FR2903669A3 - Dismountable container for transporting merchandise, has panels connected with each other by flexible hinges, and assembling units integrated to pallet and belt line so that line determines maximal inner volume with respect to pallet size - Google Patents

Abstract

The container (1) has four panels (10, 10`, 11, 11`) forming lateral walls of the container and connected with each other by flexible hinges e.g. strips (22), provided in corners of a belt line (4). A pallet (3) has a loading surface forming bottom of the container, where the pallet and the belt line are integrated with each other in a dismountable manner by assembling units (5, 8) in link form, when the container is in service position. The units are integrated to the pallet and the belt line such that the belt line determines a maximal inner volume with respect to size of the pallet.

Description

The present invention relates to the field of crates

  can be mounted on pallets for the transport of goods, including the crates that can be easily dismantled and foldable.

  Some of the known removable boxes consist of four panels that can be secured on a pallet. However, the assembly of the panels requires the intervention of two people, namely a first to maintain the panels and a second person to fix them with each other and the palette. Once disassembled, these panels are separated from each other, as well as fasteners, which often implies that they are easily misplaced. In addition, the known boxes generally have devices for fixing the panels on pallets quite complex and especially bulky. This is, for example, the case of panels for which external and protruding fasteners are required. Thus, in the case of the transport of the boxes, these fasteners increase the space required for the transport of said boxes, so that the transport is not optimized. In other cases, to prevent these fasteners from exceeding the volume of the pallet, the panels are fixed on the pallet, recessed from the edges of the latter, so that the fasteners do not protrude out of the volume of the palette. On the other hand, the internal volume of such a box, delimited by panels offset from the edges of the pallet, is reduced, which also does not make it possible to optimize the transport of the full boxes. The present invention aims to overcome these disadvantages and to provide a box that can be easily disassembled by a single person and allowing an optimized transport, both the box in the disassembled state that the body in the assembled state.

  For this purpose, it relates to a removable box consisting of four panels, namely two first panels parallel to each other and two second panels also parallel to each other, said panels forming the side walls of said box and a bottom formed by the surface loading a pallet, said panels being connected together in a hinged manner to form a seat belt, said pallet and said body belt being secured together in a dismountable manner in the service position of the body by the intermediate assembly means, crate characterized in that said connecting means 5 between the pallet and the waistline integrates with the latter, so that the waistline determines a maximum internal volume with respect to the clutter of the pallet in space. The invention will be better understood from the following description, which refers to four preferred embodiments, given by way of non-limiting example, and explained with reference to the appended diagrammatic drawings, in which: FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of the body according to the invention; Figure 2 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the box according to the invention; Figure 3 is a perspective view of an assembly means according to the first embodiment of the invention; Figure 4 is a perspective view of an assembly means according to the embodiment according to Figure 2; Figure 5 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the connecting means according to the first embodiment of the invention; FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a pallet of a box according to the invention, and FIG. 7 is a partial perspective view, on a larger scale, of a variant of use of the box according to FIG. 2. As shown in the accompanying figures, the box 1 removable according to the invention consists of four panels, namely two first panels 11, 11 'parallel to each other and two second panels 10, 10' also parallel to each other, said panels (11, 11 ', 10, 10') forming the side walls of said box 1 and by a bottom formed by the loading surface 2 of a pallet 3, said panels 11, 11 ', 10, 10' being connected between them in an articulated manner to form a seat belt 4, said pallet 3 and said seat belt 4 being secured together in a dismountable manner in the service position of the body 1 by means of assembly means 5, 6, 7, 8. This box 1 is characterized in that said assembly means 5, 6, 7, 8 between the pallet 2903669 -3- 3 and the seat belt 4 integrate with the latter, so that the seat belt 4 determines a maximum interior volume relative to to the clutter of the pallet 3 in space. The transport of such a box 1, in the service position, namely a box 1 in which the panels 11, 11 ', 10 and 10' are mounted on the pallet 3, is thus optimized, since the means of assembly 5, 6 and 7 do not encroach in the interior storage space defined by the panels 11, 11 ', 10 and 10', nor beyond the volume or space of the pallet 3 in space.

Advantageously, to reduce as much as possible the volume used by the box 1, when it is empty, and thus to reduce the transport costs when it returns to empty, in a first embodiment of the invention, represented in FIG. Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings, the waist belt 4 can be folded by superposition of two panels 11 and 10 or 11 'and 10' on two other panels 10 'and 11, respectively 10 and 11', the panels 11, 11 10, 10 'being interconnected by flexible hinges, such as a strap 22 provided at each corner of the waist belt 4. The waist belt 4 can, therefore, be folded, in position removed from the body 1, by the superposition of two panels on two other panels to form a flat structure. Thus, the volume of the body 1 dismounted and the waistline 4 folded correspond to less than 20% of the volume of the body 1 in the service position, namely climb. Such an embodiment is particularly suitable for forming panels 10, 10 'and 11, 11' into plywood. According to a characteristic of the invention, the loading surface 2 of the pallet may be disposed on at least three ground support means 9 parallel to each other, two of said ground support means 9 being mounted at two edges 21 and 21 'or 20 and 20' opposite said loading surface 2. These ground support means 9 may be in the form of sleepers, as shown in Figure 2 or in the form of chevrons or pads, possibly being mounted on a support means, as shown in Figures 1 and 3 to 5.

To provide a box 1 having a maximum storage capacity in relation to a minimum space requirement, at least two opposite first edges 21, 21 'of the loading surface 2 may be recessed relative to the corresponding edges delimited by the ground support means 9 of the pallet 3, of a value at most equal to the thickness of the first panels 11 and 11 'intended to be mounted on the pallet 3 at these first two edges 21, 21' . This configuration is particularly visible in FIG. 6. It makes it possible to make a box 1, in which the waistband 4 has the same volume in the space as that of the pallet 3, to which it is detachably secured. Thus, no element exceeds this volume, so that the boxes 1 according to the invention can be arranged next to each other adjacent, without there being no vacuum between two boxes 1. Advantageously , the first opposite panels 11 and 11 'of the waist belt 4 intended to be mounted on the pallet 3 at the first two edges 21 and 21' of the loading surface 2 may have a lower height than the two second panels 10 and 10 'opposite the waist belt 4 to be mounted on the pallet 3 at two second edges 20 and 20' of the loading surface 2, so that in the service position of the body 1 the first panels 11 and 11 'rest directly on the corresponding ground support means 9.

According to a first embodiment of the assembly means according to the invention, represented in FIGS. 1 and 3 of the appended drawings, the first panels 11 and 11 'may each have at least one opening 12 located at a distance from their surface. support substantially equal to the thickness of the loading surface 3, said openings 12 facing each other in the service position of the body 1 and each 12 being positioned in line with a corresponding groove 13 made in a support means in the ground 9, so that an assembly means 5 made in the form of a link, passing through the openings 12 resting on the loading surface 2 and in the groove 13, clamped and closed on it -Even solidarise the pallet 3 to the waistline 4. This connection means 5 in the form of a link can be made of a synthetic material. It is first inserted into the two openings 12, so that it rests on the loading surface 2 of the pallet 3 and then passes into the groove 13. Then, a clamping operation of this assembly means 35 in the form of a link is made so that the fastening of the pallet 3 with the waist belt 4 is adjusted, and finally this link is closed on itself, for example by stapling or welding to ensure the 2903669 - 5- maintaining solidarity. For the dismantling of the body 1, it will be enough to cut this connection means 5 in the form of a link to separate the pallet 3 belt belt 4. Figure 4 of the accompanying drawings shows an alternative embodiment of the means of assembly, according to which the latter is made in the form of tabs 6 equipping at least two panels 11 and 11 'or 10 and 10' opposite the waist belt 4, near their bearing surface on the pallet 3, these legs 6 being intended to be inserted into a corresponding receiving housing 14 made in the pallet 3. This embodiment has the advantage of not requiring an accessory for maintaining the body 1 in the service position. Typically, each tab 6 forming the assembly means may be in the form of an insert fixed flushly in the bearing surface of the panels 11 and 11 'and / or 10 and 10' on the pallet 3, this lug being projecting with respect to the internal face of the panels 11 and 11 'and / or 10 and 10' and cooperating with a corresponding receiving housing 14 provided in the pallet 3. According to another characteristic of the invention, each lug 6 forming the assembly means may be in the form of a projecting element 20 on the inner faces of the panels 11 and 11 'and / or 10 and 10' near their bearing surface on the pallet 3, and cooperating with a corresponding receiving housing 14 provided in the pallet 3, at a distance equivalent to that separating said tabs 6 forming the projecting assembly means from the bearing surfaces of the panels 11 and 11 'and / or 10 and 10'.

In this embodiment, also shown in FIG. 2 of the appended drawings, the panels 10, 10 'and 11, 11' are preferably made by boards interconnected at each corner of the seat belt 4, by a hinge 23, a pin 24 passing through the knuckles of one of said hinges 23 being removable for disassembly of said seat belt 4 for its folding, as well as for mounting and fixing of this waistline 4 in the service position. Thus, it is possible to perform a quick assembly and disassembly of the waist belt 4 on the pallet 3, without implementation of a link, so that the reuse of such a waistline 4 is very easy and very fast. In fact, for the dismantling of the waist belt 4, it suffices to remove the pin 24 from the knuckles of one of the hinges 23 to remove the lugs 6 forming the assembly means of the corresponding receiving housings 14 2903669 -6- . This pin 24 can be replaced after folding the waist belt 1, which avoids the risk of loss of said pin 24. Of course, for mounting, simply have successively the edges of the panels, 10 , 10 'and 11, 11' against the corresponding edges 5 of the pallet 3 by inserting the tabs 6 in the housing 14, then insert the pin 24 into the knuckles of the corresponding hinge 23. The pallet 3 on which the seat belt 4 is mounted can be made in different ways.

Thus, the loading surface 2 of the pallet 3 can be made by a single plate. The latter is then mounted directly on the ground support means 9 to form the pallet 3. The loading surface 2 of the pallet 3 can also be made by boards 15 mounted parallel to each other and fixed perpendicular to the ground support means 9, on the latter. The loading surface 2 of the pallet 3 can also be made by boards 15 mounted parallel to each other on supports 16 fixed on the ground support means 9, 20 perpendicular thereto. This configuration of the loading surface 2 is shown in FIG. 6 in which the boards 15 are juxtaposed. It is also conceivable not to juxtapose the planks 15 and to leave a space between each of said planks 15. Preferably, the receptacles 14 for receiving the tabs 25 forming the assembly means can be made at the interface between a floor support means 9 and a support 16. According to one characteristic of the invention, the boards 15 may be arranged, at the second edges 20 and 20 'of the loading surface 2, at a distance from said second edges 20 and 20 'equal to the thickness of the second panels 10 and 10', while the supports 16 are flush with said second edges 20 and 20 '. According to another embodiment of the assembly means according to the invention, represented in FIG. 5, the second panels 10 and 10 'may each have at least one opening 17 located at a distance 35 from the bearing surface of said second panels. 10 and 10 'at most equal to the thickness of the boards 15, said openings 17 facing each other in the service position of the box 1 and each being positioned in line with a corresponding groove 18 made in a support 16 , such that an assembly means 7 made in the form of a link, passing through said openings 17 resting on the loading surface 2 and in the groove 18, tight and closed on itself, solidarises the pallet 3 to the waistline 4. This connecting means 7 in the form of a link is of the same type as that produced according to the first embodiment. It can therefore also be made of a synthetic material. It is inserted into the openings 17 of the second panels 10 and 10 ', so that it rests on the loading surface 2 of the pallet 3, and in the groove 18 and tightly fitted to hold the pallet 3 together and 4. According to another embodiment of the assembly means according to the invention, also shown in FIG. 1 of the appended drawings, the second panels 10 and 10 'may each have at least one opening 19 offset longitudinally. relative to the ground support means 9 in the service position of the body 1 and located at a distance from the bearing surface of said second panels 10 and 10 'at most equal to the thickness of the boards 15, said openings are facing in the service position of the body 1 so that an assembly means 8 made in the form of a link, passing through said openings 19 resting on the boards 15, on both sides of these last s, tight and closed on itself, secures the pallet 3 to the waist belt 4. This is the same type of assembly means that the assembly means 5 and 7 according to Figures 1 and 5. In this latter embodiment, the linkage connecting means 8 is inserted into the two openings 17, so that it rests on the loading surface 2 of the pallet 3 and then passes under said loading surface. 2, so that the latter is sandwiched by said assembly means 8. A clamping operation is also carried out in order to firmly fasten the pallet 3 with the waist belt 4, and then the assembly means are closed again. 7 on himself. For the dismantling of the body 1, it will suffice, also in this embodiment, to cut the connection means 8 in the form of a link to separate the pallet 3 belt belt 4.

