EP2059448B1 - Transport container - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a transport container (10) which is especially used for receiving and transporting fruit and vegetables, and comprises a preferably rectangular and essentially plane base plate (20) and a plurality of lateral walls (30) which are provided on the outer edges of the base plate (20) in such a way that they are essentially perpendicular thereto. The geometric dimensions of each lateral wall (30) can be modified, especially enlarged, in a flexible manner.

Description

Transport containers made of plastic are for a variety of transport tasks, such as for vegetable or fruit transport but also for the transport of coarse bulk or small to medium-sized components, such as injection molded parts or electronic parts, of great importance. On the one hand, they have a low weight, on the other hand, in the filled state, also a sufficient stability and strength due to their load-specific designed design. In particular, the folding transport container still have a special advantage, since they can be folded together to save space due to the folding mechanism, so that they occupy a smaller transport volume when empty in the collapsed state.

Due to the diverse field of application, in particular due to the constantly changing or different from each other size of the objects to be transported but very high demands in terms of their flexibility, especially with regard to their transport volume are set just to this transport container, whether foldable or not. In this case, the transport volume of the individual container in conventional transport containers generally determines the volume of bulk material that can be transported by the containers or the number of transport items, the transport volume basically corresponding to the container volume determined by the size of the bottom surface and the side walls.

There are numerous rigid and hinged transport containers known from the prior art, which are offered in view of the different transport objects in certain different sizes, in particular at different heights. Such transport containers are used for example for the transport of fruits and vegetables. At the beginning of the year, after a rough estimate of the fruit or vegetable supply to be transported, the respective producer is supplied with a certain number of transport containers in a certain size or height, which is ultimately determined by the fruit size is determined. Such transport containers, also referred to as fruit and vegetable trays, are now based on the problem that the fruit size of the fruits to be transported, which are preferably transported in a single layer in the transport container so as not to mutually damage each other by pressure, increases in the course of a harvest year, in particular due to the advanced ripening process. Also with regard to only seasonally occurring fruits or vegetables, it happens that in a particular season, a certain size of transport containers is needed, but these are no longer needed during the rest of the year and thus used. In this respect, the transport volume to be handled by the transport container also increases or changes over the course of a year. The size of the fear to be transported essentially has an effect on the height of the containers, since a change in the basic dimension of the various transport containers, especially for reasons of compatibility, is rather disregarded.

To meet these fluctuations in the transport volume is so far proceeded that the producer a variety of transport containers in different sizes or heights is supplied, which then uses the transport container of the fruit size corresponding required size or height as needed, while the Containers of other sizes or heights remain unused. This causes unnecessary costs, since the containers are usually rented containers. Furthermore, the unused containers take up a large storage space at the producer. Even if the decrease in the transport container in different sizes so to speak just-in-time takes place, ie that exactly the number of containers in the desired size occurs only when producing or harvesting the fruits, this is associated with disadvantages because of the high and seasonal fluctuating demand for such transport containers often not the immediate delivery of the desired number of transport containers in the desired size is possible. Ultimately, this is also problematic for the manufacturer of the transport container itself, since it must always be ensured that according to demand, a sufficient number of transport containers of different sizes must be maintained.

Of course, this problem that occurs especially in fruit and vegetable crops can also be transferred to other areas. For example, when transporting bulk material, injection-molded parts or electronic parts, strong fluctuations in the volumes to be transported are also to be observed, in particular due to the varying component sizes.

The above-described from the prior art and offered in various sizes transport container, whether rigid or hinged, which are provided for a variety of transport items in various transport volumes, thus have the problem in common that they are less flexible, in large numbers and in different sizes and their use requires a great logistical and financial effort.

A transport container with the features of the preamble of claim 1 is made US 2004/0222222 known.

The object of the invention is therefore to provide a transport container, in particular made of plastic, which has a balanced range of properties in terms of weight and stability, but above all the variable and diverse requirements due to the ever-changing transport volumes caused by changing or by itself different sizes of the objects to be transported is fair. In addition, the transport container should be robust and simple and inexpensive to produce.

The inventively proposed transport container solves this problem in that its individual in cooperation with the base plate, the transport volume of the transport container determining side walls can be flexibly changed in their dimensions. This is inventively made possible by the fact that an additional wall element can be attached to the individual conventional side wall of the transport container, whereby an enlargement of the surface of the original side wall relative to the folded transport container preferably but not necessarily exclusively in the vertical direction. Overall, such an increase in height of the side walls of the Transport container realized, at the same time the transport volume is steigerbar.

