WO2004060769A1

WO2004060769A1 - Means for transporting and positioning collapsible containers

Info

Publication number: WO2004060769A1
Application number: PCT/FR2003/003801
Authority: WO
Inventors: Frédéric CHATELAIN
Original assignee: Seb Sa
Priority date: 2002-12-20
Filing date: 2003-12-18
Publication date: 2004-07-22
Also published as: EP1575843B1; CN1741945A; EP1575843A1; JP4346552B2; AU2003299351A1; ATE325752T1; DE60305209D1; JP2006511406A; FR2848994A1; FR2848994B1; CN100475659C

Abstract

The inventive transport means is used for transporting at least two collapsible containers (2, 3). Each container consists of an opening (5), a bottom (6), a closed peripheral wall (7, 8) about a longitudinal axis (10) and an upper edge (11) encompassing said opening (5). Said transport means comprises only one wedge whose surface consists of at least one first group of elements (12, 13, 14) of lateral positioning surfaces for receiving, by means of a lateral support, the parts of the surface of the peripheral wall (7) of the first container (2), and the second group of elements (12, 13, 14) of lateral positioning surfaces for receiving, with a lateral support, the parts of the surface of the peripheral wall (8) of the second container (3), at least first (21, 22) and second (23, 24) groups of elements of longitudinal positioning surfaces for receiving, by means of a longitudinal support, the upper edge (11-2) of the first container (2) and the upper edge (11-3) of the second container (3). The groups of elements of the positioning surfaces are disposed with respect to each other in such a way that the first container (2) is receivable in the second container (3) without entering into contact therewith.

Description

MEANS OF TRANSPORTING AND POSITIONING GIGOGNATED CONTAINERS

The present invention relates, in general, to a means of transport and positioning of nesting containers.

The technical field of the invention relates to receptacles for the storage or transport of objects.

More particularly, the invention relates to a means of transport of nesting containers each having an opening, a bottom, a peripheral wall of closed contour around a longitudinal axis and an upper edge surrounding said opening.

The transport or shelving of nesting containers such as a series of pots, pans, cooking molds requires the grouping of the series of nesting containers within the same packaging. This packaging must protect the containers against shocks caused during transport or storage between the containers and with elements external to the packaging.

This is the reason why many packaging manufacturers have developed various solutions aimed at storing and protecting containers.

A means of transport, storage and positioning of the type defined above, allowing the storage and protection of the containers, is for example constituted by a set of cardboard wedging means arranged between the bottoms and the walls of the successive nesting containers. The nesting containers which are thus separated from one another are fitted into each other, from the largest to the smallest, the openings of these containers being oriented upwards. The containers are then packed using plastic films or cartons which constitute an additional overpack on which the hanging elements and the marketing labels are arranged, as the case may be.

The problem with such a device is that it requires the use of a large number of wedging means, which further increases the volume of waste, and the number of manual steps during packaging operations. containers. Moreover, once packed with such wedging means and an overpack, the wedging means can move, the nesting containers can come into contact with each other which increases the risk of shock, and wear by friction. It should be noted that damaged containers are frequently returned to the manufacturer and replaced at his expense.

The problem posed is to improve productivity during stalling and packaging operations of nesting containers and to allow their nesting and positioning while avoiding contact between them even in the event of rough handling during transport.

To this end, a means of transporting nesting containers according to the invention, furthermore in accordance with the generic definition given in the preamble above, is such that it includes a wedge for positioning the containers, one face of which comprises : at least a first group of lateral positioning surface elements separated from each other and arranged to receive in lateral support surface portions of the peripheral wall of a first container and create a discontinuous lateral support on the peripheral wall of the first container and a second group of lateral positioning surface elements separated from each other and arranged to receive in lateral support surface portions of the peripheral wall of a second container and create a discontinuous lateral support on the peripheral wall of the second container, the second group of lateral positioning surface elements being located outside r of the internal surface defined by the first group of lateral positioning surface elements; at least a first and a second group of elements of longitudinal positioning surfaces substantially perpendicular to the groups of elements of lateral positioning surfaces, and arranged to receive in longitudinal support respectively the upper edge of the first container and the upper edge of the second container , the second group of longitudinal positioning surface elements being positioned longitudinally relative to the first group of longitudinal positioning surface elements so that the bottoms of the two receptacles, once placed, are spaced apart by a non-zero distance; the groups of positioning surface elements being arranged relative to one another to receive the first container inside the second container without there being contact between these two containers.

Thanks to the means of transport according to the invention, several nesting containers nested one inside the other are thus wedged by elements of lateral and longitudinal positioning surfaces: the hold comprises a group of elements of longitudinal positioning surfaces and a group of lateral positioning surface elements for each wedged container. The groups are positioned so as to avoid any contact between two containers. Also, the fact that the lateral positioning surfaces of the same group of elements (first and second group) are separated from each other makes it possible to create a discontinuous lateral support on the peripheral walls of the corresponding container. The peripheral wall of a container is therefore partially in abutment against the transport means which reduces the efforts of fitting the container into the transport means, during assembly in the factory. The packaging operation (placing nesting containers in the means of transport) is thus facilitated, which is particularly advantageous when this operation is manual.

The discontinuous lateral support of the means of transport on the peripheral wall of the container also makes it possible to deform the means of transport in places since it is not in continuous contact with the peripheral wall of the containers (between two distant and separate support elements one from the other, the means of transport is distant from the peripheral wall) which facilitates the disassembly of the container from its means of transport.

In a preferred embodiment, the groups of elements of lateral and longitudinal positioning surfaces are arranged in the form of steps comprising steps and risers, each step being formed by one of the groups of elements of longitudinal positioning surfaces and each riser being formed by one of the groups of lateral positioning surface elements. Such an embodiment allows nesting receptacles of different respective heights.

According to another example, it is also possible to produce a shim in which at least one of the groups of elements for lateral positioning surfaces has flexible portions of surfaces capable of being compressed by portions of the peripheral wall of the container positioned by this group of 'surface elements and adapted to hold it by clipping. These flexible surface portions form discontinuous attachment zones distributed over the side wall of the container allowing easier clipping. These flexible surface portions are preferably rounded and do not have a sharp angle which can come into contact with the container.

This embodiment of the invention is advantageous because it allows the setting and the cohesion between the containers and the wedge by a simple clipping. The assembly of the containers on the block is done by simple interlocking and does not require the imperative supply of additional components such as glue, adhesive films, or heat-shrinkable plastic films.

The shim can also be formed from a transparent and rigid plastic material. The result is a new type of means of transport and positioning of nesting containers, which comprises only one piece ensuring the wedging of these, which makes it possible to reduce the duration of the pre-storage operations before final packaging and transport. In addition, the shim according to the invention can itself secure the packaging, and its transparency allows the consumer to directly observe the containers.

Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will emerge clearly from the description given below, by way of indication and in no way limitative, with reference to the appended drawings, in which:

FIG. 1-A represents a longitudinal section of the block according to the invention on which the nesting containers are positioned,

- Figure 1-B shows a cross section of the wedge according to the invention on which the nesting containers are positioned, - Figure 2 shows a longitudinal section of the wedge and containers not fitted on the wedge, FIG. 3 represents a view in longitudinal section of a wedge according to the invention provided with a housing for a handle and with a cover,

- Figure 4 shows a detail section of a portion of the wedge and a clipped container.

As previously announced, the invention relates to a means of transport capable of providing pre-storage and final packaging for the marketing of 2, 3, 4 nesting containers and comprising a single wedge 1 ensuring the positioning of these.

It is understood by nesting containers all types of containers having the ability to fit into each other.

Figure 1-A shows three nesting containers nested one inside the other and positioned using the shim according to the invention in such a way that there is no contact between these different containers.

A first container 2 is positioned on the wedge 1 and fitted into a second container 3 also positioned on the wedge and fitted into a third container 4 also positioned on the wedge 1.

This type of wedge makes it possible to position at least two containers. However, this shim can be adapted to allow the setting of a larger number of containers by the addition of at least one group of elements for longitudinal positioning surfaces and at least one group of elements for lateral positioning surfaces for each additional container to be positioned.

The nesting containers 2, 3, 4 can be of multiple shapes such as circular, oval, rectangular, or triangular. In the particular case of FIG. 1, the first 2, second 3 and third 4 nesting containers each have a bottom 6 and a circular peripheral wall 7, 8, 9 of closed contour around the longitudinal axis 10. In the particular case described in FIGS. 1-A and 1-B, the longitudinal axis 10 is also the axis of symmetry of the containers and of the wedge 1. Each of these containers 2, 3, 4 also has an opening 5 and an upper edge 11 surrounding said opening 5. The upper edge 5 can be a simple portion of the peripheral wall of a container or can be formed by a shoulder or a flange disposed on the peripheral wall of a container.

Such containers are well known and are for example pans with or without a removable handle, pans or baking molds, produced by conventional molding, stamping or welding or extrusion methods.

The wedge 1 comprises first 12, 13, 14, 15, second 16, 17, 18, 19 and third 27, 28, 29, 30 groups of elements of lateral positioning surfaces respectively intended to position laterally the first 2, second 3 and third 4 containers.

The wedge 1 also comprises first 21, 22, second 23, 24 and third 25, 26 groups of elements of longitudinal positioning surfaces respectively intended to position the first 2, second 3 and third 4 containers longitudinally.

The number and size of the positioning surface elements per group of elements varies depending on the size and weight of the containers to be positioned. In the example of FIGS. 1-A and 1-B, each group of lateral positioning surface elements comprises four lateral positioning surface elements and each group of longitudinal positioning surfaces comprises at least two elements of longitudinal positioning surfaces.

These groups of surface elements can be composed of small portions of surfaces so as to create kinds of punctual supports on the edge 11 of the containers. It is preferable that each surface element has a dimension (for example the support length between the means of transport and the peripheral wall of the container) greater than 1 cm so as to distribute the support force of the container on the wedge and avoid both degradation of the hold and the container. All of these surface elements can go as far as covering half of the periphery.

The containers 2, 3, 4 are respectively positioned longitudinally by at least two surface elements 21 and 22 for the first container 2, by at least two surface elements 23, 24 for the second container 3 and by at least two surface elements 25, 26 for the third container 4. The first, second and third groups of longitudinal positioning surface elements are substantially perpendicular to the elements of surfaces of the first, second and third groups of side positioning surface elements.

The first group of lateral positioning surface elements 12, 13, 14, 15 defines a first internal surface 20 represented by hatching in FIG. 1- B whose contour corresponds approximately to the contour of the first container 2. The surface elements second groups of elements of lateral and longitudinal positioning surfaces of the second container 3 are arranged outside this first internal surface 20.

Likewise, the second group of elements for lateral positioning surfaces 16, 17, 18, 19 defines a second internal surface 39 also represented by hatching in FIG. 1-B whose contour corresponds approximately to the contour of the second container 3. The surface elements 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30 of the third groups of surface element elements for lateral and longitudinal positioning of the third container 4 are arranged outside this second internal surface 39.

The lateral positioning surface elements are shown as coming to bear on the outside of the edge 11 of the containers 2, 3, 4 but the support can also be produced on the inside edge of the containers and possibly simultaneously on the inside and outside edges containers.

Similarly, the elements of longitudinal positioning surfaces are shown as coming to bear on the edge 11 of each of the containers 2, 3, 4, but these supports can be produced on other parts of the containers.

The first 21, 22, second 23, 24 and third 25, 26 groups of elements of longitudinal positioning surfaces are respectively arranged in three separate planes between them and are offset along the longitudinal axis 10 so that once placed in place and in abutment on these elements, the containers 2, 3, 4 remain spaced from one another. A space of at least 1 mm between the bottoms of two consecutive containers is desirable to avoid the risk of contact between two consecutive containers.

As shown in FIGS. 1-A and 1-B, the wedge is in the form of steps, the planes of each group of elements of longitudinal positioning surfaces forms one of the steps of the step and the groups of elements of positioning surfaces lateral form the risers.

The first, second and third steps of the wedge-shaped wedge 1 are respectively formed by the first, second and third groups of elements of longitudinal positioning surfaces.

The first, second and third risers of the step-like wedge are respectively formed by the first, second and third groups of elements of lateral positioning surfaces.

FIG. 2 represents a section of the wedge 1 and of the first 2, second 3, and third 4 containers not yet fitted onto this wedge 1.

The three nesting containers are centered along the longitudinal axis 10 which is also the axis of nesting of the containers when they are positioned on the wedge 1 in the direction of movement defined by the arrow 40.

FIG. 3 represents a particular embodiment of the invention comprising a cover 34 which constitutes with the wedge 1 a protective packaging for the containers 2, 3, 4. This cover follows the contour of the third container and can come to bear on the bottom 6 and the peripheral lateral wall 37 of the wedge 1. Preferably this cover 34 comprises a peripheral lateral wall 35 coming to bear and assembled on the peripheral lateral wall 37 of the wedge 1. The nesting container 4 which has a size greater than other containers can be used as a cover, for example the case of the third container 4 shown in the figure

1-A which covers all of the other containers 2, 3.

The surface of the cover 34 which is turned towards the outside of the wedge 1 may include inscriptions identifying the containers that the wedge 1 is capable of receiving as well as any commercial inscription. An outer portion of the wedge extending outside the positioning surfaces may comprise at least one conventional suspension means 33 intended to allow the suspension of the wedge on a compatible sales display stand or a storage rack, such as a simple orifice capable of being threaded around a support rod.

A housing 36 is formed on the outer portion of the wedge in order to allow the fitting of at least one removable handle 32 for gripping the containers generally sold with these containers. A portion of the cover 34 preferably covers the housing 36 in order to block the handle therein and correspondingly in order to reduce the risk of theft of this handle.

A detail A in FIG. 3 is enlarged in FIG. 4. This detail shows an example of a clipping structure intended to hold in position one at least of the receptacles on the wedge 1.

Flexible and elastic portions 31 are arranged on at least one of the groups of elements for lateral positioning surfaces. These flexible portions 31 are arranged substantially parallel with the peripheral wall of the container and are close to the edge of the container so as to come to bear and compress the latter.

When the container is inserted into the positioning zone provided on the shim 1, the flexible portion 31 is compressed and elastically deformed by the edge 11 of the container. Once the container in position, this flexible portion comes to bear on a slightly inclined portion of the edge of the container and correlatively exerts an elastic force of compression of the container on at least one of the surface elements 22 of longitudinal positioning. Thus blocked the container is held by clipping on the wedge 1. Each container is at least held by two clips and preferably by several clips equidistant from each other.

Such clips can be reversible, and allow the removal of the container clipped by a simple tensile force and distance from the container relative to the wedge. The clip can be provided irreversible so that the removal of the container can only be done by destroying the wedge.

In the case where the clip is irreversible, the shim is precut along one or more axes of localized weakening. The pre-cut area preferentially surrounds all the flexible portions 31 of surfaces capable of being compressed and belonging to the same group of elements for lateral positioning surfaces.

This pre-cutting zone is intended to allow the tearing of the shim 1 and the extraction of the containers 2, 3, 4.

According to another additional embodiment, in addition to its first face 38, the wedge 1 has a second face 37 located on the back of the first 38. The second face 37 has at least one group of elements for lateral positioning surfaces and at least one group of longitudinal positioning surface elements capable of receiving at least one container. In this way, nesting containers such as pans can be positioned on one of the two sides of the same wedge which can simultaneously receive a container of different shape on the other side, such as a pan.

The step-shaped shim is generally produced by a conventional method of thermoforming a plastic sheet.

The wedge must be both rigid to hold the nesting containers and deformable to allow their extraction, the thickness of the thermoplastic sheet is advantageously less than 1 millimeter and preferably chosen between 500 microns and 1 millimeter, and is preferably 800 microns.

The plastic materials used to form such a shim are polyethylene PE, or preferably polyethylene terephthalate PET which are food materials which are easy to thermoform, transparent, resistant to ultraviolet rays, and recyclable. The thermoformed shim can also be produced with PS polystyrene, HDPS high density polystyrene, MDPS medium density polystyrene, Polypropylene PP, Polyurethane PU, polyvinyl chloride PNC and preferably amorphous Polyethylene Terephthalate APET.

The APET is chosen for its rigidity which protects the interior and the edge of the containers and also for its transparent nature which makes it possible to view the interior of the containers positioned on the hold 1.

