Container, and side plate thereof

Abstract

A container (100) and a side plate (10) thereof. The side plate comprises: a first plate (1), at least one mounting groove (3) being formed in the first plate (1), carrying members (4) being provided in the mounting groove (3) and located at two ends thereof, and each carrying member (4) being provided with a boss (5); at least one reinforcing member (6), which is arranged in the mounting groove (3), two ends of the reinforcing member (6) being disposed on the carrying members (4), and through openings (61) for the bosses (5) to pass through being provided at two ends of the reinforcing member (6); and a second plate (2), which is arranged opposite and connected to the first plate (1) by means of welding, wherein the thickness of the first plate (1) is greater than that of the second plate (2), the reinforcing member (6) is located between the first plate (1) and the second plate (2), and the second plate (2) is connected to the bosses (5) by means of welding.

Description

Container and its side panels

[0001] This patent application claims priority from the following Chinese patent applications:

[0002] Filing date: July 27, 2023; Application number: 2023109367655; Invention title: Container and side panel thereof;

[0003] The entirety of the above application is incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0004] The present invention relates to a containing device, in particular to a container and a side plate thereof. Background Art

[0005] Modern collapsible large containers are typically made of a composite of plastic and reinforced metal, with capacities ranging from approximately 250 to 1250 liters. These neutral composite bulk containers are known as IBCs. Collapsible IBCs consist of a base and two pairs of foldable side panels, optionally with small doors for easy access. To meet hygiene and strength requirements, the side panels are typically double-welded, resulting in a smooth interior and exterior. Hot plate welding and vibration friction welding are currently the two known welding techniques. Our company primarily utilizes vibration friction welding due to its high production efficiency and lack of smoke and odor pollution. Structurally, vibration friction welding requires one thicker side panel and the other to be roughly the same thickness as the wall. In contrast, hot plate welding requires the two side panels to be roughly the same thickness.

[0006] Metal tubes, typically steel or aluminum, serve as reinforcements and are clamped between the two side panels. When fluid or semi-fluid cargo is placed inside an IBC, it exerts an outward force on the side panels. This can be particularly deflected by the inertial impact of handling or transportation. The ends of the metal tubes exert a reaction force on the plastic side panels through fixed force transmission. This can cause noticeable bulges or even stress whitening at the ends of the steel tubes, posing a risk to the side panels' service life and the safety of the container.

[0007] To address the issue of whitening side panels caused by built-in steel pipes, a solution, such as patent CN105819064A, has been proposed. In this solution, each side panel of an IBC is equipped with at least one first reinforcement member. When the side panels are in the upright position, the first reinforcement members in adjacent side panels are interconnected to form a ring-shaped integral structure. This invention enhances the strength of the collapsible container's side panels, resolving the issue of whitening, or even bulging, deformation, and failure of the side panels when carrying heavy loads. However, this solution is costly and complex to manufacture.

[0008] Summary of the Invention

[0009] The object of the present invention is to provide a container and a side plate thereof, so that the outer surface of the side plate is not easy to turn white and is safer to use.

[0010] To solve the above technical problems, an embodiment of the present invention provides a side panel of a container, comprising:

[0011] A first plate body, wherein at least one mounting groove is formed on the first plate body, wherein receiving members are provided at both ends of the mounting groove, and wherein a boss is provided on the receiving member;

[0012] At least one reinforcement member, the reinforcement member is disposed in the mounting groove, and both ends of the reinforcement member are placed on the receiving member, and both ends of the reinforcement member have through-holes for the boss to pass through;

[0013] The second plate is arranged opposite to the first plate and is welded to the first plate; the thickness of the first plate is greater than that of the second plate, the reinforcement is located between the first plate and the second plate, and the second plate is welded to the boss.

[0014] In one embodiment, the reinforcement member has a notch into which the receiving member is embedded; and the through-opening is provided at the bottom of the notch.

[0015] In one embodiment, the mounting groove has a pair of groove side walls and a groove end wall arranged along the extending direction thereof; the groove side walls and the groove end wall are welded to the second plate body;

[0016] The boss is spaced apart from the groove end wall and the pair of groove side walls.

[0017] In one embodiment, the boss, the receiving member and the first plate are an integral part.

[0018] In one embodiment, there are multiple reinforcement members, at least one of which is a longitudinal rod arranged along the height direction of the first plate, and at least two of which are transverse rods perpendicular to the longitudinal rod.

[0019] Both ends of the longitudinal rod are provided with the transverse rod located on the first plate;

[0020] The reinforcement is a metal tube, and the first plate body and the second plate body are plastic plates.

[0021] In one embodiment, the side of the first plate where the mounting groove is formed is further provided with a plurality of longitudinally extending butt joint ribs and at least one non-butt joint rib; and the butt joint ribs are provided on both sides of the non-butt joint rib perpendicular to its extending direction;

[0022] The butting ribs are connected to the second plate body by welding, and the non-butting ribs are not connected to the second plate body.

[0023] In one embodiment, the reinforcement comprises a longitudinal rod extending longitudinally, the longitudinal rod has the butt ribs on both sides thereof, and the distance from the butt ribs to the longitudinal rod is greater than the distance to the side wall of the side panel adjacent to the butt ribs.

[0024] An embodiment of the present invention also provides a container, comprising: a base, a pair of long side panels, and a pair of short side panels; the pair of long side panels and the pair of short side panels form a placement space around the base; the long side panels and the short side panels are both foldably connected to the base; the long side panels are side panels as described in any one of the above, and the first plate body of the side panel faces outside the container, and the second plate body of the side panel faces inside the container.

[0025] An embodiment of the present invention also provides a container, comprising: a base, and two pairs of oppositely arranged side panels, at least one of the two pairs of oppositely arranged side panels is a side panel as described in any one of the above items, and the first plate body of the side panel faces outside the container, and the second plate body of the side panel faces inside the container.

[0026] An embodiment of the present invention further provides a container, comprising: a base, two pairs of oppositely disposed side panels, and a cover; at least one of the two pairs of oppositely disposed side panels is the side panel described above, and a first panel of the side panel faces outward from the container, and a second panel of the side panel faces inward from the container;

[0027] A plurality of containers are operably stacked, the bottom of the base has a protruding foot, and the protruding foot of one container is operably placed on the cover of another container;

[0028] The projection of at least one of the butt joint ribs onto the base is located on the protruding foot.

[0029] Compared with the prior art, the embodiment of the present invention has a thickness of the first plate body that is greater than that of the second plate body. The first plate body is provided with an installation groove, a receiving part is provided in the installation groove, and a boss on the receiving part passes through the through-opening of the reinforcement. The boss can be welded to the second plate body, so that the welding area of ​​the side plate around the end of the reinforcement is larger, and the welding strength can be better, preventing the reinforcement from being pushed by the impact force against the first plate body, causing the part of the first plate body squeezed by the end of the first reinforcement to turn white, thereby making the first plate body usable for a longer time and the container safer to use. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0030] One or more embodiments are exemplarily illustrated by pictures in the corresponding drawings. These exemplifications do not constitute limitations on the embodiments. Elements with the same reference numerals in the drawings are represented as similar elements. Unless otherwise stated, the figures in the drawings do not constitute proportional limitations.

