WO2013068630A1

WO2013068630A1 - Tray for transporting products

Info

Publication number: WO2013068630A1
Application number: PCT/ES2012/070780
Authority: WO
Inventors: Pedro Teixidor Casanovas
Original assignee: Teixidor & March, S.L.
Priority date: 2011-11-09
Filing date: 2012-11-08
Publication date: 2013-05-16
Also published as: ES2407555A1; ES2407555B1

Abstract

The tray for transporting products is formed from a sheet provided with a plurality of fold lines that define a base (1), two sides (2), two end walls (3), and a reinforcing column (4) at each corner between the sides (2) and the end walls (3), and is characterized in that it comprises a flange (10), formed by two substantially perpendicular portions, located at each upper corner of the tray, and a groove (11) that complements said flange (10) at each corner of the base (1) of the tray. This allows stacked trays to be secured to one another more solidly than in the case of trays currently known since the trays are prevented from moving transversely and longitudinally, once stacked, without the reinforcing columns being weakened.

Description

TRAY FOR PRODUCT TRANSPORTATION

The present invention relates to a self-collapsible and collapsible tray obtained from a die-cut sheet. It is a tray for transporting products, which can be placed in a folded position when not in use, in which it takes up very little space.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Trays for transporting products, for example fruit, formed from a cardboard sheet are known. Said trays are formed by a rectangular bottom, side walls on the larger sides of said rectangular bottom and a pair of pockets on the smaller sides of said rectangular bottom.

During their transport with products, these trays are stacked on top of each other and, in order to support the weight of the trays placed on them, it is necessary to reinforce the resistance of the trays against vertical compression. For this, it is known to use reinforcement columns of triangular section and horizontal flaps placed on the heads.

In addition, to facilitate stacking of said trays on each other, the trays comprise protrusions and complementary grooves that prevent accidental movement of the trays. However, these protrusions and complementary grooves are often insufficient to prevent such accidental movement.

EP 1 772 386 Al describes a tray for transporting products that includes the characteristics indicated above.

In this tray, the protrusions and complementary grooves are placed in the reinforcement columns in a diagonal position, so as not to effectively prevent said accidental movement.

In addition, to reinforce the compressive strength in the vertical direction, this tray comprises flaps that extend from the ends of the heads and is fixed on the outer side of the side. These flaps have the disadvantage that the reinforcement they provide is not adequate, since their length is reduced.

Therefore, the need for a tray for the transport of products that, on the one hand, effectively prevents accidental displacement of the trays from each other when they are stacked on top of each other, and on the other hand, is clearly evident. Compressive strength in the tester area is increased.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION With the tray for transporting products of the invention, the aforementioned drawbacks are resolved, presenting other advantages that will be described.

The tray for transporting products of the present invention is formed from a sheet provided with a plurality of folding lines defining a bottom, two sides, two heads, and a reinforcing column in each of the corners between the lateral and the front, and is characterized by the fact that it comprises a flange formed by two substantially perpendicular sections located in each upper corner of the tray, and a complementary groove to said flange located in each corner of the bottom of the tray.

Thanks to this characteristic, the anchorage between the trays of the present stacked is more solid than in the trays currently known, since they prevent the trays from being able to move transversely and longitudinally once stacked. In addition, this arrangement of the tabs and grooves does not weaken the reinforcing columns.

In addition, the tray can also comprise protrusions that are located in the heads and lace that are placed at the bottom, in the corners of the tray.

Advantageously, said projections have a semicircle shape, which facilitates that the projections do not accidentally leave the fittings.

Again advantageously, the projections of the projections are configured in the corners that define the fold lines of the heads and the bottom of the sheet, each of said fittings including a lower groove made in the bottom and an upper groove practiced in the tester for the insertion of said projections.

These two grooves and, in particular, the upper groove, facilitate the insertion of the projections of the heads during the stacking. In this way, stacking is carried out very quickly and safely.

Preferably, the tray for transporting products also comprises reinforcing flaps placed between said sides and said reinforcing columns. In addition, said reinforcing flaps extend from a horizontal flap provided in said testers, and said reinforcing flaps are substantially the same length as said columns.

The presence of these reinforcement flaps between the sides and the reinforcement columns allows the corners of the tray to withstand greater compression than the ones currently supported by the trays, in which the reinforcement flap is placed on the outer side of the side or it only covers an upper section of the corner.

Advantageously, said laterals comprise inclined folding lines extending from the lower corner of the tray, forming an angle less than 45 ° with the folding line between the bottom and the sides.

In addition to allowing the folding of the tray in its storage or transport position, the fact that said angle is less than 45 ° allows the heads, in their position of use, to be slightly inclined inward, so as to facilitate the introduction of eyelashes and protrusions in their grooves and complementary lace.

According to one embodiment, the testers include horizontal flaps provided with a plurality of grooves arranged in correspondence with said reinforcing columns, said tray including a plurality of reinforcing pieces of said columns that are intended to be inserted inside said columns to through these slots.

