EP1188678A1 - Transporting pallet and method of transporting loads - Google Patents

Abstract

The pallet for handling fragile loads has multiple pallets (2,3) having a floor (4,5) with lateral support feet (6,7;8,9) under the floor following the lengths of the opposing sides. The palettes have connecting beams (14,15) to fix the palettes together to form a rigid assembly. The pallets are assembled with the support feet aligned. Claims include a method of transporting articles using he palettes

Description

Technical area

The invention relates more specifically to transport pallets suitable for transporting heavy, bulky and fragile objects, such as example of electrical signal processing cabinets using integrated circuits. The invention is particularly applicable to pallets of transport of computer machine cabinets. Transport includes usually handling operations, transport proper, and storage.

State of the art

An ordinary pallet is made of a loading tray comprising two floors linked together by skids allowing the passage of forks of forklifts and pallet trucks.

There are other types of more advanced pallets described in EP 0692431 and EP 0778215 patents filed in the name of the applicant. The pallets described in these two patents each have a floor and skids. A cabinet is arranged on a respective pallet, and can be moved by through a forklift.

1) Tout d'abord, les armoires sont câblées entre elles.

2) Ensuite, elles sont configurées.

3) Ensuite plusieurs techniciens procèdent à une série de tests sur les armoires de manière à vérifier qu'elles fonctionnent parfaitement.

4) Après la série de tests, les câbles sont retirés et chaque armoire est installée sur une palette respective et par l'intermédiaire d'une transpalette individuelle ou d'un chariot élévateur dans une remorque.

5) Enfin, chaque palette est transportée jusque chez le client.

In general, the delivery of cabinets to a customer is preceded by several stages. A first series of steps is carried out at the supplier:

1) First, the cabinets are wired together.

2) Then they are configured.

3) Then several technicians carry out a series of tests on the cabinets in order to verify that they work perfectly.

4) After the series of tests, the cables are removed and each cabinet is installed on a respective pallet and via an individual pallet truck or a forklift truck in a trailer.

5) Finally, each pallet is transported to the customer.

1) premièrement, à dépalettiser les armoires une par une.

2) Ensuite, les armoires sont de nouveau câblées entre elles,

3) et de nouveau configurées.

4) Enfin, plusieurs techniciens procèdent à nouveau une série de tests sur les armoires de manière à vérifier qu'elles fonctionnent parfaitement.

A second series of steps is carried out at the customer and consists

1) first, to depalletize the cabinets one by one.

2) Then the cabinets are wired together again,

3) and configured again.

4) Finally, several technicians again carry out a series of tests on the cabinets in order to verify that they function perfectly.

The big problem is that the wiring, configuration and tests are redundant. The time devoted to all of these operations can ask a technician up to a day of work. This has consequence a significant time cost for the supplier, and, a fortiori, a unacceptable cost to the customer.

In addition, a cabinet requires very handling conditions rigorous. First, these cabinets are very expensive. They are made of miniaturized electrical and electronic elements to adapt to the very strong integration of circuits in a semiconductor material and to offer the shortest paths to very high frequency electrical signals. These components and their assembly are therefore very fragile and do not support big shocks. In addition, a cabinet is very heavy, around 250 kg for medium systems over 500 kg for very large systems multiprocessor computing. It is also very high around 2.20 meters. Transport of supplier's cabinets to their place of destination (the client) therefore poses many problems. The people responsible for handling are generally unaware of the precautions that should be taken normally taken for this kind of cabinet. Especially when a pallet is placed on the ground, faults on the ground result in modify the center of gravity of the assembly constituted by the pallet and the cabinet, may tip the cabinet.

The invention

A first object of the invention is to minimize the time dedicated to cabling, configuration and testing operations.

A second goal set by the invention is to minimize the risk of cabinets tipping over during transport.

Another goal is to satisfy either of the two previous goals with simple means, compact, easy to use and inexpensive.

To this end, the invention relates to a multiple pallet for transport loads via pallets a pallet comprising a floor respective provided with support means formed by respective side shoes and under the floor approximately the length of two of its sides opposite, said pads having a spacing and a height adapted to the passage of forklift forks, characterized in that it includes assembly means suitable for securing all of the pallets together to form a rigid whole.

