Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
~3~ 22273-19~
The invention relates to a pallet, preferably a disposable pallet
o~ the type comprising a base plate of corrugated cardboard and a
plurality of block-shaped feet also of corrugated cardboard and
situated on the bottom side of the base plate.
It has been known for a long time to manufacture pallets of
corrugated cardboard. Thus the US-PS No. 3~763,791 discloses a
pallet comprising block-shaped feet formed by small box-shaped
bodies of corrugated cardboard, ~he walls of said bodies including
two layers of corrugated cardboard. The box-shaped bodies
comprise projectiny webs of corrugated cardboard, said webs
allowiny a securing of the bodies to the bottom side of the pallet
base plate. Thesa webs extend upwards through slots in the base
plate and are bent on the top side of the base plate. Furthermore
these block-shaped feet are rather high. The latter two features
lmply that this pallet is not quite satisfactory because a large
inner cavity in the block shaped foot makes said foot rather weak.
As the block-shaped feet are rather high they can work loose
relatively easily from the base pla~e in case said base plate is
subjected to a s~rong horlzontal effect when the pallet is loaded
with articles whi.le situated on the ground. A further
disadvanta~e of this known pallet is that it is rather
complicated.
Another pallet of the initially described ~ype is disclosed in the
GB-A-697 232. This known pallet having block-shaped feet
constructed by the gluing together of multiple layers of double-
faced corrugated cardboard comprises a base plate formed of two
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22273-196
layers of clouble-faced corrugated cardboard secured together by
wire-staples. The underside layer of the base p].ate :Ls formed
with a plurality of square recesses to receive the feet. The
recesses are formed by marking the appropria~e squares on the
undersicle layer of the material, by means of score lines and
making diagonal cuts across each square. A~ter the layers have
been stapled together, the triangular tabs formed by the cuts are
bent outwardly at right angles to the panel to reveal the
recesses. A disadvantage of this known pallet is that it is
rather complicated. Further, as the block-shaped feet are rather
high, they can work loose relatively easily fxom the base plate in
case that the base plate is suhjected to a strong horizontal
effect when the pallet is loaded with articles while situated on
the ground.
Further, the US-A-3 477 395 discloses a pallet leg structure.
This leg structure is formed ~rom sheets of double-faced
corrugated board which have been slit scored to permit folding of
the sheet. After ~olding the le~ structure is glued on a pallet-
face component to form conventional pallets.
The object of the present invention is to provide a pallet o~ the
above type which is simpler and stronger than the previously known
pallets, and which in addition is very compact.
To be compact is a very important feature because many pallets
with articles piled thereon must be pileable atop one another in
small compartments, such as in a container or a truck where the
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22~73 196
compartment is ~ltilizecl to a maximum, i.e. including as little air
as possible. This compact feature must be ensuxed at the same
time as a safe handling of ~he palle~s by means of a fork truck
must be possible in an eas~ manner.
The invention provides a pallet of the type compri.sing a base
plate of corrugated cardboard and a plurality of block-shaped
feet, also of corrugatecl cardboard ancl situated on the bottom side
of the base plate, each block-shaped foot being made of a strony
corrugated cardboard and being substantially solid as it consists
of a substantially planar la~inate having at least ten single
layers of corrugated cardboard arranged substantially
perpendicular to the base plate such that small channels of at
leask a part of the layers of corrugated cardboard of each block-
shaped foot extend substantially perpendicular to the base plate,
characterized in that the block-shaped feet are of a height of
approximately 15-35 mm, in that the corrugated cardboard used for
the laminate of the block-shaped feet is of a type of a weight in
the range 140-180 g/m2, and in that the block-shaped feet are
glued directly and exclusively onto the base plate by means of a
single-component latex glue.
As the block-shaped feet are very low on account of the large
number of layers of corrugated cardboard and furthermore very
broad, no risk exists of said Eeet working loose from the base
plate at a lateral effect on the pallet when said pallet is being
loaded with articles. Furthermore the pallet is very suited for
transporting articles in containers or truck compartments where
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2227;3-1~6
khe compartments must be utilized to a maximum, and where loading
and unloading of the pallets by means of a fork truck is
simultaneously desired. The very simple structure of the pallet
ensures a particularly inexpensive manufacturing price, which
allows discarcling of the pallet, the pallat thus being a
disposclble pallet.
Furthermore at least part of the pallet, preferably the block-
shaped feet, may be coated and/or impregnated with a water-
repellent agent such as wax or plastics. As a result the pallet
is stronger in a very simple manner than the known pallets even in
case it is exposed to moisture hecause said moisture cannot weaken
~he block-shaped feet.
One or more very thin layers of plastic foam, preferably polyvinyl
chloride may form part of the laminate of the blo~k-shaped feet,
whereby each block-shaped foot is strengthened considerably.
Moreover the bottom sicle of the block-shaped feet may be covered
by a cover face of for instance cardboard or corrugated cardboard,
whereby it is ensured that water cannot by capillary efiect
penetrate the small grooves in the vertical layers of corrugated
cardboard. The maximum sectional dimension of these small grooves
i5 about 4-5 mm.
Furthermore one or more thin metal wires may extend around each
block-shaped foot so as to hold together the layers of corrugated
cardboard when said layers are loaded. As a result the layers of
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222~3-~96
corrugated cardboard of each block-shaped foot are prevented from
being pressed aside under great vertical loads. Corlsecluently the
block-shaped feet are considerably strengthened.
Finally the layers of corrugated cardboard in each block-shaped
foot may be crossed, the small grooves of each layer of corrugated
cardboard being situated substantially perpendicular to the small
grooves of the neighboring layer of corrugated cardboard.
The invention will be described below with referénce
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to the accompanying draw;ngs, in which
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a pallet according
to the invention, where the very low block-shaped
faet of the pallet are situated on the bottom side
50f the pallet base plate and appear clearly,
Figure 2 is an inclined bottom view of a block-
shaped foot,
Figure 3 illustrates a second embodiment of a block-
shaped foot including a layer of plastic foam be-
lOtween the layers of corrugated cardboard,
Figure 4 illustrates a third embodiment of a block-
shaped foot, where the bottom side of said foot is
provided with a hori70ntal layer of corrugated
cardboard,
15 Figure 5 illustrates a fourth embodiment of a block-
shaped foot, where one or more circumferential
metal wires are provided for holding together and
strengthening all the layers of corrugated card-
board, and
20 Figure 6 illustrates a portion of a block-shaped
foot comprising crossed layers of corrugated card-
board.
The pallet of Figure 1 is preferably a disposable
pallet and comprises a base plate 1 of corrugated
2~ cardboard and a plurality oE block-shaped feet 2
situated on the bottom side of the base plate. These
feet are also made of corrugated cardboard. The
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base plate 1 comprises preferably a horizontal
layer of corrugated cardboard, but may also comprise
two or three such layers. Each block-shaped foot 2
comprises a substantially planar laminate, cf.
5 Figure 2, which includes at least ten layers of
corrugated cardboard 3a, 3_, 3c .... situated sub-
stantially perpendicular to the base plate 1. The
block-shaped foot is substantially solid because
no large cavities exist in the interior thereof.
10 The corrugated cardboard used is of a strong type.
The height h of each block-shaped foot is relatively
small compared to the main dimension _ of the pallet
and is in the range 15-35 mm. Thus the block-shaped
foot is very low which is an extremenely important
15 feature because the pallet and the articles piled
thereon must take up as little space as possible
when stored in for instance a container or a truck
compartment. However, the block-shaped feet must
be just so high that the forks of a fork truck can
20 slip beneath the pallet so as to lift and handle
said pallet.
Usually the corrugated cardboard used is of the
type "one-sided well" of a weight in the range 140-
130 g/m2, preferably 160 g/m2.
25 In order to increase the resistance of the block-
shaped feet to moisture, they may be coated and/or
impregnated with a water-repellant agent, such as
wax or plastics, preferably polyvinyl chloride.
As illustrated in Figure 3, the corrugated cardboard
30 laminate of each block-shaped foot 2 may include
one or more very thin layers of plastic foam as
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indicated for instance at 4a, 4b, and 4c. These
layers have a blocking effect and increase the
resistance to compression of the block-shaped foot.
Each block-shaped Eoot 2 is preferably glued onto
5 the base plate 1 by means of a single-component
latex glue.
Figure 2 is, as mentioned, an inclined bottom view
of a block-shaped foot. It is noted that the small
grooves 5a, 5_, 5c of each layer of corrugated
lO cardboard preferably extend perpendicular to the
base plate 1.
As illustrated in Figure 4, the bottom side of
each block-shaped foot 2 may be covered by a cover
face ~ of for instance cardboard or corru~ated
15 cardboard, whereby moisture to a certain degree is
prevented from seeping upwards into the small
grooves 5a, 5b, Sc, cf. Figure 2, of the foot.
As illustrated in Figure 5 one or more thin metal
wires 8', 8" may extend around each block-shaped
20 foot 2 so as to increase the resistance to compres-
sion of the foot. The metal wires may optionally
also e~tend between two succeeding layers of corru-
gated cardboard in the interior of the block-shaped
foot. The invention may be varied in many ways
25 without deviating from the scope thereof. Thus the
layers of corrugated cardboard of each block-shaped
Eoot 2 may be crossed, cf. Figure 6, whereby the
small grooves lOa, 10_, lOc of the layer lO are
situated substantially perpendicular to the small
30 ~rooves lla, llb of the layer ll.
