Cory D. Greene - Endeavor WI, US Mark A. Holmes - Portage WI, US
Assignee:
Wilbert, Inc. - Broadview IL
International Classification:
B65D019/38
US Classification:
108 5725
Abstract:
A Conveyorable Plastic Thermoformed Pallet, having a support member and support legs with outer walls, internal walls and inner walls, is utilized to transport product on a conveyor system. The Pallet is made using a twin-sheet thermoforming process that requires two molds for an upper sheet of thermoplastic material and a lower sheet of thermoplastic material. The upper sheet forms a top deck of the support member and the internal walls of the support legs. The lower sheet forms the underside of the support member, the inner walls of the support legs, and leg bottoms. Both sheets are fused to form the twin-sheet outer walls. The upper sheet also forms web strips which stabilize the walls of the support legs and prevent deflection of the walls.
Henry F. Brown - Portage WI Cory D. Greene - Portage WI
Assignee:
TriEnda Corporation - Portage WI
International Classification:
B65D 1900
US Classification:
206600
Abstract:
Two twin-sheet thermoformed thermoplastic sleeve halves engage within peripheral grooves in an underlying pallet and an overlying cover. Each sleeve half has a full wall which is connected by integrally thermoformed hinges to two partial walls. The integral connection between the sleeve walls gives advantageous rigidity to the pallet sleeve assembly, while the hinging of the walls allows economical manufacture and low volume flat storage of the sleeve halves in a knocked-down configuration. The hinges preferably have non-specific hinge axes, thereby providing long hinge life, impact resistance, and ease of operation. Vertical substrate tubes are totally encapsulated into each sleeve half to carry loads from a supported loaded pallet sleeve assembly. To effectively transfer the loads from the cover to the sleeve, sinuous transfer ridges are molded on the sleeves above and below the vertical substrate tubes. The transfer ridges are positioned directly beneath the cover reinforcing substrate to maximize the assembly's load supporting capability.