DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM

Abstract: A distribution system comprising box-shaped transport containers (5) provided with bottom (18) and walls (20) and a truck (1) provided with wheels which has swinging side walls (3 and 4) in hinged connection with a vertical end wall (2). The side walls (3 and 4) have supporting elements placed oppositely in pairs, e.g. horizontal L-shaped rails (22) which are positively engageable with members formed on the transport trays (5), e.g.channels (21) incorporated at the bottom (18) of the transport trays, to facilitate in co-operation with these members loading by insertion of the transport trays (5) and securing of the side walls (3 and4) when these are in their active position.

Description: The present invention relates to a distribution system comprising box-shaped transport trays provided with bottom and walls and a truck provided with wheels of the type which has a vertical end wall and side walls in hinged connection with the end wall which are adopted so that they can swing between an active, lockable position when the side walls are parallel with one another and situated right-angled to the end wall, to a swung-out free position with the side walls somewhat diverging frog the end wall end which are provided with supporting members placed oppositely in pairs, which are intended to support loaded transport trays The transport of dairy goods, e.g. milk packages, from dairies out to shops frequently takes place with the help of a distribution system comprising a truck of the type as described above. The truck is filled with the goods in question at the dairy whereupon it is rolled up onto a distribution van and is conveyed to the shop. On arrival the truck is rolled directly to the selling point, where the customers themselves successively empty the truck. When the truck has been emptied it is replaced by a new, full truck and returned to the dairy where it is filled again. The storage of empty trucks in a space-saving manner is facilitated in that two of the side walls parallel in loaded position of the truck, are adapted so that they can be swung somewhat outwards from one another to a free position, whereafter a number of similar trucks can be slid into each other so that they can be stored on a limited floor-area while awaiting return transport to the dairy for new filling. A distribution system as described above is disclosed in FR-A-2 528 784. This known system has several serious disadvantages. It is assumed in known systems, for example, that the side walls of the truck will be capable of acting as lateral supports protecting and holding together the load in the loading space of the truck, and in order to be able to fulfil this function in an appropriately satisfactory manner it was previously essential, therefore, to dimension the total available load volume so that the goods load would be able practically completely to fill out this space. According to the dimensions and shape of the goods the known distribution system thus required more or less "tailor-made" trucks so as to fit in each individual case the particular goods. This made the known systems to some extent clusmy, since it was not possible to utilize a standardized truck, that is to say a uniform truck for all types of goods irrespectively of their size, whose side walls at same time would be able to act as support protecting and holding together the goods load in a satisfactory manner. A further disadvantage of the known distribution systems is that the truck usually was provided with some kind of mechanical locking arrangement, e.g. of the type comprising elements engaging with one another on parts of the truck which are movable in relation to one another, in order to lock the swinging side walls of the truck in the active position and thereby prevent these walls from unintentionally swinging away from each other when the truck is loaded with goods. Such locking arrangements as a rule are very sensitive to mechanical influences such as jolts and impacts which may occur during the handling of the truck and which often damaged the locking arrangement and even rendered the truck unusable. In accordance with the present invention it has been found, however, that many of these disadvantages of the known distribution systems can be eliminated if the truck is more or less freed from certain of their previously necessary functions, such as the supporting function and the locking function. It is an object of the present invention, therefore, to produce a distribution system, especially for dairy goods such as milk packages, of the type described earlier but which unlike the known system makes it possible to use a uniformly standardized truck irrespectively of size and shape of the particular goods. It is another object to produce a distribution system comprising a truck provided with swinging side walls, which can be secured in their active position without the use of sensitive mechanical locking arrangements. It is yet another object to produce an inexpensive, easily managed distribution system comprising a preferably bottomless, easy-care (easily cleaned) truck with a minimum number of movable parts and with practically completely open side walls. These as well as further objects have been achieved in accordance with the invention in that a distribution system of the known type described earlier has been given the chacteristic that the walls of the transport trays are provided with outward members which are adapted to engage the supporting members to support the trays thereon and to secure the side walls of the truck in the active position. A distribution aystem in accordance with a simple, preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described in more detail with special reference to the attached drawing, wherein Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view which shows obliquely from the front a truck in active position, Figure 2 is a schematic perspective view which shows a filled transport tray included in the system, Figure 3 on a somewhat enlarged scale shows the ringed detail in Figure 1. The truck 1 shown in Figure 1 has a rear, vertical (partly concealed) end wall 2 and two side walls 3,4. The truck 1 is in its active position, that is to say the position in which it is loaded or ready to be loaded with transport trays filled vith goods 6, and the two side walls 3 and 4 are then parallel with each other and positioned right-angled to the end wall 2. The two side walls are joined to the end wall 2 by means of vertical hinges 7 in such a manner that they can be swung out from the active position shown to a swung-out free position, not shown, wherein the side walls 3,4 diverge somewhat from each other. In this position a number of similar trucks can thus be slid into one another and be stored in a space-saving manner. Since the walls 2-4 of the truck 1 in accordance with the present invention no longer have to function as support of the loaded goods 6, they can be given a relatively simple and open design which makes the goods clearly visible and accessible from all four directions. The walls 2-4, as shown in Figure 1, may suitably consist of a rectangular metal frame each, and so as to increase the stability of the metal frames forming the side walls 3 and 4 these preferably may be provided with a number of additional, preferably freely adjustable cross bars 8-15 placed oppositely in pairs. The truck 1, moreover, is provided at the bottom with a rear and front pair of wheels 16,17 which may be pivoted. In Figure 2 is shown an example of a transport tray 5 in accordance with the invention. The transport tray may be designed as a rectangular box open at the top with a bottom 18 and edge and side walls 19 and 20 respectively placed oppositely in pairs. As is evident from Figure 2 the bottom 18 is a little longer than the side walls 20 and is provided with edge portions 18a projecting at the respective end walls 19. The edge portions 18a comprise channels 21 open at the bottom which extend parallel with the end walls 19 along the whole of their length. As is evident in greater detail from Figure 3, a horizontal, L-shaped rail 22 is fitted to the inside of respective cross bars 14 of the truck 1 which extends practically along the whole length of the cross bars so as to form a continuous guide channel 23 between the cross bar and the vertical leg of the respective rail 22. When the truck 1 is to be loaded with transport trays 5 filled with goods 6 the procedure is as follows: The side walls 3 and 4 of the truck are first adjusted to the active position with the side walls parallel with one another and positioned rightangled to the end wall 2, whereafter a transport tray 5 is inserted into the truck with the edge portions 18a and the rails 22 in the positive engagement with one another shown in Figure 3, as a result of which the side walls 3 and 4 are secured in the active position. In order to make possible such a positive engagement between the edge portions 18a and the rails 22 the distance between the channels 21 in the bottom 18 of the transport trays must correspond to the distance between the vertical legs of two rails situated opposite one another. As mentioned earlier it is possible in accordance with the present invention to use one and the same truck for the transport of goods 6 filled into transport trays 5 irrespectively of the size and shape of the actual goods. Whereas it was necessary previously to adapt the dimensions of the known trucks (that is to say the available loading area of the truck), it is sufficient in accordance with the invention for a corresponding adaptation to be made of the area situated within the edge and side walls 19 and 20 respectively of the transpor trays (that is to say the available loading area of the transport trays), whilst the outer dimensions of the bottom 18 of the transport trays 5 can be constant, so that it will be possible in accordance with the invention to obtain a uniform distribution system. The transport trays 5, as indicated by broken lines in Figure 2, may also be provided with side pieces 24 at the bottom 18 between the edge portions 18a which project outwards laterally from the side walls 20 of the transport trays. Such side pieces are intended to prevent axial displacement of a goods load on a transport tray positioned straight underneath or inserted into the truck 1 by gripping around the top part of the goods load. Furthermore, the transport trays can be made of plastic material in one single piece by injection moulding which means that the trays will be light, inexpensive and easy to handle.

