High load plastic pallet

Abstract

A pallet having a unique runner system where each runner opens into the upper deck of the pallet or opens away from the upper deck, and each runner is formed of a construction of z girts back to back resulting in a flattened V or U. Each runner may optionally include an elongated notch on its bottom surface or an opening to allow forklift tines to slide into for easy transport of the pallet. The pallet may also include cross runners of similar construction for additional strength. The pallet's construction allows the pallet to be made of plastic material, perhaps molded, providing lighter weight and longer durability than its wooden cousins.

Claims

1. A pallet comprised substantially of plastic having a deck portion comprised of a plurality of intersecting ribs and a runner system comprising at least two runners wherein each said runner comprises first and second z-girts arranged back-to-back along an entire length of its respective runner and connected by a juncture so as to form a continuous uninterrupted channel in an upper side of the pallet, the channel continuously extending along a length of the runner across a majority of a length of the pallet, the channel having a uniform uninterrupted width, recessed from the upper side of the pallet, along an entire length of the channel, each of the first and second z-girts comprising a first surface forming the juncture and forming a floor of the channel, a second surface forming the upper side of the pallet and an angled surface obliquely extending from the first surface to the second surface along the entire length of the channel, diverging outwardly away from the other of the first and second z-girts, wherein the first and second z-girts are directly connected to one another by the junction along the entire length of the continuous uninterrupted channel across the majority of the length of the pallet.

2. The pallet of claim 1, wherein the pallet comprises a unitary plastic structure having a weight of less than or equal to 20 pounds.

3. The pallet of claim 1 further comprising at least one cross runner oriented at an angle between and associated with the at least two runners.

4. A plurality of pallets of claim 1 wherein said pallets are nestable relative to one another by aligning each runner of an upper pallet with a runner of a lower pallet below it and allowing the runner of the upper pallet to nest within the runner of the lower pallet.

5. The pallet of claim 1, wherein the at least two runners comprises: a first runner having a first pair of spaced notches on an underside of the pallet; a second runner having a second pair of spaced notches on the underside of the pallet; and a third runner having a third pair of spaced notches on the underside of the pallet, wherein the first pair of spaced notches, the second pair of spaced notches and the third pair of spaced notches are each in alignment with one another.

6. The pallet of claim 1, wherein the deck portion comprises a web formed by the plurality of interconnected ribs, the web extending between, interconnected to and supported by the at least two runners.

7. The pallet of claim 6, wherein the at least two runners comprises: a first runner along a first edge of the pallet; a second runner along a second edge of the pallet, opposite the first edge; a plurality of central runners between the first runner and the second runner; the first web between the first runner and the plurality of central runners, the first web being formed by the plurality of interconnected ribs; and a second web between the second runner and the plurality of central runners, the second web being formed by the plurality of interconnected ribs.

8. The pallet of claim 7, wherein each of the first runner, the second runner and the plurality of central runners comprises a pair of spaced notches on an underside of the pallet, each pair of spaced notches of each of the first runner, the second runner and the plurality of central runners being aligned with one another.

9. The pallet of claim 7, wherein the plurality of central runners comprises a first central runner and a second central runner, the first central runner and the second central runner being directly adjacent to one another, side-by-side one another, wherein the second surface of the first z-girt of the first central runner is directly connected to the second surface of the first z-girt of the second central runner.

10. The pallet of claim 7, wherein the at least two runners further comprises: a third runner directly adjacent to the first runner, side-by-side the first runner with directly connected second surfaces; and a fourth runner directly adjacent to the second runner, side-by-side the second runner with directly connected second surfaces.

11. The pallet of claim 1, wherein the at least two runners comprises a first runner and a second runner, the pallet further comprising a cross runner extending within the deck portion and extending from the channel of the first runner to the channel of the second runner.

12. The pallet of claim 1, wherein the at least two runners comprises a first runner and a second runner, the pallet further comprising a plurality of cross runners extending parallel to one another within the deck portion from the channel of the first runner to the channel of the second runner.

13. A pallet comprising a deck portion and a runner system of generally unitary construction wherein said runner system comprises at least three, each of the at least three runners comprising first and second z-girts arranged back-to-back along an entirety of a length of its respective runner and connected by a juncture so as to form a continuous uninterrupted channel in an upper side of the pallet, the first and second z-girts forming first and second opposite interior side walls of the channel along an entirety of a length of the channel, the interior side walls of the channel continuously extending along the length of the runner across a majority of a length of the pallet, the channel having an uninterrupted uniform width, recessed from the upper side of the pallet, along the entirety of the length of the channel, each of the first and second z-girts comprising a first surface forming the juncture and forming a floor of the channel, a second surface forming the upper side of the pallet and an angled surface obliquely extending from the first surface to the second surface along the entirety of the length of the channel, diverging outwardly away from the other of the first and second z-girts, wherein the first and second z-girts are directly connected to one another by the junction along the entire length of the continuous uninterrupted channel across a majority of the length of the pallet, wherein the at least three runners comprises a first runner having a first pair of spaced notches on an underside of the pallet; a second runner having a second pair of spaced notches on the underside of the pallet and a third runner having a third pair of spaced notches on the underside of the pallet, wherein the first pair of spaced notches, the second pair of spaced notches and the third pair of spaced notches are each in alignment with one another.

