TRANSPORT CONTAINER AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURE THEREOF

Abstract: There is described a transport container (1), a so-called pallet container, consisting of a bottom (6), a lid (5) and a generally cylindrical frame (3, 4), which frame (3, 4) comprises a lower frame (3) and an upper frame (4), one telescopically disposed on the outside of the other, the upper frame (4) being displaceable in relation to the lower frame (3). There is also described a method for the production of this type of transport container.

Description: Transport container and method of manufacture thereof The present invention relates to a transport container, a so-called pallet container, and to a method for the production thereof in accordance with the preamble of the independent claims. Transport containers of the above mentioned type are used as disposable containers, i.e., they are not returned and reused. It is obvious, therefore, that such containers should basically be as inexpensive as possible, while taking into consideration that they should not be prone to damage by the strains to which they are subjected. The container is designed particularly for the storage and transport of bulk goods such as powders, pellets or liquid fluids having a volume of up to 2000 liters. There are known various packaging materials for this purpose. The most well known are the so-called large sack and octagonal containers ~ so-called octabines ~ made of corrugated cardboard. Transport containers of the above mentioned type are usually placed on pallets. The pallet that is used is generally a four-way pallet, meaning that the pallet must have openings thereinto from four sides to enable a fork lift to have access with the fork from all sides. What have been used most often hitherto are so-called Europallets, i.e., pallets constructed of two board platforms having intermediate knobs. The receptacle or the container for the pallet containers used hitherto has most often been made of double- sided corrugated cardboard. This is a relatively inexpensive and strong material, but it has definite limitations with regard to forming. Double-sided corrugated cardboard cannot be shaped in accordance with a curved line, but must be bent or folded in straight lines. The containers that have been used up until the present have therefore had a polygonal shape, for example, in the form of octahedrons, so-called "octabines." Multisided containers of this type, however, are not favorable with respect to either production or use. Double-sided corrugated cardboard must be stored as a flat, rigid sheet and then must be cut to the correct format, which is thereafter arranged and fastened together by means of stapling into an octagonal container. It is also problematical to make the bottom and the lid for such containers, and it can also be difficult to affix these types of containers to the pallet. When large containers of this type are filled with, e.g., plastic pellets, there will develop considerable radial forces which will seek to straighten out the sides of a multisided container. From Norwegian patent 62096 is known a round-wrapped container, where the bottom of the container is a rigid plastic pallet. Transport trials have shown that this pallet is too weak and is too expensive to produce. This container must also be constructed with strong sides in order to be capable of withstanding the strains resulting from stacking in a plurality of levels. This container consists of a generally cylindrical body having a bottom and a top. It is not possible by a simple means to vary the height, and thereby the volume, of the container. Thus there is a danger that a void will develop within the container, which means that it is the container itself that must sustain the weight and load caused by stacking the containers in several levels. The large sacks, however, have a major weakness in that they are unstable and difficult to stack in several heights. The octabine may be stacked, but a particularly heavy quality of material must be used in order to attain sufficient stacking strength. They are time-consuming to assemble. During long-term storage and transport the explosive force of the contents will cause these containers to bulge out. An objective of the present invention is to provide a transport container of the type mentioned above, which may be stacked, and wherein it is the actual contents of the container that supports the weight of the containers stacked above it. A second objective of the invention is to provide a container wherein the height, and thereby the volume, of the container may be varied by a simple means so that a void will not be formed in the container when it is filled. Still another objective is to provide a container which does not require heavy manual labor on the part of the user to assemble the container. Another objective of the invention is to provide a container and a method for the production thereof which affords a tighter bottom and a firmer assembly between the lid, frame, bottom and pallet. Another objective of the invention is to provide a method for the production of a container of the type introduced above which may be wrapped and glued automatically from a roll at the place of use. This is achieved with a transport container, a so-called pallet container, consisting of a bottom, a lid and a generally cylindrical frame, which is characterized in that the frame comprises a lower frame and an upper frame, one telescopically disposed on the outside of the other, said upper frame being displaceable in relation to the lower frame. The bottom preferably consists of a generally circular plate having projecting flaps along the periphery thereof, and having attachment flaps for affixing the container to a pallet. The lower frame consists preferably of two or more wrapped layers of cardboard material, preferably corrugated cardboard, and the flaps are positioned between at least two of these layers. The lid preferably comprises a generally circular plate, having projecting flaps along the periphery thereof and, preferably, perforated lines for opening of the lid. The invention also relates to a method for producing