US-12617582-B2 - Adjustable elevated stacking pallet support member and methods of elevated stacking of pallets

US12617582B2US 12617582 B2US12617582 B2US 12617582B2US-12617582-B2

Abstract

A pallet comprises a deck. The deck comprises a product supporting surface and one or more load bearing features. The load bearing features are configured to receive lateral projections of support members.

Inventors

Daniel Lopez Uran
Christophe Loiseau
Malcolm Charles CANT

Assignees

CHEP TECHNOLOGY PTY LIMITED

Dates

Publication Date: 20260505
Application Date: 20231110
Priority Date: 20180417

Claims (20)

1 . An adjustable elevated stacking pallet support member, the support member comprising: a first portion; and a second portion; wherein: the first and second portions each comprise one or more lateral projections projecting therefrom; and the first portion and second portion each comprise a respective coupling portion, the coupling portions being couplable at a plurality of different relative positions, each different relative position resulting in a different separation between the one or more lateral projections of the first portion and the one or more lateral projections of the second portion.
2 . The support member of claim 1 , wherein the first and second portions are angular portions.
3 . The support member of claim 1 , wherein the one or more lateral projections span at least some of an included area of the respective first or second portion of which the one or more lateral projections form part.
4 . The support member of claim 1 , wherein one or more of the one or more lateral projections are generally triangular.
5 . The support member of claim 1 , wherein one or more of the one or more lateral projections are of the form of a strap.
6 . The support member of claim 1 , wherein one or more of the first and second portions comprises a plurality of lateral projections.
7 . The support member of claim 1 , wherein the coupling portions of the first and second portions comprise either: (i) a slotted guide and pin; or (ii) one or more locking pins.
8 . The support member of claim 1 , wherein the support member extends along a longitudinal axis and a distance between opposing faces of a longitudinally innermost lateral projection of the first portion and a longitudinally innermost lateral projection of the second portion is adjustable within a range of between around 400 mm to around 1400 mm.
9 . The support member of any of claim 1 , wherein the first and second portions are made of one or more of plastic, aluminium or steel.
10 . A combination of: two adjustable support members according to claim 1 ; and first and second support bodies, each comprising a first end and a second end; wherein: the first portions of the adjustable support members are disposed at each of the first and second ends of the first support body; and the second portions of the adjustable support members are disposed at each of the first and second ends of the second support body.
11 . The combination according to claim 10 , wherein the first and second support bodies further comprise at least one laterally projecting tab, the at least one laterally projecting tab being configured to abut a deck of a pallet.
12 . The combination according to claim 11 , wherein the first support body comprises a plurality of laterally projecting tabs, the plurality of laterally projecting tabs being configured to abut a product supporting surface of the deck.
13 . The combination according to claim 11 , wherein the second support body comprises a single laterally projecting tab, the single laterally projecting tab being configured to abut an underside of the deck.
14 . A method of elevated stacking of first and second pallets, each of the first and second pallets comprising a deck; wherein the method comprises the steps of: raising the second pallet above the first pallet; and inserting a plurality of support members such that they each engage both the deck of the first pallet and the deck of the second pallet; wherein the first and second pallets each comprise an upper recess in at least four respective corners, and wherein inserting the plurality of support members further comprises the step of lateral projections of the plurality of support members being received by the upper recesses of the first pallet.
15 . The method of claim 14 , the method further comprising the step of securing the plurality of support members to the first and/or second pallets.
16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein securing the plurality of support members comprises securing one or more of a strap and a film around the plurality of support members.
17 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the first and second pallets each comprise a lower recess in the at least four respective corners, and wherein inserting the plurality of support members further comprises the step of lateral projections of the plurality of support members being received by the lower recess of the second pallet.
18 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the at least four respective corners of each of the first and second pallets further comprise a supporting slot, and wherein inserting the plurality of support members further comprises the step of the lateral projections of the plurality of support members being received by the supporting slots of the first pallet.
19 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the at least four respective corners of each of the first and second pallets further comprise a supporting slot, and wherein inserting the plurality of support members further comprises the step of lateral projections of the plurality of support members being received by the supporting slots of the second pallet.
