System packing for the spaced packing of elongated objects and corresponding packing method

Abstract

Packing for the spaced packing of elongated bar-like or rod-like articles, in particular of rods (16) that are stored in a packing sleeve (1) that is open on at least one end while maintaining a mutual radial separation between them, wherein on the opening (5) of the packing sleeve (1) a multi-part lattice support (10) consisting of at least one lattice-like top part (7) and at least one lattice-like bottom part (8) that is detachably connected with it can be placed, that the rods (16) with their base-side ends extend through the aligned lattice openings (14a, 14b) of the top and bottom part (7, 8) and the at least one bottom part (8) is detachably connected with the top part (7) and can slide in the interior of the packing sleeve.

Claims

1. A system for the spaced packing of elongated bar-shaped or rod-shaped objects, the system comprising: an inner packing sleeve that is open on at least a top end; a protective outer sleeve to provide closure for the top end of the inner packing sleeve, wherein the protective outer sleeve encloses at least a portion of the inner packing sleeve; and a multi-part lattice support consisting of at least one top part and at least one bottom part, wherein the multi-part lattice support is sized and configured to be positioned within the top end of the inner packing sleeve, and wherein the bottom part is detachably connected to the top part such that insertion of the bar-shaped or rod-shaped objects through aligned lattice openings of the top and bottom parts of the multi-part lattice support detaches the bottom part from the top part so that the bottom part can slide in an interior of the inner packing sleeve while the top part remains at the top end of the inner packing sleeve.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein insertion of the bar-shaped or rod-shaped objects through the aligned lattice openings displaces the bottom part toward a base surface of the inner packing sleeve, wherein the base surface is opposite the top end of the inner packing sleeve.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein the lattice openings of the bottom part of the multi-part lattice support comprise a grid pattern and dimensions configured so that each lattice opening encloses an end of the bar-shaped or rod-shaped objects.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein the top part is placed in a locking manner on the bottom part such that manual force, machine force, or a combination thereof releases the detachable connection therebetween.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein the detachable connection between the top and bottom parts comprises a snap connection that can be released by manual force, machine force, or a combination thereof.

6. The packing according to claim 1, wherein an outer periphery of the bottom part is sized to fit within an interior of the inner packing sleeve in a form-fitting manner.

7. The packing according to claim 1, wherein the top part has an increased diameter in the form of an at least partial radial stop edge that is in contact with an encircling edge of the top end of the inner packing sleeve.

8. The packing to claim 7, wherein the top part can be locked with the top end of the inner packing sleeve.

9. A method for packing elongated bar-shaped or rod-shaped objects in a packing sleeve, the method comprising: placing a multi-part lattice support on an open end of a packing sleeve, wherein the multi-part lattice support comprises at least one top part detachably connected to at least one bottom part, wherein the top and bottom parts include an aligned lattice; placing the elongated bar-shaped or rod-shaped objects on the multi-part lattice support with a lower end of the elongated bar-shaped or rod-shaped objects directed through lattice openings of the top part and into lattice openings of the bottom part so that the lower ends come to rest on a base wall which forms a bottom side of the bottom part, wherein the lattice openings of the bottom part comprise a grid pattern and dimensions configured so that each lattice opening encloses an end of the bar-shaped or rod-shaped objects, and releasing the detachable connection between the top part and the bottom part by manual pressure, mechanical force, or a combination thereof, wherein the elongated bar-shaped or rod-shaped objects and bottom part slide downward in the packing sleeve.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein either as a result of the dead weight of the elongated bar-shaped or rod-shaped objects or by manual pressure on the elongated bar-shaped or rod-shaped objects, the bottom part is separated from the top part and is displaced into the interior of the packing sleeve until the bottom part sits on a base surface in the interior of the packing sleeve.

11. A system for the spaced packing of elongated bar-shaped or rod-shaped objects, the system comprising: a packing sleeve that is open on a top end thereof; and a multi-part lattice support comprising a top part and a bottom part, wherein the bottom part is detachably connected to the top part, and wherein the multi-part lattice support is sized and configured to be positioned within the top end of the packing sleeve so that the top-part of the multi-part lattice support remains at the top end and the bottom-part is configured to be slidingly received by a bottom end of the packing sleeve when the bottom part is detached from the top part, and wherein the lattice openings of the bottom part of the multi-part lattice support comprise a lattice having a grid pattern and dimensions configured so that the lattice encloses an end of the bar-shaped or rod-shaped objects.

12. The system according to claim 11, wherein the top part and the bottom part of the multi-part lattice support each include a lattice having a grid pattern and dimensions, wherein the grid pattern and dimension of the lattices of the top part and the bottom part are configured to align with one another.

13. The system according to claim 11, wherein a detachable connection between the top part and the bottom-parts comprises a snap connection that can be released by manual force, machine force, or a combination thereof.

14. The system according to claim 11, wherein an outer periphery of the bottom part is sized to fit within an interior of the packing sleeve in a form-fitting manner.

15. The system according to claim 11, wherein the top part has an increased diameter in the form of an at least partial radial stop edge that is in contact with an edge of the top end of the packing sleeve.

16. The system according to claim 15, wherein the top part can be locked with the top end of the packing sleeve.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein the multi-part lattice support comprises two or more top parts and one bottom part, wherein the bottom part includes a base wall configured to support ends of the elongated bar-shaped or rod-shaped objects.

18. The system of claim 11, further comprising: a protective outer sleeve or cover to provide closure for the top end of the packing sleeve, wherein the protective outer sleeve or cover is snapped, screwed, or pushed onto the packing sleeve.

19. The system of claim 1, wherein the multi-part lattice support comprises two or more top parts and one bottom part, wherein the bottom part includes a base wall configured to support ends of bar-shaped or rod-shaped objects.

20. The system of claim 11, further comprising: a protective outer sleeve or cover to provide closure for the top end of the packing sleeve, wherein the protective outer sleeve or cover is snapped, screwed, or pushed onto the packing sleeve.

21. A system for the spaced packing of elongated bar-shaped or rod-shaped objects, the system comprising: a packing sleeve open at a top end and closed on a bottom end; and a multi-part lattice support comprising a top part and a bottom part, wherein the top and bottom parts are plugged into each other and lockably connected by a detachable connection, wherein the detachable connection comprises a snap connection or a breakaway web, wherein the multi-part lattice support is sized and configured to be positioned within the top end of the packing sleeve so that the top part of the multi-part lattice support remains at the top end and the bottom part is slidingly received by a bottom end of the packing sleeve when the bottom part is detached from the top part, and wherein insertion of the elongated bar-shaped or rod-shaped objects through aligned lattice openings of the multi-part lattice support displaces the bottom part toward the bottom end of the packing sleeve.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) In the figures:

(2) FIG. 1 illustrates a first step in the method of the packing of elongated objects, in particular bars, according to the present invention.

(3) FIG. 2 illustrates a plan view from overhead of the lattice-like top part of the lattice support.

(4) FIG. 3 illustrates an assembly drawing of the lattice support consisting of a top part and a bottom part.

(5) FIG. 4 illustrates the assembled lattice support.

(6) FIG. 5 illustrates an additional step in the method of the packing the bars illustrated in FIG. 1.

(7) FIG. 6 illustrates further progress in the packing method.

(8) FIG. 7 illustrates the final stage of the packing method.

(9) FIG. 8 illustrates the finished package, including the installation of a protective sleeve, according to the present invention.

(10) FIG. 9 illustrates a view in perspective of the lattice support in the assembled state.

(11) FIG. 10 illustrates an exploded view of the lattice support in a perspective view.

(12) FIG. 11 illustrates a plan view from overhead of the top part of the lattice support corresponding to the illustration in FIG. 10.

(13) FIG. 12 illustrates a side view of the top part.

(14) FIG. 13 illustrates a side view of the bottom part.

(15) FIG. 14 illustrates the side view of the top part rotated by 90 degrees.

(16) FIG. 15 illustrates the side view of the bottom part rotated by 90 degrees.

(17) FIG. 16 illustrates an additional embodiment of a multi-level packing sleeve.

(18) FIG. 17 illustrates a variant embodiment of a packing sleeve that differs from the one illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 16.

(19) FIG. 18 shows the different profile shapes for packing sleeves according to the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF A PRESENTLY PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

(20) A packing sleeve 1 illustrated in FIG. 1 preferably consists of a plastic sleeve that is open on one end and essentially forms an interior space 2, the bottom side of which is closed by a base surface 3, wherein a stabilizing foot 4 can be located in the vicinity of the base surface 3. However it is not necessary to locate a stabilizing foot on the base surface 3.

(21) The base surface 3 can also be eliminated and the packing sleeve 1 can be open on the base side. The invention is accordingly not limited to a closed base surface 3.

