MXPA06008559A - Pallet - Google Patents

Abstract

A half pallet for use with a pallet lift jack includes a deck that is snap-fit to a plurality of supports. A lateral projection extends inwardly from each of the supports. A vertical projection protrudes upwardly from an inner end of the lateral projection and is spaced from the support such that a portion of a frame of the pallet lift jack can be received between the vertical projection and the support to prevent outward deflection of the supports.

Description

TARIMA Field of the Invention This invention relates to a pallet. Pallets are frequently used to store and transport items. The platforms keep the items at a distance above the floor so that they can be lifted and moved by a forklift. Plastic pallets are lighter and more durable than wooden pallets. Background of the Invention Some pallets are half the size of standard size pallets and are known as "half pallets". The half pallets include a support plate and a plurality of spaced-apart legs extending downwardly from the support plate to form openings. These half pallets are transported at short distances, such as from a supply trailer to a warehouse, by a person on a pallet for pallets, with wheels. The jack for raising the platform is first rolled towards an opening between the legs of a loaded half board. A mechanism of mechanical or pneumatic lifting on the jack for raising the platform then raises the plastic support half-floor up until the legs of the half-floor are removed from the floor and the loaded half-floor can be rolled freely on the cat for Ref. 174588 elevation of the platform. A known half pallet includes a plurality of lateral projections projecting inwardly from the lower portions of the legs. These lateral projections make contact with the underside of a jack for raising the platform when the half platform is high, which is why they help to fix the half platform in its position on the jack for raising the platform. However, the force exerted against the lateral projections can cause the legs to flex outwards, causing the lateral projections to slide out of the jack for lifting the platform. The known half pallets include recesses on the upper surface of the support plate within which the legs of a similar pallet stacked thereon are received. The adjacent recesses (not contiguous with the recesses receiving the legs) receive the lateral projections of the similar half pallets stacked thereon. The recesses help maintain the stability of a stack of empty half-pallets, but the arrangement of the recesses does not allow to stack transversely the empty pallets. The legs do not fit in the recesses when they are stacked transversely. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION A half support plate for use with a pallet lifting jack includes a support plate from which a pair of supports extend, each having at least one lateral projection extending inward from the supports. A vertical projection protrudes upwards from an inner end of the lateral projection and is spaced from the support in such a way that a portion of a jack frame for lifting the pallets can be received between the vertical projection and the support. This prevents the supports from being bent outwards when the half pallet is fixed against the frame of the jack for raising the platform, whereby the stability of the half pallets stacked on the jack for lifting the pallet is improved. In two described embodiments, the support plate is snapped onto the pair of supports. In a first embodiment, the two supports are molded separately from each other. In a second embodiment, the two supports are molded and integrally connected at the lower ends by a plurality of guide rails. Snap-on connections make assembly and disassembly simple and quick and allow easy repair of damaged pallets. The pallet can be easier to manufacture in multiple pieces that fit together than an integrally molded, unique structure, depending on the manufacturing process.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES Other advantages of the present invention can be understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the appended figures, wherein: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a pallet of agreement with the present invention. Figure 2 is a perspective view, in. exploded view of the pallet of Figure 1. Figure 3 is an end view of the pallet of Figure 1. Figure 4 is a side view of the pallet of Figure 1. Figure 5 is a sectional view taken along line 5-5 of Figure 4. Figure 6 is an end view of the platform supported in a position fixed on a jack for lifting the platform. Figure 7 is a top view of the pallet of Figure 1. Figure 8 is a bottom view of the pallet of Figure 1. The Figure 9 is a perspective view showing a plurality of the pallets of Figure 1 in a cross-section arrangement.

