FR2755675A1 - Storage and transport of bumpers - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention concerns a device for storing and transporting elongate elements folded down on the same side, such as motor vehicle bumpers (4). The invention is characterised in that it comprises vertically along two opposite sides (11) several series of generally U-shaped semirigid straps (2), the transverse branch (20) of which extends substantially horizontally inwards, two mutually opposite straps (2) being adapted for supporting, with their transverse branch (20), an element (4) at the zone connecting (42) its intermediate part (40) to its ends (41).

Description

DEVICE FOR STORING AND TRANSPORTING ELEMENTS
EXTENSIONS SUCH AS BUMPERS
The present invention relates to a device for storing and transporting elongated elements with ends folded back on the same side.

 It is particularly but not exclusively suitable for the storage and transport of motor vehicle bumpers.

 These bumpers are most often manufactured and painted by a subcontractor, then are transported in trucks to the assembly plant for motor vehicles.

 Storage and transport devices for these bumpers have already been proposed. For the most part, they have a metal base of generally elongated rectangular shape, which can be moved by means of a forklift.

 This base is provided with generally vertical metal arches, which support mounting and wedging parts for painted bumpers, for example made of plastic.

 The base is also equipped with a central and longitudinal grating that the operator uses to place the bumpers one by one on their supports.

 The number of bumpers that it is possible to store in such a container is necessarily limited due to the size of the metal arches and the space that it is necessary to leave free for the passage of the operator. The number of bumper means per container is in the range of six to ten.

 It is easy to understand that this considerably limits the total number of bumpers transported by truck. However, the cost of transporting such objects is much higher than the cost price of the containers.

 Another drawback of these prior art devices lies in the fact that the operator must take care not to bump the bumper which he places or removes against the other bumpers or their metal supports. , at the risk of damaging them, for example by scratching the paint that covers them.

 In addition, during transport, the vibrations generated by the truck can cause the bumpers to rub against their supports, which could damage them.

 The present invention aims to provide a solution to these problems.

 In other words, it aims to provide a storage and transport device which, with equal dimensions, allows a large number of elongated elements such as bumpers to be placed there.

 It also aims to achieve the aforementioned goal while allowing the installation and removal of the elements without risk of damaging them.

 Finally, it aims to achieve these objectives using simple and inexpensive means.

 These objectives, as well as others, are achieved in accordance with the invention, by the fact that this device for storing and transporting elongated elements with ends folded back on the same side, such as bumpers of motor vehicles, has vertically along two opposite sides, several series of semi-rigid straps in the general shape of "U", the crossbar extends substantially horizontally and inwardly, two straps facing each other being adapted to support by their transverse branch, an element at the connection zones of its intermediate part at its ends.

 Because the device does not include means of metal supports which, by construction, necessarily occupy space, it is possible to store a higher number of elements such as bumpers, this with equal dimensions .

 Furthermore, because straps are used, the risk of damaging the elements during their installation and removal is reduced. These straps can, to a certain extent, retract to facilitate the placement or removal of an element.

According to other advantageous but non-limiting characteristics of this device:
- said straps are generally directed downwards;
- Said straps form with the horizontal an acute angle of about 60;
- Said straps are articulated at their branches around vertical axes;
- Said straps are fixed, at the level of their branches, to generally vertical flaps;
- one of the vertical edges of said flaps is articulated with respect to support means;
- Said support means consist of a vertical slide, while said vertical edge comprises a rigid core inserted in said slide, the core constituting an axis of articulation for the flap;
- The crossbar of said straps is reinforced, for example using a metal core;
- said straps are made of polyamide fibers;
- Said flaps consist of a reinforced plastic canvas.

Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear on reading the following description, given without implied limitation, of a preferred embodiment. This description will be made with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
- Figure 1 is a partial perspective view of a device according to the invention, in which a bumper is stored;
- Figure 2 is a diagram illustrating, in top view, the structure of the device;
- Figure 3 is a partial side view of a support strap and the associated flap;
- Figure 4 is a top view intended to illustrate the method of fixing a flap to the device;
- Figure 5 is a view of a strap, according to a vertical and median section plane.

 The device shown in the appended figures is particularly suitable for storing and transporting motor vehicle bumpers.

 This device comprises a metal base which bears the reference numeral 1. When viewed from above (Figure 2), it takes the form of an elongated rectangle with two longitudinal sides and two transverse sides. These sides are materialized by an assembly of hollow metal sections 10 and 11 welded together. Preferably, the length of the longitudinal sections 11 corresponds substantially to the width of the trailer of the truck in which this type of device is intended to be housed.

