EP0410887B1 - Wooden palletized container for fruit and vegetables - Google Patents

Abstract

The palletised container is produced in wood and it comprises a pallet-type base and surrounding walls (3). This pallet is characterised in that it comprises a structure in the form of a brace between the surrounding wall (3) and the base (2) so as to prevent any deformation of the corresponding wall during handling of the palletised container by a fork-lift truck. This structure in the form of a brace is obtained by assembling the edge (13) of the base with the lower plank (9) of the corresponding surrounding wall. These wooden palletised containers are particularly used for gathering fruit in orchards. <IMAGE>

Description

The present invention relates to the field of wooden container pallets more particularly intended for the collection of fruits and vegetables and more particularly the collection of apples in orchards.

These container pallets known as "palox" consist of a pallet surmounted by surrounding walls. A case of this kind is described in particular in document US-A-3,217,918.

These containers are usually handled by forklift or pallet truck. Handling by pallet truck does not generally cause damage to the products placed in the container. Indeed, pallet trucks lift these containers by the side members which are located under the floor and which constitute the main part of the structure of the pallet.

On the other hand, the handling of these containers by fork carriage induces damage to the products in contact with the surrounding walls and in particular the walls which correspond to the entry faces of the forks of the carriage. This deterioration of the products results from the friction of the fruit on the walls parallel to the bottom boards, due to the deformation and movement of this bottom of the pallet relative to said walls during the handling of the container; this deterioration can reach ten percent of the products.

The present invention aims to remedy these drawbacks and in particular to eliminate the causes of deterioration of the products, that is to say the friction of these products on the side walls.

The pallet-container according to the invention comprises a bottom of the pallet type consisting of a floor placed on longitudinal members, and surrounding walls integral with corner posts which are fixed on said pallet; this container pallet comprises, on the entry side of the handling forks, a structure resistant to bending, in the form of a square, formed between the corresponding surrounding wall and the floor of the pallet.

This structure consists of the bottom edge of the pallet and the bottom panel of the corresponding surrounding wall, the two being assembled together by nailing for example, and, still according to the invention, the bottom edge is formed of a profile whose section is trapezoidal; its short side is contiguous to the other planks of the pallet floor; its long side parallel to the short side, is attached to the internal face of the lower board of the surrounding wall.

According to a preferred arrangement of the invention, the bottom edges are fixed to the side members; they have a length which corresponds to the external spacing of the side members located at each end of the pallet.

According to another preferred arrangement, the bottom edges have, at their ends, a notch located substantially at the same level as the floor, allowing the fitting of the corresponding corner post.

• la figure 1 est une vue en perspective d'une palette-conteneur selon l'invention ;
• la figure 2 est une coupe au niveau de l'un des tunnels d'introduction des fourches d'un chariot de manutention, montrant partiellement la palette-conteneur ;
• la figure 3 est une vue de face de la palette, côté introduction des fourches d'un chariot de manutention, sans les parois d'entourage ;
• la figure 4 est une vue en perspective d'un angle de la palette ;
• la figure 5 est une vue en perspective également du même angle de la palette, comportant le poteau d'angle en position normale ;
• la figure 6 est une vue en perspective d'un poteau d'angle montrant en particulier son pied ;
• la figure 7 est une vue de face du poteau d'angle et en particulier de son côté situé à l'intérieur du conteneur;
• la figure 8 est une vue de côté de ce même poteau d'angle, c'est-à-dire l'une de ses faces sur laquelle est fixée la paroi d'entourage et en particulier la paroi située du côté de l'entrée des fourches d'un chariot de manutention ;
• la figure 9 est une vue de dessus du poteau d'angle ;
• la figure 10 est une vue de dessous de ce même poteau d'angle.

The invention will be further illustrated with the aid of the following description and the appended drawings, given for information only, and in which:

• Figure 1 is a perspective view of a container pallet according to the invention;
• Figure 2 is a section through one of the introduction tunnels of the forks of a handling cart, partially showing the container pallet;
• Figure 3 is a front view of the pallet, introduction side of the forks of a handling cart, without the surrounding walls;
• Figure 4 is a perspective view of an angle of the pallet;
• Figure 5 is a perspective view also of the same angle of the pallet, comprising the corner post in normal position;
• Figure 6 is a perspective view of a corner post showing in particular its foot;
• Figure 7 is a front view of the corner post and in particular from its side located inside the container;
• Figure 8 is a side view of the same corner post, that is to say one of its faces on which is fixed the surrounding wall and in particular the wall located on the side of the entrance forks of a handling cart;
• Figure 9 is a top view of the corner post;
• Figure 10 is a bottom view of the same corner post.

