Drum Pallet

Abstract

A one-piece pallet for securing and stacking drums thereon may include a tray having downwardly and inwardly tapering peripheral side walls, a top surface having a plurality of raised support surfaces, each shaped to engage a bottom of a container, a plurality of raised dividers, each of said dividers being positioned between adjacent support surfaces and being shaped to engage a side wall of a drum resting on said adjacent support surfaces. The side walls may have outer raised ribs terminating adjacent one of the support surfaces and shaped to engage a side wall of a drum resting on said adjacent one of said support surfaces. The dividers may include inner raised ribs having terminal portions opposite the terminal portions of the outer raised ribs such that a drum resting on any one of said support surfaces is constrained by the terminal portions of the inner and outer raised ribs from lateral movement relative to the tray. Support pedestals extend from a bottom surface of the tray, and the pedestals each include an arcuate groove shaped to engage an upper periphery of a drum that may facilitate stacking of the pallet.

1 . A drum pallet comprising:
 a tray having a top surface and a bottom surface;   said top surface including
 a plurality of support surfaces, each of said support surfaces being shaped to receive and support a bottom portion of a container; and 
 a plurality of raised dividers, each of said dividers being positioned adjacent one of said support surfaces and shaped to engage a bottom portion of a container supported on said adjacent one of said support surfaces and thereby prevent relative lateral movement between said tray and said bottom portion of said container supported on said adjacent one of said support surfaces; and 
   said bottom surface having a plurality of grooves formed therein, said grooves being shaped to receive an upper portion of a container and thereby prevent relative lateral movement between said tray and said upper portion of a container received by said grooves, said grooves being positioned on said bottom surface to correspond to said support surfaces;   whereby said tray is capable of being placed upon said upper portions of a grouping of containers received and supported on said support surfaces of a second one of said tray immediately below said tray, such that relative lateral movement between said tray and said second one of said tray and upper portions and lower portions of each container of said grouping of containers is prevented.   
     
     
         2 . The drum pallet of  claim 1  wherein each of said raised dividers is positioned on said top surface between adjacent ones of said support surfaces. 
     
     
         3 . The drum pallet of  claim 2  wherein said raised dividers include raised ribs, said raised ribs having terminal portions shaped and positioned to contact and secure a bottom portion of a container positioned on an associated one of said support surfaces. 
     
     
         4 . The drum pallet of  claim 3  wherein said raised ribs include said terminal portions at opposite ends thereof, whereby said terminal portions are capable of contacting and securing bottom portions of containers positioned on said support surfaces adjacent to an associated one of said dividers. 
     
     
         5 . The drum pallet of  claim 1  wherein said bottom surface further comprises a plurality of pedestals, said pedestals being shaped such that said support surfaces are elevated above a surface upon which said tray is placed. 
     
     
         6 . The drum pallet of  claim 5  wherein said pedestals are shaped and positioned on said bottom surface to provide clearance for receiving forks of a lift truck therebetween such that said tray is capable of being supported upon and lifted by forks of a material handling vehicle. 
     
     
         7 . The drum pallet of  claim 6  wherein said plurality of support pedestals include a central pedestal located substantially centrally of said tray, corner pedestals located adjacent corners of said tray, and mid-length pedestals located between adjacent ones of said corner pedestals. 
     
     
         8 . The drum pallet of  claim 7  wherein said tray further comprises downwardly extending side walls forming about the periphery of said top surface and said bottom surface, said side walls including outer portions of said corner pedestals. 
     
     
         9 . The drum pallet of  claim 8  wherein said downwardly extending side walls include outer portions of said mid-length pedestals. 
     
     
         10 . The drum pallet of  claim 7  wherein said pedestals have open tops shaped to receive the bottom portions of said pedestals of a second one of said pallets such that said pallet is stackable and nestable. 
     
     
         11 . The drum pallet of  claim 8  wherein said side walls form outer portions of said mid-pedestals. 
     
     
         12 . The drum pallet of  claim 5  wherein said grooves are formed in bottom surfaces of said pedestals, whereby, when said tray is placed upon said grouping of containers such that upper portions of said containers thereof engage said grooves, spaces are formed between said pedestals and between said bottom surface and said grouping of containers shaped to receive forks of a lift truck. 
     
     
         13 . The drum pallet of  claim 1  wherein said tray is made entirely from a single sheet of thermoformed plastic. 
     
     
         14 . The drum pallet of  claim 1  wherein said tray further comprises downwardly extending side walls extending about the periphery of said top surface and said bottom surface. 
     
     
         15 . The drum pallet of  claim 14  wherein said side walls include raised ribs shaped to engage a bottom portion of a container supported by an associated one of said support surfaces. 
     
     
         16 . The drum pallet of  claim 1  wherein said support surfaces are substantially flat and include transverse grooves extending thereacross. 
     
     
         17 . A drum pallet comprising:
 a tray made from a single sheet of thermoformed plastic and having a top surface and a bottom surface;   said top surface including
 a plurality of support surfaces, each of said support surfaces being substantially flat with transverse grooves thereacross and shaped to receive and support a bottom portion of a container thereon, said support surfaces being substantially flat and including transverse grooves extending thereacross; and 
 a plurality of raised dividers, each of said raised dividers being positioned between adjacent ones of said support surfaces and including raised ribs, said raised ribs having terminal portions shaped and positioned to engage a bottom portion of a container supported on said adjacent ones of said support surfaces and thereby prevent relative lateral movement between said tray and said bottom portion of said container supported on said adjacent one of said support surfaces; 
   said bottom surface having a plurality of grooves formed therein, said grooves being shaped to receive an upper portion of a container and thereby prevent relative lateral movement between said tray and said upper portion of a container received by said grooves, said grooves being positioned on said bottom surface to correspond to said support surfaces;   whereby said tray is capable of being placed upon said upper portions of a grouping of containers received and supported on said support surfaces of a second one of said tray immediately below said tray, such that relative lateral movement between said tray and said second one of said tray and upper portions and lower portions of each container of said grouping of containers is prevented;   a plurality of support pedestals extending from said bottom surface and being shaped such that said support surfaces are elevated above a surface upon which said tray is placed; said support pedestals being shaped and positioned on said bottom surface to provide clearance for receiving forks of a lift truck therebetween; said support pedestals including a central pedestal located substantially centrally of said tray, corner pedestals located adjacent corners of said tray, and mid-pedestals located between adjacent ones of said corner pedestals;   downwardly extending side walls extending about a periphery of said top surface and said bottom surface, said side wall forming outer portions of said corner pedestals and said mid-pedestals; and   said pedestals including grooves formed in the bottom surfaces thereof, whereby, when said tray is placed upon said grouping of containers such that upper portions of said containers thereof engage said grooves, spaces are formed between said pedestals and between said bottom surface and said grouping of containers shaped to receive forks of a lift truck.