EP1176093B1 - Packaging system for rods with T-shaped cross section - Google Patents

Abstract

The assembly of T-profiles comprises a central profile (1) which is upside-down with a profile (2, 3) on either side which is the correct way up. Two other upside-down profiles (4, 5) are placed outside the group of three.

Description

The invention relates to a system for packaging profiles, in particular metal, and in particular having a T-shaped cross section.

T-shaped metal sections are widely known and have been used since many years, especially for fences. In this case, the profile constitutes the pole on which is fixed a grid, flexible or rigid, for example in the form of welded panels.

These profiled elements, most often made of metal, are conventionally obtained by spinning. They have two plane parts, perpendicular to each other with respect to the other, the lateral edge of one of said parts being secured to the median axis of the other part, so that the cross section is similar to a T. In the following the description and claims, we will define these two parts by the upper bar T and the base, ie the classically vertical element of T.

These profiles can be sold individually, but most generally in packages, including ten, depending on the needs of the user. Given the shape particular of these, their packaging is problematic.

In addition, when such profiles are proposed in the form of packets or burdens of ten, the mass of such a burden is then relatively high, making it Difficult handling, since we reach, for smaller sections, already a mass of 11 kg, which can be increased to 46 kg for larger sections, usually available on the market.

Independently of the standards and other legislation in force relating to the conditions to limit the mass of products handled, retailers able to have packages both simple to implement and to handle.

Among the various problems encountered, one of them consists in the fact that the load sections must be capable of being blocked as rigidly as possible, so as to prevent friction resulting from the relative displacement of between them during transport or handling.

Indeed, these friction can be a source of degradation of the surface states. At Beyond the aesthetic problem then engendered, these degradations can damage protective coating against corrosion, thereby reducing the service life of the product.

At the same time, these burdens must be able to be grouped on a pallet and blocked on it to allow handling of transport and storage with the help of a forklift, and this without danger, especially with regard to the relatively high of such a burden.

The packaging of the burdens must therefore be able to preserve the integrity of the profiles, and at the same time, the information mentioned on them and intended to inform the customer or the end user, including when stored outdoors.

Finally, the ends of the profiles must also be protected from shocks, for preserve the protective coating against corrosion.

Among the solutions known to date, there are mainly two types of burden, usually consisting of ten profiled elements.

The first solution, schematized in Figure 1, consists in grouping the T-sections (1) without special arrangement by ten pieces, held together by wrapping, especially by means of a plastic film (30) stretchable or heat-shrinkable. In this case, the burden is of a general shape close to a cylinder.

In addition to the fact, already mentioned, of the excessive weight of some of these burdens, difficult to be handled without equipment, the substantially cylindrical envelope obtained is particularly unstable, and may induce risks of accidents due to at the drop of a burden at the time of the palletizing operation.

In parallel, during unpacking, and especially when the holding strip is sectioned, the risk of accidents is even greater, taking into account in addition surprise of the operator.

For the sake of completeness, the ends of the profiles are not protected from shocks, hence the risk of damaging as well as already said, the protective coating against corrosion.

Finally, the plastic stretch film generally used to block the profiles between them is by nature highly electrostatic. In fact, it gets dirty quickly dust and product presentation quality is in fact strongly impaired. Thus, and given this fouling, the film although originally transparent, no longer allows the reading of the burden identification information.

Another known solution, for example represented in FIG. 2, consists of align the profiled elements (1) against each other on a plane substantially horizontal, and block these profiles together with a collar and / or by wrapping with plastic film (30) stretchable or heat-shrinkable.

In addition to the disadvantages already described in connection with the previous solution, this solution is not satisfactory as the profiles are not mechanically blocked in all directions. Indeed, following a shock, the assembly can rotate in the plane, so that first of all, the plastic envelope (30) becomes too loose to ensure effective maintenance of said profiles.

Moreover, in this embodiment, there is a risk of friction between between them, resulting in a deterioration of the surfaces and in particular of the protective coating against corrosion.

The object of the invention is to overcome these various disadvantages and proposes for this purpose a packaging system of T-shaped cross-section sections, which consists of assemble said profiles in groups of five, these being nested within each other others so as defined in claim 1.

Thus, and already, the assemblies obtained according to the invention allow to limit drastically the weight of the burdens thus made.

At the same time, the specific positioning of each of the profiles within the burden in question makes it possible to confer a certain cohesion on the whole, and thus eliminate the risk of friction.

Moreover, such an assembly makes it possible to reduce very significantly the congestion generated by the burdens, and thus facilitates transport operations and storage.

