Vibration-isolating pallet and method of construction thereof

Abstract

A vibration-isolating pallet and method of construction thereof are presented. A load bearing platform is oriented along a horizontal plane to form a substantially level upper surface that can be configured to receive a load. A base is oriented under the load bearing platform and along the horizontal plane to form a lower surface that can be configured to maintain a stationary position when placed on a level surface. A suspension system is fixedly interposed between the load bearing platform and the base. The suspension system is structured to allow relative motion between the load bearing platform and the base.

1 . A vibration-isolating pallet, comprising: 
 a load bearing platform to be oriented along a horizontal plane to form a substantially level upper surface that can be configured to receive a load;    a base to be oriented under the load bearing platform and along the horizontal plane to form a lower surface that can be configured to maintain a stationary position when placed on a level surface; and    a suspension system fixedly interposed between the load bearing platform and the base, wherein the suspension system is structured to allow relative motion between the load bearing platform and the base.    
   
   
       2 . A vibration-isolating pallet according to  claim 1 , the suspension system further comprising: 
 one or more support members that provide at least one of lateral, longitudinal, and vertical flexibility, wherein the support members resist at least one of longitudinal and vertical motion in response to shear acting on the pallet.    
   
   
       3 . A vibration-isolating pallet according to  claim 2 , wherein each support member is fabricated from a non-uniform buildup of at least one layer of compressible material.  
   
   
       4 . A vibration-isolating pallet according to  claim 3 , wherein the compressible material is selected from the group comprising rubber, silicon, plastic polymer, and an incompressible liquid or gas contained within a malleable vehicle.  
   
   
       5 . A vibration-isolating pallet according to  claim 3 , wherein each support member further comprises at least one layer of rigid material.  
   
   
       6 . A vibration-isolating pallet according to  claim 5 , wherein the rigid material is selected from the group comprising wood, metal, ceramics, plastic, and composite solids.  
   
   
       7 . A vibration-isolating pallet according to  claim 1 , wherein the suspension system is tuned such that vertical stiffness exceeds at least one of lateral and longitudinal stiffness.  
   
   
       8 . A vibration-isolating pallet according to  claim 1 , wherein vertical, longitudinal, and lateral stiffness of the suspension system are tuned such that natural frequencies of the pallet with the load occurring at a frequency that is lower than 2.0 kHz do not coincide with peak frequencies in power spectrum of shipping vibration.  
   
   
       9 . A vibration-isolating pallet according to  claim 1 , wherein lateral, longitudinal, and lateral stiffness of the suspension system are tuned such that lowest combined natural frequencies of the pallet with the load are less than a lowest peak frequency in power spectrum of shipping vibration.  
   
   
       10 . A vibration-isolating pallet according to  claim 1 , the suspension system further comprising: 
 one or more support members, wherein each of the support members are selected from the group comprising a unitary support member that includes a compressible middle layer interposed between a pair of horizontally-oriented rigid layers, a rollable support member that includes a ovaloid or round rigid member interposed between a pair of vertically-oriented flexible layers, and a composite support member that includes a plurality of compressible middle layers interposed between horizontally-oriented rigid layers.    
   
   
       11 . A method for constructing a vibration-isolating pallet, comprising: 
 orienting a load bearing platform along a horizontal plane to form a substantially level upper surface that can be configured to receive a load;    orienting a base under the load bearing platform and along the horizontal plane to form a lower surface that can be configured to maintain a stationary position when placed on a level surface; and    fixedly interposing a suspension system between the load bearing platform and the base, wherein the suspension system is structured to allow relative motion between the load bearing platform and the base.    
   
   
       12 . A method according to  claim 11 , further comprising: 
 including one or more support members that provide at least one of lateral, longitudinal, and vertical flexibility, wherein the support members resist at least one of longitudinal and vertical motion in response to shear acting on the pallet.    
   
   
       13 . A method according to  claim 12 , wherein each support member is fabricated from a non-uniform buildup of at least one layer of compressible material.  
   
   
       14 . A method according to  claim 13 , wherein the compressible material is selected from the group comprising rubber, silicon, plastic polymer, and an incompressible liquid or gas contained within a malleable vehicle.  
   
   
       15 . A method according to  claim 12 , wherein each support member further comprises at least one layer of rigid material.  
   
   
       16 . A method according to  claim 15 , wherein the rigid material is selected from the group comprising wood, metal, ceramics, plastic, and composite solids.  
   
   
       17 . A method according to  claim 11 , further comprising: 
 tuning the suspension system such that vertical stiffness exceeds at least one of lateral and longitudinal stiffness.    
   
   
       18 . A method according to  claim 11 , further comprising: 
 tuning vertical, longitudinal, and lateral stiffness of the suspension system such that natural frequencies of the pallet with the load occurring at a frequency that is lower than 2.0 kHz do not coincide with peak frequencies in power spectrum of shipping vibration.    
   
   
       19 . A method according to  claim 11 , further comprising: 
 tuning lateral, longitudinal, and lateral stiffness of the suspension system such that lowest combined natural frequencies of the pallet with the load are less than a lowest peak frequency in power spectrum of shipping vibration.    
   
   
       20 . A method according to  claim 11 , further comprising: 
 including one or more support members, wherein each of the support members are selected from the group comprising a unitary support member that includes a compressible middle layer interposed between a pair of horizontally-oriented rigid layers, a rollable support member that includes a ovaloid or round rigid member interposed between a pair of vertically-oriented flexible layers, and a composite support member that includes a plurality of compressible middle layers interposed between horizontally-oriented rigid layers.    
   
   
       21 . A vibration-isolating pallet constructed according to the method of  claim 11 .  
   
   
       22 . A vibration-resistant pallet, comprising: 
 a load; and    pallet framing, comprising: 
 an upper surface to receive the load for mobile transit;  
 a base surface positioned below the load surface; and  
 one or more medial support members fixedly interposed between the upper and the base surfaces of the pallet framing,  
   wherein the medial support members are tuned to shift a natural frequency of tilt of the load to be non-coincidental to a frequency of rotation of a vehicle upon which the load and pallet framing are situated while the vehicle is in motion.