EP0197162B1 - Bottle crates - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a stackable bottle transport box made of plastic with a grid-shaped bottom each having two longitudinal and narrow sides, in which upstanding narrow webs form boxes for receiving individual bottles, with an upper edge which is formed with a circumferential, inwardly facing profiled flange, and with openwork side walls, the upper spars of which then serve as handles on the flange, the floor being formed with individually arranged foot elements projecting downward from the flat underside of the floor, which are arranged behind the longitudinal and narrow sides of the box section and one Have a minimum distance between them, which is at least sufficient to bridge the width of two flanges of two bottle transport boxes standing directly next to each other and each foot element is formed by an arrangement of flat webs.

Bottle transport boxes made of plastic have proven themselves and have completely replaced the wooden boxes that used to be used. They have the advantage that they are robust, weatherproof and of relatively light weight, that they are easy to clean and are easy to handle.

Such plastic boxes can also be designed as a result of true-to-shape production so that they can be stacked on top of one another.

In beverage shops and on transport vehicles, stacks of bottle crates placed on pallets are becoming more and more popular as transport units. It is not uncommon for eight to ten layers of boxes to be stacked one on top of the other. Because the individual stacking columns have a high weight, a relatively high center of gravity and, in relation to this, a very small footprint, a relatively small jerky movement is sufficient, especially during transport, to overturn such stacking columns, which are stacked up from individual boxes. Not only do the bottles in it break, but there is also a risk of accidents with serious injuries.

The invention has for its object to fundamentally better training bottle transport boxes of the type mentioned in terms of their stackability, in order to improve the stability of a high-stacked pallet stack, for example, so that the transportability due to reduced risk of collapse of individual stacks easier and less dangerous, as well as a suitable one Specify stacking method.

In a departure from the prior art designs of bottle transport crates for the purpose of stackability, for example by interlocking edge regions of the bottom and the top of the crate, a completely new and improved type of stackability is surprisingly achieved with the invention in that the crates mentioned at the outset Type the webs of the foot elements in the area of the box corners U-shaped with a circular segment connecting the leg ends opposite the corner and in between are arranged in a cross shape.

The configuration of bottle transport boxes according to the invention makes it possible, due to the configuration of the foot element, to stack boxes stacked one above the other through offset bases in a particularly advantageous manner to bring them into mutual engagement during stacking. As a result, the stability of an entire stack is not improved in a way previously thought possible because individual stack columns are no longer arranged standing on a pallet, for example, but because the entire stack collective is connected to one another to form a block. In this case, an upper box can be offset transversely or longitudinally with respect to a lower box or can be layered one above the other with a transverse longitudinal axis.

One embodiment provides that the floor in each case in the region of a corner and in between in the region of each of the long sides has a total of at least six foot elements which are arranged or distributed on the surface of the underside of the floor in such a way that these two groups of four result in approximately equally spaced apart individual elements.

Each foot element of a group of four with its outer contours is advantageously located within the limits of an imaginary square field, the side length of which is smaller than the distance between the parallel flanges on the long sides of an upper edge.

Further expedient configurations of the bottle transport boxes are provided in accordance with the features of claims 4 to 8.

The invention is shown in drawings in a preferred embodiment, further advantageous details of the invention being apparent from the drawings.

• Figur 1, Figur 1a einen Flaschentransportkasten, in der rechten Hälfte der Darstellung in Ansicht des Bodens von unten, in der linken Hälfte der Darstellung, im unteren Viertel, eine Draufsicht auf den Oberrand, im oberen Viertel einen Schnitt entlang einer horizontalen Ebene, etwa in halber Höhe des Kastens ;
• Figur 2 eine Seitenansicht eines Flaschentransportkastens gemäß Fig. 1, in der rechten Hälfte der Darstellung in Ansicht der Außenseite, in der linken Hälfte der Darstellung im Schnitt, entlang einer Schnittebene 11-11 in Fig. 1 ;
• Figur 3 eine Ansicht der Längsseite, oben links mit weggebrochenem Wandteil und dadurch sichtbar gemachtem oberem Holm mit Flansch ;
• Figur 4 eine rein schematische Darstellung des Ineinandergriffs von nach dem erfindungsgemäßen Verfahren gestapelten Flaschentransportkästen ;
• Figur 5 eine perspektivische Darstellung eines Kastenstapels, bei welchem die Kästen der oberen Ebene gegenüber den der unteren teils verdreht, teils versetzt angeordnet sind und der Stapel eine feste Einheit bildet.

