EP1554184A2

EP1554184A2 - Foldable frame

Info

Publication number: EP1554184A2
Application number: EP03808741A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Ronny Tourlamain
Original assignee: Conteyor Multibag Systems NV
Current assignee: Conteyor Multibag Systems NV
Priority date: 2002-10-10
Filing date: 2003-10-07
Publication date: 2005-07-20
Anticipated expiration: 2023-10-07
Also published as: CA2501060A1; PL200903B1; PL374980A1; ES2305566T3; DE20215597U1; AU2003301271A8; WO2004035402A3; US7878345B2; ATE396117T1; US20060138067A1; DE50309896D1; EP1554184B1; AU2003301271A1; WO2004035402A2

Abstract

A folding rack for receiving and transporting bags, for receiving objects, to be suspended in the rack. The rack has a base part and side frame parts which are connected articulatedly to the base part at their lower end and are pivotal at least about 90° or more in relation to the base part, from a position perpendicular to the base part into a position substantially parallel to the base part. A cross strut is articulated to an upper end region of each of the side frame parts. The struts are pivotal toward one another parallel to the base part, and free ends thereof are connectable to one another in a substantially rigid manner so that the upper end regions of the side frame parts are held by the cross struts, which are articulated to the upper regions of the side frame parts and are rigidly connected to one another, at a minimum spacing defined by the cross struts. In a mutually connected condition, as above described, the free ends of the cross struts engage in one another in a connection region and are held together in substantially rigid manner by a pipe clamp reaching over the connection region, and in an unfolded condition the side side parts extend parallel to one another and are substantially perpendicular to the base part, so that similar racks can be stacked on top of one another with side frame parts aligned with one another.

Description

ConTeyor Multibag Systems N.V.

Collapsible frame

The present invention relates to a collapsible frame for accommodating and transporting pockets to be accommodated in the frame, which in turn are provided for accommodating objects to be transported or stored, with a base part and lateral frame parts which are articulated at their lower end with the Connected bottom part and are pivotable relative to the bottom part from a position perpendicular to the bottom part into a position substantially parallel to the bottom part by about 90 ° or more.

A corresponding frame is known, for example, from German Offenlegungsschrift No. 41 38 507. In the known frame, a rigid upper frame part and a rigid lower frame part are provided, so that on the upper rigid frame part, which is partly in the form of parallel rails, slidable rods with attached flexible material webs can be hung on these rails. The side parts are defined by four corner posts, which have an articulation point in the middle and which are each articulated to the upper frame part and the lower frame part, so that the posts can be buckled in the middle and in this way the whole frame can be folded.

However, the known frame is intended to be folded only in the empty state, that is to say without the pockets accommodated in the frame. In addition, the known frame is relatively complex to manufacture, since each individual post must have a total of three different hinge points, namely a hinge opposite the lower frame part, a hinge opposite the upper frame part and additionally a kink in the middle of the post.

Compared to this prior art, the present invention has for its object to provide a collapsible frame that is simpler in construction and easier to manufacture.

This object is achieved in that a cross strut is articulated at the upper end region of the side frame parts, which can be pivoted relative to the side frame part in the direction of an opposite cross strut into a position substantially parallel to the base part, the free ends of the parts being pivoted towards one another Cross struts are essentially rigidly connectable to one another, so that the upper ends of the side parts, which are connected by the articulated, rigidly connected cross struts, are kept at a minimum distance defined by the cross struts. Also in the subject of the present invention, the side parts preferably consist essentially of two parallel and interconnected corner posts, but each of the corner posts now only has two articulation points, namely an articulation point for connection to the base part and an articulation point in the upper area for the connection with the cross strut. After the side parts have been erected, the cross struts of the opposite side parts are pivoted towards one another and connected to one another in an overlapping connecting area.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, it is provided that the free ends of the cross struts engage in one another and are held essentially rigidly together by a pipe clamp that extends over the engagement area.

Furthermore, in the preferred embodiment of the invention, the pipe clamp is resiliently held on one of the cross struts and is prestressed in the direction of the connecting region of the two cross struts, so that when the two free ends of the cross struts are pivoted towards one another, these initially engage, the resiliently prestressed pipe clamp initially against the resilient one Preload is pushed back and then snapped back and overlaps the connection point and thus holds the two ends of the cross struts together.

In this way it is relatively easy to achieve a rigid connection of the two cross struts and thus also a rigid connection of the two side parts, provided that the articulated connection of the cross struts with the side parts in this unfolded position does not allow any relative displacement to the cross struts.

