DE29514524U1 - Flat beam - Google Patents

Description

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FLAT CARRIER

The invention relates to a flat carrier, in particular for receiving and presenting goods, comprising at least one upper and one lower plate , wherein a number of retaining tabs which can be pivoted between an initial position and a position of use and are hinged to the lower plate are formed in the lower plate, and the upper plate has a corresponding number of retaining openings from which the retaining tabs protrude to hold the goods in their position of use.

In such a carrier, which is already known in practice, the lower plate and the upper plate are manufactured separately, with the retaining tabs being formed in the lower plate and slot-shaped retaining openings being formed in the upper plate, into which retaining tabs pivoted into their position of use can be inserted.

The disadvantage of the previously known carrier is that a precise allocation of retaining tabs and slot-shaped retaining openings is necessary for assembling the top and bottom plates. Furthermore, the retaining tabs must be completely aligned in their position of use in order to be able to insert them into the corresponding retaining openings for assembling the flat carrier. If, for example, the material of the bottom plate has a certain elasticity, the retaining tabs do not remain in their position of use on their own, but move at least partially back to their starting position. This makes the correct alignment of the retaining tabs relative to their retaining openings labor-intensive and time-consuming.

Furthermore, to produce the surface support from the lower and upper plates, it is usually necessary to connect both plates, for example by gluing. In this case, the surface support can only be delivered to a customer with the retaining tabs already pivoted into the position for use.

Otherwise, the customer would have to assemble and connect the panels, which is usually unreasonable. However, if the support is delivered in a ready-to-use condition, the retaining tabs can be damaged or even rendered unusable during transport.

The invention is therefore based on the object of improving the carrier mentioned at the outset in such a way that its assembly is simplified and can be carried out in a shorter time, while at the same time the carrier can be transported without the risk of damaging the retaining tabs.

To solve this problem, the above-mentioned carrier is characterized in that the upper and lower plates lie on top of one another with the retaining tabs in their initial position and each retaining opening is part of a through-opening through which the retaining tabs can be pivoted into their position of use and into which at least one locking projection projects, arranged in the pivoting path of the retaining tabs and supporting the retaining tabs in their position of use.

In this way, the carrier can be transported to the customer with the retaining tabs in the starting position. The assembly of the carrier from the top and bottom plate is simplified, as the retaining tabs are in their starting position and an exact assignment to the corresponding retaining openings is not necessary in any way. The top and bottom plates are simply placed on top of each other and connected to each other accordingly. Due to the design of the passage opening, the retaining tabs are only pivoted into their position of use when the carrier is used, which requires only a small amount of time and effort. The corresponding retaining opening is part of the passage opening, with a locking projection arranged in the pivoting path of the retaining tabs, which supports the retaining tab in its position of use, whereby it can be pushed out of the holding opening.

protrudes. The retaining tabs can be pivoted into the use position easily manually, for example, by pushing each retaining tab individually from its initial position through the opening into the use position.

In order to be able to form the passage opening with the smallest possible size, it is advantageous if the locking projection partially limits the holding opening. As a rule, the holding opening is formed in an end region of the passage opening, with the locking projection partially delimiting the holding opening from the rest of the passage opening.

Depending on the size of the retaining tab and to better stabilize the retaining tab in its position of use, it is also advantageous if locking projections protrude into the opening opposite one another. The locking projections can be of the same design.

In the simplest case, the retaining tab and the through-opening are essentially geometrically similar. This means that the outlines of the retaining tab and the through-opening are of the same shape except for the locking projections, with the through-opening generally being larger in cross-section than the retaining tab.

In a simple embodiment, the retaining tab has a U-shaped outline and is pivotably connected to the base plate in the area between its U-leg ends. In the position of use, the retaining tab therefore has an inverted U-shape.

Various materials can be used for such a carrier, which can be used as a shelf, tray, support surface or the like. For ecological and economic reasons, it is advantageous if the top and/or bottom plate are made of a single or multi-layer cardboard or

Made of corrugated cardboard, with the openings punched out of the top plate and the retaining tabs cut out of the bottom plate.

To simplify production and to make it easier to pick up and present goods, holding tabs and openings are arranged in parallel rows.

Various joining techniques can be used to connect the top and bottom panels and thus to create the flat support. For example, the panels can be stapled together. The best option is to glue the panels together, at least in places.

