WO2012107182A1

WO2012107182A1 - Transport and storage container

Info

Publication number: WO2012107182A1
Application number: PCT/EP2012/000462
Authority: WO
Inventors: Hendrik Johannink; Frank Kapell
Original assignee: Ringoplast Gmbh
Priority date: 2011-02-09
Filing date: 2012-02-02
Publication date: 2012-08-16
Also published as: DE202011002551U1; EP2673205A1; EP2673205B1

Abstract

The invention relates to a transport and storage container (1) that can be folded open from a collapsed non-used position into an open position, the side wall (3, 4a) thereof being able to be folded in toward the floor (6) of a floor tray (8) and being disposed above walls (4, 5) of the floor tray (8). In order to provide a container (1) in which the side walls (3, 4a) can be fixed and the pivot mechanism can be ensured even without hinges being disposed in the side walls (3, 4a), according to the invention, at least one side wall (3, 4a) and at least one wall (4, 5) of the floor pan (8) comprise connecting elements (14, 15) corresponding to each other, wherein one connecting element (14, 15) can be precisely fit into the corresponding connecting element (14, 15) when the side wall (3, 4a) is folded open.

Description

"Transport and storage containers"

The invention relates to a transport and storage container according to the preamble of claim 1.

Containers of the type mentioned are known from the prior art and familiar to those skilled in the art.

EP 0 786 412 B1, for example, discloses such a previously known container. EP 0 786 412 B1 discloses a container with a base tray, which has a base and so-called wall base areas. Above the wall base areas four side walls are arranged, whose lower edges are provided with several hinge elements. These hinge elements can be inserted into matching hinge receiving openings in the upper side of the associated wall base area and can be latched there. As a result, a pivot axis is formed for each side wall, which run parallel to the edges of the container bottom within the wall base portions. The side walls can be folded inwards around the swivel axes to the bottom of the floor pan.

In addition, hinges in the previously known container also fulfill the function of fixing between side walls and wall base areas.

A disadvantage of this known container, however, is that the openings in the hinges provide space for contamination, which can be eliminated only consuming. In addition, the use of film inliners for the protection of particularly sensitive goods or liquid there is a risk that they are damaged due to the irregular inner surfaces of the hinges.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a container of the type mentioned, in which the fixation of the side walls and the pivot mechanism is ensured even without arranged in the side walls hinges. This object is achieved with the features of claim 1.

Advantageous embodiments of the invention will become apparent from the dependent claims.

The invention provides that at least one side wall and at least one wall of the bottom pan have mutually corresponding connecting elements, wherein a connecting element when inserting the side wall into the corresponding connecting element is inserted accurately.

The basic idea of the invention is to design the transition between side wall and Bo ^¬ denwanne as a continuous lip. For this purpose, it is provided that hinges are replaced along the at least one side wall by corresponding connecting elements, which are precisely inserted into one another. By introducing a first connecting element into the corresponding connecting element, the forces are also transferred from a side wall to the floor pan in the unfolded state of the container. The fixation of the side wall by a hinge along the hinge axis can be laid in the outer region of the side wall.

An advantageous embodiment of the invention is therefore that are formed at the lateral edges of at least two opposite side walls and at least two opposite walls of the bottom pan hinge elements.

The corresponding connecting elements can undergo different structural configurations. Preferably, the first connecting element is designed in the form of an opening or a pin.

Alternatively, the second connecting element may be formed in the form of an opening or a pin. Thus, according to the invention, both the side walls and the walls of the floor pan can be provided with either an opening or a pin. As a powerful connection, the tongue and groove connection has proven itself. Preferably, the corresponding connecting elements are therefore elements of a tongue and groove connection.

A further advantageous embodiment of the invention provides that locking lugs are arranged on the container according to the invention such that inward pressing of the side wall is prevented.

Advantageously, two opposite side walls are equipped with aligned to each adjacent side corner webs on which create each adjacent side walls when erecting. The corner webs are formed in front ^¬ preferably with recordings, engage in the locking elements of the adjacent side walls.

Advantageously, the corner webs and the outer surface of the respective adjacent side walls are arranged spaced from one another. This preferred structural embodiment of the invention ensures that bending moments can be better absorbed.

A practicable variant of the invention provides that two opposite side walls with locking elements, such as pushers, are equipped, through which the side walls are locked together. The blocking elements are preferably simultaneously actuated symmetrically, so that the side wall undergoes no twisting or tilting when folded. In addition, it is achieved by the structural design of the locking elements that a translation is given, which ensures the required Entriegelungshub with a small stroke. Preferably, the two short side walls in the container are provided with the locking elements.

