Method for loading transported goods and pallet for loading transported goods

Abstract

To provide a method for loading transported goods, which can reduce manual work in loading and unloading transported goods and reduce the cost of recovering pallets.SOLUTION: The method for loading transported goods and pallet for loading transported goods uses a pallet that has an open groove that opens upward and extends from one side, and a fork insertion section that has a portion that does not open upward and extends from the same side as the one side, and a package is placed on the pallet. When lifting only the package loaded on the pallet, the forks of a forklift can be inserted into the open groove to lift only the package, and when lifting both the package and the pallet, the forks of the forklift can be inserted into the fork insertion section to lift both the package and the pallet.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for loading an article and a pallet for loading an article. [Background technology]

[0002] When transporting goods, in order to facilitate the movement of the goods, loading onto trucks, etc., and unloading from trucks, etc., the goods are placed on pallets and moved, loaded, and unloaded together with the pallets using a forklift. Furthermore, when multiple goods are placed on a pallet, stretch film or shrink film is wrapped around the goods and the pallet to prevent the goods from collapsing, thereby integrating the goods and the pallet (see Patent Documents 1 and 2). However, when goods of various shapes are loaded onto a truck using pallets of various sizes, gaps are created, reducing loading efficiency. Furthermore, most trucks return home loaded with goods after unloading at their destination. Therefore, pallets that are transported to their destination along with the goods and unloaded from the truck are left behind at the destination, and retrieving these pallets requires significant expenses. To prevent a decline in loading efficiency and eliminate pallet recovery costs, pallets are used only to lift the transported goods onto the truck bed, and the driver or worker manually unloads the transported goods from the pallet and stacks them on the bed, then removes the empty pallet from the bed and leaves it at the departure point.However, this work is extremely hard and time-consuming for the driver and worker.Therefore, a loading method that reduces the manual work involved in loading and unloading transported goods and also reduces pallet recovery costs was needed.

[0003] Meanwhile, a pallet designed to allow for the use of multi-pronged forks to scoop up only the cargo has been proposed (see Patent Document 3). This pallet is constructed by arranging rectangular cross-section materials in parallel and attaching them to a base to form parallel groove-shaped recesses. These recesses allow for the use of multi-pronged forks to scoop up only the cargo. The rectangular cross-section materials are hollow, allowing for the forklift tines to be inserted into the hollows, or by providing rectangular slots in the lengthwise direction of the rectangular cross-section material so that the forklift tines can be inserted perpendicular to the parallel recesses, allowing the pallet to be moved. However, in order to scoop up the cargo on the pallet without dropping it, multi-pronged forks are required, and even with multi-pronged forks, it is difficult to scoop up and move a stack of multiple cargoes without breaking them down. Furthermore, to scoop up and unload only the cargo at the destination, multi-pronged forks must also be available at the destination. Furthermore, because return cargo is typically different from outbound cargo, even if the outbound cargo is successfully loaded and unloaded, it is difficult to load the return cargo onto the pallet left on the loading platform using the multi-pronged forks in the same way as the outbound cargo. Therefore, it is possible to either remove the pallet from the loading platform and leave it at the destination, or, if the pallet is not removed from the loading platform, manually stack the return cargo on the pallet left on the loading platform. However, in this case, the pallet often has many depressions on the top, which can damage the cargo arranged on the pallet. Furthermore, working on a pallet with many depressions is dangerous for workers. Therefore, it is possible to clear the empty pallet after unloading, manually load the cargo onto the loading platform, and then place the pallet in a corner of the loading platform and return to the departure point, but this defeats the purpose of considering a method of scooping only the cargo from the pallet. Due to these problems, the above-mentioned pallet-based loading method has not been put into practical use. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 6580351 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2022-37899 [Patent Document 3] Japanese Utility Model Application Publication No. 5-92135 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a method for loading articles, which solves the above problems, reduces manual work involved in loading and unloading articles, and reduces the cost of recovering pallets. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The present inventors began to study a loading method for transported items that eliminates manual work in loading and unloading the items and reduces the cost of recovering the pallets even when pallets are used. During their studies, the inventors discovered that, for example, when multiple items, such as cardboard boxes containing products, are stacked two or more levels and loaded onto a pallet, it is possible to reduce the manual work in loading and unloading the items and the cost of recovering the pallets by packaging the items separately from the pallet and then combining them with a pallet of a specific shape, unlike conventional methods. Such a loading method that combines a packaging form with a pallet had not previously been proposed. The packages were packaged in a very simple and easy way, by stacking the packages in each tier so that, in relation to the packages in each tier except the bottom one, more than half of the packages in the tier immediately below each tier overlap at least two of the packages in the tier below, and by arranging the packages in the bottom tier so that when the underside of the package is placed on the forks of a forklift, it lies across the forks at a substantially right angle to the longitudinal direction of the forks, and then wrapping the stacked packages in an elastic film such as stretch film or by wrapping them in a heat-shrinkable film such as shrink film and then shrinking it. In this way, a package containing multiple packages was produced.

