EP2163484B1 - Transport container - Google Patents

Abstract

The transport container comprises an inner space for receiving the packaged goods surrounding a side wall which comprises a handle, particularly above a passage opening (2). A bar (3) forms a handle component (6) of the handle, where another handle component (10) of the handle is rotationally mounted.

Description

The invention relates to a transport container for storage and transport of lot or piece goods with at least one, an interior for receiving the lot or piece surrounding the side wall, wherein the side wall has at least one handle which is arranged in particular above a passage opening, which with a upper edge of the side wall bounded by a web of the side wall.

Transport containers of this type are hand-portable containers for household, commercial, industrial or other use in a tradable size, which are widely known in the prior art. These transport containers relate, for example, closed small containers or tanks, open boxes, such as beverage or bottle crates, flat stairs or trays (flat box-shaped or cup-shaped containers). When filled, these transport containers can have quite large weight loads and require considerable carrying power when carried by hand. Often, a handle is formed on the webs of the opposite side walls of the transport container for load distribution when carrying by hand. Efforts are known from the prior art to improve the carrying properties of the transport containers in such a way that the physical stress on arms and hands when carrying the transport container is reduced. In particular, efforts are made to form the handle so that a sufficiently large gripping surface is provided for transmitting power via the supporting hand.

From the DE 10 2006 038 883 A1 a container is known in which the handle portion has two cup-shaped plastic parts, which are connected via a plastic bridge and form a hollow profile in the closed state. The grip area is provided with a covering layer of soft plastic which partially covers the plastic parts. This provides a large-volume grip area with a softer surface at the same time, but for reasons of space the handle profile is directed into the interior of the container. On the one hand, the grip area impedes the loading of the container. On the other hand, this arrangement of the handle construction when carrying the container even more unpleasant wearing properties. The inwardly staggered and relatively wide base of the handle construction is the less encompassed by the hands from above, so that not the entire hand but mainly only the fingers or fingertips are included in the load distribution and thus take over the entire load with painful effect ,

However, over the outer contour of the container projecting handle contour leads to undesirably large, horizontal space requirement, which are kept for the container during palletizing. In addition, the wider compared to the side wall handle construction affects the stackability of the crates. The economic applicability of bottle crates, however, is determined to a considerable extent by their logistical suitability.

The object of the invention is to improve the wearing properties of the transport container, taking into account the logistical usage requirements, in particular to make a handle with improved comfort.

The object is achieved by a transport container according to the features of claim 1.

The features of the dependent claims relate to advantageous embodiments and developments of the invention, which also emerge from the following description and the accompanying drawings.

According to claim 1 it is provided that the web forms a first handle component of the handle on which a second handle component of the handle is rotatably mounted, wherein the second handle component is connected by means of a third handle component of the handle elastically with the first handle component and / or the side wall ,

The handle according to the invention is designed to be rotatable by means of the three handle components and in particular due to the choice of material for the third handle component elastic. The web forms the rotationally fixed support for the rotatable arrangement of the second handle component, whereby the rotational movement of the handle is ensured by means of the second handle component. It is of course understood by the invention that the second handle component may have different handle shapes adapted according to the usage requirements. The rotational movement of the handle is superimposed by the elastic, third handle component in the manner of a spring element. When a force is applied to the handle of this is rotated according to the direction of force from a rest position. When picking up the transport container, the handle can turn as a result of the load application according to the typical arm or hand posture from a space-economical position under construction of restoring forces to the outside. The handle fits better in the hand and thus conveys a high wearing comfort. With this design according to the invention an ergonomic handle is provided. Due to the structure of restoring forces as a result of the elastic twistability of the third handle component results in a very significant advantage in the handling of such containers, especially crates while carrying in the filled state, since during rocking movements of the carried container, the elastic component as a damping spring in consequence of the respective Structure of restoring forces acts and thus an extraordinarily quiet wearing behavior is ensured even with heavyweight containers. Depending on the choice of the elastic material, the torsion module can be selected accordingly, so that an adaptation to the size and weight of such containers is possible because the Torsionsmodul the handle part can be matched to the loads to be supported. For the construction of elastic restoring forces, it is in principle already sufficient if the elastic component is integrally formed with the side wall of the container. In a further development, however, it is expedient in this case also a material connection with respect to the web and / or the second handle component.

The acting as a spring element third handle component generated with the rotational position of the handle a corresponding restoring force, which rotates the handle upon discharge in the space-saving position.

In an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the web has a substantially rod-shaped web portion, which forms an axis on which the second handle component is rotatably mounted.

An advantageous design of the handle results from the fact that the second handle component is designed as a longitudinally extended handle. The handle bar, which extends longitudinally along the web, can thereby be stably mounted on the web or on the first handle component. In addition, the elongated handle bar provides a generous handle length and width. With the rotation of the handle, the side surfaces of the handle bar rotate into the palm of your hand and increase the actively available grip surface.

In an advantageous embodiment, the gripping strip consists of a hollow body in which an axis at least partially enclosing sliding bearing is formed. This is a particularly weight and material-saving embodiment of the handle bar, wherein the integrated sliding bearing at the same time ensures a reliable rotatable mounting of the handle on the rod-shaped axis.

Preferably, the third handle component consists of a handle casing made of elastic plastic, which at least partially surrounds the first and the second handle component, wherein the handle casing is firmly connected both to the second handle component and to the first handle component and / or the side wall. According to this embodiment, the rotational movement of the second handle component is superimposed by the elasticity of the elastic grip shell. The spring element results as a result of the local fixation of the elastic grip against the web or the side wall. With exercise of the carrying load, the grip coat rotates in the region of the second handle component with this, whereas he at the web, but explicitly in the adjacent areas outside the web section, and / or is fixed to the side wall, which ultimately causes a twist of the handle. The possible angle of rotation of the second handle component is significantly determined by the respective modulus of elasticity and the thickness of the plastic material of the grip. The soft plastic of the grip also gives a pleasant grip. This also makes the handle better in the hand and increases the wearing comfort.

If the handle is in a starting position of the second handle component, the handle assumes a largely tension-free rest position, formed substantially plane-parallel to the side wall, the handle is the parked transport container not on the side wall, so that an unhindered and space-saving palletizing the transport boxes is possible.

In an advantageous embodiment, the second handle component is limitedly deflectable by means of a rotation angle limiting device. Thus, the second handle component can be swung under load in a limited rotation angle range around its initial position, with over-tightening of the second handle component and thus overuse of the plastic sheath is reliably avoided even at very high load.

It is particularly advantageous if the second handle component is deflectable up to a rotational position with a rotation angle of approximately +/- 20 °, preferably of approximately +/- 10 ° relative to the starting position. The specified advantageous limits of the rotation angle means with respect to a substantially vertically oriented side wall of the transport container, a maximum inclination of the handle of about 20 ° or 10 ° relative to the vertical. The pivoting of the handle up to this maximum inclination corresponds to an ergonomically favorable deflection of the handle in adaptation to the variable hand position when lifting, lowering and carrying conventional transport containers.

If the second handle component can be deflected in only one direction of rotation relative to the starting position, the position of the handle in the rest position can be stabilized on one side, since in this case the reverse rotation of the second handle component in the opposite direction of rotation, in which the restoring force of the elastic third Handle component acts, is limited to the rotation angle of the starting position and thus the load-free second handle component remains more reliable stored in the starting position. In this context, an embodiment of the invention is detected, in which the third handle component is connected to the web or the side wall so that it exerts a certain bias against the limited to the rotation angle of the starting position second handle component, so as to the handle with a keep low pressure force in the rest position.

In a particular embodiment, the second handle component in a rotational position and / or in the starting position can be determined. Thus, the handle can be locked if necessary in any rotational position, but especially in the starting position of the second handle component. In the latter case, for example, during transport of the transport container by a vehicle, the handle in a parallel orientation to the side wall can be sufficiently secured against damage.

In a preferred embodiment, the rotational angle limiting device is designed such that the axis has a stop element which extends into a radially adjacent to the sliding bearing cavity of the hollow body of the handle and has an axial clearance fit to the wall of the hollow body. Thus, the rotation of the handle bar both in the clockwise direction and counterclockwise by the abutment of the surrounding boundary walls of the cavity is limited to the fixed axis with the stop element. The axial arrangement of the stop element and its designed clearance against the hollow body decisively determine the possible rotational angle range of the relative rotational adjustment of the handle bar relative to the axis.

If the stop element is elongate the axis formed, a high load capacity can be transmitted to the stop element and on the axis when deflecting the handle bar under load, which improves the stability of the handle.

Preferably, the handle is multi-part, in particular of two strip parts, formed so that the strip parts of the handle bar can be laterally attached to the web, in particular around the axis and completed the handle. Thus, the web can be made in one piece with axis, for example by injection molding, with the transport container. If the handle strip consists of a hollow body, the strip parts are correspondingly schatenförmig.

In an expedient embodiment, the handle strip made of plastic. As a result, the handle bar not only has a low weight. The ergonomically demanding shape of the handle bar or its strip parts are therefore with little effort, e.g. by injection molding, producible.

In a practical embodiment, the strip parts are connected to one another by means of a film hinge, which substantially facilitates the assembly of the gripping strip. With the help of the easy to produce by injection molding connection the strip parts are pre-assembled to each other and can be easily bent around the film hinge and assembled to the finished, the axis enclosing handle.

The stability of the handle is also improved in that the web or the first handle component has ribs. In addition, the ribbing allows explicitly in the adjacent areas of the web outside the web portion a better anchorage of the grip with the web.

If the surface of the handle bar profiled formed, this leads to an improved anchoring of the grip with the handle bar. Preferably, the handle bar knob-like and / or rib-like projections, so that in particular the mass of the applied for the grip shell elastic plastic material is minimized, which is relatively expensive compared to the usable plastic material for the handle bar.

In a preferred embodiment, the grip shell of TPE or soft polyethylene (PE) or comparable suitable plastics. These plastics are elastic, reversibly deformable materials with a certain resistance to deformation, which are characterized by a high clamping force and a good ergonomic gripping behavior and thus ensure a particularly pleasant grip of the grip.

Fig. 1

eine perspektivische Ansicht einer Grundform der Seitenwand eines Flaschen- kastens,

Fig. 2

eine perspektivische Ansicht der Seitenwand mit einer Griffleiste und einem Griffmantel in Teilansicht,

Fig. 3

eine perspektivische Ansicht der Seitenwand mit einem komplettierten Hand- griff,

Fig. 4

eine Seitenansicht der Seitenwand nach Fig. 2,

Fig. 5

eine Draufsicht auf zwei schalenförmige Leistenteile der Griffleiste,

Fig. 6

eine Seitenansicht der schalenförmigen Leistenteile,

Fig. 7

eine Schnittdarstellung in Schnitt A-A der schalenförmigen Leistenteile nach Fig. 5,

Fig. 8

eine Schnittdarstellung in Schnitt B-B der Seitenwand nach Fig. 4 in einer Ausgangsstellung der Griffleiste,

Fig. 9

eine Schnittdarstellung in Schnitt B-B der Seitenwand nach Fig. 4 in einer Drehstellung der Griffleiste.

The transport container according to the invention is explained in more detail using an exemplary embodiment with reference to a bottle crate. The accompanying drawings show in a schematic representation in FIG

Fig. 1

a perspective view of a basic shape of the side wall of a bottle crate,

Fig. 2

a perspective view of the side wall with a handle strip and a handle shell in partial view,

Fig. 3

a perspective view of the side wall with a complete handle,

Fig. 4

a side view of the side wall after Fig. 2 .

Fig. 5

a top view of two cup-shaped strip parts of the handle,

Fig. 6

a side view of the cup-shaped strip parts,

Fig. 7

a sectional view in section AA of the cup-shaped strip parts after Fig. 5 .

Fig. 8

a sectional view in section BB of the sidewall after Fig. 4 in a starting position of the handle,

Fig. 9

a sectional view in section BB of the sidewall after Fig. 4 in a rotational position of the handle.

Fig. 1 shows a side wall 1 of a bottle crate, which is formed by four, substantially vertical side walls and a box bottom and is used for the storage and transport of beverage bottles (not shown). The four side walls enclose an interior with a compartment for holding the beverage bottles. The side wall 1 shown has, above a passage opening 2 on a web 3 with a rod-shaped web portion 4, which is formed as an axis 5, but may also be formed from two stub axles arranged on both sides. If necessary, form two mutually on both sides of the web section 4 adjoining edge portions 6, 7 of the web 3 a transition to the side wall 1 and are fan-shaped expanded. The web 3 with the axis 5 and the edge portions 6, 7 is expediently part of the basic shape of the side wall 1 and made in one piece with the side wall 1 by injection molding. The web 3 has in its edge portions 6, 7 a plurality of ribs 8 to various, explained in more detail below purposes. On the axis 5, an elongated stop member 9 is formed in the form of a radially projecting extension 9 of the axis 5, as well visible in Fig. 1 is shown. The visible recesses on the axis 5 and on the extension 9 are merely the usual in plastic moldings material reduction.

According to the Fig. 2 and 4 the axis 5 is encompassed by a handle strip 10, which here consists of two shell-shaped strip parts 11a, 11b made of plastic, which are connected to each other via a film hinge 12. In the cup-shaped strip parts 11a, 11b (closer in Fig. 5 to 7 shown) is in each case a bearing shell 13a, 13b formed to form a sliding or pivot bearing 14 for the rotatable mounting of the handle strip 10 on the axis 5. By bending the film hinge 12, the strip parts 11a, 11b can be placed around the axis 5 and closed to form a hollow body, which forms the grip strip 10 with the bearing 14, as in also in FIG Fig. 8 and 9 is illustrated. The strip parts 11a, 11b are, as in the present example, locked together either by means of a clip fastener 15, but can also be welded or glued.

This is the from the Fig. 2 and 4 Ansatzweise apparent handle shell 16 made of a particularly elastic plastic, such as TPE, applied by injection molding, preferably sprayed. The grip shell 16 covers, in the manner of a plastic pad 16, the handle bar 10 and the edge portions 6, 7 of the web 3 in a profile-balancing cross section, which gives the final grippy shape of a handle 17, as from Fig. 3 is apparent. The width 18 of the handle 17 is substantially adapted to the thickness 19 of the side wall 1, so that the handle 17 is flush with the side wall 1 (see also Fig. 8 ). At the front, the grip casing 16 congruently joins the connecting surfaces 20, 21 of the side wall 1 facing the web 3 (see also FIG Fig. 1 ).

The sprayed-on plastic jacket 16 forms a firm connection on the one hand with the surface of the handle strip 10 and on the other hand with the surfaces of the web 3 in its edge sections 6, 7 as well as with the connection surfaces 20, 21 of the side wall 1. The fan-shaped shape of the edge sections 6, 7 with the attached ribs 8 in addition to a stabilization of the web 3 and a sustainable anchoring of the grip shell 16 with the web. 3

To achieve good adhesion of the plastic sheath 16 with the handle strip 10, the surface of the handle bar 10 may be formed profiled in a special way. How out Fig. 2 and 3 By way of example, the cup-shaped strip parts 11a, 11b have outwardly projecting nubs 22. In an alternative design of the strip parts 11a, 11b after Fig. 4 Nubs 22 are also provided, but which are connected to diagonal ribs 23. To illustrate Fig. 5 to 7 the unfolded strip parts 11a, 11b in various embodiments of the surface design. The top of the plane in the drawing level strip part 1 1 b has an embodiment with individual studs 22, while the lower part 11a shows the alternative embodiment, which in addition to the studs 22, the diagonal ribs 23 provides. In the practical embodiment of the handle strip 10, the two strip parts 11a, 11b are expediently formed in a uniform embodiment with respect to the surface.

This adhesion-improving surface design of the strip parts 11a, 11b also reduces the aufzuspritzende amount of elastic plastic for the grip casing 16 in the region of the handle bar 10, since this material is relatively expensive. When so completed handle 17, the soft plastic cushion 16 of the grip 16 is interspersed with the firmer plastic material of the handle bar 10, which also supports the grip stability of the handle 17 in this area.

The Fig. 8 and 9 each show a sectional view BB through the upper portion of the side wall 1 after Fig. 4 with the handle bar 10 and the handle shell 16 completed handle 17. The two strip parts 11a, 11b result in the closed state, the hollow body of the handle bar 10, in which in addition to the sliding bearing 14 for the axis 5, a radially adjoining the sliding bearing 14 cavity 24th is trained. The cavity 24 is enclosed by two elongate shell walls 25a, 25b and two end shell walls 26a, 26b, 27a, 27b of the two shell-shaped strip parts 11a, 11b, wherein only a frontal shell wall 26a, 26b in Fig. 8 and 9 you can see. (The frontal shell wall 27a, 27b is in 6 and 7 visible). The radial extension 9 of the axis 5 extends into the cavity 24, wherein the extension 9 has a smaller cross section than the cross section of the cavity 24. Here, especially the remaining axial clearance between the extension 9 and the two shell walls 25a, 25b of the strip parts 11, a, 11b considerable, which helps to a limited rotational mobility of the handle bar 10 about the axis 5, since the extension acts as a rotation limiting stop element.

The FIGS. 8th and 9 refer to a handle 17 in a left side wall 1 of the bottle crate, in which the indicated interior 28 of the bottle crate is in the plane of the right of the side wall 1. Accordingly, hereinafter, the rail part 11a, which is located on the right of a center line 29 of the side wall 1 in the drawing, will be referred to as the inner rail part 11a and the rail part 11b located on the left of the center line 29 will be referred to as the outer rail part 11b. Likewise, the extension 9 has a right inner stop side 30a and a left outer stop side 30b. The outer abutment side 30b is formed vertically and parallel to the center line 29 of the side wall 1, while the inner abutment side 30a is formed obliquely to the center line 29.

In Fig. 8 is the handle 17 in an initial position of the handle 10 can be seen. The handle 17 is formed in this position substantially flush and plane-parallel to the side wall 1 of the bottle crate and aligned, ie without over the side wall 1. The shell wall 25b of the outer strip part 11b lies flush against the outer stop side 30b of the extension 9. As a result, the handle 17 can not be pivoted into the interior 28 of the bottle crate.

Under the load, so when engaging in the passage opening 2, detecting the handle 17 and lifting the bottle crate, the handle bar 10 is deflected in the direction of rotation 31 to the outside until the shell wall 25a of the inner rail portion 11a abuts flat against the inner stop side 30a of the extension 9 , as in Fig. 9 is shown. At the same time, the grip casing 16, which is connected by means of the studs 22 fixed to the handle bar 10, together with the handle bar 10. In contrast, the grip shell 16 in the region of the edge portions 6, 7 of the web 3 is rotationally fixed relative to the side wall 1, so that the Handle 17 is deformed in itself by torsion.

The thus deformed handle 17 adapts ergonomically to the hand position of the attacking hand when carrying the bottle crate. The handle 17 rotates into the palm of the hand and thus widens in particular the active grip surface for a higher wearing comfort.

The deflection of the handle bar 10 in the direction of rotation 31 takes place in the illustration Fig. 9 up to an exemplary angle of rotation 32 of about 20 ° relative to the starting position of the handle bar 10 after Fig. 8 , The deformed with the deflection up to this angle of rotation 32 handle 17 is particularly well in the palm of the attacking hand.

