Abstract
A height-adjustable frame (1) for a pallet (P) and for accommodating an insert (3) for goods has supports (2) including an upper element (6) and a lower element (7), which are connected to one another by means of a hinge (8). By means of the hinge (8), the lower element and the upper elements (6, 7) can be pivoted towards one another and away from one another. In a first position, the upper element and lower element (6, 7) have been moved towards one another and the support (2) forms a maximum height. In a second position, the lower element (7) has been pivoted away from the upper element (6), the support (2) forms a sub-height. A height adjustment makes it possible for goods of different sizes to be transported by means of an insert (3), which is fastened on the frame (1). The height adjustment is easy to achieve and allows goods to be transported using inserts (3) of different depths and also allows empty transportation with a smaller volume. The frame (1) is stackable and can be transported by means of pallet containers or twin-wall sheets.
Claims
1. A frame for a pallet and for accommodating an insert for goods, comprising four sides and four length-adjustable supports each extending from a foot to a head, wherein each head of the supports is fastened to the frame, wherein the four supports each have an upper element and a lower element pivotally connected to each other by means of a hinge, wherein in a first position of each support, the upper element and the lower element are brought together in each case by means of the hinge, and the supports form a maximum height, and wherein in a second position of each support, in each case the lower element is pivotally moved away from the upper element and towards the frame, wherein the hinge is arranged in the upper region of the upper element of the support near the head of the support close to the frame, wherein the upper element comprises the head of the support and extends from the head downwards to a lower end of the upper element, and the lower element comprises the foot of the support and extends from the foot upwards to the lower end of the upper element and to the hinge, wherein by means of the hinge, the lower element and the upper element of the supports can be moved towards each other and away from each other, wherein the upper element has surfaces and the lower element has surfaces which face each other and are in contact with each other in the first position, and wherein in the second position, the supports form a partial height which is equal to the height of the upper element.
2. (canceled)
3. The frame according to claim 1, wherein the axis of the hinge in each case runs parallel to one of the sides of the frame.
4. (canceled)
5. The frame according to claim 1, wherein the surfaces of the upper element and the surfaces of the lower element, which face each other, run at an angle to the vertical.
6. (canceled)
7. The frame according to claim 1, wherein the upper element and the lower element of each support can each be connected to each other in each case by means of a releasable snap connection.
8. The frame according to claim 1, wherein the frame has in each case one recess on its upper side in each of the corners.
9. The frame according to claim 1, wherein the lower end of the lower element of each support has a downwardly directed projection.
10. The frame according to claim 1, wherein the lower end of the upper element of each support has a downwardly directed projection.
11. (canceled)
12. (canceled)
13. The frame according to claim 1, wherein the lower element comprises two parts each pivotally connected to the upper element by means of a hinge, wherein the two parts of the lower element can each be pivoted at their hinge away from the upper element and parallel to the frame, wherein the first part of the lower element can be moved towards the long side and the second part of the lower element can be moved towards the short side of the frame.
14. The frame according to claim 13, wherein the two parts of the lower element are implemented to be of equal length.
15. (canceled)
16. The frame according to claim 13, wherein the lower element can be fastened to the frame in the pivoted-out position.
17. The frame according to claim 1, wherein an insert can be fastened to the frame and removed again, wherein the insert is made of plastics, textile material, cardboard or metal or thermoformed parts.
18. The frame according to claim 1, wherein the frame has an insert made of textile, which is fastened to the frame by means of welding or gluing.
19. The frame according to claim 17, wherein the frame has projections on its inner sides on which an insert can be held.
20. The frame according to claim 17, wherein the frame has elements such as hooks, tabs or snap fasteners to which an insert can be hooked or fastened.
21. (canceled)
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0038] FIG. 1 shows a frame according to the invention with four supports in a full-height position, the lower element consisting of one part.
[0039] FIG. 2a shows a sectional drawing of the frame from FIG. 1 according to IIa-IIa in FIG. 1 and two supports in a side view, one support being shown with a closed hinge and the other support being shown with a partially open hinge.
[0040] FIG. 2b shows a support in cooperation with the frame in an enlarged view according to IIb in FIG. 2a with the lower element pivoted out.
[0041] FIG. 2c shows a support in cooperation with the frame in an enlarged view according to IIb from FIG. 2a with the lower and upper elements brought together.
[0042] FIG. 3 shows the frame from FIGS. 1 and 2a-c with supports adjusted to a partial height by pivoting the lower elements of the supports away from the upper element. The frame is arranged on a pallet.
[0043] FIG. 4a shows the frame on a pallet from FIG. 3 in a section according to IVa-IVa.
[0044] FIG. 4b shows the upper element of the support in cooperation with the frame and with a pallet therebelow in an enlargement according to IVb in FIG. 4a.
[0045] FIG. 5 shows a variant of the frame according to the invention, in which the lower element consists of two parts, each of which can be pivoted away from the upper element by means of a hinge.
[0046] FIG. 6 shows the frame from FIG. 5 with the supports adjusted to the partial height.
[0047] FIG. 7 shows a pallet with recesses in the corners into which projections at the feet of the supports and projections at the lower ends of the upper elements of the supports can be inserted and locked.
[0048] FIG. 8 shows a stack of frames according to the invention with supports with full height and with supports with partial height in a perspective view.
[0049] FIG. 9 shows the stack from FIG. 8 in a view from the front.
[0050] FIGS. 10a and 10b show two applications of the frame according to the invention, of which FIG. 10a shows two stacks of frames according to the invention arranged on a pallet and enclosed by side walls of twin-wall sheets and FIG. 10b shows two such stacks arranged in a pallet container.
[0051] In the figures, the same reference signs have been used for the same elements in each case, and first-time explanations relate to all figures unless expressly stated otherwise.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0052] FIG. 1 shows a frame 1 according to the invention with four supports 2, which frame can be placed on a pallet P and in which an insert 3 for goods is arranged. The supports 2 extend from a foot 4 to a head 5, the head 5 being fastened to the frame 1. The supports 2 each have an upper element 6 and a lower element 7, which are pivotally connected to each other, as shown in FIGS. 2a-2c, and serve for height adjustment of the supports 2.
[0053] FIG. 2a shows two supports 2 of the frame 1, which are shown in different positions. With the one of the supports (shown on the left), the upper element 6 and the lower element 7 are joined together in that the surfaces 6a and 7a facing each are in contact with each other. They form the closed position in which both elements are vertical. With the other support (shown on the right), the lower element 7 is pivoted from the upper element 6 by means of a hinge 8 parallel to and towards the frame 1. The surfaces 6a and 7a of the upper and lower elements 6 and 7, respectively, are each complementarily shaped such that they come to rest on each other when the hinge 8 is closed and the lower element 7 is in a vertical position.
[0054] FIGS. 2b and 2c show the supports from FIG. 2a in detail, with FIG. 2b illustrating the support shown on the right and FIG. 2c illustrating the support shown on the left. They each show the hinge 8 and the two elements 6 and 7, wherein in FIG. 2c, the elements 6 and 7 are joined together and in FIG. 2b, the lower element 7 is moved away from the upper element 6 and is in a pivoted-out position. The lower element 7 can be pivoted away from the upper element at the hinge 8 according to the direction of the arrow and brought to a horizontal position where it would run parallel to the frame 1, as shown in FIG. 3. For this purpose, the axis 8′ of the hinge 8 runs parallel to one side of the frame 1, in this example parallel to the long side 1′ of the frame.
[0055] The surfaces 6a, 7a of the upper and lower elements 6 and 7 facing each other, i.e. the surface 6a of the upper element 6 and the surface 7a of the lower element 7, extend at an angle to the vertical in the example shown. On the one side, the lower element 7 extends upwards from the foot 4 of the support to the partial height up to the lower end of the upper element 6. The surface 7a of the lower element 7 extends from there further to the hinge 8. Similarly, the surface 6a of the upper element extends from the hinge 8 obliquely downwards up to the lower end of the upper element 6, which, as mentioned above, optimizes the transmission of force and takes load off the hinge.
[0056] FIGS. 2b and 2c also show the configuration of the lower ends of the two elements 6 and 7. The foot 4 of the support 2 as shown in FIGS. 2c and 2b has a projection 9 which can be placed in a recess in a pallet or in the upper side of a corner of a frame 1. A corresponding recess 10 is shown in the frame 1 in all figures. FIG. 7 also shows a pallet P in which corresponding recesses 11 are arranged in the corners of the pallet P and on which the supports of a frame can be inserted. The projections 9 on the supports and the recesses 10 and 11 in the frame and pallet, respectively, serve for locking the frames in place when multiple frames are stacked or placed on a pallet.
[0057] The lower end of the upper element 6 also has a projection 12, as shown in FIGS. 2a, 2b and 2c. This projection 12 also serves for placing the support 2 with a shortened height, i.e. partial height, on a frame or pallet by placing the projection 12 in a corresponding recess. In addition, the projection 12 serves for releasably fixing the lower element 7 to the upper element 6 in closed position by means of a snap connection 13. For this purpose, the lower element 7 has a barb 14 which can snap into place at an edge 15 on the projection 12.
