Container and side panel therefor

Abstract

The application discloses a container and a side plate thereof. The side plate of the container comprises a first plate body, at least one mounting groove is formed in the first plate body, receiving members are arranged at two ends of the mounting groove, and a boss is arranged on the receiving member; at least one reinforcing member is arranged in the mounting groove, and two ends of the reinforcing member are arranged on the receiving member, and the two ends of the reinforcing member are provided with penetrating openings for the boss to penetrate; a second plate body is arranged opposite to the first plate body and is welded to the first plate body; the thickness of the first plate body is greater than the thickness of the second plate body, the reinforcing member is arranged between the first plate body and the second plate body, and the second plate body is welded to the boss.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a container, and more particularly to a container and its side panel. Background Technology

[0002] Modern collapsible large containers are typically made of a composite of plastic and metal reinforcement materials, with volumes ranging from approximately 250 liters to 1250 liters. These neutral composite bulk containers are called IBCs. Collapsible IBCs consist of a base and two pairs of foldable side panels, which may optionally include small doors for easy loading and unloading. To meet hygiene and strength requirements, the side panels are generally double-layered welded structures, resulting in flat surfaces on both the inner and outer sides. Currently, the known welding techniques are hot plate welding and vibration friction welding. Vibration friction welding is our company's preferred method due to its high production efficiency and lack of smoke and odor pollution. Structurally, vibration friction welding requires one side panel to be thicker than the other, while hot plate welding requires approximately equal thicknesses for both side panels.

[0003] The metal tube, typically made of steel or aluminum, is sandwiched between two side panels as a reinforcing component. When the IBC contains fluid or semi-fluid cargo, the cargo exerts an outward force on the side panels. Especially when the IBC is subjected to inertial impact during handling or transportation, the side panels can deform significantly. The two ends of the metal tube exert a reaction force on the plastic side panels through a fixed fulcrum, causing noticeable bulging or even stress whitening of the side panels at the steel tube ends. This poses a potential risk to the lifespan of the side panels and the safety of the IBC itself.

[0004] To address the potential whitening of side panels caused by the built-in steel pipe, a solution, such as patent CN105819064A, was proposed. In this solution, each side panel of the IBC (Integrated Container Charge) is equipped with at least one first reinforcing member, and when the side panels are upright, the first reinforcing members in adjacent side panels are interconnected to form a ring-shaped integral structure. This invention enhances the strength of the foldable container's side panels, solving the defect of whitening or even bulging and deformation failure of the side panels when the foldable container is under heavy load. However, this solution is costly and the manufacturing process is complex. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of this invention is to provide a container and its side panel, which makes the outer surface of the side panel less prone to whitening and safer to use.

[0006] To address the aforementioned technical problems, embodiments of the present invention provide a side plate for a container, comprising:

[0007] A first plate body, wherein at least one mounting groove is provided on the first plate body, and a receiving member is provided at both ends of the mounting groove, and a boss is provided on the receiving member;

[0008] At least one reinforcing member is disposed in the mounting groove, and both ends of the reinforcing member are placed on the receiving member, and both ends of the reinforcing member have through openings for the boss to pass through;

[0009] The second plate is disposed opposite to and welded to the first plate; and the thickness of the first plate is greater than the thickness of the second plate. The reinforcing member is located between the first plate and the second plate, and the second plate is welded to the boss.

[0010] In one embodiment, the reinforcing member has a slot into which the receiving member is embedded; the through-hole is formed at the bottom of the slot.

[0011] In one embodiment, the mounting groove has a pair of groove sidewalls disposed along its extending direction, and a groove end wall; the groove sidewalls and the groove end wall are welded to the second plate body;

[0012] The boss is separated from the end wall of the groove and the pair of side walls of the groove.

[0013] In one embodiment, the boss, the receiving member, and the first plate are a single piece.

