Modular Foamed Resin Pallet Assembly for Load and Height Variations
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing foamed resin pallets face challenges in manufacturing variations with different thicknesses, leg heights, and expansion ratios, leading to increased costs and potential quality issues due to uneven heating and poor fusion, which affect loading capacity and durability.
Innovation Solution
A method involving separate molding of the pallet body and legs, followed by vacuum integral forming with a resin sheet to cover and integrate them, allowing for various combinations of thicknesses, leg heights, and expansion ratios, reducing mold requirements and ensuring uniform steam distribution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a pallet body is made thicker to withstand heavy loads, then load-bearing capacity is improved, but pallet volume increases reducing loadable capacity in containers
Solution Approach 1:
The pallet is divided into modular components: a standardized pallet body and interchangeable legs of various heights. This segmentation allows the pallet body thickness to be optimized for load-bearing without increasing overall pallet volume, as legs can be adjusted to accommodate different container height restrictions while maintaining structural integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the parameter of leg height rather than pallet body thickness to adapt to different loading requirements. By providing legs in multiple height variations, the system maintains optimal pallet body dimensions for strength while adjusting the elevation parameter to fit different container specifications and fork heights.
2Adaptability or versatility
If various types of pallets with different dimensions are manufactured to suit different goods, then adaptability is improved, but manufacturing cost increases due to multiple molds
Solution Approach 1:
The pallet design segments the variable component (legs) from the standardized component (pallet body). Only one mold is needed for the pallet body, while separate molds are required only for the different leg height variations. This reduces the total number of molds from multiple complete pallet molds to one body mold plus several leg molds, significantly lowering manufacturing costs while maintaining adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The standardized pallet body serves as a universal base that can be combined with different leg variations to create multiple pallet types. This multi-functional design allows a single pallet body mold to produce bodies suitable for various applications, which then combine with different legs to adapt to specific loading requirements, reducing the need for specialized complete pallet molds.
3Volume of moving object
If the pallet body is made thinner to reduce volume, then loadable capacity is improved, but durability decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention introduces dynamic adjustability through interchangeable legs of different heights and specifications. This allows the pallet system to adapt its structural characteristics based on specific loading requirements, maintaining optimal pallet body thickness for durability while using leg variations to adjust overall dimensions and load distribution according to different goods and container specifications.
4Temperature
If high legs are used to increase thermal insulation distance, then thermal insulation performance is improved, but conveyed goods height is reduced due to container restrictions
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the leg height parameter to optimize the balance between thermal insulation performance and goods loading height. By providing legs in multiple height variations, users can select the appropriate leg height based on specific thermal insulation requirements while ensuring the overall pallet height remains within container entrance restrictions, thus maintaining both insulation effectiveness and loadable capacity.
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
This approach enables cost-effective production of high-quality pallets with improved durability and thermal insulation, while maintaining flexibility in design to suit different loading needs.
Implementation Method 1
a vacuum forming step for forming a resin sheet for covering and integrating the pallet body and the legs from a bottom surface side of the pallet by vacuum integral forming
Implementation Method 2
forming a resin sheet for covering and integrating the pallet body and the legs from a bottom surface side of the pallet by vacuum integral forming
Data Source
AI summary
In a pallet manufacturing method, variations of pallets, having different thicknesses of pallet bodies, heights of legs, or foaming ratios thereof, are manufactured at low cost and with high quality. The method includes a pallet body molding step for molding a plurality of the pallet bodies of a plurality of types having different thicknesses or expansion ratios of foaming; a leg molding step for molding, separately from the pallet body, a plurality of legs of a plurality of types having different heights or expansion ratios of foaming; and a vacuum forming step for forming a resin sheet for covering and integrating the pallet body and the legs from a bottom surface side of the pallet by vacuum integral forming after the pallet body and the legs are selected, respectively, from the plurality of types and assembled in a state that the legs are mounted on the pallet body.