Abstract:
A pallet made according to this invention provides a one-piece plastic pallet with integrated full window-frame runners for improved safety, nesting and stackability. The pallet includes a plurality of recessed portions that form angled leg portions below the lower surface of the deck. The pallet also includes integrated full window-framed runners in order to accommodate four-way entry. Each window-framed runner includes an angled leg portion having about the same draft angle as the opposing sidewall of the recessed portion. The deck also includes a plurality of channels sized to receive a window-framed runner of a second pallet. Each recessed portion also includes a stop to arrest the downward travel of the leg portion of the second pallet and allow for the nested second pallet to be easily removed from the first pallet.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    This invention relates generally to goods-supporting pallets like the kind transported, raised and lowered by forklift trucks. More specifically, the invention relates to goods-supporting pallets that are made of environmental-friendly plastics and nest one into the other to reduce or minimize storage space. 
         [0002]    Goods-supporting pallets made of wood and plastic are well-known in the art. One of the advantages of plastic pallets over wooden pallets is that plastic pallets can be designed to nest one within the other. However, prior art plastic nesting pallets do not provide a runner design which accommodates 4-way entry of the forklift, nor do they provide full window-frame and same-dimensioned runners. Additionally, those plastic nesting pallets are usually one-piece designs which do not incorporate runners of any kind. Plastic pallets that do have runners are usually assembled from different molded parts and cannot nest. 
         [0003]    The pallet disclosed and claimed herein incorporates the best safety, economic and manufacturing features of two distinct types of pallets. Pallets with runners (either wood or plastic) offer fork truck safety, pallet conveyablity, and pallet double-stacking. Pallets without runners (usually only plastic) offer economic outbound and return shipping and make efficient use of warehouse space. However, there are times when the qualities of both types of pallets are desirable in the same pallet. The claimed invention incorporates two critical features of each type of pallet, full window frame runners for safety and full nesting capacity for economic shipment, in the same pallet. No other pallet is available with these combined critical features. 
         [0004]    Because of significant technical challenges, no prior art pallet design incorporates all of the features of the pallet made according to this invention. Prior art pallet designs have either compromised on the full window frame runner system, thereby reducing the safety factor, or have limited the nesting ratio, thereby reducing the economic return of the nesting pallet. To the inventors&#39; knowledge, there is no prior art pallet design that marries both the full window frame and full nesting in the same pallet. A pallet design that accomplishes both is difficult to achieve given that the design has to maintain industry standards to survive the rigors and abuse of the fork-truck world yet still accommodate an industry load requirement. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    A pallet made according to this invention has a deck that provides a goods-supporting surface along with a plurality of recessed portions that form angled leg portions below the lower surface of the deck. In a preferred embodiment, the angle or draft of sidewalls of the recess is about 4° from vertical. The pallet also includes a first and second plurality of full window-framed runners, the first plurality of window-framed runners being arranged perpendicular to the second plurality of window-framed runners in order to accommodate 4-way entry for a forklift truck. Each window-framed runner shares an angled sidewall of each of the two adjacent recessed portions that it is located between. The runners are also offset from the peripheral edge of the pallet. 
         [0006]    The plurality of recessed portions includes a centrally located recessed portion, recessed portions located toward a peripheral edge of the pallet, and recessed portions located at the corners of the pallet. Each edge or side recessed shares a common centerline with the central recessed portion. The goods supporting surface may be a solid surface having a plurality of ribs on its lower surface. The runners may also include ribs. 
         [0007]    To accommodate the floor runner portion of a second pallet and help provide an interlocking design, the deck includes a plurality of channels. Each channel is located above a floor runner portion of an opposing window-framed runner and sized to receive a window-framed runner of the second pallet. Each recessed portion also includes a stop to arrest the downward travel of the foot portion of the second pallet so that about half the height of the second pallet nests within the first pallet. 
         [0008]    Objects of the invention are to provide a plastic nesting pallet that has (1) a one-piece design; (2) full window-frame runners (stringers) to improve safety during transport and stacking; (3) a runner design that improves pallet storage at least about 50%; (4) runners which are off-set and chamfered to protect the feet; (5) runners with a common dimension; (6) a top deck that incorporates the runners but still allows the pallet to nest; (7) a foot design that provides an inter-locking footprint but allows for de-stacking; and (8) more static and dynamic load carrying capacity than a similarly sized wooden pallet yet is at least one-third the weight of that pallet. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0009]      FIG. 1  is a top view of a preferred embodiment of a pallet made according to this invention. 
           [0010]      FIG. 2  is an elevation front view of the pallet of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0011]      FIG. 3  is a cross-section view of the pallet of  FIG. 1  taken along section line  3 - 3 . 
           [0012]      FIG. 4  is an elevation right-side view of the pallet of  FIG. 1 , the left-side being a mirror image. 
           [0013]      FIG. 5  is a bottom view of the pallet of  FIG. 1   
           [0014]      FIG. 6  is an isometric view of the pallet of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0015]      FIG. 7  is an isometric bottom view of the pallet of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0016]      FIG. 8  is a cross-section view of the pallet of  FIG. 1  as it nests within other pallets. 
           [0017]      FIG. 9  is a partial bottom view of another preferred embodiment of a pallet made according to this invention. 
       
