WO1995005982A1

WO1995005982A1 - Tray for holding containers, in particular yogurt containers

Info

Publication number: WO1995005982A1
Application number: PCT/EP1994/002197
Authority: WO
Inventors: Hans Umiker
Original assignee: Schoeller-Plast Sa
Priority date: 1993-08-25
Filing date: 1994-07-05
Publication date: 1995-03-02
Also published as: ES2095776T3; GR3021897T3; EP0664760B1; JPH08505112A; DK0664760T3; ATE145377T1; EP0664760A1

Abstract

In a tray for holding containers, in particular yogurt containers, compartments (6) are designed with flexible tongues (8-11), the free front ends (14a) of which engage with the lower portion of a container (15) resting on the base (1) of the tray. The flexible tongues are shaped like a ridged roof and the roof-like section (14) of each flexible tongue on the compartment side is drawn far enough toward the base of the tray to engage with the lower portion of the container.

Description

Tray for holding containers, especially yoghurt cups

The invention relates to a tray or a carrier for holding containers, in particular yoghurt pots, according to the preamble of claim 1.

To supply the trade with yoghurt pots, so-called trays are usually used, which are made from a folding carton and can usually hold up to twenty yoghurt pots. These trays made of folding cardboard usually have a cardboard base with an intermediate plate made of cardboard placed thereon, which is supported by cardboard webs and which, according to the number of yoghurt cups to be accommodated, is equipped with circular openings for holding the yogurt cups inserted into the tray. For transport to the trade, this cardboard tray is usually provided with an outer packaging made of a shrink film after filling with the yoghurt cups, which has to be torn off on site so that the yogurt cups can be transferred from the folding box to the shelves.

Since there are no standard sizes for yoghurt cups, a large number of completely different height and diameter yogurt cups are available on the market. Since the conventional If cardboard trays are designed to hold certain cup sizes, only yogurt cups with a predetermined size can be picked up with them. This is extremely disadvantageous because for each different type of yogurt cup and thus from manufacturer to manufacturer of yogurts, different cardboard trays have to be manufactured and brought to the market. Apart from these disadvantages of the conventional cardboard tray with outer packaging, there is a further disadvantage in the disposal of the packaging itself, since these cardboard trays are extremely disposable packaging. Both the outer packaging and the cardboard tray itself have to be disposed of after a single delivery to the retailer, which involves a corresponding effort.

For this reason, in some cases it has already begun to replace such cardboard trays with reusable plastic packaging. It is known here to produce a plastic tray by injection molding, which has a tray base for receiving the yoghurt cups, from which spring tongues protrude upward, which delimit receiving sections for the yogurt cups between them. The cup is held in the compartments by these upwardly extending spring tongues. Due to the resilient design of the tongues, yogurt cups with different size dimensions can also be accommodated in the tray. A disadvantage of these trays is the fact that the yoghurt cups are gripped and held in their central section or in their upper section by the spring tongues extending upward, which can lead to difficulties when mechanically loading these trays. Furthermore, it has been shown that the enormous range of different sized yoghurt cups cannot be accommodated with these spring tongues. Here yoghurt cups are currently available on the market, the diameter of which in the base region ranges from approximately 45 mm to 57 mm and the diameter of which is 50 mm above the base of the cup with a diameter range of 53 up to 67 mm. This range cannot be covered by the currently known plastic trays. Furthermore, the previously known reusable plastic trays do not offer adequate protection against the yogurt cup falling out during transport, for example when the transport vehicle is being braked, where the yoghurt cups can slip out of the trays as a result of the containers tipping over here.

The object of the invention is to enable receptacles, in particular yoghurt beakers with a large range of diameters, to be handled without any problems with regard to the handling, storage and transport function of the tray, while maintaining the reusable function of the tray. According to a further aspect, even with different cup diameters, it should be ensured that the cups, when inserted manually or mechanically, get into the tray and touch the bottom of the tray.

According to the invention, this object is achieved by the measures contained in the characterizing part of claim 1, expedient developments of the invention being characterized by the measures contained in the characterizing part of the subclaims.

According to the invention, the spring tongues are designed in such a way that their front free ends elastically yield to the yogurt cup sitting in the tray on the bottom of the tray, ie in an area on or just above the bottom of the cup to back up. This is achieved in particular in that the spring tongues are designed like a ridge roof, that is to say in the manner of an isosceles triangle with an acute angle, with the roof-like, essentially isosceles formation of the spring tongues pointing toward the inside of the compartment and thus towards the yogurt cup used ¬ pointing roof leg of the spring tongues essentially up are led down to the tray bottom. As a result, the lower or front free ends of these inner roof legs engage the yogurt cup on its lower section. This enables a very safe mechanical loading of the trays with yoghurt pots and their removal. Furthermore, as a result of the roof-like design in the area of the bottom of the tray, there is a very large spring travel, which makes it possible to take cups with different diameters without hindering the yoghurt cups from being seated on the tray bottom and at the same time to hold them securely in the compartment. Here, the spring contact has an effect due to the resetting of the roof leg of the spring tongue which is deflected backwards when the yoghurt cup is inserted, so that the safe and thus also tilt-free reception of the yogurt cup is ensured. If, during the transport of these yoghurt trays due to excessive impact stress, for example due to abrupt braking, there is a corresponding torque effect on the yoghurt cups, which are inclined, the yogurt cups already falling out in the base area will cause the yogurt cups to fall out effectively prevents the tray. It has been found here that the yoghurt cups are held securely against tilting by gripping and centering the cups received in the tray over the circumference of the cup via four tongues, which are preferably offset by 90 ° to one another over the cup circumference are arranged.

The ribs on the underside of the tray floor in the intermediate area between adjacent sections of the tray, which were required for previous stackable trays for the stacked assembly of the loaded trays, which, when the uppermost tray is pulled off, damage the yoghurt cups, in particular the lid of the yogurt cups by contact with the ribs can be replaced according to the invention in that bead-like depressions are now provided in the tray bottom, which protrude downwards and between which the upper part of the Yogurt cups in the lower tray layer grip. It is expedient to adapt these beads to the shape of the yogurt cups in the area of the holding surfaces opposite the yogurt cups, in particular to form them in the form of a segment of a circle. For the purpose of safe, flawless and stable stacking for the return transport of the empty trays, a stack shoulder is provided on the side walls of the tray. This stacking shoulder also prevents the stacked empty trays from being set too tightly together. In this context, it is expedient to design the upper wall section of the side walls above the stacking shoulder vertically and thus perpendicularly to the plane of the tray bottom, which permits safe manual gripping of the trays. For stacking purposes, the section of the side wall located below the stacking shoulder can be conically shaped inwards.

In the sense of stiffening the trays, it is particularly expedient to equip the narrow end walls of the tray with a profile-shaped edge strip, in particular with an inverted U-profile, this profile strip being able to be used as a handle. The mechanical gripping is further simplified in that recesses are provided in the area of the profile web. Finally, securing tongues are provided in the lower area of the side walls, mainly in the corner areas, which extend from top to bottom and to the outside and can be formed in one piece with the tray. As a result, strapping and other fastening means are held and cannot slide off the tray. Since such reusable containers each require cleaning after the return transport has taken place, it is considered to be expedient according to the invention to provide corresponding drainage openings in the tray bottom, which also bring about a weight saving of the trays. In this case, it is expedient to provide appropriate openings in the area below the spring tongues, which at the same time ensure that the spring tongues function properly and at the same time allow cleaning water to be removed. Furthermore, it is moderate, also provide openings in the middle of the compartment. These openings are preferably circular or with circular corners, so that any damage to the yogurt cups during transport or when the trays are removed from the stack is prevented.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is described below with reference to the drawings. In it show:

1 is a view of the narrow side of a yogurt tray, of which only half is shown,

2 is a top view of the yogurt tray shown in FIG. 1, again showing only a part, namely a corner part of the tray,

3 shows a partially sectioned side view of the yogurt tray according to FIG. 2,

4 shows a further sectional view of the yogurt tray, the section being laid parallel to the long side of the yogurt tray, the tray again being shown only partially,

5 sectional views, corresponding to FIG. 4, of two yogurt trays stacked one above the other and

FIG. 6 shows a partial view in section of two yoghurt trays stacked one above the other in a purely schematic representation, the section being drawn perpendicular to FIG. 5.

The tray shown in the figures, which serves to hold yoghurt cups, has a tray base, generally designated 1, with a rectangular plan in the exemplary embodiment shown and four side walls surrounding the edge of the tray base those in Fig. 1 the narrow Side wall 2 and a longitudinal side wall 3 can be seen from FIG. 3. It goes without saying that the two narrow side walls and the two longitudinal side walls are arranged opposite one another to form the box-shaped tray. In the exemplary embodiment shown, the tray only serves to hold a total of 20 yoghurt pots, five cups in four longitudinal rows 4 parallel to the longitudinal side wall 3 and four cups perpendicular to it in five transverse rows 5 parallel to the narrow side wall 2 in a total of twenty compartments 6 are included. The circumference of a yogurt cup accommodated in the tray is shown schematically at 7 in FIG. 2. Instead of a twenties tray, however, these can also be designed to hold a different number of yoghurt pots, for example as twelve-piece trays.

To accommodate the yoghurt cups in the tray, 6 multiple spring tongues are provided for each compartment, namely four spring tongues 8, 9, 10 and 11 per compartment 6 in the exemplary embodiment shown, the spring tongues being arranged in pairs opposite one another. As can best be seen from FIGS. 4 and 5, the spring tongues have a roof-like cross-section, the roof leg 12 facing away from the compartment 6 extending upward from the tray floor to the ridge 13 and the one labeled 14 Indicating interior roof section extends from ridge 13 to tray bottom 1. In order to better illustrate the inclusion of a yogurt cup in the tray, a yogurt cup 15 is shown schematically in dash-dot lines in FIG. As can be seen, the four roof-like spring tongues 8 to 11 are connected to the tray floor with their roof legs 12 located outside the compartment, whereas the inner roof legs 14 are freely supported at their lower end. For this purpose, corresponding recesses 16 'are formed on the tray bottom below each spring tongue. As can be seen, in the exemplary embodiment shown, the roof leg 14 extends with its front end into the cutout 16 ′ of the tray base 1. For the purpose of In FIG. 2, only the spring tongue 11 is provided with the reference numerals 12 to 14 to represent the roof leg and the ridge, but all other spring tongues are designed analogously. If a yoghurt cup is inserted into a compartment 6 from above, a large range of cup diameters can be excluded due to the very wide spring travel caused by the large lower distance between the two roof legs 12 and 14. Depending on the diameter of the cup, the roof limbs 12, 14 are pressed outward correspondingly far and then hold the cup received in the compartment 6 due to the spring preload that has been built up. There is also easy removal of the yogurt cups. Here, the lower sections of the inner roof legs attack the yoghurt cup on its lower section, which is not apparent from the purely schematic representation in FIG. 4, which is only intended to illustrate the arrangement of a cup in a compartment.

As can also best be seen from FIG. 4, 6 beads 17 are formed in the intermediate areas designated 16 in FIGS. 4 and 2 between adjacent compartments 6, which are thus arranged between the roof legs 12 on the outside of the compartments of adjacent spring tongues. These beads 17 protrude from the bottom of the tray and serve to hold loaded trays arranged one above the other in a stack, the yogurt cups of the lower tray reaching between the beads 17 of the tray above. For this purpose, the beads 17 are formed with holding surfaces 18 adapted to the cup shape, which are shaped like a segment of a circle in the exemplary embodiment shown. The beads 17 are connected to the tray base 1 via inclined surfaces 19, although rounded surfaces are also conceivable. For the rest, however, the tray bottom is smooth and flat at the top and bottom. The beads ensure a very good stackability of loaded trays and a very good pulling of the trays from the stack without damaging the yogurt cups or their lids of the trays underneath. The upper edge of each narrow side 2 of the tray is formed by an edge strip with a U-shaped cross section directed downwards, the U profile being shown in FIG. 3. The U-profile extends over the entire narrow side of the tray. In order to enable machine handling in the empty state as well as in the loaded state of stacked trays, cutouts 21 are provided in the area of this edge strip 20 on the narrow side of each tray in accordance with FIGS. 1 and 2, with one recess on the left and one on the right is provided near the corners. A mechanical gripper for lifting the trays can be inserted through this recess 21 in the outer U-web of the edge profile strip 20. Finally, as can best be seen from FIG. 2 in the area of the narrow side 2, the outer U-web 22 of the edge profile strip 20 is offset inwards in the area of the middle of the narrow side 2, which results in a better grip of the trays. Here, at the lower end of the inwardly offset U-web 22, a horizontally outwardly extending cross-web 23 can be provided. 5 can also be omitted.

Furthermore, a stack shoulder 24 offset inwards is provided all around the four side walls, by means of which the trays are placed one on top of the other in the stacked position, as best shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. The wall section 25 above the stacking shoulder 24 is preferably vertical, that is to say perpendicular to the plane of the tray bottom 1, which enables reliable mechanical gripping without the grippers slipping off. The lower wall section, designated 26, on the other hand, is conical for the purpose of stackability from top to bottom. In the corner areas, the tray also has a securing device for strapping and the like known per se, as are used for holding stacked trays together on pallets. The securing device in this case consists of tongues 27 directed downward in the lower wall section 26, through which slipping of a strapping of a rubber band and the like is prevented. In the exemplary embodiment shown, these securing tongues 27 are each mounted on one corner side, so that two securing tongues 27 are provided in the corner region for each side wall. These securing tongues 27 can be formed in one piece with the tray. Openings 28 are preferably formed in the side walls above the securing tongues 27.

Finally, openings 29 in addition to the openings 16 'are provided in the tray bottom for removing water obtained during cleaning. It is expedient here that the openings 29 and the openings 16 'are each formed with rounded corners in order to avoid any damage to the yoghurt cups. In the illustrated embodiment, the drain openings 29 are circular.

Claims

claims

1. Tray for holding containers, in particular yoghurt cups, with a tray bottom (1) with compartments (6) for holding containers, which are equipped with spring tongues (8 to 11) that extend from the tray bottom (1 ) extend upwards and between which the containers (15) can be inserted down to the tray base (1) and are held by their front free ends (14a), characterized in that the spring tongues (8 to 11) of the compartments (6) for the active engagement of their front free ends (14a) with the lower container section of the container (15) sitting on the tray bottom (1) are formed by the spring tongues (8 to 11) being shaped like a ridge roof and the roof leg located on the inside of the compartment (14) of each spring tongue (8 to 11) is drawn correspondingly far towards the tray bottom (1) for the active engagement with the lower container section.

2. Tray according to claim 1, characterized in that the inner roof leg (14) is pulled down close to the tray bottom and preferably up to the tray bottom (1).

3. Tray according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that four container tongues (14a) acting on the lower cup section are provided per container compartment (6), two of which are diametrically opposed to each other.

4. Tray according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that between the spring tongues (8 to 11) in the intermediate regions delimited by adjacent container compartments (6) (16) downwards over the tray bottom (1) projecting beads (17) are the preferred run over sloping surfaces (19) or rounded surfaces into the tray bottom (1).

5. Tray according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the compartments (6) directed side surfaces (18) of the beads (17) in plan view of the tray in adaptation to the container to be accommodated, preferably in adaptation to containers with a circular Cross-section are circular segment-shaped.

6. Tray according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the tray runs all the way from the tray bottom (1) up to the height of the ridge (13) of the spring tongues (8 to 11) or just above raised side walls (2nd , 3).

7. Tray according to claim 6, characterized in that the upper edge of the two narrow side walls (2) is designed as an edge strip (20) with a U-profile in the cross-section downwards, which preferably extends over the entire narrow side (2). extends and if necessary is formed with recesses (21) for mechanical handling.

8. Tray according to claim 6 or 7, characterized in that the side walls (1, 2) have an outwardly offset stacking shoulder (24) all around.

9. Tray according to claim 8, characterized in that the wall section (25) located above the stacking shoulder (24), in particular in the region of the longitudinal walls, is directed vertically, ie perpendicular to the plane of the tray bottom (1) and / or below the stacking shoulder ( 24) located wall section (26) runs downwards conically inwards.

10. Tray according to one of claims 6 to 9, characterized gekenn¬ characterized in that in the side wall from top to bottom outwardly extending tabs (27) for securing a strapping and the like are integrally formed.