 Longitudinally and in the middle position extends, in the plane of the base 1, an aisle 14 consisting of a central grating 140 which is supported laterally on two longitudinal sections 141. The sections 141 are hollow and open at the front transverse side of the base materialized by a profile 10. The reference 142 has the openings of the profiles 141 at this level, their spacing being provided to allow the forks of a forklift to be inserted therein.

 As will be seen below, aisle 14 allows an operator to load bumpers on the device, to move from the front to the bottom of the latter and vice versa.

 At each angle of the base 1 extend vertically metal posts 12. As an indication, they measure about lm50 in height. They are fixed to the base by welding and this mounting is reinforced by triangular angle angles 15.

 Parallel to the corner post 12 extend along the profiles 1 1 several pairs of secondary posts 13. In the example shown in Figure 2, four pairs of posts are provided along each profile 11. However, a number different might be expected, for example three or five pairs. Note that the arrangement of the secondary posts along the two long sides of the base is symmetrical with respect to a vertical median plane. Consequently, the posts of each pair face two by two.

 Finally, the free upper end of the posts 12 and 13 is fixed to a horizontal profile 11, similar to those which equip the base.

 The secondary posts 13 are preferably formed from hollow metal profiles and on their face facing the interior of the device is fixed a vertical plate 50 of reduced thickness, for example by means of screws not shown. In one piece with this plate is provided a vertical slide section in the shape of "C" 51, whose opening, which extends vertically, faces the interior of the device.

 For each of the secondary posts 13 there is therefore an associated slide 51. They face each other in pairs, with their openings facing each other.

 The device according to the invention is also equipped with flaps which bear the reference 3. These are, for example, strips of canvas, such as those used for tarpaulin covering trucks. Preferably, it is a plastic fabric advantageously reinforced by a metallic or fiber mesh. While being solid, these flaps are liable to be deformed.

 These flaps have an elongated rectangular shape with their two long sides 30 which have the length close to the height of the posts 13. Their short sides have a small dimension, for example of the order of ten centimeters.

 One of their long sides is folded back to 360C on itself, around a rod or metallic core 6 which, also, has substantially the same height as that of the posts. This assembly is held in place by one or more series of seam lines C.

 As shown more precisely in FIG. 4, each sheet 3 is inserted, at its vertical edge provided with the slide at "C", inside the slide 51. Lejonc 6 constitutes in a way a vertical axis of hinge for each flap 3.

 We are therefore dealing, with reference to Figure 2, longitudinally along each side of the device, with eight flaps 3 distributed in four pairs.

 According to the invention, extend in the vertical direction between each pair of flaps, a series of semi-rigid straps 2 in general shape "U". These straps are fixed by their parallel branches 21, to the external faces of the flaps 3. This fixing is carried out for example by means of seam lines C, as shown in FIG. 3.

 These straps are generally directed downwards and their parallel wings form an acute angle with the horizontal of the order of approximately 60.

 The crossbar 20 of the straps extends horizontally and longitudinally relative to the base of the device, and therefore transversely relative to the flaps 3. However, due to the inclination of the branches 21 relative to the horizontal, the plane in which is contained the crossbar 20 is inclined relative to the vertical.

 As shown in particular in FIG. 5, the material which constitutes each of the straps, for example a weaving of polyamide fibers, is stiffened by a metallic core 7. This extends only at the level of the transverse bar 20 This is in fact made up of two bands sewn together and inside which said core 7 is inserted.

 As shown in Figure 1, five straps 2 are attached to each pair of flaps 3 and these are distributed vertically with a regular mutual interval. Of course, a different number of straps per pair of flaps could be provided, for example four or six.

 Each pair of flaps 3 constitute with its associated straps 2 a deformable assembly, to a certain extent, relative to the vertical axes materialized by the rods 6. However, these assemblies are relatively solid.

 The spacing between the flaps 3 constituting a pair is chosen so as to be slightly greater than the width of an article to be stored. In addition, the spacing between the straps which face each other in pairs is provided, as will be seen later, so as to be slightly less than the total length of the articles to be stored.

 We will now explain, with particular reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, the way in which the device according to the invention is used, for the storage and transport of elongated elements with folded ends on the same side constituted by vehicle bumpers 4 automobiles.

