In a pallet manufacturing method, variations of pallets, having different thicknesses of pallet bodies, heights of legs, or foaming ratios thereof, are manufactured at low cost and with high quality. The method includes a pallet body molding step for molding a plurality of the pallet bodies of a plurality of types having different thicknesses or expansion ratios of foaming; a leg molding step for molding, separately from the pallet body, a plurality of legs of a plurality of types having different heights or expansion ratios of foaming; and a vacuum forming step for forming a resin sheet for covering and integrating the pallet body and the legs from a bottom surface side of the pallet by vacuum integral forming after the pallet body and the legs are selected, respectively, from the plurality of types and assembled in a state that the legs are mounted on the pallet body.

A pallet assembly includes a support assembly and a base assembly. The support assembly has a deck molded from a plastic shell material and male fittings that extend away from a lower surface of said deck. The base assembly includes a stringer that defines a plurality of openings which extend through the entirety of the stringer. A female fitting extends completely through each of the openings in the stringer so that the base of each of the female fittings is flush with or extends beyond the bottom surface of said stringer. Each of the male fittings corresponds to a female fitting, attaching said support assembly to said base assembly.

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.

A cage can be positioned around a medical balloon, such as an angioplasty balloon, to assist in a medical procedure. The cage can include a plurality of strips, each extending between a set of rings including first and second rings. As the balloon expands, the first and second rings move closer together and allow the strips to expand outward. The cage may have wedge dissectors on the strips.

A system and technique has been developed to print graphics on a pallet. In one form, the graphics are printed on one of the decks of the pallet. The graphics in one variation are printed on a deck that is in the form of a flat, contiguous surface via a flatbed printer. The flatbed printer has a printer head that forms a gap that is able to accommodate the deck of the pallet. After printing, the deck is assembled with the rest of the pallet. The graphics can include text and images. In one form, the graphics include a packing template that shows how at least one packing layer should be packed on the pallet.

The present invention relates to a pallet with impact resistant columns (3) comprising a structure for the distribution of impact energy (4) configured for the distribution of impact forces, at the same time as its internal structure deforms and is compacted upon receiving impacts, such that the pallet remains functional although its columns (3) are permanently deformed and/or partially fractured.

A cage can be positioned around a medical balloon, such as an angioplasty balloon, to assist in a medical procedure. The cage can include a plurality of strips, each extending between a set of rings including first and second rings. As the balloon expands, the first and second rings move closer together and allow the strips to expand outward. The cage may have wedge dissectors on the strips.

The present invention provides a thinner, movable load bearing structure having indentations, grooves, valleys, channels or other similar depressions on its underside. These depressions are mated with corresponding features for improved loading bearing capabilities. The load bearing structures also includes roughened side edges for improving the strength of the edges. The load bearing structure may be a dunnage platform or a container for storing and/or shipping cargo.

A bulk material shipping container including a pallet, a compartment mounted on the pallet, a material unloading assembly, and a material loading assembly.

Pallet (1) comprised of at least one loading plane (2), on which goods or the like are placed during use of the pallet, and at least one pallet foot (3) or several pallet feet (3). The loading plane (2) is comprised of at least one first material layer (10) of corrugated fiberboard and at least one second material layer (11) of corrugated fiberboard and at least one third material layer (14) of corrugated fiberboard which are joined together by gluing. The adjacent material layers' corrugated mediums are twisted in relation to one another. The loading plane (2) is further comprised of at least one surrounding covering that encloses or essentially encloses the material layers and that the enclosing covering is comprised of at least one first shroud (8) and at least one second shroud (9) of water repellent or water resistant material. In alternative embodiments, the pallet is comprised of at least one pallet collar (4).