CN1329252C - Corrugated cardboard pallet and method of manufacture - Google Patents

Abstract

A corrugated cardboard pallet comprises a top panel (28), a bottom panel (29) and at least one connecting member (30-38) between the top panel and the bottom panel, the connecting member being movable to convert the pallet between a relatively flat form and a relatively upright form. Each connecting member comprises two substantially parallel opposing body panels (18, 20) and two pairs of opposing side walls (X, Y), wherein each of the pairs of opposing side walls is formed by two interlocking portions (11, 14, 22, 25).

Description

Corrugated cardboard pallet and method of manufacture

technical field

The present invention relates to improvements in corrugated cardboard pallets.

Background technique

Pallets are used every day and are usually made of wood, polyethylene, plastic or metal. These pallets can be of general size, such as those used in retail and retail goods manufacturing, or they can be made for specific uses. Their main purpose is to securely store large quantities of items or products and to allow mechanical manipulation of these items or products within a manufacturing unit. These pallets are also used as shipping units and are often conveyed to retail outlets by motor vehicles. Also, at the retail channel, the pallets are mechanically manipulated and stored prior to delivery to individual stores. The pallet is then used to display these items or products directly on the store floor in the form of merchandising units.

Pallets generally have high production costs, and there are pallet systems that are rented at suitable locations. It is also possible to buy these pallets second-hand, but they are still more expensive and may be susceptible to contamination. They are bulky and generally have a standard height and size so that both manufacturer and retailer storage systems are compatible. Wooden pallets are bulky and difficult to manually handle, and since several pallets of articles or products are often stored on top of each other, they increase the crush weight of the articles or products being stored and shipped. Standard wooden pallets usually weigh 25Kg and 50Kg. This means that manual handling is difficult and the weight can damage the items or products on which the pallet is placed. Such pallets are also expensive to transport due to their inherent weight.

Reusable pallets typically operate as follows. Products such as dry goods in boxes are organized and stacked on standard wooden pallets. One can then place a pallet on top of the stack and continue to organize and place more boxed products on top of it. Each individual stack can contain several pallets, depending on how many layers of product are used on each pallet. The laminate is then usually veiled in stretch wrap film to form a unit that is then mechanically handled by hand pump trucks or mechanical forklifts and deposited into storage spaces. After a period of time, the retailer sorts the product and mechanically loads the unit onto the shipping vehicle. At the retailer's warehouse, the unit is unloaded and stored for a period of time. It is then loaded onto another vehicle and conveyed to a retail store where it can be stored or placed on the store floor directly for sale.

The problem with the above operation is that the manufacturer cannot return the pallets. This is too costly for the manufacturer and ultimately for the consumer. After using the products or items from the pallet, the retailer must dispose of the bulky and heavy wooden pallet. Disposal of this pallet requires expensive transport and, since most pallets end up in landfill, the cost to the environment is too high. It is estimated that there are currently about 5 wooden pallets per person in the British Isles.

If a hire-purchase system is used, the pallets must be rented by the manufacturer. These pallets need to be tracked, which is both labor intensive and costly. The pallets are then deposited with the retailer. The retailer may have a number of empty pallets that need to be returned to the manufacturer, and thus need to spend their own money to load these large, heavy empty pallets into cars and send them back to the manufacturer. Manufacturers also have to pay for unleased pallets, and if one is lost, they will have to pay the full cost for it. The returned pallets can be rented out again in a repeat cycle. Reusing pallets can also lead to problems with cleaning and maintenance. Wooden pallets are often held together with nails that can become exposed and damage items or products placed on them. In addition, wooden pallets can generate large or small fragments which can damage the product or even enter and contaminate the product, especially food.

The standard height of most pallets is usually around 160mm, which indicates how much product can be conveyed on a vehicle such as a screen body skid. Wooden pallets are bulky and can double in weight when wet, making manual handling dangerous.

Contents of the invention

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved corrugated cardboard pallet which overcomes or at least alleviates the above disadvantages.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a manufacturing method for producing corrugated cardboard pallets.

