EP0761549A1 - Bottle crate - Google Patents

Abstract

Bottle crate in which on at least one crate side the boundary (gap 20) adjacent to the floor strip (1) of a compartment runs into a vertical plane which is defined by the outer surface (12) of the column (4). The edge forming the outer boundary of a compartment as seen from above has the shape of a circular segment. The outer edge of a compartment is made by a gap in the floor strip.

Description

The invention relates to a bottle crate with a raised skirting board along the edge of the crate bottom and a head bar, which has a compartment and columns that connect the bottom bar with the head bar.

In such bottle crates it is already known to dispense with further columns in the space between corner pillars arranged in the box corners in the area of the outer wall of the box so that the customer can view the bottles arranged in the box, in particular the labels stuck on the bottles, as freely as possible . The corner pillars always extend a bit into the box outer surfaces forming the corner and mostly prevent the view of a bottle standing in the box corner. However, are for reasons of stability between the corner pillars still further pillars are necessary, it is known with these boxes to bevel the side surfaces of these pillars in the manner of "embrasures" in order in this way to expose the viewer's view of the bottle label or the bottle label.

In the known bottle crates of this type, the pillars connecting the bottom bar to the head bar stand for static reasons and also because of the spraying technique directly in the box corners and also form the outer surfaces of these box corners, so that these boxes as a more or less closed square are light and space-saving have the usual pallets put on and can also be stacked on top of one another, in which case these corner supports form a continuous support in the stack of boxes arranged on the box corners.

The invention has for its object to improve the view of the bottles placed in the box, without the stability of a box and its ability to be stacked on several meters high stacks is not or not significantly reduced.

This object is achieved according to the invention in that on at least one side of the box, the border of a compartment adjacent to the bottom bar extends at least partially in front of a vertical plane which is defined in front of an outer surface of the columns facing the outside of the box. The columns are therefore clearly set back from the outer vertical plane defined by the outer surfaces of the bottom bar and possibly the top bar, for example by 1/3 to 1/4 of the length of the compartment. The bottles therefore stand with one part of their circumference over the level defined by the pillars and offer themselves to the viewer with a circumferential surface that is slightly less than 180 °. As a result, the advertising effect of the labels or other inscriptions on the bottles is fully developed. If a further column is provided between the corner columns, this column is also not arranged at the front on the edge given by the bottom and top bar, but is also clearly set back from the edge. The extent to which the columns are set back from the box edge can be limited by static and injection molding considerations. Embodiments are designed so that no columns are arranged on two opposite sides of the box. The invention offers a bottle crate which is very well suited for the presentation of bottles.

In order not to disturb the free view of the bottles, the bottom bar can be kept as low as possible. The outer boundary of a compartment formed by the bottom bar can be formed by the edge of a recess in the bottom bar and e.g. have approximately the shape of a segment of a circle that takes up part of the circumference of the bottle.

In one embodiment of the invention, the base strip has, starting from the points at which compartment walls connect to the base strip, a recess which runs downward in view and has its deepest point approximately in the central plane of the compartment which runs transversely to the base strip. This opens up the view of the bottle as far down as is possible for reasons of stability, whereas the bottom bar is higher at the points where the compartment walls are connected than at the lowest point the recess. This depth of the recess can be 1/4 to 1/6 of the height of the bottom bar in embodiments of the invention.

In embodiments of the invention, the box has holding means for a bottle placed in the compartment on compartment walls running transversely to the outside. These holding means can be made small and inconspicuous so that they do not disturb the view of the bottles.

These holding means can be arranged anywhere in the front half of the compartment. In one embodiment of the invention, the holding means are arranged at the outer ends of compartment walls. These compartment walls also end in or behind the plane which is determined by the outer surfaces of the pillars facing the outside of the box, so that in embodiments of the invention these holding means are arranged approximately in the plane which is determined by the outer surfaces of the pillars facing the outside of the box. This also contributes to the fact that the view of the contents of a bottle crate is impaired as little as possible and that the bottom bar can be kept as low as statically possible.

In embodiments of the invention, the holding means can be formed by, for example, a projection located at the outer end of the compartment wall and directed transversely to it. This embodiment of the invention can be further developed such that the projection protrudes into the two compartments separated by the compartment wall. It can be formed by a vertical bar. This can run along the outer vertical edge of the compartment wall.

In embodiments of the box according to the invention, the bottom bar has an obliquely outward edge at least in the region of an arcuate downward recess. This edge contributes significantly to the appearance of the bottle crate, but it not only forms an ornament, but also serves to keep horizontal surfaces as small as possible, because dirt and dust settle particularly on horizontal surfaces.

Nevertheless, in embodiments of the invention in which vertical strips are provided at the outer end of compartment walls, small flat sections can be provided at the base of these strips on the upper surface of the base strip, which facilitate the injection molding of the plastic box and also the manufacture of the injection mold .

A particularly good presentation can be achieved if, in embodiments of the invention, the outer dimensions of the bottle crate are approximately 400 x 300 mm, so that eight bottle crates have space on a standardized Euro pallet with the dimensions 800 x 1200 mm. If two of the bottle crates according to the invention are next to each other with their long sides facing forward, the viewer can, for example, view eight bottles located next to one another without being impaired by columns or other parts that reduce visibility.

In embodiments of the invention, at least one intermediate wall of the compartment running transversely to an outer side ends at a distance from the plane defined by the outer surfaces of the bottom and top bar. At least in the area in which these partition walls extend upwards beyond the base strip, the partition walls and the holding means provided at their ends therefore disturb the unobstructed view not on the bottles.

The distance of the outer edge of such a transverse partition wall from the plane defined by the outer surfaces of the bottom and top ledge can be greater than, equal to or less than the distance of the plane which is determined by the outer surfaces of the columns in embodiments of the invention.

In embodiments of the invention, bottle compartments of different lengths are arranged along a box side, preferably along the narrow side of the box, with the long compartments having the edge adjacent to the outside being a smaller distance from the outer surface of the bottom bar than the shorter bottle compartments. Devices are provided which press the bottle placed in this compartment against the outer edge of the compartment, so that this bottle protrudes somewhat from the neighboring bottles. In the case of embodiments of the invention, these devices can consist in that at least one projection is provided on the longer compartments on the inner wall of the compartment facing away from the outside of the box and presses a bottle inserted into the compartment against the outer edge of the compartment.

In one embodiment of the invention, the aforementioned feature is realized in the compartments on the narrow side of the box, on which three compartments are provided. The outer edge of the central compartment is at a smaller distance from the outer surface of the base strip than the two neighboring compartments, the outer edge of which is formed by the inner wall of the columns.

The well-known bottle crates do not only become meters high stacked one on top of the other, but on one or more layers of stacked bottle crates, entire pallets are stored, which in turn carry bottle crates so that, for example, entire pallets including the bottle crates arranged on them can be lifted off during intermediate storage. The pallets place additional stress on the bottle crates arranged underneath, so that the bottle crate according to the invention has to be very stable. In particular, this must be taken into account when the columns are set back on the long sides, i.e. no longer, as in the usual bottle crates, the columns are arranged on the box corners and therefore the supports formed by the stacked columns also run in the stack on the box corners. But even with these known boxes, the improvement of the transverse stability according to the following features is advantageous.

The problems resulting therefrom are solved in embodiments of the invention in that the compartment walls are rigidly and load-bearingly connected to the inner surface of the base strip and / or also to the inner surface of the columns. This contributes to the stability of the box, in particular increases the diagonal stiffness against forces which run obliquely from the top bar through the inside of the box to the bottom bar of the opposite box side.

In embodiments of the invention, the horizontal column cross section is chosen so that it has a different moment of inertia in different directions. This horizontal column cross section preferably has its greatest moment of inertia approximately in the direction of the narrow side of the box.

