Pallet with tray stacking structure

Abstract

A pallet comprises a deck having an upper support surface; a plurality of support members depending from the deck; pallet stacking structure for retaining a second pallet stacked on the pallet, and tray retaining and stacking structure for retaining a tray on the pallet. The pallet stacking structure includes a plurality of first recessed regions formed in the upper support surface for receiving support members of a second pallet stacked on the first pallet. The tray retaining and stacking structure includes a plurality of second recessed regions formed in the upper support surface of the pallet for receiving the legs of a tray when the tray is supported on the pallet. The second recessed regions are formed within the outer boundaries of the first recessed regions and are deeper than the first recessed regions. The depths of the second recessed regions are slightly less than a length of the tray legs such that the bottoms of the tray legs touch the floors of the second recessed regions to transfer the weight of the trays downwardly through the tray legs and to the pallet rather than through the upper support surfaces of the tray.

1 . A pallet for supporting a tray including a support surface and legs having a length, the pallet comprising:
 a deck having an upper support surface including an upper portion;   a plurality of support members depending from the deck; and   tray retaining and stacking structure for retaining the tray when supported on the pallet, the tray retaining and stacking structure including a plurality of tray stacking recessed regions formed in the upper support surface of the deck for receiving the tray legs when the tray is supported on the deck of the pallet, each tray stacking recessed region having a floor positioned below the upper portion of the upper support surface of the deck, the tray stacking recessed regions having a depth that is less than the length of the tray legs such that the floors support weight of the tray through the tray legs and the upper portion of the upper support surface of the deck does not touch the support surface of the tray when the tray legs touch the floors.   
     
     
         2 . The pallet as set forth in  claim 1 , further comprising pallet stacking structure for facilitating stacking of a second pallet on the pallet, the pallet stacking structure including a plurality of pallet stacking recessed regions formed in the upper support surface of the deck for receiving support members of the second pallet when the second pallet is stacked on the deck of the pallet. 
     
     
         3 . The pallet as set forth in  claim 2 , wherein the tray stacking recessed regions of the tray retaining and stacking structure are formed within boundaries of the pallet stacking recessed regions of the pallet stacking structure such that the tray stacking recessed regions do not extend beyond the boundaries of the pallet stacking recessed regions, the tray stacking recessed regions being deeper than the pallet stacking recessed regions. 
     
     
         4 . The pallet as set forth in  claim 2 , wherein the tray stacking recessed regions are approximately 0.6″ deep. 
     
     
         5 . The pallet as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the pallet stacking recessed regions are approximately 3/16″ deep. 
     
     
         6 . The pallet as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the tray stacking recessed regions includes multiple recesses that are circular, semi-circular, or quarter-circular in shape. 
     
     
         7 . The pallet as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of tray stacking recessed regions of the tray retaining and stacking structure comprises:
 a circular-shaped recess near a center point of the upper support surface of the deck;   four semi-circular shaped recesses, each positioned near a midpoint of a side of the upper support surface of the deck; and   four quarter-circular shaped recesses, each positioned near a corner of the upper support surface of the deck.   
     
     
         8 . The pallet as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the pallet is formed of rotationally molded synthetic materials. 
     
     
         9 . The pallet as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the tray retaining and stacking structure permits multiple trays to be stacked on the pallet and directs forces related to the weight of the trays, and parts held in the trays, downwardly through the tray legs and to the tray stacking recessed regions. 
     
     
         10 . A pallet for supporting a tray including a support surface and legs depending from the support surface, the pallet comprising:
 a deck having an upper support surface including an upper portion;   a plurality of support members depending from the deck; and   tray retaining and stacking structure for retaining the tray when supported on the pallet, the tray retaining and stacking structure including a plurality of tray stacking recessed regions formed in the upper support surface of the deck for receiving the tray legs when the tray is supported on the deck of the pallet, each tray stacking recessed region having a floor positioned below the upper portion of the upper support surface of the deck, the tray stacking recessed regions having a depth of approximately 0.6″ such that the floors support weight of the tray through the tray legs and the upper portion of the upper support surface of the deck does not touch the support surface of the tray when the tray legs touch the floors.   
     
     
         11 . The pallet as set forth in  claim 10 , further comprising pallet stacking structure for retaining a second pallet stacked on the pallet, the pallet stacking structure including a plurality of pallet stacking recessed regions formed in the upper support surface of the deck for receiving support members of the second pallet when the second pallet is stacked on the pallet deck. 
     
     
         12 . The pallet as set forth in  claim 11 , wherein the tray stacking recessed regions of the tray retaining and stacking structure are formed within boundaries of the pallet stacking recessed regions of the pallet stacking structure such that the tray stacking recessed regions do not extend beyond the boundaries of the pallet stacking recessed regions, the tray stacking recessed regions being deeper than the pallet stacking recessed regions. 
     
     
         13 . The pallet as set forth in  claim 11 , wherein the pallet stacking recessed regions are approximately 3/16″ deep. 
     
     
         14 . The pallet as set forth in  claim 10  wherein the tray stacking recessed regions include a plurality of recesses that are circular, semi-circular, or quarter-circular in shape. 
     
     
         15 . The pallet as set forth in  claim 14 , wherein the tray stacking recessed regions each have a radius of approximately 2- 13/16″ inches. 
     
     
         16 . The pallet as set forth in  claim 10 , wherein the plurality of tray stacking recessed regions of the tray retaining and stacking structure comprises:
 a circular-shaped recess near a center point of the upper support surface of the deck;   four semi-circular shaped recesses, each positioned near a midpoint of a side of the upper support surface of the deck; and   four quarter-circular shaped recesses, each positioned near a corner of the upper support surface of the deck.   
     
     
         17 . The pallet as set forth in  claim 10 , wherein the pallet is formed of rotationally molded synthetic materials. 
     
     
         18 . The pallet as set forth in  claim 10 , wherein the tray retaining and stacking structure permits multiple trays to be stacked on the pallet and directs forces related to the weight of the trays, and parts held in the trays, downwardly through the tray legs and to the tray stacking recessed regions. 
     
     
         19 . A pallet for supporting a plurality of trays each including a support surface and legs having a length, the pallet comprising:
 a deck having an upper support surface including an upper portion;   a plurality of support members extending below the deck; and   tray retaining and stacking structure for retaining the trays when supported on the pallet, the tray retaining and stacking structure including a plurality of tray stacking recessed regions including a circular-shaped recess near a center point of the upper support surface of the deck for receiving legs of one or more of the trays, four semi-circular shaped recesses, each positioned near a midpoint of a side of the upper support surface of the deck for receiving legs of up to two of the trays, and four quarter-circular shaped recesses, each positioned near a corner of the upper support surface of the deck for receiving a leg of one of the trays, the tray stacking recessed regions being formed in the upper support surface of the deck for receiving the tray legs when the trays are supported on the deck of the pallet, each tray stacking recessed region having a floor positioned below the upper portion of the upper support surface of the deck, the tray stacking recessed regions having a depth of approximately 0.6″ such that the floors support weight of the trays through the tray legs and the upper portion of the upper support surface of the deck does not touch the support surfaces of the trays when the tray legs touch the floors.   
     
     
         20 . The pallet as set forth in  claim 19 , wherein the pallet is configured to directly support as few as one tray and up to four trays simultaneously on the deck.