AU2019268144B2 - A pallet - Google Patents

Abstract

A PALLET ABSTRACT A pallet (10) intended for the transportation of frozen products, such as frozen meat. The pallet (10) is injection moulded and includes a top surface (11), a bottom surface (12), and a pair of side surfaces (13) and a second pair of side surfaces (14). Extending between the side surfaces (13) are a pair of passages (22) that are configured to receive the tines of a forklift, that may be employed to lift a pallet (10).

Description

A PALLET

[0001] This application is a divisional application of Australian Patent Application No. 2017202183, filed on 3 April 2017, the contents of which are incorporated in their entirety.

FIELD

[0002] The present invention relates to pallets, and more particularly but not exclusively to pallets that are used to transport boxed frozen meat.

BACKGROUND

[0003] Pallets are of a generally square or rectangular configuration, with the pallet having an upper surface that is to receive product to be transported by the pallet. One such product is frozen meat.

[0004] A disadvantage of previous plastic pallets employed to transport frozen meat, is that they are constructed in a manner which means they must have a hollow inner drum like body cavity. They are also not adequately durable enough to withstand the impact of forklift tines when being employed in the daily functions for which they were designed. This inadequacy results in holes being punctured into the side walls of the previous pallets by fork lift tines when impacted in vulnerable side wall areas. The holes expose the pallets inner hollow cavity which then allows the ingress of contaminated water and debris that is likely to present a hygiene hazard to the frozen meat. Additionally, the previous pallets are designed to include a welded steel frame that is located inside the inner hollow cavity of the pallet in order to give it integral strength and stability. Without this steel frame the pallet will not meet the required specification to handle the required load of frozen meat. Once the hollow inner cavities have been exposed by fork tine impact damage the steel frame is subject to contaminated water and will go rusty resulting in additional potential contamination to the frozen meat which has a tendency to compound the hygiene issues associated with the previous pallets. These previous pallets are manufactured by a rotational moulding process.

OBJECT

[0005] It is the object of the present invention to overcome or substantially ameliorate the above disadvantage.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

[0006] In an aspect of the present invention there is provided an injected moulded pallet, formed of plastics material, the pallet being of a square or rectangular configuration and including: a top surface; a bottom surface; a first pair of side surfaces extending between the top and bottom surfaces, the first pair of side surface being generally parallel and transversely spaced; a second pair of side surfaces, the second pair of side surfaces being generally parallel and transversely spaced and generally perpendicular to the first pair of side surfaces, with the second pair of side surfaces also extending between the top and bottom surfaces; with the top surface including a pair of edge portions, each edge portion being located adjacent a respective one of the first pair of side surfaces, and a first intermediate portion, with the edge andfirst intermediate portions each providing an upwardly extending projections , with the projections extending upwardly to approximately the same height, to receive product to be transported by the pallet, with the top surface further including further intermediate portions, the further intermediate portions being located so that the edge portions and first intermediate portion are located higher than the further intermediate portions, so that each edge portion is separated from thefirst intermediate portion by a respective upwardly open recess, with the pallet further including first passages below the top surface, that are configured to receive tines of a forklift, and further passages, the further passages being located lower than the first passages, with the further passages being generally perpendicular to the first passages and generally parallel to the recesses, with each of the further passages having a depth, and each of the recesses having a depth that is greater than the depth of the further passages, and wherein the first recess and second recess are configured to receive the tines of the forklift, and the further passages are configured to receive the tines of the forklift.

[0007] Preferably, the pallet has no internal enclosed cavities.

[0008] Preferably, there are passages extending between the recesses and the first passages.

[0009] Preferably, each of the recesses have a transverse width, and each of the first passages has a transverse width that is approximately the same as the transverse width of the recesses.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0010] Preferred forms of the present invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

[0011] Figure 1 is a schematic top isometric view of a pallet;

[0012] Figure 2 is a schematic bottom isometric view of the pallet of Figure 1;

[0013] Figure 3 is a schematic bottom plan view of the pallet of Figure 1;

[0014] Figure 4 is a schematic top plan view of the pallet of Figure 1;

[0015] Figure 5 is a schematic side elevation of the pallet of Figure 1; and

[0016] Figure 6 is a further schematic side elevation of the pallet of Figure 1.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

[0017] In the accompanying drawings there is schematically depicted a plastic pallet 10. The pallet 10 may be of a rectangular configuration, however most preferably it is of a square configuration.

[0018] The pallet 10 is injection moulded, so that it is solid, that is it has no internal cavities, that if exposed (via damage to the pallet 10), do not pose a hygiene problem in respect of cleaning the pallet 10. The pallet 10 includes a top surface 11, a bottom surface 12, a pair of first side surfaces 13 and a second pair of side surfaces 14.

