Three piece welded plastic pallet

Abstract

A plastic pallet constructed of a synthetic resin material includes a top deck having an upper surface and a lower surface and a middle deck having an upper plate portion and a lower plate portion connected by a plurality of columns extending there between and integrally molded as a single piece. A bottom deck has an upper surface and a lower surface. The lower surface of the top deck is welded to the top surface of the upper plate portion and the bottom surface of the lower plate portion of the middle deck is welded to the upper surface of the bottom deck. Reinforcement members may be provided between the top deck and the middle deck and between the middle deck and the bottom deck.

1 . A plastic pallet comprising:
 a top deck having an upper surface and a lower surface;   a middle deck having an upper plate portion and a lower plate portion spaced from each other and connected by a plurality of columns extending between a lower surface of said upper plate portion and a top surface of said lower plate portion, said upper plate portion having a top surface attached to said lower surface of said top deck; and   a bottom deck having an upper surface and a lower surface, said upper surface of said bottom deck being attached to a bottom surface of said lower plate portion of said middle deck.   
   
   
       2 . The plastic pallet according to  claim 1  wherein said middle deck is integrally molded as a single piece. 
   
   
       3 . The plastic pallet according to  claim 2  wherein said top deck and said bottom deck are attached to said middle deck by a welding process. 
   
   
       4 . The plastic pallet according to  claim 3  which further comprises at least one reinforcement member extending between one of said top deck and said bottom deck and said middle deck. 
   
   
       5 . The plastic pallet according to  claim 4  wherein a channel for receiving said at least one reinforcing member is formed in one of said lower surface of said top deck and said top surface of said upper plate portion of said middle deck or in one of said bottom surface of said lower plate portion of said middle deck and said upper surface of said bottom deck. 
   
   
       6 . The plastic pallet according to  claim 4  wherein a first reinforcement member extends between said top deck and said middle deck and a second reinforcement member extends between said bottom deck and said middle deck. 
   
   
       7 . The plastic pallet according to  claim 6  wherein a plurality of first reinforcement members extend between said top deck and said middle deck and a plurality of second reinforcement members extend between said bottom deck and said middle deck. 
   
   
       8 . The plastic pallet according to  claim 3  wherein said lower surface of said top deck has a plurality of first rib members thereon which mate with and are attached to a plurality of second rib members on said top surface of said upper plate portion of said middle deck. 
   
   
       9 . The plastic pallet according to  claim 3  wherein said bottom surface of said lower plate portion of said middle deck has a plurality of third rib members thereon which mate with and are attached to a plurality of fourth rib members on said upper surface of said bottom deck. 
   
   
       10 . The plastic pallet according to  claim 3  wherein said lower surface of said top deck has a plurality of first rib members thereon which mate with and are attached to a plurality of- second rib members on said top surface of said upper plate portion of said middle deck and wherein said bottom surface of said lower plate portion of said middle deck has a plurality of third rib members thereon which mate with and are attached to a plurality of fourth rib members on said upper surface of said bottom deck. 
   
   
       11 . The plastic pallet according to  claim 3  wherein said welding process is a hot plate welding process. 
   
   
       12 . The plastic pallet according to  claim 3  wherein said columns are aligned in rows between said upper and lower plate portions. 
   
   
       13 . The plastic pallet according to  claim 3  wherein entryways for prongs of a lifting device are formed on at least one side of said pallet. 
   
   
       14 . The plastic pallet according to  claim 13  wherein said entryways are formed on all four sides of said pallet.