14. The pallet of claim 13, wherein the channel of the first runner and the channel of the second runner open to a same plane, the pallet further comprising at least one cross runner extending substantially between the first runner in the second runner, the at least one cross runner opening the same plane.

15. The pallet of claim 13 wherein said pallet is comprised substantially of plastic.

16. The pallet of claim 13 wherein said deck portion has a first edge and a second edge separated by a distance of at least 36 inches and no greater than 48 inches.

17. The pallet of claim 13 wherein the channel of each of the at least three runners opens through the deck portion.

18. The pallet of claim 13, wherein the deck portion comprises a web extending between, interconnected to and supported by the first runner and the second runner.

19. The pallet of claim 13, wherein the first runner extends along a first edge of the pallet, wherein the second runner extends along a second edge of the pallet, opposite the first edge, and wherein the at least three runners further comprises a fourth runner directly adjacent to the third runner, side-by-side the third runner with directly connected second surfaces, the third runner being spaced from the first runner by a web and the fourth runner being spaced from the second runner by a web.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 depicts one embodiment of the pallet of the present invention;

(2) FIG. 2 shows a second embodiment of the present invention;

(3) FIG. 3 depicts a third embodiment;

(4) FIG. 4 is a perspective of a single runner;

(5) FIG. 5 is a perspective of a double runner

(6) FIG. 6 is a drawing of an end view of a runner;

(7) FIG. 7 is a sketch showing the two z girts placed back to back for strength;

(8) FIG. 8 depicts a fourth embodiment comprising cross runners;

(9) FIG. 9 shows the underside of the fourth embodiment;

(10) FIG. 10 a fifth embodiment with cross runners inverted from those in FIG. 8;

(11) FIG. 11 shows the underside of the fifth embodiment.

(12) 10 pallet 20 deck portion 22 first edge of deck portion 24 second edge of deck portion 30 runner system 32 first end of runner 34 second end of runner 35 runner 35a cross runner 36 top of runner 38 bottom of runner 40 depth of runner 40a depth of cross runner 42 V/U/flattened V profile, end view 44 first angled surface 46 first lip 48 second angled surface 50 second lip 52 apex or juncture 54 open space between first and second angled surface 56 elongated notch

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(13) While not wishing to be limited to the following characteristics, one exemplary embodiment comprises a pallet made by a molding process which may be one of several types including but not limited to structural foam molding and injection molding using thermo plastic polymers, said pallet having overall dimensions of between about 48 to about 36 length, about 48 to 36 width, and a runner depth (from deck to V/U/flattened V bottom) of between about 2.5 and about 8. The runner opening into the deck is preferably between about 1 to 4 wide but may be wider or narrower depending on the desired load capacity of the pallet and the specific runner system design. It is possible to mold the pallet of single layer construction, or to employ rotational molding and create a pallet that is double-walled construction and/or hollow at least in part. The thickness of material can be selected to provide strength as needed for the pallet's intended use.

(14) The pallet of the present invention is typically lighter but stronger than most similarly dimensioned wood pallets. The present invention ranges between about 11 pounds and about 20 pounds depending on its intended use. For example, a pallet comprising a runner system of the present invention weighing about 14 pounds will bear the same load, and be far more durable than a wood pallet of the same dimensions weighing 45 pounds.

(15) Finally, in many industries, such as the food industry, the present invention offers an advantage in that the pallet may be anti-microbial or, at least, impermeable to microbial materials.

(16) Pallet 10 comprises a first edge 22 and a second edge 24, a runner system 30 and a deck portion 20. In this embodiment, the runner system 30 comprises at least one runner 35 having a first end 32, a second end 34, a top 36, a bottom 38, a depth 40, and an end profile 42. The profile 42 may be described generally as a V or U or a flattened V and has a first angled surface 44, a first lip 46, a second angled surface 48, a second lip 50, an apex or juncture 52 where said first angled surface 44 and said second angled surface 48 come together, and an open space 54 between said first angled surface 44 and said second angled surface 48. Each runner 35 of the runner system 30 preferably extends the length of the deck portion 20. The bottom 38 of the runner 35 may include means to facilitate ease of transport 56. Said means to facilitate transport may include an elongated notch or notches into which the tines of a forklift may be inserted. The notch or notches 56 on a first runner are aligned with the notch or notches 56 of a second runner 35 in a runner system 30 so that the tines of a forklift may be inserted through all aligned notches. The dimensions (width and depth) of means to facilitate transport may be selected when making the pallet 10 and correspond with its intended use. Said means may even take the form of openings, rather than notches, through which transportation means (including forklift and means other than forklifts) may be threaded. This same means to facilitate transportation may also serve as means for lashing several loaded pallets together, for example, by rope or cable.

