Abstract:
A transport container includes a container body ( 14 ) and a container lid ( 12 ) pivotably mounted at the container body, with a multitude of guide rollers ( 58 ) at the container body ( 14 ) and a telescopic handle ( 64 ) spaced apart from the guide rollers ( 58 ), each at the side of the container body ( 14 ) opposite the container lid ( 12 ). A stacking frame ( 50 ) is attached to the rectangular container body ( 14 ), or is integrated into the rectangular container body ( 14 ). The container body ( 14 ) has rounded corners, but is free of supports or recesses ( 82 ) for guide rollers ( 58 ). The stacking frame ( 50 ) forms at least three stacking guides ( 52, 54 ), and the guide rollers ( 58 ) are mounted inside or at the stacking frame ( 50 ).

Description:
[0001]    The present application should be granted the priority date of Feb. 6, 2014, the filing date of the corresponding German patent application DE 10 2014 101 451.0. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The invention concerns a transport container as well as a retrofit kit. 
         [0003]    Such transport containers have been known for a long time. For example, what is referred to as trolley bags is wide-spread among business people, but increasingly also with tourists, who travel by public means of transport, such as the railway. With the help of extendable telescopic handles which are attached to the bottom surface to the container or suitcase concerned, and with the help of guide rollers which are also mounted at the bottom surface of the transport container concerned, however placed opposite the telescopic handle bearing, the transport container can be pulled easily, wherein a considerable part of the weight of the objects placed inside the transport container is supported with the help of the guide rollers, such that the movement is distinctively facilitated in comparison with, for instance, a suitcase carried by hand. 
         [0004]    With such transport containers, there is the problem that the guide rollers must be accommodated and mounted. There is the possibility of mounting them at the bottom corner of the transport container concerned, such as the suitcase. This would have the advantage that the inside space of the container would be free of mounting devices, such that a substantially rectangular inside space could be provided. 
         [0005]    However, this arrangement has the disadvantage that the guide rollers then clearly project compared with the otherwise rectangular outer shape of the transport container and face the risk of getting damaged. 
         [0006]    Such a transport container can, for example, be specified for carrying loads of approximately 30 kg, which makes it necessary, on the other hand, to select the bearing and configuration of the guide rollers in a correspondingly stable manner, in order to prevent the guide rollers and their bearing from being destroyed as a result of overload. 
         [0007]    In practice, the guide rollers and also their bearing are subject to considerable variable loads. If, for example, the user of a transport container loaded with 30 kg, pulls this over cobblestone quickly, variable loads with frequencies of up to 20 Hz and pulse peaks of several hundreds of kilograms are exerted to the guide rollers and their bearing, as well as on the attachment of the bearing at the transport container. 
         [0008]    The bearing of the guide rollers must therefore also be resistant to variable loads. 
         [0009]    Although the telescopic handle and its bearing are subject to considerably smaller peak loads, in particular with doubly extendable telescopic handles a stable support of the extended telescopic handle in the telescopic handle bearing must also be guaranteed due to the leverage. 
         [0010]    In view of these technical problems, the overwhelming majority of transport containers used is equipped in such a fashion that the guide roller bearing and the telescopic handle bearing are integrated into the container body, and it is accepted that the inside space of the container body is jagged at its bottom surface and/or is also restricted in its universal usability by movable parts, such as the retractable telescopic handle. Typically with what is referred to as trolley bags, the guide roller bearing and the telescopic handle bearing are covered with the help of a rather thin cloth coating, and it is recommended not to load the trolley bag up to its maximum baggage loading capacity in order, for example, not to restrict the functions of the telescopic handle. 
         [0011]    Furthermore, transport containers for special applications have been suggested which—insofar as extending beyond trolley bags—are also stackable. One example for this can be taken from DE 195 08 826 B4. Their stackability should be guaranteed in this solution by means of stacking corners which project to a minimum compared with the container body. However, safety in stacking is rather limited with this solution and is not guaranteed if, for instance, more than three transport containers are piled up. In addition, this solution exhibits the disadvantages of partially recessed guide rollers. 
         [0012]    A solution which has been improved in comparison with that can be taken from DE 20 2005 015 963 U1. The lower corner profile of this transport container is formed suitable for the container lid and its upper surface in such a fashion that it reaches over the former, such that a secure stand is guaranteed. In addition, basically known corner projections can be formed on the container lid. The guide roller support is integrated into the container body here as well, and is secured by means of a quadrant-shaped cover. 
         [0013]    A further embodiment of a transport container with integrated guide rollers has become known from roll box K  412  of the present applicant. This roll box is also characterized by good stackability and has proved its quality in practice also in heavy-duty use. Here as well the guide rollers are integrated. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0014]    In contrast to this, the invention is now based on the task of creating an ergonomically improved transport container and a corresponding retrofit kit which can be produced in a cost-efficient fashion and which yield some significant additional value compared with transport containers known so far. 
         [0015]    The transport container in accordance with the invention is characterized in that a frame, in particular a stacking frame, is formed at the bottom surface of the container in particular in a flush fashion. This stacking frame accommodates all the construction elements necessary for the procedure, i.e. the guide rollers and the telescopic handle, in an extremely stable and therefore durable manner. As a result of the flush arrangement, the stringing and stacking of transport containers is not restricted, and the particular advantage also results that there is neither for the guide rollers nor for the telescopic handle the need to project in a direction transverse to the stacking direction. The guide rollers can be accommodated in such a fashion that they are recessed, but yet do not project. By putting into practice a sloping surface of, for instance, 45° a corresponding desired ground space is still provided. 
         [0016]    By means of integrating elements for displacement, i.e. the guide rollers and the telescopic frame, in the frame according to the invention, the mounting of the guide rollers is possible in such a fashion that in particular also alternating loads can continuously be well supported. 
         [0017]    In accordance with the invention, it is particularly favorable that the substantially rectangular inside space of the container body can remain virtually completely free of built-ins or other guide-roller- or telescopic-handle-related construction units. The construction units associated to the procedure can rather, in accordance with the invention, be completely accommodated in the frame in accordance with the invention, which is in particular formed as a stacking frame, such that no restriction or even damage of the objects to be transported due to a jagged inside space of the container body needs to be feared. 
         [0018]    It is particularly favorable in this respect that a tight sealing in accordance with tightness classes IP  61 , IP  62 , or even IP  65  or IP  67 , is possible, for apertures through the container body, such as are necessary with guide rollers integrated into the container body, can be done without in accordance with the invention 
         [0019]    The container body is insofar free of apertures, free of supports or recesses for the guide rollers, and is entirely of rectangular shape, except the preferable rounded corners which provide a damage-proof design to the container body and at the same time increase stability, in particular if it is constructed out of light metal. 
         [0020]    The transport container in accordance with the invention is thus, in particular if constructed out of aluminum, very stable and durable. 
         [0021]    In an advantageous embodiment in accordance with the invention, corner elements are provided which are in particular shaped as stacking guides and which are in part also mounting the guide rollers at the same time, and are in part accommodating between them the telescopic handle and its bearing. The stacking frame in accordance with the invention is preferably formed in a self-supporting fashion and consists of the corner elements or stacking guides, respectively, and hollow profiles which extend between the corner elements. By means of putting into practice pluggable lock-in connectors, an inherent stiffness results, wherein it is to be understood that the pluggable connectors can be formed in such a fashion that the snap-in tongues exert a pre-load onto the neighboring hollow profile concerned. 
         [0022]    In addition, the stacking frame is furthermore stiffened in that it abuts the bottom surface of the container. It can be attached to the bottom surface of the container of the container body in any suitable fashion, for instance with the help of screw connections, bonding connections, or also rivets. For the attachment, both the bottom surface of the container and the surrounding corner profile are available, in which latter both the bottom surface of the container and the side walls of the container are safely mounted in a basically known fashion. The embodiment of the stacking frame basically follows at its outside in a practically exact fashion the embodiment of this corner profile which forms a rectangle, except, in turn, from the basically known rounded corners. 
         [0023]    In a particularly favorable fashion, in accordance with the invention, the stacking guides are provided with recesses which are at least in part congruent to each other and which suit the counter-stacking elements which are formed with projections on the container lids, i.e. at the four corners of the container lid there. 
         [0024]    With the help of this, a secure stackability is guaranteed, and the stacking element has a double function each for mounting the guide rollers on the one hand, and putting into practice stackability on the other hand, wherein stackability is also guaranteed without any problems if the pile height amounts to 8 or 10 units, since the recesses can very well have depths of 1 cm and can have lengths and widths of distinctly more than 1 cm. 
         [0025]    In accordance with the invention, it is particularly favorable if the primary guide rollers are accommodated in one corner element each one, and are supported and safely mounted at this. A double-sided mounting is preferred in order to increase the load-bearing capacity of the bearing. The mounting is preferably executed adjacent to a sloping surface, such that a significantly improved ground space is guaranteed despite the non-projecting mounting of the primary guide roller. The sloping surface can, for instance, slant downwards at an angle of 45°. Ground space can thus amount to considerably more than 20 mm even with small rollers. 
         [0026]    In an advantageous embodiment of the invention, it is intended to offer a secondary guide roller, in addition to the primary guide roller, which may extend outside the container dimension and is correspondingly releasably accommodated. 
         [0027]    For this purpose, associated stub shafts and the two secondary guide rollers are enclosed as additional elements, and make it possible to mount the secondary guide rollers by means of locking in the pluggable connectors if—for instance in the field of outdoor use—considerably larger ground spaces are desirable, such as of more than 40 mm or even 60 mm. 
         [0028]    Here as well, the embodiment of the sloping surface near the shafts guarantees a particularly good ground space, wherein the stringability of containers when taking out the stacking shafts and the associated secondary rollers is guaranteed without any problem. 
         [0029]    In a favorable fashion, the stacking frame in accordance with the invention can also be provided as a retrofit kit for forming a movable transport container based on a non-movable transport container. For this purpose, the entire stacking frame is simply equipped with the integrated telescopic handle and the primary guide rollers and is offered separately, in combination with suitable fixing elements for attachment to a non-movable transport container in its bottom area. 
         [0030]    Preferably, the stacking guides are formed as stacking elements, for instance made out of plastics. These are connected with each other with the help of suitable pluggable guides with profiles, in particular with extruded profiles, and insofar form part of the stacking frame. 
         [0031]    Alternatively, however, it is also possible to form the stacking guides by means of abutting to a profile, preferably an extruded profile, which forms the stacking frame. The inner corner surfaces are also suitable for this purpose of guiding corresponding stacking projections at the lids of the transport container placed underneath and thus guaranteeing stackability. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0032]    Further advantages, details and features of the invention result from the subsequent description of an exemplary embodiment of the invention with the help of the Figures which show: 
           [0033]      FIG. 1  a schematic side view of a transport container in accordance with the invention; 
           [0034]      FIG. 2  a perspective underneath view of a transport container in accordance with the invention which is already equipped with secondary guide rollers in a partial depiction; 
           [0035]      FIG. 3  a perspective top view of a transport container in accordance with the invention in a partial depiction; 
           [0036]      FIG. 4  a detailed depiction of a transport container in accordance with the invention in the embodiment in accordance with the preceding Figures, wherein mainly a stacking element with accommodated primary guide roller and accommodated secondary guide roller is depicted; 
           [0037]      FIG. 5  another detailed depiction of a transport container in accordance with the invention, depicting a stacking element positioned opposite compared with the pile in accordance with  FIG. 4 , which is positioned adjacent to the telescopic handle; and 
           [0038]      FIG. 6  a depiction of the corner element in accordance with  FIG. 5 , with an adjacent hollow profile blanked out. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0039]    Transport container  10  depicted in  FIG. 1  is provided with a container lid  12  and a container body  14 , which are manufactured in a basically known fashion. The container lid is provided with counter-stacking elements  16  and  18  and ends in a basically known fashion via an end profile  20  opposite the container body  14 . 
         [0040]    It is made tight with the help of a sealing which is put into practice in a not depicted upper end profile of container body  14  and is pressed against the inside surface of container lid  12 . A secure sealing is guaranteed with the help of fastenings  22  and  24 , with container lid  12  preferably being pivotably mounted at the not depicted back surface of the container body at the latter. 
         [0041]    Carrying handles  28  and  30  which are formed as pivotable handles and insofar do not extend beyond container lid  12  serve for the purpose of improving the portability of the container, such that also large loads can be carried, for example by two operating persons. 
         [0042]    In a basically known fashion, container body  14  is provided with a circumferential ribbing  32 , as well as a number of corner ribbings  34  and  36 , which serve for the purpose of bracing. 
         [0043]    Container body  14  is formed in a basically known bag-type construction and is therefore provided with rounded corners. It is furthermore provided with a lower corner profile  40  which commonly accommodates the not depicted bottom surface of the container and side walls  42  of the container and connects them with each other. 
         [0044]    In accordance with the invention, transport container  10  is provided with a stacking frame  50  which extends beneath corner profile  40  and the bottom surface of the container and is securely fastened to both of them. It is basically inherently stiff, but thanks to the planar fastening over the surface it can be kept comparatively flat. Its height can, for example, amount to only approximately 10% of the container height, wherein it is to be understood that this value depends on the size of the container. 
         [0045]    Stacking frame  50  in accordance with the invention is provided with stacking elements, of which the two stacking elements  52  and  54  are visible from  FIG. 1 . Between stacking elements  52  and  54 , a hollow profile  56  extends, following the longitudinal side of the container, which hollow profile is securely fastened to stacking elements  52  and  54  with the help of pluggable connectors. 
         [0046]    Stacking element  52  accommodates one guide roller  58 . The mounting is done in a particular fashion, which is at a sloping surface  60 . Shaft  62  of guide roller  58  is mounted immediately adjacent to sloping surface  60 . Accordingly, the degree of projection of guide roller  58  compared with sloping surface  60  is as large as possible, which positively affects a correspondingly large ground space. 
         [0047]    Stacking element  52  is mounted at hollow profile  56  with the help of pluggable connectors in a basically known fashion. The hollow profile can be formed comparatively thin, with a wall thickness of, for instance, 1.5 mm, and yet has a considerable inherent stiffness. It is, for example, stiffer than a regular profile with a wall thickness of 3 mm. 
         [0048]    In accordance with the invention, it is favorable if stacking elements  52  and  54  are provided with recesses directed to the inside for providing stackability. Therefore, this does not restrict ground space, such that this is at a maximum. They fit to the counter-stacking elements  16  which are formed at container lid  12 . 
         [0049]    Another increase in ground space is possible if, instead of straight full-length shafts  62 , offset shafts are used which are mounted in the stacking elements in such a fashion that they cannot be swiveled. With the help of this, a further increase in ground space by, for example, 2 mm, is possible. 
         [0050]    Between stacking element  54  and the not depicted stacking element at the same front surface of transport container  10 , a telescopic handle  64  is accommodated. Telescopic handle  64  is movably mounted in a basically known fashion and is accommodated in stacking frame  50  such that it can be entirely retracted. The stacking elements and hollow profiles are formed side-symmetrically to each other, such that insofar the description of stacking elements  52  and  54  and hollow profile  56  given here also describes the embodiment of the opposite stacking elements not depicted here. 
         [0051]    Stacking element  54  is safely connected with the bearing of telescopic handle  64  with the help of pluggable connectors as well, wherein the further embodiment can be taken from the subsequent Figures. 
         [0052]    From the depiction in accordance with  FIG. 2 , the formation of the bottom surface of a transport container in accordance with the invention can be taken. Same reference numbers indicate same or corresponding components here as well as in the further Figures. 
         [0053]    Telescopic handle  64  is supported in a telescopic handle bearing  66  and additionally at the bottom surface  68  of the container in a support bearing  70 . In a basically known fashion, the telescopic handle is subjected in the area of support bearing  70  to tensile loads, i.e. away from the bottom surface  68  of the container, for which purpose corresponding suitable fastening elements are put into practice, such as rivets or an adhesive connection. 
         [0054]    As an alternative for this fastening to the bottom surface of the container, it is also possible to laterally support the support bearing with the help of hollow profiles  56  and insofar also guarantee secure fastening. This solution has the advantage that the bottom surface  68  of the container can be entirely free of rivets heads. 
         [0055]    In a basically known fashion, telescopic handle  64  is doubly extendable in a telescope-like manner. Telescopic handle bearing  66  is laterally supported at stacking elements  54 . In addition, rather short hollow profiles  72  are provided, one hollow profile  72  of which is visible in  FIG. 2 . 
         [0056]    The embodiment of the two stacking elements  52  which accommodate guide rollers  58  is visible from  FIG. 2 , and even better from  FIG. 4 , and is described with the help of that Figure. However, it is already visible from  FIG. 2  that in the embodiment depicted, one secondary guide roller  74  is provided which extends outside container body  14  and corner profile  40  and is releasably mounted at stacking element  52 . 
         [0057]    It can be taken from  FIG. 3  in what fashion the stackability of transport containers  10  is intended. Counter-stacking elements  16  are provided with segment-shaped projections  80  in the exemplary embodiment depicted. Recesses  82  in stacking elements  52  and  54  are formed such that they can entirely accommodate projections  80 . In addition, they are formed such that they can also accommodate circular projections. Both negative shapes overlap, such that for recess  82  the embodiment visible from  FIG. 5  results. 
         [0058]    The shapes of counter-stacking elements  16  on the one hand, and stacking elements  52  and  54  on the other hand, is congruent to each other respectively, i.e. of equal shape, such that a relocation at an angle of 180° is possible without any problems in the stacking process. 
         [0059]    It is visible from  FIG. 4  that guide rollers  58  are mounted at a guide-roller shaft  86  near to both sloping surface  60  and bottom surface  88  of each stacking element  52 . This results in as large a ground space of the movable transport container as possible. 
         [0060]    Stacking element  16  overlaps at least partly corner profile  40  and leans flatly over the whole surface onto the bottom surface  68  of the container. For this purpose, a flange  90  is provided which projects in the direction towards the center portion of the container, and which is also fastened to the bottom surface  68  of the container with the help of additional fastening means, if necessary. Preferably, the main fastening is made, however, by means of the positive connection between corner profile  40  and stacking element  52 . 
         [0061]    Secondary roller  74  is mounted at stacking element  52  with the help of a not depicted pluggable shaft. This pluggable shaft engages with stacking element  52 . By actuating a trigger button  92 , the engagement is released and the pluggable shaft can be removed from the accommodating device for the pluggable shaft of stacking element  52  together with secondary roller  74 . 
         [0062]    It can also be seen from  FIG. 4  that stacking element  52  is connected with hollow profile  56  with the help of a snap-in tongue  94  to form stacking frame  50 . Corresponding connections always result between the profiles and the adjacent stacking elements. 
         [0063]    It can be seen from  FIG. 5  that a corresponding snap/lock-in connection is also put into practice at hollow profile  72 . Corresponding lock-in connections which are preferably subjected to a pre-load, serve for the purpose of bracing stacking frame  50 . 
         [0064]    As can be seen from  FIG. 6 , stacking element  54  and telescopic handle bearing  66  are additionally connected with each other with the help of stacking elements and positive-connection elements  96 . 
         [0065]    Even if a realization of a telescopic handle  64  is described here as preferable, it is to be understood that with large transport containers, this may also be unnecessary. In accordance with the invention, at least one carrying handle corresponding to carrying handle  30  is then provided near the ground at support frame  50  or at the front surface of container body  14  suitable for this purpose or adjacent to this at side wall  42 . This makes it possible to lift and move transport container  10  in accordance with the invention, if necessary after supporting the lifting process with the help of carrying handle  30  in accordance with  FIG. 1 . 
         [0066]    A corresponding additional carrying handle which is preferably also formed as a pivoting handle can also be provided preferably on both sides, in order to make possible both right-handed and left-handed operations of the transport container in accordance with the invention. 
         [0067]    The specification incorporates by reference the disclosure of German patent application DE 10 2014 101 451.0, filed Feb. 6, 2014. 
         [0068]    The present invention is, of course, in no way restricted to the specific disclosure of the specification and drawings, but also encompasses any modifications within the scope of the appended claims.