According to the invention, the transport container on its preferably rectangular base preferably four foldable or rigidly arranged and in the vertical by means of additional wall elements as required enlargeable or extendable side walls to increase the volume receivable in the transport container and in particular the total height of the transport container to the to make objects to be transported variably adjustable. Basically, however, fixed side walls are conceivable, which are rigidly connected to the base plate of the container. Such a flexible and simple enlargement of the transport volume of the transport container has the advantage that it is easily adaptable to the different sizes to be transported objects. For example, it is possible to transport seasonally smaller fruits in the spring with the same transport container as larger fruits in the autumn of the same year, with a simple adjustment of the transport volume of the transport container via a corresponding increase in the side surfaces via attaching the additional wall elements. A costly and large storage capacities requiring storage of a variety of conventional transport containers of different sizes is thus superfluous, since a flexible adaptation of the transport container according to the invention is feasible.

In principle, it is conceivable to fasten the additional individual wall elements via insertion or latching elements on the vertically upward-facing upper edges of the corresponding side walls by means of latching devices or plug-in devices.

According to the invention, the additional wall elements are connected via a plurality of hinge rails with the side walls of the transport container. In this case, each side wall has at its upper edge a plurality of hinge rails, via which the respective additional wall element is connected to the side wall. The single one Hinge rail is designed such that the additional wall element with respect to the side wall is movable, in particular hinged, so that it is pivotable between a folded position and an unfolded, the side wall in particular in the vertical direction increasing position. This has the advantage that the additional wall elements are captively connected to the side walls of the transport container.

The hinge rail is designed such that the wall element in the unfolded position against unintentional folding is fixed and sufficient stabilization of the wall element against forces acting on the side wall and the wall element forces, in particular generated by the objects to be transported in the interior of the transport container is ensured.

In this case, the individual hinge rail is formed from a guide rail providing an upwardly and downwardly limited guide rail and a guide element movably guided therein, wherein the guide rail is preferably provided on the upper edge of the side wall of the transport container and the guide element is preferably provided on the lower edge of the wall element this arrangement can in principle also be done the other way around. The guide rail is slot-shaped and receives the widened head piece of the T-shaped guide element movable, wherein this also has a neck portion which protrudes from the slotted guide rail and is connected to the wall element. The neck region has at least one projection, which in the unfolded position positively engages in the slot-shaped guide rail from above and thus supports or fixes the wall element against unintentional collapse or tilting relative to the side wall.

The direction in which the wall element can be folded relative to the side wall plays a subordinate role. Basically, a folding of the individual wall element to the inside but also to the outside of the respective side wall is conceivable, this depending on the direction of the expected forces, the act on the side walls and wall elements in the unfolded state, can be designed.

The wall element is dimensioned such that it is congruent at maximum size, but preferably slightly smaller than the respective side wall of its size. The individual side wall has on its outer side a recess in which the wall element comes to lie in the folded-in position. In the folded-in position, the wall element preferably fits into the recess in a form-fitting manner, so that it does not protrude beyond the plane formed by the outer wall of the side wall. In an embodiment of the hinge rail on the inside of the side wall, ie with inwardly hinged wall element, a corresponding design of the components to each other on the inside. This has the advantage that in a stacking of several transport containers next to each other no beyond the original dimensions protruding components are present and compatibility with other transport containers is given at least from their external dimensions ago.

About the hinge rail, the single wall element is captively connected to the respective side wall, but this does not preclude the possibility of the hinge rail in such a way that the single wall element is separable from the side wall. This is advantageous in that a defective wall element can be replaced by an intact, without having to replace the entire transport container. Here it is also conceivable to secure the captive held on the hinge rail wall element additionally by means of at least one further locking element against unintentional unfolding.

The guide rail of the hinge element is preferably made integral with the side wall and the T-shaped guide element integral with the wall element, so that they need only be inserted into one another. It is also conceivable, however, an embodiment in which both guide rail and guide element are formed separately and in corresponding recesses used in the side wall or the wall element and connected, for example glued or locked.

According to a second non-inventive embodiment, the flexible side wall enlargement is realized via a telescopic system. In this case, the wall elements are integrated into the side walls of the transport container as a telescope system such that the respective wall element is arranged in a vertically formed and upwardly open recess in the respective side wall itself and is fully retractable in this or preferably positively receivable. The upper edge of the retracted wall element terminates with the upper edge of the side wall.

In the extended state, the wall elements are preferably lockable by means of movable locking lugs in their position or against unintentional retraction fixed, wherein a plurality of different positions is conceivable, in particular to realize different side wall enlargements. When retracted, they are completely received in the vertically extending in the side wall recess. Laterally, the wall elements are movably guided in corresponding guide rails in the recess. The telescopic mechanism can also have a spring support, whereby the movement of the side walls is simplified.

