EP0080543A1 - Foldable container suited to be displaced by forklifting devices - Google Patents

Abstract

Rigid uprights (2) are engaged inside the packaging (1), a part (2a) of said uprights projecting below the base acts as a foot for the container. Cross pieces (3) integral with the uprights and/or with the base are arranged between the uprights (2). Such a container lends itself to handling by means of forklift trucks, without the use of pallets. <IMAGE>

Description

The invention relates to a collapsible container capable of being moved using forklift devices.

In order to facilitate the transport of full packages by means of forklifts which are usually used for moving loaded pallets, it has already been proposed to combine in a single package a foldable package, for example of the type of American boxes, and a pallet made of wood or plastic, secured to the bottom of this packaging (FR 2 102 883, 2 172 762 or 2 429 158 patents). Such packaging, known as "pallet boxes" in the art, can be delivered to the user and stored by the user in a small volume, with the packaging proper folded back on the pallet, the volume setting not taking place. that at the time of use, that is to say filling the package. Once full, it can then be easily transferred using a forklift to the place of exhibition and sales, where it is presented as is, i.e. with the pallet supporting the packaging of which it is integral.

Such pallet boxes are of great service to traders for the handling and display of various objects or foodstuffs in large retail stores. However, they have a certain number of drawbacks due to the fact that they are content to group together in a single set two types of organs usually used independently of one another.

It is clear, in fact, that the need to adapt a pallet to a packaging considerably increases the cost of packaging.

Furthermore, even if the cardboard packaging is delivered to the user folded flat on the pallet, its volume, in this form, is much greater than that of the usual foldable packaging.

Finally, the existing pallet boxes are derived from usual standard pallets and have large dimensions (1000 - 1200 mm for the pallet), not suitable for the large distribution of articles in containers of smaller dimensions.

The present invention aims to remedy these drawbacks by proposing a collapsible container capable of being placed in volume by the user and to be moved using forklifts or similar devices, but which does not include a pallet and is therefore much less expensive and bulky than existing pallet boxes, while being able to be manufactured in any desired size.

The invention also aims to provide a foldable container of this type, which can be manufactured easily and inexpensively on existing packaging production lines.

To this end, the subject of the invention is a foldable container comprising a cardboard or similar packaging, comprising a bottom and four lateral walls perpendicular to each other and to said bottom, and a rigid frame forming a support for said bottom, this container being characterized in that said frame comprises, on the one hand, four uprights protruding by the same length below said bottom and arranged in pairs opposite one another in contact with two parallel walls of the package, in the vicinity of each of its vertical edges, said uprights being engaged in a cutout of said bottom, perpendicular thereto, and / or rigidly integral with said two parallel walls, on the other hand, below said bottom, in contact with it and between the protruding parts of each pair of uprights arranged opposite, a cross member integral with said uprights and / or said bottom.

The projecting parts below the bottom of the packaging serve as feet for the container, the packaging bearing, optionally, via said crosspieces, on said feet. It is thus possible to introduce between these feet and below the packaging the forks of a handling device to move the full container and bring it to the places of exhibition and sale.

It is clear that the rigid frame, comprising simply four uprights and two crosspieces, in wood or plastic, is much less expensive than a complete pallet secured to the bottom of the package, and the container made up of the package and the frame. rigid can thus be used as lost packaging.

In addition, the container can be delivered to the user and stored by the user in a very small volume.

Indeed, in the case where each crosspiece is integral with a pair of uprights and forms with them an H-structure, these structures can be delivered to the user separately from the packaging, itself delivered flat in the usual way . The user will carry out the volume and the placement of the H-structures himself. These uprights can be made integral with the corresponding walls, for example by stapling.

In the case where the sleepers are not rigidly secured to the uprights, but are simply secured to the bottom of the packaging, sleepers and uprights may, as before, be delivered separately to the user, who will carry out the assembly. Preferably, the amounts will be delivered to it fixed on the corresponding walls of the packaging, outside or inside thereof, according to the embodiments, which will not prevent it from being folded flat. for delivery, but will facilitate assembly operations. Preferably, also, in this case, without being integral with the uprights, the crosspieces bear on a part of these.

The part of the uprights located inside the packaging and / or fixed to the walls thereof may be of a length less than, equal to or greater than that of the corresponding edges of the packaging. In the case of a length substantially equal to that of the edges, it will be possible to resting on the upper end of the uprights a rigid frame, arranged for example below a portion forming a cover of the packaging, in order to allow or facilitate the stacking of full containers. In the case where the length of the uprights will be less than the height of the walls, they will nevertheless reinforce the rigidity of the container, in particular if they are fixed, as it is preferable, on the corresponding walls. Finally, when the part of the uprights of the frame has a length greater than that of the vertical edges of the packaging, it is possible to produce an original variant of the container according to the invention, where the same frame is common to several packages, the packaging lower bearing on the crosspieces of the frame, while the other packages simply rest on each other, the amounts of the frame engaged in the cutouts of their bottom simply serving to hold them in position. It is thus possible to display a plurality of superimposed full containers of low height, and to eliminate the upper container as soon as it is empty, without having to move the others.

It should be noted that the actual packaging will in all cases be identical to the usual packaging, with the exception of the cutouts made in the bottom for the passage of the uprights of the frame. No significant and costly modification of the production lines of these packages will therefore be necessary to produce the container according to the invention. It will also be noted that, in the usual case where the bottom of the package consists of flaps adjoining each of the side walls , the introduction of the amounts of the frame in judiciously arranged cutouts will suffice to lock in position the flaps constituting the bottom.

• La figure 1 illustre la livraison à plat d'une première forme de réalisation du conteneur conforme à l'invention
• La figure 2 est une vue en perspective illustrant le montage de ce conteneur
• Les figures 3 et 4 montrent ce conteneur monté et illustrent respectivement la possibilité de le transporter avec des chariots à fourche et de le gerber ;
• La figure 5 illustre le montage d'une autre forme de réalisation du conteneur conforme à l'invention ;
• La figure 6 est une vue en perspective illustrant la variante dans laquelle une même armature est commune à plusieurs conditionnements superposés.

The accompanying drawings illustrate implementations of the invention. They naturally have no limiting character. In these drawings:

• Figure 1 illustrates the flat delivery of a first embodiment of the container according to the invention
• Figure 2 is a perspective view illustrating the mounting of this container
• Figures 3 and 4 show this mounted container and respectively illustrate the possibility of transporting it with forklifts and stacking it;
• Figure 5 illustrates the mounting of another embodiment of the container according to the invention;
• Figure 6 is a perspective view illustrating the variant in which the same frame is common to several superimposed packages.

The container shown in Figures 1 to 4 comprises two parts, a cardboard packaging 1, which can be seen in the folded state in Figure 1, and a rigid frame, made of wood or plastic, consisting of two pairs of parallel uprights 2, joined transversely by a cross member 3, bearing on a shoulder of these uprights.

The packaging is of a type known per se, comprising two longitudinal walls 4, two transverse walls 5, and a bottom consisting of flaps 6, adjoining the longitudinal walls 4, and flaps 7, adjoining the transverse walls 5 and folded against the shutters 6. In the shutters 6 and 7 are cut out, respectively 8 and 9, which, after the packaging has been placed in volume, are arranged opposite one another, in the vicinity of the longitudinal walls and the vertical edges of the conditioning. The user can thus introduce the uprights 2 through these cutouts inside the packaging placed in volume, until the crosspieces 3 abut against the bottom (FIG. 2). The uprights 2 protrude outside the packaging, below the bottom, of the same length, to form four feet 2a, which serve as support for the container and between which it is possible to introduce the forks 10 of a handling equipment (Figure 3). As shown, the forks 10 can be introduced by either side of the container, which is a great advantage for the user.

As seen in the drawings, the risers 2 are arranged in the corners of the packaging, in contact with the walls, of which it is possible to make them integral, for example by stapling, thereby considerably strengthening the structure of the mounted packaging.

It will be noted that the flaps 6 and 7 forming the bottom do not need to be assembled, because they are locked in position by the uprights 3.

Note also the small volume under which the unassembled container is delivered to users (Figure 1), who can easily store it, as well as the simplicity of its formatting (Figure 2), requiring no user. no special tools or specialized personnel.

Finally, it should be noted that the packaging 1 is in all respects analogous to the usual packaging, from which it differs only in the cutouts 7 and 8, which can therefore be easily produced by the manufacturer, without modifying its production lines.

The type of packaging used can moreover be absolutely arbitrary, the invention not being linked, obviously, to a particular packaging.

