Manufacturing method of receiving member for transport container, and preform used therefor

Abstract

To provide a manufacturing method of a receiving member in which a strength at a portion that supports a product or part is less likely to decrease, and which can be easily attached to a plate material that constitutes a transport container, and a preform used therefor.SOLUTION: There is provided a preform 1 that is composed of a plate material formed by injection molding of a thermoplastic resin and has a generally rectangular shape in a plan view, comprising: a molding target portion 2 to be processed into a desired shape by vacuum molding; a boundary portion 3 surrounding the molding target portion 2 and protruding from a second surface 1b; and a first joint portion 4 and a second joint portion 10 provided between side surfaces 1c and 1d corresponding to two parallel sides constituting the above-mentioned rectangular shape and the boundary portion 3, respectively. On a first surface 1a of the preform 1, thinned parts 3a and 3a both having a rectangular shape in a plan view are symmetrically provided so as to sandwich the molding target portion 2 in between on a location corresponding to a portion that becomes thicker due to the boundary portion 3 provided on the second surface 1b.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a receiving member that is installed inside a transport container to support products or parts, and in particular to a method for manufacturing a receiving member for a transport container that is removably attached to a plate material that constitutes the transport container, and a preform used therefor. [Background technology]

[0002] Containers used for transporting or shipping products (hereinafter referred to as transport containers) often have support members installed to prevent products or parts from being scratched or broken. These support members may be provided with three-dimensional curved surfaces that conform to the shapes of the products or parts so that they can reliably support the products or parts. However, because such support members are produced in small quantities and in a wide variety of products, there is a problem in that when they are manufactured by injection molding, it takes time to create the molds, which increases the manufacturing costs.

[0003] To address such issues, for example, Patent Document 1 discloses an invention entitled "Motor Receiving Tray and Transfer Set" which relates to a vacuum-formed tray that receives the lower part of a motor for driving a vehicle. The motor receiving tray disclosed in Patent Document 1 has a support bulge that supports the weight of the motor and is integrally formed with the tray body by vacuum forming, and the conveying set has a structure in which multiple motor receiving trays are installed inside. A motor receiving tray having such a structure has the advantage that the manufacturing effort is reduced compared to conventional trays in which the support bulge portion is bonded to the tray body.

[0004] Furthermore, Patent Document 2 discloses an invention entitled "Product Transport Container" which relates to a transport container equipped with a receiving member for supporting a product. The invention disclosed in Patent Document 2 is composed of a molded portion in which a portion of a thermoplastic sheet is formed into a convex shape by vacuum forming, a skin member having ears that remain on both outer sides of the molded portion, and a rib plate that covers the molded portion of the skin member, and the ears of the skin member are connected to the rib plate or a transport container by connecting members. Since vacuum molding requires relatively inexpensive dies, it is suitable for small-lot production and allows the dies to be made in a short time. Therefore, according to the invention disclosed in Patent Document 2, it is possible to manufacture the receiving member in a shorter time and at a lower cost than when it is manufactured by injection molding.

[0005] Furthermore, Patent Document 3 discloses an invention titled “Method for manufacturing a transport container” that relates to a method for quickly manufacturing a transport container that has a three-dimensional receiving material, has a small number of parts, and is easy to separate and dispose of. The invention disclosed in Patent Document 3 is a method for manufacturing a transport container having a frame having a base unit with openings in a pair of side walls arranged at a distance from each other in the vertical direction, and a receiving material straddling the base unit and with claw portions that fit into the upper frames of the openings in the pair of side walls, the method comprising the steps of: forming a preform by injection molding, the preform having a rectangular main molded part that is flat and has raised ribs arranged in a lattice pattern on its surface, a flange part that is arranged to surround the main molded part, and a pair of fitting structures that are arranged outside a pair of sides of the main molded part and bend at right angles from the flange parts downward in the vertical direction, and claw portions formed on each of the fitting structures; sandwiching the main molded part with a mold and plug prepared for shaping and vacuum forming the main molded part; and mounting the vacuum-formed preform on the base unit as a receiving material. According to this method of manufacturing a transport container, the support is attached to the base unit by the joint shape portion and the cross beam of the preform, so the number of parts that make up the transport container is reduced. This also makes it easier to separate and dispose of the support. In addition, when the support is formed by stretching the molded main part vertically by vacuum molding, the resin material is supplied from the ribs to the periphery, preventing the molded main part from becoming extremely thin, thereby improving the strength of the support. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] JP 2020-179883 A [Patent Document 2] Patent No. 7007006 [Patent Document 3] Patent No. 7215795 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] In the motor receiving tray disclosed in Patent Document 1, when the support bulge is formed by vacuum molding, the thickness of the support bulge may become thin, resulting in a decrease in strength. In addition, since the motor receiving tray has a structure in which the support bulge is molded integrally with the tray body, the position of the support bulge cannot be changed, resulting in low versatility. The invention disclosed in Patent Document 2 had a problem that the thickness of the skin material formed by vacuum molding was thin, which may reduce the strength of the molded part. In addition, the invention had a problem that it took time to install it on the transport container and remove it from the transport container, because the structure was fixed to the fixing brackets installed on the transport container using bolts and nuts. The invention disclosed in Patent Document 3 had a problem that the thickness of the support material became uneven because the traces of the vertical and horizontal lines of the ribs remained on the surface of the support material. In addition, the support material manufactured by this invention had a problem that it was structured to be attached to the cross beams of the transport container, and could not be attached to the plate material that constitutes the transport container.

