FR2728238A3 - Pallet container with feet for engaging fork lift - Google Patents

Abstract

The pallet container (1) comprises an upper part (2), which takes a container (3), and a carrying part comprising a wood or metal pallet (4). The pallet is provided with carrying feet (5) having openings between them for receiving the forks of a fork lift truck. The upper part and the pallet are fixed together. The upper part has a grille (8) composed of horizontal and vertical bars (9) which extend into the carrying pallet. The grille has a peripheral bar (10) located against the carrying pallet and vertical bars which are placed around this peripheral bar on the inside. The vertical bars are extended near each corner iron (12) and fixings (20) penetrate orthogonally into the pallet.

Description

Container-Dalette
The present invention relates to a pallet container comprising an upper part constituting the container, and a carrying part, consisting of a pallet type construction with carrying feet and openings intended to receive in particular the forks of a forklift, the part carrier and the upper part being connected together, which upper part consists of a grid made of horizontal and vertical bars connected together, some of these extending into the carrier part so that the grid rests on the carrier part .

 Such a pallet container is known from DE-U-910631.4. The vertical bars extend here in a groove made on the perimeter of the supporting part. This groove is made in a proportionally thin plate, which is fixed to the pallet part proper.

 By reinforcing the upper part of the grid, sufficient rigidity is ensured to avoid as much as possible deformation of the container placed in the grid. In order to fix the vertical bars to the supporting part, a separate assembly is provided comprising a screw, parallel to the vertical bars, but at a certain distance from the latter which is introduced into the carrying part. A fixing plate is mounted between the head of this screw and the load-bearing part which, moreover, is fixed on the vertical bars.

 As long as the fixing by means of the screw is intact, the radial forces can be absorbed by the vertical bars, which extend into the relatively shallow groove. In addition, these fixing screws can absorb such radial forces.

 However, it has become apparent that it is relatively complicated to produce such screw fasteners. Because, in addition, this fixing screw is placed next to the vertical bars, the carrying part (or pallet part) of the pallet container must be substantially larger than the grid. Sufficient surface of the load-bearing part must be available in order to be able to take hold between the screw and the load-bearing part.

 The object of the present invention is to avoid this drawback and to ensure a simpler construction allowing a larger dimension of the grid equal to the dimensions of the supporting part.

 This object is achieved in the case of a construction described above by the fact that the vertical bars extend inside the load-bearing part over at least half of its height.

 Thus the free end of the vertical bars can rest on the load-bearing part while transmitting forces towards it. It is also possible that the bar is shorter than the receiver provided for this purpose in the carrier part and that the grid rests on the carrier part via the periphery.

 Since the extensions of the vertical bars do not completely pass through it, the lower part of these vertical bars can transmit forces towards the load-bearing part. This allows an additional reduction in weight. The guide located on the upper part of the supporting part cancels the risk of bending the vertical bars in the carrying part.

 The bars used can be massive as well as hollow. In the case of hollow bars, the diameter of the respective bars or tubes will preferably be between 15 and 30 mm.

 Thanks to this fixing, it has become apparent that it is no longer essential to use screw fasteners in order to fix the grid and the carrier part between them, since the bottom plate is already fixed to the carrier part. This bottom plate is in turn attached to the grid.

 It is however possible to use a fixing screw orthogonal to the vertical bars, starting from the outside of the bearing part and which passes through the vertical bars.

Such a fixing screw is very simple to make, can be removed easily thanks to good accessibility and has little or no influence on the dimensions of the grid relative to the carrier part. In addition, it will only be subjected to forces tending to slide the load. Thanks to the presence of such an easily removable fixing, the reuse of the pallet container, preceded by a dismantling, a possible maintenance and the replacement of spare parts, is facilitated.

 It is understood that any other fixing element currently known in the state of the art may be used in place of screws.

 It should be noted that DE-U-9202045 describes a construction in which the vertical bars, produced in the form of relatively thin bars, extend at the level of the relatively flexible support part made of synthetic material and that they are provided with the other side of a fixing nut or similar device. Locking takes place in this way.

 Such a construction is particularly complicated and expensive. Due to the presence of the individual fastening elements under the bearing part.

 fl appeared that the construction according to the invention makes it possible to pass all international tests such as the horizontal impact test where the fixing of the grid to the carrier part is important, and more particularly the ONU drop tests.

 In order to improve the rigidity of the extensions according to the invention, and in particular to counter their deformation towards the outside, Invention proposes, in the case of a grid, to mount the vertical bars inside the volume delimited by the horizontal peripheral bars. It goes without saying that such a construction is not only possible in the case of the implementation of a grid, but for any construction comprising an enveloping part. Thanks to the fixing chosen for the invention it is possible to fix for example a metal upper part to a wooden pallet part in a particularly easy way. However, it will be possible without any difficulty to remove the wooden pallet part and replace it with a metal or synthetic construction.

