Storage container

Abstract

The storage container is provided with a drawer, a support part for supporting the drawer in a slidable manner, and a locking mechanism for locking the drawer. The drawer has a box body and a front side plate portion. The lock mechanism includes a rotating member, an engaged portion, and an operating member. The rotating member is located on the rear side of the front plate portion. The operating member is exposed to the front side of the front side plate portion, is connected to the rotating member by passing through the opening of the front side plate portion, and blocks the opening of the front side plate portion.

Description

Cross Reference to Related Applications

[0001] This application claims priority from Japanese Patent Application No. 2024-114486 filed on July 18, 2024, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. TECHNICAL FIELD

[0002] The present application relates to a storage container that stores an object to be stored. BACKGROUND

[0003] Conventionally, various storage containers have been used for storing an object to be stored. A storage container disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 4956050 has a drawer and a support portion that supports the drawer so as to be slidable, and is configured to lock the drawer in the support portion. In the storage container of Patent Document 1, a movable handle portion, a protruding portion, and a biasing member that are integrally formed are supported so as to be rotatable with respect to the drawer, and in a state where the drawer is put in the support portion, the protruding portion is inserted into a fitting portion of the support portion by the biasing member. Thus, the drawer is locked in the support portion. In addition, by rotating the movable handle portion against the biasing member by a user, the protruding portion is disengaged from the fitting portion, and the locking of the drawer is released. SUMMARY

[0004] In the storage container of Japanese Patent No. 4956050, in order to expose the movable handle portion to the front side, an opening (handle notch) is formed in a front side plate portion of the drawer. However, in the design of the appearance of the storage container, it is not desirable to see the back side (rear side) of the front side plate portion from the opening of the front side plate portion of the drawer. That is, there is room for improvement in the design of the appearance of the storage container seen from the front surface side of the drawer.

[0005] In view of the above, an object of the present application is to provide a storage container that can improve the design of the appearance seen from the front surface side of the drawer.

[0006] The present application is a storage container that stores an object to be stored, and includes: a drawer that stores the object to be stored; a support portion that supports the drawer so as to be slidable; and a locking mechanism that locks the drawer in the support portion. The drawer has: a box body that stores the object to be stored; and a front side plate portion that is located at the front side of the box body in a direction in which the drawer is pulled out of the support portion. The locking mechanism includes a rotating member having a protrusion portion and rotatably attached to the cabinet body, a locking portion provided to the support portion and locking the drawer in the support portion by the locking of the protrusion portion, and an operating member movably attached to the front panel portion and rotating the rotating member from a locking position where the protrusion portion is locked to the locking portion to a retreat position where the protrusion portion is not locked to the locking portion by the operation of a user. The rotating member is located at the rear side of the front panel portion in the pull-out direction of the drawer. The operating member is exposed to the front side of the front panel portion and connected to the rotating member through an opening of the front panel portion and also plugs the opening of the front panel portion.

[0007] According to the storage container of the present application, the opening of the front panel portion of the drawer is plugged by the operating member, so that the appearance design of the storage container viewed from the front surface side of the drawer can be improved. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0008] Figure 1 is a perspective view showing a storage container according to a first embodiment of the present application. Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view showing a part of the storage container of Figure 1 . Figure 3 is a sectional view showing a main part of the storage container of Figure 1 . Figure 4 is a perspective view showing a rotating member, a biasing member, an operating member and a finger hook member in Figure 3 . Figure 5 is an exploded perspective view showing the rotating member and the operating member of Figure 4 separated. Figure 6 is a view explaining the operation of the locking mechanism in the first embodiment. Figure 7 is a view explaining the operation of the locking mechanism in the first embodiment. Figure 8 is a perspective view showing a storage container according to a second embodiment of the present application. Figure 9 is a perspective view showing a main part of the storage container of Figure 8 . Figure 10 is a sectional view showing a main part of the storage container of Figure 8 . Figure 11 is an exploded perspective view showing a part of the storage container of Figure 9 ,Figure 10 exploded perspective view of the rotation member and the operation member. Figure 12 is a view illustrating the operation of the lock mechanism in the second embodiment. Figure 13 is a view illustrating the operation of the lock mechanism in the second embodiment. Figure 14 is a perspective view showing the storage container according to the third embodiment of the present application. Figure 15 is a sectional view showing a main part of the storage container Figure 14 . Figure 16 is a perspective view showing the rotation member and the operation member Figure 15 . Figure 17 is a view illustrating the operation of the lock mechanism in the third embodiment. Figure 18 is a view illustrating the operation of the lock mechanism in the third embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0009] [First Embodiment] Hereinafter, the first embodiment of the present application will be described with reference to Figures 1-7 . In the following description, the same reference numerals are assigned to mutually corresponding components, and the description will be omitted for the repeated parts. Also, in the following description, expressions such as "parallel", "orthogonal", "center", and the like indicate relative or absolute arrangement, and not only strictly indicate such arrangement, but also indicate a state in which an angle, a distance, or a relative displacement is obtained within a tolerance or to the extent that the same function can be obtained.

