FR2768406A1 - Combination crate and pallet for packing articles with one or more wheels e.g. scooters, motorcycles - Google Patents

Abstract

The combined crate and pallet (1) has two walls (3) of a semi-rigid material such as cardboard or corrugated cardboard which can be set perpendicular to the pallet or folded flat on top of it. Each wall (3) has side panels (4) which are folded inwards when the walls are folded down onto the pallet, while one or more additional panels inside the crate is folded into a prism (10) with slots (16) to receive the wheels of crated articles. A lid (15) which closes the crate also covers the walls when they are folded.

Description

NEW PALLET BOX, ESPECIALLY FOR PACKAGING
OBJECTS HAVING AT LEAST ONE WHEEL.

 The present invention relates to a new pallet box, usable in particular for packaging objects comprising at least one wheel.

 Numerous types of pallet boxes have already been proposed in the art, suitable for various uses.

 These pallet boxes usually include a handling pallet, the type of which can be absolutely arbitrary, on which rests a structure made of a semi-rigid material such as corrugated cardboard, which is integral with the upper face of the pallet and which is foldable flat on it. This structure is most often a container of parallelepiped shape, comprising a rectangular bottom part and four walls adjoining this bottom by fold lines and able to be straightened perpendicular to this bottom, in the position of use.

 Such pallet boxes therefore occupy a reduced volume, when they are not used for the packaging of various articles, and they are very successful with users.

 The present invention aims to propose a new pallet box, which is more particularly intended for the packaging of objects comprising at least one wheel, for example bicycles, scooters or motorcycles, such use being however not limiting, as we will see it below.

 To this end, the subject of the invention is a pallet box comprising a pallet of which two walls are integral with a semi-rigid material such as cardboard or corrugated cardboard, capable of being erected in parallel positions perpendicular to the upper face. of this pallet or to be folded flat on it, this pallet box being characterized in that it comprises a structure of a semi-rigid material such as cardboard or corrugated cardboard, integral with the upper face of the pallet and disposed in the vicinity of one of the walls, to which it is attached or not, this structure comprising a plurality of bands adjoining them by fold lines parallel to the adjoining wall, so that they can be applied flat against the upper face of the pallet, in the folded position of the walls, or to be shaped to produce a prism with edges parallel to the contiguous wall, one face of this prism, facing the other wall, comprising a plurality of parallel notches, capable of receiving projecting parts of conditioned objects, in particular of the wheels of these objects.

 In the case where the objects to be packaged are two-wheeled vehicles, such as bicycles, motorcycles, scooters or the like, the pallet box preferably comprises two similar structures capable of being shaped to produce a prism , in the vicinity respectively of the two parallel walls, so as to be able to engage the wheels of each vehicle in two notches arranged opposite in each of the structures.

 The two walls of the pallet box can be joined by a bottom part fixed on the pallet. They can also be separated and each adjoining a separate panel, fixed on the pallet and on which the associated wall will be articulated by a fold line.

 The pallet box may optionally include two other side walls, perpendicular to the preceding ones and articulated on these, in a manner known per se, so that they can be folded over the upper face of the pallet. Alternatively, two lateral strips can be attached by fold lines to each of the walls and to a flap fixed against the upper face of the pallet, a fold line inclined at 450 with respect to this upper face being provided on each lateral strip at from the corners of the pallet, in order to be able to fold over these side bands.

 In a manner known per se, rigid reinforcing pillars can be provided along the connecting edges of the two parallel walls and adjoining lateral bands, these pillars being for example engaged in the corresponding position in belts cut in each wall and the contiguous band .

Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear in the detailed description which follows of an embodiment of this pallet box. In this description, reference will be made to the accompanying drawings, in which
Figure 1 is a perspective view of the pallet box in use position
Figure 2 is a partial perspective view of this pallet box, after shaping the side walls, with the structures intended to receive projecting parts of the conditioned objects, in particular wheels, arranged flat on the upper part of the palette
Figure 3 is a perspective view of the puzzle, with the side walls folded over the pallet.

 The pallet box shown in the drawings comprises a pallet 1, which can be of any type known in the art and in any rigid material. On the upper face of this pallet are fixed, by gluing or stapling, in the vicinity of two parallel lateral edges, two panels 2 of corrugated cardboard or the like, to each of which is attached, by a fold line, a lateral wall 3, suitable to be erected perpendicular to the upper face of the pallet 1, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, or to be applied flat against the upper face of the pallet 1, as shown in FIG. 3.

