shipping pallet foot and shipping pallet

Abstract

The invention relates to a pallet foot (2), the pallet foot (2) comprising at least one sheet of cardboard (1) folded to form a plurality of folds stacked one on top of the other in a stacking direction (O1). The cardboard sheet (1) is of the textured type, i.e., corrugated or honeycomb, for example. The folds thus formed are stacked one on top of the other and held together by at least one storage nail (21) passing through all or part of the folds to hold them against each other. The storage nail (21) includes retaining means (211) to prevent it from slipping in the stacking direction (O1), such as, for example, rings or a net. Figure to be published with the abstract: Fig. 3

Description

Title of the invention: Transport pallet foot and transport pallet

[0001] The technical context of the present invention is that of the transport of products, and in particular of shipping containers for such transport, made of corrugated cardboard. More specifically, the invention relates to a transport pallet foot and a transport pallet comprising such feet.

[0002] In general, the invention relates to shipping crates made, partially or entirely, of corrugated cardboard. More specifically, the invention relates to high-durability feet, such as those used for pallets or shipping crates.

[0003] In the prior art, wooden pallets are known which consist of a wooden deck—typically made of plywood or oriented strand board—supported by widely spaced wooden legs to accommodate the forks of a forklift or pallet jack. Such pallets are heavy and expensive to manufacture. Furthermore, a drawback of such wooden pallets is the risk of insect infestation during use, in trucks during transport, or in warehouses during storage. To avoid this risk and to prevent its spread from one country to another, a fumigation process is known to prevent the proliferation of pests both domestically and internationally. The disadvantage of such treatment lies in the use of environmentally unfriendly chemicals and the additional costs involved.

[0004] Corrugated cardboard pallets are also known, consisting of a cardboard deck supported by feet formed from strips of corrugated cardboard glued together. Such pallets are lighter and less expensive to manufacture, although they are more fragile than wooden pallets when struck by forklift forks or used in humid environments. Furthermore, such cardboard feet can be accidentally torn off the container during transport and / or lateral movement of the container.

[0005] The present invention aims to provide a new pallet foot in order to address at least largely the previous problems and to lead to other advantages.

[0006] Another object of the invention is to propose such a pallet foot which is more rigid and which is more resistant to the stresses of use of a pallet.

[0007] Another object of the invention is to reduce the production costs of such a pallet foot.

[0008] According to a first aspect of the invention, at least one of the aforementioned objectives is achieved with a transport pallet foot, the pallet foot comprising at least one sheet of cardboard folded to form a plurality of folds stacked one on top of the other in a stacking direction, each at least one sheet of cardboard having a plurality of adjacent corrugations housed between two sheets of paper. According to the invention, the pallet foot comprises at least one nail—called a storage nail—passing through at least part of the folds to hold them against each other, the storage nail comprising retaining means configured to prevent the storage nail from sliding in the stacking direction.

[0009] In the context of the present invention, a longitudinal axis, a lateral axis, and a vertical axis are defined with respect to the pallet foot according to the first aspect of the invention. More particularly, the transverse axis is understood as a direction taken between two lateral sides of the pallet foot. Complementarily, the transverse axis is taken between two longitudinal sides of the pallet, that is, perpendicular to two opposite long edges. The adjectives lateral, left, or right refer to such a transverse axis. Furthermore, the longitudinal axis is understood as being taken along a direction extending from front to back or from back to front of the pallet foot. Complementarily, the longitudinal axis is taken between two lateral sides of the pallet, that is, perpendicular to two opposite short edges. The longitudinal axis is perpendicular to the transverse axis. The adjectives front, front, and back refer to this longitudinal axis.Finally, the vertical axis is understood as being taken along an axis extending between a lower and an upper face of the pallet foot. Additionally, the vertical axis is taken between the pallet feet and a pallet loading platform, that is, perpendicular to said loading platform. The vertical axis is simultaneously perpendicular to the transverse axis and the longitudinal axis. The adjectives above and below, lower and upper, or bottom and top refer to this vertical axis.

