WO2013009171A1

WO2013009171A1 - Crate comprising a rib structure with c-shaped corner ribs

Info

Publication number: WO2013009171A1
Application number: PCT/NL2012/050445
Authority: WO
Inventors: Dizzy Soederhuizen
Original assignee: Soederhuizen Stenen B.V.
Priority date: 2011-07-08
Filing date: 2012-06-25
Publication date: 2013-01-17
Also published as: NL2007073C2

Abstract

Crate (1) for storing products, in which the crate (1) comprises a floor (9), a top face and a plurality of angled side walls (2,3,4,5). Each side wall has a middle region and a side region, in which two adjacent side regions of an adjacent first (3) and second side wall (4) define a corner member (6). The corner member includes a centrally positioned corner edge. The crate further comprises a rib structure for providing rigidity to the crate. The rib structure comprises at the corner member (6) a pair of main corner ribs including a first main corner rib (632A) positioned at the first side wall (3) and a second main corner rib (632B) positioned at the second side wall (4). The main corner ribs (632A, 632B) extend upwards from the floor to the top face. The main corner ribs are C-shaped, wherein the main corner ribs have C-legs which extend away from the corner edge.

Description

Title: Crate comprising a rib structure with C-shaped corner ribs.

The invention relates to a crate for storing products. The crate comprises a floor, a top face and a plurality of side walls. Each side wall has a middle region and a side region. Two adjacent side regions of an adjacent first and second side wall define a corner member including a centrally positioned corner edge. The crate further comprises a rib structure for providing rigidity to the crate. The rib structure comprises at the corner member a pair of main corner ribs including a first main corner rib positioned at the first side wall and a second main corner rib positioned at the second side wall. The main corner ribs extend upwards from the floor to the top face.

US4.819.822 discloses a beverage case as an example of such a crate. The beverage case has an open top face for receiving bottles, two longitudinal side walls, two lateral side walls and a floor. The beverage case has a reinforcing rib structure to react forces imposed on the beverage case. The rib structure surrounds the side walls of the beverage case. The rib structure has a pair of two continuous lower horizontal ribs, two continuous intermediate horizontal ribs and three continuous upper horizontal ribs along the circumference of the beverage case. The rib structure has four vertical corner ribs at each corner which extend diagonally from each corner of the beverage case. Two neightbouring vertically ribs are positioned at a distance from each corner rib and are formed along edges of openings in the beverage cage.

A problem to the beverage case is that the rib structure does not provide sufficient rigidity to counteract large forces originating from vertical loads. Such large forces may for example result from stacking.

Generally, it is an object of the present invention to at least partially eliminate the above mentioned drawbacks and/or to provide a useable alternative. More specific, it is an object of the invention to provide an injection mould crate which is lightweight and has additionally sufficient rigidity to withstand high vertical pressure loads.

According to the invention, this general object is achieved by a crate according to claim 1.

A crate is provided for storing products. The crate comprises a floor, a top face and a plurality of side walls. Typically, the crate has an open top face. Typically, the crate has no lid to close the top face. Generally, the floor and sidewalls are at least partially open worked to reduce weight of the crate. The sidewalls are substantially flat and positioned in angled orientation with respect to each other. In particular the crate is rectangular. Each side wall has a middle region and a side region. Two adjacent side regions of an adjacent first and second side wall define a corner member. The corner member includes a centrally positioned corner edge. The corner edge may be blended or chamfered. A virtual corner edge may be defined as the mathematical intersection of adjacent side walls.

The crate comprises a rib structure for providing rigidity to the crate. The rib structure comprises at the corner member a pair of main corner ribs. The pair of main corner ribs includes a first main corner rib which is positioned at the first side wall and a second main corner rib which is positioned at the second side wall. The main corner ribs extend substantially about the whole height of the side wall. The main corner ribs extend upwards from the floor to the top face.

The crate according to the invention is improved in that the main corner ribs are C- shaped. The crate is further improved in that the main corner ribs have C-legs which extend away from the corner edge. The C-legs of paired main corner ribs are directed away from each other.

Due to the C-shape, the main corner rib extend in both an upwards and a sidewards direction. Herewith, the main corner rib is able to carry loads in both a horizontal and a vertical direction. When crates are stacked, the C-shape main corner ribs of a crate smoothly conduct exerted loads from a top region of the crate to a bottom region of the crate. The C-shaped main corner ribs prevent inadmissible peak loads which would typically occur at sharp edges and angled corners of ribs. Due to the C-shaped corner ribs, occurring loads are distributed over the whole height of the side wall.

The C-shape has a mid point and two C-legs extending from the mid point. From one side, the C-shape is open, while the C-shape is closed from the opposite side. The C-legs extend away from the corner edge which means in other words that, the mid point of the C- shaped rib is positioned close to or at the corner edge i.e. the closed side of the C-shape rib is directed to the corner edge. Mid points of paired main corner ribs at adjacent side walls are directed towards each other. When a vertical load is applied to the C-shaped corner rib, the C-shape rib tend to bend outwards to deform in sidewards direction. The paired main corner ribs at adjacent side walls are when loaded pressed towards each other. The corner ribs support each other to withstand the occurring load. This contributes to the rigidity of the rib structure.

Another contribution to rigidity originates from the corner edges. Due to the deformation of the main corner rib, the midpoint tends to move in a direction to the corner edge. The rigidity of the corner edge however provides a mechanical resistance to the main corner rib to deform in this manner. So, the corner edge contributes also to the rigidity of the rib structure. This two factors provide an improved rigidity of the crate to withstand occurring loads in the horizontal and the vertical direction. Torsion loads are a combination of horizontal and vertical loads. The crate may have an increased rigidity to withstand torsion loads.

In comparison, the rib structure with paired C-shaped corner ribs allows a more lightweight configuration of the crate when keeping the rigidity of the crate at a constant level. The weight of a crate having standard dimensions of 60x40x25 may be reduced to at most 1.5kg. The crate may have a reduced weight of 13% in comparison with current widely available crates. Although the weight may be reduced, the rigidity may remain at a constant level. The crate may be loaded up to 25kg. The crates may be stacked on a pallet up to ten layers of six crates, while the crates may be sufficient strong to withstand a stacking of three loaded pallets. Herewith, the crate according to the invention complies to heavy loading circumstances which occur in practise.

Advantageously, the crate may be manufactured out of one piece by injection moulding and by consuming less plastic material. Advantageously, the crate may be a disposable crate. Because of the low cost price, the crate may be disposed after a single use. The crate according to the invention may be sufficient strong to stack up to thirty fully loaded crates of about 25kg.

In an embodiment according to the invention, the C-shape main corner rib has a hyperbolic shape. Advantageously, the hyperbolic shape of the main corner rib is in particular suitable to duct exerted forces from a top region of the crate to a bottom region.

In an embodiment according to the invention, the first main corner rib intersects with the second main corner rib at a centre region. The centre region may be a centre position which may coincidence with the mid point of a main corner rib. The paired main corner ribs form together a X-shape configuration. Advantageously, the intersected main corner ribs may provide an increased rigidity and/or a reduced weight of the crate.

In an embodiment of the crate according to the invention, the first and second main corner rib are arranged in mirror symmetry. The first and second main corner ribs may have an identical but mirrored geometry.

In an embodiment of the crate according to the invention, the corner member comprises at least one pair of additional C-shaped corner ribs. Each paired additional corner ribs has a first and second additional corner rib at the first and second adjacent side wall. The additional corner ribs may have an identical geometry as the main corner ribs. The additional C-shaped corner ribs may provide an increased rigidity and or contribute to a better lightweight design.

In an embodiment of the crate according to the invention, the additional corner rib is a parallel corner rib which is arranged in parallel with the main corner rib. The additional corner rib may be spaced from the main corner rib. The parallel corner rib may further increase the rigidity of the corner member. In an embodiment of the crate according to the invention, the additional corner rib is a mirrored corner rib which is positioned in mirror symmetry with the main corner rib. The additional mirrored corner rib may form an X-shaped configuration with the additional parallel corner rib. The X-shaped configuration may advantageously further increase the rigidity of the crate.

In an embodiment of the crate according to the invention, the mirrored additional corner rib comprises at least one intersection with the main corner rib. Preferably, the mirrored corner rib has two intersections with the main corner rib. The additional corner rib may form a X-shape configuration with the main corner rib. Preferably, the mirrored corner rib is in mirror symmetry about a vertical axis with the main corner rib. Advantageously, the at least one intersection further increases the rigidity or whatever desired allows a further reduction of the total weight of the crate. A further advantage is that a depression in the corner member results from this applied rib structure. The depression is advantageous for binding a layer of crates together. In practise, the layer comprises six crates. Generally a strap is used to bind crates of a top layer on a pallet together. The strap prevents crates from falling of the pallet. The strap can be positioned at the lower or upper depression of the crates. The depression defines a strap location. Due to the depression, the strap cannot shift away and remains in position. In prior art crates, it is often necessary to make a gap or hole in the corner member to position the strap. Such gaps or holes disadvantageously reduce the rigidity of such crate. Advantageously, according to the invention, the depression is available without reducing the rigidity of the crate.