(22) According to the invention, the system packing now consists of the spaced packing of elongated, bar-shaped or rod-shaped objects in the illustrated exemplary embodiment of the packing of bars 16 which, as illustrated in the first step of the method illustrated in FIG. 1, are placed from above on a lattice support that sits on the opening 5 of the packing sleeve 1.

(23) As illustrated in FIGS. 2 to 4, the lattice support 10 is designed and constructed in at least two parts and consists of a lattice-like top part 7 and a lattice-like bottom part 8 designed with the same grid pattern and dimensions, wherein the grid pattern and dimensions of the lattices of the top and bottom parts are aligned with each other.

(24) Likewise, FIG. 3 shows that the top part 7 is placed in a locking manner on the bottom part 8, wherein on the bottom part 8 there are two opposite locking tabs 12 that are engaged in corresponding locking slots 15 located in the top part 7.

(25) The locking connection illustrated here between a locking mounting between the bottom part 8 and the top part 7 is shown exclusively by way of example. All detachable connections that can preferably be released by manual force applied in the direction of the arrows 13 are claimed.

(26) Instead of manual force, a mechanical actuation in the direction of the arrow 13 can also be applied to unlock the snap connection between the top part 7 and the bottom part 8 connected with it in a locking manner.

(27) The two parts can be plugged into each other in the direction indicated by the arrow 29 and thus form an at least two-part plug-and-socket part which is called the lattice support 10. The lattice support assembled in this manner as illustrated in FIG. 4 is accordingly placed on the opening 5 of the packing sleeve 1, and the bars or rods 16 to be packed are inserted with the bottom sides into the aligned lattice openings of the top part and bottom part, and are therefore supported with their base-side ends on the base wall 28 of the bottom part 8 (see FIG. 9).

(28) FIG. 5 shows that when all the rods 16 run through the aligned lattice openings 14a, 14b of the top and bottom parts, the base sides of the bars 16 sit on the base wall 28 of the bottom part 8.

(29) As illustrated in FIG. 6, manual or mechanical pressure is applied in the direction indicated by the arrow 13 to the locking connection between the top and bottom parts 7, 8, and on account of the dead weight of the bars 16, they displace, in the direction indicated by the arrow 17, the bottom part 8 into the interior 2 of the packing sleeve 1 in the axial direction.

(30) It is preferable if the outside periphery of the bottom part 8 occupies the interior 2 of the packing sleeve in a more or less form-fitting manner while reserving some clearance for movement 1, to thereby prevent a tipping or rotation in the position illustrated in FIG. 6 during sliding in the packing sleeve.

(31) Also, as illustrated in FIGS. 9 and 10, there are friction-increasing external nubs 24 on at least two facing sides of the surrounding guide wall 26 on the bottom part 8, wherein these external nubs 24, with the application of a friction closure, are in contact and centered against the inside wall of the interior 2 so that a centered lowering of the bottom part 8 occurs under sliding friction into the interior 2 of the packing sleeve 1 as illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7.

(32) Of course it is possible to improve or to make possible the axially directed displacement of the bottom part 8 into the interior of the packing sleeve 1 by manual or mechanical force applied to the upper side of the bars 16.

(33) It has already been noted in the general descriptive portion that is not absolutely necessary to have a locking or snap connection between the top part 7 and the bottom part 8, because the connection can also be made by means of breakaway webs or similar connectors, so that by the application of a corresponding axial force on the bars 16, the connection between the top part 7 and bottom part 8 can be released and the webs broken off, so that the bottom part 8 is displaced into the interior 2 of the packing sleeve 1 as illustrated in FIG. 6.

(34) So that the top part 7 is not displaced with the bottom part 8 into the interior 2 of the packing sleeve 1, as illustrated in FIG. 10, it has a preferably encircling stop edge 9, which is in contact with the encircling edge of the packing sleeve 1.

(35) The stop edge 9 need not be continuous. It can also be provided in the form of individual nubs or protuberances.

(36) FIG. 4 also shows, in connection with FIG. 1, that the assembled lattice support 10 is placed in the direction indicated by the arrow 11 on the encircling upper edge of the packing sleeve 1.

(37) As soon as the bars 16 illustrated in FIG. 7 have been completely packed, it is preferable if their top ends still project beyond the upper side of the packing sleeve 1. However, the invention is not limited to this configuration. They can also be flush with the lattice openings 14a in the top part.

