GB2293594A - Panels for building containers - Google Patents

Abstract

A panel (10) for building a cuboidal or box-like container has a generally square or rectangular flat body formed by at least two adjoining parts (10A and 10B) which are slidable relative to each other such that the length or width of the body is adjustable. The panel parts (10A and 10B) have co-operable lateral projections (12A to 12D) and recesses (13D to 13A) for inter-engagement to sliding connect the two panel parts (10A and 10B). <IMAGE>

Description

PANELS FOR BUILDING CONTAINER The present invention relates to a panel for building a box-like container.

The invention provides a panel for building a cuboidal or box-like container, which panel has a generally square or rectangular flat body formed by at least two adjoining parts which are slidable relative to each other such that the length or width of the body is adjustable.

It is preferred that each part of the panel has substantially the same thickness as the whole body.

Preferably, each part of the panel constitutes substantially one half of the whole body.

In a preferred embodiment, the two parts of the panel are slidable relative to each other in order to expand the length or width of the whole body by an amount substantially equal to the thickness or twice the thickness of the body.

In a specific construction, the two parts of the panel are physically separate parts.

More specifically, each part of the panel has at least one lateral projection adapted to be inserted into the other part, thereby slidably connecting the two parts together.

In further specific details, each part of the panel has at least one lateral recess for receiving the projection of the other part, said projection and recess having substantially the same width such that they are engaged together as a sliding fit.

Advantageously, the projections of the two parts of the panel are substantially contiguous when the said parts are connected together.

Preferably, the projections are substantially hidden within the two parts of the panel when the said parts are slid close together.

It is preferred that the projections have substantially the same thickness as the two parts of the panel.

In a preferred embodiment, the two parts of the panel are substantially identical.

Preferably, the body has a substantially square shape when the two parts of the panel are slid close together.

Preferably, the body has around its periphery holes through which adjacent panels of a said container to be built are securable together by bolts-and-nuts or screws.

The panel may preferably be moulded from plastics material and have a hollow side.

The invention also provides a cuboidal or box-like container built by a plurality of the aforesaid panels.

The invention will now be more particularly described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 consists of top and bottom perspective views of an embodiment of one of two identical parts of a panel in accordance with the invention; Figure 2 consists of two perspective views illustrating how the panel embodying the invention is formed by two panel parts of Figure 1; Figure 3 consists of three perspective views illustrating how the panel of Figure 2 is formed and expandable; Figure 4 consists of two perspective views illustrating how five panels of Figure 3 are arranged and secured together to form a one-by-one container; Figure 5 consists of two perspective views illustrating how eight panels of Figure 3 are arranged together to form a horizontal two-by-one container;; Figure 6 consists of two perspective views illustrating how eight panels of Figure 3 are arranged together to form a horizontal one-by-two container; Figure 7 is a perspective view showing how four one-by-two containers of Figure 6 are stacked vertically together; Figure 8 is a sectional end view of the stack of containers of Figure 7; and Figure 9 consists of three simplified perspective views of a four-by-four container, a vertical one-by-two container and a horizontal three-by-one container built by panels of Figure 3.

Referring firstly to Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings, there is shown a panel 10 embodying the invention, which panel 10 is formed by two identical parts lOA and lOB, each of which is moulded from plastics material and has a hollow bottom side. Each panel part lOA/lOB has a flat rectangular main body 11 and a series of four lateral integral projections 12A to 12D. On the same lateral side of the main body 11, the panel part 1OA/1OB is formed with a series of four recesses 13D to 13A which are arranged in an alternating manner with respect to the projections 12A to 12D. The recesses 13D to 13A of one panel part 1OA/1OB are designed to slidably receive the corresponding projections 12D to 12A of the other panel part 1OB/1OA, thereby forming the panel 10 with the two parts 10A and lOB thereof adjoining each other.Each recess 13 (generally) is closed by an integral bottom strip 14 to form a hole when viewed from the main body lateral side concerned. All the projections 12 (generally) and the recesses 13 have parallel sides.

Each associated pair of projection 12 and recess 13 has substantially the same cross-sectional size (width and thickness) such that the former can be inserted into the latter as a sliding fit.

The panel parts lOA and lOB have substantially the same thickness as the overall panel 10. Also, the projections 12 have substantially the same thickness as the main body 11 (less the comparatively small actual thickness of the plastics material web), which maximises the mechanical strength of the inter-connecting projections 12 and hence that of the overall panel 10. The alternating projections 12 between the adjoining panel parts lOA and lOB are contiguous, forming a substantially continuous elongate junction 1 between adjacent main bodies 11 (as best shown in Figure 3), which by reason of its continuity further enhances the mechanical strength of the overall panel 10.

The panel 10 is formed, around its periphery, with holes 16 (on the principal walls of the bodies 11) and slots 17 (on the lateral walls of the bodies 11) such that a number of such panels 10 can be secured together in a manner as hereinafter described. The panel 10 has on its bottom side four relatively short integral protruding legs 18 round the respective panel corners.

The panel 10 has a length of 2x" (assuming a length of "x" for each panel part 1OA/1OB), a width "y" and a thickness "z", as best shown in Figure 2. In the normal condition, the panel parts 10A and lOB are packed close together, thereby hiding the projections 12 within the panel parts l0A and l0B, and the whole panel 10 (the panel A of Figure 2) has a square shape, namely having equal length "2" and width fly Reference is now also made to Figure 3. By reason of the sliding inter-engagement between the projections 12 and recesses 13, the panel parts lOA and lOB are slidable slightly apart in order to expand the overall panel 10 lengthwise (or widthwise). There are two intended lengthexpanded (or width-expanded) rectangular conditions, namely panel B having a length of "2x+2z" and panel C having a length of "2x+z".

The panels 10 are designed to be arranged and secured together in order to form a box-like or cuboidal container, in different configurations, for storage purposes.

Figure 4 shows a first container 20 having a one-by-one configuration, which is formed b five panels 10. Firstly, three panels A are connected together to form a (single width) U-shaped structure, with two vertical panels A sandwiching therebetween at their bottoms a horizontal panel A. The U-shaped structure has opposite open vertical sides, each of which has a height of "y" (or "2x") and an overall length of "2x+2z". The two open sides are then closed by corresponding panels B which have the same height and length as the said open sides.

Each pair of adjacent panels 10 is secured together by bolts-and-nuts (or screws) 19 which pass through the holes 16 of one panel 10 and the corresponding aligned slots 17 of the other panel 10, as best illustrated in Figure 8. In order to ensure good mechanical strength, the elongate junction 15 between adjoining panel parts lOA and lOB of one panel 10 is arranged not to meet with that of the other panel 10 of each pair of adjacent panels 10.

Figure 5 shows a second container 30 having a horizontal two-by-one configuration, which is formed by eight panels 10. Firstly, four panels A are connected together to form a wide (double-width) U-shaped structure, with two vertical panels A sandwiching therebetween at their bottoms a pair of articulated panels A. The U-shaped structure has opposite open vertical sides, each of which has a height of "y" (or 2xt) and an overall length of "4x+2z". Each of the two open sides is then closed by a pair of articulated panels C (each having a length of "2x+z") which has the same height and overall length as the open side.

Securing between adjacent panels 10 is also achieved by bolts-and-nuts 19 in the same manner as in the container 20, except that for adjacent panels 10 which are co-planar with each other the bolts-and-nuts 19 secure through only aligned slots 17 but not holes 16. Likewise, the elongate junction 15 between adjoining panels lOA and lOB of one panel 10 does not meet with that of an adjacent panel 10.

Figure 6 shows a third container 40 having a horizontal one-by-two configuration, which has a construction almost identical with that of the container 30, except that the panels 10 are arranged slightly differently. In this arrangement, six panels A are connected together to form a pair of side-by-side single-width U-shaped structures (each as in the container 20). Two panels B (each having a length of "2x+2z") are then used to close the corresponding opposite open sides of the pair of U-shaped structures (as in the container 20).

Reference is then made to Figures 7 and 8, which show that the containers 40 (or the containers 20 or 30) can be stacked vertically together, one upon another. The legs 18 of each panel 10 are provided integrally just behind the corresponding panel body lateral walls from which they protrude. Accordingly, the bottom legs 18 of one container 40 fit squarely within the open top of the container 40 immediately below and interlock therewith, with the result that any accidental relative lateral displacement between the two containers 40 is prevented.

It is appreciated that various other containers can be built by the panels 10 in different arrangements. For example, three such containers are shown in Figure 9, namely a four-by-four container 50 formed by twelve panels A and eight panels B, a vertical one-by-two container 60 formed by five panels A and four panels B, and a horizontal three-by-one container 70 formed by nine panels A and two panels B.

It is appreciated that one part lOA of the panel 10 may have projections 12 only and the other part lOB may have recesses 13 only, said projections 12 and recesses 13 being co-operable to connect the two parts lOA and lOB together.

It is envisaged that the panel of the invention may be formed as a one-piece structure, having its two (or more) parts lOA and lOB integrally connected together by, for example, a concertina-like or folding web which is expandable or contractible to alter the length or width of the whole panel.

The invention has been given by way of example only, and various modifications of and/or alterations to the described embodiment may be made by persons skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention as specified in the appended claims.

Claims (16)

1. A panel for building a cuboidal or box-like container, which panel has a generally square or rectangular flat body formed by at least two adjoining parts which are slidable relative to each other such that the length or width of the body is adjustable.

2. A panel as claimed in claim 1, wherein each part of the panel has substantially the same thickness as the whole body.

3. A panel as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein each part of the panel constitutes substantially one half of the whole body.

4. A panel as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the two parts of the panel are slidable relative to each other in order to expand the length or width of the whole body by an amount substantially equal to the thickness or twice the thickness of the body.

5. A panel as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the two parts of the panel are physically separate parts.

6. A panel as claimed in claim 5, wherein each part of the panel has at least one lateral projection adapted to be inserted into the other part, thereby slidably connecting the two parts together.

7. A panel as claimed in claim 6, wherein each part of the panel has at least one lateral recess for receiving the projection of the other part, said projection and recess having substantially the same width such that they are engaged together as a sliding fit.

8. A panel as claimed in claim 6 or claim 7, wherein the projections of the two parts of the panel are substantially contiguous when the said parts are connected together.

9. A panel as claimed in any one of claims 6 to 8, wherein the projections are substantially hidden within the two parts of the panel when the said parts are slid close together.

10. A panel as claimed in any one of claims 6 to 9, wherein the projections have substantially the same thickness as the two parts of the panel.

11. A panel as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the two parts of the panel are substantially identical.

12. A panel as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the body has a substantially square shape when the two parts of the panel are slid close together.

13. A panel as claimed in any one of the preceding claims1 wherein the body has around its periphery holes through which adjacent panels of a said container to be built are securable together by bolts-and-nuts or screws.

14. A panel as claimed in any one of the preceding claims1 being moulded from plastics material and having a hollow side.

15. A panel substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to one or more of Figures 1 to 9 of the accompanying drawings.

16. A cuboidal or box-like container built by a plurality of panels, each of which is as claimed in any one of the preceding claims.