The limitation of the angle of rotation 32 in the deflection of the handle strip 10 in the direction of rotation 31 is determined by the defined clearance between the shell wall 25a of the inner strip part 11a and the inner stop side 30a of the extension 9. This rotation angle limitation also avoids over-rotation of the handle 17 and thus overstretching of the plastic material of the grip shell 16 under the load of the bottle crate.

On one of the left side wall 1 opposite side wall, another, right hand grip (not shown) may be arranged to hold the bottle case with both hands and to be able to wear. However, this right hand grip is to the in Fig. 8 and 9 described left handle 17 mirror side constructed so that both handles 17 deflect under the load attack in each case to the outside.

In the rotational position of the handle bar 10 after Fig. 9 a torsional stress is transmitted to the elastic grip shell 16. The elasticity of the grip shell 16 generates according to the modulus of elasticity of the plastic TPE a restoring force, which is converted in load reduction or when releasing the handle 17 in kinetic energy. Thus, the handle 17 automatically turns off after turning off the bottle crate by turning back the handle bar 10 until the handle bar 10, the starting position Fig. 8 has reached, in which the outer shell wall 25b rests against the outer stop side 30b of the extension 9. The handle 17 is again flush with the side wall 1, thus ensuring unhindered palletizing the parked bottle crate.

Claims (15)

1. A transport container for storing and transporting bulk material or piece goods comprising at least one side wall enveloping an inner cavity for receiving the bulk material or piece goods, wherein the side wall (1) includes at least one handle (17) which is disposed in particular above a reach through opening (2) which defines a bar (3) of the side wall (1) together with an upper edge of the side wall (1), wherein the bar (3) forms a first handle component (4, 5, 6, 7) of the handle (17), wherein a second handle component (10) of the handle (17) is rotatably supported at the first handle component, wherein the second handle component (10) is elastically connected with the first handle component (6, 7) and/or the side wall (1) through a third handle component (16) of the handle (17).
2. The transport container according to claim 1, wherein the bar (3) includes an essentially rod shaped bar section (4) which forms an axle (5) at which the second handle component (10) is rotatably supported.
3. The transport container according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the second handle component (10) is configured as an elongated handle bar (10).
4. The transport container according to claim 3, wherein the handle bar (10) includes a hollow element in which a rotational bearing (14) is configured which at least partially encloses the axle (5).
5. The transport container according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the third handle component (16) includes a handle jacket (16) made from an elastic plastic material which at least partially encloses the first handle component (6, 7) and/or the second handle component (10), wherein the handle jacket (16) is permanently connected with the second handle component (10) and/or with the first handle component (6, 7) and/or the side wall (1).
6. The transport container according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the handle (17) is configured parallel to the side wall (1) in a starting position of the second handle component (10).
7. The transport container according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the second handle component (10) is displaceable within limits defined by a rotation angle limiter.
8. The transport container according to claim 7, wherein the second handle component (10) is displaceable up to a rotation position with a rotation angle of approximately +/- 20° preferably approximately +/- 10° relative to the starting position.
9. The transport container according to claim 7 or 8, wherein the second handle component (10) is only deployable in one rotational direction (31) relative to the starting position.
10. The transport container according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the second handle component (10) is lockable in a rotation position or in a starting position.
11. The transport container according to one of the claim 7 through 9, wherein the rotation angle limiter is configured, so that the axle (5) includes a stop element (9) which extends in a cavity (24) of the hollow element of the handle bar (10), wherein the cavity is radially adjacent to the rotation bearing (14) and includes an axial clearance to the wall (25a, 25b) of the hollow element.
12. The transport container according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the handle bar (10) is configured from plural components, in particular from two bar components (11a, 11b).
13. The transport container according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the handle bar (10) is formed from plastic material and the bar components (11a, b) are connected with one another through a film hinge (12).
14. The transport container according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the surface of the handle bar (10) is configured with a profile, preferably includes knob shaped and/or rib shaped protrusions (22, 23).
15. The transport container according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the handle jacket (16) is made from TPE or soft polyethylene (PE).

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