20 . A method of elevated stacking first and second pallets, each of the first and second pallets comprising a deck and pallet supports attached to the deck, the deck comprising one or more load bearing features; wherein the method comprises the steps of: raising the second pallet above the first pallet; inserting a plurality of support members such that they each engage the one or more load bearing features in the deck of the first pallet and the pallet supports of the second pallet; wherein the first and second pallets each comprise an upper recess in at least four respective corners, and wherein inserting the plurality of support members further comprises the step of lateral projections of the plurality of support members being received by the upper recesses of the first pallet.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims the benefit of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 17/047,454, filed Nov. 20, 2020, which is a U.S. National Stage Application of International Patent Application No. PCT/IB2019/053128, filed Apr. 16, 2019, which claimed the benefit of G.B. Patent Application No. 1806264.6, filed Apr. 17, 2018, the entire contents of each of which are incorporated by reference herein. The present invention relates to a pallet, and support members therefor. Pallets for distributing products from one location to another are well known. Such pallets can be provided in a range of sizes. Examples of such pallets may comprise platforms provided with supports, which can include feet or wheels. The wheels may be fixed wheels or swivel wheels, such as swivel caster wheels. Fixed wheels and swivel wheels are incorporated in dollies, which may otherwise be referred to as wheeled pallets. Pallets, and products stacked on such pallets, are typically transported by road. Pallets with products stacked on them may be referred to as loaded pallets. Typically, loaded pallets are transported in a trailer of a lorry. Pallets can provide the functionality that, rather than requiring the unloading of products from the pallet, the entire loaded pallet is displayed on a shop floor. As such, a loaded pallet may be moved from the trailer of the lorry directly to the shop floor in order to replenish stock on the shop floor. In order to improve the efficiency of the transportation of loaded pallets, it is desirable to fill, to the extent possible, the trailer with loaded pallets. However, locating loaded pallets on the shop floor presents certain limitations as to the allowable dimensions of the loaded pallet and, more specifically, the goods forming the loaded pallet. As such, presently, a compromise must be struck between filling the trailer and keeping the loaded pallet to within allowable dimensional limits for placement on the shop floor. A loaded pallet may be limited to between around 800 mm to 1200 mm in height on a shop floor. This may be due to shelving limitations. There exists a need to overcome one or more of the disadvantages associated with existing pallets. According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided a pallet comprising: a deck comprising a product supporting surface and one or more load bearing features;wherein the one or more load bearing features are configured to receive lateral projections of support members. The product supporting surface is adapted to receive goods or products thereon. In some arrangements, the product supporting surface is adapter to receive, or configured to receive, other pallets thereon. The product supporting surface may be flat, or substantially flat. However, the product supporting surface may incorporate features to assist in securing the goods or products thereon. The load bearing features provide an elevated stacking functionality between pallets. Elevated stacking is intended to mean one pallet raised above another pallet, wherein both pallets can be loaded with goods. The load bearing features are features adapted to receive lateral projections. This may be by way of being a recess, or a supporting slot. The product supporting surface is not considered to be a load bearing feature according to the above definition, in that it is not configured to receive a lateral projection of a support member. The load bearing features being configured to receive lateral projections is advantageous because the support members can be inserted from an edge of the deck. As such, the support members can be inserted both when the pallet is loaded and when the pallet is unloaded with goods. Furthermore, the support members can be removed independently of whether or not the pallets are still loaded with goods. Recesses, such as upper and lower recesses, and supporting slots, are all examples of load bearing features. Pallet supports, such as feet, wheels and skids, are also examples of load bearing features. The one or more load bearing features may not always receive lateral projections. For example, the deck corners may comprise two load bearing features each, and only one load bearing feature may receive a lateral projection if the pallet is an upper pallet of an elevated stacked arrangement. The claim language is intended to mean that, in use, at least one of the load bearing features may receive a lateral projection. The load bearing features, or a selection thereof, may receive lateral projections of, specifically, a corner body, the corner body forming part of a support member. As already mentioned, this may mean that a selection of the load bearing features receives one lateral projection per load bearing feature. Elevated stacking allows loaded pallets to be positioned on top of one another to thereby improve the utilisation of space in the transportation of goods. In particular, space which is otherwise wasted in a trailer of a lorry