palette

Abstract

To provide a pallet which can be used by selecting pillars having two different heights and arranging them in multiple stages without removing the pillars supporting the pallet, and prevent the pillars from interfering with the loading of luggage or the like.SOLUTION: A pallet is provided with pillar holders 9 respectively arranged on four sides of a pallet base 2 and opening upward, outer pillars 7 erected within the respective pillar holders 9 and movable upward, and inner pillars 8 erected within the respective pillar holders 9, movable upward, arranged overlapping with the outer pillars 7 in the storage space of the outer pillars 7 in an erected state, and having a shorter length than the outer pillars 7. The outer pillars 7 are held in an upright state by engagement means formed between the pillar holders 9 and the outer pillars, and by moving the outer pillars upward, the engagement means are released to allow the outer pillars to collapse. By the collapse of the outer pillars 7, the inner pillars 8 escape from within the outer pillars 7 and are held in an upright state on the pillar holders 9, and by being moved upward, the inner pillars escape from the pillar holders 9 to allow the inner pillars to collapse.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to pallets and the like used for loading and transporting various articles such as luggage.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, pallets for transporting articles have been routinely used in the distribution industry, for example, when transporting large or numerous articles. There is a demand to stack articles by arranging such pallets in multiple tiers. As a technique to meet such a demand, for example, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3 of Patent Document 1, connecting columns 5 are inserted into the leg portions 4 at the four corners of the pallet body 1, and the arm portions 3 of the upper-stage pallet are stacked on the upper stage of the connecting columns 5 (that is, additional pallets with columns are added), and a multi-stage pallet is disclosed. Further, as shown in FIGS. 1 to 4 of Patent Document 2, a sub-column 8 longer than the main column 7 with a different height is disposed in a nested manner within the main column 7, and the sub-column 8 is made to be collapsible with respect to the main column 7 so that articles can be stacked in multiple tiers. With such a pallet, pallets can be arranged at two different heights when stacking pallets in multiple tiers.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, in multi-tiered pallets like the one in Patent Document 1, the arms 3 of the upper pallet are simply resting on the connecting support columns 5 of the lower tier, resulting in poor stability. Furthermore, since the connecting support columns 5 must be provided separately, they must be stored in a designated storage location when not in use, which is inconvenient and requires a storage space for them. Furthermore, in Patent Document 2, if the sub-support column 8 is not in use, it must be removed from the main support column 7 and stored in the storage location, similar to Patent Document 1. Also, if the main support column 7 is not removed, it will remain upright at the four corners of the pallet body 1, which may be in the way depending on the cargo. However, if the main support column 7 is removed, it must be stored in the same way as the sub-support column 8, which is troublesome. For these reasons, there was a need for a pallet that could be used in multiple tiers by selecting two different heights without removing the support columns that hold up the pallet, and in which the support columns would not interfere with the loading of goods. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] As a means 1, the pallet base is provided with support posts that are arranged on all four sides and open upward, an outer support post erected within each support post and movable upward, and an inner support post that is erected within each support post and movable upward, and is shorter in length than the outer support post and is arranged overlapping with the outer support post in the storage space of the outer support post when in an upright position. The outer support post is held upright by an engaging means formed between it and the support post, and can be lowered by releasing the engaging means when it is moved upward, and the inner support post is held upright within the support post when the outer support post is lowered and is released from the storage space inside the outer support post, and can be lowered by moving it upward and releasing from the support post. This allows for the selective erection of two support columns of different heights, enabling the arrangement of pallets at two different heights in any desired multi-tiered configuration. More specifically, with the outer support columns erected, the inner support columns are positioned inside them. When both are erect, the upper pallet is placed on the outer support columns. When the outer support columns are lowered, the inner support columns are exposed, and the upper pallet is placed on these inner columns. Furthermore, when multi-tiered pallets are not desired, the support columns can be lowered and stored without removing them, so as not to interfere with the goods loaded on the pallets.

