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US 12,715,644 B2Granted
Intermediate bulk container (IBC) and associated pallet
AssigneeElkhart Plastics LLC
InventorJacob M. Hixson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An intermediate bulk container system includes a molded bottle and a pallet for supporting the molded bottle. The pallet includes a first, second, third, and fourth vertical opening each extending through upper and lower sides of the pallet. The pallet further includes first, second, third, and fourth anti-teeter bars that is each respectively arranged in the first, second, third, and fourth vertical opening. The pallet also includes a pair of spaced apart elongated slots formed in the lower surface and extending between front and rear side surfaces, and each of the anti-teeter bars intersects one of the pair of spaced apart elongated slots.
Claims20
An intermediate bulk container system, comprising:
- a molded bottle;
- and
- a pallet for supporting the molded bottle, wherein the pallet further comprises:
- a front side surface and a rear side surface opposite the front side surface;
- a pair of side surfaces extending between front and rear side surfaces, the pallet having a first corner where the front side surface meets a first of the pair of side surface, a second corner where the front side surface meets a second of the pair of side surfaces, a third corner where the rear side surface meets the second of the pair of side surfaces, and a fourth corner where the rear side surface meets the first of the pair of side surfaces;
- an upper surface and a lower surface opposite the upper surface;
- pair of spaced apart elongated slots formed in the lower surface and extending between the front and rear side surfaces;
- a first vertical opening formed in the pallet adjacent to the first corner and extending between the upper surface and lower surface, the first vertical opening intersecting a first of the pair of spaced apart elongated slots;
- a first anti-teeter bar arranged in the first vertical opening and extending across the first of the pair of spaced apart elongated slots;
- a second vertical opening formed in the pallet adjacent to the second corner and extending between the upper surface and lower surface, the second vertical opening intersecting the first of the pair of spaced apart elongated slots;
- a second anti-teeter bar arranged in the second vertical opening and extending across the first of the pair of spaced apart elongated slots;
- a third vertical opening formed in the pallet adjacent to the third corner and extending between the upper surface and lower surface, the third vertical opening intersecting a second of the pair of spaced apart elongated slots;
- a third anti-teeter bar arranged in the third vertical opening and extending across the second of the pair of spaced apart elongated slots;
- a fourth vertical opening formed in the pallet adjacent to the fourth corner and extending between the upper surface and lower surface, the fourth vertical opening intersecting the second of the pair of spaced apart elongated slots;
- and
- a fourth anti-teeter bar arranged in the fourth vertical opening and extending across the second of the pair of spaced apart elongated slots.
13 more elements
A pallet for supporting a molded bottle, the pallet comprising:
- a front side surface and a rear side surface opposite the front side surface;
- a pair of side surfaces extending between front and rear side surfaces, the pallet having a first corner where the front side surface meets a first of the pair of side surface, a second corner where the front side surface meets a second of the pair of side surfaces, a third corner where the rear side surface meets the second of the pair of side surfaces, and a fourth corner where the rear side surface meets the first of the pair of side surfaces;
- an upper surface and a lower surface opposite the upper surface;
- pair of spaced apart elongated slots formed in the lower surface and extending between the front and rear side surfaces;
- a first vertical opening formed in the pallet adjacent to the first corner and extending between the upper surface and lower surface, the first vertical opening intersecting a first of the pair of spaced apart elongated slots;
- a first anti-teeter bar arranged in the first vertical opening and extending across the first of the pair of spaced apart elongated slots;
- a second vertical opening formed in the pallet adjacent to the second corner and extending between the upper surface and lower surface, the second vertical opening intersecting the first of the pair of spaced apart elongated slots;
- a second anti-teeter bar arranged in the second vertical opening and extending across the first of the pair of spaced apart elongated slots;
- a third vertical opening formed in the pallet adjacent to the third corner and extending between the upper surface and lower surface, the third vertical opening intersecting a second of the pair of spaced apart elongated slots;
- a third anti-teeter bar arranged in the third vertical opening and extending across the second of the pair of spaced apart elongated slots;
- a fourth vertical opening formed in the pallet adjacent to the fourth corner and extending between the upper surface and lower surface, the fourth vertical opening intersecting the second of the pair of spaced apart elongated slots;
- and
- a fourth anti-teeter bar arranged in the fourth vertical opening and extending across the second of the pair of spaced apart elongated slots.
10 more elements
A method of manufacturing a pallet for supporting a molded bottle, the method comprising:
- molding a pallet comprising:
- a front side surface and a rear side surface opposite the front side surface;
- a pair of side surfaces extending between front and rear side surfaces, the pallet having a first corner where the front side surface meets a first of the pair of side surface, a second corner where the front side surface meets a second of the pair of side surfaces, a third corner where the rear side surface meets the second of the pair of side surfaces, and a fourth corner where the rear side surface meets the first of the pair of side surfaces;
- an upper surface and a lower surface opposite the upper surface;
- pair of spaced apart elongated slots formed in the lower surface and extending between the front and rear side surfaces;
- a first vertical opening formed in the pallet adjacent to the first corner and extending between the upper surface and lower surface, the first vertical opening intersecting a first of the pair of spaced apart elongated slots;
- a first anti-teeter bar arranged in the first vertical opening and extending across the first of the pair of spaced apart elongated slots;
- a second vertical opening formed in the pallet adjacent to the second corner and extending between the upper surface and lower surface, the second vertical opening intersecting the first of the pair of spaced apart elongated slots;
- a second anti-teeter bar arranged in the second vertical opening and extending across the first of the pair of spaced apart elongated slots;
- a third vertical opening formed in the pallet adjacent to the third corner and extending between the upper surface and lower surface, the third vertical opening intersecting a second of the pair of spaced apart elongated slots;
- a third anti-teeter bar arranged in the third vertical opening and extending across the second of the pair of spaced apart elongated slots;
- a fourth vertical opening formed in the pallet adjacent to the fourth corner and extending between the upper surface and lower surface, the fourth vertical opening intersecting the second of the pair of spaced apart elongated slots;
- and
- a fourth anti-teeter bar arranged in the fourth vertical opening and extending across the second of the pair of spaced apart elongated slots.
11 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.