A pallet for supporting a vessel for containing liquids and a palletized IBC container comprising the pallet

Abstract

A pallet (1) for supporting a vessel for containing liquids, the pallet (1) comprising a platform (2), wherein the platform (2) comprises a supporting wall (3) configured to support a vessel (10), a plurality of bearing elements (4) downwardly projecting from the supporting wall (3), and a rim portion (5) projecting from the supporting wall (3) upwardly opposite to the bearing elements (4), the rim portion (5) having a plurality of corner portions (6). Each corner portion (6) comprises one or more containment elements (7) protruding upwardly from the rim portion (5) in an opposite orientation to the bearing elements (4), the one or more containment elements (7) are made in one-piece with the rim portion (5) and are configured to face and engage side surfaces of the vessel (10) at corner portions.

Description

[0001] TITLE: “A pallet for supporting a vessel for containing liquids and a palletized IBC container comprising the pallet”.

[0002] DESCRIPTION

[0003] FIELD OF INVENTION

[0004] The present invention relates to a pallet for supporting a vessel for containing liquids, and in particular a pallet for Intermediate Bulk Containers (IBC) used for storage and transportation of liquids, and to a palletized IBC container comprising said pallet.

[0005] Description of Prior Art

[0006] In the state of the art, known IBC containers comprise a plastic vessel for containing liquids, a pallet comprising a quadrangular plastic platform on which the vessel is loaded, and a protective metal cage mounted to the pallet and surrounding the vessel. The most common capacity of these vessels is about 1000 Liters.

[0007] The cage of an IBC container comprises a plurality of vertical and horizontal metal bars, welded together at their intersection, providing protections and support to the vessel.

[0008] In some IBC containers, the pallet is made of plastic material or hybrid material, comprising plastic and other materials, such as metal, or wood, where the plastic components are formed by a moulding process, preferably by injection. The pallet comprises bearing elements and a main supporting wall, transversal to the bearing elements, that supports the vessel.

[0009] Document EP 1155965 Al discloses an example of palletized IBC containers, comprising a pallet with a plastic quadrangular platform, formed by a unitary hollow body and having ribs extending from a central region parallel to the sides of the platform and along the diagonal of the platform.

[0010] During transportation, the IBC containers are subjected to mechanical stresses that may affect the integrity of the vessel. Therefore, the standards regulating the dangerous goods transportation (ADR), require that the containers produced for this scope are subjected to several tests before being placed on the market. These tests include, for example, vibration tests at specified amplitude and selected frequency, and drop or impact tests.

[0011] In known IBC containers, one of the most vulnerable areas during impacts or drop tests are the corner portions of the vessel, which tend to protrude from the cage, and which may break, releasing the liquids contained in the vessel.

[0012] In order to protect and contain these areas, the known palletized IBC containers are provided with angular covers which are mounted between the cage and the vessel at bottom parts of the vessel. When mounted, the covers extend between two adjacent sides of comer portions of the vessel, along the entire corner portion, and are attached to vertical bars of the cage by means of hanging devices realized on the angular covers itself.

[0013] An example of palletized IBC containers is shown in document US 2020 / 172328 Al, which discloses a base structure for an IBC container having corner portions with protective angular sections. Another example is shown by document DE 4318966 Al, which discloses a support for a pallet container having a base structure with middle and comer feet, which are attached to the pallet frame, providing structural support.

[0014] Prior Art Problems The prior art covers used to contain and protect the bottom comer portions of the vessels, mounted in a complete IBC, are notoriously impractical to assemble on such IBC containers due to their shape and conformation and require multiple assembly steps to achieve protection of such vulnerable areas.

[0015] In addition, these additional protections are normally produced in plastic, and they have a considerable weight. This is against the good practice to contains the CO2 footprint of each IBC produced (several millions per year).

[0016] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0017] Therefore, object of the present invention is providing a pallet for supporting a vessel for containing liquids capable of overcoming the aforementioned prior art drawbacks.

[0018] In particular, the object of the present invention is to provide a pallet comprising containment elements that correctly and adequately contain and protect corner portions of the vessel while avoiding misplacement and reducing plastic usage for the above explained reason.

[0019] A further object of the present invention is to provide a palletized IBC container comprising a pallet according to the present invention capable of improving the results of drop and impact tests.

