SE542153C2 - An arrangement for interlocking two plate-like members and a cargo casing provided with such an arrangement - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to an arrangement (1) for interlocking two plate-like members (2, 3), such as a wall and a lid of a cargo casing. The arrangement (1) comprises a locking element (5) configured to be secured to a first (2) and a second (3) said platelike member, so as to fix these members (2, 3) in relation to each other. The locking element (5) comprises a second part (8) configured to be inserted in and engage with a recess on the second plate-like member (3) for securing the locking element (5) thereto. The arrangement (1) further comprises a sealing element (22) configured to be secured in said recess so as to secure the locking element (5) therein. The sealing element (22) comprises a locking member which is movable to a pulled-back position so as to enable insertion of the sealing element (22) in the recess and configured to snap out to a locking position in the recess so as to secure the sealing element (22) therein. The invention also relates to a cargo casing provided with such an arrangement (1) for interlocking a wall with a lid and/or a bottom of the cargo casing.

Description

An arrangement for interlocking two plate-like members and a cargo casing provided with such an arrangement TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an arrangement for interlocking two plate-like members according to the preamble of claim 1, as well as a cargo casing according to the preamble of the appended independent claim related thereto. Said plate-like members are typically walls, a bottom and/or a lid of a cargo casing, such as a box or a pallet collar construction, for transport on a pallet.

The invention relates to such an arrangement of any conceivable type, which can be used to interlock such plate-like members in the form of boards made of plastic, metal etc., but an arrangement used on a transport box made of plywood may be mentioned as a typical example without restricting the invention thereto. Such arrangements are used to fasten the bottom and/or lid to the walls of the box during transport thereof and may be used as the sole fastening means or as a complement to other such means, such as straps etc. These boxes are usually delivered to a customer, such as a component manufacturer, as a set of separate parts in the form of wall members, fastening means etc. for keeping transport costs low. The manufacturer then have to assemble the boxes on site before these are packed with products and shipped to a customer.

BACKGROUND ART An arrangement (device) of the type described in the introduction is already known through the document EP 1 073 591 B1.

The arrangement described in said document is used to interlock two plate-like members in the form of a wall (2) and a lid (3) of a wooden transport box (1) (see especially figs. 1 -3). The arrangement comprises a locking element (4) provided with a first part (15) configured to engage with a recess (16) on the lid and a second part (6) configured to engage with a recess (7) on the wall for securing the locking element to the lid and wall and thereby fixing these members in relation to each other. The first part (15) is a hook which is to be inserted in and engage with a recess (16) in the form of a socket on the lid and the second part (6) is an expandable plug which is to be inserted in and engage with a recess in the form of a through-hole in the wall. The locking element (4) further comprises a stop member (13) configured to be inserted in a hollow space inside the expandable plug when the plug is inserted in the through-hole, so as to keep the plug in an expanded state and thereby the locking element secured to the wall and lid. The locking element is preferably made in one piece of a plastic material.

There are many important characteristics to be taken into account by designing products of this type, i.e. accessories for cargo casings in the form of locking arrangements. First of all, they have to be fast and easily operated as time is an important factor within this field of logistics and assembly of a single transport box may require attachment of 20-30 locking arrangements. These locking arrangements should also be cost-effective to produce due to the great amount needed by a company that ships a lot of products in boxes of this type, which means that the price of the locking arrangements have to be kept low. At the same time, it is important that the locking arrangements are wear resistant as they may be subjected to impacts from for instance a forklift by loading/unloading or from other boxes during transportation in a freight vehicle. These boxes often contain expensive shipping goods and it is therefore important that for instance the lids are securely fixed so that no product being shipped may be damaged. Furthermore, it is usually highly preferred to provide cargo casings of the type described with some type of seal so that it is not possible to open a casing without anyone noticing it. Separate sealing components, such as sealing strips or mountings, are used for this purpose which means that the total cost as well as the assembly time for each casing increases.

There is a constant strive for improving locking arrangements of this type, for instance with respect to the characteristics mentioned above, due to the great potential existing within the fastgrowing logistics industry.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The object of the present invention is to provide an arrangement for interlocking two plate-like members of the type defined in the introduction being improved in at least some aspect with respect to such arrangements already known, through for example said document.

This object is according to the invention obtained by providing such an arrangement which further comprises a sealing element configured to be inserted and secured in the recess on the second plate-like member when the second part of the locking element is received therein, and thereby to secure the locking element in this recess by preventing it from being pulled out therefrom, wherein the sealing element has a lock mechanism comprising at least one locking member resiliently connected to a base body of the sealing element, which locking member is movable to a pulledback position so as to enable insertion of the sealing element in the recess on the second plate-like member and configured to snap out to a locking position, once the sealing element has been inserted in the recess, in which locking position the locking member engages with parts of the recess so as to secure the sealing element therein.

