Method of making a dunnage platform

Abstract

A dunnage platform is in the general shape of a rectangular slab with legs extending form one side. The dunnage platform is made from an expanded polystyrene core. A chemical combination process is used to chemically combine portion of the core proximal to its surface with high impact polystyrene. In a first of two parts of the combination process, the core is placed in a forming mold with one of its two sides and two thirds of its thickness extending therefrom. A heated sheet of high impact polystyrene is brought into contact with the portion of the core extending from the mold. In a similar manner, the other of the two sides of the core is made to extend from the forming mold for contact with a heated sheet of high impact polystyrene.

1 . A process for making a load bearing structure, comprising the steps of:
 inserting an expanded polymer core into a forming mold;   heating a first high impact polymer sheet;   combining a first side and at least half the thickness of the expanded polymer core extending from the forming mold with the first high impact polymer sheet, where the forming mold comprises an interior complimentary to the shape of the expanded polymer core;   removing the polymer core from the mold;   re-inserting the expanded polymer core into a forming mold, where a second side and a portion of the expanded polymer core extend from the forming mold;   heating a second high impact polymer sheet; and   
       substantially surrounding the second side of the expanded polymer core and at least the portion of the expanded polymer core extending from the forming mold with the second high impact polymer sheet. 
     
     
         2 . The process of  claim 1 , where the forming mold has rectangularly disposed walls. 
     
     
         3 . The process of  claim 1 , where the first high impact polymer sheet contacts the second high impact polymer sheet along a portion of the thickness of the polymer core. 
     
     
         4 . The process of  claim 1 , where a frame is used to hold one or both the first high impact polymer sheet and the second high impact polymer sheet prior to combining with the polymer core. 
     
     
         5 . The process of  claim 1 , further comprising means for holding one or both the frame and the edges of the first high impact polymer sheet fixed. 
     
     
         6 . The process of  claim 1 , further comprising means for holding one or both the frame and the edges of the second high impact polymer sheet fixed. 
     
     
         7 . The process of  claim 1 , where at least one of the first and the second high impact polymer sheets is chemically combined with one or both the first side and the second side of the polymer core. 
     
     
         8 . The process of  claim 1 , where the load bearing structure is a dunnage platform. 
     
     
         9 . A process for making a load bearing structure, comprising:
 providing a forming mold having an interior complementary to a shape outlined by an edge of an expanded polymer core;   retaining in the forming mold the expanded polymer core, where a first side and at least half of the edge of the expanded core extend from the forming mold;   heating a first high impact polymer sheet to a temperature;   moving the expanded polymer core into contact with the heated first high impact polymer sheet to combine the first side and at least half of the edge of the expanded polymer core with the first high impact polymer sheet;   retaining into a forming mold the expanded polymer core, where a second side and at least half of the edge of the expanded polymer core extend from the forming mold;   heating a second high impact polymer sheet to a temperature; and   moving the second side and at least the portion of the expanded polymer core extending from the forming mold into contact with the heated second high impact polymer sheet, where the second high impact polymer sheet contacts the first high impact polymer sheet on the edge.   
     
     
         10 . The process of  claim 9 , where the expanded core has a plurality of legs extending therefrom and the process includes covering the plurality of legs with one of the first high impact polymer sheet and the second high impact polymer sheet. 
     
     
         11 . The process of  claim 9 , where one or both the first high impact polymer sheet and the second high impact polymer sheet are heated to a temperature in a range of between:
 293° F.; and   375° F.   
     
     
         12 . The process of  claim 9 , where the load bearing structure is a dunnage platform. 
     
     
         13 . A process for making a load bearing structure, comprising the steps of:
 inserting an expanded polymer core into a forming mold;   heating a first high impact polymer sheet;   combining a first side and at least half the thickness of the expanded polymer core extending from the forming mold with the first high impact polymer sheet;   removing the polymer core from the mold;   re-inserting the expanded polymer core into a forming mold, where a second side and a portion of the expanded polymer core extend from the forming mold, where the forming mold comprises an interior complimentary to the shape of the expanded polymer core;   heating a second high impact polymer sheet; and   
       substantially surrounding the second side of the expanded polymer core and at least the portion of the expanded polymer core extending from the forming mold with the second high impact polymer sheet. 
     
     
         14 . The process of  claim 13 , where the forming mold has rectangularly disposed walls. 
     
     
         15 . The process of  claim 13 , where the first high impact polymer sheet contacts the second high impact polymer sheet along a portion of the thickness of the polymer core. 
     
     
         16 . The process of  claim 13 , where a frame is used to hold one or both the first high impact polymer sheet and the second high impact polymer sheet prior to combining with the polymer core. 
     
     
         17 . The process of  claim 13 , further comprising means for holding one or both the frame and the edges of the first high impact polymer sheet fixed. 
     
     
         18 . The process of  claim 13 , further comprising means for holding one or both the frame and the edges of the second high impact polymer sheet fixed.