Stackable packaged goods pallet

A pallet for use in transporting packaged goods, comprising:

• a front side wall, a right side wall, a rear side wall, and a left side wall, the pallet having a central longitudinal axis running from the left side wall to the right side wall;
• a base configured to support the packaged goods, the base being joined to each of the front side wall, right side wall, rear side wall, and left side wall such that each side wall is orthogonal to the base, the base including an upper surface and a lower surface, the upper surface being substantially planar, and the lower surface including a first set of ribs substantially perpendicular and adjacent to the central longitudinal axis of the pallet;
• and
• a plurality of pairs of stacking feet configured to support the base of the pallet, wherein a first pair of stacking feet are located adjacent the left side wall, a second pair of stacking feet are located adjacent the right side wall, and a third pair of stacking feet are located between the first pair of stacking feet and second pair of stacking feet, and wherein each of the stacking feet in the first pair of stacking feet includes a substantially horizontal floor portion and an angled portion originating from the substantially horizontal floor portion, and wherein, the angled portion is formed at an angle in the range of about 5° to about 20° with respect to a plane of the substantially horizontal portion of the first pair of stacking feet, such that a plane of the angled portion of the first pair of stacking feet intersects a plane of the base of the pallet, and further wherein each of the stacking feet in the second pair of stacking feet includes a substantially horizontal floor portion and an angled portion originating from the substantially horizontal floor portion, wherein, the angled portion is formed at an angle in the range of about 10° to about 20° with respect to a plane of the substantially horizontal portion of the second pair of stacking feet, such that a plane of the angled portion of the second pair of stacking feet intersects a plane of the base of the pallet, and further wherein, the angled portions of each of the first pair of stacking feet and second stacking feet are configured to enable the pallet to be transported over an inclined ramp without substantially interfering with the inclined ramp, and still further wherein each stacking foot further includes:
• a lower step, wherein the lower step is located at a lower-most and outer-most portion of said each stacking foot, and wherein the lower step is configured to increase stability of the pallet by providing additional surface area to carry weight, and to increase a width of the at least one or more stacking feet of the pallet, said lower step having a longitudinal length between about 80 percent and about 100 percent of a longitudinal length of a flat bottom of said each foot;
• and
• an upper step located above said lower step on said outermost portion of said each stacking foot, and configured to provide further surface area to carry weight, said upper step having a longitudinal length substantially equal to the longitudinal length of said lower step.

A pallet for use in transporting packaged goods, comprising:

• a front side wall, a right side wall, a rear side wall, and a left side wall, the pallet having a central longitudinal axis running from the left side wall to the right side wall;
• a base configured to support the packaged goods, the base being joined to each of the front side wall, right side wall, rear side wall, and left side wall such that each side wall is orthogonal to the base, the base including an upper surface and a lower surface, the upper surface being substantially planar, and the lower surface including a first set of ribs substantially perpendicular and adjacent to the central longitudinal axis of the pallet;
• and
• a plurality of pairs of stacking feet configured to support the base of the pallet, wherein each stacking foot in each pair of stacking feet is substantially equidistant from the central longitudinal axis of the pallet, thereby forming a set of front side wall stacking feet and a set of rear side wall stacking feet, and still further wherein each stacking foot further includes:
• a lower step, wherein the lower step is located at a lower-most and outer-most portion of said each stacking foot, and wherein the lower step is configured to increase stability of the pallet by providing additional surface area to carry weight, and to increase a width of the said each stacking foot of the pallet, said lower step having a longitudinal length between about 80 percent and about 100 percent of a longitudinal length of a flat bottom of said each foot;
• and
• an upper step located above said lower step on said outermost portion of said each stacking foot, and configured to provide further surface area to carry weight, said upper step having a longitudinal length substantially equal to the longitudinal length of said lower step, and further wherein,
• the set of front side wall stacking feet are located at a predetermined distance from the front side wall, and the set of rear side wall stacking feet are located at a predetermined distance from the rear side wall, such that a first tine from a lifting device can be located adjacent the set of front side wall stacking feet, and a second tine from a lifting device can be located adjacent the set of rear side wall stacking feet, such that each of the first tine and the second tine is substantially parallel to the central longitudinal axis of the pallet, thereby further enabling the pallet to be lifted by the first and second tines.

