Textiles compartments

Abstract

The invention relates to a compartment (1) made of a textile material having at least one pocket (2) for storing and / or securing at least one piece of goods (3), wherein the textile material forming a respective pocket (2) is designed, at least in a section of a respective pocket (2), as a material whose shape can be changed by an external stimulation (4), so that a change in shape can be carried out by the pocket (2) due to the stimulation (4).

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a compartment made of a textile material having at least one pocket for storing and / or securing at least one piece of goods.

[0002] The demands placed on modern transport and storage solutions for general cargo are extremely diverse these days. The focus is not only on protecting the transported goods, but also on the efficiency and flexibility of storage. To meet these requirements, transport and storage containers must offer innovative solutions. Ensuring safety during transport and storage is essential, while at the same time, the goal is to create containers that are easy to handle and adaptable to various requirements. The division of the interior of transport and storage containers plays a crucial role in this. The ability to divide the available space into adaptable compartments opens up a wide range of options for organizing and securing different general cargo.This subdivision of the container interior is made possible by so-called compartments, which can either be permanently integrated into the container or can be inserted into the container as separate elements as required.

[0003] Choosing the right material for compartments is crucial for stability and durability during transport and storage. Robust and resilient materials such as plastic or metal are preferred over other materials such as cardboard or wood to withstand external influences. Therefore, choosing the right material is crucial to ensure that the unit loads can be transported and stored safely and without damage. Each material offers its own advantages, be it in terms of weight, durability, or adaptability.

[0004] A solution presented in a related technical field for protecting mechanically sensitive goods or objects during transport is provided, for example, in DE 10 2021 129 396 B3. This describes a device intended to enable the secure positioning and fixation of objects within a housing by securing an object between one or more side walls of the housing. For this purpose, the device has active elements arranged on the side walls, which change their shape under the influence of an external stimulus such as light or heat, thereby clamping an object in the housing. The active elements can be based on a hydrogel or a shape memory alloy that alternates between a swollen and a deflated state.

[0005] Comparable to these active elements, US 2019 / 0 367 692 A1 also describes a 3D-printed material that changes its shape when exposed to an external stimulus and is referred to as 4D-printed due to its ability to dynamically change shape over time. Possible stimuli for such materials include photoisomerization, heat, moisture, a combination of heat and mechanical stress, the heat of a light source, and magnetic fields. The two-layer polymer material, consisting of an active and a passive layer, is intended to enable the production of, among other things, innovative medical devices, automated actuators, packaging, and even smart textiles. In this context, a flat textile material is specified that consists of a fabric made of polyamide and elastane, to which a mesh structure made of polyactide has been applied using 3D printing.Under pre-tension, the fabric rolls up upon cooling and can then be returned to its flat shape by applying heat. Furthermore, the textile material can be made malleable by applying heat, for example, in a water bath, so that objects can be enclosed in the material and, after cooling, encased in the stiffened material. By reheating, the textile material can be returned to its original flat shape, and the enclosed object can be removed.

[0006] DE 10 2021 202 970 A1 further describes a compartment of the type mentioned above, made of flexible material, which is placed in a receiving container and has several compartments for accommodating piece goods. These compartments are structured by separating elements in the form of floors, sides, and partition walls. In order to store piece goods within the compartments in a shock-proof and stable manner, each compartment is equipped with cushioning and compensating elements that can be variably adapted to the geometry of the stored piece goods. These elements serve to absorb shocks and fix the position and can be at least partially detachably attached to the separating elements, inserted into them, or formed by them. The cushioning and compensating elements can be designed as air cushions or vacuum cushions. The air cushions function as follows: When the compartments are filled with piece goods, the air cushions are emptied by opening a valve.The unit load is then placed in the compartment and the air cushions are inflated. During inflation, the air cushions adapt to the external shape of the unit load, supporting themselves against the adjacent unit loads and / or the receiving container. The air cushions adapt closely to the geometry or external shape of the stored unit load, thereby positioning it securely, protecting it from impacts, and separating it from neighboring unit loads. When the valve is opened, the air can escape and the stored unit load can be removed from the compartment. With regard to vacuum cushions, evacuating such a cushion can create a modeled shape that is specifically adapted to the external shape of the stored unit load. This shape ensures secure positioning and shock protection of the unit load. By breaking the vacuum or opening the valve, the unit load is released and can be removed from the compartment.The vacuum cushion should have a moldable filling made of granules that replicates the external shape of the stored item.

[0007] However, this solution has the disadvantage that the production of the air or vacuum cushions involves considerable effort. Furthermore, securing the piece goods requires a time-consuming operating process.

[0008] Against this background, the object of the invention is to design a compartment of the type mentioned at the outset in such a way that piece goods with significantly different sizes and essentially independent of their contour can be secured in the compartment with little operating effort.

[0009] This object is achieved with a compartment according to the features of patent claim 1. The subclaims relate to particularly expedient developments of the invention.

[0010] According to the invention, a compartment made of a textile material is provided, wherein the compartment has at least one pocket for storing and / or securing at least one item of goods. However, the compartment is preferably designed with several, in particular a large number of, pockets. Furthermore, according to the invention, at least in a section of a respective pocket, the textile material forming a respective pocket is designed as a material whose shape can be changed by external stimulation, so that a change in shape can also be carried out by a respective pocket due to the stimulation. Preferably, a respective pocket is even made entirely of the material whose shape can be changed, wherein it is also conceivable for the entire compartment to consist of this material.In this case, the design of the pocket or pockets advantageously offers the possibility of safely storing and / or transporting piece goods of different sizes and contours in the compartment, in particular the pocket or pockets of the compartment, since the compartment and / or the at least one pocket can be adapted to the piece goods.

[0011] In a particularly advantageous development of the invention, a respective pocket can be transferred between a basic shape and a securing shape due to the completion of the shape change. In other words, the shape change of a respective pocket due to the stimulation is thus expressed in a transfer of the pocket between the basic shape and the securing shape. In this case, the implementation of a basic shape of the pocket makes it possible, in particular, for piece goods of different sizes and / or shapes to be inserted into and / or removed from a respective pocket or to be inserted and / or removed. In the securing shape, however, a piece of goods in a pocket is secured for transport and / or storage in such a way that it remains in the pocket even in the event of external influences and does not collide with other piece goods, in particular other pockets.

[0012] One embodiment of the invention is also advantageous if the volume enclosed by a particular pocket can be changed by transferring it between the basic shape and the securing shape. Transferring a particular pocket between its basic shape and its securing shape therefore results in a change in the volume enclosed by the pocket. This is particularly advantageous if piece goods of different sizes have to be accommodated in the pockets. It is conceivable in this case that a pocket is expanded compared to the basic shape by transferring it from the basic shape to the securing shape and thus has an increased volume. In this way, piece goods can also be placed in a pocket whose volume is greater than the volume of the pocket in its basic shape. Piece goods placed in the expanded pocket can thus be safely stored and / or transported.

[0013] Alternatively, in a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, it is envisaged that a pocket is contracted compared to the basic shape by being transferred from the basic shape to the securing shape and thus has a reduced enclosed volume in the securing shape. This could be regarded as the general case, whereby due to the reduced volume present in the securing shape, a large number of piece goods of differing sizes, whose dimensions are smaller than those of a pocket, can be secured. The basic shape of the pockets can, however, always be the same. It would also be conceivable, however, for the basic shape of at least two pockets to differ from one another. This results in a high degree of flexibility for each pocket and / or compartment, while at the same time ensuring safe storage and / or transport.

[0014] A no less advantageous embodiment of the invention further comprises that a respective pocket is modified in its securing shape compared to the basic shape, in particular contracted, such that the pocket is largely or completely aligned with the contour of a piece of goods arranged in the pocket and exerts a force on the piece of goods that secures the piece of goods in the pocket. The contracted securing shape minimizes empty spaces between the pocket and the piece of goods. This contributes to the efficient use of available space and ensures compact securing. Furthermore, the complete or extensive alignment of the pocket with the contour of the piece of goods effectively prevents the piece of goods from moving uncontrollably within the pocket during transport or storage.

[0015] In a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, the component holder has a plurality of pockets and is configured such that the pockets can each be changed in shape separately from one another, i.e. individually by stimulation. The ability to change pockets separately offers flexibility in various scenarios. Depending on requirements, specific pockets can be activated or deactivated in order to create an optimal configuration for different transport or storage requirements, particularly when not all of the existing pockets contain piece goods. In addition, optimized energy management can be achieved because not all pockets, i.e. even unoccupied ones, always have to be stimulated.