    
    
     ELEMENTS 
       [0018]    The following elements are illustrated in the drawings and referenced in the Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments 
         [0000]    
       
         
               
               
             
           
               
                   
               
             
             
               
                 10 
                 Stack-and-nest pallet 
               
               
                 11 
                 First pallet side 
               
               
                 13 
                 Centerline 
               
               
                 15 
                 Second pallet side 
               
               
                 17 
                 Centerline 
               
               
                 19 
                 Fork entry/window 
               
               
                 20 
                 Deck 
               
               
                 21 
                 Goods supporting surface 
               
               
                 23 
                 Trapezoidal-shaped portion of 21 
               
               
                 25 
                 Rectangular-shaped portion of 21 
               
               
                 27 
                 Goods supporting surface 
               
               
                 29 
                 Goods supporting surface 
               
               
                 30 
                 Open channel 
               
               
                 31 
                 Longitudinal side 
               
               
                 50 
                 Channel 
               
               
                 60 
                 Recess 
               
               
                 61 
                 Central portion 
               
               
                 63 
                 Satellite or petal portion 
               
               
                 65 
                 Sidewall 
               
               
                 67 
                 Top end 
               
               
                 120 
                 Lower surface of 20 
               
               
                 121 
                 Cross-patterned rib 
               
               
                 130 
                 Runner 
               
               
                 131 
                 Floor runner portion 
               
               
                 133 
                 Supporting leg portion 
               
               
                 135 
                 Upper end of 133 
               
               
                 137 
                 Rib 
               
               
                 139 
                 Bottom end of 131 
               
               
                 141 
                 Lower edge of 137 
               
               
                 143 
                 Lower end of 133 
               
               
                 145 
                 Cross-patterned rib 
               
               
                 150 
                 Channel-shaped rib 
               
               
                 151 
                 Bottom end 
               
               
                 160 
                 Leg or foot 
               
               
                 163 
                 Petal portion 
               
               
                 165 
                 Sidewall 
               
               
                 169 
                 Bottom end 
               
               
                 171 
                 Hole 
               
               
                 173 
                 Stop 
               
               
                 175 
                 Upper end of 173 
               
               
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0019]    A pallet made according to this invention represents a new concept in plastic runner-ed pallets. The pallet (1) blends traditional pallet safety with economic re-use; (2) lowers costs and eliminates assembly because of its one-piece design; (3) incorporates geometry that protects its internal structure; (4) provides integrated full window-frame runners and 4-way entry; (5) lowers handling costs by providing full 2-to-1 nesting; (5) is compatible with all conveyor systems; (6) double stacks with about 8% greater runner surface area (meaning the pallet stacks with greater bottom surface area than prior art pallets); (7) is about 50% lighter than a comparable-sized wood pallet; (8) is 100% recoverable and reusable; (9) has a carbon footprint about 40% smaller than prior art wood pallets; and (10) accommodates industry load requirements. For example, a pallet made according to this invention that is made of recycled resin and measures 48 inches long (121.92 cm); 40 inches wide (101.6 cm), and 5½ inches (13.97 cm) tall weighs 27 pounds (12.25 kg), can be stacked  42  high in a 97-inch (246.38 cm) column, has a dynamic load capacity of 2,400 pounds (1088.62 kg), and has a static load capacity of 7,500 pounds (3401.94 kg) (not edge rack-able). Because of its improved nesting, 1,260 units can fit within a standard 53-foot (16.15 m) truck making return economically more attractive. 
