CN1655992A - A method and unit load for distributing articles - Google Patents

Abstract

In a method of distributing articles in a palletized form from a supplier (11) of the articles, these are placed at the supplier on two or more loading ledges (1) to form a unit load, which is transported to a receiver (13, 14) of the articles. Each loading ledge (1) comprises an L-shaped profile having projections (3) for supporting the unit load at a certain distance over its support.

Description

Method and loading unit for distributing items

technical field

The present invention relates to a method of distributing items in palletized form from suppliers of the items. It also relates to a loading unit for such distribution.

Background technique

The traditional method of distributing palletized items is to use traditional pallets, often standard sized wooden pallets, onto which the items are loaded, and often with support such as straps. Something to bundle items on the pallet.

Wooden pallets are so widely used that the advantages of wooden pallets are rarely questioned. However, wooden pallets have a number of important drawbacks:

- Keeping the return system running for wooden pallets is expensive;

--Need to utilize many means of transportation to transport bulky and heavy empty wooden pallets;

-- Wooden pallets have a short lifespan, thus increasing costs;

--The use of bulky and heavy wooden pallets reduces the transportation efficiency;

-- Considerable space is required for storage of wooden pallets at suppliers and elsewhere in the distribution network;

The standard dimensions of pallets are not optimal for many items and vehicles, such as containers, cargo carriers, and trucks and trailers.

Existing attempts to reduce the drawbacks associated with wooden pallets have utilized corrugated cardboard to load the trays during distribution. Such loading trays may have a lower height and weight than wooden trays and are discarded after one use. In addition, certain advantages can be obtained in terms of price and versatility, but loading trays of the above-mentioned type still do not provide an optimal solution to the problem of providing a distribution method which does not have the above-mentioned drawbacks.

It is therefore a primary object of the present invention to provide a method of distributing items in tray form from suppliers of the items.

Contents of the invention

The present invention eliminates the problems of the distribution methods used earlier, and a much improved distribution method is obtained by placing, at the supplier, one or more A plurality of articles to form a loading unit, each loading bracket comprising an L-shaped profile having a protrusion supporting the loading unit at a distance above its support, and the loading bracket being arranged at the bottom of the loading unit side, for transporting the loading unit on its loading pallet to the recipient of the item.

By providing support projections on the loading carriage, it is thus possible to handle already formed loading units with handling equipment, such as fork loaders, for handling loading units on wooden pallets.

Typically, at the supplier (often the manufacturer of the item) a circumferential band (extending around the load tray) and/or stretch or shrink wrap etc. is provided on the loading unit. In this way, the loading unit with loading brackets can be put together and protected from the environment.

The loaded unit may be transported from the supplier to the warehouse using common means of transport, where it is then stored for further distribution to retailers or the like, where the item leaves the distribution system.

Alternatively, the loading unit may be shipped directly to a retailer or the like.

In previous cases it was possible to utilize traditional wooden pallets in transport from warehouse to retailer and also for storage loading if the storage system is suitable for wooden pallets unit. In such cases, the wooden pallets will be returned for reuse in a conventional pallet return system.

The loading tray is preferably produced from recyclable plastic, such as colorless polypropylene (PP). The method of manufacture may be injection moulding. Other materials and fabrication methods are also available.

The loading brackets can also be returned for reuse in a new loading unit, but it is convenient to reuse the loading brackets, eg by shredding them and then returning the material to the producer of the loading brackets. Alternatively, this material can be placed on the general market as plastic raw material. In the latter case it is very important to make the material colorless.

With such a loading bracket as mentioned above it is possible to use only one size for all applications. The size of this loading unit does not depend on the size of any pallet (pallet), but depends on the size of the item, as long as two or more loading brackets are set at the bottom of the item, the loading bracket has a downward The extended protrusions thus allow the loading tray to be handled with conventional handling equipment. If the item is longer, two or even three loading bays can be provided on each bottom edge.

In other words, the application of loading pallets means that the best loading unit can be built according to the goods or items, not according to the pallet size as it is now.

Moreover, the weight (tara weight) and price of the loading bracket are very low.

Empty load bays can be stacked for transport, which can be very efficient.

A loading unit of the present invention for distributing items in tray form from a supplier of items to a recipient may have two or more loading trays which may be positioned at the bottom of the loading unit containing one or more items. side.

In the basic form of the loading unit, one loading bracket is provided at each opposing bottom edge, but if the loading unit is particularly long, it may be provided with two or more loading brackets. Likewise, loading brackets can be provided on all bottom sides of the loading unit or within the loading unit.

It is also possible to provide a circumferentially wound belt around the opposite loading bracket.

For example, if the loading unit has a considerable number of individual items (or cardboard boxes), a base plate can be provided between the items and the loading tray.

Description of drawings

Now, the present invention will be described in further detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a loading tray used in the method of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is the general diagram of distribution method of the present invention;

Figures 3a-i show examples of loading units utilizing loading brackets.

Detailed ways

The loading tray 1 is shown in FIG. 1 . The loading tray is preferably injection molded with an L-shaped profile of recyclable plastic, preferably polypropylene (PP). Protrusions 3 are provided on the bottom edge 2 of the tray 1, three protrusions are shown in the figure, used to support the loading unit on the ground or other supports, and can be processed with common processing equipment, these common Handling equipment is used to handle goods on common wooden pallets that are widely used in distribution systems today.

The upper side walls 4 of the tray 1 are generally flat and can rest on the vertical side walls of the loading unit, so as to support the loading unit with the loading bracket.

In a practical (but not limiting) case, the overall length of the loading tray 1 may be 760 mm, and the width of the bottom edge 2 and upper side wall 4 may be 180 mm and 100 mm, respectively. The protrusion 3 may have a height of 35 mm and a width of 75 mm. One of the central protrusions may have a length of 160 mm, and the other two outer protrusions may have a length of 75 mm.

