US20140208988A1

US20140208988A1 - Pallet

Info

Publication number: US20140208988A1
Application number: US14/034,583
Authority: US
Inventors: Hsiang-Lung Hsu; Xiao-Jing Zhang; Lian-Cheng Deng
Original assignee: Hongfujin Precision Industry Wuhan Co Ltd; Hon Hai Precision Industry Co Ltd
Current assignee: Hongfujin Precision Industry Wuhan Co Ltd; Hon Hai Precision Industry Co Ltd
Priority date: 2013-01-31
Filing date: 2013-09-24
Publication date: 2014-07-31
Also published as: CN103964047A

Abstract

A pallet includes two bottom plates and three supporting members. A plane is defined by the two bottom plates. The three supporting members are secured to the two bottom plates. A first passageway is defined between every adjacent two supporting members and allows for a forklift fork to be in along a first direction that is substantially perpendicular to the plane. The first passageway further allows for the forklift fork to slide out of along a second direction that is substantially perpendicular to the first direction.

Description

BACKGROUND

1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to transporting tools, and more particularly to a pallet for transporting merchandise.
2. Description of Related Art
A pallet is often used to transport merchandise by a forklift. The pallet comprises a plurality of bottom plates and a plurality of top plates secured to the plurality of bottom plates. A passageway is defined every adjacent two bottom plates to receive a forklift fork. When the merchandise needs to be transported, the merchandise is placed on the plurality of top plates, and forklift fork is received in the passageway to move the pallet. However, when the merchandise has been placed on the plurality of top plates, it is inconvenient for the forklift fork to disengage from the merchandise. Therefore, there is room for improvement within the art.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Many aspects of the embodiments can be better understood with reference to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the embodiments. Moreover, in the drawings, like-reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a pallet in accordance with an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is similar to FIG. 1, but viewed from a different aspect.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The disclosure is illustrated by way of example and not by way of limitation in the figures of the accompanying drawings in which like references indicate similar elements. It should be noted that references to “an” or “one” embodiment in this disclosure are not necessarily to the same embodiment, and such references mean “at least one”.
FIGS. 1-2 illustrate a pallet in accordance with an embodiment. The pallet comprises two bottom plates 20 and three supporting members 30 secured to the two bottom plates 20. In one embodiment, the two bottom plates 20 are substantially parallel to each other, and the three supporting members 30 are substantially parallel to each other and perpendicular to the two bottom plates 20.
A plane is defined by the two bottom plates 20. The pallet comprises two first passageways 40. Each first passageway 40 is defined between every adjacent two supporting members 30. A forklift fork (not shown) can be moved downward in a first direction (X) that is substantially perpendicular to the plane defined by the two bottom plates 20. The forklift fork also can be slid out of the two passageways 40 in second first direction (Y) that is substantially perpendicular to the first direction (X).
Each supporting member 30 comprises two side panels 32 and a plurality of top panels 31 secured to the two side panels 32. The two side panels 32 are secured to the two bottom plates 20, and the plurality of top panels 31 are located on a same plane and substantially parallel to the two bottom plates 20.
Each side panel 32 comprises a bottom surface 34. A first cutout 35 and a second cutout 36 are defined in the bottom surface 34. In one embodiment, the plurality of first cutouts 35 of the supporting members 30 is arranged at in a first straight line to define a second passageway 37. The plurality of second cutouts 36 of the supporting member 30 are arranged at in a second straight line to define a third passageway 38. The second passageway 37 is substantially parallel to the third passageway 38. The forklift fork can be slid into the second passageway 37 and the third passageway 38 in a third direction (Z) that is substantially perpendicular to the first direction (X) and the second direction (Y).
The plurality of top panels 31 are used to contact the merchandise, and a receiving space 33 is defined between every adjacent two top panels 31. The receiving space 33 is used to receive an extending portion, such as a wheel, located on the bottom portion of the merchandise. Thus, if the merchandise comprises a wheel located on the bottom portion, the wheel is received in the receiving space 33, the main body of the merchandise contacts with the plurality of top panel 31, and the merchandise can be stably set on the pallet.
In use, when the merchandise is placed on the pallet, the merchandise is lift up by the forklift fork. Until the forklift fork is moved above the two first passageways 40 and aligned with the two first passageways 40, the forklift fork is moved in the first direction (X, downward) and into the two passageways 40 to place the merchandise on the plurality of top panels 31. When the merchandise is located on the plurality of top panels 31, the forklift fork is slid out of the two passageways 40 in the second direction (Y).
When the merchandise needs to be removed from the pallet, the forklift fork is slid into the two passageways 40 in a direction opposite to the second direction (Y). When the merchandise is lifted by the forklift fork, the forklift fork is moved in direction opposite to the first direction (X, upward) to remove the merchandise from the pallet.
When the merchandise and the pallet together need to move, the forklift fork is slid into the second passageway 37 and the third passageway 38 in the third direction (Z). When the forklift fork is received in the second passageway 37 and the third passageway 38, the forklift fork is moved upward, and the merchandise and the pallet can be moved.
It is to be understood, however, that even though numerous characteristics and advantages have been set forth in the foregoing description of embodiments, together with details of the structures and functions of the embodiments, the disclosure is illustrative only and changes may be made in detail, especially in the matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the disclosure to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A pallet comprising:

