Reusable Pallet with Modular Compartments for Variable Pot Sizes
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing reusable pallet systems for transporting potted plants are often incompatible with conventional presentation shelves or wooden crates, and they require manual adjustment, making handling complex and costly due to non-standardized plant pot sizes and shapes, leading to increased logistical efforts and plastic waste.
Innovation Solution
A reusable pallet system comprising two different transport pallets made of plastic, each with compartments accommodating pot diameters from 8 cm to 14 cm, featuring a base plate with a peripheral frame and adjustable storage compartments that can be injection molded, allowing for flexible use with various pot sizes and easy cleaning, and designed for efficient stacking and reuse.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If manual adjustment elements are added to make pallets adaptable to different pot sizes, then adaptability improves, but device complexity and handling difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The pallet is divided into multiple modular receiving compartments that can be independently configured. Each compartment can be selectively assigned to different pot sizes (8cm, 10cm, 12cm, 14cm) without requiring manual adjustment mechanisms, achieving adaptability through modular segmentation rather than adjustable components.
Solution Approach 2:
A single pallet design serves multiple functions by accommodating four different pot size categories simultaneously. The standardized receiving compartments are designed to universally fit various pot dimensions without requiring modification or adjustment, eliminating the need for manual adaptation while maintaining versatility.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple pallet sizes are used to accommodate non-standardized pot dimensions, then adaptability improves, but handling and storage efficiency deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The invention employs a universal pallet size (270x400mm) that can accommodate all pot sizes from 8cm to 14cm through its standardized receiving compartment design. This single pallet type replaces multiple specialized pallet sizes, enabling consistent handling procedures and efficient stacking regardless of the specific pot dimensions being transported.
Solution Approach 2:
The receiving compartments are designed with standardized dimensions and geometries that can accommodate varying pot sizes within the 8-14cm range. By fixing the pallet parameters (size, compartment layout) and optimizing them to fit a range of pot dimensions, the system achieves adaptability without requiring multiple pallet variants, thus maintaining handling and storage efficiency.
3Object-generated harmful factors
If reusable pallets are introduced to reduce plastic waste, then environmental impact improves, but compatibility with conventional presentation infrastructure deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The pallet dimensions (270x400mm) and receiving compartment specifications are specifically optimized to match the dimensions of conventional presentation shelves and wooden crates used in the horticultural trade. By carefully selecting these parameters, the reusable pallet maintains full compatibility with existing display infrastructure while eliminating the need for disposable alternatives.
Data Source
Figure 1a~1b
Figure 1c
Figure 2
AI summary
The invention relates to a reusable pallet system and a transport pallet. The reusable pallet system and the transport pallet according to the invention are used for transporting, storing, and displaying potted plants. The reusable pallet system for potted plants comprises at least two different transport pallets made of plastic, each transport pallet having a base plate and several compartments arranged therein for holding a potted plant. The transport pallet has a base plate with a surrounding frame with struts and several compartments arranged in the base plate. The multifunctional struts of the transport pallet allow for the use of different pot sizes.One advantage of the transport pallet is that various pots, from different manufacturers and with different diameters, can be transported in the transport pallet according to the invention and with the reusable pallet system according to the invention. Compared to conventional pallets, the transport pallet offers the further advantage that higher quantities of potted plants can be transported in the pallet.