FR2656592A1 - Pallet box made of a semi-rigid material, usable as a system for dispensing the objects or materials which it contains - Google Patents

Abstract

The subject of the invention is a pallet box made of a semi-rigid material, of the type which the bottom comprises two external flaps (7) respectively adjoining two parallel walls (8) by a folding line, each flap carrying on its external face at least three parallel sleeves (11, 17), perpendicular to the said parallel walls and respectively disposed in alignment with the sleeves associated with the other flap, a strengthening block of complementary profile (12, 16) and made of a rigid material being engaged in the sleeves disposed facing each other. According to the invention, in at least one of the said flaps (7) there is cut out an element (14) forming an emptying hatch, mounted such that it pivots about a folding line (15) with respect to the said flap, the said element (14) forming a hatch being disposed such that it is held in position in the plane of the associated flap by one (16) of the said strengthening blocks and that it can pivot freely when this block is withdrawn, whilst the other two blocks (12) are laterally shifted on either side of the said element (14).

Description

 Pallet box in a semi-rigid material, usable as a distribution system for the objects or materials it contains.

 The invention relates to packaging of the pallet box type, made of a semi-rigid material such as corrugated cardboard. It more particularly relates to a packaging of this type which is directly usable as a distribution system for the objects or materials packaged.

 The pallet boxes in which the present invention is concerned are those in which parallel longitudinal sleeves, integral with the bottom of a cardboard, corrugated cardboard or similar container, receive reinforcement blocks made of a rigid or semi-rigid material, for example expanded polystyrene, to form a pallet under the container and thus allow it to be transported using forklift trucks.

 In its European patent NO 231 135, the Applicant has thus proposed, for example a pallet box of this type whose container is a so-called "American" box and in which, in order to allow a pre-assembly of the various constituents and the flat folding of the pallet box thus pre-assembled, the sleeves consist of two half-sleeves, which, after the volume of the pallet box, are placed end to end and secured respectively, by means of said tongues, external flaps constituting the bottom of the box, each half-sheath receiving an independent reinforcement block.

 In other pallet boxes of this type, half-forks are fixed by gluing or stapling on the external face of the associated flaps and a single reinforcement block is engaged in two sleeves arranged in the extension of each other respectively on each of the external flaps, in order to lock these flaps in the closed position.

 By continuing its work on this type of packaging, the Applicant has been led to design improvements enabling these packaging to be used as distribution systems for the objects or materials they contain.

 Indeed, in many industries, small objects, spare parts and even bulk materials are packaged in large packages and shipped to users, where they are removed from their packaging for storage or storage. use. The packages are generally simply emptied into a storage enclosure or into a distribution hopper, from which they continuously supply production lines.

 These operations naturally require the presence of supervisors and are, therefore, generating costs, which increase the final cost of the products in the manufacture or constitution of which the conditioned objects enter.

 The present invention aims to remedy this drawback by proposing packaging, from which the packaged objects can be distributed directly and regularly, without intermediate storage.

 Another object of the invention is also a packaging of this type, which can be produced by usual methods, without increasing the manufacturing cost.

 The invention finally aims at a packaging of this type which can be manufactured in large dimensions and thus have a large volume, in order to be used as a real distribution hopper.

 To this end, the subject of the invention is a box pallet made of a semi-rigid material, of the type in which the bottom comprises two external flaps adjoining respectively by a fold line with two parallel walls, each flap bearing on its external face at least three parallel sheaths, perpendicular to said parallel walls and respectively disposed in the extension of the sheaths associated with the other flap, a reinforcing block of complementary profile in a rigid material being engaged in the sheaths arranged opposite to lock the flaps in the closed position external of the bottom and to raise the pallet box relative to the support on which it rests, this pallet box being characterized in that, in at least one of said flaps is cut an element forming a drain flap, pivotally mounted around '' a fold line relative to said flap, said hatch portion being arranged in such a way that it is held in position in the plane of the associated flap by one of said reinforcing blocks and that it can pivot freely when this block is removed, while the other two blocks are offset laterally on either side of said part.

 To release this part forming the drain flap and thus allow the conditioned objects to flow freely through the opening released by its pivoting, it will therefore suffice to remove the reinforcement block which keeps it in position, the pallet box continuing to rest on its support by the two other reinforcement blocks and the associated sleeves.

 The fold line by which the hatch part will be articulated on the associated flap will preferably be parallel to the wall to which this flap is attached and a free edge of this part will be constituted by a fraction of the free edge of the flap parallel to said wall. .

 Advantageously, two identical parts forming emptying hatches will be arranged symmetrically, one on each of the two flaps, so as to release, after pivoting of these parts, a single emptying opening.

 So that this opening has sufficient dimensions, the fold line by which said pivoting parts are articulated on the associated flaps will be as close as possible to the edge of the corresponding wall to which the sleeves are perpendicular, which will lead to shorten those in which is engaged the reinforcement block which maintains these pivoting parts, relative to the sleeves in which the blocks serving as support are engaged.

 Advantageously, inside the pallet box will be provided, in the vicinity of the bottom, from the side walls, elements inclined in the direction of the opening defined by the parts forming emptying hatches formed in the flaps, in order to favor regular evacuation of packaged items. These elements will for example be attached to the walls and attached to them.

 The external flaps may be doubled internally, in the usual way, by internal flaps adjoining the walls other than those on which the external flaps are articulated, their dimensions being such, of course, that they do not obstruct the opening defined by the pivoting parts forming drain doors. The part of the inclined elements adjoining the same walls as the internal flaps may advantageously have one end folded back below the internal flaps and pinched between them and the external flaps. The other inclined elements will be arranged below the previous ones and held in position by them.

Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear below in the detailed description which will be given of an embodiment of such a box pallet. In this description, reference will be made to the appended drawings, in which:
Figure 1 is a perspective view, with parts broken away, of this pallet box;
Figure 2 is a bottom view of the pallet box;
Figure 3 is a schematic detail view illustrating the position of certain elements inclined towards the opening defined by the pivoting parts formed in the outer flaps of the bottom.

 As shown in the drawings, this pallet box is of a double type, known per se, that is to say that it comprises two container bodies of corrugated cardboard, one upper, 1 the other lower 2, having the general shape of rectangular parallelepipeds of the same section.

The upper body 1 has at its base bands 3, folded perpendicular to its side walls and by which it bears on bands 4 folded at the upper part of the body 2, perpendicular to the walls thereof. The two containers communicate with each other through the openings defined by the bands 3 and 4, and one of the bands 3 is secured, by gluing or stapling, to the associated band 4, so that the upper body 1 can tilt relative to the lower body 2. Between the two bodies is slidably mounted a plate 5, forming a separation hatch, which is provided with a grip handle 6.

 The lower container 2 is closed at its base by two external flaps 7 (see Figure 2), adjoining by fold lines with two parallel walls 8 and lined internally, over part of their surface, by two internal flaps 9 adjoining the two other walls 10.

 On each of the external flaps 7 are fixed, by gluing, stapling or by other means, in the vicinity of the lateral edges of these flaps, two sleeves 11 with square or rectangular section. These sleeves 11 are perpendicular to the walls 8 and are arranged on the flaps 7 so that they are two by two in the extension of each other. It is thus possible to engage in two sleeves, respectively secured in two flaps 7 and arranged opposite one another, a single rigid reinforcement block 12, which, with the associated sleeves, forms a base for the box pallet and maintains in the closed position, in the same plane, the two flaps 7.

 According to the invention, in the middle part of these flaps are cut, symmetrically with respect to the contiguous edges of the flaps, two parts 14, articulated on the corresponding flap by a fold line 15 parallel to the walls 8. These parts 14 are held in the plane of the flaps 7 by a reinforcement block 16 similar to the blocks 13 and engaged like these in two sleeves 17, perpendicular to the walls 8 and fixed to the flaps 7 from the fold lines 15 to these walls 8.

 By removing the block 16 from the sleeves 17, the parts 14 are freed, which, under the weight of the articles contained in the pallet box, or under an external stress, pivot around the lines 15, thereby freeing up a drain opening, by which the conditioned articles are distributed.

 The container thus empties of the articles it contains in the manner of a real hopper and the user can use it directly on production lines or product equipment, in the constitution of which enter said objects.

 In the present case, the two containers 1 and 2 can be emptied successively or simultaneously, but the invention is not limited, of course, to this kind of embodiment and it naturally applies to a box pallet comprising a single container.

 In order to favor the use of the pallet box according to the invention as a distribution hopper, elements 20 and 21, fixed respectively to the lower part of the internal face of the walls 8 and 10 and mounted so as to pivot relative to these walls , will be inclined towards the opening defined by the pivoting parts 14 forming a hatch. The elements 20 adjoining the walls 8 may have a rectangular shape, while the elements 21 adjoining the walls 10 will bear on the preceding ones and will, seen from above, have the shape of a triangle or a trapezoid whose contiguous end to the parts 14 will be folded below the internal flaps 9 and pinched between them and the external flaps 7, so as to thus ensure the locking in position of all of the inclined elements.

 The invention therefore provides significant progress in the technique of pallet boxes by allowing them to be used directly as a distribution system for the articles or materials they contain.

Claims (8)

 1.- Pallet box in a semi-rigid material, of the type in which the bottom comprises two external flaps (7) adjoining respectively by a fold line with two parallel walls (8), each flap bearing on its external face at least three parallel sheaths (11, 17), perpendicular to said parallel walls (18) and arranged respectively in the extension of the sheaths associated with the other flap, a reinforcing block of complementary profile (12, 16) made of a rigid material being engaged in the sleeves arranged opposite to lock the external flaps of the bottom in the closed position and to raise the pallet box relative to the support on which it rests, this pallet box being characterized in that, in at least one of said flaps (7) is cut an element (14) forming a drain flap, pivotally mounted around a fold line (15), with respect to said flap, said part (14) forming a flap being arranged in such a way that it is held in position in the plane of the associated flap, by one (16) of said reinforcement blocks and that it can pivot freely when this block is removed, while the other two blocks (12) are offset laterally on either side of said part (14).  2. Pallet box according to claim 1, characterized in that the fold line (15) by which the part (14) forming the drain flap is pivotally mounted on the flap (7) associated, is parallel to the wall ( 8) to which this component is attached.  3. Pallet box according to one of claims 1 and 2, characterized in that the part (14) forming the drain flap has a free edge which is constituted by a part of the free edge of the associated flap, parallel to the wall. (8) to which this shutter is attached.  4. Pallet box according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that a part (14) forming a drain flap is formed in a symmetrical position in each of said external flaps (7).  5. Pallet box according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the sleeves (15) associated with the block (16) for holding the parts (14) forming hatches extend from the line of articulation ( 15) of these parts (14) on the flap (7) associated to the wall (8) to which this flap is attached.  6. Pallet box according to claim 5, characterized in that the sleeves (15) associated with the block (16) for holding in position the parts (14) forming hatches are shorter than the sleeves (11) associated with the other blocks .  7. Pallet box according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that elements (20, 21) are articulated on the lower part of the internal part of the side walls (8, 10) and are inclined in the direction of the opening defined by said parts (14) forming a drain flap.  8. Pallet box according to claim 7, in which the external flaps (7) adjoining the walls (8) are lined internally over part of their surface by internal flaps (9) adjoining the other walls (10), characterized in that the inclined elements (21) adjoining the same walls (10) as the internal flaps bear on the other inclined elements (20) and have their ends contiguous with the parts (14) forming drain flaps folded below the flaps internal (9), between these and the external flaps (7).