NZ760984B2 - Wooden pallet with butted deck boards and related methods - Google Patents

Abstract

pallet 10 includes a base layer 20 and a cargo layer 30. The base layer 20 includes a pair of bottom end deck boards 22 and a bottom center deck board 26 between the pair of bottom end deck boards 22, with a width of the bottom center deck board 26 being greater than a width of the bottom end deck boards 22. The cargo layer 30 includes a pair of spaced apart end deck boards 32, and intermediate deck boards between the pair of spaced apart end deck boards. Each end deck board 32 and an immediately adjacent intermediate deck board 34 are butted against one another. Spaced apart support blocks 40 are coupled between the base 20 and cargo 30 layers and forming a gap therebetween for receiving a lifting member. The gaps prevent the lifting members from crashing into the pallet. boards 22. The cargo layer 30 includes a pair of spaced apart end deck boards 32, and intermediate deck boards between the pair of spaced apart end deck boards. Each end deck board 32 and an immediately adjacent intermediate deck board 34 are butted against one another. Spaced apart support blocks 40 are coupled between the base 20 and cargo 30 layers and forming a gap therebetween for receiving a lifting member. The gaps prevent the lifting members from crashing into the pallet.

Description

A pallet 10 includes a base layer 20 and a cargo layer 30. The base layer 20 includes a pair of bottom end deck boards 22 and a bottom center deck board 26 between the pair of bottom end deck boards 22, with a width of the bottom center deck board 26 being greater than a width of the bottom end deck boards 22. The cargo layer 30 includes a pair of spaced apart end deck boards 32, and intermediate deck boards between the pair of spaced apart end deck boards. Each end deck board 32 and an immediately adjacent intermediate deck board 34 are butted t one another. Spaced apart support blocks 40 are d between the base 20 and cargo 30 layers and forming a gap therebetween for receiving a lifting member. The gaps prevent the lifting members from crashing into the pallet.

NZ 760984 WOODEN PALLET WlTH BUTTED DECK BOARDS AND RELATED METHODS Related Agglication This application claims the benefit of US. Provisional Application Serial No. 62/542,352 filed August 8, 2017, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. cal Field The present disclosure relates to the field of s, and more ularly, to a wooden pallet having an improved resilience to impacts from material handling equipment, and to related methods for making the same.

Conventional wooden pallets e a base layer and a cargo layer separated by support blocks. The cargo layer traditionally has end deck boards assembled on connector boards that run the full length or width of the pallet. The end deck boards are nailed through the connector boards into the support blocks to build the primary structure of the pallet. The end deck boards are also known as lead boards. ediate deck boards are placed between the end deck boards.

To move the pallet with cargo thereon, forklift tines are inserted into the gaps between the base and cargo layers. If the forklift is not stopped in time. the forklift may crash into one of the end deck boards of the pallet. The end deck board may not be able to withstand such an impact over time. Accidents such as this weaken the pallet and greatly shorten the lifespan of the pallet, thereby causing the pailet to be repaired more frequentiy and/or removed from service tong before its anticipated life cycle has been d.

Summary A wooden paliet includes a base layer, a cargo layer, and a pluraiity of spaced apart support biocks coupled between the base and cargo layers and g a gap therebetween for receiving a lifting member. The cargo iayer includes a pair of spaced apart connector boards, and a pair of spaced apart end deck boards on the pluraiity of connector boards. The end deck boards are orthogonai to the pair of connector . A pair of spaced apart intermediate deck boards is on the pair of connector boards. Each intermediate deck board is orthogonai to the pair of connector boards and butted against a respective end deck board.

Wooden pailet durability is significantly improved by having the end deck boards butt up against the ately adjacent intermediate deck boards. A wooden pallet with butted deck boards thus has an improved resilience to impacts from material handiing ent.

Each intermediate deck board and end deck board has a same width. In another embodiment, each intermediate deck board and end deck board has a different width. The cargo layer further inciudes at ieast one additional intermediate deck board between the pair of intermediate deck boards, with the at least one additional intermediate deck board being spaced from the pair of intermediate deck boards.