[0007] The pallet can have an open groove extending from one side of the pallet, opening upward, for inserting forklift forks to lift only the package, and a fork insertion section extending from the same side as the open groove, i.e., the side from which the open groove originates, and having a non-open portion for inserting forklift forks to lift both the package and the pallet. By integrating multiple items into the pallet as described above, the items can be lifted, moved, and placed on the pallet without causing collapse or damage. In particular, since the items can be lifted, moved, and placed on the pallet using only two forks without using multiple prongs, it is possible to have two open grooves. Furthermore, by integrating multiple items into the pallet as described above, it is possible to have two open grooves on the pallet, thereby reducing the proportion of the groove portion on the pallet and improving the strength of the pallet and the ease and safety of working on the pallet. Thus, the present invention was completed.

[0008] That is, the present invention is specified by the following items. (1) A method of loading a plurality of transported items onto a single pallet by stacking them in two or more layers, the method including arranging the items in the lowest layer so that when the bottom surface of the item is placed on the forks of a forklift, the items cross at least one of the forks at a substantially right angle to the longitudinal direction of the forks, and stacking the items in each layer except the bottom layer so that more than half of the items in the upper layer overlap two or more of the items in the lower layer in relation to the items in each layer immediately below each layer, and then packaging the items using a stretchable or shrinkable film to create a package in which the plurality of transported items are integrated, and using the pallet as the pallet. A method for loading transported goods, comprising: placing a package on a pallet using a pallet having an open groove extending from one side of the pallet that is open upward and a fork insertion section having a portion that is not open upward and extends from the same side as the one side; and loading the package onto the pallet so that when lifting only the package loaded on the pallet, the forks of a forklift can be inserted into the open groove to lift only the package; and when lifting both the package and the pallet, the forks of the forklift can be inserted into the fork insertion section to lift both the package and the pallet. (2) A pallet carrying transported goods, comprising a package in which a plurality of transported goods are stacked and integrated in two or more layers, and a pallet loaded with the packages, wherein the packages are arranged so that when the bottom surface of the bottom transported goods is placed on the forks of a forklift, the bottom transported goods cross at least one of the forks at a substantially right angle to the longitudinal direction of the forks, and the packages are arranged so that, in relation to the goods in each layer except the bottom layer and the goods in the layer immediately below each of the layers, more than half of the goods in the upper layer overlap with two or more of the goods in the lower layer. A pallet for transporting goods, in which each layer of goods is stacked and wrapped using a stretchable or shrinkable film to integrate the multiple goods, and the pallet is equipped with an open groove that opens upward and extends from one side of the pallet, for inserting the forks of a forklift to lift only the goods, and a fork insertion section that has a portion that does not open upward and extends from the same side, for inserting the forks of a forklift to lift both the goods and the pallet. (3) A method for loading transported goods according to (1) above, in which the pallet has two open grooves and two fork insertion sections, the open grooves extending in a straight line from one side of the pallet to the opposite side, having a width greater than the width of the forks of a forklift, and being open upward; the fork insertion sections being located on the pallet below the open grooves, extending in a straight line from the same side as the one side to the opposite side, having a width greater than the width of the forks of a forklift, and having a portion that is not open upward; and the open grooves and the fork insertion sections being arranged so that the width of the overlapping portion of the open groove and the fork insertion sections is greater than the width of the forks of a forklift when viewed from above the pallet. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] The method for loading goods and the pallet for loading goods of the present invention can reduce the manual work involved in loading and unloading goods, and can reduce the cost of recovering the pallet. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an embodiment of a method for stacking transported articles in the present invention. [Figure 2] 2(a) and (b) are diagrams showing one embodiment of a method for winding a stretch film in the present invention, and FIGS. 2(c) and (d) are diagrams showing one embodiment of a gluing location in the present invention. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an embodiment of a method for stacking transported articles in the present invention. [Figure 4] 4(a) and 4(b) are diagrams showing one embodiment of a pallet in the present invention, and FIG. 4(c) is a diagram showing the positional relationship between the open grooves and the fork insertion portions in the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0011] The method for loading transported goods of the present invention is a method for loading transported goods by stacking a plurality of transported goods in two or more tiers and loading them onto a single pallet, the method including arranging the transported goods in the lowest tier so that, when the underside of the transported goods is placed on the forks of a forklift, the transported goods in the lowest tier cross at a substantially right angle to the longitudinal direction of the forks and at least one of the forks; stacking the transported goods in each tier except the lowest tier so that, in relation to the transported goods in the tier immediately below each of the tiers, more than half of the transported goods in the upper tier overlap with two or more of the transported goods in the lower tier; and then packaging the goods using a stretchable or shrinkable film to produce a package in which the plurality of transported goods are integrated; and as the pallet, This method involves placing a package on a pallet that includes an open groove extending from one side of the pallet and a fork insertion section having a non-open portion extending from the same side as the open groove. When lifting only the package on the pallet, the forks of a forklift can be inserted into the open groove to lift the package alone, and when lifting both the package and the pallet, the forks of the forklift can be inserted into the fork insertion section to lift both the package and the pallet. The type and shape of the package in this invention are not particularly limited, but from the perspective of achieving the effects of the invention, it is preferable that the shape be a rectangular parallelepiped (including a cube). The rectangular parallelepiped shape of the package includes cases where the products to be transported are rectangular and are stacked as they are, and cases where products are stored in rectangular parallelepiped containers and the rectangular parallelepiped containers are stacked. When products are stored in containers, the shape of the products is not particularly limited. The material of the container is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include paper such as cardboard, wood, metal, etc. Examples of the container include cardboard boxes, wooden boxes, metal boxes, etc. For example, in the case of cardboard boxes, slight distortion occurs even in the case of a rectangular parallelepiped, but the term "rectangular parallelepiped" in the present invention also includes a state in which distortion that generally occurs in containers such as cardboard boxes occurs.

[0012] In the present invention, the objects are stacked in a specific stacking manner in which, in relation to the objects on each tier except the bottom tier and the tier immediately below each tier, more than half (i.e., more than 50%) of the objects on the upper tier overlap with two or more of the objects on the lower tier. For example, in relation to the second-lowest tier and the tier immediately below it, the first-lowest tier (the bottom tier), if six objects are lined up on the upper tier (i.e., the second-lowest tier), more than half of the objects on the upper tier, i.e., three or more objects, are stacked with two or more of the objects on the lower tier. In other words, instead of stacking one object on each of the objects on the first tier from the bottom, the objects are stacked so that at least three of the objects on the second-lowest tier are in contact with and overlap at least two of the objects on the first tier. Similarly, when six items are lined up on the upper tier (i.e., the third tier from the bottom) in relation to the third tier from the bottom and the tier immediately below it, the items are stacked so that more than half of the items on the upper tier, i.e., three or more items, overlap with two or more items on the lower tier. In other words, instead of stacking one item on each of the items on the second tier from the bottom in the third tier from the bottom, the items are stacked so that at least three of the items on the third tier from the bottom are overlapping and touching at least two of the items on the second tier. The same applies to the fourth tier and above from the bottom. In the present invention, it is preferable to stack the items so that, in relation to the items on each tier except the bottom tier and the items on the tier immediately below each tier, 60% or more of the items on the upper tier overlap with two or more of the items on the lower tier.

[0013] Furthermore, in the present invention, the items on the lowest tier are arranged so that when the underside of the item is placed on the forks of a forklift, the items cross at least one of the forks at approximately right angles to the longitudinal direction of the forks. By arranging the items on the lowest tier so that the items cross at least one of the forks at approximately right angles to the longitudinal direction of the forks of the forklift inserted under the bottom surface of the lowest tier, the weight of the items is evenly distributed across the forks, and even if there is no support plate or pallet under the items on the lowest tier, the lowest tier can be stabilized when the package is lifted by the forks of the forklift by packaging only with film, as described below. In the present invention, it is sufficient to arrange the items on the lowest tier so that, when their undersides are placed on the forks of a forklift, at least half of the items cross at least one of the forks at approximately right angles to the longitudinal direction of the forks. However, from the perspective of further stabilizing the lowest tier, it is preferable to arrange the items on the lowest tier so that, when their undersides are placed on the forks of a forklift, they cross at least one of the forks at approximately right angles to the longitudinal direction of the forks. Here, arranging the items so that they cross at least one fork means, in the case of two forks, arranging the items so that each item crosses one fork or both forks. In the present invention, by stacking the items on each tier except the bottom tier, i.e., the items on the second tier and beyond, as described above, the items support each other to prevent the load from shifting. In the present invention, the number of tiers to be stacked is not particularly limited as long as it is two or more, and can be determined appropriately depending on the height of the luggage compartment of the truck into which the items are loaded. In order to maximize the effects of the present invention, the number of layers in which the transported goods are stacked is preferably 3 or more, 4 or more, or 5 or more, and the stacking height is preferably 2 m or less or 3.5 m or less in order to ensure the stability of the stacked transported goods.

[0014] In the present invention, the stacked transported items are packaged and integrated using a stretchable or shrinkable film. Examples of stretchable films include stretch films, and stretch films typically used for stretch films can be used. Examples of shrinkable films include films that shrink when exposed to heat, ultraviolet light, or the like. Examples of films that shrink when exposed to heat include shrink films, and shrink films typically used for shrink films can be used. When using a stretchable film such as a stretch film, the stacked transported items can be integrated by wrapping the film around the sides of the stacked transported items. When using a shrinkable film such as a shrink film, the stacked transported items can be integrated by wrapping the sides of the stacked transported items with the film and shrinking them with heat or the like. The stretchable or shrinkable film need only be wrapped around the sides of the stacked transported items, but wrapping it so that it also covers part of the top surface can further stabilize the transported items. In the present invention, by using the specific stacking method described above, the packaging of the stacked items can be prevented from collapsing when the package is lifted with a fork, even without wrapping the bottom surface of the stacked items with film, making packaging with film extremely easy. However, the present invention does not exclude wrapping part or all of the bottom surface of the stacked items with film. In the present invention, it is preferable to package and integrate multiple stacked items by wrapping them with stretch film. Using stretch film allows the items to be packaged without denting or crushing the corners, even if they are in a weak box such as a cardboard box. Stretch film can be wrapped horizontally or diagonally around the sides of the stacked items to integrate them, for example.In the present invention, it is preferable that all of the transported items to be packaged have the same size and shape, but transported items of different sizes and shapes may be mixed among the transported items to the extent that the relationship between the transported items in each stage in the present invention is satisfied and a package can be produced that is integrated using a stretchable or shrinkable film. The transported items may also be adhered or bonded to each other as an auxiliary measure using a pressure-sensitive adhesive, adhesive, etc. The pressure-sensitive adhesive, adhesive, etc. is preferably a type that has a light adhesive or light bondability that allows the transported items to be easily separated with the application of a small amount of force, or a type that loses its adhesiveness or bondability when the transported items are separated, and it is preferable to use these for temporary adhesion or temporary bonding.

[0015] The pallet of the present invention includes an open groove extending from one side of the pallet and opening upward, and a fork insertion section extending from the same side as the one side and having a portion that is not opening upward. The overall shape of the top and bottom surfaces of the pallet is preferably rectangular for loading efficiency when loading onto a truck or other loading platform, but can be appropriately selected depending on the shape of the transported object and the shape of the truck or other loading platform. The width of the pallet can also be appropriately selected depending on the size of the package to be placed on the pallet and the shape of the truck or other loading platform. The material of the pallet is not particularly limited, and examples include wood, resin, and metal. The open groove of the present invention has a width greater than the width of the forks of a forklift and a depth greater than the thickness of the forks, so that the forks of a forklift can be inserted from the side of the pallet when the package of the transported object is placed on the pallet. The open groove is open upward so that the inserted forks can be lifted when the package is removed from the pallet, and so that the forks can be lowered into the open groove from above when the package is placed on the pallet. The range that is open upward may be the range of the length through which the forks are inserted or greater than the range of the length through which the forks are inserted. In the present invention, two open grooves are sufficient to accommodate two forks, but three or more open grooves are also acceptable. However, from the viewpoints of minimizing the area of ​​the open grooves, making the top surface of the pallet as flat as possible, and increasing the strength of the pallet, two open grooves are preferred. The open groove in the present invention has an open portion on one side surface and extends linearly from that point so that the forks of a forklift can be inserted from the side of the pallet. The open groove in the present invention may extend from the side surface that serves as the starting point to the opposite side surface and have an open portion on the opposite side surface, or it may not extend to the opposite side surface and have no open groove formed around the opposite side surface.From the viewpoint of minimizing the area of ​​the open groove, making the top surface of the pallet as flat as possible, and increasing the strength of the pallet, the length of the open groove need only be the length necessary to support the underside of the package with the forks of a forklift, and the area around the opposing side may be flat with no open groove formed thereon, or may have an open portion on the opposing side that penetrates all the way to the opposing side so that the forks of a forklift can reach the opposing side or penetrate through the opposing side and be inserted.

[0016] The fork insertion portion of the present invention extends linearly from the same side as the side where the open groove begins. Therefore, the direction in which the forklift forks are inserted when loading a pallet with packages onto the bed of a truck or the like and the direction in which the forklift forks are inserted when lifting and unloading the packages from the bed of the truck or the like, leaving the pallet behind, can be the same, facilitating loading and unloading. The fork insertion portion of the present invention may be a groove that opens downward or a hole that does not open downward, but it has an opening on the side where the forklift forks start. The fork insertion portion of the present invention may extend from the side where the fork insertion portion begins to the opposite side and have an opening on the opposite side, or it may not extend all the way to the opposite side, as long as it is long enough to support the underside of the pallet with the forklift forks. Because the fork insertion portion of the present invention has a portion that does not open upward, when the fork of the inserted forklift is raised, the fork hits the open portion and lifts the pallet. The portion of the fork insertion section that is not open upward, i.e., the portion that the fork contacts when the fork is raised, may be sufficient to support the underside of the pallet with the fork from the perspective of strength, etc. The portion of the fork insertion section that is not open upward does not have to be the entire upper surface of the fork insertion section; i.e., only a portion of the upper surface of the fork insertion section may be open upward, or it may be the entire upper surface of the fork insertion section; i.e., the fork insertion section does not have to have an open portion upward, but may be an insertion section with an upper surface that is not open upward. In this invention, the upper side when the pallet is placed on a flat surface with the open groove facing up is referred to as the "upper" side, and the lower side is referred to as the "lower" side. Furthermore, the upper side, lower side, upper surface, and lower surface are also referred to as the "upper" side and the lower side when the pallet is placed in the same manner. The width of the groove when the fork insertion section is groove-shaped, and the width or diameter of the hole when the fork insertion section is hole-shaped, are greater than the width of the fork of the forklift, and the depth of the groove when the fork insertion section is groove-shaped, and the height or diameter of the hole when the fork insertion section is hole-shaped, are greater than the thickness of the fork.

[0017] In the method for loading transported items of the present invention, multiple transported items are stacked to create an integrated package as described above, and the package is then placed on the forks of a forklift and transported to a pallet placed in a warehouse or the like. The forks are then lowered into the open grooves of the pallet and pulled out of the open grooves, allowing the package to be placed on the pallet. When loading onto a truck or the like, the forks of the forklift are inserted into the fork insertion sections of the pallet, the pallet is lifted by raising the forks, and the package is then carried to the bed of the truck or the like and lowered onto the bed. In this state, the transported items and the pallet are transported to the destination. Upon arrival at the destination, the forks of the forklift are inserted into the open grooves of the pallet on the bed and the forks are raised to lift the package alone, and the package is then transported to the specified location. Despite the ease of packaging, the package of the present invention can be raised, lowered, and moved by itself on the forks without collapse, even when the underside of the package is supported by two forks in this way. In the present invention, various transported items can be used as the packages of the present invention, and the packages can be carried and placed on a pallet using a normal two-pronged fork. Therefore, even if the pallet on the loading platform is left as is, it is easy to place the return cargo on the pallet, making it easy to transport the return cargo on the pallet. When the truck returns to the departure point, the packages are unloaded using the same procedure as at the destination, and new packages are loaded in the same manner as above, and transported again to the destination. By using the method for loading transported items of the present invention, such transport can be repeated, eliminating manual labor and eliminating the need to retrieve the pallet. Even if manual labor is required for loading at the destination, using a pallet with two open grooves increases the flat surface on the pallet, improving workability and increasing work safety.

[0018] The article-loaded pallet of the present invention is a pallet that includes a package in which multiple articles are stacked and integrated in two or more tiers, and a pallet on which the packages are loaded, in which the packages are stacked such that at least half of the articles in the upper tier overlap two or more of the articles in the lower tier, relative to the articles in each tier except the bottom tier and the tier immediately below them, and the multiple articles are integrated by being packaged using a stretchable or shrinkable film, and the pallet is equipped with an upwardly opening groove extending from one side of the pallet for inserting forks of a forklift to lift only the package, and a fork insertion section having a portion that is not upwardly opening and extending from the same side for inserting forks of a forklift to lift both the package and the pallet.In the present invention, the article-loaded pallet refers to a combination of the package and the pallet, in which the package is loaded on the pallet in the method for loading articles of the present invention.

[0019] The pallet for loading goods of the present invention is a preferred embodiment of the pallet used in the method for loading goods of the present invention, and is a pallet for loading goods. The pallet has two open grooves and two fork insertion sections. The open groove extends linearly from one side of the pallet to the opposite side, has a width greater than the width of the forks of a forklift, and is open upward. The fork insertion sections are located below the open grooves of the pallet, extend linearly from the same side as the one side to the opposite side, have a width greater than the width of the forks of a forklift, and have a portion that is not open upward. The open grooves and fork insertion sections are positioned so that the width of the overlapping portion between the open grooves and the fork insertion sections is greater than the width of the forks of the forklift when viewed from above the pallet. The pallet material, opening grooves, fork insertion sections, and other structure and materials of the pallet for loading transported goods of the present invention are the same as those of the pallet in the method for loading transported goods of the present invention, but the fork insertion sections are located lower on the pallet than the opening grooves, and are positioned so that the width of the area where the opening grooves and fork insertion sections overlap when viewed from above the pallet is wider than the width of the forks of a forklift.This means that there is no need to change the width of the forks when lifting only the package or when lifting both the package and the pallet, making the work easier and less labor-intensive.In addition, there is no need to change the position where the forks are inserted when lifting only the package or when lifting both the package and the pallet, so in both cases the forks can be inserted at the most stable points on the package, package, and pallet.

