Abstract:
A loading pallet does not require a special forklift or a large space, thereby enabling to reduce the commodity distribution cost. The loading pallet is formed of a top plate for loading the product thereon, a bottom plate for supporting the top plate thereon, and a connection unit for connecting the top plate and bottom plate in an attachable/detachable manner. The top plate, bottom plate, and connection unit are preferably made of either steel, corrugated boards, or plastic. The connection unit can extend when inserting a fork of a forklift, without requiring a special forklift, and since the connection unit shrinks when the fork is withdrawn, the loading pallet needs only a small space for storage.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     This invention relates to a loading pallet for loading products thereon and transporting the products or changing the locations of the products with use of a forklift.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     Loading pallets for a forklift are widely used today. Typically, such a loading pallet is made of lumber and is formed by assembling the lumber plates in a grid-like manner. These loading pallets have an advantage of easy manufacturing, as well as low manufacturing cost and easy handling. However, since its size is large, a pile of loading pallets have to occupy a large space. Thus, there is a disadvantage of inefficiency in commodity distribution due to high storage cost and transportation cost. Further, in the case of international commodity distribution, there is a problem involving quarantine issues since mold or insect pests tend to be parasitic on such lumber plates.  
         [0003]     Therefore, in order to eliminate such drawbacks explained above, a sheet pallet has been proposed as disclosed by Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2003-312662. The sheet pallet is a pallet in a sheet form which is made of paper or synthetic resin. The sheet pallet has an advantage of a comparatively low physical distribution cost since it does not occupy a large space, and there are no quarantine issues since there is no damage resulting from mold or insect pests.  
         [0004]     However, the sheet pallet requires a special operation for transporting the products such as gripping the tabs and pulling it onto the forklift. Namely, the sheet pallet involves inconveniences since a special forklift having a push-pull apparatus is required. In addition, even if a special forklift is used, there is a disadvantage of requiring special skills of an operator since the operation is complicated. Further, when the product is loaded and unloaded, there is a problem of damaging the surface of the product when inserting the fork.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0005]     It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a loading pallet that is easy to handle without requiring a special forklift.  
         [0006]     It is another object of the present invention to provide a loading pallet which does not need a large space, thus enabling to decrease the commodity distribution cost.  
         [0007]     It is a further object of the present invention to provide a loading pallet which is immune from quarantine issues such as mold and insect parasite.  
         [0008]     In order to solve the above problems, the loading pallet in the present invention is comprised of a top plate for loading the product thereon, a bottom plate for supporting the top plate thereon, and a connection unit for connecting the top plate and bottom plate in an attachable/detachable manner. The top plate, bottom plate, and connection unit are preferably made of either steel, corrugated boards, or plastic.  
         [0009]     The top plate of the loading pallet is formed by placing a plurality of first plate-like members at a predetermined distance therebetween, and a plurality of second plate-like members perpendicularly placed on the first plate-like members at a predetermined distance therebetween, where they are bonded together in a form of a grid. The bottom plate is formed similar to the top plate, and is preferably placed upside down.  
         [0010]     The connection unit is preferably formed of a space retainer attached to the bottom side of the top plate, and a bending elastic member for connecting the space retainer and a top surface of the bottom plate as well as for connecting a bottom surface of the top plate and the top surface of the bottom. Alternatively, the connection unit is preferably formed of a hollow top block attached to the bottom surface of the top plate, a hollow bottom block having a shape identical to that of the top block and is formed on a top surface of the bottom plate, and a connection member for connecting the top block and the bottom block in such a way that the top block and the bottom block can be attached or detached from one another.  
         [0011]     Further, the plate-like members formed on the top plate and the bottom plate of the loading pallet are preferably bent to form a hollow square column at each side thereof. Further, the connecting member is preferably a hinge or a pin that allows the top block and the bottom block to attach or detach from one another.  
         [0012]     By connecting the top plate and bottom plate so that they can attach or detach from one another, the following effects can be achieved. First, when storing the loading pallet by itself or with products loaded thereon, the connection units remain retracted, which makes the thickness (height) of the loading pallet small, hence occupying a small space, thereby enabling to reduce the commodity distribution cost. Further, when transporting the loading pallet, the space between the top plate and the bottom plate will be enlarged in response to the fork inserted therein, hence allowing easy transportation without having to use a special forklift unlike the case of the sheet pallet.  
         [0013]     When the top plate, the bottom plate, and the connection unit are made of steel, the pallet with high durability can be achieved. When forming the loading pallet by corrugated boards or plastic, the weight of the loading pallet can be reduced, thereby achieving the cost reduction. In the case of the corrugated boards, particularly, they can be easily disposed of by burning them, which reduces the burden on the environment.  
         [0014]     Further, by forming the top plates and bottom plates in a grid shape, the weight of the loading pallet can be reduced than those constructed from one piece of a plate, while it can achieve a sufficient strength.  
         [0015]     Further, when forming the connection unit with the space retainer attached to the bottom side of the top plate and the bending elastic member for connecting the space retainer and the top side of the bottom plate, where either the bottom side of the top plate or the top side of the bottom plate or both can be attached or detached from one another, a sufficient space can be formed between the top plate and bottom plate when inserting the fork due to the existence of the space retainer. Further, by the resilient expansion and contraction of the bending elastic member that goes along with the insertion and withdrawal of the fork, a gentle and smooth approach and retreat between the top plate and bottom plate can be achieved without applying any damage to the loaded product.  
         [0016]     Further, by constructing the connection unit with a hollow block, a sufficient space can be established between the top plate and the bottom plate when inserting the fork, and the loading pallet can be light in weight while maintaining the sufficient strength.  
         [0017]     By having the plate-like member constructed with hollow square columns on both sides of the flat plate, the strength can be increased in comparison to a simple flat plate, and further, the loading pallet can be light in weight by having the square columns hollowed out.  
         [0018]     By using the connecting member as a hinge or a pin and attaching it to the hollow block of the connection, a loading pallet with an easy construction and high durability, as well as able to freely attach and detach from one another can be accomplished.  
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0019]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view showing an overall structure of the loading pallet in the first embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0020]      FIG. 2  is an exploded perspective view of the loading pallet shown in  FIG. 1 .  
         [0021]      FIG. 3  is a partially enlarged perspective view showing the plate-like member forming the loading pallet shown in  FIG. 1 .  
         [0022]      FIG. 4  is an enlarged perspective view showing a structure of the connection unit incorporated in the loading pallet shown in  FIG. 1 .  
         [0023]      FIG. 5  is an enlarged perspective view showing a structure of the connection unit incorporated in the loading pallet shown in  FIG. 1 .  
         [0024]      FIG. 6  is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view showing another example of structure of the connection unit in the loading pallet shown in  FIG. 1 .  
         [0025]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view showing an example of structure of the loading pallet in the second embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0026]     FIGS.  8 ( a ) and  8 ( b ) are enlarged front views showing an example of structure of the connection unit incorporated in the loading pallet shown in  FIG. 7 .  
         [0027]      FIG. 9  is a front view of the loading pallet of  FIG. 7  when the fork of the forklift is inserted in the loading pallet. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0028]     The embodiments of this invention will be explained below with reference to the accompanying drawings.  
         [0029]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a loading pallet  10  in the first embodiment of the present invention, and  FIG. 2  is an enlarged perspective view thereof. As shown in these drawings, the loading pallet  10  is comprised of a top plate  11  and a bottom plate  12  each being formed by assembling a plurality of plate-like members  13  in a grid-like manner, and a connection unit  14  that connects the top and bottom plates in an attachable/detachable manner.  
         [0030]     Each of the plate-like members  13 , as shown in  FIG. 3 , is integrally established with a pair of hollow square columns  13   a  and  13   b  on both ends of the flat plate in a lengthwise direction. This plate-like member  13  can be created by folding both ends of a metal plate such as a flat steel plate into squares, thereby significantly improving the strength compared with a simple flat plate.  
         [0031]     The top plate  11 , as shown in  FIG. 2 , is formed by aligning the plurality of first plate-like members  13  at a predetermined space with a constant distance between one another, as well as lining up the plurality of second plate-like members  13  perpendicularly on the first plate-like members  13  with a constant distance between one another, and bonding the first and second plate-like members  13  in a grid like manner when seen from the top by applying adhesives there between or tightening them with screws or bolts. The bottom plate  12  is formed in the same manner as the top plate  11 . The top plate . 11  and bottom plate  12  are placed so that they are upside down with one another.  
         [0032]     The connection unit  14 , as shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5 , is comprised of a U-shaped top block  14   a  which is attached to the bottom of the top plate  11 , a U-shaped bottom block  14   b  which is attached to the bottom plate  12  so that it faces the top block  14   a , and a hinge  14   c  for connecting the top block  14  and the bottom block  14   b . The top block  14   a , the bottom block  14   b , and the hinge  14   c  are preferably made of metal, particularly steel, for achieving large strength.  
         [0033]     The top block  14   a  and the bottom block  14   b  are metal plates folded in the shape of the letter U, and as shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5 , have openings at both ends. The hinge  14   c  is connected to the side surface of the top block  14   a  and the side surface of the bottom block  14   b  by a pin in an attachable/detachable manner. The connection unit  14  includes an element that connects the crossing point of the grid of the top plate  11  and the crossing point of the grid of the bottom plate  12 .  
