Patent US5046434A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US5046434A
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Plastic reinforced thermoformed pallet
Assignee: Penda Corp
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Filing: 1990-05-02
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Granted: 1991-09-10
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Expires: 2010-05-02
Abstract
Abstract A reinforced twin-sheet thermoformed pallet is disclosed which has a substantially planar load-bearing member which is formed from an upper sheet of thermoplastic material and a lower sheet of thermoplastic material located generally in fixed parallel relationship to each other. A plurality of concave depressions in the load-bearing member form feet which depend from the load-bearing member. Each foot is formed as a downwardly depending portion of each of the two sheets of material joined together. Each foot has an inner foot floor formed from the upper sheet and an outer foot floor formed from the lower sheet. A quantity of reinforcing thermoplastic material is located between the inner and outer walls of each foot and is fused to the upper and lower sheets to form an integral foot floor which is substantially parallel to the load-bearing member. The thickness of the foot floor is substantially greater than the combined thicknesses of the upper and lower sheets. Preferably the upper and lower sheets and the reinforcing thermoplastic material are all composed of the same thermoplastic material. The pallet has reinforced feet of substantially increased thickness which extend the usable life of the pallet. This pallet, being composed of a single plastic material, may be economically crushed and recycled.
Inventors
- 👤 Harlon W. Breezer
- 👤 William F. Price
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 20:47
CPC Classifications
B; B65; B65D; B65D19/00; B65D19/0004; B65D19/0006; B65D19/0008; B65D19/001; B65D19/0014; B65D19/0018; B29; B29C; B29C51/00; B29C51/26; B29C51/266; B29C51/267; B29C65/00; B29C65/02; B29C65/48; B29C65/4805; B29C65/481; B29C65/4815; B29C66/00; B29C66/01; B29C66/05; B29C66/10; B29C66/11; B29C66/112; B29C66/1122; B29C66/32; B29C66/328; B29C66/3282; B29C66/50; B29C66/51; B29C66/54; B29C66/545; B29C66/70; B29C66/73; B29C66/739; B29C66/7392; B29C66/73921; B29C66/80; B29C66/83; B29C66/832; B29C66/8322; B29K; B29K2105/00; B29K2105/06; B29L; B29L2031/00; B29L2031/712; B29L2031/7178; B65D2519/00; B65D2519/00004; B65D2519/00009; B65D2519/00014; B65D2519/00034; B65D2519/00049; B65D2519/00069; B65D2519/00258; B65D2519/00263; B65D2519/00273; B65D2519/00283; B65D2519/00288; B65D2519/00313; B65D2519/00318; B65D2519/00328; B65D2519/00338; B65D2519/00398; B65D2519/00402; B65D2519/00407; B65D2519/00412; B65D2519/00432; B65D2519/00547; B65D2519/00552; B65D2519/00557; B65D2519/00562; B65D2519/00736; B65D2519/00935; B65D2519/0094; B65D2565/00; B65D2565/38; B65D2565/381; B65D2565/384; Y; Y02; Y02W; Y02W30/00; Y02W30/50; Y02W30/80; Y10; Y10S; Y10S108/00; Y10S108/901
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 7
Claim 1
Independent Claim
177 words
A twin-sheet thermoformed thermoplastic pallet comprising: (a) a substantially planar load-bearing member formed from an upper sheet of thermoplastic material of a selected thickness and a lower sheet of thermoplastic material of a selected thickness located generally in fixed parallel relationship to each other; (b) a plurality of feet depending from the load-bearing member, each foot being a downwardly protruding portion of each of the two sheets of material joined together and terminating in a foot floor extending substantially parallel to the load-bearing member; and (c) wherein each foot floor includes an inner foot floor formed from the upper sheet of thermoplastic material and an outer foot floor formed from the lower sheet of thermoplastic material, and additionally includes a quantity of reinforcing thermoplastic material located bewteen the inner and outer foot floors of each foot and fused thereto, the fused inner foot floor, reinforcing material and outer foot floor comprising an integral reinforced foot floor having a thickness substantially greater than the combined thickness of the material of the upper and lower sheets at that location.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
177 words
A twin-sheet thermoformed thermoplastic pallet comprising: (a) a substantially planar load-bearing member formed from an upper sheet of thermoplastic material of a selected thickness and a lower sheet of thermoplastic material of a selected thickness located generally in fixed parallel relationship to each other; (b) a plurality of feet depending from the load-bearing member, each foot being a downwardly protruding portion of each of the two sheets of material joined together and terminating in a foot floor extending substantially parallel to the load-bearing member; and (c) wherein each foot floor includes an inner foot floor formed from the upper sheet of thermoplastic material and an outer foot floor formed from the lower sheet of thermoplastic material, and additionally includes a quantity of reinforcing thermoplastic material located bewteen the inner and outer foot floors of each foot and fused thereto, the fused inner foot floor, reinforcing material and outer foot floor comprising an integral reinforced foot floor having a thickness substantially greater than the combined thickness of the material of the upper and lower sheets at that location.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
27 words
The pallet of claim 1 wherein the upper sheet, the lower sheet, and the quantity of reinforcing thermoplastic material are all composed of the same thermoplastic material.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
57 words
The pallet of claim 1 wherein each of the feet includes integral side wall portions formed of deformed portions of the upper and lower sheets of thermoplastic material, and wherein the reinforcing thermoplastic material extends up the side wall portions between the two sheets of material and is fused thereto to form integral reinforced side wall portions.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
42 words
The pallet of claim 3 wherein the side walls of each foot join the foot floor to form a foot edge and wherein the foot edge is reinforced by portions of the reinforcing thermoplastic material fused between the upper and lower sheets.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
180 words
A twin-sheet thermoformed thermoplastic pallet comprising: (a) a substantially planar load-bearing member formed from an upper sheet of thermoplastic material of selected thickness and a lower sheet of thermoplastic material of selected thickness located generally in fixed parallel relationship to each other; (b) a plurality of feet depending from the load-bearing member, each foot being a downwardly protruding portion of each of the two sheets of material joined together and terminating in a foot floor extending substantially parallel to the load-bearing member; and (c) wherein each foot has a side wall comprised of an outer side wall composed of the lower sheet of thermoplastic material and an innner side wall composed of the upper sheet of thermoplastic material, and a quantity of reinforcing thermoplastic material located between portions of the inner and outer side walls of each foot and fused to the said portions of the inner and outer side walls to form an integral solid side wall portion having a thickness substantially greater than the combined thickness of the upper and lower sheets at the locations of such portions.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
180 words
A twin-sheet thermoformed thermoplastic pallet comprising: (a) a substantially planar load-bearing member formed from an upper sheet of thermoplastic material of selected thickness and a lower sheet of thermoplastic material of selected thickness located generally in fixed parallel relationship to each other; (b) a plurality of feet depending from the load-bearing member, each foot being a downwardly protruding portion of each of the two sheets of material joined together and terminating in a foot floor extending substantially parallel to the load-bearing member; and (c) wherein each foot has a side wall comprised of an outer side wall composed of the lower sheet of thermoplastic material and an innner side wall composed of the upper sheet of thermoplastic material, and a quantity of reinforcing thermoplastic material located between portions of the inner and outer side walls of each foot and fused to the said portions of the inner and outer side walls to form an integral solid side wall portion having a thickness substantially greater than the combined thickness of the upper and lower sheets at the locations of such portions.
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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) | 1994-09-09 | 1995-03-11 | 1995-09-10 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1998-09-09 | 1999-03-11 | 1999-09-10 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2002-09-09 | 2003-03-11 | 2003-09-10 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |