FR3012117A1 - KIT CONTAINER BOTTOM, CONTAINER INCLUDING CONTAINER BOTTOM - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a container bottom comprising a polygonal plate (20), such as a pallet, corner pieces (10) with a base (11) and abutment members perpendicular to said base, the pieces of angle being disposed in the corners of the tray and being arranged to wedge laterally a belt placed on the tray. The container bottom is characterized in that it comprises a plate (30) arranged to connect the corner pieces (10) between them and block them in position in the corners of the plate (20). The invention also relates to a container comprising said container bottom and a belt placed on the bottom of the container.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to the field of containers of cardboard or other semi-rigid material associated with a rigid support such as a pallet to form a container or pallet box. STATE OF THE ART For the transport of bulky objects or in large quantities, crates can be used mounted on a pallet forming an assembly designated by the term pallet box. The box is made of cardboard or another similar semi-rigid material such as honeycomb or solid sheets of polyolefin. Means are provided to keep the crate in place on the pallet. For empty travel, the crate can usually be dismantled and laid flat on the support. The manufacturer of these boxes in particular delivers to the industrialist who will use the boxes kit, flat. The kit is a set known particularly in the field of the automotive industry which consists of several elements, delivered together to the customer: it includes for example a pallet, a semi-American box stapled on the pallet and folded on itself , a resistant corrugated cardboard belt folded flat on the inside of the box and a lid. The customer removes the lid, unfolds the box, puts the vertical belt in volume inside the box, fills the container, and uses the lid to close the container. Solutions already exist which are intended to improve this foldable crate system with an easy volume setting by the user from a compact assembly and the subsequent flat recycling after the box has been used and emptied of its content, for empty return and possible reuse. For example, a box kit comprising a pallet, a semi-American cardboard box and wedge-shaped wedging reinforcements placed at the four corners of the pallet are known. Reinforcements are made of plastic for example. a reinforcement comprises a base laid flat on the pallet plate at an angle thereof with dihedral upper vertical extensions between the faces of which an angle of the body is wedged and lower vertical extensions bearing against the side edges of the pallet. A reinforcement is attached to each of the corners of the pallet ensuring both the reinforcement and the lateral wedging of the body placed on the pallet. A semi-American box with small flaps inside a non-flat bottom and a belt perpendicular to the bottom. The box is open without top closure flap. This is obtained by the cap which is placed on the upper edge of the box. Once, the box in place on the pallet and wedged between the reinforcements, it is possible to fold the box without dismounting by folding the panels of the belt on the bottom around preformed fold lines. The headdress of the box closes the box of height thus reduced. Patent FR 2868043 describes such a corner reinforcement with an example pallet box implementing this corner reinforcement. Patent FR 2 881 715 describes another example of pallet box with also this corner reinforcement system.

The plastic reinforcements are, according to current practice, stapled on the pallet. Their implementation is simple and does not encounter any difficulty. This provision however has the disadvantage of requiring a suitable equipment for their attachment to the pallet and further disassembly after use of the box is not easy and also requires the use of a suitable tool Finally once removed, they can not be reused most of the time because they have been damaged by this operation. DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present applicant has set itself the objective of improving the arrangement of this type of corner reinforcement. Thus, the invention relates to a container bottom comprising a polygonal plate, such as a pallet, corner pieces with a base and abutment members perpendicular to said base, the corner pieces being arranged in the corners of the tray and being arranged to wedge laterally a belt placed on the tray. The container bottom is characterized in that it comprises a plate, in particular of semi-rigid material, arranged to connect the corner pieces together and block them in position in the corners of the plate.