In the following the invention will be explained in more detail with reference to the drawings. In schematic representations: 1 is a perspective view of a container according to the invention, whose sides are erected,

2 shows a perspective view of the container according to the invention,

whose pages are in a folded non-use position,

3 shows a perspective partial view of the detail of a side wall and a wall of the floor pan before their connection,

4 shows a perspective partial view of a detail of a side wall of the container and a wall of the base tray after its connection by a hinge,

5 is a perspective view of the bottom pan and two side walls of the container in an erected state,

Fig. 6 is a partial perspective view of the detail of a side wall and a wall of the bottom pan before their connection with each other according to a further embodiment of the invention and

Fig. 7 is a partial perspective view of a portion of a side wall of the container and a wall of the floor pan after their connection by a hinge according to another embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 1 shows a container according to the invention, which is provided with the reference numeral 1.

The container 1 has a rectangular shape and has four side sections 2. The side sections 2 in turn are each composed of side walls 3, 4a and walls 4, 5 of the bottom tray 8 together. The floor pan 8 has a bottom 6 and is at its side edges 7 of the walls 4, 5th circumscribed. The bottom 6 of the bottom tray 8 and the walls 4, 5 of the bottom tray 8 are integrally connected. Both the walls 4 and the walls 5 of the floor pan 8 are each opposite walls. Between the walls 4, 5 edge strips 29 are formed, which are of a round shape and the same height as the walls 4, which form the walls in the longitudinal direction of the bottom trough 8. Above the walls 4, 5 of the floor pan 8, the side walls 3, 4 a are arranged and connected directly to the walls 4, 5 of the floor pan 8. The side walls 3, 4a are, as shown in FIG. 1, provided with handle openings 9 and stiffening ribs 10.

As further shown in Fig. 1, on the inner surfaces, i. at the container interior facing surfaces, the two longer sides of the container 1 forming side portions 2 a connecting line 11 is formed, which marks the connection between the walls 4 of the bottom tray 8 and the side walls 3. This connecting line 11 is formed in the form of a longitudinal groove lip 12 and extends parallel to the side edge 7 of the bottom tray 8. In Fig. 1, only the longitudinal joint lip 12 of a side wall 3 is shown for illustrative reasons.

1, a longitudinal joint lip in the connection region 13 between the side walls 3 and the walls 4 of the bottom trough 8. The connection region 13 between the side wall 3 and the Wall 4 of the floor pan 8 on the outer surface of the side sections 2 is located at the level of the longitudinal groove lip 12. For reasons of illustration, only the connection region of a side portion 2 is shown in Fig. 1. In the connecting region 13 between the side wall 3 and the wall 4 of the base tray 8 are mutually corresponding connection elements 14, being formed ^¬ 15th Between the connecting elements 14, 15 3 small cuboid indentations 16 are also provided in the side walls.

The end faces of the container 1 are, as shown in FIG. 1, formed by the two shorter side sections 2. These two opposite shorter side slopes sections 2 are in turn composed of a side wall 4a and a wall 5 of the bottom tray 8. The side walls 4a are arranged above the walls 5 of the floor pan 8 and connected to the walls 5 of the floor pan 8 via hinges 17.

The side walls 3, 4 a of the four side sections 2 terminate on the upper side with a peripheral stack edge 18. This is composed of the upper edges 19 of the two longer side walls 3 and the upper edges 20 of the side walls 4a at the end faces of the container 1 together. The upper edges 19 are formed at the corners of the container 1 arcuate. These arcuate edges of corner-encircling side regions 21 are parts of the two longer side walls 3, which extend into the frontal region of the container 1. The corner-encompassing side regions 21 each have a corner web 22, whose upper edge 22a has a smaller width than the remaining upper edge 19, 20 of the side walls 3, 4a. The corner web 22 is formed flat and provided with L-förmi-gene openings 23. The upper edges 22a of the corner webs 22 abut against corresponding upper edges 24 of the side walls 4a located at the end faces of the container 1. The corresponding to the upper edge 22a of the corner web 22 areas of the upper edge 24 of the front side walls 4a of the container 1 have a smaller compared to the remaining edge 20 of the side walls 4a width. In the erected state of the container 1 shown in FIG. 1, the upper edge 22a of the corner web 22 of the two longer side walls 3 rests against the widthwise reduced upper edge 24 of the front side walls 4a. As a result of this interaction of the upper edge 22a of the corner web 22 and the corresponding upper edge 24 of the front side walls 4a, the corner webs 22 and the outer surface 26 of the front side walls 4a corresponding to this area are arranged at a distance from each other.

As shown in FIG. 2, the side walls 3, 4 a are inwardly foldable to the bottom 6 of the bottom tray 8. When folding the container 1 from its open position, ie from a state with upright side walls 3, 4a, first the front side, shorter side walls 4a are folded inwards, until they rest on the floor 6 in the bottom tray 8. After this pivoting operation, the two longer side walls 3 are folded inwards to the bottom 6 of the bottom tray 8. The corner webs 22 of the side portions 21 are in the folded state on the walls 5 of the floor pan.

As is further apparent from FIG. 2, first corresponding connecting elements 15 are formed in the walls 4 of the base trough 8. In the embodiment of the container 1 according to the invention shown in Fig. 2, the connecting elements 15 are in the form of T-shaped openings, which are upwardly, i. at the upper edges 27 of the walls 4 of the floor pan 8 are open. The to the formed in the walls 4 of the bottom tray 8 connecting elements 15 corresponding connecting elements 14 are located below the lower edge 28 of the two longer side walls 3 of the container 1. The corresponding connecting elements 14 are integrally formed as T-shaped webs on the side walls 3.

In the apparent from in Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 edge strips 29 of the walls 4 of the bottom tray 8 are parts of hinges which interact with located on the side walls 3 hinge parts, so that the side walls 3, as shown in Fig. 2, for Floor 6 of the floor pan 8 are pivoted out.

In the case of erecting the two longer side walls 3 in the opening position of the container 1 shown in Fig. 1, the formed below the lower edge 28 of the side wall 3 connecting element 14 is inserted into the formed in the wall 4 of the bottom tray 8 corresponding second connecting element 15. In accordance with the invention, therefore, hinges are replaced along the two longer side walls 3 of the container 1 by the corresponding connecting elements 14, 15, whereby the guide lip 12 shown in Fig. 1 is formed.

The pivot mechanism is completed by the located on the edge strips 29 hinges. The pivoting operation of the two end-side side walls 4a is completed by the hinges 17 shown in FIG Edge strips 29 are arranged. For this purpose, 8 hinge receiving openings are provided in the end walls 5 of the bottom tray, in which the corresponding hinge elements can be used.

Figs. 3 and 4, each showing a partial section of the container 1, illustrate once again the interaction of the corresponding connecting elements 14, 15 to each other. Fig. 3 shows the corresponding connecting element 15 immediately adjacent to the edge strip 29 of the wall 4 of the bottom tray 8, which form the receptacle for the formed on the side wall 3 hinge member 30. The below the lower edge 28 of the side wall 3 and integrally formed on the side wall 3 connecting member 14 has a short from the lower edge 28 extending away web 31, which terminates with a vertically extending to the web 31 surface piece 32, so that the connecting element 14 takes the form of a "T-pin" 32a. The connecting element 15 corresponding to the connecting element 14 is in the wall 4, i. in the longer side of the bottom tray 8, formed.

In the embodiments of the invention shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the side walls 3 are provided with hinge elements 30 which are enclosed by the edge strips 29 of the walls 4, 5 of the floor pan 8. Alternatively, the side walls 3 are, as the embodiment in Fig. 7 shows, provided with hinge elements 30 which are arranged in edge strips 37 of the walls 4, 5 of the floor pan 8, wherein the edge strips 37 are adapted to the heights of the walls 4, 5. In the embodiment of the container 1 according to the invention shown in FIG. 7, the edge strips 37 are substantially level with the walls 4, 5 of the bottom tray 8 at their side edges.

The corresponding connecting element 15 is, as is apparent from Fig. 3, in the form of an opening 35, which is formed in the wall 4 of the bottom tray 8. The opening 35 in turn has a corresponding to the surface piece 32 elongated opening 33 which is located below the upper edge 27 of the wall 4. Above and in the middle of the elongate opening 33, a narrow gap-shaped opening corresponds to the web 31. rende opening 34, which is formed in the upper edge 27 of the wall 4 of the bottom tray 8.

As is apparent from Fig. 6, the corresponding connecting element 15 according to a further embodiment of the invention in the form of a recess 36, which is formed in the wall 4 of the bottom wall 8. Below the lower edge 36a of the side wall 3, the one-piece on the side wall 3 corresponding connecting element 14 is formed, which is precisely in the recess 36 can be guided.

Both in the lower edge 28 of the side wall 3 and in the upper edge 27 of the walls 4 of the bottom tray 8, as shown in FIG. 3, indentations 16, 36 are provided, which are arranged on the side facing away from the hinge element 30 of the corresponding connecting elements 14, 15 ,

From Fig. 4, which shows a snapshot of a pivoting operation, it can be seen that during the unfolding or folding of the container 1 shown in Fig. 1, the formed on the side wall 3 connecting member 14 formed in the wall 4 of the bottom tray 8 corresponding connecting element 15 is inserted accurately. As a result, a fixation of the side wall 3 by the corresponding connecting elements 14, 15 is given in essential to the invention. A fixation of the side wall 3 by a hinge or hinges, which are arranged along the side wall 3, can take place in the edge strips 29. The transition, i. the connecting line between the side wall 3 and the wall 4 of the bottom tray 8 is thus given by the given in Fig. 1 continuous joint lip 12.

