FR2500816A1 - FOLDABLE AND COMPRESSIBLE CONTAINER - Google Patents

Abstract

FOLDABLE CONTAINER CHARACTERIZED IN THAT IT INCLUDES SIDE WALLS 1 SHAPED OF AT LEAST ONE PANEL, THE PANELS WHICH CONSTITUTE THE SAID SIDE WALLS BEING ARRANGED AND SPACED IN PARALLEL, THEIR OPPOSING LONGITUDINAL SIDES BEING RESPECTIVELY SUPERIORED BY ONE OF THE PANELS. A BOTTOM PANEL 4 WHICH FORM THE TOP AND BOTTOM OF THE CONTAINER, AND BETWEEN THE LONGITUDIAN SIDES OF TWO ADJACENT PANELS, BEING HAS A WATERPROOFING STRIP WHICH REMAINS ATTACHED TO ONE OF THE SAID PANELS WHICH FORGIVELY ARE STRUCTURED BY THE LONG-TERM OPPOSED TO THIS STRUCTURE, RESPECTIVE COVERS ARE PROVIDED CONSTITUTED BY A FRAME WHICH FORMED A MEANS OF SUPPORT FOR THE SAID PANELS AND INCLUDES SUPPORTING SURFACES FOR THE LATTER, ONE OF THE SAID COVERS AT LEAST IS EQUIPPED WITH AN ARTICULATED DOOR 8 FOR THE LATTER. INSIDE THE CONTAINER.

Description

Foldable and compressible container.

  The present invention relates to a collapsible and compressible container intended for the packaging and storage of all kinds of materials, which has a series of new functional construction characteristics which bring it obvious practical advantages over

  known containers, during use and application

  cation for the purpose set for it.

  Large volume containers for temporary storage of various products are known. They consist of rigid prismatic structures which, empty or full, occupy a significant volume on the means of transport intended

  to transport them to different places.

  On the return journey, the containers are generally returned empty; the volume occupied is taxed at full rate by the transport companies and therefore entails a very significant cost. This occurs when storing empty containers in warehouses that require a large available loading area while waiting to be

sent or loaded.

  To overcome these drawbacks, the present invention has been developed to provide a collapsible and compressible container which occupies a minimum of space, which facilitates

  reshipment or storage and thereby decrease

  freight or storage costs, which avoids taxing

his price.

  In fact, the container, object of this invention, offers a structure also prismatic, the side panels and the covers are connected together by hinges along the edges and provided with sealing elements which extend along the sides. overlapping walls which

make up the structure.

  This structure has at each end, that is to say

  say on the faces of small area, panels covering the space which is defined by said structure. These panels include frames provided with doors, said closure walls being connected to one of the side panels by hinges; said frames serving as support means for the structure and allowing it to adopt in the mounting position

  rigidity similar to that of known containers.

  The structure thus formed has panels, one upper and the other lower, consisting of a frame or a rectangular frame and composed of U-shaped profiles whose ends include hinges with shaped holes.

  prismatic. The hinges on the top panel frame pre-

  lO feel oblong openings allowing the attachment of standardized means, a guide, and those of the lower panel have holes to fix it on the chassis of trucks

or similar vehicles.

  We can quickly fold or mount this structure thanks to devices or cranes without any problems because the means of articulation of the walls allow to fold

easily these.

  The present invention therefore provides a foldable and compressible container for packaging and storage of goods, preferably equipped with a prismatic structure.

  rectangular, delimited by walls arranged orthogona-

  Lement and provided with access doors inside said structure. This is characterized by side walls formed at least by one panel. These panels which constitute said side walls are parallel and spaced. Their lengthwise sides face each other and are connected respectively by hinges to a top panel and

  lower which form the top and bottom of said container.

  The panels interconnected by hinges on one of the sides lengthwise, are provided with a sealing bead which remains attached to one of said panels forming said structure. On the opposite sides of said structure, there are respective covers formed by one side serving to support said panels and provided with bearing surfaces of the latter. One of said covers being provided with hinged doors to access the interior of the container; the latter as well as the panels being connected by removable fixing systems; in the unfolded position, said cover and the panels can be articulated along their hinge systems to form a folded structure

reduced height.

  One of the first embodiments of the present invention of said container consists of two separate side panels which are parallel to each other, the longitudinal sides of which are respectively connected by hinges to an upper and lower panel of identical shape. The axes of the hinges which connect the upper panel to the side panels are mounted respectively on the internal and external face of said side panels. The hinges connecting the lower panel to said side panels are mounted on

  the faces of these and face the pan hinges

  upper level. One side of the hinged panels is provided with sealing beads, which in turn are

  hinged on opposite sides of one of the side panels.

  Lids consist of a frame forming a support means for the panels, which have profiles in the support position of the angles forming the upper and lower panels. One of the covers is at least provided with said hinged doors to access the interior of the container; each angle including holes to connect

  a lifting element and attachment to the vehicle chassis.

  That is to say that the structure described in the first embodiment can fold or mount quickly by means of apparatuses or cranes without any drawback thanks to the articulation means which allow the walls of the container to be placed orthogonally or to fold them in

  where they should be used.

  Despite its advantages, the description of the structure

  of this first variant presents certain difficulties because it has been observed that during the folding of the container, the articulated walls which face the upper and lower panels, formed in one piece or an entire plate, are lowered on the axes of articulation, which implies that in the folded position, the transverse dimension is obtained by the sum of the width of the bottom of the container and the height of a

side wall.

  This transverse dimension of the folded container poses

  problems on different types of transport including the

  The wider shape is slightly higher than the bottom of a container and we can cite as an example trucks or freight wagons. We can easily imagine that the container described in this first variant, transported folded, protrudes from the sides of the means of transport determined above mentioned and consequently its transport, when folded, is returned

  difficult by road or rail.

  The second embodiment of the present invention has for

  object of solving the mentioned problem, that is to say

  nude the transverse dimension of the folded container, this aims to adapt the redirection of the empty or folded container to all types of transport without being limited to a specific means of transport, consequence of an unsuitable transverse dimension

to that of a truck or wagon.

  That is to say that the second variant retains the folding characteristics of the container but is based on a particular structure which makes it possible to obtain, in the folded position, a width equal and corresponding to that of the bottom panel.

  and higher, which prevents the width of the dif-

various means of transport.

  A structure is made up of upper and lower panels consisting of a rectangular or square frame or frame, which are formed by profiles and covered as usual by smooth or grooved covers. The

  upper chassis being fitted with standard hooking systems

  said for lifting, the lower panel of a slightly raised bottom compared to the lower edge of the frame which surrounds it to allow to clamp claws or similar means

  who will lift it to carry it.

  -The two chassis, upper and lower, remain articulated on longitudinal edges opposite to respective side walls, each of them being in turn constituted by a profiled frame of shape and size

  identical, both of which are reciprocally articulated

  only by means of hinges on opposite and adjacent longitudinal edges. When lifting or folding, the structure, thus formed hinge to form a fold, that is to say that the frames forming the opposite side walls of the container overlap on the lower panel, between the latter and the upper panel; all the longitudinal edges coincide to form a prismatic structure of folded shape, identical to that of the mounted container but generally of a height

five times less.

  In turn, the structure has two hinged frames on the bottom panel or bottom of the container which are lowered lo onto the latter, which form resistant structures, and the lids of the container are provided with access doors.

to the latter.

  These resistant frames or structures hold the walls of the container orthogonally, which are supported on dormant frames placed between the side walls

  and the upper and lower panels.

  Said resistant frames or structures which form the lids and the walls of the container are provided with fixing systems which make it possible to connect said resistant frames or structures to the side walls and to the panels.

upper and lower.

  The resistant frames that make up the covers are lowered by means of mechanisms which are added when the container is to be mounted or folded while it is suspended by a device or by a crane. Such mechanisms may include pulleys or rollers which are added to the top panel of the container as well as rings which are fixed to the resistant frames to which cables or identical elements are attached which are passed through the doors. access to the suspended container, which allow the said frames to be articulated for lifting or lifting them

  press against the lower panel.

  It should be noted that according to the present invention, five containers can occupy the space

  corresponding to an unfolded or mounted container.

  The invention includes other accessory supplies

  which can be found by reading this document.

