Sheet material pallet with wrap around deck

A corrugated pallet construction wherein first and second blanks are used to form first and second intersecting runners respectively, by folding adjacent panels against each other in accordion-like manner. The runners are assembled in an intersecting grid pattern. The assembled runners are wrapped with two identical additional blanks to form a multilayer upper platform, sidewalls, and a lower surface portion allowing for use of a floor jack to elevate the pallet.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention relates to pallets, and in particular sheet material 
pallets for transporting and storing items. 
Pallets and platforms for bulk storage and transportation of materials 
constitute a multi-billion dollar industry. Their use is pervasive in a 
myriad of commercial applications, e.g., for the storage of raw and 
finished products in manufacturing facilities, for the transportation of 
finished products and materials from manufacturing facilities to 
distributors and retail outlets, and for storing finished materials in 
warehousing and retail facilities. Pallets are extremely useful for 
storing and transporting material since they provide an elevated support 
platform which protects the stored goods from spilled materials, etc. and 
allow conventional equipment such as a forklift to readily move large 
quantities of materials stored on the pallet. 
Pallets are typically constructed of wood slats. Such pallets are suitable 
for a number of applications, especially where very heavy loads are 
encountered. However, wood pallets are heavy and not easily disposable or 
recyclable. Certain industries, such as the food industry, are extremely 
interested in replacing wood pallets with light weight and easily 
disposable/recyclable pallets, so long as such pallets can meet certain 
strength and durability requirements. 
As an alternative to wooden pallets, pallets have been constructed of sheet 
material such as corrugated board material, e.g., corrugated paperboard 
and the like. Existing pallet constructed of sheet material have met with 
only limited success due to the drawbacks of limited strength and 
durability. Furthermore, only limited cost savings have been achieved in 
existing sheet material pallets due to the complexity of manufacture and 
assembly arising out of the multiple blanks and other pieces required to 
make a complete pallet. The following patents exemplify existing pallets 
constructed of sheet material. 
Yamaguchi et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,714,026, discloses a pallet including a 
deck board made from laminated corrugated fiberboard. Each of the legs is 
formed by a square-tubular frame made of corrugated fiberboard in which a 
pad or pads of plastic resin is/are inserted. 
Nymoen, U.S. Pat. No. 4,185,565, discloses a two-piece corrugated pallet 
formed a base member and a platform member of corrugated board material. 
The base piece is formed by three parallel spaced channel sections 
connected by platform reinforcing portions. The platform member is secured 
to the base piece. 
Winebarger, U.S. Pat. No. 4,979,446, discloses a corrugated pallet formed 
from interconnected base and deck members constructed from creased and 
scored rectangular blanks to comprise a solid core of adjacent vertically 
oriented panels surrounded by an outer covering of perimetric horizontally 
and vertically running panels. Once the base members are assembled using a 
U-shaped slot arrangement, a separate deck board is attached thereto. 
Osborne et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,666,165, discloses a pallet having four-way 
fork entry capability. Tubular members are inserted into a folded sheet of 
corrugated material to form the runners. A separate panel is required to 
form the deck. 
Quaintance, U.S. Pat. No. 3,911,834, discloses a pallet made of foldable 
materials having four-way fork entry capability. A plurality of runners 
are formed integrally from a blank forming the deck and take the form of 
hollow elongated channels. 
Farrell, U.S. Pat. No. 2,576,715, discloses a fiber board material pallet 
having a wrap-around upper and lower deck formed of an unitary sheet of 
material. It is disclosed that the wrap sections may completely overlap to 
form a top wall of double thickness. 
None of these aforementioned patents, however, satisfactorily meet the 
present need for a sheet material pallet for use with a variety of 
material handling equipment, which provides acceptable four way entry for 
both fork-lift and pallet jack handling, which possesses enhanced stacking 
strength, heavy static load bearing ability and improved stability, yet 
remains simple enough in design for efficient manufacture and assembly. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention discloses two embodiments of a corrugated pallet 
assembly. Each embodiment comprises two basic components--runners and deck 
pieces. The deck pieces wrap around the runners (also referred to as 
supports or stringers) to form the pallet of the present invention. 