For the reasons mentioned below, it is advantageous to make the loading tray 1 out of colorless plastic.

Referring now to FIG. 2 . The reference number 10 therein refers to the producer of the loading pallet 1 which is to be supplied to a supplier or manufacturer 11 of articles or goods. At the supplier 11, the items are placed on two or more loading pallets 1 from which a loading unit is formed, preferably provided with straps and/or stretch or shrink wrapping material.

The loaded units are transported from the supplier 11 , for example by truck or truck 12 , to a central warehouse 13 for subsequent delivery to one of several retailers 14 from which the warehouse 13 supplies. Shipping may optionally be made directly from the supplier 11 to each retailer 14 as indicated by the arrow below.

As shown in FIG. 2, between the warehouse 13 and the retailer 14, conventional wooden pallets 15 (from one of the producers 16) can be utilized. The reason for this is that existing storage systems at retailers 14 can be based on the use of wooden pallets on storage beams. With development, the auxiliary use of the wooden pallet 15 can be discontinued.

The dashed arrows in FIG. 2 indicate that the loading pallet 1 can be returned from the retailer 14 to the warehouse 13 .

The used loading tray 1 can advantageously be returned to the supplier or manufacturer 11 for reuse. However, it is presently preferable to apply a recycling system to the loading tray 1 because the usage condition of each loading tray 1 cannot be guaranteed. The used loading tray 1 is thus shredded, for example at a recycling company 17 . If it is advantageous, for example, from an economic point of view, the material can be delivered from here as raw material to the producer 10 of the loading pallet or placed on the general market. Naturally, it is preferred to keep the plastic material colorless.

The use of loading pallets as mentioned above can reduce the required storage space by 30-35%, eg in the warehouse 13, but also increase the filling rate in transport by about 35%. The denser padding prevents mutual movement during shipping and minimizes shipping damage.

In the existing specification, compared with transporting about 7 pcs/m ³ of standard wooden pallets, it is possible to transport 500 pcs/m ³ of loading brackets, saving about 97% theoretically.

Figure 3 illustrates some possibilities for arranging the loading unit. Figures 3b and 3d show a "basic" loading unit on two loading pallets 1, with eg two straps 20 per loading unit. Figure 3a shows a longer loading unit with two loading brackets 1 on each side and using eg four straps. In FIG. 3 c , three sub-loading units are stacked and tied together with two long straps 21 to form a loading unit, wherein each sub-loading unit uses two loading brackets 1 and two straps 20 .

In Figure 3e, four articles (or cartons) are arranged on four loading pallets 1, further illustrated in Figure 3f. The loading unit is finally completed by straps not shown in the figure.

Figure 3g illustrates the case where 32 smaller items (or cartons) form a loading unit with two loading trays 1 . In such cases, a substrate 22, such as cardboard or plastic, is utilized. The loading unit is finally completed by straps not shown in the figure. FIG. 3h illustrates a loading unit with four items and a substrate 22 . Four loading brackets 1 are used here, one on each bottom edge.

Finally, Figure 3i analyzes a loading unit with four loading bays in a form similar to that shown in Figure 3h.

More similar possibilities are certainly possible.

Claims (18)

1. one kind with the method for tray form from the supplier (11) of article there dispense articles, it is characterized in that, locate supplier (11), go up the one or more article of placement at two or more loading brackets (1) and form a load units, each loading bracket comprises L type profile, this profile have on its support a distance supporting load units projection (3), described carriage is arranged on the base of load units, be used to transport the accepter (13,14) of the load units arrival article on its loading bracket.

2. the method for claim 1, wherein said load units locates to be provided with circumferential band (20,21) and/or stretching or shrink wrapping etc. supplier (11).

3. the method for claim 1, wherein said load units is transported to warehouse (13) so that further be transported to retailer (14).

4. the method for claim 1, wherein said load units is transported to retailer (14).

5. method as claimed in claim 3, wherein said load units can be placed on traditional pallet (15), as wooden pallets in that to be transported to retailer (14) preceding.

6. method as claimed in claim 5, wherein said traditional pallet (15) can return again in traditional pallet return system and utilize.

7. the method for claim 1, wherein said loading bracket (1) is with the recyclable plastics-production of utilizing again.

8. method as claimed in claim 7, wherein said plastics are colourless.

9. method as claimed in claim 7, wherein said plastics are polypropylene (PP), and described production method is an injection-molded.

10. as claim 3 or 4 described methods, wherein said loading bracket (1) can return and be used in new load units again again.

11. as claim 3 or 4 described methods, wherein said loading bracket (1) is recyclable to be utilized again, for example by pulverizing, turns back to the producer (10) of loading bracket then, so that produce new loading bracket, or render on the common market as plastic raw materials.

12. one kind is used for punishing the stimulating food product to accepter (13 with tray form from materials supply person (11), 14) load units, it is characterized in that, be provided with two or more loading brackets (1) on the base of described load units, described load units comprises one or more article, each loading bracket is L type profile, and this loading bracket is provided with the projection (3) that is used at its support upper support loading unit with a determining deviation.

13. load units as claimed in claim 12, wherein every of described load units relative base is provided with a loading bracket (1).

14. load units as claimed in claim 12, wherein every of described load units relative base is provided with two or more loading brackets (1).

15., wherein be provided with the band (20) that twines circumference around relative loading bracket (1) as claim 13 or 14 described load units.

16. load units as claimed in claim 12 wherein all is provided with loading bracket (1) on all four bases of described load units.

17. load units as claimed in claim 12 wherein is provided with a substrate (22) between described load units and loading bracket (1).

18. load units as claimed in claim 12, wherein said loading bracket (1) is arranged in the described load units.

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