About the telescopic mechanism, the single wall element is captively connected to the respective side wall and held in the corresponding recess, but this does not preclude the possibility of the telescopic mechanism in such a way that the single wall element is separable from the side wall. This is advantageous in that a defective wall element can be replaced by an intact, without having to replace the entire transport container. Here, it is also conceivable to additionally secure the wall element, which is held captive via the telescopic mechanism, by means of at least one further latching element against unintentional extension. However, the already existing locking lugs can be used for this purpose.

The guide rails of the telescopic mechanism are preferably made integral with the side wall and the corresponding guide element integral with the wall element, so that they need only be inserted into each other. It is also conceivable, however, an embodiment in which both guide rail and guide element are formed separately and inserted into corresponding recesses in the side wall or the wall element and connected, for example glued or latched.

In an advantageous development of the subject of the invention, the individual wall element has a specially designed upper edge profile. Here, in the unfolded position upwardly facing edge of the wall element on a top edge profile, which is modeled on the top edge of the original side wall of the transport container. This has the advantage that the compatibility with other transport containers is maintained because in conventional containers, the upper edge profiles of the side walls are formed corresponding to the lower edge profiles of the side walls or the bottom plate to allow a particularly secure and stable stacking of the transport container. It is conceivable in this regard, the exchange of the wall element with a first top edge profile against a wall element with a second, differently designed top edge profile, which corresponds to a different series of transport containers, to ensure the compatibility of different series of transport containers with each other.

In addition, it is conceivable for particularly large wall elements, i. in a particularly large height of the transport container to provide additional corner connecting elements between the individual wall elements, which allow additional stabilization of the wall elements in the unfolded or extended state. It is conceivable to design these as latching elements.

According to a further advantageous embodiment of the transport container, the side walls of the transport container carrying the movable wall elements are also movably mounted relative to the base plate. In particular, the side walls preferably foldable towards the container interior or folded down so as to minimize the storage space of the unneeded, collapsed container. In this regard, however, recourse is made to solutions already known in the prior art, since folding containers having side walls which can be folded relative to the base plate are already well known.

It is conceivable according to an advantageous development of the subject invention to design the side walls of the transport container such that they are arranged one above the other in the folded state, in such a way that the transport container in the assembled state does not extend beyond a low basic height above the base plate addition and assumes a flat compact shape. Preferably, the longitudinal side walls come to lie over the transverse side walls, and this can be done the other way round. The additional wall elements are completely received in the recesses of the side walls. This has the advantage that can be produced by opening the side walls and wall elements, a high transport container with a large transport volume, but this has only a small size in the folded state. The storage of unused containers is thus considerably simplified, since the necessary storage space compared to conventional boxes can be significantly reduced.

Advantageously, all components of the transport container are produced by injection molding, but it is also conceivable foaming, blowing or welding of the individual components. Preferably here plastic material, in particular PET material such as polyolefins used. However, all other conventional production methods, which are used in the production of plastic parts for the production of items of the transport container conceivable.

In this case, in an advantageous development of the invention, the individual parts of the transport container, ie bottom plate, side walls and additional wall elements reinforced by introducing reinforcing ribs load-specific. At stress critical points of the components are recesses and material savings intended. This has the advantage that in combination of the components a very stable and robust and lightweight transport container can be realized.

The indicated features of the transport container according to the invention thus result both in use in detail and in the interaction and in the combination of features both to a weight-optimized and stable, but especially to a variable and the diverse requirements caused by the ever-changing transport volumes or itself from different sizes having transport items fair transport container that is robust and simple and inexpensive to produce.

In the following, preferred embodiments are described in more detail by way of example in detail.

Fig. 1

eine perspektivische Darstellung des Transportbehälters gemäß einer ersten erfindungsgemäßen Ausführungsform mit ausgeklappten Wandelementen;

Fig. 2

eine perspektivische Darstellung des Transportbehälters gemäß der ersten erfindungsgemäßen Ausführungsform mit eingeklappten Wandelementen;

Fig. 3

eine perspektivische Darstellung einer Seitenwand gemäß der ersten erfindungsgemäßen Ausführungsform mit eingeklappten Wandelementen;

Fig. 4

einen perspektivischen vergrößerten Ausschnitt der Seitenwand gemäß der ersten erfindungsgemäßen Ausführungsform mit einer Scharnierschiene;

Fig. 5

eine perspektivische Darstellung eines Wandelements gemäß der ersten erfindungsgemäßen Ausführungsform;

Fig. 6

eine perspektivische Darstellung des Transportbehälters gemäß einer zweiten nicht erfindungsgemäßen Ausführungsform mit eingefahrenen Wandelementen;

Fig. 7

eine perspektivische Darstellung des Transportbehälters gemäß der zweiten nicht erfindungsgemäßen Ausführungsform mit ausgefahrenen Wandelementen; und

Fig. 8

eine perspektivische Darstellung des zusammengeklappten Transportbehälters gemäß der ersten erfindungsgemäßen Ausführungsform.

