DK201500659A1

DK201500659A1 - Transport container having an identification carrier

Info

Publication number: DK201500659A1
Application number: DK201500659A
Authority: DK
Inventors: Ralf-Peter Finke; Hubert Schäfer
Original assignee: Craemer Paul Gmbh & Co
Priority date: 2013-04-17
Filing date: 2015-10-23
Publication date: 2015-11-16
Also published as: DK178956B1; CA2909829A1; EP2986522B1; US20160075479A1; EP2986522A1; WO2014170261A1; ES2617313T3; DE202013101653U1

Abstract

The invention relates to the field of transport containers according to the preamble of claim 1. In a transport container having a double-walled wall portion (2) that has an inner wall (4) and an outer wall (5), and having an electronic, wireless identification carrier, the invention proposes that the identification carrier is arranged such that it is encapsulated on all sides in a housing (8) in the form of a Smart Card, that ribs (18) are provided in the double-walled wall portion between the inner wall and the outer wall, that the ribs define a receptacle chamber (9) which allows the Smart Card to be received, and that the outer wall has an insertion opening (7) that is arranged in an offset manner relative to the receptacle chamber, wherein the outer wall and/or the Smart Card are elastically deformable in such a way that, by means of this elastic deformation, the Smart Card can be inserted into the insertion opening and can be introduced up into the receptacle chamber and then, in a less deformed state relative thereto, is held securely in the receptacle chamber, the ribs creating a distance between the Smart Card and the directly adjacent portions of the inner wall and the outer wall of at least 1.5 mm.

Description

The electronic wireless identification carriers have advantages over adhesive labels, because they enable machine identification of the transport container. If the transport container serves as a fish crate, for example, to hold freshly caught fish and ice, the identification carrier serves to identify the specific fish crate, which has already been sold online while the fishing vessel is still at sea. The ability to readily and accurately read off the information on these identification carriers is therefore of significant importance in the subsequent handling and transport of the fish crate.

Particularly when used as a fish crate, attaching the identification carrier entails considerable requirements: On the one hand, a certain minimum distance to water has to be maintained, because otherwise, depending on the radio frequency band that is used with the identification carrier, the readability of the identification carrier may be significantly diminished. The proximity to fish, with its high water content, and also to the ice that is used to keep the fish fresh also represents a hindrance with regard to the readability of the identification carrier.

Particularly in the food industry, such as, for example, with the mentioned fish crates, trouble-free and hygienic cleaning of the transport container is very important.

Attaching the identification carrier has to allow for such cleaning.

Equipping the transport container with an identification carrier is not desired in all cases and for each customer. St is, therefore, advantageous to construct the transport container so that the identification carrier may or may not be incorporated at the factory. In that case, it is advantageous if the transport container can be retrofitted with an identification carrier at the customer’s location, for example, for a customer who desires to change over his already existing transport containers to some identification system.

The object of the invention is to improve a conventional transport container such, that it allows in the most cost-effective manner a selective embodiment of the transport container with or without an identification carrier, and further, that it be possible to read the electronic wireless identification carrier without difficulty, even if the transport container is filled with water or the goods in the container have a high water content. Further, that it be possible to exchange the identification carriers or retrofit the containers with identification carriers at a later date, and that the transport container be able to be cleaned without difficulty and to high hygiene standards.

This object is solved by a transport container that has the characteristics of claim 1.

The invention proposes in other words a bundle of measures: ® The identification carrier, which is normally referred to as an RFID tag or transponder, has an electronic circuit in the form of a chip and an antenna.

According to the invention, the identification carrier is provided in a housing that is molded around all sides, whereby this housing is designated as a so-called Smart Card or Hard Tag, regardless of its dimensions. Such smart cards are known either in a credit-card size format or as an elongate stick. This embodiment ensures excellent protection against moisture for the identification carrier, because the carrier is enclosed on all sides and, thus, protected against water.

• The double-walled wail section of the transport container does not serve to create a hermetically sealed hollow chamber, for the purpose of holding the identification carrier. Such hollow chambers have the disadvantage that, if the container wail is deformed, the hermetically sealed envelope of the hollow chamber can open up, for example, along welded seams. In such a case, water can get into the hollow chamber, which results in a diminishment of the functioning of the identification carrier when it is being read. Furthermore, such unplanned and constructionally unforeseen cracks can have a negative effect hygienicaily on the transport container, because hollow chambers, which are now accessible to bacteria and other contaminants, cannot be adequately cleaned. For this reason, the invention places ribs in the double-walled wall section, between the inner wall and the outer wall, such that these ribs form a kind of spacer, because they are arranged such, that they define the boundaries of a receptacle that serves to hold the smart card.

* An insertion slot is provided in the outer wall of the double-wailed wail section through which the smart card can be inserted into the aforementioned receptacle. The insertion slot is, however, offset to the receptacle. This is based on the consideration that the smart card be elastically deformable and be able to be brought info the receptacle from the insertion slot by means of elastic deformation of the card. Should the smart card not be sufficiently deformable, then it is suggested, that instead of the card, to make the outer wall which has the insertion slot appropriately deformable, so that in any case the smart card may be inserted into the receptacle, despite the offset between the insertion slot and the receptacle.

When the smart card has been inserted into the receptacle, the offset between the receptacle and the insertion slot ensures that the smart card is securely captured in the receptacle and cannot get to the insertion slot or pass through the slot without additional help. In other words, the smart card cannot inadvertently escape the transport container.

The function of the mentioned ribs as spacers ensures that a moisture film cannot form between the identification carrier and the adjacent outer wall or the inner wall of the double-walled wail section, which could have a negative effect on reading the identification carrier. It is also advantageous, as far as the most complete and hygienic cleaning is concerned, that the ribs according to the invention create a space of at least 1.5 mm between the smart card and the next adjacent section of the inner wall and the outer wail, so that cleaning by means of water jet is easily possible. The smart card in this position is optimally protected against external impacts, such as can occur during transport.

® By accepting the deformabiiity of the smart card or the wall section that has the insertion slot, the smart card can be removed again from the transport container by overcoming the corresponding deformation forces of the smart card. Should the smart card become damaged and the identification carrier no longer be readable, the identification carrier can be easily replaced, so that the transport container remains just as usable as before. Also, if is possible that the transport container initially be delivered without an identification carrier, and be fitted with an identification carrier at a later date, without difficulty, simply by pushing the identification carrier through the insertion slot into the receptacle. This retrofit can be done either at the factory, at the production facility for the transport container, so that the manufacturer delivers transport containers that are already equipped with identification carriers. Equipping the transport containers with the identification carriers can also be done later at the customer’s place, for example, after several months or several years of continuous use.

If is advantageous that the double-walled wall section be provided on a place on the transport container that is frequently reinforced, namely, by providing an upper collar that encircles the transport container. The receptacle is thereby advantageously slightly raised, i.e., provided some distance from the lower edge of the double-walled wall section, so that the identification carrier is optimally mechanically protected. For example, even then, when such a collar is mechanically grabbed from below with the help of a hook-like tool, in order to lift the transport container or pull it across a floor.

Due to the distance from the lower edge of the collar, the smart card is placed outside of the area where such tools would grab.

Advantageously, speedy optical inspection is possible, to ascertain whether an identification carrier, i.e., a smart card, is provided in the transport container or not. For this purpose, a cut-out is provided in the double-walled wail section, so that it is possible to see the smart card. This cut-out forms a viewing window that is provided in the double-wailed wall section.

If the double-walled wail section, as mentioned above, is constructed in the form of the upper circumferential collar of the transport container, the viewing window just mentioned may be placed advantageously in a connector web of the wail geometry of this double-wailed wall section, the web connecting the inner wail with the outer wall. This can be the upper closing surface of this essentially U-shaped wail section that is open toward the bottom, so that the presence of the smart card can be immediately ascertained by a look from above onto the transport container.

The recognition of the smart card within the transport container can be particularly simplified by giving the smart card a color that is distinguishable from the color of the materia! of the transport container. In this way, recognition of the presence of the smart card with optical means is possible, and not just by machine, but through a simple visual inspection by each person who uses or handles the transport container.

Advantageously, the smart card may be embodied as a flat body, whereby the width and length are each greater that its thickness. The smart card is located in the receptacle such, that the flat surface is vertically oriented. This allows the embodiment and arrangement of an antenna of the identification carrier inside of the smart card that is optimally readable in the reading direction, which is oriented normal to the surface. This orientation accommodates many of already existing electronic reading devices for RFID tags or transponders, so that the transport container according to the invention can be used in such an infrastructure that already exists. Advantageously, stacking surfaces can be provided in a known manner in the transport container. Such stacking surfaces are typically located within the area that is enclosed by the outer wall of the transport container, so that the transport container can be placed from above into a second transport container of the same type and rests on the stacking surfaces of the lower transport container, which, for example, are provided approximately 3 cm below the upper edge of the transport container. In such an embodiment the receptacle for the smart card is advantageously provided above the stacking surfaces, because a well-protected double-walled area has been created here on the transport container, so that the smart card is well protected against mechanical damage. Here, too, the distance is greatest to the contents of the transport container, so that the negative effects when reading off of the identification carrier are avoided for the most part.

Advantageously, the transport container is constructed as a stack nest container. This embodiment of containers, which is actually known in the field, means that in a first orientation, two containers stacked one on top of the other overlay or match each other to a great extent, whereby the upper container can sink far down into the lower container. This so-called nesting serves to reduce the volume required to transport the containers when a plurality of empty transport containers need to be handled. If one turns the upper container 180 degrees about its vertical axis, then the degree of overlay into the lower container can be reduced, so that, for example, two filled containers may be stacked one on top of the other, without a cover being needed for the lower container, which would form a surface for the upper container. Rather, the upper container is placed on the stacking surfaces that were mentioned above and that are provided on the lower container.

As previously mentioned, a particularly advantageous application for the transport container embodied according to the invention is to serve as a fish crate. Fish crates have several characteristics that are adapted specifically to their purpose, such as, for example, a floor that has raised sections, on which the fish are placed and are kept as dry as possible, as well as several lower sections opposite the raised sections, which are, for example, constructed as channels, for receiving liquid.

An embodiment of a transport container is described below in greater detail, with reference to the purely schematic drawings.

Fig. 1 a perspective view from diagonally above onto the transport container,

Fig. 2 an enlarged view relative to the view of Fig. 1, a perspective view onto the area in which an identification carrier is arranged,

Fig. 3 a top plan view onto the area shown in Fig. 2,

Fig. 4 a perspective view onto the area of Fig 2, from a different viewing angle.

Fig. 5 a view showing the inside of the transport container,

Fig. 6 a perspective view from below onto the transport container,

Fig. 7 two transport containers of the same type, stacked one into the other,

Fig. 8 two transport containers of the same type, nested together, and

Fig. 9 a perspective view from below onto the area shown in Fig. 2.

A transport container 1, which is embodied as a fish crate, is shown in the drawings. The transport container 1 has a double-wailed wall section 2, that is constructed as an upper circumferential collar on the transport container 1. The wall section 2 is dosed at the top by a horizontally oriented connector web 3, which connects an inner wall 4 and an outer wall 5 of the double-wailed wall section 2 with each other. A plurality of drain holes 6 are provided in the connector web 3, through which rinse water can flow when the transport container 1, placed upside down, is rinsed with water, whereby the water also flows into the double-walled wall section 2. The inner wall 4 extends beyond the double-walled wall section 2 downward and forms the side walls of the transport container 1 and also forms as a single integral component the floor of the transport container 1.

The double-walled wall section 2 has an insertion slot 7, through which a smart card 8 is inserted into the double-walled wail section 2. As can be seen in Fig, 2 and 3, the insertion slot 7 is arranged offset to the receptacle 9 that is created between the inner wall 4 and the outer wall 5 of the double-walled wall section 2. As can also be seen in Fig. 2, the smart card 8 is embodied as a flat stick, which is horizontally oriented over its entire length, but, due to its fiat construction, is oriented with its flat surface on edge in the receptacle 9.

A stacking surface 10 is provided inside the transport container 1 and a drain channel 11 that lead to the outside is provided in the stacking surface 10. The outside opening of this drain channel 11 can be seen in Fig. 1 and 2.

