ES2299977T3 - HANDLING SEPARATOR TRAY TO STACK LAYER CONTAINERS. - Google Patents

Abstract

The spacer panel (1), made from an injection-moulded plastic, consists of a core, a flat upper surface to receive the flat bases of a layer of gable top containers, and an under surface (50) with a series of projections (90) in parallel rows (91). The projections have sloping surfaces (92, 94) so that inverted V-shaped recesses are formed between adjacent rows to receive the sloping upper surfaces of gable top containers. Gaps between the rows of projections receive the joined edges of the container tops, and recesses can be included to receive projecting pourers or other accessories.

Description

Stacking separator tray for stacking layered containers.

The invention generally relates to a handling separator tray to stack containers of a product in successive layers.

Currently, there are few solutions that allow several layers of packaging to be stacked on top of each other non-flat and non-superimposable top, such as the packaging of type "gable top" (gable top) in terminology Anglo-Saxon). These packages, which contain different kinds of fluid products, such as fruit or milk juices or different kinds of dry products such as sugar, cereals, etc., are typically performed in airtight cardboard and have the shape of a square or rectangular base parallelepiped ending in a roof-shaped cusp provided with a crimped tongue that rise vertically.

Given the particular shape of these packages and more exactly the roof top, it turns out complicated to stack several layers on each other without breaking the cardboard, particularly at the roof and tongue level.

However, it is desirable that these packages are in perfect condition during handling, during transport in pallets and especially for presentation in stores, particularly in gondola heads on a large surface. In fact, if, for example, a cone or a tongue is broken during the realization of the superimposed layers, this can generate a significant risk of destruction of the packaging due to deformation or explosion and therefore the leakage of the fluid product. On the other hand, from an economic point of view, presenting a product in a deformed packaging is disastrous for sales, as customers a little attracted to packaging in poor condition feel a priori .

Among the existing solutions, the patent FR-A-2 486 496 describes a basket separator presenting elongated lower protuberances transversely provided with two slopes on one side and on the other that allow you to adapt geometrically to the cusps of the two "gable top" type packing faces. The packaging is placed in this way side by side in line, resting at the level of their respective bases on the practically flat top of a lower basket. Then a top basket is placed on this lined packaging layer, so that the slopes of two Adjacent transverse protrusions fit perfectly to the faces of all the packages on which they rest.

One of the drawbacks of this solution resides in that it is impossible to make layers of packaging that present  a plug on one of the inclined faces of its cusp as soon as the Basket rests on all sides of each packaging. For another side, the volume in height of this separating basket is particularly large In addition, the adjustment of empty baskets about over others it is not very comfortable since it occupies a lot of space lost in stacking height, which is a major drawback for its storage. Finally, these baskets need a lot of material, a molding due to its complexity of form and a procedure particularly expensive

To solve these problems, I present invention proposes to make a separating tray to stack layers of "gable top" type containers, which only rest partially on the faces of the roof shape of said packaging

More precisely, the invention relates to a handling separator tray to stack layers of packaging "gable top" type with roof-shaped cusp, comprising a core, a practically flat upper face adapted to withstand them and an alveolated underside provided with a plurality of support platforms distributed along lines and rows parallel. Each support platform has two inclined faces opposite that join in an edge so that the inclined faces with respect to two adjacent platforms of the same line form a hollow roof-shaped housing, where you can rest in parallel the cusps of two adjacent containers, the support platforms of the same row sufficiently separated each other by a concavity adapted to accommodate at least one Packaging accessory arranged on one side of your cusp, when said separating tray rests on a layer at the level of the slanted faces of support platforms. The accessory can be a plug to serve the product, a depression valve or any decorative element embossed on one side of the container.

According to preferred embodiments of the present invention:

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the Support platforms are the same and are regularly available according to a repetitive pattern, so that a first series of inclined faces presents a common inclination and a second series of opposite inclined faces presents an inclination common;

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every hollow housing, as well as each pair of inclined faces, forms a angle of approximately 120º, the upper face is delimited by at least one peripheral edge, in particular by two edges upper side peripherals and an upper peripheral edge longitudinal;

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the tray also includes centering and stop means of displacement to keep in place and aligned vertically with each other, at least two equal separator trays stacked one upon another.

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advantageously, the centering means and butts comprise at least one notch made in at least one upper lateral peripheral edge and a protrusion made under the tray, so that the protrusion of a first tray separator cooperate with the notch of a second separator tray lower when the two separating trays are stacked vertically one over another,

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every upper side peripheral edge is provided with a pair of notches and the underside is bounded by two edges lower side peripherals each provided with a pair of protrusions, each protuberance being arranged in alignment with a corresponding notch so that they cooperate between yes.

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the centering and stop means further comprise cuts in the form of "V" made on a longitudinal upper peripheral edge that cooperate with teeth correspondingly made under the tray, on a longitudinal lower peripheral edge, so that the teeth of a first separating tray cooperate with the cuts from a second lower separator tray when both separating trays are stacked vertically on top of each other. From this way, the height of a stack of n equal separating trays It is less than n times the thickness of a tray.

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preferably, teeth and "V" cuts each form an angle of approximately 120º,

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the tray is made of injection moldable plastic such as expanded polystyrene of density between 20 and 40 g / l, preferably 30 g / l,

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two Support platforms of the same line are separated by a neck, in particular to receive a tongue set in the cusp of a packaging,

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every neck has a conical section that narrows from the faces inclined to the core of the tray,

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the neck depth is such that there is a game of approximately 2 to 4 mm between the edge of the tongue set and the bottom of said neck

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Other features, details and advantages of the invention will arise from reading the following description, which is made in reference to the attached drawings that are given as a example and that represent respectively:

- Figure 1, a perspective view Isometric elevation of a separating tray according to the present invention,

- Figure 2, isometric perspective view bottom of the separator tray,

- Figure 3, a bottom view of the tray separator,

- Figure 4, a side view of the tray separator,

- Figure 5, a sectional view following the line AA of figure 3,

- Figure 6, a sectional view following the CC line of figure 3,

- Figure 7, a view of detail B of the figure 5,

- Figure 8, another view of detail D of the figure 5,

- Figure 9, a view of detail E of the figure 6,

- Figure 10, a partial side view of a stacking of two equal separator trays,

- Figure 11, a detail view in section representing several "gable top" type packages arranged layered between a first and a second separating trays, between a second and a third separating trays and on the third tray,

- Figure 12 is a view of detail F of the figure 11, and

- Figure 13 is a detailed view similar to Figure 8 with the height of a package.

Figure 1 represents a separator tray 1 in accordance with the present invention. This tray is provided with a part to receive a layer of "gable type" packaging top "(see figure 11), that is, in the form of a parallelepiped with a roof-shaped cusp and elsewhere to rest on a layer of equal packaging to serve as a separator between two overlapping layers of packaging.

For this, the separator tray 1 is made preferably a single piece of light plastic material and injection moldable, such as expanded density polystyrene practically equal to 30 g / l. According to the realization described, the separator tray 1 externally presents the normalized half pallet dimensions, ie 800 mm in length by 600 mm wide.

The separating tray 1 comprises for this a solid core 5 and an almost flat top face 10 that defines a reception area for a plurality of packages "gable top" type equals. The upper face 10 is bounded by two lateral upper peripheral edges 20 and 30 and by a longitudinal upper peripheral edge 40. These edges 20, 30 and 40 allow in particular to limit the displacement of packaging when these are placed on the top face 10. The last side of the upper face 10 has no edge, so it is possible to form a continuous flat surface of 1200 mm over 800 mm when two equal separating trays 1 are placed next to another inverted, this surface corresponding to that of a pallet full normalized

As shown particularly in the figure 2, the separator tray 1 also has a lower face 50 honeycomb delimited by two lateral inferior peripheral edges 60 and 70 and a longitudinal lower peripheral edge 80. The edges lower peripherals 60, 70 and 80 are respectively located in the prolongation of the upper peripheral edges 20, 30 and 40.

The upper side peripheral edges 20 and 30 are each provided with a pair of notches 22 and 32 and the lateral lower peripheral edges 60 and 70 are provided each one of a pair of protuberances 62 and 72 to form, with the notches 22 and 32, centering means 25 and offset stop. Indeed, the protuberances 22 and 32 are perfectly inserted in notches 62 and 72 when two separating trays are stacked 1 equal one over another, as represented in particular in the Figure 10. In addition, taking into account the dimensioning given to the forms, these teeth allow to maintain the flatness of the separating trays and thus avoid deformation at length of time by bending during storage in batteries

On the other hand, the upper peripheral edge Longitudinal 40 features angled "V" shaped cuts 42 practically equal to 120º and the lower peripheral edge longitudinal 80 has teeth 82 in a complementary manner, it is say that they also form an angle of 120º. Thus, when two separating trays 1 are stacked on top of each other, teeth 82 they are inserted into the cuts 42 so that they form other means of centering and topping the stack of empty separator trays constituted in this way, like the one represented in the figure 10.

Thus, when no one is placed packing on the separator tray 1, it is possible to stack large number of trays on each other to save space, particularly for storage in the premises of the manufacturer, for transport and supply to a customer or in the Store, after the removal of a layer of packaging.

Therefore it is simple and practical to create a almost perfect stack of several 1 overlapping separator trays without it collapsing by tilting, since the centering allows keep the trays well aligned on each other. Further, due to the perfect encastrado planned between the notches and the bumps as well as between the cuts and the teeth, a pile of n separating trays 1 has a height less than n times the height of each separating tray taken individually. Thanks to This optimization of the compactness of the stack, space saving It is therefore large and particularly advantageous in terms of handling and transportation cost.

To be able to rest on both sides inclined 110 of the cusp 105 of each type 100 packing "gable top", as illustrated in figure 11, the underside socket 50 of separator tray 1 comprises a plurality of 90 equal support platforms distributed and separated from each other from according to a regular pattern. Thus, the platforms of support 90 are arranged side by side following lines 91 parallel to the larger dimension of tray 1, that is parallel to the edges longitudinal peripherals 40 and 80. The dimensions of the tray separator 1 are planned so that there are eight lines 91 of support platforms 90.

Each support platform 90 has a cusp in the form of a roof defined by two inclined faces 92 and 94 that are they join in an edge 95. As can be seen in figures 4, 6, 9 and 11, two inclined faces 92 and 94 of two adjacent platforms 90 of the same line 91 thus forms a hollow housing 96 also in the form of a roof that forms practically an angle of approximately 120º, that is to say an angle equal to that formed by the inclined faces 110 of the packing 100.

A neck 97 is also planned between two adjacent platforms 90 of the same line 91, below and in the extension of the hollow housing 96, as can be seen more particularly in figures 4 and 9. This neck 97 presents, in section, a cone shape that narrows from the faces inclined 92 and 94 and that delimits it in the direction of core 5 of the separator tray 1.

Typically, the neck 97 is practically 20 mm wide at its largest section at the beginning of the inclined faces 92 or 94, 12 mm wide at the level of the bottom near the core 5 and approximately 30 mm deep from the cusp 95 of the platforms 90. The longitudinal distance between the center of two necks 97 is approximately 74 mm. Each support platform 90 has a width of approximately 30 mm (see figures 5 and 7 particularly), a length of approximately 62 mm at the base, that is to say measured at the bottom of
two consecutive 97 necks, and a length of approximately 54 mm at the beginning of the inclined faces 92 and 94.

As depicted in Figures 11 and 12, the neck 97 is to receive a tongue set 108 of the cusp 105 of a 100 "gable top" packaging and its depth is therefore provides for leaving a game of at least 2 to 4 mm between the bottom of the neck 97 and the edge 109 of the tongue 108 for prevent said tongue from folding and suffering damage when overlap the different layers of packaging. The slope of the necks allow, on the other hand, to guide said tongue 108 in the address of each corresponding 97 neck during placement of a separating tray 1 above a layer of packaging 100

A concavity 98 can also be enabled between two adjacent platforms 90 of two parallel lines 91, of so that there is a discontinuity of support platforms 90 at same time according to lines 91, due to necks 97, but also perpendicularly to these lines 91, unlike in the prior art This concavity 98, larger than the neck 97, can be seen in more detail in figures 7, 8 and 13. It is about a rounded hole having a width of approximately 44.5 mm, a length practically equal to 74.5 mm and a radius in the hollow bottom of approximately 17.5 mm. Distance Longitudinal between the center of two concavities 98 is of approximately 74.5 mm

Thus, as can be seen in Figure 11, the shape of the support platforms 90 allows them to be arranged so that a separating tray 1 can rest on the faces inclined 110 of each packing. In particular, taking into account the dimensions of the separator tray 1, particularly those platforms and gaps 97 and 98 and, considering that the tray described is adapted to receive 8 lines of 10 packages of type "Gable Top" of 70 x 70 mm section, each side inclined 110 of a package rests on two inclined faces 92 or 94 of two adjacent platforms of the same line. In the present case, the width of a platform being approximately 30 mm, each inclined face 110 of the packaging 100 rests on one side and on the other on two 15 mm wide strips, that is four support planes that have a surface large enough to ensure a good base, good tray stability, good distribution of the masses and a good centering, which allows to avoid that the packages suffer damage.

Due to the discontinuity that exists between two Adjacent 90 support platforms of two contiguous lines, each concavity 98 allows to accommodate an accessory 115 of the packaging 100 fixed to one and / or other of its inclined faces. In this way, as a sealing plug is shown in figures 11 to 13 and for serve 115, sealed on one side 110 of packing 100, can inserted into concavity 98 without this preventing or disturbing the contact between the inclined faces 110 of the packaging and the faces inclined 92 and 94 of the support platforms 90. The concavity 98 it has, on the other hand, a size to be able to receive plugs that have relatively large sizes in both diameter and height, as can be seen more particularly in Figure 13.

In this way, thanks to the separating tray 1 of the present invention, it is particularly easy and practical stack several layers of "gable top" cardboard packaging provided for example with a plug, which was impossible with prior art devices.

It should be understood, however, that the description detailed, given only as an illustration of the object of the invention, in no way constitutes a limitation, being the technical equivalents also included in the field of present invention

In this way, it is possible to adapt the various dimensions of the separator tray (height / width / length of the platforms, separation of the platforms in the two directions, angle of inclination of the faces, etc.) to different types or dimensions of "Gable Top" packaging, including adapt them to other vertical packages with caps that are stacking complexes without risk of breakage.

The overall dimensions of the tray separator, ie its volume, can also be modified and by example correspond to a standardized pallet measuring 1200 x 800 mm or 1200 to 1000 mm.

The plug can be more or less wide and tall than the represented, of course being able to adapt accordingly the dimensions of the holes 98 provided for this purpose between the 90 platforms, even though those that have been described with respect the realization presented already allow a large margin of maneuver.

Similarly, the cap can be replaced by other accessories such as a pitorro, a grip handle, articulated or not and collapsible or not, on one of the inclined faces of the packing roof. It can also be planned to equip each of the two inclined sides of the roof of the packaging with a plug, by example a plug with small flow and a plug with flow higher.

The separating tray is intended for a stacking 4 to 5 layers of packaging such as those described, but it can be foreseen to reduce or increase the number of layers if it were necessary.

The material used is preferably a expanded polystyrene of density between approximately  20 and 40 g / l, preferably 30 g / l, but can be replaced by other injection moldable plastic materials such as polypropylene, high or low density polyethylene, polyester or by corrugated cardboard of single or double layer or also a sheet of inlaid metal

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It is possible to equip the separator tray with decorative motifs, select a material other than white, register advertising on the plates or add an organ of traceability such as a barcode or chip tracing.

The conception of the separating tray and its logistic definitions are also planned to allow a mechanical and automatic placement of packaging during pallet loading operations with the help of a special machine adapted to this function.

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References cited in the description

This list of references cited by the applicant is solely for the convenience of the reader. This list is not part of the European patent document. Although great care has been taken in the collection of references, errors or omissions cannot be excluded and the EPO disclaims all responsibility in this regard .

Patent documents cited in the description

FR 2486496 A [0005]

Claims (16)

1. Tray separating tray (1), for stacking layers (100) of type "gable top" with a roof-shaped cusp, comprising a core (5), a practically flat upper face (10) adapted to support said packaging and an alveolated lower face (50) provided with a plurality of support platforms, characterized in that the platforms (90) are distributed along parallel lines and rows (91), each support platform (90) presented with two opposite inclined faces (92, 94) that join in an edge (95), because the inclined faces (92; 94) facing two adjacent platforms (90) of the same line (91) form a hollow housing (96) in the form of a roof in which the cusps of two adjacent containers can rest in parallel and because the adjacent support platforms (90) of the same row are sufficiently separated from each other by a recess (98) adapted to accommodate at least one packaging accessory (115) (100) arranged on one face of the cusp, when said separating tray (1) rests on a layer (100) at the level of the inclined faces (92, 94) of the support platforms (90). 2. Separator tray according to the claim 1, wherein the support platforms (90) are same and distributed regularly according to a pattern repetitive. 3. Separator tray according to a any of the preceding claims, wherein each hollow housing (96) shape, with each pair of inclined faces (92, 94), an angle of approximately 120 °. 4. Separator tray according to a any of the preceding claims, wherein the face upper (10) is bounded by at least one peripheral edge (20; 30; 40). 5. Separator tray according to the claim 4, wherein the upper face is delimited by two  upper side peripheral edges (20, 30) and one edge longitudinal upper peripheral (40). 6. Separating tray according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises means (25) for centering and sliding stop to keep in place and in a vertically aligned manner with each other, at least two equal separating trays (1) stacked one upon another. 7. Separator tray according to the claims 4 or 5 and 6, wherein the centering means (25) and stopper comprises at least one notch (22; 32) made in at minus a lateral upper peripheral edge (20; 30) and a protuberance (62; 72) made under the tray (1), so that the protuberance (62; 72) of a first separator tray (1) cooperate with the notch (22; 32) of a second separator tray (1)  lower when the two separating trays (1) are stacked vertically one over another. 8. Separator tray according to the claim 7, wherein each lateral upper peripheral edge (20, 30) is provided with a pair of grimaces (22, 32) and the face lower (50) is delimited by two lower peripheral edges lateral (60, 70) each provided with a pair of protuberances (62, 72), each protuberance (62, 72) being arranged in alignment with a corresponding notch (22, 32) so that Cooperate with each other. 9. Separator tray according to a any one of claims 4 or 5 and 6 to 8, wherein centering and stopping means (25) further comprise cuts (42) "V" shaped on a superior peripheral edge longitudinal (40) cooperating with teeth (82) so corresponding made under the tray, on a peripheral edge longitudinal lower (80), so that the teeth (82) of a first separating tray (1) cooperate with the cuts (42) of a second lower separating tray (1) when the two trays Separators (1) are stacked vertically on top of each other. 10. Separator tray according to the claim 9, wherein the teeth (82) and the cuts (42) in "V" each form an angle of approximately 120 °. 11. Separating tray according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it is made of injection moldable plastic material such as expanded polystyrene of density between 20 and 40 g / l, preferably 30 g / l. 12. Separator tray according to a any of the preceding claims, wherein two Support platforms (90) of the same line (91) are separated by a neck (97) in particular to receive a tongue set (108) of the cusp (105) of a package (100). 13. Separator tray according to the claim 12, wherein each neck (97) has a section conical that narrows from the inclined faces (92, 94) to the core (5) of the tray (1). 14. Separator tray according to the claim 13, wherein the neck depth (97) is such that there is a play of approximately 2 to 4 mm between the edge (109) of the tongue set (108) and the bottom of said neck (97). 15. Separator tray according to a any of the preceding claims, wherein the concavity has a rounded section and a width greater than that of the support platform. 16. Set comprising at least one package (100) of type "gable top" that has a cusp (105) with inclined faces (110) at 120º and a separating tray (1) of according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the separator tray (1) is in contact with the faces inclined (110) of the packing at the level of four portions of faces inclined (92, 94) belonging to four support platforms (90) adjacent.