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US 12,351,359 B1Granted
Enhanced cardboard-based pallet system
AssigneeAmerican Paper Pallet Company LLC
InventorSergio D'Andrea
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A pallet system includes first bent cardboard sheets with sheet portions, first apertures, second apertures, and with bends that place the sheet portions in juxtaposition thereby forming first beam members with engagement notches and forklift blade access cutouts. Second beam members are similarly formed to couple with the first beam members resulting in a base assembly for a pallet system. Other aspects are described in the claims, drawings, and text forming a part of the present disclosure.
Claims20
A pallet system comprising:
- (I) a first cardboard sheet having a first sheet thickness measurement, the first cardboard sheet including
- (A) a first sheet side,
- (B) a second sheet side extending perpendicularly to the first side,
- (C) a third sheet side extending parallel to the first side,
- (D) a fourth sheet side extending parallel to the second side, and
- (E) a plurality of demarcated bend lines extending parallel to the first sheet side and to the third sheet side,
- wherein each of the plurality of demarcated bend lines extends between the second sheet side and the fourth sheet side,
- wherein the plurality of demarcated bend lines includes a first demarcated bend line, a second demarcated bend line, a third demarcated bend line, a fourth demarcated bend line, a fifth demarcated bend line, a sixth demarcated bend line, and a seventh demarcated bend line,
- wherein the first demarcated bend line is closest of the plurality of demarcated bend lines to the third sheet side and is at least ten times the first sheet thickness measurement from the third sheet side,
- wherein the second demarcated bend line is second closest of the plurality of demarcated bend lines to the third sheet side and is less than three times the first sheet thickness measurement from the first demarcated bend line;
- wherein the third demarcated bend line is third closest of the plurality of demarcated bend lines to the third sheet side and is at least twenty-five times the first sheet thickness measurement from the third sheet side,
- wherein the fourth demarcated bend line is fourth closest of the plurality of demarcated bend lines to the third sheet side being less than five times the first sheet thickness measurement from the third demarcated bend line and being farther from the third demarcated bend line than the second demarcated bend line is from the first demarcated bend line,
- wherein the first cardboard sheet is bent at each of the plurality of demarcated bend lines thereby forming a plurality of cardboard sheet segment portions positioned parallel with one another including a first cardboard sheet segment portion bordered by the third sheet side and bordered by the first demarcated bend line,
- a second cardboard sheet segment portion bordered by the second demarcated bend line and the third demarcated bend line,
- a third cardboard sheet segment portion bordered by the fourth demarcated bend line and bordered by the fifth demarcated bend line,
- a fourth cardboard sheet segment portion bordered by the sixth demarcated bend line and bordered by the seventh demarcated bend line,
- whereby the first cardboard sheet is bent such that the first cardboard sheet segment portion is adhesively coupled and positioned adjacent to the second cardboard sheet segment portion with adhesive positioned between the first cardboard sheet segment portion and the second cardboard sheet segment portion,
- whereby the first cardboard sheet is bent such that the first cardboard sheet segment portion is adhesively coupled with and positioned adjacent to the third cardboard sheet segment portion with adhesive positioned between the first cardboard sheet segment portion and the third cardboard sheet segment portion,
- whereby the first cardboard sheet is bent such that the second cardboard sheet segment portion is adhesively coupled with and positioned adjacent to the fourth cardboard sheet segment portion with adhesive positioned between the second cardboard sheet segment portion and the fourth cardboard sheet segment portion, and
- whereby the first cardboard sheet is bent such that cardboard sheet segment portions form a spiral configuration having an innermost central portion to include the first cardboard segment portion and the second cardboard segment portion.
17 more elements
A pallet system comprising:
- (I) a bent cardboard sheet having a sheet thickness measurement, the first cardboard sheet including
- (A) a first sheet side,
- (B) a second sheet side extending perpendicularly to the first side,
- (C) a third sheet side extending parallel to the first side,
- (D) a fourth sheet side extending parallel to the second side,
- (E) a first plurality of apertures having rectangularly oriented side portions,
- (F) a second plurality of apertures having rectangularly oriented side portions,
- wherein the side portions of the first plurality of apertures are proportionally shaped different than the side portions of the second plurality of apertures, and
- (F) a plurality of demarcated bend line pairs extending parallel to the first sheet side and to the third sheet side, each of the plurality of demarcated bend line pairs including a first demarcated bend line and a second demarcated bend line,
- wherein each of the plurality of demarcated bend line pairs extends between the second sheet side and the fourth sheet side,
- wherein the first and second demarcated bend lines of each of the plurality of demarcated bend line pairs are spaced from one another according to the sheet thickness measurement,
- wherein the plurality of demarcated bend line pairs includes
- a first demarcated bend line pair closest to the third sheet side,
- a second demarcated bend line pair second closest to the third sheet side,
- a third demarcated bend line pair third closest to the third sheet side,
- a fourth demarcated bend line pair fourth closest to the third sheet side, and
- wherein the plurality of demarcated bend line pairs totals an “n” numbered amount,
- wherein the bent cardboard sheet is bent at each of the plurality of demarcated bend lines such that “n+1” cardboard sheet segment portions are positioned parallel with one another including
- a first cardboard sheet segment portion bordered by the third sheet side and bordered by the first demarcated bend line of the first demarcated bend line pair,
- a second cardboard sheet segment portion bordered by the second demarcated bend line of the first demarcated bend line pair and bordered by the third first demarcated bend line of the second demarcated bend line pair,
- a third cardboard sheet segment portion bordered by the second demarcated bend line of the second demarcated bend line pair and bordered by the first demarcated bend line of the third demarcated bend line pair,
- a fourth cardboard sheet segment portion bordered by the second demarcated bend line of the third demarcated bend line pair and bordered by the first demarcated bend line of the fourth demarcated bend line pair, and
- an “n+1” cardboard sheet segment portion bordered by a demarcated bend line of a demarcated bend line pair closest to the first sheet side and bordered by the first sheet side,
- whereby the bent cardboard sheet includes the first cardboard sheet segment portion adhesively coupled and positioned adjacent to the second cardboard sheet segment portion with adhesive positioned between the first cardboard sheet segment portion and the second cardboard sheet segment portion,
- whereby the bent cardboard sheet includes the first cardboard sheet segment portion adhesively coupled with and positioned adjacent to the third cardboard sheet segment portion with adhesive positioned between the first cardboard sheet segment portion and the third cardboard sheet segment portion,
- whereby the bent cardboard sheet includes the second cardboard sheet segment portion adhesively coupled with and positioned adjacent to the fourth cardboard sheet segment portion with adhesive positioned between the second cardboard sheet segment portion and the fourth cardboard sheet segment portion,
- whereby the bent cardboard sheet forms a first longitudinal beam member having first and second longitudinal sides and having first and second ends perpendicular to the first and second longitudinal sides,
- wherein the first longitudinal beam member includes at least one engagement notch formed from at least in part the first plurality of apertures along the first longitudinal side,
- wherein the first longitudinal beam member includes at least one forklift blade access cutout formed at least in part from the second plurality of apertures along one of the first longitudinal side and the second longitudinal side, and
- whereby the first cardboard sheet is bent such that cardboard sheet segment portions form a spiral configuration having a contiguous central spiral region to include the first cardboard segment portion.
