Pallet wrap and methods for stabilizing and displaying articles

An adjustable-length, reusable, recyclable pallet wrap for constraining a lading while displaying high-impact graphics. The pallet wrap preferably has a set of horizontally-spaced, vertically-oriented, preformed lines of reduced resistance to bending at each of four regions to facilitate providing a snug fit around typical pallets or ladings of various sizes. In one embodiment, a dual-function pallet wrap is provided which can function as a pallet skirt for in-store displays in addition to functioning as a constraint for the lading.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
The invention relates generally to pallet wraps for stabilizing articles 
against shifting during transport, and for displaying products to 
consumers on a pallet, and to related methods. 
2. Background and Description of Related Art 
The stacking of articles, such as cases or cartons containing food 
products, on pallets having a horizontal supporting platform surface often 
presents stability problems. The stacked articles, which may be of the 
same or different shapes, sizes and weights, if unrestrained, may slide 
off of the pallet during transport. 
One method of stabilizing pallet loads requires placing a loaded pallet on 
a turntable, and rotating the turntable through three or more complete 
revolutions while wrapping EVA stretch wrap around the load. The stretch 
wrap generally is not reusable, which requires a material cost to be 
incurred for each pallet load. Disposal of the stretch wrap may require an 
additional expense. Also, removal of the stretch wrap from the pallet may 
require it to be cut away using a knife or other tools in a 
labor-intensive operation, with care being needed to avoid damage to the 
lading. Another problem is that the EVA film may apply excessive pressure 
to the lading and may damage cartons, particularly under conditions of 
high humidity. 
A general object of the invention is to provide a reusable pallet wrap 
which is inexpensive to manufacture, and which avoids the problems 
associated with use of stretch wrap as described above. 
Additional objects and advantages of the invention are set forth 
hereinbelow, and are shown in the accompanying drawings. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The invention provides an adjustable, reusable, recyclable pallet wrap for 
stabilizing articles such as boxes or cartons containing food products on 
a pallet, while providing capability for display of high-impact graphics. 
In one embodiment, there is provided a dual-function pallet wrap which is 
capable of functioning as a constraint for cartons stacked on a pallet, 
and is also capable of being attached directly to the pallet to enable it 
to be returned with the empty pallet, and to enable it to function as a 
decorative skirt to cover the pallet for purposes of in-store display. The 
pallet wrap preferably employs a non-metallic fastening device which 
permits the ends of the pallet wrap to be adjustably and releasably 
fastened to each other. The pallet wrap preferably does not contain any 
metal components so as to avoid concerns regarding presence of small metal 
fasteners and the like in food plants. The pallet wrap preferably has 
sufficient strength to permit it to stabilize loads weighing from about 
1,000 pounds up to about 2,500 pounds. 
The pallet wrap preferably includes at least four horizontally-spaced 
series of vertically oriented, preformed regions of reduced resistance to 
bending to facilitate provision of an acceptably precise fit around 
ladings of various sizes.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
The invention is preferably embodied in an adjustable, recyclable pallet 
wrap 10 which has a tensile and burst strength sufficient to constrain 
product loads weighing in the range from about 1,000 to about 2,500 pounds 
while enabling display of high-impact graphics on its outer surface 28. In 
the embodiments of FIGS. 2 and 3, the pallet wrap 10 is also capable of 
functioning as a display skirt for in-store display purposes to remove the 
pallet 12 from view, without impeding customer access to product on the 
pallet 12. In each of the embodiments described herein, the pallet wrap 
comprises an elongated, generally rectangular body 16 and a fastening 
mechanism 18 which preferably comprises one or more non-metallic fastening 
devices. 
The pallet wrap 10 stabilizes articles 14 on the pallet 12, such as a 
lading comprising a plurality of food product boxes or cartons, to prevent 
the articles 14 from sliding relative to one another. The pallet wrap 10 
does not have any small metallic parts which might become detached as a 
result of wear or damage. 
The pallet wrap 10 is preferably made of a material having a burst strength 
of at least about 150 p.s.i., which is believed to be sufficient to 
constrain a product load weighing in the range from about 1,000 to about 
2,500 pounds during typical commercial shipping and handling of food 
products such as bottles of salad dressing or packaged cheese, or other 
food products packaged for retail sale. 
The size of the pallet wrap 10 will vary, depending upon the size of the 
lading being stabilized, and/or the size of the pallet 12. The pallet wrap 
10 has a horizontal dimension which is sufficient to permit the pallet 
wrap 10 to wrap horizontally around the lading, or around the entire 
perimeter of the pallet 12 with its ends 24 and 26 overlapping. 
If the pallet wrap 10 is used to stabilize two layers of articles 14 
stacked on a pallet 12, it may have a relatively small vertical dimension, 
e.g., about seven inches. If a single pallet wrap 10 is used to stabilize 
three or more layers, it should have a vertical dimension which permits it 
to engage all of the layers, as shown in FIG. 1. Alternatively, two or 
more separate pallet wraps 10 may be used to stabilize three or more 
layers of stacked articles 14, with one engaging the first and second 
layers, and the other engaging the second and third layers, as shown in 
FIG. 2. The stabilization of additional layers can be performed in a 
similar manner, using additional pallet wraps 10. 
