US 5,505,141 AGranted

Plastic pallet

OwnerRoy W. Barberinventor

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Abstract

A plastic pallet is formed of two identical interlocking and mating components joined along a common center plane. At least one internal component is stepped, with the steps of two components fitting together to interlock the two components together when they are assembled. The two components include integrally formed plural spaced apart deck boards, tiedown passages, and fork lift slots or passages in each of the four sides of the rectangular assembly. A generally rectangular peripheral structure and a cruciform central structure are provided for additional reinforcement. The two halves are bolted together for use, with an assembled pallet being easily disassembled to remove a damaged component for replacement. As the two components comprising the present pallet are identical, they may be cast or formed in a single mold, or in identical molds, with any half pallet component serving as a replacement. The components are preferably formed of thermoplastic material which may be recycled if damaged or otherwise rendered unsuitable for further use.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A plastic pallet comprising:

a first pallet half and a second pallet half, with each said pallet half being identical to one another and being monolithically form med entirely of plastic material and devoid of other materials;
each said pallet half halving a substantially rectangular said peripheral member with a plurality of spaced apart deck boards extending thereacross and formed integrally therewith, with each said peripheral member having a flat surface defining a mating plane for each said pallet half when each said pallet half is joined together to form said pallet;
each said pallet half further including at least one stepped central crossmember extending across said peripheral member and formed integrally therewith, said crossmember being evenly divided lengthwise into a portion protruding above said mating plane of said peripheral member and a portion depressed below said mating plane of said peripheral member, thereby defining an elongate step extending across said peripheral member of each said pallet half, and,
each said pallet half being placed together with each said mating plane of each said peripheral member in mating contact, with said protruding portion of said first pallet half crossmember mating with said depressed portion of said second pallet half crossmember and said protruding portion of said second pallet half crossmember mating with said depressed portion of said first pallet half crossmember to removably interlock each said pallet half together to form a completed pallet.

1 more element

A plastic pallet component comprising:

a pallet half monolithically formed entirely of plastic material and devoid of other materials;
said pallet half having a substantially rectangular peripheral member with a plurality of spaced apart deck boards extending thereacross and formed integrally therewith, with said. perpheral member having a flat surface defining a mating plane for said pallet half;
said pallet half further including at least one stepped central crossmember extending across said peripheral member and formed integrally therewith, said crossmember being evenly divided lengthwise into a portion protruding above said mating plane of said peripheral member and a portion depressed below said mating plane of said peripheral member, thereby defining an elongate step extending across said peripheral member of said pallet half, whereby;
said pallet half is adapted to be placed together with another said pallet half of identical configuration, with said elongate step of said peripheral member of said pallet half interlocking with said another said pallet half of identical configuration to provide a completed pallet assembly.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.