The invention relates to an interlock assembly type packing container for freight transport whereby bolt fastenings are dispensed with to allow simple assembly and disassembly and which in particular are ideally suited to the transportation of parts or complete items of motor vehicles, two-wheelers, etc.

Parts or complete items of motor vehicles, two-wheelers, etc., are almost never rectangular or cubic in overall shape, and to package single components or items efficiently when they have to be transported as freight, therefore, metal packing containers of frame or box form are used and the part or item is placed inside the container for shipment.

One such type of packing container used for motor vehicles and two-wheelers is the packing frame, the structure whereof has heretofore been composed of a skid comprising the bottom part of the packing frame, end-frames disposed at the front and back of the skid, side frames disposed on opposite sides of the skid, and a top frame tying together the side-frames on each side, and which has normally been assembled at the site of packing by fastening with bolts.

A packing frame of this kind has numerous assembly bolt fastenings and is troublesome to assemble, with the result that assembly is also time-consum¬ ing.

Packing containers that dispense with bolt fastenings have therefore been proposed. For example, Japan Utility Model publication No. 1 992-3953 dis¬ closes an interlock-fit transport container wherein a mating support rail 7 that has a tall supporting edge 1 on the inside and, continuous therewith via the base 2, a short detaining edge 3 on the outside as shown in Fig. 9(a), an en¬ try gap formed between an imaginary inclined plane 4, tilted outward and in contact with at least the top of the supporting edge 1 , and another imaginary inclined plane 5 parallel therewith and in contact with at least part of the de¬ taining edge 3, and an engagement gap 6 formed between the detaining edge 3 and base 2, is affixed around the whole perimeter of the floor member; and a panel member 9, whereon a reinforcing edge 8 of thickness approximately the same as or smaller than the aforesaid engagement gap 6 and of width ap¬ proximately the same as or smaller than the aforesaid entry gap is formed by folding back at approximately right angles to the axis of the corrugations the upper and lower edges of a corrugated steel sheet with the axis of its corru¬ gations arranged longitudinally, is inserted in the respective aforesaid mating support rail 7 and set upright.

Again, Japan Utility Model Kokai No. 1 992-1 35421 discloses a container that uses an easily fitted and removed metal junction structure comprising a mem¬ ber 1 1 of angular J-shape sectional profile, a member 12 of V-shape or un¬ equal sided V-shape sectional profile affixed to the inner face of the long side of the member of angular J-shape sectional profile, and a member 1 3 of en¬ larged curvature J-shape made up of a part of approximately arcuate sectional profile, a part of approximately semi-arcuate sectional profile and a part of lin¬ ear cross-section contiguous therewith; wherein, conceptually, the end of the approximately semi-arcuate sectional profile part 14 abuts the inner face 1 5 of the angular fold nearest the end in the angular J sectional profile member 3 while the approximately semi-arcuate sectional profile part lies in contact with the member 1 2 of V-shape or unequal sided V-shape sectional profile.

Of these packing containers that use a connecting structure dispensing with the use of bolts, the former has poor junction strength and does not allow control of movement in the transverse direction since contact of the mating parts of the mating support rail and reinforcing edge is linear; while the latter is problematic in that a large number of members make up the junction

structure, the relation between the geometry and position of attachment of the members is difficult to determine, a great deal of fabrication is needed to attach the various members by spot welding, and even then it is impossible to restrict movement in the transverse direction.

Having regard to the aforesaid problem of the prior art, the invention seeks to provide an easily fabricated packing container of interlock assembly type that eliminates bolt fastenings, allows simple assembly and disassembly, has great connecting strength, and enables movement in the transverse direction to be restricted.

To solve the aforesaid problem, the interlock assembly type packing container of the invention is characterised in that mating support members with a pro¬ jection formed at the end of their horizontal element and a projection formed at the rear of their vertical element are fitted to the bottom of side-face mem¬ bers to be assembled by insertion at an angle and setting upright, while mat¬ ing socket members wherein are formed a detent hole whereby the projection at the end of the horizontal element of the mating support member is de¬ tained and a recess whereby the projection at the rear of the vertical element of the aforesaid mating support members is engaged are provided on at least those parts of the circumference of the floor member corresponding to the aforesaid mating support members.

The packing container of interlock assembly type set down in Claim 2 of the invention is characterised in that, in addition to the constitution set down in Claim 1 , adjacent corner apices of the aforesaid side-face members that have been inserted at an angle in the mating socket members of the aforesaid floor member and then rotated upright are connected by means of corner attach¬ ments, fitted to the respective side-face members, whereon is formed a sup¬ port capable of supporting the load in the direction of the apical axis with the bottom face of one support abutting the top face of the other and whereon a push-fit coupling has been integrally formed at the end opposite the corner apex, and by corner brackets at the ends whereof are formed connecting ele¬ ments that couple with the push-fit couplings on the two corner attachments and at the middle whereof is integrally formed a part preventing interference with the aforesaid support.

The interlock assembly packing container of the invention is so constituted that an L-shape mating support member with a projection formed at the end of the horizontal element thereof and a projection formed at the rear of the vertical element thereof is fitted to the lower end of the side-face member while a mating socket member wherein are formed a detent hole whereby the projection at the end of the horizontal element of the L-shape mating support member is detained and a recess whereby the projection at the rear of the vertical element of the aforesaid mating support member is engaged is fitted to at least that part of the circumference of the floor member corresponding to the aforesaid mating support member; the side-face member is tilted and the mating support member thereof is fitted into the mating socket member of the floor member; and the projection at the end of the horizontal element is placed in the detent hole, whereupon the side-face member is set upright so that the rear projection engages in the recess, locking the assembly.

The floor member and side-face members are thereby simply connected by rotation of the slightly tilted side-face member to a vertical state, and the mating support member is restrained at its front and rear faces and top and bottom faces by the mating socket member while lateral movement is also restrained, thus providing for improved junction strength and a reduced num¬ ber of members.

Moreover, the interlock assembly type packing container set down in Claim 2 of the invention is so constituted that, in addition to the constitution set down in Claim 1 , corner attachments are fitted to the respective side-face members at adjoining corner apices of side-face members set upright by rotation after insertion into the mating socket members of the aforesaid floor member; wherein the two corner attachments are interconnected with a corner bracket whereby the corner apices where the two side-face members make contact can be simply connected without using bolts so that the packing container can be assembled more simply.

A working example of the invention is hereunder described in detail with ref¬ erence to the drawings.

Fig. 1 - Fig. 8 relate to a working example of the interlock assembly packing container of the invention. Fig. 1 is an assembly flow chart; Fig. 2 is an ex¬ ploded perspective view of the packing container; Fig. 3 and Fig. 4 are ex¬ ploded perspective views of the respective mating assembly parts of the floor member and side-face members; Fig. 5 and Fig. 6 are respectively and ex¬ ploded perspective view of the corner apices of adjoining side-face members and a perspective view of the same assembled; and Fig. 7 and Fig. 8 are re¬ spectively and exploded perspective view of part of the top frame and a per¬ spective view of the same assembled.

Fig. 1 An assembly flow diagram in a working example of the interlock as¬ sembly packing container of the invention.

Fig. 2 An exploded perspective view of the packing container in a working example of the interlock assembly packing container of the inven¬ tion.

Fig. 3 An exploded perspective view of the mating assembly parts of the floor member and side-face member (end frame) in a working ex¬ ample of the interlock assembly packing container of the invention.

Fig. 4 An exploded perspective view of the mating assembly parts of the floor member and side-face member (side frame) in a working ex¬ ample of the interlock assembly packing container of the invention.

Fig. 5 An exploded perspective view of the corner apices of adjoining side- face members in a working example of the interlock assembly packing container of the invention.

Fig. 6 A perspective view of the assembled coupling at the corner apices of adjoining side-face members in a working example of the inter¬ lock assembly packing container of the invention.

Fig. 7 An exploded perspective view of part of the top frame in a working example of the interlock assembly packing container of the invention.

Fig. 8 A perspective view of the part of the assembled top frame in a working example of the interlock assembly packing container of the invention.

Fig. 9 A sectional view of the interlock assembly parts of an interlock as¬ sembly packing container of the prior art.

The interlock assembly packing container illustrated comprises a panel-less skeletal packing frame. Thus, as shown in Fig. 2, the container is composed of a skid 21 functioning as a floor member, constituting the bottom of the packing frame 20, end frames 22 and 23 functioning as side-face members disposed at the front and rear of the skid 21 , side frames 24 and 25 function¬ ing as side-face members disposed on each side of the skid 21 , and a top frame 26 linking together the front and rear end frames 22 and 23.

The skid 21 functioning as the floor member is constituted by fitting a rectan¬ gular corrugated sheet floor plate inside a rectangular frame which defines the floor perimeter and is provided on four feet disposed from front to rear.

The end frames 22 and 23 arranged for connection at the front and rear of the skid 21 are constructed from hollow formed metal 27 of approximately P shape sectional profile and have been constituted by assembling an upper member of the same length as the width of the skid 21 in the lateral direction, a short lower member arranged only at the connecting part, and struts 28 and diagonal members 29 linking the upper and lower members together in a trapezoidal frame of narrow base.

The side frames 24 and 25 arranged for connection on each side of the skid 21 are constructed as a combination of hollow formed metal 27 of approxi¬ mately P-shape section profile or other sectional profile and have been consti¬ tuted by forming the members into a rectangle of the same length as the width of the skid 21 in the front to rear direction, strengthening with struts 28 and diagonal members 29 and assembling as a frame by spot welding or the like.

The invention is so constituted that the end frames 22 and 23, side frames 24 and 25 and skid 21 can be assembled with push-fit couplings 30 without re¬ course to bolts.

The push-fit couplings 30 of the end frames 22 and 23 and side frames 24 and 25 all have the same structure and are provided at different positions. As shown in Figs. 1 , 3 and 4, respectively, a mating support member 31 of L- shape sectional profile is fitted which, while also functioning as the lower member of the end frame 22, links together the struts 28; wherein a projec¬ tion 33 has been formed in the rear surface of the vertical element 32 of the L at two places corresponding to the parts of the mating support member 31 where the struts 28 are attached, and a projection 35 has been formed at the end of the horizontal element 34 of the L-shape.

The projection 33 formed at the rear of the vertical element 32 of the L-shape of the mating support member 31 is a hollow right-angled triangular prism whose upper end face protrudes horizontally outward as shown in Fig. 1 and has been integrally formed by press drawing. The projection 35 formed at the end of the horizontal element 34 of the L-shape of the mating support mem¬ ber 31 has been formed projecting out from the side face of the separate plate 36, which has been fitted to the horizontal element 34 by spot welding or the like as shown in Fig. 3 and bent so that the projection 35 lies in the same plane as the horizontal element 34 when the plate 36 has been fitted to the horizontal element 34, as shown in Fig. 1 .

The lower side of the rectangular frame in the side frames 24 and 25 also functions as a mating support member 31 of L-shape sectional profile; wherein projections 33 have been formed at the rear of the vertical element 32 of the L while projections 35 have been formed at the end of the horizon¬ tal element 34 of the L at two positions to the inside of and close to the strut at each end of the mating support member 31.

The projection 33 formed in the rear of the vertical element 32 of the L-shape of the mating support member 31 is a hollow right-angled triangular prism projection, whose upper end face protrudes horizontally outward as shown in Fig. 1 , and has been integrally formed by press drawing. The projection 35

formed at the end of the horizontal element 34 of the L-shape on the mating support member 31 has been formed projecting out from the side face of a separate plate 36, which has been fitted to the horizontal element 34 by spot welding or the like as shown in Fig. 4 and bent so that the projection 35 lies in the same plane as the horizontal element 34 when the plate 36 has been fitted to the horizontal element 34, as shown in Fig. 1 .

At the same time, a mating socket member 37 receiving the mating support member 31 is fitted to all four sides of the perimeter of the skid 21 .

The mating socket member 37 has been constituted from front and rear walls

38 and 39, higher on the inside and lower on the outside with respect to the skid 21 , and a horizontal wall 40 contiguous therewith, as shown in Fig. 1 , Fig. 3 and Fig. 4; wherein a depression 41 has been formed in the rear wall

39 by placing a slit near the top, corresponding with the projection 33 on the rear of the mating support member 31 , and press forming so that a triangular prismatic space is formed, while a detent hole 42 corresponding in width with the projection 35 at the end of the mating support member 31 has been formed at the bottom of the front wall 38.

The spacing of the front and rear walls 38 and 39 in the mating socket mem¬ ber 37, i.e. the length of the horizontal wall 40, has been determined so that the end projection 35 and base angle part of the mating support member 31 can be inserted, tilted outward, into the mating socket member 37; and the height of the slit formed in the rear wall 39 has been chosen so that the hori¬ zontal upper end face of the rear projection 33 can be engaged when the mating support member 31 has been set upright.

Moreover, the height of the front wall 38 of the mating socket member 37 has been predetermined so that the said wall does not interfere when the end frames 22 and 23 and side frames 24 and 25 are inserted at an angle (see Fig. Kb)) .

As shown in Figs. 2-4, for example, the mating socket member 37 so consti¬ tuted is fitted to the skid 21 over the entire width at the position of attach¬ ment of the end frames 22 and 23, and again at the position of attachment of

the side frames 24 and 25 to the skid 21 between the mating socket mem¬ bers 37 of the end frames 22 and 23.

To fit the end frames 22 and 23 and side frames 24 and 25 thus provided with mating support members 31 and mating socket members 37 to the skid 21 , the mating support members 31 are inserted between the front and rear walls 38 and 39 of the mating socket members 37 (see Fig. 1 (a)) with the re¬ spective end frames 22 and 23 and side frames 24 and 25 tilted outward at an angle of 20 - 25 degrees as shown in Fig. 1 , Fig. 3 and Fig. 4.

Still held inclined, the end frames 22 and 23 and side frames 24 and 25 are then pushed down so that the projections 35 on the horizontal ends enter the detent holes 42 in the mating socket members 37 on the skid 21 (see Fig. 1 (b)); wherein, since the height of the front wall 38 of the mating socket member 37 has been predetermined so the said wall does not interfere with the end frames 22 and 23 and side frames 24 and 25, the said frames can be smoothly inserted.

Once the end frames 22 and 23 and side frames 24 and 25 have been pushed into place and set vertical, the projections 33 on the rear of the mating sup¬ port members 31 are engaged in the recesses 41 in the mating socket mem¬ bers 37 while the projections 35 on the end of the mating support members 31 are detained in the detent holes 42 in the mating socket members 37. As¬ sembly is then complete.

With the mating support members 31 and mating socket members 37 thus engaged, movement to and fro (lateral movement in Fig. 1 ), lateral movement (movement at right angles to the plane of the paper in Fig. 1 ) and vertical movement (vertical movement in Fig. 1 ) are restricted by detention of the projections 35 on the horizontal end of the mating support members 31 in the detent holes 42 and engagement of the rear projections 33 in the recesses 41 , with the result that movement in any direction is restricted and the as¬ sembly is firmly interlocked.

Again, since engagement of the push-fit couplings 30 is commenced with the end frames 22 and 23 and side frames 24 and 25 comprising the side-face

members slightly inclined to 20 - 25 degrees, the mating support members 31 are easily inserted at commencement of fitting so that assembly can be performed by one person even when a particularly large packing frame is be¬ ing assembled; moreover, little space is required for assembly, which is simply and quickly accomplished.

Furthermore, given the great stiffness of the mating support members 31 , their insertion into the mating socket members 37 is simply and reliably ac¬ complished, again making for quick and easy assembly.

Again, since all movement, whether forward and backward, lateral or vertical, can be restricted with a single push-fit coupling between the mating support member 31 and mating socket member 37, the couplings need not be pro¬ vided over the entire length of the skid as heretofore, allowing the positions of installation to be chosen as appropriate; at the same time, the end frames 22 and 23 and side frames 24 and 25 can each be kept mutually independent.

Furthermore, assembly can be commenced with any of the end frames 22 and 23 or side frames 24 and 25, so there is no order of assembly and the con¬ tainer can be simply assembled by anyone.

Instead of inserting a slit corresponding to the height of the projection 33 on the mating support member 31 and forming a triangular prismatic space when forming the recess 41 in the mating socket member 37, it is possible to form the slit at a lower position and form the recess so that the slit is located at the corner where the press formed recess protrudes most, as shown in the circled diagram in Fig. Kb); direct contact of the slit with the upper end of the pro¬ jection 33 is thereby avoided, allowing easy interlock assembly and disas¬ sembly release.

The push-fit coupling 50 at the corner apices of the packing frame 20 will now be described with the aid of Fig. 5 and Fig. 6.

To make the push-fit coupling 50, respective corner attachments 51 and 52 are fitted to the end frame 22 and side frame 24 that make up the corner apex, as in Fig. 5 for example.

SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 2fi)

Semicircular recesses 53 and 54 respectively are formed at an intermediate position on the corner attachments 51 and 52, wherein a slight clearance 54' from the inner face of the top member has been provided on the corner apex side; also, load supports 55 and 56 of hollow cylindrical geometry have been formed, located inside the line of the corner apex. The load supports 55 and 56 have been vertically displaced so that the upper end face of the load sup¬ port 55 on the end frame side 22 is abutted against the lower end face of the load support 56 on the side frame side 24, enabling loads to be supported.

A corner bracket 57 is used to couple the corner attachments 51 and 52, as shown in the perspective view from the bottom surface in Fig. 5.

To make the corner bracket 57, a right-angled outer segment 58 that will lie flush with the outsides of both the end frame 22 and side frame 24 making up the corner apex, and an inner segment 59 that will be inserted in the clear¬ ance 54' in the corner attachments 51 and 52 on the inside of the said frames and lie flush to the inside of the load supports 55 and 56, are attached by welding or the like to a top segment 60 of approximately triangular shape; in addition, hollow tubular coupling elements 61 and 62 are formed at the ends of the inner segment 59 for engagement in the recesses 53 and 54 in the corner attachments 51 and 52.

In addition, a semicircular projection 63 for positioning packing frames that are to be vertically stacked has been integrally formed on the upper face of the top segment 60 of the corner bracket by press working.

Accordingly, to apply the push-fit coupling 50, the load support 56 is first placed over the load support 55 to align the corner attachments 51 and 52 of the end frame 22 and side frame 24 as shown in Fig. 6, and the corner bracket 57, inverted from the presentation shown in Fig. 5, is pushed down so that the outer segment 58 lies flush with the outside of the end frame 22 and side frame 24, the inner segment 59 enters the clearance 54' between the end frame 22 and corner attachment 51 and the clearance 54' between the side frame 24 and corner attachment 52, and the tubular coupling ele¬ ments 61 and 62 at the edges are fitted in the recesses 53 and 54 in the cor¬ ner attachments 51 and 52.

The corner apices of the packing frame 20 can thereby be interlocked, re¬ stricting any inward or outward leaning of the end frame 22 and side frame 24.

Moreover, since a semicircular projection 63 for positioning purposes has been integrally formed on the upper face of the top segment 60 of the corner bracket 57 by press working, relative displacement when packing frames 20 are being stacked can be prevented by engaging the said projections with holes at the four corners on the bottom face of the skid 21 .

Interlocking with the corner bracket 57 more securely fitted can be achieved by folding the lower edge of the outer segment 58 of the corner attachment 57 inward to a V-profile, as shown inside the circle in Fig. 5, so that the said segment is detained by the lower edge of the hollow formed metal 27 of the end frame 22 and side frame 24; the corner bracket 57 can thus be prevented from breaking free despite vibration during transport.

The packing frame 20 is here additionally provided with a top frame 26, and provision has been made so that the top frame 26 can likewise be fitted with¬ out the use of bolts.