Show it :

• Figure 1, Figure 1a a bottle transport box, in the right half of the illustration in the bottom view from below, in the left half of the illustration, in the lower quarter, a plan view of the upper edge, in the upper quarter a section along a horizontal plane, approximately in half the height of the box;
• FIG. 2 shows a side view of a bottle transport box according to FIG. 1, in the right half of the illustration in the view from the outside, in the left half of the illustration in section, along a section plane 11-11 in FIG. 1;
• Figure 3 is a view of the long side, top left with the wall part broken away and thereby visible upper spar with flange;
• FIG. 4 shows a purely schematic illustration of the meshing of bottle transport boxes stacked according to the method according to the invention;
• Figure 5 is a perspective view of a stack of boxes, in which the boxes of the upper level are partially rotated, partially offset relative to those of the lower level and the stack forms a fixed unit.

The bottle crate has, as shown in FIG. 1, recognizable from the top view of the bottom 1 as shown in the right half of the figure, individually arranged foot elements 3, 3 ', 3 "projecting below from the flat underside 2 of the bottom 1" as well as 4, 4 'and 4 ". These are arranged behind the longitudinal and narrow sides 5, 5 'and 6, 6' of the box section. In an embodiment that is essential to the invention, they are at a minimum distance A from one another which is at least sufficient to bridge the width B _{2 of} two bottle transport boxes 8, 8 ′ which are located directly next to one another. As can be seen from FIGS. 1 and 1a, the base 1 has a total of at least six foot elements 3, 3 ', 3 "; 4, 4', 4" in the area of a corner 9 and in between in the area of each of the long sides 5, 5 ' . These are arranged or distributed on the surface of the underside 2 of the base 1 in such a way that with these two groups 10 and 10 ', each of four individual elements 3, 3', 3 ", 4", which are approximately equally spaced from one another, in group 10 or 4, 4 ', 4 ", 3" in group 10', as can be clearly seen in FIG. Group 10 is outlined therein as a square field with an interrupted thick line, while group 10 'is outlined with a thick, dash-dotted line.

From this it can be seen that each foot element of a group of four 10 or 10 'with the elements 3, 3', 3 ", 4" or 4, 4 ', 4 ", 3" with its outer contours within the limits of an imaginary square field 11 or 11 'is arranged, the side length of which is smaller than the distance between the parallel flanges 7, 7' on the longitudinal sides 5, 5 'of an upper edge 12.

In this case, a ratio of the side lengths of 1.5: 1, or in one embodiment of bottle crates for accommodating six one-liter beverage bottles, is a dimension of the long and narrow sides for an ideal interstice-free possibility of stacking the crates with a respective overlap of an upper crate over at least two lower crates appropriately provided in a ratio of 300: 200 mm.

The suitability of these geometric relationships for the stackability of bottle transport boxes in a staggered arrangement of the layers can be seen from an exemplary illustration in FIG. 4, in which the dimension of the long side is designated x = 1.5 and the dimension of the narrow side is designated y = 1.

As can further be seen from the illustration in FIGS. 1 and 1a, each foot element is formed by an arrangement of flat webs 13 and 13 ', respectively. In the case of the foot elements 3, 3 ', 4, 4' arranged in the area of a box corner 9, the arrangement of the webs 13 is such that they are U-shaped with a circle segment 15 connecting the leg ends 14, 14 'opposite the corner 9 and in between Cross shape are formed.

In contrast, the foot elements 3 ", 4" provided between the corner foot elements 3, 3 ', 4, 4' in the region of the longitudinal sides 5, 5 'are designed with an arrangement of the webs 13' in the form of a rhomboid, the tips 16, 16 'of which are directed approximately perpendicularly against the longitudinal and narrow sides 5, 5 ': 6, 6' of the box 8.

Furthermore, a foot element 3 ", 4" in the interior of the rhomboid is stiffened with inner webs 13 "running crosswise from tip 16 to tip 16 '.

In a further embodiment, the bottle transport box 8 has on each of the two longitudinal sides 5, 5 'two supporting columns 17, 17' connecting the bottom 1 and the upper edge 12. These are arranged at approximately equal intervals from the corners and among one another. They are connected in one piece at least in their lower regions, with the upstanding webs 18, 18 'and with the base 1 and with the upper edge 12.

These supporting columns 17, 17 'result in maximum stability and static load-bearing capacity with a minimum in construction weight. They make a significant contribution to improving the stackability of the boxes according to the invention.

It has a particularly favorable effect here that the columns 17, 17 'in cross-section essentially have the shape of a relatively thick-walled, triangular tube, the triangular base 19 of which is flush with an outer surface 20, 20', and the triangular tip 21 pointing inwards a raised web 18, 18 'runs out.