• à monter au moins une armoire sur une palette respective,
• à câbler électriquement les armoires entre elles,
• à assembler lesdites palettes par l'intermédiaire de moyens d'assemblage,

   et en ce qu'il consiste à transporter l'assemblage de palettes ainsi constitué.This results in a method of transporting electrical and / or electronic cabinets via respective pallets, a pallet comprising a respective floor provided with support means formed by respective lateral pads under the floor along approximately the length of two of its opposite sides, said pads having a spacing and a height suitable for the passage of forklift forks,
characterized in that it consists, before transport,

• to mount at least one cabinet on a respective pallet,
• to electrically wire the cabinets together,
• in assembling said pallets by means of assembly means,

and in that it consists in transporting the pallet assembly thus formed.

The example of a pallet which will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings highlights the characteristics and advantages of the invention.

In the drawings:

• Figure 1 is a perspective view of a multiple pallet according to the invention for transporting cabinets;
• Figure 2 is a top view of the multiple pallet according to the present invention;
• Figure 3 is a perspective view of the upper parts of cabinets;
• Figure 4 is a side view of the multiple pallet illustrating two pallets assembled together;
• Figure 5 is a detail view of a skate shown in Figure 1;
• and Figures 6 and 7 illustrate how the multiple pallet through forklifts.

To simplify the description, in the drawings the same elements have the same references.

In Figure 1, there is shown an example of two pallets 2 and 3 for the transport of two respective cabinets (not shown in the figure). In our example, the two palettes 2 and 3 are identical. These pallets 2 or 3 have a respective floor 4 and 5 provided with support means formed of side runners under the floor approximately the length of two opposite sides of each board. In this case, pallet 2 is provided with two side shoes 6 and 7, and the pallet 3 is provided with two side shoes 8 and 9.

A pallet can be transported and moved using a forklift most often called pallet truck or stacker by man job. These trolleys have the function, in particular, of transporting pallets. These trolleys are provided with parallel forks, two as a rule, with a spacing and a depth fixed according to defined standards. To this end, the pads have a spacing and a height adapted to the passage of these forks.

The big problem, as stated in the introduction, is that the cabling, configuration and test operations at the supplier and client are redundant.

The subject of the invention is a multiple pallet 1 resulting from the assembly two pallets 2 and 3 forming a rigid assembly.

To this end, pallets 2 and 3 are designed to allow assembly between them. We see that the two opposite sides of each floor 4 and 5 extend along a transverse axis beyond the pads for form on one side of the wings 10 and 11 and on the other side of the wings 12 and 13, respectively.

Advantageously, the pallets 2 and 3 are close to each other in such a way that the skids of each pallet are aligned according to the same longitudinal axis AL.

The multiple pallet includes assembly means, for example bastaings or spars, to sandwich all of the wings of each palette. The assembly means therefore have a length at less equal to the cumulative length of the wings on one side of the pallet multiple. More specifically, the wings 11 and 13 are sandwiched by the intermediary of two bastaings 14 and 15. The first bastaing 14 says superior is located on wings 11 and 13 and the second, called lower bastaing, under the wings 11 and 13. Also, the wings 10 and 12 are sandwiched through two other bastaings (not shown), a first bastaing on the wings 10 and 12, and a second bastaing under the wings 10 and 12. The associated bastaings wings 10 and 12 are not shown in this figure for reasons of clarity of the drawings. One of the bastaings (the upper bastaing) associated with the wings 10 and 12 appear in Figure 2 and bear the reference 14b.

The fixing of the bastaings on the wings can be carried out by the lag screw. The latter have the distinction of being long allowing the assembly of the two bastaings 14 and 15 with the wings 11 and 13 and of the other two bastaings (not shown) with the wings 10 and 12, respectively. For example, in the figure, we see that the floor 4 is assembled to the bastaings 14 and 15 by means of two lag bolts 16 and 17. Similarly, we see that the floor 5 is assembled to the bastaings 14 and 15 by through two lag screws 18 and 19.

We therefore understand that, once the bastaings are fixed, the pallets assembled together constitute a rigid unit. This rigid set forms the multiple palette.

