Abstract:
A reinforced pallet includes a pallet body having a plurality of flexible support arms, each integrally molded adjacent one of the plurality of channels formed in the pallet body. Each of the flexible support arms is configured to flex outward away from the channel upon insertion of an elongated reinforcement member into the channel and to subsequently return to its own deformed position in the channel, thereby retaining the reinforcement member in the channel. In this manner, the reinforcement members can be inserted and locked in the pallet body in a single motion.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    The present invention relates generally to pallets and more particularly to a plastic pallet arranged to receive reinforcement members.  
           [0002]    Pallets are often used to store and transport goods. Pallets maintain the goods at a distance above the floor such that they can readily be lifted and moved by a forklift. Plastic pallets are lighter and more durable than wooden pallets; however, elongated metal or composite reinforcement members in the plastic pallets have been used for some applications in order to increase the rigidity of the pallet.  
           [0003]    One reinforced pallet design, disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,868,080, includes a plurality of composite reinforcing bars. A plurality of channels are formed in the pallet body. Each of the reinforcing bars is secured within one of the channels and retained in the pallet body by several pieces that are snap-fit together. The multiple pieces required to retain the reinforcing bars in the pallet increase the cost and assembly time of this reinforced pallet.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0004]    A pallet according to the present invention includes a plurality of channels formed in a molded plastic pallet body. A flexible support arm is formed adjacent each channel in the deck. Each support arm is selectively movable away from the channel in order to permit the insertion of an elongated reinforcement member. Each support arm is also movable back into the channel to selectively lock the reinforcement member in the channel. Preferably, each support arm is integrally molded with the deck and is flexible, such that it can be deformed out away from the channel by the reinforcement member as the reinforcement member is being inserted. The support arm returns to its undeformed position in the channel to lock the reinforcement member in place after the reinforcement member has been inserted past the support arm.  
           [0005]    A minimal number of parts are required for assembly of the pallet of the present invention. Further, the reinforcement member is easily inserted and locked in the pallet in a single motion, thus speeding and simplifying assembly.  
           [0006]    The above objects and other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention are readily apparent from the following detailed description of the best mode for carrying out the invention when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0007]    Other advantages of the present invention will be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:  
         [0008]    [0008]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the reinforced pallet of the present invention;  
         [0009]    [0009]FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line  2 - 2  of FIG. 1;  
         [0010]    [0010]FIG. 3 is a bottom view of the partially broken away pallet of FIG. 2;  
         [0011]    [0011]FIGS. 4 and 4 a  illustrate the pallet broken away along line  2 - 2  with a reinforcement member partially inserted within the channel;  
         [0012]    [0012]FIGS. 5 and 5 a  are similar to FIGS. 4 and 4 a  with the reinforcement member fully inserted within the channel; and  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a half-section of a lower deck of the present pallet. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0014]    A reinforced pallet  20  is shown in FIG. 1. The pallet  20  comprises a molded plastic upper deck  22  and a molded plastic lower deck  24  having supports  26 . The upper deck  22  and lower deck  24  are preferably formed of polypropylene via an injection molding process, but of course can be formed of any type of plastic applicable for the desired use. The top surface  28  of the upper deck  22  includes drain holes as are normally molded into plastic pallets. The upper deck  22  is secured to the supports  26  of the lower deck  24  by snap-fit connections, adhesive, connectors, welds, or any other known method. Spaces between the supports  26  permit the insertion of forklift tines under the upper deck  22  to lift the pallet  20 . The pallet  20  may include any such details and variations as are commonly known in plastic pallets.  
