DE29613085U1 - Carrier for bottles - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a carrier for bottles. Such carriers are widely known in the prior art. They can be designed as flat trays or as trays with a peripheral edge or as a box.

Recently, new bottle shapes have become commonplace instead of the Euro bottles that were previously used. These bottles have a nominal diameter of 67.5 mm and usually contain 0.5 litres. If such bottles are placed on supports or placed in boxes in the usual way, these supports inevitably have an unfavourable size due to the bottle dimensions, since, for example, an arrangement of 6x4 bottles in a box or on a carrier must have a lengthwise dimension of 405 mm and a crosswise dimension of at least 270 mm. Such a

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However, this dimension is unusable for conventional palletizing and storage systems because these systems are designed so that the dimension for the corresponding carriers cannot exceed 400 mm x 300 mm. As a result, the current state of the art has only made it possible to accommodate a smaller number of bottles on such carriers, which is not very advantageous for economic reasons because the available transport volume and the possible storage volume are not fully utilized.

Based on this prior art, the invention is based on the object of creating a carrier for bottles which, when using bottles with a diameter of 67.5 mm, allows such bottles to be accommodated in a carrier with a maximum dimension of 400 mm x 300 mm in a number of 24 bottles.

The solution to this problem is specified in claim 1.

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It is preferred that the arrangement of the bottles or packs on the carrier is such that the arrangement is identical when viewed from both narrow sides and/or wide sides of the carrier.

It may also be preferred that the packs placed on the carrier, in particular packs of 6, are arranged in the same orientation on the carrier.

The orientation of the bottles on the carrier must in any case be such that when the carriers are transported lengthways on conveyors or the like, an identical pattern of the bottles placed or the storage locations is created, so that automatic filling and removal devices can be used without having to pay attention to the orientation of the crate. Rather, the crate can be transported lengthways with one end facing forward or the other end facing forward and can be handled by automatic devices for the purpose of filling or for the purpose of loading or removing.

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A particularly preferred further development is that on the carrier there are spaces next to each other for 4 rows of three bottles each arranged parallel to each other and further spaces next to each other for 4 rows of three bottles each arranged parallel to each other, so that rows of 6 bottles are aligned along the long edge and rows of 4 bottles along the narrow edge, whereby the blocks of 12 bottles each formed from 4x3 bottles are offset at the dividing line of the two blocks, which runs parallel to the narrow sides of the carrier, by such a distance that the adjacent bottles are arranged at least partially with a gap in the area of the dividing line and interlock like teeth on the circumference and the total length of both blocks in the direction parallel to the broad side of the carrier falls short of the dimension of 400 mm or exactly reaches this dimension or exceeds it by a maximum of 2 mm.

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Further preferred embodiments are specified in claims 5 to 16.

The invention provides a carrier for bottles in which, for example, 4 packs of 6 bottles can be used, which are enclosed in an outer box or the like, which has a bottom cutout for the passage of quills or the like, so that 24 bottles of the specified dimension of 67.5 mm diameter can be accommodated in an orderly manner on the desired basic dimension of 400 mm x 300 mm. A straight arrangement of the individual bottles or of the bottles combined in containers such as packs of 6 is preferred. In addition, the arrangement according to the invention ensures that, particularly when empty bottles are returned, these bottles can be placed as individual bottles and are secured in the storage spaces by clamping. In the case of embodiments of the carrier without a side edge or with a side edge that remains behind the placed bottles, the individual carriers can be placed on top of one another, with the bottles then supporting the

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elements. The carriers are not only stackable with each other and stackable on top of each other, but they can also be stacked with the usual DIN boxes. The stacking edge or stacking projections on the base of the carrier allow stacking when empty to form blocks. The recessed grips or the like enable manual handling in a simple manner.

Such a carrier can accommodate a total volume of 12 liters (with a bottle volume of 0.5 liters), which is 20 % larger than comparable DIN crates with a drink volume of 10 liters. If the carrier is loaded with full goods, i.e. carries 24 filled bottles, the total weight is only slightly greater than with the previously usual crates with a content of 10 liters. The weight of the carrier itself can be kept to under 1000 g if necessary due to its simple design.

