EP0910538B1 - Receptacle with variable dimensions - Google Patents

Abstract

PCT No. PCT/IB97/00565 Sec. 371 Date Nov. 20, 1998 Sec. 102(e) Date Nov. 20, 1998 PCT Filed May 16, 1997 PCT Pub. No. WO97/44257 PCT Pub. Date Nov. 27, 1997The present invention relates to a multi-use receptacle having longitudinally and laterally variable dimensions, comprising a planar bottom and lateral and longitudinal extension devices which cooperate with said bottom by slidingly moving elongate members which are comprised in said extension devices and which are integral with walls forming the walls of the receptacle in an assembly position.

Description

The present invention relates to a receptacle for uses various, whose dimensions are variable, and which can be used in particular for packaging, handling, storage, transport and presentation, particularly in store of all consumer goods, or even articles of all types. The receptacle actually consists in an improvement of that which is the subject of the request FR8810920 (FR-A- 2 635 504) from the same inventor.

Such receptacles are in fact known, in particular of the aforementioned document, the width of which is adjustable and which are formed of two elements cooperating with each other by fingers presented by the bottom part of each element, so as to be nested one inside the other and thus allow the adjustment of the width of the receptacle by bringing together or moving away from these elements by slide your fingers together.

However, adjusting the width of the receptacle is limited, in practice to an enlargement of about a third of the minimum width, due to the very design of the two components and to ensure rigidity sufficient of the whole.

However, it quickly became clear that this limitation was a significant drawback, especially in a concern for rationalization and to avoid manufacturing and handling several types of receptacles with different dimensions. Thus, the object of the invention consists in providing a receptacle of the aforementioned type, but the width of which can be extended beyond the aforementioned limit, on the one hand, and which is adjustable in depth, on the other hand, that is to say in a direction perpendicular to that of the receptacle known, this in particular in order to present only one model of receptacle which whatever its dimensions, can be optimally placed on a standard palette.

In addition, the other solutions as recommended for example in the previous documents US 2873934 and 2739776 and EP 0356306 do not allow no longer achieve the aim sought by the present invention.

The above object is obtained with the multi-purpose receptacle and dimensions variable longitudinally and laterally, object of the invention, and which is defined in claim 1.

The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawing which illustrates embodiments of the receptacle with variable dimensions, the embodiments of Figures 1 to 19 not being included in the protection claimed.

Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view of a first form execution of a receptacle of variable dimensions.

Figure 2 is a perspective view according to one of the mounting positions of the embodiment according to FIG. 1.

Figure 3a is a plan view of a bottom element of the first embodiment, and Figures 3b and 3c are sectional views (along AA) respectively aside of this element.

Figure 4a is a plan view of a main element of a longitudinal extension device of the first embodiment, and FIGS. 4b and 4c are views respectively side and front of this element.

Figures 5a and 5b are plan views respectively side of a secondary element of a device longitudinal extension of the first embodiment.

Figures 6a and 6b are plan views respectively front view of a main element of a device lateral extension of the first embodiment, and the Figure 7 is a plan view of a secondary element of this device.

Figure 8 is a plan view in one of the positions for mounting a second consistent embodiment in a simplified variant of the first embodiment.

Figure 9 is a plan view of the bottom of the variant simplified according to figure 8, and figure 10 is a plan view of a longitudinal extension element of this variant.

Figures 11a and 11b are plan views respectively front view of a lateral extension element of the variant according to FIG. 8.

Figures 12 and 13 illustrate plan views in two different mounting positions of a third embodiment of a receptacle with variable dimensions.

Figures 14 and 15 are detail views in perspective showing two of the background elements of the second production.

Figures 16 to 18 are detailed perspective views illustrating the three types of extension elements of the third realization.

Figure 19 is an exploded perspective view of a variant of the third embodiment according to Figures 12 to 18.