The manufacture of the carrier is further simplified by the fact that the top and bottom plates are made from a single cut, with the bottom plate and top plate being connected to one another via at least one folding groove for folding the bottom plate onto an underside of the top plate. In this way, a complete carrier can be manufactured from one cut, with no problems arising with regard to the allocation of retaining tabs and through-openings when placing the top and bottom plates on top of one another, since the folding groove is predetermined and ensures correct allocation.

The bottom plate does not have to be a single piece, but can, for example, be made up of two foldable plate halves connected to the top plate.

In the case of essentially rectangular supports, it is also advantageous in this context if the top plate is also essentially rectangular and the bottom plate or the bottom plate halves are connected to the top plate along one or both of the longer rectangular sides. It is also possible to connect the bottom plate halves to the shorter rectangular sides of the top plate.

For example, the top plate can be split in two with a one-piece bottom plate or both plates can be divided accordingly.

In order to obtain a substantially complete bottom plate when the bottom plate halves are folded over onto the underside of the top plate, it is advantageous if the edge or abutting edges of the bottom plate halves facing each other when folded over onto the underside of the top plate are designed to be complementary to each other.

In order to arrange, for example, a cover or another flat support on the flat support, it is proposed that at least in the top plate there are slots for inserting supports for the cover or the other support.

In order to minimize the impact of the supports on the placement and presentation of goods, the insertion slots run parallel and/or perpendicular to the rows of openings.

In order to be able to pivot the retaining tabs easily and like a hinge, especially in the case of a base plate made of cardboard or corrugated cardboard, a groove is formed in the base plate between the U-shaped leg ends of the retaining tab.

The pivoting of the retaining tab can be made even easier by having a cutting line roughly in the middle of the creasing. The creasing and cutting line can be created when the one-piece blank is made or together with the punching out of the openings or cutting out the retaining tabs.

In a preferred embodiment, the passage openings have a substantially closed U-

shaped outline, with a locking projection protruding from opposite points of the U-legs.

The locking projections can have different shapes. Preferably, the locking projections essentially have the shape of a right-angled triangle, the hypotenuse of which is designed as a locking slope, the locking projection being connected to the associated U-legs of the passage opening by means of the longer legs.

In order to support the retaining tabs securely and with little play in the position of use, the retaining opening has a width or length that is at least equal to the material thickness or width of the retaining tab.

If a flat support is to be arranged above a wider flat support using the supports mentioned above, it is advantageous if insertion slots are also formed in the lower plate, which can be aligned with the insertion slots formed in the upper plate. In this way, the flat support can be used as a lower, middle or upper support when stacking supports.

It has already been mentioned that the retaining tabs can only be manually swiveled into the position of use when the carrier is used to hold and display goods. For example, only a selection of retaining tabs can be swiveled into the position of use or a number of retaining tabs can be swiveled back into their original position. This allows variations in the presentation of the goods and the use of the carrier for goods of different sizes. For small goods, for example, all retaining tabs can be swiveled into the position of use. The goods are then placed on the retaining tabs accordingly, for example. For larger goods

only every second retaining tab arranged along a row can be pivoted into the position of use.

In order to simplify the pivoting of the retaining tabs into their position of use, the invention proposes a device that has at least one row of stamps that can be brought into contact with the retaining tabs from a rear side of the lower plate of the carrier, which stamps have a smaller cross-section than a cross-section of the through-openings in the upper plate of the carrier, the row arrangement of the stamps at least partially corresponding to a row arrangement of retaining tabs and through-openings. If, for example, four retaining tabs and through-openings are arranged per row, a device with two stamps can be used, for example, onto which two retaining tabs in the starting position and corresponding through-openings of each row can be placed. The carrier can then be manually pressed down along the stamps, whereby the stamps pivot the retaining tabs into the position of use. In extreme cases, a device with only one stamp is sufficient.

If all retaining tabs are to be pivoted into the position of use, it is advantageous if the stamps are designed with the retaining tabs and through-openings in the appropriate number and arrangement.

The device can be very simply constructed, for example from a base plate and the stamps, with the stamps protruding essentially vertically from the base plate.

The tips of the stamps can be flat, concave or convex, with convex, i.e. rounded, stamp tips being preferred.

The pivoting of the retaining tabs and the assignment of the carrier to the stamps can also be automated, for example by assigning a counter-stamp to the stamps, to which the carrier is detachably attached and which is movable relative to the stamps, with guides for the counter-stamp and/or the carrier being arranged between the stamp and the counter-stamp. The counter-stamp has corresponding openings for receiving the stamps and the retaining tabs pivoted in the position of use.

In the following, an advantageous embodiment of the invention is explained and described in more detail with reference to the figures attached to the drawing.

Show it:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a blank for producing a carrier according to the invention;

Fig. 2 is a bottom view of a carrier made from the blank according to Fig.; and

Fig. 3 is a perspective schematic representation of a device for pivoting retaining tabs of a carrier according to the invention.

Fig. 1 shows a blank 16 for a flat carrier 1, in which the upper plate 2 and lower plate halves 20 and 21 forming a lower plate 3 are arranged next to one another.

The lower plate halves 20 and 21 are designed to be complementary to one another, which particularly concerns the course of the corresponding edge or abutment edges 24 and 25. In each lower plate half 20, 21, at least one row of four retaining tabs is arranged in the longitudinal direction of the carrier 1. The retaining tabs 6 are in their initial position 4, in which they are arranged flush in the corresponding plate halves

The retaining tabs are essentially U-shaped with U-legs 12, 13 and a U-web 14 connecting them. For hinge-like articulation on the respective lower plate half, a groove 28 is formed in an intermediate area 15 between U-leg ends 49, 50 of the respective U-legs 12, 13. A cutting line 29 can be arranged approximately in the middle of the groove 28, as shown enlarged in the lower retaining tab 6 of the lower plate half 21.

In addition to the row of four retaining tabs, each base plate half 20, 21 has a further row of two retaining tabs 6 arranged parallel to the row of four.

Furthermore, two insertion slots 40, 41 are formed in each base plate half 20, 21, of which the insertion slots 40 extend parallel to the rows of retaining tabs and between them and the insertion slots 41 extend perpendicular to the retaining tab rows.

The lower plate halves 20 and 21 are connected to the upper plate 2 along one side via a double folding groove 19.

In the illustration according to Fig. 1, it should be noted that in the case of the top and bottom panels 2, 3 made of cardboard or corrugated cardboard, the corresponding fiber/wave direction is aligned parallel to the longitudinal direction, i.e. parallel to the row arrangement of holding tabs. The panels 2, 3 have a wave cut at their upper and lower ends in Fig. 1, which is represented by the double-dotted double-dash lines.

The top plate 2 is essentially rectangular with longer rectangular sides 2 2 in the longitudinal direction and shorter rectangular sides 2 3 transverse to the longitudinal direction. On the longer

The upper plate 2 is connected to the lower plate halves 20 and 21 via rectangular sides 22.

Three rows of four longitudinal passage openings 8 are arranged in the top plate 2. These have an approximately U-shaped cross-section with U-legs 30, 31 and a U-web 32 connecting them. Two locking projections 10, 11 protrude into each passage opening 8. These protrude from opposite points of the U-legs 30, 31 into the passage opening 8. The locking projections 10, 11 have approximately the shape of a right-angled triangle. Its hypotenuse 3 3 is designed as an angle from the respective U-legs

30, 31 protruding inlet or locking bevel and its shorter leg 35 is designed as a stop for a retaining tab 6 inserted into a holding opening 7 in the use position 5 according to Fig. 3. The correspondingly longer leg 34 of the locking projections 10, 11 runs in the direction of the U-legs 30,

31, whereby it is a part of these U-legs.

The passage openings 8 are geometrically designed similarly to the retaining tabs 6, whereby they have larger dimensions than the retaining tabs both in the longitudinal direction of the upper side 2 and in the transverse direction.

Between and parallel to the rows of retaining tabs 8 running in the longitudinal direction, two insertion slots 26 and across the longitudinal direction and in the middle row arrangement of retaining tabs, two further insertion slots 27 are formed in the top plate 2. These are also geometrically similar to the respective insertion slots 40 and 41, whereby the insertion slots in the bottom plate halves 20, 21 have a greater length and width.

The holding openings 7 are part of the passage openings 8, wherein the holding openings 7 are arranged at one end of the passage opening 8 and are partially delimited by the shorter legs 35 of the locking projections 10, 11.

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The length 37 or width 36 of the holding openings 7, see middle row of holding tabs in Fig. 1, is greater than or equal to the corresponding width 39 or material thickness 38, see Fig. 3, of the holding tabs 6.

In the longitudinal direction of the top plate 2, five adhesive strips 51 are applied to the underside 17 of the top plate 2, which is visible in Fig. 1. The top sides 18 of the bottom plate halves 20, 21 can be glued to the underside 17 of the top plate 2 using these adhesive strips. For this purpose, the bottom plate halves 2 and 21 can be folded along the double folding groove 19 and placed against the underside 17 of the top plate 2.

