FR3043074A1 - CONTAINER FOR HANDLING PARTS - Google Patents

Abstract

Container (1) for handling parts, comprising at least one cavity (2) bounded by a lateral peripheral wall (3) and a bottom wall (4), said cavity (2) being open in a main opening (5) opposite to the bottom wall (4). A blade (6) is attached and fixed to the outer surface (3a) of the lateral peripheral wall (3) to receive a document and retain it by pressing against the lateral peripheral wall (3).

Description

The present invention relates to a container for the handling of parts, particularly in the context of the manufacture of parts by machining.

In the context of the manufacture of parts manufactured by means of machining, for example by bar turning, the parts generally undergo successive operations on different workstations. Between two successive operations, the parts are generally stored in a container comprising at least one cavity limited by a lateral peripheral wall and a bottom wall and open in a main opening opposite to the bottom wall. This container, sometimes also known as a basket, makes it possible to handle the pieces in a grouped manner, to store them neatly between two workstations, and also makes it possible to apply to the pieces a treatment (such as a wash for example) without removing them from the container. container.

To keep track of the parts during their manufacture, as well as the quality control of the operations carried out, each container is usually accompanied by a tracking sheet.

There is known a metal container for handling parts, comprising a label holder consisting of a small metal frame in which can be slid a label.

The small metal frame is welded at several points on the outer surface of the lateral peripheral wall, which requires a rather expensive operation to achieve. In addition, the label of this label holder container has very small dimensions and can hardly include a small number of short mentions (such as a piece identification number, customer or supplier for example). ). This label is too small to include quality control of successive manufacturing steps. Moreover, the establishment and removal of the label are quite tedious. And multiple withdrawals and reintroductions of the label in the label holder generally lead to a deterioration of the label, making it illegible and / or unusable. Finally, using a larger metal frame to receive a larger label substantially increases the price of the container, and the maintenance of the label is worse and therefore causes untimely losses of the label.

When a lot of information is needed to accompany the container (especially for quality monitoring), this information can be printed on a sheet (see a package) which is then placed in the container cavity. There is a high risk of losing the leaf. To limit this risk of loss, part of the parts can be stacked over the sheet previously disposed in the cavity of the container. But this forces the operator to unstack the container (if stacked with other containers), to empty part of the container or to jostle the pieces together to consult the information carried by the sheet. In addition, the parts are often spotted with oil (to prevent their corrosion in the air during storage between two workstations), so that the sheet is quickly soiled and / or unreadable.

A problem proposed by the present invention is to design a container for the handling of parts capable of receiving quickly and simply a tracking document intended to accompany the parts during their manufacture, while effectively limiting the risk of loss or degradation. said document.

To achieve these objects as well as others, the invention proposes a container for handling parts, comprising at least one cavity limited by a lateral peripheral wall and a bottom wall, said cavity being open in a main opening opposite to the bottom wall; according to the invention: the container comprises a blade attached and fixed in a first end section on the outer surface of the lateral peripheral wall, said blade developing in a direction of elongation substantially perpendicular to the main opening, since the first end section towards a second end section, the second end section of the blade is movable between a holding position, in which the second end section is held directly or indirectly in abutment against a bearing zone against the lateral peripheral wall according to a predetermined bearing force, and a spacing position, in which the second end section is situated away from the lateral peripheral wall; the second end section of the blade is permanently recalled in the holding position.

The blade of the container according to the invention makes it possible to attach to the container a piece tracking document quickly and efficiently, which document may be larger than a label and may for example comprise several sheets of A4 format.

When the blade is in the spreading position, an operator can easily insert the document between the lateral peripheral wall and the blade. When the blade is in the holding position, the contact of the bearing zone against the lateral peripheral wall with a predetermined support force effectively retains the document and limit the risk of loss. Being placed outside the container when accompanying the container, the document is directly and easily accessible to the operator, and the risk of contamination is reduced.

In a first alternative, the first end portion may be attached to the outer surface of the lateral peripheral wall by welding. Such a method of attachment is usable when the container has a metal side peripheral wall. The welding of the blade is easy because the operator has great accessibility. And this welding can generally be performed by means of a single weld zone.

In a second alternative, the first end portion may be attached to the outer surface of the lateral peripheral wall by riveting. Such a method of attachment is usable when the container has a metal or plastic side peripheral wall, and is therefore more versatile. And a riveting operation is simple to implement by means of automata. Drilled rivets or hollow rivets, which have a very small footprint away from the lateral wall in which they are attached, can preferably be used, and do not have sharp edges on either side of the wall. lateral peripheral wall after their fixation in the latter. This limits the risk of conflicts that may damage the parts intended to be in the container.

Advantageously, the blade may comprise, in the vicinity of its first end section, a first deviation away from the lateral peripheral wall followed by a second deflection towards the lateral peripheral wall.

If the document is thin (less thick than the distance separating the second deflection of the lateral peripheral wall), the clamping force can be effected only in the vicinity of the support zone of the second end section. The clamping force is thus not dependent on the length of blade covering the document and is always exerted at least according to a predetermined pressure. The document can be held by a pinch not at one of its peripheral edges but in a region located more towards the center of the document, it is then necessary a greater displacement of the document relative to the container for that it escapes the pressure exerted by the blade and detaches from the container: the risk of loss is reduced.

Preferably, the second end portion may be extended away from the first end portion by a tab extending away from the lateral peripheral wall. The tongue allows the operator to grip the blade to move it from its holding position to its spread position. The risk of damaging the document when it is inserted or removed can be reduced.

In a first variant, the tongue may extend from the support zone of the second end section and away from the bottom wall. The document is then guided by the tongue to be received between the blade and the lateral peripheral wall. If the document is sufficiently rigid, this guidance can be used for insertion of the document into force under the blade by sliding on the tongue, then between the bearing zone and the lateral peripheral wall.

In a second variant, the tongue extends from the support zone of the second end section and towards the bottom wall. The gripping of the tongue by the operator is thus facilitated by an undercut gripping zone.

In a third variant, the tongue can: - include a first section extending from the support zone of the second end section and away from the bottom wall, - end with a second section following the first tongue section, and extending towards the bottom wall.

Not only the advantages of guiding the first variant, but also the improved grip of the second variant are available.

Advantageously, provision can be made for: the lateral peripheral wall having a draft enabling a stacking by at least partial penetration into the cavity of another identical container; the container comprises stop means shaped to limit the penetration of the container; in the cavity of the other identical container during stacking, when the abutment means limit the penetration of the container into the cavity of the other identical container during stacking, the respective adjacent lateral peripheral walls are arranged one at a distance from the other at a first distance, in the holding position, between the first end section and the second end section, the blade protrudes away from the lateral peripheral wall. a second distance less than or equal to the first distance.

Several identical containers can thus be stacked into each other without the blade being damaged.

Preferably, it can be provided that, when the stop means limit the penetration of the container into the cavity of the other identical container during stacking, the tongue of the blade of the container is located beyond the main opening of the other identical container.

Documents can thus easily be introduced under each of the blades of several stacked containers or be removed from the blades of several stacked containers. Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of particular embodiments, with reference to the attached figures, in which: FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a particular embodiment; container according to the invention; FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the container of FIG. 1, provided with a manufacturing tracking document; - Figure 3 is a partial cross-sectional view of the container of Figure 1, with a blade in the holding position; - Figure 4 is a partial cross-sectional view of the container of Figure 1, with a blade in spaced position; FIG. 5 is a detail view of FIG. 3; FIG. 6 is a perspective view of three containers identical to the container of FIG. 1 and stacked one inside the other; FIG. 7 is a partial cross-sectional detail view of two of the three containers of FIG. 6; FIG. 8 is a fragmentary cross-sectional detail view showing a solution for attaching the blade to the container which is an alternative to that illustrated in FIG. 5; Fig. 9 is a fragmentary cross-sectional detail view illustrating an alternative blade shape; and FIG. 10 is a fragmentary cross-sectional detail view illustrating another alternative blade shape.

In Figures 1 to 7 is illustrated a particular embodiment of a container 1 according to the invention for handling parts. The container 1 comprises at least one cavity 2 bounded by a lateral peripheral wall 3 and a bottom wall 4. The cavity 2 is open in a main opening 5 opposite to the bottom wall 4.

More particularly, the container 1 comprises a blade 6 attached and fixed in a first end portion 7 on the outer surface 3a of the lateral peripheral wall 3, said blade 6 developing in a direction of elongation II substantially perpendicular to the main opening 5, from the first end section 7 to a second end section 8.

The second end section 8 of the blade 6 is movable between a holding position (FIG. 3), in which the second end section 8 is held directly or indirectly in abutment along a bearing zone 9 against the lateral peripheral wall 3 according to a predetermined bearing force, and a spacing position (Figure 4), in which the second end section 8 is located away from the lateral peripheral wall 3.

The second end portion 8 of the blade 6 is permanently recalled to the holding position (Figure 3). To do this, the blade 6 is made of a material having a certain elasticity giving it a reversible deformability by flexion. Good results have been obtained with a stainless steel blade 6, in particular a grade of stainless steel used for the springs.

FIGS. 3 and 5 show more particularly that the first end section 7 is fixed on the outer surface 3a of the lateral peripheral wall 3 by riveting, in this case with the aid of two drilled rivets 100 (see also FIG. figure 1). Alternatively, hollow rivets 10 such as that illustrated in FIG. 8 may be used.

Such fastening by riveting has the advantage of being able to be performed on a lateral peripheral wall 3, both metallic and plastic.