Figure 20 is a plan view in a position of service of a receptacle according to the invention, and the figures 21 and 22 are perspective views respectively in section of details of this fourth embodiment.

Figure 23 is a partial perspective view and from below a first variant of the fourth form of execution.

Figures 24 and 25 are cross-sectional views partial of the extendable bottom of a second variant of the fourth embodiment in two positions of service.

Referring to Figure 1, the receptacle illustrated is made up of two elements 1, 2, two longitudinal extension devices 3, 4 and two lateral extension devices 5, 6.

The two bottom elements 1, 2 are made of similar to the two parts of the bottom structure the receptacle according to patent application FR-A-8810920, but in which the base and the section part in Greek (profile forming grooves and ribs) are replaced by a structure formed by longitudinal hollow fingers 7 and crosspieces 8, the longitudinal fingers 7 being arranged parallel to each other with a longitudinal space 9 between them of a width slightly greater than that of the fingers 7, and the crosspieces 8 being integral with the longitudinal fingers 7 also parallel to each other and with intervals 10 slightly greater than the width of the transverse fingers 27 described below; sleepers 8 are only arranged under the longitudinal fingers 7 only on a part (approximately half) of the length of the sheet formed by these.

The two longitudinal extension devices 3, 4 are each formed of a main element 11 and two secondary elements 12, 12 '. The main element 11 comprises hollow longitudinal fingers 13, separated by a interval 14, and whose width is slightly less to the cavity 7 'presented by the fingers 7 of the elements bottom 1, 2. The longitudinal fingers 13 of the elements main 11 are integral with a perpendicular wall 15 at the open end of said fingers 13, the cavity 13 'of these opening onto corresponding 15' openings that wall 15 presents.

As for the secondary longitudinal extension elements 12, 12 ', they each have a wall 16 and longitudinal bars 17 fixed perpendicularly of said wall 16 and whose width is slightly less to that of the orifices 15 'and of the cavity 13' of the hollow fingers 13.

The different constituent parts described above are illustrated in more detail in the figures 3 a-c, 4 a-c and 5 a-b. We can see among others on these figures that, according to preferred variants of the invention, the hollow longitudinal fingers 7 and 13 respectively background elements 1, 2 and main elements 11 of the longitudinal extension devices 3, 4 have seen in plan the shape of a U, one end of each finger 7, 13 therefore being closed by a rounded portion and the other end being open. Moreover, the upper edges of these fingers 7, 13 have formations in the form of slots 18, 20 defining between them transverse recesses 19, 21, the bottom of which may have advantageously a central notch 22, 23. As shown in Figure 5b, the bars 17 of the elements secondary 12, 12 'of the longitudinal extension devices 3, 4 have the same slots with recesses transverse 17 'than the hollow fingers 7, 13.

Regarding lateral extension devices 5, 6, they each have a main element 24 and two secondary elements 25, 25 '. The main element 24 is formed by two series of hollow transverse fingers 26, 27 located in two separate parallel horizontal planes by a distance slightly greater than the thickness off-slots of the longitudinal fingers 7 of the elements of bottom 1, 2, the transverse fingers 26 of the upper plane being offset from those 27 of the lower plane. Of more, the transverse fingers 26, 27 are separated from each other of the others, in each of the horizontal planes, by a interval 28 corresponding to the distance between two recesses non-contiguous 19 of the longitudinal fingers 7 of the elements bottom 1, 2. The cavities 26 ', 27' of the fingers 26, 27 open into openings 29, 30 made in the wall 31 of the main element 24 and from which the transverse fingers 26, 27 are integral.

The two secondary elements 25, 25 'of the devices lateral extension 5, 6 each have a wall 32 and rods 33, 34 fixed perpendicularly to said wall 32 and also arranged in two horizontal planes parallels separated by the same vertical distance that the planes containing the hollow transverse fingers 26, 27 of the main element 24, and also offset like said fingers 26, 27 and separated by the same interval 28.

The components 24, 25, 25 'of the devices lateral extension 5, 6 are illustrated in more detail in Figures 6 a-b and 7. We can see in particular in FIG. 6b that the openings 29, 30 made in the wall 31 of the main element 24 may have advantageously notches 35, and in FIG. 6a that the hollow transverse fingers 26, 27 are also in U-shaped, the open end of these opening into the openings 29, 30 of the wall 31.

As shown in Figure 7, the rods 33, 34 may each have an axial rib 36, located on the upper face of the lower rods 34 and on the underside of upper rods 33.

Finally, the receptacle according to the invention as illustrated by way of example in FIGS. 1 and 2 comprises another four corner pieces 37 provided with a flap 38 and intended to maintain the various constituent elements of the receptacle once the dimension thereof has been chosen, more particularly by cooperating with the upper edges corner ends of the walls 16, 32 of the elements longitudinal extension 12, 12 'respectively lateral 25, 25 'secondary.

The mounting of the receptacle according to the invention will now be described, always with reference to the form of execution illustrated in Figures 1 and 2.

We first form the main part of the bottom of the receptacle by assembling the two bottom elements 1, 2 of so that the longitudinal fingers 7 of one come to nest between the longitudinal fingers 7 of the other by sliding these in the intervals 9. Then the main elements 12 of the devices of longitudinal extension 3, 4 are introduced from each side of the bottom elements 1, 2, by sliding their longitudinal fingers 13 in the cavities 7 'of the fingers longitudinal 7 of said bottom elements. The length total final of the receptacle is therefore adjusted by sliding of the two bottom elements 1, 2 and of the two elements main 12 of the longitudinal extension devices 3, 4.

We then introduce on each side of the main element 11 longitudinal extension devices 3, 4 the two secondary elements 12, 12 ′, by introducing the bars 17 of these elements in the holes 15 'made in the wall 15 of said main element 12 and in the cavities 13 'of the fingers 13 thereof, this depending the desired final width of the receptacle.

The respective positions of the constituent elements can be blocked by the introduction lateral extension devices 5, 6; more specifically, the upper transverse fingers 26 of the elements main 24 of these devices cooperate with transverse recesses 19 of the longitudinal fingers 7 of the base elements 1, 2, if necessary with those 21 of longitudinal fingers 13 of the main elements and those 17 'of the bars 17 of the secondary elements of the devices longitudinal extension 3, 4.

On the other hand, the lower fingers 27 of the elements main 24 of side extension devices 5, 6 are introduced below the longitudinal fingers 7 of the background elements and so as to cooperate with the spaces 10 located between the crosspieces 8 secured to these fingers 7.

Finally, the secondary elements 25, 25 ′ of the devices lateral extension 5, 6 can be assembled from so as to complete the receptacle; more specifically, the rods 33, 34 are introduced into the orifices 29, 30 of the wall 31 of the main element 24, and in the cavities 26 ', 27' of the corresponding fingers, depending on the desired total length of the receptacle.

According to a preferred variant of the first form of execution, that is to say with notches 22, 23 in the recesses 19, 21 of the longitudinal hollow fingers 7, 13 and those 35 in the openings 29, 30 of the wall 31 of the main elements 24 of the transverse extension devices 5, 6, cooperating with the ribs 36 of the rods transverse 33, 34 of the secondary elements 25, 25 'of these devices we can prevent lateral sliding rods 33, 34 in the recesses 19, 21, especially when the receptacle is mounted according to its largest dimensions, with the secondary elements 25, 25 'located in external position in relation to the main elements 24.

Once the different constituent parts are assembled, they are locked in the respective positions chosen by attaching to the four corners of the receptacle as well formed the corner pieces 37, the flaps 38 of which cooperate simultaneously with the upper edges of the walls 32 secondary elements 25, 25 'of the extension devices side 5, 6 and walls 16 of the secondary elements 12, 12 'of the longitudinal extension devices 3, 4, as shown for example in Figure 2.

