TO CO-PENDING APPLICATION
• This application claims the benefit of, and incorporates by reference in its entirety, U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/106,975 filed Oct. 20, 2008.
TECHNICAL FIELD
• The present invention relates generally to pallets, and more particularly to a pallet with floor clearance.
BACKGROUND
• Wood pallets have been used in the handling and transport of various bulk goods and materials. Typical pallets have a lower surface defined by horizontal slats of wood that rest mostly flat on the ground, with minimal or no floor clearance, and provide openings of relatively small width and height to receive the tines of a forklift truck or the like.
SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE
• A pallet may include a deck having a load carrying surface and a lower surface, and at least two spaced apart support legs. The legs may have one or more passages formed therethrough at a level beneath the lower surface of the deck to enable receipt of packaging material through the legs and beneath the deck to facilitate securing an object to the deck. The legs and deck may be made out of plastic materials, and may be formed in one-piece or in separate pieces connected together by complementary and mated connection features. The deck may include a plurality of friction elements adapted to engage an object on the deck to, for example, reduce slippage of the object relative to the deck.
• In another implementation, a pallet may include a deck having a load carrying surface, a lower surface, at least one stop surface extending from the lower surface to define a minimum clearance between the deck and the ground when the pallet is on the ground, and at least one friction element removably carried by the deck and having an upper surface engageable by an object on the load carrying surface of the deck. The pallet may also include at least two spaced apart support legs each coupled to the deck and having one or more passages formed through the legs at a level beneath the lower surface of the deck to enable receipt of packaging material through the legs and beneath the deck to facilitate securing an object to the deck.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
• The following detailed description of preferred embodiments and best mode will be set forth with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
• FIG. 1 is a top perspective view of one implementation of a pallet illustrating a deck and support legs;
• FIG. 2 is a bottom perspective view of one implementation of a pallet illustrating the deck and support legs;
• FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an upper surface of one section of the deck;
• FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a lower surface of one section of the deck;
• FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a support leg;
• FIG. 6 is a side view of a support leg;
• FIG. 7 is a plan view of the pallet;
• FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A inFIG. 7;
• FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view taken along line B-B inFIG. 7;
• FIG. 10 is a top perspective view of another implementation of a pallet illustrating a one-piece body having a deck and support legs, with a series of friction elements carried by the deck;
• FIG. 11 is a bottom perspective view of the pallet ofFIG. 10;
• FIG. 12 is cross-sectional view as taken along C-C ofFIG. 11.
• FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view taken along line D-D ofFIG. 10, with the friction element removed;
• FIG. 14 is a top perspective view of one of the friction elements ofFIG. 10; and
• FIG. 15 is a bottom perspective view of the friction element ofFIG. 13.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
• Referring in more detail to the drawings,FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate apallet10 upon which products may be stacked or received to facilitate movement and handling of the products. Thepallet10 includes a load carrying surface ordeck12 and supportlegs14 that raise thedeck12 off the floor or ground surface on which thelegs14 rest. So constructed and arranged, at least part of a cart, forklift or the like may be positioned beneath the load carrying surface and then raised to lift thepallet10 off the ground.
• As shown inFIGS. 1-4, and7 thedeck12 may have a generally planar load carrying surface with one ormore pockets16 formed therein. Thepockets16 may includeopenings15 through the load carrying surface andopenings17 through an adjacent side surface of thedeck12. Two rows ofpockets16 may be provided along opposed sides of thedeck12 to which thesupport legs14 are connected. Eachpocket16 may define at least part of a connection feature that receives or mates with a complimentary portion of asupport leg14. In more detail, the connection feature may include a finger orflange18.
• As shown inFIGS. 3 and 4, thedeck12 in one form may have everyother pocket16 with aflange18 that may be connected to aninside wall19 that may define part of thepocket16. Theother pockets16 may includeflanges18 that may be spaced from theinside wall19 of thosepockets16 to provide agap23 and may be connected to only theside walls20 of thosepockets16. Of course, every pocket, none of the pockets, or any suitable combination or configuration of the pockets may include flanges that may be connected to theinside wall19. As shown inFIG. 4, all theflanges18 may be formed at a height below the load carrying surface, and of the same thickness, if desired. Eachflange18 may also have ahole21 formed therethrough to receive a fastener as will be discussed in more detail below. Thedeck12 and its connection features may be integrally formed in one-piece, such as by molding thedeck12 from a polymeric material. Reinforcement may be provided in or on thedeck12 as it is molded, or after it is molded, as desired.
