WO2016096657A1

WO2016096657A1 - Container having a four-bar-linkage flap

Info

Publication number: WO2016096657A1
Application number: PCT/EP2015/079445
Authority: WO
Inventors: John Huizingh
Original assignee: Schoeller Allibert Gmbh
Priority date: 2014-12-18
Filing date: 2015-12-11
Publication date: 2016-06-23
Also published as: DE102014119002A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a container (2) for transporting and storing objects, comprising a bottom (4) and side walls (6) extending from the bottom (4), of which at least one side wall (6-1) has a side wall element (10) articulated thereto, which can be transferred from a first position, in which the side wall element is in the side wall plane and completes the side wall (6-1), into a second position parallel to the side wall plane in order to open a part of the side wall (6-1) laterally. According to the invention, the side wall element (10) is connected to the side wall (6-1) in the form of a four-bar linkage by means of at least one linkage-bar pair (14) in such a way that the side wall element (10) can be transferred from the first position into the second position in an orientation parallel to the side wall plane.

Description

description

Container with four-jointed flap

The present invention relates to a container according to the preamble of claim 1, i. a container, in particular large load carrier or

Large volume container, for the transport and storage of objects having a, in particular rectangular, bottom and from the bottom, in particular perpendicular, extending side walls, of which at least one side wall hinged thereto side wall element, which from a first position in which it is located on the side wall plane and the side wall completes or closes, in a second position parallel to the side wall level position can be moved to release a portion of the side wall to the side.

Such (large-volume) containers or large load carriers are used for transporting and storing various goods in various industries

used. Especially in the case of the large load carriers mentioned above, which are so heavy and so heavy that they have to be lifted and transported by forklift trucks, they have wall elements at least in the region of a side wall, which can either be pivoted outwards or downwards or vertically can be moved down to facilitate loading and unloading of the container.

For example, DE 698 26 757 T2 discloses such a large load carrier in which an upper part of a side wall can be folded outwards and downwards via a hinge. The disadvantage of such a hinged flap is that the flap, if it is to be relatively high and to release a relatively large area of the side wall, requires a correspondingly wide pivoting space for the 180 ° pivoting movement, which is often not available.

From EP 2 030 903 B1, a container is known, in which one side wall has a plurality of articulated side part elements which are connected to one another, which in one Swivel and fold movement release part of the sidewall. Although the space required for swiveling is reduced due to the division into several segments, the entire facial expressions, in particular for large load carriers, are neither sufficiently stable nor easy to manufacture.

From DE 20 2009 018 677 U1, however, a large load carrier is known, which completely dispenses with pivot joints and instead provides a vertically displaceable side wall part. The disadvantage of a displaceable side part is, on the one hand, the complicated design of locking the displaceable side part to prevent the side wall part does not move by gravity down alone, and on the other in the sliding mechanism itself, as such in daily use often difficult is and can easily jam or block.

Against this background, the object of the present invention is to provide a container in which remove a side wall element without large swivel space requirement and low error rate and in a

can bring predetermined open position.

This object is solved by the features of claim 1.

An inventive container, in particular large load carrier, preferably one which is made of plastic, which is suitable for the transport and storage of objects, has a, in particular rectangular, bottom and from the bottom, in particular perpendicular, extending side walls, in particular four side walls , on. In this case, a side wall element hinged thereto is provided on at least one side wall, which can be transferred from a first (closed) position, in which it is located in the side wall plane and completes or closes the side wall, into a second (open) position parallel to the side wall plane to release a portion of the sidewall to the side.

According to the invention, the side wall element via at least one Gelenkarmpaar, preferably two pairs of articulated arms, connected to the corresponding side wall or coupled thereto, that the side wall element in a to Side wall parallel orientation (vertical orientation) can be converted from the first position to the second position. In other words, the side wall, the two articulated arms and the side wall element coupling the two articulated arms form a four-link coupling mechanism or a simple four-bar linkage, in which the

Side wall element forms the coupling between the two formed as an articulated arm gear members.