[0020] Figure 1 shows one embodiment of a method for stacking packages according to the present invention. Figures 1(a) to 1(d) are top views of the arrangement of boxes for transported goods on each tier, with (a) representing the first tier, (b) representing the second and fifth tiers, (c) representing the third and sixth tiers, and (d) representing the fourth tier. The boxes are stacked from bottom to top in the order of (a) → (b) → (c) → (d) → (b) → (c). In the following description, (a)1 refers to the box numbered 1 in Figure 1(a), and similarly for the others. Boxes (b)1 and (b)2 on the second tier overlap boxes (a)1 and (a)2 on the first tier, respectively, and boxes (b)5 and (b)6 on the second tier overlap boxes (a)5 and (a)6 on the first tier, respectively. That is, four of the six boxes (b)1 to 6 in the second row ((b)1, 2, 5, and 6) each overlap two of the boxes lined up in the first row. Box (c)1 in the third row overlaps boxes (b)1 and (b)2 in the second row, box (c)2 in the third row overlaps boxes (b)1 and (b)3 in the second row, box (c)3 in the third row overlaps boxes (b)2 and (b)5 in the second row, and box (c)5 in the third row overlaps boxes (b)3 and (b)5 in the second row. That is, four of the six boxes (c)1 to 6 in the third row ((c)1, 2, 3, and 5) each overlap two of the boxes lined up in the second row. Box (d)3 in the fourth row overlaps with boxes (c)3 and (c)5 in the third row, box (d)4 in the fourth row overlaps with boxes (c)3 and (c)4 in the third row, box (d)5 in the fourth row overlaps with boxes (c)4 and (c)6 in the third row, and box (d)6 in the fourth row overlaps with boxes (c)5 and (c)6 in the third row. In other words, four of the six boxes (d)1 to 6 in the fourth row ((d)3, 4, 5, and 6) each overlap with two of the boxes lined up in the third row. Box (b)1 in the fifth row overlaps with boxes (d)1 and (d)2 in the fourth row, box (b)2 in the fifth row overlaps with boxes (d)1 and (d)3 in the fourth row, box (b)3 in the fifth row overlaps with boxes (d)2 and (d)3 in the fourth row, box (b)4 in the fifth row overlaps with boxes (d)4 and (d)5 in the fourth row, box (b)5 in the fifth row overlaps with boxes (d)4 and (d)6 in the fourth row, and box (b)6 in the fifth row overlaps with boxes (d)5 and (d)6 in the fourth row. In other words, each of the six boxes (b)1 to 6 in the fifth row overlaps with two of the boxes lined up in the fourth row. The relationship between boxes (c)1 to 6 in the sixth row and boxes (b)1 to 6 in the fifth row is as described above.

[0021] Furthermore, when the boxes are stacked from the bottom up in the order (a) → (b') → (c') → (b') → (c') → (b'), in the relationship between (a) and (b'), (b')2, 3, 5, and 6 each overlap with two of the boxes in (a), in the relationship between (b') and (c'), (c')1, 2, 3, 5, and 6 each overlap with two of the boxes in (b'), and in the relationship between (c') and (b'), (b')1, 2, 4, 5, and 6 each overlap with two of the boxes in (c').F in Figure 1(a) represents the forks of a forklift, and shows the state in which the underside of the first tier from the bottom (the lowest tier) is supported by two forks. In order to securely support the undersides of stacked items (i.e., the undersides of the bottom tier) with the forks, in Figure 1(a), all of the items on the bottom tier are arranged so that when their undersides are placed on the forks of a forklift, the longitudinal direction of the items crosses one fork at a substantially right angle to the longitudinal direction of the fork. This ensures that the forks are evenly loaded for all items, and even without a support plate or pallet underneath the items on the bottom tier, the forks can support the undersides of the items on the bottom tier and stabilize the bottom tier when lifting them. It is preferable that the overlapping of items on an upper tier with two or more items on a lower tier occurs both vertically (e.g., (b)1 overlaps (a)1 and (a)2) and horizontally (e.g., (c)1 overlaps (b)1 and (b)2) in the package. Furthermore, when an item on an upper tier overlaps two or more items on a lower tier, it is preferable that the overlapping area of ​​each of the two or more items on the lower tier is at least one-third or approximately one-half of the area of ​​the top surface of the overlapping items. It is also preferable that the package contains items placed side-by-side between two forks, as shown in (c) 3. Figure 2(a) is a side view of package A, and Figure 2(b) is a top view of package A. The package shown in Figure 2(a) has stretch film 1 wrapped around the entire side of package A. The diagonal lines in Figure 2(a) indicate that stretch film 1 is wrapped diagonally. Figure 2(b) shows that stretch film 1 is wrapped around the corners of the top surface of package A.Furthermore, when stacking the transported items, the top and bottom surfaces of the transported items facing each other may be adhered or bonded with a pressure-sensitive adhesive, adhesive, or the like. This reduces the risk of the load falling apart when the stretch film 1 or the like is used for packing or when the package A is being moved, making it easier to pack or move the package A. The pressure-sensitive adhesive, adhesive, or the like is preferably a lightly adhesive or lightly bonded type that allows the transported items to be easily separated with a little force, or a type that loses its adhesiveness when the stretch film 1 is removed and the transported items are removed. Figures 2(c) and (d) are schematic diagrams showing examples of areas adhered or bonded with pressure-sensitive adhesives or adhesives 2 and 3. The adhesion or bonding does not necessarily have to be applied to the entire transported item, but may be applied to only a portion.

