CA2088717A1

CA2088717A1 - Transport container

Info

Publication number: CA2088717A1
Application number: CA 2088717
Authority: CA
Inventors: Dirk-Peter Sinz
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1992-02-14
Filing date: 1993-02-03
Publication date: 1993-08-15
Also published as: BE1009556A5; NL9300253A; IT1262061B; DE4204397C2; US5341950A; ITUD930012A1; GB2264104A; ES2065258R; ES2065258B1; GB9302511D0; ES2065258A2; JPH061341A; DE4204397A1; ATA19693A; AT402632B; SE510227C2; FR2687371A1; GB2264104B; ITUD930012A0; SE9300413D0

Abstract

ABSTRACT
A transport container has three wall panels (14, 15, 16) which can be folded in one above another in layers, and also a fourth wall panel (29) mounted on a slide member (28). This fourth wall panel (29) can, when required, be stowed beneath the base panel (12) in order to make possible unhinderd access into the con-tainer from the front side.
The container can be stored, with a saving of space, in the folded-up state.

Description

r~

TRAN~3POR~ C~NTAIN~;R

~he lnv~ntlon rela~ to a tranaport ~ontainer~o$ t~e kind ind1c~ted in the preamble of Claim 1.

A transport con~iner of thi~ kind is de~cribed in Ger~an Utility Model 8536127. A return~ble cont~iner for multiple use i~
concerned there, a~ a ~ubstitute for a ~ingle-u~o containcr of co~rugated cardboard. A manufacturer's goods are tran~ported in t~e transport containe~, for example to a dealer, sto~ed th~re in the meantime, and taken out of the transport container a3 re-quired. The now empty tranQpOrt co~tainer is th~n folded up andstored, with a savin~ of ~p~ce. When several empt~ tra~port container~ hav~ been colle~S~d in this manner, they are sent back to the manufacturer o~ the goods and thus plaeed in circulation again.

The po~sibility of fold1ng ~p the transport containers in a spaoe-savi~g ~ashion is thus deci~iv~ for their re~abil~ty; and the unfold1n~ and folding up mu~,t take place ea ily. 5~fficient stability i~ of course 81~0 required.

A transport ~ontainer always ha~ four w911 panels, and in the state of the art of this kind, the fourth wall panel, opposi~e the first wall pa~el, i~ likewise folded in directly onto the ~ase panel. Becau~e of thi~, the length of the ba.~e panel mu8t correspond to at le~t twice the height oE the container~ Thi~
limits the adaptation o~ the form of the container to ~torage and tran ~ort con~ition~. A further di3advanta~e is that the con-tainer vvlume i.~ only accesaible fro~ above.

The object of the i~v~ntion is to provide a transport container of the a~ovementioned klnd, which makes po3~ibl~ greater latitude a~ reg~rd~ the container form, and a ~ore pra~tical utilization.

2 ~

~his o~j~ct i~ achiov~d ~y the characterizing feature~ of Clair~ 1.

In contrast to t~e prior art, the fourth wall ~anel is accord-ingl~r pivoted away f ~om the container and can then be pushed under the base panel. There i~ then unhindered access from the ~ide to the container volume. Thi3 is especially of advantage in commi3~ion ag~ntQ ~ w~rehouse~, if ~everal container~ ~ith respec-tively different goods are stacked one above the other, and goods are to be taken from each contalner in order to put together an a~ortment of good~, for e~ample, for further deli~ery to a busines~ branch. The len~th of the base panel needs to corre-spond only to thc height of the fourth wall plu~ the len~th o~
the sllde member, an~ can thus ~e ~horter than that of the p~ior art.

If according to Claim 17 a cover panel is al30 provided, a trans~ort container is obtaine~ which can ~e clo~ed on all side~, and the cover panel does not nece~arily have to be removed for loading and unloading, because of the fourth wall panel which can be ~ivoted a~ay.

The further development~ according to Claim~ 25 and 29 es~abli~h th~ po~sibility of produoing different forms of ~ont~iner in a aoqt-effective and very easily reall~ed ~anner.

F~rther ~dvantageous embodiments and develop~ents are given by the remaining dependent olaim3, and also from the following de3cription of embodiment example~ of the in~ention ~ith refer-ence to the drawing.

~igure 1 s~ows a ~chematic representation of a transport con-taine~ according to the invention, ~igure 2 show3 a detail section of a hook device in the plane 2-2 of Fig. 1, 2 ~3 i~ 1 rl Figure 3 shows a ~etail section in ~he end region of a guide rail in the plane 3-3 of ~i.g. 1, Figure 4 . shows a detail section of the regio~ 4 of Pig. 1, Figure 5 show~ a detail ~iew with a blockin~ element, Figure 6 shows a front viaw of a tr~n~port container with the cover panel in the unfol ded state, Figure 7 show~ a front view o~ the transport container of Fig. 6 in the folded-up state, Figure 8 shows a front view of a tran~port ~ontainor acaording to a pre~erred embodiment o~ the inventio~, 3hown without the first and fourth wall panelq, Figure 9 ~hows an extruded ~rofile adapted to the embodiment according to Fig. 8, Fi~ure 10 shows ~ detail representAtion of a hir-ge stru~ture, Figure 11 shows ~ det~il section of a further blocking el~ment, and Figure 12 show~ a perspective representation of a further embodiment example.

The transport container according to Fig. 1 includes ~ base panel 12 with four peripheral odges 13, a fir~t wall panel 14, a ae~ond wall panel 15, and opposite this a third wall panel 1~. The fir~t wall panel 14 i~ mounted tin a known manner) on the base panel 12 by means of joint~ or hinge~ (not shown), ~o that it can b~ folded in, ln the dire~tion of t~e arrow 17, fr~m t~ operat-ing position shown into an inoperative po~ition lyiny on the base panel 12. The ~inqes can be constructed, for example, as shown 2 ~ 7 in German Utllity Model 8536127. ~rhe second wall panel 15 i~
mounted, to b~ piv~table in the direction of the arrow l9t on a first mountin~ ahoulder 18 of the ~a~e panel 12, the mountin~
~houlder 18.having the effect that the hinge axis lies above the ba~e panel 12 to an extent su~h that the second wal 1 panel 15 can lie on, and parallel to, the folded-in flrst wall ~anel 14. The third wall panel 16, finàlly, i~ pivotably mou~ted thinge~ 22 are indicated schematically) on a .still higher sec~nd mountin~
shoulder 21, such that it can be pivoted in the direction of the 10 arrow 2~ and then lie~ on, and parallel to, the folded-in ~e~ond wall panel lS. In the operating po~ition ~ho~n, the first wall panel stand~ perpen~icularly b~tween the qecond and thi~d ~all panel~ 15, 16 and thus blocks thes~ two wall panels from pivoting in.

Gulde ~ail~ 24 and 25 which project downwards from the base panel 12 are pro~lded respectively beneath tbe mounting shoulders 18 and 21, and o~posed guide channel~ 26 and 27 are formed in the ~aid guide rails. A slide member 28 i~ displaceably mou~ted between the gu~de rail~ 24, 25, a ~nurth wall panel 29 being pivotably mounted on it. The slid~ member 28 consi~ts o~ a bridge element 31 which bridges over the di~tance between the ~uide rail~ 24, 2S, and in the ~implest case consist~ of an elongate batten. The fourth wall panel 29 is hing~d on~o the longitudinal side of the bridge element 31 such that it can be pivoted in the direction of the arrow 32 into an intermediate position parallel to the base panel 1~. It can then be pu~hed, guided by the slide me~ber, into a stowa~e pos.ition beneath the base panel 12. Guide el ement~ 33 on the two narrow side~ of the bridge element 31 then slide in the ~uide channels 26, 27. The guide elements 33 are projec~ing webs ~n the exemplary caso; they aan al~o, however, each be formed by two pin~ which a~ anchored in the bridge element 31. The bridge element can be con~truc~ed ~3 a frame con3truction with a rectangular or X-sha~ed be~m arrangement, or the batteh shown is ~iven wide perforations to redu~e it~ welght.

2~'',7-~

~n the op~ri~ting pO-~iti~ll, the fourth wall panal 2g 3tands po~pendicularly between the second and third wall panels lS, 16.
P, stop element 34, approximately ln the form of a pi~, ~tands out from the i~ner side of the third wall panel 16~and prev~nt~ the fourth wall panel 29 from pivoting inw~rd~. A corresponding ~top el~ment al~o stand.~ out from th~ ~ecor~d wall pane~l 15, ~ut is not vi~ible in ~ig. 1.

In Figs, 2 and 3, there i3 ~een a portion o~ the t~lird wall pan~l 16 above the ~econd mounting shoulder 21, the b~se panel 12 and the guide rail 25 with guide channel 27. It can be seen that the front edge 35 of t~e third wall panel 16 projects ove~ the ~nd face 36 of the ba~e panel 12 by the wal 1 thi~ness o~ the fourth wal l panel 29 .

Ac~ording to Fiy. 3, th~ corner region i~ ~illed by a lockin~
member 37 which is fastened by means of a grooved stud 38. Tho locking member 37 i~ prismatic, i~ aIigned in~ide and out with the second mounting ~hould~r 21, and occlude~ the guide channel 27 at the end, It prevents the ~lide member 28 bein~ in~dvert-ently pulled forward out of the guide. A similar lo~kin~ membèr is also provided for the occlusion of the op~osite guide ohannel 26 (Fig. 1). Sin~e the firæt mountin~ shoulder 18 is lower there, the locking member is also correspondingly shorter.

The fourth wall ~anel 29 i~ shown in its stowage po~ition in Fig. 2: the locking member lying behind it i~ however not shown, tv ~ive a better general view, A batteh 3~ proj~ct.~ in front of the end face 36 from the edge vf the fourth wall panel 29. ~ ~in 41 is anchored in the batten 39 and enga~es in a bore ~2 in the end face 36 . ~h~ the fourth wall panel 29 on the one hand can not be pushed ~urther in, and on the ~ther hand it oannot pivot 30 a~ay duwnward~ as far ~3 its hingin~ to the slide member ~ould p~rmit, or as far a~ could damage thi~ hinge.

- 6 - 2 ~ ~, f 3 iJ ~ Jl The arrestinq ~l~vice accor~ling ~.o Fi~. 4 con~i~ts ~f a pi~ 43 3tan~11n~ out from the inner sur~ace of the second wall panel l~
and enga~lng in a bore 44 in the narrow side of the ~lrst wall pane'L 14. .An arresting device o~ the sam~ kind is provided between the first wall p~nel 14 and the third wall panel 16.
Thes~ arre~ting devices block the fi~st wall panel 14 and are released by pivoting the second and third wall panels 15, l6 away frt~m each other a little.

This pivoting away from each other is itself prevented by releas-able blocking elements of dif~-erent varieties. A kind of block-ing takes place by a cover pan~l which is placed in position, as is furth~r de~cribed b~low.

Another kind uses ~ hook tape closure, a~ is illustratod in Fi~.
5. Here the stop elem~nt 34 is ~een to ~tand out from the inner ~ide of the second wall panel 15, with the fou~th wall panel 29 abutting on it. An end of ~ hook tape 45 is fa~tened, ~or example adhcred, to the outer fac~ of the second wall panel 15;
the loose end of the t~pe 45 reaches over the corner to the outçr side o~ the ~ourth wall panel 29 and ls relea~ably hoo~ed there in a known manner to a loop t~pe 46 whi~h is adhered there to the fourth wall panel 29. When sever~l transport container~ are stacked one abov~ the other and ad~acent to each other, the hook tape 45 can then be relea3ed unhindered from the Eront side, ~nd t~e ~ront ~o~rth wall panel 29 can be unolded toward& the front, However, strip~ o~ adhe~ive tape which pass over the oorne~ can al90 be provided as blockin~ elements (at all corners), in the sa~e way that cartons are sealed up. The strip~ of adhe~ive tape can be pulled away or ~ut through to release the bloc~in~.
Stri~s of ~uch a kind oan at the ~ame time also function as a packaging seal.

~ig. 6 show3 a trxnsport container from the front. It will be recogni~ed that the base panel l2 i~ indi~ated d~shed, since it 2 ~ 3 ~t ~ 7 is covered by the fo~rth wall panel 29. To the ~ides of the ba3e pane~. 12 ~r~ secn the mourlting shoulders 24, 25 with the ~ e memb~r 28 lying between them. T~le lockin~ member~ 37 (Fig. 3) are not fitted here, in orc~er not to cover the ~rofile o~ the guide rails. ~atten-like support elements 49, 51 lie on the upper end sides 47 and 48 o~ the second and third wall panels 15, 16, and stand ou~ downw~rdY from opposite peripheral edges of a cover panel 52. Several do~nward-projecting pins 53 are anchored in the ~upport elements 49, 51, and engage in corresponding bores 54 in the upper end ~ides 47, 48, thu~ preventin~ the coYer pa~el 52 from being displace~ longitudinally. ~n outward ~ivoting o~
the wall panels 15, 16 i~ also thu~ prevented.

~he cover p~nel 52 can be fixed by means uf a hook tape 55 fa3tened to the u~per side and hooked to a loop tap~ 56 adhered to the front ~ide of the fourth wall p~nel 29. ~ateral hook tape~ ~according to Fig. 5) can be additionally provided. ~hey hold the walls together, even when the cover panel 52 is removed.

~ig. 7 shows the transpo~t contain~r from in front, in the folded-up state. The locking member-~ 37 are ~hown here. The batten 39 (I?ig. 2) on the fourth wall panel 29 largely covers the ~a~e panel 12, on which the first ~all panel 14 lies, followed by the second and third wall panels 15, 16.

8ince the hinge axes of the ~econ~ and third wall panels 15, 16 ar~ offset by the wall thi~kness, and the mounti~g shoulder 18 is therefore lower than the mount1nq shoulder 21, the support elements 99, 51 ar~ also of di~ferent heights. According to Fig.
7, they ahut on the upper end side~ 57, S~ o~ the mounting shoulder3 18, 21, with the cover panel 52 lying abDve, and parallel t~, the upper w~ll pan~l 16. The pin~ 53 then eng~ge in bores 5g in the end s.ides 57, 58 and ~ecure the position of the cover panel 52. When the loop tape 58 also reaches ove~ the region of the batten 39 and the hook tape S5 is long eno~gh, tho co~e~ panel 52 can, with the same hook tape closute, be held fast 2 ~

in th~ indicat~d ~osition. It wil I be understoo~ that a similar hook t~e closure ls to be provided on ~he rear side.

Further~ore it i~ to be noted that the wall t~ip~ne~ of the wall panels and ~ the slide member are shown exces~ively large in ~ig~. 6 and 7 in ~elation to the other dimen~ions of the transport container. ~urther ~ores in ths plates lyin~ one on another, into which bores the ~top elements 34 and p~ns ~3 can enter, are not hown.

Fig . 8 ~how~ a f ront view of the right-hand side o~ a tran~po~t container in which extr~ded profile~ ar~ used. The slide member, the ~ir~t and secon~ wall p~nel~, And th~ loaking me~bers are not shown here. The main oomponents have the 3ame re~erence ~umber, but increased by 100, as in Fig. 1 o~ Fig. 6, in order to ~acili-tate ~nderstanding.

A firs~ extruded pro~ile 61 has an approximately re~tanqular c~o~s section. The guide channel 126 i~ formed in its ~irst (inner) flat side 5~, on the lower ~d~e, and at a distanae above it a ~irst retaining chann01 63 i.s mol~ed in the form of a dovetail groove, into whi~h the longitudinal edge, constructed as a complementary dovetail 64, o~ the bas~ panel 112 is in~erted.
A fir~t hinge channel 66 i~ molded in the ~econd (outer) flat side 65, and extends as far as the vicinity of the ~ir~ ~lat side 62, ~o that a first strap hin~e 67 result~ at a ~paciny of approximately the wall thickness of the first wall panel over the base panel 112. The first hinge chan~el 66 is narrowed in the re~ion of the ~econd flat side 65 (to the extent permitted by the extru~ion tool) ~n orde~ to form o~posed support surface~ 68, 69.
A ~econd retainin~ ahannel 7~ in the form of a ~ovetail ~roove is molded in the upper narrow side 71. The longitudlnal edge, formed as a complementary dov~tail 73, o~ the second wall panel 115 is inserted into the sai~ groove. To be exaot, the portion of the extruded profilo 61 which ls situated above the first hinge channel 66 is to be oonsidered as functionally a oomponent 2 ~v~