[0010] In addition, a stacking direction is also defined in the pallet base frame of reference, the stacking direction being defined by the direction around which the cardboard sheets are folded or rolled and stacked one on top of the other. In the context of the invention, the stacking direction coincides or substantially coincides with the vertical axis.

[0011] In the context of the present invention, a cardboard sheet is made of a rigid or semi-rigid material manufactured primarily from cellulose fibers, such as, for example, wood pulp or recycled paper. The cardboard sheet is thicker, denser, and stronger than a sheet of paper. In the context of the present invention, the cardboard sheet used to form the pallet foot is of the corrugated cardboard type, that is to say, comprising one or more layers, Each layer comprises one or more corrugated sheets bonded between flat sheets, or is of the honeycomb type, meaning it has a honeycomb structure formed by interlayer walls sandwiched between two flat sheets. Preferably, the cardboard sheet is of the triple-wall corrugated type (CAA). Such a cardboard sheet has three layers of flutes to provide better resistance to crushing, stacking, and impact. By way of non-limiting example, for such a cardboard sheet, the first flute has a thickness of between 3.5 mm and 4 mm, while the other two flutes have a thickness of between 4.5 mm and 5 mm.

[0012] In the context of the present invention, the pallet foot is formed by several folds of cardboard sheet, or by several folds formed by several sheets of cardboard interleaved with one another, so as to form a three-dimensional structure, such as, for example, a parallelepiped. The different folds are stacked one on top of the other along the stacking direction. Thus, the cardboard sheet(s) are used to provide sufficient rigidity—particularly along the stacking direction—to support the weight of the pallet and the object placed on it.

[0013] In the context of the present invention, the folds thus formed are held together by means of the storage nail which passes through all or part of said folds. The storage nail makes it possible to maintain the arrangement of cardboard sheet(s) in their folded form, without them detaching or unfolding from one another. This advantageous configuration allows for greater modularity and flexibility in managing production flows.

[0014] In the context of the present invention, the storage nail has longitudinal elongation and a refined profile so as to easily penetrate the various folds. The storage nail thus makes it possible to produce the pallet foot according to the invention independently of the production of an entire pallet. The storage nail includes retaining means that hold the storage nail in position within the various folds formed by the pallet foot, and also prevent the folds from detaching or becoming free from one another. The retaining means can be of any shape. Generally, the retaining means have an elongation perpendicular to that of the storage nail, so as to make movement of the storage nail within the stack of cardboard sheet(s) more difficult, or even impossible.

[0015] Thus, the pallet foot conforming to the first aspect of the invention solves the technical problem by allowing for the cheaper and easier manufacture of cardboard pallet feet. Furthermore, the use of corrugated or honeycomb cardboard provides sufficient rigidity for this type of application. Finally, the use of a storage nail allows the pallet foot to be held in a stable and solid conformation, making it suitable for use in the transport and handling sector.

[0016] The pallet foot conforming to the first aspect of the invention advantageously comprises at least one of the improvements below, the technical characteristics forming these improvements being able to be taken alone or in combination:

[0017] - according to a first embodiment, the means of retention include at less an annular or ellipsoidal ring formed along the storage nail. In other words, the retaining means extend perpendicularly or substantially perpendicularly to an axial elongation of the retaining nail. This advantageous configuration reduces or even prevents movement of the storage nail along the stacking direction, thus ensuring that the various layers formed are held securely together.

[0018] - according to a second embodiment, the restraint means comprise at at least one hook located at an axial end opposite a head of the storage nail, the at least one hook being oriented towards the head;

[0019] - a length of the storage nail is greater than half a foot height of pallet, taken along the stacking direction. Preferably, a length of the storage nail is greater than 50% of the height of the pallet foot, taken along the stacking direction. This advantageous configuration makes it possible to hold together the different folds of the pallet foot, without an axial end of the storage nail protruding from the pallet foot. In particular, a length of the storage nail is such that once engaged in at least one folded sheet of cardboard, the head of the storage nail is engaged in a top fold, a body of the storage nail passing through folds located directly below the top fold, an axial end of the storage nail opposite the head being located at most at the level of the penultimate bottom fold, relative to the stacking direction;

