Thermoformed platform having a communications device

1. A trackable pallet having a RFID pallet transponder to manage the pallet for distribution comprising:

a pallet body,

a removable housing assembly,

said pallet body having a horizontally rigid top surface for supporting articles with attached RFID article transponders, a spaced apart support structure for supporting said top surface, and a bottom surface,

said pallet body having at least one side wall positioned between said top surface and said bottom surface to form a chamber,

said chamber having a shallow recess and a deep recess with said shallow recess circumventing said deep recess and said deep recess forming an open receptacle,

said removable housing assembly having a base, a top structure defining a housing assembly space for enclosing a communications device for autonomously monitoring and reporting the condition of the addition and removal of the articles with attached RFID article transponders from said pallet body top surface, an opening for accessing said housing assembly space, and a removable cover to close said opening,

said removable cover having a flange portion that fits within said shallow recess, and

said removable housing assembly positively engaging said open receptacle and said removable cover so that said removable cover closes said housing assembly opening and said flange portion closes said chamber to place the pallet in a condition for operable transporting and storage use when said removable cover connects to said housing assembly.

2. A trackable pallet as set forth in claim 1 which includes:

a plurality of sheets for forming said top surface, said support structure, said bottom surface, and said chamber.

3. A trackable pallet as set forth in claim 2 which includes:

said pallet body support structure being integral with said side wall, and

said chamber being positioned within said pallet body support structure.

4. A trackable pallet as set forth in claim 3 which includes:

said pallet body top surface being adjacent to said pallet body support structure so that said chamber is adjacent to said pallet body top surface.

5. A trackable pallet as set forth in claim 1 which includes:

said pallet body bottom surface being adjacent to said pallet body support structure so that said chamber is adjacent to said pallet body bottom surface.

6. A trackable pallet as set forth in claim 2 which includes:

means for sealing said housing assembly opening.

7. A trackable pallet as set forth in claim 1 in which:

said removable cover includes a first assembly portion that closes said housing assembly opening with said first assembly portion having a smaller cross-section than said removable cover flange portion.

8. A trackable pallet as set forth in claim 7 in which:

said removable cover includes a flange that fits within said shallow recess to cover the chamber and to selectively increase the effective support area for said pallet body top surface.

9. A trackable pallet as set forth in claim 7 which includes:

a replaceable battery for powering said communications device contained within said housing assembly space, and

said first assembly portion having means for supporting said replaceable battery positioned within said housing assembly space when said removable cover closes said housing assembly opening.

10. A trackable pallet as set forth in claim 1 which includes:

said communications device inserting into said housing assembly space through said housing assembly opening when said housing assembly engages said receptacle.

11. A trackable pallet as set forth in claim 1 which includes:

said communications device being positioned within said housing assembly space before said housing assembly positively engages said receptacle.

12. A trackable pallet as set forth in claim 1 which includes:

said pallet body having an interior space positioned between said pallet body top surface and said spaced apart support structure, and

said RFID pallet transponder being contained within said interior space.

13. A trackable pallet as set forth in claim 1 which includes:

said chamber being accessible through said top surface and said bottom surface.

14. A trackable pallet having a RFID pallet transponder to manage the pallet for distribution comprising:

a pallet body,

a removable housing assembly,

said pallet body having a horizontally rigid top surface for supporting articles with attached RFID article transponders, a bottom surface, and a side wall positioned between said top surface and said bottom surface to form a chamber,

said chamber having a shallow recess and a deep recess with said shallow recess circumventing said deep recess and said deep recess forming an open receptacle,

said removable housing assembly having a base, a top structure defining a housing assembly space for enclosing a communications device for autonomously monitoring and reporting the condition of the addition and removal of the articles with attached RFID article transponders from said pallet body top surface, an opening for accessing said housing assembly space, and a removable cover to close said opening,

said removable cover having a flange portion that fits within said shallow recess, and

said removable housing assembly positively engaging said open receptacle and said removable cover so that said removable cover closes said housing assembly opening and said flange portion closes said chamber to place the pallet in a condition for operable transporting and storage use when said removable cover connects to said housing assembly.

15. A trackable pallet as set forth in claim 14 which includes:

a plurality of sheets for forming said top surface, said bottom surface, and said chamber.

16. A trackable pallet as set forth in claim 15 which includes:

means for sealing said housing assembly opening.

17. A trackable pallet as set forth in claim 14 in which:

said removable cover includes a first assembly portion that closes said housing assembly opening with said first assembly portion having a smaller cross-section than said removable cover flange portion.

18. A trackable pallet as set forth in claim 17 in which:

said removable cover includes a flange that fits within said shallow recess to cover the chamber and to selectively increase the effective support area for said pallet body top surface.

19. A trackable pallet as set forth in claim 18 which includes:

a replaceable battery for powering said communications device contained within said housing assembly space, and

said first assembly portion having means for supporting said replaceable battery positioned within said housing assembly space when said removable cover closes said housing assembly opening.

20. A trackable pallet as set forth in claim 14 which includes:

said communications device inserting into said housing assembly space through said housing assembly opening when said housing assembly engages said receptacle.

21. A trackable pallet as set forth in claim 14 which includes:

said communications device being positioned within said housing assembly space before said housing assembly positively engages said receptacle.

22. A trackable pallet as set forth in claim 14 which includes:

said pallet body having an interior space positioned between said top surface and said bottom surface, and

said RFID pallet transponder being contained within said interior space.

23. A trackable pallet as set forth in claim 14 which includes:

said chamber being accessible through said top surface and said bottom surface.

24. A trackable pallet as set forth in claim 14 which includes:

said chamber being adjacent to said pallet body top surface.

