Container assembly

Abstract

The application discloses a container assembly, which comprises a medium bulk container and a fence assembly. The medium bulk container comprises a base, two pairs of opposite side plates and a cover plate. The bottom of each pair of side plates is foldably connected with the base, and the cover plate is operable to cover the top of the two pairs of side plates. The fence assembly comprises a first fence, a second fence, a first folding assembly and a second folding assembly. The first fence is a rectangular ring and surrounds the outside of the medium bulk container. The second fence is also a rectangular ring and surrounds the outside of the medium bulk container. The second fence is located above the first fence. The first folding assembly is located between the first fence and the second fence. The bottom end and the top end of the first folding assembly are foldably connected with the first fence and the second fence respectively. The second folding assembly is foldably connected with the second fence and surrounds the top surface of the cover plate. In the folded state, the first folding assembly and the second folding assembly are both folded and surround the outside of the medium bulk container.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to logistics products, and more particularly to a container assembly. Background Technology

[0002] Container assemblies are widely used in the liquid packaging industry. These containers typically have a volume of 500L-1500L, with tonnes (IBCs) and collapsible composite bulk containers (IBCs) being the most common. Both types of containers generally use an inner liner or liner to hold the liquid, with the outer side panels and base consisting of a rigid frame or steel-plastic composite frame. IBCs use at least two steel pipes to secure the inner liner to the top, while IBCs use a lid to protect the liner.

[0003] When packaging conventional liquids, container assemblies generally only need to pass the ISTA3E related packaging safety tests; however, for the packaging of hazardous chemicals, they must pass the GB19434.8 Safety Specification for Inspection of Rigid Plastic Container Assemblies for Dangerous Goods. Because the steel structure of IBCs is integrally welded and riveted, its strength is superior to that of IBCs, which have incompletely constrained connections between side panels. Some brands and specifications of IBCs on the market can pass the hazardous chemical safety regulations tests, while IBCs often struggle to pass. It should be noted that even so, considering environmental and health safety in addition to cargo safety, IBCs are typically only used for packaging certain Class III hazardous chemicals.

[0004] While IBCs can meet the packaging requirements for Class III hazardous chemicals, their non-foldable nature and high costs associated with return transportation and storage of empty containers make them problematic. Furthermore, the complex cleaning process for their inner liner generates a significant amount of hazardous wastewater. Therefore, how to ensure that IBCs, despite their advantages in these two aspects, pass the safety regulations for hazardous chemical packaging has been a long-standing issue for the industry. Patent CN112278506A provides a new structure for foldable IBCs. By adding significantly sized chamfers at the points where the side panels connect, and then placing the side panel connection structure at the chamfered areas, the width of each side panel is smaller than the inner dimension of the container base. This allows the side panels to be completely inside the base when folded, achieving a structure with a consistent base edge height. This invention breaks through the traditional structure of foldable containers, allowing the application of engineering materials to corner parts to improve the overall connection strength and reliability of the container, thereby meeting the requirements for passing the safety regulations for hazardous chemical packaging.

[0005] In the above scheme, the construction of medium bulk containers is more complex and the cost is much higher than that of conventional collapsible IBCs. This will bring greater cost pressure to the conventional liquid packaging needs. Therefore, it is necessary to consider adding a reinforced structure on the basis of conventional collapsible IBCs to meet the packaging requirements of Class III hazardous chemicals. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The purpose of this invention is to provide a container assembly to solve the above-mentioned problems.

[0007] To address the aforementioned technical problems, embodiments of the present invention provide a container assembly, the container assembly comprising:

[0008] Medium-sized bulk container, the medium-sized bulk container being foldable and comprising:

[0009] Base;

[0010] Four side panels, each of which is arranged around the base and whose bottom is foldably connected to the base; and

[0011] The fence, which is foldable and made of metal, includes:

[0012] The first fence is ring-shaped and fits around the outside of the base and is connected to the base;

[0013] The second fence is ring-shaped and fits over the outside of the plurality of side panels;

[0014] Multiple first folding components are arranged at intervals around the outer periphery of the four side plates, and the bottom end of the first folding component is foldably connected to the first fence, the top end is foldably connected to the second fence, and the first folding component is foldably configured.

[0015] The second folding assembly includes a first segment and a second segment, a portion of the first segment and / or a portion of the second segment being located on the top surface of the medium bulk container, one end of the first segment and one end of the second segment being detachably connected, and the other ends of the first segment and the other ends of the second segment being movably connected to a pair of sides of the second fence along a first direction, respectively.

[0016] When the container assembly is in a folded state, the four side panels are stacked on top of the base; the first folding assembly is in a folded state, and the second folding assembly is stacked on top of the second fence.

[0017] In one embodiment, both the first segment and the second segment are L-shaped and each includes:

[0018] A vertical rod, wherein the bottom end of the first segment of the vertical rod and the bottom end of the second segment of the vertical rod are respectively movably connected to a pair of sides of the second fence along a first direction; and

[0019] The horizontal bar, the first horizontal bar and the second horizontal bar are respectively located on the top surface of the medium bulk container and have an outer end and an inner end respectively. The outer ends of the two horizontal bars are respectively connected to the top ends of the two vertical bars, and the inner ends are detachably connected to each other.

[0020] In the folded state, the second folding component is stacked on top of the second fence, the two vertical bars are stacked on top of a pair of sides of the second fence along the first direction, and the two horizontal bars are stacked on top of the sides of the second fence along the second direction, which is perpendicular to the first direction.

[0021] In one embodiment, the first segment and the second segment have the same shape.

[0022] In one embodiment, the bottom end of at least one of the vertical bars is hinged to the side of the second fence along the first direction.

[0023] In one embodiment, the bottom ends of the two vertical bars are respectively hinged to a pair of sides of the second fence along the first direction; the outer ends of the two horizontal bars are respectively hinged to the top ends of the vertical bars.

[0024] The present invention also relates to another container component, the container component comprising:

[0025] Medium-sized bulk container, the medium-sized bulk container being foldable and comprising:

[0026] Base;

[0027] Four side panels, each of which is arranged around the base and whose bottom is foldably connected to the base; and

[0028] The fence, which is foldable and made of metal, includes:

[0029] A first fence, which is ring-shaped and fits around the base and is connected to the base;

[0030] The second fence is ring-shaped and fits over the outside of the plurality of side panels;

[0031] Multiple first folding components are arranged at intervals around the outer periphery of the four side plates, and the bottom end of the first folding component is foldably connected to the first fence, the top end is foldably connected to the second fence, and the first folding component is foldably configured.

[0032] The second folding component includes:

[0033] Two vertical rods, the bottom ends of which are movably connected to a pair of sides of the second fence along a first direction, and the bottom end of at least one of the vertical rods is detachably connected to a side of the second fence along the first direction; and

[0034] A connecting rod is located on the top surface of the medium bulk container and extends along the first direction, with both ends of the connecting rod connected to the top ends of the two vertical rods respectively;

[0035] In the folded state, the four side panels are stacked on top of the base; in the folded state, the two vertical rods are stacked on the top surface of a pair of sides of the second fence along the first direction, and the connecting rod is stacked on the top surface of the side of the second fence along the second direction, which is perpendicular to the first direction.

[0036] In one embodiment, the bottom ends of the two vertical bars are respectively hinged to a pair of sides of the second fence along the first direction.

[0037] In one embodiment, the bottom end of at least one of the vertical bars is detachably hinged to the second fence via a pivot pin.

[0038] In one embodiment, the two ends of the connecting rod are respectively hinged to the top ends of the two vertical rods.

[0039] In one embodiment, the connecting rod includes two horizontal rods, each having an outer end and an inner end. The inner ends of the two horizontal rods are detachably connected, and their outer ends are respectively hinged to the top ends of the two vertical rods.

[0040] In one embodiment, the inner ends of the two horizontal bars are detachably connected by a pin.

[0041] In one embodiment, the pin is a locking pin.

[0042] In one embodiment, the length of the vertical rod is L1, and the vertical distance from the bottom end of the vertical rod to the adjacent side of the second fence along the second direction is L2, where L1 ≥ L2.

[0043] In one embodiment, the angle between the inner side of the horizontal bar and the inner side of the vertical bar is A1, where 90°≤A1≤180°.

[0044] In one embodiment, the angle between the vertical rod and the side of the second fence along the first direction is A2, where 0°≤A2≤90°.

[0045] In one embodiment, the bottom end of the first folding component is hinged to the first fence, and the top end is hinged to the second fence.

[0046] In one embodiment, the bottom end of the first folding assembly is hinged to the side of the first fence along the first direction, and the top end is hinged to the side of the second fence along the first direction.

[0047] In one embodiment, it further includes a first hinge seat and two first hinge shafts hinged together. The first hinge seat includes two clamping plates, which are disposed opposite to each other along the first direction and clamp the inner and outer sides of one side of the second fence along the first direction. The top of the two clamping plates extends beyond the top of the second fence, and the bottom extends beyond the second fence and the bottom.

[0048] The top end of the first folding assembly is located between the two clamping plates and is hinged to the bottom of the two clamping plates via a first hinge axis, and the bottom end of the vertical rod is located between the two clamping plates and is hinged to the top of the two clamping plates via another first hinge axis.

[0049] In one embodiment, the first folding component includes:

[0050] The upper section, the top end of which is located between the two clamping plates and is hinged to the bottom of the two clamping plates via a first hinge axis, and the bottom end extends in the vertical direction;

[0051] The lower section has the same length as the upper section and its top end is foldably connected to the bottom end of the upper section. Its bottom end is hinged to the side of the first fence along the first direction.

[0052] In one embodiment, it further includes a second hinge seat and two second hinge shafts. The second hinge seat includes two connecting plates, which are arranged opposite to each other along the first direction and are provided with shaft holes at the top and bottom of the two connecting plates, respectively.

[0053] The bottom end of the upper section is located inside the two connecting plates and is hinged to the shaft hole at the top of the two connecting plates through a second hinge shaft;

[0054] The top end of the lower section is located within the two connecting plates and is hinged to the shaft hole at the bottom of the two connecting plates via another second hinge axis.

[0055] In one embodiment, two second folding components are arranged along the second direction, and the top ends of the two pairs of first folding components and the bottom ends of the two pairs of vertical rods of the two swing arms along the first direction are respectively hinged by two pairs of second hinge seats and four pairs of second hinge axes.

[0056] In one embodiment, the second hinge seat further includes a limiting plate, which is connected to the sides of the two connecting plates along the second direction.

[0057] In one embodiment, the included angle between the upper segment and the lower segment is A3, where 0°≤A3≤180°.

[0058] In one embodiment, the base has an eave on its outer surface along the first direction; the fence further includes:

[0059] The clamping member includes:

[0060] The first segment has its top end connected to one side of the first fence and its bottom end extending towards the bottom.

[0061] The second segment, which abuts against the bottom of the base and has one end connected to the bottom end of the first segment; and

[0062] The third segment has its bottom end connected to the other end of the second segment and its top end connected to the other side of the first fence.

[0063] A locking piece, a portion of which is connected to the first fence and another portion abutting against the top of the eaves.

[0064] In one embodiment, the top of the first segment and the top of the third segment are respectively connected to a pair of sides of the first fence along the first direction; the second segment extends along the first direction.

[0065] In one embodiment, the plurality of clamping members are arranged at intervals along a second direction.

[0066] In one embodiment, the two clamping members are spaced apart along the second direction, the distance between the clamping members and the adjacent side of the first fence along the second direction is W1, the length of the first fence along the second direction is W2, and W1 / W2=0.2.

[0067] In one embodiment, the top of the first segment and / or the top of the third segment are welded or riveted to the first fence.

[0068] In one embodiment, the clamping element is made of sheet metal with a thickness of less than or equal to 5 mm.