[0020] - each at least one sheet of cardboard has a plurality of linear grooves extending between two lateral edges of said cardboard sheet, each linear groove forming a folding zone of the cardboard sheet, such that each fold is delimited by (i) a first folding zone, (ii) a surface bearing portion extending along a horizontal plane, the surface bearing portion being located in the direct extension of the first folding zone, along a direction of the cardboard sheet perpendicular to an elongation of the corresponding groove, (iii) a second folding zone, located at a distance from the first folding zone and extending beyond the surface bearing portion, and (iv) a reinforcing portion extending along a substantially vertical plane, the reinforcing portion being located in the direct extension of the second folding zone, along a direction of the cardboard sheet. perpendicular to an elongation of the corresponding groove. In the context of the present invention, each folding zone is delimited by two linear grooves extending parallel to each other, from one lateral edge of the cardboard sheet to the other. Thus, each folding zone allows the portion of the cardboard sheet associated with said folding zone to be oriented at an angle relative to the preceding portion of the cardboard sheet, located on the other side of the folding zone. Preferably, the folding zone allows a 90° fold to be formed, so as to alternate successively horizontal portions – the surface support portions – and vertical portions – the reinforcement portions;

[0021] - the flutes of each sheet of cardboard are arranged in a direction parallel to the two lateral edges between which the grooves of each folding zone are arranged. This advantageous configuration ensures that, at each reinforcement part of the pallet foot, the grooves extend in a vertical or substantially vertical direction, thus providing the required rigidity for the pallet foot;

[0022] - the storage nail extends through the surface bearing parts by at least a portion of the folds of at least one sheet of cardboard. This advantageous configuration prevents the storage nail from protruding from the foot of the pallet, while keeping together the various folds thus formed;

[0023] - according to a first embodiment, the pallet foot comprises a single a sheet of cardboard rolled up in a spiral, the grooves of all the folding areas being formed from the same sheet of paper of said sheet of cardboard.

[0024] - according to a second embodiment, the pallet foot comprises a single a sheet of cardboard, the folds being alternated with respect to each other, so that the grooves of the folding areas are alternately formed from a lower sheet of paper of said cardboard sheet and from an upper sheet of paper of said cardboard sheet. This advantageous configuration is particularly simple to manufacture, since it consists of a clever folding of a well-oriented sheet of cardboard;

[0025] According to a third embodiment, the pallet foot comprises (i) a first sheet of cardboard having several plies which together form a "C-shaped" conformation in a plane containing the stacking direction, and (ii) a second sheet of cardboard having several plies which together form a "3-shaped" conformation in a plane containing the stacking direction, the second sheet being intercalated within the "C-shaped" conformation of the first sheet, the storage nail passing through both the first and second sheets of cardboard. In the context of the present invention, the conformations are here considered in a cross-sectional plane of the pallet foot, taken along the axis vertical. The second sheet is inserted into the first sheet, so that the middle branch of the "3" is interposed between the two branches of the "C" and that the upper and lower branches of the "3" are located on either side of the upper and lower branches of the "C" respectively.

[0026] According to a second aspect of the invention, a storage pallet is proposed comprising:

[0027] - a cardboard plate forming a storage surface on the storage pallet;

[0028] - a plurality of pallet feet conforming to the first aspect of the invention or according to one of its improvements, an upper fold of each pallet foot being glued against the cardboard plate, and each pallet foot being held to the cardboard plate by at least two fixing nails extending from the cardboard plate and through said cardboard plate and the pallet foot below.