• As best shown inFIGS. 1,2,5 and6, thesupport legs14 may include alower surface22 which may be adapted to engage the ground and may be discontinuous such thatdiscrete feet24 are provided to engage the ground. Forklift tines may be received in thegaps26 between adjacent feet to facilitate movement of a loadedpallet10. Thesupport legs14 may also include inside andoutside surfaces28,30. Eachpallet10 may includesupport legs14 along two opposed sides of thedeck12 with theinside surfaces28 of thelegs14 spaced apart to define an open space32 (labeled inFIG. 1) between thelegs14 and beneath a lower surface of thedeck12. To facilitate a strong connection between thedeck12 andsupport legs14, thesupport legs14 may also include connection features adapted to be mated with the connection features of thedeck12.
• In one implementation, the connection features of thesupport legs14 may include upper andlower fingers34,36 that may be spaced apart to define a slot in which one of theflanges18 of thedeck12 may be received. A plurality of the pairs of upper andlower fingers34,36 may be provided, with one pair of fingers for eachflange18. As best shown inFIG. 9, theupper fingers34 in one form may be longer than thelower fingers36 and eachflange18 connected to theinside wall19 of itspocket16 may have anupper surface38 that is correspondingly longer than itslower surface40 to closely receive each of the upper and lower fingers.Gaps42 between adjacent pairs offingers34,36 may be filled by projections44 (FIG. 4) located betweenadjacent pockets16 on thedeck12 providing closely interlocked structures of thedeck12 and supportlegs14 for arigid pallet10. Thefingers34,36 may also include coaxially alignedopenings46 therethrough to receive a fastener as described below. Thefingers34,36 and remainder of thelegs14 may be integrally formed in one-piece such as by molding thelegs14 from a polymeric material. Reinforcement may be provided in or on thelegs14 as they are molded, or after molding, as desired.
• In assembly, thefingers34,36 of asupport leg14 may be slid into theside openings17 ofrespective pockets16 in thedeck12. Theflanges18 in eachpocket16 may each be received between the upper andlower fingers34,36 of an aligned pair offingers34,36, and theprojections44 of thedeck12 located between thepockets16 may be received in thegaps42 between adjacent pairs offingers34,36 on thesupport leg14. A fastener, such as abolt48, may be inserted through the aligned openings in each set ofmated fingers34,36 andflanges18, as shown inFIG. 8. Anut50 may be tightened on thebolt48 to retain the bolt and the interconnection of thefingers34,36 andflanges18. Although not shown, each pair of fingers and its corresponding flange may receive a bolt through the aligned holes and a nut may be tightened on the bolt. In this manner, thelegs14 anddeck12 may be releasably coupled together such that they can be disconnected and stored flat to, for example, save space.
• Referring toFIG. 8, theupper fingers34 may overlie aflange18 that is not connected to theinside wall19 and may be partially overlapped by thedeck12. That is, theupper fingers34 in thesepockets16 may be received over theflange18, and under thedeck12 material disposed above thepocket16. The material of thedeck12 that overlies a portion of theupper fingers34 of certain of the pairs of fingers may provide a wall that thefinger34 engages when a force is applied tending to rotate theleg14 clockwise as viewed inFIG. 8.
• Referring toFIG. 9, theupper fingers34 may overlie theflanges18 that are connected to the inside wall of theirpockets16, may contact theflanges18 along their entire length, and may engage theinside wall19 of thepocket16. A force applied to theleg14 that tends to rotate theleg14 counterclockwise as viewed inFIG. 9, is resisted by engagement of theupper finger34 with theflange18, and theinside wall19 of the pocket16 (that is, the material of thedeck12 at the inside wall of the pocket16). Thelower fingers36 may also engage a corresponding portion of theinside wall19 of thepocket16.
• Accordingly, forces tending to displace aleg14 inwardly or outwardly relative to thedeck12 may be offset by engagement of the fingers with the deck as well as the resistance of theflange18 to rotation. This may provide increased rigidity of the interconnection between thelegs14 and thedeck12, and avoid undue twisting of the matedflanges18 andfingers34,36. Providingpockets16 of relatively short length, and offsetting or alternating thepockets16 that includeflanges18 connected to theinside wall19 andpockets16 that includeflanges18 not connected to theinside wall19, may provide a construction wherein no continuous or significant length of asupport leg14 may be more susceptible to deflection due to a force that may be applied in one direction. This may improve the overall rigidity and stability of thepallet10.
• Thesupport legs14 and/ordeck12 may also include one ormore slots56. Theslots56 may receive and retain a portion of packaging material, such as plastic wrap, that may be provided around a product stacked on thepallet10 to retain the product on thepallet10. The retainingslots56 facilitate application of the plastic wrap, or other packaging material, to thepallet10 and product thereon.
• In one implementation, thelegs14 are longer than an individual deck section. More than one deck section may be provided on each leg, as shown inFIGS. 1 and 2. Additionally, the deck sections may be spaced apart providing a gap between them (with the gap left open or filled by another deck section or the like), and may overhang one or both ends of thelegs14 to provide a longer orwider deck12. Of course, other arrangements are possible. For example, thelegs14 could be made shorter than or the same length as a single deck section. Thelegs14 may be of identical construction such that a different configuredleg14 for each side of thedeck12 may not be needed. In this manner, thepallet10 shown inFIGS. 1 and 2 may be formed from twoidentical legs14 and twoidentical deck12 sections.
