EP2000413B1 - Modular assembly for transporting and presenting products grouped together - Google Patents

Abstract

The assembly has an upper platform (2) placed on a pallet base (1) that comprises main central panel extended through lateral panels. End panels are perpendicularly extended, in a large dimension direction from the central panel, through complementary junction panels that are connected to the end panels by articulation plies. Junction panels are folded at 90 degrees and superimposed with a surface of assembling panels after assembling. The assembling panels comprise ends superimposed with an internal surface of the lateral panels after assembling.

Description

The invention relates to a modular assembly for the transport and presentation of products to be handled, stored, transported, and presented at the point of sale, a set composed, on the one hand, of a pallet partially or entirely made up of volume and assembled mechanically. and, on the other hand, a superposition of trays, trays or other containers constituting superimposed shelves spaced and interconnected by spacers contributing to the assembly, stacking resistance and consistency of the assembly .
This assembly is made from components manufactured with a semi-rigid sheet material such as cardboard or corrugated board by way of non-limiting example, one or more components may be optionally made of one or more other materials.

The invention can be applied to the transportation and sale of consumer goods, such as food or household boxes or sachets such as cleaning fluids or sponges, or small appliances or hardware. .

• La figure 1 représente une vue en volume, assemblé, prêt à être rempli, d'un ensemble comprenant une palette mécanisée, un plancher supérieur renfort de palette rapporté, un socle optionnel de rehaussement, de communication et de réserve potentielle de produits, des étagères contenant les produits à vendre et un jeu d'entretoises.
• La figure 2 représente les éléments du bas de l'ensemble de la vue 1, séparés les uns des autres.
• La figure 3 est une vue après mise en volume et assemblage de la palette et du plancher supérieur rapporté.
• La figure 4 est une vue à plat de la base de cette même palette avant mise en volume et assemblage.
• La figure 5 est une vue à plat d'une variante renforcée de cette base palette.
• La figure 6 est une vue à plat du plancher supérieur rapporté et complémentaire de la palette avant pliage et mise en place sur la base de la palette.
• La figure 7 est une vue à plat de ce même plancher supérieur rapporté dans sa version correspondant à la variante renforcée de la palette représentée par la figure 5
• La figure 8 est une vue à plat du socle de rehausse optionnel avant mise en volume.
• La figure 9 est une vue à plat d'une forme d'entretoise avant mise en volume.
• La figure 10 est une vue à plat d'un exemple de réalisation d'étagère de type plateau-barquette contenant les produits à transporter et présenter.
• les figures 11-1 et 11-2 représentent des sections horizontales type de deux variantes des renforts d'appui de la base palette.

The invention will be described by taking as an example the representation of an assembly for the transport and sale of confectionery bags. The sachets themselves are of no interest for understanding and will not be represented.

• The figure 1 represents a volume view, assembled, ready to be filled, of an assembly comprising a mechanized pallet, an upper floor pallet reinforcement added, an optional base of enhancement, communication and potential stock of products, shelves containing the products for sale and a set of spacers.
• The figure 2 represents the elements of the bottom of the whole of the view 1, separated from each other.
• The figure 3 is a view after volume and assembly of the pallet and the upper floor reported.
• The figure 4 is a flat view of the base of this same pallet before setting volume and assembly.
• The figure 5 is a flat view of a reinforced variant of this pallet base.
• The figure 6 is a flat view of the top floor added and complementary to the pallet before folding and placing on the base of the pallet.
• The figure 7 is a flat view of the same upper floor reported in its version corresponding to the reinforced variant of the pallet represented by the figure 5
• The figure 8 is a flat view of the optional riser base before volume.
• The figure 9 is a flat view of a form of spacer before setting volume.
• The figure 10 is a flat view of an exemplary shelf-tray style shelf containing the products to be transported and present.
• the Figures 11-1 and 11-2 represent typical horizontal sections of two variants of the support reinforcements of the pallet base.

There are many point-of-sale presentation packaging for stores in food distribution networks or home equipment such as multi-purpose supermarkets or specialized in food or DIY.
There are many packages that transport the products in addition to providing the presentation at the point of sale. To do this, these packages are usually based on a pallet that allows handling.
This palette is very commonly made of wood, sometimes plastic but rarely cardboard.
When this pallet is cardboard, it is usually not volume and mechanically assembled.
When this pallet is cardboard and assembled mechanically it is produced on specific assembly lines, slow and expensive.
The invention makes it possible to assemble the cardboard pallet or any other sheet material from existing machines on the market, of ordinary construction and usually intended for mounting packaging trays such as trays for fruits and vegetables.

This concerns the lowest part of the whole.
In the case of so-called ½ pallet or ¼ pallet palletizing modules (because the surface of their upper floor is substantially equal to 800 x 600 mm or 600 x 400 mm whereas the pallet size most commonly used in Europe for the consumer products has a floor of 1200 x 800 mm) it is no longer possible to have the ground connections to the ends of the largest dimension under penalty of not being able to pass a pallet truck even narrow under the load. It is therefore necessary to move one of the ground connections inwards in order to pass the forks of carts or pallet trucks on either side of this link to the ground.
By creating an upper floor attached to the previous base structure, but whose length is greater than that of this basic structure, the invention makes it possible at the same time to solve this problem by creating an overflowing part of a side beyond one of the links on the ground, and reinforce the structure in the upper part so that it better withstands the load above and that it is more resistant to the pressure of the forks of forklifts and pallet trucks below. The superposition of the thicknesses also makes it possible to limit the sagging of the floor.
There are also many sets of presentation on the point of sale of consumer products based on a palette.
There are many fewer that allow visibility and accessibility to their content from at least three sides and none can claim in this configuration a cohesion of all components together and with the pallet without additional means of attachment and modular such as we can add or remove shelves without compromising the coherence of the whole.
By its system of excrescences and successive recesses, complementary and coherent from the base to the last shelf, the invention provides a solution to the simultaneous constraints described above.

• une base de palette (1) mise en volume et assemblée chez le fabriquant de l'emballage ou dans un de ses centres de montage
• un plancher supérieur de palette rapporté (2),
• un socle optionnel (3) de rehaussement, de communication et de réserve potentielle de produits, son renfort intérieur également optionnel n'est pas représenté,
• des étagères (4) contenant les produits à vendre
• des entretoises (5) pour séparer ces étagères et les solidariser.

The whole represented on the figure 1 after setting volume and assembly but empty of any content and its lower part shown on the figure 2 includes:

• a pallet base (1) set up and assembled at the manufacturer of the packaging or in one of its assembly centers
• an upper pallet floor reported (2),
• an optional pedestal (3) for raising, communicating and potentially storing products, its optional interior reinforcement is not shown,
• shelves (4) containing products for sale
• spacers (5) for separating these shelves and to secure them.

According to figures 2 , 3 and 4 , the pallet base (1) is composed of a central upper part (6) extended on either side of its length by panels (7) to which it is connected by hinge folds (8) and extended on either side of its width by panels (9) to which it is connected by double articulation folds (10). All these panels are substantially rectangular.
The central part of this pallet base (6) concretes the upper floor on which rests directly or indirectly the palletized load which can be a display, a succession of shelves or any other stacking or grouping device or just the products to transport themselves.
The side panels (7) concretize the outer walls of the supports that are vertical after setting volume and assembly.
The panels (9) are repeating panels of the upper floor designed to strengthen the resistance. They are in horizontal position and substantially in planes parallel to the upper floor (6) with which they are superimposed after setting volume and assembly.