Due to the articulated connection between the articulated arms and the

Side member on the one hand and the side wall on the other hand, it is possible that the side wall element in an orientation parallel to the side wall, i. can be pivoted out of the side wall or the side wall plane in a substantially vertical or perpendicular to the ground orientation and can be pivoted downwards or upwards.

In this way, a single side wall element with a high height or vertical extension compared to a classic hinge joint described above can be substantially closer to the container side wall in the open position.

Due to the joints, the side wall element can also very easily and easily transfer from the first or closed to the second or open position and vice versa, without running the risk of jamming any parts together as in a sliding mechanism.

Finally, the articulation according to the invention via a four-bar linkage or a coupling gear is much more stable than that known from the prior art

Folding mechanism.

According to one aspect, the at least one articulated arm pair may comprise a first, in particular upper, articulated arm and a second, in particular lower, articulated arm whose pivot articulation axes are each arranged, in particular in container height direction, parallel to each other on the sidewall and the sidewall element and together with the sidewall and the Sidewall element define a parallelogram or a four-bar linkage with four hinges.

According to one aspect, the side wall element may be pivotable outwardly and downwardly when transferring from the first to the second position and that

Said side wall element in the second position on the outer surface of the side wall or be oriented parallel to the side wall plane. Thus it stands

Side wall element in the second position or in the open position not away from the side wall or protrudes from this, so that the space requirement of

Sidewall element in the open position is minimal. Further, it prevents anybody or anything from getting caught on the protruding sidewall member and being injured or damaging the sidewall member. The inventive coupling of the side wall member via a four-bar or a pair of arm allows this vertical or parallel to the side wall orientation of the side wall member in the second (open) position, regardless of the wall thickness of the side wall or the side wall member and regardless of the placement of the joints.

According to one aspect, the at least one articulated arm pair in the

Sidewall element surface to be hinged, i. not on the margins of the

Sidewall element, but in an area between the side edges. This can ensure that the side wall element can extend over the entire width of the side wall and no lateral space for the joint assemblies is lost. As a result, the opening of the container not only in vertical or

Height direction, but also maximized in the width direction.

In one aspect, the articulated arms of a pair of articulated arms may be laterally offset from each other. In other words, the pivot planes of the two articulated arms can be shifted one above the other in parallel. This ensures that the two articulated arms in each pivot position, especially not in the first and / or second position obstruct each other or touch and block each other. According to one aspect, depressions may be formed in the side wall element and / or the side wall in which the pivot joints can be accommodated on the one hand and the pivot arms in their end positions, ie in the first position and in the second position, dip into these depressions and can be included in it. As a result, on the one hand, the pivoting range of the articulated arms is increased and, on the other hand, it is ensured that, in particular in the first (closed) position, the articulated arms are received flush on the outside and on the inside in the recesses of the side wall or the side wall element and the articulated arms not about the rest of the outside or

Protrude inside wall surface. As a result, on the one hand, it is achieved that a plurality of containers according to the invention are placed close together, i. On the other hand, the articulated arms can not reduce the inner packing size or volume of the container.

In one aspect, the recesses formed in the sidewall may ramp down into the sidewall outer surface. This ensures that the container is easier to clean and no dirt accumulates in the recesses. Furthermore, these ramps also form one

Swivel limiter for the articulated arms, especially in the second position.

In one aspect, the sidewall member in the first one closes

(Closed) position flush with a circumferential upper edge of the at least one side wall or with an upper edge of adjacent side walls. Thus, the sidewall element may be an upper sidewall edge portion. Alternatively, a lower-lying section, z. B. a central portion to be pivoted from the side wall by means of the four-bar link according to the invention from a closed to an open position.

According to one aspect, the side wall itself, on which the

Side panel is hinged, a pivotable side wall, which is articulated, for example, with a bottom part of the container to fold the side wall and the other side walls of the container in the empty state one above the other inward to the return transport or storage of the container as possible to save space. The side wall can also be detachably connected to the bottom part and thus be removable (together with the side wall element).

