Patent Publication Number: US-2021179318-A1

Title: One piece molded pallet stringer

Description:
This application claims the benefit of the filing date of provisional application Ser. No. 62/947,843, which was filed on Dec. 13, 2019. Provisional patent application Ser. No. 62/947,843 is herein incorporated by reference. 
    
    
     FIELD 
     This disclosure pertains to the construction of a one piece molded pallet stringer. More specifically, this disclosure pertains to the construction of a one piece molded pallet stringer, and a pallet that is comprised of one piece molded stringers. Each stringer is comprised of a first, front block section or portion, a second, rear block section or portion, a third, center block section or portion, a bottom deck board section or portion and a top deck board section or portion that are all integrally formed as one single, unitary, integral and monolithic piece of material, for example a plastic material. 
     The elimination of wood in the construction of the one piece molded stringer makes a pallet that is comprised of one piece molded stringers lightweight, reduces the cost of manufacturing the pallet, and reduces the amount of wasted or discarded wood in constructing pallets with the one piece molded stringers. 
     BACKGROUND 
     The wood pallet is by far the most commonly used pallet in the United States,  FIG. 1  is a representation of the prior art, standard North American pallet  10  or a Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) style pallet. The pallet  10  represented in  FIG. 1  is constructed of three wood stringers  12 . The lengths of the stringers  12  are parallel and spatially positioned across the width of the pallet  10 . The stringers are provided with notches  14  in their bottom edges. The notches  14  are dimensioned to accommodate blades of a forklift. The forklift blades are inserted through the notches  14  to enable lifting of the pallet  10  by the forklift. The blades of the forklift can also be inserted between the spatially arranged stringers  12 . 
     A plurality of top deck boards  16  are attached to the top surfaces of the stringers  12  and extend across the stringers. The top deck boards  16  are also constructed of wood. In the pallet  10  represented in  FIG. 1 , there are five top deck boards  16 . 
     The pallet  10  is also constructed with a plurality of bottom deck boards  18 . The bottom deck boards  18  are also constructed of wood. As represented in  FIG. 1 , the bottom deck boards  18  are attached to the bottom surfaces of the stringers  12  and extend across the stringers. 
     The wood used in the construction of the pallet  10  makes the pallet heavy, expensive, bulky and wood intensive. The wood is also susceptible to mold and mildew. Widespread use of wood pallets has resulted in environmental problems and waste disposal problems. 
     SUMMARY 
     The one piece molded pallet stringer of this disclosure eliminates wood needed to construct a pallet and thereby lowers the cost of constructing a new pallet and lowers the weight of the pallet. The stringer is constructed entirely of plastic. The stringer could be constructed of recycled plastic material, and is itself recyclable which further lowers the cost of a pallet constructed of the stringers. The stringer could be constructed as a solid, single piece, or could be constructed with internal hollow cavities that further reduce the weight of the stringer. 
     The one piece molded pallet stringer has a configuration comprised of several different sections or portions of the stringer. Although the stringer configuration has several different sections or portions, the several different sections or portions are all formed together in the unitary, one piece molded construction of the stringer. 
     The one piece molded plastic stringer consists of sections or portions that include a first, front block; a second, rear block; a third, center block; a bottom deck board; and a top deck board. 
     The first, front block has a general rectangular, cubic configuration with a top and an opposite bottom plane surface. 
     The second, rear deck block has a general rectangular, cubic configuration with a top and an opposite bottom plane surface. 
     The third, center block has a general rectangular, cubic configuration with a top and an opposite bottom. 
     The bottom deck board has the general configuration of a plank. The bottom deck board has a length between a first, front end of the bottom deck board having a front end surface of the bottom deck board and a second, rear end of the bottom deck board having a rear end surface of the bottom deck board. 
     The top deck board has a general configuration of a plank. The top deck board has a length between a first, front end of the top deck board having a front end surface of the top deck board and a second, rear end of the top deck board having a rear end surface of the top deck board. 
     The first, front end of the bottom deck board is joined with the first, front block with the bottom surface of the first, front block being exposed and with the front end surface of the bottom deck board projecting from the bottom surface of the first, front block at a perpendicular orientation to the bottom surface of the first, front block. 
     The second, rear end of the bottom deck board is joined with the second, rear block with the bottom surface of the second, rear block being exposed and with the rear end surface of the bottom deck board projecting from the bottom surface of the second, rear block at a perpendicular orientation to the bottom surface of the second, rear block. 
