EP2956376A1

EP2956376A1 - Pallet and display consisting of an assembly of such pallets

Info

Publication number: EP2956376A1
Application number: EP14705183.3A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Jean-Yves VOISIN
Original assignee: La Graine Informatique
Current assignee: La Graine Informatique
Priority date: 2013-02-18
Filing date: 2014-02-18
Publication date: 2015-12-23
Also published as: FR3002210B1; WO2014125128A1; FR3002210A1

Abstract

The present invention relates to a pallet (200) which can be used to construct a display (100) intended for handling plants and presenting same at the point of sale, the pallet (200) comprising: a peripheral frame (250); a base (R) intended to support the plants; upper receptacles (Lg1), in the use position of said pallet, that are positioned at the corners of the frame (250) in order to receive the bottom ends of uprights (300) for a higher shelf; feet (280) that are disposed under said pallet in order to raise it from the ground, lower receptacles (Lg2) being formed under said feet in order to receive the top parts of uprights for a lower shelf. According to the invention, at least one groove (R1, R2) is produced in at least one upper receptacle (Lg1) in order to receive a wedging means (500) that is able to clamp said bottom end of the upright against a constituent wall (P1) of the upper receptacle (Lg1) or of a constituent stringer (L) of said frame.

Description

Pallet and display consisting of an assembly of such pallets

The present invention relates to a transport pallet intended, in particular, for the handling of plants, in particular for preparing orders and which can also be used for the manufacture of a pallet intended for the transport of said plants and for the presentation of those on a point of sale.

To present plants at a point of sale, it is known to use a display called "Danish roll" in the profession. This display consists of several superimposed trays, connected to their corners by uprights, and on which plants are placed, in the view of customers. The distance between two overlapping trays is adjustable to suit the height of the plants. The total height of the display is however fixed. Furthermore, the dimensions of this display do not comply with the transport standard type "Pallet Europe" meeting the requirements of NF-EN 13698-1 and NF-EN 13698-2, which poses a problem of filling trucks .

It is still known, from GB2482926, a display consisting of a lower plate and superimposed upper trays and connected by separator tubes, all these components being made of paper fibers. Each tube is consisting of a first cylindrical section surmounted by a second section also cylindrical but larger diameter. The first section is threaded from above the upper tier trays through a corner pocket to be inserted into the second section of another tube. The lower tier tray is provided with an elevation plate to move the display thus constituted by a forklift. The display is not reusable and two types of trays are necessary for its manufacture.

The applicant has sought to design a reusable pallet, which can be used as soon as the plants are put into production, which can facilitate the preparation of plant orders and which can still be used in the manufacture of a transport and display rack. of plants to the customers. The invention relates more particularly to the stability of the display during its transport, at the point of sale.

For this purpose, a transport pallet is proposed, intended in particular for the handling of plants and which can also be used for the manufacture of a display for handling said plants and for presenting them at the place of production. sale, the pallet comprising a peripheral frame, a floor for supporting the plants, upper housings, in the service position of said pallet, positioned at the corners of the frame for receiving the lower ends of higher rank posts, feet arranged under said pallet for raising it off the ground, lower housings being formed under said feet for receiving the upper portions of lower rank posts; according to the invention, at least one groove is formed in at least one upper housing for receiving a wedging means adapted to press said low end of the upright against a wall constituting the upper housing or a longitudinal member of said frame.

The stability of the display constructed by the pallet stacking with the uprights is particularly good.

According to an additional feature, two grooves are formed vertically in the upper housing, the two grooves being arranged perpendicularly relative to each other.

By placing the wedging means in one or the other groove, the amounts can be wedged in two orthogonal directions in order to stabilize them mutually. The display rack constructed in this way and loaded with plants remains stable during transport and stands up vertically at the point of sale. According to an additional feature, the wedging means is constituted by a wedge comprising a finger adapted to slide in a corresponding groove, an elastic wall being arranged vis-à-vis the finger to press the upright.

The wedging of the amounts is facilitated by the presence of this elastic wall in the hold.

According to an additional feature, the elastic wall is made of a succession of at least two rounded walls attached to both ends of the finger.

