Chep Technology Pty Limited

James Koonce

Paul Barnswell

Matthew Wood

Dwight Bryan Whitfield, Sr

Mohammad Ansari

A pallet impact station includes a frame, at least one pendulum swing arm rotatably coupled to the frame, a carriage assembly carried by the at least one pendulum swing arm for impacting a pallet, and a latching mechanism extending between the frame and the at least one pendulum swing arm. The latching mechanism disengages the at least one pendulum swing arm at a raised position so that the carriage assembly impacts the pallet. A controller operates the latching mechanism to disengage the at least one pendulum swing arm.

Pallet impact station and associated methods

A pallet positioning station for positioning a pallet to be impacted by a pallet impact station includes a frame, and a pallet lift assembly carried by the frame. The pallet lift assembly includes a lift grate moveable between a retracted position and an extended position. A pallet push arm assembly is carried by the frame and includes a pallet push arm movable between a retracted position and a pallet positioning position. A controller is configured to move the pallet push arm and the lift grate to the retracted positions to receive the pallet for positioning, and move the lift grate to the extended position when the pallet is to be positioned for impact by the pallet impact station. The controller is further configured to move the pallet push arm to the pallet positioning position to move the pallet towards the pallet impact station until the pallet is aligned with an impact reference plane.

Pallet positioning station and associated methods

A method for operating a pallet positioning station for positioning a pallet to be impacted by a pallet impact station is provided. The pallet positioning station includes a frame adjacent the pallet impact station, a pallet lift assembly carried by the frame that includes a lift grate moveable between a retracted position and an extended position, and a pallet push arm assembly carried by the frame that includes a pallet push arm movable between a retracted position and a pallet positioning position. The method includes moving the pallet push arm and the lift grate to the retracted positions to receive the pallet for positioning, moving the lift grate to the extended position when the pallet is to be positioned for impact by the pallet impact station, and moving the pallet push arm to the pallet positioning position to position the pallet towards the pallet impact station until the pallet is aligned with an impact reference plane.

A pallet tester includes a pallet positioning station for positioning a pallet on a conveyor, and a pallet impact station adjacent the conveyor and aligned with the pallet positioning station. The pallet positioning station includes a pallet push arm movable between a retracted position and a pallet positioning position. The pallet impact station includes a carriage assembly to impact the pallet, and a latching mechanism coupled to the carriage assembly. A controller moves the pallet push arm to the retracted position to receive the pallet for positioning, and moves the pallet push arm to the pallet positioning position to move the pallet towards the pallet impact station until an impact side of the pallet is aligned with an impact reference plane. The controller also operates the latching mechanism to raise the carriage assembly, and to release the carriage assembly when a height of the carriage assembly corresponds to a desired release height so that a predetermined impact force strikes the pallet at the impact reference plane.

Life cycle pallet tester and associated methods

A pallet impact station includes a frame, at least one pendulum swing arm rotatably coupled to the frame, and a carriage assembly carried by the at least one pendulum swing arm. A latching mechanism extends between the frame and the at least one pendulum swing arm, and engages the at least one pendulum swing arm when the carriage assembly is in a lowered position, raises the carriage assembly to a raised positon, and disengages the at least one pendulum swing arm at the raised positon so that the carriage assembly strikes a pallet. A sensor generates a signal corresponding to how high the carriage assembly is raised. A controller operates the latching mechanism, including disengaging the at least one pendulum swing arm when a height of the carriage assembly corresponds to a desired release height so that a predetermined impact force strikes the pallet.

A pallet positioning station for positioning a pallet on a roller conveyor to be impacted by a pallet impact station includes a frame adjacent the roller conveyor, and a pallet lift assembly carried by the frame and positioned below the roller conveyor. The pallet lift assembly includes a lift grate moveable between a retracted position and an extended position. A pallet push arm assembly is carried by the frame and includes a pallet push arm movable between a retracted position and a pallet positioning position. A controller is configured to move the pallet push arm and the lift grate to the retracted positions to receive the pallet for positioning, and move the lift grate to the extended position when the pallet is to be positioned for impact by the pallet impact station, with the pallet being lifted off of the roller conveyor by the lift grate. The controller is further configured to move the pallet push arm to the pallet positioning position to move the pallet towards the pallet impact station until an impact side of the pallet is aligned with an impact reference plane.

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Belle Isle, FL, United States of America

James Koonce