MOLDED PLASTIC PALLET HAVING A SNAP IN SIGNAL TRANSMITTER AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME
A twin-sheet, thermoformed pallet is configured with a bottom-opening recess shaped to receive and hold in place a signal transmitting device. The recess has undercuts that allow the device to be snapped in. The recess has a lateral extrusion for a tool to pry the device out for replacement or servicing.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 62/599,125 filed on Dec. 15, 2017, the contents of which are incorporated herein in its entirely by reference.
SUMMARYThis application discloses a twin sheet thermoformed plastic pallet having a recess formed in a bottom surface to receive a signal transmitter such as a GPS transponder. The recess is formed during the thermoforming process with undercuts on the side wall to allow the transmitter to be snapped in place. One or more lateral extensions on the recess side wall allow the transmitter to be removed for service and/or replacement.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTIONThe invention described herein is the combination of a molded plastic pallet having a top load bearing surface and a bottom surface with support legs extending integrally therefrom. Formed in the bottom surface of the pallet is a recess which may be cylindrical, and which extends up into the internal space of the pallet on the order of three to four inches. The recess has a wall and at a partial depth within the wall at least two non-continuous; i.e. spaced apart, opposed undercuts are formed. Between the undercuts, at least one lateral extension is formed in the recess which, in the case of a cylindrical recess, extends radially from the center of the recess out a short distance. Of course, the recess need not be cylindrical as transmitters come in many shapes and the recess in preferably shaped to match that of the transmitter. A signal transmitting device such a GPS transmitter/transponder is snapped into the recess above the undercuts so as to be held in place thereby. The depth location of the undercuts is such the exposed surface of the signal device is not flush with the bottom surface of the pallet but, rather, lies well within the recess so as to be spaced above the bottom surface of the pallet when the pallet is in the normal upright position on a substantially horizontal support surface. The lateral extension allows a tool to be inserted into the recess to pry the signaling device out of the recess for replacement or rearming purposes.
The features of the present invention will be best understood from the within detailed description of an embodiment thereof selected for purposes of illustration and shown in the accompanying drawings in which:
Referring to
Summarizing, the insert 36 is used in the thermoforming process for the production of a twin sheet thermoformed nine-legged plastic pallet to form a deep recess in the bottom surface of the pallet of a shape and depth to receive the battery-operated signaling device in the form of a GPS/transponder. Undercuts in the recess allow the device to be snapped into the recess with the exposed surface of the transmitter/transponder below the bottom surface of the pallet to prevent damage to the device during transportation and handling of the pallet and the associated load.
The transmitter/transponder is battery operated and preferably requires no external antenna wires. It may be activated by a signal to transmit, for example, an omni-directional GPS signal containing the coordinates of the location of the transmitter/transponder and the pallet into which the device is installed. With this arrangement, the location of the pallet can be determined at all times whether it be in a warehouse or other locations, loaded or unloaded, or in a transportation medium enroute to an assigned destination. The transmitter can be easily snapped into place without the use of tools and removed by a simple prying operation.
It is to be understood that the invention has been illustrated and described with respect to an illustrative embodiment and the various modifications and changes to the invention may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the claims.
Claims
1. In combination:
- a molded plastic pallet having a top load-carrying surface and bottom surface with integral uniformly spaced legs extending therefrom;
- an internally-walled recess having a peripheral shape formed in the pallet and opening to the bottom surface;
- the recess having a wall with a predetermined depth measured from the bottom surface and, at a fraction of said depth, a plurality of non-continuous undercuts formed therein;
- the recess having a predetermined shape with at least one lateral extension formed therein between undercuts; and
- a battery operated signaling device having a body with a peripheral shape generally corresponding to the peripheral shape of said wall exclusive of said extension and of a depth such as to allow the transmitter to snap into place within the undercuts so as to place the signaling device wholly above the bottom surface when the pallet is placed on a substantially horizontal support surface.
2. The combination defined in claim 1 wherein the signaling device is disk-shaped and the peripheral shape of the recess is generally cylindrical, and the extension is radial.
3. The combination defined in claim 1 wherein the undercuts are two in number and are uniformly and diametrically opposed to one another.
4. The combination defined in claim 1 wherein the number of undercuts is four and said four undercuts are uniformingly spaced but non-continuous so as to provide peripheral spaces between them, said at a least one extension extending from the recess between two of the undercut.
5. The combination defined in claim 1 wherein the pallet is of twin-sheet construction.
6. The combination defined in claim 1 wherein the signaling device is a GPS transmitter.
7. The combination defined in claim 1 wherein the signaling device is a transponder.
8. A thermoformed twin sheet plastic pallet having a bottom surface and a recess formed in the bottom surface and having a side wall to receive therein a signal transmitter/transponder, the side wall of the recess is formed with snap tabs having undercuts which allow the device to be snapped in place are held by the undercuts, the recess having a lateral extension to allow the signal device to be removed for recovery and/or replacement purposes.
9. A method of making a thermoformed pallet capable of removably carrying a signal transmitting device comprising the steps of:
- (a) placing an insert in a thermoforming mold configured to produce a recess in a pallet formed in said mold;
- (b) thermoforming a pallet within said mold and around said mold insert and, therefore,
- (c) snapping a signal transmitting device into said recess.
Type: Application
Filed: Dec 14, 2018
Publication Date: Jun 20, 2019
Inventor: Jeffrey C. Jurcak (Shelby Township, MI)
Application Number: 16/220,478