According to one aspect, latching or locking means may be provided on the side wall element and / or the at least one side wall, which optionally cooperate to releasably lock the side wall element, in particular in the first position. This can be done by locking lugs or spring elements. This will ensure that the sidewall element does not fall by itself, e.g. B. during transport, falls from the first to the second position.

According to one aspect of the invention, at least one of the joints of the at least one pair of articulated arms may comprise a damping element which controls the pivoting movement of the side wall element in at least one direction,

preferably in the direction of the second position, dampens. In this way, the side member can be opened in a safe and simple manner, without having to be afraid as a user that the side wall element swings quickly down and strikes against the side wall. Thus, the side wall element only needs to be released from the locking or latching in the first position and is then brought about the four-bar linkage and the damping element gently by means of gravity in the second position.

Brief description of the drawings

The invention will be described by means of a preferred embodiment with reference to the following drawings:

Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of a container according to a

preferred embodiment;

Fig. 2 shows the container with a fully downwardly pivoted

Side wall member; Fig. 3A shows a perspective view of the container at the beginning of a

Pivoting movement of the side wall element;

Fig. 3B shows a slightly different perspective view compared to Fig. 3A;

Fig. 4A shows the container according to the invention with an approximately half

pivoted sidewall element;

Fig. 4B shows a slightly different perspective view compared to Fig. 4A;

Fig. 5A is an external perspective view of the sidewall alone with the sidewall member in the first (closed) position;

Fig. 5B shows a perspective view of the side wall corresponding to Fig. 5A;

Fig. 6A is an external perspective view of the sidewall alone with the sidewall member in a mid-pivot position;

Fig. 6B shows a perspective view of the side wall corresponding to Fig. 6A;

Fig. 7A shows an external perspective view of the side wall with the

Sidewall element in an almost completely downwardly pivoted position;

Fig. 7B shows a slightly different perspective view compared to Fig. 7A;

Fig. 8A is an external perspective view of the side wall with the side wall member fully swung down; and

FIG. 8B shows a perspective inside view of the side wall corresponding to FIG. 8A. Detailed Description of a Preferred Embodiment

Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of a container 2 according to the invention, which is a large volume container or a large load carrier. This has a bottom part 4 with a substantially rectangular cross section and four from the bottom part of vertically extending and together forming a circumferential wall side walls 6, which are each hingedly connected to the bottom part 4, so that the side walls 6 in the empty state of the container. 2 can be folded over one inside the other, so as to reduce the height and the transport volume of the container 2 in the empty state. To be able to fold the side walls 6 one above the other, they are articulated to the bottom part 4 at different heights or have correspondingly different joints. The bottom part 4 is further provided with support legs or support skids 8 to the container with a

Lift and transport industrial truck. The container 2 can also be closed by a lid, not shown.

While three of the four side walls 6-2, 6-3, 6-4 are formed in one piece and closed, the container 2 is bounded to one side by a multi-part, more precisely two-part, side wall. More precisely, the amount of

Side wall 6-1 about only two-thirds as high as the other side walls 6-2, 6-3, 6- 4. The upper third is completed by a side wall member 10, so that the side wall 6-1 together with the side wall member 10 flush with the

adjacent sidewalls 6-2 and 6-3 flush at the top.

On the side of the side wall 6-1 is partially in the bottom part 4 and in the side wall 6-1, an opening 12 to the container interior. This breakthrough 12 is provided for a connection of a large-volume fluid hose, not shown, which can be inserted into the container. The filled fluid hose can be emptied via the connection. Of course, the side wall 6-1 or the bottom part 4 can also be closed on this side or have no breakthrough 12 when the container is to be used for transporting or storing other goods and goods. As shown in FIG. 2, the sidewall member 10, which has the same width and wall thickness as the underlying sidewall 6-1, can be brought outwardly and downwardly to a second position which the inner wall of the side wall member 10 flat on the

Outer wall surface of the side wall 6-1 abuts. The transfer of the

Sidewall member 10 from the first (closed) position shown in Figure 1 to the second (open) position shown in Figure 2 is made in a guided manner via two articulated arm pairs 14 through which sidewall member 10 is coupled to sidewall 6-1 is articulated, more precisely articulated. As can be seen from Fig. 2, the Gelenkarmpaare 14 are not hinged to the side edges of the side wall member 10, but in a respective widthwise outer portion of the side wall member 10.

As can be seen in particular from FIG. 3B, each articulated arm pair 14 has an upper articulated arm 16 and a lower articulated arm 18. The upper

Articulated arm 16 Both the upper articulated arm 16 and the lower articulated arm 18 are articulated on the one hand with the side wall 6-1 and on the other hand with the

Side wall element 10 connected. The side wall 6-1, the upper articulated arm 16 hinged thereto, the lower articulated arm 18 also hinged thereto, and the one coupling the two ends of the upper and lower articulated arms 16, 18

Side wall element 10 together form a four-membered coupling mechanism or a simple four-bar linkage. The four joints span a parallelogram, so that over the entire pivoting movement of the side wall member 10, i. From the first position shown in FIG. 1 into the second position shown in FIG. 2, the side wall element 10 and the side wall 6-1 can always remain parallel to one another.

For this purpose, the upper articulated arm 16 in both the side wall 6-1 and on the side wall member 10 is hinged higher (at least in the first position) in the height direction than the lower articulated arm 18. Further, it can be seen from Fig. 3A that the lower articulated arm 18 in the transverse or width direction of the side wall 6-1 and the side wall member 10 to the upper articulated arm 16 is slightly offset laterally, more precisely the lower articulated arm 18 is located farther to the middle of the sidewall than the upper articulated arm 16. The same applies to the other articulated arm pair 14.

In particular, it can also be seen from FIG. 3B that the articulated arms 16 and 18 are articulated on the side wall element 10 via hinge pins 20 which are inserted laterally over the side edge of the side wall element 10. Further, located on the two side edges of the side wall member 10 each have a locking or locking means in the form of a latching nose 22, via which the

Side wall element 10 in the closed (first) position shown in FIG. 1 can be releasably and without tools fixed. The locking lug 22 can each engage in a corresponding recess on the inner edges of the adjacent side walls 6-2 and 6-3. Alternatively, instead of a latch 22 also a

be provided spring-loaded locking element.

While the Fign. 3A and 3B show the sidewall member 10 immediately after release from the sidewall 6-1 and the adjacent sidewalls 6-2 and 6-3, respectively, Figs. 4A and 4B, the sidewall member 10 is approximately midway between the first and second positions.

The maximum distance of the side wall member 10 from the side wall 6-1 is the Gelenkarmlänge L, which is smaller than the vertical height H of

Sidewall element 10 is. Against this background, the radius or the height H of the side wall element 10, but only a pivot space with the Gelenkarmlänge L is not required for pivoting the side wall member 10 as in a normal hinged by a hinge 180 ° flap. Due to the four hinged connections of the side wall element 10 on the side wall 6-1, the side wall element 10 over the entire pivoting movement always remain vertical or parallel to the side wall 6-1, so as to keep the distance to the side wall 6-1 as low as possible.

The Fign. FIGS. 5 to 8 show the side wall 6-1 together with the side wall element 10 alone and in different pivoting positions of the side wall element 10. FIGS. 5A and 5B show the side wall element 10 respectively in the closed and closed position. first position, in which the side wall member 10 lies in the plane of the side wall 6-1 and the side wall 6-1 and the side wall member 10 together form a closed side wall corresponding to the opposite side wall 6-4. From the Fign. 5A and 5B it can be seen that the side wall 6-1 on the lower or the bottom part 4 edge facing three hinge elements or

Hinge elements 24, via which the side wall 6-1 can be releasably and inwardly pivotally attached to the bottom part 4.

Furthermore, the two Gelenkarmpaare 14, each consisting of the upper link arm 16 and the lower link arm 18 can be seen from Fig. 5A. From the in Figs. FIGS. 5A and 5B alone show that the two articulated arms 16 and 18 are also laterally in the

Side wall 6-1 introduced hinge pins 22 on the side wall 6-1 hingedly connected or coupled.

