Paper Pallet With an Immproved Configuration

This invention is directed to a system for forming a paper pallet. More specifically, it is directed to a system for forming a cardboard pallet having an improved configuration. This cardboard pallet is formed from cardboard panels which may or may not have been suitably treated or processed for increased rigidity.

Cardboard pallets are a necessity in the storage and transport of many industrial products. A single-decked pallet of the prior art generally includes at least three stringers which are parallel and spaced apart by a preset distance, a forklift member entry being provided between adjacent stringers. Such a pallet has a deckboard formed by a plurality of elongate wooden panels attached transversely across the top of the stringers. As lumber becomes increasingly scarce, there will be an increasing need for such wooden pallets to be replaced by pallets formed from other materials such as condensed cardboard panels. Cardboard panels, however, possess significantly less strength than wood panels. Consequently, prior art pallets formed from condensed cardboard panels generally suffer from several notable shortcomings.

Referring to FIGS. 1, 2, and 3, a prior art cardboard pallet 1 includes a deckboard 11 which is formed from a plurality of layered cardboard panels. Such a multi-layered deckboard 11 is supported by a number of cardboard stringers 12 attached to its underside. Manufacture of this prior art pallet 11 requires much time and skilled effort, as it invariably requires complex assembly steps practically suited only for manual assembly. For instance, a cardboard panel must be folded to form a stringer 12 before it is individually attached to the underside of the deckboard 11 by adhesive. Thus, the daily manufacturing yield of stringers 12, and consequently the manufacturing yield of pallets 1, is extremely low.

Another shortcoming of prior art pallets 1 resides in the fact that deckboard 11, being formed from layered cardboard panels, is characterized by relatively poor strength, bending quite easily when anything more than a nominal load is applied. This lack of strength results because the corrugations which provide reinforcement against forces applied parallel to the plane of each cardboard panel are not optimally oriented. The load applied on a pallet 1 generates primarily a downward force which is perpendicular to the direction along which the corrugations extend. The corrugations, therefore, are essentially of no consequence in reinforcing deckboard 11 against deformation due to such force, and where it has formed on its surface a fold line, the supporting strength of deckboard 11 is diminished even more. Stress concentration occurs along such a fold line, with pallet 1 eventually experiencing structural failure along that fold line if the load is not soon removed.

Some manufacturers add hardware maintenance or increase the layers of stringers 12 and deckboard 11 to enhance the strength of cardboard pallet 1, but the strength added thereby is limited. Moreover, when pallet 1 is lifted by a forklift, the entire load of that pallet 1 will fall directly on deckboard 11, causing it to bend. No amount of hardening agent and no practical number of additional layers will enable deckboard 11 to overcome the lack of strength inherent in its structural configuration. Hence, such a prior art cardboard pallet 1 is insufficient to replace wooden panels.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a system for forming a cardboard pallet with an improved configuration to withstand more stress applied by loads than prior art cardboard pallets are able to withstand.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a cardboard pallet with an improved configuration wherein the corrugations of the cardboard panels employed are optimally oriented such that they provide substantial reinforcement against loads.

It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a cardboard pallet wherein the deckboard and its stringers are integrally formed to optimize the supporting strength realized thereby.

The objects and other advantages of the present invention will become more apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment, especially when considered in conjunction with the accompanying Drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a prior art cardboard pallet;

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view, partially cut-away, of a portion of the prior art cardboard pallet of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an elevational view of the prior art cardboard pallet of FIG. 1 illustrating the effect of a downward force applied thereto;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view partially cut-away, of the preferred embodiment of the cutting device of the present invention illustrating the placement thereon of a cardboard panel to be cut;

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view, partially cut-away, of the preferred embodiment of the cutting device of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of the preferred embodiment of a pallet forming system of the present invention illustrating the interaction of the extrusion mechanism and cutting device;

FIG. 7(a)-7(d) is a schematic diagram illustrating the sequential formation of a portion of a cardboard pallet formed according to the present invention;

FIG. 8 is an exploded perspective view of the preferred embodiment of a cardboard pallet made at according to the present invention;

FIG. 9 is an elevational view of the cardboard pallet shown in FIG. 7 illustrating the downward stress applied thereto by a load;

FIG. 10 is an elevational view of a second embodiment of a cardboard pallet made according to the present invention;

FIG. 11 is an exploded perspective view of a third embodiment of a cardboard pallet made according to the present invention; and,

FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view of the cardboard pallet shown in FIG. 11.

