EP0013855A1 - Crate for transporting bottles or the like - Google Patents

Abstract

The crate is capable of being fitted in other crates to form a stack. The crate comprises an upper girdle portion, an apertured buttom portion, and lateral walls and inner partition walls formed by inclined arms which may form a vertical geometric projection in the empty spaces of the bottom portion in the plane of the latter. These arms form surfaces of pyramids for maintaining and separating the bottles or the like. The inclined arms are capable of sliding on those of another crate when a plurality of crates are fitted together. At least a part of the apices of the inclined arms is capable of coinciding of solid parts of the apertured bottom portion of an identical crate which is placed in a different orientation above the first crate.

Description

It is known to use, for the transport of food products, for example bottles, cheeses or the like, boxes usually made of plastic, comprising internal partitions which isolate the objects transported from each other and prevent them from move or collide during handling. Such boxes have a total height slightly greater than that of the objects they contain. They can stack on top of each other but when they are empty they occupy the same volume as when they are full, which is a disadvantage for their storage between two jobs and even for their return empty when they have been used for transport of objects delivered in lost packaging.

The object of the present invention is to provide an improved box which avoids these drawbacks and allows safe transport and storage or return with minimal bulk.

This invention indeed relates to a crate which has a perforated bottom, external partitions constituted by arms inclined two by two in opposite directions, and also internal partitions constituted by arms inclined in two opposite directions, these arms starting from solid parts of the bottom and being joined at their top to at least one other internal or external arm, so that their upper parts project horizontally inside the empty spaces the bottom.

Preferably, an outer upper belt is carried by the arms of the outer partitions. Thanks to this arrangement, the objects which rest on solid parts of the perforated bottom are separated from each other and held by several inclined arms with which they are in contact and which, joined at their top, form hollow pyramids open at their base. . Several identical boxes can thus fit into each other under a reduced volume when they are empty, the pyramids of one penetrating into the pyramids of the other. On the contrary, when they are full they can be superimposed on each other after reorientation of each of them, around a vertical axis, with respect to the previous one of the stack, the lower ends of the arms of a box taking support on the tops of the corresponding arms of the lower body.

According to one embodiment, the interior arms have the same height as the exterior arms and the bottom of the upper box can rest on all of the vertices of the pyramids formed by these arms, which reinforces the solidity of the stack.

According to another embodiment, the arms of the interior partitions are shorter than those of the exterior wall but they retain a constant vertical thickness, so that the nesting and stacking of the box with other similar ones remains possible.

The description below of embodiments given by way of nonlimiting examples, and represented in the appended drawings, will moreover make the characteristics and advantages of the invention more apparent.

• - la fig. 1 est une vue en plan, de dessus, d'une caisse rectangulaire suivant l'invention, ayant une capacité de douze bouteilles;
• - la fig. 2 est une vue en perspective d'un angle de la caisse de la figure 1 montrant comment se placent les bouteilles;
• - la fig. 3 est une vue de dessus,analogue à la figure 1, d'une caisse carrée;
• - la fig. 4 est une vue de dessus d'un angle d'une caisse selon une variante de réalisation;
• - la fig. 5 est une vue en coupe suivant la ligne 5-5 de la figure 4;
• - la fig. 6 est une vue en plan de dessus d'une caisse selon une autre variante de réalisation;
• - la fig. 7 est une vue en coupe verticale suivant le plan ₇-₇ de la figure 6;
• - la fig. 8 est une vue partielle en perspective de la caisse des figures 6 et 7.

In these drawings:

• - fig. 1 is a plan view, from above, of a rectangular box according to the invention, having a capacity of twelve bottles;
• - fig. 2 is a perspective view of an angle of the box of FIG. 1 showing how the bottles are placed;
• - fig. 3 is a top view, similar to FIG. 1, of a square box;
• - fig. 4 is a top view of a corner of a box according to an alternative embodiment;
• - fig. 5 is a sectional view along line 5-5 of Figure 4;
• - fig. 6 is a top plan view of a box according to another alternative embodiment;
• - fig. 7 is a view in vertical section along the plane ₇ - ₇ of FIG. 6;
• - fig. 8 is a partial perspective view of the box of FIGS. 6 and 7.

