STACKABLE SYSTEM CONTAINER AND TRANSPORT SYSTEM

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a stackable system container according to the preamble of claim 1 and a transport system according to the preamble of claim 6.

[0002] From DE 10 2013 110 496, a stackable system container is known, comprising a base section with an upwardly open storage compartment and a lid section pivotally attached to the base section and limiting the storage compartment upwards. Furthermore, the system container has two coupling devices movably attached to opposite side walls of the base section, which serve to couple the system container with other system containers and thus enable the safe stacking of such system containers. The coupling devices are movably designed and configured to move between a rest position, in which the coupling device is disengaged from the other system container, and a coupling position, in which the coupling devices can be brought into engagement with the other system container, with corresponding upward-facing surfaces extending over a top surface of the system container.The coupling elements of a similar container positioned below, protruding from the lid, are designed to interact in a holding manner. These coupling elements are an integral part of the corresponding base and each includes at least one latch for engaging the coupling device. The coupling elements are also located at opposite ends of the top of the system container and enable the centering, positioning, and stacking of multiple such system containers. After alignment, several system containers can be connected via the coupling devices and coupling elements in a dimensionally stable yet detachable manner.To achieve a simple and quick connection of the system containers, the coupling devices are pre-tensioned into a coupling position, for example by a spring element, so that the coupling devices automatically connect with the coupling elements of the next system container as soon as they are brought together with sufficient pressure. This positive and force-fit connection allows several interconnected system containers to be carried comfortably in one hand.

[0003] Furthermore, a distribution box from Peddinghaus is known from the prior art, the lid of which has external guide rails for inserting further, smaller boxes, wherein the smaller boxes are clamped into corresponding guide grooves on the lid.

[0004] US Patent 2009 / 0236255 A1 discloses a stackable system container comprising a base and a lid that can be attached to the base, wherein the two parts can be connected to each other via wings that can be attached to the base and these wings are attached to the base via film hinges.

[0005] DE 7244356 relates to a container for storing and transporting goods needed in hospitals, wherein several similar containers can be connected to each other with locking devices.

[0006] WO 2017 / 001083 discloses a stackable storage container with a body and a lid, wherein the side walls of the body are provided with locking arms, the body has feet and the lid has locking cams on its upper side.

[0007] DE 4107267 A1 discloses a stackable system container with a base and a lid pivotally attached to this base. The lid has two spaced-apart guide rails on its upper side for the positive locking of another container. Each guide rail has a walkway that can be engaged by another container, and the walkways project towards each other. The lid has at least one upwardly projecting locking lug. Similar systems are disclosed in US 5,890,613 A, DE 20 2015 005 752 U1, WO 2016 / 091570 A1, DE 20 2012 102 760 U1, and WO 02 / 11955 A1.

[0008] US 5,176,281 discloses a stackable system container with a base and a lid pivotally attached to it, wherein the upper surface of the lid has two spaced-apart guide rails for receiving another container, which have a walkway that can be engaged by the other container. The walkways project towards each other. In this stackable system container, the releasable fixation of the other container against unintentional slippage is achieved by a frictional engagement, against the force of which the other container can be pulled out.

[0009] US Patent 6,250,730 B1 discloses a safety device to prevent drawers from being unintentionally pulled out in furniture.

[0010] The subject of US 3,743,372 is a modular storage system with multiple stackable system containers.

[0011] US patent 5,890,613 A shows a locking lug in one of the guide rails of a dovetail guide.

[0012] Hitachi also produces accessory boxes for storing and transporting small parts. The lid of each box features multiple guide rails into which further boxes can be inserted. Each guide rail has a ledge that engages with the uppermost container when it is inserted. The ledges point away from each other, meaning each ledge faces an opposite outer side of the box. This requires very precise alignment of the two boxes to ensure a secure locking mechanism. Furthermore, the ledges protruding towards the outer side of the box are not visible when the uppermost container is placed on top, making the process of positioning and inserting the uppermost box more difficult.

[0013] The object of the invention is to provide a stackable system container and a transport system that enables a particularly stable and intuitive mutual attachment of one container to another system container. This object is achieved, with regard to the stackable system container, by the characterizing features of claim 1 and, with regard to the transport system, by the features of claim 6. Advantageous embodiments of the invention can be found in the respective dependent claims.

[0014] The stackable system container according to the invention is characterized in that the lid part has two spaced-apart guide rails on its upper surface. The guide rails, which are preferably aligned parallel to each other, enable a positive-locking connection to another system container. To connect the system containers, the upper system container is inserted into the guide rails of the lower system container, resulting in a particularly stable, positive-locking connection. The guide rails can be located at the edge of the lid part adjacent to two opposite side walls of the lid part, or they can be arranged at a distance from these side walls.