The plurality of t blocks se corner support blocks and center support blocks between the corner support , with the corner support biocks and the center support blocks each having a rectanguiar shape. The center support blocks are orthogonal to the corner support blocks.

The base iayer comprises a pair of bottom end deck boards and a bottom center deck board between the pair of bottom end deck boards, with a width of the bottom center deck board being greater than a width of the bottom end deck boards.

The bottom end deck boards and the bottom center deck board are aligned with the end deck boards and the intermediate deck board.

Each corner support btock has spaced apart upper and tower surfaces, and angied edges extending between the upper and tower surfaces. The outer corners of each end deck have angled edges aligned with the angied edges of the corner support . The base layer comprises a pair of bottom end deck boards and a bottom center deck board between the pair of bottom end deck boards, with outer corners of each bottom end deck board having angled edges aligned with the angled edges of the corner support .

The base layer ses a plurality of bottom deck boards, with each bottom deck board coupled to at ieast two support biocks, and having beveied edges between the pair of support biocks and non-beveled edges at each respective support biock.

Another aspect is directed to a method for making a wooden pallet comprising providing a base layer, providing a cargo iayer, and coupling a pluratity of spaced apart support blocks between the base and cargo iayers and forming a gap therebetween for receiving a lifting member. The cargo layer includes a pair of spaced apart connector boards, and a pair of spaced apart and deck boards on the pair of connector boards, with the end deck boards being orthogonat to the pair of connector boards. A pair of spaced apart intermediate deck boards is on the pair of tor , with each intermediate deck board being orthogonal to the pair of connector boards and butted against a respective end deck board.

Brief Description of the Drawings is a top perspective view of a wooden paiiet with butted deck boards in accordance with the disciosure. is a bottom perspective view of the wooden pailet shown in is a top view of the wooden paliet shown in FtG. ‘i. is a bottom view of the wooden pallet shown in is an end view of the wooden paliet shown in is a side view of the wooden pailet shown in FtG. 1.

Detailed Description The present description is made with nce to the accompanying drawings, in which exempiary embodiments are shown. However, many different embodiments may be used, and thus the description shouid not be construed as limited to the particular embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disciosure wilt be thorough and te. Like numbers refer to like eiements throughout.

Referring to FIGS. 1-6, the illustrated wooden pallet 10 inciudes a base layer 20, a cargo layer 30, and a piuraiity of wooden support biocks 40, 46 coupied between the base and cargo iayers. The support biocks 40, 46 form a gap 50 between the base and cargo iayers 20, 30 for receiving a lifting , such as fork iift tines.

The cargo layer 30 includes a pair of spaced apart wooden end deck boards 32, and a pair of wooden ediate deck boards 34 between the end deck boards. More particularly, each end deck board 32 and an immediately adjacent intermediate deck board 34 are butted against one another. Pallet durability is significantly improved by having the end deck boards 32 butt up against the immediateiy adjacent intermediate deck boards 34.

Also included within the cargo layer 30 are a pair of spaced apart wooden tor boards 36 and a wooden intermediate connector board 37. The connector boards 36 and the intermediate connector boards 37 are orthogonai to the end deck boards 32 and the intermediate deck boards 34. The end deck boards 32 and the intermediate deck boards 34 are positioned on the connector boards 36.

The base iayer 20 includes bottom deck boards 22, 26 orientated in the same direction as the end deck boards 32 and the intermediate deck boards 34 in the cargo layer 30. The bottom deck boards 22, 26 are directiy coupled to the support blocks 40, 46.

The rated support blocks inciude corner support blocks 40 and center support blocks 46 between the corner t blocks 40. The corner support biocks 40 and the center support blocks 46 each have a rectanguiar shape, and with the center support biocks 46 being orthogonal to the corner support blocks 40. A rectanguiar shape has l adjacent sides so that a iength and width of a rectangular shaped corner support block 40 are not equal as in a square shaped corner support biock 40.

The bottom deck boards inciude a pair of bottom end deck boards 22 and a bottom center deck board 26 between the pair of bottom end deck boards 22. A width of the bottom center deck board 26 is greater than a width of the bottom end deck boards 22.

