Patent Publication Number: US-9409673-B2

Title: Pallet with single layer top deck having inserts therein and related methods

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to the field of pallets, and more particularly, to a pallet accessible from all four sides while having a sufficient load bearing capacity, and related methods for making the same. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Conventional pallets are typically made of wood and include a base layer and a cargo layer separated therefrom by support blocks. The base and cargo layers are also referred to as bottom and top decks. Traditionally, the base and cargo layers are multiple layers, with each layer respectively having end deck boards assembled on connector boards that run the full length or width of the pallet. The end deck boards are nailed through the connector boards into the support blocks to build the primary structure of the pallet. The end deck boards are also known as lead boards. Intermediate deck boards are placed between the end deck boards. 
     To move the pallet with cargo thereon, tines from a forklift or a pallet jack are inserted into the gaps between the base and cargo layers on a lead board side of the pallet. If the tines were to be inserted into the gaps on a non-lead board side of the pallet, then the pallet would likely be over stressed if the cargo placed therein is relatively heavy, resulting in potential damage or weakening of the pallet. 
     In large open areas, maneuvering a forklift or a pallet jack so that the tines can enter into the gaps between the base and cargo layers on the lead board side of the pallet is relatively straightforward. However, maneuvering such a lifting device becomes much more cumbersome in confined areas since the pallet can only be accessed from 2 different sides. 
     Even if conventional pallets are reduced in size from full size to half size or quarter size, the difficulty may still exist in maneuvering the lifting device since the pallet can only be accessed from 2 different sides. For example, a confined area may be a display or showroom floor within a store. Instead of removing the cargo from the pallets, the cargo remains on the pallet for viewing by the customers. 
     Consequently, there is a need for a pallet that can be accessed from all four sides. Since the cargo to be carried by the top deck at times may be relatively heavy, the load carrying capacity of the pallet should not be sacrificed while also providing accessibility. 
     One approach for such a pallet is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,834,001. The pallet has a base member provided with recesses for the tines of a lifting device. The base member also includes a number of holes perpendicularly to their length direction through which tubes can be inserted so as to unite the base members with each other to form the pallet. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,402,735 discloses a pallet that includes a plurality of runners. Each runner defines an upper load supporting surface, an opposed bottom surface having formed therein a tab locating channel, and a pair of opposed lateral surfaces. Each lateral surface has formed therethrough a predetermined number of bar locating apertures. A plurality of bars is uniquely sized for the individual load to be handled. The bars are insertably received by a respective bar locating aperture of an individual runner. At least one stabilizer has a main body and a predetermined number of tab members made integral with the stabilizer main body. Each tab member is received by the tab locating channel of an individual runner. 
     Yet another approach is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,112,673 which provides a pallet assembly comprising a first rail member and a second rail member spaced from the first rail member. At least one hollow pipe member extends between the first rail member and the second rail member with a sheet member positioned on the pipe member. A rod is positioned within each pipe member and extends through the first rail member and the second rail member. A fastening mechanism is associated with each rod for releasably fastening the first rail member to the second rail member, and for releasably fastening each hollow pipe member and the sheet member between the first rail member and the second rail member. Not withstanding the above described pallets, there is still a need to improve on such pallets. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In view of the foregoing background, it is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a pallet that can be accessed from all four sides without sacrificing its load bearing capacity. 
     This and other objects, features, and advantages in accordance with the present invention are provided by a pallet comprising a cargo layer comprising a pair of horizontally positioned outer deck boards and at least one horizontally positioned intermediate deck board therebetween. The at least one horizontally positioned intermediate deck board may have opposing sidewalls, and a plurality of spaced apart openings at least partially extending through the opposing sidewalls. The pair of horizontally positioned outer deck boards may have opposing sidewalls, and a plurality of spaced apart openings extending through at least one of the sidewalls of each outer deck board. The plurality of spaced apart openings in the sidewalls of each horizontally positioned outer deck board may be aligned with the plurality of spaced apart openings in an adjacent sidewall of the at least one horizontally positioned intermediate deck board. 
     A plurality of inserts may be in the plurality of spaced apart openings. A base layer may comprise a plurality of horizontally positioned deck boards orthogonal to the pair of horizontally positioned outer deck boards and the at least one horizontally positioned intermediate deck board in the cargo layer. A plurality of spaced apart support structures may be coupled between the base and cargo layers and forming gaps therebetween for receiving a lifting member. 
     Each insert may be orthogonal to the pair of horizontally positioned outer deck boards and the at least one horizontally positioned intermediate deck board in the cargo layer. Each insert may comprise a metal pipe or solid rod, for example. 
