Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
  • B65D11/00—Containers having bodies formed by interconnecting or uniting two or more rigid, or substantially rigid, components made wholly or mainly of plastics material
  • B65D11/18—Containers having bodies formed by interconnecting or uniting two or more rigid, or substantially rigid, components made wholly or mainly of plastics material collapsible, i.e. with walls hinged together or detachably connected
  • B65D11/1833—Containers having bodies formed by interconnecting or uniting two or more rigid, or substantially rigid, components made wholly or mainly of plastics material collapsible, i.e. with walls hinged together or detachably connected whereby all side walls are hingedly connected to the base panel

Definitions

• the present patent application for industrial invention relates to an improved stackable interlocking collapsible crate.
• the collapsible crate according to the invention has been devised after a critical examination of the drawbacks related with the storage and 5 the transportation of the collapsible crates with collapsible sides of the prior art.
• a collapsible crate according to the prior art is provided with a bottom wall with a quadrangular shape, preferably a rectangular shape, which comprises an upper side and a lower side.
• said crate is provided with a pair of longitudinal sides and a pair of transverse sides; each side comprising an internal side and an external side.
• Each collapsible side comprises a lower border that is hinged to said bottom wall in such a way that each side can be in an operating is position, wherein said side is orthogonal to said bottom wall, and an idle position, wherein said side collapses on top of said bottom wall, in adjacent parallel position relative to said bottom wall.
• the sides When the sides are in operating position, together with the bottom wall, they define a compartment that is suitable for containing fruit and 20 vegetable products, food products and the like.
• the collapsible crates according to the prior art are provided with male centering means disposed on the lower side of the bottom wall, and with female centering means disposed on the external side of at least one pair of sides, which are suitably configured in such a way to be coupled with said male centering means.
• the male centering means and the female centering means are configured in such a way that two identical crates 5 with collapsed sides can be disposed one on top of the other, in the same direction, without sliding off.
• the crates For the storage and the transportation of said crates, the crates must be disposed in a set of adjacent stacks that are positioned on a transporting surface, such as for example a pallet, are stabilized and are is fixed to the pallet.
• a transporting surface such as for example a pallet
• the crates are tied together by means of strings, elastic straps and the like.
• EP0759400 and EP0928745 disclose collapsible containers 20 comprising one base and four collapsible side walls, which can be moved between an operating position, wherein each collapsible side wall is perpendicular to the base, and an idle position, wherein each collapsible side wall is parallel to the base.
• the purpose of the present invention is to remedy the drawbacks 25 of the prior art by devising a collapsible crate that is suitably configured in order to be steadily disposed on top of an identical collapsible crate during storage or transportation in order to obtain a stack of crates with a much higher stability compared to a stack of crates obtained with collapsible crates of the prior art.
• the collapsible crate of the invention is defined by claim 1.
• Fig. 1 is an axonometric view of the collapsible crate according to a first embodiment of the invention, wherein the sides are in operating position.
• FIG. 10 - Fig. 1A is an axonometric view of the collapsible crate according to a second embodiment of the invention, wherein the sides are in operating position.
• Fig. 2 is an axonometric view of the collapsible crate according to the first embodiment of the invention, wherein the sides are 15 in idle condition.
• Fig. 2A is an axonometric view of the collapsible crate according to the second embodiment of the invention, wherein the sides are in idle condition.
• Fig. 3 is a top view of the collapsible crate of Fig. 2;
• FIG. 20 - Fig. 3A is a top view of the collapsible crate of Fig. 2A;
• Figs. 4 and 5 are a bottom view and an axonometric bottom view of the collapsible crate according to the invention, respectively;
• Fig. 6 is a top view of a layer of a stack of collapsible 25 crates according to the first embodiment of the invention
• Fig. 7 is a bottom view of a layer of the stack of collapsible crates, which is intended to be disposed on top of the layer shown in Fig. 6;
• Fig. 8 is a sectional view of a stack of crates obtained with 30 the collapsible crates according to the first embodiment of the invention; said stack of crates being sectioned with a horizontal plane passing through the male centering means of a layer of crates;
• Fig. 9 is an enlarged view of the detail contained in the circle P1 of Fig. 3;
• Fig. 10 is an enlarged view of the detail contained in the circle P2 of Fig. 3A;
• FIG. 11 is an enlarged view of the detail contained in the circle P3 of Fig. 4, wherein said detail is rotated by 90° in clockwise direction relative to its direction in Fig. 4;
• Fig. 12 is a sectional view of a stack of crates obtained with the collapsible crates according to the second embodiment of the 10 invention; said stack of crates being sectioned with a horizontal plane passing through the male centering means of a layer of crates;
• Fig. 13 is a top view of a layer of the stack of collapsible crates according to a second embodiment of the invention.
• Fig. 14 is a bottom view of a layer of the stack of is collapsible crates according to the second embodiment of the invention, which is intended to be disposed on top of the layer shown in Fig. 13.
• a collapsible crate according to the invention is disclosed, which is generally indicated with reference letter (C).
• the collapsible crate (C) according to the invention comprises a bottom wall (10), which is shown in Fig. 4 and 5; said bottom wall (10) comprises an upper side, a lower side (10b) and four corners (18a, 18b, 18c, 18d).
• the collapsible crate (C) according to the invention comprises 25 male centering means (3a, 3b, 3c, 3d) disposed on said lower side (10b) of the bottom wall (10).
• the male centering means (3a, 3b, 3c, 3d) consist in four feet (3a, 3b, 3c, 3d), each of them being disposed in a corner (18a, 18b, 18c, 18d) of the bottom wall (10).
• each foot has an L-shape and is provided with a longitudinal side (31 , 32) and a transverse side (33).
• the longitudinal side (31 , 32) and the transverse side (33) are separated.
• the longitudinal side (31 , 32) comprises two separate aligned sections, of which a first section (31 ) disposed in proximal position relative to the transverse side (33) and a second section (32) disposed 5 in distal position relative to said transverse side (33).
• the second section (32) of the longitudinal side (31 , 32) is longer than the first section (31 ) of the longitudinal side (31 , 32).
• the crate comprises a longitudinal axis (Y-Y) and a transverse axis (X-X) that is perpendicular to said 10 longitudinal axis (Y-Y).
• the transverse axis (X-X) is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis
• the collapsible crate (C) comprises one pair of collapsible longitudinal sides (11 , 12) and one pair 15 of collapsible transverse sides (13, 14).
• Each pair of collapsible sides comprises two identical collapsible sides in opposite position.
• Each collapsible crate (11 , 12, 13, 14) comprises a lower border hinged to the bottom wall (10) and a free border (11c, 12c, 13c, 14c).
• each collapsible side (1 1 , 12, 13, 14) can be in an operating position, wherein said collapsible side (11 , 12, 13, 14) is perpendicular to the bottom wall (10), and in an idle position, wherein the collapsible side (11 ,12, 13, 14) is collapsed and parallel to the bottom wall (10), as shown in Fig. 2 and 2A.
• the collapsible sides (11 , 12, 13, 14) are hinged to the bottom wall (10) in such a way that when the collapsible sides (11 , 12, 13, 14) are in idle position, the pair of transverse sides (13, 14) is disposed between the pair of longitudinal sides (11 , 12) and the bottom wall (10).
• each collapsible side (11 ,12, 30 13, 14) comprises a first side, which faces said bottom wall (10) when said collapsible side (11 , 12, 13, 14) is in idle position, and a second side (41 , 42, 43, 44) in opposite direction relative to said first side.
• the collapsible crate (C) comprises a compartment (V) defined by said collapsible sides (11 , 12, 13, 14) and the bottom wall (10) when the collapsible sides (11 , 12, 13, 14) are in operating position.
• the collapsible crate (C) is provided with an opening (A) obtained on each collapsible side of the pair of collapsible transverse sides (13, 14), which is suitable for acting as handle to lift the collapsible crate (C).
• the collapsible crate (C) also comprises female centering means (2) that are suitable for cooperating with the male centering means (3) disposed on the bottom wall (10).
• said female centering means (2) are disposed on the second side (11 b, 12b) of the collapsible sides of the pair of collapsible longitudinal sides (11 , 12).
• the female centering means (2) are configured in such a way that a male centering means (3a, 3b, 3c, 3d) of an upper collapsible crate (C) can be inserted in different positions in a female centering means (2) of an identical lower collapsible crate (C) when the two identical collapsible crates are rotated by 90°.
• said female centering means (2) are configured in such a way to insert a male centering means (3) in a female centering means (2) when the two collapsible crates (C) are disposed in the same direction, as well as to insert a male centering means (3) in a female centering means (2)
• the female centering means (2) comprise three“U”-shaped housings (2a, 2b, 2c), of which two lateral housings (2a, 2b) and one central housing (2c).
• Said“U”-shaped housings (2a, 2b, 2c) have a concavity directed towards the free border (11c, 12c) of the collapsible side (11 ,12) and comprise two parallel sections (22, 23, 24, 25) and one transverse section (21 , 26) disposed in the proximity of the hinged border of the collapsible side (11 ,12).
• the two lateral sides (2a, 2b, 2c) are symmetrical relative to a vertical plane passing through the transverse axis (X-X) and comprise a long parallel section (22) and a short parallel section (23) in adjacent position to the central housing (2c).
• the three housings (2a, 2b, 2c) are 5 equally spaced.
• the parallel sections (24, 25) of the central housing (2c) comprise a main section (24) that extends from the transverse section (26) towards the free border (11 c, 12c); the length of the main section (24) is equal to the length of the short parallel section 10 (23) of the lateral housings (2a, 2b).
• the parallel sections (24, 25) of the central housing (2c) also comprise a separate section (25).
• the length of the separate section (25) is equal to the length of the first section (31 ) of the foot (3a, 3b, 3c, 3d) of the male centering 15 means (3).
• the main section (24) and the separate ending section (25) cover a total distance that is equal to the length of the long parallel side (22) of the lateral housings (2a, 2b).
• a distance (d) is provided between the 20 transverse side (33) of each foot (3a, 3b, 3c, 3d) and the first section (31 ) of the longitudinal side (31 , 32) of the foot (3a, 3b, 3c, 3d), whereas with reference to Figs. 9 and 10, a distance (D, D1 ) is provided between one end (E) of the long parallel section (23) of one of the housings (2a, 2b, 2c) of the female centering means (2) and the free border (11c, 12c) 25 of a collapsible side of the pair of longitudinal collapsible sides (11 , 12).
• said“IG- 30 shaped housings (2a, 2b, 2c) of the female centering means (2) comprise an ending section (28) that is parallel to the transverse section (21 , 26) and is disposed in the proximity of the free border (11c, 12c, 13c, 14c) of the collapsible edge (11 , 12, 13, 14), as shown in Fig. 10.
• the length of said ending section (28) is equal to or higher than the transverse section (33) of the feet (3a, 3b, 3c, 3d) of the male 5 centering means (3).
• the long parallel section (23) and the ending section (28) are configured in such a way to house the foot (3a, 3b, 3c, 3d).
• the collapsible crate (C) comprises a free border (11c, 12c) that is different from the free border (11c, 12c) of the collapsible crate (C) of Figs. 1 , 2 and 3.
• the free border (11c, 12c) of the collapsible sides (11 , 12) of the pair of collapsible longitudinal sides (11 , 12) of the is collapsible crate (C) comprises a set of projections (S) and a set of recesses (R), as shown in Figs.
• said projections (S) and recesses (R) are configured in such a way that, when said collapsible sides (11 , 12) are in idle position, the projections (S) of the free border (11c, 12c) of a collapsible side (11 , 12) are inserted in the recesses (R) 20 of the free border (11c, 12c) of the collapsible side (11 , 12) in opposite position.
• the set of recesses (R) and the set of projections (S) of a free border (11c, 12c) of a collapsible side are configured in such a way to define a complementary profile relative to the profile 25 defined by the projections (S) and by the recesses (R) of the collapsible side in opposite position.
• the set of projections (S) and the set of recesses (R) generate a set of 30 spaces defined by the bottom wall (10) of an upper collapsible crate (C) and by the recesses (R) of a lower collapsible crate (C), in such a way to see and check the contents of the lower collapsible crate (C).
• the length of the pairs of collapsible longitudinal sides (11 , 12) is equal to 3/2 of the length of the collapsible transverse sides (13, 14).
• the 3:2 ratio between the length of the collapsible longitudinal 5 sides and the length of the collapsible transverse sides is calculated in such a way to form a stack of crates that comprises an overlapped set of layers (Q1 , Q2) of crates (C1 , C2, C3, C4, C5, C10, C20, C30, C40, C50), wherein each layer (Q1 , Q2) comprises five crates (C1 , C2, C3, C4, C5, C10, C20, C30, C40, C50).
• the crates (C1 , C2, C3, C4, C5, C10, C20, C30, C40,
• each layer (Q1 , Q2) have each collapsible side (11 , 12, 13, 14) in idle position.
• the five crates (C1 , C2, C3, C4, C5, C10, C20, C30, C40, C50) of each layer (Q1 , Q2) are disposed in 15 such a way that three crates (C3, C4, C5; C30, C40, C50) are disposed side by side and have the longitudinal axis (Y3-Y3, Y4-Y4, Y5-Y5; Y30- Y30, Y40-Y40, Y50-Y50) in parallel position, and two crates (C1 , C2; C10, C20) are disposed in series with longitudinal axis (Y1 -Y1 , Y2-Y2; Y10-Y10, Y20-Y20) in coincident perpendicular position relative to the 20 longitudinal axes (Y3-Y3, Y4-Y4, Y5-Y5; Y30-Y30, Y40-Y40, Y50-Y
• Each layer (Q1 ; Q2) comprises a first crate (C1 ; C10) and a second crate (C2; C20) disposed in series, and a third crate (C3; C30), a fourth crate (C4; C40) and a fifth crate (C5; C50) in parallel position.
• each crate (C1 , C2, C3, C4, C5, C10, C20, C30, C40, C50) of the layers (Q1 , Q2), the four feet of the male centering means (3) disposed on the bottom walls (10) of each crate (C1 , C2, C3, C4, C5, C10, C20, C30, C40, C50) will be defined as first foot (310a, 320a, 330a, 340a, 350a), second foot 30 (310b, 320b, 330b, 340b, 350b), third foot (310c, 320c, 330c, 340c,
• first lateral housing 210a, 220a, 230a, 240a, 250a
• second lateral housing 210b, 220b, 230b, 240b, 250b
• Fig. 6 is a top view of the lower layer (Q1 ), whereas Fig. 7 is a bottom view of the upper layer (Q2).
• the two layers (Q1 , Q2) shown in Fig. 6 and 7 are directed in such a way to be disposed one on top of the other, rotated by 180°, as shown in Fig. 8.
• Figs. 6, 7 and 8 describe the arrangement of the crates (C10, C20, C30, C40, C50) of the upper layer (Q2) on top of the crates (C1 , 10 C2, C3, C4, C5) of the lower layer (Q1 ).
• the first crate (C10) of the upper layer (Q2) is partially disposed on top of the fifth crate (C5) of the lower layer (Q1 ) and partially on top of the fourth crate (C4) of the lower layer (Q1 ).
• first foot and the fourth foot (310a, 31 Od) of the 15 first crate (C10) of the upper layer (Q2) are respectively inserted in the first lateral housing (250a) and in the central housing (250c) obtained on the first longitudinal side (11 ) of the fifth crate (C5) of the lower layer
• the second foot (310b) of the first crate (C10) of the upper layer 20 (Q2) is disposed in such a way that the longitudinal side (31 , 32) is inserted in the long parallel section (22) of the first lateral housing (240a) obtained on the first longitudinal side (11 ) of the fourth crate (C4) of the lower layer (Q1 ), and the transverse side (33) is disposed in a gap (P) provided between the first free border (11c) of the first longitudinal edge 25 (11 ) and the free border (12c) of the second longitudinal side (12).
• the third foot (310c) of the first crate (C10) of the upper layer (Q2) is disposed in such a way that the second section (31 ) and the first section (32) of the longitudinal side (31 , 32) are respectively inserted in the main section (24) and in the separate section (25) of the parallel 30 section (24, 25) of the central housing (240c).
• the second crate (C20) of the upper layer (Q2) which is disposed in series relative to the first crate (C10) of the upper layer (Q2), is partially disposed on top of the third crate (C3) of the first layer (Q1 ) and partially on top of the fourth crate (C4) of the first layer (Q1 ) with the feet (320a, 320b, 320c, 320d) disposed in the same way as the feet (310a, 310b, 310c, 31 Od) of the first crate (C10) of the second layer (Q2).
• the fourth crate (C40) of the second layer (Q2) which is disposed between the third crate (C30) and the fifth crate (C50) of the second layer (Q2), is rested on top of the fourth crate (C4), of the second crate (C2) and of the first crate (C1 ) of the first layer (Q1 ).
• the first foot and the fourth foot (340a, 340d) of the fourth crate (C40) of the 10 second layer (Q2) are respectively inserted in the second lateral housing (240b) obtained on the second longitudinal side (12) and in the second lateral housing (240b) obtained on the first longitudinal side (11 ) of the fourth crate (C4) of the first layer (Q1 ).
• transverse sides (33) of the first foot and of the fourth foot 15 (340a, 340d) of the fourth crate (C40) of the second layer (Q2) are disposed on the short parallel section (23) of the second lateral housing (240b) obtained on each longitudinal side (11 , 12) of the fourth crate (C4) of the first layer (Q1 ), whereas the longitudinal sides (31 , 32) of the first foot and of the second foot (340a, 340d) are disposed on the 20 transverse section (21 ) of said second lateral housing (240b) obtained on each longitudinal side (11 , 12) of the fourth crate (C4) of the lower layer (Q1 ).
• the third foot (340c) of the fourth crate (C40) of the upper layer (Q2) is inserted in the first lateral housing (210a) obtained on the second 25 longitudinal side (12) of the first crate (C1 ) of the lower layer (Q1 ).
• the second foot (340b) of the fourth crate (C40) of the upper layer (Q2) is inserted in the second lateral housing (220b) obtained on the second longitudinal side (12) of the second crate (C2) of the lower layer (Q1 ).
• the first foot and the fourth foot (350a, 350d) of the fifth crate (C50) of the second layer (Q2) are inserted in the second lateral 5 housings (250b) of the two longitudinal sides (11 , 12) of the fifth crate (C5) of the first layer (Q1 ), whereas the second foot and the third foot (350b, 350c) are respectively inserted in the central housing (210c) and in the second lateral housing (210b) obtained on the second longitudinal side (12) of the first crate (C1 ) of the first layer (Q1 ).
• the second foot and the third foot (330b, 330c) are respectively 15 inserted in the second lateral housing (220b) and in the central housing (220c) obtained on the second longitudinal side (12) of the first crate (C1 ) of the first layer (Q1 ).
• the transverse sides (33) of the second foot and of the third 25 foot (310b, 310c) of the first crate (C10) of the second layer (Q2) and the transverse sides (33) of the first foot and of the fourth foot (320a, 320d) of the second crate (C20) of the second layer (Q2) are inserted partially in the ending sections (28) of the first lateral housing (240a) and of the central housing (240c) of the fourth crate (C4) of the first layer (Q1 ).
• Such a stack is suitable if said crates are to be stored and transported on a pallet with 120 cm x 100 cm dimensions. More precisely, if crates with longitudinal sides (11 , 12) having a length of 60 cm and transverse sides (13, 14) having a length of 40 cm are used, a layer (Q1 ; Q2) is obtained having the same dimensions as the pallet (120 cm x 100 cm).
• a different pallet can be used, such as for example a 120 cm x 120 cm pallet.
• each layer (H1 ; H2) of the stack comprises six crates (D1 , D2, D3, D4, D5, D6, D10, D20, D30, D40, D50, D60).
• each layer (H1 ; H2) comprises three first crates (D1 ,
• Each crate of said first three crates (D1 , D2, D3; D10, D20, D30) is disposed in series with a crate of said second three crates (D4, D5, 15 D6, D40, D50, D60).
• each layer (H1 ; H2) is rotated by 90° relative to a lower adjacent layer and/or an upper adjacent layer.
• the male centering means (3) and the female centering means (2) are configured in such a way to insert a 20 male centering means (3) in a female centering means (2) with the two collapsible crates (C) disposed in the same direction.
• the collapsible crates (C) can be disposed one on top of the other with the same direction, as in the prior art.
• the advantages of the 25 collapsible crate (C) of the invention are manifest. Because of the configuration of the male centering means (3) and of the female centering means (2) of the collapsible crate (C) according to the invention, an extremely stable stack can be formed regardless of the number of layers (Q1 , Q2).
• C40, C50 are interlocked in such a way to generate a stack of crates with a supporting area that is five times (Figs. 6 and 7) or six times (Figs. 12 and 13) larger than the supporting area of a stack in which the crates are disposed one on top of the other. Because of the large supporting area and of the interlocked connection between the various layers of the stack of crates according to the invention, a stack with high stability can 5 be obtained, thus avoiding the stabilization means that are currently used - such as strings, elastic straps and the like - to tie the stacks of traditional collapsible crates in which each stack is composed of an overlapped set of identical collapsible crates that are exactly disposed one on top of the other.
• the crates (C) of the invention can be mechanically interlocked, preventing the crates 15 from oscillating laterally relative to a vertical direction.
• collapsible crate (C) of the invention can be stored and transported in pallets with different dimensions in order to meet any transport requirement.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Stackable Containers (AREA)
• Rigid Containers With Two Or More Constituent Elements (AREA)
• Cartons (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

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Family Applications (1)

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Citations (3)

• 2018
  • 2018-10-09 IT IT102018000009278A patent/IT201800009278A1/it unknown
• 2019
  • 2019-10-07 WO PCT/EP2019/077012 patent/WO2020074408A1/en active Application Filing
  • 2019-10-07 EP EP19201602.0A patent/EP3636557B1/de active Active

Patent Citations (3)

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