Foldable Pallet Deck With Self-Deploying Legs
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional pallet decks with foldable legs in freight trailers face inefficiencies due to easily lost or damaged pins, requiring manual operation and not nesting when stacked, leading to safety and damage concerns during transportation.
Innovation Solution
A self-deployable folding leg assembly with connecting pins and cross members that securely engage each other, allowing automatic deployment and folding, and a stackable design that prevents pin loss and damage, enabling efficient and safe storage and transportation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If separate pins are used to connect foldable legs to the deck frame, then the legs can be folded to save space, but the pins can be easily lost or damaged and require manual insertion/removal
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates the connecting pin functionality directly into the leg structure by forming a pin receiving cavity within the leg itself, eliminating the need for separate external pins. This merging of components allows the leg to both support the deck and provide its own connection mechanism, enabling automatic deployment without manual pin insertion while maintaining foldability for space savings.
2Volume of moving object
If separate pins are used to connect foldable legs, then the legs can be folded, but the pins require manual insertion or removal during deployment
Solution Approach 1:
The leg structure includes an integrated pin receiving cavity that automatically captures and retains the connecting pin during deployment. When the leg is lowered onto the deck frame, the cavity self-aligns and secures the pin without requiring manual insertion or removal operations, enabling the system to deploy itself quickly and efficiently while maintaining compact foldable configuration.
3Volume of moving object
If foldable legs are used to save space, then space utilization improves, but the pallet decks do not nest when stacked together
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs the foldable legs with integrated pin receiving cavities that enable the legs to nest within the deck frame structure when folded. This nesting configuration allows multiple pallet decks to be stacked together compactly, with the folded legs of upper decks fitting into the space between the deck frame and the legs of lower decks, thereby providing both space utilization benefits and stacking versatility.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution provides automatic deployment and locking of legs, prevents pin loss, allows for secure stacking, and enhances shipping efficiency by eliminating manual operation and ensuring safer transportation.
Implementation Method 1
a connecting pin movably and pivotally connects the first end of the leg with the connecting plate assembly such that the leg is movable with respect to the base member between a deployed configuration and a folded configuration
Implementation Method 2
the stacking member and the cross member are configured to securely engage each other when the leg is in the deployed configuration such that the movement of the cross member in a direction perpendicular to a plane defined by the base member and the stacking member is restricted
Data Source
AI summary
A foldable pallet deck is provided. The foldable pallet deck comprises first and second base members connected by a frame member, first and second legs selectively movable with respect to the first base member, third and fourth legs selectively movable with respect to the second base member; first, second, third, and fourth connecting plate assemblies connecting the first, second, third, and fourth legs with the first and second base members such that each of the first, second, third, and fourth legs are movable with respect to the respective first and second base members between a deployed configuration and a folded configuration, first and second cross members configured to securely engage first and second stacking members, respectively, when the pallet deck is in the deployed configuration.