# US 11,111,053 B2 · Stackable half-size reconfigurable pallet/dolly platform

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- Number: US 11,111,053 B2
- Document ID: US11111053B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/674,076
- Filed: 2019-11-05
- Published: 2020-05-14
- Granted: 2021-09-07
- Earliest claimed: 2018-11-13
- Assignees: CHEP Technology Pty Limited
- Applicants: Chep Technology Pty Limited
- Inventors: Bradley Wayne Daubenspeck; Daniel Aaron Gorsky; Craig Rolland Norman
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11111053B2

## CPC

- B65D 19/0026: {and each contact surface having a stringer-like shape}
- B65D 19/0048: {and each contact surface having a stringer-like shape}
- B62B 3/008: {having more than two axes}
- B62B 3/16: vertically stackable
- B62B 5/0093: {Flat dollys without hand moving equipment}
- B65D 19/0012: {forming a continuous plane contact surface}
- B65D 19/38: Details or accessories
- B65D 19/42: Arrangements or applications of rollers or wheels
- B65D 2519/00034: Plastic
- B65D 2519/00069: Plastic
- B65D 2519/00129: Metal
- B65D 2519/00273: made of more than one piece
- B65D 2519/00288: made of one piece
- B65D 2519/00308: grid type, e.g. perforated plate
- B65D 2519/00323: made of more than one piece
- B65D 2519/00333: contact surface having a stringer-like shape
- B65D 2519/00338: contact surface having a discrete foot-like shape
- B65D 2519/00402: Integral, e.g. ribs
- B65D 2519/00407: on the load supporting surface
- B65D 2519/00412: on the base surface
- B65D 2519/00437: on the load supporting surface
- B65D 2519/00442: on the base surface
- B65D 2519/00567: mechanical connection, e.g. snap-fitted
- B65D 2519/00756: joined together by removable elements, e.g. bands encircling the feed
- B65D 2519/00771: smaller than "standard"
- B65D 2519/00781: for moving on a surface, e.g. wheels, pads (B65D2519/00825 takes precedence)
- B65D 2519/00791: handles, handgrip holes
- B65D 2519/00796: Guiding means for fork-lift
- B65D 2519/00815: on the pallet
- B65D 2519/0084: Separated elements, e.g. including in-moulded elements
- B65D 2519/00955: stackable
- B65D 2519/0096: when empty
- B65D: CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
- B62B: HAND-PROPELLED VEHICLES, e.g. HAND CARTS OR PERAMBULATORS; SLEDGES (characterised by animal propulsion B62C; propulsion of sledges by driver or engine B62M)

## Abstract

A reconfigurable pallet/dolly platform includes a top deck having a product support surface and an opposing underside. The product support surface has grommet openings extending therethrough. The underside includes pallet support leg attachment areas aligned with the grommet openings for receiving pallet support legs when configured as a pallet. Also, the underside includes dolly wheel attachment areas for receiving dolly wheels when configured as a dolly. The product support surface includes grommets inserted into the grommet openings. Each grommet includes an upper section that extends in height above the top deck to engage an underside of the pallet support legs from an identical platform stacked thereon when configured as a pallet. Also, the product support surface includes dolly wheel receiving areas aligned with the dolly wheel wells on the underside, and engage the dolly wheels from an identical platform stacked thereon when configured as a dolly.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A reconfigurable pallet/dolly platform comprising:
a top deck including a product support surface and an opposing underside, and with the product support surface having a plurality of grommet openings extending therethrough, with each grommet opening including a recessed shelf extending along an entirety of a perimeter of each respective grommet opening;
with the underside including:
a plurality of pallet support leg attachment areas aligned with the plurality of grommet openings and for receiving a plurality of pallet support legs when configured as a pallet, and
a plurality of dolly wheel attachment areas for receiving a plurality of dolly wheels when configured as a dolly; and
with the product support surface including:
a plurality of grommets inserted into the plurality of grommet openings, each grommet comprising an upper section comprising an upper lip extending along the perimeter of each respective grommet opening and resting on the recessed shelf, and an outer exposed surface of said upper section extending in height above said top deck and configured to engage an underside of the pallet support legs from an identical platform stacked thereon when configured as a pallet, and
a plurality of dolly wheel receiving areas aligned with the plurality of dolly wheel wells and configured to engage the plurality of dolly wheels from an identical platform stacked thereon when configured as a dolly.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The reconfigurable pallet/dolly platform according to claim 1 wherein the underside of each pallet support leg includes a plurality of grommet openings, with each grommet opening configured to receive the upper section of a respective grommet of the identical pallet when stacked thereon.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The reconfigurable pallet/dolly platform according to claim 1 wherein the upper section of each grommet includes an upper surface, with a transition between the upper surface and the upper lip being curved.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The reconfigurable pallet/dolly platform according to claim 1 wherein the plurality of grommet openings are positioned at opposing ends of said top deck, with each opposing end having a pair of spaced apart grommet openings with a pair of grommets inserted therein.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The reconfigurable pallet/dolly platform according to claim 4 wherein each pallet support leg comprises:
a base extending across a width of said top deck;
a pair of outer base support elements, with each outer base support element having a lower end integrally formed with an end of said base and an upper end coupled to the underside of said top deck; and
with an underside of said base configured to engage the upper sections of a pair of grommets of an identical pallet when stacked thereon.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The reconfigurable pallet/dolly platform according to claim 5 wherein each pallet support leg further comprises a center base support element having a lower end integrally formed with the base and an upper end coupled to the underside of said top deck, and wherein each pair of spaced apart grommet openings include a respective grommet opening between the center base support element and each outer base support element.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The reconfigurable pallet/dolly platform according to claim 1 wherein each grommet further comprises:
at least one mid-section adjacent the upper lip and extending from said upper section to an underside of said top deck; and
at least one lower section extending from said at least one mid-section, and comprising a pair of spaced apart lower lips resting on the underside of said top deck, with an outer exposed surface of said at least one lower section extending in height below the underside of said top deck.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The reconfigurable pallet/dolly platform according to claim 7 wherein each grommet opening further includes a divider; wherein said at least one mid-section comprises a pair of spaced apart mid-sections, with each mid-section being separated by said divider; and wherein said at least one lower section comprises a pair of lower sections, with each lower section extending from a respective mid-section.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The reconfigurable pallet/dolly platform according to claim 8 wherein said divider includes a lower surface even with the underside of said top deck.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

The reconfigurable pallet/dolly platform according to claim 8 wherein said divider includes an upper surface that is below the recessed shelf.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The reconfigurable pallet/dolly platform according to claim 1 wherein said top deck and plurality of pallet support legs comprise plastic.

### Claim 12

A method for making a reconfigurable pallet/dolly platform comprising:
forming a top deck including a product support surface and an opposing underside, and with the product support surface having a plurality of grommet openings extending therethrough, with each grommet opening including a recessed shelf extending along an entirety of a perimeter of each respective grommet opening;
with the underside including:
a plurality of pallet support leg attachment areas aligned with the plurality of grommet openings and for receiving a plurality of pallet support legs when configured as a pallet, and
a plurality of dolly wheel attachment areas for receiving a plurality of dolly wheels when configured as a dolly; and
with the product support surface including:
a plurality of grommets inserted into the plurality of grommet openings, each grommet comprising an upper section comprising an upper lip extending along the perimeter of each respective grommet opening and resting on the recessed shelf, and an outer exposed surface of the upper section extending in height above the top deck and configured to engage a recess on an underside of the pallet support legs from an identical platform stacked thereon when configured as a pallet, and an underside of the pallet support legs from an identical platform stacked thereon when configured as a pallet, and
a plurality of dolly wheel receiving areas aligned with the plurality of dolly wheel wells and configured to engage the plurality of dolly wheels from an identical platform stacked thereon when configured as a dolly.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The method according to claim 12 wherein the underside of each pallet support leg includes a plurality of grommet openings, with each grommet opening configured to receive the upper section of a respective grommet of the identical pallet when stacked thereon.

### Claim 14 (depends on 12)

The method according to claim 12 wherein the upper section of each grommet includes an upper surface, with a transition between the upper surface and the upper lip being curved.

### Claim 15 (depends on 12)

The method according to claim 12 wherein the plurality of grommet openings are positioned at opposing ends of the top deck, with each opposing end having a pair of spaced apart grommet openings with a pair of grommets inserted therein.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The method according to claim 15 wherein each pallet support leg comprises:
a base extending across a width of the top deck;
a pair of outer base support elements, with each outer base support element having a lower end integrally formed with an end of the base and an upper end coupled to the underside of the top deck; and
with an underside of the base configured to engage the upper sections of a pair of grommets of an identical pallet when stacked thereon.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The method according to claim 16 wherein each pallet support leg further comprises a center base support element having a lower end integrally formed with the base and an upper end coupled to the underside of the top deck, and wherein each pair of spaced apart grommet openings include a respective grommet opening between the center base support element and each outer base support element.

### Claim 18 (depends on 12)

The method according to claim 12 wherein each grommet further comprises:
at least one mid-section adjacent the upper lip and extending from the upper section to an underside of the top deck; and
at least one lower section extending from the at least one mid-section, and comprising a pair of spaced apart lower lips resting on the underside of the top deck, with an outer exposed surface of the at least one lower section extending in height below the underside of the top deck.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The method according to claim 18 wherein each grommet opening further includes a divider; wherein the at least one mid-section comprises a pair of spaced apart mid-sections, with each mid-section being separated by the divider;
and wherein the at least one lower section comprises a pair of lower sections, with each lower section extending from a respective mid-section.

### Claim 20 (depends on 12)

The method according to claim 12 wherein the top deck and plurality of pallet support legs comprise plastic.