Abstract:
A pallet sled includes a sled base having wheels. A fork tine assembly extends from the sled base and includes a pair of fork tines. At least one of the pair of fork tines is configured to be secured to a base of a hand cart, such as with a slot or recess. The hand cart can be carried by the fork tine while the fork tines are supporting a pallet loaded with goods thereon.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    The development of direct store delivery (DSD) systems increases delivery efficiencies across several industries including Beverage and Food Service by reducing the amount of time and labor a driver needs to deliver product (raw goods, finished goods, etc.) to the restaurant or store. 
         [0002]    The DSD system allows the driver to transport a loaded pallet directly from the trailer to inside the store without having to down stack product onto a hand truck and making multiple trips back and forth. The product can then be merchandised on the shelf or in the cooler or stored in the back room directly on the pallet. The DSD systems have optimized equipment (electric lift and/or sled) with a small footprint and maneuverability to fit in tight aisles, hallways, and coolers to maximize efficiency. 
         [0003]    In some cases as found in Food Service industry, the store clerk/owner or driver may prefer not to use the equipment in the store due to the number of people and how crowded the store may be. The driver may bring a secondary piece of equipment such as a hand truck with the lift or sled and pallet load to the store front, then down stack the product onto the hand truck to deliver in the store. While this is not the most efficient delivery method, the driver will need to comply with the store&#39;s request to not bring the larger equipment inside. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0004]    A delivery system as described herein allows the delivery driver to transport the secondary equipment (i.e. hand truck) with the primary piece of equipment (i.e. electric lift or sled) by integrating receivers into the primary equipment&#39;s fork structure. The design allows the secondary equipment to be stored in several configurations depending on delivery conditions. The driver does not have to carry/drag/roll the secondary piece of equipment. The driver can bring all necessary equipment with the pallet load at once without making multiple trips back to the trailer. Several example embodiments are described below. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0005]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a pallet sled according to one embodiment. 
           [0006]      FIG. 2  is a side view of the pallet sled of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0007]      FIG. 3  shows a hand cart on the front of the tines of the pallet sled of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0008]      FIG. 4  shows the hand cart and pallet sled of  FIG. 3  with the hand cart in a side position. 
           [0009]      FIG. 5  shows a pallet received on the pallet sled and hand cart of  FIG. 3 . 
           [0010]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of the tines of a pallet sled according to a second embodiment. 
           [0011]      FIG. 7  is another front perspective view of the tines of  FIG. 6 . 
           [0012]      FIG. 8  shows the hand cart secured to the front of the tines of the pallet sled of  FIG. 6 . 
           [0013]      FIG. 9  is a front perspective view of the hand cart and pallet sled of  FIG. 8 , with goods stacked on the pallet received on the pallet sled. 
           [0014]      FIG. 10  is a perspective view of a pallet sled according to a third embodiment with the hand cart received in one of the tines. 
           [0015]      FIG. 11  is a perspective view of a pallet sled according to a fourth embodiment. 
           [0016]      FIG. 12  is a side view of the pallet sled of  FIG. 11 . 
           [0017]      FIG. 13  shows the hand cart in place on the front of the tines of the pallet sled of  FIG. 11 . 
           [0018]      FIG. 14  shows the pallet with goods supported on the pallet sled and hand cart of  FIG. 13 . 
           [0019]      FIG. 15  is an enlarged view of the front of the pallet sled, pallet, goods and hand cart of  FIG. 14 . 
           [0020]      FIG. 16  is a perspective view of the hand cart and pallet sled of  FIG. 13  with the hand cart in a side position. 
           [0021]      FIG. 17  shows the hand cart and pallet sled of  FIG. 16  with the pallet and goods stacked thereon. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0022]      FIG. 1  shows a pallet lift or sled  10   a  including a lift assembly  12  and a fork tine assembly  14   a  according to a first embodiment. The lift assembly  12  includes a base  16  with upright handles  18 . Other handle arrangements could also be used, but the upright handles  18  shown reduce the footprint of the lift assembly  12  and increase the maneuverability of the sled  10   a  in tight spaces. An actuator  20  on one of the handles  18  permits the operator to activate the lift assembly  12 . Wheels  22  are mounted below the base  16 . The lift assembly  12  includes an electric or hydraulic lift mechanism for raising the fork tine assembly  14   a.    
         [0023]    The fork tine assembly  14   a  includes a support structure  24   a  connecting the lift assembly  12  to the fork tines  28   a.  The tines  28   a  are supported by pivoting wheels  30   a  (as is known). In this embodiment, there are a pair of spaced-apart spacers  32   a  protruding upward from the uppermost surface of each tine  28   a.  A central recessed area  34   a  is defined between each pair of spacers  32   a  on each tine  28   a.  A front recessed area  36   a  is defined in front of each pair of spacers  32   a  on each tine  28   a.    
