METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PALLET SECURITY STOP

Description

BACKGROUND OF TECHNOLOGY

Shelving and rack storage systems often provide storage space in bays positioned between vertical post members. Shelves or racks may be positioned within a bay to facilitate the storage of items and may be modular or otherwise designed for non-permanent placement within a bay so that storage space may be configured and reconfigured to account for changing conditions, such as the amount of storage space required at any given time or to account for various sized packages, boxes, and articles to be stored. Modular racks and shelves, or mesh decks, are often lightweight to allow for easier placement. However, strength of a shelf may be sacrificed as weight is removed.

In high density storage warehouses, bays may include more than three or more vertically oriented storage sections. Some storage bays may also be configured with added depth to receive more than one pallet in a horizontal front-to-back manner. Bays may also be configured in an aisle format such that the rear of one bay is immediately adjacent to the rear of a bay on the next aisle. In these and other situations pallet stops are used to restrict or limit how deep a pallet can be positioned within a given bay or to limit how far a pallet may extend out the side of a bay. Pallet stops are typically formed of flat or L-shaped metal plates welded or fastened to the rear beams of a bay. While helpful, these plates cannot be adjusted or moved limiting their usefulness.

SUMMARY OF THE TECHNOLOGY

Methods and apparatus for a pallet stop for a rack shelving system according to various aspects of the present technology comprise a modular stop configured to be attachable to a post or beam of the shelving system to prevent a pallet from extending beyond a desired amount from an end or side of the shelving system. The pallet stop may slide over the post or beam and held in place without the need for a fastener to allow the pallet stop to be quickly moved or adjusted to allow for rapid changes to a given storage system. A set of matching thru holes may be located in vertical arm members to allow for the use of a mechanical fastener to hold the pallet stop in a fixed location.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A more complete understanding of the present technology may be derived by referring to the detailed description when considered in connection with the following illustrative figures. In the following figures, like reference numbers refer to similar elements and steps throughout the figures.

FIG. 1 representatively illustrates a perspective view of a pallet stop positioned over a beam in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present technology;

FIG. 2 representatively illustrates a side view of the pallet stop shown in FIG. 1 in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present technology; and

FIG. 3 representatively illustrates a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of a pallet stop configured to extend between adjacent bays in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present technology.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

The present technology may be described in terms of functional block components and various processing steps. Such functional blocks may be realized by any number of components configured to perform the specified functions and achieve the various results. For example, the present technology may employ various types of materials, support structures, and the like, which may carry out a variety of functions. In addition, the present technology may be practiced in conjunction with any number of material handling systems, support devices, or load bearing systems, and the system described is merely one exemplary application for the technology. Further, the present technology may employ any number of conventional metal forming manufacturing processes such as stamping, rolling, machining, and welding.

Method and apparatus for a pallet stop for a rack shelving system according to various aspects of the present technology may operate in conjunction with any suitable support system and/or material. Various representative implementations of the present technology may be applied to any rack-based shelving system for material handling or product storage.

Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2, a pallet stop 100 for a rack shelving system may comprise a pair of vertical rack connecting arms 106, 108 extending downward from an end portion of a horizontal body member 102 at an angle of approximately ninety degrees relative to the horizontal body member 102. A vertical stop 104 may extend upwards from a second end of the horizontal body member 102 by an angle of approximately ninety degrees relative to the horizontal body member 102.

A first vertical rack connecting arm 108 may be located at a first end of the horizontal body member 102 and a second vertical rack connecting arm 106 may be located inward along a portion of the horizontal body member 102 by a distance approximately equal to a width of a rack support beam 110 on which the pallet stop 100 will be positioned. As the distance between the pair of vertical rack connecting arms 106, 108 approaches the width of the rack support beam 110 a tighter fit may be achieved allowing the pallet stop 100 to be securely positioned on the rack support beam 110 without the need for any mechanical fasteners. As the distance between the pair of vertical rack connecting arms 106, 108 is increased a looser fit may be achieved allowing the pallet stop 100 to be easily slid along the length of the rack support beam 110 and provide for quicker point to point adjustment.

Each vertical rack connecting arm 106, 108 may extend downward by any suitable amount. The distance may be determined according to any desired criteria. For example, in one embodiment, the vertical rack connecting arms 106, 108 may extend downwards by a distance of between about 50% and 100% of a height of the rack support beam 110. It may not be desirable for the pair of vertical rack connecting arms 106, 108 to extend beyond the height of the rack support beam 110 as the excess length might interfere with a desired height of the shelving system.

