FR2962419A1 - ADAPTABLE VOLUME CONTAINER - Google Patents

Abstract

The container comprises a product receiving floor (4), a support and holding wall support frame (2), having a height determining the receiving volume of the container, and a plurality of walls (2). , 3) protection and maintenance of products received on the floor (4). The frame (1) is arranged to have a plurality of heights and the protective and holding walls (2, 3) are arranged to move between a slumped state and an expanded state and thus adapt to the height of the frame (1 ). The volume of the container of the invention can adapt to the load to be transported.

Description

The field of the invention is that of containers, containers of all kinds of products, but more particularly consumer products, perishable or not, such as found in large or medium-sized stores and even in stores smaller said of proximity. It can be food products, clothing, white or brown products ...

Indeed, the problem which is at the origin of the invention of the present application, but which should not limit its scope, is that of the routing of the products from the logistics platforms of the chains of stores up to 'to their distribution stores, that is to say the problem of optimizing the filling of transport vehicles ensuring this routing. These are generally flatbed or semi-trailer vehicles loaded with containers but which fill only a limited part, often one-third of the available volume. This is so because we only load the floors of trucks or semi-trailers on one level, we hardly ever stack containers even if they are stackable and this, because of the very structure of the containers currently on the market which does not favor the optimization of the filling.

Well, the applicant has sought to develop a new type of container favorable to this optimization and that is how it proposes its invention. The invention thus relates to a container having a product receiving floor, a support and support wall support frame, having a height determining the receiving volume of the container, and a plurality of protective and holding walls of the container. products received on the floor, container characterized in that the frame is arranged to have a plurality of heights and the protective and holding walls are arranged to move between a slumped state and an expanded state and thus adapt to the height of the frame.

Thanks to the invention, it is therefore possible to adapt the volume of the container to the load to be conveyed. In the case of the independence of the protective and retaining walls and their supporting frame, it is possible to envisage a frame made of a rigid and solid but light material, such as for example an aluminum alloy.

As for the protective and retaining walls, whose function is exerted especially during transport, they will preferably be made of a soft and soft material, in particular of the textile type, advantageously 10 mesh, preferably of net type, adding to the lightness possible of the frame.

In this case, the material of the walls can make it possible to clearly visualize the load of the container disposed inside, on its floor.

In this case again, the walls physically protect the load, without the risk of "marking" it, in the manner of a film which would have enveloped it, but without the constraint of having had to wind the film around the load. and the container frame on a stretch wrapper.

In the preferred embodiment of the container of the invention, the protective and retaining walls comprise means arranged to adapt them to the height of the frame and extend them to this height.

In this case, the walls can be divided into as many wall portions as the number of heights that can be provided by the frame.

Advantageously, the protective and holding walls comprise a net, with loose mesh. By loose, it is meant meshes whose nodes are not prefixed, which further improves the adaptability of the walls to the load to protect and maintain.

Preferably, the container of the invention is foldable on itself and stackable.

The invention will be better understood on reading the following description, with reference to the drawing in the appendix, in which - Figure 1 is a perspective view from above of a first embodiment of the container of the invention, folded state; FIG. 2 is a perspective view from above of the container of FIG. 1, with its support frame in the unfolded state and two main protective and holding walls opposite to the slumped state and two opposite secondary walls and attached on the frame folded on themselves on a single height and folded against the primary walls; - Figure 3 is a view of the container of Figure 2, the two secondary walls being in the holding position and protection; FIG. 4 is a view of the container of FIG. 3, the frame and the main and secondary protective and support walls supported by the frame being in the unfolded and unfolded state over a double height; - Figure 5 is a perspective view of two containers of Figure 1 stacked one on the other; - Figure 6 is a perspective view from above of a second embodiment of the container of the invention, in the folded state; - Figure 7 is a perspective view from above of a third embodiment of the container of the invention, with its support frame in the unfolded state, two walls supported by the frame in the state of slack and two walls reported on the frame folded on themselves and Figure 8 is a perspective view of a shower of a plurality of containers of Figure 7.

Referring to Figures 1 to 4, the container of the invention comprises a support frame 1 and, attached thereto, a pair of opposed main protective and holding walls 2, 3.

The frame 1 comprises a floor 4, of generally rectangular shape, mounted on two longitudinal runners 5, 6 connected by two lateral crosspieces 7, 8. The crosspieces 7, 8 are connected here by two longitudinal members 9, 10 and here a longitudinal beam 11, the longitudinal members 9, 10 extending above the pads 5, 6, respectively.35 boards, here also three in number 12-14, are attached to the longitudinal members and the beam, extend between the sleepers 7, 8 and form with them the floor 4.