[0019] The side surfaces 13 and 14 are generally perpendicular to the surfaces 11 and 12. Additionally, the surfaces 13 are generally parallel but transversely spaced, and perpendicular to the surfaces 14. The surfaces 14 are generally parallel and transversely spaced.

[0020] The top surface 12 includes a first pair of edge portions 15, and an intermediate portion 16 equally spaced from the edge portions 15. The portions 15 and 16 extend generally parallel, with the edge portions 15 each being located adjacent a respective one of the side surfaces 13.

[0021] Located between the portions 15 and 16, are further surface portions 17, and planar portions 18 that are recessed relative to the portions 15 and 16, so as to be located at a lower height. Accordingly the portions 17 and 18 provide upwardly open recesses 28 located between the portions (projections) 15 and 16, that can receive the tines of a forklift. As seen in Figure 6 the portions 15 and 16 have approximately the same height, and provide co-planar surfaces upon which product to be transported can rest.

[0022] The surface 12 provides portions 20 that are generally parallel and transversely spaced, with two of the portions 20 being located adjacent the side surfaces 13.

[0023] The portions 20 are separated by portions 21, that are recessed relative to the portions 20 so that there is between the portions 20 downwardly open grooves or slots (recesses) 23 that can receive the tines of a forklift. The surface 12 also has apertures 24 that extend from the slots 23.

[0024] Extending between the side surfaces 13 are pair of first passages 22 that are configured to receive the tines of a forklift, that may be employed to lift the pallet 10. The apertures 24 extend so as to communicate with the passages 22.

[0025] Extending between the side surfaces 14 are the slots 23 (further passages) that are configured to receive the tines of a forklift, so that the material resting on the pallet 10 can be lifted. The slots 23 and recesses 28, as seen in Figure 2, are perpendicular to the passages 22.

[0026] With reference to Figure 1, as shown the width 25 of the slots 23 is approximately the same as the width 26 of the recesses 28. Additionally, as shown in Figure 6, the recesses 28 have a depth 31 that is greater than the depth 30 of the slots 23.

[0027] Passages 22 have a width 32 that is approximately the same as (but slightly greater than) the width 26.

[0028] As seen in Figure 2, the passages 22 have a depth 34 that is greater than the depth 33 of the slots 23.

[0029] Preferably the pallet 10 includes high impact resistant reinforcing insert elements fixed in the comers and side walls, the reinforcing elements may be formed of metal or plastics material and they are embedded in the corners and perpendicular peripheral side walls of the pallet as described in Australian Patent 2009200360.

[0030] The above described preferred embodiment has a number of advantages, including the upper surface being configured to inhibit damage to frozen meat being transported by the pallet 10, while being injection moulded, enables the pallet 10 to be formed without any internal cavities or welded steel internal support frame, that may be exposed by damage to the pallet 10 and therefore introduce a hygiene issues.

Claims (5)

CLAIMS:

1. An injected moulded pallet, formed of plastics material, the pallet being of a square or rectangular configuration and including: a top surface; a bottom surface; a first pair of side surfaces extending between the top and bottom surfaces, the first pair of side surface being generally parallel and transversely spaced; a second pair of side surfaces, the second pair of side surfaces being generally parallel and transversely spaced and generally perpendicular to the first pair of side surfaces, with the second pair of side surfaces also extending between the top and bottom surfaces; with the top surface including a pair of edge portions, each edge portion being located adjacent a respective one of the first pair of side surfaces, and a first intermediate portion, with the edge andfirst intermediate portions each providing an upwardly extending projection, with the projections extending upwardly to approximately the same height, to receive product to be transported by the pallet, with the top surface further including further intermediate portions, the further intermediate portions being located so that the edge portions and first intermediate portion are located higher than the further intermediate portions, so that each edge portion is separated from the first intermediate portion by a respective upwardly open recess, with the pallet further including first passages below the top surface, that are configured to receive tines of a forklift, and further passages, the further passages being located lower than the first passages, with the further passages being generally perpendicular to the first passages and generally parallel to the recesses, with each of the further passages having a depth, and each of the recesses having a depth that is greater than the depth of the further passages, and wherein the first recess and second recess are configured to receive the tines of the forklift, and the further passages are configured to receive the tines of a forklift.

2. The injection moulded pallet of claim 1, wherein the pallet has no internal enclosed cavities, and the first passages have a depth that is greater than the depth of the further passages.

3. The pallet of claim 1 or 2, wherein there are passages extending between the recesses and the first passages.

4. The pallet of claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein each of the recesses have a transverse width, and each of the first passages has a transverse width that is approximately the same as the transverse width of the recesses.

5. The pallet of any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the further passages are downwardly open slots, with apertures extending between the further passages and the first passages.

OZKOR Pty. Ltd.

Patent Attorneys for the Applicant/Nominated Person

SPRUSON&FERGUSON