Referring now to FIGS. 4 and 5, there is shown a cutting device A made according to the present invention. Cutting device A generally comprises a cutting board 2 for cutting a cardboard panel 3. A plurality of through openings 21 having a predetermined peripheral contour are provided through the planar surface of cutting board 2. A cutter 22 is provided around the periphery of each through opening 21. Adjacent the outer sides of the cutters 22 are provided resilient stop portions 23 preferably formed of a rubber composition and affixed to the cutting board 2. A downward projecting rim portion 24 is provided at the edges of the cutting board 2.

The cutting board 2 is coupled to a box-like support frame 4 having a predetermined height. The support frame 4 is open at its top and bottom portions, the edges that form its top portion being adapted to engage the rim portion 24 of cutting board 2.

Coupled to the bottom portion of support frame 4 is a base board 5 having a flange portion 51 projecting upward along its periphery. The bottom of the support frame portion 4 is adapted to be received within the flange portion 51.

A plurality of guide posts 52 extend substantially normally from base board 5, each aligning with a peripheral portion of a through opening 21 of the cutting board 2.

Referring to FIG. 6, there is shown a plurality of pallet forming systems U1-U4 of the present invention. In the operation of each system U1-U4, a cardboard panel 3 to be cut is first placed on a cutting device A. Cutting device A is then advanced to an adhesive application mechanism C which applies a layer of adhesive on the exposed planar surface of cardboard panel 3. Cutting device A is thereafter advanced to an extruding mechanism B which presses the cardboard panel 3 onto the cutting board 2 to thereby extrude and accumulate a plurality of cardboard extrusion members 3a (FIG. 7). Thus, when cutting device A passes through extruding mechanism B of one pallet forming system U1, one layer of cardboard panel extrusion members 3a is cut and collected therewithin. As cutting device A is advanced past extruding mechanism B, a blower mechanism W blows away cardboard debris. Cutting device A is then advanced to another pallet forming system U2 for a repetition of the preceding steps. This may be carried out by providing as many sequentially arranged pallet forming systems U2-U4 as necessary to form the desired number of layers of extrusion members 3a; or, in the alternative, by providing a looped conveying path to return cutting device A to the same forming system U1 after each iterative cycle of adhesive application, cardboard panel extrusion, and debris clearing.

Extruding mechanism B generally comprises a base platform, or table, 61 having a delivering roller 63 driven by a motor 62 connected thereto. Front and rear conveying mechanisms 64a and 64b are respectively provided at the-front and rear portions of table 61. Conveying mechanisms 64a, 64b may be of any length suitable for the desired application, and are preferably formed by a plurality of rollers 641.

A housing 65 is disposed above table 61, and a pressing roller 66 is provided a fixed distance above the delivering roller 63. An adjusting post 651 coupled to pressing roller 66 is provided to enable user-adjustment of the height of pressing roller 66 above delivering roller 63.

By this arrangement, cutting device A is advanced into the housing 65 on the rollers 641 of the front conveying mechanism 64a. When cutting device A reaches a predetermined position, the motor 62 is actuated and the roller 63 is responsively rotated. This urges the cutting device A forward. Meanwhile, the pressing roller 66 is contacted by cutting board 2 of device A and the cardboard panel 3 carried thereon. This causes pressing roller 66 to rotate counter-clockwise, and the cardboard panel 3 is pressed downward to be cut by the cutter 22.

