Composite Drum Pallet With Protrusions for Secure Transport
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing pallets are prone to shifting during transport, leading to potential damage and safety issues, especially in sensitive environments, and are not suitable for use in explosion-proof areas due to the risk of wood particles being released.
Innovation Solution
A compression-molded thermoset composite pallet with vertical protrusions on the deck to secure drums in place, eliminating the need for wooden components and ensuring stability and safety, designed for use in sensitive environments.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a smooth deck pallet is used, then the pallet is simple and easy to manufacture, but goods may shift during transport requiring much effort for load securing
Solution Approach 1:
The deck is segmented into multiple functional layers: a base layer and a protrusion layer with vertically extending protrusions. These protrusions create discrete contact points with the drum, preventing shifting while maintaining manufacturing simplicity through the layered structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The protrusions on the deck surface create a non-smooth, curved interface that interacts with the cylindrical drum shape. This curvature-based design naturally prevents drum movement during transport without requiring complex securing mechanisms.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a multi-component pallet is used, then the pallet can be designed for specific drum use, but it becomes unstable and resistant against high mechanical stress with limited durability
Solution Approach 1:
The pallet uses a composite structure combining a wooden body with PU (polyurethane) parts. The PU material provides high strength and durability while resisting mechanical stress, while the wooden body maintains the necessary structural form. This composite approach achieves both drum-specific adaptability and high strength.
3Ease of manufacture
If a multi-component pallet with wooden parts is used, then the pallet can be manufactured with standard materials, but wooden particles are released when parts break off which is unacceptable in sensitive areas
Solution Approach 1:
The harmful wooden components are extracted and replaced with PU (polyurethane) parts in critical areas. The PU material does not generate particles when breaking, eliminating the harmful factor while maintaining manufacturability through standard composite material processes.
Solution Approach 2:
The material composition parameter is changed from pure wood to a wood-PU composite. This parameter change maintains the structural functionality while eliminating the particle-generating property of wooden components, making the pallet suitable for sensitive environments.
4Device complexity
If a smooth deck pallet is used, then the pallet structure is simple, but serious damages are not always visible and could cause serious damages to the drum and its content
Solution Approach 1:
The deck is segmented into a base layer and a protrusion layer, creating visible structural features that can indicate damage. The protrusions provide reference points that make it easier to detect misalignment or damage to the deck structure, improving damage detection reliability without significantly increasing overall complexity.
Data Source
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Figure 5A~6
AI summary
The patent application concerns a drum pallet suitable for positioning one drum or a plurality of drums thereon.