[0010] As shown in Figure 1 , the storage container 1 according to the present embodiment is configured by stacking a plurality of rectangular box-shaped containers 2 in the vertical direction Z. A top plate portion 3 covering the upper side of the container 2 is provided on the top surface of the container 2 located at the uppermost position. Since the plurality of containers 2 stacked have the same structure, one container 2 will be described below.

[0011] As shown in Figure 1 , Figure 2 , the container 2 includes a drawer 5 that stores an object (not shown), a support portion 6 that supports the drawer 5 so as to be slidable, and a lock mechanism 7 that locks the drawer 5 in the support portion 6. In the present embodiment, the sliding direction of the drawer 5 with respect to the support portion 6 is the front-rear direction X orthogonal to the vertical direction Z.

[0012] In the attached diagram, the direction orthogonal to the vertical direction Z and the front-back direction X corresponds to the width direction Y of container 2 (containing container 1). In the following description, the side to which the arrow in the vertical direction Z points (+Z side) is designated as the "top side", and the opposite side to the side to which the arrow in the Z direction points (-Z side) is designated as the "bottom side". Additionally, the side to which the arrow in the front-back direction X points (+X side) is designated as the "front side", and the opposite side to the side to which the arrow in the front-back direction X points (-X side) is designated as the "rear side".

[0013] like Figure 2 As shown, drawer 5 has a box body 11 and a front side panel 12. The box body 11 is formed into a box shape with an opening on the top side. The stored items are stored in the box body 11. In this embodiment, the box body 11 has a generally cuboid shape with sides extending in three directions: vertical (Z), horizontal (X), and width (Y).

[0014] The front panel 12 is located on the front side of the box body 11 in the direction in which the drawer 5 is pulled out from the support 6 (the direction in which the drawer 5 is pulled out). The front panel 12 covers the box body 11 from the front. The drawer 5 is pulled out in the front-to-back direction (X) towards the front (+X side). The front panel 12 is mainly formed as a flat plate with the front-to-back direction (X) as the thickness direction. Viewed from the front-to-back direction (X), the front panel 12 in the example figure is formed as a rectangle with the width direction (Y) as the long side. The front panel 12 can be formed either separately from the box body 11 or as an integral part of the box body 11. An opening 13 is formed in the front side plate portion 12, extending through its thickness direction. In this embodiment, the opening 13 of the front side plate portion 12 opens to the lower end of the front side plate portion 12. Viewed from the front-rear direction X, in the example shown, the opening 13 of the front side plate portion 12 is formed into a rectangular shape with the width direction Y as its long side, and is located at the center of the front side plate portion 12 in the width direction Y.

[0015] The support portion 6 is formed in the shape of a box body 11 that houses the drawer 5. The support portion 6 is formed in the shape of a cuboid corresponding to the box body 11. The support portion 6 has an opening 15 on the front side (pull-out direction). In this embodiment, the support portion 6 also has an opening on the top side. The aforementioned drawer 5 is able to slide in the front-back direction X relative to the support part 6 by the way the box body 11 enters and exits relative to the support part 6 through the opening 15 of the support part 6.

[0016] like Figure 3 As shown, the locking mechanism 7 includes: a rotating member 20 with a protrusion 21, a force-applying member 30, a locking part 40, and an operating member 50.

[0017] The rotating member 20 is rotatably attached to the case body 11 on the rear side of the front side plate portion 12 in the front-rear direction X (the pull-out direction). As shown in Figure 4 , Figure 5 , the rotating member 20 of the present embodiment has a main body portion 22 extending in the front-rear direction X. The main body portion 22 of the illustrated example is formed in a shape extending also in the width direction Y. As shown in Figures 3-5 , the protruding portion 21 of the rotating member 20 is formed integrally with the main body portion 22 and protrudes downward (−Z side) from the main body portion 22. The protruding portion 21 is located at an intermediate portion of the main body portion 22 in the width direction Y. In addition, the protruding portion 21 is located at a position offset from the front end portion toward the rear side, although close to the end portion on the front side of the main body portion 22.

[0018] A sliding surface 23 is formed at the front end portion of the main body portion 22. The sliding surface 23 is a surface for the sliding portion 51 of the operating member 50 to slide in conjunction with movement of the operating member 50 described later. The sliding surface 23 is a surface facing downward (−Z side) and mainly inclined downward as it goes toward the rear side (−X side). The sliding surface 23 is provided at both end portions of the main body portion 22 in the width direction Y. Figures 3-5 The sliding surface 23 in the illustrated example is curved concavely in the direction of inclination thereof, but can be, for example, flat. In the illustrated example, a recessed portion 24 recessed toward the rear side is formed at the front end portion of the main body portion 22. The recessed portion 24 is located between the aforementioned two sliding surfaces 23 in the width direction Y.

[0019] As shown in Figure 3 , the rotating member 20 is disposed on the lower side of the case body 11. Also, the rotating member 20 is rotatably attached to the case body 11 with the first rotation axis A1 extending in the width direction Y as a center at the rear end portion (end portion on the rear side) of the main body portion 22. The rotating member 20 is attached to the case body 11 at a position corresponding to the opening 13 of the front side plate portion 12 in the width direction Y, that is, at the center of the case body 11 in the width direction Y. The protruding portion 21 and the sliding surface 23 of the aforementioned rotating member 20 are both located at positions away from the first rotation axis A1 toward the front end portion side of the main body portion 22.

[0020] A biasing member 30 is provided between the rotating member 20 and the case body 11 and biases the rotating member 20 in a direction away from the case body 11. Specifically, the biasing member 30 biases the rotating member 20 toward the lower side of the case body 11. The biasing member 30 is located at a position away from the first rotation axis A1 of the rotating member 20 toward the front end portion side of the main body portion 22. The biasing member 30 of the present embodiment is a leaf spring formed integrally with the main body portion 22 of the rotating member 20.

[0021] like Figure 2 , Figure 3 As shown, the locking part 40 is provided on the support part 6, and the drawer 5 is locked in the support part 6 by the locking of the protrusion 21 of the rotating member 20. In this embodiment, the locking part 40 is a locking hole 41 into which the protrusion 21 is inserted. The locking hole 41 opens at the top from the bottom of the support part 6 of the lower support box body 11. The protrusion 21 is inserted into the locking hole 41 from the top.

[0022] The operating component 50 is movably mounted relative to the front side panel 12. For example... Figure 6 , Figure 7 As shown, the operating member 50 is operated by the user, causing the rotating member 20 to rotate from the locked position P1, where the protrusion 21 is locked to the locked part 40, to the retracted position P2, where the protrusion 21 is not locked to the locked part 40. The operating member 50 protrudes from the front side of the front side plate 12 and is connected to the rotating member 20 through the opening 13 through the front side plate 12. Furthermore, the operating member 50 blocks the opening 13 of the front side plate 12. Moreover, the operating member 50 and the rotating member 20 are not necessarily always connected; they are only connected at least when the protrusion 21 is moved from the locked position P1 to the retracted position P2. Therefore, the operating member 50 and the rotating member 20 can also be temporarily separated, for example, during user operation of the operating member 50. The operating component 50 of this embodiment will be further described below.

[0023] like Figure 5 As shown, the operating member 50 in this embodiment is formed in a generally flat plate shape. The shape and size of the operating member 50, as seen from the plate thickness direction, correspond to the shape and size of the opening 13 in the front plate portion 12. That is, the shape of the operating member 50, as seen from the plate thickness direction, is formed as a rectangle with the width direction Y as its long side. Therefore, such as Figure 2 As shown, the operating member 50 can block the opening 13 of the front side panel 12. In addition, when the operating member 50 is positioned to block the opening 13 of the front side panel 12, the operating member 50 is coplanar with the front surface 12a of the front side panel 12.

[0024] like Figure 3As shown, the operation member 50 is rotatably attached to the front side plate portion 12 with a second rotation axis A2 (rotation axis) extending in a direction orthogonal to the sliding direction (front-rear direction X) of the drawer 5 as a center. The "orthogonal direction" in this embodiment is the width direction Y. In addition, the second rotation axis A2 is located at the lower end of the opening 13 of the front side plate portion 12. Although not shown, in this embodiment, the rotational movement of the operation member 50 with respect to the front side plate portion 12 is restricted in such a manner that the operation member 50 does not protrude forward of the front surface 12a of the front side plate portion 12. Thus, the operation member 50 is rotatably moved only to the rear side of the front side plate portion 12 from a position in which the opening 13 of the front side plate portion 12 is blocked.

[0025] As shown in Figure 3 , Figure 5 , the operation member 50 has a sliding portion 51. The sliding portion 51 slides on the sliding surface 23 of the rotation member 20 in correspondence with the rotational movement of the operation member 50. The sliding portion 51 is located at a position apart from the second rotation axis A2 as viewed in the width direction Y. In Figure 3 , the sliding portion 51 is located at the upper end portion of the operation member 50 and contacts the sliding surface 23 of the rotation member 20 toward the lower side. The sliding portion 51 is located at both end portions of the operation member 50 in the width direction Y in a manner corresponding to the two sliding surfaces 23 of the rotation member 20, respectively.

[0026] As shown in Figure 3 , Figure 6 , in a state in which the operation member 50 is disposed at a position in which the opening 13 of the front side plate portion 12 is blocked, the rotation member 20 is disposed at the locking position PI. Then, as shown in Figure 7 , by rotating the operation member 50 with respect to the front side plate portion 12 in a manner to move to the rear side of the front side plate portion 12, the rotation member 20 is moved from the locking position PI to the retreat position P2. At this time, the rotation member 20 is moved upward and approaches the cabinet body 11 by moving from the locking position PI to the retreat position P2. Thus, the urging member 30 is elastically deformed to urge the rotation member 20 in a direction from the retreat position P2 to the locking position PI. In addition, the operation member 50 connected to the rotation member 20 is also urged by the urging member 30 toward a position in which the opening 13 of the front side plate portion 12 is blocked.

