EP0504081B1 - Leg for a stackable container base of pallet type - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to the field of packaging objects, more particularly the storage and handling of parts or sets of parts, and relates to a foot, in particular for container base, of the pallet type, which can be stacked.

Currently, stackable containers, of the pallet type intended to support a part or a set of parts, possibly arranged on trays or similar storage elements, are generally composed, on the one hand, of a base consisting essentially of crosspieces crisscrossed and delimited laterally by side members and pads on the ground and, on the other hand, vertical uprights allowing stacking, empty or loaded, of said pallet type containers

The assembly of the side members and the support pads between them, as well as the fixing of the vertical uprights on the base at these assembly points, are made or reinforced, in the case of direct connection, by means of assemblies connecting parts connected together, in particular by welding, and each performing a particular function.

Each set of connecting pieces, also called hereafter foot, generally comprises a sheet metal element bent in a U ensuring the maintenance of a corresponding upright in vertical position, one or more reinforcing pieces of the sheet metal element and connections support beam, such as flanges and gussets, as well as a stacking cup allowing the centering of the containers during their stacking and ensuring the stability of the stack obtained.

When the containers are provided with articulated uprights, it is possible, on the one hand, to carry out stacking under load in which the upper container rests by its base on the uprights raised from the lower container and, on the other hand, stacking to empty, in which the base of the upper container rests directly on the sheet metal elements bent in a U shape at the feet of the lower container, the uprights of said lower container being folded.

However, the structure of these feet, in several pieces of different natures assembled together, causes many drawbacks.

In fact, each piece making up said base is manufactured and stored individually, from which large outstandings result. The assembly of said parts in one foot requires many specific templates and results in an accumulation of dimensional tolerances, as well as inhomogeneous mechanical resistance of the assembled assembly.

In addition, their assembly, often by welding, causes deformations of these connecting pieces, requiring consecutive straightening, where it results in significant play and a lack of consistency in the stability of the dimensional dimensions of the feet produced.

In addition, the various parts joined together in one leg are subject to corrosion by electrolysis and to oxidation, in particular at the weld points.

Finally, the implementation of such sets of connecting pieces or feet, during the mounting of the containers, is complex and tedious.

Document DE-U-8 432 180 discloses an element, serving as a foot according to the preamble of claim 1.

The present invention aims to overcome these drawbacks.

It has, in fact, for its object a foot, in particular for a container base, of the pallet type, which can be stacked, delimited laterally by side members and support pads, foot characterized by the features of the second pastie of claim 1.

• la figure 1 est une vue en perspective d'un pied conforme à l'invention, selon un premier mode de réalisation ;
• la figure 2 est une vue en élévation frontale d'un pied, selon un deuxième mode de réalisation de l'invention, et
• la figure 3 est une vue en élévation latérale suivant A du pied représenté à la figure 2.

The invention will be better understood from the following description, which relates to various preferred embodiments, given by way of nonlimiting examples, and explained with reference to the appended schematic drawings, in which:

• Figure 1 is a perspective view of a foot according to the invention, according to a first embodiment;
• FIG. 2 is a front elevation view of a foot, according to a second embodiment of the invention, and
• FIG. 3 is a side elevation view along A of the foot shown in FIG. 2.

In accordance with the invention and as shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 of the accompanying drawings, the stand 1 is mainly constituted, on the one hand, by a body 2 essentially in the form of a tube or U-shaped profile, ensuring in particular the maintenance, in an upright position, of an upright 3 articulated or not with respect to said body 2 and, on the other hand, by assembly elements 4, 4 ′, 5 and 5 ′ of side members 6 and support pads 7 respectively between them, said foot 1 having a one-piece structure coming from molding.

The body 2 advantageously has, on the one hand, a tubular structure when the upright 3 is permanently fixed in a vertical position in the foot 1 and, on the other hand, a U-shaped shape when the upright 3 is articulated by the 'through a pivot axis 8 housed in perforations 9 or aligned grooves 9', formed in the branches of the U-shaped profile constituting the body 2, said upright 3 can thus be pivoted in the folded position, especially in the case of stacking empty.

The foot 1 thus produced has improved structural rigidity and mechanical and anti-corrosion resistance compared to known feet, made from several pieces.

In addition, it is possible to guarantee a very low tolerance on dimensional variations, making it possible to manufacture said feet 1 in large series while retaining identical dimensions.

The manufacture of the foot 1 according to the invention in a single step, by molding, makes it possible to eliminate the stocks of pieces of different natures and also results in a reduction in the weight of said foot 1.

The integration of several assembly elements 4, 4 ′, 5 and 5 ′ in the one-piece structure of the foot 1 facilitates the fixing of the side members 6 and of the support pads 7 on the latter and, consequently, allows rapid assembly. and easy corresponding container bases.

According to a characteristic of the invention, shown in Figures 1 to 3 of the accompanying drawings, the assembly elements 4, 4 ′, 5 and 5 ′ are composed, on the one hand, of two sleeves 4 and 4 ′ arranged radially relative to the body 2 and intended to receive the ends of two longitudinal members 6 and, on the other hand, of two lower extensions 5 and 5 ′ for the support on the ground of the foot 1 and the fixing of two support pads 7.

The lower extensions 5 and 5 ′ may include recesses 10 allowing the precise positioning of the support pads 4 and 4 ′ before their attachment to the foot 1.

For the realization of containers with quadratic base, the two sleeves 4 and 4 ′, as well as the two lower extensions 5 and 5 ′, are located at 90 ° one relative to each other and the sleeves 4 and 4 ′ are arranged directly above the corresponding lower extensions 5 and 5 ′, a sleeve 4 and a lower extension 5 extending from the open face 11 of the body 2 in U-shaped profile (Figures 1 to 3).

The feet 1 therefore constitute angular assembly elements of the bases, the arrangement of the side members 6 and the support pads 7 being determined directly by the structural characteristics and the dimensions of the foot 1 coming from molding, from which it results in a very high precision of assembly of said container bases.

According to a characteristic of the invention, the body 2 is extended at its lower part by a centering lug 12 and is provided at its upper part by a housing 13 for a cam 14 for locking in the raised position of an articulated amount 3. As shown in Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings, in broken dashed lines, the feet 1 of an upper container can rest, either directly on the feet 1 of the lower container (empty stacking, uprights 3 folded), or on the uprights 3 , upright and locked in vertical position, of said lower container (stacking under load).

In order to increase the mechanical resistance of the foot 1 according to the invention, in particular under load, the latter also includes stiffening spacers 15 extending between each sleeve 4 or 4 ′ and the corresponding lower extension 5 or 5 ′, thus as reinforcements 16 for fixing the sleeves 4 and 4 ′ to the body 2 (Figures 1 and 2).

In addition, said foot 1 is provided in its lower part with at least one opening 17 for the evacuation of liquids which may possibly penetrate into the body 2 of said foot 1.

As shown in Figures 2 and 3 of the accompanying drawings, the foot 1 can be provided, in the case of cooperation with an articulated upright 3, a lifting and folding device. The latter is advantageously in the form of a jack 19 fixed, on the one hand, to the sleeve 4 arranged on the side of the open face 11 of the body 2 and connected, on the other hand, to a support pad 18, integral with the articulated upright 3 and allowing said upright 3 to rest on the beam 4 in the folded position.

According to an additional characteristic of the invention, the one-piece leg 1 is advantageously made of weldable cast steel, and is optionally covered with an additional protective layer, obtained, for example, by electrodeposition. However, said foot 1 may also consist of a plastic or a composite material, having great rigidity.

Thanks to the invention, it is therefore possible to produce a stand 1 in one piece for a container base, of the pallet type, which can be stacked, having a very high rigidity, as well as a high mechanical resistance, and allowing a Precise and rapid assembly of said bases.

In addition, said foot 1, coming from molding, can be manufactured in very large series without significant variation in dimensional dimensions between the different feet 1 from the same mold, and also makes it possible to facilitate the work in progress by standardizing said feet 1 under form of several different specific models.

Of course, the invention is not limited to the embodiments described and shown in the accompanying drawings. Modifications remain possible, in particular from the point of view of the constitution of the various elements or by substitution of technical equivalents, without however departing from the field of protection of claims.

Claims (10)

1. Support, notably for a container base of the pallet type able to be stacked, delimited laterally by longitudinal members and support blocks, a support which is principally formed on the one hand by a body (2) and on the other hand by components (4, 4', 5, 5') for connecting longitudinal members (6) and support blocks (7) respectively to each other, characterised in that the body is essentially in the form of a tube or a U-shaped profiled section, ensuring notably that an upright (3), which may or may not be pivoted with respect to the said body (2), is held in the vertical position, and in that the said support (1) is cast in a single piece.
2. Support according to Claim 1, characterised in that the connecting components (4, 4', 5, 5') are composed on the one hand of two sleeves (4 and 4') disposed radially with respect to the body (2) and designed to receive the ends of two longitudinal members (6) and on the other hand of two bottom extensions (5 and 5') for the support (1) to bear on the ground and for fixing two support blocks (7).
3. Support according to Claim 2, characterised in that, for producing square bases, the two sleeves (4 and 4') and the two bottom extensions (5 and 5') are situated at 90° with respect to each other and the sleeves (4 and 4') are disposed straight above the corresponding bottom extensions (5 and 5'), a sleeve (4) and a bottom extension (5) extending from the open face (11) of the body (2) in the form of a U-shaped profiled section.
4. Support according to any one of Claims 1 to 3, characterised in that the body (2) is extended, at its bottom, by a centring lug (12) and has, at its top, a recess (13) for a cam (14) for locking a pivoted upright (3) in the raised position.
5. Support according to any one of Claims 2 to 4, characterised in that it also has stiffening braces (15) extending between each sleeve (4 or 4') and the corresponding bottom extension (5 or 5'), and reinforcements (16) for the fixing of the sleeves (4 and 4') to the body (2).
6. Support according to any one of Claims 1 to 5, characterised in that it has, in its bottom part, at least one drainage opening (17).
7. Support according to any one of Claims 1 to 6, characterised in that it has, in the case of cooperation with a pivoted upright (3), a raising and folding device.
8. Support according to Claim 7, characterised in that the raising and folding device is advantageously in the form of a jack (l9) fixed on the one hand to the sleeve (4) disposed on the same side as the open face (11) of the body (2) and connected on the other hand to a support stud (18) fixed to the pivoted upright (3).
9. Support according to any one of Claims 1 to 8, characterised in that it is produced from weldable cast steel and is covered, optionally, with an additional protective coating.
10. Support according to any one of Claims 1 to 8, characterised in that it is formed from a plastic material or a composite material having great rigidity.

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