Pallet extension member

Abstract

The extension member for pallets is lightweight, can be easily and securely attached to the pallet, and is also removable. [Solution] The pallet extension member 1 is attached to the side of a rectangular pallet 10 on which cargo is placed on the top surface to expand the loading area of ​​the pallet 10, and comprises a main body 2 made of foamed resin and a support part 3 integrally molded with the main body 2. The length of the side of the main body 2 that runs along the side of the pallet 10 is approximately equal to the length of one side of the pallet 10, and its height is approximately equal to the height of the pallet. Two support parts 3 are provided on the main body 2 so as to protrude from the surface that contacts the pallet 10, and are box-shaped to be fitted into the fork insertion opening 11 of the pallet 10. They have a notch 36 provided horizontally from the protruding end face, and a wedge 4 is inserted into the notch 36 when fitted into the fork insertion opening 11.

Description

Technical Field

[0005] ,

[0001] The present invention relates to an extension member for a pallet that is attached to a pallet used when transporting goods with a forklift and expands the loading area of the pallet.

Background Art

[0002] Generally, when transporting goods with a forklift, the goods are placed on a flat pallet, and the pallet with the goods is lifted by the forklift. There are various materials for pallets, such as wooden, metal, and resin. Resin pallets, which are stronger than wooden pallets and lighter than metal pallets, are widely used.

[0003] By the way, depending on the size and loading specifications of the goods placed on the pallet, a pallet with a larger loading area may be desired. However, a pallet is a large member with a side length exceeding 1 m. For example, in the case of a resin pallet, the mold for manufacturing it also becomes large. Therefore, if trying to manufacture pallets of various sizes, the production efficiency may be reduced by preparing multiple types of large molds. Thus, a pallet attachment that can expand the area of the loading surface of the pallet by attaching synthetic resin panels to the four sides of the pallet is known (see Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] However, the pallet attachment described in Patent Document 1 above is constructed to be welded to a resin pallet, and once the pallet attachment is installed, it is not easy to remove, and the pallet with the attachment installed can only be used in a pattern that effectively expands the loading area. In addition, since the pallet attachment is made of synthetic resin, it has a considerable weight, and the overall weight increases when it is attached to the pallet.

[0006] The present invention aims to solve the above problems by providing a pallet extension member that can increase the loading area of ​​a pallet, is lightweight, can be easily and securely attached to a pallet, and is also removable. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The present invention relates to a pallet expansion member that is attached to the side of a rectangular pallet on which cargo is placed on top to expand the loading area of ​​the pallet, and comprises a main body made of foamed resin and a support part integrally molded with the main body, wherein the length of the side of the main body along the side of the pallet is approximately equal to the length of one side of the pallet and its height is approximately equal to the height of the pallet, and two support parts are provided on the main body so as to protrude from the surface that contacts the pallet, and are box-shaped to be fitted into the fork insertion opening of the pallet, and have a notch provided horizontally from the protruding end face, and a wedge is inserted into the notch when the support part is fitted into the fork insertion opening of the pallet.

[0008] In the above-described extension member for pallets, it is preferable that the support portion has a protruding portion provided on its lower surface.

[0009] In the above-described extension member for pallets, it is preferable that the main body portion has a U-shaped cross-section perpendicular to the side of the pallet.

[0010] In the above-described extension member for pallets, it is preferable that the main body portion is provided with a concave handle portion at the lower end of the surface on which the support portion is provided. [Effects of the Invention]

[0011] According to the pallet extension member of the present invention, by fitting the support portion into the fork insertion opening of the pallet and inserting a wedge into the notch portion, the support portion is pressed against the fork insertion opening of the pallet, allowing for easy and secure attachment to the pallet. Furthermore, since the pallet extension member is made of foamed resin, it is lighter than those made of non-foamed plastic or other resins. Moreover, by removing the wedge, the force with which the support portion presses against the fork insertion opening is weakened, allowing the pallet extension member to be removed from the pallet. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0012] [Figure 1] (a) is a perspective view showing a pallet extension member according to one embodiment of the present invention removed from a pallet, and (b) is a perspective view showing the support portion of the pallet extension member inserted into the fork insertion opening of the pallet. [Figure 2] (a) is a perspective view mainly showing the front and top views of the pallet extension member, (b) is a perspective view mainly showing the front and bottom views, and (c) is a perspective view mainly showing the back and top views. [Figure 3] (a) is a front view of the pallet extension member, (b) is a top view, (c) is a bottom view, (d) is a rear view, and (e) is a side view. [Figure 4] (a) is a perspective view of a wedge inserted into the groove of the pallet extension member, (b) is a side view corresponding to (a), (c) is a perspective view showing a modified example of the wedge, and (d) is a side view corresponding to (c). [Figure 5] (a) to (c) are cross-sectional views illustrating the procedure for attaching the above-mentioned pallet extension member to the pallet. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0013] An extension member for pallets according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The extension member for pallets of this embodiment is attached to pallets used for managing and transporting goods using forklifts, hand lifts, etc., in logistics sites, etc., and expands the loading area of ​​the pallet.

[0014] As shown in Figures 1(a) and 1(b), the pallet 10 is a rectangular resin pallet in plan view on which cargo is placed. In this embodiment, a general-purpose resin pallet with a roughly square shape in plan view and a side length of 1100 mm is used as the pallet 10. The pallet 10 mainly consists of a top plate, a bottom plate, and four side plates, and each side plate is provided with two pairs of fork insertion openings 11. A grid-like rib structure is formed on the inner surface of the top plate for strength reinforcement. In addition, multiple openings 12 are provided on the bottom plate, which is not the surface on which cargo is placed.

[0015] The pallet extension member 1 is attached to any two opposing sides of the pallet 10. In the illustrated example, a configuration in which the pallet extension member 1 is attached to only one side is shown. The pallet extension member 1 comprises a plate-shaped main body 2 made of foamed resin and a pair of support parts 3 integrally molded with the main body 2. The materials constituting the main body 2 and support parts 3 are foamed synthetic resins such as polystyrene, polyethylene, polypropylene, and other polyolefin resins, and in this embodiment, expanded polystyrene (EPS) is used. A wedge 4 is inserted into a notch 36 provided in the support part 3, which will be described later, to form the pallet extension member 1.

[0016] As shown in Figures 2(a) to (c) and Figures 3(a) to (e), the main body 2 is a member with a roughly rectangular parallelepiped shape in plan view, and has a flat surface 21 that forms a continuous surface with the loading surface (top surface) of the pallet 10 when attached to the pallet 10, a bottom surface 22 that is continuous with the bottom surface of the pallet 10, a front surface 23 that abuts against the side surface of the pallet 10, a back surface 24 that becomes the outer surface, and two end surfaces 25 and 26. In the description of the pallet extension member 1, the lower left direction shown in Figure 2(a) is considered the front, and the directions in Figures 3(a) to (e) are also considered to be the same.

[0017] The main body 2 is a long member that runs along the side of the pallet. The length (width) of the long side of the main body 2 is approximately equal to the width (length of one side) of the pallet 10, for example, 1100 mm. The height of the main body 2 is approximately equal to the height of the pallet 10, for example, 150 mm. The length of the short side of the main body 2 (L1 in Figure 3(b)) is, for example, 75 mm. The longer the length L1 of the short side of the main body 2, the larger the loading area of ​​the pallet 10 can be. However, if it is too long, the load will be placed on the end, making it easier for the pallet extension member 1 to detach from the pallet 10. Therefore, it is preferable that the length L1 of the short side of the main body 2 be 120 mm or less.

[0018] Furthermore, the main body 2 has a recess on the back side 24, and its cross-sectional shape perpendicular to its longitudinal direction is U-shaped (see Figure 3(e)). By providing such a recess, the pallet extension member 1 can be made lighter, and the amount of resin material used can be reduced. In addition, the corners of the recess are gently curved, and by making these areas thicker, load-bearing strength can be ensured when a load is placed on the flat surface 21.

[0019] The recess on the back surface 24 is provided with a relief hole 27, and a part of the relief hole 27 is engraved up to the support portion 3 side (see also Fig. 5(a)). Further, the main body portion 2 is provided with a concave handle portion 28 at the lower end of the front surface 23 where the support portion 3 is provided. This handle portion 28 facilitates the removal operation by inserting a finger when removing the pallet extension member 1 attached to the pallet 10. Further, an arrow indicating the upward direction is engraved on the front surface 23 of the main body portion 2.

[0020] Two support portions 3 are provided so as to protrude from the front surface 23 of the main body portion 2 that abuts against the pallet 10, and are box-shaped to be inserted into the fork insertion port 11 of the pallet 10. The protruding length (L2 in Fig. 3(b)) of the support portion 3 from the main body portion 2 is longer than the length (L1) of the short side of the main body portion 2, and is, for example, 125 mm. By doing so, the pallet extension member 1 can be stably held on the pallet 10. Note that the longer the protruding length L2 of the support portion 3, the more stably the pallet extension member 1 can be held on the pallet 10. However, the protruding length L2 of the support portion 3 needs to be suppressed to a length that does not reach the orthogonal fork insertion holes. Therefore, the protruding length L2 of the support portion 3 is preferably within 150 mm.

[0021] The support portion 3 has a rectangular upper surface 31 and a lower surface 32 that are long in the longitudinal direction of the main body portion 2, side surfaces 33, 34 that connect them, and a protruding end surface 35 that protrudes the most with respect to the main body portion 2. The support portion 3 has a notch portion 36 provided in the horizontal direction from the protruding end surface 35 to the side surfaces 33, 34 of the support portion 3, with the area of the protruding end surface 35 being slightly larger than the minimum diameter of the fork insertion port 11 of the pallet 10. In the present embodiment, two notch portions 36 are provided for one support portion 3. Further, three rows of protruding stripes 37 are provided on the lower surface 32 of the support portion 3 in the protruding direction of the support portion 3.

[0022] According to this embodiment, by providing the notch 36, the protruding end of the support part 3 can be elastically deformed and contracted, so that even if the area of ​​the protruding end surface 35 is slightly larger than the minimum diameter of the fork insertion opening 11 of the pallet 10, the support part 3 can be inserted into the fork insertion opening 11. Furthermore, because the support part 3, which has been contracted by the notch 36, presses against the inside of the fork insertion opening 11 by its restoring force, the support part 3 is firmly held in the fork insertion opening 11. In general, with resin pallets, the outermost part of the fork insertion opening 11 has a larger diameter to make it easier to insert the fork tips of a forklift, and the diameter tapers inward (see Figure 1(a)). The minimum diameter of the fork insertion opening 11 mentioned above refers to the diameter of the part where the diameter tapers inward.

[0023] As shown in Figures 4(a) and 4(b), the wedge 4 is a long, thin plate piece that is inserted into the notch 36. It is molded into a wedge shape, with one end being thinner than the other in a cross-section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction. The wedge 4 may be molded from a foamed synthetic resin such as polystyrene, similar to the pallet expansion member 1, or it may be formed from a non-foamed synthetic resin. When using a non-foamed synthetic resin, as shown in Figures 4(c) and 4(d), the wedge 4 may have a notch made along the thicker side. This makes it possible to suppress weight increase even when the wedge 4 is formed from a non-foamed material.

[0024] The procedure for attaching the pallet extension member 1 described above to the pallet 10 will be explained with reference to Figures 5(a) to (c). First, the pallet extension member 1 is positioned so that the support portion 3 faces the pallet 10, and the support portion 3 is inserted into the fork insertion opening 11. At this time, the tip of the support portion 3 contracts due to the notch portion 36, and the inserted support portion 3 presses against the inner surface of the fork insertion opening 11. However, this pressing force is not very large, and the support portion 3 can be pulled out of the fork insertion opening 11 with a force about the same as the force used to insert the support portion 3.

[0025] Therefore, with the support part 3 inserted into the fork insertion opening 11, the wedge 4 is inserted into the notch 36 from the opening 12 of the pallet 10. This causes the support part 3 to press more firmly against the inner surface of the fork insertion opening 11, making it difficult to easily pull the support part 3 out of the fork insertion opening 11. In addition, a protrusion 37 is provided on the lower surface 32 of the support part 3, and when the wedge 4 is inserted, the protrusion 37 is embedded in the inner surface of the fork insertion opening 11. This allows the support part 3 to be fixed more firmly to the fork insertion opening 11 of the pallet 10.

[0026] By attaching the pallet extension member 1 configured as described above to the pallet 10, the loading area of ​​the pallet 10 can be increased by the area of ​​the upper surface of the main body 2. As shown in the above embodiment, when two pallet extension members 1 with a short side length L1 of 75 mm on the main body 2 are attached to an 1100 mm square pallet 10, the loading area of ​​the pallet 10 can be increased by 14%.

[0027] Furthermore, since the pallet extension member 1 is made of foamed resin, it is lighter than those made of non-foamed plastic or other resins, and the weight increase when attached to the pallet 10 can be suppressed. In addition, since the pallet extension member 1 is attached to the side of the pallet 10 rather than covering the top surface of the pallet 10, its size can be made more compact compared to the pallet 10 itself.

[0028] In this embodiment of the pallet extension member 1, the force with which the support part 3 presses against the inner surface of the fork insertion opening 11 is weakened by pulling out the wedge 4 from the notch 36. The pallet extension member 1 can be removed from the pallet 10 by inserting a finger into the handle part 28 provided on the bottom surface 22 of the main body part 2 and pulling the main body part 2. The pallet extension member 1 made of foamed resin is more fragile than the pallet 10 made of non-foamed plastic, for example, there are cases where the pallet 10 is usable, but only the damaged pallet extension member 1 needs to be replaced. The pallet extension member 1 can be securely fixed and easily removed by attaching and detaching the wedge 4.

[0029] It should be noted that the pallet extension member according to the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment and can be modified in various ways. For example, although the above embodiment shows a configuration in which two notches 36 are provided in one support portion 3, the number of notches 36 is not limited to two; for example, there may be only the lower notch 36. Also, in the above embodiment, the upper and lower sides of the main body portion 2, which has a U-shaped cross-section, are the same length, but for example, the upper side may be formed to be longer than the lower side. Furthermore, a support rib (not shown) that supports the upper side may be provided vertically in the recess at the bottom of the upper side. [Explanation of symbols]

[0030] 1. Pallet extension member 10 pallets 11 Fork insertion slots 12 Aperture 2 Main body 28 Handle 3 Support part 35 Projecting end surface 36 Notch 37 Projection part 4 Wedge L1 Length of the shorter side of the main body L2 Support part protrusion length

Claims

1. A pallet extension member that is attached to the side of a rectangular pallet on which cargo is placed on top, thereby expanding the loading area of ​​the pallet, It comprises a main body made of foamed resin and a support part integrally molded with the main body, The main body has a side length along the side of the pallet that is approximately equal to the length of one side of the pallet, and its height is approximately equal to the height of the pallet. The support portion is provided in two parts so as to protrude from the surface of the main body that contacts the pallet, and is box-shaped so as to be fitted into the fork insertion opening of the pallet, and has a notch provided horizontally from its protruding end face. A pallet extension member characterized in that a wedge is inserted into the notch while the support portion is fitted into the fork insertion opening of the pallet.

2. The extension member for a pallet according to claim 1, characterized in that the support portion has a protruding portion provided on its lower surface.

3. The main body portion is characterized in that the cross-sectional shape perpendicular to the side of the pallet is U-shaped, as described in claim 1 or 2.

4. The pallet extension member according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the main body portion is provided with a concave handle portion at the lower end of the surface on which the support portion is provided.

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