The implemented flexibility of the wedge makes it possible to wedge amounts with wide manufacturing tolerances.

According to an additional feature, the lower housings open respectively into a flared corner to facilitate the stacking of a pallet of higher rank on the free ends of uprights inserted in the upper housings of an immediately lower range pallet.

The handling of pallets loaded, to build a display, can thus be mechanized, for example by the use of a forklift, because of the low precision required to stack a pallet of a higher rank on the amounts of a rank pallet immediately below.

According to an additional characteristic, the first housing is made in an insert fixed inside the frame.

The insert, of relatively small dimensions, can be made by molding a plastic material to obtain sufficient precision to maintain the amount that it is required to receive. Stacking pallets is thus facilitated.

According to an additional characteristic, the lower housing is made in the lower part of the foot.

It is made during the manufacture of the foot.

According to an additional characteristic, each upright (300) has in section a polygonal and preferably rectangular geometry.

The accuracy of maintaining the amount in his home is further increased.

According to an additional feature, the pallet is formed of an outer frame made of wood, and supporting a floor, made of a thermoformed plastic material and feet made by injection molding a plastic into a mold and which are integral with said frame.

This structure of the pallet gives it, at lower cost, the required mechanical strength. As an alternative embodiment, the structure is formed by injecting at least one plastic material into a manufacturing mold, the upper housing, the frame, the feet being integrated in the pallet.

This pallet structure is suitable for large scale pallet manufacture.

A display is also part of the invention. It comprises at least two superposed pallets according to any one of the preceding claims, said pallets being joined by uprights whose ends are inserted into the first and second housings, respectively of the two pallets.

The display thus built can be used from the preparation of the customer's order until delivery and presentation at the point of sale. It is removable, easily transportable by stacking the pallets containing the amounts. It is reusable.

The characteristics of the invention mentioned above, as well as others, will appear more clearly on reading the following description of an exemplary embodiment, said description being given in relation to the attached drawings, among which:

FIG. 1 represents a perspective view of a display in its upright position of use according to the invention,

FIG. 2 represents a perspective view of a pallet frame intended for the manufacture of a display unit according to the invention,

FIG. 3 represents a perspective view of a pallet floor intended for the manufacture of a display unit according to the invention,

FIG. 4 represents a perspective view of a pallet frame, stud receiving inserts being fixed to the corners of the frame according to the invention,

FIG. 5 represents a perspective view of an insert fixed on the corner of a pallet frame according to the invention,

FIG. 6 shows a top view of an insert fixed on the corner of a pallet frame according to the invention,

FIG. 7 is a front view of a wedging means of an amount inserted in its housing according to the invention,

FIG. 8 is a diagrammatic perspective view of a foot intended to be fixed under a corner of a pallet frame according to the invention, FIG. 9 represents a rising perspective view of a foot intended to be fixed under a corner of a pallet frame according to the invention,

FIG. 10 shows a sectional view of a display unit made of a superimposed assembly of pallets with the amount of the invention and,

FIG. 11 shows a perspective view of a pallet manufactured in one piece according to the invention.

The display 100, shown in FIG. 1, is intended to be used in the field of horticulture. It has been designed to prepare plant orders in garden centers and other plant products businesses where it can also be used to introduce plants to customers.

It is composed, in this FIG. 1, of a plurality of pallets 200 superimposed and joined in pairs by means of uprights 300. It rests on the ground via its pallet 200a of first rank. The pallets 200b of higher rank are identical to this pallet 200a of lower rank.

The uprights 300 preferably have a polygonal section and preferably rectangular. They come advantageously from boards, for example used boards.

The pallet and display of the invention can also be used in other trades in which it is necessary to present or transport goods on several levels and this by avoiding that the goods of the higher level rely directly on the goods. goods of immediately lower rank, that is to say goods which can not be stacked directly on one another, and whose height may be variable.

Each pallet 200 has a polygonal geometry and here rectangular in this FIG. 1. It consists of a frame 250 at the corners of which inserts 200 are attached. The frame 250 is provided with independent legs 280 or not, allowing it, for the lower rank frame, to rest on the ground. A floor R is defined in each frame 250. It is defined in this FIG. 1, by an independent component which is based in particular on the periphery of said frame 250. The dimensions of the pallet 200 in plan view are preferably the following: 800 x 1200 mm, thus meeting the dimensional requirements of the NF-EN 13698- 1. The front inserts and some amounts are not shown to facilitate the reading of the drawing.

In FIG. 2, the frame 250 consists of an assembly of longitudinal members L1-L4 delimiting its periphery. At least one intermediate spar Lt, here at the number of two, connect some opposite side members to reinforce the structure of said frame and to help support the floor R. The side members L are made of pieces of wood. They are assembled by gluing, stapling, nailing or a combination of these assembly techniques.

In FIG. 3, the floor R is advantageously made of a sheet 210 made of a plastic material and then it is shaped by thermoforming. It can also be manufactured by an assembly of several sheets which are mutually bonded, for example by gluing. This sandwich structure of the floor gives it the rigidity necessary to support the mass of several tens of kilos of plants in pots.

The sheet 210 is formed of a bottom wall 212 surrounded by a rim 214 raised relative to said bottom wall, considering the floor in its position of use shown in this FIG. 2. The bottom wall 212 has on the surface a plurality of protuberances 216 facing upwards and which are intended, on the one hand, to stiffen its structure and, on the other hand, to make it possible to raise the plant from the wall. bottom 212 so that water can stagnate on the sheet without the bottom of the pots containing the plants is immersed.

The rim 214 is notched inward thus delimiting locations 222 bypassing the inserts. The floor R normally rests with its rim 214 on the upper edges of the longitudinal members L1-L4 forming the periphery of the frame 250. It also rests on the intermediate longitudinal members Lt thus limiting its deflection under the load.

The floor R thus constitutes a plateau capable of supporting the mass of plants.

In a first variant embodiment, not shown, metal stiffening plates are however interposed between the two sheets to increase the rigidity under the load of the pallet.

In a second embodiment, not shown, the pallet is made of a single sheet of a thermoformed plastic material.

In a third variant embodiment, not shown, the pallet is manufactured by injecting at least one plastic material into a manufacturing mold.

In a fourth variant embodiment, not shown, the pallet is made of metal. Given the greater stiffness of the material used, it may comprise only one sheet. In a fifth embodiment, not shown, the pallet is formed of an outer frame made of wood, a floor forming a tray for supporting plants, made of a thermoformed plastic material and feet manufactured by injection of a plastic material in a mold. The frame supports the floor. The feet are fixed on the frame.

In FIG. 1, feet 280 are formed at the corners of the frame 250 and are turned downward, and this in alignment with the corresponding locations 222.

In this FIG. 1, the pallet 200 is provided with four legs 280 located at its four corners. The bottom wall 212 being raised from the ground S by the feet 280, it is possible to use a hoist to handle, for example with the fork F of a forklift, the pallet 200 loaded with plants or stacked pallets.

In FIG. 4, two inserts 400 are attached to two dorsal corners of the frame 250. Two other inserts are in principle attached to the two front corners but are absent in the drawing for ease of reading. A foot 280 is also fixed under each corner, under Γ insert 400. Each insert 400 is fixed on two longitudinal members L forming a corner.

Each insert 400 thus comprises, in FIGS. 5 and 6, two perpendicular walls PI and P2 intended to be applied and to be fixed on the inner faces of two longitudinal members L of a corner of the frame 250 and which are joined by a support wall P3 for a face of the upright 300 and which is parallel to the wall P2, two grooves R1 and R2 perpendicular which extend vertically being located on the side of the wall P2, perpendicularly and parallel thereto. The wall P applies to the level of the beam L2, while the wall P2 extends to the edge of the groove R2. An upper housing Lgl receiving an end of an amount 300 is thus defined between the walls PI, P3, the groove R2 and the longitudinal member L2. By providing a shorter wall PI wall, the amount 300 could also be applied directly to the spar Ll.

