Abstract:
There is disclosed a reusable shipping pallet formed from plastic parts and a method of assembling the same. The pallet comprises at least two I-beam constructs, each of the I-beam constructs having a first beam end, a second beam end and a longitudinal beam axis extending therethrough, each of the I-beam constructs having a top beam portion and a bottom beam portion, and each of the I-beam constructs having a dovetail projection along the top beam portion and extending in a direction parallel to the longitudinal beam axis; and at least one deck board having a first board end, a second board end and a longitudinal board axis extending therethrough, the at least one deck board having a top board portion and a bottom board portion, the at least one deck board having at least two dovetail slots formed in the bottom board portion, the dovetail slots being substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal board axis and being configured to compliment a shape of the dovetail projection; wherein the pallet is assembled by inserting each of the dovetail projections into a corresponding dovetail slot of the at least one deck board.

Description:
REFERENCE TO PENDING PRIOR PATENT APPLICATION  
       [0001]    This patent application:  
         [0002]    (1) is a continuation-in-part of pending prior U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/237,494, filed Sep. 9, 2002 by Richard Belle Isle et al. for REUSABLE SHIPPING PALLET FORMED FROM EXTRUDED PLASTIC PARTS WHICH ARE EASILY ASSEMBLED AND DISASSEMBLED (Attorney&#39;s Docket No. BELLE-3); and  
         [0003]    (2) claims benefit of pending prior U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 60/447,877, filed Feb. 2, 2003 by Richard Belle Isle et al. for REUSABLE SHIPPING PALLET FORMED FROM EXTRUDED PLASTIC PARTS WHICH ARE EASILY ASSEMBLED AND DISASSEMBLED (Attorney&#39;s Docket No. BELLE-5 PROV).  
         [0004]    The two foregoing patent applications are hereby incorporated herein by reference.  
     
    
     
       FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0005]    This invention relates to shipping pallets in general, and more particularly to reusable shipping pallets formed from extruded plastic parts.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0006]    In 1999, over four hundred million wooden pallets were produced for use in shipping freight.  
           [0007]    While wooden pallets are relatively inexpensive to produce, they are also relatively heavy and bulky. As a result, where freight is being shipped in only one direction (e.g., from a manufacturer to a distributor), the wooden pallets are generally discarded after use, since it is uneconomical to return the empty pallets to their origin. However, disposal can present a problem, since many landfill areas are now refusing to accept discarded pallets because they are not compactable. Consequently, many discarded wooden pallets must be converted to mulch, which can present additional costs.  
           [0008]    Furthermore, even where it is practical to reuse the wooden pallets, the wooden pallets themselves can present problems. By way of example, the wooden pallets are typically fastened together using metal hardware such as nails, screws, and bolts with nuts. This metal hardware can rust over time and may work its way into the product which is being carried by the pallet, thereby contaminating the shipment. In this respect it should be noted that approximately sixty percent of pallet usage occurs in the food and pharmaceutical industries, where such contamination can present serious health risks.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0009]    As a result, one object of the present invention is to provide a new form of pallet which is relatively inexpensive to produce.  
           [0010]    Another object of the present invention is to provide a new form of pallet which is relatively lightweight and compact.  
           [0011]    And another object of the present invention is to provide a new form of pallet which is reusable.  
           [0012]    Still another object of the present invention is to provide a new form of pallet which is easily assembled at the point of shipment and easily disassembled at the point of destination.  
           [0013]    Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new form of pallet which is particularly compact in its disassembled form, whereby to facilitate transferring the pallet to another location for reuse.  
           [0014]    These and other objects are addressed by the present invention, which comprises a reusable shipping pallet formed from extruded plastic parts which are easily assembled and disassembled.  
           [0015]    In one form of the invention, there is provided a reusable shipping pallet formed from extruded plastic parts, the pallet comprising: at least two I-beam constructs, each of the I-beam constructs having a first beam end, a second beam end and a longitudinal beam axis extending therethrough, each of the I-beam constructs having a top beam portion and a bottom beam portion, and each of the I-beam constructs having a dovetail projection along the top beam portion and extending in a direction parallel to the longitudinal beam axis; and at least one deck board having a first board end, a second board end and a longitudinal board axis extending therethrough, the at least one deck board having a top board portion and a bottom board portion, the at least one deck board having at least two dovetail slots in said bottom board portion, the dovetail slots being substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal board axis and being configured to compliment a shape of the dovetail projection; wherein the pallet is assembled by inserting each of the dovetail projections into a corresponding dovetail slot of the at least one deck board.  
           [0016]    And in another form of the invention, there is provided a method for assembling a reusable shipping pallet formed from extruded plastic parts, the pallet comprising: providing a reusable shipping pallet formed from extruded plastic parts, the pallet comprising: at least two I-beam constructs, each of the I-beam constructs having a first beam end, a second beam end and a longitudinal beam axis extending therethrough, each of the I-beam constructs having a top beam portion and a bottom beam portion, and each of the I-beam constructs having a dovetail projection along the top beam portion and extending in a direction parallel to the longitudinal beam axis; and at least one deck board having a first board end, a second board end and a longitudinal board axis extending therethrough, the said at least one deck board having a top board portion and a bottom board portion, the at least one deck board having at least two dovetail slots in the bottom board portion, the dovetail slots being substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal board axis and being configured to compliment a shape of the dovetail projection; and inserting each of the dovetail projections into a corresponding dovetail slot of the at least one deck board. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0017]    These and other objects and features of the present invention will be more fully disclosed or rendered obvious by the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment of the invention, which is to be considered together with the accompanying drawings wherein like numbers refer to like parts and further wherein:  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 1 is a schematic top view of a novel pallet formed in accordance with the present invention;  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 2 is a schematic front view of the novel pallet shown in FIG. 1;  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 3 is a schematic sectional view taken along line  3 - 3  of FIG. 1;  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 4 is a schematic sectional view taken along line  4 - 4  of FIG. 1;  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 5 is a schematic side sectional view of an I-beam component utilized in the construction of the pallet shown in FIG. 1;  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 6 is a schematic sectional view of a deck board component utilized in the construction of the pallet shown in FIG. 1;  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 7 is a schematic sectional view showing a dovetail slot machined into the bottom of the deck board shown in FIG. 6;  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 8 is a schematic sectional view showing a dovetail insert used to secure the deck board shown in FIG. 6 to the I-beam shown in FIG. 5;  
         [0026]    [0026]FIG. 9 is a schematic sectional view showing the dovetail insert shown in FIG. 8 installed in the dovetail slot formed in the deck board shown in FIG. 7;  
         [0027]    [0027]FIG. 10 is a schematic side view showing a stop plate attached to the I-beam;  
         [0028]    [0028]FIG. 11 is a schematic top view of another novel pallet formed in accordance with the present invention;  
         [0029]    [0029]FIG. 12 is a schematic front view of the novel pallet shown in FIG. 11;  
         [0030]    [0030]FIG. 13 is a schematic sectional view taken along line  13 - 13  of FIG. 11;  
         [0031]    [0031]FIG. 14 is a schematic sectional view taken along line  14 - 14  of FIG. 11;  
         [0032]    [0032]FIG. 15 is a schematic side sectional view of an I-beam component, including an integral dovetail portion, utilized in the construction of the pallet shown in FIG. 11;  
         [0033]    [0033]FIG. 16 is a schematic sectional view of a deck board component utilized in the construction of the pallet shown in FIG. 11;  
         [0034]    [0034]FIG. 17 is a schematic sectional view showing a dovetail slot machined into the bottom of the deck board shown in FIG. 16;  
         [0035]    [0035]FIG. 18 is a schematic sectional view showing the integral dovetail portion of the I-beam component shown in FIG. 15 installed in the dovetail slot formed in the deck board shown in FIG. 17;  
         [0036]    [0036]FIG. 19A-19C are schematic side views showing a dovetail slot partially cut into the I-beam;  
         [0037]    [0037]FIG. 20 is a partial front view showing an alternative form of pallet construction;  
         [0038]    [0038]FIG. 21 is a partial top view showing the alternative form of pallet construction shown in FIG. 20;  
         [0039]    [0039]FIG. 22 is a partial perspective view showing the alternative pallet construction shown in FIGS. 20 and 21;  
         [0040]    [0040]FIG. 23 is a partial side view showing the alternative pallet construction shown in FIGS. 20-22; and  
         [0041]    [0041]FIG. 24 is a partial bottom view showing the alternative pallet construction shown in FIGS. 20-23.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
     First Embodiment  
       [0042]    Looking first at FIGS. 1-4, there is shown a novel pallet  5  formed in accordance with the present invention. Pallet  5  generally comprises a plurality of I-beams  100 , a plurality of deck boards  200  and a plurality of dovetail inserts  300  (FIG. 3) which are used to connect deck boards  200  to I-beams  100 .  