According to a characteristic of the invention, the particular arrangement of the profiles between they are symmetrical with respect to the plane of symmetry passing through the base of the profile median relative to which the assembly has a symmetry.

La figure 1 est une représentation schématique d'un fardeau en forme de cylindre, conformément à une des solutions proposées par l'art antérieur.

La figure 2 est une représentation schématique des profilés bloqués entre eux à l'aide d'un collier et/ou par enrubannage avec un film plastique selon une configuration linéaire, selon une autre solution connue de l'art antérieur.

La figure 3 est une représentation schématique en section transversale d'un assemblage conforme à l'invention.

La figure 4 est une représentation schématique en perspective de l'assemblage de la figure 3.

The manner in which the invention can be realized and the advantages which result therefrom will emerge more clearly from the exemplary embodiments which follow given by way of indication and not by way of limitation with the aid of the appended figures.

Figure 1 is a schematic representation of a cylinder-shaped burden, according to one of the solutions proposed by the prior art.

Figure 2 is a schematic representation of the sections locked together with a collar and / or by wrapping with a plastic film in a linear configuration, according to another known solution of the prior art.

Figure 3 is a schematic representation in cross section of an assembly according to the invention.

FIG. 4 is a schematic representation in perspective of the assembly of FIG.

It is therefore shown in connection with Figures 3 and 4, the packaging system according to the invention.

Basically, this package has five sections profiled elements transverse T, referenced (1) to (5) in the figures. These profiles are in this case Made of metal, especially steel or aluminum, but they can perfectly be made of plastic or even another material.

As can be seen in FIG. 3, this assembly has a plane of symmetry P passing through the base (25) of the median profile (1).

This symmetry makes it possible to nest the constituent sections of the assembly together. in the others, bringing cohesion to the whole, of course since this conformation is maintained, for example by means of one or more links peripherals (31), of the holding strap type or equivalent, if appropriate added with a portion (32, 33) of stretchable or heat-shrinkable plastic film.

It will be described in detail, in connection with FIGS. 3 and 4, the mode of nesting different T-profiles in each other, according to the invention.

For this purpose, the following nomenclature will be adopted throughout the description and claims.

Thus, besides the median profile (1), serving as a plane of symmetry, as already said, the assembly comprises two internal sections, respectively (2) and (3), located on the and other of said median section (1) and symmetrically with respect thereto, then two external profiles (4) and (5), also located on either side of said median profile (1), but outside compared to the internal sections (2) and (3), and also symmetrically with respect to the median profile (1).

As can be seen in this figure 3, the upper bar (6) of the median profile (1) rests by its outer face (8) on the respective inner faces (18) and (19) of the upper bars (16, 17) of the outer profiles (4) and (5).

As can be seen, the lateral faces (7) of the upper bar (6) of said medial profile (1) do not come directly against the base (22) and (23) outer sections (4) and (5), but come respectively to bear against the free lower end (26) and (27) of the respective bases (28) and (29) of the profiles internals (2) and (3).

Thus rest on the lower faces (18) and (19) of the upper bars (16) and (17) external profiles (4, 5), not only the upper bar (6) of the profile median, but also the free end (26) and (27) of said medial profiles (2) and (3).

Moreover, said bases (28) and (29) of the internal profiles (2) and (3) do not come bear against the respective bases (22) and (23) of the external profiles (4) and (5), given the slight rounding connecting the bases to their respective upper bars of each of the profiles, rounded which comes from the manufacturing mode of the T-sections.

However, in the event that a particular method of manufacture of this profile would make it possible to avoid such rounding, it could be conceivable the plating of bases (28) and (29) of the inner sections (2) and (3) against the bases (22) and (23) of the external profiles (4) and (5).

Given this arrangement, the free end (9) of the base (25) of the median profile (1) is inserted between one of the lateral faces (12) and (13) bars upper (10, 11) respectively internal profiles (2) and (3).

Moreover, and bearing in mind that this packaging obviously concerns profiles of the same characteristics, in particular in terms of dimensioning, the fact that the internal profiles (2) and (3) are supported at the free end (26) and (27) from their base (28, 29) on the underside (18) and (19) of the upper bars (16, 17) external profiles (4) and (5), the lower face, respectively (14) and (15) of upper bars (10) and (11) of said inner profiles (2) and (3), in turn take bearing on the free end (20) and (21) of the bases (22) and (23) of said external profiles (4) and (5).

We thus observe the absence of any overhang, the whole by itself, even in the absence of any tie or holding strip, with perfect cohesion taking into account this nesting.

