Fire sprinkler-friendly pallet

Abstract

In one embodiment, a corrugated pallet deck has holes selectively located along valleys of the corrugations, so sprinkler water which falls onto racked or stacked pallets drops onto the rails of the base of the pallet, and onto things below, to inhibit their tendency to combust in a fire. In variations, the valleys of the corrugations are sloped toward the holes, and the valleys are cross connected. In other embodiments, the frame that supports the deck has holes for water and a gutter shape top, so water runs along the frame to the holes and then onto the the base. In other embodiments, the base rails have and specially shaped tops and or through holes, for better water flow onto the pallets below.

1 . A fire sprinkler friendly pallet having a corrugated deck supported over a base, the deck having at least one hole in a valley of a corrugation, wherein the flow area of said at least one hole is located over a part of the base of the pallet.  
   
   
       2 . A fire sprinkler friendly pallet in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein when said pallet rests on a level surface, said at least one hole is located in a lower region of said corrugation, such that water landing in another portion of said corrugation will tend by gravity to run towards the portion of said corrugation containing said hole.  
   
   
       3 . A fire sprinkler friendly pallet in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein a plurality of corrugations are interconnected.  
   
   
       4 . A fire sprinkler friendly pallet in accordance with  claim 3 , wherein said plurality of corrugations are interconnected via staggered channels.  
   
   
       5 . A fire sprinkler friendly pallet in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein when said pallet rests on a level surface, an outer length of said deck supporting frame is either higher than a hole in said deck supporting frame or higher than said deck, such that water will tend to flow toward said hole or toward said deck from said outer length of said deck supporting frame rather than flowing over the outer length of said deck supporting frame.  
   
   
       6 . A fire sprinkler friendly pallet in accordance with  claim 5 , wherein said deck supporting frame includes a plurality of holes, which holes are provided in portions of said deck supporting frame that are lower than an outer length of said deck supporting frame and lower than portions of said deck, such that water will tend to collect or flow between said plurality of holes in said deck supporting frame.  
   
   
       7 . A fire sprinkler friendly pallet in accordance with  claim 6 , wherein a base portion below at least one hole in said deck supporting frame or below at least one hole in said deck is contoured to selectively direct water flow.  
   
   
       8 . A fire sprinkler friendly pallet in accordance with  claim 7 , wherein said base portion is angled or provided with a concave, grooved or corrugated surface.  
   
   
       9 . A fire sprinkler friendly pallet in accordance with  claim 7 , wherein said base portion is provided with holes to drain water.  
   
   
       10 . A fire sprinkler friendly pallet in accordance with  claim 6 , wherein said corrugation is interconnected with at least one hole containing portion of said deck supporting frame by a channel.  
   
   
       11 . A fire sprinker friendly pallet in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein a plurality of holes are provided in valleys of a plurality of corrugations, wherein the flow area of said plurality of holes is located over parts of the base of the pallet.  
   
   
       12 . A fire sprinkler friendly pallet in accordance with  claim 11 , wherein when said pallet rests on a level surface, a plurality of holes are located in lower regions of said corrugations, such that water landing in another portion of said corrugations will tend by gravity to run towards the portion of said corrugations containing said plurality of holes located in lower regions of said corrugations.  
   
   
       13 . A fire sprinkler friendly pallet in accordance with  claim 11 , wherein a plurality of said corrugations are interconnected.  
   
   
       14 . A fire sprinkler friendly pallet in accordance with  claim 13 , wherein said plurality of corrugations are interconnected via staggered channels.  
   
   
       15 . A fire sprinkler friendly pallet in accordance with  claim 11 , wherein when said pallet rests on a level surface, an outer length of said deck supporting frame is either higher than a hole in said deck supporting frame or higher than said deck, such that water will tend to flow toward said hole or toward said deck from said outer length of said deck supporting frame rather than flowing over the outer length of said deck supporting frame.  
   
   
       16 . A fire sprinkler friendly pallet in accordance with  claim 15 , wherein said deck supporting frame includes a plurality of holes, which holes are provided in portions of said deck supporting frame that are lower than an outer length of said deck supporting frame and lower than portions of said deck, such that water will tend to collect or flow between said plurality of holes in said deck supporting frame.  
   
   
       17 . A fire sprinkler friendly pallet in accordance with  claim 16 , wherein a base portion below at least one hole in said deck supporting frame or below at least one hole in said deck is contoured to selectively direct water flow.  
   
   
       18 . A fire sprinkler friendly pallet in accordance with  claim 17 , wherein said base portion is angled or provided with a concave, grooved or corrugated surface.  
   
   
       19 . A fire sprinkler friendly pallet in accordance with  claim 17 , wherein said base portion is provided with holes to drain water.  
   
   
       20 . A fire sprinkler friendly pallet in accordance with  claim 16 , wherein at least one corrugation in said deck is interconnected with at least one hole containing portion of said deck supporting frame by a channel.  
   
   
       21 . A pallet in accordance with  claim 11 , wherein the deck, deck supporting frame and base components comprise plastics, metals, woods or combinations of the foregoing.