WO2005092720A1 - Fastener between a semirigid can-band carton and a planar support to form a box - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention concerns a fastener (10) between a can-band carton (30) made of cardboard or some other material and a support (40), such as the tray of a pallet, to form a box. The fastener is characterized in that it comprises a first element (11) with a surface portion designed to be supported on said support (40), a second element (12) perpendicular to said surface portion and against which said can-band carton is designed to be urged to rest, and means (14, 15) for maintaining the can-band carton (30) in the fastener. Said fastener enables a can-band carton to be rapidly and securely mounted on the support.

Description

 Attachment between a semi-rigid material belt and a flat support to form a box. The body thus formed

The present invention relates to the field of cardboard boxes or other semi-rigid material associated with a rigid support such as a pallet.

For the transport of bulky objects, boxes are generally used associated with a pallet. The box is made of cardboard or of another similar semi-rigid material such as cellular or solid polyolefin plates. For i o empty journeys, provision is made to be able to dismantle the cardboard box and lay it flat on the support. The manufacturer of these cases in particular sends the user the cases in a kit, flat.

Solutions already exist which allow easy volume setting by the recipient and later flattening after the box has been emptied of its contents. For example, there is a known case formed of a cardboard belt stapled by an edge on a pallet and comprising diagonal rows to allow the walls to be folded down on the pallet for empty transport. An internal reinforcement is provided to consolidate the body when it is deployed. 0 This reinforcement is all the more necessary as the cardboard of the belt is relatively thin. This is necessary to make it possible to fold. The grooves are an additional factor of weakness of this belt. It is also noted that sometimes for large loads its resistance to bursting is insufficient. The present invention aims to improve this type of box, in particular a pallet box.

In accordance with the invention, this objective is achieved with an attachment between a cardboard or other semi-rigid material belt and a support, such as the tray of a pallet, to form a box, characterized in that it comprises a first element with a surface portion arranged to come to bear on said support, a second element peicendicular to said surface portion and against which the belt comes to bear and a means for retaining the belt5 in the fastener.

Thanks to such a fastener, a cardboard belt can easily be mounted on a support such as the tray of a pallet. It suffices to place a number of fasteners on the support corresponding to the geometry of the support. Most often it is a rectangular palette. The fasteners are then wedge-shaped and are arranged in the corners of the tray. They are fixed by stapling by example. It then suffices to place the belt in each fastener on its edge bearing on the plate by means of the first element and by the blank of the panels against the second element. A suitable connection means ensures the vertical direction of the belt. For a rectangular pallet, and corner-shaped fasteners, the horizontal forces are supported by the second elements.

In particular, the first element of the fastener as well as the second have a rigid plate.

Preferably the retaining means forms a removable connection. It advantageously comprises a lug secured to the second element which is housed in a light provided on the surface of the carton. To lock this link, the lug cooperates with an elastic blade forming a clamp and pressing the panel in the direction of the lug.

The fastener, for fixing the belt on the support at the angles, comprises at least a third element perpendicular to the first element and forming an angle with the second. If the support is rectangular we have right angles. But the support can be polygonal. The corner is then adapted to this geometry. It includes for this purpose, if necessary, a fourth element.

According to another characteristic, the first element defines an external sidewalk. This sidewalk thus allows, when the box is laid flat on the pallet to cover it with a cover. The edges of the cover rest on the sidewalk.

According to another characteristic, the fastener comprises a fifth element perpendicular to the first element and mounted outside the sidewalk, on the side of the second element. This arrangement makes it simple and effective to ensure lateral wedging of a support stacked on the first when a plurality of boxes are delivered in kit form.

According to another characteristic, the fastener comprises a sixth element perpendicular to the first element on the side opposite to the second element. This means makes it possible to reinforce the fastener by a stapling or other means oriented parallel to the plane of the support, if necessary. When the support is the plate of a pallet, this sixth element comes to bear against the pad thereof. The fastener then reinforces the fixing of the stud.