[0058] If all four supports 2 are adjusted in height in this manner by pivoting the lower element 7 away from the upper element 6 at each support 2 and bringing it into a horizontal position, the frame 1 obtains a partial height from the height of the upper element 6 and can be used in this shortened form, for example can be placed on a pallet. This shortened form of the frame 1 is shown in FIGS. 3, 4a and 4b. The upper elements 6 stand with their lower end on the pallet P while the lower elements 7 are pivoted out and run parallel to the frame. In this example, the lower elements 7 are each pivoted within the short sides 1″ of the frame 1. In this folded-out position, an insert 3 having a smaller depth can be used to transport goods of appropriate size. In this position, empty transportation of frames with a smaller total volume is also possible.
[0059] FIGS. 4a and 4b show the frame 1 according to the invention in a further sectional view and in particular the attachment of the shortened supports 2 and of the insert 3 to the frame 1. The upper element 6 of the supports is fastened at the head 5 of the support 2 to the lower side of the frame 1 by means of snap connections 16. The insert 3, for example made of textile, is attached to the frame 1 by welding.
[0060] FIGS. 4a and 4b also show the placement of the shortened support 2 in a pallet by inserting the projection 12 at the lower end of the upper element 6 into the recess 11.
[0061] FIGS. 5 and 6 show a variant of the frame 1 according to the invention in which the lower elements 7 of the supports 2 each consist of two parts 20, 21. Both parts 20 and 21 are each pivotally connected to the upper element 6 by means of a hinge and can be moved away from the upper element 6 and brought into a horizontal position and brought back into a vertical position and brought together with the upper element.
[0062] FIG. 5 shows this variant with parts 20 and 21 in the closed position in which they are joined to the upper element 6. Here, the supports 2 are at their full height. FIG. 6 shows the variant with shortened height of the supports with the parts 20 and 21 each pivoted laterally, in each case in opposite directions, away from the upper element 6. The first part 20 of the lower element 7 is moved towards the long side 1′ of the frame 1 while the second part 21 of the lower element 7 is moved towards the short side 1″ of the frame 1, so that each of the two parts run parallel to the frame 1. The upper element 6 is placed by means of a projection at its lower end into a recess in the pallet P.
[0063] In the exemplary embodiment in FIGS. 5 and 6, the parts 20 and 21 of the lower element 7 are each formed to have the same height.
[0064] In all variants, the pivoted-out lower element 7 can be attached in its horizontal position to the lower side of the frame 1. This facilitates handling of the frame when the height of the supports 2 is changed. Suitable for attachment are, for example, a releasable snap connection and connections by means of lugs or other fastening means. This applies to one-piece as well as two-piece lower elements.
[0065] In another variant of the example in FIGS. 5 and 6, the parts 20 and 21 of the lower element can also be formed to have different heights. To adjust the height of the support from the full maximum height to a first shortened height, a first part of the lower element is pivoted out while the second part of the lower element remains vertical. The support would then rest on the lower end of the second part of the lower element.
[0066] For further adjustment of the height of the support from this partial height to an even lower height, the second part of the lower element is also pivoted out so that only the upper element is vertical and the support stands on the lower end of the upper element, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 3.
[0067] FIGS. 8 and 9 show two stacks 30, 31 of frames 1 according to the invention standing next to each other, each with three-part supports, wherein in the left stack 30, the frames 1 are set at a partial height of the supports which are equal to the height of the upper elements 6, and in the right stack 31, the supports of the frames 1 have their full maximum height equal to the height of the upper element 6 together with the two parts of the lower element 7.
[0068] In the left stack there are six frames with short inserts, while in the right stack there are three frames stacked with deeper inserts. It is also shown how a stack with supports at a partial height allows empty transportations of such frames with reduced volume.
[0069] FIG. 10a shows a side view of two stacks 30 and 31 of frames 1 according to the invention as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, here in an application in which the stacks 30, 31 stand on a pallet P and are enclosed by vertically standing side walls of twin-wall sheets 40. Such a packing system is also known in the trade under the term “sleeve packing”. The twin-wall sheets 40 are covered by a cover plate 41 which rests on the upper edges of the twin-wall sheets 40 and on the uppermost frame 1 of the stack 31. In the stack 30 of frames 1, the frames are each at a shortened height with the supports 20 and 21 of the lower element 7 folded in. In the stack 31 on the right, the supports are at full height.
[0070] FIG. 10b shows a side view of the same two stacks 30 and 31 of frames 1 according to the invention as in FIGS. 8 and 9, these being shown in an application in which they are arranged in a pallet container 50. The pallet container 50 is covered with a cover plate 51. It has, for example, fold-out side walls 52 which stand on a base, here a pallet 53.
[0071] Although various embodiments of the present invention have been described and shown, the invention is not restricted thereto, but may also be embodied in other ways within the scope of the subject-matter defined in the following claims.