[0008] The present invention has been made in response to such conventional circumstances, and aims to provide a method for manufacturing a receiving member which is less likely to reduce the strength of the part supporting the product or part and which can be easily attached to the plate material that makes up the transport container, and a preform used therein. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] In order to achieve the above object, a preform according to a first aspect of the present invention is made of a flat plate material formed by injection molding of a thermoplastic resin, the flat plate material having a first surface and a second surface that are parallel to each other and are rectangular in plan view, and the preform comprises a molding target portion in which a storage item receiving portion is formed by vacuum molding, a first connecting portion and a second connecting portion provided on both sides of the molding target portion, a protruding portion having a flat surface parallel to the first surface and provided on the first surface of the first connecting portion, and an engaging portion provided symmetrically with a rectangular opening provided on the flat surface with respect to the second connecting portion, with the molding target portion in between. and a claw, wherein the engaging claw comprises a planar portion extending from the seat plate of the second connecting portion and bent at a right angle toward the first surface side, and an engaging portion extending from the planar portion so as to protrude in a direction away from the molded portion when the seat plate is viewed in a plan view and bent at an acute angle toward the second surface side, wherein the planar portion and the engaging portion are elastically deformed so as to reduce the angle between them, thereby becoming large enough to be placed within the opening, and the elastic deformation is restored so that the angle becomes large enough for the engaging claw to engage with the opening.

[0010] In addition, the "flat plate material having a rectangular shape when viewed from above" and the "rectangular opening on the flat surface" in the first invention include "flat plate material having an approximately rectangular shape when viewed from above" and "an approximately rectangular opening on the flat surface", and the "flat portion bent at a right angle to the first surface" includes "flat portion bent at an approximately right angle to the first surface". In the first invention, "the flat surface and the engaging portion are sized to be able to be placed in the opening" does not mean that the flat surface and the engaging portion provided on the same preform are placed in the opening, but means that, for example, when a receiving member manufactured using the preform according to the first invention is joined to another preform according to the first invention, the "flat surface and the engaging portion" of one of them can be placed in the "opening" of the other. In addition, in the first invention, "the engaging claw is sized to be able to engage with the opening" does not mean that the "engaging claw" provided on the same preform engages with the "opening", but means that, as in the above case, when a receiving member manufactured using the preform according to the first invention is joined to another preform according to the first invention, the "engaging claw" of one of them can be engaged with the "opening" of the other. In other words, these descriptions mean that when a receiving member manufactured using a preform according to the first invention and another preform according to the first invention are arranged with their first surfaces facing each other, the "flat surface portion and engaging portion" of one can be positioned within the "opening" of the other, and the "engaging claw" of one can engage with the "opening" of the other.