     The cargo layer is thus a single layer top deck with inserts therein. Since the inserts and the boards in the base layer are orthogonal to the boards in the cargo layer, this allows for the pallet to have a strong load bearing capacity/racking strength while allowing accessibility from all 4 sides. The pallet is not limited to any particular size, and may be configured as a full, half or quarter size pallet, for example. 
     In one embodiment, the plurality of spaced apart openings at least partially extending through the opposing sidewalls of the at least one horizontally positioned intermediate deck board may include a first partially extending opening through one of the sidewalls and a second partially extending opening through the other sidewall. The first and second partially extending openings may be aligned and contacting one another so as to form a continuous opening therethrough. The plurality of inserts may comprise a single insert extending between openings in the pair of horizontally positioned outer deck boards and through the continuous opening in the at least one horizontally positioned intermediate deck board. 
     In another embodiment, the first and second partially extending openings in the at least one horizontally positioned intermediate deck board are aligned but do not contact one another. The plurality of inserts may comprise separate inserts extending between openings in the pair of horizontally positioned outer deck boards and the first and second partially extending openings in the at least one horizontally positioned intermediate deck board. 
     In yet another embodiment, the first and second partially extending openings in the at least one horizontally positioned intermediate deck board are not aligned and do not extend through to the opposing sidewall. The plurality of inserts may comprise separate inserts extending between openings in the pair of horizontally positioned outer deck boards and the first and second partially extending openings in the at least one horizontally positioned intermediate deck board. 
     The pair of horizontally positioned outer deck boards and the at least one horizontally positioned intermediate deck board may have a thickness T, and wherein an outside diameter of each insert is within a range of 0.25 T and 0.75 TH. For example, T may be equal to 1 inch, and wherein the outside diameter of each insert is within a range of 0.25 and 0.75 inches. 
     Each insert may overlie a respective horizontally positioned deck board in the base layer. Each support structure may be C-shaped or U-shaped. The pallet may further comprise a plurality of fasteners coupling the base and cargo layers to the plurality of spaced apart support structures. 
     Another aspect is directed to a cargo layer as described above. 
     Yet another aspect is directed to a method for making a pallet as also described above. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a top perspective view of a pallet with a single layer top deck having inserts therein in accordance with the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a bottom perspective view of the pallet shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a top planer view of the pallet shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 4  is a side view of the pallet shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 5  is an end view of the pallet shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 6  is a top planer view of the cargo layer without the inserts in accordance with the present invention. 
         FIG. 7  is a side perspective view of an insert for the cargo layer shown in  FIG. 6 . 
         FIG. 8  is a side view of an intermediate deck board with an insert therein in accordance with the present invention. 
         FIG. 9  is a side perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the insert shown in  FIG. 7 . 
         FIG. 10  is a side perspective view of yet another alternative embodiment of the insert shown in 
         FIG. 11  is a bottom perspective view of another embodiment of the pallet shown in  FIG. 1  with a non-centered base layer. 
         FIG. 12  is a side view of the pallet shown in  FIG. 11  nested or stacked with another pallet. 
         FIGS. 13-15  are top planer views of different embodiments of the cargo layer showing different positions for the openings that receive inserts in accordance with the present invention. 
         FIG. 16  is a flowchart illustrating a method for making a pallet in accordance with the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The present invention will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which preferred embodiments of the invention are shown. This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout, and prime notations are used to indicate similar elements in alternative embodiments. 
     Referring initially to  FIGS. 1-5 , the illustrated pallet  20  includes a cargo layer  30 , a base layer  50 , and support structures  40  therebetween. The cargo layer  30  is a single layer top deck with inserts  60  therein. The inserts  60  and the boards in the base layer  50  are orthogonal to the boards in the cargo layer  30 . This allows for the pallet  20  to have a strong handling capacity/racking strength while allowing accessibility from all four sides. The pallet  20  is not limited to any particular size, and may be configured as a full, half or quarter size pallet. For discussion purposes, the illustrated pallet  20  is a half size pallet, i.e., 40 inches by 24 inches. 
     More particularly, the cargo layer  30  comprises a pair of horizontally positioned outer deck boards  32  and at least one horizontally positioned intermediate deck board  36  therebetween. In the illustrated embodiment, there is a pair of intermediate deck boards  36 . 
     Each horizontally positioned intermediate deck board  36  has opposing sidewalls  37 , and a plurality of spaced apart openings  38  extending through the opposing sidewalls, as best illustrated in  FIG. 6 . Similarly, each horizontally positioned outer deck board  32  has opposing inner and outer sidewalls  33 ( 1 ),  33 ( 2 ), and a plurality of spaced apart openings  34  extending through the inner sidewalls  33 ( 1 ). The corresponding opposing portions of the outer sidewalls  33 ( 2 ) are closed off. Consequently, the openings  34  terminate within each end deck board  32  short of the opposing portions of the outer sidewall  33 ( 2 ). In other embodiments, the openings  34  may extend through to the outer sidewalls  33 ( 2 ). 