In an embodiment according to the invention, the crate comprises single-walled side walls. Advantageously, the crate may be manufactured by a relatively simple moulding process. The single-walled crate allows high production volumes of about half a million a year which may be necessary to satisfy needs in a market of disposable crates.

In an embodiment of the crate according to the invention, the rib structure of the crate comprises in the middle region of a side wall a pair of horizontally arranged C-shaped ribs. The pair comprises an upper and a lower horizontal C-shaped rib, which are oriented backwards to each other to form together a X-shape configuration. The upper horizontal C- shaped rib comprises C-legs which extend upwards. The lower horizontal C-shaped rib comprises C-legs which extend downwards. The upper and lower horizontal C-shaped rib may be spaced from each other, but preferably, the pair of horizontally arranged C-shaped ribs intersect at a centre position in the middle region of a side wall. Advantageously, the lower horizontal C-shape rib supports the upper horizontal C-shape rib to overcome vertical loads on the crate.

In an embodiment of the crate according to the invention a C-leg of a horizontal arranged C-shaped rib intersects with a C-shaped corner rib. The C-shaped corner rib may be an additional or main corner rib. Advantageously, the corner rib contributes to the rigidity of the horizontal C-shaped rib. Loads can be effectively transferred to a corner member. This may increase the total rigidity of the crate and may allow a further reduction of mass of the crate.

In an embodiment the crate has a circumferential upper flanged edge at the open top face. The upper horizontal C-shaped rib may be connected to the upper flanged edge. The C-legs may be connected to the upper flanged edge. In an embodiment of the crate according to the invention, the upper horizontal C-shaped rib is connected to the upper flanged edge of the side wall by vertical straight ribs. The upper flanged edge may support the upper horizontal C-shaped rib. Advantageously, the upper flanged edge of the crate contributes to the rigidity of the crate.

In an embodiment of the crate according to the invention, the middle region of a side wall is open worked and the side region of a side wall is solid. The open worked region contributes to a further lightweight design, while the solid side region contributes to an increased rigidity of the crate.

Further preferred embodiments are defined in the subclaims.

The invention will be explained in more detail with reference to the appended drawings. The drawings show a practical embodiment according to the invention, which may not be interpreted as limiting the scope of the invention. Specific features may also be considered apart from the shown embodiment and may be taken into account in a broader context as a delimiting feature, not only for the shown embodiment but as a common feature for all embodiments falling within the scope of the appended claims, in which: Fig. 1 shows in a perspective view a preferred embodiment of a crate according to the invention;

Fig. 2a shows in a side view a longitudinal side wall of a crate according to the invention including a simple rib structure;

Fig. 2b shows in a side view a crate according to the invention, wherein the rib structure is reinforced by additional corner ribs;

Fig. 3A shows in a side view a lateral side wall including reinforced corner members; Fig. 3B shows in a side view a lateral side wall including reinforced corner members; and

Fig. 4 shows the crate of Fig. 1 in a top view.

Fig. 1 shows in a perspective view a crate 1 according to the invention. The crate 1 is an injection mould crate. The crate 1 is a one piece crate, in which a floor 9 and side walls 2,3 are mould in one piece. The crate 1 is made out of plastic, in particular out of HDPE. The crate 1 has a weight of at most 1.5kg. An integrated rib structure provides rigidity to the crate 1 to withstand high loads. High loads may e.g. occur during stacking of fully loaded crates of about 25kg. In practise up to thirty crates may be stacked. The crate 1 according to the invention is relatively lightweight and due to the rib structure satisfies under severe conditions.

The crate 1 has an open top face for receiving products. Possibly, a lid may be provided to cover the open top face. The crate 1 has an open inner space. The open inner space has an inner volume of at least 0.04m³ and at most 0.08m³. In particular, the crate is designed to carry agricultural goods, like bulbs.

The crate 1 has a rectangular shape. The crate 1 has four substantially flat side walls which form four corners. The crate 1 has a length dimension of about 600mm, a width dimension of about 400mm and a height dimension of about 250mm. The crate 1 has two longitudinal side walls and two lateral side walls. The floor 9 and side walls 2,3,4,5 have an open worked configuration. In particular, the floor 9 and side walls have a mesh like configuration.

The floor 9 is fixedly connected to the side walls. The floor 9 is fixedly connected to the side walls by struts 62 which are positioned at a lower region of a corner member. The struts 62 are configured to solidly fix the side walls to the floor 9. The struts 62 extend inwards away from the side wall into the open inner space.

The crate 1 has an upper flanged edge 7 at the top face. The upper flanged edge 7 circumferences the crate 1. The flanged edge 7 is a circumferential rib which provides rigidity to the side walls. The upper flanged edge 7 has a depression in a middle region at the longitudinal and lateral side wall. The upper flanged edge has an elevation at a side region at the corners of the crate 1. The crate 1 is stackable. If a crate is stacked onto another crate, due to the elevations at the corners a resulting vertical load is exerted onto the corners of an underlying crate.

The crate 1 has a lower flanged edge 8. The lower flanged edge 8 circumferences the crate 1. The lower flanged edge 8 is a circumferential rib which provides rigidity to the crate 1. At the longitudinal side wall the lower flanged edge 8 has a flange portion 81 which has a reduced flange height. In other words, at the longitudinal side wall, the lower flanged edge has a recess.

The crate 1 has some functional elements. The crate 1 has grip openings 41 ,51 for a manual handling of the crate 1. The grip openings are provided in the lateral side walls 4,5 in an upper region. In the longitudinal side wall, the crate 1 has at least one enlarged opening adjacent the upper flanged edge. The corner of the crate 1 is defined by a corner member 6. The corner member 6 is formed by two side regions of an adjacent longitudinal 3 and lateral side wall 4. The side regions of the side walls which define the corner member 6 are solid. The corner member 6 has an inner and outer corner surface. The corner member 6 has an inner and outer corner edge in respectively the inner and outer corner surface defined by an intersection of a longitudinal and lateral side wall.

The corner member comprises at least one pair of reinforcing main corner ribs 632. The main corner ribs 632 are provided at the outer surface of the corner member. The pair of main corner ribs has one main corner rib 632A positioned at the longitudinal side wall 3 and one main corner rib 632B positioned at the lateral side wall 4. The main corner rib 632 is at least partially spaced from the corner edge. The main corner rib 632 extends from the lower flanged edge 8 to the upper flanged edge 7. The main corner rib 632 extends from the floor 9 to the open top face. The main corner rib 632 has an origin which is positioned at the floor 9 of the crate 1 and a main corner rib end 632, which is positioned at the top face of the crate 1.

Beside the pair of main corner ribs, the corner member may be further reinforced by additional corner ribs 631 ,633. A pair of C-shaped corner ribs 631 ,632,633 of the corner member 6 comprises corner ribs which are directed to each other or from each other, but not in parallel to each other. The corner ribs of a pair are arranged in mirror symmetry about a vertical plane. The vertical plane of mirror symmetry extends through the outer corner edge of the corner member 6. The side region is delimited from the middle region of the side wall by a most far from the corner edge positioned corner rib.

The shown corner ribs are arched corner ribs. The corner ribs are C-shaped. The corner ribs are singular arched, which means that the corner ribs are arched in only one direction. The corner ribs are single bended and not multiple bended e.g. S-bended. The corner rib of the corner member extends in an upwards direction which is from the floor 9 to the top face of the crate 1. The C-shaped corner rib has C-legs which extend from the floor 9 to the upper edge 7 of the crate. The corner rib bends to or away from the corner edge. The corner ribs does not extend purely vertical but the corner rib is oblique with respect to the corner edge. The corner ribs are directed in both an upwards and a sidewards direction. The sidewards direction is a direction in a side wall which is traverse to the upward direction. The sidewards direction is a direction which is defined from one corner to an opposite corner in the side wall.

The longitudinal side wall is further shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 2A shows an embodiment of the longitudinal side wall having a singular rib structure including one pair of corner ribs. Fig. 2B shows an embodiment of the longitudinal side wall having a further reinforced rib structure, wherein additional pairs of corner ribs 631 ,633 are provided. Fig. 2A shows a side view of a longitudinal side wall 3 of the crate 1. The side wall has a lower and upper outer edge 7,8 which is flanged. The side wall has a left and right corner edge. The side wall has a mesh shaped configuration in a middle region. The side regions of the side wall are solid.

