Shipping pallet post reinforcement

Abstract

A shipping pallet having a top deck, a bottom skid, and a plurality of posts disposed between and separating the top deck and the bottom skid such that at least one tow fork is able to be positioned between the top deck and the bottom skid. The shipping pallet also includes a plurality of collars formed as part of the top deck, and the posts are integrally formed as part of the bottom skid. Each of the plurality of posts is received into and connected to a respective one of the plurality of collars. There is also a plurality of reinforcements, and each of the reinforcements is disposed within and surrounded by a post. Each post and reinforcement is received into one of the collars, and the post is connected to the collar through a connection point, such as an adhesive joint or thermoplastic weld.

1 . A shipping pallet, comprising:
 a top deck;   a bottom skid;   at least one post formed as part of one of said top deck or said bottom skid, said at least one post disposed between and separating said top deck and said bottom skid such that at least one tow fork is able to be positioned between said top deck and said bottom skid; and   at least one collar formed as part of one of said top deck or said bottom skid, said at least one post operable for connection with said at least one collar.   
     
     
         2 . The shipping pallet of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one reinforcement disposed within and surrounded by said at least one post. 
     
     
         3 . The shipping pallet of  claim 2 , said at least one collar further comprising a plurality of collars formed as part of said top deck, said at least one post further comprising a plurality of posts integrally formed as part of said bottom skid, each of said plurality of posts received into and connected to a respective one of said plurality of collars, said at least one reinforcement further comprising a plurality of reinforcements, each of said plurality of reinforcements disposed within and surrounded by a respective one of said plurality of posts. 
     
     
         4 . The shipping pallet of  claim 2 , said at least one collar further comprising a plurality of collars formed as part of said bottom skid, said at least one post further comprising a plurality of posts integrally formed as part of said top deck, each of said plurality of posts received into and connected to a respective one of said plurality of collars, said at least one reinforcement further comprising a plurality of reinforcements, each of said plurality of reinforcements disposed within and surrounded by a respective one of said plurality of posts. 
     
     
         5 . The shipping pallet of  claim 2 , said at least one collar further comprising:
 an outer wall;   an inner wall; and   at least one groove formed by said outer wall and said inner wall, said at least one post operable for being received into said at least one groove, and said at least one post is connected to said outer wall by a connection point.   
     
     
         6 . The shipping pallet having a post reinforcement of  claim 2 , wherein said at least one reinforcement is made from one selected from the group consisting of reclaimed post consumer waste, reclaimed post industrial waste, wood, steel, reclaimed wound paper core, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         7 . The shipping pallet of  claim 1 , said at least one collar further comprising a plurality of collars, a portion of said plurality of collars formed as part of said top deck, and a portion of said plurality of collars formed as part of said bottom skid. 
     
     
         8 . The shipping pallet of  claim 7 , said at least one post further comprising a plurality of posts, each of said plurality of posts extending into and connected to one of said plurality of collars formed as part of said top deck and extending into and connected to one of said plurality of collars formed as part of said bottom skid. 
     
     
         9 . The shipping pallet having of  claim 7 , each of said plurality of collars further comprising:
 an outer wall;   an inner wall; and   at least one groove formed by said outer wail and said inner wall, said at least one post operable for being received into said at least one groove, and a said at least one post is connected to said outer wall by a connection point.   
     
     
         10 . The shipping pallet of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one cross member formed part of said bottom skid, said at least one post being integrally formed as part of said at least one cross member. 
     
     
         11 . The shipping pallet of  claim 10 , further comprising a ribbed portion formed as part of said at least one cross member. 
     
     
         12 . The shipping pallet of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one cross member formed part of said bottom skid, said at least one collar being integrally formed as part of said at least one cross member. 
     
     
         13 . The shipping pallet having a post reinforcement of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 at least one aperture formed as part of said top deck; and   at least one slot formed as part of said top deck, both of said at least one aperture and said at least one slot operable for allowing liquid to drain from said top deck.   
     
     
         14 . A shipping pallet having a post reinforcement, comprising:
 a top deck;   a bottom skid having a plurality of cross members;   a ribbed portion formed as part of each of said plurality of cross members;   a plurality of posts disposed between said top deck and said bottom skid, separating said top deck and said bottom skid such that there is enough space between said top deck and said bottom skid, at least one tow fork is operable to be positioned between said top deck and said bottom skid;   a plurality of reinforcements, each of said plurality of reinforcements are disposed within and surrounded by said one of said plurality of posts; and   a plurality of collars formed as part of one of said top deck or said bottom skid, one of said plurality of posts and one of said plurality of reinforcements operable for being received into one of said plurality of collars, wherein said one of said plurality of posts is connected to said one of said plurality of collars by an adhesive joint.   
     
     
         15 . The shipping pallet having a post reinforcement of  claim 14 , wherein at least one of said plurality of collars is formed as part of said top deck, and at least one of said plurality of posts is formed as part of one of said plurality of cross members of said bottom skid. 
     
     
         16 . The shipping pallet having a post reinforcement of  claim 14 , wherein at least one of said plurality of collars is formed as part of said plurality of reinforcements of said bottom skid, and at least one of said plurality of posts is formed as part of one of said top deck. 
     
