Modular crate assembly and its use

Abstract

A modular crate assembly for the handling and transportation of goods, including a bottom pallet part and a sidewall having four side panels mounted onto the bottom pallet part. The four side panels are modular and formed of multiple side panel modules that are assembled and mutually joined at corners to form the sidewall, with each side panel module including first and second lateral mating interfaces configured to allow direct joining of two adjacent side panel modules along two perpendicular planes to form the corners of the sidewall. The first and second lateral mating interfaces are configured to allow direct (or indirect) joining of two adjacent side panel modules along a same plane to form each side panel. The first lateral mating interface is provided with a male or female connecting structure configured to mate with a corresponding female or male connecting structure provided on the second lateral mating interface.

1 .- 39 . (canceled) 
     
     
         40 . A modular crate assembly for the handling and transportation of goods including a bottom pallet part and a sidewall consisting of four side panels that are mounted onto the bottom pallet part,
 wherein the four side panels are modular and formed of multiple side panel modules that are assembled and mutually joined at corners to form the sidewall,   wherein each side panel module comprises first and second lateral mating interfaces, wherein the first and second lateral mating interfaces are configured to allow direct joining of two adjacent side panel modules along two perpendicular planes to form the corners of the sidewall,   wherein the first and second lateral mating interfaces are further configured to allow direct or indirect joining of two adjacent side panel modules along a same plane to form each side panel,   and wherein the first lateral mating interface is provided with a male or female connecting structure configured to mate with a corresponding female or male connecting structure provided on the second lateral mating interface.   
     
     
         41 . The modular crate assembly according to  claim 40 , wherein each side panel includes two or more adjacent side panel modules arranged side by side in the same plane. 
     
     
         42 . The modular crate assembly according to  claim 40 , wherein each side panel includes two or more adjacent side panel modules arranged one on top of the other in the same plane. 
     
     
         43 . The modular crate assembly according to  claim 40 , wherein the first and second lateral mating interfaces are configured to allow direct joining of two adjacent side panel modules along the same plane. 
     
     
         44 . The modular crate assembly according to  claim 43 , wherein the first lateral mating interface includes a first mating surface and a second mating surface oriented at 90 degrees with respect to the first mating surface,
 wherein the second lateral mating interface includes a third mating surface that is configured to cooperate with the first mating surface of another adjacent side panel module to provide the direct joining of two adjacent side panel modules along the two perpendicular planes,   wherein the third mating surface is further configured to cooperate with the second mating surface of another adjacent side panel module to provide the direct joining of two adjacent side panel modules along the same plane,   and wherein the first and second mating surfaces are each provided with a male or female connecting structure configured to mate with a corresponding female or male connecting structure provided on the third mating surface.   
     
     
         45 . The modular crate assembly according to  claim 44 , wherein the first, second and third mating surfaces are oriented at substantially 45 degrees with respect to a longitudinal plane of the side panel module. 
     
     
         46 . The modular crate assembly according to  claim 43 , wherein the first lateral mating interface includes a first mating surface,
 wherein the second lateral mating interface includes a second mating surface that is configured to cooperate with the first mating surface of another adjacent side panel module to provide the direct joining of two adjacent side panel modules along the two perpendicular planes,   wherein the first mating surface is provided with a male or female connecting structure configured to mate with a corresponding female or male connecting structure provided on the second mating surface upon direct joining of two adjacent side panel modules along the two perpendicular planes,   wherein an extreme edge of each of the first and second lateral mating interfaces is provided with a terminating lip,   and wherein the terminating lips are configured to overlap one with the other upon direct joining of two adjacent side panel modules along the same plane.   
     
     
         47 . The modular crate assembly according to  claim 46 , wherein the first and second mating surfaces are oriented at substantially 45 degrees with respect to a longitudinal plane of the side panel module. 
     
     
         48 . The modular crate assembly according to  claim 40 , wherein the first and second lateral mating interfaces are configured to allow indirect joining of two adjacent side panel modules along the same plane via an intermediate connecting part. 
     
     
         49 . The modular crate assembly according to  claim 48 , wherein the first lateral mating interface includes a first mating surface,
 wherein the second lateral mating interface includes a second mating surface that is configured to cooperate with the first mating surface of another adjacent side panel module to provide the direct joining of two adjacent side panel modules along the two perpendicular planes,   wherein the intermediate connecting part includes third and fourth mating surfaces that are configured to cooperate, respectively, with the first mating surface of a first adjacent side panel module and with the second mating surface of a second adjacent side panel module to provide the indirect joining of the first and second adjacent side panel modules along the same plane,   wherein the first mating surface is provided with a male or female connecting structure configured to mate with a corresponding female or male connecting structure provided on the second mating surface,   and wherein the third and fourth mating surfaces are each provided with a female or male connecting structure configured to mate with the corresponding male or female connecting structure provided on the first and second mating surfaces.   
     
     
         50 . The modular crate assembly according to  claim 49 , wherein the first, second, third and fourth mating surfaces are oriented at substantially 45 degrees with respect to a longitudinal plane of the side panel module. 
     
     
         51 . The modular crate assembly according to  claim 48 , wherein the intermediate connecting part exhibits a substantially trapezoidal cross-sectional profile. 
     
     
         52 . The modular crate assembly according to  claim 48 , wherein the intermediate connecting part exhibits a substantially triangular cross-sectional profile. 
     
     
         53 . The modular crate assembly according to  claim 40 , wherein the bottom pallet part includes an assembly of one or multiple pallet modules. 
     
     
         54 . The modular crate assembly according to  claim 53 , wherein each pallet module comprises:
 a main structural body exhibiting a generally quadrilateral peripheral border with first to fourth lateral sides; and   first and second lateral flanges extending outwardly from the peripheral border of the main structural body, along the first and second lateral sides,   and wherein the main structural body exhibits first and second lateral grooves extending inwardly from the peripheral border of the main structural body, along the third and fourth lateral sides, the first and second lateral grooves being each configured to receive the first and second lateral flanges, respectively, of another pallet module, so that the first, respectively second lateral flange of said other pallet module nests laterally within the first, respectively second lateral groove.   
     
     
         55 . The modular crate assembly according to  claim 54 , wherein the side panel modules are dimensioned such that the sidewall extends over a surface of the bottom pallet part, including the first and second lateral flanges extending outwardly along first and second lateral sides of the bottom pallet part. 
     
     
         56 . The modular crate assembly according to  claim 55 , wherein the bottom pallet part further comprises one or more cover elements covering the first and second lateral flanges along the first and second lateral sides of the bottom pallet part. 
     
     
         57 . The modular crate assembly according to  claim 54 , wherein the side panel modules are dimensioned such that the sidewall extends over a surface of the bottom pallet part, excluding the first and second lateral flanges extending outwardly along first and second lateral sides of the bottom pallet part. 
     
     
         58 . The modular crate assembly according to  claim 53 , wherein each pallet module includes a set of releasable connection devices configured to selectively secure the pallet module to adjacent pallet modules. 
     
     
         59 . The modular crate assembly according to  claim 58 , wherein the set of releasable connection devices includes releasable latch components. 
     
     
         60 . The modular crate assembly according to  claim 59 , wherein the releasable latch components are toggle latch components including pairs of mutually engageable latch elements each comprising a movable latch element and a catch element. 
     
     
         61 . The modular crate assembly according to  claim 58 , wherein the releasable connection devices are configured to allow manual securement of the pallet modules. 
     
     
         62 . The modular crate assembly according to  claim 58 , wherein the releasable connection devices are configured to allow remote securement of the pallet modules. 
     
     
         63 . The modular crate assembly according to  claim 40 , further comprising a top part mounted onto an upper portion of the four side panels. 
     
     
         64 . The modular crate assembly according to  claim 63 , wherein the top part includes an assembly of one or multiple top modules. 
     
     
         65 . The modular crate assembly according to  claim 64 , wherein each top module comprises:
 a main structural body exhibiting a generally quadrilateral peripheral border with first to fourth lateral sides; and   first and second lateral flanges extending outwardly from the peripheral border of the main structural body, along the first and second lateral sides,   and wherein the main structural body exhibits first and second lateral grooves extending inwardly from the peripheral border of the main structural body, along the third and fourth lateral sides, the first and second lateral grooves being each configured to receive the first and second lateral flanges, respectively, of another top module, so that the first, respectively second lateral flange of said other top module nests laterally within the first, respectively second lateral groove.   
     
     
         66 . The modular crate assembly according to  claim 65 , wherein the top part further comprises one or more cover elements covering the first and second lateral flanges along the first and second lateral sides of the top part. 
     
     
         67 . The modular crate assembly according to  claim 64 , wherein each top module includes a set of releasable connection devices configured to selectively secure the top module to adjacent top modules. 
     
     
         68 . The modular crate assembly according to  claim 67 , wherein the set of releasable connection devices includes releasable latch components. 
     
     
         69 . The modular crate assembly according to  claim 68 , wherein the releasable latch components are toggle latch components including pairs of mutually engageable latch elements each comprising a movable latch element and a catch element. 
     
     
         70 . The modular crate assembly according to  claim 67 , wherein the releasable connection devices are configured to allow manual securement of the top modules. 
     
     
         71 . The modular crate assembly according to  claim 67 , wherein the releasable connection devices are configured to allow remote securement of the top modules. 
     
     
         72 . The modular crate assembly according to  claim 63 , wherein a height of each side panel module is equal to or is an integer multiple of a cumulative effective height of the bottom pallet part stacked onto the top part. 
     
     
         73 . The modular crate assembly according to  claim 72 , wherein each side panel includes one or more unit-size panel modules,
 and wherein the height of the unit-size panel module is equal to the cumulative effective height of the bottom pallet part stacked onto the top part.   
     
     
         74 . The modular crate assembly according to  claim 73 , wherein each side panel includes one or more larger-size panel modules,
 and wherein the height of the larger-size panel module is equal to n times the cumulative effective height of the bottom pallet part stacked onto the top part, n being an integer equal to or greater than 2.   
     
     
         75 . The modular crate assembly according to  claim 40 , wherein each side panel module includes one or more mounting holes for the provision of additional structural elements, such as structural reinforcements. 
     
     
         76 . The modular crate assembly according to  claim 40 , wherein an upper portion of each side panel module is provided with at least one retaining element,
 and wherein a lower portion of each side panel module is provided with a releasable locking mechanism configured to interact with and selectively lock onto the retaining element of another below-located side panel module.   
     
     
         77 . The modular crate assembly according to  claim 76 , wherein the retaining element protrudes from the upper portion of the side panel module and exhibits a lateral opening,
 and wherein the locking mechanism comprises a locking element that can be moved laterally into engagement with said lateral opening to lock onto the retaining element or be moved laterally out of engagement with said lateral opening to release the retaining element.   
     
     
         78 . Use of the modular crate assembly according to  claim 40  for freight logistics, warehousing, transport and/or shipment purposes.