In other embodiments, the corner support biocks 40 and the center t biocks 46 may have a square or circular shape. When the support blocks 40, 46 are the same size, then a width of the bottom center deck board 26 is equai to a width of the bottom end deck boards 22.

In the rated wooden pallet 10, a size of each end deck board 32 and a corresponding intermediate deck board 34 butted gainst have the same dimensions. For e, a width of the end deck board 32 and the intermediate deck board 34 butted thereagainst may be 145 mm, for example. in another example, the width may be 78 mm.

In other embodiments, the size of each end deck board 32 and a corresponding intermediate deck board 34 have different ions. For example, the width of the end deck board 32 may be 78 mm and the width of the corresponding intermediate deck board 34 may be 98 mm.

Traditionally, the intermediate deck boards in wooden pallets have a width that is iess than a width of the end deck boards. In addition, traditionally there is a gap between the end deck boards and the adjacent intermediate deck boards. In the illustrated wooden pailet 10, pallet durability is significantly improved when there is no gap between the end deck boards 32 and the immediately adjacent intermediate deck boards 34, particularly with the end deck boards 32 and the immediately adjacent intermediate deck boards 34 having a same width.

The cargo layer 30 also includes at ieast one additional intermediate deck board 35 positioned between the ediate deck boards 34 that are butted against the end deck boards 32. This additional intermediate deck board 35 is positioned so that there is a gap between the adjacent intermediate deck boards 34. The dimensions of the end deck boards 32 and the intermediate deck boards 34 as weil as additional intermediate deck boards 35 positioned between the intermediate deck boards 34 are seiected and spaced such that coverage of the cargo iayer 30 is within a range of 70435 percent of a m totai surface area of the cargo iayer 30 when there are no gaps between the boards.

A width of the intermediate deck board 35 may be the same as a width of the intermediate deck boards 34 batted against the end deck boards 32. Aiternativeiy, in other embodiments, this intermediate deck board 35 may have a different width.

As noted above, the illustrated wooden paliet 10 atso includes center support biocks 46 between the corner support blocks 40. When the support biooks 40, 46 are rectanguiar shaped, the center t blocks 46 may be positioned in a ent ation to the corner support blocks 40. In other words, the center support blocks 46 may be at a 90 degree angle to the corner support blocks 40. In other embodiments, orientation of the center support blocks 46 is the same as orientation of the corner support biocks 40. r feature of the illustrated wooden pailet 10 is the edges of each support block 40 being angted or chamfered. The angted edges 42 may be within a range of about 25 to 75 degrees, for e, to deflect the impact force of the forklift tines shouid such an impact occur. The iilustrated edges are angied at 45 degrees.

When the edges 42 of each support block 40 are angled, the corresponding outermost edges 38 of the end deck boards 32 are angied to match the angled edges 42 in the support blocks 40. The corresponding outermost edges 39 of the connector boards 36 in the cargo layer 30 are angled to also match the angled edges 42 in the support blocks 40. The corresponding outermost edges 28 of the deck boards 22 in the base iayer 20 are also angied to match the angied edges 42 in the support blocks 40.

Another aspect of the disclosure is directed to making a wooden paliet 10 comprising a base layer 20, and a cargo layer 30, and a pair of spaced apart tor boards 32 orthogonal to the pair of spaced apart and deck boards. The method inciudes forming the cargo iayer 30 such that the cargo iayer comprises a pair of spaced apart end deck boards 32, and a pair of intermediate deck boards 34 between the pair of spaced apart end deck boards, with each end deck board 32 and an adjacent intermediate deck board 34 butted against one another. The method r inciudes coupling a piuraiity of spaced apart support blocks 40 between the base and cargo layers 20, 30 and forming a gap therebetween for receiving a fitting member.

Many modifications and other embodiments will come to the mind of one skilled in the art having the benefit of the teachings presented in the foregoing descriptions and the associated drawings. Therefore, it is understood that the disclosure is not to be iimited to the specific embodiments disclosed, and that modifications and embodiments are intended to be ed within the scope of the appended claims.

