Pallet and method of manufacturing the same

Abstract

The present invention provides a pallet, comprising: a base layer; a cargo layer, comprising: a pair of spaced end decks; and a pair of spaced middle decks, each of which is connected to the corresponding end deck; and a plurality of spaced support blocks, wherein the plurality of spaced support blocks are coupled between the base layer and the cargo layer and form gaps therebetween for receiving lifting components, wherein the plurality of support blocks include corner support blocks and center support blocks between the corner support blocks, wherein each of the corner support blocks and the center support blocks has a rectangular shape of the same size, and the center support block is orthogonal to the corner support blocks.

Description

[0001] This application is a divisional application based on the patent application of the applicant CHEP Technology Co., Ltd., whose application date is July 25, 2018, application number is CN2018800519293 (international application number is PCT / US2018 / 043595) and invention name is "Wooden pallet with docking deck and related methods". Technical Field

[0002] The present disclosure relates to the field of pallets, and more particularly to wood pallets, and to related methods for making the same, which have improved resiliency to impacts from material handling equipment. Background Art

[0003] Traditional wooden pallets include a base layer and a cargo layer separated by support blocks. The cargo layer traditionally has end decks assembled on connector boards that run the full length or width of the pallet. The end decks are nailed into the support blocks through the connector boards to build the main structure of the pallet. The end decks are also called lead boards. Intermediate decks are placed between the end decks.

[0004] To move a pallet with cargo on it, forklift tines are inserted into the gap between the base and the cargo layer. If the forklift is not stopped in time, the forklift may crash into one of the end decks of the pallet. The end decks may not be able to withstand such impacts over time. Accidents such as these weaken the pallet and significantly shorten the life of the pallet, thus causing the pallet to be repaired more often and / or taken out of service before its expected life cycle is reached. Summary of the invention

[0005] According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a pallet, comprising: a base layer; a cargo layer, comprising: a pair of spaced-apart end decks; and a pair of spaced-apart middle decks, each of which is connected to a corresponding end deck; and a plurality of spaced-apart support blocks, the plurality of spaced-apart support blocks being coupled between the base layer and the cargo layer and forming gaps therebetween for receiving lifting members, the plurality of support blocks comprising corner support blocks and center support blocks between the corner support blocks, the corner support blocks and each of the center support blocks having a rectangular shape of the same size and defining their own length directions, and the length directions of the center support blocks being orthogonal to the length directions of the corner support blocks.

[0006] According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for manufacturing a pallet, comprising: providing a base layer; providing a cargo layer, the cargo layer comprising: a pair of spaced-apart end decks; and a pair of spaced-apart middle decks, each of which is butted against a corresponding end deck; and coupling a plurality of spaced-apart support blocks between the base layer and the cargo layer to form a gap therebetween for receiving a lifting member, the plurality of support blocks comprising corner support blocks and a center support block between the corner support blocks, and each of the corner support blocks and the center support blocks having a rectangular shape of the same size and defining their own length direction, and the length direction of the center support block is orthogonal to the length direction of the corner support blocks. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0007] Figure 1 is a top perspective view of a wood pallet with butt-jointed decks according to the present disclosure.

[0008] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 Bottom perspective view of the wooden pallet shown in .

[0009] Figure 3 yes Figure 1 Top view of the wooden pallet shown in .

[0010] Figure 4 yes Figure 1 Bottom view of the wooden pallet shown in .

[0011] Figure 5 yes Figure 1 End view of the wooden pallet shown in .

[0012] Figure 6 yes Figure 1 Side view of the wooden pallet shown in . DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0013] This description is made with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which exemplary embodiments are shown. However, many different embodiments may be used, and therefore this description should not be interpreted as being limited to the particular embodiments listed herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be complete and intact. Like numbers refer to like components throughout.

[0014] refer to Figure 1-6 , the illustrated wooden pallet 10 includes a base layer 20, a cargo layer 30, and a plurality of wooden support blocks 40, 46 coupled between the base layer and the cargo layer. The support blocks 40, 46 form a gap 50 between the base and cargo layers 20, 30 for receiving a lifting member, such as a forklift tines.

[0015] The cargo layer 30 includes a pair of spaced apart wooden end decks 32 and a pair of wooden middle decks 34 between the end decks. More specifically, each end deck 32 and the adjacent middle deck 34 abut each other. Pallet durability is significantly improved by having the end decks 32 abut the adjacent middle decks 34.

