EP1736415B1 - Cardboard pallet with means for connecting it to a container, and pallet with such a container. - Google Patents

Abstract

The pallet has a plate (10) that is made of a corrugated board. A set of flaps (14, 15) is arranged along the edges (10A, 10B) of the plate by tabs and conformed so as to comprise a connection unit for connecting the pallet to a package placed on the plate. The package has a belt formed of four panels, where a set of notches is arranged on the parallel panels. The flaps are folded against the belt, and the tabs are slid in the notches.

Description

The present invention relates to a pallet of cardboard or other similar semi-rigid material as well as an assembly formed by the pallet and a package on which it is held.

It relates to a pallet according to the preamble of claim 1. Such a pallet is described in document GB-A-2121003 .

For the transport of heavy or bulky objects, pallets are used consisting of a plate provided with pads. These are arranged to allow the passage of the fork of a handling machine. The pallets are usually made of wood, but there are also pallets with a thick corrugated cardboard top and cardboard blocks with reinforcements to improve resistance to the vertical load.

This latter type of pallet is associated with crates or other packaging also made of cardboard. Solutions already exist on how to make the package integral with the tray so that, during transport including but more generally for the duration of use, the package and the pallet form an inseparable whole. The realization of this type of pallet box may however be complex insofar as the cardboard is a less durable material than wood. Due to elaborate bends, mounting may not be simple.

The Applicant has set itself the goal of producing a pallet, essentially made of cardboard or other semi-rigid material comprising a means of locking a package allowing assembly of the assembly as simply as possible. In addition the whole must be as economical as possible.

According to the invention, this objective can be achieved with a cardboard pallet having the features of claim 1.

The connecting means provided on the flap is made in relation to a connecting means provided on the package so that they together form a connection. Note that instead of the term component, we can use the term return. They designate the same part of the palette.

This solution has the advantage of requiring no accessories, the connection between the pallet and the packaging being likely to be self-sufficient, and to be suitable for many situations.

According to one embodiment, the flap is extended on each side perpendicular to the first edge of the plate by an articulated tongue, arranged to cooperate with a corresponding slot in the wall of said package. Thus for a pallet with a cardboard package comprising vertical panels forming a belt and a bottom wall secured to the belt, the package resting on the plate, the belt of the package has at least one vertical notch cooperating with said tongue to lock the package to the pallet.

According to another embodiment, the flap comprises a tab formed on the free edge parallel to the first edge of the tray, arranged to cooperate with a slot in a wall of said package. Thus for a pallet with a cardboard package comprising vertical panels forming a belt and a bottom wall integral with the belt, the package resting on the plate, the belt of the package comprises at least one horizontal notch cooperating with said tongue to lock the package to the pallet.

In particular, the pallet comprises a second flap articulated along the second edge of the plate parallel to the first edge of the plate, comprising means for connecting with a package placed on the plate.

According to another embodiment the flap comprises a flap along its edge parallel to the first edge of the tray, the flap and its flap forming said means of connection to the package. Thus for a pallet with a cardboard package comprising vertical panels forming a belt and a bottom wall comprising at least one hinged bottom flap along an edge of the belt, the package resting on the plate, said flap is folded between the bottom shutter and the belt.

In particular the pallet comprises a second flap hinged along the second edge of the plate parallel to the first edge of the plate, the first and second flaps being held in a vertical position by being connected to third and fourth perpendicular flaps hinged to the other edges of the board. tray. Thus for a pallet with a cardboard package comprising vertical panels forming a belt and a bottom wall secured to the belt, the package resting on the tray, the belt comprises at least one belt flap folded outwardly vertically , said flap is folded over the belt flap folded vertically to form a connecting means between the pallet and the package.

According to another embodiment, the pallet with a cardboard package comprising vertical panels forming a belt and a bottom wall secured to the belt, the package resting on the plate, comprises at least three vertical side wings connected by two in such a way as to form wedges or trihedrons with the plate, and said wedges comprise cut-off portions forming re-entrant dihedrums cooperating with notches made along the corresponding edges of the belt by being engaged therein.

Possibly to reinforce the connection, said shutters are partly linked to the panels of the belt by gluing or stapling. However, the bond is strong enough to stand on its own.

Cardboard in the present application means corrugated cardboard or any other semi-rigid material, possibly plastic, such as honeycomb plates known in the art.

By packaging is any cardboard container or other equivalent parallelepiped material, such as a box, possibly American, a tray, possibly cut type, and more generally any cardboard container comprising a belt and a partial or total bottom.

• la figure 1 montre une palette conforme à un premier mode de réalisation de l'invention,
• la figure 2 montre un emballage pour une palette selon la figure 1,
• la figure 3 montre une palette conforme à un deuxième mode de réalisation,
• la figure 4 montre un emballage pour une palette selon la figure 3,
• la figure 5 montre une palette conforme à un troisième mode de réalisation,
• la figure 6 montre un emballage pour une palette selon la figure 5,
• la figure 7 montre le montage de l'emballage de la figure 6 sur la palette de la figure 5,
• la figure 8 montre une palette selon un cinquième mode de réalisation,
• la figure 9 montre un emballage pour une palette selon la figure 10,

Non-limiting embodiments of the invention will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

• the figure 1 shows a pallet according to a first embodiment of the invention,
• the figure 2 shows a package for a pallet according to the figure 1 ,
• the figure 3 shows a pallet according to a second embodiment,
• the figure 4 shows a package for a pallet according to the figure 3 ,
• the figure 5 shows a pallet according to a third embodiment,
• the figure 6 shows a package for a pallet according to the figure 5 ,
• the figure 7 shows the assembly of the packaging of the figure 6 on the palette of the figure 5 ,
• the figure 8 shows a pallet according to a fifth embodiment,
• the figure 9 shows a package for a pallet according to Figure 10,

Referring first to the figure 1 1 pallet 1 with a plate 10 and pads 11. The pallet plate is made of corrugated cardboard, of grammage and preferably with multiple grooves, adapted to meet the mechanical strength constraints corresponding to the use to which it is applied. is intended.

The pads 11 are for example each formed in the form of a rectangular section tube, obtained by winding a sheet of cardboard. The tube is glued or stapled under the tray. Cutouts are provided along the tube for the passage of the forks of a handling machine. To strengthen the pads to enable them to withstand high loads, it is expected to have reinforcements inside the tubes. These reinforcements may be cardboard mandrels placed vertically. Their thickness depends on the vertical load at which they want to resist. Preferably, the method of manufacture of the cardboard pallet is derived from the patent EP 750568 in the name of the company Bini. According to this patent, the pads are prepared from properly cut cardboard plates. These plates are first folded in U. It then has the individual reinforcements in the U-shaped piece. Then the tube is closed, the various elements being held together by gluing. We finally come to place the pallet plate on the skates, here three, and fix them together.

The number of skates is not limited to 3. We understand that we can adapt it at will.

According to this embodiment of the invention, the pallet 1 comprises a first flap 14 formed along a first edge 10A of the plate 10. This flap is cut from the same corrugated board that the tray. This means that it is in the continuous extension of the plateau. Preferably, there is a second flap 15 along the second edge 10B parallel to the first. This is the edges parallel to the pads 11, but another arrangement is possible, especially if the pads are pads. The flaps are hinged around folding lines of the carton, preferably aligned with the edge of the tray. The flap 14 extends on either side of the plate 10, along the edges perpendicular to 10A, by two tabs 141 and 142 respectively. The flap 15 also extends along the edges perpendicular to 10B by tabs 151 and 152. These tabs are hinged perpendicular to 10A and 10B.

We have shown on the figure 2 a package 16 associated with the pallet. This packaging cardboard or other similar semi-rigid material, comprises a belt formed of four panels 161, 162, 163, 164, and a bottom optionally formed of flaps attached to the belt as in an American box. Notches 161A and 163A were formed on the parallel panels 161 and 163. Only the notches 161A are visible on the figure 2 . These notches are arranged to receive the tabs 141, 142 and 151, 152.

