EP0236648B1 - Detachable separation element for the interior of a wire basket - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a removable separation element intended to be fitted inside a basket or a wire basket.

In many cases it is useful, if not necessary, to be able to subdivide the interior space of a basket or other receptacle into two separate compartments in order to separate the objects placed in such a storage receptacle. This is, moreover, the reason why a certain number of receptacles of this type are provided, from their manufacture, with one or more partition walls. However, this solution does not present any flexibility because in other cases it is necessary to be able to have freely all the available space.

This is why the present invention aims to achieve a separating element capable of being removably adapted inside a receptacle of this kind, which makes it possible to put it in place or remove it according to the needs. However, this separation element is more especially designed for baskets or wire basket which have two metal wires superimposed on their sides intended to receive the ends of such a separation element.

To this end, this element is characterized in that it comprises, at each end, a vertical arm, or substantially vertical, of elastic material, provided at its foot with a fixing lug, bent at right angles outwards and whose vertical branch is intended to be placed against the internal face of the upper metal wire on the corresponding side, while its horizontal branch is engaged between the two superimposed wires on this same side.

In an advantageous embodiment, intended for wire baskets or baskets the bottom of which comprises reinforcing wires parallel to the position provided for a separation element, the fixing lug, carried by each of the end arms of this element , has a notch allowing it to be straddled on the corresponding end of a reinforcing wire from the bottom of the basket or the corresponding basket.

Thus, this separation element is perfectly immobilized after installation.

Preferably, the separating element according to the invention is essentially constituted by a hoop made of elastic metal wire whose lateral branches constitute the vertical arms of this element. In such a case, the upper branch of this arch may optionally carry a shutter extending vertically below the latter to constitute a partition.

• La figure 1 est une vue en perspective d'une première forme de réalisation du présent élément de séparation.
• La figure 2 est une vue en perspective, à échelle différente, du pied de l'une des branches latérales de l'arceau qui constitue le présent élément.
• La figure 3 est une vue en perspective représentant une corbeille en fil métallique, à l'intérieur de laquelle est adapté cet élément de séparation.
• La figure 4 est une vue similaire à la figure 2, mais après fixation du présent élément à l'intérieur d'une corbeille en fil métallique.
• Les figures 5 et 6 sont des vues partielles en coupe verticale, respectivement suivant la ligne V-V et selon la ligne VI-VI de la figure 4.
• La figure 7 est une vue en perspective représentant une autre forme de réalisation de l'élément de séparation selon l'invention.
• Les figures 8 et 9 sont des vues similaires aux figures 2 et 4, mais qui illustrent une variante d'exécution.
• Les figures 10 et 11 sont des vues également similaires aux figures 2 et 4, mais qui illustrent une autre forme encore de réalisation.

However, other particularities and advantages of the separating element according to the invention will appear during the following description of two exemplary embodiments thereof. This description is given with reference to the attached drawing for information only, and in which:

• Figure 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of the present separating element.
• Figure 2 is a perspective view, on a different scale, of the foot of one of the lateral branches of the arch which constitutes the present element.
• Figure 3 is a perspective view showing a wire basket, inside which is adapted this separating element.
• Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 2, but after fixing the present element inside a wire basket.
• FIGS. 5 and 6 are partial views in vertical section, respectively along the line VV and along the line VI-VI of FIG. 4.
• Figure 7 is a perspective view showing another embodiment of the separating element according to the invention.
• Figures 8 and 9 are views similar to Figures 2 and 4, but which illustrate an alternative embodiment.
• Figures 10 and 11 are views also similar to Figures 2 and 4, but which illustrate yet another embodiment.

As already indicated, the separating element according to the invention is intended to be adapted inside a basket or a wire basket, such as basket 1 shown in FIG. 3 This basket has two side walls 2 arranged along two opposite sides of its bottom, its two other sides being open. The bottom of this basket is constituted by a series of crossed metallic wires 3 and 4. The wires 4, which extend parallel to the open sides of the curve, bear on reinforcing wires 5, of larger section, arranged at right angle. The ends 6 of these latter wires are themselves supported on two other metal wires 7 forming part of the frame surrounding the curve. Indeed, these wires are bent to also form the edges as well as the upper sides of the side walls 2. Furthermore, these walls are themselves formed by bent extensions, wires 4 constituting the bottom of the basket.

The separating element according to the invention is intended to be placed inside this basket, parallel to its side walls 2 by fixing its ends on the sides of the bottom 3 at the place where the basket is devoid of walls d entourage. However, the sides considered of the bottom of the basket each comprise two superimposed wires, namely: a wire 7 of large section constituted by a part of the surrounding frame, and a wire 4a forming part of the various wires 4 constituting the bottom.

