US4850284A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Pallet and method of forming and securing pallet legs
Assignee: FINOVA CAPITAL Corp
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Filing: 1986-02-03
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Granted: 1989-07-25
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Expires: 2006-02-03
Abstract
Abstract A pallet having a pallet deck which is formed from at least two pallet deck members, each of which has finger elements die-cut therein at each leg attachment point. The pallet legs are formed from tubular outer and inner leg elements, and are attached to both pallet deck members by stacking them atop one another and forcibly urging the finger elements on both pallet deck members within the annulus between the nested outer and inner leg elements. With this construction, the pallet deck is increased in strength since two pallet deck members are utilized and the pallet legs have greater strength and are less subject to damage from sideways forces parallel to the pallet applied to them since they are attached to the pallet by the finger elements die-cut in both of the pallet deck members.
Inventors
- 👤 Robert H. DeGroot
- 👤 Robert Kropidoski
- 👤 Frank Wakaszek
- 👤 Jesus Rivera, Jr.
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 12:23
CPC Classifications
B; B65; B65D; B65D19/00; B65D19/38; B65D19/40; B65D19/0004; B65D19/0006; B65D19/0008; B65D19/001; B65D19/0012; B65D19/0014; B65D19/0016; B65D19/002; B65D19/0024; B65D19/0026; B65D19/0028; B65D2519/00; B65D2519/00004; B65D2519/00009; B65D2519/00014; B65D2519/00019; B65D2519/00029; B65D2519/00039; B65D2519/00049; B65D2519/00054; B65D2519/00064; B65D2519/00074; B65D2519/00084; B65D2519/00089; B65D2519/00258; B65D2519/00263; B65D2519/00273; B65D2519/00278; B65D2519/00283; B65D2519/00293; B65D2519/00313; B65D2519/00323; B65D2519/00328; B65D2519/00333; B65D2519/00338; B65D2519/00343; B65D2519/00368; B65D2519/00378; B65D2519/00547; B65D2519/00552; B65D2519/00557; B65D2519/00562
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
282 words
A pallet comprising a pallet deck having a plurality of tubular legs attached thereto, each of said tubular legs being comprised of an inner and an outer leg element; said pallet deck being comprised of at least two pallet deck members of corrugated cardboard stacked together atop one another, each of said pallet deck members at each leg attachment point having a plurality of finger elements formed of die-cut lines radiating outwardly from a central circle and terminating on a circular score line of substantially the same diameter as the inner diameter of an outer leg element, said finger elements being die-cut in the respective ones of said pallet deck members with the corrugations thereof extending perpendicular to one another, said pallet deck members being stacked atop one another with the corrugations thereof cross-laminated; said inner and outer leg elements being proportioned to nest within one another and to retain said finger elements die-cut in both pallet deck members at a leg attachment point in overlapped relationship within the annulus formed between said nested outer and inner leg elements; said tubular legs being secured to said pallet deck and said pallet deck members being secured together atop one another by placing an outer leg element under said stacked pallet deck members and aligned with said circular score line, an inner leg element atop said stacked deck members and aligned with said circular score line and then pressing said inner leg element through said stacked pallet deck members into said outer leg element with said finger elements being captured in overlapping relationship between said outer and inner leg elements; and adhesively secured to one another and to said outer and inner leg elements.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
282 words
A pallet comprising a pallet deck having a plurality of tubular legs attached thereto, each of said tubular legs being comprised of an inner and an outer leg element; said pallet deck being comprised of at least two pallet deck members of corrugated cardboard stacked together atop one another, each of said pallet deck members at each leg attachment point having a plurality of finger elements formed of die-cut lines radiating outwardly from a central circle and terminating on a circular score line of substantially the same diameter as the inner diameter of an outer leg element, said finger elements being die-cut in the respective ones of said pallet deck members with the corrugations thereof extending perpendicular to one another, said pallet deck members being stacked atop one another with the corrugations thereof cross-laminated; said inner and outer leg elements being proportioned to nest within one another and to retain said finger elements die-cut in both pallet deck members at a leg attachment point in overlapped relationship within the annulus formed between said nested outer and inner leg elements; said tubular legs being secured to said pallet deck and said pallet deck members being secured together atop one another by placing an outer leg element under said stacked pallet deck members and aligned with said circular score line, an inner leg element atop said stacked deck members and aligned with said circular score line and then pressing said inner leg element through said stacked pallet deck members into said outer leg element with said finger elements being captured in overlapping relationship between said outer and inner leg elements; and adhesively secured to one another and to said outer and inner leg elements.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
34 words
The pallet of claim 1, wherein said die-cut lines forming said finger elements radiate tangentially outwardly from the periphery of the central circle to meet the circular score line, thereby forming spiral finger elements.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
72 words
