초록 ▼

A shipping pallet that has a load bearing deck with a plurality of domes that provide high strength, stiffness, and rigidity to the deck, and an undercarriage for supporting the deck and for receiving a forklift, palletjack, hand truck, or other automated machinery. Each dome is defined by an apex l

A shipping pallet that has a load bearing deck with a plurality of domes that provide high strength, stiffness, and rigidity to the deck, and an undercarriage for supporting the deck and for receiving a forklift, palletjack, hand truck, or other automated machinery. Each dome is defined by an apex located proximate to the upper surface of the deck and a plurality of legs extending from the apex and ending at the lower surface of the deck. The domes are arranged adjacent to each other and define an array such that a load applied to the upper surface of the deck, substantially on the apex of the domes, will cause the applied forces from the load to be transmitted substantially laterally along the legs of the arches thereby producing intersecting compressive forces between adjacent domes that enable the load bearing deck to have high strength, stiffness, and rigidity.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A shipping pallet for supporting a load, comprising a load bearing deck that defines an upper surface for receiving said load and a lower surface opposite said upper surface, said load bearing deck comprising a plurality of domes, each dome defined by an apex located proximate to said upper surfa

1. A shipping pallet for supporting a load, comprising a load bearing deck that defines an upper surface for receiving said load and a lower surface opposite said upper surface, said load bearing deck comprising a plurality of domes, each dome defined by an apex located proximate to said upper surface and a plurality of legs extending from said apex and ending at said lower surface, said domes arranged in an array including a plurality of adjacent domes, said deck comprising structural fill extending between a plurality of legs of said adjacent domes, said structural fill connecting said adjacent domes to translate forces between said adjacent domes.2. The shipping pallet of claim 1, wherein a plurality of said domes comprise a closed dome structure.3. The shipping pallet of claim 1, wherein at least some of said domes comprise an open dome structure defined by a plurality of arches having apexes that define said dome apex and two legs extending from each of said arch apexes that define said dome legs, thereby forming open areas between said dome legs.4. The shipping pallet of claim 3, wherein said arches comprise a partial dome configuration defined by said legs having a substantially non-vertical orientation at said lower surface.5. The shipping pallet of claim 1, wherein said domes are shaped such that a load applied substantially to said dome apexes will be transmitted substantially laterally along said legs to produce intersecting compressive forces between adjacent domes.6. The pallet of claim 1, wherein said upper surface of said load bearing deck defines an approximately flat plane, and wherein said dome apexes are configured to extend above said flat plane such that said upper surface of said deck is uneven.7. The shipping pallet of claim 1, wherein said domes define a curvature, and wherein said curvature is substantially circular.8. The shipping pallet of claim 7, wherein said curvature defines a radius of curvature, and wherein a distance between two adjacent dome apexes is approximately equal to two times said radius of curvature.9. The shipping pallet of claim 1, wherein said domes comprise a non-circular shape.10. The shipping pallet of claim 1, wherein said plurality of domes are situated in a plurality of dome rows that extend in at least two directions and intersect each other at a non-zero angle to form a pattern.11. The shipping pallet of claim 10, wherein said pattern comprises a grid such that four adjacent dome apexes approximately define a square.12. The shipping pallet of claim 10, wherein said pattern comprises a honeycomb such that any three adjacent dome apexes approximately define an equilateral triangle.13. The shipping pallet of claim 1, wherein said lower surface of said deck comprises webbing that extends between said domes.14. The shipping pallet of claim 13, wherein said lower surface of said deck comprises a plurality of ribs that extend downwardly from said webbing.15. The shipping pallet of claim 14, wherein said plurality of ribs are situated between said domes.16. The shipping pallet of claim 13, further comprising a plurality of beams that extend through a plurality of said domes and also extend from said upper surface of said deck to a point below said webbing.17. The shipping pallet of claim 13, wherein:said lower surface of said deck comprises a lower framework that has a plurality of ribs and beams; said ribs are situated between said domes and extend downwardly from said webbing, and wherein said beams extend through a plurality of said domes and also extend from said upper surface of said deck to a point below said webbing. 18. The shipping pallet of claim 1, wherein each of said domes comprises a circular hoop at said lower surface of said load bearing deck.19. The shipping pallet of claim 18, wherein said load bearing deck comprises webbing that extends between said circular hoops.20. The shipping pallet of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of posts that extend from said lower surface of said deck.21. The shipping pallet of claim 20, wherein said plurality of posts comprise stability ribs located therein.22. The shipping pallet of claim 20, wherein said deck defines a center, and wherein said plurality of posts include a center post that extends from said center.23. The shipping pallet of claim 22, wherein said center post comprises arched stability ribs within said center post.24. The shipping pallet of claim 20, wherein said plurality of posts are situated to define spacing between said posts dimensioned to receive at least one of a forklift, palletjack and hand truck.25. The shipping pallet of claim 20, wherein said plurality of posts comprise a bottom surface for resting on a surface, and wherein said pallet defines a height from said upper surface of said load bearing deck to said bottom surface of said posts which defines a low profile, such that said height is less than about 5.0 inches.26. The shipping pallet of claim 1, wherein said deck is injection-molded in one unitary piece.27. A shipping pallet for supporting a load, comprising:a load bearing deck that defines an upper surface for receiving said load and a lower surface opposite said upper surface, said load bearing deck comprising a plurality of intersecting arch rows, each arch row comprising a plurality of adjacent arches, wherein each of said plurality of arches comprises an apex and two legs that extend from said apex to said lower surface of said deck, said arch rows being arranged such that said arches intersect approximately at their apexes thereby defining a plurality of domes that form an array of domes; and said deck further comprising structural fill that extends between legs of adjacent domes, said structural fill connecting said adjacent domes to translate forces between said adjacent domes, thereby strengthening said deck. 28. The shipping pallet of claim 27, wherein each of said plurality of arches comprise a partial arch configuration defined by said legs ending in a substantially non-vertical orientation.29. The shipping pallet of claim 27, wherein each of said plurality of arches defines a curvature, and wherein said curvature is substantially circular.30. The shipping pallet of claim 29, wherein said curvature defines a radius of curvature, and wherein a distance between two adjacent arch apexes is approximately equal to two times said radius of curvature.31. The shipping pallet of claim 27, wherein each of said plurality of arches comprises a non-circular shape.32. The shipping pallet of claim 27, wherein said plurality of intersecting arch rows comprises a first set of parallel arch rows that extend in a first direction and a second set of parallel arch rows that extend in a second direction, and wherein said second direction intersects said first direction at an angle of about 90°.33. The shipping pallet of claim 27, wherein said plurality of intersecting arch rows comprise a first set of parallel arch rows that extend in a first direction, a second set of parallel arch rows that extend in a second direction, and a third set of parallel arch rows that extend in a third direction, and wherein said second direction intersects said first direction at an angle of about 60° and said third direction intersects said first direction at an angle of about 120°.34. The shipping pallet of claim 27, wherein said plurality of intersecting arch rows comprise a first set of parallel arch rows that extend in a first direction, a second sot of parallel arch rows that extend in a second direction, a third set of parallel arch rows that extend in a third direction, and a fourth set of a parallel arch rows that extend in a fourth direction, and wherein said second direction intersects said first direction at an angle of about 60°, said third direction intersects said first direction at an angle of about 90°, and said fourth direction intersects said first direction a an angle of about 120°.35. The shipping pallet of claim 27, wherein said domes are situated and shaped such that a load applied to said arch apexes will be transmitted substantially laterally to produce intersecting compressive forces between adjacent domes.36. The pallet of claim 27, wherein said upper surface of said load bearing deck defines an approximately flat plane, and wherein said arch apexes are configured to extend above said flat plane such that said upper surface of said deck is uneven.37. The shipping pallet of claim 27, wherein said lower surface of said deck comprises webbing that extends between said plurality of domes.38. The shipping pallet of claim 37, wherein said lower surface of said deck comprises a plurality of ribs that extend downwardly from said webbing.39. The shipping pallet of claim 38, wherein said plurality of ribs are situated between said domes.40. The shipping pallet of claim 37, further comprising a plurality of beams that extend through at least one row of said plurality of domes and also extend from said upper surface of said deck to a point below said webbing.41. The shipping pallet of claim 37, wherein said lower surface of said deck comprises a lower framework that has a plurality of ribs and beams, wherein:said ribs are situated between said domes and extend downwardly from said webbing; and said beams extend through at least one row of said plurality of domes and also extend from said upper surface of said deck to a point below said webbing. 42. The shipping pallet of claim 27, further comprising a plurality of posts that extend from said lower surface of said deck.43. The shipping pallet of claim 42, wherein said plurality of posts comprise stability ribs located therein.44. The shipping pallet of claim 42, wherein said deck defines a center, and wherein said plurality of posts include a center post that extends approximately from said center.45. The shipping pallet of claim 44, wherein said center post comprises arched stability ribs within said post.46. The shipping pallet of claim 42, wherein said plurality of posts are situated to define spacing between said posts dimensioned to receive at least one of a forklift, palletjack and hand truck.47. The shipping pallet of claim 42, wherein said plurality of posts comprise a bottom surface, and wherein said pallet defines a height from said upper surface of said load bearing deck to said bottom surface of said posts which defines a low profile, such that said height is less than about 5.0 inches.48. The shipping pallet of claim 27, wherein said deck is injection-mold in one unitary piece.49. A shipping pallet for supporting a load, comprising:a load bearing deck that defines an upper surface for receiving the load and a lower surface opposite said upper surface, said load bearing deck comprising a plurality of domes, each dome defined by an apex located proximate to said upper surface and a plurality of legs extending from said apex and ending at said lower surface, said domes arranged in an array including a plurality of adjacent domes; structural fill extending between a plurality of legs of said adjacent domes, said structural fill connecting said adjacent domes to translate forces between said adjacent domes, thereby strengthening said deck; and a plurality of posts that extend from said lower surface of said deck, wherein at least some of said domes comprise an open dome structure defined by a plurality of arches having apexes that define said dome apex and two legs extending from each of said arch apexes that define said dome legs, thereby forming said open dome structure that has open areas between said dome legs, wherein said arches comprise a partial dome configuration defined by said legs having a substantially non-vertical orientation at said lower surface, and wherein said plurality of domes are situated in a plurality of dome rows that extend in a least two directions and intersect each other at a non-zero angle to form a pattern. 50. The shipping pallet of claim 49, wherein said domes define a curvature, and wherein said curvature is substantially circular.51. The shipping pallet of claim 50, wherein said curvature defines a radius of curvature, and wherein a distance between two adjacent dome apexes is approximately equal to two times said radius of curvature.52. The shipping pallet of claim 49, wherein said domes comprise a non-circular shape.53. The shipping pallet of claim 49, wherein said pattern comprises a grid such that four adjacent dome apexes approximately define a square.54. The shipping pallet of claim 49, wherein said pattern comprises a honeycomb such that any three adjacent dome apexes approximately define an equilateral triangle.55. The shipping pallet of claim 49, wherein said lower surface of said deck comprises webbing that extends between said domes.56. The shipping pallet of claim 55, wherein said lower surface of said deck further comprises a lower framework that has a plurality of ribs and beams, wherein:said ribs are situated between said domes and extend downwardly from said webbing; and said beams extend through a plurality of said domes and also extend from said upper surface of said deck to a point below said webbing. 57. The shipping pallet of claim 49, wherein said deck is injection-molded in one unitary piece.