Stackable pallet container fitted with a top reinforcement frame

Abstract

A stackable pallet container ( 1 ) for transportation and/or storage of substances has at least an inner parallelepiped-shaped pouch ( 20 ) fit with a tap and a filling opening closed by a cap. A peripheral protective cage ( 30 ) surrounds the internal pouch ( 20 ) to reinforce the container ( 1 ). The protective cage ( 30 ) takes the form of a wire mesh. The container ( 1 ) also has a pallet ( 10 ) on which the internal pouch ( 20 ) rests and a top reinforcement frame ( 40 ) connecting the sides ( 35 ) of the peripheral cage ( 30 ) at the top to rigidify the container ( 1 ). The reinforcement frame ( 40 ) has a substantially flat hoop made of steel tubes and has a general polygon shape. The reinforcement frame ( 40 ) is connected removably to the peripheral cage ( 30 ) by removable fixing brackets ( 50 ) attached to the mesh and to the steel tubes.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A stackable pallet container ( 1 ) for transportation and/or storage of hazardous substances, chemical or food products or powdered solids, comprising:
 an inner parallelepiped-shaped high-density polyethylene pouch ( 20 ) fit at the bottom with a tap and comprising at the top a filling opening closed by a cap,   a peripheral protective cage ( 30 ) surrounding the internal pouch ( 20 ) to reinforce the container ( 1 ), the protective cage ( 30 ) taking the form of a wire mesh ( 31 ) with vertical ( 32 ) and horizontal ( 33 ) bars welded together at their respective points of intersection ( 34 ),   a bottom pallet ( 10 ) made of wood, plastics material or metal, on which the internal pouch ( 20 ) rests,   a top reinforcement frame ( 40 ) removably connecting the sides ( 35 ) of the peripheral cage ( 30 ) at the top thereof by means of removable fixing brackets ( 50 ) attached to the mesh and to the steel tubes, the reinforcement frame ( 40 ) including a substantially flat hoop made of steel tubes and having a general polygon shape,   wherein the reinforcement frame ( 40 ) has the shape of a continuous and regular quadrilateral, a lozenge, a square or a rectangle, and comprises four large sections ( 41 ) forming the sides and four small sections ( 42 ) forming tops of the quadrilateral, each of the small sections ( 42 ) being connected to a wall ( 35 ) of the peripheral cage ( 30 ) by the at least one removable fixing bracket ( 50 ).   
     
     
         2 . The container ( 1 ) of  claim 1 , wherein the small sections ( 42 ) of the reinforcement frame ( 40 ) connect the middle of the walls ( 35 ) of the peripheral cage ( 30 ) so that the said frame ( 40 ) takes the form of a square or lozenge. 
     
     
         3 . The container ( 1 ) of  claim 2 , wherein two of the first small opposing sections ( 42 ) of the reinforcement frame ( 40 ) are fit respectively with one of the removable fixing bracket ( 50 ), while the other two small opposing sections ( 42 ) of the reinforcement frame ( 40 ) are fit with two of the removable fixing brackets ( 50 ) that are spaced apart. 
     
     
         4 . The container ( 1 ) of  claim 1 , wherein each of the fixing brackets ( 50 ) has a generally inverted ‘U’ shape straddling the upper edge ( 36 ) of the mesh and comprises a first portion ( 51 ) attached to the outside of the peripheral cage ( 30 ) and a second portion ( 52 ) attached to the reinforcement frame ( 40 ). 
     
     
         5 . The container ( 1 ) of  claim 4 , wherein the first portion ( 51 ) of the fixing bracket ( 50 ) is attached to at least two horizontal bars ( 36 ,  33 ) of the mesh positioned one above the other, while the second portion ( 52 ) has a rounded profile ( 53 ) matching a shape of the corresponding tube forming the reinforcement frame ( 40 ). 
     
     
         6 . The container ( 1 ) of  claim 4 , wherein the portions ( 51 ,  52 ) of each of the fixing brackets ( 50 ) are connected together by at least one through-screw ( 55 ) configured to bring the portions ( 51 ,  52 ) together to form a clamping jaw so as to secure the reinforcement frame ( 40 ) firmly to the peripheral cage ( 30 ). 
     
     
         7 . The container ( 1 ) of  claim 6 , wherein the screw ( 55 ) rests against an end ( 56 ) of a resiliently deformable curved tab ( 57 ) extending the second portion ( 57 ) towards the inside of the peripheral cage ( 30 ) so as to draw the portions closer together. 
     
     
         8 . The container ( 1 ) of  claim 1 , wherein the internal pouch ( 20 ) has at its top ( 23 ) a recess ( 26 ) in which the reinforcement frame ( 40 ) is housed. 
     
     
         9 . The container ( 1 ) of  claim 8 , wherein the recess ( 26 ) has depth so that the reinforcement frame ( 40 ) does not extend beyond the top ( 23 ) of the internal pouch ( 20 ), or is flush with it.