Patent Publication Number: US-8967056-B2

Title: Nestable pallet

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 13/487,991, filed on Jun. 4, 2012, which is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 13/033,137, filed on Feb. 23, 2011, which is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 10/340,315, filed on Jan. 9, 2003. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to a nestable pallet for storing or transporting goods. 
     Pallets are often to used to store and transport goods. The pallets maintain the goods at a distance above the floor such that they can be readily lifted and moved by a fork of a lift truck. Some pallets have stringers or double decks forming openings which receive the forks of the lift truck. Other pallets are nestable within one another to facilitate storage and transport when empty. Generally, nestable pallets typically have openings in their upper surface which receive corresponding shaped feet of a similar nestable pallet. Thus, the nestable pallets are easier to store and transport when empty. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 6,283,044, assigned to the assignee of the present invention, discloses the use of box beam cross sections to provide a stronger, more durable injection molded pallet. Generally, upper and lower ribbed pallet sections are heat welded together to form the entire pallet. This patent discloses the use of box beam sections only in standard pallets, including rackable and stringer type pallets. 
     A nestable pallet must provide multiple openings through its deck to receive the feet of a similar pallet. As a result, box beam sections have not been provided in nestable pallets in the prior art. Therefore, prior art nestable pallets have not been able to benefit from the increased strength and durability provided by the box beam section technology. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention provides the strength of box beam technology in a nestable pallet. Generally, the nestable pallet comprises a deck having an upper panel, a lower panel and a plurality of ribs extending between the panels to form box beam sections. The ribs may comprise upper rib sections extending from the upper panel that are aligned with and secured to lower rib sections extending from the lower panel. The lower panel also includes a plurality of feet each aligned with an opening through the upper panel and each having a cavity defined therein for receiving a foot from a similar pallet when nested. 
     The nestable pallet of the present invention provides the increased strength and durability of the box beam section in a nestable pallet. Thus, the inventive pallet has increased strength and durability in use and is also convenient to store and transport when empty. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       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: 
         FIG. 1  is a top view of a first embodiment nestable pallet of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is an exploded perspective view of a quarter section of the nestable pallet of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3   a  is a sectional view through the nestable pallet of  FIG. 1  along line a-a. 
         FIG. 3   b  is a sectional view of the pallet of  FIG. 1  along line b-b. 
         FIG. 4  is an end elevational view of the pallet of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 5  is a side elevational view of the pallet of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view of the pallet of  FIG. 1  nested with a similar pallet. 
         FIG. 7  is a sectional view along the line  7 - 7  of  FIG. 6 . 
         FIG. 8  is a top view of a second embodiment of the nestable pallet of the present invention. 
         FIG. 9  is an exploded perspective view of a section of the nestable pallet of  FIG. 8 . 
         FIG. 10   a  is a sectional view through the nestable pallet of  FIG. 8  along line a-a. 
         FIG. 10   b  is a sectional view of the pallet of  FIG. 8  along line b-b. 
         FIG. 11  is an end elevational view of the pallet of  FIG. 8 . 
         FIG. 12  is a side elevational view of the pallet of  FIG. 8 . 
         FIG. 13  is a perspective view of the pallet of  FIG. 8  nested with a similar pallet. 
         FIG. 14  is a sectional view along the line  14 - 14  of  FIG. 13  of the nested pallets. 
         FIG. 15  is a perspective view of the nestable pallet of  FIG. 8 . 
         FIG. 16  is an exploded sectional view through a portion of a third embodiment of the nestable pallet of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     A top view of a nestable pallet  20  according to the present invention is shown in  FIG. 1 .  FIG. 2  is an exploded perspective view of the nestable pallet  20 . Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the nestable pallet  20  includes an upper deck section  21  comprising an upper panel  22  having a plurality of openings  24  aligned with feet  26  extending downwardly from the pallet  20 . The upper panel  22  further includes molded slots and drain holes. A plurality of upper rib sections  28  extend downward from the upper panel  22 . At least some of the upper rib sections  28  extend between each adjacent pair of feet  26 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 2 , the lower deck section  29  includes a lower panel  30  having a lip  32  about the periphery of the nestable pallet for mating with a similar lip  34  of upper panel  22 . A plurality of lower rib sections  35  extend upward from the lower panel  30  in general alignment with corresponding upper rib sections  28 . Some of the upper and lower rib sections  28   a,    35   a  are aligned with and disposed on four sides of each of the openings  24  in upper panel  22  to form a portion of each of the feet  26 . Each of the upper ribs sections  28  is joined to one of the lower rib sections  35 , such as via hot plate welding, or other methods known in the art. The lip  34  in the upper panel  22  may be similarly joined to the lip  32  of the lower panel  30 . 
       FIGS. 3   a  and  3   b  are sectional views through lines a-a and b-b, respectively, of  FIG. 1 . As can be seen in  FIGS. 3   a  and  3   b , the lower rib sections  35  extend upward, generally perpendicularly to lower panel  30 . The lower rib sections  35  are aligned with and mated to the upper ribs sections  28  in upper panel  22 . The lower rib sections  35 , upper rib sections  28 , upper panel  22  and lower panel  29  together form a box beam cross section. 