At the four corners of the floor 4, formed by the longitudinal members 9, 10 and the crosspieces 7, 8 are mounted metal U-profiles 15-18, on which are articulated telescopic uprights 19-22. The uprights are telescopic in the sense that, here, they each comprise an external upright 23 in which an inner upright 24 can slide, which can be extended in the extended position and fixed in this extended position, here to the using holes in the two uprights and a pin 25 slid into the orifices.

The outer end of each inner upright 24 is equipped with a stacking salt shaker 26, shaped to receive one of the ends 27, 28 of the pads 5, 6 of another container or a single pallet. These ends 27, 28 could be replaced by welded metal plugs, for example aluminum.

In the embodiment of Figures 1-4, the telescopic posts are mounted hinged to the U-shaped as explained below.

Each profile here comprises two wings 29, 30, parallel to the longitudinal members 9, 10 connected by an intermediate blank portion 31 at right angles and therefore parallel to the cross members 7, 8. A hinge pin 32 is slid into the two flanges of the profile 29, 30 extending parallel to the cross members 7, 8. Each external upright 23 of the four telescopic uprights comprises on its two faces 33, 34 parallel to the longitudinal members 9, 10, at its foot 35 of cooperation with the corresponding profile, a slot 36 in which can slide in a relative sliding the hinge rod 32. The mounting of the uprights in their profile, in the use position of the container, is carried out as follows. The amounts, from the horizontal and horizontal position of FIG. 1, are tilted to the upright and upright position of FIGS. 2-4, by pivoting them around their hinge rod 32 and then pushing them back to the bottom of the profile towards the floor 4, the slots 36 sliding along the associated rod 32 until the end of the leg 35 abuts against the corresponding end 37 of the associated spar 9,10. Thus, the leg legs 35 are held between the profile wings 29-30 by the rod 32.

A stop tab 80 is fixed on the end of the foot 35 of each upright 19-22 and, in the vertical position of use, it is clipped on the upper edge of the intermediate blank wall 31, between the two wings 29, 30 of the corresponding U-profile 15-18, to secure the telescopic post on the U-profile.

The support frame, as just described, can therefore be in the use position in two forms, a first, which can be described as unfolded and folded form (FIGS. 2, 3), with a height minimum, substantially that of the outer uprights 23 of the telescopic uprights 19-22, the inner uprights 24 being retracted, and, a second form, which can be described as deployed form, with a maximum height, substantially equal to the sum of the heights of an outer amount 23 and its inner amount 24, each inner amount 24 being out of its outer amount 23.

The support frame, as just described, is made here in a rigid and solid but light material. Aluminum will preferably be used.

The frame 1 supports side walls of protection and maintenance that will now be described, the main walls 2, 3 and the secondary walls 53, 54. These are walls for, mainly during transport, maintain and protect the products arranged on the floor 4, without marking them.

In the embodiments described here, the walls are made from a loosely knitted net of very light textile material. The walls are therefore soft and soft. The net can also be made of polyester. As the container frame can here have two different heights relative to the ground, the walls have two portions to allow to adapt to the height of the frame and extend on this height.

With reference to FIGS. 1-5, between the two outer uprights 23 of each pair of telescopic uprights 19-22 articulated on the two U-shaped sections 15, 18 and 16, 17 of the ends of the crosspieces 7, 8, that is to say between the uprights 19, 22 and 20, 21 are fixed two rods 38 and 39, one 38 at the feet 35 and the other 39 near the upper edges 40 of the outer uprights 23, these two rods extending parallel These two rods 38, 39 are passed through two rows of loops 41 and 42 of a first thread portion 43 of the main walls 2, 3, which portion is stretched between the two rods (FIG. 3). .

Between the two inner uprights 24 paired telescopic uprights 19, 22 and 20, 21, just under their stacking salt spreaders 26, extends a third rod 44 for fixing a second net portion 45 of the main walls 2, 3.

The rods 39, 44 are passed through two rows of loops 46, 47 of a second net portion 48 of the main walls 2, 3.

In Figures 2, 3, the frame 1 is in its first minimum height. The second net portions 48 of the main walls 2, 3 are in their state adapted to this first frame height, that is to say a slumped state. By extension, it will qualify the corresponding state of the protective and maintenance walls considered in their entirety also state slumped.

Between the telescopic uprights 19-22 otherwise paired, that is to say the uprights 19, 20 and 21, 22, articulated on the two U-shaped sections 15, 16 and 17, 18 of the ends of longitudinal members 9, 10 are fixed two other protective and holding nets 49, 50, with very conventional means such as hooks 51 on the nets and arches 52 on the outer posts 23 (Figure 3).

These threads form the secondary holding and protective walls 53, 54. In the slumped state of the main walls 2, 3, the threads 53, 54 are not slumped, but folded into two sheets 56, 57, one on the other. but they are stretched in height as in length. In the example shown, the container therefore has main walls that can be lowered and secondary walls that can be folded.

In the embodiment of FIGS. 2 and 3 and in the state illustrated in FIG. 3, the container therefore comprises four load protection and maintenance walls which, during the transport of the container, will remain correctly maintained and protected.

In the state illustrated in FIG. 2, the secondary walls 53, 54 are arranged and folded down on the main walls 2, 3. The main walls 2, 3, in their slumped state, on the rods 38, 39, 44, are thus doubled, each by a secondary wall 53, 54 whose thread surrounds, in part the outer uprights 23 of the telescopic uprights of each pair of uprights, the net being hooked on the two uprights in the same manner. To change the height of the frame, so to change the walls of protection and maintenance of their slouched state, or folded, their unfolded state, or unfolded, and therefore to increase the volume of filling of the container, the amounts are out 24 of the telescopic uprights 19-22 and are locked in position, conventionally and here with the help of retaining pins, not shown. By deploying the main walls 2, 3, the rods 44 have moved away from the rods 39 to tension the second thread portions 48 between these rods 39 and 44, the walls 2, 3 being finally stretched over the entire height of the frame (FIG. ). At the same time, the two plies 56, 57 of the secondary walls 53, 54 have been unfolded and the upper edge 58 of the second ply 57 hooked to the inside uprights 24 of the telescopic uprights 19-22 like the middle strip 59 which formed the edge of the first ply 56 when the frame was in its first minimum height of Figure 3. In Figure 5, there is shown two containers 61, 62, as that of Figure 1, stacked one on the other. The four telescopic uprights of the two containers are tilted in a horizontal and horizontal position which leaves an upper portion of the wing 29 of the U-shaped profiles parallel to the lengths 9, 10 and an upper portion of the intermediate blank portion 31 as seen FIG. 1 shows that one end 27, 28 of the pads 5, 6 of the upper container 62 can be housed in the top of the corresponding U-profile 15-18 of the lower container 61 and provide relative positioning and stacking of both containers. Again here, remember that the ends 27, 28 can be replaced by plugs.

The embodiment of the container of Figure 6 differs from the previous by two features. There are no pads under the floor, but rollers 63 fixed under the longitudinal members 9, 10, the U-profiles 115-118 extending downwards, below the side members, by stacking feet 64-67 , intended to fit into the top of the profiles 115- 118 as the ends 27, 28 of the pads. Thus, the container can be easily moved as well in the premises of a logistics platform as on the tray of a semi-trailer or in the destination store.

Moreover, the U-shaped sections 115-118 are appreciably higher and metal protection plates 68, 69 are fixed to these profiles above the crosspieces 7, 8, these metal plates 68, 69 extending substantially over the same height as the profiles.

The embodiment of the container of FIG. 7, very similar to that of FIG. 6, differs slightly from this in that the metal protection plates 68 ', 69' are less high, without the fact that the height of the profiles 115-118 has been reduced, the main holding and protective walls 2 ', 3' extending, towards the floor 4, only up to the edge 70 of the plates 68 ', 69'.35 Finally, Figure 8 shows half a dozen containers according to Figure 7 stacked on top of each other, in their folded state.

For information purposes only, the plaintiff has made containers whose height may be 0.8 m or 1.2 m. 10

Claims (12)

REVENDICATIONS1. Container comprising a floor (4) for receiving products, a frame (1) for protecting and holding walls (2, 3), having a height determining the reception volume of the container, and a plurality of walls (2, 3) of protection and maintenance of products received on the floor (4), container characterized in that the frame (1) is arranged to have a plurality of heights and the protective and holding walls (2, 3) are arranged to evolve between a slumped state and an expanded state and thus adapt to the height of the frame (1). Container according to claim 1, wherein the protective and retaining walls (2, 3) are independent of the support frame (1) and the support frame (1) is made of a rigid and light material. 3. Container according to claim 2, wherein the support frame (1) is made of aluminum alloy. 4. Container according to one of claims 1 and 2, wherein the protective and retaining walls (2, 3) are made of soft and soft material. 5. Container according to claim 4, wherein the protective and retaining walls (2, 3) are of a textile material. 25 6. Container according to one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the protective and retaining walls (2, 3) comprise means (44) arranged to adapt to the height of the frame (1) and extend on this height. 30 7. Container according to claim 6, wherein the walls (2, 3) can be divided into as many wall portions (43, 48) as the number of heights that can present the frame (1). 8. Container according to one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the 35 protective and retaining walls (2, 3) comprise a net. 10 9. Container according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that it is collapsible (32, 36). 10. Container according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that it is stackable (24, 26, 27, 28). 11. Container according to one of claims 1 to 10, wherein at the four corners of the floor (4) are mounted U-shaped profiles (15-18) on which are articulated telescopic uprights (19-22). 12. Container according to one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the protective and retaining walls (2, 3) arranged to be sloped are main walls.