Abstract:
Novel runners for a transport box, a pallet or the like are described which are provided with an arrangement allowing assembly of several similar or diametrically opposed runner elements into a runner.

Description:
CLAIM FOR FOREIGN PRIORITY UNDER 37 U.S.C. § 119  
         [0001]    This application claims foreign priority to Swiss Patent Application No. 2002 0388/02, filed Mar. 6, 2002.  
         FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    This invention relates generally to a runner that can be assembled to a transport box, a pallet or the like.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0003]    A stackable transport box of this kind is known for example from EP-A-0 876 963, in which a flap rotatable about a horizontal axle is provided in the side walls. The rotating flap is rotatably connected with an insert part which is fastened in a respective detent in the side wall. The floor of the transport box is provided in the corners and in the middle with vertical supporting pillars which are mounted on a four-cornered supporting frame. The supporting frame is of an integral design and comes with a massive configuration.  
           [0004]    To ensure that the supporting frame is sufficiently stable from a mechanical viewpoint in order to reliably withstand loads of more than 1000 kg, it needs to be provided with a predetermined thickness and width. In the case of dimensions of the transport box of more than 1 meter by 1 meter, the production of such a supporting frame requires especially large matrixes. Moreover, the supporting frame needs to be welded together with the supporting pillars or to be glued with a synthetic-resin glue of high strength.  
           [0005]    Another type of stackable transport box is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,735,431 which consists of a supporting frame of vertical supporting pillars and a honeycombed base plate. Side walls perforated with oblong holes are situated between the supporting pillars. The supporting pillars projecting below the base plates are mutually connected by means of three parallel runners which correspond to the length of the transport box. The two outermost runners are provided with a flat arrangement, whereas the middle runner is arch-shaped.  
           [0006]    Although the longitudinal runners provided in this transport box ensure the required stability and handiness for this box, they can still lead to jamming of the transport box in conveying systems such as conveyor belts or the like. The production of the runners also require relatively large matrixes for the production of the same and the runners need to be welded together with the supporting pillars or glued together with an adhesive of high strength.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0007]    The present invention is based on the object of providing a runner for a transport box, a pallet or the like which is exceptionally stable, easy to produce and rapidly exchangeable.  
           [0008]    This object is achieved by a runner assembled with several similar or diametrically opposed runner elements.  
           [0009]    The invention leads to the major advantage that the runners consist of runner elements which can be assembled and are provided with a handy size, especially with respect to handling and mounting. When the runner elements are provided with a hollow arrangement, much weight can be saved and the required stability can still be maintained. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTIONS OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0010]    Further advantages of the invention arise from the dependent claims and the description below in which the invention is explained in more detail by reference to an embodiment shown in the schematic drawings, wherein:  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 1 shows a stacking box with runners;  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 2 shows a pallet with runners;  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 3 shows runner elements for the stacking box in an exploded view from below, and  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 4 shows the same runner elements of FIG. 3 in a perspective view from above. 
     
    
       [0015]    The same reference numerals were used for the same elements in the figures and first-time explanations relate to all figures, unless stated expressly otherwise.  
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0016]    [0016]FIG. 1 shows a stackable transport box  1  with a base plate  2 , four side walls  3 ,  4 ,  5  and  6 , and with supporting pillars  8  at the corners  9  and supporting pillars  10  in the middle between two corners  9 . The inwardly hollow arranged supporting pillars  8  and  10  are mutually connected by means of runner elements  12 . The assembled runner elements  12  form a closed rectangle. The transport  1  as illustrated here can be folded together, i.e. the walls  3 ,  4 ,  5  and  6  can be flipped together by means of hinges (not shown) along edges  14  and  15 .  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 2 shows a pallet  20  made of a rigid plastic material such a polypropylene (PP) or the like. Said pallet  20  is provided in the corner regions  21  with supporting pillars  22  which are arranged as tube elements and have the cross section of an oblong octagon. At the shorter sides  23  of the pallet  20 , the same supporting pillars  24  are provided between the supporting pillars  22 . Moreover, further supporting pillars  25  are provided between supporting pillars  22  and  24 , which pillars  25  have an octagonal cross section. Runner elements  28  are now inserted into the hollow supporting pillars  22  along the longer sides  27 , as in FIG. 1. The two runner elements  28   a  and  28   b  have an identical configuration, meaning that they are provided with a hollow cam  29  and a hollow cam  30  at the inner end, which cams correspond to the inside dimensions of the supporting pillars  22 . Cam  30  corresponds to half the inside cross section of the supporting pillar  25 , so that the inside cams  30  of the runner elements  28   a  and  28   b  jointly precisely fill the hollow supporting pillar  25 . The runner elements  28   a  and  28   b  are removed from the mould in a hollow fashion themselves and are mutually coupled by means of a connecting piece (not shown herein). As is shown, the runner elements  28   a  and  28   b  have flat longitudinal ribs  31  which have a height of approximately 2 to 3 mm. Similarly arranged necks  32  with raster-shaped ribs  33  are inserted into the middle supporting pillars  24  and  25 , which necks have the same height as the runner elements  28   a  and  28   b . The base plate  35  of pallet  20  is also provided with raster-like ribs  36  for reinforcement purposes.  
         [0018]    [0018]FIGS. 3 and 4 show the runner elements  12  of the transport box  1 . They are arranged either as a short element  12   a  and a diametrically opposed short element  12   b , or as a long element  12   c  and a diametrically opposed long element  12   d . The runner elements  12  consist of an oblong hollow supporting part  40  and an inside cam  41  and an outside cam  42 . As tubular pieces, the inside cams  41  and the outside cams  42  are provided with a hollow arrangement and are provided with a honeycomb-like reinforcement  44 . The runner elements  12  are now mutually connected in the middle by means of connection pieces  43  which are inserted into the hollow spaces of the supporting parts  40 . The two outside cams  42  of a short element  12   a  and a diametrically opposed long element  12   d  are also provided shaped in a diametrically opposed fashion and are provided with a notch-shaped separating wall  45   a  or  45   d . These two separating walls  45   a  and  45   d  thus fit into each other, so that the two cams  42  fit into a hollow supporting pillar  8 . The two inner cams  41  of a short element  12   a  and a diametrically opposed short element  12   d  are also provided with a diametrically opposed configuration and fit precisely into the hollow space of the middle supporting pillar  10 . In this way a closed rectangular supporting frame can be formed. The cams  41  or  42  can be fastened to the supporting pillars  8  or  10  by means of screws (not shown), for which purpose respective bores  47  are provided in the cams  41  and  42  and in the supporting pillars  8  and  10 . These runner elements  12   a ,  12   b ,  12   c  and  12   d  are also provided with longitudinal ribs  31 . As is shown further, the hollow space of the supporting part  40  shows a trapezoid cross section. It can also be provided with an arc-shaped arrangement.  
         [0019]    The runner elements  28  of pallet  20  are now arranged like the runner elements  12  of transport box  1 .  
         [0020]    In order to reinforce the runner elements  12  or  28 , glass-fiber reinforced rods can be inserted which fit in a dimensionally accurate manner in the inside hollow space of the supporting parts  40 . The rods can also be made of metal such as aluminum or steel. The mechanical stability of the runner elements  12  or  28  can thus be increased further. These rods can also be formed by the connection pieces  43  which then have approximately the same length as the runner elements  12  or  28 . For the purpose of further stabilization, the hollow spaces of the supporting parts  40  can be subdivided into further hollow spaces by means of longitudinal ribs (not shown here in more detail).