[0006] A "support post holder" only needs to have a housing section that accommodates the outer and inner support posts, and it may or may not have a bottom. Furthermore, the housing section of the support post holder does not necessarily have to be a structure that completely surrounds the outer and inner support posts with a wall. The "outer support" may be a frame made of, for example, an alloy plate. Since it has a structure that contains a storage space for housing the inner support, it may have an opening for the inner support to move in and out. The outer support may be a frame with a U-shaped (i.e., channel-shaped) cross-section, for example, by cutting one side of a rectangle. Since the outer support is held upright by an engagement means to the support receiver, it does not necessarily have to be placed on the bottom plate of the support receiver. The "internal support" is preferably a frame made of, for example, an alloy plate, which is shorter in length than the external support. The internal support is preferably arranged in a state where it overlaps with the external support within the housing space inside the external support, that is, in a nested manner. In this state where the internal support overlaps with the external support, a portion of it may protrude from the external support. The outer support column is held against the support column receiver without falling over by the "engaging means formed between the outer support column and the support column receiver." The engaging means may simply involve the outer support column side being locked to the upper end of the support column receiver, but it is preferable that the engagement is in a concave-convex relationship. In that case, it is preferable that a convex portion is formed on the inner side of the outer support column and a concave portion (e.g., a notch) is formed on the support column receiver side. It is also acceptable to have a configuration where the concave portion is on the outer support column side and a convex portion is provided on the support column receiver side. Furthermore, since the outer support column is movable upward and is housed in the support column receiver by moving it downward, it is preferable that the engaging means be located, for example, near the upper edge of the support column receiver. It is preferable to provide multiple engaging means between the outer support column and the support column receiver.

[0007] As a second measure, the direction in which the outer support and the inner support fall is the same. According to method 1 described above, the directions in which the outer and inner supports fall may be different. However, if the outer and inner supports can fall in the same direction, the inner supports will be housed within the outer supports, just as they are in the upright position, resulting in a more compact fallen state that facilitates handling, such as transporting pallets. As a third method, the outer support column and the inner support column have elongated holes formed along the vertical direction, and the shaft inserted through the support column receiver is positioned within the elongated holes. This structure allows the outer and inner support columns to slide vertically while being guided by the elongated holes and the axis, resulting in smoother movement of the outer and inner support columns and easier handling by workers. Furthermore, since the outer and inner support columns are supported by the axis, they can be rotated around the axis as a pivot point to be lowered, making the lowering operation easier. As a fourth method, the shaft is positioned perpendicular to the direction in which the outer and inner support columns are toppled, and parallel to the horizontal plane of the pallet base. By arranging the axes in this way, the outer and inner supports can be lowered or raised along the edge of the pallet base. In particular, if the height of the axes is close to the pallet base, the outer and inner supports can be positioned near the horizontal plane of the pallet base when lowered, contributing to the compactness of the pallet.

