Pallet rack system and method for storing articles in a pallet rack system

Abstract

To provide an improved pallet shelving system for storage of items on standardized pallets. [Solution] A pallet rack system (4) having at least two pallet decks, the pallet rack system comprising at least two standard pallets (10a, 10b), each of which has at least two fork pockets for receiving the forks of a forklift, at least four upright support pillars (42a, 42b, 42c, 42d), two lower pallet base units (21a, 21b) each having a respective protrusion that matches with the respective fork pockets in the lower pallet (10a), and at least two upper pallet base units (41a, 41b), two support frames (40a, 40b) formed from the pallet base units and the upright support pillars, and the upper pallet base units (41a, 41b) support the outer pallet legs of the pallet.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a pallet rack system for storing articles, particularly for storing articles on a standardized pallet such as a Euro pallet, and a method for storing articles.

Background Art

[0002] In logistics, the use of standardized pallets enables carriers to efficiently utilize the loading space in, for example, trucks, both during transportation and during storage in, for example, warehouses. At the same time, the packing of articles on pallets also enables easy and efficient loading and unloading, for example, between warehouses and trucks.

[0003] Pallets for transporting goods are widely known. Pallets are available according to several industry standards, such as Euro pallets, ISO pallets, or various Australian or North American pallet standards. These pallets are generally sized to allow a normal-sized forklift to handle such pallets with goods one at a time. FIG. 1 shows an example of a EUR pallet (10), commonly made of wood, used in this document to illustrate the function of the present invention when viewed along the long axis (FIG. 1A) or longitudinal direction, the short axis (FIG. 1B) or transverse direction, and from above (FIG. 1C). The Euro pallet has two longitudinal pockets (11a, 11b), called fork pockets, with a pocket width (a) of 227.5 mm and a pocket height (b) of 100 mm, on the short side (l2) of the pallet. These fork pockets can support the pallet during lifting and lowering, for example, on the forks of a forklift. The loading platform (14) of the Euro pallet is supported by three longitudinal pallet feet (12a, 12b, 13). The dimensions of the loading surface of the Euro pallet are 800 mm in width (12) and 1200 mm in length (l1). Usually, the three longitudinal pallet feet are not each constructed as solid feet, but each consists of a respective load-bearing floorboard (16a, 16b, 16c) for contact with the floor and three respective blocks (17a, 17b, 17c) connecting each floorboard to the loading surface of the pallet. Thereby, two transverse openings or fork pockets (15a, 15b) are obtained, which allows a fork lift or the like to access the pallet and lift and lower the pallet also in the transverse direction of the pallet. Contrary to the longitudinal fork pockets (11a, 11b), the transverse fork pockets (15a, 15b) are not open towards the floor and are closed downward by the aforementioned floorboards (16a, 16b, 16c).

[0004] Since the pallets according to the present invention can be adapted to any of these pallet standards that can be handled, for example, by a forklift, this document refers to such pallets as "standard pallets" or "standard pallets with at least two fork pockets". These terms include, but are not limited to, Euro pallets and ISO pallets, preferably including Euro pallets.

[0005] The pallet (10) is, as shown in FIG. 1, mainly a flat structure used for transportation, and stably supports articles when lifted by a forklift, a pallet elevator, a front loader, a pallet stacker, or other lifting equipment. The pallet is a support structure for the loading unit, and the loading unit can efficiently handle and store articles therein. Containers for articles or goods are often placed on pallets, fixed with tape, stretch wrap, or shrink wrap, and shipped. Most pallets are made of wood, but pallets made of plastic, metal, and / or cardboard are also known. Today, there are many known pallet standards, mainly ISO pallets, North American pallets, EUR pallets, and Australian standard pallets.

[0006] Pallet racking systems are often used to improve the loading and storage capabilities for the transportation and storage of pallets. The pallet racking system is useful for storing pallets with articles when multiple layers of pallets placed on top of each other are desired. For example, referring to U.S. Patent No. 4,955,490 or GB2231522A, pallet racking systems are known in the art that enable fixed storage of pallets with articles in pallet racks that can be adapted to variable heights depending on the articles stored on the pallets.

[0007] The weight of the pallets and the goods means that pallet rack systems as known in the art often lack flexibility and simplicity with respect to mounting and assembly. This is particularly problematic in many situations where a temporary pallet rack system is desired, such as in the loading space of a motor vehicle or truck that is not exclusively used for pallet transport.

[0008] DK178075Bl describes the inventor's own pallet rack system, which is easy to assemble and disassemble, especially for use in the loading space of a truck or motor vehicle, and a method for storing pallets in a load carrier in the use of the pallet rack system.

[0009] In Figure 2, the ideas underlying the invention according to DK178075Bl are shown. Four sets of pallet base units or simply base units, here referred to as the base units (21) of the pallet rack system, are assembled in pairs by means of at least two uprights (22), whereby each pair of base units (21) forms a pallet rack frame (20a, 20b), and subsequently the frames (20a, 20b) are stabilized by means of two pallets (10) to be used as shelves, whereby a pallet rack system (2) with two shelves is formed. In use, the pallets (10) bear against the base units (21) either wholly or in part. The base units (21) are designed to carry the weight of the pallets (10) with the goods placed thereon.

[0010] It is an advantage of the invention according to DK178075Bl that the pallet rack system (2) can be assembled and disassembled without removing the goods from the pallets during assembly or disassembly. This allows the pallet rack to be easily assembled for temporary storage, for example, in the loading space of a truck or motor vehicle, and similarly to be easily disassembled when the loading space is loaded and unloaded. Depending on the size of the goods, the distance between the shelves can be changed by varying the length of the uprights (22).

[0011] Figure 3 shows in more detail the base unit (21) according to the invention as described in DK178075B1. The base unit (21) comprises a rear part (211) that breaks off at the upper side (216), and a plurality of protrusions (212) vertically attached to one side of the rear part (211). The protrusions (212) are matched in number and size so as to fit into each lateral opening or fork pocket of a pallet (10) to which the pallet rack system (2) is adapted. As can be seen in FIGS. 1a and 1b, the Euro pallet has at each end a fork pocket which is one of two openings that can be accessed by a forklift. Usually, the forklift enters from the short side (FIG. 1A), but the invention according to DK178075B1 is applicable to both options. Depending on the load supported by the mentioned protrusions (212) brought about by the pallet and the goods on the pallet, the structure of the protrusions (212) may vary.