In the embodiments of the connection means 5, 7 and 8 in the form of links, the latter do not encroach on the storage volume of the body 1. In fact, the links are preferably flat and very they do not affect the storage volume. They do not, therefore, also affect the volume of the body 1 occupied in space. Typically, the distance between the edges of the loading surface 3 may be slightly less or at most equal to the distance between the inner walls of the corresponding panels (11, 11 ', 10, 10'). According to another characteristic of the invention, represented in FIG. 7 of the appended drawings, the panels 10, 10 'and 11, 11' equipped with tabs 6 forming the assembly means, may have, near their upper edge, passage openings 26 intended to cooperate with the tabs 6 forming the assembly means of a waist belt 4 to be superposed. Thus, according to the needs, it is possible to increase the volume of a body according to the invention by simply setting up an additional seat belt 4. Advantageously, the body 1 may have a closure cover 25 that can be placed on the body belt 4. This closure cover 25 can be fixed on the body 1 by means of a link of the same type as the one carrying out the assembly means 5, 7 and 8 according to the first, third and fourth embodiments. When the body 1 is filled and covered by the closure cap 25, it suffices to surround the latter with this link, the latter may in particular be inserted into the grooves 13 made in the ground support means 9 for better support .

The invention therefore makes it possible to have a box 1 which can be easily dismounted from a pallet 3, whose volume in the disassembled state is small and which determines an interior volume or storage or loading volume which is maximal with respect to the size of the pallet 3 in space. Of course, the invention is not limited to the embodiments described and shown in the accompanying drawings. Modifications are possible, particularly from the point of view of the constitution of the various elements or by substitution of technical equivalents, without departing from the scope of protection of the invention.

Claims (19)

