EP1833713A2

EP1833713A2 - Roll cage

Info

Publication number: EP1833713A2
Application number: EP05846527A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Andrew Christopher Cope; Michael J. Melia
Original assignee: Linpac Materials Handling Ltd
Current assignee: LA 2012 Ltd
Priority date: 2004-12-24
Filing date: 2005-12-21
Publication date: 2007-09-19
Also published as: GB2421480A; GB0428345D0; GB2421480B; WO2006067479A2; WO2006067479A3

Abstract

A roll cage (2) has a base plate (14) that is made substantially or wholly of a plastics material. The base plate (14) includes a plurality of hinge structures (16) located adjacent different edges of the plate, allowing it to be repositioned for continuous use if one of the hinge structures becomes damaged.

Description

ROLL CAGE

The present invention relates to a roll cage and a base plate for a roll cage.

Roll cages are widely used in the retail industry for storing and distributing goods to and within shops and other retail outlets. A typical roll cage consists of a wheeled, two-sided cage mounted on a steel chassis having either wheels or castors. The cage includes two vertical side panels and a square or rectangular base plate that is attached to the chassis with a horizontal hinge. The hinge allows the base plate to be folded flat against one of the side panels, allowing the empty roll cage to be nested with other similar cages, to reduce the space occupied by the empty cages. The chassis typically has a Z- or U-shaped configuration to allow nesting. Optionally, the roll cage may include one or two hinged doors, to provide a three- or four-sided cage.

Another common type of roll cage has a three-sided cage comprising a rear panel and two side panels that are attached to the edges of the rear panel with vertical hinges, and a base plate that is attached to the chassis by a horizontal hinge. The hinges allow the side panels and the base plate to be folded flat against the rear panel, so that the empty roll cage can be nested with other similar cages. The roll cage may also include a pivotable shelf attached to the rear panel to accommodate additional goods. The shelf can be folded against the rear panel for nesting. The fourth side of the cage is normally left open. However, the roll cage may optionally include a door that is hinged to one of the side panels and a top hinged to the upper edge of the rear panel, which can be closed and locked for secure storage of valuable goods.

In both of the existing roll cages described above, the panels and the base plate, as well as the optional shelf, door and top are normally constructed from welded steel wire.

There are a number of problems associated with existing roll cages. First, they tend to be very noisy to use, as the vertical panels and the base plate rattle loudly when the roll cage is moved around, and the base plate may be dropped heavily onto the chassis when a nested cage is being made ready for use. This can cause environmental problems, particularly where shops are located in residential areas, and their use can be restricted by laws banning noisy activities at night or in the early hours of the morning. The existing roll cages are also prone to rust or damage, and repair costs tend to be high owing to the welded construction of the cage components. Such roll cages are also quite heavy (for example 40- 60 kg), which makes them difficult to move and has an impact on the useful payload that can be carried by delivery vehicles.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a roll cage, and a base plate for a roll cage, that mitigates at least some of the aforesaid disadvantages.

According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a roll cage including a chassis having wheels or castors, a plurality of vertical panels attached to and supported by the chassis, and a roll cage base plate that is made substantially or wholly of a plastics material and is attached to the chassis by means of a hinge structure, allowing the base to be configured in a loading condition or a nesting condition, wherein the base plate includes a first hinge structure located adjacent one edge of the plate and an alternative hinge structure located adjacent another edge of the plate.

A plastics base plate provides numerous advantages over previous metal base plates. In particular, the base plate is much quieter in use, as it is softer and less resonant than the wire base plates previously used. It is also lighter and cheaper, rustproof and resistant to accidental damage.

The base plate includes a plurality of hinge structures located adjacent different edges of the plate. In the event that one of the hinge structures becomes damaged, the base plate can be easily removed and relocated using another one of the binge structures, thereby considerably extending the lifetime of the product. The hinge structures enable the base plate to be raised, allowing the roll cage to be nested with similar roll cages.

Advantageously, each hinge structure is moulded integrally with the base plate.

Advantageously, each hinge structure includes a plurality of pivot pins. Each pivot pin is preferably located in a recess in an edge of the base plate. Advantageously, the base plate comprises a blow moulding. This results in a plate that is light and strong, and has good sound-absorbing properties. Alternatively, the base plate may be made by other moulding processes, for example injection moulding or rotational moulding.

The base plate may include a number of strengthening formations, for example corrugations.