         [0043]    In general, pallet  5  is intended to be manufactured out of environmentally safe, recyclable polymers and copolymers that are preferably formulated with ultraviolet inhibitors (to resist degradation from the sun) and with modifiers (e.g., for strength, to resist cold temperatures, etc.). Currently, the choice of materials includes acrylics, rubbers, ethylenes, propylenes, urethanes, styrene glasses and structural foams. However, the present invention is not restricted to these particular materials; other appropriate materials may also be used. In this respect it should be appreciated that the particular materials used, and their specific formulations, may be varied according to a variety of factors including strength, durability, cost, etc. Thus, the choice of materials may be influenced by the weight of the load which is to be carried by the pallet. For example, where the pallet is to be used to carry a relatively light load (e.g., cornflakes), a particular blend may be used; correspondingly, where the pallet is to be used to carry a relatively heavy load (e.g., cinderblocks), a different blend may be used. Similarly, the choice of materials may be influenced by the weather conditions in which the pallet is to be used. For example, where the pallet is to be used in extremely low temperatures, a particular polymer formula may be utilized; correspondingly, where the pallet is to be used in high temperatures, a different polymer formula may be used. Varying the formulation to suit the load or weather conditions may reduce the cost of the pallet where the pallet is intended to be consistently used with particular types of loads or in particular weather conditions.  
         [0044]    Specific colors can be introduced to the formulation at the customer&#39;s request. The use of different colors in the pallets can help with product identification in inventory and warehousing.  
         [0045]    Also, company logos can be permanently embossed into the pallet for recognition, thereby facilitating return of the pallet to the proper owner.  
         [0046]    Looking next at FIGS. 1-5, a plurality of I-beams  100  generally form the foundation of pallet  5 . I-beams  100  are preferably formed by extrusion (although they may also be formed by another process, e.g., molding) and may have any desired length. In one preferred form of the invention, I-beams  100  have a length of approximately 36.5 inches. I-beams  100  have a cross-sectional configuration which is designed to provide maximum strength with minimum weight. In one preferred form of the invention, the interior of the I-beam is cored out so as to reduce weight while maintaining adequate strength in the vertical and horizontal planes. Each I-beam is preferably four inches high by two inches wide. In this respect it should be appreciated that the four inch height generally facilitates forklift and pallet jack entry into the completed pallet, such that the pallet can be lifted and moved about. Preferably the leading and trailing edges of each I-beam are rounded off, e.g., at  105  (FIG. 2), so as to reduce friction when the pallet is pushed or dragged forward.  
         [0047]    If desired, oval cutouts  110  (FIG. 2) may also be formed in the I-beams after extruding, e.g., by machining. Such cutouts  110  permit forklift entry into the sides of the completed pallet, such that the pallet can be addressed from the sides (i.e., perpendicular to I-beams  100 ) as well as from the ends (i.e., parallel to I-beams  100 ). Preferably the side edges of each I-beam are rounded off, e.g., at  115  (FIG. 5), so as to reduce friction when the pallet is pushed or dragged sideways.  
