U.S. patent application number 13/353601 was filed with the patent office on 2012-07-05 for container with foldable load platform.
Invention is credited to Miguel ALAGARDA CERVERA, Monica Alegre Olmos, Luis Asensio Cotillas, Manuel Blay Orenga, Javier Ramon Garcia Aranda, Emilio Gil Serrano.
Application Number | 20120168434 13/353601 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 43498802 |
Filed Date | 2012-07-05 |
United States Patent
Application |
20120168434 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
ALAGARDA CERVERA; Miguel ;
et al. |
July 5, 2012 |
CONTAINER WITH FOLDABLE LOAD PLATFORM
Abstract
Container with foldable load platform intended for transporting
different pieces, so that once the container assembly is empty; it
can be folded occupying a reduced space. It is characterized in
that it comprises a foldable load container having two opposite
side walls with the addition of a central folding line (5) and two
side folding lines (6) parallel and separated by a distance from
the corner joints (7) of adjacent side walls. Therefore some
characteristic inner spaces are created in the folded position of
the load container, which allow housing different fastening
elements therein, unlike conventionally occurs wherein housing
these fastening elements within the inside fold of load container
is not possible.
Inventors: |
ALAGARDA CERVERA; Miguel;
(Albal (Valencia), ES) ; Asensio Cotillas; Luis;
(Albal (Valencia), ES) ; Blay Orenga; Manuel;
(Albal (Valencia), ES) ; Garcia Aranda; Javier Ramon;
(Albal (Valencia), ES) ; Gil Serrano; Emilio;
(Alabal (Valencia), ES) ; Alegre Olmos; Monica;
(Albal (Valencia), ES) |
Family ID: |
43498802 |
Appl. No.: |
13/353601 |
Filed: |
January 19, 2012 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
PCT/ES2010/070441 |
Jun 30, 2010 |
|
|
|
13353601 |
|
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
220/4.33 ;
220/200; 220/500; 220/529 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D 2519/00711
20130101; B65D 2519/00661 20130101; B65D 19/06 20130101; B65D
2519/00597 20130101; B65D 2519/00791 20130101; B65D 2519/00915
20130101; B65D 2519/00333 20130101; B65D 25/04 20130101; B65D
2519/00815 20130101; B65D 2519/0082 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
220/4.33 ;
220/200; 220/529; 220/500 |
International
Class: |
B65D 6/26 20060101
B65D006/26; B65D 25/04 20060101 B65D025/04; B65D 25/10 20060101
B65D025/10; B65D 51/00 20060101 B65D051/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jul 22, 2009 |
ES |
P200930490 |
Claims
1. Container with foldable load platform, comprising a base
platform, a load container itself that is foldable and a lid for
covering the assembly, both in the folded position and in the
unfolded position, the load container having at least four side
walls parallel in pairs, characterized in that two opposite side
walls include a central folding line (5) and two side folding lines
(6) parallel and separated by a distance from the corners (7)
designed to create internal spaces (8) in its folded position,
defined between end portions (9) and other centered angular
portions (10) of the side walls including the folding lines (5 and
6) and between the other two paired side walls, said internal
spaces (8) being designed to house fastening elements.
2. Container with foldable load platform, according to claim 1,
characterized in that the fastening elements comprise parallel bars
(17) fixed by their ends to vertical columns (18) arranged in
correspondence with the faced end portions (9) and in
correspondence with the corner joints (7) of the side walls of the
load container (3).
3. Container with foldable load platform, according to claim 1,
characterized in that the fastening elements comprise fixed stops
(13) jointly connected to the inner faces of the side walls, both
of the different parts (9 and 10) on opposite foldable walls and on
the other two paired walls.
4. Container with foldable load platform, according to claim 1,
characterized in that the fastening elements comprise separator
plates (14) which in turn support some combs (15), said separator
plates (14) being joined to the side walls of the load container
(3).
5. Container with foldable load platform, according to claim 1,
characterized in that the fastening elements comprise separator
plates (14) associated with a foldable packages (16) defining
separate compartments.
6. Container with foldable load platform, according to claim 1,
characterized in that the fastening elements comprise some fixed
combs (15) fixed on the centered angular portions (10) of the side
walls of the load container (3).
7. Container with foldable load platform, according to claim 1,
characterized in that the fastening elements consist of a
crisscross of lamellar bodies (20) hanging from two parallel bars
(17) coupled by their ends to some vertical columns (18).
8. Container with foldable load platform, according to claim 1,
characterized in that said container comprises at least one system
for retaining the side walls of the container to the base
platform.
9. Container with foldable load platform, according to claim 8,
characterized in that the at least one retention system is a
retention system via a ramp and locking pin comprising: at least
one ramp for each of the two opposite side walls including a
central folding line (5), the at least one ramp being situated on a
loading surface of the base platform; at least one locking pin in
each of the two opposite side walls including a central folding
line (5), the at least one locking pin being situated in the
loading surface of the base; at least one hole in each of the two
opposite side walls including a central folding line (5) through
which the at least one ramp and the at least one pin are
introduced.
10. Container with foldable load platform, according to claim 8,
characterized in that the at least one retention system is a
retention system via a latch and cable knob comprising: a rod by
way of a bridge located in peripheral channels of each of the two
opposite side walls including a central folding line (5); an
automatic latch system located at the same height of the rod in
each of the two opposite side walls including a central folding
line (5), the latch system comprising at least a carved closure, a
latch and a spring; a tension member, the tension member being
covered by a cable-cover guide, joined by one end to the automatic
latch system and by the opposite end to a pulling handle; and, a
pulling handle to trigger the latch through the tension member,
located at the top of each of the two opposite side walls including
a central folding line (5), comprising an inner handle and an outer
handle.
Description
OBJECT OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention, as the title of this specification
states, relates to a container with foldable load platform which is
the of type including a platform as a pallet, a load container that
is foldable and a lid for covering the assembly, both in folded
position and in unfolded or work position, that is when the
container is filled with the product or products to be transported
and/or contained.
[0002] On this premise, the objective of the invention is a new
method for folding the load container, characteristic structure of
which allows a fold that creates an inner space for maintaining
fastening elements therein that are required to hold the products
to be contained and transported, with the load container being in
the unfolded position, unlike other containers in which it is
required to remove these elements included into the container
before folding, since if these are not removed the fold of the
respective container could not be performed.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] Currently containers with foldable load platform generally
comprising a lower platform as a base, a foldable load container
itself and a lid for covering the assembly, both in folded position
and in the unfolded position are known.
[0004] These load containers usually includes different fastening
elements therein in order to separate the load or holding the same
by separating some parts from others, so that when folding it is
required to previously remove these fastening elements and place
them on the platform next to the folded load container.
[0005] When unfolding is performed, it will be required to replace
again the fastening elements within the load container and so
on.
[0006] It should be noted that the structure of folding lines
existing in these load containers does not allow maintain the
fastening elements within such containers in the folded position,
the need of having to remove and introduce such fastening elements
constituting a drawback.
[0007] The German Invention Patent with publication number DE
102004006416 relates to a reusable packaging for transporting piece
goods, with a bottom (1) and side walls (2-5) dismountable from the
bottom wherewith have to be arranged during the transport of the
container as an empty product. in the grouped state (25) on the
bottom (1). Characterized in that it includes additional side walls
(14-17), height of which is less than the height of the side walls
(2-5) that have been mentioned in the first place and that, in
addition to transport space for the side walls (2-5) grouped
together, provide additional transport space (27) to the means for
packaging the piece product inside the container.
[0008] It is also known the Spanish patent ES 2211800 T3 related to
a foldable container which basically comprises a structure as that
described in the initial statement of this paragraph of the
background, its first claim being characterized in that the bottom
or support floor support (13) of the load container is fixed as a
flip-top piece or a plurality of flip-top pieces (14) to one or
respectively to a plurality of side walls (3) of the load container
load.
[0009] These two mentioned patents include load containers, fold of
which does not allow maintaining the different fastening elements
therein, i.e. these have to be removed before folding and then
placed them back inside in the unfolded position, before
introducing the load again.
[0010] In all cases, the foldable structure of the container allows
the empty return of the containers with a reduced volume,
presenting however in all cases, the drawback of not being able to
include the various fastening elements into the folded position,
such as referred above.
[0011] As for the retention and fixation elements of the walls of
the container to the base platform, where the mentioned walls are
unfolded, the containers of the state of the art generally have
latches that are fixed to the walls. These latches, 2 on each side
of the container are usually located at the container base and are
manually actuated. To perform the retention and fixation of the
walls, the mentioned walls have some holes, usually reinforced with
an extra piece, through which the retaining latch passes.
[0012] On the other hand, the German Invention Patent mentioned
above includes small side partition walls (15) linked to the base
or base platform, lifting the mounting height of the lid in order
to create enough space for further returning the foldable parts,
various elements used in the transportation of goods inside the
container. These elements are in general support bars, partition
walls, retention pieces, bags, separators, necklaces, etc.
[0013] Other documents related to the invention are the following:
[0014] Spanish Invention Patent with publication number 2117187.
[0015] French Invention Patent with application number 9007090.
[0016] Spanish Utility Model with number application U96018028.
[0017] Spanish Utility Model with number application U9602755.
[0018] German Invention Patent with publication number DE19806075.
[0019] German Invention Patent with publication number
DE102005059950.
DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0020] In order to achieve the objectives and avoid the drawbacks
mentioned in the preceding paragraphs, the invention proposes a
container with foldable load platform initially comprising a
platform base, a load container that is foldable, and a lid for
covering the assembly both in a folded situation and in an unfolded
or work situation, when the load container is ready for loading the
goods therein.
[0021] The base platform may be of the type including a perimeter
partition wall that defines a lower space wherein the folded
container is stored, being hidden thanks to the lid setting over
said perimeter partition wall.
[0022] In turn, the container comprises four side walls with a
rectangular plantar configuration, but it could also have a
quadrilateral shape.
[0023] On this premise, a first feature of the invention is that
the container includes in two of its side walls of a central
folding line and two side folding lines that do not coincide with
the corner joints of adjacent side walls as occurs in all
conventional containers of this type, instead those two side
folding sheets are close and parallel to the corner aforementioned
joints, which creates some characteristic inner spaces within the
container in the folded position that allow maintaining various
fastening elements therein, which are required to better hold the
load within the container or to distribute the same in a certain
way.
[0024] Thus, the folded position of the container in question
creates two pairs of faced end portions of opposite side walls
adjacent to the corner joints of the side walls. In turn, the
folded position creates two centered angular portions housed within
the load container.
[0025] This load container may comprise the four mentioned side
walls with bottom or without bottom.
[0026] In the first case the outer bottom will be determined by,
for example, the upper face of the platform base.
[0027] Other features of the invention relate to the structure
showed by different fastening elements that include the load
container therein, and which do not need to be removed when folding
the load container.
[0028] It is thus possible different embodiments of the fastening
elements inside the container, some of which may be simultaneously
folded and unfolded when folding and unfolding the container.
[0029] In this way, the space defined by the perimeter partition
wall of the base platform will be only used to house the load
container in its folded position without requiring increasing said
space for housing other fastening elements as has been
conventionally the case.
[0030] It could also be the possibility of dispense the small
perimeter partition wall of the base platform, wherewith the lid
could include a perimeter skirt support allowable height of which
would allow housing the container in folded position.