[0031] FIG1 is an exploded view of a side panel according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0032] FIG2 is a schematic structural diagram of a reinforcement member according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0033] FIG3 is a schematic structural diagram of a first plate according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0034] FIG4 is a partial enlarged view of A in FIG3 ;

[0035] 5 is a schematic structural diagram illustrating the welding area of ​​the boss and the butt rib after the reinforcement member is installed according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0036] FIG6 is a strength analysis diagram of the side panel after the number of butt-jointed ribs is reduced according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0037] FIG7 is a strength analysis diagram of a side panel with a large number of butt-jointed ribs in the prior art;

[0038] FIG8 is a schematic structural diagram of a container according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0039] Figure numerals: 10, side panel; 1, first plate body; 2, second plate body; 3, mounting groove; 31, groove side wall; 32, groove end wall; 4, receiving member; 5, boss; 6, reinforcement member; 61, through-opening; 62, groove; 63, longitudinal rod; 64, transverse rod; 71, docking rib; 72, non-docking rib; 100, container; 81, base; 82, long side panel; 83, short side panel; 84, cover plate; 810, protruding foot. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0040] To make the purpose, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention more clear, each embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, those skilled in the art will appreciate that in each embodiment of the present invention, many technical details are provided to help readers better understand the present application. However, even without these technical details and various changes and modifications based on the following embodiments, the technical solutions claimed in the present application can still be implemented.

[0041] In the following description, for the purpose of illustrating the various disclosed embodiments, certain specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the various disclosed embodiments. However, those skilled in the relevant art will recognize that the embodiments may be practiced without one or more of these specific details. In other cases, well-known devices, structures, and techniques associated with this application may not be shown or described in detail to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the description of the embodiments.

[0042] Unless the context requires otherwise, throughout the specification and claims, the word "comprise" and variations such as "include" and "have" should be construed in an open, inclusive sense, that is, should be interpreted to mean "including, but not limited to."

[0043] The following will describe in detail various embodiments of the present invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings to provide a clearer understanding of the objectives, features and advantages of the present invention. It should be understood that the embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention, but are only intended to illustrate the essential spirit of the technical solution of the present invention.

[0044] Reference throughout this specification to "one embodiment" or "an embodiment" means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment. Thus, the appearances of "in one embodiment" or "in an embodiment" in various places throughout this specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment. Furthermore, the particular features, structures, or characteristics may be combined in any manner in one or more embodiments.

[0045] As used in this specification and the appended claims, the singular forms "a," "an," and "the" include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. It should be noted that the term "or" is generally employed in its sense including "and / or" unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.

[0046] In the following description, in order to clearly show the structure and working mode of the present invention, many directional words will be used for description, but words such as "front", "back", "left", "right", "outside", "inside", "outward", "inward", "up", and "down" should be understood as convenient terms and should not be understood as restrictive terms.

[0047] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0048] A first embodiment of the present invention relates to a side panel 10 for a container. As shown in Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5, the side panel 10 comprises a first panel 1, a second panel 2, and a reinforcement member 6. The second panel 2 is disposed opposite and welded to the first panel 1. The first panel 1 is thicker than the second panel 2. The reinforcement member 6 is located between the first panel 1 and the second panel 2. As shown in Figure 1, the side panel comprises three reinforcement members 6: two transverse bars 64 perpendicular to the longitudinal bars 63, and one longitudinal bar 63 extending along the height of the first panel 1. The two transverse bars 64 are located at either end of the longitudinal bar 63, with one transverse bar 64 near the top of the side panel 10 and the other near the bottom of the side panel 10. The longitudinal bar 63 is located in the middle of the side panel 10. In other embodiments, there may be only one reinforcement member 6, in which case the reinforcement member 6 may be either the longitudinal bar 63 or the transverse bar 64. The location of the reinforcement member 6 within the first panel 1 can be selected as desired. There can be two or more reinforcement members 6, and the number of longitudinal rods 63 or transverse rods 64 in the reinforcement member 6 can be set according to actual needs. When the side panel is used on the container 100, the first plate 1 faces the outside of the container 100, and the second plate 2 faces the inside of the container 100. When the thicker first plate 1 is set outward, it is necessary to pay attention to the stress whitening at both ends of the reinforcement member 6 built into the side panel 10. The side panel welding strength and welding area must also be comprehensively considered. The largest vibration friction welding machine currently on the market (such as Branson's 936L) recommends a maximum welding area of ​​no more than 70,000 square millimeters. Excessively large welding areas can also have a detrimental effect on the machine itself and extend the welding cycle. Therefore, when ensuring the side panel welding strength, the actual use of the friction welding machine must also be considered.