Claims

1. Means of transport of at least two nesting containers (2, 3) each having an opening (5), a bottom (6), a peripheral wall (7, 8) of closed contour around a longitudinal axis (10 ) and an upper edge (11) surrounding said opening (5), said means being characterized in that it comprises a wedge (1) for positioning the containers and one face (38) of which comprises: at least a first group of elements (12, 13, 14) of lateral positioning surfaces separated from each other and arranged to receive in lateral support surface portions of the peripheral wall (7) of a first container (2) and create lateral support discontinuous on the peripheral wall of the first container (2) and a second group of elements (16, 17, 18) of lateral positioning surfaces separated from each other and arranged to receive in lateral support surface portions of the peripheral wall (8) of a second container (3) and create a discontinuous lateral support on the peripheral wall of the second container (3), the second group of lateral positioning surface elements (16, 17, 18) being located at the the exterior of the internal surface (20) defined by the first group of lateral positioning surface elements (12, 13, 14);

- at least a first (21, 22) and a second (23, 24) groups of longitudinal positioning surface elements substantially perpendicular to the groups of lateral positioning surface elements (12 to 19), and arranged to receive in longitudinal support respectively the upper edge (11-2) of the first container (2) and the upper edge (11-3) of the second container (3), the second group of longitudinal positioning surface elements (23, 24) being positioned longitudinally with respect to the first group of elements (21, 22) of longitudinal positioning surfaces in such a way that the bottoms (6) of the two containers (2, 3) once placed are separated by a non-zero distance ; the groups of positioning surface elements being arranged relative to each other to receive the first container

(2) inside the second container (3) without there being any contact between these two containers.

he

. Means for transporting nesting containers (2, 3) according to claim 1 characterized in that said wedge is constituted by a thermoformed plastic sheet preferably having a thickness less than 1 millimeter.

. Means of transport of containers (2,

3) nesting boxes according to any one of claims 1 or 2 characterized in that the groups of lateral (12 to 19, 27 to 30) and longitudinal (21 to 26) positioning surface elements are arranged in the form of steps comprising steps and risers, each step being formed by one of the groups of longitudinal positioning surface elements and each riser being formed by one of the groups of lateral positioning surface elements.

4. Transport means for positioning nesting containers (2, 3) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one of the groups of lateral positioning surface elements (12 to 19, 27 to 30) has flexible portions (31) of surfaces capable of being compressed by portions of the peripheral wall (7, 8) of the container (2, 3) positioned by this group of surface elements and thus capable of ensuring its maintenance by clipping .

5. Means for transporting nesting containers (2, 3) according to claim 4 characterized in that the wedge (1) comprises at least one pre-cut zone surrounding all the flexible portions (31) of surfaces capable of being compressed and belonging to the same group of lateral positioning surface elements, this zone being intended to allow the tearing of the wedge (1) and the extraction of the containers (2, 3) that the wedge (1) is able to receive and maintain by clipping.

6. Means for transporting nesting containers (2, 3) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the wedge (1) is formed of a transparent and rigid plastic material. Means for transporting nesting containers (2, 3) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the wedge (1) is made of thermoformed plastic material such as APET, PE, PS, HDPS, MDPS, PP, PU, PVC and preferably PET.

Means of transporting nesting containers (2, 3) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the wedge (1) comprises at least one housing (36) in which at least one removable handle for gripping the container fits. containers.

Means for transporting nesting containers (2, 3) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the hold (1) comprises at least one suspension means (33) arranged outside all the groups of elements of positioning surfaces and capable of suspending the wedge (1) for positioning the containers (2, 3) on a compatible display.

. Means for transporting nesting containers (2, 3) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a cover (34) constituting with the wedge a packaging capable of protecting the containers.

. Means for transporting nesting containers (2, 3) according to claim 10 characterized in that said cover (34) has a peripheral side wall (35) bearing and assembled on a peripheral side wall (37) of said hold (1 ).

. Means of transport for nesting containers according to any one of claims 10 or 11 characterized in that the cover (34) is made of cardboard.

. Means for transporting nesting containers (2, 3) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the surface of the cover (34) facing the outside of the hold (1) comprises inscriptions comprising at least the identification of the containers that the hold (1) is capable of receiving.

. Means for transporting nesting containers (2, 3) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the second face (37) of the wedge (1) located on the back of the first (38) receiving said nesting containers comprises at at least one group of lateral positioning surface elements and one group of longitudinal positioning surface elements capable of receiving at least one container.