Patent Application
20230101032
The invention is generally situated in the sector of logistics and relates particularly to a stacking box with the features of a base, a wall starting from the base, extending transverse thereto in a direction, particularly circumferential, together with the base delimiting a receiving space of the stacking box, and a receiving opening delimited by an edge of the wall opposite the base, wherein extending elements that are displaceable back and forth between a rest position and a support position are mounted on the stacking box, wherein the extending elements are positioned in the support position such that they enable a rest face for a placing on top of one another of the stacking boxes, thereby forming a stacked box stack, and enable an additional stacking box that is essentially structurally identical, wherein the extending elements in the rest position are positioned such that they enable the stacking box and one additional stacking box that is essentially structurally identical to be placed inside one another to form a nested box stack. The invention further relates to a transport and/or storage system that contains two or more such boxes.
Boxes are used widely in logistics to arrange and keep safe objects for transport or storage. In this context, such boxes are often, even regularly, configured to be stacked up into box stacks of mainly identically formed boxes. This can occur particularly without intermediate placement of a cover sealing the receiving opening of a lower box and receiving the base region of a box placed on top, in that support structures are provided in the region of the upward-facing opening of a lower box of a box stack to be formed, upon which structures an upper box to be stacked on top can be placed and rested without being inserted into the box situated thereunder. In this manner, such boxes with objects or goods arranged therein can be stacked one above the other without the load of the stacked-on boxes resting on the objects or goods safekept in the boxes. Such boxes that can be stacked in such a manner into a stack of boxes placed upon one another with goods located inside can also be referred to as stacking boxes.
To store such stacking boxes in an empty state in a space-saving manner or transport them in a room-saving manner, it is often also provided that these stacking boxes placed inside one another can be put together to form a nested box stack. In this context, additional stacking boxes are placed in the receiving space of a stacking box initially set down with the base on a rest face, or into the receiving space of a stacking box already placed respectively into such a stacking box, and in this manner a stack of boxes that are nested or set inside one another is formed.
To now achieve this with a set of identical stacking boxes, i.e. both a stack of boxes placed on top of one another as well as a stack of boxes housed or nested in one another, there are various suggestions to modify the stacking boxes respectively as needed to make it possible to stack the stacking boxes on top of one another to form a box stack wherein the respective receiving spaces of the stacking boxes are left open, or to make it possible to stack up empty stacking boxes in a nesting, set inside manner to form a room-saving stack.
One option for achieving this is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,047,853, for example. The stacking box described there is formed asymmetrically with regard to the design on two facing sides situated opposite one another, and specifically such that the respective structures provided there enable a setting inside, nesting stacking in a first orientation of the boxes relative to a rotation about an axis running perpendicular to the box base, a setting down of the stacking boxes on top of one another to form a stack of stacking boxes set down in a second position of the stacking box to be set down that is rotated by 180° relative to the first position about the rotational axis running perpendicular to the base. Therefore, to put these stacking boxes together in a manner wherein they are set inside one another, i.e. nested, the respective boxes must be oriented in a first selected rotational position relative to the rotational axis that runs perpendicular to the base, and can then be set inside one another and stacked in a nested manner. If these stacking boxes are to be placed on top of one another, particularly after having been filled with products or goods that are to be transported or stored, they must be rotated by 180° relative to the rotational axis running perpendicular to the box base and can then be stacked on top of one another.
This procedure is simple insofar as it does not require any further handling of the stacking boxes other than the respectively appropriate orientation mentioned relative to the rotation about the rotational axis running perpendicular to the base. However, precisely this orientation is particularly effortful and tiring for a handling person, particularly places a load on the back when a person is holding out a stacking box already filled with items or goods and must rotate it by the said 180° about a rotational axis running perpendicular to the box base before the person can further form the box stack by placing the box on top of a lower box. This is all the more true, the greater the weight of the filled stacking box. Automated handling is also elaborate, since a manipulation unit must always orient the stacking boxes in the correct rotational orientation and only then can place them on top to form a stacked stack.
A different approach for enabling stacking boxes to be placed upon one another to form a box stack of stacking boxes placed on top of one another, on the one hand, and for enabling a space-saving stack of empty stacking boxes to be formed in a set-inside, nested manner, on the other, is shown and described in WO 1998/056668 A1, for example. The stacking boxes shown there have extending elements that can be displaced between a support position and a rest position, said extending elements in the support position enabling an additional stacking box to be placed on the extending elements, which in the rest position enable an additional stacking box to be inserted into the receiving space of a stacking box located thereunder to form a nested box stack of empty stacking boxes. This type of design of stacking boxes, now no longer requires a 180° rotation of the stacking boxes about a rotational axis running perpendicular to the base of the stacking box. However, as is the case among the known stacking boxes, it is necessary for the extending elements, to be actively displaced from the rest position to the support position, or conversely from the support position to the rest position, in each case according to the arising demand, namely moving the extending elements into the support position when a stack is to be formed of stacking boxes, particularly filled and stacked on top of one another, or into the rest position when the boxes are to be inserted nested stackingly inside one another for forming a space-saving stack of empty stacking boxes.
Against this background, it is the task of the present invention to provide a stacking box that enables a user to form a box stack formed of stacking boxes placed on top of one another, with simple handling and without a particular intervention of a user, as well as a safekeeping of the empty stacking boxes in a stacked, nested in each other, and therefore space-saving stack.
This task is solved, on the one hand, by a stacking box with the features of a base, a wall starting from the base, extending transverse thereto in a direction, particularly circumferential, together with the base delimiting a receiving space of the stacking box, and a receiving opening delimited by an edge of the wall opposite the base, wherein extending elements that are displaceable back and forth between a rest position and a support position are mounted on the stacking box, wherein the extending elements are positioned in the support position such that they enable a rest face for a placing on top of one another of the stacking boxes, thereby forming a stacked box stack, and enable an additional stacking box that is essentially structurally identical, wherein the extending elements in the rest position are positioned such that they enable the stacking box and one additional stacking box that is essentially structurally identical to be placed inside one another to form a nested box stack characterized in that the extending elements are designed and mounted on the stacking box such that the extending elements are displaced into the support position driven solely by gravity when the stacking box is placed on the base with the base oriented essentially horizontally on a substrate, and with the receiving opening facing essentially vertically upwards, that the extending elements are displaced into the rest position solely driven by gravity when the stacking box is placed on the edge with the receiving opening oriented essentially horizontally is placed on a substrate and with the base oriented essentially vertically upward.
Advantageous further developments of this solution are that the extending elements may be arranged displaceably between the support position and the rest position in the region of the edge of the wall of the stacking box in such a manner that the extending elements in the support position project into the region of the receiving opening in such a manner that an additional essentially structurally identical stacking box can be placed down with its base on the extending elements located in the support position so to form a stacked box stack, and that the extending elements in the rest position may expose the region of the receiving opening in such a manner that an additional essentially structurally identical stacking box can be introduced with its base first into the receiving opening so to form a nested box stack, and can be inserted into the receiving space of the stacking box. The extending elements may be plate-like extending elements that are pivotably disposed on the wall of the stacking box in the region of the receiving opening and/or in the region of the base. The extending elements may be disposed on the stacking box pivotably with hinges between the support position and the rest position.
Furthermore, the base and wall of the stacking box may be made of plastic. The extending elements may be made of a metal. The stacking box may be formed so as to have mirror symmetry to a first and to a second median plane, respectively running orthogonal to the base and perpendicular to one another, or that in a top view from above, are formed with cross sections having point symmetry, respectively with a center of symmetry of the point symmetry forming the center of the cross-section contour. The stacking box may include supports formed on the wall and/or on the base for supporting the support elements in the support position. The stacking box may further include centering structures formed on the support elements, and counterstructures formed on the stacking box outside of the support elements, wherein the centering structures interact with the counterstructures of an essentially structurally identical stacking box in the stacked state so as to center the stacked stacking box in relation to the stacking box located thereunder. A transport and/or storage system that comprises at least two, particularly a plurality of stacking boxes of the type according to the invention forms another aspect of a solution to this task.
According to the invention, a novel stacking box first has, and this is in general accordance with known stacking boxes, a base, a wall that together with the base delimits a receiving space of the stacking box, said wall starting from the base, extending perpendicular thereto in a direction, particularly circumferential, and a receiving opening delimited by an edge of the wall opposite the base. Furthermore, extending elements that are displaceable back and forth between a rest position and a support position are mounted on the stacking box. In the support position, these extending elements are positioned such that they enable a rest face for placing the stacking boxes on top of one another so as to form a stacked box stack, and an additional, essentially structurally identical, stacking box for forming a nested box stack.
The wall and the base can—entirely or in parts—be formed in a monolithic design and be unperforated, particularly for storing or transporting objects with small dimensions therein. It is also possible, however, to provide the wall and/or base with perforations, at least in parts, e.g. to save material for manufacturing the stacking box, to reduce the weight of the stacking box, to enable cleaning of the stacking box, and/or to ensure ventilation of goods stored in the stacking box, e.g. foods such as fruit or vegetables.
