Rackable molded pallet

{
  "publication_number": "US6357366B1",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B1",
  "title": "Rackable molded pallet",
  "abstract": "A rackable pallet having improved structural integrity without adding material to increase the pallet weight. The pallet has a deck having a top and a bottom, a number of feet are formed extending downwardly from the deck, reinforcing members inserted in the deck top, and a lid having a top and bottom joined to the deck top and enclosing the reinforcing members. Ribs define an open grid pattern in the deck and lid, and hollow channels are formed in the deck and lid, which increases the strength of the pallet, without disproportionately increasing the volume or weight of material used. The hollow channels are formed at strategic locations in the lid top and the deck bottom. Foot straps mounted to the deck feet further improve the pallet structural integrity. Each foot strap is mounted to the feet with releasable shearable fasteners to simplify foot strap replacement and minimize foot strap damage.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A molded conveying platform, comprising: a deck formed of a plurality of spaced ribs having upper and lower edges, wherein said rib upper edges define a deck top and said lower edges define a deck bottom; notches having opposing side edges and a bottom edge formed in ribs of said deck as to define an elongated cavity in said deck top; a reinforcing member disposed in said cavity between said notch side edges and supported by said notch bottom edge for strengthening said deck; and a lid joined to said deck top enclosing said reinforcing member in said cavity.",
    "2. A molded conveying platform as in claim 1, including hollow channels formed in said deck for strengthening said deck.",
    "3. A molded conveying platform as in claim 2, in which said hollow channels are formed along the deck rib lower edges and define a pattern to strengthen specific areas of said deck.",
    "4. A molded conveying platform as in claim 3, in which said pattern is substantially identical in each of four pallet quadrants defined by a longitudinal and lateral axis.",
    "5. A molded conveying platform as in claim 2, including feet formed as an integral part of said deck, in which said hollow channels extend downwardly into said feet to form columns for supporting said reinforcing member.",
    "6. A molded conveying platform as in claim 1, including a second reinforcing member which overlaps said first reinforcing member to further strengthen said deck.",
    "7. A molded conveying platform as in claim 6, in which said first reinforcing member is substantially parallel to a conveying platform longitudinal axis, and said second reinforcing member is substantially parallel to a conveying platform lateral axis.",
    "8. The molded conveying platform as in claim 1, including hollow channels formed in said lid to strengthen said lid.",
    "9. A molded conveying platform as in claim 8, in which said hollow channels formed along the lid rib upper edges and define a pattern to strengthen specific areas of said lid.",
    "10. A molded conveying platform as in claim 9, in which said pattern is substantially identical in each of four pallet quadrants defined by a longitudinal and lateral axis.",
    "11. A molded conveying platform as in claim 1, including a bumper surrounding said platform.",
    "12. A molded conveying platform as in claim 1, including an indentation for use as a handle formed in said deck bottom proximal a perimeter of said deck.",
    "13. A molded conveying platform as in claim 1, including a plurality of feet having bottoms extending downwardly from said deck bottom, in which two or more of said plurality of feet are in an aligned arrangement, and a foot strap is releasably attached to said bottoms of said aligned feet.",
    "14. A foot strap suitable for releasably attaching to feet of a conveying platform, comprising: a plurality of foot extensions, each of said foot extensions having a perimeter wall formed to surround a pallet foot; a fastener cavity formed in at least one of said foot extensions for receiving a releasable fastener to attach said foot strap to the platform; a stringer joining adjacent foot extensions, said stringer having intersecting ribs with upper and lower edges, said upper edges defining a stringer top, and said lower edges defining a stringer bottom; and notches having opposing side edges and a bottom edge formed in ribs of said stringer so as to define a cavity in said stringer for receiving a reinforcing member in said cavity between said opposing notch side edges and supported by said notch bottom edge to strengthen said foot strap.",
    "15. A foot strap as in claim 14, wherein said fastener cavity has a top with a slot including an enlarged center for receiving a fastener.",
    "16. A foot strap as in claim 15, in which said slot is oriented substantially 90° from a fastener receptacle slot formed in said foot bottom.",
    "17. A foot strap as in claim 14, in which said ribs are progressively deeper as said ribs approach said foot strap axis.",
    "18. A foot strap as in claim 14, in which said cavity extends along a foot strap axis bisecting said foot strap.",
    "19. A foot strap as in claim 14, including hollow channels formed therein to strengthen said foot strap."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "Not Applicable.\n\nThe field of the invention is pallets, and more particularly, rackable molded plastic pallets.\n\nPlastic pallets are in common use in many industries. They are used as load platforms for easily transporting loads using material handling equipment, such as fork lift trucks and the like. A typical pallet has a deck with an upper surface for supporting a load and a lower surface which is engaged by the material handling equipment when in transit.\n\nThe load on a typical pallet causes the pallet deck to deflect concave upward in the areas between the feet and to compress the feet of the pallet, while lifting or transporting the pallet by engaging the material handling equipment causes the pallet deck to deflect concave downward. Constant movement of the pallet subjects a pallet deck to a continuous cycle of upward and downward deflections, weakening the pallet structure and eventually causing the pallet to fail. When the loaded pallets are stored in storage racks which have rack support arms to support the pallet sides and not the pallet center, the load on the pallet causes the pallet to deflect concave upward even further hastening the pallet's demise.\n\nOne method which prolongs the life of a plastic pallet is to add material to the structural components of the pallet increasing the pallet stiffness and capability to withstand many deflection cycles. This method, however, increases the weight and cost of the pallet. Thus, a need exists for a method of increasing the strength of material handling pallets, without significantly increasing the weight or cost.",
  "cpc": [
    "B65D 19/0026",
    "B65D 19/38",
    "B65D 2519/00034",
    "B65D 2519/00069",
    "B65D 2519/00104",
    "B65D 2519/00273",
    "B65D 2519/00293",
    "B65D 2519/00323",
    "B65D 2519/00333",
    "B65D 2519/00338",
    "B65D 2519/00358",
    "B65D 2519/00373",
    "B65D 2519/00388",
    "B65D 2519/00412",
    "B65D 2519/00437",
    "B65D 2519/00442",
    "B65D 2519/00557",
    "B65D 2519/00562",
    "B65D 2519/00572",
    "B65D 2519/0084"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "B65D 19/00",
    "B65D 19/38"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "Menasha Corp"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Jason R. Frankenberg"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2000-01-26",
  "publication_date": "2002-03-19",
  "grant_date": "2002-03-19",
  "priority_date": "1999-02-05",
  "application_number": "US-49114400-A",
  "family_id": "22380621",
  "cited_by_count": 184,
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}