Preformed modules to manufacture pallets and pallets obtained therefrom

Abstract

Preformed modules for making pallets include basic crossbar profiles and additional long and short crossbar profiles, basic and additional board profiles, and connection fittings. Each crossbar profile includes a preformed body having a cross section with a framework of laminar baffles, which define a plurality of cells, a perimetric covering, and longitudinally extending engagement elements. Each of the basic and additional board profiles is laminated and includes a plurality of cells, a perimetric covering, and at least one longitudinal engagement element on the perimetric cover. The crossbar profiles support the board profiles by means of the connection fittings. A pallet includes some or all of the modules described above.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . Preformed modules for making pallets including support crossbars and a platform including a plurality of boards mounted on the crossbars, the cross bars being spaced apart to allow the introduction of the fork of a lifting machine, the performed modules comprising: 
 basic crossbar profiles and additional long and short crossbar profiles, each crossbar profile including a preformed body having a cross section with a framework of laminar baffles that define a plurality of cells, a perimetric covering and longitudinally extending engagement elements;    basic and additional board profiles, each board profile being laminated and including a plurality of cells, a perimetric covering, and at least one longitudinal engagement element on the perimetric covering; and    connection fittings, wherein the crossbar profiles support the board profiles by means of the fittings.    
     
     
         2 . Modules according to  claim 1 , wherein each basic crossbar profile module continuously extends a length of the pallet and has a continuous longitudinal wing on at least one of its side faces, the wing and the side face forming a side cover of the pallet, a height of the wing being at least equal to a thickness of the board profiles.  
     
     
         3 . Modules according to  claim 2 , wherein each additional long crossbar module has longitudinal wings on one of its side faces, a height of each wing is about equal to a thickness of the board profile modules.  
     
     
         4 . Modules according to  claim 1  wherein the short additional crossbar profile modules includes the supports for the board profiles and are connected to each other by one additional board profile.  
     
     
         5 . Modules according to  claim 1 , wherein the additional board module is sandwiched between additional short crossbar modules and the basic board profile modules.  
     
     
         6 . Modules according to  claim 1 , wherein each additional board module has a longitudinal central female engagement groove on one of its faces, while an opposite face has a pair of female longitudinal grooves close to its lateral sides.  
     
     
         7 . Modules according to  claim 1 , wherein each of the additional short and long crossbar module has on one of its faces a pair of longitudinal male engagement elements close to the edges of the face's sides, while the opposite face has only one female engagement element along its longitudinal axis.  
     
     
         8 . Modules according to  claim 1 , wherein each of the additional short and long profile modules has on one of its faces a pair of male longitudinal engagement elements close to the edges of the face's sides, while the opposite face has only one male engagement element along its longitudinal axis.  
     
     
         9 . Modules according to  claim 1 , wherein each basic board profile module has lower and upper surfaces, the lower surface having sloped planes at its respective lateral sides and a longitudinal female engagement element positioned between the sloped planes, the upper surface having longitudinal ribs.  
     
     
         10 . Modules according to  claim 1 , wherein each connection fitting includes a pair of quadrangular plates connected by a core, the plates are adapted to engage the engagement elements.  
     
     
         11 . Modules according to  claim 1 , wherein the engagement elements on the covering of each module are functionally related.  
     
     
         12 . Modules according to  claim 1 , wherein the connection fittings are slidably engaged with the engagement elements.  
     
     
         13 . Modules according to claim further including cover fittings, wherein each end of the cross profile modules is connected to one of the cover fittings, and the cover fittings are configured according to the cross sections of the crossbar profile modules.  
     
     
         14 . A pallet comprising: 
 at least three basic crossbar profile modules, each crossbar profile module including a preformed body having first and second ends, first and second opposing surfaces, and a cross section, the cross section having a framework of laminar baffles that define a plurality of cells, a perimetric covering and longitudinally extending engagement elements;    cover fittings, each end of the cross profile modules being connected to one of the cover fittings;    a plurality of board profile modules having ribbed surface and resilient inserts, each board profile module being laminated and including a plurality of cells, a perimetric covering, and at least one longitudinal engagement element on the perimetric covering; and    connection fittings for engaging the engagement elements.    
     
     
         15 . A pallet according to  claim 14 , wherein the board profile modules are mounted on the first and second surfaces of the crossbar profile modules by means of the connection fittings.  
     
     
         16 . A pallet comprising: 
 additional short crossbar profile modules, each additional short crossbar profile module having upper and lower surfaces and a pair of male engagement elements on its upper surface and a female engagement element on its lower surface, each additional short crossbar profile module further including a preformed body having first and second ends, and a cross section, the cross section having a framework of laminar baffles that define a plurality of cells and a perimetric covering;    three additional board modules engaged with the upper surfaces the additional short crossbar profile modules; and    a plurality of basic board modules, some of basic board modules being supported by the three additional board modules by means of connection fittings, and the other basic board modules being connected to the lower surfaces of the additional short crossbar profile modules and defining two inlets for insertion by a fork of a lifting machine, wherein each of the basic and additional board profile modules is laminated and includes a plurality of cells and a perimetric covering.    
     
     
         17 . A pallet according to  claim 16 , wherein the other basic board modules are directly engaged with the lower surfaces of the additional short crossbar profile modules, and the other basic board modules are arranged in parallel with the additional short crossbar profile modules.  
     
     
         18 . A pallet according to  claim 16 , wherein the other basic board modules are engaged with the lower surfaces of the additional short crossbar profile modules by means of connection fittings, and the other basic board modules are arranged perpendicularly with the additional short crossbar profile modules.  
     
     
         19 . A pallet according to  claim 16 , wherein the short additional crossbar modules are distributed in groups of at least three units axially spaced apart from each other.