[0008] As a fifth measure, the elongated holes in at least one of the outer support and the inner support are formed with the portion near the lower end bent or curved in the opposite direction to the direction of collapse. By configuring the elongated holes in this way, when the outer and / or inner supports are pulled upward, the bent or curved portions are pushed against the side of the axis, causing the outer and / or inner supports to move in the tilting direction. In other words, even when the outer and / or inner supports are pulled upward, they do not move straight up but instead protrude in the tilting direction and are slightly offset from directly above. This prevents the lower ends of these supports from interfering with the support receiving side due to the rotational movement when the outer and / or inner supports are tilted. As means 6, the engaging means is composed of a projection provided on the outer support column side and a recess formed on the support column receiving side into which the projection is fitted. When erecting the outer support column, it is housed within the support column holder, so it is mechanically appropriate to provide a projection on the outer circumference of the outer support column and a recess in the support column holder into which the projection interferes. Furthermore, by fitting the projection into the recess in this way, the outer support column can be held securely in place with reduced rattle relative to the support column holder. In particular, it is preferable to position the projection 180 degrees opposite the outer support column and provide a corresponding recess on the support column holder side. As a means 7, a second engagement means is provided between the inner support column and the support column receiver, such that a projection formed on the other side fits into a recess formed on the other side. While rattle can be eliminated by configuring the inner support column to fit snugly against the inner wall of the outer support column, rattle of the inner support column can be reduced even without such precision in its configuration relative to the outer support column. This is achieved by providing a second engaging means, which engages the inner support column side with the support column receiving side through the concave and concave relationship of the concave and protruding parts. The protrusions on the inner support column side of the second engaging means may be provided as one or more at the upper or lower positions of the support column receiving side or at the bottom plate position. As a means 8, at least one of the outer support column and the inner support column is made to make contact with the bottom plate inside the support column holder when the structure is upright. In the upright position, it is preferable for the lower end portion to contact the bottom plate inside the support column holder for the stability of the outer and / or inner support columns and to reduce rattling. A structure may also be provided between each support column and the bottom plate to not only ensure contact but also to suppress rattling in the left-right and front-back directions. The inventions described above, from means 1 to means 8, can be combined in any way. In particular, it is preferable to have the configuration of means 1 and to combine it with at least one configuration of each of the inventions of means 2 to means 7. Any component of each of the inventions of means 1 to means 8 can be extracted and combined with other components. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to the present invention, by having two support columns of different heights, pallets can be arranged in multiple layers at two different heights as desired, allowing for the transport of many items according to their size. Furthermore, since the support columns can be folded down to create a storage state, even when the pallets are not arranged in multiple layers, there is no need to remove the support columns and store them elsewhere. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0010] [Figure 1] A perspective view of the pallet in this embodiment with the outer support columns in an upright position. [Figure 2] A perspective view of the same embodiment of the pallet with the outer support columns bent down and only the inner support columns standing upright. [Figure 3]Perspective view of the outer and inner supports of the pallet in the same embodiment in a collapsed state. [Figure 4] Perspective view of the state where the support receiver is fixed to the pallet frame of the pallet in the same embodiment. [Figure 5] (a) and (b) are perspective views of the support device used for the pallet in the same embodiment. [Figure 6] (a) is a perspective view of the outer support used for the pallet in the same embodiment, (b) is a front view, (c) is a plan view, and (d) is a side view. [Figure 7] (a) is a perspective view of the inner support used for the pallet in the same embodiment, (b) is a front view, (c) is a plan view, and (d) is a side view. [Figure 8] (a) and (b) are perspective views of the support receiver used for the pallet in the same embodiment. [Figure 9A] Explanatory diagram for explaining the initial state of the support device when both the outer and inner supports are erected. [Figure 9B] Explanatory diagram for explaining the usage state of the support device when the outer support is collapsed and only the inner support is erected. [Figure 9C] Explanatory diagram for explaining the usage state of the support device when both the outer and inner supports are collapsed. [Figure 10] (a) and (b) are explanatory diagrams for explaining the state where the outer support protrudes when the outer support is pulled up. [Figure 11] (a) and (b) are explanatory diagrams for explaining the state where the outer support protrudes when the inner support is pulled up. [Figure 12] (a) of the inner support in another embodiment is a front view, and (b) is a side view. [Figure 13] Explanatory diagram for explaining the state where the inner support in FIG. 12 is accommodated in the support receiver. [Figure 14] Front view of the inner support in another embodiment. [Figure 15] Explanatory diagram for explaining the state where the inner support in FIG. 14 is accommodated in the support receiver.

Embodiments for Carrying out the Invention

[0011] Hereinafter, a pallet, which is one embodiment of the present invention, will be described based on the drawings. As shown in Figures 1 to 4, the pallet 1 of this embodiment comprises a pallet base 2 made of alloy frames combined vertically and horizontally, and a top plate 3 for placing cargo fixed on the pallet base 2. The pallet base 2 is constructed by combining reinforcing frames 2b made of iron alloy square frames vertically and horizontally inside an outer frame 2a made of iron alloy square frames. The pallet base 2 as a whole has a rectangular outer shape. A pair of iron alloy slit frames 4 are arranged at the center of the back surface of the square frames of the outer frame 2a on the long side of the pallet base 2. The slit frames 4 constitute through holes 4a into which the forks are inserted when the pallet 1 is lifted by a forklift (not shown). The slit frames 4 are arranged so that the direction in which the forks enter the through holes 4a is perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the outer frame 2a. The top plate 3 is detachably mounted on the pallet base 2. When the top plate 3 is placed on the pallet base 2, a loading area for loading rectangular-shaped cargo is formed. Support devices 5 are installed at four locations near the corners on both longitudinal edges of the pallet base 2.

