CONTAINER HAVING DETACHABLE PARTITION WALL

Abstract: Container (1), preferably a waste container, comprising four defining walls (2), a base (3), an upper circumambient rim (4), a divided lid (5, 6) and at least one inner detachable partition wall (7). The partition wall (7) is upwards attached to the container (1) by means of detachable connective means (8) and downwards brought into engagement with the container in at least one area. The connective means (8) are designed to press and secure the partition wall (7) by a variable force.

Description: CONTAINER HAVING DETACHABLE PARTITION WALL The present invention relates to a container comprising four defining side walls, a base, a divided lid and at least one in¬ ner detachable partition wall. The inner detachable partition wall is upwards attached to the container by means of detachable connective means. The inner detachable partition wall is down¬ wards brought into engagement with the container in at least one area. The container is suitably a storage and/or transport con¬ tainer and preferably a waste container, made of a polymeric material, such as the α-olefines polyethylene and polypropylene, by injection moulding. The container can be provided with one or more inner detachable partition walls and can be divided into compartments of equal or different volumes. Divided waste containers having inner detachable partition walls are known from the European Patent 0 464 702. The concept dis¬ closed therein exhibit, however, disadvantages in that the inner detachable partition wall does not fit tightly to the side walls or base of the container. Manufacturing tolerances with regard to the container as well as the inner detachable partition wall can accordingly not be met or compensated for. It is very impor¬ tant, especially when adjacent compartments in such a divided waste container hold dry and wet materials being separated from each other, that an inner detachable partition wall fits tightly without leakage or tendency thereto. It is according to the present invention possible to minimise or eliminate above drawbacks and bring about a container, preferably a waste container, comprising four defining side walls, a base, an upper circumambient rim, a divided lid and at least one inner partition wall being detachable. The inner detachable partition wall is upwards attached to the container by means of detachable connective means and downwards brought into engagement with said container, by means of a groove and tenon arrangement or the like, in at least one area. The detachable connective means are designed to press by variable force the inner detachable parti¬ tion wall against at least two side walls and the base of the container. The inner detachable partition wall is upwards, preferably along each of the two vertically arranged side edges, provided with an preferably horizontally arranged insertion tongue being an inte¬ grated part of the wall. The tongue is inserted in a detachable connective mean and is preferably framed and thus protected by edgings or the like. A detachable connective mean suitably include at least two resilient legs, branches or the like, each leg being provided with at least one, preferably inwards directed, securing mean such as a peg, a pin, a tenon or the like interacting with a corresponding securing mean being a detachable or integrated part of an insertion tongue. The upper rim of the container includes a horizontally arranged surfaces or part having at least two opposite perforating holes corresponding to perforating holes in the side walls of said container. The lower side of this horizontally arranged surface or part and the outermost portion of said detachable connective means are advantageously sloping to the ground plane, preferably in an angle of 5-40°, most preferably 5-30°, giving a design by which the inner detachable partition wall is pressed downwards when the detachable connective means are inserted and fixed. The detachable connective means are prior to fixation preferably brought into engagement with an insertion tongue. Gaps and lea¬ kage emanating from manufacturing tolerances are through disclo¬ sed design minimised or eliminated and improved tightness bet¬ ween the container and the inner detachable partition wall is obtained. Preferred embodiments of the present invention include attach¬ ment of the inner detachable partition wall to the inner side of at least one of the container walls by means of a groove and tenon arrangement vertically interrupted in at least one area. A preferred embodiment may also include a corrugated or checke¬ red design of the inner detachable partition wall. In especially preferred embodiments, the tenon forms a part of the inner detachable partition wall, which furthermore is provi¬ ded with a channel or the like arranged at the upper edge of the wall. The upper longitudinal edge of the inner detachable parti¬ tion wall slopes in one or two directions, whereby rain water or other moisture can be drained off through the channel. The divi¬ ded lid of the container has in these embodiments a design cor¬ responding to that of the upper edge of the inner detachable partition wall and rain water is drained off through an open channel, being a recess suitably arrange between the lid halves. These embodiments give compartments being substantially closed without interconnection. These and other objects and the attendant advantages will be more fully understood from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with