Symmetrical Plastic Pallet With Internal Partitions
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional pallets face challenges in achieving structural strength, cost-effectiveness, and recyclability, while also being resistant to insect attacks and microbial growth, especially when compared to timber pallets.
Innovation Solution
A rectangular plastic pallet design featuring two symmetrical shells with internal partitions and an array of inverted wells, sealed rims, and a grid-like structure for enhanced strength, which eliminates the need for metal reinforcement and incorporates a radio frequency identification (RFID) transducer for tracking.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If metal rods or steel beams are used for reinforcement, then structural strength is improved, but cost and weight increase and recyclability is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes metal reinforcement elements (rods, beams) from the pallet structure entirely. Instead, it uses an all-plastic construction where the pallet shells themselves provide structural strength through their geometry and the integrated foot design, eliminating the need for separate metal reinforcement components.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent enhances local structural strength at critical stress points by designing the feet to extend below the rim level and by creating a grid-like pattern of feet and channels. This localized reinforcement at stress-critical areas provides overall structural strength without requiring metal reinforcement throughout the entire pallet.
2Ease of manufacture
If timber is used for pallet construction, then ease of manufacture is improved, but resistance to insect attacks and microbial growth deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the traditional timber material with plastics material, substituting a biological material that is susceptible to insect and microbial attack with a synthetic material that is inherently resistant to these harmful factors. The plastics material maintains ease of manufacture through molding processes while providing superior resistance to biological degradation.
3Strength
If the pallet design is optimized for one axis, then structural strength is improved, but adaptability to different load orientations deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs symmetrical design rather than asymmetrical optimization for one direction. The pallet features identical structural patterns in both longitudinal and transverse directions, with feet and channels arranged symmetrically, allowing the structure to withstand loads equally well from any orientation without compromising strength in any specific direction.
Solution Approach 2:
The pallet design provides universal load-bearing capability by creating a grid-like structure with feet and channels in both directions. This multi-directional structural arrangement allows the pallet to function effectively regardless of load orientation, making it adaptable to various stacking and handling configurations.
Data Source
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AI summary
A rectangular pallet that is symmetrical about its two major axes. The pallet comprises a first plastics shell and a second plastics shell. The first plastics shell is formed with a flat rim, nine or more ground engaging feet subtending below the level of the rim, the feet being arranged in respective parallel spaced apart beams extending from front to back. The first plastics shell also has plural channels running from side to side intersecting the beams running from front to back to define the feet. The second plastics shell is essentially flat and formed with a flat rim. An internal network of partitions extends between the first and second plastics shells. The rims of the first and second plastics shells are sealed to each other to form a clam and to enclose the network of partitions within the clam. In other aspects, the invention concerns a method and a system for forming the pallet.