Inner containers made of plastic, as well as transport and storage containers for liquids with an inner container made of plastic

Abstract

Transport and storage container for liquids with an inner container (15) made of plastic for transporting and storing the liquids and a transport pallet (11), wherein the inner container (15) has a discharge nozzle (18) on a front side for connecting a discharge fitting (17), a bottom wall (20) connecting two side walls (23, 24), a rear wall (22) and a front wall (16) of the inner container for supporting the inner container (15) on a pallet base (21) of the transport pallet (11) which is provided with an outer shell (14) for receiving the inner container (15), and a top wall (25) opposite the bottom wall (20) provided with a filling opening, wherein the outer shell (14) enables the transport and storage container to be stacked and is designed as a grid shell with vertical bars (12) and horizontal bars (13), characterized in that the side walls each have a horizontal groove (47, 48),which are arranged in a common central horizontal plane.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to an inner container made of plastic for the transport and storage of liquids, which has on a front side a discharge nozzle for connecting a discharge fitting, a bottom wall connecting two side walls, a rear wall and a front wall of the inner container for supporting the inner container on a pallet base of a transport pallet provided with an outer shell for receiving the inner container, and a top wall opposite the bottom wall provided with a filling opening.

[0002] Containers of the type mentioned above are used as interchangeable components of transport and storage containers, which serve to transport and store liquids and are regularly used as so-called "circulating containers" that are repeatedly filled.

[0003] These inner containers are manufactured using a blow molding process and typically have a capacity of about 1000 liters, so that transport and storage containers equipped with these inner containers enable the transport and storage of correspondingly large quantities of liquid, which, thanks to the inclusion of the inner containers in an outer shell of the transport and storage pallet and the associated stackability, allow for a space-saving arrangement during transport and storage.

[0004] The space required for arranging or accommodating the known inner containers is fundamentally independent of whether the inner containers are filled or empty. This proves particularly disadvantageous when the inner containers and the transport and storage pallet with its outer shell are manufactured at different production sites, and the transport and storage pallet can only be completed by "popping" the inner containers into the outer shell after the components have been brought together, i.e., after the empty inner containers have been transported. In this case, the large capacity and the associated bulky design of the inner containers prove to be a disadvantage, as the resulting volume-to-weight ratio is unfavorable for transport costs.

[0005] The present invention is therefore based on the objective of proposing an inner container which enables lower transport costs for the empty container without adverse effects on the capacity volume.

[0006] To solve this problem, the inner container according to the invention has the features of claim 1.

[0007] According to the invention, the side walls each have a horizontal groove which are arranged in a common central horizontal plane of the inner container.

[0008] Due to the corrugation arrangement in the side walls according to the invention, fold lines of the inner container are defined which, when external loads act on the container walls, enable the inner container to fold onto a base defined by the bottom wall, such that a point load is applied to the center of the surface of the front wall and the rear wall and a line load is applied from the outside along the horizontal corrugations of the side walls, so that the front wall and the rear wall on the one hand and the side walls on the other hand are moved towards each other, while at the same time a surface load is applied to the bottom wall and the top wall, such that the bottom wall and the top wall move towards each other.

[0009] The inner container is thus reduced in height by the folding process, whereby the horizontal ribs in the side walls cause a defined folding of the side walls against the elastic restoring forces of the inner container, ensuring that after folding the top wall and the bottom wall are arranged essentially congruently on top of each other.

[0010] When the inner container is compressed to its folded dimensions, it can be secured in the folded configuration by means of straps and stacked on top of each other in a horizontal arrangement with the bottom wall facing down for storage or transport, or, if necessary, arranged in a horizontal row of multiple folded inner containers with the bottom wall facing down.

[0011] When transporting pallets with an outer shell and folded inner containers simultaneously, the folded inner containers can also be advantageously stacked on top of each other inside an outer shell on the transport pallet.

[0012] In addition, if, according to an advantageous embodiment, the front wall has two diagonal ribs below a horizontal wall axis of the front wall arranged in a common horizontal plane with the horizontal ribs, which extend approximately between a lower container edge and the wall axis, a defined arrangement of the outlet nozzle or even an outlet fitting already connected to the outlet nozzle is possible as a result of the folding process in the folded inner container.

[0013] Preferably, the rear wall also has two diagonal ribs below a horizontal wall axis of the rear wall which is arranged in a common horizontal plane with the horizontal ribs, extending approximately between a lower container edge and the wall axis, so that a matching folding of the front wall and the rear wall is possible.

[0014] A particularly precise mutual overlap of the front wall and the back wall, and thus a particularly high reproducibility of the folding dimension of the inner container, can be achieved if the front wall and the back wall each have two diagonal beads above the wall axes of the front wall and the back wall arranged in a common horizontal plane with the horizontal beads, which extend approximately from the upper edge of the container to the horizontal wall axis.

[0015] This results in an arrangement of four diagonal ribs each on the front wall and the rear wall, so that when the point load acting on the center of the surface of the front wall and the rear wall is applied, the outlet nozzle formed on a lower wall section of the front wall or the outlet fitting possibly already connected to the outlet nozzle is displaced into a space formed during folding between the bottom wall and the top wall, in which the outlet nozzle or the outlet fitting is received, whereby the filling opening formed in the top wall retains its relative arrangement to the top wall during the folding process.The inner container is thus reduced in height by the folding process, whereby the diagonal ribs in the front wall and the rear wall and the horizontal ribs in the side walls cause a defined folding of wall sections of the front wall and rear wall and the side walls against the elastic restoring forces of the inner container.

[0016] If the diagonal ribs on the front wall and the back wall each run parallel to a surface diagonal, folding of the inner container with particularly low folding forces becomes possible.

[0017] It proves particularly advantageous if two diagonal beads originating from a common container rim form a pair of beads and have bead longitudinal axes that form an isosceles triangle with the container rim, so that, in conjunction with the horizontal beads of the side walls, the wall folds formed during folding are located in a common horizontal plane between the bottom wall and the top wall of the inner container.

[0018] If the diagonal beads of a pair of beads are arranged at an angle of 45° to the edge of the container, the folding process can be carried out with the lowest possible folding load.

[0019] Preferably, the diagonal ribs of a pair of ribs have rib longitudinal axes that intersect the horizontal wall axis at a common horizontal intersection point, thus enabling a further reduction of the folding load.

[0020] If the pairs of beads arranged on the front wall and the rear wall have a distance X between the horizontal intersection points of their bead longitudinal axes with the horizontal wall axis, then in particular the distance that the side wall folds of the folded inner container have from each other is determined accordingly.

[0021] It is particularly advantageous if the diagonal beads extend with their distal bead ends to the edge of the container.

[0022] Preferably, the diagonal ribs extend with their distal rib ends to the corners of the container, so that a particularly low height of the inner container when folded to its folded dimensions is possible.

[0023] If the diagonal beads have a bead base that rises continuously towards a wall surface at their proximal bead ends, the diagonal beads taper off continuously at the bead ends, so that no stiffening counteracting folding occurs at the end of the fold line formed by the diagonal bead.

[0024] Preferably, the horizontal beads extend with their bead ends to the container edges, so that the folding dimension in the plane of the bottom wall or the top wall is adapted to the flat extension of the bottom wall or the top wall.

[0025] Preferably, the horizontal beads have a concave bead base which has an increased profile radius to form bead extensions at the bead ends, so that in the area of ​​the container edges, where several folds meet during the folding process, the formation of kinks, i.e. plastic deformation, can be avoided.

[0026] It is particularly advantageous if the corrugation extensions have at least one radial corrugation running along the corrugation base, thus creating stiffening in the area of ​​the vulnerable container edges. Furthermore, if at least one horizontal corrugation is formed in the front and rear walls adjacent to the corrugation extensions, the defined folding pattern in the front and rear walls can be additionally reinforced.

[0027] The transport and storage container designed according to the invention has the features of claim 17.

[0028] According to the invention, the inner container is folded according to claim 18 in such a way that a point load is applied to the center of the surface of the front wall and the rear wall and a line load is applied from the outside along the horizontal ribs of the side walls, such that the front wall and the rear wall on the one hand and the side walls on the other hand are moved towards each other, while at the same time a surface load is applied to the bottom wall and the top wall, such that the bottom wall and the top wall move towards each other.

[0029] The invention will now be explained in more detail with reference to an embodiment shown in the drawing.

[0030] They show: Fig. 1 a transport and storage container for liquids with an inner container made of plastic inserted in an outer shell of a transport pallet; Fig. 2 the in Fig. 1. Inner container shown in detail; Fig. 3 den in Fig. 2 inner containers shown in folded state; Fig. 4 a schematic representation of the inner container to illustrate the folding process; Fig. 5 a schematic representation of the inner container with diagonal beads arranged on a front wall and a horizontal bead arranged on a side wall; Fig. 6 an embodiment of the inner container in isometric view; Fig. 7 a front view of the in Fig. 6 of the inner container shown; Fig. 8 a side view of the in Fig. 6 shown inner container.

[0031] Fig. Figure 1 shows a transport and storage pallet 10 , which include a transport pallet as essential components 11 features a structure here described as a grid shell with vertical bars 12 and horizontal bars 13 trained outer coat14 is arranged within the outer shell. 14 is on the transport pallet 11 an inner container 15 arranged from plastic, which, as especially from Fig. 2 visible, on a front side in a front wall 16 one with a spout fitting 17 equipped outlet nozzle 18 exhibits.

[0032] The outlet nozzle 18 is located in a lower section of the wall 19 the front wall 16 in the transition to a floor wall 20 of the inner container 15 , with which this is placed on a pallet floor 21 the transport pallet 11 is arranged. The floor wall 20 connects the front wall 16 with one on the back of the inner container 15 formed back wall 22 and two opposing side walls 23 and 24 Opposite the floor wall 20is ultimately a ceiling wall 25 trained, equipped with a filling opening 26 is equipped with. For securing the inner container. 15 in its outer coat 14 The recorded arrangement extends above the top wall 25 Trusses 27 , which have an upper circumferential rim 28 of the outer shell 14 are connected.

[0033] Fig. 3 shows the inner container 15 in a folded state, in which the inner container 15 a defined fold arrangement 29 features which are located in the side walls 23 , 24 formed sidewall folds 30 exhibits, which is evident in the representation of the inner container. 15 according to Fig. 3 parallel to the bottom of the container 20 extend into the drawing plane. Furthermore, the inner container has... 15 Fold the container rim 31 , 32up, extending from an upper corner of the container 33 to the side wall fold 30 and from a lower corner of the container 34 to the side wall fold 30 extend and in a front plane of the inner container 15 are trained. Furthermore, the inner container has 15 in folded state, inner folds 35 , 36 up, extending from an upper corner of the container 33 into a fold space 37 and from a lower corner of the container 34 into a fold space 38 extend the fold spaces 37 , 38 are between one at the upper edge of the container 39 the rim fold formed in the inner container 40 and the adjacent container rim fold 31 or between one at the lower edge of the container 41 of the inner container 15 formed marginal fold 42 and the adjacent container rim fold 32 trained.

[0034] For the defined formation of the fold arrangement 29 points out the in Fig. 2 inner containers shown 15 each in its front wall 16 and its back wall 22 diagonal beads 43 , 44 , 45 and 46 and in its side walls 23 , 24 each one horizontal groove 47 or 48 on, whereby the horizontal ribs 47 , 48 in a central horizontal plane of the inner container 15 The folding process is illustrated in the schematic diagram below. Fig. 4 the diagonal beads 43 , 44 , 45 and 46 represented as surface diagonals.

[0035] During the folding process, as in Fig. 4 shows point loads P, line loads L and area loads F from the outside onto the inner container. 15, such that on a central area section 49 the front wall 16 and the back wall 22 Point loads P acting in opposite directions on the side walls 23 , 24 along the horizontal ribs 47 , 48 opposing line loads L and on the floor wall 20 and the ceiling wall 25 Opposing surface loads F are exerted.

[0036] Through the diagonal ribs 43 until 46 and the horizontal ribs 47 until 48 are at the in Fig. 4 external load on the inner container shown 15 The bend lines are specified in such a way that the front wall 16 and the back wall 22 along the diagonal ribs 43 until 46 be elastically deformed inwards and along the diagonal ridges 43 until 46 the in Fig. 3 shown inner folds35 , 36 and along the horizontal ribs 47 , 48 the in Fig. 3 sidewall folds shown 30 train. Furthermore, in the case of the undeformed inner container 15 ( Fig. 2) vertically running lateral container edges 50 , 51 to the container rim folds 31 , 32 transformed.

[0037] During the formation of the inner fold 35 they reach in Fig. 4. To explain the folding process, the approximately triangular surface areas A and B are folded into an overlapping position; as are the surface areas C and D, which are formed during the formation of the inner fold. 36 They come into a state of overlap. Furthermore, the horizontal ribs move. 47 , 48 and the front wall 16 or the back wall 25 along a in Fig. 4 wall axis passing through the intersection of the longitudinal axes of the corrugations 52towards each other, so that both wall sections A and B and wall sections C and D come into a covering position.

[0038] Fig. Figure 5 also shows the diagonal beads in a schematic representation. 43 , 44 , 45 and 46 in a with Fig. 2 matching arrangement in which the diagonal beads 43 , 44 between an upper container edge 54 and the horizontal wall axis 52 and the diagonal beads 45 , 46 between a lower container edge 55 and the horizontal wall axis 52 extend. The diagonal ribs 43 , 56 and the diagonal beads 44 , 45 Together they each form a pair of beads 57 , 58 out, which is just like the one in Fig. 4 shown, each through the diagonal ribs 43 , 46on the one hand and 44, 45 on the other hand formed pairs of beads 59 , 60 together with a side rim of the container 50 , 51 form an isosceles triangle, with the diagonal ribs each at an angle of 45° to the edge of the container. 50 , 51 are arranged.

[0039] Unlike those in Fig. 4 diagonal beads shown 43 until 46 , which in their arrangement coincide with the surface diagonals and each meet with their longitudinal axes of the ribs at a common horizontal intersection point M, which in the case of the representation according to Fig. 4 coincides with the center of the surface, the longitudinal axes of the ribs intersect in Fig. 5 the pairs of beads 57 , 58 forming diagonal ribs 43 , 46 and 44 , 45 each at a horizontal intersection point S1 and S2 on the wall axis 52, where the intersection points S1 and S2 are separated by a distance X. This distance X prevents the material from being pulled away from the container edges during the folding process. 50 , 51 outward sidewall folds 30 collide and cause plastic deformation in the central surface section 49 can come.

[0040] How the Fig. 6 to Fig. As can be seen from page 8, the diagonal ribs extend 43 until 46 with their distal bead ends 61 up to the edge of the container 50 or 51 , right up to the top corners of the container 33 or lower container corners 34 . At their proximal rib ends 62 The diagonal ribs 43 until 46 one to a wall surface 63 the front wall 16 or the back wall 22continuously rising groove base 64 on.

[0041] The horizontal ribs 47 , 48 extend with their double-sided beaded ends 65 right up to the edges of the container 50 , 51 , whereby the horizontal ribs 47 , 48 like the diagonal ribs 43 , 46 a concave groove base 64 exhibiting, which leads to the formation of rib extensions 66 at the bead ends 65 an increased profile radius 67 exhibits.

[0042] As in particular the Fig. As can be seen in section 8, the groove extensions are 66 In the present embodiment, with a plurality of parallel lines running in the base of the groove 64 formed radial ribs 68 provided, which in this case are closely spaced over the entire length of the corrugation base 64 within the groove extension 66are trained.

[0043] How in particular Fig. 7 shows, the front wall 16 as well as the opposite back wall, which is not shown here 22 adjacent to the groove extensions 66 the horizontal ribs 47 , 48 a plurality of horizontal ribs 69 on, which run along the horizontal wall axis 52 in the diagonal grooves 44 , 45 formed pair of beads 57 or rather, the diagonal ribs 45 , 46 formed pair of beads 58 limited wall section 70 the front wall 16 or the back wall 22 extend.

Claims

[1] Inner container (15) made of plastic for transporting and storing liquids, which has on a front side a discharge nozzle (18) for connecting a discharge fitting (17), a bottom wall (20) connecting two side walls (23, 24), a rear wall (22) and a front wall (16) of the inner container for supporting the inner container (15) on a pallet base (21) of a transport pallet (11) provided with an outer shell (14) for receiving the inner container (15) and a top wall (25) opposite the bottom wall (20) provided with a filling opening, characterized by , that the side walls each have a horizontal groove (47, 48) arranged in a common central horizontal plane. [2] Inner container according to claim 1, characterized by, that the front wall (16) below a horizontal wall axis (52) of the front wall (16) arranged in a common horizontal plane with the horizontal beads (47, 48) has two diagonal beads (45, 46) which extend approximately between a lower container edge (55) and the wall axis (52). [3] Inner container according to claim 2, characterized by , that the rear wall (22) below a horizontal wall axis (52) of the rear wall (22) arranged in a common horizontal plane with the horizontal beads (47, 48) has two diagonal beads (45, 46) which extend approximately between a lower container edge (55) and the wall axis (52). [4] Inner container according to claim 3, characterized by, that the front wall (16) and the rear wall (22) each have two diagonal beads (43, 44) above the wall axes (52) of the front wall (16) and the rear wall (22) which are arranged in a common horizontal plane with the horizontal beads (47, 48) and which extend to each other approximately from the upper edge of the container (54) to the horizontal wall axis (52). [5] Inner container according to any one of claims 2 to 4, characterized by , that the diagonal ribs (43, 46; 44, 45) on the front wall (16) and the back wall (22) each run parallel to a surface diagonal. [6] Inner container according to any one of claims 2 to 5, characterized by , that each pair of diagonal beads (43, 46; 44, 45) originating from a common lateral container edge (50, 51) form a pair of beads (57, 58, 59, 60) and have bead longitudinal axes that form an isosceles triangle with the container edge (50, 51). [7] Inner container according to claim 6, characterized by, that the diagonal beads (43, 46; 44, 45) of a pair of beads (57, 58, 59, 60) are arranged at an angle of 45° to the lateral edge of the container (50, 51). [8] Inner container according to claim 6 or 7, characterized by , that the diagonal beads (43, 46; 44, 45) of a pair of beads (59, 60) have bead longitudinal axes that intersect the horizontal wall axis (52) at a common horizontal intersection point M. [9] Inner container according to claim 6 or 7, characterized by , that the pairs of corrugations (57, 58) arranged on the front wall (16) and the rear wall (22) respectively have a distance x of the horizontal intersection points S1 and S2 of their corrugation longitudinal axes with the horizontal wall axis (52). [10] Inner container according to any one of the preceding claims 2 to 9, characterized by , that the diagonal beads (43, 44, 45, 46) extend with their distal bead ends (61) to the lateral container edge (50, 51). [11] Inner container according to claims 2 to 9, characterized by , that the diagonal beads (43, 44, 45, 46) extend with their distal bead ends (61) to container corners (33, 34). [12] Inner container according to any one of claims 2 to 11, characterized by , that the diagonal beads (43, 44, 45, 46) have a bead base (64) that rises continuously towards a wall surface (63) at their proximal bead ends (62). [13] Inner container according to any of the preceding claims, characterized by , that the horizontal beads (47, 48) extend with their bead ends (65) to the container edges (50, 51). [14] Inner container according to claim 13, characterized by , that the horizontal corrugations (47, 48) have a concave corrugation base (64) which has an increased profile radius (67) to form corrugation extensions (66) at the corrugation ends (65). [15] Inner container according to claim 14, characterized by, that the corrugation extensions (66) have at least one radial corrugation (68) running in the corrugation base (64). [16] Inner container according to claim 14 or 15, characterized by , that at least one horizontal groove (69) is formed in the front wall (16) and in the rear wall (22) adjacent to the groove extensions (66). [17] Transport and storage containers for liquids with an inner container made of plastic according to any one of claims 1 to 16. [18] Method for folding an inner container according to one or more of claims 1 to 16, characterized by, that a point load P is applied to the center of the surface of the front wall (16) and the rear wall (22) and a line load L is applied from the outside along the horizontal ribs (47, 48) of the side walls (23, 24), such that the front wall (16) and the rear wall (22) on the one hand and the side walls (23, 24) on the other hand are moved towards each other, whereby at the same time a surface load F is applied to the bottom wall (20) and the top wall (25), such that the bottom wall (20) and the top wall (25) move towards each other.