Reinforced plastic pallets

Details Reinforced plastic pallets Reinforced plastic pallets

1997-10-07

2001-03-13

Chen, Jose V. (Department: 3636)

Horizontally supported planar surfaces

Industrial platform

Having plastic load-contacting surface

C108S901000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06199488

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to pallets for storing and transporting goods, and more particularly, to reinforced plastic pallets in which the reinforcements are not rigidly fixed to the pallet body.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
It is well known to use pallets for the transportation and storage of goods. Palletized goods are typically maintained in position above a floor for handling by forklift equipment, i.e., through the insertion of forklift tines into channels formed in the pallet or through engagement with the undersurface of the top deck of the pallet.
Pallets have traditionally been formed of wood. Wood pallets, however, have many disadvantages. For example, they are subject to breakage and are therefore reusable only over a short period of time. Wooden pallets are also difficult to maintain in a sanitary condition, thereby limiting their usability in applications in which sanitation is important, such as in food-handling applications.
In the past decades, with the growth of the plastics industry, a wide variety of plastics have been investigated to determine their suitability for use in producing pallets. Plastic pallets can easily be molded and are stronger and lighter in weight than wooden pallets. They can also be formed from materials capable of being recycled. Furthermore, plastic pallets are more durable than wooden pallets.
Despite their advantages, plastic pallets have only been used to a limited degree. Although plastic pallets heretofore have been generally durable, have been reusable over an extended period of time and have been easy to maintain in a sanitary condition, they have suffered from the disadvantage that they are generally more expensive than wooden pallets. Although manufacturing costs are reflected in the cost of plastic pallets, a principal reason that plastic pallets cost considerably more than comparable wooden pallets is that they require a given amount of a relatively expensive plastic material for a desired measure of pallet strength.
Another significant issue with plastic pallets is the tendency of payload to slip on the plastic pallet and of the pallet to move either relative to forklift tines or a transport surface, (i.e., the floor of a transport vehicle). Obviously, if payload slips on a plastic pallet, or if the pallet tends to slide relative to forklift tines or a transport surface, the commercial applicability of the pallet will be limited.
In view of the above, a need exists for a plastic pallet having a high strength to weight ratio, reduced cost of manufacture, and an anti-slip design. The structures presented herein are intended to address these needs.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In its broadest form, the invention relates to an improved plastic pallet. More particularly, the invention relates to a reinforced plastic pallet having an upper deck formed of a plastic material. The upper deck has an upper surface, a lower surface, a front edge, a back edge which is substantially parallel to the front edge, and first and second side edges which are substantially parallel to one another. The upper deck further includes a plurality of legs extending substantially perpendicularly downward from the lower surface. Additionally, the pallet includes a lower deck formed of a plastic material. The lower deck has an upper surface, a lower surface, a front edge, a back edge which is substantially parallel to the front edge, and first and second side edges which are substantially parallel to one another. The lower deck further includes a plurality of sockets, each sized and positioned to mate with the legs extending from the upper deck.
The lower deck also includes a plurality of channels formed in its upper surface. The channels are configured in a manner which allows relative movement between the channel and a reinforcing element positioned in the channel. In one embodiment, the channels optionally may be provided with a plurality of retainers to retain a reinforcing element. In allowing relative movement between a channel and a reinforcing element, the pallet allows for differing degrees of thermal expansion and contraction, or other movement that may exist between the material forming the decks and the material forming the reinforcement elements. As noted above, the reinforcement elements can be maintained in the channels by retainers which extend from the channel walls into the channel spaces. Such retainers are preferably staggered along alternate sides of the channels. In one preferred embodiment, the channels are positioned on the upper surface of the bottom deck about the peripheral edges thereof. Additional channels extending perpendicularly from the center of each edge channel toward the center of the deck are provided as well.
The reinforcing elements are preferably composite structural members of a fiberglass reinforced plastic formed by a pultrusion process. The reinforcement members may be of a wide variety of configurations, however, bars having an I-shaped cross section are preferred.


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