In practice, we can for example realize according to this first realization of the invention of receptacles, preferably plastic, the dimensions of which range from 300 to 600 mm in length, passing through 400 and 500 (with steps of 50 mm between the fingers), and from 266.66 to 400 mm in width, passing through 300 (with steps of 32 mm between the fingers), which allows them to be arranged, whatever dimension is chosen, rationally on a standardized pallet of 800 x 1200 cm or 1000 x 1200 cm.

Figures 8 to 11 illustrate a second form a receptacle corresponding to a variant simplified of the first embodiment described above with reference to Figures 1 to 7, in which the bottom 40 is in one piece and formed by hollow fingers 41 having the shape of a U in plan and joined longitudinally so that the open end of a finger either adjacent to the closed end of the next finger and vice versa (see fig. 9).

The longitudinal extension device comprises, each side of the bottom 40 a longitudinal extension element 42 formed of longitudinal fingers 43 secured by one of their ends of a wall 44 (FIG. 10), and intended to cooperate by sliding with the longitudinal cavities 41 'of the hollow fingers 41 for adjusting the length of the mounted receptacle.

Finally, this variant includes extension devices lateral formed each of two extension elements lateral 45 as illustrated in FIGS. 11a and 11b. Each element 45 comprises two sets of fingers transverse 46, 47 arranged in two horizontal planes parallels separated by an approximate corresponding distance at the thickness of the fingers 41 forming the bottom 40, the fingers 46 of the upper plane being offset relative to to those 47 of the lower plane; the two sets of fingers 46, 47 are secured by one of their ends to a wall 48.

As in the case of the first embodiment Figures 1 to 7, according to this simplified variant and with a limited number of parts, we can make a receptacle whose dimensions both in width and in depth can be changed. Preferably, each component part as described above is produced made of a suitable plastic material.

With reference to Figures 12 to 18, the third form a receptacle, illustrated in as an example, has a bottom 50 formed of three elements separated, namely a central bottom element 51 and two lateral bottom elements 52, as well as two devices longitudinal-lateral extension each formed of a central extension element 53 and two corner elements 54, 55.

The bottom elements 51, 52 are formed by the assembly T-sections 56 arranged parallel to the to each other and held by lower crosspieces 57, the side bottom elements each further comprising an outer wall 58 integral with and parallel to profiles 56 (see Figures 14 and 15).

In addition, each of the elements has an inner wall 59, also parallel to the profiles 56, and which is extends downward to serve as a support member for the receptacle. Finally, these elements still present one or two vertical beam (s) 60 also serving supporting member (s) of the lower crossmembers 57.

The central element 53 of the extension devices longitudinal-lateral has a wall 61 and three transverse fingers 62, fixed perpendicularly to said wall 61 (Figure 16).

The corner elements 54, 55 (Figures 17 and 18) have each two walls perpendicular one to the other 63, 64 respectively 65, 66 and transverse fingers 62 identical to those of the central element 53 and integral perpendicular to one of said walls 63, 65. The two types of corner elements 54, 55 are still with 67 feet arranged below the portion of each transverse finger 62 integral with the wall 63, 65.

Finally, the upper edges of each transverse finger 62 of the three types of corner elements 53, 54, 55 have a shoulder 68 over the entire length of said finger 62, so as to cooperate with the T-shaped portion of the profiles 56 of the bottom elements 51, 52.

The mounting of the receptacle according to the third form of execution is illustrated in the two figures 12 and 13. The first represents the receptacle in its greatest dimensions both in length and in width (for example 300 x 600 mm), and the second according to its dimensions the smallest (200 x 400 mm). As shown in particular in FIG. 12, the walls of the bottom elements 52 and extension elements 53 and 55 are slidably mounted one inside the other thanks to returns 58 ', 61 ', 65' along the upper edge of the wall 58 of the bottom element 52 and the walls 61 and 65 of the elements extension 53 and 55. More particularly, the walls 63, 64 of a corner element 54 slide inside walls 58, 61 of the bottom element 52 and the element central extension 53, these walls 58, 61 sliding at their telescopically turn in the walls 65 and 66 of the other corner element 55.

