Molded wood particle pallet having increased bending strength

Inventors

Bruce A. Haataja, Michigan Technological University

Files

Abstract

The invention includes a molded unitarily formed pallet comprising wood particles bonded together by a cured binder in compressed relation and forming a deck having an upper surface supporting a load, and a plurality of elongated substantially parallel spaced channels supporting the deck. The channels extend from adjacent one edge of the pallet to adjacent an opposite edge. The channels each including spaced channel side walls extending downwardly from said deck and terminating in a planar bottom wall parallel to the deck. The side walls are integrally joined at their upper edges to the deck and integrally joined at their lower edges to the bottom wall. The deck and elongated channels are formed by laying a loosely felted mat of wood particles in a press, the mat including wood flakes mixed with a binder and the wood flakes being thin and generally planar and being laid in felted relation so as to lie in substantially horizontal planes in interleaved relation, and by compressing the mat.

Patent Number

4,408,544

Assignee

Board of Control of Michigan Technological University, Houghton, Mich.

Application Number

292,280

Date Filed

8-12-1981

Certificate of Correction

No

Issue Date

10-11-1983

Disciplines

Engineering | Materials Science and Engineering

Comments

For the most up-to-date information about this patent, including the availability of Certificates of Correction, be sure to check the United States Patent and Trademark Office's free, publicly accessible database: Patent Public Search https://ppubs.uspto.gov/pubwebapp/static/pages/landing.html

Recommended Citation

Haataja, Bruce A., "Molded wood particle pallet having increased bending strength" (1983). Michigan Tech Patents. 27.
https://digitalcommons.mtu.edu/patents/27