In each embodiment, there are two types of runners used in the present 
invention, and two deck pieces. First and second intersecting runners are 
formed by first and second blanks respectively. The runners are formed by 
folding adjacent panels of the blanks against each other in an 
accordion-like manner. Once the runners are assembled, they are connected 
in an intersecting grid pattern. The runners are then wrapped with two 
identical additional blanks (the deck pieces) to form a multi-layer upper 
platform, sidewalls, and a lower platform. The sidewalls and lower 
platform preferably have cut-out portions allowing for use of a floor jack 
to elevate the pallet. 
Preferably, the runners consist of a die cut corrugated sheet of individual 
panels that are fan-folded or accordion-folded together to form a runner. 
The number of panels is dependent upon stacking strength and pallet 
rigidity required. The corrugated material used may be of any basis weight 
or construction, i.e., singlewall, doublewall, triplewall, etc. Moreover, 
special materials and coatings, such as moisture resistant, pest 
prevention, or non-skid coatings may readily be incorporated into the 
structure. 
Both the first and second runners are manufactured and assembled in similar 
fashion. However, in the preferred form of the invention the first runners 
are longer than the second runners. The individual adjacent panels of the 
runners preferably are attached to each other by means of a series of 
slits and reverse slits. Panels may also be attached to each other by 
means of slits and hinge scores or notches. Various other means common to 
the art of corrugated design to hold the panel together for assembly may 
be used, such as slits and notches. All cut lines of features that 
separate the individual panels preferably are perpendicular to the 
direction of the corrugated flute lines. 
The runner panels are preferably laminated to each other with adhesive. 
Adhesive may be applied by mechanical or manual means. The purpose of the 
adhesive is to bond adjacent panels together for stack strength 
enhancement and insure the individual panels work together as a whole. 
Panels may be assembled into a runner without application of adhesive, 
however this will likely lessen the performance of the runner. The runners 
are preferably notched for assembly of the first to the second runners to 
form an interlocking pattern. The first runners are parallel to each other 
and the second runners are perpendicular to the first to define a grid. 
Placement and spacing of one runner to another or the number of runners 
used can be dependent on specific use, customer need, or the convention of 
equal distancing of runners to distribute load bearing stress uniformly 
over the surface of the pallet. Assembly of the first and second runners 
into a pattern can be accomplished by automated or manual means. 
Openings may be formed in both the first and second runners to facilitate 
the use of lift truck forks for movement of the pallet. Shape, size and 
positioning of the openings generally is dependent upon the customers 
requirements and the type of equipment used in the material handling 
environment. The present invention lends itself to either two or four-way 
entry runner construction. 
In the first embodiment, the deck pieces preferably consist of two 
identical die-cut pieces of corrugated board which are wrapped around the 
runners to form the top and bottom platform or deck of the pallet and the 
sidewalls. The deck pieces are scored to define a top deck portion, a 
sidewall portion, and a bottom deck portion. The deck pieces are wrapped 
around the runners so that the top deck portions of each deck piece 
overlap and are preferably laminated together with adhesive to form a very 
rigid and solid deck surface. 
The bottom deck portions do not overlap, in the preferred form of the first 
embodiment of the invention. They abut to form a single layer bottom deck. 
The sidewall portions of the deck pieces form vertical side-walls which 
preferably parallel the direction of the first runners. The sidewalls 
include cut-outs which provide fork entry positions for certain material 
handling purposes. Preferably, the cut-out includes a tuck flap portion 
which folds inwardly and is glued to the bottom portion of the adjacent 
runner. The tuck flap adds rigidity to the pallet and provides guidance of 
the lifting forks into the pallet. 
The sidewall cut-outs preferably extend into the bottom deck portion of the 
deck piece in such fashion and placement to allow the use of floor jacks. 
Floor jacks are material handling devices with wheels positioned under the 
lifting forks. Hence, a solid bottom deck would preclude the use of floor 
jacks. 
