Shipping pallet arrangement and methods for increasing trailer loads to reduce road milage and cut costs

Abstract

A shipping pallet arrangement includes a first pallet having a first underdeck opening to a first storage volume under a top deck, said top deck supporting goods for transport; and a first underdeck container holding goods and received within the first storage volume. A method for shipping goods in a transport container includes positioning a first pallet in the transport container, the first pallet having a first underdeck opening to a first storage volume under a top deck having goods thereon; storing goods within a first underdeck container; after the step of storing and the step of positioning, receiving the first underdeck container at least partially within the first storage volume; and after the step of receiving, shipping the transport container.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A shipping pallet arrangement comprising:
 a first pallet having a first underdeck opening to a first storage volume under a top deck, said top deck supporting goods for transport; and   a first underdeck container holding goods and at least partially received within the first storage volume.   
     
     
         2 . The combination of  claim 1 , wherein the pallet has a stringer or stringer board and length and width dimensions, the length being in the direction of the stringer or stringer board and extending between a first end and a second end of the pallet, the width being perpendicular to the length. 
     
     
         3 . The combination of  claim 2 , wherein the first underdeck container is insertable and removable, in a drawer-like fashion, into and out of the first underdeck opening in the direction of the length of the pallet. 
     
     
         4 . The combination of  claim 3 , further comprising a second underdeck container holding goods and received at least partially within the first storage volume. 
     
     
         5 . The combination of  claim 4 , wherein the first and second underdeck containers connect to one another so as to be moved together, forming a train of underdeck containers insertable and extractable in a drawer-like fashion. 
     
     
         6 . The combination of  claim 5 , further comprising:
 a second underdeck opening to a second storage volume under the top deck of the pallet; and   at least a third underdeck container holding goods being received within the second storage volume, the third underdeck container being insertable and removable, in a drawer-like fashion, into and out of its respective underdeck opening in the direction of the length of the pallet.   
     
     
         7 . The combination of  claim 6 , further comprising a fourth underdeck container holding goods and received at least partially within the second storage volume. 
     
     
         8 . The combination of  claim 7 , wherein the third and fourth underdeck containers connect to one another so as to be moved together, forming a train of underdeck containers, insertable and extractable in a drawer-like fashion. 
     
     
         9 . The pallet arrangement of  claim 5 , wherein the first underdeck container and the second underdeck container are connected by a male member mating with a female member. 
     
     
         10 . The pallet arrangement of  claim 9 , wherein the male member is a rod and the female member is an aperture. 
     
     
         11 . The pallet arrangement of  claim 5 , wherein the first underdeck container and the second underdeck container are connected by a latch and catch mechanism. 
     
     
         12 . The pallet arrangement of  claim 1 , wherein the first underdeck container includes runners suitable to facilitate insertion and extraction of the first underdeck container. 
     
     
         13 . The pallet arrangement of  claim 1 , wherein the pallet is one of a plurality of pallets, each of the plurality of pallets having an underdeck opening to a storage volume under a top deck holding goods, said plurality of pallets arranged so that each of the underdeck openings of each of the plurality of pallets align to create an underdeck tunnel under the top decks of the plurality of pallets; and
 wherein the underdeck container is one of a plurality of underdeck containers, each of the plurality of underdeck containers holding goods and each being connectable to another of the plurality of underdeck containers so as to form a train of underdeck containers insertable and extractable in a drawer-like fashion into and out of the underdeck tunnel.   
     
     
         14 . A method for shipping goods in a transport container comprising:
 positioning a first pallet in the transport container, the first pallet having a first underdeck opening to a first storage volume under a top deck having goods thereon;   storing goods within a first underdeck container;   after the step of storing and the step of positioning, receiving the first underdeck container within the first storage volume; and   after the step of receiving, shipping the transport container.   
     
     
         15 . A shipping container adapted to fit in a storage volume define by an underdeck opening of a shipping pallet, the container comprising:
 a first wall having a distal end defining a first recess;   a first connecting structure positioned within the first recess;   a second wall opposite the first wall and having a distal end defining a second recess; and   a second connecting structure positioned within the second recess, wherein the first and second connecting structures are adapted to received a coupling such that multiple shipping containers can be connected together by locating the distal end of a first wall of a first shipping container proximate the distal end of a second wall of a second shipping container and securing a coupling about the first connecting structure of the first shipping container and the second connecting structure of the second shipping container.