US5676064A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Pallet and pallet package
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1996-04-24
•
Granted: 1997-10-14
•
Expires: 2016-04-24
Abstract
Abstract A plastic pallet and a method of shrink-wrapping an article onto the platform structure of the pallet. The pallet includes a plurality of legs and a planar platform structure supported by the legs and formed of upper and lower thermoformed sheets of plastic selectively fused together. The upper and lower sheets are maintained in vertically spaced parallel relation in a central portion of the platform structure and peripheral edges of the upper and lower sheets are fused together to define a downwardly extending peripheral lip defining a downwardly opening groove extending around the periphery of the platform structure outboard of the legs. The peripheral lip improves the stiffness and the side impact resistance of the platform structure and the groove facilitates the shrink-wrapping of an article onto the pallet. Specifically, an article is placed on the platform structure and the article is shrink-wrapped onto the platform structure utilizing a plastic film sheet by placing the film sheet in covering relation over the article and tucking a lower edge portion of the film sheet into the downwardly opening groove.
Inventors
- 👤 Lyle H. Shuert
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 23:30
CPC Classifications
B; B65; B65D; B65D19/00; B65D19/0004; B65D19/0006; B65D19/0008; B65D19/001; B65D19/0012; B65D2519/00; B65D2519/00004; B65D2519/00009; B65D2519/00014; B65D2519/00034; B65D2519/00049; B65D2519/00069; B65D2519/00084; B65D2519/00104; B65D2519/00258; B65D2519/00263; B65D2519/00273; B65D2519/00283; B65D2519/00288; B65D2519/00313; B65D2519/00318; B65D2519/00328; B65D2519/00333; B65D2519/00368; B65D2519/00373; B65D2519/00398; B65D2519/00432; B65D2519/00547; B65D2519/00552; B65D2519/00557; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S108/00; Y10S108/901
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
141 words
In a plastic pallet of the type including a plurality of legs and a planar platform structure supported by the legs and formed of upper and lower thermoformed sheets of plastic selectively fused together, the improvement wherein: the legs are positioned in circumferentially spaced relation around the periphery of the platform structure, extend downwardly from the platform structure, and each includes an outboard surface; the upper and lower sheets are maintained in vertically spaced parallel relation in a central portion of the platform structure; peripheral edges of the upper and lower sheets are fused together to define a downwardly extending peripheral lip defining a downwardly opening groove proximate the periphery of the platform structure; and the groove extends around the periphery of the platform structure outside of the legs and in outwardly spaced relation to the outboard surfaces of the legs.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
141 words
In a plastic pallet of the type including a plurality of legs and a planar platform structure supported by the legs and formed of upper and lower thermoformed sheets of plastic selectively fused together, the improvement wherein: the legs are positioned in circumferentially spaced relation around the periphery of the platform structure, extend downwardly from the platform structure, and each includes an outboard surface; the upper and lower sheets are maintained in vertically spaced parallel relation in a central portion of the platform structure; peripheral edges of the upper and lower sheets are fused together to define a downwardly extending peripheral lip defining a downwardly opening groove proximate the periphery of the platform structure; and the groove extends around the periphery of the platform structure outside of the legs and in outwardly spaced relation to the outboard surfaces of the legs.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
41 words
A pallet according to claim 1 wherein the lip is formed by bringing the peripheral edge portion of the lower sheet upwardly into proximity with the peripheral edge portion of the upper sheet and bending the sheet edge portions downwardly together.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
131 words
A plastic pallet including: a planar platform structure; and a plurality of legs positioned in circumferentially spaced relation around the periphery of the platform structure, extending downwardly from the platform structure, and each including an outboard surface; the planar platform structure being supported by the legs and formed of upper and lower thermoformed sheets of plastic selectively fused together to form a central platform structure, wherein the upper and lower sheets are maintained in vertically spaced parallel relation, and a peripheral platform structure, wherein peripheral edges of the upper and lower sheets are fused together to define a downwardly extending peripheral lip defining a downwardly opening groove extending around the periphery of the platform structure outside of the legs and in outwardly spaced relation to the outboard surfaces of the legs.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
131 words
A plastic pallet including: a planar platform structure; and a plurality of legs positioned in circumferentially spaced relation around the periphery of the platform structure, extending downwardly from the platform structure, and each including an outboard surface; the planar platform structure being supported by the legs and formed of upper and lower thermoformed sheets of plastic selectively fused together to form a central platform structure, wherein the upper and lower sheets are maintained in vertically spaced parallel relation, and a peripheral platform structure, wherein peripheral edges of the upper and lower sheets are fused together to define a downwardly extending peripheral lip defining a downwardly opening groove extending around the periphery of the platform structure outside of the legs and in outwardly spaced relation to the outboard surfaces of the legs.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
43 words
A pallet according to claim 3 wherein: each leg comprises a hollow modular structure defining an upper attachment surface; and the upper attachment surface of each leg is fused to a lower attachment surface defined on an under face of the platform structure.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
118 words
A method of forming a plastic pallet of the type including a platform structure and a plurality of circumferentially spaced legs extending downwardly from the platform structure, the method comprising: thermoforming upper and lower plastic sheets; selectively fusing central main body portions of the sheets together to form a central platform structure for the pallet; providing a plurality of circumferentially spaced legs extending downwardly from the platform structure and each including an outboard surface; and fusing peripheral edge portions of the sheets together to form a downwardly extending peripheral lip defining a downwardly opening groove proximate the periphery of the platform structure outside of the legs and in outwardly spaced relation to the outboard surfaces of the legs.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
118 words
A method of forming a plastic pallet of the type including a platform structure and a plurality of circumferentially spaced legs extending downwardly from the platform structure, the method comprising: thermoforming upper and lower plastic sheets; selectively fusing central main body portions of the sheets together to form a central platform structure for the pallet; providing a plurality of circumferentially spaced legs extending downwardly from the platform structure and each including an outboard surface; and fusing peripheral edge portions of the sheets together to form a downwardly extending peripheral lip defining a downwardly opening groove proximate the periphery of the platform structure outside of the legs and in outwardly spaced relation to the outboard surfaces of the legs.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
140 words
A method of packaging an article comprising: forming a pallet by thermoforming upper and lower plastic sheets, selectively fusing central main body portions of the sheets together to form a platform structure, providing a plurality of circumferentially spaced legs extending downwardly from the platform structure and each including an outboard surface, and fusing peripheral edge portions of the sheets together to form a downwardly extending peripheral lip defining a downwardly opening groove proximate the periphery of the platform structure outside of the legs and in outwardly spaced relation to the outboard surfaces of the legs; placing the article on the platform structure; and shrink-wrapping the article on the platform structure, utilizing a plastic film sheet, by placing the film sheet in covering relation over the article and tucking a lower edge of the film sheet into the downwardly opening groove.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
140 words
A method of packaging an article comprising: forming a pallet by thermoforming upper and lower plastic sheets, selectively fusing central main body portions of the sheets together to form a platform structure, providing a plurality of circumferentially spaced legs extending downwardly from the platform structure and each including an outboard surface, and fusing peripheral edge portions of the sheets together to form a downwardly extending peripheral lip defining a downwardly opening groove proximate the periphery of the platform structure outside of the legs and in outwardly spaced relation to the outboard surfaces of the legs; placing the article on the platform structure; and shrink-wrapping the article on the platform structure, utilizing a plastic film sheet, by placing the film sheet in covering relation over the article and tucking a lower edge of the film sheet into the downwardly opening groove.
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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) | 2000-10-13 | 2001-04-14 | 2001-10-14 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2004-10-13 | 2005-04-14 | 2005-10-14 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2008-10-13 | 2009-04-14 | 2009-10-14 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |