EP2552795B1

EP2552795B1 - Pallet system for storage or transport of articles or materials

Info

Publication number: EP2552795B1
Application number: EP11716602.5A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Keijo MÄKELÄ; Petri Piirainen; Juha MÄKELÄ
Original assignee: Posti Group Oyj
Current assignee: POSTI GROUP Oyj
Priority date: 2010-03-30
Filing date: 2011-03-29
Publication date: 2016-05-04
Anticipated expiration: 2031-03-29
Also published as: EP2552795A1; WO2011121178A1; FI20105320A0; FI20105320L; FI20105320A7

Description

Field of the invention

The invention relates to a pallet for storage or transport of articles or materials as defined in the preamble of independent claim 1 comprising a base member having a first surface for supporting articles or material, a second surface, and at least one lateral side.
WO 2008/129137 presents a universal chassis for attaching goods, such as a product, a box, a rack, or a structural element. The universal chassis has a base part, to which one or several following fastening elements have been connected either detachably and/or fixedly: a mounting slot, fastening rail, fastening edge, fastening lid, side fastening element in the lateral plane of the universal chassis, intermediate fastening part, which can be attached to the goods and the universal chassis.
WO 2004/087513 presents a material handling container used for curing blocks of cheese that are vacuum packed. The container includes a pallet type base with a smooth platform and a plurality of side panels. The side panels have locking members and the locking members are inserted in apertures.
GB 2 213 798 presents a collapsible container that comprises a base with slots there through, two opposing side walls presenting elements to be engaged in the slots to interlock the side walls against vertical displacement relative to the base and two end walls, which present elements to be engaged in openings in the base and which lock the end walls with the base.

Objective of the invention

The object of the invention is to provide a pallet for storage or transport of articles or materials which allows using of various kinds of wall members i.e. wall types which are supported in an essentially upright position at and by the base member of the pallet.

Short description of the invention

The pallet of the invention is characterized by the definitions of independent claim 1.
Preferred embodiments of the pallet are defined in the dependent claims 2 to 22.
The invention is based on proving the first surface of the base member with first apertures for receiving a first part of a first wall member of a first type, which first wall member of a first type is to be supported in an essentially upright position at the base member and by the base member, and by providing the first surface of the base member with second apertures for receiving a second part of a second wall member of a second type, wherein said second type is different from said first type and wherein said second wall member of the second type is to be supported in an essentially upright position at the base member and by the base member.
The first apertures are preferably, but not necessarily, in the form of holes which have a round cross-shape and which are configured for receiving a first part of a first wall member, which first part has a corresponding round cross-shape. The second apertures are preferably, but not necessarily, in the form of elongated slots configured for receiving a second part of a second wall member, which second part has a flat or sheet-like configuration and wherein the second wall member is made of sheet-like material such as cardboard, plastic cardboard, paperboard, corrugated fiberboard or the like.
The base member is preferably in the form of a rectangle so that the base member has four lateral sides and four corners, each provided with a corner component.
In a preferred embodiment of the pallet, the base member is preferably in the form of a rectangle so that the base member has four lateral sides and four corners, each provided with a corner component that is provided with a first aperture for receiving a first part of a first wall member of a first type and with a second aperture for receiving a second part of a second wall member of a second type.
In a preferred embodiment of the pallet, the base member is preferably in the form of a rectangle so that the base member has four lateral sides and four corners, each provided with a corner component that is provided with a wheel.
In a preferred embodiment of the pallet, each of the four first apertures is provided with first locking means for locking a first wall member of a first type to the base member of the pallet.
In a preferred embodiment of the pallet, the base member is preferably in the form of a rectangle so that the base member has four lateral sides and four corners, each provided with a corner component. In this preferred embodiment of the pallet, the base member of the pallet comprises a base component such as a board component. The base component may for example be made of wood such as plywood, metal, polymer or combinations of these materials. In this preferred embodiment of the invention the four corner components are attached to the base component for example by means of fastening members such as screws, rivets etc. The four corner components may for example be made of material comprising polymer such as plastic.

