초록

Resin pallets having a deck and a base, where the deck and base are joined by an interlock, which is optionally reversible, are described. Methods of making such pallets by assembling the pallets by interlocking parts to form the pallets, in an optionally reversible method, are also described.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A pallet comprising: (a) a first body having a plurality of first projections extending therefrom, at least two of the plurality of first projections each including a corresponding at least one first interlocking member, each first interlocking member being rigid; and(b) a second body having: (i)

1. A pallet comprising: (a) a first body having a plurality of first projections extending therefrom, at least two of the plurality of first projections each including a corresponding at least one first interlocking member, each first interlocking member being rigid; and(b) a second body having: (i) a plurality of second interlocking members located within the second body for engaging a respective one of the first interlocking members, each second interlocking member being rigid, or(ii) a plurality of second projections extending therefrom, at least two of the plurality of second projections each including a corresponding at least one of the second interlocking members for engaging a respective one of the first interlocking members, each of the second interlocking members being rigid, each first interlocking member being positioned to engage with a corresponding one of the second interlocking members when the first and second bodies are interlocked;wherein the first body and the second body are configured such that, when the first body and the second body they are separate from one another and when the first body and the second body are each in an unflexed state, the second interlocking members are configured to interfere with the first interlocking members to prevent interlocking of the first and second bodies; andwherein at least one of the first body and the second body has a flexibility that permits a flexed state to be attained in which at least one of (1) a distal portion of the second body including the second interlocking members is tilted outward and (2) a distal portion of the first body including the at least two first projections is tilted inward so that the corresponding first interlocking members are configured to engage the corresponding second interlocking members and remain engaged when the unflexed state is re-attained after the flexed state is attained, anda first of the first and second bodies being a base of the pallet and a second of the first and second bodies being a deck of the pallet. 2. The pallet of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second bodies comprises at least one projection centrally located on the at least one of the first and second bodies. 3. The pallet of claim 1, wherein each of the first body and the second body comprises at least one projection centrally located thereon. 4. The pallet of claim 1 wherein, when the pallet is in an assembled state, at least one of the first and second bodies is planar. 5. The pallet of claim 1 wherein, when the pallet is in an assembled state, each of the first and second bodies is planar. 6. The pallet of claim 5, wherein each of the first planar body and the second planar body has a flexibility permitting tilting outward a distal portion of the second body including at least one of the second interlocking members and tilting inward a distal portion of the first body including the at least two of the plurality of first projections so that each of the at least one first interlocking member engages a corresponding at least one of the plurality of second interlocking members. 7. The pallet of claim 1 wherein, when the pallet is in an assembled state, one of the first and second bodies is planar and the other body is cambered. 8. The pallet of claim 1 wherein, when the pallet is in an assembled state, one of the first and second bodies is planar and the other body is domed. 9. The pallet of claim 1 wherein, when the pallet is in an assembled state, each of the first and second bodies is cambered. 10. The pallet of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first body and the second body has a flexibility permitting each of the at least one first interlocking member to engage a corresponding one of the plurality of second interlocking members. 11. The pallet of claim 1, wherein each of the first body and the second body is planar and has a flexibility permitting each of at least two of the plurality of first interlocking members to engage a corresponding one of the plurality of corresponding second interlocking members. 12. The pallet of claim 1, wherein the second interlocking members are angled. 13. The pallet of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first body and the second body comprises a hinge. 14. The pallet of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first body and the second body comprises a plurality of pieces. 15. The pallet of claim 14, wherein the plurality of pieces are connected by a hinge. 16. The pallet of claim 1, wherein the interlock allows the first and second bodies to be disconnected without damaging either the first or second interlocking members. 17. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first body and the second body are configured such that, when the first body and the second body are separate from one another and when the first body and the second body are each in an unflexed state, the second interlocking members are configured to interfere with first interlocking members to prevent interlocking of the first interlocking members and the second interlocking members upon any linear translation of the first and second bodies. 18. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein, when the first body and the second body are each in the unflexed state, the first body and the second body are non-interlockable. 19. A method of interlocking bodies having interlocks to form a pallet, the method comprising: (a) providing:(i) a first body having a plurality of first projections extending therefrom, each of at least two of the plurality of first projections including a corresponding at least one first interlocking member, the first interlocking members being rigid; and(ii) a second body having a plurality of second projections extending therefrom, each of at least two of the plurality of second projections including a corresponding at least one second interlocking member for engaging a respective one of the first interlocking members, the second interlocking members being rigid; wherein:each of the at least two of the plurality of second projections is positioned to engage with a corresponding one of the at least two of the plurality of first projections when the first and second bodies are interlocked, and at least one of the first body and the second body has a flexibility permitting at least one of tilting outward a distal portion of at least one of the at least two second projections each including one of the second interlocking members and tilting inward a distal portion of at least one of the at least two first projections including one of the first interlocking members so that each of the at least two of the first interlocking members engages a corresponding one of the plurality of second interlocking members,(b) flexing a bendable portion of at least one of the first body and the second body by applying a force against the body to flex the body, wherein at least one of the first body and the second body tilts outward a distal portion of the at least two of the second projections and tilts inward a distal portion of the at least two of the first projections,(c) applying a sufficient amount of the force to allow the first interlocking members on the at least of the first projections to engage corresponding ones of the at least two of the first interlocking members on the at least two second projections,(d) removing the force and allowing the first body and the second body to return to an unflexed state wherein the first and second bodies are interlocked, wherein one of the first and second bodies is a base of the pallet and the other is a deck of the pallet. 20. The method of claim 19, wherein the flexing comprises cambering the first body and the second body by placing the force against the bodies to flex the bodies and wherein the first body and the second body tilt outward a distal portion of the at least two of the second projections and tilt inward a distal portion of the at least two of the plurality of first projection including the first interlocking members, wherein the amount of the force applied allows each of the at least one of the plurality of first interlocking members to engage a corresponding one of the plurality of corresponding second interlocking members. 21. The method of claim 19, wherein first and second bodies are interlocked by sliding the first and second bodies horizontally with respect to each other to achieve engagement of the at least two of the plurality of first interlocking members with a corresponding one of the at least two of the second interlocking members. 22. A pallet comprising: a) at least a first body and a second body, wherein at least one of the first body and the second body is flexible to allow at least one first interlocking element extending from the first body to engage with at least one second interlocking element extending from the second body, the at least one first interlocking element and the at least one second interlocking element being rigid;b) wherein, the first body and the second body are configured such that, when separated from one another and when the first body and the second body are each in an unflexed state, the at least one first interlocking elements and the at least one second interlocking elements are positioned to interfere with one another to prevent engagement of the first interlocking elements with the second interlocking elements;c) wherein, when the at least one of the first body and the second body is in a flexed state, the at least one first interlocking element and the at least one second interlocking element is in a rotated position relative to the unflexed state such that the at least one first interlocking element and the at least one second interlocking element is disposed inward or outward relative to the other of the at least one first interlocking element and the at least one second interlocking element to allow engagement of the at least one first interlocking element with the at least one second interlocking element;d) wherein the at least one first interlocking element and the at least one second interlocking element are configured such that an interlock formed between the at least one first interlocking element and the at least one second interlocking element is maintained when the at least one of the bodies, after being flexed, is returned to an unflexed state; ande) wherein, when the at least one first interlocking element and the at least one second interlocking element are engaged, the first and second bodies form at least a portion of the pallet. 23. A method of interlocking bodies having interlocks to form a pallet, the method comprising: (a) providing:i) a first body and a second body, wherein at least one of the first body and the second body are flexible to allow at least one first interlocking element extending from the first body to engage with at least one respective second interlocking element extending from the second body, the at least one first interlocking element and the at least one second interlocking element being rigid;ii) wherein the at least one of the first interlocking element and the at least one of the second interlocking element rotates inward or outward relative to the other of the at least one of the first interlocking elements and the at least one of the second interlocking elements to allow engagement of the at least one of the first interlocking elements with the at least one of the second interlocking elements;iii) wherein an interlock formed between the at least one first interlocking element and the at least one second interlocking element is maintained when at least one of the bodies, after being flexed, is returned to an unflexed state; andiv) wherein, when the at least one first and second interlocking element are engaged, the first and second bodies form at least a portion of the pallet,(b) flexing a bendable portion of at least one of the first body and the second body by applying a force against the body to flex the body, wherein at least one of the first and second bodies tilt outward a distal portion of the second body including the at least one of the second interlocking element and tilts inward a distal portion of the first body including the at least one of the first interlocking element,(c) applying a sufficient amount of the force to allow the at least one of the first interlocking element to engage a corresponding one of the at least one of the second interlocking elements,(d) removing the force and allowing at least one of the first body and the second body to return to an unflexed state wherein the first and second bodies are interlocked, wherein one of the first and second bodies is a base of the pallet and the other is a deck of the pallet. 24. The method of claim 23, wherein the flexing comprises cambering the first body and the second body by placing the force against the bodies to flex the bodies and wherein the first body and the second body tilt outward a distal portion of the second body including the at least one second interlocking element and tilt inward a distal portion of the first body including the at least one first interlocking element, wherein the amount of the force applied allows the at least one of the first interlocking element to engage a corresponding at least one of the second interlocking elements on opposing sides of the first and second bodies. 25. The method of claim 23, wherein the first body and the second body are interlocked by sliding the first and second bodies horizontally with respect to each other to achieve engagement of the at least one first interlocking element with the at least one second interlocking element.