EP1988026B1

EP1988026B1 - Plastic pallet

Info

Publication number: EP1988026B1
Application number: EP20070009004
Authority: EP
Inventors: Heinrich Gerstacker
Original assignee: Electrolux Home Products Corp NV
Current assignee: Electrolux Home Products Corp NV
Priority date: 2007-05-04
Filing date: 2007-05-04
Publication date: 2012-09-26
Anticipated expiration: 2027-05-04
Also published as: RU2469932C2; RU2008117470A; EP1988026A1

Description

Technical Field

The present invention relates to pallets for storing and transporting goods.
It is customary to transport goods and to store goods on pallets. Palletized goods are maintained in a position above the flooring which may be advantageous in areas where the flooring is either rough or of concern. Standard pallets are particularly useful in materials handling because forklift equipment can maneuver the pallets by inserting their forklift into channels provided by the pallet. Typically, pallets are constructed of wood. In the past, wooden plates have provided advantages of economy, simplicity and durability, principally because of the lack of other suitable materials. However, wooden pallets are extremely heavy and require costly hand labour in their fabrication.

Background of the Invention

In the past decades, disposable pallets have been proposed and, with the growth of plastics industry, a wide variety of plastics have been investigated to determine their suitability for use in producing pallets. Plastic pallets can easily be molded and are stronger and lighter in weight than wooden pallets; also, they can now be made with recyclable material. Furthermore, plastic pallets are more durable than wooden pallets. Recent plastic pallets that are light in weight, durable, capable of supporting heavy loads, easy to manufacture and have a minimum number of interchangeable parts are disclosed in US patents 5 343 814 or 4 843 976 .
The pallets and connectors disclosed in these patents have described an effort to improve thereon, to reduce the cost and weight of the pallets and to increase strength and yet not decrease durability.
From US patent 5 197 395 a plastic pallet with a deck assembly is known that includes two identical decks that are interconnected by identical connectors. Each connector includes a central core and a surrounding sleeve interconnected by spokes. The core has flexible tangs that extend beyond opposite ends of the sleeve and lock onto the deck. Each deck includes a plurality of respective segments consisting of a pair of open shells and the periphery of each deck is reinforced by respective segments that are internally reinforced by gussets.
The frame members or decks have openings which define surrounding abutments that are recessed below the exposed surface and the connectors have flexible tangs that have barbs which engage the abutments.
Each connector consists of a hollow circular core which has slots extending from opposite ends to produce first and second sets of tangs. Spokes are integral with the peripheral surface of the core between the tangs and a sleeve is integral with the outer ends of the spokes. The sleeve has tapered portions between each pair of spokes and alternating tapered portions are reversely tapered to provide additional rigidity for the connectors. Additionally, the hollow core has a force-absorbing inner flange equally spaced from the respective tangs and has axial ribs extending from the flange aligned with a tang. Each tang has a tapered barb adjacent a free end and an aligned inner integral rib which extends to the flange so that forces transmitted to the tangs are directed towards the flange.
Any of the documents DE-OS 19 26 053 , DE-OS 22 24 398 , DE 80 00 661 U1 or US 3,915,098 disclose a pallet comprising a carrier plate and a supporting framework either made of a wood construction or of a reinforcement steel mesh. Carrier plate and supporting framework are enveloped by a foam in place.
US Patent 3,880,092 teaches a pallet comprising a deck with depending runners, the pallet being made of a rigid framed plastic such as polystyrene and is provided with a reinforcing frame made of wood, metal, plastic or other suitable material.
From EP 1 024 089 A2 a stackable pallet is known. In order to avoid slipping between two pallets lying upon another bars are arranged on the upper edges of the pallet which engages with recesses arranged at the lower edges of the overlying pallet.
Finally, Swiss patent CH 400 904 also discloses a pallet with a stackable function on the edges and a construction with ribs to contain different reinforce material.
It is the object of the present invention to provide for a pallet which is suitable for overseas dispatch and can be reused a plurality of times.
The pallet according to the invention is characterized in that it comprises a strengthening structure and plastic material surrounding the strengthening structure. The plastic material prevents noxious insects from nesting in the strengthening structure even if it is made of an organic material. The stiffening structure is at least substantially of rectangular form. In this form a plurality of crossing bars and/or strips are put together to form the rectangular structure. According to the invention a plurality of round or rectangular indentations or recesses is comprised which may receive parts on the underside of the household appliance positioned on the pallet and/or any accessory part of the appliance. Furthermore, the plurality of indentations or recesses forming a grid or a rib structure in the pallet. In addition to this, the grid or rib structure is reinforced in its interior by said stiffening structure, wherein said recesses of the grid or rib structure are embodied by a plurality of bones connecting the upper side to the downside of the pallet.
The pallet may be comprised of a plurality of layers (multilayer design) which are interconnected to each other chemically or mechanically.
Advantageous embodiments of the aforementioned pallet are contained in the dependent claims and in the description.
To permit considerable support of the pallet and to provide a high load-capacity by the stiffening structure such is entirely embedded in the pallet.
The bars or strips of the stiffening structure may be interconnected by different means, e. g. by screws or by special engaging connectors or clip connectors.
A preferable embodiment of the pallet comprises a stiffening structure wherein the bars possess protrusions and recesses wherein the protrusions are put into the recesses to form a complete structure of interspaced or interstitial bars.
Preferably, the bars or strips are at least partially of wood or of a high density plastic material.
To avoid the nesting and spreading of insects during overseas transport the bars or strips are entirely surrounded by a plastic material of low density.
According to a preferable embodiment of the invention the material of the bars or strips is propylene or another plastic material having a density of about 80 g / dm³.
Preferably, the parts surrounding the bars or strips are made of foamed plastic material, especially of foamed polypropylene, having a density of about 20 g / dm³.
Preferably, at least one bar or strip extends in a direction rectangular to the direction in which forklift tines extend which are to lift and lower the pallet.
In a special embodiment of the invention it is provided for that the at least one bar or strip extends in the vicinity of the front side and/or of the rear side of a household appliance to be put on the upper side of the pallet.
Preferably, the corners of the pallet are formed to at least partially overlap the sidewalls of the household appliance; thus the sidewalls are protected against being damaged during transport. If the corners have an indentation or a recess on their undersides the pallets are easy to be stacked.
In another advantageous embodiment of the invention the pallet comprises projections or protrusions and recesses or depressions on its upper side which respectively correspond to projections and recesses of the household appliance to be stacked on the pallet. Further, the recesses or through holes serve to save material and to make the pallets more lightweight. Preferably, two channels or indentations are provided for inserting the tines of a forklift.
Thus, the pallet according to the present invention combines a plurality of advantages that makes it a comfortable means to the handling of household appliances during transport and storing.

Brief Description of the Drawings

Figure 1: is a perspective view of a plastic pallet,
Figure 2: is a perspective view of a grid structure comprised by the pallet and
Figure 3: is a cross-sectional view along a line A - A in Fig. 1.

While this invention is susceptible of embodiments in many different forms, there is shown in the drawings and will herein be described in detail a preferred embodiment of the invention. However, the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the broad aspect of the invention to the embodiment illustrated.
A pallet 1 (fig. 1) is generally rectangular in shape and consists of a plastic material that forms the base and the deck of the pallet 1 whereas in the interior of the pallet 1 a plurality of stabilizing or reinforcing bars forming a grid or lattice of such strengthening material is arranged that is covered and completely surrounded by the plastic material.
The pallet 1 comprises four sidewalls 2 to 5 that raise on each of the sides of the pallet 1 wherein opposing side are substantially parallel to each other. On their exterior side the sidewalls 2 to 5 are substantially vertical whereas to the interior of the pallet 1 the sidewalls 2 to 5 may have an inclined surface that slopes from the exterior to the interior. At the corners of the sidewalls 2 to 5 four projections 6 to 9 serve to hold the appliance in the measurements of the pallet 1. Therefore, the projections 6 to 9 possess recesses on their interior vertical sides that are adapted to the corners of a household appliance or any other product to be transported by the pallet 1. Additionally, the projections 6 to 9 preferably have the form of hollow cones so as to permit inserting of projections of the same form at their undersides. Therefore, it is possible to stack a plurality of pallets 1 wherein the projections 6 to 9 of an underlying pallet fit into the cavities on the undersides of the projections 6 to 9 of the upperlying pallet.
The pallet 1 possesses a plurality of round or rectangular indentations or recesses 10, 11 which serve to save material and that may receive parts on the underside of a household appliance positioned on the pallet 1 or any accessory part of the appliance.
A plurality of the recesses 10, 11 forms a grid or a rib structure in the pallet 1. This grid structure is reinforced in its interior by a structure of a strengthening material formed by a plurality of crossing bars that are arranged in a rectangular form 12 as shown in fig. 2. The recesses 10, 11 are embodied as bores connecting the upper side to the downside of the pallet 1. The form 12 consists of a plurality of bars 13 interleaved with each other.
The pallet 1 comprises strengthening bars that are arranged preferably in the proximity of the sidewalls 2 to 5 such as bar 14 (fig. 3). The bars may be made from wood, preferably however, they are made from a plastic material having a higher density than the material used for the surrounding exterior parts of the pallet 1. A suitable material is high density polypropylene, having a density of about 80 g / dm³. Therefore, after the grid structures 12 and stiffening bars 13 are molded in molding forms they are put in another molding in which they are covered by another plastic material having a lower density, such as a low density polypropylene material having a density of about 20 g / dm³.
In each embodiment of the invention lateral apertures 15, 16 may be provided to receive the forklift tines. In the alternative, special recesses may be provided in the lateral surfaces of the side walls 4, 5. Many different embodiments of the invention may be realized wherein reinforcing parts are foreseen to support the appliance to be put on the pallet. As the surfaces of the pallet are entirely constituted of a plastic material it has a high resistivity against environment influences and may not be damaged by insects.

Claims

Pallet (1) or base pad for storing and transporting a household appliance, the pallet (1) or base pad comprising a stiffening structure (12) and plastic material surrounding the stiffening structure (12), the stiffening structure being at least substantially of rectangular form, wherein a plurality of crossing bars and/or strips are put together to form the rectangular structure, characterized in that a plurality of round or rectangular indentations or recesses (10, 11) is comprised which may receive parts on the underside of the household appliance positioned on the pallet (1) and/or any accessory part of the appliance, the plurality of indentations or recesses (10, 11) forming a grid or a rib structure in the pallet (1) which grid or rib structure is reinforced in its interior by said stiffening structure (12), wherein said recesses of the grid or rib structure are embodied by a plurality of bores connecting the upper side to the downside of the pallet.
Pallet (1) according to claim 1 , characterized in that the bars possess protrusions and recesses wherein the protrusions are put into the recesses to form a complete structure of interspaced or interstitial bars.
Pallet (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the bars or strips are at least partially of wood or of a high density plastic material.
Pallet (1) according to any of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the bars or strips are entirely surrounded by plastic material of low density.
Pallet (1) according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that the material of the bars or strips is propylene or another plastic material having a density of about 80 g / dm³.
Pallet (1) according to claim 4, characterized in that the material surrounding the bars or strips is a foamed plastic material having a density of about 20 g / dm³.
Pallet (1) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one bar (14) or strip extends in a direction rectangular to the direction in which forklift tines extend which are to lift and lower the pallet (1).
Pallet (1) according to any of claims 3 to 7, characterized in that the at least one bar (14) or strip extends in the vicinity of the front side and/or of the rear side of a household appliance to be put on the upper side of the pallet (1) transported on it.
Pallet (1) according to claim 8, characterized in that the corners (6 to 9) of the pallet (1) are formed to at least partially overlap the side walls of the household appliance.
Pallet (1) according to claim 11, characterized in that the corners (6 to 9) have an indentation or a recess on their undersides
Pallet (1) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the pallet (1) is stackable.
Pallet (1) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the pallet (1) comprises projections or protrusions and recesses (10, 11) or depressions which respectively correspond to projections and recesses of the household appliance to be stacked on the pallet.
Pallet (1) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the pallet (1) comprises two channels or indentations (15, 16) that are provided for inserting the tines of a forklift.