a transport container, which is characterized by the following steps: advancing a cardboard material, preferably corrugated cardboard, from a first roll to an expandable winding drum, preferably with the aid of a suction cup or similar means, rotating the winding drum, moving the bottom toward the end of the winding drum, connecting a glue application cylinder thereto, and applying glue to the cardboard material being supplied from the first roll, rotating the winding drum and simultaneously bending the flaps on the bottom into position between the wrapped layers, rotating the winding drum the desired number of revolutions, cutting off the cardboard material supplied from the first roll, and stopping the application of glue. The method is further characterized by the following successive steps: moving a second roll containing cardboard material into a position generally parallel to the first roll and the winding drum so as to attain a desired overlap, advancing cardboard material from the second roll to the winding drum, preferably with the aid of a suction cup, fastening the cardboard material supplied from the second roll to the cardboard material already disposed on the winding drum with the aid of glue dots, rotating the winding drum one revolution, connecting the glue application cylinder thereto, rotating the winding drum the desired number of revolutions, cutting off the cardboard material being supplied from the second roll, stopping the application of glue, contracting the winding drum and removing the container from the winding drum. After the container has been produced, the following steps are carried out: filling the container with loose product, and optionally, prior to the filling, arranging a plastic bag inside the container, moving the lid with the aid of a holder into position directly above the container, applying glue to the flaps on the lid, pressing the lid down onto the container and pressing the lid and the telescopic upper frame into contact with the upper surface of the loose product within the container, pressing the lid flaps against the outside of the container. The invention will be explained in more detail in the following with the aid of embodiment examples, with reference to the accompanying drawings. Figure 1 shows an embodiment form of a transport container in accordance with the invention, placed on a pallet. Figure 2 shows an embodiment form of a bottom for the container in accordance with the invention. Figure 3 shows an embodimient form of a lid for the container in accordance with the invention. Figure 4 is a schematic view of an apparatus for production of the container in accordance with the invention. Figure 5 shows a detail of the apparatus in Figure 4. Figure 6 shows an apparatus for mounting a lid on the container in accordance with the present invention. In Figure 1 is shown a transport container 1 placed on a pallet 2. Pallet 2 is a square pallet, and may be, for example, a so-called CP pallet. Container 1 consists of a generally cylindrical lower frame 3, and a generally cylindrical upper frame 4 disposed outside the lower frame 3 with an overlap a. Further, the container comprises a lid 5 and a bottom 6 (Figure 2). Bottom 6 comprises four attachment flaps 7 which are affixed to pallet 2 to hold container 1 firmly in place on pallet 2. The purpose of constructing the frame in two parts 3 and 4 is that the height of the frame may very easily be varied so that it may readily be adapted to the needs of the user by increasing or decreasing the overlap a. Bottom 6 consists of a generally circular plate 8 having a diameter slightly smaller than the inner diameter of frame 3. Surrounding circular plate 8 are flaps 9, which during production of the container are bent 90° in relation to the plane of plate 8, and are fastened along the inner surface of lower frame 3. This will be explained in more detail further on. Frame 6 also comprises attachment flaps 7 which on mounting of bottom 6 are bent 90° in relation to the plane of plate 8 and 180° in relation to flaps 9. These attachment flaps are affixed to an underlying pallet 2 by means of stapling or a similar method, in order to hold container 1 firmly in place on pallet 2. Lid 5 consists of a generally circular plate 10 having a diameter that corresponds to the outer diameter of upper frame 4. Along the periphery of circular plate 10 the lid 6 also comprises flaps 11 , corresponding to flaps 9 for bottom 6 (Figure 2). When lid 6 is placed on upper frame 4, these flaps 11 are bent approximately 90° in relation to the plane of plate 10 and glued securely to the outer surface of upper frame 4. Lid 5 may also be provided with a perforated hatch 12, or the like, for opening of lid 5. The perforation 12 may optionally be provided with a tear-off tape or similar device to facilitate the opening of the perforated area. Figure 4 is a schematic illustration of an apparatus for the production of the transport container in accordance with the present invention. The apparatus consists of a roll 13 of cardboard material for the lower frame 3, a roll 14 of cardboard material for the upper frame 4, a glue application cylinder 15, a winding drum 16 and a bottom mounting device 17. In Figure 5 is shown a detail of the winding drum 16, where a portion of the outer surface of the drum may be drawn inward toward the center of drum 16. The purpose of this will be explained later. The method for the production of the transport container will now be explained with reference to the figures. Cardboard material from roll 13 is brought forward and attached to winding drum 16, e.g., with the aid of a suction cup (not shown). Winding drum 16 rotates one revolution, thereby being covered or wrapped by the cardboard material. Bottom 8 is moved into place on the end of drum 16. The glue application cylinder 15 is connected, and drum 16 rotates further. Flaps 9 for bottom 6 are simultaneously bent into position between the first and second wrapped layer on drum 16 with the aid of a folding arm 17. Attachment flaps 7 are shorter than flaps 9 and will therefore not be caught by folding arm 17. Attachment flaps 7 will later be used to affix container 1 to a pallet 2. The strength of container 1 may easily be altered by varying the number of wrapped layers. In most cases it will be sufficient to have 3 wrapped layers. After completion of the winding of lower frame 3 for the container, the cardboard material supplied from roll 13 is cut off. The bottom 6 and lower frame 3 are now finished. The upper frame 4 is produced in a similar manner by advancing the cardboard material from roll 14 in the same manner as above, e.g., with the aid of a suction cup (not shown). Cardboard material from roll 14 overlaps lower frame 3, and small glue dots are applied in the overlap to enable the upper frame 4 to be held up when the container is lifted vertically and attached to pallet 2. After the cardboard material from roll 14 is fastened to lower frame 3, drum 16 is rotated one revolution. The glue application cylinder 15 is connected, and drum 16 is rotated the desired number of revolutions. In most cases, two revolutions of drum 16 will be sufficient. Thereafter the cardboard material supplied from roll 14 is cut off. The height and thus the volume of container 1 may be varied by increasing or decreasing the overlap a_between the upper and lower frames 3, 4. On a purely practical level, this is done by shifting the position of roll 14 containing the cardboard material that shall form the upper frame. By moving roll 14 toward the right, as shown in Figure 4, the overlap a is decreased and the finished container 1 will have a greater volume. By moving roll 14 toward the left in Figure 4, overlap a is increased and the height of the container is reduced. The finished assembly of the lower part of container 1 ~ i.e., bottom 6 and the lower and upper frames 3, 4 — is then removed from winding drum 16. This drum 16 is designed to be expandable, i.e., portions of the periphery of the drum are displaceable toward and away from the center of the drum. This is indicated in Figure 5. When the wrapping is being carried out, the drum is in its expanded position. When the finished, wrapped container is to be removed, a portion of the drum is contracted so that container 1 may be easily removed from the drum. Container 1 may then be placed on a pallet 2, and the attachment flaps may be affixed to the pallet, e.g., by stapling or nailing. Container 1 is now ready to be filled with the bulk goods. Optionally a plastic bag is arranged in the container before filling takes place. The filled container is thereafter brought to a station for the mounting of lid 5. This lid mounting device is shown in Figure 6. The device consists of a holder 18 disposed on a pivotable and rotatable arm 19. Holder 18 is also movable in the vertical direction and is capable of securely retaining lid 6 by means of, e.g., suction cups. Lid 6 is rotated one revolution and glue is applied to flaps 11 on the side that is to be oriented inward toward upper frame 4. Holder 18 then presses lid 6 down onto upper frame 4 and pushes frame 4 downward until the upper edge of frame 4 is level with the contents of container 1. This prevents the possibility of a void developing in container 1. Container 1 with its contents may optionally be placed on a shaking table, or similar apparatus, to compact the loose product as effectively as possible. The outer side wall of holder 18 moves further downwards along upper frame 4 and simultaneously clamps the flaps 11 on lid 6 against the side of frame 4. Container 1 is now filled and ready for transport and storage.

Claims: P a t e n t C l a i m s 1. A transport container (1), a so-called pallet container, consisting of a bottom (6), a lid (5) and a generally cylindrical frame (3, 4), c h a r a c t e r i z e d by the combination of the following known per se features: that the frame (3, 4) comprises a lower frame (3) and an upper frame (4), one telescopically disposed on the outside of the other, the upper frame (4) being displaceable in relation to the lower frame (3); that the bottom (6) consists of a generally circular plate (8) having projecting flaps (9) along the periphery thereof, and attachment flaps (7), for affixing the container (1) to a pallet (2); that the lower frame (3) consists of two of more wrapped layers of cardboard material, preferably corrugated cardboard, and the flaps (9) are positioned between at least two of these layers; and that the lid (5) comprises a generally circular plate (10), having projecting flaps (11) along the periphery thereof and preferably perforated lines for opening of the lid (5). 2. A method for producing a transport container (1), by advancing a cardboard material, preferably corrugated cardboard, from a first roll (13) to an expandable winding drum (16), preferably with the aid of a suction cup or the like, rotating the winding drum (16), moving the bottom (6) toward the end of the winding drum (16), connecting a glue application cylinder (15) thereto and applying glue to the cardboard material supplied from the first roll (16), rotating the winding drum (16) the desired number of revolutions, cutting off the cardboard material supplied from the first roll (13), and stopping the application of glue, and moving a second roll (14) of cardboard material to a position generally parallel to the first roll (13) and the winding drum (16) so as to attain a desired overlap a, c h a r a c t e r i z e d by advancing the cardboard material from the second roll (14) to the winding drum (16), preferably with the aid of a suction cup, fastening the cardboard material supplied from the second roll (14) to the cardboard material already disposed on the winding drum (16) with the aid of glue dots, rotating the winding drum (16) one revolution, connecting the glue application cylinder (15) thereto, rotating the winding drum (16) the desired number of revolutions, cutting off the cardboard material being supplied from the second roll (14), stopping the application of glue, contracting the winding drum (16) and removing the container (1) from the winding drum (16).

Inventors: HAUGAN OLAV, HAUGAN, OLAV
Applicants: HAUGAN OLAV, RIEBER & SON AS, HAUGAN, OLAV, RIEBER & SOEN A/S
Application year: 1997
Main classification: B65D19
IPC codes: B31C1, B65D19, B65D21