Figure 10 is a perspective view of a pallet according to a second embodiment of the present invention. Figure 11 is an exploded perspective view of the pallet of Figure 10. Figure 12 is a bottom view of the pallet of Figure 10, showing the alignment with the wheels of the jack for lifting the pallet. Detailed Description of the Invention A pallet 10 of the half-pallet type is shown in Figure 1. The pallet 10 includes a support plate 12 supported by two supports 14. Each support 14 includes a side wall 16 and two corner legs 17a and one side leg 17b (collectively "legs 17"). The side walls 16 extend partially descending from the support plate 12 and connect the legs 17 to define the openings 18 for receiving the forks of the forklift. An opening 20 for the pallet lifting jack is defined at each end of the pallet by the support plate 12 and the supports 14. Each of the side walls 14 includes an elongated lateral projection 24 extending inwardly. (ie towards the opposite support 14). The lateral projection 24 in the embodiment shown extends over the entire length of the side wall 14, including the legs 17.

Alternatively, the lateral projection 24 could extend only between the legs 17 or only from the legs 17. A vertical projection 26 projects upwardly from an inner end of the lateral projection 24. The vertical projection 26 can also extend over the entire length of the side wall 14, but in the embodiment shown, each vertical projection 26 stops just short of each end of the side wall 14 to form a flattened portion 28 at each end of the side wall 14. The existence and location of the (s) crushed portion (s) 28 may depend on the jack configuration for lifting the pallet used with pallet 10. Support plate 12 includes a plurality of interlocking features 30a, b, on its upper surface In the embodiment shown, the interworking characteristics 30a, b are a combination of projections and recesses, but they could be formed alter Automatically only as projections or just as recesses. Interfixing features 30a, b, include inter-locking features 30a with L-shaped corners and inter-locking features 30b with the T-shaped sides. As should be evident from the Figures, the interlocking features 30a of the corners are shaped to receive in an interfragged manner the corner legs 17a, and the lateral interfixing features 30b are shaped to receive in an interflated manner the side legs 17b of a similar pallet stacked thereon. As will be described in more detail later,. Interfixing characteristics 30a, b, are also configured to receive legs 17a, b, of a similar platform stacked transversely thereon. The support plate 12 may include one or more handles 34 formed thereon, such as those adjacent to the ends of the pallet 10, as shown. Two of the handles 34 are formed on the lateral interlocking features 30b. The support plate 12 is connected to each of the supports 14 by snap-fit lugs 36 received in the openings 38 in the inner walls 40 and the outer walls 42 of the side walls 16, as shown more clearly in the figure 2. Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of pallet 10. Support plate 12 includes a pair of upper side portions 44 that extend downwardly. The upper side portions 44 are received between the inner walls 40 and the outer walls 42 of the supports 14 and retained by snap-fit lugs 36. Figure 3 is an end view of the pallet 10. As shown, the vertical projection 26 is spaced inwardly from leg 17 to define a recess 52 to receive a frame between lateral projection 24, vertical projection 26 and leg 17. Recess 52 for receiving the frame includes a contact surface a stop 54 on the upper surface of the lateral projection 24. Figure 4 is a side view of the pallet 10. The openings 18 for receiving the forks are defined between each corner leg 17a and the side leg 17b and the side wall 16 The openings 18 for receiving the fork provide the ability to move the pallet 10 with a forklin a generally known manner. Figure 5 is a sectional view taken along the line 5-5 of Figure 4. As shown, in the embodiment shown, the side projections 24 and the vertical projections 26 also extend between the legs 17. Again , the lateral projections 24 and the vertical projections 26 could extend only along the legs 17 or only between the legs 17. Figure 6 is an end view of the platform 10 supported in a fixed position on a jack 60 for elevation of the platform. The jack 60 for lng the pallet includes a base 62 having a lower frame 64. The base 62 is supported on wheels 66 and includes a lng mechanism 70 for selectively raising and lowering a platform 72. The lng mechanism 70 can be electrical or pneumatic or can otherwise provide mechanical leverage to manually lplatform 72 and pallet 10 when loaded (although it is illustrated as empty). To raise the pallet 10, the jack 60 for raising the pallet is rolled towards the opening 20 for the lng jack of the pallet until the platform 72 is aligned below the supporting plate 12. The lng mechanism 70 is activated then to bring the platform 72 into contact with the support plate 12 and then raise the platform 10 away from the floor. When the support plate 12 is raised, the lower frame 64 is received in the recesses 52 for receiving the framework of the platform 10 (the "frame" 64 and the "platform" 72 can be any structure between which it is mounted the lng mechanism 70). When the lateral projections 24 of the pallet 10 make contact with the lower frame 64, the pallet 10 is fixed in place on the jack 60 for lng the pallet, for transport. The lower frame 64 is positioned between the vertical projection 26 and the support 14. The vertical projection 26 prevents the support 14 from flexing outwards and freeing the lower frame 64. When the platform 10 is rolled to the desired location, the mechanism elevation 70 lowers the platform 10 to the floor and the jack 60 for raising the platform is removed from the opening 20 for the jack for raising the platform. Figure 7 is a top view of the * pallet 10.

