Plastic Pallet with Bidirectional Intersecting Reinforcing Elements and Corresponding Manufacturing Methods

Abstract

A pallet (100) having a unitary plastic body (102) with at least four legs (104a), and including two sets of channels (106, 108) extending parallel to its two dimensions D1 and D2. The pallet also includes a first set of elongated reinforcing elements (110) deployed within channels (106) and a second set of elongated reinforcing elements (112) deployed within channels (108). The first set of elongated reinforcing elements (110) have apertures (114) positioned so as to align with channels (108). Apertures (114) are sized and shaped to receive elongated reinforcing elements (112) passing through the apertures, resulting in an inter-engagement of elements (110) and (112) at multiple cross-over locations (116) as they extend through the pallet.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A pallet comprising for supporting a load above an underlying surface:
 (a) a unitary plastic body having a rectangular perimeter with a first dimension and a second dimension, and having at least four legs for supporting said unitary plastic body above the underlying surface, said unitary plastic body including a first plurality of channels extending parallel to said first dimension and open to at least one edge of said unitary plastic body, and a second plurality of channels extending parallel to said second dimension and open to at least one edge of said unitary plastic body;   (b) a first set of elongated reinforcing elements deployed within said first plurality of channels and extending along a majority of said first dimension, said first set of elongated reinforcing elements having apertures aligned with said second plurality of channels; and   (c) a second set of elongated reinforcing elements deployed within said second plurality of channels and passing through said apertures in said first set of elongated reinforcing elements, said second set of elongated reinforcing elements extending along a majority of said second dimension.   
     
     
         2 . The pallet of  claim 1 , wherein said unitary plastic body includes a deck for supporting the load, said deck spanning said first and second dimensions. 
     
     
         3 . The pallet of  claim 1 , wherein said legs are hollow legs configured to allow nesting of part of the legs of another similar pallet within said hollow legs when similar pallets are stacked. 
     
     
         4 . The pallet of  claim 1 , wherein said first set of elongated reinforcing elements have a rectangular cross-section. 
     
     
         5 . The pallet of  claim 1 , wherein said first set of elongated reinforcing elements have an I-beam cross-section. 
     
     
         6 . The pallet of  claim 1 , wherein said second set of elongated reinforcing elements have a circular cross-section. 
     
     
         7 . A method for assembling a pallet for supporting a load above an underlying surface, the method comprising the steps of:
 (a) providing a unitary plastic body having a rectangular perimeter with a first dimension and a second dimension, and having at least four legs for supporting said unitary plastic body above the underlying surface, said unitary plastic body including a first plurality of channels extending parallel to said first dimension and open to at least one edge of said unitary plastic body, and a second plurality of channels extending parallel to said second dimension and open to at least one edge of said unitary plastic body;   (b) inserting a first set of elongated reinforcing elements along said first plurality of channels so as to extend along a majority of said first dimension, said first set of elongated reinforcing elements having apertures aligned with said second plurality of channels; and   (c) inserting a second set of elongated reinforcing elements along said second plurality of channels so as to pass through said apertures in said first set of elongated reinforcing elements and to extend along a majority of said second dimension.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein said unitary plastic body includes a deck for supporting the load, said deck spanning said first and second dimensions. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein said legs are hollow legs configured to allow nesting of part of the legs of another similar pallet within said hollow legs when similar pallets are stacked. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein said first set of elongated reinforcing elements have a rectangular cross-section. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein said first set of elongated reinforcing elements have an I-beam cross-section. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein said second set of elongated reinforcing elements have a circular cross-section.