     Again referring to  FIGS. 3   a  and  3   b , each of the feet  26  is tapered downwardly. In particular, each of the feet  26  includes an upper section  40 , a middle section  42  and a lower section  44 . Each of the sections  40 ,  42 ,  44  are concentric and decreasing in cross-sectional area with each succeeding downward section. The upper rib sections  28   a  and lower rib sections  35   a  form the upper section  40  of each of the feet  26  between upper panel  22  and lower panel  30 . Load on upper panel  22  is thus transferred directly to each upper rib section  28   a , then to an abutting lower rib section  35   a,  then to a middle section  42  of each foot  26  and then to each lower section  44  of each foot  26 , thus increasing the strength of nestable pallet  20 . Each opening  24  and foot  26  define a cavity  48  for receiving a corresponding foot  26  from another similar pallet  20 . 
       FIGS. 4 and 5  show an end view and a side view of the nestable pallet of  FIG. 1 .  FIG. 6  is a perspective view of the nestable pallet  20  of  FIGS. 1-5 , with a similar pallet  20 ′ nested therein, while  FIG. 7  is a sectional view along lines  7 - 7  of  FIG. 6 . Referring to  FIGS. 6 and 7 , the feet  26 ′ of the pallet  20 ′ nest within the feet  26  of the pallet  20 , thus reducing the overall height of the empty pallets  20 ,  20 ′. 
       FIGS. 8-15  show a second embodiment of a nestable pallet  120  of the present invention. The nestable pallet  120  is generally similar to that shown in the previous Figures and will thus be described more briefly. To the extent not described below or shown in the drawings to be otherwise, the nestable pallet  120  has similar structure, features and operation to those described and shown above. Generally, structure in  FIGS. 8-15  corresponding to structure in  FIGS. 1-7  will be referenced with the same reference numeral with the numeral “1” prepended. 
     Referring to  FIG. 8 , the nestable pallet  120  includes an upper deck section  121  comprising an upper panel  122  having a plurality of openings  124  aligned with feet  126  extending downwardly from the pallet  120 . In this embodiment, the pallet  120  includes molded handle openings  125  through the deck sections. 
       FIG. 9  is an exploded perspective view of the upper deck section  121  and a corresponding lower deck section  129 . The lower deck section  129  includes a lower panel  130  having a lip  132  about its periphery for mating with a similar lip  134  of upper panel  122 . The upper rib sections  128  extend downward from the upper panel  122 . A plurality of lower rib sections  135  extend upward from the lower panel  130  (some between each adjacent pair of feet  26 ) in general alignment with corresponding upper rib sections  128 . Some of the upper and lower rib sections  128   a ,  135   a  are aligned with and disposed about each of the openings  124  in upper panel  122  to form a portion of each of the feet  126 . 
       FIGS. 10   a  and  10   b  are sectional views through lines a-a and b-b, respectively, of  FIG. 9 . As can be seen in  FIGS. 10   a  and  10   b , each of the feet  126  is tapered downwardly constantly below the lower rib sections  135   a . Each opening  124  and foot  126  define a cavity  148  for receiving a corresponding foot  126  from another similar pallet  120 . 
       FIGS. 11 and 12  show an end view and a side view of the nestable pallet of  FIG. 8 .  FIG. 13  is a perspective view of the nestable pallet  120  of  FIGS. 1-5 , with a similar pallet  120 ′ nested therein, while  FIG. 14  is a sectional view along lines  14 - 14  of  FIG. 13 . Referring to  FIGS. 13 and 14 , the feet  126 ′ of the pallet  120 ′ nest within the feet  126  of the pallet  120 , thus reducing the overall height of the empty pallets  120 ,  120 ′. 
       FIG. 16  is an exploded sectional view showing an alternate foot  226  in a third embodiment nestable pallet  220  of the present invention. In this pallet  220 , the upper deck section  221  includes a downwardly projecting foot  227  extending from the upper panel  222  and aligned with the foot  226  of the lower deck section  229 . The foot  227  of the upper deck section  221  includes upper rib sections  228  aligned with and mateable with lower rib sections extending upward from the foot  226  of the lower deck section  221 . 
     The nestable pallets  20 ,  120 ,  220  of the present invention provide the increased strength and durability of the box beam section in a nestable pallet  20 ,  120 ,  220 . Thus, the inventive pallet  20 ,  120 ,  220  has increased strength and durability in use and is also convenient to store and transport when empty. 
     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. For example, the upper and lower deck sections  21 ,  29 ,  121 ,  129  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 number and arrangement of openings  24 ,  125 ,  224  and feet  26 ,  126 ,  226 ,  227  may vary according to the size of the pallet  20 ,  120 ,  220  and the intended application for the pallet  20 ,  120 ,  220 .