According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a base plate for a roll cage, wherein the base plate is made substantially or wholly of a plastics material and includes a hinge structure for attaching the base plate to the chassis and allowing the base to be configured in a loading condition or a nesting condition, wherein the base plate includes a first hinge structure located adjacent one edge of the plate and an alternative hinge structure located adjacent another edge of the plate. Advantageously, the base plate is suitable for use with a roll cage according to the preceding statements of invention.

According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a base plate for a roll cage that is made substantially or wholly of a plastics material, for example medium density polyethylene (MDPE).

According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a roll cage including a chassis having wheels or castors, a plurality of vertical panels attached to and supported by the chassis, and a roll cage base plate according to any one of the preceding statements of invention.

Advantageously, the roll cage base plate is attached to the chassis by means of a hinge structure.

We have found that by making the base plate of the roll cage from a plastics material, the roll cage can be made much quieter in use. This is because in a traditional wire roll cage, most of the noise arises from the base plate banging against the chassis and the two side panels. The plastics base plate is softer than a wire cage base plate and does not resonate so much when banged against the chassis or the side panels, therefore making the roll cage much quieter to use. The plastics base plate is also lighter than a metal base plate, it does not rust and has good resistance to damage. Furthermore, fabrication costs are lower, as it can be moulded as a single unit (for example by blow moulding) whereas the metal base plate is constructed from many parts, which have to be welded together.

One disadvantage of using a plastics material for the roll cage base plate is that the moulded hinge structure used to attach the base plate to the chassis can eventually become damaged, if subjected to excessive loads. Therefore, according to the invention, the roll cage base plate is provided with more than one hinge structure, to provide an alternative hinge structure if the first hinge structure becomes damaged. This feature significantly extends the potential useful lifetime of the plastics roll cage base plate.

The use of a plastics material also provides a number of other advantages over traditional steel wire cages. For example, the base plate can be made in desired corporate colours, and logos or advertising slogan can easily be incorporate into the design of the base plate.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is an isometric view of a roll cage in a loading configuration;

Figure 2 is an isometric view of a roll cage in a nesting configuration;

Figure 3 is an isometric view of a roll cage base plate; and

Figure 4 is a plan view of the roll cage base plate.

The roll cage 2 shown in Figures 1 and 2 includes two vertical side panels 4 mounted on a tubular steel chassis 6, which is supported on four castors 8. The chassis has a Z-shaped configuration, comprising two parallel side members 10 and a diagonal cross-member 12 that interconnects the side members. The cage 2 also includes a substantially rectangular base plate 14 that is attached to one of the chassis side members by means of a horizontal hinge structure 16, comprising two pivot pins 18 that are engaged in steel tubes 19 welded to the chassis. The hinge structure 16 allows the base plate 14 to be laid horizontally so that it lies on top of the chassis 6 for loading as shown in Figure 1, or raised to a vertical position as shown in Figure 2 so that it stands flat against one of the side panels 4. In this vertical position, the empty roll cage can be nested with other similar cages, to reduce the space occupied by the empty cages. The Z-shaped configuration of the chassis 6 allows nesting. Optionally, the roll cage 2 may include one or two doors (not shown), which are attached by hinges to the side panels 4 of the cage to provide a three- or four-sided cage.

As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the base plate 14 consists essentially of a rectangular panel, having two longer sides 20a and two shorter sides 20b. The corners of the panel are rounded. The panel is made wholly or substantially of a plastics material such as medium density polyethylene (MDPE), for example by blow moulding, rotational moulding or injection moulding. On its underside, the panel includes strengthening formations 22 (for example, corrugations) and a Z-shaped formation 24 that is configured to engage the side members and the cross-member of the chassis 6 when the base plate is in the horizontal loading position.

A hinge structure 16 is provided on each of the two longer sides of the base plate. Each hinge structure includes two pivot pins 18, which are of similar construction. Each pivot pin 18 is formed in a recess 26 provided in the edge 20a of the base plate 14 and extends from one side of the recess towards the other side of the recess, the axis of the pin being parallel to the longer edge 20a of the base plate.