Accordingly, a first aspect of the present invention provides a pallet of corrugated cardboard comprising a top panel, a bottom panel and at least one connecting member between said top and bottom panels, said connecting member being movable so that The pallet transitions between a relatively flat form and a relatively erect form.

The pallet, which is adjustable from a flat form to an upright form, is preferably provided by means of a number of connecting members secured between the top and bottom plates. Each part is configured, for example, to be movable from a collapsed or folded position to an erected position. More preferably, each connecting member is in the form of a corrugated cardboard support comprising two substantially parallel opposing body panels and two pairs of opposing side walls, wherein each of the pair of opposing side walls is formed by two interlocking partially formed.

A pair of opposing side walls each consisting of two interlocking portions is provided to enable movement of the assembled support from a collapsed condition to an erected condition. In the folded or collapsed state, the two parts of each wall are disengaged so that each part can lie flat on its connecting wall or panel. In the erected state, the two parts of each wall become interlocked and spread out substantially perpendicularly to the wall or panel to which it is connected.

Preferably, a corrugated cardboard blank is provided for constructing each support, the blank comprising at least two body-forming panels, an intermediate panel between said body-forming panels and at least one end flap, each body forming The panels and the middle panel have opposing side flaps, each side flap of the main body panel being provided with a notch.

It will be appreciated that the support is assembled from the blank by folding the appropriate parts of the blank and securing them together by suitable means, most preferably adhesive. The side flaps of the main board are secured to the side flaps of the middle panel, and the end flaps are folded and secured to the main board. However, the side flaps of the body panels are not secured to each other.

A notch is provided in each side flap of each body forming panel to enable a side flap of a body panel to engage an adjacent side flap of another body panel when the blanks are assembled to form a standing box, thereby forming a double closure box. Before the tabs are engaged, the box is in a flat state. This enables the blank to be assembled into a box that can assume a collapsed or erected state.

The opposing side panels of each body panel are preferably symmetrical to each other. Adjacent side flaps of adjacent body panels are preferably identical.

Preferably, end tabs are provided at the ends of each body forming panel. More preferably, one of the end flaps is provided with a side flap. A tab is preferably provided on each side flap of the body panel for connection to the side flaps of the end flaps and the intermediate panel in the box formed.

Each tab is preferably provided at the distal end of the notched area of each side flap. Preferably, a line of weakness is provided between each tab and its adjacent side flap.

Each side flap, intermediate panel and/or end flap of the body forming panel is preferably provided with one corner substantially at right angles and a truncated opposite corner. Each tab provided on a side flap of the body forming panel preferably extends from a truncated end of the side flap.

It is preferred that grooves are formed along the longitudinal direction of the blank, ie from one end flap to the other, as this increases the strength of the box formed from the blank and thus imparts strength to the pallet.

The main panels and walls of the support can be of any desired size.

Preferably, at least four of the aforementioned supports are arranged between the top and bottom plates to form the pallet, these supports being optionally of different sizes. More preferably, there are 9 to 12 supports, but the exact number depends on the size of the pallet and the size of the supports, so any number of supports can be provided as desired.

The supports are arranged to provide a stable pallet in its upright form so that there is a gap between adjacent supports to provide side access locations for the pallet. A support may be provided at each corner of the panels, with one support provided along each side thereof centrally between the corner supports and another support provided centrally between the panels. Preferably, the supports located at the center are the supports of the largest size and the supports located at the corners are the smallest.

The floor is preferably provided with areas free of material to provide access from underneath the pallet. Preferably, 2 to 4 rectangular areas are free of material. However, any suitable number of access locations may be provided in the pallet, formed through the floor and/or by spaces between adjacent supports provided between the pallet boards.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the component parts of the pallet are held together only by adhesives. The roof, floor and/or supports may be painted to impart water resistance.