Assembly of the deck pieces to the runners is effected by applying adhesive 
to all contact surfaces of the assembled runners, both in the vertical and 
horizontal planes that contact with the deck pieces. Once adhesive is 
applied to the runners, then the deck piece is folded around the runners, 
the entire assembly is put into compression, and the adhesive is allowed 
to set-up. Conversely, adhesive can be applied to the deck pieces at all 
runner contact points and put into compression. 
The first and second runners have mutually cooperating first apertures for 
interlocking together in a grid-like pattern. The runners further have 
second apertures, positioned in cooperation with the cut-out regions of 
the deck pieces, for floor jack and/or forklift access. The runners may 
also have additional fork lift apertures to provide four-way entry for a 
fork lift. 
Rather than erecting a full bottom deck with cut-outs, the second 
embodiment of the invention provides the top deck with legs that extend 
down and around the runners and tuck into a slot provided by an 
intersection of the runners. The legs can be fixed to the slot either by 
friction locking it into place or it may be glued, stitched or stapled for 
added reliability. 
The preferred form of the second embodiment also differs from the preferred 
form of the first in that the interlocking slots of the longitudinal and 
lateral runners have been reversed. The width of long runners' slots 
adjacent its ends has been increased to accommodate the deck leg and a 
short runner. 
Additionally, the design of the longitudinal runners in the second 
embodiment differs from the longitudinal runners in the first embodiment. 
The longitudinal runners of the second embodiment are shaped so that the 
second and fourth lateral runners act as a guide for the lifting forks of 
a fork truck or pallet jack device. 
It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the 
following detailed description are exemplary only and are not restrictive 
of the invention, as claimed.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
Reference will now be made in detail to the presently preferred embodiments 
of the invention examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying 
drawings. 
In accordance with the first embodiment of present invention, shown 
generally in FIGS. 1 and 2, a corrugated pallet assembly 2 is provided 
including an upper deck panel 4 and a lower deck panel 6. Pallet 2 may be 
made from conventional corrugated container board, e.g., corrugated paper 
board, or synthetic corrugated material such as extruded low density 
polyethylene material. Other materials or coatings may be used for 
specific performance requirements, as is well-known in the art. 
Additionally, solid fiber board may constitute a suitable material 
depending on the particular pallet application. Corrugated paperboard is 
generally preferred for its relatively low cost, high strength and 
disposability/recyclability. 
In accordance with the first embodiment of the present invention, the 
corrugated panel assembly is provided with longitudinally-extending 
runners 8 and laterally-extending runners 10 located between upper deck 
panel 4 and lower deck panel 6. The longitudinally-extending and the 
laterally-extending runners intersect one another in a grid-like pattern, 
described subsequently in greater detail, for enhanced structural 
integrity. 
In accordance with the first embodiment of the present invention, as 
illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6, the upper and lower deck preferably are 
formed of two similarly shaped and sized deck pieces 12. These deck pieces 
12 include a first or top deck portion 12A, bottom deck portion 12B, and a 
sidewall portion 16. Deck pieces 12 have two spaced part openings 14 which 
extend from the sidewall portion into the bottom deck portion. FIG. 6 
shows a single sheet of material 12 in semi-folded condition as it forms 
the upper deck, sidewall, and lower deck. During assembly, two deck pieces 
12 are combined to form the assembled pallet. 
Specifically, in accordance with a preferred form of the first embodiment 
of the present invention, the two deck pieces 12 so that are each wrapped 
around the runners the two top deck portions 12A to form a double 
thickness top deck. Deck piece 12 is folded about lines 16A and 16B to 
create longitudinal sidewall 16 and a single thickness bottom deck. The 
edges of bottom deck portion 12B of each deck piece abut to form the 
single layer bottom deck. 
The pallet has substantially open opposing lateral sides 20 (as shown in 
FIG. 4). Openings 14 extending from sidewall 16 to a predetermined 
distance into the lower deck. As a result, floorjack and forklift material 
handling equipment access is provided by the present invention. 
In a preferred embodiment, a plurality of tuck flaps 18 are cut from 
sidewalls 16 in the area of the spaced apart openings 14. Tuck flaps 18 
are positioned so as to provide guidance for floorjack and forklift entry. 
