Four-Way Stack-and-Nest Pallet with Full Window-Framed Runners

Abstract

A pallet made according to this invention provides a one-piece plastic pallet with integrated full window-frame runners for improved safety, nesting and stackability. The pallet includes a plurality of recessed portions that form angled leg portions below the lower surface of the deck. The pallet also includes integrated full window-framed runners in order to accommodate four-way entry. Each window-framed runner includes an angled leg portion having about the same draft angle as the opposing sidewall of the recessed portion. The deck also includes a plurality of channels sized to receive a window-framed runner of a second pallet. Each recessed portion also includes a stop to arrest the downward travel of the leg portion of the second pallet and allow for the nested second pallet to be easily removed from the first pallet.

1 . A pallet comprising:
 a deck including a goods-supporting surface and a plurality of recessed portions, each recessed portion having angled sidewalls that form a leg portion below a lower surface of the deck;   a first and second plurality of full window-framed runners, the first plurality of full window-framed runners arranged perpendicular to the second plurality of full window-framed runners, each full window-framed runner being offset from a peripheral edge of the deck surface and located between two adjacent recessed portions;   a runner leg portion of each full window-framed runner angling away from an opposing angled sidewall of an adjacent recessed portion, the runner leg portion and the opposing angled sidewall having a substantially same draft angle relative to vertical.   
     
     
         2 . A pallet according to  claim 1  further comprising the pallet being a one-piece design pallet. 
     
     
         3 . A pallet according to  claim 2  further comprising the pallet being a molded pallet. 
     
     
         4 . A pallet according to  claim 3  further comprising the molded pallet being a straight pull mold injection pallet. 
     
     
         5 . A pallet according to  claim 1  further comprising the plurality of recessed portions including a central recessed portion, a corner recessed portion, and a side recessed portion. 
     
     
         6 . A pallet according to  claim 1  further comprising the deck including a plurality of channels, each channel located above a floor runner portion of a full window-framed runner and sized to receive a full window-framed runner of a second pallet. 
     
     
         7 . A pallet according to  claim 1  further comprising each recessed portion including a stop, the stop arresting the downward travel of a second pallet being nested within the first-mentioned pallet. 
     
     
         8 . A pallet according to  claim 7  further comprising a height of the stop being no greater than one-half the depth of the recessed portion. 
     
     
         9 . A pallet made according to  claim 7  further comprising a clearance between the leg portion of the second pallet and a recessed portion of the first-mentioned pallet receiving the leg portion of the second pallet being no greater than about 0.05 inches (0.13 cm) when the second pallet is nesting in the first-mentioned pallet. 
     
     
         9 . A pallet according to  claim 1  further comprising the substantially same draft angle being about 4 degrees.