Optionally, at least one additional panel, such as a bias ply panel, may be laminated to the top and/or bottom panels to increase the strength of the pallet. Preferably, the grooves of the additional plate are at 90 degrees relative to the direction of the grooves on the plate to which it is applied.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of manufacturing a pallet of corrugated cardboard, the method comprising the steps of: passing a top panel along a conveying means; delivering at least one connecting member onto the top panel; and securing the bottom panel to the connecting member .

Preferably, the adhesive is applied to the connecting parts before they are conveyed onto the top plate. Preferably, the connection part is movable between a collapsed and erected state and is applied to the top plate in its collapsed state.

Typically, multiple connection components will be delivered to different locations on the roof. Preferably, the different connecting parts are delivered from the hopper.

Description of drawings

For a better understanding of the invention and to show more clearly how it can be practiced, reference will now be made, by way of example only, to the following drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a blank for a double closure box according to one embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of an erected double closure box according to the invention assembled from the blank shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the double closed box shown in Figure 2, showing its folded form;

Figure 4 is a plan view of the top of a pallet according to one embodiment of the invention;

Figure 5 is a plan view of the bottom of a pallet according to one embodiment of the invention;

Figure 6 is a perspective view of a pallet according to one embodiment of the invention assembled using the parts shown in Figures 1 to 3, 4 and 5;

Figure 7 is a view below the top of the pallet showing the location of these double closure boxes;

Figure 8 is a schematic plan view of an apparatus for assembling pallets according to one embodiment of the invention; and

Figure 9 is a schematic perspective view of the apparatus shown in Figure 8, showing one type of double-enclosed cassette being fed from a hopper.

Detailed ways

Referring to Figure 1 of these drawings, there is shown a plan view of a double closed box construction blank 2 used to form supports for use in pallets according to one embodiment of the invention. The blank is cut from a piece of corrugated cardboard and creases are inserted into the blank to provide the fold lines indicated by the dashed lines in FIG. 1 . Thick dot-dash lines indicate reverse fold lines. The blank has two body forming plates 18 , 20 connected by an intermediate portion 19 . The two body forming plates 18 , 20 are provided with end portions 17 , 21 respectively opposite said intermediate portion 19 . Each body panel has side flaps 11, 22, 14, 25 extending from each side thereof, each side flap having a notch I. One end of each tab is straight, while the opposite end nearest the notch is sloped. Each beveled end is provided with a tab 12,23,15,26. The central part 19 is also provided with side flaps 13, 24, straight at one end and beveled at the other end. Similar side flaps 16 , 27 extend from one end 21 , but the opposite end 17 is devoid of flaps.

The blanks may be assembled to form a support 10 for a pallet comprising two substantially parallel opposed body panels (18, 20) and two pairs of opposed side walls (X, Y), one of which is opposed to Each of the side walls (Y) is formed by two interconnected parts (11, 14 and 22, 25) such that the support can be moved from a folded position to an erected position, as shown in Figures 2 and 3 .

To form the box 10, the side flaps 11, 22 are folded flat onto the body forming panel 18, and the tabs 12, 23 are folded over to lie flat on the side flaps. Glue is then applied to these tabs 12,23. These side flaps 12 , 24 are then folded relative to the middle portion 19 . The body forming panel 18 is then folded relative to the central portion 19 so that the tabs 12,23 are glued to their adjacent side flaps 23,24. The side flaps 14 , 25 are then folded onto the other body forming panel 20 and the tabs 15 , 26 are folded over to lie flat on the side flaps 14 , 25 . Glue is then applied to these tabs and the side flaps 16 , 27 are folded flat over the end portion 21 . The end portion 21 is now folded relative to the body forming panel 20, so that the side flaps 16, 27 are glued to their adjacent tabs 15, 26, respectively. Finally, glue is applied to the upper facing end portion 17 to adhere to the outer surface of the other end portion 21 to form the assembled box 10 as shown in FIG. 2 . Construction of the box from blanks can be accomplished at high speed using a multi-point mechanical gluer.

As mentioned above, the construction of the box 10 is such that it can be provided in a folded form (FIG. 3) or in an upright form (FIG. 2). Assembling the box into its folded form requires pressing the side flaps 11, 14, 22, 25 of the main body forming panels inwards so that they lie flat on their respective panels. Pushing the outer surfaces of the folding box inwards, especially the middle part 19 and the end parts 17, forces the side flaps away from their panels and the flaps are locked together by the notches I. This forms a double closed box that is difficult to refold.

It has been found that the provision of the grooves along the longitudinal direction C shown in Figure 1 provides a stronger case, thus enabling the case to support greater weight. This is the opposite of the direction of the grooves that are provided in conventional corrugated cardboard boxes.

The orientation of the grooves and the provision of two closed ends in the box make the upright box inherently strong. Previously, one end panel of a box could be opened to allow items to be placed within the box. The box according to the invention can be used as a support, for example as a display stand for supporting items to be sold. The cassette has the advantage over prior art supports that, for example, it can be transported and stored in flat form and can be recycled. It can also be made of inexpensive materials.

A preferred use of boxes according to the invention is in the construction of pallets in which a number of boxes are glued to the top and bottom panels to provide a pallet which can be moved from a folded position to an erect position. Pallets can be supplied in any desired size, and the larger the pallet, the more boxes will be used in its construction.

Figures 4 to 7 of the accompanying drawings show a pallet according to the invention. This embodiment is made from eleven pieces of corrugated cardboard which are die cut as shown in FIGS. 1 , 4 and 5 . A solid rectangular plate 28 is used to form the top of the pallet and another rectangular plate 29 of substantially the same dimensions is used to form the bottom of the pallet, this plate having two rectangular portions 40, 42 free of material.

Nine boxes 30-38 according to the invention are glued to the underside of the top panel 28 in a folded formation, as shown in FIG. This diagram details the location of the nine double closed boxes that give the pallet its compressive strength. In the embodiment shown, each pallet has four different sized boxes. The smallest sized boxes 30, 32, 36, 38 are provided at each corner of the pallet. The largest box 34 is located in the central part of the pallet. A further size of boxes 31, 37 is provided along two opposing surfaces of the pallet in a central position between the corner boxes, while a further size of boxes 33, 35 is provided along the other two opposing surfaces of the pallet at a central location. Glue is then applied to the panels 20 of the boxes and the bottom panels 29 of the pallet are then glued to the flattened boxes.

It should be understood that any number of boxes may be used to form the pallet. The boxes can be the same size or different sizes.

The pallet can be erected by hitting one edge of the pallet against the floor or by a machine, thereby moving each box into its upright form, thereby snapping the pallet into the extended state. Figure 6 of the accompanying drawings shows the pallet in its extended state.

The orientation of the grooves on the top plate can be in any direction, but the orientation of the grooves relative to the boxes is important to provide the overall compressive strength of the pallet. These boxes are positioned, for example, to provide access for mechanical forklifts along the four edges of the pallet. The boxes can also be positioned so that they are always in the correct position to push the system against the standard stack. As shown in Figure 6, a mechanical steering fork can be provided at either position A or B on either edge of the pallet. If operating with a pallet truck, the wheels roll on the pallet floor 29 and then sit on the floor as the pallet is raised for movement.

An additional panel (not shown) formed, for example, of bias ply panels may be fastened to the top and/or bottom panels to increase the strength of the pallet. The grooves of the additional plate are preferably perpendicular to the direction of the grooves on the plate to which the additional plate is added.

Figures 8 and 9 of the accompanying drawings show an embodiment of the device for the automatic construction of pallets according to the invention. In the embodiment shown, the pallet is made from eleven pieces of corrugated cardboard that have been die cut. The top plate 28 is conveyed onto the conveying device 100 . Depending on the strength characteristics required, the pallet's roof can be made from multiple pieces of corrugated cardboard with walls. Pallets are generally expected to be used for loads of less than 700Kg, but by varying the grammage and groove type of the cardboard used it can be made to hold heavier weights.