In some embodiments, the pair of vertical rack connecting arms 106, 108 may include a pair of thru holes 112, 114 that are configured to allow a fastening device such as a bolt to be passed through allowing the pallet stop 100 to be fixed in place on the rack support beam 110. The pair of thru holes 112, 114 may be aligned with each other to allow a single bolt to pass through the rack support beam 110 and the pair of vertical rack connecting arms 106, 108. In an alternative embodiment, only one thru hole 112, 114 may be present if the pallet stop 100 and rack support beam 110 are configured to allow for a single bolt to lock the pallet stop 100 in position. In yet another embodiment, and referring now to FIG. 2, the pair of thru holes 112, 114 may extend below the bottom of the support beam 110 so that a connecting bolt 202 can be secured to the thru holes 112, 114 beneath the bottom of the support beam 110 to avoid the need to drill into the support beam 110.

The horizontal body member 102 extends between the first vertical rack connecting arm 108 and the vertical stop 104. A length of the distance between the first vertical rack connecting arm 108 and the vertical stop 104 determines how far beyond the horizontal rack support beam 110 a pallet may extend. This distance may comprise any desired length of between a couple of inches up to about eighteen inches.

Referring now to FIG. 3, in an alternative embodiment, the pallet stop 300 may comprise a pair of vertical stops 104, 304 that are configured to prevent pallets from adjacent bays from coming into contact with each other. The second vertical stop 304 may extend upwardly from a second horizontal body 302 which also has a pair of downwardly extending vertical rack connecting arms 306, 308. A spanning member 310 may extend between the two vertical stops 104, 304 to form the pallet stop 300 as a single body.

The spanning member 310 and the first and second horizontal body members 102, 302 may be coaligned with each other along a vertical plane. Alternatively, the spanning member 310 may be set at a ninety degree angle relative to the first and second body members 102, 302 to allow for the first and second body members 102, 302 to be offset from each other and extend along different vertical planes.

The spanning member 310 may comprise any suitable length and may be determined according to any criteria such as a distance between adjacent bays or a desired amount of potential overhand of the pallets. For example, in one embodiment, the spanning member 310 may comprise a length of between about four and eight inches. In another embodiment, the spanning member 310 may comprise a length of up to about thirty inches.

The particular implementations shown and described are illustrative of the technology and its best mode and are not intended to otherwise limit the scope of the present technology in any way. Indeed, for the sake of brevity, conventional manufacturing, connection, preparation, and other functional aspects of the system may not be described in detail. Furthermore, the connecting lines shown in the various figures are intended to represent exemplary functional relationships and/or steps between the various elements. Many alternative or additional functional relationships or physical connections may be present in a practical system.

In the foregoing description, the technology has been described with reference to specific exemplary embodiments. Various modifications and changes may be made, however, without departing from the scope of the present technology as set forth. The description and figures are to be regarded in an illustrative manner, rather than a restrictive one and all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the present technology. Accordingly, the scope of the technology should be determined by the generic embodiments described and their legal equivalents rather than by merely the specific examples described above. For example, the steps recited in any method or process embodiment may be executed in any appropriate order and are not limited to the explicit order presented in the specific examples. Additionally, the components and/or elements recited in any system embodiment may be combined in a variety of permutations to produce substantially the same result as the present technology and are accordingly not limited to the specific configuration recited in the specific examples.

Benefits, other advantages and solutions to problems have been described above with regard to particular embodiments. Any benefit, advantage, solution to problems or any element that may cause any particular benefit, advantage or solution to occur or to become more pronounced, however, is not to be construed as a critical, required or essential feature or component.

As used herein, the terms “comprises,” “comprising,” or any variation thereof, are intended to reference a non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, composition or apparatus that comprises a list of elements does not include only those elements recited but may also include other elements not expressly listed or inherent to such process, method, article, composition or apparatus. Other combinations and/or modifications of the above-described structures, arrangements, applications, proportions, elements, materials or components used in the practice of the present technology, in addition to those not specifically recited, may be varied or otherwise particularly adapted to specific environments, manufacturing specifications, design parameters or other operating requirements without departing from the general principles of the same. Any terms of degree such as “substantially,” “about,” and “approximate” as used herein mean a reasonable amount of deviation of the modified term such that the end result is not significantly changed. For example, these terms can be construed as including a deviation of at least ±5% of the modified term if this deviation would not negate the meaning of the word it modifies.

The present technology has been described above with reference to an exemplary embodiment. However, changes and modifications may be made to the exemplary embodiment without departing from the scope of the present technology. These and other changes or modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the present technology.