Up to this point and as described above, the stacking box according to the invention resembles another such box, as it is described in WO 1998/056668 A1. The particularity about the stacking box according to the invention is that, different than the stacking box known from the preceding document, it is not necessary to displace the extending elements actively by a corresponding intervention of the user, but rather that the extending elements are designed and mounted on the stacking box such that the extending elements are displaced into the support position solely driven by gravity when the stacking box is placed on the base with essentially horizontal orientation of the base on a substrate and with the receiving opening oriented essentially vertically facing up. Furthermore, the extending elements are designed and mounted on the stacking box such that the extending elements are displaced into the rest position driven solely by gravity when the stacking box is placed on a substrate on the edge with essentially horizontal orientation of the receiving opening. The extending elements therefore move solely by the effect of gravity depending on the orientation of the stacking box according to the invention relative to a rotation about a rotational axis running in, or parallel to, the plane of the base. They move into the support position driven by gravity when the stacking box is set by its base on a substrate with its opening facing up. They move into to the rest position when the stacking box is set upside down, so to speak, i.e. with the opening facing down and with the base lying vertical above it. Different than otherwise known stacking boxes, the stacked, nested stacks of empty boxes are formed in a space-saving manner in that first a bottommost arranged box is placed likewise upside down, i.e. on its edge that delimits the receiving opening, and additional stacking boxes are then placed, with the receiving opening facing down, over the base of the stacking box respectively situated therebelow. This is possible in a simple manner since in this orientation, as already mentioned in the preceding, due to the movement of the extending elements caused by gravity, they are in the rest position, i.e. do not prevent the stacking boxes to be nested or stacked on top of one another inside one another in a space-saving stack. If a stacking box according to the invention is to be used, particularly in that products, goods or other objects are to be inserted into the receiving space there, said stacking box must be rotated by a rotation of 180° about the rotational axis lying in the base plane or running parallel thereto, and oriented with the opening facing up. In this context, the extending elements equally move automatically to the support position, again solely driven by gravity, so that now correspondingly oriented stacking boxes according to the invention, whether filled or even empty, can be placed on top of one another and stacked above one another so as to form a box stack wherein a respectively upper stacking box is not inserted into the receiving space of the stacking box respectively situated thereunder.
Therefore, a user of a stacking box according to the invention no longer has to specially ensure that the extending elements are actively moved from the rest position into the support position depending on the currently provided use of the stacking box. This occurs entirely automatically solely driven by gravity due to the proper orientation of the stacking box, with the receiving opening facing up or with the receiving opening facing down. A rotation of the stacking box by 180° to enable stacking upon is not necessary with the stacking box according to the invention. A user must merely note that in such a state the stacking box according to the invention can only be stacked up in a space-saving manner in a state nested in one another when placed in such a state in which this is equally reversed, i.e. with the opening facing down, this is in contrast to the previously known approach of placing such stacking boxes inside one another with openings facing up.
In principle, the position at which the extending elements are located on the stacking box is irrelevant. A stacking box according to the invention can be realized particularly easily when the extending elements are movably arranged between the support position and rest position in the region of the edge of the wall of the stacking box in such a manner that in the support position the extending elements project into the region of the receiving opening in such a manner that an additional, essentially structurally identical stacking box can be placed to form a stacked up box stack with its base on the extending elements located in the support position, and that in the rest position the extending elements expose the region of the receiving opening in such a manner that an additional, essentially structurally identical stacking box can be inserted into the receiving opening with its base first to form a nested box stack, and can be guided into the receiving space of the stacking box.
In this context, the extending elements can be formed to be plate-like, for example, by such elements arranged pivotably on the wall of the stacking box in the region of the receiving opening and/or in the region of the base. When they are arranged in the region of the edge of the wall, the extending elements can be restricted to positions in the corners of a stacking box, particularly having a rectilinear plan, however they can also extend over other additional regions, particularly along the upper edge of the wall over the entire regions of longitudinal and/or transverse rims of the stacking box.
The extending elements can be arranged on the stacking box with hinges, for example, on the basis of which said extending elements can be pivoted between the support position and the rest position. Other types of jointed arrangement or movable arrangement are also conceivable here. What is essential is that the movement of the extending elements from the rest position to the support position and reversed is driven purely by gravity about a rotational axis running in the plane of the base or parallel thereto when the stacking box is “upended”.
