Field of the Invention

The invention relates to pallet safety and more particularly to a pallet cover that provides increased pallet visibility.

Background of the Invention

Goods are routinely palletised for transport, for example, transport from a warehouse to a store. Conventionally, the goods are strapped to or wrapped onto a pallet that can be handled with a forklift at either end of the pallet's journey. In some stores, a delivered pallet is pulled into the sales area of the store by a pallet jack operator. As the pallet is gradually emptied of goods, a potential hazard emerges. A completely or partially empty pallet left on the floor becomes a potential injury risk to passers by. Injuries may result from someone tripping over a pallet that may have been left in or near a walkway for even just a few minutes. The low profile of a pallet at shoe level can be overlooked by someone walking past or someone who may be distracted resulting in a trip or fall injury.

Objects and Summary of the Invention

It is an object of the present invention to provide a solution to the problem of low pallet visibility. Accordingly, a cover is provided. The cover is placeable on a pallet prior to the goods being loaded onto the pallet. The pallet cover is provided with features that raise the visible or perceived pallet height to the extent that it becomes less likely to injure a passerby, by increasing the visible profile of the pallet.

The aforementioned pallet features can either be die cut into the cover or applied to the cover.

In preferred embodiments, the cover may be utilised with the features either extending away from both the pallet and the cover, or inverted, with the features being disposed between the cover and the pallet.

In preferred embodiments, at least some features are located or positioned adjacent to the corners of the cover. Brief Description of the Drawing Figures

In order that the invention be better understood, reference is now made to the following drawing figures in which:

Figure i is a perspective view of a pallet and a cover; Figure 2 is a perspective view of a pallet and a cover, the cover having die cut features; Figure 3 is a perspective of the pallet and cover depicted in Figure

2 with the features deployed or installed;

Figure 4 is a perspective view of a flap that has been partially detached from a cover, ready for fixing;

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the flap shown in Figure 4, fixed to the cover; Figure 6 is a perspective view of a pallet, cover and attachable feature; Figure 7 is a side elevation of the feature depicted in Figure 6

Figure 8 is front elevation of a pallet with the cover and its features inverted; Figure 9 is a perspective view of a further embodiment of the invention having die cut features; and Figure 10 is a perspective detail of the cover and feature type depicted in Figure 9.

Best Mode and Other Embodiments of the Invention

As shown in Figure 1, a pallet 10 comprises a wooden or plastic structure, typically having openings 11 for receiving the loading forks of a forklift. Although there is no truly standard pallet, the Australian Standard Pallet comprises a square wooden pallet (with four corners) measuring 1165mm along each side. Such a pallet is approximately 150mm in height. In fact, wooden and plastic pallets come in a wide variety of sizes and not all are square in plan view. Regardless of the size or shape of a pallet, it may be provided with a pallet cover 12. Pallet covers are well known and the present invention comprises an improvement over the conventional pallet cover. Pallet covers will typically be formed from single flute corrugated cardboard. It will be understood the present invention actually be formed from a variety of textile sheet materials including corrugated card or plastic board sheet and plain cardboard. Typically, the cover 12 is located over the pallet before the goods are loaded onto the pallet prior to shipment. As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the sheet 12 may be die cut or laser cut etc so as to define visibility or safety features 20. In the particular examples depicted in Figures 2-4, each feature 20 comprises a structure formed from an array of perforated or cut lines, and printed or scored fold lines.

Throughout the specification the term "cut line" or "cut lines" will be used to denote (unless otherwise specified) a cut made into a pallet cover, for example, by through cutting or by intermittent perforation. It will be understood that a perforated cut will maintain the integrity of the cover until such time as the areas adjacent to the perforation are separated from one another by a user. The interchangeability of and relative benefits of cuts and perforations in the formation of cardboard structures is well understood in the art. The term "cut edge" may be used to describe die cut, through cut or perforated edges, either before or after user separation in the context of the features of the present invention. The major peripheral edge of a cover, or a portion of it, will be referred to as a peripheral edge rather than a "cut" edge so that the peripheral edge of the cover can be distinguished by those edges that are formed for the purpose of providing the additional safety features contributed by the present invention. Similarly, a "fold line" will be understood as including (unless otherwise specified) a line that is scored, a line that is perforated with a purpose of a subsequent fold, a printed line that indicates where a fold should occur or a place where a fold actually occurs.

