Abstract: A nestable polymer pallet is provided with a peripheral structure and an inner deck. The peripheral structure includes an outer deck and hollow legs for nesting engagement with the legs of a similar pallet. The inner deck is surrounded by the outer deck and has a fire-venting structure with a contiguous area of at least 80 square centimeters that is at least 80 percent open area for vertical airflow. When nested in a stack with other similar pallets, the fire-venting structures align to form a chimney structure allowing vertical airflow through the stack of pallets. In some embodiments, at least two thirds of an area of downward-facing surfaces of the pallet presents at least a surface layer of fire resistant material. In other embodiments, the fire-venting structure extends along an edge of the inner deck adjacent to the outer deck.

Abstract: A pallet includes a deck and a plurality of legs extending downward from the deck. At least one permanent magnet is disposed on the underside of the deck adjacent to at least one tine entry location defined between the legs. The magnet is configured to attract the tines of a forklift to provide a magnetic retention force that resists tipping of the pallet when lifted and moved by the forklift. Preferred examples include nestable polymer pallets.

Abstract: A nestable pallet (100, 200, 300, 400) has a deck (102) for supporting a load and a set of hollow tapered legs (106), the legs having an upper opening and an inwardly-tapered internal surface (108) for receiving part of a corresponding leg of another pallet when a plurality of similar pallets are stacked. Some of the hollow legs have a peripheral support configuration that includes a lower-leg extension (110), projecting horizontally from an inwardly-tapered portion of the leg towards an edge (112) of the pallet and an upper-leg opening (114) for receiving the lower-leg extension of another pallet when a plurality of similar pallets are stacked.

Abstract: A pallet (100) having a unitary plastic body (102) with at least four legs (104a), and including two sets of channels (106, 108) extending parallel to its two dimensions D1 and D2. The pallet also includes a first set of elongated reinforcing elements (110) deployed within channels (106) and a second set of elongated reinforcing elements (112) deployed within channels (108). The first set of elongated reinforcing elements (110) have apertures (114) positioned so as to align with channels (108). Apertures (114) are sized and shaped to receive elongated reinforcing elements (112) passing through the apertures, resulting in an inter-engagement of elements (110) and (112) at multiple cross-over locations (116) as they extend through the pallet.

Abstract: A nestable pallet (100, 200, 300, 400) has a deck (102) for supporting a load and a set of hollow tapered legs (106), the legs having an upper opening and an inwardly-tapered internal surface (108) for receiving part of a corresponding leg of another pallet when a plurality of similar pallets are stacked. Some of the hollow legs have a peripheral support configuration that includes a lower-leg extension (110), projecting horizontally from an inwardly-tapered portion of the leg towards an edge (112) of the pallet and an upper-leg opening (114) for receiving the lower-leg extension of another pallet when a plurality of similar pallets are stacked.

Abstract: A nestable pallet includes a deck supported by hollow legs. Each hollow leg has an upper opening for receiving part of a corresponding leg of another pallet when the pallets are stacked. A horizontal cross-sectional shape of at least one, and preferably all, of the hollow legs corresponds to the union of at least two oblong shapes intersecting orthogonally, each oblong shape having an aspect ratio greater than 2:1. The legs preferably have T-shaped or H-shaped cross-sectional shapes, and may be deployed to provide support for reinforcing beams extending through the deck.

Abstract: A nestable pallet includes a deck supported by hollow legs. Each hollow leg has an upper opening for receiving part of a corresponding leg of another pallet when the pallets are stacked. A horizontal cross-sectional shape of at least one, and preferably all, of the hollow legs corresponds to the union of at least two oblong shapes intersecting orthogonally, each oblong shape having an aspect ratio greater than 2:1. The legs preferably have T-shaped or H-shaped cross-sectional shapes, and may be deployed to provide support for reinforcing beams extending through the deck.

Abstract: The present invention provides a system for transporting products including a pallet consisting of a deck having an upper surface and a pattern of recesses formed in the upper surface including sets of recesses deployed for receiving a footprint of a layer of crates. A stacking element for deploying on the upper edges of the layer of crates consisting of a board including a surface, and a pattern of recesses formed in the surface including sets of recesses for receiving the upper edges of the layer crates.