     The first, front end of the top deck board is joined with the first, front block. 
     The second, rear end of the top deck board is joined with the second, rear block, 
     Further objects and features of the one piece molded pallet stringer are set forth in the following detailed description of the stringer and in the drawing figures. 
    
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a representation of a top perspective view of a wood pallet. 
         FIG. 2  is a representation of a perspective view of the one piece molded pallet stringer. 
         FIG. 3  is a representation of a perspective view of a pallet constructed of the one piece molded pallet stringers. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       FIG. 2  is a representation of a perspective view of the one piece molded pallet stringer  20  of this disclosure. In this disclosure, the stringer  20  is constructed as one piece, or one single, integral and monolithic piece of material. The stringer  20  is constructed by molding the stringer  20  as one piece, for example by compression molding, by injection molding or another equivalent molding process. The stringer  20  could be constructed of a plastic material, for example a recycled plastic material, or a composite material, or another equivalent type of material. 
     The stringer  20  is comprised of a first block or a front block  22  section or portion. As represented in  FIG. 2 , the first block  22  has a rectangular, cubic configuration with a length dimension along opposite sides of the first block  22  represented from right to left in  FIG. 2  as being approximately twice a height dimension of the first block  22 . The first block  22  also has a width dimension between the opposition sides of the first block  22 . As represented in  FIG. 2 , the stringer  20  is shown in an upside down orientation with the first block  22  having a top or top plane  24  and an opposite bottom surface  26 . 
     The stringer  20  also has a second block or a rear block  32  section or portion. The second block  32  also has a rectangular, cubic configuration and has dimensions substantially the same as those of the first block  22 . With the stringer  20  shown oriented upside down in the representation of  FIG. 2 , the second block  32  has a top or top plane  34  and an opposite bottom surface  36 . 
     The stringer  20  is also comprised of a third, center block  42  section or portion. The third block  42  also has a rectangular, cubic configuration with a length dimension along opposite sides of the third block  42  that is approximately half the length dimension of the first block  22  and the second block  32 . The third block  42  also has a height dimension between a top  44  and a bottom  46  of the center block  42  and a width dimension between the opposite sides of the third block  42  that are substantially the same as the height dimension and width dimension of the first block  22  and the second block  32 . With the stringer  20  represented as being oriented upside down in  FIG. 2 , the third block  42  has a top or top plane  44  and an opposite bottom or bottom plane  46 . 
     The stringer  20  is also comprised of a bottom deck board  52  section or portion. The bottom deck board  52  has a configuration of a plank with a length that extends between a first end or front end  54  of the bottom deck board  52  having a front end surface  56 , and an opposite second end or rear end  58  of the bottom deck board  52  having a rear end surface  62 . The bottom deck board  52  is joined as one piece to the first block  22  adjacent the bottom surface  26  of the first block  22 , is joined as one piece to the second block  32  adjacent bottom surface  36  of the second block  32  and is joined as one piece to the bottom  46  of the third block  42 . The length dimension of the bottom deck board  52  positions the first end  54  of the bottom deck board  52  joined to a portion of the first block  22  adjacent the bottom surface  26  of the first block  22 . The bottom surface  26  of the first block  22  adjacent the first end  54  of the bottom deck board  52  is exposed and the front end surface  56  of the bottom deck board  52  projects away from the bottom surface  26  of the first block  22  at a perpendicular orientation to the bottom surface  26 . The length dimension of the bottom deck board  52  also positions the second end  56  of the bottom deck board  52  joined to a portion of the second block  32  adjacent the bottom surface  36  of the second block  32 . The bottom surface  36  of the second block  32  adjacent the second end  58  of the bottom deck board  52  is exposed and the rear end surface  62  of the bottom deck board  52  projects away from the bottom surface  36  of the second block  32  at a perpendicular orientation to the bottom surface  36 . 
     The stringer  20  is also comprised of a top deck board  72  section or portion. The top deck board  72  has a configuration of a plank with a length dimension between a first end or front end  74  of the top deck board  72  having a front end surface  76 , and a second end or rear end  78  of the top deck board  72  having a rear end surface  82 . As represented in  FIG. 2 , the length dimension of the top deck board  72  positions the first end  74  of the top deck board  72  joined as one piece to and entirely across the top  24  of the first block  22 , joined as one piece to and entirely across the top  34  of the second block  32  and joined as one piece to and entirely across the top  44  of the third block  42 . 
