DE2828395C2 - - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a mini 10 box according to the Preamble of claim 1.

Bottle crates, e.g. B. for beer, lemonade, mineral water, fruit juice and other beverage bottles are generally subject to standardization, eg. B. in terms of pallet dimensions or generally of transport modules. This standardization primarily extends to the basic format of the bottle crates. In practice, certain numbers of bottles per crate come into question. A typical bottle crate for n bottles is accordingly also referred to as an n -bottle crate.

Of particular importance in Europe is largely uniform standardization, in the case of a 20 bottle crate a footprint of 400 to 405 mm × 330 to 333 mm results. For example, a German 20's bottle crate a reason for 0.5 l Euro bottles (these are also standardized) area of 400 × 330 mm, while a corresponding Austrian box has a basic size of 405 × 333 mm.

Now, a container of 20 bottles is often for household purposes on the one hand, too large and on the other hand too difficult to carry. It is therefore desirable to use a so-called called mini box to have available at one half the bottle content, here from 10 bottles, only takes up about half the floor space. The base of the Mini box must not be significantly oversized by half Have the base of the 20 bottle crate, otherwise the  Mini box can no longer be palletized in accordance with standards.

With a 10 mini box in stackable design according to the The preamble of claim 1 according to DE-OS 21 04 389 is included a thought full format of a 20 box divided lengthways, so that the full format of the 20 euro box across its zeren side dimension is halved. You get one elongated narrow footprint that when standing of the bottle crate and especially when it was stacked accident danger. There are five bottles of two in parallel len rows of square cells can be arranged in the bottle crate. A centrally arranged and used as a handle device extending parallel to the longitudinal walls of the mini box Handle, which is arranged in guides in a height-adjustable manner, which are used in the longitudinal web in areas for adjustment Bottle receiving cells with constriction of the clear cross section of these cells are formed.

The invention is based on the object, one Mini box of 10 in half full format of a bottle of 20 to create a good standing and stacking box shaft.

This task is done with a generic 10-piece mini box solved according to the characterizing part of claim 1.

The bottle crate according to the invention has a harmonious Ver Ratio of the dimensions of the long and short side, so that the Riot and stacking properties are improved. Further you can also conveniently center it on the central handle wear, without risk, your fingers on crowns of too close Hurt bottles, as others have known bottle crates with a central handle. It will the bottle also solved the problem in a new way recording cells across the cross-section of the mini box format to distribute that despite the division of the 20s  Bottle crate format occurring additional structural Difficulties such as space requirements for another partition and space for the central handle, the bottles sym metric to be able to arrange the central handle. Here is caused by a nesting of bottle receiving cells Ge made use of, for which in itself a use of regular or be more or less degenerate hexagonal honeycomb shapes is known (AT-PS 25 28 00). You can do the same bottle format like that of the mini box training use full-size 20 bottle crate.

A bottle of 10 bottles is already published (DE-GM 77 09 005), which is known as the generic bottle box is a non-riot-proof elongated rectangle format has on the two rows of square bottle holder cells are arranged in two outer longitudinal rows and which also shows a central handle. However, it does exist no indication that this well-known bottle crate by Halve the full format of a 20 bottle crate stood. The central handle is telescopic in here two sliding guides slide up and down, the two Nodes are arranged between four cells. This is necessary because the handle is only pushed in a stacking of the filled bottle crates on top of each other the bottom of the crate on the heads of the bottles, while on the other hand gripping when the handle is inserted because of too close to the bottle caps and therefore conditional risk of injury is out of the question. So far there are parallels to the handle arrangement of the generic type DE-OS 21 04 389.

It is also already known, central handles of the bottle to be arranged in such a way that between adjacent bottles recording cells along or across rows of cells greater distance is provided, which is a basis for the hand handle forms. This handle can be used along the bottle  box run (DE-OS 22 55 316 and 26 01 422) or across run to the bottle crate (DE-OS 23 20 603 and 23 52 988), each with an elongated rectangular format of the fla gift box is required. The one through such Arrangement of a central handle in a mini box The need for additional space is halved a full format of a 20 bottle case to a half format towards a mini 10 box.

You already have two in a 12 bottle case external longitudinal rows of bottle receiving cells featured see, between which an internal longitudinal row of Cells using a hexagonal honeycomb structure or degenerate hexagonal cells nested offset and the middle cell of the inner longitudinal row as an empty cell bridged by a rigid handle are provided. With such a 12-bottle bottle can the handle is either elongated in the transverse direction rectangular bottle crate (DE-GM 77 28 105) or lengthways direction of the same (not prepublished older DE-OS 27 18 067). The former are also, like in the bottle crate according to the invention, four bottle receptacles cells arranged in each outer row, while each however, unlike the invention, inside Longitudinal row not two bottle receiving cells, but also four, are arranged by respectively at the two ends of the an additional bottle on the inside longitudinal row acquisition cell is provided.

The latter bottle crates with a central cell bridging handle are not, by the way, for holding 0.5 l bottles, but to hold 0.35 l bottles in the Practice determines.

In contrast, the invention lies in the surprising finding on the basis that to solve the underlying the invention Task, the creation of a bottle of 10 with the before  given format relationships, in the outer longitudinal rows can maintain the number of four bottle receiving cells, while the outer cells of the inner longitudinal row of cell rudiments not used for bottle collection be degenerate.

The mini box according to the invention can also be designed that the centers of the cells of the two outer longitudinal rows lie on a straight line. The same applies also for the centers of the cells of the inner longitudinal row with arrangement on a straight line. Such a cell arrangement under supports the easy portability of the mini box as well its automatic bottle filling.

DE-OS 21 41 618 is in itself a 12-piece mini box in stackable design as an elongated rectangular, known less than double square bottle crate, des This format corresponds to half a full format that runs across its long side is halved, and the one handle and one to the longitudinal and transverse median planes of the mini box has mirror symmetrical cell division, in which between two longitudinal rows on the outside, each with four bottle holders cells that connect to the two longitudinal walls of the mini box ßen, an inner longitudinal row is arranged, the Cells between the cells of the two outer longitudinal lines rows are nested offset and their middle cell an elongated empty cell bridged by a handle forms and has recording cells on both sides of the empty cell. With a full frame of 24 bottle crates are common 6 rows of 4 bottles each are provided so that there is a division a 12-pack mini box in 3 rows with a constant 4 open acquisition cells, as in DE-OS 21 41 618, consequently results. A transferability to such full bottle crates, at an odd one like a 20 bottle crate There is a number of cells in the longitudinal direction (4 times 5 cells) Not. In addition, there are in the known bottle crate further differences in a non-central displacement of the  Cells of adjacent rows and a transverse extension of the Empty cell.

In the 10-mini box known from DE-AS 22 55 316 although a larger distance between the two outside Longitudinal rows than in the Mini known from DE-OS 21 04 389 box provided so that a staggered inside horizontal series would be easier to provide. This distance but is only used for training the handle. The dimensions also do not correspond to the half format of one 20 bottle crate.

Finally, there is also the one known from US Pat. No. 3,363,802 Bottle crate distant. It also has a center arranged, extending parallel to the longitudinal walls Handle on, being arranged on both sides of the handle Cells of an internal longitudinal row of bottle holding cells form and where all rows of bottles ver in the middle of each other sets are arranged. However, it is not one 10-piece mini box and with the task of the invention comparable objectives.

According to claim 2, at least some of the cells essentially bleach a hexagonal honeycomb shape.

According to claim 3, the mini box is developed so that the space-saving division in half full format of 20 euros box is enabled.

According to claim 4, the empty cell has a rectangular shape, so that a comfortable intervention with the handle is possible.

According to claim 5, the longitudinal axis of the empty cell extends in the longitudinal direction of the mini box, making it portable of the mini box is made easier for a person carrying it.

According to claim 6, the handle is rigid. By this rigid connection becomes the possibility of intervention with  the mini box and its portability.

According to claim 7, the mini box with a stacking edge is wider formed, below which the handle is arranged is so that without further preparatory work the immediate Stackability of the mini box is guaranteed.

According to claim 8, the stack edge has spacing cams where through stable stacking and palletizing at the same time automatic alignment of the mini boxes is achieved.

According to claim 9, the distance cams are advantageous on the Inner surface of the stacking edge arranged, creating the space saving palletizing is supported.

According to claim 10, the bottle receiving cells of the two external longitudinal rows in the area of the stack edge hori zonal recesses. This advantageous space-saving The arrangement enables compliance with the external dimensions in half full format.

According to claim 11, the recesses have a V-shaped cross cut so that a simple construction allows is.

According to claim 12, the recesses are adapted to the Bottle curvature curved. This beneficial The design of the mini box allows a process-economical Bottle loading of the crate and the convenient bottles removal.

According to claim 13, the mini box is developed so that the stacking edge opposite the lower side and end walls is undercut, with what through the stronger education of the edge of the stack creates a larger hand grip area.  

According to claim 14, the vertical corners are as hollow columns formed, thereby advantageously a material savings while maintaining the stability of the mini box is achieved.

The invention is based on the schematic drawing Solutions explained in more detail using an exemplary embodiment. It shows

Figure 1 is a partial side view of the long side of the mini box with a section along the line AA of Fig. 3.

Figure 2 is a partial side view of the narrow side of the mini box with a section along the line BB of Fig. 3.

Figure 3 on the left of the transverse center plane a plan view of the cell configuration of the partially cut mini box and right of the transverse center plane of a bottom view of the mini box. and

Fig. 4 shows a section through a hollow corner along the line FF of FIG. 3.

The mini box shown in Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 partially as a side view has essentially two closed side walls 4 and two end walls 6 . The closed areas of the side walls 4 and the end walls 6 can preferably be used as advertising surfaces 10 . In the upper area, the side walls 4 each have an approximately rectangular engagement slot 8 , which is arranged symmetrically to the transverse central plane. Analogous to the design of the hand engagement slots 8 in the side walls 4 , a hand engagement slot 8 is also provided in the end walls 6 , which is arranged symmetrically to the longitudinal center plane. The manual intervention slots 8 are delimited at the top by the lower edge of a stack edge 11 . The stacked edge 11 , which is reinforced with respect to the side and end walls in the cross-sectional profile, forms the upper region of the mini box 2 . In addition to this horizontal circumferential stacking edge 11 are adjacent to the manual intervention slots 8 of the side walls 4 vertical stiffening webs 16 between the provided advertising space forming part of the mini box and the stack edge. 11

The hand engagement slots 8 are limited at the bottom by horizontally extending stiffening webs 12 , which merge into box areas 14 in the edge areas of the mini box. The hollow columnar box corners 14 each have a group of horizontally arranged ter rib profiles 18 in their upper and lower regions. In between, vertically extending rib profiles 18 are provided in the central region of the box corners 14 . These rib profiles 18 allow secure fixing or stacking of the mini boxes with automatic gripping devices. The slightly set back from the vertical boundary lines of the mini box advertising surface 10 goes down into a horizontal stiffening web 12 which is connected to a set-back edge 20 in connection. The bottom of the Minika least 2 is formed by a bottom rib arrangement 22 which has bottom openings 24 in the intermediate areas. The bottle holding cells 44 provided in the mini box 2 are separated from one another by holding ribs 56 . These holding ribs 56 , which have an essentially inverted U-shape, are W-shaped at their upper edge, which lies below the upper level of the advertising surface 10 . The legs of the U run into the bottom rib assembly 22 . To the side walls 4 or end walls 6 , the W-shaped edge of the retaining ribs 56 rises slightly, so that the bottle can slide into a corresponding bottle receiving cell 44 even if a bottle is accidentally placed on the retaining rib 56 .

The cell arranged in the center of the mini box 2 forms an empty cell 46 which is bridged by a handle 48 . This empty cell 46 has in longitudinal section ( Fig. 1) of the mini box 2 an inverted U-shaped profile as a boundary with respect to the neighboring cells. The bridge of the U, which runs horizontally below the level of the stacking edge 11 , forms a handle 48 for carrying the mini box. On its underside, the handle 48 has a profile adapted to the finger shape. In the upper area, the hand grip 48 is designed with a central rib 49 and in the longitudinal direction U-shaped side ribs 50 . The longitudinal sides of the empty cell 46 have a trough-shaped recess for better engagement with the hand, which extends down to the level of the retaining ribs 56 .

As shown in FIG. 2, a plurality of teardrop-shaped spacer cams 75 are formed on the inner surface of the stacking edge 11 in order to achieve the alignment of the mini boxes 2 while observing the dimensional tolerances from the pallets. When stacking of the boxes the distance cams 75 abut against the outer wall of the inwardly offset Aufsetzrandes 20th For better stability of the mini box 2 , the stacking edge 11 is designed as a flat, outwardly directed U-profile. The boundary wall of the empty cell 46 open at the bottom tapers above the level of the retaining ribs 56 to the handle 48 , which is designed in the transverse profile as a rounded U with a central rib 49 .

Fig. 3 shows the cell division of the mini box 2 , which is made along three parallel straight lines. The two straight lines on the outside run at the same distance from the middle straight line. The transverse median plane is conceivable perpendicular to these straight lines in the middle of the long side of the mini box 2 . The middle straight line falls in the median longitudinal plane of the mini box, which is perpendicular to the transverse median plane. Due to this geometrical subdivision, the mini box 2 is mirror-symmetrical to both center planes. Side walls 4 and end walls 6 of the mini box 2 form an elongated rectangle in plan view. This 10-mini box 2 has the dimensions of half a full format of a 20-euro box when using 0.5 liter euro bottles. Along the straight lines lying outside, the centers of four bottle receiving cells 44 are arranged. Arranged on the middle straight line around the intersection of the middle planes is an essentially elongated, rectangular cell 46 . At this empty cell 46 is in the direction of the end walls 6 each a bottle receiving cell 47 with an almost regular hexagonal honeycomb shape. The centers of these three cells on the middle straight line are arranged offset with respect to the centers of the bottle receiving cells 44 lying on the outer straight lines. The side of the cells 47 closest to the center of the mini-box 2 corresponds approximately to the transverse side of the empty cell 46 . Each of these cells 47 is followed by a trapezoidal partial cell 74 in the direction of the end walls 6 . The shorter parallel side of the partial cell 74 is formed as a common side or holding rib 56 of the cell 47 and the partial cell 74 . The longer parallel side of subcell 74 is part of the respective end wall 6 . In this exemplary embodiment, the space of sub-cell 74 is preferably designed as a cell. However, it can also be constructed as a full form or in another way.

While the cells arranged on the middle straight line have only two cells 47 suitable for bottle reception, the cells arranged along the outer straight line are designed as bottle reception cells 44 . Starting from the end wall 4 , a retaining rib 56 is arranged in the transverse central plane, which opens into the wall of the empty cell 46 in the central plane. The bottle receptacle cells 45 adjacent to the empty cell 46 of the outer straight line have the inner side wall running in the longitudinal direction together with the empty cell 46 . Furthermore, these bottle holding cells 45 also have a common holding rib 56 with the cell 47 formed in a hexagonal honeycomb shape. The holding ribs 56 of the cell 47, which are at an angle to the central plane, form a common node area 52 , into which a further rib 54 aligned parallel to the transverse central plane opens. This rib 54 merges into a side wall 4 of the mini-box 2 at the point opposite the node area 52 and at the same time forms a common holding rib 56 of two external bottle receiving cells 43, 45 provided in a quadrant. The adjacent to the empty cell 46 cell 45 forms approximately a pentagon, the outer side of which is part of the side wall 4 and the stack edge 11 . The area of the stack edge 11 of this cell 45 has a recess in the horizontal plane which is adapted to the curvature of the bottles to be accommodated. Notwithstanding 3 can from the illustration in Fig. These, as well as other off-described recesses of the stack edge 11, also have a V-shaped cross section. Between the box corners 14 , the partial cells 74 and the cells 45 and 47 , a cell 43 suitable for bottle reception, which approximately represents a square, is provided. The centers of these cells 43 lie on one of the outer straight lines. In the area of the box corners 14 , these cells 43 also have rounded curves 72 of the stack edge 11 which are adapted to the bottle curvatures.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, the box corners 14 provided with a hole 37 have right-angled outer limbs which, in the direction of the cells 43, have a connecting line which is adapted to the radius of curvature of the bottles to be accommodated. In another embodiment, the handle 48 bridging the empty cell 46 in the longitudinal direction in FIG. 3 can be arranged in the direction of the transverse central plane.

The bottom of the mini box 2 , as shown in the right part of FIG. 3, does not have a closed bottom surface, but rather a bottom rib arrangement 22 with essentially straight and circular configurations which merge into the attachment edge 20 at the edges. The downwardly open empty cell 46 continues in its rectangular shape in the bottom rib arrangement 22 . Starting from this rectangular bottom rib arrangement 22 of the empty cell 46 , a central supporting rib 70 extends both in the longitudinal and transverse central plane. Parallel to the central support rib 70 in the transverse central plane, ribs 60 run in the narrow sides of the bottom rib arrangement 22 of the empty cell 46 and connect the longitudinal sides of the attachment edge 20 to one another. Furthermore, it extends parallel to the long side of the empty cell 46 on the straight line connecting the outer centers of the bottle receiving cells each further rib of the bottom rib arrangement, which has approximately the length of the empty cell 46 . Within the region formed by the rib 60 of the central support rib 70 running in the longitudinal direction ver and the attachment edge 20 , a circular reinforcement arrangement is provided, the center of which lies in the axis of the node region 52 . This reinforcement area merges in the direction of the center of the end face 6 into an ear-shaped reinforcement area, the tapering end of which faces the end face 6 . The center of the circle of these ear-shaped reinforcement areas are arranged approximately in the axis of the node area 53 of the cells 47 and 74 . The transition from the circular into the ear-shaped reinforcement area is continued towards the box corner 14 through a cross-shaped support rib. Furthermore, the circular reinforcement area to the attachment edge 20 and to the longitudinally extending central support rib 70 is each connected to a somewhat shorter support rib 66 . Approximately in the direction of the center of the end wall 6 towards the center of the side wall 4 there is additionally a support rib 62 between the rib 60 and the circular reinforcement area.

