Transport and storage container for liquids

The transport and storage container addresses screw connection failures by using cross-sectional recesses and bending points to prevent contact between screw ends and crossbars, ensuring structural integrity during pressure tests.

EP4232374B1Active Publication Date: 2025-07-09PROTECHNA SA
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Patent Information

Application Number
EP2021762669
Authority / Receiving Office
EP · EP
Patent Type
Patents
Current Assignee / Owner
Priority Date
2020-10-21
Filing Date
2021-08-12
Publication Date
2025-07-09
Estimated Expiration
2041-08-12

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

Existing transport and storage containers for liquids face issues with screw connection failures due to high stress during pressure resistance tests, leading to potential component failure from transverse forces acting on the screw connections.

Method used

The container design incorporates cross-sectional recesses and predetermined bending points in the transition sections of the vertical lattice bars and crossbars to prevent physical contact between the screw ends and the crossbars, allowing for increased deformation without loosening the thread engagement.

Benefits of technology

This design enhances the failure safety of the screw connections by avoiding harmful transverse forces, maintaining structural integrity during hydraulic pressure tests.

✦ Generated by Eureka AI based on patent content.

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Abstract

The invention relates to a transport and storage container for liquids, comprising a pallet-like subframe for an inner container (11) made of plastic with four lateral walls, a lower and an upper base (16, 17), a closable filling nozzle (19) which is molded on the upper base (17), an outlet nozzle which is molded on the lower section of a lateral wall and comprises a removal fitting, and a grate casing (22) with horizontal and vertical grate rods (23, 24) made of metal for receiving the inner container (11), wherein at least two vertical grate rods (24) arranged on opposing lateral walls are connected at connecting sections (25) by means of a transverse rod (30) which extends over the upper base (17) of the inner container (11) and which is made of a hollow profiled section, and the vertical grate rods (24) connected together via the transverse rod (30) or the transverse rod (30) have a cross-sectional depression in the transition sections subsequently formed at the connecting sections (25, 31) in order to relieve transverse forces acting on the connection screws.
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Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a transport and storage container for liquids with a pallet-like base frame for an inner container made of plastic according to the preamble of claim 1.

[0002] From DE 10 2010 048609 A1 a transport and storage container of the type mentioned above is known, in which connecting sections of a cross bar, which extends over the upper floor of the inner container, are connected to an upper, circumferential edge profile, laterally offset from connecting sections of the vertical grid bars of the grid shell, via a screw connection with the edge profile.

[0003] From US 5 678 688 A a transport and storage container is known which has diagonally running connecting struts extending above the inner container to stiffen the grid shell.

[0004] US 2011 073510 A1 shows connecting struts extending parallel to one another above the inner container to stiffen the grid shell and which are connected to the upper edge profile of the grid shell.

[0005] Another transport and storage container is known from EP 1 289 852 A1.

[0006] Transport and storage containers of the type mentioned above are subject to a design-dependent approval test to ensure that defined safety standards are met during use of the transport and storage containers, also known as IBCs. As part of such approval tests, a pressure resistance test of the transport and storage containers is carried out, in particular. During this test, the inner container is subjected to increased hydraulic pressure. Consequently, the corresponding deformation forces acting on the inner container must be absorbed by the mesh casing supporting the inner container.In this case, the screw connections formed between the connecting sections of the vertical lattice bars and the connecting sections of the cross bar are subjected to a particularly high degree of stress, such that transverse forces act on the screw connections in the area of ​​the connecting sections, which can lead to an expansion of the threaded bore formed in the connecting sections of the cross bar, with the result that the thread engagement between the connecting screws and the connecting sections of the cross bar is released and a corresponding component failure is the result.

[0007] The present invention is based on the object of proposing a transport and storage container which is characterized by an improved failure safety of the screw connection formed between the cross bars and the grid casing.

[0008] To achieve this object, the transport and storage container according to the invention has the features of claim 1.

