HOLLOW SKID

Abstract: Skid (1) to a pallet, a container pallet or the like (2), the skid (1) being a hollow profile made of a polymeric material by means of injection moulding using a gas injection procedure. The skid (1) comprises two or more longitudinal substantially closed hollow chambers (3, 4, 5) separated from each other and surrounded by one or more defining walls (6, 7, 8). The walls (6, 7, 8) are independently of an essentially even material thickness and respective upper parts (9, 10, 11) of the walls (6, 7, 8) form an upper horizontal surface (12) at which the skid (1) is attached to a pallet, a container pallet or the like (2).

Description: HOLLOW SKID The present invention relates to an improved concept for a skid made of a polymeric material and consisting of a hollow profile. The skid is intended to be used with or constitute a part of a pallet, a container pallet or the like which preferably is made of a polymeric material and which is intended for transport and /or storage of goods. A pallet or the like must, to be possible to convey on ball tracks or the like, downwards be provided with skids in order to eliminate the risk that it jams in for instance the ball track. Pallets or the like provided with skids, wherein the skids and preferably also the pallet are made of a polymeric material by injection moulding are disclosed in a large amount and with varying designs and functions. A skid can sometimes be for instance a solid profile formed as a lath or edging or be a hollow profile comprising a preferably closed longitudinal chamber. A hollow profile exhibits advantages such as being material saving and chock dampening, but known concepts com¬ prising a single hollow chamber exhibit disadvantages such as reduced stability and/or reduced carrying capacity due to i.a. the resulting design of the longitudinal chamber. A dispropor- tional ratio between the width and the height of the chamber renders the upper central area of the skid a tendency to bend downwards or inwards when charged. Furthermore, the material thickness of the chamber walls tends to be uneven. The diffe¬ rence in wall thickness between respective long and short sides of the skid and most of all the edges, with the weakest spots, becomes so large that strains reducing the strength, impact resistance, flexibility and stability of the polymeric material and/or resulting in a cracking, whereby the weakest spots are further weakened. The strains caused by material thickening, appears most of all at the edges and can be referred to the fact that the core temperature of the polymer after injection moulding exceeds the surface temperature to such an extent that the core shrinkage is larger than corresponding surface shrin¬ kage. The difference in shrinkage results in a strong inner tension. Above disclosed properties give pallets provided with such polymeric skids a limited utilisation. A hollow profile is produced through injection moulding of a polymeric material using a gasinjection procedure. One type of gasinjection procedures involve a moulding tool having a rigid and defined moulding cavity which is entirely filled with a molten polymeric material. The moulding tool, furthermore, com¬ prises one or more inlet channels enabling injection of gas into the core of the molten polymeric material and one or more outlet channels through which excess of molten polymeric mate¬ rial during injection "of gas is evacuated out of the moulding cavity, whereby a substantially closed chamber constituting a hollow profile is formed. In an alternative procedure, a moul¬ ding tool with one or more variable moulding cavities, having one or more inlet channels for gasinjection, is used. The moulding cavity is in this case provided with at least one movable element, which can be moved in or out, whereby the volume of the moulding cavity increases or decreases. Molten polymeric material is injected into the moulding cavity when the movable element is in such a position that the volume of the moulding cavity is decreased to a defined filling of molten polymeric material. The movable element is, in conjunction with the gasinjection, moved outwards to a defined expansion of the moulding cavity, whereby a substantially closed hollow profile is formed. Commonly used gasinjection procedures and companies of origin include: AIRMOLD - Battenfeld AIRPRESS - Klδckner Ferromatik CINPRES (Contr. Internal Pressure Moulding) - Pearless Cinpress ENCORE (Engineered Nitrogen Coresystem) - Encore Systems GAIN (Gas-assisted Injection Molding) - Detroid Plastic Molding GASMELT - Engel GID (Gasinnendruckverfahren) - Dynamit-Nobel GIP (Gasinnendruckprozeβ) - Demag GIT (Gasinjektiontechnik) - Schade Through the present invention, it has quit unexpectedly been possible to obtain a skid to a load carrying article, such as a pallet, container pallet or the like, which skid comprises hollow profiles having above advantages without exhibiting said disadvantages. The skid comprises two or more longitudinal sub¬ stantially closed hollow chambers surrounded by one or more defining walls. The defining walls are independently of an essentially even material thickness and the upper part of the walls constitute an upper horizontal surface at which the skid is attached to the pallet. The skid is made of a polymeric material and is injection moulded by means of a gasinjection procedure. A more favourable ratio between width and height of a chamber and thus a more even wall thickness having no or very reduced tensions is by, in contrast to known concepts, allow the skid to comprise more than one longitudinal hollow chamber. Further¬ more, the surface of the upper central area of the skid is thus more rigid without tendency to bend downwards and/ or inwards when charged. Embodiments including defining walls connected to each other by one or more joining reinforcing profiles, such as ribs, webs, girders or the like, result in a skid having a very high stability and load carrying capacity. The joining reinfor¬ cing profiles can be solid or hollow. A pallet etc. is preferably provided with two or more skids according to embodiments of the invention, whereby the upper surface of the skid is attached to the load carrying part of the pallet by means of one or more joining solid or hollow legs or the like or whereby the skid is attached immediately to the load carrying part. Preferably, the skid constitutes a permanently attached part of the pallet, whereby the skid is applied by gluing or welding, such as chemical or ultrasonic welding. A skid can also constitute an integrated part of a pallet, whereby all parts of the pallet are produced as a unit in one single injection moulding. Alternatively, the skid can be detachable and attached by corresponding fastening means of the type pegs and holes, hooks and loops, longitudinal or transversal undercut groove and tenon, notches, rails or the like. The invention is further explained in conjunction with enclosed Figures, wherein Figure 1 shows a crosscut of a skid according to a known concept. Figures 2-4 show crosscuts of three embodi¬ ments of a skid according to the invention. Figure 5 shows seen from beneath a perspective view of a pallet provided with three skids according to an embodiment of the invention. - Figure 1 shows, seen from a short side, a crosscut of a skid 1 according to a known concept. The skid 1, which comprises a longitudinal essentially closed hollow chamber 3 enveloped by a defining wall 6, is made of a polymeric material by injec¬ tion moulding and the hollow chamber 3 is obtained by means of a gasinjection procedure. Upper part 9 of the wall 6 cons¬ titutes an upper horizontal surface 12 at which the skid 1 is attached to a pallet, container pallet or the like 2 (see Figure 5). A large and unfavourable ratio between width and height of the hollow chamber 3, and thus the skid 1, implies that its upper central area will be squeezed downwards and/or inwards when charged (indicated by arrow A). The unfavourable ratio between the width and the height of the hollow chamber 3, furthermore, results in an uneven material thickness of the wall 6 giving an increased material thickness at its two lower edges 19 and 20 being its weakest spots, whereby inner tensions give a reduced stability, impact resistance etc. and /or give rise to material cracking or checking. Figures 2 and 3 show, seen from a short side, a crosscuts of two embodiments of a skid 1 (see Figure 5) according to the present invention. The skids of Figures 2 and 3 have been produced similarly to and have same basic design as the skid of Figure 1. The two skids 1 comprise two hollow chambers 3 and 4 each giving a more favourably ratio between width and height of its hollow chambers 3 and 4. Each hollow chamber 3 and 4 are enveloped by a defining wall 6 and 7 and each upper part 9 and 10 of the walls 6 and 7 constitutes an upper hori¬ zontal surface 12 at which the skid 1 is attached to a pallet, a container pallet or similar 2 (see Figure 5). The more favourable ratio between the width and the height of the hol¬ low chambers 3 and 4 gives a more even material thickness of the walls 6 and 7 of the hollow chambers 3 and 4 with lesser differences in wall thickness, especially at lower edges 19 and 20, whereby inner tensions resulting in decreased stabi¬ lity, impact resistance etc. are avoided. A dividing into two hollow chambers 3 and 4 having separate defining walls 6 and 7, furthermore, eliminates any tendency to force the horizon¬ tal surface 12, especially its upper