Patent Publication Number: US-2004050304-A1

Title: Pallet for three-wheeled motorcycle

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION  
     [0001] This is a continuation-in-part application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/177,782 filed Jun. 19, 2002. 
    
    
     
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002] 1. Field of the Invention  
       [0003] The present invention relates to a pallet. In particular, the present invention relates to a pallet for a three-wheeled motorcycle.  
       [0004] 2. Description of the Related Art  
       [0005] The wheels of a typical three-wheeled motorcycle such as a three-wheeled beach motorcycle or a three-wheeled motorcycle for off-road use are wider and bigger than ordinary ones. The wheels are removed before the motorcycle is placed on a pallet during transportation. However, removal of the wheels before transportation and reassembly of the wheels after arrival in the destination are troublesome.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0006] An object of the present invention is to provide a pallet having two compartments and a positioning groove for respectively receiving two rear wheels and a front wheel of a three-wheeled motorcycle such that the motorcycle can be transported without removing the wheels.  
       [0007] A pallet in accordance with the present invention includes an upper side having a front end and a rear end. Two rear wheel-receiving compartments are defined in the rear end of the upper side of the pallet. A front wheel-positioning groove is defined in the front end of the upper side of the pallet. Thus, Two rear wheels and a front wheel of a three-wheeled motorcycle can be respectively received and positioned in the rear wheel-receiving compartments and the front wheel-positioning groove of the pallet during transportation without the need of removing the wheels.  
       [0008] Other objects, advantages, and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
     [0009]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a pallet in accordance with the present invention.  
     [0010]FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the pallet in FIG. 1.  
     [0011]FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of a modified embodiment of the pallet in accordance with the present invention.  
     [0012]FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of another modified embodiment of the pallet in accordance with the present invention.  
     [0013]FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the pallet in FIG. 4.  
     [0014]FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of a further modified embodiment of the pallet in accordance with the present invention.  
     [0015]FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view of still another modified embodiment of the pallet in accordance with the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
     [0016] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, an embodiment of a pallet  1  in accordance with the present invention generally comprises an upper side  110  and an underside  120 . The upper side  110  has a front end and a rear end. Two rear wheel-receiving compartments  15  are defined in the rear end of the upper side  110  of the pallet  1 . A front wheel-positioning groove  16  is defined in the front end of the upper side  110  of the pallet  1 . Thus, two rear wheels  8  and a front wheel  9  of a three-wheeled motorcycle such as a three-wheeled beach motorcycle or a three-wheeled motorcycle for off-road use can be received and positioned on the pallet  1  during transportation without the need of removing the wheels  8 .  
     [0017] In this embodiment, the pallet  1  includes at least one through-hole  121  (two in this embodiment) defined between the upper side  110  and the underside  120  and extending along a longitudinal direction or a lateral direction of the pallet  1 . The through-holes  121  of the pallet  1  allow the forks (not shown) of a forklift to extend therethrough, allowing the forklift to move the pallet  1  to a desired location. Preferably, the rear wheel-receiving compartments  15  are respectively formed on two rear corners of the upper side  110  of the pallet  1 . Preferably, the front wheel-positioning groove  16  is defined in a central portion of the front end of the upper side  110  of the pallet  1 . Thus, the rear wheel-receiving compartments  15  and the front wheel-positioning groove  16  together form an isosceles triangle.  
     [0018] In particular, in this embodiment, the pallet  1  includes an upper plate  14 , a bottom plate  11 , and a plurality of support members  12  sandwiched between the upper plate  14  and the lower plate  11 . The lower plate  11  is a substantially rectangular plate made of paper, and the upper plate  14  is also made of paper and includes two cutouts  142  in a rear end thereof and a slot  141  in a front end thereof. The cutouts  142  of the upper plate  14  are respectively aligned with the rear wheel-receiving compartments  15  defined by the lower plate  11  and the support members  12 . The slot  141  of the upper plate  14  is aligned with the front wheel-positioning groove  16  defined by the support members  12 . The respective support member  12  is preferably a rectangular tubular member or a U-shaped member to thereby define at least one through-hole  121  between the upper side  110  and the lower side  120 .  
