DE202020103839U1 - Collapsible container with connecting elements - Google Patents

Abstract

Collapsible container (1),
with a bottom (2),
Longitudinal walls (10) and end walls (11), which are connected to form a wall ring (5) and have hinge lines, on which the wall ring (5) between a use position surrounding the interior of the folding container (1) and a flat folded position on the floor ( 2) is movable in the lying transport position,
and with a cover (6) covering the wall ring (5), characterized in that
that the wall ring (5) is connected to the floor (2) by means of a so-called lower connecting element (15),
and is connected to the cover (6) by means of an upper connecting element (9),
wherein the upper and lower connecting elements (9, 15) are designed to be flexible
and are each dimensioned so long that they connect the wall ring to the base (2) or to the cover (6) both in the position of use and in the transport position.

Description

The innovation relates to a collapsible container according to the preamble of claim 1.

Foldable containers of the generic type are known from practice. They have proven themselves for years as reusable containers and due to their mechanical robustness and their low weight with a large usable interior space. From the position of use, which is intended for the transport or storage of goods, the collapsible container can be brought into a space-saving transport position, namely when the collapsible container itself is to be transported in the sense of an empty trip, during which the collapsible container is not a transport or Contains stored goods. In order to enable the space-saving transport of a large number of collapsible containers in this case, the wall ring can be detached from the bottom and folded flat so that it can be placed between the bottom and the lid. A distinction is therefore made between a large-volume use position and a flat, small-volume transport position not only for the entire collapsible container, but also for the wall ring. A collapsible container of the generic type accordingly consists of three separate components in the form of the bottom, the wall ring and the lid.

The innovation is based on the object of improving a collapsible container of the generic type in such a way that its handling is simplified.

This object is achieved by a collapsible container with the features of claim 1. Advantageous embodiments are described in the subclaims.

In other words, the innovation suggests connecting the wall ring permanently to both the base and the cover. In this way it is ensured that all three components of the collapsible container are always held together so that they cannot be lost. This avoids that during the transport or a longer storage of the collapsible container folded into its transport position, a component of this collapsible container can be lost and cannot be found when the collapsible container is to be assembled for reuse. This supports time-saving handling of the collapsible container and accordingly simplifies handling of the collapsible container.

According to the proposal, it is provided that the connecting elements are designed to be flexible. It is therefore not necessary, for example, to provide a projection on one container part and to guide this projection in an elongated hole in another container part. Slight inclinations of the two container parts to one another, which in such a construction could lead to tilting and make further handling of the container more difficult, are completely uncritical due to the use of flexible connecting elements, so that the collapsible container meets the requirements of rough operational practice as well as the demands on as much as possible corresponds to short handling times.

It is further proposed according to the proposal that the connecting elements are dimensioned so long that they can be permanently mounted so that they do not require their own handling effort. Rather, the connecting elements can remain connected to the wall ring on the one hand and to the base or to the cover on the other hand, both in the transport position and in the use position. This permanent connection not only eliminates the need for any handling effort for the connecting elements, but in particular also ensures that the components of the collapsible container are not lost.

In one embodiment, a connecting element can be designed as a plastic film. In particular, the upper connecting element, which connects the wall ring to the cover, can be designed as a plastic film and dimensioned over a large area. The manufacture of the upper connecting element from a plastic film supports an inexpensive design of the collapsible container. In addition, the upper connecting element is typically well protected against mechanical stresses both in the position of use and in the transport position.

In one embodiment, a connecting element can have textile fibers. It can for example consist exclusively of textile fibers and be designed in the manner of a belt, a cloth or the like. The textile fibers can, however, also be present as reinforcing elements in the connecting element, so that this is designed to be particularly robust with respect to mechanical loads. In particular, a lower connecting element can have textile fibers, since it is exposed to greater mechanical stresses than an upper connecting element: if a lower connecting element runs inside the container, it is exposed to contact with the goods to be transported or stored. However, if it runs on the outside of the container, it can come into contact with neighboring containers, industrial trucks, room walls and the like.

