Patent Application
20110139674
The invention relates to a large container with a base component and four side walls wherein at least one of the four side walls is attached at the base component through at least one hinge, so that the side wall is foldable towards the base component.
Large containers of this type which are designated as large cargo carriers typically have dimensions of 800×600 mm, 1200×800 mm, 1200×1000 mm, or 1200×1600 mm, which are standard sizes. The height of large cargo carriers of this type depends on the desired receiving capacity. A typical height above the contact surface of the large cargo carrier up to the upper edge of the side wall is 1000 mm, wherein this, however, is not a limitation. This defines the large container over other smaller containers, like e.g. fruit and vegetable containers or bottle crates and containers which can be stacked on pallets in plural layers on top of one another and adjacent to one another. The large containers or large cargo carriers are used for receiving in particular bulk materials and are thus often used for transporting large volume food products and also in the non-food field, in the industrial field and in the auto industry. Large containers of this type are voluminous and have more material thickness compared to the typical fruit and vegetable containers and are thicker and heavier over all, so that transporting the filled large containers can typically only be performed mechanically, in particular by forklifts or machines.
In order to reduce the return shipment volume of such large containers typically used as reusable containers, the side walls are either foldable overall or also only partially foldable, or foldable one by one, wherein the side walls can be locked together in a transport position. Locking devices of this type for containers of this type are known. They are engagement lugs which are configured at a side wall and engage a recess of the adjacent side wall or engage behind a locking bar of the adjacent side wall in a locking position, thus facilitating the locking.
A container is known from DE 698 26 757 T2 which includes four circumferentially disposed side walls on a base, wherein the side walls are pivotably linked to the base and thus can be folded onto the base in order to reduce the transport volume when being shipped back empty. In order to retrieve transported material when the side walls of the container are standing upright, a flap is provided in at least one side wall, wherein the flap is pivotably linked through a hinge with a lower side wall component and can be folded from the outside over the lower side wall component. In order to ensure in a folded position that the side wall components folded on top of one another are essentially flush with the other side wall sections, the flap and also the side wall component disposed thereunder have wave profiles on their outsides which reach over one another in folded positions, so that the folded down flap together with the lower side wall component, onto which the flap is folded down, has a thickness which is not thicker than the respective side wall. However, a flap mechanism for large containers is complex and in particular detrimental because the flap which has to be pivoted outward and then downward is more difficult to handle in view of the size of the side wall, which can be detrimental in particular in tight storage situations, since the flap has considerable dimensions in view of the size of the side wall. It is furthermore a problem that for bulk material due to the weight acting upon the flap during opening, it can be folded downward quickly against the efforts of the operator due to its weight, so that loose bulk material can fall out unintentionally and can be damaged.
Thus, it is an object of the invention to provide a large container with circumferential side walls which are foldable inward onto the base of the container in which at least one side wall can be opened in a simple and safe manner for retrieving transported material.
An aspect of the present invention is to provide a moveable side component is at least provided in one of the side walls of the large container, wherein the side component is moveable in a linear manner relative to the side wall from an upper closed position into a lower open position and thus through a side piece disposed below the moveable side wall wherein the side piece is not moveable and preferably fixated to the side wall. This provides a partial opening of the side wall of the container which furthermore can be performed from the top in a downward direction based on the translatoric movement of the moving component, so that the opening can be performed progressively and thus without a risk of materials falling out of the container. In an open position, the moveable side component covers the lower side component which is fixated at the side wall. Thus, the thicknesses of both side components are advantageously configured, so that the side components moved over one another are flush with the rest of the side wall on the inside and also on the outside in an open position of the side wall. The linear movability of the upper side component yields simple handling which furthermore also facilitates opening in very tight spaces since no side wall section is moved outward during opening.
Advantageously, the moveable side component can be moved into an overlap position viewed from the outside in front of the lower side component, so that moving down or pressing down the moveable side component cannot be locked by goods disposed within the container. The moveable side component can be lockable relative to the side wall in a non-opened position of the side component through two laterally disposed locking devices. For this purpose, typical locking mechanisms are suitable, in particular a locking lug that is actuatable through a handle element of the locking device, wherein the locking lug is pressed inward in a direction towards the center of the moveable side piece and thus is moved out of a recess of the adjacent fixated side wall section, so that the moveable side piece can then be moved downward. In this context, the handle component can be configured as an elastic bar, so that opening the locking device builds up a resilient reset force which presses the engagement lug back into its starting position after the locking device is disengaged. This facilitates simple locking. Alternatively, the locking lug can also be resiliently pre-loaded, so that it has to be pressed out of its locking position against a spring effect and then snaps back into its closed position after releasing or letting go of the handle element of the locking device.
Several lock recesses can be disposed in the adjacent side wall section with even distances, so that the moveable side component can be adjusted downward, thus a more or less far opening of the moveable side component is facilitated, wherein the locking lug can then engage an intermediary position in one of the locking recesses, so that an opening is also facilitated in intermediary positions.
In order to provide linear movability, the moveable side component includes a longitudinal tongue on both sides which engages a respective longitudinal groove in the adjacent section of the side wall, so that a translatoric support is provided on both sides. This facilitates moving the moveable side wall in upward and downward direction without wedging. Different support elements can certainly also be provided.
Embodiments of the invention are subsequently described with reference to schematic drawing figures, wherein:
Elements with a like structure or function are designated with like numerals in all figures.
As is apparent from
In the illustrated embodiment, the moveable side component 10 and the non-moveable side component 12 are configured and arranged so that the moveable side component 10 is moved outward by the thickness of the lower non-moveable side component 12, so that the side component 10 can be moved downward into the opening position in front of the fixated side component 12. Thus, both side components overlap in an open position. In a closed position, the outer surface of the moving component 10 is flush with the outer surface of the side wall.
The large container 2 can certainly include more or less side walls 8 with moveable side pieces 10 and accordingly more or less side walls 4 without moveable side wall components 10.
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/EP09/05022 | 7/10/2009 | WO | 00 | 2/8/2011 |
