FR3064610A1 - COMBINATION OF A RACK FOR BOTTLES FOR BEVERAGES AND A COVER WHICH COMES APPROPRIATELY SUPERIOR TO IT AND USE OF SUCH A COMBINATION OF THIS TYPE - Google Patents

Abstract

A combination (1) of a rack (2) for bottles (4) or for cans or for cardboard boxes for beverages and a lid (3) which is superimposed thereon appropriately, wherein the lid (3) is at least partly made of a material providing thermal insulation and / or the lid (3) is provided with at least one tank (6) which is filled with a coolant. A combination of this type can be used to cool or cool a beverage that is in a bottle (4) or other package, the bottle (4) or other packaging in the bin (2).

Description

Holder (s): BELLIVO Société anonyme.

Extension request (s)

Agent (s): CABINET RIFFLART VANDENBOSSCHE.

PT COMBINATION OF A RACK FOR BOTTLES FOR BEVERAGES AND A LID WHICH IS APPROPRIATELY OVERLAYED THEREON AND THE USE OF SUCH A COMBINATION.

FR 3 064 610 - A1

A combination (1) of a rack (2) for bottles (4) or for cans or for cardboard boxes intended for drinks and of a lid (3) which is appropriately superimposed thereon, wherein the cover (3) consists at least in part of a material providing thermal insulation and / or the cover (3) is provided with at least one tank (6) which is filled with a refrigerant. A combination of this type can be used to cool or keep cool a drink which is in a bottle (4) or in another packaging, the bottle (4) or another packaging being in the rack (2).

COMBINATION OF A RACK FOR BEVERAGE BOTTLES AND A LID SUITABLE FOR OVERLAPPING THEREOF AND USE OF SUCH A COMBINATION

The invention relates to a combination of a rack for bottles for drinks and a lid which is suitably superimposed thereon and the use of a combination of this type.

It is difficult to cool or keep fresh for an extended period of time a drink which is in plastic or glass bottles or in other packaging, such as liquid-tight multilayer cardboard boxes , cans, etc., the bottles or other packaging in question being placed in racks. First, the lockers take up a lot of space in a refrigerator or cold room, and often there is no refrigerator or not enough space available in the refrigerator. Once the racks are removed from the fridge, the drink inside also heats up quickly. This characteristic is further reinforced by the fact that the current trend is towards making lighter lockers, so that they have a relatively large number of openings on the outside.

In addition, it is most of the time not practical, when one wishes to take a bottle or a can or a cardboard box containing a drink, to have to go to seek it in a refrigerator.

The object of the present invention is to provide solutions to the problem of cooling, or even to keep a drink cool in bottles or in other packaging in a rack, by the fact that it provides a combination of a rack for bottles or cans or cardboard boxes for drinks and a cover which is suitably superimposed thereon, the cover having at least one of the characteristics indicated below, but preferably both, namely the the fact that the cover consists at least in part of a material providing thermal insulation and the fact that the cover is provided with at least one tank which is filled with a refrigerant or a refrigerant.

A reservoir of this type is also designated by the expression eutectic plate.

Thanks to a lid of this type, a drink in the bottles or in other containers in the crate can be kept fresh longer since the open upper side of the crate is provided with a covering giving it insulation, but is also cooled since the refrigerant in the tank is cooled or frozen in advance.

Preferably, the locker is made of plastic or wood.

Preferably, the cover is rigid and not deformable under its own weight or under the weight of the tank if a tank is present. Preferably, the rack is provided with individual compartments which are each designed to receive an individual bottle or an individual cardboard box or an individual can intended for drinks.

The cover may represent a cover comprising one or more permanently fixed tanks comprising a refrigerant, but in a preferred embodiment, the cover is provided with at least one tank which is filled with a refrigerant, said at least one tank and the the rest of the cover being designed to be able to remove said tank at least repeatedly and to be able to reapply it to the rest of the cover.

