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US 7,111,561 B2Granted
Pallet assembly
AssigneeUniversal Package System, L.L.C.
InventorsJimmy D. Kulbeth, Raymond C. Niehaus, James Neil Davis
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Shown is a pallet assembly having a lid and a pallet, either or both of which can include one or more cam lock assemblies. A sleeve can be placed between the lid and pallet with the lid and pallet cam lock assemblies engaging the sleeve to secure the pallet for shipping things. Alternatively, the sleeve can be folded and placed between the lid and pallet with the lid cam lock assemblies engaging the pallet to secure the pallet assembly for empty return and later reuse.
Claims20
A cam lock assembly, comprising:
- (a.) a cylindrical cam;
- (b.) a handle;
- (c.) a spacer positioned between said handle and said cylindrical cam, said spacer interconnecting said cylindrical cam and said handle;
- and
- (d.) a lock, said lock having a cam engaging portion, a hook portion, and a connecting portion interconnecting said cam engaging portion and said hook portion, said cam engaging portion engaging said cam.
2 more elements
A pallet assembly, comprising:
- (a.) a lid,
- (1.) said lid having a lid outside and a lid inside;
- (2.) said lid having at least one lid cam lock assembly housed by a cam lock assembly housing;
- said at least one lid cam lock assembly having a cylindrical cam within said cam lock assembly housing, a handle accessible from said lid outside, a spacer interconnecting said handle and said cylindrical cam, and a lock, said lock having a cam engaging portion, a hook portion, and a connecting portion interconnecting said cam engaging portion and said hook portion, said cam engaging portion engaging said cam, said lock located on said lid inside;
- (b.) a pallet,
- (1.) said pallet having a pallet outside and a pallet inside, said pallet having a pallet base portion and a wall portion extending upward therefrom, said wall portion having an outer wall portion and an inner wall portion, said wall portion terminating in a lip portion;
- (2.) said inner wall portion having at least one lid cam lock receiving receptacle therein;
- (c.) where, said lid can be placed onto said pallet and supported thereon by said lip portion and said handle of said at least one lid cam lock assembly can be moved from an open position to a closed position, thereby having said hook portion of said lock of said at least one cam lock assembly engage said at least one lid cam lock receiving receptacle.
5 more elements
A pallet assembly, comprising:
- (a.) a lid,
- (1.) said lid having a lid outside and a lid inside, said lid having four sides;
- (2.) said lid having four lid cam lock assemblies each housed by a corresponding cam lock assembly housing;
- each of said four lid cam lock assemblies having a cylindrical cam within said corresponding cam lock assembly housing, a handle accessible from said lid outside, a spacer interconnecting said handle and said cylindrical cam, and a lock, said lock having a cam engaging portion, a hook portion, and a connecting portion interconnecting said cam engaging portion and said hook portion, said cam engaging portion engaging said cam, said lock located on said lid inside;
- (3.) where two of said four lid cam lock assemblies are located toward opposed ends of a first of said four sides and the other two of said four lid cam lock assemblies being located toward opposed ends of a second of said four sides, said second side and said first side being opposed sides;
- (b.) a pallet,
- (1.) said pallet having a pallet outside and a pallet inside, said pallet having a pallet base portion and a wall portion extending upward therefrom, said wall portion having an outer wall portion and an inner wall portion, said wall portion terminating in a lip portion;
- said pallet having four sides;
- (2.) said inner wall portion having four lid cam lock receiving receptacles therein, two of said four lid cam lock receiving receptacles being located toward opposed ends of a first of said four sides and the other two of said four lid cam lock receiving receptacles being located toward opposed ends of a second of said four sides, said second side and said first side being opposed sides;
- (c.) where, said lid can be placed onto said pallet and supported thereon by said lip portion, and said handle of each of said four lid cam lock assemblies can be moved from an open position to a closed position, thereby having said corresponding hook portion engage said corresponding lid cam lock receiving receptacle.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.