[0069] In one embodiment, the base has a plurality of spaced-apart foot supports at its bottom, the plurality of foot supports forming a forklift passage; the bottom section is located within the forklift passage or between partially adjacent foot supports;

[0070] The clamping element is in the shape of a sheet-like metal strip with a thickness of less than or equal to 5 mm.

[0071] In one embodiment, the top surface of the cover plate is provided with a plurality of protruding limiting members;

[0072] The height of the horizontal bar in the vertical direction is not greater than the height of the limiting member.

[0073] In one embodiment, the first fence, the second fence, the first folding assembly, and the second folding assembly are all made of metal tubing.

[0074] In one embodiment, when the container assembly is in a folded state, the top surface of the fence does not extend beyond the top surface of the medium bulk container.

[0075] In one embodiment, at least one of the first fence, the second fence, the first folding component, the first folding component, and the second folding component is in the shape of a flat metal strip.

[0076] In one embodiment, the first fence, the second fence, and the first folding assembly are all in the shape of flat metal strips, the vertical bar is formed by spirally twisting the flat metal strip, and the horizontal bar is made of metal tubing. Attached Figure Description

[0077] Figure 1 This is a perspective view of a container assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0078] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 A perspective view of the container component after it has been folded in the embodiment shown.

[0079] Figure 3 yes Figure 1 A perspective view of the fence in the illustrated embodiment.

[0080] Figure 4 yes Figure 3 A magnified view of a portion of area A in the illustrated embodiment.

[0081] Figure 5 yes Figure 3 A magnified view of a portion of region B in the illustrated embodiment.

[0082] Figure 6 yes Figure 3 A magnified view of a portion of region C in the illustrated embodiment.

[0083] Figure 7 yes Figure 3 A magnified view of a portion of region D in the illustrated embodiment.

[0084] Figure 8 This is a perspective view of a latch according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0085] Figure 9 yes Figure 3 The illustrated embodiment shows a perspective view of the fence in different states.

[0086] Figure 10 This is a perspective view of the two container components of the present invention stacked together.

[0087] Figure 11 and Figure 12 This is a perspective view of the container assembly after it has been opened, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0088] Figure 13 This is a perspective view of a fence according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0089] Reference numerals: 100, Container assembly; 1, Medium bulk container; 11, Base; 111, Foot support; 112, Forklift passage; 12, Side panel; 121, Eaves; 122, Small door; 13, Cover plate; 131, Limiting element; 2, Fence assembly; 21, First fence; 22, Second fence; 23, Second folding assembly; 231, Vertical bar; 232, Horizontal bar; 233, Slot; 24, First folding assembly; 241, Upper section; 242. Lower section; 25. Clamping component; 251. First section; 252. Second section; 253. Third section; 26. Locking piece; 31. Clamping plate; 32. First hinge shaft; 41. Connecting plate; 42. Second hinge shaft; 43. Limiting plate; 5. Locking pin; 51. Pin body; 52. Grip part; 53. Protrusion; 54. Button; 55. Tumbler; X, First direction; Y, Second direction; 61. Hinge seat; 62. Hinge shaft; Detailed Implementation

[0090] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this invention clearer, the various embodiments of this 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 provided in the various embodiments of this invention to facilitate a better understanding of this application. However, the technical solutions claimed in the claims of this application can be implemented even without these technical details and with various variations and modifications based on the following embodiments.

[0091] 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”.

[0092] 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.

[0093] 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.

[0094] 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.

[0095] 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.

[0096] The present invention relates to a container assembly 100, which includes a medium bulk container 1 and a fence assembly 2, wherein the medium bulk container 1 is foldable and used to hold liquid, and the fence assembly 2 covers the outside of the medium bulk container 1 and can be folded along with the medium bulk container 1. The fence assembly 2 is used to strengthen the medium bulk container 1. The container assembly 100 of one embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0097] like Figure 1 As shown, the medium-sized bulk container 1 includes a base 11, four side plates 12, and a cover plate 13. The base 11 includes a rectangular bottom plate and frame borders extending from the four sides of the bottom plate toward the top, forming an accommodating space with the bottom plate. Two of the opposite sides of the bottom plate are parallel to each other along a first direction X, and the other two sides are parallel to each other along a second direction Y, wherein the second direction Y is perpendicular to the first direction X and the vertical direction. The four side plates 12 are respectively arranged around the base 11 and their bottoms are foldably connected to the frame borders. The four side plates 12 can be stacked sequentially on the top surface of the bottom plate. Of course, the four side plates 12 can also be foldably connected to the base 11 in other ways. This invention does not limit the specific stacking method of the four side plates 12 and the base 11.

[0098] All four side panels 12 are located inside the frame after being stacked, or some side panels 12 may be located inside the frame and others outside the frame. Of course, in other embodiments, the base 11 may simply be plate-shaped, with the bottoms of the four side panels 12 foldably connected to the four sides of the base 11 and stacked sequentially on the top surface of the base plate. This invention does not limit the specific implementation of the base 11.

[0099] The cover plate 13 covers the top of the four side plates 12 and is detachably connected to the top of the four side plates 12, for example by a snap or other means, without limiting the specific connection method between the cover plate 13 and the top of the four side plates 12.

[0100] The fence assembly 2 is made of metal and includes at least a first fence 21, a second fence 22, a first folding assembly, and a second folding assembly.

[0101] Both the first fence 21 and the second fence 22 are rectangular rings and each has four sides. One pair of sides are arranged opposite each other along the first direction X, and the other pair of sides are arranged opposite each other along the second direction Y. The first fence 21 is looped around the outside of the base 11 or the outside of the frame and connected to the base 11. The first fence 21 is fitted onto the base 11 at a preset position along the height direction. This preset position can be set according to the height of the first folding component after folding. If the first folding component occupies a large height after folding, the first fence 21 can be set near the bottom, and vice versa.

