Patent Application
20060112631
This application claims the benefit of Dutch Patent Application No. 1027361 filed Oct. 28, 2004 which is incorporated by reference herein.
The invention relates to a container for the transport of plant cuttings.
A standard method for propagating particular plants is to raise plants for cuttings, to subsequently root these cuttings and then to plant the rooted cuttings in a growth medium and to allow them to grow into a plant.
The location where plant cuttings are produced is often not the same as where the cuttings are rooted. For example, chrysanthemum cuttings are obtained from plants grown in African and South American countries, whereafter the cuttings are transported by air to the Netherlands, where the cuttings are rooted.
According to common practice, these cuttings are put into cutting receptacles that are connected to each other to form strips of a particular length. These strips are then placed next to each other into cardboard boxes. In these boxes the cuttings are then transported, mainly by air, to the location where rooting will take place. Here the cutting receptacles with the cuttings are taken out of the boxes and the cardboard boxes are taken away as waste. The drawback is that the boxes are suitable to be used only once so that apart from the costs for purchase and disposal, this also places a burden on the environment. In addition, in some circumstances the cardboard boxes absorb moisture, causing them to lose their rigidity and as a result their shape. This may have numerous undesirable consequences such as direct damage to the cuttings, or tears in the box, which impairs the insulation, which in turn may be detrimental for the cuttings. The absorption of moisture in the boxes may also lead to fungal growth, possibly infecting the cuttings with diseases. Moreover, the cuttings have to be wrapped in plastic to avoid dehydration.
It is an object of the invention to provide a transport container for plant cuttings that can be reused several times and that retains its protective properties with regard to the cuttings.
According to the invention, this objective is achieved with a transport container according to claim 1. When a container is manufactured from a shape-retentive, moisture-proof and moisture-impervious material, the container will even after use retain its shape and usability and is suitable to be reused. Also, fungal growth is not encouraged because the container does not absorb moisture, which has a positive effect on the occurrence of diseases. Moreover, as the container is moisture-impervious it is no longer necessary to wrap the cuttings in plastic.
In a favourable embodiment of the transport container, the bottom, the lid and the upright side walls are composed of a frame with a plate fastened thereto. In this way a strong but light construction can be realised, largely because the frame provides the constructional strength, allowing the plates to be embodied very lightly. This not only improves the ease of handling but it is also especially advantageous with a view to the transport by air.
Both for the frame and the plates plastic is a suitable material that meets the requirements. Moreover, it can be produced at a favourable cost, especially in large numbers. However, it is also possible to use a different moisture-resistant material for the frame, e.g. a moisture-proof metal.
A good combination of light weight and good strength can be achieved if the plate has a cellular structure, while this may also considerably improve the thermal insulation properties. This is especially important for the cuttings, too much fluctuation in temperature must be avoided. In addition, the cellular structure improves the strength and with that also the other protective properties of the container.
To further improve the robustness of the container, it may be embodied such that the edges of the lid are at least partly provided with a groove, into which the respective portion of the raised edge fits tightly. When the lid is placed upon such a container, it contributes considerably to the rigidity of the entire container. The same effect can, of course, be achieved when the groove is provided in the walls and the lid is provided with a tightly fitting projection.
In an advantageous embodiment, the top side of the lid of the transport container, near to the circumference, is provided with a raised edge for receiving the bottom side of another transport container. This allows the container to be stacked in a secure manner. This could be especially important for the automatic handling of the containers.
The lid can be fastened on the upright side walls with enhanced reliability by providing the lid and at least one of the upright walls with locking means to lock the lid to the upright side walls.
When filling the containers with cuttings and when taking them out again, it is convenient for the lid to be removable. This can simplify the process considerably.
During transport, the cuttings develop particular gases. By providing at least either the lid, the bottom or the walls, or a combination of these with openings of an adequate size to allow vapour and gas to pass through while being impermeable to drops of liquid, those gases can be discharged and fresh air can enter, without drops of liquid being able to penetrate into or escape from the container.
Regarding the return transport it is advantageous for the upright side walls and the bottom to form an angle of more than 90°. This makes the containers nestable and saves a considerable amount of space on the return transport, which has a particularly favourable effect on the costs of this transport.
Especially with regard to automatic handling of the container, for example before or at filling machines, it may be auspicious to nest the containers such that their bottoms are not completely or almost in contact with each other, but to leave some space between them. This may be achieved by providing projections at a particular height of the upright walls, having flat undersides, and projecting beyond the vertical plane to at least beyond the top rim. Although some of the space that was saved is thus given up again, it greatly facilitates unloading of the containers.
With large containers, advantages are gained when the interior of the transport container is provided with at least one vertical partition. This divides the space in the container into compartments, guaranteeing a safer and more reliable transport of the cutting receptacles with the cuttings. With respect to nesting during the return transport it is advantageous when the partition(s) can be folded down and/or removed. This also creates sufficient space for returning the empty strips of cutting receptacles in the containers.
The invention will now be further elucidated by way of the following description of a preferred embodiment of the invention, with reference to the drawing in which:
The frame of the tray of the container is shown in
The embodiment of the invention described has a lid 4, provided along the whole edge with a groove 8 into which the top edges of the side walls 3 fit tightly, as can be seen in
To allow the lid 4 to be firmly fastened to the side-walls 3, each rim of the lid is provided with at least one lip 10 having an opening, which snaps into a complementary projection at the side-wall 3 to form a lock, as can be seen in
In order to facilitate unloading of nested containers, the outsides of side-walls 3 are provided with projections 11 that project in such a manner that when nesting, the container rests with said projections 11 on the upper edge of a lower container. These projections 11 are illustrated in
For additional protection of the cuttings to be transported, the bottom 2 of the container is provided with partitions 12. One partition 12 is shown in
At their bottom sides, the partitions 12 in this embodiment of the invention are at regular intervals provided with projections 15, which form a snap connection with pairs of projections 14 on the bottom 2, see
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1027361 | Oct 2004 | NL | national |
