Abstract
A container includes a bottom, lateral walls, and a device for dividing the interior of the container. The device has a groove at each opposing lateral wall and a partition. Each groove extends from an upper edge of the lateral wall over a part of the height of the lateral wall. Each groove and the end faces of the partition have a cross-sectional shape transverse to their longitudinal extension, so that the end face of the partition and each groove can be united by a form-fit. Each groove can have an undercut.
Claims
1. A container, comprising: a bottom; four side walls surrounding the bottom and jointly forming an interior with the bottom, wherein two side walls are arranged opposing one another and further two side walls are arranged opposing one another, at least two opposing ones of the sidewalls having each a groove extending from an upper edge of the side wall along an upper part of a height of the sidewall; and a device configured to divide the interior, said device including at least one partition having an end face, with the groove and the end face having each a cross-sectional shape transverse to their longitudinal extensions to unite the end face of the partition with the groove by a form fit, each said groove having a two-sided undercut, said end face of the partition having a two-sided dovetail contour conforming to a shape of the groove and insertable into the groove in a form-fitting manner, said dovetail contour having a straight element to connect the end face and the dovetail contour in prolongation of the partition, said straight element having reinforcement ribs, each said groove having a first area adjacent to the upper edge of the side wall and a second area which extends from the first area in a direction of the bottom, said first area of the groove having a rectangular cross section and said second area being configured with an undercut, said end face of the partition having an element such that the end face has a width which is greater than a thickness of the partition, said element resting upon the side wall after the partition has been inserted into the groove of the side wall.
2. The container of claim 1, wherein the bottom has an indentation in a surface pointing toward the interior in an area directly underneath the groove, said partition having a lower edge provided with a projection for insertion into the indentation in a form-fitting manner.
3. The container of claim 1, wherein each groove has a base area formed with an indentation or opening, said end face of the partition having a rounded projection for insertion into the indentation or opening in a form-fitting manner.
4. The container of claim 1, wherein the container is made of plastic.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
(1) Further advantages of the invention become apparent from the following description, in which the invention is explained in more detail with reference to exemplary embodiments schematically illustrated in the drawings. It is shown in:
(2) FIG. 1 a perspective view of a container according to the invention with provided grooves and two partitions arranged therein;
(3) FIG. 2 a perspective view from above of the container according to the invention of FIG. 1 with indentations in the bottom of the container;
(4) FIG. 3 a side view of a partition of the device for dividing the interior of a container;
(5) FIG. 4 a perspective view of a part of a partition from FIG. 3, in particular the end face of the partition and the projection at the partition lower edge;
(6) FIG. 5 a perspective view from above the partition which is inserted into a groove of FIG. 2.
(7) FIG. 6 a perspective view from above of the groove of FIG. 5 in the side wall of a container as well as the indentation in its bottom.
(8) FIG. 7 a perspective view from above of the end face of the partition of FIG. 3.
(9) FIG. 8 a view of the groove, in particular of the upper area of the groove with rectangular cross section and the slanted edges to the lower area of the groove.
(10) FIG. 9 a more detailed perspective view of the end face of a partition of FIG. 4.
(11) The same reference numbers have been used for same elements and first-time explanations relate to all figures, unless expressly mentioned otherwise.
EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION
(12) FIGS. 1 and 2 show a container 1 with a bottom 2 and surrounding side walls 3. In accordance with the invention, the side walls 3 have on their upper edges 3 grooves 4, which are arranged in pairs in opposing side walls 3, respectively. The grooves 4 extend from the upper edge 3 in the direction of bottom 2, however, only over a part of the height of the side wall 3, for example, over one fourth of the height. Two partitions 5 perpendicular to each other are fastened to the side walls 3 in the exemplary embodiment shown here, by inserting their lateral end faces 6 into the grooves 4. The partitions 5 have each slots 7, which extend over a part of the height of the partitions and by which the two partitions 5 perpendicular to each other are plugged into one another. The partitions 5 can be positioned randomly and in any number according to the grooves and slots in the container. Indentations 20 are arranged at the bottom 2 of the container and respectively positioned at a distance from the lower edge of a side wall 3, but directly underneath a groove 4.
(13) FIG. 3 shows an example of a partition 5 according to the invention, with each of its two lateral end faces 6 being provided with a protruding contour 8, which extends from its upper edge 6 in the direction of the lower edge 6, however only over a part of the height of the partition. The height of the protruding contour 8 is at a maximum the height of a groove 4 on the side wall 3 of the container 1.