25. A trackable pallet as set forth in claim 14 which includes:

said chamber being adjacent to said pallet body bottom surface.

26. A trackable pallet having a RFID pallet transponder to manage the pallet for distribution comprising:

a pallet body,

a removable housing assembly,

said pallet body having a first sheet with a horizontally rigid top surface for supporting articles with attached RFID article transponders, a second sheet with a bottom surface, and a side wall positioned between said first sheet and said second sheet to form a chamber,

said chamber having a shallow recess and a deep recess with said shallow recess circumventing said deep recess and said deep recess forming an open receptacle,

said removable housing assembly having a base, a top structure defining a housing assembly space for enclosing a communications device for autonomously monitoring and reporting the condition of the addition and removal of the articles with attached RFID article transponders from said pallet body top surface, an opening for accessing said housing assembly space, and a removable cover to close said opening,

said removable cover having a flange portion that fits within said shallow recess, and

said removable housing assembly positively engaging said open receptacle and said cover so that said cover closes said housing assembly opening and said flange portion closes said chamber to place the pallet in a condition for operable transporting and storage use when said removable cover connects to said housing assembly.

27. A trackable pallet as set forth in claim 26 which includes:

means for sealing said housing assembly opening.

28. A trackable pallet as set forth in claim 26 in which:

said removable cover includes a first assembly portion that closes said housing assembly opening with said first assembly portion having a smaller cross-section than said housing assembly space flange portion.

29. A trackable pallet as set forth in claim 28 in which:

said removable cover includes a flange that fits within said shallow recess to cover the chamber and to selectively increase the effective support area for said pallet body top surface.

30. A trackable pallet as set forth in claim 29 which includes:

a replaceable battery for powering said communications device contained within said housing assembly space, and

said first assembly portion having means for supporting said replaceable battery positioned within said housing assembly space when said removable cover closes said housing assembly opening.

31. A trackable pallet as set forth in claim 26 which includes:

said communications device inserting into said housing assembly space through said housing assembly opening when said housing assembly engages said receptacle.

32. A trackable pallet as set forth in claim 26 which includes:

said communications device being positioned within said housing assembly space before said housing assembly positively engages said receptacle.

33. A trackable pallet as set forth in claim 26 which includes:

said pallet body having an interior space positioned between said top surface and said bottom surface, and

said RFID pallet transponder being contained within said interior space.

34. A trackable pallet comprising:

a pallet body,

a removable housing assembly,

said pallet body having a horizontally rigid top surface for supporting articles, a bottom surface, and a side wall positioned between said top surface and said bottom surface to form a chamber,

said chamber having a shallow recess and a deep recess with said shallow recess circumventing said deep recess and said deep recess forming an open receptacle,

said removable housing assembly having a base, a top structure defining a housing assembly space for enclosing a communications device for autonomously monitoring and reporting the condition of the addition and removal of the articles from said pallet body top surface, an opening for accessing said housing assembly space, and a removable cover to close said opening,

said removable cover having a flange portion that fits within said shallow recess, and

said removable housing assembly positively engaging said open receptacle and said cover so that said cover closes said housing assembly opening and said flange portion closes said chamber to place the pallet in a condition for operable transporting and storage use when said removable cover connects to said housing assembly.

35. A trackable pallet as set forth in claim 34 which includes:

means for sealing said housing assembly opening.

36. A trackable pallet as set forth in claim 35 in which:

said removable cover includes a first assembly portion that closes said housing assembly opening with said first assembly portion having a smaller cross-section than said removable cover flange portion.

37. A trackable pallet as set forth in claim 36 in which:

said removable cover includes a flange that fits within said shallow recess to cover the chamber and to selectively increase the effective support area for said pallet body top surface.

38. A trackable pallet as set forth in claim 37 which includes:

a replaceable battery for powering said communications device contained within said housing assembly space, and

said first assembly portion having means for supporting said replaceable battery positioned within said housing assembly space when said removable cover closes said housing assembly opening.

39. A trackable pallet as set forth in claim 34 which includes:

said communications device inserting into said housing assembly space through said housing assembly opening when said housing assembly engages said receptacle.

40. A trackable pallet as set forth in claim 34 which includes:

said communications device being positioned within said housing assembly space before said housing assembly positively engages said receptacle.

41. A trackable pallet as set forth in claim 34 in which:

said pallet body includes a support structure, and

said support structure includes said horizontally rigid top surface, said bottom surface, and said side wall positioned between said top surface and said bottom surface to form said chamber.

42. A trackable pallet as set forth in claim 41 which includes:

a plurality of sheets for forming said support structure.

43. A trackable pallet as set forth in claim 34 which includes:

said chamber being accessible through said top surface and said bottom surface.

44. A trackable pallet having a RFID pallet transponder to manage the pallet for distribution comprising:

a pallet body,

a removable housing assembly,

said pallet body having means for supporting articles with at least one attached RFID article transponder and having a chamber therein,

said chamber having a shallow recess and a deep recess with said shallow recess circumventing said deep recess and said deep recess forming an open receptacle,

said removable housing assembly having means for enclosing a communications device for autonomously monitoring and reporting the condition of the addition and removal of the articles with at least one attached RFID article transponder from means for supporting articles with attached RFID article transponder, an opening for accessing said housing assembly space, and a removable cover to close said opening,

said removable cover having a flange portion that fits within said shallow recess, and

said removable housing assembly positively engaging said open receptacle and said cover so that said removable cover closes said housing assembly opening and said flange portion closes said chamber to place the pallet in a condition for operable transporting and storage use when said removable cover connects to said housing assembly.

45. A trackable pallet as set forth in claim 44 which includes:

means for sealing said housing assembly opening.