[0049] As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the first plate 1 is provided with a mounting slot 3. A receiving member 4 is disposed at each end of the mounting slot 3. The receiving member 4 is provided with a boss 5. The number of mounting slots 3 is the same as the number of reinforcement members 6, with one reinforcement member 6 being placed in each mounting slot 3. The longitudinal rods 63 and transverse rods 64 can have the same structure. For example, transverse rod 64 has openings 61 at both ends, which are penetrated by bosses 5. Bosses 5 penetrate openings 61 and are then welded to the second plate 2, which can be vibration welding. The boss 5 has sufficient structural thickness to transmit and disperse the force brought by the end structure of the reinforcement 6. When the side panel 10 is subjected to the force of the second plate body 2, such as the liquid level pressure when fully loaded, the two ends of the reinforcement 6 will generate a force on the side panel 10. This force will cause a tearing effect on the welding area of ​​the side panel 10. Higher welding strength can better resist this tearing force. The welding strength directly depends on the welding area. By increasing the welding between the boss 5 and the second plate body 2, the welding area and welding strength at both ends of the reinforcement 6 are increased, and the reinforcement 6 is prevented from being pushed against the first plate body 1 by the impact force, so that the part of the first plate body 1 squeezed by the end of the first reinforcement 6 turns white, thereby making the first plate body 1 usable for a longer time and the container 100 safer and more reliable to use.

[0050] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, the reinforcement member 6 has a notch 62 into which the receiving member 4 is inserted, and a through-hole 61 is provided at the bottom of the notch 62. The provision of the notch 62 allows the receiving member 4 to better cooperate with the reinforcement member 6, allowing the reinforcement member 6 to be more easily positioned in the mounting groove 3. It also allows the first plate region corresponding to the end of the reinforcement member 6 to be thicker, thereby better absorbing the stress provided by the reinforcement member 6.

[0051] The implementation details of this embodiment are described in detail below. The following content is only for ease of understanding and is not necessary for implementing this solution.

[0052] In addition, as shown in FIG4 , the boss 5 , the receiving member 4 and the first plate body 1 are an integral part.

[0053] 4 , the mounting groove 3 has a pair of groove side walls 31 and a groove end wall 32 disposed along its extending direction. The groove side walls 31 and the groove end wall 32 are welded to the second plate 2. The boss 5 is separated from the groove end wall 32 and the pair of groove side walls 31.

[0054] Furthermore, the reinforcement 6 is a metal tube, and the first plate body 1 and the second plate body 2 are plastic plates.

[0055] In addition, as shown in Figures 3 and 5, the side of the first plate 1 where the mounting slot 3 is formed is further provided with a plurality of longitudinally extending butt joint ribs 71 and at least one non-butt joint rib 72. The non-butt joint rib 72 is provided with butt joint ribs 71 on both sides perpendicular to its extension direction. The distances between the butt joint ribs 71 and the non-butt joint ribs 72 and the second plate 2 may be different. The butt joint ribs 71 are welded to the second plate 2, while the non-butt joint ribs 72 are not connected to the second plate 2. Compared with the prior art, the ribs on the first plate body 1 in this embodiment have butt ribs 71 welded to the second plate body 2 and non-butt ribs 72 not welded to the second plate body 2. Unlike the prior art, not all longitudinal ribs need to be welded to the second plate body 2. Only some longitudinal ribs need to be welded, that is, the longitudinal ribs are divided into butt ribs 71 that need to be welded to the second plate body 2 and non-butt ribs that do not need to be welded to the second plate body 2. This optimizes the welding process, is more in line with the actual use of the friction welding machine, and can ensure the strength and reliability of the side panel 10. After comparison with actual measurement and CAE analysis, its bending strength is almost equivalent to that of the traditional side panel, and the compressive strength is slightly reduced but within a reliable range.