Fig. 3 shows that the drain holes 5 are not only provided in the connector web 3, but also in the stacking surface 10 and still deeper, namely, in the container floor. This container floor has raised support surfaces 12, as well as channels 14 adjacent to the support surfaces 12. Liquid, for example, melted water from the refrigerating ice, is able to drain off via the drain holes 8 and can then be guided out of the transport container 1, so that the fish that is in the transport container 1 can be stored as dry as possible.

In a purely schematic manner, Fig. 3 shows very clearly, that the receptacle 9 can be bounded by guides 15, so that the smart card, when it is initially inserted into the insertion slot 7, is automatically guided by the guides and deformed, until the smart card 8 has been completely inserted into the receptacle 9. There the smart card 8 can be held without tension, so that it is not continuously up against any surface of the transport container 1 and under tension. Rather, this ensures that the smart card 8 is held loosely In the receptacle 9, so that the smart card 8 can be rinsed on all sides with water when the transport container 1 is being cleaned.

The Fig. 3 and 4 show that a large-surface cut-out is provided in the connector web 3. This surface serves not only as a drain hole 6, but more particularly creates a viewing window 16 through which the smart card 8 remains visible for viewing from above in the direction of the transport container 1. In the same manner, a person can determine that an identification carrier is missing with just a quick look, for example, when, namely, no smart card 8 is visible in the viewing window 16.

Fig. 5 shows a view into the inside of the transport container 1, with the support surface 12, which rises up increasingly higher from the center of the container to the end face of the transport container 1 against the channel 14 that is provided around it.

Fig. 6 shows a view from below onto the transport container 1. One can see that the double-walled wall section 2 is open toward the bottom, so that here rinse water can be sprayed into the double-walled wall section 2, and can then drain off through the drain holes 6. This open-bottom construction of the double-walled wall section 2 makes it possible to grab the smart card 8, either manually or by machine, and to deform the smart card 8 and push the card out through the insertion slot 7 and out of the double-wailed wail section 2. In this way, a defective identification carrier can be replaced, for example, when writable identification carriers are to be used, which are then, for example, written with information that is intended for a specific customer.

Fig. 6 further shows that so-called columns 17 are provided on the two opposite end faces of the transport container 1. These columns 17 are arranged offset to each other, such, that the two columns on the one end face are spaced a different distance apart than the two columns 17 on the opposite end face of the transport container 1. In this way, the transport container 1 is constructed as a so-called stack nest container, as is explained with reference to Fig. 7 and 8: By placing two transport container 1 of the same type on top of each other, whereby the two transport containers 1 are oriented in opposite directions, the two transport container 1 are stacked together as shown in Fig.

7. The offset in orientation means that the columns 17 of the lower transport container 1 have a different spacing from each other than the columns 17 at the end face of the upper transport container 1, which are provided above the end face of the lower transport container 1. The columns 17 of the upper transport container 1 rest therefore on the stacking surfaces 10 of the lower transport container 1.

If the upper transport container 1, in contrast to the stacking arrangement shown in Fig. 7, is rotated 180 degrees about its vertical axis, then the columns 17 at the same end face in this container arrangement are above columns that have the same spacing. In this way, the transport containers 1 and their columns 17 fit against each other, such, that a particularly high degree of congruity of the two transport containers 1 is achieved, namely, until the double-walled wail section 2 of the upper transport container 1 sets against the double-walled wall section 2 of the lower transport container 1. This nested arrangement of the two transport containers 1 enable the most space-saving transportation of the largest possible number of empty transport containers 1.

Fig. 9 is a perspective view from below of the double-walled wall section 2: the receptacle 9 is bounded by several guides 15, so that the smart card 8 is framed on almost all sides, namely, on both the long sides and on the end face that faces away from the insertion slot 7, The guides 15 extend only over a small portion of the height of the smart card 8. The receptacle 9 is open only toward the insertion slot 7, but is offset to the insertion slot 7, so that the smart card 8 cannot pass out of the receptacle 9 and through the insertion slot 7 to be removed from the transport container 1 without being deformed, in other words, cannot inadvertently escape the transport container 1.

The guide 15 shown in the upper right corner in Fig, 9 curves away from the smart card 8 toward the outer wall 5 and thereby creates a space that initially allows the smart card 8 to be Inserted into the receptacle 9, when the smart card 8 is inserted from the insertion slot 7 into the receptacle 9. Later, too, if it is necessary to remove the smart card 8 from the transport container 1, the curved end of this guide 15 provides the space to bend the smart card 8 and move it toward the insertion slot 7,

Several of a plurality of ribs 18 that extend across the space between the inner wall 4 and the outer wail 5, are also provided in the doubie-waiied wail section 2. The guides 15 also have ribs, which, however, extend only over a small portion of the height of the smart card 8, For that reason, the larger ribs 18 have slots, which also form boundaries on the receptacle 9 and through which the smart card 8 extends. The ribs 18 provide a lower boundary of the receptacle 9 and ensure that the smart card 8 cannot fall out of the receptacle 9 toward the bottom, and that the card maintains a sufficient distance to the inner wall 4 and the outer wail 5. This distance of at least 1.5 mm ensures that a moisture film cannot build up between the smart card 8 and the adjacent inner wail 4 or the outer wall 5, as such a moisture film would negatively influence a radio transmission to the smart card 8.

Deviating from the embodiment shown, a fewer number of the guides 15 shown in Fig. 9 may be provided. The number and the length of the shown guides 15 does, however, advantageously ensure that the smart card 8 is reliably guided through the slots in the ribs 18 and does not hit with its end face against the ribs 18, when the card is inserted into or removed from the transport container 1.

Claims

1: A transport container (1), with a double-walled wall section (2) that has an inner wall (4) and an outer wall (5), and with an electronic, wireless identification carrier, characterized in that, the identification carrier is encased on all sides in a housing that is constructed as a so-called smart card (8), ribs (18) are provided in the double-walled wall section (2) between the inner wall (4) and the outer wall (5), the ribs (18) limit the receptacle (9), enabling the receptacle to receive the smart card (8), and the outer wall (5) has an insertion slot (7), which is offset to the receptacle (9)- wherein the outer wall (5) and/or the smart card (8) are constructed to be elastically deformable, such, that by means of this elastic deformation, the smart card (8) is insertable into the insertion slot (7) and into the receptacle (9) and subsequently in a slightly deformed state captiveiy held in the receptacle (9), wherein the ribs (18) create a distance of at least 1.5 mm between the smart card (8) and the next adjacent sections of the inner wall (4) and the outer wall (5).

2. The transport container of claim 1, characterized in that, the double-walled wail section (2) forms an upper circumferential collar of the transport container (1), and the receptacle (9) is provided at a distance from the lower edge of the double-walled wall section (2).

3. The transport container of claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, a cut-out is provided in the double-wailed wall section (2) in the area of the receptacle (9), which forms a viewing window (18) that enable a view of the smart card (8) that is in the receptacle (9).

4. The transport container of claim 3, characterized in that, the double-walled wall section (2) forms an upper circumferential collar of the transport container (1) that has essentially a U-shape cross-section that is open toward the bottom, wherein the viewing window (16) is provided in a horizontally extending connector web that connects the inner wall (4) and the outer wail (5).

5. The transport container of one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, the smart card (8) has a coloration that differs from that of the material of the transport container (1),

6. The transport container of one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, the smart card (8) is constructed as a flat body, the width and length of which are greater than the thickness, wherein the smart card (8) is held in the receptacle (9) such, that the surface that extends the width and length of the smart card (8) is vertically oriented,

7. The transport container of one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, horizontally oriented protrusions as designated stacking surfaces (10) are provided, on which two transport container (1) of the same type are stackabie, wherein the usable transport volume of the first mentioned transport container (1) is maintained, and whereby the receptacle (9) is provided about the stacking surfaces (10).

8. The transport container of one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, the transport container (1) is constructed as a stack nest container, such, that two transport containers (1) of the same type, are stackabie one on top of the other in a first orientation, thereby maintaining a usabie transport voiume of the lower transport container (1), such, that the upper transport container (1) extends upward above the lower transport container (1) with more than half of the height of the upper transport container, and the the upper transport container (1) in a second orientation that is rotated 180 degrees about the vertical axis is nestable, such, that the upper transport container (1) sinks into the lower transport container (1) with more than half of the height of the upper transport container.

9. The transport container of one of the preceding ciaims, characterized m that, the transport container (1) is embodied as a fish crate.