U.S. patent application number 15/994211 was filed with the patent office on 2018-12-06 for hook means for a plastic container upper closure for containing and transporting horticultural products.
The applicant listed for this patent is Wenco S.A.. Invention is credited to Pedro CHINNI VERGOTTINI.
Application Number | 20180346190 15/994211 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 61147044 |
Filed Date | 2018-12-06 |
United States Patent
Application |
20180346190 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
CHINNI VERGOTTINI; Pedro |
December 6, 2018 |
HOOK MEANS FOR A PLASTIC CONTAINER UPPER CLOSURE FOR CONTAINING AND
TRANSPORTING HORTICULTURAL PRODUCTS
Abstract
Hook means (340) for a plastic container (100) upper closure for
containing and transporting horticultural products, which allow for
an easy and quick connection and disconnection thereof, wherein the
hook means (340) consist of: a female end (341') having a central
opening (343) with guide elements (344) and retaining elements
(345); and a male end (347) having a head (346) configured to be
introduced in the opening (343) of the female end.
Inventors: |
CHINNI VERGOTTINI; Pedro;
(Huechuraba Santiago, CL) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Wenco S.A. |
Huechuraba Santiago |
|
CL |
|
|
Family ID: |
61147044 |
Appl. No.: |
15/994211 |
Filed: |
May 31, 2018 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
62514360 |
Jun 2, 2017 |
|
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|
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65B 25/046 20130101;
B65D 21/0212 20130101; B65D 25/101 20130101; B65D 11/14 20130101;
B65D 11/26 20130101; B65D 25/102 20130101; B65D 63/16 20130101;
B65D 21/0215 20130101; B65D 85/34 20130101; B65D 11/1833
20130101 |
International
Class: |
B65D 6/18 20060101
B65D006/18; B65D 6/08 20060101 B65D006/08; B65D 63/16 20060101
B65D063/16; B65D 85/34 20060101 B65D085/34 |
Claims
1. Hook means for a plastic container upper closure for containing
and transporting horticultural products, which allow for an easy
and quick connection and disconnection thereof, wherein the hook
means consist of: a female end having a central opening with guide
elements and retaining elements; and a male end having a head
configured to be introduced in the opening of the female end.
2. The hook means according to claim 1, wherein the guide and
retaining elements consist of projections positioned in the opening
vertexes, the guide elements having pyramid shape and the retaining
elements having parallelepiped shape with beveled end.
3. The hook means according to claim 2, wherein the retention
elements are longer than the guide elements.
4. The hook means according to claim 1, wherein the head has an
hexagonal shape.
5. The hook means according to claim 1, wherein the female end and
the male end are each attached to at least three straps of the
container upper closure.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention is related to the field of the plastic
containers used for horticultural products exports, also
denominated as "One Way" containers, specially those containers
weighing below 450 gr.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] At present, there is an unlimited number of containers
designs used for storage and transportation of fruits and
vegetables throughout the production chain, that is to say, from
harvesting until the sale to the final consumer. Said diversity is
associated to the active development that the packaging industry
currently has, whose main target has been always the same, to
search an optimal product having a cost and a weight as low as
possible while it is robust and provides the necessary features for
the intended use.
[0003] Thus, the existing relationship between the weight and the
container structural strength has become a key factor, since
reducing significantly the container weight many times may produce
a loss of structural strength of the same which affects to a
substantial extent the packaging conditions and the integrity of
the products themselves. On the other hand, said loss of weight is
associated to a reduced use of material, which leads to an
important cost reduction, crucial issue in a competitive industry
like the packaging industry where the use of plastic has been
gradually taking away market share to the cardboard industry
specially for its good resistive properties.
[0004] Therefore, the strength and weight parameters are critical
in particular at the exports stage, where it is necessary that the
container with products withstands the transport and storage
conditions during extended periods of time and distances, also
being relevant that it allows to maintain the products inside in
excellent conditions protecting them from bumps and crushings often
produced even because of poor conditions of the containers stacking
which does not maintain their integrity when arranged in the pallet
and also when the latter is subsequently fastened with moorings or
"strapping", as this operation is frequently called.