     The spaced apart openings  34  in the pair of horizontally positioned outer deck boards  32  are aligned with the spaced apart openings  38  in each horizontally positioned intermediate deck board  36 . 
     Inserts  60  are inserted into the openings  34 ,  38 . For the illustrated pallet  20 , there are three inserts  60 . 
     Each insert  60  may be an open pipe, for example, as illustrated in  FIG. 7 . The pipe may be made out of metal or galvanized steel, for example. A diameter of the insert  60  is selected based on the thickness of the boards  32 ,  36  in the cargo layer  30  so as to provide an increased racking strength for the pallet  20  while leaving a sufficient amount of wood between each opening  34 ,  38  and the outer surfaces of each board in the cargo layer  30 . 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 8 , the thickness of the boards  32 ,  36  is represented by T, where an outside diameter of each insert  60  is preferably within a range of 0.25 T and 0.75 T. For example, the thickness of each board  32 ,  36  is about 1 inch, wherein the diameter of the insert  60  is within a range of about 0.25 and 0.75 inches. In one embodiment, the insert  60  has an outside diameter of ⅝ inch and an inside diameter of ⅜ inch. With this particular combination of insert size and deck board thickness, the racking strength of the half size pallet  20  is about 1400 pounds. 
     As an alternative, the insert may be a solid rod  60 ′, as illustrated in  FIG. 9 . In yet another embodiment, the insert  60 ″ is a spring pin as illustrated in  FIG. 10 . The spring pin  60 ″ has an opening  61 ″ along its longitudinal length. The spring pin  60 ″ is collapsed to fit within the respective openings  34 ,  38 . Once inserted, the spring  60 ″ then expands to holds the deck boards  32 ,  36  in place. 
     The base layer  50  includes a plurality of horizontally positioned deck boards  50 ( 1 ), 50 ( 2 ),  50 ( 3 ) orthogonal to the pair of horizontally positioned outer deck boards  32  and each horizontally positioned intermediate deck board  36  in the cargo layer  30 . The base layer  50  does not include any deck boards extending in the same direction as the deck boards  32 ,  36  in the cargo layer  30 . The lack of the base layer  50  not including deck boards orthogonal to the illustrated deck boards  50 ( 1 ),  50 ( 2 ),  50 ( 3 ) advantageously reduces the weight and cost of the pallet  20  while not affecting its handling capacity. 
     In the illustrated pallet  20 , there are nine spaced apart support structures  40  coupled between the base and cargo layers  30 ,  50 . Each support structure  40  is made out of metal, and is “C” or “U” shaped. The support structures  40  allows for gaps to be formed for receiving the tines from a lifting member from any side of the pallet  20 . As an alternative, anyone or all of the illustrated support structures  40  may have a different shape and composition. For example, the middle support blocks contacting the intermediate deck boards  36  may be square wooden blocks. 
     To secure the deck boards  32 ,  36  in the cargo layer  30  to the support structures  40 , fasteners  70  are used. The fasteners  70  may be threaded bolts or rivets, for example. If the support structures  40  were formed out of wood, for example, then the fasteners would be nails or screws, for example. referably the upper surface of each fastener  70  is recessed or flush with the exposed outer surface of each deck board  32 ,  36 . Similarly, fasteners  70  are used to secure the deck boards  50 ( 1 ),  50 ( 2 ),  50 ( 3 ) in the base layer  50  to the support structures  40 . 
     The illustrated pallet  20  is a self-reinforcing pallet in the sense that fasteners are not needed for the inserts  60  since they are press fit into their respective openings  34  and  38 , and that the upper deck boards  32 ,  36  and the bottom deck boards  50 ( 1 )- 50 ( 3 ) are coupled to the fasteners  40  in an orthogonal fashion. This configuration advantageously allows for a strong pallet  20  that is lightweight and relatively straightforward to access with a lifting device. 
     As illustrated in the figures, each insert  40  overlies a respective horizontally positioned deck board  50 ( 1 )- 50 ( 3 ) in the base layer  50 . As an alternative embodiment, instead of three evenly spaced bottom deck boards  50 ( 1 )- 50 ( 3 ), there are two deck boards  50 ( 1 )′,  50 ( 2 )′ as illustrated in  FIG. 11 . The middle deck board  50 ( 2 )′ is no longer in the center of the pallet  20 ′ but is offset toward the location where the third deck board was initially located. 