An embodiment of the invention is particularly preferred in which flexible material webs extend between the side parts, which extend horizontally between opposite side parts when the side parts are raised and are stretched by the uprighting side parts. These flexible material webs then exert a pulling force on the side parts and pull the side parts towards one another, while the cross struts ensure a minimum distance between the side parts and thus the position of the side parts is clearly fixed. Preferably, a plurality of material webs are stretched parallel between the side parts, and preferably the transverse material webs are also connected to one another by generally vertically or also inclinedly running connecting webs, so that receptacle forms for objects are formed between the tensioned, horizontally running material webs and the connecting webs extending therebetween become.

The cross struts are preferably dimensioned such that when the side parts are unfolded they extend essentially parallel to one another and perpendicular to the base part, the corner posts defining the side parts also having corresponding corner parts. Posts of the bottom part are aligned so that the opened frames can be stacked on top of each other.

The articulation areas of the cross struts on the side parts or their posts are preferably arranged such that the upper ends of the posts remain free and the upper ends of the corner posts of the side parts and the lower ends of the corner posts of the base parts are preferably designed such that they interlock when stacking several racks and are thus secured against lateral displacement.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the upper ends of the corner posts of the base part are configured similarly to the upper ends of the corner posts of the side parts and, moreover, the side parts or the corner posts of the side parts are articulated on the corner posts of the base parts such that, when the frame is folded, When the side panels are folded down, the top ends of the corner posts of the base panels are exposed. The corner posts of the floor parts are generally relatively short post pieces which extend substantially perpendicular to the plane otherwise defined by the floor part. This configuration enables the collapsed frames to be stacked on top of one another.

For collapsing, that is, for folding in the side parts, it can also be expedient if the cross struts articulated on the upper regions of the side parts or the corner posts of the side parts can be pivoted into a position parallel to the side parts next to the side parts or next to the corner posts of the side parts and can be locked in place. It is also possible that the cross struts are pivoted into a position in which they extend more or less in an extension of the side parts or the corner posts of the side parts for folding the frame.

It is also expedient to link the cross struts to the corner posts of the side parts in such a way that one of the parts has a pivot pin defining an axis and the other of the parts is received thereon with an elongated hole, so that the cross strut or the corresponding counterpart over it the elongated hole is displaceable on the pin and thereby certain positions of the cross struts can be locked relative to the side parts.

Further advantages, features and possible uses of the present invention will become clear from the following description of preferred embodiments of the associated figures. Show it:

1a-e sketches of a collapsible frame in different positions, 2a-e a similar embodiment to FIG. 1, but with pockets suspended in the frame, in similar opening positions to that in FIGS. 1a-e, FIG. 3 shows the cross struts shown in isolation,

FIG. 4 shows a sketch to illustrate the connection of opposite cross struts,

FIG. 5 details of the connection between the upper area of corner posts of side parts with the cross struts,

Figure 6 is a series of images showing the erection of the frame according to the invention and

Figure 7 is a series of images showing the folding of the frame.

One can see in FIG. 1 in a side view the base part 1, with short corner posts 2, side parts 3 attached to it laterally, and cross struts 5 and 6 articulated on the side parts 3, 4.

It goes without saying that only the front edges of the base part and the side parts can be seen in the schematic side view shown in FIG. 1, which are preferably formed by cross struts or corner posts generally consisting of square tubes. It is easy to imagine that in a plane behind the paper plane the same elements are connected twice and in parallel with the elements of the paper plane by struts or the like, thus forming the frame as a whole.

In Figure 1, the frame is completely folded. As a special feature, it should be noted that the cross strut 5 is practically opened in extension to the side part 3 and covers the side parts 4, while the cross strut 6 is folded back parallel to the side part 4 and is preferably locked on this.

In Figure 1b, the left side part 3 is erected. In Figure 1c, the right side part is also erected, while the cross struts still have their original position relative to the side parts 3 and 4, as it exists in the folded state.

In Figure 1d, the cross struts 5, 6 are pivoted towards each other and come into engagement with one another with their free ends. A pipe clamp 7 can be seen, which is resiliently mounted on the cross strut 6 and which is pushed back somewhat when the two free ends of the cross struts 5, 6 are inserted into one another and only snaps back in the position shown in FIG. 1e and thereby the two interconnected ends of the cross struts 5, 6 overlaps. In this way, the cross struts 5, 6 are rigidly held together by the overlapping pipe clamp 7. It goes without saying that to fold the frame the pipe clamp 7 only has to be shifted to the right against the force of the resilient bias in order to be able to move the two ends of the cross struts 5, 6 again and then to fold the frame in reverse order.