[0029] The pallet according to the second aspect of the invention advantageously comprises at least one of the improvements below, the technical characteristics forming these improvements being able to be taken alone or in combination:

[0030] - the pallet feet are located near a peripheral edge of the plate cardboard. This advantageous configuration allows for a free space to be created under the pallet to allow the insertion of the forks of a pallet truck;

[0031] - the pallet feet comprise (i) four end feet located close (ii) at least two intermediate feet located along a peripheral edge of the cardboard plate and between the end feet, said intermediate feet being fixed to the cardboard plate by four fixing nails extending both through the cardboard plate and the intermediate foot below;

[0032] - the storage pallet includes at least one reinforcing plate associated with the cardboard plate. Each at least one reinforcement plate is an internal reinforcement plate located within the crate supported by the pallet. The reinforcement plate is made of cardboard or wood. By way of non-limiting examples, the wooden reinforcement plate is advantageously made of plywood or oriented strand board. Preferably, the pallet includes the cardboard plate against which the feet are glued, then a first reinforcement plate forming a crate base, and through which the pallet feet are nailed using at least two fixing nails. Then, if necessary, a second reinforcement plate is affixed against the first reinforcement plate to increase the rigidity of the crate base. If the second reinforcement plate is made of cardboard, then it is preferably stapled to the first reinforcement plate and the cardboard plate, and possibly to the pallet feet. On the other hand, if the second reinforcement plate is made of wood, then it is preferably nailed to the first reinforcement plate and the cardboard plate, and possibly to the pallet feet, using fixing nails;

[0033] - the storage pallet includes at least one ski extending under the feet of pallets, relative to the cardboard sheet, each with at least one ski connecting at least two adjacent pallet feet, said skis being glued against said pallet feet. This advantageous configuration strengthens the pallet feet and makes them more robust and durable in a humid environment.

[0034] Various embodiments of the invention are provided, incorporating, according to all their possible combinations, the different optional features set out here.

[0035] Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description on the one hand, and from several illustrative and non-limiting examples of embodiments given with reference to the accompanying schematic drawings on the other hand, in which:

[0036] [Fig.1] illustrates a schematic side view of a sheet of cardboard used in the context of the invention;

[0037] [Fig.2] illustrates a schematic view of an unfolded view of a pallet foot according to the invention;

[0038] [Fig.3] illustrates a cross-sectional and profile view of a first example of embodiment of a pallet foot conforming to the first aspect of the invention;

[0039] [Fig.4] illustrates a cross-sectional and profile view of a second embodiment of a pallet foot conforming to the first aspect of the invention;

[0040] [Fig. 5] illustrates a cross-sectional and side view of a third embodiment of a pallet foot conforming to the first aspect of the invention;

[0041] [Fig.6] illustrates a three-dimensional view of a first example of the realization of a palette conforming to the second aspect of the invention;

[0042] [Fig.7] illustrates a three-dimensional view of a second embodiment of a pallet conforming to the second aspect of the invention.

[0043] Of course, the features, variants, and different embodiments of the invention can be combined in various ways, provided they are not incompatible or mutually exclusive. In particular, variants of the invention may be conceived comprising only a selection of features, described hereafter in isolation from the other described features, if this selection of features is sufficient to to confer a technical advantage or to differentiate the invention from the prior art.

[0044] In particular, all the variants and embodiments described are combinable with each other if there is no technical obstacle to this combination.

[0045] In the figures, the elements common to several figures retain the same reference.

[0046] In the FIGURES described below, a longitudinal axis X, a lateral axis and a vertical axis Z are defined relative to the foot 2 of pallet 3 according to the invention.

[0047] More specifically, the transverse axis is understood as a direction taken between two lateral sides of the foot 2 of the pallet 3. Complementarily, the transverse axis is taken between two longitudinal sides of the pallet 3, that is, perpendicular to two opposite long edges. The adjectives lateral, left, or right refer to such a transverse axis.

[0048] Furthermore, the longitudinal axis X is understood to be taken along a direction extending from front to back or back to front of the foot 2 of the pallet 3. Additionally, the longitudinal axis X is taken between two lateral sides of the pallet 3, that is, perpendicular to two opposite short edges. The longitudinal axis X is perpendicular to the transverse axis. The adjectives front, front, and back refer to this longitudinal axis X.

[0049] Finally, the vertical axis Z is understood to be taken along an axis extending between a lower face and an upper face of the foot 2 of pallet 3. Additionally, the vertical axis Z is taken between the feet 2 of pallet 3 and a loading platform of pallet 3, that is, perpendicular to said loading platform. The vertical axis Z is simultaneously perpendicular to the transverse axis and the longitudinal axis X. The adjectives above and below, lower and upper, or bottom and top refer to this vertical axis Z.

