COUPLING MEANS FOR RELEASABLE COUPLING OF CONTAINERS

Abstract: A coupling means for releasable coupling of at least two containers, preferably of the art plastic container for bottles, is described. It comprises at least two first grip elements (16) arranged to cooperate, each of them, with a second grip element in the form of first hollow space at each of the containers. The coupling means is especially characterised in that it is provided with a guide element (15) designed to guide the first grip elements to engagement with the second grip elements, thereby guided by a second hollow space, formed by at least two containers, brought together.

Description: Coupling means for releasable coupling of containers This invention relates to a coupling means for releasable coupling of at least two containers, preferably of the art plastic container for bottles, which coupling means comprises at least two first grip elements arranged to cooperate, each of them, with a second grip element at each of the containers. When handling goods, transport of piled containers like plastic containers, boxes, cartons, pallets and plates etc. is abundant. Such modern containers are such designed, that there is normally no problem in keeping a single pile of containers together. These are namely such designed, that the lower side of one container engages the container below in order to prevent a mutual lateral movement between the containers in a pile .On the other hand, there are often problems when transporting these piles of containers thereby, that it is difficult to keep them together e g at the load area of lorries, at trucks etc. Also plastic containers piled at Europe pallets mean problems as to the side stability. Until now banding, shrinking plastics etc have been used. To keep piles of the previously used wooden container for 1/3 litre bottles together a cross hook of iron has been utilized since a long time. It is expensive and cumbersome in use. A coupling means of the art mentioned introductorily, that is versatile in use, cheap and efficient, is hitherto lacking. The object of the invention is to provide such a coupling means , and it is primarily characterised in that it is provided with a guide element designed to guide the first grip elements to engagement with the second grip elements, thereby guided by a second hollow space, formed by at least two containers, brought together. Other features of the coupling means are obvious from the enclosed dependent patent claims. The invention shall be disclosed more in detail, reference being made to the enclosed schematic drawings, of which: Figure 1 shows, in perspective a previously known cross hook, for coupling four wooden containers together, figure 2A shows a plane view of two containers, brought together to be coupled together by a coupling means according to the invention, figure 2B shows a plane view of a coupling means according to the inventio with portions of the containers in figure 2A, figure 3A shows a plane view of two containers, intended to be coupled togther by a coupling means of an alternative design, figure 3B shows a side view of a coupling means, applied at the containers of figure 3A, figure 3C shows a plane view of a coupling means, apphed at the containers of figure 3A, figure 4A shows a coupling means according to the invention, seen in a side view, figure 4B shows a plane view of the object of figure 4A, figure 4C shows a plane view of the four corners of four plastic containers, partly brought together to be coupled together by the coupling means in figure 4A, figures 5A- 5C show plane views of three embodiments of the corners of four containers, brought together for coupling together, figures 6A - 6D show plane views of four different embodiments of a coupling means according to the invention, figure 7A shows a side view of a container of a different design figure 7B shows a side view of two containers, brought together for coupling together by a coupling means of an alternative design, figure 8A shows a plane view of four containers brought together for coupling, figure 8B shows a plane view of 9 containers brought together for coupling, figure 8C shows a side view of two containers piled at two identical conatiners , at the upper side kept together by a coupling means, figure 9 shows a side view of a coupling means, intended to keep together upper as well as lower containers, figure 10 shows a side view of a device for removing of a coupling means from containers, kept together, figure 11 shows a side view of an alternative embodiment of acoupling means according to the invention, figure 12 shows a view from below of the object of figure 11, whilst figure 13 shows a view from below of a variant of the object of figure 11. In figure 1 a previously known cross hook is marked by 1, and four wooden containers by 2- 5. As already mentioned, this form of a coupling means shows several drawbacks, it is expensive and also cumbersome in use. Figure 2A shows two containers, marked by 6 and 7. Their walls have recesses, all of them marked by 8. In figure 2B there is shown a plane view of a coupling means 9, with a central guide element 10, that has been passed down in the quadratic hollow space, that has been formed by two recesses 8. Four first grip elements 11 are symmetrically chvided around the guide element such that they grip down in pairs at each side of the walls 12 and 13. In this case the second grip element is formed by the quadratic hollow space, that is limited by these walls. An alternative design of the coupling means is shown in figures 3B and 3C, comprising a guide element 40 and two first grip elements 41. In this case the guide element consists of a profile, the cross section of which is obvious from figure 3C. The guide element and the grip element are joined by an upper plate 42, provided with a lower recess 43, intended to be engaged to the upper corner portions 44 of two containers, held together with their longer sides engaging each other, see figure 3A. The guide element is in this case guided by the hollow space, that is limited by the corner portions of the containers. On further coupling means is shown in one embodiment in figure 4A, seen from the side. It comprises a horizontal plate 14, a central guide element in the form of a rod 15, and four grip elements in the form of four rods 16, somewhat shorter than the rod 15. Figure 4B shows the location of the grip elements in relationship to the rod 15. The corners of four plastic containers, marked by 17 and 18 as is obvious from figure 4C. In these corners holes 19 are provided. In figure 4C it is shown, that the four plastic containers are not correctly brought together in order to locate the coupling means. When this has been effected, it can be placed in such a position, guided by the guide element, that is the rod 15, that the first grip elements 1G can be brought down in the holes 19, which in this case form second grip elements. The guide means, that is the rod 15, is in this case formed with a profile, the cross section of which corresponds to the cross section of the hollow space 20, that is formed when the plastic containers are brought together correctly. From figure 4A is also obvious, that the horizontal plate 14 at the lower side shows an excess 21, which means, that the couphng means demands a small room in vertical direction. Per se the grip element as well as the guide element may be designed wit a variety of cross sections. Examples are shown in figure 5A- 5C and 6A- 6D. In figure 5A are shown four bevelled corners 22 brought together, such that a hollow space is formed, with a quadratic cross section. From figure 6A the design of first grip elements 45 is obvious, corresponding to the hollow space formed within the bevelled corners 22. The grip element in figure 6C corresponds to the hollow space 25 in figure 5C, whilst the grip elements in figure 6B may be used, together with a guide element 28 with a cross section, formed like a cross, to keep four containers with corners according to figure 5B together. The embodiments hitherto shown have shown first grip elements formed as rods or profiles. It is, however also possible that the first grip elements are formed as hollow spaces in a support portion, like the plate 14 in figure 4A, just mentioned, whilst the second grip elements are formed like protrusions at the containers. See figures 7A and 7B, where a container has been provided withj a protrusion 29, directed upwards and a corresponding low recess 30. The couphng means here has an upper plate provided with holes 31, which fit over said protrusions 29. The drawback inherent to this design is, that it demands a special design of containers and the like, whilst embodiments of the couphng mans according to the invention hitherto described may be adapted to different forms of containers etc, decided in advance. According to figures 8A to 8C a couphng means 32 keeps containers 33 together,piled on top of containers 34. The couphng means may be designed such that the guide means according to figure 9 extends downwards 15 as well as upwards 35, from a plate 14, identical with that in figure 4A.The first grip elements also extend downwards 16 as well as upwards 36. With this design containers, especially plastic containers, may be kept together safely in two layers by one couphng means. In order to enable easy removal of a number of couphng means a picking robot should be used, in principle e g according to figure 10. A couphng means with an upper plate 37 may be lifted by a suction coup 38 or two lifting arms 39. In both cases it may be suitable to keep the containers by a holder on 40.. In one special embodiment of the couphng means according to the invention, which is seen in figures 1, 12 and 13, the first grip elements 41 in the form of longitudinal profiles, show bends deviating from the longitudinal axis of the profile. This design is intended to warrant the grip of the first grip elements at the first hollow spaces (19 in figure 4C) in view of the small friction between grip element, manufactured from plastics, and containers of a similar material. The bend may have different forms, e g like part of a circle with a suitable radius, or other geometrical form. The bend 42 starts at a distance a = at least 1,5 times the diameter d of the profile 41 from the fastening at the plate 14 in order to warrant the strength. Suitably the bends 42 are directed inwards to the rod 15, as shown in figure 12. As an alternative the bends 42 may be directed to each other in pairs, which design admits certain manufacturing advantages.

Claims: Patent claims 1. Coupling means for releasable coupling of at least two containers, preferably of the art plastic container for bottles, which coupling means comprises at least two first grip elements (16) arranged to cooperate, each of them, with a second grip element at each of the containers, characterised in that the coupling means is provided with a guide element (15) designed to guide the first grip elements to engagement with the second grip elements, thereby guided by a second hollow space (20), formed by at least two containers, brought together. 2. Couphng means according to claim 1, characterised in that it comprises at least two first grip elements (16) symmetrically arranged around the guide element in the form of a rod (15) formed to extend along the longitudinal second hollow space (20) formed by at least two containers (17) brought together. 3. Coupling means according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the first grip elements are formed like longitudinal profiles (16), and the second grip elements are formed as corresponding first hollow spaces (19) in the containers. 4. Couphng means according to claim 3, characterised in that the longitudinal profiles (16) are shorter than the guide elements (15). 5. Couphng means according to claim 3, characterised in that the profile of the guide element (15) is such designed, that it guided by the second hollow space (20), formed by the containers brought together, turned around its longitudinal symmetry axis sets the first (16) and second grip elements (19) such that they engage mutually at the axial movement of the couphng means in relationship to the containers. 6.. Couphng means according to claim 1,2 or 5, characterised in that the first grip elements are formed hke third hollow spaces (31) in a support portion of the coupling means, and that the second grip elements are formed like protrusions (29) at the containers. 7. Coupling means according to any of claims 1 to 6, characterised in that the first grip elements (16,36) and preferably the guide element (15,35) are designed such, that they can be extended downwards as well as upwards guided by containers piled up. 8. Couphng means according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that it comprises four first grip elements (16) arranged symmetrically around a guide element (15) provided to be guided by the second hollow space (20) formed by four containers, formed with substantially rectangular horizontal sections preferably with rounded corners (17), brought together. 9. Couphng means according to any of claims 1 -5,7,8, characterised in that the first grip elements (41) in the form of longitudinal profiles show at least one bend (42) diverging from the longitudinal axis of the profile. 10. Couphng means according to claim 9, characterised in that the bend (42) starts at a distance of at least a = at least 1,5 times the diameter of the profile (41) from the fastening at the plate (14).

Inventors: HANSSON GOERAN, HANSSON, GOERAN
Applicants: HANSSON GOERAN, HANSSON, GOERAN
Application year: 2001
Main classification: B65D21
IPC codes: B65D21, B65D67