List of figures

In the following the invention will be described in more detail by referring to the figures, of which

figure 1 shows a preferred embodiment of the pallet as seen from above,
figure 2 shows the pallet shown in figure 1 as seen from one lateral side,
figure 3 shows the pallet shown in figure 1 as seen from another lateral side,
figure 4 shows a corner component of the pallet shown in figures 1 to 3 in greater detail
figure 5 shows the corner component shown in figure 4 from another angle,
figure 6 shows the corner component shown in figure 4 from yet another angle,
figure 7 shows in side view an embodiment of a first wall member of a first type,
figure 8 shows in side view an embodiment of a second wall member of a second type,
figure 9 shows the pallet shown in figure 1 in a state where a first wall member of a first type is supported in an essentially upright position at the base member and by the base member of the pallet,
figure 10 shows the pallet shown in figure 1 in a state where a second wall member of a second type is supported in an essentially upright position at the base member and by the base member of the pallet,
figure 11 shows an arrangement where one pallet is stacked on first wall members of a first type, which first wall members of a first type are supported in an essentially upright position at the base member and by the base member of another pallet,
figure 12 shows another preferred embodiment of a corner component that can be used in the base member of the pallet, and
figure 13 shows a preferred embodiment of a first locking means for locking a first part of a first wall member of a first type to the base member.

