GB2403940A

GB2403940A - A cover for palletised goods

Info

Publication number: GB2403940A
Application number: GB0316796A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Kevan Jennings
Original assignee: CONTROLLA COVERS Ltd
Current assignee: CONTROLLA COVERS Ltd
Priority date: 2003-07-18
Filing date: 2003-07-18
Publication date: 2005-01-19
Also published as: GB0316796D0

Abstract

A re-usable cover (1) for palletised goods (4) comprising a main sheet (2) and tensioning (10) and securing (20) means in the form of straps. The flexible plastic cover (1) comprises a top (21) and sides (11) with junctions between the top and each side (16) the sides (11) having adjacent edge margins, and tensioning means (10) attached to the respective sides (11) to draw the edge margins of at least two adjacent sides together under tension.

Description

A Cover for palletised goods The present invention concerns a cover for

palletised goods, in particular, a cover intended for re-use, wherein the cover serves to increase the dimensional stability of the goods on the pallet, particularly during transportation.

Goods are widely stored and transported on pallets. Pallets comprise a wooden or plastic frame of standard dimensions, Elm square in the UK and 1.2m square in Europe, and which are usually suitable for handling using a fork lift truck.

Goods, particularly those comprising a multiplicity of stacked articles such as boxes, usually require additional securing to a pallet to ensure that they do not become disturbed or lost during movement of a pallet. Such securing is typically achieved using a shrink wrap tube around the whole assembly of pallet and goods or by wrapping with a large scale polythene cling wrap. Such disposable wraps create waste, as they are not re-usable, and also the goods may be damaged when such wraps are cut open. A number of re-usable cover types have been proposed, however, most have failed to be practicable in normal use.

The present invention provides a flexible cover for palletised goods comprising a top and sides with junctions between the top and each side, the sides having adjacent edge margins, and tensioning means attached to the respective sides to draw the edge margins of at least two adjacent sides together under tension.

The adjacent edge margins of the cover sides may be separate, i.e. not conjoined.

Alternatively the adjoining edge margins of the cover sides may be conjoined so as to provide respective junctions between the sides, that is the sides and top may be all of a piece.

In accordance with the invention covers are obtained which can be readily adjusted to circumferentially hold the goods, such as a number of stacked boxes, such that the All Spew 2003.G102783 l goods can be secured by the tension in or between the sides created by the tensioning means. In particular, crush damage from using high vertical tension to pull a cover down such as to give some lateral load stability, as in a conventional canvas, is avoided as is abrasion on the corners of goods or edges as a cover is drawn down over them. Furthermore, by attaching the tensioning means to the respective adjacent sides, preferably immediately adjacent to the edge margins, the tensioning means are easily picked up manually. The tensioning means may also comprise short lengths of material such that snagging of any long trailing tensioning means is less likely.

The cover of the invention may comprise one or more securing means for securing the cover to the pallet. Securing means may be attached to one or more side sides of the cover. The securing means may comprise a strap. Such a strap may conveniently bridge any gap between the bottom, i.e. the skirt, of the main sheet of the cover and the pallet. Securing means may be present on each side of the cover and/or at places corresponding to each side of a pallet.

A predominantly vertical tensioning force may be applied to the cover by the securing means to help stop the goods, as a whole, having been previously secured as a unit by the tensioning means from being separated from or shifting on the pallet.

The securing means may be tensionable such that an active predominantly vertical restraining force can be applied to the goods on the pallet.

The securing means, particularly when in the form of a strap may be securable to the pallet by means of a shoe. A shoe is a device, typically of metal, that serves to engage an underside portion of a pallet, such as the underside of a topmost face of a pallet (i.e. under the top rung of the pallet) or the base of the pallet. Whilst a shoe may comprise a hook to bite into the pallet a shoe preferably passively engages with the pallet so as not to damage the pallet. Shoes of J and L cross section are preferred, preferably in the form of an angled plate of plastics material or of metal. A shoe is most preferably of an L shape with a roughened upper surface of a lower limb so as to grip a pallet. A main part of the securing means may engage with an upper end of All Specs 2003.G102783 ! an upper limb of the shoe, such as by a strap loop passing through an aperture in the shoe.

By applying tension to the securing means, of which the shoe may form part, a shoe may be readily engaged against a pallet to secure a lower end of the securing means without an operator having to tie anything to the pallet. Thus potentially troublesome tying and untying operations are avoided. A shoe is preferably heavier than a main part of the securing means such that the shoe causes the securing means to hang ready for attachment to a pallet.

Tensioning means may be present at alternate, opposite and/or all edge margins of the sides of the cover. Edge margins may be free edge margins between separated sides of the cover or they may be at junctions, i.e. conjoined or continuous.

Tensioning means may also be provided at the junction or junctions between the sides and top of the cover. Preferably every side of the cover is tensionable by means of a tensioning means.

The tensioning means may comprise a strap on at least one edge margin and a means to which the strap may be secured on the adjacent edge margin or margins, which may also be a strap. The straps are therefore kept as short as practicable to avoid snagging during use. Furthermore each tensioning means may consist of only one strap and only one means to which the strap may be secured such as when the strap is secured by means of a hook and loop fastener. A suitable hook and hook fastener may comprise a multiplicity of hooks and loops such as when Velcro (TM) is used.

Being able to secure goods using tensioning means at the edge margins of the cover is advantageous as the tension applied to the cover can be applied more locally, than say by a rope thrown over or around a whole cover, thus the goods, such as a stack of boxes, are less likely to be disturbed. Hence, in a preferred embodiment the cover is tensionable at every edge margin and an even tension, such as a circumferential tension, can therefore be applied without the need for the cover to slide over or round All Specs 2003.G102783 comers thus removing the potential for the cover to abrade the goods. Furthemmore a cover with a rough inner surface, suitable for better gripping the goods, can be used as there is no requirement, as in conventional tarpaulin for the cover to slide over the goods. Similar considerations apply to the securing means particularly if they are, preferably, attached symmetrically to the sides of the cover.

The tensioning means and the securing means may, for example, be tensionable as a whole, such as when a resilient band, strap, cord or rope is used or they may comprise a device for tensioning, in addition, or in the alternative.

The tensioning or securing means may, as for example, with a strap, be in two parts and the device for tensioning may serve to connect the two parts. The connector device may be selected from buckles, clasps, side release fasteners, cam fasteners and ratchets either above or in combination. Hence, tension may be created at least by the bringing together and engaging such a connector device. Furthemmore by providing two connected parts different shoes and lengths of, say, strapping, may be readily used with a given main sheet portion to accommodate, for example, different heights of goods. Similarly the main sheet itself may have a different side lengths or drop down (i.e. a portion below where the securing means connects) to suit individual requirements i.e. weather conditions, load shape, etc. Tension may be created in a securing means, for example one consisting of, say, only a strap and a shoe, by manually pulling down the strap to locate the shoe under the pallet and then releasing the strap means such as to allow any natural elasticity in the cover to maintain the tension so created.

Covers of the invention may comprise a continuous sheet or may comprise webbing or netting. A continuous sheet, fomming a main sheet, is preferred so as to better protect the goods, such as from rain. The sheet may be a sheet of plastics or plastics composite material. The plastics material may be; a cross-laminated or woven polyethylene; polyvinyl chloride coated polyester or nylon.

All Specs 2003.G102783 A cover of the invention may be used as part of a method of preparing palletised goods for storage or transportation comprising placing said goods on to a pallet, placing said cover over the goods and tensioning one or more of the tensioning means and optionally securing and tensioning any securing means present.

A cover of the invention may be supplied as a kit of parts for transporting goods comprising one or more pallets and one or more covers, as hereinbefore described.

The kit may also contain securing member portions of different lengths or with different shoes such as may be required to adapt the covers for different types, heights or other characteristics of goods or of a pallet.

The invention will now be illustrated by means of the following figures in which: Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a preferred practical embodiment of the cover of the invention covering goods on a pallet; Figure 2 shows a tensioning means of a cover of the invention, in perspective view; Figure 3 and 4 show connectors suitable for comprising part of the securing means of the invention and; Figure 5 shows a shoe for securing the lower end of the securing means to the pallet, in perspective view.

Figure 1 shows packed goods 2 comprising a cover 1 of the invention and a plurality of boxes 4, such as cardboard boxes, stacked on a conventional wooden pallet 6. The cover 1 comprises a main sheet 3 having tensioning means 10 (described below) and securing means 20. The main sheet 3 comprises a top 21 and four sides, only two of which 11, 11', of the rectangular assembly, are visible. The sides are joined at lateral edge margins to form a junction, such as 16. The main sheet comprises a sheet of woven polyethylene with seams at the edges. The securing means 20, one of which is All Specs 2003.G102783 attached to each side of the main sheet, is attached to a skirt or periphery of a main sheet 3 and extends to the under side 58 of the pallet top face, where it is secured in each case by a shoe 50. Each shoe 50 laps under the pallet top face and serves to secure strap portions 22, 24 of the securing means 20. The securing means 20, 20' are tensionable by means of a side release fastener 26 or a cam fastener 26' and the tension thus created can serve to secure the cover 1 and goods 4 to the pallet 6.

In an alternative embodiment the lateral edges margins are not joined. In this case a main sheet if laid out flat would be in the shape of a cross. In a yet further alternative embodiment two adjacent edge margins are not joined and remaining edge margins are joined. In this way a lift up flap is creatable for unloading the packed goods 4, whilst the goods still remain substantially covered (i.e. the side between the unjoined adjacent edge margins can be lifted when the tensioning and securing means associated with that side are released).

In use the main sheet 3 is placed over goods, which have been placed on pallet 6. The tensioning means 10, on each corner, are then each tensioned such as to bring the sides 11, 11' into tension and gather excess main sheet at the edge margins 16, which are here junctions between the sides. Due to the weight of metal shoes 50 the securing means 20, 20' hang down with the shoes 50 adjacent to the pallet. Each shoe is guided under the underside 58 of the upper surface of the pallet and straps 22, 24 are brought together by engaging the relevant connector 26 (or 26'), tension is thereby created in the securing means which serves to secure the main sheet 3 and the goods 4 it contains to the pallet 6.