[0014] In one embodiment, the reinforcing member has multiple members; and at least one is a longitudinal rod arranged along the height direction of the first plate, and at least two are transverse rods perpendicular to the longitudinal rod.

[0015] Both ends of the longitudinal rod are provided with the transverse rod located on the first plate;

[0016] The reinforcing member is a metal tube, and the first plate and the second plate are plastic plates.

[0017] In one embodiment, the first plate body is provided with a plurality of longitudinally extending butt ribs and at least one non-butt rib on one side where the mounting groove is provided; and the non-butt rib is provided with butt ribs on both sides perpendicular to its extension direction.

[0018] The butt-joint ribs are welded to the second plate, while the non-butt-joint ribs are not connected to the second plate.

[0019] In one embodiment, the reinforcing member includes a longitudinally extending longitudinal rod, both sides of which have the butt joint ribs, and the distance from the butt joint ribs to the longitudinal rod is greater than the distance to the sidewall of the side plate adjacent to the butt joint ribs.

[0020] An embodiment of the present invention also provides a container, comprising: a base, a pair of long side plates, and a pair of short side plates; the pair of long side plates and the pair of short side plates form a placement space around the base; both the long side plates and the short side plates are foldably connected to the base; the long side plates are any of the side plates described above, and the first plate of the side plate faces outward from the container, and the second plate of the side plate faces inward from the container.

[0021] Embodiments of the present invention also provide a container, comprising: a base, and two pairs of opposing side plates, at least one of the two pairs of opposing side plates being a side plate as described in any of the above, wherein a first plate of the side plate faces outward from the container, and a second plate of the side plate faces inward from the container.

[0022] An embodiment of the present invention also provides a container, comprising: a base, two pairs of oppositely arranged side plates, and a cover plate; at least one of the two pairs of oppositely arranged side plates is a side plate as described above, and the first plate of the side plate faces outward of the container, and the second plate of the side plate faces inward of the container;

[0023] Multiple containers can be operably stacked, the base having protruding feet at the bottom, and the protruding feet of one container can be operably placed on the lid of another container.

[0024] At least one of the connecting ribs projects onto the base and is located on the protruding foot.

[0025] Compared with the prior art, the first plate of this invention has a greater thickness than the second plate. The first plate is provided with a mounting groove containing a receiving member. The receiving member has a boss that penetrates the through-hole of the reinforcing member. The boss can be welded to the second plate, resulting in a larger welding area on the periphery of the reinforcing member's end and better welding strength. This prevents the portion of the first plate that is squeezed by the first reinforcing member from turning white after the reinforcing member is pushed by an impact force. Consequently, the first plate can be used for a longer period of time, and the container is safer to use. Attached Figure Description

[0026] One or more embodiments are illustrated by way of example with reference numerals in the accompanying drawings. These illustrations do not constitute a limitation on the embodiments. Elements with the same reference numerals in the drawings are denoted as similar elements. Unless otherwise stated, the figures in the drawings are not to be limited by scale.

[0027] Figure 1 This is an exploded view of the side plate according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0028] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the reinforcing member according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0029] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the first plate body according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0030] Figure 4 yes Figure 3 A magnified view of part A in the image;

[0031] Figure 5 This is a structural schematic diagram showing the welding area of ​​the boss and the butt joint rib after the reinforcement is installed according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0032] Figure 6 This is a strength analysis diagram of the side plate after reducing the number of butt joint ribs according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0033] Figure 7 This is a strength analysis diagram of a side plate with a large number of butt joint ribs in the existing technology;

[0034] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a container according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0035] Reference numerals: 10, side plate; 1, first plate; 2, second plate; 3, mounting groove; 31, groove side wall; 32, groove end wall; 4, receiving part; 5, boss; 6, reinforcing part; 61, through opening; 62, groove opening; 63, longitudinal rod; 64, transverse rod; 71, butt joint rib; 72, non-butt joint rib; 100, container; 81, base; 82, long side plate; 83, short side plate; 84, cover plate; 810, protruding foot. Detailed Implementation

[0036] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention clearer, the various embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, those skilled in the art will understand that many technical details have been presented in the various embodiments of the present invention to enable the reader to better understand this application. However, the technical solutions claimed in this application can be implemented even without these technical details and various changes and modifications based on the following embodiments.