[0050] In addition, a stacking direction 01 is also defined in the reference frame of the foot 2 of pallet 3, the stacking direction 01 being defined by the direction around which the cardboard sheets 1s are folded or rolled, and stacked one on top of the other. In the context of the invention, the stacking direction 01 coincides or substantially coincides with the vertical axis Z.

[0051] The invention makes it possible to manufacture pallet feet 2 3 solely from a sheet of cardboard 1, an example of which – not limiting – is illustrated in [Fig. 1]. Such a sheet of cardboard 1 is formed of at least one element as illustrated in [Fig. 1], consisting of:

[0052] - from a lower sheet of paper 102;

[0053] - of a top sheet of paper 101;

[0054] - of a corrugated sheet 103 sandwiched between the lower sheet of paper 102 and the upper sheet of paper 101, the corrugated sheet 103 thus forming grooves 15 between said lower sheet of paper 102 and upper sheet of paper 101. The invention is thus based on an ingenious use of these grooves 15 to obtain the rigidity necessary for such a foot 2 of pallet 3.

[0055] Next, the invention proposes to fold such a sheet of cardboard 1 in a clever way in order to form the different folds which will constitute the foot 2 of pallet 3. A first example of folding a sheet of cardboard 1 is illustrated in FIGURES 2 and 3. [Fig.2] illustrates a sheet of cardboard 1 flat and on which the folding areas 12 are shown. [Fig.3] illustrates a first example of making a foot 2 of pallet 3 obtained after folding the sheet of cardboard 1 illustrated in [Fig.2].

[0056] With reference to [Fig. 2], the cardboard sheet 1 has a rectangular shape, the longest side of which extends along the longitudinal axis X. Most importantly, the grooves 15 formed in the cardboard sheet 1 are oriented along the longitudinal axis X, that is, parallel to the lateral sides of the cardboard sheet 1. Furthermore, folding zones 12s are provided at various positions on the cardboard sheet 1. The folding zones form straight segments extending between the two lateral edges 11 of the cardboard sheet 1, preferably perpendicularly. The segments of all the folding zones 12 are parallel to each other.

[0057] Examples of positioning the folding zones 12 on the cardboard sheet 1 are shown for illustrative purposes in [Fig. 2]. Of course, the invention allows for any dimensions to be imagined for such a pallet foot 2 3. However, it should be noted that the distance between two successive folding zones 12s increases from the lower edge of the cardboard sheet 1, shown at the bottom of [Fig. 2], towards the upper edge of the cardboard sheet 1, shown at the top of [Fig. 2]. This advantageous configuration thus compensates for the increasing height of the pallet foot 3 when the cardboard sheet 1 is rolled up on itself, as illustrated in [Fig. 3], during a spiral fold.

[0058] Thus, two successive folding zones 12s define a reinforcing portion 13 of the pallet foot 3, intended to be oriented vertically on the pallet foot 3, and the space between two pairs of folding zones 12 defines a surface support portion 14 of the pallet foot 3, intended to extend horizontally on said pallet foot 3. Also, in a particularly ingenious manner, the orientation of the flutes 15 along the longitudinal axis X of the cardboard sheet 1 used to manufacture the pallet foot 3 leads to the fact that, on the reinforcing portions 13 of said pallet foot 3, the flutes 15 are oriented along the vertical axis Z, thus giving the foot 3 pallet 3 its rigidity following the stacking direction 01 and thus preventing it from collapsing under the weight of pallet 3.

[0059] With reference to FIGURES 3 to 5, the invention thus addresses a pallet foot 2 3 comprising at least one sheet of cardboard 1 folded so as to form a plurality of folds stacked one on top of the other in a stacking direction 01, each at least one sheet of cardboard 1 comprising a plurality of adjacent flutes 15 housed between two sheets of paper 101, 102. According to the invention, the pallet foot 2 3 comprises at least one nail - called a storage nail 21 - passing through at least a part of the folds in order to hold them against each other, the storage nail 21 comprising retention means configured to prevent the storage nail 21 from sliding in the stacking direction 01.