An upper support plate P4 on the upper edges of longitudinal members, a lower plate P5 for fixing a corresponding foot 280, frame this plurality of walls PI, P2, P3, grooves R1, R2, partially delimiting the housing Lgl. The lower plate P5 is circumscribed inside the longitudinal members L1 and L2. The application walls PI and P2, the upper plate P4 are fixed respectively on the inner faces of the longitudinal members L, on the upper edge of the longitudinal members L, advantageously using fastening screws passing through holes provided in the upper plate P4, the walls PI and P2.

In Figs. 5 and 8, the foot 280 comprises a bearing face 282 intended to be applied to the lower plate P5 of the insert 400 as well as to the lower edge of the longitudinal members L1 and L2 of the frame 250, two walls of angles 283 and 284 which extend around the bearing face 282, from above to be applied and wedged on a corner of the frame 250 and from below to rest on the ground by disengaging the frame of the pallet from the ground so that it can be handled by a hoist.

When inserted into its housing, the lower end of the upper row of pillars rests on the foot 280 which thus forms a stop at the depression of said amount. This stop is formed of a protuberance 286 which extends upwardly on the bearing face 282 to be inserted into the housing Lgl.

In Figs. 5 and 9, the upper end of the low rank post 300 is inserted under the foot 280 into a housing Lg2 made in the protrusion 286. The corner walls 283 and 284 are tapered internally towards the housing Lg2 to facilitate the stacking of stacked pallets.

In FIG. 5, it is noted the presence of a wedging means 500 formed of a wedge inserted in one of the grooves and in this case the groove R2. It is used to press the upright 300 against a spar or at least a ply plate support against said spar.

In FIG. 7, the wedge 500 comprises a finger 510 adapted to slide in a groove, connected from one edge to a pulling lever 512, a resilient wall 514 disposed opposite the finger to press on the upright to press it on the frame. In this FIG. 7, the elastic wall 514 is formed of a succession of at least two rounded walls 515 and 516 joined by a rectilinear wall, the edges distant from the two rounded walls being respectively connected in the upper part, in the service position of the hold 500, by a wall perpendicular to the right and at the bottom by a wall inclined towards the lower end of the finger and intended to facilitate the insertion of the wedge 500 on the corresponding edge of the amount to the plate.

Thus, the lower end of the upright posts which is inserted in the housing Lgl is directly or indirectly plated by two faces against the longitudinal members L of the frame 250 thus providing a satisfactory stability to a stack The presence of the tapered blanks within the corner walls 283, 284 greatly facilitates the stacking of a pallet of higher rank by a hoist on a pallet of rank immediately. lower equipped with its amounts 300.

By orienting the other shims 500 differently, that is to say by placing some of them in the other groove RI, the uprights are held perfectly wedged in two directions parallel to the longitudinal members. The display thus built remains stable during transport while it is loaded and remains vertical on the sales site.

In an alternative embodiment not shown, the wedging means consists of a wedge.

In FIG. 10, the load carried by each pallet 200 is transmitted by the uprights 300 bearing on the feet 280 of the pallet 200 of lower rank and it is carried by the feet of the pallet 200a which rests on the ground. The display unit 100 can be handled by raising this pallet by means of a lifting gear.

The insert 400, the foot 280 and the shim 500 are preferably made by molding a plastic material in a manufacturing mold.

An identification component, such as an RFID chip, of English radio frequency identification, can be implemented in each pallet to define in particular a commercial management of the plants sold.

The use of the pallet 200, the display 100, is carried out as follows. The preparer fetches the plants corresponding to a command, it cleans them, conditions them and places them on a pallet 200, on a display stand 100. The latter is manufactured in the following manner, during the preparation of the order or before its commencement.

The lower end of the uprights 300 is inserted into the housings Lgl of the inserts 400 of a pallet 200a, and then another pallet 200b is fixed on the upper ends of these uprights 300 by threading the housings Lg2 on said ends. If the pallet does not support any plant, it is fixed manually. If the pallet is loaded, a lifting machine, such as a forklift, is used to move it, to stack it. The same procedure is used to raise a display 100 to the desired height. The length of the uprights 300 determines the distance separating two pallets of the display depending on the height of the plants P. The amounts can be delivered with the pallets or are provided by the nurseryman.