Figure 8 is a bottom view of the pallet 10. The pallet 10 shown is injection molded from a plastic, such as polypropylene or HDPE, but others - Suitable materials and manufacturing methods could be used. Figure 9 is a perspective view of two of the pallets 10 stacked crosswise on two similar pallets 10 ', 10". In the transversely stacked position, each pallet 10 is equally supported by two similar pallets 10 ', 10". As shown, the interlocking features 30a, b 'and 30a, b "are configured in such a way that they interfere with the corner legs 17a and the side legs 17b in the transversely stacked orientation. Two of the corner legs 17a are received in the interlocking characteristics 30a '', 30a 'of the corners, but rotated 90 degrees in relation to the lower pallets 10', 10 ''. The other two corner legs 17b are received in the lateral interlocking features 30b ", 30b". One of the side legs 17b is received in two interconnecting features 30a '', 30a 'of the adjacent corners. The other side leg 17b is received in two adjacent side inter-locking features 30b ', 30b' (not visible in Figure 9). The interfixing between the legs 17a, b and the support plates 12 '', 12 'in a transversely stacked orientation increases the stability of the empty pallets 10, 10', 10 '' when they are transported or stored. Figures 10 and 11 illustrate a pallet 110 according to a second embodiment of the present invention. The pallet 110 is generally the same as the pallet 10 described with respect to Figures 1-9 except as described or shown later in the figures. The pallet 110 includes a support plate 112. The support plate 112 is shown without the interworking characteristics 30 of the pallet 10 (Figure 1), but could include some features for interworking with the similar pallets 110 stacked and stacked transversely the same. The supports 114 are connected to each other at their lower ends by guide rails 121. The supports 114 can be integrally molded with the guide rails 121 and each other as shown, or separately formed and connected by means of welding, pressure fitting connections. , with an adhesive, etc. The support plate 112 is connected to each of the supports 114 by the press fit tabs 136 received in the openings 138 in the inner walls 140 and the outer walls 142 of the side walls 116 as is shown more clearly in the figure 10. Support plate 112 includes a pair of upper side portions 144 that extend downward. The upper side portions 144 are received between the inner walls 140 and the outer walls 142 of the supports 114 and retained by the snap-fit lugs 136. The supports 114 are shown without openings for the lift truck (and therefore without the legs separated from the side walls 116), but alternatively they could be provided with the openings for the lift truck and the legs. Each of the side walls 114 includes an elongated side projection 124 extending inwardly (ie towards the opposite side wall 114). Although not required, the lateral projection 124 in the embodiment shown extends along the entire length of the side wall 114. A vertical projection 126 projects upwardly from an interior end of the lateral projection 124. The vertical projection 126 also it may extend over the entire length of the side wall 114, but in the embodiment shown each vertical projection 126 extends along only approximately the third intermediate part of the side wall 14. Variations may be necessary to adapt to the different designs of the cat to raise the platform. The two-piece platform 110 is used with the jack 60 for lifting the platform in the same way as the pallet 10 of figures 1-9. Figure 12 is a bottom view of the pallet of Figure 10, showing the alignment of the guide rails 121 with the wheels of the jack 60 for raising the platform. As shown, the guide rails 121 are sized and arranged to fit between the wheels 66"of the jack 60 for lifting the pallet (and for the external wheels 66, its rotation circle), so that the jack 60 for lifting the pallet can raise the platform 110 without the wheels 66 or supports 14 hitting the guide rails 121. Although the embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described, it is not proposed that these embodiments illustrate and describe all possible forms of the invention. Instead, the words used in the specification are words of description rather than limitation, and it is understood that several changes can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. The method known to the applicant for carrying out said invention is that which is clear from the present description of the invention.