In alternative embodiments equivalents to tensioning means 10 may be placed across the main sheet 3 top surface 21 and side 11, 11' etc junctions to further secure the main sheet 3 to the goods 4. Further devices similar to those described as a tensioning means may be placed on a side face, say in the middle of such a face, (e.g. of side 11) for the purpose of taking up any slack in the sides. A number, i.e. 2 or 3 tensioning means or securing means may be used in parallel along a given edge All Specs 2003.G102783 margin or side respectively, more irregular loads may thereby be more evenly secured as each means creates the desired tension on various parts of the main sheet.

In alternative uses or alternative embodiments the main sheet 3 may extend down to the level of the pallet and one or more of straps 22, 24 may be greatly truncated or even absent.

Figure 2 shows detail of a tensioning means 10 for use in the invention. Tensioning means 10 comprises a strap 12 attached to a side 11 " (not shown) of the main sheet 3 at a region directly adjacent to the sheet margin 16. Inner face of strap 12 is covered with VelcroTM which serves to engage with a mating sheet of complimentary Velcro material 14 also attached directly adjacent to sheet margin 16, which acts as a means to which the strap may secured. Edge margin 16, which may alternatively also be in the form of a discontinuity between effectively separate sides 11, 11 ' of the main sheet 3, is thus brought together so as to tension the sides 11, 11 '.

Figures 3 and 4 shows connecting devices 26, 26' known in the art. Each connecting device comprises two parts for connecting one to another, one part (28, 32) retains a first strap portion 22 of the securing means and the other part (30, 34), retains the second strap portion 24. On connecting the two parts of the connecting device (26, 26') the For example, side clip 30 engages in and is retained by holder 28 or cam 34 pivoting on pin 36 to acts to clamp a strap portion 22 against holding portion 32. The strap portions are arranged such that their length is such that when connected by a connector device (26, 26') a tension is createable in the securing means thus securing the cover.

Figure 5 shows a shoe 50 which comprises a metal plate comprising two orthogonally connected planar portions 52 and 54. Upper limb portion 52 of the shoe serves to secure strap 22 and the lower limb portion 54 with roughened upper surface 56 serves to grip the under side of the pallet when lapped under said side. A readily attachable All Specs 2003.G102783 and releasable means of securing the securing means to the pallet is therefore realised by the use of such a shoe as part of the invention.

All Spe" 2003.G102783

Claims

Claims 1. A flexible cover for palletised goods comprising a top and

sides with junctions between the top and each side and the sides having adjacent edge margins and tensioning means attached to the respective sides to draw the edge margins of at least two adjacent sides together under tension.
2. A cover according to claim 1 wherein the adjacent edge margins provide respective junctions between the sides.
3. A cover according to claim 1 or claim 2 further comprising one or more securing means for securing the cover to a pallet.
4. A cover according to claim 3 wherein the securing means is attached to a side of the cover.
5. A cover according to claim 3 or claim 4 wherein the securing means comprises a strap.
6. A cover according to any of claims 3 to 5 wherein the securing means is tensionable.
7. A cover according to any of claims 3 to 6 wherein the securing means comprises a shoe for attaching to the pallet.
8. A cover according to any previous claim wherein the tensioning means comprises a strap on at least one edge margin and a means to which the strap may be secured on the adjacent edge margin.
9. A cover according to claim 8 wherein the strap is secured by means of a hook and loop fastener.

AU Specs 2003.G102783
10. A cover according to any previous claim wherein every side of the cover is tensionable by a tensioning means.
11. A cover according to any of claims 3 to 10 wherein every side of the cover is securable to a pallet by securing means.
12. A cover according to any previous claim wherein one or more of the tensioning means and/or the securing means comprises a device for tensioning the tensioning and/or securing means.
13. A cover according to claim 12 wherein the tensioning and/or securing means is in two parts and the device for tensioning comprises a connector for said parts.
14. A cover according to claim 13 wherein the connector is selected from the group comprising buckles clasps, side release fasteners, cam fasteners and ratchets.
15. A cover according to any previous claim which predominantly comprises a sheet of plastics material.
16. A cover according to claim 15 wherein the plastics material is selected from the group comprising cross-laminated air woven polyethylene, poly vinyl chloride coated polyester or nylon.
17. A method of preparing palletised goods for storage or transportation comprising placing said goods on to a pallet, placing a cover according to any one of claims 1 to 16 over the goods and tensioning one or more tensioning means, optionally securing and further optionally tensioning any securing means present.

All Spec'2003.G102783
18. A kit of parts for transporting goods comprising one or more pallets and one or more covers according to any one of claims 1 to 16.
19. A pallet of palletised goods secured by means of a cover according to any one of claims 1 to 16.
20. A cover for palletised goods as hereinbefore described with reference to the

description and one or more of figures 1, 2 or 5.

All Specs 2003.G102783