Pallet

{
  "publication_number": "US2010288169A1",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "A1",
  "title": "Pallet",
  "abstract": "A pallet (10) of thermoplastic material is provided, as well as a method of making said pallet. The pallet (10) comprises a deck (12), a picture frame (30) spaced below the deck and interconnecting blocks (24,26,28) extending between the deck and the picture frame and the thermoplastic material of which the pallet (10) is made, is reinforced with fibres. The pallet (10) is a unitary moulding and is made by injection moulding in a single step. The method of making the pallet (10) includes compounding the thermoplastic material and fibres and leading the compounded material to an injection unit for injecting it directly into a mould cavity of the injection unit, without a pelletising step.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A pallet of thermoplastic material comprising a deck, a picture frame spaced below the deck and interconnecting blocks extending between the deck and the picture frame characterised in that said thermoplastic material is reinforced with fibres, said pallet is a unitary moulding and is made by injection moulding in a single step. 2. A pallet as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that said thermoplastic material includes at least one polyolefin. 3. A pallet as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that said thermoplastic material includes at least one polyester. 4. A pallet as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that said thermoplastic material includes recycled thermoplastic material. 5. A pallet as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the pallet has a single injection point. 6. A pallet as claimed in claim 5, characterised in that said injection point is disposed on the surface of the deck. 7. A pallet as claimed in claim 5, characterised in that said injection point is disposed on the picture frame. 8. A pallet as claimed in claim 5, characterised in that said injection point is aligned with one of the interconnecting blocks. 9. A pallet as claimed in claim 5, characterised in that said injection point is larger than 10 mm in diameter. 10. A pallet as claimed in claim 9, characterised in that said injection point is larger than 30 mm in diameter. 11. A pallet as claimed in claim 10, characterised in that said injection point is larger than 50 mm in diameter. 12. A pallet as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the average length of the fibres is more than 10 mm when the thermoplastic material includes a polyolefin. 13. A pallet as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the fibre content of the thermoplastic material is between 5% and 45%, by weight. 14. A pallet as claimed in claim 13, characterised in that the thermoplastic material comprises substantially of at least one polyolefin and the fibre content of the thermoplastic material is between 20% and 45%, by weight. 15. A pallet as claimed in claim 13, characterised in that the thermoplastic material includes a substantial quantity of at least one polyester and the fibre content is between 5% and 30%, by weight. 16. A pallet as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the weight of the pallet is less than 30 kg. 17. A pallet as claimed in claim 16, characterised in that the thermoplastic material comprises substantially of at least one polyolefin and the weight of the pallet is less than 20 kg. 18. A pallet as claimed in claim 17, characterised in that the thermoplastic material includes recycled polyolefin. 19. A pallet as claimed in claim 16, characterised in that the thermoplastic material includes a substantial quantity of at least one polyester and the weight of the pallet is less than 22 kg. 20. A pallet as claimed in claim 19, characterised in that the thermoplastic material includes recycled polyester. 21. A method of making a pallet comprising a deck, a picture frame spaced below the deck and interconnecting blocks extending between the deck and the picture frame, said method comprising: melting a thermoplastic material; combining said thermoplastic material with reinforcing fibres; and moulding said pallet by injecting said thermoplastic material into a mould cavity; characterised in that said pallet is a unitary moulding and is made by injection moulding in a single step. 22. A method as claimed in claim 21, characterised in that said thermoplastic material reinforced with reinforcing fibres is injected into said mould cavity through a single injection point. 23. A method as claimed in claim 21, characterised in that said mould cavity is closed before the thermoplastic material with reinforcing fibres is injected into said mould cavity. 24. A method as claimed in claim 21, characterised by compounding the thermoplastic material and fibres and leading said compounded material to an injection unit for injecting it directly into said mould cavity of the injection unit, without a pelletising step. 25. A method as claimed in claim 24, characterised in that the step of compounding the thermoplastic material and fibres is continuous. 26. A method as claimed in claim 21, characterised by adding a compatibiliser to the thermoplastic material. 27. A method as claimed in claim 21, characterised by adding additives to the thermoplastic material to improve its impact strength. 28. A method as claimed in claim 21, characterised by chemically bonding the thermoplastic material to the fibres. 29. A method as claimed in claim 21, characterised by adding a molten polymer to the thermoplastic material. 30. A pallet of thermoplastic material comprising a deck, a picture frame spaced below the deck and interconnecting blocks extending between the deck and the picture frame characterised in that said thermoplastic material is reinforced with fibres, said pallet is a unitary moulding and is made by injection moulding in a single step characterised in that said pallet is made by a method as claimed in claim 21."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "This invention relates to the manufacture of structural products such as pallets from reinforced recycled polymer. In particular, the invention relates to a pallet of reinforced thermoplastic material and to a method of making a pallet.\n\nVast numbers of pallets are in use word-wide for the transport and storage of goods. These pallets have historically been made of wood and the majority of pallets presently in use, are still made of wood, but the desirability of wooden pallets is decreasing for a number of reasons. The cost of purchasing wooden pallets has historically been viewed as low, but the cost per cycle of use is high, since the life cycles of these pallets are short and they are often out of service for repairs. When wooden pallets (or parts of wooden pallets) become redundant, they are not recycled, but are simply dumped or burned. In addition to being costly, the use of wooden pallets thus places a high burden on the environment in straining wood sources and in pollution when discarding the pallets.\n\nPallets made of polymeric materials are available, but have historically been unable to compete with the purchase prices of wooden pallets and have thus not found much favour in commerce. There are multiple reasons for the high cost, but these include: high cost of materials; materials with inadequate strength, requiring the use of excessive masses of material; costly manufacturing techniques; and the like.\n\nLarge quantities of polymers are used in the manufacture of consumer goods, that can be recycled, but that are not being recycled.",
  "cpc": [
    "B65D 19/0004",
    "B65D 2203/10",
    "B65D 2519/00034",
    "B65D 2519/00069",
    "B65D 2519/00104",
    "B65D 2519/00268",
    "B65D 2519/00273",
    "B65D 2519/00288",
    "B65D 2519/00308",
    "B65D 2519/00318",
    "B65D 2519/00333",
    "B65D 2519/00407",
    "B65D 2519/00412"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "B29C 45/16",
    "B65D 19/38"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "Lomold Corp NV"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Pieter Wouter Du Toit"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2008-07-14",
  "publication_date": "2010-11-18",
  "priority_date": "2007-07-12",
  "application_number": "US-66878508-A",
  "family_id": "39832567",
  "cited_by_count": 42,
  "citations": [
    "US3613605A",
    "US3638586A",
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    "US4267285A",
    "US4874841A",
    "US5292024A",
    "US6164214A",
    "US6508182B1",
    "US20020086908A1",
    "US20040059035A1",
    "US20050225009A1",
    "US20060254474A1"
  ]
}