In embodiments of the invention, a rib pointing in the longitudinal direction of the box is formed on the columns, which increases the stability of the columns. As a result, the axis of the greatest moment of inertia of the column runs in a direction that deviates somewhat inwards from the narrow side of the box, e.g. by 15 to 20 degrees.

In embodiments of the invention, a compartment wall running in the longitudinal direction of the box is rigidly connected to this rib.

The rib can be designed differently to reinforce the column. In embodiments of the invention, it runs upwards from the box floor along the column and connects at its upper end via an inclined surface on the inside of the header. In embodiments of the invention, the horizontal cross-section of at least one column is larger than the horizontal cross-section of the header over the column and the column cross-section can partially protrude inward beyond the inside of the cross-section of the header. These parts are also closed at the top with an inclined surface which, in one embodiment, can run in one plane with the inclined surface terminating at the top of the rib.

Appropriately, the rib and also the column and thus the inclined surface closing the column and the rib at the top connect somewhat below the upper surface of the header. These connection points are lowered by the amount by which a box placed on top of the box dips into the lower box, ie by the amount by which the stacking edge extends downward on the lower surface of the box.

The sloping surface at the upper end of the column and rib serves to introduce a component of the vertical load acting on the headrail into the wall of the rib and into the wall parts of the column which do not connect directly to the headrail. For this purpose, the inclined surface can have an angle of less than 40 °, preferably approximately 30 °.

Also contributing to the stability of the box is the feature that, in embodiments of the invention, the horizontal cross-section (thickness) of the headrail is greatest in the area of the connection of the columns and that the horizontal cross-sections (thicknesses) of the headrail are at least sectionally different, for example that The thickness of the header on the long side of the box is smaller than the sections of the header directly adjacent to the corner of the box.

The desired increased stability of the box is achieved in the longitudinal direction by using the compartment longitudinal walls for load transfer, in the transverse direction of the box by the increased moment of inertia of the columns in this direction. This also ensures excellent diagonal stability on all levels.

Finally, in embodiments of the invention, the columns connect at their upper and lower ends via curved pieces or inclined surfaces to the adjacent parts. This also applies to the outer edges of compartment walls, which are rigidly connected to the baseboard.

In one embodiment of the invention, an outer surface of the rib forms the edge of a recess in the narrow side of the box and runs flat and at right angles to the outside of the box. In embodiments of the invention, this surface can also have at least one step which has an inclined surface running into the recess in the box. Through this step, the upper part of the recess in the narrow side of the box is widened so that it is as wide as the human hand, but has a much smaller width at its lower end. The upper end of this recess therefore forms the box handle.

In one embodiment of the invention, the lower edge of the recess on the narrow side of the box is again drawn down in the manner of a segment of a circle. In this way, on the one hand, the lower end of a bottle label is opened for inspection, on the other hand, the ends of this edge are raised and, in one embodiment of the invention, open into the vertical side surface of the rib or the column at only a slight angle of inclination. This in turn helps to better support the load acting on the top of the box.

In one embodiment of the invention, the cross section of the rib has an inwardly directed tip, which is followed by a curved surface on the inside of the column, which forms the lateral boundary of the adjacent compartment and which can be adapted to the circumference of the bottle. At least one column can also have an inwardly directed rib on its edge facing a recess in the narrow side of the box.

In embodiments of the invention, the partitions extend at least to 1/3 of the box height, possibly also up to half the box height.

In embodiments of the invention, at least some of the compartment walls can be continuous, that is to say they have no cutouts, so they do not have any cutouts that are customary in known bottle crates for saving the plastic material.

Fig. 1

eine Ansicht des erfindungsgemäßen Flaschenkastens von vorne;

Fig. 2

eine Seitenansicht der Ausführungsform nach Fig. 1;

Fig. 3

einen Schnitt nach der Linie B-B der Fig. 1, jedoch teilweise in unterschiedlicher Höhe geschnitten;

Fig. 4

einen Schnitt nach der Linie D-D der Fig. 3;

Fig. 5

einen Schnitt nach der Linie A-A der Fig. 3;

Fig. 6

die Anordnung der erfindungsgemäßen Kästen auf einer Euro-Palette;

Fig. 7

eine perspektivische Darstellung des Kastens.