     As stated earlier, the first block  22 , the second block  32 , the third block  42 , the bottom deck board  52  and the top deck board  72  that comprise the one piece molded stringer  20  are all constructed as one single, integral and monolithic piece of material. 
       FIG. 3  is a representation of a perspective view of assembling a pallet using the one piece molded stringer  20 . The pallet  92  represented in  FIG. 3  is constructed of three stringers  20 ,  20 ′,  20 ″, with each of the stringers having a same construction of the stringer described above in referring to  FIG. 2 . Because the constructions of each of the three stringers  20 ,  20 ′,  20 ″ is the same, the stringer constructions will not again be described in describing the construction of the pallet  92  represented in  FIG. 3 . 
     As represented in  FIG. 3 , the three stringers  20 ,  20 ′,  20 ″ are positioned in parallel orientations with a spacing between the stringers. The first blocks  22 ,  22 ′,  22 ″ of the respective stringers  20 ,  20 ′,  20 ″ are aligned and the second blocks  32 ,  32 ′,  32 ″ of the respective stringers  20 ,  20 ′,  20 ″ are aligned. These relative positions of the stringers  20 ,  20 ′,  20 ″ can be maintained by placing the stringers  20 ,  20 ′,  20 ″ in a jig configured to hold the stringers  20 ,  20 ′,  20 ″ in their relative positions represented in  FIG. 3 . 
     With the three stringers  20 ,  20 ′,  20 ″ in their relative positions represented in  FIG. 3 , a first, front bottom slat  94  is accurately positioned in notches defined by and is secured to the bottom surfaces  26 ,  26 ′,  26 ″ of the respective first blocks  22 ,  22 ′,  22 ″ of the respective three stringers  20 ,  20 ′,  20 ″ and the respective front end surfaces  56 ,  56 ′,  56 ″, of the bottom deck boards  52 ,  52 ′,  52 ″. The first, front bottom slat  94  can be secured to the bottom surfaces  16 ,  16 ′,  16 ″ of the respective first blocks  12 ,  12 ′,  12 ″ of the respective stringers  20 ,  20 ′,  20 ″ using fasteners such as nails, or other equivalent types of fasteners, or by using adhesives. 
     A second, rear bottom slat  96  is accurately positioned in notches defined by and is secured to the bottom surfaces  36 ,  36 ′,  36 ″ of the respective second blocks  32 ,  32 ′,  32 ″ of the respective three stringers  20 ,  20 ′,  20 ″ and the respective rear end surfaces  62 ,  62 ′,  62 ″ of the bottom deck boards  52 ,  52 ′,  52 ″. The second, rear bottom slat  96  can be secured to the bottom surfaces  36 ,  36 ′,  36 ″ of the respective second blocks  32 ,  32 ′,  32 ″ of the respective stringers  20 ,  20 ′,  20 ″ by fasteners such as nails, or other equivalent types of fasteners, or by adhesives. This completes the construction of the bottom of the pallet  92  represented in  FIG. 3 . The pallet  92  can then be flipped over to an upright orientation to secure top slats across the top deck boards  72 ,  72 ′,  72 ″ of the respective stringers  20 ,  20 ′,  20 ″ to complete the construction of the pallet  92 . 
     The one piece molded construction of the stringer  20  enables shipping large quantities of the stringers  20  to pallet assembly locations where pallets can be constructed in the manner described above with reference to  FIG. 3 . The ability to ship the one piece molded stringers  20  to pallet assembly locations as opposed to shipping assembled pallets improves the economy of scale in the pallet industry when shipping pallets long distances. The one piece molded stringers  20  can be shipped very cost efficiently. The assembly of a pallet from the one piece molded stringers  20  eliminates fasteners needed for pallet assembly. For example, a pallet assembled using three of the stringers  20  can eliminate  24  nails. Assembling pallets using the stringer  20  also eliminates the need for stringer assembly machines. Assembling a pallet from the one piece molded stringers  20  would take one person approximately 30 seconds to assemble the pallet, where a conventional pallet takes 1-2 minutes for one person to assemble. 
     As various modifications could be made in the construction of the one piece molded pallet stringer and its method of operation herein described and illustrated without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the foregoing description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative rather than limiting. Thus, the breadth and scope of the present disclosure should not be limited by any of the above described exemplary embodiments, but should be defined only in accordance with the following claims appended hereto and their equivalents.