EP0356306A1 - Receptacle - Google Patents

Abstract

Container, which is adaptable in its width, comprising a bottom, a back, a front rim and two lateral walls, which container is characterised in that it is formed of two elements (1, 2) each comprising a lateral wall (3, 13) bordered by the back (4, 14) and by a part of the bottom, the parts of the back (4, 14) and the parts of the bottom (5, 15) of the two elements (1, 2) being imbricated respectively one into the other in order to permit an adjustment of the width (L) of the container by moving the two elements (1, 2) towards or away from one another. <IMAGE>

Description

The present invention relates to a receptacle of various uses, in particular for the transport, handling and presentation of products on shelves or gondolas for shops, or also for the storage and arrangement of parts.

Many products packaged in cardboard, plastic, glass or metal packaging are grouped in batches in corrugated cardboard boxes. These boxes are themselves placed on pallets and thus allow the storage and transport of products between the place of manufacture and the place of sale.

At the point of sale, the products are then depalletized and removed from their corrugated cardboard packaging to be placed on the shelves of the gondolas.

This way of packaging, transporting and presenting the products requires a large number of manual interventions, resulting in a high logistical cost.

In addition, the packaging cost is high because the corrugated boxes cannot be reused, on the one hand because of their fragility and, on the other hand, since their size is adapted to one product and only one. In addition, the American fund standard in corrugated cardboard does not adapt well to the presentation of products in store.

Finally, the problem of disposing of lost packaging in stores is not without drawbacks.

The object of the present invention is to remedy these drawbacks and proposes to create a receptacle making it possible in particular to group together very diverse products for their storage, handling, transport, and in particular their presentation in store, in this same receptacle.

To this end, the invention relates to a receptacle formed by a bottom, a back, a front and two side walls, this receptacle being characterized in that it is formed of two elements each comprising a side wall bordered by a part of the bottom, back and front, the parts of the back, front and the parts of the bottom of the two elements being nested respectively one in the other to allow an adjustment of the width of the receptacle by approximation or separation of the two elements.

The two elements are telescopically adjustable, to adapt the receptacle to the size of the products it is to receive. When this receptacle is loaded, it is coated with a heat-shrinkable film which ensures the tightening and blocking of the assembly around the products. The receptacle can then be palletized.

At the reception, the receptacle is placed directly on the shelves or the gondolas. Depending on the case, the packaging film is removed first or after placement in the store.

As this receptacle has neither a top nor a large front wall, the products it contains are visible and correctly accessible.

When the receptacle is empty, it is easy to replace it with a full receptacle. The empty receptacle can be reduced by a telescopic movement returning from the two elements relative to each other, so as to reduce its size.

It is also possible to fit the receptacles into each other by gradually reducing their size using the telescopic movement so that the assembly occupies a very small space.

Multiple assemblies can thus be nested one inside the other and redirected to the supplier at a lower cost.

According to another characteristic, the parts of the bottom and those of the back and the front, have the shape of fingers sliding one inside the other.

Particularly interestingly, the bottom part and that of the back of one of the elements is in the form of a tablecloth section in Greek with grooves and ribs and the part of the bottom and that of the back of the other element is in the form of fingers sliding in the grooves formed by the section section in Greek of the first element.

Thanks to the nesting in the form of a tablecloth with grooves and fingers, there is a continuous adjustment in the width direction, making it possible to adapt the receptacle to any product (multiple of the dimensions of a package) without loss of space, the assembly being kept tightened by the heat-shrinkable film.

Thanks to the shape of the fingers and more precisely of the shape of a tablecloth with a section in Greek forming grooves and ribs and fingers of corresponding shape coming to be housed in the grooves, both for the wall constituting the bottom, and for that constituting the back, as these two walls are perpendicular to each other, the simple positioning of the fingers in the grooves ensures the blocking in the perpendicular direction: the bottom fingers cannot move back and forth but simply in the transverse direction. This blocking from front to back ensures blocking in the perpendicular direction, that is to say the back fingers in the grooves and vice versa the retention of the fingers in the back grooves ensures the blocking of the bottom fingers: thus the fingers of the back and those of the bottom cannot be released from the grooves.

In the same way, the shape of the fingers cooperating with the shape of the tablecloth with section in Greek defining ribs and grooves for receiving the fingers, ensures excellent flatness of the bottom. This results in good stability to the products which are placed astride the fingers and the ribs.

According to another advantageous characteristic, the back walls end in the upper part with a profile having a hook shape and making it possible to hang the receptacle on a retaining bar, this receptacle also resting in the lower part against another bar or support avoiding tilting. This removes the shelves from the gondolas in the store.

According to another characteristic, the side walls form a foot higher than the thickness of the bottom, so as to allow the introduction of forks of a loading element under the bottom.

To facilitate the holding of the loaded receptacle and to prevent it from sagging in the middle, the end either of the teeth or of the section section in the form of a niche, has a heel whose base is at the same level as the two side feet.

According to another characteristic, the facing edges of the teeth and of the grooves in which the teeth can slide telescopically, are provided with rack-type hooking means which, while allowing telescopic movement, mark certain positions in width and retain the two elements in one of the positions.

• - la figure 1 est une vue en coupe selon I-I de la fi­gure 3, montrant l'une des parois latérales du récep­tacle, ainsi que la forme du dos et du fond ;
• - la figure 1A est une vue en coupe selon AI-AI de la figure 3, limitée à l'engagement télescopique d'un doigt dans une rainure au niveau de sa partie format talon ;
• - la figure 2 est une vue de-dessus du réceptacle ;
• - la figure 3 est une vue de face du réceptacle ;
• - la figure 4 est une vue de dos du réceptacle ;
• - la figure 5 est une vue en coupe partielle du dos et du fond selon une variante de réalisation ;
• - la figure 5A est une variante de dos selon une coupe analogue à celle de la figure 5, mais ne montrant que le dos et une partie du fond ;
• - la figure 6 montre une partie de la structure du fond du réceptacle selon la figure 5 ;
• - la figure 6A montre un autre mode de réalisation des éléments et de leurs moyens de liaison télescopique.
• - la figure 7 est une vue en coupe partielle d'une au­tre variante de réalisation, selon une vue correspon­dant à la figure 5 ;
• - la figure 8 est une vue en coupe selon VIII-VIII de la figure 7.

The present invention will be described in more detail with the aid of the appended drawings in which:

• - Figure 1 is a sectional view along II of Figure 3, showing one of the side walls of the receptacle, as well as the shape of the back and the bottom;
• - Figure 1A is a sectional view along AI-AI of Figure 3, limited to the telescopic engagement of a finger in a groove at its heel-shaped part;
• - Figure 2 is a top view of the receptacle;
• - Figure 3 is a front view of the receptacle;
• - Figure 4 is a back view of the receptacle;
• - Figure 5 is a partial sectional view of the back and the bottom according to an alternative embodiment;
• - Figure 5A is a variant of the back in a section similar to that of Figure 5, but showing only the back and part of the bottom;
• - Figure 6 shows part of the bottom structure of the receptacle according to Figure 5;
• - Figure 6A shows another embodiment of the elements and their telescopic connection means.
• - Figure 7 is a partial sectional view of another alternative embodiment, according to a view corresponding to Figure 5;
• - Figure 8 is a sectional view along VIII-VIII of Figure 7.

According to Figures 1-4, the receptacle is com installation of two elements 1, 2, nested one inside the other and adjustable telescopically in the width direction to allow adjustment of the width L of the receptacle.

The element 1 consists of a side wall 3, a back part 4 and a bottom part 5. The bottom part 5 is formed by a base 6 at the edge of the side wall 3 and d 'a section 7 in Greek section (rectangular profile forming grooves 71 and ribs 72). This bottom part stops at line 73. The back part 4 also stops on this line. It is the same for part 8 which forms the front wall.

Similarly, the element 2 consists of a side wall 13, a back portion 14 and a bottom portion 15 comprising teeth 151 separated by intervals 152. The teeth 151 have a section corresponding to the grooves 71 and slide therein while the intervals 152 are occupied by the ribs 72.

According to FIG. 1, the structure of the bottom formed by the two parts 5, 15 as well as the structure of the back formed by the parts 4, 14 are similar. Part 4 of the back belonging to element 1 has a part 12 of Greek-shaped section composed of grooves 121 and ribs 122. The grooves 121 receive the fingers 141 of part 14 of the back belonging to element 2. The gap 142 between the fingers 141 receives the rib 122.

The arrangement of the grooves 71, 121 and the fingers 151, 141 in two perpendicular walls, makes it possible to ensure the blocking of this telescopic connection in the manner described below:

Lateral guidance of the fingers 151 in the grooves 71 prevents the fingers or grooves from working kill a transverse movement in the direction of the double arrow A but only in the perpendicular direction (arrow D). However, this blocking in the direction of the double arrow A prevents the fingers 141 from disengaging from their groove 121 on the back 4, 14 in the direction of the arrow B. Conversely, the lateral blocking of the fingers 141 in the direction of the double arrow C by the edges of the grooves 121 prohibits the raising movement in the direction of arrow D of the fingers 151.

Thus, in summary, there is a mutual blocking of all the fingers 141 in the grooves 71 and the fingers 141 in the grooves 121.

Finally, according to FIG. 2, the fingers 151 and their intervals 152 do not reach the wall 13 directly but leave a base 16, solid, which does not have a profile in Greek.

It is the same for the teeth 141 of the back part 14 of the element 2 which leave a base 46.

Similarly, the section in Greek does not reach wall 3; it leaves a base 6 there and for the back part 4, there remains a base 36.

According to Figures 1, 3 and 4, the side walls 3, 13 form a pad or foot 21, 22, serving as supports. Similarly, the free end of part 5 of the bottom of the element 1 is provided with a heel 23 which serves as an intermediate support.

FIG. 1A shows the groove 71 and the corresponding finger 151.

According to FIGS. 2 and 3, it can be seen that the front wall part 8 cooperates with the front wall part 9 of the element 2.

Finally, according to Figures 1-4, partly known back, the back 4, 14 is provided with a hook 25, 26 belonging respectively to the elements 1, 2 and which allow the receptacle to be hung on a bar, the hook 26 has only a width corresponding to that of the base 16.

This angle iron is provided with reinforcing ribs.

According to FIG. 3, the front wall parts 8, 9 are each provided with fixing means 100, 101 for example in the form of pins to receive a plastic tape preferably very resistant and comprising perforations corresponding to the pins 100, 101. This band not shown may receive an advertising impression, indications relating to the nature of products, their quality and price, etc.

The attachment of the strip to the pins 100, 101 or any other removable fixing means also makes it possible to keep the two elements 1, 2 together after the products have been put in place. This strip completes and in some cases replaces the heat shrink film.

Figures 5 and 6 show an alternative embodiment of the invention. This variant differs from the embodiment described above only by the male and female connecting members 31, 32. They are produced in the grooves and on the fingers and, while allowing the telescopic deployment of the two elements one by compared to the other, reinforce the retention of the fingers in the grooves to prevent the internal stresses induced in the plastic material during the production of elements 1 and 2, from being able to bring one or the other of the fingers out of its groove or vice versa. This same connection by male part 31 and female part 32 is also provided for the front wall part 8 of the receptacle.

Finally, FIG. 5 shows the bar 40 to which the hook 25, 26 already described above can be fixed and which is also provided in this second embodiment.

The receptacle variant shown in FIG. 5A corresponds to an embodiment with a low back 4a in one piece with the edge 25A forming the hook. In this variant, the connecting members 31A, 32A are similar to those of FIG. 5.

FIG. 6 shows in more detail the shape of the bottom of the receptacle appearing in FIG. 5. This figure reveals the excellent flatness of the upper surface of the bottom thanks to the shape of the fingers 50 sliding in the grooves 51. The connection and the telescopic movement are provided by the connecting members 52, 53.

FIG. 6A is a variant of the means of assembly and telescopic connection by male and female parts.

In this case, one of the elements comprises only ribs 60 and the other of the fingers 61 coming in the interval between the ribs 60. The latter (60) can be connected by a heel such as the heel 23 of the embodiment. embodiment shown in Figures 1 to 3.

The ribs 60 and fingers 61 are connected by connecting members 62, 63 similar to those already described.

It should be noted that this embodiment which eliminates the grooves makes it possible to produce ribs 60 and fingers 61 ′ having the same thickness E, that is to say of which not only the upper surface 64A, 64B but also the lower surface 65A, 65B are respectively on the same level.

Figures 7 and 8 are detail views of another embodiment of the invention.

This is characterized by fingers 100, 102 with rounded convex sides 100A, 101A on one of the bottom parts of the receptacle and fingers 102, 103 with concave rounded sides 102B, 103B on the other part.