According to a first exemplary embodiment, represented in FIGS. 1 and 2, a box according to the invention comprises an openwork bottom formed by two series of parallel crosspieces 1, 2, 3 and 4, 5, 6, which are cut at right angles. •

Each of these crosspieces is constituted by a U-shaped section profile, comprising a sole 7 and two lower lateral ribs 8 and 9, which increase its resistance to bending. These ribs interpenetrate at the crossroads of the two crosspieces and thus form between them a housing 10, of square section, open at its base and closed at its upper part by the soles 7 combined of the crossings which cross (fig. 2).

The sleepers 1, 2 and 3 or 4, 5 and 6 of the same series are equidistant and in addition the distance between the sleepers 1 and 2 or 2 and 3 is the same as that which separates the sleepers 4 and 5 or 5 and 6. The set of crosspieces is also inscribed in an imaginary rectangle whose sides form an angle of 45 ° with each of the crosspieces 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6. The set of these crosspieces thus forms a network with square meshes in its central part and with incomplete triangular meshes on its edges whose perimeter is marked out by extreme knots.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the network comprises three central nodes 11, 12 and 13 formed at the intersection of the crosspieces 2 and 4, 2 and 5 and 5 and 3, five end nodes 14, 15, 16 , 17 and 18 located respectively at the junction of the ends of the crosspieces 5 and 1, 1 and 4, 4 and 3, 3 and 6, 6 and 2, and in addition two end nodes 19 and 20 formed by the free end of the crosspieces 2 and 5. The number of extreme nodes located on the periphery of the bottom of the box at equal distance from each other, along this periphery, is therefore an odd number, seven in this case.

From each node leave inclined arms which constitute the interior and exterior partitions of the box. Each of the arms is fixed at its base to two adjacent crosspieces of the knot and protrudes inside the box by converging towards the arm or the arms fixed to the adjacent knots of the same mesh. Thus the square mesh delimited by the crosspieces 5, 2, 6 and 3 joined to the nodes 12, 18, 17 and 13 supports a pyramid trunk formed by four arms 21, 22, 23 and 24 which each start from the 'one of the angles of this stitch. The arms 21, 22, 23 and 24 converge towards each other and are joined at their top at 25; in the same way the other square meshes of the box shown in Figure 1 each support a pyramid formed by four fixed arms in the corners of this mesh. The triangular links also support inclined arms connected to their top and constituting portions of the pyramid. For example, the triangular mesh formed by the cross 5 and the cross 2 of Figure 2 supports three arms 26, 27 and 28 joined at 29 at their top. In the same way, arms 30 and 31 converging towards each other and joined at their top 32 leave from the two ends of the cross-member 6 in line with the nodes 18 and 17.

Whatever their number of arms, the pyramids or portions of the pyramid are such that they project horizontally into the perforated parts of the bottom; as a result, the vertices 29 or 32 of the external partial pyramids are practically aligned with the nodes 14 and 18 or 17 and 20 for example.

Preferably, each of the inclined arms is formed by an angle whose wings are each secured to one of the adjacent crosspieces. The width of these flanges is greater at the lower part of the arm than in its central part, as is clearly shown in Figure 2. As a result, each of the pyramids formed by the sides comprises arm, ^p arallèles to sleepers, which are indented according to a polygonal profile. At their apex these faces are truncated and joined to each other at 25, 29 or 32 by a head whose side has a length substantially equal to the width of the crosspieces.

Each of the heads 25, 29 or 32, whether square or triangular, carries in its center a centering stud 33 having a frustoconical profile whose diameter at the base is slightly less than the internal width of the housing 10 provided at the crossing sleepers. The height of this stud is equal to or slightly less than the height of the ribs 8 and 9 of these same crosspieces. These nipples 33, like the vertices of the pyramids, are distributed all around the body, at equal distance between the nodes ex trmes 17, 20, 16, 19, 15, 14 and 18. They are therefore also in an odd number, seven in number in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

At the upper part of the body, all around the heads 29 and 32 of the partial pyramids, is fixed a belt 35 connected to each of these heads 29 and 32, by a horizontal extension 36 and two inclined lateral tabs 38. The belt 35 comprises indeed a vertical skirt 40 which is integral with both the tongues 38 and the extension 36 on one of its faces and which is extended on its opposite face by three ribs, respectively 42, 43 and 44. The three ribs 42, 43 and 44 are parallel to each other, but the rib 44 is slightly recessed inwardly with respect to the rib 43 and is connected to the latter above the skirt 40 by an inclined wall 45. The belt 35 is thus flared outwards above the heads 29 and 32, at the height of the pins 33.

