FR2498564A1 - Folded cardboard container and pallet - has wall or pallet retained for storage by folded flaps on container side walls - Google Patents

Abstract

The pallet container has a cardboard blank (A1-A4) with edge flaps (B1-B4, C1-C4) which are folded towards the centre of the erected container, to form the bottom and top walls. The pallet has a platform (6) and base (7) hinged together to allow the base to lie flat on the platform. The platform and base are formed from a cardboard sheet and each has the same shape as the erected container. The container and pallet are retained together by the folded flaps on the bottom container wall enclosing the pallet platform for storage.

Description

 The present invention relates to a carton and a carrier pallet which, with the possible exception of the legs whose pallet can be provided, can both be folded from a sheet of cardboard or other foldable material. Since the carton and pallet are made of a sheet-like material, they can be stacked flat before assembly, except where the legs of the pallet are not removable or collapsible.

 The invention relates to a cardboard pallet, that is to say a cardboard and its support pallet, the cardboard is formed of a sheet of cardboard or other foldable material and comprises four walls which, in use, are vertical and carry, at their upper and lower edges, flaps that can be folded inward during the erection of the carton to form respectively the top and bottom faces thereof, and the pallet comprises a tray and a bottom articulated on the tray along only one of the edges thereof, so that the bottom is foldable flat on the tray, the tray and the bottom being formed from a sheet of cardboard or other foldable material and having each has the same plan form as the erected cardboard, cardboard and pallet being held together in use by folding the flaps at the lower edges of the walls of the carton, so that, when the carton is seen in a vertical position, the flaps of two opposite wall s come above the bottom and the flaps of the other two opposite walls come below the bottom and are held between the bottom and the pallet tray by the weight of the carton and, when the carton is filled, also by the weight of its content.

 To save the sheet material used and to avoid unnecessary thickness at the bottom portion of the carton, the flaps at the lower edges of the carton walls (erect and vertical carton) each have a length, measured between the fold line connecting the flap to the respective wall and the free edge parallel to the flap, which is less than half the length or the respective width of the carton, the latter being seen in plan, so that the flaps are only margins the bottom portion of the carton, the remainder of this portion being defined only by the bottom of the pallet.

 To make it easier to load the cardboard, once it is erected and mounted on the pallet, by means of the goods which must be packed in the cardboard, it is possible to form on at least one wall and the flap situated at the upper end. - Top of this wall (the cardboard being seen erected and vertical) two parallel slots between the side edges of the wall and the flap, these slots extending from the fold line formed between the flap and the upper edge of the wall partially to in the flap and partially into the wall, the portion of the flap and the part of the wall lying between the two parallel slots being foldable along respective hinge lines parallel to the fold line formed between the flap and the wall, the portion of the fold line formed between the flap and the wall and located between the two parallel slots being slotted so as to form an effectively pivotable hinge line in both directions, so that when the flap is folded into its closed position, in which it partially fits on the top of the carton, the flap and wall portions between the two parallel slots are in the respective planes of the flap and the wall and, when the flap is folded outwardly and downward against the wall, the flap and wall portions between the two parallel slots are folded flat between the flap and the wall in order to release a notch in the upper edge of the wall and thus reduce the effective height of the wall between the two parallel slots.

The following description, designed as an illustration of the invention, is intended to provide a better understanding of its features and advantages; it is based on the annexed drawings, among which
- Figure 1 is an elevational view of the blank which is made of cardboard;
- Figure 2 is an elevational view of the blank which is made pallet;
- Figures 3 to 5 are perspective views showing the successive stages of the assembly of the cardboard pallet;
- Figure 6 is a perspective view of the pallet truck showing the flaps located at the upper part in partial open position; and
- Figure 7 is a view similar to Figure 7, showing one of the flaps folded outwardly against the part of the carton to which it is hinged.

The carton is formed by conventionally folding a blank of cardboard or other sheet material, illustrated in Figure 1. The blank comprises four panels each having three regions which will form the walls A1, A2, A3 and A4, the upper flaps B1, B2, B3 and B4 and the lower flaps C1, C2, C3 and
C4 respectively of erected cardboard. The wall A4 carries a tab 5 fixed by stitching or stapling inside the outer edge of the wall A1 of the first panel. Thus, one proceeds in the conventional manner: the flaps are connected to the inside of the walls so as to constitute the top and the bottom of the carton. However, unconventionally, the flaps C1, C2, C3 and C4 are shorter than the flaps B1, B2, B3 and B4 and do not completely close the carton at its bottom. The reasons for this particularity will emerge below.