The sealing element ensures that the second part of the locking element is properly secured in the recess on the second platelike member in a state of use of the arrangement, which implies a reduced risk that the arrangement will release the plate-like members from each other by mistake during use of the arrangement, compared to by use of arrangements of this type already known. Also, by use of the arrangement at a cargo casing, such as a box, this is fast and easily sealed by the sealing element of the arrangement so that no separate sealing components are needed. The arrangement according to the invention accordingly provides a reliable interlocking of the plate-like members and reduces the total cost and assembly time for a cargo casing, by use therewith.

According to an embodiment of the invention the at least one locking member is provided with a stop part, and the locking member is configured to engage with the recess in the locking position by gripping behind an edge of the recess by the stop part, so that the stop part prevents the sealing element from being pulled out from the recess when the locking member is in the locking position.

According to another embodiment of the invention the at least one locking member has an elongated resilient body which is connected to the base body of the sealing element by a rear end and is provided with the stop part at an opposite front end of the elongated body, which front end is configured to face in the intended direction of insertion of the sealing element in the recess, the elongated body of the locking member extends at least substantially in parallel with a central axis of the base body of the sealing element in a rest state, the stop part protrudes from the elongated body of the locking member in a direction away from the central axis of the base body in the rest state, and the locking member is movable to the pulled-back position by bending it in a direction substantially towards the central axis of the base body while storing potential energy in the elongated body of the locking member, and configured to snap out to the locking position by releasing the potential energy stored so that the elongated body moves back towards its rest state. Such a locking member provides securing of the sealing element and thereby the locking element in the recess on the second plate-like member in an uncomplicated and efficient manner.

According to another embodiment of the invention the stop part of the locking member has a guide surface facing away from the central axis of the base body of the sealing element in the rest state of the locking member, the guide surface extends from a front end of the stop part towards a rear end of the stop part in a direction which forms an angle with and points away from a central axis of the elongated body of the locking member in the rest state, and the locking member is movable to the pulled-back position by pushing the guide surface against a first edge defining the entry opening of the recess on the second plate-like member, when the sealing element is introduced into the recess, so that the guide surface is moved along the first edge and thereby guides the locking member towards its pulled-back position. The sealing element provided with such a locking member is fast and easily arranged in the recess on the second plate-like member as the locking member is automatically moved to the pulled-back position by the guide surface when the sealing element is inserted in this recess. This feature increases the user friendliness of the arrangement.

According to another embodiment of the invention the guide surface extends from the front end of the stop part to the rear end of the stop part, which rear end has an endpoint in which a step down towards the elongated body of the locking member is formed, and the locking member is configured to snap out to the locking position once the endpoint of the rear end of the stop part has been brought past a second edge of the recess on the second plate-like member by further insertion of the sealing element therein, so that the stop part of the locking member is snapped out behind the second edge. Such a locking member provides fast and easy securing of the sealing element in the recess on the second plate-like member, which reduces the time required to assemble for instance a cargo casing in the form of a box including one or more arrangements according to the invention.

According to another embodiment of the invention the sealing element is configured to be inserted and secured in said recess in the form of a through-hole in the second plate-like member, and the locking member, in the locking position thereof, is configured to grip behind an edge of the recess which defines an exit opening thereof in a rear surface of the second plate-like member, as seen in the direction of insertion of the sealing element in the recess. The arrangement with such a sealing element provides an efficient sealing function to for instance a box, as the stop part of the locking member is located inside the closed box in the locking position of the locking member. This means that the sealing element and thereby the locking element may not be unlocked and removed from the box without breaking the seal by damaging either any of these elements or the box to access and release the stop part.

According to another embodiment of the invention the sealing element is provided with a flange on a rear end thereof, as seen in the intended direction of insertion of the sealing element in the recess, which flange protrudes from the base body in a direction transversely to the central axis thereof and is designed to prevent the sealing element from being brought further into the recess when the locking member is in the locking position by bearing against a front surface of the second plate-like member around at least a part of the recess, as seen in the direction of insertion of the sealing element in the recess.

According to another embodiment of the invention the sealing element comprises at least two locking members connected to the base body at opposite sides thereof so that the stop parts of the locking members project in opposite directions. Such a sealing element implies a more steady and reliable securing of the sealing element and thereby the locking element in the recess on the second plate-like member.

According to another embodiment of the invention the sealing element is made in one piece of a synthetic material, preferably plastic. Such a sealing element is cost-effective to produce and is suitable for providing the desired function thereof.

According to another embodiment of the invention the first part of the locking element is configured to engage with said means in the form of a recess on the first plate-like member, the first part of the locking element has at least one retaining member configured to be inserted in and engage with the recess on the first plate-like member for securing the locking element thereto, and the locking element is designed in such a way that the retaining member is held in a secured position in the recess on the first plate-like member when the second part of the locking element is secured in the recess on the second plate-like member.

According to another embodiment of the invention the locking element is designed in such a way that, for securing the locking element to the first and second plate-like members, the retaining member of the first part of the locking element is configured to be inserted in the recess on the first plate-like member in a first direction extending in a first plane and the second part of the locking element is configured to be inserted in the recess on the second plate-like member in a second direction which forms an angle in relation to the first plane, preferably a substantially right angle, and the second part of the locking element is configured to hold the retaining member in a secured position in the recess on the first plate-like member by preventing the locking element from being moved in a direction along the first plane in such a way that the retaining member is moved out of the recess when the second part of the locking element is secured in the recess on the second plate-like member.

According to another embodiment of the invention the locking element is made in one piece of a bent metal rod. Such a locking element is very durable and still cost-effective to produce.

According to another embodiment of the invention the second part of the locking element has a portion with the shape of a loop provided with an opening and is configured to be arranged in the recess on the second plate-like member to have the loop-shaped portion projecting into the recess and the opening of the loop positioned so as to be associated with an entry opening of the recess when the second part of the locking element is secured in this recess, and the sealing element is configured to be secured in the recess on the second plate-like member in such a way that it extends through the opening of the loop to the inside thereof in a secured position, and thereby prevents the locking element from being pulled out of the recess.

According to another embodiment of the invention the portion of the second part of the locking element having the shape of a loop is elastically compressible and is configured to be brought to a compressed state so as to enable insertion of the second part in the recess on the second plate-like member and to return to an expanded state once the second part has been inserted in the recess, in which expanded state stop portions of the loop-shaped portion engages with parts of the recess so as to secure the second part therein.

According to another embodiment of the invention the arrangement is configured to interlock first and second plate-like members in the form of wooden boards, preferably plywood boards.

The invention also relates to a cargo casing, especially wooden box, provided with one or more arrangements according to the invention for interlocking plate-like members in the form of a wall and a lid and/or a bottom of the cargo casing. The advantages thereof appear from the above and following discussion of the arrangement according to the invention and the embodiments thereof.

Further advantages as well as advantageous features of the invention will appear from the following description of an embodiment of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS With reference to the appended drawings, below follows a specific description of an embodiment of the invention cited as an example.

In the drawings: Fig. 1 is a simplified enlarged perspective view from above of a part of a transport box which is shown in whole in Fig. 3, showing an arrangement according to an embodiment of the invention interlocking two plate-like members in the form of a wall and a lid of the box, Fig. 2 is a simplified enlarged perspective view from below of another part of the transport box shown in Fig. 3, showing an arrangement corresponding to that shown in Fig. 1 interlocking a wall and the lid of the box, Fig. 3 is a simplified perspective view of a transport box provided with a plurality of arrangements corresponding to that shown in Fig. 1 interlocking the walls, bottom and lid of the box, Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the arrangement shown in Fig. 1 in an unmounted state, showing the locking element and the sealing element separated from each other, Fig. 5 is a view corresponding to Fig. 4, showing the mutual position of the locking element and the sealing element in a state of use of the arrangement, i.e. when interlocking two plate-like members, Fig. 6 is a sectional side-elevation view of the part of the box and the arrangement shown in Fig. 1, Fig. 7 is a frontal view of the arrangement shown in Fig. 1 as seen from the inside of the box, Fig. 8 is a sectional view of the arrangement shown in Fig. 1, as seen in the direction A from the section B indicated in Fig. 6, Fig. 9 is a simplified perspective view of the part of the box and the locking element of the arrangement shown in Fig. 1 before the locking element is secured to the wall and lid of the box, Fig. 10 is a view corresponding to Fig. 9, showing one of two retaining members of the first part of the locking element being inserted in a recess on the lid of the box, Fig. 11 is a view corresponding to Fig. 9, showing both retaining members received in the recess on the lid of the box and the loop-shaped portion of the second part of the locking element being inserted in a recess on the wall of the box, Fig. 12 is a view corresponding to Fig. 9, showing the locking element secured to the lid and wall of the box for fixing these in relation to each other, and Fig. 13 is a perspective view of the sealing element of the arrangement shown in Fig. 1 in an unmounted state, as seen obliquely from a front end thereof.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF AN EMBODIMENT OF THE IN-VENTION An arrangement according to an embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the appended figures 1-13 and will now be described while at the same time making reference to all these figures.

The arrangement 1 is configured to interlock two plate-like members 2, 3, namely a first plate-like member 2 in the form of a lid or bottom and a second plate-like member 3 in the form of a wall of a cargo casing 4, and more specifically a transport box as is shown in fig. 3. A transport box of this type is typically made of plate-like members in the form of boards of wood, such as plywood, which are interlocked and fixed in relation to each other by locking arrangements 1 and, in some cases, additional fastening means such as straps or the like. However, the arrangement according to the invention may also be used at a transport box having plate-like members made of plastic or metal, or at another type of cargo casing, such as a pallet collar construction which is closed by a lid, as a few examples.

The first and second plate-like members will hereinafter be referred to as lid 2 and wall 3, respectively, and the cargo casing will be referred to as box 4, for the cause of increasing the readability and clarity of this description.

The arrangement 1 comprises a locking element 5, which comprises a first part 6 configured to engage with associated means in the form of a recess 7 on the lid 2 and a second part 8 configured to engage with associated means in the form of a recess 9 on a wall 3 of the box 4 for securing the locking element to the lid and wall and thereby fixing these in relation to each other (see especially figs. 9-12). The recess 7 on the lid is in this example an elongated through-hole in a metal lipping 17 provided along the edges of the lid, but such a recess could also be for instance a through-hole, such as a bore, in the board of the lid, or a recess with a bottom arranged in the board or in a component attached thereto. The recess 9 on the wall is in this example a throughhole in the form of a bore in the board of the wall, which bore extends between a front surface 13 of the wall facing outwards and a rear surface 14 of the wall facing the inside of the box 4. The recess 9 on the wall 3 could however also be another type of recess, such as be indirectly arranged on the wall by a component attached thereto, as one example.

The locking element 5 is formed by a thin metal rod, or wire, which is bent to obtain a shape suitable for the desired function of the locking element. Such a rod has a cross-section diameter of typically 2-5 millimetres, but a slightly thicker rod could be used in special cases, such as by use of the arrangement 1 at a heavy duty cargo casing.

The second part 8 of the locking element 5 is configured to be inserted in the recess 9 on the wall 3 for engaging therewith and thereby securing the locking element thereto. The second part has a portion 8a with the shape of a loop provided with an opening 10. The loop-shaped portion more specifically has the shape of a pentagon with one of the sides missing so as to provide the opening to the inside of the loop (see fig. 8). This portion 8a is configured to extend through the recess and project therefrom into the hollow space inside the box 4 when the second part is secured in the recess on the wall (see figs. 6 and 8). The loop-shaped portion is elastically compressible and configured to be brought to a compressed state so as to enable insertion thereof in the recess 9 and to automatically return to an expanded state once it has been fully inserted therein.

The loop-shaped portion 8a of the second part 8 is provided with stop portions 19 in the form of two opposing corner portions of the pentagon, which stop portions are configured to be positioned inside the box 4 when the second part has been inserted in the recess, and to prevent the second part from being pulled out of the recess by providing the loop-shaped portion 8a with a width which is larger than a cross-section of the recess 9 (see figs. 7-8) when the loop-shaped portion is in the expanded state.

In fig. 8, the loop-shaped portion 8a is shown in the expanded state and positioned in the recess 9 on the wall 3. As is shown in this view, the stop portions 19 project over a second edge 20 of the recess on opposite sides thereof while at the same time bearing against this edge, so as to secure the loop-shaped portion of the second part and thereby the locking element in the recess. The second edge 20 defines an exit opening 21 of the recess in the rear surface 14 of the wall 3.

The opening 10 of the loop of the second part 8 is configured to be positioned so as to be associated with an entry opening 11 of the recess 9 when the locking element 5 is secured therein, which entry opening is defined by a first edge 12 of the recess in the front surface 13 of the wall 3. The opening 10 of the loop being positioned so as to “be associated with” the entry opening 11 of the recess means that these openings face in substantially the same direction, i.e. a component may be brought into both of these openings from the same direction, as is seen in fig. 8. The operation of inserting and securing the second part 8 of the locking element in the recess 9 will be further described below.

The first part 6 of the locking element 5 has two retaining members 15, which are formed by the end portions of the metal rod and are configured to be inserted in and engage with the recess 7 on the lid 2 for securing the locking element thereto. The locking element has two legs 16 interconnecting the first 6 and second 8 parts of the locking element. More specifically, a first leg is connected on one hand to the second part 8 of the locking element at a first side of the opening 10 of the loop thereof and on the other hand to the first part 6 of the locking element in the form of a first retaining member. The other leg is connected on one hand to the second part 8 of the locking element 5 at a second opposite side of the opening 10 of the loop thereof and on the other hand to the first part 6 of the locking element in the form of a second retaining member.

The locking element 5 is designed in such a way that the longitudinal extension of the legs and that of the second part 8 form a generally right angle when seen in a side view of the locking element 5 (see fig. 6). The legs 16 extend along a first portion thereof closest to the second part in parallel with each other, along a second portion in opposite directions and along a third portion closest to the first part 6 of the locking element diverging from each other, in a rest state of the locking element (see fig. 4). However, the locking element 5 included in the arrangement 1 could also have legs of another design, such as legs extending diverging from each other all the way from the second 8 to the first part 6 of the locking element, as one example.

Each retaining member 15 has a first portion 15a extending down towards the second part of the locking element in parallel with the third portion of the respective leg 16, and a second portion 15b extending from a lower end of the first portion in a direction away from the other retaining member and being bent back towards the first portion so as to form substantially the shape of a U. The legs are resiliently movable with respect to each other so as to enable relative movement of the two retaining members 16 towards (see fig. 10) and away (see fig. 11) from each other.

The operation of securing a locking element 5 to the lid 2 and a wall 3 of the box 4 is shown in figs. 9-12. In fig. 9, the locking element is held in a position above the recess 7 in a metal lipping 17 of the lid. The locking element is lowered from this position and one of the retaining members 15 (the one to the left in fig. ) is inserted in the recess on the lid. The other retaining member is then moved towards that received in the recess by pressing the legs 16 of the locking element 5 together, while storing potential energy by the locking element, so that this other retaining member may also be brought into the recess 7.

Potential energy stored in the legs 16 and second part 8 of the locking element by the compression of the legs is released by releasing the legs when both retaining members 15 are located in the recess, so that the legs resiliently move away from each other and thereby bring the retaining members 15 to a locking position in which the U-shaped second portions 15b thereof project under portions of the metal lipping 17 adjacent to the entry opening of the recess 7 on opposite sides of the recess (see fig. 11) , and bent portions of the first parts 6 interconnecting the retaining members 15 and the legs 16 bear against the edge defining the recess 7. It is shown in fig. 2 that the lipping 17 protrudes from the board of the lid 2 along the outer edges thereof and is designed in such a way that a chute-like space 18 is provided under the lipping on the sides of the entry opening of the recess, in which space the second portions 15b of the retaining members 15 project in said locking position.

The loop-shaped portion 8a of the second part 8 of the locking element 5 is now brought to its compressed state by pressing the legs 16 together in a region close to the second part so that the opening 10 of the loop-shaped portion closes and the stop portions 19 thereof move towards each other so as to allow the loopshaped portion 8a to be inserted in the recess 9 on the wall 3 (see fig. 11). The loop-shaped portion is brought into the recess and the legs 16 are then released so that the elastically loop-shaped portion returns to its expanded state (see fig. 8) and thereby secures the second part 8 of the locking element 5 in the recess (see fig. 12).

As is understood from the drawings and the above description, the retaining members 15 of the locking element 5 are configured to be inserted in the recess on the lid in a first direction extending in a first plane, more specifically in a vertical direction when the box 4 is placed horizontally, and the loop-shaped portion 8a of the second part 8 is configured to be inserted in the recess 9 on the wall 3 in a second direction, which extends horizontally and thereby forms a right angle in relation to the first vertical plane.

The second part 8 is configured to be secured in the recess on the wall in an at least substantially fixed vertical position and thereby to prevent the locking element 5 from being moved vertically when the second part 8 is secured in the recess 9. The second part is in this way configured to hold the retaining members 15 in a secured position in the recess 7 on the lid 2 by preventing them from being moved vertically out of the recess when the second part is secured in the recess on the wall 3. Accordingly, the locking element 5 is secured to the lid 2 and wall 3 of the box 4 when the retaining members 15 of the first part 6 are received in the recess 7 on the lid 2 and the loop-shaped portion 8a of the second part 8 is in the expanded state in the recess 9 on the wall 3.

The arrangement 1 further comprises a sealing element 22 configured to be inserted and secured in the recess 9 on the wall 3 when the loop-shaped portion 8a of the second part 8 of the locking element 5 is received therein, and thereby to secure the locking element in this recess by preventing the loop-shaped portion from being pulled out therefrom. The sealing element 22 has a lock mechanism comprising two locking members 23a-b, which are movable to a pulled-back position so as to enable insertion of the sealing element in the recess 9 on the wall 3 and configured to snap out to a locking position, once the sealing element has been inserted in the recess, in which locking position the locking members 23a-b secure the sealing element 22 in the recess 9.

Each locking member 23a-b has an elongated resilient body 24 which is connected to a base body 25 of the sealing element 22 by a rear end and is provided with a stop part 26 at an opposite front end of the elongated body, which front end is configured to face in the intended direction of insertion of the sealing element in the recess 9 on the wall 3 (for instance to the right in fig. 6). The elongated body 24 of each locking member 23a-b extends at least substantially in parallel with a central axis 27 of the base body 25 of the sealing element 22 in a rest state and the stop part 26 protrudes from the elongated body in a direction away from the central axis of the base body in the rest state. The central axis 27 of the base body extends in the intended direction of insertion of the sealing element 22 in the recess 9.

The base body 25 has the shape of a mainly circular cylinder with a cross-section slightly smaller than the cross-section of the recess 9 on the wall 3. The locking members 23a-b are connected to the base body 25 at opposite sides with respect to the central axis 27 along the circumference of the cylinder shape so that the stop parts 26 of the locking members protrude in opposite directions away from the central axis in the rest state of the locking members.

Each locking member 23a-b is movable to the pulled-back position by bending it in a direction substantially towards the central axis 27 of the base body 25 of the sealing element 22 while storing potential energy in the elongated body 24 of the locking member 23a-b. The locking member is further configured to snap out to the locking position by releasing the potential energy stored so that the elongated body 24 moves back towards its rest state.

The pulled-back position is a position in which a locking member 23a-b does not obstruct movement of the sealing element 22 into or out of the recess 9 on the wall 3. This means that the locking member is pulled back / retracted / moved away so as to be located within an imagined extension of the periphery of the recess. The locking position is a position in which the locking member obstruct movement of the sealing element 22 out of the recess when the sealing element is inserted in the recess. This means that the locking member projects outside an imagined extension of the periphery of the recess 9, as is seen in fig. 7.

The stop part 26 of each locking member 23a-b has a guide surface 28 facing away from the central axis 27 of the base body 25 of the sealing element 22 in the rest state of the locking member. The guide surface extends from a front end of the stop part towards a rear end of the stop part in a direction which forms an angle with and points away from a central axis 29 of the elongated body 24 of the locking member 23a-b in the rest state, so as to provide the stop part 26 with an outer shape sloping in the intended direction of insertion of the sealing element 22 in the recess 9 on the wall 3 (see fig. 6). The rear end of the stop part has an endpoint 30 in which a step 31 down towards the elongated body 24 of the locking member is formed.

In an operation of securing the sealing element 22 in the recess 9 on the wall 3, a front end 32 of the sealing element is firstly introduced in the recess and the guide surface 28 of the stop part 26 of each locking member 23a-b is contacted by the first edge 12 of the recess, defining the entry opening 11 thereof, at the front end of the stop part. Each locking member is moved towards the pulled-back position by pushing the sealing element 22 further into the recess 9 and thereby the guide surface 28 against the first edge 12 thereof, so that the guide surface is moved along the first edge and thereby guides the locking member 23a-b towards its pulled-back position and into the recess. The pulled-back position of the locking member is reached when the endpoint 30 of the stop part 26 reaches the first edge 12 of the recess 9.

The sealing element 22 is then pushed further into the recess with the stop part of each locking member 23a-b sliding along an inner wall 33 of the recess by the endpoint 30 of the stop part, so that the locking member is held in the pulled-back position by the inner wall.

Each locking member 23a-b is configured to automatically snap out to the locking position once the endpoint 30 of the rear end of the stop part 26 has been brought past the second edge 20 defining the exit opening 21 of the recess 9. This snapping action is achieved by releasing the potential energy stored in the resiliently bent elongated body 24 of the locking member when the entire stop part has been brought past the second edge 22 and into the inner space of the box 4 so that the counter pressure by the inner wall 33 of the recess 9 acting on the stop part 26 of the locking member 23a-b ceases, whereby the elongated body 24 of the locking member is allowed to return to its rest state (see fig. 6). Accordingly, the stop part of each locking element is configured to snap out behind the second edge 20 of the recess 9 so as to grip behind this edge inside the box 4 and thereby secure the sealing element 22 in the recess 9 in the locking position.

The sealing element 22 is configured to secure the locking element 5 in the recess 9 on the wall 3 by introducing the sealing element in the opening 10 of the loop-shaped portion 8a of the second part 8 of the locking element received in the recess 9 as the sealing element is introduced in the recess, and further inserting the sealing element 22 in the loop as the sealing element is brought further into the recess, so that the sealing element is configured to extend through the opening 10 of the loop to the inside thereof when the sealing element is secured in the recess 9. The mutual position of the sealing element 22 and the locking element 5 when these are secured in the recess is shown in fig. , as well as in figs. 6-8.

As is understood from figs. 6 and 7, the base body 25 of the sealing element is configured to project through the loop of the loopshaped portion 8a of the second part 8 of the locking element 5 and the locking members 23a-b of the sealing element 22 grip behind the second edge 20 of the recess 9 on opposite sides of the loop-shaped portion when the sealing element is secured in the recess. Hence, the loop-shaped portion 8a of the second part 8 and thereby the locking element 5 may not be pulled out of the recess 9 when the sealing element is secured therein, as the loopshaped portion 8a will be stopped against the front face of the front end 32 of the sealing element by try to pulling the loopshaped portion out of the recess.

The sealing element 22 is further provided with a flange 34 on a rear end 35 thereof, as seen in the intended direction of insertion of the sealing element in the recess 9 on the wall 3. The flange protrudes from the base body 25 in a direction transversely to the central axis 27 thereof and extends along the entire circumference of the base body except in two locations where the flange 34 is interrupted to allow for interaction between the sealing element 22 and the locking element 5 (see fig. 5). More specifically, the interruptions in the flange 34 are configured to allow the second part 8 of the locking element 5 to project through the flange when the locking element and the sealing element 22 are secured in the recess on the wall 3. The flange is configured to prevent the sealing element from being brought further into the recess 9 when the locking members 23a-b are in the locking position by bearing against the front surface 13 of the wall 3 around the recess. Accordingly, the sealing element 22 is configured to be arranged extending through the recess 9 and be secured on one hand on the inside of the box 4 and on the other hand on the outside of the box, by the locking members 23a-b and the flange 34 respectively (see fig. 6).

Furthermore, the flange 34 is configured to seal the recess 9 on the wall 3 from the outside of the box 4 when the sealing element is secured in the recess, so as to prohibit access to the locking members 23a-b from the outside of the box. This means that the locking members may not be accessed from the outside of the box when these are in the locking position, whereby unlocking of the locking members for removing the sealing element 22 from the recess 9 is only possible from the inside of the box. Hence, the only way to open a box 4 sealed by one or more arrangements 1 according to the invention is to break either the arrangements or the box.

The sealing element 22 is made in one piece of a plastic material, which enables cost-effective production thereof. The sealing element does not have to be very durable as the risk is small that this is hit and thereby damaged when secured in a recess 9 on the wall 3. Plastic is therefore a suitable option for this component.

