POULTRY CONTAINER SIDE PANEL, POULTRY CONTAINER AND ASSEMBLY OF A POULTRY CONTAINER AND AT LEAST ONE SUCH SIDE PANEL

Abstract

The present invention relates to a poultry container side panel for releasable connection to a container for holding live poultry, having a rectangular screen with apertures; a sideward protruding foot and at one coupling, which coupling comprises a support stationary connected to the rectangular screen and a displaceable locking element moveable between a coupling position and a release position. The invention also provides a poultry container for holding live poultry, with a side wall having a rectangular aperture for receiving a poultry container side panel as well as to the assembly of such poultry container side panel and such a poultry container.

Claims

1.-15. (canceled)

16. A poultry container side panel for releasable connection to a poultry container for holding live poultry, comprising: a synthetic substantially rectangular screen provided with apertures; at least one positioning element located at one of the circumferential sides of the substantially rectangular screen; and at least one coupling located on a circumferential side of the substantially rectangular screen opposite to the positioning element holding circumferential side of the substantially rectangular screen; wherein the coupling comprises a support stationary connected to the rectangular screen and a displaceable locking element moveable between a coupling position and a release position, wherein the displaceable locking element is a synthetic and integrated part of the synthetic rectangular screen.

17. The poultry container side panel according to claim 16, wherein the poultry container side panel is a single moulded part.

18. The poultry container side panel according to claim 16, wherein the displaceable locking element is resiliently connected to the rectangular screen using the flexibility of the connecting synthetic material.

19. The poultry container side panel according to claim 16, wherein the displaceable locking element has a central opening and a control flap that projects from the substantially rectangular screen.

20. The poultry container side panel according to claim 16, wherein the poultry container side panel comprises at least one foot sideward protruding from one of the circumferential sides of the substantially rectangular screen.

21. The poultry container side panel according to claim 20, wherein the least one foot is integrated with the substantially rectangular screen.

22. The poultry container side panel according to claim 16, wherein the positioning element located at the circumferential side of the substantially rectangular screen opposite to the circumferential side where the coupling is located is provided by the contour of an aperture in the circumferential side of the poultry container side panel.

23. The poultry container side panel according to claim 16, wherein the poultry container side panel comprises plural integrated couplings.

24. The poultry container side panel according to claim 16, wherein the at least one coupling is integrated with the substantially rectangular screen.

25. The poultry container side panel according to claim 16, wherein the substantially rectangular screen comprises at least one reinforcement rib.

26. The poultry container side panel according to claim 25, wherein the reinforcement rib connects opposite circumferential sides of the substantially rectangular screen.

27. The poultry container for holding live poultry, comprising: a bottom wall and four side walls protruding from the bottom wall; wherein at least one of the side walls is provided with a substantially rectangular aperture for receiving a poultry container side panel according to claim 16, wherein the circumference of the aperture in a side wall is provided with at least one counter-positioning element; and wherein the circumference of the aperture in a side wall opposite to the positioning counter-element holding circumferential side of the aperture is provided with at least one protruding coupling element.

28. The poultry container according to claim 27, wherein the poultry container comprises a metal frame.

29. The poultry container according to claim 27, wherein on a circumferential side of the substantially rectangular aperture opposite to the coupling element protruding circumferential side of the aperture at least one counter-positioning element is provided.

30. An assembly of a poultry container for holding live poultry comprising: a poultry container for holding live poultry, including: a bottom wall and four side walls protruding from the bottom wall; wherein at least one of the side walls is provided with a substantially rectangular aperture for receiving a poultry container side panel according to claim 16, wherein the circumference of the aperture in a side wall is provided with at least one counter-positioning element; and wherein the circumference of the aperture in a side wall opposite to the positioning counter-element holding circumferential side of the aperture is provided with at least one protruding coupling element; and at least one poultry container side panel for releasable connection to the poultry container, including: a synthetic substantially rectangular screen provided with apertures; at least one positioning element located at one of the circumferential sides of the substantially rectangular screen; and at least one coupling located on a circumferential side of the substantially rectangular screen opposite to the positioning element holding circumferential side of the substantially rectangular screen; wherein the coupling comprises a support stationary connected to the rectangular screen and a displaceable locking element moveable between a coupling position and a release position, wherein the displaceable locking element is a synthetic and integrated part of the synthetic rectangular screen.

Description

[0020] The invention will be further elucidated herein below on the basis of the non-limitative exemplary embodiments shown in the following figures. Herein:

[0021] FIG. 1 shows a perspective schematic view on a poultry container side panel according to the present invention;

[0022] FIGS. 2A-2C perspective schematic views on a coupling as part of a poultry container side panel according to the present invention in various positions;

[0023] FIG. 3A shows a perspective view on a part of a poultry container and a poultry container side panel to be placed into an aperture in poultry container;

[0024] FIG. 3B shows a perspective view on the part of the poultry container and the poultry container side panel as shown in FIG. 3A after coupling; and

[0025] FIG. 4 a poultry container for holding live poultry with plural poultry container side panels according to the present invention.

[0026] FIG. 1 shows a poultry container side panel 1 having a substantially rectangular screen 2 with apertures 3 for aeration of the poultry to be held in a poultry container. A left circumferential side 4 and a right circumferential side 5 of the side panel 1 are connected via reinforcement ribs 6 to provide additional constructive strength to the poultry container side panel 1. On the lower circumferential side 7 of the poultry container side panel 1 four feet 8 protrude which will rest on a part of the circumference of an aperture in a poultry container frame as will be illustrated later. On the upper circumferential side 9 of the side panel 1thus opposite to the lower circumferential side 7 with the protruding feet 8two couplings 10 are located. This coupling 10 will be illustrate in more detail in FIGS. 2A-2C. The side panel 1 is also provided with two positioning openings 11 at the support carrying lower circumferential side 7 of the substantially rectangular screen 2 for positioning the poultry container side panel 1 before coupling and for providing a solid connection with a poultry container after coupling of the side panel 1 to such poultry container.

[0027] In FIG. 2A a coupling 20 is illustrated in a situation wherein it is not coupled. The coupling 20 is part of a poultry container side panel 21 an has a support 22 stationary connected to a circumferential side 23 of the poultry container side panel 21. A displaceable locking element 24 has a central opening 25 for housing a protruding coupling element (not shown in FIG. 2A). The displaceable locking element 24 has a control flap 26 that projects from the poultry container side panel 21 to make it accessible for an operator.

[0028] In FIG. 2B the coupling 20 from FIG. 2A is shown, again in a rest position but now holding a protruding coupling element 27. To bring the protruding coupling element 27 in the coupled position as illustrated in FIG. 2B, the displaceable coupling element 24 has to be displaced as is illustrated in FIG. 2C. The coupling element 24 is partially moved by exerting a force (see arrow P) onto the control flap 26. The displacement of the coupling element 24 also lowers the central opening 25 and thus provides access to the protruding coupling element 27 (pen) that is connected to the circumference of an aperture in a poultry container. After the force P is removed the resilient coupling element 24 moves back from the release position (FIG. 2C) to the coupling position (FIG. 2B). The direction of the force P is more or less parallel to the poultry container side panel 21.

[0029] In FIG. 3A a poultry container side panel 30 is shown before placing it into a poultry container 31 of which only two side walls 32, 33 and a bottom wall 34 are shown. In one of the side walls 32 a rectangular aperture 35 is provided for receiving the poultry container side panel 30. On the top of the circumference of the rectangular aperture 35 a coupling element (pen) 36 is visible suited for cooperation with a coupling 37 as part of the poultry container side panel 30. For placing the side panel 30 in the rectangular aperture 35 the top of the side panel 30 is brought into the poultry container 31 through the aperture 35. In the lower circumferential side 38 of the poultry container side panel 30 positioning openings 39 are provided the contour of which is placed over positioning pens 40 (counter-positioning elements) which protrude from the lower periphery side 41 of the rectangular aperture 35 in the poultry container 31. Subsequently feet 42 of the lower circumferential side 38 of the poultry container side panel 30 are placed onto the lower periphery side 41 of the rectangular aperture 35 in the poultry container 31. The upper side of the poultry container side panel 30 is then moved outward (thus by swinging it outward). By doing so the coupling 37 of the side panel 30 will contact the coupling element 36 of the poultry container 31 and for finalising the attachment of the side panel 30 in the poultry container 31 a control flap 43 has to be moved to give the coupling element 36 of the poultry container 31 access into the coupling 37 of the side panel 30 (see for the coupling more details in FIGS. 2A-2C). An advantage for the inward (that is to say in the poultry container 31) positioning of the poultry container side panel 30 before coupling and decoupling is that thus the uncontrolled leave of live poultry may be prevented during replacement of the poultry container side panel 30.

[0030] In FIG. 3B the poultry container side panel 30 is shown after placing it into the poultry container 31. The coupling 37 of the side panel 30 holds the coupling element 36 of the poultry container 31 and on the lower circumferential side 38 of the poultry container side panel 30 is visible that the positioning pen 40 protrude from the lower periphery side 41 of the poultry container aperture 35 into the positioning opening 39 in the lower circumferential side 38 of the poultry container side panel 30. Also visible is that the contour of the positioning opening 39 is wider than the diameter of the positioning pen 40 providing a loose fitting.

[0031] FIG. 4 shows a poultry container 50 for holding live poultry, with a bottom wall 51 and four side walls 52-55 protruding from the bottom wall 51. A door 56 is formed by a section of one of the side walls 55 and a section of the bottom wall 51. The door 56 is displaceable between a position wherein the door 56 fits the rest of the poultry container 50, which is the situation shown in FIG. 4, and a position wherein the door 56 leaves an opening in the side wall 55 and the bottom wall 51 for the passage of poultry (this situation is not shown here). In the side walls 52-55 of the poultry container 50 are poultry container side panels 57, 58 attached of various sizes.