The side panels (7) are themselves extended towards the ends of their free edge each by two partial panels (11) with which they are connected by the hinge folds (12). These partial panels (11) are in horizontal position after setting volume and assembly and constitute the contact surfaces of the pallet with the ground at the base of the supports.
The side panels (7) are extended in the direction perpendicular to that of the previous extensions (11) by panels (13) to which they are connected by hinge folds (14) and which can be divided into several portions (13 '). , 13 "...) successively connected by hinge folds (14 ', 14" ...) to adopt various configurations constituting variants as represented by the figures 11 .
After setting volume and assembly, these extension panels (13) constitute the support reinforcements whose vertical walls (7) and horizontal (11) must be stiffened. To assemble together all these previously described panels, it is necessary to extend them selectively by portions of panels that constitute connecting tabs.
This is the case of the tabs (15) and (15 ') which extend the central panel (6) on either side of its width and lugs (16) which extend the partial panels (11) of the base of the supports being connected to these partial panels (11) by the hinge folds (17).
The tabs (15) and (15 ') are connected to the central panel (6) by one of the hinge folds (10) or by a substantially parallel fold if necessary.
The tabs (15) and (15 ') have different cutouts to better adapt to the resistance needs (lugs 15) or the reduced passage of the forks of the carriages (lugs 15').
The junction tabs are glued and, after setting volume of the main component (1) of the pallet and bending substantially at 90 °, are partially superimposed on the vertical reinforcing panels (13) which they become integral.
The ends (13 ") of the assembly panels (13) are glued and, after placing in volume of the main component (1) of the pallet are fixed in partial superposition on the inner surface of the side panels (7), thereby freezing the shape of the support reinforcements at the four corners of the pallet base.
According to Figures 2, 3, 4 and 6, 7, the protrusion (18) which may or may not be centered on the hinge fold (8), which it shares on one side of the central panel (6), is positioned in a recess (18 'and 18'') ) of the second component (2) which is the upper plate reported that it thus contributes to position accurately with respect to the pallet base serving as support abutment in the longitudinal direction and centering device in the transverse direction.
According to Figures 2, 3, 4 and 8 , the recesses (19) of the pallet base (1), located astride the other hinge fold (8) of the main panel (6) with the panel (7) which extends, allow to receive the growths of locking (19 ') of the third component which is the optional base (3) which makes it possible to make the base pallet (1) and the optional base (3) in solidarity with the panel (41) abutting on the plate (2). ) on the opposite side.
According to figure 5 , which represents a reinforced variant of the pallet base represented on the Figures 3 and 4 , the vertical panels (7) of the ground supports are extended by substantially equivalent panels (20) and optionally extended themselves by substantially equivalent panels (22) successively connected to each other by double hinge folds (21) then (23). After setting volume and before assembly of the pallet base (1), the panel (22) is folded over the panel (20) with which it is superimposed, then the set of two panels (20 and 22) thus folded is, in turn, folded over the panel (7) with which it comes superimposed. The panels (7, 20, 22) forming the main vertical portion of the floor support of the pallet base are located in substantially parallel planes and juxtaposed between them.
According to figure 5 and the figure 11 a variant of the support reinforcements (13) and their successive extensions (13 ') and (13 ") are represented, with this variant the horizontal section of the support reinforcement is no longer in the form called" delta ". "
represented on the figure 11-1 and in the previous figures 3 and 4, but in the form "L" represented on the figure 11-2 . Indeed, the median portion (13 ') of the support reinforcement extension (13) is folded in a double joint fold (14') on the main part of the same support reinforcement extension (13) before the assembly thus formed is connected to the main vertical ground support panel (7) by means of the end portion (13 '') of the extension (13) pivoting about a double hinge fold (14 ") The protrusion (24) secured to the medial portion (13 ') of the support reinforcement extension (13) is positioned during assembly in the recess (25) contiguous to the hinge fold (14) located between the main central panel (6) and the support reinforcement (13) The purpose of placing this protrusion (24) in the recess (25) is to maintain the juxtaposition of the median parts (13 ') and main (13) of the support reinforcement (13) in substantially parallel planes during the step of assembly volume of the pallet base (1).