[0012] However, it has been found that the prior art pallet rack systems have certain design limitations that the present invention overcomes and improves upon. For example, when established, the pallet rack system (2) is, according to the prior art using the methods described in the prior art, particularly suitable for being lifted by a forklift that engages in the longitudinal direction of the pallet, for example, by the forklift forks moving up and down below the lower pallet at the lower part of the pallet rack system, i.e., in the direction of gravity. In a particular embodiment of the prior art pallet rack system, however, due to the structure of the prior art pallet rack system with certain limitations as described later, it is possible to lift and lower the pallet rack system by moving up and down below the upper pallet in the direction of gravity.

[0013] While a pallet racking system can be established using both vertical fork pockets (11a, 11b) and horizontal fork pockets (15a, 15b) in the pallets (10a, 10b) that make it up, it is a specific advantage of the pallet racking system (4, 9) according to the present invention that the resulting pallet racking system can still be moved by a forklift from its assembly location to, for example, a semi-trailer or a container.

[0014] WO2015 / 180870 also discloses a pallet racking system according to claim 1 of DK178075Bl, but with specific structural changes regarding the embodiment of the pallet racking system shown in the drawings of DK178075Bl. The pallet racking systems according to both DK178075Bl and WO2015 / 180870 comprise an upper foundation unit and a lower foundation unit, but the illustrated example of the pallet racking system in DK178075Bl is contrarily constructed using two identical foundation units (21) as described above, while the pallet racking system according to WO2015 / 180870 comprises only the lower foundation unit (21) according to the example shown in DK178075Bl and is modified at specific points with respect to the upper foundation unit. In WO2015 / 180870, the upper foundation unit is designed to support two outer pallet legs (12a, 12b) of the upper pallet (10b) at two extending portions of the support columns (22), and in the support columns (22), two support surfaces and a fitting edge are formed in each support column where the carrier shoe engages with the upper pallet, whereby the upper pallet (10b) can be held during transportation and is mounted on the two support surfaces. A transverse carrier is arranged under the carrier shoe between two pairs of support columns, thereby establishing a support frame structure with some stability.

[0015] However, this is such that only the carrier shoe contacts the upper pallet (10b) through the support surface, so that the established pallet rack system according to WO2015 / 180870 has a stability problem that the upper pallet of the article and the two carriers are not protected against moving independently of each other, particularly during transportation with articles. This is represented in the pallet rack system according to WO2015 / 180870. Part of this problem has been explored in WO2015 / 180870 and is improved by the fact that the four support columns and the carrier shoe applicable in the pallet rack system according to WO2015 / 180870 engage both pallets (10a, 10b) on both their short and long sides. However, this is costly in terms of floor space, as will be described in more detail later.

[0016] As can be seen from WO2015 / 180870, due to this lack of stability during transportation in the pallet rack system, it is essential to achieve the required stability of the pallet rack system according to WO2015 / 180870 by stabilizing the two support frames of WO2015 / 180870 relative to each other in the longitudinal direction of the pallets used, either by interference or surring. However, such a solution is particularly inappropriate when rapid loading and unloading are desired, and when moving the pallet rack system according to WO2015 / 180870, the lack of stability makes it difficult to move the pallet rack system regardless of the presence or absence of articles. Furthermore, when establishing the support frame, if there are differences in height, the carrier columns cannot be easily replaced, which, although it may be desired to be easily compensated for, can only make it difficult to stack when the pallet rack system according to WO2015 / 180870 is not in use.

[0017] In WO2015 / 180870, the carrier columns and carriers engage around all sides of the pallet, which further poses the problem of reducing the clearance between pallet racks that can be mounted adjacent to each other and the number of pallet rack systems in trucks with width targets following current EU standards (maximum width 2.55 m, European Parliament Directive 96 / 53 / EC).

[0018] Here, the inventors have found that it is advantageous for the entire pallet rack system, such as when loading and unloading onto a goods vehicle or semi-trailer, to move up and down under the upper pallet rather than under the lower part of the lower pallet as described in the prior art. This led the inventors to the present invention because known pallet rack systems are not suitable or only marginally suitable for moving up and down under the upper pallet. Instead, it is considered preferable in known systems for the movement to take place under the lower pallet, but this presents numerous problems of instability, such as wobbling, because the prior art pallet rack systems are not in a fixed engagement with the pallet carrying the goods but are only pressing against the basic unit.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0019]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Patent Document 3

Patent Document 4

Summary of the Invention

Means for Solving the Problems

[0020] According to the present invention, in a first aspect and embodiment, there is provided a pallet rack system (4, 9) having at least two pallet decks (911, 912, 913), the pallet rack system comprising at least two standard pallets (10a, 10b), each standard pallet (10a, 10b) having at least two fork pockets (11a, 11b, 15a, 15b) for receiving the forks of a forklift, at least four upright support columns (42a - 42d), two lower pallet foundation units (21a, 21b) each having respective protrusions (212a, 212b) that match respective fork pockets (11a, 11b, 15a, 15b) in the lower pallet (10a), and at least two upper pallet foundation units (41a, 41b), each pallet foundation unit (21, 41) being adapted to support at least a portion of the weight of the standard pallet (10) containing articles, two support frames (40a, 40b) coupling respective lower pallet foundation units (21a, 21b) and respective upper pallet foundation units (41a, 41b) using at least two of the at least four upright support columns (42a - 42d), inserting respective protrusions (212a, 212b) of the two support frames (40a, 40b) into respective matching fork pockets (11a, 11b, 15a, 15b) in the lower pallet (10a), thereby forming a first pallet deck (911), subsequently placing the upper pallet (10b) on the upper pallet foundation units (41a, 41b) such that the upper pallet foundation units (41a, 41b) support the outer pallet legs (12a, 12b) of the upper pallet (10b), thereby forming a second pallet deck (912), and forming the pallet rack system (4, 9) having at least two pallet decks (911, 912) by assembling pairs of the support frames to form the pallet rack system (4, 9) from the pallet foundation units (21a, 41a), (21b, 41b) is disclosed.

[0021] In that embodiment, the pallet rack system (4, 9) further comprises at least two extensions (90a, 90b) and at least one additional standard pallet (10), and the at least two extensions (90a, 90b) and the at least one additional standard pallet are configured to form an additional pallet deck (913), and the pallet rack system (4, 9) has at least two pallet decks (911, 912, 913).