Preferably, tuck flaps 18 are folded inwardly of the pallet as shown in 
FIG. 2 and affixed in a conventional manner to a longitudinally-extended 
runner positioned on the outside edges of the pallet. 
The present invention connects longitudinally-extending runners 8 to 
laterally-extending runners 10 to form a grid-like pattern about which the 
two deck pieces 12 are wrapped. 
In accordance with the present invention, FIG. 9 depicts a plan view of the 
corrugated sheet 9 used to create the longitudinally-extending runner 8. 
Sheet 9 includes a plurality of panels 9A, a plurality of first apertures 
22 and a plurality second apertures 24. The apertures in the panels 
preferably are U-shaped. Sheet 9 is fan-folded along fold lines or slits 
26 as shown in FIG. 10 to create a multi-layered construction. 
When so folded the first and second apertures overlap to define a plurality 
of U-shaped notches 22A and 24A, respectively. Notches 24A and 22A open on 
opposite sides of runners 8. 
Similarly, the present invention contemplates that the laterally-extending 
runners 10 are constructed from a corrugated sheet 11 as shown in FIGS. 7 
and 8. Sheet 11 includes a plurality of panels 11A, a plurality of first 
apertures 32 and a plurality of second apertures 34. Again, the apertures 
are preferably U-shaped. Sheet 11 is fan-folded along fold to create a 
multi-layered construction along fold lines or slits 36 so that first 
apertures 32 overlap each other and second apertures 34 overlap one 
another to create notches 32A and 34A, respectively. 
The U-shaped notches 22A of the longitudinally-extending runners 8 and the 
U-shaped notches 32A of the laterally-extending runners 10 interlock when 
the runners are assembled into a grid. 
U-shaped notches 24A of runners 8 are positioned in cooperation with the 
openings 14 of the two corrugated sheets 12 for floorjack and forklift 
access. Additionally, the laterally-extending runners 10 are positioned so 
that the U-shaped notch 34A provides forklift access from the ends of the 
pallet, i.e., in the direction parallel to the sidewalls 16. 
The number of panels 9A, 11A forming each runner, and thus the thickness 
and strength of each runner, can be easily varied in accordance with the 
required load bearing strength of the pallet. 
Adjacent panels 9A, 11A of the runners which are to be folded against each 
other may be attached by a simple notch-type hinge, a hinge score, or 
other commonly used structures, as described in applicant's parent 
application, Ser. No. 07/722,661. Other suitable hinging techniques will 
be apparent to those skilled in the art. 
The preferred hinging method will depend, in part, upon the equipment 
available for creating the blanks. If the available equipment does not 
easily allow for slit scoring from either side of the material, this 
technique may not be desirable. Runner-forming panels 9A and 11A are 
preferably folded in an accordion-like manner. Thus, the directions of the 
folds will alternate from one panel edge to the next. If slit scoring is 
used, it is necessary to provide these slit scores from opposite sides of 
the material in order to allow for folding in the required direction 
without material binding. Notches have the advantages of bi-directional 
folding thus avoiding the need to provide cutting from opposite sides of 
the material. Depending on the available equipment, notches may or may not 
be easier to provide than slit score hinges. Hinge scores are not as 
simply provided as notch-tape hinges. However, hinge scores better 
facilitate the bi-directional folding required of runner-forming panels 9A 
and 11A as compared with notches. Simple score lines are simple and 
inexpensive to provide. However, folding about a score line is generally 
not as easy as folding about hinge lines created utilizing the other 
methods. 
It is preferable that the corrugation direction of each blank be 
perpendicular to the hinge lines of the respective panels. In this manner, 
greater structural integrity at the hinge points is maintained. 
In accordance with the second embodiment of the present invention, as 
illustrated in FIGS. 11-18, a similar grid is formed from longitudinally 
extending runners 80 and laterally extending runners 72 which interfit 
within each other. Each runner is formed identically to the runners in the 
first embodiment. 
