EP2829484A1 - Bottle crate with height-adjustable framework insert - Google Patents

Abstract

Disclosed is a bottle crate with a removable, in particular grid or plate-shaped, lattice insert (60), preferably made of plastic, for receiving bottles (14) or cans. According to the invention in the bottle crate (2) vertically guided truss insert (60) is lowered to the bottle case bottom (70) and in at least one of the bottle case bottom (4) spaced predetermined height position (H), in particular via a locking or latching mechanism (66, 68, 72nd ), detectable.

Description

The present invention relates to a bottle crate with a truss insert according to the preamble of claim 1.

Simple bottle crate inserts or truss inserts for insertion into the interior of a bottle crate are z. B. off US 2,119,889 A . DE 17 48 170 U . DE 18 39 065 U or GB 873 288 A known. These inserts usually consist of a truss with longitudinal and transverse webs, which define compartments for receiving bottles. Due to advances in manufacturing technology and the ability to produce bottle cases together with truss in one piece in an injection molding process, one has moved away from the use of separate bottle crate inserts in recent decades. However, bottle crate inserts have the advantage that only by replacing the insert of the bottle crate can be adapted to different bottle sizes, eg. B. 24 x 0.3 I, 30 x 0.25 I, 12 x 1 I, 10 x 1.5 I or 8 x 2.5 I bottles, such as. In EP 0 655 397 A1 or EP 1 637 470 A1 is shown.

Meanwhile, with crates not only different bottle sizes, but also summarized in cardboard packaging associations, eg. B. so-called six-packs delivered. The truss inserts known from the prior art can not be used for this purpose and must be removed. However, if the empty single bottles are to be transported back afterwards, the removed truss is missing, which prevents the bottles from sliding back and forth during transport and striking against each other.

Object of the present invention is to provide a comparison with the prior art improved and more user-friendly bottle crate with a truss insert, which is equally suitable for transporting a bottle or can composite and other objects as well as for the transport of individual bottles or cans.

This object is solved by the features of claim 1. Advantageous developments are the subject of the dependent claims.

An inventive bottle crate has a removable truss insert for receiving bottles or cans. By "removable" or a "removability" is understood here as opposed to "removable" or a "disassembly" a suitability in terms of a geometric configuration for preferably tool-free removal. The truss is vertically guided in the bottle crate at least over a certain height and lowered to the bottle crate floor. In addition, the truss insert is lockable or lockable in a second spaced from the bottle crate height position. The truss insert may be in the form of a grid or plate-shaped insert in which a plurality of openings or recesses is formed into which the bottles or cans can be adjusted and separated. The truss and / or the bottle crate can be made of plastic. The locking in at least one predetermined height position can be done via a locking or latching mechanism.

The bottle case according to the invention thus has a height-adjustable truss or a höhenverstellbarbaren truss use, which can be transported with the bottle crate on a beverage networks with packaged in cardboard bottles when the truss is lowered to the ground, but also individual empties bottles when the truss raised and in the predetermined height position is detected or arrested, to prevent the single bottles from hitting each other and may break.

Since the truss is not firmly integrated into the bottle crate and can be removed without tools, the bottle crate is also suitable for transporting a variety of bottle sizes and numbers by appropriately replacing the truss by a corresponding other truss use. The interchangeability of the truss use also has the advantage that in case of damage to the truss not the entire bottle crate, but only the truss can be replaced, resulting in costs can be saved. Furthermore, the bottle crate and truss as a separate parts are easier to manufacture than an integrated component.

According to one aspect of the invention, the truss is also detectable in the lowered position or locked, so that the two usual positions of use of the truss used can be releasably fixed. This makes sense especially when the bottle crate is turned upside down with the truss lowered.

According to one aspect of the invention, the truss has at least one locking or latching element which can cooperate positively at least in the predetermined height position and optionally in the lowered position with a corresponding formed in the bottle crate locking or locking geometry when the truss used in the appropriate position becomes. The locking or latching can be done automatically, so that is locked by raising or lowering the truss work when reaching the appropriate position of the truss work itself with the bottle crate.

According to one aspect, the at least one truss-side and / or bottle-box-side locking element is resiliently biased. In this way, an automatic locking and unlocking can be achieved. About the bias and the corresponding locking and locking geometries, the force can be adjusted, which is necessary to move the truss insert from the locked position.

According to one aspect, the at least one locking element may be formed as a projecting spring tab or locking lug, which engages in a corresponding recess in the bottle crate. The recess may be formed on at least one projecting from the floor guide column or quill and / or on at least one side wall portion of the bottle crate, ie at locations where the locking element can be provided to save space and without interaction with the bottle receptacles.

According to one aspect of the invention, the at least one locking element can be unlocked manually. By a manual operation of the locking element for releasing the truss use can be ensured that the truss use is not unintentional, z. B. by a random / unintentional impact on the truss application leaves its desired position, unlike a targeted action.

According to another aspect of the invention, the unlocking can be done automatically when a predetermined force is applied to the truss in the vertical direction. As a result, the truss can be lowered or raised much faster and without additional manipulation and optionally removed from the bottle crate.

According to one aspect of the invention, the force necessary to move the truss in the lowering direction, i. toward the bottle bottom, to be set smaller than a force necessary to lift the truss insert from the predetermined height position and to take it out of the bottle crate. The different unlocking forces can be influenced by appropriate design of the locking or Verrastungsgeometrien on truss or on the bottle crate. Due to the different unlocking forces can be ensured that the truss is not accidentally released from the bottle crate, but remains in its desired adjustment between the first height position and the bottle case bottom.

Instead of increasing the threshold force for unlocking the locking or latching elements in the lifting direction, the lock can also be in the form that it can only be unlocked manually when the truss is to be removed from the bottle crate, but allows an automatic release when the Bottle crate insert is to be lowered to the bottle crate floor.

According to one aspect of the invention, the truss used on its underside a flat support surface and formed on its upper side between the receiving openings insertion bevels. These can be formed by sublime, protruding ridges or ribs. The webs can run towards each other and enforce the grandeur at a single or multiple sites. For example, they may be pyramid-shaped and aligned. They define at least theoretical bevels and / or surfaces for slip direction setting / slide guidance of the containers, such as bottles. This ensures on the one hand that the truss used rests flat on the bottle case bottom and on the other hand facilitates the setting of the individual bottles in the bottle nests in the raised position.

The leadership of the truss use in the bottle crate can be done via guides, which is formed on at least one projecting from the ground guide column or quill and / or on at least one side wall of the bottle crate.

According to one aspect, a, in particular undercut, guide groove is formed in at least one side wall, into which a corresponding guide section formed on the truss insert is guided.

An additional or independent aspect of the invention relates to a set of truss inserts according to the invention, wherein the truss inserts have identical locking or latching elements and differ in number and size of the openings or recesses for receiving bottles and cans. By using standard locking and guiding sections, these can be used with the same bottle crate to adapt the bottle crate to different bottle sizes.

According to one aspect of the invention, the inserts may be designed differently depending on the number and / or size of the bottle receptacle, resulting in less confusion when replacing the truss inserts.

An advantageous embodiment is also characterized in that the truss insert insertion bevels or Einführstege / ribs for centering of containers, such as bottles, has.

It is also advantageous if the at least one locking element is designed as a separate component from the truss and the material forming the bottle crate, which is preferably inserted under bias between the truss and the bottle crate.

Brief description of the drawings

• Fig. 1 zeigt eine perspektivische Ansicht eines Flaschenkastens mit einem eingesetzten Fachwerkeinsatz in einer abgesenkten Position;
• Fig. 2 zeigt den Flaschenkasten der Fig. 1 ohne Fachwerkeinsatz;
• Fig. 3 zeigt eine perspektivische Ansicht eines Fachwerkeinsatzes gemäß einer ersten Ausführungsform;
• Fig. 4 zeigt eine Detailquerschnittsansicht einen Bodenabschnitts des Flaschenkastens mit dem Fachwerkeinsatz gemäß der ersten Ausführungsform;
• Fig. 5 zeigt eine perspektivische Ansicht eines Fachwerkeinsatzes gemäß einer zweiten Ausführungsform;
• Fig. 6 zeigt eine perspektivische Ansicht eines Fachwerkeinsatzes gemäß einer dritten Ausführungsform;
• Fig. 7 zeigt eine perspektivische Querschnittsansicht des Fachwerkeinsatzes gemäß der dritten Ausführungsform in einer abgesenkten Position;
• Fig. 8 zeigt eine perspektivische Querschnittsansicht des Fachwerkeinsatzes gemäß der dritten Ausführungsform in einer angehobenen und verriegelten Position;
• Fig. 9 zeigt eine perspektivische Querschnittsansicht gemäß Fig. 7 mit zwei Flaschenverbünden; und
• Fig. 10 zeigt eine perspektivische Querschnittsansicht gemäß Fig. 8 mit Einzelflaschen.

The invention will be described with reference to several embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings. Show it:

• Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of a bottle crate with an inserted truss insert in a lowered position;
• Fig. 2 shows the bottle crate the Fig. 1 without truss work;
• Fig. 3 shows a perspective view of a truss insert according to a first embodiment;
• Fig. 4 shows a detail cross-sectional view of a bottom portion of the bottle crate with the truss insert according to the first embodiment;
• Fig. 5 shows a perspective view of a truss insert according to a second embodiment;
• Fig. 6 shows a perspective view of a truss insert according to a third embodiment;
• Fig. 7 shows a perspective cross-sectional view of the truss insert according to the third embodiment in a lowered position;
• Fig. 8 shows a perspective cross-sectional view of the truss insert according to the third embodiment in a raised and locked position;
• Fig. 9 shows a perspective cross-sectional view according to Fig. 7 with two bottle assemblies; and
• Fig. 10 shows a perspective cross-sectional view according to Fig. 8 with single bottles.

Detailed description of preferred embodiments

The Fig. 1 shows a bottle crate 2 according to the invention in the form of a rectangular container with a rectangular bottle crate bottom 4 from the edges of which substantially vertically two long side walls 6 and two short side walls 8 extend. In the short side walls handle and view openings are formed. In the open-topped bottle crate 2 a truss 10 is used. The truss insert 10 has a framework-like structure, which has openings 12 which form bottle nests, in the bottles 14 (see Fig. 9 or 10 ) can be adjusted. When individual bottles 14 are set in the bottle crate 2, they stand on the bottle crate bottom 4. The truss insert 10 has essentially the function to laterally support and separate the adjusted bottles 14.

In the truss 10 is a separately manufactured for bottle crate 2 component that can be inserted from above into the bottle crate 2 and also taken out of this again. Bottle crate 2 and truss 10 can be made of plastic, in particular by injection molding.

The truss insert 10 is guided vertically on the two opposite long side walls 6 and to the two opposite short Sidewalls 8 slightly spaced. On the inner side 16 of the long side walls 6 are a plurality of guide grooves 18, 20 and 22, with respect to the Fig. 2 be described in detail.

The Fig. 2 shows the bottle case 2 without the truss insert 10. On the inside 16 of the long side wall 6 is a centrally arranged, semi-cylindrically shaped and the truss floor 4 to the bottle crate edge 24 extending main guide groove 18 is formed. Asymmetric to the central main guide groove 18, a pair of long guide grooves 20 and a pair of short guide grooves 22 are formed. While the long guide grooves 20 extend from the bottle crate rim 24 substantially to the bottle crate bottom 4, the short guide grooves 22 extend only to a predetermined height H, which is approximately in the lower third of the bottle crate. At about the height H and the lower end of the short guide grooves 22 are symmetrically to Hauptführungsnut 18, a first pair of recesses or recesses 26 and vertically below these recesses 26 another pair of recesses or depressions 28, which is approximately at the height the lower end of the long guide grooves 20 are located. The main guide groove 18 serves for the general vertical guidance of the truss insert 10.

Again FIG. 3 it can be seen, form the long guide grooves 20 with a pair of guide projections 30 which are formed on an outer side 34 of the truss 10, a first pair of guides. The short guide grooves 22 form with the guide projections 30 a second guide pair.

It is also possible that locking projections on a wall of the bottle crate 2 in opposite recesses of this wall facing side of the truss insert 10 are present and thereby the locking principle is reversed. However, this principle reversal is not shown in the figures.

It should be noted that the long guide grooves 20 and the short guide grooves 22 are formed on the opposite long side wall 6 exactly the other way around, so that when the truss 10 in the orientation, such as she in the Fig. 3 is inserted into the bottle crate 2, the two asymmetrically and on opposite sides arranged guide projections 30 are inserted into the short guide grooves 22. Thus, the truss 10 can be lowered only up to a height H, since the lower end of the short guide 22 forms a stop for the guide projections 30. If, in contrast, in the Fig. 3 shown half-timbered insert 30 is rotated by 180 ° about a horizontal axis A and in this orientation (see Fig. 1 ) is inserted into the bottle crate 2, the guide projections 30 come into engagement with the long guide grooves 20 which extend to the bottle case bottom 4, which is why the truss 10 can be lowered to the bottle case bottom 4.

The long and short guide grooves 20, 22 are slightly undercut and have for example a T-profile, so that the corresponding T-shaped projections 30 are trapped in the guide grooves 20 and 22, although vertically movable, but in the transverse direction. The T-shape is optional and not visualized in the figures. These guide grooves 20 and 22 may alternatively be round, square or dovetail-shaped. In the embodiment shown, the long and short guide grooves 20, 22 run upwards open. Alternatively, one or more of the grooves 20, 22 may also be closed at the top of the bottle crate rim 24, so that the truss insert 10 can be removed from the bottle crate 2 only by slight tilting.

From the Fig. 2 It can also be seen that the long side wall 6 in a central portion has a slightly recessed wall portion 32, in which also the grooves 18, 20 and 22 are formed. The withdrawn wall section 32 serves as a sliding surface for an outer wall section or peripheral wall section 34 of the truss insert 10.

On the bottle case bottom 4 are in a lattice-shaped arrangement, which corresponds to the truss division of the truss insert 10, truss ribs or projections 36 are formed, which are chamfered at the intersection points and pass into the bottle case bottom 4. The truss ribs 36 are substantially complementary to the surface design of one side of the truss 10 (upper side in the Fig. 3 ), which has insertion chamfers 38 between the truss openings 12.

The chamfers 38 are cross-shaped rising ribs at the intersection of the half-timbered partitions 40. In an attempt to set a bottle 14 in one of the openings 12, direct two adjacent chamfers the bottom of the bottle to the next opening 12th

The other side of the truss insert 10, ie the bottom in the Fig. 3 , is flat so that when the truss 10 is turned over and lowered to the bottle crate bottom 4, as in the Fig. 1 and in detail in the Fig. 4 is shown, a flat footprint for the beverage composites 15 (see Fig. 9 ) offers.

In the Fig. 4 is also very good to see the interaction of truss ribs 36 and insertion bevels 38, so that the truss 10 rests on all chamfers 38 and half-timbered partitions 40. The latticework insert 10 formed by the lattice-shaped half-timbered partitions 40 has in the corner regions of the openings 12 (see in particular Fig. 1 ) integrally formed cylindrical segments 42 (see in particular Fig. 3 ), which support the bottles used 14 laterally flat. The FIG. 4 visualizes the interaction of selected or all guide grooves 20, each with at least one projection 30.

It should be noted that the interaction of groove and projection can also be such that the groove is present on the truss insert and the projection is formed on an inner wall of the bottle crate.

It is also possible that a separate component engages both in grooves of the truss insert as well as in grooves of the bottle crate.

In all these cases, the projection may be T-shaped or dovetail-shaped. Opposite grooves then allow an undercut and / or a grip behind.

The Indian Fig. 3 shown truss insert 10 has 6 x 4 bottle spaces, the two outer, the short side walls 8 facing parking spaces are defined in conjunction with the short side wall 8. For this purpose, the latticework insert 10 has only separating projections 44, which are completed by corresponding truss lugs 46 which are formed in the edge region between the bottle case bottom 4 and the short side wall 8.

The Fig. 5 shows a similar in basic form truss insert 50 according to a second embodiment, which can also be used with the bottle crate 2. This has no chamfers 38 and no guide projections 30. In contrast, the truss 50 on the outside, which is associated with the inner side 16 of the long side wall 6, a central semi-cylindrical main guide projection 52 which can slide vertically in the main guide 18. Symmetrically, a pair of resilient locking tongues 54 are formed, which are designed with respect to their position and function so that they engage in the recesses 26 when the truss 50 is at the height H, and engage in the recesses 28 when the truss insert 50 is lowered to the bottle case bottom.

When the truss insert 50 is pulled up or down with a certain force, the resilient locking tongues 54 yield and release the truss insert 50.

From the Fig. 1 It can be seen that the recesses 28, which are arranged higher, extend through the long side wall 6 therethrough. Namely, the lock hook 56 and the recesses 26 and 28 may be formed so that the lock hook 56 is displaced by corresponding inclinations when reciprocated between the bottle case bottom 4 and the height H. The locking hook 56 and the recesses 26 are designed so that the truss can not be easily removed. To release the truss 50, the locking hooks 56 must be manually unlocked by the locking hooks 56, for example, with a sharp object such. B. a screwdriver, from the outside through the recess 26th pushed inward and released. This prevents that the truss 50 is not inadvertently removed from the bottle crate 2 in normal use. Instead of a manual unlocking the automatic unlocking can only be difficult.

For the sake of completeness it should be mentioned that it is in contrast to the truss 10 of the first embodiment in the truss insert 50 of the second embodiment is not a reversing fan insert and the truss 50 in the in the Fig. 5 shown orientation in the bottle crate 2 is introduced and can be moved without alignment changes between the height H and the bottle case bottom 4.

The Fig. 6 shows a third embodiment of a truss 60, which is designed for a differently designed bottle crate 62, but in principle similar to the second embodiment.

The truss 60 has a rectangular plate-shaped basic shape, which has a plurality of openings 64, the bottle nests form. Arranged on the short sides of the truss insert 60 is a pair of snap elements 66 arranged symmetrically to the center, which automatically engage in corresponding recesses 68 which are formed at the height H on the inside of the short side wall of the bottle crate 62.

To unlock the snap elements 66, these must, as in the Fig. 6 indicated by arrows, manually operated, so as to release the truss 60, either to take this out or to lower the bottle crate floor can.

If the timber truss 60, as in the Fig. 7 shown, is lowered onto the bottle case bottom 70, lock the snap elements 66 in turn into corresponding recesses 72. In order to raise the truss 60 again, the snap elements 66 have pressed down again to release the latch to the sidewalls of the bottle crate 62.

The truss 60 has, on the long side, a plurality of sliding surface portions 74 that slide along respective inner surface portions 76 of the long side wall of the bottle crate 62. In addition, the truss 60 is also performed in sections on the short sides of the bottle crate 62.

The FIGS. 9 and 10 show the example of the third embodiment, the principle of operation of the bottle crate according to the invention. Um, like in the Fig. 9 shown to transport several beverage groups, ie several enveloped in cardboard boxes 15 bottles 14, the truss 60 can be lowered to the truss floor, so that the packaged bottles are flat on the hole plate-shaped truss 60 and are fully absorbed in the bottle crate 62. To drink the bottles, the cardboard boxes must be torn open, so that when returning the empties empty individual bottles must be transported, which are no longer held by the cardboard 15 and separated from each other. Therefore, the truss 60 can be raised up to a predetermined height H and, due to the latching of the truss 60 with the bottle crate 62, the truss 60 remains at height H so that the bottles 14 can be transported separated and securely supported as shown in FIG of the Fig. 10 is shown. The same principle is applicable to the second embodiment.

In the first embodiment, however, the truss 10 must first be removed, turned by 180 ° about the horizontal axis A and used again. Due to the interaction of the different guide pairings, the truss 10 remains in the height H, which is suitable for the transport of the individual bottles.

Preferred embodiments of the invention have been described, but various modifications are possible within the scope defined by the appended claims.

Thus, for example, the truss insert can be designed for a larger number of smaller bottles and also for a smaller number of larger bottles. As long as the outer dimensions or at least the guide portions or locking elements are designed according to the same, a variety of trusses can be used with the same described bottle crate.