It should be noted that the upper face and the lower face of the fingers 100, 101, 102, 103 are flat and at the same level, as in the other embodiments, in order to have a flat surface for the products in the receptacle.

The back of the receptacle, not shown, is made in the same way as the bottom.

The front part has been removed and replaced by a zone 105 with grooves 106 preferably vertical, separated by ribs 107.

The facing grooves 106 form slides for a removable front partition which can be placed in a position defined according to the products placed in the receptacle.

The front edge 108 of the bottom forms a slide housing for a display plate, for example a product description and price label (not shown).

FIG. 7 also reveals a rivet 109 serving as a guide and stop means. The rivet is engaged in an orifice at the end of one or more fingers of the bottom and, where appropriate, of the side walls.

Finally, according to the variant shown in FIG. 7, the fingers 100, 101 of one part (in gray) are connected by a band 110 and the fingers 103, 104 of the other part are connected by a band 111.

The receptacles described above in various variants are used for grouping and transporting products intended to be presented to sale in receptacles. To keep the receptacle closed and the products grouped together, the receptacle loaded with products is tightened by a heat-shrinkable film or by a stretch film.

The invention also applies to various other fields and, in particular, as a storage receptacle, for example a tray receiving parts of different dimensions in a storage area, a store, etc. This receptacle can also serve as a storage drawer. The side walls are then provided with a shoulder, the lower part of which fits into the raceways on which the drawer slides.

Claims (12)

1 ^o ) Receptacle adaptable in width comprising a bottom, a back, a front edge and two side walls, receptacle characterized in that:
- It is formed of two elements (1, 2) each comprising a side wall (3, 13) bordered by the back (4, 14) and a part of the bottom,
- the parts of the back (4, 14) and the parts of the bottom (5, 15) of the two elements (1, 2) being respectively nested one in the other to allow an adjustment of the width (L) of the receptacle by bringing the two elements together (1, 2). 2 ^o ) receptacle according to claim 1, characterized in that the parts of the bottom (5, 15) and those of the back (4, 14) have the shape of fingers (71, 72, 151, 152) sliding in one other. 3 ^o ) receptacle according to claim 1, characterized in that the part of the bottom (5) and that of the back (4) of one of the elements (1) is in the form of a tablecloth section in Greek with grooves and ribs ( 71, 72, 121, 122) and the part of the bottom (15) and that of the back (14) of the other element (2) is in the form of fingers (151, 141) sliding in the grooves (71, 121) formed by the section section in Greek of the first element (1). 4 ^o ) receptacle according to claim 1 and claim 3, characterized in that the grooves (71, 121) and the fingers (151, 141) are provided with longitudinal retaining means. 5 ^o ) receptacle according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises a front wall (8, 9) occupying only part of the front face of the receptacle, this front wall being formed of a part belonging to each of the two elements, these two parts sliding one inside the other and / or relative to the bottom, telescopically following the telescopic movement of the other parts of the two elements (1, 2). 6 ^o ) receptacle according to claim 1, characterized in that the back has hooks (25, 26). 7 ^o ) receptacle according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the side walls (3, 13) form a foot higher (21) than the thickness of the bottom (5, 15). 8 ^o ) receptacle according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that one (1) of the two elements (1, 2) is provided with a heel (23). 9 ^o ) receptacle according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the teeth (151, 141) end with a base (16, 46) located at the junction of the back (14) or the bottom (15) and the side wall (13) and the section in the form of a tablecloth with a section in Greek ends on the homologous side with a base (36, 46) at the junction of the back (4) and the bottom (5) and of the side wall (3). 10) Receptacle according to any one of claims 1 and 2, characterized in that the nested parts consist of ribs (60) and fingers (61) rekués oar litebs of asselbkage (62, 63) allowing telescopic sliding , these ribs and fingers having the same thickness (E) and their upper and lower surfaces (64A, 64B and 65A, 65B) are respectively at the same level. 11) Receptacle according to claims 1 and 3, characterized in that the bottom part and the back part of the elements comprise fingers (100, 101 and 102, 103) of rounded shape with convex side and flat upper surface and the fingers of the other member have concave rounded sides (102, 103) and a flat top and bottom. 12) Receptacle according to claim 1, characterized in that the side walls carry at the front an area (105) formed of grooves (106) and the facing grooves, respectively on one and the other side, define runners to receive an adjustable front plate.

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