EP0258549B2 - Stackable bottle crate - Google Patents

Abstract

The crate is made, in particular, of plastic and has a central handle for lifting the crate. The side walls with transversely extending compartment walls in the interior of the crate form a compartment division for the bottles to be accommodated. Formed in the bottom of the crate is at least one recess for the immersion of the central handle of a crate stacked in the next layer below. <IMAGE>

Description

The invention relates to a stackable bottle crate according to the preamble of patent claim 1.

Conventional bottle crates are made of plastic and have a compartment division between the side walls surrounding the crate for receiving the bottles to be transported. Usually, these boxes have external dimensions of 400 x 300 mm and hold a total of twenty bottles. The bottle crate is transported via the handle openings provided in the side walls. The dimensions of such a box are comparatively bulky and can only be transported with difficulty through the handle openings in the side walls.
To overcome these disadvantages, bottle crates with a center handle have already been proposed. So z. B. in the French patent application FR-A-22 27 183 describes a bottle crate with a rectangular bottom surface and a central handle which spans the crate between the centers of the upper edges of the long side walls. By introducing the center handle, this box can be handled more easily than the boxes that only have slits in the side walls, but the box has decisive disadvantages: The arrangement of the handle on the top edge across the long side walls has functions as a carrying handle and as an additional support when stacking only little stability. The transverse arrangement of the center handle is ergonomically unfavorable and the boxes cannot be stacked offset.

The German published patent application DE-A-28 28 395 describes a further bottle crate with a central handle, which is ergonomically more favorable and, due to the connection with the framework of the crate, also has a higher stability. The disadvantage of this box is that the handle is not used for load transfer and an offset stacking of several boxes with locking to a fixed transport system is not possible, since the recess on the underside of the box bottom only allows the handle of a box to the one below Stacking place in it. In addition, the handle is set lower by the depth of the bottom of the box when immersed in the stack, leaving little space between the opening and the upper edge of the bottle caps, which is inconvenient for the engaging hand and, for. B. with so-called crown closures, harbors the risk of injury.

Document DE-C-2 255 316 discloses a stackable plastic bottle crate with a rectangular crate bottom and two short and two long sides each, with partition walls and with a central handle that corresponds to recesses in the crate bottom that are longitudinal and transverse to the central handle and at grid intervals are arranged. Here, the central handle serves as a bridge between two solid support columns designed as a hollow profile, the upper end surfaces of which are aligned with the box edge, the lower support surfaces of these columns projecting slightly beyond the underside of the box bottom. With this box, it is not possible to arrange several boxes offset in the stack of columns.

There is therefore a need for bottle crates that have versatile, stable stacking allow and result in an ergonomically favorable carrying behavior.

The object of the invention is therefore to create a bottle crate which ensures consumer-friendly transport and at the same time permits stable and universal stacking.

This object is achieved by the features contained in the characterizing part of claim 1.

The invention is characterized by a targeted interaction of the arrangement of a center handle and the design of a box bottom, which allows a design of the center handle that is favorable for gripping and transporting the box to be obtained and nevertheless ensures stable stacking. The fact that the center handle dips into a recess in the box bottom of a box arranged above it results in an anchoring of the boxes in a stacked position, which stabilizes the stack as a whole laterally and also results in a centering when stacked. At the same time, this immersion of the center handle enables the handle bar to be pulled up in order to provide sufficient space below the handle bar for gripping the box.

The fact that the recesses for the central handle are arranged in the box base so that they match or are aligned with the possible positions of the handle in the various stacking positions, the above results. Advantage also in different stack positions of the boxes. In this context, the embodiment according to claim 12 is advantageous, since a box module of 400 x 200 mm also allows an offset stacking of the boxes and in particular also a stacking in connection with boxes of the so-called Euro standard, that is, a module of 400 x 300 mm .

The stable stacking is further favored by the fact that the bottom of the recess is formed as a contact surface for the handle. As a result, the handle is also used for support.

Characterized in that the handle bar of the center handle is pulled up substantially by the amount of the depth of the recess, the depth of the recess can be added to the grip area.

In this context, it is expedient for the grip strip to be curved in a substantially shell-like manner in longitudinal section, resulting in an ergonomically favorable grip. This advantage is only possible in that a corresponding lifting of the handle is made possible due to the immersion of the handle in the recess.

The grip behavior is further favored by the fact that the grip strip is essentially U-shaped in cross-section transverse to the longitudinal direction of the handle, the U-web being formed by a rounding.

In order to prevent the lower layer from being pushed or dipped through the box bottom of the upper layer lying above it, the openings in the bottom grille are designed in particular also in the recesses in such a way that the crown cork or the bottle neck cannot pass through.

The stability of the box is further favored by the fact that the side walls are double-walled. In particular, this enables the boxes to be stacked horizontally.

In the case of a horizontal stacking, the arrangement or formation of knobs, grids or webs on the outer surface of the web walls is favorable, as a result of which the wear on the side walls is reduced.

Appropriate developments of the invention result from the further subclaims.

Fig. 1

eine Bodenansicht einer Ausführungsform eines Flaschenkastens,

Fig. 2

eine Schnittansicht längs Linie A-A der Fig. 1,

Fig. 3

einen Schnitt längs Linie B-B in der Fig. 1,

Fig. 4

eine Bodenansicht einer weiteren Ausführungsform eines Flaschenkastens,

Fig. 5

einen Schnitt längs Linie A-A in Fig. 4,

Fig. 6

eine Schnittansicht längs Linie B-B von Fig. 4,

Fig. 7

eine Draufsicht auf eine weitere Ausführungsform eines Flaschenkastens sowie

Fig. 8

eine Schnittansicht längs Linie A-A des in Fig. 7 dargestellten Kastens.

Exemplary embodiments of the invention are described below with reference to the drawing. Show in it

Fig. 1

a bottom view of an embodiment of a bottle crate,

Fig. 2

2 shows a sectional view along line AA of FIG. 1,

Fig. 3

2 shows a section along line BB in FIG. 1,

Fig. 4

a bottom view of a further embodiment of a bottle crate,

Fig. 5

3 shows a section along line AA in FIG. 4,

Fig. 6

3 shows a sectional view along line BB of FIG. 4,

Fig. 7

a plan view of a further embodiment of a bottle crate as well

Fig. 8

a sectional view taken along line AA of the box shown in Fig. 7.

In the embodiment of a bottle crate 1 shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the compartment division has a total of three compartment rows, of which the two outer compartment rows each delimit four compartments 2 for holding bottles, whereas there are two compartments in the inner compartment row. The inner row of compartments is aligned with a central handle 5, the details of which are shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. Overall, the bottle crate according to FIGS. 1 to 3 holds ten bottles, namely four each in the outer rows of compartments and two in the inner row of compartments, the two bottles in the inner row of compartments being offset from the neighboring ones Bottles of the outer compartment row are arranged.

The bottle crate 1 comprises four side walls 4, which are preferably double-walled. In the narrower side walls in particular, only schematically illustrated handle openings 3 are provided in the drawings, which can optionally be provided in addition to the central handle 5. The individual compartments 2 are, insofar as the compartments of the outer rows of compartments are concerned, delimited by the side walls 4 and compartment walls 6 formed in the interior of the box. The two compartments of the inner compartment row are limited solely by compartment walls 6, which form a column 7 with an octagonal plan. The embodiment according to FIGS. 1 to 3 enables the bottles to be accommodated in the compartments by means of three-point storage. For example, the bottle 8 shown at the top left in FIG. 1 by a circle is tightened at points 9a, 9b and 9c, so that it is received under tension within the corresponding compartment and thus secured against rattling and falling out. By appropriately designing the octagonal column 7, the two bottles accommodated in the compartments of the inner compartment row are also firmly supported within the box by a three-point support.