The middle region of the side wall is reinforced by a plurality of ribs. The middle region is reinforced by a pair of two horizontally arranged C-shaped ribs 31 ,32. The pair of horizontally arranged C-shaped ribs comprises an upper horizontally arranged C-shaped rib and a lower arranged C-shaped rib. The paired upper and lower horizontally arranged C- shaped ribs are oriented backwards to each other, wherein the ribs intersect at a centre position in the middle region. The C-legs of the ribs 31 ,32 extend away from the centre position to the outer edges of the side wall. The pair of horizontally arranged C-shaped ribs form a X-shape rib structure. The X-shape rib structure has bended legs which extend away from the centre position.

The upper positioned horizontally arranged C-shape rib is reinforced by at least one vertical straight rib. The upper positioned horizontally arranged C-shape rib 32 is connected to the upper outer edge by two vertical straight ribs. The vertical straight ribs 321 ,322 are spaced from each other and symmetrically positioned with respect to centre position of the X-shape rib structure.

The side region of the side wall is reinforced by at least one vertically arranged C- shaped corner rib 632A, which is a main corner rib. The vertically arranged C-shaped corner rib extends about substantially the whole height of the side wall. The main corner rib extends from the lower to the upper edge of the side wall. The main C-shaped corner rib has C-legs with ends which are connected to the ends of the horizontally arranged C-shaped ribs. The vertically and horizontally arranged C-shaped ribs of the side wall are connected to each other at the outer edges. The main corner rib has one end in an upper region of the side wall which is connected to an upper positioned leg of the X-shape rib structure and one end in the lower region of the side wall which is connected to an lower positioned leg of the X- shape rib structure.

The main corner rib 632A has a centre position which is positioned at the corner edge. The main corner rib has C-legs which extend away from the corner edge. The vertically arranged C-shaped rib 632A of the longitudinal side wall is contacted at the centre position by another vertically arranged C-shaped rib 632B which is positioned at the lateral side wall, see Fig. 3. The vertically arranged main corner ribs 632A.632B form a first pair or corner ribs which reinforce the corner member 6.

Fig. 2B shows in a side view a further reinforced rib structure on the longitudinal side wall. The rib structure is reinforced by additional first and second corner ribs 631A and 633A. The additional corner ribs are also C-shaped. The additional corner ribs are identical in shape to the main corner rib. The additional corner rib 631A is positioned most far away from the corner edge. The C-legs of the most far away corner rib 631A bend away from the corner edge. The most far away corner rib is positioned in parallel with the main corner rib 632A. The ends of the C-legs of additional corner rib 631A are connected to the ends of the rib structure in the middle region. The most far away corner rib 631A is supported at its centre position by the second additional C-shaped corner rib 633A which is positioned in mirror symmetry. The C-legs of the supporting corner rib 633A extend towards the corner edge. The supporting corner rib 633A intersects the most far away corner rib 631A at its centre posion. Additionally, the C-legs of the supporting corner rib 633A intersect with the C- legs of the main corner rib 632A. The intersection of the main corner rib 632A with the additional corner rib 633A provides an increased rigidity.

Fig. 3A shows a side view of a lateral side wall 4 of the crate 1. The lateral side wall 4 comprises a lateral rib structure including corner ribs 631 B,632B,633B, horizontal ribs 41 1 ,412,415, vertical ribs 413,414,423,424, and outer flanged edges 7,8. The structure of the corner ribs is substantially the same as the structure shown in Fig. 2B which relates to the longitudinal side wall. The main corner rib 632B forms together with the main corner rib 632A a pair of reinforcing ribs for reinforcing the corner member 6.

The lateral side wall has a middle region which is reinforced with the horizontal and vertical ribs and flanged edges. The horizontal ribs and flanged edges are connected to the most far away positioned corner rib 631 B. The upper flanged edge has a oblique part which is connected to the corner rib 631 B. The middle region is open worked. The side regions are solid.

The horizontal and vertical ribs of the lateral rib structure define functional elements in the lateral side wall. Here, the functional elements are a grip opening 41 and a label pocket 42. The label pocket is positioned below the grip opening. The grip opening 41 is defined by horizontal ribs 41 1 ,412 which extends along horizontal edges of a grip opening 41. Two vertical ribs 413,414 are positioned at vertical edges of the grip opening 41. The label pocket 42 is delimited by vertical ribs 423,424. Corner flaps 4291 and 4292 are provided to enclose a label in the label pocket and provide further rigidity to the lateral rib structure. A central flap 4293 further encloses a label. Horizontal rib 415 has a label groove for inserting a label in the label pocket 42.

