ROTATABLE, STACKABLE PALLET CONTAINER

Abstract

A pallet container includes a bottom, side walls that extend from the bottom upwards, widening conically and/or in stages, towards a peripheral container edge, and skids that allow a fork of a forklift truck or other industrial truck to be inserted. The bottom and the side walls are shaped such that the pallet container can be nested in an identical pallet container oriented the same way and can be stacked on an identical pallet container that has been rotated relative to the pallet container by 180° only in relation to a vertical axis. The outer contour of the skids aligns with the outer contour of the side walls.

Claims

1. A pallet container comprising: a bottom; side walls that extend upwards from the bottom towards a circumferential container rim in a conical and/or stepped manner; and skids each having at least two engagement openings that allow engagement of a fork of a lift truck or other industrial truck under the bottom, the bottom and the side walls of the pallet container being shaped in such a way that the pallet container is nestable in an identically constructed pallet container having an orientation that is either identical to an orientation of the pallet container or is rotated 180° relative to the orientation of the pallet container with respect to a vertical axis, the skids comprising an outer contour that follows an outer contour of the side walls.

2. The pallet container according to claim 1, wherein the skids each have an outer edge, each outer edge having at least one s-shaped portion.

3. The pallet container according to claim 2, wherein the s-shaped portions extend in a common plane.

4. The pallet container according to claim 3, wherein undersides of the skids facing away from the bottom extend in the common plane of the s-shaped portions.

5. The pallet container according to claim 2, wherein the outer edges each have two end portions extending in a straight line.

6. The pallet container according to claim 1, wherein: support recesses are provided on the circumferential container rim, into which lower support regions of skids of the identically constructed pallet container are received when the identically constructed pallet container is stacked onto the pallet container, the at least two engagement openings are each provided in the skids, said at least two engagement openings allowing engagement of the fork of the lift truck or other industrial truck transversely with respect to the skids, the support recesses comprise lower surfaces that extend in a first common plane, lower surfaces of the at least two engagement openings extend in a second common plane, and a depth of the support recesses of the pallet container is less than or equal to a distance between the second common plane of the lower surfaces of the at least two engagement openings of the pallet container and the first common plane of the lower surfaces of the support regions of the skids of the pallet container.

7. The pallet container according to claim 1, wherein the circumferential container rim is configured to cantilever outwards to allow the to allow engagement of the fork of the lift truck or other industrial truck.

8. The pallet container according to claim 7, wherein at least one recessed grip is provided at an underside of the container rim, said at least one recessed grip being oriented such that the at least one recessed grip is grippable from below.

9. The pallet container according to claim 8, wherein at least one opening is provided at an upper end of the at least one recessed grip, said at least one opening extending from the at least one recessed grip in a direction away from a container interior region bounded by the bottom and the side walls, so that when the pallet container is positioned upside down, water collected in the at least one recessed grip is drainable at least partially to an outside of the pallet container.

10. The pallet container according to claim 9, wherein the at least one opening extends at least partially upwards from the at least one recessed grip.

11. The pallet container according to claim 9, wherein the circumferential container rim comprises a ribbed structure.

12. The pallet container according to claim 11, wherein the at least one recessed grip is formed by a u-shaped rib of the rib structure, the u-shaped rib comprising an opening directed downwards and a rim facing away from the container interior region, said rim being adjoined by an outer wall that encloses the at least one recessed grip together with the u-shaped rib.

13. The pallet container according to claim 1, further comprising at least one shock absorber on an outer side of one of the side walls, said at least one shock absorber being arranged in a container height direction below the circumferential container rim and projecting from said outer side at least to such an extent that the at least one shock absorber is tangent to or intersects a plane spanning between an outer edge of the bottom and an outer edge of the circumferential container rim, so that, when a tilting movement of the container occurs about an outer edge of the bottom, the at least one shock absorber hits a flat bottom before the circumferential container rim and at least partially dissipates an impact acting laterally on the pallet container while undergoing elastic and/or plastic deformation.

14. The pallet container according to claim 13, wherein the side walls comprise four side walls and the at least one shock absorber comprises four shock absorbers, each shock absorber arranged in a corner region of the pallet container.

15. The pallet container according to claim 13, wherein an underside of the at least one shock absorber runs parallel to the circumferential container rim and said underside forms a stop for limiting a nest depth when nesting several identically constructed containers.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES

[0054] FIGS. 1A and 1B are perspective views of a container according to a first embodiment of the invention from different sides;

[0055] FIGS. 2A, 2B and 2C are views illustrating the overturning kinematics of a stack of identically constructed containers placed inside each other according to the first embodiment;

[0056] FIG. 3 is a side view of a container according to the first embodiment of the invention;

[0057] FIG. 4 is a detailed view of a first embodiment of a shock absorber;

[0058] FIG. 5 is a detailed view of a second embodiment of a shock absorber;

[0059] FIG. 6 is a detailed view of a third embodiment of a shock absorber;

[0060] FIG. 7 is a detailed view of a fourth embodiment of a shock absorber;

[0061] FIG. 8 is a detailed view of a fifth embodiment of a shock absorber; and

[0062] FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the container according to the first embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0063] Configuration examples of the present disclosure are described hereinafter based on the accompanying figures.

[0064] FIGS. 1A and 1B show a perspective view of a container 1 according to a preferred embodiment of the invention. The container 1 shown is a large load carrier made of plastic with a pallet-shaped bottom 2 with recesses or engagement openings 3 for engagement of the fork of a lift truck and four side walls 4, 6, 8, 10. The container 1 shown is designed as a nestable container 1, i.e. the four side walls 4, 6, 8, 10 widen conically towards the container opening in order to enable placing the identically constructed containers 1 inside each other (see, for example, FIG. 2A). More precisely, the container 1 shown is a so-called rotary stacking container, which can be either stacked or nested with an identically constructed container, depending on the relative rotation of the two identically constructed containers.

[0065] The container 1 shown has a cantilevered container rim 12 which defines its container opening and is structurally reinforced by a circumferential ribbed wreath. The ribbed structure of the container rim 12 forms recessed areas (not described in more detail here) which enable one or more containers 1 to be lifted out of a stack of containers 1 placed inside each other via a forklift truck for separation. Especially during such separation operations with lift trucks, it often happens that stacks of containers 1 placed inside each other are knocked over.

[0066] The side wall 4 has a side wall setback 5, the side wall 6 has a side wall setback 7, the side wall 8 has side wall setbacks 9, and the side wall 10 has a side wall setback 11.

[0067] The bottom 2 has lower outer edges 16, 18, 20 and 22. The lower outer edge 16 extends in at a lower end of the side wall 4, the lower outer edge 18 extends in at a lower end of the side wall 6, the lower outer edge 20 extends in at a lower end of side wall 8, and the lower outer edge 22 extends in at a lower end of the side wall 10. The lower outer edge 16 is formed by a skid 17 and the lower outer edge 18 is formed by a skid 19. The skid 17 has a skid setback 21 that is offset inwards. The skid 19 has a skid setback 23 that is offset inwards. The two skid setbacks 21 and 23 as well as the two side wall setbacks 5 and 7 are each channel-shaped.

[0068] The side wall setbacks 5 and 7 extend downwards from the container rim 12 towards the bottom 2. The skid setbacks 21 and 23 each extend from an upper side of the respective skid 17 and 19 to an underside of the respective skid 17 and 19. The side wall setback 5 transitions flush into the skid setback 21 so that both together form a channel-shaped structure that is offset inwards. The side wall setback 7 transitions flush into the skid setback 23 so that both together form a channel-shaped structure that is offset inwards.

[0069] Due to the skid setbacks 21 and 23, the skids 17 and 19 each have a curved outer contour. As shown in FIGS. 1A and 9, the outer edges 16 and 18 are s-shaped due to the skid setbacks 5 and 7. Respective end portions of the lower outer edges 16 and 18 of the skids 17 and 19, so-called outer edge portions 25 and 27 of the skids, are formed such that the outer edge portions 25 of the skids of the skid 17 extend in a common (imaginary) straight line and that outer edge portions of the skids 27 of the skid 19 extend in a common (imaginary) straight line. Between the respective skid setback 5 or 7 and the corresponding outer edge portions 25 or 27 of the skids, more precisely at end regions of the skid setbacks 5 or 7, the outer edges 16 and 18 of the skids 17 and 19 have s-shaped portions S.

[0070] The container 1 of FIGS. 1A and 1B also has projections or ribs 13 which run horizontally or parallel to the bottom in each of its corner regions and which are arranged deeper than the circumferential ribbed wreaths of the container rim 12 and which serve as a stop for limiting the nest depth when several identically constructed containers 1 are placed inside each other.

[0071] Support recesses 42 are provided on the top side of the container rim 12. Support regions 44 are provided on the underside of skids 17 and 19. When an identically constructed pallet container is stacked on the pallet container 1, the (lower) support regions of the skids of the identically constructed pallet container can immerse in the support recesses 42. Lower surfaces of the support recesses 42 extend in a common plane. Lower surfaces 45 of the engagement openings 3 also extend in a common plane. A depth T of the support recesses 42 of the pallet container 1 extending from the top surface of the container rim 12 to a bottom surface of the support recess is determined to be less than or equal to a distance D between the common plane of the lower surface 45 of the engagement openings 3 of the pallet container 1 and the common plane of the lower surfaces of the support regions 44 of the skids 17 and 19 of the pallet container 1.

[0072] On an underside of the container rim 12, two respective recessed grips 46 are provided on the long side walls 4 and 6, and one respective recessed grip 46 is provided on the short side walls 8 and 10. The recessed grips 46 are oriented in such a way that the recessed grip 46 can be gripped from below.

[0073] Two respective openings 48 are provided at upper ends of the recessed grips 46 and extend from the recessed grip in a direction away from the container interior region bounded by the bottom 2 and the side walls 4, 6, 8, 10. In addition, the openings 48 are formed such that each also extends partially upwards from the recessed grip 46. Each recessed grip 46 is respectively formed by a u-shaped rib of the rib structure of the container rim 12. The respective u-shaped rib is oriented such that its opening is directed downwards. A rim of the respective u-shaped rib facing away from container interior region is adjoined by an outer wall which, together with the u-shaped rib, encloses the recessed grip 46.

[0074] FIGS. 2A, 2B and 2C illustrate the behavior of a stack of large load carriers 1, 1′ placed inside each other when tipping over. It has been determined by the applicant that, due to inertia and the play between the individual containers 1 placed inside each other, the lower edge of the cantilevered container rim 12′ of the lowermost container 1′ of the stack often forms the first point of impact of such a container stack. This is generally not designed for such loads, which causes the container rim 12′ to break and the container 1′ to become unusable.

[0075] As can be seen in FIG. 2B, the containers 1 arranged further up in the stack tend to hit the bottom with their container rim 12 in a rather flat manner when tipping over. FIG. 2C shows an end position in which the stack comes to rest on the container edges 12 of the containers 1.

[0076] In summary, the container rim 12 of the lowermost container 1 of a stack of containers 1 placed inside each other is subjected to a disproportionately large share of the impact force, and the exact point of impact of the individual containers 1 varies with their position in the container stack. Consequently, it is difficult to design the container rim 12 for this load.

[0077] Due to the problems described above, the container 1 according to the preferred embodiment of the invention has a shock absorbing structure or shock absorber 14. As can be clearly seen in FIG. 2A, for example, the shock absorber 14′ is configured to project far enough from the side wall and below the container rim 12′ so that when a stack of containers 1 placed inside each other tips over, the shock absorber 14′ of the lowermost container 1′ hits the bottom before its container rim 12A. The same applies to the containers 1 arranged a bit higher up in the stack. The container 1 according to the preferred embodiment comprises four such shock absorbers 14, which are each arranged in corner regions and essentially shield two opposite side walls 4, 6 of the container 1 or project from them (cf. FIG. 1A).

[0078] As can be clearly seen, for example, in the side view of FIG. 3, the shock absorber 14 is designed as a shock absorbing structure which is spaced from the container rim 12 towards the container bottom side and projects in profile over the side wall 4, 6. More specifically, the shock absorber projects so far from the associated outer container side that it pierces an imaginary plane E spanned between the lower outer edge 24, 26, 28, 30 of the cantilevered container rim 12 and the outer edge 16, 18, 20, 22 of the bottom 2, or respectively between the lower outer edge 24, 26 of the cantilevered container edge 12 and the outer edge portions 25, 27 of the skids of the bottom 2. In other words, the shock absorber 14 protrudes from the outer side of the associated side wall 4, 6, 8, 10 to such an extent that it projects beyond the imaginary plane E and thus, in the event of overturning (with the outer edge 16, 18, 20, 22 of the bottom 2 as instantaneous pole), hits the bottom before the lower outer edge 24, 26, 28, 30 of the protruding container rim 12.

[0079] As can be seen in FIG. 3, the shock absorber 14 is spaced downwards from the container rim 12 in the container height direction and projects so far in the direction parallel to the bottom that it is flush with a projection A of the outer surface of the container rim 12. On the one hand, this serves the purpose of ensuring that the shock absorber does not unnecessarily increase the outer dimensions of the container 1 and, on the other hand, in this way the outer surface of the container rim 12 and shock absorber 14 can both serve as support points in an overturned container stack (see also FIG. 2C).

[0080] A number of preferred configuration examples for shock absorbers 14 according to the present invention are explained below. Common to all of these embodiments is that they are configured by their overall structure or by predetermined impact absorption portions 32 to at least partially absorb or dissipate impacts. Mechanisms for such dissipation of impact energy are mainly internal friction losses during elastic deformation and/or during plastic deformation of components.

[0081] The basic structure of the shock absorber 14 shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 is a hollow profile and is arranged in the respective corner regions of the container 1. Said hollow profile shape encloses a cavity or a clearance R between the side wall and the shock absorber 14. The hollow profile shock absorber 14 is integrally molded to the container 1 and, due to its overall structure or respectively the clearance R enclosed towards the wall, provides elasticity and a defined spring deflection/a defined crumple zone for receiving impact forces. The hollow profile shape of the shock absorber 14 forms a defined collision portion 15 at its end on the container outside (as seen from the shielded side wall 4), in this case a flattened end portion. Seen from this collision portion 15, the structure of the shock absorber 14 (the hollow profile) widens in the direction towards the container or in the direction towards a central container plain M. This has the advantage that impact forces at the collision portion 15 can be transmitted in a defined manner into the shock absorber 14 and can then be distributed over a larger area and transmitted into the container 1. In addition, the widening hollow profile structure supports a defined elastic deformation of the shock absorber 14.

[0082] The hollow profile shock absorber 14 is molded onto the container 1 in such a way that the hollow profile is open in the direction of the side wall 8, 10 adjacent to the shielded side wall 4, 6. This allows good demoldability during production in a plastic molding process. A lower section of the shock absorber 14 (or its hollow profile shape) running essentially horizontally or parallel to the bottom is formed by the rib 13, which also serves for limiting the nest depth.

[0083] FIG. 5 shows a detailed view of a hollow profile-shaped shock absorber 14 according to a second embodiment, which is similar in form and function to the shock absorber 14 according to the first embodiment. The main distinguishing feature of the shock absorber 14 according to the second embodiment from the first embodiment is the rounded or essentially semi-circular hollow profile collision portion 15. Compared to the flattened curved collision portion 15 according to the embodiment of FIG. 4, the semi-circular profile shape generates a higher point of impact in the event of overturning and thus an advantageous transmission of force into the hollow profile structure of the shock absorber 14, which widens in the direction towards the central container plain M.

[0084] The shock absorber 14 shown in FIG. 6 according to a third embodiment of the invention comprises, like the shock absorber 14 according to the second embodiment, a round/rounded collision portion 15. In addition, the shock absorber 14 according to a third embodiment has, at the lower half of its semi-circular collision portion 15, a projection 34 pointing obliquely away from the container interior and downwards for a defined transmission of force into the shock absorber 14. The semi-circular collision portion 15 has reduced material thickness above the projection 34 in order to provide a defined predetermined breaking point 35 in this area. In addition, according to the third embodiment shown in FIG. 6, the shock absorber 14 has a spring portion 36 via which it is suspended from the container 1 (here from the container rim 12). Due to the spring suspension already provided by the spring portion 36, the shock absorber 14 according to the third embodiment can be designed with a less expanding hollow profile structure.

[0085] FIG. 7 shows a fourth embodiment of a shock absorber 14 according to the invention. This has an impact absorption portion 38 in the form of a folded portion 38. Similar to comparable structures in passenger cars, the folded structure allows a defined deformation with increased energy dissipation per compressed distance. In the embodiment shown, the folded portion 38 is arranged in the horizontally running portion or rib 13 of the hollow-profile shock absorber 14 and adjacent to the collision portion 15 in order to receive impact forces occurring during the collision as directly as possible.

[0086] FIG. 8 shows a fifth preferred embodiment of a shock absorber 14 manufactured in a two-component injection molding process. In this embodiment, the collision portion 15 of the shock absorber 14 projecting away from the container interior is coated with an elastomer portion 40 which cushions forces occurring during impact. In other words, an elastomer pad 40 is molded onto the outside of the shock absorber 14 for improved shock absorption. In this embodiment, the collision portion 15 per se therefore forms the impact absorption portion 32.