Wooden dowel in pallet assembly

Abstract

An improved pallet that is capable of easy assembly, functionally adequate for some situations and capable of easy disassembly. In one form of the invention, a pallet is provided that is made of all wood. In one embodiment, the pallet may be comprised of a plurality of stringers with bores, a plurality of deck boards with openings, and a plurality of wooden dowels disposed in the bores and openings to connect the stringers and deck boards.

1 . A method for assembling a pallet comprising: 
 providing a plurality of dowels, each dowel comprising first and second portions, each dowel having at least two contiguous dowel sections having sidewalls of different cross-sectional size;    providing at least two elongated stringers, each stringer having a longitudinal mounting surface having a plurality of bores formed therein in spaced relation along the mounting surface, the bores each being configured to receive a selected portion of one of the dowels;    providing a plurality of deck boards, each deck board having first and second ends with each end having an opening adapted for aligned relation with a selected bore in one of the stringers, the openings configured to receive a remaining portion of the dowel;    applying adhesive material to at least part of the longitudinal mounting surface of the stringers, to at least part of the first and second ends of the deck boards, and to the openings, bores, or dowels such that adhesive material is ultimately disposed in the bores and openings;    positioning the stringers and deck boards in a predetermined orientation;    inserting the dowels into the openings of the deck boards and into the aligned bores of the stringers in a snug relationship to thereby connect the deck boards to the stringers and assemble the pallet and allowing the adhesive to cure.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the dowel is wooden.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the adhesive material is applied so that it is disposed on substantially all of the longitudinal mounting surfaces of the stringers, first and second ends of the deck boards, and to the openings, bores, and dowels.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising attaching an RFID device to the pallet.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising creating the openings and the bores with a drill.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the stringers and end boards are comprised of dry wood.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the pallet meets industry standards for a rated load of 2800-pounds and weighs less than 60 pounds.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the dowels are wooden with at least partially grooved sidewalls.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the dowels are wooden and have at least three dowel sections of successively decreasing cross-sectional sizes.  
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 9  wherein the dowels have cylindrical dowel sections.  
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the dowels are wooden with at least partially ribbed sidewalls.  
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the dowels form a friction fit with the openings and bores.  
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the adhesive is capable of curing without the use of external clamps.  
   
   
       14 . A substantially wooden pallet comprising: 
 a plurality of stringers, each including a longitudinal mounting surface having a plurality of bores formed therein;    a plurality of deck boards having first and second ends, each end having at least one opening; and    a plurality of dowels, each dowel having first and second portions, wherein the first portions and an adhesive are inserted in the plurality of stringer openings and the second portions and the adhesive are inserted into the deck board openings such that the deck boards are connected to the stringers in a predetermined orientation to form a pallet, wherein each of the dowels comprises at least two contiguous dowel sections having sidewalls of different cross-sectional size    
   
   
       15 . A pallet as defined in  claim 14  wherein the adhesive is disposed in the bores and openings and on the stringers and deck boards to more securely connect the panel boards to the stringers.  
   
   
       16 . A pallet as defined in  claim 14  wherein the dowels are wooden and the sidewalls are at least partially grooved.  
   
   
       17 . A pallet as defined in  claim 14  wherein the dowels include at least three contiguous dowel sections of successively decreasing cross-sectional size.  
   
   
       18 . A pallet as defined in  claim 17  wherein the dowel is wooden and the at least three contiguous dowel sections are cylindrical.  
   
   
       19 . A pallet as defined in  claim 14  wherein the dowel sidewalls are at least partially ribbed.  
   
   
       20 . A pallet as defined in  claim 14 , further comprising an RFID device attached to the pallet.  
   
   
       21 . A pallet as defined in  claim 14 , wherein the stringers and deck boards are comprised of dry wood.  
   
   
       22 . A pallet as defined in  claim 14 , wherein the pallet meets the industry standards for a rated load of 2800-pounds and weighs less than 60 pounds.  
   
   
       23 . A substantially wooden pallet comprising: 
 a plurality of stringers, each stringer having a width and an elongated longitudinal mounting surface, the mounting surface having an inside section and notched ends, the notched ends having a notch depth, wherein the stringers are orientated in substantially the same plane in a parallel relationship;    a plurality of deck boards having a deck board width and first and second board ends;    a plurality of lead deck boards having a lead board height and first and second lead board ends    a plurality of fasteners, wherein the fasteners fasten the first board ends to the inside section of a first stringer and the second board ends to the inside section of a second stringer and the fasteners fasten the first lead board ends to the notched ends of a first stringer and the second lead boar ends to the notched ends of a second stringer, wherein the deck boards and lead deck boards are substantially parallel to each other and are transverse to the stringers,    wherein the lead board height is substantially equal to the sum of the notch depth and deck board width.    
   
   
       24 . The pallet of  claim 23 , wherein the fasteners are wooden dowels comprising at least two contiguous dowel sections having sidewalls of different cross-section sizes.  
   
   
       25 . The pallet of  claim 24 , wherein the stringers have a plurality of bores formed therein configured to receive a first portion of the dowel and the deck boards and lead deck boards have a plurality of openings formed therein configured to receive a second portion of the dowel.  
   
   
       26 . The pallet of  claim 23  wherein an adhesive is disposed in the bores and openings and between the stringers and deck boards and lead deck boards.  
   
   
       27 . The pallet of  claim 23  wherein the dowels allow the adhesive to cure without the use of external clamps.  
   
   
       28 . The pallet of  claim 23 , wherein the pallet consists essentially of wood and adhesive.  
   
   
       29 . The pallet of  claim 28 , wherein the stringers and deck boards are dry wood.  
   
   
       30 . The pallet of  claim 24  further comprising an RFID device attached to the pallet.  
   
   
       31 . A substantially wooden pallet comprising: 
 a plurality of stringers, each stringer including a longitudinal mounting surface having a plurality of bores formed therein, wherein the stringers are comprised of dry wood;    a plurality of deck boards having first and second ends, each end having at least one opening, wherein the deck boards are comprised of dry wood;    a plurality of dowels, each dowel having first and second portions, wherein the first portions and an adhesive are inserted in the plurality of stringer openings and the second portions and the adhesive are inserted into the deck board openings such that the deck boards are connected to the stringers in a predetermined orientation to form a pallet, wherein each of the wooden dowels comprises at least two contiguous dowel sections having sidewalls of different cross-sectional size; and    an RFID device attached to an inner surface of a stringer or deck board, wherein the pallet comprises no metal.    
   
   
       32 . The pallet of  claim 31 , wherein the dowels are comprised of wood.  
   
   
       33 . The pallet of  claim 32 , wherein the adhesive substantially covers the ends of the deck boards