When using a box such as that which has just been described, bottles 46 are introduced vertically between the pyramids formed by the inclined arms. They penetrate into the notches on the faces of these pyramids and come to rest on the crosspieces at the bottom of the body. The distance between the parallel crosspieces, or better that which separates the successive partitions formed by the inclined arms parallel to the same crosspieces, corresponds substantially to the external diameter of a bottle so that, by penetrating into the notches of the faces of two opposite pyramids , the bottle comes into contact with the four arms which delimit these notches. It is guided by these arms during the whole continuation of its introduction.

Preferably, vertical tabs 48 connect the adjacent arms of the same knot above the cross member, for example, a cleat 48 connects the arms 22 and 26 above the cross member 2 while another cleat 48 connects the arm 26 to the adjacent arm, above the cross member 5. Each of the bottles 46 is thus immobilized at its base between two cleats 48 carried by the crosspiece on which it rests. This bottle is also tangent to the inclined arms which limit the notches of the two faces of pyramids into which Ellett enters. These arms are in contact with it approximately halfway up, that is to say at its center of gravity when it is full and therefore it has great stability during handling.

As clearly shown in Figure 2, the pyramids formed by the inclined arms have a height slightly greater than that of the bottles 46; as a result, the bottles are, during transport, not only maintained but protected by the presence of these pyramids. In addition, when the box shown in FIG. 1 is filled with bottles 46, another identical box can be stacked on it after having pivoted by an angle of 180 ° around a vertical axis, so as to bring the nodes 19 and 20 of the upper case in coincidence with the heads 32 of the lower case. In this way, the pins 33 of the heads 32 penetrate into the housings 10 of the nodes 19 and 20 and the boxes are rigorously centered one on the other. The flared shape of the wall 45 facilitates the introduction of the boxes and their centering. Furthermore, all the pyramids carrying a stud 33, each of the nodes of the upper case is fitted onto this stud and rests on the lower case. A stack is thus obtained which, not only is rigorously centered, but also has the great solidity of a triangulated structure.

When the box has been emptied and the bottles 46 are removed, the boxes can be nested one inside the other, being exactly superimposed; the inclined arms of one of the boxes slide along the inclined arms of the directly lower box, while the bottom crosspieces come to rest on the vertical tabs 48. The boxes being oriented exactly in the same direction, the interlocking performs easily.

The box shown in FIG. 1 is inscribed in a rectangle, so that the two opposite angles are formed one by a partial pyramid, the other by a knot, but the case of the invention can also be inscribed in a square as shown in Figure 3. This box is made in the same way as that of Figure 1 and has, like it, a perforated bottom formed of crosspieces which intersect at right angles. Knots of these crosspieces leave inclined arms which form pyramids projecting outwards. However, the distribution of the triangular meshes on the periphery of the body is the same on each of its sides, so that in the opposite angles there are either two nodes 50 or two pyramids 52 provided with pins 53. Consequently, when these boxes are full, it is necessary to stack them to rotate the upper box by an angle of 90 ° only around a vertical axis passing through its center. The stacking is then carried out in the same manner as in the previous case, each of the pins 53 entering a housing 10 of the nodes of the upper box. By cons, when the boxes are empty they can, like the previous ones, be nested one inside the other while remaining oriented in the same direction.

The inclined arms of the square box are, like those of the rectangular box, constituted by elements in the form of angles so that the faces of the pyramids are indented and the bottles penetrate inside these pyramids. In such an arrangement the distance between the bottles is a function of the thickness of the arms in their middle part, that is to say in the part which is in contact with the bottles. According to another embodiment, to reduce the distance which thus separates the bottles and make it possible to adapt the case to bottles of larger diameter, the arms are given in their middle part a flattened shape, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. In such an embodiment, each of the inclined arms 54 and 56 has in its end parts, both in its upper part and in its lower part, a T-shaped section. The cores 57 and 58 of these T are interconnected by a central portion 59 of greater height. Each of the lower T's is fixed on a knot in the openwork bottom of the box. The core 57 is directed along the bisector of the angle formed by two adjacent crosspieces, while the transverse bar 60 of the T is in support above the node itself. In the same way, at the upper part of the arms, the webs 58 are directed along diagonals of the square mesh of the openwork bottom network, while the bars 61 of each of the T's are located outside and integral with the sides of a square head 62 carrying a nipple 63.

These arms, like the previous ones, form pyramids and allow either the stacking of the boxes when they are full, or their nesting when empty; the height measured in a vertical plane, of the different sections of the inclined arms remaining constant, so as to facilitate nesting.

The production of the box can be further simplified by using inclined arms, flat over their entire length and of rectangular section, as shown in FIGS. 6, 7 and 8. These arms are then preferably no longer fixed to the nodes of the crosspieces, but at an intermediate point between these nodes, so that the objects or bottles rest on the node itself, between four pairs of adjacent arms. In this case, in fact, two arms 70, 71 start from the same point on the bottom 72 of the body, between two empty spaces 73 and 74. These arms, which are directed in opposite directions, are joined at their vertices above each. corresponding empty spaces 73 and 74, on the one hand to an arm 70 or 71 aligned with them, and on the other hand to two arms 76 and 77 directed perpendicular to all of the arms 70 and 71. In this way, the body has two series of interior partitions, respectively parallel to the large and small sides of the body.

At their base, the adjacent arms 70 and 71 are joined by a gusset 78 over a certain height, so as to provide the bottle, or the object placed on the bottom 72, with a sufficient bearing surface. Each of these objects is in fact in contact with four vertical gussets 78, which hold it laterally.

Of course, the height and the inclination of the arms 70, 71, 76, 77 can be chosen so as to place their vertices 79 at the height of the belt 80 of the body, in the same way as the vertices 29, 32 of the body of Figure 2. However, in some cases, it may be preferable to give these arms a shorter length, as shown in Figures 7 and 8, the thickness of the arms and their inclination being such that they have a constant thickness measured vertically, so that the nesting of the box in another similar box is still possible.

In this embodiment, the outer arms 81, 82 have a section similar to the inner arms, that is to say a rectangular section. They are joined at their upper part by gussets 83 fixed to the belt 80, and at their lower part by gussets 84 fixed to the bottom 72 of the body.

According to a preferred embodiment, the pyramids formed by the arms 71, 70, 76 and 77 have a height substantially equal to half the total height of the box, and the extreme arms 85 or 86 of the partitions are fixed at mid height, on the inclined arms 81 or 82 of the outer walls, respectively of the large and short sides of the body.

Because of the particular shape of the objects, and in particular the bottles, for the transport of which the crate is intended, it is often preferable to replace the bottom formed by the crossed sleepers by a bottom simply pierced with circular openings, such as the openings 73 and 74 represented in FIGS. 6 to 8, the arms 70 and 71, as well as the gussets 78 which connect them, starting from the narrow part of the bottom which separates the spaces or openings 73 and 74, while the vertices 79 of the pyramids are project into these spaces. Such a bottom can also be reinforced by ribs 86, 88 respectively perpendicular to the large and small sides of the body, which protrude from the underside of the bottom 72 and strengthen the solidity of the latter. The objects are then placed on a relatively large solid part, 89, of the bottom 72, between four gussets 78, and may protrude beyond the vertices 79 inside the box. A second box, similar to the first, can also be placed on the top of the upper gussets 83 of the arms and thus be stacked correctly on the first box.

Preferably, the peripheral surface of the bottom 72 pierced with circular openings 73 and 74 is cut according to arcs of a circle 90, or similar contours corresponding to the shape of the objects to be transported. A collar 92, having a height substantially equal to that of the gussets 78, is then preferably fixed on the bottom 72, along the contours 90 of which it follows the shape, which allows it to hold the objects in place.

Furthermore, the external partitions of the body, which are, like the internal partitions, formed by arms inclined in opposite directions, are interconnected in the corners of the body by an arm 94 whose general direction cuts the corner of the belt and makes an angle of about 45 ° with each of the sides thereof.

Of course, in the various successive corners 95, 96, 97 and 98 of the body, the arms 94 have inverted inclinations so that the succession of chevrons formed by the arms 81, 82, 94 inclined alternately in one direction and in the other is continuous all around the body and that this succession has an axis of symmetry passing through the geometric center of the body, which makes it possible to superimpose two similar boxes one on the other after a simple pivoting of 180 ° from one of the boxes.