[0009] According to the invention, at least two vertical grid bars arranged on opposite side walls are connected at the connecting sections to the connecting sections of the crossbar, such that in each case a connecting section of a vertical grid bar is connected to a connecting section of the crossbar by means of the connecting screw, wherein the connecting sections of the crossbar are bent upwards relative to a longitudinal section extending over the upper floor of the inner container and extend in the direction of the connecting sections of the vertical grid bars, wherein the connecting sections of the vertical grid bars have a through-opening for the passage of the connecting screw,wherein the vertical bars connected to one another via the crossbar or the crossbar in transition sections formed adjacent to the connecting sections in the transition to the hollow profile have a cross-sectional recess to relieve the shear force of the connecting screw.

[0010] As tests have shown, the shear force load relevant for the component safety of the screw connection is essentially due to the fact that when the inner container expands due to increased internal hydraulic pressure, the crossbar is deformed in such a way that the transition section adjoining the connecting section of the crossbar comes into contact with the screw end protruding from the fastening opening of the connecting section of the crossbar, so that deformation forces act as shear forces on the connecting screw via the transition section and, as a result of the reveal of the fastening opening, the thread engagement between the connecting screw and the connecting sections of the crossbar is loosened.

[0011] With the cross-sectional recess provided according to the invention, which can be formed in the transition sections of the vertical lattice bars or the transition sections of the crossbar or also in both the transition sections of the vertical lattice bars and the transition sections of the crossbar, the formation of body contact between the transition sections of the crossbar and the connecting screw can be prevented, so that corresponding harmful transverse force loads on the connecting screw can be avoided.

[0012] According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the cross-sectional recess in the transition sections of the crossbar is formed opposite a screw end protruding from the fastening opening to accommodate the screw end as the transition section approaches the screw end. Such a configuration of the cross-sectional recess enables an increase in the deformation path of the crossbar as a result of expansion of the inner container, without contact between the crossbar and the screw end occurring. Accordingly, physical contact between the crossbar and the screw end is avoided, or the possible deformation path of the crossbar before physical contact occurs is increased.

[0013] The cross-sectional recess in the transition sections of the crossbar can be designed as a trough or recess between the longitudinal edges of the crossbar. A trough design is particularly advantageous, as it maintains increased flexural rigidity of the crossbar in the area of ​​the transition sections, in contrast to a recess or recess extending across the entire width of the transition piece.

[0014] According to a further preferred embodiment of the invention, the cross-sectional recess in the transition sections of the vertical lattice bars is designed as a predetermined bending point, which, when a transverse force acts on the connecting sections via the crossbar, enables the connecting sections to pivot outwardly around the predetermined bending point, away from the inner container, about an axis parallel to the upper edge profile. In such an embodiment, the formation of physical contact between the crossbar and the screw end, which is detrimental to the strength of the screw connection, is avoided or delayed by the fact that, due to the reduced flexural rigidity of the transition section of the vertical lattice bars, the connecting sections of the vertical lattice bars execute an outward pivoting movement around the predetermined bending point in the same direction as the deformation of the crossbar.

[0015] It has been found to be particularly advantageous if the predetermined bending point is designed as a groove arranged on an outer side of the vertical lattice bars in the transition section, which groove extends parallel to the upper edge profile, so that a reduced bending stiffness desired in the area of ​​the predetermined bending point is achieved.

[0016] Preferred embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail below with reference to the drawings. They show: Fig. 1 a perspective view of a transport and storage container with a lattice shell provided with cross bars on its upper edge profile; Fig. 2 an enlarged view of a truss rod connection area formed on the lattice shell; Fig. 3 a sectional view of the Fig. 2 shown truss rod connection area according to section line III-III in Fig. 2 ; Fig. 4 an enlarged view of the Fig. 3 shown traverse connection area in the case of an inner container under increased internal pressure of the Fig. 1 transport and storage container shown.

[0017] Fig. 1 shows a transport and storage container 10 for liquids that can be used as a disposable and reusable container, which has an inner container 11 made of plastic with four side walls 12, 13, 14 and 15 as well as a lower and an upper base 16, 17, a filler neck 19 formed on the upper base 17 and closable with a lid 18 and an outlet neck 20 formed on the lower section of the front side wall 13 with a withdrawal fitting 21, furthermore an outer grid casing 22 made of intersecting horizontal and vertical grid bars 23, 24 made of metal for receiving the inner container 11. The vertical grid bars 24 are welded with an upper connecting section 25 to an upper edge profile 26 and with a lower connecting section 27 to a lower edge profile 28 of the grid casing 22. In addition, the grid casing 22 is connected to a pallet-like base frame 29 via its lower edge profile 28.

[0018] How Fig. 1 shows, the grid jacket 22 is provided with two cross bars 30 extending over the upper floor 17 of the inner container 11, which in the present case run parallel to each other and, as in Fig. 2 shown, with connecting sections 31 formed at their longitudinal ends, are connected by a screw connection 32 to the upper connecting section 25 of a vertical lattice bar 24. As Fig. 3 shows, both the connecting section 31 of the cross bar 30 and the connecting section 25 of the vertical lattice bar 24 are each formed by a flattening of the cross bar 30 or vertical lattice bar 24 formed from a hollow profile 33 or 34 and are separated by a transition section 35 or 36 from a longitudinal section 37 or 38 formed by the hollow profile 33, 34.

[0019] As in particular Fig. 3 shows, the connecting section 31 of the truss bar 30 is bent up relative to the longitudinal section 37 of the truss bar 30 in such a way that the connecting section 31 of the truss bar 30 and the connecting section 25 of the vertical lattice bar 24 extend in substantially parallel planes, wherein the connecting sections 31, 25 are non-positively connected to one another by means of a connecting screw 39 which extends through a through-opening 40 formed in the connecting section 25 of the vertical lattice bar 24 and a fastening opening 41 formed in the connecting section 31 of the truss bar 30.

[0020] To establish the frictional connection, the connecting screw 39 is screwed into the fastening opening 41, which is designed as a threaded bore, with a screw end 42 penetrating the fastening opening 41, in such a way that a threaded engagement is established between a reveal 43 of the fastening opening 41 and the screw end 42.

[0021] As in particular the Fig. 2 and 3show, in the exemplary embodiment of the transport and storage container explained here, both the transition section 35 formed between the connecting section 31 and the longitudinal section 37 of the crossbar 30 and the transition section 36 formed between the connecting section 25 and the longitudinal section 38 of the vertical lattice bar 24 have a cross-sectional recess designed as a trough 44 or channel 45, wherein the trough 44 is opposite the screw end 42 protruding from the fastening opening 41 and the channel 45 is formed in an outer side 46 of the lattice bar 24 facing away from the inner container 11 and extends parallel to the upper edge profile 26.

[0022] To explain the advantageous effect of the trough 44 and the channel 46 in the case of an inner container 11 under increased hydraulic internal pressure, Fig. 4 schematically shows the deformation state in the area of ​​the screw connection 32. As a comparison between the Fig. 3 undeformed state of the screw connection 32 shown with the Fig. 4 As shown in the deformation state shown in FIG. 1, the formation of the trough 44 in the transition section 35 of the cross member 30 enables the transition section 35 to approach the screw end 42 during deformation without the formation of physical contact between the screw end 42 and the transition section 35. The trough 44 forms a free space in the transition section 35 into which the screw end 42 can dip when the transition section 35 approaches the screw end 42.

[0023] Furthermore, a comparison of the representations in the Fig. 3 and 4 ,that the groove 45 formed on the outer side 46 of the vertical grid bar 24 in the transition section 36 forms a predetermined kink point which, in the event of a transverse force acting on the connecting sections 31, 25 via the crossbar 30 as a result of the expansion of the inner container, enables the connecting sections 31, 25 to pivot outwards about the predetermined kink point about an axis parallel to the upper edge profile 26, so that the screw end 42 of the connecting screw 39 can, due to this pivoting movement, still avoid the approach of the transition section 35 of the crossbar 30 in addition to the possibility of immersion into the trough 44 explained above.

[0024] As can be seen from the above, both the formation of the trough 44 in the transition section 35 of the crossbar 30 and the formation of the groove 45 in the transition section 36 of the vertical lattice bar 24 make it possible to avoid physical contact between the transition section 35 of the crossbar 30 and the screw end 42, wherein the simultaneous formation of the trough 44 and the groove 46 in the illustrated embodiment enables a particularly advantageous superposition of the effects.

Claims

1. A transport and storage container (10) for liquids comprising a pallet-type understructure (29) for an inner container (11) made of plastic, the inner container (11) having four side walls (12, 13, 14, 15), a lower and an upper bottom (16, 17), a sealable filling socket (19) which is formed on the upper bottom (17) and an outlet socket (20) which is formed on the lower portion of a side wall (12), said outlet socket (20) having a tapping fitting (21), the transport and storage container comprising a cage (22) having horizontal and vertical bars (23, 24) made of metal for receiving the inner container (11) and at least a traverse bar (30) which extends over the upper bottom (17) of the inner container (11) and which is formed by a hollow profile (33), connecting portions (31) formed on the ends of the traverse bar (30) by deforming the hollow profile as a flat section having a fastening opening with a wall for forming a threaded engagement with a connecting screw (39) for connecting the cage (22), ends of the vertical bars (24), which are formed by a hollow profile, being welded to a lower and an upper circumferential edge profile (26, 28) of the cage (22), the upper ends of the vertical bars (24) having a connecting portion (25) in order to be connected to the upper edge profile (26), said connecting portion (25) having a flat section which is formed from the hollow profile (34) by deforming, characterized in that at least two vertical bars (24), which are disposed on opposite side walls (12, 14), are connected to the connecting sections (31) of the traverse bar (30) at the connecting portions (25) in such a manner that a connecting portion (25) of a vertical bar (24) is connected to a connecting portion (31) of the traverse bar (30) by means of the connecting screw (39) in each case, the connecting portions (31) of the traverse bar (30) being bent upwards with respect to a longitudinal portion (37), which extends over the upper bottom (17) of the inner container (11), and extending towards the connecting portions (25) of the vertical bars (24), and the connecting portions (35) of the vertical bars (24) having a passage opening (40) for guiding the connecting screw (39), the vertical bars (24) which are connected to each other via the traverse bar (30) or the traverse bar (30) having a cross section recess for decreasing a shear force acting on the connecting screw (39) in transition portions (36, 35), which are formed adjacent to the connecting portions (25, 31).

2. The container according to claim 1, characterized in that the cross section recess in the transition portions (31) of the traverse bar (30) is formed opposite a screw end (42) protruding from the fastening opening (41) and serves to receive the screw end (42) when the transition portion (31) approaches the screw end (42).

3. The container according to claim 2, characterized in that the cross section recess is formed as a depression (44) or a recess which is formed between longitudinal edges of the traverse bar (30) in the transition portion (31) of the traverse bar (30).

4. The container according to claim 1, characterized in that the cross section recess in the transition portions (25) of the vertical bars (24) forms a predetermined bending point which allows a pivoting of the connecting portions (25, 31) away from the inner container (11) around the predetermined bending point and outwards around an axis which is parallel to the upper edge profile (26) when a shear force acts on the connecting portions (25, 31) via the traverse bar (30).

5. The container according to claim 4, characterized in that the predetermined bending point is formed as a groove (45) which is disposed on an outer surface (46) of the vertical bars (24) in the transition portion (25) and which extends parallel to the upper edge profile (26).

Citation Information

Patent Citations

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    EP1289852A1

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