With regard to the stacking box according to the invention, base and walls can be formed particularly from a plastic, particularly monolithically, wherein other materials, such as metals or also wood can be considered, however. Plastic has the advantage here of low weight with simultaneously high strength and stability, which is particularly advantageous in the sector of logistics, transport and storage, and the handling associated therewith.
The extending elements can be formed particularly from a metal to give them sufficient stability for absorbing the forces within a one-on-top-of-the-other placement of stacking boxes filled with objects. But other materials can be considered as well, such as plastic for example, or a reinforced, particularly fiber-reinforced plastic, for example. The stacking box according to the invention is particularly formed symmetrically relative to a first and to a second median plane respectively running orthogonal to the base, located perpendicular to one another. Alternatively, a point-symmetric structure of the cross-section taken parallel to a plane of the base can be advantageously selected, with respectively one center of symmetry forming the center of the cross-section contour. With the stacking box according to the invention, it is precisely not necessary to provide an asymmetry here, as is necessary for the stacking boxes that had to be specially oriented by rotation about a rotational axis running perpendicular to the plane of the base in order for stacking on top of one another according to U.S. Pat. No. 6,047,853.
Advantageously, one or more stacking supports can be shaped for supporting the extending elements in the support position. These stacking supports can have stacking support faces that run essentially parallel to the base, but also such that run obliquely. What is essential is that they offer a secure support for the extending elements, and a stop in relation to the gravity-driven motion of the extending elements into the support position. Such stacking supports can serve to transfer the weight of a stacking box according to the invention arranged above the extending elements in a box stack and further down to the substrate, or to the ground. Such a stacking support can be a type of columnar projection that is shaped within the wall of the stackable box, and on the facing side of which an extending element lies thereon in the support position and is supported thereby.
To enable stacking boxes of the type according to the invention to be placed on top of one another in a centered manner and particularly, free of shifting, centering structures formed on the extending elements can be advantageously provided and can be formed on the stacking box outside of the counterstructures forming the extending elements, wherein the centering structures interact with the counterstructures in an essentially structurally identical stacking box in the stacked up state, in order to center the stacked up stacking box in relation to the stacking box located thereunder, and also to fix it in a plane parallel to the base of the stacking box.
To bring about a displacement of the support elements solely by gravity, arrangements can be selected, for example, among which the rotational point of a rotation or pivot movement is arranged offset to a projection of the center of gravity of the respective support elements on the plane of the base of the stacking box or on the plane spanned by the edge delimiting the receiving opening. Specially arranged weight elements that offset the center of gravity can be provided, or similar. It is also possible to provide extending elements with a cranked form that are driven solely by gravity in the manner according to the invention due to this forming between the support position and the rest position. One skilled in the art will be able to easily carry out the forming of the extending element and/or its mounting for achieving the effect according to the invention within the scope of a technical design, he is aware of corresponding solutions.
Two, particularly a plurality, of stacking boxes as described above can be contained in a transport and/or storage system that is advantageous and according to the invention. The stacking boxes contained in this system can now be layered up with their openings facing up (filled or empty), wherein the extending elements are respectively then located in the support position, or they can be put down stacked in a space-saving and nested manner inside one another when they are placed with their receiving opening facing down with a stacking box placed bottommost on a ground and are placed upon one another in a cone-like manner with additional stacking boxes placed thereon.
Additional features and advantages of the invention are apparent from the following description of exemplary embodiments based on the enclosed figures. They show:
Possible embodiment variants of a stacking box according to the invention, and a transport and/or safekeeping system formed from at least two such stacking boxes, are shown in highly schematic drawings in the figures. The figures are highly schematic depictions and serve merely to illustrate the principle according to the invention and the essential elements. They are not to be understood as complete design drawings and also not to scale.
It is evident from
This is possible in that, in the position of a stacking box according to the invention as shown in
A comparison of
It should be clear at this point particularly that the embodiments of the stacking boxes and their components shown in the figures are depicted highly schematically and in a possible example. Thus extending elements are shown here that are merely arranged in the four corner regions of the rectilinear plan of the stacking box. Bar-shaped arrangements are equally conceivable, which for example extend along the narrow facing edges, or also those that run on the longitudinal edges or also circumferentially along all of the edges. The skilled person is not restricted here in any way, as long as the extending elements are displaced between the rest position and the support position solely driven by gravity through upending or placing right side up the stacking box 1, and in the support position the extending elements support an additional stacking box 1 with the objects arranged therein placed thereupon and can reliably maintain the load.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20160637.3 | Mar 2020 | EP | regional |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/EP2021/053955 | 2/18/2021 | WO |