[0020] The technical purpose and object are substantially fulfilled by a pallet that comprises the technical features disclosed in one or more of the accompanying claims.

[0021] Advantages

[0022] The pallet of the present invention comprises a platform having a supporting wall, bearing elements and an opposite rim portion projecting downwardly and upwardly from the supporting wall, respectively. The rim portion comprises at comer portions one or more containment elements protruding in opposite orientation with respect to bearing elements and configured to face and engage a respective side surface of the vessel at one corner portion of the vessel. In particular, the containment elements are formed integrally with the rim portion.

[0023] Advantageously, the one or more containment elements of the pallet cannot be misplaced in the event of an impact or fall, as they are made one-piece with the rim portion of the platform, thus ensuring a correct and adequate containment of the vessel.

[0024] Still advantageously, the pallet comprises at least two containment elements at side sections of each comer portion, which are separated by a gap at the angular section of the comer portion. This effectively allows for a significant reduction in the amount of plastic used in the manufacturing of the pallets, as the containment elements do not need to extend along all of the corner portions of the platform. As a result, the amount of plastic required for industrial facilities is considerably reduced. Indeed, it has been surprisingly found that the containment function at the comer portions of the vessel, i.e., the containment of the most vulnerable areas, can be effectively performed without actually protecting the angular section of the corner portions. In fact, it is sufficient to contain the adjacent side sections in order to achieve the desired result.

[0025] In addition, the containment elements of the pallet of the present invention have an outer surface with a concave shape facing outwardly with respect to the vessel. In more detail, the concave shape faces and engages comer vertical bars of a cage of an IBC container. In this way, the vertical bars can be effectively received and retained by the respective containment elements, thus ensuring an easy assembly of the components of a palletized IBC container.

[0026] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES The features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of a possible practical embodiment thereof, illustrated by way of non-limiting example in the accompanying drawing, in which:

[0027] - Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a palletized IBC container according to the present invention;

[0028] - Figure 2a shows a top view of a pallet according to the present invention;

[0029] - Figure 2b shows a close-up of a comer portion of the pallet of Figure 2a;

[0030] - Figure 3 a shows a lateral view of the pallet of the present invention;

[0031] - Figure 3b shows a close-up of a comer portion of the pallet of Figure 3a.

[0032] DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0033] With particular reference to the accompanying figures, 1 refers to a pallet for supporting a vessel 10 for containing liquids. The pallet 1 of the present invention is particularly useful in container of the IBC type, as shown in Figure 1.

[0034] The pallet 1 comprises a platform 2, which comprises a supporting wall 3 configured to support and bear a vessel 10. According to one embodiment, the platform 2 is made of plastic material, for example high-density polyethylene. In other embodiments, the platform 2 is made of metal or wood or comprises metal or wood parts. In further embodiments, the platform 2 is made of a combination of plastic, metal or wood parts. Preferably, the platform 2 is formed by an injection molding process. Alternatively, the platform 2 is formed by one of the following techniques: compression molding, rotational molding, or blow molding and in general by any process that can transform and re-shape plastic materials.

[0035] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the platform 2 comprises a body with a quadrangular shape. The platform 2 also comprises a plurality of bearing elements 4 that project downwardly from the supporting wall 3. Preferably, the bearing elements 4 are configured to lay on the floor or on the platform 2 of another pallet 1 so that one or more pallets can be stacked.

[0036] The platform 2 comprises also a rim portion 5 that projects upwardly from the supporting wall 3 opposite to the bearing elements 4. In more detail, the bearing elements 4 and the rim portion 5 protrude from the supporting wall 3 along an axial direction X in opposite orientations, as shown in Figures 1, 3a and 3b. Preferably, the supporting wall 3 lays on a plane transversal to the axial direction X.

[0037] According to a preferred embodiment, the supporting wall 3 and the rim portion 5 are made in one-piece.

[0038] More preferably, the supporting wall 3 and the rim portion 5 are made of plastic material.

[0039] The rim portion 5 comprises a plurality of comer portions 6. Preferably, the corner portions 6 of the rim portion 5 define the corners of the platform 2.

[0040] Each corner portion 6 comprises one or more containment elements 7 that protrude upwardly from the rim portion 5 in an opposite orientation to the bearing elements 4.

[0041] Each containment element 7 is made in one-piece with the rim portion 5. In more detail, each containment element 7 is formed integrally with the rim portion 5, for example during the injection molding process.

[0042] Advantageously, since the containment elements 7 are obtained directly from the manufacturing process, there is no risk of misplacement during actual falls, drops or impacts or during tests in general. Therefore, the containment elements 7 of the present invention ensure a correct and adequate containment and protection of a vessel 10 mounted on the pallet 1 during tests and in the event of incidents, thus preventing the vessel from breaking and the liquids contained therein from being released.

[0043] Each containment element 7 is configured to face and engage a respective comer surface of the vessel, and specifically a side surface 11 of the vessel 10 at a comer portion 12.

[0044] For the purposes of this description, the side surfaces of the vessel comprise front, rear and the at least two lateral surfaces of the vessel.

[0045] More specifically, each containment element 7 is adapted to be arranged at the bottom of the vessel 10 and is configured to face and engage a bottom corner surface of the vessel 10.

[0046] According to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, shown in Figures 1, 3a, 3b, each containment element 7 comprises a fin 7a that extends along the axial direction X from the rim portion 5.

[0047] Preferably, each containment element 7, and thus each fin 7a, extends from the rim portion 5 along the axial direction X of a height comprised between 25 and 50 mm, preferably between 30 and 45 mm.

[0048] Still preferably, each containment element 7 extends along a direction perpendicular to the axial direction X, parallel to a respective side of the rim portion 5 and / or of the supporting wall 3, of a width comprised between 35 and 70 mm, more preferably between 45 and 65 mm.

[0049] It should also be noted that, with the embodiment where the containment elements 7 are made of plastic material, the containment elements 7 are configured to deform partially and elastically in accordance with the deformation of the vessel during fall and / or impact tests.

[0050] According to the preferred embodiment, the supporting wall 3 has a central portion 30 adapted to receive the vessel 10. The rim portion 5 surrounds the central portion 30.

[0051] According to an aspect, shown in Figure 2a, the supporting wall 3 comprises a plurality of stiffening ribs extending parallel to the sides of the supporting wall 3.

[0052] According to another aspect, shown in Figures 1, 3a, 3b, the bearing elements 4 comprise peripheral blocks 41 in correspondence of the comer portions 6, middle blocks 42 between two adjacent peripheral blocks 41 and preferably also a central block, not shown, in correspondence of the middle of the central portion 30 of the supporting wall 3.

[0053] Preferably, the rim portion 5 comprises a ridge 5a that extends along the axial direction X of a height comprises between 15 and 35 mm, more preferably between 20 and 30 mm. Still preferably, the rim portion 5 thus has a first containment function for the vessel 10.

[0054] According to the preferred embodiment shown in the accompanying figures, each containment element 7 has an inner surface 71 that faces towards the central portion 30 of the supporting wall 3, and thus towards the vessel 10 when arranged on the supporting wall 3. In more detail, the inner surface 71 is configured to abut against a respective side surface 11 at a comer portion 12 of the vessel 10 when arranged on the supporting wall 3 to contain and protect the vessel 10. Each containment element 7 also has an outer surface 72 facing outwards from the vessel 10 when arranged on the supporting wall 3.

[0055] According to the preferred embodiment, the outer surface 72 has a concave shape.

[0056] Preferably, the inner surface 71 has a concave shape with the same curvature of the outer surface 72. Alternatively, the inner surface 71 of the containment elements 7 is flat. Still alternatively, the inner surface 71 has a concave shape with different curvature with respect to the outer surface 72, for example facing the opposite orientation to better engage the side surfaces 11 of the vessel 10.

[0057] Still preferably, the concave shape of the outer surface 72 of the containment elements 7 defines a seat 73 configured to partially receive a respective vertical bar 22 of a cage 20 mounted to the pallet 1, as better described hereinafter.

[0058] For the purpose of the present description, for concave shape it is intended a surface which is curved of a radius of curvature, which is adaptable to different shape of vertical bars of the cage 20.

[0059] According to an aspect shown in Figures 2a and 2b, each comer portion 6 of the rim portion 5 comprises an angular section 61 and two side sections 62 joined by the angular section 61. Preferably, at least one side section 62 of each corner portion 6 comprises at least one containment element 7. More preferably, each side section 62 of each comer portion 6 comprises at least one containment element 7. Most preferably, each comer portion 6 comprises two containment element 7.

[0060] According to an aspect, the containment elements 7 of two consecutive side sections 62 of each corner portion 6 are separated by a gap at the angular section 61 of the corner portion 6. In other words, each angular section 61 is devoid of containment elements 7.

[0061] According to the same aspect, at least two containment elements 7 of a comer portion 6 comprise at least a first side edge facing the gap.

[0062] In more detail, each containment element 7 comprises at least a first and a second side edge, opposite one another, and one upper edge transversal, and preferably orthogonal, to the side edges and opposite to the rim portion 5, which connects the first side edge to the second side edge. The first side edge of the at least two containment elements 7 faces the angular section 61 of the respective comer portion 6, while the opposite second side edge faces a containment element 7 of a distinct adjacent corner portion 6 or, alternatively, a different containment element 7 formed in the same side section 62.

[0063] Preferably, the gap is formed between the first side edge of a first containment element 7 formed in one side section 62 of the respective corner portion 6 and the first side edge of a second containment element 7 formed in the other side section 62 of the corner portion 6.

[0064] It is to be noted that the first side edge of the first containment element 7 faces in a direction substantially perpendicular to the direction in which the first side edge of the second containment element 7 faces.

[0065] According to the preferred aspect, each containment element 7 of a corner portion 6 is spaced from the vertex (i.e., the apex) of the angular section 61 by a respective distance, preferably the same for the first and second containment elements 7 whose first side edge faces the gap.

[0066] Specifically, the rim portion 5 at the comer portion 6 comprises two or more support parts, from which a respective containment element 7 extends along the axial direction X, and at least a free part in correspondence of the distance between the first and second containment elements 7 and the vertex of the angular section 61.

[0067] More specifically, the gap is defined at least by the free space formed between the first and second containment elements 7 of the respective comer portion 6 and the vertex of the angular section 61, in correspondence of the free part of the rim portion 5.

[0068] It has been surprisingly found in tests carried out by Applicant that, in order to contain and protect the most vulnerable areas of the vessel 10, namely the bottom corner portions, it is sufficient to provide containment elements only on side sections of the comer portion 6 of the platform. This has the advantage of significantly reducing the plastic consumption and containing the CO2 footprint during the manufacturing of the pallets, since the containment elements 7 do not need to extend along the entire corner portion. In industrial applications where large quantities of plastic are used, this results in considerable cost saving and an environmentally friendly operation.

[0069] Another object of the present invention is a palletized IBC container 100 that comprises the pallet 1.

[0070] The palletized IBC container 100 also comprises a vessel 10 for containing liquids arranged on the supporting wall 3 of the pallet 1. Preferably, the vessel 10 is made of plastic material, for example polyethylene.

[0071] According to an aspect, the vessel 10 has at least four side surfaces 11 and a plurality of rounded corner portions 12. In detail, each comer portion 12 has an angular section and two side sections, partially defined by side surfaces 11, joined by the angular section. Preferably, the vessel 10 has a parallelepiped shape. For example, the vessel 10 may have a capacity of 1000 Liters.

[0072] The palletized IBC container 100 also comprises a protective cage 20 mounted on the pallet 1 and surrounding the vessel 10. In more detail, the vessel 10 is fitted within the cage 20, which provides protection and support to the vessel. Preferably, the cage 20 comprises a connecting portion 23 which is fixed to the platform 2 of the pallet 1 by means of connecting elements, not shown, for example bolts or screw.

[0073] According to the preferred embodiment, the cage 20 comprises horizontal and vertical bars 21, 22. Preferably, the bars are formed from metal rods or tubes and intersect to form a grid structure. The bars may have rectangular, square, round or oval section. In more detail, the cage 20 comprises top horizontal bar 21a, intermediate horizontals bars 21b and bottom horizontal bar 21c, separated along the axial direction

[0074] X, and at least two horizontal bars 21d for closing the cage 20 at its top, as shown in Figure 1.

[0075] According to an aspect, the cage 20 has a parallelepiped shape, and preferably a shape substantially equal to the shape of the vessel 10.

[0076] The grid structure of the cage 20 is known in the state of the art, for example from document EP 2301860 Al, and will not be further described.

[0077] According to the preferred aspect, each containment element 7 of the pallet 1 faces and engages a respective side surface 11 at a bottom comer portion 12 of the vessel 10.

[0078] According to the same aspect, the outer surface 72 of the containment elements 7 engages a respective corner vertical bar 22 of the cage 20. In more detail, each containment element 7 engages a respective vertical bar 22 located at one corner of the cage 20 and arranged in correspondence of a respective side section of a corner portion 12 of the vessel. Preferably, the comer vertical bars 22 of the cage 20 are retained in respective seats 73 of the outer surfaces 72 of the containment elements 7.

Claims

CLAIMS1. A pallet (1) for supporting a vessel for containing liquids, the pallet (1) comprising a platform (2), wherein the platform (2) comprises:- a supporting wall (3) configured to support a vessel (10),- a plurality of bearing elements (4) downwardly projecting from the supporting wall(3), and- a rim portion (5) projecting from the supporting wall (3) upwardly opposite to the bearing elements (4), the rim portion (5) having a plurality of corner portions (6), each corner portion (6) comprising one or more containment elements (7) protruding upwardly from the rim portion (5) in an opposite orientation to the bearing elements(4), the one or more containment elements (7) are made in one-piece with the rim portion (5) and are configured to face and engage side surfaces of the vessel (10) at corner portions, wherein each comer portion (6) of the rim portion (5) comprises an angular section(61) and two side sections (62) joined by the angular section (61), each side section(62) of the comer portions (6) comprises a respective containment element (7), characterized in that the containment elements (7) of two consecutive side sections (62) of corner portions (6) are separated by a gap at the angular section (61) of said corner portion.

2. A pallet (1) according to claim 1, wherein each containment element (7) comprises a fin (7a) extending along an axial direction (X) from the rim portion (5), the supporting wall (3) laying on a plane transversal to the axial direction (X).

3. A pallet (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the supporting wall (3) has a central portion (30) adapted to receive the vessel, the rim portion (5) surrounding the central portion (30) of the supporting wall (3), each containment element (7) has an inner surface (71) facing toward the central portion (30) of the supporting wall (3) and an outer surface (72) having a concave shape.

4. A pallet (1) according to claim 3, wherein the concave shape of the outer surface (72) of each containment element (7) defines a seat (73) configured to partially receive a vertical bar of a cage (20) mounted on the pallet (1).

5. A pallet (1) according to claim 3 or 4, wherein the inner surface (71) of each containment element (7) is configured to abut against a respective side surface (11) at bottom corner portion (12) of the vessel (10) arranged on the supporting wall (3) to contain and protect the vessel.

6. A pallet (1) according to any claims from 1 to 5, wherein the supporting wall (3) and the rim portion (5) are made of plastic material and made in one-piece.

7. A pallet (1) according to any claims from 1 to 6, wherein each containment element (7) comprises at least a first side edge, an opposite second side edge and a top edge opposite to the rim portion (5) and transverse to first and second side edges and connecting the first and second side edges, the first side edge of at least two containment elements (7) in a corner portion (6) facing the gap.

8. A pallet (1) according to claim 7, wherein the gap is formed between the first side edge of a first containment element (7) of one side section (62) of the respective comer portion (6) and the first side edge of a second containment element (7), adjacent to the first containment element, of the other side section (62) of the comer portion (6).

9. A pallet (1) according to claim 8, wherein each containment element (7) is spaced from the vertex of the angular section (61) by a respective distance, the rim portion (5) at each comer portion (6) comprising a support part, from which the containment elements (7) extend along the axial direction (X), and a free part, in correspondence of the distance between the first and the second containment element (7) and the vertex of the angular section (61), the gap being defined in correspondence of the free part of the rim portion (5).

10. A palletized IBC container (100) comprising:- a pallet (1) according to any one of the preceding claims,- a vessel (10) for containing liquids arranged on the supporting wall (3) of the pallet (1), and- a cage (20) mounted on the pallet (1) and surrounding the vessel (10).

11. A palletized IBC container (100) according to claim 10, wherein the vessel (10) has side surfaces (11) and comer portions (12), each containment element (7) facing and engaging a side surface (11) at a respective bottom corner portion (12) of the vessel (10).

12. A palletized IBC container (100) according to claim 10 or 11, wherein the cage (20) comprises horizontal and vertical bars (21, 22), the outer surface (72) of each containment element (7) engaging a respective corner vertical bar (22) of the cage (20).

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