The pallet of claim 2, wherein said pallet deck members are stacked atop one another with the corrugations thereof cross-laminated and with the circular score lines on both apllet deck members facing downwardly toward the bottom of said pallet when assembled, said finger elements of the respective ones of said pallet deck members when said pallet is assembled substantially overlying one another within the annulus between said inner and outer leg elements.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
56 words
The pallet of claim 2, wherein one of said pallet deck members if inverted and stacked atop the other one of said pallet deck members, said finger elements of the respective ones of said pallet deck members when said pallet is assembled radially overlying one another within the annulus between said inner and outer leg elements.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
39 words
The pallet of claim 1, further comprising a second pallet deck secured to said pallet legs on the underside of said pallet, the manner of securement being the same as said pallet deck is secured to said pallet legs.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
266 words
A method of manufacturing a pallet comprising the steps of: forming a pallet deck of at least two corrugating cardboard pallet deck members stacked together atop one another, diecutting in each of said pallet deck members at each leg attachment point a plurality of finger elements formed of die-cut lines radiating outwardly from a central circle and terminating on a circular score line, said finger elements being die-cut in the respective ones of said pallet deck members with the corrugations thereof extending perpendicular to one another, said pallet deck members being stacked atop one another with the corrugations thereof cross-laminated; providing a plurality of pallet legs, each of which is comprised of inner and outer leg elements being proportioned to nest within one another and to retain said finger elements die-cut in both pallet deck members at a leg attachment point in overlapped relationship within the annulus formed between said nested outer and inner leg elements; securing said pallet deck members together and and said pallet legs to said pallet by placing an outer leg element under said stacked pallet deck members and aligned with said circular score line, an inner leg element atop said stacked deck members and aligned with said circular score line, and forcibly inserting said inner leg element into said outer leg element with said finger elements being captured between said outer and inner leg elements by pressing said inner leg element through said stacked pallet deck members into said outer leg element, said finger elements being overlapped and adhesively secured to one another and to said outer and inner leg elements.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
266 words
A method of manufacturing a pallet comprising the steps of: forming a pallet deck of at least two corrugating cardboard pallet deck members stacked together atop one another, diecutting in each of said pallet deck members at each leg attachment point a plurality of finger elements formed of die-cut lines radiating outwardly from a central circle and terminating on a circular score line, said finger elements being die-cut in the respective ones of said pallet deck members with the corrugations thereof extending perpendicular to one another, said pallet deck members being stacked atop one another with the corrugations thereof cross-laminated; providing a plurality of pallet legs, each of which is comprised of inner and outer leg elements being proportioned to nest within one another and to retain said finger elements die-cut in both pallet deck members at a leg attachment point in overlapped relationship within the annulus formed between said nested outer and inner leg elements; securing said pallet deck members together and and said pallet legs to said pallet by placing an outer leg element under said stacked pallet deck members and aligned with said circular score line, an inner leg element atop said stacked deck members and aligned with said circular score line, and forcibly inserting said inner leg element into said outer leg element with said finger elements being captured between said outer and inner leg elements by pressing said inner leg element through said stacked pallet deck members into said outer leg element, said finger elements being overlapped and adhesively secured to one another and to said outer and inner leg elements.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method of claim 6, wherein said die-cut lines forming said finger elements radiate tangentially outwardly from the periphery of the central circle to meet the circular score line, thereby forming spiral finger elements.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
72 words
The method of claim 7, wherein said pallet deck members are stacked atop one another with the corrugations thereof cross-laminated and with the circular score lines on both pallet deck members facing downwardly toward the bottom of said pallet when assembled, said finger elements of the respective ones of said pallet deck members when said pallet is assembled substantially overlying one another within the annulus between said inner and outer leg elements.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
56 words
The method of claim 7, wherein one of said pallet deck members is inverted and stacked atop the other one of said pallet deck members, said finger elements of the respective ones of said pallet deck members when said pallet is assembled radially overlying one another within the annulus between said inner and outer leg elements.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
40 words
The method of claim 6, further comprising the step of securing a second pallet deck to said pallet legs on the underside of said pallet in the same manner in which said pallet deck is secured to said pallet legs.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1992-07-24 | 1993-01-23 | 1993-07-25 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1996-07-24 | 1997-01-23 | 1997-07-25 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2000-07-24 | 2001-01-23 | 2001-07-25 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |