EP0400640A1 - Plastic pallet - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a plastic pallet for transporting and storing goods, consisting of an upper deck (3) having foot attachments (4a, 4b, 4c) moulded integrally onto its underside and having a lower deck or a runner (1) having foot parts (2, 2a) moulded integrally onto its underside, the foot attachments (4, 4a, 4b, 4c) of the upper deck (3) and the foot parts (2, 2a) of the lower deck or the runner (1) being arranged opposite one another in mirror image and being plugged together in a plugging-in direction (S) at right angles to the horizontal plane of the pallet, the foot attachments (4, 4a, 4b, 4c) of the upper deck (3) each having a hollow space (9), which is surrounded by a boundary wall (10) and is accessible in the plugging-in direction (S) through an opening (10a), with a web element (8) which is arranged in said hollow space, is moulded in one piece and has web surfaces extending in the plugging-in direction (S). The foot parts (2, 2a) of the lower deck or the runner (1) each have a plurality of continuations (17, 18, 19, 20) which are moulded in one piece, extend in the plugging-in direction (S), are introduced through the opening (10a) in the boundary wall (10) of the opposite foot attachment (4, 4a, 4b, 4c) of the upper deck (3) into the latter and form, with this web element (8) and its boundary wall (10) a positive and frictional joint. Stop elements (4d, 27) for limiting the plugging-in path (H5) are constructed on the foot attachments (4, 4a, 4b, 4c) of the upper deck (3) and/or on the foot parts (2, 2a) of the lower deck or the runner (1). <IMAGE>

Description

The invention relates to a plastic pallet of the type mentioned in the preamble of claim 1.

EP-A-0 227 033 describes a plastic pallet which has a cover plate with feet integrally formed on the underside thereof and runners which can be plugged onto the feet. At the top of the runners pins are formed, which are inserted into openings of hollow cylinders formed on the underside of the feet of the cover plate and held therein without additional fastening means, so that the cover plate of the pallet is firmly connected to the pallet runners.

A similar plastic pallet with two top walls is described in US Pat. No. 3,664,271. The first top wall has a plurality of hollow cylinders of a certain height arranged in a certain grid. The second top wall has the same number of hollow cylinders of the same height, which are arranged in mirror image fashion in the same grid, as in the first top wall. The diameters of the hollow cylinders of the two cover walls are at least partially of different sizes, the hollow cylinders of the first cover plate in the cavity of the Hohlzy linder of the second cover plate are positively and frictionally mounted. This connects the two top walls.

Finally, AT-PS 331 704 describes a multi-part plastic pallet consisting of a bottom part and a cover plate. The cover plate is provided with hollow feet which are placed on bases arranged on the base part and, if necessary, are firmly connected to the base part by welding.

The dimensional stability, the strength and the resulting durability of the well-known multi-part plastic pallets, which consist of the upper deck and lower deck or - instead of the lower deck - a number of runners, are not optimal. The pallet parts of some known plastic pallets are welded together in a horizontal plane. Other multi-part plastic pallets are welded together in one plane perpendicular to the load-bearing surface of the pallet. However, weld seams have the defect that they become brittle after some time, so that the pallet becomes unusable more quickly than pallets without weld seams.

The invention has for its object to provide a connector for multi-part plastic pallets that have a high pull-out strength, a good angular stiffness against rotation against the perpendicular to achieve good torque transmission, for example from the upper deck to the lower deck of a pallet or on the skids of the pallet , as well as good angular rigidity against horizontal rotation.

This object is achieved according to the invention by the subject matter of claim 1. Inventive refinements and advantageous developments emerge from the subclaims.

• Fig. 1 eine Seitenansicht einer erfindungsgemäßen Kunststoff-­Palette, bestehend aus Unterdecks oder Kufen mit Fuß­teilen und einem Oberdeck mit Fußansätzen vor der Mon­tage;
• Fig. 2 eine Draufsicht auf das auf der Ladefläche liegende Oberdeck mit nach oben gerichteten Fußansätzen;
• Fig. 3 eine perspektivische Teilansicht der Kufe mit einem Schnitt durch ein nach unten gerichtetes Fußteil;
• Fig. 3a eine Ansicht (Draufsicht) eines Fußteils des Unter­decks bzw. der Kufe in Blickrichtung IIIa in Fig. 3;
• Fig. 4 eine perspektivische Teilansicht des auf der Lade­fläche liegenden Oberdecks mit nach oben gerichteten Fußansätzen;
• Fig. 5 eine perspektivische Gesamtansicht der aus Oberdeck und Unterdecks bzw. Kufen zusammengefügten Palette;
• Fig. 6 einen Teil-Längsschnitt durch ein zusammengestecktes Fußteil/Fußansatz-Paar mit einem eingelegten Siche­rungsblech längs der Schnittlinien VI-VI in den Fig. 3 und 4 und
• Fig. 7 weitere Ausführungsformen zur Sicherung der Steckver­bindung zwischen dem Fußteil der Kufe oder des Un­terdecks und dem Fußansatz des Oberdecks.

Further features, details, advantages and possible uses of the invention result from the following Be Description of preferred embodiments and from the accompanying drawings. Show it:

• Figure 1 is a side view of a plastic pallet according to the invention, consisting of lower decks or runners with foot parts and an upper deck with foot lugs before assembly.
• 2 shows a plan view of the upper deck lying on the loading surface with the foot projections pointing upwards;
• 3 shows a perspective partial view of the runner with a section through a foot part directed downward;
• 3a shows a view (top view) of a foot part of the lower deck or of the runner in the viewing direction IIIa in FIG. 3;
• Figure 4 is a partial perspective view of the upper deck lying on the loading surface with the foot projections pointing upwards;
• 5 shows an overall perspective view of the pallet assembled from the upper deck and lower decks or runners;
• Fig. 6 is a partial longitudinal section through an assembled foot part / foot extension pair with an inserted locking plate along the section lines VI-VI in Figs. 3 and 4 and
• Fig. 7 further embodiments for securing the plug connection between the foot part of the runner or the lower deck and the foot extension of the upper deck.

1, a pallet according to the invention has a lower deck or a skid 1 and an upper deck 3.

According to FIG. 2, the upper deck 3 has a number of foot lugs 4, 4a, 4b or 4c with boundary walls 10, which are preferably uniformly distributed over the horizontal pallet surface, the cross sections of the foot lugs 4 preferably having the shape of an elongated narrow oval, the foot lugs 4a preferably that Shape of a short narrow oval and the foot lugs 4b preferably have the shape of an elongated wide oval and the foot lug 4c preferably have a circular shape.

The upper deck 3 has, according to FIG. 4, on the foot lugs 4, 4a, 4b and 4c supporting side by a plurality of reinforcement webs 11, preferably integrally formed on this, cross-shaped or honeycomb-shaped, preferably of the same height H 1, so that it is stiffened overall forms a torsion-free unit.

In the lattice-like structure of the reinforcement webs 11, the circumferential boundary walls 10 of the foot extensions 4, 4a, 4b and 4c, which surround a cavity 9, are preferably molded in one piece and integrated in such a way that they each have a bending structure in the lattice-like structure of the reinforcement webs 11. form a torsion, pressure and tensile unit.

The outer peripheral edges 4d of the boundary walls 10 of the foot lugs 4, 4a, 4b and 4c preferably protrude above the upper edges 12 of the reinforcing webs 11 by the height H₂.

The foot lugs 4, 4a, 4b and 4c each have, in their interior or cavity 9, bordered by their circumferential boundary wall 10 and accessible through an opening 10a in the plug-in direction 5, a web 8 which is preferably integrally formed on the boundary wall 10 and is cross-shaped in cross-section, one Thickness or thickness A 1 has, as can be seen in particular from FIGS. 2 and 4.

The height of the web 8 preferably corresponds to the total height H₃ of the foot lugs 4, 4a, 4b and 4c. This means that the webs 8 are flush with the circumferential edges 4d of the foot extensions 4, 4a, 4b and 4c, as shown in FIG. 4.

According to FIG. 1, the lower deck or the runner 1 has a number of several, preferably three, foot parts 2, 2a arranged uniformly distributed over the length L on its horizontally running support body 15. Preferably, two foot parts 2 are arranged near the two ends 15a, 15b of the support body 15 and a foot part 2a in the middle of the support body 15 and are preferably integrally formed thereon.

The arrangement of the foot parts 2, 2a of the lower deck or of the runner 1 is congruent with the arrangement of the foot attachments 4, 4a, 4b and 4c of the upper deck 3, or is a mirror image of this, the foot attachments 4, 4a, 4b and 4c respectively opposite Foot parts 2, 2a have the correspondingly designed cross section so that they can be joined together.

On an upper deck 3, three lower decks or skids 1 are preferably fastened in an arrangement parallel to one another, as shown in FIG. 5.

The horizontally extending support body 15 of the lower deck or of the runner 1 preferably has a plurality of stiffening ribs 13 on the side opposite the side that supports the foot parts 2, which are stiffened by a plurality of transverse webs 14 running at right angles thereto. Between the stiffening ribs 13 and transverse webs 14, the support body 15 preferably has openings 15c. This configuration increases the bending and torsional rigidity of the support body 15. The supporting body 15 is crowned on its side carrying the foot parts 2, 2a transversely to its longitudinal direction, so that the forks of a forklift do not get caught on the former / the former when entering the space between the lower deck or the skid 1 and the upper deck 3.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 3a, the foot parts 2, 2a each have a base part 16 which protrudes at right angles from the horizontal plane E of the support body 15 with a height H₄ and which is round or oval in cross section, which is preferably integrally formed on the support body 15, and the circumferential wall 23 has a wall thickness D 1 and encloses a cavity 22. A support web 24 is arranged approximately centrally in the cavity 22 on the support body 15 and is preferably formed in one piece. The support web 24 also has the height H₄, so that its end edge 25 is flush with the circumferential end edge 26 of the base part 16 or lies in the same plane as this.

On the circumferential end edge 26 of the base part 16 - adjacent to the cavity 22 provided therein - a number of preferably four lip-like extensions 17, 18, 19 and 20 extending at right angles to the horizontal plane E are arranged, preferably integrally formed, which are preferably approximately rectangular in cross section are, have a mutual distance A₂ and each have a height H₅.

The thickness D₂ of the extensions 17, 18, 19 and 20 is smaller than the wall thickness D₁ of the peripheral wall 23 of the base part 16. The thickness D₂ of the extensions 17, 18, 19 and 20 is preferably approximately half the wall thickness D₁ of the peripheral Wall 23 of the base part 16. As a result, the base part 16 forms a circumferential, closed shoulder surface 27 on its end face 26.

The arrangement of the extensions 17, 18, 19 and 20 is such that they form a free space 21 between them, the cross section of which is approximately cruciform and which has the height H₅, the "bars" of the cruciform free space 21 each having a "thickness" Have A₂.

In the assembled state of the plastic pallet according to the invention, the extensions 17, 18, 19 and 20 of the foot parts 2, 2a of the lower deck or of the runner 1 are stored in the cavity 9 of the foot extensions 4, 4a, 4b and 4c of the upper deck 3 cross-sectional webs 8 of the foot lugs 4, 4a, 4b and 4c of the upper deck 3 in the cross-sectional free space 21 of the foot parts 2, 2a, the lower deck or the runner 1 in a form-fitting and frictional manner, since the thickness A 1 of the cross-sectional webs 8 of the foot lugs 4, 4a, 4b, and 4c corresponds approximately to the mutual distance A₂ of the extensions 21, 18, 19 and 20 delimiting the free space 21. The webs 8 of the foot extensions 4, 4a, 4b and 4c are thus clamped in the free space 21 formed between the foot parts 17, 18, 19 and 20. The extensions 17, 18, 19 and 20 are in turn in the cavity 9 of the foot extensions 4,4a , 4b and 4c clamped so that the foot part / Fußan Hold sets of sets together, as seen in the direction of insertion.

In the assembled state of the plastic pallet, the circumferential edges 4d of the foot attachments 4,4a, 4b and 4c of the upper deck 3 each rest on the circumferential shoulder surface 27 of the corresponding foot parts 17, 18, 19 and 20 of the lower deck or the runner 1, as a result of which - seen in the direction of insertion - the insertion movement is limited. At the same time, the end faces of the webs 8 of the foot lugs 4,4a, 4b and 4c of the upper deck 3 each abut against the end edge 25 of the supporting web 24 of the corresponding foot parts 17, 18, 19 and 20 of the lower deck or the runner 1.

Through the plug-in connection according to the invention, a high pull-out strength, a good angular rigidity against twisting with respect to the vertical to achieve a good torque transmission from the upper deck 3 to the lower deck or on the runners 1 of the pallet as well as a good angular rigidity with respect to horizontal twisting is achieved. In addition, the multi-part (in the embodiment shown four-part) design of the foot part / foot attachment connection increases the contact surfaces of the parts plugged together, as a result of which the holding forces holding these parts together are increased as a result of increased frictional engagement.

In order to increase the foot part surfaces or foot attachment surfaces of the joined foot part / foot attachment pairs between the frictionally adjoining foot part surfaces or foot attachment surfaces, according to the invention it is provided to arrange a locking plate 5 between their contacting surfaces according to FIG. 6. The locking plate 5 has half-punches 5a, 5b, which - slightly flared - deflect a little during assembly of the plastic pallet, i.e. when the foot part / foot attachment pairs are inserted into one another, and when these pairs are plugged in, they claw at the respective contact surfaces in this way that pulling apart in the opposite direction to the direction of insertion is difficult or impossible. The half-punchings 5a of the facing the facing wall, issued and securing this Locking plate 5 point in a direction Y, while the half-punchings 5b of the locking plate 5 facing and extending towards the extensions 17, 18, 19 or 20 point in a direction X opposite to the direction Y, as shown in FIG. 6.

• (a) eines Klebers 30 und/oder
• (b) einer Heftklammer 40 und/oder
• (c) einer Schraube 50 und/oder
• (d) eines Nagels 60.

As shown by way of example in FIG. 7, the connection of the foot part / foot attachment pairs can additionally be secured as follows, namely by additional attachment

• (a) an adhesive 30 and / or
• (b) a staple 40 and / or
• (c) a screw 50 and / or
• (d) a nail 60.

Claims (31)

1.Plastic pallet for the transport and storage of goods, consisting of an upper deck with integrally molded foot attachments on the underside and a lower deck or a skid with integrally molded foot sections on the upper side, whereby the foot attachments of the upper deck and the foot parts of the lower deck or the skids are arranged opposite each other in a mirror image and are plugged together in the direction of insertion perpendicular to the horizontal plane of the pallet,
characterized, (a) that the foot lugs (4,4a, 4b, 4c) of the upper deck (3) each have a cavity (9) enclosed by a boundary wall (10) and accessible in the plugging direction (S) through an opening (10a) with a cavity therein have arranged, integrally molded web element (8) with web surfaces running in the plugging direction (5), (b) that the foot parts (2, 2a) of the lower deck or of the runner (1) each have a plurality of integrally formed extensions (17, 18, 19, 20) running in the plug-in direction (S), which extend through the opening (10a) the boundary wall (10) of the opposite foot extension (4,4a, 4b, 4c) of the upper deck (3) are inserted into this and with its web element (8) and with its boundary wall (10) form a positive and frictional connection, and (c) that on the foot approaches (4,4a, 4b, 4c) of the upper deck (3) and / or on the foot parts (2,2a) of the lower deck or the runner (1) stop elements (4d, 27) to limit the Plug-in paths (H₅) are formed. 2. Plastic pallet according to claim 1,
characterized,
that the foot lugs (4,4a, 4b, 4c) are evenly distributed over the horizontal surface of the upper deck (3). 3. Plastic pallet according to claim 1 or 2,
characterized,
that the foot lugs (4,4a, 4b, 4c) have boundary walls (10), the cross-sections of the foot lugs (4) each having the shape of an elongated narrow oval, the foot lugs (4a) the shape of a short narrow oval and the foot lugs (4b ) have the shape of an elongated wide oval and the base (4c) is circular. 4. Plastic pallet according to one of claims 1 to 3,
characterized,
that the upper deck (3) on the foot lugs (4,4a, 4b, 4c) carrying side by a plurality of integrally formed on this, cross-like or honeycomb-arranged reinforcing webs (11) of the same height (H₁) to form a torsion-free Unit is stiffened. 5. Plastic pallet according to one of claims 1 to 4,
characterized,
that in the lattice-like structure of the reinforcing webs (11), the circumferential boundary walls (10) of the foot extensions (4,4a, 4b, 4c) surrounding a cavity (9) are integrally molded and integrated in such a way that they are in the lattice-like structure of the reinforcing webs ( 11) each because they form a unit that is resistant to bending, torsion, compression and tension. 6. Plastic pallet according to one of claims 1 to 5,
characterized,
that the peripheral edges (4d) of the boundary walls (10) of the foot lugs (4, 4a, 4b, 4c) protrude the upper edges (12) of the reinforcing webs (11) by a height (H₂). 7. Plastic pallet according to one of claims 1 to 6,
characterized,
that the foot lugs (4,4a, 4b, 4c) each in their interior or cavity (9) delimited by their circumferential boundary wall (10) an integrally formed on the boundary wall (10), cross-shaped web (8) with a thickness or Have thickness (A 1). 8. Plastic pallet according to one of claims 1 to 7,
characterized,
that the height of the web (8) corresponds to the total height (H₃) of the foot attachments (4,4a, 4b, 4c), the webs (8) each with the circumferential edges (4d) of the foot attachments (4,4a, 4b, 4c ) finish flush. 9. Plastic pallet according to one of claims 1 to 8,
characterized,
that the lower deck or the runner (1) has on its / its horizontally running support body (15) a number of several foot parts (2,2a) arranged uniformly distributed over its length (L). 10. plastic pallet according to claim 9,
characterized,
that two foot parts (2) near the two ends (15a, 15b) of the support body (15) and a foot part (2a) in the middle of the support body (15) are arranged and are preferably integrally formed thereon. 11. Plastic pallet according to claim 9 or 10,
characterized,
that the arrangement of the foot parts (2,2a) of the lower deck or of the runner (1) is congruent or a mirror image of the arrangement of the foot attachments (4,4a, 4b, 4c) of the upper deck (3), the foot approaches (4,4a, 4b, 4c) opposite foot parts (2,2a) each have the corresponding cross section. 12. Plastic pallet according to one of claims 1 to 11,
characterized,
that a lower deck or preferably three runners (1) are fastened in an arrangement parallel to one another on an upper deck (3). 13. Plastic pallet according to one of claims 9 to 12,
characterized,
that the horizontally extending support body (15) of the lower deck or the runner (1) on the side opposite to the side that supports the foot parts (2) preferably has a multiplicity of stiffening ribs (13) to increase its bending and torsional rigidity a plurality of transverse webs (14) extending at right angles to this are stiffened. 14. Plastic pallet according to claim 13,
characterized,
that the support body (15) between the stiffening ribs (13) and the transverse webs (14) has openings (15c). 15. Plastic pallet according to one of claims 9 to 14,
characterized,
that the supporting body (15) of the lower deck or of the runner (1) is convex on its side carrying the foot parts (2,2a) transversely to its longitudinal direction in such a way that between the lower deck or runner (1) and the upper deck ( 3) Forks of a forklift truck to be retracted from the pallet do not get caught on the lower deck or skid (1). 16. Plastic pallet according to one of claims 13 to 15,
characterized,