appended drawings, wherein like reference numerals have been applied to like parts throughout the various Figures and wherein: - Figure 1 is a perspective view from above of an embodiment of a waste container according to the invention. The container is provided with a lid divided in two halves and an inner detach¬ able partition wall. - Figure 2 is a cross-cut of a waste container according to the same embodiment as Figure 1. Lid and wheels are excluded in the drawing. - Figure 3 is a cross-cut of substantially the same embodiment as that of Figure 2 with the exception that two side walls of the container upwards are provided with vertical grooves or the like. - Figure 4 is a frontal cross-cut of the waste container of Figures 1, 2 and 3, showing its lower portion. - Figure 5 is a perspective view from above of an embodiment of a detachable connective mean and an inner detachable partition wall according to the invention. The detachable connective mean and the inner detachable partition wall is not brought into engagement with each other. - Figure 6 is the same perspective view as Figure 5 with the exception that the detachable connective mean and the inner detachable partition wall is brought into engagement with each other. - Figure 7 is a cross-cut in a flat view from above of the con¬ nective mean of Figure 4 brought into engagement with an in¬ sertion tongue being a part of an inner detachable partition wall. - Figure 8 is a cross-cut in a flat view from one side of the upper portion of a waste container according to an embodiment of the invention. The inner detachable partition wall is moun¬ ted and secured by a detachable connective mean. - Figure 9 is a perspective view from above of the divided lid comprising two lid halves as shown in Figure 1. The lid halves are for reason of clarity separated. Figure 1 shows an embodiment of a waste container 1, according to the present invention, having four defining walls 2, an up¬ per circumambient rim 4, a lid divided in two halves 5 and 6, wheels 24 and an inner detachable partition wall 7 at its upper edge provided with a channel 21 (Figure 5). The upper edge of the lid 5 and 6 slopes longitudinally to both sides 22. The di¬ vided lid 5, 6 is attached to the waste container 1 by means of hinges 25 (Figure 9). Lid edges situated above the inner detach¬ able wall 7 slopes to both sides 26 (Figure 7) and has a design corresponding to used upper edge design of the inner detachable partition wall 7. The rim 4 of the waste container 1 comprises a horizontally arranged part, having an upper and a lower 15 (see Figure 8) surface, provided with a pair of penetrating holes 10 associated to penetrating holes 11 in the defining walls 2. The waste container 1 and parts thereto are injection moulded and made of a polymeric material. Figure 2 shows in a cross-cut seen from one side the same waste container 1 as Figure 1, but without the divided lid 5 and 6 (Figure 1), the hinges 25 (Figure 9) and the wheels 24 (Figure 1). The waste container 1 is provided with a groove 19 corres¬ ponding to a tenon 20 (Figure 4) being an integrated part of the inner partition wall 7 (Figure 1). The groove 19 in the contai¬ ner 1 is arranged along its base 3 and vertically at its lower portion, thus partly being integrated parts of two of its defi¬ ning walls 2. Figure 3 shows the same waste container 1 as Figure 2 with the exception that grooves 30 are vertically arranged at its upper portion, thus being additional integrated parts of the walls 2. Figure 4 shows in a detailed frontal view a base 3 and lower portions of an inner detachable partition wall 7 and two defi¬ ning walls 2 of a waste container 1 similar to that of Figures 1, 2 and 3. The inner detachable partition wall 7 is provided with a tenon 20 corresponding to a groove 19 in the base 3. Figure 5 shows in a perspective view from above partly an upper section of an inner detachable partition wall 7 used with the waste container 1 of Figures 1-4. The inner detachable partition wall 7 is provided with an insertion tongue 12 to be brought into engagement with a connective mean 8 comprising two tensile legs 9. The legs 9 and the insertion tongue 12 are provided with corresponding securing means 13 and 14, having a design making them engage in a manner resembling that of a rack 13 and pinion 14 device (see also Figure 7). The connective mean 8 is provided with two projections 27 each having a penetrating hole (see also Figure 7). The inner detachable partition wall 7 is at its upper edge provided with a sloping channel 21. The insertion tongue 12 is an integrated part of the inner detachable partition wall 7 and is horizontally arranged. The insertion tongue is protected by an edging 29. The inner detachable partition wall 7 is provi¬ ded with at least one more insertion tongue being arranged oppo¬ site to the insertion tongue 8 shown in Figure 5. Figure 6 shows the same objects as Figure 5 with the difference that a connective mean 8 is brought into engagement with an in¬ sertion tongue 12 (Figure 5). Figure 7 shows the connective mean 8 brought into engagement with the insertion tongue 12 of an inner detachable partition wall 7. The inner detachable partition wall 7 is in this embodi¬ ment corrugated as disclosed by a curve 23. Figure 8 shows an upper section, including a rim 4, a connective mean 8 and an inner detachable partition wall 7 provided with an insertion tongue 12, of one side of the waste container 1 shown in Figures 1-6. The connective mean 8 is brought into engagement with the insertion tongue 12 and the inner detachable partition wall 7 is mounted in the waste container 1 (Figure 1). The lower horizontally arranged surface 15 of the rim 4 slopes downwards in an angle 18 of 20° and the connective mean 8 has on its outer portion 16 a slop 17 being an mirror image thereof, whereby the inner detachable partition wall 7 is pressed downwards towards the base 3 and the defining walls 2. The inner detachable parti¬ tion wall 7 is in this embodiment mounted by first bringing the connective means 8 into engagement with the insertion tongues 12 followed by insertion of the wall 7 into the container 1. The connective means 8 are thereafter pulled out through the penet¬ rating holes 11 in the defining walls 2. The force by which the inner detachable partition wall 7 is pressed downward can thus be varied by the extent to which the connective means 8 are pul¬ led out. The connective means 8 are secured towards further and involuntary movements by the securing means 13 and 14 and can be further secured by inserting pins or the like through the penet¬ rating holes in the projections 27 (Figure 7) and corresponding penetrating holes in the rim 4. Figure 9 shows a lid to a container 1 (Figure 1) according to the present invention, which lid is divided into two halves 5 and 6. The lid halves 5, 6 is for reason of clarity separated. Each of the lid half 5, 6 is connected to the waste container 1 (Figure 1) by means of hinges 25. Inner edges 26 of the two lid halves 5, 6, which edges 26 faces each other and meet the inner detachable partition wall 7 (Figure 1), slopes in two directions to correspond with a wall 7 having a such a sloping top edge. While particular embodiments of the invention have been shown, it will be understood, of course, that the invention is not limited thereto since many modifications may be made, and it is, therefore, contemplated to cover by the appended claims any such modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. Container (1), preferably a waste container, comprising four defining walls (2), a base (3), an upper circumambient rim (4), a divided lid (5, 6) and at least one inner detachable partition wall (7), which partition wall (7) upwards is at¬ tached to the container (1) by means of detachable connective means (8) and downwards brought into engagement with the con¬ tainer (1) in at least one area c h a r a c t e r i s e d i n, that the connective means (8) are designed to press and secure the partition wall (7) by a variable force. 2. Container (1) according to claim 1 c h a r a c t e r i s e d i n, that the container (1) is provided with a rim (4) having an upper and a lower (15) surface, provided with at least one penetrating hole (10) associated a penetrating hole (11) in at least one defining wall (2). 3. Container (1) according to claim l or 2 c h a r a c t e ¬ r i s e d i n, that the inner detachable partition wall (7) along each of its vertically arranged side edges compri¬ ses at least one with the wall (7) integrated and preferably horizontally arranged insertion tongue (12), which tongue (12) is brought into engagement with a connective mean (8). 4. Container (1) according to claim 3 c h a r a c t e r i s e d i n, that the insertion tongue (12) is protected and framed by an edging (29) or the like. 5. Container (1) according to any of the claims 1-4 c h a r a c ¬ t e r i s e d i n, that a connective mean (8) comprises at least two resilient legs, branches or the like (9) provided with securing means (13) engaging with corresponding securing means (14) being a part of an insertion tongue (12). 6. Container (1) according to any of the claims 1-5 c h a r a c ¬ t e r i s e d i n, that the lower surface (15) of the rim (4) has a downwards and outwards sloping design giving an angle (18) of 5-40°, preferably 5-30°, to the ground plane, and that each connective mean (8) at its portion (16) facing said lower surface (15) has a design being an mirror image thereof, whereby the inner detachable partition wall (7) is pressed downwards when a connective mean (8) is pulled out¬ wards through a penetrating hole (11) in a defining wall (2). 7. Container (1) according to any of the claims 1-6 c h a r a c ¬ t e r i s e d i n, that an inner detachable partition wall (7) is brought into engagement with a container (1) by means of a groove (19) and tenon (20) arrangement being an integra¬ ted part of a lower edge of said inner detachable partition wall (7) and being arranged along the base (3) and/or verti¬ cally along at least one portion of a defining wall (2) of the container (1). 8. Container (1) according to any of the claims 1-7 c h a r a c ¬ t e r i s e d i n, that the inner detachable partition wall (7) at its upper edge is provided with a channel or the like (21) and that said upper edge slopes in two longitudinal directions (22) . 9. Container (1) according to any of the claims 1-8 c h a r a c ¬ t e r i s e d i n, that the inner detachable partition wall (7) include a corrugated or checkered design. 10. Container (1) according to any of the claims 1-9 c h a r a c t e r i s e d i n, that the container (1) and parts thereto are injection moulded and made of a polymeric material, prefe¬ rably an α-olefine such as polyethylene or polypropylene.

Inventors: DUMANGE VINCENT, DUMANGE, VINCENT
Applicants: DUMANGE VINCENT, PERSTORP AB, DUMANGE, VINCENT
Application year: 1995
Main classification: B65F1
IPC codes: B65F1