US3680495A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Pallet structure
Assignee: Hi-Line Plastics Inc
•
Filing: 1970-10-12
•
Granted: 1972-08-01
•
Expires: 1990-10-12
Abstract
Abstract A pallet structure comprises a grid or network formed of a plurality of spaced ribs substantially narrower in width than in depth and having upper edges substantially coplanar and defining a load supporting platform. The ribs are preferably of substantially equal lateral spacing across the pallet structure but may vary with the spacing being such that the ribs will properly support the goods to be deposited thereon. The structure has a plurality of spaced vertical hollow legs or supports depending from the load supporting platform and a marginal edge portion extending around the periphery of the grid structure with the edge portion having a bottom wall member extending between an edge rib and an adjacent parallel rib thereby defining an edge support surface. The pallets are stackable when empty due to the supports nesting one in another and are such that the edges are spaced whereby a lift fork is insertible therebetween to separate and lift a desired portion of a stack. The edge of the pallet is shaped to provide a convenient portion for manually moving individual pallets.
Inventors
- 👤 Daniel W Pike
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-27 19:15
CPC Classifications
B; B65; B65D; B65D19/00; B65D19/0004; B65D19/0006; B65D19/0008; B65D19/001; B65D19/0014; B65D19/0018; B65D2519/00; B65D2519/00004; B65D2519/00009; B65D2519/00014; B65D2519/00034; B65D2519/00049; B65D2519/00069; B65D2519/00258; B65D2519/00263; B65D2519/00268; B65D2519/00283; B65D2519/00288; B65D2519/00308; B65D2519/00313; B65D2519/00318; B65D2519/00328; B65D2519/00338; B65D2519/00736; B65D2519/008; B65D2519/00935; B65D2519/0094; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S108/00; Y10S108/901
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim
230 words
In a one piece, molded, nestable pallet: a. a platform having a load carrying top surface; b. said platform being a grid structure formed of a plurality of ribs individually presented edge-wise to said top surface, said ribs intersecting each other at a plurality of intersections and united to each other at said intersections, said ribs defining openings therebetween normal to said top surface, said ribs being wider adjacent said top surface and tapering downwardly; c. a plurality of spaced apart, hollow legs having an open top and side walls extending downwardly from said top surface, said leg side walls being united with ribs intersecting same, said leg side walls being connected to adjacent side walls and connected at lower ends with a bottom wall, said legs side walls each sloping downwardly and inwardly from said top surface to a size whereby legs of one pallet will enter the open top of the hollow legs of a lower pallet for verticle nesting; and d. a marginal edge portion extending around the periphery of said grid structure and having at least one edge rib supported on end portions of the ribs of said platform, said edge portion having a depth less than said grid structure to provide a space between the bottom edge of edge portions of one pallet and the top surface of a next lower pallet in a stack.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
230 words
In a one piece, molded, nestable pallet: a. a platform having a load carrying top surface; b. said platform being a grid structure formed of a plurality of ribs individually presented edge-wise to said top surface, said ribs intersecting each other at a plurality of intersections and united to each other at said intersections, said ribs defining openings therebetween normal to said top surface, said ribs being wider adjacent said top surface and tapering downwardly; c. a plurality of spaced apart, hollow legs having an open top and side walls extending downwardly from said top surface, said leg side walls being united with ribs intersecting same, said leg side walls being connected to adjacent side walls and connected at lower ends with a bottom wall, said legs side walls each sloping downwardly and inwardly from said top surface to a size whereby legs of one pallet will enter the open top of the hollow legs of a lower pallet for verticle nesting; and d. a marginal edge portion extending around the periphery of said grid structure and having at least one edge rib supported on end portions of the ribs of said platform, said edge portion having a depth less than said grid structure to provide a space between the bottom edge of edge portions of one pallet and the top surface of a next lower pallet in a stack.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
53 words
The pallet structure as set forth in claim 1 including: a. a bottom wall member connecting a lower portion of said edge rib and adjacent ribs of said grid structure thereby providing an edge structure with a continuous bottom wall surface around the grid structure from the edge rib to adjacent parallel ribs.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
42 words
The pallet structure as set forth in claim 2 wherein end portions of ribs normal to a respective edge rib have lower edges sloping downwardly and inwardly from a rib that is next adjacent to and parallel to said respective edge rib.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
95 words
The pallet structure as set forth in claim 3 wherein: a. said leg members each depending below the grid structure a distance greater than the height of the ribs of the grid structure to space the grid structures when pallets are stacked vertically with a greater spacing of edge portions thereof; b. said bottom wall members of said leg members each have an aperture therethrough; and c. said bottom wall members of said edge portion each have an aperture therethrough between each of said ribs extending between said edge rib and the adjacent parallel rib.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
111 words
The pallet structure as set forth in claim 2 wherein: a. the pallet structure is generally rectangular; b. said leg members are spaced apart to permit ingress of arms of a fork lift, said leg members being positioned to permit ingress from each side of the pallet structure; c. said bottom wall member of said edge portion is positioned above said lower edges of said ribs, said bottom wall member being continuous along each edge of the pallet structure; and d. said ribs each have opposite end portions sloped between said bottom wall of said edge portion and a lower edge of an adjacent rib parallel to the respective edge rib.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
31 words
The pallet structure as set forth in claim 5 wherein: a. said ribs and wall of the grid structure, leg members and edge portion are integral and of structural foam plastic.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
39 words
The pallet structure as set forth in claim 6 including reinforcing material in said grid structure, said reinforcing including elongate members extending longitudinally of the ribs of the grid structure to increase the strength and reduce the deflection thereof.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3140672A
Cited
US3187691A
Cited
US3233564A
Cited
US3228358A
Cited
US3307504A
Cited
US3424110A
Cited
US3433184A
Cited
US3481285A
Cited
US3526195A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-08-01 | 1976-01-31 | 1976-08-01 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-08-01 | 1980-01-31 | 1980-08-01 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-08-01 | 1984-01-31 | 1984-08-01 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |