This application is the U.S. National Stage of International Application No. PCT/IB2015/050139, filed Jan. 8, 2015, which designated the United States and has been published as International Publication No. WO 2015/107438 and which claims the priority of Swiss Patent Application, Serial No. 00062/14, filed Jan. 17, 2014, pursuant to 35 U.S.C. 119(a)-(d).
The invention relates to a container for the storage and transport of goods and in particular to a device for dividing the interior of such a container.
Containers with devices for dividing the interior are known. They are used to equip a container as required so that goods stored or transported in the container can be, for example, separated from each other, supported or protected from each other.
In particular, subdivisions are known that can be taken out so that the container can be used as required with or without partition. Such containers include on their side walls, for example, a vertical groove which extends over the entire height of the side wall and in which partitions can be pushed in from the opening of the container. For this purpose, elements are fastened to the end faces of the partitions with a profile conforming to the groove. The groove extends over the entire height of the side wall in order to ensure sufficient fixation of a partition. When cleaning such containers, dirt or other residues remain at the lower end of such a groove. This is in particular a problem with containers for food.
EP1845024 discloses, for example, a section part device for a container comprised of divider walls and device elements, wherein the contact elements are used to fasten the divider walls to the side walls of the container. The contact elements are supported flexibly on the end faces of the divider wails. The divider walls are held by means of spring tongues on the contact elements in the container.
EP1982926 discloses a storage and transport container, which can be subdivided by partitions and partition holders. The partitions are initially equipped for this purpose with the partition holders. The holders have on their end faces snap-in cams, which are snapped into corresponding perforations in the side walls of the container.
CH705452 discloses an insert for a container comprised of partitions, which are plugged into each other crosswise via slots. The partitions have parallel webs for guiding the edges of the slots while being plugged in. In addition, protruding elements are provided on the lower edges of the partitions, which fit into respective recesses in the bottom plate of the container, so that the partitions are fixed slip-proof on the bottom plate.
It is the object of the present invention to create a container for goods which has a device for partitioning, which ensures a stable division and can also be manufactured simply and economically. In addition, it is the object of the present invention to create a partition for installation in a container for the purpose of partitioning its interior.
A container includes a bottom, side walls surrounding the bottom, and a device for dividing the interior of the container formed by the side walls and the bottom. In accordance with the invention, the device for the partitioning has a groove on each of at least two opposing side walls of the container and at least one partition, wherein each groove extends from the upper edge of the side wall over a part of the height of the side wall of the container. In particular, each groove and the lateral end faces of the partition have each a shape, by which the end faces of the partition and the grooves are united by a form fit.
In a first embodiment of the invention, the groove has at least a one-sided undercut, i.e. the undercut is only on one side of the center of the groove and the contour is asymmetrical as such. The partition has on the end face a one-sided protruding contour which conforms to the groove and the undercut for insertion into the undercut of the groove by a form fit.
In a second embodiment of the invention, the groove has a two-sided undercut, i.e., the undercut is on both sides of the center of the groove. The partition has on each lateral end face a two-sided protruding contour which conforms to the shape of the groove for insertion into the groove by a form fit.
In a particular embodiment of the invention, the one-sided undercut of the groove and the conforming protruding contour of each end face of the partition are configured L-shaped in cross section with respect to their longitudinal extension.
In a particular embodiment, the two-sided undercut of the groove as well as the contour of each end face of the partition are configured T-shaped in cross section.
In a particular embodiment of the invention, the two-sided undercut of the groove as well as the contour of each end face of the partition are configured dovetailed in cross section.
In all these embodiments, the end face of the partition has a protruding contour to conform to the shape of the groove, wherein this protruding contour extends over a part of the height of the partition, which part corresponds at a maximum to the height extension of the groove in the side wall.
The device for dividing the interior of a container ensures a sufficiently strong connection of the partition with the container wall and support of the partition by the undercut of the groove and the respectively shaped end face of the partition formed to realize a form fit, even though the groove exists over a reduced length over a part of the height of the side wall of the container.
A container with the device according to the invention for dividing can be manufactured simply and therefore economically, since it requires only two different parts, the container with the groove and the partition with the formed end face, both of which can be manufactured by an injection molding procedure. There is no need for small additional individual parts as transition pieces for attaching the partition to the container wall as described in the art. By only uniting two parts, insertion and withdrawal again can be realized in a fast and efficient manner. In addition, no tools are necessary for the insertion and release of the partitions.
A container with the device according to the invention can especially be simply and reliably cleaned, since the groove extends only over a part of the height of the container wall and ends on a partial height above the container bottom. Dirt and water can be removed without residues from the groove.
The container according to the invention can be used both with and without partitions, wherein, when used without partitions, no elements protrude to which goods could cling or a packing person could get injured.