Figures 2a-e show exactly the same process of folding a frame, in which case the frame differs from the frame of Figure 1 only in that between the two side parts 3, 4 now extend parallel webs 8 made of a flexible material, which in turn are connected to one another by vertical connecting webs 9, so that essentially rectangular pockets are formed between the horizontal webs 8 and the vertical webs 9. In the folded state according to FIGS. 2a and 2b, the pockets are still loosely folded between the two side parts 3, 4 or lie on the bottom part 1. By erecting the side parts 3, 4, the horizontal webs 8 are tensioned and reach their full tension when the two cross struts 5, 6 are brought together and rigidly connected to one another, so that they keep the two side parts 3, 4 at a predetermined minimum distance, which is dimensioned so that the material webs 8 are stretched taut in this state. In addition, the cross struts are also dimensioned such that in this state the two side parts 3, 4 or their corner posts extend substantially parallel and perpendicular to the plane of the bottom part and exactly in the extension of the short corner posts 2 of the bottom part.

FIG. 3 shows the two cross struts 5 and 6 in isolation, the cross strut 5 in FIGS. 1 and 2 being articulated on the side part 3 which can be seen on the left, while the cross strut 6 is articulated on the opposite right side part 4. It can be seen that the two cross struts 5, 6 each have an elongated hole 15 and 16, however, the elongated hole 15 of the cross strut 5 extends in the longitudinal direction of the cross strut 5, while the elongated hole 16 of the cross strut 6 extends in the transverse end leg of the cross strut 6 extends. This different arrangement of the elongated holes is related to the desired different end positions that the cross struts 5, 6 can assume relative to the side parts 3 and 4 according to FIGS. 1 and 2. The corresponding mechanism is illustrated even better in FIG. 5.

In Figure 4 you can see the type of connection of the two cross struts 5, 6 at their free ends. In the present example, the cross strut 5 is provided with an expanded end section in which the end section of the cross strut 6 can engage appropriately. In addition, the cross strut 6 is provided with a pipe clamp 7 which is spring-mounted on the cross strut 6. When the two free ends of the cross struts 5, 6 are plugged together, the cross strut 6 engages in the open end of the cross strut 5 and the end of the cross strut 5 presses the pipe clamp 7 back somewhat against its resilient bias. As soon as the cross struts 5, 6 have reached the aligned position shown in FIGS. 1e and 2e, the pipe clamp 7 snaps back from its resiliently pretensioned position and also overlaps part of the end section of the cross strut 5, so that between these two parts a rigid connection is established.

In FIG. 5, the corner post of the side part 3 and the cross strut 5 articulated thereon can be seen in the left partial image. The side part 3 or its corner post is provided with a holding part with a U-shaped cross section, between the U-legs of which a pivot pin 12 extends , The pivot pin 12 also extends through an elongated hole in the transverse strut 5, which extends in the longitudinal direction of the cross strut 5. In the position shown at the top left in FIG. 5, the cross strut 5 can be pivoted about the pin 12 relative to the side part 3. However, if the cross strut 5 is moved downward in the position shown at the top left in FIG. 5, so that the pin runs upwards in the elongated hole, the cross strut 5 lies against the side part 3 with a section lying below the pivot pin and cannot, or in any case, can only be pivoted through a small angle. This relative position is shown in Figures 1a-c and 2a-c. After pulling up the cross strut 5 into the position shown at the top left in FIG. 5, however, the cross strut 5 can be pivoted into the position shown at the bottom left in FIG. 5. Because of the additional end leg attached to the cross strut 5, this end leg also strikes the side part 3 and thus defines the position shown in which the cross strut 5 extends essentially perpendicular to the side part 3.

The cross strut 6, which can be seen on the right in FIG. 5, can be locked in a similar manner in its position oriented perpendicular to the side part 4 (top right in FIG. 5), in that the pivot pin is also shifted in a slot in a position in which the end leg of the cross strut 6 rests on the side part 4. In this case, the elongated hole extends perpendicularly to the longitudinal direction of the cross strut 6 in the end leg attached to the end of the cross strut 6. In the position of the pin in the elongated hole shown below in FIG. 5, the cross strut 6 can be pivoted relative to the side part 4.

FIG. 6 shows in a series of individual images 1-12 how the collapsed frame can be erected and brought into the end position shown in FIG. 2e, for example. The process corresponds essentially to that which has already been described in connection with FIGS. 1 and 2.

FIG. 7 shows a series of individual images which shows the folding of the frame. It should only be noted here that, as can be seen, for example, in sub-images 1 and 2 of FIG. 7, the pipe clamp 7 must be withdrawn and disengaged from the free end of the cross strut 5 so that the cross strut 5 is pivoted upward and out of engagement can be brought with the free end of the cross strut 6. All other processes simply correspond to a reversal of the processes described in FIGS. 1a-e and 2a-e.

