Cardboard pallet

Abstract

A cardboard pallet that offers improved strength, stiffness, durability, weight, and cost-effectiveness over cardboard pallets of the prior art is disclosed. The pallet consists of a top deck, internal triangular and hexagonal cores, side walls, and a bottom deck. The top sheet of cardboard is shaped in the form of an octagon and rests on internal triangular and hexagonal cores. The bottom sheet of cardboard is used to construct the side walls and bottom deck, and the bottom sheet of cardboard also has flaps that secure the bottom deck and sides to the top deck. The bottom deck has four holes for a pallet truck; the cardboard which is cut out to form the pallet truck holes are scored such that the cut out portions can form reinforcing tubular cores. The sides have openings that allow entry from four directions by a mechanized pallet handler.

1 . A cardboard pallet having openings that allow entry from four directions by a mechanized pallet handler, comprising:
 A bottom sheet forming a bottom deck, a plurality of first tabs, and a plurality of second tabs, the first tabs having first tab score lines such that the first tabs can be folded along the first tab score lines to form a plurality of first side walls that are substantially perpendicular to the bottom deck, and the second tabs having second tab score lines such that the second tabs can be folded along the second tab score lines to form a plurality of second side walls that are substantially perpendicular to the bottom deck;   A plurality of internal hexagonal cores constructed by repeatedly folding a strip of cardboard until the hexagonal core is comprised of a plurality of layers of cardboard, which communicate with and are secured to the bottom deck and first side walls or bottom deck and second side walls;   A top sheet forming a top deck having the same shape as the bottom deck, which is aligned with the bottom deck and secured to the hexagonal cores;   The first tabs further having a plurality of first tab flap score lines, first tab opening cut lines, and first tab reinforcement score lines such that the first tabs can be folded along the first tab flap score lines and secured to the top of the top deck, and folded along the first tab reinforcement score lines to form a first tab reinforcement that is secured to the bottom of the top deck; and   The second tabs further having a plurality of second tab flap score lines, second tab opening cut lines, and second tab reinforcement score lines such that the second tabs can be folded along the second tab flap score lines and secured to the top of the top deck, and folded along the second tab reinforcement score lines to form a second tab reinforcement that is secured to the bottom of the top deck.   
   
   
       2 . The cardboard pallet of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 The bottom deck additionally comprising a plurality of third tabs, the third tabs having third tab score lines such that the third tabs can be folded along third tab score lines to form a plurality of third side walls that are substantially perpendicular to the bottom deck;   A plurality of internal triangular cores constructed by repeatedly folding a strip of cardboard until the triangular core is comprised of a plurality of layers of cardboard, which communicate with and are secured to the bottom deck and third side walls; and   The third tabs further having a plurality of third tab flap score lines, third tab opening cut lines, and third tab reinforcement score lines such that the third tabs can be folded along the third tab flap score lines and secured to the top of the top deck, and folded along the third tab reinforcement score lines to form a third tab reinforcement that is secured to the bottom of the top deck.   
   
   
       3 . The cardboard pallet of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 The bottom sheet additionally having a plurality of pallet truck cutouts scored with pallet truck cutout score lines and folded along pallet truck cutout score lines to form a plurality of tubular cores, the tubular cores being inserted into the interior of the hexagonal cores or adjacent to a plurality of mechanized pallet handler tang entry points.   
   
   
       4 . The cardboard pallet of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 The bottom deck additionally comprising a plurality of third tabs, the third tabs having third tab score lines such that the third tabs can be folded along third tab score lines to form a plurality of third side walls that are substantially perpendicular to the bottom deck;   A plurality of internal triangular cores constructed by repeatedly folding a strip of cardboard until the triangular core is comprised of a plurality of layers of cardboard, which communicate with and are secured to the bottom deck and third side walls;   The third tabs further having a plurality of third tab flap score lines, third tab opening cut lines, and third tab reinforcement score lines such that the third tabs can be folded along the third tab flap score lines and secured to the top of the top deck, and folded along the third tab reinforcement score lines to form a third tab reinforcement that is secured to the bottom of the top deck; and   The bottom sheet additionally having a plurality of pallet truck cutouts scored with pallet truck cutout score lines and folded along pallet truck cutout score lines to form a plurality of tubular cores, the tubular cores being inserted into the interior of the hexagonal cores or triangular cores or adjacent to a plurality of mechanized pallet handler tang entry points.   
   
   
       5 . The cardboard pallet of  claim 1 , further comprising the application of a water resistant sealant to the cardboard pallet. 
   
   
       6 . A cardboard pallet having openings that allow entry from four directions by a mechanized pallet handler, comprising:
 A bottom sheet forming a bottom deck, a plurality of first tabs, and a plurality of second tabs, the first tabs having first tab score lines such that the first tabs can be folded along the first tab score lines to form a plurality of first side walls that are substantially perpendicular to the bottom deck, and the second tabs having second tab score lines such that the second tabs can be folded along the second tab score lines to form a plurality of second side walls that are substantially perpendicular to the bottom deck;   A plurality of internal hexagonal cores constructed by repeatedly folding a strip of cardboard until the hexagonal core is comprised of a plurality of layers of cardboard, which communicate with and are secured to the bottom deck and first side walls or the bottom deck and second side walls;   The bottom deck additionally comprising a plurality of third tabs, the third tabs having third tab score lines such that the third tabs can be folded along third tab score lines to form a plurality of third side walls that are substantially perpendicular to the bottom deck;   A plurality of internal triangular cores constructed by repeatedly folding a strip of cardboard until the triangular core is comprised of a plurality of layers of cardboard, which communicate with and are secured to the third side walls;   A top sheet forming a top deck having the same shape as the bottom deck, which is aligned with the bottom deck and secured to the hexagonal and triangular cores;   The first tabs further having a plurality of first tab flap score lines, first tab opening cut lines, and first tab reinforcement score lines such that the first tabs can be folded along the first tab flap score lines and secured to the top of the top deck, and folded along the first tab reinforcement score lines to form a first tab reinforcement that is secured to the bottom of the top deck;   The second tabs further having a plurality of second tab flap score lines, second tab opening cut lines, and second tab reinforcement score lines such that the second tabs can be folded along the second tab flap score lines and secured to the top of the top deck, and folded along the second tab reinforcement score lines to form a second tab reinforcement that is secured to the bottom of the top deck;   The third tabs further having a plurality of third tab flap score lines, third tab opening cut lines, and third tab reinforcement score lines such that the third tabs can be folded along the third tab flap score lines and secured to the top of the top deck, and folded along the third tab reinforcement score lines to form a third tab reinforcement that is secured to the bottom of the top deck; and   The bottom sheet additionally having a plurality of pallet truck cutouts scored with pallet truck cutout score lines and folded along pallet truck cutout score lines to form a plurality of tubular cores, the tubular cores being inserted into the interior of the hexagonal cores or triangular cores or adjacent to a plurality of mechanized pallet handler tang entry points.   
   
   
       7 . The cardboard pallet of  claim 6 , further comprising the application of a water resistant sealant to the cardboard pallet.