The display 100 loaded during the preparation of the order is then transported in a suitable vehicle, using a forklift. It is delivered to the merchant, then set up on its sales site using a forklift.

When the plants P have been sold, the display unit 100 is disassembled, the pallets are stacked one on the other and the amounts are deposited in the pallets to occupy a minimum volume. They are also handled using a forklift.

The pallet of the invention makes it easy to build displays for the preparation of plant orders, their transport and their exposure at points of sale. The height of the display is flexible to accommodate a maximum volume of plants, to offer half-pallets to customers and which are however stackable to optimize the volume of transport.

The display is reusable. It is removable for this purpose to reduce the cost of transport back.

In an alternative embodiment, not shown, the first housing, the second housing which are formed in a corner foot, are a single constituent.

In an alternative embodiment drawn in FIG. 11, the pallet 200 'has a more economical construction. Its floor R is integral with its frame 250, that is to say made in one piece. His feet 280 are also monolithic with the frame 250. The pallet 200 'is advantageously manufactured in one piece by a method of molding a plastic material in a production mold. The insert shown above under the reference 400 is also integrated in the construction of the pallet. The upper plate support and attachment is absent in this configuration where integrated Pinsert is not mounted in the frame 250. A bottom wall is provided in the foot to serve as a stop to the depression of the amount in the housing Lgl .

Claims

1) pallet (200, 200 ') for transport intended, in particular, for the handling of plants (P) and which can also be used for the manufacture of a display (100) intended for the handling of said plants and for the presentation of these at the point of sale, the pallet (200) comprising:

a peripheral frame (250),

a floor (R) for supporting the plants,

upper housings (Lgl), in the service position of said pallet, positioned at the corners of the frame (250) for receiving the lower ends of uprights (300) of higher rank,

feet (280) disposed beneath said pallet for raising it off the ground, lower housings (Lg2) being formed under said legs for receiving the upper parts of lower rank posts,

characterized in that at least one groove (RI, R2) is formed in at least one upper housing (Lgl) for receiving a wedging means (500) adapted to press said lower end of the upright against a wall (PI) constituting the upper housing (Lgl) or a spar (L) constituting said frame.

2) pallet (200, 200 ') according to claim 1, characterized in that two grooves (RI, R2) are formed vertically in the upper housing (Lgl), the two grooves (RI, R2) being arranged perpendicularly one of compared to each other.

3) Pallet (200, 200 ') according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the wedging means consists of a shim (500) comprising a finger (510) adapted to slide in a groove (RI, R2) corresponding, an elastic wall (514) being arranged vis-à-vis the finger to press the upright.

4) pallet (200, 200 ') according to claim 3, characterized in that the elastic wall (514) is made of a succession of at least two rounded walls (515, 516) attached to both ends of the finger.

5) pallet (200, 200 ') according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the lower housings (Lg2) open respectively in a flared corner to facilitate the stacking of a pallet (200b) of higher rank on the free ends of uprights (300) inserted into the upper housing (Lgl) of a pallet (200a) of immediately lower rank. 6) pallet (200) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the first housing (Lgl) is formed in an insert (400) fixed inside the frame (250).

7) pallet (200) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the lower housing (Lg2) is formed in the lower part of the foot (280).

8) pallet (200) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that each upright (300) has in section a polygonal geometry and preferably rectangular.

9) pallet (200) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it is formed of an outer frame made of wood, and supporting a floor (R), made of a thermoformed plastic material and manufactured feet by injecting a plastic material into a mold and which are integral with said frame.

10) pallet (200 ') according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that its structure is formed by injection of at least one plastic material in a manufacturing mold, the upper housing (Lgl), the frame (250), the feet (280) being integrated in the pallet.

11) display (100) characterized in that it comprises at least two superposed pallets (200a, 200b) according to any preceding claim, said pallets being joined by uprights (300) whose ends are inserted into the first and second housings (Lgl, Lg2) respectively of the two pallets.