Horizontally supported planar surfaces – Industrial platform – Knockdown or setup
Patent
1998-04-09
2000-02-08
Cuomo, Peter M.
Horizontally supported planar surfaces
Industrial platform
Knockdown or setup
108 561, 108901, B65D 1900
Patent
active
060217219
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
The present invention relates to a pallet comprising a plurality of releasably-connected components of plastics material.
International Patent Application WO94/22728 discloses a pallet comprising a plurality of such components interconnected by bolt members. The present invention seeks to provide an arrangement providing the advantages of ease of repair and maintenance and of hygiene while employing fewer components and improving ease of assembly.
Accordingly, in one aspect, the invention provides a load-handling pallet comprising means defining a load-bearing platform, means defining a base member, and at least four block elements arranged to interconnect the platform and the base member, in which snap-fit connections are provided between the block elements and at least one of the platform and the base member, the snap-fit connections being arranged to be engaged by a movement perpendicular to the plane of the platform.
The block elements are preferably connected to both the platform and the base member by means of snap-fit connections. The snap-fit connections on each block element preferably comprise engaging portions mounted on the ends of spigots extending in opposite senses in the direction perpendicular to the plane of the platform.
The engaging portions of the spigots are arranged to be connected to apertures in the platform and the base member. The apertures are preferably located so that, when connected, the ends of the spigots do not project beyond the upper surface of the platform and/or the lower surface of the base member. This avoids snagging and reduces the accumulation of dirt.
Preferably the platform comprises a plurality of decking boards arranged on two or three cross-members. In this case, the engaging portions of the spigots are preferably connected to apertures located in the cross-members, the arrangement being such that the ends of the spigots do not project beyond the upper surfaces of the cross-members, and the decking boards are arranged to cover the apertures.
In a preferred arrangement, and according to another aspect of the invention, the decking boards slide into corresponding dove-tail portions on the cross-members, with corresponding engagement formations being provided at the crossing points, each said engagement formation comprising a dimple element on one of the decking board or cross-member and a matching recess on the other. This has the advantage of quickly and accurately locating the decking boards, whilst still permitting quick and easy release if subsequently required.
A preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which:
FIG. 1 shows an exploded view of a pallet in accordance with the present, invention;
FIG. 2 shows a partly cut-away view on an enlarged scale of a corner of the pallet of FIG. 1 before assembly; and
FIG. 3 shows a similar view of one end of the load-bearing platform of the pallet.
Referring to the drawings, a pallet 10 comprises ten separate decking boards 11, three stringers or cross-members 12, nine spacer blocks 14 and a base frame 15. All twenty three components are preferably made of injection-moulded-high density foamed polyethylene or other suitable plastics material. The stringers 12 are attached to the tops of spacer blocks 14 by snap-fit connections, and the bottoms of the spacer blocks are attached to the base frame 15 by further snap fit connections. The decking boards 11 slide into respective dove-tailed grooves 21 and the tops of stringers 12. The components of the pallet may be assembled and disassembled in any desired order.
FIG. 2 shows an enlarged view of a corner block 14, partly sectioned to show the snap-fit connections with a stringer 12 and the base frame 15. Block 14 is open-ended and substantially hollow and has an internal diagonal spar 41 extending at about mid-height level. Extending upwardly and downwardly from the central region of spar 41 are hollow spigot members 42, 43. To permit the spigot ends 44, 45 to flex, there ar
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Cuomo Peter M.
Tran Hanh V.
World Wide Pallets Limited
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