Pallet tower for high density pallet storage and method
AssigneeQtek Design Ltd.
InventorPaul Redman
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A pallet tower for high-density pallet storage which provides for loading and unloading of pallets from a pallet storage area via mechanical operation. The pallet tower has a base frame defining a pallet receiving area, the pallet receiving area for receiving a pallet: a containment frame attached to a support latch frame and/or the base frame, the containment frame defining a pallet storage area for storing the pallet; and a support latch frame attached to the base frame, the support latch frame having a support latch operable between an open configuration and a closed configuration, and the support latch in the closed configuration for supporting the pallet when the pallet is in the pallet storage area.
Claims36
A pallet tower for high density pallet storage, comprising:
- a base frame defining a pallet receiving area, the pallet receiving area for receiving a pallet;
- a containment frame supported above the base frame, the containment frame defining a pallet storage area for storing the pallet, and
- a support latch operable between an open configuration and a closed configuration, wherein the support latch in the closed configuration is configured to support the pallet when the pallet is in the pallet storage area, wherein the support latch is spring-biased to default to the open configuration.
A method of loading pallets into a pallet tower, comprising:
- moving a pallet into a pallet receiving area within the pallet tower, the pallet tower comprising a pallet storage area positioned above the pallet receiving area and further including a support latch operable between an open configuration and a closed configuration, with the support latch resting in the open configuration;
- lifting the pallet within the pallet receiving area into the pallet storage area, and lifting the pallet such that a bottom of the pallet is positioned above the support latch;
- setting the support latch to the closed configuration;
- and
- lowering the pallet such that the bottom of the pallet is resting upon the support latch, and the pallet is holding the support latch in the closed configuration.
A method of unloading pallets from a pallet tower, comprising:
- engaging a bottom pallet of a stored pallet stack within a pallet storage area in the pallet tower, the pallet tower comprising the pallet storage area positioned above a pallet receiving area and further including a support latch operable between an open configuration and a closed configuration;
- lifting the stored pallet stack by the bottom pallet within the pallet storage area such that the bottom of the bottom pallet is not resting upon the support latch;
- the support latch automatically returning to the open configuration;
- and
- lowering the stored pallet stack into the pallet receiving area.
A pallet tower for high density pallet storage, comprising:
- a base frame including a rear wall and a pair of side walls extending forward from the rear wall, the base frame defining a pallet receiving area, the pallet receiving area for receiving a plurality of pallets;
- a containment frame supported above the base frame, the containment frame defining a pallet storage area for storing the pallet;
- and
- a support latch operable between an open configuration and a closed configuration, wherein the support latch in the closed configuration is configured to support the pallet when the pallet is in the pallet storage area, wherein in the closed configuration the support latch is configured to support a bottom most pallet in the pallet storage area, wherein the pallet tower further includes a front opening at least partially defined by the side walls of the base frame and extending upward above the support latch.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.