 The pallet, illustrated in FIG. 2, comprises two articulated portions constituting a plate 6 and a bottom 7 folding along the hinge on the plate 6. The plate 6 and the bottom 7 have substantially the same dimensions and the same shape as cardboard seen in plan when erected. The plate carries feet 8 (see FIGS. 3 to 7) on its lower face 6. The feet 8 are described in more detail below.

 Other characteristics of the carton and the pallet will emerge from the description of the assembly given hereinafter with reference to FIGS. 3 to 5.

As shown in FIG. 3, the carton is erected in a conventional manner by folding only the upper flaps B1, B2,
B3 and B4 so that they close the upper part of the carton.

The lower flaps C2 and C4 of the walls A2 and A4 are folded inward, then the bottom of the pallet is placed against the folded flaps C2 and C4, as indicated by the arrow X in FIG.

As shown in FIG. 4, the bottom flaps C1 and C are then folded by applying them to the bottom 7.
The hinges between the walls 1 and A3 and their respective lower flaps C1 and C3 are formed along parallel fold lines 9 (see FIG. 1) separated from one another by a distance greater than the cumulative thickness of the starting sheets, so allow to fold flat over the lower flaps C2 and C and the bottom 7 the lower flaps C1 and C3.

As shown in Figure 1, the lower flaps C2 and C4 are hinged, for convenience, in the same manner.

 Then, the tray 6 is folded flat over the lower flaps C2 and C and the bottom 7, as indicated by the arrow Y of FIG. 4.

 The hinge between the bottom 7 and the plate 6 is formed by two parallel fold lines 10 visible in FIG. 2, separated from each other by a distance greater than the cumulative thickness of the sheets from which the cardboard is made. and the pallet so as to fold flat on the lower flaps C1 and C3 and on the bottom 7 the plate 6.

 The assembled pallet board is shown in FIG.

The contact between the two elements is then reinforced by the weight of the carton and, later, by the weight of its contents.

 The lower flaps C1> C2, C3 and C4 are shorter than the upper flaps B1, B2, B3 and B4 for two reasons the economy of material, and the reduction of the total thickness in the central region of the lower part of the pallet board which passes from four thicknesses of cardboard sheet to two, namely only the bottom 7 and the plate 6.

 By cardboard sheet is meant for the purposes of the invention, flat, laminated or corrugated cardboard sheets. When the cardboard is thin, it is not necessary to provide the double hinges mentioned above between the walls and the flaps of the cardboard; a single hinge is enough.

 The following is a description of the feet. These are conveniently formed of nine blocks 8 distributed in three rows along the four sides and in the middle of the lower face of the tray to allow insertion of the fork of a stacker truck between adjacent rows of blocks by any one of The blocks 8 also serve to keep the pallet plate away from the ground or a second carton on which the first is located. They also make it possible to adapt links around the carton-pallet assembly.

 The blocks 8 can be permanently fixed to the plate 6 or inserted into cardboard sheaths which form a body with the lower face of the plate 6 or which are fixed thereto and extend parallel to the plane of the plate 6. This latter arrangement makes it possible to to stack the pallet blanks perfectly flat by folding the ducts when the blocks 8 are not inserted therein.

The blocks 8 may be of wood or other suitable material, for example expanded polyurethane. The blocks 8 and the cardboard sheaths can be fixed to the plate 6 by reinforcing strips 11 made of cardboard, wood or other rigid material, the plate 6 being clamped between the strips 11 and the blocks 8 or the sleeves by means of fastening, such as rivets or staples. Alternatively, the strips 11 can simply between stiffeners attached to the plate 6 by gluing or by staples or other fastening means.

 While the feet are shown in Figures 3 to 7 and are indeed desirable to allow the handling of the cardboard pallet using a stacker, they are not necessary in case it is not necessary. not considered using stacker trucks. Alternatively, it is possible to use other forms of feet.

Another characteristic present in the illustrated embodiment is that in one or more of the walls, for example in the wall A1 (see FIG. 1 and FIGS. 3 to 7), two parallel slots 12 are formed between the lateral edges of the wall. Wall. The slots 12 extend in the upper flap B1 which is articulated on the wall A1. The slots define between them a portion B1 'of the upper flap B1 and a portion A'1 of the wall A1. Each of these parts is hinged to the rest of the flap or the wall by a hinge 13 or 14 parallel to the hinge formed between the flap B1 and the wall A1 to allow to pivot the flap portion B'1 to the face outer portion of the remainder of the flap B1 and rotate the wall portion A'1 to the outer face of the remainder of the wall A1.The portion 15 existing between the slots 12 of the flap hinge hinge B1 on the wall
A1 is slotted to rotate the flap portion
B'1 in both directions of folding.