         [0024]      FIG. 2  is a side view of the sled  10   a.  As shown, the spacers  32   a  project upward higher than an uppermost surface of the tines  28   a  to define the central recessed area  34   a  and the front recessed area  36   a.    
         [0025]    As shown in  FIG. 3 , a hand cart  50  has a frame  52 , planar base  54  and wheels  56 . The base  54  can be received on the front recessed areas  36   a  formed at the fronts of the tines  28   a,  forward of the front spacers  32   a  on each tine  28   a.  The base  54  has a thickness that is approximately the same or slightly less than the height of the spacers  32   a.    
         [0026]    Referring to  FIG. 4 , the base  54  of the hand cart  50  can also be received in either of the central recessed areas  34   a,  between the spacers  32   a.  The hand cart  50  can be placed in either position while a pallet is supported on the tines  28   a.    
         [0027]      FIG. 5  shows a pallet  100  having a deck  112  and supports  114 . Goods  102  are stacked on the deck  112 . The pallet  100  is received on the tines  28   a,  which in the disclosed embodiments are received between the columns  114 . As shown, the base  54  of the hand cart  50  is slid between the deck  112  of the pallet  100  and the front recessed areas  34   a  of the tines  28   a.  The base  54  can be slid between the deck  112  and the tines  28   a  after the loaded pallet  100  is placed over the tines  28   a  before the tines  28   a  are lifted (it may be possible after the tines  28   a  are lifted, depending on the pallet  100  and the height of the spacers  32   a ). The base  54  has a thickness that is approximately the same or slightly less than the height of the spacers  32   a.  The goods  102  are shown as a monolith, but would in practice be a plurality of smaller objects, such as smaller containers (boxes, crates, etc), several of which could be transported on the cart  50  at once. In use, the driver can transport the pallet  100 , the goods  102  and the cart  50  from the delivery truck to the store front (or other intermediate location). There, the driver can downstack some of the goods  102  from the pallet  100  and sled  10   a  to the cart  50 . The driver then uses the cart  50  to bring the goods  102  to the desired location (e.g. shelves, refrigerator unit, etc). 
         [0028]      FIGS. 6 and 7  show a sled  10   b  according to another embodiment, with an alternate fork tine assembly  14   b.  The fork tines  28   b  each include a horizontal slot forward  38   b  at the front end thereof. The forward slots  38   b  are aligned with one another. In the embodiment shown, the forward slots  38   b  are open forward and inward (toward one another) and are closed to the exterior. 
         [0029]    As shown in  FIG. 8 , the base  54  of the hand cart  50  can be received in the forward slots  38   b  of the tines  28   b.  Preferably the forward slots  38   b  are slightly higher than the thickness of the base  54 , so that the hand cart  50  can be received and retained in position. 
         [0030]    Referring to  FIG. 9 , the pallet  100  and goods  102  can be stacked on the upper surfaces of the tines  28   b.  Of course, this would typically occur before the base  54  of the cart  50  is received in the forward slots  38   b  at the forward ends of the tines  28   b.    
         [0031]      FIG. 10  shows a sled  10   c  according to a third embodiment, with another alternate tine assembly  14   c.  The fork tines  28   c  each include a horizontal central slot  40   c  extending through a central area of the tine  28   c  (such as a mid-point lengthwise). The base  54  of the cart  50  can be inserted through one of the central slots  40   c  (again typically after a loaded pallet  100  (not shown) is placed on the tines  28   c ). 
         [0032]      FIGS. 11 and 12  show a sled  10   d  according to a fourth embodiment with another alternate tine assembly  14   d.  The fork tines  28   d  each include a raised rear area  33   d  and a forward spacer  32   d,  defining a central recessed area  34   d  therebetween. A forward recessed area  36   d  is defined forward of each spacer  32   d.  The base  54  can be received on the forward recessed area  36   d  ( FIGS. 13-15 ) or in the central recessed area  34   d  ( FIGS. 16-17 ). 
         [0033]    It should also be noted that two or more of the above features from the above embodiments could be provided on a single set of fork tines. For example, the spacers  32   a,  the forward slots  38   b  and the central slots  40   c  could all be provided on the same set of fork tines for more options for carrying the cart  50 . 
         [0034]    In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes and jurisprudence, exemplary configurations described above are considered to represent a preferred embodiment of the invention. However, it should be noted that the invention can be practiced otherwise than as specifically illustrated and described without departing from its spirit or scope.