Fig. 4 shows the shape of the box corners 35 formed as hollow corners. The hollow corners 35 have an elongated U-shaped profile which is open at the bottom and has an outer wall 36 and an inner wall 38 . These walls 36 and 38 are connected at the top by means of a bridge 40 , in which a hole 37 is provided in terms of production technology. The inner wall 33 runs down into the mounting edge 20 .

The invention thus creates a 10 mini box 2 for taking up 0.5 l Euro bottles in half full format of a 20 Euro box, which due to its special configuration shows good stacking and standing properties, but on the other hand due to its largely open design of the bottle holding cells and the bottom rib arrangement, as well as the ergonomically favorable arrangement of its rigid handle, can be carried comfortably even when filled.

Claims (14)

1. 10-piece mini-box in a stackable design in a half full format of an elongated rectangular, less than double-square 20-bottle box, in particular for 0.5 l Euro bottles in half the full format of the 20-euro box, with a handle and one to the longitudinal and Transverse center planes of the mini box mirror-symmetrical cell division with two external longitudinal rows of more than three bottle receiving cells that connect to the two longitudinal walls of the mini box, wherein the handle device has in particular a centrally located handle that extends parallel to the longitudinal walls of the mini box, characterized by the following features :

• a) the full format is halved across its longer side dimension;
• b) the two outer longitudinal rows each contain four bottle receiving cells ( 43, 45 );
• c) between the bottle receptacle cells ( 43, 45 ) of the two outer longitudinal rows is an inner longitudinal row of three cells ( 47, 46 ) arranged offset in the middle between four bottle receptacle cells ( 43, 45 ) of the outer longitudinal rows;
• d) the middle cell ( 46 ) of the inner longitudinal row forms an empty cell ( 46 ) bridged by a handle ( 48 );
• e) the cells of the inner longitudinal row arranged on both sides of the empty cell ( 46 ) each form a bottle holding cell ( 47 ).

2. Mini box according to claim 1, characterized in that at least some of the cells ( 44 ) have a substantially hexagonal honeycomb shape, preferably a honeycomb shape in the form of a regular hexagon. 3. Mini box according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the bottle receiving cells ( 47 ) of the inner longitudinal row are hexagonal in cross section, that the bottle receiving cells adjacent to the transverse central plane ( 45 ) of the outer longitudinal rows are pentagonal in cross section; and that the remaining bottle receiving cells ( 43 ) of the outer longitudinal rows are delimited by five sides ( 4, 6, 56 ), of which two outer sides ( 4, 6 ) are connected by a rounding. 4. Mini box according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the empty cell ( 46 ) has a rectangular shape. 5. Mini box according to claim 4, characterized in that the longitudinal axis of the rectangular shape of the empty cell ( 46 ) extends in the longitudinal direction of the mini box ( 2 ). 6. Mini box according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the central cell ( 46 ) of the inner longitudinal row bridging handle ( 48 ) is rigidly formed. 7. Mini box according to claim 6, characterized by a stacking edge ( 11 ), below whose upper level the hand grip ( 48 ) is arranged. 8. Mini box according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the stacking edge ( 11 ) has spacing cams ( 75 ). 9. Mini box according to claim 8, characterized in that the spacer cams ( 75 ) on the inner surfaces of the stacking edge ( 11 ) are arranged. 10. Mini box according to one of claims 8 or 9, characterized in that the bottle receiving cells ( 43, 45 ) of the two outer longitudinal rows in the region of the stacking edge ( 11 ) have horizontal recesses ( 72 ). 11. Mini box according to claim 9, characterized in that the recesses ( 72 ) have a V-shaped cross section. 12. Mini box according to claim 10, characterized in that the recesses ( 72 ) are curved to match the bottle curvature. 13. Mini box according to one of claims 8 to 12, characterized in that it has lower side ( 4 ) and end walls ( 6 ) which are undercut with respect to the inner surface of the stacking edge ( 11 ). 14. Mini box according to one of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that its vertical corners ( 14 ) are designed as hollow columns ( 35 ).