Preferably, the pallets 2 and 3 include means for holding (20,21) and (22,23) of the cabinets, respectively. Preferably, each holding means occupies the entire length of the two opposite sides along the longitudinal axis AL. Naturally, to ensure good fixation of the bastaings, these means of support is located outside the occupied surface by the wings. Like the pads, the holding means 20 and 22 are aligned along the same longitudinal axis AL. Similarly, the means of maintenance 21 and 23 are aligned along the same longitudinal axis AL.

These holding means 20-23 have the function, in particular, of center the cabinets so as to align the cabinets of the multiple pallet according to the same longitudinal axis. The reasons for this alignment are discussed in the continuation of the description.

Advantageously, each pallet includes rafters located at the end of each skate. In Figure 1, we see that the shoe 6 is provided with two rafters 26 and 27 located at its two ends. Skate 7 is provided with two rafters 28 and 29 located at its two ends. Pad 8 is provided with two rafters 30 and 31 located at its two ends. Skate 9 is provided with two rafters 32 and 33 located at its two ends. Figure 5 will illustrate more precisely the details of a skate and a rafter and the function of a chevron.

We now refer to Figures 2 and 3. Figure 2 is a top view of the multiple pallet 1. Figure 3 shows an example of fixing the cabinets together.

In these figures 2 and 3, two cabinets A2 and A3 are shown associated with palettes 2 and 3, respectively. We see that the bastaings are attached; the assembly thus formed therefore constitutes a rigid assembly. Advantageously, the bastaings (14,15) have a length such that their ends extend beyond the pallets (2,3) so as to constitute means of protection against impact.

In this figure, we see that the pallets 2 and 3 are close one from the other. A fortiori, the two cabinets A2 and A3 are nearby one from the other. We also see in this figure that, as indicated previously, the holding means (21 and 23) and (20 and 22) are aligned along the longitudinal axis AL, respectively.

A first method of fixing the cabinets together is to use fixing brackets. Remember that a fixing bracket is a piece right angle, or T shape, intended to consolidate the joints. In our example, These brackets are drilled with threaded holes for the housing of a screw or a bolt.

In the example illustrated, the cabinets have four lateral faces, of which two FO sides including electrical outlets or other components electric. The two cabinets are arranged so that their face open FO is face to face to be able to wire them together. In the example illustrated, the open faces are provided with fixing brackets 23 and 24. The fastening method consists in bringing the cabinets wired between them, the two pallets towards each other along the longitudinal axis. The brackets are arranged in such a way that the threaded holes of the bracket 23 come coincide with the threaded holes of the bracket 24. It then suffices to introduce a screw or a bolt in the holes to consolidate the two machines.

Of course, the number of brackets can be any.

Another method of fastening cabinets may be to use threaded holes (41-43) existing on the cabinet. The roof of a door cabinet generally in its corners four respective holes for ring screwing lifting the cabinet using a bridge or crane. Once the cabinet mounted on the pallet, the lifting rings can be removed. Of preferably the holes form sets of holes, and these sets are aligned along the longitudinal axis. The process then consists in using a board (wooden) or metallic, or a rod provided with holes with such spacing that once placed on the cabinet, the holes in the board coincide with the nuts of the cabinet. The board can then be fixed with screws or bolts to assemble the cabinets together.

In the example illustrated, the pallet is made of wood. It should be noted that a possible defect in the wood can prevent the cabinets from being consolidated correctly. Indeed, wood can, for example, shrink as it dries, etc. For this purpose, the pallets are advantageously spaced by a certain length L visible in Figure 2.

Figure 4 illustrates a side view of the multiple pallet 1. On this figure, we see the bastaings 14 and 15 sandwiching the two pallets 2 and 3. To ensure a transverse movement of the multiple pallet, the pallets are provided with rafters of sufficient height and spacing to the passage of forklift forks along a transverse axis AT. Of this way the forks of a forklift can be introduced under the pallet either along the longitudinal axis for a longitudinal displacement of the multiple pallet, either along the transverse axis to ensure movement transverse of the multiple pallet. This is very useful when loading the pallet in a truck.

We also see on this figure the spacing L which separates the two floors of the two pallets 2 and 3.

• compatibilité avec les matériaux,
• de compression,
• de transport,
• de manutention,
• et d'environnement conformément à la directive européenne 94/62/CE).

Figure 5 illustrates a view of the part referenced FIG.5 in Figure 1. This figure shows the floor 4 of the pallet 2. The holding means 21 is fixed to the floor. Under the floor, we see the pad 6 and the rafter 26 located under the pad. The shoe includes a foam part 6b. In the example illustrated, this foam has a parallelepiped shape and is a polyethylene foam. In our embodiment, this foam is bonded to an upper part 6A and to a lower part 6B. According to another variant, the foam can between maintained between the parts 6A and 6C by means of bolts. In the example illustrated, the assembly formed by the two parts 6A, 6B and the foam has a parallelepiped shape. In the embodiment, the parts 6A and 6C are made of wood. Preferably a wood glue is used to join and adhere the foam with the parts 6A and 6C. Another glue can be used provided that it has technical qualities satisfying the following constraints:

• compatibility with materials,
• compression,
• transport,
• Handling,
• and environment in accordance with European Directive 94/62 / EC).

Preferably, the assembly means (lower bastaings) are separated from the pads by a distance. sufficient D1 for proper operation means of absorption.

Preferably the holding means 21 is separated from the bastaing upper 14b of a distance D2 sufficient to form a wedging space of a cap of a protective envelope. This envelope can be a carton protecting all the cabinets.

In this FIG. 5, it can be seen that the shoe 6 is fixed to the floor 4. From preferably, the fixing is carried out by means of a bolt 34 of the type "frying pan" with impact type nut. The bolt head is embedded in a counterbore and a "belleville" washer is placed below. The tightening is such that all the parts to be assembled are in contact (touch) one by compared to others.

Figures 6 and 7 illustrate the longitudinal or transverse displacement of the multiple palette, respectively. We see in Figure 6 the forks 35 and 36 of a first or manual pallet truck, and forks 37 and 38 of a second hand pallet truck. These two manual pallet trucks move the pallet multiple longitudinally. Generally speaking, a manual pallet truck supporting a load of 2 tonnes and the number of pallets forming the pallet multiple being arbitrary, it is possible to predict at least one other manual pallet truck, preferably the center of the multiple pallet. The forks 39 and 40 of the latter manual pallet truck are oriented along the axis transverse.

FIG. 7 illustrates a transverse movement of the multiple pallet 1. According to this variant, the forks 35 and 36 and the forks 37 and 38 are positioned under the multiple pallet along the transverse axis.

Naturally, one can imagine other possible variants.

The method of mounting the multiple pallet includes several steps, including the following.

Step 1:

A first step is to mount the cabinets A2 and A3 on the respective pallets 2 and 3.

2nd step

Then, the method consists in placing the pallets near one of the other giving the possibility for a technician to wire the cabinets together and configure them.

Stage 3

The technician can then carry out a series of tests on the cabinets wired in such a way as to check that they are working properly.

Preferably, the pallets, and therefore the associated cabinets, are aligned along the longitudinal axis.

Step 4

Once the tests are completed, the pallets being aligned, the operation next is to bring the cabinets together so that the brackets previously fixed on the upper parts of the cabinets coincide between they.

For example, the forklift moves pallet 2 to pallet 3 until the square 24 of the cabinet A2 coincides with the square of the A3 cabinet.

Step 5

Then, the process consists in placing all the pallets side by side rib. so that the skids of each pallet are aligned in a same longitudinal axis, and to use the bastaings for sandwiching all the wings of each palette.

Step 6

It then consists of bolting the two brackets. At this point the cabinets are attached.

Step 7

Finally, the multiple pallet is mounted and the rigid assembly thus formed is transported to the customer.

Step 8 and end

The multiple pallet is delivered to the customer.

Cabinets are depalletized or not and can be used immediately by the client.