[0016] A different, but equally advantageous, embodiment, however, consists in the compartment, in a further development, having multiple pockets and being configured such that only groups of pockets or only all pockets together can be changed in shape by stimulation. This profitably minimizes the design, control, and / or manufacturing effort, which contributes to efficient and economical operation of the compartment.

[0017] It should be noted that external stimulation can basically be expressed by the presence or absence of an external stimulus.

[0018] However, a further development of the invention is also considered advantageous if the magnitude and / or type of deformation is directly proportional to the quantity or magnitude, a change in the quantity or magnitude, and / or a sign of a stimulus causing the stimulation. This makes it possible to adjust the magnitude of the deformation of an individual pocket not only in a graduated or qualitative manner, but also in a continuous, quantitative manner. This allows the force exerted by the pocket on the item to be precisely regulated to prevent possible damage to the item. Furthermore, a change in the sign of the stimulus enables the contraction and / or expansion of the respective pocket.

[0019] Advantageously, the basic shape is also formed upon application of stimulation which is characterized by a stimulus having a basic height. Thus, to form the basic shape, stimulation of a respective pocket is already required, whereby a change, e.g. a decrease or increase, in the stimulus compared to the basic height leads to the conversion of a respective pocket into the securing shape, and the pocket can be either expanded or contracted. This makes it possible to provide both contraction and expansion of the pocket, particularly without the need for a change in the sign of the stimulus. This provides a high degree of adaptability for each pocket and / or compartment to piece goods of different sizes and / or shapes.

[0020] The stimulation and / or stimulus can generally be an electrical voltage, a temperature, electromagnetic radiation, an electric field and / or a magnetic field.

[0021] A further advantageous embodiment of the invention is that the material is a 4D-printed material. As already explained at the beginning, 4D printing can be used to produce a 3D-printed material whose shape can be changed over time through external stimulation. Such 4D printing ensures the availability of material with a high variety of shapes and material properties, particularly since a wide variety of material composites can be provided. 4D printing also allows precise control over the internal structure of the material. This allows specific properties, such as strength, elasticity, or the type of stimulation and / or stimulus, to be precisely controlled to meet the requirements of the respective application.

[0022] Furthermore, a receiving structure can also be provided, which has a compartment as described above. In this way, the compartment designed according to the invention can be advantageously held and dimensional stability can be imparted to the compartment via the receiving structure, thus simplifying the insertion and / or removal of items into and / or from the compartment. The receiving structure can be designed, for example, as a stand, a frame, or as a container, in particular a sealable container, for example, with a lid. However, the container could be designed to be open at least on one side.

[0023] The invention permits numerous embodiments. To further clarify its basic principle, one of them is illustrated in the drawing and described below.

[0024] The Fig. 1 shows an embodiment of a compartment 1 made of a textile material, wherein the compartment 1 is arranged in the receiving structure 9. The compartment has a plurality of pockets 2 arranged in two levels, corresponding to an upper and a lower level, for storing and / or securing piece goods 3, wherein a single piece goods 3 is inserted into several of the pockets 2 and no piece goods 3 is inserted into two pockets 2.

[0025] The textile material forming a respective pocket 2 is designed as a material whose shape can be changed by an external stimulation 4, in particular as a 4D-printed material, so that a change in shape can be carried out by the pockets 2 due to the stimulation 4.

[0026] In particular, a respective pocket 2 in this embodiment is transferable due to the completion of the shape change between the basic shape 5 and the securing shape 6, wherein the compartment 1, like the Fig. 1, is designed in such a way that the pockets 2 can each be changed in shape separately from one another by a stimulation 4.

[0027] In the presentation of the Fig. 1, all pockets 2 of the upper level are now in their basic shape 5, since no stimulation 4 acts on them. Three pockets 2 of the lower level, however, are transferred to their securing shape 6 due to the stimulation 4, whereby one pocket 2 remains in its basic shape 5 due to a lack of stimulation 4, since no piece goods 3 are introduced into it, as well as into the pocket 2 above it in the upper level, and stimulation 4 is therefore not necessary. This improves the energy efficiency of the compartment 1. It should be noted that the basic shape 5 of the pockets 2 of the compartment 1 of this embodiment is of the same design. The basic shape 5 of the pockets 2 of the compartment 1 shown in the illustration of the Fig. 1 in their securing form 6 is thus the same basic form 5 as that of the pockets 2 arranged, for example, in the upper level.

