Snack pallet assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12048383-B2
Application number	US-202318221999-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 14, 2023
Priority date	Oct 25, 2017
Publication date	Jul 30, 2024
Grant date	Jul 30, 2024

Abstract

A pallet assembly including a plurality of trays separated by supports is provided. Each of the supports includes a rectangular portion and a wing portion. The wing portion is formed from two layers of materials connected together by a locking tab or other suitable means. The wing portion can include a first portion and a second portion at an angle with respect to the first portion. A tab can be used to facilitate placing the first portion of the wing at the angle with respect to the second portion of the wing.

First claim

We claim:

1. A pallet assembly comprising:
a tray having a rectangular upper surface with a first corner, a second corner, a third corner and a fourth corner, a first side wall, a second side wall, a third side wall and a fourth side wall;
a first corner support having a first panel and a second panel connected to the first panel by a fold line wherein the fold line can facilitate positioning the first panel at a 90° angle with respect to the second panel, the first corner support including a first partial cut portion at a lower portion of the first panel and a second partial cut portion at a lower portion of the second panel to enable a lower corner portion of the first corner support to extend over and contact an outer surface of the first side wall and the fourth side wall of the tray.

2. The pallet assembly of claim 1 wherein the first support has an upper tab extending upward from a top portion of the first support.

3. The pallet assembly of claim 2 wherein the tab includes a first portion connected to the first panel and a second portion connected to the second panel.

4. The pallet assembly of claim 3 wherein the first support includes a first recess configured to receive an upper tab from a like corner portion of another assembly.

5. The pallet assembly of claim 4 wherein the recess includes a first recess portion on the first panel and a second recess portion on the second panel.

6. The pallet assembly of claim 1 wherein the first corner support includes a third panel and a fourth panel.

7. The pallet assembly of claim 6 wherein the first corner support has a rectangular cross-sectional shape.

8. The pallet assembly of claim 1 wherein the first corner support includes a first lower tab extending downward from the first panel and a second lower tab extending downward from the second panel.

9. The pallet assembly of claim 8 wherein the tray includes a first slot for receiving the first lower tab of the first corner support and a second slot for receiving the second lower tab of the first corner support.

10. The pallet assembly of claim 1 further comprising a wing portion connected to the first support, the wing portion extending inwardly on the tray.

11. The pallet assembly of claim 10 wherein the wing portion includes a first layer of material and a second layer of material connected to the first layer of material.

12. The pallet assembly of claim 11 wherein the first layer of material in the wing portion is connected to the second layer of material in the wing portion by a first locking tab.

13. The pallet assembly of claim 10 wherein the wing portion includes a positioning tab for securing a first portion of the wing portion at a right angle with respect to a second portion of the wing portion.

14. The pallet assembly of claim 11 further comprising a second corner support having a first panel and a second panel connected to the first panel by a fold line wherein the fold line can facilitate positioning the first panel at a 90° angle with respect to the second panel, the second corner support including a first partial cut portion at a lower portion of the first panel and a second partial cut portion at a lower portion of the second panel to enable a lower corner portion of the second corner support to extend over and contact an outer surface of the first side wall and the second side wall of the tray.

15. The pallet assembly of claim 14 further comprising a third corner support having a first panel and a second panel connected to the first panel by a fold line wherein the fold line can facilitate positioning the first panel at a 90° angle with respect to the second panel, the third corner support including a first partial cut portion at a lower portion of the first panel and a second partial cut portion at a lower portion of the second panel to enable a lower corner portion of the third corner support to extend over and contact an outer surface of the second side wall and the third side wall of the tray.

16. The pallet assembly of claim 15 further comprising a fourth corner support having a first panel and a second panel connected to the first panel by a fold line wherein the fold line can facilitate positioning the first panel at a 90° angle with respect to the second panel, the fourth corner support including a first partial cut portion at a lower portion of the first panel and a second partial cut portion at a lower portion of the second panel to enable a lower corner portion of the fourth corner support to extend over and contact an outer surface of the third side wall and the fourth side wall of the tray.

17. The pallet assembly of claim 16 wherein each of the first corner support, second corner support, third corner support and fourth corner supper include a wing portion extending inwardly onto the tray.

18. The pallet assembly of claim 17 further comprising a top cap.

19. The pallet assembly of claim 10 wherein the wing portion includes a first downwardly extending tab that cooperates with a slot in the tray.

20. The pallet assembly of claim 1 wherein the tray and the first support are formed from corrugated paper.

Assignees

• Menasha Corp

Inventors

• Mertz Ii William J
• Clark Brad L

Classifications

• A47B87/0246

  Shelves stackable by means of separate vertical distance-holders therebetween (A47B87/0223 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B65D71/0096

  the dimensions of the supports corresponding to the periphery of the load, e.g. pallets · CPC title

• B65D2571/00055

  Clapping elements, also placed on the side · CPC title

• A47F5/116

  Shelving racks · CPC title

• A47F5/118

  Combinations of cardboard and other materials, e.g. wood · CPC title