  In order for the present invention to be clearly understood and easily applied, we have shown it as an example, in one of its forms which best shows its qualities, in the appended drawing, in which FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first realization of said mounted container, showing in dotted lines the lifting means thereof; Figure 2 is a schematic front view of intermediate folding of said first embodiment; Figure 3 shows said folded container; FIG. 4 represents a front view of the container of the first embodiment as well as the fixing and articulation details of the front frame equipped with doors; Figure 5 shows a detail of the assembly of

  container side walls and shows the sealing system

  cheeness; Figure 6 is a section through line A-B of Figure 4 and shows the frame which rests on the upper and lower side faces of the container; Figure 7 is a section through line C-D of Figure 4; Figure 8 is a perspective detail of a corner hinge of the container of the first embodiment and shows in dotted lines a lifting element; FIG. 9 is a detail of the system for fixing the frame of one of the screws in the lateral face of the container; Figure 10 is a view of a second embodiment of the present invention of the container during assembly or unfolding; Figure 11 is also a perspective view of the container in the intermediate position shown in Figure 10, showing the folding of the side walls; Figure 12 is a cross-sectional view along line E-F of Figure II; Figure 13 is a cross-sectional view of the folded container of Figure 10; Figure 14 is a detail showing the folding and the schematic mounting of the resistant frames or structures of the lids of the container of Figure 10; Figure 15 is a schematic view showing an example of systems for lifting the lids and placing them on the walls of the container of Figure 10, and finally: Figure 16 shows schematically five folded and compressed containers whose volume is equal to the one

container mounted or unfolded.

  In all the figures mentioned, the same figures

  of reference indicate identical or corresponding parts

  dantes. In one of its ideal embodiments in accordance with the illustrations of FIGS. 1 to 9, the present container

  is formed by two side panels, preferably rectangular

  laires, indicated by the reference I, arranged in parallel, facing each other, connected by hinges -2-, continuous or not, to two other upper and lower panels -4- of the same width and shape as the panels -I- , beads -3- being placed between the articulation frames

panels -1- and -4-.

  The panels I and 4 are preferably formed by a frame composed of U-shaped sections I 'and 4' welded to corner pieces 5, which are formed by prismatic faces with orifices; said corner pieces 5 of the upper panel 4 have oblong openings 6, as does said panel, for introducing standardized lifting elements 7 of the same shape as the openings 6. Once introduced inside the corner pieces 5, they are

  placed to allow their hanging.

  The hinges -2- which connect the upper panel 4 to the panels -I are oriented in such a way that the axes of rotation rotate towards the outside and inside of the container but are of a shape opposite to that of the hinges

2 of the lower panel 4.

  The container adopts a tubular shape by arrangement.

  tion of panels I and 4 and closes at both ends or orifices by means of doors 8 connected to one of the side faces I. The front door 8 is constituted by a frame 9 which also is formed by profiled elements which constitute a structure for supporting or supporting the faces, upper and lower, I and 4, said frame 9 being connected by hinges 10 to the edge of one of the panels I. That is to say that the door 8 can be folded down against the lateral face I during the folding of the container, said frame having hinged doors II provided with the traditional

  means for closing and blocking the latter.

  The front frame 9 of the door is placed between the lower and upper panels 4, and bears against the corner pieces 5 of said panels 4, since the side panel I opposite to that of the door hinge 8, is

  slightly shorter than the parallel panel

  lle and opposite of the container, defining with the corresponding corner pieces, a space of equivalent length

to that of frame 9 of door 8.

  The vertical sections 9 of the door 8 therefore form columns as well as support and support uprights

  panels 4, which makes it possible to establish an equi-

  freed from said mounted or folded container. The frame 9 is fixed (FIG. 9) to the frames of the short side panel by lag bolts to prevent the container from bending during use, said lag bolts 9a remaining at the height of the threaded orifices 9b in the side panel of said container. The rear door 8 or cover may either have the same structure, or not be provided with doors II but in all cases it must include a frame of the same

  characteristics than those of the front cover 8.

  The folding and mounting of these containers is very

  simple and are carried out according to the form detailed below.

  To mount the container, the lifting systems -7- are placed in the openings 6 using bars and then suspended using a device which, at the time of lifting, places the panels -4- in the orthogonal position I- , the respective covers -8- folding and wedging with precision on the profile, in the holes formed by the panels I and 4, then the fastening members 9a are assembled which are screwed into the respective holes 9b in the side panel I. This last

  allows to compress the beads 3 thus achieving the watertight

container sheaty.

  To fold the container, it is suspended again by means of a device and then the fastening members 9a are dismantled, the doors 8 lowering to lean against the external face of the panel -I-, one on each side, figure 2. We then proceed to fold the panels according to the illustration of figure 3, making them first take a diamond shape, which is obtained by pressing one against the other

  two diagonally opposite angles so as to deform them slowly

  to finally obtain the folding illustrated in FIG. 4, forming a superposition of plates and doors

  of the same thickness, facilitating crowding.

  In Figures 10 to 16, the second embodiment is shown in its ideal embodiment in accordance with the illustration of the previous figures. The container is

  consisting of two side panels, preferably rectan-

  gular (Ia) arranged in parallel and facing each other, connected by hinges, whether continuous or not, to a second series of upper and lower panels (4a) of the same width and shape as the panels (Ia), beads or joints 'sealing being arranged between the articulation frames

panels (Ia) and (4a).

  The side panels (Ia) are in turn made up

  killed respectively by two rectangular frames (I'a and I "a) of the same shape and size, hinged together by hinges or articulation means (2'A) along the opposite and adjacent edges, which also include beads

  or seals not shown.

  The two frames (I'a) and (I "a) which make up the side panels (Ia) can be constructed with profiles of varied section, their short sides having a double

  thickness (I '' 'a) whose function is explained below.

  The upper panel (4a) consisting of a frame

  profile is provided with two crosspieces (4'a), which include

  have a standard hanging element (4 '"a) whose purpose

  is to allow the container to be lifted.

  The lower panel (4a) is in turn constituted by a profiled frame and has a bottom (4 "'' a) slightly raised relative to the upper edge of the frame to allow the attachment of claws or similar accessories during transport of the folded or mounted container, engaging the said

  claws through openings (4 '' '' a).

  The two profiled frames of the upper and lower panels (4a) of the container and the frames (I'a and I''a) of the side panels (Ia) have on the short sides edges or double thicknesses (4 '' '' 'a) which, with the double thicknesses (I' '' a) of the frames (a) and (I''a) form at the opposite ends of the container sleeping frames serving as support for the front and rear covers' 8 'and 8' ') of the container, mounted and articulated by hinges or pins (IO') on opposite sides of the bottom panel (14a). These covers (8 '- 8 ") are fitted with hinged doors (II') and provided with the usual means of closing and blocking of the latter. Its internal face is equipped with drag systems (9 'a) which act in at the same time as systems placed on the internal face of the panels (Ia and 4a) for mounting it, which has been shown schematically because it is possible to add different elements, such as hooks,

flanges, screws, etc.

  The folding and assembly of the container is very simple and is carried out as follows: To mount the container, the lifting anchor (7 ') is hooked to the standardized hook (4' 'a) of the upper panel (4a), producing the lifting of the latter, which results in the setting up of the frames (I'a) and (I''a) which make up the side panels (Ia) in orthogonal shape thanks to the articulation means (2a) and (2 'a) while the bottom panel

  (4a) is in contact with the bottom (Figures 10 and 12).

  When the position represented by FIG. 10 is achieved, the covers (8 'and 8 ") are folded down, the

  frames (9 ') constitute the resistant structure of the container.

  Among different methods, the example of FIG. 15 represents a way of operating to which pulleys or rollers (12) are added on the upper panel (4a) and on the opposite sides of the container as well as hooking systems. (13) such as removable rings or fixed on the sides (9 '). The end of a cable (14) is then fixed on the hanging system (13) which is passed over the pulley (12) which exerts traction on the cable (14) and which raises the frames ( 9 ') so that they rest against the sleeping frame (I' '' a and 4 '' '' 'a). Then we consolidate the fastening systems

  (9'a) to place said covers (8 'and 8' ') in this way.

  To fold the container, the lifting system (7 ') is hooked again while keeping the container in the unfolded position; then we release obstruction systems (9'a) releasing the covers (8 'and 8 ") but having previously placed pulleys identical to those (12) inside the container and passing a cable (I4) rings (I3) on the pulley (12) through the opening opposite the side to be lifted; the traction exerted on the cable (I4) allowing the cover (8 ') or (8 ") to press the panel

lower (4a).

  Once folded, it is handled by claws

  as is done for other folded containers.

  As can be noted in the figure (I3), the folded container has a transverse dimension equal to the width of the upper and lower panels. The volume occupied by five folded containers (Figure 16) is equal to that of a mounted or unfolded container highlighting the advantage of the

present invention.

  It is obvious that various construction modifications and details can be introduced, without however departing from the scope of the present invention.

Claims (11)

  1. Foldable and compressible container intended for the packaging and storage of goods, of the type with prismatic structure preferably rectangular, delimited by walls arranged orthogonally and provided with doors to access the interior of said structure, characterized in that 'it comprises side walls (1) formed of at least one panel, the panels which constitute said side walls   being arranged and spaced parallel, their sides lonaitu-   opposite dinals being respectively connected by hinges to an upper panel and to a lower panel (4) which form the top and the bottom of said container, and between the longitudinal sides of two adjacent panels, being disposed a sealing bead which remains attached one of said panels which form said structure, while, on the opposite sides of this structure, respective covers are provided, constituted by a frame which forms a support means for said panels and has bearing surfaces for the latter,   at least one of said covers being provided with a pivoting door   abutment (8) to access the interior of the container; the latter as well as the panels being interconnected by removable fastening systems and, in the unfolded position, said cover and the panels being able to be articulated along the lines of   hinges to form a folded structure of reduced height.   2. Container according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises side walls formed by two   separate panels parallel to each other, their sides long   tudinaux being connected respectively to two upper and lower panels by hinges of identical shape, the axes   hinges which connect the upper panel to said panes   lateral loops being mounted respectively on their internal and external faces, the hinges which connect the lower panel to said panels being mounted on the faces of the latter and oppose those of the upper panel, the   hinged panels being provided with waterstops between them   cheity, the respective covers being formed by a frame serving as a support means for the panels, which have profiles pressing against the surfaces of corner pieces which form the part of the upper and lower panels, at least one of said covers being provided with a hinged door which allows access to the interior of the container, lag bolts forming the fixing systems, housed so as to operate them freely and coinciding with threaded orifices in at least one side panel of the container, each corner piece comprising holes intended to receive a lifting or fixing element on the chassis of a vehicle. 3. Container according to claim 2, characterized by upper and lower panels constituted by a frame formed by U-shaped profiles, which are fixed firmly to corner pieces by bodies with holes in metal yoke and which have on top an opening   oblong to place a lifting element.   4. Container according to claim 2, characterized by beads fixed in the longitudinal angles of the side panels.   5. Container according to claim 2, characterized by beads fixed on the longitudinal edges of   upper and lower panels opposite the long sides side panels.   6. Container according to claim 2, characterized by hinges which extend along the corners   longitudinal side panels.   7. Container according to claim 2, characterized by hinges extending at spaced intervals along   longitudinal angles of the side panels.   8. Container according to claim 1, characterized by side panels constituted respectively by two rectangular frames having along one of the longitudinal edges of the hinges hinging them to the upper and lower panels, the other longitudinal edges of said frames being hinged together so that we can fold the two frames of the side walls in the form of a bellows, on the bottom panel of the container, the respective covers which   are in turn made up of corresponding resistant frames   hinged, hinged at opposite ends of the lower panel   forming the bottom of the container and a corresponding sleeping frame   depending on the thicknesses of the two frames that make up the side walls as well as the two panels, upper and lower, said resistant frames being provided with hinged doors to access the interior of the container, and on their internal edges, there are systems of removable blocking of these   last against the walls of said container.   9. Container according to claim 8, characterized   in that the frames forming the side walls and super   placed between the upper and lower panel of the container determine a width equal to that of said panels, upper and lower.   10. Container according to claim 8, characterized   by covers fitted with means for fixing the end   mite of a cable or similar means, the latter being equipped   removable pulleys to lower the covers.   11. Container according to one of claims 8 to 10,   characterized in that the hinge edges of the two frames   and covers are fitted with sealing means.