[0037] In the following description, certain specific details are set forth for the purpose of illustrating various disclosed embodiments in order to provide a thorough understanding of the various disclosed embodiments. However, those skilled in the art will recognize that embodiments may be practiced without one or more of these specific details. In other instances, well-known apparatuses, structures, and techniques associated with this application may not have been shown or described in detail to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the description of the embodiments.

[0038] Unless the context requires otherwise, throughout the specification and claims, the word “comprising” and its variations, such as “including” and “having”, shall be understood to have an open, inclusive meaning, that is, to be interpreted as “including, but not limited to”.

[0039] The embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings to provide a clearer understanding of the purpose, features, and advantages of the present invention. It should be understood that the embodiments shown in the drawings are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention, but are merely illustrative of the essential spirit of the technical solution of the present invention.

[0040] Throughout this specification, references to "an embodiment" or "an embodiment" indicate that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment. Therefore, the appearance of "in an embodiment" or "an embodiment" in various places throughout the specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment. Furthermore, a particular feature, structure, or characteristic may be combined in any manner in one or more embodiments.

[0041] The singular forms “a” and “the” used in this specification and the appended claims include plural references unless otherwise expressly stated herein. It should be noted that the term “or” is generally used to mean “and / or” unless otherwise expressly stated herein.

[0042] In the following description, in order to clearly demonstrate the structure and working method of the present invention, a number of directional terms will be used. However, terms such as "front", "back", "left", "right", "outside", "inside", "outward", "inward", "up", and "down" should be understood as convenient terms and not as limiting terms.

[0043] Embodiments of the present invention are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0044] A first embodiment of the present invention relates to a side panel 10 of a container. For example... Figure 1 , Figure 2 , Figure 3 , Figure 4 and Figure 5As shown, the side plate 10 includes a first plate 1, a second plate 2, and a reinforcing member 6. The second plate 2 is disposed opposite to and welded to the first plate 1, and the thickness of the first plate 1 is greater than the thickness of the second plate 2. The reinforcing member 6 is located between the first plate 1 and the second plate 2. As shown in Figure 1, the side plate has three reinforcing members 6: two are transverse rods 64 perpendicular to the longitudinal rod 63, and one is a longitudinal rod 63 arranged along the height direction of the first plate 1. The two transverse rods 64 are located at both ends of the longitudinal rod 63, i.e., one transverse rod 64 is near the top of the side plate, and the other transverse rod 64 is near the bottom of the side plate 10. The longitudinal rod 63 is located in the middle of the side plate 10. In other embodiments, the reinforcing member 6 can be a single member, in which case the reinforcing member 6 can be either a longitudinal rod 63 or a transverse rod 64, and its position in the first plate 1 can be selected according to requirements. The reinforcing member 6 can be two or more, and the number of longitudinal rods 63 or transverse rods 64 in the reinforcing member 6 can be set according to actual needs. When this side plate is used on container 100, the first plate 1 faces outward from container 100, and the second plate 2 faces inward from container 100. When the thicker first plate 1 is set outward, attention needs to be paid to the stress whitening at both ends of the internal reinforcing member 6 of the side plate 10, and the welding strength and welding area of ​​the side plate should also be comprehensively considered. Currently, the largest vibration friction welding machine on the market (such as the 936L from Binensin) recommends that the maximum welding area should not exceed 70,000 square millimeters. An excessively large welding area will also have a damaging effect on the machine itself and prolong the welding cycle. Therefore, while ensuring the welding strength of the side plate, the actual use of the friction welding machine must also be considered.

