Abstract:
A pallet is described incorporating one or more lifting straps on an upper surface of the pallet. In one exemplary embodiment, a top surface of the pallet is substantially free from hand-sized or other similar orifices. In such embodiment, the at least one lifting strap provides a viable alternative to grasping the sides or edges of the pallet.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     This application claims benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/663,698, filed Mar. 18, 2005 and is a continuation-in part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/729,615, filed Dec. 5, 2003, which is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/938,954, filed Aug. 24, 2001, which claimed priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/227,537, filed Aug. 24, 2000, the entire contents of each of which are specifically incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD  
       [0002]     The present disclosure relates to improvements in pallets, particularly those used for transporting miscellaneous industrial and commercial goods by means of forklift devices and the like.  
       BACKGROUND  
       [0003]     Pallets are ordinarily moved about with fork lifting devices. In such use, forks of the forklift slip into openings beneath the pallet top deck and press upon an interior surface to raise the pallet from the floor.  
         [0004]     However, occasionally it is useful to move pallets by hand. In order to grasp the pallet, a worker can reach into one of the forklift openings or into some other opening in the pallet, but sometimes that may not be convenient from the standpoint of accessibility. More significantly, a typical pallet for commercial use is about 40 by 48 inches by about 5 inches high, and weighs around 50 pounds.  
         [0005]     Also, the deck of the pallet described by co-pending U.S. application Ser. No. 10/729,615, filed Dec. 5, 2003, to which the invention is well-applied (at least because it is not a conventional slatted design, but instead comprises a deck having few or no orifices suitable for use as hand holds), lacks the slats and openings of many wood pallets.  
         [0006]     What is needed in the art is a plastic pallet, which pallet incorporates a deck design having few or no orifices suitable for use as handholds, that also incorporates a design permitting facile manual lifting and manipulation.  
       SUMMARY  
       [0007]     The above described and other problems and disadvantages in the art are overcome or alleviated by the present pallet incorporating one or more lifting straps on an upper surface of the pallet. In one exemplary embodiment, a top surface of the pallet is substantially free from hand-sized or other similar orifices. In such embodiment, the at least one lifting strap provides a viable alternative to grasping the sides or edges of the pallet.  
         [0008]     In another exemplary embodiment, at least one lifting strap is provided as part of the upper deck of the pallet. In another exemplary embodiment, the at least one lifting strap is provided in a valley of a corrugation in such a configuration that a substantial portion of the points of interface between the strap and the deck surface lies below the ridge of the corrugation.  
         [0009]     The foregoing and other objects, features and advantages of the present pallet will become more apparent from the following description of exemplary embodiments and accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0010]     Referring now to the accompanying FIGURES, which are meant to be exemplary and not limiting:  
         [0011]      FIG. 1  is a partial cutaway perspective view illustrating an exemplary corrugated deck incorporating a lifting strap within a corrugation valley; and  
         [0012]      FIG. 2  is a partial cross sectional view of an exemplary strap, deck and column interface. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0013]     As noted above, the present disclosure relates to improvements in pallets, and in certain embodiments, plastic pallets. More particularly, the improvement described herein below provides a mechanism whereby the pallet may be more easily lifted and maneuvered by hand.  
         [0014]     Referring now to  FIG. 1 , an exemplary pallet is illustrated generally at  20 . The exemplary pallet  20  has a metal beam-reinforced plastic base, which base comprises a rectangular assembly of outer rails  44  connected by cross rails  44 C. Eight molded plastic columns  42  run upwardly from the corners and midpoints of the base, to support a rectangular frame  24 . A center column  42 C (illustrated at the bottom of the partial illustration at  FIG. 1 ) runs upwardly from the intersection of the cross rails  44 C, in the middle of the pallet.  
         [0015]     A corrugated aluminum deck  22  is attached to the frame  24  with fasteners  26 , which in one exemplary embodiment are integrally molded plastic pins of the type described just below. Deck  22  is also pinned to the top of center column  42 C by fasteners  34 . In an exemplary embodiment, the deck  22  does not contain any holes or orifices that would accommodate a user&#39;s hand hold (for example, a slit wide enough and long enough to permit a user to insert four fingers there through and curl the four fingers against the deck or sub frame). In one exemplary embodiment, the deck does not contain any holes larger than about 3.5 inches long and 0.75 inches wide. In another exemplary embodiment, the deck does not contain any holes larger than about 4 inches long and 1 inch wide. In another exemplary embodiment, the deck does not contain any holes larger than a water drainage hole provided in a corrugation. It should be recognized that the above dimensions are merely exemplary.  
         [0016]     Referring now to  FIG. 2 , lifting strap  30 , is attached to the center column, as will be further described. However, before describing the lifting strap  30  and it&#39;s configuration relative to the pallet  20 , it should be noted that the above described pallet and deck construction is merely exemplary. Though certain aspects of the above-construction may be beneficial, other types of construction would serve, so long as the lifting strap is secured to the reinforcing or structural components of the pallet.  
