Molded pulp pallet frame

Abstract

The present invention provides a pallet frame of a unitary body of a molded pulp material having a first surface, a second surface opposed to the first surface, and a generally polygonal shaped peripheral wall. The peripheral wall has four corners, and a first pair of legs and a second pair of legs extending away from the first surface. The first pair of legs being positioned at two corners of the four corners, and the second pair of legs being positioned at another two corners of the four corners. The first pair of legs having a first end surface with a centrally disposed upstanding boss. The second pair of legs having a second end surface with a centrally disposed detent dimensioned to receive a boss when a pair of like pallet frames are in a deployed condition.

I/We claim: 
     
         1 . A pallet frame comprising:
 a unitary body of a molded pulp material having a first surface, a second surface opposed to the first surface, a generally polygonal shaped peripheral wall having four corners, a first pair of legs and a second pair of legs extending away from the first surface, the first pair of legs being positioned at two corners of the four corners and the second pair of legs being positioned at another two corners of the four corners, the first pair of legs having a first end surface with a centrally disposed upstanding boss, the second pair of legs having a second end surface with a centrally disposed detent dimensioned to receive a boss when a pair of like pallet frames are in a deployed condition, and the four legs being circular in cross sectional shape and having a central chamber dimensioned to receive a leg from a like pallet frame when in a stacked condition.   
     
     
         2 . The pallet frame of  claim 1  further comprising a fifth leg extending away from the first surface and being centrally disposed within the peripheral wall. 
     
     
         3 . The pallet frame of  claim 2  wherein each of the four legs has a first tapered surface that extends radially inwardly from a proximal end to a distal end. 
     
     
         4 . The pallet frame of  claim 3  wherein the first tapered surface defines an angle with a line drawn perpendicular to the first surface within a range of from 3° to 20°. 
     
     
         5 . The pallet frame of  claim 4  further comprising a second tapered surface on the upstanding boss, the second tapered surface extending radially inwardly from the first end surface to a distal end of the upstanding boss. 
     
     
         6 . The pallet frame of  claim 5  wherein the second tapered surface defines an angle with a line drawn perpendicular to the first end surface within a range of from 3° to 20°. 
     
     
         7 . The pallet frame of  claim 6  wherein the fifth leg has a third tapered surface that defines an angle with a line drawn perpendicular to the first surface within a range of from 3° to 20°. 
     
     
         8 . The pallet frame of  claim 1  further comprising a plurality of ribs deformed from the molded pulp material, the plurality of ribs connecting one leg of the four legs to another leg of the four legs. 
     
     
         9 . The pallet frame of  claim 1  wherein the second surface is planar. 
     
     
         10 . A pallet chassis system comprising:
 a first unitary body of a molded pulp material having a generally polygonal shaped peripheral wall having four corners, a first pair of legs and a second pair of legs extending away from a first surface of the first unitary body, the first pair of legs being positioned at two corners of the four corners and the second pair of legs being positioned at another two corners of the four corners, the first pair of legs having a first end surface with a centrally disposed upstanding boss, the second pair of legs having a second end surface with a centrally disposed detent, each of the four legs being circular in cross sectional shape and having a central, leg-receiving chamber; and   a second unitary body of a molded pulp material having a generally polygonal shaped peripheral wall having four corners, a third pair of legs and a fourth pair of legs extending away from a surface of the second unitary body, the third pair of legs being positioned at two corners of the four corners and the fourth pair of legs being positioned at another two corners of the four corners, the third pair of legs having a third end surface with a centrally disposed upstanding boss, the fourth pair of legs having a fourth end surface with a centrally disposed detent, the second unitary body being moveable into cooperative engagement with the first unitary body from a deployed condition to a nested condition, when in the deployed condition the upstanding bosses of the first pair of legs are positioned respectively in the detents of the fourth pair of legs, and when in the nested position the first pair of legs are positioned respectively in the leg-receiving chambers of the third pair of legs.   
     
     
         11 . The pallet chassis system of  claim 10  further comprising a shelf tray of a corrugated sheet having an upper surface, a lower surface, and dimensioned to be placed on top of and cover a second surface of the first unitary body opposed to the first surface. 
     
     
         12 . The pallet chassis system of  claim 11  wherein the shelf tray has an upstanding wall extending about a periphery of the sheet. 
     
     
         13 . The pallet chassis system of  claim 11  wherein each of the four legs has a first tapered surface that extends radially inwardly from a proximal end to a distal end. 
     
     
         14 . The pallet chassis system of  claim 13  wherein the first tapered surface defines an angle with a line drawn perpendicular to the first surface within a range of from 3° to 20°. 
     
     
         15 . The pallet chassis system of  claim 14  further comprising a second tapered surface on the upstanding boss, the second tapered surface extending radially inwardly from the first end surface to a distal end of the upstanding boss. 
     
     
         16 . The pallet chassis system frame of  claim 15  wherein the second tapered surface defines an angle with a line drawn perpendicular to the first end surface within a range of from 3° to 20°. 
     
     
         17 . A pallet chassis assembly comprising: 
     
     
         18 . A pallet frame comprising:
 a unitary body of a molded pulp material having a first surface, a second surface opposed to the first surface, a generally polygonal shaped peripheral wall having four corners, a first pair of legs and a second pair of legs extending away from the first surface, the first pair of legs being positioned at two corners of the four corners and the second pair of legs being positioned at another two corners of the four corners, the first pair of legs having a first end surface with a centrally disposed upstanding boss, the second pair of legs having a second end surface with a centrally disposed detent dimensioned to receive a boss when a pair of like pallet frames are in a deployed condition, and the four legs being circular in cross sectional shape and having a central chamber dimensioned to receive a leg from a like pallet frame when in a stacked condition; and   a shelf tray of a corrugated sheet having an upper surface, a lower surface, and positioned on top of the second surface and to extend over an entire surface area of the second surface.   
     
     
         19 . The pallet chassis assembly of  claim 18  wherein the shelf tray has an upstanding wall extending about a periphery of the sheet. 
     
     
         20 . The pallet chassis assembly of  claim 18  wherein each of the four legs has a first tapered surface that extends radially inwardly from a proximal end to a distal end.