(17) The means to facilitate transportation 56 on one runner 35 may not be the same as on another runner; further, the runners 35 on a single pallet 10 may not all be of equal depth 40. These features provide multiple use and design possibilities, allowing flexibility and applicability in a multitude of uses.

(18) The runner system 30 typically comprises more than one runner 35. Each runner 35 in the system 30 may be adjacent directly with another runner or runners 35, perhaps connected by their respective first lips 46 and second lip 50. A runner system 30 may or may not include one or more cross runners 35a. A runner system 30 may be any of several patterns. Many functional runner systems 30 include a runner 35 with a first end 32 located at the pallet's deck portion first edge 22 and stretching to the pallet's deck portion opposite and second edge 24 where the second end 34 is located. In other words, a runner 35 may stretch generally across the pallet's dimension of the pallet of the present invention, but this extension is not required for acceptable functionality. Cross runner 35a may run between two runners 35 of the runner system 30 at any one of many angles to the runners 35 of the runner system 30. A cross runner 35a provides additional strength and may be oriented with its open space 54 open the same direction as the runners 35 in the runner system 30 or may be oriented oppositely. The depth 40a of a cross runner may be less than the depth 40 of a runner 35, to allow ease of nesting. The open space 54 of the cross runner 35a may open into the open space 54 of a runner 35, or may not. The open space 54 of a cross runner 35a may or may not open into the deck portion. This structure, then, allows identical pallets to be nested when not in use; the bottom 38 of a runner 35 on a first pallet will fit into and align with the open space 54 of a runner 35 on a second pallet. It is also possible that the cross runners 35a may be nested with cross runners 35a of another pallet. Two pallets having identical runner systems 30 can, therefore, nest. A pallet having fewer runners in its system may also nest above a pallet with more runners, if the runners have correct and corresponding spacing. This nesting feature provides for storage of multiple pallets in far less space than required for conventional pallets. Where the pallets of made of plasticized material, the weight of each pallet is far less than an equal duty wood pallet. Further, the durability of the plastic pallet far outlasts that of a wooden pallet. And, lastly, the material may be selected to allow unitary structure via molding, and may offer antimicrobial features, or at least impermeability to microbial substances.

(19) The flattened V profile 42 formed at the bottom 52 of runner 35 by the meeting of the first angled surface 44 and the second angled surface 48 is key to the pallet's strength as well as its ability to nest. Referring now to FIGS. 6 and 7, specifically FIG. 7, it will be noted that a runner 35 is formed by z-girts placed back to back. The lower part of each z-girt becomes integral with the lower part of the other; the first angled surface 44 of the runner 35 comprises the first z-girt; the second angled surface 48 of the runner 35 comprises the second z-girt. This use and relative arrangement of integrated z-girts provides the superior strength of this pallet, allows the pallet to be of unitary structure, if desired, and provides its nesting capability. Alternatively, the runner 35 may be placed with the bottom 52 against the deck platform with the open space 54 opening downward. When the pallet is made of plastic material, the pallet provides superior strength, pound for pound, while also resisting infestation or contamination by biological organisms and materials.

(20) It should be appreciated that the runner system may include a variety of groupings of runners; that the pallet does not have to be of unitary structure, and is not required to be made of plastic material. The deck portion 20 on the pallet is shown as a web, although a web is not a critical requirement for the invention. If a web is used, or a partial web, the web pattern may be one of many including openings and angles selected to provide strength and functionality as needed for the pallet's desired and intended uses. Alternatively, the deck portion 20 may be solid without openings, contoured for specific uses, or planar. Rib structures rather than or in addition to cross runners 35a may also be employed to add rigidity and strength. Legs or walls 56 or partial walls may also span the open space between the angled walls 44 and 48 for added strength and rigidity. Where such leg or partial wall is located near the juncture of the walls 44 and 48, the nesting ability may be maintained.

(21) The present invention has been described in both specificity, and with generality. It is not intended to be limited except as the claims language requires. To that end, the material used to make the pallet may be of several blends of plastic, fiberglass, or combinations with wood or metal. The pallets may include a variety of means to secure one to another and may be of any general dimensions (width length) or of any shape. The runners are intended to include the open space between the legs for the purpose of nesting, but this may be accomplished in one of many ways. And nesting per se is not required.