Step 5 is carried out using two pallets. When the number of pallets is more than 2, an efficient way to fix the cabinets can be done as follows:

Suppose we have 6 pallets to assemble. These pallets are aligned along a longitudinal axis and are numbered from 1 to 6. A first forklift is located at one end of the chain consisting of pallets, and a second forklift is located at the other end of the chain. The first moves the pallet n ° 1 towards the pallet n ° 2, and simultaneously, the second carriage moves pallet n ° 6 to pallet n ° 5. We can fix the cabinets 1 and 2, and cabinets 5 and 6. After fixing, the first carriage moves the two pallets n ° 1 and 2 towards the pallet n ° 3, and simultaneously, the second trolley moves pallets n ° 5 and 6 towards pallet n ° 4. We can fix the cabinet # 3 to cabinet # 2, and cabinet 4 to cabinet # 5. One last step consisting, for example, of moving the assembly constituted by the pallets n ° 1,2,3 and to move them to the set of pallets n ° 4,5,6, or vice versa, and to fix cabinet 3 to cabinet 4.

In general, the invention therefore relates to a palette multiple 1 for transporting A2 and A3 loads via pallets 2 and 3, a pallet 2 or 3 comprising a respective floor 4 or 5 provided with support means formed by respective lateral pads (6,7) and (8,9) under the floor approximately following the length of two of its opposite sides, said pads (6,7) and (8,9) having a spacing and a height adapted to the passage of forklift forks, characterized in that it includes assembly means 14 and 15 suitable for securing the assembly pallets together to form a rigid assembly.

We have seen in our illustrated example that said two opposite sides of each floor 4,5 extend along a transverse axis beyond the pads respectively 6.7 and 8.9 to form respective wings 10,11 and 12,13, in that the pallets 2,3 are side by side so that the pads 6,8 and 7,9 of each pallet 2,3 are aligned along the same longitudinal axis, in that the assembly means 14, 15 sandwich all of the wings 11 and 13 from each pallet.

The foregoing description suggests to those skilled in the art of many variations. It is clear that the pallet can have several skids and that the floor can be made of another material than wood.

We have seen in our embodiment that the skates are provided artfully chevrons 26-33 whose height and spacing are sufficient for the passage of forklift forks along an axis transverse.

Advantageously, the skates 6-9 have a part made up of means absorption 6b constituting shock absorption means.

We have also seen that the assembly means 14,15 are separated from skates 6-9 of a sufficient distance for the proper functioning of the means absorption 6b.

Advantageously, the floors 4,5 are provided with means for maintenance of the load 20-23 on the pallet.

In order to protect the cabinets against shocks, we saw in the example illustrated that the assembly means 14,15 have such a length their ends extend beyond the pallets 2,3

We have also seen that, advantageously, the roof of the loads A2, A3 is provided with at least one set of threaded holes. So the cabinets can be assembled together by means of a part pierced with holes, these last holes coinciding with the holes in the cabinet, and in that screws or bolts assemble the cabinets together. The charges can also be provided with fixing means 23, 24 for assembling the loads together. In our illustrated example, we have seen that these fixing means were by example of fixing brackets.

• à monter au moins une armoire A2,A3 sur une palette respective 2,3,
• à câbler électriquement les armoires A2,A3 entre elles,
• à assembler lesdites palettes 4,5 par l'intermédiaire de moyens d'assemblage 14,15,

   et il consiste à transporter l'assemblage de palettes ainsi constitué.The method of transporting electrical and / or electronic cabinets A2, A3 also emerges from the description. It consists, before transport,

• to mount at least one cabinet A2, A3 on a respective pallet 2,3,
• to electrically wire cabinets A2, A3 to each other,
• assembling said pallets 4,5 by means of assembly means 14,15,

and it consists in transporting the pallet assembly thus formed.

We saw in our example before assembly, the pallets are separated enough to allow a technician to connect electrically the cabinets.

• à placer l'ensemble des palettes 2,3 côte à côte de telle manière que les patins 6,8 et 7,9 des palettes mises côte à côte soient alignés selon un même axe longitudinal,
• à utiliser les moyens d'assemblage 14,15 pour prendre en sandwich l'ensemble des ailes de chaque palette,
• et à transporter l'ensemble rigide ainsi formé.

We have seen that the assembly can consist

• placing the set of pallets 2,3 side by side so that the skids 6,8 and 7,9 of the pallets placed side by side are aligned along the same longitudinal axis,
• using the assembly means 14, 15 to sandwich all of the wings of each pallet,
• and transporting the rigid assembly thus formed.

We also saw that once the pallets 2,3 put side by side, the process transport can consist in fixing the cabinets A2, A3 between them.

