WO2001095768A1

WO2001095768A1 - Modular container

Info

Publication number: WO2001095768A1
Application number: PCT/IT2001/000288
Authority: WO
Inventors: Umberto Pasca; Maria Federica Pasca; Maria Novella Pasca
Original assignee: Umberto Pasca; Maria Federica Pasca; Maria Novella Pasca
Priority date: 2000-06-07
Filing date: 2001-06-06
Publication date: 2001-12-20
Also published as: ITRM20000118V0; IT249204Y1; AU2001274492A1; ITRM20000118U1

Abstract

The invention relates to a modular container comprised of a plate (1) and at least three tie rods (2), on said plate (1) a plurality of first holes (3) being provided, for fixing a first end of said tie rods (2), said end not projecting beyond the relevant hole (3), and a plurality of second holes (4) being provided for the introduction of the other end of said tie rods (2), coupled with the plate (1) within said plurality of second holes (4) occurring outside the plate (1) of the adjacent or juxtaposed container, the positioning of said first (3) and second (4) holes being such to allow the coupling between adjacent, or juxtaposed, containers, with the plates (1) inclined with respect to the resting plane of the structure, said tie rods (2) realising a lower resting base and a rear base, respectively, for the object to be contained.

Description

MODULAR CONTAINER

The present invention relates to a modular container. More specifically, the invention concerns a container of the above kind that can be assembled according to each configuration and very easily, on the basis of the specific needing.

In view of the above, it is suggested according to the present invention a solution allowing to satisfy all the above needings.

Particularly, the solution according to the invention can be easily assembled, since it allows to realise structures comprised of different kinds of modules.

Another object of the present invention is that of providing a solution allowing to develop the structure until reaching the final sizes wished. Still another object of the present invention is that of providing a container that can be indifferently placed on the floor, on a furniture, or that can be fixed to the wall.

A further object of the present invention is that of providing a container that can be packaged in a very compact way, so as to facilitate its storing and shipping.

It is therefore specific object of the present invention a modular container comprised of a plate and at least three tie rods, on said plate a plurality of first holes being provided, for fixing a first end of said tie rods, said end not projecting beyond the relevant hole, and a plurality of second holes being provided for the introduction of the other end of said tie rods, coupled with the plate of a second different container, the fixing of the ends of the tie rods within said plurality of second holes occurring outside the plate of the adjacent or juxtaposed container, the positioning of said first and second holes being such to allow the coupling between adjacent, or juxtaposed, containers, with the plates inclined with respect to the resting plane of the structure, said tie rods realising a lower resting base and a rear base, respectively, for the object to be contained.

Preferably, according to the invention, three first holes and three tie rods are provided for each plate. Still according to the invention, on said plate they are provided a lower pair of second holes, a lower pair of first holes, realised on the plate above and vertically aligned with respect to said lower pair of second holes, a second hole and a first hole, vertically aligned, on the rear at an intermediate height on the plate, and an upper pair of second holes, vertically aligned with respect to said lower pair of second holes and to said lower pair of first holes.

Particularly, according to the invention, said lower pair of first holes provides two holes, horizontally aligned, or a front hole in a highest position with respect to a rear hole.

According to the invention, the coupling between the end of said tie rods and said first holes can occur by screwing into the material of the plate, or by insertion of a flared head pin, on the surface of the plate being provided a seat for housing of the pin head, until remaining flush with the surface of the pate.

Still according to the invention, the fixing of the end of the tie rod introduced within said second holes of the plate of the adjacent or upper container can occur by hexagonal nut and/or cap nut, or self- threading pins.

Furthermore, according to the invention, said plate can be comprised of transparent or coloured plastic material.

Always according to the invention, said tie rods can be comprised of metallic material or of plastic material, said material being the same or different with respect to the material used for the plate.

The present invention will be now described, for illustrative but not limitative purposes, according to its preferred embodiments, with particular reference to the figures of the enclosed drawings, wherein: figure 1 is a perspective view of a structure obtained combining a first embodiment of the container according to the invention; figure 2 is an exploded view of a container used to realise the structure of figure 1 ; figures 3a - 3h show an assembling sequence of first structure employing a second embodiment of the container according to the invention; figures 4a - 4i show an assembling sequence of a second structure employing a third embodiment of the container according to the invention; and figure 5 shows a wall realised by the modular containers according to the invention to support 320 bottles.

In the different figures, the same numerical references will be used to indicate the same elements. Observing the various figures, it can be noted that each modular container according to the invention comprises a plate 1 , provided with a plurality of holes (that will be described in greater detail in the following) and three tie rods 2, provided with coupling means with said plate 1.

First, it must be put into evidence that the dimensions of the plate 1 vary in function of the kind of product to be introduced into the structure realised by containers according to the invention.

In the same way, said plate can be comprised of different kind of materials, preferably transparent or coloured plastic materials, according to the needing and the kind of structure to be realised.

Also the various holes of the plate 1 will be placed in function of the specific final use of the container.

Observing first figures 1 and 2, it can be noted a plurality of plates 1 , coupled each other by the tie rods 2.

On each plate 1, three holes 3 are provided, for coupling with a first end of the tie rods 2, according to mode and means that will be described in the following, and a plurality of holes 4 for the introduction of the other end of tie rods 3 of an adjacent container, in such a way to realise a complex structure, such as the one of figure 1 , or of figure 5.

Container of figures 1 and 2 is particularly realised to support books or magazines.

As it can be noted, holes 3 realised on the plate 1 allow a fixed coupling of tie rod 2, the end of the latter not projecting from the surface of the plate 1 , in such a way not to deteriorate the object that must rest against the plate wall.

Two holes 3 are provided at the bottom, to realise, along with the tie rods 2, a lower resting base, as well as a rear hole to realise a rear resting surface. Holes 4 for the introduction of the free end of tie rod 3are provided (two in the figure), below the lower holes 3, one below the rear hole 3 and two, equal to the two lower holes 4, on the upper part of the plate 1 , at the same distance each other and from the top of the plate 1 as the lower holes 4. Positioning of holes 3 and 4, as shown, allows to couple a first container comprised of plate 1 and tie rods 2, a second container, coupled with the other end of the tie rods 2 within the holes 4 provided at the bottom and below the rear hole 3.

In this way, oblique spaces 5 are created to support the specific object for which the container is designed. Coupling of lower tie rods 2 within holes 4 provided on the top of the plate 1 allows to continue the structure upward.

In case it is wished to provided a larger rear resting surface, it is possible to provide a further pair of rear holes 3, 4, wherein a further tie rod 2 (not shown) is introduced. Coupling of the various containers by the introduction of the free ends of tie rods 2 within holes 4 must not be such to maintain the planarity of the surface of the plate 1.

In the solution shown in figure 2, self-threading pins 6 are provided, that can be tightened by socket head screw wrench, and the head of which is introduced within a flaring provided on the plate, in correspondence of holes 3.

In the solutions shown in figures 3 and 4, coupling between tie rod 2 and hole 3 occurs by screwing the same end of the tie rod, since it is threaded. On the rear, blocking occurs by hexagonal nuts 7, that are used alone when two plates 1 are coupled, or in cooperation with an hexagonal nut 8, when the coupling between two adjacent plates does not occur.

Difference between container of figures 3a - 3h and the container of figures 4a - 4i is, besides the shape and the dimensions of the plate 1 , the positioning of lower fixing holes 3, that are realised in such a way to be inclined downward, rearward (rear hole 3 is lower than the front one) in figure 3, while in figure 4 they are parallel.

Solution of figure 3 allows to house bottles, while structure of figure 4 is realised to support CD videos and DVD, and like. During assembling, observing both figure 3 and figure 4, tie rods 2 are first coupled with holes 3 of plate 1 , and then the free ends of tie rods 2 are introduced within relevant holes 4 of a second plate 1 of a further container according to the invention. Thus, nuts 7 and 8 are fixed. Position of holes 4 of the second plate 1 with respect to holes 3 of the first plate 1 determines an inclined position of the container realised. A plurality of plates 1 can be coupled both according to a horizontal and a vertical development, until reaching the wished dimensions and shape of the structure.

For example, in figure 5 it is shown a structure realised to support 320 bottles, within the obtained spaces 5.

It must be noted that the increasing of the dimensions of the structure by adding many containers according to the invention strengthen the same structure, making it always stabile and rigid. As already said, plates 1 can be transparent or coloured, comprised of any material, preferably plastic material, by moulding, preferably injection moulding.

Tie rods 2 can be comprised of metal, or they can be comprised of plastic material.

It is important that the coupling between tie rod 2 and plate 1 within the holes 3 does not project beyond the surface of the plate, since said surface is the one on which the object to be supported rests.

The present invention has been described for illustrative but not limitative purposes, according to its preferred embodiments, but it is to be understood that modifications and/or changes can be introduced by those skilled in the art without departing from the relevant scope as defined in the enclosed claims.

Claims

1. Modular container comprised of a plate and at least three tie rods, on said plate a plurality of first holes being provided, for fixing a first end of said tie rods, said end not projecting beyond the relevant hole, and a plurality of second holes being provided for the introduction of the other end of said tie rods, coupled with the plate of a second different container, the fixing of the ends of the tie rods within said plurality of second holes occurring outside the plate of the adjacent or juxtaposed container, the positioning of said first and second holes being such to allow the coupling between adjacent, or juxtaposed, containers, with the plates inclined with respect to the resting plane of the structure, said tie rods realising a lower resting base and a rear base, respectively, for the object to be contained.

2. Modular container according to claim 1 , characterised in that three first holes and three tie rods are provided for each plate.

3. Modular container according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that on said plate they are provided a lower pair of second holes, a lower pair of first holes, realised on the plate above and vertically aligned with respect to said lower pair of second holes, a second hole and a first hole, vertically aligned, on the rear at an intermediate height on the plate, and an upper pair of second holes, vertically aligned with respect to said lower pair of second holes and to said lower pair of first holes.

4. Modular container according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that said lower pair of first holes provides two holes, horizontally aligned, or a front hole in a highest position with respect to a rear hole.

5. Modular container according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the coupling between the end of said tie rods and said first holes can occur by screwing into the material of the plate, or by insertion of a flared head pin, on the surface of the plate being provided a seat for housing of the pin head, until remaining flush with the surface of the plate.

6. Modular container according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the fixing of the end of the tie rod introduced within said second holes of the plate of the adjacent or upper container occurs by hexagonal nut and/or cap nut, or self-threading pins.

7. Modular container according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that said plate is comprised of transparent or coloured plastic material.

8. Modular container according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that said tie rods are comprised of metallic material.

9. Modular container according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that said tie rods are comprised of plastic material, said material being the same or different with respect to the material used for the plate.