         [0048]    A pair of coplanar, inwardly-extending grooves  120  (FIG. 5) are formed in the sidewalls of the I-beam near the top and bottom ends of the beam. These grooves  120  receive counterpart tongues  305  (FIG. 8) formed on dovetail inserts  300 , whereby dovetail inserts  300  (and hence deck boards  200 ) may be secured to I-beams  100 , as will hereinafter be described in further detail. In this respect it will be appreciated that by placing grooves  120  near both the bottom and top of the I-beams, deck boards  200  may be secured to both the top and bottom ends of the I-beams. Such bottom deck boards may be necessary or desirable where additional strength is required.  
         [0049]    Preferably, the I-beam is totally symmetrical about the vertical and horizontal axes, such that no specific orientation is required during use.  
         [0050]    Looking next at FIGS. 1-4,  6  and  7 , a plurality of deck boards  200  form the upper surface of pallet  5 . Deck boards  200  are of two types: inner deck boards  200 ′ (FIG. 1) and outer deck boards  200 ″ (FIG. 1). Inner deck boards  200 ′ and outer deck boards  200 ″ are preferably identical to one another, except as will hereinafter be described.  
         [0051]    Deck boards  200  are generally similar to a slat, except that they preferably have a series of parallel grooves  205  (FIG. 6) on the top surface thereof which serve as gutters for liquid (e.g., rainwater) run-off. This configuration reduces the amount of standing water that will contact the packaged product resting on the pallet and reduces pallet weight without sacrificing pallet strength.  
         [0052]    The bottom surfaces of the deck boards  200  have dovetailed slots  210  (FIG. 7) formed therein. Dovetailed slots  210  extend at a right angle to the longitudinal axis of the deck board, and serve to receive dovetail inserts  300  therein (FIG. 3), whereby deck boards  200  may be secured to I-beams  100 . Deck boards  200  are preferably formed by extrusion (although they may also be formed by another process, e.g., molding), with the bottom dovetailed slots  210  being machined into the bottom of the deck boards.  
         [0053]    Looking next at FIGS. 3, 8 and  9 , dovetail inserts  300  are preferably secured to deck boards  200  by press fitting the dovetail inserts into dovetail slots  210  and then sonically welding the elements together. As a result, dovetail inserts  300  and deck boards  200  together form a subassembly which may then be secured to I-beams  100 . To this end, dovetail inserts  300  have a profile which matches corresponding portions of I-beams  100 , such that the dovetail inserts  300  (and hence their attached deck boards  200 ) can be slidingly attached to I-beams  100 . More particularly, dovetail inserts  300  include a pair of inwardly extending tongues  305  (FIG. 8) which are received in the inwardly extending grooves  120  (FIG. 5) formed in I-beams  100 , in the manner shown in FIG. 3. In this respect it should be appreciated that the inwardly-extending tongues  305  of dovetail insert  300  are preferably slightly longer than the inwardly-extending grooves  120  of I-beams  100 , so that compression will be established when the dovetail inserts are slid onto the I-beams (FIG. 3). This compression stabilizes the elements relative to one another so as to give the pallet stability. Dovetail inserts  300  are preferably formed by extrusion (although they may also be formed by another process, e.g., molding).  
         [0054]    The inner deck boards  200 ′ can be slid the full length of I-beams  100 .  
         [0055]    The outer deck boards  200 ″ include a stop plate  315  (FIG. 10) that restricts the outer board from being forced too far inward along the I-beams. The stop plates  315  are preferably sonically welded to the faces of the dovetail inserts  300 . The outer deck boards  200 ″ are used on the two opposing ends of the I-beams so as to form the ends of the pallets.  
         [0056]    The pallet is preferably assembled as follows. First, dovetail inserts  300  are secured to deck boards  200  (FIG. 9) and, in the case of the outer deck boards  200 A″, stop plates  315  (FIG. 10) are attached to the dovetail inserts  300 . Then the I-beams  100  are set horizontally on their width by length faces, parallel to one another, and clamped in place. The deck boards  200 ′ are lined up on the I-beams and driven, preferably with a rubber mallet, to their pre-determined locations on the I-beams. Two of the outer deck boards  200 ″ (FIG. 1) are then placed on opposing ends of the I-beams and set in place, thereby completing assembly of the pallet. This assembly operation can generally be accomplished in less than two minutes.  