As an alternative to riveting, when the lateral peripheral wall 3 is metallic, it is possible to fix the blade 6 on the outer surface 3a of the lateral peripheral wall 3 by welding.

FIG. 3 shows more particularly that the blade 6 has, in the vicinity of its first end section 7, a first deflection 11 away from the lateral peripheral wall 3 and a second deflection 12 towards the lateral peripheral wall. 3. The first and second deviations 11 and 12 are preferably formed by shaping the blade 6 by folding.

In FIG. 3, it can also be seen that the first end section 7 is extended by an intermediate section 13, which is then followed by the second end section 8 with a bearing zone 9. The second end section 8 is extended to of the first end section 7 by a tongue 14 extending away from the lateral peripheral wall 3.

In more detail, the tongue 14: - comprises a first section 14a extending from the bearing zone 9 of the second end section 8 and away from the bottom wall 4, - ends with a second section 14b following the first section 14a of tab 14, and extending towards the bottom wall 4.

The first section 14a facilitates the insertion of a document between the support zone 9 and the lateral peripheral wall 3 by an insertion movement illustrated by the arrow 15. During this insertion, the edge of this document is progressively guided. by the first section 14a of the tongue 14 to come into contact with the outer surface 3a of the lateral peripheral wall 3. By continuing the insertion movement, the operator causes a displacement of the second end section 8 of the blade 6 from its holding position to a position of separation, so that the document can penetrate between the bearing zone 9 and the lateral peripheral wall 3. The insertion of the document can then be continued until the edge of the substantially to the vicinity of the first-end section 7, as illustrated in FIG. 2. Naturally, such a "forced" insertion of the document requires that the document It has a certain intrinsic rigidity.

The document may, however, be inserted between the support zone 9 of the blade 6 and the lateral peripheral wall 3 after the operator has himself manually caused a displacement of the second end section 8 of the blade 6 from its position. maintaining in a position of spacing as shown in Figure 4. In this figure, we see that the second section 14b of the tongue 14 provides an undercut housing in which the operator can engage a finger to exert traction of the second end section 8 of the blade 6 away from the lateral peripheral wall 3 according to the movement illustrated by the arrow 16. After insertion of the document between the support zone 9 and the lateral peripheral wall 3, the operator releases the tongue 14 by removing its finger from the undercut housing provided by the first section 14a: the second end section 8 is then returned to the position of maint and press the document against the lateral peripheral wall 3 to immobilize it. Such an insertion may be considered when the document has a relatively large thickness or a insertion "in force" would lead to a degradation of the document (if the document has a low intrinsic rigidity or has already been damaged and therefore no longer has an intrinsic rigidity sufficient). Other forms of tab 14 are conceivable, such as those illustrated in FIGS. 9 and 10.

In FIG. 9, the tongue 14 extends from the bearing zone 9 of the second end section 8 and towards the bottom wall 4. The tongue 14 thus provides an undercut housing for the engagement of the finger. an operator for applying a pulling movement such as that shown in Figure 4 by means of the arrow 16. However, a "force" insertion as explained above will be made difficult by the shape of the tongue 14.

In FIG. 10, the tongue 14 extends from the bearing zone 9 of the second end section 8 and away from the bottom wall 4. Such a tongue 14 constitutes a guide member for guiding the edge a document intended to be inserted between the support zone 9 of the blade 6 and the lateral peripheral wall 3. In addition, if the length at which the tongue 14 extends away from the lateral peripheral wall 3 is sufficient, the operator can perform a gripping of the tongue 14 by pinching between two fingers to bring the blade 6 in the position of separation. This gripping, however, requires the use of two fingers between which the operator pinches the tongue 14 because the tongue 14 has a shape that does not provide housing against undercut.

To allow stacking of the container 1 (in which the container 1 penetrates at least partially into the cavity 2 of another identical container 1), the lateral peripheral wall 3 has a draft. This relief can notably be appreciated by the angle A visible in FIG. 3. This angle of repose A is present all around the periphery of the lateral peripheral wall 3 (that is to say, both on the long sides of the container 1 only on its short sides, the angle A may however vary between the different sides of the container 1). The container 1 also comprises abutment means 17 (FIG. 1) which are provided here by plates 18 that are attached and fixed on the lateral peripheral wall 3 to fix the handles 19 on the container 1. The handles 19 can rotate in the housing 20 formed between the plates 18 and the lateral peripheral wall 3. The abutment means 17 are shaped so as to limit the penetration of the container 1 into the cavity of another identical container 1 during stacking, as is more particularly visible In this case, three containers 1a, 1b and 1c identical to the container 1 of Figure 1 are stacked into each other. The abutment means 17 abut against the upper lip 21 of the short sides of the lateral peripheral wall 3.

Figure 7 is a sectional view of the stacked containers 1a and 1b of Figure 6. Only the containers 1a and 1b have been shown so as not to unnecessarily complicate the representation for the understanding of the reader.