An adhesive application mechanism C is provided in front of extruding mechanism B, such that adhesive is applied on cardboard panel 3 before it is cut. As a result, when the cardboard panel 3 is cut to form an extrusion member 3a having a predetermined shape captured within the cutter 22 to fill a through opening 21, the extrusion member 3a has a layer of adhesive already applied thereon. When the next cut extrusion member 3a is formed, it is adhesively pressed onto the previously formed extrusion member 3a.

Adhesive application mechanism C has a feed port 71 to receive an adhesive composition which is then applied on the cardboard panel 3 by a group of rollers 72, 73, and 74. Adhesive application mechanism C is a conventional mechanism, and no further description therefor is given.

Referring to FIGS. 7(A)-7(D), when a plurality of cardboard panels 3 are cut iteratively, a plurality of cut cardboard extrusion members 3a are accumulated in layers on base board 5, the layers being retained in alignment within guide posts 52. When a predetermined thickness of the accumulated layers is reached, the resulting cardboard assembly is removed from cutting device A for the formation of another such assembly.

Referring to FIG. 8, when the assembly of layered extrusion members 3a is removed from cutting device A, a reinforcing cardboard panel 3b is attached to an upper surface collectively formed by aligned edges of extrusion members 3a. Reinforcing cardboard panel 3b not only reinforces the assembly of extrusion members 3a from deformation, it prevents extrusion members 3a from separating when a shearing force results from an applied load. Greater durability of the resulting pallet D is thus achieved.

Referring to FIG. 10, pallet D may be provided with a second layer of cardboard panels 3c at the bottom thereof to further reinforce against deformation and separation of extrusion members 3a when pallet D is lifted by the forks of a forklift.

Referring to FIGS. 11 and 12, in order to further enhance the strength of pallet D so it may sustain greater loads, cutting device A may be used to cut more than one assembly of cardboard extrusion members 3a. By configuring a cutting device A to have through openings 21 of a variant peripheral contour and arranging cutter 22 accordingly on cutting board 2, a reinforcing assembly of extrusion members 3d may be formed by employing the steps already described. As shown in FIG. 11, this reinforcing assembly of extrusion members 3d may be attached to the upper surface of the assembly of extrusion members 3a in such a manner that the extrusion members 3d extend in a transverse direction relative to extension members 3a. By this arrangement, a stronger pallet D1 may be formed to sustain greater loads. More extrusion member assemblies may be added in this manner to further reinforce pallet D1. A reinforcing cardboard panel 3b may then be attached to an upper surface formed by the upper-most extrusion member assembly to enhance the strength of the pallet D1.

This invention, therefore, offers the following advantages. A pallet D, D1 made according to this invention is formed essentially by integration of a plurality of integrally-formed individual pallet units characterized by a common predetermined shape. The resulting configuration maintains the orientation of the cardboard panels employed such that substantially all their corrugations extend vertically, parallel to the loads applied to the pallet D, D1. Consequently, pallet D, D1 is able to sustain more load than prior art cardboard pallets. The main body portions of pallet D, D1 are sandwiched between reinforcing cardboard panels 3b, 3c. As a result, a stronger configuration is realized which is resistant to separation of its integrated individual pallet units.

A pallet D, D1 made according to, this invention may be efficiently manufactured, without substantial human intervention. Accordingly, the daily manufacturing yield of the pallet D, D1 may be several times that of a prior art cardboard pallet.

As the loads applied to a pallet D, D1 is parallel to substantially all the corrugations of the cardboard panel employed, pallet D, D1 is substantially immune to the detrimental effects on structural integrity of folds or cracks that may be present along its top surface.

Each of the individual cardboard extrusion members 3a, 3d of a given pallet D, D1 is cut by the same cutting device A, so the extrusion members 3a, 3d have virtually uniform peripheral contour. Furthermore, they are firmly bonded together by an adhesive thoroughly applied prior to their cutting.

Although the present invention has been described in connection with the preferred embodiments, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that many other variations and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. It is intended, therefore, that the present invention not be limited by the specific disclosure herein, but only by the appended Claims.