         [0015]    In the present invention, the pallet  20  includes at least one, and preferably a plurality of molded channels  30 . As shown in FIGS. 1 and 6, three channels  30  are molded into the lower deck  24  (one in each peripheral rail  25 , and one down the center cross-member  27 ), but any number of channels  30  could be molded into either deck  22 ,  24 . Each of the channels  30  shown extends across the entire width of the lower deck  24 . A flexible support arm  32  is disposed at one end of each channel  30 , while the opposite end (not shown) of each channel  30  is preferably closed, but may include a similar support arm to facilitate assembly from either end.  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 2 is a perspective view with the pallet broken away along the line  2 - 2  of FIG. 1. In FIG. 2, it can be seen that the channel  30  extends rearward between rails  36  and  38 , while channel  30  is defined between the flexible support arm  32  and a pair of guides  40  at a forward end. The flexible support arm  32  is integrally molded with the lower deck  24  at a rearward end  44  of the flexible support arm  32  to define a unitary construction. The forward end  46  of the support arm  32  is cantilevered such that the forward end  46  is flexible and can be elastically deformed. The forward end  46  of the support arm  32  forms a latch  47  which includes an inclined surface  48  normally positioned in the channel  30  when the support arm  32  is undeformed so as to block ingress and egress from the channel  30 . A retaining surface  50  is formed adjacent the inclined surface  48  and rearward of the inclined surface  48  and is generally perpendicular to the support arm  32  and the channel  30 . The support arm  32  is sufficiently flexible such that the inclined surface  48  and retaining surface  50  can be selectively moved out of channel  30  by applying a force to the forward end  46  of the support arm  32  and will return to its undeformed state normally, with the inclined surface  48  and retaining surface  50  projecting into the channel  30 .  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 3 is a bottom view of the partially broken away pallet  28  in FIG. 2. As can be seen in FIG. 3, the rearward end  44  of the support arm  32  is integrally molded with the lower deck  24 , while the forward end  46  is cantilevered in order to make the forward end  46  flexible.  
         [0018]    The assembly of the pallet  20  of the present invention will be described with respect to FIGS. 4, 4 a,    5  and  5   a.  First, in FIGS. 4 and 4 a,  an elongated reinforcement member  56  is partially inserted between support arm  32  and guides  40  into channel  30 . The reinforcement member  56  is generally elongated and is shown as a beam with a box-shaped cross-section, but may have any number of shapes, such as an I-beam. Reinforcement member  56  may be formed of metal, such as steel, a composite material, or any other type of material suitable for this application. As the reinforcement member  56  is first inserted into the channel  30 , the reinforcement member  56  contacts the inclined plane  48  of the support arm  32 , causing the latch  47  and the forward end  46  of the support arm  32  to deflect downward away from the channel  30 . With the latch  47  of the support arm  32  out of the channel  30 , the reinforcement member  56  can be slidingly inserted into the channel  30 .  
         [0019]    As shown in FIGS. 5 and 5 a,  when the reinforcement member  56  is inserted completely past the inclined surface  48  of the forward end  46  of the support arm  32 , the latch  47  at the forward end  46  of the support arm  32  snaps back into the channel  30 , thus returning to its normal, undeformed position in channel  30 . In this position, the reinforcement member  56  is retained at its outer end within channel  30  by the retaining surface  50  of the latch  47  on the forward end  46  of the support arm  32 . The reinforcement member  56  is thus held within the channel  30  by the support arm  32 , guides  40 , rail  36  and retaining surface  50 . This method is then repeated for each of the channels  30 , into which additional reinforcement members  56  are inserted. As shown in FIG. 6, the retaining member  56  and channel  30  is also below supports  26  to provide retention from above.  
         [0020]    If necessary or desired, the reinforcement members  56  could be removed from the channels  30 . After manually deflecting the forward end  46  of each support arm downward out of each channel  30 , the reinforcement member  56  can be slid out of the channel  30 .  
         [0021]    While embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described, it is not intended that these embodiments illustrate and describe all possible forms of the invention. Rather, the words used in the specification are words of description rather than limitation, and it is understood that various changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. There are many different configurations for plastic pallets and many variations in design, many of which would benefit from the present invention. The reinforcement members  56  could be of different shapes, sizes and configurations. One or more channels  30  could be at different locations within the pallet  20 , including in the lower deck  24  or the upper deck  22 . All of these variations are considered to be within the scope of this invention.