As explained above, the portion of the uprights used in the packaging can have any length. When it is substantially equal to the height of the walls of the packaging, as is the case for the container shown in Figures 1 to 4, it is possible, after filling this packaging 1, to rest a rigid frame 11 on the 'upper end of the uprights 2 (Figure 4), before covering the full packaging with a cover or other closure member (not shown), the frame 11 thus making it possible to reinforce the stacking resistance of the container, by offering a rigid support surface for the feet of the container immediately above.

FIG. 5 represents a variant of a container according to the invention very close to that of FIGS. 1 to 4, that is to say comprising a packaging 20 and an armature consisting of uprights 21., engaged in cutouts in the bottom inside the packaging, and crossbeams 22, arranged perpendicular to the uprights 21, below the bottom. In this variant, however, the crossbeams 22 are no longer integral with the uprights 21, these being simply fixed by staples 23 on two parallel walls of the packaging, while the crossbeams 22 are themselves fixed to the bottom by staples 24.

The packaging 20, folded flat, the uprights 21 and the crosspieces 22 can, in this case also, be delivered separately to the user, who carries out the packaging of the packaging and the fixing of the staples. Advantageously, however, the uprights 21 can be fixed in advance by the manufacturer, using staples 23, on two parallel walls of the packaging, without harming the flattening thereof. The user only has to put it in volume, then fix the crossbars 22 on the bottom.

In the case of FIG. 5, these crosspieces do not bear on a shoulder of the base of the supports 21, as for FIGS. 1 to 4, but it would naturally be possible to also provide this characteristic for this embodiment of the container according to the 'invention.

FIG. 6 represents another embodiment, where the same frame, consisting of uprights 30 and cross-pieces 31 integral with these uprights, is common to a plurality of packages 32. These packages, of low height, are stacked, after filling, on each other, by engaging the uprights 30 in the cutouts 33 of the funds. Only the lower packaging rests on the crosspieces 31, but it is nevertheless possible to move all of the full packages using a fork carriage. Such a container according to the invention thus lends itself to an original mode of exposure of the conditioned articles, the upper packaging of the stack being able to be removed, when it is empty, to give access to the items housed in the immediately lower packaging.

The invention is naturally not limited to the embodiments described, but encompasses all the technical equivalents within the reach of those skilled in the art, in particular those in which the amounts of the frame are no longer internal to the packaging. , but outside it, which is particularly evident in the case of FIG. 5.

As indicated above, the invention lends itself particularly well to the production of containers of smaller dimensions than those of the usual pallet boxes, for the exhibition and sale of foodstuffs and various articles in big box stores.

Claims (6)

1.- Foldable container comprising a cardboard or similar packaging, comprising a bottom and four side walls perpendicular to each other and to said bottom, and a rigid frame forming a support for said bottom, this container being characterized in that said frame comprises, on the one hand, four uprights (2, 21, 30) protruding by the same length below said bottom and arranged in pairs opposite one another in contact with two parallel walls of the packaging (1, 20, 32), in the vicinity of each of its vertical edges, said uprights being engaged in a cutout of said bottom, perpendicular thereto, and / or rigidly integral with said two parallel walls, on the other hand, below said bottom, in contact with the latter and between the protruding parts (2a) of each pair of uprights arranged opposite, a crosspiece (3,22,31) integral with said uprights and / or said bottom. 2.- container according to claim 1, characterized in that the uprights (2, 21, 20) are integral with the walls with which they are in contact. 3.- container according to one of claims 1 and 2, characterized in that said sleepers (3, 22, 31) are supported by said uprights (2, 21, 30). 4.- container according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the part of said uprights (2, 21) housed in the packaging has a length substantially equal to the height of the walls thereof, and in that 'a rigid frame (11) rests on the upper end of said uprights in order to facilitate stacking. 5.- container according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises a plurality of packages (32) this height substantially less than that of the uprights (30) of the frame, said uprights being engaged in cutouts (33) of the bottom of said packages so that they are superimposed on each other in a removable manner. 6.- Draft of a container according to one of the claims tions 1 to 4, characterized in that it comprises a blank of pre-cut and grooved cardboard, against two parts of which, intended to form the walls of the packaging (20) of the container, are fixed the uprights (21) of the rigid frame of said container, and in that the bottom portion of said blank comprises cutouts arranged in such a way that after the packaging has been placed in volume, they are crossed by said uprights.

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