A sheet metal pallet assembly includes a deck and an undercarriage. The deck is reinforced about its outer edges by longitudinal and transverse perimeter girding. The deck is further reinforced by one or more transverse reinforcement ribs and interior longitudinal girding. The undercarriage is composed of left and right fork tube risers joined together by bridges. The fork tube risers are configured to receive the tines of a forklift. Each fork tube riser has inner and a outer legs, each splayed at an a respective angle. Preferably, the splay angle of the outer leg is greater than the splay angle of the inner leg. The ends of each fork tube riser are folded over with a hem to improve strength and present a blunt edge. The undercarriage may, optionally, be fabricated from a single monolithic piece of sheet metal.

The present invention relates to a pallet, or like platform, for supporting a load to be lifted or lowered, comprising: a deck having a deck upper surface for placing the load thereon, a load sensor device, comprising a weighing element included in a measuring circuit, wherein the weighing element contacts the deck over a contact area such that the weighing element deforms in unity with the deck and an electrical property of the weighing element varies with the deformation of the weighing element.

A bulk material shipping container including a pallet, a compartment configured to receive, hold, and release loose materials and connected to and supported by the pallet, a material unloading assembly positioned under a bottom portion of the compartment, configured to facilitate the release or unloading of loose materials from the compartment, and connected to and supported by the pallet, and a material loading assembly configured to facilitate the loading of loose materials into the compartment and connected to and partially supported by a top wall assembly of the compartment.

A dispenser transport pallet assembly for transporting a dispenser having a given configuration. The assembly includes a base member having a body with a lower surface and an upper surface. A plurality of rail members extend upward from the upper surface to define a plurality of lower cavities. A top cap has a cover surface with a plurality of rail members extending downward from an inner surface thereof to define a plurality of upper cavities. Each of the upper cavities is aligned with a respective lower cavity and each pair of upper and lower cavities is configured to receive and retain a respective dispenser.

A package for storing and/or shipping cable includes: a platform having a flat panel having upper and lower surfaces, first locating features on the upper surface, and second locating features on the lower surface; a generally cylindrical hub having a first diameter mounted on the upper surface of the flat panel, the hub engaging and being positioned by the first locating features; and a cable coiled around the hub.

Methods are presented which include moving a self-stabilizing platform assembly with product disposed on a deck of the self-stabilizing platform assembly. The self-stabilizing platform assembly includes multiple torque-generating devices, a stability control system to control operation of the multiple torque-generating devices, and the deck to support the product being moved. The methods also include adjusting, by the stability control system, operation of one or more torque-generating devices of the multiple torque-generating devices to produce during the moving a stabilization torque within the self-stabilizing platform assembly to facilitate stabilizing the self-stabilizing platform assembly and product during moving of the self-stabilizing platform assembly and product.

A re-usable, returnable, stackable, modular shipping base incorporates replaceable components to make the base relatively quick and cost effective to repair. The shipping base is formed from a number of stamped or cut sheet materials (e.g., sheet metal) that are then folded and attached to one another using a tab system. When a component is damaged, the damaged component may be removed from the base and replaced with another mass produced, stamped sheet material component. Components are attached to one another via adhesive, stitch welding, skip welding, spot welding, or any other applicable process. Some components (e.g., a center support) may also be assembled using a tab (from the center support) and slot (in a deck pan) system.