Plastic pallet with snap-pins and associated method for making the same
AssigneeCHEP Technology Pty Limited
InventorVishnu Naidu
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A pallet includes an upper and lower deck. The upper deck includes snap-pin openings. First joining members project downwardly from the upper deck, with each first joining member including an outer sleeve surrounding a respective snap-pin opening. Second joining members project upwardly from the lower deck, with each second joining member including an inner sleeve and a snap-pin receiving cavity positioned therein. The inner sleeves receive the outer sleeves to define support blocks joining the upper and lower decks. Snap-pins are inserted into the snap-in openings in the upper deck. Each snap-pin includes a head for engaging a snap-pin opening, and spaced apart tips that extend through the snap-pin receiving cavity for engaging a backside of the inner sleeve associated therewith.
Claims27
A pallet comprising:
- an upper deck including a plurality of snap-pin openings;
- a plurality of first joining members that project downwardly from said upper deck, each first joining member integrally molded with said upper deck and including an outer sleeve surrounding a respective snap-pin opening;
- a lower deck;
- a plurality of second joining members that project upwardly from said lower deck, each second joining member integrally molded with said lower deck and including an inner sleeve and a snap-pin receiving cavity positioned therein;
- the inner sleeves of said plurality of second joining members receiving the outer sleeves of said plurality of first joining members to define a plurality of support blocks joining said upper and lower decks;
- and
- a plurality of snap-pins inserted into the plurality of snap-pin openings in said upper deck, each snap-pin comprising
- an integrally formed closed headend for engaging a snap-pin opening,
- a body coupled to said integrally formed closed headend and extending within the snap-pin receiving cavity, and comprising a pair of spaced apart sides and at least one lateral strut extending therebetween, and
- a pair of spaced apart tips coupled to said at least one lateral strut and extending through the snap-pin receiving cavity for resiliently engaging a backside of the inner sleeve associated therewith, said pair of spaced apart tips extending beyond a width of said integrally formed closed headend to function as a fusable link by breaking off when an excessive separation force is applied between said upper and lower decks.
A pallet comprising:
- an upper deck including a plurality of snap-pin openings;
- a plurality of first joining members that project downwardly from said upper deck, each first joining member including an outer sleeve surrounding a respective snap-pin opening;
- a lower deck;
- a plurality of second joining members that project upwardly from said lower deck, each second joining member including an inner sleeve, a snap-pin receiving cavity positioned therein, and a plurality of ribs extending between the inner sleeve and the snap-pin receiving cavity;
- the inner sleeves of said plurality of second joining members receiving the outer sleeves of said plurality of first joining members to define a plurality of support blocks joining said upper and lower decks;
- and
- a plurality of snap-pins inserted into the plurality of snap-pin openings in said upper deck, each snap-pin comprising
- an integrally formed closed headend for engaging a snap-pin opening,
- a body coupled to said integrally formed closed headend and extending within the snap-pin receiving cavity, and comprising a pair of spaced apart sides and at least one lateral strut extending therebetween, and
- a pair of spaced apart tips coupled to said at least one lateral strut and extending through the snap-pin receiving cavity for resiliently engaging a backside of the inner sleeve associated therewith, said pair of spaced apart tips extending beyond a width of said integrally formed closed headend to function as a fusable link by breaking off when an excessive separation force is applied between said upper and lower decks.
A method for making a pallet comprising upper and lower decks, the upper deck including a plurality of snap-pin openings, a plurality of first joining members that project downwardly from the upper deck, with each first joining member including an outer sleeve surrounding a respective snap-pin opening, and a plurality of second joining members that project upwardly from the lower deck, with each second joining member including an inner sleeve and a snap-pin receiving cavity positioned therein, the method comprising:
- positioning the inner sleeves of the plurality of second joining members for receiving the outer sleeves of the plurality of first joining members to define a plurality of support blocks joining the upper and lower decks;
- and
- inserting a plurality of snap-pins into the plurality of snap-pin openings in the upper deck, each snap-pin comprising
- an integrally formed closed headend for engaging a snap-pin opening,
- a body coupled to the integrally formed closed headend and extending within the snap-pin receiving cavity, and comprising a pair of spaced apart sides and at least one lateral strut extending therebetween, and
- a pair of spaced apart tips coupled to the at least one lateral strut and extending through the snap-pin receiving cavity for resiliently engaging a backside of the inner sleeve associated therewith, the pair of spaced apart tips extending beyond a width of the integrally formed closed headend to function as a fusable link by breaking off when an excessive separation force is applied between the upper and lower decks.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.