• Thedeck12 may also have reliefs formed therein to improve the stability of stackedpallets10. Thedeck12 could also have an upper surface of relatively high frictional material (e.g. rubber or a relatively rough surface) to reduce product slippage on thepallet10. Also, reliefs, such as grooves, could be formed in thedeck12 to receive strips of higher friction material. The inside surface of thelegs14 and the areas including and surrounding thefingers34,36 of thelegs14 are shown inFIGS. 1 and 2 with reduced material thickness and associated ribs provided for rigidity. Other portions of the legs and deck may also be reduced in thickness and ribbed or otherwise braced with features designed to improve the strength and/or rigidity of these components.
• Referring toFIGS. 10 and 11, apallet110 in another form may have adeck112 and a pair ofsupport legs114, and may be similar to thepallet10 ofFIG. 1 having thedeck12 and thelegs14. However, thepallet110 may have a one-piece body that may include thedeck112 and thelegs114 as integral portions, as compared with thepallet10 ofFIG. 1 having thedeck12 and thelegs14 as separate parts attached together. Thepallet110 may be injection molded from a polymeric material. Of course, the pallet may be made of various materials by other manufacturing methods and/or include two or more separate parts attached together. Thedeck112 may include a load carryingupper surface115 and alower surface117. One or both of the upper andlower surfaces115,117 may be discontinuous, for example, including open hollows and webs or flanges arranged for stiffness and strength, as opposed to continuous (that is, a solid flat surface). Thelower surface117, whether continuous or not, may include one or more stop surfaces119 extending from a portion of the lower surface. The stop surface(s)119 defines a minimum clearance between thedeck112 and the ground, and is arranged to engage a portion of a cart (or other transport device used to move the pallet) inserted between thelegs114 to limit lateral movement of the pallet relative to the cart or other transport device. There may be a plurality of stop surfaces119 provided, with aspace121 between them. Thespace121 between them may be sized and arranged to receive a portion of the cart or other device therein and between the stop surfaces. In addition, thepallet110 may include various other features similar to those of thepallet10 ofFIG. 1, with some of these features being designated by similar reference numerals only with the addition of the prefix “1” to provide respective reference numerals in the one hundred series.
• Thelegs114 or the deck may carry one or more spaced apart catches155 to provide a location upon which packaging materials such as shrink wrapping, a cord or cover may be anchored or attached so that those materials may, for example, secure a product to thepallet110 or instead may secure a tower of stacked pallets together. Eachcatch155 in this implementation may have aslot156 located at a respective corner of thepallet110 to receive packaging materials. Theslots156 may extend below the load carrying surface of the deck and may be downwardly oriented or open facing the ground. Of course, more or less than four catches may be arranged in various configurations on thelegs114 and/ordeck112, and each catch may include other openings, detents, hook or other fasteners to attach or receive packaging material. As shown inFIG. 12, thelegs114 may also include one ormore passages158 formed through or partially into the legs and adapted to receive belts, straps, cords or other packaging material looped through the passages, below the deck and over product on the deck to secure the product to the pallet or secure a tower of stacked pallets together. These or other slots orpassages158 could be used as handles. In addition, thelegs114 and/ordeck112 may have one ormore surfaces160 adapted to receive labels, tags, stickers, badges, or other identification mechanisms of the radio frequency, UPC, trademark or merely textual type. Thesurfaces160 may be recessed from an outer surface of thepallet110 or aligned therewith as desired. Further, as best shown inFIG. 11, eachleg114 may include one portion of a stackingfeature162 to facilitate stacking of two ormore pallets110 on top of each other. This portion of the stacking feature in one implementation may be one ormore sockets164 formed in one or more of thefeet124 of thelegs114.
• As shown inFIG. 10, thedeck112 may have another portion of the stackingfeature162 to further facilitate stacking of two or more pallets on top of each other. This portion of the stacking feature may include one ormore projections166 sized to be received within the socket(s)164 of another pallet stacked thereon to prevent this upper pallet from sliding off the lower pallet. A like number and arrangement ofsockets164 andprojections166 may be formed.
• Referring toFIGS. 10 and 13, thedeck112 may also have a series of spaced apart recesses or seats168. One or more of theseats168 may be circular or noncircular as desired. Eachseat168 may have one or more sidewalls170 that may extend from thedeck112 and may terminate with a base172 having upper andlower sides178,180. Theupper side178 may be spaced apart from thedeck112 to provide theseat168 with a predetermined depth. The base172 may include aretention feature174, which in this implementation may include acentral aperture176 extending between the upper andlower sides178,180 and a pair ofopposed openings182 disposed about thecentral aperture176 and also extending between the upper andlower sides178,180. Of course, the retention feature may include more or less openings and apertures, and may also include an adhesive, one portion of a sonic weld or other various other fasteners.