[0011] In this way, the receiving member and the preform become inseparable from each other by engaging the engaging claw of one with the opening of the other. Therefore, when a plate material has a through hole in which the protruding portion and the engaging claw of the preform can be placed, the receiving member and the preform are placed so as to sandwich this plate material therebetween, and the engaging claw of the other is engaged with the opening of the protruding portion of one through the through hole of the plate material, whereby the receiving member and the preform are fixed to both sides of the plate material. However, in the first invention, since the opening and the engaging claw are provided symmetrically on either side of the molding target part, when one engaging claw engages with the opening of the other protruding part, the other engaging claw also simultaneously engages with the opening of one of the protruding parts. Therefore, the preform with the above structure can be easily attached to the plate material used for the transport container by combining it with a receiving member manufactured from another preform with the same structure. Furthermore, when the engaging claw is elastically deformed so that the angle between the flat surface and the engaging portion becomes smaller while the receiving member and the preform are fixed to the plate material, the engaging claw is released from the opening of the protruding portion, and the receiving member and the preform can be separated from each other. That is, the first invention can be attached to the plate material used in the transport container by combining it with a receiving member manufactured from another preform having the same structure. And the first invention has the effect of being easy to attach and remove.

[0012] A second invention is characterized in that in the first invention, a plurality of protrusions having a constant thickness are provided on the molding target portion so as to protrude toward the second surface side. In the second invention, in addition to the effects of the first invention, when the molded part is stretched using a vacuum molding die to form a storage item receiving part for supporting a product or part on the molded part, the protrusions are crushed by the mold and the resin material of that part is supplied to the surrounding area, preventing the storage item receiving part from becoming thin-walled. Also, unlike the preform described in Patent Document 3 in which the thickness of the molded main part differs between the area with and without ribs, the second invention has the effect that the thickness of the protrusions is constant, and therefore the thickness of the storage item receiving part formed by vacuum molding is uniform.

[0013] The third invention is characterized in that, in the first invention, a contact portion having a constant thickness is provided on the molded part so as to protrude toward the first surface, and the contact portion has a contact surface parallel to the first surface. The third invention has the effect of, in addition to the effect of the first invention, that the thickness of the plate material to which the transport container receiving member manufactured from the preform of the first invention can be attached is determined by the distance between the abutment surface of the abutment portion in the third invention and the first surface of the transport container receiving member. It is also possible to form a part equivalent to the above-mentioned contact portion on the molding target portion of the first invention by vacuum molding and use this in place of the third invention, and in this case too, the above-mentioned effect is similarly exhibited.

[0014] The fourth invention is characterized in that, in the first invention, the engagement portion has a portion of its tip cut out to form a wide portion extending from the flat portion and a narrow portion continuing from the wide portion, and the opening has a portion of its inner wall surface corresponding to the long side of a rectangle when viewed in a plane cut out, so that an engagement portion that can engage with the end surface of the wide portion when an engagement claw is positioned in the opening is provided on the side farther from the part to be molded. In the fourth invention, "when the engaging claw is arranged in the opening" does not mean that the "engaging claw" provided on the same preform is arranged in the "opening", but means that when a receiving member for a transport container manufactured using the preform according to the fourth invention and another preform according to the fourth invention are joined, one "engaging claw" can be arranged in the "opening" of the other, as in the above description of the first invention. In other words, these descriptions mean that when a receiving member for a transport container manufactured using the preform according to the fourth invention and another preform according to the fourth invention are arranged so that their first surfaces face each other, when one "engaging claw" is arranged in the "opening" of the other, the locking portion provided in the opening locks with the end surface of the wide portion. Note that the end surface of the wide portion in the fourth invention corresponds to a higher concept than the locking end surface 14c of the wide portion 14a described in the embodiment.

[0015] When a transfer container receiving member manufactured using the preform according to the fourth invention and another preform according to the fourth invention are arranged with their first surfaces facing each other, the engaging claws of one are elastically deformed to be placed in the opening of the other, and when the wide portion of the engaging claw passes the locking portion of the opening, the elastic deformation of the engaging claw is restored so that the end face of the wide portion of one is locked with the locking portion of the opening of the other. Thus, in the fourth invention, in addition to the effect of the first invention, the effect of the engaging claws engaging with the opening is more reliably exhibited when the transfer container receiving member and the preform are attached to a plate material.

[0016] The fifth invention is characterized in that, in any of the first to fourth inventions, it has a boundary portion that surrounds the molded portion and protrudes from the second surface, and the first joining portion and the second joining portion are provided outside the boundary portion. In the fifth invention, in addition to the effect of any one of the first to fourth inventions, the boundary portion has the effect of preventing the effect of deformation caused in the molded part by vacuum molding from propagating to the first joint portion and the second joint portion.