Claims (17)

1. CLAIMS Having described the invention as above, the contents of the following claims are claimed as property. - 1. A pallet, characterized in that it includes: a "support plate", and a first support and a second support that extends downwards from the support plate, the first support includes a first lateral projection that flashes a contact surface to upper stop and a vertical projection projecting upwards from the upper abutting contact surface, the first support is press fit on the support plate 2. The platform according to claim 1, characterized in that the first lateral projection is project from the first support to the second support and where the vertical projection is spaced inward from the first support, by which defines an area of reception between them 3. The platform in accordance with the claim 2, characterized in that the second support includes a second lateral projection extending towards the first support. 4. The platform according to claim 3, characterized in that the first support and the second support define an opening for the jack to raise the platform between them. 5. The platform according to claim 1, characterized in that it also includes a top side portion that is. extends downwardly from the support plate, the upper side portion is pre-fitted on the first support. The pallet according to claim 1, characterized in that the upper abutting contact surface is a recessed surface. The pallet according to claim 1, characterized in that it is supported on a jack for raising the platform including a lifting mechanism mounted on a frame, the lifting mechanism engages the underside of the support plate and causes that the upper abutting contact surface of the pallet bears against a portion of the frame, the portion of the frame positioned at least partially between the vertical projection and the first support. 8. The platform in accordance with the claim 1, characterized in that it also includes a guide rail that connects a lower end of the first support to a lower end of the second support. 9. The pallet according to claim 8, characterized in that the guide rail is molded integrally with the first support and the second support. The pallet according to claim 8, characterized in that it is stacked on a jack for raising the platform including a lifting mechanism mounted on a frame, the lifting mechanism engages the underside of the support plate and causes that the upper abutting contact surface of the pallet rests against a portion of the framework, the portion of the framework positioned at least partially between the vertical projection and the first support. The platform and the jack for lifting the platform according to claim 10, characterized in that the jack for lifting the platform includes a plurality of wheels, the guide rail aligned between the plurality of wheels. 12. A pallet, characterized in that it includes: a support plate having a generally flat upper support surface; a first support and a second support extending downwardly from the support plate, the first support and the second support each include a lateral projection extending inward, the lateral projections each having an upper butt contact surface , the upper butt contact surfaces placed in a plane; and a guide rail connecting the lower ends of the first support and the second support, the guide rail placed below the plane containing the upper abutting contact surfaces. 13. The platform in accordance with the claim 12, characterized in that the plane containing the upper abutting contact surfaces is generally parallel to the upper support surface of the support plate. 14. The platform in accordance with the claim 12, characterized in that the guide rail includes openings for receiving the wheels of a jack for raising the platform, the openings aligned below the support plate. 15. The platform according to claim 14, characterized in that it is supported on a jack for raising the platform including a frame, the upper abutting contact surfaces of the platform rest against the portions of the frame. 16. A pallet, characterized in that it includes: a support plate having at least two portions of the upper side wall extending lower; and a plurality of supports, each connected by press fit to one of the portions of the upper side wall, at least two of the plurality of supports each include a lateral projection extending inward, each of the lateral projections has an upper abutting contact surface, at least two of the plurality of supports define an opening for the jack for raising the platform between its associated lateral projections. 17. The platform in accordance with the claim 16, characterized in that the lateral projections each include a vertical projection spaced inward from the associated support, whereby an area of reception between them is defined.