Abstract: The present invention provides a system for transporting products including a pallet consisting of a deck having an upper surface and a pattern of recesses formed in the upper surface including sets of recesses deployed for receiving a footprint of a layer of crates. A stacking element for deploying on the upper edges of the layer of crates consisting of a board including a surface, and a pattern of recesses formed in the surface including sets of recesses for receiving the upper edges of the layer crates.

Abstract: In a retail store having a sales area and a back-store area including a storage area, a system for managing produce includes a sensor arrangement for reading distinct identifiers associated with containers passing along a produce transfer path from the back-store area to the sales area. A processing system maintains a database including a record for each container received to the back-store area, each container record including a produce type and freshness data. For each produce type, the system determines at least one container of the given produce type in the back-store area having a shortest salability period as derived from the freshness data, this being designated a priority container, The system monitors whether containers transferred along the produce transfer path correspond to the priority containers. If a container other than a priority container is transferred, at least one enforcement action is actuated.

Abstract: An inventory management system includes a floor-based weighing subsystem and a load status subsystem. The floor-based weighing subsystem includes a sensor arrangement that includes at least one weight sensor functionally associated with a load carrying unit that supports a load having an associated weight. The load carrying unit is deployed at the floor of a retail display area, and the weight sensor determines the weight of the load. A load status determination engine of the load status subsystem receives, from the floor-based weighing subsystem, the weight of the load determined by the weight sensor, and determines a loading status of the load carrying unit based on the received weight of the load.

Abstract: An inventory management system includes a floor-based weighing subsystem and a load status subsystem. The floor-based weighing subsystem includes a sensor arrangement that includes at least one weight sensor functionally associated with a load carrying unit that supports a load having an associated weight. The load carrying unit is deployed at the floor of a retail display area, and the weight sensor determines the weight of the load. A load status determination engine of the load status subsystem receives, from the floor-based weighing subsystem, the weight of the load determined by the weight sensor, and determines a loading status of the load carrying unit based on the received weight of the load.

Abstract: In a retail store having a sales area and a back-store area including a storage area, a system for managing produce includes a sensor arrangement for reading distinct identifiers associated with containers passing along a produce transfer path from the back-store area to the sales area. A processing system maintains a database including a record for each container received to the back-store area, each container record including a produce type and freshness data. For each produce type, the system determines at least one container of the given produce type in the back-store area having a shortest salability period as derived from the freshness data, this being designated a priority container, The system monitors whether containers transferred along the produce transfer path correspond to the priority containers. If a container other than a priority container is transferred, at least one enforcement action is actuated.

Abstract: A dolly or pallet equipped with an elastically suspended load-bearing surface so as to responsively move downwards as materials are loaded and move upwards as loads are removed thereby reducing variation in the height of the top of the stack. The elastic suspension elements are connected to suspension support structures configured to fold into a compact folded position to facilitate storage and return transport and to unfold into a fully erected position at the time of use.

Abstract: A dolly or pallet equipped with an elastically suspended load-bearing surface so as to responsively move downwards as materials are loaded and move upwards as loads are removed thereby reducing variation in the height of the top of the stack. The elastic suspension elements are connected to suspension support structures configured to fold into a compact folded position to facilitate storage and return transport and to unfold into a fully erected position at the time of use.

Abstract: A pallet capable, when supporting a load, of being alternately lifted and transported by a forklift having prongs or manually rolled across a floor. The pallet includes interconnected upper and lower planar members which form a pallet assembly featuring recesses for accommodating the prongs of the forklift. The pallet assembly further includes a mechanism for connecting a handle assembly near one end of the pallet assembly. The pallet assembly farther includes a pair of wheels mounted near the opposite end of the pallet assembly. The wheels are mounted so that when the pallet assembly lies horizontally on the floor the weight of the pallet is largely supported by the lower planar member while when the pallet is tilted so that the end away from the wheels is lifted the pallet is supported by the wheels so that the pallet and its load can be readily manually rolled on the floor.

Abstract: A panel includes a planar face layer formed by continuous extrusion, and a plurality of ribs extending longitudinally of the face layer and also formed by continuous extrusion. The ribs are hollow and have a height at least five times the thickness of the planar face layer. The ribs rigidify the panels in the transverse direction, and end caps are applied transversely to rigidify it in the longitudinal direction.