EP0109325A1 - Stackable and nestable containers with vertical supporting columns - Google Patents

Abstract

A stackable and nestable handling crate has substantially vertical supporting columns (L1, L2, L3, L4, I1, I2). To facilitate stacking of similar crates on one another in the same orientation, by sliding the base of the supporting columns L1, L2, I1, I2) of an upper crate onto the upper edge of an upper region of a lower crate, the said columns (L1, L2, I1, I2,) are of at least two different widths so that with the columns (L1, L2) wider than the columns (I1, I2), the bases of the columns (L1, L2) may be slid over cavities (C1, C2) without jamming, which cavities receive the columns I1, I2) when the crates are nested in reversed orientation. <IMAGE>

Description

The present invention relates to handling boxes of generally parallelepiped shape with substantially rectangular section stackable and nestable of the type with substantially vertical support pillars.

More precisely, the handling box to which the invention relates is of the type comprising substantially vertical I-pillars projecting from the lateral faces in the lower part of the box, comprising an upper belt capable of receiving these pillars in support in an identical relative position of two superimposed boxes and to accommodate these pillars in cavities or housings provided for this purpose in said upper belt in an inverted relative position of two boxes superimposed on each other, thus ensuring stacking resting on each other identically oriented boxes and fitting about 50% of the boxes into each other for successive inverted positions of the stacked boxes.

The invention relates to improvements to such boxes allowing, by a particular configuration and implantation of the pillars to facilitate stacking of the boxes one on top of the other by simply sliding the base of the support pillars of a upper body on the upper edge of the belt of a lower body. This is obtained in accordance with the invention by providing for said pillars at least two different widths. In addition, advantageously, on at least some of the faces of the body, the widest pillars will be arranged closer to the corners than the narrower pillars. With such an implantation and configuration of the pillars, it appears that effectively, the formation of piles is considerably facilitated because an upper box can be stacked (or "stacked") over an identically oriented box already in place by making somehow slide the crate placed on top of the stack like a drawer that would engage on the edge of the belt of the underlying crate. Indeed, the narrowest p-liers, taking into account their arrangement will not risk during this sliding, to come and fall into cavities provided in the belt to receive the widest or narrowest pillars, while the pillars the widest will be able to pass to the right of the cavities of the belt envisaged to receive the narrower pillars without risk of engaging in these cavities.

• La figure 1, est une vue en perspective d'une caisse conçue selon l'invention,
• la figure 2, est une vue semblable à celle de la figure 1 dans laquelle a été représentée en traits fins par-dessus,une caisse superposée orientée de la même manière que la caisse inférieure,
• la figure 3, montre à plus petite échelle en vue par-dessus comment on peut poser une caisse supérieure en la faisant glisser sur une caisse inférieure,
• la figure 4, montre à la même échelle que la figure 3, une vue par-dessus d'une caisse,
• la figure 5, montre comme à la figure 4, une vue par-dessous d'une caisse,
• les figures 6 et 7, montrent en coupe transversale deux détails de la caisse formant porte-étiquettes au niveau des flèches repérées VI et VII à la figure 2,
• les figures 8, 9 et 10 montrent à plus grande échelle trois variantes de réalisation de dessous et dessus de piliers coopérants en vue de permettre un meilleur blocage entre elles des caisses d'une pile.

Other characteristics, objects and advantages of the invention will appear more clearly with the aid of the description which follows, given with reference to the appended drawings in which:

• FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a box designed according to the invention,
• FIG. 2 is a view similar to that of FIG. 1 in which has been shown in thin lines over it, a superimposed box oriented in the same way as the bottom box,
• FIG. 3 shows on a smaller scale a view from above of how an upper box can be placed by sliding it over a lower box,
• FIG. 4 shows, on the same scale as FIG. 3, a view over a box,
• FIG. 5 shows, as in FIG. 4, a view from below of a box,
• FIGS. 6 and 7 show in cross section two details of the box forming a label holder at the level of the arrows marked VI and VII in FIG. 2,
• Figures 8, 9 and 10 show on a larger scale three alternative embodiments of the bottom and top of cooperating pillars in order to allow better locking between them of the boxes of a stack.

We will first refer to Figure 1.

According to the illustrated embodiment, the body is. general rectangular shape with rectangular section comprising a bottom 1, two large lateral faces 2 and 3 and two small lateral faces 4 and 5. On each large lateral face are formed two pillars respectively wide L ₁ , L ₂ and less wide or narrow ℓ ₁ and ℓ ₂ . These pillars correspond respectively to housings or wide cavities C ₁ , C ₂ and less wide or narrow c ₁ , c ₂ .

On the small faces, there are respectively two large pillars L3, L ₄ and two narrow pillars ℓ ₃ , ℓ _{4 to} which correspond respectively large cavities C ₃ , _C4 and narrow _{c3 '} c ₄ .

In a stacking position in which the boxes are oriented identically as illustrated in FIG. 2, the pillars identified identically from one box to the other assigned the premium index for the upper box obviously come in superposition, allowing forming a stack of stacked traps.

On the other hand, if the body is turned 180 ° around its vertical axis, each wide pillar such as L ' ₁ . L '_2' L ' ₃ , L' ₄ will be received in the corresponding cavities C ₁ , C ₂ , C ₃ , C ₄ of the underlying body, and in the same way the narrow pillars ℓ ' ₁ , ℓ' ₂ , ℓ '_3' ℓ ' ₄ of an upper box will engage in the narrow cavities c ₁ , c _2' c ₃ , c4 of a lower box.

As can be seen more clearly in FIG. 3, the particular positioning of the wide pillars such as L _{1 '} L ₂ in the vicinity of the corners of the body makes it possible to slide like a drawer in the direction of the arrow F an upper body S on a lower body I with the base of the pillars L ' ₁ , L' ₂ resting on the upper edges 12, 13 of the belt of the lower compartment. Since the cavities c _{1 ′} c ₂ are narrower than the pillars L ′ ₁ , L ′ ₂ , the pillars will pass smoothly over these cavities until the entire belt of the upper rack is engaged in the opening of the rack inferior. In addition, since the wide pillars L ' ₁ , L' ₂ were provided very close to the corners of the locker, there is no risk of. come to lock in the wide cavities C ₂ , C ₁ of the lower rack I at the start of the sliding movement of the upper rack S on the lower rack I because we will automatically engage the front panel 5 of the upper rack S beyond the line joining the cavities C ₁ , C ₂ arranged very close to the corners of the lower rack.

It will be noted that what has just been said for the sliding engagement of two compartments one on the other parallel to the median plane marked 10 passing through the midpoints of the small faces of a box can be repeated as regards the placement of two compartments one on the other in the orthogonal direction passing through the middle of the large faces of the body since again, the large pillars L ₃ , L ₄ are arranged in the immediate vicinity of the angles of the box.

It will be noted on examining the figures that the pillars are arranged symmetrically with respect to the median plane 10 passing through the midpoints of the short sides of the body. The cavities whose position is similar to that of the pillars in a 180 ° rotation around the vertical axis of the body obviously respond to the same symmetrical arrangement.

In order to improve the block of racks stacked in a stack, provision is advantageously made at the base of the pillars and at their apex at the upper rim 12, 13, 14, 15 of the ribbed or serrated cooperating surfaces forming non-slip means. Such means have been shown in Figures 1 to 5 by small streaks. FIGS. 8 and 9 show on a larger scale two configurations that can be chosen for these striations, the embodiment of FIG. 9 facilitating by the inclination of the teeth the sliding engagement of an upper rack S on a lower rack I in the direction of arrow F as described in Figure 3. Instead of using ridges, you can also give the upper part and the lower part of the pillars a slightly inclined shape on the horizontal ensuring a certain blocking as shown in figure 10.

Referring now to Figures 6 and 7, we have shown the particular configuration that can be given to one of the small faces of the box such as the face 5 so as to constitute label holders in the regions identified. Thus, in Figure 6, it appears that the face 5 has in its region. central a kind of blind window closed by a wall 16 inside a frame 17 in which a label 18 can be engaged and maintained. Inside the frame 17, a strip 19 can be provided with a step which will allow the engagement and the maintenance of a label 20 of smaller dimension. The label thus placed will allow the identification of the transported product and also the identification in orientation of the box facilitating stacking (in identical orientation of the boxes) or their nesting (in reverse orientation). Under the label holder described in Figure 6, one can provide another label holder system formed simply by lugs 21 projecting slightly in front of the openings 22 of the wall, allowing the engagement of a label 23 between these lugs 21 and the face of the adjacent wall 5.

Referring again to FIG. 1, it has been shown that it is also possible to advantageously provide in the belt openings 24 formed under the support flange and preferably under the flanges 12, 13 of the long sides outside the region of the hollow grip handles 25 of the body. The transfer to the angles of the support pillars allows the prediction of such openings without weakening the mechanical qualities of the body.

In Figure 1, we also see that we have given the bottom 1 a certain wavy shape ensuring a certain strengthening of the bottom. Holes (not shown) can be formed in the hollow part of the corrugations to facilitate cleaning and drying of the boxes.

Claims (9)

1. Handling boxes of generally parallelepiped shape with substantially rectangular section of the type with substantially vertical I-pillars projecting from the lateral faces in the lower part of the body, comprising an upper belt capable of receiving these pillars bearing in a relative position identical of two superimposed boxes and of housing these pillars in cavities or housings provided for this purpose in said upper belt in an inverted relative position of two boxes superimposed one on the other thus ensuring the stack in abutment on each others of identically oriented boxes and nesting at about 50% of the boxes one inside the other for successive inverted positions of the stacked boxes, said box being characterized in that in order to facilitate stacking of the boxes one above the others by sliding the base of the support pillars (L, t) of an upper box onto the upper rim of the belt of a lower body, said pillars (L, ℓ) have at least two different widths. 2. Box according to claim 1, characterized in that on at least some of the faces (2, 3, 4, 5) of the box, the widest pillars (L) are arranged closer to the angles than the least pillars wide (Z). 3. Box according to claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that the pillars (L, Z) are arranged symmetrically relative to the median plane (10) passing through the midpoints of the short sides (4, 5). 4. Box according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the base of the pillars (L, Z) and the edge of the belt (12, 13, 14, 15) has co-operative striated or serrated surfaces forming non-slip means in stacking position of two boxes. 5-. Box according to claim 4, characterized in that said striated or serrated surfaces are oriented so as to facilitate sliding engagement from one box superimposed on another. 6. Box according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the bottom (1) of the box has corrugations and orifices formed in the hollow part of the corrugations. 7. Box according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the upper belt has openings (24) formed under the support flange. 8. Box according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that recessed parts (16, 22) are provided on at least one outer wall (5) of the boxes for housing a label (18, 20, 23 ) and include various tabs or steps (17, 19, 21) for hanging tags of various sizes. 9. Box according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that in each corner of the box, there is juxtaposed a pillar of large width L on one side of the box and a cavity of large width C on the other opposite the corner of the body.

Images