Plastic pallet with twin-sheet deck and runner structures
US8424469B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 9, 2011 |
| Grant date | Apr 23, 2013 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 27, 2031 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
- CPC primaryB65D2519/00835
- WIPO fieldHandling
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A reinforced plastic pallet comprises a twin sheet deck structure and three twin sheet runner structures which are fused to the underside of the deck to create three parallel spaced-apart footprints, the spacing between them forming one set of forklift openings. The deck is fabricated from two thermoformed plastic sheets which are peripherally joined together. The lower sheet is formed with upwardly extending spacer knobs which are fused to the under surface of the top sheet to further join the two sheets together. A frame of reinforcing beams is encapsulated into the interior space of the upper deck. The runner structures are also of twin sheet construction and some of them contain reinforcing rods. The runner structures, although they have flat footprints, are generally “W” shaped to provide two additional forklift openings at 90° from the primary forklift openings between the runner structures.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.