ES2806803T3 - Container system for large auto parts - Google Patents

Abstract

Container system for products, with the container system comprising a shell having a longitudinal horizontal axis (XX) and two side walls, and a first set of receptacles (40-43, 401, 402, ...), with each receptacle comprising a cloth bag for gently transporting individual items placed therein and rigid parts (501) for holding the individual items, the receptacles being distributed at least along the axis (XX) with the rigid parts (501) transverse to the axis (XX), in which when the receptacles are loaded, they hang vertically and can be moved back and forth along the axis (XX) by means of a sliding link system (28) of the container attached to the two side walls and rigid parts of at least some of the receptacles, characterized in that the container system comprises a roof (30), in which the bags, when unloaded, can be flattened and placed horizontally. Initially in another container roof sliding link system (29) in a container upper part to leave a container bottom free of receptacles of the first set of receptacles.

Description

DESCRIPTION

Container system for large auto parts

The present invention relates to a container system for visible automotive parts, in particular large visible parts such as instrument panels. However, the containers according to the invention can be used for many different products.

Automotive instrument panels are large and important parts in automobiles. The instrument panel can also be called the dashboard. Its design is specific to each car model. It is often manufactured in a specialized factory of an equipment manufacturer and transported to plants where it is assembled with other parts in the final assembled car.

The shape of the instrument panel is quite complex, incorporating space for the steering wheel, dashboards with control and indicator lights, vents and a glove compartment. There are also instrument panels for left-hand drive cars and for right-hand drive cars. The instrument panel is typically an elongated object, defined based on a main direction of the panel, which is finally positioned horizontally in front of the passenger and driver compartment of the automobile.

The instrument panel is often molded from plastic and its surface must be carefully protected against bumps and scratches, during all phases of transport, including loading and unloading of the panels in a transport system. This is of primary importance, as the instrument panel is highly visible in the final assembly of the car.

Container systems are designed to handle instrument panels from the production floor to the assembly plant. Typically, they contain 8 or 10 identical individual instrument panels. As there are many instrument panel designs, and because the panels must be handled with care, most of the time the containers are designed according to the model, to accommodate and protect the precise design of the model and to ensure that ergonomics allow a easy drive. Of course this is expensive and time consuming as a new container model must be created each time a new instrument panel model is produced.

Those container systems are often based on racks that have left metal posts and right metal posts, the instrument panels hang between the left and right posts, supported by molded plastic support elements specifically designed for the individual panel model. receive without damaging it. The racks can have, for example, two levels and can accommodate 4 or 5 individual panels per level. Or, as another example, the racks can be 5 tiers and can be adapted to accommodate only one panel per tier. The racks can extend longitudinally or vertically. They can be placed in a housing with a front door. The enclosure is useful for protecting the racks from water, dust, and contamination, including tree leaves, when the racks are moved outdoors or kept unused in storage, sometimes in an unprotected area. The racks can also include drawer mechanisms to allow the user to easily load individual instrument panels into the container.

US2015 / 0101956 discloses a container having multiple track layers including a non-linear track. Document US2006 / 0278646 describes a container having sets of inclined movable support elements to support the dunnage. Document US2015 / 0375931 describes a container having non-linear and linear tracks to support mobile dunnage. Document US2013 / 0175912 describes a container having sliding support assemblies to support the dunnage. It has been contemplated to design containers with cavities made of cloth or fabric. For example, US6164440 discloses a conveyor for individual units with loops of strip material that form receiving cavities between rods supported in guides. And EP2783913 discloses some freight cars used in means of transport, in which two levels of bags are used to store products.

However, there is still a need for a practical and flexible solution for containers, which allows easy loading and unloading of products, in particular instrument panels, and their prudent transport between different industrial sites.

The present invention solves the problems indicated above and, in particular, makes it possible to obtain a container system that can be used with various models of instrument panels, that is easy for a user to load and unload in a manufacturing plant, and that can be transported. easily from one floor to another

This is achieved with a container system according to claim 1.

According to the optional features,

- the receptacles of said first set are vertically distributed by groups of two or more receptacles that include an upper receptacle and a lower receptacle, with the sliding link system which is established between the two side walls and at least the rigid parts of the upper receptacles of each group;

- when empty, the lower bag can be folded over the upper bag to compactly arrange it horizontally in the additional sliding link system;

- the fabric is an evaporative spun nonwoven fabric;

- the containers of the first set, when empty, can be folded against the rear wall of the housing;

- the bags of the receptacles of the first set are reinforced by flexible straps so that, when loaded with products, they hold the products, and when they are empty, so as not to interfere with the folding of the receptacles;

- the receptacles can be removed from the housing;

- the container system further comprises a second set of receptacles with other dimensions, to replace the receptacles of the first assembly for loading products.

The invention is described in more detail with reference to the drawing, where:

- figure 1 shows a container system according to the invention;

figure 2 shows a close-up view of a receptacle with an instrument panel positioned in the receptacle;

figure 3 is a view showing a storage functionality of the container system;

figure 4 is a view showing the complete container system.

In Figure 1, a container system according to an embodiment of the invention is shown. It is based on a shell that is in the shape of a rectangular parallelepiped with two opposite sides that are almost square in shape, and a horizontally positioned main (longitudinal) axis X-X. A surface that forms a level 10 defines a base and is attached to six vertical posts 20, 21, 22, 23 ..., which define side walls (or side walls). The side walls are not shown in the figure, for simplicity and to show the interior layout of the container system. The container system also has an opening in its front part equipped with some type of door or closing element and, on the opposite side, a rear wall (both are not shown or are not visible in the figure, but they have almost square shapes ). Level 10 is located at a small height, approximately 5 to 20 cm, above a surface on which the container is placed, on the floor of a manufacturing plant or supply chain, or on the floor of a shipping container larger.

A surface that forms a roof 30 is attached to the upper part of the posts 20, 21,22, 23 ... The roof 30 is hinged on the upper part of the rear wall through a hinge 26 that allows it to rotate freely. 10 to 35 ° and separate the side walls and posts 20 and 23 near the front opening, expanding the space to access the interior of the container. Articulated arms 27 and guide rails 28 near the opening allow and control such movement of the ceiling.

This modification of the geometry of the container allows the user to have a wider access to the interior of the container system, for the introduction of elements inside the container, in a downward movement.

The guide rails 28 are horizontal, perpendicular to the posts 20 to 23 and are fixed thereto. The roof has longitudinal frame bars 29 which, when the roof is turned down to close the container, are horizontal and parallel to the guide rails 28. When the roof is turned up to create a wider access to the container, the bars of frame 29 form an oblique angle to the guide rails 28, the articulated arms 27 are positioned as an angular reinforcement or spacer between each frame bar 29 and the corresponding guide rail 28. The end of the articulated arm 27 in contact with the associated guide rail 28 is guided by said rail during the movement of raising or lowering the roof. The other end of the link arm 27 is attached to the associated frame bar 29.

Furthermore, the frame bars 29 are designed by themselves as guide rails, as discussed below.

Figure 1 further shows four groups 40, 41, 42 and 43 of two bags placed in the container, one behind the other from the front opening to the rear wall. Each group consists of an upper bag and a lower bag. The upper and lower bags of group 40 are referenced 401 and 402. Each bag has a wide opening facing upward and slightly in the direction of the container opening.

As can be seen in Figure 1 or Figure 2, each bag is essentially made of a fabric front wall 50 and a fabric rear wall 51, both rectangular in shape and joined together in a lower joint, based on, for example, in sewing or sewing. Both fabric walls of each bag extend from the vicinity of one side wall of the container to the vicinity of the other side wall, perpendicular thereto. In the vicinity of the container walls, the bags are laterally interrupted and closed by vertically placed fabric side walls and joining the fabric back wall and the fabric front wall in two joints that define a general shape of a V , based, for example, on sewing or stitching.

The upper limits of both fabric walls are stiffened by introducing, in the fabric, rigid bars 501, which reach both lateral ends of the fabric walls. The common lower boundary of both fabric walls is also stiffened by a similar rigid bar 501, similarly positioned and having the same length.

