EP0120761B1 - Removable leg for a container, its use in the production of a box pallet, and integrated box pallet - Google Patents

Description

The subject of the invention is a removable pad for a packaging case, in particular made of cardboard, comprising four vertical walls extended at their upper and lower edges by flaps forming the top and bottom faces when they are folded. These cases are also called American cases.

It also relates to the application of this pad to the production of an integrated pallet box and an integrated pallet box.

The development of cardboard pallets required the concomitant development of the pads supporting them. Furthermore, in order to produce these pallets, given the relatively high cost of cardboard, it is preferable to use as little of this material as possible while ensuring sufficient rigidity.

GB-A-2 007 194 already discloses removable studs for packaging cases comprising four vertical walls extended by flaps forming faces when they are folded up, formed of a foot and of a rigid sheet comprising orthogonal fold lines between them.

The object of the invention is to propose a new corner stud ensuring a rigid stud-box connection by means of an original locking system. This allows for a simplified pallet box.

According to the invention, the removable stud is characterized in that it comprises a fold line dividing the sheet into two substantially equal parts intended to be inserted on either side of said flap in order to exert an effect of pinch, and in that the other fold lines define lateral wedging strips.

The folding of the first and second parts as well as the folding of the second part and the side strip can be permanent.

In these variants, from the outset, the two parts are folded over one another and / or the side strip is folded so as to be in a plane perpendicular to the second part. When the folding is not permanent, the two parts and the lateral strip are hinged to each other.

By fold line is meant an articulation of the sheet. This implies that it can be rounded or even consist of several grooves in the case of a very thick sheet.

A rigid sheet can be formed for example of a sheet of corrugated cardboard or a sheet of plastic material.

The first part and the foot can be made in one piece, for example, by a support foot.

It is also possible that the first part is provided with an opening in which engages a foot fixed by suitable fixing means.

The means of fixing the stud to the sheet are well known to those skilled in the art and the invention is not limited to a particular method of fixing.

As an indication, mention may be made of the methods of attachment described in the following patents:

A preferred solution in the case of this latter variant is that the first part and the stud form only one piece, for example by molding or stamping. The second part may also include an opening which, when the latter is folded, is superimposed on the opening of the first part. This allows the studs to be stored with space savings.

It is also possible to mold the stud in one piece. In this case, the first and second parts are folded from the start so as to preferably exert a certain pinching on the flap when the removable stud is put in place.

For more economical molding it is advantageous for the edges of the opening of the second part to extend beyond the edges of the first part. Preferably the edges of the opening of the second part extend slightly beyond the edges of the first part, for example 1 mm. The molding is done in this case in one time.

Preferably, the second fold line is located at the extreme point of the edge of the first part supporting the first fold line or beyond this point.

Preferably, the lateral edge perpendicular to the second fold line is located substantially on the same line as the first fold line.

The last two variants taken in combination allow optimum setting of the stud.

Preferably, the second part is provided with two symmetrical lateral bands which makes it possible to use a single form of stud to make the pallet box as will be understood later. In this case, the side bands or at least one are necessarily articulated.

The invention also relates to an integrated pallet box comprising four vertical walls extended at their lower edges by two pairs of opposite flaps, said flaps forming the bottom of the box by superposition of a pair on the other, the corners of the bottom of the body being provided with removable supports as described above, characterized in that one of the lateral bands being applied to the internal face of a vertical wall whose lower edge is extended by a flap belonging to the pair of external flaps, the first part being situated on the external face of said flap and the second part being situated on the internal face of said flap, the fold line resting on the lateral edge of said flap.

The invention will be better understood by referring to a particular embodiment represented by the accompanying drawings.

Figure 1 is a plan view of a removable unfolded pad, the foot being below the sheet.

Figure 2 is a sectional view of the same pad according to section AA '.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the same pad but with partial folding of the two parts constituting the sheet.

Figure 4 is a plan view of another unfolded removable pad, the foot being below the sheet.

FIG. 5 is a view of an inverted packaging carton, to make the drawing clearer, and in which one of the flaps in the open position is provided with a removable support.

Figure 6 is a view of the same box but with the closed flap provided with the removable support. According to Figures 1, 2, 3 a sheet of rigid corrugated cardboard consists of a part (1) having the shape of a square with sides 1 ₁ = L, separated from a second part (2) by a line of folding (3) merging with one of the sides of the part (1).

However, the square shape for part (1) is not at all essential and it is quite possible that the 3 sides delimiting part (1), except the fold line, are a rounded line in the form of a half circle or half-ellipse for example, or even in any way.

The part (1) is provided with a circular central opening (4) on the edge of which there is a not shown cutout allowing to engage a plastic foot (5) of conical shape, the widest base of this foot being located at the opening (4) and the narrowest base being intended to come into contact with the ground.

As described exactly in FR-A-2123455, the plastic foot comprises at the edge of the widest base a flange (8) and a little below at a distance substantially equal to the thickness of the cardboard sheet for a second collar (9) parallel to the first and provided with a notch (10) for inserting the foot by a rotational movement.

Part (2) is rectangular in shape. It is defined by the length L ₂ and its width 1 ₂ , parallel to the fold line (3) and greater than the length of this fold line. The part (2) also has a longitudinal axis passing through the middle of the fold line (3). In addition, the four corners are rounded so as to facilitate its use as will be understood later. Instead of the rounded corners it is also possible that the side edges (15) are slightly bevelled. It can therefore be seen from the preceding description that the part (2) has two lateral bands (6a) and (6b) of equal dimensions. These lateral parts are articulated by means of two fold lines (7a) and (7b) perpendicular to the fold line (3) and located at the respective ends of this fold line (3).

Advantageously, the part (2) comprises an opening (16) which, when the part (2) is folded, comes to be superimposed on the part (1). This allows the studs to be stored with space savings.

According to FIG. 4, the first part 1 is exactly identical to that described with regard to FIG. 1. On the other hand, the second part differs from it insofar as it is provided with an opening 17 of square shape whose outline is slightly wider ( about 2 mm) than the circumference of the first part. The fold lines 18a, 18b are slightly offset from the longitudinal edges of the opening 17 and allow the articulation of the lateral bands 19a, 19b. This variant allows economical molding in one time.

According to Figures (5) and (6), an upright packaging carton has four vertical walls (11). These vertical walls are extended beyond the lower edges by four flaps forming two pairs of opposite flaps (12a and 12b).

In our case the two opposite flaps each forming a half-surface of the bottom, are rectangular, the short sides or lateral sides (13) constituting the width of the flap.

• Un couple de rabats opposés (12b) est replié à l'horizontale afin de former un premier fond. Un rabat (12a) étant ouvert, une partie latérale (6a) du support amovible est insérée dans l'interstice présent entre le bord latéral d'un rabat (12b) et le bord inférieur d'une des parois verticales correspondantes de manière à ce que la ligne de pliage (7a) soit au niveau de ce bord. La feuille formant le support amovible est ensuite repliée de manière à pincer le rabat (12a), la ligne de pliage (3) s'étant positionnée contre le bord latéral (13) du rabat.

The removable media are inserted as follows:

• A pair of opposite flaps (12b) is folded horizontally to form a first bottom. A flap (12a) being open, a lateral part (6a) of the removable support is inserted in the gap present between the lateral edge of a flap (12b) and the lower edge of one of the corresponding vertical walls so that that the fold line (7a) is at this edge. The sheet forming the removable support is then folded so as to pinch the flap (12a), the fold line (3) being positioned against the lateral edge (13) of the flap.

This flap is also provided on its other lateral side with another removable support. The same operation is carried out on the opposite flap. The pair of flaps is then folded back to form the bottom with the four feet. The assembly is then encircled so as to block the flaps (12a). If you want to avoid strapping, you can glue the flaps (12a) or staple them to the flaps (12b).

It is also possible to mold the stud in one piece. In this case, the parts (1) and (2) are folded from the start so as to preferably exert a certain pinching on the flap when the removable stud is put in place.

Claims (10)

1. Removable blank container for packing boxes, made in particular in cardboard, comprising four vertical walls (11) extended at their upper and lower edges by flaps (12a, 12b) constituting the top and bottom faces when these are folded, said blank container being constituted by a base (5) and a rigid sheet comprising mutually perpendicular folding lines (3, 7a, 7b), characterized in that :

a folding line (3) separates the sheet in two substantially equal parts (1, 2) designed to be inserted on either side of said flap (12) in order to exert thereon a squeezing effect, and in that

the other folding lines (7a, 7b) define lateral wedging bands (6a, 6b).

2. Removable blank container according to claim 1, characterized in that the first part (1) is provided with an opening (4) into which engages the base fixed by appropriate securing means.

3. Removable blank container according to claim 1, characterized in that the second folding lines (7a, 7b) are situated at the outermost points of the edge of the first part supporting the first folding line or beyond said points.

4. Removable blank container according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that one lateral edge (15) of each band (6a, 6b) is situated substantially on the same line as the first folding line (3).

5. Removable blank container according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the other part (2) is provided with two lateral bands (6a, 6b) symmetrical with respect to said part (2).

6. Removable blank container according to any one of claims 2 to 5, characterized in that the second part (2) is provided with an opening (16) such that when the first part (1) is folded over the second part (2), the two openings are superposed.

7. Removable blank container according to any one of claims 2 to 5, characterized in that the second part (2) is provided with an opening, (17) the edges of which extend beyond the edges of the first part.

8. Removable blank container according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the removable blank is moulded.

9. Application of the movable support according to any one of the preceding claims to the production of an integrated pallet container, characterized in that a pair of flaps (12b) of the lower edges of the vertical walls is folded horizontally so as to form a first bottom,

a lateral band (6) of the movable support is inserted in the slot provided between a lateral edge of the first pair of flaps (12b) and the corresponding lower edge of one of the vertical walls, so that the folding line (7) is situated at the level of and parallel to the lower edge,

a flap (12a) is squeezed in by folding the first part (1) and the second part (2) of the removable support, the first part (1) being situated on the external side of the flaps and the folding line (3) being in contact with the lateral edge of the flap (12a),

the operation is repeated for the opposite side of the same flap (12a), then for the opposite flap (12a),

the pair of flaps (12a) is folded horizontally,

the cardboard box is optionally hooped so as to hold the flaps (12a) which are provided with removable blanks.

10. Integrated pallet box, in particular in cardboard, comprising four vertical walls (11) extended at their lower edges by two pairs of opposite flaps (12a, 12b), said flaps constituting the bottom of the case by superposition of one pair over the other pair, the angles of the box bottom being provided with removable supports according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that one of the lateral bands (6a, 6b) is applied over the internal face of a vertical wall (11), of which the lower edge is extended by a flap belonging to the pair of external flaps, the first part (1) being situated on the external face of said flaps, and the second part (2) being situated on the internal face of said flap, the folding line (3) resting on the lateral edge of said flap.

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