If the pallet wrap 10 is to be used as a display skirt, it should be long 
enough to wrap around the entire perimeter of the pallet 12, with the ends 
24 and 26 overlapping, and the vertical dimension of the pallet wrap 10, 
i.e., the distance between its upper and lower edges 20 and 22, may be 
substantially the same as that of the pallet 12 (FIG. 2). 
FIG. 2 illustrates an in-store display wherein a plurality of dual-function 
pallet wraps are employed on a loaded pallet. Each of the illustrated 
pallet wraps is capable of functioning both as a load constraint and as a 
display skirt. 
During transportation of a fully-loaded pallet with four layers of cartons 
stacked thereon, three pallet wraps may be employed, one at each interface 
between two adjacent layers. At the retail location, the top pallet wrap 
may be removed from the lading and wrapped around the pallet itself, as 
shown in FIG. 2, with illustration of the products in the cartons being 
provided on the pallet wraps for product identification purposes, as well 
as advertising purposes. As shown in FIG. 2, the pallet wrap extends about 
the entire periphery of the pallet, attached to the side surfaces of the 
pallet by a tight fit therearound to cover the sides of the pallet and 
remove them from view. As successive layers of cartons are opened, and 
product is removed therefrom, the other pallet wraps may be removed 
successively from top-to-bottom to expose the lower layers of cartons, 
with each successive pallet wrap being wrapped around the pallet. After 
all of the cartons have been emptied and removed, the pallet wraps may 
remain attached to the pallets for return to the distributor with the 
pallet. To this end, in the embodiment of FIG. 2, the vertical dimension 
of each pallet wrap is no greater than that of the pallet, and preferably 
is substantially the same as that of the pallet, so that the pallet wrap 
10 does not project substantially above or below the top or bottom of the 
pallet. 
The body 16 of the pallet wrap 10 preferably has a plurality of 
horizontally spaced series of vertically-oriented, preformed regions of 
reduced resistance to bending to facilitate provision of an acceptably 
precise fit around ladings of various sizes. These regions may take the 
form of vertical flexible fold lines 32 at locations corresponding to the 
corners of ladings or pallets of various sizes. Thus, the fold lines 32 
can be positioned to align with the corners 36 of pallets or ladings of 
various sizes to provide a snug fit. 
The body 16 of the pallet wrap 10 may comprise a continuous length of a 
recyclable material upon which high impact graphics, e.g., illustrations 
36 (FIG. 2) of food products such as salad dressing bottles contained in 
the cases on the pallet, may be printed. Examples of suitable materials 
include corrugated paperboard or cardboard. One such material is 200 lb. B 
flute corrugated, which comprises a single-wall corrugated material having 
about 47 flutes/ft. and having a thickness of about 1/8 in, and a burst 
strength of at least about 200 p.s.i. The corrugations may be oriented 
either horizontally or vertically, but are preferably oriented vertically. 
A fastening mechanism 18 connects and permits repeated adjustable joinder 
and release of the first and second ends 24 and 26 of the body 16 of the 
pallet wrap 10, with the ends overlapped, and permits the pallet wrap 10 
to be repeatedly and easily formed into a continuous and endless band 
which may be varied in length. 
The preferred fastening mechanism 18 comprises vertically-oriented 
complementary strips or patches of adhesive-backed hook-and-loop fastening 
material, such as VELCRO material, which are suitable for use with food 
products, and provide the pallet wrap 10 with the ability to be quickly 
fastened and unfastened at varying lengths. The fastening material 18 may 
be secured to the body 16 of the pallet wrap 10 by adhesive or otherwise. 
As is shown in FIGS. 1-3, a series of vertically-oriented VELCRO strips 38 
may be secured to the outer surface 28 of the pallet wrap 10 near the 
first end 24, and one or more complementary VELCRO strip may be secured to 
the inner surface 30 of the pallet wrap 10 near the opposite end 26. The 
fastener strips 38 may extend the full vertical dimension of the pallet 
wrap, and each may be, e.g., about one inch in width. The fastener strips 
38 may be spaced at any desired intervals, e.g., intervals of 3 inches. 
Alternatively, a single large VELCRO patch may be secured to the outer 
surface 28 of one end of the pallet wrap, and a complementary VELCRO strip 
or patch may be secured to the opposite second end 26. 
The pallet wrap 10 of the invention may be manufactured efficiently and 
economically using commercially-available materials and equipment. For 
example, the body 16 of the pallet wrap 10 may be die-cut from a sheet of 
corrugated paperboard material. Fold lines 32 may be formed 
simultaneously, before, or after die-cutting of the body, in-line 
therewith, by employing dies to apply pressure to compress the material, 
or by employing cutting dies to perforate or score the material or to cut 
partially through its thickness. Fastening material may then be attached 
at the desired locations, in line with the other operations. 
Although certain preferred embodiments of the pallet wrap and methods of 
the present invention have been shown and described herein, the invention 
is not limited to the embodiments described herein.