[0017] The sixth invention is a method for manufacturing a receiving member for a transport container using a preform according to the first to fourth inventions, characterized in that it comprises a step of forming the preform by injection molding, and a step of forming a storage item receiving portion in the molding target portion of the preform by vacuum molding. In the sixth invention, since the first and second connecting parts are formed by injection molding, it has the effect that protrusions and engaging claws of complex shapes that are used when attaching the transport container support member to the plate material that constitutes the transport container and that are difficult to form by vacuum forming can be easily formed. Also, in the sixth invention, since the stored item support part is formed in the molding target part by vacuum forming, it has the effect that a transport container support member having stored item support parts with different shapes for each part or product stored in the transport container can be realized at a lower cost than when injection molding is used. Effect of the Invention

[0018] According to the first aspect of the present invention, it is possible to easily manufacture a receiving member for a transfer container that is detachable from a plate material constituting a transfer container and that can be attached to either side of the plate material.

[0019] According to the second invention, in addition to the effects of the first invention, the effect is achieved that a receiving member for a transport container can be manufactured without reducing the strength of the stored item receiving portion formed in the molding target portion by vacuum molding.

[0020] According to the third invention, in addition to the effects of the first invention, by changing the height to which the abutment portion protrudes from the first surface of the molding target portion, it is possible to manufacture a receiving member for a transport container that can be attached to plate materials of different thicknesses. In addition, it is also possible to form something equivalent to the abutment portion of the third invention in the molding target portion of the first invention by vacuum molding and use this in place of the third invention, and in this case the above-mentioned effects are similarly achieved.

[0021] When a receiving member for a transfer container manufactured from a preform according to the fourth invention and another preform according to the fourth invention are attached to a plate material, the end face of the wide portion engages with the locking portion of the opening, thereby reliably engaging the engaging claw with the opening. This eliminates the risk of the receiving member for a transfer container coming off the plate material of the transfer container, thereby increasing safety during use. In other words, according to the fourth invention, in addition to the effect of the first invention, the effect of being able to manufacture a receiving member for a transfer container that is safe when installed on the plate material of a transfer container and used can be achieved.

[0022] According to the fifth invention, in addition to the effects of any one of the first to fourth inventions, there is no risk of the first joint portion or the second joint portion being deformed due to the effect of vacuum forming on the molded part, and therefore the effect is achieved that a support member for a transport container can be manufactured that can be easily attached to the plate material of the transport container.

