Container and method for the storage of a plurality of windows for household appliances

Abstract

A container (1) for the storage of a plurality of windows for household appliances (50) piled onto one another along a piling direction (L) comprises a side wall (2) for laterally delimiting a containment volume (V) for containing the plurality of windows for household appliances (50) about the piling direction (L). In particular, the container (1) has a main opening (3) configured to enable the insertion and piling of each window for household appliances (50) in the containment volume (V) and a bottom (4) configured to define a support surface (5) for at least one perimeter portion of a window for household appliances (50). Preferably, the side wall (2) is interposed between the bottom (4) and the main opening (3). The bottom (4) has a secondary opening (6) substantially afforded centrally with respect to the support surface (5) so as to be able to be crossed by a projecting portion of a window for household appliances (50) arranged outside the container, wherein the bottom (4) has an own flap (7) movable between a first closing position and a second opening position. A further object of the present patent application is a method for piling a plurality of windows for household appliances (50).

1 . A container for storing of a plurality of windows for household appliances having a projecting portion surrounded by a perimeter flange, in particular portholes, piled onto one another along a piling direction, comprising a side wall for laterally delimiting a containment volume for containing the plurality of windows for household appliances about the piling direction, the container having a main opening that allows insertion and piling of each window for household appliances in the containment volume, and comprising a bottom that defines a support surface for at least one perimeter portion of a first window for household appliances, the side wall being interposed between the bottom and the main opening,
 wherein the bottom has a secondary opening substantially afforded centrally with respect to the support surface so as to be able to be crossed by a projecting portion of a second window for household appliances arranged outside the container,   wherein the bottom has a flap movable between a first closing position, in which the flap closes at least partially the secondary opening, and a second opening position, in which the flap is distanced from the bottom for leaving the secondary opening at least partly open,   wherein the flap is at least partially connected to the bottom at a connection portion from which the flap extends to a central zone of the secondary opening so as to cover at least part of a top of the projecting portion of the second window during piling of the container, the central zone being a surface portion arranged around an intersection between a lying plane of the flap, which virtually closes the secondary opening, and an axis orthogonal thereto in which radii of the secondary opening intersect or in which bisecting lines of the secondary opening intersect.   
     
     
         2 . The container according to  claim 1 , wherein the flap extends from the connection portion to an edge of the secondary opening arranged on an opposite side to the connection portion. 
     
     
         3 . The container according to  claim 1 , wherein the flap has a surface area equal to at least half of an area of the secondary opening. 
     
     
         4 . The container according to  claim 1 , wherein the flap has a surface area substantially equivalent to an area of the secondary opening. 
     
     
         5 . The container according to  claim 1 , wherein the flap is at least partially counter shaped with respect to the secondary opening so as to overlap with at least the central zone. 
     
     
         6 . The container according to  claim 5 , wherein the flap counter shaped with respect to the secondary opening so as to close the secondary opening completely at least in the first closing position. 
     
     
         7 . The container according to  claim 1 , wherein the flap and the secondary opening have a substantially D-shaped conformation. 
     
     
         8 . The container according to  claim 1 , wherein the flap comprises a plurality of segments arranged flanked to one another along a closed trajectory, which defines a perimeter of the secondary opening, wherein the segments are connected to one another through a connection portion which is central with respect to the closed trajectory, wherein at least one of the segments is connected to the support surface. 
     
     
         9 . The container according to  claim 8 , wherein the flap and the secondary opening have a substantially circular conformation. 
     
     
         10 . The container according to  claim 1 , comprising a plurality of flaps, the plurality of flaps being arranged flanked to one another along a closed trajectory, which defines a perimeter of the secondary opening, each of the plurality of flaps being connected to a respective portion of support surface, the plurality of flaps being separate from one another. 
     
     
         11 . The container according to  claim 10 , wherein each of the plurality of flaps has a same conformation. 
     