Nine collapsible boxes 10 are fed onto the top plate from hoppers 101-104. The hoppers are positioned so that the boxes are set in the correct position on the plate 28 . Each flattened box passes over gluer wheels 112 housed in glue troughs 110 and is affixed to the underside of the top plate by gluer wheels 114 . The bottom panel 29 is then conveyed from the carton conveyor 106 onto the top of these boxes 10 to form a collapsible pallet. The base plate may also be corrugated cardboard with access slots cut therein so that the assembled items can be mechanically handled by a pump truck.

These boxes 10 give the pallet its carrying capacity. As shown in Figures 2 and 3, these boxes are unique double closed boxes with self-erecting ends. When the sides of the box are pressed inwardly, they form a rigid box that cannot be crushed again. These boxes also have a certain degree of flexibility, so that vibratory movements by means of them will have a damping effect. No metal nails were used, only glue was used. When the pallet is not erected in the flat form, the preferred embodiment is only about 25mm thick. Conversely, when the sides stand on the surface or are pushed together, the pallet becomes a rigid 100mm high pallet. As in traditional automatic palletizing systems, the pallet can be erected mechanically, or it can be easily erected manually in one motion by hitting a surface against the floor.

The absence of any metal mechanical fasteners means that the pallet cannot damage or contaminate any products or items placed within it. Its reduced weight compared to traditional types of pallets means more layers of product are available for transport. The cardboard may also be treated with paint or other suitable means to render it waterproof, and may be printed with descriptors or other decorations, for example in a store display sales unit.

Providing a pallet made of corrugated cardboard that can be moved between a folded and erected form overcomes many of the difficulties associated with pallets of the prior art type. The pallet can be stored in its flat form, thus potentially saving 600% of storage space over traditional pallet systems. Transport prior to use can also be done with the pallet in its flattened form, which means that fewer vehicles are required. For example, it is expected that the same vehicle will be able to transport 4000 pallets according to the invention, whereas 11 vehicles would be required to transport the same number of traditional wooden pallets. Therefore, a pallet according to the invention has significant economic and environmental benefits. Furthermore, once erected, a pallet according to the invention is only about 100mm high, thus almost half the height of a standard wooden pallet, but high enough to be handled by all standard machinery. The pallet according to the invention is intended for one-way use. While the pallet is strong enough for several mechanical manipulations and transfers, it is expected that the pallet will be compacted after use and reuse. At this point, the pallet is 100% recyclable. This saves space and expensive round trip transportation. In addition, the pallet is much cheaper to produce than other existing types of wooden pallets, thereby reducing costs to the final consumer.

On average, pallets according to preferred embodiments of the present invention weigh approximately 1-3 Kg. In contrast, traditional wooden pallets weigh 25-50Kg. Therefore, the pallet can be manually manipulated without worrying about health and safety weight restrictions. This obviously also helps to prevent product damage when the pallet is used in a multi-stack unit. It is designed for two-way or four-way entry, and can be manipulated by a manual pallet pump or various mechanical forklifts without modification. The pallet can also be designed so that it fits securely in a variety of extrusion rack systems.

Another advantage afforded by the pallet according to the invention is that its basic structural design can be used to provide the desired pallet of any size. By varying the grade of corrugated cardboard used, the box or pallet can be subjected to static loads of up to several tons.

In addition, pallets designed to be intended for single use reduce the risk of product contamination by the pallet. Wooden pallets need to be fumigated to kill insects that burrow into the wood. The single use aspect of the pallets also reduces the incidental costs associated with manning the labor to handle the pallets, clean the pallets, and store and unload the pallets.

Claims (26)

1. corrugated cardboard pallet, this tray comprises a top board (28), one base plate (29) and at least one link (30-38) between described top board and base plate, described link can move, so that making this tray changes between the form of flat relatively form and setting relatively, it is characterized in that, each link comprises two substantially parallel relative main boards (18,20) and two couples of opposing sidewalls (X, Y), in the wherein a pair of opposing sidewalls each is by at least two interlocking portions (11,14,22,25) form, so that make each parts move to upright state from flattening or folded state.

