WO2018134652A1 - Plastic container comprising a bottom in which the width and thickness vary according to the position of the strip on the bottom base and based on the forces to which the container is subjected - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a plastic container having collapsible walls that optimises force distribution, minimising the weight and the damage to the products held in stacked containers, which is made up of a bottom (100), two longitudinal walls (200) and two transverse walls (300), said bottom (100) being made up of a bottom frame (110) joined to a bottom base (120), wherein the bottom base (120) consists in a network of rectangular strips (121) oriented diagonally to the bottom frame (110), wherein the width of the strips (121) and the thickness thereof vary according to the position of the strip on the bottom base (120) and based on the forces to which the container is subjected. 1

Description

 PLASTIC CONTAINER THAT UNDERSTANDS A FUND WHOSE AND THICKNESS WILL VARY ACCORDING TO THE POSITION OF THE STRIPE ON THE BACKGROUND AND BASED ON THE EFFORTS TO WHICH THE CONTAINER WILL BE SUBMITTED.

DESCRIPTIVE MEMORY

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

 The present invention consists of a stackable plastic container with folding walls for the transport and storage of fruit and vegetable products, such as grapes, cherry, blueberries, among others.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

 In the packaging industry there are currently various types of containers for the storage and transport of fruit and vegetable products, these can be constructed of different materials, shapes and sizes according to the requirements of the product to be stored and / or transported.

 At present, the containers used for the storage and transport of fruits such as grapes, cherries, blueberries or others, are preferably constructed of plastic material and are configured mainly from a bottom in connection with side walls, forming an interior volume in which is deposited the fruit and vegetable products to be stored and / or transported.

 It is also common in these types of containers that both the walls and the bottom of the box are formed from a framework structure which allows a significant reduction in the weight of the container, resulting in less manufacturing costs and better handling.

 An example of this type of container is that disclosed by the Chilean patent application 0880-2014 of the same applicant, which discloses a container of fruit and vegetable products with folding walls that are joined together by means of a joining system comprising a device for Clip type closure and tubular columns, together with a bottom consisting of a diagonal framework formed by nerves of varying height.

Said ribs of variable height have a "T" shape and the height of the lower portion varies to optimize the distribution of the stresses produced by the products arranged inside the container. In this way, the nerves of variable height have their maximum height at the ends or corners of the bottom frame, area in which the greatest amount is demanded of efforts caused by the weight of the products inside the container. Thus, the bottom consists of a mantle of varying height with zones of different geometry to efficiently distribute the efforts to which it is subjected and reduce its weight by lacking unnecessary material in its construction.

 A drawback presented by the container of the application 0880-2014 is that when several identical units are stacked, for example in a pallet for storage and transport, the T-shaped ribs and specifically the lower vertical portion thereof tends to damage or leave marks on fruit and vegetable products arranged inside the container located just below. The above occurs due to the flexion of the bottom of the upper container product of the product's own weight or because the products of the lower container were poorly distributed by the operator, transcending the height of the walls and being in contact with the bottom of the upper container .

 This inconvenience means that many of the products have to be discarded once they arrive at their destination as a result of the damage generated by the vertical nerves of the containers, thus generating considerable economic and production losses, especially in the food industry where the offer is increasingly reduced.

 Therefore, the technical problem that the present invention intends to solve is related to how to optimize the distribution of stresses in a container, minimizing its weight and the damage caused to the products contained in stacked containers, without compromising the resistance of the container .

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

 The present invention consists of a plastic container with folding walls, which is formed by a bottom, two longitudinal walls and two transverse walls, said bottom being formed by a bottom frame attached to a bottom base, wherein said bottom base It consists of a network of rectangular stripes oriented diagonally to the background frame. Advantageously, the width of the strips and their thickness vary according to the position of the strip at the bottom base and based on the stresses to which the container will be subjected.

According to a preferred embodiment, the main stripes that cross the diagonals of the container and the stripes of the corners are reinforced by having a width greater than the remaining stripes. Similarly, the thickness on the sides of the bottom and especially at the corners gradually increases in relation to the remaining stripes. Thus, the force caused by the weight of the products stored inside the container is transmitted mainly by the reinforced strips towards the base frame and thanks to the greater contact surface provided between the frame and the reinforced fringes of the edges and corners, the bottom base is prevented from buckling, thus offering greater resistance to traction, bending and torsion of the bottom of the container.

 This configuration allows to obtain a significant decrease in the final weight of the container, thanks to the reduction of material that is possible to obtain by means of the bands of variable width and height, obtaining a balance and transmission of optimized efforts and at the same time avoiding the damage from the bottom to the products contained in a lower container when they are stacked, since the underside of the strips is flat and aligned with each other in the horizontal plane. The latter means that in the event that the bottom of a stacked container flexes slightly due to the weight of the products, said flexion of the bottom strips will not damage or mark the products that are stored in the container located below, thanks to the flat shape of its lower face.

 Therefore, the variations in width and thickness of the strips that make up the bottom of the container make the upper face of the container look like an irregular mantle whose geometry and design will depend exclusively on the efforts to which the container will be subjected, associated the weight, size and shape of the content to be stored, as well as the transport or storage conditions, which may be determined, for example, by results obtained by computer modeling and simulation tests.

 Advantageously, the weight reduction achieved is extremely beneficial from the productive point of view, since it reduces the use of material for manufacturing, thereby also reducing costs and without losses in resistance or production compared to known containers.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the proposed container comprises a joining system such as that disclosed by Chilean patent application No. 00879-2014 which consists of a lightweight solution that allows to increase the strength of the joining means without meaning additional costs in both manufacturing and operation. Said joining system comprises at least one clip-type closing device, wherein the closing device has at least one male closing means and one female closing means that join the longitudinal walls with the transverse walls. In addition, the joining system comprises a hollow tubular column fixed to one of the walls of the container and integrated to at least one of the closing means. Said column comprises a base that is fixed to the bottom and is configured so that the column is mounted on them at the junction between the walls of the container. Also the base of the column comprises stacking means configured to fit with the column stacking means of another container. According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the container comprises a strap system similar to that disclosed by Chilean Patent No. 52101, to improve the distribution of the stresses applied to the container in a full state. Said rod system consists of 3 plastic braces distributed one in the center and two at each end of each longitudinal wall, which converge at their ends to a coupling means corresponding on one side of the container to a male type coupling means. and in the other to a female hooking means.

 In order for the present invention to be more readily understood, embodiments thereof will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings and which are described below.

DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

 - Figure 1 illustrates a perspective view of the container of the present invention.

- Figure 2 illustrates a top plan view of the container of the present invention.

- Figure 3 illustrates a bottom plan view of the container of the present invention. - Figure 4 illustrates an elevation view of the container of the present invention.

 - Figure 5 illustrates a left profile view of the container of the present invention.

- Figure 6 illustrates a right profile view of the container of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

 According to Figure 1, the invention consists of a rectangular plastic container with collapsible walls formed by a bottom 100, two longitudinal walls 200 and two transverse walls 300. In addition and according to the embodiment illustrated, the container can comprise a system of braces 500 located on the upper edges of the longitudinal walls 200 and which are hooked together to the center of the container.

 According to Figures 2 and 3 the bottom 100 of the container is constituted by a bottom frame 110 attached to a bottom base 120, wherein said bottom frame 120 has low height and its vertices 111 and inner edges 112 are rounded. For its part, the bottom base 120 consists of a circumscribed framework at the bottom of the bottom frame 110, said frame being formed by rectangular strips 121 orthogonal to each other and oriented diagonally to the bottom frame 110.

The underside of the stripes 121 is flat and they are aligned with each other in the horizontal plane. However, the width of the stripes 121 varies according to the position of the strip at the bottom base, depending on the design of the efforts to which the container will be subjected, for example according to the type of products to be contained, transport conditions, among others. According to the illustrated embodiment, the main strips 122 that cross the diagonals of the container and the stripes of the corners 123 have a width greater than the remaining stripes, so as to reinforce the most tensioned areas of the container. Similarly, the thickness at the sides of the bottom 124 and especially at the corners 125 gradually increases for the same reason.

 According to Figures 4 to 6, the walls (200, 300) of the container are formed by a wall frame (230, 330) which circumscribes in its interior a wall structure formed by a diagonal framework (240, 340) and a set of vertical nerves (250, 350) distributed equally along each wall (200, 300).

 According to Figure 5, one or both transverse walls 300 may comprise on the outer face of the wall structure, at least one flat and smooth surface 301 configured to receive a self-adhesive label.

 For its part, the corners of the container are formed by a joining system 400 comprising at least one closing device, preferably of the clip type, which has at least one pair of closing means, one male closing means 401 and another means female closure

402, wherein said closing means joins the longitudinal walls 200 with the transverse walls 300.

 The joining system 400 also comprises a column 410 fixed to one of the walls, preferably at each end of the longitudinal walls where said column is configured as a hollow tubular body, which in turn is integrated into at least one of the closing means, preferably to the male closing means 401.