Depending on the type of items or objects to be stored and transport on the receptacle according to the second form of execution, and more particularly when this is in its most open mounting position (fig. 12), it may be necessary to have on the elements of bottom 52 a plate or a grid, for example of cardboard corrugated or plastic.

A variant of the third embodiment described previously is illustrated in Figure 19; this variant stands out in that it has elements bottom and additional side extension elements removable.

More specifically, two complementary background elements 70 are arranged between the central bottom element 51 'and the two lateral bottom elements 52', when these central bottom elements 51 ′, respectively lateral 52 ′, are in a position separated from each other (by example a position similar to that illustrated on the Figure 12); when the receptacle is in a position like the one in figure 13, with the background elements central 51 'and lateral 52' adjacent, then the two elements additional bottom 70 are arranged above of the aforementioned elements.

Each complementary bottom element 70 is formed of the assembly of several U-shaped sections 71, including free upper edges are folded inwards.

On the other hand, this realization still includes transverse extension elements 72 cooperating with each of the two complementary bottom elements 70, such so that the transverse fingers 73 of these extension elements transverse 72 cooperate with the elongated cavity formed by each U-profile 71. These transverse fingers 73 preferably have longitudinal shoulders superiors 74, who cooperate with the folded positions U-shaped sections 71 in order to prevent said fingers 73 from exit upwards from the elongated cavities of the profiles 71. They are moreover integral with a perpendicular wall 75 to said fingers 73, this wall 75 being slidably mounted laterally in the internal face of the wall 61 of the element central 53.

Finally, the bottom elements 51 ′, 52 ′ are distinguished from those 51.52 of the third embodiment on the one hand in what the T-profiles form these elements presenting 56 'formations essentially used to facilitate the manufacture of these elements and more particularly the demolding of these; on the other hand, these background elements 51 ', 52' still have longitudinal extensions 76.77 intended to support additional bottom elements 72 when these are in their position between the lateral bottom elements 52 ′ and the bottom element central 51 '.

With reference to Figures 20 to 22, a receptacle according to the invention has a 80 extendable bottom formed by profiles 81 parallel and connected to each other by a system cross braces each formed by two swivel bars 82.82 ' one on the other by their medium and each of which of the ends is provided with a pivot 83, this pivot being sliding mounted in a lower longitudinal opening 84 presented by each section 81 (fig. 22). The profiles 81 still have a longitudinal opening upper 85 U-shaped with upper edges are folded towards the longitudinal axis of said profile.

The upper openings 85 of the bottom profiles 81 extensible 80 are intended to receive in position of service of the transverse fingers 86, these fingers being integral perpendicularly to sliding members 87, these latter being mounted movable against the wall internal of each portion of wall forming the wall of said receptacle.

More particularly, each transverse finger 86 has two longitudinal shoulders 86 'cooperating in service position with the folded portions 85 ', from so that fingers 86 cannot come out vertically grooves 85.

On the other hand, the external wall of the receptacle is formed, for example as illustrated in FIG. 21, of four corner elements 88, two central elements of wall 89, two bottom walls 90 forming the ends side of the extendable bottom 80, and four elements of extension 91. Preferably, the upper and lower edges 88 ', 89' of the wall elements 88, 89 are folded towards their internal face so as to form two slides between which the sliding members 87 are mounted to allow movement of the fingers 86 in the horizontal plane and along the transverse walls of the receptacle. The extension elements 91 are intended to adjust the final length on each side of said receptacle in the desired mounted position.