The absence of protruding elements also optimizes the interior volume when used without partitions.
In an useful embodiment of the invention, a square container has a groove with a two-sided, symmetrical undercut on each of opposing side walls and a partition having two end faces provided with a two-sided protruding, symmetrical shape, which can be inserted formfittingly into the groove. The two-sided and symmetrically configured groove and end face of the partition permits a simplified manufacture and a simple insertion of the partition, since the partition can be inserted regardless of its orientation.
In a further particular embodiment of the invention, the groove has a first upper area adjacent to the upper edge of the side wall of the container and a second lower area, which lies deeper in comparison to the first area and extends from the first area in the direction of the container bottom. The first upper area of the groove is configured with a rectangular cross section and without undercut, and the second lower area is configured with an undercut. Preferably, the transition from the first to the second area is configured along the length of the groove with a slanted wall, so that the transition runs gradually. This configuration simplifies insertion of the partition end faces into the groove, without requiring the partition to be precisely fit into the groove with undercut. Instead, the partition can first be inserted into the first area of the groove and then pushed downward and thereby guided by the slanted walls into the second area of the groove with undercut.
In a further embodiment, at the bottom, the container has in the surface, pointing to the interior, an indentation in an area directly below the groove. In addition, the partition has at its lower edge a projection, which is formed in conformity with the indentation and spaced from the end face of the partition in accordance with the position of the indentation in the container bottom. As a result of this positioning, the projection can be inserted formfittingly into the indentation when the partition is inserted into the container.
In a further embodiment, each groove has an indentation or an opening on its base area, with each end face of the partition having a rounded projection at a height to enter the said opening or indentation, when the partition is inserted into the groove and the partition impacts the container bottom. This enables the partition to snap into the side wall of the container and prevents a partition from falling out of the container, when the container should be turned over. However, the rounded shape of the projection permits a removal of the partition from the groove by applying light manual force.
In a further embodiment, the partitions have each one or more slots, which extend from their lower edge or upper edge over a part of their height. This permits a crossed nesting into one another of partitions that are perpendicular to each other and dividing of the container into smaller sub-regions.
Also disclosed are embodiments of the invention based on combinations of the features described here.
The container and the partition in accordance with the invention are preferably made of plastic.
Further advantages of the invention become apparent from the following description, in which the invention is explained in more detail with reference to exemplary embodiments schematically illustrated in the drawings. It is shown in:
The same reference numbers have been used for same elements and first-time explanations relate to all figures, unless expressly mentioned otherwise.
Arranged at the lower edge 6″ of the partition 5 in proximity of each of the two end faces is a protruding projection 9, which extends away from the lower edge 6″.
In the shown exemplary embodiment, the side walls 15 form the two-sided undercut of the groove which is present in this case only in the lower area.
In further possible configurations, the side walls 15 can also extend over the entire length of the groove, i.e., up to the upper edge 3′ of the side wall 3. In such a case, the groove does not have an upper rectangular area, as shown in the Figures.
In a further possible embodiment, the side wall 15 can also be provided only on one side, wherein the contour on the end face of the partition has to be formed correspondingly.
In a further possible embodiment, the side wall 15 can also extend parallel to the side wall 3, instead of at an angle. In such a case, the undercut would be configured T-shaped. Also, in these cases, the undercut can be formed over the lower area or over the entire length of the groove.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
0062/14 | Jan 2014 | CH | national |
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
PCT/IB2015/050139 | 1/8/2015 | WO | 00 |
Publishing Document | Publishing Date | Country | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
WO2015/107438 | 7/23/2015 | WO | A |
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
4499997 | Swingley, Jr. | Feb 1985 | A |
4529092 | Swingley, Jr. | Jul 1985 | A |
4577773 | Bitel | Mar 1986 | A |
4867328 | McCarthy | Sep 1989 | A |
5299688 | McKay | Apr 1994 | A |
6039202 | Olstad | Mar 2000 | A |
6527122 | Taylor | Mar 2003 | B1 |
8950342 | Plattner | Feb 2015 | B2 |
20040238543 | Askew | Dec 2004 | A1 |
20060169658 | Lim | Aug 2006 | A1 |
20080128428 | Beckerman | Jun 2008 | A1 |
20140124406 | Ishikawa | May 2014 | A1 |
Number | Date | Country |
---|---|---|
705 452 | Mar 2013 | CH |
89 13 760 | Jan 1990 | DE |
1 845 024 | Oct 2007 | EP |
1 982 926 | Oct 2008 | EP |
2004-268978 | Sep 2004 | JP |
WO 8403268 | Aug 1984 | WO |
WO 2013011672 | Jan 2013 | WO |
Entry |
---|
International Search Report issued by the European Patent Office in International Application PCT/1B2015/050139. |
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
20160325885 A1 | Nov 2016 | US |