 Additionally, the column comprises a base 420 that is fixed to the bottom 100 of the container, so that when the connection between the longitudinal and transverse walls 200 is made, the column 410 is mounted on said base 420 forming a continuous structure together with the union of said walls ..

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the base of the column also comprises stacking means that encased with the column stacking means that another container has in its upper part, to safely stack the container on a second container. In this context, the lower portion of the base 420 has column insertion means that are configured for centered mounting of the column in the closed position. In one embodiment of the invention, the lower portion of the base is perforated communicating the inside of the column with the outside both at its upper end and at its lower end. As indicated above and according to Figure 1 and 2, the container of the present invention comprises a system of braces 500 consisting of 3 thin plastic braces 501 that are located at the upper edges of each longitudinal wall 200, distributed one in the center and two at each end of the wall. The braces attached to each wall converge at their ends to a hooking means, which on one side of the container corresponds to a hooking means of the male type 502 and on the other to a hooking means of the female type 503, remaining of this way hooked in the center of the container.

Claims

1. Plastic container with folding walls that optimizes the distribution of efforts, minimizing the weight and damage to products contained in stacked containers, which is made up of a bottom (100), two longitudinal walls (200) and two transverse walls ( 300), said bottom (100) being formed by a bottom frame (110) attached to a bottom base (120), wherein said bottom base (120) consists of a network of rectangular stripes (121) oriented diagonally to the bottom frame (110), CHARACTERIZED because the width of the strips (121) and their thickness vary according to the position of the strip at the bottom base (120) and based on the stresses to which the container will be subjected. 2. The container according to claim 1, CHARACTERIZED in that the main strips (122) that cross the diagonals of the container and the corner strips (123) have a width greater than the remaining stripes. 3. The container according to claim 1 or 2, CHARACTERIZED in that the thickness at the sides of the bottom (124) and especially at the corners (125) gradually increases in relation to the remaining strips (121). 4. The container according to any of the preceding claims, CHARACTERIZED because the lower faces of the strips (121) are flat and aligned with each other in the horizontal plane. 5. The container according to any of the preceding claims, CHARACTERIZED because the strips (121) are orthogonal to each other. 6. The container according to any of the preceding claims, CHARACTERIZED because the bottom frame (120) has low height and its vertices (111) and inner edges (112) are rounded. 7. The container according to any of the preceding claims, CHARACTERIZED because the corners of the container are formed by a joining system (400) comprising at least one clip-type closure device The container according to claim 7, CHARACTERIZED in that the closing device has at least one male closing means (401) and one female closing means (402), which join the longitudinal walls (200) with the transverse walls (300 ). 9. The container according to claim 7 or 8, CHARACTERIZED in that the joining system (400) also comprises a column (410) fixed to one of the walls. 10. The container according to claim 9, CHARACTERIZED in that the column (410) is fixed to each end of the longitudinal walls (200). 11. The container according to claim 9 or 10, CHARACTERIZED in that said column (410) is configured as a hollow tubular body, which is integrated into at least one of the closing means (401, 402). 12. The container according to claim 1, CHARACTERIZED in that the column (410) is integrated into the male closing means (401). 13. The container according to any of claims 9 to 12, CHARACTERIZED in that the column (410) comprises a base (420) that is fixed to the bottom (100) and configured so that the column is mounted on them when the connection between the walls (200, 300). 14. The container according to claim 13, CHARACTERIZED in that the base (420) of the column comprises stacking means configured to fit with the column stacking means of another container. 15. The container according to any of the preceding claims, CHARACTERIZED in that the walls (200, 300) are formed by a wall frame (230, 330) which circumscribes in its interior a wall structure formed by a diagonal framework (240, 340) and a set of vertical ribs (250, 350) distributed equidistant along each wall (200, 300). 16. The container according to any of the preceding claims, CHARACTERIZED because at least one transverse wall (300) comprises on the outer face of the wall structure, at least one flat and smooth surface (301). 17. The container according to any of the preceding claims, CHARACTERIZED in that it comprises a system of braces (500) located at the upper edges of the longitudinal walls (200) and which are connected to the center of the container. 18. The container according to claim 17, CHARACTERIZED in that the brace system (500) consists of 3 plastic braces (501) distributed one in the center and two at each end of the longitudinal walls (200) 19. The container according to claim 18, CHARACTERIZED in that the braces (501) attached to each wall converge at their ends to a coupling means, which on one side of the container corresponds to a coupling means of the male type (502) and in the other to a female hooking means (503). 20. The container according to any of the preceding claims, CHARACTERIZED because it has a rectangular shape.