Container

Description

V. 347. 106 - DB. 34. 384חוק הפטנטים׳ תשכ״ז-1967PATENT LAW, 5727-1967Application for Patent00078319               0252433 / 86I (Name and addrest of applicant, and in cate of body corporate-place of Incorporation)PARTEUROSA, Societe Anonyme,a company organized under the laws of Great-Duchy of Luxemburg, of 37, rue Notre-Dame,Luxemburg,Great-Duchy of Luxemburg.assignment by the inventor             Owner, by virtue ofof an Invention the title of which it(Hebrew)                  מיכל.(English)CONTAINERhereby apply for a patent to be granted to me in respect thereof.Application of DivisionApplication for Patent AdiNo.from Applicationמם׳_____No,datedto Patent / Appl.dated,P.O.A.: ^0KSMWlndividual-«tX0t0Kfc / to be filed later-filed In caseAddress for Service in IsraelCohen Zedek & RapaportTel Aviv• דרישה דין קדימה Priority Claim םםםר / סיםן תאריך מדינת האגוד Number / Mark Date Convention Country 85 855 17. 4. 1985 Great-Duchy of Luxemburg 1986 March 27thof the year              of                ThisFor Office UseCohen Zedek & RapaportSignature of ApplicantBY:“י’וי-־יסים«-2_6J8ו*ריר trmmBhis from, impressed with the Seal of the Patent Office and Indicating the number and date of tiling, certifies the filing of the pplication the particulars of which are set our above.Delete whatever is inapplicable מחק את המיותר *                —CONTAINERABSTRACT"Container"There is described a container to be used notably as building element, comprising assembled wall elements (21), which are provided with first assembly means which oppose a disengaging of the wall elements inwardly of the container (1), as well as second assembly means (18) for the wall elements (21) which have a resilient force (in 29) and are so arranged as to connect together the wall elements (21), the resilient force direction thereof being so designed as to prevent disengaging of the wall elements (21) outwardly of said container (1), said second as-sembly means (18) for the wall elements (21) may have in the assembled condition thereof, under normal environment conditions, an elastic pre-stressing.Figure 2."Container"This invention relates to a container, to be used notably as building element comprising assembled wall elements, which are provided with first assembly means which oppose a disengaging of the wall elements inwardly of the con-tainer.                           "    ;Such containers are known which further comprise a frame for supporting said wall elements, which is formed by integral beams connecting the container corners. The panel-shaped wall elements are so fastened to said frame as to fill-up the remaining voids between the beams (see for example UK Patents n° 647,965; 1,347,177 and 1,603,613). The main drawback of said container-like building elements lies in the frame having to absorb all by itself all the stresses acting on the container and consequently said frame has to designed with a very strong and thus very heavy shape. Moreover when the panels are from a different material than the frame, problems of expansion factor differences arise. Due to said expansion factor difference, in critical environment conditions, for example with fast and wide temperature changes, some looseness may appear between said wall elements and frame, together with the resulting sealing deficiencies. On the other hand, breaks or permanent distortions in the wall elements may rapidly be caused due to said expan-sion factor difference.Frameless containers are also known wherein the stresses the container is subjected to, are directly absorbed in the panel unit. Such containers have the advantage of a lower weight and of lacking the drawbacks due to expansion factordifferences between differentmaterials. Such containers aresimply formedby wall elementswhich are assembled byglueing .This assemblyprocessbringsthe drawback of glueageingMoreover, thecontainerwhichis notablydesigned toform abuilding element, shouldhavestrong andrigid wallsas saidwalls will be subjectedto many stressesnotably thehookingof heavy apparatus on the container innersurfaces. Itdifficult under such conditions to make a container whichfulfillsboth said requirements and conveying requirements. Indeedliftingcontainers formed by heavy wall elements which areonlyassem-bled by glueing, becomes ' quite a problem as regardsthestrengthof those materials being used forthe panels andforsecuringthe hooking elements.Thisinventionhasfor object to providea con-tainer which doesnot havetheabovedrawbacks andwhichis easy toconvey .Suchproblemsaresolvedaccording to theinven-tion, witha container as definedin thepreamble whichfurthercomprisessecond assembly meansfor the wall elementswhichhave a resilient force and are soarranged as to connect togetherthe wall elements, the resilientforcedirection thereof beingso designed as to prevent disengaging ofthe wall elements out-wardly of the container.In one embodiment of theinvention, saidsecondassembly means for the wall elements have in the elementassem-bled condition, in normal environment conditionsanelasticpre-stressing .In an advantageous embodiment of theinventionthe container furthercomprises framing elementswhich arearranged between thecontainer corners and someofwhich atleast form said secondassembly means and can duetothe resi-lient force thereof,absorb any expansion factordifferencebetween the various wall elements and between said wall elements78319 / 2and the framing elements.In an improved embodiment of the Invention, each framing element forming a second assembly means comprises two parts which, in assembled condition under normal environ-ment conditions, are spaced from one another by a pre-deter-mined axial distance, and at least one resilient element connecting both said parts and acting thereon in the direction of bringing same together.It has been noted that by means of the embodi-ments according to the invention, it might be possible to make containers which are not only tight under the most critical environment conditions and after an extended ageing period, but whiEh have moreover surprisingly a very low weight with respect to the known containers, with an improved mechanical strength, even in the case of containers which have framing elements. Indeed said framing elements, in some embodiments, may only be used to prevent outwardly