Detailed description of the invention

The invention relates to a pallet (not marked with a reference numeral) for storage or transport of articles (not shown in the figures) or material (not shown in the figures).
The pallet comprises a base member 1 having a first surface 2 for supporting articles or material, a second surface 3, and at least one lateral side 4.
In the figures the base member 1 is basically in the form of a rectangle so that the base member 1 has four lateral sides 4.
The first surface 2 of the base member 1 is provided with first apertures 5 for receiving a first part 6 of a first wall member 7 of a first type, which first wall member 7 of a first type is to be supported in an essentially upright position at and by the base member 1.
The first wall member 7 can comprise several wall elements (not shown in the figures), which may be fastened to each other for example by a hinge arrangement so that the first wall member 7 can form an at least partly laterally or sideways closed space such as a bin. Alternatively the base member 1 may be configured for receiving several first wall members 7 which together can form an at least partly laterally or sideways closed space such as a bin.
The first surface 2 of the base member 1 is additionally provided with second apertures 8 for receiving a second part 9 of a second wall member 10 of a second type, wherein said second type is different from said first type and wherein said second wall member 10 of the second type is to be supported in an essentially upright position at the base member 1 and by the base member 1.
The second wall member 10 can comprise several wall elements (not shown in the figures), which may be fastened to each other for example by a hinge arrangement so that the second wall member 10 can form an at least partly laterally or sideways closed space such as a bin. Alternatively the base member 1 may be configured for receiving several second wall members 10 which together can form an at least partly laterally or sideways closed space such as a bin.
In the pallet, at least one first aperture 5 is preferably arranged spaced i.e. at a distance from at least one second aperture 8. In the pallet shown in the figures, all first apertures 5 are arranged spaced i.e. at a distance from the second apertures 8. It is however possible that at least one first aperture 5 can coincide at least partly with at least one second aperture 8 or that all first apertures 5 coincide with all second apertures 8.
In the pallet, the first apertures 5 and the second apertures 8 are arranged in the first surface 2 along the lateral sides 4 of the base member 1, preferably in the first surface 2 along the lateral sides 4 and additionally near the corners 12 of the base member 1. In the pallet shown in the figures, the first apertures 5 and the second apertures 8 are arranged in the first surface 2 along the lateral sides 4 and near the corners 12 of the base member 1.
The pallet is preferably, but not necessarily, provided with wheels 11. In the pallet shown in figures 1 to 3, the pallet is provided with four wheels 11 such that a wheel 11 is provided near each corner 12 of the base member 1 of the pallet. If the pallet is provided with wheels 11, the wheels 11 are preferably, but not necessarily, provided on the second surface 3 of the base member 1 as shown in the figures. It is however possible that the wheels 11 are arranged at the lateral sides 4 of the base member 1 of the pallet for example such that the wheels 11 are fastened to the lateral sides 4 of the base member 1 of the pallet. If the pallet is provided with wheels 11 at least some of the wheels 11 can be made turnable about a vertical axis.
The base member 1 may have at least one corner 12 that is provided with a corner component 13.
The base member 1 has preferably, but not necessarily, four lateral sides 4 and a corner 12 between two adjacent lateral sides 4, and at least one corner 12 is preferably, but not necessarily, provided with a corner component 13.
In the figures the base member 1 is basically in the form of a rectangle so that the base member 1 has four lateral sides 4 and four corners 12, each provided with a corner component 13.
In a preferred embodiment of the pallet such as in the pallet shown in the figures, the base member 1 comprises a base component 14 such as a board component, and corner components 13, which are attached to the base component 14 and which are made of a material different from the material of the base component 14. It is for example possible that the corner components 13 are fastened to the base component 14 by means of fastening members 15 such as screws, rivets etc. The base component 14 may for example be made of wood such as plywood, metal, polymer or combinations of these materials. The corner component 13 may for example be made of material comprising polymer such as plastic.
In a preferred embodiment of the pallet the first surface 2 of the base member 1 is essentially flat.
In a preferred embodiment of the pallet the first surface 2 of the base member 1 is provided with fastening means (not shown in the figures) such as rails, holes, or apertures for fastening or securing articles or material to the pallet.
In a preferred embodiment of the pallet the first surface 2 of the base member 1 is provided with fastening means such as rails, holes, or apertures for fastening or securing articles or material to the pallet, which fastening means are embedded into the first surface 2 so that the first surface 2 of the base member 1 except for the places where a fastening means is provided forms an essentially flat, uniform structure.
A preferred embodiment of the pallet comprises a corner component 13 that is provided with a first aperture 5 and with a second aperture 8. In the pallet shown in the figures, each of the four corners 12 of the pallet is provided with a corner component 13 that is provided both with a first aperture 5 and with a second aperture 8.
A preferred embodiment of the pallet comprises a corner component 13 that is provided with a wheel 11. In the pallet shown in the figures, each corner 12 of the pallet is provided with a corner component 13 that is provided with a wheel 11.
In a preferred embodiment of the pallet, the pallet comprises at least one first aperture 5 that is provided with first locking means 16 for locking a first wall member 7 of a first type to the base member 1. In the pallet shown in the figures, each of the four first apertures 5 is provided with first locking means 16 for locking a first wall member 7 of a first type to the base member 1. It is for example possible that the first locking means comprises a latch pin 19 that can be moved between a locking position, where the latch pin partly enters a first part 6 of a first wall member 7 of a first type, which first part 6 is placed in the first aperture 5, and a releasing position. The first locking means 16 are preferably, but not necessarily, designed such that they can be locked or released i.e. operated by foot. It is also possible that the first locking means 16 is configured for automatically locking a first part 6 of a first wall member 7 of a first type to the base member 1 when a first part 6 of a first wall member 7 is placed in a first aperture 5. It is for example possible that the first part 6 of the first wall member 7, as shown in figure 13, is provided with a flexible lip 20 that is configured to snap into a recess 21 in the first aperture 5 when the first part 6 of the first wall member 7 is placed into the first aperture 5.
The first apertures 5 are preferably, but not necessarily, in the form of holes which have a round cross-shape and which are configured for receiving a first part 6 a first wall member 7 which first part 6 has a corresponding round cross-shape.
The second apertures 8 are preferably, but not necessarily, in the form of elongated slots configured for receiving a second part 9 of a second wall member 10, which second part 9 has a flat or sheet-like configuration and wherein the second wall member 10 correspondingly is made of flat, sheet-like material such as cardboard, plastic cardboard paperboard, corrugated fiberboard or the like. If the pallet is provided with such second apertures 8 that are in the form of elongated slots, the pallet comprises preferably, but not necessarily, at least one second aperture 8 in the form of an elongated slot that extends essentially parallel with a lateral side 4 of the base member 1. In the pallet shown in the figures, each of the four second apertures 8 are in the form of an elongated slot that extends essentially parallel with a lateral side 4 of the base member 1.
The second surface 3 of the base member 1 may be provided with stacking means or indentation means 17 for co-operation with a first wall member 7 of a first type so that one pallet can be supported in lateral and vertical direction on top of first wall members 7 of a first type that are supported in an essentially upright position at the base member 1 and by the base member 1 of another pallet. At least one corner component 13 may be provided with an indentation means 17. Alternatively the indentation means 17 may be for example in the form of separate indentation components (not shown in the figures), which are arranged at the second surface 3 of the base member 1. It is also possible that indentation means 17 are integrally formed in the second surface 3 of the base member 1.
If the second surface 3 of the base member 1 is provided with such indentation means 17, second locking means 18 for locking a pallet in place on top of second wall members 10 of a second type that are supported in an essentially upright position at the base member 1 and by the base member 1 of another pallet are preferably, but not necessarily, provided.
It is apparent to a person skilled in the art that as technology advances, the basic idea of the invention can be implemented in various ways. The invention and its embodiments are therefore not restricted to the above examples, but they may vary within the scope of the claims.