[0102] The second fence 22 is looped around the outside of the four side panels 12. The second fence 22 is in contact with or has a gap with the outer surface of the four side panels 12, but is not directly connected. The second fence 22 is foldably connected to the first fence 21 through the first folding assembly. When the four side panels 12 are stacked on the base 11, the second fence 22 can move closer to the first fence 21 through multiple first folding assemblies.

[0103] The second folding assembly includes two second links 23, the two bottom ends of which are respectively connected to a pair of sides of the second fence 22 along the first direction X, and the top of the second links 23 is located on the top surface of the cover plate 13.

[0104] In the first embodiment, the second link 23 includes a first segment and a second segment. The first segment can be a vertical rod 231 along the vertical direction. The bottom end of the vertical rod 231 is movably connected to one side of the second fence 22 along the first direction X, for example, by a ball joint or a shaft hinge, and the top end extends vertically to the top surface of the medium bulk container 1. The second segment is a U-shaped rod, that is, the second segment includes a vertical rod 231 and a horizontal rod 232 located on the top surface of the medium bulk container 1. The vertical rod 231 of the second segment is aligned with the vertical rod 231 of the first segment along the first direction X, and the bottom end is movably connected to the other side of the second fence 22 along the first direction X. The top end extends vertically to the top surface of the medium bulk container 1. One end of the horizontal rod 232 is fixedly connected, hinged, or detachably connected to the top end of the second segment, and the other end is detachably connected to the top end of the vertical rod 231 of the first segment, for example, by a pin, preferably a locking pin 5.

[0105] In this embodiment, as Figure 11 and Figure 12 As shown, when it is necessary to open the medium bulk container 1, the pin at the connection between the horizontal rod 232 and the vertical rod 231 of the first section can be removed first. Then, the vertical rod 231 of the second section can be twisted so that the horizontal rod 232 is offset from the top surface of the cover plate 13, making it easier to open the cover plate 13. Rotate the two vertical rods 231 so that the two vertical rods 231 are stacked on the top surface of a pair of sides of the second fence 22 along the first direction X. Then, reinstall the horizontal rod 232 and the vertical rod 231 and stack them on the top surface of one side of the second fence 22 along the second direction Y. Folding the first connecting rod 24 can bring the second fence 22 closer to the first fence 21, so that the entire fence assembly 2 is in a folded state. Then fold the medium bulk container 1. When stacking the medium bulk container 1, the four side plates 12 are stacked on the base 11, and the cover plate 13 is stacked on the top surface of the four side plates 12. Of course, the medium bulk container 1 can also be folded first, and then the first connecting rod 24 can be folded.

[0106] When the container assembly 100 is in the folded state, the top surface of the folded fence assembly 2 is preferably flush with or lower than the top surface of the medium bulk container 1 to avoid occupying too much space.

[0107] In the second embodiment, as Figure 7 As shown, the first and second sections are L-shaped with the same form and each includes a vertical rod 231 and a horizontal rod 232. The vertical rods 231 of both sections are aligned along the first direction X, and their bottom ends are respectively hinged to a pair of sides of the second fence 22 along the first direction X, such as ball joints or shaft joints. Alternatively, the bottom end of one vertical rod 231 is hinged to one side of the second fence 22 along the first direction X, and the bottom end of the other vertical rod 231 is movably connected to the other side of the second fence 22 along the first direction X in other ways. The top ends of the two vertical rods 231 extend vertically to the top surface of the cover plate 13.

[0108] The two horizontal rods 232 of the first and second sections are located on the top surface of the cover plate 13. Each horizontal rod 232 has an inner end and an outer end. The outer ends of the two horizontal rods 232 are fixedly connected to the top ends of the two vertical rods 231 or hinged via a shaft or ball joint. The inner ends are detachably connected. In the embodiment shown in the figure, the outer ends of the two horizontal rods 232 are hinged to the top ends of the two vertical rods 231 via a pivot extending in the second direction Y, allowing the two horizontal rods 232 to rotate around the pivot. The inner ends of the two horizontal rods 232 are detachably connected via a pin, preferably a locking pin 5.

[0109] Specifically, such as Figure 3 and Figure 4As shown, the inner end of a horizontal rod 232 is provided with a slot 233, and the two inner walls of the slot 233 along the second direction Y are respectively provided with through holes aligned with each other. The inner end of another horizontal rod 232 is located in the slot 233 and is provided with a through hole that passes through the horizontal rod 232 along the second direction Y.

[0110] The structure of locking pin 5 is as follows Figure 8 As shown, the device includes a pin 51, a grip 52, and a protrusion 53. One end of the pin 51 has a locking ball 55, while the grip 52 and protrusion 53 are both located at the other end of the pin 51 and extend from the outer periphery of the pin 51 away from it. The outer diameter of the protrusion 53 is larger than the outer diameter of the grip 52, facilitating gripping and operation. A button 54 is also provided at the end of the pin 51 away from the locking ball 55. The button 54 controls the extension and retraction of the ball 55 to lock or unlock and remove the locking pin 5. In use, pressing the button 54 retracts the ball 55 into the pin 51, inserting the pin 51 into the through hole and the through-hole. Releasing the button 54 ejects the ball 55 to the outside of the pin 51, allowing the inner ends of the two horizontal rods 232 to be rotatably connected.

[0111] When the medium bulk container 1 needs to be opened, the latches can be first removed from the inner ends of the two horizontal bars 232, and then the two horizontal bars 232 can be rotated around their respective pivots to the outside, thus facilitating the removal of the cover plate 13. Next, the two vertical bars 231 are stacked on the top surface of a pair of sides of the second enclosure 22 along the first direction X, and the two horizontal bars 232 are connected by the latches and then stacked on the top surface of the sides of the second enclosure 22 along the second direction Y. After the medium bulk container 1 is stacked, the first connecting rod 24 is folded so that the second enclosure 22 is close to the first enclosure 21 for easy transportation.

[0112] As an alternative, the lengths of the first horizontal bar 232 and the second horizontal bar 232 are not equal, that is, the length of one horizontal bar 232 is greater than the length of the other horizontal bar 232. The inner ends of the two horizontal bars 232 are detachably hinged by pins, and the outer ends are hinged to the two vertical bars 231 by two pivots.

[0113] In the third embodiment, the second connecting rod 23 includes two vertical rods 231 and a connecting rod. The bottom ends of the two vertical rods 231 are aligned along the first direction X and are movably connected to a pair of sides of the second fence 22 along the first direction X. One of the vertical rods 231 is detachably connected to a side of the second fence 22, or both vertical rods 231 are detachably connected to a pair of sides of the second fence 22 along the second direction Y. The connecting rod is a rod-shaped rod extending along the first direction X and located on the top surface of the cover plate 13. Both ends of the connecting rod are connected to the top ends of the two vertical rods 231.

[0114] Optionally, the bottom end of one vertical rod 231 is connected to the second fence 22 via a ball joint, and the other vertical rod 231 is detachably hinged to the second fence 22 via a pin. When it is necessary to open the medium bulk container 1, first remove the pin, then remove the bottom end of the vertical rod 231 from the second fence 22, and rotate the second connecting rod 23 relative to the ball joint of the other vertical rod 231, so that the second connecting rod 23 is offset from the top of the medium bulk container 1, making it easier to remove the cover plate 13. After moving the second connecting rod 23 to the top surface of the connecting rod stacked on the side of the second fence 22 along the second direction Y, the bottom end of the vertical rod 231 is connected to the second fence 22 via the pin, and the two vertical rods 231 are stacked on the top surface of the side of the second fence 22 along the first direction X. After the medium bulk container 1 is stacked, the first connecting rod 24 is folded so that the second fence 22 is close to the first fence 21 for easy transportation.

[0115] Preferably, the bottom ends of the two vertical rods 231 are detachably hinged to the second fence 22 via two pins. The pins extend along the first direction X, allowing the vertical rods 231 to rotate along the pins. When it is necessary to open the medium bulk container 1, the two pins can be removed from the bottom ends of the two vertical rods 231, that is, the entire second connecting rod 23 can be detached from the second fence 22. After removing the cover plate 13, the second connecting rod 23 can be reconnected to the second fence 22. The two vertical rods 231 are stacked on the top surface of a pair of sides of the second fence 22 along the first direction X, and the connecting rod is stacked on the top surface of the side of the second fence 22 along the second direction Y. The subsequent procedures are basically the same as those in the two embodiments described above, and will not be repeated here.

[0116] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the two ends of the connecting rod can be hinged to the tops of the two vertical rods 231 via two pivots or via ball joints. The connecting rod can also be configured as described above with two horizontal rods 232, where the outer ends of the two horizontal rods 232 are respectively hinged to the tops of the two vertical rods 231 via pivots, and the inner ends are detachably connected via pins. In this case, the second connecting rod 23 can be opened in several ways. The inner pins of the two horizontal rods 232 can be removed, and then the two vertical rods 231 can be rotated to the top surface of the second fence 22. Alternatively, the bottom ends of the two vertical rods 231 or the bottom end of one vertical rod 231 can be detached from the second fence 22.

[0117] In the above three embodiments, after the fence assembly 2 is folded, the vertical rod 231 can be stacked on the top surface of the side of the second fence 22 along the first direction X. The length of the second fence 22 is defined as L1, and the vertical distance from the bottom end of the vertical rod 231 to the adjacent side of the second fence 22 along the second direction Y is L2. That is to say, L2 is the vertical distance between the hinge point of the vertical rod 231 and the second fence 22 and the adjacent side of the second fence 22 along the second direction Y. L1≥L2, thereby ensuring that the horizontal rod 232 or the connecting rod can be folded to the side of the second fence 22 along the second direction Y.

[0118] The angle between the inner side of the horizontal bar 232 (the side facing the medium-sized bulk container 1) and the inner side of the vertical bar 231 (the side facing the medium-sized bulk container 1) is A1, as follows: Figure 9 As shown, 90°≤A1≤180°. The angle between the vertical rod 231 and the side of the second fence 22 along the first direction X is A2, 0°≤A2≤90°.

[0119] It is important to note that, Figure 1 , Figure 3 , Figure 9 and Figure 10 In the illustrated embodiment, there are two second connecting rods 23, which are spaced apart along the second direction Y. The two connecting rods 23 swing in opposite directions; that is, when the fence assembly 2 is folded, the horizontal bars 232 of the two second connecting rods 23 are respectively stacked on the top surface of a pair of sides of the fence assembly 2 along the second direction Y. Furthermore, in Figure 1 , Figure 3 , Figure 9 and Figure 10 In the illustrated embodiment, the two second connecting rods 23 are equidistant from the adjacent sides of the second fence 22 along the second direction Y. It should be understood that the two second connecting rods 23 may also be equidistant from the adjacent sides of the second fence 22 along the second direction Y. Of course, in other embodiments, only one second connecting rod 23 may be provided. The vertical rod 231 of the second connecting rod 23 may be connected to the side of the second fence 22 along the first direction X and located on the centerline of the second fence 22 along the second direction Y, so that the horizontal rod 232 of the second connecting rod 23 may be stacked on either side of a pair of sides of the second fence 22 along the second direction Y, or may be provided in other positions.

[0120] The first folding assembly includes a plurality of first connecting rods 24, which are spaced apart around the outer periphery of the four side plates 12. The first connecting rods 24 extend vertically and their bottom ends are foldably connected to the first fence 21 and the second fence 22. The first connecting rods 24 are foldable. When the fence assembly 2 is folded, the first connecting rods 24 are folded, thereby bringing the second fence 22 closer to the first fence 21.

[0121] exist Figure 1 , Figure 3 , Figure 9 and Figure 10 In the illustrated embodiment, two first connecting rods 24 are spaced apart along the second direction Y, and their top ends are foldably connected to one side of the second fence 22 along the first direction X, respectively, while their bottom ends are foldably connected to one side of the first fence 21 along the first direction X. Similarly, two other first connecting rods 24 are spaced apart along the second direction Y, and their top ends are foldably connected to the other side of the second fence 22 along the first direction X, respectively, while their bottom ends are foldably connected to the other side of the first fence 21 along the first direction X. The foldable connection methods between the first connecting rods 24 and the first fence 21 and the second fence 22 include, but are not limited to, ball joints or pivot joints. For example, the bottom end of the first connecting rod 24 can be hinged to the first fence 21, and its top end can be hinged to the second fence 22.

[0122] Optionally, the two first connecting rods 24 can also be configured to be foldably connected to the sides of the second fence 22 and the first fence 21 along the second direction Y, and the other two first connecting rods 24 can be foldably connected to the other sides of the second fence 22 and the first fence 21 along the second direction Y. Optionally, multiple first connecting rods 24 can be connected to the sides of the first fence 21 and the second fence 22 along the first direction X and the second direction Y, respectively. The present invention does not limit the number of first connecting rods 24 or their specific arrangement.

[0123] As a preferred embodiment, the two second connecting rods 23 are spaced apart along the second direction Y, and the tops of the four first connecting rods 24 and the four vertical rods 231 of the two second connecting rods 23 are respectively hinged to the second fence 22 through four first hinge seats and eight first hinge shafts 32, so as to facilitate the transmission of the box cover drum output force to the base 11.

[0124] Specifically, such as Figure 3 and Figure 5As shown, taking a single first connecting rod 24 as an example, the first connecting rod 24 and one of the vertical rods 231 are aligned vertically. The first connecting seat includes two clamping plates 31, which extend vertically and are arranged opposite each other along the first direction X. The two clamping plates 31 are clamped to the inner and outer sides of one side of the second fence 22 along the first direction X. The middle part of the two clamping plates 31 along the vertical direction is fixedly connected to the second fence 22. The top of the two clamping plates 31 extends beyond the top of the second fence 22 and is provided with a shaft hole, and the bottom extends beyond the second fence 22 and is also provided with a shaft hole. The top end of the first connecting rod 24 and the bottom end of the vertical rod 231 are also provided with shaft holes. The top end of the first connecting rod 24 is located between the two clamping plates 31 and the shaft hole of the first connecting rod 24 is aligned with the shaft holes at the bottom of the two clamping plates 31. The top end of the first connecting rod 24 is hinged to the bottom of the two clamping plates 31 through a first hinge shaft 32. The bottom end of the vertical rod 231 is located between the two clamping plates 31 and the shaft hole of the vertical rod 231 is aligned with the shaft hole at the top of the two clamping plates 31. The bottom end of the vertical rod 231 is hinged to the top of the two clamping plates 31 through another first hinge shaft 32.

[0125] It should be understood that in other embodiments, the vertical rod 231 and the first connecting rod 24 may also be individually connected to the second fence 22 through different hinge seats and connecting shafts, and the number of the first connecting rod 24 and the number of the vertical rod 231 do not need to correspond one-to-one.

[0126] The first link 24 can be folded in an evenly divided Z-shaped fold, that is, the first link 24 includes multiple evenly divided segments along the vertical direction, and two adjacent segments are hinged together, so that the first link 24 forms a Z-shaped fold.

[0127] Preferably, such as Figure 3 In the embodiment shown, the first link 24 includes two segments, namely the upper segment 241 and the lower segment 242.

[0128] The top of the upper section 241 is located between two clamping plates 31 and is hinged to the bottom of the two clamping plates 31 via a first hinge pin 32. The bottom extends vertically, meaning that the top of the upper section 241 and the vertical rod 231 are hinged to the second fence 22 via a first connecting seat and a first hinge seat. The top of the lower section 242 is foldably connected to the bottom of the upper section 241 via a second hinge seat and two second hinge pins 42. The bottom is hinged to the side of the first fence 21 along the first direction X via another hinge seat 61 and hinge pin 62.

[0129] Specifically, such as Figure 6As shown, the second hinge seat includes two connecting plates 41 and a limiting plate 43. The two connecting plates 41 are arranged opposite each other along the first direction X, and the top and bottom of the two connecting plates 41 are respectively provided with shaft holes. The bottom end of the upper section 241 and the top end of the lower section 242 are respectively located between the two clamping plates 31 and are also provided with shaft holes. The bottom end of the upper section 241 and the top end of the lower section 242 can be hinged to the two connecting plates 41 by the two second hinge shafts 42.

[0130] A limiting plate 43 is connected to the side of the two connecting plates 41 along the second direction Y, and is used to limit the folding direction of the upper section 241 and the lower section 242. Figure 3 and Figure 9 In the illustrated embodiment, for two adjacent first links 24 along the second direction Y, the limiting plate 43 and the two connecting plates 41 are positioned opposite the other first link 24, so that the hinge points of the upper segments 241 and lower segments 242 of the two first links 24 can only approach each other. It should be understood that the limiting plate 43 can also be positioned away from the adjacent first link 24, allowing the first link 24 to fold in the opposite direction. Alternatively, the limiting plate 43 may not be provided, i.e., the folding direction of the upper segments 241 and lower segments 242 is not restricted.

[0131] The included angle between the upper segment 241 and the lower segment 242 is A3, where 0° ≤ A3 ≤ 180°. That is, when A3 is 180°, the fence assembly 2 is in the open state, and the first connecting rod 24 is in the vertical state. When A3 is 0°, in the folded state, the upper segment 241 overlaps the top surface of the lower segment 242, the top surface of the upper segment 241 overlaps the side of the second fence 22 along the first direction X, and the bottom surface of the lower segment 242 folds the side of the first fence 21 along the first direction X. It should be understood that when the fence assembly 2 is in the folded state, A3 can also be any angle less than 90°, and the angle of A3 can be adjusted according to the required height of the folded fence assembly 2.

[0132] It should be noted that for the two first links 24 spaced apart along the second direction Y, the vertical distance between the two first links 24 along the second direction Y needs to be greater than or equal to the length of the two first links 24. This is to ensure that the upper section 241 and the lower section 242 of the two first links 24 are completely folded, that is, A3 is 0°.

[0133] The first fence 21 can be fixedly connected to the base 11 by riveting or other means, or it can be detachably connected to the base 11. Figure 1 , Figure 2 and Figure 3In the illustrated embodiment, the first fence 21 is fixedly connected to the base 11 by a clamping member 25 and a locking piece 26. Specifically, the clamping member 25 includes a first segment 251, a second segment 252, and a third segment 253 connected in sequence. The top end of the first segment 251 is connected to one side of the first fence 21 along a first direction X, and the bottom end extends towards the bottom. The second segment 252 abuts against the bottom of the base 11, with one end connected to the bottom end of the first segment 251, and the other end extending along the first direction X to the other side of the base 11. The bottom end of the third segment 253 is connected to the other end of the second segment 252, and the top end is connected to the other side of the first fence 21 along the first direction X. The clamping member 25 prevents the first fence 21 from moving upward and detaching from the base 11.

[0134] Optionally, the top ends of the first segment 251 and the third segment 253 of the clamping member 25 are welded or riveted to a pair of sides of the first fence 21 along the second direction Y, respectively, while the second segment 252 extends along the second direction Y and its two ends are connected to the bottom ends of the first segment 251 and the third segment 253. Optionally, the top end of the first segment 251 is connected to one side of the first fence 21 along the first direction X, the top end of the third segment 253 is connected to the side of the first fence 21 along the second direction Y, and the extension direction of the second segment 252 intersects the first direction X and the second direction Y and its two ends are connected to the bottom ends of the first segment 251 and the third segment 253.

[0135] exist Figure 3 In the illustrated embodiment, two clamping members 25 are spaced apart along the second direction Y. The top ends of the first segment 251 and the third segment 253 of each clamping member 25 are welded or riveted to a pair of sides of the first fence 21 along the first direction X, respectively. Two second segments 252 extend along the first direction X. The distance between each clamping member 25 and the adjacent side of the first fence 21 along the second direction Y is W1, and the length of the first fence 21 along the second direction Y is W2, where W1 / W2 = 0.2. It should be understood that more clamping members 25 can also be provided, and the multiple clamping members 25 can be spaced apart along the second direction Y or the first direction X, or the multiple clamping members 25 can be spaced apart along the diagonal direction of the first fence 21.

[0136] The locking piece 26 prevents the first guardrail 21 from moving towards the bottom of the base 11 and detaching from the base 11. Specifically, the outer surface of the base 11 is provided with a protruding eave 121, which protrudes from the outer surface of the base 11 and has a top surface, the top surface of which is higher than the top surface of the first guardrail 21. The locking piece 26 is generally Z-shaped, with its bottom connected to the first guardrail 21 and its top abutting against the top surface of the protruding eave 121. The locking piece 26, in cooperation with the protruding eave 121, restricts the downward movement of the first guardrail 21. The locking piece 26, in cooperation with the clamping member 25, prevents the first guardrail 21 from moving in the vertical direction, thereby connecting the first guardrail 21 to the base 11.

[0137] During installation, the medium-sized bulk container 1 is placed inside the first fence 21 and the second fence 22 from top to bottom. After the first fence 21 and the second fence 22 are raised into place, the locking piece 26 is installed, so that the first fence 21 and the base 11 are stably connected.

[0138] The base 11 also has multiple rows of foot supports 111 at its bottom. These rows extend from the bottom surface of the base 11 away from it, and are arranged along a first direction X, forming forklift aisles 112 at intervals. Each row of foot supports 111 includes multiple foot supports 111 spaced apart along a second direction Y, which also form forklift aisles 112. A second segment 252 extends along either the first direction X or the second direction Y and is located within one of the forklift aisles 112. If the second segment 252 extends along the diagonal of the second fence 21 or in another direction, and is located between partially adjacent foot supports 111...

[0139] The first fence 21, the second fence 22, the first folding assembly, and the second folding assembly of the present invention are all made of metal tubing. That is, the first fence 21 and the second fence 22 are formed by bending steel tubing or other metal tubing, while the first connecting rod 24 in the first folding assembly and the second connecting rod 23 in the second folding assembly are both made of straight steel tubing or other metal tubing. The clamping member 25 is made of sheet-like metal strips with a thickness of less than or equal to 5 mm, reducing obstruction to the IBC forklift aisle 112. Furthermore, the thickness of the horizontal bar 232 in the vertical direction is preferably less than or equal to the height of the limiting member 131 to avoid affecting the space of the forklift aisle 112.

[0140] In another embodiment, such as Figure 13 As shown, the first fence 21, the second fence 22, and the first connecting rod 22 of the first folding assembly are all flat metal strips. The vertical rod 231 in the second folding assembly is formed by spirally twisting the flat metal strip. After twisting, the vertical rod 231 can be easily connected to the horizontal rod 232 and the second fence 22. The horizontal rod 232 is made of steel pipe or other metal pipe. The flat metal strip is small in size and does not reduce the space occupied.

[0141] In other embodiments, the first fence 21 or the second fence 22 may be made of flat metal strips, and the rest may be made of metal tubes. Alternatively, the first fence 21, the second fence 22 and the first folding assembly may be made of flat metal strips. That is, the fence assembly 2 may be selected as needed to consider using a combination of metal tubes and flat metal strips or to use metal tubes or flat metal strips alone.

[0142] The top surface of the cover plate 13 is provided with multiple protruding limiting members 131. The vertical projections of the limiting members 131 and the vertical projections of the foot supports 111 are spaced apart, and some or all of the vertical projections of the limiting members 131 surround the vertical projection of some of the foot supports 111. After the multiple container assemblies 100 are folded vertically, the multiple foot supports 111 of the base 11 of the container assembly 100 located on the top surface stand on the top surface of the cover plate 13 of the container assembly 100 located on the bottom surface, and are offset from the protruding limiting members 131. The fact that some of the limiting members 131 surround some of the foot supports 111 can prevent the container assembly 100 located on the top from tilting.

[0143] In addition, the side panel 12 is also provided with a small door 122 for easy access to the medium bulk container 1. The fence assembly 2 is placed outside the medium bulk container 1 and can also cover the medium bulk container 1, and the fence assembly 2 does not affect the folding of the medium bulk container 1, the opening of the small door 122, and the opening of the lid.

[0144] This invention connects the fencing component 2 to the medium-sized bulk container 1, providing additional strength support to the container 1 against liquid pressure. This strength support is highly effective for hydraulic testing and drop testing in hazardous chemical certification. The fencing component 2 does not hinder the normal unfolding and folding operations of the medium-sized bulk container 1, nor does it affect the stacking of the container 1. Furthermore, the fencing component 2 can adapt to the unfolded or folded state of the container 1, simplifying operation and minimizing space occupation. Additionally, the fencing component 2 can be selectively installed and removed from the medium-sized bulk container 1, ensuring the flexibility of the container component 100 for liquid packaging in various industries.

[0145] 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.

[0146] 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.

[0147] 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 container component, characterized in that, The container component includes: A medium-sized bulk container, the medium-sized bulk container comprising a base, two pairs of opposing side panels and a cover, each pair of side panels being foldably connected to the base at the bottom, and the cover operably covering the top of the two pairs of side panels; and Fence component, the fence component comprising: The first fence is a rectangular ring that surrounds the outside of the medium bulk container; The second fence is a rectangular ring that surrounds the outside of the medium bulk container and is located above the first fence. A first folding assembly is located between the first fence and the second fence, and its bottom and top ends are foldably connected to the first fence and the second fence, respectively; and A second folding assembly is foldably connected to the second fence and passes over the top surface of the cover plate; The container assembly is in a folded state, with both the first folding assembly and the second folding assembly folded and surrounding the outside of the medium bulk container; The second folding assembly includes at least one second link, the second link comprising: Two vertical bars, the bottom ends of which are movably connected to a pair of sides of the second fence; and Two horizontal bars are located on the top surface of the cover plate and each has an outer end and an inner end. The outer ends of the two horizontal bars are connected to the top ends of the two vertical bars. The inner ends of the two horizontal bars are detachably connected to each other by a pin. After the pin is removed, the vertical bar is twisted so that the horizontal bar is deviated from the top surface. After the horizontal bar and the vertical bar are reinstalled, they are stacked on the top surface of the second fence.

2. The container assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, The bottom and top ends of the first folding component are hinged to the first fence and the second fence, respectively.

3. The container assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first folding assembly includes a plurality of first links spaced apart from each other in a circumferential direction, with the bottom end and top end of each first link hinged to the first fence and the second fence, respectively.

4. The container assembly according to claim 3, characterized in that, The first link includes: The upper section, the top of which is hinged to the second fence; and The lower section has the same length as the upper section and its top end is foldably connected to the bottom end of the upper section, while its bottom end is hinged to the first fence.

5. The container assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, The bottom ends of the two vertical bars are respectively connected to a pair of sides of the second fence via ball joints; The outer ends of the two horizontal bars are respectively fixedly connected to the top ends of the two vertical bars.

6. The container assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, The bottom ends of the two vertical bars are respectively hinged to a pair of sides of the second fence; The outer ends of the two horizontal bars are respectively hinged to the top ends of the two vertical bars.

7. The container assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first folding component is aligned with the vertical rod in the vertical direction.

8. The container assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, Two second links are arranged in parallel and spaced apart, and the two vertical bars of each second link are respectively hinged to a pair of sides of the second fence; The first folding assembly includes four first links, which are respectively aligned vertically with the four vertical bars of the two second links.

9. The container assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, The angle between the horizontal bar and the vertical bar is A1, where 90°≤A1≤180°.

10. The container assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, The angle between the vertical bar and the second fence is A2, where 0°≤A2≤90°.

11. The container assembly according to claim 4, characterized in that, The included angle between the upper segment and the lower segment is A3, where 0°≤A3≤180°.

12. The container assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, The outer surface of the base is provided with a protrusion; the fence assembly also includes: The clamping member includes: Two side sections, each located outside the medium bulk container and extending vertically, with the top ends of the two side sections connected to the first fence; The bottom section abuts against the bottom surface of the base and its two ends are respectively connected to the bottom ends of the two side sections; A locking tab is connected to the first fence and abuts against the top of the protrusion.

13. The container assembly according to claim 12, characterized in that, The tops of the two side segments are respectively connected to a pair of sides of the first fence.

14. The container assembly according to claim 13, characterized in that, The two clamping members are arranged in parallel and spaced apart, and the vertical distance from the clamping member to the other pair of sides of the first fence is W1, the length of the pair of sides of the first fence connected to the side segment is W2, and W1 / W2=0.

2.

15. The container assembly according to claim 14, characterized in that, The base has multiple spaced foot supports at its bottom, and the multiple foot supports are spaced to form a forklift passage; the bottom section is located within the forklift passage or between some of the adjacent foot supports; The clamping element is in the shape of a sheet-like metal strip with a thickness of less than or equal to 5 mm.

16. The container assembly according to claim 15, characterized in that, The top surface of the cover plate is provided with multiple protruding limiting members; The height of the horizontal bar in the vertical direction is not greater than the height of the limiting member.

17. The container assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first fence, the second fence, the first folding assembly, and the second folding assembly are all made of metal tubing.

18. The container assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, When the container assembly is folded, the top surface of the fence does not extend beyond the top surface of the medium bulk container.

19. The container assembly according to claim 15, characterized in that, At least one of the first fence, the second fence, the first folding component, and the second folding component is in the shape of a flat metal strip.

20. The container assembly according to claim 15, characterized in that, The first fence, the second fence, and the first folding assembly are all flat metal strips. The vertical bar is formed by spirally twisting the flat metal strip, and the horizontal bar is made of metal tubing.

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