Patent ID: 7856932

Claim:
A pallet for use in transporting packaged goods, comprising: a front side wall, a right side wall, a rear side wall, and a left side wall, the pallet having a central longitudinal axis running from the left side wall to the right side wall; a base configured to support the packaged goods, the base being joined to each of the front side wall, right side wall, rear side wall, and left side wall such that each side wall is orthogonal to the base, the base including an upper surface and a lower surface, the upper surface being substantially planar, and the lower surface including a first set of ribs substantially perpendicular and adjacent to the central longitudinal axis of the pallet; and a plurality of pairs of stacking feet configured to support the base of the pallet, wherein each stacking foot in each pair of stacking feet is substantially equidistant from the central longitudinal axis of the pallet, and further wherein, each rib in the first set of ribs is configured to join a respective pair of stacking feet together to substantially inhibit the respective pair of stacking feet from spreading when the pallet rests upon the stacking feet, and still further wherein each stacking foot further includes: a lower step, wherein the lower step is located at a lower-most and outer-most portion of said each stacking foot, and wherein the lower step is configured to increase stability of the pallet by providing additional surface area to carry, and to increase a width of the at least one or more stacking feet of the pallet, said lower step having a longitudinal length between about 80 percent and about 100 percent of a longitudinal length of a flat bottom of said each foot; and an upper step located above said lower step on said outermost portion of said each stacking foot, and configured to provide further surface area to carry weight, said upper step having a longitudinal length substantially equal to the longitudinal length of said lower step.