Stackable Pallet System

Abstract

A stackable pallet system for holding items has a stand and stackable pallets. The stand has a top end, a bottom end, and sides. Vertical corner pieces on the stand are connected to one another at intersections of the sides of the stand, and each corner piece has a toe disposed at the top end of the stand. The stackable pallets can stack one on top of the other and can stack on the stand. The stackable pallets each have a top end, a bottom end, and sides and each have corner pieces connected to one another at intersections of the sides. Similar to the stand, each corner piece of the pallets has a toe disposed at the top end and defining a receptacle at the bottom end. When stacking pallets, the receptacle of each corner piece on a top one of the stackable pallets can receive or fit on the toe of a corresponding one of the corner pieces on a bottom one of the stackable pallets. To stack on the stand, the receptacle of each corner piece on the bottom one of the stackable pallets can receive or fit the toe of a corresponding one of the corner pieces on the stand. To help move the stacked pallets, the stand can have casters or wheels.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A pallet system for holding items, the system comprising:
 a plurality of stackable pallets being stackable one on top of the other, the stackable pallets each having a top, a bottom, sides and vertical supports,   one or more of the vertical supports having a top connector disposed at the top of the stackable pallet and having a bottom connector disposed at the bottom of the stackable pallet,   the bottom connector on a top one of the stackable pallets adapted to engage the top connector of a corresponding one of the vertical supports on a bottom one of the stackable pallets.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein each stackable pallet comprises at least one rack surface disposed across the stackable pallet. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein at least one of the stackable pallets comprises a first of the at least one rack surfaces disposed above a second of the at least one rack surfaces. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein a first of the stackable pallets comprises one or more sidewalls covering one or more of the sides of the first stackable pallet and connected across adjoining ones of the vertical supports. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein at least one of the one or more sidewalls comprises hinges disposed on an edge of the at least one sidewall and connected to the bottom of the first stackable pallet. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein at least one of the one or more sidewalls comprises edges removably connected to the adjoining ones of the vertical supports. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein the first stackable pallet has three of the sidewalls covering three of four of the sides of the first stackable pallet. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one lock removably affixing one of the vertical supports disposed at the top one of the stackable pallets to another of the vertical supports disposed at the bottom one of the stackable pallets. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a stand on which the stackable pallets are stackable. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the stand comprises vertical supports connected to one another along sides of the stand, one or more of the vertical supports having a top connector disposed at a top of the stand, wherein each top connector on the one or more vertical supports is adapted to engage the bottom connector of a corresponding one of the vertical supports on the stackable pallet stacked on the stand. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the stand comprises casters disposed on a bottom of the stand. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the stackable pallets each have four of the sides and four of the vertical supports disposed at intersections of the four sides. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the top connector comprises a toe disposed on a top end of the vertical support. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the toe comprises a cap having edges attached to the top end of the vertical support, the cap having a central portion extending from the edges. 
     
     
         15 . The system of claim of  claim 13 , wherein the bottom connector comprises a receptacle disposed in a bottom end of the vertical support, the receptacle receiving the toe inserted therein. 
     
     
         16 . A stackable pallet system for holding items, the system comprising:
 a stand having a top, a bottom, sides, and first vertical supports, one or more of the first vertical supports having a top connector disposed at the top of the stand; and   a plurality of stackable pallets being stackable one on top of the other and on the stand, the stackable pallets each having a top, a bottom, sides, and second vertical supports, one or more of the second vertical supports having a top connector disposed at the top of the stackable pallet and having a bottom connector at the bottom of the stackable pallet,   the bottom connector on a top one of the stackable pallets adapted to engage the top connector either of the stand or a corresponding one of the second vertical supports on a bottom one of the stackable pallets.   
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the top connector comprises a toe disposed on a top end of the first or second vertical support; and wherein the bottom connector comprises a receptacle disposed in a bottom end of the second vertical support, the receptacle receiving the toe inserted therein. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the toe comprises a cap having edges attached to the top end of the vertical support, the cap having a central portion extending from the edges. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 16 , further comprising at least one lock removably affixing stacked ones of the first or second vertical supports to one another. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the stand comprises casters disposed on a bottom of the stand.