[0023] According to the sixth invention, it is possible to easily and inexpensively manufacture a receiving member for a transport container that has protrusions and engaging claws of complex shapes that are difficult to form by vacuum forming, and stored item receiving portions whose shapes differ depending on the parts or products stored in the transport container. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0024] [Figure 1] 1A and 1B are external perspective views showing a preform according to a first embodiment of the present invention as viewed from above and below, respectively. [Diagram 2] 1(a) is an enlarged perspective view of the first and second connecting portions in FIG. 1(a) and FIG. 1(b), FIG. 1(b) is an enlarged perspective view of the engaging claw, and FIG. 1(c) is an oblique view showing the state in which the engaging claw is engaged with the opening of the protruding portion. [Diagram 3] 5(a) to 5(c) are cross-sectional views showing how the engaging claw engages with the opening of the protruding portion. [Figure 4] 1(a) is an external perspective view showing an example of a receiving member manufactured using the preform shown in FIG. 1(a) and FIG. 1(b), and FIG. 1(b) is a view seen in the direction of the arrow B in FIG. [Diagram 5] FIG. 2 is an external perspective view showing an example of a transport container. [Figure 6] 5. (a) is a plan view showing the receiving member shown in FIG. 4(a) and FIG. 4(b) installed on the bottom plate shown in FIG. 5, and (b) is a view seen in the direction of the arrow C in (a) of the same figure. [Figure 7] FIG. 1(a) is an external perspective view of a preform according to a second embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 1(b) is a cross-sectional view taken along line DD in FIG. [Figure 8] FIG. 11A is an external perspective view of a preform according to a third embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 11B is a cross-sectional view taken along line EE in FIG. [Figure 9] FIG. 13(a) is an external perspective view of a preform according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention, and (b) is a cross-sectional view taken along line FF in FIG. [Figure 10]6(a) is a cross-sectional view taken along line GG in FIG. 6(a), and (b) is a view showing a modified example of FIG. 6(a). DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0025] The method for producing a receiving member for a transport container according to the present invention, the structure of the preform used therein, and the functions and effects of the present invention will be specifically described with reference to FIGS. In the following description, an example is given in which the above-mentioned receiving member for a transport container (hereinafter simply referred to as receiving member) is installed on the bottom plate constituting a transport container, but the receiving member need not only have a flat shape overall, but may also be a member having at least a plate-like portion in which an opening can be provided, or may be installed on a plate-like member other than the bottom plate. Even when the receiving member is installed on such a member, the function and effect of the manufacturing method for a receiving member for a transport container of the present invention described below and the preform used therein are similarly exerted. Furthermore, with regard to the manufacturing method of a receiving member for a transport container of the present invention, Example 1 gives an example of the case where receiving member 15 is manufactured from preform 1, but the action and effect of the invention relating to the manufacturing method of a receiving member for a transport container described below can be similarly exerted when manufacturing other receiving members having a stored item receiving portion having a different shape from stored item receiving portion 15a of receiving member 15, or when manufacturing receiving member 15 or other receiving members using any of preforms 20 to 22 described as Examples 2 to 4. Furthermore, in this specification, the surface facing the plate material of the transport container and the surface opposite thereto are respectively expressed as the "first surface" and the "second surface." The preform of the present invention is used not only when manufacturing a receiving member to be installed in the transport container, but also when attaching the receiving member to the plate material of the transport container. EXAMPLES

[0026] Fig. 1(a) and Fig. 1(b) are external perspective views showing the preform 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention as seen from above and below, respectively. Fig. 2(a) is an enlarged perspective view of the first joint portion 4 and the second joint portion 10 in Fig. 1(a) and Fig. 1(b), Fig. 2(b) is an enlarged perspective view of the engagement claw 12, and Fig. 2(c) is a perspective view showing the state in which the engagement claw 12 is engaged with the opening 9 of the protruding portion 5. As shown in Fig. 1(a), Fig. 1(b) and Fig. 2(a), the preform 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention is made of a plate material formed by injection molding of a thermoplastic resin such as polyester, polyolefin, polyamide, polycarbonate, etc., and has a rectangular shape in plan view. The preform 1 includes a molding target portion 2 in which a storage item receiving portion 15a (see Fig. 4(a) and Fig. 4(b)) is formed by vacuum molding, a boundary portion 3 surrounding the molding target portion 2 and protruding from the second surface 1b, and a first joint portion 4 and a second joint portion 10 provided on the outside of the boundary portion 3 and having side surfaces 1c and 1d corresponding to the two parallel sides constituting the above-mentioned rectangle. In addition, on the first surface 1a of the preform 1, at the portion corresponding to the portion that becomes thick due to the boundary portion 3 being provided on the second surface 1b, there are provided symmetrically with the molding target portion 2 sandwiched therebetween, with the thickness recesses 3a, 3a having a rectangular shape in plan view. Incidentally, the recess 3a is provided for the purpose of reducing deformation caused by shrinkage during injection molding, and therefore may be omitted depending on the wall thickness of the relevant portion and the injection molding conditions.

[0027] The first joint 4 is composed of a seat plate 4a having a rectangular shape in a plan view, and a protruding portion 5 and protrusions 6, 7 provided on the first surface 1a of the seat plate 4a, and the seat plate 4a is provided with circular through holes 8a near the side surfaces 1e, 1f perpendicular to the side surfaces 1c, 1d. The protruding portion 5 is composed of a pair of side plates 5a, 5a perpendicular to the seat plate 4a and parallel to the side surface 1c, a top plate 5c connecting the upper ends of the pair of side plates 5a, 5a and being flat and parallel to the first surface 1a, a pair of side plates 5b, 5b perpendicular to the seat plate 4a and connecting the top plate 5c to the pair of side plates 5a, 5a, and four reinforcing plates 5d installed parallel to the side plates 5b and connecting the pair of side plates 5a, 5a, and a pair of openings 9, 9 are provided at the places where the reinforcing plates 5d of the protruding portion 5 are not provided. The opening 9 has a pair of locking portions 9a, 9a formed on the side farther from the molding target portion 2 by cutting out a part of the inner wall surface corresponding to one of the long sides of the rectangle when viewed from above. The upper plate 5c of the protruding portion 5 is provided with protrusions 6 at both ends in the longitudinal direction and with a protrusion 7 at approximately the center. Furthermore, the seat plate 4a of the first connecting portion 4 is provided with circular through holes 8a near the side surfaces 1e, 1f.