Further features of the invention will become apparent from the following description of an embodiment of the invention in conjunction with the claims and the drawing. The individual features can be implemented individually or in groups in embodiments of the invention. Show it:

Fig. 1

a view of the bottle crate according to the invention from the front;

Fig. 2

a side view of the embodiment of FIG. 1;

Fig. 3

a section along the line BB of Figure 1, but partially cut at different heights.

Fig. 4

a section along the line DD of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5

a section along the line AA of Fig. 3;

Fig. 6

the arrangement of the boxes according to the invention on a euro pallet;

Fig. 7

a perspective view of the box.

The bottle crate shown in the drawing is preferably injection molded from plastic in one operation and must therefore comply with design principles that enable such production. This bottle crate has one Baseboard 1 and a header 2. The corners of the rectangular plan (Fig. 3) are rounded and the header 2 has vertical grooves 3 in the area of these corners. The bottom bar 1 is connected to the head bar 2 via four columns 4. These columns are on the long side of the box opposite the plane determined by the front surface 5 of the bottom rail 1 and the front surface 6 of the head rail 2 by the dimension 7, measured up to the front edge of the curved wall 12. The outer surfaces 8 of the columns 4 facing the narrow side of the box are flat and run approximately in the plane which is determined by the outer surfaces 39 of the bottom bar and 40 of the head bar facing the narrow side of the box. The columns 4 also have a rib 9 which is directed into the interior of the box and is arranged on a perpendicular edge 10 of a recess 11 on the narrow side of the box. The wall 12 of the column 4 facing the long side of the box is rounded to the outside, it opens into a wall 13 connecting the rib 9 to the wall 12, which is bent inwards and one from the bottom 14 of a bottle compartment 15 up to the area of the headrail 2 reaching limitation of the bottle compartment 15 forms.

In the interior of the bottle crate, longitudinal walls 16 and transverse walls 17 are arranged which separate the individual compartments 15 for the bottles. The transverse walls 17 have on their outer vertical edge 18 holding means 19 for the bottles set in adjacent bottle compartments 15, which in the embodiment shown consist of strips 19 arranged on the end faces of the edge 18, both in a bottle compartment 15 and in the protrude adjacent bottle compartment 15 'and against which the bottles placed in these compartments come to rest.

The edge of the bottle compartment 15 ″ facing the long side of the box is formed by a recess 20 in the inner surface of the bottom bar 1. This recess has the course of a segment of a circle which is adapted to the circumference of the bottle placed in the compartment. The recess 20 is at its foremost point a distance 21 from the outer surface 5 of the bottom bar 1, which is less than the dimension 7 by which the columns 4 are set back from the surface formed by the surfaces 5 and 6 of the bottom and top bar. On the long side of the box, therefore, the outward peripheral surfaces of the bottles protrude by a dimension 22 from the plane determined by the side surfaces 12 of the columns 4.

The header 2 is approximately as thick as the dimension 21.

The recess 20 forming the front boundary of the compartments 15 also has a recess 23, which runs in a vertical plane and in turn can have the shape of a circular segment or any other shape. It is used so that in the middle of the compartment, ie in the area of a longitudinal center plane 24, the boundary of the compartment 15 is pulled down so that the bottle can be seen as far down as possible.

At the upper edge of the recess 23 there is an inclined surface 25 which, in the view shown in FIG. 1, has a tip at one end 26, but at the other end it opens into a flat surface section 27 on the top of the base strip 1.

The rib 9 on the column 4 and the cross-sectional sections projecting inwards over the horizontal cross section of the head strip the columns 4 have at their upper end an inclined surface 35 which connects to the inner surface of the header 2 slightly below the top of this header. This connection point is arranged as far below the upper surface of the header 2 as an upper box placed on a lower box with its stacking edge 29 dips into the lower box. At the lower end of the columns 4, transversely or rounded transitions are provided between the outer sides of the columns and the upper surface of the bottom bar 1.

