AU2019100528A4

AU2019100528A4 - Adaptor For Transport Pallet

Info

Publication number: AU2019100528A4
Application number: AU2019100528A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Johan LINDSTRÖM; Herrick Ramberg
Original assignee: K Hartwall Oy AB
Current assignee: K Hartwall Oy AB
Priority date: 2019-05-16
Filing date: 2019-05-16
Publication date: 2019-06-27
Anticipated expiration: 2027-05-16

Abstract

According to an example aspect of the present invention, there is provided an adaptor (10) for a transport pallet (30) comprising a first side, which is configured to receive a 5 plurality of wheeled load carriers (40), and a second side, which is opposite to the first side and configured to receive the top deck board of the transport pallet (30). (fig. 1) -13 g23 1 Fig. 1 23 23 (18 (23 23 11T 12 13 14 15 16 Fig. 2

Description

ADAPTOR FOR TRANSPORT PALLET

FIELD [0001] Various example embodiments relate to an adaptor for a transport pallet.

BACKGROUND [0002] Wheeled load carriers, such as dollies, roll containers and milk trollies, are used for storing, moving and transporting relatively small goods, such as food supplies and spare parts. The wheeled load carrier comprises a platform for receiving goods and wheels for moving the wheeled load carrier. The goods may be loaded directly onto the platform of the wheeled load carrier or they may be stacked on the wheeled load carrier in crates or boxes. The wheeled load carrier offers a good load capacity and is easily moved by hand.

[0003] GB2416527 discloses a pallet for transporting wheeled dollies includes a deck for receiving the dolly and a support structure for supporting the deck above the ground. Ramp members are provided at opposite ends of the deck, each ramp member being mounted for movement between a lowered position in which it serves as a ramp and a raised position in which it is adapted to engage a dolly loaded onto the pallet, to prevent movement of the dolly. Preferably, the pallet has tracks for the wheels.

[0004] However, there is still a need for transport plurality of wheeled load carriers at once by a transport pallet.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0005] The invention is defined by the features of the independent claims. Some specific embodiments are defined in the dependent claims.

[0006] According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an adaptor for a transport pallet comprising: a first side, which is configured to receive a plurality of wheeled load carriers, and a second side, which is opposite to the first side and configured to receive and match the top deck board of the transport pallet.

[0007] According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a system comprising a transport pallet and the adaptor, which adaptor is placed on the top deck board of the transport pallet for receiving the plurality of the wheeled load carriers.

[0008] According to an embodiment, the adaptor further comprises locking means arranged to a loading end of the adaptor for limiting the movement of the plurality of the wheeled load carriers in the longitudinal direction, when the plurality of the wheeled load carriers is placed on the tracks.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0009] FIGURE 1 illustrates an adaptor in accordance with at least some embodiments of the present invention;

[0010] FIGURE 2 illustrates an adaptor in accordance with at least some embodiments of the present invention;

[0011] FIGURE 3 illustrates a system comprising an adaptor on a transport pallet in accordance with at least some embodiments of the present invention;

[0012] FIGURE 4 illustrates an adaptor, a transport pallet and wheeled load carriers in accordance with at least some embodiments of the present invention;

[0013] FIGURES 5 a and 5b illustrate locking means in accordance with at least some embodiments of the present invention; and [0014] FIGURES 6a and 6b illustrate locking means in accordance with at least some embodiments of the present invention.

EMBODIMENTS [0015] In the present context, the term “vertical direction of a transport pallet” comprises a direction which is perpendicular to a deck board of a transport pallet.

[0016] Wheeled load carriers, such as dollies, roll containers and milk trollies, are easily moved by hand. However, there is sometimes a need to move and transport plurality of wheeled load carriers at once by loading the wheeled load carriers on a transport pallet. In addition, there is a need for limiting the movement of the wheeled load carrier, when the wheeled load carrier is loaded on the transport pallet. The present embodiments provide a solution for at least some of the problems.

[0017] FIGURES 1 and 2 illustrate an adaptor 10 for a transport pallet 30 in accordance with at least some embodiments of the present invention. The adaptor for the transport pallet may comprise a first side, which is configured to receive a plurality of wheeled load carriers 40, and a second side, which is opposite to the first side and configured to receive the top deck board of the transport pallet 30. It should be appreciated that the FIGURES 1 and 2 show only one examples of the adaptor and dimensions and geometry of the adaptor may be adapted to the used transport pallet in the manufacturing stage.

[0018] In some embodiments, the adaptor may further comprise plurality of tracks 11-16, which tracks 11-16 define a longitudinal direction and are adapted to receive wheels 41 of the plurality of the wheeled load carriers 40. The adaptor may comprise at least two tracks. The adaptor may comprise for example, two to ten tracks, especially six tracks. The number of the tracks may be adapted according to the dimensions of the used transport pallet in the manufacturing stage of the adaptor.

[0019] The track 11-16 may be groove shaped. The width of the track may be at least the width of the wheel of the wheeled load carrier. The track may be wider on the loading end of the adaptor to ease loading of the wheeled load carrier on the track. The length of the track may be adapted to the length of the wheeled load carriers. The track may be adapted to receive for example, one to four wheeled load carriers, especially two wheeled load carriers.

[0020] The track 11-16 may be shaped to have obstacles to prevent the wheeled load carrier 40 from rolling out the adaptor 10. The obstacles may be placed at correct positions just in front of at least one wheel of each wheeled load carrier. Height of the obstacle may be for example, 3 to 6 mm.

[0021] Instead or in addition to the obstacles, the track 11-16 may be shaped to have grooves to prevent the wheeled load carrier 40 from rolling out the adaptor 10. The groove can be made by shaping the track surface or by cutting out a hole in the adaptor. Thus, the wheeled load carrier would stand on the adaptor when at least one wheel of the wheeled load carrier is positioned in the groove. The depth of the groove may be for example, 3 to 6 mm.

[0022] The adaptor may further comprise walls 23. The walls 23 may be formed between the tracks and on the edges of the adaptor 10 in the longitudinal direction. The walls limit movement of the wheels 41 of the wheeled load carriers 40 in the width direction of the adaptor 10 and assist to ensure that wheels of the wheeled load carriers stay on the tracks 11-16 during the transport.

[0023] FIGURE 3 illustrates the adaptor 10, which is fastened on the top deck board of the transport pallet 30. In some embodiments, the second side of the adaptor 10 may be shaped to accommodate the shape of the top deck board of the transport pallet 30 and the adaptor 10 may further comprise a rim 19, which extends on the sides of the transport pallet 30 in the vertical direction of the transport pallet 30 for preventing horizontal movement of the adaptor 10 in relation to the transport pallet 30. The shape and the rim of the adaptor fix the adaptor firmly on the transport pallet and prevent the adaptor from moving in relation to the transport pallet during moving and transporting of the transport pallet. Thus, the wheeled load carriers loaded on the transport pallet may be moved and transported securely.

[0024] The adaptor may be a plate like solid piece or it may have plurality holes. The holes may be used to reduce the need for raw material, lighten the adaptor and/or for moving and lifting the adaptor by hand.

[0025] The adaptor may further comprise a support construction. The support structure may comprise for example, a beam 17-18, a rib and/or a truss construction. The support construction may be formed to the adaptor during forming of the adaptor. The beams 17-18 may for example, extend in width direction of the adaptor from the one side to the other side of the adaptor and/or from a corner to a corner of the adaptor. The support structure provides necessary stiffness and strength to the adaptor and assists to maintain shape of the adaptor.

[0026] The adaptor may be manufactured from for example plastic, composite or metal. Plastic may be for example, thermoplastic, such as acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) or high-density polyethylene (HDPE). Metal may be for example, steel or aluminium, or an alloy comprising either steel or aluminium. The adaptor manufactured of plastic may comprise metal reinforcements.