2 and 3, the center handle 5 is pulled far up, so that there is sufficient space 10 for the handle of the box. In order to ensure this and nevertheless enable vertical stacking (stacking of columns) of the boxes, the box bottom according to FIG. 1 has a series of recesses 11, as can be seen from the right-hand illustration in FIG. 1. These recesses 11, which are made by stamping the bottom of the bottle crate upwards, i.e. in the direction of the inside of the crate, are formed in a number and position on the crate bottom that in various possible stacking positions of the crate, several crates can be stacked by immersing the middle handle 5 is guaranteed in the corresponding recess 11. Since the box is characterized by a length and width module of 400 x 200 mm, in contrast to the Euro standard with 300 x 400 mm, there is a large number of different stacking options also in connection with boxes of the Euronorm. However, the recesses 11 are designed so that even with an offset stacking in the direction of length or width, the center handle or a recess comes to lie below or above a recess 11 or the center handle 5 and thus ensures stacking is. The one immersed in the corresponding recess 11 Center handle 5 comes into contact with the bottom surface of the recess 11, so that there is an additional effective support of the load when stacking columns, that is, a vertical stacking of the bottle crates. In this respect, there is an additional support surface due to the design of the recess 11 and the center handle 5.

According to FIG. 2, which represents a longitudinal section through the central handle 5, the upper grip bar 12 is curved downwards in the manner of a shell, the lowest position being in the middle region of the grip bar 12. Towards the two ends of the grip strip 12, it is pulled upward and merges into a vertical support strut 14 on both sides via a curve 13.

As shown in FIG. 3, the grip strip 12 has the shape of a large U in a section transverse to the section according to FIG. 2, the two U legs 15 being connected to one another via a rounding 16, so that the U web is rounded is trained. The curvature of the handle bar 12 in the longitudinal direction of the center handle 5 and the rounding on the underside of the handle bar 12 results in a handle bar 12 which is easy to grasp, whereby in particular the curvature in the longitudinal direction of the center handle is possible due to the free space which results from the immersion of the center handle 5 is made possible in the recesses 11 of the box bottom.

Fig. 1 shows that the box bottom is like a floor grid, that is, with a number of openings 17a, 17b and 17c ..., these floor openings are also provided in the region of the recesses 11. These bottom openings 17a ... are dimensioned so that the bottles of a lower crate layer cannot dip through the crate bottom of the upper layer.

Not shown in the figures are knobs, notches and webs in the manner of ribs, which are formed or molded on the outer surface of the side walls 4 and provide stiffening of the side walls and wear protection when the box is arranged horizontally when the box is on one of the side walls is arranged standing. The webs extend in particular essentially over the entire depth or height of the bottle crate.

Finally, it follows from the detailed illustration at the top left of FIG. 1 that the double-wall structure of the side wall 4 can be closed on the inner surface, as can be seen from a comparison with the side wall at the top left in FIG. 4. The closed structure of the side wall 4 has the advantage that dirt cannot build up on the side wall or in the region of openings in the side wall.

The embodiment according to FIGS. 4 to 6 differs from the embodiment according to FIGS. 1 to 3 in that the compartment division there consists of two parallel rows of compartments, each with five compartments. The construction of the center handle is similar to the embodiment according to FIGS. 1 to 3, so that an additional explanation appears to be unnecessary.

Also in the embodiment according to FIGS. 4 to 6, recesses 11 are formed at those points at which the center handle 5 can come to rest in different stacking positions in order to ensure that the center handle 5 is immersed in the box bottom and thus in a vertical stacking.

Finally, it can be seen from FIG. 1 that the access area to the grip strip 12 of the central handle 5 is also increased in width by the course of the compartment walls 6a which is drawn outwards in the region of the central handle 5. This also favors the handling of the bottle crate during transportation.

In the embodiment according to FIG. 7, in which, just as in the embodiment according to FIG. 6, a compartment division from two parallel compartment rows each with five compartments is provided, the center handle has both in the region of the handle bar 12 and in the region of the essentially vertical ones Handle struts 14 in cross section on an open profile, which is essentially U-shaped or shell-shaped in the illustrated embodiment. The open profile of the center handle has an area 16a set back in relation to the profile ends 15a and 15b, in particular in the central section. In the exemplary embodiment shown, this recessed area is equal to the U-web between the two U-legs 15.

This design of the center handle has the advantage that the burr that arises during the shaping of the box as a result of the separating edges of the tool can be shifted into this area, so that when the box is gripped the hand does not come into contact with the possibly sharp-edged ridge and thus risk of injury excluded are. Furthermore, an increase in the stiffness of the handle is achieved due to the curved profile of the center handle. A special adaptation of the handle to the load handling function is achieved when stacking several boxes on top of each other. The stiffening of the handle as a result of the profile of the central handle also results in a stable connection of the handle to the box, which in turn is advantageous when carrying the box.

Claims (16)

1. A stackable bottle crate (1) made in particular of plastics having a rectangular crate base and two short and two long side walls (4) respectively which, together with partition walls inside the crate, form compartments for the bottles which are to be carried, in which a central handle (5) connected to the walls of the compartments is arranged parallel to the long side walls and is extended upwardly to such an extent that its upper side is situated substantially at the height of the upper edge of the side walls, whilst, for the introduction of the central handles of boxes in the adjacent lower stacking layer, the crate base has recesses (11) which are arranged on the underside of the crate base firstly centrally below the central handle (5) extending longitudinally and transversely thereto and secondly in the longitudinal and transverse directions respectively at grid distances of half a short, or quarter a long, side wall length, characterised in that the base parts of the recesses (11) are formed as flat upstanding surfaces for load-receiving contact with the upper side of the central handle (5) whereby, when the bottle crates are stacked vertically, the central handle comes to rest against the upstanding surface of the recess (11) resulting in load transfer on to the side of the handle during columnar stacking.
2. A crate according to Claim 1, characterised in that the gripping strip (12) of the central handle (5) is curved downwards substantially in the form of a shell in the longitudinal section towards the centre of the gripping strip.
3. A crate according to Claim 2, characterised in that the gripping strip (12) passes via a rounded portion (13) into vertical grip struts (14) at both longitudinal ends
4. A crate according to any one of the preceding Claims, characterised in that the gripping strip (12) and/or the grip struts (14) are formed as an open profile in cross-section.
5. A crate according to Claim 4, characterised in that in the open profile of the central handle (5), preferably centrally, an area (16, 16a) set back in relation to the profile ends (15a and 15b) is formed for a separating seam.
6. A crate according to Claim 4 and 5, characterised in that the profile of the gripping strip (12) and/or the grip struts (14) are substantially U-shaped.
7. A crate according to Claim 6, characterised in that the U-shaped part of the profile between both shanks of the U (15) is formed with a rounded shape (16).
8. A crate according to any one of the preceding Claims, characterised in that the crate base is also formed in the raised recesses (11) for the central handle (5) with a base lattice, of which at least one dimension of the lattice apertures (17a, b, c ...) is smaller than the diameter of the crown cap or the bottle neck.
9. A crate according to any one of the preceding Claims, characterised in that the side walls (4) are constructed with double walls.
10. A crate according to any one of the preceding Claims characterised in that, on the outside of the side walls (4) of the crate (1), naps, grids or struts are formed.
11. A crate according to Claim 10, characterised in that the inner wall of the side walls (4) is completely closed.
12. A crate according to any one of the preceding Claims, characterised in that the crate (1) has a length and width module of 400 and 200 mm.
13. A crate according to any one of the preceding Claims, characterised in that the compartment walls (6) form two straight rows of compartments each with five compartments.
14. A crate according to any one of Claims 1 to 12, characterised in that the compartment walls (10) delimit compartments with three rows of compartments, of which the two outer rows of compartments form four compartments and the inner row of compartments in line with the central handle (5) forms two compartments (2) which are arranged offset between the compartments (2) of the two outer rows of compartments.
15. A crate according to Claim 14, characterised in that the compartments (2) of the compartments walls (6) delimiting the inner row of compartments form a column (7) with an octagonal outline.
16. A crate according to Claim 15, characterised in that the compartment walls (6) of the column (7), with each other and with the side walls (4) of the crate (1) in each compartment, form a three-point support for the bottles held in the compartments under pre-tension.

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