Pallet

Abstract

A pallet includes a deck and a plurality of outer supports extending downwardly from the deck. An inner support and a pair of outer supports extend downwardly from the deck between the outer supports. A plurality of keg top receiving recesses are formed in the bottoms of the inner and outer supports. The recesses partially define a center portion and a pair of outer portions therebetween in the inner support. The center portion and the pair of outer portions are the lower most surfaces of the center portion and are contained in a plane in which the lower most surfaces of the outer supports are also contained, and which plane is generally parallel to the upper surface of the deck.

1 . A pallet including: 
 a deck;    a plurality of outer supports extending downwardly from the deck; and    an inner support extending downwardly from the deck between the outer supports.    
   
   
       2 . The pallet of  claim 1  wherein a bottom of the inner support has a center portion and noncontiguous outer portions.  
   
   
       3 . The pallet of  claim 2  wherein the center portion is generally diamond-shaped.  
   
   
       4 . The pallet of  claim 3  wherein the center portion has concave edges.  
   
   
       5 . The pallet of  claim 2  wherein the outer portions are generally triangular.  
   
   
       6 . The pallet of  claim 5  wherein the outer portions have concave edges.  
   
   
       7 . The pallet of  claim 2  stacked on a plurality of containers, wherein the center portion is disposed between the plurality of containers.  
   
   
       8 . The pallet of  claim 2  wherein the plurality of outer supports each have a lower most surface, the lower most surfaces of the plurality of outer supports and a lower most surface of the inner support are all disposed in a plane.  
   
   
       9 . The pallet of  claim 8  wherein the plane is generally parallel to an upper surface of the deck.  
   
   
       10 . The pallet of  claim 1  wherein a lower surface of the plurality of outer supports and the inner support include a plurality of circular recesses formed therein.  
   
   
       11 . The pallet of  claim 10  wherein an upper most surface of each of the circular recesses is generally parallel to an upper surface of the deck.  
   
   
       12 . The pallet of  claim 1  further including a plurality of protrusions upward from an upper surface of the deck.  
   
   
       13 . The pallet of  claim 12  wherein the plurality of protrusions are formed along lateral edges of the deck.  
   
   
       14 . The pallet of  claim 13  wherein the plurality of protrusions includes more than one protrusion along each lateral edge of the deck.  
   
   
       15 . The pallet of  claim 13  further including a plurality of recesses on bottoms of the outer supports configured to receive the plurality of protrusions of a similar pallet on which the pallet is stacked.  
   
   
       16 . The pallet of  claim 13  wherein the plurality of protrusions are spaced inwardly from the lateral edges of the deck.  
   
   
       17 . The pallet of  claim 16  wherein the plurality of protrusions each include a beveled outer surface, the beveled outer surface facing a nearer one of the lateral edges nearer the protrusion.  
   
   
       18 . The pallet of  claim 1  wherein the deck includes an upper deck member having an upper sheet from which a plurality of upper ribs extend downwardly, the deck further including a lower deck member having a lower sheet from which a plurality of lower ribs extend upwardly and mate with the upper ribs to form a plurality of box beam sections in the deck.  
   
   
       19 . The pallet of  claim 1  wherein the deck includes an upper sheet, a lower sheet and a plurality of ribs connecting the upper sheet to the lower sheet.  
   
   
       20 . A pallet including: 
 a generally planar deck; and    an inner support extending downwardly from the deck generally along a centerline of the deck, wherein a bottom of the inner support has a center portion and a pair of outer portions.    
   
   
       21 . The pallet of  claim 20  wherein the center portion is spaced inwardly from the outer portions.  
   
   
       22 . The pallet of  claim 20  wherein the center portion is generally diamond-shaped.  
   
   
       23 . The pallet of  claim 22  wherein the center portion has concave edges.  
   
   
       24 . The pallet of  claim 23  wherein the concave edges of the center portion partially defines a keg top receiving recess on the bottom of the pallet.  
   
   
       25 . A pallet including: 
 a deck having a plurality of protrusions protruding upward from an upper surface of the deck, the protrusions extending along lateral edges of the deck; and    a plurality of supports extending downwardly from the deck.    
   
   
       26 . The pallet of  claim 25  wherein the plurality of protrusions includes more than one protrusion along each lateral edge of the deck.  
   
   
       27 . The pallet of  claim 25  further including a plurality of recesses on bottoms of the supports configured to receive the plurality of protrusions of a similar pallet on which the pallet is stacked.  
   
   
       28 . The pallet of  claim 27  wherein the plurality of protrusions are spaced inwardly from the lateral edges of the deck.  
   
   
       29 . The pallet of  claim 28  wherein the plurality of protrusions each include a beveled outer surface, the beveled outer surface facing a nearer one of the lateral edges nearer the protrusion.  
   
   
       30 . A pallet including: 
 a deck having an upper surface;    a first plurality of protrusions along a first lateral edge of the upper surface and spaced inwardly from the first lateral edge;    a second plurality of protrusions along a second lateral edge of the upper surface and spaced inwardly from the second lateral edge; and    a plurality of outer supports extending downwardly from the deck.    
   
   
       31 . The pallet of  claim 30  wherein the first plurality of protrusions includes more than one protrusion along the first lateral edge of the deck.  
   
   
       32 . The pallet of  claim 30  further including a plurality of recesses on bottoms of the outer supports configured to receive the first plurality of protrusions and second plurality of protrusions of a similar pallet on which the pallet is stacked.  
   
   
       33 . The pallet of  claim 30  wherein the first plurality of protrusions and the second plurality of protrusions each include a beveled outer surface  
   
   
       34 . The pallet of  claim 30  wherein the deck, the first and second pluralities of protrusions and the outer supports are all integrally molded of plastic.  
   
   
       35 . The pallet of  claim 34  and a wooden pallet stacked thereon, the wooden pallet having a wood deck and wood supports extending downwardly, the wood supports resting on the deck outwardly of the first plurality of protrusions and the second plurality of protrusions.