Thus the corner pieces are held in place on the plate by a means which can be a removable cardboard plate, easy to handle, and whose assembly and disassembly are easy to the extent that they do not require tool or suitable device. More particularly, the corner pieces comprise first abutment members bearing against the lateral edges of the plate and second abutment elements cooperating with said plate being engaged in a notch made in the plate. The corner pieces are thus held in position on the plate thanks to this mutual catching. The connection between the corner pieces and the plate being made by simply hooking to each other, the corner pieces can be removed from the plate without being damaged. They are not damaged by the means linking them together. Preferably, the plate is made of an inexpensive semi-rigid material such as corrugated cardboard. The plate also comprises flaps extending perpendicularly to the plate. In particular the corner pieces comprise third abutment elements in the extension of the first abutment elements and parallel to the second abutment elements, the flaps being in abutment against the third abutment elements. The flaps thus erected with respect to the plate and the plate form a flange to serve as support for waist panels which are erected vertically relative to the plate forming a loading volume of the container. The plate can be secured to the plate, in particular by stapling so as to make the assembly even more stable. In addition, this connection in that it does not affect the corner pieces, allows the rapid removal thereof by lifting the stapled plate. This arrangement thus provides better handling safety because no tool is involved in the removal of corner pieces. They can be recycled separately from the carton. Finally, said abutment elements are advantageously in the form of dihedrons perpendicular to the base. The invention also relates to a container comprising a container bottom as described above, a belt resting on the plate and optionally a cap. In addition, when the support plate is a pallet, the container advantageously forms a pallet box. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES Other features and advantages of the invention will emerge on reading the detailed description which follows of a non-limiting embodiment, with reference to the drawings in which FIGS. 1A to C show a part of FIG. angle forming a portion of the bottom of the invention side view in two directions 1A and 1B at right angles and above 1C; Figure 2 shows a corner piece of the invention and a part of the pallet on which it is mounted, in one of the corners of the pallet, viewed in perspective; - Figure 3 shows the corner piece and the pallet of Figure 2, views from above; - Figure 4 shows a cardboard plate used for the container bottom of the invention, flat; - Figure 5 the detail of a corner of the plate of Figure 4; - Figure 6 shows the detail of an angle of the plate and the pallet on which it was mounted; - Figure 7 shows a view of the interior of the box after a belt has been placed on the container bottom; - Figure 8 shows the container from the outside; - Figure 9 shows the container after it has been folded.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF AN EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION There is shown in FIG. 1 and seen at different angles, an angle piece 10 for the container bottom according to the invention. It can be made of a resistant material such as metal and the various elements that compose it are welded together. It is preferably made by molding a plastic material. It comprises a planar base 11 in the form of a plate, here rectangular, a first abutment element 12 extends downwardly with respect to the figure, on one side of the plane of the base perpendicular thereto. The first element 12 abutment comprises two planes shaped dihedral rectangle. A second abutment element 13 is located on the opposite side of the dihedron of the first abutment element with respect to the base 11. This second abutment element 13 is also in the form of a right-angled dihedron. A third abutment element 14 is placed on the same side as the second abutment element with respect to the base 11. This third abutment element also forms a rectangle dihedron whose planes constituting it are in line with the plane of the dihedron of the first stop element; the planes of the two dihedrals are arranged on two sides of the rectangle of the base plate 11 and parallel to those of the second abutment element by providing a corridor 15 therebetween.

Referring to FIG. 2, a part of a conventional pallet 20, here in wood, is shown, on which is placed a corner piece corresponding to FIG. 1. The corner piece rests on the plate of the pallet by its base 11. The dihedron formed by the first element 12 stop abuts against the side edges of the angle of the pallet on which the corner piece is mounted. The other two abutment elements 13 and 14 are erected relative to the pallet plate. Figure 3 shows the assembly of Figure 2 seen from above with a perspective of small angle relative to the vertical. This view shows the two abutment elements 13 and 14 standing on the pallet plate. Figures 4 and 5 show a cardboard plate or other semi-rigid material.