The packaging is mounted on the pallet in the perimeter of the tray. 10. The flaps 14 and 15 are folded against the waistband and the tabs 141, 142 and 151, 152 are slid into the notches 161A and 163A. This ensures the maintenance of the package on the pallet simply and quickly.

We have shown on Figures 3 and 4 a second embodiment. The pallet 2 comprises a plate 20 with pads or pads 21 optionally reinforced internally by blocks 23. The plate 20 is bordered laterally along a first edge 20A and a second edge 20B, parallel to each other, by a first flap 24 and a second flap 25. Preferably, the plate and flaps are formed in the same plate of cardboard. In these flaps are cut two tongues 241 and 251 respectively. These tabs here have a shape dovetail.

We have shown on the figure 4 a package 26 with a four-panel belt 261, 262, 263, 264, and a bottom where appropriate. At the base of the panels 261 and 263 of the belt, there are provided two horizontal notches 261A and 263A of which only the notch 261A is visible. These notches are arranged to cooperate with the tabs 241 and 243 respectively.

The packaging is mounted on the tray within its perimeter and then slides the tabs into their respective notch. The dovetail shape promotes the locking in place of the tabs.

We have shown on Figures 5, 6 and 7 , a third embodiment of the invention.

The pallet 3 comprises a plate 30 with pads or pads 31 possibly reinforced by blocks 33. The plate is bordered along a first and a second edge which are parallel to each other 30A and 30B, flaps 34 and 35 respectively. Each flap is itself flanked by a flap 341 and 351 along its edge parallel to 30A and 30B. Two other flaps 37 and 38 are arranged along the other two edges. They include flaps 37A and 38A.

The figure 6 shows a package 36 with a belt formed of four panels 361, 362, 363 and 364 and shutters including at least two flaps 362A and 363A extending the panels 362 and 362 parallel to each other.

We see in section the mounted assembly, on the figure 7 . The four flaps 34, 35 and 37, 38 have been previously mounted by folding them at right angles by relative to the plate 30, the flaps 37A and 38a against the flaps 34 and 35 and the flaps 341 and 351 on the flaps 37A and 38A. The set of shutters is thus raised with respect to the plateau. The package 36 was then placed on the tray 30, flipping the flaps 362A and 364A outward. We obtain the disposition of the figure 7 with the flaps 362A and 364A wedged under the flaps 341 and 351. This arrangement prevents the package is raised on one side or the other relative to the pallet tray.

We have shown on Figures 8 and 9 another embodiment of the invention.

The pallet 5 comprises a plate 50 with pads 51 possibly reinforced by blocks, here not shown. The pallet is lined with four shutters 54, 55, 57 and 58.

These flaps are connected together appropriately so as to form flanges erected relative to the plate. In the trihedron or wedge of the four corners formed by the edges are cut legs 50A which folding them inward form dihedral re-entrant.

On the figure 9 we see a package 56 with its belt formed of four panels 561, 562, 563 and 564. is cut in the corners, near the bottom, notches 56A.

For assembly, the package is placed on the plate 50 between the flanges 54, 55, 57 and 58. It is then sufficient to push the tabs 50A into the notches 56A to form reentrant dihedrals and lock the package on the pallet .

The packaging and pallet here are four panels. However other polygonal shapes are possible, such as for example octagonal.

According to another characteristic of the invention, a pallet box made of cardboard or other semi-rigid material comprising a box or a package resting on a plate provided with longitudinal paddles forming a pallet, said plate having vertical lateral returns of centering of the box on the tray, the box comprising a belt formed of at least four vertical panels, is characterized in that at least one panel of the belt is attached to one of said lateral returns.

The lateral returns of the tray of the pallet immobilize the body against possible slippage and they have a contact surface sufficient to allow the use of a fastening means. The attachment means may be staple gluing or tongue and notch means. For the latter for example there is provided a tab cut in the return cooperating with a notch formed in the panel of the adjacent belt.

It allows the realization of pallets crates both robust and economical while having a flat bottom. For some applications, this last advantage is decisive compared to wooden pallets with their slatted bearing surface.

According to a particular embodiment, each of the panels of the belt comprises a bottom flap folded at right angles and bearing against the pallet plate. By this solution, the bottom flaps of the body stabilize it against bursting and contribute to maintaining the cohesion of the whole by the weight of the items contained in the box and pressing it.

Advantageously, said flaps are trapezoidal so as not to overlap when bent together perpendicular to their respective panel. Thanks to this the assembly is easy because the flaps can be folded individually. However other forms are possible.

Claims (13)

1. A cardboard pallet comprising a tray (10, 20, 30, 50), support forming skids, at least one side wing (14, 24, 34, 54), being integral with the tray, arranged along a first edge (10A, 20A, 30A, 50A) of the tray, and linking means to link the pallet with a package positioned on the tray, characterized by the fact that said linking means consist in a tongue (141, 142, 151, 152, 241, 251), a flap (341, 351) or tabs (50A), associated to said side wing to link the pallet with the package with no accessories.
2. A pallet according to preceding claim, the wing (14, 15) of which is extended on each side perpendicular to the first tray edge by an articulated tongue (141, 142; 151,152), arranged in order to cooperate with a corresponding slit in the wall of said package.
3. A pallet according to claim 1, the wing (24, 25) of which comprises a tongue (241, 251) arranged in the free edge parallel to the first tray edge, arranged to cooperate with a slit formed in the wall of said package.
4. A pallet according to claim 2 or 3, comprising a second wing articulated along the second tray edge parallel to the first tray edge, conformed in order to comprise a linking means with a package positioned on the tray.
5. A pallet according to claim 1, the wing (34, 35) of which comprises a flap (341, 351) along its side that is parallel to the fist tray edge, the wing and its flap forming said linking means.
6. A pallet according to claim 5, comprising a second wing (35) articulated along a second tray edge (30B), parallel to the first edge (30A) of the tray, the first (34) and second (35) flaps being maintained in a vertical position by being linked to the third (37) and fourth (38) perpendicular flaps articulated on the other edges of the tray (30).
7. A pallet according to claim 1, the skids of which extend horizontally, of a parallelepiped form with inner reinforcements.
8. A cardboard pallet according to claim 1, with a cardboard package comprising vertical panels forming a belt, the package laying on the tray, the package belt comprising at least one linking means cooperating with the linking means on the pallet to link the pallet to the package.
9. A pallet according to claim 2 with a cardboard package (16) comprising vertical panels (161, 162, 163, 164) forming a belt and a bottom wall being integral with the belt, the package laying on the tray, characterized by the fact that the belt (161) of the package comprises at least a vertical notch (161A) cooperating with said tongue to lock the package on the pallet.
10. A pallet according to claim 3 with a cardboard package (26) comprising vertical panels (261, 262, 263, 264) forming a belt and a bottom wall being integral with the belt, the package laying on the tray, characterized by the fact that the package belt comprises at least one horizontal notch (261A) cooperating with said tongue to lock the pallet package.
11. A pallet according to claim 6 with a cardboard package comprising vertical panels (361, 362, 363, 364) forming a belt and a bottom wall being integral with the belt, the package laying on the tray, the belt of which comprises at least one belt wing (362A) folded outwards vertically, said flap (341) being folded down on the belt wing (362A) folded vertically outwards to form a linking means between the pallet and the package.
12. A pallet according to claim 1 with a cardboard package comprising vertical panels forming a belt and a bottom wall being integral with the belt, the package laying on the tray, the tray (50) of which comprises at least three vertical side wings (54, 55, 57, 58) mutually linked in corners, said corners comprise cut tabs (50A) forming reentrant dihedrals cooperating with the notches (56A) made along the corresponding edges of the belt.
13. A pallet according to one of claims 8 to 12, the wings of which being partly linked to the belt panels by sticking or stapling.

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