     
         17 . The shipping pallet having a post reinforcement of  claim 14 , each of said plurality of collars further comprising:
 an outer wall;   an inner wall; and   at least one groove formed by said outer wall and said inner wall, one of said plurality of posts and one of said plurality of reinforcements operable for being received into said at least one groove, and a connection point is used to connect said one of said plurality of posts to said outer wall.   
     
     
         18 . The shipping pallet having a post reinforcement of  claim 14 , wherein each of said plurality of reinforcements are made from one selected from the group consisting of reclaimed post consumer waste, reclaimed post industrial waste, wood, steel, reclaimed wound paper core, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         19 . The shipping pallet having a post reinforcement of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 at least one aperture formed as part of said top deck; and   at least one slot formed as part of said top deck, both of said at least one aperture and said at least one slot operable for allowing liquid to drain from said top deck.   
     
     
         20 . A method for reinforcing a post formed as part of a shipping pallet, comprising the steps of:
 providing a top deck;   providing a bottom skid;   providing at least one post;   integrally forming at least one collar with one of said top deck or said bottom skid; and   at least partially inserting said at least one post into said at least one collar such that said at least one post separates said top deck from said bottom skid.   
     
     
         21 . The method for reinforcing a post formed as part of a shipping pallet of  claim 20 , further comprising the steps of:
 providing at least one reinforcement; and   inserting said at least one reinforcement into said at least one post to increase the strength of said at least one post.   
     
     
         22 . The method for reinforcing a post formed as part of a shipping pallet of  claim 21 , further comprising the steps of:
 providing at least one void as part of said bottom skid; and   forming said at least one reinforcement in said at least one void during the molding of said bottom skid.   
     
     
         23 . The method for reinforcing a post formed as part of a shipping pallet of  claim 21 , further comprising the steps of:
 providing at least one collar to be further comprised of a plurality of collars integrally formed as part of said top deck;   providing said at least one post to be further comprised of a plurality of posts integrally formed as part of said bottom skid;   positioning at least part of each of said plurality of posts into a respective one of said plurality of collars;   providing said at least one reinforcement to be further comprised of a plurality of reinforcements; and   disposing each of said plurality of reinforcements within a respective one of said plurality of posts.   
     
     
         24 . The method for reinforcing a post formed as part of a shipping pallet of  claim 21 , further comprising the steps of:
 providing at least one collar to be further comprised of a plurality of collars integrally formed as part of said bottom skid;   providing said at least one post to be further comprised of a plurality of posts integrally formed as part of said top deck;   positioning at least part of each of said plurality of posts into and a respective one of said plurality of collars;   providing said at least one reinforcement to be further comprised of a plurality of reinforcements; and   disposing each of said plurality of reinforcements within a respective one of said plurality of posts.   
     
     
         25 . The method for reinforcing a post formed as part of a shipping pallet of  claim 21 , further comprising the steps of:
 providing an outer wall formed as part of said at least one collar;   providing an inner wall formed as part of said at least one collar;   forming at least one groove with said outer wall and said inner wall;   inserting at least a portion of said at least one post and said at least one reinforcement into said at least one groove; and   providing a connection point to connect said at least one post to said outer wall.   
     
     
         26 . The method for reinforcing a post formed as part of a shipping pallet of  claim 21 , further comprising the steps of making said at least one reinforcement from one selected from the group consisting of reclaimed post consumer waste, reclaimed post industrial waste, wood, steel, reclaimed wound paper core, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         27 . The method for reinforcing a post formed as part of a shipping pallet of  claim 20 , further comprising the steps of:
 providing said at least one collar to be further comprised of a plurality of collars;   forming a portion of said plurality of collars as part of said top deck;   forming a portion of said plurality of collars as part of said bottom skid;   providing said at least one post to be further comprised of a plurality of posts;   extending each of said plurality of posts into one of said plurality of collars formed as part of said top deck; and   extending each of said plurality of posts into one of said plurality of collars formed as part of said bottom skid.   
     
     
         28 . The method for reinforcing a post formed as part of a shipping pallet of  claim 20 , further comprising the steps of:
 providing an outer wall formed as part of said at least one collar;   providing an inner wall formed as part of said at least one collar;   forming at least one groove with said outer wall and said inner wall;   inserting at least a portion of said at least one post into said at least one groove; and   providing a connection point to connect said at least one post to said outer wall.   
     
     
         29 . The method for reinforcing a post formed as part of a shipping pallet of  claim 20 , further comprising the steps of:
 providing at least one cross member formed part of said bottom skid;   integrally forming said at least one post as part of said at least one cross member.   
     
     
         30 . The method for reinforcing a post formed as part of a shipping pallet of  claim 20 , further comprising the steps of forming a ribbed portion as part of said at least one cross member. 
     
     
         31 . The method for reinforcing a post formed as part of a shipping pallet of  claim 20 , further comprising the steps of:
 forming at least one cross member as part of said bottom skid; and   integrally forming said at least one collar being as part of said at least one cross member.   
     
     
         32 . The method for reinforcing a post formed as part of a shipping pallet of  claim 20 , further comprising the steps of:
 providing at least one aperture formed as part of said top deck; and   providing at least one slot formed as part of said top deck, both of said at least one aperture and said at least one slot operable for allowing liquid to drain from said top deck.