[0012] As shown in Figures 5 to 8, the support device 5 is mainly composed of an outer support 7, an inner support 8, and a support receiver 9, all made of iron alloy. In this embodiment, when the members are fixed to each other by welding, a bead is formed at the joint, but this bead is not shown in the illustration. Hereafter, fixing by welding will be referred to as welding. As shown in Figures 1 to 3, the support device 5 is welded to the outer frame 2a of the pallet base 2 on the side of the support receiver 9, and the pallet base 2 is held in mid-air by the four support devices 5 (support receivers 9). The pallet 1 is placed on the horizontal base surface by the support devices 5, so that the pallet base 2 is positioned horizontally in the surface direction. The outer support 7, inner support 8, and support receiver 9 will be described in detail below. As shown in Figures 6(a) to (d), the outer support column 7 is equipped with a main body 10 that has a U-shaped (i.e., channel-shaped) cross-section, which is the shape of a rectangle with one side cut off. In this embodiment, the main body 10 has the appearance of a three-sided bent plate body with a thickness of 3 mm, with opposing plates being plate sections 10a, the plate body perpendicular to the plate sections 10a in between being plate section 10b, and the open direction being the opening 7A. The main dimensions of the outer support column 7 in this embodiment are a total length of 1004.5 mm and a total width of 50.00 mm, but these dimensions are just examples and can be appropriately changed according to the size of the pallet base 2. A long plate 11 is welded to the upper half of the main body 10, facing the opening 7A, thus closing the upper area. Square lids 12 are welded to the upper and lower positions of the long plate 11, that is, at the tip (upper end) and in the middle of the main body 10, so as to close off the main body 10, thus closing off the area of ​​the main body 10 where the long plate 11 is located. The area of ​​the main body 10 that is not closed off by the long plate 11 and the lids 12 is used as a housing space 14 in which the inner support columns 8 are nested. A pair of elongated holes 13 are formed in opposing plate portions 10a near the rear end (lower end) of the main body 10 of the outer support column 7. The elongated holes 13 extend linearly along the longitudinal direction of the main body 10, and are configured so that the portion of the main body 10 near the rear end is bent toward the opening 10A. The bent portion of the elongated hole 13 is called the bent portion 13a. The rear end (lower end) of the plate portion 10b sandwiched between the opposing plate portions 10a is cut into a rectangular shape to form a notch 16. A pair of convex bodies 15 constituting an engaging means are fixed to the outer surface of the opposing plate portions 10a at a position slightly above the elongated holes 13. The convex bodies 15 are made of long iron alloy blocks with chamfered front and rear ends. The convex bodies 15 are each positioned vertically along the center of the width direction of the plate portion 10a.

