Configurable, repairable, and recyclable cargo pallet

Abstract

The present invention relates to a lightweight and versatile pallet and its manufacturing and assembling method. It consists of the design of a repairable, recyclable, and reusable pallet with a modular structure, configurable load capacity, and with non-slip rubber surfaces to prevent sliding of the cargo on the pallet and of the pallet on the ground, shelf, and forklift or other pallet handling equipment. This pallet is to be used in numerous commercial and industrial applications. An embodiment of the platform members used to form the bottom and top surfaces of the pallet can be used to construct other flat platforms such as walls, floors, and molds for pouring concrete structures.

1 . A reusable, repairable, recyclable, with configurable load capacity pallet  10 , characterized by having two main components: the central beams  2  and platform members  1  which have grids of reinforcing ribs  9  and  3 , respectively, whose thickness is adjustable in the manufacturing process to vary the strength and robustness of the pallet  10 ; several of these main components are interconnected, conical protuberances  8  on said central beams  2  are inserted into conical holes  11  in said platform members  1 ; at least two of the central beams  2  are placed in parallel and at their top and bottom sides they are aligned and coupled perpendicularly to a variable number of platform members  1 ; said platform members  1  and central beams  2  are secured and interlocked with bolts  12  or  22 , washers  13 , and nuts  14 ; said pallets  10  have empty spaces  23  to insert the forks of a forklift or other pallet handler; the number and the thickness of the walls of said platform members  1  and/or central beams  2  is adjustable to configure the load capacity of the pallet  10 ; the thicknesses of the walls  16 ,  17 ,  19 , and  21 , web  29 , and the grids of reinforcing ribs  9  and  3  of said platform members  1  and/or central beams  2  are also adjustable to configure the load capacity of the pallet  10 . 
     
     
         2 . The pallet  10  of  claim 1  is characterized by having central beams  2  which have flat ends  21 , web  29 , and flat surfaces  19  that are identical at its top and bottom, with its lateral sides having a grid of reinforcing ribs  3  longitudinal, transversal, and diagonally connected along the central beams  2 ; centered on the flat surfaces  19  and located along the central beams  2 , there are rows of conical protuberances  8 ; between each pair of conical protuberances  8 , there are holes  6  that could be smooth or threaded to insert bolts  12  or  22 . 
     
     
         3 . The pallet  10  of  claim 1  is characterized by having platform members  1  with a flat surface  16  and flat sidewalls  17 ; on the opposite side to the flat surface  16 , there is a grid of reinforcing ribs  9  longitudinal, transversal, and diagonally connected along the platform members  1 ; said platform members  1  have holes  7  to insert bolts  12  or  22 ; said holes  7  have housings  15  to accommodate the heads  18  of bolts  12  or  22  or the nuts  14  and also to accommodate the washers  13 ; said holes  7  are threaded to insert bolts  22 . 
     
     
         4 . The pallet  10  of  claim 1  is characterized by having non-slip rubber blocks  5  that are inserted into holes  4  in the platform members  1  to prevent slippage of the pallet  10  on the floor, shelf, or forklift or other pallet manipulating devices, and also to prevent slippage of the cargo on the pallet  10 . 
     
     
         5 . The pallet  10  of  claim 1  is characterized by having aligning and engaging means consisting of conical protuberances  8  that are inserted in conical holes  11  of platform members  1  to contribute carrying shear stresses and to prevent relative displacement or rotation between the platform members  1  and beams  2 ; pallet  10  also has interlocking and connecting means that consist of bolts  12  or  22 , whose heads  18  are lodged in the accommodations  15  at the ends of the holes  7  of the platform members  1 , said bolts pass through holes  7  in platform members  1  and holes  6  in the central beams  2 , and at the other end of the bolts  12  or  22 , opposed to the heads  18 , washers  13  are placed, and nuts  14  are threaded onto the bolts  12  or  22  and lodged in the accommodations  15  at the ends of the holes  7  of the platform members  1 ; the washers  13  can also be placed next to the heads  18  of the bolts  12  or  22 , and between platform members  1  and beams  2 . 
     
     
         6 . The pallets of  claim 3  are characterized by forming flatbeds or platforms on the top and bottom of pallet  10 ; platform members  1  are modified by removing the holes  4  to create other platform members  1 ′; two or more of said platform members  1 ′ are placed adjacently and attached to each other using connecting pieces  24 , bolts  25 , and nuts  26  to construct flatbeds  20  of adjustable size and robustness depending on the number of platform members  1 ′ and connectors  24  that are connected together; said connecting pieces  24  have at least four holes  27  to coincide with holes  7  of the platform members  1 ′, said connecting pieces  24  have at least four protuberances  28  that are inserted into the accommodations  15  of the platform members  1 ′, said bolts  25  are inserted into holes  7  of the platform parts  1 ′ that match the holes  27  in connectors  24  to assemble the adjustable size platform  20 ; said connectors  24  have holes  27  and protuberances  28  that match the accommodations  15  of members  1 ′ to align and secure them with bolts  25  and nuts  26 ; said platforms  20  are used as walls, floors, and molds for concrete pouring applications.