There is shown, Figure 1, a container pallet according to the invention consisting of a pallet 1 proper, comprising a bottom 2 forming the floor, which bottom is surmounted by surrounding walls 3 consisting of planks assembled on posts d 'angles 4.

Pallet 1 is made up of four beams 5 which are parallel to each other: two external beams and two internal beams, delimiting tunnels 6 into which the forks of a forklift truck are introduced. Under these beams 5 there are crosspieces 7 and in particular three crosspieces 7: two external crosspieces and a crosspiece in the center. Between these crosspieces 7, under the side rails 5, a pallet truck can be slid for handling these container pallets.

The floor 2 is fixed to the side rails 5 by nailing for example. Note that this floor is made up of several boards 8 perpendicular to the longitudinal members 5.

The surrounding walls 3 consist of horizontal boards 9 that is to say parallel to the floor 2, which boards are fixed by studding, for example, on the corner posts 4. These corner posts 4 have a triangular section and have a foot 10 which is bolted to the side members 5, and in particular outside the side members located at the ends of the pallet 1.

There is shown, Figure 2, a partial section of a pallet-container according to the invention, this section being made at a tunnel 6 in which one of the forks 11 of a forklift is introduced. We also shown in Figure 2, a pallet arm 12, which is positioned between two cross members 7 of the pallet, under the spar 5 and in particular in an arch-shaped notch made in this spar 5. The pallet arms 12 are in the same direction as the boards 8 constituting the bottom 2, while the forks 11 of a forklift are perpendicular to said boards 8, and they are directly in contact with the underside of these boards 8.

Note, Figure 2, that the boards 8 of the bottom of the pallet are placed on the beams 5. The end of the bottom consists of a bank 13 also placed on the beam 5, at its end. This bank 13 has a trapezoidal section: its short side 14 is attached to the boards 8 of the bottom 2 and this short side corresponds to the thickness of the boards 8. The long side 15 is backed by the board 9 of the surrounding wall, which board 9 of the surrounding wall rests on the beams 5 and in particular on the end of these beams. Note in fact in FIG. 2 that the external face of the board 9 is perpendicular to the end of the side members 5.

This bank 13 is secured to the board 9 by any appropriate means and in particular by nailing. The shore 13 - plate 9 assembly constitutes a square-shaped structure whose deformation is very small and which makes it possible, when handling the container pallet by a fork carriage 11, to limit the deformation of the walls d 'entourage 3 which are located on the side of the introduction of the forks 11. Note, Figure 2, that the lower board 9, integral with the bank 13, is slightly spaced from the board 9 immediately upper. Thus, a deformation of the lower board 9 does not cause a deformation of the upper boards 9 which constitute the rest of the surrounding wall and this prevents friction and the deterioration of the products against the internal face of these different boards which constitute the surrounding walls.

Banks 13 are arranged at each end of the floor 2; they have a trapezoidal section which makes it possible to soften the angle between the bottom 2 and the corresponding wall 3 and which also allows the nailing of the associated board 9. These edges 13 also constitute a kind of reinforcing beam which is made practically undeformable by its joining, by means of nails 16 for example, with the lower board 9 of the corresponding surrounding wall 3.

There is shown, Figure 3, the pallet 1, side view of the introduction of the forks 11 of a forklift, which forks 11 are positioned in the tunnels 6 of introduction. Note, in this figure, the sleepers 7 on which the longitudinal members 5 rest. These longitudinal members 5 receive the boards 8 forming the bottom 2 and the edges 13, arranged at each end. Note that the boards 8 have a length which corresponds substantially to that of the sleepers 7 located under the side rails 5. The edges 13 have a length L which corresponds to the external spacing E of the side rails disposed at each end of the pallet. The ends of the banks 13 rest on the external longitudinal members 5.

There is shown, Figure 4, in more detail, and in perspective, an angle of the pallet showing a cross member 7 on which is placed a spar 5 which receives a bank 13. We have also shown, in thin lines, planks 8 constituting the bottom 2 or floor of the pallet. The bank 13 is associated with a board 9, which board is nailed to the external face of the bank. Note that the end of the bank 13 is placed on the end of the beam 5. This end of the bank 13 has a notch 17 arranged at an angle in its angle to allow the positioning of the corner post 4 which appears, figure 5, in normal position, assembled on the pallet.

