Receptacles – Compartmented container – Cells
Patent
1992-09-17
1995-05-23
Pollard, Steven M.
Receptacles
Compartmented container
Cells
220669, 206427, B65D 124
Patent
active
054173434
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
The invention relates to a stackable bottle crate from plastic material in accordance with the preamble of patent claim 1.
Stackable bottle crates are known in most different embodiments, wherein a particular problem in stackable bottle crates lies in making the crate so rigid that a perfect load transmission without deformations of the bottle crate is guaranteed. For the purpose of stiffening stackable bottle crates it is known to form hollow profiled columns in the side walls which columns are spaced with respect to one another and protrude into the interior of the crate. These hollow profiled columns provide the advantage that in addition to their stiffening function they simultaneously form holding faces for the bottles to be received in the crate. For permitting piling of bottle crates, herein the hollow profiled columns are not completely extended till the upper crate edge.
It is object of the invention to create a bottle crate which shows maximum stiffness with optimum minimization of weight, so that load transfer in the pile is possible without danger of damaging the bottle crate.
This object is solved in accordance with the invention by the features contained in the characterizing clause of claim 1, wherein advantageous further developments of the invention are characterized by the features contained in the subclaims.
According to claim 1 the hollow profiled columns are guided up to the upper marginal edge of the crate side walls, so that they together therewith form a circumferential piling edge for load transfer. In contrast to the traditional design in which the columns end by the insertion depth of the bottom below the adjacent crate margin, it is guaranteed by this embodiment that the hollow profiled columns contribute to load transfer. The hollow profiled columns in any arbitrary cross-sectional shape take over a full load portion. In this connection it is advantageous that in accordance with claim 2 the crate is reinforced on top and on bottom by a circumferential rib band, preferably of horizontal ribs, wherein a further stiffening of the crate is achieved by vertical ribs between the hollow profiled columns. This results in a bottle crate completely taking over load, the side walls of which crate can be kept extremely thin. This wall usually need not be thicker than corresponding cardboard layers in packagings from paper, so that it is rendered possible by the crate in accordance with the present invention to manufacture plastic crates and cardboard crates with identical exterior dimensions and to exchange them without problem, so that a mixed course of the two packaging manners is possible. This simplifies a step-by-step conversion of the two packaging modes, this being of great advantage for introducing bottle crates which are to substitute for cartonages.
This particular embodiment, in particular of the upper circumferential crate edge, allows a special bottom design which is suitable for staggered and composite piling. This is achieved by support ring structures formed at the crate bottom, namely at the bottom side of the crate bottom, and formed by ribs protruding downwardly and being circumferential like a ring. The dimensions of the support ring structure are increased by bulges, whereby the distance of the peak points of these island-like arranged support ring structures with respect to one another is decreased. In total, a greater bearing face of the crate results from these enlarged support ring structures, this being of substantial meaning for moving the crates free of vibrations also on roller tracks with larger distances of rollers. Furthermore, the arrangement of the island-like, i.e. per compartment, disposed support ring structure permits a linear piling as well as staggered piling of the bottle crates. In addition, the ribs protruding in downward direction increase friction on inclined conveyors. Nevertheless, these support ring structures do not inhibit the easy removal of the crates from the crate layer therebelow in case of manual handling. This design furthermore also
REFERENCES:
patent: 4067474 (1978-01-01), Prodel
patent: 4210265 (1980-07-01), Umiker
patent: 4548320 (1985-10-01), Box
Pollard Steven M.
Schoeller-Plast SA
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