[0022] In that embodiment, the extension (90) comprises at least two extension columns (92a, 92b) and an upper pallet base unit (41), and the pallet rack system (4, 9).

[0023] In that embodiment, the support frame (40) or the extension (90) has two upright support columns (42a, 42b) or two extension columns (92a, 92b) respectively connected at right angles to respective connection areas (420a, 420b) in the upper pallet base unit (41), thereby forming an H-shaped or U-shaped support frame (40) or extension (90), and the pallet rack system (4, 9).

[0024] In that embodiment, the upper pallet base unit (41) comprises stopping means (413a - 413f, 414a - 414b), and the pallet rack system (4, 9).

[0025] In that embodiment, the support frame (40) is assembled from five independently manufactured basic structural parts, and the pallet rack system (4, 9).

[0026] In that embodiment, the support frame (40) and / or the extension (90) is manufactured from aluminum, and the pallet rack system (4, 9).

[0027] Also according to the present invention, a load carrier comprising at least one pallet rack system (4, 9) according to any of the embodiments disclosed herein is disclosed.

[0028] Also according to the present invention, there is disclosed a method of storing an article in a pallet rack system (4, 9) including the steps of providing at least two standard pallets (10a, 10b) with articles and assembling a pallet rack system (4, 9) according to any of the embodiments disclosed herein using the at least two standard pallets (10a, 10b) with articles.

[0029] Also according to the present invention, in a standard pallet (10) for transportation, a method of forming a stack (80) of support frames (40) for use in a pallet rack system (4, 9) according to any of the embodiments disclosed herein, comprising, in a first step, a first support frame (40a) being placed under the standard pallet (10) by inserting projections (212a, 212b) of a lower foundation unit (21) into respective longitudinal fork pockets (11a, 11b) of the standard pallet, and in a next second step, support columns (42) of a next support frame (40b) being positioned near support columns (42) of the first support frame (40a) over a substantial portion of the length (h1) of the support columns (42), or in such a way that the support columns (42) of the first support frame (40a) are contacted over a substantial portion of the length (h1) of the support columns (42), such that the lowermost bottom surface (417) of the pallet foundation unit (41b) is above the pallet support surface (416) of the upper pallet foundation unit (41a) of the first support frame (40a) and above the standard pallet (10), and the next support frame (40b) being arranged, and in a third step, repeating the second step until a predetermined stack height is obtained and a first partial stack (81a) is established, and in a fourth step, repeating the second and third steps, thereby establishing at least one and preferably two further partial stacks (81a, 81b, 81c) until the stack in the standard pallet (10) is interrupted by a single support frame (40c). A method of forming a stack (80) of support frames (40) is disclosed.

[0030] In that embodiment, each of the partial stacks (81a, 81b, 81c) is a method of forming a stack (80) of support frames (40) each individually comprising up to six support frames (40) in each respective partial stack.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0031]

Fig. 1A

Fig. 1B

Fig. 1C

Fig. 2

Fig. 3

Fig. 4A

Fig. 4B

Fig. 5A

Fig. 5B

Fig. 6A

Fig. 6B

Fig. 7A

Fig. 7B

Fig. 7C

Fig. 8A

Fig. 8B

Fig. 8C

Fig. 8D

Fig. 9

Fig. 10

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0032] The principle of the pallet rack system (4) according to the present invention is shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B. Similar to the prior art, the pallet rack system (4) of the present invention includes at least two standard pallets (10a, 10b), and each standard pallet (10a, 10b) is dimensioned according to internationally recognized industry standards for pallets for the transportation of goods. The standard pallet must present at least two fork pockets (11a, 11b), (15a, 15b) in pairs at opposite ends.

[0033] The pallet racking system (4) further comprises at least four upright columns (42a - 42d), two lower pallet foundation units (21a, 21b) and two upper pallet foundation units (41a, 41b), each suitable for supporting at least part of the weight of a standard pallet (10) containing articles. Two support frames (40a, 40b) use at least two of the at least four upright columns (42a - 42d) to connect the lower pallet foundation units (21a, 21b) and the upper pallet foundation units (41a, 41b), and by assembling the pair of support frames, it is formed from the pallet foundation units (21a, 41a, 21b, 41b). Next, the pallet racking system (4) is stabilized by at least two standard pallets (10a, 10b), and the same pallets (10a, 10b) function as shelves, thereby forming the pallet racking system (4) with at least two shelves or pallet decks (911, 912, 913).

[0034] However, compared with the prior art, several structural changes and decisions have been made, and are further detailed in FIGS. 5A and 5B showing an example of the support frame (40) according to the present invention, and FIGS. 6A and 6B showing an example of the upper pallet foundation unit (41). Thereby, an improved stability of the pallet racking system (4) is achieved, and the pallet racking system (4) can be lifted and lowered under the upper pallet foundation units (41a, 41b) even when articles are being loaded.

[0035] The subsequent support frame (40) of the present invention includes the at least two upright columns (42a, 42b), the lower pallet base unit (21), and the upper pallet base unit (41). The lower pallet base unit (21) and the upper pallet base unit (41) are arranged parallel to each other and are connected through the at least two upright support columns (42a, 42b), and the same upright support columns are also arranged parallel. Preferably, the upright columns are arranged at the corners of the base unit. For example, when the support columns (42a, 42b) are positioned at the corners of the base units (21, 41) between the aforementioned support columns, additional upright columns can be easily added when necessary for structural support, such as for supporting heavy items.

[0036] The height (h1) of the support frame (40), and thus the height of the upright columns (42a, 42b), can be freely changed according to the intended load to be transported or stored, but the width (h2) of the support frame (40) should not exceed the width (l2) of the relevant standard pallet, such as 800 mm for a Euro pallet. This ensures optimal utilization of the load bed in a truck carrying and using the pallet racking system (4) according to the present invention. The upright support columns (42) are constructed with a preferably square profile as seen in the drawings, but other types of columns may of course be used. In what follows, it is described how additional shelves that can be added to the pallet racking system of the present invention can be easily assembled using a square and hollow profile.

[0037] According to the instructions provided herein, the support frames (40a, 40b) are substantially symmetric about a central plane when correctly assembled. Thereby, the support frames can be oriented with the protrusions facing towards the opposite support frame, and the pallets (10a, 10b) are correctly positioned and serve as shelves.

