FR2852278A1 - Product handling structure, has articulation structure with vertical and horizontal orifice to receive articulation unit to enable passage of shelf from vertical folded position to horizontal unfolded position - Google Patents

Abstract

The structure has an articulation unit constituted in the form of fingers arranged on a shelf (4) and extended in a projection towards side wall (3). An articulation structure (5) has vertical and horizontal orifices (6,7) connected by an intersection point (8) for receiving the articulation unit to enable a passage of the shelf from a vertical folded position to a horizontal unfolded position.

Description

The present invention relates to the general field of structures for

  handling. It relates more particularly to a handling structure, in particular in the form of a fixed container or mobile carriage, equipped with at least one articulated shelf, capable of being operated by an operator between a folded position and a deployed position.

  Common handling structures, in particular made of wire mesh, include at least one floor element and two side walls extending vertically from this floor.

  Generally, these structures also include a rear wall; and they can also be equipped with a shelf (s), secured between said side walls by means which allow their articulation by an operator between a vertical folded position and a horizontal deployed position of use, thus forming a reception plan for the products to be stored.

  However, the articulation means known to date are not entirely satisfactory, either because they are not very easy to implement, or because they have a relatively complex structure. In particular, the systems known up to now sometimes require the presence of additional devices for indexing the shelf in the folded position and / or in the deployed position; and these indexing members must for certain constantly be activated or deactivated by the operator to release or block the shelf.

  The present invention aims to remedy these drawbacks by proposing a handling structure equipped with at least one shelf whose articulation means, of original design, allows simple and efficient operation of the shelf, while ensuring indexing of the latter in a simple and rapid manner, both in the horizontal deployed position as in the folded vertical position.

  The handling structure according to the invention is of the type comprising a floor element from which extend two vertical side walls, and at least one shelf secured to said side walls by means allowing its articulation.

  According to the invention, said articulation means consist - on the one hand, of finger-shaped members, arranged on said shelf, and extending projecting towards said side walls, and - on the other hand, articulation structures arranged on said side walls, each articulation structure comprising a vertical light and a horizontal light connected by a point of intersection; these slots 35 cooperate with the finger-shaped members, and act as a slide for said finger-shaped members, so as to allow the passage of said shelf from the vertical folded position to the horizontal deployed position, and vice versa.

  According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the handling structure is made of wire mesh, the side walls being equipped with said articulation structures, here in the form of thin plates, provided with vertical and horizontal lights, which plates cooperate with the finger-shaped members of the shelf.

  According to a characteristic of the invention, the finger-shaped members are oriented transversely to the length of the openings of the articulation structures.

  This characteristic makes it possible to prevent any stalling of the shelf when it cooperates with said articulation structures.

  Still according to the invention, the handling structure comprises means for supporting and / or maintaining the shelf in the horizontal deployed position. These means are advantageously in the form of at least one bolt secured to the shelf, which is intended to cooperate with a keeper arranged on at least one of the side walls; the keeper is arranged so as to receive the bolt when said shelf is in the horizontal deployed position.

  According to another characteristic of the invention, the horizontal light of the articulation structures is extended by a light of general shape in an arc of a circle, which ends in a second horizontal light; these second horizontal slots and the finger-shaped members of the shelf are arranged so that, when said shelf is in a downwardly inclined position, the finger-shaped members can be inserted through said second horizontal slots and the aforementioned vertical lights.

  This characteristic will allow complete insertion of the fingers of the shelf within said openings of the articulation structure, offering the possibility for the operator to simply separate said shelf from the corresponding articulation structures.

  According to yet another characteristic of the invention, the vertical light of the articulation structures extends under the horizontal light, to form a notch; this notch is intended to receive either the finger-shaped member 30 arranged towards the rear end of the shelf when said shelf is in the folded position, or the finger-shaped member arranged towards the front end of the shelf when said shelf is in an inclined down position.

  This notch improves the efficiency of indexing the shelf in the vertical folded position.

  According to a particular embodiment of the invention, the handling structure is in the form of a foldable carriage, consisting of a lattice of metal wires. The carriage, according to this embodiment, comprises: - a trapezoidal base fitted with wheels, - a rear structure secured to this base consisting of a rear wall and two side walls, - two articulated drop sides at the front of said side walls , - a floor element, here articulated on the rear structure, and - at least one articulated shelf.

  The corresponding shelf or shelves cooperate with the above-mentioned articulation structures 5 in the form of thin plates, attached to the side walls of said rear structure.

