Continuous Wrapping Sheet Structure for Shear-Resistant Pallet Stacks

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional palletization methods using pre-cut sandwiched sheets made of paper-based material fail to effectively prevent shearing of goods during transport, leading to potential damage and require excessive paper usage.

Innovation Solution

A pallet unit with a continuous wrapping sheet having both vertical and horizontal portions that covers parts of the blocks, providing a strong connection and stability in both horizontal and vertical directions, reducing shearing and minimizing material usage.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If pre-cut sandwiched sheets are used between blocks, then the resistance against deformation increases, but shearing strain cannot be avoided and significant paper material is consumed

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveresistance against deformationVSAvoidshearing strain
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The wrapping sheet transitions from horizontal sandwiching between blocks to a continuous path extending in both horizontal and vertical dimensions. The sheet wraps around multiple blocks vertically and horizontally, creating a three-dimensional stabilizing network that prevents shearing movements by distributing forces across multiple blocks simultaneously.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Solution Approach 2:

The wrapping sheet is applied as a continuous material along a continuous path rather than as separate pre-cut sheets. This continuity allows the sheet to maintain constant tension and provide uninterrupted support across the entire stack, effectively preventing shearing strain while reducing material waste from cutting operations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #20Continuity of useful action

2Strength

If pre-cut sandwiched sheets are used between blocks, then the resistance against deformation increases, but a significant amount of paper material is used

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveresistance against deformationVSAvoidpaper material usage
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSLoss of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The wrapping sheet is applied as a continuous material along a continuous path rather than as separate pre-cut sheets. This continuity allows the sheet to maintain constant tension and provide uninterrupted support across the entire stack, effectively preventing shearing strain while reducing material waste from cutting operations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #20Continuity of useful action

Solution Approach 2:

Multiple individual sandwiched sheets are merged into a single continuous wrapping sheet that serves the function of multiple sheets simultaneously. The continuous sheet wraps around multiple blocks in a unified structure, consolidating the protective function into one material element and eliminating the need for numerous separate sheets.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Stability of the object's composition

If a continuous wrapping sheet with vertical and horizontal portions is used, then shearing resistance and stability increase, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestack stabilityVSAvoidwrapping sheet configuration
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The wrapping sheet configuration is adapted to follow the dynamic structure of the block stack. The sheet dynamically adjusts its path to wrap around each block's contours, creating vertical and horizontal portions that respond to the stack's geometry. This dynamic adaptation provides optimal stability without requiring a rigid, complex predefined structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The wrapping sheet provides different local configurations (vertical portions between blocks, horizontal portions around blocks) tailored to specific local needs. Vertical portions prevent lateral shifting between adjacent blocks, while horizontal portions prevent vertical separation, creating locally optimized stabilization without overall system complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentEP4010265B1Pallet unit with continuous wrapping sheet extending within the stack of blocks and palletizing method
Publication Date: 2026.04.01 SOCIETE DES PRODUITS NESTLE SA
  • EP4010265B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4010265B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4010265B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Pallet unit (1) for transporting objects comprising a pallet (10) and a stack (11) of object blocks (B1…B5) arranged on the pallet (10). The pallet unit (1) comprises a wrapping sheet (12) having vertical portions (V1… V12) and horizontal portions (h1…h15) covering parts of the blocks (B1…B5), said wrapping sheet (12) being laid along a continuous path and extending at least partly within the stack (11). Method for palletizing object blocks using said pallet unit (1).