As illustrated in FIG. 17, laterally extending runner 72 includes three 
slots 74 formed in its upper surface and two slots 76 formed in its lower 
surface. As illustrated in FIG. 16, longitudinally extending runner 80 
includes three slots 82, 84, 86 formed in its lower surface to interfit 
with the three slots 74 in the upper surface of the laterally extending 
runner. The end slots 86 are slightly larger than the other slots 82, 84 
for a purpose to be described hereinafter. Longitudinally extending runner 
80 includes two additional slots 88 formed in its lower surface. These 
slots 88 along with the lower slots in the laterally extending runner 
create an access for a fork or a similar lifting tool to fit thereunder. 
As shown in FIGS. 11, 12, and 18, there are five laterally extending 
runners 72 and three longitudinally extending runners 80. All laterally 
extending runners are identical and all longitudinally extending runners 
are identical. 
Two deck pieces 60 fit over and around the grid of runners and are oriented 
180.degree. from each other. As best shown in FIG. 15, these deck pieces 
60 include a platform surface 62, a sidewall surface 64, a bottom surface 
portion 66, and lock tab or flaps 68. For additional strength, tuck flaps 
70 may be added which are folded and affixed to the upper surface of the 
slots 76 formed in the lower surface of the laterally extending runners 
72. 
The second embodiment has the same advantages as the first embodiment. 
However, the second embodiment also includes two additional advantages. 
First, the second embodiment provides for a stronger connection between the 
deck pieces 60 and the grid of runners 72, 80. This stronger connection is 
created by the lock flaps 68 and the widened slots 86. The two laterally 
extending runners 72 on the end fit into the widened slots 86. The slots 
86 are sized to fit the width of the laterally extending runner 72 and the 
thickness of the lock flap 68 on the deck piece 60. The lock flaps 68 are 
tucked into the extended width slots 86 inward of the end laterally 
extending runners 72. The lock flap 68 can be either friction locked into 
place or for added reliability it can be glued, stitched, or stapled into 
place. 
Secondly, the arrangement in the second embodiment provides for excellent 
runner protection. The slots 84 on the longitudinally extending runners 
are positioned such that the second and fourth laterally extending runners 
72 bound fork entry slots 88 on their outer wall surface. Thus, the second 
and fourth laterally extending runners 72 act as a guide for the lifting 
forks of a fork lift truck or a pallet jack device. The guide protects the 
runners by giving the fork a planar surface against which to slide. 
Another difference between the preferred form of the embodiments is that 
the interlocking of the long (longitudinally extending runners) and the 
short (laterally extending runners) have been reversed. This arrangement, 
although preferred, is not required and the pallets may be designed with 
either interlocking scheme. 
The manufacture of the parts of the pallet of the second embodiment is 
essentially the same to that of the first embodiment. 
Preferably, in order to assemble the pallet of the present invention, 
adhesive is used to adhere each deck piece to the surfaces of each of the 
runners contacted by the deck pieces. Suitable adhesive compositions will 
be apparent to those skilled in the art, and will depend upon the chosen 
pallet material as well as other factors. Additionally, other known means 
may be utilized for securing the respective pieces together, separately or 
in combination with adhesives, including stitching and stapling. 
As an advantage in both embodiments, the use of vertically oriented 
adjacent panels of corrugated material for forming the pallet runners 
facilitates pallet assembly and allows the thickness (and hence the 
strength) of the runners to be easily varied. Also, any exposed 
corrugation flutes along the bottom edge surfaces of the runners may serve 
as convenient places to apply a moisture resistant composition. Such a 
moisture resistant composition is desirable in order to inhibit the 
migration of moisture/water from the floor surface to the pallet to 
thereby enhance the retention of pallet stacking strength and stability. 
Suitable coatings, which are widely known and commercially available, 
include wax based compositions, resin-type compositions and water soluble 
silicone based solutions. Application methods may include hot/cold roller 
coating, dipping and spraying. 
Other embodiments of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the 
art in consideration of the specification and practice of the invention 
disclosed herein. It is intended that the specification and examples be 
considered exemplary only, with the scope of the invention being defined 
by the following claims.