[0005] In this context, for the export of products in the fruits
and vegetables industry, mainly when the transport distances are
significantly, often it is preferred the use of plastic containers
because they have a better structural strength and a better
resistance to environmental conditions such as moisture, than the
cardboard containers do. Said containers are organized in pallets
and usually they are covered with a bag to preserve the products
conditions for long periods of time when they are transported
inside containers and refrigerated lorries.
[0006] Said containers are often called "One Way", as the name
implies, they have one way or direction, that is to say, they are
sent from the place of origin to the place of destination without
being used again for the same purpose, where they are regularly
destroyed and subsequently recycled.
[0007] The state of the art describes some examples of One Way
plastic containers, for example those disclosed by the Applicant in
the Applications CL 879-2014 and CL 880-2014. Said Applications
suggest a plastic container with collapsible walls whose objective
is to significantly reduce weight but without sacrificing the
structural strength.
[0008] In order to achieve this objective, the Application CL
879-2014 suggests a novel light connection system between the
containers walls, consisting of a clip type closure device
incorporating a hollow tubular column fixed to the faces. By means
of this connection system it is possible to significantly reduce
the amount of material in the containers corners without lowering
the structural strength even increasing it, since it takes
advantage of the firm structure of the hollow column incorporated
to the closure system which provides a firm and easy connection
between the container walls.
[0009] In turn, the Application CL 880-2014 suggests a bottom for a
collapsible plastic container which is able to reduce the container
weight by means of the T shaped ribs of variable height
strategically distributed in the bottom. Said ribs allow to
efficiently distribute forces towards the container frame and
therefore to avoid material in zones which do not require great
forces.
[0010] With the systems suggested by the above mentioned
references, the Applicant could reduce the weight of the plastic
containers known at that time in approximately 11%, obtaining a
container of just 310 grs. Nevertheless, currently the technology
advances, the increasing demand of goods in the food industry and
the commitment to reduce the carbon footprint, force manufacturing
industries to continue improving their products.
[0011] Thus, although the containers suggested by documents CL
879-2014 and CL 880-2014 show a significant improvement in the
strength to weight ratio, in order to satisfy the above mentioned
issues, progressing to a second level is critical where the
progress not only means to reduce production costs but also to
provide improvements to ensure a better quality of the products
transported in One Way containers minimizing the losses associated
to damages done during the transport and storage processes and thus
complying with the quality standards required by the horticulture
industry for the export products.
[0012] Therefore, the objective of the present invention is to
improve the above mentioned plastic containers of the state of the
art furnishing a One Way container which provides a better strength
to weight ratio. In particular, the aim is to produce a container
weighing below 300 grs with sufficient stiffness so as to ensure
the integrity of the products inside it and a controlled
deformation on forces originated during palletizing maintaining its
structure all the time.
DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0013] The present invention consists of a plastic container below
450 gr for exports of horticulture products, which preferably has a
rectangular shape and it is formed by a bottom, two large walls
facing each other, two small walls facing each other and an upper
closure system. According to a preferred embodiment of the
invention, the walls of the container are collapsible being these
attached to the bottom and interconnectable. Nevertheless, the
present invention is not limited only to this type of containers
also said walls can be fixed.
[0014] The containers walls are formed by a rectangular shaped
frame which comprises a wall framework divided by pillars inside
it. According to a first embodiment, all the walls have a framework
except one of the small walls which may comprise continued surfaces
between pillars, which are usually used in the technique for
illustrating logos, advertisement or any type of related
information.
[0015] According to a second embodiment the container large walls
are closed being formed by full and flat sections positioned
between the pillars.
[0016] Both, in the embodiment of closed large walls and in the
embodiment of ventilated large walls, the sections positioned
between the pillars are slightly curved outwards for compensating
the contraction produced during the manufacturing process as a
result of the cooling rate with the walls frame, in this way
allowing to maintain a controlled deformation. As a result, in the
embodiment of closed large walls, said curvature allows to reduce
the walls thickness so that the final weight of the container is
not increased in relation to the embodiment of the large walls with
framework (ventilated).
[0017] In the second embodiment, having full large walls provides a
better visual aesthetic of the containers positioned in the pallet
and the possibility to include logos, advertisement or any type of
related information.
[0018] Another important feature of the container walls is related
with the ventilation conditions that these provide to the content
stored inside it. In this regard, the design of the small wall or
head arranged outwards in the pallet enables the air inlet along
the entire contour of the continued zones. Thus, the ventilation is
evenly distributed inside the container.
[0019] Advantageously, in the embodiment where the container large
walls are closed, the air entering the container head is prevented
from escaping through the separation between adjacent containers
arranged in the pallet, therefore increasing the residence of
cooling air inside the container and better preserving the products
inside it.
[0020] Also, the number of secondary or central pillars forming the
container walls has been reduced, so in the small walls the number
of secondary pillars is only two but they are arranged together in
the center while in the large walls the number of pillars is only
three.
[0021] Advantageously, a few secondary pillars enable a significant
reduction in the container total weight, but without losses in the
structure final strength. On one side, this is due to the fact that
in the small walls a higher strength is requested in the center,
since it is the zone from which the workers usually grab the
container. Therefore, having a configuration of two secondary
pillars together allows to ensure the strength in said critical
point. On the other hand, the reduction of pillars in the container
large walls is possible because these are not requested to control
deformation in the walls since now the straps carry out this
operation together with the wall pre-bent condition.
[0022] According to another aspect of the invention, the large
walls and one of the small walls have a curved upper profile
outwards the container. Advantageously, this pre-bent condition
enables the walls to curve outwards when the container is subjected
to higher loads, for example when they are stacked in a pallet. By
doing so, the walls are prevented to curve inwards due to the force
exerted by the clamps, crushing the products causing deformation or
damage.
[0023] A similar effect is obtained by means of the closure system
of the present invention consisting of three straps equidistantly
distributed in the upper face of each large wall of the container,
which converge in their ends in the respective hook means being
connected in the container center. The wall three straps assembly
has an additional strap connecting with a projection positioned in
the upper face of the pre-bent small wall (the one looking outwards
the pallet). Said additional strap acts as support so as when the
pallet is strapped, the large walls and the pre-bent small wall are
not excessively curved outwards because of the compression force
that the clamp exerts on them, therefore maintaining a controlled
deformation range ensuring the container integrity.
[0024] Advantageously, the straps terminals positioned at the end
of each large wall have been placed very close to the columns of
the container corners. This position reduces the large walls
bending inwards allowing to maintain the integrity of the products
within the container, since when there is a short distance between
the straps terminal and the column, the torque exerted by the
stretched straps on the walls when the closure system is activated,
is low.
[0025] Another advantage associated to this configuration is
related to the fact that the cross formed between the straps of the
opposite ends of each side of the walls is more aligned with the
container diagonals, causing that the tension forces produced by
the straps are distributed to the columns and not to the container
middle zone, decreasing the deformation thereof.
[0026] In turn, the connection media between the straps forming the
closure system consist of a snaps system formed, according to a
first embodiment, by a female end and a male end tip top buckle
type. Said system allows for a quick, easy and user-friendly
connection between the straps.
[0027] According to a second embodiment, the female end is square
shaped with a central opening with guide and retention elements. In
turn, the male end has a head configured to be introduced in the
female end opening being trapped with the retention elements
allowing for an easy connection and disconnection.
[0028] On the other hand, guides connecting the container walls
have been provided in the system. Said guides are shaped like
triangular ribs arranged in the female connector inlet and they
help to introduce quickly and clearly the male connector in the
female connector.
[0029] Another relevant aspect of the container is related with the
bottom features, wherein the bottom framework is displaced in
relation to the frame into the container. Such displacement being
lower and continued in the center zone of the frame and being
higher towards the container corners, therefore forming a parabolic
profile of the framework of which highest point is positioned in
the corners and the lowest point is positioned in the frame
center.
[0030] Advantageously, this configuration enables to reduce the
bottom framework, on one side providing a relevant weight reduction
but on the other hand, a greater bottom deformation as a result of
the content weight within the container above a thinner bottom.
However, the bottom maximum deformation is not increased, since the
bottom displacement allows the beginning and ending of the deformed
distance to begin at a higher height in relation to the bottom
frame, so that said deformation does not affect the container
products when positioned underneath in the pallet. This
configuration also does not reduce the container usable volume
since the bottom areas laying over the products support surface are
positioned in the walls contour and specially in the corners, these
spaces are usually not filled with horticulture products or others
not having right-angled corners.
[0031] In order to improve the container structure, the bottom
comprises rectangular beams in the diagonals joining the bottom
outer frame profiles. According to embodiments of the invention,
the beams may be straight or half straight, curved towards the
corners, upwards or both. This configuration allows the beams to
adopt a pre-tensioned position compensating the deformation
produced by the forces to which the container is subjected when
loaded and arranged in the pallet, enabling to ensure its
structural stiffness and the integrity of the products.
[0032] Advantageously, the use of these diagonal beams in the
container bottom reduces the frame profiles tendency to be "closed"
when the bottom is loaded, that is to say, it prevents the initial
90.degree. to be significantly reduced causing bottom deformations
and damaging the products. Another advantage is related to the
reduction of the bottom deformation surface, since due to the
diagonal beams the bottom does not deform from the pillar towards
the center, but mainly from the beams obtaining a more controlled
deformation and transmitting forces to the frame itself through the
beams, which is the most resistant element of the bottom.
[0033] An additional advantage associated to the bottom diagonal
beams is that they support the container corners zone which is the
most tensioned when it is subjected to loads. In order to assist,
the bottom framework positioned between each pillar and each beam
also comprise T shaped ribs which help to reinforce said most
tensioned zone and to compensate the bottom height difference
between the corners and the frame center, facilitating less
deformation.
[0034] Another feature of the T shaped ribs is that the height is
aligned with the lower face of the diagonal beams. This one
expedites the containers transport operations in automatized
systems using automatic transport lines, since it prevents the
wheels of said systems to be introduced in the space formed between
the corner and the beam.
[0035] In addition, the bottom frame has a reinforced structure
which allows to add higher load reducing the bottom deformation and
better supporting the strapping forces. On the other hand, the
thickness and/or width of the framework has been reduced within the
triangular zones placed in each bottom face center. Because the
bottom framework zones are less subjected to forces it is possible
to reduce the thickness and/or width without significantly reducing
the bottom maximum deformation but significantly reducing the
container final weight.
[0036] The container of the present invention has hollow tubular
columns, this structure resists a great vertical load and the
forces transmitted from the bottom and walls. The container columns
have a cross section formed by straight portions at the sidelines
and a curved portion at the inner side. Unlike the state of the art
containers wherein the portion of the column outer side is
straight, in the present invention said outer portion comprises a
curved ratio allowing to improve the column sag resistance making
it more similar to a cylinder. Accordingly, it is known that a
cylinder shape is more resistant but at the same time provides less
contact surface in its mantle, which may affect the attachment of
the walls to the container with the cylindric column and fitting
with adjacent containers.
[0037] In order to compensate this contact surface reduction in the
column outer face, vertical bits protruding from the surface and
which allow to fit with the ones of a continued container reducing
displacement among them, have been included thereof.
[0038] According to the present invention, a separation or space is
provided between pillars and small faces of the container walls,
preferably that arranged outwards a pallet. Said separation is
deeper in the container upper portion gradually decreasing towards
the lower portion and it advantageously allows a slight movement
between the pillar and the wall, so that when the first deflects
inwards as a result of the pressure exerted by the straps during
palletizing, it has a wider range of motion before compressing the
wall preventing or reducing deformation thereof.
[0039] Another significant feature of the present invention is
related to the means facilitating the containers palletizing. First
of all, the column in each corner finishes in the container bottom
in a projection in the form of half ellipse, which has a slight
conicity in the lateral faces and in the face aiming outwards the
pallet. On one side, said projection improves the stacking between
containers, since its shape allows it to penetrate in the column
upper opening of the lower container and on the other hand,
facilitates the removal because due to the conicity it is easier to
displace the projection from the column upper opening in only one
direction while in the opposite direction the projection is locked
in order to ensure the coupling between containers. To that end,
the ribs surrounding the projection also have been reduced.
[0040] Secondly, the container of the present invention comprises
trapezoidal centering devices in the upper face of the large walls
and in the bottom it comprises several channels arranged one after
another fitting with the centering devices. Thus, when the
containers are arranged in the pallet, de lower container centering
devices are trapped in the channels of the upper container to avoid
displacement between containers. Also, the arrangement of multiple
channels allows that the centering devices adopt several contact
positions with the upper container frame to anticipate deformation
and to control it on the basis of the conditions and forces to
which the container is subjected at the different stages of the
stacking and transport process.
[0041] On the other hand, the trapezoidal shape of the centering
devices allows that the stacked upper container may be displaced
and removed from the pallet, acting jointly with the lower conic
projections of the columns.
[0042] The above mentioned characteristics and advantages
correspond to a combination of improvements in different aspects or
elements of the container. The result is the obtention of a One Way
plastic container with a weight below 300 gr, in other words,
significantly lighter than the containers known in the state of the
art, but at the same time with an optimal structure allowing to
efficiently resist the forces to which the container is subjected
and to control deformation for the purpose of ensuring all the time
and in any conditions the integrity and quality of the products
contained inside.
DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
[0043] FIG. 1 illustrates an isometric view of the container of the
present invention.
[0044] FIG. 2 illustrates an anterior elevation view of the
container of the present invention.
[0045] FIG. 3 illustrates a posterior elevation view of the
container of the present invention.
[0046] FIG. 4 illustrates a profile view of the container of the
present invention.
[0047] FIG. 5 illustrates a top view of the container of the
present invention.
[0048] FIG. 6 illustrates a lower view of the container of the
present invention.
[0049] FIG. 7a illustrates a second embodiment of the walls of the
container of the present invention.
[0050] FIG. 7b illustrates a representation of the air flow
entering inside the container of the present invention.
[0051] FIG. 8 illustrates a detail of the closure system of the
container of the present invention.
[0052] FIG. 9 illustrates a detail of the connection between the
large walls and the closure system terminals of the container of
the present invention.
[0053] FIG. 10a illustrates a first embodiment of the closure
system connection media of the present invention.
[0054] FIGS. 10b to 10d illustrate a second embodiment of the
closure system connection media of the present invention.
[0055] FIG. 11 illustrates a detail of the container walls
connection elements.
[0056] FIG. 12 illustrates a detail of the container bottom frame
of the present invention.
[0057] FIGS. 13 to 15 illustrate details of the container bottom
structure of the present invention.
[0058] FIG. 16 illustrates a detail of the container bottom upper
face of the present invention.
[0059] FIGS. 17 and 18 illustrate details of the container columns
of the present invention.
[0060] FIG. 19 illustrates a projection placed in the lower surface
of the container corners of the present invention.
[0061] FIG. 20 illustrates a detail of the joint between the
container walls of the present invention.
[0062] FIGS. 21 and 22 illustrate the retention elements arranged
in the walls and bottom of the container of the present
invention.
[0063] FIGS. 23 and 24 illustrate an alternative configuration of
the container walls of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0064] According to FIGS. 1 to 4 the present invention consists of
a plastic container 100 preferably rectangular being formed by a
bottom 200, large walls 110, small walls 120 and an upper closure
system 300. According to the illustrated embodiment, the container
walls 110, 120 are collapsible being attached in a fixed manner to
the bottom 200 and being connectable each other by wall connection
media 130.
[0065] According to FIGS. 2 and 3, the small container walls 120
are formed by a small wall frame 121 rectangular in shape which
comprises inside a small wall framework 122 divided by two small
wall secondary posts 123 placed in the wall center. As it can be
seen in FIG. 2, one of the small walls may comprise closed surfaces
124 between the small wall secondary posts 123.
[0066] The small wall frame 121 may comprise in its upper portion a
series of holes 125 in order to lighten the structure, in the lower
portion two recesses 126 which houses the upper container columns
when they are in folded state to reduce the stacking volume, are
configured. Preferably, said recesses comprise holes in order to
facilitate the air passage inside the container.