The lower limit of the fabric walls of the upper bag is joined to the upper limit of the fabric rear wall of the lower bag, and only one rigid bar or no rigid bar can be used there in various embodiments, to stiffen the lower part of the upper bag and the upper part of the fabric rear wall of the lower bag, in case stiffening is necessary in this parting line 502.

In the context of loading the container with products such as instrument panels, the rigid bar 501 of the fabric rear wall of each upper bag is inserted at its two ends into the respective horizontal guide rails 28 fixed in the upper parts of the two side walls of the container (see figure 1). The two bags in each group of two bags hang from this bar and rails, one below the other. The rigid bar 501 has rollers at its two ends that are designed to be inserted into the corresponding guide rails 28 and allow it to be easily moved from the depth of the container to the entrance and vice versa even if the bags are heavily loaded.

Flexible straps 60 are placed on both sides of each group of two bags, from the end of the upper rigid bar of the fabric back wall of the upper bag, to the end of the upper rigid bar of the fabric front wall of the upper bag, and finally to the end of the upper rigid bar of the fabric front wall of the lower bag.

The bags define a set of receptacles distributed in groups of two along the X-X axis. These receptacles can be moved back and forth along the XX axis through the rails 28 that form a sliding link system attached to the two side walls, with the help of the rigid bars of the upper bags, which form rigid parts of the upper bags, which are distributed along the X X axis.

Figure 2 shows an instrument panel 200 placed in one of the bags. The bag used in this figure is a top bag. The instrument panel is easily inserted into the opening of the bag, and is located on the inner side of the fabric front wall 50 and on the upper rigid bar of the fabric front wall. The instrument panel 200 has a generally concave shape, with the concavity positioned in contact with the rigid bar 501 of the fabric front wall 50, to allow support and stabilization of the panel. The exterior of the instrument panel is on its convex side and does not come into contact with the rigid bar. The fabric on the front and rear walls of the fabric comes into contact with various surfaces of the instrument panel and due to its softness, it supports and holds it firmly without any risk of damaging its surface and its visual appearance. Finally, the cloth bag allows the panel 200 to be transported smoothly and the rigid parts allow the panel to be firmly held. The fabric is an evaporative spun nonwoven fabric, for example based on Tyvek (trade mark). It is advantageous because it is a non-marking material that makes it possible to avoid any deterioration of the surface of the visible parts transported in the container system.

As is visible in Figure 2, the insertion movement of the instrument panel into the upper bag 401 is facilitated by lifting the roof 30 away from the side walls and the posts 20 and 23 near the container door. This offers a wider access to the interior of the upper bag, for the introduction of articles, in particular an instrument panel, in a downward movement.

The introduction of items, again in particular an instrument panel, into the lower bag 402 is facilitated by the fact that the opening of the lower bag is easily accessible to a human operator thanks to its height above level 10 ( see figure 1) that it does not require a human operator to raise the arms too high (which causes unwanted and repeated physical effort), and also because there is an empty space just above the opening of the lower bag, since the front wall The fabric in the top bag is positioned at an angle down towards the rear of the container.

Figure 3 shows a functionality of the container system that can be used when no instrument panel is stored in it.

The lower bag 402 is closed by pressing its fabric front wall against its fabric rear wall. The same is done with the upper bag 401. The lower bag is then folded over the upper bag 401, using the boundary between the rear wall of the lower bag and the upper bag (parting line 502) as the axis of rotation and folding line. This results in a flat, retracted bag assembly.

Next, the extremities of the upper rigid bar 501 of the upper bag are removed from the guide rails 28 and placed on the frame bars 29. If the articulated arms 27 are designed as guide rails, the movement can be performed at through these intermediate guide rails. If the articulated arms 27 are not designed as guide rails, then the movement can be done without guiding the upper rigid bars 501. The extremities of the upper rigid bar 501 are equipped with rollers and slide easily on the frame bars 29.

The extremities of the upper rod 501 of the lower bag and / or the extremities of a rod present in the parting line 502 are also placed, in a further movement, on the frame rods 29. These extremities may be, in some ways implementation, equipped with rollers and therefore easily slide on the frame bars 29.

Next, the retracted bag assembly is pushed in the direction of the rear of the container over the frame bars 29 which act as guide rails.

This is done for each of the groups of bags, one after the other. This allows the groups of bags to be stored in a small volume near the ceiling 30 of the container.

Generally speaking, the flexible straps 60, when the bags are loaded with instrument panels, support the instrument panels and when the bags are empty, they do not interfere with the folding of the receptacles.

Otherwise, the containers, when empty, can also be pushed against the rear wall of the housing.

Figure 4 shows the complete container system with its side walls 90 (or side walls) and with its front door 80. The front door 80 can be made of a transparent material, allowing the bags to be seen even when the container is closed. The material of the entrance door can be a soft cloth with soft handles, the combination of which allows easy handling of the door. When the container system is full and needs to be closed, the roof 30 is pivoted and positioned horizontally against the door posts 80, prior to positioning the front door panel to close the container.

As can also be seen in the figure, the roof 30 and the level 10 of the container are made of several rectangular panels that can be separated from each other when the container needs to be folded and temporarily stored. Side walls 90 are also visible in the figure.

The receptacles shown in the figures are those of a first set of receptacles. The container system can also be used with a second set of receptacles of other dimensions, to replace the receptacles of the first set. This allows instrument panels of different dimensions to be loaded than those adapted to the receptacles of the first set and shown in figure 2.

Automotive instrument panels can be loaded into a container system according to the description above, by following the steps below: until the housing is full, the operator opens a receptacle in the slip link system near the front opening, loading the instrument panels in the receptacle, for example, one in the upper bag and one in the lower bag, and then pushes the receptacle, in the sliding link system in the direction of the interior of the container. You then have enough room to open another receptacle in the slip link system near the front opening. This other receptacle is taken from a set of receptacles kept outside the container, and easily accessible to the human operator. Once the container is full, the roof rotates on the posts and the door closes.

Claims (8)

1. Container system for products, with the container system comprising a shell having a longitudinal horizontal axis (XX) and two side walls, and a first set of receptacles (40-43, 401,402, ...), with each receptacle comprising a cloth bag for gently transporting individual items placed therein and rigid parts (501) for holding the individual items, the receptacles being distributed at least along the axis (XX) with the rigid parts (501) transverse to the axis (XX), in which when the receptacles are loaded, they hang vertically and can be moved back and forth along the axis (XX) by means of a sliding link system (28) of the container attached to the two side walls and rigid parts of at least some of the receptacles, characterized in that the container system comprises a roof (30), in which the bags, when unloaded, can be flattened and placed horizontally. zontally in another container roof slip link system (29) in an upper part of the container to leave a lower part of the container free of receptacles of the first set of receptacles. A product container system according to claim 1, wherein the receptacles of said first set are vertically distributed by groups of two or more receptacles including an upper receptacle (401) and a lower receptacle (402), the system being sliding link (28) between the two side walls and at least the rigid parts (51) of the upper receptacles (401) of each group. 3. Container system for products according to claim 2, wherein when empty, the lower bag is foldable over the upper bag, and when the extremities of an upper bar of the lower receptacle and / or the extremities of a bar are present in the parting line between the rear wall of the lower receptacle and the upper receptacle are placed in the additional sliding link system (29), said lower receptacle is horizontally arranged in a compact manner. Product container system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the fabric is an evaporative spun nonwoven fabric. A product container system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the receptacles of the first set, when empty, can be folded against the rear wall of the housing. Container system for products according to any one of claims 1 to 5, in which the bags of the receptacles of the first set are reinforced by flexible straps (60) to, when loaded with products, support the products and, when they are empty, do not interfere with the folding of the receptacles. Product container system according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the receptacles are removable from the housing. Container system for products according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the container system further comprises a second set of receptacles with other dimensions, to replace the receptacles of the first assembly for loading products of other dimensions than those adapted to the receptacles of the first set in the housing.