[0031] The invention also covers the provision of two preferred
embodiments of the system for retaining and fixing the walls of the
container to the base platform of the container. In a first
embodiment, the system is a retention system via ramp and locking
pin. At the base of the container a ramp is placed on the sides
wherein the wall has the fold. The ramp, starting from the load
surface of the base, goes into the perimeter channel wherein the
walls are placed in their unfolded position penetrating the side
wall through a hole made in the mentioned wall. Furthermore, in the
inner side walls of said channel, placed a little distanced from
the center in order to avoid the hinging area of the walls, is
located the retention element.
[0032] This element, when the walls are placed in position,
penetrates through a window made in the walls. In this way, when
the walls tend to be dislodged from their position meet the
retention element. However, if the walls are pulled by their
folding side inwards and outwards the walls can be dislodged from
their position. This is achieved through the configuration of the
undercut of the retention element, the shape of the reinforcing
window presented by the walls in their holes and the shape and
final tilting of the ramp.
[0033] In a second preferred embodiment of the mentioned retention
and fixation system the system is a retention system via latch
cable knob. In this system in the peripheral channel of the base
wherein the walls are folded, a rod is placed as a bridge. At the
same height, in the walls an automatic latch system is placed,
which, when the walls are placed in site it is embedded in the
previous bridge. This latch system is always in closed position
thanks to a spring or similar, and for releasing thereof a tension
member is actuated. The tension member can be operated in a
comfortable and ergonomic manner from the upper edge of the walls,
through a pulling handle.
[0034] Both two preferred embodiments of the retention and fixation
system presents advantages over the state of the art in that these
improve the ergonomics of the system because the user has not to
bend or trigger the usual 4 latches, and it also provides a faster,
easier and direct assembly, i.e. with the same maneuver of placing
the walls, the fixation is being performed.
[0035] Next, to facilitate a better understanding of this
specification and being an integral part thereof some figures
wherein the object of the invention has been represented in an
illustrative and not limitative manner are attached.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0036] FIG. 1. Shows a perspective view of the container with
foldable load platform, object of the invention. It basically
comprises a base platform, a load container and a lid. The load
container is foldable, emphasizing that in the folded position
maintaining inside various fastening elements of the load contained
within the container is possible.
[0037] FIG. 2. Shows a schematic view of the load container in
folded position.
[0038] FIGS. 3 to 6.--Show various embodiments of the load
container with different structures and configurations of the
fastening elements.
[0039] FIG. 7.--Shows a general view of a first preferred
embodiment of the retention and fixation system. FIGS. 8 and
9.--Show a detailed view of the fixing holes of the first preferred
embodiment of the retention and fixation system.
[0040] FIGS. 10 and 11.--Show a detailed view of the fixing
elements of the preferred embodiment of the retention and fixation
system.
[0041] FIG. 12.--Shows a general view of a second preferred
embodiment of the retention and fixation system.
[0042] FIGS. 13 to 18.--Show a detailed view of the elements of the
second preferred embodiment of the retention and fixation
system.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0043] Considering the numbering adopted in the figures, the
container with foldable load platform includes a platform base 1
provided with a small perimeter partition wall 2 of low height, a
load container 3 that is foldable and a lid 4 for covering the
assembly in the folded position hiding the folded load container 3
within the space defined by the small perimeter partition wall 2,
which lid 4 that in this case will be coupled in correspondence
with the free edge of said small perimeter partition wall 2.
[0044] The lid 4 will also cover the mouth of the load container 3
in the unfolded position of use.
[0045] The load container 3 has a rectangular plantar
configuration, such load container 3 comprising four side walls,
opposite in pairs, so that two opposite side walls are affected
with a central folding line 5 and two side folding lines 6 arranged
in those same opposite side walls in proximity and parallel to the
corner joints 7 that are jointly connected to the adjacent side
walls.
