EP4001153B1

EP4001153B1 - Container with collapsible side walls

Info

Publication number: EP4001153B1
Application number: EP21202924.3A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Alberto Manchón Macías
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2020-11-24
Filing date: 2021-10-15
Publication date: 2024-04-03
Anticipated expiration: 2041-10-15
Also published as: ES2912309A1; EP4001153A1; ES2912309B2; EP4001153C0

Description

Object of the invention

The present invention relates to a container with collapsible side walls, the main objective of which is to provide a solid and stable connection between the side walls thereof during assembly, which further facilitates the collapsing of the container.
The invention is applied to any type of container with collapsible walls, which are individually collapsed on a base to occupy less space during the storage and transport thereof, after emptying the container, such as pallet-type containers or any other container. An example of containers on which the invention is applied is a container capable of including a conventional flexible inner structure, intended to separate and protect the products to be transported, in which case the invention moreover prevents said flexible inner structure or any of the portions thereof from having to be disassembled when it is being collapsed, so that in these cases the collapsing/assembly is considerably simplified. The invention can also be applied on boxes and in general on any type of container that has collapsible side walls.

Background of the invention

At present, collapsible containers are marketed which are equipped with a base from which side walls that collapse separately emerge, folding them towards the inside of the container. Once the side walls have been collapsed, the assembly is closed by means of a lid that covers them. This lid is also used to close the container when it is unfolded and assembled.
In this sense, the Spanish utility model with application number U9601828 (publication number ES1034598U ) can be cited, which describes a collapsible container pallet comprising a base and straight quadrangular side plates that can be sequentially folded on the base. It further comprises a collapsible prismatic laminar part as a band, washer or belt, which, in the unfolded position of the side plates, is arranged outside and around said side plates, sheathing them to maintain the unfolded position. It also comprises a closing lid both in the collapsed and unfolded position. The container can be made of different materials, such as plastic, cardboard, wood, metal, etc.
This configuration has the drawback that incorporating the collapsible prismatic laminar part is required, as well as the need to manipulate it when assembling the container, which complicates the structure of the container and the collapsing/assembly thereof.
To simplify the previous configuration, another type of collapsible container was created in which the side walls thereof are embodied by means of the collapsible prismatic laminar part of the previous model, which forms the band, avoiding the use of the foldable straight quadrangular plates. In this case, it is required that the configuration of the collapsible prismatic laminar part is more resistant and heavier, so that in the assembled position it is inserted into the base, so that to collapse it, it must be removed from the base, its weight lifted, collapsed and placed on the base, and during the assembly operation the reverse operation is carried out, which makes it difficult to handle, both at the time of assembly and collapsing.
It is worth mentioning the existence of other types of containers with thick, heavier walls that are manufactured and marketed by numerous companies, such as Schoeller Allibert, Schoeller Area System, Ropak, UTZ, Qpall, Kaiser+Kraft or Auer.
In this sense, the European patent document with publication number EP0911268 can be mentioned, which describes a collapsible container provided with a base, with side walls that collapse separately, towards the inside of the container, and provided with attachment formations for attaching to the adjoining walls, which fit the walls in the assembly, and wherein the collapsing is furthermore carried out on hinges, which also house the attachment formations of the adjoining side wall when the container is collapsed, to attach them during collapsing. This container has the drawback of being equipped with a rather complex attachment structure that makes the product more expensive and makes handling difficult.
In the Spanish patent document with application number P202030165 , the previous problem is solved, for which it consists of a collapsible container equipped with attachment means between adjoining side walls, comprising a retention element, arranged on a side wall, and a flap, configured to be retained by means of the retention element of an adjoining side wall, when assembling the container. This configuration, although useful, has the drawback that sometimes when handling the container the flap of the retention element is detached, releasing the connection made between the side walls.
The Japanese patent document JP S56103425 U discloses a connecting member slidably supporting an end portion on one side wall and extending the locking portion outwardly from the end wall is provided, and on the other side wall, a first cylindrical body having a second opening, rotatably mounted in a hollow portion, having an opening of the connecting member, wherein the engaging portion of the connecting member inserted into the cylindrical body via the both openings, and the connecting member is locked to the tubular body.
The European patent document EP0947436 discloses a folding packing-box, applicable to the transport of goods, is provided with a base on which side panels, capable of being folded, are hinged, and an upper lid. The side panels are provided in the vertical edges with profiles that serve as a limit for the other two panels, once unfolded. The panels stand in vertical position owing to the action of interlocking mechanisms, or clips acting on the sides or the contours. The lid is coupled to the box by means of the contours fastened on the periphery thereof.

