WO2019157607A1

WO2019157607A1 - Arrangement of expanded polystyrene boxes and expanded polystyrene box for food transport and storage

Info

Publication number: WO2019157607A1
Application number: PCT/CL2019/050010
Authority: WO
Inventors: Diego José LARRAÍN GARCÍA
Original assignee: Envases Chiloe S.A.
Priority date: 2018-02-13
Filing date: 2019-02-13
Publication date: 2019-08-22
Also published as: US20210094727A1; CA3092409A1; NO20200958A1; BR112020016417A2; CN112203945A; AR114107A1; CL2020003440A1; CL2020000125A1

Abstract

An arrangement of expanded polystyrene boxes grouped into a tower on a pallet, said boxes being distributed in at least seven rows each comprising three boxes separated by a separation and ordered such that two boxes are placed in parallel side by side along the long axis of the pallet and the third is placed perpendicular to the former, said box being placed perpendicular at one end of the tower opposite the end of the upper and/or lower row. An expanded polystyrene box is also disclosed. (Figure 10) 1

Description

DISPOSAL OF EXPANDED POLYSTYRENE BOXES AND BOX OF

SPORTS POLYSTYRENE FOR FOOD TRANSPORTATION AND STORAGE.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention has application in the transport and storage industry. In particular, in the transport and storage of foods such as fresh fish, in containers of Expanded Polystyrene.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In the food transportation and packaging industry, specifically of fresh products such as fish, containers or boxes made from Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) are used since the formulation of their resins is free of brominated compounds and contaminating additives.

For example, in countries like Brazil there is a logistics chain created for the sale of salmon, in which the unit of sale to end customers is a box of 70 Ib.

When this type of product is transported to its final destination or point of sale, the boxes are usually loaded in refrigerated trucks that maintain the cold chain or optimum temperature of the product to prevent its decomposition. However, to achieve the above it is necessary that the flow of cold air into the container is distributed in a way that ensures the necessary temperature required by the products stored in the boxes to prevent defrosting.

In this context and by way of example, it has been studied that the breathing heat of fresh salmon is 0 kcal / kg.24h. This means that the salmon does not release thermal energy once packaged, so it is important to prevent heat from entering from outside to the inside of the box to maintain optimal storage conditions. Currently, to achieve these conditions the boxes are distributed on the truck's transport deck in a stacked but independent configuration and intercalated from each other, in order to leave spaces or channels between them that allow air flow to pass through them.

A first disadvantage of this configuration has to do with the problems associated with the stowage of the boxes, since when they are loose and separated from each other, they are susceptible to move in front of truck movements and therefore to be damaged or even opened during transport.

A second disadvantage is that the current dimensions of the boxes do not allow them to be moved in standard pallets of l, 2m x 0.8m, since they would not be fully supported on the pallet, there being a risk of damage. This is because the length of the traditional boxes exceeds 80 cm and its width exceeds 40 cm, so that the fish that is transported inside it is completely stretched. This problem is especially generated in the boxes for transporting Chilean salmon, which due to its size (80% of the calibers are in the range of 75-85 cm) requires boxes with sufficient volumes.

As a result of the aforementioned characteristics, these boxes must be loaded and sorted manually, an operation that entails a high logistic cost, since the pallets must be assembled in the warehouse to then have to disassemble them and enter the boxes to the truck in units, thus considering a great use of time and human resources.

A third disadvantage of the configuration of current boxes is that the horizontal channels formed between boxes do not conduct the cooling air optimally. In particular, it is necessary that the lower boxes supported on the surface (generally metallic) of the truck are exposed to heat from the outside such as pavement radiation and to that generated by the axles of the truck itself. This causes the undesirable increase in the temperature of the contents inside the boxes and therefore the risk of deterioration.

It is therefore the objective of the present invention to overcome the convenient ones described above, by means of a box and configuration that allows the transport and storage of products. Fresh food in a more efficient way, facilitating the task of loading and stowage of boxes, and at the same time improving their cooling conditions.

It is another objective of the present invention to improve the transport capacity of products inside the boxes, respecting the traditional sales unit of the market, that is, maintaining the cubic capacity of the boxes so as not to affect the processes and logistics of the shops. adores.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

To overcome the drawbacks described above, it is first proposed an arrangement of Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) boxes grouped in a tower on a pallet, where said boxes are distributed in at least 7 rows each consisting of three boxes separated between them by a separation and arranged so that two boxes are arranged side by side in parallel in the longitudinal direction of the pallet and the third is arranged perpendicular to the first, the box being arranged perpendicularly at one end of the tower which is opposite the end of the upper and / or lower row.

Secondly, a spaced polystyrene (EPS) box is proposed for the transport and storage of food, configured to be stacked on a pallet in an arrangement as described above. The box is composed of a rectangular body that has a top opening and a lid, where the body has a base with stacking grooves and the lid comprises stacking projections.

It is proposed that the boxes have a length in the range between 700 and 800 mm, a width in the range between 300 and 400 mm; and a height in the range between 280 and 350 mm.

The specific characteristics of the box according to a preferred embodiment of the invention are detailed below:

Dimensions and Volume

Tolerance of lengths wide width and is * / L%, Thickness + f-2%

Mechanical properties

Suggested Maximum Load from ia Maximum Load with Factor and Safety - 2

Suggested Maximum Load from Maximum Load with Safety Factor - 2

Thermal properties

From these specifications, a shorter and less wide box is obtained than those used in the state of the art but higher, maintaining the volume and therefore not affecting the storage capacity, that is, the sales unit is maintained so as not to affect the processes and the existing logistics chain.

The change in the dimensions of the proposed box does not affect the product transported inside. For example, in the case of Chilean salmon, the reduction in length is compensated by the gain in height of the box, allowing the fish to fit in the interior volume with the end of its bent tail. In this sense, the main advantage associated with reduction in The length and width of the box is that it allows distribution on standard pallets of l, 2m x 0.8m, ensuring that the boxes are supported on 100% of their base and allowing an optimal distribution of weight loads. The goal is to completely eliminate the breaking of boxes, today a serious problem in the industry.

The table below shows a comparison between the attributes of the current box design and the one proposed here.

Attribute _ Current Design New Design

Long [mro] 890 797

Width [mmj 42C 39?

High mtnj 25? 300

Product cubicity [fibers] 70 70

Internal volume [iitros] 61 61

Units per shipment [units] 680? 35

Maximum Net Load per Shipment [kilos] 19,800 20,800

Psietirafaíe in l, 2m x 0, Srr> No Yes

Compact load No Yes air flow reduction by lower section No Yes

Ramp load time [minutes] 60 10

The proposed box design allows them to be loaded and unloaded from trucks directly on a pallet and by means of conventional pallet trucks. With this it is possible to optimize the times and resources destined to the loading and unloading of trucks.

For stacking the boxes, it is proposed to use EPS pallets for hygiene and thermal insulation issues. On this the boxes are distributed using a cross stack (Cross Stocking) to give rigidity to the tower and stability.

Another advantage of the proposed configuration is that it allows the assembly of the tower of boxes by means of robots. For this, a space of 6 mm is preferably left between boxes so that the robot's paddles can enter and exit. This separation is considered in the design of the boxes, so that the dimensions of the tower fit just with those of the pallet and do not protrude from it.

Thanks to the use of the EPS pallet, the lower level boxes are on a completely insulated surface of the truck floor avoiding the warming and melting of the product. The use of this element in combination with the proposed arrangement of boxes, optimizes the flow of cold air around the boxes, which advances above the tower, then lowers and is returned entirely below the EPS pallets, due to the grooves of the rampla of the truck and the channels formed by the same pallets.

In other words, with the proposed configuration, the load forms a true “product block” or “EPS block” which is enveloped by cold air, thus generating a much more efficient circular circular flow than that which passes through the arrangement of separate and supported boxes on the surface of the truck, currently used.

DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

- Figures 1 to 3 illustrate an arrangement of boxes according to the configuration used in the state of the art.

- Figure 2 illustrates the problems of state-of-the-art boxes when they are arranged on standard pallets.

- Figure 3 illustrates the problems of the arrangement of state-of-the-art boxes in terms of refrigeration.

- Figures 4 and 5 illustrate the arrangement of boxes proposed by the present invention.

- Figures 6a and 6b illustrate the flow of cooling air through and around the arrangement proposed by the present invention.

- Figures 7a and 7b illustrate details of the case body proposed by the present invention.

- Figures 8a and 8b illustrate details of the case lid proposed by the present invention.

- Figure 9 illustrates details of the pallet for transporting boxes of the present invention.

- Figure 10 illustrates a set of boxes stacked on a pallet according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES According to Figures la and lb, the ordering of EPS boxes 10 that is traditionally used inside refrigerated trucks comprises an arrangement in rows, each of said rows being composed of five boxes, with four of them located therein. longitudinal direction and one in the opposite direction. The end at which the box is located in the opposite direction 11 alternates in each row as illustrated in Figure lb. In addition, a transverse space 12 is provided between the boxes that make up each row, which forms a space for air circulation and cooling of the boxes. The ordering of the pallet inside the truck is done manually.

Traditional boxes such as those illustrated in Figures 1 to 3 are 890 cm long, 420 cm wide and 257 cm high, dimensions that prevent them from being distributed on a standard EPS 20 pallet, as illustrated in Figure 2, which is why they must be manually located on the floor of the truck, as shown in Figure 3. Additionally, and as seen in said Figure, there is the disadvantage that the boxes located in the bottom row and that they are in contact with the floor surface of the truck 30, they are subjected to the heat radiated by the truck itself and / or the pavement, which affects the integrity of the products contained therein.

According to Figure 4, the arrangement proposed in the present invention is a cross stack with three boxes 10 per row, so that two boxes are arranged side by side in parallel in the longitudinal direction and the third is arranged perpendicular to the first. The perpendicularly arranged box alternates in each row between each end of the tower.

The box tower formed preferably has 7 rows and the dimensions of the boxes allow them to be accommodated on a standard EPS pallet, as illustrated in Figure 10. In addition, the assembly of the box tower can be fully automated. through the use of robots. For this, a separation 13 is left between boxes (preferably less than 10 mm) so that the vanes of the robot that assembles the tower can enter and exit. Further, said separation 13 is considered in the design of the boxes, so that the dimensions of the tower fit just with those of the standard pallet.

Figures 6a and 6b show an arrangement of 6 box towers 10 each arranged on a pallet 20 on the interior surface 40 of a truck. The arrows illustrated represent the flow of air that circulates around the boxes, especially that which passes under the boxes, between the pallet 20 and the interior surface 40 of the truck.

In Figure 7a the body 100 of a box according to a preferred embodiment of the invention is shown, which comprises at least one wall reinforcing body 101 disposed on at least one face of at least one side wall, wherein said wall reinforcement body 101 comprises a wall support area 102 disposed towards the opening of the body 100 of the box. In addition, the opening of the body 100 comprises a perimeter edge 103, which corresponds to a connecting edge that projects upward from the opening. On the other hand, it is appreciated that the body 100 comprises vertical perforations 104 towards the four corners of the body, corners 105 arranged towards the upper corners of the body 100 and at least one lower recess disposed on the outer face of the body 100, towards the bottom of the same, defining a grip surface 106.

According to Figure 7b, the base of the box 10 comprises a projected surface 110 having a configuration of recesses and stacking slots, wherein said stacking slots 111 are configured to receive stacking projections arranged on the outer face of the top. On the other hand, the stacking recesses 112 on the outer face of the bottom allow to substantially reduce the weight of the box and, at the same time, increase the resistance of the bottom of the box against shocks. In addition, the arrangement of stacking recesses 112 is designed to avoid substantially affecting thermal insulation properties. On the other hand, the provision of stacking grooves 111 on the outer face of the bottom of the box and stacking projections on the outer face of the lid, which cooperatively fit during stacking, favors cross-stacking between boxes proposed in the present invention . Finally, at the bottom edges of the bottom of the box, lower outlets 113 are provided which provide a surface for the passage of the strips that allow securing the boxes on the pallet. Preferably, a lower punching pair 113 is arranged on each lower longitudinal edge of the box.

In Figure 8a it is shown that the lid 200 of the box comprises upper exits 213 that are aligned with the lower exits of the body of the box and which also have the purpose of allowing the passage of strips. In addition, the spatial configuration of the stacking projections 211 that the lid 200 possesses is observed, the latter being complementary to the stacking grooves that the outer face of the bottom of the body illustrated in Figure 7b has.

On the other hand, Figure 8b illustrates the details of the lower face of the lid 200, where it can be seen that it comprises a perimeter groove 203 to receive the perimeter edge of the body of the box. The cover 200 also comprises an arc-shaped cross beam 220 located at the center that seeks to increase the flexural strength of the cover.

Fa Figure 9 shows a preferred configuration of the pallet 20 used to stack the boxes of the present invention. This is preferably constructed of EPS in one piece and is composed of a horizontal surface 21 and supporting members 22. The pallet preferably has the standard dimensions of the industry, that is, a length of 1.2 m and a width of 0, 8 m.

Each unit of the pallet 20 allows stacking boxes in rows consisting of 3 boxes. For this, the upper face of the pallet has three support zones 23 circumscribed by a flange 24 that is shaped like the base of a box and is configured so that the boxes are deposited inside, preventing their movement in relation to to the pallet. In addition, the support areas 23 have a slight separation between them to create the space that allows the pallets of the robot that assembles the tower of boxes on the pallet. Finally, Figure 10 shows the tower of boxes 10 of the present invention stacked crosswise on the pallet 20 and in a preferred 7 row configuration.

Claims

1. Arrangement of Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) boxes (10) grouped in a tower on a pallet (20), CHARACTERIZED because said boxes (10) are distributed in at least 7 rows each composed of three boxes (10) separated between they by means of a separation (13) and arranged so that, two boxes (10) are arranged side by side in parallel in the longitudinal direction of the pallet (20) and the third is arranged perpendicular to the first, the box arranged perpendicularly at one end of the tower that is opposite the end of the upper and / or lower row, and because the boxes (100) have a length in the range between 700 and 800 mm, a width in the range between 300 and 400 mm; and a height in the range between 280 and 350 mm.

2. The arrangement of boxes according to claim 1, CHARACTERIZED in that the pallet (20) is constructed of EPS in one piece and comprises a horizontal surface (21) and support members (22).

3. The arrangement of boxes according to claim 1 or 2, CHARACTERIZED in that the upper face of the pallet (20) has three support areas (23) circumscribed by a flange (24).

4. The arrangement of boxes according to claim 3, CHARACTERIZED because the support areas (23) have a slight separation between them.

5. The arrangement of boxes according to any of the preceding claims, CHARACTERIZED because the pallet (20) has a length of 1.2 m and a width of 0.8 m.

one

6. The arrangement of boxes according to any of the preceding claims, CHARACTERIZED because the separation (13) is less than 10 mm.

7. Box (100) of expanded polystyrene (EPS) for the transport and storage of food, configured to be stacked on a pallet (200) in an arrangement according to claims 1 to 5, said box being composed of a rectangular body (100) which has an upper opening and a cover (20), where the body (10) has a base with stacking grooves (111) and the cover comprises stacking projections (211), CHARACTERIZED because it has a length in the range between 700 and 800 mm, a width in the range between 300 and 400 mm; and a height in the range between 280 and 350 mm.

The box according to claim 7, CHARACTERIZED in that the body (100) comprises at least one wall reinforcement body (101) disposed on at least one face of at least one side wall, wherein said wall reinforcement body ( 101) comprises a wall support zone (102) disposed towards the opening of the body (100) of the box.

9. The box according to claim 7 or 8, CHARACTERIZED in that the opening of the body comprises a perimeter edge (103).

10. The box according to any of claims 7 to 9, CHARACTERIZED because the body (100) comprises vertical perforations (104) in its corners.

11. The box according to any of claims 7 to 10, CHARACTERIZED in that the body (100) comprises corners (105) arranged in the upper corners.

two

12. The box according to any of claims 7 to 11, CHARACTERIZED because the body (100) comprises at least one grip surface (106) at the bottom.

13. The box according to any of claims 7 to 12, CHARACTERIZED in that the base of the box comprises a projected surface (110) where the stacking grooves (111) and one stacking recesses (112) are located.

14. The box according to any of claims 7 to 13, CHARACTERIZED in that it comprises lower strips (113) at the bottom edges of the bottom.

15. The box according to any of claims 7 to 14, CHARACTERIZED in that the lid (200) comprises upper strips (213).

16. The box according to any of claims 7 to 15, CHARACTERIZED in that the cover (200) comprises a perimeter groove (203) in its lower face.

17. The box according to any of claims 7 to 16, CHARACTERIZED in that the cover (200) comprises an arc-shaped cross beam (220) located at the center of its lower face.

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