I/WE

Claims (16)

CLAIM :

1. A wooden pallet sing: a base layer comprising a pair of bottom end deck boards and a bottom center deck board between said pair of bottom end deck , with a width of said bottom center deck board being greater than a width of said bottom end deck boards; a cargo layer comprising a pair of spaced apart connector boards, a pair of spaced apart end deck boards on said pair of connector boards, with the end deck boards being orthogonal to said pair of connector boards, and a pair of spaced apart intermediate deck boards on said pair of connector boards, with each intermediate deck board being orthogonal to said pair of connector boards and butted against a respective end deck board; and a plurality of spaced apart support blocks coupled n said base and cargo layers and g a gap therebetween for receiving a lifting member, said plurality of support blocks comprising corner support blocks and center support blocks between the corner support blocks, with said corner support blocks and said center support blocks each having a same sized gular shape that includes a width and a , with the length being longer than the width, and with a direction of the length of said center t blocks being orthogonal to the direction of the length of said corner support blocks.

2. The wooden pallet according to Claim 1 wherein each intermediate deck board and end deck board has a same width.

3. The wooden pallet according to Claim 1 wherein said cargo layer further comprises at least one additional intermediate deck board between said pair of intermediate deck boards, with said at least one additional intermediate deck board being spaced from said pair of intermediate deck boards.

4. The wooden pallet according to Claim 1 wherein said bottom end deck boards and said bottom center deck board are aligned with said end deck boards and said intermediate deck board. AH26(28737719_1):BJM

5. The wooden pallet according to Claim 1 wherein each corner support block has spaced apart upper and lower surfaces, and chamfered edges extending between the upper and lower surfaces.

6. The wooden pallet according to Claim 5 wherein outer corners of each end deck board have chamfered edges aligned with the chamfered edges of said corner support blocks.

7. The wooden pallet according to Claim 5 wherein outer s of each bottom end deck board have chamfered edges aligned with one of the chamfered edges of said corner support blocks.

8. The wooden pallet according to Claim 1 wherein each bottom deck board is coupled to at least two support , and has beveled edges between said pair of support blocks and nonbeveled edges at each respective support block.

9. A method for making a wooden pallet comprising: providing a base layer comprising a pair of bottom end deck boards and a bottom center deck board between the pair of bottom end deck , with a width of the bottom center deck board being greater than a width of the bottom end deck boards; ing a cargo layer comprising a pair of spaced apart connector boards, a pair of spaced apart end deck boards on the pair of connector boards, with the end deck boards being orthogonal to the pair of connector boards, and a pair of spaced apart intermediate deck boards on the pair of connector boards, with each intermediate deck board being orthogonal to the pair of connector boards and butted t a tive end deck board; and coupling a ity of spaced apart support blocks between the base and cargo layers and forming a gap therebetween for receiving a lifting member, the plurality of support blocks comprising corner support blocks and center support blocks between the corner support blocks, with the corner support blocks and the center support blocks each having a same sized rectangular shape that includes a width and a length, with the length being longer than the width, and with a direction of the length of the center support blocks being orthogonal to the direction of the length of the corner support blocks. AH26(28737719_1):BJM

10. The method according to Claim 9 wherein each intermediate deck board and end deck board has a same width.

11. The method according to Claim 9 wherein the cargo layer further comprises at least one additional intermediate deck board between the pair of intermediate deck boards, with the at least one additional intermediate deck board being spaced from the pair of intermediate deck boards.

12. The method according to Claim 9 wherein the bottom end deck boards and the bottom center deck board are aligned with the end deck boards and the intermediate deck board.

13. The method according to Claim 9 wherein each corner t block has spaced apart upper and lower surfaces, and chamfered edges extending between the upper and lower surfaces.

14. The method according to Claim 13 wherein outer corners of each end deck have chamfered edges d with the chamfered edges of the corner support blocks.

15. The method according to Claim 13 wherein outer corners of each bottom end deck board has chamfered edges aligned with the angled edges of the corner support blocks.

16. The method according to Claim 9 n each bottom deck board coupled to at least two support blocks, and having beveled edges n the pair of support blocks and non-beveled edges at each respective t block. CHEP Technology Pty Limited By the Attorneys for the Applicant SPRUSON & FERGUSON AH26(28737719_1):BJM