that the support body (15) between the stiffening ribs (13) and transverse webs (14) has openings (15d). 17. Plastic pallet according to one of claims 9 to 16,
characterized,
that the foot parts (2,2a) each have a base part (16) which protrudes at right angles from the horizontal plane (E) of the support body (15) with a height (H₄) and which is round or oval in cross section and is integrally formed on the support body (15) , and the circumferential wall (23) has a wall thickness (D₁) and encloses a cavity (22) in which a support web (24) is arranged approximately in the middle and is formed in one piece, the support web (24) also having the height (H₄) , so that its end edge (25) is flush with the peripheral end edge (26) of the base part (16) or lies in the same plane as this. 18. Plastic pallet according to one of claims 9 to 17,
characterized,
that on the circumferential end edge (26) of the base part (16) - adjacent to the cavity 22 provided therein - a number of preferably four lip-like extensions (17, 18, 19, 20) running at right angles to the horizontal plane (E) are arranged and integrally formed is, which are approximately rectangular in cross section, have a mutual distance (A₂) and each have a height (H₅). 19. Plastic pallet according to claim 18,
characterized,
that the thickness (D₂) of the extensions (17,18,19,20) is smaller than the wall thickness (D₁) of the circumferential wall (23) of the base part (16). 20. plastic pallet according to claim 19,
characterized,
that the thickness (D₂) of the extensions (17, 18, 19, 20) is approximately half the wall thickness (D₁) of the peripheral wall (23) of the base part (16), the base part (16) on its end face ( 26) forms a circumferential closed shoulder surface (27). 21. Plastic pallet according to one of claims 18 to 20,
characterized,
that the extensions (17, 18, 19, 20) are arranged in such a way that they form a free space (21) between them, the cross section of which is approximately cruciform and which has a height (H₅), the "bars" of the cruciform free space (21) each have a "thickness" (A₂). 22. Plastic pallet according to one of claims 18 to 21,
characterized,
that the thickness (A₁) of the cross-shaped webs (8) of the foot lugs (4,4a, 4b, 4c) corresponds approximately to the gap width or gap thickness (A₂) of the cross-sectional free space (21). 23. Plastic pallet according to one of claims 18 to 22,
characterized,
that in the assembled state of the plastic pallet, the extensions (17, 18, 19, 20) of the foot parts (2,2a) of the lower deck or of the runner (1) in the cavity (9) of the foot extensions (4,4a, 4b, 4c) of the upper deck (3), the cross-sectionally cross-webs (8) of the foot attachments (4,4a, 4b, 4c) of the upper deck (3) in the cross-sectionally cross-shaped space (21) of the foot parts (2,2a), the Fit the lower decks or the runner (1) positively and frictionally. 24. Plastic pallet according to one of claims 18 to 23,
characterized,
that the webs (8) of the foot lugs (4,4a, 4b, 4c) are clamped in the free space (21) formed between the foot parts (17, 18, 19, 20). 25. Plastic pallet according to one of claims 18 to 24,
characterized,
that the extensions (17, 18, 19, 20) in the cavity (9) of the foot attachments (4,4a, 4b, 4c) are clamped in such a way that the foot part / foot attachment pairs hold together, as seen in the direction of insertion. 26. Plastic pallet according to one of claims 18 to 25,
characterized,
that in the assembled state of the plastic pallet to limit the plugging movement - seen in the plugging direction - the circumferential edges (4d) of the foot attachments (4,4a, 4b, 4c) of the upper deck (3) each on the circumferential shoulder surface (27) of the corresponding foot parts (17,18,19,20) on the lower deck or skid (1). 27. Plastic pallet according to one of claims 18 to 26,
characterized,
that the end faces of the webs (8) of the foot lugs (4,4a, 4b, 4c) of the upper deck (3) each against the end edge (25) of the supporting web (24) of the corresponding foot parts (17, 18, 19, 20) of the lower deck or the runner (1). 28. Plastic pallet according to one of claims 1 to 27,
characterized,
that a locking plate (5), which is provided with holding devices (5a, 5b), is arranged between the contacting surfaces of the joined foot part / foot extension pairs to increase the friction between the foot part surfaces or foot extension surfaces of the joined foot part / base extension pairs. 29. Plastic pallet according to claim 28
characterized,
that the holding devices (5a, 5b) are half-cuts (5a, 5b), which - slightly flared - deflect a little when the plastic pallet is assembled, i.e. when the foot part / foot extension pairs are inserted into one another, and in the inserted state of these pairs Claw on the respective contact surfaces of the two nested elements in such a way that pulling apart in the direction opposite to the direction of insertion is not possible or is only possible with difficulty. 30. Plastic pallet according to claim 28 or 29,
characterized,
that the half-cuts (5a, 5b) are arranged on the locking plate (5) so that the half-cuts (5a) facing the limiting wall (10), which are exposed and secure, point in one direction (Y), while the extensions (17, 18 , 19, 20) facing, exhibited and securing these die-cuts (5b) in a direction (X) opposite to the direction (Y). 31. Plastic pallet according to one of claims 1 to 30,
characterized,
that the connection of the foot part / foot attachment pairs is additionally secured by additional attachment (a) an adhesive 30 and / or (b) a staple 40 and / or (c) a screw 50 and / or (d) a nail 60.

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