         [0057]    When desired, the pallet can be disassembled by sliding deck boards  200  off I-beams  100 .  
         [0058]    The novel pallet of the present invention (including, among other things, its extruded I-beams, grooved deck boards and dovetail compression clamps) are unparalleled in the wooden pallet industry. The unlimited availability of a wide variety of material formulations, both current and future, effectively eliminates the aforementioned problems of product contamination, recycling, and landfill rejection, and significantly reduces transportation costs. In addition, the new design increases the product load in airfreight, since the reduced weight of the pallet can be converted into increased working load. The new design also reduces warehousing and storage space, which yields further cost savings.  
         [0059]    Significantly, all of the components of the pallet may (but need not) be extruded, which is highly advantageous with respect to ease and cost of manufacture.  
         [0060]    Furthermore, the novel dovetail connection established between I-beams  100  and deck boards  200  provides an attachment mechanism which is (1) easy and reliable and inexpensive to manufacture; (2) simple and fast to assemble; (3) strong and effective in operation, able to carry large pallet loads without deformation; (4) simple and fast to disassemble; and (5) reusable.  
         [0061]    In addition, due to the modular construction of the pallet, a damaged pallet can be repaired, i.e., any damaged pallet components are removed and replaced by fresh components.  
       Second Embodiment  
       [0062]    Looking next at FIGS. 11-14, there is shown a novel pallet  5 A also formed in accordance with the present invention. Pallet  5 A generally comprises a plurality of I-beams  100 A and a plurality of deck boards  200 A, with I-beams  100 A each comprising a dovetail projection  300 A (FIG. 13) and deck boards  200 A each comprising a dovetailed slot  210 A which are used to connect deck boards  200 A and I-beams  100 A.  
         [0063]    In general, pallet  5 A is intended to be manufactured out of environmentally safe, recyclable polymers and copolymers that are preferably formulated with ultraviolet inhibitors (to resist degradation from the sun) and with modifiers (e.g., for strength, to resist cold temperatures, etc.) Currently, the choice of materials includes acrylics, rubbers, ethylenes, propylenes, urethanes, styrene glasses and structural foams. However, the present invention is not restricted to these particular materials; other appropriate materials may also be used. In this respect it should be appreciated that the particular materials used, and their specific formulations, may be varied according to a variety of factors including strength, durability, cost, etc. Thus, the choice of materials may be influenced by the weight of the load which is to be carried by the pallet. For example, where the pallet is to be used to carry a relatively light load (e.g., cornflakes), a particular blend may be used; correspondingly, where the pallet is to be used to carry a relatively heavy load (e.g., cinderblocks), a different blend may be used. Similarly, the choice of materials may be influenced by the weather conditions in which the pallet is to be used. For example, where the pallet is to be used in extremely low temperatures, a particular polymer formula may be utilized; correspondingly, where the pallet is to be used in high temperatures, a different polymer formula may be used. Varying the formulation to suit the load or weather conditions may reduce the cost of the pallet where the pallet is intended to be consistently used with particular types of loads or particular weather conditions.  
         [0064]    Specific colors can be introduced to the formulation at the customer&#39;s request. The use of different colors in the pallets can help with product identification in inventory and warehousing.  
         [0065]    Also, company logos can be permanently embossed into the pallet for recognition, thereby facilitating return of the pallet to the proper owner.  
