EP4059860B1 - Stackable container with foldable walls - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a stackable container according to claim 1.

A container of the type mentioned above is from the document DE 43 10 812 A1 known. This document describes a stackable container with walls that can be folded onto the bottom of the container and a lid for transporting and picking goods, in which a closable opening is provided in at least one of its side walls, which enables access to the interior of the container. A roller blind can be provided with which the opening can be closed, the roller blind being able to be moved horizontally or vertically. If the roller blind can be moved vertically, it lies in a double bottom of the container in its open position. This requires a relatively high floor, which disadvantageously leads to a relatively high height of the container when the walls are folded. Another disadvantage here is that the lid is a loose individual part of the container, which in practical use causes an increased risk of the lid losing.

The document WO 2016/169827 A1 shows a container, in particular a display container, for the transport and storage or presentation of goods, with a rectangular floor, a first side wall section articulated to the floor, which can be folded about a horizontal or parallel folding axis to the floor between a first folding position folded outwards away from the floor and oriented vertically and a second folding position folded inwards towards the floor and horizontally aligned is, and at least one second side wall section which is articulated to a side edge of the first side wall section and which can be pivoted about a vertical pivot axis or a pivot axis perpendicular to the floor between a first pivot position pivoted laterally away from the first side wall section at right angles and a second pivot position pivoted towards the first side wall section . It is essential that the first side wall section and/or the second side wall section has at least one angled, rectangular or L-shaped side edge section on the mutually facing side edges and the two side wall sections are articulated to one another in such a way that the at least one angled side edge section of at least one of the two side wall sections lies flat against the other side wall section at least in the first pivot position. The second side wall section can have on the other opposite side edge section an inwardly, in particular upwardly, vertical groove for receiving a side wall insert, for example in the form of a vertically displaceable side wall element, folding grille or a hiking set. Locking means for releasably locking the side wall insert in one or more predetermined positions can be provided on the groove itself or in the area of the groove. On the side opposite the first side wall section, the floor can have a floor edge section with a receptacle for a side wall insert, for example in the form of a vertically displaceable side wall element, folding grille or a hiking set. The disadvantage here is that the side wall insert is a loose individual part of the container that can easily be lost and damaged in practical use. In addition, this makes handling the container cumbersome for its user. Alternatively, the vertically displaceable side wall element can be integrated into the container base and can be pulled upwards and locked therefrom when the walls are in the use position along guides provided in the vertical edges of the adjacent walls. However, it should be seen as a disadvantage that in order to fold the walls of the container into the empty position, the side wall element must first be moved into its lowest position, sunk into the ground has to be carried out, which makes handling it complex and complicated in practical use for the users of the container.

In the document US 9,475,638 B2 33 and 34 show a container with foldable walls, but in this container only three foldable walls are provided, namely two side walls and a rear wall. There is no front folding wall here. Instead, an upper rail (upper rail 720) is provided, which is guided at its outer ends in vertical guides on the adjacent side edges of the two side walls so that it can be displaced in the vertical direction. Furthermore, two diagonal struts (braces 722) that cross each other and are articulated to one another at the crossing point are provided here. With their upper end, the diagonal struts can be moved horizontally at a variable distance from one another and are articulated in the upper bar. With their lower end, the diagonal struts can be moved horizontally at a variable distance from one another and are articulated in the outward-facing edge of the container base. In order to be able to fold the three folding walls, the bar must be moved to its lowest position where it rests on the floor, as shown in Figure 34 of this document. This means that the folding axes of the three foldable walls have to run relatively high above the floor, which disadvantageously results in a relatively high height of the container in its folded state.

The present invention therefore has the task of creating a container of the type mentioned above that can be used for transport and presentation purposes, which avoids the disadvantages of the prior art set out above and which, in particular, has no loose individual parts and is easy to handle for its users , which in its folded state has the lowest possible remaining height and which is inexpensive to produce.

According to the invention, the problem is solved with a container according to claim 1.

The invention advantageously creates a container that is well suited and usable both for the transport of items to be transported and for the presentation of items to be transported, which avoids time-consuming manual repacking of items after transport from a transport container into a presentation or display container. In the use position of the walls of the container, the wall strip is in its uppermost position for transport purposes and the wall strip and the wall struts connected to it cover the recess in the wall to such an extent that no items to be transported can fall out of the container during transport. To present the items to be transported in the container, the wall bar with the wall struts is moved to its lowest position near the bottom of the container, so that the recess in the wall in question is then open and viewing and removing items to be transported, even from containers stacked on top of each other, is possible is.

In a first further embodiment of the container according to the invention it is provided that the wall struts are each guided at their lower end in addition to the lower edge of the recess in guides on the wall having the recess in the longitudinal direction of the lower edge of the recess and that the wall struts are each at their have a fixed pivot point at the top.

An alternative further embodiment of the container according to the invention provides that the wall struts are each additionally guided on the wall strip at their upper end in a displaceable manner in the longitudinal direction of the wall strip and that the wall struts each have a fixed pivot point at their lower end. A further alternative embodiment of the container according to the invention in this regard provides that the wall struts are designed to be telescopic, each with at least two strut sections that can be displaced relative to one another in their longitudinal direction.

In all three of the aforementioned embodiments, the wall struts can freely follow a vertical displacement of the wall strip between its uppermost and lowest positions.

Furthermore, the invention proposes that two latches are arranged on or in the wall strip between a locking position that locks the wall strip at its two ends at least in its covering position against the wall having the recess and an unlocking position. With the latches, the wall strip can be fixed at least in its uppermost position, which forms the covering position, so that undesirable automatic displacement and thus opening of the recess, especially during transport of items to be transported in the container, is reliably avoided. If necessary, the latches and the adjacent wall areas of the wall or walls of the container which have the recess and which interact with the latches can also be set up for locking the wall strip in further positions, in particular in the lower release position of the wall strip.

The bolts can, for example, be sliding bolts that are resiliently preloaded in the locking direction and can be moved manually in the unlocking direction.

For the purpose of economical production of the container according to the invention, it is further proposed that with the bars arranged on or in the wall strip, the same or similar bars are arranged on the shorter walls or on the longer walls for releasably locking the walls against one another in their erected use position.

As an alternative to the above-mentioned latches on or in the wall strip, two locking elements can be arranged on the wall strip or on the sliding guides of the wall having the recess, which releasably lock the wall strip at both ends, at least in its covering position, against the wall having the recess. In this version, it is sufficient to manually exert a downward force of sufficient magnitude on the wall strip to release the wall strip from the locking position in its covering position, without having to manually adjust the bars or other elements. The locking elements can, for example, be spring-loaded locking balls or locking balls in the locking direction be locking lugs, e.g. B. each interact with at least one locking recess on the sliding guides leading the wall strip or at the ends of the wall strip.

The stackable container according to the invention can be designed differently with regard to the arrangement of the recess or recesses and their number.

A first embodiment in this regard provides that one of the two longer walls or one of the two shorter walls has a recess with a wall strip and wall struts. In this embodiment, the container only requires a special wall with a recess, wall strip and wall struts, while all three other walls can be standard walls, which, like the container base in each case, can be adopted from already known folding containers.

A second relevant embodiment of the container provides that both longer walls or both shorter walls each have a recess with a wall strip and wall struts. This configuration offers the particular advantage that the container can be viewed from two opposite sides and that items to be transported can be removed from the container from two opposite sides, provided that the container or a stack of containers is accessible from the two opposite sides. A second advantage here is that when placing or stacking such containers, it is not necessary to pay attention to a specific orientation of the or each container, in which the side with the recess points in a required direction.

A third relevant embodiment of the container provides that one or both longer walls and one or both shorter walls each have a recess with a wall strip and wall struts. This configuration offers the particular advantage that the container can be viewed from at least two sides adjacent to one another and that items to be transported can be removed from the container from at least two sides adjacent to one another, provided that the container or a stack of containers is accessible from the at least two sides adjacent to one another .

A preferred area of application of the container according to the invention is food logistics between food producers and food retailers, where the container can be used in a variety of ways, for example for the transport and presentation of fruit, vegetables, baked goods, egg packaging and the like.

There is advantageously the possibility of either releasing or covering the recess for each such container located in a stack of containers, because the wall strip can be moved regardless of whether the container is standing alone or is arranged in a stack of containers.

It is also advantageous for the user to handle the container according to the invention that when folding up an empty container, it does not matter in which position the wall strip and the wall struts are currently located. The wall with the recess with the wall strip and wall struts can be folded in without any hindrance, completely independent of the current position of the wall strip, because the wall strip and the wall struts only extend and move within the wall with the recess and do not affect areas of the adjacent walls and/or the touch the bottom of the container.

As already mentioned above, essential parts of the container according to the invention can be taken over from existing folding containers, which keeps the production of the container according to the invention cheap for the manufacturer.

There is also the advantageous possibility of converting stackable folding containers that have already been used into containers according to the invention by simply replacing at least one of the conventional walls of the container with a wall with a recess, wall strip and wall struts. Such an exchange is usually possible without damage because the folding walls of containers already known and used on the market are articulated to the bottom via hinges that can be brought in and out of engagement in a non-destructive manner in order to be able to replace individual damaged walls if necessary.

Relevant stackable and foldable containers used in food logistics usually have a base area of 600 mm x 400 mm, with the longer walls of the container correspondingly having a horizontal length of 600 mm. The height of the containers varies depending on the intended use and the goods to be transported. The recess in at least one of the walls should preferably have an area that is as large as possible but still ensures sufficient wall stability.

Figur 1

einen stapelbaren leeren Behälter mit vier einklappbaren Wänden in aufgerichteter Nutzstellung, von denen eine Wand mit einer hier durch eine Wandleiste und Wandstreben verdeckten Ausnehmung ausgebildet ist, in einer Ansicht schräg von oben,

Figur 2

den Behälter aus Figur 1 mit den Wänden in aufgerichteter Nutzstellung und verdeckter Ausnehmung, mit im Behälter angeordneten Transportgutstücken, ebenfalls in einer Ansicht schräg von oben,

Figur 3

den Behälter aus Figur 1 mit den Wänden in aufgerichteter Nutzstellung und mit hier freigegebener Ausnehmung, ebenfalls in einer Ansicht schräg von oben,

Figur 4

den Behälter aus Figur 1 mit drei bereits zum Boden hin eingeklappten Wänden und mit einer vierten, die Ausnehmung aufweisenden Wand während ihres Einklappens, ebenfalls in einer Ansicht schräg von oben,

Figur 5

den Behälter aus Figur 1 mit allen vier Wänden in eingeklappter Leerstellung und mit hier verdeckter Ausnehmung, ebenfalls in einer Ansicht schräg von oben,

Figur 6

den Behälter aus Figur 5 mit allen vier Wänden in eingeklappter Leerstellung und mit hier verdeckter Ausnehmung, in einer Draufsicht, und

Figur 7

den Behälter aus Figur 1 mit allen vier Wänden in eingeklappter Leerstellung und mit hier freigegebener Ausnehmung, in einer Draufsicht.

An exemplary embodiment of the invention is explained below with reference to a drawing. The figures in the drawing show:

Figure 1

a stackable empty container with four foldable walls in an upright use position, one wall of which is formed with a recess covered here by a wall strip and wall struts, in a view obliquely from above,

Figure 2

the container Figure 1 with the walls in the erected use position and covered recess, with items to be transported arranged in the container, also in a view obliquely from above,

Figure 3

the container Figure 1 with the walls in the upright use position and with the recess released here, also in a view diagonally from above,

Figure 4

the container Figure 1 with three walls already folded towards the floor and with a fourth wall having the recess during its folding, also in a view obliquely from above,

Figure 5

the container Figure 1 with all four walls in the folded-in empty position and with the recess covered here, also in a view diagonally from above,

Figure 6

the container Figure 5 with all four walls in the folded-in empty position and with the recess covered here, in a top view, and

Figure 7

the container Figure 1 with all four walls in the folded empty position and with the recess released here, in a top view.

In the following description of the figures, the same parts in the various drawing figures are always provided with the same reference numbers, so that not all reference numbers have to be explained again for each drawing figure.

Figure 1 The drawing shows a stackable, empty container 1 with a rectangular base 10 and four walls 11, 11 ', 12 which are pivotably connected to it and can be folded towards the base 10 in the erected use position, in a view obliquely from above. The walls 11, 11' are longer walls and the walls 12 are shorter walls. In the Figure 1 The longer wall 11' facing the viewer is formed with a rectangular recess 2, which is open at the top and is spaced laterally from two side edges and at the bottom from a lower edge of this wall 11'.

The recess 2 is for transporting items stored in the container 1 Figure 1 Items to be transported (not shown) can be concealed and released for presentation and removal of the items to be transported.

For this purpose, a wall strip 3 is arranged in the recess 2, running horizontally parallel to the floor 10, the ends 31 of which are in sliding guides 23 running on the side edges 21 of the recess 2 on the front, longer wall 11 'having the recess 2, in the use position of the walls 11 , 11 ', 12 seen, is guided vertically displaceably between an upper covering position and a lower release position for the recess 2.

Furthermore, two wall struts 4 are arranged between the wall strip 3 and the lower edge 20 of the recess 2 in the upper covering position of the wall strip 3, which run obliquely to the vertical and are spaced apart from one another in the longitudinal direction of the wall 11 '. At their ends 41, 42, the wall struts 4 are each articulated to the wall strip 3 and at the lower edge 20 of the recess 2 to the wall 11 'having the recess 2. The wall struts 4 are also guided at their lower end 42 in addition to the lower edge 20 of the recess 2 in guides 24 on the wall 11 'having the recess 2 in the longitudinal direction of the lower edge 20 of the recess 2. At their upper end 42, the wall struts 4 each have a fixed pivot point on the wall strip 3.

On the wall strip 3 there are two bars 5 that can be moved in the longitudinal direction, each of which is located between the wall strip 3 at its two ends 31, at least in its inward direction Figure 1 shown cover position against the wall 11 'having the recess 2 locking locking position and an unlocking position can be adjusted. In the exemplary embodiment shown, the bars 5 are resiliently preloaded in the locking direction and can be manually moved in the unlocking direction in the form of one-piece plastic injection-molded parts, which are arranged and guided on the outward-facing side of the wall strip 3.

As an alternative to the above-mentioned latches 5 on or in the wall strip 3, on this or on the sliding guides 23 of the wall 11 'having the recess 2, two wall strips 3 can be held at both ends 31 at least in their covering position against the wall 11 having the recess 2 'Releasably locking locking elements can be arranged, for example locking balls or locking lugs preloaded resiliently in the locking direction, which z. B. each interact with at least one locking recess on the sliding guides 23 leading the wall strip 3 or at the ends 31 of the wall strip 3.

On the shorter walls 12 of the container 1 according to Figure 1 are arranged immediately below the upper edge of the shorter walls 12 with the bars 5 arranged on the wall strip 3, the same or similar bars 52 for releasably locking the walls 11, 11 ', 12 against each other in their erected use position.

Figure 2 shows container 1 Figure 1 with the walls 11, 11 ', 12 in the erected use position and with the recess covered by the wall strip 3 and the wall struts 4, now with items to be transported 6 arranged in the container 1, also in a view obliquely from above. In the example shown here, the transport items 6 are egg cartons; Of course, other items to be transported can also be accommodated in the container 1.

As the Figure 2 illustrated, the wall strip 3 located in the recess 2 in its upper covering position, together with the wall struts 4 connected to it, ensures that, especially during transport and thus often associated vibrations, no transport items 6 can accidentally fall out of the container 1.

For smaller transport items 6, more than two wall struts 4 can also be provided.

Next is from the Figure 2 It can be seen that containers 1 filled with transport goods 6 can be stacked one on top of the other, with, as is known, an upper container 1 with its base 10 standing on the upper edge of the walls 11, 11 ', 12 of a lower container 1 and in this for the purpose Displacement protection intervenes.

Figure 3 shows container 1 Figure 1 with the walls 11, 11 ', 12 in the erected use position and with the recess 2 released here, also in a view obliquely from above. To release the recess 2, the wall strip 3 is moved downwards towards the floor 10 along the sliding guides 23 on the side edges 21 of the recess 2 after loosening the latches 5.

When the wall strip 3 is lowered, the wall struts 4, each articulated to the wall strip 3 at a fixed pivot point at its upper end 41, move sideways outwards along the guides 24 on the lower edge 20 of the recess 2 with their lower end 42 until the Wall strip 3 and the wall struts 4 in Figure 3 have reached the lowest position shown. In this release position of the wall strip 3 and the wall struts 4, items to be transported in the container 1 can be viewed and items to be transported can be removed from the container 1, e.g. B. for customers in a supermarket, easily possible. Access to the interior of the container 1 remains free even when the containers 1 are stacked one on top of the other in a stack.

Since the wall strip 3 and the wall struts 4 only move in the area of the wall 11 'having the recess 2, the adjustment of the wall strip 3 and wall struts 4 between the covering position and the release position for the recess 2 can be unhindered even when containers 1 are arranged in a stack take place.

Figure 4 shows container 1 Figure 1 with three walls 11, 12 already folded towards the floor 10 and with the fourth front one having the recess 2 longer wall 11 'while it is folded, also in a view diagonally from above.

To fold the walls 11, 11 ', 12, they are in the Figures 1 to 3 on the outside on the left shorter side wall 12 and the bolts 52, which are arranged mirror-symmetrically on the opposite right shorter side wall 12 and are hidden there, in the release direction, here in the inward direction towards each other. This releases the mutual locking of the walls 11, 11', 12 and first the shorter walls 12 and then the longer walls 11, 11' can be folded towards the floor 10.

This results, as in the Figure 5 shown using the example of a completely folded container 1, a particularly low height of the container 1 in its empty, folded state, which enables space-saving transport of empty containers 1.

Figure 6 shows container 1 Figure 5 with all four walls 11, 11 ', 12 in the folded-in empty position and with the recess 2 covered here, in a top view. The wall strip 3 runs here along the upper edge of the recess 2 in the wall 11 'and the wall struts 4 run obliquely downwards from the wall strip 3 and outwards to the lower edge 20 of the recess 2.

Figure 7 finally shows container 1 Figure 1 with all four walls 11, 11 ', 12 in the folded-in empty position and with the recess 2 released here, also in a top view. The wall strip 3 runs here along the lower edge 20 of the recess 2 in the wall 11 'and the wall struts 4 now run horizontally directly below the wall strip 3

The Figures 6 and 7 illustrate that when folding the container 1, it does not matter which position the wall strip 3 and the wall struts 4 are currently in, which simplifies the handling of the container 1, especially when folding it.

The parts of the container 1, ie its base 10, its walls 11, 11', 12, the wall strip 3, the wall struts 4 and the bars 5, 52 are made to be more cost-effective Mass production, low weight and good durability of the container 1 is expediently made of plastic injection molded parts. <u>Reference symbol list:</u> Sign Designation 1 stackable container 10 Floor 11 longer wall without a recess 11' longer wall with recess 12 shorter walls 2 Recess in 11' 20 bottom edge of 2 21 lateral edges of 2 23 Sliding guides on 21 for 3 24 Tours for 4 at 20 3 Wall molding 31 Ends of 3 4 Wall braces 41 top end of 4 42 bottom end of 4 5 Latch on 3 52 Latch at 12 6 transport items

Claims (10)

1. A stackable container (1) having a rectangular bottom (10), having two longer walls (11, 11') hingedly connected to the bottom (10), and two shorter walls (12) hingedly connected to the bottom (10), wherein the walls (11, 11', 12) are pivotable between an upright use position and an empty position folded towards bottom (10), wherein at least one of the walls (11, 11', 12) includes a recess (2) keeping a distance of two lateral edges and one lower edge of said wall (11, 11', 12), which can be covered for transport of transport goods accommodated in the container (1) and can be released for presentation and removal of said transport goods (6),
   wherein

   a wall rail (3) extending horizontally parallel to the bottom (10) is on its ends (31) vertically slidably guided in sliding guides (23) extending on the lateral edges (21) of the recess (2) on the wall (11') including the recess (2), as seen in use position of the walls (11, 11', 12), between an upper cover position and a lower release position for the recess (2),

   and wherein

   between the wall rail (3) and the lower edge (20) of the recess (2) at least two wall struts (4) in cover position of the wall rail (2) are disposed extending obliquely to the vertical line, which on their ends (41, 42) are each hingedly connected to the wall rail (3) and on the lower edge (20) of the recess (2) are connected to the wall (11') including the recess (2).

   characterized in that

   the wall struts (4) spaced apart from each other in the longitudinal direction of the wall.
2. The stackable container (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the wall struts (4) are each additionally slidably guided on their lower end (42) on the lower edge (20) of the recess (2) in guides (24) on the wall (11') including the recess (2) in longitudinal direction of the lower edge (20) of the recess (2), and in that the wall struts (4) each include a fixed rotation point on their upper end (42).
3. The stackable container (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the wall struts (4) each are on their upper end (41) additionally slidably guided on the wall rail (3) in longitudinal direction of the wall rail (3), and in that the wall struts (4) each include a fixed rotation point on their lower end (42).
4. The stackable container (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the wall struts (4) are configured telescopably with at least two strut portions each slidable against each other in their longitudinal direction.
5. The stackable container (1) according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that on or in the wall rail (3) two locks (5) are disposed adjustable between a locking position locking the wall rail (3) on its two ends (31), at least in its cover position, against the wall (11') including the recess (2), and an unlocking position.
6. The stackable container (1) according to claim 5, characterized in that together with the locks (5) disposed on or in the wall rail (3) same or similar locks (52) are disposed on the shorter walls (12) or on the longer walls (11, 11') for releaseably locking the walls (11, 11') against each other in their upright use position.
7. The stackable container (1) according to claims 1 to 4, characterized in that on the wall rail (3) or on the sliding guides (23) of the wall (11') including the recess (2) two latching elements are disposed releaseably latching the wall rail (3) on its two ends (31) at least in its cover position against the wall (11') including the recess.
8. The stackable container (1) according to claims 1 to 7, characterized in that one of the two longer walls (11, 11') or one of the two shorter walls (12) includes a recess (2) with wall rail (3) and wall struts (4).
9. The stackable container (1) according to claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the two longer walls (11, 11') or the two shorter walls (12) each include a recess (2) with wall rail (3) and wall struts (4).
10. The stackable container (1) according to claims 1 to 7, characterized in that one or two longer walls (11, 11') and one or two shorter walls (12) each include a recess (2) with wall rail (3) and wall struts (4).

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