Pallet

Abstract

A pallet includes a top plate, an opposite bottom plate, and a series of supports disposed between the top and bottom plates. The series of supports, top plate, and bottom plate collectively define an opening on each vertical side of the pallet. The spacing of the supports from each other further defines a series of pathways configured to receive the forks of both a forklift and a pallet jack. The pallet may be configured to receive the forks of a forklift and a pallet jack from multiple different directions. The forks of the forklift may be received by the pallet such that the forks are oriented either perpendicular or parallel to the sides of the pallet. The forks of the pallet jack may be received by the pallet such that the forks are offset from being either perpendicular or parallel to the sides of the pallet.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A pallet for welding equipment, the pallet being engageable by both a forklift that has a pair of forks and a pallet jack that has its own pair of forks, the pallet comprising:
 a top plate;   a bottom plate; and   a plurality of supports positioned between and coupled to the top plate and the bottom plate, the plurality of supports including a first support, a second support, a third support, a fourth support, and a center support, the top plate, the bottom plate, and the plurality of supports collectively having a top side, a bottom side opposite the top side, a first side, a second side opposite the first side, a third side, and a fourth side opposite the third side, each of the first side, the second side, the third side, and the fourth side being disposed between the top side and the bottom side, the first side defining a first opening, the second side defining a second opening, the third side defining a third opening, and the fourth side defining a fourth opening,   wherein the first opening, the second opening, the third opening, and the fourth opening are sized so that a pair of forks of a forklift engages the same one of the first opening, the second opening, the third opening, and the fourth opening when a forklift engages the pallet, and sized so that a pair of forks of a pallet jack engages different ones of the first opening, the second opening, the third opening, and the fourth opening when a pallet jack engages the pallet.   
     
     
         2 . The pallet of  claim 1 , wherein the first opening is opposite the second opening, and the pallet further comprises:
 a first pathway extending from the first side to the second side, the first pathway extending proximate to the first support, the second support, and the center support; and   a second pathway extending from the first side to the second side, the second pathway extending proximate to the third support, the fourth support, and the center support, wherein the first pathway extends in a direction parallel to the direction in which the second pathway extends.   
     
     
         3 . The pallet of  claim 2 , wherein each of the first pathway and the second pathway extends between the first opening and the second opening. 
     
     
         4 . The pallet of  claim 2 , wherein the third opening is opposite the fourth opening, and the pallet further comprises:
 a third pathway extending from the third side to the fourth side, the third pathway extending proximate to the first support, the third support, and the center support; and   a fourth pathway extending from the third side to the fourth side, the fourth pathway extending proximate to the second support, the fourth support, and the center support, wherein the third pathway extends in a direction parallel to the direction in which the fourth pathway extends.   
     
     
         5 . The pallet of  claim 4 , wherein each of the third pathway and the fourth pathway extends between the third opening and the fourth opening. 
     
     
         6 . The pallet of  claim 4 , further comprising:
 a fifth pathway proximate to the first support, the second support, the third support, and the center support, wherein the fifth pathway extends between the first opening and the third opening.   
     
     
         7 . The pallet of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 a sixth pathway proximate to the first support, the second support, the fourth support, and the center support, wherein the sixth pathway extends between the third opening and the second opening.   
     
     
         8 . The pallet of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 a seventh pathway proximate to the first support, the third support, the fourth support, and the center support, wherein the seventh pathway extends between the first opening and the fourth opening.   
     
     
         9 . The pallet of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 an eighth pathway proximate to the second support, the third support, the fourth support, and the center support, wherein the eighth pathway extends between the second opening and the fourth opening.   
     
     
         10 . The pallet of  claim 9 , wherein each of the first pathway, the second pathway, the third pathway, and the fourth pathway is sized to receive one of a pair of forks of a forklift, and each of the fifth pathway, the sixth pathway, the seventh pathway, and the eighth pathway is configured to receive one of a pair of forks of a pallet jack. 
     
     
         11 . The pallet of  claim 9 , wherein each of the first pathway, the second pathway, the third pathway, and fourth pathway has a first width, each of the fifth pathway, the sixth pathway, the seventh pathway, and the eighth pathway has a second width, and the second width is different than the first width. 
     
     
         12 . The pallet of  claim 9 , wherein each of the first pathway, the second pathway, the third pathway, and the fourth pathway extends perpendicularly relative to one of the first side, the second side, the third side, and the fourth side. 
     
     
         13 . The pallet of  claim 12 , wherein each of the fifth pathway, the sixth pathway, the seventh pathway, and the eighth pathway extends diagonally relative to one of the first side, the second side, the third side, and the fourth side. 
     
     
         14 . The pallet of  claim 9 , wherein each of the fifth pathway, the sixth pathway, the seventh pathway, and the eighth pathway intersects with at least one of the first pathway, the second pathway, the third pathway, and the fourth pathway. 
     
     
         15 . A pallet, comprising:
 a top plate;   a bottom plate; and   a plurality of supports positioned between and coupled to the top plate and the bottom plate, the plurality of supports including a first support, a second support, a third support, a fourth support, and a center support, the top plate, the bottom plate, and the plurality of supports collectively having a top side, a bottom side opposite the top side, a first side, a second side, a third side, and a fourth side,   wherein the first side includes a first opening and is opposite the second side which has a second opening, the third side includes a third opening and is opposite the fourth side which has a fourth opening, and the plurality of supports define:
 a first pathway and a second pathway, each of the first pathway and second pathway extending between the first opening and the second opening, 
 a third pathway and a fourth pathway, each of the third pathway and fourth pathway extending between the third opening and the fourth opening, 
 a fifth pathway extending between the first opening and the third opening, 
 a sixth pathway extending between the second opening and the third opening, 
 a seventh pathway extending between the first opening and the fourth opening, and 
 an eighth pathway extending between the second opening and the fourth opening. 
   
     
     
         16 . The pallet of  claim 15 , wherein the first pathway and the second pathway extend perpendicularly to and between the first opening and the second opening, and the third pathway and the fourth pathway extend perpendicularly to and between the third opening and the fourth opening. 
     
     
         17 . The pallet of  claim 16 , wherein each of the fifth pathway, the sixth pathway, the seventh pathway, and the eighth pathway extends diagonally relative to the first opening, the second opening, the third opening, and the fourth opening. 
     
     
         18 . A pallet, comprising:
 a top plate;   a bottom plate; and   a plurality of supports positioned between and coupled to the top plate and the bottom plate, the top plate, the bottom plate, and the plurality of supports collectively having a top side, a bottom side opposite the top side, a first side, a second side, a third side, and a fourth side, the first side being opposite the second side, and the third side being opposite the fourth side, wherein the plurality of supports define a first set of pathways between the plurality of supports, the top plate, and the bottom plate, and a second set of pathways between the plurality of supports, the top plate, and the bottom plate, each pathway in the first set of pathways extending perpendicularly relative to at least one of the first side, the second side, the third side, and the fourth side, and each pathway in the second set of pathways extending diagonally relative to the first side, the second side, the third side, and fourth side.   
     
     
         19 . The pallet of  claim 18 , wherein the first set of pathways includes a first pathway, a second pathway, a third pathway, and a fourth pathway, the first pathway and second pathway extend parallel to each other, and the third pathway and fourth pathway extend parallel to each other and extend perpendicularly to the first pathway and the second pathway. 
     
     
         20 . The pallet of  claim 19 , wherein the second set of pathways includes a fifth pathway, a sixth pathway, a seventh pathway, and an eighth pathway, the fifth pathway and the eighth pathway extend parallel to each other, the sixth pathway and the seventh pathway extend parallel to each other, the fifth pathway and the eighth pathway extend perpendicularly to the direction in which the sixth pathway and the seventh pathway extend, and each of the fifth pathway, the sixth pathway, the seventh pathway, and eighth pathway extending at an angle relative to at least one of the directions in which the first pathway, the second pathway, the third pathway, and the fourth pathway extend.