COMBI BOX FOR THE TRANSPORT AND STORAGE OF GOODS
A combi box for the transport and storage of goods, containing a lower part and an upper part of a cut up plastic crate, with a middle part placed between the lower part and the upper part. The inserted middle part is connected on the lower perimeter with the lower part and on the upper perimeter with the upper part by means of locking joints, wherein each locking joint contains the first locking portion formed on a vertical rib of the lower part and on a vertical rib of the upper part, wherein this first locking portion fits into the second locking portion formed on the lower perimeter and on the upper perimeter of the middle part. The second locking portion is surrounded by a solid surface or a cut is provided from the second locking portion towards the open sides of the middle part.
The technical solution relates to a combi box for the transport and storage of goods
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ARTDifferent containers, crates or boxes in which the goods are stored are used to transport different types of goods. Among the most famous means of transporting goods are the “injection moulded crates”. These “injection moulded crates” are made by injection moulds and are made up of a uniform material. The disadvantage is the high initial investment in injection moulding tools, the higher weight, and the loss of internal loading dimensions with increasing height of the crate (bevels necessary for removing from moulds). The injection moulded crates have a finite service life. When the injection moulded material is damaged and is no longer useful, the entire crate is discarded and ground as a means to recycle plastic. Alternatively, the injection moulded crate can become obsolete or undesirable if the parts for which it was designed are no longer in use. Among other famous means of transporting goods are “construction crates”. These are composed of a base of cut sheet material (made using a cutting tool) and a stacking profile (made using an extrusion mould). Unlike injection moulded crates, they are mostly used for making atypical dimensions with less demanded quantities. The drawbacks of “construction crates” are higher series costs, often limited carrying capacity and more expensive recycling. EP application 2368683 discloses a crate made from a cut up injection moulded crate or construction crate. Such cut up crate forms the lower part (lower frame) and the upper part (upper frame) of the new crate, wherein the middle part referred to as the casing is inserted between the cut parts. This middle part connects by welding with the lower and upper parts of the cut up injection moulded crate. The disadvantage of these welded crates is the complexity of setting the lower and upper parts of the cut up injection moulded crate towards the middle part, when the position needs to be fixed before welding. The position is fixed by means of notches, which are formed on the middle part, wherein the ribs found on the cut parts of the injection moulded crates are inserted into these notches. Neither fixation of the position by means of ribs will ensure a trouble-free positioning of the middle part for welding the upper and lower parts of the cut up injection moulded crate, so the upper and lower parts must be mechanically secured before welding, which is very disadvantageous. Another disadvantage of this crate is that if damaged, it is no longer usable.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe disadvantages of the known means of transporting and storing goods are eliminated by a combi box according to the technical solution. The combi box includes a lower part and an upper part which are formed from a used or a new cut up plastic injection moulded or construction crate. The middle part which is formed by a casing with two open sides slides (is inserted) onto this cut up parts of the crate, i.e. between the lower and the upper part, wherein the middle part can be of different heights. The essence of the technical solution is that the inserted middle part is by one open side connected with the lower part on the lower perimeter and by the second open side it is connected with the upper part on the upper perimeter, by means of locking joints. The locking joint comprises the first locking portion formed on a vertical rib of the lower part and on a vertical rib of the upper part. The vertical ribs, on which the first locking portion is formed, are the original ribs formed on the cut up injection moulded or construction crate. This first locking portion fits into the second locking portion, which is formed on the side of the lower perimeter and on the side of the upper perimeter of the casing of the inserted middle part.
According to the design of the second locking portion, the locking joint is either closed or open. The closed locking joint has solid-undivided surface on the middle part around the second locking portion. The open locking joint is formed so that a cut is provided from the second locking portion towards the open side of the middle part. This cut allows for easier joining and inserting of second locking portions into first locking portions formed on vertical ribs of the lower and upper parts, because the middle part with the cut is more pliable. We call the locking joint formed by one first locking portion and one second locking portion the single locking joint. Many times it is necessary to create a combi box, which will be larger in size and will carry a larger weight of transported goods, so it is necessary to double the locking joints. To create a double locking joint, two first locking portions are formed on the vertical ribs of the lower and upper parts, and two second locking portions are formed on the middle part. We call this type of locking joint as double closed or double open. The double closed locking joint has solid-undivided surface on the middle part around the second locking portion. The double open locking joint is formed so that a cut is provided from the second locking portions towards the open side of the middle part and the two second locking portions located one above the other are also connected with a cut. Though triple or multiple locking joints could be created, such design does not seem to be practical. In some combi box applications it will be required, particularly when storing goods, that at least one side of the connected parts is open, i.e. forms an open area through which the goods will be loaded into the box or removed from it. This may be the shorter front side or longer lateral side, or a combination thereof. Although the locking joints will provide sufficient strength to combi box parts connected by the locking joint, the strength of the connected parts may be further reinforced by welding at several points or by mechanical joint.
The advantages of present technical solution are the low cost of series production, the almost zero cost of extending the product line, the use of already worn, partly broken or otherwise unused injection moulded or construction crates, low weight, and the necessary load resistance that can be obtained depending on the type of material used. The material of the individual parts of combi box will be plastic in most cases, neither its combinations with other materials are excluded. Combi box can be used for transporting industrial goods, for example in the automotive, mechanical and electrical engineering and other industries, as well as for transporting foodstuffs, medicines, toys, and similar goods.
The technical solution is explained in more detail in the accompanying drawings, which show:
The combi box 10 for the transport and storage of goods depicted in
Although several variants of the connection of the lower frame 1 and the upper frame 2 with the middle part 3 of the combi box have been described and illustrated, various other combinations are not excluded, e.g. one combi box will be connected on the lower frame with the middle part by means of the double closed locking joint and on the upper frame by means of the single open locking joint, etc. Not even additional improvement of the strength of connected parts, e.g. by welding or mechanical joint is excluded.
Claims
1. A combi box for the transport and storage of goods, containing a lower part 1 and an upper part 2 of a cut up plastic crate, with a middle part 3 placed between the lower part 1 and the upper part 2, characterized by the fact that the intermediate middle part 3 is connected on the lower perimeter 3.1 with the lower part 1 and on the upper perimeter 3.2 with the upper part 2 by means of locking joints 4, wherein each locking joint 4 contains the first locking portion 4.1 formed on a vertical rib 1.1 of the lower part 1 and on a vertical rib 2.1 of the upper part 2, wherein this first locking portion 4.1 fits into the second locking portion 4.2 formed on the lower perimeter 3.1 and on the upper perimeter 3.2 of the middle part 3.
2. The combi box according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that the second locking portion 4.2 is surrounded by a solid surface.
3. The combi box according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that a cut 6 is provided from the second locking portion 4.2 towards the open sides of the middle part 3.
4. The combi box according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that two first locking portions 4.1 are formed on the vertical rib 1.1 of the lower part 1 and on the vertical rib 2.1 of the upper part 2 and two second locking portions 4.2 are formed one above the other in the middle part 3.
5. The combi box according to claim 4, characterized by the fact that the cut 6 is provided from the second locking portion 4.2 towards the open sides of the middle part 3 and the second locking portions 4.2 located one above the other are connected with a cut 7.
6. The combi box according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that at least one side of the connected parts 1, 2, and 3 forms an open area 8.
7. The combi box according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that the middle part 3 is connected to the lower part 1 and to the upper part 2 by welding and/or mechanical joint.
Type: Application
Filed: Mar 28, 2018
Publication Date: May 30, 2019
Inventors: Josef KNOB (Novy Saldorf), Cezary SZMUC (Znojmo)
Application Number: 15/939,012