Abstract:
A pallet cover includes a deck. A plurality of flanges extend upwardly from the deck and a plurality of legs extend downwardly from the deck. The pallet cover includes a plurality of adjustable corner members that allow the pallet cover to fit pallets of varying sizes. The adjustable corner members operate in an “accordion-like” fashion so that they can be reused on multiple pallets and still retain their original size.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    This invention relates to a pallet cover. Pallet covers are useful with wooden pallets. Pallet covers protect a load from splinters, nails, and other elements that can be on a pallet. Pallet covers also protect the pallet from the load. Plastic pallet covers are reusable and more durable than cardboard pallet covers. 
         [0002]    Some pallet covers can be challenging to fit on wooden pallets. Wooden pallets have relatively large variations in dimension. The large variations in dimension can be due to manufacturing, moisture absorption, and damage by forklifts. 
         [0003]    Other pallet covers protect a perimeter of the pallet and not a deck portion. However, this type of pallet cover can obstruct openings along the side of the wooden pallet which are used by a forklift or a pallet jack to engage and move the pallet. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    A pallet cover according to the present invention includes a deck and a plurality of flanges extending upwardly from the deck. The flanges can prevent a load from shifting on a pallet. The flanges can also protect the load from equipment that may be used to move the pallet. 
         [0005]    The pallet cover includes a plurality of protrusions that extend from a face on a leg. The plurality of protrusions allow stretch wrap, which is commonly used to cover a pallet during shipping, to be easily gripped. 
         [0006]    The pallet cover includes a plurality of legs that extend downwardly from the deck to engage corners of the pallet. The pallet cover includes adjustable corner members that allow the pallet cover to fit pallets of varying sizes. The adjustable corner members function in an “accordion-like” manner. The adjustable corners allow the legs to extend outward to snugly fit a first pallet. When the pallet cover is removed from the first pallet, the adjustable corner members contract, and the legs return to their original positions. The pallet cover is then ready to use on a second pallet which could vary in size from the first pallet. This makes the pallet cover especially useful with wooden pallets, since they are known to have varying dimensions due to construction and environmental conditions. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0007]    Other advantages of the present invention can be understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein: 
           [0008]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a pallet cover according to one embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0009]      FIG. 2  is a bottom perspective view of the pallet cover. 
           [0010]      FIG. 3  is a side view of the pallet cover. 
           [0011]      FIG. 4  is a front view of the pallet cover. 
           [0012]      FIG. 5  is an enlarged perspective view of one of the corners of the pallet cover more clearly showing the plurality of protrusions. 
           [0013]      FIG. 6  is an enlarged perspective view of one of the corners of the pallet cover more clearly showing the adjustable corner member. 
           [0014]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view of the pallet cover on a pallet. 
           [0015]      FIG. 7   a  is an enlarged perspective view of one of the corners of the pallet cover on a similar pallet. 
           [0016]      FIG. 8  is a top view of the pallet cover. 
           [0017]      FIG. 9  is a side view of the pallet cover on a pallet. 
           [0018]      FIG. 10  is a front view of the pallet cover on a pallet. 
           [0019]      FIG. 11  is a bottom perspective view of the pallet cover in a nested position. 
           [0020]      FIG. 12  is a perspective view of a pallet cover according to a second embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0021]      FIG. 13  is a perspective view of a pallet cover according to a third embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0022]      FIG. 14  is a perspective view of a pallet cover according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0023]    A pallet cover  10  according to the present invention is shown in  FIG. 1 . The pallet cover  10  includes a deck  12 . A plurality of flanges  18  extend upwardly from the deck  12  at deck edges  14 . The plurality of flanges  18  extend along the deck edge  14  between adjustable corner members  32  and deck corner portions  20 . 
         [0024]    The deck  12  includes a textured top surface  26 . The textured top surface  26  includes a plurality of small vertical protrusions, such as bosses  28  shown. The bosses  28  extend from the deck  12 . The textured top surface can also be produced by applying an adhesive spray  52 , a textured strip  50 , or by including additives into the plastic material to increase its coefficient of friction. A plurality of drain holes  30  are located on the deck  12  and drain the pallet cover. 
         [0025]      FIG. 2  is a bottom perspective view of the pallet cover  10 . A plurality of legs  22  extend downwardly from the deck  12 . Each leg  22  forms a pocket to receive a pallet corner. 
         [0026]      FIG. 3  is a side view of the pallet cover  10 .  FIG. 4  is a front view of the pallet cover  10 . The plurality of flanges  18  help in preventing a load from shifting on the deck  12 . The plurality of flanges  18  protect the load from a fork lift or a pallet jack. 
         [0027]      FIG. 5  is an enlarged perspective view of the pallet cover  10  showing a plurality of protrusions  24 . The plurality of protrusions  24  extend from a face of the leg  22 . The plurality of protrusions  24  engage a pallet wrapping material  48 , such as plastic stretch wrap used to secure and cover the goods on the pallet. The plurality of protrusions  24  also prevent the pallet wrapping material  48  from separating from the pallet cover  10  and surrounding only the product. 