[0027] The adaptor may be manufactured by for example, casting, vacuum forming or additive manufacturing. The adaptor may be finished by machining to its final dimensions.

[0028] Referring again to FIGURE 3, there is illustrated a system 50 comprising the transport pallet 30 and the adaptor 10, which adaptor is placed on the top deck board of the transport pallet for receiving the plurality of the wheeled load carriers. The adaptor may be fastened to the transport pallet beforehand for example, after manufacturing of the adaptor. On the other hand, the adaptor may be fastened to an already existing transport pallet by for example, a producer of the goods or a transportation company to form the system 50. The adaptor is easy to fasten to the transport pallet, because it is shaped to accommodate the shape of the top deck board of the transport pallet. Moreover, no tools are needed for installing. In addition, the adaptor is easily removed from the transport pallet.

[0029] Instead or in addition to shaping, the adaptors 10 may be fixed to the transport pallet 30 for example, by using fastening means, such as screws. The fastening means secure fastening of the adaptor on the transport pallet. Then, the adaptors fastened on the transport pallets may also move together in return transport.

[0030] The adaptors 10 can be piled up for return transport on the transport pallet 30. The adaptors may be shaped to be stacked. The first side of the adaptor may be shaped to accommodate the shape of the second side of other adaptor.

[0031] Alternatively, the transport pallets 30 with adaptors 10 can be stacked on top of each other for return transport. The first side of the adaptor may be shaped to accommodate the shape of the bottom deck board of the transport pallet and fasten the transport pallet at least one horizontal direction, preferably in both horizontal direction, on the first side of the adaptor.

[0032] As illustrated in FIGURE 4, the adaptor 10 may be adapted to receive six wheeled load carriers 40 in three rows, which each of them incorporate two wheeled load carriers. The wheeled load carrier may be manufactured of for example, plastic and/or metal, such as steel. The surface of the steel wheeled load carrier may be zinc electroplated. Each wheeled load carrier includes four wheels 41, which may be fixed or swivel, or a combination of two swivels and two fixed wheels. The wheels 41 are located underneath a body of the wheeled load carrier.

[0033] The transport pallet may have the usual standardized pallet dimensions, such as Australian pallets (1165 mm * 1165 mm), EUR-pallets (1200 mm * 800mm), US-pallets (48*45 inches or 48*40 inches) and industrial pallets (1200 mm * 1000 mm and 1200 mm * 1200 mm). The transport pallet may be manufactured for example, from softwood or hardwood.

[0034] FIGURES 5a, 5b, 6a and 6b illustrate locking means 20, which may be arranged to a loading end of the adaptor 10 for limiting the movement of the plurality of the wheeled load carriers 40 in the longitudinal direction, when the plurality of the wheeled load carriers 40 is placed on the tracks 11-16. The locking means may be operated independently. The locking means ensure secure transport of the wheeled load carriers on the transport pallet.

[0035] The locking means 20 may comprise slots 21. The slots may be formed in the walls 23 of the adaptor 10. The slots may be formed in the ends or near the ends of the walls 23. Form of the slot allows slide of the bar in the slots.

[0036] In addition, the locking means 20 may comprise a bar 22. Ends of the bar 22 may be placed in the slots 21 of the walls, which walls are next to each other. Then, the bar extends between the walls and over the tracks, which are between the walls. The slots guide the ends of the bars to slide in the slots.

[0037] Alternatively, the locking means 20 may comprise a bar, which extends over all tracks. Then, the slots may be formed in the walls 23, which are on the edges of the adaptor 10 in the longitudinal direction. The slots may be formed in the ends or near the ends of the walls 23. Ends of the bar may be placed in the slots 21 of the walls 23.

[0038] In addition, the locking means 20 may comprise two parts, which extend in the longitudinal direction of the adaptor 10. The first ends of the parts may be attached to the bar.