 Thanks to the robustness provided by the fixing according to the invention, it is possible to produce the pallet part so that it is lighter. More particularly, it is possible to carry out this construction of the pallet type in such a way that the Cree only comprises a limited number of supporting feet. In addition, the connection between the extension and the pallet-type construction can be made more lightly at the level of the gripping openings in comparison with the prior art.

The invention will be explained in more detail below by means of an embodiment illustrated in the drawing in which:
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a pallet container fitted with a steel pallet;
Fig. 2 illustrates a grid of a pallet container according to FIG. 1; and
Fig. 3 illustrates a pallet container fitted with a wooden pallet.

 A first embodiment of a pallet container according to the invention is illustrated in FIG. 1 and designated as a whole by 1. This consists of an upper part 2 comprising a container 3 disposed inside a grid 8. This upper part 2 rests on a pallet 4, (in the present case: a steel pallet), composed of feet 5 and corner pieces 12. An opening 6 is provided in the grid 8 to receive the device. closure 15 of the container 3. Each corner piece 12 is made up of a curved U-shaped piece as illustrated in the drawing. The upper branch of the U-shaped piece is capable of receiving a vertical extension 7, which here rests by its lower end on the other branch of the U-shaped piece.

 Openings are provided in the corner piece 12 for the passage of screws 20.

These are of the self-tapping type and can make an opening in the extensions 7.

 FIG. 2 illustrates the grid 8 separated from the pallet 4. It can be seen that the vertical bars 9 are provided with extensions 7 which protrude from the lower peripheral bar 10 by being situated inside the latter. These extensions are dimensioned to engage in holes 13 made in the pallet 4.

 The fixing of the grid 8 on the pallet 4 can be done in all the ways known in the current state of the art, after the introduction of the extensions 7 into the holes 13. Thus the fixing can be done according to the horizontal plane of separation between the upper part 2 and the pallet 4. A possible variant of what is described above would consist in introducing, for example, pegs orthogonally to the holes 13 in the feet 5 or in the corner pieces 12, these pegs also being quite long to pass through holes made specially in the extensions 7.

 It is clear that on the one hand a particularly robust fixing is obtained between the upper part 2 and, respectively, the feet 5 and the corner pieces 12, but that on the other hand it remains very simple to separate the upper part 2 of the pallet 4. The forces exerted laterally on the pallet 4 are in fact absorbed by the extensions 7. It is clear that this makes it possible to produce the pallet 4 and the grid 8 with a light construction.

It is even possible to remove the rods 16 which interconnect the feet and the corner pieces.

 FIG. 3 represents an alternative embodiment of the invention. In this case the pallet is made of wood. The pallet container is designated here by 14, and the pallet by 17. In this case also, the extensions 7 of the grid 8 are introduced into holes made in the pallet.

n appears that the construction of the grid illustrated here is of an application
universal and that, depending on the solidity requirements posed relative to the pallet,
it can have the desired heavy construction.

It appeared during drop tests that the container-pallet produced
according to the invention satisfies the requirements of the UN type approval and
that it is authorized for the association of an IBC packaging (Intermediate Bulk Container)
and a container made of synthetic material.

 It is clear that the invention has been described here in connection with a preferred embodiment and that many variants are possible, without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Claims (8)

 1. Pallet container (1,14), comprising an upper part (2) intended to receive a container (3), and a carrying part, comprising a pallet-type construction (4,7) provided with supporting feet (5, 12) and openings between them intended to receive in particular the forks of a forklift, the upper part and the carrying part being fixed to each other, which upper part comprises a grid (8) composed of horizontal and vertical bars (9) interconnected and at least some of which extend into the load-bearing part, the grid resting on the load-bearing part, characterized in that the vertical bars extend at least to half the height of the load-bearing part and inside it.  2. Pallet container according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises fastening elements (20) which penetrate orthogonally into the carrying part.  3. Pallet container according to claim 2, characterized in that it comprises a grid comprising at least one peripheral bar (l0) placed against the supporting part, and at least some vertical bars which are placed all around the peripheral bar ( 10) on the inside.  4. Pallet container according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises extensions, at least near each corner piece (12).  5. Pallet container according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the carrying part is made of wood.  6. Pallet container according to any one of claims 14, characterized in that the carrying part is metallic.  7. Pallet container according to any one of claims 14, characterized in that the carrying part is made of synthetic material.  8. Supporting part according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the carrying part comprises a limited number of supporting feet.