Of course, the belt 80 of the body can have the same section as the inclined arms forming the external partitions and even the internal partitions, but preferably it has high and low external reinforcement ribs, respecti vement 100 and 102. In addition, its upper face 104 is slightly higher than the top of the gussets 83 connecting the arms together.

Thanks to such an arrangement, the gain in height of a stack of empty boxes nested one inside the other can reach 70 to 80% of the cumulative height of said boxes. On the other hand, the junction of the arms inclined to each other, in particular the welding of the outer arms 81, 82, to the arms of the inner partitions 85, 86, gives the whole body considerable resistance.

Finally, the simultaneous existence of the belt, or collar, surrounding the bottom, of the upper belt of the body and of the arms cutting the corners of this body, provides the best protection for objects, such as bottles, contained in the checkout.

The invention is in no way limited to the exemplary embodiments which have just been described.

Thus, some interior arms can have a limited height and constitute simple separations between the transported objects, while other interior arms are extended upwards to form pyramids offering a point of support for the solid parts of the bottom. of a stacked box.

The outer arms, their gussets and the belt may have protruding or recessed ribs, corresponding to the unevenness of the interior surface of the injection molds.

The external inclined arms can also be produced with a variable section over their height, in particular a section reinforced internally in the middle and more resistant to compression, this reinforcement finding place between the bottles or objects transported, without increasing the external bulk of the box.

Claims (16)

1 - Skeleton box, stackable and nestable, comprising an openwork bottom and external partitions constituted by arms inclined two by two in opposite directions, characterized in that it comprises internal partitions also constituted by successions of inclined arms in two opposite directions, these arms starting from solid parts of the bottom, having a thickness, measured vertically, which is constant and being joined at their top to at least one other internal or external arm, so that their upper parts project horizontally at inside the empty spaces at the bottom. 2 - Box according to claim 1, characterized in that the inclined arms form, inside the box, a number of pyramids. 3 - Box according to claim 2, characterized in that the pyramids have the same height as the outer arms of the box. 4 - Box according to claim 2, characterized in that the pyramids have a height less than that of the outer arms of the box, the arms of the inner partitions being joined to the arms of the outer partitions about halfway up the latter. 5 - Box according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, at least the inclined arms of the outer partitions rise to the upper plane of the box and have vertices which are symmetrical to the base of the outer partitions or of solid parts of the bottom relative to the geometric center of the body. 6 - Box according to one of claims 1 to 5 _j characterized in that the arms of the outer partitions are joined at their top by an outer peripheral belt. 7 - Box according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the arms have a rectangular horizontal section. 8 - Box according to claim 7, characterized in that the arms are arranged in vertical planes and joined alternately at their lower part and their upper part, so that they form continuous partitions perpendicular to each other. 9 - Box according to claim 8, characterized in that in each corner of the box the outer partition comprises an inclined arm, located in a plane making an angle of about 45 ° with each of the two adjacent sides of the box, and joined at its apex and at its base respectively to the inclined arm adjacent to these adjacent sides. 10 - Box according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the arms have a horizontal section in the form of angle iron and are joined at their summits by a head in the form of a trunk of pyramid. 11 - Box according to one of claims 2 to 10, characterized in that it comprises two series of interior partitions perpendicular to each other and joined alternately at the top and at the base of the pyramids, the pyramids delimiting two by two a housing for a bottle or the like. 12 - Box according to claim 11, characterized in that the successive parallel partitions are spaced by a distance corresponding to the outside diameter of a bottle so that the inclined arms each form in the vicinity of their middle part a tangential fulcrum for such a bottle which is thus maintained at its center of gravity at four points equidistant from its circumference. 13 - Box according to one of claims 2 to 6, characterized in that the external elements of the box have a U-shaped cross section. 14 - Box according to one of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that the bottom is formed by intersecting crosspieces. 15 - Box according to one of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that the bottom of the box is formed by a cut plate bordered on its periphery by a vertical flange. 16 - Box according to claim 15, characterized in that the periphery of the bottom of the box forms a succession of arcs, and in that the flange follows this outline.

Images