Claims

A pallet system for storage or transport of articles or materials, the pallet system comprising a pallet, a first wall member (7) of a first type and a second wall member (10) of a second type, said pallet comprising
a base member (1) having a first surface (2) for supporting articles or material, a second surface (3), and at least one lateral side (4), wherein
the first surface (2) of the base member (1) is provided with first apertures (5) arranged in the first surface (2) along said lateral side (4) of the base member (1), the first apertures (5) having a first cross-shape configured for receiving a first part (6) of the first wall member (7) of the first type, which first part (6) has a cross-shape corresponding to the first cross-shape, wherein said first wall member (7) of the first type is to be supported in an essentially upright position at the base member and by the base member along said lateral side (4) thereof, characterized in that
the first surface (2) of the base member (1) is provided with
second apertures (8) arranged in the first surface (2) along said same lateral side (4) of the base member (1), the second apertures (8) having a second cross-shape, which is different from the first cross-shape and configured for receiving a second part (9) of second wall member (10) of the second type, wherein said second type is different from said first type and which second part (9) has a cross-shape corresponding to the second cross-shape, wherein said second wall member (10) of the second type is to be supported in an essentially upright position at the base member and by the base member along said lateral side (4) thereof.
The pallet according to claim 1, characterized in that the first apertures (5) and the second apertures (8) are arranged near corners (12) of the base member (1).
The pallet according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the pallet is provided with wheels (11).
The pallet according to claim 3, characterized in that the wheels (11) are provided on the second surface (3) of the base member.
The pallet according to any of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the base member (1) has at least one corner (12) that is provided with a corner component (13).
The pallet according to any of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the base member (1) has four lateral sides (4) and a corner (12) between two adjacent lateral sides (4), and in that at least one corner (12) is provided with a corner component (13).
The pallet according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that the base member comprises a base component (14) such as a board component, and in that the corner component (13) is attached to the base component (14) and is made of a material different from the material of the base component (14).
The pallet according to claim 7, characterized in that the base component (14) is made of wood such as plywood, metal, polymer or combinations of these materials.
The pallet according to claim 7 or 8, characterized in that the corner component (13) is made of a material comprising polymer such as plastic.
The pallet according to any of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the first surface (2) of the base member is essentially flat.
The pallet according to any of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the first surface (2) of the base member is provided with fastening means such as rails, holes, or apertures for fastening or securing articles or material to the pallet.
The pallet according to claim 11, characterized in that the fastening means are embedded into the first surface (2) so that the first surface (2) of the base member except for the places where a fastening means is provided forms an essentially flat, uniform structure.
The pallet according to any of claims 5 to 12, characterized by comprising a corner component (13) that is provided with a first aperture (5) and a second aperture (8).
The pallet according to any of claims 5 to 13, characterized by comprising a corner component (13) that is provided with a wheel (11).
The pallet according to any of claims 1 to 14, characterized by comprising at least one first aperture 5 that is provided with first locking means (16) for the first wall member 7 of the first to the base member (1).
The pallet according to any of claims 1 to 15, characterized in that the first apertures (5) are in the form of holes which have a round cross-shape and which are configured for receiving the first part (6) of the first wall member (7), which first part (6) has a corresponding round cross-shape.
The pallet according to any of claims 1 to 16, characterized in that the second apertures (8) are in the form of elongated slots configured for receiving the second part of the second wall member (10), which second part (9) has a flat configuration, wherein the second wall member (10) is made of sheet-like material such as cardboard, paperboard, or corrugated fiberboard.
The pallet according to claim 17, characterized by comprising at least one second aperture (8) in the form of an elongated slot that extends parallel with a lateral side (4) of the base member.
The pallet according to any of claims 1 to 18, characterized in that the second surface (3) of the base member (1) is provided with indentation means (17) for co-operation with the second wall member (10) of the second type so that a pallet can be supported in lateral and vertical direction on top of second wall members (10) of the second type that are supported in an essentially upright position at the base member (1) and by the base member of another pallet.
The pallet according to claim 19, characterized by second locking means (18) for locking a pallet in place on top of second wall members (10) of the second type that are supported in an essentially upright position at the base member (1) and by the base member of another pallet.
The pallet according to any of claims 1 to 20, characterized by at least one first aperture (5) that coincides at least partly with at least one second aperture (8).
The pallet according to any of claims 1 to 21, characterized in that all first apertures (5) coincide at least partly with all second apertures (8).