  1. A removable box consisting of four panels, namely two first panels (11, 11 ') parallel to each other and two second panels (10, 10') also parallel to each other, said panels (11, 11 ', 10, 10' ) forming the side walls of said box (1) and by a bottom formed by the loading surface (2) of a pallet (3), said panels (11, 11 ', 10, 10') being interconnected with each other; articulated manner to form a seat belt (4), said pallet (3) and said seat belt (4) being secured to each other in a dismountable position in the service position of the body (1) by means of assembly (5, 6, 7, 8), characterized in that said connecting means (5, 6, 7, 8) between the pallet (3) and the seat belt (4) are integrated with the latter , so that the waistline (4) determines a maximum interior volume with respect to the bulkiness of the pallet (3) in space.   2. Case according to claim 1, characterized in that the seat belt (4) is foldable by superposition of two panels (11 and 10 or 11 'and 10') on two other panels (10 'and 11, respectively 10). and 11 '), the panels (11, 11', 10, 10 ') being interconnected by flexible hinges, such as a strip (22) provided at each corner of the seat belt (4).   3. Box, according to any one of claims 1 and 2, characterized in that the loading surface (2) of the pallet is disposed on at least three ground support means (9) parallel to each other, two of said floor support means (9) being mounted at two opposite edges (21 and 21 'or 20' and 20 ') of said loading surface (2).   4. Case, according to claim 3, characterized in that at least two first edges (21, 21 ') opposite the loading surface (2) are set back relative to the corresponding edges delimited by the support means to the floor (9) of the pallet (3), of a value at most equal to the thickness of the first panels (11 and 11 ') intended to be mounted on the pallet (3) at these first two edges (21). , 21 ').   5. Case, according to claim 4, characterized in that the first panels (11 and 11 ') opposite the waist belt (4) intended to be mounted on the pallet (3) at the two first edges (21 and 21 ') of the loading surface (2) have a height less than that of the two opposite second panels (10 and 10') of the seat belt (4) intended to be mounted on the pallet (3) at two second edges (20 and 20 ') of the loading surface (2), so that in the service position of the body (1), the first panels (11 and 11') rest directly on the corresponding ground support means (9).   6. Case according to claim 5, characterized in that the first panels (11 and 11 ') each have at least one opening (12) located at a distance from their bearing surface substantially equal to the thickness of the surface loading (3), said openings (12) facing each other in the service position of the body (1) and each (12) being positioned in line with a corresponding groove (13) made in a bearing means floor (9), such that a connection means (5) formed as a link, passing through the openings (12) resting on the loading surface (2) and in the groove ( 13), tight and 15 closed on itself, secures the pallet (3) to the waistline (4).   7. Case, according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the connecting means is formed in the form of lugs (6) equipping at least two panels (11 and 11 'or 10 and 10') opposite of the waistline (4), near their bearing surface on the pallet (3), these tabs (6) being intended to be inserted in a corresponding receiving housing (14) made in the pallet (3). ).   8. Case, according to claim 7, characterized in that each tab (6) forming an assembly means is in the form of an insert fixed flushly in the bearing surface of the panels (11 and 11 'and / or 10 and 10 ') on the pallet (3), this tab (6) projecting from the inner face of the panels (11 and 11' and / or 10 and 10 ') and cooperating with a receiving housing (14) corresponding provided in the pallet (3).   9. Box according to claim 7, characterized in that each tab forming an assembly means (6) is in the form of a protruding element on the inner faces of the panels (11 and 11 'and / or 10 and 10 ') close to their support surface on the pallet (3), and cooperating with a corresponding receiving housing (14) provided in the pallet (3), at a distance equivalent to that separating said brackets forming means assembly (6) projecting the bearing surfaces of the panels (11 and 11 'and / or 10 and 10'). 2903669 -11-   10. Case, according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the panels (11, 11 ', 10 and 10') are interconnected at each corner of the waistline (4) by a hinge (23), the spindle (24) passing through the knuckles of one of said hinges (23) being removable for folding said seat belt (4).   11. Case, according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the loading surface (2) of the pallet (3) is formed by a plate in one piece.   Box according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the loading surface (2) of the pallet (3) is formed by boards (15) mounted parallel to each other and perpendicularly fixed to the ground support means (9) on the latter.   13. Case, according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the loading surface (2) of the pallet (3) is made by boards (15) mounted parallel to each other on supports (16) fixed on the ground support means (9), perpendicular thereto.   14. Case, according to any one of claims 7 to 9 and 13, characterized in that the receiving housing (14) of the tabs (6) forming the connecting means are formed at the interface between a floor support means (9) and a support (16).   15. Case, according to any one of claims 3, 5 and 13, characterized in that at the second edges (20 and 20 ') of the loading surface (2), the boards (15) are arranged at a distance from said second edges (20 and 20 ') equal to the thickness of the second panels (10 and 10'), while the supports (16) are flush with said second edges (20 and 20 ').   16. Box, according to any one of claims 1, 2 and 5, characterized in that the second panels (10 and 10 ') each have at least one opening (17) located at a distance from the bearing surface said second panels (10 and 10 ') at most equal to the thickness of the boards (15), said openings (17) facing each other in the service position of the box (1) and each being positioned at a groove (18) in a holder (16), such that a connection means (7) formed in the form of a link, passing through said openings (17) resting on the loading surface (2) and in the 2903669 12 groove (18), tight and closed on itself, secures the pallet (3) to the waistline (4).   17. Case, according to any one of claims 1, 2 and 5, characterized in that the second panels (10 and 10 ') each have at least one opening (19) offset longitudinally relative to the support means to the floor (9) in the service position of the body (1) and located at a distance from the bearing surface of said second panels (10 and 10 ') at most equal to the thickness of the boards (15), said openings ( 19) facing the service position of the box (1) in such a way that a connecting means (8) in the form of a link passing through said openings (19) resting on the planks (15), on both sides of the latter, tight and closed on itself, secures the pallet (3) to the waistline (4).   18. Case, according to any one of claims 1 to 17, characterized in that the distance between the edges of the loading surface (3) is slightly less than or at most equal to the distance between the inner walls of the panels ( 11, 11 ', 10, 10').   19. Case, according to any one of claims 1 to 5 and 7 to 10, characterized in that the panels (10, 10 'and 11, 11') equipped with tabs (6) forming the assembly means, may have, near their upper edge, passage openings (26) intended to cooperate with the tabs (6) forming the connecting means of a belt belt (4) to be superposed.