Description of the invention

To achieve the objectives and solve the aforementioned problems, the invention provides a container according to claim 1. The container comprises collapsible side walls which, as those provided in the state of the art, comprises a base on which the side walls are individually collapsed by means of a hinge, and includes fixing means between adjoining side walls in the assembled position.
The fixing means comprise a trigger part fixed on a side wall and further comprise a first part and a second part, fixed on an adjoining side wall, the second part able to be articulated on the first. The second part comprises a slot for inserting the trigger part when the container is collapsed, and for removing the trigger part when collapsing the container, all of this by articulating the second part on the first.
The main novelty of the invention resides in the fact that the first and second parts are coupled in an articulated manner and independently fixed on an adjoining side wall, comprising a flexible deformable configuration to enable the second part to be articulated on the first when exerting pressure on the second part.
The trigger part comprises a flange, which constitutes the element that is retained in the slot of the second part.
In the preferred embodiment, the first part comprises a "U" configuration, which is located in a recess provided in the adjoining side wall of the container, and which side walls of the "U" configuration include a housing in which a shaft that is provided in the second part is retained, being able to move. The free end of said side walls of the "U" configuration is finished off by means of perpendicular wings through which the first part is fixed to the adjoining side wall of the container. Furthermore, the second part comprises a portion that protrudes from the first part, by means of which it is fixed to the adjoining side wall of the container, so that the second part can be tilted over the first part when acting on the second part by deformation of the adjoining side wall.
In the preferred embodiment, the side walls of the container are made of plastic, to enable the flexible deformation thereof when pressing on the second part, enabling the side walls of the container to be assembled and collapsed.
In order to favour fixing the trigger part on an adjoining side wall of the container, it has been provided that said trigger part comprises a longitudinal extension that is inserted in a window made in the side wall of the container on which it is fixed.
The described configuration has the advantage of providing a solid, stable and long-lasting fixation between side walls in the assembly of the container, since to perform collapsing it is necessary to exert pressure on the second part so that the flange of the trigger part can come out of the slot of said second part and the adjoining side walls separate.
The trigger parts are fixed on one same side wall of the container, and therefore the first and second parts are also fixed on one same adjoining side wall of the container, to facilitate the assembly of the container, although any other arrangement is evident.
In the preferred embodiment of the invention, it is provided that the adjoining side wall of the container is equipped with an inwardly folded flap, on which the first and second parts are fixed, so that the trigger part is separated a distance from the edge of the side wall of the container, which is a function of the width of the flap to enable the insertion thereof in the slot of the second part.
In an embodiment of the invention, the hinge of the side walls of the container is embodied by shafts defined by slits made in said side walls.
The hinge shafts of opposite side walls are arranged at one same height, and those of the lateral walls adjoining the previous ones are arranged at different heights, so that first the side walls, the shafts of which are arranged at a lower level, are collapsed and then the higher ones are collapsed on the previous ones, which facilitates the collapsing of some side walls on top of others.
In one embodiment, the container comprises a closing lid that is used both in the position in which it is assembled, to close the container and protect the contents thereof, and in the collapsed position to cover and protect the side walls, and to obtain a compact collapsed container. The lid is expected to include handles to facilitate the handling thereof.
In the lower portion of the side walls and below the hinges, it comprises a perimeter band for fixing and reinforcing said side walls, on which it is moreover possible to incorporate corner pieces for reinforcing and fixing adjoining side walls.
In one embodiment, the base is solidly attached to a platform with support blocks, of the pallet type, to facilitate the stacking and handling of the containers by means of forklifts.
Furthermore, the lid comprises centring stops of the containers in the stack.
The described configuration provides a solid, stable and long-lasting fixation between side walls in the assembly of the container, and facilitates the assembly and collapsing of the container by a single person applying only pressure on the second parts, which guarantees great ease and comfort of use.

Description of the figures

To complete the description provided herein, and for the purpose of helping to make the features of the invention more readily understandable, this specification is accompanied by a set of figures constituting an integral part of the same, which by way of illustration and not limitation represent the following:

Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a possible exemplary embodiment of the invention of an assembled container with a lid on.
Figure 2 shows a perspective view of the previous figure in which the lid has been removed. Furthermore, a detail of the fixing means has been represented.
Figure 3 shows a partial perspective view with an exploded representation of the fixing means.
Figure 4 shows a perspective view of Figure 3, in the position in which the collapsing of the container has begun.
Figure 5 shows the container in a more advanced collapsing phase.
Figure 6 shows the container in the collapsed position and with the lid on.

Preferred embodiment of the invention

The preferred embodiment of the invention consists of a collapsible container 1, which is equipped with a base 2 and side walls 3 hinged by means of shafts 4, defined by slits made in the side walls 3, to enable collapsing, separately, on the base 2. In the example, the container 1 is made of flexible deformable material, such as plastic, and the base 2 has a quadrangular configuration, with four side walls, but it could have any other configuration with any other number of side walls, depending on the needs required.
The shafts 4 of the opposite side walls 3 are arranged at one same height and the shafts 4 of the other two walls, adjoining the previous ones, are arranged at one same height but different from the previous ones, to enable the collapsing thereof, as will be described later.
The side walls 3 are equipped with fixing means between adjoining side walls to carry out the assembly and collapsing of the container 1.
The fixing means comprise a trigger part 5, fixed on a side wall 3, and a first part 6 on which a second part 7 is coupled, both fixed on a side wall adjoining the previous one.
The exemplary embodiment shows a container 1 equipped with flaps 17, folded inwards and provided on two facing side walls 3, so that the first and second parts are fixed on said flaps, and the trigger parts 5 are fixed on the side walls lacking flaps, in a position that is separated a certain distance from the edge of the side wall, a distance that is a function of the width of the flaps 17, to enable the second parts to be retained on the trigger parts 5, as described below.
The trigger part 5 includes a longitudinal extension 10, which is inserted in a window 11 made in the side wall of the container 1, to which it is fixed by means of rivets 26. Furthermore, the trigger part 5 is equipped with a flange 9 (Figure 4), which performs the trigger function, as explained below.
The first part 6 comprises a "U" configuration, the side walls of which are finished off at the free end thereof by respective perpendicular wings 13, so that the "U" configuration is arranged in a recess 24 of the flap 17 of a side wall 3 of the container 1, supporting the wings 13 on the surface of said flap, to which it is fixed by means of rivets 15. Furthermore, the side walls of the first part include a housing 12 of a shaft 14 provided in the second part 7, which is also equipped with a slot 8, into which the flange 9 of the trigger part 5 is inserted when fixing two adjoining side walls of the container 1 in the assembled position, as will be described.
Furthermore, the second part 7 comprises a portion 25 that protrudes from the first part 6 through which it is fixed by means of rivets 16 on the flap 17, so that when pressed on the second part the articulation thereof occurs on the first part, as the lateral walls are deformable and flexible, by means of the movement of the shaft 14 in the housings 12.
The invention also envisages the possibility that the container 1 can incorporate a flexible inner structure, which has not been represented in the figures because it is conventional and not the object of the invention, such as, for example, an inner partitioning for separating and protecting the products contained in the container 1. This flexible structure, for example, can be of a textile nature such as a canvas or the like which, by means of rings, is retained on bars (not shown, as they are conventional, which are fixed between two flaps 17) through which they can slide in order to be extended or gathered during the assembly/collapsing.
Furthermore, the container 1 has a lid 18, which closes it both in the collapsed position and in the assembled position thereof, on the upper face of which it includes handles 19 to facilitate the handling thereof.
At the bottom of the container 1, and below the collapsing shafts 4, it comprises a perimeter band 20, with reinforcement corner pieces 20a, to provide the container 1 with greater resistance.
Next, starting from the structure described, we proceed to explain the way in which the container 1 is collapsed and assembled.
Starting from the assembled container 1 and with the lid 18 on (Figure 1), the lid 18 must first be removed (Figure 2), and then it is pressed on one of the second parts 7 causing the articulation thereof on the first part 6, as described, so that the flange 9 comes out of the slot 8 of the second part, which enables two adjoining side walls to be separated. The same operation is then carried out on the second part opposite the previous one, a side wall with the flaps being released, which enables it to be collapsed on the base 2.
The opposite side wall with flaps is then released and collapsed towards the base 2 in the same way (Figure 4).
To correctly collapse it, the height of the shaft 4 of the side walls must be greater than the width of the flaps 17.
In the event that the container 1 includes a flexible inner structure, and since it is fixed on the bars, provided between the flaps 17, it happens that when the side walls are collapsed towards the inside of the container 1, they take the flexible structure with them, placing it on the base 2 where it occupies a certain space, such that, in this case, the height of the shafts 4 of these side walls must also be above this flexible structure when it has been collapsed, so that said flexible structure is housed under said side walls.
Therefore, the height of the shafts 4 is a function of the width of the flaps 17, or of the space occupied by the flexible structure, depending on which is greater.
Finally, the other two side walls that lack a flap 17, i.e., those that are equipped with the trigger parts 5, have also been released and are folded towards the inside of the container 1 (Figure 5), which, since the height of the shafts 4 thereof is higher, are perfectly located on the previous side walls. Finally, the lid 18 is placed on the side walls, the container 1 being collapsed forming a compact structure (Figure 6).
The unfolding process is the reverse, i.e., starting from the collapsed position of the container 1, and with the lid 18 on (Figure 6), first the lid 18 is removed and then the side walls equipped with the trigger parts 5 and then those including the flaps 17 are unfolded. Next, a second part faces a trigger part 5 and the flap 17 is pushed, so that the second part presses on the flange 9 of the trigger part 5 causing the second part to articulate towards the first, by means of the flexible deformation of the flap, which determines that the flange is inserted and retained in the slot 8 of the second part, connecting two adjoining side walls.
In the exemplary embodiment, the base 2 is solidly attached to a platform 21 with support blocks 22, of the pallet type, to enable the stacking and handling thereof by means of forklifts. The upper face of the lid 18 includes stops 23, configured to facilitate the centring of the support blocks 22 during the stacking operation.

Claims

A container (1) with collapsible side walls, comprising a base (2), hinged side walls (3) configured to individually collapse on the base (2), and fixing means between adjoining side walls (3) in the assembled position; wherein the fixing means comprise:
- a trigger part (5), fixed on a first side wall (3),

- a first part (6) and a second part (7), fixed on an adjoining side wall,

characterized in that the first (6) and second parts (7) are coupled in an articulated manner and independently fixed on the adjoining side wall (3),

comprising a flexible deformable configuration to enable the second part to be articulated on the first part when exerting pressure on said second part;

wherein the second part (7) comprises a slot (8) for inserting the trigger part (5) during the assembly of the container (1) and for extracting the trigger part (5) during the collapsing of the container (1), by means of the articulation of the second part on the first; and

wherein the trigger part (5) comprises a flange (9) that is retained in the slot (8) of the second part.
The container, according to claim 1, wherein the first part comprises a "U" configuration, arranged in a recess (24) provided in the adjoining side wall of the container, and side walls of the "U" configuration include a retention housing (12) that enables a shaft (14) of the second part (7) to move, the free end of the side walls of the "U" configuration being finished off by means of perpendicular wings (13) through which it is fixed to the adjoining side wall of the container, and wherein the second part comprises a portion (25) that protrudes from the first part, by means of which it is fixed to the adjoining side wall of the container, to enable the second part to tilt over the first part when acting on the second part by deformation of the adjoining side wall.
The container, according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the side walls of the container are made of plastic.
The container, according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the trigger part comprises a longitudinal extension (10) that is inserted in a window (11) made in the first side wall of the container.
The container, according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the trigger parts are fixed on one same side wall of the container and the first and second parts are fixed on one same adjoining side wall of the container.
The container, according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the adjoining side wall of the container comprises an inwardly folded flap (17), in which the first and second parts are fixed, wherein the trigger part is separated a distance from an edge of the first side wall of the container, which is a function of the width of the flap to enable the insertion thereof into the slot of the second part.
The container, according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the hinge of the side walls of the container is embodied by means of shafts (4) defined by slits made in said side walls.
The container, according to claim 7, wherein the height of the hinge shafts of opposite side walls are arranged at one same height and those of the adjoining side walls are arranged at different heights, to facilitate the collapsing of the side walls, some on top of others.
The container according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising a closing lid (18) of the container both in the collapsed position and in the assembled position.
The container, according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising in the lower portion of the side walls and below the hinges, a perimeter band (20) for fixing and reinforcing said side walls of the container.
The container according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the base is solidly attached to a platform (21) with support blocks (22), of the pallet type.
The container, according to claim 9, wherein the lid comprises centring stops (23) to facilitate stacking of containers.