[0015] Each guide rail has a walkway, with the walkways projecting towards each other. The walkways can be gripped from underneath by another container. This rear gripping mechanism enables a particularly stable mutual fastening.

[0016] To lock stacked system containers together, the lid section is provided with at least one upwardly projecting locking lug. The locking lug is integrally integrated into one of the guide rails and forms a stop in the inserted locking position, preventing the connected system containers from easily coming loose.

[0017] To speed up the insertion of a container into the guide rails of the system container, the walkways can each have a recess, so that the insertion process does not have to take place over the entire length of the guide rails, but only over a part and can therefore be carried out much faster.

[0018] It can also be provided that at least one further guide rail is arranged on the lid section between the two guide rails, so that several smaller system containers can be fixed side by side on the lid section. The middle guide rail can have two walkways for this purpose, one of which projects towards the side guide rails.

[0019] In a manufacturing-friendly embodiment, the guide rails can be integrally formed with the cover part; however, it is also possible to form the guide rails separately so that they can be retrofitted or modified.

[0020] In a particularly advantageous embodiment, two guide rails can be arranged on the base part, which are designed to be complementary to the guide rails on the lid part. This allows several such system containers to be stacked on top of each other particularly easily and detachably connected to one another.

[0021] In a structurally advantageous embodiment, the guide rails can be formed by the edges of the base plate of the base part, which project laterally from opposing side walls of the base part.

[0022] To speed up the insertion of the next container into the guide rails, the guide rails can each have a recess corresponding to the walkways. The recesses preferably extend over a distance greater than the longitudinal extent of the walkway sections bounded by the recesses.

[0023] To ensure stable mutual locking of the system container with the container, at least one of the guide rails can have a locking stop corresponding to the locking lug on the lid. The positive-locking rear engagement between the locking stop and the locking lug enables particularly stable locking in the retracted position.

[0024] In an advantageous embodiment, the distance between the upper edge of the guide rail and the lower edge of the locking stop can be greater than the height of the locking lug. This allows the upper system container to be lifted in a front section for de-locking in the retracted position, and thus tilted about an axis transverse to the extension direction, so that the locking stop can be lifted over the locking lug and moved past it.

[0025] In a structurally advantageous embodiment, the locking stops can be formed in a side recess of the corresponding side wall of the base section. This protects the locking stops from external influences and conceals them in an aesthetically pleasing manner.

[0026] Furthermore, a transport system is claimed comprising a system container and another container, wherein the system container has guide rails arranged on a lid part, each with a walkway, which can be gripped from behind by complementary running rails of the container to be arranged above it.

[0027] In an advantageous embodiment, the transport system can include a locking device with at least one locking lug and a corresponding locking stop for locking the second system container in a retracted rear locking position.

[0028] Preferably, a locking lug can be arranged on each of the guide rails to guide the second system container in the extension direction. This prevents the container and the system container from tilting relative to each other.

[0029] Further features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description of preferred embodiments with reference to the drawings. These show: Fig. 1 a perspective view of a transport system with a system container and another container arranged above it; Fig. 2 a perspective view of the transport system of Figure 1 with a gap between the system container and the other container; Fig. 3 a perspective view of another transport system with two spaced-apart alternative containers or system containers; Fig. 4 a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of a system container with an additional central walkway;

[0030] Figure 1Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a transport system 1 comprising an upper container 2 and a lower system container 3 detachably connected to it. The upper container 2 includes a base 4 and a lid 5 pivotally connected to it, which define the storage space of the container 2. The lid 5 can be fixed against the base 4 in the closed position shown by means of locking tabs 6 to prevent the upper container 2 from opening unintentionally. The upper container 2 also has a carrying handle 7 on its front, which is pivotally attached to the base 4. The (lower) system container 3 is similarly designed, comprising a base 8 and a lid 9 pivotally connected to it, which can be mutually fixed in the closed position shown by means of locking tabs 10. A carrying handle 11 is also pivotally attached to the front of the base 8 of the lower system container 3.

[0031] The upper container 2 has pivotably arranged coupling devices 12 on opposite side walls of the base section 4 and corresponding coupling elements 13 on the top of the lid section 5. This design of the upper container 2 allows several identical containers to be stacked on top of each other and detachably connected by means of the coupling device and the coupling elements. For details of the coupling device, reference is made to the disclosures in DE 10 2013 110 496 and DE 10 2016 112 853, the contents of which are incorporated into this application.

[0032] The lower system container 3 also has corresponding coupling devices and coupling elements to enable the stacking and secure connection of multiple system containers.