[0045] like Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown, the first plate 1 has mounting grooves 3, and receiving members 4 are provided at both ends of the mounting grooves 3. The receiving members 4 are provided with bosses 5. The number of mounting grooves 3 is the same as the number of reinforcing members 6, and one reinforcing member 6 is placed in one mounting groove 3. The longitudinal rod 63 and the transverse rod 64 can have the same structure. Taking the transverse rod 64 as an example, the transverse rod 64 has through holes 61 at both ends through which the bosses 5 pass. After the bosses 5 pass through the through holes 61, they are welded to the second plate 2. This welding method can be vibration welding. The boss 5 has sufficient structural thickness to transmit and disperse the force from the end structure of the reinforcing member 6. When the side plate 10 is subjected to the force of the second plate 2, such as the liquid pressure when fully loaded, the two ends of the reinforcing member 6 will exert a force on the side plate 10. This force will cause tearing in the welded area of ​​the side plate 10. Higher weld strength can better resist this tearing force. Weld strength is directly dependent on the welded area. By increasing the welding of the boss 5 to the second plate 2, the welded area and weld strength at both ends of the reinforcing member 6 are increased. This prevents the part of the first plate 1 that is squeezed by the end of the first reinforcing member 6 from turning white after the reinforcing member 6 is pushed by the impact force. As a result, the first plate 1 can be used for a longer period of time, and the container 100 is safer and more reliable to use.

[0046] Furthermore, such as Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the reinforcing member 6 has a slot 62 into which the receiving member 4 is embedded, and a through-hole 61 is opened at the bottom of the slot 62. The slot 62 allows the receiving member 4 to better fit with the reinforcing member 6, the reinforcing member 6 to be better placed in the mounting groove 3, and makes the first plate area corresponding to the end of the reinforcing member 6 thicker, so as to better bear the stress provided by the reinforcing member 6.

[0047] The implementation details of this embodiment are described below. The following content is only for the convenience of understanding the implementation details and is not necessary for implementing this solution.

[0048] In addition, such as Figure 4 As shown, the boss 5, the receiving part 4, and the first plate 1 are a single piece.

[0049] In addition, such as Figure 4 As shown, the mounting groove 3 has a pair of groove sidewalls 31 and a groove end wall 32 arranged along its extension direction. The groove sidewalls 31 and groove end wall 32 are welded to the second plate 2. The boss 5 is spaced apart from the groove end wall 32 and the pair of groove sidewalls 31.

[0050] Furthermore, the reinforcing member 6 is a metal tube, and the first plate 1 and the second plate 2 are plastic plates.

[0051] In addition, such as Figure 3 and Figure 5 As shown, the first plate 1, on one side where the mounting groove 3 is located, also has multiple longitudinally extending butt-joint ribs 71 and at least one non-butt-joint rib 72. The non-butt-joint rib 72 has butt-joint ribs 71 on both sides perpendicular to its extension direction. The distances from the butt-joint ribs 71 and the non-butt-joint ribs 72 to the second plate 2 may be different. The butt-joint ribs 71 are welded to the second plate 2, while the non-butt-joint ribs 72 are not connected to the second plate 2. Compared with the prior art, the ribs on the first plate 1 in this embodiment have butt ribs 71 that are welded to the second plate 2 and non-butt ribs 72 that are not welded to the second plate 2. This embodiment differs from the prior art in that not all longitudinal ribs need to be welded to the second plate 2. Only some longitudinal ribs need to be welded. That is, the longitudinal ribs are divided into butt ribs 71 that need to be welded to the second plate 2 and non-butt ribs that do not need to be welded to the second plate 2. This optimizes the welding process, is more in line with the actual use of friction welding machines, and can ensure the strength and reliability of the side plate 10. After comparison by actual measurement and CAE analysis, its bending strength is almost equivalent to that of traditional side plates, and its compressive strength is slightly reduced but within a reliable range.