In addition, it can be seen that on the outer side of the side wall 6-1 (see FIG. 5A) respectively vertically extending recesses 26 or depressions are provided, in which the articulated arms 16 and 18 in the in FIGS. 5A and 5B closed positions are fully and flush with the outer surface of the side wall 6-1 are added. The same applies on the side of the side wall element 10, wherein here corresponding recesses 28 for the articulated arms 16 and 18 on the inside of the side wall member 10 (see Fig. 5B) are provided, so that the articulated arms 16 and 18 also on the inside of the side wall member 10 is not over protrude the inner surface of the side wall member 10. The depressions 26 each have a ramp-shaped outlet on the lower or the bottom part 4 facing side. The recesses 28 formed in the side wall member 10 have a corresponding outlet in the opposite direction, i. on the side facing away from the bottom part 4 side. These ramp-shaped portions also form a kind of stop for the articulated arms 16 and 18 when the side wall member 10 is in the closed position shown in FIG.

The Fign. FIGS. 6 to 8 again show in detail the side wall element 10 in different pivot positions, in which case what has already been said applies here. The invention has been described with reference to a preferred embodiment but is not limited thereto.

Thus, the swivel mimic or four-jointed flap described in connection with a large volume carrier can also be used in smaller transport containers used for other purposes.

Furthermore, the side wall element can also be a middle or an upwardly pivotable lower side wall part, if, for example, access in the lower region of the container is to be facilitated.

Furthermore, several, e.g. two opposite, or all

Side walls should be provided with such a four-bar flap.

Claims

claims

1 . Container (2), in particular large load carrier, for the transport and storage of objects, with a, in particular rectangular, bottom (4) and from the bottom (4) of itself, in particular perpendicular, extending side walls (6), of which at least one side wall ( 6-1) has a side wall element (10) hinged thereto, which can be moved from a first position in which it is located in the side wall plane and completes the side wall (6-1) into a second position parallel to the side wall plane Part of the side wall (6-1) to the side release,

characterized in that

the side wall element (10) in the form of a four-bar linkage is connected to the side wall (6-1) via at least one articulated arm pair (14) such that the side wall element (10) can be transferred from the first position to the second position in an orientation parallel to the side wall plane ,

2. Container (2) according to claim 1, characterized in that the articulated arm pair (14) has a first, in particular upper, articulated arm (16) and a second, in particular lower, articulated arm (18), whose pivot articulation axes respectively, in particular in container height direction, Spaced parallel to each other on the side wall (6-1) and the side wall member (10) are arranged and together with the side wall (6-1) and the side wall member (10) define a parallelogram.

3. Container (2) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the side wall element (10) during transfer from the first to the second position outwardly and downwardly pivotable and the side wall element (10) in the second position flat on the outer surface the side wall (6-1) is applied.

4. Container (2) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the articulated arms (16, 18) of the Gelenkarmpaars (14) are laterally offset from each other.

5. Container (2) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the articulated arms (16, 18) in the first and / or second position in accordance formed in the side wall member (10) and / or the side wall (6-1) Recesses (26, 28), in particular flush, are added.

6. Container (2) according to claim 5, characterized in that in the side wall (6-1) formed recesses (26) transition down ramp form in the side wall outer surface.

7. Container (2) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the side wall element (10) in the first position with a peripheral upper edge of the at least one side wall (6-1) or adjacent side walls (6-2, 6-3 ) flush.

8. Container (2) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the at least one side wall (6-1) is articulated and / or releasably connected to the bottom (4).

9. Container (2) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that on the side wall element (10) and / or the at least one side wall (6-1) optionally cooperating latching or locking means (22), in particular latching noses, are provided, to releasably fix the sidewall member (10) in the first position.

10. Container (2) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one of the joints of the at least one Gelenkarmpaars (14) comprises a damping element which dampens the pivotal movement of the side wall member (10) at least in one direction.