Such glued-together lower plate halves 20, 21 and upper plate 2 are shown in Fig. 2 in a bottom view of the carrier 1 according to the invention. The same reference numerals indicate the same parts and are only mentioned in part.

The retaining tabs 6 are still arranged in their initial position 4 according to Fig. 1 according to Fig. 2. Accordingly, they are located opposite the corresponding through openings 8 in the upper plate 2 and from below on the locking projections 10, 11. Similarly, the respective insertion slots 40 and 41 of the lower plate 3 are in line with the insertion slots 26 and in the upper plate 2. Due to the smaller dimensions of the insertion slots 26 and 27, these are visible with a part of their border in the insertion slots 40 and 41.

In Fig. 2, the underside 44 of the bottom plate 3 composed of the bottom plate halves 20, 21 or the underside of the carrier 1 is visible. As can be seen, the through-openings 8 are larger than the holding tabs 6, with the groove 28 of the holding tabs being arranged in the holding opening 7 and, apart from the locking projections,

10, 11 there is an approximately constant distance between the passage opening 8 and the retaining tab 6.

The two abutting edges 24 and 25 of the two base plate halves 20, 21 are approximately in contact with one another. The abutting edges are designed to complement one another and have similar abutting edge sections 52, 53, 54, 55, 56 and 57. Overall, the abutting edges have an approximately polygonal course, with two edge points of the shorter rectangle sides 23 arranged on different sides with respect to a central axis 59 being connected to one another by the polygon. The abutting edge sections 52 and 57 directly adjacent to the shorter rectangle sides are parallel to one another and offset from the central axis 59 and run approximately above the second and fourth adhesive strips 51. These abutting edge sections 52 and 57 are each followed by an obliquely running abutting edge section 53 and 56. These are essentially collinear and run steeper than a diagonal of the rectangular support 1.

Between the two oblique abutting edge sections 53 and 56, two further abutting edge sections 54 and 55 are arranged, which are connected to one another. The abutting edge section 54 adjoining the abutting edge section 53 runs parallel to the abutting edge section 52 and is offset parallel to it in the direction of the longitudinal central axis 59. The last abutting edge section 55 extends between the abutting edge section 56 and the abutting edge section 54 and runs perpendicular to the central axis 59.

The various abutting edge sections 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57 are positioned such that none of the retaining tabs 6, through openings 8 or insertion slots 26, 27, 40, 41 are cut into the upper or lower plate 2, 3.

In Fig. 3, a pivoting device 42 is shown for simultaneously pivoting all of the retaining tabs 6 from Fig. 2 into their use position 5. The pivoting device 42 is made up of a flat and rectangular base plate 48 and a number of stamps 43 projecting vertically upwards from this. The number and arrangement of the stamps 43 corresponds to the number and arrangement of the retaining tabs 6 and through-openings 8 according to Fig. 2. A cross-section 46 of each stamp 43 is smaller in size than a corresponding outline 45 of the through-openings 8.

The upper part of Fig. 3 shows the flat carrier 1, in which, for the sake of simplicity, only one transverse row of retaining tabs 6 arranged in the use position 5 is shown. These are pivoted from their starting position 4, see Figures 1 and 2, into their use position 5 by resting on and pressing onto the stamps 43 with stamp tips 48 along the pivoting path 9. Accordingly, the retaining tabs 6 protrude from the holding openings 7 over an upper side 58 of the carrier and are held in their use position by the locking projections 10, 11, see also Fig. 1. The pivoting path 9 essentially corresponds to a pivoting angle of 90°, so that the retaining tabs 6 are arranged in the use position 5 approximately perpendicular to the upper side 58.

The carrier 1 with retaining tabs in the starting position can be placed manually or mechanically, for example by means of a counter-stamping device (not shown), with its rear side 44 onto the stamp tips 48 with the corresponding retaining tabs. The carrier 1 is then moved along the stamps in the direction of the base plate 48. As a result, the retaining tabs are pivoted along the pivoting path 9 through the through-openings 8 into their position of use 5 and are held there in the retaining openings 7 by locking projections 10, 11.

Claims (25)

PROTECTION CLAIMS 1. Flat carrier (1), in particular for receiving and presenting goods, comprising at least one upper and one lower plate (2, 3), wherein a number of retaining tabs (6) are formed in the lower plate (3) and are pivotable between a starting position (4) and a position of use (5) and are hinged to the lower plate (3), and the upper plate (2) has a corresponding number of retaining openings (7) from which the retaining tabs (6) protrude to hold the goods in their position of use (5), characterized in that the upper and lower plates (2, 3) lie on one another with the retaining tabs (6) in their starting position (4) and each retaining opening (7) is part of a passage opening (8) through which the retaining tab (6) can be pivoted into its position of use (5) and into which at least one retaining tab (6) arranged in the pivoting path (9) of the retaining tab (6) can be inserted in its position of use (5). supporting locking projection (10, 11) protrudes. 2. Flat support according to claim 1, characterized in that the locking projection (10, 11) partially delimits the holding opening (7). 3. Flat carrier according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that locking projections (10, 11) protrude into the passage opening (8) opposite one another. 4. Flat carrier according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the retaining tab (6) and the passage opening (8) are substantially geometrically similar. t · 5. Flat support according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the retaining tab (6) has a U-shaped outline (12, 13, 14) and is pivotably connected to the lower plate (3) in the region between its U-leg ends. 6. Flat carrier according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the upper and/or lower plate (2, 3) are made of a single- or multi-layer cardboard or corrugated cardboard, the passage opening (8) being punched out of the upper plate (2) and the retaining tab (6) being cut out of the lower plate (3). 7. Flat support according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that holding tabs (6) and passage openings (8) are arranged in parallel rows. 8. Flat support according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the upper and lower plates (2, 3) are glued together at least in places. 9. Flat support according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the upper and lower plates (2, 3) are made from a single blank (16), the lower plate (3) and upper plate (2) for folding the lower plate onto a lower side (17) of the upper plate (2) via at least one folding groove (19) are connected to one another. 10. Flat support according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the base plate (3) is formed from two foldable plate halves (20, 21) connected to the upper plate (2). 11. Flat support according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the top plate (2) is substantially rectangular and the base plate (3) or the lower plate halves (20, 21) are connected to the upper plate (2) along one or both longer sides of the rectangle (22). 12. Flat support according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that in the lower plate halves (20, 21) when folded over onto the underside (17) of the upper plate (3), abutting edges (24, 25) facing one another are designed to be complementary to one another. 13. Flat support according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least in the top plate (2) insertion slots (26, 27) are formed for inserting supports for a further flat support (1). 14. Flat support according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the insertion slots (26, 27) run parallel and/or perpendicular to the rows of through-openings (8). 15. Flat support according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a groove is formed in the base plate (3) between the U-leg ends (49, 50) of the holding tabs (6). 16. Flat carrier according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the groove (28) has a cutting line (29) approximately in the middle. 17. Flat support according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the passage opening (8) has a substantially closed U-shaped outline, with a locking projection (10, 11) protruding from opposite points of the U-legs (30, 31). 18. Flat support according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the locking projection (10, 11) has essentially the shape of a right-angled triangle, the hypotenuse (33) of which is designed as a locking slope, the locking projection (10, 11) being connected to the associated U-leg (30, 31) by means of the longer cathetus (34). 19. Flat carrier according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the holding opening (7) has a width (36) or length (37) which is at least equal to the material thickness (38) or the width (39) of the holding tab (6). 20. Flat support according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that further insertion slots (40, 41) are formed in the lower plate (3), which can be brought into alignment with the insertion slots (26, 27) formed in the upper plate (2). 21. Device (42) for pivoting retaining tabs (6) of a flat carrier (1), in particular according to at least one of the preceding claims, from their starting position (4) into their use position (5), characterized by at least one row of stamps (43) which can be brought into contact with the retaining tabs (6) from an underside (44) of a lower plate (3) of the carrier (1), which have a smaller cross-section (46) compared to a cross-section (45) of a passage opening (8) in the upper plate (2) of the carrier (1), wherein the row arrangement of the stamps (43) corresponds to at least part of a row arrangement of 18 retaining tabs (6) and through openings (8). 22. Device according to claim 21, characterized in that the stamps (43) are designed with a number and arrangement corresponding to the holding tabs (6) and through openings (8). 23. Device according to claim 21 or 22, characterized in that the stamps (43) protrude substantially vertically from a base plate (47). 24. Device according to at least one of claims 21 to 23, characterized in that the punches (43) are rounded at their punch tips (48). 25. Device according to at least one of claims 21 to 24, characterized in that the stamps (43) are assigned a counter-stamp to which the carrier (1) is detachably fastened and which is movable relative to the stamps (43), guides for the counter-stamp and/or the carrier being arranged between the stamp and the counter-stamp.