[0046] Therefore some characteristic inner spaces 8 are generated
within the load container 3 in the folded position, that allow
maintaining inside various fastening elements that are required to
immobilize or attach different types of loads, contrary to what
happens conventionally where load containers cannot house these
fastening elements therein in the folded position due to the
folding system, whereby it is necessary to remove such fastening
elements prior to folding, and then install them inside the
unfolded container. It is also noted that in the invention at hand
the fastening elements can be firmly attached to the load container
load.
[0047] The folded position of the load container 3 forms two pairs
of end portions 9 of side walls adjacent to the corner joints 7 of
the side walls. In turn, the folded position creates two centered
angular portions 10 housed within the respective load container 3
in the folded position.
[0048] The load container 3 can include a foldable bottom 11 as
shown in FIG. 3. In this case such bottom 11 includes a centered
separation line 12 parallel to the corner joints in such bottom 11
with the two respective opposite side walls.
[0049] In a first embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the fastening
elements comprise fixed stops 13, jointly connected to the inner
faces of the side walls, both of the different parts 9' and 10 of
the opposite walls that are folded and the other two paired
walls.
[0050] In a second embodiment shown in FIG. 3, the fastening
elements comprise some separator plates 14 which in turn can
support combs 15. Said separator plates 14 are joined to the side
walls having no folding lines.
[0051] In a third embodiment shown in FIG. 4 the fastening elements
comprise some separator plates 14 associated with foldable packages
16 that define separate compartments.
[0052] In a fourth embodiment shown in FIG. 5, the fastening
elements comprise a set of parallel bars 17 fixed through their
ends to vertical columns 18 arranged in correspondence with the
faced end portions 9 in correspondence with the corner joints 7 of
the side walls. In this case, on the mentioned parallel bars 17
lamellar pieces 19 hanging from said bars 17 are coupled.
[0053] In another embodiment shown in FIG. 6, on the centered
angular portions 10 some fixed combs 15 are fixed.
[0054] Another possibility shown in FIG. 1 could consist of a
crisscross of lamellar bodies 20 hanging from two parallel bars 17
arranged as described above.
[0055] In another preferred embodiment shown in FIGS. 7 to 11, the
retention system included in the container is a retention system
via a ramp and locking pin comprising: [0056] At least one ramp
(23) for each of the two opposite side walls including a central
folding line (5), the at least one ramp (23) being situated in the
loading surface of the base (1). [0057] At least one locking pin
(24) for each of the two opposite side walls including a central
folding line (5) located in the loading area of the base (1);
[0058] At least one hole (21, 22) in each of the two opposite side
walls including a central folding line (5) through which the at
least one ramp and the at least one pin are introduced. The hole
through which the locking pin (24) is inserted has a reinforcement
comprising two pieces that are fixed on each other on both sides of
the hole as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9.
[0059] In another preferred embodiment shown in FIGS. 12 to 18, the
retention system is a retention system via a latch and cable knob
comprising: [0060] A rod (32) as a bridge located in the peripheral
channels of each of the two opposite side walls including a central
folding line (5). [0061] An automatic latch system (28) located at
the same height of the rod in each of the two opposite side walls
including a central folding line (5), the latch system comprising
at least one carved closure (29), a latch (30) and a spring (31).
This latch (30) is introduced in its closed position into the rod
(32) as a bridge by fixing the walls of the container. The
automatic latch system will preferably be fixed to the container
wall by using rivets (33). [0062] A tension member (27) will
preferably be a steel cable attached through one end to the
automatic latch system (28) and through the other end to a pulling
handle (25). The tension member (27) will be covered by a
cable-cover guide (26) that will be in turn fixed to the wall of
the container (10). Preferably said fixation will be made by an
adhesive placed between said guide (26) and said wall of the
container (10). [0063] A pulling handle (25) for actuating the
latch (28) through the tension member (27), located at the top of
each of the two opposite side walls including a central folding
line (5), comprising an inner handle and an outer handle attached
to each other on both sides of the opposite side walls including a
central folding line (5).
* * * * *