Pallet with tine support elements

Abstract

An improved pallet comprising: a support deck with an upper load contacting surface and a lower ground facing surface; a first and second sidewall, each with ground contacting legs and each connected to two elongate sides of the support deck; a pallet cavity formed below said lower ground facing surface of the support deck and between said first and second sidewalls; and a support element with a tine contacting surface protruding vertically down from the lower ground facing surface of the support deck partially into the pallet cavity but not below the ground contacting legs of the first and second sidewalls.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0001]The present invention relates to the field of material transporting equipment and devices. More specifically, the invention relates to improved pallets for use with transporting devices such pallet jacks as forklifts.BACKGROUND[0002]Pallets are commonly used to secure durable goods during transport between various locations. Typically, a pallet comprises a square or rectangular load bearing surface or deck configured to receive goods for storage and transport. Sidewalls with ground contacting legs extend vertically below the deck forming a space or cavity suitable to engage various types of pallet transporting equipment such as hand pallet trucks, Walkie Pallet Jacks, forklifts, and the like. Pallet transportation equipment commonly includes two elongated forks known as “tines” which are inserted under the pallet deck and into the pallet cavity to raise the pallet off of the ground for transportation.[0003]Recently, pallets with narrow elongated decks and...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The present invention is about a new and improved pallet that can be used without attachments or adapters with traditional warehouse material handling equipment. The pallet has a support deck with a load contacting surface and a ground facing surface. It also has sidewalls with ground contacting legs, a cavity beneath the support deck, and a support element with tine contacting surface. The support element partially enters the cavity and is designed to make contact with standard horizontal and narrow vertical tines from warehouse equipment. The technical effects of this invention are that it provides a versatile and efficient pallet that can be easily used with various material handling equipment without the need for additional attachments or adapters.

Problems solved by technology

While advantageous in certain environments, the high profile design of these new pallets pose an inherent design issue that prevents them from being universally engaged and moved with standard warehouse material handling equipment.

Narrow high profile design (HPD) pallets currently available can only accept warehouse material handling equipment that has been modified with attachments or adapters leading to added expenses and a loss in operation efficiencies.

Some pallet transport operators may attempt to partially insert a single tine using traditional warehouse material handling equipment partially under a HPD pallet resulting in unsafe handling practices which is both dangerous and potentially costly to the distributor.

Another challenge for HPD pallet transport arises due to the inability to properly engage a HPD pallet from the lateral side as the equipment operator is often not able to gauge the appropriate depth of the lift tines into and through the pallet cavity.

In these situations, it is common for the lift operator to engage and lift a pallet with the tines only partially through the pallet thus causing the pallet to be raised at an awkward angle which may damage or break the pallet and may even cause the contents on the pallet deck to fall.

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