It is also observed that in this configuration, three of the profiles, respectively the medial profile (1) and the external profiles (4, 5) have the same orientation and that the two other sections (2, 3) have an opposite orientation.

This method of assembly allows a certain tolerance in terms of sizing on the one hand, but also in terms of the straightness of the profiles.

Advantageously, each of the sections is identified by means of an adhesive label stuck on the back of the T, ie on the back of the upper bar, according to a position near its end, and the side corresponding to the head when said profile is intended for the fence post function.

This label also includes a code, of the barcode type, readable by computerized means for the checkout when the product is sold individually.

The assembly described in relation to FIGS. 3 and 4 is as already stated, securely held by one or more links (31) distributed over the entire length of the burden.

These links can be constituted by plastic collars, metal collars such as strips or adhesive tapes.

In addition, the profile load is protected by means of a plastic film, extending either along its entire length, or at least at each of its ends (32, 33), so in particular to protect said ends against the risk of degradation of coatings, in particular corrosion.

In addition, these films are positioned in such a way that they hide the identification code corresponding to the unit sale. This or these plastic films then receive another adhesive label (34), corresponding to the identification and at the cost of a burden comprising the five T-shaped profiles. These labels can also receive "high" and " low " type markers. To allow storage in a vertical position, and of course any other useful information to the customer or the user, such as installation instructions for example.

This or these films can be pre-printed. They are, in a known manner, made of a plastic stretch and heat-shrinkable film, their installation being easily automatable for specialized machines of a type known per se.

As it is conceived, this assembly system has a large number of advantages over the systems known to date. First, the grouping five-piece burden profiles constitute a unit of sale of a weight well below the allowable limits for handling without equipment specialized.

Moreover, if we compare the space generated by the burdens the invention, compared with those known from the prior art, it is observed that they occupy a almost 50% less than a traditional burden of even profiles.

In addition, when palletizing for transport or storage, the stacking of burdens is stable in nature and so is the severing of the strapping of the palette.

Finally, it should be added that the strength of the connection links between the profiles guarantees the blocking between each piece, which thus makes it possible to avoid any displacement relative to degrade the surface states. It also allows storage of in the vertical position, while allowing the establishment of information from position and while protecting the ends.

Claims (7)

1. System for the assembly of profiled elements having a T-shaped cross section, characterized:

   in that the said profiles are assembled in groups of five;

   in that they are interleaved one in the other substantially symmetrically with respect to one (1) of the said profiles assuming a central or middle position:

   the upper bar (6) of the middle profile (1) resting with its outer face (8) on the respective inner faces (18) and (19) of the upper bars (16, 17) of the outer profiles (4) and (5);

   the lateral faces (7) of the upper bar (6) of the said middle profile (1) bearing against the free lower end (26) and (27) of the respective bases (28) and (29) of the inner profiles (2) and (3) ;

   the free end (26) and (27) of the inner profiles (2) and (3) resting on the lower faces (18) and (19) of the upper bars (16) and (17) of the outer profiles (4, 5);

   the free end (9) of the base (25) of the middle profile (1) is inserted between one of the lateral faces (12) and (13) of the upper bars (10, 11) of the inner profiles (2) and (3) respectively.
2. System for the assembly of profiled elements having a T-shaped cross section according to Claim 1, characterized in that the arrangement of the inner profiles (2, 3) and outer profiles (4, 5) is symmetrical with respect to the plane of symmetry P passing through the base (25) of the middle profile (1) with respect to which the assembly possesses symmetry.
3. System for the assembly of profiled elements having a T-shaped cross section according to one of Claims 1 and 2, characterized in that the respective lower faces (14) and (15) of the upper bars (10) and (11) of the said inner profiles (2) and (3) bear on the free end (20) and (21) of the bases (22) and (23) of the said outer profiles (4) and (5).
4. System for the assembly of profiled elements having a T-shaped cross section according to one of Claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the middle profile (1) and the outer profiles (4, 5) possess the same orientation, and in that the other two profiles (2, 3) possess an opposite orientation.
5. System for the assembly of profiled elements having a T-shaped cross section according to one of Claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the assembly is held in place by means of one or more ties (31) distributed over the entire length of the bundle, the said ties consisting of plastic straps or metallic straps, such as, in particular, hoops or adhesive tapes.
6. System for the assembly of profiled elements having a T-shaped cross section according to one of Claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the assembly is protected by means of a stretchable or heat-shrinkable plastic film extending either over its entire length or at least at each of its ends (32, 33).
7. System for the assembly of profiled elements having a T-shaped cross section according to Claim 6, characterized in that the film receives an adhesive identification label (34).

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