Segmented Plastic Pallet Skids for Impact Resistance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Plastic pallets are prone to damage from careless handling of lifting devices, particularly in smaller sizes like half pallets, due to the thinness of their support feet, which increases the risk of breakage and requires complex or damaging solutions for replacement.
Innovation Solution
The pallets are designed with runners divided into separate elements, featuring angled skid support members that act as support feet, allowing for quick replacement of damaged parts and reducing material consumption, using a combination of positive plug-in and latching connections for easy assembly and disassembly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the pallet is made with standard dimensions and solid construction, then strength and durability are improved, but material consumption and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The skid is divided into multiple skid elements (first, second, and third skid elements) that are arranged parallel to each other. These segmented elements provide the necessary structural strength while using less material compared to a solid skid construction, directly resolving the contradiction between strength and material consumption.
2Quantity of substance
If the support feet are made thin to reduce material usage, then manufacturing cost is reduced, but the risk of breakage from lifting device impact increases
Solution Approach 1:
The support feet are segmented into multiple discrete skid elements rather than being part of a solid continuous structure. This segmentation allows each element to be optimized for strength-to-material-ratio while providing multiple load paths, reducing the risk that impact on one element causes catastrophic failure of the entire skid system.
Solution Approach 2:
The cross-sectional dimensions and wall thickness of the skid elements are optimized to provide adequate impact resistance. The elements are designed with parameters that balance material reduction with sufficient strength to withstand lifting device impacts without breaking.
3Stability of the object's composition
If the skid is made as a single solid piece, then structural integrity is improved, but ease of repair and replacement of damaged parts deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The skid is segmented into multiple replaceable skid elements that can be individually removed and replaced. Each element is connected to the pallet base through detachable connections, allowing damaged elements to be quickly swapped out without replacing the entire skid assembly, thus maintaining structural integrity while greatly improving ease of repair.
4Strength
If reinforcement profiles are added to strengthen the skid area, then resistance to impact is improved, but device complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of adding complex reinforcement profiles to a solid skid, the solution segments the skid into multiple elements whose arrangement and connections inherently provide strength and impact resistance. This segmented approach achieves the required strength without the additional complexity of separate reinforcement structures.
Data Source
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AI summary
A plastic pallet having a top panel (2) for accommodating articles, and having at least two, preferably three, runners (4) which are arranged beneath the top panel, are arranged parallel to one another, and parallel to a pallet periphery (6), and each have a runner-standing surface (12), at the ends of which is arranged a respective supporting-foot-like runner-supporting member (10), which is angled in the direction of the top panel from the runner-standing surface, wherein the runner-standing surface (12) is spaced apart from the top panel, and connected in a releasable manner thereto, by the runner-supporting members (10) and supporting feet (8) arranged therebetween, wherein the runners (4) are each formed from at least two, preferably in each case single-piece, runner elements (4a, 4b), which can each be connected in a releasable manner to the top panel (2) and, in the position in which they have been mounted on the top panel, together form a runner (4) of the pallet.