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 cylindrical, 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 . An octagonal cardboard pallet designed to allow for multiple internal support members, said pallet having at least eight openings that allow pallet-handling machine entry from four directions, comprising:
 A bottom sheet forming a bottom deck, having not less than eight tabs with first tab score lines such that the tabs can be folded along the first tab score lines to form at least eight side walls that are substantially perpendicular to the bottom deck, said tabs also having second tab score lines such that the tabs can be folded along the second tab score lines to form one or more adhesive connection surface(s);   At least five internal cores having at least six sides which communicate with and are secured to the bottom deck;   At least four internal triangular cores having not more than three sides which communicate with and are secured to the bottom deck;   At least nine internal cylindrical cores which communicate with and are secured to the bottom deck;   At least four rectangular openings cut into the bottom sheet and which are spaced equidistant from one another; and,   A top sheet forming a top deck having the same octagonal shape as the bottom deck, which is aligned with the bottom deck and secured with adhesive to the hexagonal, triangular, and cylindrical cores, as well as the adhesive connection surfaces.   
   
   
       2 . The cardboard pallet of  claim 1 , further comprising the application of a water resistant sealant to the cardboard pallet. 
   
   
       3 . The cardboard pallet of  claim 1 , wherein the eight openings that allow pallet-handling machine entry from four directions are created by cutting a U-shaped design into the tabs to create an opening whereby the remaining cardboard may pivot upward along a score line to serve as an additional adhesive surface with which to connect the top sheet.