WO2000068099A1

WO2000068099A1 - Container with lockable side walls

Info

Publication number: WO2000068099A1
Application number: PCT/NL2000/000301
Authority: WO
Inventors: Hendrik Dekkers; Gert Stuve; Johannes Antonius Thans
Original assignee: Schoeller Wavin Systems BV; Schoeller Wavin Trepak BV
Current assignee: Schoeller Arca Systems Services BV; Schoeller Allibert Netherlands BV
Priority date: 1999-05-10
Filing date: 2000-05-09
Publication date: 2000-11-16
Anticipated expiration: 2001-11-10
Also published as: AR035009A1; NL1012013C2; AU4626400A

Abstract

A portable container, preferably of plastic, with a substantially rectangular base and two pairs of side walls, a pair of first side walls being arranged opposite one another, with a pair of second side walls positionable between them, and the side walls being pivotable, about pivot axes which lie along the side edges of the base, between an erected position and a collapsed position. Each second side wall (4) is provided with actuable locking means (80) which, in the erected position, connect the second side wall to the adjoining first side walls. The locking means on each second side wall comprise a pair of bolts (60) which can move between a locked position, in which the second side wall is locked with respect to the first side walls, and an unlocked position, in which this locking is eliminated. Each pair of bolts belonging to a second side wall can be actuated by means of a single common bolts actuating member.

Description

Container with lockable side walls.

The present invention relates to a portable container according to the preamble of claim 1. A container of this nature is known from for example EP-A-0 786 412.

EP 0 786 412 discloses a portable plastic container having a rectangular base and four side walls, which are herein referred to as a pair of first side walls and a pair of second side walls. The second side walls are arranged on the short peripheral edges of the base and are provided with handle openings or the like enabling the container to be carried by a person using both hands. The known containers are used, inter alia, for transporting merchandise, such as for example fruit and vegetables, pot plants, etc., on an industrial scale. The construction of these containers is such that the containers can be used many times. In practice, once the container has been emptied, the container is sent back to the supplier of the merchandise to be filled again. To enable the empty containers to be transported economically, the containers are designed in such a manner that the side walls can be folded down. In the erected position of the side walls the container strong enough to enable a stable stack of filled containers to be formed. The side walls of the known container can be locked in the erected position with the aid of sliding bolts which are arranged on each second side wall at a distance from the associated pivot axis of the second side wall with respect to the base. In the known container each second side wall is provided with two sliding bolts which can slide transversely with respect to that side edge of the second side wall which, in the erected position, is vertical. In a locked position each sliding bolt engages on the adjoining edge of the adjacent first side wall. In the known container the stability of the erected side walls is further improved by the overlap of the first and second side walls in the erected position.

To fold down the side walls of this known container, the two sliding bolts on each second side wall have to be moved towards the centre of the second side wall before this side wall can be folded down.

The drawback of this known container is that the operation of unlocking the sliding bolts in order for the side walls to be folded down is undesirably complex and takes an undesirable length of time, which is important in particular in situations in which large numbers of containers are handled.

The object of the present invention is to eliminate the abovementioned drawbacks. The present invention provides a container according the preamble of claim 1, wherein each second side wall is provided with a bolts actuating member, which is common for each pair of bolts associated with said second side wall and operatively connected to said bolts, such that said bolts can be actuated by means of said single common bolts actuating member. If more than one pair of bolts is associated with a second side wall, there is provision for all the sliding bolts of a second side wall to be actuable by means of a single bolts actuating member. Preferably said bolts are sliding bolts. The advantage of this single bolts actuating member is that a second side wall of the container can be unlocked by operating the single bolts actuating member, with the result that the container as a whole can be folded down much more quickly and easily. This is, of course, advantageous if the container is folded down manually, but is also particularly advantageous if the side walls are folded down mechanically, for example in a automated device for cleaning the containers .

Further advantageous embodiments of the container according to the invention are described in the claims and will be explained in more detail below with reference to the drawing. In the drawings :

Fig. 1 shows diagrammatically a base, a first side wall and a second side wall of a collapsible container according to the invention; Fig. 2 shows the container from Fig. 1, illustrating the two side walls in the erected position;

Figs. 3a and 3b show a first and second embodiment of the locking means of the side walls of the container according to the invention, in plan view and front view respectively; Fig. 4 shows a third embodiment of the locking means of the side walls of the container according to the invention;

Figs . 5a and 5b show a fourth embodiment of the locking means of the side walls of the container according to the invention; and

Fig. 6 shows a fifth embodiment of the locking means of the side walls of the container according to the invention.

In Figure 1, the reference numeral 1 denotes a portable plastic container according to the invention, which can be carried by hand, in an exploded view.

The container 1 has a rectangular base 2, a pair of first side walls 3 (only one of which is shown) and a pair of second side walls 4 (only one of which is shown) . For the sake of clarity only, the side walls 3, 4 are shown separated from the base 2. As the arrows 10, 11 indicate, the side walls 3, 4 are normally held, with the aid of the hinge parts 5, 6, in the corresponding hinge parts 7, 8 along the peripheral edges of the base 2. The side walls 3, 4 are movable between an erected position, which is perpendicular to the base 2, and a collapsed or folded-down position, in which the side walls 3, 4 lie on top of the base 2.

To make the side walls 3 , 4 of the container 1 highly stable in the erected position, the first side walls 3 are in this example each provided with lips 13. These lips 13 each extend around a corner of the container and overlap an adjacent edge of a second side wall 4 in the erected position.

As clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the lips 13 and the second side walls 4, at the location where they overlap, are designed in such a manner, with regard to their individual wall thicknesses, that these thicknesses together, at the location of the overlap, correspond to the thickness of the unoverlapping parts of the side walls 3, 4. In particular, the thicknesses of the overlapping parts are each preferably half the thickness of the unoverlapping parts of the side walls.

In the embodiment shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the pair of second side walls 4 are designed, in their bottom region, with laterally projecting widened wall sections 24. In the erected position of the side walls 3, 4, a side wall 3 is supported, by way of a lip 13, on the laterally projecting widened wall section 24 of a second side wall 4, thus imparting stability to the container 1. The base 2 is provided in this example with two wall elements 33 which lie opposite one another. These wall elements 33 are integral with the base and extend below the first side walls 3. The hinge parts 7 are accommodated in these wall elements 33. The thickness of each wall elements 33 substantially corresponds to the thickness of a side wall 3, and these wall elements 33 may be provided with small cutouts (not shown) in the vicinity of the base 2 for draining any moisture from the container 1 to the outside. Incidentally, the entire base 2 may be provided with holes, for example the base 2 can be formed by a grid or bars .

At each corner of the base 2 a wall element 33 extends around said corner at 35 and connects to a wall element 36, which extends along a minor part of the other peripheral side of the base 2. The wall elements 36 are designed to facilite in keeping a first side wall 3 upright when it is erected with the second side walls 4 of the container 1 still folded down. The length of a wall element 36 seen along the peripheral edge of the base is shorter than the length of a lip 13. As a result, an erected second side wall 4 is enclosed between the lips 13 and the base 2 by means of its projecting widened sections 24. This is particularly advantageous if the height of the laterally projecting widened sections 24 in the erected position is no greater than the height of the wall elements 33.

In Figure 2, the side walls 3, 4 are mounted by the hinges 5,6,7, 8 on the base 2 and a dot-dashed line is used to indicate the pivot axis 43 for a first side wall 3 and the pivot axis 44 for a second side wall 4. It can be seen from Figure 2 that the pivot axis 43 of the first side wall 3 is located at a greater vertical distance above the base 2 than the pivot axis 44 of the second side wall 4. This has proven advantageous in particular for folding the side walls 3,4 down, the second side walls 4 being folded down towards the base 2 first, after which the first side walls 3 can drop over the second side walls 4 which have already been folded down. In addition, it is preferable for the vertical distance from the pivot axes 43 of the first side walls 3 to the top side of the base 2 to substantially correspond to the length of the lips 13, measured in the horizontal direction of the pivot axis 43 in the erected position. This is advantageous in particular because in this case the lips 13, in the collapsed state of the container, do not project below the base 2.

In a particular embodiment of the container 1, it is conceivable for the height of each pair of side walls 3, 4 to be such that they overlap one another when they are being folded down. In the case of this container, it is desirable for the pivot axes 43 and 44 of the side walls 3 and 4, respectively, to be at different vertical distances above the base 2, and more advantageously for the difference in the distance between the pivot axis 43 and 44 and the base 2 to be approximately equal to the thickness of the side wall 3 and 4. In this context, "approximately" means that the distance is at least equal to the thickness of the side wall and is at most 5 mm greater than this thickness . In Figure 2, a pair of sliding bolts 60 are diagrammatically depicted on the second side wall 4, which sliding bolts 60 form part of the locking means 61 associated with each of the second walls 4 of the container 1. These locking means serve to lock the second side wall 4, in the erected position, to the adjoining first side walls 3. By way of example, one end of each of the bolts 60 can fit into a corresponding opening in the adjacent first side wall 3 and thus lock the second side wall 4.

The bolts 60 can be moved out of the locked position into an unlocked position, in which the locking of the side wall 4 is eliminated. When unlocked the second side walls 4 can be folded down towards the base 2 in the direction of the arrow 46, after which the first side walls 3 can be folded down on top of the second side walls 4 in the direction of arrow 45. Figure 3a shows a part of a second side wall 4 in cross section, with two sliding bolts 60 each directed towards a side edges of the second side wall 4.

The left-hand half of Figure 3a shows a first embodiment of the locking means, and the right-hand half of this figure shows a second embodiment of the locking means. As the differences are rather minor both embodiments will be explained at the same time. The parts which are identical on the left-hand and right- hand sides of the line 62 are denoted by identical reference numerals .

Both embodiments of the locking means in fig. 3a have a sliding bolts actuating member 68 which can be actuated at right angles to the plane of the side wall 4 of the container 1. The sliding bolts 60 are guided with respect to the side wall 4 by means of guides 64 integral with the side wall 4, such that the bolts 60 can move to and fro only in a straight line, in this case at right angles to the side edges of the side wall 4.

The two bolts 60 are operatively connected to the common sliding bolts actuating member 68, and the two bolts 60 can be moved to the unlocked position as a result of said member 68 being actuated.

The sliding bolts actuating member 68 is connected to each sliding bolt 60 by a flexible connection element 63. The flexible element 63 may, for example, be made from a suitable plastic, preferably integral with the sliding bolts 60 and/or the sliding bolts actuating member 61. In the illustration on the left-hand side of the line of symmetry 62, a projection 66 is formed on the flexible element 63. On the right-hand side of the line of symmetry 62, a rigid projection 67 is formed on the second side wall 4. Between the projections 66 or 67 depending on the chosen embodiment, the flexible elements 63 connect to the relatively stiff member 68. By exerting a pressure perpendicular to the side wall 4 on the member 68, either by hand or by a machine, the bolts 60 move to their unlocked position.

The flexible element 63 may, for example, be a plastic band, a textile strip or another similar material. The actuating member 68 may, for example, be a hard plastic element, which may optionally be made from the same material as the flexible elements 63.

As a result of the member 68 being moved upwards in the plane of the drawing shown in Fig. 3a, a tensile force is generated in each of the flexible elements 63, and the distance between the line of symmetry 62 and each of the bolts 60 is reduced through displacement of the member 68. As a result, both bolts 60 are moved from the locked position into the unlocked position. In the process, projection 66 pivots about a fulcrum 70 which is formed by a second protrusion 71 or rib on plate 100 of the side wall 4.

At the location of the top 69 of the rigid projection 67, the flexible element 63 slides along the top 69. The flexible element 63 is designed in such a manner that it is able to absorb a tensile force in a substantially inelastic manner. Figure 3b shows a front view of part of the wall 4, illustrating the components from Figure 3a. It can be seen clearly from this figure that the sliding bolts actuating member 68 may be of any suitable shape. For example, it may provide additional comfort for the hand engaging on it. Furthermore, it can be seen from Figure 3b that biassing means 72 are provided for each of the bolts 60, which biassing means 72 are in this example designed as two resilient fingers 72 which are connected to or integral with the bolts 60 and, due to their spring force, push the bolts 60 back towards the locked position. Figure 4 shows a third embodiment of the locking means, bearing a considerable similarity to the designs shown in Figs. 3a and 3b. For this reason, components which have the same function are provided with identical reference numerals. The principal difference is that the bolts 60 are unlocked by the member 68 being displaced parallel to the side wall 4 of the container 1, in this example towards the top edge of the side wall 4.

The resilient fingers 72 press the bolts 60 towards the locked position, which is shown in Figure 4. As an alternative to the resilient fingers 72, embodiments are also possible in which, for example, a spring pushes against a stop on the bolt 60 and, on the other side, against a stop on the side wall 4 of the container 1.

Figures 5a and 5b respectively show a central section and the top section of a side wall 4 with a fourth embodiment of the locking means .

The locking means comprise a single push-button 80 acting as sliding bolts actuating member, which button 80 is operatively connected to both sliding bolts 60. The push-button 80 is slidebly received in the side wall 4. In this example the button 80 is guided by a number of protrusions 81 which are integrally formed on the wall 4 of the container 1. The movement of the push-button 80 is limited by other protrusions (not 5 shown) which prevent the push-button 80 from moving out of the plane of the wall 4. The push-button 80 can be displaced in the direction indicated by arrow 82, perpendicular to the side wall 4. The push-button 80 is connectedto the bolts 60 in such a manner that, as a result of the button 80 being depressed

10 transversely with respect to the direction of movement of the bolts 60, the bolts 60 move from the locked position into the unlocked position. Figure 5b also shows a handle opening 85 beneath the sliding bolts actuating member 80 allowing the container to be carried.

15 Figure 6 shows a fifth embodiment of the locking means. The sliding bolts 60 are slidingly and rotatably mounted on the second side wall 4. The two rod shaped sliding bolts 60 are each connected to a common moveable handle 90 acting as sliding bolts actuating member via a flexible arm 91. The handle 90 lies a

20 distance spaced from the imaginary line through the sliding ^► bolts 60. The flexibility of the arms 91 is such that they transmit a rotation movement of the handle 90 in the direction of arrow 92 around the pivot axis formed by the sliding bolts 60. The arms 91 are able to flexibly absorb a displacement of

25 the bolts 60 from a locked position into an unlocked position. The bolts 60 are slidably and rotatably held with respect to the side wall 4 by means of guides 64, 84. Each of the guides 84 has a first face 85 which is arranged at an incline with respect to the sliding direction of movement of the associated

30 bolt 60. In addition, each bolt 60 is provided with a stop face 86 which, in a similar way, is arranged at an angle with respect to the direction of sliding movement of the bolt 60.

The faces 85 and 86 bear against one another under spring load. As a result of the handle 90 being moved in the direction

35 of the arrow 92, the bolts 60 are rotated, the faces 86 rotating with respect to the stationairy faces 85 and, as a result, the bolts 60 moving out of the locked position into the unlocked position. In the process, the arms 91 bend in accordance with the displacement of the bolts 60. When the handle 90 is turned back, the bolts 60 move in the opposite direction.

It is also possible for the bolts 60 to be in their locked position when the handle 90 is situated on the top side of the wall 4 (instead of on the bottom side as shown in Figure 6) . This ensures that when the container is lifted, it is not inadvertently unlocked.

The examples have only referred to bolts which slide in a straight line from a locked position into an unlocked position. In addition, embodiments in which the bolts can rotate from a locked position into an unlocked position are also possible. Embodiments in which the bolts actuating member is a button which has to be rotated about its axis in order to be able to actuate the bolts are also possible.

Claims

1. Container (1) with a substantially rectangular base (2) and two pairs of side walls .(3, 4), in which: - a pair of first side walls (3) are arranged opposite one another, with a pair of second side walls (4) positionable between them,

- the first and second side walls are pivotably connected to the base (2) , about pivot axes (43, 44) which lie along the peripheral edges of the base (2), between an erected position and a collapsed position,

- each second side wall (4) is provided with actuable locking means which, in the erected position of the side walls, can connect the second side wall to the adjoining first side walls,

- for each second side wall, the locking means comprise a pair of bolts (60) which are displaceable between a locked position, in which the second side wall (4) is locked with respect to the first side walls (3) , and an unlocked position, in which this locking is eliminated,

- which container is also provided with handles or openings (85) allowing the container to be carried, characterized in that each second side wall (4) is provided with a bolts actuating member (68 ; 80 ; 90) , which is common for each pair of bolts (60) associated with said second side wall and operatively connected to said bolts (60) , such that said bolts can be actuated by means of said single common bolts actuating member.

2. Container according to claim 1, characterized in that the bolts are sliding bolts (60) and in that the bolts actuating member (60; 80) is displaceable substantially perpendicular to the direction of sliding movement of the bolts (60) .

3. Container according to claim 1 or 2 , characterized in that the bolts (60) and the bolts actuating member (68; 90) are connected by means of a flexible element (63,-91) .

4. Container according to claim 3, characterized in that the flexible element (63) is able to absorb a tensile force transmitted thereby to the bolts (60) in a substantially inelastic manner.

5. Container according to claim 3 or 4 , characterized in that sveral guides (64; 67) for the flexible element (63) are positioned at a distance from one another on the second side wall (4) .

6. Container according to claim 5, characterized in that the bolts actuating member (68) is integral with the flexible element (63) and is located between the guides (64;67).

7. Container according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the bolts actuating member (68; 80) is embodied as a push-button) , which can be displaced perpendicularly with respect to the plane of the second side wall .

8. Container according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the bolts are mounted slidingly as well as rotatably in the second side wall, such that the bolts can move to and fro along an associated ax s of sliding movement and be rotated around said axis, and in that the bolts actuating member is rotatable about the axis of sliding movement of the bolts.

9. Container according to claim 8, characterized in that for each bolt (60) a corresponding stationairy face (85) is formed on the second side wall at an incline with respect to the direction of sliding movement of the bolt, in that each bolt is provided with a stop face (84) , which is likewise arranged at an incline with respect to the direction of sliding movement and bears against the stationairy face (85) , the bolts actuating member being embodied as a handle (90) for rotating both bolts (60) , such that the stop faces of the bolts are rotated with respect to the corresponding fixed face (85) and the bolts are slided.

10. Container according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the locking means comprise biassing means

(72; 91) which bias the bolts (60) towards the locked position.

11. Container according to claim 10, characterized in that the biassing means comprise one or more resilient elements, e.g a spring, which bears against a stop face of the bolt.

12. Container according to claim 10, characterized in that the biassing means (72,-91) are integral with a bolt.

13. Container according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the first side walls (3) have lips (13) extending around the corners of the container.

14. Container according to claim 13, characterized in that each second side wall (4) , in the erected position, overlaps the adjacent lips (13) of the first side walls (3).

15. Container according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the base is provided with two wall elements (33) which lie opposite one another and along a peripheral edge of the base (2), which wall elements (33) each extend below the first side wall (3) when erected.

16. Container according to claim 15, characterized in that the second side walls, in their bottom regions, are designed with laterally projecting widened sections (24) .

17. Container according to claim 16, characterized in that the height of the laterally projecting widened sections (24) , in the erected position, is no higher than the height of the wall elements (33) .

18. Container according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the laterally projecting widened sections (24) in the erect position of the side walls are enclosed between the lips (13) of the first wall and the base.

19. Container according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the pivot axes (43) of the first side walls (3) are positioned at a greater vertical distance above the base (2) than the pivot axes (44) of the second side walls (4) .

20. Container according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the vertical distance of the pivot axes (43) of the first side walls (3) from the top side of the base substantially corresponds to the length of the lips (13) , as measured in the horizontal direction of the pivot axis in the erected position.