IES60612B2 - Container for use in transporting goods - Google Patents

Description

CONTAINER FOR USE IN TRANSPORTING GOODS The present invention relates to containers for use in transporting goods, and relates particularly though not exclusively to containers for use in bulk transportation of elastic tape from a tape manufacturer to a garment manufacturer.

Traditionally elastic tape has been transported in cardboard boxes or cartons, which are subsequently discarded.

In recent years, due to increased environmental consciousness, there has been a demand for a container which is reusable, in particular a container which may be returned by the garment manufacturer to the tape manufacturer for use in transporting a second or subsequent load. However, it has not been at all obvious how this demand could be satisfied at reasonable cost.

The most obvious solution would be to use a cardboard box or carton which is stronger and therefore capable of reuse. The box or carton should also be collapsible to facilitate return to the tape manufacturer in collapsed form thereby reducing transportation costs. However, such a box would have extra layers and corrugations and this - 2 would involve the tape becoming snagged within the box.

Alternatively, a moulded plastics box or carton could be used, but if the box were not collapsible the return transportation costs of 5 empty boxes would be prohibitive, whereas if the box were collapsible the manufacturing costs, in particular the cost of a suitable mould for making boxes, would be prohibitive. Thus the problem has remained unsolved.

The present invention provides a container in the form of a collapsible cage which in its erect state can receive and accommodate a bag or other flexible container filled with tape.

The invention will now be described in more detail with reference 15 to the accompanying drawings which show, by way of example only, one construction of container according to the invention.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a perspective view of the container in the erect state, open so as to receive a load, and empty, and Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1, but showing the container partly cut away to illustrate a load contained therein.

Referring to Figure 1, the container comprises six panels, a front panel 1, a left hand side panel 2, a right hand side panel 3, a rear panel 4, a floor panel 5, and a roof panel 5. Each panel 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 is made of an outer metal frame surrounding a metal mesh. The 30 panels 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, β are hinged together as will now be described.

The floor panel 5 is connected by means of a pair of hinges 7 to the lower edge of the rear panel 4. The floor panel 5 is movable between a horizontal position, shown in Figure 1, in which the floor panel rests on a pair of brackets 8 projecting backwardlv from the lower edge of 35 the front panel 1 and a vertical position in which the floor panel is pivoted upwardly to rest against the inside face of the rear panel 4.

The roof panel 6 is pivotally connected by means of a pair of hinges 9 to the upper edge of the rear panel 4 and is movable between a first - 3 position, shown in Figure 1, in which it depends downwardly on the outside face of the rear panel 4 and a second position (not shown) resting on the upper edges of the front panel 1, left hand side panel 2, and right hand side panel 3. Further pairs of hinges 10 are provided connecting the front panel 1 to the left hand side panel 2, connecting the left hand side panel 2 to the rear panel 4, connecting the rear panel 4 to the right hand side panel 3, and connecting the right hand side panel 3 to the front panel 1. As shown in Figure 1, the container is erect, open and empty and is ready for use.

Referring to Figure 2, a transparent polythene bag 11 having substantially the same dimensions as the container is placed within the container through the open top of the container. A cardboard insert 12 is inserted into the bag 11 and has a shape and dimensions corresponding generally to those of the floor of the container. The mouth of the bag 11 is turned down over the top edges of the container, and the bag is then filled with elastic tape 13. The tape is arranged within the bag so as to fill the bag without any coiling or snagging or knotting and with the two ends 13a and 13b of the tape emerging from the open mouth of the bag. In Figure 2, the tape 13 is shown in a highly schematic manner for the purpose of illustration, in fact the tape is densely packed to completely fill the bag 11. A flat-bottomed cardboard tray or cover 14 with reinforcing ribs 14a is then placed inside the bag 11 and is pushed downwards to compress the tape 13 into the bag. The two free ends 13a and 13b of the tape 13 are laid in the tray 14 so as to be readily available for use. The mouth of the bag 11 is then folded in over the tray 14. Finally, the roof panel 6 is closed over and is secured in the closed position by snap on clips (not shown) of approximately the same shape and dimensions as the hinges. In Figure 2 the roof panel 6 is shown about to be closed. The container is now ready for transportation from the tape manufacturer to the garment manufacturer. The latter, on receiving the container, opens the roof panel 6, removes the tray 14 and can then pull out tape 13 as desired.

Referring back to Figure 1, changing the container from the erect to the collapsed state will now be described. This occurs when all the tape 13 has been used and the container is to be sent from the garment manufacturer back to the tape manufacturer. The first step is to _ 4 remove the bag 11- When in the erect state, as mentioned, the floor panel 5 rests on the two brackets 8. These brackets 8 are at a level slightly above the lower edge of the front panel 1, left hand side panel 2 and right hand side panel 3. As a result these three panels 1, 5 2, 3 are prevented from pivoting about hinges 10, and thus the container retains its square erect state. Therefore, to collapse the container, the second step is to pivot the floor panel 5 from the horizontal position to the vertical position. Thereafter, the front panel 1, left hand side panel 2, rear panel 4 and right hand side panel 10 3 may be collapsed towards one another so that instead of forming an erect square parallelogram (as seen in plan) they form a collapsed substantially flat parallelogram with the floor panel 5 folded up into the parallelogram resting against the inside face of the rear panel 4 and with the roof panel 6 folded down outside the parallelogram resting 15 against the outside face of the rear panel 4. The container can then be conveniently returned for re-use.

Figure 2 also illustrates an optional feature not illustrated in Figure 1, namely handgrips 15 provided in the left hand side panel 2 20 (not visible) and in the right hand side panel 3 and corresponding handgrips 15 in the tray 14 to facilitate handling of the container.

It will be appreciated that the container described above satisfies the need for an environmentally suitable container. All the 25 elements, including the container proper, the polythene bag and the cardboard tray can be reused. Also, all of the elements are simple to manufacture. In particular, the cage is of simple and durable construction.

It will of course be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific details described herein, which are given by way of example only, and that various modifications and alterations are possible within the scope of the invention.

Claims (5)

1. A container comprising a collapsible cage which in its erect state can receive and accommodate a bag or other flexible container.

2. A container according to claim 1 comprising four side walls pivotally connected to one another so as to define a col lapsible/erectable parallelogram and a pivotal rectangular floor and a pivotal rectangular roof.

3. A container according to claim 2 in which one edge of the floor is pivotally mounted to the lower edge of one side wall and a support is provided on the lower edge of the opposite side wall for receiving the opposite free edge of the floor and for supporting the latter in the erect state of the container at a level such that the floor prevents the side walls from collapsing towards one another.

4. A container according to claim 2 in which the side walls, floor and roof each comprise an outer frame and a mesh mounted within the frame.

5. A container substantially as herein described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.