FR2994423A1 - THERMAL DEVICE FOR TRANSPORTING PRODUCTS, IN PARTICULAR PALETTIATED PRODUCTS. - Google Patents

Abstract

Box (1) thermal protection provided for introducing a pallet (2) loaded with products (3) to be transported to a chosen temperature.

Description

The present invention relates to a thermal device for the transport of products, especially palletized products. Products stored or transported, are often paletized, that is to say that these products are arranged on a pallet. This is true for products to be stored in a given temperature range, for example products to be kept cold or hot, at a temperature different from that of the storage medium. Such products must sometimes be transferred, especially by plane; it must then be ensured that their temperature remains within the desired range, especially during the transfer. The object of the invention is to provide a device for ensuring that a palletized product transport, at substantially constant temperature conditions, regardless of a temperature at which other products are to be maintained, in a same vehicle. According to the invention, there is provided a transport case, characterized in that it comprises: a useful internal volume, intended to house a pallet and its loading of products; thermally insulating walls, in particular a bottom, opposite side walls, a rear wall, a front wall and an upper wall, the front wall forming a door; and, cells for disposing at least one eutectic block along one of the walls. Advantageously, the box comprises means for securing the pallet with the box, preferably with the bottom of the box, for example straps, preferably fixed to the bottom.

The front wall may be completely removable so that, when removed, it completely frees the passage between the side, bottom and top walls, and when in place, it bears against the front ends of the walls. walls, preferably via a foam seal.

The box advantageously comprises an envelope, the walls being mounted, preferably nested together, fitted inside the envelope. The envelope advantageously comprises at least one leaf which, when it is open, completely frees the front of the box, including the front edges of the walls, and which, when folded down, covers the front wall by plating it. against the front edges. Preferably, the envelope comprises two leaves and links to hold the leaves together and pressed against the front wall. Preferably, the cells are formed between a perforated partition and a respective associated wall, spacers being arranged to maintain a spacing between the partition and the wall. Advantageously, the cells are arranged to allow frontal insertion of the blocks. The box may include a base provided for the passage of a fork of a pallet truck, including a forklift. The bottom can be covered with a rigid plate to support the pallet.

The box may further include a waterproof cover to wrap the walls. Embodiments of the invention will be described hereinafter by way of nonlimiting examples, with reference to the appended drawing, in which: The single figure is a perspective representation of a box according to the invention, open, and containing a pallet to be transported in said box. The single figure illustrates a box 1 according to the invention for transporting a pallet 2 and its load 3, particularly by air. The load 3 includes products to be stored near a given ideal temperature. The body 1 has the role of maintaining the load 20 3 substantially at this temperature, during transport. The body 1 has a substantially parallelepipedal external shape, resting on means 4 of support to the ground. The box 1 further comprises: an outer shell 6; thermally insulating walls 7, internally doubling the envelope; and, cells 8, provided to receive eutectic blocks 9. The envelope 6 is made of a thin material, for example a cardboard or a plywood. It has a substantially parallelepiped shape, its front side opens entirely by two leaves, intended to close contiguously, the other sides being entirely continuous between them. Thus, the doors 11 being closed, the envelope 6 forms a fully enclosed interior space. The insulating walls 7 are arranged against the inner faces of the envelope 6, so that when the body 1 is closed, the insulating walls form a complete and continuous insulation inside the envelope 6. The walls 7 comprise a bottom wall 7A, arranged horizontally, two side walls 7B, resting on the bottom wall 7A, an upper wall 7C resting on the side walls 7B, a rear wall and a front wall 7D. Each of the walls 7 is formed of a substantially rectangular panel, their thicknesses E7 are substantially constant and identical to each other. In the figure, the front wall 7D is only partially represented by its upper left and upper right angles, in order to make visible the contents of the body 1. The rear wall is not visible because pressed against the back of the body. envelope 6 and hidden by the contents thereof. To facilitate the mounting of the walls 7 in the casing, the rear edges of the bottom wall 7A, the side walls 7B and the upper wall 7C abut against the back wall and keep it pressed against the casing 6. The edges of the bottom wall 7A, the side walls 7B and the upper wall 7C are set back from the front edges 13 of the envelope 6; the recess E12 is substantially equal to the thickness E7 of the front wall 7D, so that when the wings 11 are closed, they keep the front wall pressed against the front edges 12 of the other walls 7A-7C. Preferably, a foam seal, not shown in the figure, ensures thermal sealing between the front wall 7D and the front edges 12 of the other walls 7A-7C. Advantageously, although not shown in the figure, the bottom wall comprises a substantially rigid plate, preferably made of plywood, which covers its insulating material, so that it offers a resistance to driving in. the load which rests there, that is to say the pallet 2. The cells 8 are arranged along the side walls. They are formed between a perforated partition 16 and a respective wall 7. Spacers 17 are arranged between the partition 16 and the wall 7. The spacers 17 provide a spacing E8 between the partition 16 and the respective wall 7. The spacing E8 is substantially equal to the thickness E9 of a block 9.

In the illustrated example, cells 8 are arranged vertically along the side walls 7B; the spacers form shelves therein for sliding a respective block 9. In the figure, the load 3 is drawn partially torn off, in order to reveal at least part of the partition 16 which equips the left side wall 7B. Other cells are disposed under the upper wall 7C. The corresponding partition is placed in abutment on the partitions 16 of the side walls. Straps 20 are fixed to the partition 7A of the bottom of the body 1; they serve to secure the transport pallet 2 and its load 3 with the body 1. Links 20 are provided on each of the leaves 11 to keep them closed between them. The support means 4 are provided to resume the load and ensure the rigidity of the bottom of the box, while the elevating. In the illustrated example, the support means comprise three pads extending from front to back so that they release between them two passages 24 for the fork of a pallet truck, in particular a forklift, for moving the crate and loading or unloading it in a transport vehicle.

A useful body volume is defined between the partitions 16 and the bottom 7A, as well as between the rear and front walls 7D. The front wall 7D is a removable door 7D, so that when it is deposited, it leaves completely free front access to the useful space, to deposit the pallet 2 and its load 3, and the cells to slide the eutectic blocks. The eutectic blocks make it possible to maintain the temperature in the useful space, in particular through the days of the perforated walls 16. Eutectic blocks can advantageously be slid under the load 3, between the beams of the pallet 2. Of course the invention is not limited to the examples which have just been described. Thus, the envelope advantageously comprises a coating provided to protect the body from the weather, including rain and snow. Alternatively, a seal cover may be provided to wrap the sealed walls, so that the cover is between the insulating walls and the casing. In addition, cavities may be provided against the back wall and the front wall, the first being able to be put in place before the crate is loaded and the second during closing. A package according to the invention is particularly advantageous since it makes it possible to transport palletised products without having to unload them from their pallet, and it also makes it possible to keep these products in a temperature range or at a chosen temperature, independently the temperature at which other products transported simultaneously must be kept.

Claims (12)

REVENDICATIONS1. Transport case (1), characterized in that it comprises: a useful interior volume for accommodating a pallet (2) and its loading (3) of products; thermally insulating walls (7), in particular a bottom (7A), opposite side walls (7B), a rear wall, a front wall (7D) and an upper wall (7C), said front wall forming a door; and cells (8) for disposing therein at least one eutectic block (9) along one of said walls (7B, 7C). 2. Case according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises means (20) for securing the pallet (2) with the body (1), preferably with the bottom (7A) of the body (1). 3. Case according to claim 2, characterized in that the means for securing are straps, preferably fixed to the bottom (7A). 4. Case according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the front wall (7D) is completely removable so that, when removed, it completely releases the passage between the side walls, bottom and top and when in place it bears against the end ends (13) of said walls, preferably by means of a foam seal. 5. Case according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that it comprises a casing (6), the walls (7) being mounted, preferably nested between them, fitted inside said casing. 6. Case according to claim 5, characterized in that the casing comprises at least one leaf (11) which, when open, completely frees the front of the box (1), including the front edges (12). ) walls (77A-7C), which, when folded, covers the front wall (7D) by pressing against said front edges. 7. Case according to claim 6, characterized in that the casing comprises two wings (11) and links 10 (21) for holding said flaps together and pressed against the front wall (7D). 8. Case according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the cells (8) are formed between a perforated partition (16) 15 and a respective wall (7B, 7C), spacers (17) being arranged to maintain a spacing (E8) between said partition and said wall. 9. Case according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the cells (8) are arranged to allow a frontal introduction of the blocks (9). 10. Box according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that it comprises a base provided for the passage of a fork of a pallet truck, including a forklift. 25 11. Case according to one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the bottom (7A) is covered with a rigid plate, to support the pallet (2). 30 12. Case according to one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that it comprises a waterproof cover for wrapping the walls (7).