EP1017591A1

EP1017591A1 - Collapsible container

Info

Publication number: EP1017591A1
Application number: EP98913713A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Dieter Urbach
Original assignee: Oeco-Team Transport- und Lagersysteme In Leichtbau-Modultechnik GmbH
Current assignee: Oeco-Team Transport- und Lagersysteme In Leichtbau-Modultechnik GmbH
Priority date: 1997-03-13
Filing date: 1998-03-12
Publication date: 2000-07-12
Anticipated expiration: 2018-03-12
Also published as: DE29704617U1; ATE211989T1; EP1017591B1; WO1998040280A1; DE59802664D1

Abstract

The invention concerns a collapsible container with a base part (2) having at its edges a rear panel web (3), a front panel web (4) disposed opposite the latter, and two mutually facing side panel webs (5, 6). The container also comprises: a rear panel which is articulated on its underside on the rear panel web and on the top of which a lid (10) is articulated; two foldable side panels (11, 12); and a front panel (13, 14) which at least on one of its outer sides is articulated on an associated side panel. The container is characterized in that each of the side panels is articulated on its underside on the associated side panel web; and in that the front panel is divided into two front panel parts.

Description

description

Foldable container

The invention relates to a foldable container according to the preamble of claim 1.

The folding containers known in the market, in particular one-piece containers and containers with a volume greater than one cubic meter, have essentially two disadvantages which restrict their use and handling.

On the one hand, they can either be loaded and unloaded only via the open lid side and a front wall that can be folded down about half, and on the other hand, the maximum height of the container is limited to its width.

Further disadvantages, which restrict the use and the handling, result from the fact that containers can be equipped either with rollers or with runners. If the choice is made on pallet runners, particularly those made of metal, there is a risk of slipping and noise when transporting these containers, for example on industrial trucks or steel conveyor belts.

The invention has for its object to provide a generic container that makes it easier to load and unload both by hand and with loading aids and allow a height that goes beyond the overall width of the container.

This object is achieved by the features of claim 1 in which it is proposed according to the invention that the rear wall and the side walls are articulated on a peripheral web of the base plate and the parts of a vertically divided front wall are each articulated on the end face of a side wall. In this way, the task can be solved economically. The one-part or vertically single or multiple divided front wall can be opened like a cupboard, regardless of whether the cover, which is preferably designed as a sliding cover, is open, partially or completely closed. This makes the container accessible, which is particularly advantageous for loading or unloading small-volume packages, while large, heavy goods can be easily brought into the container, for example with a forklift.

Another advantage of this combined folding and folding system is that, without loss of stability and functional restrictions, the height of the foldable container can be greater than its width.

In addition, the speed when setting up and collapsing the container is important. The rear wall / lid, right side wall and left side wall can be set up, locked in place and the container is ready for use with the front wall already open.

The volume reduction so important for economical empty transport or empty storage of the container is achieved in a matter of seconds by folding the three wall elements in reverse order.

The dependent claims have advantageous further developments.

The front wall can be made in one or more parts and in turn divided and foldable in itself.

The rear wall can also be formed in one or more parts and in turn divided and foldable in itself. Horizontal division and folding is required if the height of the container is greater than its width. A folding container without a lid can advantageously be designed with a one-piece or vertically divided rear wall in such a way that the rear wall is not articulated on the rear wall web but on the side parts.

In order to give the container walls a high degree of surface stability on their vertically running corner strips, which are not connected by articulated webs, and their vertical dividing line, these are designed with latching devices, for example according to the tongue and groove principle or by angled stop strips.

The front wall parts are advantageously fixed by locking their underside to the front wall web, which can also be designed to be foldable. A locking bar on their upper end surface fixes them when the lid is closed.

The hinge bars for the side walls are equipped with differently spaced pivot points on each side. This ensures that in the folded state the side walls are parallel to the bottom of the container without loss of space. The center distances can be selected so that the front wall parts are either folded onto the inside or outside of the side walls, or that, for example, there is still space under, between or on the folded side walls for at least one insertable intermediate floor or a partition wall.

