US 4,863,024 AGranted

Collapsible pallet and related products

OwnerClarence R. Boothinventor

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Abstract

The present invention is directed to pallets and related products, i.e. containers including the present invention pallets, which are made of elongated continuous sheet base material which includes side edges which are folded downwardly, inwardly, upwardly and again inwardly to form U-type channels. Inserted into these channels are channel supports which act to internally fortify the supporting capabilities of the channels and maybe corrugated cardboard, urethane foam, honeycomb structure of synthetic materials or the like. Both the channel supports and the channels have slots or cutouts through which a plurality of beams are passed at right angles to the channels. These beams not only fit snugly through the channels and the channel supports, but also press against the underside of the base to increase the structural capabilities of the invention. In an alternative embodiment, containers have extended walls which are folded inwardly, upwardly and then inwardly again to create the channels and the aforementioned channel supports and beams are applied concomitantly.

Claims30

Dependent claims

A pallet which comprises:

(a) an elongated continuous sheet base having side edges along its elongation and having two, opposite ends, said base having a top rectangular portion approximately centrally located said top rectangular portion having a topside and an underside, and having its ends folded, first, to form runner channels at each end, by being folded downwardly at approximately a right angle to establish an outside vertical surface, then being folded inwardly at approximately a right angle to establish a bottom surface, then being folded upwardly at approximately a right angle to establish an inside vertical surface, and to thereby form hollow, parallel U-type channels, and, second, to form undersupports, by being again folded at approximately a right angle to establish flat ends which act as undersupports and rest against the underside of said top rectangular portion, said U-type channels having a plurality of open slots aligned with one another in a straight line and at right angles to said U-type channels, said slots being closely located to said top rectangular portion;
(b) channel supports placed within the U-type channels, said supports being of adequate length, height and width to snugly fit within said U-type channels, said channel supports having cutouts of approximately equal dimensions to said slots and located to be coincidental therewith;
and,
(c) a plurality of beams being inserted into and running through said slots at approximately right angles to said U-type channels and running approximately the length of said top rectangular portion of said base.

1 more element

A container, comprising:

(a) a plurality of vertical wall panels and a bottom panel having a horizontal base, said panels being connected to one another to form a container, and
(b) said bottom panel being of extended length to form side wall supports and to form opposite, parallel, runner channels, by first being upwardly a predetermined height above the horizontal base and then 180.degree. downwardly to and past the horizontal base to form side wall supports and then extended further downwardly a predetermined length, then being folded inwardly at approximately a right angle to establish a bottom surface, then being folded upwardly at approximately a right angle to establish and inside vertical surface, and to thereby form hollow, parallel U-type channels, and, next to form undersupports, by being again folded at approximately a right angle to establish flat ends which act as undersupports and rest against the underside of said horizontal base of the bottom panel, said U-type channels having a plurality of open slots aligned with one another in a straight line and at right angles to said U-type channels, said slots being closely located to said horizontal base of the bottom panel;
(c) channel supports placed within the U-type channels, said supports being of adequate length, height and width to snugly fit within said U-type channels, said channel supports having cut outs of approximately equal dimensions to said slots and located to be coincidental therewith;
and,
(d) a plurality of beams being inserted into and running through said slots at approximately right angles to said U-type channels and running approximately the length of said horizontal base of the bottom panel.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.