Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02243080 1998-07-14
PC~ K96~C0338 1 .
~mende~ paGe 24.~2.1~9
~alLet
The inve~ti~n ra;a.es ts ~ ~ing 2 sh~et Falle~ co~pris-~g a~
~pwa,~s ~a~ing lc2dbea~in~ sur~ , .he loadbe~r-iLlg ~urf~ce
h~vi~g ~cu~ side ed~es ~h~c~ two ~y t~c a~e e~senLial~y
~ut~aily pa~allel, ~our ~e~s e~c:~ of which is a_r~ged ~t a
respe~i~e correr Oc the lcacl~eari~L~ sur~ace and ex,..~n~ling
down.wards L rom this .
1 C ~arious types o~ pall2ts are knGr~ ithin the area c~
~ra-.spo~_aiia-, storase ahd prcsc~tat~Gn o~ ci r~r~nt yc~s.
~~OlT~. US pater._ No. 1 508 83~ r_ pallet of ~he aQo~re-~entione~
~ype 1 s 1;~0W-L~ In thi~ previcusly know;L ~onst~lct- on edge
15 por~iolls a~ twe 2pposiL e sides ar ~e:lt dGwnwa~ds _c fcr:~L a
si~ por~io~ ccmpris~g legs. Lr order tc pro~i~e 2 ~af- ' Ci-
ent s'_reng~l ar.~ r-g~dity o~ t:r-s co~st-~c'ion -t i3 ~eC~5-
.sa~y ~o ma:~ufcctu~e .he Fallet ~ro~q a sh~t rnaterial ~a~. ing a
ccns~deraDle t:~-ckness, w~ h ~nr:ùences th~ we-ght a-d,
~0 ~GreOVer, tf,.2 ç3~ts 0~ bo~h manu~acturing arld tra~s~or.a.ic~..
A si.~i'ar const-uc- e~ is ~nown ~rom ~S paten~ ~c. 1 7~1 185.
The ~_o~em relGti~g to the s.~enq~h and r ~_city of Lhe
cons_ructicn is realized in this late~ p-lbl ~ation. In order
2~ to provide a sufficient ri~i~y, se~arâte s-lppor~ el2~ent3
are a~ranged ~_ween ~he ~op ~art a~Ad each s~de pa~t o~ _he
pallet. This i5 a ti~a anc cost con~u~ing ope~atior,.
US ~97529 disclos~s a sin~ie s;~ee- oaL' Bt -om~_isirg an
~.lpw~rd fac_r~g cad~eari~g s~r;Aace anà side oarts ~ormed s~
~ending ~ part OL t;~e sheet dowrwa~as at an ~ngle of 30 . The
do ~ ward ~enc pcr~s ~ the sneet are furt:er benc at the
outer ed~e~ sc as to ~o~m box bea~s by csnnection, e.q.
w~d.iny, to the Load beal-ing eur~ce and to inwardly ~olce~
~art~ of t~e downwzrd ~end part at punched acc2ss sit~s fo~
li'ting means. At ~he cor~ers flaps r~rr.ing parts o~ each
~ow~ward bend part a ~A~ 'ol~e~ to abut an adJace~ do~ward
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,~MEN~D SHEET
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CA 02243080 1998-07-14
PC'i'/~ OU33~ 2
Amenc~ed page ~ 4 0 7 .1 ~ ~ 8
bend part ~o- c~nnec' ion to ~is by -~eldi~ .he oro~idins o~
the l~ox ~e~r.s a~d f_lded and welde~ corr~r -lar.,s ~e
rec~ssa;:~ in crcer to p~vic~.~ a suf..icierltl~r ~i~idit~ o~ the
pal le~. It 1 s ~b~lcus t~.at l:ris ~ o~ c~n~trl~ on is lRI~OU~-
5 i~.t~s- ve ard c~nber2cme, ~er~by nvolvi~g hi~h p~od~;ctior
ccsts. ~ thermcra t~e prov~ d:n~ c~ i~g an~ ~GX bearr.s
ma~es the cle~ning cf s~ch pal 1 e~ dif-~icult. ~r~e doc~ ent
f~rthe~ dicclasès a pallet m~n~act-~red frcn trree pa~tia~
el~mPnts .
