초록 ▼

Two twin-sheet thermoformed thermoplastic sleeve halves engage within peripheral grooves in an underlying pallet and an overlying cover. Each sleeve half has a full wall which is connected by integrally thermoformed hinges to two partial walls. The integral connection between the sleeve walls gives

Two twin-sheet thermoformed thermoplastic sleeve halves engage within peripheral grooves in an underlying pallet and an overlying cover. Each sleeve half has a full wall which is connected by integrally thermoformed hinges to two partial walls. The integral connection between the sleeve walls gives advantageous rigidity to the pallet sleeve assembly, while the hinging of the walls allows economical manufacture and low volume flat storage of the sleeve halves in a knocked-down configuration. The hinges preferably have non-specific hinge axes, thereby providing long hinge life, impact resistance, and ease of operation. Vertical substrate tubes are totally encapsulated into each sleeve half to carry loads from a supported loaded pallet sleeve assembly. To effectively transfer the loads from the cover to the sleeve, sinuous transfer ridges are molded on the sleeves above and below the vertical substrate tubes. The transfer ridges are positioned directly beneath the cover reinforcing substrate to maximize the assembly's load supporting capability. The upper projecting lip of the sleeve is positioned to tend to cause the sleeve to bow inward, where interaction with the pallet contents contributes to overall stiffness. The pinch areas between the inner and outer sheets of the sleeve are preferably oval.

대표청구항 ▼

[ We claim:] [1.] A container comprising:a plastic pallet having an upwardly opening peripheral groove;a twin-sheet thermoformed thermoplastic sleeve having walls which extend upwardly from the plastic pallet, the walls having portions which extend into the pallet peripheral groove, each wall being

[ We claim:] [1.] A container comprising:a plastic pallet having an upwardly opening peripheral groove;a twin-sheet thermoformed thermoplastic sleeve having walls which extend upwardly from the plastic pallet, the walls having portions which extend into the pallet peripheral groove, each wall being formed in the twin-sheet thermoforming process from a first sheet of thermoplastic material which is fused to a second sheet of thermoplastic material to define a plurality of depressions where the first sheet is fused to the second sheet, unfused regions being defined between vertically spaced depressions; anda hinge extending between two sleeve walls approximately perpendicular to one another, wherein the hinge and portions of the two perpendicular walls are formed as one piece in the twin-sheet thermoforming process, the hinge being comprised of the first sheet of thermoplastic material being fused to the second sheet of thermoplastic material throughout the region defined by the hinge, and wherein each hinge has a vertically extending hinge body, a plurality of substantially parallel bars which extend inwardly from the hinge body, and a plurality of grooves on the exterior of the hinge body, said grooves extending parallel to the bars, such that the sleeve may be removed from the pallet and the walls pivoted about the hinge to bring the two walls into approximately the same plane.