FR2643335A1 - STORAGE CASE FOR BOTTLES - Google Patents

Abstract

A box for storing bottles, in particular of wood, comprises a base which forms a rectangular seating having, at each corner, an angle steel (4a, 4b, 4c, 4d) fastened to and projecting outward from said seating. Uprights (14) of vertical side walls (10, 11, 12, 13) engage in the angle steels so as to form a dismountable box which is stackable in both the assembled and the disassembled position. The seating has an internal storage surface free, at least longitudinally, of any projection which juts inward.

Description

STORAGE CASE FOR BOTTLES
The present invention relates to a storage case, in particular made of wood.

 The invention applies very particularly to the storage of bottles intended to be inserted automatically into the box and to be stored there for aging in the cellar.

 In the field of Champagne wines, when the 3us of grapes leaves the press, it is stored in metal tanks for a period of six months to about a year, then bottled, it must be stored for a period of, for example, three to four years before being placed in bottle displays, where they are regularly stirred.

The present invention is intended more particularly for cases intended for the storage of bottles during this period of three to four years. The storage boxes currently existing in the field of champagnisation are generally made of wood, and are made up of panels fixed to each other, which causes serious space problems when these boxes are not used.
Collapsible boxes made of steel wire are also known, which thus save space during the storage of unused boxes. However, these crates are much more expensive than wooden crates and pose corrosion problems, as it is estimated that at least one in 500 bottles explodes during storage, and since each crate can hold approximately 500 bottles, it is necessary to apply a surface treatment to the metal case to avoid its deterioration, which further increases the cost of such a case. In addition, this surface treatment must be renewed periodically because it resists poorly when handling the boxes.

 Furthermore, whether these are one-piece wooden boxes or foldable metal boxes, when part of the box is damaged, for example during handling, the box must be changed entirely insofar as all of its elements are linked .

Of course in all that follows, the application is particularly advantageous in the field of
Champagne, but storing bottles other than this wine or any other object or product would have the same applications.

 The production of Champage carried out on a large scale in recent years has seen the entry of automation in the various stages and in particular in the filling of storage boxes with bottles. This filling is carried out using a robot equipped with a manipulator arm which deposits bottles flat at the bottom of the box, then pile up different layers in order to fill the box. The use of this type of automatic device requires that the box has no protruding inward projection, in order to allow automatic filling of the bottles. This is absolutely necessary in the longitudinal direction. Optionally, it is possible to use on the lateral edges, a wedging projection which separates the rows of bottles since generally the crate receives several rows of bottles. The manipulator arm of the robot takes, row by row, the bottles the row separation overhangs are not bothersome. However, in existing devices, the large volume of the boxes implies a space hoop when the boxes are not used.

 The present invention therefore aims to overcome this significant drawback by providing removable and stackable storage boxes, both in the assembled position and in the disassembled position. However, such demountable and stackable boxes must always retain the possibility of filling by robot manipulator arms, that is to say requiring the absence of any overhang projecting inwards on the longitudinal sides.

 The main idea of the present invention is to produce a storage case comprising a bottom provided at each of its corners, with angles extending outside so as not to hinder the installation of the bottles, these angles receiving vertical side walls so to constitute a stacking height of the bottles to be stored.

 The present invention therefore relates to a storage case, in particular made of wood, characterized in that it comprises a bottom forming a rectangular base comprising at each of its corners an angle fixed on said base and projecting externally, angles in each of which come engage uprights of vertical side walls, so as to produce a stacking dismantling box in the assembled position or in the disassembled position, said base having an internal storage surface free at least longitudinally of any protruding inwardly overhang.

 A storage case is thus obtained which has a bottom against which the side walls are joined, so as to constitute the case. There is therefore obtained by the present invention, a storage case, in particular for bottles, capable of being dismantled so as to have a small and stackable volume, both in the mounted position, that is to say filled with bottles, that in the disassembled position where it occupies a restricted space. In addition, the dismantling of the body makes it possible, in the event of partial deterioration, to replace only the damaged component parts. The body obtained is more modular, that is to say that from a standard bottom, walls of different heights are used depending on the desired useful volume.

 According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, said bottom forming a base comprises a pallet extended by a fixed riser forming a frame secured to said pallet, said angles being fixed to each upper corner of said fixed riser.

 Advantageously, the side walls are made up of uprights and cross members mounted relative to each other so that a lower cross member comes to bear on the edge of the frame of the fixed riser, the uprights located at each end of the walls comprising each a lower extension fitting into an angle fixed on said fixed riser.

 According to a particular embodiment of the invention the side walls have a longitudinal hinge fixed on two crosspieces, so that said walls are foldable to be engaged and stored in the frame forming the fixed riser.

 Advantageously, the angles include a square shape, a first length of which is fixed on the short sides of the frame, is substantially that of an upright, and a second length of which is fixed on the long sides, is that of a amount to which is added the thickness of an amount and a crosspiece, said bracket being extended at each end by a fixing lug bearing on the frame to be mounted therein by fixing means, the dimensioning of said angles being such that it avoids any lateral movement when the walls are engaged therein.

 According to a particular embodiment of the invention, the storage box further comprises bent pieces forming a groove engaging in the upper parts of the side walls at their ends so as to avoid any separation of adjacent side walls.

 According to a first embodiment, the bent pieces are fixed to the ends of the side walls by fastening means cooperating with holes made in said bent pieces.

 According to a second embodiment, said bent pieces comprise at each end of the groove a flange coming to bear against the edge of an upright inserted in said bent piece in order to avoid any lateral movement.

 Advantageously, the bent parts comprise means for lateral retention of a stacked box, said means preferably comprising asperities projecting vertically, and preferably capable of cooperating with orifices produced in a pallet intended to be stacked.

 According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, a side wall preferably forming a long side, includes an access opening to the body for its filling, said opening being concealed by a door coming longitudinally bearing on a cross member.

 Advantageously, the access opening is only partial in the longitudinal direction of the long side, the door then cooperating with a cross member and two secondary uprights fixed on the external face of the side wall.

 The dimensions of the box produced by means of the invention are a function of the size and the number of objects which it must receive. One can in particular provide that depending on the format of the bottles, different types of case can be used.

A particular embodiment of the invention will now be described in more detail which will make it better understand the essential characteristics and the advantages, it being understood however that this embodiment is chosen by way of example and that it is not at all limiting. Its description is illustrated by the accompanying drawings, in which
- Figure 1 shows the bottom of the storage box with a fixed riser
- Figure 2 shows the side walls intended to be mounted on the bottom by the engagement of uprights in angles
- Figure 3 shows the part forming the angle, mounted on the upper end of the fixed riser
- Figure 4 shows a first embodiment of a bent piece connecting two adjacent walls
- Figure 5 shows a second embodiment of said bent piece provided at each of its ends with a cheek blocking any lateral movement.

 - Figure 6 shows a box according to the invention once mounted.

 Figure 1 shows the lower part of the storage box which has a bottom 1 forming a rectangular base. It includes a pallet 2, extended by a fixed extension 3 forming a wooden frame secured to said pallet.

 This extension 3 comprises, at each of its corners, a general reference angle 4, and more particularly for each of the corners 4a, 4bf4c, 4d. Each of the angles LI is fixed on the fixed riser 3 and projects outwardly so as not to have protrusions towards the inside of the bottom 1, protrusions which would hinder the automatic positioning of the bottles by a robot. Each of the angles 4 arranged at the four corners of the riser 3 cooperates with uprights of vertical walls so as to produce a removable and stackable box.

 In this arrangement the angles 4 are fixed to each upper corner of the fixed riser 3, however it will easily be understood that the advantages of the present invention would be found if the angles were fixed directly on the pallet 2 and that use was avoided the frame forming a fixed extension.

 Pallet 2 is made up of an assembly produced using soles 5, dice 6 and crosspieces 7 on which boards 8 come to bear. These boards 8 are slightly shorter in length than pallet 2 so to allow the attachment without overflow of the riser 3 forming the frame. The angles 4, the particular shape of which will be explained later, are fixed by fixing means 9 on the upper part of the fixed riser 3, such as in particular screws or nails.

 Figure 2 shows an exploded view of the side walls of the box. The broken lines highlight the relative position of the walls with respect to each other when they are mounted.

 The side walls 10, 11, 12, 13 consist of uprights 14 and cross-members of general reference 15 mounted relative to each other so that a lower cross member i5a of each wall can come to bear on the edge of the frame of the fixed riser 3, the uprights 14, located at each end of the walls, then comprising an extension oriented downwards so as to be able to be inserted into an angle iron 4 to ensure the mounting of the walls. Thus we find for the storage case two walls 11 and 13 representing the short sides of the rectangle and two walls 10 and 12 constituting the long sides of the rectangle. For the short sides 11 and 13 and the long side 12, the wall is made up two uprights 14 connected by five crosspieces 15a, 15b, 15c, 15d, 15e, the lower crosspieces 15a being able to come to bear on the edge of the fixed riser.

 The side wall 10, forming a long side, has an access opening to the body in order to ensure its filling, this opening being concealed by a door bearing on a median cross member 15c longitu dinale.

 According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the access opening is only partial over the longitudinal length of the long side, the side wall 10 then comprising two secondary uprights 17 which cooperate with a door 16 (FIG. 6) of reduced dimensions coming to bear, on the one hand on the edge of the cross member 15c, on the other hand against the internal faces of the two secondary uprights 17.

 In order to facilitate the dismantling and storage of the walls, a longitudinal hinge is fixed on the internal face of two crosspieces 15c, 15d, of the side walls 10,11,12,13 so that these are foldable to be engaged and stored in the frame forming the fixed riser 3. The longitudinal hinges 18,19, fixed on the two crosspieces 15c, 15d on the short sides made up of walls il and 13 and the long side made up of wall 12, are advantageously made of '' a simple strip of polypropylene which is screwed, nailed or glued to each cross member 15c, 15d on either side of the fold. For wall 10, a hinge of the same type is fixed on the internal faces of two blank cross members 15d and on the internal face of the cross member 15c. in order to allow the folding of all the walls, the uprights 10 as well as the secondary uprights 17 are in two parts respectively 10a, 17a and 10b, 17b bearing one on the other when the walls are unfolded. The walls 10, 12 constituting the long sides have a length which is slightly less than the length of the long sides of the riser 3, so that they can be inserted without difficulty into the frame.

 In the absence of this fold in the form of a hinge and because of the height of the walls provided, the walls 10, 11, 12, 13 could not engage in the frame forming the fixed riser 3. Thus when one will not use the storage boxes, the side walls will be inserted into the frame, the height of this frame being studied so as to be substantially equal to the thickness of the stacked walls.

 According to another embodiment, the height of the walls can be dimensioned so that a fold is not necessary for the insertion of these into the frame.

 In association with the representation of FIG. 3, the angles 4 comprise a square shape, a first length 20 of which, being fixed on the short sides of the frame 3, is substantially that of the width of an upright 14 of a wall 11.13 constituting a small side. The angle iron 4 forming a square has a second length 21 which is fixed on the long sides of the frame 3, the dimension of which is that of an upright 14 of a wall 11,13 constituting a short side to which is added the thickness of the upright. 14 of a wall 10, 12 constituting a long side and of a cross member 15. The bracket is extended at each end by a fixing lug 22, 23 which comes to bear on the frame 3 so as to be mounted thereon by means of fixing 9, the tabs having for this purpose orifices 24 for the passage of screws or nails. The dimensioning of said angles is carried out so as to allow engagement of the uprights 14 and avoid any lateral movement when the walls are engaged therein.

 When the side walls forming the short sides 11,13 and the long sides 10,12 are inserted in the angle iron 4, there is placed on the upper part of the walls bent pieces of general reference 25 (Figure 6) so as to avoid any adjacent side wall spacing. These bent pieces 25 form a groove 26 (Figures 4.5) engaging in the upper parts of the side walls at their ends.

 FIG. 4 represents a first embodiment of these said bent parts. These bent pieces 25 have a groove 26 which engages in the uprights 14 of the ends of two adjacent sides. In order to increase the joining on two sides, holes 27 are made on the upper part of the bent parts in which screws or nails are engaged which are driven into the upper edge of the uprights 14 and / or crosspieces 15th of the side walls.

 According to a second embodiment of these bent pieces, shown in FIG. 5, a flange 28 is disposed at each end of the groove 26 so as to come into abutment against the vertical edge of an upright 14 inserted in said bent piece, this in order to avoid any lateral movement and to remove any external fixing means such as nails. The two embodiments presented in FIGS. 4 and 5 can comprise means for lateral retention of a stacked box. These means can for example consist of an asperity 29 protruding vertically at the angle of the bent piece @@@, and being able to cooperate with orifices made in the underside of a pallet so as to facilitate the storage of mounted storage.

 The lateral support assemblies of the stacked boxes can also consist of asperities or grooves formed on the upper face of the bent pieces 25, the asperities being obtainable for example by a layer of sanded paint.

 The bent pieces 25 have a first external length 32 of the same dimension as the first length 20 of an angle 4 and a second external length 33 of the same dimension as the second length 27 of an angle 4.

 Unlike the angles 4 which are all identical and whose longitudinal plane of symmetry allows positioning whatever the corner assigned to the angle, the bent pieces 25 are of two types 25a, 25b, depending on the angle of the body at which they are affected, two diagonally opposite bent pieces being of the same type.

 FIG. 4 represents a bent piece of type 25a and FIG. 5 a bent piece of type 25b, the distinction between the types of pieces coming only from the end of the length 32 on which is abutted one end of the second length 33.

 FIG. 6 represents a mounted storage case, that is to say after insertion of the side walls 10, 11, 12, 13 in the angles 4 and after affixing the bent pieces 25. The elements have been designated by the same references than before.

 A door 16 provided for closing off the opening made in the wall 10 once the box is filled with bottles, is made up of two cross-section portions 30d and 30e and two support uprights 31.

 Once engaged, the door is held by the secondary uprights 17, by the cross member 15c of the wall 10 and by the bottles with which the box is filled.

 The present invention therefore achieves a storage case, in particular of a bottle of Champagne, but other bottles of wine could find their application in the present invention, which allows use for automatic filling by robot manipulator arms.

These storage boxes having the advantage of being removable at the level of the side walls which can moreover be folded up via hinges, so as to be inserted in the fixed riser.

 The presentation of the invention as previously described was made for wooden materials, except for the angles and the bent parts which are made of metal and preferably of stainless steel, but of course the achievements in particular of aluminum or any other material. relatively light would also be appropriate.

 Naturally, the invention is in no way limited by the features which have been specified in the foregoing or by the details of the particular embodiment chosen to illustrate the invention. All kinds of variants can be made to the particular embodiment which has been described by way of example and to its constituent elements without departing from the scope of the invention. The latter thus includes all the means constituting technical equivalents of the means described as well as their combinations.

Claims (13)

 1. Storage box, in particular made of wood, characterized in that it comprises a bottom (1) forming a rectangular base comprising at each of its corners an angle (4a, 4b, 4c, 4d) fixed on said base and projecting outwardly, angles in each of which come uprights (14) of vertical side walls (10,11,12,13) so as to produce a removable box stackable in the assembled position or in the disassembled position, said base having an internal storage surface free at least longitudinally of any projection projecting inwards.  2. Storage box according to claim 1, characterized in that said bottom (1) forming a base comprises a pallet (2) extended by a fixed riser (3) forming a frame secured to said pallet, said angles (4a, 4b, 4c, 4d) being fixed to each upper corner of said fixed riser (3).  3. Storage box according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the side walls (10,11,12, 13) consist of uprights (14) and crosspieces (15) mounted relative to each other so that a lower cross member (15a) comes to bear on the edge of the frame of the fixed riser (3), the uprights (14) located at each end of the walls each comprising a lower extension fitting into an angle (4 ) fixed on said fixed extension (3).  4. Storage box according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the side walls (10,11,12, 13) have a longitudinal hinge (18,19) fixed on two crosspieces (15c, 15d) so that that said walls are foldable to be engaged and stored in the frame forming the fixed riser (3).  5. Storage box according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the angles (4) have a square shape, a first length (20) of which is fixed on the short sides of the frame, is substantially that of an upright (14) and a second length (21) of which is fixed on the long sides is that of an upright (14) to which is added the thickness of an upright (14) and a crosspiece (15), said bracket being extended at each end by a fixing lug (22,23) bearing on the frame to be mounted therein by fixing means (9), the dimensioning of said angles (4) being such that it avoids any lateral movement when the walls are engaged therein.  6. Storage box according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that it further comprises bent pieces (25) forming a groove (26) stengaging in the upper parts of the side walls at their ends so as to avoid any separation of adjacent side walls.  7. Storage box according to claim 6, characterized in that the bent parts (25) are fixed to the ends of the side walls by fastening means cooperating with holes (27) formed in said bent parts.  8. Storage case according to claim 6, characterized in that said bent pieces (25) comprise at each end of the groove (26) a cheek (28) bearing against the edge of an upright (14) inserted in said bent piece in order to avoid any lateral movement.  9. Storage box according to claim 6 to 8, characterized in that the bent pieces (25) comprise means for lateral retention of a stacked box, said means preferably comprising asperities projecting vertically, and preferably able to cooperate with orifices made in a pallet (2) intended to be stacked.  10. Storage box according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that a side wall (10), preferably providing a long side, has an access opening to the box for filling, said opening being concealed by a door (16) coming longitudinally resting on a crosspiece (15th).  11. Storage box according to claim 10, characterized in that the access opening is partial in the direction of the long side, the door (16) then cooperating with a crosspiece (15c) and two secondary uprights (17) fixed. on the external face of the side wall (40).  12. Use of a box according to any one of claims 1 to 11 for the storage of bottles.  13. Use of a box according to any one of claims 1 to 11, in a method of automatic filling using a manipulator arm of a robot.