A set of components that, when assembled, form a box with four sides and a bottom.

Abstract

The invention relates to an assembly (1) of interlocking elements (2, (3), 4, 5) which, when assembled, form a box having four sides and a bottom. According to the invention: - each side wall (2) has dovetail profiles (2a) at its lateral edges; - the assembly of elements (1) comprises elongated elements (4) forming corner keys for joining two consecutive side walls (2), with dovetail grooves; - each side wall (2) has a recess (11) set back from its lower edge; and - the bottom wall (3) has, at each of its four side edges, elongated assembly portions (3a) dimensioned in thickness so as to fit snugly into the corresponding respective recesses (11) formed by said side walls (2). Figure for aggregate: Figure 1

Description

Title of the invention: Set of assemblable elements allowing, when assembled, to constitute a box having four sides and a base.

[0001] The present invention relates to a set of assemblable elements which, when assembled, make it possible to form a box having four sides and a bottom.

[0002] The box in question can have all types of use; it is in particular intended to constitute a means of transport and / or presentation of products to be marketed.

[0003] This box can be made of any suitable material; it is mainly intended to be made of wood.

[0004] It is known to produce a wooden box by assembling flat elements to form the four side walls and the bottom of the box. The assembly of these elements to each other is carried out by any suitable means such as nailing, stapling and / or gluing.

[0005] Such a known crate, however, has the disadvantage of being relatively difficult and time-consuming to assemble, which is a significant, even insurmountable, problem when it comes to making crates in large quantities, and therefore in a simple and rapid manner.

[0006] The present invention aims to remedy this essential drawback while making it possible to obtain a box, in particular made of wood, which remains perfectly solid and rigid.

[0007] The set of elements concerned comprises four flat side walls and a flat bottom wall.

[0008] In the set of elements according to the invention: - each side wall has dovetail profiles at its side edges; - the set of elements comprises elongated elements forming corner keys of the body, for the assembly of two consecutive side walls, each of these elements having two dovetail grooves, arranged at 90° to each other, allowing the sliding engagement, in an adjusted manner, of the element forming the corner keys on the corresponding dovetail profiles of the two side walls that this element is intended to assemble; - each side wall has a recess set back from its lower edge; and - the bottom wall has, at each of its four side edges, elongated assembly portions projecting towards the outside of this bottom wall, which are dimensioned in thickness so as to be engaged in a fitted manner in the respective corresponding recesses formed by said side walls.

[0009] To constitute a box, the four side walls are engaged in a fitted manner, at the level of said recesses, on said projecting elongated portions of the bottom wall, which allows precise pre-positioning of these side walls relative to this bottom wall; in this pre-positioning position, the side walls of each pair of consecutive side walls are placed precisely, one relative to the other, in their final assembly position, which allows easy and rapid engagement of each element forming an angle key which brings about the assembly of these two walls.

[0010] The aforementioned objective, of a possibility of simple and rapid assembly of a large quantity of boxes, in particular made of wood, remaining perfectly solid and rigid, is perfectly achieved thanks to these provisions.

[0011] It will be understood that the terms "side(s)", "bottom" "upper(s)" and "lower(s)" used above, and as used throughout the present description and the appended claims, are to be considered with reference to the box once assembled, placed in the position allowing the box to receive products, therefore with the bottom wall placed in the lower part and the opening of the box delimited by the side walls placed in the upper part.

[0012] Preferably, the set of elements according to the invention comprises at least one elongated element for supporting the bottom wall, this support element having a height corresponding to the distance separating the edge of each side wall delimiting the lower side of each aforementioned recess and the lower edge of the side wall.

[0013] Thus, it is not the elongated assembly portions which support the weight of the load placed inside the box but this or these elongated support elements.

[0014] According to a possible embodiment of the invention in this case, the set of elements comprises two such elongated support elements, which are in the form of rods and which are intended to be fixed to two opposite side walls of the body, against the parts of these walls extending below said recesses.

[0015] The corner key elements could be purely profiled, i.e. have the same cross-section over their entire length; however, this would result in an imperfect visual appearance of the body since the lower parts of these elements would be stopped by the bottom wall at a distance from the lower parts of the side walls. If the bottom wall were hollowed out at its corners to ensure that these elements could descend to the level of the lower parts of the side walls, there would then be a risk of downward mobility, below the bottom wall, of one or more of these corner key elements relative to the side walls when the body was lifted; it would then be necessary to provide a means of immobilizing the corner key elements relative to the side walls, such as gluing or friction resulting from a forceful engagement of these elements on the corresponding edges of the side walls, which would make the assembly process of the body more complex and longer. To avoid these drawbacks, according to the invention: - the back wall forms, at its corners, surfaces for receiving the elements forming corner keys, and - each element forming an angle key has a recess arranged at its lower end, making it possible to form a lower bearing face of this element against the corresponding receiving surface formed by the bottom wall, this lower bearing face being arranged, relative to the lower end of said element, at a distance corresponding to that going from the upper edge of the assembly recess formed by a side wall to the lower edge of this wall.

[0016] Thus, each element forming an angle key extends to the lower end of the side walls when its lower bearing face abuts against the receiving surface formed by the bottom wall, making the box obtained by means of the set of elements according to the invention have a perfect visual appearance.

[0017] The aforementioned assembly recesses could open onto the outer side of the side walls; the visual appearance of the resulting body would however be adversely affected; for this reason, preferably, the recesses in question are in the form of grooves and therefore do not open onto the outer faces of the side walls.

[0018] Preferably, at least two elements of the set of elements according to the invention have means for positioning a first box relative to a second box when said first box is stacked on said second box.

[0019] These positioning means may in particular be in the form of holes provided in the upper and lower ends of the elements forming angle keys, the upper holes of said second box being intended to receive positioning pins and the lower holes of said first box being intended to be engaged on these pins.

[0020] Preferably, at least two side walls intended to be opposite each other on the resulting box comprise gripping means allowing easy gripping of the box for the purpose of transporting the latter; these means may in particular be in the form of oblong openings arranged through these side walls, forming handles for gripping the box.

[0021] Preferably, - the side walls have a thickness of 8 mm; the width of the free end of a dovetail profile which such a wall comprises is then 6.35 mm; the inclined lateral sides of said dovetail profile each form an angle of 82° with a perpendicular to the plane of the wall and have a length, considered in the extension of the side wall, of 6.35 mm; and

[0022] - each dovetail groove of an element forming an angle key has, in hollow, a shape of the same dimensions as those of the dovetail profile, except for the functional clearance.

[0023] The invention will be better understood, and other characteristics and advantages thereof will appear, with reference to the attached schematic drawing showing a possible embodiment of the set of elements concerned.

[0024] [Fig-1] [Fig.l] is a perspective view, the elements being placed, exploded, in an assembly position allowing a box to be formed; [Fig.2] [Fig.2] is a partial view, on an enlarged scale, of a side wall and of an element forming a corner key which comprises the set of elements, the view being taken from the lower face of said element; [Fig.3] [Fig.3] is a perspective view of the box obtained by assembling the elements that comprise the set of elements, this box being seen in its position for receiving objects; and [Fig.4] [Fig.4] is a view of the body similar to [Fig.3], the body being seen in an upside-down position.

[0025] [Fig. 1] represents a set 1 of assemblable elements 2, 3, 4, 5 allowing, when assembled, to constitute a box 10 having four sides and a bottom, visible in figures 3 and 4.

[0026] The assemblable elements 2, 3, 4, 5 comprise: four flat side walls 2, a flat bottom wall 3, four elongated elements 4 forming corner keys for assembling two consecutive side walls 2, and two rods 5 for supporting the bottom wall 3.

[0027] Each side wall 2 has dovetail profiles 2a at its lateral edges, one of which is more particularly visible in [Fig. 2]. The side wall 2 has a thickness of 8 mm, and the width A of the free end of a dovetail profile 2a is then 6.35 mm; the inclined lateral sides of said profile 2a each form an angle B of 82° with a perpendicular to the plane of the wall 2 and these sides have a length C, considered in the extension of the side wall 2, of 6.35 mm.

[0028] Each side wall 2 has a groove 11 arranged on the side of its lower edge, set back from this edge.

[0029] The bottom wall 3 has, in the example shown, also a thickness of 8 mm. It has, at each of its four side edges, elongated assembly portions 3a centered on these edges, projecting towards the outside of this bottom wall 3, which are capable of being engaged in a fitted manner in the grooves 11 res- corresponding aspects formed by said side walls 2.

[0030] At its corners, the bottom wall 3 is not particularly hollowed out and therefore forms, between the ends of the respective pairs of portions 3a, surfaces for receiving the elements 4 forming corner keys.

[0031] At least two side walls 2 intended to be opposite each other on the box 10 obtained comprise oblong openings 12 arranged through these walls, forming handles for gripping the box 10.

[0032] As is more particularly visible in [Fig. 2], each of the elements 4 has two dovetail grooves 13, arranged at 90° to each other, allowing the sliding engagement, in an adjusted manner, of the element 4 on the corresponding dovetail profiles 2a of the two side walls 2 that this element 4 is intended to assemble.

[0033] Each element 4 further has a recess 14 arranged at its lower end, making it possible to form a lower bearing face 15 of this element 4 against the corresponding receiving surface formed by the bottom wall 3. This lower bearing face 15 is arranged, relative to the lower end of said element 4, at a distance from this end corresponding to the distance from the upper edge of the groove 11 to the lower edge of the wall 2 having this groove.

[0034] As can be seen in [Fig.l] and [Fig.2], two elements 4 have holes 16 arranged in their upper and lower ends, in a direction parallel to the length of these elements. These holes 16 allow the positioning of a first box 10 relative to a second box 10 when said first box is stacked on said second box, the upper holes 16 of said second box being intended to receive positioning pins and the lower holes 16 of said first box being intended to be engaged on these pins.

[0035] Each rod 5 has a height corresponding to the distance separating the edge of each side wall 2 delimiting the lower side of the groove 11 of this wall and the lower edge of the side wall 2. The rods 5 are intended to be fixed to two opposite side walls 2 of the body 10, against the parts of these walls extending below the grooves 11.

[0036] In practice, to constitute a box 10, the four side walls 2 are engaged in an adjusted manner, at the level of the grooves 11, on said projecting elongated portions 3a of the bottom wall 3, which allows precise pre-positioning of these side walls 2 relative to this bottom wall 3. In this pre-positioning position, the side walls 2 are placed precisely, two by two, in their final assembly position, which allows easy and rapid engagement of each 4 element forming an angle key on the adjacent profiled edges 2a of two consecutive walls 2, bringing about the assembly of these walls.

[0037] Thanks to the recesses 14, the elements 4 are able to extend to the lower ends of the side walls 2 when their lower bearing faces 15 are in abutment against the receiving surfaces formed by the bottom wall 3, giving the body 10 obtained a perfect visual appearance.

[0038] The invention thus provides a set 1 of assemblable elements allowing these elements, when assembled, to form a box 10 having four sides and a bottom wall 3, this being simple and quick to implement, and therefore making it possible to constitute a large quantity of boxes, in particular made of wood, while obtaining boxes which remain perfectly solid and rigid.

[0039] It goes without saying that the invention is not limited to the particular embodiment described with reference to the drawings by way of example; thus, the elements 2 to 5 may be such that the box obtained is other than cubic; the set of elements may in particular include elements making it possible to further obtain a range of parallelepiped boxes comprising a small box, a medium box and a large box, having for example respective dimensions of (length x width x height): 322.5 mm x 223.75 mm x 205 mm; 367.5 mm x 262.5 mm x 240 mm; and 447.5 mm x 323 mm x 300 mm.

Claims

Claims

1. Set (1) of assemblable elements (2, 3, 4, 5) allowing, when assembled, to constitute a box (10) having four sides and a bottom, the set of elements (1) comprising four flat side walls (2) and a flat bottom wall (3), characterized in that: - each side wall (2) has dovetail profiles (2a) at its lateral edges; - the set of elements (1) comprises elongated elements (4) forming corner keys, allowing the assembly of two consecutive side walls (2), each of these elements (4) having two dovetail grooves (13), arranged at 90° to each other, allowing the sliding engagement, in an adjusted manner, of the element (4) forming corner keys on the corresponding dovetail profiles (2a) of the two side walls (2) that this element (4) is intended to assemble; - each side wall (2) has a recess (11) arranged set back from its lower edge;and - the bottom wall (3) has, at each of its four side edges, elongated assembly portions (3a) projecting towards the outside of this bottom wall (3), which are dimensioned in thickness so as to be engaged in a fitted manner in the respective corresponding recesses (11) formed by said side walls (2).;

2. Assembly (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises at least one elongated element (5) for supporting the bottom wall (3), this support element (5) having a height corresponding to the distance separating the edge of each side wall (2) delimiting the lower side of the aforementioned recess (11) of this wall (2) and the lower edge of the side wall (2).

3. Assembly (1) according to claim 2, characterized in that it comprises two elongated support elements (5), which are in the form of rods and which are intended to be fixed to two opposite side walls (2) of the box (10), against the parts of these walls extending below said recesses (11).

4. Assembly (1) according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that - the bottom wall (3) forms, at its angles, surfaces of reception of the elements (4) forming angle keys, and - each element (4) forming angle keys has a recess (14) arranged at its lower end, making it possible to form a lower face (15) for bearing this element (4) against the corresponding receiving surface formed by the bottom wall (3), this lower bearing face (15) being arranged, relative to the lower end of said element (4), at a distance corresponding to that going from the upper edge of the assembly recess (11) formed by a side wall (2) to the lower edge of this wall (2).

5. Assembly (1) according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the assembly recesses are in the form of grooves (11) and therefore do not open onto the outer faces of the side walls (2).

6. Assembly (1) according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that at least two elements (4) which this assembly comprises have means (16) for positioning a first box (10) relative to a second box (10) when said first box is stacked on said second box.

7. Assembly (1) according to claim 6, characterized in that the positioning means are in the form of holes (16) arranged in the upper and lower ends of the elements (4) forming angle keys, the upper holes (16) of said second box (10) being intended to receive positioning pins and the lower holes (16) of said first box (10) being intended to be engaged on these pins.

8. Assembly (1) according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that at least two side walls (2) intended to be opposite each other on the box (10) obtained comprise gripping means (12) allowing easy gripping of the box (10) for the purpose of transporting the latter, in particular in the form of oblong openings (12) arranged through these side walls (2), forming handles for gripping the box (10).

9. Assembly (1) according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that - the side walls (2) have a thickness of 8 mm; the width (A) of the free end of a dovetail profile (2a) that such a wall comprises is then 6.35 mm; the inclined lateral sides of said dovetail profile (2a) each form an angle (B) of 82° with a perpendicular to the plane of the wall (2) and have a length (C), considered in the extension of the side wall (2), of 6.35 mm; and - each dovetail groove (13) of an element (4) forming an angle key has, in hollow, a shape of the same dimensions as those of the dovetail profile (2a), apart from the functional clearance.

Images