[0016] Also included in the cargo layer 30 is a pair of spaced-apart wooden connector plates 36 and wooden intermediate connector plates 37. The connector plates 36 and intermediate connector plates 37 are orthogonal to the end decks 32 and the middle decks 34. The end decks 32 and the middle decks 34 are positioned on the connector plates 36.

[0017] The foundation layer 20 includes bottom decks 22, 26 that are oriented in the same direction as the end decks 32 and the middle decks 34 in the cargo layer 30. The bottom decks 22, 26 are directly coupled to the support blocks 40, 46.

[0018] The support blocks shown include corner support blocks 40 and center support blocks 46 between the corner support blocks 40. The corner support blocks 40 and center support blocks 46 each have a rectangular shape of the same size and define a respective length direction, and the length direction of the center support block 46 is orthogonal to the length direction of the corner support blocks 40. The rectangular shape has unequal adjacent sides so that the length and width of the rectangular shaped corner support blocks 40 are not equal as in the square shaped corner support blocks 40.

[0019] The bottom deck includes a pair of bottom end decks 22 and a bottom center deck 26 between the pair of bottom end decks 22. The width of the bottom center deck 26 is greater than that of the bottom end decks 22.

[0020] In other embodiments, the corner support blocks 40 and the center support blocks 46 may have a rectangular or circular shape. When the support blocks 40 , 46 are the same size, the width of the bottom center deck 26 is equal to the width of the bottom end deck 22 .

[0021] In the illustrated wood pallet 10, each end deck 32 and the corresponding middle deck 34 abutting therewith have the same size. For example, the width of the end deck 32 and the middle deck 34 abutting therewith may be, for example, 145 mm. In another example, the width may be 78 mm.

[0022] In other embodiments, the sizes of each end deck 32 and the corresponding middle deck 34 are different. For example, the width of the end deck 32 may be 78 mm and the width of the corresponding middle deck 34 may be 98 mm.

[0023] Conventionally, the middle decks in a wood pallet have a width that is less than the width of the end decks. Additionally, conventionally, there is a gap between the end decks and the adjacent middle decks. In the illustrated wood pallet 10, pallet durability is significantly improved when there is no gap between the end decks 32 and the adjacent middle decks 34, particularly when the end decks 32 and the adjacent middle decks 34 have the same width.

[0024] The cargo layer 30 also includes at least one additional intermediate deck 35 positioned between the intermediate decks 34 that abut the end decks 32. The at least one additional intermediate deck 35 is positioned so that there is a gap between adjacent intermediate decks 34. The dimensions of the end decks 32 and the intermediate decks 34 and the at least one additional intermediate deck 35 positioned between the intermediate decks 34 are selected and spaced so that coverage of the cargo layer 30 is within the range of 70-80 percent of the maximum total surface area of ​​the cargo layer 30 when there is no gap between the boards.

[0025] The width of the at least one additional intermediate deck 35 may be the same as the width of the intermediate deck 34 that abuts the end deck 32. Alternatively, in other embodiments, the at least one additional intermediate deck 35 may have a different width.

[0026] As noted above, the illustrated wood pallet 10 also includes a center support block 46 between the corner support blocks 40. When the support blocks 40, 46 are rectangular in shape, the center support block 46 can be positioned in different orientations of the corner support blocks 40. In other words, the center support block 46 can be at a 90 degree angle to the corner support blocks 40. In other embodiments, the orientation of the center support block 46 can be the same as the orientation of the corner support blocks 40.

[0027] Another feature of the illustrated wood pallet 10 is the angled or chamfered edge of each support block 40. The angled edge 42 may be in the range of about 25 to 75 degrees, for example to deflect the impact force of a forklift tine if such an impact occurs. The illustrated edge is angled at 45 degrees.

[0028] As the edge 42 of each support block 40 is angled, the corresponding outermost edge 38 of the end deck 32 is angled to match the angled edge 42 in the support block 40. The corresponding outermost edge 39 of the connector plate 36 in the cargo layer 30 is angled to also match the angled edge 42 in the support block 40. The corresponding outermost edge 28 of the deck 22 in the base layer 20 is also angled to match the angled edge 42 in the support block 40.

[0029] Another aspect of the present disclosure is directed to manufacturing a wood pallet 10 including a base layer 20, a cargo layer 30, and a pair of spaced apart connector plates 36, the pair of spaced apart connector plates 36 being orthogonal to the pair of spaced apart end decks. The method includes forming the cargo layer 30 so that the cargo layer includes a pair of spaced apart end decks 32, and a pair of intermediate decks 34 between the pair of spaced apart end decks, and each end deck 32 and adjacent intermediate decks 34 abut each other. The method further includes coupling a plurality of spaced apart support blocks 40 between the base and cargo layers 20, 30 and forming gaps therebetween for receiving lifting members.

