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 stacking support that has a plurality of sidewalls extending along a longitudinal axis that define an open ended longitudinally extending channel. The sidewalls may define a substantially square cross-sectional shape. Tubes and/or angled corner braces may be positioned at the corners of the substantially square cross-sectional shape. The stacking support may be constructed entirely of aluminum or an aluminum alloy. One or more items may be stacked upon two or more stacking supports. Optionally, the stacking support may be supported by at least one a slider, roller, or caster on a support surface. The stacking support may be coupled to an underside of a platform along with one or more like stacking supports to create a stacking assembly. One or more items may be stacked upon the stacking assembly.

A structural element (10) for forming a panel, with an upper plane (12) and lower plane (14) which are parallel and deformed along their plane at intervals by pods (16) which extrude toward the opposing plane with their internal faces mating to one another.

A plastic pallet and method of construction that permits plastic pallets of numerous different sizes and options to be easily produced from only a very small inventory of parts and without requiring a user to purchase or construct numerous different shapes and sizes of molds in order to produce a wide variety of pallets of various shapes, sizes and options.

The invention relates to a plastic pallet (1) with an upper part (2) provided with female foot parts (4, 4′) and skids (3, 3′) provided with male foot parts (5, 5′). The male foot parts (5, 5′), together with the female foot parts (4, 4′), form feet (21, 21′), with the foot parts (4, 4′) of the upper part and the foot parts (5, 5′) of the skids (3 3′) being fastened to one another by means of snap connections (6). Each male foot part (5, 5′) includes at least two snap hooks (8), which are arranged with mirror symmetry in pairs and which each have a hook head (9) with undercut (91), a snap arm (8′) and a rear side (10), the undercuts (9′) of the hook heads (9) facing away from one another and the rear sides (10) of the snap hooks (8) facing towards one another. Each female foot part (4, 4′) includes at least one latch element (7), into which the hook heads (9) are engaged, forming a snap connection (6) in each case. The female foot parts (4, 4′) are integrally connected to the upper part (2). Each female foot part (4, 4′) includes at least one securing element (12), each with at least one free end (13), the securing element (12) being integrally connected to the female foot part (4, 4′), and the securing element (12) protruding into an intermediate space (24) between the rear sides (10) of the snap hooks (8) so that the snap hooks (8) remain in the engaged position.

The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a laminated object. A foam core and a skin are provided and the foam core and the skin are arranged relative to each other. The skin is heated. The skin is pierced by a vacuum application device. Further, vacuum is applied via the vacuum application device so as to withdraw a gaseous medium, in particular air, from within the foam core and from a space or spaces between the foam core and the skin, in order to draw the skin towards the foam core. Furthermore, the invention provides a manufacturing device for manufacturing a laminated object, laminated objects comprising a foam core and a skin, a method for producing pallets comprising a foam core and a skin, as well as pallets comprising a foam core and a skin.

A convertible pallet assembly, and associated method of making the convertible pallet, includes a first, planar pallet surface, and a second, planar support surface spaced therefrom. First and second sidewalls extend in parallel relation between the pallet surface and the support surface from adjacent opposite sides thereof. The sidewalls include first and second wheels with respective rotational axes that extend perpendicular to the sidewalls. An actuation mechanism is associated with each sidewall. The actuation mechanism has (i) a first position that allows the first and second wheels on one side to move upwardly and downwardly relative to the sidewall in a non-load carrying condition, and (ii) a second position such that the first and second wheels on the one side project outwardly from the support surface in a load carrying condition whereby the assembly can be rolled on the wheels as a cart.

A structural element (10) for forming a panel, with an upper plane (12) and lower plane (14) which are parallel and deformed along their plane at intervals by pods (16) which extrude toward the opposing plane with their internal faces mating to one another.

A reconfigurable pallet/dolly platform includes a top deck that includes a product support surface and an opposing underside. The underside includes pallet support leg attachment areas for receiving pallet support legs when configured as a pallet, and dolly wheel attachment areas for receiving dolly wheels when configured as a dolly. The product support surface includes pallet support leg receiving areas aligned with the pallet support leg attachment areas and configured to engage the pallet support legs from an identical platform stacked thereon when configured as a pallet. The product support surface also includes dolly wheel receiving areas aligned with the dolly wheel wells and configured to engage the dolly wheels from an identical platform stacked thereon when configured as a dolly. Each dolly wheel receiving area partially overlaps with one of the pallet support leg receiving areas.

A pallet includes a top deck that includes a product support surface and an opposing underside, and with the product support surface including a pair of pallet support leg receiving areas. A pair of pallet support legs is on the underside of the top deck and aligned with the pallet support leg receiving areas. Each pallet support leg including a center leg section having a first end adjacent the underside of the top deck and a second end opposite the first end, and a pair of leg extensions extending outwards from the second end of the center leg section. An underside of the center leg section and the pair of leg extensions are configured to engage one of the pallet support leg receiving areas of an identical pallet when stacked thereon.