Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim
193 words
A pallet formed from a mouldable or thermo-formable material and having edgewise, transverse and diagonal rigidity, and which includes: a panel having a load-supporting top surface and an undersurface; a plurality of legs depending from said undersurface of said panel, said legs being mutually spaced apart so as to allow entry of the arms of a fork lift between said legs from at least one side of said pallet; a continuous perimeter rib projecting from said undersurface of said panel substantially completely about the perimeter thereof and forming a corresponding perimeter channel in said top surface; and a network of interconnected ribs projecting from said undersurface of said panel and forming a network of corresponding channels in said load-supporting top surface of said panel, said network of corresponding channels being formed so that no said channels cross each other, so that each and every said channel meets at least one other said channel but so that no more than three said channels intersect at any one point, so that at least some of said channels meet said perimeter channel, and so that at lEast one said channel meets each and every said leg.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
193 words
A pallet formed from a mouldable or thermo-formable material and having edgewise, transverse and diagonal rigidity, and which includes: a panel having a load-supporting top surface and an undersurface; a plurality of legs depending from said undersurface of said panel, said legs being mutually spaced apart so as to allow entry of the arms of a fork lift between said legs from at least one side of said pallet; a continuous perimeter rib projecting from said undersurface of said panel substantially completely about the perimeter thereof and forming a corresponding perimeter channel in said top surface; and a network of interconnected ribs projecting from said undersurface of said panel and forming a network of corresponding channels in said load-supporting top surface of said panel, said network of corresponding channels being formed so that no said channels cross each other, so that each and every said channel meets at least one other said channel but so that no more than three said channels intersect at any one point, so that at least some of said channels meet said perimeter channel, and so that at lEast one said channel meets each and every said leg.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
39 words
A pallet as claimed in claim 1, which pallet is formed from a single sheet of mouldable or thermo-formable material, and in which said legs are formed as integral hollow downward projections of said sheet from said undersurface thereof.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
33 words
A pallet as claimed in claim 1 in which said legs are spaced so as to allow entry of the arms of a fork-lift therebetween from each of four sides of said pallet.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
21 words
A pallet as claimed in claim 1 and which additionally comprises a bottom stage fastened to lower ends of said legs.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
23 words
A pallet as claimed in claim 1 in which said network of intersecting ribs is provided essentially as a plurality of interconnected hexagons.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
38 words
A pallet as claimed in claim 1 in which said pallet is formed from at least one mouldable or thermo-formable material selected from the group consisting of ABS, high density polyethylene, glass fiber-reinforced high density polyethylene and polystyrene.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
101 words
A pallet as claimed in claim 1 in which said ribs and the corresponding said channels as well as said legs are formed integrally with said panel from a single sheet of said mouldable or thermo-formable material, said ribs, channels and legs so being constituted by downwardly indented portions of said sheet and each said downwardly indented portion of said sheet having a tapered cross-sectional configuration whereby said pallet may be nested with other like pallets one above the other with said ribs and legs of said pallet nesting at least partially within corresponding indented portions of the nest subjacent pallet.