  Such foldable carriages are likely to be in a folded storage position, allowing these carriages to be nested one inside the other; the sides, the floor and the shelf (s) are folded parallel to the rear structure to allow this interlocking. They can also come in a deployed position to receive the products to be stored. These trolleys are practical to use, the space devoted to their storage being limited due to their ability to fold up and fit into each other.

  The articulation means of the shelf or shelves allow, according to this embodiment, a folding of said shelves parallel and at a distance from the rear wall of the rear structure. This characteristic is particularly advantageous in the context of this embodiment, since the drop sides, the floor element and the shelf (s) are, once folded, in the storage position, parallel and at a distance from the rear wall of the rear structure, defining a space with said rear wall. This space allows in particular the positioning of containers, for example of the folded cardboard type, when the carriage is folded and nested.

  Still according to this preferred embodiment, the carriage comprises a floor element fitted, - on the one hand with a guide structure consisting of a return, extending perpendicular to the plane of said floor from the rear end thereof, which return is provided at its free end with members in the form of guide fingers intended to circulate in a vertical slide arranged on the side walls, and - on the other hand with members in the form of fingers , fixed at an intermediate position on the sides of the floor element, capable of sliding on the base of the carriage. These structural elements allow the floor element to tilt into a vertical storage position, so that it contributes to forming a space with the rear wall of said carriage.

  Still according to this preferred embodiment, the handling structure further comprises a hinged ceiling on the upper edge of the rear wall without blocking upwards.

  The ceiling can then be articulated, in particular during the folding of the drop sides, which facilitates the engagement or nesting of the carriages in one another, in order to allow their storage.

  However, the invention will be further illustrated, without in any way being limited, by the following description of various embodiments, given only for information, and represented in the appended drawings in which: FIG. 1 is a schematic representation in perspective, a handling structure according to the invention, the hinged shelf of which is in the horizontal unfolded position for use; Figure 2 is a schematic representation of a handling structure according to Figure 1, the hinged shelf is here in the vertical folded position; - Figure 3 is an enlarged view detailing a hinge plate of the shelf, which shelf is shown in the horizontal use position; - Figure 4 is also an enlarged view of a hinge plate of the shelf, which shelf is shown here in the vertical storage position; Figure 5 always shows the same hinge plate here illustrating the shelf in a downward tilted position; - Figure 6 is a schematic perspective representation of a means for holding the shelf in the horizontal position of use; - Figure 7 is a schematic perspective representation of a particular embodiment of a trolley-shaped handling structure, according to the invention, shown in the position of use; - Figure 8 is a schematic perspective view of a carriage according to Figure 7, shown here in the storage position; - Figure 9 is a partial side view of the lower part of the carriage, the floor element being shown in different tilting positions.

  In the following description, as well as in the drawings, and in order to make them more concise and clear, the same reference numerals are used to designate identical members or objects of the handling structures.

  A handling structure 1, according to the invention, here constituted by a lattice of metal wires, is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. This structure 1 comprises a floor element 2, from which extend two side walls 30 verticals 3; it further comprises a shelf 4, which can be articulated between a horizontal deployed position of use, as represented in FIG. 1, and a vertical folded position, represented here in FIG. 2.

  The articulation means of the shelf 4 are arranged both on the side walls 3 and on the shelf 4, shown in detail in FIGS. 3 to 5.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the handling structure 1 is provided with two articulation structures 5, here in the form of a thin plate, arranged opposite each side wall 3.

  As can be seen in more detail in FIGS. 3 to 5, each plate 5 comprises an elongated vertical light 6, and an elongated horizontal light 7; these lights 6, 7, of identical length, are perpendicular and communicate with each other at a point of intersection 8. The vertical light 6 is extended by a short length 5 beyond the point of intersection 8, under the horizontal light 7, forming a notch 9.

  The shelf 4, as can be seen in detail in FIGS. 3 to 5, for its part comprises a set of fingers 10, 11. Each side of the shelf 4, juxtaposed with the hinge plate 5, is provided with two fingers 10, 11: - one of the fingers 10 is located towards 10 the rear end of the shelf 4, and - the other of said fingers 11 is located at a distance from said first finger 10 equal or substantially equal to the length of the slots 6, 7 of the hinge plate 5. These fingers 10, 11 are intended to be inserted in the slots 6, 7 arranged in the hinge plates 5, so that these slots provide a role of slide for the horizontal or vertical positioning of the shelf, as explained below.

  When the shelf 4 is arranged horizontally, as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 3, the fingers 10, 11 are located at each end of the horizontal light 7; finger 10 is located more precisely at the point of intersection 8, FIG. 3.

  When the shelf 4 passes from its horizontal position to its vertical position, by an operator's operation, the finger 11 slides in the vertical light 6 from the point of intersection 8 to the upper end of said light 6. At the same time, the finger 10 slides in the horizontal light 7 from its end to the point of intersection 8.

