Protective cover for long goods racks

Abstract

Protective cover for long goods racks, including: o a hood tarpaulin (3) made of weather-resistant plastic material, which is pulled over the long goods frame (1) and thereby forms a trough shape through which rainwater is drained at the front, o fastening holes (4) which are aligned with the stacking tabs (5) of the long goods rack (1) and are guided over them when being pulled up, so that the stacking tabs (5) remain free and the stackability of the long goods rack (1) is maintained, o laterally arranged hand loops (6), each arranged in a line to the fastening holes (4) and enabling the targeted pulling of the hood cover (3) over the stacking tabs (5), o laterally arranged fastening straps (7) which enable the hood tarpaulin (3) to be fixed to the long goods frame (1) and prevent it from blowing up or being carried away by the wind, o a transparent end guard (8) made of split, flexible tarpaulin, which is attached exclusively in the upper area of ​​the hood tarpaulin (3) and allows the removal and re-insertion of the long goods (2) without having to loosen the transparent end guard (8) to open it.

Description

[0001] Long goods from various industrial sectors, such as profiles, pipes, strips, rods, or other elongated items, are typically transported and stored in designated long goods racks. The type of packaging can vary: often, the long goods are wrapped together or in sections in a large protective film, sometimes with additional individual wrapping, or only partially wrapped. Situations also occur where the long goods are completely unpackaged in the long goods rack.

[0002] If a large-format film wrap is used, it must be opened or cut at the end to remove the first long items. This means the remaining stack of goods loses its complete protection. The opened film only offers partial protection and is particularly vulnerable to external influences at the open end.

[0003] During outdoor or temporary storage, it regularly occurs that dirt, rainwater, or other environmental factors penetrate the opened film or, in the case of unprotected long goods, directly affect the goods. Furthermore, rainwater accumulating on the film surface, in particular, can lead to tears in the remaining film covering if the water pressure becomes too high.

[0004] The resulting soiling and damage lead to increased cleaning efforts, quality problems, delays in further processing and possibly to scrap.

[0005] Despite this well-known problem, current research indicates that no solution exists that effectively, weatherproofs, and simultaneously handles long goods—whether wrapped in film, partially opened, or unwrapped—within a long goods rack. Such a system must be usable both before and after opening an existing film wrap and must not restrict the usual handling of the long goods rack. In particular, the long goods racks must remain accessible by forklift, securely stackable, and easily reachable.

[0006] The protective hood for long goods racks described below offers a solution for this. Solution:

[0007] The present invention relates to a protective cover specifically designed for use on long goods racks. These racks contain long goods that require reliable protection against weather and contamination during transport and storage. The protective cover provides a weatherproof and easy-to-handle covering for the long goods rack and can be used for both packaged and unpackaged long goods. The essential components are:

[0008] Cover (3): The cover is the central element of the invention. It is made of a robust, weather-resistant plastic material and is pulled over the long goods rack (1) in which the long goods (2) to be protected are placed. The cover is designed so that a slight groove is formed when it is pulled on, allowing rainwater to run off in a controlled manner at the front edge without collecting on the surface of the cover.

[0009] Mounting holes (4): The cover (3) is provided with specially arranged mounting holes, the position and dimensions of which are precisely matched to the stacking tabs (5) of the long goods rack (1). When the cover (3) is fitted, these mounting holes are guided over the stacking tabs (5), thus holding the cover securely in position and preventing slippage. The size and shape of the mounting holes are designed so that the stacking tabs (5) remain completely unobstructed, ensuring that the long goods rack (1) remains fully stackable even with the cover (3) fitted. This precise design ensures that the cover (3) does not affect the support points or the load transfer during stacking.

[0010] Hand loops (6): Hand loops are attached to the side areas of the cover (3), each positioned in line with the fastening holes (4). They make it possible to grip the cover (3) precisely and guide it in a controlled manner over the stacking tabs (5) of the long goods rack (1) when pulling it up.

[0011] Fastening straps (7): Fastening straps are attached to the lower side area of ​​the hood cover (3). These straps allow the hood cover (3) to be fixed to the long goods frame (1), so that the hood cover (3) lies stably even in windy conditions and cannot be blown sideways or carried away.

[0012] The fastening straps are arranged so that they do not run in the area of ​​the centrally located forklift pockets of the long goods rack (1). This ensures that the long goods rack (1) can still be easily picked up and maneuvered with the forklift and that this area is not obstructed by the tarpaulin cover (3) or its fastening. Transparent front side protection (8): The transparent front side protection consists of a split, flexible tarpaulin which is arranged on the front side of the hood tarpaulin (3) and is attached only in the upper area.

[0013] This design allows the long goods (2) to be removed from or inserted into the long goods rack (1) without having to open or loosen the transparent end guard beforehand. After reaching through, the two tarpaulin sections automatically fall back down and close the end area again, so that the remaining long goods (2) continue to be protected from the elements and dirt.

[0014] Due to the transparent material design, the type and nature of the long goods (2) located in the long goods rack (1) are also visible from the outside without having to lift the transparent end guard. How it works: 1. Provision of the long goods rack: The long goods rack (1) is delivered. The long goods rack (1) contains the long goods (2), which may be packaged or unpackaged depending on the supplier, material, or application. 2. Putting on the protective cover: The cover (3) is guided over the stacking tabs (5) of the long goods rack (1) using the side hand loops (6). This can be done regardless of whether the long goods (2) are packed, partially packed, or unpackaged in the long goods rack (1). 3. Securing the protective cover: After the cover (3) has been pulled over the stacking tabs (5), it is secured to the long goods frame (1) using the fastening straps (7) attached to the sides at the bottom. This ensures that the cover (3) lies securely in place and is not blown sideways or carried away by the wind. 4. Removing and replacing long goods: The long goods (2) can be removed or replaced in the long goods rack (1) through the transparent end guard (8) at any time during handling, without having to open or loosen the transparent end guard (8) beforehand. After reaching through, the two tarpaulin sections automatically fall back down and close the end area again. 5. Further handling of the long goods rack: Even after the cover (3) has been pulled on and secured, the long goods rack (1) can be maneuvered and stacked as usual. The arrangement of the fastening straps (7) leaves the centrally located forklift pockets free, and the fastening holes (4) leave the stacking tabs (5) unobstructed, thus ensuring unrestricted handling. 6. Removing the protective cover: After the long goods rack (1) has been completely emptied or is ready for return, the fastening straps (7) are released. The cover (3) is then lifted off the stacking tabs (5) using the hand loops (6). The cover (3) can then be reused immediately for the next long goods rack (1). Description of the characters:

[0015] The following are the Fig. 1, Fig. 2 to Fig. Figure 3 explains which illustrate the previously described invention in different representations. It shows: • Fig. 1. A long goods rack (1) with long goods (2) placed therein as an example. The long goods (2) serve in this illustration solely to demonstrate the storage situation; in practical application, the long goods rack (1) is usually completely or considerably more filled with long goods (2). • Fig. 2 A long goods rack (1) with exemplary long goods (2) contained therein and the hood tarpaulin (3) pulled over the stacking tabs (5). In this illustration, the fastening holes (4), the stacking tabs (5), the laterally arranged hand straps (6) and the laterally arranged lower fastening straps (7) are shown. To make the position of the long goods (2) within the long goods rack (1) more clearly visible, the transparent end guard (8) has been hidden in this view. • Fig. 3 the fully assembled state of the invention, according to the Fig. 2 shown version, but with the transparent front edge protection present in reality (8).

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