Transport and presentation crate

Abstract

A crate includes a base and at least two pairs of mutually opposing side walls, a first one of the side walls extending upward from the base in a vertical direction at least partly by a retrieval height only which is smaller than the height of one or more of the remaining side walls so as to define a lateral opening dimensioned to enable accessing and retrieving products contained within the crate through the lateral opening. The crate further includes an insert for being arranged on the base, the insert being configured in dependence on the products to be received by the crate. The crate further includes a blocking element and a latching mechanism so as to latch the blocking element in a first, closed position.

1 . Crate comprising:
 a base;   at least two pairs of mutually opposing side walls, a first one of said side walls extending upward from the base in a vertical direction at least partly by a retrieval height only which is smaller than the height of one or more of the remaining side walls so as to define a lateral opening dimensioned to enable accessing and retrieving products comprised within the crate through the lateral opening;   a blocking element which extends between the two opposing side walls adjoining the first side wall and which is movable between a first position and a second position, the blocking element being arranged, in the first position, between the opposing side walls and at a distance from the first side wall, and the blocking element being arranged, in the second position, to overlap with the first side wall; and   a latching mechanism comprising a movable element configured to engage with the opposing side walls and/or with the blocking element so as to latch the blocking element, in its first position, with the opposing side walls,   wherein the blocking element comprises a bracket, a first bar arranged at a first end of the bracket, and a second bar arranged at a second end of the bracket, wherein those ends of the bar which face away from the bracket are arranged at the opposing side walls in a rotational manner.   
     
     
         2 . Crate as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the movable element is arranged at the blocking element and comprises a latch biased into a first position, the movable element being configured to move the latch from the first position to a second position upon actuation, and wherein the opposing side walls each comprise a recess wherein the latch engages in its first position, so that the blocking element is latched with the opposing side walls,
 wherein the latch in the second position does not engage in the recesses, so that the blocking element is not latched with the opposing side walls.   
     
     
         3 . Crate as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the latch comprises first and second latch elements which are vertically movable, the first latch element being arranged in or at the first bar, and the second latch element being arranged in or at the second bar. 
     
     
         4 . Crate as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the latch comprises first and second latch elements which are horizontally movable and are arranged in or at the bracket. 
     
     
         5 . Crate as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein the movable element comprises first and second actuation elements which cooperate with the first and second latch elements, respectively, for a movement from the biased first position into the second position. 
     
     
         6 . Crate as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein the movable element comprises a shared actuation element which cooperates with the first and second latch elements, respectively, for a movement from the biased first position into the second position, wherein the latching mechanism further comprises a gear mechanism that translates the horizontal movement of the shared actuation element into two opposed movements of the first and second latch elements. 
     
     
         7 . Crate as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the blocking element is further arranged at the opposing side walls in a vertically translatable manner, wherein the blocking element comprises a first latch element and a second latch element, and wherein the opposing side walls comprise a third latch element and a fourth latch element, respectively,
 the latch elements being configured such that the first and third latch elements and the second and fourth latch elements engage with each other when the blocking element is arranged at a first vertical position, and that the first and third latch elements and the second and fourth latch elements are out of engagement when the blocking element is arranged at a second vertical position, and   the movable element being movable between a first position, where the blocking element is held at the first vertical position, and a second position, where a movement of the blocking element from the first vertical position to the second vertical position is allowed.   
     
     
         8 . Crate as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein the blocking element comprises a bracket, a first bar arranged at a first end of the bracket, and a second bar arranged at a second end of the bracket, wherein those ends of the bars which face away from the bracket are arranged at the opposing side walls in a rotational and vertically translatable manner,
 each of the opposing side walls comprising a surface which faces the low side wall and comprises a first surface portion spaced apart from the low side wall and a second surface portion set back in relation to the first surface portion,   the blocking element being arranged, in its first position, at the second surface portion,   there being a gap, in the first vertical position of the blocking element, between the bracket and the first surface portion, and   the movable element being arranged, in its first position, within the gap.   
     