Another very advantageous embodiment results from the invention in that the corners 9 are formed with vertical supports 22, 22 'with box-shaped hollow profiles of relatively thick cross-section in the form of a right angle, the legs of which are connected to one another by a concavely curved surface 23 are.

As can be seen from the stacking diagram of FIG. 4, the special feature of the stacking method according to the invention is that bottle crates, which are stacked on top of one another in at least two layers, namely crates 80, 81, 82 and 83 of a lower layer and crates 84 and 85 of a layer above Layer with longitudinal axes aligned at right angles to one another are stacked one on top of the other.

It follows from this that, for example, a box 84 by the inventive method of stacking in an overlapping manner interlocks with the two boxes 80 and 81, while the box 85 with four boxes 80, 81, 82 and 83 simultaneously interlocked. In this way, a stacked composite is obtained which is approximately equivalent to a monolithic stacking block. The longitudinal axes of the boxes of the one layer, 80, 81, 82, 83, - as seen from the viewing plane - are vertical, and the longitudinal axes of the boxes 84 and 85 are aligned horizontally, that is to say offset from one another by 90 °. In addition to this, an upper box could also be stacked offset with respect to a lower box in the transverse direction and / or in the longitudinal direction.

The design of bottle transport boxes and the method for stacking results in a simple box with optimal use of the invention and with a minimum of material use and the possibility of a stacked arrangement with interlocking interlocking arrangement of interlocking, mutually offset in the longitudinal, transverse and axial directions Boxes with the advantage of unprecedented stability, particularly of pallet stacks.

Thus, one can speak of an ideal solution to the task at the beginning.

Claims (8)

1. A stackable plastics carrying crate for bottles, the crate comprising : a lattice base having two long sides and two narrow sides, vertical narrow webs bounding compartments adapted to receive individual bottles ; a top edge having a peripheral inwardly projecting profiled flange, and apertured side walls whose top spars extend from the flange and are operative as carrying grips, the base (1) having individually arranged feet (3. 4) which project downwardly from the flat underside (2) of the base (1) and which are set back from the long sides and narrow sides (5, 5' ; 6, 6') of the crate contour and are disposed at a minimum separation ("A") from one another at least sufficient to bridge the width (« B₂") of two flanges (7, 7') of two directly side-by-side crates (8, 8'), each foot (3, 3', 3" ; 4, 4', 4") being formed by an arrangement of flat webs (13, 13'), characterised in that the webs (13) of the feet (3, 3', 4, 4') near the crate corners (9) are arranged in a U-shape with a circle segment (15) connecting the arm ends (14, 14') opposite the corner (9) and are disposed in between in a cross shape.

2. A crate according to claim 1, characterised in that the base (1) has near any corner (9) and intermediately near each of the long sides (5, 5') a total of at least six feet (3, 3', 3" ; 4, 4', 4") so arranged or distributed on the surface of the base underside (2) as to give rise to two groups (10, 10') each consisting of four approximately equidistant discrete elements (3, 3', 3", 4") and (4, 4', 4", 3") (Fig. 1 a).

3. A crate according to claim 2, characterised in that each foot of a group of four (3, 3', 3", 4") and (4, 4', 4", 3") is arranged with its outer contours disposed within the boundaries of an imaginary square zone (11, 11') whose side length is less than the distance between parallel flanges (7, 7') on the long sides (5, 5') of a top edge (12).

4. A crate according to any of claims 1-3, characterised in that the feet (3", 4") disposed between the corner feet (3, 3', 4, 4') near the long sides (5, 5') have the webs (13') arranged in the form of a rhomboid whose apexes (16, 16') extend substantially perpendicularly towards the long sides and narrow sides (5, 5' ; 6, 6') of the crate (8).

5. A crate according to claim 4, characterised in that one rhomboid foot element (3", 4") is stiffened with inner webs (13") which extend, crossing over one another, from an apex (16) to an apex (16').

6. A crate according to any of claims 1-5, characterised in that two bearing columns (17, 17') interconnecting the base (1) and the top edge (12) are disposed on each of the two long sides (5, 5') at substantially equal intervals from the corners (9) and from one another and are unitarily connected at least in their bottom zones to the vertical webs (18, 18'), to the base (1) and to the top edge (12).

7. A crate according to claim 6, characterised in that the columns (17, 17') have in cross-section substantially the shape of a relatively thick-walled triangular tube, the base (19) of the triangle being flush with an outside surface (20, 20'), the inwardly extending triangle apex (21) running out into a vertical web (18, 18').

8. A crate according to any of claims 1-7, characterised in that the corners (9) are devised by means of vertical bearers (22, 22') with box-like sections of relatively thick-walled cross-section, in the form of a right angle whose arms are interconnected by a concave surface (23).

Images