         [0034]     When the connection unit  14  is properly spaced and bonded to the plate-like members  13  in the inner side of the top plate  11   a  and the bottom plate  12 , the fork of the forklift can be inserted through any of the four directions of the loading pallet  10 . Then, when the fork is inserted, as shown in  FIG. 5 , the hinge  14   c  opens in response to the thickness of the fork, which changes the height of loading pallet  10 . The height of the loading pallet  10  when the fork is not inserted as shown in  FIG. 4  is, for example, about 70 mm, which is about half the size of a typical loading pallet which has a height of about 130 mm. Thus, the loading pallet  10  of the present invention requires only a small space for storage and transport, thereby enabling to decrease the commodity distribution cost. Because of the unique structure, the loading pallet  10  can be used without requiring a special forklift.  
         [0035]      FIG. 6  shows another example of the connection unit. As shown in the diagram, an upper block  15   a  and a lower block  15   b  face one another and are attached to the top plate  11  and bottom plate  12 , respectively, through, for example, welding. These blocks  15   a  and  15   b  are hollow, where each of them is provided with a hole  15   d  in such a way that an axis of a pin  15   c  can be inserted in a slidable manner. The pin  15   c  has a head  15   e  at each end where the head  15   e  is larger than the diameter of the hole  15   d . Further, the blocks  15   a  and  15   b  can either approach or withdraw from one another within the range of the axial length of pin  15   c . The blocks  15   a  and  15   b  as well as the pin  15   c  are preferably made of strong material such as steel. Further, although not shown, a means for preventing the pin  15   c  from falling out can be established if necessary.  
         [0036]     As explained above, when the plate-like members  13  formed between the top plate  11  and the bottom plate  12  are properly spaced, the fork of the forklift can be inserted through any of the four directions of the loading pallet  10 . Then, as the fork is inserted, the upper block  15   a  and the lower block  15   b  are separated from one another in the axial direction of the pin  15   c  established within the upper and lower blocks  15   a  and  15   b . Therefore, during the transportation by the forklift, the loading pallet  10  can be used while the connection unit  14  is extended, hence a special forklift will not be required. Also, when the fork is removed, the loading pallet  10  shrinks as the upper block  15   a  and the lower block  15   b  contact with one another. Thus, the loading pallet  10  needs only a small space when it is not used or when the fork is not inserted.  
         [0037]      FIG. 7  shows a perspective view of a loading pallet  20  related to the second embodiment of the present invention. The loading pallet  20 , as shown in the diagram, is comprised of a flat top plate  21  and a flat bottom plate  22  and a connection unit  23  that connects the top plate  21  and the bottom plate  22  in an attachable/detachable manner. Three connection units  23  are spaced at predetermined locations so that the fork can be inserted in a space formed between the connection units  23 .  
         [0038]     The connection unit  23  is comprised of a space retainer  23   a  having a square shape and bonded to a bottom surface of the top plate  21 , and a bending elastic member  23   b  for connecting the bottom of the space retainer  23   a  and a top surface of the bottom plate  22  as well as for connecting a bottom surface of the top plate  21  and the top surface of the bottom plate  22 . The bending elastic member  23   b  is formed either by bending a corrugated board or plastic board in several locations or by a bending plate spring, and has flexible return characteristics by itself.  
         [0039]     When the product is loaded, the bending elastic member  23   b  of the loading pallet  20  shrinks due to the weight of the product. However, due to the restored elasticity retained in the material of the bending elastic member  23   b  as well as the thickness of the space retainer  23   a , the top plate  21  and the bottom plate  22  will not contact with one another. An opening  24  which is large enough for the fork of the forklift can be inserted therethrough is retained as shown in  FIG. 8 ( a ).  
         [0040]     Then, as shown in  FIG. 8  ( b ), when the fork is inserted in the opening  24 , due to the restored elasticity of the material of the bending elastic member  23   b , the opening  24  quietly extends without harming the product as the fork is inserted therethrough, where the top plate  21  and the bottom plate  22  move away from one another. Due to this movement, as shown in  FIG. 9 , the size of the opening  24  changes corresponding to the thickness d of the fork  30 . Further, when removing the fork  30 , the loading pallet  20  quietly shrinks without harming the product due to the restored elasticity of the material of the bending elastic member  23   b  and returns to the state of  FIG. 8 ( a ).  
         [0041]     Although only preferred embodiments are specifically illustrated and described herein, it will be appreciated that many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings and within the purview of the appended claims without departing the spirit and intended scope of the invention.