Patent US4230693A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
Patent US2612449A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4895080A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Interlocking freight pallet
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1989-02-10
•
Granted: 1990-01-23
•
Expires: 2009-02-10
Abstract
Abstract A freight pallet may be formed in a wide variety of user determined configurations by assembly of a plurality of interlocking construction units. Each of the units has a square thin support plate with a projecting rib extending along a first pair of adjacent perpendicular side edges. A complementary formed groove extends along a second pair of adjacent perpendicular side edges of the support plate. A right angle corner support member is perpendicularly attached at each corner on a bottom surface of the support plate. Each pair of adjacent corner support members are connected by a support brace. The construction units may be assembled adhesively or through thermoplastic bonding by forming portions of the projecting ribs and complementary grooves from a thermosetting plastic material.
Inventors
- 👤 Peter C. Thomas
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 13:51
CPC Classifications
B; B65; B65D; B65D19/00; B65D19/38; B65D2519/00; B65D2519/00004; B65D2519/00009; B65D2519/00014; B65D2519/00019; B65D2519/00024; B65D2519/00029; B65D2519/00034; B65D2519/00049; B65D2519/00054; B65D2519/00059; B65D2519/00064; B65D2519/00069; B65D2519/00084; B65D2519/00089; B65D2519/00094; B65D2519/00099; B65D2519/00104; B65D2519/00258; B65D2519/00263; B65D2519/00273; B65D2519/00278; B65D2519/00283; B65D2519/00288; B65D2519/00293; B65D2519/00308; B65D2519/00313; B65D2519/00318; B65D2519/00323; B65D2519/00328; B65D2519/00343; B65D2519/00368; B65D2519/00373; B65D2519/00547; B65D2519/00552; B65D2519/00557; B65D2519/00562; B65D2519/00567; B65D2519/00572; B65D2519/00736; B65D2519/00741; B65D2519/00746
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
122 words
A freight pallet formed from at least two interlocking construction units, each of said units comprising: a square thin support plate; a projecting rib extending along each of a first two adjacent perpendicular side edges of said plate; a complementary formed groove extending along each of a second two adjacent perpendicular side edges of said plate; a right angle corner support member perpendicularly attached at each corner on a bottom surface of said support plate; a support brace member extending between each adjacent pair of said corner support members; and said units formed from a plastic material and said projecting ribs and grooves at least partially formed from a thermoplastic material having a lower fusing point than the rest of said unit.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
122 words
A freight pallet formed from at least two interlocking construction units, each of said units comprising: a square thin support plate; a projecting rib extending along each of a first two adjacent perpendicular side edges of said plate; a complementary formed groove extending along each of a second two adjacent perpendicular side edges of said plate; a right angle corner support member perpendicularly attached at each corner on a bottom surface of said support plate; a support brace member extending between each adjacent pair of said corner support members; and said units formed from a plastic material and said projecting ribs and grooves at least partially formed from a thermoplastic material having a lower fusing point than the rest of said unit.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
22 words
The interlocking freight pallet of claim 1, wherein each of said projecting ribs and complementary recesses have a trapezoidal cross sectional shape.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
21 words
The interlocking freight pallet of claim 1, further comprising at least one securement strap receiving aperture formed through said support plate.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
114 words
A construction unit for forming freight pallets, comprising: a square thin support plate; a projecting rib extending along each of a first two adjacent perpendicular side edges of said plate; a complementary formed groove extending along each of a second two adjacent perpendicular side edges of said plate; a right angle corner support member perpendicularly attached at each corner on a bottom surface of said support plate; a support brace member extending between each adjacent pair of said corner support members; and said unit formed from a plastic material and said projecting ribs and grooves at least partially formed from a thermoplastic material having a lower fusing point than the rest of said unit.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
114 words
A construction unit for forming freight pallets, comprising: a square thin support plate; a projecting rib extending along each of a first two adjacent perpendicular side edges of said plate; a complementary formed groove extending along each of a second two adjacent perpendicular side edges of said plate; a right angle corner support member perpendicularly attached at each corner on a bottom surface of said support plate; a support brace member extending between each adjacent pair of said corner support members; and said unit formed from a plastic material and said projecting ribs and grooves at least partially formed from a thermoplastic material having a lower fusing point than the rest of said unit.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
21 words
The construction unit of claim 4, wherein each of said projecting ribs and complementary recesses have a trapezoidal cross sectional shape.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
20 words
The construction unit of claim 4, further comprising at least one securement strap receiving aperture formed through said support plate.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
176 words
A method of forming a freight pallet having a user determined configuration, comprising the steps of: (a) providing a plurality of construction units formed from a plastic material, each of said units including: a square thin support plate; a projecting rib extending along each of a first two adjacent perpendicular side edges of said plate; a complementary formed groove extending along each of a second two adjacent perpendicular side edges of said plate; thermoplastic materials on at least a portion of said projecting ribs and said complementary grooves, said thermoplastic materials having a lower fusing point than the rest of the unit; a right angle corner support member perpendicularly attached to each corner on a bottom surface of said support plate; a support brace member extending between each adjacent pair of said corner support members; (b) arranging said construction units in a desired assembled configuration; (c) engaging the projecting ribs and complementary grooves of mating side edges of adjacent units; and (d) heating said assembled configuration of units sufficiently to bond said ribs in said grooves.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
176 words
A method of forming a freight pallet having a user determined configuration, comprising the steps of: (a) providing a plurality of construction units formed from a plastic material, each of said units including: a square thin support plate; a projecting rib extending along each of a first two adjacent perpendicular side edges of said plate; a complementary formed groove extending along each of a second two adjacent perpendicular side edges of said plate; thermoplastic materials on at least a portion of said projecting ribs and said complementary grooves, said thermoplastic materials having a lower fusing point than the rest of the unit; a right angle corner support member perpendicularly attached to each corner on a bottom surface of said support plate; a support brace member extending between each adjacent pair of said corner support members; (b) arranging said construction units in a desired assembled configuration; (c) engaging the projecting ribs and complementary grooves of mating side edges of adjacent units; and (d) heating said assembled configuration of units sufficiently to bond said ribs in said grooves.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3380403A
Cited
US3650224A
Cited
US3651769A
Cited
US3650225A
Cited
US3720027A
Cited
US3654874A
Cited
US4095769A
Cited
US4062301A
Cited
US4258522A
Cited
US4348442A
Cited
US4566235A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1993-01-22 | 1993-07-24 | 1994-01-23 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1997-01-22 | 1997-07-24 | 1998-01-23 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2001-01-22 | 2001-07-24 | 2002-01-23 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |