RS20130101A1 - BOX FOR TRANSPORT AND EXPOSURE - Google Patents

Abstract

The box has a bottom (12) and at least two pairs of corresponding opposite side walls (14a, 14b, 16a, 16b), the first of the side walls (16b) extending upwards from the bottom (12) in the vertical direction (18), at least partially only by the height (20) of intake, which is lower than the height of one or more other walls (14a, 14b, 16a), to form a side opening with dimensions that allow access and storage of the products housed in the box through the side opening. In addition, a closure (100) is provided which extends between two opposite side walls (14a, 14b) adjacent to the first side wall (16b) and which can be moved between the first and second positions. In the first position the shutter is placed between the opposite side walls (14a) and (14b) and moved away from the first side wall (16a), while in the second position it overlaps with the first side wall (16b).

Description

BOX FOR TRANSPORT AND DISPLAY

The present invention relates to boxes for the transport of goods that enable the display of goods transported in the box to the consumer and facilitate the access of the consumer to the goods in the box.

A large number of products are transported in boxes that are open from the top. For example, a number of different box shapes are known in the beverage industry for transporting beverage bottles or smaller packages of associated beverage bottles (eg, so-called "six-packs") for transportation from manufacturer to retailer. In retail sales, the boxes are generally stacked, so access is only possible at the top, and therefore products placed in a box placed at the base of the stacked boxes can only be accessed when all the boxes placed on top are removed. It is extremely inconvenient and requires effort and time. In addition, such boxes are generally designed only for the transport of goods of a certain type, such as e.g. bottles, so other boxes must be used to transport other goods.

For these reasons, it would be convenient to provide boxes that allow more efficient and simpler access to the goods transported in the box.

Some embodiments of the present invention have a base or bottom and at least two pairs of corresponding opposite side walls, wherein the first of the side walls is designed to allow the product placed in the box to be taken. In addition, the first side wall extends from the base or bottom in a vertical direction, at least partially, only at a lower take-in or take-out height to the top, which is lower than the height of one or more of the remaining side walls. The pick-up height is determined so that on the first side wall there is a side opening of the size or dimensions that allow access or storage or taking of the products placed in the box, through the side opening.

In the first aspect, embodiments of the invention provide a box of the above construction, which also has a shutter that extends between two opposite walls, which abut the first wall and which can be moved from the first to the second position, wherein the shutter is placed in the first position when it is between the two opposite walls and away from the first side wall, while the shutter is placed in the second position when it overlaps with the first side wall.

The shutter, according to various embodiments of the invention, has a holder extending between two opposite side walls and two rods placed on two opposite ends of the holder, wherein the first end of the rods is placed on the opposite ends of the holder and wherein the second end of the rods is rotatably mounted on the corresponding side wall. Opposing side walls and the first side wall may have recesses to receive the fastener and rods, wherein the recesses may be such that the rods and retainer in the first or second position of the fastener are flush with the surface of the opposing side walls facing the first side wall or with the outer surface of one side wall. In addition, locking elements may be provided which engage the shutter to securely hold the shutter in the first or second position. To form an element for jamming, the bar and/or the shutter holder can be designed to connect with parts of the opposite side walls or with the first side wall, whereby according to various embodiments of the invention, the bar and/or holder have one or more engaging elements that connect with the corresponding receiving parts of the connection elements by engaging on the side wall. The shutter can be placed in another position at a distance from the base or bottom corresponding to approximately one-third, one-half or two-thirds of the height against the side walls. In addition, the shutter can be made so that it is additionally placed in a second position away from the first side wall, in which case the bars can be made telescopic, so that the shutter can be placed in the second or other positions as desired.

In a further aspect, embodiments of the invention provide a box of the aforementioned type, which also has an insert for placement at the bottom of the box, where the insert is used depending on the product to be placed in the box.

According to other embodiments of the invention, the insert can be detachably connected to the bottom and/or side surfaces, primarily only by using special tools. The insert can be in the form of a plate and the first surface of the insert that faces the bottom can be adapted to the construction of the bottom. The surface of the plate insert, which is located on the opposite side of the first surface, is designed according to the product to be inserted. The insert may have sleeves, longitudinal ribs, transverse ribs or other elements and/or recesses. Other embodiments include a system with a box according to embodiments of the invention and multiple inserts designed for different products, wherein one of the inserts can optionally be placed in the box.

In this aspect, an arbitrarily assembled system is provided, which can be easily adapted to different products to be boxed, for example by a service provider that supplies boxes in the shape desired by the customer and supplies appropriate inserts and when necessary assembles boxes without an insert, in which case the supplied inserts are only changeable using special tools, which only the box supplier owns.

According to various embodiments of the invention, the box is limited in the vertical direction from the upper side by the area of the first side wall (which can also be a complete side wall), which extends from the bottom to the top with a smaller height for taking. That is, above the area of the first wall, there is not a single solid connection between the adjacent side walls. In other words, the first side wall is at least partially lower in height than the adjacent side walls or some of the adjacent side walls, thus allowing access from the side of the box to obtain easy access to the products placed in the lower boxes in the column of boxes, even when they are stacked.

In some embodiments, the height of the first side wall is still dimensioned in such a way that the specific products transported in the box cannot fall out of the box during transport. In some embodiments, the box is intended for the transport of bottles or bottles packed in smaller packages (packaging), which is why the first side wall has a height that is sufficient to prevent individual bottles from falling out of the box. In some embodiments, the height is between 1 and 10 centimeters. In some other embodiments, this height is between 2 and 5 centimeters or, in general, greater than 2 centimeters.

In some embodiments, the first side wall has two side wall sections on the edges next to the adjacent side walls, which extend to the height of the adjacent side walls to increase the stability of the box.

In other embodiments according to the present invention, the box has four side walls, where at least the side walls adjacent to the first side wall have openings for grasping or handling. In this case, the catch holes have an area that runs parallel to the bottom and also an area that runs normal to the bottom. In some embodiments, the area normal to the bottom or base is positioned toward the first side wall. In some embodiments, in addition to the first horizontal portion of the opening extending parallel to the bottom, it transitions into a vertical portion of the opening with a radius large enough to capture the box at that radius. In this embodiment of the invention, as a consequence of the above, it is possible to grasp and lift the box by holding along the radius or vertical part of the opening, so that it tilts backwards during grasping. During transport, this reduces the probability of goods falling out, e.g. bottle, from the box through the opening on the first side wall.

According to some embodiments of the invention, the box also has a bottom area next to the first side wall with a larger support area for the products being transported than the average of the remaining bottom area. In other words, this means that when the bottom is not made uniform (continuous), but for example consists of individual overhangs, the number of overhangs per unit area is increased, i.e. the density of overhangs in the area next to the first side wall is increased. This leads to the fact that the goods are placed in the box next to the first side wall, e.g. a drinking bottle or can in contact with the bottom by a larger surface or by a larger bearing surface. This prevents the bottle or beverage can from sliding or tilting into the space between the two bottom stops, thus preventing the can or bottle from falling out during transport.

In some embodiments, the side walls adjacent to the first side wall on the front side, where they abut the first side wall, are lower than on the front side opposite the side wall. In other words, in the direction of the opening, the side walls, which are located next to the opening, are lower, so that on the one hand the available space for taking is increased and so that on the other hand the entry of light and the viewing angle into the inside of the box are increased in order to make the objects transported in the box, for example bottles or the like, visible.

In some other embodiments of the invention, the remaining side walls other than the first side wall are foldable or pivotally connected with respect to the floor, so that the box can be folded so that the other side walls are approximately parallel to the bottom and cover the bottom or are placed above it. Thanks to this, the empty box can be transported more efficiently and at a lower cost.

Some embodiments have an additional movable sidewall area that extends above the first sidewall in a vertical direction and can either be retracted or folded. This can be advantageous, because in the unfolded state, the movable area of the side wall further increases stability or security, so that goods or products cannot fall out of the box. In addition, in the unfolded state or in the collapsed state, the movable side wall area can be used for the presentation of product information or the like.

In some embodiments, the movable area of the side wall is made as a grid or is formed by a number of bars (bars) so that the box can be cleaned with a pressure jet without separating the movable area of the side wall from the box or unintentionally separating that area from the box due to high pressure.

In some embodiments of the invention, the other side walls are coated or laminated with a foil or film containing information about the product, which can be read from the outside.

In some other embodiments of the invention, a light foil is provided so that thanks to the reflection of light, objects or bottles, which are transported in a box, are optically more visible.

In some other embodiments of the invention, the remaining three side walls, which are different from the lower wall, have the same height so that the boxes can be stacked on top of each other, with the bottom of the box resting on the three remaining side walls of the box below it. For this purpose, special recesses or contours can be provided on the bottom and upper ends of the other side walls into which the corresponding recesses or contours of the bottom or other side walls fit, to enable stacking and ensure safe standing.

In some embodiments of the boxes according to the invention, which are suitable for storing or transporting and displaying beverage bottles or cans, the bottom has a plurality of sleeves extending in a vertical direction from the bottom to the top. Sleeves are three-dimensional objects that are placed on the bottom and shaped in such a way that the bottles are held or fixed by the outer boundary surfaces of the sleeves, so that the bottles are effectively prevented from falling out. In some embodiments of the invention, the sleeves have only a small height in the vertical direction, so they can be considered as hollow protrusions. The height and external shape of some sleeves is chosen so that they, together with the side wall, prevent the bottles from falling out through the side opening. To still ensure take-up, in some embodiments, the sleeves in their highest position are no higher than the first sidewall. In some embodiments, the external boundary surfaces of the bushings have a different height in order to best adapt the bushings to the respective requirements. In order to enable tilting or falling of the bottles in the direction of the first side wall and still guarantee good stability, the sleeves have a lower height in the direction parallel to the side wall than in the direction towards the first side wall, so that tilting parallel to the first side wall is enabled, while tilting normally in that direction is difficult and the bottles are securely held.

In the following, the first embodiments of the subject invention are described in more detail with reference to the attached figures.

Figure 1 shows one embodiment of a bottle transport box.

Figure 2 shows the embodiment of Figure 1 loaded with "six-packs".

Figure 3 shows loaded stacked boxes according to the embodiment of Figure 1.

Figure 4 shows the embodiment of Figure 1 in a bottom view.

Figure S shows another embodiment of the box according to the invention.

Figure 6 shows another embodiment of the box according to the invention with collapsible side walls.

Figure 7 shows the embodiment of Figure 6 in a partially assembled state.

Figure 8 shows the embodiment of Figure 6 in a fully assembled state.

Figure 9 shows the embodiment of Figure 6 loaded with bottles.

Figure 10 shows the embodiment of Figure 6 loaded with "six packs".

Figure 11 shows the embodiment of Figure 6 in a top view.

Figure 12 shows in detail the bushings used in some embodiments of the invention.

Figure 13(a) shows the box of Figure 1 with a closure according to one embodiment of the present invention in a first, open position.

Figure 13(b) shows the box of Figure 13(a) with the shutter in a second, closed position.

Figure 14 shows the box of Figure 1 and the box of Figure 13 stacked on top of each other.

Figure 15 shows the box of Figure 1 with a replaceable insert.

Figures 16(a)-(d) show embodiments of inserts that may be used in the box of Figure 16.

Figure 1 shows an embodiment according to the invention of a beverage box 10. The bottom 12 in the version shown is not entirely continuous, but consists of a grid structure. As can be seen in the bottom view of the box according to Figure 3, the bottom 12 is formed by a number of bars or steps. They are sufficiently densely distributed, so that the goods being transported, e.g. the bottle cannot fall out through the bottom of the box or tilt uncontrollably when one edge of the bottle is in one of the cavities between the steps.

The box then has two pairs of corresponding opposite side walls 14a, 14b and 16a, 16b, which extend from bottom to top, ie. in the vertical direction 18. The first of the four side walls, in this example, the side wall 16b, extends only with a smaller height 20 that enables taking (the height of taking, access) in the vertical direction 18.

The height 20 of the intake is lower than the height of the other walls 14a, 14b and 16a, thus forming a side opening that enables access and taking or storing bottles or products placed and transported in the box through the side opening. There are no parts of the box structure above the first side wall 16b. On the bottom 12, of the embodiment of the invention shown in Figure 1, among other things, there are several sleeves, of which the sleeve (drum or coil) 22a and the sleeve 22b are highlighted for example. The side opening for receiving the product is made on the first side wall 16b and has a lower height than the adjacent or other side walls. In this, and also in the following figures, the height is determined in the positive vertical direction 18. The term "top" means a position in the positive vertical direction 18, while the term "bottom" means a position that has a smaller coordinate in the vertical direction 18. The sides are located in any direction and limit the box to a direction parallel to the surface of the base or bottom 12.

By means of the first side wall 16a, a side opening is defined or formed, which provides access for taking the bottles, which are transported in the box. In other versions, other products can of course be transported in the box. In the box from picture 1, you can also transport wat packs for six products, i.e. pre-packaged packaging, each containing six bottles.

In alternative embodiments, which are not shown here, the side wall does not have a lower take-up height 20 along its entire length, but the fixed parts of the wall of the adjacent side walls 14a and 14b extend into the side opening, whereby the side opening still remains large enough to ensure the taking of the product or bottles. Such boxes can have increased stability.

The embodiments of the box 10 shown in Figure 1 have, among other things, a movable side wall area 23, which is movably connected to the stationary first side wall 16b by means of hinges 24a to 24c. The movable side wall area 23 is shown in Fig. 1 in the folded position, where it is folded down relative to the first side wall 16b. In the unfolded state shown below, and in connection with another embodiment of the invention, the movable area 23 of the side wall extends in the vertical direction 18 upwards. In this way, the safety can be additionally increased in that the bottle placed in the box 10 cannot be tilted towards the outside. In addition, the movable part can be used to present product information or the like.

Each side wall 14a and 14b, located adjacent to the first side wall 16b, has a gripping opening 28a and 28b, using which the box can be lifted and carried. In this case, both catch openings have a first opening area extending parallel to the bottom and a second opening area extending in a vertical direction, the function of which will be explained in more detail below with reference to Figure 3.

In addition, the side walls 14a and 14b, which adjoin the first side wall 16b, at the end facing the first side wall, have beveled (downturned) edge areas 30a and 30b through which light can fall into the boxes, even when they are stacked on top of each other. In the embodiment shown in Figure 1, the ends of the side walls 14a and 14b next to the first side wall 16b have a lower height than the end opposite them. It is obvious that, despite the fact that in the embodiment shown in Figure 1, the collapsed part of the side wall is basically triangular, in alternative embodiments, any other shapes of the collapsed part can be used. In some embodiments, the height of the side walls 14a and 14b adjacent to the first side wall 16b are continuously increased to a maximum height. In alternative embodiments, the increase in height can be in steps or steps.

The box shown in Figure 1 can be stacked in such a way that the contours of the upper ends of the side walls 14a, 14b and 16a when stacked are used to fit into the contours or bottom construction of another box (see eg Figure 3), so the boxes can be stacked on top of each other. Despite this, the side opening defined by the first side wall 16b allows bottles or packaging with bottles, such as for example a six-bottle pack, to be taken from inside the box, even when the boxes are stacked.

In some embodiments of the invention, the surfaces of the side walls 14a, 14b and 16a on the inside are made to be light colored so that thanks to the penetration of light provided by the openings 30a and 30b, the bottles inside the boxes are clearly visible to an observer looking from the outside. In alternative versions, product information or advertisements are pasted on the surfaces.

The embodiment of the invention shown in Figure 1 has on at least one side wall (in the case shown here, side wall 14b) a plurality of ribs or bars 32a to 32d extending in the vertical direction and protruding from the side surfaces, which prevents the bottles held by the sleeves inside the box from coming into contact with the side wall with their entire side surface and significantly soiling the side wall. In the embodiment shown in Figure 1, each rib 32a to 32d is designed so that the bottles rest against the outer wall at the point of their greatest protrusion towards the wall at the location of the ribs 32a to 32d. Therefore, it can be prevented that larger areas of the side walls are soiled, as only the ribs are soiled.

Figure 2 shows the execution of the box 10 in a situation where it is filled with three packages for six products.

Each six product pack 40a, 40b and 40c has six individual bottles not shown for clarity.

In this case, in addition to the sleeves that enter the package for six products from the bottom, where the package therefore has openings at the bottom, the package is supported by means of ribs 40a and 40b, which, as shown in Figure 1, are performed on the bottom 12 of the box 10.

As can be seen from Figure 3, which shows the two boxes 10 and 10a in a state when they are stacked on top of each other, products or bottles can be removed from the lower box 10 even when it is folded. This obviously also applies to packages 40a, 40b and 40c for six products when they are transported or displayed in boxes and when they represent an alternative to individual bottles. As can be seen in Figures 2 and 3, the particular application of the box shown in Figure 1 includes high flexibility with regard to the bottles that can be transported, since on the one hand six-packs of products can be transported using the box, and on the other hand individual bottles. This is the result of the way of making the sleeves 22a and 22b and the ribs 42a and 42b, shown in the construction of figure 1.

It is obvious that in other embodiments of the box 10 the construction of the sleeves may be different. For example, in some versions, the ribs can be completely omitted and only sleeves can be used. When carrying out the invention shown in Figure 1, it is still possible for each individual bottle placed in the free space between the sleeves and/or ribs to be supported in four directions and in each of them by the side wall of the rib, by the sleeve or by one of the side walls 14a, 14b, 16a or 16b of the box, so that it is held stably for transport.

As can be seen from Figure 3, thanks to the possibility of stacking the boxes and the possibility of access (retrieval) from the side, which is provided by the first side wall 16b, it is now possible to offer for sale different products in a series of stacked boxes. The side wall 16b together with the sleeves in this case prevents the possibility of the bottles falling out of the box 10 during transport and for what reasons the side wall 16b is dimensioned so that during transport it prevents tilting or falling out of the box. However, it is still low enough, so the bottles can be removed from the box from the front side, although the next box 10a is placed on top of the box 10. Taking this into account, and according to some embodiments of the invention, the bottles can first be slightly raised, then tilted and removed from the box from the front side. In some embodiments of the invention this is made possible by the special application of the bushing, as described in more detail with reference to Figure 12.

Fig. 3 clearly shows further features of some embodiments of the present invention, such as the particular application of the gripping openings 28a and 28b. The grip opening is bent and extends both vertically and horizontally. In other words, the catch opening 28a has a first area SOa of the opening, which extends parallel to the bottom 12 and a second area SOb which extends basically in the vertical direction 18. In this case, the demarcation between the vertical and horizontal areas of the opening in Fig. 3 should be understood as an example only. The grasping opening 28a also extends substantially in the vertical direction, so that the opening 28a can be used by the operator in the vertical region of the opening as well. In alternative embodiments of the invention, the gripping opening 28a may of course be of a different shape than in the embodiment shown in Figure 3. For example, it may have a square or rectangular cross-section, so that the box can be lifted from above using the horizontal area 50a of the opening, and also from the side using the vertical area of the opening 50b.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in Fig. 3, the vertical area of the opening is placed laterally on the side closer to the first side wall 16b and largely enters the horizontal area of the opening 50a on its outer contour (ie, the contour facing the first side wall). This leads to the fact that when lifting the box, it can be grasped by that circumference, so that the box, when the vertical area of the opening is placed on its side towards the first side wall 16b, tilts back (in the direction of the side wall 16a), and in this way, by tilting the box during carrying, individual bottles are additionally prevented from falling out.

In some embodiments of the invention, as shown with reference to Fig. 4 which shows a bottom view of the box of Fig. 1 and in connection with Fig. 11 which shows a bottom view of another embodiment of the invention, security is further increased by a special design of the bottom 12 in the area 50 next to the first side wall 16b.

In some embodiments of the invention, the bottom 12 is not constructed as a solid bottom (without an opening), but is formed from a recess for weight reduction and easier cleaning. They cover the surface of the bottom 12 so that the individual bottles are securely supported on the bottom 12 by the bottom of the bottle. In area 50 on the leading edge, ie. area 50 next to the first side wall 16b, increasing the number and density of the bars compared to the rest of the surface so that the bottles placed on it cannot tilt outwards, even when due to external influences they are slightly tilted from their resting position in the direction of the first side wall 16b. This is prevented by the protrusions, which in the area 50 next to the first side wall 16b are so densely arranged that the edge of the bottle cannot tilt in the space between two adjacent protrusions. In other words, in the area 50 next to the first side wall 16b, the bottom 12 has a surface for supporting the bottles, which is greater than the average available surface for supporting per unit area of the bottom, in order to enable the bottles to be securely held.

As can still be seen from Figure 4, in the area next to the side walls 14a, 14b and 16a, the bottom 12 has multiple protrusions, the contours of which are used so that, when placed on another box, they connect with the inside of the side wall to the contour of the side wall of the next box to ensure stackability and stability in the stacked state.

In addition, the bottom of the box has a support 52 in its center which extends from the side wall 16a to the first side wall 16b and whose bars have a larger protrusion in the vertical direction than the others

bottom bars. The support 62 serves for additional support of the first side wall 16b, whose height is reduced, in order to increase the stability of the box. The support 52 is placed in the middle so that the support extending lower than the rest of the bottom does not interfere with lifting the bottles from the bottom of the box when the box is folded.

Fig. 5 shows the following embodiment of the subject invention, which is fundamentally different from the embodiment discussed with reference to the above figures in that, in the embodiment shown in Fig. 5, bottles of a different size can be transported. While the embodiment of the invention shown in Fig. 1 is adapted for bottles with a content of 0.5 L, the embodiment shown in Fig. 5 is a box adapted for bottles with a content of 0.33 L. Therefore, the embodiment of Fig. 5 is fundamentally different from the embodiment of Fig. 1 with regard to the arrangement of the sleeves and with regard to the strength of the side walls 14a, 14b and 16a, which are modified to hold the bottles placed inside the box while it is held external size. Thus, for example, the box shown in Fig. 5 has five sleeves 54a, 54b, 54c, 54d and 54e located next to the first side wall 16b to hold in the first row six bottles of content of 0.33 1. In addition, the box of Fig. 5 has only one continuous rod 56 (strip) in the center of the box, so that alternatively, four packs of six products can be transported using this box.

In addition, the embodiment of Fig. 5 in contrast to the embodiment of Figs. 1 to 4 presents a box with a raised movable side wall area 23 on the first side wall 16b. Since the application features of the box of Fig. 5 correspond to the features of the box of Fig. 1 and they function identically, a re-discussion of the parts corresponding to the parts of Fig. 1 is omitted. Additionally, it should be noted that the box shown in Fig. 5, just like the box shown in Fig. 1, has at least one opening 58 in the side wall 16a opposite the first side wall 16b, the opening extending through the side wall 16a so that the box can be placed or suspended to a wall or shelf or similar using these openings.

To increase the security of hanging the embodiments of the invention shown in Figures 1 and 5, each additionally has an optional second opening 60 for hanging.

The embodiment of the invention shown in Figure 6 is also adapted for the transport of 24 individual bottles, where each has a content of 0.33 1 and basically corresponds to the embodiment shown in Figure 5. In the embodiment of Figure 5, however, the side walls 14a, 14b and 16a or at least part of the side walls 14a, 14b and 16a are designed to be collapsible with respect to the bottom and by means of hinges. Here they are collapsible so that they can be folded in the direction of the bottom and when folded they are placed substantially parallel to the bottom, as shown in Fig. 7 for the side wall 16a, which is parallel to the surface of the bottom 12 when folded. Figure 8 shows all of the side walls 14a, 14b and 16a in a collapsed state, so that the collapsed case can be easily transported back to the brewery or beverage bottler without requiring much storage space. This can significantly reduce transportation costs.

Although with reference to Figures 6 to 8 collapsible side walls 14a, 14b and 16a are only shown in the example of one box, which is constructed to transport 24 bottles of 0.33 1 each, it is obvious that the box shown in Figure 1 for 0.5 1 bottles can be equipped with collapsible side walls. This generally applies to any embodiment of the invention described herein, as the features described or shown for one embodiment may be arbitrarily combined with one another to provide additional alternative embodiments of the inventive boxes.

Fig. 9 shows the embodiment of the invention of Fig. 5 in the filled state when 24 bottles are placed in the box.

Just as in Fig. 5, here the movable sidewall areas 23 are in the unfolded position to further secure the bottles in the front row or to affix a transport identification label on the outside of the flexible part 23, which is not relevant for product display.

Figure 10 shows the embodiment of Figure 5 with an alternative load, ie with four packages 70a, 70b, 70c and 70d for six products.

Fig. 11 finally shows a top view of the embodiment of Fig. 5, where it is apparent that the sleeve 54c has a different geometric shape than the sleeves 54a, 54b and 54d or 54e to allow the accommodation of the six product package. In alternative embodiments, however, the central sleeve 54c may of course have the same construction or shape as the other sleeves, ie. for example sleeve 54a. Similarly, any other sleeve may have the shape of sleeve 54c.

As can be seen in the top view of Figure 11, and also in the case of the 24 beverage bottle boxes, the bottom 12 in the area 50 next to the first side wall 16 is constructed with a larger support surface than the central support surface of the entire bottom to prevent bottles from falling out of the box.

Fig. 12 gives an enlarged view of the sleeves 54a to 54c, so that their specific shape can be seen, which together with the first side wall 16b allows the bottles to be held securely and so that they can be removed from the front. In order to achieve this, some sleeve designs have an outer surface whose height is not constant in the vertical direction. As the outer boundary surface of the sleeve 54a, the recessed surface 70 should be considered below, i.e. the area or elements in the area that laterally limit the sleeve, i.e. in any direction normal to the vertical direction 18.

The outer boundary surface or region 70 has a variable height, as noted above. The sleeve in the first area 75 of its side surface, which is parallel to the first side wall 16b and secures the bottle from behind (in the direction 72 facing the opposite side from the first side wall 16b) is lower than in the second area 75 of its side surface, which secures the bottle from tilting in the direction 74 parallel to the first side wall 16b.

By means of the sleeve 54a shown in Figure 12, which basically has a cross-section in the form of a diamond with the vertex facing the first side wall 16b, the function of preventing tilting backwards is achieved thanks to the first region 75 of the boundary surface, which represents a part of the sleeve in a direction parallel to the first side wall 16b. The second boundary surface area 76, which limits the sleeve 54b in the direction of the first side wall 16b, prevents the bottles from tilting in a direction parallel to the first side wall 16b.

The first area 75 of the side surface is lower than the second area 76 of the side surface to allow tilting of the bottles when the bottle is lowered or tilted forward, without the need to raise the bottle, because in that case it could already rest on the bottom of the next box placed on the box in question.

The second boundary surface area 76 however prevents tilting in a direction parallel to the first side wall 16b and may be higher to increase stability. In general, both bushings 54a and 54b, as well as bushing 54c, lead to maximum stability when together they allow forward tilting (for retrieval) since the bushings in the direction parallel to the sidewall have less height than in the direction normal to the sidewall.

In addition, the sleeves of Figure 12 have external boundary partial surfaces, which are arcuately recessed (concave) between the vertices of the basic diamond shape, the radius of the arc being substantially the diameter of the bottle so that the bottles can be securely held in position.

With reference to Figures 13 and 14 below, the following aspect of the invention is described, according to which the box, which has been explained, for example, with reference to Figures 1 to 12, has an additional element, i.e. closure, which serves as protection during transport. Fig. 13 shows a box which basically corresponds to the box of Fig. 1, thus omitting the re-description of the various elements, which have already been described with reference to Fig. 1. As can be seen, the box of Fig. 13a additionally has a closure 100 with a holder 102 having two opposite ends. The first end 102a of the holder 102 has a first rod 104 and the second end 102b of the holder 102 has a second rod 106. The ends 104a and 106a of the rods 104, 106, which are opposite the holder 102, are circularly movably connected to the opposite side surfaces or end surfaces 14a and 14b. In the situation shown in Figure 13(a) the shutter or element 100 for protection during transport is placed in a position, which is between the first and second end positions. With reference to Figure 13(b), the box shown in Figure 13(a) is shown again, but now the closure 100 is in the first position in which the holder 102 extends between the side walls 14a and 14b, where it is positioned so as to be offset from the lower side wall 16b. In the embodiment shown in Figure 13(b) the holder 102 is at half the height of the side walls 14a and 14b, and the present invention is not limited to this position. Instead, the holder 102 can be placed both lower and higher depending on the circumstances. Rods 104 and 106 are designed and supported in such a way that when the holder 102 is folded or rotated from the position shown in Figure 13(a) to the position shown in Figure 13(b), the holder occupies some distance from the lower lower side wall 16b. As can be seen from Fig. 13(b), the side walls 14a and 14b, or the surfaces of these side walls next to the lower side wall 16b, are constructed to receive the rods 104 and 106 in recesses or recesses, as well as where the shutter 102 is connected to the rods 104 and 106, ie. against the ends 102a and 102b of the fastener 102, in order to finally obtain a flat front surface.

Fig. 14 shows the composite boxes of Fig. 1, including the box of Fig. 13, where the holder 102 is placed in a second position where it overlaps the lower side wall 14b. As can be seen the lower side wall 16b is also constructed to receive the holder 102 in the second position shown in Figure 14 in the depressions or recesses, so that a flat front surface of the side wall 16b is obtained.

As can also be seen from Figures 13(b) and 14, the opposite ends 102a and 102b of the holder 102 are made to engage the respective side wall 14a and 14b in the first position shown in Figure 13(b) which guarantees the jamming and secure positioning of the holder 102. Similarly, in the position shown in Figure 14, the secure positioning of the holder 102 is achieved by corresponding by connecting the elements formed on the lower wall and the holder 102.

The advantage of this feature of the invention lies in the fact that an additional element for safe transport is now provided, which is positioned in the position shown in Figure 13(b) during transport and thus can act on the products placed inside the box to prevent their movement in the direction of the opening or in other words an additional barrier is provided to prevent the product from falling out. The holder is pivotally connected to the side surfaces or end surfaces of the box and can be easily moved from the closed position shown in Figure 13(b) to the open position, thus allowing free access to the products placed in the box.

The invention is not limited to the examples shown in Figures 13 and 14, in particular to the position of the holder 102 at half the height of the end walls, but other positions can be chosen, for example the distance from the low wall 16b can be chosen to be one third of the height of the side walls or two thirds of the height of the side walls. In addition, according to one embodiment, it can be provided that the bars 104 and 106 are made telescopic to obtain the positioning of the holder 102, based on the situation of figure 14, but at different heights observing the height of the side walls, so that the height of the closure 100 can be chosen flexibly depending on the products placed in the box.

With reference to figures 15 and 16 another feature of the invention is described, whereby figure 15 shows the box already described with reference to figure 1, but which differs in the construction of the bottom 12. The box shown in figure 15 is provided with an insert 112 which is separable placed on the bottom of the box. The insert 112 shown in Figure 14 has an upper surface 112a on which is a first rib 114, which is shown extending parallel to the opposite end walls 14a and 14b throughout the depth of the box up to the rear wall 16a. The next rib is also planned, i.e. a transverse rib 116 or reinforcement, which extends from the side wall 14a to half the depth of the box to the first rib 114. The insert 112 can, for example, be constructed to accept products packed in cardboard boxes, which have dimensions corresponding to the compartments obtained by the insert 112. In addition to such products, any products can be placed in the box according to Figure 16, whereby according to the invention for different products in the box separable set by various inserts 112.

Figure 16 shows some embodiments of insert construction 112, wherein, for example, surface 112a in Figure 16(a) may have rectangular and circular recesses for simultaneously accepting products with different bottoms. Fig. 16(b) shows, similar to Fig. 15, the construction of ribs on the upper surface 112a of the insert 112 and according to Fig. 16(c) the upper surface 112a may contain bushings, similar to that described with reference to Figs. 1 to 12. Fig. 16(d) shows the lower surface 112b of the insert 112, with elements 118a to 118d located in corners and shown in the picture, serve to connect with the corresponding elements or recesses on the bottom 12 of the box and where the elements 118 are primarily used in such a way that after being stuck to the bottom of the box, separation is possible only with a special tool, so the box supplier can assemble the box in different ways according to the customer's requirements, but the customer who uses the box does not have the possibility to change the inserts and use them for other products. In this way, the boxes can be assembled according to the customer's requirements and can respond to the increased demand for boxes with some inserts even when boxes for other products are not in such demand.

Although embodiments of the invention have been discussed above in the context of beverage bottles, it is of course possible to use other embodiments of the subject invention intended for other types of products. For example, beverage cans and other cylindrical objects such as hair sprays, deodorants or the like can be transported in a box according to the invention. In addition, boxes with side openings can also be used for completely different types of products, which may deviate from the basic cylindrical shape. The boxes can be used universally for any products, which allow the product to be taken from the side of the box, when the boxes are stacked. This great advantage is not limited to the type of goods being transported.

Claims (29)

1. A box, characterized in that it includes a bottom (12), at least two pairs of corresponding opposite side walls (14a, 14b, 16a, 16b), wherein the first of the side walls (16b) extends upwards from the bottom (12) in a vertical direction (18) at least partially only by the height (20) of the intake, which is lower than the height of one or more of the other side walls (14a, 14b, 16a), in order to form a side opening with dimensions that enable access and storage of the products placed in the box through the side opening; and a shutter (100) extending between two opposite side walls (14a, 14b) abutting the first side wall (16b) and movable between a first and a second position, wherein the shutter is placed in a first position when between the opposite side walls (14a) and (14b) and spaced from the first side wall (16a) and wherein the shutter (100) is placed in a second position when overlapping the first side wall (16b), and wherein the fastener has a holder (102) extending between the opposite side walls (14a, 14b) and two rods (104, 106) placed at opposite ends (102a, 102b) of the holder (102), wherein the end of the rod is spaced from the holder (102) rotatably mounted on the corresponding side wall (14a, 14b). 2. A box according to claim 1, characterized in that the opposite side walls (14a, 14b) and the first side wall (16b) have recesses for receiving the holders (102) and rods (104, 106). 3. Box according to claim 2, characterized in that the recesses are designed so that the rods (104, 106) and the holder (102) in the first or second position of the closure (100) are aligned with the surface of the opposite side walls (14a, 14b) which faces the first side wall (16b) or the outer surface of one side wall (16b). 4. A box according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that it has a locking element that engages with the closure (100) to securely hold the closure in the first or second position. 5. A box according to claim 4, characterized in that the rods (104, 106) and/or the holder (102) of the closure (100) are designed to connect with parts of the opposite side walls (14a, 14b) and/or the first side wall (16b). 6. A box according to claim 5, characterized in that the rods (104, 106) and/or the holder (102) of the closure (100) include one or more elements for connection by insertion, which are connected to the corresponding receiving parts of the elements for connection by insertion of the side walls. 7. A box according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the closure (100) in the second position is placed at a distance from the bottom (12) that is about one-third, half or two-thirds of the height of the opposite side walls (14a, 14b). 8. A box according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the closure is designed to be placed in a different position away from the first side wall. 9. A box according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the rods (104, 106) of the closure (100) are made telescopic in order to place the closure (100) optionally in the first or second position. 10. A box according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the first side wall (16b) has one or two parts of the side wall that extend from one of the adjacent side walls in the direction of the side opening and have a height greater than the height (20) of the intake. 11. A box according to one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that it comprises a first pair of short side walls (14a, 14b) and a second pair of long side walls (16a, 16b). 12. A box according to claim 11, characterized in that the first side wall (16b) is one of the long side walls (16a, 16b). 13. A box according to one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that it further comprises a movable area (23) of the side wall extending upwards in the vertical direction (18) on the first side wall (16b), wherein the area is movable relative to the first side wall (16b) in the direction towards the bottom. 14. A box according to claim 13, characterized in that the movable area (23) of the side wall is placed collapsible in relation to the stationary first side wall (16b), which is located next to the bottom (12). 15. A box according to one of claims 1 to 14, characterized in that each side wall (14a, 14b) next to the first side wall (16b) has a gripping opening (28a, 28b) for lifting the box, wherein each gripping opening (28a, 28b) has a first opening area, which extends parallel to the bottom and a second opening area placed on the side of the opening (28a, 28b) for grip facing the first side wall (16b), where it extends basically in a vertical direction. 16. A box according to claim 15, characterized in that the opening areas (28a, 28b) on the side facing away from the bottom (12) enter each other in the transition area with a curve, which enables the box to be gripped in the transition area as well. 17. Box according to claim 16, characterized in that the radius of the curve is greater than 2 cm. 18. A box according to one of claims 1 to 15, characterized in that the bottom (12) in the area adjacent to the first side wall (16b) has a bearing area for the products to be transported that is larger than the average of the bearing area on the entire bottom (12). 19. A box according to one of claims 1 to 18, characterized in that the side walls (14a, 14b) next to the first side wall (16b) at their end next to the first side wall have a smaller first height than the second height at their opposite ends. 20. Box according to claim 19, characterized in that the height of the side walls (14a, 14b) next to the first side wall (16b) continuously increases from the first height to the second height. 21. A box according to one of claims 1 to 20, characterized in that the other side walls (14a, 14b, 16a) that do not correspond to the first side wall (16b) are made movable in relation to the bottom (12), so that they can be folded in the direction of the bottom (12) into a folded state in which they are essentially parallel to the bottom (12). 22. A box according to one of claims 1 to 21, characterized in that several sleeves (22a, 22b) are placed on the bottom (12) of the box, which are designed to hold the bottles placed in the box. 23. Box according to claim 22, characterized in that the height of the sleeves (22a, 22b) in the vertical direction (18) does not exceed the height (20) of the first side wall (16b). 24. A box according to one of claims 23 to 24, characterized in that the sleeves (22a, 22b) have an outer boundary surface extending from the bottom (12) upwards in a vertical direction (18), wherein the height of the surface changes along the outer circumference of the sleeve. 25. Box according to claim 24, characterized in that at least one sleeve (22a) has an area (75) of the boundary surface, which limits the sleeve (22a) in the direction parallel to the first side wall (16b), and has a lower height than the second area (76) of the boundary surface, which limits the sleeve (22a) in the direction of the side wall (16b). 26. A box according to one of claims 22 to 25, characterized in that the boundary surface of the sleeve (22a) has a cross-section basically in the form of a rhombus parallel to the bottom, wherein one of the vertices of the rhombus is turned in the direction of the first side wall (16b). 27. A box according to claim 26, characterized in that the external boundary surface of the sleeve (22a) is arched, recessed towards the inside, and between the vertices of the cross-section in the shape of a rhombus. 28. A box according to claim 27, characterized in that the radius of the arcs approximately corresponds to the diameter of the body of the bottle that is supported in the box. 29. A box according to one of claims 1 to 28, characterized in that the first side wall (16b) is detachably connected to the bottom (12).