two bottom plates; a plane is defined by the two bottom plates;

three supporting members secured to the two bottom plates and configured to support merchandise; and a first passageway is defined between every adjacent two supporting members;

wherein the first passageway allows for a forklift fork to extend therethrough along a first direction that is substantially perpendicular to the plane defined by the two bottom plates, and the first passageway further allows for the forklift fork to slide out of the first passageway, along a second direction that is substantially perpendicular to the first direction.

2. The pallet of claim 1, wherein each supporting member comprises two side panels and a plurality of top panels secured to the two side panels; and the two side panels are secured to the two bottom plates.

3. The pallet of claim 2, wherein each side panels is substantially perpendicular to the each bottom plate.

4. The pallet of claim 2, wherein each top panel is substantially perpendicular to each side panel and parallel to each bottom plate.

5. The pallet of claim 2, wherein the two side panels are substantially parallel each other.

6. The pallet of claim 2, wherein a receiving space is defined between adjacent two of the plurality of top panels for receiving an extending portion of the merchandise.

7. The pallet of claim 2, wherein a first cutout and a second cutout is defined in each side panel; the first cutout of each side panel is arranged at in a first straight line to define a second passageway, the second cutout of each side panel is arranged at in a second straight line to define a third passageway, and the second passageway and the third passageway allow the forklift fork to be in along a third direction that is substantially perpendicular to the first direction and the second direction.

8. The pallet of claim 7, wherein the second passageway is substantially parallel to the third passageway.

9. A pallet comprising:

two bottom plates; a plane is defined by the two bottom plates;

three supporting members secured to the two bottom plates and configured to support merchandise; a first passageway and a second passageway are defined between every adjacent two supporting members, and the first passageway is substantially perpendicular to the second passageway;

wherein the first passageway allows for a forklift fork to extend therethrough, along a first direction that is substantially perpendicular to the plane defined by the two bottom plates, the first passageway further allows for the forklift fork to slide out of the first passageway, along a second direction that is substantially perpendicular to the first direction; and the second passageway allows the forklift fork to be extend therethrough along a third direction that is substantially perpendicular to the first direction and the second direction.

10. The pallet of claim 9, wherein each supporting member comprises two side panels and a plurality of top panels secured to the two side panels; the two side panels are secured to the two bottom plates, and the plurality of top panels are configured to support the merchandise.

11. The pallet of claim 10, wherein each side panels is substantially perpendicular to the each bottom plate.

12. The pallet of claim 10, wherein each top panel is substantially perpendicular to each side panel and parallel to each bottom plate.

13. The pallet of claim 10, wherein the two side panels are substantially parallel each other.

14. The pallet of claim 10, wherein a receiving space is defined between adjacent two of the plurality of top panels for receiving an extending portion of the merchandise.

15. The pallet of claim 10, wherein a first cutout is defined in each side panel; and the second passageway is defined by the first cutout of each side panel.

16. The pallet of claim 15, wherein a second cutout is defined in each side panel, the second cutout of each side panel is arranged at in a straight line to define a third passageway, and the third passageway is substantially parallel to the second passageway.