 The flap B1 can be folded so that it comes under or on the flaps B2 and B4 in the closed position shown in FIG. 5. In this position, the flap portion B'1 is in the plane of the remainder of the flap B1, while the wall portion A'1 is in the plane of the remainder of the wall A1. However, when the flap B1 is rotated outwardly and downwardly of the wall A1 in the direction of the arrow Z, as shown in FIG. 6, the flap and paroli portions begin to pivot on the hinges. 13, 14 and 15 to take the positions shown in Figure 6. Finally, when the flap B1 is completely folded down so as to lie against the outer face of the wall A1, as shown in Figure 7, the parts flap and wall are folded so as to be between the adjacent outer surfaces of the flap B1 and the wall A1. In this position, the slots 12 and the hinges 13 and 14 define between them a notch in the wall A1, which notch then decreases the effective height of the wall A1 between the slots 12. This decrease in height facilitates the loading of goods in the Once the carton is loaded, the flap B1 is folded so that it takes the closed position shown in FIG. 5, where the flap and wall portions have found their respective positions according to which they are in the planes. of the remainder of the flap and the remainder of the wall after pivoting on the hinges 13, 14 and 15.

 The distance separating the slots 12 determines the length of the notch, which can be of desired length. As indicated above, there may be provided a notch in one or more of the walls, including, for example, a notch in each wall of a pair of opposed walls.

 Of course, those skilled in the art will be able to imagine, from the cardboard pallet whose description has just been given for illustrative and non-limiting purposes, various variants and modifications that are not outside the scope of the art. 'invention.

Claims (3)

1. Carton-pallet whose cardboard is formed of a sheet of cardboard or other foldable material and comprises four walls (A1, A2, A3, A4) which, in use, are erected and have flaps (B1-B4 and C1-C4) at their upper and lower edges, the flaps being folded inwardly at the erection of the carton for forming respectively top and bottom faces, the pallet board being characterized in that the pallet comprises a plate (6) and a bottom (7) articulated to only one of the edges of the plate so that the bottom can be folded flat on the tray, the tray and the bottom being formed of a sheet of cardboard or other foldable material and each having the same planar shape as the carton in the erect position, the carton and the pallet being held together in service by folding the flaps (C1 to C4) of the lower edges of the walls of the carton so that, the carton being seen erected, a pair of flaps (C2, C) of a pair of walls  4 opposite (A2, A4) comes above the bottom (7), while the other pair of flaps (C1, C3) of the other pair of opposite walls (A1, A3) comes below the bottom and it is held between the bottom and the pallet plate by the weight of the cardboard and, when it is full, by the weight of its contents. Pallet carton according to claim 1, characterized in that at least one wall and the flap at the upper end thereof, with reference to the vertically erected cardboard, are provided with two parallel slots (12). located between the side edges of the wall (A1) and the flap (B1) and extending from the fold line formed between the flap and the upper edge of the wall partially into the flap (B1) and partially into the wall (A1), the part (B ') of the flap and the part (A'1) of the wall situated between the two parallel slots (12) being foldable according to respective hinges (13, 14) parallel to the fold line existing between the flap (B1) and the wall (A1), the portion (15) of the folding line of the flap on the wall lying between the two parallel slots being grooved so as to constitute an effective hinge in both directions of pivoting, so that when the flap (B1) is folded in its closed position, in which it partially extends on the top of the carton, the portions (B 'A') of the flap and the  1> wall located between the two parallel slots are respectively in the plane of the flap (B1) and the wall (A1) and, when the flap (B1) is folded outward and downward against the wall (A1 ), the portions (B'1, A'1) of the flap and the wall located between the two parallel slots are folded flat between the flap (B1) and the wall (A1) so as to clear a notch in the edge upper wall and thus reduce the effective height of the wall (A1) between the two parallel slots. Pallet carton according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the lower flaps (C1 to C4) adjacent to the lower portion of the carton, the latter being erect and vertical, each have a length, measured between the line of folding, or the outer fold line, and the parallel free edge of the flap, which is less than half the respective length or width of the carton, seen in plan, so that the lower flaps form only marginal portions of the lower portion of the carton, the remainder of the lower portion of the carton being formed by the bottom (7).