~f the second wall panel 115, while the portion situated below reprc-~ent~ the! mounting shoulder 18, A second ex.truded p~ofile 74 with a rectangular~cro~3 ~ection has a retaining channel 76, likewi30 in the form o~ a dovetail groove, molded at the edge in its fi~st (inner) ~lat side 75.
The lon~itudinal edge of the ~over panel 15~, formed a3 a comple-ment~ry dovetail 77, is inserted into the said groove.

The advantage of this construction is that the dimen~ions o~ the transport container can easily be adapted to the respeative pUrpOQe of u~e. It i~ only neces3ary to machine panels of the desired width and lengt~ at their lo~gitudin~l edges with a profile mil~ing cutter and to provide them with profile sections of ~itting length. The profile Qections are easily cut in the desired lenqths. Altogether. four extruded pro~iles of different heights are required.

A reduction of the nu~ber of ext~uded profiles required is obtained with the extruded profile 78 shown in ~ig. ~. It contains, as in the preceding example, a guid~ channel 1~6, a first retaining channel ~3, a ~irst hinge channel 66, ~nd a second retaining ahannel 72. ~owever, the portion above the first hinge channel 66 is higher, so that a secohd hinge channel 79 finds space for the formation o~ a qecond strap hinge 81 at the di~tance of the wall thic~ness of a wall panel abo~e the first strap hin~e 67. Al~o, the ~econd hinge cha~nel 79 tapers in the region of the second ~lat slde 65 for the formation of oppo~ed support ~urface~ 82, 83.

The same extruded profile can now be inserted at both longitudi-nal ~dges of the base panel, and only the strap hinge which does not fit needs to be blocked~ The strap h~ng~ 81 ca~, ~or exam-ple, be bl~cked in that adhesive is int~oduc~d between thesupport surfaceQ 82, 33. In this case, the extrusion profile 78 i9 used instead of the extrusion profile 61 of Fig. 8 for the mount1ng of the second wall panel llS. For the mounting of the third wall pan~l, the ~trap hinge 81 mu~t remain movabl~, while the lower 3trap hinge 67 is blocked by the introduc~ion of ad~esive botween the ~upport 3urface~ 68, 6~.

A re~pective adhesiv~ tape can al-~o be adhered over the gap oppo~ite the ~trap hin~es ~7, 81.

In the embodiment according to ~lg. 10, the ba.~ panel 12 (as also shown in Fig. 1) is coJ~structed i~tegrally with the mounting shoulders and ~uide rails, and can also be produced to this extent as an ext~uded profile of corre~pondingly width. In Fig.
10, only the mounting shoulder 18 is shown in which a re~aining channel Q4, open toward~ the inner ~dye, i5 molded with an internal widenin~ 8~. A mirror-image retaining channel 86 with an internal widening 87 i~ let into the lower longitudinal edge of the ~ec~nd ~all panel 15. A strap hinge ~trip 88 is respec-tively anchored in the retaining channels 84, ~6, and lies free over a short stretch in the plane of the inner ~urface of the second wall panel 15 and forms a hinge axis ~9 there.

I~ ~oe~ without ~aying ~hat other cross sectional shapes can be chos~n ~or the retaining channels 63, 72, 84 and 86.