This embodiment has the advantage that it allows to obtain a box with a greater resistance to vertical compression in the area of the heads, thus allowing a very secure stacking.

Preferably, in the same embodiment said reinforcement pieces include a projection to be inserted during stacking in a complementary groove located at the bottom of another tray. This projection further contributes to avoid unwanted movements of the stack.

According to another embodiment, said reinforcing columns each include a clamping tongue insertable in a complementary groove located in a horizontal flap of the heads, said clamping tongue preventing the folding of said columns, said clamping tongue being susceptible to being inserted during the stacked in a complementary slot at the bottom of another tray.

In this embodiment, the clamping tabs of the columns have the double function of preventing the folding of the tray and at the same time contributing to avoid unwanted movements of the stack. In any of the described embodiments, the tabs in the upper corners of the tray have the advantage that they enable and ensure a solid stack that allows the batteries to be transported without the risk of accidental movements. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

To better understand how much has been exposed, some drawings are attached in which, schematically and only by way of non-limiting example, several practical cases of realization are represented.

In these drawings, Figures 1 and 2 describe a first embodiment of the tray, Figures 3 and 4 a second embodiment and Figure 5 a third embodiment.

Representative drawings of the stack have also been included (figure 7), as well as a side view of the tray in which the inclined position of the pockets is appreciated (figure 6).

Figure 1 is a perspective view of one of the corners of the sheet from which the tray is formed according to an embodiment of the present invention; Y

Figure 2 is a perspective view of one of the corners of the tray of the second embodiment of Figure 1 in its position of use.

Figure 3 is a plan view of one of the corners of the sheet from which the tray corresponding to a second embodiment is formed.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of one of the corners of the tray corresponding to the embodiment of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of one of the corners of the tray corresponding to the third embodiment.

Figure 6 is a side view of a tray of the present invention showing the inclination of the heads.

Figure 7 is a perspective view of a stack of trays of the present invention showing the stack.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

As can be seen in the figures, the tray for transporting products of the present invention is formed from a cardboard sheet, which is shown deployed in Figures 1 and 3. It should be noted that in the figures the folding lines are shown with dashed lines, although it is evident that in reality these lines are continuous, so that they are not confused with the parts of the sheet or tray that are cut.

Said cardboard sheet defines a bottom 1, a pair of sides 2 and a pair of heads 3. In addition, reinforcement columns 4 of substantially triangular section are placed in the corners between the sides 2 and the heads 3.

The heads 3 also comprise a horizontal flap 9, it being understood that the definition of horizontal is made with reference to the normal position of use of the tray, that is, said horizontal flap 9 is perpendicular to the tester 3 or parallel to the bottom 1.

In order to allow folding of the tray of the present invention when transported without cargo, the heads 3 and the sides 2 comprise diagonally folded lines 5, as is known in some trays of the prior art. However, unlike conventional trays, the angle defining this diagonal folding line 5 with the joining line between the bottom 1 and the side 2 is less than 45 ° (angle "a" indicated in the figures). This angle below 45 ° allows the heads 3, in their position of use, to be slightly inclined inwards.

It should also be noted that the sides 2 could include a longitudinal folding line (not shown) to fold the upper part of the side 2 over its lower part, so that the thickness of the sides 2 was double, further reinforcing the tray.

In order to allow stacking of several trays on each other, the tray of the present invention comprises tabs 10, located one in each upper corner of the tray.

Each flange 10 is formed by two substantially perpendicular sections, as can be seen more clearly in Figures 2 and 3, which protrude from the upper corner of the tray.

These tabs 10, when two or more trays are stacked together, are housed in complementary grooves 11 located at the corners of the bottom of the tray.

Furthermore, according to the embodiments shown, the heads 3 comprise complementary projections 6 with fittings 7 located at the bottom 1 of the tray, so that said projections 6 are accommodated in the fittings 7 when two or more trays are stacked together, facilitating and further strengthening the stacking of the trays on each other. In the described embodiments, the laces 7 are configured in the corners that define the folding lines of the slats 3 and the bottom 1 of the sheet and each include a lower groove 7a made in the bottom 1 and an upper groove 7b practiced in the tester 3. These two grooves 7a, 7b and, in particular, the upper groove 7b, facilitate the insertion of the projections 6 of the testers 3 during stacking. In this way, stacking is carried out very quickly and safely.

As indicated above, thanks to the angle "a" which is less than 45 °, for example 42 ° or 43 °, the heads 3 will be slightly inclined towards the inside of the tray in their use position, facilitating the introduction of the tabs 10 and the projections 6 in their grooves 11 and complementary fittings 7 during stacking. In figure 6 you can clearly see the inclination acquired by the heads thanks to the mentioned angle "a".

The projections 6 have a semicircular profile and are located in a position close to the corners, as shown in the figures. Preferably, in each corner there will be a projection 6 placed in the tester 3 and a projection 6 placed in the side 2. In particular, the projection 6 placed in the lateral 3 will be placed in a reinforcement flap 8 extending from the horizontal flap 9 of the testero.