  When the shelf 4 is in the vertical position, FIGS. 2 and 4, the two fingers 10, 25 11 are then found one above the other in the vertical light 6.

  The shelf 4 is held, or in other words indexed, in this vertical position by the insertion of the finger 10, located towards the rear end of the shelf 4, in the notch 9.

  Indeed, the force of gravity keeps this finger 10 inserted in the notch 9 operator intervention is necessary to move up the shelf 4, and 30 slightly rotate said shelf 4 in order to return the finger 10 within the horizontal lumen 7, to allow a return to the horizontal position.

  Preferably, as shown in Figures 3 and 4, the fingers 10 and 11 of the shelf 4 are bent at their end. They are first bent at 90 so as to be parallel to the hinge plate 5; they are also curved at 450 relative to the slots 6 and 7 when the shelf 4 is horizontal or vertical, the fingers 10, 11 then being directed towards each other.

  This configuration of the fingers 10 and 11 makes it possible to prevent the shelf 4 from detaching from the articulation plates 5. In fact, when the shelf 4 is horizontal, vertical or when it adopts an intermediate position between these two extreme positions , the fingers 10 and 11 are never in a position which allows them to pass through the lights 6 and 7. Thus, the handling structure 1 can be subjected to mechanical stresses without the shelf 4 being detached from said structure 1.

  For the insertion or removal of the shelf 4 from the handling structure 1, it is provided that the articulation structures 5 comprise an additional lumen 12 in an arc of a circle, located in the extension of the end of the lumen horizontal 7 opposite the point of intersection 8, and extending above said horizontal light 7; this light 12 in an arc ends with a second horizontal light 13.

  To allow the withdrawal of the shelf 4, the operator must move the said shelf 4 in a downward inclined position, as shown in FIG. 5. The term "downward inclined position" means a position of the shelf 4 inclined at an angle 15 of approximately 45 relative to its horizontal position, FIG. 3.

  The passage of the shelf 4 from the horizontal position, FIG. 3, in the inclined downward position, FIG. 5, is done by sliding of the finger 10, located towards the rear end of said shelf 4, within the lumen 12 in an arc until the second horizontal light 13. At the same time, the other finger 11, located towards the front end 20 of the shelf 4, pivots on itself in the notch 9, ensuring a role of axis of articulation.

  When the shelf 4 is inclined downward, the curved portion of the finger 10, located towards the rear end of the shelf 4, is parallel to the second horizontal opening 13, and the curved portion of the finger 11, located towards the the front end of the shelf 4 is parallel to the notch 9 extending the vertical lumen 6. This configuration makes it possible to introduce the fingers 10, 11 entirely or almost entirely into the corresponding lumens 13, 9, by simple translation lateral, then successively remove or disengage the two sides of the shelf 4, by a slight manipulation of the operator (pivoting plus translation).

  To maintain the horizontal position of the shelf 4, the handling structure 1 is equipped with a system comprising, as illustrated in more detail in FIG. 6, on the one hand a bolt 15, in the form of a finger bent towards the bottom, integral with the front part of the shelf 4, and on the other hand a keeper 16, in the form of a horizontal eyelet, integral with the side walls 3.

  When the shelf 4 is in a horizontal position, as is the case in FIG. 6, the bolt 15 is engaged in the keeper 16, participating in the support and / or the maintenance of the shelf 4 in this position.

  It should be noted that in normal use, the bolt 15 cannot pass by the keeper 16. Consequently, the removal of the shelf 4, as described above, cannot be carried out without at least partially dismantling the structure.

  It may also be envisaged to secure the keeper 16 to the side walls 3 by any suitable means of removable fixing, to allow its removal.

  Figures 7 to 9 show a particular embodiment of a handling structure according to the invention, in the form of a foldable handling trolley, consisting of a lattice of metal wires. This carriage 20 takes up the principle of the structure described above in relation to FIGS. 1 and 2, in that it 10 comprises a floor element 2, two side walls 3, and a shelf 4 secured to said side walls 3 by means allowing its articulation. This carriage 20 also includes a trapezoidal base 21 fitted with wheels 22, a rear structure 23 integral with this base 21, and two side panels 24 each articulated around a vertical axis 25 on the rear structure 23. The presence 15 is also noted a ceiling 26 and a door 27.

  The rear structure 23 is of U-shaped horizontal section. It is composed of a rear wall 28 and the two aforementioned two side walls 3; the sides 24 are articulated at the front of these side walls 3 of the rear structure 23, by devices of the hinge type.

  The carriage in the use position, as shown in FIG. 7, forms a general right parallelepiped structure. This shape is delimited on the sides by the two walls 3 and the two side panels 24, by the door 27 at the front and by the wall 28 on the rear; the ceiling 26 and the floor 2 respectively delimit the top and the bottom of this volume.

  One or more containers, for example of cardboard type, allowing the handling of products of tissue or other type, can then be placed within this carriage 1, and in particular on the horizontal shelf 4 deployed, for their transport or their storage in particular.

  Although this does not appear in FIGS. 7 and 8, the carriage 20 includes means which maintain the shelf 4 in a horizontal position; these retaining means advantageously consist of a bolt and striker system as illustrated in FIG. 6, which striker is here fitted on the internal face of the side boards 24.

  As described above, since the bolt cannot go past the strike plate in normal use, the best solution to allow the shelf 4 to tilt downward for positioning or removal, will then consist to dismantle the side panels 24, thereby clearing the obstruction of the keeper in the kinematic movement of the bolt.

  To move from the position of use of the trolley, Figure 7, to the storage position, Figure 8, the operator must first articulate the shelf 4 so as to position it parallel to the rear wall 28 of the structure rear 23; this articulation is obtained by the means described above in relation to FIGS. 3 to 5, here making it possible to arrange said shelf 4 parallel and at a distance from the rear wall 28. The operator must then pivot the two drop sides inwards 24, around their axis 25, so as to position them one against the other, and parallel to the rear wall 28; it must also position the door 27 against the outer wall of the side panel 24 on which it is hinged. Finally, the operator must tilt the floor 2 so that it reaches a vertical position, parallel and at a distance from the rear wall 28 of the rear structure 23.

  A particular embodiment of the articulation means of the floor 2 is described below in connection with FIG. 9, in which the said floor is shown in different tilting positions (A, B and C).

  This floor 2 is provided on the one hand, with a guide structure 30, extending perpendicular to the plane of said floor 2, and on the other hand, two lateral finger-shaped members 31 fixed on the trellis constituting the floor 2 and each extending on one side of said floor 2.

  The guide structure 30 consists of a return 32, extending perpendicular to the plane of the floor 2, provided at its free end with members in the form of guide fingers 33. These guide members 33 are intended to cooperate with vertical slides 34 arranged facing each other on the side walls 3 of the rear structure 23.

  When the floor 2 (A) is in a horizontal position, its rear edge is juxtaposed with the rear wall 28 of the rear structure 23; the return 32 (A) is in turn juxtaposed and parallel to the rear wall 28. In this case, the guide finger 33 (A) is located at the top of the vertical slide 34, and the finger 31 (A) fixed to the floor 2 (A) rests on the base 21, ensuring that said floor 2 is kept in a horizontal position.

  When the operator folds the carriage 20, it raises the floor 2 (B). During this lifting, the guide member 33 (B) will slide from a high position to a low position in the slide 34, and the finger 31 (B) slides on the base 21 while moving away from its initial position. When the guide member 33 (B) is at the bottom of the slide 34, it acts as a hinge pin making it possible to raise the floor 2 (C) in a vertical position; the fingers 31 (C) are no longer in contact with the base 2. The floor 2 (C) is held in a vertical position by a hook-type device (not shown) secured to the door 27.

  The guide structure 30, and more precisely the return 32, keeps the floor 2 away from the rear wall 28.

  This handling trolley 20, in the storage position as shown in FIG. 8, has a space at the rear structure 23, between on the one hand the rear wall 28, and on the other hand the shelf assembly 4 and side panels 24 in the folded position; this space allows in particular the positioning of containers, for example of the folded cardboard type, when the carriages are folded and nested.

  It is interesting to recall the action of the articulation means of the shelf, described above in relation to FIGS. 3 to 5, which articulation means allow folding in an indexed vertical position and at a distance from the rear wall 28 of the carriage 20, contributing to define the aforementioned free space at the rear of the carriage in its storage position.

  Of course, it is possible to design trolleys according to the invention, the free space at the rear of the trolley in its storage position is more or less significant.

  For example, to increase this space, it is possible to design a carriage 20 of which 15 - the side walls 3 are of increased width, in order to move the hinge pin 25 away from the drop sides 24, from the rear wall 28, - the length of the guide structure 30 of the floor 2 is increased, this length determining the distance between the rear wall 28 and the floor 2, and - the hinge plate 5 is positioned so that the vertical light 6 is at a distance adapted from the rear wall 28.

