STACKABLE PLASTIC CONTAINER WITH COLLAPSIBLE WALLS, IN PARTICULAR FOR FRUIT AND VEGETABLE PRODUCTS

Abstract: A stackable plastic container (30) with collapsible walls, in particular for fruit and vegetable products, is described, said container comprising four walls in identical pairs (36, 38) which are removably hinged with the perimetral edges of the bottom (32) of the container, said walls (36, 38) and said bottom (32) having ventilation openings (40), the long walls (36) having a C-shape, the two flanges of which partially occupy the planes in which (74) the short walls (38) of the container are arranged in the upright position, said short walls (38) having multiple fastening means which interact with said flanges (74) of said long walls (36).

Description: "Stackable plastic container with collapsible walls, in particular for fruit and vegetable products" The present invention relates to a plastic box structure for containing and transporting material, in particular fruit and vegetable products, both in the loose state and in ordered layers, of the type having collapsible walls and capable of being stacked. The transportation of material in loose form, and in particular fruit and vegetable products, for various reasons has specific requirements as regards the containers used for this purpose. Firstly, said containers have requirements of a hygienic nature since they must be able to be easily cleaned, especially when reused several times. Secondly, said containers must be stackable so as to allow them to be stacked both during transportation and when deposited in storage areas. Thirdly, they must occupy as little space is possible both during storage when they are not used and when they are returned empty to the original producer or distributor. For these reasons, for several years now plastic containers with collapsible walls, which are converted into the upright position only during use and transportation, have been designed and manufactured. However, the solutions known hitherto have the disadvantage of certain drawbacks including principally that associated with security of the fastening of the side walls in the upright position, since the material contained inside them exerts a pressure on the side walls which is directed from the inside outwards. Secondly there is also the problem of providing fastening means which can be manufactured in an industrially advantageous and low-cost manner and which remain securely fastened when several containers are stacked on top of one another, avoiding the situation where the weight of the overlying containers may result in the fastening means coming apart. In recent years there has also been a problem specifically associated with the transfer line for fruit and vegetable products, which passes from the producer to the end consumer via various intermediaries. In fact, hitherto harvesting has been performed using large-size boxes positioned close to the harvesting areas, following which the harvested products are transferred into smaller stackable containers (which are often not recyclable, such as, for example, wooden and/or cardboard boxes), transported to a first destination (for example the classic general public markets) and from here enter the distribution network. Alternatively, the products stored in large-size boxes are directly acquired by major distributors and are distributed via a different route. In any case some of the intermediate transition stages result in lost time, for example during transfer into smaller boxes, in particular in the case of products which are to be transported and offered on sale in layers and compartmentalised containers. The object of the present invention is also that of providing a stackable plastic container with collapsible walls having form and size such that it may be used along the whole transfer line from the harvesting area to the end retailer, at the same time may be easily cleaned so that it can be reused in hygienically safe conditions and, finally, may be easily assembled and disassembled by one person alone who does not necessarily have to possess any particular skill. These objects are achieved by means of a stackable plastic container with collapsible walls, in particular for fruit and vegetable products, of the type comprising a bottom and four walls, at least in identical pairs, the walls being removably hinged along the external edges of the bottom so that they can be collapsed towards the upper surface of the bottom, two facing first walls or long walls being C-shaped so that their end parts or flanges also define a predetermined portion of the other two immediately adjacent walls, two facing second walls or short walls being arranged inside the plane defined by the pairs of said flanges, characterized in that the lateral edges of said second walls are provided with multiple means for fastening to said flanges of said long wall, said multiple means comprising elastic clip means having ends elastically engageable with seats suitably formed in said flanges and a substantially horizontal tongue terminating in a fastening tooth engageable with the upper edge of the adjacent flange of the long walls, said multiple means also comprising projections designed to penetrate into cavities or holes formed in the adjacent flange of the long wall, so that the rotation of said short walls, from the position collapsed onto the bottom of the container into the upright position, causes said multiple fastening means to engage with said flanges of said long walls already positioned in the upright position. As will be clarified by the detailed description which follows of a preferred embodiment of the present invention, said invention firstly allows assembly and disassembly of the collapsible walls to be performed easily and rapidly by just one person. Secondly, during assembly of each collapsible wall, the latter is fixed in position using simple mechanical means such as a screw or a key. Thirdly, the sequence for transforming the container from the condition where the walls are collapsed onto the bottom to that where the container is in an operational condition with upright walls envisages two simple steps, namely a first step, where the two first C-shaped walls (coinciding with the longer walls in the case of a parallelepiped container) are brought into the upright position, and a second step, where the two second walls are rotated towards the upright position and, during this movement, the elastic fastening elements of said walls engage corresponding seats formed on the end edges of said two first C-shaped walls and, at the same time, elements projecting from said two second walls engage corresponding cavities or openings formed in said flanges of said first C-shaped walls and, finally, upper tongues integral with said second walls along their end edges engage elastically and are fastened with the external edge of said first walls forming a seat for resting the foot of a container arranged and stacked above. These and other features and advantages of the present invention will emerge more clearly from the description which follows of a preferred embodiment provided with reference to the enclosed drawings in which: Fig. 1 is a schematic perspective view of the container according to the present invention; Fig. 2 is a view similar to that of Fig. 1 in the condition where the two second walls (or "short" walls) are folded onto the bottom; Fig. 3 is a view similar to that of Fig. 2, showing the condition where the two first walls (or "long" walls) of the container are folded onto the bottom; Fig. 4 shows schematically two containers arranged on top of each other by means of vertical stacking; Fig. 5 is a plan view of the bottom of the container according to Fig. 1, shown partially from above and partially from below; Figs. 6 and 7 are cross-sectional views along the planes indicated by VI- VI and VII-VII in Fig. 5; Fig. 8 is a front view, viewed from the inner side, of one of said second walls or short wall of the container according to Fig. 1 ; Fig. 9 is a cross-sectional view along the plane indicated by IX-IX in Fig. 8; Fig. 10 is a front view, similar to that of Fig. 8, of the said short wall viewed from the outer side of the container; Fig. 1 1 is a partially sectioned end view of the wall according to Fig. 10, viewed along the plane indicated by XI-XI in Fig. 10; Fig. 12 is a cross-sectional view along the plane indicated by XII-XII in Fig. 10; Fig. 13 is a front view of one of the two first walls or long walls of the container according to Fig. 1, viewed from the inner side of the said container; Figs. 14 and 15 are cross-sectional views along the planes indicated by XIV- XIV and XV-XV in Fig. 13; Fig. 16 is a front view, similar to that of Fig. 13, of the same long wall viewed from the outer side of the container; Fig. 17 is a view in the direction of the arrow XVII shown in Fig. 16; Fig. 18 is a partial top plan view of the container according to Fig. 1; Fig. 19 is a partially sectioned side view of the long wall of the container according to Fig. 1 , viewed both from the inside (right-hand part of the figure) and from the outside (left-hand part of the figure); Fig. 20 is a partially sectioned side view of the short wall of the container according to Fig. 1 , viewed both from the inside (right-hand part of the figure) and from the outside (left-hand part of the figure); Fig. 21 is a view, on a larger scale and in detail, of the hinge connection between the vertical walls and the bottom of the container; Fig. 22 is a view, on a larger scale and in detail, of the system for locking each of the walls in the assembled position; Fig. 23 is a partially sectioned view, in detail, of the angular connection between two containers according to the present invention, stacked on top of each other; Fig. 24 is a partially sectioned view of the connection between two adjacent walls of the container according to the present invention. With reference first of all to Figures 1 to 3, these figures show schematically the stackable container according to the present invention which is indicated generally by the reference number 30 and which comprises a bottom 32, four feet 34 with a conventional structure and, being in the form of a parallelepiped, two first walls or long walls 36 and two second walls or short walls 38. From Figures 2 and 3 it can be readily seen how folding or collapsing of the walls involves, during a first step, rotation of the short walls 38 about the hinges pivotably mounted on the bottom (as described in detail below) and, during a second step, rotation of the long walls 36 so that they are folded onto the bottom 32 and hence superimposed onto the already folded short walls 38. Therefore, in the completely folded-up condition, the container is in the condition shown in Fig. 3, where the thickness is made up mainly by the height of the feet 34. Figures 1 to 4 do not show, because of their schematic nature, an important feature of the container according to the present invention, namely the fact that both the bottom 32 and the walls 36 and 38 have a large number of openings (equal to about 40% of the lateral and bottom surface area of the container), which openings are indicated generally by the reference number 40, thus favouring both free circulation of the air - and therefore ventilation of the fruit and vegetable products for which the containers 30 are mainly intended - and washing and hygienic cleaning of the containers so that they may be used again. This aspect is particularly important when one considers the fact that these containers are usually used in a condition where several containers are stacked on top of each other. If we now consider Figs. 5, 6 and 7, these figures show the bottom 32 (visible from above in the top part of Fig. 5 and from below in the bottom part) which has, at regular intervals along its external perimeter, seats 42 for hinging the side walls (in the mannei descnbed below) The bottom 32 consists, m the example shown, of a perimetral edge 44 in which the seats 42 are formed, said edge being raised with respect to the actual bottom panel 46 which, in the bottom surface, is provided with reinforcing ribs 48 Fiom Fig 6 it can be seen how the panel 46 and the ribs 48 have a form similai to that of a beam wedged at its two ends If we now consider Figures 8 to 12, these figures show, from both sides, a short wall 38 consisting of a panel 50 which is provided with the said openings or slits 40, bounded by a perimetral edge 52 and preferably reinforced with externally pioiectmg ribs Hinging pivots oi hinges, which are generally indicated by the reference numbei 54 and described more fully below, project, coplanar with each other, along the bottom edge 56 of the panel 50 Moieover, multiple means for non-permanent fastening to the adjacent edge of the long wall 36 are provided along the two side edges 58 of the panel 50 These fastening means consist of an elastic clip 62 having, as shown in parti culai m Fig 12, two arms, the free ends of which are suitably shaped so as to engage with corresponding receiving recesses provided in the adjacent edge of the long wall 36 At the top, these fastening means consist of a substantially horizontal tongue 64. the portion of which for attaching to the panel 50 has a limited thickness so as to act as a hinge allowing (owing to the elasticity of the plastic material from which the contamei is made) easy engagement of the free edge 66, which is hook or tooth- shaped, with the adjacent edge of the long wall 36 Finally, in order to increase the resistance of the panels forming the walls 36 and 38 to the pressure directed outwards and resulting from the material contained inside the contamei, fixed projections 60 are provided, said projections engaging coπespondmg openings formed in the adjacent edge of the long wall 36 If we now consider Figures 13 to 17, these figures show a long wall 36 which is substantially structurally similar to the short wall 38, except for a few differences which will now be explained Said wall therefore has a central panel 68 bounded by a perimetral edge 70 The bottom side 72 of the perimetral edge 70 has hmges or pivots 54 which ai e identical to those already descπbed for the short walls 38 Moreover, the long wall 36 is also provided with externally projecting reinforcing or stiffening πbs in ordei to compensate for the presence of the ventilation openings or slits 40 As can be clearly seen m Figure 14, the long wall 36 is C-shaped, namely, m addition to the central flat panel 68, two lateral flanges 74 are provided, said flanges basically occupying a portion of the side of the bottom 32 on which the short walls 38 aie pivotably mounted The flanges 74 have, formed in them, the means for elastic coupling with the adjacent short wall 38 in the form of seats 76 foi engagement with the ends of the elastic clip 62 provided on the vertical edges of the short walls 38 Secondly, openings 78 are provided for engagement by means of penetration of the stiffening projections 60, which are also provided on the vertical side edges of the short walls 38 Finally, the upper edge of each of the flanges 74 is engaged by the tooth- shaped end of the upper tongue 64 provided on the edge of the short wall 38 The fastening between a long wall and an adjacent short wall is shown m detail in Figuie 24 When the container is converted from the totally folded-up condition, shown in Figuie 3 into the operating condition shown in Fig 1, the two long walls 36 are fustly lotated upwards so as to bring them into the condition shown in Fig. 2 In this condition it can be clearly seen that the flanges 74 of each long wall 36 aie arranged in the plane intended to be occupied by the corresponding short wall 38 The short walls 38 are then raised, also by means of rotation about the hmges pivotably mounted on the bottom of the container The short wall 38, during its rotation, causes the projections 60 to penetrate into the openings 78 formed m the flanges 74, the ends of the elastic clips 62 to snap- engage elastically into the seats 76 and the tooth-shaped end of the tongue 64 to engage with the upper edge of the flange 74 of the long wall 36 In this w ay the container assumes the operating position shown m Fig 1 When it is required to perform the opposite operation, namely fold up the collapsible walls onto the bottom 32, it is sufficient to apply to each short wall 38 a thrust towards the inside of the container so as to force the elastic engagement of the ends of the elastic clips with the seats 76 and the tooth-shaped end of the tongue 64 with the upper edge of the flange 74, disengaging the short wall from the flanges 74 of the two adjacent long walls. When the container has assumed the condition shown in Figure 2, it is possible to fold up the long walls 36 in that the flanges 74 rotate flush with the edge of the bottom 32 and the upper edge (now resting on the bottom 32) of the short wall 38, assuming the position shown in Fig. 3. Reference has already been made to the fact that the walls 36 and 38 are pivotably mounted on the perimetral edges of the bottom 32 by means of a system of hinges. With reference first of all to Fig. 21, this figure shows in detail a hinge comprising a seat 80 formed in the perimetral edge 44 of the bottom 32 of the container, said seat also having a through-hole 82. As already mentioned, the walls 36 and 38 are provided along the bottom side, indicated by means of the reference number 56 in the case of the short walls 38 and the reference number 72 in the case of the long walls 36, with pivots or hinges 54 which, as more clearly shown in Fig. 21, have an actual pivot 84 projecting towards the bottom from the side or edge of the respective wall and fixed thereto by means of connecting bars 86. The pivot 84 has an internal hole which does not have any specific function (except in one position) in that it is merely intended to avoid the need to manufacture a solid part, which is of no practical use. When the walls 36 and 38 must be mounted on the bottom 32, the wall is arranged in a position perpendicular to the bottom so that the bars 86 and the pivot 84 are vertically aligned with the upper opening of the seat 42 into which they are then introduced by means of a downwards displacement until the axis of the pivot 84 is aligned with that of the hole 82. It is then sufficient to displace the wall laterally so as to cause the free end of the pivot 84 to be introduced into the hole 82 as far as the position shown in Fig. 21, where the bar 86a makes contact with the adjacent wall of the cavity or seat 80. In order to prevent the wall, pivotably mounted in this manner, from being able to be accidentally displaced in the opposite direction such that the pivots 84 come out of the holes 82, a locking system, for example of the type illustrated in Fig 22, is provided, in which one of the end hmges has, associated with it, a locking sci ew 88 which is introduced through a hole formed m the perimetral edge 44 of the bottom 32 and the threaded part of which engages mside the internal hole of the pivot 84 Alternatively, it is possible to envisage a simple key-type device which mteifeies, by means of rotation, with the backwards displacement of the pivots 84 and theiefoie each wall with respect to the bottom of the container From the above description it is obvious how assembly of the walls on the contamei may be performed by one person alone and how it is equally easy and practical for one person to perform disassembly of the walls, for example m order to leplace a damaged wall or for any other necessity An important feature of the collapsible containers according to the present l m ention consists in the fact that they are stackable since the feet 34 of a container match the specially designed shape of the tongues 64 and the upper edge portion of the flanges 74 of the long walls 36 In particulai, this upper edge portion, which is indicated by the reference numbei 90 Fig 24, has a slight downwards inclination (of the order of about 10°) w ith l espect to the horizontal plane and the shape of the bottom of the feet 34 has a similai inclination so that, when a container is stacked on top of another one, the connection between foot and portion 90 produces a force directed towards the mside of the bottom contamei, thereby counteracting the tendency for an outwards defoimation of the side walls which could arise from the weight of the upper container when loaded with material to be transported Fiom the above description it will be clear that the stackable container with collapsible walls according to the invention achieves in an industrially advantageous mannei all the aforementioned objects, solving the problems associated with the contamei s of the prior art, especially those intended for fruit and vegetable products Obviously conceptually and mechanically equivalent modifications and \ aπations aie possible and may be envisaged without departing from the scope of the pi esent invention

Claims: CLAIMS 1 Stackable plastic container with collapsible walls, in particular for fruit and \ egetable products, of the type comprising a bottom (32) and four walls (36,38), at least m identical pairs, the walls (36,38) being removably hmged along the external edges of the bottom (32) so that they can be collapsed towards the upper surface of the bottom (32), two facing first walls or long walls (36) being C-shaped so that their end parts oi flanges (74) also define a predetermined portion of the other two immediately adjacent walls (38), two facing second walls or short walls (38) being aπanged mside the plane defined by the pairs of said flanges (74), characterized in that the lateral edges of said second walls (38) are provided with multiple means for fastening to said flanges (74) of said long walls (36), said multiple means comprising elastic clip means (62) having ends elastically engageable with seats (76) suitably formed said flanges (74), and a substantially horizontal tongue (64) terminating in a fastening tooth engageable with the upper edge (90) of the adjacent flange (74) of the long wall (36), said multiple means also comprising projections (60) designed to penetiate into cavities or holes (78) formed in the adjacent flange (74) of the long w all (36), so that the rotation of said short walls (38) from the position collapsed onto the bottom (32) of the container into the upright position causes said multiple fastening means to engage said flanges (74) of said long walls (36) already positioned in the upnght position 2 Stackable plastic container with collapsible walls according to Claim 1, chaiactenzed m that the hinge connection between each collapsible wall and the conespondmg perimetral edge of the bottom (32) of the container comprises a seat (42) formed the said perimetral edge of the bottom (32) of the container, a hoπzontal hole (82) being formed m said seat (42), and a pivot (54), which is also honzontal, piojectmg by means of rigid-connection bars from the bottom side of the lespective wall (36,38), said pivot (54) having a suitable external diameter for free intioduction into said horizontal hole 3 Stackable plastic container with collapsible walls according to Claim 2, chaiactenzed in that each side wall (36,38) is provided with an opening (82) in the l egion of the hinge (42) seat for the introduction of a locking screw (88), the thieaded portion of which engages a corresponding internal hole formed m said pivot or hinge (84). 4. Stackable plastic container with collapsible walls according to Claim 1, characterized in that said horizontal tongues (64) for fastening the short walls (38) to said flanges (74) of said long walls (36) are shaped so as to match the shape of the feet (34) with which said bottom (32) is provided and also have a portion of limited thickness in the vicinity of the point of attachment of the tongue (64) to said short wall (38).

Inventors: CAPPI UMBERTO, CAPPI, UMBERTO
Applicants: CAPPI UMBERTO, CSO CT SERVIZI ORTOFRUTTICOLI, CAPPI, UMBERTO, CSO CENTRO SERVIZI ORTOFRUTTICOLI SOC. COOP. A R.L.
Application year: 2000
Main classification: B65D21
IPC codes: B65D6, B65D21, B65D85