Foldable Corrugated Pallet Structure for Lightweight Load Support
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional wooden pallets are costly, heavy, bulky, and cumbersome, requiring substantial storage space and inefficient transportation, while recyclable pallets lack structural strength and require labor-intensive assembly.
Innovation Solution
A pallet constructed from foldable corrugated paperboard blanks with adhesive connections and optional rigid inserts, allowing for automated assembly and enhanced structural rigidity, supporting both even and uneven loads.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Weight of moving object
If conventional wooden pallets are used, then structural strength is sufficient, but weight is high and storage space requirement is large
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameter from wood to corrugated paperboard, fundamentally altering the density and weight characteristics while maintaining structural functionality through optimized geometry and folding patterns
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses corrugated paperboard as a composite material structure with fluted middle layer and flat liner boards, creating a lightweight yet strong pallet that combines the benefits of different material layers
2Strength
If recyclable corrugated paperboard is used, then cost is reduced and recyclability is improved, but structural strength is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The pallet is divided into multiple foldable blanks (top blank, bottom blank, and optional middle blank) that can be separately manufactured and then assembled, allowing for automated assembly while maintaining structural integrity
Solution Approach 2:
Adhesive is applied to specific surfaces of the blanks in advance during manufacturing, enabling automated assembly processes and reducing manual labor requirements while ensuring proper bonding strength
3Productivity
If conventional wooden pallets are used, then load capacity is sufficient, but transportation efficiency is low due to bulkiness
Solution Approach 1:
The pallet is designed with foldable blanks that can transition between expanded configuration (for load support) and collapsed configuration (for storage and transportation), dynamically adapting its volume based on operational needs
Solution Approach 2:
The foldable blanks can be collapsed and nested within each other, allowing multiple pallets to be stored in a fraction of the space required for conventional rigid pallets, significantly improving transportation and storage efficiency
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 pallets provide increased strength, reduced weight, lower costs, and efficient transportation, while being easily assembled and recyclable, supporting a wider range of load types and reducing environmental impact.
Implementation Method 1
the top and bottom blanks are connected together by adhesive
Data Source
Figure 1A~1B
Figure 1C
Figure 1D~2
AI summary
Disclosed herein is a pallet (900) constructed from foldable parts. The pallet comprises a top member (902) comprising a top surface and a plurality of upper edge supports (922, 923) folded perpendicularly therefrom. The pallet further comprises a bottom member (906) comprising a bottom surface spatially separated from the top surface by a plurality of sidewalls that extend between the top and bottom surfaces, and a plurality of lower edge supports (1010, 1030a, 1030b, 1050) oriented generally perpendicularly relative to the bottom surface. The pallet further comprises a plurality of structural inserts (484, 486) positioned between the plurality of lower edge supports and the plurality of upper edge supports, wherein the structural inserts comprise a plurality of foldable panels.