[0060] Several examples of implementation are illustrated in FIGURES 3 to 5.

[0061] In the first embodiment shown in [Fig. 3], the foot 2 of pallet 3 comprises a single sheet of cardboard 1 folded upon itself in a spiral. In other words, the various folds formed by the sheet of cardboard 1 are all oriented in the same direction, such that one surface support portion 14 overlaps another, along the stacking direction 01, and such that one reinforcement portion 13 is abutting another, relative to the transverse axis. In this embodiment, the surface support portions 14 and the reinforcement portions 13 have progressively smaller transverse dimensions towards the interior of the foot 2 of pallet 3.

[0062] In this embodiment, all the folding areas 12 are formed from the same sheet of paper as the cardboard sheet 1, for example the lower sheet of paper 102 or the upper sheet of paper 101, as seen in [Fig.2].

[0063] In the second embodiment shown in [Fig. 4], the foot 2 of the pallet 3 comprises a single sheet of cardboard 1 folded over itself in alternating folds. In other words, the different folds formed by the sheet of cardboard 1 are successively oriented in one direction and then in another, so that a surface support portion 14 and a reinforcement portion 13 overlap each other respectively, along the stacking direction 01. In this embodiment, the surface support portions 14 all have the same transverse dimensions, and the reinforcement portions 13 all have the same transverse dimensions.

[0064] In this embodiment, the folding areas 12 are alternately formed on the lower sheet of paper 102 and then on the upper sheet of paper 101.

[0065] In the first embodiment shown in [Fig. 3], the foot 2 of pallet 3 comprises two sheets of cardboard 1, each sheet of cardboard 1 being folded upon itself in a particular shape that allows it to fit into the other sheet of cardboard 1. In particular, a first sheet of cardboard 1 is folded into a The first sheet of cardboard 1 is folded into a "C" shape, while a second sheet of cardboard 1 is folded into a "3" shape. Thus, the various folds formed by the first sheet of cardboard 1 are all oriented in the same direction—they are all formed from the same upper sheet of paper 101 or the lower sheet of paper 102—in order to create two surface support parts 14 connected by a single reinforcing part 13. The two surface parts are positioned at a distance from each other along the stacking direction 01, so as to be able to receive a double fold formed by the second sheet of cardboard 1. The various folds formed by the second sheet of cardboard 1 are oriented in the same direction—they are all formed from the same upper sheet of paper 101 or the lower sheet of paper 102—in order to create two surface support parts 14 connected by a single reinforcing part 13.

[0066] In other words, the various folds formed by the cardboard sheet 1 are all oriented in different directions in order to fold the second cardboard sheet 1 sometimes to one side, sometimes to the other, resulting in the conformation illustrated in [Fig. 4]. To this end, certain folding zones 12s are formed on the upper sheet of paper 101 while other folding zones 12 are arranged on the lower sheet of paper 102. Subsequently, an upper fold and a lower fold of the second cardboard sheet 1 respectively cover an upper fold and a lower fold of the first cardboard sheet 1; and the central double fold of the second cardboard sheet 1 is situated between the two folds of the first cardboard sheet 1. In this embodiment, the surface support parts 14 and the reinforcing parts 13 respectively have dimensions adjusted to allow such a combination.

[0067] In all the embodiments illustrated here, in the foot 2 of pallet 3 according to the invention, the folding areas 12 are formed by grooving or stamping, for example, in particular in order to "break" the flutes 15 at the level of the folding area 12 and to mark the fold more precisely on the sheet of cardboard 1.

[0068] In all the embodiments illustrated herein, and in accordance with the invention in its first aspect, the folds thus formed—by one or more sheets of cardboard 1—are held together by a storage nail 21 which passes through at least part of said folds along the stacking direction 01. Typically, for a pallet foot 2 3 approximately 100 mm high, the storage nail 21 measures approximately 60 mm. Optionally, the sheet(s) of cardboard 1 may be glued to reinforce the retention of the multi-ply pallet foot 2 3.