Accordingly, the arrangement 1 according to the invention may for instance be used to create and seal a transport box 4 in an advantageous manner. The box is delivered to a customer as a set of separate parts, including walls 3, a lid 2 and a bottom made of plywood boards provided with suitable recesses 7, 9, as well as a plurality of arrangements 1 according to the invention. The box is assembled by firstly fixing the walls to the bottom by means of the locking elements 5 of the arrangements 1 and is then loaded with products to be transported, before the lid is fixed to the walls by means of additional locking elements (see figs. 9-12). The locking elements 5 are then secured and the box 4 sealed by means of the sealing elements 22.

The box is in this way fast and easily assembled and sealed by the use of only a few separate components. The arrangements 1 keep the box closed and stable during transportation. After this, the seal is broken by cutting the legs 16 of the locking elements 5 so that the box may be opened. The sealing elements 22 may now be removed by pushing the locking members 23a-b to the pulled-back position from the inside of the box so that the sealing elements may be pulled out of the respective recesses. However, it is also possible to break the seal by destroying the sealing elements, so that the locking elements may be re-used.

The invention is of course not in any way restricted to the embodiment thereof described above, but many possibilities to modifications thereof will be apparent to a person with ordinary skill in the art without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

The term “recess” is in this disclosure to be interpreted as including any recessed part in a surface, including for instance a through-hole and a recess closed by a bottom surface. Parts of such a recess, as in “the locking member engages with parts of the recess” include any part in or at the recess, such as an inner wall, a member arranged inside the recess, the edge defining the recess in a surface, or even portions of such a surface surrounding the recess.

The means on the first and second plate-like members, for mutual engagement with the first and second part of the locking element, respectively, may also comprise other parts than a recess, such as a protrusion.

Claims (15)

Claims

1. An arrangement (1) for interlocking two plate-like members (2, 3), comprising a locking element (5) configured to be secured on one hand to a first plate-like member (2) and on the other hand to a second plate-like member (3) so as to fix the first (2) and second (3) plate-like members in relation to each other, wherein the locking element (5) comprises a first part (6) configured to engage with associated means on the first plate-like member (2) and a second part (8) configured to engage with associated means, in the form of a recess (9), on the second plate-like member (3) for securing the locking element (5) to these members (2, 3), wherein the second part (8) of the locking element (5) is configured to be inserted in the recess (9) on the second plate-like member (3) for engaging therewith and thereby securing the locking element (5) thereto, characterized in that the arrangement (1) further comprises a sealing element (22) configured to be inserted and secured in the recess (9) on the second plate-like member (3) when the second part (8) of the locking element (5) is received therein, and thereby to secure the locking element (5) in this recess (9) by preventing it from being pulled out therefrom, wherein the sealing element (22) has a lock mechanism comprising at least one locking member (23a-b) resiliently connected to a base body (25) of the sealing element (22), which locking member (23a-b) is movable to a pulled-back position so as to enable insertion of the sealing element (22) in the recess (9) on the second plate-like member (3) and configured to snap out to a locking position, once the sealing element (22) has been inserted in the recess (9), in which locking position the locking member (23a-b) engages with parts of the recess (9) so as to secure the sealing element (22) therein.

2. An arrangement (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the at least one locking member (23a-b) is provided with a stop part (26), and that the locking member (23a-b) is configured to engage with the recess (9) in the locking position by gripping behind an edge (20) of the recess (9) by the stop part (26), so that the stop part (26) prevents the sealing element (22) from being pulled out from the recess (9) when the locking member (23a-b) is in the locking position.

3. An arrangement (1) according to claim 2, characterized in that the at least one locking member (23a-b) has an elongated resilient body (24) which is connected to the base body (25) of the sealing element (22) by a rear end and is provided with the stop part (26) at an opposite front end of the elongated body (24), which front end is configured to face in the intended direction of insertion of the sealing element (22) in the recess (9), that the elongated body (24) of the locking member (23a-b) extends at least substantially in parallel with a central axis (27) of the base body (25) of the sealing element (22) in a rest state, that the stop part (26) protrudes from the elongated body (24) of the locking member (23a-b) in a direction away from the central axis (27) of the base body (25) in the rest state, and that the locking member (23a-b) is movable to the pulled-back position by bending it in a direction substantially towards the central axis (27) of the base body (25) while storing potential energy in the elongated body (24) of the locking member (23a-b), and configured to snap out to the locking position by releasing the potential energy stored so that the elongated body (24) moves back towards its rest state.

4. An arrangement (1) according to claim 3, characterized in that the stop part (26) of the locking member (23a-b) has a guide surface (28) facing away from the central axis (27) of the base body (25) of the sealing element (22) in the rest state of the locking member (23a-b), that the guide surface (28) extends from a front end of the stop part (26) towards a rear end of the stop part (26) in a direction which forms an angle with and points away from a central axis (29) of the elongated body (24) of the locking member (23a-b) in the rest state, and that the locking member (23a-b) is movable to the pulled-back position by pushing the guide surface (28) against a first edge (12) defining the entry opening (11) of the recess (9) on the second plate-like member (3), when the sealing element (22) is introduced into the recess (9), so that the guide surface (28) is moved along the first edge (12) and thereby guides the locking member (23a-b) towards its pulled-back position.