[0039] Moreover, the locking means 20 may comprise springs. The second ends of the parts may be attached to the first end of the springs. The second end of the springs may be attached to the adaptor 10. The springs may keep the bar in an upper position by pulling the bar forward, when the bar slides to the locked position.

[0040] FIGURES 5 a and 5b illustrate the locking means 20 as deactivated. When rolling the wheeled load carrier 40 on the adaptor 10, the wheel 41 of the wheeled load carrier will press the bar 22 down. Thus, the bar moves in a lower position in the slots 21 and the locking means are deactivated. Then, the wheeled load carrier may be loaded on the adaptor and over the obstacle.

[0041] FIGURES 6a and 6b illustrate the locking means 20 as activated. The bar is in an upper position in the slots 21. The bar 22 may be kept in the upper position by the spring, which pulls the bar in the upper position in the slots. Then, the bar is placed in front of wheels of the wheeled load carrier preventing the wheeled load carrier 40 from rolling out from the adaptor 10. When the bar 22 is moved back to the lower position by pressing it by for example, foot, the wheeled load carrier can be rolled over the bar and the obstacle and from the adaptor. Operating the locking means by foot leaves both hands available to handle cargo.

[0042] The adaptor may comprise one or two loading ends in the ends of the adaptor in the longitudinal direction. Thus, the wheeled load carriers may be loaded on to the adaptor from one or both ends of the adaptor in longitudinal direction of the adaptor. If the adaptor comprises only one loading end, the other end may comprise stopping means for stopping the movement of the wheeled load carrier while loading the wheeled load carrier on to the adaptor. While the adaptor comprises two loading ends, the locking means 20 may be arranged to or near to both loading ends.

[0043] The wheeled load carriers 40 may be loaded onto the adaptor by propelling them on their wheels by hand. The first wheeled load carrier is loaded onto the tracks of the adaptor from a loading end of the adaptor. Once the first wheeled load carrier is in place, the next ones may be loaded in a similar manner. To prevent wheeled load carriers from rolling out from the tracks, they may be locked into position by activating the locking means 20. Instead or in addition to the locking means, the track 11-16 may be shaped to have obstacles and/or grooves to prevent the wheeled load carrier 40 from rolling out from the adaptor 10. The obstacles and/or the grooves may also prevent the wheeled load carrier from rolling out the adaptor before any locking means are activated. This may be carried out by setting the locking means in the upper position. Once all wheeled load carriers are onboard and secured, the system 50 is ready for transport. The transport pallet is thus ready to be hoisted from lifting points under the transport pallet with for example, lifting forks of a forklift.

[0044] The wheeled load carrier may be loaded or unloaded with the aid of a slope to/from the system 50. The slope may be for example, wedge-shaped and the height of the highest end of the slope may be adapted to the height of the system. On the other hand, the slope may be for example, a plane, which other end is placed on the loading surface and other end is placed on the system. The slope allows goods to be securely loaded on and from the adaptor 10, which is fastened on the transport pallet 30.

[0045] When loading or unloading the wheeled load carrier directly to/from a delivery truck, tail lift height of the truck may be adjusted so that the wheeled load carriers can be propelled to/from the system 50, from/to a loading dock. This allows goods to be securely loaded on and from the adaptor 10, which is fastened on the transport pallet 30.

[0046] The present embodiments provide several advantages. The adaptor allows plurality of the wheeled load carriers to be transported at the same time on the transport pallet. The wheeled load carriers placed on the adaptor of the transport pallet may be moved by the lifting forks of the forklift and transported securely. The shape and the rim of the adaptor fix the adaptor firmly on the transport pallet and prevent the adaptor from moving during moving and transporting of the transport pallet. The locking means limit the movement of the wheeled load carriers in the longitudinal direction and ensure secure transportation of the wheeled load carriers. Furthermore, the locking means may be operated by foot leaving both hands available to handle cargo.

