Structural cardboard runner, pallet, shipping article

A pallet comprising:

• a plurality of parallel tubular structural runners made of stiff sheeting;
• a plurality of structural cross beams made of similar stiff sheeting and positioned orthogonally on the runners;
• and
• a deck attached atop the runners and cross beams;
• the runners and cross beams each including a cross section formed from a single sheet with a continuous first section of the sheet folded to form internal walls defining an M shape and further with a remaining second section of the sheet folded to form a perimeter wall enclosing the internal walls and forming a tubular shape;
• the runners and cross beams each having mating first notches spaced from but near ends thereof and at least one mating notch at an intermediate location with a size and depth of the first notches and mating notch being such that the runners and cross beams fit snugly matably together at each cross location to form orthogonally-strong structural connections, and at least the runners further having second notches for receiving tines of a fork truck.

An article for shipping a product, comprising:

• a plurality of tubular elongated structural beams made of stiff cardboard sheeting, the structural beams each including a cross section with internal walls forming an M shape and further with a perimeter wall enclosing the internal walls to form a tubular shape;
• the beams engaging each other and extending orthogonally to each other to define a space frame with each beam extending generally parallel one of twelve edges of a box shaped product;
• and
• polymeric corner pieces at each corner of the box shape, the corner pieces each including an inner surface for engaging and supporting the product therein for shipment, each of the corner pieces further including at least one channel for receiving and engaging at least one of the beams for holding the product safely within the space frame during shipment.