Abstract
The invention relates to a container (1) with a base (2) and lateral walls (3, 4) which lie opposite each other, said container having a separating wall (6) for the purpose of dividing the interior of the container (1). The lateral edges (6a) of the separating wall (6) are provided with protruding contoured sections (7) which can be inserted into grooves (5) in the lateral walls (3) in a formfitting manner. According to the invention, each of the protruding contoured sections (7) has an elastic protrusion (10) on the contour lower end, said elastic protrusion extending outwards at an angle to the lateral edge (6a) of the separating wall (6). The elastic protrusions (10) are used as an installation aid when inserting the separating wall (6) into the grooves (5) in that the grooves (5) are easier to reach, in particular in the case of containers with lateral walls which curve outwards at the upper edges due to fatigue, wherein the elastic protrusions (10) yield upon inserting the separating wall (6) downwards into the grooves (5).
Claims
1. A container with a base and first and second lateral walls protruding perpendicularly upwards from the base, wherein the first lateral walls are opposite one another and the second lateral walls are opposite one another, and with one or more separating walls, wherein on their inner sides, the side walls have grooves which extend from their upper edge towards the base, and the one or more separating walls are each provided on both sides at their lateral edges with in each case one contour which protrudes in each case from the lateral edge of the one or more separating walls and can be inserted into the grooves in a form-fitting connection, wherein the protruding contours at the two lateral edges of the one or more separating walls each have at their lower end an elastic protrusion extending outwards away from the protruding contour at the lateral edges at a predetermined angle to the plane of the lateral edge of the one or more separating walls.
2. The container according to claim 1, wherein the protruding contours at the lateral edges of the one or more separating walls additionally have at their lower end a recess extending in the direction of the upper edge of the separating wall.
3. The container according to claim 1, wherein the elastic protrusion has in each case an inner side directed towards the lateral edge and an outer side facing away from the lateral edge, wherein the elastic protrusion is pointed in that an inner angle (β) between the lateral edge and the inner side is greater than an outer angle (α) between the lateral edge and the outer side of the elastic protrusion.
4. The container according to claim 3, wherein the inner angle (β) is 15° and the outer angle (α) is 10°.
5. The container according to claim 1, wherein the tip of the elastic protrusion is beveled or rounded.
6. The container according to claim 1, wherein the protruding contours at the lateral edges of the separating walls are each T-shaped.
7. The container according to claim 1, wherein the grooves in the lateral walls have an undercut on both sides.
8. The container according to claim 2, wherein the elastic protrusion has in each case an inner side directed towards the lateral edge and an outer side facing away from the lateral edge, wherein the elastic protrusion is pointed in that an inner angle (β) between the lateral edge and the inner side is greater than an outer angle (α) between the lateral edge and the outer side of the elastic protrusion.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0018] FIG. 1 shows a container according to the invention in a perspective view.
[0019] FIG. 2 shows the container of FIG. 1 with a first, partially inserted separating wall with a contour according to the invention on the lateral edge.
[0020] FIG. 3 shows the container of FIGS. 1 and 2 with a fully inserted separating wall.
[0021] FIG. 4a shows the container of FIG. 3 with another partially inserted separating wall, perpendicular to the first separating wall.
[0022] FIG. 4b shows the detail of the container of FIG. 4a marked with arrow IVb, in particular the shape of the protruding contour on the separating wall and a protrusion according to the invention during insertion into a groove of the lateral wall.
[0023] FIG. 5 shows the container of FIG. 4a with the separating walls fully inserted.
[0024] FIG. 6a shows another view of the container of FIG. 5 with a separating wall and the separating wall according to the invention during the insertion into the groove.
[0025] FIG. 6b shows a top view of the container of FIG. 6a with the two separating walls.
[0026] FIG. 6c shows the detail VIc of FIG. 6b and in particular the form-fitting connection of the contour of the separating wall with the groove in the lateral wall.
[0027] FIG. 7 shows a detail of the container according to the invention according to VII in FIG. 6, in particular the contour pointing obliquely away from the separating wall during insertion into the groove.
[0028] FIG. 8a shows the section through the container of FIG. 6a and the separating wall according to VIIIa-VIIIa in FIG. 6a.
[0029] FIG. 8b shows the detail of the contoured separating wall according to the section VIIIb in FIG. 8a.
[0030] FIG. 8c shows the detail of the contour with protrusion of FIG. 8b in an enlarged view.
