Plastic pallet with support blocks having inner and outer blocks and associated methods

A plastic pallet comprising:

• a top deck having spaced apart upper and lower surfaces, with the lower surface having a plurality of upper tower openings therein;
• a bottom deck;
• and
• a plurality of spaced apart support blocks coupled between said top and bottom decks and forming a gap therebetween for receiving a lifting member, each support block comprising
• an outer block having an open top surface exposing an inner block receiving area therein, and comprising a bottom surface, first and second pairs of opposing outer block side surfaces between carried by said bottom surface, with each opposing outer block side surface having a pocket opening therein for also exposing the inner block receiving area, and
• an inner block inserted into the inner block receiving area of said outer block, and comprising
• first and second pairs of opposing inner block side surfaces enclosing a center area, with each opposing inner block side surface aligned with the pocket opening in a corresponding outer block side surface so as to form the pocket by covering the pocket opening, a core structure having a rectangular shape within the center area, and
• an upper tower extending outwards from said core structure and into a corresponding upper tower opening in said top deck so as to provide a shear load transfer during impact with the lifting member.

A method for making a pallet comprising:

• forming a top deck;
• forming bottom deck;
• and
• coupling a plurality of spaced apart support blocks coupled between the top and bottom decks and forming a gap therebetween for receiving a lifting member, each support block comprising
• an outer block having an open top surface exposing an inner block receiving area therein, and comprising a bottom surface, first and second pairs of opposing outer block side surfaces between carried by the bottom surface, with each opposing outer block side surface having a pocket opening therein for also exposing the inner block receiving area, and
• an inner block inserted into the inner block receiving area of the outer block, and comprising first and second pairs of opposing inner block side surfaces, with each opposing inner block side surface aligned with the pocket opening in a corresponding outer block side surface so as to form the pocket by covering the pocket opening.