RU2528160C2 - Box with movable walls - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: personal use articles.

SUBSTANCE: handy flexible (collapsible) box (10) includes a floor (12) and four side walls (14a, 14b, 14c, 14d) positioned in pairs opposite each other and placed upwards (16) relative to the floor (12). One of the four side walls (14a-14d) is an opening wall (14d) that, while in the closed position, completely covers the side surface area and may be moved into the opened position wherein the opening wall (14d) covers only part of the side surface area so that the opening wall (14d), while in the opened position, at least partly covers one of the interfacing side wall (14a, 14c) or the floor (12) of the box.

EFFECT: design improvement.

7 cl, 8 dwg

Description

The claimed invention relates to boxes for transporting goods, providing the possibility of more flexible (practical) use, so that, for example, transported goods could be loaded or unloaded in a simpler way.

There are many different boxes on the market for transportation and storage. So, crates or racks (trellis box) with a rectangular base are used, whose external dimensions are partially adapted to the transported cargo. So, fruits and vegetables are partially loaded directly on the floor into suitable shipping crates, in which they are put on shelves at retail, and the buyer collects goods directly from these crates. Also, already packaged products often go on sale directly in transport crates in order to reduce the number of necessary congestion in the retail store as much as possible and, thus, reduce costs. Thus, for example, eggs packed in six or ten pieces in retail containers are placed on shelves directly in transport crates so that the buyer can take eggs from the transport crate.

So, the boxes are traditionally made with rigid side walls so that the box is loaded and unloaded through the top, and thus the goods to be transported are loaded into the box from above or unloaded from above. This can be inconvenient to use, because, for example, a buyer who wants to take the goods from the box can hardly reach the goods when the box, for example, is high on a shelf, which makes it impossible to access the goods in the box from above. Also, when the storage boxes are stacked on top of each other to save space, access to the contents of the box becomes impossible in the boxes below, because they overlap with boxes on top.

Thus, there is a need to manufacture more practical boxes in which, for example, goods to be transported in a box can be loaded and unloaded in a more convenient way than before, that is, the box can eventually be used and applied in a more universal way.

According to one implementation of the present invention, increased flexibility is provided by the design of the box, consisting of a floor (bottom) and four side walls located in pairs opposite each other, which are located vertically upward from the floor, while one of the four side walls is an opening wall. An opening wall that completely covers the side surface region in the closed state (in which it is located vertically upward from the floor) can be turned into an open state in which it covers only a part of the side surface region in this way, while in the open state the opening wall at least partially covers one of the adjacent side walls or the floor.

When closed, the opening wall is connected to the floor and to adjacent side walls by means of a non-rigid or movable connection. In the fully open state, the opening wall is still connected to the box, according to some embodiments, but it no longer forms a side wall that limits the volume of the box from the outside. When closed, the box can be used for transportation when, in addition to the floor, the box is bounded by one side wall on each of its four sides. The opening wall, however, is at least partially movable relative to the closed position such that the side surface region that is completely covered by the opening wall, in the closed state, is only partially covered or no longer completely closed by the opening wall. Thus, in the open state, through an area of the side surface that is no longer covered, the goods can be taken out of the box or the goods can be loaded into the box without requiring access from above. This significantly increases the practicality of the box, because, thus, for example, the product transported in the box can be placed directly on the shelf. By translating the opening wall into the open state, one can achieve direct and effortless access to goods, without paying attention to where the box is located on the shelf.

The advantage is that the opening wall, according to some implementations, is not completely separated from the drawer when it is opened, which again would lead to logistical problems and problems associated with use. Moreover, the opening wall can be brought into the open state in such a way that it will still be connected to the box and, in particular, will partially cover one of the adjacent side walls or the floor of the box. This is achieved by one of the embodiments of the side wall or the retention and opening mechanisms of the side wall, which are given below, while achieving the advantage that in the open position the opening wall still remains connected to other parts of the drawer and thus cannot be lost. In some implementations of the present invention, the remaining three side walls are mounted to the floor, allowing disassembly or folding, so that the box can be folded by folding the three side walls relative to the vertical position in a horizontal position in which the walls are mainly parallel to the floor of the box and partially cover. In some further embodiments of the invention, the opening wall is movable so that when it is open it covers the floor or adjacent side wall so that it does not interfere with the ability to fold the three remaining side walls.

According to some implementations, this is achieved by moving the opening wall when it is opened and located on the floor side, opposite the side on which the remaining side walls are located. In some implementations, the opening wall is brought into an open position in which it is parallel to the bottom surface of the floor opposite the remaining side walls, where it is installed or fixed. Thus, when the opening wall is open, the remaining side walls can be folded to the upper surface of the floor, resulting in a compactly folded box, which in this folded state requires less space and can be transported in the most convenient way for reloading.

An alternative way to move the opening wall is to make it possible to cover one of the adjacent side walls in the open state so that the corresponding side wall together with the opening wall can be folded onto the floor surface, as a result of which the entire drawer will remain folded. In some implementations, the opening wall is movable not only in order to fully reveal the covered area of the side surface. It is possible, according to some implementations, to move the opening wall only partially in the direction of the fully open position, so that access to the goods transported in the box can slowly and steadily expand. That is, in this embodiment, a region of a side surface of a box that is no longer covered by an opening wall may vary continuously or discretely. In some implementations, the opening wall is divided into two or more parts, so that the parts can move separately from each other, and can be brought into the overlay position with an adjacent side wall or box floor separately. It also, for example, allows the selective identification of goods transported or stored in a box.

According to some further implementations, the boxes are stacked both in the folded state, in which the opening wall is in the open state, and in the transport state in which the opening wall is in the closed state. Thus, the floor has a structure that ensures that the bottom of the box has an edge region of the fixed floor, that is, on the floor surface, turned away from the side walls fixed and directed vertically downward, which makes stacking possible. In this regard, the edge region of the floor, according to some embodiments of the invention, extends farther in the vertical direction than the opening wall, even when it is in the open state. This allows the boxes to be stacked even when the opening wall is open under the floor of the box.

According to some implementations, the side walls or the opening wall include gripping mechanisms by which the side walls or the opening wall can be blocked by adjacent walls when the walls are upright, so that a high degree of stability of the box can be ensured during transportation.

Hereinafter, some implementations of the present invention are explained in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

figure 1 shows the implementation of the claimed box with an opening wall in its closed state;

figure 2 presents the implementation of the box made in accordance with figure 1 with an opening wall in its half-open state;

figure 3 presents the implementation of the box of figures 1 and 2 with an opening wall in its open state;

figure 4 presents the implementation of the box of figures 1-3 in the folded state;

on figa presents a view in section of 2 additions of stacked boxes in figures 1-4;

on fig.5b presents a view in projection of the marginal region of the floor of the box;

figure 6 presents a further implementation of the claimed box;

Fig.7 shows a further alternative implementation of the claimed box.

Figure 1 shows the implementation of a practical flexible (folding) box 10. Box 10 includes a floor 12 and four side walls 14a-14d, respectively, arranged in pairs opposite each other, which are located from the floor 12 in the vertical direction 16 upwards. In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1, all four side walls 14a-14b have approximately the same height, that is, they rise in the vertical direction 16 by the same distance. However, this is only an example, and other implementations may have individual differences with respect to the height of the side walls 14a-14d. For example, side walls, which are respectively arranged in pairs opposite each other, can have the same height, or each side wall can have a different height.

Due to its design features, the side wall 14d is an opening wall, which is illustrated in the closed state in FIG. 1, in which the opening wall 14d covers the drawer from the outside, i.e. completely covers the side surface, or overlaps the side surface region. As previously shown with respect to the following embodiments, the entire region of the side surface covered in the closed state by the opening wall 14b, or at least part of this region of the side surface, can be formed by the opening wall 14d, so that through this region of the side surface, which covered in the closed state by the opening wall 14d, the inside of the box becomes accessible in order to take out the transported goods or put them in a box. As explained hereinafter with reference to FIGS. 2-4, the opening wall 14d can be brought into the open state from the position illustrated in FIG. 1 by means of the opening wall 14d covering only part of the side surface region so that the opening can open wall 14d at least partially covers floor 12.

The opening wall 14d includes a first locking mechanism 18a and a second locking mechanism 18b, by using which the opening wall 14b in the closed state can be locked by the adjacent adjacent side walls 14a or 14c, respectively, to ensure the stability of the drawer 10. Similarly, the side walls 14a and 14c include mechanisms grippers 20a and 20b, through the use of which the side walls 14a and 14c can be blocked by the side wall 14b. The side walls 14a, 14b and 14c are mounted movably relative to the floor 12 so that the side walls can be folded relative to the vertical position illustrated in FIG. 1, inward towards the floor, so that when folded they are, mainly in a horizontal position parallel floor 12, as illustrated in FIG. The inner part is further associated with an area that is bounded by the side walls 14a-14d in the closed state of the box, that is, in which the goods to be transported can be enclosed in the box. All directions are considered horizontal, which are oriented perpendicular to the vertical direction 16, that is, all directions that are parallel to the plane in which the floor 12 is located.

To enable folding of the side walls 14a-14c at the positions of the first side wall 14a, the second side wall 14b, and the third side wall 14c, the floor 12 includes an edge region of the fixed floor 22a, 22b, 22c located vertically upward 16, where the edge regions of the floor 22a and 22c, mating with opposite side walls 14a and 14c, are located lower in the vertical direction 16 than the edge region of the floor 22b of the side wall 14b. In the upper part of the marginal regions of the floor, each of the side walls 14a, 14b and 14c is fixed to the floor 12 or the mating marginal regions 22a-22c by means of hinges. This leads to the fact that in the folded state illustrated in FIG. 4, the side walls 14a-14c are generally in a horizontal position parallel to the floor, where each of the side walls at least partially covers the floor. Embodiments of the invention shown in FIGS. 1-4 include an opening wall 14d that is movable so that when fully open it is completely located on the surface of the floor 12 opposite the remaining side walls 14a-14c. As shown with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3, after removing the locks 18 and 18b, the side wall can be folded or tilted outward so that after tilting it is in a horizontal position parallel to the floor. From this position, as illustrated in FIG. 2, the side wall can be inserted from the bottom of the floor in the direction of the insert 24, so that after full insertion it is in the position under the floor illustrated in FIG. 3, i.e., the opening wall 14d is located on the surface floor opposite the remaining side walls 14A-14C.

Thus, it becomes possible in the position illustrated in FIG. 3 to remove goods from the box or load them into the box without having to have access from above.

At the same time, by tilting the side wall outward and moving it under the floor, it is guaranteed that when opening and closing the opening wall it does not affect the internal volume of the drawer, that is, its inner area so that even when the drawer is fully loaded, the opening wall 14d may be opened.

Although only one opening wall 14d is illustrated in FIGS. 1-3, it is also possible in alternative embodiments to provide an additional opening wall, for example, making side wall 14b an additional opening wall, so that alternatively either side wall 14b or side wall 14d can be used like an opening wall.

At the same time, according to further alternative embodiments, the remaining side walls, in addition to the opening wall, are rigid, that is, they are not suitable for folding.

The possibility of folding the side walls 14a-14c gives an additional advantage in that the drawer, when the opening wall 14b is open and the side walls 14a-14c folded, has a small volume and can be transported in an empty, light and cost-effective way. To make it possible to stack the drawers in the unfolded as well as in the folded state, illustrated in FIG. 4, the floor 12 on the side opposite to the side walls 14a-14c has edge regions of the fixed floor, each of which extends downward in the vertical direction 16, which as can be seen in FIGS. 3 and 4 and, in particular, in FIG. 5, they are lowered vertically down further than the opening wall 14d in the open state. This can be seen, in particular, in FIG. 5, which illustrates a section through two drawers mounted on top of each other in a folded state, where the section passes along section line 30 illustrated in FIG.

As shown in section in figa, the edge region of the fixed floor 32 opposite the side walls 14a-14c is located lower in the vertical direction 16 than the opening wall in the open state, folded under the floor. This leads to the fact that the box 10 can be stacked both in the open and in the folded state, regardless of whether the opening wall is open or closed in the open state, since floor 12 or the lower edge region of the fixed floor can always be used as a contact surface.

As can be seen in FIG. 5, in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1-4, the opening wall 14d can move or push under the floor 12 after folding. To this end, on the respective opposing fixed sides of the lower edge regions of the floor opposite the side walls 14a and 14c, the floor 12 has grooves or slots into which the opening wall 14d is directed.

Fig. 5b schematically shows a perspective view of a marginal region of a fixed floor mated to a side wall 14a. This is a view from direction 40 illustrated in FIG.

A section through floor 12 is illustrated and a view of the edge region of the fixed floor 22a oriented in the vertical direction up and the edge region of the fixed floor 32 oriented in the vertical direction down. In the edge region of the floor 32, oriented downward, there is a guide groove or slots (grooves) 42 into which the opening wall 14d can be guided when it moves under the floor 12. In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 5b, for this purpose, the opening wall 14d can for example, have a bolt that is positioned from the direction 40 of the opening wall 14b and engages the groove 42. If the guide groove 42, as illustrated in FIG. 5b, closes in the direction of the opening wall 14, that is, at its end 44 in the vertical direction 16, so h so that by means of the bolt of the opening wall in the unfolded state, the force could be transmitted to the floor 12. Since the guide groove 42 also closes forward, that is, in the horizontal direction 45, it prevents the need for the opening wall to be detachable (removable) from the rest of the drawer.

6 shows a further embodiment of the box, also including floor 12 and four side walls 14a-14d, which are arranged in pairs opposite each other in the closed state of the box. In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 6, the side wall 14d forming the opening wall includes a plurality of thin plates arranged vertically on top of each other so that the opening wall 14d can move continuously or discontinuously in the vertical or opposite direction 16 so that it is completely or partially open the side surface area. Thus, the region of the side surface, as in previous embodiments, should be the region that can be maximally opened, in other words, the surface covered by the opening wall 14d in a fully closed state.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 6, the opening wall 14d, consisting of thin plates, is movable, so that the opening wall in the open state is completely placed on the surface of the floor 12 opposite the remaining side walls 14a, 14b and 14c. Thus, the opening wall 14d, consisting of thin plates, can, for example, be guided into the grooves 42 on the lower surface of the floor 12, as is, for example, illustrated with reference to fig.5b. Further, the opening wall 14d can, for example, also be guided into grooves in the side walls 14a and 14c. In view of the implementation illustrated in FIG. 6, one of the advantages is also that in the open state the opening wall partially covers the floor 12, that is, remains connected to the box so that the volume occupied by the box does not increase when the opening wall is translated into open state. Similarly, in the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 6, there is an additional opportunity to make the side walls 14a, 14b and 14c foldable.

7 shows a further alternative embodiment of a flexible (folding) box, which also includes a floor 12 and side walls 14a, 14b, 14c and 14d, which are pairwise opposite to each other in the closed state, with the side wall 14d being an opening wall.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 7, the opening wall can be divided into a first wall region 50a and a second wall region 50b, each of which includes a plurality of thin plates arranged in a vertical direction. In the open state, the first region of the side wall 50a at least partially covers the side wall 14a, and the second region of the side wall 50b at least partially covers the side wall 14c. Of course, only one of the wall regions 50a or 50b can be opened, so that only one of the wall regions partially or completely covers the corresponding side wall 14a or 14c. Also in this embodiment, the opening wall is configured such that in the open state, the opening wall 14d at least partially or completely covers one of the adjacent side surfaces 14a or 14c so that, if necessary, the side walls can be additionally folded.

As an alternative to the implementation illustrated in FIG. 7, the opening wall may also consist of only one element, again formed of several thin plates, so that in the open state only one of the side walls 14a or 14c is partially covered by the opening wall.

Although the previous embodiments mainly discussed fruit and vegetable crates or crates intended to transport their contents to retail stores, the concept of the invention is of course suitable for any other type of container. For example, box pallets, containers, or freight containers may be manufactured as boxes presented in the foregoing, so that an alternative type of access to the internal volume of the containers or boxes appears through an opening wall.

Additionally, tool boxes or beverage boxes or, in general, any alternative cases, racks or the like, can be made with opening walls according to the described embodiments.

The geometry of the boxes, of course, is not limited to the rectangular shape of the floor described above. Alternatively, boxes can be used with any number of side walls, for example triangular boxes, pentagonal, hexagonal, or, generally speaking, boxes with any number of side walls can be used.

In alternative embodiments, in addition, the drawers do not open upward, but have a lid that closes the drawer from above. When using the opening walls, it is still possible to conveniently use the drawers, even if they have a lid. In these implementations, the lids connected to four or any number of side walls on the side opposite the floor can be fixedly or removably connected to the box.

Claims (7)

1. Box (10), including floor (12); two oppositely located short side walls (14a, 14c) placed upward from the floor (12) in the vertical direction (16); and two oppositely located long side walls (14b, 14d), placed upward from the floor (12) in the vertical direction (16); wherein one of the four side walls is made in the form of an opening wall (14d) that completely covers the side surface region in the closed state and can be turned into an open state in which the opening wall (14d) covers only part of the side surface region so that in the open state, the opening wall (14d) is installed under the floor (12), characterized in that that one of the long side walls is designed as an opening wall (14d); side walls (14a, 14b, 14c), which are not designed as an opening wall, are movable relative to the floor (12) so that the side walls can be folded inward from a vertical position in the direction of the floor so that when folded they are in a horizontal position parallel to the floor (12); and the floor, on opposite sides of the short side walls (14a, 14c) adjacent to the opening wall (14d), includes edge regions of the fixed floor (32) located in the vertical direction (16) lower than the opening wall (14d) when folded under the floor, so that the drawer (10) both in the unfolded and folded state can be stacked, regardless of whether the opening wall is open or closed in the unfolded state, where in the unfolded and folded state the edge region of the fixed floor (32) forms a contact surface between tabelirovannymi boxes. 2. Box (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that the opening wall (14d) in the open state is parallel to the floor (12). 3. A box (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that the edge regions of the fixed floor (32) include a guide groove (42) on respectively opposite surfaces into which the opening wall (14d) is directed when it is brought into the open state. 4. Box (10) according to claim 3, characterized in that the opening wall (14d) includes a spindle configured to fit in the guide groove (42). 5. A box (10) according to claim 4, characterized in that the guide groove (42) is closed at the top in the horizontal direction and the vertical direction at the ends adjacent to the side surface region, so that the spindle cannot exit the guide groove (42) and in the vertical direction a non-rigid connection was formed between the spindle and the groove. 6. Box (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that the opening wall (14d) is connected to the floor (12) so that the opening wall (14d) is configured to deflect outward from a vertically upward oriented position into a position oriented parallel to the floor (12) of the drawer (10). 7. A box according to claim 1, characterized in that the opening wall (14d) includes at least two locking mechanisms (18a, 18b), where each locking mechanism (18a, 18b) is designed to block the opening wall (14d) in closed state from each of the adjacent short side walls (14a, 14c).

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