In embodiments of the invention, the compartment walls can be designed differently to the extent that only the longitudinal walls 16 are not recessed, whereas the transverse walls 17 have recesses 36. This increases the rigidity of the box in its longitudinal direction.

The longitudinal walls 16 are load-bearing, ie rigidly connected to the ribs 9. For this purpose, the end regions 16 'of the longitudinal walls 16 are pulled up, e.g. up to half to 2/3 of the box height. They can be up to 3 mm thick.

As already mentioned, the bottle compartments 30 in the middle of the transverse walls are longer than the adjacent bottle compartments 15 and 15 ″. On the inner wall 31 of the compartment 30, projections 32 are arranged, which press a bottle placed in this compartment forward against the edge 33 of the bottom bar 1 and hold it against this edge. The projections 32 are advantageously chamfered at their upper end so that they do not hinder the insertion of the bottle into the compartment.

The other compartments 15, 15 'and 15''can also be used in embodiments of the invention have projections 34 which, however, do not protrude as far into the compartment, but nevertheless hold the bottle placed in the compartment in contact with the edge 20 of the recess.

In embodiments of the invention, the thickness of the header 2 can be different on the different sides. The thickness of the headrail 2 is to be understood as the dimension 37, 38 between the two vertical outer surfaces of the headrail 2. For example, the header on the narrow side of the box can be at least in sections somewhat thicker than on the long side of the box, which in turn contributes to the stability of the box. All features which give the box according to the invention a greater stability than the known boxes prevent the box from buckling in the event of excessive load, for example also when the pallets are placed directly on the box, in such a way that the columns 4 in Fig. 1 pivot to the right or left around its base.

The course of the inclined surface 35 shown in dashed lines in FIG. 1 is shown in section in FIG. 5. It can be seen that the bend 45 is located somewhat above the lower limit of the header 2 and only there the inclined surface 35 extends to the inner surface of the header 2, but ends there at a distance from the upper surface of the header 2, which is used to immerse the stacking edge 29 a box placed on it is required.

This embodiment can be further developed in such a way that the thickness of the header 2 on the narrow side of the box is at least in sections greater than the thickness of the header on its long side. The thickness measure 37 of the header 2 on the narrow side of the box can be greater in the area of the columns 4 than the thickness dimension 38 in the area of the recess 11 on the narrow side of the box.

The vertical edge 10 of the recess 11 has a step 28 through which the recess 11 widens upwards so that its width corresponds to the width of the human hand and this section of the head strip 2 serves as a handle. The step 28 is formed by an inclined surface which runs from the top outside to the bottom inside.

The thickness of a partition wall is adapted to the expected diagonal load. As mentioned, it can be, for example, 3 mm.

To implement the invention, the columns can also be arranged in the middle of side surfaces of the bottle crate, so that the bottle crate corners can be seen more freely, which can be useful on special occasions. Also, in embodiments of the invention, two columns present in the embodiment already described can be combined to form a single column in the middle of the narrow side of the box, which also enables a special design of the box and the bottles, if necessary, with a width that is twice that of column 4 this single column on the long side of the box are arranged much more freely or visually protrude further. Finally, embodiments of the invention can also be designed such that the box again has only two columns, but then these columns are arranged in the middle of the long side of the box and the adjacent compartments are longer than the compartment located immediately behind the column.

It is also advantageous that, in the case of embodiments, no columns are provided on two opposite sides of the box and that at least a quarter, often even half, of its circumference is visible from a bottle standing in a corner of the box. The front of the bottles protrudes beyond the level defined by the boundary walls of the columns. In the case of a column arranged in the middle of a side surface, the wall of the columns facing the front of the bottom bar can lie behind the plane which is determined by the foremost line of the inserted bottles or behind the plane in which the foremost position of the recesses receiving them runs .

