WO1998031594A1

WO1998031594A1 - Box from wall segments surrounded by a band

Info

Publication number: WO1998031594A1
Application number: PCT/NL1998/000040
Authority: WO
Inventors: Tom Eduard Frank Van Der Bruggen
Original assignee: Bruggen Tom Eduard Frank V D
Priority date: 1997-01-21
Filing date: 1998-01-21
Publication date: 1998-07-23
Also published as: AU5579298A; ATE207027T1; NL1005049C2; EP0954483A1; DE69802071T2; EP0954483B1; DE69802071D1

Abstract

The invention relates to a surrounded object constructed from wall segments (2). The body of wall segments is held together by a plastic band (3) stretched around the wall segment's outer perimeter. According to the invention, the wall segments (2) are substantially flat, plate-like elements and the contact sides of the wall segments (2) are positioned parallel to each other. In order to prevent the wall segments (2) from becoming displaced in the axial direction, the polygonal object is suitably provided with a groove (4) around its circumference.

Description

BOX FROM WALL SEGMENTS SURROUNDED BY A BAND

The present invention relates to a polygonal tightly surrounded object constructed from flat, plate-like wall segments, which wall segments each possess two contact sides opposite to each other, each contact side of a wall segment being positioned with its side along substantially the entire length of the adjacent wall segment, the contact sides forming straight edges of the polygonal surrounded object, and the edges being positioned parallel to each other, defining a polygonal space, bordered by the wall segments, with the body of wall segments being held together by a band stretched around the wall segment's outer perimeter, and means being present to prevent the wall segments from becoming displaced in relation to each other. Such a surrounded object, in particular a container, is known from the American patent specification US 1,775,224. This relates to a wooden container having very many corners, which container is manufactured from a strip of interconnected rigid, plate-like segments. The strip is provided with a groove to receive a bottom plate. The segments are held together by means of hoops for which no groove is provided. To reinforce the container, a flexible metal band is provided in a groove extending around the perimeter of the container. Said patent publication men- tions that said flexible band is not expected to be able to protect the container against forces in longitudinal direction.

The known container has various greater and lesser disadvantages. For instance, the strength of the container depends to a relatively large degree on temperature and atmospherical humidity. A change in these conditions may cause the wood to expand at first and cause the metal band and/or the hoop to compress the wood in a manner which may prove to be at any rate not quite reversible, with the result that after the conditions change, the container is weaker than it was before under the same conditions. Also, changing temperatures prevent the use of a metal band in combination with plastic wall segments. When using metal bands, the place where the ends of the bands are mechan- ically joined, is twice the thickness of the band used. A metal band is only flexible if it is sufficiently thin, making it at the same time sharp, which may cause injuries, for instance if the joint catches on a person. In addition, having colours other than the colour of metal makes the bands, and consequently the container, relatively expensive.

The objective of the present invention is to provide a surrounded object of the kind mentioned in the preamble from which said disadvantages have been eliminated. To this end the surrounded object according to the invention is characterized in that the means for the prevention of displacement of the wall segments in relation to each other have been selected from: i) a groove extending around the object's inside peri- meter, which groove engages a bottom plate; and/or ii) a groove extending around the object's outside perimeter, into which groove the stretched band is introduced, and the width of the groove substantially equals the width of the stretched band; and the band is a flexible plastic band.

. A flexible plastic band is by nature more elastic than a metal band. This makes the container more resistant to ambient fluctuations. Also, the container may now be an object such as a container with fewer edges. The thickness of a plastic band may help to prevent displacement in the longitudinal direction as well as reduce the chance of a user cutting himself on the flexible band. Finally, the objects can be placed closer together because the band can be flushed completely. During transport, the assembled and optionally filled objects take up less space than the assembled containers disclosed in the American patent specification. Plastic bands are available in virtually any colour, so that the appearance of the polygonal object may be further embellished. According to a favourable embodiment the flexible band is a thermoplastic plastic band whose ends are fusion-joined.

Such a joint is not thicker than twice the thick- ness of the flexible band. In contrast with the thermical joining of metal bands, the temperatures are so low that there is no risk of the wall segments discolouring. Even when using plastic wall segments, which in accordance with the present invention is also possible, there is no risk of them melting.

The use of plastic band is generally known in the packaging industry, in particular for sealing carton boxes, and makes it possible to manufacture objects such as containers very inexpensively, while nevertheless being strong. Surprisingly, the strength suffices also for light furniture such as chairs and small tables.

According to a favourable embodiment, the wall segments are provided at their outside with a groove, whose depth is at least almost equal to the thickness of the flexible band.

This prevents the plastic band from catching on something, as can happen with the band according to the prior art. An additional advantage to be achieved is the saving of space. The present invention further relates to a method of manufacturing an object surrounded by a band, which object comprises a bottom plate and wall segments.

The method according to the invention is characterized in that the mutually contacting wall segments are placed against the bottom plate, that around the wall segments at least one plastic band is applied, that as plastic band a band having two ends is used, and that the two ends are joined under a tensile stress.

It is relatively simple to automate this method. By using coloured plastic band, one operation suffices to produce an object with a colourful band, which band is inexpensive and whose colour does not flake off.

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polygonal object, so that it can be used to stretch the plastic band without difficulty in order to guide it over the wall segments and in particular over the edge formed by said wall segments. Finally, the invention relates to a packing comprised of a lower element having standing walls and an upper element having rims that are directed downward, so that when the packing is closed, the rims of the upper element at least partially cover the walls of the lower element.

The packing according to the invention is characterized in that the lower element and the upper element have identical shapes, each comprising a surrounded container according to the invention. The invention will now be explained with reference to the drawing, in which

Fig. 1 shows a top view of a first embodiment of an object, in particular a container, according to the invention; Fig. 2 shows a side view of the container seen in Fig. 1 ;

Fig. 3 is a top view of a second embodiment of the container according to the invention; and

Fig. 4 shows a cross section of the container shown in Fig. 3 according to line IV-IV.

The embodiment of a surrounded object according to the invention shown in Fig. l, is a surrounded container comprising a polygonal bottom plate 1 around which flat plate-like wall segments 2a, b, c, d, e, f, g, h are placed. In the present application the term flat means not curved. Each wall segment 2 possesses two contact sides opposite to each other, which are in contact with an adjacent wall segment 2. The assembly of bottom plate 1 and wall segments 2 is held together by means of a flexible plastic band 3 stretched around the wall segment's 2 outer perimeter (Fig. 2) .

Practically any flexible plastic may be used as plastic. The expert will, for instance, use the plastic band commonly used for sealing carton boxes. The plastic band 3 is chiefly made from polyester (which can be stretched 4-7% before breaking) , polypropylene (which can be stretched 10-12% before breaking) , and advantageously foamed polypropylene (which can be stretched 10-20% before breaking) . Such a plastic band is generally available and can be obtained, for example, from Compac GmbH, Elztal Dall, Germany.

The number of wall segments 2 of a container according to the invention may range for instance, from three to twenty. The wall segments may be made from plastic or wood, such as blockboard.

At their outside the wall segments are conveniently provided with a groove 4, whose depth is adapted for the reception of the plastic band 3. If the container does not have a groove extending around the inside of the perimeter, engaging a bottom plate 1, then the groove 4 extending around the outside of the perimeter is obligatory. It is preferred that the thickness of the band 3 is equal to the depth of the groove 4. It is also preferred that the width of the band 3 is equal to the width of the groove 4. This has a favourable influence on the strength of the surrounded container.

A suitable thickness for the wall segments is 3 to 25 mm, and preferably between 5 and 16 mm, this provides light and strong surrounded containers.

_. According to a preferred embodiment the grain of the wood runs in the circumferential direction. Having the grain of the wooden wall segments run in the circumferential direction, ensures that despite shrinkage and expan- sion of the wood due to changes in temperature and humidity, the wall segments will remain under sufficient tension to guarantee a strong container.

A surrounded container according to the invention may be symmetrical and may, for instance, be formed from four to twelve wall segments. However, containers according to the present invention may also be irregular polygons. According to a preferred embodiment the wall segments 2 have substantially identical dimensions. Characteristically, wall segments 2 have bevelled contact sides, with the bevel angle of two adjacent wall segments being substantially identical. For a container having a symmetrically octagonal bottom plate 1, said angle is 180° /8 =22.5°. The surfaces where the wall segments meet, as shown in Fig. 3, are provided with an axially extending groove 5 or an axially extending projection 6, which serve to further strengthen the container for demanding purposes . Fig 4 shows how a groove 7 extending around the inside of a surrounded container engages the bottom plate 1. The thickness of the bottom plate 1 and the width of the groove 7 are adapted to each other, that is to say they are almost identical, preventing movement of the wall segments 2 in axial direction, thus guaranteeing a sturdy surrounded container.

To manufacture a container surrounded by a band 3 according to the invention, the mutually contacting wall segments 2 are placed against the bottom plate 1, and around the outside of the wall segments 2 at least one band 3 is applied. The band 3 is preferably a strip of plastic band having two ends, and the two ends are joined under a tensile stress .

The required tensile strength depends on how strong the holder is required to be, what kind of wood and plas- tic band 3 are used as well as its dimensions, and it lies within the capabilities of the expert to determine said tensile strength by experimentation without too much effort.

The plastic band is preferably a thermoplastic plastic band and is joined by supplying heat. This technique is generally known, for instance from UK 1,531,082 relating to the sealing of carton boxes and the holding together of products, and is surprisingly very suitable for the manufacture of the surrounded container according to the invention. According to another embodiment the ends may be joined with the aid of glue.

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Claims

1. A polygonal tightly surrounded object con- structed from flat, plate-like wall segments, which wall segments each possess two contact sides opposite to each other, each contact side of a wall segment being positioned with its side along substantially the entire length of the adjacent wall segment, the contact sides forming straight edges of the polygonal surrounded object, and the edges being positioned parallel to each other, defining a polygonal space, bordered by the wall segments, with the body of wall segments being held together by a band stretched around the wall segment's outer perimeter, and means being present to prevent the wall segments from becoming displaced in relation to each other, characterized in that the means for the prevention of displacement of the wall segments in relation to each other have been selected from: i) a groove extending around the object's inside perimeter, which groove engages a bottom plate; and/or ii) a groove extending around the object's outside perimeter, into which groove the stretched band is introduced, and the width of the groove substantially equals the width of the stretched band; and the band is a flexible plastic band.

2. An object according to claim 1, characterized in that the flexible band is a thermoplastic plastic band whose ends are fusion-joined.

3. An object according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the wall segments are provided at their outside with a groove, whose depth is at least almost equal to the thickness of the flexible band.

4. An object according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the thickness of the wall segments is between 5 and 16 mm.

5. An object according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the wall segments are made from wood.

6. An object according to claim 5, characterized in that the grain of the wood runs in the circumferential direction.

7. An object according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that this is formed from 4 to 12 wall segments.

8. An object according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the wall segments have substantially identical dimensions.

9. A method of manufacturing an object surrounded by a band, which object comprises a bottom plate and wall segments, characterized in that the mutually contacting wall segments are placed against the bottom plate, that around the wall segments at least one plastic band is applied, that as plastic band a band having two ends is used, and that the two ends are joined under a tensile stress.

10. A method according to claim 9, characterized in that as plastic band a thermoplastic band is used and joining occurs by supplying heat.

11. A method of manufacturing an object surrounded by a band, characterized in that mutually contacting wall segments are placed around and against a body serving as mould, which body conforms to the shape and dimensions of the space of an object to be formed, that at least one plastic band having two ends is applied around the wall segments, and that the two ends are joined under a tensile stress, after which the body serving as mould is removed from the thus formed space.

12. A method of manufacturing an object surrounded by a band, characterized in that the wall segments are placed against an element defining the perimeter of the object to be formed and, with the aid of an auxiliary device, an endless plastic band of a length that in a state of rest is smaller than the circumference of the object to be formed is placed around the wall segments at the intended place, after which the element may be removed.

13. A packing comprised of a lower element having standing walls and an upper element having rims that are directed downward, so that when the packing is closed, the rims of the upper element at least partially cover the walls of the lower element, characterized in that the lower element and the upper element have identical shapes, each comprising a surrounded object according to one of the claims 1 to 8.