Fig. 3B shows a side view of the crate as illustrated in Fig. 3A, in which the crate is rotated 45° about a vertical axis. The side view is a projected view at a corner member. Fig. 3B shows a depression which is indicated with an arrow 'P' at a lower and upper region of the corner member 6. The depression results from the applied rib structure. The depression is advantageous for binding a layer of crates together. A strap can be used to bind crates on a pallet together. The strap can be positioned at the lower or upper depression of the crates. Due to the depression, the strap cannot shift away and remains in position. In prior art crates, it is often necessary to make a gap or hole in the corner member to position the strap. Such gaps or holes disadvantageously reduce the rigidity of such crate.

Advantageously, according to the invention, the depression is available without reducing the rigidity of the crate.

Fig. 4 shows in a top view a crate according to the invention. The crate has a polygonal, in particular rectangular, floor 9 which is open worked to reduce weight. The floor 9 is open worked and has a mesh shaped configuration. The floor 9 is subdivided in at least four floor sections with mesh openings by at least two crossing floor ribs. The mesh openings of each floor section are longitudinally shaped and are diagonally directed towards a centre of the floor 9. The floor 9 is solidly fixed to the side walls by struts 62 which are positioned at the corners 6.

Although the invention has been disclosed with reference to particular embodiments, from reading this description those of skilled in the art may appreciate replacements or modifications that may be possible from a technical point of view but which do not depart from the scope of the invention as described above and claimed hereafter. It will be understood by those of skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of the invention. Modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the invention without departing from the essential scope thereof. Therefore, it is intended that the invention not be limited to the particular embodiments disclosed in the above detailed description, but that the invention will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the appended claims.

Thus, the invention provides an improved configuration of a crate including a rib structure which may provide an increased rigidity of the crate and a reduction of necessary plastic material to manufacture the crate.

Claims

1. Crate (1) for storing products, in which the crate (1) comprises a floor (9), a top face and a plurality of angled side walls (2,3,4,5), in which each side wall has a middle region and a side region, in which two adjacent side regions of an adjacent first (3) and second side wall (4) define a corner member (6) including a centrally positioned corner edge, wherein the crate further comprises a rib structure for providing rigidity to the crate, in which the rib structure comprises at the corner member (6) a pair of main corner ribs including a first main corner rib (632A) positioned at the first side wall (3) and a second main corner rib (632B) positioned at the second side wall (4), in which the main corner ribs extend upwards from the floor to the top face, characterised in that the main corner ribs are C-shaped, wherein the main corner ribs (632A) have C-legs which extend away from the corner edge.

2. Crate according to claim 1 , the C-shape main corner rib has a hyperbolic shape.

3. Crate according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the first main corner rib (632A) intersects with the second main corner rib (632B) at a centre region.

4. Crate according to any of the claim 1-3, wherein the first and second main corner rib (632A.632B) are arranged in mirror symmetry.

5. Crate according to any of the claims 1-3, wherein the corner member (6) comprises at least one additional pair of additional C-shaped corner ribs (631 ,633).

6. Crate according to claim 5, wherein the additional corner rib is a parallel corner rib (631) which is arranged in parallel with the main corner rib (632).

7. Crate according to claim 5, wherein the additional corner rib is a mirrored corner rib (633A) which is positioned in mirror symmetry with the main corner rib (632A).

8. Crate according to claim 6 or 7, wherein the mirrored corner rib (633A) comprises at least one intersection with the main corner rib (632A).

9. Crate according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the rib structure comprises in the middle region of a side wall (2,3) a pair of horizontally arranged C-shaped ribs (31 ,32), wherein the pair comprises an upper and a lower horizontal C-shaped rib, which are oriented backwards to each other to form together a X-shape configuration.

10. Crate according to claim 9, wherein the pair of horizontally arranged C-shaped ribs (31 ,32) intersect at a centre position in the middle region of a side wall.

1 1. Crate according to claim 9 or 10, wherein a C-leg of a horizontal arranged C-shaped 5 rib intersects with a C-shaped corner rib.

12. Crate according to any of the claims 9-1 1 , wherein the upper horizontal C-shaped rib is connected to an upper flanged edge (7) of the side wall by vertical straight ribs (321 ,322).

10 13. Crate according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the middle region of a side wall is open worked and wherein the side region of a side wall is solid.

14. Crate according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the crate is an injection mould crate out of one piece.