Nestable pallet

Abstract

A nestable pallet includes a deck having an upper panel, a lower panel and a plurality of ribs extending perpendicularly from the upper panel to the lower panel. The upper panel further includes a plurality of openings for receiving feet of a similar pallet when nested. The lower panel further includes a plurality of feet extending downward from the deck, each foot having a cavity defined therein lined within one of the plurality of openings in the upper panel. Each cavity is configured to receive a foot from a similar pallet when nested therein.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A nestable pallet comprising: 
 a lower deck section including a plurality of feet extending downwardly;    an upper deck section including a plurality of openings for receiving feet of a similar pallet, each of the openings aligned with one of the plurality of feet in the lower deck section; and    a plurality of ribs extending perpendicularly from the upper deck section to the lower deck section to form at least one box beam section.    
     
     
         2 . The nestable pallet of  claim 1  wherein the feet comprise walls defining a cavity through the upper deck section and the lower deck section.  
     
     
         3 . The nestable pallet of  claim 2  wherein the upper deck section and lower deck section form a plurality of box beam sections.  
     
     
         4 . The nestable pallet of  claim 1  wherein the feet are generally tapered downward from the lower deck section.  
     
     
         5 . The nestable pallet of  claim 4  wherein the feet are integrally molded with the lower deck section.  
     
     
         6 . The nestable pallet of  claim 5  wherein each of the feet comprises a plurality of generally concentric sections with cross-sectional areas that decrease in each succeeding downward section.  
     
     
         7 . The nestable pallet of  claim 6  wherein the nestable pallet is a first nestable pallet and further including a similar, second nestable pallet nested in the first nestable pallet, the feet of the second nestable pallet at least partially received within cavities defined by the feet of the first nestable pallet.  
     
     
         8 . The nestable pallet of  claim 1  wherein the plurality of ribs extend from a first wall forming a portion of a first foot of the plurality of feet to a second wall forming a portion of a second foot of the plurality of feet.  
     
     
         9 . The nestable pallet of  claim 1  wherein at least one of the plurality of ribs extends between each adjacent pair of the plurality of feet.  
     
     
         10 . The nestable pallet of  claim 9  wherein the feet comprise walls extending from an upper panel of the upper deck section to a lower panel of the lower deck section and downward from the lower panel and wherein the ribs extend between the walls of each adjacent pair of the plurality of feet.  
     
     
         11 . The nestable pallet of  claim 1  wherein at least two of the plurality of ribs extend between each adjacent pair of the plurality of feet.  
     
     
         12 . A nestable pallet comprising: 
 a deck including an upper panel, a lower panel and a plurality of ribs extending perpendicularly from the upper panel to the lower panel, the upper panel including a plurality of openings for receiving feet of a similar pallet; and    a plurality of feet extending downward from the deck, each foot having a cavity defined therein aligned with one of the plurality of openings in the deck, each cavity configured to receive a foot from a similar pallet when nested therein.    
     
     
         13 . The nestable pallet of  claim 12  wherein the feet are integrally molded with the lower panel.  
     
     
         14 . The nestable pallet of  claim 13  wherein the feet are tapered downward.  
     
     
         15 . The nestable pallet of  claim 14  wherein the nestable pallet is a first nestable pallet and further including a similar, second nestable pallet nested in the first nestable pallet, the feet of the second nestable pallet at least partially received within the cavities defined by the feet of the first nestable pallet.  
     
     
         16 . The nestable pallet of  claim 12  wherein each of the plurality of ribs comprises an upper rib integrally molded with the upper panel and secured to a lower rib integrally molded with the lower panel.  
     
     
         17 . The nestable pallet of  claim 12  wherein at least one of the plurality of ribs extends between each adjacent pair of the plurality of feet.  
     
     
         18 . The nestable pallet of  claim 17  wherein the feet comprise walls extending from the upper panel to the lower panel and downward from the lower panel and wherein the ribs extend between the walls of each adjacent pair of the plurality of feet.  
     
     
         19 . A nestable pallet comprising: 
 a deck including an upper panel, a lower panel and a plurality of ribs extending perpendicularly from the upper panel to the lower panel to form a box beam section; and    a plurality of tapered feet extending downward from the deck, the pallet including a plurality of cavities extending through the deck and each of the feet, each cavity configured to receive a foot from a similar pallet when nested therein.    
     
     
         20 . The nestable pallet of  claim 19  wherein the feet are integrally molded with the lower panel.  
     
     
         21 . The nestable pallet of  claim 20  wherein the cavities are partially defined by openings in the upper panel and by the ribs extending from the upper panel to the lower panel adjacent the openings.  
     
     
         22 . A method for manufacturing a nestable pallet including the steps of: 
 a) aligning a plurality of upper ribs extending downward from an upper panel with a plurality of lower ribs extending upward from a lower panel;    b) aligning each of a plurality of feet extending downward from the lower panel with an opening in the upper panel; and    c) securing the upper ribs to the lower ribs to form a box beam section with the upper panel, lower panel, upper ribs and lower ribs.    
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22  wherein each opening in the upper panel is sized to at least partially receive a foot from a similar nestable pallet.