Method and apparatus for forming a hinge for laminated corrugated material

A corrugated plastic board-like member comprising:

• a corrugated board-like member formed from a plastic material and having at least three layers comprising an intermediate corrugated member having crests and valleys sandwiched between two generally planar sheet-like panel members where one of said generally planar sheet-like panel members is secured to said intermediate corrugated member at said crests and the other of said generally planar sheet-like panel members is secured to said intermediate corrugated member at said valleys so that said two generally planar sheet-like panel members and said intermediate corrugated member are spaced apart from each other except at said crests or valleys;
• said corrugated plastic board-like member having a flat body portion;
• said flat body portion defined by opposite pairs of parallel edges;
• an integral lip portion extending outwardly from at least one of said edges and extending upwardly therefrom at an included angle to said flat body portion of less than 180 degrees;
• integral hinge means for connecting said lip portion to said flat body portion along said at least one of said edges;
• and
• said integral hinge means comprising at least two spaced apart welded portions welding together superposed and abutting portions of said intermediate corrugated member and said two generally planar sheet-like panel members, said two spaced apart welded portion extending in directions parallel to said at least one of said edges and to each other so that the portions of said two generally planar sheet-like panel members and said intermediate corrugated member located between said two spaced apart welded portions remain separated from each other except for the location therein of any crest or valley.

A plastic slip pallet for holding a load of boxes, or the like comprising:

• a slip pallet formed from a plastic material;
• said plastic slip pallet having a flat body portion on which said boxes are supported;
• said flat body portion defined by opposite pairs of parallel edges to provide a peripheral configuration generally corresponding to the peripheral configuration formed by said boxes;
• said flat body portion having generally planar top and bottom surfaces;
• at least one integral lip portion having generally planar top and bottom surfaces located alongside at least one of said edges and extending upwardly therefrom so that between said top surface of said lip portion and said top surface of said flat body portion there is an included angle less than 180 degrees;
• integral hinge means for connecting said lip portion to said flat body portion along said at least one of said edges;
• at least a portion of said integral hinge means being located below said generally planar bottom surface of said flat body portion so that when an unloaded plastic slip pallet is supported on a generally planar support surface, there exists a space between at least a major portion of said generally planar bottom surface of said flat body portion and said generally planar support surface so that when said boxes are loaded onto said flat body portion, said major portion of said generally planar bottom surface thereof will be moved into contact with said generally planar support surface and move said lip portion to decrease said included angle between said top surface of said lip portion and said top surface of said flat body portion.