EP2592016A1 - Plant box element - Google Patents

Plant box element Download PDF

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Publication number
EP2592016A1
EP2592016A1 EP12192010.2A EP12192010A EP2592016A1 EP 2592016 A1 EP2592016 A1 EP 2592016A1 EP 12192010 A EP12192010 A EP 12192010A EP 2592016 A1 EP2592016 A1 EP 2592016A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
box
box element
elements
boxes
edge
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP12192010.2A
Other languages
German (de)
French (fr)
Inventor
Titta Vänskä
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Individual
Original Assignee
Individual
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Individual filed Critical Individual
Publication of EP2592016A1 publication Critical patent/EP2592016A1/en
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
    • B65D11/00—Containers having bodies formed by interconnecting or uniting two or more rigid, or substantially rigid, components made wholly or mainly of plastics material
    • B65D11/10—Containers having bodies formed by interconnecting or uniting two or more rigid, or substantially rigid, components made wholly or mainly of plastics material of polygonal cross-section and all parts being permanently connected to each other
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
    • B65D65/00—Wrappers or flexible covers; Packaging materials of special type or form
    • B65D65/38—Packaging materials of special type or form
    • B65D65/46—Applications of disintegrable, dissolvable or edible materials
    • B65D65/466—Bio- or photodegradable packaging materials
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
    • B65D2203/00—Decoration means, markings, information elements, contents indicators
    • B65D2203/10—Transponders
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
    • B65D85/00—Containers, packaging elements or packages, specially adapted for particular articles or materials
    • B65D85/50—Containers, packaging elements or packages, specially adapted for particular articles or materials for living organisms, articles or materials sensitive to changes of environment or atmospheric conditions, e.g. land animals, birds, fish, water plants, non-aquatic plants, flower bulbs, cut flowers or foliage
    • B65D85/52—Containers, packaging elements or packages, specially adapted for particular articles or materials for living organisms, articles or materials sensitive to changes of environment or atmospheric conditions, e.g. land animals, birds, fish, water plants, non-aquatic plants, flower bulbs, cut flowers or foliage for living plants; for growing bulbs

Definitions

  • This invention relates to plant boxes and especially plant boxes for accommodating or transporting plants to a planting site.
  • Plants are mainly grown in disposable cardboard boxes. In Finland alone approximately 160 million plants are cultivated of which half are transported to the planting site in disposable cardboard boxes. As a result of the use of the disposable boxes, the plant cultivation produces a considerable amount of waste. Therefore, there is a need to start using reusable plant boxes instead of the disposable ones.
  • the plant boxes according to the prior art also suffer from the disadvantage that they are difficult to assemble. Besides, the boxes are not rigid/durable enough to allow the boxes to be stacked when they are filled with plants.
  • the object of the present invention is to eliminate or alleviate the disadvantages of the prior art plant boxes, especially the problem that the boxes have to be thrown away.
  • the invention also aims at enhancing the logistics involved with plant cultivation.
  • the plant box element according to the invention is made from a material that is strong enough to be reused.
  • the box element is made from a natural fiber composite.
  • the plant box element according to the invention is designed to enable the use of one and the same element not only as a box bottom but as a box cover by placing the edges of the open sides of two substantially identical box elements against each other, wherein one element forms the bottom of the box and other element forms the cover of the box.
  • the edges of the box element are provided with pins at two diagonally opposite positions, such as corners, and with holes at two other diagonally opposite positions so that, when two box elements are joined together, the pins of both elements are pushed into the holes of the counterelement.
  • the edges of the box element can be provided with other kinds of fastening/positioning means.
  • the box element is designed to allow elements to be stacked within each other.
  • the sides of the box element are provided with lift holes, which lift holes also can serve as ventilation openings.
  • the box element can be provided with additional openings for defrosting the plants, for instance.
  • the box element is provided with an identifier, such as a RFID tag and/or bar code, that individualizes the box element.
  • a RFID tag is embedded into the box element's material.
  • the bar code is created during the molding of the box element.
  • a suitable carrying harness is used for carrying the box element and/or a box formed from box elements.
  • box elements are reusable, less environmentally harmful waste is produced.
  • box element can be used both as box bottom and as a box cover, no separate production molds are needed for the bottom and the cover, as a result of which the production costs are low.
  • the boxes are easy to assemble since any box element can be used both as a bottom and as a cover.
  • the box element according to the invention can be made ergonomic to carry so that the box can be carried to the planting site.
  • box elements are individualized using a RFID tag or bar code, it is possible to track the box elements using readers and a data system.
  • FIG. 1 shows the structure of a reusable box element according to an embodiment of the present invention.
  • the box element 100 comprises a frame 108 having a bottom and walls fixed to the edges of the bottom. Preferably, there are four walls that are fixedly connected to each other and to the bottom. However, when the box element has a round or oval bottom, the wall can be continuous, having no corners. The wall has an edge on the open side of the box element.
  • the box element is preferably made from a material that is durable and allows the box element to be reused. Preferably, the box is made from hard material, thus allowing boxes assembled from box elements to be stacked.
  • the box element is provided with a lift opening 106 for lifting the box element or the box.
  • the box element has pins 102 at its two diagonally opposite corners and holes 104 at its two other diagonally opposite corners.
  • Figure 2 shows how two box elements according to Figure 1 are placed against each other to form a box 200. When the edges of the open sides of the box elements are placed against each other, the pins 202 are pushed into the holes 204. It should be noted that the pins and the holes are not necessarily located at the corners but they can, alternatively or additionally, be located elsewhere on the edge.
  • the box elements When the box elements are not used as boxes, the box elements can be stacked by placing them within each other, with the open sides of the box elements facing in the same direction, usually upwards.

