US 11,787,598 B2
Repairable plastic pallet with removable support blocks and associated methods
Brandon Michael D'Emidio, Roswell, GA (US); Ricardo Martin Garcia, Orlando, FL (US); Daniel Aaron Gorsky, Lebanon, OH (US); Paul J. Siebert, Melbourne, FL (US); Robert G. States, III, Morrow, OH (US); Paul Barnswell, Debary, FL (US); and Joseph Adam Gainey, Apopka, FL (US)
Assigned to CHEP TECHNOLOGY PTY LIMITED, Sydney (AU)
Filed by CHEP Technology Pty Limited, Sydney (AU)
Filed on Mar. 4, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/653,474.
Application 17/653,474 is a continuation of application No. 16/421,677, filed on May 24, 2019, granted, now 11,267,610.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/678,402, filed on May 31, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2022/0204212 A1, Jun. 30, 2022
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. B65D 19/00 (2006.01)
CPC B65D 19/0073 (2013.01) [B65D 19/0016 (2013.01); B65D 2519/00034 (2013.01); B65D 2519/00069 (2013.01); B65D 2519/00104 (2013.01); B65D 2519/00273 (2013.01); B65D 2519/00288 (2013.01); B65D 2519/00293 (2013.01); B65D 2519/00318 (2013.01); B65D 2519/00333 (2013.01); B65D 2519/00373 (2013.01); B65D 2519/00567 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A pallet comprising:
a top deck having spaced apart upper and lower surfaces, with the lower surface having a plurality of top deck tab openings;
a bottom deck having spaced apart upper and lower surfaces, with the upper surface having a plurality of bottom deck tab openings; and
a plurality of spaced apart support blocks coupled between said top and bottom decks and forming an opening therebetween for receiving a lifting member, each support block comprising
an inner wall having a rectangular shape surrounding an interior opening,
an outer wall having a rectangular shape surrounding said inner wall,
a plurality of ribs extending between said inner and outer walls,
at least one first upper tab extending outwards from upper surfaces of said inner wall, with a free end of each first upper tab comprising an angled contact surface for engaging one of the top deck tab openings,
at least one second upper tab extending outwards from the upper surfaces of said inner wall, with a free end of each tab comprising an angled contact surface for engaging one of the top deck tab openings,
with the angled contact surfaces of said at least one first upper tab and said at least one second upper tab each being oriented in a first direction,
at least one first lower tab extending outwards from a portion of lower surfaces of said plurality of ribs spaced a distance away from said inner wall, with a free end of each first lower tab comprising an angled contact surface for engaging one of the bottom deck tab openings,
at least one second lower tab extending outwards from the portion of the lower surfaces of said plurality of ribs spaced the distance away from said inner wall, with a free end of each second lower tab comprising an angled contact surface for engaging one of the bottom deck tab openings, and
with the angled contact surfaces of said at least one first lower tab and said at least one second lower tab each being oriented in a second direction that is orthogonal to the first direction.