ITBO20060212A1 - CONCEALABLE WALL-MOUNTED CONTAINER. - Google Patents

Abstract

A container (10), in particular a box of the type with collapsible walls, comprises a bottom wall (12) and a plurality of side walls (14, 16, 18) mounted on the bottom wall (12) and movable between an erect, containment position and a folded, rest position. The container comprises at least one end side wall (14) which, when in the erect position, can be moved from an engaged containment position to a disengaged position in which it can be moved to the folded position.

Description

61.J3217.12.IT.01 Eng, iappfANZINI VF Albi & 543BM

DESCRIPTION

attached to a patent application for INDUSTRIAL INVENTION entitled:

CONTAINER WITH FOLDABLE WALLS.

in the name: JCOPLASTIC S.p.A. INDUSTRY PLASTIC CONTAINERS, of Italian nationality, based in MILAN (MI), Piazza della Repubblica, 30.

The Agent: Ing. Valeriano FANZINI c / o BUGNION S.p.A., Via Goito, 18 - 40126 - Bologna.

Deposil under No. B02006A 0 0 0 2 1 2

2 8 MBR. 2006

The present invention relates to a container, in particular to a box, of the type with knock-down walls.

Different types of boxes with collapsible walls are known, which, as a whole, comprise a bottom wall, or base, and a plurality of side walls supported by said bottom wall and movable between an upright containment position and a folded rest position. .

In the sector, however, the need is felt to have available a container or box with collapsible walls, which is particularly easy and quick to move from the containment position, in which the walls are in an upright condition, to the rest position and encumbrance. content and / or vice versa.

According to another aspect, the need is also felt to have available a container, or box, of the type with collapsible walls, which

present a low construction cost.

According to a still further aspect, the need is also felt in the sector to have available a container, or box, of the type with collapsible walls, which can be easily and rapidly assembled.

A container is provided, in particular a box, of the type with collapsible walls, comprising a bottom wall and a plurality of side walls, supported by the bottom wall and movable between an upright containment position and a folded rest position, characterized by the fact that at least one extreme lateral wall, in correspondence with said upright position, is movable between a locked containment position and a position of free movement towards said folded position.

In this way, once the respective collapsible wall has been brought into the position of free movement towards the folded position, it is possible to obtain a rapid and easy movement of said wall towards such a rest position.

These and further characteristics of the invention can be clearly seen from the content of the claims reported below, and the advantages of the same will be more evident in the detailed description that follows, made with reference to the attached figures, which represent a purely exemplary and non-limiting embodiment. .

Figure 1 illustrates a side view, partially in section, of a preferred embodiment of a container according to the present invention; - figure 2 shows a side view, partially in section, 61.J3217.12.IT.01 Ing. Val NI VF Albo Pi

of the preferred embodiment of container in a folded condition; Figure 3 illustrates a side view of the bottom wall, or base, of the preferred embodiment of container according to the present invention;

Figure 4 illustrates a perspective view of a part of the bottom wall, or base, of the preferred embodiment of container according to the present invention;

figure 5 shows a side view of a longitudinal wall of the preferred embodiment of container according to the present invention;

Figure 6 is a sectional view, in correspondence with a hinging area, of the extreme wall of the preferred embodiment of container according to the present invention;

figure 7 shows a perspective view, from the external side, of the extreme wall of the preferred embodiment of container according to the present invention;

figure 8 shows a perspective view, from the internal side, of the extreme wall of the preferred embodiment of container according to the present invention;

figure 9 shows a side view of the slot of the preferred embodiment of container according to the present invention;

the following figures 10 to 14 illustrate the closing movement or positioning at rest of the respective end wall;

Figure 15 illustrates a detail in the hinging area of the extreme wall of the preferred embodiment of container according to the present invention.

61.J3217.12.IT.01 Eng. V

VF Albo l

A preferred embodiment 10 of container according to the present invention is illustrated with reference to Figures 1 and 2.

The container, in particular in the form of a box - having components made of molded plastic material - is particularly suitable for the transport of fruit and vegetables and is of the so-called collapsible wall type, or with retractable walls to define a configuration of minimum bulk in the condition of empty transport and storage of the container itself.

As can also be seen with reference to the following figures from 3 to 8, the container, or box, 10 comprises a base, or bottom wall, 12 and a plurality of side walls comprising opposite pairs of walls, here referred to as first and second walls. ends 14 and 16, in correspondence with the short side of the box and first and second longitudinal walls, of which only one marked with the reference number 18 is illustrated in the attached figures, which define the long side of the same box. However, it must be understood that the definition provided here, relating to long walls or short walls, is to be considered completely conventional and arbitrary, since the aforementioned extreme walls 14 and 16 may be the long walls of a corresponding box of different dimensions from the preferred embodiment here. illustrated.

As illustrated, the said lateral containment walls 14, 16 and 18 are supported by the bottom wall, or base, 12 and are movable, with respect to this, between an upright position for containing the product and a folded position of rest in view of the transport or storage of the container.

61.J3217.12.IT.01 ing. Vi INI VF Register F

As illustrated, the base 12 comprises a wall, defining a substantially flat upper surface 12 ', and a plurality of support feet, in particular in the form of three feet 13 at each longitudinal side of the box, as well as the short longitudinal protrusions, which are in the form of short side walls 112, 112, comprising attachment means for the longitudinal walls 18.

As illustrated, in particular in Figure 4, said short attachment walls 112 protrude above the product support surface 12 'in the opposite direction from that of extension of said support feet 13.

Advantageously, a first and a second extreme lateral walls 14, 16 are provided, which, in correspondence with the respective upright position, are advantageously movable between a lowered position, in which they are in a blocked or stationary condition (illustrated in figure 10 ), and are able to provide for the containment of the product, and a raised position of free movement of the respective wall towards the folded rest position, illustrated in figure 11.

As illustrated, the respective end wall 14, 16 comprises a body of the wall, which defines an upper hook portion 20, which extends downwards, which, as shown in Figure 1, is suitable to be inserted within a corresponding projection 22 facing upwards provided at the end 18a, 18b in the corresponding longitudinal wall 18.

In practice, in the open or erect condition of the longitudinal walls 18, the extreme walls 14 and 16 are locked in an upright position

containment on the longitudinal walls, through a movement from top to bottom, from the raised position - of free rotation towards the folded condition - to a lowered condition, thanks to which the respective coupling element 20 is inserted into a corresponding portion 22, provided at the curved end 18a, 18b of the respective longitudinal wall 18.

Obviously, the release between the hook portion 20 and the protrusion 22 is obtained thanks to the movement from the bottom upwards of the extreme wall 14, 16 with respect to the longitudinal walls 18.

As shown in particular in Figure 2, in the lowered or retracted condition, the extreme walls 14, 16 rest on the upper flat face 12 'of the base 12, with the corresponding longitudinal walls 18, which are rotated parallel to the said bottom 12' in a higher position than said end walls 14, 16. For this purpose, as can be seen in particular with reference to Figures 3 to 5, each longitudinal wall 18 comprises a plurality of lower projections 24, defining the fork elements 26, which are adapted to be inserted on corresponding pins 28, in correspondence with recesses 30, provided in the side walls 112 of the base 12, in such a way as to define advantageous means for rotation of the longitudinal walls with respect to said pins 28.

Advantageous means for rotation of the end wall of the container are also provided.

In particular, said means of rotation of the lateral wall of the container are suitable to allow the rotation of the same wall 61.J3217.12.IT.01 Ing. Vagparfb FANZINI VF Albo Ρ $ Η4 ^ 4έΒΜ

with respect to said bottom wall 12, in particular towards said rest position, starting from said upright position of disengagement, or towards said upright position starting from said rest position.

With particular reference to the wall 16 as shown in Figures 7 and 8, it can be seen how said means for rotation of the extreme wall of the container comprise respective pins 32, distributed along the extreme wall, and elongated slot means 34, illustrated individually in the figure 9, into which said pin 32 is inserted in a freely sliding manner in the vertical direction or along the long side of the slot 34.

In particular, from figures 7 and 8, it can be seen how the pin 32 extends transversely at a lower end of the movable wall 16, in particular it extends from corresponding vertical walls, marked with the reference number 33, defining a recess 35 suitably provided below said movable wall 16.

In turn, the slot means 34 comprise corresponding fins that can be elastically approached and removed 38, 40, which extend from the bottom wall 12 of the lid to which they are associated in correspondence with the upper opening holes marked with the reference numeral 42.

As illustrated, said elastically retractable fins 38, 40 comprise corresponding teeth 44, 46, which face outwards and cooperate, in use, with corresponding lower retaining surfaces 48, 50, at respective openings 42, which are provided on the upper surface of the respective base 12 of the 61.J3217.12.IT.01 Ing. Ve I NI VF Albo P

containers.

Furthermore, the slot body 34 has protruding fins 38, 40, having a respective enlarged portion, which, as can be seen from the enlarged view of figure 15, faces the other fin. Said internally projecting portions are marked with the numerical references 38a, 40a and define the bottom of the corresponding slot 34 '.

In practice, it is possible to obtain an easy assembly of the container, once the respective pieces of plastic material have been correspondingly molded, thanks to the insertion of the fins 38, 40 on the corresponding pin 32, in such a way as to insert this pin 32 inside the opening 34 'of the said tab means and the subsequent insertion of the tabs 38, 40 into the corresponding opening 42, to obtain the coupling of the said external teeth 44, 46 with the corresponding retaining surfaces 48, 50.

As illustrated, said elongated slot 34 'therefore extends vertically and is defined by an upper curved end 34'a, from which opposed longitudinal sliding surfaces 34'b, 34'c extend for said pin 32 and is defined below by the upper surfaces 34'd and 34'e, of the said internal projections 38a, 40a.

Advantageously, means 42, 54 are provided for guiding the rotation of said movable wall 14, 16 from the upright position to the lowered rest position, and vice versa.

As can be clearly seen also with reference to Figures 7 and 8, said means for guiding the rotation of the movable wall 14 and 16 comprise a curved surface 52, projecting below from the respective wall 61.J3217.12.IT.01 Ing. Valerli I NI VF Albo Pro P

movable 14, 16, which curved surface slides against a corresponding surface 54, protruding above from said bottom wall 12, which is clearly shown in Figure 4.

In particular, said curved surface 52 of rotation of said movable wall 14, 16 is in the form of an eccentric surface with respect to said rotation pin 32, and is able to define an increased diameter or distance in correspondence with said pin 32, on the extension longitudinal axis of said pin 32, or a reduced diameter or width in the direction transverse to said pin 32.

As can be seen, said cam surface 52 has the external profile, which coincides for a certain distance, on the internal side, with that of the respective wall 33, which delimits the recess 35 for housing the rotation pin 32, while on the external side said cam surface 52 has a substantially longitudinal or vertical surface 52b which falls with respect to the profile of the respective wall 33, in such a way as to allow - when the wall 16 is erect, or vertical - the lower passage of the cam 52, with respect to the projection of sliding 54, with consequent passage of the wall 16 from the upper position, of disengagement and of free rotation, to the lower position, of interlocking or locking with respect to said bottom 12.

Advantageously, means are provided for retaining the corresponding end wall 14, 16 in the lowered upright position to contain it.

Said retaining means comprise a vertical wall 60, extending from the guide projection 54 cooperating with the corresponding 61.J3217.12.EN.01 Ing. V

VF Register F

t and longitudinal surface 52b of the cam projection 52.

As illustrated, said pins 28 for attachment of the longitudinal walls 18 are provided at a higher level than the level corresponding to the attachment zone of said end walls 14, 16, in such a way as to allow positioning above the latter in the folded condition. of this container.

Furthermore, with reference to the wall 16, it can be seen that each end wall has a lower transverse surface 116 'defining means for resting against the upper surface 37' of a projection 37 for slot means 34, as is well illustrated in said figure 4 .

The use of this cassette may briefly be as follows. Starting from an upright condition of the side walls illustrated in figure 1, it is possible to lift from the position illustrated in figure 10, the respective end wall 16, like the opposite wall 14, in such a way as to release the hooking element 22 from the corresponding coupling portion of the longitudinal walls 18, bringing the rotation pin 32 of the wall 16, in correspondence with the upper part of the slot 34 ', as illustrated in figure 11, and thus obtain, as illustrated in the following figures 12 and 13, the downward rotation of the walls 16, and 14, up to the position illustrated in Figure 12, resting on the upper surface 12 'of the bottom wall 12.

At this point it is sufficient to rotate the longitudinal walls 18, so that they are arranged in a higher position than said extreme walls 14 and 16, defining the transport configuration 61.J3217.12.IT.01 Ing. Val ZINI VF Register E t M

of the cassette shown in figure 2.

Starting from this folded condition of the box, it is possible to open the longitudinal walls 18, making them rotate, with respect to the rotation pins 28, from the lowered position parallel to the bottom 12 of the container 5 to a position in which said walls 18 are arranged vertically , and then raise the corresponding end walls 14, 16 with the opposite movement to that illustrated in the previous previous figures, until reaching the raised upright position of figure 11, in correspondence with which it will be easy to provide a downward thrust 10 which will allow to the coupling element 20 of the respective end wall to engage with the corresponding coupling portions 22 provided on the longitudinal walls 18 of the container.

The present container can have any desired size. In particular, in a preferred way, it can have a rectangular formation of the base 12 having the long side equal to 1200 mm and the short side equal to 800 mm, or having the long side equal to 800 mm and the short side equal to 600 mm, which allows two smaller overlapping boxes to be arranged in folded conditions, which fit perfectly into the shape of the larger boxes.

In this case, both types of cassette can be transported easily.

In particular in the two cases, the knock-down walls of said boxes would be replaced, respectively, by short walls in one case and 25 by long walls in the other case. In fact, said walls are long

both 800 mm. In this way, it is not necessary to realize extreme walls that have different dimensions to make containers of different dimensions.

The invention thus conceived is susceptible of evident industrial application and can, moreover, be subject to numerous modifications and variations, all of which are within the scope of the inventive concept. Furthermore, all the details can be replaced by technically equivalent elements.

Claims (39)

61.J3217.12.IT.01 Agno FANZINI VF Ìt3⁄4 «3⁄43BM CLAIMS 1. Container (10), in particular a box, of the type with knock-down walls, comprising a bottom wall (12) and a plurality of side walls (14, 16, 18) supported by the bottom wall (12) and movable between an upright containment position and a folded rest position, characterized in that at least one extreme lateral wall (14) in correspondence with said upright position, is movable between a locked containment position and a position of free movement towards said folded position . 2. Container according to claim 1, characterized in that a second end wall (16) is provided, which, in correspondence with said upright position, is movable between a locked containment position and a position of free movement towards said position folded up. Container according to claim 2, characterized in that said second movable wall (16) is provided on the side opposite to that of the first movable wall (14). Container according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said locked position of the respective end wall (14, 16) is a vertically lowered position of said wall in an upright condition. Container according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said disengaged position is a vertically raised position of the end wall (14, 16) in an upright condition. 61.J3217.12.IT.01 Ing. Valàri * oJ7WZINI VF Register PrpM3⁄45A3BM Container according to any one of the preceding claims or according to the pre-characterizing part of claim 1, characterized in that rotational means (32, 34) of the side wall (14, 16) are provided. 7. Container according to claim 6, characterized in that said rotation means (32, 34) of the side wall (14, 16) allow the rotation of the same extreme side wall (14, 16) towards and from said rest position. 8. Container according to any one of the preceding claims 6 and 7, characterized in that said rotation means (32, 34) of the side wall (14, 16) allow the rotation of the same extreme side wall (14, 16) with respect to the wall bottom (12) towards and from said rest position. Container according to any one of the preceding claims from 6 to 8, characterized in that said rotation means (32, 34) of the side wall (14, 16) allow the rotation of the same extreme side wall (14, 16) towards and from said erect position of disengagement of the same extreme wall (14, 16). Container according to any one of the preceding claims from 6 to 9, characterized in that said means for rotation of the end wall (14, 16) comprise at least one pin (32) cooperating with elongated slot means (34). 11. Container according to claim 10, characterized by the fact that said rotation pin (32) extends transversely from the lower end of the corresponding end wall (14). 61.J3217.12.IT.01 Eng NZINI VF Albi BM Container according to any one of the preceding claims 10 and 11, characterized in that said elongated slot means (34) extend from said bottom wall (12). 13. Container according to claim 12, characterized by the fact that said elongated slot (34 ') extends vertically. Container according to any one of the preceding claims 10 to 13, characterized in that said slot means are defined by a corresponding slot body (34) which can be associated with the bottom wall (12) of the container. Container according to any one of the preceding claims from 10 to 14, characterized in that said slot means comprise corresponding fins (38, 40), which are elastically distant from and approachable to each other and having corresponding engagement teeth (44, 46 ) with corresponding projections (48, 50) of a corresponding opening (42) opening upwards in said bottom wall (12). 16. Container according to any one of the preceding claims from 10 to 15, characterized in that said slot means have an extreme curved section, or upper loop (34'a) for retaining the said pin during the rotation of the movable wall (14 , 16). 17. Container according to any one of the preceding claims 10 to 16, characterized in that said elastic fins (38, 40) have respective facing protrusions (38a, 40a) suitable for allowing insertion on the corresponding rotation pin (32) . 18. Container according to claim 17, characterized in that said counter-facing projections (38a, 40a) of the elastic fins 61.J3217.12.IT.01 Ing. Vale INI VF Albo Pro (38, 40) define an end portion, or loop, (34'd, 34'e) for retaining said corresponding pivot pin (32) of the movable wall (14, 16) in the lowered locked position of the movable wall (14 , 16). Container according to any one of the preceding claims from 6 to 18, characterized in that means (52, 54) are provided for guiding the rotation of said movable wall (14, 16) from and towards said rest position. Container according to any one of the preceding claims from 6 to 19, characterized in that means (52, 54) are provided for guiding the rotation of said movable wall (14, 16) towards and from said upright disengagement position. Container according to any one of the preceding claims from 6 to 20, characterized in that means (52) are provided for guiding the rotation of said movable wall (14, 16) in the form of a curved surface (52a) at the lower end of said movable wall (14, 16), which curved surface slides against a corresponding surface (54) of said bottom wall (12). Container according to claim 21, characterized in that said curved surface (52) for guiding the rotation of said movable wall (14, 16) is in the form of an eccentric surface with respect to said rotation pin (32) and able to define a reduced diameter transversal to said rotation pin (32). 23. Container according to any one of the preceding claims or according to the pre-characterizing part of claim 1, characterized in that means are provided for retaining the end wall 61.J3217.12.IT.01 Eng. VajMOnaFANZINI VF Al ^ f3⁄4fe ^ 543BM but (14, 16) in the upright containment position. Container according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said means for retaining the end wall (14, 16) in the upright containment position comprise vertical surfaces (60) of the bottom wall (12) cooperating with a corresponding surface ( 52ba) of the lower end of the respective containment wall (14, 16). 25. Container according to any one of the preceding claims or according to the pre-characterizing part of claim 1, characterized by the fact that, in the folded rest position, said movable wall rests on the upper face (12 ') of the bottom wall (12). Container according to any one of the preceding claims or according to the pre-characterizing part of claim 1, characterized in that opposite longitudinal walls (18) are provided which are articulated to said bottom wall (12). 27. Container according to claim 26, characterized in that the longitudinal wall is hinged to the bottom wall (12) and is movable between an upright containment position and a lowered rest position. Container according to claim 27, characterized in that, in said rest position, the longitudinal wall is positioned above the extreme walls (14, 16). 29. Container according to any one of the preceding claims from 18 to 20, characterized in that, in said rest position, the longitudinal wall (18) is parallel to the bottom wall (12) of the container VF clear. Container according to any one of the preceding claims or according to the pre-characterizing part of claim 1, characterized in that, in said upright containment position, the respective end wall (14, 16) is hooked to the longitudinal wall (18) of the container. 31. Container according to claim 30, characterized in that said end wall (14, 16) has a hooking portion, which is (20) facing downwards and engages a corresponding portion (22), facing upwards, of the longitudinal wall (18). 32. Container according to any one of the preceding claims or according to the pre-characterizing part of claim 1, characterized in that the bottom wall (12) has opposite first and second short longitudinal protrusions (112) defining attachment means for the longitudinal walls (18). Container according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the bottom wall (12) has pins (28) for attachment to a corresponding longitudinal wall (18) of the container. 34. Container according to claim 33, characterized in that said attachment pins (28) for the longitudinal wall (18) are provided at a higher level than that of the articulation means of said end walls (14, 16) to the back wall (12). Container according to any one of the preceding claims or according to the pre-characterizing part of claim 1, character due to the fact that the longitudinal wall (18) has ends (18a, 18b) protruding towards the inside of the container. Container according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the end wall (14, 16) has a lower wall defining support means (116 ') against an upper surface (37') of the bottom wall (12 ). 37. Container according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said bottom wall (12) has a plurality of supporting feet (13, 13, 13) projecting from below from the same bottom wall (12). 38. Container according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it is made of plastic material. 39. Container according to the preceding claims and according to what is described and illustrated with reference to the figures of the accompanying drawings and for the aforementioned purposes. Bologna, 27/03/2006 In witness whereof CHAMBER OF COMMEifclo / lDUSTRIA CRAFTS AND XèRIfOLTURA DI