     
         12 . The container according to  claim 1 , wherein the flap can be detached from the bottom. 
     
     
         13 . The container according to  claim 1 , wherein the side wall defines a substantially rectangular perimeter for the containment volume. 
     
     
         14 . The container according to  claim 13 , wherein the side wall comprises reinforcement elements arranged at corners of the perimeter. 
     
     
         15 . The container according to  claim 1 , wherein the side wall comprises at least one projecting element extending along the piling direction and arranged at the main opening so as to be coupled with a hollow of a further container. 
     
     
         16 . The container according to  claim 1 , wherein the side wall has at least one hollow at the bottom so as to house a projecting element of a further container. 
     
     
         17 . The container according to  claim 1 , wherein the side wall has at least one pair of slots for defining gripping portions for an operator. 
     
     
         18 . The container according to  claim 1 , wherein the side wall has a height between 100 and 300 millimetres, a width between 200 and 600 millimetres, and a depth between 200 and 600 millimetres. 
     
     
         19 . A system of containers stackable onto one another along a piling direction, comprising a plurality of containers, wherein a first container of the system of containers comprises a side wall for laterally delimiting a containment volume for containing a plurality of windows for household appliances about the piling direction, the first container having a main opening that allows insertion and piling of each window for household appliances in the containment volume, and comprising a bottom that defines a support surface for at least one perimeter portion of a first window for household appliances, the side wall being interposed between the bottom and the main opening,
 wherein the bottom has a secondary opening substantially afforded centrally with respect to the support surface so as to be able to be crossed by a projecting portion of a second window for household appliances arranged outside the first container,   wherein the bottom has a flap movable between a first closing position, in which the flap closes at least partially the secondary opening, and a second opening position, in which the flap is distanced from the bottom for leaving the secondary opening at least partly open,   wherein the flap is at least partially connected to the bottom at a connection portion from which the flap extends to a central zone of the secondary opening so as to cover at least part of a top of the projecting portion of the second window during piling of the first container, the central zone being a surface portion arranged around an intersection between a lying plane of the flap, which virtually closes the secondary opening, and an axis orthogonal thereto in which radii of the secondary opening intersect or in which bisecting lines of the secondary opening intersect.   
     
     
         20 . The system of containers according to  claim 19 , wherein a project element of the first container is configured to be inserted into a corresponding hollow of a second container of the system of containers arranged above the first container so as to define a stack aligned along the piling direction. 
     
     
         21 . A method for piling a plurality of windows for household appliances having a projecting portion surrounded by a perimeter flange, in particular portholes, along a piling direction, the method comprising:
 providing a first container;   piling a first plurality of windows for household appliances in the first container along the piling direction so that a pile of the first plurality of windows for household appliances has a vertical dimension that is substantially greater than a value of a height of the first container;   providing a second container comprising a side wall for laterally delimiting a containment volume, the second container having a main opening and a bottom that defines a support surface, the side wall being interposed between the bottom and the main opening, wherein the bottom has a secondary opening substantially afforded centrally with respect to the support surface, wherein the bottom has a flap movable between a first closing position, in which the flap closes at least partially the secondary opening, and a second opening position, in which the flap is distanced from the bottom for leaving the secondary opening at least partly open, and wherein the flap is at least partially connected to the bottom at a connection portion from which the flap extends to a central zone of the secondary opening, the central zone being a surface portion arranged around an intersection between a lying plane of the flap, which virtually closes the secondary opening, and an axis orthogonal thereto in which radii of the secondary opening intersect or in which bisecting lines of the secondary opening intersect;   stacking the second container above the first container along the piling direction so that the flap of the second container is moved from the first closing position to the second opening position enveloping at least part of a top portion of a projecting portion of the pile of the first plurality of windows for household appliances; and   piling at least a further window for household appliances into the second container along the piling direction so as to compress the flap of the second container between the flap and the pile of the first plurality of windows.