EP3947174A1

EP3947174A1 - Adaptive storage rack

Info

Publication number: EP3947174A1
Application number: EP20712974.3A
Authority: EP
Inventors: HUERTAS Francisco José BENITO; Alberto MARTINEZ DE PABLO
Original assignee: Saint Gobain Glass France SAS; Compagnie de Saint Gobain SA
Current assignee: Saint Gobain Glass France SAS; Compagnie de Saint Gobain SA
Priority date: 2019-03-27
Filing date: 2020-03-25
Publication date: 2022-02-09
Also published as: FR3094359A1; MA55481A; JP2022525673A; KR20210142676A; CN112004752A; BR112021018879A2; WO2020193596A1; FR3094359B1; PE20212343A1; MX2021011413A; US20220194656A1

Abstract

The present invention concerns a rack for storage and/or transport of elements, in particular glazing elements, of the type comprising a receiving structure for these elements, the upper part of the structure comprising receiving means (18) and holding means (22, 23) for an additional upper rack that it is desired to stack thereon, and the lower part of this structure comprising complementary means capable of allowing it to cooperate with the receiving means (18) and the holding means (22, 23) of an additional lower rack on which it is desired to stack it. This rack is characterised in that the holding means comprise at least two members (22, 23) spaced apart from each other in the transverse direction by a value of a step corresponding to a difference in dimensions, in the transverse direction, of the racks that it is desired to stack.

Description

Title of the invention: ADAPTIVE STORAGE RACK

The present invention relates to a rack for storage and / or

transport of glazing elements, in particular glazing intended for motor cars, such as, for example, windshields, rear windows or side windows.

We know that racks of this type generally consist of mechanically-welded tubular elements which form a receiving cradle in which the glazing elements are deposited so that they rest on their song, parallel to each other .

[0003] Such racks are usually of standard dimensions and occupy a substantially rectangular floor area, the glazing elements being distributed in the longitudinal direction. In addition, these racks are stackable and for this purpose include receiving means aimed at ensuring precise positioning on one another, as well as holding means ensuring their connection both in the longitudinal direction and in the transverse direction once 'they are stacked.

These holding means usually consist of a cylindrical stud ending in a cone, which is arranged in the upper part of the rack on each side thereof and orifices provided at its base and which are located to the right of these plots. So when two racks of identical dimensions are superimposed, the two pads of the lower rack are housed in the respective holes of the upper rack.

[0005] We understand under these conditions that it is only possible to superimpose racks whose base surface is strictly identical.

[0006] A difficulty arises when one wishes to fill

transport with such racks whether these vehicles are road or rail, insofar as the receiving surfaces are not always a multiple of the basic dimensions of the racks. Most of the time this is not the case and the volume not used in this way represents a significant loss for the user. The present invention aims to allow the user to approach an optimal filling of the chosen means of transport while increasing the quantity of elements transported compared to that usually existing with known standard racks.

[0008] The present invention thus relates to a storage and / or

transport of elements, in particular glazing elements, of the type comprising a receiving structure for these elements, the upper part of the structure comprising receiving means and means for holding an additional upper rack that is to be stacked on that here, and the lower part of this structure comprising additional means capable of allowing it to cooperate with the receiving means and the means for maintaining a lower additional rack on which it is desired to stack it.

[0009] This rack is characterized in that the holding means comprise at least two members distant from each other in the transverse direction by a value corresponding to a difference in dimensions, in the transverse direction, of the racks that you want to stack.

Preferably, the holding means may comprise two members.

These organs may consist of nipples and the additional means may consist of an orifice made at the anterior base of the structure.

[0011] The studs may include a cylindrical base surmounted by a conical part.

[0012] The following will describe, by way of non-limiting example, embodiments of the present invention, with reference to the accompanying drawing in which:

- Figure 1 is a perspective view of a rack provided with receiving means and holding means according to the invention,

- Figure 2 is a partial top view of the rack shown in Figure 1,

- Figure 3 is an enlarged view in cross section of the means

receivers and means for maintaining the rack according to the invention,

- Figure 3a is a vertical sectional view of the base of an anterior vertical upright of the rack according to the invention,

- Figure 4 is a vertical partial sectional view of the rack along the line IV- IV of figure 2,

- Figure 5 is a partial front view of the rack shown in Figures 1 and 2,

- Figure 6 is a partial sectional view along the line IV-IV of Figure 2 of a stack of two racks of identical transverse dimensions,

- Figure 7 is an enlarged partial schematic view of the part surrounded by a circle of Figure 6,

- Figure 8 is a partial sectional view along the line IV-IV of Figure 2 of a stack of two racks of different transverse dimensions,

- Figure 9 is an enlarged partial schematic view of the part surrounded by a circle in Figure 8,

- Figure 10 is a cross-sectional view of an alternative embodiment of the receiving and holding means of the rack according to the invention.

[0013] Throughout the description, the rack 1 according to the invention is considered to be placed on a support, ready to be loaded / unloaded, which makes it possible to define its "lower" and "upper" parts. The opening for access to the glazing elements is in a longitudinal plane, and is positioned on the front part of rack 1, that is to say near an operator brought to

load / unload glazing elements. In contrast, the rear part of rack 1 is furthest from the operator. The glazing elements are therefore loaded from the rear part of rack 1 towards the front part of rack 1, in a transverse direction, and are oriented, for each of them, in a substantially longitudinal direction. The expressions “lower”, “upper”, “anterior”, “posterior”, longitudinal ”and“ transverse ”are thus to be considered in relation to this orientation.

The rack 1 according to the invention which, in the present embodiment, is made of mechanically welded tubes comprises a frame 3 whose base is of substantially rectangular shape and whose front face is provided with a plinth 5a which is slightly wider than frame 3 and the side faces of which are provided with plinth 5b.

The plinths 5a and 5b are respectively pierced with two openings 7a and 7b which are intended to allow the passage of the branches of an operator pallet truck type lifting. The part of the front plinth 5a and the front part 3a of the frame 3 located between the two openings 7a are interrupted so as to create a controlled access space 6 opening onto the inside of the rack 1.

The two ends of the front plinth 5a terminate in front vertical uprights 11a, the tops of which are respectively joined by cross members 13 at the tops of two vertical uprights 11b raised at the rear angles of the frame. Furthermore, the tops of the two rear vertical uprights 11 b are joined together by a cross member 14, oriented in a transverse direction.

[0017] The base frame 3 is provided with two transverse uprights 15, the upper face of which is provided over its entire length with notches 17 which are intended to receive the edges of the glazing elements 16 in a longitudinal direction, in particular the screens. windshields or rear glasses of vehicles, which are intended to be stored / transported, so as to keep them in a substantially vertical position.

[0018] The controlled access space 6 of the rack 1 comprises means which allow it to be closed during transport or storage, which makes it possible to ensure the

protection of the glazing elements 16, and which also make it possible to release it during the loading / unloading operation, which improves access to the glazing elements, in particular those which are stored in the rear part of the rack, it is that is to say at a distance from the operator.

[0019] The racks according to the invention are intended to be stacked one on top of the

others and to do this include, on the one hand, receiving means, or guide means, capable of promoting the implementation of this superposition and retaining means capable of preventing the movement of the racks once they are in place.

As shown in Figures 4 and 5, the receiving means are

made up of two front guides 18 and two rear guides 20.

Each front guide 18, which is arranged on the front part of the

crossmember 13, comprises a base 18a provided with two wings which are inclined from top to bottom and from the outside towards the inside of the guide, namely a wing 18b of transverse direction and a wing 18c of longitudinal direction. The inclination of these wings gives them a deflector function allowing, during

stacking one rack on another, pushing the rack to be positioned when it is not perfectly centered in relation to the receiving rack in order to deflect it and bring it into the correct position, as explained below .

Similarly each posterior guide 20 which is disposed on the cross member

posterior 14 comprises a base 20a provided with two wings which are inclined from top to bottom and from the outside towards the interior of the guide, namely a wing 20b of transverse direction and a wing 20c of longitudinal direction.

The holding means which are arranged in the front guides 18, comprise, as shown in Figures 3, 7 and 9, two studs, namely a front stud 22 and a posterior stud 23, aligned in a transverse direction . These nipples have a cylindrical base 22a surmounted by a cone 22b. The base 22a is provided with a lower boss 22c which fits into a hole in the base 18a of the guide with which it is welded.

The studs 22 and 23 are of a diameter such that they can be inserted into holes 25 provided at the lower end of the front vertical posts 11a, as shown in Figure 3a.

There is shown in Figure 6 a stack of two identical racks whose width a, or transverse dimension, is greater than that a 'of the standard racks of the prior state of the art, namely a lower rack 1 on which is arranged an upper rack 1 ', an arrangement which thus makes it possible to very significantly increase the number of elements transported. In such an embodiment of the invention and as shown in Figure 7, the front stud 22 of the guide 18 of the lower rack 1 takes place in the hole 25 of the base of the anterior vertical upright 11a of the upper rack Y.

There is shown in Figures 8 and 9 a stack of two racks of

different transverse dimensions, namely a lower rack 1 of width a on which is arranged an upper rack Y of width a 'lower corresponding to that of the racks of the prior state of the art. In this arrangement and as shown in Figure 9, the rear stud 23 of the guide 18 of the lower rack takes place in the hole 25 of the base of the anterior vertical upright 11a of the upper rack.

The present invention is particularly interesting in that it allows stacking not only identical racks as shown in Figures 6 and 7, but racks of different transverse dimensions as shown in Figures 8 and 9.

[0028] The present invention thus allows the user, depending on the surface

available in the transport vehicle to combine conventional type racks of width a ’with racks of greater width a so as to occupy all of the available space. We understand that the distance e that will be made between the nipples 22 and 23 will correspond to the difference between the

transverse dimensions a and a of racks 1 and 1.

[0029] Of course, according to the invention, the guides may have a higher number of pins. Thus, in Figure 10 the anterior guide 18 ′ comprises three studs, namely an anterior stud 22, an intermediate stud 24 and a posterior stud 23, all three aligned in a transverse direction. The distance separating two adjacent studs may be different, as shown in Figure 10 in which the front 22 and intermediate studs 24 are spaced apart by a length e 'and the intermediate 24 and posterior studs 23 are spaced apart by a greater distance e. .

[0030] Such an arrangement makes it possible to further increase the combinations

layout available to the user to allow him to perform optimal loading of the means of transport of his racks.

Finally, we know that the number of racks that the transport vehicle is able to transport can be limited by the weight of the latter.

Now we understand that the weight of the racks is able to vary according to the

glazing elements that you want to transport. The present invention, by allowing the combination of racks of different dimensions, and therefore of different weights, enables the transporter to best adjust the overall weight of the racks arranged in the transport vehicle with the weight capacity of the latter.

Claims

[Claim 1] Rack for storing and / or transporting elements (16), in particular glazing elements, of the type comprising a structure (3) receiving these elements (16), the upper part of the structure

comprising receiving means (18, 20) and holding means (22, 23, 24) of an upper additional rack (1 ') that one wishes to stack on it, and the lower part of this structure ( 3) comprising additional means (25) capable of allowing it to cooperate with the receiving means (18, 20) and the holding means (22, 23, 24) of a lower rack (1) on which it is desired to stack, characterized in that the holding means comprise at least two members (22, 23, 24) spaced apart in the transverse direction by a value (e, e ') corresponding to a difference in dimensions , in the transverse direction, of the racks that one wishes to stack.

[Claim 2] Storage and / or transport rack according to

Claim 1 characterized in that the retaining means comprise two members (22, 24).

[Claim 3] Storage and / or transport rack according to one of claims 1 or 2 characterized in that the members consist of studs (22, 23, 24) and the additional means consist of an orifice (25 ) made at the anterior base of the structure (3).

[Claim 4] Storage and / or transport rack according to

Claim 3 characterized in that the studs (22, 23, 24) comprise a cylindrical base (22a) surmounted by a conical part (22b).

[Claim 5] Storage and / or transport rack according to one of claims 1 to 4 characterized in that at least one of said receiving means (18, 20) comprises a base 18a provided with two wings which are inclined from the top downwards and from the outside to the inside, namely a wing 18b of transverse direction and a wing 18c of longitudinal direction.