Half-size plastic pallet with deck scoop areas

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11167882-B2
Application number	US-201916674063-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 5, 2019
Priority date	Nov 13, 2018
Publication date	Nov 9, 2021
Grant date	Nov 9, 2021

Abstract

A pallet includes a top deck divided into quadrants, and pallet support legs coupled to an underside of the top deck and forming an opening below the top deck for receiving a lifting member. The top deck includes at least one deck scoop area on an underside thereof in each quadrant. A thickness of the top deck is reduced in each deck scoop area to reduce influence of top deck deflection on ability of the lifting member to pass through the opening below the top deck.

First claim

That which is claimed:

1. A pallet comprising:
a top deck divided into quadrants; and
a plurality of pallet support legs coupled to an underside of said top deck and forming an opening below said top deck for receiving a lifting member;
said top deck comprising at least one deck scoop area on an underside thereof in each quadrant, with the at least one deck scoop area being recessed from an outer perimeter area surrounding each quadrant to provide separation from other quadrants, and with a thickness of said top deck being reduced in each deck scoop area to reduce influence of top deck deflection on ability of the lifting member to pass through the opening below said top deck.

2. The pallet according to claim 1 wherein the at least one deck scoop area in each quadrant includes a hand grip opening.

3. The pallet according to claim 1 wherein the at least one deck scoop area in each quadrant includes first and second deck scoop areas.

4. The pallet according to claim 3 wherein each quadrant includes a transition wall separating the first and second deck scoop areas, with the thickness of said top deck not being reduced by the transition wall.

5. The pallet according to claim 1 wherein an underside of said deck comprises exposed ribs, with the at least one deck scoop area in each quadrant including the exposed ribs.

6. The pallet according to claim 1 wherein the thickness of said top deck is not reduced in the outer perimeter area surrounding each quadrant.

7. The pallet according to claim 1 wherein the at least one deck scoop area in each quadrant has a rectangular shape.

8. The pallet according to claim 1 wherein said top deck has a product support surface, with the product support surface including a plurality of openings extending to the underside, with the openings forming a grid pattern in the at least one deck scoop area in each quadrant, and with each grid pattern being symmetrical to grid patterns in the other quadrants.

9. The pallet according to claim 1 wherein said top deck, and each pallet support leg comprises plastic.

10. A pallet comprising:
a top deck divided into quadrants, with each quadrant comprising at least one deck scoop area on an underside thereof, with the at least one deck scoop area being recessed from an outer perimeter area surrounding each quadrant to provide separation from other quadrants, and with a thickness of said top deck being reduced in each deck scoop area.

11. The pallet according to claim 10 wherein the at least one deck scoop area in each quadrant includes a hand grip opening.

12. The pallet according to claim 10 wherein the at least one deck scoop area in each quadrant includes spaced apart first and second deck scoop areas.

13. The pallet according to claim 10 wherein each quadrant includes a transition wall separating the first and second deck scoop areas, with the thickness of said top deck not being reduced by the transition wall.

14. The pallet according to claim 10 wherein an underside of said deck comprises exposed ribs, with the at least one deck scoop area in each quadrant including the exposed ribs.

15. The pallet according to claim 10 wherein the thickness of said top deck is not reduced in the outer perimeter area surrounding each quadrant.

16. The pallet according to claim 10 wherein the at least one deck scoop area in each quadrant has a rectangular shape.

17. The pallet according to claim 10 wherein said top deck comprises plastic.

18. A method for making a pallet comprising:
forming a top deck that is divided into quadrants;
forming a plurality of pallet support legs;
coupling the plurality of pallet support legs to an underside of the top deck forming an opening below the top deck for receiving a lifting member; and
forming the top deck comprises forming at least one deck scoop area on an underside thereof in each quadrant, with the at least one deck scoop area being recessed from an outer perimeter area surrounding each quadrant to provide separation from other quadrants, and with a thickness of the top deck being reduced in each deck scoop area to reduce influence of top deck deflection on ability of the lifting member to pass through the opening between below top deck.

19. The method according to claim 18 wherein the at least one deck scoop area in each quadrant includes a hand grip opening.

20. The method according to claim 18 wherein the at least one deck scoop area in each quadrant includes first and second deck scoop areas.

Assignees

• Chep Technology Pty Ltd

Inventors

• Daubenspeck Bradley Wayne
• Gorsky Daniel Aaron
• Norman Craig Rolland

Classifications

• B62B5/0093

  Flat dollys without hand moving equipment · CPC title

• B62B3/008

  having more than two axes · CPC title

• B62B3/16

  vertically stackable · CPC title

• B65D2519/00034

  Plastic · CPC title

• B65D19/42

  Arrangements or applications of rollers or wheels · CPC title