Pallet with laminate blocks

Abstract

A wood pallet is disclosed. The pallet includes a top deck for receiving a load, a bottom deck, at least two spaced-apart stringers extending longitudinally between the ends of the pallet, and a plurality of spacer blocks attached to the stringers. The stringers and the spacer blocks are situated between the top deck and the bottom deck to maintain the decks in a spaced relationship. The plurality of spacer blocks comprise laminate blocks of glued wood components. The glue lines of the laminate spacer blocks are substantially perpendicular to the stringers and the grain of each of the wood components runs in the same direction as one another and against the width dimension of the spacer block.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001] Pallets are extensively used in the loading, stacking and storing of articles. A typical pallet includes spaced, parallel horizontal top and bottom decks attached to two or more longitudinally extending, transversely spaced apart stringers or stringerboards interposed between the decks, to which are attached a plurality of spacer blocks to maintain space between the top and bottom decks. Loaded pallet units are typically conveyed by means of fork lifts having tines that are inserted at spaced locations between the top and bottom decks of the pallet. Although pallets are designed to withstand shock and heavy loads, because of damage due to rough handling they often have limited lives. [0002] The spacer blocks used in pallets have heretofore primarily been solid timber. However, solid timber spacer blocks are subject to several drawbacks. For example, a fork lift's tines may on occasion inadvertently ram the spacer blocks of the pallet instead of bei...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

Although pallets are designed to withstand shock and heavy loads, because of damage due to rough handling they often have limited lives.

However, solid timber spacer blocks are subject to several drawbacks.

For example, a fork lift's tines may on occasion inadvertently ram the spacer blocks of the pallet instead of being received into the spaces of the pallet designed to receive the tines.

Furthermore, solid timber may be difficult to thoroughly dry without causing splitting at the perimeter of the timber block.

This results in the possibility of season checks through which moisture is relieved from the wood, creating large weak points that can cause pre-mature failure of the spacer block, and hence the pallet.

The presence of moisture in the timber also creates the possibility for mold growth, which may be undesirable, particularly in pallets used by the food industry for storing and transporting food.

These pallets have decreased strength compared to pallets constructed with timber spacer blocks and other deficiencies.

Images