     [0019] The pallet  1  may further include an enveloping means  13  for enveloping the lower plate  11 , the upper plate  14 , and the support members  12 . In this embodiment, as illustrated in FIG. 2, the enveloping means  13  includes a first enveloping plate  23  for enveloping a rear end of the pallet  1  and a second enveloping plate  33  for enveloping the remaining portion of the pallet  1 . The first enveloping plate  23  includes a central section  231  and two end sections  232 . Each end section  232  of the first enveloping plate  23  includes three folding lines  233 ,  234 , and  235 , thereby forming a first enveloping section  236 , a second enveloping section  237 , and a third enveloping section  238 . In use, the central section  231  of the first enveloping plate  23  lies below the rear end of the lower plate  11 , with the respective first enveloping section  236  being superimposed on a bottom wall  150  delimiting the respective rear wheel-receiving compartment  15 , with the respective second enveloping section  237  being superimposed on a side wall  122  of the associated support member  12 , and with the respective third enveloping section  238  being superimposed on a rear portion  144  of an upper side  143  of the upper plate  14  that lies on an upper side  123  of the associated support member  12  after folding the first enveloping plate  23  along the first, second, and third folding lines  233 ,  234 , and  235 .  
     [0020] The second enveloping plate  33  includes a central section  331  and two end sections  332 . Each end section  332  of the second enveloping plate  33  includes two folding lines  333  and  334 , thereby forming a first enveloping section  336  and a second enveloping section  337 . Each first enveloping section  336  has two slots  338 , and each second enveloping section  337  has a cutout  339 . In use, the central section  331  of the second enveloping plate  33  lies below the remaining portion of the lower plate  11 , with the first enveloping section  336  being superimposed on a side wall  124  of the associated support member  12 , and with the second enveloping section  337  being superimposed on the remaining portion of the upper side  143  of the upper plate  14  after folding the second enveloping plate  33  along the first and second folding lines  333  and  334 . The respective slot  338  of the second enveloping plate  33  is aligned with the respective through-hole  121 . The cutouts  339  of the second enveloping plate  33  together form a slot that is aligned with the slot  141  of the upper plate  14 . The enveloping means  13  becomes a part of the pallet  1  and thus improves the structural strength of the pallet  1 . It is noted that all of the folding lines  233 ,  234 ,  235 ,  333 , and  334  extend in a direction perpendicular to an extending direction of the through-holes  121  of the pallet  1 .  
     [0021] In a case that the enveloping means  13  is used, the pallet  1  may further include an end plate  17  for sealing the front end of the pallet  1 . This prevents the forks of the forklift to extend into the pallet  1  via the front end of the pallet  1 .  
     [0022]FIG. 3 illustrates a modified embodiment of the enveloping means  13 . In this embodiment, the enveloping means  13  includes a first enveloping plate  43  for enveloping the rear end of the pallet  1 , a second enveloping plate  53  for enveloping the front end of the pallet  1 , and a third enveloping plate  63  for enveloping an intermediate portion of the pallet  1 .  
     [0023] The first enveloping plate  43  includes a bottom portion  431 , an upper portion  432 , and a connecting portion  436  between the bottom portion  431  and the upper portion  432 . A folding line  433  is provided between the bottom portion  431  and the connecting portion  436  and extends in a direction parallel to the extending direction of the through-holes  121 . Similarly, a folding line  434  is provided between the connecting portion  436  and the upper portion  432  and extends in a direction parallel to the extending direction of the through-holes  121 . The upper portion  432  includes a central section  437  and two end sections (not labeled). Each end section of the upper portion  432  of the first enveloping plate  43  includes two folding lines  435  extending along a direction perpendicular to the extending direction of the through-holes  121 , thereby forming a first enveloping section  438  and a second enveloping section  439 .  
     [0024] In use, the bottom portion  431  of the first enveloping plate  43  lies below the rear end of the lower plate  11 , with the connecting portion  436  being superimposed on a side wall  124  of the associated support member  12 , with the central section  437  of the upper portion  432  of the first enveloping plate  43  being superimposed on a rear portion  144  of an upper side  143  of the upper plate  14 , with the respective first enveloping section  438  of the first enveloping plate  43  being superimposed on another side wall  122  of the associated support member  12 , and with the respective second enveloping section  439  of the upper portion  432  of the first enveloping plate  43  being superimposed on a bottom wall  150  delimiting the associated rear wheel-receiving compartment  15  after folding the first enveloping plate  43  along the folding lines  433 ,  434 , and  435 . The connecting portion  436  of the first enveloping plate  14  may include at least one slot  430  that aligns with at least one hole  121   a  defined in the associated support member  12 .  