[0067] According to FIG. 4, the container large walls 110 are
formed by a large wall frame 111 rectangular in shape which
comprises inside a large wall framework 112 divided by three large
wall secondary posts 113 equidistantly positioned. Preferably, the
portions of the large wall 112 framework placed between the posts
are slightly curved outwards. In the lateral ends of the large
walls 100, there are vertical columns 400 which are part of the
frame. Also, in the upper portion of the frame a series of holes to
lighten the structure may be configured while in the frame upper
face the container upper closure system media 300 is arranged.
[0068] According to FIGS. 5 and 6, the container large walls 110
and one of the small walls 120 have the upper profiled curved
outwards. In the illustrated embodiments, it can be seen that the
container walls are pre-bent outwards except the right small wall,
because when placing the container in a pallet said wall is inside
it contacting the wall of an adjacent container, therefore it does
not bend inwards as a result of the force produced by the
clamps.
[0069] FIG. 7a illustrates an alternative embodiment of the present
invention wherein the container large walls 110 are closed being
formed by quadrangular sections 116 placed between the large wall
secondary posts 113 which have a low thickness, they are preferably
flat and are slightly curved outwards.
[0070] As it can be seen in FIG. 7b, the small wall configuration
120 comprising closed surfaces 124 between pillars allow the air
inlet through the frame holes and the open framework zone in the
lateral and lower ends of the frame as represented by arrows in
said FIG. 7b.
[0071] As illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 8 the container upper closure
system 300 consists of three flexible straps 310 equidistantly
distributed in the upper face of each container large wall 110 thus
attached fixedly by means of terminals 320. The three straps 310 of
each large wall 110 converge in their ends in a hook means 340 and
as it can be seen in FIG. 8 the three straps assembly of one of the
large walls has an additional strap 350 which consists of an
elongated element attached to the zone in which the three straps
converge at and which comprises in its free end, a hole shaped
connector 351 connected to a projection 360 (see FIG. 5) positioned
in the upper face of the pre-bent small wall 120.
[0072] As illustrated in FIG. 9, the straps terminals 320 placed in
each large wall 110 ends are positioned very close to the columns
400 placed at the container corners, so that when the upper closure
system 300 is activated the straps 310 of the opposite ends of each
wall approximately match the container diagonals.
[0073] As it can be seen in the embodiment of FIG. 10a, the hook
means 340 of the straps system consists of a tip top buckle type
snaps system, that is to say, formed by a hollow female end 341 and
a trident shaped male end 342, so that for the closing operation
the male end is inserted in the female end being the trident
retained in the inner space of the female end. Therefore, and for
the removal of the male end 342 from the female end 341, it is
enough to press the trident edges and to slide it through the
female end 341.
[0074] According to a second illustrated embodiment of FIGS. 10b to
10d, a square shaped female end 341' is provided with a central
opening 343 with guide 344 and retention 345 elements which consist
of projections placed in the opening vertexes 343, the guide
elements 344 having pyramid shape and the retaining elements having
parallelepiped shape with beveled end and being longer than the
first ones.
[0075] In turn, the male end 347 has an hexagonal shaped head which
is configured to be introduced in the female end opening sliding
over the guide elements 344 and being retained by the retention
elements 345 between the opening walls 343, as it can be seen in
the sequence illustrated by FIGS. 10c and 10d.
[0076] FIG. 11 shows the connection elements connecting the
container walls ends in their collapsible embodiment. According to
the illustration, the small walls 120 ends comprise a male
connector 127 protruding from the outer edge of the small wall
frame. The large walls ends 110 comprise a female connector 114
attached to the column lateral face 400 and configured to receive
the male connector 127 of the adjacent small wall.
[0077] Preferably, the male connector 127 comprises three
projections placed in parallel at the horizontal axis, the central
projection having a flange 128. The female connector 114 comprises
two receptacles in its ends to receive the projections from the
male connector ends 127 and a central opening to receive the
central projection and to fix one of the flange lateral faces 128
in the female connector, as illustrated in FIG. 17. Thus, the male
connector is firmly attached to the female connector and in turn
they can be detached only pressing the flange 128 and sliding it
backwards through the female connector 114.