         [0020]    Referring to the drawings and first to  FIGS. 1 ,  6  &amp;  8 , a preferred embodiment of a stack-and-nest pallet  10  made according to this invention has a deck  20  that incorporates built-in runners (stringers)  130  in a full window frame design but allows a second pallet  10  to nest inside the first pallet  10  up to a 2.5 to 1 ratio. Deck  20  includes channels  30  and recesses  60  that receive the legs  160  and runners  130  of the second pallet  10 , respectively. The two pallets  10  preferably nest so that the total height of the nested arrangement is substantially the same height “X” as a single pallet  10  (see  FIG. 8 ). A pallet  10  made according to this invention is about 33% lighter than a comparably sized wood pallet while at the same time improving pallet storage by up to about 60%. In a preferred embodiment, pallet  10  is about 48″ (121.92 cm)×40″ (101.6 cm)×5.5″ (13.97 cm), made from environmentally friendly plastic material, and weighs about 27 pounds (11.34 kg). 
         [0021]    Referring now to  FIGS. 5-7 , each leg  160  conforms to and extends below a respective recess  60 , which forms the hollow interior portion of the leg  160 . The legs  160  and recesses  60  have a unique-interlocking footprint (described below) that is designed to allow for de-stacking the nested pallets  10 . The legs  160  and recesses  60  are one of three types: center C, corner K, or side S. When viewing pallet  10  from above its deck  20 , each recess  60  has a substantially square- or rectangular-shaped central portion  61  and a set of square- or rectangular-shaped foot or petal portions  63 , each petal portion  63  being located at a corner of central portion  61 . Recesses  60   C &amp; S  have four petal portions  63   (1)-(4) . Recess  60   K  has three petal portions  63   K(1)-(3) . 
         [0022]    The sidewalls  165  of the each leg  160  merge with the sidewalls  65  that form the recess  60  and extend below the lower surface  120  of deck  20  (see  FIGS. 3 &amp; 8 ). Therefore, each leg  160  has a central portion  161  and petal portions  163  that correspond to those of its complementary recess  60 . The sidewalls  65 ,  165  taper at a same draft angle α from the top end  67  of recess  60  toward the bottom end  169  of leg  160 . In a preferred embodiment, draft angle α is about 4° and sidewalls  165  are about 0.15″ (0.38 cm) thick. Bottom end  169  includes a hole  171 . 
         [0023]    Preferably, one of three different sized rectangular-shaped open channels  30  lies between adjacent recesses  60   C &amp; K ;  60   C &amp; S ; and  60   K &amp; S  (see also  FIG. 1 ). Channel  30   N  is the narrowest channel  30  and runs parallel to pallet side  11  (which is preferably the shorter side of pallet  10 ), between the center recess  60   C  and a corner recess  60   K . Channel  30   W , which is the widest channel  30 , also runs parallel to pallet side  11  but between center recess  60   C  and a side recess  60   S . Channel  30   M —whose width lies between that of channels  30   N &amp; W —runs substantially parallel to pallet side  15  (the longer side of pallet  10 ), between a corner recess  60   K  and a side recess  160   S . 
         [0024]    A runner  130  lies substantially directly below each channel  30 . Each runner  130  is a full window frame runner and provides a fork entry  19  (making pallet  10  a full four-way entry pallet). Runner  130  is chamfered and includes a floor runner portion  131  and a supporting leg portion  133 . The leg portion  133  is off-set relative to the floor runner portion  131  and extends away from an opposing leg  160  at a draft angle β. In a preferred embodiment, draft angle β is about 4°, substantially equal to that of draft angle α. 