     [0025] The second enveloping plate  53  includes a bottom portion  531 , a connecting portion  536 , and an upper portion  532 . A folding line  533  is provided between the bottom portion  531  and the connecting portion  536  and extends in a direction parallel to the extending direction of the through-holes  121 . Similarly, a folding line  534  is provided between the connecting portion  536  and the upper portion  532  and extends in a direction parallel to the extending direction of the through-holes  121 . The upper portion  532  includes a central section  537  and two end sections (not labeled). Each end section of the upper portion  532  of the second enveloping plate  53  includes a folding line  535  extending along a direction perpendicular to the extending direction of the through-holes  121 , thereby forming an enveloping section  538 . The central section  537  of the upper portion  532  of the second enveloping plate  53  includes a cutout  530  in a center thereof.  
     [0026] In use, the bottom portion  531  of the second enveloping plate  53  lies below the front end of the lower plate  11 , with the connecting portion  536  being superimposed on a side wall  124  of the associated support member  12  (or the end plate  17 , if used), with the central section  537  of the upper portion  532  of the second enveloping plate  53  being superimposed on a front portion  146  of the upper side  143  of the upper plate  14 , and with the respective enveloping section  538  of the second enveloping plate  53  being superimposed on another side wall  122  of the associated support member  12  after folding the second enveloping plate  53  along the folding lines  533 ,  534 , and  535 .  
     [0027] The third enveloping plate  63  includes a central portion  631  and two end portions  632 . Each end portion  632  of the third enveloping plate  63  includes two folding lines  633  and  634 , thereby forming a first enveloping section  636  and a second enveloping section  637 . Each first enveloping section  636  has two slots  638 , and each second enveloping section  637  has a cutout  639 .  
     [0028] In use, the central portion  63  of the third enveloping plate  63  lies below an intermediate portion of the lower plate  11 , with the first enveloping section  636  of the third enveloping plate  63  being superimposed on a side wall  124  of the associated support member  12  and with the second enveloping sections  637  being superimposed on an intermediate portion  145  of the upper plate  14 . The respective slot  638  of the third enveloping plate  63  is aligned with the respective through-hole  121  of the associated support member  12 . The cutout  530  of the second enveloping plate  53  and the cutouts  639  of the third enveloping plate  63  together form a slot that is aligned with the slot  141  of the upper plate  14 . The enveloping means  13  becomes a part of the pallet  1  and thus improves the structural strength of the pallet  1 .  
     [0029]FIGS. 4 and 5 illustrate another modified embodiment of the enveloping means  13 . In particular, the enveloping means  13  and the lower plate  11  of the first embodiment are combined together in this embodiment. More specifically, the lower plate  11  includes a pair of flips  73  respectively extending from two opposed sides thereof. A folding line  733  is provided between the respective flip  73  and the lower plate  11 . Each flip  73  includes a front section  732  and a rear section  731  that can be separated from the front section  732  along a separation line  730 . A further folding line  734  is provided in the front section  732  of each flip  73 , thereby forming a first enveloping section  736  and a second enveloping section  737 . Each first enveloping section  736  includes two slots  738 , and each second enveloping section  737  includes a cutout  739 . Each rear section  731  includes two folding lines  740  and  741 , thereby forming a third enveloping section  742 , a fourth enveloping section  743 , and a fifth enveloping section  744 .  
     [0030] In use, the lower plate  11  placed below the support members  16  is folded along the folding lines  733 ,  734 ,  740 , and  741 , with the respective first enveloping section  736  being superimposed on a side wall  124  of the associated support member  12 , with the respective second enveloping section  737  being superimposed on a front portion  148  of the upper side  143  of the upper plate  14 , with the respective third enveloping section  742  being superimposed on a respective corner  111  of a rear portion of the lower plate  11 , with the respective fourth enveloping section  743  being superimposed on a side wall  122  of the associated support member  12 , and with the respective fifth enveloping section  744  being superimposed on a rear portion  144  of the upper side  143  of the upper plate  14 . The respective slot  738  is aligned with the respective through-hole  121 , and the cutouts  739  together form a slot that is aligned with the slot  141  of the upper plate  14 .  
     [0031]FIG. 6 illustrates a modified embodiment that is modified from the embodiment of FIG. 4. In this embodiment, the support members  12  are blocks securely fixed on the upper side of the lower plate  11 .  
     [0032]FIG. 7 illustrates another modified embodiment in which the enveloping means  13  is omitted. Further, the support members  16  in this embodiment are so constructed that two through-holes  121   a  extending along a direction perpendicular to the through-holes  121  are formed. This allows the forks of a forklift to extend through the through-holes  121   a  when desired.  
     [0033] Although the invention has been explained in relation to its preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that many other possible modifications and variations can be made without departing from the scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.