[0028] By transferring the pockets 2 between the basic shape 5 and the securing shape 6, their enclosed volume 7 is changed. In particular, the pockets 2 are contracted relative to the basic shape 5 by the transfer from the basic shape 5 to the securing shape 6 and thus have a reduced enclosed volume 7, wherein a respective pocket 2 located in its securing shape 6 is largely aligned with the contour of the piece goods 3 arranged in the pocket 2 and thus exerts a force on the piece goods 3 that secures the piece goods 3 in the pocket 2.

[0029] Again Fig.1, the extent of the change in shape of the pockets 2 is directly proportional to the quantity of the stimulus 8 causing the stimulation 4, which is indicated here as an electrical voltage. A piece of goods 3 is placed into the two outer right-hand pockets 2 of the upper and lower levels, which has significantly smaller dimensions than the piece goods 3 placed in the other pockets 2. As a result, to ensure security during transport and / or storage, by placing the pockets 2 against these piece goods 3, a greater contraction of the pockets 2 is necessary than with the piece goods 3 of larger dimensions placed in the other pockets 2.To prevent damage to larger-sized items 3 when a stimulus 8 of the same quantity or height is required for this purpose and is applied across all pockets 2, the quantity of stimuli 8 is adjusted to the respective required magnitude of the deformation. Thus, the stimulus 8 acting on the outer right pocket 2 of the lower level is higher than the two stimuli 8 acting on the other pockets 2 of the lower level. List of reference symbols 1 compartment 2 bags 3 general cargo 4 Stimulation 5 Basic form 6 Form of security 7 volumes 8 Stimulus 9 Recording structure QUOTES CONTAINED IN THE DESCRIPTION

[0000] This list of documents submitted by the applicant was generated automatically and is included solely for the convenience of the reader. This list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions. Cited patent literature

[0000] DE 10 2021 129 396 B3

[0004] US 2019 / 0 367 692 A1

[0005] DE 10 2021 202 970 A1

[0006]

Claims

[1] Compartments (1) made of a textile material having at least one pocket (2) for storing and / or securing at least one piece of goods (3), characterized by that the textile material forming a respective pocket (2) is designed, at least in a section of a respective pocket (2), as a material whose shape can be changed by an external stimulation (4), so that a change in shape can be carried out by the pocket (2) due to the stimulation (4). [2] Compartments (1) according to claim 1, characterized by that a respective pocket (2) can be transferred between a basic form (5) and a securing form (6) due to the completion of the shape change [3] Compartments (1) according to claims 1 or 2, characterized by that a volume (7) enclosed by a respective pocket (2) can be changed by transferring it between the basic shape (5) and the securing shape (6). [4] Compartments (1) according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized by that a pocket (2) is contracted by the transfer from the basic shape (5) to the securing shape (6) in a type of shape change compared to the basic shape (5) and thus has a reduced enclosed volume (7). [5] Compartments (1) according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized by that a respective pocket (2) is changed in its securing shape (6) compared to the basic shape (5) in such a way that the pocket (2) is largely or completely in contact with a contour of a piece of goods (3) arranged in the pocket (2) and exerts a force on the piece of goods (3) which secures the piece of goods (3) in the pocket (2). [6] Compartments (1) according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the compartment (1) has a plurality of pockets (2) and is arranged in such a way that the pockets (2) can be changed in shape separately from one another by stimulation (4). [7] Compartments (1) according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the compartment (1) has a plurality of pockets (2) and is arranged in such a way that groups of pockets (2) or all pockets (2) together can be changed in shape by stimulation (4). [8] Compartments (1) according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized by that a height and / or type of shape change is in direct proportion to the quantity, a change in a quantity and / or a sign of a stimulus (8) causing the stimulation (4). [9] Compartments (1) according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the basic shape (5) is formed upon application of a stimulation (4) which is characterized by a stimulus (8) having a basic height. [10] Compartments (1) according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the material is a 4D printed material.

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