Pallet with a lifting strap

Abstract

A pallet is described incorporating one or more lifting straps on an upper surface of the pallet. In one exemplary embodiment, a top surface of the pallet is substantially free from hand-sized or other similar orifices. In such embodiment, the at least one lifting strap provides a viable alternative to grasping the sides or edges of the pallet.

1 . A pallet, comprising: 
 a deck;    a sub frame connected to said deck; and    a lifting strap secured to said sub frame and extending above the top surface of the pallet, wherein a portion of a lifting strap is spaced more than minimally above the top surface of the pallet so as to provide a handhold.    
   
   
       2 . A pallet in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the deck is does not have a hole having a size that would serve to accommodate at least four human fingers.  
   
   
       3 . A pallet in accordance with  claim 2 , wherein the deck includes small drain holes there through.  
   
   
       4 . A pallet in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the only other viable handhold is the side or side opening of said pallet.  
   
   
       5 . A pallet in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the lifting strap is secured to the sub frame above a central portion of the deck.  
   
   
       6 . A pallet in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the deck includes at least one corrugation, comprising a valley and a ridge.  
   
   
       7 . A pallet in accordance with  claim 6 , wherein the lifting strap is secured to the sub frame below a corrugation valley in the deck.  
   
   
       8 . A pallet in accordance with  claim 7 , wherein interfaces between the lifting strap and the sub frame are recessed within the corrugation valley of the deck and do not extend over the corrugation ridge of the deck.  
   
   
       9 . A pallet in accordance with  claim 8 , wherein the corrugation valley of the deck includes at least one drain hole.  
   
   
       10 . A pallet in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the portion of the lifting strap that is secured to the sub frame includes an oblong or rectangular hole, through which a fastener extends connecting the lifting strap to the sub frame, and wherein the strap may slide under the fastener the length of the oblong or rectangular hole to adjust the distance between a portion of the strap and the top surface of the pallet.  
   
   
       11 . A pallet in accordance with  claim 8 , wherein a portion of the lifting strap extends above a corrugation ridge.  
   
   
       12 . A pallet in accordance with  claim 11 , wherein said portion extending above the corrugation ridge is elastically deformable, such that an object loaded thereon will press the portion of the lifting strap extending above the corrugation ridge into the corrugation valley.  
   
   
       13 . A pallet in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the deck is metal.  
   
   
       14 . A pallet in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the sub frame is at least partially plastic.  
   
   
       15 . A pallet in accordance with  claim 14 , wherein the sub frame is predominately plastic.  
   
   
       16 . A pallet in accordance with  claim 5 , wherein the lifting strap is secured to a central column of the subframe.  
   
   
       17 . A pallet, comprising: 
 a corrugated metal deck;    a plastic subframe, comprising lower outer rails connected to a rectangular outer frame portion by outer columns, and lower inner rails connected to said deck by at least one inner column; and    at least one lifting strap fastened to said inner column.    
   
   
       18 . A pallet in accordance with  claim 17 , wherein the lifting strap is provided in a valley of a corrugation in the deck over said inner column.  
   
   
       19 . A pallet in accordance with  claim 18 , wherein the portion of the lifting strap that is secured to the inner column includes an oblong or rectangular hole, through which a fastener extends connecting the lifting strap to the sub frame, and wherein the strap may slide under the fastener the length of the oblong or rectangular hole to adjust the distance between a portion of the strap and the top surface of the deck.  
   
   
       20 . A pallet in accordance with  claim 19 , wherein a portion of the lifting strap extends above a corrugation ridge, and wherein said portion extending above the corrugation ridge is elastically deformable, such that an object loaded thereon will press the portion of the lifting strap extending above the corrugation ridge into the corrugation valley.