PAPERBOARD RUNNERS AND PAPERBOARD PALLETS CONSTRUCTED THEREWITH

摘要

PAPERBOARD RUNNERS AND PAPERBOARD PALLETS CONSTRUCTED THEREWITH Broadly, she present invention is directed to paperboard runners and paperboard pallets constructed therewith. One aspect of the invention comprises a paperboard pallet comprising an upper deck and a lower deck having a plurality of runners interposed therebetween and affixed to each of said docks. Each of the runners comprises a sheet of paperboard that has been folded into a rectangular form having top and bottom walls, a pair of sidewalls, and a central vertical wall (e.g.,the two ends of the sheet pressed together) interposed between the sidewalls. The top wall has openings. The central wall has quarter-round cut-outs located at the longitudinal ends of the top wall cut-out areas. The top wall openings are adapted to receive flaps having central slots cut in them. The flaps are selected from: flaps formed from said runner top wall; flaps cut from an upper deck attached to said runner, or flaps formed from a rectangular insert which has a pair of end slotted flaps, which insert fits into said top wall opening with said end slotted flaps folding downwardly into said quarter-round cut-outs. Another aspect of the present invention comprises the runners described herein. A further aspect of the present invention is an alternate paperboard runner which comprises a sheet of paperboard that has been folded into a retangular form by one end being folded to form a first bottom wall, a first sidewall, a first top wall, and a second sidewall; and the other end being folded into an "S" configuration to form a central vertical wall, a part second top wall which lays against said first top wall, and a part second bottom wall which lays against said first bottom wall. The top wall has openings. The central vertical wall has quarter-round cut outs located at the longitudinal ends of said top wall cutout areas. The top wall openings are adapted to receive flaps which have central slots cut in them. The flaps are selected from: flaps formed from said runner top wall; flaps cut from an upper deck attached to said runner, or flaps formed from a rectangular insert which has a pair of end slotted flaps which insert fits into said top wall opening with said end slotted flaps folding downwardly into said quarter round cut-outs. This paperboard pallet embodiment can be made collapsible for shipment and storage, yet it can be simple and quickly assembled into a strong, lightweight, disposable pallet.