Armando Sanchez

US Patent:

60595140, May 9, 2000

Filed:

Jun 17, 1998

Appl. No.:

9/098680

Inventors:

Armando L. Sanchez - Waverly OH

Assignee:

Mills Pride - West Palm Beach FL

International Classification:

B65G 6100

US Classification:

414661

Abstract:

System, method, and apparatus for carrying out the multi-level stacking and moving of merchandise units using lift trucks configured for slipsheet palletizing. The system employs a blocking assembly in conjunction with slipsheets employed for such warehousing practices. This blocking assembly preferably is formed of a corrugated polymeric material having a forward flap-like blocking component which extends downwardly from a die-formed crease over the packaged components of a lower assembled merchandise unit. The crease provides sufficient compressive stress distribution from abutting engagement with an errant lift truck forward fork tip to avoid damage to upper level packaged merchandise within the lower unit. The blocking assemblies are quite light and thin, and the flap-like blocking components thereof may be utilized as a slipsheet in the event that the grasping tab of a slipsheet is torn by the gripping mechanism of a lift truck. A storage assembly is provided for the blocking assemblies which retains them in a storage orientation wherein the blocking component is folded beneath the base region of a given blocking assembly.