central area, downwards and/or inwards, when charged. The skid 1 shown in Figure 3 is of the same embodiment as the one shown in Figure 2 with a difference that the enveloping walls 6 and 7 between each longitudinal hollow chamber 3 and 4 are connected by two re¬ inforcing bars 14 and 15 providing a further increased stabi¬ lity to the skid 1. Figure 4 shows, seen from a short side, a crosscut of a skid 1 (see Figure 5) according to an embodiment of the invention. The skid 1 has been produced similarly to and has same basic design as the skids of Figures 1-3. The Skid 1 comprises three hollow chambers 3, 4 and 5 resulting in a yet more favourable ratio between width and height of hollow chambers 3, 4 and 5, compared to the concept of Figure 1 and the embodiments of Figures 2 and 3. Advantages obtained with embodiments accor¬ ding to Figures 2 and 3 are further increased, such as redu¬ ced tendency to inner tensions at lower edges 19 and 20. Each •of the hollow chambers 3, 4 and 5 is enveloped by a defining wall 6, 7 and 8 and each upper part 9, 10 and 11 of the walls 6, 7 and 8 constitutes an upper horizontal surface 12 to which the skid 1 is attached to a pallet, a container pallet or si¬ milar 2 (see Figure 5). A dividing into three hollow chambers 3, 4 and 5 give central surface 12 a very high stability with¬ out any tendency to bend downwards and/or inwards when charged. - Figure 5 show, seen from below, a perspective view of a pallet 2 provided with three skids 1 according to an embodiment of the invention. The embodiment is similar to the embodiments of Figures 2 and 3. Each skid 1 of the pallet 2 comprises two hollow chambers 3 and 4 (see Figures 2 and 3). Each skid 1 is affixed to a load carrying part 13 of the pallet 2 by means of connecting legs 16, 17 and 18 attach to an upper horizon¬ tal surface 12 (see Figures 2 and 3) of said skid 1. Envelo¬ ping walls 6 and 7 of the hollow chambers 3 and 4 are adja¬ cent the legs 16, 17 and 18 downwards provided with a joining and reinforcing bar 15. While particular embodiments of the invention have been shown, it will be understood, of course, that the invention is not limited thereto since many modifications may be made, and it is, therefore, contemplated to cover by the appended claims any such modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. Skid (1) to a load carrying transport and/or storage article (2), such as a pallet or a container pallet, the skid (1) being a hollow profile made of a polymeric material by means of injection moulding using a gasinjection procedure c h a r a c t e r i s e d i n, that the skid (1) compri¬ ses at two or more longitudinal substantially closed hollow chambers (3,4,5), that the hollow chambers (3,4,5) are sepa¬ rated from each other and enveloped by one or more defining walls (6,7,8), that the walls (6,7,8) independently are of an essentially even material thickness and that respective upper part (9,10,11.) of the walls (6,7,8) form an upper horizontal surface (12) at which surface (12) the skid (1) is attached to the article (2). 2. Skid (1) according to Claim 1 c h a r a c t e r i s e d i n, that the defining walls (6,7,8) are connected to each other by means of one or more joining and reinforcing pro¬ files, such as ribs, webs, bars, girder or the like (14,15), the profiles being solid or hollow. 3. Skid (1) according to Claim 1 or 2 c h a r a c t e r i s e d i n, that the surface (12) of the skid (1) is attached to a load carrying part (13) of the article (2) by means of one or more joining solid or hollow legs or the like (16,17,18). 4. Skid (1) according to Claim 1 or 2 c h a r a c t e r i s e d i n, that the surface (12) of the skid (1) per se is attached to a load carrying part (13) of the article (2). 5. Skid (1) according to any of the Claims 1-4 c h a r a c ¬ t e r i s e d i n, that the skid (1) is permanently at¬ tached to the article (2), whereby the skid (1) is applied by means of gluing or welding, such as chemical and ultra¬ sonic welding. 6. Skid (1) according ' to any of the Claims 1-4 c h a r a c ¬ t e r i s e d i n, that the skid (1) is an integrated part of the article (2), whereby all parts of the article (2) and the skid (1) are produced as a unit in a single injection moulding. 7. Skid (1) according to any of the Claims 1-4 c h a r a c ¬ t e r i s e d i n, that the skid (1) is a detachable part of the article (2), whereby the skid (1) is attached by cor¬ responding fastening means, such as expanding pegs and holes, hooks and loops, longitudinal or transversal undercut groove and tenon, notches and/or rails.

Inventors: PROVOT JEAN-MICHEL, PROVOT, JEAN-MICHEL
Applicants: PERSTORP AB, PROVOT JEAN MICHEL, PROVOT, JEAN-MICHEL
Application year: 1995
Main classification: B65D19
IPC codes: B65D19