This feature makes it possible to detach at least one tank and to cool or freeze it separately before reattaching it to the rest of the cover, which takes up less space in a refrigeration installation than a complete cover provided with one or more several permanently fixed tanks including a refrigerant.

In a preferred embodiment, the cover is provided, on its lower side, with support points or a support surface with which or with which it can rest on an upper edge of the rack, the cover being provided with one or more parts which project on the lower side with respect to the support surface or with respect to the geometric surface defined by the support points so as to prevent lateral movement of the cover, when the cover is placed on the locker.

Of course, said one or more parts which project from the lower side, strike the crate in the case of a slight lateral movement, thereby preventing greater lateral movement.

In this case, the lower side represents the lower side when the cover is in an orientation in which it can cover a rack which is in an orientation of normal use.

Preferably, the cover in this case has a peripheral edge, the support points or the support surface being located closer to the peripheral edge than said one or more parts in question which project from the lower side.

Thus, said one or more parts which project from the lower side are inside and not outside the rack and the cover must not protrude outside the periphery of the rack and thus does not disturb the possibility of placing compartments against each other in a compact manner, which is of importance for example when placing standardized compartments from 30 to 40 cm on standardized pallets.

In a preferred embodiment, the combination is designed so that it can be stacked stably on an identical combination when, in both combinations, the cover is applied to the rack.

This characteristic implies that the lid must be strong enough to support the weight of at least one, and preferably at least three filled combinations, and also that the upper edge of the lid and the lower edge of the crate are made to make a stable stacking possible.

In another preferred embodiment, the upper edge of the cover and the lower edge of the crate are made with complementary guide members.

Thus, when two combinations are stacked, the combinations are guided in the direction of a reciprocal preferential orientation and a lateral movement of the combinations with respect to one another is prevented in the stacked state.

In a preferred embodiment, the combination comprises at least one covering element in order to cover one or more lateral edges and preferably all the lateral edges of the rack.

Covering elements of this type cover holes, for example holes which act as a handle or which are intended to reduce the weight, in the lateral edges of the rack, thereby helping to prolong the freshness of the drink in the rack .

A covering element of this type can be made from any material, for example from cardboard or a plastic film, but it is preferably made at least in part from a material providing insulation. thermal, in such a way that a covering element of this type provides better insulation.

Also preferably, said at least one covering element is provided with at least one internal cavity which is filled with a refrigerant. This refrigerant can be cooled in advance, in such a way that the covering element will actively contribute to cooling the contents of the rack.

In a preferred embodiment, said at least one covering element is produced in the form of a sleeve for wrapping the lateral edges of the rack.

This is a practical embodiment since with a single covering element it is possible to obtain a covering of all the lateral edges, and since in general sleeves can be produced without too much cost.

By the term sleeve, is meant in this case an annular body having a geometric central axis. The sleeve is open at two ends, in other words at two sides more or less perpendicular to the central axis, these two open ends corresponding, when the sleeve is used, to the upper side and to the lower side of the rack.

The sleeve is preferably designed to be folded flat without being damaged, for example by the fact that the sleeve is made of a flexible material or is made of a rigid material but which, at the places which correspond to the corners of the rack , is designed to be able to articulate, for example by means of a film articulation.

The invention also relates to the use of a combination as described above for cooling or keeping cool a drink which is in a bottle or in a can or in a cardboard box, the bottle or the can or the cardboard box located in the locker, and preferably in one of the compartments of the locker.

In a preferred variant, the drink is beer.

The invention also relates to a combination defined by the following clauses;

Clause 1. A combination of a rack for bottles or cans or for cardboard boxes intended for drinks and at least one covering element (10) to cover one or more side edges, and preferably all the lateral edges of the rack (2).

Clause 2. A combination according to clause 1, in which said at least one covering element consists at least in part of a material providing thermal insulation and / or is provided with at least one internal cavity which is filled with a refrigerant.

Clause 3. A combination according to clause 1 or 2, in which said at least one covering element is produced in the form of a sleeve to wrap the lateral edges of the rack.