27 more elements
A pallet system comprising:
- (I) a first bent cardboard sheet including
- (A) a plurality of cardboard sheet segment portions,
- (B) a first plurality of apertures,
- (C) a second plurality of apertures,
- wherein the first bent cardboard sheet has a plurality of bends such that the plurality of cardboard sheet segment portions are in juxtaposition and with adhesive positioned therebetween,
- wherein the first bent cardboard sheet is bent such that cardboard sheet segment portions form a spiral configuration to include a first cardboard segment portion, a second cardboard segment portion, a third cardboard segment portion, and a forth cardboard segment portion positioned parallel therewith,
- wherein the first bent cardboard sheet is bent such that the first cardboard sheet segment portion is adhesively coupled and positioned adjacent to the second cardboard sheet segment portion with adhesive positioned between the first cardboard sheet segment portion and the second cardboard sheet segment portion,
- wherein the first bent cardboard sheet is bent such that the first cardboard sheet segment portion is adhesively coupled with and positioned adjacent to the third cardboard sheet segment portion with adhesive positioned between the first cardboard sheet segment portion and the third cardboard sheet segment portion,
- wherein the first bent cardboard sheet is bent such that the second cardboard sheet segment portion is adhesively coupled with and positioned adjacent to the fourth cardboard sheet segment portion with adhesive positioned between the second cardboard sheet segment portion and the fourth cardboard sheet segment portion, and
- wherein the first bent cardboard sheet is bent such that cardboard sheet segment portions form the spiral configuration having an innermost central portion to include the first cardboard segment portion without one or more voids being present with the innermost central portion,
- whereby the first bent cardboard sheet forms a first longitudinal beam member having first and second longitudinal sides,
- wherein the first longitudinal beam member includes at least one engagement notch formed from at least in part the first plurality of apertures along the first longitudinal side, and
- wherein the first longitudinal beam member includes at least one forklift blade access cutout formed at least in part from the second plurality of apertures along the second longitudinal side;
- and
- (II) a second bent cardboard sheet including
- (A) a plurality of cardboard sheet segment portions,
- (B) a first plurality of apertures,
- (C) a second plurality of apertures,
- wherein the second bent cardboard sheet has a plurality of bends such that the plurality of cardboard sheet segment portions are in juxtaposition and with adhesive positioned therebetween,
- wherein the second bent cardboard sheet is bent such that cardboard sheet segment portions form a spiral configuration to include a first cardboard segment portion, a second cardboard segment portion, a third cardboard segment portion, and a forth cardboard segment portion positioned parallel therewith,
- wherein the second bent cardboard sheet is bent such that the first cardboard sheet segment portion is adhesively coupled and positioned adjacent to the second cardboard sheet segment portion with adhesive positioned between the first cardboard sheet segment portion and the second cardboard sheet segment portion,
- wherein the second bent cardboard sheet is bent such that the first cardboard sheet segment portion is adhesively coupled with and positioned adjacent to the third cardboard sheet segment portion with adhesive positioned between the first cardboard sheet segment portion and the third cardboard sheet segment portion,
- wherein the second bent cardboard sheet is bent such that the second cardboard sheet segment portion is adhesively coupled with and positioned adjacent to the fourth cardboard sheet segment portion with adhesive positioned between the second cardboard sheet segment portion and the fourth cardboard sheet segment portion, and
- wherein the second bent cardboard sheet is bent such that cardboard sheet segment portions form the spiral configuration having an innermost central portion to include the first cardboard segment portion without one or more voids being present within the spiral configuration,
- whereby the second bent cardboard sheet forms a second longitudinal beam member having first and second longitudinal sides,
- wherein the second longitudinal beam member includes at least one engagement notch formed from at least in part the first plurality of apertures along the first longitudinal side,
- wherein the second longitudinal beam member includes at least one forklift blade access cutout formed at least in part from the second plurality of apertures along the first longitudinal side, and
- wherein the at least one engagement notch of the first longitudinal beam member is couplable with the at least one engagement notch of the second longitudinal beam member.
25 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.