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If such a carrier is used for stacking on the usual brewery pallets, it is possible to accommodate 20 % more volume per storage and shipping unit with the same space requirement instead of the previously usual 1000 bottles in DIN crates. When arranged on Euro pallets, it is now also possible to accommodate 20% more volume per storage and shipping unit with the same space requirement instead of the previously usual 800 bottles in DIN crates.

The arrangement and design is preferably such that the overall dimensions of 400 mm x 300 mm are not exceeded. However, it is still within the permissible tolerances if the longer side of the carrier, including the bottles placed therein, is a maximum of 402 mm.

If the bottles placed in the crate are arranged at an angle, as is the case with a parallelogram-like arrangement, a better distribution of the side wall reinforcement is possible, so that an overall stable design of the carrier is possible.

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Especially when setting up individual bottles, supports in elastic or stable form are provided, which support the bottles radially in the area of the friction edge on the bottles.

For stiffening purposes, it can be advantageous if a corresponding wall is formed in the middle of the support.

Embodiments of the invention are shown in the drawing and described in more detail below. It shows:

Fig. 1 to 3 show a first embodiment in side view, front view and top view;

Fig. 4 a variant schematically in plan view;

Fig. 5 shows a further variant schematically in plan view;

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Fig. 6 to 8 a variant of the embodiment according to

Figures 1 to 3;

Fig. 9 to 11 show another variant in the same view; Fig. 12 to 17 show details in elevation and plan view.

The drawings show a carrier 1 for bottles 2, whereby the bottles have a diameter of 67.5 mm at the point of greatest diameter - manufacturing tolerances. The carrier 1 has a rectangular basic shape in plan view with dimensions of 400 mm x 300 mm - manufacturing tolerances. The bottles 2 can be combined in packs using outer boxes or the like, for example in the form of packs of 6 according to Figures 1 to 3 or according to Figure 4. Other ways of combining packs are also possible. A total of 24 individual bottles can be arranged in each carrier.

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These are arranged on the support surface of the carrier 1 in such a way that the peripheral contour of the carrier 1 is not exceeded by the bottles or parts of the bottles 2. The arrangement of the bottles 2 or the corresponding packs on the carrier 1 is preferably carried out in such a way that the arrangement is identical when viewed from both narrow sides or from both broad sides of the carrier 1, so that the container can be fed to a filling or handling device, for example in the longitudinal direction with one or the other end face in front, without there being any difference for the handling device. For the same reason, it is preferred that the packs placed on the carrier 1, in particular packs of 6, are arranged in the same orientation on the carrier. In the embodiment according to Figure 5, two elements containing 6 bottles are arranged in the same orientation, while two further elements containing 6 bottles are inserted in a position rotated by 180° around the vertical axis. This arrangement and design is somewhat

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more problematic for automatic handling.

In particular in the embodiments according to Figures to 4 and Figures 6 to 11, storage spaces for 4 rows of three bottles each arranged parallel to one another and further storage spaces for 4 rows of 3 bottles each arranged parallel to one another are formed next to one another on the carrier 1, so that rows of 6 bottles 2 are aligned along the long edge 3 and rows of 4 bottles 2 are aligned along the narrow edge 4. The blocks of 12 bottles, each made up of 4x3 bottles, are offset at the dividing line 5 of the two blocks, which runs parallel to the narrow sides 4 of the carrier 1, by such a distance that the adjacent bottles (the central rows along the dividing line 5) in the area of the dividing line 5 are at least partially arranged with a gap and interlock, whereby the total length of both blocks in the direction parallel to the broad side 3 of the carrier falls short of the dimension of 400 mm or reaches this dimension exactly or exceeds it by a maximum of 2 mm, if this is permissible.

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The corresponding offset is possible because the arrangement of 4 bottles parallel to the narrow edge 4 only reaches the dimension of 270 mm, so that a total displacement play of 30 mm remains in order to utilize the total width of 300 mm of the carrier 1.

In the embodiments according to Figures 1 to 3 and Figures 6 to 11, the rows of bottles 2 are aligned parallel to the edge 3 or 4 of the carrier 1. In the embodiment according to Figure 4, the blocks formed from the bottles 2 are shaped like a parallelogram and each consist of 6 bottles from two parallel parallelogram-shaped carriers, to which two further similarly arranged parallelogram-shaped carriers are assigned. The arrangement is such that the rows of 4 bottles 2 aligned along the narrow edge 4 run parallel to the narrow edge 4, while the rows of 3 bottles parallel to one another are each directed at an oblique angle to the longer edge 3 of the carrier 1.

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Here, too, an offset in the area of the dividing line is possible, which allows a total of 24 bottles to be placed on the carrier without the bottles exceeding its circumference.

In the embodiment according to Figure 5, 4 bottle spaces for adjacent bottles 2 are aligned parallel to the narrow edge 4 of the carrier 1, so that 6 rows of 4 bottles each are formed. The row following each row of 4 (parallel to the narrow edge 4) is offset from the previous row, alternating between one and the other longitudinal edge 3 of the carrier 1. Each row of 4 is partially spaced from the adjacent row of 4 and the total length of the block of 6 rows of 4 formed in this way falls short of the dimension of 400 mm in the direction parallel to the broad side (longitudinal edge 3) of the carrier, or reaches this dimension exactly, or exceeds it by a maximum of 2 mm.

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As can be seen in particular from Figures 1 to 3, the carrier 1 can have an edge 6, 7 that protrudes essentially vertically from the support plane on its entire circumference or on some areas. According to the embodiment of Figures 6 to 8, the edge 8 can have a height that corresponds approximately to half the height of the bottles 2 placed thereon. In the embodiment according to Figures 9 to 11, the height of the edge 9 is greater than the height of the bottles placed thereon, so that a supporting box-shaped element is formed from the carrier 1.

As can be seen in particular from Figure 3, for example, in the case of packs surrounded by an outer carton or plastic wrapping, the areas in which the packs are joined together offset from one another can be closely adapted to the bottle contour in the circumferential direction, so that the wrapping does not hinder the offset arrangement and quasi interlocking arrangement of the bottles in the area of the separation point 5. The carriers preferably have stacking projections 10 on the underside, which

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preferably in the middle of the longer edge 3 of the carrier 1 are interrupted (interruption 11) in order to form gripping recesses. In addition, the longer edge 3 of the carrier 1 can have grip recesses 11 in the area in which the bottle blocks are spaced from the edge due to transverse offset or at least have a greater distance than in the area in which the blocks are offset towards the edge, which are diametrically offset from each other and facilitate and enable manual gripping. This is particularly helpful when such a carrier 1 with the stacking projections is inserted into a box or the like, for example a standard DIN box, so that the carrier 1 cannot be grasped from below, but can only be lifted by engaging in the grip recesses 11.

As illustrated in Figures 12 to 17, the carrier can have shaped storage spaces for the bottles 2, whereby the storage spaces are preferably

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elastic holding means 12, which are supported radially primarily on a friction ring 13 of the bottle 2 near the base of the bottle. It is also possible to form the support surface for the bottle 2 at an angle, as can be seen from Figures 16 and 17, so that the bottle placed is slightly inclined to the side around the vertical axis and is thus placed against a peripheral wall of the corresponding compartment, whereby rattling noises and the like are avoided. As can be seen in particular from Figure 3 or from Figure 5, the carrier 1 can have a stiffening wall 14 in the middle between the bottles 2 arranged along the longer edge 3 or the storage spaces formed, which runs following the offset of the bottles 2 or bottle blocks, in particular in a meandering manner.

In addition, quills 15 or similar holding elements can be formed in the support 1 on the support surface in the area of four adjacent areas forming an intersection point for bottles 2 to be placed.

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Such an arrangement is known per se in the prior art.

In the area of the edge 6, as shown in Figure 1, for example, additional recesses 16 can be provided. When the bottles 2 are inserted, the friction ring 13 of the bottle 2 grips under the upper edge of the recess 16, so that additional positional security is achieved, which may be effective in combination with the holding means 12 on diametrical web areas of the carrier 1.

The invention is not limited to the embodiments, but is variable in many ways within the scope of the disclosure.

All new individual and combination features disclosed in the description and/or drawing are considered essential to the invention.