         [0017]     Referring now to  FIG. 2 , a vertical cross section of the exemplary pallet of  FIG. 1  is illustrated through the central part of the top of the pallet, along the length of bottom of a central diagonal valley corrugation  28  of deck  22 . Exemplary column  42 C has an interior hollow cavity  36 , which in exemplary embodiments is filled with thermoset foam. While only one pin  34  is illustrated as attaching the deck to the center column  42 C is shown, multiples may be used. In an exemplary embodiment, column  42 C also has a corrugated surface which mates with the corrugations  28  of the deck  22  to more completely support it. In another exemplary embodiment, the pin  34  is molded as a post that is integral with the plastic of the column  42 C. Assembly of the deck  22  and the post may be completed by positioning the deck in place with the post extending through a hole in the deck, followed by heating and deforming the post to the nominal shape of the pin  34 , to thereby capture the deck in place.  
         [0018]     Referring still to  FIG. 2 , exemplary lifting strap  30  is fastened to the pallet by means of two spaced apart strap-pins  32  which extend upwardly from the top of column  42 C, and through clearance holes in the valley corrugation  28  of the deck  22 . In an exemplary embodiment the pins  32  are plastic material integral to the column  42 C, but they may have alternate configuration as described below.  
         [0019]     In another embodiment, the pins  32  are formed in the same way as pins  34 , with an exception. The pins  32  additionally pass through holes  38  of the strap  30 . In another exemplary embodiment, the holes  38  in the strap  30  are oblong or rectangular. In such embodiment, the pins  32  may be configured such that the deformation of the top of the pin  32  is sufficient to capture the strap  30  and resist loads applied by the strap  30  during use, but insufficient to prevent lateral sliding motion of the strap  30 , as indicated by arrows E, when the strap  30  is used to lift the pallet.  
         [0020]     In another exemplary embodiment, and as illustrated in  FIG. 2 , the length of the strap  30  and the spacing between holes  38 , relative to the spacing of pins  32 , is selected so that the strap  30  cannot ever lie flat along the valley corrugation  28 . That means there will always be some clearance underneath the strap. The upward curve of the strap enables a worker to readily grasp the strap with fingers. In another exemplary embodiment, the top  46  of the curved strap will be a distance D, for example about one-quarter inch, above the top of the peak corrugations  40  which lie on either side of the valley within which the strap is positioned, to make grabbing the strap even more convenient.  
         [0021]     The strap may comprise any material and construction that will resist breaking under the weight of the pallet. In one exemplary embodiment, the strap comprises polypropylene or other flexible thermoplastic material, having a thickness of about one-eight inch. Thus, if there is another pallet or goods resting on the pallet at the strap location, or if things are push laterally across the deck, the strap will elastically deform and move downwardly into the valley, and it will then spring back up, when the contacting object is removed.  
         [0022]     As noted above, in an exemplary embodiment the holes  38  may be oblong or rectangular, so when the pallet is lifted the strap curve will move, to extend upwardly higher than it is in its rest position, as is illustrated by  FIG. 2 , to thereby provide a larger space under the strap for the worker&#39;s hand. This feature lessens the necessary amount of extension of the top of the strap curve above the deck. While this feature may be beneficial, the strap may also be non-slidable along the deck. For example, the holes may be round, to fit the dimension of the pins  32 , and a compromise curve and spacing underneath the strap will result.  
         [0023]     Other configurations may also be implemented for fastening the strap  30  to the center column  42 C (or indeed, to any other column, sub frame, or reinforcing or structural surface) or for fastening the deck  22  to the column  42 C. For example, in an exemplary embodiment, metal screws or metal pins may be used instead of the integral deformed plastic pins. A lifting strap may also be at least partially secured to a side frame portion adjacent the deck.  
         [0024]     Additionally, as noted above, other general pallet configurations are contemplated herein. In an exemplary embodiment, the deck is made of plastic rather than corrugated aluminum. Other corrugation patterns may be used, the deck may be smooth, or the deck may have other contouring. Also, while the above is described in terms of a center column, the strap may be applied to pallets with decks supported by other columns, or to non-column structures that will take and transfer the lifting load applied to the strap.  
         [0025]     As described above, the present pallet incorporating a lifting strap enables workers to find a convenient place to grasp a pallet for lifting other than by grasping the pallet at its edges. This is advantageous because many workers do not find it easy to lift a pallet by grasping the openings along one edge or two adjacent edges. This is due to the fact that even a smaller span between opposing sides of a pallet (e.g., about 40 inches) is usually too large to enable a worker to easily grasp, lift and maneuver a pallet. The present improvement provides such ease of grasping, lifting and maneuvering of a pallet.