     
         9 . Crate as claimed in  claim 1 , comprising a first pair of short side walls and comprising a second pair of long side walls. 
     
     
         10 . Crate as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein the first side wall is one of the long side walls. 
     
     
         11 . Crate as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising a movable side wall area extending upward in the vertical direction at the first side wall and being movable toward the base in relation to the first side wall. 
     
     
         12 . Crate as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein the movable side wall area is arranged to be foldable in relation to a fixed first side wall adjoining the base. 
     
     
         13 . Crate as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the side walls adjoining the first side wall each comprise a grip opening for lifting the crate, a grip opening comprising a first opening area which extends in parallel to the base, and a second opening area located on that side of the grip opening which faces the first side wall and extending essentially in the vertical direction. 
     
     
         14 . Crate as claimed in  claim 13 , wherein the opening areas merge into each other on the side facing away from the base in a merging area comprising a curvature which enables gripping of the crate even in the merging area. 
     
     
         15 . Crate as claimed in  claim 14 , wherein the radius of curvature is larger than 2 cm. 
     
     
         16 . Crate as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the base comprises, at an area adjoining the first side wall, a bearing surface for the products to be transported which is larger than a bearing surface averaged across the entire base. 
     
     
         17 . Crate as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the side walls adjoining the first side wall have a smaller first height at their ends adjoining the first side wall than a second height at their opposing ends. 
     
     
         18 . Crate as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the remaining side walls which do not correspond to the first side wall are movably mounted, in relation to the base, such that they are foldable, in the direction of the base, into a folded state in which they are essentially parallel to the base. 
     
     
         19 . Crate as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein a plurality of mandrels are arranged on the base that are configured such that they may hold bottles arranged within the crate. 
     
     
         20 . Crate as claimed in  claim 19 , wherein the height of the mandrels in the vertical direction does not exceed the retrieval height of the first side wall. 
     
     
         21 . Crate as claimed in  claim 19 , wherein the mandrels comprise an outer bounding surface which extends upward in the vertical direction and whose height varies along the outer perimeter of the mandrel. 
     
     
         22 . Crate as claimed in  claim 21 , wherein at least one mandrel comprises a bounding surface area which bounds the mandrel in a direction parallel to the first side wall and has a lower height than a second bounding surface area which bounds the mandrel in the direction of the first side wall. 
     
     
         23 . Crate as claimed in  claim 19 , wherein the bounding surface of the mandrel comprises, in parallel to the base, an essentially diamond-shaped cross-section, one of the tips of the diamond pointing in the direction of the first side wall. 
     
     
         24 . Crate as claimed in  claim 23 , wherein the outer bounding surface of the mandrel is inwardly curved in a concave manner between the tips of the diamond-shaped cross-section. 
     
     
         25 . Crate as claimed in  claim 24 , wherein the radius of the curvatures roughly corresponds to the radius of a bottle body to be held within the crate. 
     
     
         26 . Crate as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the first side wall is detachably connected to the base. 
     
     
         27 . Crate as claimed in  claim 1 , comprising an insert that is detachably connectable to the base and/or the side walls. 
     
     
         28 . Crate as claimed in  claim 27 , wherein the insert is plate-shaped, a first surface—which faces the base—of the plate-shaped insert being adapted to a structure of the base, and the second surface—which is opposite the first surface—of the plate-shaped insert being structured in accordance with the product to be received. 
     
     
         29 . Crate as claimed in  claim 27 , wherein the insert comprises mandrels, longitudinal bars, transverse bars and/or depressions of predetermined geometries. 
     
     
         30 . Crate as claimed in  claim 27 , wherein the insert is detachable from the base and/or the side walls only by using special tools. 
     
     
         31 . Crate as claimed in  claim 27 , wherein the first side wall comprises one or two side wall portions which extend in the direction of the lateral opening, starting from one of the adjoining side walls, and have heights that are larger than the retrieval height. 
     
     
         32 . System comprising:
 a crate comprising an insert that is detachably connectable to the base and/or the side walls; and   a plurality of inserts structured for different products, it being possible for one of the inserts to be optionally arranged within the crate.