Horizontally supported planar surfaces – Industrial platform
Reexamination Certificate
1998-12-14
2001-01-16
Ball, Michael W. (Department: 1733)
Horizontally supported planar surfaces
Industrial platform
C108S051300, C156S272400, C156S275700, C156S293000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06173657
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to a plastic pallet assembly and method for manufacturing same and more particularly to a method of assembling a plastic pallet utilizing thermoplastic electromagnetic bonding techniques and the resulting plastic pallet assembly produced thereby.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Wooden pallets are used in commerce for a variety of purposes including the transportation by truck, railroad car or airplane of bulk material positioned on pallets. With the advent of large discount warehouses, many home products, such as the paper goods and can goods are sold in bulk in such warehouse stores directly off the pallet on which the goods have been shipped. Wooden pallets typically have a life span of three to six months before general wear and tear caused by fork lifts and exposure to weather conditions cause wooden pallets to rapidly deteriorate to a state of uselessness.
Pallets formed of a plastic material would be substantially immune from exposure to adverse weather conditions and would stand up better to the transportation by fork lift. Heretofore, the drawback with respect to plastic pallets was the inability to mold a light weight plastic pallet durable enough to stand up to the rigors of transportation and weather and to meet the strength and rigidity standards of the industry. It was readily recognized because of pallet configurations and mold considerations that a one piece pallet was not commercially viable. Thus, there is a long felt need for a rigid, light weight plastic pallet assembly able to withstand the rigors of handling during transportation as well as the adverse effects of weather.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide for a novel plastic pallet for industrial and commercial usage.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a method for forming a plastic pallet utilizing thermoplastic, electromagnetic bonding techniques.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide for a method for assembling a plastic pallet adjustable to accommodate pallets of varying size and configuration.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
These and other objects of the present invention are achieved by a molded plastic pallet assembly comprised of a molded plastic base member and a molded plastic load member having a flat load surface and a plurality of pillars depending therefrom wherein the pillars are shaped to conform to grooves in the plastic base member and wherein the grooves are lined with an electromagnetic bonding material and thereafter subjected to an electromagnetic field to cause the electromagnetic bonding material to flow and subsequently set to secure the load and base members together thereby to form the plastic pallet assembly.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2393541 (1946-01-01), Kohler
patent: 3620875 (1971-11-01), Guglielmo
patent: 3664271 (1972-05-01), Wolder et al.
patent: 3680496 (1972-08-01), Westlake, Jr.
patent: 4735154 (1988-04-01), Hemery
patent: 5868080 (1999-02-01), Wyler et al.
Ashland Inc.
Ball Michael W.
Frayne Clifford G.
Tolin Michael A
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