• Referring toFIG. 10, thepallet110 may also have a series offriction elements184 carried within a respective one of theseats168. As shown inFIGS. 14 and 15, thefriction element184 in one implementation may be a one-piece pad186 having abody188 with upper andlower surfaces190,192, one ormore fasteners194 extending from thelower surface192, and one ormore protuberances196 or friction surfaces on or extending from theupper surface190. The one-piece pad186 may be made of an elastomeric or soft plastic material having a hardness that may be less than the hardness of thedeck112. Of course, thefriction element184 may be made of other suitable materials including two or more components coupled together, may also have a hardness greater or less than that of thedeck112 and/or may be coated or textured to provide a desired surface finish, frictional engagement, or texture of itsupper surface190. Thefriction elements184 may be removable and replaceable, and may be used as wear surfaces to avoid or reduce wear of the deck and thereby extend the in-service life of the pallet.
• Referring still toFIGS. 14 and 15, thefasteners194 in this implementation may include acentral post198 that may extend from thelower surface192 and ahead200 carried by thepost198 opposite thelower surface192. Thehead200 may have one ormore flanges202 defining alargest diameter portion204 or width that may be greater than both a cross-sectional width of at least a portion of thepost198 and a cross-sectional width of thecentral aperture176 of the seat168 (FIG. 13). Thehead200 may taper down to atip206 that may be sized narrower than thecentral aperture176 of theseat168 to facilitate insertion of thehead200 through thecentral aperture176 so that theflanges202 may engage thelower side178 of the base172 (FIG. 13) to prevent or impede removal of thefriction element184 from theseat168. Also in this regard, thelower surface192 of thebody188 may be carried on thebase172, and theupper surface190 of thebody188 may be aligned with thedeck112. Thefasteners194 may also include a pair ofopposed posts208 disposed about thecentral post198. Theposts208 may be received within a respective one of the opposed openings182 (FIG. 13) to prevent or limit movement of thefriction element184 along any direction transverse to the axes of theposts208, including rotational movement of thefriction element184 within theseat168. Of course, the fastener may include an adhesive, a mating portion of a sonic weld or other suitable fastening mechanisms.
• Finally, theprotuberances196 in one implementation may be made of resilient material having a suitable coefficient of friction which may differ from the coefficient of friction of the deck. Theprotuberances196 may be arranged in any suitable tread or pattern on theupper surface190 of thebody188. Theupper surface190 orprotuberances196 may be arranged at the same height as or raised higher than the load carrying surface of the deck so that theupper surface190 orprotuberances196 are engageable by an object on the load carrying surface of the deck. Theprotuberances196 may deform or compress under the weight of a product placed on thepallet110, to provide a generally high friction interface between the product and thefriction elements184 to prevent or limit slip of the product during its transport. Of course, thefriction element184 may have friction surfaces on itsupper surface190 in replacement of or in combination with theprotuberances196.
• It is contemplated that thepallet110 may not include separate friction elements carried on its deck, but rather include a deck with a textured or patterned load carrying surface, with or without one or more abutments to limit movement of products on the deck during transport of the product. In at least certain implementations, the lowest portion of the deck, which may include one or more stop surfaces119, is at least 9 inches off of the ground when the pallet is received on the ground. Preferably, the lowest portion of the deck may be about 10-12 inches off the ground. Further, the space between inside surfaces of the legs may be about 14-24 inches or more to facilitate receiving a cart or other transport device between the legs and beneath the deck. A minimum open area defined between the legs, the deck and the ground may be about 125 sq.in. to 140 sq.in. Anexemplary pallet10,110 may be about 18 inches wide, about13 inches tall and over 37 inches long, with further exemplary lengths including between 42 and 55 inches. The relative tall height of the pallet facilitates receipt beneath the deck of a cart or other device for transporting the pallets. The relatively narrow width of the pallet facilitates maneuvering the pallet in relatively tight spaces such as narrow aisles in a store or warehouse. And the relatively long length of the pallet facilitates loading the pallet with more product without having to stack the product as high, and therefore, can improve the sight lines or vision above and around the pallet and product.
• While the forms of the invention herein disclosed constitute presently preferred embodiments, many others are possible. Features identified with regard to one embodiment may also, where possible, be employed in other embodiments. As just one example, stopsurfaces119 could also be employed with thepallet10. It is not intended herein to mention all the possible equivalent forms or ramifications of the invention. It is understood that the terms used herein are merely descriptive, rather than limiting, and that various changes may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention.