(38) The upper side of the packing sleeve 1 can be closed by any type of known protective sleeve 18 or by a flat cover 19, wherein the protective sleeve 18 or the cover 19 can be either snapped, screwed or pushed on or attached with a wedge-type connector. The closure between the parts 18 and 19 and the packing sleeve 1 can be any appropriate closure and can be accomplished in a manner which is in itself known. All that is necessary is that it be a re-openable packing.

(39) During the placement of the top part 7 on the encircling opening 5 of the packing sleeve 1, it is preferable if the top part 7 is placed on the packing sleeve by means of a locking connection. For this purpose FIG. 10 shows that the top part 7 has a preferably encircling stacking edge 20 which is slightly beveled, so that a plurality of lattice supports 10 can be stacked one on top of another.

(40) Starting from the stacking edge 20, there are locking lugs 25 directed radially outward that engage with the opening 5 of the packing sleeve 1 so that the top part 7 is reliably connected with the packing sleeve 1.

(41) Instead of a snap-on connection of this type, other connecting mechanisms can also be provided, such as, for example, wedge-type connectors, an adhesive connection or a welded connection.

(42) A comparison of FIGS. 9 and 10 shows that the lattice openings 14 of the top part 7 (lattice openings 14a) and the bottom part 8 (lattice openings 14b) are aligned with one another, and for this purpose webs are used that define the lattice openings. In the vicinity of the webs 22 there are radially inward-pointing nubs 23 that reduce the cross-section and preferably have insertion bevels, to thereby make possible a centered insertion and pushing through of the bars 16 to be packed.

(43) To release the snap connection between the two parts 7 and 8, in the top part there are cutouts 21 opposite one another, in the vicinity of which the locking slots 15 are located, so that by means of manual force, the locking tabs 12 of the bottom part 8 that project into the slots 21 can be pressed together with finger pressure, to once again release the locked connection.

(44) The flexible property of the locking tabs 12 is the result of the fact that there are slots 27 on both sides of the locking tabs, to provide them with radial flexibility.

(45) Also in the vicinity of the external nubs 24 there are slots 27 on one side to also provide a flexible bias for the external nubs 24, to guarantee that the bottom part 8 is centered and simultaneously moves downward in the interior 2 of the packing sleeve 1 in the direction indicated by the arrow 17, without tipping or jamming.

(46) FIG. 16 shows a multi-part packing sleeve 31 that consists of a total of three steps 32-34, whereby each step differs from the others in its diameter.

(47) The lattice support 10 used for this purpose is therefore designed and constructed of multiple parts and consists of a top part 7 and three bottom parts 8 that snap together, wherein the base-side bottom part 8 is the same as the bottom part described above and illustrated in FIGS. 9 and 10, although the other bottom parts 8a, 8b are intermediate parts and have the same lattice-like configurations illustrated in FIGS. 9 and 10, and overall the bottom part 8 consists of three parts that are detachably connected with the top part 7.

(48) This arrangement illustrated in FIG. 16 has the advantage that with a multi-step packing sleeve 31, elongated bars 16 can also be centered in the interior without the need to use continuous insertion channels of the type known from the prior art.

(49) FIG. 17 shows, in the form of an additional exemplary embodiment, that the bars 16 can project by a significant portion of their length out of the top of the packing sleeve 1, and that for this purpose a protective sleeve 18 can be used, on the inside of which a bottom part 8 is attached which corresponds to the opposite bottom part 8. In this manner it is also possible to center and hold elongated bars 16 or other elongated objects in a relatively short packing sleeve 1.

(50) FIG. 18 illustrates different profile shapes of packing sleeves 1 of this type, so that it can be stated that the packing sleeve 1 can have any arbitrary profile shape as illustrated in FIG. 18, and the at least two-part lattice support 10 used according to the invention is suitable for each of the profile shapes illustrated in FIGS. 18a-18f.

LEGEND TO THE DRAWINGS

(51) 1 Packing sleeve 2 Interior 3 Base surface 4 Stabilizing foot 5 Opening 6 Side wall 7 Top part (of 10) 8 Bottom part (of 10) 9 Stop edge 10 Lattice support 11 Direction of arrow 12 Locking tabs 13 Direction of arrow 14 Lattice opening 14a, 14b 15 Locking opening 16 Bar 17 Direction of arrow 18 Protective sleeve 19 Cover 20 Stacking edge 21 Cutout 22 Web 23 Nub 24 Outer nub 25 Snap-on stud 26 Guide wall 27 Slot 28 Base wall 29 Direction of arrow 31 Packing sleeve 32 Step 33 Step 34 Step