According to figures 2 , 3 and 6 , the second component (2) of the assembly is the upper plate of reinforcement reported. This upper plate is composed of two panels (26) and (27) substantially symmetrical and interconnected by double articulation folds (28) which are themselves optionally interrupted by cuts (29) intended to reduce the folding resistance .
The setting up and assembly of this upper reinforcing plate component consists in folding one of the two panels (27) on the other (26) to bring them into contact with one another and to superimpose them in substantially parallel planes to form a double thickness and then position this reinforcement plate on the upper plate (6) of the pallet base (1), in contact and in a substantially parallel plane with the central panel (6) of the base pallet by partially overlapping it and allowing the excess surface to overflow on one side as shown in figure 3 . Complementary centering and support devices (18), (18 ') and (18'') previously described and aligned with each other, favoring the identification and positioning of the two components (1) and (2) between them.
The figure 7 represents a variant of the component (2) adapted to the reinforced version of the pallet base (1) of the figure 5 . The recess (30) arranged in the panel (26) of the upper reinforcing plate (2) then receives the other protrusion (18) extending one of the main vertical support panels (7) of the pallet base (1). ) near the fold (8) separating the central main panel (6) and one of the main vertical support panels (7).
According to figures 2 and 8 the optional pedestal component (3) is composed of an alternating succession of longitudinal panels (31 and 32) and transverse panels (33 and 34) connected by successive articulation folds (35, 36, 37) and terminated by a connecting lug (38) connected to the previous panel (34) by a hinge fold (39). The lengthwise panels (31 and 32) have approximately the shape of an "F" which corresponds globally for the parts (31 ') and (32') at the long sides of the extension and for the parts (31 "and 32") ), which extend the previous ones, to the cover of the reinforcements of the vertical supports of the pallet base (13) and the connecting tabs (15, 15 'and 16) fixed on these support reinforcements (13).
After putting in volume and assembly as shown on the figure 2 , this alternating succession of panels width and length sense connected by the bonded or stapled junction lug (38) connected to the panel (34) by the hinge fold (39) forms a belt of substantially rectangular horizontal section. One of the transverse panels (34) is extended by a panel (40) which comes perpendicular to this transverse panel (34) to lock it on the pallet base (1). This extension panel (40) has previously described locking protrusions (19 ') which take place in the recesses (19) of the pallet base (1) to become solid with this pallet base in a first direction.
In the other vertical direction, the other transverse panel (33) is also extended by a panel (41) whose large free edge (42) abuts on the common edge between one of the main vertical support panels (7) of the pallet base (1) and the lower panel of the attached upper floor (2) thus completing to secure the optional extension socket (3) with the pallet base (1) opposite the previous lock (19 -19 '). The side panel (33) is connected to its extension (41) by a double articulation fold (43). The side panel (34) is connected to its extension (40) by a single or double hinge fold (44).
In contrast to the panels (40) and (41), the alternating succession of longitudinal panels (31 and 32) and transverse panels (33 and 34) is extended by a succession of flap panels (45) connected to the previous ones by a broken line of hinge folds (46). At the setting volume and assembly of the base, these panels flaps (45) will be folded and folded horizontally perpendicular to the succession of longitudinal and transverse panels (31, 32, 33, 34). To receive the upper components (4 and 5) of the assembly and to allow their assembly and secure locking directly with the raising base and indirectly with the pallet base (1) and its upper reinforcement plate (2), lights ( 47, 48, 49) are provided in the flap panels (45). These lights are designed to receive the low protrusions (50) of the spacers (5).
According to figures 2 and 9 , is shown a form of spacer (5) non-limiting and not restrictive for the invention.
This spacer (5) is composed of a substantially rectangular central panel (51) extended by substantially rectangular panels (52 and 53) themselves extended by respective substantially rectangular panels (54 and 55). The variant represented on the figures 2 and 9 has a U-shaped horizontal section whose two panels constituting the walls of the ends (52 and 53) are respectively redoubled by the panels (54 and 55) after setting volume. The central panel (51) is connected to the panels which directly extend it (52 and 53) by hinge folds (56 and 57). The extension panels (52 and 53) are themselves connected panels that extend in turn (54 and 55) by double folds of articulation (58 and 59).
On one side of this succession of panels (54, 52, 51, 53, 55), protuberances (50) extend these panels to come during assembly to be housed in the lower part in the recesses (50 ') of the spacer below and in recesses (61 and 61 ') of the base of the fourth shelf-like component (4) from below. On the other side of this succession of panels (54, 52, 51, 53, 55) protrusions (60) extend these panels to come during assembly to be housed in the upper part in recesses (60 ') of the spacer above and in recesses (61 and 61 ') of the base of the fourth shelf-like component (4) from above. These devices ensure the assembly of the front half of the set volume.
For the rear half, the spacers are provided with protuberances (62) which extend these spacers at the level of the dihedrons between the central panel (51) and its immediate extension panels (52 and 53) upwards when the spacer is in position. volume. In the same situation, recesses (62 ') are arranged at the bottom of the spacers also at the level of the dihedra between the central panel (51) and its immediate extension panels (52 and 53). The upper protuberances (62) of a spacer are housed in the corresponding recesses (62 ') of the spacer immediately above and in the recesses (63, 63', 64 and 64 ') of the shelf (4). located immediately above.
The spacers (5) which are represented in the form of a cut-out making it possible to form a U with redoubled ends in horizontal section are not the only way to achieve the spacing, the coherence and the stacking strength of the different elements. successive stages of the transport and presentation package. In other applications, parallelepipeds of rectangular section or crosspieces are used.
The shelf-like components (4) shown on the figures 2 and 10 in the form of trays with double-sided front and side walls and rear splashback are only a form limiting embodiment of the shelves whose structure itself is not the subject of the invention and will not be described accordingly. Accessibility by at least three of the sides of the shelf critically depends on the set of spacers, and the functionality of the shelf is to support products without sagging and possibly preventing them from sliding by means of a rim, but there are many known ways to provide solutions to these requirements.

