FR2553065A1 - GRIPPING DEVICE, IN PARTICULAR FOR LIFTING CYLINDRICAL BOX GROUPS - Google Patents

Abstract

THE INVENTION RELATES TO A PREHENSION DEVICE. ACCORDING TO THE INVENTION, A BLANK 10 IS CUT AND FOLDED ACCORDING TO AN AXIS OF SYMMETRY AND ON THE FREE EDGES OF THIS BLANK ARE PROVIDED TWO TABS 16 SPACED ON ONE ANOTHER AND EACH INCLUDING A FLAP-DOWN FLAP 18, THE TABS 16 ARE PROVIDED ON THE TWO OPPOSITE SIDES COMING, BY FOLDING OF THE BLANK, IN POSITION AGAINST ANOTHER AND BEING ENGAGED, WITH THEIR FLAPS 18 IN FOLDED POSITION, THROUGH THE OPENINGS 38 PROVIDED ON A GROUPING DEVICE 34 OF CYLINDRICAL BOXES , THE ELASTIC RETURN OF THE FOLDING FLAPS COMING FROM THE TABS RETURNING THEM TO THE ENGAGING POSITION UNDER THE GROUPING DEVICE 34 AND ALLOWING THE ASSEMBLY TO LIFT. APPLICATION TO A GROUPING OF BOXES OF THE CYLINDRICAL METAL BOX TYPE.

Description

The present invention relates to a device for apprehending and

  lifting a group of six or more cylindrical housings, especially boxes which are held together by assembly or grouping devices The assembly devices to which the invention relates are constituted for example by (i) clips of material plastic having a central opening and which are arranged in the center of a group of four boots so as to grip each of them, the two central boxes being held by two clips belonging to the neighboring sets of clips, ie ii) plastic sails with openings into which the boxes are engaged, the latter being maintained in these

openings by simple friction.

  The holes provided on the sets of clips and the holes provided on the plastic webs allow the insertion of a finger or thumb to seize the group of boots so

  to lift it and carry it.

  A group of boots held together by assembling devices of this kind can be lifted by hand either by gripping the device with the finger or by lifting a box of the group so that all the boxes are raised in the same time These devices assembly are

  hereinafter referred to and in the following claims

  as "grouping device" and designate the devices

previously described.

  For the sake of simplicity, we will refer to the

  following description to groups of six boots, but it should be understood that the invention can be applied to groups of more than six boxes, provided that the groups

  have a sufficient number of containers to present two holes in the clip fasteners or in

2 2553065

1 the plastic sails.

  The present invention also aims to allow the establishment of means from which the bottoms can be lifted positively and effectively while allowing

  -5 a support for presentation or advertising.

  In accordance with the invention, there is provided a device for lifting boots and having a blank cut and folded from a sheet material, which device can be folded into a position which allows it to be engaged in the grouping of the specified type and grouping cylindrical boots together, the lifting device having a handle and being adapted to cooperate with the grouping device in such a way that the group of boxes can be lifted by this lifting device engaged with the grouping device and this lifting device in its folded position defines two pairs of side-by-side tabs which are apt to be inserted through the respective holes of the clip-on grouping device or through the holes of the plastic web and it comprises folding flaps arranged on each tongue, these flaps being hingedly connected to each tongue and being capable of being folded against said tabs when the latter are inserted through said holes, and the folding flaps are resiliently biased back to their starting position so as to engage under the grouping device, the folding flaps being of dimensions (relative to said holes and boots assembled by the grouping device), such that these flaps can not be recalled more than 90 to their initial position before coming to bear against the boots.

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  1 To implement the gripping device according to the invention on a grouping device of the specified type and grouping six boxes, the folding flaps can be folded against the tabs when the latter with their flaps are passed through the openings of the device. grouping. By releasing the folding flaps, the latter are elastically biased into a position in which they engage under the grouping device formed by the set of clips or the web, by allowing the group of boxes to be lifted by the gripping device according to the invention. 'invention; this makes it possible to raise the group of boxes by means of the grouping device By arranging four folding flaps (one on each tongue) the load on the gripping device during the transport

of all will be balanced.

  The folding flaps can be foldable along fold lines which are arranged angularly with respect to the direction of insertion of the tongues in the holes. In this way the upper edge of the flap flaps once engaged under the grouping device forms an upward angle, thereby achieving a

active picking function.

  Embodiments of the invention will be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a plan view of a blank forming the

  gripping device according to the invention.

  1 Figure 2 shows the device of Figure 1 ready to be

  inserted in active position on a package-of six boxes.

  Figure 3 shows in elevation the device of Figure 2

brought back into active position.

  FIG. 4 shows a plan view of a blank constituting a device of the invention according to another embodiment. Figure 5 shows the blank of Figure 4 in a first

phase of its implementation.

  Figure 6 shows a group of boxes held together by a plastic veil and on which is set up the

  gripping device of Figure 5.

  Figure 7 is a side elevational view showing

  how the device of FIG. 5 engages the boltages group.

  Referring to Figures 1 to 3 of the drawings, the blank 10 of Figure 1 has a symmetrical cut along the fold line 12 which allows the folding of the blank for use, and each side of part and of another of the fold line 12 has a shape constituting a gripping panel according to a trapezoidal profile; on the opposite sides of the latter are provided extensions forming tabs 16 which are spaced apart from each other and each tab comprises a folding flap 18 articulated around the fold line 20 which is' arranged substantially transversely to line 12 One side of each folding flap 18 is provided with a shoulder 22 and

  the opposite sides of the tongues 16 are curved at 24.

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  To implement the device of Figure 1 the latter is folded along its fold line 12 (which may in particular be constituted by a notch penetrating the material); and then the folding flaps 18 are folded up 180 against their respective tab 16

  as can clearly be seen in the light of FIG.

  Since the blank of FIG. 1 is symmetrical, the tongues 16 are face to face assembled in pairs as one

  see it in Figure 2 when the blank is folded.

  In the position shown in Figure 2 the blank is ready to be engaged on a pack of six cylindrical bolts 30 assembled together in two rows of three boots; and the boxes are grouped together by a set of clips 34 having a cross-shaped central portion and having clips at each end of the arms; each set of clips has a hole or central opening 38. It can be seen that each set of clips 34 is positioned at the top and center of a set of four boots and the two sets of clips 34 are connected to the central boot of 20 each rows of boots so that the six boots are well assembled and bundled together to form a bundle. The spacing between the tabs 16 is intended to correspond to the spacing between the holes 38 of the sets of clips so that the tabs and the folding flaps (according to FIG. 2) can be inserted into

  the holes 38, as seen in Figure 3.

  To set up the tongues with their flaps folded, the latter are held in the folded position by a positioning system and when the insertion has taken place the flaps 18 are elastically biased towards the outside as we see it. on the dashed lines of Figure 3, whereby the upper edge 22 (Figure 1) of the folding flaps 18 comes into engagement position under the sets of clips 34 and the gripper 10 can not be detached from the package boots without destruction of the latter; thus the device 10 is connected to the packages of boxes 30 and the upper part 14 (Figure 2) can be gripped and grasped by the fingers by lifting all the boxes This panel 14 can be used for presentation or advertising If the package of boots with the gripping device 10 attached thereto must be packed in a heat-shrinkable type film, the panels 14 may be folded and folded so as to apply to

flat against the top of the boxes.

  For this purpose the blank 10 may comprise an additional fold line 26 between the tongues 16 and the panel 14

  as seen in dashed lines in Figure 1.

  The curved edges 24 of the tabs 16 allow a more convenient insertion of the tabs with their flaps in the folded position; but the gripping device can not be put in place on the package of boxes unless the flaps 18 are folded in the position shown

in Figure 2.

  When the device is put in place as seen in FIG. 3, the shutters 18 are recalled in the position shown in dotted lines according to FIG. 3 in which the latter bear against the walls of the boxes and / or against the games. of clips 34 and they rest

  at an angle less than 90 relative to the plane defined by the tabs on which they are articulated.

  An embodiment of the invention shown in Figures 4 to 6 is similar to that shown in Figures 1 to 3 but whose use is provided in connection with a grouping device formed of a plastic web comprising Openings through which the boots are engaged and in which they are held by friction This embodiment can be understood with reference to FIG. 6 which shows six boxes and more particularly cylindrical metal boxes 40 containing, for example, beer which are grouped together by a plastic web 42 in known manner Inside this web are provided additional holes 44 arranged within the web such that the hole is equidistant from four boxes as seen in the drawing. device 46 according to the invention is shown in dotted lines in FIG.

  active engagement position with the sail 42.

  Referring now to Figure 4 to describe the characteristics of this device consists of a flank 46 symmetrical along the fold line 48 and which has as described above the tabs 50 on the free edge of each half The tabs are spaced from each other by a distance corresponding to the distance between the holes 34 of the grouping device formed of the plastic web 25 seen in Figure 6; and at each tab 50 is connected by a hinge in the form of a fold line 51 a hooking flap 52 The hinge line 50 on each tongue is inclined substantially with respect to the central fold line 48 for the reasons which will be explained; and each half of the sidewall comprises a fold line 54 parallel to the fold line 48 This blank is cut at 54 a and 54 b to overflow relative to the top of the boots assembled by the gripping device.

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  1 to apply the device shown in Figure 4 to a set of boxes as seen in Figure 6, the device is first folded along the fold line 48 to arrive at the position which is shown in Figure 5 and then the flaps or flaps 52 are folded along the line 51 in the position shown in Figure 7, in which the upper edges 56 of said flaps 52 are inclined upwards as seen in Figure 7 This is achieved by tilting the fold lines 51 10 as seen in Figure 4 The folding flaps 52 are folded 1800 on the tabs 50 and the groups of tabs and folding flaps are inserted through the holes 44 disposed in the web 42 The tabs and the folding flaps are made in such a way that they pass clearly through the holes 44 and when they have passed through these openings the folding flaps 52 are elastically brought into the position ion shown in Figure 6 wherein they come to apply under the veil 42 and act as a hook engaged under the veil 20 so that the gripping device can not be removed; so when this device is raised ctest

  the entire group of boxes that is driven.

  The device according to the invention can be used in relation to groups of more than six boxes or even in relation to groups of less than six boxes provided that there is in the presence of a group comprising two openings for receiving the groups of tabs and folding flaps; the latter are drawn in such a way that when they are resiliently biased outwards in the position shown in FIG. 6, the maximum angle they can take with respect to the tabs 50 can not exceed 90, the flaps beginning to support against boltages and against the grouping device. It should be noted that in the embodiments shown in FIG. 4, the shoulders 22 of FIG. 1 have been removed. This is related to the nature of the grouping device to which the gripping device of the invention is applied. The fold lines 54 can fold down the main part of the gripping device by pressing against the upper parts of the boxes when the

  device is in the position shown in Figure 6.

Claims (7)

  1 gripping device for lifting boxes, characterized in that it comprises a blank (10) cut and folded from a sheet material, this blank being foldable in a position that allows to engage: in a grouping device (34) grouping boxes together, the lifting device having a handle (14) and being adapted to cooperate with the grouping device in such a way that the group of boots can be lifted by this lifting device by taken with the grouping device and this lifting device in its folded position defines two pairs of side-by-side tabs (16) which can be inserted through holes (38) on the grouping device (such as a set of clips or a perforated plastic veil in which the boots are engaged) and each tongue (16) has folding flaps (18), these flaps being connected in such a way that articulated to each tongue and being capable of being folded against said tabs when the latter are inserted through the holes (38) of the grouping device and the folding flaps are resiliently returned to their starting position so as to engage under the grouping device, the folding flaps having dimensions (relative to said holes 25 and boxes assembled by the grouping device), such that these flaps can not be recalled more than 900 to their initial position before coming to bear against the boots. 11-2553065   1 2 gripping device according to claim 1 wherein each tongue (16) comprises a single flap (18)   foldable hinged on said tongue.   3 gripping device according to claim 2, characterized in that the flap (18) foldable is articulated on the outer edge of the tongue. 4 Gripping device according to claim 3, characterized in that the inner edge (24) of each tongue is inerted to facilitate the insertion of said tongue (16) and the folding flap (18) folded against it in said openings ( 38) of the grouping device (34).   Gripping device according to one of the claims   2,3 or 4, characterized in that the hinge (20) between the tongue (16) and the folding flap (18) corresponding is ineliné compared to the line of withdrawal (12) of the two halves conforming the foldable blank (10).   6 gripping device according to one of claims 2, 3, 4 or 5,   characterized in that the edges of the tabs (16) which come into engagement position under the device of   groupage comprises a shoulder (22).   Gripping device according to one of the preceding claims 1 to 6,   characterized in that said blank comprises a symmetrical cut along the fold line (12) around which the blank is foldable. 12 2553065   8 gripping device according to claim 7, characterized in that it comprises two main parts arranged in opposition to the fold line (12) and said tabs (16) are arranged on the free edge of each of these two portions main remote from said fold line.