As can be seen in the figures, said reinforcement flap 8 will be placed between the side 2 and the reinforcement column 4 and will have a length substantially equivalent to the height of the side 2, so that it will extend to the bottom 1. In some complementary positions to the positions of the projections 6 will be placed two laces 7.

With respect to the reinforcing columns 4, each of them is formed by four sectors, and in its position of use, the outermost sector with respect to the tester 3 is fixed on the tester towards the inside of the column, while the sector more internal is fixed to the side.

In the embodiment shown in Figures 3 and 4, the horizontal flaps 9 of the heads 3 are provided with a plurality of grooves 12 arranged in correspondence with said reinforcing columns 4.

As can be seen in Figure 4, these grooves 12 are designed to allow reinforcement pieces 13 to be introduced inside the columns 4, which gives the tray an extreme resistance to vertical compression. In the same figure 4 the protrusion 14 of the end of the reinforcing pieces 13 can be seen. This projection 14 can be inserted during stacking in a complementary groove 15 located at the bottom 1 of another tray. In addition, the same piece 13 of Reinforcement includes one end with its edges 16 cut to facilitate insertion into the interior of column 4.

Figure 5 shows a third embodiment of the tray in which the reinforcing columns 4 include a clamping tongue 17 insertable in a complementary groove 19 located in a horizontal flap 9 of the heads 3. This clamping tongue 17 prevents the folding of columns 4 and is likely to be inserted during stacking in a complementary groove located at the bottom 1 of another tray.

In this embodiment shown in Figure 5, the tabs 17 for securing the columns 4 have the double function of preventing the folding of the tray and at the same time contributing to avoid unwanted movements of the stack.

As mentioned in the description of the invention, in any of the described embodiments, the tabs 10 of the upper corners of the tray have the main advantage that they enable and ensure a solid stack that allows the batteries to be transported without risk of accidental movements. The projections 6 of the insertable corners in the fittings 7 have the additional function of guiding and centering the user in the formation of the stack.

Figure 7 shows in a representative way the stacking of the claimed trays. This figure shows the quick way to insert tabs 10 and projections 6, 14 into their respective grooves 7, 15 thanks to the inclination of the heads 3.

Although reference has been made to a specific embodiment of the invention, it is apparent to one skilled in the art that the described product transport tray is susceptible to numerous variations and modifications, and that all the mentioned details can be substituted by others technically equivalent, without departing from the scope of protection defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. Tray for the transport of products, formed from a sheet provided with a plurality of folding lines that define a bottom (1), two sides (2), two heads (3), and a reinforcement column (4 ) in each of the corners between the sides (2) and the heads (3), characterized by the fact that it comprises a flange (10) formed by two substantially perpendicular sections located in each upper corner of the tray, and a groove (11) complementary to said tab (10) located in each corner of the bottom (1) of the tray.

2. Tray for transporting products according to claim 1, which also comprises projections (6) located in the pockets (3) and lace (7) located at the bottom (1), near the corners between the poles ( 3) and the sides (2).

3. Tray according to claim 2, wherein said fittings (7) are configured in the corners that define the folding lines of the heads (3) and the bottom (1) of the sheet and each include a lower groove ( 7a) practiced in the bottom (1) and an upper groove (7b) practiced in the tester (3).

4. Tray for transporting products according to claim 2, wherein said projections (6) have a semicircle shape.

5. Tray for transporting products according to claim 1, which also comprises reinforcement flaps (8) placed between said sides (2) and said reinforcement columns (4).

6. Tray for transporting products according to claim 5, wherein said reinforcing flaps (8) extend from a horizontal flap (9) provided in said heads (3).

7. Tray for transporting products according to claim 5, wherein said reinforcing flaps (8) are substantially the same length as said reinforcing columns (4).

8. Tray for transporting products according to claim 1, wherein said sides (2) comprise inclined folding lines (5) extending from the lower corner of the tray, forming an angle (a) of less than 45 ° with the fold line between the bottom (1) and the sides (2).

REPLACEMENT SHEET (Rule 26)

9. Tray according to any of the preceding claims, wherein said heads (3) include horizontal flaps (9) provided with a plurality of grooves (12) arranged in correspondence with said reinforcing columns (4), said tray including a plurality of reinforcing parts (13) of said columns (4) that are intended to be inserted inside said columns (4) through said grooves (12).

10. Tray according to claim 9, wherein said reinforcing parts (13) include a projection (14) for inserting during stacking in a complementary groove (15) located at the bottom (1) of another tray.

11. Tray according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein said reinforcing columns (4) include a clamping tongue (17) insertable in a complementary groove (18) located in a horizontal flap (9) of the heads ( 3) of the same tray, said tongue (17) preventing the folding of the column (4), said tongue (17) being able to be inserted during stacking in a complementary groove located at the bottom (1) of another tray.

REPLACEMENT SHEET (Rule 26)