Claims (5)

1. A modular assembly for transporting and exhibiting products to be handled, stored, transported and exhibited at the point of sale, produced from a semi-rigid material in sheet form, an assembly composed firstly of a pallet base (1) partially or entirely made up and assembled mechanically, and of a top deck (2) attached to this pallet base, and composed secondly of an optional pedestal (3), of a superimposition of plates, trays or other containers constituting superimposed shelves (4) spaced apart and connected together by struts (5), characterised by:

   a pallet base comprising a substantially rectangular main central panel (6),

   - this main central panel (6) is extended in the direction of its greatest length by substantially rectangular side panels (7) connected to this main central panel (6) by articulation folds (8) and extended themselves in the same direction by partial panels (11) connected to the previous panels by articulation folds (12), and also extended in the other perpendicular direction by assembly panels (13) connected to the previous ones (7) by articulation folds (14) and divisible into several parts (13') and (13") by complementary articulation folds (14' and 14"),

   - this main central panel (6) is extended in the perpendicular direction, that of the width thereof, by panels (9) for partial doubling of the main central panel (6), and to which they are connected by double articulation folds (10),

   - this main central panel (6) is extended in the direction of its smallest dimension and close to the four corners thereof by complementary joining panels (15 and 15'), to which it is connected by articulation folds substantially continuing the articulation folds (10) of the aforesaid doubling panels (9) with this main central panel (6),

   - partial end panels (11) in the direction of the largest dimension of the main central panel (6) are extended perpendicularly by complementary joining panels (16) connected with the partial end panels (11) by articulation folds (17),

   - an assembly, by adhesive bonding or any other means, after erection, of the joining panels (15, 15' and 16) folded at 90° and in partial superimposition and in substantially parallel planes with part of the surface of the assembly panels (13),

   - an assembly, by adhesive bonding or any other means, after erection, of the ends (13") of the assembly panels (13) in partial superimposition with the internal surface of the side panels (7).
2. A transportation and display assembly and the pallet base (1) thereof according to claim 1, characterised by a second complementary component (2) of the attached upper floor type complementary to the pallet base (1), comprising two substantially symmetrical panels (26 and 27) connected together by a double articulation fold at 180° (28) and provided with centring and abutment recesses (18', 18" and optionally 30) complementary to the devices (18) projecting from the other components (1 and 3) and positioned with projection on one of the four sides of the main central panel of the pallet base (2).
3. A transportation and display assembly and the pallet base (1) thereof according to claim 1, characterised by a complementary third component (3) of the pedestal-upright type in the form of a joined belt composed of the succession of four side panels (31, 33, 32, 34) and a joining lug (38) and extended on one side by complementary assembly and locking panels with the first two components (40, 41) and extended on the opposite side by a succession of flaps (45) provided with assembly recesses (47, 48, 49) with the complementary component of the strut (5) type.
4. A transportation and display assembly and the pallet base (1) thereof according to claim 1, characterised by a fourth complementary component (5) of the strut type, with a U-shaped horizontal section with doubled ends after erection, and composed of a central panel (51) extended by two complementary panels (52) and (53) themselves extended respectively by end panels (54 and 55), this succession being provided on one side with protrusions (50) and recesses (60' and 62') and, on the opposite side, protrusions (60 and 62) and recesses (50') in relationship with the similar protrusions on identical components (5) or in relationship with the recesses in the pedestal-upright (47, 46, 49) and/or shelves (61, 61', 63, 63', 64, 64').
5. A transportation and display assembly and the pallet base (1) thereof according to claim 1, characterised by reinforcements (20, 22) for this pallet base successively extending the side panels (7) and connected respectively by successive double articulation folds (21, 23) to the previous panels.

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