EP3848296B1 - Modular crate - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a modular box for accommodating four packs of beverage bottles, each pack of beverage bottles comprising six beverage bottles with a nominal capacity of 0.33 l, two opposite long side walls and two opposite short side walls forming a peripheral frame that has a base for supporting beverage bottles.

Beverage bottle packs are known in which six beverage bottles are accommodated in an envelope made from a cardboard box. Such beverage bottle bundles are referred to as a six-pack.

A modular box for holding beverage bottle packs is part of the design DE 40 2008 001148-0001 known. Another such module box is described in document DE 20 2018 104 071 U1 described. A module box according to the preamble of claim 1 is made DE 20 2011 102375 U1 known.

With these conventional modular boxes, the bottles are located comparatively deep in the module box, i. H. there is a significant vertical clearance between the top of the bottles and the top of the module box. However, this results in problems when loading the modular crate with the beverage bottle packs, since the systems used for this purpose are set up for loading crates in which the top edge of the bottles is close to the top edge of the crate. A corresponding conversion of the system is therefore necessary for filling module boxes with beverage bottle containers, which is, however, regarded as disadvantageous.

The invention is therefore based on the object of specifying a module box that can be easily filled using a conventional system without the latter having to be modified.

To solve this problem, the invention provides for a module box of the type mentioned above that the floor is arranged higher than the underside of the surrounding frame, the vertical distance between the underside and the floor being 40 mm to 60 mm.

The invention is based on the finding that loading a modular box with beverage bottle containers can be significantly simplified if the base is in a higher position than it is in the usual lower position. As a result, the upper end of a bottle as part of a beverage bottle pack is in an elevated position, slightly below the upper edge of the frame of the module box. As a result, the module box can be fitted with the beverage bottle containers without any problems in a conventional filling or fitting system.

The modular box according to the invention is suitable, for example, for drinks bottles in accordance with the joint design patent EM 002205666-0001 with a nominal capacity of 0.33 l. Such beverage bottles can, for. B. have a height of 188 mm to 205 mm.

Within the scope of the invention, it is preferred that the vertical distance between the underside of the peripheral frame and the floor, which is used to support the beverage bottles, is 50 mm to 54 mm. This area has proven to be particularly favorable and allows the module box to be fitted without any problems.

The module box according to the invention is characterized in that side surfaces and the underside of the frame and the underside of the floor delimit a continuous free space. In contrast, with conventional module boxes there is no free space or only a minimal amount of free space, which is usually divided by a number of profile sections on which the conventional module box is supported.

Above those forming the floor

In a conventional modular crate, the drinks bottles are arranged in profile sections, which are therefore in a low position.

In the case of the module box according to the invention, it is preferred that a compartment longitudinal wall is formed parallel to the opposite long side walls. The longitudinal wall of the compartment divides the interior of the module box into two compartments and makes it easier to position the beverage bottle packs, so that two beverage bottle packs can be inserted into one compartment.

The base of the module box according to the invention can be designed as a lattice structure having rings, the rings being connected to one another by longitudinal and transverse webs. The module box according to the invention is characterized by a particularly low weight and low material requirements.

Preferably, the lattice structure forming the base has wavy webs running parallel to the long side walls. Preferably, the wavy ridges are arranged in the same plane as the rings so that the beverage bottles are supported on both the rings and the wavy ridges.

It is also within the scope of the invention for two rows of sleeves, which extend upwards from the bottom, to be formed within the frame of the module box. Each of the two rows preferably has five sleeves arranged next to one another. The quills are arranged in such a way that when a beverage bottle pack is inserted, they reach through its openings. When drinks bottles are inserted into the module box, they are positioned by the quills.

A peripheral surface of a sleeve of the module box according to the invention is preferably formed from four concave surfaces, which is thus adapted to the outer contour of the beverage bottles.

Fig. 1

eine Seitenansicht der längeren Seite eines erfindungsgemäßen Modulkastens;

Fig. 2

eine Seitenansicht der kürzeren Seite des in Fig. 1 gezeigten Modulkastens;

Fig. 3

eine Draufsicht des in Fig.1 gezeigten Modulkastens;

Fig. 4

eine entlang der Linie B-B von Fig. 3 geschnittene Ansicht des Modulkastens und

Fig. 5

eine entlang der Linie A-A von Fig. 3 geschnittene Ansicht des Modulkastens.

The invention is explained below using an exemplary embodiment with reference to the drawings. The drawings are schematic representations and show:

1

a side view of the longer side of a module box according to the invention;

2

a side view of the shorter side of the in 1 shown module box;

3

a top view of the in Fig.1 shown module box;

4

one along line BB of 3 sectional view of the module box and

figure 5

one along line AA of 3 cut view of the module box.

The drawings show a modular box 1 for holding four packs of beverage bottles (not shown), each pack of beverage bottles comprising six beverage bottles with a nominal capacity of 0.33 l. It can be beverage bottles with a shape according to the Community design patent EM 002205666-0001.

Referring to the Figures 1 to 3 the module box 1 has two opposite long side walls 2, 3 and two opposite short side walls 4, 5, which form a peripheral frame 6. In the long side walls 2, 3 and the short side walls 4, 5 there are openings through which the module box 1 can be gripped.

The lower end of the frame 6 is designed as a rectangular lattice, which has struts running along the side walls 2, 3, 4, 5 and a large number of cross struts running transversely thereto.

In 4 it can be seen that the frame 6 has a base 7 for supporting beverage bottles, which is arranged higher than the underside of the surrounding frame 6 . The vertical distance between the underside of the frame 6 and the floor can be between 40 mm and 60 mm, preferably 50 mm to 54 mm. In the illustrated embodiment, the vertical distance is approximately 52mm. It is therefore essential that the floor 7 is arranged considerably higher than the underside of the surrounding frame 6 .

In 3 and figure 5 a beverage bottle 8 that is inserted into the module box 1 is shown schematically. In figure 5 it can be seen that the drinks bottle 8 is supported on the raised floor 7 and its upper edge reaches close to the upper edge of the surrounding frame 6 . However, the drinks bottle 8 is located completely within the contour of the module box 1 and is therefore arranged in a protected manner.

A compartment longitudinal wall 9 is formed parallel to the two opposite long side walls 2 . The compartment longitudinal wall 9 divides the module box 1 into two compartments, each of which is designed to accommodate two beverage bottle packs.

In the top view of 3 one can see that the base 7 is designed as a lattice structure, which consists of rings 10 which are connected to one another by longitudinal webs 11 and transverse webs 12 . In addition, 9 wavy webs 13 are provided on both sides of the compartment longitudinal wall.

The bottom 7 is connected to the peripheral frame 6 on all four sides via reinforcing ribs 15 . The upper side of the reinforcing ribs 15 is flush with the floor 7 . At the bottom of the

Reinforcing ribs 15 increases their cross-section down. The underside of a reinforcing rib 15 runs, starting from a ring 10, first horizontally outwards and then downwards until it ends at an acute angle on the frame 6.

The module box 1 has two rows of quills 14 that extend from the bottom 7 upwards. Each quill 14 has a peripheral surface formed by four concave surfaces. The radius of curvature of the concave surfaces corresponds approximately to the radius of the rings 10. Each sleeve 14 has a top surface on which a central opening is provided.

In 3 one can see that each compartment has five quills 14 arranged next to one another, with each compartment being able to hold two beverage bottle packs.

Reference List

1

module box

2

Side wall

3

Side wall

4

Side wall

5

Side wall

6

Frame

7

Floor

8th

beverage bottle

9

Longitudinal partition wall

10

ring

11

longitudinal web

12

cross bar

13

wavy bridge

14

quill

15

reinforcing rib

Claims (10)

1. Modular crate (1) for holding four beverage bottle packs, each beverage bottle pack comprising six beverage bottles with a nominal capacity of 0.33 I, wherein two opposing long side walls (2, 3) and two opposing short side walls (4, 5) form a circumferential frame (6) having a bottom (7) for supporting beverage bottles, the bottom (7) being arranged elevated relative to the underside of the circumferential frame (6), characterized in that the vertical distance between the underside and the bottom is 40 mm to 60 mm.
2. Modular crate according to claim 1, wherein the vertical distance is approximately 50 mm to 54 mm, preferably 52 mm.
3. Modular crate according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the side faces (2, 3, 4, 5) and the underside of the frame (6) and the underside of the base (7) delimit a continuous free space.
4. Modular crate according to any of the preceding claims, wherein a compartment longitudinal wall (9) is formed parallel to the opposing long side walls (2, 3, 4, 5).
5. Modular crate according to claim 4, wherein two compartments are formed by the compartment longitudinal wall (9) and each compartment is designed for receiving two beverage bottle packs.
6. Modular crate according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the base (7) is formed as a lattice structure comprising rings (10) which are interconnected by longitudinal webs (11) and transverse webs (12).
7. Modular crate according to claim 6, wherein the lattice structure has wave-shaped webs (13) running parallel to the long side walls (2, 3).
8. Modular crate according to any of the preceding claims, wherein two rows of quills (14) extending upwardly from the bottom (7) are formed within the frame (6).
9. Modular crate according to claim 8, wherein each row comprises five quills (14).
10. Modular crate according to claim 8 or 9, wherein a peripheral surface of a quill (14) is formed of four concave surfaces.

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