In use, the pivot pins 18 are located within cylindrical steel tubes 19 that are welded to the chassis 6 of the roll cage. The pivot pins 18 can rotate within the tubes, allowing the base plate 14 to be pivoted from the horizontal loading position in which it lies against the chassis, to the vertical nesting position. The base plate 14 can be removed from the roll cage by sliding it in the direction of the hinge axis, to disengage the pins from the tubes. If one set of pivot pins becomes damaged, the base plate 14 can be removed and turned around so that the alternative set of pivot pins can be engaged in the pivot tubes. If desired, locking devices (for example, split pins) can be inserted through the ends of the pivot pins 18 to prevent unintended disengagement.

The base plate 14 also includes a pair of hand holes 28, which are used when lifting or lowering the base plate. These hand holes are optional and may be omitted, if not required. Each hand hole includes a short spigot 30, which can be attached to a retaining loop or strap (not shown) provided on one of the side panels 4, to retain the base plate 14 in the vertical nesting position.

The base plate 14 includes a pattern of raised bumps 32 on its upper surface for increased friction, and on each of the shorter sides 20b of the base plate a raised ridge 34 is provided, to prevent goods from sliding off the base plate. These bumps 32 and ridges 34 may be omitted if not required.

The plastics base plate 14 described above is equally applicable to other types of roll cage that require a hinged base plate. For example, the base plate may be used with a three-sided roll cage having a rear panel and two side panels attached to the edges of the rear panel. In this case, the base plate would be attached to the chassis by means of a horizontal hinge that extends parallel to the rear panel.

Various modifications of the invention are of course possible. For example, the plastics base plate may include a reinforcing frame of metal or any other suitable material, encased within the plastics material. Each of the hinge structures may include more than two pivot pins, for example three or four pivot pins. The hinge structures may also take other forms: for example, piano-hinges may be used. Hinge structures may also be provided on more than two sides of the base plate for an even longer lifetime.

Claims

1. A roll cage including a chassis having wheels or castors, a plurality of vertical panels attached to and supported by the chassis, and a roll cage base plate that is made substantially or wholly of a plastics material and is attached to the chassis by means of a hinge structure, allowing the base to be configured in a loading condition or a nesting condition, wherein the base plate includes a first hinge structure located adjacent one edge of the plate and an alternative hinge structure located adjacent another edge of the plate.

2. A roll cage according to claim 1 , wherein each hinge structure is moulded integrally with the base plate.

3. A roll cage according to claim 2, wherein each hinge structure includes a plurality of pivot pins.

4. A roll cage according to claim 3, wherein each pivot pin is located in a recess in an edge of the base plate.

5. A roll cage according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the base plate comprises a blow moulding.

6. A roll cage according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the base plate includes a number of strengthening formations.

7. A base plate for a roll cage, wherein the base plate is made substantially or wholly of a plastics material and includes a hinge structure for attaching the base plate to the chassis and allowing the base to be configured in a loading condition or a nesting condition, wherein the base plate includes a first hinge structure located adjacent one edge of the plate and an alternative hinge structure located adjacent another edge of the plate.

8. A base plate according to claim 7, wherein each hinge structure is moulded integrally with the base plate.

9. A base plate according to claim 7 or claim 8, wherein each hinge structure includes a plurality of pivot pins.

10. A base plate according to claim 9, wherein each pivot pin is located in a recess in an edge of the base plate.

11. A base plate according to any one of claims 7 to 10, wherein the base plate comprises a blow moulding.

12. A base plate according to any one of claims 7 to 11 , wherein the base plate includes a number of strengthening formations.

13. A base plate for a roll cage, wherein the base plate is made substantially or wholly of a plastics material.

14. A base plate according to claim 13, wherein the base plate includes a hinge structure located adjacent at least one edge of the plate.

15. A base plate according to claim 14, wherein the hinge structure is moulded integrally with the base plate.

16. A base plate according to claim 14 or claim 15 , wherein the hinge structure includes a plurality of pivot pins.

17. . A base plate according to claim 16, wherein each pivot pin is located in a recess in one edge of the base plate.

18. A base plate according to any one of claims 14 to 17, wherein the base plate includes a plurality of hinge structures located adjacent different edges of the plate.

19. A base plate according to any one of claims 14 to 18, wherein the base plate comprises a blow moulding.

20. A base plate according to any one of claims 14 to 19, wherein the base plate includes a number of strengthening formations.

21. A roll cage including a chassis having wheels or castors, a plurality of vertical panels attached to and supported by the chassis, and a roll cage base plate according to any one of claims 14 to 20.

22. A roll cage according to claim 21 , wherein the roll cage base plate is attached to the chassis by means of a hinge structure.