[0031] In the figures, the same reference signs have been used for the same elements in each case, and first-time explanations apply to all figures unless expressly stated otherwise. The contours on the lateral edges of the separating walls are formed the same for both separating walls shown.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0032] FIG. 1 shows a container 1 with a base 2 and first lateral walls 3 protruding perpendicularly upwards from the base and facing each other and second lateral walls 4 again facing each other. The lateral walls 3 and 4 are provided with grooves 5 each having an undercut extending perpendicularly from their upper edges 3a and 4a, respectively, in the direction of the base 2. FIGS. 2 and 3 show the container 1 with a first separating wall 6 which is inserted into the container at a right angle to the long lateral wall 3. For this purpose, the separating wall 6 has a protruding T-shaped contour 7 on each of its two lateral edges 6a, which contours extend substantially parallel to the lateral edges 6a, as shown in FIG. 2. The T-shaped contours 7 on the lateral edges 6a are formed with an undercut corresponding to the shape of the groove 5 and can be inserted into the groove 5 in a form-fitting manner until the separating wall 6 reaches the base 2, as shown in FIG. 3.
[0033] FIGS. 4a and b and 5 show the container 1 with a second separating wall 8 which can be inserted into the container 1 parallel to the long lateral wall 3 and at a right angle to the first separating wall 6. On the lateral edges 8a of the separating wall 8, same as on the separating wall 6, there are also protruding contours 9 which are form-fittingly inserted into the grooves 5 in the lateral walls 4 until they reach the base 2, as shown in FIG. 5. For this purpose, the separating wall 8 has slots 8b which are inserted into corresponding slots in the separating wall 6.
[0034] FIGS. 4a and 4b show the contour 10 according to the invention at the lower end of the protruding contour 9 on the separating wall 8 during insertion into the upper end of the groove 5 at the upper edge 4a of the lateral wall 4. A protrusion 10 according to the invention extends obliquely outwards at an angle from the plane of the lateral edge 8a of the separating wall 8. The angled shape provides the protrusion with an elastic property. Moreover, the protruding T-shaped contours 9 of the separating wall each have a recess 11 extending upwardly towards the upper edge of the separating wall 8.
[0035] The oblique, angled shape of the protrusion 10 enables the elastic property that enables the separating wall to be inserted into the groove 5, in particular repeatedly. In this case, the recess 11 in the protruding contour 9 further enhances this elastic property.
[0036] It is understood that the separating wall 6, which can be perpendicular to the separating wall 8, has the same properties and contours as the separating wall 8.
[0037] FIGS. 6a shows the container 1 with the separating wall 6 and protruding contour 7 of the separating wall 6 in a perspective view. The protruding contour 7 with a T-shaped cross-section has the protrusion 10 according to the invention obliquely leading away from the lateral edge 6a at an angle.
[0038] FIG. 6b shows the container 1 as a whole in a top view with the separating walls 6 and 8 and the protruding contours 7 and 9 as they fit in a form-fitting manner into the grooves 5 of the lateral wall 3 and 4, respectively, of the container. FIG. 6c shows in detail and in a top view of the upper edge 4a of the lateral wall 4 and the protruding T-shaped contour 9 of the separating wall 8 as it fits form-fittingly into the groove 5 with corresponding undercut.
[0039] The protrusion 10 leading away at an angle in FIG. 6a makes it possible that the contour 7 of the separating wall 3 can also be inserted into the groove of a lateral wall which is curved outwards in its upper region and is thus further away from the opposite lateral wall. The protrusion 10 on each lateral edge 3a of the separating wall in itself extends the extent of the separating wall so that it can more easily reach the grooves 5 of a lateral wall which is curved outwards in its upper region.
[0040] During the insertion of the separating wall downwards towards the base, the protrusion 10 is pushed inwards by the vertical wall of the groove 5 where it is elastically brought into the vertical position. This is possible due to its oblique and angled shape. In curved containers, the upper regions of the lateral walls are often curved outwards and the lower regions inwards towards the base. The elastic protrusions yield upon insertion into the grooves so that inserting the separating walls is possible even in the case of inwardly curved lateral walls.
[0041] FIG. 7 shows in detail the shape of the protrusion 10 of the separating wall 6 in FIG. 6a. The angled protrusion 10 has an inner side 10a and an outer side 10b. FIG. 7 shows how the protrusion 10 protrudes outwards beyond the outer side of the protruding contour 7 and engages the groove 5.
[0042] FIGS. 8a, b and c show the container 1 according to the invention in cross-section and in particular the separating wall 6 with protruding contour 7 and protrusion 10 as an installation aid. At its inner side 10b, the protrusion 10 extends away from the lateral wall at an angle β relative to the lateral edge 6a of the separating wall. At its outer side 10b, the protrusion extends away at an angle α relative to the lateral edge 6a. The outer angle α is smaller than the inner angle β. In the example shown, the inner angle β is 15° and the outer angle α is 10°. These angles result in a preferred elastic property for the function of the installation aid into the grooves. Other angles are possible depending on the material selection, shape and size of the protruding contour.
[0043] The recess 11 for enhancing the elastic property of the installation aid extends inwardly in the protruding contour 7 towards the lateral edge 6a and towards the upper edge of the separating wall 6.
[0044] To further simplify installation and prevent damage to the grooves and separating walls, the tip of the protrusion 10 is rounded or provided with a beveled end 12. Accordingly, the upper end of the groove 5 can also be provided with a beveled portion.
[0045] 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.