[0013] As shown in Figures 7(a) to (d), the inner support column 8 is equipped with a cylindrical body 17 with a square cross-section and chamfered corners. A rectangular lid 18a is welded to the tip (upper end) of the body 17, and a square lid 18b is welded to the rear end (lower upper end), closing the body 17 in the vertical direction. The lid 18a on the tip side is made larger than the cross-sectional shape of the inner support column 8, and when installed, it protrudes slightly in the opposite direction to the direction in which the inner support column 8 is tilted. This is because when using the inner support column 8, the base 21 of the pallet 1, which will be described later, is placed over it, and the lid is made to match the inner shape of the base 21 to prevent rattling when the base 21 is placed over it. In this embodiment, the plate portion of the body 17 on the side where the lid 18a protrudes will be referred to as plate portion 17a, and the plate portion perpendicular to plate portion 17a will be referred to as plate portion 17b. In this embodiment, the main dimensions of the inner support column 8 are 432.5 mm in total length and 40.00 mm in total width, including the thickness of the lids 18a and 18b. However, these dimensions are merely examples and can be appropriately changed according to the size of the outer support column 7 and the pallet base 2. A convex body 19, which constitutes a second engaging means, is welded to a position slightly below the vertical center of the plate portion 17a of the main body 17. The convex body 19 is composed of a long block made of iron alloy with chamfered edges on the front and rear. The convex body 19 is positioned vertically at the center of the width direction of the plate portion 17a. A pair of elongated holes 20 are formed in the opposing plate portions 17b of the inner support column 8 near the rear end (lower end) of the main body 17. The elongated holes 20 extend linearly along the longitudinal direction of the main body 17, and the portion of the main body 17 near the rear end is bent towards the plate portion 17a where the convex body 19 is provided. The bent portion of the elongated holes 20 is called the bent portion 20a. A semi-ring-shaped handle 34 made of iron alloy is welded to the upper position of the convex body 19 on the plate portion 17a of the main body 17. A rectangular-shaped plate 35 made of iron alloy is welded to the lower position of the convex body 19 (the lower end of the plate portion 17a) on the plate portion 17a of the main body 17. The plate 35 serves to adjust the front-to-back spacing of the inner support columns 8, which are placed inside the support column receiver 9.

[0014] As shown in Figures 8(a) and (b), the support column holder 9 consists of a base 21 and legs 22 erected on the base 21. The base 21, which is bowl-shaped with a roughly rectangular planar shape, is positioned upside down as if the bowl were inverted, and the legs 22 are welded onto the base 21. The base 21 is placed over the outer support column 7 or inner support column 8 of the lower support column device 5 when arranging the pallets 1 in multiple layers. The legs 22 are equipped with a main body 23 that constitutes a housing section with a U-shaped (i.e., channel-shaped) cross-section formed by cutting one side of a rectangle. The main body 23 has the external form of a three-sided bent plate, with opposing parts being plate sections 23a, the plate section perpendicular to the plate sections 23a between them being plate section 23b, and the open direction being the opening 23A. The main dimensions of the leg portion 22 in this embodiment are a total width of 60.00 mm, a depth of 55.5 mm, and a plate thickness of 4.5 mm, but these dimensions can be appropriately changed according to the size of the outer support column 7. A front cover 24 is welded to the lower end of the main body 23 on the side of the opening 23A, facing the opening 23A. A bottom plate 25 is welded to the back of the front cover 24 inside the main body 23, hidden by the front cover 24. A reinforcing plate 26 is welded to the upper part of the leg portion 22, surrounding the main body 23. A first notched recess 27, which constitutes an upward-opening engaging means, is formed at the upper end of the plate portion 23a of the main body 23 and the reinforcing plate 26 that overlaps the plate portion 23a. A second notched recess 28, which constitutes a second upward-opening engaging means, is formed at the upper end of the plate portion 23b of the main body 23. A pair of bearing holes 29 are formed in the plate portion 23a of the main body 23, below the first notched recess 27.

[0015] The outer support column 7 and inner support column 8, configured in this way, are attached to the support column receiver 9 as follows to form the support column device 5 shown in Figures 5(a) and (b). The outer support column 7 and the lower part of the inner support column 8 are housed in an upright position within the leg portion 22 of the support column receiver 9, with the lower edges of both support columns 7 and 8 touching the bottom plate 25 inside the leg portion 22. The inner support column 8 is housed within the housing space 14 of the outer support column 7. The outer support column 7 has its plate portion 10b side of the main body 10 positioned towards the opening 23A of the leg portion 22, and the inner support column 8 is exposed outward from the opening 7A of the main body 10 of the outer support column 7 within the housing space 14. In this upright position on the bottom plate 25, the convex body 15 on the outer support column 7 side engages with the first notched recess 27, and the convex body 19 on the inner support column 8 side engages with the second notched recess 28. In this way, with the outer support column 7 and inner support column 8 standing upright, the uppermost part of the elongated hole 13 in the outer support column 7 and the uppermost part of the elongated hole 20 in the inner support column 8 face the bearing hole 29 on the leg portion 22 side, which serves as the bearing. Then, as shown in Figure 8, the inner support column 8 and outer support column 7 are pivotally supported on the support column receiver 9 side by inserting a bolt pin 31 through these overlapping holes via a washer 30 from the outside of the leg portion 22 and fastening it with a nut 32. In the following explanation, the initial state of the support column device 5 will be considered to be this state in which both the outer support column 7 and inner support column 8 are standing upright.

[0016] Next, the method of using the support device 5 of the pallet 1 configured in this way will be explained with reference to the diagram. In the following explanation, the direction of collapse will be considered to be the front side. As shown in Figures 1 and 9A, in the initial state of the support structure 5, the outer support columns 7 are upright on all four sides of the support structure 5. Therefore, by stacking other identical pallets 1 on top of this pallet 1, the stacking area of ​​the lower pallet 1 is given a height corresponding to the long outer support columns 7. Next, we will explain the case where the inner support column 8 is used as a support column. The worker holds the outer support column 7 from the support column receiver 9 of the support column device 5 in the state shown in Figure 10(a) and pulls it upward. As a result, the outer support column 7 moves upward along the elongated hole 13 with the bolt pin 31 as a guide, and as the outer support column 7 moves upward, the position of the bolt pin 31 is gradually displaced to the bent portion 13a within the elongated hole 13. As the inner wall of the bent portion 13a is pushed by the bolt pin 31, the outer support column 7 protrudes towards the open opening 23A side of the leg portion 22 (i.e., forward) as shown by the arrow in Figure 10(b). By moving (offsetting) the outer support column 7 in the tilting direction when rotating it in this way, the rear of the lower end of the outer support column 7 does not interfere with the inner surface of the plate portion 23b of the leg portion 22 (main body 23) when the outer support column 7 is rotated in the tilting direction. Then, the worker holds the outer support column 7 using the bolt pin 31 as the pivot point and tilts it, placing the outer support column 7 on the support column receiver 33 provided on the outer frame 2a. By tilting the outer support column 7 in this manner, the inner support column 8 is automatically exposed and remains upright, as shown in Figures 2 and 9B. At this time, the outer support column 7 tilts along the outer frame 2a on the long side of the pallet base 2, so it does not rest on the top plate 3 or extend to the side of the pallet base 2. By stacking another identical pallet 1 on top of this pallet 1, the stacking area of ​​the lower pallet 1 is given a height corresponding to the short inner support column 8.

[0017] Next, we will explain the case where the inner support column 8 is also toppled over, resulting in a state without support columns. The worker takes the inner support column 8 from the support column receiver 9 of the support column device 5 in the state shown in Figure 11(a) and pulls it upward. This allows the inner support column 8 to move upward along the elongated hole 13, guided by the bolt pin 31. As it moves upward, the inner support column 8 reaches the bent portion 19a position within the elongated hole 20, and, like the outer support column 7, the inner support column 8 protrudes forward (towards the open opening 23A side of the leg portion 22) as shown by the arrow in Figure 11(b). This prevents the lower rear end of the inner support column 8 from interfering with the inner surface of the plate portion 23b of the leg portion 22 (main body 23) when the inner support column 8 is rotated in the tilting direction, just like the outer support column 7. The worker then tilts the inner support column 8 using the bolt pin 31 as the pivot point and places it into the storage space 14 of the already tilted outer support column 7. By tilting the outer support column 7 in this manner, the inner support column 8 also tilts, as shown in Figures 3 and 9C, leaving only the support column receiver 9 of the support column device 5. In this state, since neither the outer support column 7 nor the inner support column 8 is present, it is easy to load cargo onto the loading area of ​​the pallet 1. Next, when raising the inner support column 8, which is in the retracted (collapsed) state, the worker holds the handle 34 of the exposed main body 17 and pulls it up using the bolt pin 31 as the pivot point in the reverse motion described above. Furthermore, when raising the outer support column 7, the worker holds the main body 10 and pulls it up using the bolt pin 31 as the pivot point in the reverse motion described above.

[0018] The following effects are achieved with the pallet 1 of the above embodiment. (1) By using support columns of two different heights, other pallets 1 can be stacked on top of the pallet 1 at different heights, and multiple pallets 1 can be assembled in multiple layers. In this case, the two types of support columns are attached to the pallet 1 as outer support columns 7 and inner support columns 8 as components of the support column device 5, so there is no need to prepare two separate support columns of different heights. (2) When neither the outer support column 7 nor the inner support column 8 of the support column device 5 is in use, they can be placed in a retracted position, and there is no need to remove and store the outer support column 7 and the inner support column 8. Therefore, there is no need to secure storage space. (3) The outer support column 7 and the inner support column 8 are folded down along the outer frame 2a on the long side of the pallet base 2 of the pallet 1 to be stored, so the outer support column 7 and the inner support column 8 do not get in the way. (4) The inner support column 8 is housed within the storage space 14 of the outer support column 7, creating a nested structure, so it fits compactly and does not get in the way whether stored or in use. When the outer support column 7 is upright, the inner support column 8 is surrounded by the support column receiver 9 and the outer support column 7 and does not collapse on its own. (5) The outer support column 7 is held in place by the convex body 15 of the outer support column 7 engaging with the first notched recess 27 in the support column receiver 9, and its lower end surface is in firm contact with the bottom plate 25 inside the leg portion 22. Therefore, the outer support column 7 is less likely to rattle between itself and the support column receiver 9 even when the pallet 1 shakes. (6) The inner support column 8 is stored in a nested state within the housing space 14 of the outer support column 7 with a little extra space, but the inner support column 8 is less prone to rattling because the convex body 19 of the inner support column 8 is engaged with the second notched recess 28. (6) Since both the outer support column 7 and the inner support column 8 protrude slightly forward when they are toppled over, the diameter of the leg portion 22 of the support column holder 9 does not need to be enlarged to allow the outer support column 7 and the inner support column 8 to rotate, which contributes to making the support column holder 9 more compact. In addition, the gap between the outer support column 7 and the inner support column 8 and the leg portion 22 can be made smaller, which prevents the outer support column 7 and the inner support column 8 from rattling. (7) Workers can raise or lower the outer support 7 and inner support 8 using only their hands, without the need for any special tools.

[0019] The above embodiments are merely described as specific examples illustrating the principles and concepts of the present invention. In other words, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. The present invention can also be embodied in modified forms, for example, as follows. The above configuration of Pallet 1 is just an example, and the materials, shapes, and number of components may be changed as appropriate. Also, for example, the configuration of the support device 5, the number of support devices 5, and the mounting position of the support device 5 can be changed as appropriate. The configuration of the outer support 7, inner support 8, and support receiver 9 that make up the support device 5 may also be changed as appropriate by changing the materials, shapes, and number of components. More specifically, for example, the following changes may be made. To prevent rattling of the outer support column 7 and inner support column 8 relative to the support column receiver 9, other engagement means may be used between the support column receiver 9 and the outer support column 7 and inner support column 8. For example, as shown in Figure 12, a projection 41 may be provided at the rear of the inner support column 8, and as shown in Figure 13, when the inner support column 8 is grounded on the bottom plate 25, it may be engaged with the notched recess 42 on the front cover 24 side. This further prevents rattling of the inner support column 8. Such alternative engagement means may be used together with the above-described engagement means for the inner support column 8, or in place of the above-described engagement means. As shown in Figure 14, for example, the position of the projection 41 of the inner support column 8 shown in Figure 13 may be changed to provide a projection 43 on the back surface of the lid 18b of the inner support column 8. In other words, the projection 43 may be provided on the bottom surface when the column is erected. In this alternative example, as shown in Figure 15, a through hole 44 corresponding to the projection 43 is formed in the bottom plate 25 of the leg portion 22 of the support column receiver 9, so that the projection 43 and the through hole 44 engage when the inner support column 8 is erected. This further prevents rattling of the inner support column 8. Such alternative engagement means may be used together with the engagement means of the inner support column 8 described above, or in place of the engagement means described above. It may also be used together with the engagement means shown in Figure 13. Furthermore, the relationship between the projection 43 and the through hole 44 may be reversed. A recess may be used instead of a through hole 44. • When pulling up the outer support column 7 or the inner support column 8, it is not necessary to configure them to protrude in the direction of toppling. The long plate 11 and the lid 12 are not necessarily required for the main body 10 of the outer support column 7. The handle 34 on the inner support column 8 is not necessarily required. Also, the plate 35 used to adjust the spacing can be omitted by changing the depth of the inner support column 8 or the shape of the support column receiver 9. The placement of the support post 9 is not limited to the above embodiment. The reinforcing plate 26 of the support post 9 is unnecessary if the main body 23 has sufficient strength. For example, the thickness of the main body 23 can be increased or the material can be changed. In the above embodiment, the support post holder 9 is fixed to the outer frame 2a on the longer side, but it may also be fixed to the outer frame 2a on the shorter side. The above is just one example regarding the position and shape of the slit frame 4. The slit frame 4 may also be positioned in a different direction, for example, in the shorter direction, or the pallet 1 may be constructed without the slit frame 4.

[0020] The present invention is not limited to the configuration described in the embodiments above. The components of each embodiment and modification described above may be arbitrarily selected and combined. Furthermore, any component of each embodiment and modification may be arbitrarily combined with any component described in the means for solving the invention or any component that embodies any component described in the means for solving the invention. We intend to obtain rights for these as well in amendments or divisional applications of this application. Furthermore, the applicant intends to acquire rights to the overall design or a partial design by filing an application for amendment to the design application. The drawing depicts the entire device with solid lines, but it is a drawing that includes not only the overall design but also the partial design claimed for a part of the device. For example, it is a drawing that includes a partial design for a part of the device, as well as a part of the device that is unrelated to a component. The part of the device may be a component of the device, or a part of a component. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0021] 1...Pallet, 2...Pallet base, 7...Outer support, 8...Inner support, 9...Support support, 15...Convex body constituting the engaging means, 27...Notched recess constituting the engaging means.

Claims

1. A support column is provided on each of the four sides of the pallet base, with an opening at the top, Each of the aforementioned support posts is erected within the support post holder and is movable upward, Each of the above-mentioned support posts is erected within the support post receiver, is movable upward, and, in its upright position, is positioned within the housing space of the outer support post in an overlapping manner with the outer support post, and comprises an inner support post that is shorter in length than the outer support post, The outer support column is held upright by a first engaging means formed between it and the support column receiver, and can be lowered by moving it upward, which releases the first engaging means. The inner support column is configured such that when the outer support column is knocked over, it escapes from the storage space inside the outer support column and is held upright within the support column holder by a second engaging means formed between it and the support column holder, and can be moved upward to escape from the support column holder and be knocked over. The pallet is characterized in that the inner support column is provided with a third engaging means formed between it and the support column receiver at a position below the second engaging means, and when the inner support column is upright, it makes contact with the bottom plate inside the support column receiver, and the third engaging means becomes engaged at the time of contact.

2. The pallet according to claim 1, wherein the third engaging means is a projection formed on the side adjacent to the lower end surface of the inner support column, and the projection engages with a recess formed on the front cover on the inner support column side.

3. The pallet according to claim 1, wherein the third engaging means is a projection formed on the lower end surface of the inner support column, and the projection engages with a through hole or recess formed in the bottom plate on the inner support column side.

4. The pallet according to claim 1, wherein the third engaging means is a through hole or recess formed on the lower end surface of the inner support column, and the through hole or recess engages with a projection formed on the bottom plate on the inner support column side.

5. The pallet according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the direction in which the outer support and the inner support fall is the same.

6. The pallet according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the engaging means comprises a projection provided on the outer support column side and a recess formed on the support column receiving side into which the projection is fitted.

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