# US 8,770,115 B2 · Pallet assembly > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,770,115 B2 - Document ID: US8770115B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/767,855 - Filed: 2013-02-14 - Published: 2013-08-29 - Granted: 2014-07-08 - Earliest claimed: 2012-02-14 - Assignees: Rehrig Pacific Company - Applicants: Rehrig Pacific Company - Inventors: William P. Apps; Sean T. Ogburn - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8770115B2 ## CPC - B65D 19/0004: {Rigid pallets without side walls} - B65D 19/0014: {forming discontinuous or non-planar contact surfaces} - B65D 2519/00034: Plastic - B65D 2519/00069: Plastic - B65D 2519/00129: Metal - B65D 2519/00139: Plastic - B65D 2519/00273: made of more than one piece - B65D 2519/00288: made of one piece - B65D 2519/00308: grid type, e.g. perforated plate - B65D 2519/00318: made of one piece - B65D 2519/00348: contact surface of other form - B65D 2519/00432: Non-integral, e.g. inserts (B65D2519/00462 takes precedence) - B65D 2519/00567: mechanical connection, e.g. snap-fitted - B65D 2519/00671: structures connecting corner posts to the pallet - B65D: CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES ## Abstract A pallet assembly includes an upper portion and a lower portion. The upper portion includes an upper deck for supporting items thereon and upper column portions extending downward from the upper deck. The upper column portions include a first upper column portion having a slot defined by a pair of slot walls. The lower portion includes a plurality of lower column portions including a first lower column portion. The first lower column portion includes a peripheral wall and a support structure having a pair of walls extending inward from the peripheral wall. One of the first upper column portion and the first lower column portion is received within the other, with the support structure received in the slot between the slot walls. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A pallet assembly comprising: an upper portion including an upper deck for supporting items thereon and upper column portions extending downward from the upper deck, the upper column portions including a first upper column portion having a slot defined by slot walls; and a lower portion including a plurality of lower column portions including a first lower column portion, the first lower column portion including a peripheral wall and a support structure having a pair of walls extending inward from the peripheral wall, one of the first upper column portion and the first lower column portion received within the other, the support structure received in the slot between the slot walls. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The pallet assembly of claim 1 further including a reinforcement member received in the slot in the first upper column portion above the support structure in the first lower column portion. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The pallet assembly of claim 2 wherein the support structure is the same height as the peripheral wall of the first lower column portion. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The pallet assembly of claim 1 wherein the first upper column portion is received within the first lower column portion. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The pallet assembly of claim 1 wherein the first upper column portion is snap-fit connected to the first lower column portion. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The pallet assembly of claim 1 wherein the slot in the first upper column portion is a lateral slot and the support structure in the first lower column portion is a lateral support structure, the first upper column portion further including a longitudinal slot extending through the first upper column portion in a direction generally perpendicular to the lateral slot, the first lower column portion further including a longitudinal support structure including a pair of walls extending from the peripheral wall, the longitudinal support structure received in the longitudinal slot. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The pallet assembly of claim 1 further including an upper wall extending across the pair of walls of the support structure. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The pallet assembly of claim 1 further including a plurality of runners connecting lower ends of the plurality of lower column portions. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The pallet assembly of claim 1 wherein the slot walls extend inward from a periphery of the first upper column portion. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The pallet assembly of claim 1 wherein the slot walls are generally parallel to one another and generally transverse to an upper peripheral wall of the first upper column portion. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The pallet assembly of claim 1 wherein the support structure is spaced away from an upper edge of the slot in which the support structure is received. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The pallet assembly of claim 1 wherein the peripheral wall of the first lower column portion extends between the pair of walls of the support structure. ### Claim 13 A pallet assembly comprising: an upper portion including an upper deck for supporting items thereon and a plurality of upper column portions extending downward from the upper deck, the plurality of upper column portions each having a slot defined by slot walls; and a lower portion including a plurality of lower column portions each including a peripheral wall and a support structure having a pair of walls extending inward from the peripheral wall, each of the plurality of upper column portions received within one of the plurality of lower column portions, with the support structure of each lower column portion received in the slot between the slot walls of the respective upper column portion. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The pallet assembly of claim 13 further including a reinforcement member received in the slots in the plurality of upper column portions above the support structures in the plurality of lower column portions. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The pallet assembly of claim 14 wherein the plurality of upper column portions are snap-fit connected to the plurality of lower column portions. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The pallet assembly of claim 13 wherein the slot in each of the plurality of upper column portions is a lateral slot and the support structure in each of the plurality of lower column portions is a lateral support structure, each of the plurality of upper column portions further including a longitudinal slot extending through the upper column portion in a direction generally perpendicular to the lateral slot, each of the plurality of lower column portions further including a longitudinal support structure including a pair of walls extending from the peripheral wall of the lower column portion, the longitudinal support structure of each of the plurality of lower column portions received in the longitudinal slot of the respective one of the of the plurality of upper column portions. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) The pallet assembly of claim 13 further including an upper wall extending across the pair of walls of the support structure. ### Claim 18 A pallet assembly comprising: an upper portion including an upper deck for supporting items thereon and a plurality of upper column portions extending downward from the upper deck, the plurality of upper column portions each having a slot defined by slot walls; a lower portion including a plurality of lower column portions each including a peripheral wall and a support structure having a pair of walls extending inward from the peripheral wall and an upper wall extending across the pair of walls of the support structure, each of the plurality of upper column portions received within one of the plurality of lower column portions, with the support structure of each lower column portion received in the slot between the slot walls of the respective upper column portion; and a reinforcement member received in the slots in the plurality of upper column portions above upper walls of the support structures in the plurality of lower column portions. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The pallet assembly of claim 18 wherein the slot walls extend inward from a periphery of the first upper column portion. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The pallet assembly of claim 18 wherein the slot walls are generally parallel to one another and generally transverse to an upper peripheral wall of the first upper column portion.