These ~hr~ ~re~J o~sly kno~n pal ets a_e cbvisus:y ~.o'
cGn3tructed _o~ staclcir.g as the sides and le~s e;~ h~
dow~:lwards in a ve-~_c~_ mann~r.
_ F~rt~r prev,~l;.S-~ .~ncwn pai' ~t c_n3t-lc'_~ O.LS incl_~3e w~cden
pal.lets an~A; pla:~ti~ m.a_~rial pa'lets.
The wocclen pal_ets, e-g. t:~e so-called ~UR-pal_ets, are hea~ry
anc~ ther~re di_ ' icult to hand' e . ~o-eG~e-, l~-e wcod~n
20 r~ater a~ here~~.t ~r~vides n~l~Lerous ~'e2d 5~aces ~h~he.re
b~c~r_2 growtr c~n take place. As the woc~er. ~a_let is
~ ''icult tc clean it s nct possible t ~ e t~ s i- con-.ec-
t on w' th ~3ca p~:~duc~s. su_h pa_' ets sccupy a ce:ls~ ra~' e
spa~e ~.~hen st~cke-
2i
The .~ncwr. plas~ic ma~erial ~allets, li.ke t~.e wood~n Fallev,ara di~_icul ~ tc clean due t~ cc~nst~ucti~ns inc;l ud- ng riDs in
the l~adbea~in~r s..rfe.ce a d 1 eg~; a_sc bei:lg prc~ri~e~ with
in~ernal ri~s. ~ue to t. internal rl~s _n the l~g~ I_he~e
30 ~alLeLs like the wooden ~allets r C~-C'lpy a c~nsi~lera~le space
when stac}ced.
The wooden ar.d the plastic mater al p~l' ets as .kr.cwn today
a7-e n~t considere~l rele~ant in relaticn ';~ tl-e sinsle s: eet
35 pall.ets which un~er almos~ ail cit~cumstarce~ pr~vicle ~or a
high hygienir- standard.
.
A~lEN{~E~ SHEET
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CA 02243080 l998-07-l4
PCTf~K~00338 3
, AL~.~ ndcd page 2~c2.l3sd
The obj ect of th~ Freser.~ rentio L ls ~o ~r~ e a s ng:e
sh~t pal'et c~ the type ~entionea in th~ in~roductcry F r~
of. the ~escripti~n ~ whic~ a sufficie~ rigidi.y -s ~tained
wit~ a reduced thi~'~nes~ o4 the sheet ~r3~ w~-c:q th.e pallet
i5 m~llufact~.,red and ~~here the ~allet is si~ ler s~er ~rom a
m~ f~turi~g ~oin~ of view.
According to he i~_ntivn ~hi~ ~bject is obtainec by a
lC single ~.eet wniGh fllrther c~ ises side fl~ly~ ex~endi~g
dow~lwar~s ~r~m each of t'~e ~our s-de ed~es, t~here t:~e -eg~ ~t
e~ch sidc a~e ~on~ec-ed ~o an adjacent side fla-ge Z~ w~n~r~
~he les~s ha~e a non-lineax cross sec:tion show-~g bot~. c~nca~e
an~ conve~ psrtions ~een frcm b~h s:des of the sheet.
:s
By pr~v~ding s cLe~lar.ges a~ all four sides c~f .he pal et a~.
i~prove~ rigidity is cbta-Led in all load directi~ns. Th-s
~ ws for t:~e -lse of a ~educea thick~ess ~ t~e material
sheet uscd ~~ ~anuf~c~ur ng the pallet. ~ e rig dity c~ tie
con tr,_cl:ion 15 furthcr increased whe~ .he le~s at eac:~ side
are connected to the ad~ ac2n' ' an~e. In this mann~r a
co~i~uous circ~ferential flange is fcrmec o. the ~ et,
the legs o th~ ~allet .o~inq parts o.~ th~s fl~ge. ~y
mar.u.~act-arina the ;egs w-th a ron-linea- ~rcs~ sectior.
~hvwing both convex a~d corcave portions qee~ 2~m bcth s des
o~ ~.he $:r~ it has been made possi~le tc ~vide a ~a~l~t
wi_hout ove-lapp ng pla~e p~rL~ w~ich in t~ rio~ ar~ need
to ]~e connec~ea, e.g. by ~s~di~g, 1~ ord~r _~ pro~ide a
suf~icient ri~idit~. The c~rved sh~e of the le~ ~u~t:~er
3G provide~ ~-igidi-y to the leg its~l~ du~ _o all inc~eased
seccnd mo.~ent of area. U~e o~ ~ reduced th_ckn~s5 ~Liarufaf-
t~ring material i3 r.e~by ~ossibJe. ~.ccordir.g the inven.ion a
. pa'l~t has been desig~.ed which i~ mu~.A simp'er fro~ a
manu~acturing poi~ of view compared to th~ p.-i~- art pc:lsts
and wh~ch at th~ same time provides a suJ~i~-ie~t rigid- ~y.
''.
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AMEN~D ~ItEET :,
~ CA 02243080 1998-07-14
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PCT/DKg6~0G338 4
~m.en~ed page 24. a2 .1993
TPe non-linea~ c-oss secti~ leqs pre~e_ably ha-~e zn S-shaped
c~os~ sectio~.
Tke free edye ~or- cn of at l~ast t~o, pre~e-a~ly ~11, si~e
; fJ.~rye~ at ~Ltuclly parallel sid~ ed~es ar.~ ~efer2bly be~t
i:lward~3 ~o ~.~ to ~e es~r~ lly ~a~allel _o th~ loacib~ri~
s~rface. T~ s featu_e allcws ~or ~ bett~r and mo~e oomror-
ta~le mOn~a. h~n~ a o~ ~he palL2ts. ~creover, _h2 irwaldY
hent 2dge port o~s ~:ro~ri.d~e a suppo~irg s!rface t~wa_~s
1C pailet li~ting a-d trars~Qrting e~ men~ a~d a ~up~orting
sur ace for stacki-~ o~ t~e pa~lle~ on ~ ja~an_ pallet.
~:~e legs ar~ prefe~ably ir.clined ~wn-~a~-ds a~ o~ rds f~o~
t;~e ;oadbeari~g su~face :n ~rder ,o allcw a stacking 'Q'~
1~ s~veral palle~ ereby ~he argle O A incl-nat~o-. pref~rably
is so that t:~e ir~wa~ds ~nt ed~e portiors cf t~e side fla~ges
o~ cne pallet abut cn the ' oadbeari~$ s~rrace ~f a secor.~
s~b; ~cenAt pallet with~_ any contacl be~wc~n tke 1e~s o ~ke
~w~ ~al1els. This mean~ ~ha~ the h~-sht oE t:~c s de 'l~e
deEiIles the ~ angle of lnclin~ti~. This pa11et
cons~ucticn a1_G-~s ror a com~act stacki-g c~ ~lle~s
accordill~ to ~he in~bnt o~. A p~'1et placec on _op o~ a
suL~jacellt pa:let wil' ~n1y add the heig~t ~f the si~e Elange
L~ t~l~ total l~el~ht vf th~ stack.
A support part is prere~a~1y prcvide~ a~ L~le 1 ow~r ~ of
ea~h :~g
. In a pre~erxed em~ci~e~ this s~p~or~ e'~em~-.t. i.s ~nstit~=~d
by a~l outwar~s ~Qnt e~c port or c~ t:~e 1~g.
The lca~cQaring s~r~ace c~ the pa11e~ is pre~ferably prov-ded
with corrugati~ns or im~ass ons in orcer to obtain a profile
with an i~.pr~ad ~igidity.
The pa1i~t arcording ~ t~ inventicn is pre~e~2~1y ~.a~fac-
t~r~d with ~ nsions correspondi~g ~o ~ ~uart~r of thc ar~a
.
- .~A~ S;~ 1
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U CA 02243080 1998-07-14
~ J'~K~0~338 5 - - -
Amende~ p~Lse 2~ . 02 .1~8
of tne stz~arci~e~ p~_le~, e ~. a so-ç~., le~ E'J~-P~11e~,
wh1 c.r. measur2s 12~0 x 8C0 ~m. Othex stan~ard ~a 1et size.s 2re
~;se~ in a. g. ths US~ o- G~ . The auate~-pallet - s us~d ir e . ~.
supe--marke~,s, -r, o~ de~ tc transpcrt ~nd p:resent a li~ited
S a~ur~ c~ goods ~. th.P sa1 es are~.
~h~ s means that the ~l~rter-palle~ cor~espcr.d~ng _~ th~ EUR-
s a~ard mea~u-es ~aOO X ~0 mm. Tn t~ c~nne~t o:~ it is ~,~
p2rt:icul ar i~.pcrtance -hat the pr~Jec':~ on of t~e pa 1 el~
10 with:in ~hese me-sures, r.eroby a33~r~rg .h~t fo~r of these
~all~l~s ~e~i ~e ~he same are~ as a .~ta-~cardized fu' 1 si z~
l:;a1lf~. Furth~r it is required t~at t:Le ~i~le edges o.~ t:~e
t~211et extenc~ -,,c ~he rec~ ted din~.cnsion. This r~ n~ ~haL ~:-e
~.eg5 in or~r to extena ~ownwards and outwards fr~ he
l5 lo~ rif.ng s~rf~ ~ust extend r--om ar ~tly~ w,.thi~ e cu~er
recL zLIl~ula~ diJne~:;i o~ . Here~y _he lowex pzrl~ of t~e leg c-
t~e ~p~ion~l sup?or~ part a t ~l~e lewer ~a~t of l;:le ~ ~J s
fall 5 Wit~ r t~:e ree~~-gular c~late~ '.let ~ n.
20 Cta.~clard pa_l et 1i-t1 ng ar.d ~rzn~po~ ~in~ ec3~3;.pr~nt rea~
~e~t~in widLh bet~"ee~ the l~gs ef the palle- and a -e-~..in
he~ t t.G ~he support edge cr s~rfa_e to Gl-Ut cn !:he 1 ._ing
~rd ~xanspc r. ng eculpmer . . By a au~ let t:~e legs
_kera~ore ~rc ~r-anaed at -he ~horter sids~ Or the palle~
25 bear1r~g a suf:Ci~ ently wide spacs a~: _he lc-aer si~tes ~o
al- ow a llfting a~d ~ra~spc ~ r~S~ ap~ara~us to ~e intr~du-ec
ur.deL~ the pal l et ~rom _hi 3 5 ide .
The pal:e' accord-ng tc the inver' -cn m.ay _~ usea in ar
30 assenLbly ccLLE~ris r~ ~our pal ets accardi:lg to the invent- Ol~r
e~ch pa' let co~eri~lg an ~rea correspor.di~g tc c~e fcu~t~ o~ a
stancl2rd:~ed ~alle~ !e as~embly f~rther c~ ?ri~i~g
.
- a support~ ele~,~t ~.aving a cer._r~ cut-out fcr o-e :eg of
35 each o~ t.he four pallets, and 'along the c~ rcur~fere~.ti~l ed~e
C~lt-OU_s rOr the :r:~m~in1n~ three 1 eg~; n~ each pallel, ~rsd
,. . ~
CA 02243080 1998-07-14
5.-~.
PCTJ~Kgo~00338
Amended page 24 . 02 . lg38
- ~Le~ns for connecting the support element to the pallets.
.
He reby it is possible to h~le an ~ssenbly ccmprising lour
5 pa.llets as a full size standardi~ed pallet without ar~nging
1:h~se paliets on a full si~e pallet. Hereby the one-piece
fu:Ll size pal let c~n be omittod anc1 when necess~ry sepa~ate
the pallets ~om each other l~y remcv_ng the suppo~t elements
~01- s~bs~uent irdi~idual h~rdli~g of the pallets. The
10 support element car be a metal or plastic material plate.
W~.ere the hy~ienic recruirements are lower a wccden plate
element, e.g. ~ pl~wooà plate elerQentr can ~e used. Such
plat- elem~nt IG~V at the ~ircu~nferenl:ial edge be reinforced
by means of a metzl band f~tened ta the eiemert.
In orde to allcw th~ as~embl~ to be tr~nsporte~ on co~eyor
syste~ comp~ising rolle~s the assem~ly Ir..ay ~uri h~_ comprise
at least two supp~r~ raiLs, each arrang2d under ~ne rcw' o~
iegs, hereby ccnstituting continuouq su~port plcLnes abuttir~g
20 the rollers.
In the ~llo~ing a pre~erred e~bodiment of the ~all~t
according to the invent~on will be described ~ore detailec~
with reference ~o the draw ngs, wllerein
Figure 1 i9 a per:~eotive view of a pallet,
.
CA 02243080 1998-07-14
W O 97/26197 PCT~DK9~ B
Figure 2 i5 a top view of the pallet shown in Figure 1,
~igure 3 is a side view of the pallet shown in Figures 1
and 2,
Figure 4 is an end view of the pallet shown in Figures 1
through 3,
Figure 5 is a bottom view of the pallet shown in Figures
1 through 4,
Figure 6 is an enlarged side and end view of a corner area
of a pallet,
~5 Figure 7 is an enlarged top view of a corner area of a
pallet,
Figure 8 shows an embodiment with enhanced side flange
rigidity,
Figure 9 shows two pallets immediately before stacking,
Figure ~0 is a side view of three stacked pallets,
~5 Figure 11 is a top view of a metal sheet for manufacturing
a pallet, and
Figure 12 shows an assembly comprising four pallets.
~0 Figure 13 is a side view of the assembly shown in figure
12.
I
From fig. 1 it appears that the preferred embodiment of the
pallet according to the invention comprises a loadbearing
upwards facing surface 1. The loadbearing surface 1 has four
side edges 2, 3; 4, 5 which two by two are mutually parallel.
At respective corners of the loadbearing surface 1 legs 6, 7,
CA 02243080 l998-07-l4
W O 97/261~7 PCTADK~6/00338
8, 9 extend downwards and outwards from the loadbearing
surface. The lower free end portion of each leg forms a
support portion 10. From each side edge 2, 3; 4, 5 a side
flange ll extends downwards, and provides an improved
rigidity o~ the construction. In the loadbearing surface an
impression 13 has been provided. The impression comprises a
central essentially rectangular part and rectininear parts
which extend from the corners of this rectilinear part
towards the corners of the pallet.
From figs 2 and 7 it appears more clearly that the legs in
cross section are double curved, e.g. are formed with an S-
shape. :Cn this context the wording "double curved'l is to be
understood as being convex or concave seen from both sides.
From fig. 7 it appears that the leg 7 extends downwards from
the loa(~bearing surface along a curved line which innermost
limitations are indicated by a dotted line 16. Since the
construction due to the load imparted thereon in this area
will be influenced by considerable forces it is of importance
that the impression 13 extends beyond this imaginary line in
order to provide an improved rigidity of the construction in
this area.
Figs 3 and 4 show the pallet seen from the side and the end,
respect.ively.
From fig. 5, which shows the pallet seen from below, the
inwardly bent edge portions of the side flanges appear. As
previously explained, these edge portions provide for an
improved m~nl~l handling and moreover serve as support
portions when a pallet is lifted and transported by means of
a transporting device.
Fig. 8 shows a modified pallet where impression 17 has been
made in the side flange 11 and at the same time in the
loadbearing surface 1 and the inwardly bent portion 12, in
order to improve the rigidity of the side flange in the
CA 02243080 l998-07-l4
W O 97/26197 PCTADK96/00338
transversal direction towards and away from the opposed side
flange. However, the impression does not necessarily include
an impression in the loadbearing surface or the indwardly
bent portion as a sufficient rigidity can be obtained by
making an impression in the side flange and either the
loadbearing surface or the inwardly bent portion. The
impression can in this case be partly spherical.
Fig. 9 shows two pallets ;~~~;ately before a stacking. Fig.
10 shows three stacked pallets. It is clear that a pallet
placed on top of a subjacent pallet only adds the height of
its side flange to the total stack height.
Fig. 11 shows a sheet 14 for manufacturing a pallet according
to the invention. The pallet is indicated in a topview by a
dotted line.
Fig. 12 shows an assembly comprising four pallets according
to the invention. The four pallets are for the sake of
clarity indicated by dotted lines. The side edges abut
opposed side edges of adjacent pallet hereby providing a
continuous loadbearing surface only interrupted in the leg
area. A support element 15 in the form of a plate 15, having
a central cutout 18 and further cutouts 19 along the circum-
ference. From fig. 13 it appears that the support element 15abuts the inwardly bent lower portion of the side flanges.
The support element is secured by connecting means, e.g. a
strap.