         [0066]    Looking next at FIGS. 11-15, a plurality of I-beams  100 A generally form the foundation of pallet  5 A. I-beams  100 A are preferably formed by extrusion (although they may also be formed by another process, e.g., molding) and may have any desired length. In one preferred form of the invention, I-beams  100 A have a length of approximately 36.5 inches. I-beams  100 A have a cross-sectional configuration which is designed to provide maximum strength with minimum weight. In one preferred form of the invention, the interior of the I-beam is cored out so as to reduce weight while maintaining adequate strength in the vertical and horizontal planes. Each I-beam is preferably four inches high by two inches wide. In this respect it should be appreciated that the four inch height generally facilitates forklift and pallet jack entry into the completed pallet, such that the pallet can be lifted and moved about. Preferably the leading and trailing edges of each I-beam are rounded off, e.g., at  105 A (FIG. 12), so as to reduce friction when the pallet is pushed or dragged forward. Alternatively, for rack mounting, the leading and tailing edges may be squared off, or they may be otherwise tailored for a particular application.  
         [0067]    If desired, oval cutouts  110 A (FIG. 12) may also be formed in the I-beams after extruding, e.g., by machining. Such cutouts  110 A permit forklift entry into the sides of the completed pallet, such that the pallet can be addressed from the sides (i.e., perpendicular to I-beams  100 A) as well as from the ends (i.e., parallel to I-beams  100 A). Preferably the side edges of each I-beam are rounded off, e.g., at  115 A (FIG. 15), so as to reduce friction when the pallet is pushed or dragged sideways and to eliminate stress points (in this configuration, pallet  5 A generally comprises a single, i.e., upper, face of deck boards  200 A). It is also preferable to locate oval cutouts  110 A through a lower portion of the sidewalls of the I-beams, so as to provide a continuous crossbar  120 A (FIGS. 13 and 15) above oval cutouts  110 A.  
         [0068]    Dovetail projections  300 A (FIG. 13) are formed in the sidewalls of the I-beam near the top of the beam. These projections  300 A are received by dovetailed slots  210 A formed in deck boards  200 A, whereby deck boards  200 A may be secured to I-beams  100 A, as will hereinafter be described in further detail.  
         [0069]    Looking next at FIGS. 11-14 and  16 - 19 C, a plurality of deck boards  200 A form the upper surface of pallet  5 A. Deck boards  200 A are of two types: inner deck boards  200 A′ (FIG. 11) and outer deck boards  200 A″ (FIG. 11). Inner deck boards  200 A′ and outer deck boards  200 A″ are preferably identical to one another, except as will hereinafter be described.  
         [0070]    Deck boards  200 A are generally similar to a slat, except that they preferably have a series of parallel grooves  205 A (FIG. 16) on the top surface thereof which serve as gutters for liquid (e.g., rainwater) run-off. This configuration reduces the amount of standing water that will contact the packaged product resting on the pallet and reduces pallet weight without sacrificing pallet strength.  
         [0071]    The bottom surfaces of the deck boards  200 A have dovetailed slots  210 A (FIG. 17 and  19 A- 19 C) formed therein. Dovetailed slots  210 A extend at a right angle to the longitudinal axis of the deck board, and serve to receive I-beam projections  300 A therein (FIG. 13), whereby deck boards  200 A may be secured to I-beams  100 A. Deck boards  200 A are preferably formed by extrusion (although they may also be formed by another process, e.g., molding), with the bottom dovetailed slots  210 A being machined into the bottom of the deck boards.  
         [0072]    Looking next at FIGS. 13, 18 and  19 A- 19 C, deck boards  200 A are secured to I-beams  100 A by press fitting the dovetail projections  300 A of the I-beams  100 A into dovetail slots  210 A. To this end, dovetailed slots  210 A have a profile which matches corresponding dovetail projections  300 A of I-beams  100 A, such that deck boards  200 A can be slidingly attached to I-beams  100 A.  
         [0073]    The inner deck boards  200 A′ can be slid the full length of I-beams  100 A.  
         [0074]    The outer deck boards  200 A″ include dovetailed slots  210 A″ (FIGS. 19A-19C) extending only partially thereacross so as to restrict the outer deck board from being forced too far inward along the I-beams. The outer deck boards  200 A″ are used on the two opposing ends of the I-beams so as to form the ends of the pallets.  