         [0028]      FIG. 6  is an enlarged perspective view of the pallet cover  10  showing an adjustable corner member  32 . The adjustable corner member  32  functions in an “accordion-like” manner to fit pallets  34  with varying dimensions. When a force is applied to the legs  22 , the adjustable corner members  32  allow the legs  22  to extend. The legs  22  extend to mate with a corresponding pallet corner on a first pallet. The pallet cover can be removed from the first pallet and the legs  22  will return to their original positions. A force can then be reapplied to the legs  22  to extend them by means of the adjustable corner members  32  to fit a second pallet that varies in size from the first pallet. When the legs  22  are in an extended position, the adjustable corner members  32  exert a force on the legs  22  to return them toward their original position. 
         [0029]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view of the pallet cover  10  on a pallet  34 . The lower portion of the deck  12  engages the top of the pallet deck  16 . The pallet cover  10  allows for easy access to openings  38  and  40  on the front and side of the pallet  34 . Openings  38  and  40  provide a way for a fork lift or pallet jack to engage the pallet  34 . 
         [0030]    The pallet cover  10  on the pallet  34  can be nested with a similar pallet cover  10 ′ and similar pallet  34 ′. A base portion of the similar pallet  34 ′ is received by the upper portion of the deck  12  of the pallet cover  10 . The flanges  18  guide the base portion of the similar pallet  34 ′ onto the deck  12 . 
         [0031]    The pallet cover  10  can also be nested with the similar pallet cover  10 ′. The lower portion of the deck  12 ′ is received by the upper portion of the deck  12 . The flanges  18  guide the similar pallet cover  10 ′ onto upper portion of the deck  12 . The flanges  18  and  18 ′ and the legs  22  and  22 ′ engage each other to maintain the pallet covers in a nested position. 
         [0032]      FIG. 7   a  is an enlarged perspective view of the pallet cover  10  on a similar pallet  34 ′. The adjustable corner members  32  extended to fit around a similar pallet  34 ′. The similar pallet  34 ′ is slightly larger than the pallet  34 .  FIG. 7   a  is for illustrative purposes only and is not a limitation on the disclosed embodiments. 
         [0033]      FIG. 8  is a top view of the pallet cover  10 . The textured top surface  26  on the deck  12  prevents the load from shifting during transport. Of course, other patterns and textures could be used. The textured top surface may also include the textured strips  50  or the adhesive spray  52 . 
         [0034]      FIG. 9  is a side view of the pallet cover  10  on the pallet  34 . The plurality of protrusions  24  engage the pallet wrapping material  48 .  FIG. 10  is a front view of the pallet cover  10  on the pallet  34 . The location of the legs  22  allow access to the pallet openings  38  and  40 . 
         [0035]      FIG. 11  is a bottom perspective of the pallet cover  10  in a nested position. The pallet cover  10  can be nested with the similar pallet cover  10 ′. The upper portion of the deck  12  on the pallet cover  10  receives the lower portion of the deck  12 ′ of the similar pallet cover  10 ′. The flanges  18  guide the deck  12 ′ onto the deck  12 . 
         [0036]      FIG. 12  is a perspective view of a pallet cover  110  according to a second embodiment of the present invention. The pallet cover  110  is generally the same as the pallet cover  10  described with respect to  FIGS. 1-11  except as otherwise described below or shown in  FIG. 12 . A plurality of flanges  118  extend upwardly from a deck  112  at deck edges  114 . The plurality of flanges  118  includes a plurality of small protrusions, such as bosses  142  shown. The bosses  142  also prevent the pallet wrapping material  48  from separating from the pallet cover  110  and surrounding only the product. 
         [0037]      FIG. 13  is a perspective view of a pallet cover  210  according to a third embodiment of the present invention. The pallet cover  210  is generally the same as the pallet cover  10  described with respect to  FIGS. 1-11  except as otherwise described below or shown in  FIG. 13 . The pallet cover  210  includes a deck  212 . The deck  212  includes a plurality of deck openings  244 . The plurality of deck openings  244  can be located in a deck corner portion  220 , or in other suitable locations on the deck  212 . A plurality of common zip ties  246  extend through the plurality of deck openings  244  and around a portion of a pallet  234  to securely attach the pallet cover  210  to the pallet  234 . Although common zip ties  246  are shown in this embodiment, other attachment means that securely attach the pallet cover  210  to the pallet  234  would be considered within the scope of the invention. 
         [0038]      FIG. 14  is a perspective view of a pallet cover  310  according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. The pallet cover  310  is generally the same as the pallet cover  10  described with respect to  FIGS. 1-11  except as otherwise described below or shown in  FIG. 14 . The pallet cover  310  includes a deck  312 . The deck  312  includes a textured top surface  326 . The textured top surface  326  includes a plurality of small vertical protrusions, such as bosses  328  shown. The bosses  328  extend from the deck  312 . A plurality of drain holes  330  are located on the deck  312  and drain the pallet cover  310 . However, the pallet cover  310  does not include the flanges  18  ( FIG. 1 ) of the previous embodiments. 
         [0039]    The pallet cover  10  may thermoformed such that the deck  12 , legs  22  and flanges  18  are all integrally formed from a single sheet of plastic. Alternatively, the pallet cover  10  may be formed by some other suitable plastic forming process. Alternatively, the legs  22  and/or flanges  18  could be formed separately and attached to the deck  12 . 
         [0040]    While an embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described, it is not intended that this embodiment illustrates and describes 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.