[0027] As shown in Figure 3 , Figure 4As shown, the container 2 of the present embodiment further has a handle member 8. The handle member 8 is disposed at a position corresponding to the rotating member 20. That is, the handle member 8, like the rotating member 20, is located on the lower side of the box body 11 on the rear side of the front panel portion 12, and is also located in the center of the box body 11 in the width direction Y. The handle member 8 is fixedly mounted with respect to the drawer 5. In addition, the handle member 8 is mounted to the drawer 5 in such a manner that it cannot rotate with respect to the drawer 5 about the first rotation axis Al. The handle member 8 is configured by integrally forming a finger hook portion 81, a mounting portion 82, and a connecting portion 83.

[0028] The finger hook portion 81 has an insertion recess 811 into which a user's finger is inserted when the user pulls out the drawer 5 to the front side. In the present embodiment, the finger hook portion 81 is located at a position adjacent to the upper side portion of the opening 13 in the rear surface 12b of the front panel portion 12, and the insertion recess 811 is opened on the lower side. The finger hook portion 81 is disposed in a recessed portion 24 formed at the front end portion of the main body portion 22 of the rotating member 20, that is, between the two sliding surfaces 23 in the width direction Y. The finger hook portion 81 of the present embodiment is formed in a wide shape that is long in the width direction Y.

[0029] The mounting portion 82 is located at a position spaced apart on the rear side of the finger hook portion 81. In the mounting portion 82, the aforementioned rotating member 20 is mounted in such a manner that it can rotate about the first rotation axis Al. That is, the rotating member 20 can rotate about the first rotation axis Al with respect to both the box body 11 and the handle member 8. The mounting portion 82 of the present embodiment, like the finger hook portion 81, is formed in a wide shape that is long in the width direction Y.

[0030] The connecting portion 83 extends in the front-rear direction X and connects the finger hook portion 81 and the mounting portion 82. In the present embodiment, the connecting portion 83 is located on the lower side of the main body portion 22 of the rotating member 20. In addition, the connecting portion 83 is located on both sides of the protrusion portion 21 in the width direction Y in such a manner that it does not interfere with the protrusion portion 21 of the rotating member 20. The two connecting portions 83 connect both end portions of the finger hook portion 81 and both end portions of the mounting portion 82 in the width direction Y.

[0031] Next, the effects of the storage container 1 in the first embodiment will be described. As Figure 3 , Figure 6 As shown, in a state in which the drawer 5 is placed in the support portion 6, the rotating member 20 is located at the latching position Pl, and the protrusion portion 21 of the rotating member 20 is latched with the latched portion 40 of the support portion 6, specifically, the protrusion portion 21 is inserted into the latching hole 41 of the support portion 6. Thus, the drawer 5 is locked in the support portion 6. In addition, in this state, the operation member 50 is disposed at a position that blocks the opening 13 of the front panel portion 12.

[0032] To pull out the drawer 5 to the front side from the support portion 6, first, the user pushes the upper end portion of the operation member 50 toward the rear side (-X side) with a finger to operate the operation member 50. At this time, as shown in FIG. 6, the operation member 50 rotates about the second rotation axis A2 located at the lower end of the opening 13 of the front side plate portion 12, and the upper end portion of the operation member 50 is located at a position apart from the opening 13 of the front side plate portion 12 to the rear side, and the upper side of the opening 13 of the front side plate portion 12 is open. Thus, the user's finger can be inserted into the insertion recess portion 811 of the finger hook portion 81 located at the rear side of the front side plate portion 12. That is, the user's finger can be hooked to the finger hook portion 81. Figure 7

[0033] In addition, when the operation member 50 rotates about the second rotation axis A2 as described above, the sliding portion 51 of the operation member 50 slides on the sliding surface 23 of the rotation member 20, and thus the rotation member 20 rotates against the force of the urging member 30 from the locking position PI to the retreat position P2. Thus, the locking of the protrusion portion 21 to the locked portion 40 is released, and the locking of the drawer 5 is released. Then, in a state where the user's finger is hooked to the finger hook portion 81, the user moves the drawer 5 to the front side, and thus the drawer 5 can be pulled out to the front side with respect to the support portion 6.

[0034] On the other hand, when the drawer 5 is moved to the rear side to be put into the support portion 6, as shown in FIG. 5, the rotation member 20 is urged by the urging member 30 to be disposed at the locking position PI. Thus, the protrusion portion 21 is locked to the locked portion 40, and the drawer 5 is locked in the support portion 6. Figure 6 Further, the rotation member 20 is not limited to be urged by the urging member 30, but can be automatically moved from the retreat position P2 to the locking position PI by, for example, the gravity acting on the rotation member 20.

[0035] As described above, in the storage container 1 of the first embodiment, the operation member 50 blocks the opening 13 of the front side plate portion 12 at least in a state where the operation member 50 is not operated by the user. Thus, it is possible to prevent the rear side of the front side plate portion 12 from being seen from the front side of the drawer 5 through the opening 13 of the front side plate portion 12. For example, it is possible to prevent the rotation member 20, the protrusion portion 21, and the urging member 30 located at the rear side of the front side plate portion 12 from being seen from the front side of the drawer 5 through the opening 13 of the front side plate portion 12. Therefore, it is possible to improve the appearance design of the storage container 1 seen from the front side of the drawer 5. In addition, in a state where the operation member 50 blocks the opening 13 of the front side plate portion 12, it is also possible to effectively suppress the user's finger, an article, or the like from accidentally hooking the rear surface 12b side (back side) of the front side plate portion 12 through the opening 13 of the front side plate portion 12. ​​Further, in a state where the operation member 50 blocks the opening 13 of the front side plate portion 12, it is possible to prevent dust and the like from entering the rear surface 12b side (back side) of the front side plate portion 12 through the opening 13 of the front side plate portion 12. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the portion of the rear surface 12b side (back side) of the front side plate portion 12 from getting dirty.

[0036] Further, in the storage container 1 of the first embodiment, in a state where the rotation member 20 is disposed at the locking position PI, the operation member 50 is disposed at a position blocking the opening 13 of the front side plate portion 12 and is coplanar with the front surface 12a of the front side plate portion 12. In this state, since it is possible to make the entire front surface of the drawer 5 a flat surface that does not have a concave-convex appearance due to the opening 13 of the front side plate portion 12, it is possible to further improve the design of the storage container 1.

[0037] Further, in the storage container 1 of the first embodiment, in a state where the operation member 50 is operated to move the rotation member 20 from the locking position PI to the retreat position P2, the upper side portion of the opening 13 of the front side plate portion 12 is open, and the upper end portion of the operation member 50 corresponding to the upper side portion of the opening 13 of the front side plate portion 12 is located at a position that is apart from the opening 13 of the front side plate portion 12 toward the rear side. Thereby, it is possible to put the user's finger into the rear side of the upper side portion of the opening 13 in the front side plate portion 12, and easily pull out the drawer 5 from the support portion 6 toward the front side.

[0038] Further, in the storage container 1 of the first embodiment, the lock mechanism 7 further has the biasing member 30 that biases the rotation member 20 in a direction from the retreat position P2 toward the locking position PI. Thus, by the biasing of the biasing member 30, it is possible to effectively suppress the lock of the drawer 5 from being accidentally released. Further, after the rotation member 20 is moved from the locking position PI to the retreat position P2 by the operation of the operation member 50, it is possible to automatically move the rotation member 20 from the retreat position P2 to the locking position PI by the biasing of the biasing member 30. That is, it is possible to automatically perform the lock of the drawer 5.

[0039] Further, in the storage container 1 of the first embodiment, the biasing member 30 is provided between the rotation member 20 and the drawer 5 (the box body 11). Thus, when the rotation member 20 is moved from the locking position PI toward the retreat position P2 in conjunction with the operation of the operation member 50, that is, when the rotation member 20 approaches the drawer 5, the biasing member 30 is elastically deformed to bias the rotation member 20 in a direction away from the drawer 5. Thereby, it is possible to suppress or prevent the rotation member 20 from colliding with the drawer 5. That is, the biasing member 30 also functions as a cushion material that mitigates the collision of the rotation member 20 with the drawer 5.

[0040] [Second Embodiment] Next, the second embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 8-13A second embodiment of the present application will be described. In the following description, as to the structures common to the already described structures, the same reference numerals are annotated and repeated description is omitted.

[0041] In comparison with the first embodiment, Figures 8-13 The container 2C (storage container 1C) of the second embodiment shown differs only in the form of the opening 13 of the front side plate portion 12, the lock mechanism 7C, and the handle member 8 that constitute the drawer 5.

[0042] As Figures 8-10 shown, the opening 13 of the front side plate portion 12 in the second embodiment differs from the first embodiment only in that it is not open at the edge of the front side plate portion 12 when viewed from the front-rear direction X.

[0043] As Figures 9-11 shown, the lock mechanism 7C of the second embodiment, like the first embodiment, is provided with the rotation member 20C having the protrusion portion 21, the biasing member 30, the catch portion 40, and the operation member 50C. The biasing member 30 and the catch portion 40 are the same as in the first embodiment. The rotation member 20C of the second embodiment, like the first embodiment, has the main body portion 22 extending in the front-rear direction X and the width direction Y. The positions of the protrusion portion 21 and the first rotation axis Al in the main body portion 22 are also the same as in the first embodiment.

[0044] The sliding surface 23C formed at the front end portion of the main body portion 22, like the first embodiment, is a surface for the sliding portion 51C of the operation member 50C to slide in conjunction with the movement of the operation member 50C. As Figure 10 shown, the sliding surface 23C of the second embodiment faces the lower side (−Z side). In addition, the sliding surface 23C has an inclined surface region 23C1 that inclines downward as it goes toward the rear side (−X side), and a parallel surface region 23C2 that is parallel to the front-rear direction X. The parallel surface region 23C2 is connected to the rear end of the inclined surface region 23C1. As Figure 11 shown, the sliding surface 23C is provided at both end portions of the main body portion 22 in the width direction Y.

[0045] As Figure 9 , Figure 11 shown, at the front end portion of the main body portion 22 that includes the above-described sliding surface 23C, a recessed portion 24C recessed toward the rear side is formed. The recessed portion 24C is located between the aforementioned two sliding surfaces 23C in the width direction Y. The recessed portion 24C is formed to avoid interference between the front end portion of the main body portion 22 and the operation member 50C. In the illustrated example, the front end portion of the main body portion 22 is located at a position offset upward (+Z side) relative to the other portion of the main body portion 22 including the rear end portion.

[0046] like Figures 9-11 As shown, the only difference between the second embodiment and the first embodiment is the position of the second rotation axis A2 and the sliding part 51C. The second rotation axis A2 of the operating member 50C extends along the width direction Y at the upper end of the opening 13 of the front side plate portion 12. The sliding part 51C of the operating component 50C is as follows Figure 10 With the operating component 50C positioned to block the opening 13 of the front side plate 12, it is located at a position moving downwards from the second rotation axis A2. Figure 10 In this embodiment, the sliding portion 51C is located in the middle of the operating member 50C in the vertical direction Z, and protrudes rearward relative to the operating member 50C. Similar to the first embodiment, this sliding portion 51C contacts the sliding surface 23C of the rotating member 20C, which faces downward. Furthermore, as in... Figure 11 As shown, the sliding part 51C is located at both ends of the operating member 50C in the width direction Y, corresponding to the two sliding surfaces 23C of the rotating member 20C respectively.

[0047] like Figure 9 , Figure 10 As shown, the handle component 8 of the second embodiment is the same as that of the first embodiment, and is constructed by integrally forming the finger hook portion 81, the mounting portion 82 and the connecting portion 83. Similar to the first embodiment, the finger hook portion 81 has an insertion recess 811 and is formed into a wide shape that is longer in the width direction Y. However, in the second embodiment, the finger hook portion 81 is located in the rear surface 12b of the front side plate portion 12, adjacent to the lower portion of the opening 13, and the insertion recess 811 opens on the upper side. The finger hook portion 81 is located at a spaced distance below the front end of the main body portion 22 of the rotating member 20C. The mounting part 82 and the connecting part 83 are roughly the same in shape as in the first embodiment.

[0048] Next, the function of the storage container 1C in the second embodiment will be explained. like Figure 10 , Figure 12 As shown, with drawer 5 placed inside support 6, similar to the first embodiment, the rotating member 20C is positioned at locking position P1, and the protrusion 21 of the rotating member 20C is locked to the locking portion 40 of support 6, thus locking drawer 5 within support 6. Furthermore, in this state, the operating member 50C is positioned to block the opening 13 of the front panel 12.

[0049] To pull drawer 5 forward from support 6, the user first uses their fingers to push the lower end of operating component 50C toward the rear (–X side) to operate operating component 50C. At this time, as shown in Figures 13-18 the lower end portion of the operation member 50C is positioned at a position that is apart toward the rear side with respect to the opening 13 of the front side plate portion 12. Thereby, the lower side portion of the opening 13 of the front side plate portion 12 is open. Thus, it is possible to insert the user's finger into the insertion recessed portion 811 of the finger hook portion 81 that is positioned at the rear side of the front side plate portion 12. That is, it is possible to hook the user's finger to the finger hook portion 81.

[0050] In addition, as with the first embodiment, by rotating the operation member 50C about the second rotation axis A2, the sliding portion 51C of the operation member 50C slides on the sliding surface 23C of the rotation member 20C, and the rotation member 20C rotates from the locking position PI to the retreat position P2. Thereby, the locking of the drawer 5 is released. Then, in a state where the user's finger is hooked to the finger hook portion 81, it is possible to pull out the drawer 5 toward the front side with respect to the support portion 6.

[0051] The operation when the drawer 5 is put into the support portion 6 can be performed as with the first embodiment.

[0052] The storage container 1C according to the second embodiment has the same effects as the first embodiment. In particular, in the storage container 1C of the second embodiment, in a state where the operation member 50C is operated to move the rotation member 20C from the locking position PI to the retreat position P2, the lower side portion of the opening 13 of the front side plate portion 12 is open, and the lower end portion of the operation member 50C that corresponds to the lower side portion of the opening 13 of the front side plate portion 12 is positioned at a position that is apart toward the rear side with respect to the opening 13 of the front side plate portion 12. Thereby, it is possible to put the user's finger at the rear side of the lower side portion of the opening 13 of the front side plate portion 12, and easily pull out the drawer 5 toward the front side from the support portion 6.

[0053] In the first and second embodiments, the second rotation axis A2 of the operation member 50, 50C can also extend in the width direction Y, for example, at the middle portion of the opening 13 of the front side plate portion 12 in the up-down direction Z. In addition, in the first and second embodiments, the second rotation axis A2 of the operation member 50, 50C is not limited to extend in the width direction Y, but can extend at least in a direction orthogonal to the sliding direction of the drawer 5. Thus, the second rotation axis A2 can also extend in the up-down direction Z, for example. In such a structure, the same effects as the first and second embodiments are also obtained.

[0054] 〔Third Embodiment〕 Next, the third embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 14-18A third embodiment of the present application will be described. In the following description, as to the structures common to those already described, the same reference numerals are annotated and repeated description is omitted.

[0055] In comparison with the first and second embodiments, Figure 15 The container 2D (storage container 1D) of the third embodiment shown differs in the form of the opening 13 of the front side plate portion 12 constituting the drawer 5 and the lock mechanism 7D.

[0056] Although not shown, the opening 13 of the front side plate portion 12 in the third embodiment is formed in a circular shape centered on the second rotation axis A2 of the operation member 50D described later, as viewed in the front-rear direction X. As shown in FIG. 6, the operation member 50D is inserted through the opening 13 of the front side plate portion 12. Figure 15

[0057] As shown in FIG. 6, Figure 16 Figure 17 As shown in FIG. 6, the lock mechanism 7D of the third embodiment has, like the first embodiment, the rotation member 20D having the protrusion portion 21, the urging member 30, the caught portion 40, and the operation member 50D. The urging member 30 and the caught portion 40 are the same as those of the first embodiment. The rotation member 20D of the third embodiment has, like the first embodiment, the main body portion 22 extending in the front-rear direction X and the width direction Y. The positions of the protrusion portion 21 and the first rotation axis A1 in the main body portion 22 are also the same as those of the first embodiment.

[0058] In the third embodiment, the pressed surface 25D is formed at the front end portion of the main body portion 22. The pressed surface 25D is a surface for the pressed protrusion 52D of the operation member 50D described later to be pressed in conjunction with the movement of the operation member 50D. The pressed surface 25D faces the lower side (−Z side). Further, the recessed portion 24D recessed toward the upper side is formed at the front end portion of the main body portion 22. This recessed portion 24D is located at a position adjacent to the pressed surface 25D in the width direction Y. A part of the rear portion 50D2 of the operation member 50D described later is housed in the recessed portion 24D. Although not shown, the aforementioned pressed surface 25D is located on both sides of the recessed portion 24D in the width direction Y. In the illustrated example, the front end portion of the main body portion 22 is located at a position offset upward (+Z side) with respect to the other part of the main body portion 22 including the rear end portion.

[0059] The basic configuration, function, and role of the operation member 50D of the third embodiment are the same as those of the first embodiment. ​​The operation member 50D of the third embodiment has a substantially cylindrical appearance and is arranged so that its axial direction is oriented in the front-rear direction X. The diameter dimension of the front portion 50D1 of the operation member 50D in the front-rear direction X is larger than the diameter dimension of the rear portion 50D2 of the operation member 50D. The operation member 50D is inserted through the opening 13 of the front side plate portion 12 and is rotatably attached with respect to the front side plate portion 12 about the second rotation axis A2 extending in the front-rear direction X. Specifically, the operation member 50D is rotatably attached with respect to the front side plate portion 12 by inserting the rear portion 50D2 of the operation member 50D from the front side of the front side plate portion 12 through the opening 13 of the front side plate portion 12.

[0060] The front portion 50D1 of the operation member 50D is positioned on the front surface 12a side of the front side plate portion 12 and functions as a pinch portion that is pinched by the user's fingers. The front portion 50D1 of the operation member 50D is larger than the opening 13 of the front side plate portion 12 and covers the opening 13 of the front side plate portion 12 from the front side. A portion of the rear portion 50D2 of the operation member 50D is positioned on the rear surface 12b side of the front side plate portion 12. The rear portion 50D2 of the operation member 50D positioned on the rear surface 12b side of the front side plate portion 12 is provided with a press protrusion 52D. The press protrusion 52D protrudes from the rear portion 50D2 of the operation member 50D in the radial direction at a portion of the circumferential direction of the rear portion 50D2 of the operation member 50D. Although not shown, the press protrusions 52D protrude in two in the radial direction of the operation member 50D in opposite directions from each other.

[0061] The rear portion 50D2 of the operation member 50D positioned on the rear surface 12b side of the front side plate portion 12 is positioned on the lower side of the front end portion of the rotation member 20D. In addition, the upper side portion of the rear portion 50D2 of the operation member 50D positioned on the rear surface 12b side of the front side plate portion 12 is housed in the recessed portion 24D formed in the front end portion of the rotation member 20D. Furthermore, the press protrusions 52D of the operation member 50D are positioned on the lower side of the pressed surfaces 25D formed in the front end portion of the rotation member 20D. Specifically, the two press protrusions 52D of the operation member 50D are respectively positioned on the lower side of the two pressed surfaces 25D formed on the both sides of the recessed portion 24D in the width direction Y.

[0062] In the lock mechanism 7D of the third embodiment configured as described above, the operation member 50D moves the rotation member 20D from the latching position PI to the retreat position P2 by rotating about the second rotation axis A2 with respect to the front side plate portion 12. Hereinafter, this point will be described. As Figure 18 , Figure 15As shown, when the operation member 50D is rotated about the second rotation axis A2, the pressing protrusion 52D provided at the rear portion 50D2 of the operation member 50D moves upward to press the pressed surface 25D of the front end portion of the rotation member 20D. Thus, the front end portion of the rotation member 20D is pushed up to the upward side, and the rotation member 20D is rotated about the first rotation axis Al from the locked position Pl to the retreat position P2. Further, in the lock mechanism 7D of the third embodiment, the pressed surface 25D and the pressing protrusion 52D are located on both sides of the second rotation axis A2 in the width direction Y. Thus, regardless of whether the operation member 50D is rotated to one side (e.g., clockwise) or the other side (e.g., counterclockwise) of the rotation direction, the rotation member 20D can be moved from the locked position Pl to the retreat position P2.

[0063] Next, the operation of the storage container ID in the third embodiment will be described. As shown in FIG. 6, in a state where the drawer 5 is put in the support portion 6, the protrusion portion 21 of the rotation member 20D is engaged with the engaged portion 40 of the support portion 6, and the drawer 5 is locked in the support portion 6. Figure 17 , Figure 18 As shown in FIG. 6, in a state where the drawer 5 is put in the support portion 6, the protrusion portion 21 of the rotation member 20D is engaged with the engaged portion 40 of the support portion 6, and the drawer 5 is locked in the support portion 6.

[0064] To pull the drawer 5 out to the front side from the support portion 6, first, the user operates the front portion 50D1 of the operation member 50D with a finger to rotate the operation member 50D about the second rotation axis A2. At this time, as shown in FIG. 7, the pressing protrusion 52D provided at the rear portion 50D2 of the operation member 50D moves upward to press the pressed surface 25D of the front end portion of the rotation member 20D. ​ Then, the front end portion of the rotation member 20D is pushed up to the upward side, and the rotation member 20D is rotated from the locked position Pl to the retreat position P2. Thus, the lock of the drawer 5 is released, and the drawer 5 can be pulled out to the front side with respect to the support portion 6.

[0065] The operation when the drawer 5 is put in the support portion 6 can be performed as in the first embodiment.

[0066] The storage container ID according to the third embodiment has the same effects as the first embodiment. Further, in the storage container ID of the third embodiment, the rotation member 20D can be simply moved from the locked position Pl to the retreat position P2 by rotating the operation member 50D.

[0067] The embodiments of the present application have been described above, but the present application is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and can be appropriately changed without departing from the gist thereof.​

[0068] In the present application, the first rotation axis Al of the rotating member 20, 20C, 20D can extend at least in a direction intersecting the sliding direction (front-rear direction X) of the drawer 5. That is, the first rotation axis Al of the rotating member 20, 20C, 20D can also extend, for example, in the up-down direction Z.

[0069] In the present application, the front surface 12a of the front side plate portion 12 is not limited to flat, but can be curved, for example. In addition, the opening 13 of the front side plate portion 12 can also be formed in a curved region in the front surface 12a of the front side plate portion 12, for example. In this case, the operation member 50, 50C that closes the opening 13 of the front side plate portion 12 in the first and second embodiments can have a curved surface that is flush with the curved front surface 12a of the front side plate portion 12.

[0070] The storage container of the present application is not limited to having a plurality of containers 2, but can have only one container 2, for example. The preferred embodiments described above and illustrated in the drawings are merely examples of the application and should not be construed as limiting. Additions, omissions, substitutions, and other modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the application. The application should not be considered limited to the above noted embodiments, but rather the application should be considered limited only by the claims that follow.

Claims

1. A storage container for storing items, comprising: Drawers, used to store the items mentioned above; The support portion supports the drawer so that it can slide; and A locking mechanism locks the drawer within the support portion. The drawer has: The box body, for storing the items to be stored; and The front panel is located on the front side of the box body in the direction in which the drawer is pulled out from the support. The locking mechanism has the following features: A rotating component having a protrusion and being rotatably mounted relative to the housing body; A locking part is provided in the support part, and the drawer is locked in the support part by the locking of the protrusion; and The operating component is movably mounted relative to the front side plate. Through user operation, the rotating component is rotated from a locked position where the protrusion is engaged with the locked portion to a retracted position where the protrusion is no longer engaged with the locked portion. The rotating component is located on the rear side of the front panel portion in the pull-out direction of the drawer. The operating component protrudes from the front side of the front side plate and is connected to the rotating component through an opening in the front side plate, while also blocking the opening in the front side plate.

2. The storage container according to claim 1, wherein, With the rotating component positioned in the locking position, the operating component is positioned to block the opening of the front side plate and is coplanar with the front surface of the front side plate.

3. The storage container according to claim 2, wherein, The operating component is rotatably mounted relative to the front side panel with respect to an axis of rotation extending in an orthogonal direction to the sliding direction of the drawer. The operating component rotates relative to the front side plate from the position where it blocks the opening of the front side plate, such that at least a portion of the operating component moves toward the rear of the front side plate, thereby moving the rotating component from the locked position to the retracted position.

4. The storage container according to claim 3, wherein, The rotation axis of the operating component extends along the width direction of the drawer from the lower end of the opening in the front side panel.

5. The storage container according to claim 3, wherein, The rotation axis of the operating component extends along the width direction of the drawer from the upper end of the opening in the front side panel.

6. The storage container according to claim 1, wherein, The operating component passes through the opening in the front panel and is rotatably mounted relative to the front panel about a rotation axis extending along the sliding direction of the drawer. The operating component rotates relative to the front side plate, thereby moving the rotating component from the locked position to the retracted position.

7. The storage container according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein, The locking mechanism also includes a force-applying component that applies force to the rotating component in a direction from the retracted position to the locked position.

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