In practice, it has proven to be a particularly resilient flexible material, both in terms of chemical and UV resistance and in terms of mechanical strength Tarpaulin material proven. Tarpaulins are commercially available from different materials, also as textile-reinforced plastic material, such as is used for truck tarpaulins.

In one embodiment, it can be provided that a connecting element - with or without textile fibers - is designed as a hollow chamber element and has several hinge lines. For example, hollow-chamber sheets made of plastic can be used, which are also referred to as honeycomb sheets, knobbed sheets or the like and which can form the walls of the wall ring. For the production of the wall ring it is also known to use a single cut of material from a hollow-chamber sheet and, for example, to produce the hinge lines using a hot stamping process, which allow the longitudinal and transverse walls to hinge relative to one another in the manner of a film hinge. Such plastic twin-wall sheets can be cut to match the desired contour of the connecting element. Because several hinge lines are introduced into this hollow chamber element before or after cutting, the hollow chamber element is given the desired flexibility in order to be able to use it as a connecting element, for example as an upper connecting element instead of a plastic film, a tarpaulin or the like.

In particular, the same plate material from which the wall ring is made can actually be used as the hollow chamber element. For the production of the collapsible container, this has the advantage that the number of parts that may have to be purchased from external suppliers can be kept as low as possible in an economically advantageous manner. During the life of the proposed collapsible container, connecting elements can be provided as spare parts by the manufacturer of the collapsible container at short notice, since they can be made from the plate material that is already available, so that economically disadvantageous, extensive storage can be avoided. And after the life of the collapsible container, its recycling is advantageously simplified in that the collapsible container has as few different materials as possible.

The attachment of the connecting elements to the respective component of the collapsible container can be achieved by a chemical bond, e.g. Bonding, through a physical connection such as e.g. Welding, but also by mechanical connections such as riveting, screwing, clamping or the like, depending on which material is present and which type of connection is well suited for the two materials to be connected.

The clever arrangement of the connecting elements not only ensures that the components of the collapsible container are held together securely, but also simplifies the alignment of the individual components with one another, so that the handling of the individual components when the collapsible container is folded or unfolded is simplified and as short as possible Time is feasible.

For example, the upper connecting element can advantageously connect to the upper half of the wall ring, and in particular to its upper edge or near this upper edge. An upper connecting element can connect to the cover in the area of its center line, ie essentially where its center line runs. In this way, the lid is held upright in a kind of standby position when the wall ring is erected. As a result, quick and uncomplicated handling of the lid is achieved both when folding up and when unfolding the folding container.

In a manner known per se, the floor can advantageously have an upwardly open groove in which the wall ring is set in its position of use, so that the wall ring is held on the floor in a manner that is secure against horizontal forces.

Therefore, a lower connecting element can advantageously be designed to be elastically stretchable, so that when stretched it enables the wall ring to be removed from the groove upwards. Due to this expandable configuration, depending on the length and expandability of the connecting element, it can possibly be achieved that the wall ring is held in the groove with a certain pretension, so that a certain protection against lifting forces is achieved, especially if no locking elements should be provided, which allow mechanical locking of the wall ring in the position of use. In any case, the elasticity of a lower connecting element can ensure that this connecting element can be made as short as possible. For example, it can be advantageous to arrange the lower connecting element as protected as possible inside the container, and to make the connecting element as short as possible avoids undesirable collisions with the goods to be transported or stored in the container. If, however, the wall ring is folded together and placed flat on the bottom of the collapsible container, the lower connecting element runs around the lower edge of the wall ring, which now protrudes to the side, and this course is easily possible due to the elasticity of the connecting element.

Two lower connecting elements can advantageously be provided, which are arranged at a distance from one another and are designed as bands. This also supports a design of the collapsible container in which the lower connecting elements run inside the container. The comparatively narrow design as a belt and the spacing of the belts from one another prevents, for example, transport or storage goods with small dimensions from getting behind a lower connecting element and being difficult to reach there when the collapsible container is to be emptied.

The lid can advantageously cover the wall ring like a hood, so that the goods to be transported or stored in the collapsible container are optimally protected.

The lid can extend so far down at its edges, that is, form such a deep hood that - if necessary together with the bottom - an inner volume is created which enables the flat folded wall ring to be received when the empty collapsible container is in its Transport position is folded. In this way, the cover is also optimally protected all around when it is empty.

The floor can advantageously be designed in the manner of a pallet in a manner known per se, so that the collapsible container can be handled with the aid of industrial trucks without having to be placed on an additionally required pallet.

• 1 eine perspektivische Ansicht von oben auf einen zusammengefalteten Faltbehälter,
• 2 bis 6 perspektivische Ansichten des Faltbehälters von 1 in unterschiedlichen Stadien des Auffaltens, und
• 7 eine perspektivische Ansicht auf den auseinandergefalteten und geschlossenen Faltbehälter von 1.

An exemplary embodiment of the innovation is explained in more detail below using the purely schematic representations. It shows

• 1 a perspective view from above of a folded collapsible container,
• 2 to 6th perspective views of the collapsible container of FIG 1 in different stages of unfolding, and
• 7th a perspective view of the unfolded and closed collapsible container of FIG 1 .

1 shows a collapsible container 1 when folded. The collapsible container 1 has three basic components, namely firstly a floor designed in the form of a pallet 2 with several pallet feet 3 and a pallet deck 4th , second, a wall ring 5 folded flat on the pallet deck 4th lies and will be explained in more detail later, and thirdly, a cover 6th , which is designed like a hood and the wall ring 5 covers the top over the entire surface and overlaps laterally all around. In 1 is the collapsible container 1 in its transport position, which requires as little space as possible. The side of the folding container facing the viewer 1 is one of the two front sides that are shorter than the two long sides of the collapsible container 1 . The collapsible container can be moved out of the transport position 1 are unfolded into a position of use, as will be explained with reference to the following illustrations.

In 2 is the lid 6th including the still folded wall ring 5 been lifted obliquely out of the transport position in a pivoting movement, similar to if a hinge were arranged on the long side on the right in the picture. In fact, however, are the three essential components of the collapsible container 1 each freely movable and connected to one another only by flexible connecting elements, as will be explained in more detail. In the pallet deck 4th is near the outer circumferential edge a likewise circumferential, annular groove 7th recognizable. Furthermore, on the left long side of the folding container in the picture 1 two locking elements 8th evident.

3 shows the continuation of the 2 mentioned pivoting movement: the wall ring 5 has now been fully erected, and the lid 6th has been swiveled more than 90 ° out of the transport position. While the user only has the wall ring 5 but not the lid 6th holds tight, the lid folds 6th not further on, as it is through an upper connecting element 9 with the wall ring 5 connected is. The upper connecting element is designed in the form of a plastic film which, on the one hand, is attached to the upper edge of the wall ring 5 and on the other hand approximately along the central axis on the inside of the lid 6th connects.

It is still off 3 can be seen that the wall ring 5 two longitudinal walls 10 and two end walls 11 having, the end walls 11 hinge-like with the long walls 10 are connected. In addition, the two end walls 11 also each have a middle hinge line, so that they each consist of two end wall sections 12th are formed.

4th shows how the erected wall ring 5 is unfolded. The lid is still there 6th through the upper connector 9 on the wall ring 5 held. The lid stands with one long edge 6th down on the floor 2 on.

5 shows the completely unfolded wall ring 5 that is now in the groove 7th of the soil 2 used and by means of the locking elements 8th is secured against lifting forces. It shows 5 a view of the front of the collapsible container 1 and the wall ring 5 . There is a bolt opening 14th in an end wall section 12th of the wall ring 5 can be seen, and the bottom 2 is below the bolt opening 14th designed so that there is also a locking element 8th can be mounted, which like the other locking elements 8th over the groove 7th extends so that the locking elements in the corresponding control openings 14th of the wall ring 5 can intervene.