In embodiments of the invention, the columns 4 can be set back from the outside of the box 5 determined by the bottom bar 1 by about 1/2 to 1/4, preferably by 1/3 of the amount by which the rear wall of an adjacent compartment is removed from this outside 5 .

In embodiments of the invention, it is not necessary that the outer surface of the head rail 2 runs in one plane with the outer surface of the bottom rail 1. The header 2 can also be set back relative to the base 1, e.g. up to the side surfaces 12 of the columns 4 facing the longitudinal outer surface of the box.

The inner surface 41 of the head strip 2 can also run between the plane determined by the outer surfaces 5, 6 of the head 2 and base strip 1 and the plane formed by the parallel outer sides 12 of the columns 4.

Claims (20)

Bottle crate with a bottom ledge (1) and a top ledge (2) standing up along the edge of the bottom of the crate, with a compartment (16, 17) and with columns (4) that connect the bottom ledge (1) with the head ledge (2), characterized in that on at least one side of the box the boundary (recess 20) of a compartment adjacent to the bottom bar (1) extends at least partially in front of a vertical plane defined by the outer surfaces (12) of the columns (4) facing the outside of the box. Box with a bottom ledge (1) and a head ledge (2) standing up along the edge of the box bottom, with a compartment (16, 17) and with columns (4) connecting the bottom ledge (1) with the head ledge (2), in particular according to claim 1, characterized in that two opposite sides of the box are pillarless. Box according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the edge (20) of the compartment which forms the outer boundary of a compartment has approximately the shape of a circular segment in plan view. Box according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, starting from its upper edge in the region of the lateral boundary of a compartment, the bottom bar (1) has a recess (23) which runs downwards in view and which has its lowest point approximately in the region of the extension of the compartment has the central plane (24) of the compartment running transversely to the bottom bar (1). Crate according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that holding means (19) for the bottle placed in the compartment are provided on the compartment walls (17) extending transversely to the outside of a compartment. Box according to claim 5, characterized in that the holding means (19) are arranged approximately in the plane which is determined by the outer surfaces (12) of the columns (4) facing the outside of the box. Box according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one intermediate wall (17) of the compartment running transversely to an outside of the box extends at most to the level which is determined by the outer surface (12) of the columns (4) facing the box outside in question is. Crate according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that bottle compartments of different lengths are arranged along a crate side, preferably the narrow side. Box according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one projection (32, 34) is arranged in at least one of the compartments on the inner wall (16, 31) of the compartment facing away from the outside of the box, said projection projecting a bottle into the compartment on the outer Presses the edge of the tray. Box according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the inner surface of the outer edge (33) of a compartment has a smaller distance from the outer surface (39) of the base strip (1) than the corresponding boundary (13) on the adjacent compartments and that the narrow side facing boundary (13) of these adjacent compartments is formed by the inner wall (13) of the columns (4). Box according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one of the compartment walls, in particular longitudinal walls (16) of the compartment (16) is rigidly and load-bearing connected to the bottom bar (1). Box according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one compartment wall (16) is connected to columns (4) to take over the load. Box according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least some compartment walls (16), in particular connected to the bottom bar, are designed to be recessed. Box according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one of the compartment walls reaches at least one third of the box height. Box according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a rib (9) directed into the interior of the box is formed on at least one column. Box according to claim 15, characterized in that a compartment wall (16) running in the longitudinal direction of the box is connected to the rib in a load-bearing manner. Box according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the end regions (16 ') of the longitudinal compartment walls (16) are raised, e.g. up to half or 2/3 of the box height. Box according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that parts of the column cross section projecting inward beyond the thickness dimension (37, 38) of the head strip (2) are closed off at the top by an inclined surface (35). Box according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the thickness dimensions (37, 38) of the head strip (2) on the long side of the box and on the narrow side of the box differ at least in sections. Box according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a step (28) is provided in a surface (43) which forms the edge (10) of a recess (11) on the narrow side of the box, through which the width of the recess (11 ) is larger in its upper half than in its lower half.

Images