This plate 30 is in the shape of a cross with a central portion 31 and flaps 33 articulated along each side of the central portion. The central portion 31 has the same dimensions as the plate of the pallet 20 on which it must be placed. The central portion 31 has near each of its corners a cut 31a at right angles whose branches are parallel to the edges of the angle close The distance separating the square of the edges of the angle is substantially equal to the width of the corridor 15 of the corner piece 10. FIG. 6 shows a partial view of the bottom of the container which has been made by placing the plate 30 on the pallet with the central portion 31 on the pallet plate. The second abutment element 13 passes through the square cut 31a of the central portion 31 of plate. The flaps 33 are raised with respect to the plate 30 and are in internal support against the planes of the third abutment element 14. A space is provided between the second abutment element 13 and the flaps 33. By the cooperation of the plate 30 with each of the second stops 13 of the four corner pieces 10, the latter are locked bearing against the side edges of the pallet. No staple or other fastener is required to hold the assembly in place. Optionally the plate 30 is stapled on the pallet plate. The container bottom thus produced is ready for the formation of a container. For this, the panels of a belt are slid in the passage 15 between the second stop elements 13 and the flaps 33. The belt is for example formed of four corrugated cardboard panels with triple flute; other thicknesses of corrugated cardboard are possible. Figure 7 shows the interior of the container thus produced. The four corners of the belt 40 are immobilized against the corner pieces and held by the second stop members 13 which thus hold the belt taut. If necessary, especially for heavy loads, the belt can be further strengthened by sliding inside the reinforcement panels against the belt panels. Reinforcement pieces can also be provided along the edges of the box if the load requires it. Figure 8 shows the box from the outside, with a cap 50 closing the belt 40 which bears against the pallet against the inner face of the flaps 33 which themselves rest against the third abutment elements 14 of the corner pieces . Figure 9 shows the folded container, ready to be delivered to its user. It is observed that the solution of the invention makes it possible to dimension the cap so that its side walls are slid along the inner face of the flaps 33. This arrangement makes it possible to protect the corners of the cap which are not not likely to be torn by the friction of the piles of containers. In summary, the assembly of the kit formed by the pallet the corner pieces and the plate is as follows. The corner pieces are first placed on the pallet at each of its angles. The plate 30 is then placed on the tray of the pallet so that the second abutment elements are engaged in the cuts 31a at right angles to the plate. The shutters are erected at the same time and come to rest against the inner face of the dihedrals of the third stop elements. Possibly the plate is stapled to the pallet plate. The container bottom is ready. For a shipment to the user the manufacturer of the container deposits the belt 40 in the container bottom, folded flat, and closes the box thus formed with the cap 50 that slides along the inner face of the flaps; The user removes the cap, extracts the belt from the box that constitutes the container bottom and raises it inside the container bottom. It is immobilized by the second stop elements. The container is ready for use. After use, it is possible to return the folded assembly as for the first time Finally use, the assembly is dismounted easily; simply remove the corner pieces by lifting the corners of the plate if it has been stapled to the pallet plate. One practical embodiment of the invention has been described, however this is not limited to what has been shown, it encompasses all equivalents within the reach of those skilled in the art. Thus, the invention applies to a container of hexagonal shape, the angles being adapted accordingly.

Claims (9)

CLAIMS1- Container base comprising a polygonal plate (20), such as a pallet, corner pieces (10) with a base (11) and abutment members perpendicular to said base, the corner pieces being arranged in the corners of the tray and being arranged to wedge laterally a belt placed on the tray, characterized in that it comprises a plate (30) arranged to connect the corner pieces (10) between them and block them in position in the angles of the plate (20). 2- Container bottom according to the preceding claim, the corner pieces (10) comprise first abutment members (12) abutting against the lateral edges of the plate and second abutment members (13) cooperating with the plate ( 30) being engaged in a notch (31a) made in the plate to lock the corner pieces in position on the plate. 3- container bottom according to the preceding claim wherein the plate (30) is made of semi-rigid material such as corrugated cardboard and comprises flaps (33) extending perpendicularly to the plate (20). 4- Container bottom according to the preceding claim, the corner pieces (10) comprise third abutment elements (14) in the extension of the first abutment members (12), the flaps being in abutment against the third abutment elements . 5- Bottom container according to the preceding claim wherein the second abutment members (13) are spaced apart from the third abutment elements (14) and define a corridor (15) between them. 6- Container bottom according to one of the preceding claims wherein the plate is secured to the plate, in particular by stapling. 7- Bottom container according to one of the preceding claims, at least one of said abutment elements is dihedral-shaped perpendicular to the base (11). 8- Container comprising a container bottom according to one of the preceding claims, a belt (40) bearing on said plate and optionally a cap (50). 9- Container kit according to the preceding claim, the container bottom contains the belt laid flat and the cap closing the container bottom.