Claims (16)

Delbrouck 12223/96 -18- Protection claims: 1. Carrier for bottles (2), whereby the bottles (2) have a maximum diameter of 67.5 mm - manufacturing-related tolerances, the carrier (1) has a rectangular basic shape (in plan view) with dimensions of 400 mm x 300 mm - tolerances, the bottles (2) can be placed individually or in packs of 2, 3, 4, 6, 12 or 24 in a number of 24 bottles (2) on the support surface of the carrier (1), without the bottles (2) or bottle parts projecting beyond the peripheral contour of the carrier (1). 2. Carrier according to claim 1, characterized in that the arrangement of the bottles (2) or the packs on the carrier (1) is such that the arrangement is identical when viewed from both narrow sides (4) and/or broad sides (3) of the carrier (1). Delbrouck 12223/96 3. Carrier according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the packs placed on the carrier (1), in particular packs of 6, are arranged in the same orientation on the carrier (1). 4. Carrier according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that on the carrier (1) there are arranged adjacently parking spaces for 4 rows of 3 bottles (2) arranged parallel to one another and adjacently further parking spaces for 4 rows of 3 bottles (2) arranged parallel to one another, so that rows of 6 bottles (2) are aligned along the long edge (3) and rows of 4 bottles (2) are aligned along the narrow edge (4), wherein the blocks of 12 bottles (2) formed from 4x3 bottles (2) each are offset at the dividing line (5) of the two blocks, which runs parallel to the narrow sides (4) of the carrier (1), by such a distance that the adjacent bottles (2) in the area of the dividing line are arranged at least partially with a gap and are tooth-like. Delbrouck 12223/96 ■20- interlock circumferentially and the total length of both blocks in the direction parallel to the broad side of the support (3) falls short of the dimension of 400 mm or exactly reaches this dimension or exceeds it by a maximum of 2 mm. 5. Carrier according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the rows of bottles (2) are aligned parallel to the edge (3 and 4) of the carrier (1). 6. Carrier according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the blocks formed from the bottles (2) have a parallelogram-like shape (in plan view) and the rows of 4 bottles (2) aligned along the narrow edge run parallel to the narrow edge (4). 7. Carrier according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that 4 bottle storage spaces of adjacent bottles (2) are aligned parallel to the narrow edge (4) of the carrier (1), so that Delbrouck 12223/96 -21- 6 rows of 4 bottles (2) each result, and that the row following each row of 4 is offset from the previous row, alternately towards one or the other longitudinal edge of the support (1), with each row of 4 being partially spaced from the adjacent row of 4 and the total length of the block of 6 rows of 4 thus formed in this way falling short of the dimension of 400 mm in the direction parallel to the broad side of the support (1) or reaching this dimension exactly or exceeding it by a maximum of 2 mm. 8. Support according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the support (1) has an edge (6, 7) which projects substantially vertically from the support plane all around or on the circumference in partial areas. 9. Carrier according to claim 8, characterized in that the height of the rim (8) corresponds approximately to half the height of the bottles (2) placed there. Delbrouck 12223/96 -22- 10. Carrier according to claim 5, characterized in that the height of the edge (9) is greater than the height of the bottles (2) placed thereon. 11. Carrier according to one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that in the case of packs surrounded by an outer carton or plastic wrapping, the regions in which the packs are joined together offset from one another are closely adapted to the bottle contour in the circumferential direction. 12. Carrier according to one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that the carrier (1) has stacking projections (10) on the underside, which are preferably interrupted in the middle of the longer edge (3) of the carrier (1) and form gripping recesses (11). 13. Carrier according to one of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that the longer edge (3) of the carrier (1) in the area in which the bottle blocks are separated by the transverse offset from the edge Delbrouck 12223/96 -23- have a distance or a greater distance than in the area in which the blocks are offset towards the edge, have recessed grips (11). 14. Carrier according to one of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that the carrier (1) has shaped placement locations for the corresponding number and arrangement of 24 individual bottles (2), wherein the placement locations are provided with preferably elastic holding means (12) which are supported radially primarily on a friction ring (13) near the bottle base. 15. Carrier according to one of claims 1 to 14, characterized in that the carrier (1) has a stiffening wall (14) centrally between the bottles (2) arranged along the longer edge (3) or the storage spaces formed, which runs following the offset of the bottles (2) or bottle blocks, in particular in a meandering manner. Delbrouck 12223/96 -24- 16. Carrier according to one of claims 1 to 15, characterized in that in the carrier (1) on the support surface, sleeves (15) are formed in the region of four adjacent regions forming a crossing point.