A pallet for use in transporting packaged goods, comprising:

• a front side wall, a right side wall, a rear side wall, and a left side wall, the pallet having a central longitudinal axis running from the left side wall to the right side wall;
• a base configured to support the packaged goods, the base being joined to each of the front side wall, right side wall, rear side wall, and left side wall such that each side wall is orthogonal to the base;
• a plurality of pairs of stacking feet configured to support the base of the pallet, wherein each stacking foot in each pair of stacking feet is substantially equidistant from the central longitudinal axis of the pallet, and still further wherein each stacking foot further includes:
• a lower step, wherein the lower step is located at a lower-most and outer-most portion of said each stacking foot, and wherein the lower step is configured to increase stability of the pallet by providing additional surface area to carry weight of packaged goods, and to increase a width of said each stacking foot of the pallet, said lower step having a longitudinal length between about 80 percent and about 100 percent of a longitudinal length of a flat bottom of said each foot;
• and
• an upper step located above said lower step on said outermost portion of said each stacking foot, and configured to provide further surface area to carry weight, said upper step having a longitudinal length substantially equal to the longitudinal length of said lower step, and further wherein,
• the base including an upper surface and a lower surface, the upper surface being substantially planar, and the lower surface including:
• a first set of ribs substantially perpendicular and adjacent to the central longitudinal axis of the pallet,
• a second set of ribs located within an area defined by an outer perimeter of the plurality of pairs of stacking feet but not where the first set of ribs are located, and
• a third set of ribs located outside the area of the first and second set of ribs, wherein each of the ribs of the first and second set of ribs are taller than each of the ribs of the third set of ribs.

A method for transporting packaged goods on a pallet from a first location to a second location, the pallet comprising (i) a base including an upper surface and a lower surface, (ii) a front side wall, a right side wall, a rear side wall, and a left side wall, (iii) a plurality of handles, and (iv) a plurality of stacking feet, the pallet having a central longitudinal axis running between the left side wall and the right side wall, and wherein each of the plurality of stacking feet is substantially equidistant from the central longitudinal axis, and wherein the plurality of stacking feet includes (iva) a first pair of stacking feet located adjacent to the left side wall of the pallet, and (ivb) a second pair of stacking feet located adjacent the right side wall, and wherein each stacking foot of the first and second pair of stacking feet includes an angled portion, and still further wherein said each stacking foot includes a lower step located at a lower-most and outer-most portion of said each stacking foot, and wherein the lower step is configured to increase stability of the pallet by providing additional surface area to carry weight, and to increase a width of said each stacking foot of the pallet, said lower step having a longitudinal length between about 80 percent and about 100 percent of a longitudinal length of a flat bottom of said each foot;

• and an upper step located above said lower step on said outermost portion of said each stacking foot, and configured to provide further surface area to carry weight, said upper step having a longitudinal length substantially equal to the longitudinal length of said lower step, the method comprising:
• loading the packaged goods onto the pallet;
• positioning a first tine of a lifting mechanism adjacent to the left side wall and substantially parallel to the central longitudinal axis and positioning a second tine of a lifting mechanism adjacent to the right side wall and substantially parallel to the central longitudinal axis;
• lifting the loaded pallet using the lifting mechanism;
• and
• transporting the lifted loaded pallet from a first area to a second area by traversing an inclined ramp between the first and second areas, wherein the angled portions of the respective stacking feet enable the pallet to traverse the ramp in a substantially unimpeded manner.

A pallet for use in transporting packaged goods, comprising:

• a front side wall, a right side wall, a rear side wall, and a left side wall, the pallet having a central longitudinal axis running from the left side wall to the right side wall;
• a base configured to hold the packaged goods, the base being joined to each of the front side wall, right side wall, rear side wall, and left side wall such that each side wall is orthogonal to the base, the base including an upper surface and a lower surface, the upper surface being substantially planar, and the lower surface including a first set of ribs substantially perpendicular and adjacent to the central longitudinal axis of the pallet;
• and
• a plurality of pairs of stacking feet configured to support the base of the pallet, wherein each stacking foot in each pair of stacking feet is substantially equidistant from the central longitudinal axis of the pallet, and still further wherein said each stacking foot further includes:
• a lower step, wherein the lower step is located at a lower-most and outer-most portion of said each stacking foot, and wherein the lower step is configured to increase stability of the pallet by providing additional surface area to carry weight, and to increase a width of said each stacking foot of the pallet, said lower step having a longitudinal length between about 80 percent and about 100 percent of a longitudinal length of a flat bottom of said each foot;
• and
• an upper step located above said lower step on said outermost portion of said each stacking foot, and configured to provide further surface area to carry weight, said upper step having a longitudinal length substantially equal to the longitudinal length of said lower step, and further wherein each rib in the first set of ribs is configured to join a respective pair of stacking feet together to substantially inhibit the respective pair of stacking feet from spreading when the pallet rests upon the stacking feet.