5. An arrangement (1) according to claim 4, characterized in that the guide surface (28) extends from the front end of the stop part (26) to the rear end of the stop part (26), which rear end has an endpoint (30) in which a step (31) down towards the elongated body (24) of the locking member (23a-b) is formed, and that the locking member (23a-b) is configured to snap out to the locking position once the endpoint (30) of the rear end of the stop part (26) has been brought past a second edge (20) of the recess (9) on the second plate-like member (3) by further insertion of the sealing element (22) therein, so that the stop part (26) of the locking member (23a-b) is snapped out behind the second edge (20).

6. An arrangement (1) according to any of the claims 2-5, characterized in that the sealing element (22) is configured to be inserted and secured in said recess (9) in the form of a through-hole in the second plate-like member (3), and that the locking member (23a-b), in the locking position thereof, is configured to grip behind an edge (20) of the recess (9) which defines an exit opening (21) thereof in a rear surface (14) of the second plate-like member (3), as seen in the direction of insertion of the sealing element (22) in the recess (9).

7. An arrangement (1) according to claim 6, characterized in that the sealing element (22) is provided with a flange (34) on a rear end thereof, as seen in the intended direction of insertion of the sealing element (22) in the recess (9), which flange (34) protrudes from the base body (25) in a direction transversely to the central axis (27) thereof and is designed to prevent the sealing element (22) from being brought further into the recess (9) when the locking member (23a-b) is in the locking position by bearing against a front surface (13) of the second plate-like member (3) around at least a part of the recess (9), as seen in the direction of insertion of the sealing element (22) in the recess (9).

8. An arrangement (1) according to any of the claims 3-7, characterized in that the sealing element (22) comprises at least two locking members (23a-b) connected to the base body (25) at opposite sides thereof so that the stop parts (26) of the locking members (23a-b) protrude in opposite directions.

9. An arrangement (1) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the sealing element (22) is made in one piece of a synthetic material, preferably plastic.

10. An arrangement (1) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the first part (6) of the locking element (5) is configured to engage with said means in the form of a recess (7) on the first plate-like member (2), that the first part (6) of the locking element (5) has at least one retaining member (15) configured to be inserted in and engage with the recess (7) on the first plate-like member (2) for securing the locking element (5) thereto, and that the locking element (5) is designed in such a way that the retaining member (15) is held in a secured position in the recess (7) on the first plate-like member (2) when the second part (8) of the locking element (5) is secured in the recess (9) on the second plate-like member (3).

11. An arrangement (1) according to claim 10, characterized in that the locking element (5) is designed in such a way that, for securing the locking element (5) to the first (2) and second (3) plate-like members, the retaining member (15) of the first part (6) of the locking element (5) is configured to be inserted in the recess (7) on the first plate-like member (2) in a first direction extending in a first plane and the second part (8) of the locking element (5) is configured to be inserted in the recess (9) on the second plate-like member (3) in a second direction which forms an angle in relation to the first plane, preferably a substantially right angle, and that the second part (8) of the locking element (5) is configured to hold the retaining member (15) in a secured position in the recess (7) on the first plate-like member (2) by preventing the locking element (5) from being moved in a direction along the first plane in such a way that the retaining member (15) is moved out of the recess (7) when the second part (8) of the locking element (5) is secured in the recess (9) on the second plate-like member (3).

12. An arrangement (1) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the locking element (5) is made in one piece of a bent metal rod.

13. An arrangement (1) according to claim 12, characterized in that the second part (8) of the locking element (5) has a portion (8a) with the shape of a loop provided with an opening (10) and is configured to be arranged in the recess (9) on the second plate-like member (3) to have the loopshaped portion (8a) projecting into the recess (9) and the opening (10) of the loop positioned so as to be associated with an entry opening (1 1) of the recess (9) when the second part (8) of the locking element (5) is secured in this recess (9), and that the sealing element (22) is configured to be secured in the recess (9) on the second plate-like member (3) in such a way that it extends through the opening (10) of the loop to the inside thereof in a secured position, and thereby prevents the locking element (5) from being pulled out of the recess (9).

14. An arrangement (1) according to claim 13, characterized in that the portion (8a) of the second part (8) of the locking element (5) having the shape of a loop is elastically compressible and is configured to be brought to a compressed state so as to enable insertion of the second part (8) in the recess (9) on the second plate-like member (3) and to return to an expanded state once the second part (8) has been inserted in the recess (9), in which expanded state stop portions (19) of the loop-shaped portion (8a) engages with parts of the recess (9) so as to secure the second part (8) therein.

15. A cargo casing (4), especially wooden box, characterized in that it is provided with one or more arrangements (1) according to any of the claims 1-14 for interlocking plate-like members (2, 3) in the form of a wall and a lid and/or a bottom of the cargo casing (4).