(14) Arranged at the lower edge 6 of the partition 5 in proximity of each of the two end faces is a protruding projection 9, which extends away from the lower edge 6.
(15) FIG. 4 shows the end face 6 of a partition 5 in more detail, in particular the protruding contour 8 on the end face 6 and the projection 9 at the lower edge 6. The protruding contour 8 has in particular a rounded projection 10, which fits in an opening in the groove 4 of a side wall 3, as is shown in FIG. 8. In addition, the end face 6 is configured slightly wider in comparison to the thickness of the side wall by the presence of an element 12.
(16) FIGS. 7 and 9 show the protruding contour 8 on the partition 5. It is symmetrically configured in this exemplary embodiment, by having a protruding, dovetailed contour 8 on each of both sides of a center line M parallel to the upper edge 5. In addition, the contour 8 has a straight element 11 in prolongation of the partition 5 to connect the end face 6 and the dovetailed contour 8. For purposes of reinforcement of the element 11, the latter is designed ribbed for example. In addition, the end face 6 has elements 12, so as to be wider in comparison to the thickness d of the partition 5. It is also conceivable to configure the end face 6 of the partition without the elements 12.
(17) FIG. 5 shows a groove 4 in a side wall 3 of the container of FIG. 2 as well as the inserted partition 5 with protruding contour 8 on the end face 6. The partition is inserted formfittingly into the groove 4, with the end face resting with lateral elements 12 upon the side wall 3. The lateral elements 12 extend over the entire length of the end face 6 of the partition 5. The first upper area and the second lower area of the groove are readily apparent in the Figure. The upper area adjacent to the upper edge 3 has a rectangular shape with straight side walls 18, extending perpendicular to the side wall 3. Walls 17 extend slantingly downward from the side walls 18 and form the transition from the upper area to the lower area of the groove 4. The lower area of the groove has a narrow opening, in which the element 11 of the contour 8 fits in accordance with FIG. 6.
(18) FIG. 6 shows the groove 4 without inserted partition, in order to better recognize the shape of the groove. In addition, the indentation 20 arranged in the bottom 2 is shown in the FIG. 6 and is located directly underneath the groove 4 in the bottom at a distance from the lower edge of the side wall. When a partition 5 is inserted into the groove 4 and pushed downward to the bottom 2 of the container, the projection 9 can be snapped into the indentation 20 on the lower edge 6 of the partition 5. This additionally strengthens the position and shape of the partition in the container and prevents a bending of the partition to the side.
(19) FIG. 6 shows the upper area of the groove in proximity of the upper edge 3, which is configured rectangular with side walls 18 extending perpendicular to the side wall 3. A side wall 17 extends slantingly downward from the rectangular shape of the groove to a narrower area 19 of the groove, whose width corresponds to the width of the element 11 in FIG. 7. This is also illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 8, in accordance with which the groove 4 has a rectangular shape 18 in the upper area near the upper edge 3. The rectangular shape 18 is provided to facilitate insertion of the contour 8 of the partition into the groove 4, so that the simultaneous formfitting union of the contours 8 can be more easily realized on both end faces 6 of a partition into the grooves 4 of opposite side walls 3. In addition, FIG. 6 shows the lower area of the groove 4 with side walls 15, which extend at an angle to the side wall 3 and correspond to the dovetail shape of the contour 8 on the partition 5. The side walls 15 in the lower area of the groove are thus located not directly on the upper edge 3 of the side wall but rather only a short distance underneath the upper edge 3
(20) In the shown exemplary embodiment, the side walls 15 form the two-sided undercut of the groove which is present in this case only in the lower area.
(21) In further possible configurations, the side walls 15 can also extend over the entire length of the groove, i.e., up to the upper edge 3 of the side wall 3. In such a case, the groove does not have an upper rectangular area, as shown in the Figures.
(22) In a further possible embodiment, the side wall 15 can also be provided only on one side, wherein the contour on the end face of the partition has to be formed correspondingly.
(23) In a further possible embodiment, the side wall 15 can also extend parallel to the side wall 3, instead of at an angle. In such a case, the undercut would be configured T-shaped. Also, in these cases, the undercut can be formed over the lower area or over the entire length of the groove.