[0078] Continuing with FIG. 11, in the zone between column 400 and
the female connector 114, guides 115 are configured in the form of
triangular ribs and which help to easy and clearly introduce the
male connector in the female connector.
[0079] As illustrated in FIG. 12, which illustrates a detail of the
lower face of the container bottom 200, being said bottom formed by
a bottom frame 210 and a bottom base 220, which in the illustrated
embodiment is formed by a series of rectangular shaped strips
arranged diagonally from the bottom frame 210. The bottom base 220
is vertically displaced in relation to the bottom frame 210. This
displacement is lower and continued in the center zone of the frame
and it is higher towards the container corners, therefore forming a
parabolic profile of the framework of which highest point 221 is
positioned in the corners and the lowest point 222 is positioned in
the center of each face of the frame.
[0080] Another feature of the suggested container bottom 200 is
illustrated in FIGS. 13 and 14 and it is related to rectangular
beams 230 in the diagonals joining the bottom frame profiles 210.
Preferably, the beams 230 have a profile in the form of a straight
"C" with flat upper face. According to the FIG. 13 embodiment, the
beams 230 can be straight or semi straight. Additionally and
according to FIG. 14, the beams 230 can be curved towards the
container corners and even in other embodiments they could be
curved upwards and alternatively upwards ad towards the corners
simultaneously.
[0081] FIG. 15 teaches another feature of the container bottom,
wherein it can be seen that the bottom base portion 220 placed
between each column and each beam 230 also comprises T shaped ribs
231, that is to say, the vertical projections rise from the lower
face of the bottom base, preferably they are placed in parallel in
the framework diagonals running in only one direction (main
diagonal). The ribs height is also aligned with the beams 230 lower
face.
[0082] As it can be seen in FIG. 16, the bottom base 220 comprise
zones with less material 240 consisting of a reduction in the
thickness and/or width of the framework within the zones
represented by triangles which are placed in each face center of
the bottom.
[0083] As it can be seen in FIG. 17, the columns 400 are configured
in a hollow tubular shape with a cross section formed by straight
portions 401 at the sidelines, a first curved portion 402 at the
inner side and a second curved portion 403 at the outer side, the
first curved portion 402 having a bending radius higher than the
second portion 403. Also, according to FIG. 18 the column 400 in
its upper end has an upper widening 410 and in its lower end has a
lower projection 420 the latter being configured to be introduced
and to fit with the upper widening 410 of a lower container during
palletizing. In the column outer face portion 400 specifically the
one oriented parallel to the container small walls, vertical ribs
430 are configured with a form of vertical and parallel straight
bands protruding from the surface.
[0084] In relation to FIG. 19, it can be seen that the lower
projection 420 is half ellipsed shaped comprising a slight conicity
in the lateral faces and in the face pointing outwards the pallet.
The face pointing outwards the pallet is less marked or straight
curved shaped. In addition, the column lower portion comprises an
extension 450 protruding thereof in a direction parallel to the
small wall and the lowered or beveled inner ribs 451 surrounding
the lower projection 420, are arranged inside it.
[0085] As illustrated in FIG. 20, between pillars 400 and the
container small walls 120 a space or separation 460 is configured
(see as represented between arrows), preferably in the small wall
arranged outwards the pallet. Preferably, said space 460 is
produced between the small wall frame 121 and the female connector
receptacles 114 and according to a particular embodiment (not
illustrated) said separation is more marked near the wall upper end
gradually decreasing in the lower direction.
[0086] As it can be seen in FIG. 21, the container of the present
invention comprises in the large walls upper face 110 at least one
trapezoidal centering device 500 and in the bottom frame lower face
210 at least one channel 550. Preferably, several channels 550 are
arranged one after another and configured to fit and to temporarily
block the container centering devices below during palletizing.
[0087] Regarding FIGS. 23 and 24, there are two configurations of
the large wall secondary posts 113 which have a curved "C" shaped
cross section. The first configuration illustrated in FIG. 23
wherein the posts have an open face outwards the container and a
second configuration illustrated in FIG. 24, wherein the posts have
an open face inwards the container. By means of this last
configuration, it is possible to simplify the mould design for
manufacturing the piece, therefore facilitating the container
manufacturing process.
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