In the embodiment shown in Figures 1 to 6, the separation element according to the invention consists of a hoop 8 of elastic metal wire whose length corresponds substantially to that of the basket 1. At their foot, the branches lateral 9 of this hoop each carry a fixing lug 10 which is bent at right angles to the outside. The exact length of the arch 8 is determined so that the vertical branch 11 of the two legs 10 can be engaged against the internal face of the wires metal 4a corresponding sides of the bottom of the basket, as shown in Figures 4, 5 and 6. As for the horizontal branch 12 of each of these legs, it is then engaged in the space between such a wire 4a and wire 7 located below (see Figure 6). This engagement is then carried out by momentarily deforming the two branches 9 of the arch 8 according to the arrows F (see FIG. 1).

However, the fixing lugs 10 also include a notch 13 making it possible to nest them astride the end 6 of a wire 5 for reinforcing the bottom of the basket, as is clearly shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. After this operation, the arch 8 is therefore perfectly immobilized in place. It is thus able to play the role of an element for separating the various objects placed inside the basket 1.

Since the bottom of this basket has several parallel reinforcing wires 5, it is possible to fix this separation element in several different positions as required. However, for the same reason, it is also possible to adapt several separation elements within the same basket.

FIG. 7 shows another embodiment of the separation element according to the invention. In this one, this element is constituted by a hoop 8a made of metal wire, similar to the hoop 8 previously described, and which differs from it only by the fact that the upper branch 14 of this hoop carries a vertical flap 15 s 'extending below it to form a partition. However, the lateral branches 9a of this hoop are independent of the neighboring edges of this flap and they can thus be elastically deformed to engage their fixing lugs in the corresponding sides of the bottom of the basket 1.

The flap 15 provided in this embodiment can be constituted by a grid of crisscrossed metal wires. However, it can also consist of a solid or perforated plate.

Moreover, the structure of this separation element could be even different, the presence of an arch 8 or 8a is not essential. Indeed, it would be possible to produce this element in the form of a vertical partition, perforated or not, each end of which would carry, at its upper corner, an elastic vertical arm 9 provided with a fixing tab 10 at its foot.

Figures 8 and 9 illustrate an alternative embodiment of the fixing lugs. In this variant, these tabs 10b are constituted by a simple crushing of the ends of the lateral branches 9b of the corresponding arch in metal wire. A notch 13b is formed in the part thus crushed and it is bent to form the two lugs 12b for attachment. However, it would also be possible to make these fixing legs in flat iron simply folded, cut and punched at the end.

Figures 10 and 11 show yet another embodiment of the fastening tabs of the separating element. In it the corresponding legs 10c are no longer designed to be placed astride a cross 5 of the bottom of the corresponding basket. Indeed, they are arranged to be fixed in the gap existing between two crossbars of the bottom, for example a normal crosspiece 3 and a crosspiece 5 of larger section. Under these conditions, the corresponding tab 10c does not have a notch, but its width is substantially equal to the interval existing between the crosspieces 3 and 5. This tab can thus be immobilized therebetween, as shown in FIG. 11, by engaging its bent end 12c between the two wires 4a and 7 which extend one above the other on the corresponding side of the bottom of the basket. This makes it possible to obtain, for the separating element, a fixing in place as effective as in the previous cases.

As already indicated, the present separation element can be adapted in different kinds of baskets or baskets made of metal wire, or in any other receptacles made of metal wire, so as to subdivide these into several separate storage compartments .

Claims (5)

1. Detachable separating element intended to be fitted within a wire basket or carrier (1) comprising two superposed wires (4a, 7) on its sides which are intended to receive the ends of this separating element, characterized in that it comprises at each end a vertical arm (9) or a substantially vertical arm of resilient material provided at its foot with a fixing lug (10) which is elbowed outwards at right angles and the vertical branch (11) of which is intended to be placed against the internal face of the upper wire (4a) of the corresponding side whilst its horizontal branch (12) is engaged between the two superposed wires (4a and 7) of the same side.

2. Separating element in accordance with claim 1, which is intended to be fitted within a wire basket or carrier (1), the bottom of which is provided with reinforcement wires (5) parallel to the position contemplated for this separating element, characterized in that the fixing lug (10) carried by each arm has a notch (13) for engaging it astride the corresponding end of a reinforcement wire (5) of the bottom of the corresponding basket or carrier (1).

3. Separating element in accordance with Figure 1, which is intended to be fitted within a wire basket or carrier (1), the bottom of which is constituted by interlaced wires (3, 4, 5), characterized in that the corresponding fixing lug (10c) carried by each arm has a width substantially equal to the interval existing between two wires (3 and 5) of the bottom which extend transversely between the edges on which are adapted the fixing lugs of this separating element.

4. Separating element in accordance with one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it consists of an arch (8, 8a) of resilient wire which has substantially the same length as the corresponding basket or carrier and the lateral branches (9, 9a) of which constitute the vertical arms of this separating element.

5. Separating element in accordance with claim 4, characterized in that the top branch (14) of the arch (8a) carries a flap (15) which may or may not be a wire grid and extends vertically beneath this branch so as to constitute a partition-wall.

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