Thermoformed coffin

Abstract

The invention relates to a coffin (1) comprising a base (10) and a lid (20) made of biodegradable material. According to the invention, the base (10) and / or the lid (20) are obtained by thermoforming from a plate. Figure for abstract: Fig. 1

Description

Title of the invention: thermoformed coffin Technical field

[0001] The invention relates to the technical field of funeral articles and in particular coffins. Prior art

[0002] Whatever the materials or manufacturing techniques used for the production of coffins, they must meet specific requirements, for example those of standard NF D80-001 relating to performance specifications for checking the suitability of a coffin for use, as well as the sub-parts of this standard.

[0003] For example, part 2 specifies the characterization of coffins and requirements for biodegradability in earth, and part 3 specifies the characterization of coffins and requirements for cremation.

[0004] Other documents may include requirements, such as Article R. 2213-25 of the General Code of Local Authorities, which imposes waterproofing characteristics of the coffin when it is intended for burial.

[0005] The choice of materials to use and the design of a coffin are therefore subject to precise and numerous constraints.

[0006] Coffins made of wood or cardboard are known from the prior art. Wooden coffins are generally made of solid wood or chipboard. Cardboard coffins are made from honeycomb cardboard assembled in several layers.

[0007] These wooden or cardboard coffins are manufactured in carpentry workshops, either by hand or industrially.

[0008] However, the production rates of these coffins are low, and the production costs are high. In the case of health crises, for example, the production rates of these coffins may not be up to the needs of burial or cremation.

[0009] Furthermore, in view of the specific requirements relating to burial and cremation, certain coffins are only compatible with one of these methods, but not both. For example, a wooden coffin intended to be cremated has a lesser thickness than a wooden coffin intended to be buried. The wood varnishes used for cremation are not the same as those used for burial. The choice of material for the coffin handles is also adapted accordingly. Disclosure of the invention

[0010] One of the aims of the invention is to design a coffin which complies with regulatory requirements and which can be manufactured in large series and at high rates.

[0011] Another aim of the invention is to design a coffin which is compatible with the greatest number of funeral techniques, such as burial or cremation.

[0012] For this purpose, a coffin has been developed comprising a base and a lid made of biodegradable material.

[0013] According to the invention, the base and / or the cover are obtained by thermoforming from a plate, or by rotational molding or injection.

[0014] In this way, the manufacturing steps are extremely reduced since the assembly operations are almost zero. It is only necessary to add the coffin handling handles, and possibly inserts for screwing if these could not be placed on the bottom and / or the lid during thermoforming.

[0015] According to particular embodiments: - the biodegradable material of the base and lid is also bio-sourced, in order to further limit the environmental impact of the manufacture of the coffin. - the biodegradable material comprises one of the materials from a biopolymer and preferably polylactic acid, or starch and preferably corn starch, vegetable oil, lignin, sugar cane, wheat, potato, plant fibers, or a combination of several of these materials. The term "comprises" here also means "is derived from" or "based on". These materials are in fact common and proven in terms of supply and industrialization, and it is possible, from one or a combination of these materials, to constitute plates capable of being thermoformed. - the bottom has a flared geometry allowing the stacking of several bottoms, and the lid has a flared geometry allowing the stacking of several lids. The volume occupied by the empty coffins is extremely reduced compared to the coffins of the prior art, whether in storage or in transport. - the lid has an upper face with a peripheral rib or tongue capable of fitting into a complementary peripheral rib or tongue on a lower face of the base. It is thus possible to stack assembled coffins while awaiting burial or cremation of the coffins. - the nominal thickness of the base and the lid is between 3 and 10 mm, and preferably between 4 and 7 mm. The resulting coffin is thus much lighter than coffins of the prior art.

[0016] The invention also relates to a method for producing the bottom and / or a lid of a coffin using a plastics technique from a biodegradable material, such as thermoforming, rotational molding, or injection. Brief description of the drawings

[0017] [Fig.l] is a perspective view of a coffin according to the invention.

[0018] [Fig.2] is a longitudinal section of such a coffin.

[0019] [Fig.3] is a view illustrating the stacking of such coffins.

[0020] [Fig.4] is a view illustrating the stacking of bottoms and lids of such a coffin.

[0021] [Fig.5] is a perspective view of another coffin according to the invention. Detailed description of the invention

[0022] With reference to the figures below, the coffin (1) according to the invention comprises a bottom (20) and a lid (10) obtained by thermoforming. The bottom (20) has a lower face (21) from which the walls of the bottom extend with a flared shape, and ends with a collar or tongue (23). The lid (10) has an upper face (11) from which the walls of the lid extend with a flared shape, and also ends with a collar or tongue (13).

[0023] The choice of the material used is at the discretion of the person skilled in the art, depending on his technical, aesthetic, financial and environmental preferences. In all cases, the materials chosen must meet the aforementioned requirements.

[0024] It is obvious that a coffin (1) intended to be buried must be compatible with biodegradation, and must avoid including polluting materials such as persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic (PBT) substances. As for a coffin (1) intended to be cremated, its combustion must for example not generate volatile organic compounds (VOCs).

[0025] The material used for the production of the coffin (1) is therefore a biodegradable material, and free from pollutants such as PBT or VOC. Preferably, the material is also biosourced in order to reduce the environmental impact.

[0026] To do this, the person skilled in the art will choose a material from bioplastics such as polylactic acid (PLA). PLA is a material commonly used in industry, and is perfectly compatible with thermoforming. The material may also contain corn starch, vegetable oil, lignin, sugar cane, wheat, potato, plant fibers, or a combination of several of these materials. The term "contains" here also means "is derived from" or "based on".

[0027] For aesthetic considerations, the material used can be tinted or decorated. Preferably, the coloring is obtained by adding pigments to the composition of the material, so that it is tinted throughout. It can also involve complexing, i.e. the deposition of a sheet or film on the material plate before thermoforming it. Finally, it can also involve printing on the plate. The coffin (1) obtained can thus be of the chosen color, or have a pattern imitating the appearance of wood for example.

[0028] Furthermore, since a bioplastic is by nature impermeable to water, it is not necessary to add a sealing bowl to the design of the coffin (1) as practiced in the prior art.

[0029] The lower face (21) of the bottom (20) comprises longitudinal and transverse ribs forming bosses, in order to stiffen it. Indeed, the coffin (1) is intended to receive a corpse which can weigh up to a hundred kilograms.

[0030] The bottom walls (20) and the lid walls (10) may also include ribs or bosses for the same purpose.

[0031] The upper face (11) of the cover (10) and the lower face (21) of the base (20) are each provided with a peripheral rib (12, 22). These peripheral ribs (12, 22) serve for a first purpose of stiffening these upper and lower faces (11, 21).

[0032] These ribs (12, 22) also serve to be able to stack the assembled coffins (1), that is to say to be able to stack them smoothly on top of each other. Indeed, the two ribs (12, 22) have the same profile, however the rib (12) of the upper face (11) has a dimension slightly greater than that of the rib (22) of the lower face (21), so that the lower rib (22) is able to fit into the upper rib (12).

[0033] The coffin (1) has a location (15) intended to receive a plaque or a label for identifying the deceased. Preferably, the location (15) of the label is a hollow boss provided on the upper face (11) of the cover (10).

[0034] It is also possible that the upper face (11) of the cover (10) has a window (14) allowing the face of the deceased to be seen while in the coffin. This window (14) is made of transparent material and is fixed to the cover (10) by any suitable means such as gluing, welding, riveting, screwing.

[0035] The bottom (20) and the cover (10) are intended to be assembled, preferably by screwing.

[0036] For this purpose, the collar (13, 23) of the bottom (20) and of the cover (10) extends transversely over a width of between 15 and 45 mm, and preferably 32 mm. Each collar (13, 23) is terminated by a fold intended to increase its mechanical strength.

[0037] If the means of assembly of the cover and the base are screws, it is appropriate to place threaded inserts (26) in the base (20) or the cover (10) to ensure the solidity of the assembly.

[0038] If the means for assembling the cover (10) and the base (20) are bolts, the width of the collar (13, 23) is adapted so that the bolts have a sufficient support surface. For example, it may be chosen to use large-headed bolts, preferably M6 bolts.

[0039] The interlocking of the collars (13, 23) makes it possible to make the coffin (1) impervious to oxygen and odor, pending burial or cremation.

[0040] The coffin (1) may comprise handling means, preferably handles (30), which are at least 4 in number and preferably 6. These handles (30) may be fixed to the coffin (1) by screwing, and be made of metal or resin compatible with the aforementioned requirements.

[0041] In order to be sufficiently resistant during handling, the coffin (1) has reinforcements, for example additional plates made from the same material as the bottom (20) and the lid (10), and glued to an inner face of the coffin (1).

[0042] These reinforcements can be arranged opposite the handles (30), so that the reinforcements can, for example, receive the assembly screws of the handles (30).

[0043] The thermoforming manufacturing technique involves the presence of undercuts on the parts intended to allow their removal from the mold. Some molds include drawers allowing parts to be obtained with undercuts. Within the framework of the invention, however, it is chosen to design a base (20) and a cover (10) without undercuts and with sufficient flare so that these parts, awaiting use and assembly, can fit together. In this way, the storage and transport volume of the empty, but ready-to-use, coffins (1) is extremely reduced compared to the solutions of the prior art.

[0044] In order to limit manufacturing operations, a religious badge (16) can be placed on the coffin (1) directly during the thermoforming operation, and thus avoids the subsequent affixing of a plaque or a decorative element. The religious badge (16) can therefore be in the form of bosses, hollow or raised, on the coffin (1) and preferably on the upper face (11) of the lid (10).

[0045] Furthermore, the material of the coffin (1) may be shaped differently from the examples given and may be of any type suitable for the present application.

[0046] The choice of material from a biopolymer and preferably polylactic acid, or starch and preferably corn starch, vegetable oil, lignin, sugar cane, wheat, potato, plant fibers, or a combination of several of these materials makes it possible to be compatible with different traditional manufacturing methods of plastics processing.

[0047] Although thermoforming a plate is the preferred method envisaged, it is possible to use any suitable industrial production technique, such as rotational molding, or even injection.

[0048] Furthermore, the technical characteristics of the different embodiments and variants mentioned above can be, in whole or in part, combined with each other. Thus, the coffin (1) can be adapted in terms of cost, functionality and performance.

Claims

Claims

1. Coffin (1) comprising a bottom (10) and a lid (20) made of biodegradable material, characterized in that the bottom (10) and / or the lid (20) are obtained by thermoforming from a plate, and in that the bottom (10) has a flared geometry allowing the stacking of several bottoms (10), and the lid (20) has a flared geometry allowing the stacking of several lids (20), the lid (10) has an upper face (11) from which the walls of the lid extend with a flared shape, and also ends with a collar or tongue (13), and the bottom (20) has a lower face (21) from which the walls of the bottom extend with a flared shape, and ends with a collar or tongue (23), each collar (13, 23) is terminated by a fold, the collars (13, 23) being nestable.

2. Coffin (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the biodegradable material of the bottom (10) and the cover (20) is also biosourced.

3. A coffin (1) according to claim 2, characterized in that the biodegradable material comprises one of a biopolymer and preferably polylactic acid, or starch and preferably corn starch, vegetable oil, lignin, sugar cane, wheat, potato, vegetable fibers, or a combination of several of these materials.

4. Coffin (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cover (10) has an upper face (11) provided with a peripheral rib or tongue (12) capable of fitting with a complementary peripheral rib or tongue (22) of a lower face (21) of the base (20).

5. Coffin (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the nominal thickness of the bottom (10) and the cover (20) is between 3 and 10 mm, and preferably between 4 and 7 mm.

6. Coffin (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cover (10) has an upper face (11) provided with a porthole (14).

7. Coffin (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cover (10) has an upper face (11) presenting a thermoformed religious insignia (16).

8. Method for manufacturing a coffin (1) comprising a bottom (20) and a lid (10), remarkable in that the bottom (20) and / or the lid (10) is manufactured by a thermoforming technique from a plate of biodegradable material, and in that the bottom (10) has a flared geometry allowing the stacking of several bottoms (10), and the lid (20) has a flared geometry allowing the stacking of several lids (20), the lid (10) has an upper face (11) from which the walls of the lid extend with a flared shape, and also ends with a collar (13), and the bottom (20) has a lower face (21) from which the walls of the bottom extend with a flared shape, and ends with a collar (23), each collar (13, 23) is terminated by a fold, the collars (13, 23) being nestable.

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