Pallet

Abstract

A pallet includes a deck and a plurality of columns extending downwardly from the deck. The columns have interiors that open upwardly through the deck, such that the pallet is nestable, i.e. the columns of a similar pallet will be at least partially received within the columns of the pallet when stacked thereon. A plurality of running boards are removably connectable to the bottoms of the columns. A plurality of reinforcement pockets are molded into an upper surface of the deck.

1 . A pallet comprising: 
 a deck;    a plurality of columns extending downwardly from the deck; and    at least one running board removably secured to the plurality of columns.    
   
   
       2 . The pallet as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the at least one running board includes a plurality of pockets connected by a plurality of runners.  
   
   
       3 . The pallet as recited in  claim 2 , wherein the plurality of columns are removably secured within the plurality of pockets.  
   
   
       4 . The pallet as recited in  claim 3 , wherein the at least one running board includes at least one snap-fit tab that is snap-fit into an aperture formed in a bottom wall of one of the plurality of columns.  
   
   
       5 . The pallet as recited in  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the plurality of pockets includes a pair of snap-fit tabs.  
   
   
       6 . The pallet as recited in  claim 5 , wherein the pair of snap-fit tabs extends upwardly from a bottom wall of the at least on pocket.  
   
   
       7 . The pallet as recited in  claim 6 , wherein the at least one of the plurality of pockets further includes two opposing pair of protrusions.  
   
   
       8 . The pallet as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the at least one running board includes a first running board and a second running board, wherein the first running board includes a pair of pyramids projecting upward from a topside of the first running board.  
   
   
       9 . The pallet as recited in  claim 8 , wherein the second running board includes at least one recess disposed in an underside of the second running board.  
   
   
       10 . The pallet as recited in  claim 9 , wherein when the first running board and the second running board are removed from the plurality of columns and the second running board is stacked on the first running board, the pair of pyramids of the first running board are partially received within the at least one recess of the second running board.  
   
   
       11 . A pallet comprising: 
 a deck including an upper surface and at least one reinforcement pocket molded therein; and    a plurality of columns extending downwardly from the deck.    
   
   
       12 . The pallet as recited in  claim 11 , wherein the plurality of columns includes at least one pair of adjacent columns and the at least one reinforcement pocket extends between the pair of adjacent columns.  
   
   
       13 . The pallet as recited in  claim 12 , wherein the at least one reinforcement pocket includes a pair of opposed side walls and a pair of opposed end walls.  
   
   
       14 . The pallet as recited in  claim 13 , wherein the at least one reinforcement pocket further includes at least one rib, wherein the rib is substantially perpendicular to a floor.  
   
   
       15 . The pallet as recited in  claim 14 , wherein the floor is generally parallel to the upper surface of the deck and in a plane spaced downwardly from the upper surface of the deck.  
   
   
       16 . The pallet as recited in  claim 15 , wherein the plurality of columns associated with at least one pallet are partially received within interiors of a second plurality of columns associated with another pallet.  
   
   
       17 . The pallet as recited in  claim 15 , further including at least one running board removably secured to the plurality of columns.  
   
   
       18 . The pallet as recited in  claim 17 , wherein the at least one running board includes a plurality of pockets and a plurality of runners disposed between the plurality of pockets.  
   
   
       19 . The pallet as recited in  claim 18 , wherein the plurality of columns are received within the plurality of pockets.  
   
   
       20 . The pallet as recited in  claim 13 , further including a plurality of gussets, wherein the deck includes a lip and at least one of the plurality of gussets extends from the lip of the deck to at least one of the pair of opposed side walls.  
   
   
       21 . The pallet as recited in  claim 20 , wherein at least one of the plurality of gussets includes at least one angled surface for contact with forks of a forklift.  
   
   
       22 . The pallet as recited in  claim 11 , wherein each of the plurality of columns includes a peripheral wall, a bottom wall, and a pair of apertures.  
   
   
       23 . The pallet as recited in  claim 22 , wherein the pair of apertures is formed through the bottom wall.  
   
   
       24 . The pallet as recited in  claim 23 , further including at least one running board removably secured to the plurality of columns via the pair of apertures.  
   
   
       25 . The pallet as recited in  claim 11 , wherein each of the plurality of columns includes a pair of opposed side walls and a pair of opposed side walls and at least one of the plurality of columns includes a plurality of notches formed in each of one of the pair of opposed side walls and the pair of opposed end walls.  
   
   
       26 . A running board comprising: 
 a plurality of pockets connected by at least one runner.    
   
   
       27 . The running board as recited in  claim 26 , further including at least one tab for engagement with at least one aperture of a pallet for removably securing the running board to the pallet.  
   
   
       28 . The running board as recited in  claim 27 , wherein the at least one tab is disposed within at least one of the plurality of pockets.  
   
   
       29 . The running board as recited in  claim 27 , wherein the at least one tab is a snap-fit tab.  
   
   
       30 . The running board as recited in  claim 26 , wherein the plurality of pockets includes a first pocket, a second pocket and a third pocket; and the at least one runner includes a pair of runners, wherein one of the pair of runners extends between the first pocket and the second pocket and the other of the pair of runners extends between the second pocket and the third pocket.  
   
   
       31 . The running board as recited in  claim 30 , further including at least one pair of tabs disposed with at least one of the first pocket, the second pocket and the third pocket for engagement with at least one aperture of a pallet for removably securing the running board to the pallet.