According to another characteristic, a secondary fastener is provided which is to be mounted on the support between two of said fasteners and which is in the form square. Such a secondary attachment is useful when the boxes are large and a reinforcement of the blanks of the belt is necessary.

The invention also relates to a kit case comprising a flat support of polygonal shape, a cardboard belt whose perimeter corresponds to that of the flat support and fasteners as described above to be mounted one at each angle of the support, the belt being held by the retaining means pressing on the edge against the support and the blank against the second element. The invention advantageously applies to the production of pallet boxes.

The invention will now be described in more detail in relation to a nonlimiting embodiment, with reference to the drawings in which FIGS. 1A to C show a fastener according to the invention seen from above and from the side, The figure 2 shows four fasteners of the invention mounted on the four corners of a pallet before mounting the cardboard box, Figure 3 shows a mounted box, Figure 4 shows a secondary fastener, Figure 5 shows a disassembled box with its various components to dish. FIG. 6 shows the stacking of two pallets in kit form, FIG. 7 shows an alternative embodiment of the fastener for a body angle of different shape.

There is shown in Figure 1 and seen from different angles, a fastener 10 according to the invention. It is made of a resistant material such as metal and the various elements that compose it are welded together. It can also be produced by molding a plastic material. It comprises a first planar element 11 in the form of a plate, here triangular, a second planar element 12 perpendicular to the first, in the form of a plate of determined height. A third element 13 is perpendicular to the first two. Together they form a trihedron.

The second element 12 comprises a retaining means, here formed by a lug 14 whose relief is turned towards the interior of the trihedron. The lug cooperates with an elastic blade 15 fixed by one end to the first element and parallel to the plane of the element 12. The distance between the blade 15 and the element 12 is sufficient for a panel to be slid therein of the cardboard belt.

When a cardboard plate is slid between the blade and the element 12, the blade deviates from its position at rest. There is a light in the cardboard plate in which the lug is housed when the belt is in place. The blade by its pressing force locks the belt on the fastener.

The lug can also be mounted on the element 13,

It can be seen in this embodiment that the fastener is in the form of a right angle trihedron. However, it is understood that the invention is not limited to this embodiment. It adapts to the geometry of the body. If the body is octagonal for example, the angles of which are cut, the fastener can then have a fourth element, as shown in FIG. 7. There is then a first element 111 bearing on the support, on which a second 112 a third 113 and a fourth 119 elements are mounted by being peφendicular. They follow the shape of the box. Other variations are possible. In particular, the attachment for lighter assemblies may not include a third element. It is then for example in the form of a dihedral in addition the blade 15 can be optional.

The first element 11 extends outside the trihedron by a sidewalk 11 'of determined width. It supports a fifth element 16 which is peφendicular to it. This element according to this embodiment is in the form of a square spaced from the angle formed by the two elements 12 and 13.

As seen in Figures 1B and 1C, the element 11 is integral with a sixth element 17 which is parallel to the elements 12 and 13. It is here in the extension of the element 16 and is in two parts in shape square. The embodiment shown applies to mounting on a pallet, and this element has the function of strengthening the connection of the attachment to the pallet. It allows stapling to the stud under the tray.

In Figure 2, there is shown a pallet 40 with its studs 42, equipped with fasteners 10 at these four angles. For each of the attachments, the first element

11 is in abutment on the plate of the pallet, and the element 17 is in abutment against the stud 42. The fasteners have been fixed permanently by means of staples for example. You can also glue the pieces together, screw them or point them. The elements 12 and 13 are erected relative to the plane of the pallet tray and form an angle whose sides are parallel to those of the pallet, being distant from the edges of the width of the sidewalk 11 '. It is observed that the element 16 rises slightly higher than the edge of the plates which constitute the elements

12 and 13. The element 16 extends the edge of the stud from the angle on which the fastener is mounted. Its function is explained below. FIG. 3A shows the body as it appears after the mounting of the belt 30. The belt 30, made of cardboard for example with triple fluting, has four panels 31, 32, 33 and 34 which are slid inside the perimeter defined by the four fasteners, in lateral support against the second and third elements of the fasteners.

We see in Figure 3B, in section view from above at the lug, the detail of an angle of the belt, wedged between the two elements 12 and 13. The panel 31 has a light 31 'which corresponds to the 'lug 14. The blade 15 exerts a pressing force on the internal face of the panel 31 to maintain the panel in position which is thus locked in position.

When mounting from the folded position, the belt is unfolded, shaped and slipped inside the four fasteners. This arrangement ensures effective retention of the belt in place. The angle of the belt is reinforced by the two plates 12 and 13 to resist the internal pressure. If necessary, especially for heavy loads, the belt can be further strengthened by sliding inside the panels 45 against the panels.

In Figure 5, we can see the different components of the body with the belt folded, the reinforcement panels 45 and a cover 50. These components can be laid flat on the tray inside the perimeter formed by the fasteners. The cover 50 covers the whole. It is dimensioned in such a way that it borders the fasteners. The corners of the cover are housed in the space provided between the elements 12 and 13 and the element 16 resting on the sidewalk 11 '.

In Figure 6, there is shown a first pallet 1 in kit with its cover covering the components. A second similar pallet 3 has been placed on this pallet box. It is wedged between the elements 16 and is supported on the plates 12 and 13 through the cover 50. This allows stacking of several boxes for empty transport. perfectly centered and wedged pallets.

In Figure 4, there is shown a secondary attachment 20 in the case where the body is large and where an intermediate support is required to avoid the bursting of the body. This secondary attachment comprises a first planar element 21 which bears on the support and a second element 22 peφendicular to the first. A return 25 secures against the edge of the support. For this secondary attachment a retaining means is not necessary but it can be provided if an additional locking is desired. A practical embodiment of the invention has been described, however it is not limited to what has been shown, it encompasses all the equivalents within the reach of ordinary skill in the art.

Claims

1. Fastener (10) between a cardboard belt (30) or other semi-rigid material and a support (40), such as the tray of a pallet, to form a box, characterized in that it comprises a first element (11) with a surface portion arranged to come to bear on said support (40), a second element (12) peφendicular to said surface portion and against which the belt comes to bear, and means (14, 15) retaining the belt (30) in the fastener. 2. Fastener according to the preceding claim, the first element (11) of which comprises a rigid plate. 3. Fastener according to one of the preceding claims, the second element (12) of which comprises a rigid plate. 4. Fastener according to one of the preceding claims, the retaining means of which provides a removable connection with the belt. 5. Fastener according to the preceding claim, the retaining means comprises a lug (14). 6. Fastener according to the preceding claim, the lug of which cooperates with an elastic blade (15). 7. Fastener according to one of the preceding claims comprising at least a third element (13), peφendicular to the first element and forming an angle with the second element. * 8. Fastener according to the preceding claim, the third element (13) of which forms a right angle with the second element (12). 9. Fastener according to claim 7 comprising a fourth peφendicular element with the first element and forming an angle with the third. 10. Fastener according to one of the preceding claims, the first element (11) of which defines a sidewalk (11 '). 11. Attachment according to one of the preceding claims comprising a fifth element (16) peφendicular to the first element (11) and mounted outside the sidewalk (11 '), on the side of the second element (12). 5 12. Fastener according to one of the preceding claims comprising a sixth element (17) peφendicular to the first element (11) on the side opposite to the second element (12). 13. Secondary fastener (20) to be mounted on the support between two of the I O said fasteners (10) according to one of the preceding claims and being in the form of a square. 14. Box in kit comprising a support (40) plane of polygonal shape, a cardboard belt (30) whose perimeter corresponds to that of the support 15 plane and fasteners (10) according to one of claims 1 to 13 to be mounted one in each corner, the belt (30) being held by the retaining means (14, 15) in support, the edge against the support and the blank against the second element (12). 0 15. Box according to the preceding claim, the support (40) being a pallet. 16. Box according to the preceding claim comprising a cover (50) 17. Box according to one of claims 14 to 16, the belt (30) 3 of which has openings (31) cooperating with said retaining members (14, 15).