Claims: A distribution system comprising box-shaped transport trays (15) provided with bottom (18) and walls (19,20) and a truck (1) supported on wheels which has a vertical end wall (2) and two side walls (3,4) in hinged connection with the end wall which are adapted so that they can swing between an active,lockable position when the side walls (3,4) are parallel with one another and positioned right-angled to the end wall (2) to a swing-out free position with the side walls somewhat diverging from the end wall (2), characterized in that the side walls (3,4) are provided with supporting members placed oppositely in pairs, which are intended to support loaded transport trays (5), and that the transport trays (5) are provided with outward members which are adapted so that in positive engagement with the supporting members they secure the side walls (3,4) of the truck in the active position. A distribution system in accordance with claim 1, charaterized in that the bottom (18) of the transport trays (5) is provided with edge portions (18a) projecting beyond opppositely placed end walls (19) of the transport trays with open channels (21) arranged in the underside of the edge portions so as to form the said members, and that the supporting members are formed by L-shaped, horizontal rails fitted to the side walls (3,4) of the truck (1). A distribution system in accordance with claim 2, characterized in that the rails (22) are attached to cross bars (8-15) on the side walls (3,4) which are freely adjustable in height. A distribution system in accordance with anyone of the preceding claims, characterized in that the bottom (18) of the transport trays (5) between the edge portions (18a) is provided with side pieces (24) projecting laterally outwards from side walls (20) of the transport trays (5) and extending downwards. A distribution system in accordance with anyone of the preceding claims, characterized in that the transport trays (5) are formed in one piece, preferably of plastic material, by injection moulding.

Inventors: ANDERSSON, KJELL
Applicants: AB TETRA PAK
Application year: 1987
Main classification: B62B3
IPC codes: B62B5, A47F5, B62B3