Modular Interlocking Pallet Assembly for Compact Transport
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional pallet designs are cumbersome and expensive to transport due to their rigid nature and increased footprint, and they often require welding or bonding of components, which complicates assembly and disassembly.
Innovation Solution
Pallets are constructed from modular, interlocking components that include side members, support members, and a top member, connected via tabs and slots, and fastened with threaded fasteners, allowing for easy assembly and disassembly without welding or bonding.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional pallets are made with permanently joined components (welded, glued), then structural strength and reliability are improved, but assembly complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The pallet is divided into separate modular components (side members, support members, top member) that can be independently manufactured and assembled. Each component is a discrete piece that interlocks with others through tabs and slots, eliminating the need for permanent joining methods while maintaining structural integrity through mechanical interlocking and fastening.
Solution Approach 2:
Threaded fasteners serve as intermediary elements that connect the modular components together. These fasteners provide a reliable mechanical connection without requiring welding or bonding, resolving the contradiction by offering a intermediate solution that balances ease of assembly with structural strength.
2Strength
If conventional pallets use rigid designs, then load-bearing capacity is improved, but transportation efficiency and footprint utilization worsen
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the pallet into collapsible modular components, the structure can be disassembled into compact units for transportation. The side members and support members can be nested or stacked together, dramatically reducing the transportation footprint while maintaining full load-bearing capacity when assembled.
Solution Approach 2:
The pallet transitions from a static rigid structure to a dynamic system that can change configuration. When assembled, it provides rigid load-bearing support; when disassembled, it collapses into a compact form for efficient transportation and storage, resolving the contradiction between strength and transportation efficiency.
3Reliability
If conventional pallets are made as single integrated units, then structural integrity is improved, but ease of repair and part replacement worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The pallet's segmented modular design allows individual components to be independently accessed and replaced. If one side member or support member is damaged, only that specific component needs to be replaced rather than the entire pallet, maintaining structural integrity through the modular connection system while greatly easing repair operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The modular design enables selective replacement of damaged components while recovering and reusing intact parts. Individual side members, support members, or top members can be discarded if damaged while the remaining functional components are retained and reassembled with replacement parts, reducing waste and repair costs.
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus and method are described herein for a load carrying structure, and more particularly, to a load carrying pallet formed of modular interlocking components that do not require welding or bonding. An apparatus includes a load carrying structure having: a plurality of side members removably connected to each other to form a base; a first support member and a second support member, where the first support member and the second support member are each removably connected between a respective pair of the plurality of side members; and a top member, where the top member is removably fastened to each of the plurality of side members.