The abutment means 17 (not visible in FIG. 7) limit the penetration of the container 1a into the cavity 2 of the other identical container 1b during their stacking. The respective lateral peripheral walls 3 are arranged one away from the other along a first distance D1. Stacking containers 1a and 1b is not impeded by the blade 6, and the blade 6 is not damaged or disturbed by stacking the containers 1a and 1b. Indeed, in the holding position, as illustrated in FIG. 7, between the first end portion 7 and the second end portion 8, the blade 6 protrudes away from the lateral peripheral wall 3 according to a second distance D2 which is less than or equal to the first distance D1. Moreover, during stacking, the tongue 14 of the blade 6 is located beyond the main opening 5 of the container 1b. In practice, the tongue 14 is beyond the plane P defined by the main opening 5 of the container 1b.

The containers 1 and 1a to 1c illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 10 can receive a follow-up document in a simple and rapid manner intended to accompany the parts during their manufacture while limiting the risks of loss or degradation of said document.

The present invention is not limited to the embodiments which have been explicitly described, but it includes the various variants and generalizations thereof within the scope of the claims below.

Claims (12)

1 - Container (1, 1a-1c) for handling parts, comprising at least one cavity (2) limited by a lateral peripheral wall (3) and a bottom wall (4), said cavity being open in a main opening (5) opposite to the bottom wall (4), characterized in that: - it comprises a blade (6) attached and fixed in a first end section (7) on the outer surface (3a) of the lateral peripheral wall (3), said blade (6) developing, in an elongation direction (II) substantially perpendicular to the main opening (5), from the first end section (7) to a second end section (8) - The second end section (8) of the blade (6) is movable between a holding position, in which the second end section (8) is held directly or indirectly in abutment according to a bearing zone (9). against the lateral peripheral wall (3) according to a force predetermined support, and a spacing position, in which the second end section (8) is located away from the lateral peripheral wall (3), - the second end section (8) of the blade ( 6) is permanently recalled to the holding position. 2 - container (1, 1a-1c) according to claim 1, characterized in that the first end section (7) is fixed on the outer surface (3a) of the side peripheral wall (3) by welding. 3 - container (1, 1a-1c) according to claim 1, characterized in that the first end section (7) is fixed on the outer surface (3a) of the lateral peripheral wall (3) by riveting, preferably to using drilled rivets (100) or hollow rivets (10). 4 - Container (1, 1a-1c) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the lateral peripheral wall (3) is metallic. 5 - Container (1, 1a-1c) according to one of claims 1 or 3, characterized in that the lateral peripheral wall (3) is plastic. 6 - Container (1, 1a-1c) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the blade (6) comprises, in the vicinity of its first end section (7), a first deflection (11) away from the lateral peripheral wall (3) followed by a second deflection (12) towards the lateral peripheral wall (3). 7 - container (1, 1a-1c) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the second end section (8) is extended away from the first end section (7) by a tongue (14) extending away from the lateral peripheral wall (3). 8 - container (1, 1a-1c) according to claim 7, characterized in that the tongue (14) extends from the bearing zone (9) of the second end section (8) and away from the bottom wall (4). 9 - Container (1, 1a-1c) according to claim 7, characterized in that the tongue (14) extends from the bearing zone (9) of the second end section (8) and towards the bottom wall (4). 10 - Container (1, 1a-1c) according to claim 7, characterized in that the tongue (14): - comprises a first section (14a) extending from the bearing zone (9) of the second end section (8) and away from the bottom wall (4), - ends with a second section (14b) following the first section (14a) of tab (14), and extending towards the bottom wall (4). 11 - Container (1, 1a-1c) according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that: - the lateral peripheral wall (3) has a draft allowing a stack at least partial penetration into the cavity (2 ) of another container (1, 1a-1c) identical, - the container (1, 1a-1c) comprises abutment means (17) shaped to limit the penetration of the container (1, 1a-1c) in the cavity (2) of the other container (1, 1a-1c) identical during stacking, - when the abutment means (17) limit the penetration of the container (1) in the cavity (2) of the another container (1, 1a-1c) identical during stacking, the respective adjacent lateral peripheral walls (3) are arranged one at a distance from the other at a first distance (D1), maintaining, between the first end portion (7) and the second end portion (8), the blade (6) protrudes away from the wall lateral device (3) according to a second distance (D2) less than or equal to the first distance (D1), 12 - Container (1, 1a-1c) according to claim 11 taken in its dependence on any one of claims 7 to 10, characterized in that, when the abutment means (17) limit the penetration of the container (1, 1a-1c) in the cavity (2) of the other container (1, 1a-1c) identical during a stack, the tongue (14) of the blade (6) is located beyond the main opening (5) the other container (1, 1a-1c) identical.