The attached drawings show all purely schematically in:

Fig. 1

a perspective view of the transport container according to a first embodiment of the invention with unfolded wall elements;

Fig. 2

a perspective view of the transport container according to the first embodiment of the invention with folded wall elements;

Fig. 3

a perspective view of a side wall according to the first embodiment of the invention with folded wall elements;

Fig. 4

a perspective enlarged section of the side wall according to the first embodiment of the invention with a hinge rail;

Fig. 5

a perspective view of a wall element according to the first embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 6

a perspective view of the transport container according to a second non-inventive embodiment with retracted wall elements;

Fig. 7

a perspective view of the transport container according to the second non-inventive embodiment with extended wall elements; and

Fig. 8

a perspective view of the folded transport container according to the first embodiment of the invention.

The in the Fig. 1 and 2 shown transport container 10 according to a first embodiment has a rectangular base plate 20 on which are mounted on non-illustrated and arranged at their edges folding hinges four side walls 30 movably. In this case, the hinges connecting the side walls 30 to the bottom plate 20 are formed such that the side walls 30 are completely foldable towards the interior of the transport container 10 in a horizontal position. In the contact areas of the side walls 30, ie in the corners of the transport container, a manually operated locking mechanism 31 is provided, by means of which the erected or unfolded side walls 30 are connected to each other to fix them in their vertical position and so the basic structure of the transport container 10th to build. The side walls 30 of the transport container have recessed grips or support recesses 32.

The side walls of the transport container 10 are gem. Fig. 8 Furthermore, designed such that they are arranged one above the other in the folded state, in such a way that the transport container 10 in the assembled state does not extend beyond a low basic height above the base plate and assumes a flat compact form. In this case, the longitudinal side walls 30 come to lie over the transverse side walls 30. The additional wall elements 40 are completely received in the recesses 33 of the side walls 30. '

The single in Fig. 3 shown side wall 30 is formed such that it has a recess 33 on its outwardly facing side. At the upper edge of the individual side wall 30, three hinge rails 34 are provided. Via the hinge rails 34, an additional wall element 40 is movably connected to the upper edge of the individual side wall 30.

Here are the in Fig. 4 Hinge rails 34 shown enlarged designed such that the additional wall element 40 is arranged on this foldable on the individual side wall 30, so that the wall element 40 between a first folded and a second unfolded the side wall 30 in the vertical direction increasing position is pivotable. The hinge rail 34 is designed such that the wall element 40 is fixed in the unfolded position against unintentional folding and sufficient stabilization of the wall member 40 relative to the side wall 30 and the wall member 40 acting forces, in particular generated by the objects to be transported in the interior of the Transport container 10 is ensured.

Here is the in Fig. 4 illustrated enlarged single hinge rail 34 from an up and down limited guide way available guide rail 35 and a movable guided therein T-shaped guide member 41 is formed. The guide rail 35 is formed on the upper edge of the side wall 30 of the transport container 10 and the guide member 41 on the lower edge of the wall member 40. The guide rail 35 of the hinge rail 34 is integrally formed with the side wall 30 and the T-shaped guide member 41 integral with the wall member 40 so that they need to be used for assembly only in one another.

The guide rail 35 is slit-shaped and movably receives the widened head portion of the T-shaped guide member 41 along the guide path. The T-shaped guide element 41 has a neck region 42 which protrudes from the guide rail 35 and is integrally connected to the wall element 40. The neck region 42 has a projection 43. Indeed can gem. Fig. 3 but also projections 43 may be provided on both sides of the neck region 42. When the wall element 40 is in the unfolded position, the projection 43 provided on the neck region 42 of the T-shaped guide element 41 engages positively in the slot-shaped guide rail 35 from above, thus securing the wall element 40 against unintentional collapse or tilting with respect to the side wall 30. In this case, the length of the engaging in the guide rail 35 portion of the projection 43 is selected such that a sufficient Verkippsicherung is realized. The guide rail 35 is designed such that the folding of the wall member 40 via the T-shaped guide member 41 to the outside, ie to the outside of the side wall 30 out.

That in the Fig. 1 to 5 shown wall member 40 is formed like a bow and dimensioned by its dimensions forth such that the wall member 40 is received in the folded position in the recess 33 in the outside of the side wall 30 so that it does not protrude beyond the formed by the outer wall of the side wall 30 level. In this case, the bow-shaped wall element 40 on its edge facing the upper edge of the side wall 30 has six support elements 44, which additionally support the bow-shaped wall element 40 with respect to the side wall 30.

In the Fig. 6 and 7 shown second non-inventive embodiment has the same basic structure as that of the transport container 10 of Fig. 1 to 5 and is formed of a side wall 30 'and a wall member 40' movable relative to the side wall 30 '. However, it differs from the first embodiment in that the side wall enlargement does not take place by means of hingedly arranged on the side walls 30 wall elements 40 by unfolding, but this via a telescope system consisting of side wall 30 'and wall element. 4

The respective individual wall element 40 'is after Fig. 6 integrated into the corresponding side wall 30 'of the transport container as a telescopic system such that the individual wall element 40' in a vertically formed and upwardly open recess 36 'arranged in the respective side wall 30' itself and in this fully retractable or preferably form-fitting manner is receivable. The upper edge of the retracted wall element 40 'terminates with the upper edge of the side wall 30' from.

In the extended state, the single wall element 40 'gem. Fig. 7 via movable locking lugs 37 'locked in its position or fixed against unintentional retraction. When retracted, the single wall element 40 'is completely received in the recess 36' extending vertically in the side wall. The side is the individual wall element 40 'in corresponding guide rails (not shown) in the recess 36' movably guided. The telescopic mechanism has a spring support (not shown).

About the telescopic mechanism, the single wall element 40 'is captively connected to the respective side wall 30' and held in the corresponding recess 36 '.

The guide rails (not shown) of the telescopic mechanism are integrally formed with the side wall 30 'and a corresponding guide element (not shown) integral with the wall element 40', so that they need only be inserted into each other.

Both embodiments have in common that the individual parts of the transport container 10, i. Base plate 20, side walls 30, 30 'and additional wall elements 40, 40' are reinforced load-specific by introducing reinforcing ribs. At stress-critical points of the components recesses and material savings are provided.

Claims (7)

1. A transport container (10), in particular for receiving and transporting fruit and vegetables, comprising a preferably rectangular and substantially planar base plate (20) and a plurality of side walls (30) provided at outer edges of the base plate (20) and substantially perpendicular to the base plate, wherein the particular side wall (30) is flexibly variable with respect to its geometric dimensions through applying an additional wall element (40), in particular enlargeable, wherein the wall element (40) is attachable at an upper edge of the particular side wall (30), wherein the upper edge is oriented away from the base plate (20), and connected with the particular side wall (30) through a hinge rail (34) so that it is secured against loss and moveable, in particular foldable, so that the additional wall element (40) is pivotable between a folded-in position and a folded-out position and fixable in a folded-out position, wherein the particular hinge rail (34) is formed from a support rail (35) providing a limited support path and support elements (41) moveably supported therein, wherein the support rail (35) is arranged at the upper edge of the particular side wall (30) and the support element (41) is arranged at the bottom side of the particular additional wall element (40) oriented towards the base plate (20) or the support rail (35) is arranged at the lower edge of the particular additional wall element (40) oriented towards the base plate (20) and the support element (41) is arranged at the upper edge of the particular side wall (30) and wherein the support element (41) is configured T-shaped, wherein the broadened head piece of the T-shaped support element (41) that is arranged at the neck portion (42) of the support element (41) is moveably received in the slot-shaped support rail (35).
2. The transport container (10) according to claim 1, wherein the particular support rail (35) is integrally configured with the particular side wall (30) or the particular additional wall element (40) and the support element (41) is integrally configured with the particular additional wall element (40) or the particular side wall (30).
3. The transport container (10) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the neck portion (42) of the support element (41) includes at least one protrusion (43), in particular two protrusions (43) which engage the slot-shaped support rail (35) in a form-locking manner in folded out position of the additional wall element (40).
4. The transport container (10) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the particular side wall (30) includes a recess (33) on one of its side surfaces, wherein the additional wall element (40) is completely receivable, preferably in a form-locked manner, in the recess in particular in folded in position.
5. The transport container (10) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the upper edge profile of the edge of the particular additional wall element (40) that is oriented away from the base plate (20) corresponds to a profile of a corresponding bottom edge of the base plate (20).
6. The transport container (10) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the adjacent additional wall elements (40) are connectable through additional corner connectors arranged thereon.
7. The transport container (10) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the plurality of side walls (30) is moveably supported through hinges, in particular pivotably supported at the outer edges of the base plate (20), preferably arranged on the base plate (20) in folded-up condition on top of one another.

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