[0030] Many modifications and other embodiments will come to the attention of those skilled in the art having the benefit of the teachings presented in the foregoing text and the associated drawings. Therefore, it is to be understood that the present disclosure is not limited to the particular embodiments disclosed and that modifications and embodiments are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A pallet, comprising: Base layer; Cargo layer, including: a pair of spaced apart end decks; and a pair of spaced apart intermediate decks, each intermediate deck abutting a respective end deck; and A plurality of spaced-apart support blocks are coupled between the base layer and the cargo layer and form gaps therebetween for receiving lifting members, the plurality of support blocks comprising corner support blocks and central support blocks between the corner support blocks, each of the corner support blocks and the central support blocks having a rectangular shape of the same size and defining a respective length direction, and the length direction of the central support block is orthogonal to the length direction of the corner support blocks.

2. The pallet of claim 1, wherein the cargo layer further comprises a pair of spaced apart connector plates, and each end deck and each intermediate deck are on the pair of connector plates, and each end deck and each intermediate deck are orthogonal to the pair of connector plates.

3. The pallet of claim 1 , wherein each intermediate deck has the same width as the end decks.

4. The pallet of claim 1, wherein the cargo layer further comprises at least one additional intermediate deck between the pair of intermediate decks, and the at least one additional intermediate deck is spaced apart from the pair of intermediate decks.

5. The pallet of claim 4, wherein the base layer comprises a pair of bottom end decks and a bottom center deck between the pair of bottom end decks, and a width of the bottom center deck is greater than a width of the bottom end decks.

6. The pallet of claim 5, wherein the bottom end decks and the bottom center deck are aligned with the end decks and the at least one additional intermediate deck.

7. The pallet of claim 1, wherein each corner support block has spaced-apart upper and lower surfaces and an angled edge extending between the upper and lower surfaces.

8. The pallet of claim 7 wherein the outer corner of each end deck has an angled edge aligned with the angled edge of the corner support block.

9. A pallet according to claim 7, wherein the base layer includes a pair of bottom end decks and a bottom center deck between the pair of bottom end decks, and the outer corners of each bottom end deck have an angled edge, and the angled edge of each bottom end deck is aligned with one of the angled edges of the corner support block.

10. The pallet of claim 1, wherein the base layer comprises a plurality of bottom decks, and each bottom deck is coupled to at least two support blocks and has a beveled edge between the at least two support blocks and a non-beveled edge at each respective support block.

11. A method for manufacturing a pallet, comprising: Provides a base layer; Providing a cargo layer, the cargo layer comprising: a pair of spaced apart end decks; and a pair of spaced apart intermediate decks, each intermediate deck abutting a respective end deck; and A plurality of spaced apart support blocks are coupled between the base layer and the cargo layer to form gaps therebetween for receiving lifting members, the plurality of support blocks comprising corner support blocks and center support blocks between the corner support blocks, and each of the corner support blocks and the center support blocks has a rectangular shape of the same size and defines a respective length direction, and the length direction of the center support block is orthogonal to the length direction of the corner support blocks.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the cargo layer further comprises a pair of spaced apart connector plates, and each end deck and each intermediate deck are on the pair of connector plates, and each end deck and each intermediate deck are orthogonal to the pair of connector plates.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein each intermediate deck has the same width as the end decks.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the cargo layer further comprises at least one additional intermediate deck between the pair of intermediate decks, and the at least one additional intermediate deck is spaced apart from the pair of intermediate decks.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the base layer comprises a pair of bottom end decks and a bottom center deck between the pair of bottom end decks, and a width of the bottom center deck is greater than a width of the bottom end decks.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the bottom end deck and the bottom center deck are aligned with the end decks and the at least one additional intermediate deck.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein each corner support block has spaced-apart upper and lower surfaces and an angled edge extending between the upper and lower surfaces.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the outer corner of each end deck has an angled edge aligned with the angled edge of the corner support block.

19. A method according to claim 17, wherein the base layer includes a pair of bottom end decks and a bottom center deck between the pair of bottom end decks, and the outer corners of each bottom end deck have an angled edge, and the angled edge of each bottom end deck is aligned with one of the angled edges of the corner support block.

20. The method of claim 11, wherein the base layer comprises a plurality of bottom decks, and each bottom deck is coupled to at least two support blocks and has a beveled edge between the at least two support blocks and a non-beveled edge at each corresponding support block.

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