With reference to Figures 2-5, one height increasing corner feature 20 further comprises a fold line 21 that defines the width of the feature 20. The feature 20 also comprises a terminal parting edge that is formed by a through cut or perforated line 22. The illustrated perforation cut 22 extends from a peripheral edge 23 of the cover 12 and is generally parallel to the fold line 21. The feature 20 also comprises a lateral cut or line 24 that together with the terminal cut 22 allows the feature 20 to be separated from the cover 12 except for that part of the feature 20 that remains attached to the pallet along the fold line 21. That part of the feature that extends past the fold line 21 forms a flap. The flap type feature 20 also includes, for example, an intermediate perforation, printed fold line or score 25 that is preferably parallel to both the fold line 21 and the terminal perforation 22 and that is located approximately equally distant from each. This particular arrangement of perforations (or through cuts) in conjunction with the fold line 21 allows upright structures to be formed in a corner or corners of the cover 12 as shown in Figure 3. As will be explained with reference to Figures 4 and 5, the features illustrated in Figure 2 can be brought into an upright position and then self-affixed to the cover 12. The intermediate fold line 25 represents the highest elevation of the feature above the surface of the cover. This type of feature is referred to a partially separable from the cover because it remains attached to the cover at the fold line 21. As illustrated, one feature is provided in each of the four corners of the cover and each feature overlies a corner of the pallet. With particular reference to Figures 4 and 5, it can be seen that the separation of the feature 20 from the remaining substrate of the cover 12 is accomplished by separation of the interior edge 24 and the terminal edge 20 of the feature while allowing the feature 20 to remain attached to the cover 12 along the fold line 21. As shown in Figure 4, the terminal edge 22 of the feature 20 may include one or more integral, die cut, tabs 40. In this example, each tab 40 comprises a re-attachable tongue that extends beyond the terminal edge 22 and that may include a lateral extension 41. To accommodate the one or more tabs 40 the cover 12 is provided with one or more receiving openings 43 that are located adjacent to an edge 44 of the cover that is closest to and parallel with the fold line 21. The tab is considered re-attachable because it is separated from the cover, then attached again.

Thus, as seen in Figure 5, the tab 40 may be inserted into the receiving opening 43 so as to affix the terminal or free edge 22 of the feature 20 to the top surface 50 of the cover 12. The newly folded edge 25 thus becomes the upper most portion of the feature 20 and defines an upper most extent of the cover 12. As suggested by these drawing figures, the feature 20 is preferably located closely adjacent to a corner of the cover 12. It will be appreciated that a cover 12 may be provided with a feature 20 in each corner and that two or more features may be provided along any peripheral edge 23 of a cover 12 or along any two parallel peripheral edges of a cover 12. It will also be appreciated that the tabs 40 may take on a wide variety of appearances and shapes and that the terminal edge 22 may be affixed to the top surface of a pallet cover 12 by adhesive tape, glue, Velcro™, friction, gravity or the like.

Another embodiment of the invention is depicted in Figures 6 and 7. In this example, the feature 6o, when fabricated or assembled, is separate from and not attached to the cover 12. It may be an advantage to fabricate it from the same material as the other part of the cover. In this example, the feature 60 comprises a triangular prism that is formed by providing upper and lower fold lines 61, 62 in a rectangular substrate 63. In this example, the substrate 63 may be formed from a material other than the cover or it may be formed by separating the rectangular substrate 63 from a centre portion or edge of the cover 12. As suggested by Figures 6 and 7, one edge 64 of the substrate has one or more tabs 65 that are adapted to pass through one or more cooperating through openings 66 formed, for example, in a small flap 67 that extends along one of the free longitudinal edges of the substrate 63. Thus, the substrate 63 can be formed into a self-attaching, self-sustaining triangular prism. One flat surface 68 of the fabricated prism can then be affixed to an upper surface of the cover 12 with staples, adhesives or the like.

As shown in Figure 8, a cover 12 having features 81 or the kind depicted, for example, in Figures 2-7 may be inverted so that the features 81 are spatially located between the pallet 10 and the flat body of the cover 12, In this orientation, the surface previously described as the "upper surface" 82 of the cover 12 is actually inverted so that it faces the pallet 10.

Yet another embodiment of the invention is depicted in Figures 9 and 10. In these embodiments, the features 91 are located above or adjacent to the corners 92 of the cover 12. Each feature 91 comprises a fold line 93 that is parallel with an adjacent peripheral edge 94 of the cover. Each feature also comprises two perforated or cut parting lines, being a terminal perforation or cut line 95 and a lateral perforation or cut line 96. In these examples, the major visible portion of the feature 97 forms a flap that folds about the fold line 93 and is retained in an upright orientation by a separately formed retainer 101. The retainer 101 has a fold line 102 adjacent to and parallel with the lateral partition line 96. The retainer 101 separates from the cover 12 by virtue of a pair of parallel longitudinal cut lines 103 and a terminal perforation or cut line 104 that extends between the longitudinal partition lines 103. In this example, the free end 105 of the retainer 101 further comprises a tongue or tab 106 that can be introduced into a through opening 107 formed through a flap of the kind depicted in Figures 9 and 10. The inherent resilient bias of the feature 97 around the fold line 93 urges the feature into frictional engagement with the retainer 101. This resilient bias tends to keep the under surface of the flap-like feature 97 in engagement with the retainer 101 whether or not it has an engagement tab 105.

While the present invention has been described with reference to particular details of construction, these should be understood as having been provided by way of example and not as limitations to the scope of the invention as it may be expressed in the accompanying claims.