Claims (20)

1. A pallet, comprising:

a deck having a load carrying surface and a lower surface; and

at least two spaced apart support legs each coupled to the deck, the legs being spaced apart to enable receipt of a cart between the legs and having one or more passages formed through the legs at a level beneath the lower surface of the deck to enable receipt of packaging material through the legs and beneath the deck to facilitate securing an object to the deck.

2. The pallet ofclaim 1 wherein the legs are formed in one-piece with the deck out of a plastic material, and the passages are openings formed through the legs.

3. The pallet ofclaim 1 which also includes at least one catch formed in at least one of the legs or the deck, the catches providing a location upon which packaging material may be anchored relative to the deck.

4. The pallet ofclaim 3 wherein said at least one catch includes a slot formed in at least one of the legs or the deck.

5. The pallet ofclaim 1 wherein the deck includes at least one projection and at least one leg includes at least one socket sized to receive said at least one projection of an adjacent pallet when one pallet is stacked upon another pallet with the legs of one pallet disposed on the deck of another pallet.

6. The pallet ofclaim 5 wherein each leg includes at least one socket and the deck includes a like number and arrangement of projections.

7. The pallet ofclaim 1 which also includes a plurality of spaced apart seats formed in the load carrying surface of the deck, and a friction element disposed in each seat and having a surface engageable by an object on the load carrying surface of the deck.

8. The pallet ofclaim 7 wherein the friction elements are releasably received in the seats so that the friction elements may be removed from the deck.

9. The pallet ofclaim 7 wherein said surface of the friction elements are formed of a material having a hardness that is less than the hardness of the material of the deck.

10. The pallet ofclaim 7 wherein at least one seat includes at least two openings therethrough and a friction element disposed in said at least one seat includes a separate post extending into each opening.

11. The pallet ofclaim 10 wherein at least one post includes a head with one or more outwardly extending flanges defining a portion of the head that is larger than both the cross-sectional size of the post and the cross-sectional size of the opening in which said at least one post is received, and said head is pushed through the opening in assembly so that the flange overlies the opening and retains the friction element in the seat.

12. The pallet ofclaim 1 wherein the deck includes a stop surface adjacent to the lower surface that defines a minimum clearance between the deck and the ground, and the stop surface is arranged to engage a portion of a cart inserted between the legs to limit lateral movement of the pallet relative to the cart.

13. The pallet ofclaim 12 wherein more than one stop surface is provided extending from the lower surface and a space is provided between the stop surfaces.

14. The pallet ofclaim 1 wherein the legs are not formed in one piece with the deck and are coupled to the deck by interlocking fingers and flanges.

15. A pallet, comprising:

a deck having a load carrying surface, a lower surface, at least one stop surface extending from the lower surface to define a minimum clearance between the deck and the ground when the pallet is on the ground, and at least one friction element removably carried by the deck and having an upper surface engageable by an object on the load carrying surface of the deck; and

at least two spaced apart support legs each coupled to the deck and having one or more passages formed through the legs at a level beneath the lower surface of the deck to enable receipt of packaging material through the legs and beneath the deck to facilitate securing an object to the deck.

16. The pallet ofclaim 15 wherein the deck includes a separate seat for each friction element and a plurality of friction elements are provided spaced apart along the load carrying surface of the deck.

17. The pallet ofclaim 15 which also includes at least one catch formed in at least one of the legs or the deck, the catches providing a location upon which packaging material may be anchored relative to the deck.

18. The pallet ofclaim 17 wherein said at least one catch includes a slot formed in at least one of the legs or the deck.

19. The pallet ofclaim 15 wherein the deck includes at least one projection and at least one leg includes at least one socket sized to receive said at least one projection of an adjacent pallet when one pallet is stacked upon another pallet with the legs of one pallet disposed on the deck of another pallet.

20. The pallet ofclaim 19 wherein each leg includes at least one socket and the deck includes a like number and arrangement of projections.

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