摘要 |
The invention provides systems and methods of joining two or more pallet sections, including a top deck and a bottom deck. The top deck may include a portion of pallet blocks that project downwardly and include outer sleeves and bosses or posts. The bottom deck may include a portion of pallet blocks that project upwardly and include inner sleeves, post receiving cavities and radial ribs, wherein the post receiving cavity is coupled to the inner sleeves by the plurality of radial ribs. The post may be inserted into the post receiving cavity to protrude through the post receiving cavity and to extend beyond a plane that is defined by bottom portions of radial ribs. During insertion of the post into the post receiving cavity, the outer sleeve is fitted over the inner sleeve. The top deck and the bottom deck may be joined together using a heat staking assembly process that includes applying heat and pressure to reform a tip portion of the post to mechanically lock the top deck and the bottom deck through the pallet blocks.
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