[0052] Under the following analytical conditions: 1. Inner liquid level pressure, liquid density 1.5 g / cm³; top bearing uniform load pressure 70000 N. 2. Side plate constraint conditions simulate the enclosure fit. 3. Side plate material is PP, with internal steel pipe, ambient temperature 23°C. Figure 6 and Figure 7 As shown, Figure 6 This is a strength analysis diagram of side plate 10 in this embodiment. Figure 7 This is a strength analysis diagram of the side plate in the existing technology. In this example, the strength of the side plate with partial stiffener welding is almost equivalent to that of the traditional side plate with all stiffeners welded.

[0053] Furthermore, such as Figure 5 As shown in the figure, the butt joint rib 71 has a welding area, and the area between the butt joint rib 71 and the longitudinal rod 63 has no welding area outside the butt joint rib 71. Both sides of the longitudinal rod 63 have butt joint ribs 71, and the distance from the butt joint rib 71 to the longitudinal rod 63 is greater than the distance to the side wall 101 of the side plate 10 adjacent to the butt joint rib 71. Figure 5 The distance from the connecting rib 71 located to the left of the longitudinal rod 63 to the left side wall 101 is less than the distance from the connecting rib 71 to the longitudinal rod 63, and the same applies to the right side. As shown in the figure, there can be multiple connecting ribs 71 or only one is required, and they are all close to the left and right sides of the side plate, and are far from the longitudinal rod 63 in the middle of the side plate. In other embodiments, the longitudinal rod 63 may be omitted.

[0054] Furthermore, when the containers 100 are stacked, the protruding foot 810 on the base 81 of the upper container 100 presses against the cover plate 84 of the lower container 100. At least one butt rib 71 extends to the area where the protruding foot 810 applies pressure to the lower cover plate 84, thereby allowing the side plate 10 to withstand the pressure applied by the upper container 100. The number of butt ribs 71 may differ from the number shown in the figure, and their orientation may be slightly closer to the center of the side plate, which will not be described in detail here.

[0055] Embodiments of the present invention also provide a container 100. For example... Figure 8 As shown, the container 100 includes: a base 81, a pair of long side plates 82, and a pair of short side plates 83; the pair of long side plates 82 and the pair of short side plates 83 form a placement space around the base 81. The long side plates 82 are the side plates 10 involved in the above example. Both the long side plates 82 and the short side plates 83 are foldably connected to the base 81. The first plate body 1 of the side plate faces outward from the container 100, and the second plate body 2 of the side plate faces inward from the container 100. It can be understood that in other embodiments, the short side plates 83 may also be the side plates in the above embodiment.

[0056] Furthermore, container 100 also includes a cover plate 84. Multiple containers 100 are operably stacked. The base 81 has a protruding foot 810 at its bottom, and the protruding foot 810 of one container 100 is operably placed on the cover plate 84 of another container 100. At least one mating rib 71 projects onto the base 81 onto the protruding foot 810. That is, the protruding foot 810 is located in the extending direction of the mating rib 71, allowing the lower container 100 to be more securely positioned due to the arrangement of the mating rib 71 when the protruding foot 810 applies pressure to the cover plate 84 of the lower container 100.

[0057] Furthermore, in some embodiments, the side plates of the container 100 are not limited to the long side plate 82 and the short side plate 83. In this case, the side plates of the container 100 are two pairs of oppositely arranged side plates, and the four side plates are arranged around the base 81. They can be folded with the base 81 or not folded. At least one of the four side plates is the side plate 10 involved in the first embodiment, which has a structure such as a reinforcing member 6 and a boss 5.

[0058] It is not difficult to see that this embodiment is a system embodiment corresponding to the first embodiment, and this embodiment can be implemented in conjunction with the first embodiment. The relevant technical details mentioned in the first embodiment are still valid in this embodiment, and will not be repeated here to reduce repetition. Accordingly, the relevant technical details mentioned in this embodiment can also be applied to the first embodiment.