With this fourth embodiment, the length of the receptacle can be adjusted by stretching or compression longitudinal of bottom 80, and its width by sliding lateral fingers 86 in the profiles 81 forming said bottom 80.

According to a first variant of the receptacle according to the invention, shown partially in FIG. 23, the cross-pieces 82, 82 ′ forming the extendable bottom 80 are mounted slightly differently of the embodiment illustrated in Figure 20; more particularly, the pivots 83 situated at the ends said cross pieces 82, 82 'are mounted here in the openings lower longitudinal 84 of profiles 81 no adjacent, and so that the central pivot 92 of crosspieces 82, 82 'either mounted in the longitudinal opening lower 84 of an intermediate profile 81.

Finally, Figures 24 and 25 illustrate in section transverse partial view of a variant of the extendable bottom of the fourth embodiment, whose other components are identical to those illustrated in FIG. 21, in particular with regard to the production and mounting the transverse fingers and the receptacle wall.

More particularly, the extendable bottom 95 of this variant is formed by a panel 96, for example from made of polyethylene or polypropylene, and presenting profiled transverse formations 97 defining transverse openings 85 similar to those of profiles 81 forming the extendable bottom 80 of Figures 20 to 23. This panel 96 still has folding caps 98 parallel to the profiles 97 and allowing to pass from one extreme position, corresponding to the longest length large of said bottom 95 (FIG. 24), to the other, corresponding at the minimum length of said bottom 95 (FIG. 25), this at the way of an accordion, and vice versa.

As shown in Figures 24 and 25, the ends side of the bottom 95 extendable and retractable in accordion are each provided with a wall 90 forming the central portion of the side walls of the receptacle.

This embodiment of the receptacle according to the invention is simpler and less expensive to manufacture, and allows more flexible use, since the adjustment of its dimensions does not depend in particular on fixed steps between extension fingers and hollow profiles forming the bottom as is the case with the other embodiments described previously.

Claims (6)

1. A multiple-use receptacle of variable dimensions both longitudinally and laterally, which includes a peripheral wall and a bottom (80, 95) having a carrier surface which is substantially flat, said bottom being extensible longitudinally and including devices which enable a lateral extension and which exhibit elongated transverse members (86), said bottom being formed through the assembling of hollow profiles (81 ; 97) co-operating in a transverse sliding motion with the elongated transverse members (86), said hollow profiles running parallel and being connected together, and said elongated transverse members being movably mounted in the inner face of vertical members (88, 89) mounted mutually slidably, to form said peripheral wall, whatever may be the dimensions of said bottom.
2. A receptacle according to claim 1, characterised in that the transverse members (86) are each one integral with a slide member (87), the same being mounted to be movable laterally between two guides formed horizontally by the folding down of the upper and lower edges of the vertical members (88, 89) of the peripheral wall.
3. A receptacle according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the walls of the receptacle include four angle members (88), two central members (89), two bottom members (90) forming the lateral ends of the extensible bottom (80, 95) and four extension members (91).
4. A receptacle according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterised in that the hollow profiles (81) exhibit each one an upper longitudinal recess (85) designed for receiving in the service position the transverse members (86) and a lower longitudinal recess (84), and in that said hollow profiles (81) are connected together parallelly and extensibly by cross-pieces comprised each one of two small bars (82, 82') which are mounted pivotally with respect to each other at their centre and the ends of which are provided with a pivot element mounted slidably in the lower longitudinal recess (84) of said hollow profile (81).
5. A receptacle according to claim 4, characterised in that the central pivot point of the two small bars (82, 82') forming a cross-piece is provided with a pivot element (92), this pivot element being mounted slidably in said lower longitudinal recess (84) of the hollow profile (81).
6. A receptacle according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterised in that the extensible bottom (95) is formed from a bellows-shaped panel (96) which can be extended longitudinally and which exhibits profiled transverse portions (97) defining transverse openings (85) designed for receiving the transverse members (86), in the service position.

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