[0038] The support frame (40) according to the present invention comprises a lower pallet base unit (21), and the same lower pallet base unit (21) comprises a rear part (211) and, as shown in FIG. 3, a plurality of protrusions (212a, 212b) vertically attached to one side of the rear part (211). The protrusions (212a, 212b) are matched in number and size so as to fit into each side opening of the fork pockets of the pallet (10) to which the pallet rack system (4) of the present invention is adapted. In this example, when a Euro pallet is used, the number of protrusions is two, corresponding to the number of fork pockets (11a, l1b, 15a, 15b) in the longitudinal direction (11a, 11b) or the transverse direction (15a, 15b) of the Euro pallet. Due to the opening width (a) and opening height (b) of the fork pockets (the opening width (a) is 227.5 mm and the opening height (b) is 100 mm in the longitudinal direction of the Euro pallet), the dimensions (a f , b f ) of the protrusions (212a, 212b) shown in the drawing are smaller than the dimensions (a, b) of the fork pockets (as given by their respective standards), preferably slightly smaller, in order to ensure maximum support of the pallet pressing on the protrusions. The length (c f ) of the protrusions (212a, 212b) is typically at least 15 cm, at least 20 cm, at least 25 cm, or at least 30 cm, and typically less than 50 cm or 40 cm. The length (d f ) represents, according to FIG. 3, the total length of the longest protrusion (c f ) and the rear part (211).

[0039] The protrusions (212a, 212b) of the lower pallet base unit (21) shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 are shown as being of a closed structure and effectively constructed as support cases, but this is not a limitation in the present invention as other protrusions with the ability to carry the loads required to support the lower pallet (10a) and the weight of the article can be envisioned. However, with respect to the present invention, the support case is either closed or, preferably, partially open, as will be described later. When the protrusions (212a, 212b) are constructed as support cases, it is advantageous to partially open the side of the caging case that contacts the floor, for example, to save material and / or to strengthen the structure, and replace and / or add one or more smaller load-bearing feet (213a-213d). In one embodiment, for example, for large cargo weights, when it is desired to transfer a portion of the weight to a larger surface for support, the protrusions are connected towards the floor side, thus forming a closed structure.

[0040] (See, for example, FIGS. 4 and 5,) In a particularly preferred embodiment of the lower base unit (21), the rear part (211) comprises a cross member (217), at least two protrusions (212a, 212b), and at least one spacer (218), preferably at least one spacer (218) comprises a foot (213e), at least two protrusions (212a, 212b) are spaced apart by at least one spacer (218), and at least two protrusions and at least one spacer are attached to the cross member (217), preferably permanently attached to the cross member, and in a particularly preferred embodiment, are attached using mounting flanges (219a-219c). When using a metal sheet, these embodiments can be attached to the cross member (217) in a simple manner such that the protrusions (212a, 212b), spacers (218), feet (213a-213e), and flanges (219a-219c) are made from one metal sheet using cutting and bending and subsequently permanently attached, for example, by welding or bolting.

[0041] The support frame (40) according to the present invention further comprises an upper pallet base unit (41), and the same upper pallet base unit (41) comprises, with reference to FIGS. 6A and 6B, a rear part (411) and a plurality of protrusions (412a, 412b) permanently attached to one side of the rear part (411), thereby forming a pallet support surface (416) and a bottom surface (417). The upper pallet base unit (41) shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B is here presented as an independent unit that can be removably attached to the support column (42) (similarly to the lower pallet base unit (21) shown in FIG. 3), but clearly, the lower pallet base unit (21) and / or the upper pallet base unit (41) may be permanently attached to the support column (42) by, for example, welding or bolting.

[0042] However, in contrast to the lower pallet foundation unit (21) according to an embodiment of the prior art foundation unit in which the protrusions support the lower side of the loading area (14) of the pallet (10a), the protrusions (412a, 412b) of the upper pallet foundation unit (41) in the illustrated embodiment of the present invention are here positioned to support the two outer pallet legs (12a, 12b) of the pallet (10b). In one embodiment, the intermediate pallet leg (13) (or, if each pallet standard requires more than three pallet legs, a plurality of intermediate pallet legs) may be supported as long as additional support beyond that provided by the rear part (411) is required. In a preferred embodiment, the rear part (411) and the protrusions (412a, 412b) are combined with the front part (415) to form a rectangular frame. Preferably, the struts (418a - 418d) are positioned between those protrusions (412a, 412b) parallel to the protrusions (412a, 412b) that connect to the rear part (411), and more preferably, the struts connect to the front part (415) as well if present. Preferably, the struts (418a - 418d) are positioned at a distance from each respective protrusion (412a, 412b) such that their positions are below each respective fork pocket in the upper pallet (10b). Thereby, the struts will be positioned on top of the final forklift that raises and lowers the pallet shelf system (4) having the pallets (10a, 10b) and articles in the upper pallet foundation unit (41), which provides improved stability during raising and lowering and provides for the distribution of weight from the upper pallet (10b) to the forks of the forklift.

[0043] By moving the support for the upper pallet (10b) to the two outer pallet legs (12a, 12b), the upper pallet shelf (10b) of the pallet rack system (4) can be easily established during use. In the embodiments shown in the prior art, there may be conflicting space requirements between the forks of the forklift and the protrusions (212) in the lower pallet base unit (21). By arranging the protrusions (412a, 412b) under the pallet legs (12a, 12b), this problem is avoided and the loading and unloading of the upper pallet (10b) becomes substantially easier.

[0044] Surprisingly, this improvement over the prior art has further advantages in that, for example, the loading and unloading of trucks is here substantially easier with respect to the embodiments shown of the prior art pallet rack system (2) as shown in FIG. 2.

[0045] By moving the protrusions under the pallet legs (12a, 12b), the lower surface (417) of the rear part (411) of the upper pallet base unit (41) is arranged below the lower edge of the upper pallet (10b), which allows the pallet rack system (4) (with or without articles) to be lifted and moved up and down by a forklift or the like under the lower surfaces (417) of the two opposite rear parts (411). This presses the upper pallet (10b) against the upper pallet base unit (41) pressing on the forks of the forklift, while the lower pallet (10a) hangs down from the forks via the support frames (40a, 40b) and is supported by the lower pallet base units (21a, 21b). In all embodiments, it is possible to lift and lower in the vertical direction, but when the pallet rack system (4) is established in the horizontal direction according to the embodiment disclosed in FIG. 4B, it is possible to lift and lower in the vertical direction when the lengths of the protrusions (412a, 412b) are selected to overlap the width of the forks of the forklift.

[0046] In the design of a pallet rack system (2) as known from DK1780751B1, in the prior art pallet rack system, when lifting and lowering in the vertical direction of the pallet, it is lifted and lowered by a forklift under the lower pallet (10a), whereby the movement of the upper pallet will propagate through the pallet rack system (2) with the risk of vibration and static destruction of the pallet rack system (2) during lifting and lowering. As in the present invention, this problem is completely eliminated by decoupling the movement of the upper pallet and the lower pallet during lifting and lowering. This structure and method of lifting and lowering the pallet rack system (4) according to the present invention constitutes a substantial improvement over the embodiment of the pallet rack system known from DK1780751B1 and the method for lifting and lowering and transporting the same embodiment.

[0047] However, the problem of supporting the pallet legs (12a, 12b) instead of the loading surface (14) is that the upper pallet (10b) cannot be incorporated in the same way here into a structure that is protected by being locked to each other against the movement on the upper surface (416) of the upper pallet in response to external accelerations, such as a sudden deceleration by a truck equipped with the pallet rack system of the present invention.

[0048] To counter this problem, it is advantageous for the upper pallet base unit (41) of the pallet rack system (4) according to the present invention to further comprise stopping means (413a - 413f, 414a - 414b) to prevent the movement of the upper pallet (10b) during transportation or other movement of the pallet rack system. Such stopping means can be designed in numerous ways, among which the means (413a - 413f, 414a - 414b) shown in Figures 6A and 6B are preferred embodiments.

[0049] The stopping means (413a - 413f) according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention is disposed on the upper pallet support surface (416) of the projection (412) and has at least one and preferably several spikes or spines (413a - 413c, 413d - 413f) corresponding to the surface of the projection that is in direct contact with the upper pallet (10b) when the pallet rack system (4) is established. The spikes or spines must be able to engage in a locking contact with the pallet and the articles during transportation and should thus be dimensioned firmly to achieve the desired stopping effect. To obtain the optimal effect of the spikes or spines (413a - 413f), these are preferably arranged in the same direction as the spikes or spines perpendicular to the longitudinal direction (c f ) of the projection, at any given projection, but may also be arranged perpendicular to the width direction (a f ) of the projection. Since the pallet rack system (4) uses a pair of opposing support frames (40), the upper pallet (10b) in a preferred embodiment of the present invention will always be affected at each pallet leg (12a, 12b) by two sets of oppositely directed spikes or spines (413a - 413c, 413d - 413f). For additional stability and in a further embodiment, the spikes or spines may be arranged on the rear part (411) or the front part (415) if the upper pallet base unit (41) is present.

[0050] The advantage of the use of the spikes or spines described herein is that since standard pallets such as euro pallets are typically made from inexpensive surplus wood with a soft wood structure, when the pallet receives the weight of the articles on the pallet, the spikes or spines can easily penetrate the pallet wood. To ensure the best possible loading and unloading of the pallet rack system (4), the spikes or spines (413a - 413f) according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention are in the longitudinal direction (c f) It preferably has a vertical side perpendicular to (0), and an inclined side forming an angle with the vertical side, preferably between 30° and 60°, more preferably at 45°, and is preferably shaped like a triangle.

[0051] It is a further advantage of the present invention that the pallet racking system (4) may be established using the lateral fork pockets (15a, 15b) of a standard pallet (10) which, if not so, would be open towards the floor and is closed below by the aforementioned floorboards (16a, 16b, 16c). In this method, the support frames (40a, 40b) engage with the lower pallet (10a) respectively by inserting their respective protrusions (212a, 212b) into their respective opposing lateral fork pockets (15a, 15b), and together with that, the upper pallet (10b) is lowered onto the upper pallet foundation units (41a, 41b). If the aforementioned stopping means (413a - 413f, 414a - 414b) are present, the structure is also stable during transportation. As will be described in more detail later with reference to FIG. 10, by that, for example, the stowage of the floor space in a semi-trailer can be optimized in containers of standard sizes, such as 20-foot or 40-foot containers, ISO containers, etc.

[0052] Furthermore, the support frame (40) or the upper pallet base unit (41) according to the present invention is adapted to control the position of the upper pallet (10b) during loading and unloading, and may comprise one or more pallet guides (414a, 414b) adapted to create end stops for the same upper pallet (see FIGS. 6A and 6B). In the illustrated embodiment, the pallet guide (414) comprises a preferably inclined guide surface, but other guides are known to those skilled in the art and may be applied according to the present invention. The incorporation of the pallet guides (414a, 414b) into the upper pallet base unit (41) is advantageous for standardizing the pallet base unit, so that when the height of the shelves of the system is required to be changed, or when stacked according to the method described later with reference to FIG. 8, the support columns (42) can be easily exchanged between different pallet rack systems (4).

[0053] In FIGS. 6A and 6B showing an embodiment of the upper pallet base unit (41), the static structure of the device is further enhanced through various conventional static means which are only described here to a limited extent, such static means being generally well known to those skilled in the art.

[0054] The static means emphasized in connection with the preferred embodiment of the present invention is the aforementioned front part (415) which is arranged between the protrusions (412a, 412b), is parallel to the rear part (411), and preferably has a lower edge in the same plane as the lower surface (417). This supports the pallet rack system (4) during lifting and lowering by the aforementioned method, and the weight of the upper pallet (10b) with or without articles is well transmitted to, for example, the forks of a forklift. As mentioned earlier, one or more additional struts (418a - 418d) may be further arranged between the two aforementioned protrusions (412a, 412b).

[0055] Furthermore, as an embodiment of the pallet rack system (4) emphasized here as preferable, such static means can be made up of diagonal beams (419a - 419d), whereby the weight to the upper pallet base unit (41) can be transmitted to the support columns (42) in a better way. In the embodiments shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B, each diagonal beam (419a - 419d) transmits the weight from the upper pallet base unit (41) to two respective connection areas (420a, 420b) arranged in the upper pallet base unit (41), and the same connection areas are suitable for being connected to the support columns (42) either removably or fixedly when the support frame (40) is assembled. The connection areas (420a, 420b) terminate downward from the surface and preferably have the same width as the protrusions (412a, 412b) of the upper pallet base unit (41). Furthermore, the diagonal beams 419b and 419c serve as guides for the forks of a forklift engaging with the pallet rack system (4) in some embodiments.

[0056] The embodiment shown in FIG. 6B represents a particularly preferred embodiment, in which the upper pallet base unit (41) is preferably cast as a single unit in aluminum in order to minimize the weight of the structure while maintaining the strength of the load. Additional support columns (618a - 618f) are present as compared to the embodiment of FIG. 6A, and the support columns shown provide both additional structural stability of the upper pallet base unit (41) and a flow path for the molten metal for better casting.

[0057] In order to obtain additional stability, the support frame (40) of the present invention may further be provided with vertical beams and transverse beams. Such measures are known to those skilled in handling static structures. In one embodiment, as shown in FIG. 5A, the present invention includes a plurality of preferably four stabilizing beams (43a-43d) disposed between the support columns (42a, 42b) and the lower pallet base unit (21). In a preferred embodiment of the previous embodiment, referring to FIG. 5A, the stabilizing beams (43a-43d) are designed such that the lower edges of the beams (43a-43d) are in the same plane as the lower edge of the lower pallet base unit (21).

[0058] In the embodiment shown in FIG. 5B, the support frame (40) is assembled from five individually manufactured basic structural components, which components are a support column (42), a lower rear component (211) preferably comprising the aforementioned stabilizing beams (43a-43d), an upper pallet base unit (41), and protrusions (212a, 212b) preferably separated by the aforementioned spacers (218). These units can be easily manufactured, for example, by casting for the lower rear component (211) and the upper pallet base unit (41), by extrusion for the support column (42), and / or by bending of a metal sheet for the protrusions (212), and they can be easily assembled, for example, by welding or bolting, to form the support frame (40) of the present invention. Thereby, the inherently high degree of symmetry included in the five basic structural components of the support frame (40) is maximally utilized, making the production of the support frame (40) easier and less expensive.

[0059] In a preferred embodiment of the support columns (42a-42b), they are designed with one or more openings (44a-44f) such that one or more straps or ropes can be attached if desired or required by a carrier or an authority for further stabilizing the subsequent pallet racking system (4) of the present invention (see, for example, FIGS. 7B-7D), or for being tied together during transportation (FIG. 7A).

[0060] It is an advantage of the present invention that the support frame (40) of the present invention can be easily extended vertically to provide a further deck of the pallet rack, in which case a first pallet rack deck (911) can be defined by a lower pallet (10a) and a lower pallet base unit (21), a second pallet rack deck (912) can be defined by an upper pallet (10b) and an upper pallet base unit (41), and a higher number of pallet decks (91x) can be defined by further additional pallet base units spaced in the upward direction from the first two decks.

[0061] FIG. 9 is an intended embodiment of a pallet rack system (9) according to the present invention comprising at least three pallet decks (911, 912, 913), the pallet rack system being a modular system (9). A modular pallet rack system (9) comprising at least three pallet decks (911, 912, 913) comprises a pallet rack system (4) according to the embodiments described herein, the pallet rack system (4) according to the embodiments described herein forming a first pallet deck (911) and a second pallet deck (912), and the modular pallet rack system (9) comprises at least two extensions (90a, 90b) and at least a further pallet, the two extensions and the pallet forming a further pallet deck (913).

[0062] The extension part (90) according to a preferred embodiment comprises at least two extension columns (92a, 92b) and an upper pallet base unit (41) according to an embodiment of the present invention. The extension part (90) is formed by connecting at least two extension columns (92a, 92b) at right angles to respective connection areas (420a, 420b) of the upper pallet base unit (41), thereby forming an H-shaped or U-shaped extension part (90). When a U-shaped extension part is formed, it is generally intended that an additional pallet deck can be added to the modular pallet rack system (9), and the H-shaped extension part provides additional support to the top pallet deck in the modular system against unwanted movement of the top pallet and / or articles being stored.

[0063] To add the extension part (90) to the pallet rack system (4) of the present invention, a coupler (93) is preferably fitted to each extension column (92), and the coupler (93) can be firmly engaged by connecting to a receiving element on the underlying pallet deck. In Figure 5B, the receiving element is formed by the interior (53) of a support column (42) that can receive the coupler (93) in the form of a coupler tongue inside the support column (42). The coupler (93) of the embodiment has at least one through hole that aligns with one of the openings (44a - 44f) in the support column (42), and a locking pin or the like can be inserted to further lock the extension part in place and secure the modular pallet rack system (9) during transportation.

[0064] Figure 9 shows a representative length (h1) of a part of the support frame (40) and the extension part (90). It is generally considered that the height (h1) of the support frame (40) is between 80 cm and 160 cm, particularly 80 cm (red frame in Figure 9) and 120 cm (green frame in Figure 9), and the height (h1) of the extension part is between 60 cm and 80 cm (blue frame in Figure 9). Thereby, it is usually always possible to establish at least three pallet decks (911, 912, 913) inside the assigned standard height of a container and a semi-trailer.

[0065] Throughout the figures, looking at FIGS. 3, 5, and 6, certain lengths z1, z2, z3, and z4 are indicated, which have not been described and explained heretofore, but are described below in connection with the method of stacking the support frame (40) for transportation when these support frames do not form part of the pallet rack system (4) according to the invention. The inventor recognizes that this is a further advantage of the invention and that when the lengths z1, z2, z3, and z4 are accurately selected, the protrusions (412a, 412b) of the upper pallet base unit (41) can be used efficiently to establish a stable stacked pallet (10) with the support frame (40), and that the support frame (40) according to the invention can be stacked efficiently and stably for transportation without goods.

[0066] FIG. 8 illustratively shows a method of forming a stack (80) of the present support frame (40) on a standard pallet (10) for transportation. In a first step (FIG. 8A), the first support frame (40a) is placed under the standard pallet (10) by inserting the protrusions (212a, 212b) of the lower base unit (21) into the respective fork pockets of the pallet in a conventional manner so as to establish a pallet rack system according to the present invention. In the next second step (FIG. 8B), the next support frame (40b) is placed in such a way on the pallet support surface (416) of the upper pallet base unit (41a) of the support frame (40a) and on the standard pallet (10) at the lowermost bottom surface (417) of the pallet base unit (41b), and the support columns (42) of the next support frame (40b) are positioned near or in contact with the support columns (42) of the first support frame (40a) over a substantial portion of the length of the support columns (42). In a third step (FIG. 8C), the second step is repeated until a predetermined stacking height is obtained, establishing a first partial stack (81a) (consisting of six support frames (40) in the example shown). In a fourth step (FIG. 8D), the second and third steps are repeated, thereby establishing at least one further partial stack (81a, 81b, 81c) until the stacking on the standard pallet (10) is interrupted by a single support frame (40c).

[0067] By appropriately selecting the lengths z1, z2, z3, and z4, the stack (80) as described above self-locks and stabilizes during transportation as described later.

[0068] The length z1 represents the width of each connection area (420a, 420b) of the upper pallet base unit (41), and when the support columns (42) are usually designed, for example, with a square contour, it is designed to have the same width as the support columns (42). The length z2 represents the distance from the pallet guide part (414) to the first spike or thorn (413a, 413d) at the protrusions (412a, 412b) of each upper pallet base unit (41), measured from the said connection area (420a, 420b).

[0069] The length z3 is measured from the said pallet support surface (416) to the bottom point, line, or surface of the connection area (420), preferably to the defined surface below the connection area (420a, 420b) having substantially the same width as the protrusions (412a, 412b) of the upper pallet base unit (41), and represents the length of the said connection area (420a, 420b) of the upper pallet base unit (41). The length z4 represents the distance from the lower contact surface of the protrusion (212) of the lower pallet base unit (21) towards the floor or the pallet to the rear part (211) or the lower rear part (211) of the lower pallet base unit (21), and the said rear part (211) is terminated by the said upper surface (216).

[0070] The lengths (z1, z2) and (z3, z4) belong together in pairs, and both the lengths z2 and z3 are adjusted in pairs so that they are slightly larger than their respective corresponding lengths z1 and z4 of the pair, for example, less than 5 mm, preferably less than 3 mm. Thereby, the connection area (420a, 420b) fits between the pallet guide parts (414a, 414b) and the respective first spikes or thorns (413a, 413d), and the stacking is raised and lowered so as to be sufficient to engage and hold the lower base unit (21) in the lower base unit (21) where the lower base unit (21) is arranged in the subsequent partial stacking.

[0071] By selecting lengths (z1, z2) and (z3, z4) according to the previous pointer, it is obtained when the stacking (80) is established that each partial stacking (81a, 81b, 81c) is locked and fixed to the pallet (10). The protrusion (212) of the lower pallet base unit (21) in the first established partial stacking (81a) will reach the upper surface (216) of the rear part (211) of the lower pallet base unit (21) in the second established partial stacking (81b), whereby the weight of each subsequent partial stacking will be partially supported by the previous partial stacking. At the same time, the connecting areas (420a, 420b) of the upper pallet base unit (41) are supported by the lower pallet support surface (416) between the respective first spikes or spines (413a, 413d) and the pallet guides (414a, 414b) established at the protrusions (412a, 412b) of the respective upper pallet base units (41), whereby the movement of the support frame (40b) positioned above and in contact with the longitudinal protrusions (412) of the protrusions (412) is restricted to the space z2 between the respective first spikes or spines (413a, 413d) and the respective pallet guides (414a, 414b), so that each partial stacking (81a, 81b, 81c) will be locked above.

[0072] Referring to FIG. 8, in a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the stacking (80) is constructed from 20 support frames (40) with a length d f of 40 cm, which allows for the maximum number of support frames (40) stably stacked to 120 cm of a Europallet in the longitudinal direction. According to the European Parliament Directive 96 / 53 / EC for articulated trucks and semi-trailers, the floor space is approximately 40 pallets, after which the pallet racking system (4) is established with two layers of pallets, with a maximum of 10% of the floor space of the semi-trailer occupied by the driver, and the pallet racking system (4) is not desired to be established or partially established in connection with a given freight transport on a particular semi-trailer.

[0073] As mentioned above, it is a particular advantage of the pallet rack system (4, 9) according to the invention that a pallet rack system can be established with both longitudinal fork pockets (11a, 11b) and lateral fork pockets (15a, 15b) in the constituent pallets (10a, 10b), while still being able to transport the resulting pallet rack system from its location of assembly to, for example, a semi-trailer or container by forklift.

[0074] FIG. 10 discloses how the pallet rack system of the present invention can be placed inside the load holders of various semi-trailers and containers for optimal use of floor space, and the pallet rack system can be oriented both longitudinally and transversely relative to the longest axis of the load holder or a combination of both longitudinal and transverse loads.

[0075] It is a major drawback of the pallet rack systems of this technology that they slightly increase the footprint of each individual pallet (which is more than compensated for by at least one additional pallet), however, the present pallet system allows for even further optimization of the load holder floor usage due to the two disclosed configurations of the inventive pallet rack system.

[0076] Thus, further described herein is a truck or lorry with a load holder, or a trailer or container, respectively, with a load holder, the load holder comprising a pallet shelf system (4, 9) with at least two pallet shelves or decks (911, 912, 913) as in any of the previous embodiments. Also described herein is a standard size container comprising a pallet shelf system (4, 9) with at least two pallet shelves or decks (911, 912, 913) as in any of the previous embodiments.

[0077] final opinion The term "comprising" as used in the claims does not exclude other elements or steps. The term "a" as used in the claims does not exclude a greater number. The recitation of references in the claims is not to be understood as a limitation with respect to use.

[0078] Although the present invention has been described in detail for purposes of illustration, it is to be understood that such detail is solely for that purpose and that variations can be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention.

Explanation of Reference Signs

[0079] 4 pallet rack system 9 modular pallet rack system 10 standard pallets 10a standard pallet, lower pallet 10b standard pallet, upper pallet 11a, 11b longitudinal fork pockets 12a, 12b outer pallet legs 13 intermediate pallet legs 14 loading surface 15a, 15b transverse fork pockets 16a, 16b, 16c floor boards 21, 21a, 21b lower pallet base units 40, 40a, 40b, 40c support frames 41, 41a, 41b upper pallet base units 42, 42a, 42b, 42c, 42d upright columns, support columns 43a, 43b, 43c, 43d stabilizing beams 44a, 44b, 44c, 44d, 44e, 44f openings 53 interior 80 stacking 81a, 81b, 81c partial stacking 90a, 90b extensions 92a, 92b extension columns 93 connectors 211 lower rear part Protrusions 212, 212a, 212b Supporting legs 213a, 213b, 213c, 213d Leg 213e Upper surface 216 Crossbar 217 Spacer 218 Mounting flanges 219a, 219b, 219c Rear part 411 Protrusions 412, 412a, 412b Stopping means, spikes, spines 413a, 413b, 413c, 413d, 413e, 413f Stopping means, pallet guiding part 414, 414a, 414b Front part 415 Pallet support surface, upper surface 416 Bottom surface, lower surface 417 Supports 418a, 418b, 418c, 418d Diagonal beams 419a, 419b, 419c, 419d Connection areas 420, 420a, 420b Supports 618a, 618b, 618c, 618d, 618e, 618f First pallet deck 911 Second pallet deck 912 Pallet deck 913 a Opening width of the fork pocket b Opening height of the fork pocket a f Width direction of the protrusion b f Dimension of the protrusion c f Length of the protrusion, longitudinal direction of the protrusion d f Overall length Height of the support frame h1 Width of the support frame h2 Lengths z1, z2, z3, z4

Claims

1. A support frame (40) for a pallet rack system (4) comprising at least two standard pallets (10a, 10b), each of said standard pallets (10a, 10b) having a plurality of side openings or fork pockets (11a, 11b, 15a, 15b), said support frame comprising at least two support columns (42a, 42b), as well as a lower pallet base unit (21) and an upper pallet base unit (41), said lower and upper pallet base units being arranged parallel to each other and connected via said at least two support columns (42a, 42b), said at least two support columns also being arranged in parallel, - said lower pallet base unit (21) comprising a rear part (211) and a plurality of protrusions (212a, 212b) attached to one side of said rear part (211), said plurality of protrusions (212a, 212b) being matched in number and size so as to fit into each side opening or fork pocket (11a, 11b, 15a, 15b) of said standard pallet (10a) so as to support the underside of the loading area (14) of said standard pallet (10a), and - said upper pallet base unit (41) comprising a rear part (411) and a plurality of protrusions (412a, 412b) perpendicularly attached to one side of said rear part (411), said plurality of protrusions (412a, 412b) forming a pallet support surface (416) and a bottom surface (417) and being arranged so as to support two outer pallet legs (12a, 12b) of said standard pallet (10b), - each of said protrusions (212a, 212b) on said lower pallet base unit (21) being configured as a closed support case, a partially open support case, or a partially empty support case with legs (213a-d), - said upper pallet base unit (41) further comprising stop means (413a-f, 414a-f), said stop means (413a-413f, 414a-414f) comprising at least one spike or thorn (413a-413f) arranged on said pallet support surface (416), support frame (40).

2. The support frame (40) according to claim 1, wherein the width (h2) of said support frame (40) does not exceed the width (l2) of said standard pallets (10a, 10b).

3. The support frame (40) according to claim 2, wherein the rear part (411) and a plurality of protrusions (412a, 412b) vertically attached to one side of the rear part (411) are combined with a front part (415) to form a rectangular frame.

4. The support frame (40) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein a plurality of protrusions (412a, 412b) vertically attached to one side of the rear part (411) provide support for the intermediate pallet legs (13) of the standard pallet (10).

5. The support frame (40) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the upper pallet base unit (41) further includes struts (418a to 418d) arranged in parallel with and between the plurality of protrusions (412a, 412b) connecting to the rear part (411), and each of the struts is positioned at a distance from each of the plurality of protrusions (412a, 412b) such that their positions are below the respective vertical fork pockets of the standard pallet (10).

6. The support frame (40) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the stopping means (413a to 413f, 414a to 414f) further includes one or more pallet guides (414a to 414f) having inclined guide surfaces.

7. The support frame (40) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the upper pallet base unit (41) further includes connection areas (420a, 420b) for connecting the upper pallet base unit (41) to the respective support columns (42a, 42b) via the respective connection areas (420a, 420b).

8. The support frame (40) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the upper pallet base unit (41) is cast as a single unit.

9. The support frame (40) according to any one of claims 1 to 8, further comprising an extension (90) for supporting a third pallet deck (913), the extension (90) including an upper pallet base unit (41) and at least two extension columns (92a, 92b), and each of the extension columns (92a, 92b) includes a coupler (93) for engaging a receiving element (53) on the lower pallet deck.

10. A pallet racking system (4, 9) having at least two pallet decks (911, 912), said pallet racking system (4, 9) comprising at least two standard pallets (10a, 10b), each of said standard pallets (10a, 10b) comprising at least two fork pockets (11a, 11b) for receiving the forks of a forklift, at least two standard pallets (10a, 10b), and at least two support frames (40a, 40b) according to any one of claims 1 to 9, Said pallet racking system (4, 9) is formed by inserting each of said protrusions (212a, 212b) of said two support frames (40a, 40b) into respective matching fork pockets (11a, 11b, 15a, 15b) in the lower standard pallet (10a), thereby forming a first pallet deck (911), and subsequently placing the upper standard pallet (10b) on said upper pallet base units (41a, 41b), so that said upper pallet base units (41a, 41b) support the outer pallet legs (12a, 12b) of said upper standard pallet (10b), thereby forming a second pallet deck (912), to form said pallet racking system (4, 9) comprising at least two pallet decks (911, 912).

11. Said pallet racking system (4, 9) further comprises at least two extensions (90a, 90b) and at least one additional standard pallet (10), said at least two extensions (90a, 90b) and said at least one additional standard pallet being configured to form an additional pallet deck (913), the pallet racking system (4, 9) according to claim 10.

12. An extension (90) comprises at least two extension columns (92a, 92b) and an upper pallet base unit (41), the pallet racking system (4, 9) according to claim 11.

13. The support frame (40) or extension part (90) connects two upright support columns (42a, 42b) or two extension part columns (92a, 92b) to respective connection areas (420a, 420b) at right angles in the upper pallet base unit (41), thereby forming an H-shaped or U-shaped support frame (40) or extension part (90), and the pallet rack system (4, 9) according to any one of claims 10 to 12 is formed.

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