The optional use of castors or runners is done by attaching swivel or fixed castors that can be swiveled through 270 °, which are locked under the runners in the working position and parked in the corner support feet of the container range when not in use. In this way, the containers can move on their own axis, while standing securely on fixed runners on the shelf or on vehicles. In order to achieve the slip and noise reduction recommended for work, safety and environmental protection reasons, grooves or undercuts are arranged on the underside of the pallet runners, in which profile inserts, preferably made of rubber or plastic, are fastened.

Further details and features of the invention result from the following description of exemplary embodiments with reference to the drawings.

It shows:

Fig.l a first embodiment of the container according to the invention in the open state.

2 shows the embodiment according to Fig.l in a moment of folding.

3 shows the side view of a second embodiment in the fully folded state.

4 shows the embodiment according to FIG. 1 in the fully folded state.

5 shows the front view of a container in the erected, closed state, regardless of the selected embodiment.

6 shows the perspective of an embodiment with a horizontally divided rear wall in the opened state with the cover slightly raised and pushed back.

Fig. 7 simplified cross-section through a runner with two profile recesses to accommodate non-slip and noise-reducing inserts.

8 AC slightly simplified detailed representations of the skid-roller arrangement of the foldable container according to the invention. In the following description, parts that correspond to one another are provided with the same reference symbols.

Fig.l: The bottom part 2 of the container is preferably a rigid, pallet-like load bearing device in all axes, which can be equipped on its underside with support feet, runners or rollers. In the present embodiment, all wall, web and cover thicknesses are the same. Back wall web 3 and front wall web 4 have the same height, for example six wall thicknesses. The side wall webs 5 + 6 are formed two wall thicknesses lower. The length of the rear wall 7 corresponds to the outer distance of the side wall webs 5 + 6, while the height of the rear wall 7 is limited to a maximum of the inner distance from the rear wall and front wall webs 3 + 4. In this embodiment, the angular locking webs 35 + 36, which form the end face, on which the corresponding locking webs of the opened side walls 11 + 12 lie from the inside, run on the vertically standing outer sides of the rear wall 7. The leg length of the legs directed in the direction of the side wall of the angular locking webs of the rear wall 7 corresponds to the dimension of a wall thickness. In the folded state, the rear wall 7 lies with its locking webs 35 + 36 on the end faces 37 of the side wall webs 5 + 6, and with its top and bottom 8 + 9 within the space formed by the rear and front wall web 3 + 4 without pressure on the under it side walls 11 + 12 and the hinged front wall parts 13 + 14 to exercise.

In this embodiment, the cover 10 hinged to the upper edge of the rear wall 7 by means of a sliding connector lies in the fully folded state on the rear wall 7 and on the front and rear wall webs 3 + 4 and can be locked thereon.

In the present example, the front wall 13 + 14 is divided vertically in the middle and articulated on the side walls 11 + 12 in such a way that the front wall halves 13 + 14 are pivotable by 270 °. The front wall halves are two wall thicknesses shorter on their lower edge side than the side walls. So the bottom are End faces of the front wall halves 13 + 14 in the erected, closed state of the container on the front wall web 4, while at the same time the side walls 11 + 12 rest on the side wall webs 5 + 6.

The pivot point distances of the hinge webs 27 + 28 are in this example two wall thicknesses larger than that of the hinge webs 29 + 30. This means that the side wall 11 with the front wall half 13 placed on the outside must first be folded against the base part.

2 is a momentary illustration of the folding process. The page

11 is already completely on the bottom part 2, while side

12 with the folded front wall half 14 on the way there. The rear wall 7 with the lid 10 hanging behind it is still vertical. It is the last to be folded against the bottom part 2.

Fig. 3 shows as a second embodiment the side view of a fully folded container, the height of which is greater than its width when set up. The rear wall 7 articulated with the articulated webs 31 + 32 on the rear wall web 3 projects beyond the front wall web 4 and consequently also the lid articulated on the upper side 9 of the rear wall 7 with the articulated webs 33 + 34. In this embodiment, the height of the front wall web 4 is identical to the height of the side wall webs 5 + 6.

Fig.4: The front view of the fully folded container in the embodiment Fig.l shows the degree of volume reduction, compactness and closure.

FIG. 5 shows a front view of all embodiments with the front wall of the container according to the invention divided in half in the erected, closed state. 6 shows a third embodiment of the container according to the invention, in which the height H is greater than the width B, and the rear wall is divided horizontally into the halves 7a and 7b, and these halves are connected to one another in an articulated manner. In this embodiment, the height H is limited to twice the inner distance between the rear wall and front wall web 3 + 4.

7 is a simplified, exemplary representation of a cross section through the runner 40 with a cut round groove 50 for receiving a round profile 51 or a T-groove 52 for receiving a double-T profile 53. Other embodiments are possible. The non-slip and noise-reducing inserts which are preferably to be inserted over the entire length of the runners can be fixed in the groove by clamping, gluing, screwing or by means of end plates applied to the runners 40.

8A - 8C describe the skid / roller combination in more detail. In the sectional views, an embodiment of the support foot 39 is visible in side view, which in this case is designed as a U-profile. The bottom part 2 of the container covers the top, the runner 40 the bottom of the U-profile. In this way, a cube-like housing is formed, which is only open on one side for receiving the roller arrangement 38. The roller arrangement 38 itself has a support plate 42 which is articulated to the runner 40 via a hinge 43 in the example. Alternatively, the hinge 43 can of course also be arranged on a wall of the support foot 39 itself, if it is closed on more than three sides.

A bearing block 44 for a fixed castor or a steering castor is fastened on the support plate 42. For example, the bearing block 44 can be screwed onto the support plate 42. Other mounting options are also possible. The hinge 43 enables a swivel angle of 270A, which results from the additional

«_ ^• Menschau the Fιg.8A - 8C results. The figures also show one

Guide pin 46 which fixes on the surface 47 facing outwards according to FIG. 8A or the surface 47 opposite the roller 45. is increasing. In the outer surface 48 of the runner 40 pointing away from the roller 45, a guide recess 49 is arranged, the dimension and position of which is selected such that the guide pin 46 can engage in the guide recess 49 in the operating position shown in FIG. 8C.

8A-8C shows the sequence of movements from the inoperative position shown in FIG. 8A via the intermediate position shown in FIG. 8B to the operating position of the roller arrangement 38 shown in FIG. 8C.

Claims

Expectations

1. Foldable container (1)

with a base part (2) which has at its edges a rear wall web (3), a front wall web (4) arranged opposite this and two side wall webs (5, 6) arranged opposite to each other,

with a rear wall (7) which is articulated on its underside (8) on the rear wall web (3) and on the top (9) of which a lid (10) is articulated,

with two foldable side walls (11, 12),

having a front wall (13, 14) which is articulated at least on one of its outer sides (15, 16) to an associated side wall (11 or 12),

that the side walls (11, 12) are articulated on their respective underside (17 or 18) on the associated side wall web (6 or 5) and

that the front wall is divided into two front wall parts (13, 14).

2. Foldable container according to claim 1, characterized in that the front wall parts (13, 14) on their respective outside (15 or 16) on the respectively assigned side wall (11 or 12) are articulated and form separate parts.

3. Foldable container according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the front wall parts (13, 14) are each articulated with at least a 270 ° swivel, preferably with a 360 ° swiveling joint webs (19 - 21 or 22 - 24).

4. Foldable container according to claim 1, characterized in that the multi-part front wall (13, 14) is articulated only on one of its outer sides (15, 16) on one of the side walls (11 and 12), and that the front wall parts (13 , 14) are connected to one another in an articulated manner.

5. Foldable container according to one of claims 1-3, characterized in that the front wall web (4) is hinged to the bottom part (2).

6. Foldable container according to claim 5, characterized in that in the closed state at least one front wall part (13, 14) on the front wall web (4) can be fixed.

7. Foldable container according to one of claims 1-6, characterized in that the side walls (11, 12) are articulated by means of articulated webs (27, 28 or 29, 30), the axes of rotation of which per side wall (11, 12) have different distances.

8. Foldable container according to one of claims 1-7, characterized in that the rear wall (7) is horizontally divided into at least two rear wall parts (7a, 7b) which are hinged to one another by at least 180 °.

9. Foldable container according to one of claims 1-8, characterized in that a mountable and demountable roller arrangement (38) is provided which can be pivoted between an operating position and an inoperative position, in which the roller arrangement (38) completely in the support foot (39 ) is included.

10. Foldable container according to one of claims 1-9, characterized in that on the bottom part (2) runners (40) are arranged, which have grooves (50 and 52) which extend over the entire length of the runners, and in which slip and noise-reducing inserts (51 and 53) are arranged.