[0033] Both the upper container 2 and the lower system container 3 are mirror images of each other, so that the corresponding elements of containers 2 and 3 are identical on the left and right sides, as can be seen in the figures. Although only one side is described at a time for the sake of simplicity, the description also applies to the opposite mirror image side of containers 2 and 3.

[0034] Figure 2 shows a perspective view of transport system 1 of Figure 1with two spaced-apart containers 2, 3. As can be seen from the illustration, the lid 9 of the lower system container 3 has two spaced-apart parallel guide rails 14, 15, which are designed for the positive locking of the upper container 2. The guide rails 14, 15 extend over the entire depth of the lid 9 and are also spaced apart from the opposite side walls, in particular the corresponding coupling elements formed there. This ensures that the lower system container 3 can be connected to the slightly smaller upper container 2, depending on the requirements, by means of the guide rails 14, 15 or alternatively by means of the coupling elements described for the upper container 2, but identically designed for the lower system container 3.

[0035] The guide rails 14, 15 each have a walkway 16, 17, which extend horizontally and thus parallel to the top of the lid and project towards each other from the guide rails 14, 15. Correspondingly, the upper container 2 has a guide rail 18, 19 on each of the opposite side walls of the bottom part 4, which are designed to vertically engage behind the walkways 16, 17 of the guide rails 14, 15.

[0036] Containers 2 and 3 are connected by inserting the upper container 2, with its guide rails 18 and 19, into the guide rails 14 and 15, so that the guide rails 18 and 19 engage the walkways 16 and 17. The guide rails 18 and 19 are formed by the edges of the base plate of the bottom section 4 of the upper container 2, which project laterally from the opposing side walls of the bottom section 4.

[0037] To prevent the upper container 2 from unintentionally detaching from the lower system container 3, a locking device is provided for locking the upper container 2 in a retracted rear locking position relative to the lower system container 3. This device comprises a locking lug 20 attached to the lid part 9 of the lower system container 3 and a locking stop 21 attached to the base part 4 of the upper container 2. In the illustrated embodiment, a locking lug 20 is arranged on each of the guide rails 14, 15, and a locking stop 21 is arranged on each of the running rails 18, 19, so that the described mirror-image arrangement of the containers 2, 3 is maintained.

[0038] In the illustrated embodiment, the guide rails 14, 15 have a front open end and a opposite rear closed end, so that the upper container 2 can only be inserted from the front. The locking lugs 20 are integrally formed at the open end of the guide rails 14, 15 at the top of the walkways 16, 17 and project vertically upwards. Complementing this, the locking stops are formed in a side recess of the corresponding side wall of the base part 4, as shown by way of example with the locking stop 21 in the side recess 22. Like the locking stop 21 in the side recess 22, the locking stops project vertically downwards.

[0039] To ensure secure locking of the upper container 2 in the guide rails 14, 15 of the lower system container 3, the locking stops 21 project downwards just far enough that the distance between the upper edge of the guide rails 18, 19 and the lower edge of the locking stops is greater than the vertical projection and thus the height of the locking lugs 20. This allows the upper system container 2 to be lifted in a front section, for example at the carrying handle 7, and thus tilted about an axis transverse to the extension direction, in order to de-lock it in the retracted position, so that the locking stops 21 can be lifted over the locking lugs 20 and moved past them.To facilitate easy insertion and locking of the upper container 2, the locking lugs 20 and / or the locking stops 21 may also be provided with a flattening in the insertion direction, which, upon contact between the locking lugs 20 and the locking stops 21 during insertion, leads to an automatic lifting of the upper system container 2 and thus makes it particularly easy for the locking lugs 20 to be overcome by the locking stops 21 during the insertion process.

[0040] Again Figure 2 As can be further seen, the lower system container 3 does not have an additional carrying handle between the guide rails 14, 15, such as the additional carrying handle 23 provided for the upper container 2. However, in an alternative embodiment, such an additional carrying handle can also be provided for the lower system container 3 between the guide rails 14, 15.

[0041] Figure 3Figure 1 shows a perspective view of another transport system 1 with two spaced-apart alternative containers 2, 3. In contrast to the previously described embodiment, the walkways 16, 17 of the lower system container 3 each have a recess 24a, 24b. The remaining elements are identical to the previously described embodiment and are provided with the same reference numerals.

[0042] As with the first embodiment in the Figures 1 and 2 The guide rails 18, 19 are each interrupted by a recess in which the coupling device is arranged, as can be seen by way of example in the recess 25 on the guide rail 18 in which the coupling device 12 is arranged.

[0043] Particularly rapid attachment of the upper container 2 to the lower system container 3 can be achieved by inserting the guide rails 18, 19 of the upper container 2 only a portion of the way into the guide rails 16, 17, rather than the entire length of them. In this embodiment, the rear sections of the guide rails 18, 19 can be inserted vertically from above through the recesses 24a, 24b into the guide rails 14, 15 and then pushed along the guide rails 14, 15 in the insertion direction until they reach the locking position. Advantageously, the recesses 24a, 24b are positioned approximately midway between the open front end and the closed rear end of the guide rails 14, 15, so that holding force can be transmitted equally via both the front and rear sections of the guide rails 16, 17.For ease of assembly, the length of the recesses 24a, 24b in the insertion direction is intended to be at least equal to the extent of the rear sections of the walkways 16, 17, thus enabling vertical insertion. However, it is also possible for the length of the recesses 24a, 24b to be less than the extent of the rear sections of the walkways 16, 17, so that insertion is only possible at an angle by tilting.

[0044] In an embodiment not shown, the coupling devices 12 can also interact with corresponding counter-elements in the guide rails 14, 15 in the inserted locking position, thus forming an additional or alternative locking device. This can be released in a known manner by pressing the coupling devices 12 together. Furthermore, by means of corresponding inclined sliding surfaces, the coupling devices 12 can automatically engage with corresponding counter-elements, for example, catches, when the upper container is inserted into the rear locking position. This allows the existing coupling devices 12 to be used intuitively not only for mutual locking of identical system containers but also for releasable fixation to the guide rails 14, 15.

[0045] In addition, in the illustrated embodiments, guide rails corresponding to the guide rails 14, 15, but with a smaller mutual spacing, can also be arranged on the lid part 5 of the upper container 2, 2, so that another smaller system container can be stacked and secured on top of the upper container 2, 2. The entire transport system can thus be easily grasped and carried using the additional carrying handle 23 of the upper container 2, 2 or the carrying handle of the uppermost container.

[0046] Another embodiment of the invention shows the Figure 4In this embodiment, a further guide rail 27 is arranged on the lid part 9 of the lower system container 3, between and parallel to the two guide rails 14 and 15. This guide rail 27 is also equipped with walkways 28 and 29, which are opposite the walkways 16 and 17 of the outer guide rails 14 and 15, respectively. In this way, several smaller upper containers can be mounted side by side on the lid part 9 of the lower system container 3. Reference symbol list

[0047] 1 Transport system 2 Upper container 3 Lower system container 4 Base of upper container 5 Lid of upper container 6 Locking tab of upper container 7 Carrying handle of upper container 8 Base of lower system container 9 Lid of lower system container 10 Locking tab of lower system container 11 Carrying handle of lower system container 12 Coupling device 13 Coupling element 14 First guide rail 15 Second guide rail 16 First walkway 17 Second walkway 18 First running rail 19 Second running rail 20 Locking lug 21 Locking stop 22 Side recess 23 Additional carrying handle of upper container 24a, 24b Recess 25 Recess

Claims

1. Stackable system container (3) having a bottom part (8) and a lid part (9) which is pivotably attached to the bottom part (8) and which has on an upper side two guide rails (14, 15) spaced apart from one another for positively receiving a further container (2), wherein the guide rails (14, 15) each have a running bar (16, 17) which can be engaged from below by a further container (2), wherein the running bars (16, 17) project in the direction toward each another and wherein at least one upwardly projecting locking lug (20) is provided on the lid part (9), characterized in that the at least one locking lug (20) is integrally accommodated in one of the guide rails (14; 15).

2. Stackable system container (3) according to claim 1, characterized in that the guide rails (14; 15) are aligned parallel to one another.

3. Stackable system container (3) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the running bars (16; 17) each have at least one recess (24a; 24b).

4. Stackable system container (3) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a further guide rail (27) is arranged on the lid part (9) between the two guide rails (14; 15).

5. Stackable system container (3) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the guide rails (14; 15; 27) are formed integrally with the lid part (9).

6. Transport system (1), comprising at least one system container (3) and a container (2), wherein running rails (14; 15; 27), each having a running bar (16; 17; 28; 29), are arranged on the lid part (9) of the system container (3), which running rails are engaged by complementary running bars (18, 19) of the container (2) in a holding manner, wherein the running bars (16; 17; 28; 29) projecting in a direction toward each other and at least one upwardly projecting locking lug (20) being arranged on the lid part (9), and the container (2) having a corresponding locking stop (21) for locking the container (2) in a pushed-in rear locking position, characterized in that a locking lug (20) is arranged on each of the guide rails (14; 15) for guiding the container in pull-out direction, the distance between the upper edge of the running rails (18; 19) of the container (2) and the lower edge of the locking stops (21) of the container (2) being greater than the height of the locking lugs (20) of the first system container (3).

7. Transport system (1) according to claim 6, characterized in that a locking stop (21) is formed on each side wall of the running rails (18; 19).