The notch 17 corresponds to a cut made at each end of the bank 13, which cut is for example made by means of a cutter whose movement makes an angle of 45 ° relative to the longitudinal axis of the bank 13. The end of the bank 13 retains a thickness which substantially corresponds to the thickness of the boards 8 constituting the bottom 2 of the pallet.

There is shown, Figure 6 to 10, in detail, a corner post 4. This post has a foot 10 in the form of a parallelepiped, located at the bottom of the post itself which has a triangular section, so as to follow the internal angle of the surrounding walls.

The foot 10 has a height H which corresponds to the height of the side members 5, increased by the height of the end of the edge 13, that is to say by the thickness of the boards 8 constituting the bottom 2.

The width of this foot 10 corresponds substantially to the width of the edge 13. Its thickness corresponds to the thickness of the side members 5.

Note, still on this foot 10, the holes 18 which allow its attachment to the side members 5 by bolting for example.

The foot 10 is extended, above, in a single piece, by a part 19 whose section is triangular and receives, on the faces 19 a and 19 b the boards 9 constituting the surround.

The third face 19 c of the posts receives a board 20 which extends over the entire height of the post, above the foot 10, and whose width corresponds to the dimension of this face 19 c . This board 20 is made of a softer material than the post, corresponding to the material used for the bottom 2 and the surround 3. This board 20 protects the fruits against the tannin of the wood when the posts are in oak, to avoid staining the fruits.

Note, Figure 5, the positioning of the post 4 relative to the pallet 1. The foot 10 of the post 4 rests on the cross member 7. It is applied against the outer face of the spar 5 and it is bolted to this spar. The upper part 19 of the post 4, that is to say that located above the foot 10 projects beyond the bank 13 and takes place in particular in the notch 17 specially arranged at the end of said bank 13.

The longitudinal members 5 of the pallet, as well as the posts 4, are made of hard material such as, for example, oak; the other elements making up the pallet and the surrounding walls are made of soft fir-type wood.

To improve the holding of these container pallets, it can be seen in the figures, in particular in Figures 1, 3 to 5, that the crosspieces 7 or flanges have an entry angle 21 arranged by planing the external upper edge to facilitate the introduction of the forks 11 into the tunnels 6. Similarly, the edges 22 of the side members 5, still on the side of the tunnel 6, are rounded to facilitate the introduction of the forks 11 into said tunnels and avoid deterioration of the angle of these beams.

Note also, Figure 4, the space between the boards constituting the surround 3 of the container pallet. Note that this space can increase as and when drying said boards 9. Similarly for the floor or bottom 2, the boards 8 are spaced allowing ventilation of the product contained in the container pallet.

The reference signs inserted after the technical characteristics mentioned in the claims are intended only to facilitate the understanding of the latter, and in no way limit their scope.

Claims (6)

1. Wooden container-pallet for handling by means of a fork lift truck in particular, constituted by a bottom of the pallet type comprising a floor set on beams, by surround walls securely attached to the said floor and by corner posts, the container-pallet comprising, on the side of the entry of the handling forks, a structure in the form of a right-angle bracket constituted by the assembly of the edge (13) of the floor (2) and of the lower panel (9) of the corresponding surround wall, characterised in that the edge (13) is formed by a section of trapezoidal cross-section whose small side is adjacent to the floor (2) and whose large side parallel to the small side is joined to the inner face of the lower panel (9) constituting the surround wall (3).

2. Wooden container-pallet according to Claim 1, characterised in that it comprises edges (13) secured to the beams (5) of the pallet; the length (L) of the said edges corresponding to the space (E) of the outer beams (5) of the said pallet.

3. Wooden container-pallet according to Claim 2, characterised in that it comprises edges (13) provided, at their ends, with a notch (17) located substantially at the same level as the floor (2), allowing the jointing of the corner post (4).

4. Wooden container-pallet according to Claim 3, characterised in that it comprises corner posts constituted by a parallelepiped-shaped foot (10) surmounted by a part (19) of triangular cross-section inscribed in the angles of the surround walls (3).

5. Wooden container-pallet according to Claim 4, characterised in that it comprises corner posts (4) whose foot (10) has a height which corresponds substantially to the height of the beams (5) plus the thickness of the planks (8) constituting the bottom (2).

6. Wooden container-pallet containing to any of Claims 1 to 5, characterised in that it comprises corner posts (4) of hardwood such as oak, clad, on their inner face (19c), with a small board (20) of softwood such as deal.

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