[0047] It is to be understood that the embodiments of the invention disclosed are not limited to the particular structures, process steps, or materials disclosed herein, but are extended to equivalents thereof as would be recognized by those ordinarily skilled in the relevant arts. It should also be understood that terminology employed herein is used for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting.

[0048] Reference throughout this specification to “one embodiment” or “an embodiment” means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, appearances of the phrases “in one embodiment” or “in an embodiment” in various places throughout this specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment.

[0049] As used herein, a plurality of items, structural elements, compositional elements, and/or materials may be presented in a common list for convenience. However, these lists should be construed as though each member of the list is individually identified as a separate and unique member. Thus, no individual member of such list should be construed as a de facto equivalent of any other member of the same list solely based on their presentation in a common group without indications to the contrary. In addition, various embodiments and example of the present invention may be referred to herein along with alternatives for the various components thereof. It is understood that such embodiments, examples, and alternatives are not to be construed as de facto equivalents of one another, but are to be considered as separate and autonomous representations of the present invention.

[0050] Furthermore, the described features, structures, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. In the following description, numerous specific details are provided, such as examples of lengths, widths, shapes, etc., to provide a thorough understanding of embodiments of the invention. One skilled in the relevant art will recognize, however, that the invention can be practiced without one or more of the specific details, or with other methods, components, materials, etc. In other instances, well-known structures, materials, or operations are not shown or described in detail to avoid obscuring aspects of the invention.

[0051] While the forgoing examples are illustrative of the principles of the present invention in one or more particular applications, it will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that numerous modifications in form, usage and details of implementation can be made without the exercise of inventive faculty, and without departing from the principles and concepts of the invention. Accordingly, it is not intended that the invention be limited, except as by the claims set forth below.

[0052] The verbs “to comprise” and “to include” are used in this document as open limitations that neither exclude nor require the existence of also un-recited features. The features recited in depending claims are mutually freely combinable unless otherwise explicitly stated. Furthermore, it is to be understood that the use of a or an, i.e. a singular form, throughout this document does not exclude a plurality.

[0053] Reference numbers appearing between parentheses in the claims, identifying features described in the embodiments and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, are provided as an aid to the reader as an exemplification of the matter claimed. The inclusion of such reference numbers and letters is not to be interpreted as placing any limitations on the scope of the claims.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY [0054] At least some of the embodiments may be applicable in adaptors of transport pallets.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST adaptor

11-16 track

17-18 beam rim locking means slot bar wall transport pallet wheeled load carrier wheel system

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. An adaptor (10) for a transport pallet (30) comprising:

- a first side, which is configured to receive a plurality of wheeled load carriers (40), and

- a second side, which is opposite to the first side and configured to receive and match the top deck board of the transport pallet (30).
2. The adaptor (10) according to claim 1 further comprising plurality of tracks (11-16), which tracks (11-16) define a longitudinal direction and are adapted to receive wheels (41) of the plurality of the wheeled load carriers (40).
3. The adaptor (10) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the second side is shaped to accommodate the shape of the top deck board of the transport pallet (30) and wherein the adaptor (10) further comprises a rim (19), which extends on the sides of the transport pallet (30) in the vertical direction of the transport pallet (30) for preventing horizontal movement of the adaptor (10) in relation to the transport pallet (30).
4. The adaptor (10) according to any of the preceding claims further comprising locking means (20, 21) arranged to a loading end of the adaptor (10) for limiting the movement of the plurality of the wheeled load carriers (40) in the longitudinal direction, when the plurality of the wheeled load carriers (40) is placed on the tracks (11-16).
5. A system (50) comprising a transport pallet (30) and the adaptor (10) according to any of the preceding claims 1 to 4, which adaptor (10) is placed on the top deck board of the transport pallet (30) for receiving the plurality of the wheeled load carriers (40).