[0022] Figure 3 shows another embodiment of a method for stacking packages according to the present invention. Figures 3(a) to 3(c) are top views of the arrangement of boxes for transported goods on each tier, with (a) representing the first tier (bottom tier), (b) representing the second, fourth, and sixth tiers, and (c) representing the third and fifth tiers, stacked from bottom to top in the order of (a) → (b) → (c) → (b) → (c) → (b). Boxes (b)3 and (b)4 on the second tier overlap boxes (a)3 and (a)4 on the first tier, respectively, and boxes (b)5 and (b)6 on the second tier overlap boxes (a)5 and (a)6 on the first tier, respectively. Furthermore, boxes (c)1 and (c)2 on the third tier overlap boxes (b)1 and (b)2 on the second tier, respectively; boxes (c)3 and (c)4 on the third tier overlap boxes (b)3 and (b)4 on the second tier, respectively; boxes (c)5 and (c)6 on the third tier overlap boxes (b)5 and (b)6 on the second tier, respectively; and boxes (c)7 and (c)8 on the third tier overlap boxes (b)7 and (b)8 on the second tier, respectively. The relationships for each tier thereafter are as described above. In Figure 3(a), F represents the forks of a forklift, and indicates that the underside of the first tier (the lowest tier) from the bottom is supported by two forks. In order to firmly support the undersides of the stacked objects (i.e., the undersides of the bottom layer) with the forks, in Figure 3(a), all eight objects on the bottom layer are arranged so that when their undersides are placed on the forks of a forklift, the longitudinal direction of the objects crosses one fork at a substantially right angle to the longitudinal direction of the fork. As a result, the load is evenly distributed across the forks for all objects on the bottom layer, and even if there is no support plate or pallet under the objects on the bottom layer, the forks can support their undersides and stabilize the bottom layer when lifting them.

[0023] Figures 4(a) and (b) show an embodiment of a pallet according to the present invention. In pallets P1 and P2, the open grooves 4 and 6 extend linearly from the side where they originate to the opposite side, and are open on both sides. The fork insertion sections 5 and 7 are rectangular holes with closed top and bottom surfaces. They extend linearly from the same side as the side where the open grooves 4 and 6 originate to the opposite side, and are open on both sides. Furthermore, the fork insertion sections 5 and 7 are located below the open grooves 4 and 6, i.e., lower on the pallet than the open grooves 4 and 6, forming a two-layer structure. Here, "below" means that the fork insertion sections 5 and 7 are located in a position where the fork can be inserted simply by lowering the height of the fork without changing the width of the fork inserted into the open grooves 4 and 6. The widths of the open grooves 4 and 6 and the widths of the fork insertion sections 5 and 7 may be the same or different, and the center of the width of the open grooves 4 and 6 and the center of the width of the fork insertion sections 5 and 7 may be the same or different. Another way of expressing the positional relationship between the open groove and the fork insertion section is to say that the open groove and the fork insertion section are positioned so that the width of the overlapping part between the open groove and the fork insertion section when viewed from above the pallet is greater than the width of the forks of the forklift.

[0024] FIG. 4(c) shows the positional relationship between the open groove and the fork insertion section. When viewed from above the pallet P3 in the direction of the arrow, the open groove and the fork insertion section are positioned so that the width W, which is the overlapping portion between the open groove 8 and the fork insertion section 9 below the open groove 8 on the pallet P3, is greater than the width of the fork of the forklift. This allows the fork to be inserted into the fork insertion section 9 simply by lowering the height of the fork without changing the width of the fork inserted into the open groove 8. The width of the open groove and the width of the fork insertion section may be the same as shown in FIGS. 4(a) and 4(b), or the width of the fork insertion section may be greater as shown in FIG. 4(c), or conversely, the width of the open groove may be greater. To prevent the package or pallet from shifting sideways on the fork during loading / unloading or transportation, the difference between the width of the open groove, the width of the fork insertion section, and the width of the fork should preferably not be too large, allowing for smooth insertion and removal of the fork. It is preferable that the width of the open groove and the width of the fork insertion section be approximately the same. Pallet P1 in Figure 4(a) is an example in which two forks are used to load and unload packages and pallets loaded with packages. The forks can be inserted from either of the two opposing sides. Pallet P2 in Figure 4(b) is also an example in which two forks are used to load and unload packages and pallets loaded with packages. However, pallet P2 is an example in which the forks can be inserted from any of the four sides. The fork insertion sections 5 and 7 in Figures 4(a) and 2(b) are rectangular holes with closed top and bottom surfaces. However, a portion of the top surface of the fork insertion section may be open upward, i.e., a portion between the open groove and the fork insertion section may be open, or a portion of the bottom surface may be open downward. Furthermore, if the entire bottom surface is open, forming a groove-like opening downward, the pallet can be used upside down in the same way as the front side. [Example]

[0025] The present invention will be specifically described below with reference to examples of the present invention, but the technical scope of the present invention is not limited to these examples.

[0026] A total of 36 rectangular cardboard boxes (40.6 cm long, 80.9 cm wide, 34.9 cm high) containing eight bags of toilet paper, each containing 12 rolls of toilet paper, were stacked in six layers, six per layer, in the order of (a) → (b) → (c) → (d) → (b) → (c) in Figure 1. These were then wrapped in stretch film (Super Terito Slim, manufactured by Tsukasa Chemical Industries Co., Ltd.: 12 μm thick, 500 mm wide, 500 m long) to create a package. One-touch glue (Rockin' Pop, manufactured by Jignode Co., Ltd.) was applied to the space between the upper and lower cardboard boxes in each layer, as shown in Figure 2(c). The package was then placed on the two forks of a forklift and moved, but the package did not collapse. Using a pallet similar to that shown in Figure 4(a), the forks of a forklift carrying the manufactured package were lowered into the open groove, and then the forks were pulled out of the open groove and the package was placed on the pallet. The forks of the forklift were inserted into the fork insertion section of the pallet carrying the package, and the pallet was moved and loaded onto the truck bed. The forks of the forklift were inserted into the open groove of the pallet loaded onto the truck bed, and the forks were raised to lift up only the package. Throughout these processes, the package was able to be loaded and unloaded by the forklift without losing its shape. [Industrial Applicability]

[0027] The loading method of the present invention can be used to load various transported objects, and is suitable for loading and unloading onto trucks including wing trucks, other transport vehicles, and equipment, as well as for moving objects within a warehouse. [Explanation of symbols]

[0028] F Fork (claw) A. Packaging P1, P2, P3 Pallets 1 stretch film 2, 3 Adhesive or adhesive 4 Open groove 5 Fork insertion part 6 open groove 7 Fork insertion part 8 Open groove 9 Fork insertion part W: The width of the part where the open groove and the fork insertion part overlap when viewed from above the pallet

Claims

1. A method for loading multiple transported items onto a single pallet by stacking them in two or more layers, comprising: The articles in the lowest tier are arranged so that when the underside of the article is placed on the forks of a forklift, the articles in the lowest tier cross at least one of the forks at a substantially right angle to the longitudinal direction of the forks, and the articles in each tier except the lowest tier are stacked such that, in relation to the articles in the tier immediately below each of the tiers, at least half of the articles in the upper tier overlap at least two of the articles in the lower tier, and then the articles are packaged using a stretchable or shrinkable film to produce a package in which the plurality of articles are integrated; As the pallet, a pallet is used which has an open groove which is open upward and extends from one side surface of the pallet, and a fork insertion part which has a part which is not open upward and extends from the same side surface as the one side surface, A method for loading transported goods, in which the package is placed on the pallet, and when only the package loaded on the pallet is to be lifted, the forks of a forklift can be inserted into the open grooves to lift only the package, and when both the package and the pallet are to be lifted, the forks of a forklift can be inserted into the fork insertion portions to lift both the package and the pallet.

2. A transported article-loading pallet including a package in which a plurality of transported articles are stacked in two or more layers and integrated, and a pallet on which the package is loaded, In the package, the items in the lowest tier are arranged so that when the underside of the item is placed on the forks of a forklift, the items in the lowest tier cross at least one of the forks at approximately right angles to the longitudinal direction of the forks, and the items in each tier except the lowest tier are stacked such that, in relation to the items in the tier immediately below each tier, more than half of the items in the upper tier overlap two or more of the items in the lower tier, and the multiple items are packaged together using a stretchable or shrinkable film, A pallet for carrying transported goods, the pallet having an open groove extending from one side of the pallet that opens upward and into which the forks of a forklift are inserted to lift only the package, and a fork insertion section having a portion that does not open upward and extends from the same side as the one side, into which the forks of a forklift are inserted to lift both the package and the pallet.

3. the pallet having two open channels and two fork inserts; The open groove extends linearly from one side surface of the pallet to the opposite side surface, has a width greater than the width of the forks of a forklift, and is open upward; The fork insertion portion is provided on the pallet below the open groove, extends linearly from the same side as the one side to the opposite side, has a width greater than the width of the forks of a forklift, and has a portion that is not open upward, 2. A method for loading transported goods as described in claim 1, wherein the open groove and the fork insertion section are arranged so that the width of the overlapping portion of the open groove and the fork insertion section when viewed from above the pallet is greater than the width of the forks of a forklift.

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