The situation in 6th basically corresponds to the situation of 5 . However, the lid is on 6th no longer on the floor 2 on, but hangs, only through the upper connector 9 held, on the side next to a longitudinal wall 10 of the wall ring 5 .

7th shows a view of the long wall 10 shown in the preceding drawings on the right side of the folding container 1 was shown. The locking elements 8th are recognizable that the in 3 visible locking elements 8th are arranged opposite one another. There are also two locking elements on these two 8th lower fasteners 15th can be seen on the one hand on the locking elements 8th and on the other hand on the long wall 10 of the wall ring 5 are attached. The lower fasteners 15th are designed as elastic straps made of a textile material and are purely by way of example, for better illustration, on the outside of the folding container 1 arranged. Notwithstanding the illustrated embodiment, it can be provided that the lower connecting elements 15th on the inside of the long wall 10 are arranged and not on the locking elements 8th connect, but for example within the of the groove 7th surrounding area to the pallet deck 4th connect.

List of reference symbols

1

Collapsible container

2

ground

3

Pallet base

4th

Pallet deck

5

Wall ring

6th

cover

7th

Groove

8th

Locking element

9

Upper connector

10

Longitudinal wall

11

Front wall

12

Front wall section

14th

Bolt opening

15th

Lower connector

Claims (17)

Collapsible container (1), with a base (2), longitudinal walls (10) and end walls (11) which are connected to form a wall ring (5) and have hinge lines, on which the wall ring (5) between the interior of the collapsible container (1 ) surrounding use position and a flat folded transport position lying on the floor (2) is movable, and with a cover (6) covering the wall ring (5), characterized in that the wall ring (5) by means of a so-called lower connecting element (15 ) is connected to the base (2), and is connected to the cover (6) by means of an upper connecting element (9), the upper and lower connecting elements (9, 15) being designed to be flexible and each dimensioned so long that they Connect the wall ring to the base (2) or to the cover (6) both in the use position and in the transport position. Folding container after Claim 1 , characterized in that a connecting element (9, 15) is designed as a plastic film. Folding container after Claim 1 or 2 , characterized in that a connecting element (9, 15) has textile fibers. Folding container after Claim 3 , characterized in that a connecting element (9, 15) consists of a tarpaulin material. Folding container after Claim 1 or 3 , characterized in that a connecting element (9, 15) is designed as a hollow chamber element and has several hinge lines. Collapsible container according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that an upper connecting element (9) connects to the upper half of the wall ring (5). Folding container after Claim 6 , characterized in that the upper connecting element (9) adjoins the wall ring (5) essentially along its upper edge Folding container after Claim 6 or 7th , characterized in that an upper connecting element (9) adjoins the cover (6) essentially along the center line of the cover (6). Collapsible container according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the base (2) has a groove (7) which runs around the edge and is open at the top and is intended to receive the wall ring (5) in the position of use. Folding container after Claim 9 , characterized in that a lower connecting element (15) is designed to be elastically stretchable, in such a way that the wall ring (5) can be removed upwards from the groove (7) while expanding the lower connecting element (15). Collapsible container according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that two lower connecting elements (15) are provided, which are arranged at a distance from one another and are designed as bands. Collapsible container according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a lower connecting element (15) connects to the inside of the wall ring (5) and extends in such a way that it is arranged inside the container when the wall ring (5) is in its position of use . Collapsible container according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cover (6) engages over the wall ring (5) like a hood. Folding container after Claim 13 , characterized in that between the base (2) and the cover (6) a receiving space is created for the wall ring (5) folded flat in its transport position. Folding container according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the bottom is designed in the manner of a pallet. Collapsible container according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the wall ring (5) can be locked in its position of use on the base (2) and the lock can optionally be released. Folding container after Claim 16 , characterized in that the wall ring (5) has locking openings (14) and movable locking elements (8) are arranged on the bottom (2), which optionally engage in the locking openings (14).

Images