TRANSPORT PACKAGING

Abstract: Transport Packaging (1) for transport and/or storage, including a first and a second short side wall (2 and 3 respectively), a first and a second long side wall (4 and 5 respectively), a bottom (6) and an upper rim (7). The rim (7) includes a closed profile with a mainly square, rectangular or polygon-shaped cross section. The transport packaging (1) is provided with vertical profiles (8) at its short side walls (2 and 3 respectively) and/or at its long side walls (4 and 5 respectively). The profiles (8) are placed alone or in groups of two in connection to the corners (24, 34, 25, 35) between adjacent walls (2, 3, 4, 5). At least four of the profiles (8) are open with a U-shaped cross section closest to the rim (7) and are closed with a mainly quadratic, rectangular or polygon-shaped cross section closest to the bottom (6).

Description: Transport Packaging The present invention relates to a transport packaging for transport and/or storage Which transport packaging is provided a stacking and nesting function and hollow profiles. It is desirable to reduce the transport volume when returning empty transport packages after a shipment of goods. This can, for example, be achieved by allowing the side walls to incline. The side walls are further provided with profiles, arranged in such a way that the transport packages can be stacked on top, and nested into one another by being turned 180° around the vertical axis. One problem with such a solution is, however, that the load a stack of such transport packages can carry is limited due to the unfavourable case of load. The force that is transferred into an underlying transport packaging will, due to the angle of the side walls, force the upper parts of the side walls and the rim outwards. The transport packaging will collapse, whereby a stack could overturn if the load becomes to high. Transport Packages manufactured of thermoplastic material are most often reinforced by means of ribs and profiles so that they will meet the demands on mechanical stability. One disadvantage with such ribs and profiles is that the weight of the transport packaging increases and corners and pockets are formed which are difficult to clean. These ribs and profiles can furthermore, only to a very limited extent, be placed on side walls on transport packages that are intended to be nested into one another. This will make it very difficult to achieve good stability at high loads for this type of transport packaging especially since the side walls are a critical feature when considering the load carrying aspect. It can in certain cases be desirable to use heavier profiles of other reasons. This will, however cause problems in a normal injection moulding procedure since the material thickness is not allowed to differ to much within the same product. Differences in material thickness will most often cause great problems with warping in the product. This problem can be avoided by, for example, injecting a gas through separate nozzles or together with the molten thermoplastic material. The weight of the transport packaging can hereby be reduced and the profiles can be made heavier as seen from the outside. A closed hollow profile, such as a tube is furthermore stronger than a profile such as a rib, provided the amount of material used is the same. The number of ribs and profiles can hereby be reduced with maintained strength, whereby the product will be easier to clean. One disadvantage with gas channels achieved through the injection of a fluid together with the plastic material is that the profiles will be cooled from the outside only while the rest of the product will be cooled from two sides. The product will hereby tend to warp due to inner tensile stress caused by the differences in temperature. The above mentioned problems have, through the present invention, been solved and a transport packaging with a very god stability and straight surfaces has been achieved The invention relates to a transport packaging for transport and/or storage including a first and a second short side wall, a first and a second long side wall, a bottom and an upper rim. The rim includes a closed profile with a mainly square, rectangular or polygon-shaped cross-section The invention is characterised in that the transport packaging is provided with vertical profiles at its short side walls and/or at its long side walls. The profiles are placed alone or in groups of two in connection to the corners between adjacent side walls At least four of the profiles are open with a U-shaped cross-section closest to the rim and are closed with a mainly quadratic, rectangular or polygon-shaped cross-section closest to the bottom. The side walls are, along the main part of their horizontal extension, at the upper part provided with a step which forms an upper stacking surface adapted to a lower stacking surface on the lower ending of the profiles The transport packages can hereby be stacked on one another if every other transport packaging is turned 1 80° and be nested into one another if placed in the same direction. The stacking surface is preferably provided with an inclination so that the surface inclines from the centre of the transport packaging with an angle A between the vertical plane and the upper stacking surface of less than 90°. The lower stacking surface on the profiles is suitably provided with a corresponding inclination so that an angle B between the vertical plane and the lower stacking surfaces of the profiles is less than 90°, preferably the same as the angle A. The side walls of a first transport packaging, which is placed under a second transport packaging, will be forced inwards, towards the lower part of the upper transport packaging, with increasing load In order to facilitate handling of transport packages when stacking, these are suitably provided with wedge-shaped raised guiding members at the upper part of the corners A second transport packaging intended to be nested or stacked on a first transport packaging is hereby guided laterally by the guiding members when slided on either of the rims. The transport packaging is preferably produced through injection moulding in a mould containing a mould cavity, which mould cavity forms a negative representation of the transport packaging. At least the parts of the mould cavity that give shape to the rim is warped outwards from the centre axis of the mould cavity so that an undesired inwards directed warping of the rim, caused by non-linear thermal shrinking is avoided, whereby a straight rim is obtained when the transport packaging, after the manufacturing, is completely cooled. The invention is further illustrated by means of enclosed figures showing two embodiments of the invention wherein, -figure 1 shows, in perspective view from above, a transport packaging according to the invention. -figure 2 shows, in perspective view from below, the transport packaging from figure 1 . -figure 3 shows, in cross-section, a part of a side wall of a transport packaging according to the invention. -figure 4 shows, in cross-section, an upper and a lower part of the side walls of stacked transport packages according to the invention. -figure 5 shows, in perspective view, an alternative embodiment of a transport packaging according to the invention. Figure 1 shows, accordingly, a transport packaging 1 including a first and a second short side wall 2 and 3 respectively, a first and a second long side wall 4 and 5 respectively, a bottom 6 and an upper rim 7. The rim 7 includes a closed profile. The transport packaging 1 is provided with vertical profiles 8 at its short side walls 2 and 3 and long side walls 4 and 5. The profiles 8 are placed in groups of two in connection to the corners 24, 34, 25, 35. The profiles 8 are open with a U-shaped cross-section closest to the rim 7 and are closed with a mainly rectangular cross-section closest to the bottom 6. The side walls 2, 3, 4, 5 are, at the main part of their horizontal extension, provided with a step that forms the upper stacking surface 9 adapted to a lower stacking surface 10 (fig. 2) on the lower ending of the profiles 8. The rim 7 is provided with wedge-shaped raised guiding members 1 1 at the upper part of the corners. A second transport packaging 1 intended to be nested into or stacked upon a first transport packaging can hereby slide on either of the rims, sideways guided by the guiding members. Figure 2 further shows the transport packaging from figure 1 , seen in perspective from below. The lower ending of the profiles 8 are provided with an angled stacking surface 10. The lower edge of the rim 7 is, at the short side walls 2 and 3, provided with pocket-like cavities 40 serving as handles when the transport packaging 1 is handled manually. Figure 3 shows, in cross-section, a part of a side wall 2, 3, 4, 5 (fig. 1 ). A profile 8 has been sectioned vertically in the figure. The profiles 8 are open, with a U-shaped cross-section closest to the rim 7 and are closed with mainly rectangular cross-section closest to the bottom 6. The side walls 2, 3, 4, 5 are at the main part of their horizontal extension provided with a step which forms a upper stacking surface 9 adapted to a lower stacking surface 10 on the lower ending of the profiles 8. The upper and the lower stacking surface 9 and 10 respectively, is provided with an angle A and B respectively between the vertical plane and the stacking surfaces 9 and 10 respectively of 80°. It is illustrated in figure 4 how the side walls 2, 3 , 4, 5 of a first transport packaging 1 ', which transport packaging is placed under a second transport packaging 1 ", will be forced inwards, towards the lower parts of the second transport packaging 1 " at increasing load F. Figure 5 shows a second embodiment of a transport packaging 1 according to the invention. The embodiment shown corresponds in the main with the previously shown, first embodiment. The more narrow profiles 8, placed furthest from the corners parts 24, 34, 25, 35, are not provided with a closed lower part, wherein only the wider profiles 8, placed closest to the corner parts 24, 34, 25, 35 are provided with such a closed lower part. Furthermore, the wedge-shaped guiding members 1 1 (fig. 1 ) is lacking. The transport packaging 1 is provided with diagonal ventilation openings 41 , arranged in two horizontal rows on the side walls 2, 3, 4, 5. Draining holes 42 has placed in connection to the corners at the bottom 6 of the transport packaging. The side walls 2, 3, 4, 5 are also provided with labelling areas 43 in the form of tightly placed low rib profiles. A nesting limitation rib 44 has been placed between the profiles 8 in each profile pair, which prevents transport packages from getting wedged into one another when stacking. The invention is not limited by the embodiments shown since these can be varied in different ways within the scope of the invention.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. Transport Packaging (1) for transport and/or storage including a first and a second short side wall (2 and 3 respectively), a first and a second long side • •• wall (4 and 5 respectively), a bottom (6) and an upper rim (7), which rim (7) includes a closed profile with a mainly square, rectangular or polygon-shaped cross-section, c h aract eri s ed in that the transport packaging (1) is provided with vertical profiles (8) at its short side walls (2 and 3 respectively) and/or at its long side walls (4 and 5 respectively), which profiles (8) are placed alone or in groups of two in connection to corners (24, 34, 25, 35) between adjacent walls (2, 3, 4, 5), that at least four of the profiles (8) are open with a U-shaped cross-section closest to the rim (7) and are closed with a mainly quadratic, rectangular or polygon-shaped cross-section closest to the bottom (6). 2. Transport Packaging (1) according to claim 1 ch a r a c t e r i s e d in that a step forms an upper stacking surface (9) along the main part the horizontal extension of the upper part of the side walls (2, 3, 4, 5), which stacking surface (9) is adapted to a lower stacking surface (10) on the lower ending of the profiles (8) whereby the transport packages (1) can be stacked on one another if every other transport packaging is turned 180° and be nested into one another if placed in the same direction. 3. Transport Packaging (1) according to claim 1 or 2 c h a r a c t e r i s e d in that an angle (A) between the vertical plane and the upper stacking surface (9) is less than 90°. 4. Transport Packaging (1) according to claim 3 ch a rac t er i s e d in that an angle (B) between the vertical plane and the lower stacking surfaces (10) of the profiles (8) is less than 90°, preferably the same as the angle (A). 5. Transport Packaging (1) according to any of the claims 1 - 4 c h a rac t e ri s e d in that the rim (7) is provided with wedge-shaped raised guiding members (11) at the upper part of the corners. 6. Transport Packaging (1) according to claim 1 characterised in that the transport packaging (1) is made by injection moulding in a mould containing a mould cavity, which mould cavity forms a negative representation of the transport packaging (1), that at least the parts of the mould cavity that give shape to the rim (7) are warped outwards from the centre axis of the mould cavity so that an undesired inwards directed warping of the rim (7), caused by non-linear thermal shrinking is avoided whereby a straight rim (7) is obtained.

Inventors: KOSKINEN KAJ, KOSKINEN, KAJ
Applicants: KOSKINEN KAJ, PERSTORP AB, KOSKINEN, KAJ
Application year: 1997
Main classification: B65D21
IPC codes: B65D21