Abstract

This invention relates to plant boxes and especially plant boxes for accommodating or transporting plants to a planting site. A box element (100) according to the invention comprises a bottom and one or more walls fixed to the bottom and having an edge. The box element is made from material that allows the reuse of the box. The edges of the open sides of two substantially identical box elements can be placed against each other, whereby one element forms the bottom of the box and other element forms the cover of the box.

Description

    TECHNICAL FIELD
  • This invention relates to plant boxes and especially plant boxes for accommodating or transporting plants to a planting site.
    • BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
  • Plants are mainly grown in disposable cardboard boxes. In Finland alone approximately 160 million plants are cultivated of which half are transported to the planting site in disposable cardboard boxes. As a result of the use of the disposable boxes, the plant cultivation produces a considerable amount of waste. Therefore, there is a need to start using reusable plant boxes instead of the disposable ones. The plant boxes according to the prior art also suffer from the disadvantage that they are difficult to assemble. Besides, the boxes are not rigid/durable enough to allow the boxes to be stacked when they are filled with plants.
    • SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
  • The object of the present invention is to eliminate or alleviate the disadvantages of the prior art plant boxes, especially the problem that the boxes have to be thrown away. The invention also aims at enhancing the logistics involved with plant cultivation.
  • The object of the invention is reached by means of a reusable plant box element according to Claim 1.
  • The plant box element according to the invention is made from a material that is strong enough to be reused. According to an embodiment, the box element is made from a natural fiber composite.
  • The plant box element according to the invention is designed to enable the use of one and the same element not only as a box bottom but as a box cover by placing the edges of the open sides of two substantially identical box elements against each other, wherein one element forms the bottom of the box and other element forms the cover of the box.
  • In an embodiment of the invention, the edges of the box element are provided with pins at two diagonally opposite positions, such as corners, and with holes at two other diagonally opposite positions so that, when two box elements are joined together, the pins of both elements are pushed into the holes of the counterelement. Alternatively or additionally, the edges of the box element can be provided with other kinds of fastening/positioning means.
  • According to an embodiment of the invention, the box element is designed to allow elements to be stacked within each other.
  • In an embodiment of the invention, the sides of the box element are provided with lift holes, which lift holes also can serve as ventilation openings. The box element can be provided with additional openings for defrosting the plants, for instance.
  • In an embodiment of the invention, the box element is provided with an identifier, such as a RFID tag and/or bar code, that individualizes the box element. In an embodiment, the RFID tag is embedded into the box element's material. According to an embodiment, the bar code is created during the molding of the box element.
  • In an embodiment of the invention, a suitable carrying harness is used for carrying the box element and/or a box formed from box elements.
  • Preferable embodiments of the invention are also described in the dependent claims.
  • The utility of the reusable plant box element according to the invention arises from a number of facts.
  • Because the box elements are reusable, less environmentally harmful waste is produced.
  • Because one and the same box element can be used both as box bottom and as a box cover, no separate production molds are needed for the bottom and the cover, as a result of which the production costs are low. Besides, the boxes are easy to assemble since any box element can be used both as a bottom and as a cover.
  • The box element according to the invention can be made ergonomic to carry so that the box can be carried to the planting site.
  • When the box elements are individualized using a RFID tag or bar code, it is possible to track the box elements using readers and a data system.
    • BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
  • In the following, preferred embodiments of the invention are described with reference to the accompanying Figures in which
    • Figure 1 is an exemplary view of a box element usable both as a box cover and as a box bottom, and
    • Figure 2 is an exemplary view of an embodiment of the box in which two exemplary box elements from Figure 1 are joined together.
    MORE DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS SHOWN IN THE FIGURES
  • Figure 1 shows the structure of a reusable box element according to an embodiment of the present invention. The box element 100 comprises a frame 108 having a bottom and walls fixed to the edges of the bottom. Preferably, there are four walls that are fixedly connected to each other and to the bottom. However, when the box element has a round or oval bottom, the wall can be continuous, having no corners. The wall has an edge on the open side of the box element. The box element is preferably made from a material that is durable and allows the box element to be reused. Preferably, the box is made from hard material, thus allowing boxes assembled from box elements to be stacked. Besides, the box element is provided with a lift opening 106 for lifting the box element or the box.
  • The box element has pins 102 at its two diagonally opposite corners and holes 104 at its two other diagonally opposite corners. Figure 2 shows how two box elements according to Figure 1 are placed against each other to form a box 200. When the edges of the open sides of the box elements are placed against each other, the pins 202 are pushed into the holes 204. It should be noted that the pins and the holes are not necessarily located at the corners but they can, alternatively or additionally, be located elsewhere on the edge.
  • When the box elements are not used as boxes, the box elements can be stacked by placing them within each other, with the open sides of the box elements facing in the same direction, usually upwards.
  • The scope of the invention is defined in the accompanying claims. However, it will be understood by a person skilled in the art that the details of the different features of the invention may vary within the inventive idea, depending on the particular embodiment of the invention.

Claims (5)

  1. A box element (100) for accommodating and/or transporting plants, which box element comprises a bottom and one or more walls fixed to the bottom and having an edge, characterized in that the box element is made from material that allows the reuse of the box and in that the edges of the open sides of two substantially identical box elements can be placed against each other, wherein one element forms the bottom of the box and other element forms the cover of the box.
  2. A box element as defined in Claim 1, characterized in that the material of the box is a natural fiber composite.
  3. A box element as defined in any of the preceding Claims, characterized in that the box element has a pin (102, 202) at one edge/corner and a hole (104, 204) in an other, opposite edge/corner, the pins and the holes of two box elements thus coinciding with each other when the box elements are assembled into a box.
  4. A box element as defined in any of the preceding Claims, characterized in that the sides of the box are provided with lift openings (206) and/or other openings for ventilating the box.
  5. A box element as defined in any of the preceding Claims, characterized in that the box element is provided with an identifier, such as a RFID tag and/or bar code, for individualizing the box element.
EP12192010.2A 2011-11-11 2012-11-09 Plant box element Withdrawn EP2592016A1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
FI20114166U FI9533U1 (en) 2011-11-11 2011-11-11 Plantlådselement

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP2592016A1 true EP2592016A1 (en) 2013-05-15

Family

ID=45560146

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP12192010.2A Withdrawn EP2592016A1 (en) 2011-11-11 2012-11-09 Plant box element

Country Status (2)

Country Link
EP (1) EP2592016A1 (en)
FI (1) FI9533U1 (en)

Citations (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB1221076A (en) * 1968-06-14 1971-02-03 Airfix Plastics Ltd Improvements in stacking tote boxes
DE3514796A1 (en) * 1985-04-24 1986-10-30 Hans 8500 Nürnberg Hauptmann Container for protecting cut flowers or pot plants
DE4027786A1 (en) * 1990-09-04 1992-04-09 Marcel Huder Mixts. of vegetable or animal components including natural fibre - can be processed as thermoplastics e.g. by baking into useful articles, packaging, etc. with easy disposal after use
DE9208481U1 (en) * 1992-06-25 1992-09-03 Fritz Schaefer Gmbh, 5908 Neunkirchen, De
GB2372983A (en) * 2001-03-09 2002-09-11 Smith David S Packaging Reusable container
EP1346624A1 (en) * 2002-03-20 2003-09-24 Deere & Company Method and system for automated tracing of an agricultural product
CA2622266A1 (en) * 2006-12-04 2008-08-26 Serge Moreau Modular cargo tray

Patent Citations (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB1221076A (en) * 1968-06-14 1971-02-03 Airfix Plastics Ltd Improvements in stacking tote boxes
DE3514796A1 (en) * 1985-04-24 1986-10-30 Hans 8500 Nürnberg Hauptmann Container for protecting cut flowers or pot plants
DE4027786A1 (en) * 1990-09-04 1992-04-09 Marcel Huder Mixts. of vegetable or animal components including natural fibre - can be processed as thermoplastics e.g. by baking into useful articles, packaging, etc. with easy disposal after use
DE9208481U1 (en) * 1992-06-25 1992-09-03 Fritz Schaefer Gmbh, 5908 Neunkirchen, De
GB2372983A (en) * 2001-03-09 2002-09-11 Smith David S Packaging Reusable container
EP1346624A1 (en) * 2002-03-20 2003-09-24 Deere & Company Method and system for automated tracing of an agricultural product
CA2622266A1 (en) * 2006-12-04 2008-08-26 Serge Moreau Modular cargo tray

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
FI9533U1 (en) 2012-01-20

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