Clause 4. A combination according to any one of the preceding clauses, in which the sleeve is designed to be folded flat without undergoing degradation.

Clause 5. A combination according to any one of the preceding clauses, in which the rack is provided with individual compartments which are each designed to receive a bottle or a can or a cardboard box intended for drinks.

Clause 6. Use of a combination according to any one of the preceding clauses, to cool or keep cool a drink, preferably beer, which is in a bottle or in a can or in a cardboard box, the bottle or can or carton in the rack.

Clause 7. Use according to clause 6, characterized in that the combination is a combination according to clause 5, in which more than one compartment, and preferably all the compartments are provided with a said bottle or a said can or from the above cardboard box.

In order to better explain the invention, a preferred embodiment is described, without limiting the invention to this embodiment, while referring to the figures indicated below: Figure 1 shows in perspective view a combination according to the invention;

Figure 2 shows in a perspective view and in a view taken from below a component of the combination of Figure 1; Figures 3 and 4 show elements of the component of Figure 2;

5 shows in a cross-sectional view as indicated by the line V-V in Figure 1, a combination according to the invention under conditions of normal use;

Figure 6 shows an additional component of a preferred embodiment of a combination according to the invention; FIG. 7 represents the use of a combination with the additional component of FIG. 6, in a cross-sectional view similar to that of FIG. 5.

FIG. 8 represents a preferred embodiment of a combination according to the invention as well as its use in a cross-sectional view as indicated in FIG. 7.

ίο

The combination shown in Figures 1 to 5 comprises as main components a rack 2 and a cover 3 which is appropriately superimposed thereon. The cover 3 is separated from the rack 2. The two main components are therefore not fixed to each other.

The rack is a rack 2 comprising individual compartments for beer bottles 1 and is partly filled with beer bottles 1 filled with beer. The locker 2 has in the horizontal plane a length L of 40 cm and a width B of 30 cm.

The cover 3 has dimensions in the horizontal plane equal to that of the rack 2.

The cover 3 consists of two main parts, namely a cover body 5 made of polystyrene foam and a cooling element 6 which is inserted therein by wedging, which is formed by a closed plastic tank which is filled with refrigerant. Alternatively, the cover body 5 can be made from a hard plastic shell which is filled with a substance providing thermal insulation.

The cooling element 6 can be removed from the cover body 5 and reinserted there, the element in question remaining in place by jamming.

As can be seen above all in FIG. 5, the cover has a support surface 7 with which it rests during its use on the upper edge of the rack 2. This support surface 7 is formed a flat part which is connected to the peripheral edge 8 of the cover 3.

The cooling element 6 and a shoulder 9 against the cover body 5 protrude downwards beyond the bearing surface

7.

The operation of combination 1 is simple and as indicated below.

In order to prepare for use, the cooling element 6 is removed from the cover body 5 and is placed in a freezer, for example a domestic refrigerator, until the refrigerant is sufficiently cooled. Depending on the temperature and the type of refrigerant, the refrigerant will be well or not frozen.

The cooling element 6 is then replaced in the cover body 5; then, the cover 3 thus obtained is placed on the rack 2 provided with bottles 4 containing beer.

In this way we obtain a double effect. Firstly, the contents of rack 2 are isolated from the external environment so that a reduction in the heat exchange between the beer and the external environment can be obtained, so that Ια beer in the bottles 4 heat up more slowly. Secondly, the cooled cooling element 6 cools the beer in the bottles 4 or keeps it cool longer when the beer has already been cooled.

In a preferred embodiment, the combination 1 also comprises a sleeve 10 which comes to be applied in an appropriate manner to the rack 2, in such a way that the upper side and the lower side of the rack 2 are not wrapped by the sleeve 10, but indeed the lateral edges of the rack 2. A sleeve 10 of this type is shown in FIG. 6.

