Thin sheet thermoformed pallet sleeve

Abstract

Two twin-sheet thermoformed thermoplastic sleeve halves engage within peripheral grooves in an underlying pallet and an overlying cover. Each sleeve half has a full wall which is connected by integrally thermoformed hinges to two partial walls. The integral connection between the sleeve walls gives advantageous rigidity to the pallet sleeve assembly, while the hinging of the walls allows economical manufacture and low volume flat storage of the sleeve halves in a knocked-down configuration. The hinges preferably have non-specific hinge axes, thereby providing long hinge life, impact resistance, and ease of operation. Vertical substrate tubes are totally encapsulated into each sleeve half to carry loads from a supported loaded pallet sleeve assembly. To effectively transfer the loads from the cover to the sleeve, sinuous transfer ridges are molded on the sleeves above and below the vertical substrate tubes. The transfer ridges are positioned directly beneath the cover reinforcing substrate to maximize the assembly's load supporting capability. The upper projecting lip of the sleeve is positioned to tend to cause the sleeve to bow inward, where interaction with the pallet contents contributes to overall stiffness. The pinch areas between the inner and outer sheets of the sleeve are preferably oval.