         [0025]    Similar to channels  30 , each floor runner portion  131  is one of three different widths, with floor runner  131   W  corresponding to, lying beneath, and having a slightly smaller width than channel  30   W  so that the runner  130   W  of one pallet  10  may be received by a corresponding channel  30   W  of a second pallet  10 . Floor runner portion  131   N  corresponds to, lies beneath, and has a slightly smaller width than channel  30   N . Floor runner portion  131   M  corresponds to, lies beneath, and has a slightly smaller width than channel  30   M . In a preferred embodiment, floor runner  131   N  is about 1.4″ wide (3.55 cm),  131   M  is about 1.9″ (4.83 cm) wide, and  131   W  is about 2.9″ (7.37 cm) wide. The leg portion  133  at wider at its upper end  135  than at its lower end  145  (which merges into floor runner portion  131 ). 
         [0026]    The bottom end  139  of the floor runner portion  131  lies substantially in the same horizontal plane as the bottom end  169  of the legs  160 . Extending between the upper end  135  of the leg portion  133  are ribs  137 . Each rib  137  lies substantially directly below a longitudinal edge  31  of a corresponding channel  30 . The rib  137  runs the length of the channel  30  and extends downward and beyond the lower surface  120  of deck  20 . 
         [0027]    Deck surface  20  may include a channel  50  that corresponds to a channel-shaped rib  150  (see  FIGS. 1 &amp; 5 ). Channel  50  runs diagonally between and in communication with opposing petal portions  63  of the center recess/leg  60   C / 160   C , and an adjacent corner recess/leg  60   K / 160   K . The rib  150  extends past the lower surface  120  of deck  20  with its bottom end  151  lying substantially in the same horizontal plane as the lower edge  141  of the rib  137 .  FIG. 9  illustrates an alternate preferred embodiment of pallet  10 . Channel  50  and its corresponding rib  150  have been eliminated in favor of a cross-patterned rib design  121  on the lower surface  120  of deck  20 . Cross-patterned ribs  145  have also been added to the floor runner portion  131 . 
         [0028]    The arrangement of open channels  30 , channels  50 , and recesses  60  define different goods supporting surface portions of deck  20 . Referring to  FIG. 6  and dividing pallet  10  into four quadrants I-IV as defined by centerlines  13  &amp;  17 , and using quadrant I as an example, two goods supporting surfaces  21 A &amp; B lie opposite one another and adjacent to channel  50 . Each surface  21  is made up of a trapezoidal-shaped portion  23  and a rectangular-shaped portion  25 . Trapezoidal-shaped portions  23 A &amp; B are located between channels  30   M  and  50 . Rectangular-shaped portions  25 A &amp; B are located adjacent channels  30   W  and  30   M , respectively. Another goods supporting surface  27 A &amp; B lies between channel  30   M  and pallet side  15  and between channel  30   N  and side  11 , respectively. Goods supporting surface  29  lies between the channels  30  and recesses  60 . 
         [0029]    Referring to  FIGS. 2-4  &amp;  8  (see also  FIG. 9 ), the bottom end  169  of each leg  160  rests on a floor surface or, when nesting on a second pallet  10 , on the respective upper end  175  of a set of stops  173  located within each recess  60  of the second pallet  10  (see also  FIG. 1 ). The bottom end  139  of each runner  130  rests on the floor surface or, when nesting on a second pallet, is received by the open channel  30  of the second pallet. Therefore, when pallets  10  are nested, each recess  60  of the lower pallet  10  receives a portion of the complementary leg  160  of the upper pallet  10  and each channel  30  of the lower pallet  10  receives a runner  130  of the upper pallet  10 . The stops  73  are preferably dimensioned so that when the upper pallet  10  is nesting within the lower pallet  10 , the portion of the upper pallet  10  residing within the lower pallet  10  is about one-half the total height of each pallet  10  or “X/2” and the clearance between the leg  160  and its receiving recess  60  is about 0.05″ (0.127 cm). 
         [0030]    A pallet made according to this invention blends concepts, materials, features without compromise to meet the objectives previously stated. Further, it accomplishes the objectives in a one-piece design. Almost all other prior art runner-ed plastic pallets require two (or more) parts that are post-forming assembled. The inventors&#39; pallet has been designed and engineered for production on a simple straight pull mold (without cams) that lowers production time and dollars. One critical technical issue was pallet runner survival when stacks of pallets (e.g. 40 pallets stacked one on top of the other) are moved at one time. The runner has been reinforced to withstand that function, something most similar pallets have not done. 
         [0031]    While preferred embodiments of a stack-and-nest pallet have been described with a certain degree of particularity, modifications can be made in the details of construction without departing from the scope of the patent claims below.