         [0075]    The pallet is preferably assembled as follows. First, dovetail projections  300 A of I-beams  100 A are inserted into dovetailed slots  210 A of inner deck boards  200 ′. Two of the outer deck boards  200 A″ (FIG. 11) are then placed on opposing ends of the I-beams and dovetail projections  300 A of I-beams  100 A are inserted into dovetailed slots  210 A″ of outer deckboards  200 A″, thereby completing assembly of the pallet. This assembly operation can generally be accomplished in less than two minutes.  
         [0076]    When desired, the pallet can be disassembled by sliding deck boards  200 A off I-beams  100 A.  
         [0077]    The novel pallet of the present invention (including, among other things, its extruded I-beams, grooved deck boards and dovetail attachment) are unparalleled in the wooden pallet industry. The unlimited availability of a wide variety of material formulations, both current and future, effectively eliminates the aforementioned problems of product contamination, recycling, and landfill rejection, and significantly reduces transportation costs. In addition, the new design increases the product load in airfreight, since the reduced weight of the pallet can be converted into increased working load. The new design also reduces warehousing and storage space, which yields further cost savings.  
         [0078]    Significantly, all of the components of the pallet may (but need not) be extruded, which is highly advantageous with respect to ease and cost of manufacture.  
         [0079]    Furthermore, the novel dovetail connection established between I-beams  100  and deck boards  200  provides an attachment mechanism which is (1) easy and reliable and inexpensive to manufacture; (2) simple and fast to assemble; (3) strong and effective in operation, able to carry large pallet loads without deformation; (4) simple and fast to disassemble; and (5) reusable.  
         [0080]    In addition, due to the modular construction of the pallet, a damaged pallet can be repaired, i.e., any damaged pallet components are removed and replaced by fresh components.  
       Third Embodiment  
       [0081]    In some situations it may be desirable to stack a plurality of pallets one on top of another. In this situation it can be advantageous to provide the top surfaces of the deck boards with strips of non-sliding material (e.g., rubber, etc.). Such non-sliding strips also provide additional friction between the top surfaces of the deck boards and the load, thereby preventing lighter loads from sliding off the pallets when being transported.  
         [0082]    To this end, and looking now at FIGS. 20-24, deck boards  200 C may be provided. Deck boards  200 C are identical to the deck boards  200  previously described, except that (1) the deck boards  200 C are inverted when mounted to I-beam  100 C; (2) dovetail slots  210 C are formed on the same side of deck boards  200 C as parallel grooves  205 C; (3) a longitudinally-extending groove  206 C is formed in deck boards  200 C; and (4) a non-skid strip  207 C is mounted in longitudinally-extending groove  206 C. Preferably non-skid strips  207 C are co-extruded during the extruding process used to make deck boards  200 C.  
         [0083]    Still looking now at FIGS. 20-24, it is also possible to provide the pallet with a plurality of safety boards  400 C. Safety boards  400 C serve to prevent the pallet construction from tipping over when the pallet is changing its speed or direction, and/or when the load is located eccentrically on the pallet. In particular, safety boards  400 C, being located below the forklift&#39;s jack entry while the pallet is in use, help hold the pallet (and the pallet&#39;s load) in place on the forklift, thereby preventing tipping.  
         [0084]    Safety boards  400 C are preferably secured to the bottom ends of I-beam  100 C using a dovetail arrangement. More particularly, a dovetail groove G is machined into the base of I-beams  100 C and receives a dovetail portion  405 C formed on the upper ends of safety boards  400 C.  
         [0085]    Preferably, safety boards  400 C are assembled within the height of the I-beams  100 C and do not project below the surfaces of the I-beams, thereby allowing the I-beams to bear all of the pressure of the load positioned on the pallet.  
       Modifications  
       [0086]    A novel reusable shipping pallet, formed from extruded plastic parts which are easily assembled and disassembled, has been disclosed. The source of the plastic may be virgin plastic or recycled plastic. One source of the recycled plastic may be the HYDROMEX waste conversion process, which is illustrated in the CD-ROM filed herewith. While various preferred embodiments have been described and illustrated, it will be understood that there is no intent to limit the invention by such disclosure but, rather, it is intended to cover all modifications and alternate constructions falling within the spirit and scope of the invention.