It is also important that the side parts can be locked if possible on the vertical corner posts 2 of the bottom part 1, so that the side parts 3, 4 are already held substantially vertically after erection even without connecting the cross struts, even if, for example, the flexible sheets 8 of the pockets can not yet be sufficiently pretensioned. As can be seen in the partial images 6 and 8 of FIG. 7, the corner posts of the side parts 3 and 4 are inserted into the corresponding corner posts 2 of the base part and can be unlocked simultaneously via a crossbar which connects two corner posts of each side part to one another. As can also be seen in Figure 5, the upper ends of the corner posts of the side parts 3 and 4 are widened and correspond in their cross section essentially to the cross section of the corner posts 2 of the bottom part 1. The lower ends of the corner posts 2 of the bottom part 1 or additional approaches on Bottom part 1, which are aligned with the corner posts 2, on the other hand, correspond in their cross-section essentially to the corner posts of the side parts 3 and 4, so that these lower ends of the corner posts 2 or the corresponding extension pieces fit into the extensions of the corner posts of the side parts 3 and 4 can be used, as shown in Figure 5. This enables the collapsible racks to be stacked on top of one another both in the erected, that is, in the unfolded state, and in the collapsed state. The stacking on top of one another in the opened state is also made possible, among other things, by the fact that the cross struts 5, 6 are hinged to the lower posts of the side parts 3 and 4 below the upper free ends thereof.

Claims

claims

1. Collapsible frame for holding and transporting bags to be suspended in the frame, which in turn are intended for holding objects to be transported or stored, with a base part and side frame parts which are articulated at their lower end to the base part are connected and can be pivoted relative to the bottom part from a position perpendicular to the bottom part into a position substantially parallel to the bottom part by about 90 ° or more, characterized in that a cross strut is articulated at the upper end region of the side frame parts, which struts towards one another are pivotable parallel to the bottom part and the free ends of which are essentially rigidly connectable to one another, so that the upper ends of the side parts are kept at a minimum distance defined by the cross struts by the rigidly connected and articulated to the upper regions of the side parts.

2. Collapsible frame according to claim 1, characterized in that the free ends of the cross struts intermesh in the interconnected state and are held together essentially rigidly by a pipe clamp spanning the connection area.

3. Collapsible frame according to claim 2, characterized in that the pipe clamp is resiliently held on one of the two cross struts and is biased into a position overlapping the connection area of the cross struts.

4. Collapsible frame according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that at least two webs of a flexible material are arranged between the side parts, which define receiving pockets for objects with one another and / or with connecting webs extending between adjacent webs, the flexible webs extend horizontally under tension between the side parts when the frame is open.

5. Collapsible frame according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the side parts extend parallel to each other and substantially perpendicular to the bottom part in the unfolded state, so that similar racks with aligned side parts are stacked on top of each other.

6. Collapsible frame according to claim 5, characterized in that in the case of stacked frames, the upper free ends of the side parts are each defined by the upper ends of corner posts and that the bottom parts also have corner posts which, when the side parts are opened, are flush with the corner posts of the side parts , the lower end of a Corner posts of the base part interlock with the upper end of a corner post of a side part when the frames are stacked on top of one another and are thus secured against lateral displacement.

7. Collapsible frame according to claim 6, characterized in that the upper ends of the corner posts of the bottom part are configured similarly to the upper ends of the corner posts of the side parts and that the side parts are hinged to the corner posts of the Bodeπteile that the upper ends when the side parts are folded the corner posts of the floor parts are exposed so that even collapsed frames can be stacked securely on top of one another.

8. Collapsible frame according to one of claims 6 or 7, characterized in that one of the cross struts parallel to one of the corner posts of one of the side parts is pivotable and lockable thereon.

9. Collapsible frame according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the height of the frame defined by the side parts is at least half of the width of the frame defined by the distance between the erected side parts.

10. Collapsible frame according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that tensioning devices are provided on the side parts, by means of which flexible material webs extending between the upright side parts can be put under tension or their tension can be increased.

11. Collapsible frame according to one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the corner posts defining the side parts are inserted into corner posts of the bottom part, the inner cross section of which essentially corresponds to the outer cross section of the corner posts of the side part, the corner posts of the bottom part and the corner posts of the side part are additionally connected to each other by a pin-slot connection, whereby in one position of the pivot pin in the slot the corner posts of the side parts and the bottom parts are locked in alignment with one another and in the other position of the pivot pin in the slot the corner posts of the side parts are opposite the corner posts the bottom part are pivotable.

12. Collapsible frame according to one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that the articulation points of the cross struts on the side parts are designed so that the cross struts also define the maximum distance of the side parts in addition to a minimum distance.