The bottle crate 2 of the first embodiment is designed for both a truss 10 according to the first embodiment and a truss 50 of the second embodiment. However, the bottle crate 2 can also be designed only for one embodiment, so that z. B. in the use of truss 10, the Hauptführungsnut 18 and the recesses 26 and 28 and the use of a truss insert 50, the long and short guide grooves 20, 22 and the truss inserts 36 may be omitted. In addition, the features can be combined differently.

The guide and / or locking the truss 10 could be done instead of on the side walls 6 in addition or alternative to so-called spars or quills in the center of the bottle crate.

The sides of the turning tray insert 10 of the first embodiment can also be designed differently colored to align the truss 10 according to the desired use easier.

In the first embodiment, the guide of the truss insert 10 takes place exclusively on the long side walls 6. Alternatively, the guides and the latches can also be formed on the short side. Alternatively, the guide on the long sides and the lock on the short sides or vice versa take place.

Claims (15)

Bottle crate (2; 62) with a removable, in particular grid or hole plate-shaped, truss insert (50; 60), preferably made of plastic, for receiving bottles (14) or cans, characterized in that
in the bottle crate (2) vertically guided truss insert (50; 60) to the bottle case bottom (4; 70) is lowered and in at least one of the bottle case bottom (4; 70) spaced predetermined height position (H), in particular via a locking or latching mechanism ( 54, 56, 26, 28, 66, 68, 72). Bottle crate (2; 62) according to claim 1, characterized in that in the lowered position in which the bottle crate rests on the crate bottom (4; 70), the trussed insert (50; 60) is in particular provided with a locking or latching mechanism (54,56 , 28, 66, 72). Bottle crate (2; 62) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that
the lattice work insert (50; 60) has at least one locking or latching element (54, 56; 66) which, at least in the predetermined height position (H), has a corresponding latching or latching geometry (26, 28) formed in the bottle crate (2; , 68, 72) can interact in a form-fitting manner, in particular automatically locked, when the truss insert (50; 60) is brought into the corresponding height position. Bottle crate (2; 62) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the at least one lattice-side and / or bottle box-side locking element (54, 56; 66), in particular transversely to the height direction of the bottle crate, is resiliently biased. Bottle crate (2; 62) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that
the at least one locking element is in the form of a projecting spring tab (54, 56, 66) or latching lug which projects into a corresponding recess (26, 28, 68, 72) at least in the predetermined height position (H) on at least one of the base (4 ) projecting guide column, in particular quill, and / or on at least one side wall portion (16) of the bottle crate (2; 62) is formed, engages. Bottle crate (2; 62) according to one of Claims 3 to 5, characterized in that the at least one locking or latching element (54, 56; 66) is automatically unlocked or released when a force is applied to the truss mechanism (50) in the vertical direction. A bottle crate (2; 62) according to claim 7, characterized in that a first force necessary for releasing the truss (50; 60) in the lowering direction is smaller than a second force sufficient to release the truss (50; 60). in the raising direction is necessary. Bottle crate (2; 62) according to claim 7, characterized in that the at least one locking element only unlocks automatically when it is moved from the predetermined height position towards the bottom of the bottle. Bottle crate (2; 62) according to one of claims 3 to 8, characterized in that the at least one locking element (54, 56; 66) can be unlocked manually. Bottle crate (2) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the lattice work insert (50) has on its underside a flat support surface and on its upper side between receiving openings (12) formed chamfers (38). Bottle crate (2) according to claim 10, characterized in that the surface of the bottle crate bottom (4) is formed substantially complementary to the second side of the truss insert (50). Bottle crate (2; 62) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the lattice work insert (50; 60) on at least one projecting from the bottom guide column, in particular quill, and / or on at least one side wall (16; 74) of the bottle crate (2 62) is guided vertically. Bottle crate (2; 62) according to claim 12, characterized in that the at least one side wall (16) has an upwardly open, in particular undercut, guide section (18, 74). Bottle crate (2; 62) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the trussed insert (50; 60) has chamfers or insertion webs / ribs for centering containers such as bottles (14). A bottle crate (2; 62) according to any one of claims 4 to 14, characterized in that the at least one locking element (54, 56; 66) is separate from the material forming the truss (50; 60) and the bottle crate (2; 62) Component is formed, which is preferably under bias between the truss (50; 60) and the bottle crate (2; 62) is inserted.

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