The components of ~he transport container, especially the ~up-porting wall, ba~e and cover parts, can be made of aluminum or plastic, and are preferably equipped with reinforcing rib~, whiah do not need to be ~eparately shown here. A foamed thermoplastia plastic i~ recommended as the plastia, especially with a ~truc-ture such that the air bub~les in the center are l~rger and/or more clo~ely di3tributed than in the regions adjacent to the surfa~e. ~his affords optimum ~trength and lightness.

A~ indioated in ~ig. 10, th~ plastic can also be treated with admixture~, ~uch as glass fibers or shreds of al~minum foil, which increase the rnodulu~ of elasticity. ~ie latter i5 particu-larly recom~,end~d for the extruded proflles, ~ince the al~minu~foll ~hred~ have lit~le adverse ef~ect on the extrusion tool alld also are less interfered with by it than are the ~tiffer glass fib~rs.

Fig. 11 shows a variant of a blockin~ element in the form of a locking bar. For exam~le, a r~ce~ 92, widening obliguely towards the fro~t ~ide, is provided on the l~ide in the 3econd wall panel 15. A locking bar 93 of spri~g ~teel has, ~nt up at one end, an anchoring claw 94 with which it is iixed in the wall panel 15. The front, free end 95 i~ slightly angled, -~o that a thin article (e.g., a coin) can be inserted into the gap between thic end 95 and the narrow side ~6 of the foutth wall panel 2g, and the lockin~ bar 93 can thu~ be bent to the side. A portio~
i3 bent down at ~ right angle a little behind this angled end 95, ~o that a locking pin 97 results. This engac3es in a bore 98 in the narrow side 96 of the fourth wall panel 29. A pivoting motion of the fourth wall panel 29 is thus ~locked. The locking pin 97 ~an ~e brought out of engagement with the bore 98 ~y mean~
of the article mentioned above, whereu~on the fourth wall panel 29 can be pivoted out. It is o~ decisive importan~e that the locked state can be released fr4m the ~ront side.

In the embodiment example according to ~ig. 12, the fourth ~all panel is not integral. In~tead, the fourth wall panel i~ here in the form of, so to ~peak, nearly infinitesimal wall panel units in the form o~ bars 111 o~ a roller-type shutter. These form roller-type shutter 112. T~e roller shutter bars 111 have, at their ends, projections 113 which are guided in perpendicular grooves 114 which are provided in the wall panel~ lS, 16 and also partially in the cover panel 52. The grooves 114 are co~tinued below in the ba~e panel 12 a~ cu~ves 116, so that the roller-type shutter 112 i~ conti~uously deflected w~en it is opened, roller shutter bar after roller shutter bar, from its ve~tical position into the horizontal.

Claims

1. Transport container, including a base panel and wall panels pivotably mounted on its peripheral edges of the said base panel, such that the said wall panels can be folded in, parallel to the base panel, into an inoperative position in a second wall panel lies between the first and a third wall panel, and with arresting devices on the wall panel, in order to mutually arrest these in their operative position, unfolded perpendicularly with respect to the base panel, characterized in that a fourth wall panel unit (29) is pivotably mounted on a slide member (28), which slide member is displaceably guided beneath and parallel to the base panel (12), such that the fourth wall panel unit (29) is pivotable out of its operat-ing position folded up perpendicularly to the base panel into an intermediate position direction parallel to the base panel and is then displaceable in common with the slide member (28) into a stowage position lying beneath and paral-lel to the base panel (12).

2. Transport container according to claim 1, characterized in that guide rails (24, 25), each for the formation of a guide channel (26, 27)),are provided on two parallel, opposed peripheral edges (13) on the underside of the base panel (12), and that the slide member (28) has guide elements (33) which can respectively be inserted into the opposed guide channels, and also has a bridge element (31) which spans the distance between the guide rails and which carries the guide elements and hinge elements for the articulation of the fourth wall panel (29).

3. Transport container according to claim 2, characterized in that the bridge element (31) is an elongate batten, the length of which is equal to the length of the fourth wall panel, (29) and the clear distance between the guide rails (24, 25), the hinge elements being arranged on its longitu-dinal side and the guide elements (33) being arranged on its narrow sides.

4. Transport container according to claim 1, characterized in that the fourth wall panel (29) has a hook device (39,41) on its edge opposite to the slide member (28), such that as soon as the fourth wall panel (29) has been pushed into the stowage potion, the hook device comes into engagement with the base panel (12) in order to block a pivoting of the fourth wall panel.

5. Transport container according to claim 4, characterized in that the hook device includes a batten (39) which projects up in front of the free end face (36) of base panel (12) and from which at least one pin (41) stands out and can be pushed into a bore (42) in the end face (36) or can be placed against the upper side of the base panel (12).

6. Transport container according to claim 1, characterized in that the second and third wall panels (15, 16) are pivotably mounted on mounting shoulders (18, 21) which are arranged at respectively opposite peripheral edges (13) of base panel (12) and which stand up perpendicularly of its upper side.

7. transport container according to claim 1, characterized in that first wall panel (14), in the unfolded operating position, stands perpendicularly between the second and third wall panel (15, 16), such that a pivoting of the second and third wall panels (15, 16) towards each other is blocked.

8. Transport container according to Claim 1, characterized in that the fourth wall panel (29), in the unfolded operating position, stands parallel to the first wall panel (14) and perpendicularly between the second and third wall panels (15, 16).

9. Transport container according to Claim 7, characterized in that the arresting devices (43, 44) between the first wall panel (14) and the respective second and third wall panels (15, 16) are constructed such that a pivoting of the first wall panel (14) is blocked by the second and third wall panels which abut against it, the blocking being releasable by a pivoting of the second and third wall panels (15, 16) away from each other.

10. Transport container according to Claim 9, characterized in that releasable blocking elements are provided which prevent a pivoting away of the second and third wall panels (15, 16).

11. Transport container according to Claim 10, characterized in that hook tape closures are provided as blocking elements, the hook tapes (45) of which reach from the outer surface of the first wall panel respectively to an outer surface of the adjacent wall panel.

12. Transport container according to Claim 8, characterized in that a respective stop element (34) standing out from the inner surface is provided on the second and third wall panels (15, 16), in order to block a pivoting-in of the fourth wall panel (29) past the operating position.

13. Transport container according to Claim 9, characterized in that pins (43) are provided which stand out from the inner surfaces of the second and third wall panels (15, 16) and which engage in bores (44) on the narrow sides of the first wall panel (14), to form an arresting device.

14, Transport container according to Claim 8, characterized in that a blocking element (45, 93) which is releasably fixable on the fourth wall panel (29) is respectively provided on the second and third wall. panels (15, 16), in order to block a pivoting away of the fourth wall panel (29) out of the operating position in the direction of the intermediate position.

15. Transport container according to Claim 14, characterized in that hook tape closures are provided as the blocking ele-ments, and their hook tapes (45) reach from the second and third wall panels (15, 16) respectively to the outer surface of the fourth wall panel (29).

16, Transport container according to Claim 10 or 15, character-ized in that strips of adhesive tape are provided as the blocking elements.

17. Transport container according to Claim 1 or 7 or 9, charac-terized in that a removable cover panel (52) is provided, arresting devices (53, 54) being respectively constructed between the cover panel and the second and third wall panels (15, 16) such that the wall panels (15, 16), unfolded into the operative position, are blocked against a further pivot-ing away from each other when the cover panel (52) is placed in position.

18 . Transport container according to Claims 6 and 17, character-ized in that the cover panel (52) has support elements (49, 51) like battens, which stand out on opposite peripheral edges, which in the unfolded operating position of the second and third wall panels (15, 16) abut against their upper end sides (47, 48), and which in the folded-in inoper-ative position of the wall panels abut against the mounting shoulders (18, 21) projecting up from the base panel (12).

19. Transport container according to Claims 17 and 18, charac-terized in that pins (53) are provided which stand out perpendicularly with respect to the cover panel (52) from the support elements (49, 51), and which engage in bores (54) in the upper end sides (47, 48) of the second and third wall panels (15, 16) or of the mounting shoulders (18, 21), to form arresting devices.

20. Transport container according to Claim 18 or 19,character-ized in that releasable blocking elements (55, 56) are provided which prevent a lifting of the cover plate (52) from the second and third wall panels (15, 16) or from the mounting shoulders (18, 21).

21. Transport container according to Claim 20, characterized in that hook taper closures are provided as the blocking ele-ments, the hook tapes (55) of which are fixed to the cover panel (52).

22. Transport container according to Claim 1 or 6, characterized in that the wall panels are articulated to the base panel (12) or to the mounting shoulders (18, 21) by means of strap hinges (67, 81, 88).

23. Transport container according to Claim 22, characterized in that a strap hinge strip (88) is anchored in the panel bodies (18, 15) on both sides of the hinge axis (89), the hinge axis (89) being formed by the strap hinge strip run-ning in the plane of the inner surfaces of the wall panels (15, 16).

24. Transport container according to Claim 22, characterized in that the strap hinge (67, 81) is constructed integrally with the panel bodies lying on both sides of the hinge axis, the hinge axis being formed in the plane of the inner surfaces of the wall panels (15, 16).

25. Transport container according to Claims 2 and 22, character-ized in that a first extruded profile (61) with an approxi-mately rectangular cross section is provided, and has, molded in its first flat side (62), a guide channel (126) on the edge side, and also a first retaining channel (63) at a spacing from the said guide channel, and has, molded in its second flat side (65), a first hinge channel (66) which extends, to form a first strap hinge (67), as far as the region of the first flat side (62), and has, molded in its narrow side (71), a second retaining channel (72), the first hinge channel (66) being arranged between the first and second retaining channels (63, 72).

26. Transport container according to Claim 25, characterized in that second hinge channel (79) is formed in the second flat side (65) in the distance between the first hinge channel (66) and the second retaining channel (72), for the formation of a second strap hinge (81).

27. Transport container according to Claim 25, characterized in that the base panel (112) can be anchored with its longitu-dinal edge (64) in the first retaining channel (63).

28. Transport container according to Claim 25, characterized in that the second or the third wall panel (115) can be an-chored with its longitudinal edge (73) in the second retain-ing channel (72).

29. Transport container according to Claim 18, characterized in that a second extruded profile (74) with an approximately rectangular cross section is provided, and has retaining channel (76) molded on the edge side in its first flat side.

(75), and in that the cover panel (152) can be anchored with its longitudinal edge (77) in the retaining channel (76).

30. Transport container according to Claim 27 or 28 or 29, characterized in that the retaining channel (63, 72, 76) is formed as a dovetail groove and the longitudinal edges (64, 73, 77) are formed as complementary dovetails.

31. Transport container according to Claims 2 and 6, character-ized in that the base panel (12) with the guide rails (24, 25) facing towards the underside and the mounting shoulders (18, 21) facing towards the upper side is produced in one piece.

32. Transport container according to Claim 31, characterized in that the base panel (12) with guide rails (24, 25) and mounting shoulders (18, 21) is produced as an extruded profile.

33. Transport container according to one or more of Claims 1-32, characterized in that a plastic is provided as the material.

34. Transport container according to Claim 33, characterized in that a foamed thermoplastic plastic is provided as the material, having its structure varied over the thickness of the material so that the included air bubbles are larger and/or more closely distributed in the center than in the regions near the surface.

35. Transport container according to Claim 33, characterized in that the plastic is treated with admixtures which increase the modulus of elasticity.

36. Transport container according to Claim 33, characterized in that shreds of aluminum foil (91) are mixed into the plas-tic.

37. Transport container according to Claim 1, characterized in that the fourth wall panel unit (29) is at least essentially integral,

38. Transport container according to Claim 1, characterized in that the fourth wall panel unit (29) has at least essen-tially the form of a roller-type shutter (112).

39. Transport container according to Claim 38, characterized in that the roller-type shutter is guided at its two edges ( ) in a guide device (113) of at least the second and third wall panels (15, 16).

40. Transport container according to Claim 38, characterized in that each guide device includes a groove (114).

41. Transport container according to Claim 38, characterized in that the roller-type shutter (112) has a curve (116) in the guide device in the region of the transition to the base panel.