[0069] To prevent the storage nail 21 from being pulled out of the pallet foot 3, the storage nail 21 includes retaining means 211. The retaining means 211 are axial retaining means 211, along the stacking direction 01. In the embodiments illustrated in FIGURES 3 to 5, the retaining means 211 take the form of rings extending along the body 210 of the nail, between its head 212 and an axial end. The rings form platforms extending radially around the body 210 and providing support and retention surfaces in the cardboard sheet 1, at each fold traversed by the storage nail 21. Thus, according to this preferred embodiment of the invention, the storage nail 21 is of the ringed nail type.

[0070] With reference to FIGURES 6 and 7, such feet 2 of pallet 3 are used to form paper pallets 3, according to a second aspect of the invention. Such pallets 3 comprise:

[0071] - a cardboard plate 31 forming a storage surface on the pallet 3 of storage. Optionally, the cardboard plate 31 is reinforced by a reinforcing plate glued onto the cardboard plate 31, to reinforce the base of pallet 3;

[0072] - several pallet feet 2 of pallet 3 as described above, an upper fold of each foot 2 of pallet 3 being glued against the cardboard plate 31, and each foot 2 of pallet 3 being held to the cardboard plate 31 by at least two fixing nails which extend from the cardboard plate 31 and through said cardboard plate 31 and the foot 2 of pallet 3 located below.

[0073] The fastening nails advantageously include retaining means 211 to ensure durable fastening of the foot 2 against the cardboard plate 31 and to prevent uncontrolled extraction of the fastening nail. For example, the fastening nail is of the type of a storage nail 21, i.e., for example, of the ringed nail type.

[0074] The fixing nails are significantly longer than the storage nails 21 in order to pass through both the cardboard plate 31 and part of the folds of the pallet foot 3 located below. For example, for feet 2 that are 100 mm high, the fixing nail measures approximately 90 mm.

[0075] The storage nail 21 is preferably placed at the center of the pallet foot 2 of pallet 3, relative to the longitudinal axis X and the transverse axis. The fixing nails are located near the center of the shelf foot 2, around the storage nail 21.

[0076] For a given palette 3, we distinguish:

[0077] - four feet 2 of ends located near each corner of the plate carton 31, the carton plate 31 having a rectangular shape, said end feet 2 being fixed to the carton plate 31 by four fixing nails which extend both through the carton plate 31 and the end foot 2 located below;

[0078] - possibly, depending on the length of the pallet 3, at least two feet 2 intermediate feet located along a peripheral edge of the cardboard plate 31 and between the end feet 2, said intermediate feet 2 being fixed to the cardboard plate 31 by two fixing nails which extend both through the cardboard plate 31 and the intermediate foot 2 located below.

[0079] As seen in [Fig.7], the pallet 3 may also include one or more skis 34 which extend under the feet 2 of the pallet 3, relative to the cardboard plate 31. Each ski 34 connects at least two adjacent feet 2, along a width or a length of the pallet 3. The skis 34 are glued against the feet 2 of pallet 3, and nailed into the feet 2 of pallet 3 from below, using nails having retaining means 211, analogous to the storage nails 21 or the fixing nails mentioned previously.

[0080] The cardboard panel 31 of the pallet 3 is surmounted by a peripheral wall 32 and closed by a lid 33 to protect the transported products. Optionally, strapping bands can be used to keep such a box thus formed closed.

[0081] In summary, the invention relates to a pallet foot 2 for a transport pallet 3, the pallet foot 2 comprising at least one sheet of cardboard 1 folded to form a plurality of folds stacked one on top of the other in a stacking direction 01. The cardboard sheet 1 is of the textured type, i.e., corrugated or honeycomb, for example. The folds thus formed are stacked one on top of the other and held together by at least one storage nail 21 passing through all or part of the folds in order to hold them against each other. The storage nail 21 includes retaining means 211 to prevent it from slipping in the stacking direction 01, such as, for example, rings or a net.