The top frame 26 is shown in an exploded state in Fig. 7 and an assembled state in Fig. 8. To construct the top frame 26, hollow formed metal 27 of ap¬ proximately P-shape sectional profile is cut to a length such that it abuts the inner face of the end frame 22 and approximately L-shaped keeper plates 71 that lie flush with the upper face and outer face of the upper member of the end frame 22 are provided at the ends, as illustrated for one end in Fig. 7; wherein the end of the keeper plate 71 is folded inward into a V-profile so that it can be detained on the lower face of the upper member.

Hence, when the top frame 26 is placed so as to cover the upper members of the front and rear end frames 22 and 23, the end frames 22 and 23 are re¬ tained by the hollow formed metal 27 and the keeper plates 71 at both ends thereof, while vertical movement of the top frame 26 is prevented by deten¬ tion of the ends.

The end frames 22 and 23 and side frames 24 and 25 in the packing frame 20 thus constituted can be assembled onto the skid 21 without any bolts be¬ ing used; assembly of the packing frame 20 is then completed by pushing the corner brackets 57 onto each of the four corner apices and push-fitting the top frame 26.

When the packing frame 20 is to be dismantled and the object housed therein removed, on the other hand, the said frame is simply dismantled by removing the top frame 26 and corner brackets 57 and then tilting the end frames 22 and 23 and likewise the side frames 24 and 25 so that they lean outward.

Since the end frames 22 and 23 and side frames 24 and 25 are built from hollow formed metal of approximately P-shape sectional profile, they have great strength with little deflection, etc., allowing straightforward push-fit coupling.

Furthermore, as the push-fit couplings 30 and 50 are composed of mating support members 31 and mating socket members 37 or simply of corner brackets 57, they contain few members and are easily fabricated.

The aforesaid working example was so constituted that the mating support members and mating socket members were provided over the whole length of the floor members and side-face members. However, it may be arranged for either one to be provided only in part while the other is provided over the whole length, or for both to be provided only in part.

Again, whereas the packing frame illustrated in the aforesaid working example has no panels, it may be arranged for panels to be fitted in the side-face members and for a panel to be fitted in the top frame to act as a lid.

Furthermore, although the mating support members were composed of metal in the aforesaid working example, the material is not limited to metal and the members may be formed from plastics, etc.

As hereinbefore described in specific terms with a working example, the inter¬ lock assembly packing container of the invention is so constituted that L-

shape mating support members with a projection formed at the end of their horizontal element and a projection formed at the rear of their vertical element are fitted at the bottom of the side-face member while mating socket mem¬ bers wherein are formed a detent hole whereby the projection at the end of the horizontal element of the L of the mating support member is detained and a recess whereby the projection on the rear of the vertical element of the mating support member is engaged are fitted to at least that part of the pe¬ rimeter of the floor member corresponding with the mating support member; so that on tilting the side-face member and inserting the mating support mem¬ bers thereof in the mating socket members of the floor member so that the projection at the end of the horizontal element enters the detent hole, the as¬ sembly can then be locked by setting the side-face member upright to mate the rear projection and recess.

In consequence, the floor member and side-face member can be simply cou¬ pled by rotating the slightly inclined side-face member so that it stands verti¬ cal, and the mating support member can be restrained at its front and rear faces and upper and lower faces by the mating socket member while lateral movement is also restrained; improved connecting strength and a reduced number of members can be achieved, and the assembly can be easily disman¬ tled.

Moreover, the interlock assembly type packing container set down in Claim 2 of the invention is so constituted that, in addition to the constitution set down in Claim 1 , corner attachments are fitted to the respective side-face members at neighbouring corner apices of the side-face members set upright by rotation after insertion into the mating socket members of the aforesaid floor member and the two corner attachments are interconnected with a corner bracket. The corner apices where the pair of side-face members make contact can therefore be simply connected without recourse to bolts, and the packing container can be more simply assembled and dismantled.

Meaning of symbols

20 packing frame

21 skid (floor member)

22,23 end frames (side-face members)

24,25 side frames (side-face members)

26 top frame

30 push-fit coupling

31 mating support member

32 vertical element

33 projection

34 horizontal element

35 projection

37 mating socket member

41 recess

42 detent

50 push-fit coupling

51 ,52 corner attachments

53,54 recesses

55,56 load supports

57 corner bracket

61 ,62 coupling elements

71 detent