2. corrugated cardboard pallet as claimed in claim 1, wherein, each strut member (10) is made of a blank (2), and this blank comprises that two main bodys form plate (18,20), intermediate plate (19) and at least one end flaps (21) between described main body formation plate, each main body forms plate and intermediate plate has opposing side flaps sheet (11,22,14,25,13,24), each flank sheet of main board is provided with a recess (I).

3. corrugated cardboard pallet as claimed in claim 2, wherein, the flank sheet (11 of main board, 22,14,25) be fixed on the flank sheet (13 of intermediate plate, 24) on, and end flaps (21) is folded and fixed on the mainboard, and the flank sheet of main board does not interfix.

4. as claim 2 or 3 described corrugated cardboard pallet, wherein, the opposite side fin of each main board (11 and 22,14 and 25) is symmetrical.

5. corrugated cardboard pallet as claimed in claim 4, wherein, the adjacent side flap of adjacent body plate (11 and 14,22 and 25) is identical.

6. as claim 2 or 3 described corrugated cardboard pallet, wherein, the adjacent side flap of adjacent body plate (11 and 14,22 and 25) is identical.

7. corrugated cardboard pallet as claimed in claim 2, wherein, the place, end that forms plate in each main body is provided with an end flaps (17,21).

8. corrugated cardboard pallet as claimed in claim 7, wherein, one of them described end flaps (21) is provided with flank sheet (16,27).

9. corrugated cardboard pallet as claimed in claim 8 wherein, forms each flank sheet (11,14 of plate in main body, 22,25) be provided with a tab (12,15,23,26), be used for being connected to the flank sheet and the intermediate fins of end flaps at the strut member that is constituted.

10. corrugated cardboard pallet as claimed in claim 9, wherein, each tab is located at the far-end of the notched region of each flank sheet.

11. corrugated cardboard pallet as claimed in claim 2 wherein, is formed with groove along the longitudinal direction of blank.

12. corrugated cardboard pallet as claimed in claim 7, wherein, each main body forms the end flaps of plate and the same length of intermediate plate.

13. corrugated cardboard pallet as claimed in claim 1 wherein, is provided with at least four strut members between top board (28) and base plate (29).

14. corrugated cardboard pallet as claimed in claim 13 wherein is provided with 9 to 12 strut members between top board (28) and base plate (29).

15. corrugated cardboard pallet as claimed in claim 14, wherein, described link is located at the place, each bight of these plates, and at least one parts is located at central position between the corner component along its each side, and another parts are located at the centre between these plates.

16. corrugated cardboard pallet as claimed in claim 15, wherein, central attaching parts is the parts of size maximum, and is located at the part dimension minimum at place, bight.

17. corrugated cardboard pallet as claimed in claim 1, wherein, base plate is provided with the zone that does not have material, so that provide access site from the tray below.

18. corrugated cardboard pallet as claimed in claim 1, wherein, described base plate (29), top board (28) and at least one link (30-38) are fixed by lining cement.

19. corrugated cardboard pallet as claimed in claim 1 wherein, is given described top board, base plate and/or at least one link japanning.

20. corrugated cardboard pallet as claimed in claim 1 wherein, is fixed at least one block of extra plate on top board and/or the base plate.

21. corrugated cardboard pallet as claimed in claim 20, wherein, described extra plate is the cross-ply plate.

22. corrugated cardboard pallet as claimed in claim 20, wherein, the groove of described extra plate becomes 90 degree with respect to the direction of the groove on its applied plate.

23. a method of making corrugated cardboard pallet, this method may further comprise the steps: top board (28) is passed along feedway (100); At least one link (10) is supplied on the top board; And base plate (29) is fixed on the link, it is characterized in that, described link can move between flattening and upright state, and is applied on the top board in its collapsed state.

24. method as claimed in claim 23 wherein, was coated to lining cement on the link before supplying to link on the top board.

25. method as claimed in claim 23 wherein, supplies to a plurality of links on the diverse location on the top board.

26. method as claimed in claim 25, wherein, described link is supplied with from hopper (101-104).

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