  As can be seen in FIGS. 7 and 8, the carriage 20 can also include a ceiling 26, articulated on the rear structure 23 of the carriage 20 around a horizontal axis 35. This ceiling 26 is articulated on the upper edge 36 of the rear structure 23 without blocking upwards, so that it can allow the engagement of a carriage similar to that of the invention, inside the first, when the two carriages are in the storage position . The movement of the ceiling 26 makes it easier to fit two carriages. Indeed, during the folding of the carriage 20, in particular during the folding of the drop sides 24, the ceiling 26 has a slight upward rotation movement, making it possible to bring in the upper edge of the rear structure of another carriage.

  The presence of the ceiling 26 also makes it possible to stiffen the overall structure of the carriage 20 when the latter is in the position of use.

  Of course, in all cases, it can be envisaged to equip the handling structures, in the form of a container or trolley, with one or more additional shelves, in order to improve the distribution of the materials to be transported, which 35 shelves would each include the pivoting means described above.

Claims (10)

- CLAIMS   1.- Handling structure, in particular in the form of a container or trolley, comprising, in particular - a floor element (2), - two side walls (3), and - at least one shelf (4) secured to said side walls (3) by means allowing its articulation between a folded position and a deployed position, characterized in that said articulation means consist - on the one hand of finger-shaped members (10, 11), arranged on said shelf (4), and projecting towards said side walls (3), and - on the other hand of articulation structures (5) arranged on said side walls (3), each articulation structure (5 ) comprising a vertical light (6) and a horizontal light (7) connected by a point of intersection (8), which lights (6, 7) receive the finger-shaped members (10, 11), and provide a role of slide so as to allow the passage of said shelf (4) of the said vertical folded position to said horizontal deployed position, and vice versa.   2. A handling structure according to claim 1, characterized in that it is made of a mesh of metal wires, the side walls (3) being equipped with articulation structures (5) in the form of thin plates provided with lights. vertical (6) and horizontal (7), which plates cooperate with the finger-shaped members (10, 11) of the shelf (4).   3.- handling structure according to any one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the finger-shaped members (10, 11) of the shelf (4) are curved at their end, which curvature is oriented transversely to the length of the lights (6, 7) of the articulation structures (5), to prevent any stalling of said shelf (4).   4. A handling structure according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that it comprises means (15, 16) for supporting and / or maintaining the shelf (4) in the horizontal deployed position.   5.- handling structure according to claim 4, characterized in that it comprises a shelf (4) provided with at least one bolt (15) intended to cooperate with a keeper (16) arranged on at least one of the side walls (3), for supporting and / or maintaining said shelf (4) in the horizontal deployed position.   6.- handling structure according to any one of claims 4 or 5, characterized in that said articulation structures (5) each include a horizontal lumen (7) extended by a lumen (12) of generally arcuate shape. circle, which ends with a second horizontal light (13), said second 35 horizontal lights (13) and said finger-shaped members (10, 11) of the shelf (4) being arranged so that when said shelf (4) is in an inclined downward position, the finger-shaped members (10, 11) can be inserted through the second horizontal light (13) and the vertical light (6).   7.- handling structure according to any one of claims 1 to 6, 5 characterized in that said articulation structures (5) each comprise a vertical light (6) which extends under the horizontal light (9), for forming a notch (9), which notch (9) is intended to receive, either the finger-shaped member (10) arranged towards the rear end of the shelf (4) when said shelf (4) is in position folded, or the finger-shaped member (11) arranged towards the front end 10 of the shelf (4) when said shelf (4) is in the downward inclined position.   8.- handling structure according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that it is in the form of a foldable handling trolley (20), consisting of a lattice of metal wires, which trolley (20) comprises: a trapezoidal base (21) fitted with wheels (22), - a rear structure (23) integral with this base (21), consisting of a rear wall (28) and two side walls (3 ) extended by side panels (24) articulated at the front of said side walls (3), - a floor element (2) articulated on the rear structure (23), and - at least one shelf (4) which cooperates with articulation structures (5) in the form of plates attached to said side walls (3) of said rear structure (23).   9.- handling structure according to claim 8, characterized in that it comprises a floor element (2) equipped, on the one hand, with a guide structure (30), extending perpendicular to the plane of the floor from the rear end of the latter and provided at its free end with guide fingers (33) intended to circulate in a vertical slide (34) arranged on the side walls (3), and other part, of fingers (31), fixed at an intermediate position on the sides of the floor (2), capable of sliding on the base (21), all of these fingers (31, 33) allowing the floor element (2) tilting into a vertical storage position, so that it contributes to forming a space with the rear wall (28) of said carriage (20).   10.- handling structure according to any one of claims 8 or 9, characterized in that it comprises a ceiling (26) articulated on the upper edge (36) of the rear wall (28) without blocking upwards.