[0059] The preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above, but it should be understood that, if necessary, aspects of the embodiments can be modified to utilize aspects, features, and concepts from various patents, applications, and publications to provide other embodiments.

[0060] In light of the detailed description above, these and other changes can be made to the embodiments. Generally, the terminology used in the claims should not be considered limited to the specific embodiments disclosed in the specification and claims, but should be understood to include all possible embodiments together with the full scope of equivalents enjoyed by these claims.

[0061] Those skilled in the art will understand that the above embodiments are specific examples of implementing the present invention, and in practical applications, various changes in form and detail may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A side panel of a container, characterized in that, include: A first plate body, wherein at least one mounting groove is provided on the first plate body, and a receiving member is provided at both ends of the mounting groove, and a boss is provided on the receiving member; At least one reinforcing member is disposed in the mounting groove, and both ends of the reinforcing member are placed on the receiving member, and both ends of the reinforcing member have through openings for the boss to pass through; The second plate is disposed opposite to and welded to the first plate; and the thickness of the first plate is greater than the thickness of the second plate. The reinforcing member is located between the first plate and the second plate, and the second plate is welded to the boss. The reinforcing member is a metal tube, and the first plate and the second plate are plastic plates.

2. The side plate of the container according to claim 1, characterized in that, The reinforcing member has a groove into which the receiving member is embedded; the through-hole is formed at the bottom of the groove.

3. The side plate of the container according to claim 1, characterized in that, The mounting groove has a pair of groove sidewalls and a groove end wall arranged along its extension direction; the groove sidewalls and the groove end wall are welded to the second plate body; The boss is separated from the end wall of the groove and the pair of side walls of the groove.

4. The side plate of the container according to claim 1, characterized in that, The boss, the receiving part, and the first plate are a single piece.

5. The side plate of the container according to claim 1, characterized in that, The reinforcing member has multiple members; at least one of which is a longitudinal rod arranged along the height direction of the first plate, and at least two of which are transverse rods perpendicular to the longitudinal rod. Both ends of the longitudinal rod are provided with the transverse rod located on the first plate; The reinforcing member is a metal tube, and the first plate and the second plate are plastic plates.

6. The side plate of the container according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first plate body has multiple longitudinally extending butt ribs and at least one non-butt rib on one side where the mounting groove is provided; and the non-butt rib is provided with butt ribs on both sides perpendicular to its extension direction. The butt-joint ribs are welded to the second plate, while the non-butt-joint ribs are not connected to the second plate.

7. The side plate of the container according to claim 6, characterized in that, The reinforcing member includes a longitudinally extending longitudinal rod, with the connecting ribs on both sides of the longitudinal rod, and the distance from the connecting rib to the longitudinal rod is greater than the distance to the side wall of the side plate adjacent to the connecting rib.

8. A container, characterized in that, The container includes: a base, a pair of long side plates, and a pair of short side plates; the pair of long side plates and the pair of short side plates form a placement space around the base; both the long side plates and the short side plates are foldably connected to the base; the long side plates are side plates as described in any one of claims 1-7, and the first plate of the side plate faces outward from the container, and the second plate of the side plate faces inward from the container.

9. A container, characterized in that, include: The base, and two pairs of opposing side plates, at least one of the pairs of opposing side plates being a side plate as described in any one of claims 1-7, wherein the first plate of the side plate faces outward from the container and the second plate of the side plate faces inward from the container.

10. A container, characterized in that, include: The container includes a base, two pairs of opposing side plates, and a cover plate; at least one of the two pairs of opposing side plates is a side plate as described in claim 6 or 7, and the first plate of the side plate faces outward from the container, and the second plate of the side plate faces inward from the container. Multiple containers can be operably stacked, the base having protruding feet at the bottom, and the protruding feet of one container can be operably placed on the lid of another container. At least one of the connecting ribs projects onto the base and is located on the protruding foot.

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