WO1999000310A1

WO1999000310A1 - Device at a pallet combined with a container supported by the pallet

Info

Publication number: WO1999000310A1
Application number: PCT/SE1998/001237
Authority: WO
Inventors: Johan Welleman
Original assignee: Johan Welleman
Priority date: 1997-06-27
Filing date: 1998-06-25
Publication date: 1999-01-07
Also published as: SE9702471D0; SE9702471L; AU7951498A; SE509083C2; EP0934206A1

Abstract

The invention relates to an arrangement (1) for a load pallet (2) in combination with a container (3) supported by it, and with the load pallet (2) so arranged as to be divisible into smaller sub-pallets (2A-2D) that are secured to one another to form a larger load pallet (2). The container (3) is formed from a base (4) and sides (5), in conjunction with which the base (4) is so arranged that it is divided into the number of sub-pallets (2A-2D) that make up the pallet (2), and the sides (5) are divisible step by step into the desired number of sub-containers (3A-3D). Part of the sides (5) is formed by a bottom tray (6) that stands on the load pallet (2), and the sides (5) are attached to parts (7A-7D) of the tray by gluing (8). Means (13) to facilitate division on the sides (5) of the container and parts (7A-7D) connecting the base (6) of the tray together permit both the load pallet (2) and the container (3) supported on it to be divisible to form sub-pallets (2A-2D) with resulting sub-containers (3A-3D) supported by them.

Description

Device at a pallet combined with a container supported by the pallet.

The present invention relates to an arrangement for a load pallet in combination with a container on the pallet and supported by it, in which the load pallet is so arranged as to be divisible into smaller sub-pallets that are secured to one another to form a larger load pallet.

Current previously disclosed containers and displays consist of whole pallets or half pallets standing on a larger, so-called whole pallet for transport and storage. The disadvantages of this include the fact that they can only be handled and displayed as a whole unit. This takes up space and is expensive, since it involves the handling of large volumes and poor adaptation to the desired quantity of goods.

The principal object of the present invention is thus, in the first instance, to attempt to solve the aforementioned problems by simple and efficient means.

The said object is achieved by means of an arrangement in accordance with the present invention, which is characterized essentially in that the container is formed from a base and sides, in conjunction with which the base is so arranged that it is divided into the number of sub-pallets that make up the pallet, in that the sides are divisible step by step into the desired number of sub-containers, in that part of the sides is formed by a bottom tray that stands on the load pallet, in that the sides are attached to the tray parts by gluing, and in that means to facilitate division on the sides of the container and parts connecting the tray base together permit both the load pallet and the container supported on it to be divided to form sub-pallets with resulting sub-containers supported by them. The invention is described below with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of a display that can be divided into two sub-units;

Fig. 2 shows the display in its divided condition; Fig. 3 shows a divisible sheet from which two displays can be formed;

Fig. 4 shows an embodiment of a divisible load pallet in the assembled state viewed at an angle from above;

Fig. 5 shows the load pallet viewed at an angle from below;

Fig. 6 shows the load pallet with a collar constructed on it;

Figs. 7-8 show examples of means to facilitate division in the form of a division line (punched) in part of a container or pallet;

Figs. 9-10 show an example of a load pallet with a container respectively in the assembled and divided state;

Fig. 11 shows further examples of a divisible container and top lid on sub-pallets that are held together along division lines.

It can be appreciated from Patent Claim 1 that the container 3 is so arranged as to be divisible by its sides 5 being divisible step by step into a desired number of sub-containers 3A-3D. This means that the container 3 is formed from the outset by a ring-shaped side extending all the way round the periphery of the original large load pallet, but is so arranged by division together with the dividing function of the load pallet as to form a flexible combination of divisibility with regard to the container and the load pallet, all the way from the original whole pallet 2 and the whole pack 3 down to the desired size of sub-pallet 2A-2D and the sub-container 3A-3D supported by and attached to it, as the need arises. This arrangement is achieved in that part of the sides 5 is in the form of a bottom tray 6 that stands on the load pallet, in that the sides 5 are attached to tray parts 7A-7D by gluing 8, and in that means 13 to facilitate division are present on the sides 5 of the container and the connecting parts 7A-7D on the base 6 of the tray.

This has not been previously disclosed by the prior art. Thus US, 3,659,707, which has an equivalent in Swedish Patent Application No. 324 993 as published for opposition, relates to a divisible transport pack characterized in that at least two separate containers for goods are placed on, and are fixed side-by-side to a base with upward-facing side edges in a tray-like supporting device and are divisible in a dividing plane. The said separate containers are held together by means of a strap around their upper parts.

The previously disclosed transport pack requires an additional arrangement for fastening the containers to one another by means of separate straps, etc., since the containers in themselves are not divisible from one another when viewed around their periphery.

An arrangement 1 for a load pallet 2 in combination with a container 3 resting on it involves both the load pallet 2 and the container 3 being divisible to form sub-pallets 2A, 2B, 2C, 2D with sub-containers 3A-3D supported by them. See Fig. 11 in particular.

Improvements in current transport and display packs are achieved through the present invention, which is a further development of EP No. 0 334 881 through a new flexible combination of divisibility of the container and the load pallet, in conjunction with which the container can be formed from a so-called display.

The advantages of the present invention include more efficient goods handling and an improved working environment. Also achieved at the same time are cost savings, reduced volume handling, better materials recycling and an improved environment, and reduced materials handling as a result of the ability to use the same uniform material in both the pallet, the container and the display. In conjunction with production and distribution, handling takes place as a whole unit, which can now contain four different products in the same container and display, for example. When the container and display are divisible into four sub-units, for example, different products can be packed into each quarter. At the time of use in a retail shop, department store or supermarket, the large whole unit comprising the container and the display is easily divided into a number of desired smaller units. This means that major economies and profits are made at the time of use by saving space in the sales premises. There are also greater opportunities for display, as it is now possible to place several containers and displays on the same sales area, which also brings increased additional sales. Increased display of the products in divided containers and displays also provides a better purchasing environment.

Other special advantages of the invention can be appreciated from the drawings and in accordance with the following description.

The divisibility in accordance with the descriptions is intended in the first instance for displays and containers with pallets for non-returnable use. The divisibility can also be used for displays and containers intended for returnable use, for example plastic pallets and plastic displays/containers that are returned and washed for further use.

In the case of non-returnable use, however, it is important to select materials that can be recycled, and preferably a uniform material, i.e. one in which all parts are made from an identical material. More specifically, the invention comprises an arrangement 1 for a load pallet 2 with a container 3 supported by it and with the load pallet 2 so arranged as to be divisible into smaller sub-pallets 2A-2D that are secured to one another to form a larger load pallet 2. The container 3 is so arranged that it is formed from a base 4 and sides 5, in conjunction with which the base 4 is so arranged that it is divided beforehand into the number of sub-pallets 2A-2D that make up the whole pallet 2, and the sides are divided in advance or are subsequently divisible into the desired number of sub-containers 3A-3D. In this case, part of the sides 5 can be formed by a bottom tray 6 that stands detachably upon or is securely attached to the load pallet 2 in question, extending around its entire periphery. The sides 5 of the container 3 are in this case preferably attached to upright parts 7 of the tray, for example by spot gluing 8 or in some other way on the lower, outward-facing part 9 of the sides against the inward-facing surface 10 of the tray parts.

As illustrated in Figs. 4-6, the sides of the tray 6 or a formed deck 11 can be formed from a number of folding sides 7A-7D and 12A, 12B, which are attached to the container 3 in question. The said sides can, like the load pallet 2, be formed from corrugated board or a similar material. The said sides 12A, 12B are divisible along means to facilitate division along a specific area 13 of the material making up the sides. To strengthen the dividing line, the mechanical packing stage includes automatic jointing involving automatic molten gluing of the edges of the pallet and the display/container unit. Very strong joining together of the pallet and the display/container unit is achieved in this way, which also provides homogeneous and strong joining together of each sub-unit. The said means 13 to facilitate division and other means to facilitate division are appropriately formed on sides 5 of rows of punched holes 13 in the material. The means to facilitate division is preferably formed from pairs of rows of punched holes 13A, 13B situated at a mutual distance B from one another with an interjacent string 14 of material forming a tear-strip, which is pulled and in so doing divides the material on the said side 5, tray 6 and load pallet 2. An enlargement 15 of the end of the tear-strip 14 can provide a gripping device to simplify tearing.

As shown in Fig. 1, a container 3 can be formed from a display that exhibits pairs of triangular sides 5¹, 5³ and a rectangular side 5² extending between them. In this case, the said joining side 5² and a tray base 6 are arranged to receive the said container 3 divisibly along means 13 to facilitate division, which are so arranged as to extend through the sides 5, 7A-D, 12A, 12B of the container 3, the tray 6 and the load pallet 2, and jointly in line with a vertically extending cut 16 in the base effected in advance .

The said load pallet 2, if it is not executed in a conventional fashion, is formed from recyclable supporting material 17, preferably corrugated board with its outside consisting of wet-strength barrier board or a similar material. The deck 18 of the load pallet exhibits pairs of folding flaps which form the sides of a formed tray. These tray sides 12A, 12B are capable of attachment to the sides δ¹^³ of the container, through which means 13 to facilitate division extend in line with a part 16 of the pallet deck perforated in advance between tunnel-like supporting distance pieces 19 extending in parallel on either side of the pallet deck. In addition, a whole or divisible so-called lid 20 forming a cover can be attached to the top part 21 of the container 3 and exhibits means 13 to facilitate division in line with the previously perforated and division-facilitating part 16 of the pallet deck 6.

The production of a container with the help of two sides 5¹, 5² and 5², 5³ that are capable of folding relative to one another means that no waste is generated from the material from which these are manufactured, thanks to the ability to stamp them from a common blank, for example as shown in Fig. 3, and to provide them with folding lines 22.

Slitting for division with two or four cuts 16, which extend as far as the continuous edge protectors, takes place in the deck directly in conjunction with manufacture. The continuous edge protectors are marked with a scribed line, which is subsequently divided at the time of use. The continuous edge protectors in the case of a pallet intended for division into four sub-units can be folded in beneath the pallet to reinforce the entire pallet construction. The edge protector is folded up in the case of pallets that are divisible into two sub-units, and in conjunction with packing, the edge protector is glued to the respective side of the container or display to provide a compact means of holding the container together. Lids with edge protectors can also be made plain without any cuts and any dividing function.

The supporting edges provide extra-strong flexural rigidity, which in turn gives precise levelness of the sheet. This also provides much-improved and increased diagonal rigidity in both the deck and the lid.

The following is an example of the invention for dividing a display with a pallet: A whole 1200 x 80 mm pallet is divided into two 600 x 800 mm sub-units, or alternatively into three 400 x 800 mm sub-units, or alternatively into four sub-units (quarter pallet 400 x 600 mm quarter units) . An 800 x 600 mm half pallet is divided into two sub-units, which are 400 x 600 mm quarter units. Other formats and divisions are also conceivable .

Today, the handling of 800 x 600 mm half pallets as a unit is possible only to a limited extent in conjunction with loading and transport (1200 x 800 mm whole pallets are most commonly encountered) . This division into a display and a pallet now allows the half pallet to be handled as a unit and, at the same time, provides the option at the time of use to divide it into two quarter pallets. The underpallet/slave pallet is no longer required, and its cost can be saved. Containers can be wrapped in plastic film to form an effective and secure transport unit.

Sub-pallets can also be held together in any preferred way and by the use of suitable means, therefore, within the scope of the aforementioned patent, for example with plastic, textile or metal tape.

Both the lid and the deck can be constructed from the same, fully recyclable corrugated and/or board material. Two sheet materials can be glued together in the vertical and horizontal directions to provide a so-called CROSS-construction. The inner sheet, with a thicker dimension, is glued to the outer sheet, which has two and/or four continuous edge protectors. Slitting of the deck to divide it into two or four cuts, which extend as far as the continuous edge protectors, takes place in the deck directly in conjunction with manufacture. The continuous edge protectors can be marked with a scribed line, which is subsequently divided at the time of use. As in the case of a divisible pallet for four sub-units, the continuous edge protectors can be folded in beneath the pallet to reinforce the entire pallet construction. For a divisible pallet for two sub-units, the edge protector is folded up and, in conjunction with packing, the edge protector is glued to the container or the display on the respective side to provide a compact means of holding the pack together.

The lid in the CROSS-construction with an edge protector can also be made plain without any cuts and any dividing function.

The CROSS-construction provides very strong flexural rigidity, bursting strength and resistance to plane crushing. The supporting edges also provide extra-strong flexural rigidity, which in turn gives precise levelness of the sheet. This also provides much-improved and increased diagonal rigidity in both the deck and the lid.

The invention is not restricted to the illustrative example described above and shown in the drawing, but may be varied within the scope of the Patent Claims without departing from the idea of invention.

Claims

P a t e n t C l a i m s

1. Arrangement (1) for a load pallet (2) in combination with a container (3) supported by it, in which the load pallet (2) is so arranged as to be divisible into smaller sub-pallets (2A-2D) that are secured to one another to form a larger load pallet (2), characterized in that the container (3) is formed from a base (4) and sides (5), in conjunction with which the base (4) is so arranged that it is divided into the number of sub-pallets (2A-2D) that make up the pallet (2), in that the sides (5) are divisible step by step into the desired number of sub-containers (3A-3D) , in that part of the sides (5) is formed by a bottom tray (6) that stands on the load pallet (2), in that the sides (5) are attached to the tray parts (7A-7D) by gluing (8), and in that means (13) to facilitate division on the sides (5) of the container and parts (7A-7D) connecting the tray base (6) together permit both the load pallet (2) and the container

(3) supported on it to be divided to form sub-pallets (2A-2D) with resulting sub-containers (3A-3D) supported by them.

2. Arrangement as claimed in Patent Claim 1, characterized in that the sides are formed from the hinged sides of a load pallet (2) formed from corrugated board or a similar material.

3. Arrangement as claimed in Patent Claim 2, characterized in that the sides (12A-12B) are divisible along parts (13) to facilitate division of the material from which they are made.

4. Arrangement as claimed in Patent Claim 3, characterized in that means (13) to facilitate division in the form of weakened areas of the material in the area of the desired division of the sides (5) of the container (3) are formed from perforations (13) of the material.

5. Arrangement as claimed in Patent Claim 4, characterized in that means (13) to facilitate division are formed from pairs of perforations (13A-13B) situated at a mutual distance (B) from one another with an interjacent string (14) of material forming a tear-strip, which is pulled and in so doing divides the material.

6. Arrangement as claimed in one or other of the Patent Claims indicated above, characterized in that a container is formed from a display (3) that exhibits pairs of triangular sides (5¹, 5³) and a rectangular side (5 ) extending between them.

7. Arrangement as claimed in one or other of Patent Claims 5-6, characterized in that the joining side

(5²) and a tray base (6) to receive the container (3) are divisible along means (13) to facilitate division extending jointly with a cut 16 in the base.

8. Arrangement as claimed in one or other of the Patent Claims indicated above, in conjunction with which the load pallet (2) is formed from supporting material (17), preferably corrugated board with its outside consisting of wet-strength barrier board or a similar material, characterized in that the deck of the load pallet exhibits pairs of folding flaps (12A, 12B) which are capable of attachment to the sides (5¹, 5², 5³) of the container, and through which means (13) to facilitate division extend in line with a part (16) of the pallet deck perforated in advance between tunnel-like supporting distance pieces (19) extending in parallel on either side of the pallet deck.

9. Arrangement as claimed in Patent Claim 8, characterized in that a lid (20) forming a cover is attached to the top part (21) of the container and exhibits weakened parts (13) m line with the perforated and weakened part (16; of the pallet deck.