 These are, for example, bumpers that have been manufactured and painted by a subcontractor and that must be sent to the factory of an automobile manufacturer for mounting on vehicles.

 Each bumper 4 has a general shape of a banana with an elongated intermediate part 40 and two ends folded down on the same side 41. The connection zones of the intermediate part 40 with the folded ends 41 have been identified by the reference 42.

 The device according to the invention is assumed to be empty of bumpers and in place on the ground. The bumpers are assumed to be coated with a paint, which has had time to dry.

 In a first step, an operator P grabs a bumper. The natural gesture of grip of this bumper by the operator P is illustrated in FIG. 2, which means that he grasps it at its intermediate part 40, the folded ends 41 of the latter extending horizontally from each side of the operator.

 In a second step, the operator climbs on the grating 140 and moves, in the direction of the arrow f, to the bottom of this device. No obstacle comes to impede the movement of the operator, since each assembly formed by two flaps 3 and associated straps 2 disappears laterally as it passes, as shown in FIG. 2, where a retracted assembly is shown in broken lines. In addition to this ease of movement, there is no risk that the bumper will catch on the straps of certain assemblies and, in any event, neither the material of the flaps, nor that of the straps is capable of damaging the coating - in this case the paint - that covers the bumper.

 When the operator is in front of the last series of flaps which equips the bottom of the device, he raises the bumper 4 so as to present its folded ends 41 downwards. It then positions said ends so that they engage between the flaps 3 and the straps 2 arranged closest to the ground. As shown in FIG. 3, the bumper 4 bears on the transverse bar 20 of the straps, at the level of the connection zone 42 of its intermediate part 40 at its ends 41.

 The bumper is somehow suspended from the straps, while the flaps between which extend its ends, constitute stops which 'oppose any lateral movement.

 The operator proceeds in the same way for each pair of straps, specifying that he always starts by positioning the bumpers, starting with the lowest straps.

 The fact that the bumper support means do not have any bulky fixed metal element, it is possible to install a higher number of bumpers per device.

 Due to the possibility of relative deformation of the assemblies formed by the straps and their associated flaps, the vibrations of the trucks which transport the devices loaded with bumpers are absorbed by both the flaps and the straps, so that it does not There is no risk of the bumpers being damaged.

For purely indicative purposes, a device according to the invention has the following characteristics:
- length: 2.40m;
- width: lu50;
- height: lu50;
- number of straps per pair of flaps: 5;
- number of pairs of flaps: 10;
- distance between two neighboring straps: 25 cm.

 In such a device, it is possible to store twenty-five bumpers and its structure allows stacking of two devices one on the other.

 In a different embodiment, the straps could be directly fixed and articulated on the posts of the device. Furthermore, these posts can be replaced by plates which extend vertically all along the device.

 Finally, the plates 50 can be easily removed, so that the chassis of the device can be used to store other objects there.

 Although the present description has been made with reference to the storage and transport of bumpers, it can be used with other elongated elements having ends folded down on the same side.

Claims (10)

 1. Device for storing and transporting elongated elements with folded ends on the same side, such as bumpers (4) of motor vehicles, characterized in that it has vertically along two opposite sides (11 ), several series of semi-rigid straps (2) in the general shape of "U", whose transverse bar (20) extends substantially horizontally and inwards, two straps (2) facing one of the the other being adapted to support by - their transverse bar (20), an element (4) at the connection zones (42) of its intermediate part (40) at its ends (41).  2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that said straps (2) are generally directed downwards.  3. Device according to claim 2, characterized in that said straps (2) form with the horizontal an acute angle of about 60 ".  4. Device according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that said straps (2) are articulated at their branches (21) around vertical axes.  5. Device according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that said straps (2) are fixed, at their branches (21), to flaps (3) generally vertical.  6. Device according to one of claims 4 and 5 taken in combination, characterized in that one of the vertical edges (30) of said flaps (3) is articulated with respect to support means (5).  7. Device according to claim 6, characterized in that said support means (5) comprising a slide (50) vertical, while said vertical edge (30) comprises a rigid core (6) inserted in said slide (50) , the core (6) constituting an axis of articulation for the flap (3).  8. Device according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the crossbar (20) of said straps (2) is reinforced, for example using a metal core (7).  9. Device according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that said straps (2) are made of polyamide fibers.  10. Device according to one of claims 5 to 9, characterized in that said flaps (3) consist of a reinforced plastic fabric.