     This particular configuration allows two pallets  20 ′ to be nested or stacked when not in use. As illustrated in  FIG. 12 , the bottom deck boards  50 ( 1 )′,  50 ( 2 )′ for each pallet  20 ′ are adjacent one another with the cargo layers  30 ′ being the outermost exposed surfaces. 
     The inserts  60 ′ may be in their original position as for the embodiment illustrated in  FIGS. 1-5 . Alternatively, the center insert  60 ′ is also offset to overlie the bottom deck board  50 ( 2 )′. 
     Alternative embodiments of the cargo layer will now be discussed in reference to  FIGS. 13-15 . In one embodiment, openings  34 ′,  38 ′ at opposing edges of the pallet  20 ′ are the same as illustrated above so that a single insert  60 ′ extends between the openings  34 ′,  38 ′ in the pair of horizontally positioned outer deck boards  32 ′ and through the continuous opening in the at least one horizontally positioned intermediate deck board  36 ′, as illustrated in  FIG. 13 . However, additional openings  41 ′,  43 ′ within the pallet  20 ′ are staggered and only partially extend through the horizontally positioned intermediate deck board  36 ′. 
     The spaced apart openings  41 ′,  43 ′ in the horizontally positioned intermediate deck board  36 ′ include a first partially extending opening  43 ( 1 )′ through one of the sidewalls and a second partially extending opening  43 ( 2 )′ through the other sidewall. The first and second partially extending openings  43 ( 1 )′,  43 ( 2 )′ are not aligned and do not extend through to the opposing sidewall. In this embodiment, separate inserts extend between openings in the pair of horizontally positioned outer deck boards  41 ′ and the first and second partially extending openings  43 ( 1 )′,  43 ( 2 )′ in the horizontally positioned intermediate deck board  36 ′. 
     In yet another embodiment, the openings  34 ″,  38 ″ in the pallet  20 ″ are aligned but do not contact one another within the horizontally positioned intermediate deck board  36 ″, as illustrated in  FIG. 14 . In this embodiment, the inserts comprise separate inserts extending between openings  34 ″ in the pair of horizontally positioned outer deck boards  32 ″ and the first and second partially extending openings  38 ( 1 )″,  38 ( 2 )″ in the horizontally positioned intermediate deck board  36 ″. 
     In yet another embodiment, the openings  34 ″′,  38 ″′ and  41 ″′,  43 ( 1 )″′ and  41 ″′,  43 ( 2 )″′ in the pallet  20 ″ are not aligned within the pallet  20 ″′, as illustrated in  FIG. 16 . Instead, each of the openings are staggered with respect to one another. A flowchart  100  illustrating a method for making a pallet  20  will now be discussed in reference to  FIG. 12 . From the start (Block  102 ), the method comprises forming a cargo layer  30  at Block  104  comprising a pair of horizontally positioned outer deck boards  32  and at least one horizontally positioned intermediate deck board  36  therebetween. 
     The at least one horizontally positioned intermediate deck board  36  is formed at Block  106  to have opposing sidewalls  37 , and a plurality of spaced apart openings  38  extending through the opposing sidewalls. The pair of horizontally positioned outer deck boards  32  is formed at Block  108  to have opposing sidewalls  33 ( 1 ) and  33 ( 2 ), and a plurality of spaced apart openings  34  extending through at least one of the sidewalls  33 ( 1 ) of each outer deck board. The plurality of spaced apart openings  34  in the pair of horizontally positioned outer deck boards  32  are aligned at Block  110  with the plurality of spaced apart openings  38  in the at least one horizontally positioned intermediate deck board  36  so as to form a plurality of spaced apart sets of aligned insert openings extending within the cargo layer  30 . 
     The method further comprises inserting a plurality of inserts  60  in the plurality of spaced apart sets of aligned insert openings at Block  112 . The base layer  50  is formed at Block  114  to comprise a plurality of horizontally positioned deck boards  50 ( 1 )- 50 ( 3 ) orthogonal to the pair of horizontally positioned outer deck boards  32  and the at least one horizontally positioned intermediate deck board  36  in the cargo layer  30 . The method further comprises at Block  116  coupling a plurality of spaced apart support structures  40  between the base and cargo layers  50 ,  30  and forming gaps therebetween for receiving a lifting member. The method ends at Block  118 . 
     Many modifications and other embodiments of the invention will come to the mind of one skilled in the art having the benefit of the teachings presented in the foregoing descriptions and the associated drawings. Therefore, it is understood that the invention is not to be limited to the specific embodiments disclosed, and that modifications and embodiments are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims.