FR2710609A1 - Aluminium container with folding sides - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to an aluminium container with folding sides. he container comprises a bottom forming a pallet (1) and four sides (2, 3) and is characterised in that the pallet (1) comprises a floor consisting of a frame (4) in which the cross-pieces of the small sides (3) are provided with a housing (10) for receiving the bottom edge of the small sides (3) and in which the longitudinal elements comprise low rails (5) receiving the bottom edge of the large sides (2), four uprights (6) provided with housings (19, 23) for receiving the pivoting axes of the two adjacent sides (2, 3) and four feet (7, 8) and in that the sides (2, 3) each consist of a panel whose bottom edge is fitted into and removed from the receiving housing (10, 12) of the said pallet (1) at will, and laterally comprise folding pivots (17, 21) cooperating with the said receiving housings (19, 23) and means (9) of joining together and separating the sides (2, 3) in pairs in the erected position. Application to pallet boxes.

Description

ALUNINIUM CONTAINER WITH SIDE-DOWN COTE8
The present invention relates to a container-pallet type container, comprising a rectangular pallet-shaped bottom and foldable sides.

 This type of container is usually made of painted steel and is designed to allow the four sides to be folded inwards in order to reduce the size of the empty container.

 Some of these containers also have one or more sides which can also be folded outwards in order to facilitate loading / unloading operations.

 These metal containers or pallet boxes have various drawbacks.

 First of all, they are heavy by the nature of the metal used, of steel, and do not offer optimal conditions of flexibility of use and bulk because the mounting-articulation structures of the sides do not allow to fold, either inwards or outwards, some or all of the sides, without increasing the overall size of the containers.

 The invention aims precisely to overcome these various drawbacks by proposing a container with folding sides made of aluminum and specially designed for this purpose, while allowing the folding of the four sides inwards and outwards, in optimal conditions in particular size, as well as the vertical maintenance alone on each side, independently of the others.

To this end, the subject of the invention is a stackable aluminum container with a bottom consisting of a rectangular pallet and comprising four sides, characterized in that
- the palette includes
i) a floor consisting of a frame whose
sleepers on the short sides are fitted on their
upper side of a housing for receiving the
lower edge of the short sides and whose
side members have extensions forming
low drop sides whose upper edge is
conformed to housing for receiving the wafer
lower sides,
ii) four uprights arranged in the four corners
of the floor and each comprising housing
receiving the pivot axes of both
adjacent sides
iii) four feet arranged under the floor,
look at said amounts, and in that,
- the sides each consist of a panel, the
lower edge is shaped to fit together and
disengage at will in the receiver housing
corresponding to said palette, and comprise
laterally, on the one hand at the bottom, pivots
coaxial drawdown cooperating with said
pallet receiving housings and on the other hand
in the upper part, securing means /
two to two detachment of the sides in position
erect.

 According to one embodiment, the receiving housings of the lower edges of the sides are constituted by grooves of trapezoidal section and the lower parts of said sides are in the form of a wedge of corresponding section and the housings for receiving the pivot axes of the sides are constituted by oblong housings, of vertical axis, provided laterally, outside, with a passage dtintroduction / extraction of said axes.

 Due to the arrangement of the pivot axes of the sides in two planes parallel to the floor and offset in height, it is possible to fold inwards, practically horizontally, the short sides, which are folded against the floor and the long sides, which are folded over the short sides previously folded.

 The type of mounting of the sides allows, on the one hand, a folding outwards of the four sides, as well as the selective withdrawal of any of the sides and one of its two adjacent sides. The maneuver is also remarkably simple and quick.

 The assembly allows, on the other hand, the total release of the pallet on one of its sides, since once the side concerned lowered outwards or removed, one can access the interior of the container over a width corresponding to the distance between the long sides.

 Advantageously and according to another characteristic of the device of the invention, the feet consist, on the one hand, of counter-legs secured to the floor and, on the other hand, of removable feet, so arranged that they allow stacking and have one of their external faces in alignment with one of the external vertical faces, longitudinal or lateral, of the container, which reduces the overall size of the latter.

 Finally, the various elements of the container, according to yet another characteristic of the invention, are advantageously produced in the form of structures with compartmentalized panels obtained from aluminum profiles. Thus, with equal capacity and mechanical strength, a container according to the invention provides, compared to a steel container, a weight gain of the order of several tens of kilos (about 45% of the weight).

Other characteristics and advantages will emerge from the description which follows of an embodiment of a container according to the invention, description given by way of example only and with reference to the appended drawings in which
- Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a
container according to the invention
- Figure 2 is a top view of the container of the
figure 1
- Figure 3 is a right view of the container of the
figure 1
- Figure 4 is a view of the container of Figure 1 in
internal folding position of the short sides,
large sides being removed
- Figure 5 is a sectional view of the container of the
FIG. 3 in the folded position of the long sides,
the short sides being removed
- Figure 6 is an enlarged and detailed view of the
right part of the container of Figure 1;
- Figure 7 is an enlarged, detailed and sectional view
partial, from the lower left of the
Figure 3 container
- Figure 8 is a vertical sectional view along the
line VIII-VIII of the container of figure 3
- Figure 9 is a vertical sectional view along the
line IX-IX of the container of figure 1
- Figure 10 is a partial side view of the part
lower side
- Figure 11 is a diagram illustrating the drawdown
outward from a large side
- Figure 12 is a diagram illustrating the drawdown
outward and inward from a small side
- Figure 13 is a right view of the part
upper of the device of FIG. 6, and
- Figure 14 is a top view of the device of the
figure 13.

 FIGS. 1 to 5 show a container according to an embodiment of the invention, comprising a rectangular pallet 1, two longitudinal sides or long sides 2 and two lateral sides or short sides 3.

 The pallet 1 comprises a floor formed by a frame having two crosspieces 4 facing the short sides 3 and two longitudinal members 5 extended upwards over a certain height so as to constitute sorts of low drop sides, in the plane of the two long sides 2 .

 In the corners, the pallet 1 is provided with small uprights 6, integral with the pallet and the height of which corresponds substantially to that of the side rails 5.

 Below the pallet 1 are arranged, in the corners, four feet comprising a part, or counter-foot 7, integral with the floor and a part or foot 8, removable, attached to the counter-foot 7.

 The counter feet 7 have their external faces aligned with the external lateral faces of the container, while the feet 8 have, in order to allow stacking, one of their external faces 8a projecting relative to the external face of the short sides. 3 of the container, while their other external face 8b is aligned with that of the long sides 2.

 In the upper part of the sides, two adjacent sides are kept mutually locked in the corners by devices shown diagrammatically at 9, arranged on the parts facing the sides, these devices being shown in more detail in FIGS. 6, 13 and 14.

 The container according to the invention will now be described in more detail with reference to FIGS. 6 to 14.

 The floor of the pallet 1 shown in Figures 6 to 9 is constituted for example by a frame formed from extruded or extruded aluminum profiles. The crosspieces 4 (FIG. 8) have, for example, a generally rectangular section having compartments and defining on the upper face of the crosspieces, a groove 10 running opposite the short sides 3 and comprising two inclined sides.

 The groove 10 is capable of receiving, like a wedge, the lower edge, beveled at 11 for this purpose, of a small side 3 in the upright position.

 The longitudinal members 5 with their upper sidewall extension also have a compartmentalized tubular section (FIG. 9) having, on the upper edge of each side member 5, a groove 12 similar to the groove 10 and capable of receiving the lower edge of the long sides 2, duly bevelled at 13 in the same way as the short sides 3.

 As can be seen in FIGS. 8 and 9, the long sides 2 and the short sides 3 have a similar structure formed from hollow aluminum profiles and defining a frame 14 connected by vertical spacers 15 and an internal facade plate 16.

 Each short side 3 has in the vicinity of its lower edge two pivots 17 defining an axis 18 of pivoting of the short sides relative to a lateral side of the pallet 1. For this purpose, the pivots 17 are received in housings 19 provided in the corner posts 6.

 The housings 19 are oblong, of vertical axis and are provided with lateral passages 20 for the introduction of the pivots 17 and their extraction for the purposes of placing-removing the short sides 3 on the pallet 1.

 Likewise, each long side 2 has in the vicinity of its lower edge two pivots 21 defining an axis 22 of pivoting of the long sides with respect to a longitudinal side of the pallet 1.

 To this end, the pivots 21 are received in oblong housings 23, of vertical axis, formed in the corner uprights 6.

 The housings 23 are formed on the faces of the uprights 6 facing the long sides and are provided with lateral passages 24 for the insertion / extraction of the pivots 21.

 The corner uprights 6 have in section dimensions corresponding to the thickness of the small and large sides and are in the extension of the latter, which allows the small sides to be folded against the bottom of the pallet by opening the container over a width equal to the distance between the long sides. This gives maximum access opening for loading / unloading.

 The floor of the pallet 1 is for example made up of the frame 4, stiffened by oblique crosspieces (not shown) and a bottom plate 25.

 In the folded-in position internally on the short sides (FIG. 4), the first folded short side 3 is flat against the bottom plate 25, while the second short side 3 partially covers the first.

 The height of the side rails 5 is determined so as to shift in height and superimpose the two planes of drawdown horizontally of the two pairs of sides, small and large.

 In Figure 5 there is shown in dashed lines the first large side 2 folded down substantially horizontally over the short sides 3 and the second large side 2 resting on the first.

 This results in a drawdown of the four sides superimposed on the bottom of the floor of the pallet 1, with the minimum overall height in the folded container.

 In the upright position on all four sides, these rest by their wedge edge (11,13) in the grooves (10,12), the pivots (17,21) being located in the lower part of the housings (19,23) . The sides 2,3 are thus wedged and held elsewhere (FIG. 10) in an upright position by means of dishes 26 produced in line with the pivots 17,21 on the sides 2,3 and resting against the upper horizontal face 27,28 of the elements 4 and 5 respectively. The sides 2, 3 are also blocked two by two at their upper part by the locking devices 9.

 According to the invention, the large and short sides can also be folded out of the container and in the same way.

 Figures 11 and 12 illustrate these two possibilities.

 In FIG. 11 which shows the folding outwards of a long side 2, after unlocking the devices 9 to release the long side 2 which is to be folded inwards, this long side 2 is lifted slightly, this which is allowed by the oblong housings 23, so as to release the beveled edge 13 from the groove 12 enough to tilt the large side outwards, so as to occupy a folded end position 2 '(see also Figure 3) .

 FIG. 12 illustrates the folds inwards 3 ′ and outwards 3 "on a small side 3. These maneuvers are carried out in the same manner as for the long sides 2, by lifting the short side and are then folded down. inward 3 'or outward 3 "(see also Figure 1).

 The two-to-two mutual locking members 9 on the sides 2,3 in the upper corners of the container are constituted, for example and as shown in FIGS. 6, 13 and 14, by a hook 29 secured to a hinge pin 30 carried by the long side 2 and forming a bolt cooperating with a keeper 31 carried by the short side 3.

 The axis 30 can be pivoted using a handle 32 (Figure 6) lockable in the closed position of the hook 29 by a safety latch 33 operated by a push button 34 for retracting said latch. Such a device is conventional and does not need to be described in more detail.

 It should be noted that the feet 8 are removable, which allows their easy replacement in the event of wear or damage and are shaped, as well as the sides, in their upper corners and that the upper ends of the angle posts 6 , to allow stacking of several containers, both in the upright sides position and in the folded sides position (Figures 4, 5).

 As can be seen in FIG. 3, the feet 8 do not protrude laterally on the large lateral faces of the container, which facilitates and reduces the bulk of the storage of containers side by side in reduced spaces such as wagons, transport trucks or trailers.

 All the essential elements (pallet 1, sides 2,3) are advantageously made of aluminum using hollow structures in the form of compartmentalized or ribbed profiles or panels, which makes it possible to reduce the weight very substantially, while retaining capacities and mechanical strength comparable to that of containers of the same type made of steel.

 The sides 2, 3 are removable and can be easily assembled and disassembled.

 To facilitate loading / unloading, one side (large or small) can be removed, as well as possibly one of the adjacent sides, the others remaining in place locked mutually in the upright position.

 It should be noted that any one of the four sides can remain in an upright upright position, the others being folded down or removed, due to the method of fitting the lower part of the sides into the floor.

 Finally, the invention is obviously not limited to the embodiment shown and described above but on the contrary covers all the variants thereof, in particular as regards the structure and arrangement of the floor of the pallet 1, on the sides 2,3, feet (7,8) and means 9 for locking the sides 2,3 in the upper part.

Claims (12)

CLAIMS =: =: =: =: =: =: =: =: =: =: =: =: =: =  1. Stackable metal container with bottom consisting of a rectangular pallet (1) and comprising four sides (2,3), characterized in that  - the pallet (1) includes  i) a floor consisting of a frame (4) whose  sleepers on the short sides (3) are fitted on  their upper face (26) of a housing (10) of  reception of the lower section of the small  sides (3) and whose side members have  extensions forming low drop sides (5) including  the upper edge (27,28) is shaped as  housing (12) for receiving the wafer  lower long sides (2),  ii) four uprights (6) arranged in the four  angles of the floor and each comprising  housing (19,23) for receiving the axes of  pivoting on two adjacent sides (2,3)  iii) four feet (7,8) arranged under the floor, in  with regard to said uprights (6), and in that,  - The sides (2,3) each consist of a panel whose lower edge is shaped to fit and disengage at will in the corresponding receiving housing (10,12) of said pallet (1), and comprise laterally , on the one hand in the lower part, pivots (17,21) coaxial folding cooperating with said receiving housings (19,23) of the pallet (1) and, on the other hand in the upper part, means (9) joining / detaching two by two of the sides (2,3) in the upright position.  2. Container according to claim 1, characterized in that the four sides (2,3) are foldable internally and externally.  3. Container according to claim 2, characterized in that the four sides (2,3) are foldable internally in horizontal superposition.  4. Container according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the four sides (2,3) are removable.  5. Container according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the four sides (2,3) are fitted by their bevelled lower edge (11,13) in grooves with inclined sides (10,12) formed in said upper edge (27,28) of the crosspieces (4) and side members (5) of said floor.  6. Container according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the four sides (2,3) rest in the upright position by dishes (26) shaped on the sides, bearing on said upper edges (27,28 ) cross members (4) and side members (5).  7. Container according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that said pivots (17,21) are received in oblong housings (19,23) of vertical axis, provided with a lateral passage (20,24 ) insertion / extraction of said pivots.  8. Container according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that said corner uprights (6) have a section corresponding to the thickness of the sides (2,3) and are in the extension of the latter.  9. Container according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that said feet consist of a part (7) forming a counterfoot, integral with the floor and a part (8) forming a foot, removable.  10. Container according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the feet (8) are shaped, as well as the sides (2,3) in their upper corner and that said corner uprights (6) in their upper part, to allow stacking both in the upright sides of the container position and in the folded sides position.  11. Container according to one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the feet (8) are arranged so as not to protrude on two opposite side faces, large or small, of the container.  12. Container according to one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that the pallet (1) and the four sides (2,3) are made of aluminum from profiles or compartmentalized panels or ribs.