 At each of the walls 3 are contiguous, by two parallel fold lines, along its lateral edges, two lateral bands 4 able to be dressed perpendicular to the bottom, with a flap 5 adjoined by a fold line, applied and fixed against the upper face from palette 1.

Folding lines 6, arranged obliquely from the corners of the upper face of the pallet 1, at an angle of 45 "with the vertical edges of the walls 3, make it possible to fold the strips 5 flat against the pallet 1, between it and the adjoining wall 3.

 Rigid reinforcing pillars 7 can be arranged vertically in the corners, along the connecting edges of the walls 3 and the lateral bands 4, being engaged in belts 8 cut in the corresponding position in these walls and these bands.

 According to the invention, structures for holding the packaged objects, made of corrugated cardboard or a similar semi-rigid material, are fixed by gluing or stapling against the upper face of the pallet 1, in the vicinity of the walls 3, to which they can possibly be attached. These structures include a plurality of bands 9-13, articulated together by fold lines parallel to the walls 3, which allow them to be applied flat against the upper face of the pallet 1, as shown in FIG. 2, or straighten, as shown in Figure 1, to form a prism, here of rectangular section, but which could as well be triangular, whose edges are parallel to the upper face of the pallet 1 and to the wall 3. In the face 10 of each of these prisms facing the opposite wall 3 are arranged opposite the cutouts 14, intended to receive protruding parts of the objects intended to be packaged in the pallet box, for example bicycle wheels. These bicycles are thus held in parallel, in a vertical position, inside the box pallet, without using any other means of securing, which represents a considerable advantage.

 It will be noted that the faces of the structures for holding the conditioned objects applied against the contiguous face of the corresponding wall 3 are not necessarily made integral with these parts of the pallet box. They can however be glued or stapled against them by users.

 Note the great simplicity of the pallet box according to the invention. This may comprise, in known manner, a cover 15, capable of covering both the walls 3 and the adjoining side bands 4, in the position of use, as shown in FIG. 1, or in the folded storage position, as shown in figure 3.

 Because of the reinforcing pillars which they comprise, the pallet boxes loaded with the packaged objects can be stacked one on top of the other, with a view to their storage or their transport, which represents another advantage of the invention.

Claims (6)

 1. Pallet box comprising a pallet (1), of which two walls (3) are integral with a semi-rigid material such as cardboard or corrugated cardboard, capable of being erected in parallel positions perpendicular to the upper face of this pallet or to be folded flat on it, this pallet box being characterized in that it comprises a structure of a semi-rigid material such as cardboard or corrugated cardboard, integral with the upper face of the pallet ( 1) and disposed in the vicinity of one of the walls (3), to which it is attached or not, this structure comprising a plurality of strips (9-13) adjoining them by fold lines parallel to the wall (3 ) contiguous, so as to be able to be applied flat against the upper face of the pallet, in the folded position of the walls, or to be shaped to produce a prism with edges parallel to the contiguous wall, one face of this prism, turned fr rs the other wall, comprising a plurality of parallel notches (14), capable of receiving projecting parts of conditioned objects, in particular of the wheels of these objects.  2. Pallet box according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises two structures capable of being shaped to produce a prism, these structures being arranged respectively in the vicinity of each of the walls (3).  3. Pallet box according to one of claims 1 and 2, characterized in that each of the walls (3) is articulated by a fold line on a panel (2), fixed against the upper face of the pallet (1) .  4. Pallet box according to one of claims 1 and 2, characterized in that each wall (3) is adjoined by a fold line a side strip (4), capable of being erected perpendicular to the upper face of the pallet (1).  5. Pallet box according to claim 4, characterized in that each of the lateral bands (4) is attached by a fold line a flap (5) fixed against the upper face of the pallet (1) and in that 'A fold line inclined at 450 with respect to the vertical connection line of each strip (4) and the adjoining wall (3) is provided on each strip from the corresponding corner of the pallet (1).  6. Pallet box according to one of claims 4 and 5, characterized in that rigid reinforcing pillars (7) are provided along the connection edges of the two parallel walls (3) and adjoining side bands (4) , these pillars (7) being in particular engaged in the corresponding position in belts (8) cut from each wall and the adjoining strip.