This sleeve 10 consists of a flexible and deformable multilayer sheet, into which is inserted a material 11 providing thermal insulation, for example flexible polyurethane foam, and in which cavities 12 are provided which are filled with a refrigerant.

Sleeves of this type are known, in a much smaller format, for cooling individual wine bottles.

The implementation of the preferred embodiment is illustrated in Figure 7 and differs from the implementation described above of the first embodiment in that the sleeve 10, for preparation purposes, is also placed during some time in a freezer to cool the refrigerant and possibly freeze it.

To take up less space, the sleeve is folded flat to the drawing.

Once the sleeve 10 has been sufficiently cooled, it is slid around the rack 2 so as to cover the side edges. Thus, an even better thermal insulation of the contents of the rack is obtained with respect to the external environment, and an additional cooling of the contents of the rack 2 is obtained.

It should be noted that, to obtain a cooling effect with regard to the rack contents, it suffices to cool in advance the cooling element 6 or the sleeve 10, although it is preferable to cool both. This is why it is also possible to obtain the cooling effect in an embodiment in which only either the cover 3 or the sleeve 10 is provided with a coolant and the other has only one function: insulation.

In the preferred embodiment of FIG. 8, the cover 3 is provided on its upper side with a recess 13 which is surrounded by a raised edge 14 and the rack 2 is provided on its lower side with a projecting edge 15.

When two combinations 1 are stacked, the projecting edge 15 against the rack 3 in this case fits into the recess 13 of the cover.

The recess 13, the raised edge 14 and the projecting edge 15 thus form guide members which, during the stacking of two combinations 1 are guided in the direction of a preferred orientation, more precisely an orientation in which the lateral edges lockers 3 are found one another in the same planes, and which stabilize a stack in this preferred orientation by the fact that they prevent a reciprocal lateral movement of stacked combinations 1.

Claims (10)

1. Combination (1) of a rack (2) for bottles (4) or for cans or for cardboard boxes intended for drinks and of a cover (3) which is superimposed on the rack (2) suitably, in which the cover (3) consists at least in part of a material providing thermal insulation and / or the cover (3) is provided with at least one tank (6) which is filled with a coolant , characterized in that the cover (3) is provided, on its lower side, with support points or a support surface (7) with which or with which it can rest on an upper edge of the rack (2), in which the cover (3) is provided with one or more parts (6, 9) which project on the lower side with respect to the bearing surface (7) or with respect to the geometric surface defined by the support points so as to prevent lateral movement of the cover (3), when the cover (3) is placed on the rack (2). 2. Combination according to claim 1, characterized in that the rack (2) is made of plastic or wood. 3. - A combination according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cover (3) is rigid and not deformable under its own weight or under the weight of the tank (6) if a said tank (6) is present. 4. - Combination according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cover (3) is provided with at least one tank (6) which is filled with a coolant, and in that said at least one tank ( 6) and the remainder (5) of the cover (3) are designed to be able to be assembled and disassembled repetitively with respect to each other. 5. - A combination according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cover has a peripheral edge, the support points or the support surface being located closer to the peripheral edge than said one or more parts in question protruding from the bottom side. 6. Combination according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the combination (1) is designed to be able to stack stably on an identical combination (1) when, in the two combinations (1), the cover (3) is applied to the rack (2), in which the upper edge of the cover and the lower edge of the rack are made with complementary guide members. 7. Combination according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the rack (2) is provided with individual compartments which are each designed to receive a bottle (4) or a can or a cardboard box intended for drinks. 8. Combination according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the rack (2) and the cover (3) are not designed to be attached to each other. 9. Combination according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the rack (2) takes the form, 5 in a view taken from above, of a rectangle and has external measures (L, B) of 30 cm by 40 cm. 10. Combination according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cover (3) comprises a 10 cover body (5) (3), in which the cover body (5) consists of polystyrene foam or in which the cover body (5) consists of a shell made of hard synthetic material which is filled with a substance providing thermal insulation. 2/4 3/4