[0056] The following analysis conditions were used: Analysis Condition 1: Internal liquid level pressure, liquid density 1.5 g / cm³; Top-loaded uniform pressure 70,000 N. 2. Side panel constraints simulated box fit. 3. Side panels were made of PP with internal steel pipes, and the ambient temperature was 23°C. As shown in Figures 6 and 7 (Figure 6 is a strength analysis diagram of the side panel 10 in this embodiment, and Figure 7 is a strength analysis diagram of a conventional side panel), the strength of the side panel in this embodiment with partially welded ribs is nearly equivalent to that of the conventional fully welded ribs.

[0057] Furthermore, as shown in FIG5 , the butt joint rib 71 in the figure has a welded area, while the area between the butt joint rib 71 and the longitudinal bar 63 is not a welded area. Both sides of the longitudinal bar 63 have butt joint ribs 71, and the distance between the butt joint rib 71 and the longitudinal bar 63 is greater than the distance to the side wall 101 of the side panel 10 adjacent to the butt joint rib 71. That is, the distance between the butt joint rib 71 on the left side of the longitudinal bar 63 and the side wall 101 on the left side is less than the distance between the butt joint rib 71 on the left side and the longitudinal bar 63, and the same is true on the right side. As shown in the figure, there can be multiple butt joint ribs 71, or only one is required, and they are all close to the left and right sides of the side panel and farther away from the longitudinal bar 63 in the middle of the side panel. In other embodiments, there can be no longitudinal bar 63.

[0058] Furthermore, when containers 100 are stacked one above the other, the protruding foot 810 on the base 81 of the upper container 100 presses against the cover 84 of the lower container 100. At least one docking rib 71 extends to the area where the protruding foot 810 applies pressure to the lower cover 84, thereby enabling the side panel 10 to withstand the pressure applied by the upper container 100. The number of docking ribs 71 may vary from that shown in the figure, and their placement may also be slightly closer to the center of the side panel; these details will not be discussed further herein.

[0059] An embodiment of the present invention further provides a container 100. As shown in FIG8 , the container 100 includes: a base 81, a pair of long side panels 82, and a pair of short side panels 83; the pair of long side panels 82 and the pair of short side panels 83 form a placement space around the base 81. The long side panels 82 are the side panels 10 involved in the above example. Both the long side panels 82 and the short side panels 83 are foldably connected to the base 81. The first plate body 1 of the side panel faces the outside of the container 100, and the second plate body 2 of the side panel faces the inside of the container 100. It is understandable that in other embodiments, the short side panels 83 may also be the side panels in the above embodiment.

[0060] Furthermore, the container 100 includes a cover 84, and multiple containers 100 can be stacked. The bottom of the base 81 has a protruding foot 810, and the protruding foot 810 of one container 100 can be operably placed on the cover 84 of another container 100. The projection of at least one docking rib 71 onto the base 81 is located on the protruding foot 810. In other words, the protruding foot 810 is located in the extension direction of the docking rib 71. When the protruding foot 810 applies pressure to the cover 84 of the lower container 100, the lower container 100 is more secure due to the arrangement of the docking rib 71.

[0061] Furthermore, in some embodiments, the side panels of the container 100 are not limited to the long side panels 82 and the short side panels 83. In this case, the side panels of the container 100 are two pairs of oppositely arranged side panels, and the four side panels are arranged around the base 81. They can be folded or not folded with the base 81, and at least one of the four side panels is the side panel 10 involved in the first embodiment, having structures such as reinforcement 6 and boss 5.

[0062] It is not difficult to find that this embodiment is a system embodiment corresponding to the first embodiment, and this embodiment can be implemented in conjunction with the first embodiment. The relevant technical details mentioned in the first embodiment are still valid in this embodiment, and to reduce repetition, they are not repeated here. Accordingly, the relevant technical details mentioned in this embodiment can also be applied to the first embodiment.

[0063] While preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above, it should be understood that aspects of the embodiments can be modified, if necessary, to employ aspects, features and concepts of the various patents, applications and publications to provide further embodiments.

[0064] These and other changes can be made to the embodiments in light of the above detailed description.In general, in the claims, the terms used should not be construed as limited to the specific embodiments disclosed in the specification and claims, but should be construed to include all possible embodiments along with the full scope of equivalents to which these claims are entitled.

[0065] Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the above-mentioned embodiments are specific examples for implementing the present invention, and that in actual applications, various changes may be made thereto in form and detail without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A side plate of a container, characterized in that: include: A first plate body, wherein at least one mounting groove is formed on the first plate body, receiving members are disposed at both ends of the mounting groove, and a boss is disposed on the receiving member; At least one reinforcing member, the reinforcing member is arranged in the mounting groove, and both ends of the reinforcing member are placed on the receiving member, and both ends of the reinforcing member have through-holes for the boss to pass through; The second plate body is arranged opposite to the first plate body and is welded to the first plate body; the thickness of the first plate body is greater than the thickness of the second plate body, the reinforcement is located between the first plate body and the second plate body, and the second plate body is welded to the boss.

2. The side plate of the container according to claim 1, characterized in that: The reinforcing member has a notch into which the receiving member is embedded; the through opening is arranged at the bottom of the notch.

3. The side plate of a container according to claim 1, characterized in that: The installation groove has a pair of groove side walls and a groove end wall arranged along the extension direction thereof; the groove side walls and the groove end wall are welded and connected to the second plate body; The boss is spaced apart from the groove end wall and the pair of groove side walls.

4. The side plate of a container according to claim 1, characterized in that: The boss, the receiving member and the first plate body are an integrated part.

5. The side plate of a container according to claim 1, characterized in that: There are multiple reinforcing members, at least one of which is a longitudinal rod arranged along the height direction of the first plate body, and at least two of which are transverse rods perpendicular to the longitudinal rod; Both ends of the longitudinal rod are provided with the transverse rod located on the first plate body; The reinforcement is a metal tube, and the first plate body and the second plate body are plastic plates.

6. The side plate of a container according to claim 1, characterized in that: The side of the first plate body where the installation groove is opened is also provided with a plurality of longitudinally extending butt joint ribs and at least one non-butt joint rib; and the butt joint ribs are provided on both sides of the non-butt joint rib perpendicular to the extension direction thereof; The butt-jointed ribs are connected to the second plate body by welding, and the non-butt-jointed ribs are not connected to the second plate body.

7. The side plate of the container according to claim 6, characterized in that: The reinforcement comprises a longitudinal rod extending longitudinally, the butt ribs are provided on both sides of the longitudinal rod, and the distance from the butt rib to the longitudinal rod is greater than the distance to the side wall of the side plate adjacent to the butt rib.

8. A container, characterized in that: It includes: a base, a pair of long side panels, and a pair of short side panels; the pair of long side panels and the pair of short side panels form a placement space around the base; the long side panels and the short side panels are both foldably connected to the base; the long side panels are the side panels as described in any one of claims 1 to 7, and the first panel body of the side panel faces outside the container, and the second panel body of the side panel faces inside the container.

9. A container, characterized in that: include: A base, and two pairs of oppositely arranged side panels, at least one of the two pairs of oppositely arranged side panels is the side panel as described in any one of claims 1-7, and the first plate body of the side panel faces outside the container, and the second plate body of the side panel faces inside the container.

10. A container, characterized in that: include: A base, two pairs of oppositely disposed side panels, and a cover panel; at least one of the two pairs of oppositely disposed side panels is a side panel as claimed in claim 6 or 7, and a first panel of the side panel faces outside the container, and a second panel of the side panel faces inside the container; A plurality of containers are operably stacked, the bottom of the base has a protruding foot, and the protruding foot of one container is operably placed on the cover of another container; A projection of at least one of the butt joint ribs onto the base is located on the protruding foot.

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