[0082] Of course, the invention is not limited to the examples just described, and many modifications can be made to these examples without departing from the scope of the invention. In particular, the various features, forms, variants, and embodiments of the invention can be combined with one another in various ways, provided they are not incompatible or mutually exclusive. Specifically, all the variants and embodiments described above are combinable.

Claims

Demands

1. Foot (2) of a transport pallet (3), the foot (2) of the pallet (3) comprising at least one sheet of cardboard (1) folded so as to form a plurality of folds stacked one on top of the other in a stacking direction (01), each at least one sheet of cardboard (1) comprising a plurality of adjacent flutes (15) housed between two sheets of paper (101, 102), characterized in that the foot (2) of the pallet (3) comprises at least one nail - referred to as a storage nail (21) - passing through at least a part of the folds in order to hold them against each other, the storage nail (21) comprising retaining means configured to prevent the storage nail (21) from sliding in the stacking direction (01).

2. Foot (2) of pallet (3) according to claim 1, wherein the retaining means comprise at least one annular or ellipsoidal ring arranged along said storage nail (21).

3. Foot (2) of pallet (3) according to claim 1, wherein the retaining means (211) comprise at least one hook located at an axial end opposite a head (212) of the storage nail (21), the at least one hook being oriented towards the head (212).

4. Foot (2) of pallet (3) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein a length of the storage nail (21) is such that when engaged in at least one folded sheet of cardboard (1), the head (212) of the storage nail (21) is engaged in a top fold, a body (210) of the storage nail (21) passing through folds located directly below the top fold, an axial end of the storage nail (21) opposite the head (212) being located at most at the level of the penultimate bottom fold, relative to the stacking direction (01).

5. Foot (2) of pallet (3) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein each at least one sheet of cardboard (1) has a plurality of linear grooves extending between two lateral edges (11) of said sheet of cardboard (1), each linear groove forming a folding zone (12) of the sheet of cardboard (1), such that each fold is delimited by: - ​​a first folding zone (12); - a surface support portion (14) extending along a horizontal plane, the surface support portion (14) being located in the direct extension of the first folding zone (12), along a direction of the cardboard sheet (1) perpendicular to an elongation of the corresponding groove; - a second folding zone (12), located at a distance from the first folding zone (12) and extending beyond the surface support portion (14); - a reinforcement portion (13) extending along a substantially vertical plane, the reinforcement portion (13) being located in the direct extension of the second folding zone (12), along a direction of the cardboard sheet (1) perpendicular to an elongation of the corresponding groove.

6. Foot (2) of pallet (3) according to the preceding claim, wherein the flutes (15) of each sheet of cardboard (1) are arranged in a direction parallel to the two lateral edges (11) between which the grooves of each folding zone (12) are arranged.

7. Foot (2) of pallet (3) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the foot (2) of pallet (3) comprises a single sheet of cardboard (1) spirally wound upon itself, the grooves of all the folding areas (12) being formed from a single sheet of paper of said sheet of cardboard (1).

8. A storage pallet (3) comprising: - a cardboard plate (31) forming a storage surface on the storage pallet (3); - a plurality of pallet feet (2) (3) according to any one of the preceding claims, an upper fold of each pallet foot (2) (3) being glued against the cardboard plate (31), and each pallet foot (2) (3) being held to the cardboard plate (31) by at least two fixing nails extending from the cardboard plate (31) and through said cardboard plate (31) and the pallet foot (2) (3) located below.

9. A pallet (3) according to the preceding claim, wherein the pallet feet (2) (3) comprise: - four end feet (2) located near each corner of the cardboard sheet (31), the cardboard sheet (31) having a rectangular shape, said end feet (2) being fixed to the cardboard sheet (31) by four fixing nails extending both to across the cardboard plate (31) and the end foot (2) located below; - at least two intermediate feet (2) located along a peripheral edge of the cardboard plate (31) and between the end feet (2), said intermediate feet (2) being fixed to the cardboard plate (31) by two fixing nails which extend both through the cardboard plate (31) and through the intermediate foot (2) located below.

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