We also saw in our example that the process consists in equipping the skids 6,7 and 8,9 of rafters 26-32 whose height and spacing are sufficient for the passage of forklift forks along an axis transverse.

Finally, we saw in our example that it consists in fitting the skates 6,7 and 8.9 of absorption means 6b for absorbing shocks.

It is clear that the invention offers many advantages. The palette multiple eliminates the need to rewire, reconfigure and retake tests at the customer. All of the cabinets work upon arrival at the customer without intervention of technicians. The saving in time is therefore considerable. The installation of cabinets at the customer's site is limited to depalletizing or not the cupboards.

A big advantage is that the multiple pallet allows to transport a any number of cabinets electrically connected, configured, wired.

Claims (15)

Multiple pallet (1) for transporting loads (A2, A3) via pallets (2,3), a pallet (2,3) comprising a respective floor (4,5) provided with support means formed of respective side pads (6,7) and (8,9) under the floor along approximately the length of two of its opposite sides, said pads (6,7) and (8,9) having a spacing and a height adapted to the passage forklift forks, characterized in that it comprises assembly means (14,15) adapted to secure the assembly of the pallets together to form a rigid assembly. Multiple pallet 1 according to claim 1, characterized in that said two opposite sides of each floor (4,5) extend along a transverse axis beyond the respective pads (6,7) and (8,9) to form respective wings (10,11) and (12,13), in that the pallets (2,3) are side by side so that the skids (6,8) and (7,9) of each pallet ( 2,3) are aligned along the same longitudinal axis, in that the assembly means (14,15) sandwich all of the wings (11 and 13) of each pallet. Multiple pallet (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the skids are provided with rafters (26-33) whose height and spacing are sufficient for the passage of forklift forks along a transverse axis. Multiple pallet (1) according to claim 1 or 3, characterized in that the pads (6-9) have a part consisting of absorption means (6b) constituting shock absorption means. Multiple pallet (1) according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the assembly means (14,15) are separated from the shoes (6-9) by a distance sufficient for the proper functioning of the means d 'absorption (6b). Multiple pallet (1) according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the floors (4,5) are provided with means for maintaining the load (20-23) on the pallet. Multiple pallet (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the assembly means (14,15) have a length such that their ends extend beyond the pallets (2,3) so as to constitute means of protection against impacts. Multiple pallet (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the roof of the loads (A2, A3) is provided with at least one set of threaded holes, in that the cabinets are assembled together via of a part pierced with holes, these latter holes coinciding with the holes in the cabinet, and in that screws or bolts assemble the cabinets together. Multiple pallet (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the loads are provided with fixing means (23, 24) for joining the loads together. Method of transporting electrical and / or electronic cabinets (A2, A3) by means of respective pallets (2,3), a pallet comprising a respective floor (4,5) provided with support means formed by respective side skids (6,7) and (8,9) under the floor along approximately the length of two of its opposite sides, said pads (6,7) and (8,9) having a spacing and a height adapted to the passage of forks of forklifts,
characterized in that it consists, before transport, mounting at least one cabinet (A2, A3) on a respective pallet (2,3), to electrically wire the cabinets (A2, A3) to each other, assembling said pallets (4,5) by means of assembly means (14,15), and in that it consists in transporting the pallet assembly thus formed. Method according to claim 10, characterized in that , prior to assembly, the pallets are separated by a sufficient distance for a technician to electrically connect the cabinets. Method according to claim 10, characterized in that the assembly consists placing all of the pallets (2,3) side by side so that the skids (6,8) and (7,9) of the pallets placed side by side are aligned along the same longitudinal axis, using the assembly means (14,15) to sandwich all of the wings of each pallet, and transporting the rigid assembly thus formed. Method according to claim 12, characterized in that , once the pallets (2,3) are placed side by side, to fix the cabinets (A2, A3) between them. Method according to claim 10, characterized in that it consists in equipping the shoes (6,7) and (8,9) with rafters (26-32) whose height and spacing are sufficient for the passage of forks. forklifts along a transverse axis. Method according to claim 10, characterized in that it consists in equipping the pads (6,7) and (8,9) with absorption means (6b) to absorb shocks.

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