From Fig. 5, in the sake of clarity, only one of the longer side walls 3 and a side wall of the two located on the end faces side walls 4a is shown, it is apparent that the corner webs 22 and the outer surface 26 of each adjacent side wall 4a spaced from each other are. The corresponding to the corner web 22 of the side wall 3 part of the located on the front side wall 4a has at its side edge latching elements 25 which extend away from the outer surface 26 of the side wall 4a. These staggered from the outer surface 26 of the side wall 4a latching elements 25 engage in the assembled state in the corner web 22 located openings 23 a. The distance between the outer surface 26 of the side wall 4a and the Ecksteg 22 corresponds approximately to the width of the outer surface of the side wall longitudinally extending rib 10th

Also illustrates Fig. 5 again that along the connecting line between the side wall 3 and wall 4 of the bottom tray 8 no hinges are formed, but the joint lip 12th

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1 container

2 side section

3, 4a sidewalls

4, 5 walls

6 floor

7 side edge

8 floor pan

9 handle opening

10 stiffening rib

11 connecting line

12 joint lip

13 connection area

14, 15 fasteners

16, 36 indentations

17 hinge

18 stack edge

19, 20, 22a, 24, 27 upper edge

21 page areas

22 corner bridge

23, 33, 34, 35 openings

25 locking elements

26 outer surface

28 lower edge

29 sidebars

30 hinge element

31 footbridge

32 area piece

32a T-pin

36 deepening

36a lower edge

37 sidebars

Claims

claims:

1. Transport and storage container (1) which can be folded out of a folded non-use position into an open position and whose side wall (3, 4 a) can be folded towards the bottom (6) of a floor pan (8) and over walls (4, 5) the bottom pan (8) are arranged,

characterized,

in that at least one side wall (3, 4a) and at least one wall (4, 5) of the bottom trough (8) have connecting elements (14, 15) which correspond to one another, wherein a connecting element (14, 15) when the side wall (3, 4a) is opened in the corresponding connecting element (14,15) is accurately inserted.

2. Container according to claim 1,

characterized,

the connecting element (15) is designed in the form of an opening (35).

3. Container according to claim 1,

characterized,

the connecting element (14) is designed in the form of a pin (32a).

4. Container according to claim 1,

characterized,

in that the corresponding connecting elements (14, 15) are elements of a tongue and groove joint.

5. Container according to one of the preceding claims,

characterized,

the transition between the side wall (3) and the wall (4) of the bottom trough (8) on the inner surface of the container (1) is designed as a joint lip (12).

6. Container according to one of the preceding claims,

characterized,

in that at least two opposite side walls (3, 4a) and at least two opposite walls (4, 5) of the bottom trough (8) have parts of a hinge.

7. Container according to claim 6,

characterized,

in that hinges are formed on the lateral edges of at least two opposite side walls (3, 4a) and at least two opposite walls (4, 5) of the bottom trough (8).

8. Container according to one of the preceding claims,

characterized,

in that two opposite side walls (3) are equipped with corner webs (22) aligned with the respectively adjacent side wall, against which the respectively adjacent side wall rests when erecting.

9. Container according to claim 8,

characterized,

in that the corner webs (22) are formed with receptacles in which latching elements (25) of the adjacent side walls engage.

10. Container according to claim 8 or 9,

characterized,

the corner webs (22) and the outer surface of the respectively adjacent side walls are arranged at a distance from each other.

11. Container according to one of the preceding claims,

characterized,

in that two opposite side walls (4a) are equipped with locking elements, such as locking slides, by means of which the side walls (4a) can be locked together.

12. Container according to one of the preceding claims,

characterized,

that it is rectangular in shape, wherein the shorter side portions (2) are provided with hinges.

13. Container according to claim 1,

characterized,

in that the connecting element (15) is designed in the form of a depression (36).

14. Container according to one of the preceding claims,

characterized,

in that its side walls (3, 4a) are provided with hinge elements (30), which are enclosed by edge strips (29) of the walls (4, 5) of the bottom trough (8).

15. A container according to any one of claims 1 to 13,

characterized,

in that its side walls (3, 4a) are provided with hinge elements (30) arranged in edge strips (37) of the walls (4, 5) of the floor pan (8), the edge strips (37) fitting the heights of the walls (4, 5) are adjusted.