disengaging of the wall elements and they do not undergo the outer stress forces which are for example required for lifting or conveying the container. Such forces are directly lead to the wall elements which are enclosed within the frame formed by the framing elements. It is thus possible to provide relatively light framing elements in angle shape, and said elements may even not be glued to the wall elements. This embodiment thus allows designing cental-ners which are absolutely tight under critical conditions and which are to be used as building elements, the wall elements of which are relatively rigid and heavy per se, without addingto the weight thereof, a solid and very heavyweight frame as in the previous art, which makes It easy to convey the containers.Other details and features of the Invention will stand out from the following description, given by way of non limitative example and with reference to the accompanying dra-wings, In which:Figure 1 shows a diagrammatic perspective view of one embodiment of container according to the invention.Figure 2 shows a part elevation side view, of one embodiment of framing' element according to the Invention.Figure 3 shows on a larger scale, a section view along line III-III in figure 2. Figure 4 shows a section view along line IV-IV In figure 3, wherein the tightening screw and the spring have been removed.In the various figures, Identical or similar ele-ments are shown with the same reference numerals.There is shown In perspective In figure 1, a parallelepiped-shaped container 1, which thus has six sides which schematize the wall elements forming the container body. Said wall elements are assembled together by means of first known assembly means which oppose disengaging of the wall elements inwardly of the container. Said means are generally comprised of shaping the element edges stepwise to allow fitting the wall elements together (see for example reference numeral 49 in figure ^). Said means do not however prevent disengaging outwardly the wall elements. There Is consequently generally provided according to the previous art, for glueing of the wall elements together, which is Insufficient due to ageing of the glues, such action being notably emphasized when the containertiis to be used as building element and the wall elements are heavy in weight per se. As previously described, there is then also provided according to the previous art, a supporting frame which is very heavy per se and which does not only support the wall elements but also is used to prevent disenga-ging of the wall elements. As already noted, said frame does however fulfill very insufficiently such second object, notably under critical environment conditions, and it does even cause deteriorating of the erected assembly due to the expansion factor difference between same and the wall elements, when said compo-nents are made from different. materials.Those elements 2 to 13 shown diagrammatically in figure 1 are second assembly means for the wall elements which in the embodiment as shown, each connect two container corners and exert a resilient force, diagrammatically shownwith the spiral element 14, which results in pulling towardsthe one said corners (for example corner 15 in figure 1), a rigid element (for example 16 in figure 1) which is connected to the other said corners (for example 17 in figure 1). Said resilient force exerted on rigid element 16 is shown with anarrow. As it may be noted, there is provided on each edge of the parallelepiped-shaped container, such a second assembly means. It is to be noted that it is not absolutely required to have one such means on every container edge. It is also possible to provide on one or a plurality of container edges, a plurality of second assembly means, such as the ones shown with references 60 and 61 in figure 1.In figure 2, an actual embodiment of second assembly means is shown, wherein said means is formed by a framing element 18 which is arranged between both container corners, which corners are provided in this embodiment, with corner elements 19 known per se. Said elements are used to couple an external force to the container, for example whensaid container is to be lifted or conveyed on a boat or trailer deck .In this embodiment, the corner element 19 is provided with plates 20 (figure 2) and 20' respectively (figure 3) which are welded thereto and which are so arranged as to cover the corner from the side wall element 21 (figure 2) and from the container bottom wall element, respectively, not shown In figure 2. Said plates are fastened to the wall element for example through anchoring means 22 known per se. The corner element 19 Is thus anchored directly In this embodiment, in the wall element 21 and as it undergoes an external force, said force Is directly coupled to the wall element 21. Said element is designed with a strong and rigid shape to withstand such external stresses, as well as to withstand stresses orlgi-natlng from inside the container, for example when heavy appa-ratus is hooked to said wall element.The framing element 18 is formed in the embo-dlment as shown In figures 2 to 4, by a L-shaped angle, the flanges 23 and 24 of which enclose the container edge and which is comprised of two parts 25 and 26 which are spaced from one another by an axial distance 27, in the assembled container under normal environment conditions.Both said angle parts 25 and 26 are each fixedly connected to a corner element, for example by welding. Only that fastening 28 between angle part 26 and corner element 19Is shown in figure 3.Between both said angle parts, a pre-stressedresilient element is arranged, which comprises a rigid-materialcylinder 29 which Is also comprised of two parts 30 and 31,the one part 31 being made Integralwithexample by welding In 32 (see figure3).angle part 25, for iX*or in (see figure4), and the other part 31 being made integral with angle part26, directly or through corner element 19, for example by weldingthereon in 33, and a pre-stressed coil spring 34. Both said cylinder parts 30 and 31 are spaced by an axial distance 44 which is at least equal to distance 27.Inside the cavity of cylinder part 30, a ring-like element 35 is arranged, with a screw-threaded bore 36 co-axial with cylinder 29. Said ring-like element 35 is so arranged inside cylinder part  30 as to  make  sliding relative to  one anotherpossible. The screw-threaded bore 36 cooperates with the screw-threaded end  37 from a  tightening  screw 38. Said  screw goesthrough a hole 39 provided in the one side of corner element 19, facing cylinder 29, ־and passes axially through the cavity thereof, while being threaded but on the end 37 thereof opposite the head 40 from tightening screw 38. The head 40 is larger than hole 39  and thus retains  the  ring-like element 35 at anadjustable distance from  angle  part  26, should a  force tryingto spread away the angle parts 25 and 26 be applied.To the end of cylinder part 30 there is fixedly connected, for example by welding in 41, a ring-like sleeve 42 the axial bore 43 of which lets the unthreaded part of tighte-ning screw 38 through. The end of said sleeve projects axially from cylinder part 30 and the outer diameter thereof is designed to allow entering cylinder part 31 in such a way as to insure the slidability of both parts relative to one another. The projec-ting part of sleeve 42 has a length which is longer than the axial spacing 44 between both cylinder parts 30 and 31, and a length long enough to lie at an axial distance 45 from corner element 19, which is equal to axial distance 27.The spring 34 is arranged inside cylinder part 30 in such a way as to bear on the one hand on the ring-like element 35 retained by tightening screw 38 at an adjustable distance from cylinder part 31, and on the other hand on the ring-like sleeve 42 secured to cylinder part 30. Said ring-like element 35 and said ring-like sleeve 42 thus act as stops for spring 34.In figure 3, the spring 34 is shown in the top cylinder half, in the assembled container condition under normal environment conditions, but before pre-stressing being imparted thereto. Said spring thus lies in rest condition. Advantageously, the tightening screw 38 is then so screwed as to bring the stop 35 nearer the corner element 19, which results in pressing together the coils from spring 34, as it appears from the lower half of figure 3.In said latter spring position, the spring sub-jects the angle parts 25 and 26 to a tensile pre-stressing. Under normal environment conditions, the spring is unable to bring the angle parts nearer one another in spite of the pre-stressing, as said parts are retained by the respective corner element thereof with a spacing set by the wall element size. However in this position, the wall elements undergo the tensile action of the angle parts which thus try to bring same nearer one another and thus prevent outward disengaging of the wall elements. It is to be noted that to exert such an action, the angles do not have any more to be connected necessarily to the wall elements by glueing. One might even consider not connec-ting the wall elements by glueing together. The whole unit holds together under the action of the resilient system imparted by the light framing elements of the container according to the invention.Moreover in the case of critical environment conditions, for instance when high warmth differences occur between night and day, the metal angle expands more than the wall element. Such an expansion difference is absorbed by the above-described resilient element. Indeed the long part of angle 18 moves nearer to short part 26, thus driving cylinder part 30 and stop 42 towards corner element 19. The spacing between stop 35 and stop 42 becoming wider, the spring 34 relaxes;- a -said spring thus absorbs said expansion difference, while pre-venting any danger of the angle collapsing, and it allows the framing elements to still enclose the wall elements the expan-slon of which has been smaller.Cylinder part 30 is advantageously closed at the end thereof opposite corner element 19 by a cover 46, to avoid fouling the mechanism and an opening 47 may possibly be provided in said cover 46 to allow for relief when the vo-lume lying between said cover 46 and stop 35 changes.Screwing the screw 38 may occur with a screw-driving, tool which is for example Introduced through a passageway 48 provided in the axial extension of the tightening screw, in the one side of corner element 19.As stated hereinbefore, in the embodiment as shown in figures 2 to 4, the corner elements are directly ancho-red in the wall elements which are subjected to the external stresses. One might however also consider simply glueing or even pressing said corner elements against the wall elements. In such a case the elements are Integrally connected to the framing elements which are in turn glued or simply pressed on the wall elements and enclose that box formed by the wall elements by means of the pre-stressed resilient elements they are provided with.In this  case  however, when an  external stressis  applied to  the corner elements, such stress  is coupled notto  the  wall elements,  but  rather to the framing elements. Itis  thus  then  required  for  the elastic element  resilient forceto be selected not only as a function of the expansion factor difference present between the framing and the container body, but also as a function of any tensile force which might be cou-pled to the framing element through the corner element it is Integral with.I There 40 ohown—in-figure—5—a—container embodiment]It must be .understood that this invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments and that many changes may be brought thereto without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.It is for example possible to provide as resilient element, not only a coll or elastic-fibre spring, but also other spring types, such as a spring washer, or even possibly a hydraulic or pneumatic Jack arrangement.If In the description and the above examples, warmth changes to higher temperatures than normal have been particularly considered, it Is also possible to design a container according to the Invention which Is suitable for warmth changes to lower temperatures.Moreover, It Is of course necessary to provide as the spring reaches the. maximum resilient strength thereof, one or a plurality of stops suitably arranged to then couple the stress directly to the structure. The strength of said stops is then designed as a function of the stresses the container might be subjected to.11                            78319 / 2

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. Container (1), to be used notably as building element, having a parallelepipedal shape with six faces, twelve edges and eight corners, and comprising assembled wall elements (21) having external surfaces forming the faces of the container, first assembly means (49) which oppose a disengaging of the wall elements (21) inwardly of the container, second assembly means (2 to 14) which oppose a disengaging of the wall elements (21) outwardly of the container, said second assembly means (2 to 14) comprising framing elements (18) which are arranged between the corners of the container, along the edges thereof, as well as means for rigidly connecting to one another the framing elements converging in each said corner,characterized in that at least some of said framing elements (18) comprise at least two parts (25, 26) which, in assembled condition of the container, are movable relative to one another in a direction parallel to an associated said edge and which, in assembled condition and at a predetermined temperature, are spaced from one another by a predetermined, axial distance (27), and at least one resilient element (34) connecting each both said parts (25, 26) and urging them toward one another in said direction parallel to an; associated edge.

2. Container as defined in claim 1, characterized in that each framing element (18) is an angle which covers an edge connecting two corners from said container (1).

3. Container as defined in any one of claims 1 and 2, characterized in that said means. for rigidly connecting to one another the framing elements (18) converging at each corner are known per se corner elements (19) which allow applying an external force to said container.

4. Container as defined in claim 3, characterized in that the corner elements (19) are anchored in the wail elements (21), while the framing elements (18) are connected to the wall elements (21) only or partly through the corner elements (19).

5. Container as defined in claim 4, characterized in that each framing element (18) with said two parts (25, 26) each associated with such a corner element (19) comprises a resilient element (34) having a resilient force strong enough only to absorb any expansion factor difference between wall elements (21) and between wall elements (21) and framing elements (18).

6. Container as defined in claim 3, characterized in that the corner elements (19) are connected only to the framing elements (18).

7. Container as defined in claim 6, characterized in that each framing element (18) with said two parts (25, 26) each associated with such a corner element (19) comprises a resilient element (34) having a resilient force which is selected not only as a function of any expansion factor difference between wall elements (21) and between wall elements (21) and framing elements (18), but also of any tensile force which might be coupled to the framing element (18) through the corner element (19).

8. Container as defined in claim 1, characterized in that said resilient element (34) connecting framing element parts (25, 26) comprises a pre-stressed spring which, at said predetermined temperature, urges those framing element parts (25, 26) toward one another in said direction parallel to an associated edge.

9. Container as defined in claim 3, characterized in that said two parts (25, 26) of said framing elements (18) provided with a resilient element (34) have each the shape of an angle and are fixedly connected to a corner element (19) known per se, and in which said resilient element comprises a hollow cylinder (29) comprised of two parts (30, 31), the one part (30) being integrally connected to the first angle part (25) and the other one (31) to the second angle part (26), both said cylinder parts (30, 31) being spaced from one another by a distance (44) at least equal to the distance (27) spacing both angle parts (25, 26), a stop (35) arranged inside the first cylinder part (30) to allow sliding relative to one another and located at an adjustable distance relative to the second angle part (26), a stop (42) arranged inside the second cylinder part (31) to allow sliding relative to one another and fixedly connected to said first cylinder part (25), and a pre-stressed spring (34) so arranged between both stops (35, Q2) as to act thereon in the direction of the spacing thereof, that is of both angle parts (25, 26) moving nearer one another.

10. Container as defined in claim 1, in which said resilient element comprises a cord from resilient synthetic fibre.

11. Container as defined in claim 1, in which said resilient element comprises a hydraulic or pneumatic jack.CQI-fcN tEDflK & / RAPAP0RTPI1AATTORNEYS FOR APPLICANTPARTEURO SA‘Sfi&T I Of*3½