[0028] The seat plate 10a of the second joint 10 is provided with circular through holes 8b near the side surfaces 1e and 1f. A pair of locking pieces 11b, 11b protruding in a direction perpendicular to the side surface 1d and rectangular in plan view, and divided into two by a slit 11a, are provided in the approximate center of the width direction (direction perpendicular to the side surfaces 1e and 1f) of the seat plate 10a. The seat plate 10a of the second joint 10 is provided with a pair of slits 10b, 10b having a predetermined length in a direction perpendicular to the side surface 1d between the pair of through holes 8b, 8b, with a pair of engagement claws 12, 12 sandwiched therebetween. As described below, when the receiving member 15 (see FIG. 4(a)) and the preform 1 are joined, the protrusions 6 of the preform 1 abut against the side surface 1d of the receiving member 15, and the protrusions 6 of the receiving member 15 abut against the side surface 1d of the preform 1. In other words, the receiving member 15 and the preform 1 have a structure in which the protrusions 6 abut against the side surface 1d, and thus the movements of each of them in a direction perpendicular to the side surface 1d are restricted.

[0029] As shown in FIG. 2(a), the protrusion 7 is composed of a straight line portion 7a parallel to the longitudinal direction of the upper plate 5c of the protruding portion 5, and a pair of protruding portions 7b, 7b and 7c provided at both ends and approximately at the center of the straight line portion 7a so as to be perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the upper plate 5c. As described above, when the receiving member 15 and the preform 1 are joined, the other protruding portion 7c is disposed inside one slit 11a, and one locking piece 11b is disposed between the other protruding portions 7b and 7c. That is, the receiving member 15 and the preform 1 are structured such that the movements of the receiving member 15 and the preform 1 in the direction parallel to and perpendicular to the side surface 1d are restricted by the one locking piece 11b being disposed between the protruding portions 7b and 7c of the other protruding portion 7.

[0030] The engaging claw 12 includes a seat plate 10a having slits 10b on both sides as shown in Fig. 2(a), a flat portion 13 extending from the seat plate 10a and bent at a substantially right angle toward the first surface 1a (see Fig. 1(b)) as shown in Fig. 2(b), and an engaging portion 14 extending from the flat portion 13 so as to protrude in a direction away from the molding target part 2 when the seat plate 10a is viewed from above and bent at an acute angle toward the second surface 1b. A part of the tip of the engaging portion 14 is cut out in a substantially rectangular shape in a plan view, thereby forming a wide portion 14a extending from the flat portion 13 and a narrow portion 14b continuing from the wide portion 14a. A pair of engaging end faces 14c, 14c are formed on both sides of the narrow portion 14b. In addition, the second surface 1b (see FIG. 1(a)) of the seat plate 10a to which the flat portion 13 of the engagement claw 12 extends has thick portions 12a on both sides in the width direction (direction parallel to the side surface 1d). The receiving member 15 and the preform 1 are rendered inseparable from each other by engaging one of the engaging claws 12 with the opening 9 of the other protruding portion 5, and at this time, the narrow portion 14b of the engaging portion 14 is positioned between a pair of locking portions 9a, 9a, as shown in Figure 2(c).

[0031] Here, the procedure for joining the receiving member 15 and the preform 1 will be described with reference to Fig. 3. Fig. 3(a) to Fig. 3(c) are cross-sectional views showing how the engaging claw 12 engages with the opening 9 of the protruding portion 5, and Fig. 3(c) corresponds to the cross-sectional view taken along line AA in Fig. 2(c). When the receiving member 15 and the preform 1 are joined, for example, if the receiving member 15 is disposed above the preform 1, the first surfaces 1a (see FIG. 1(b)) of the receiving member 15 are faced to each other, and the engaging claw 12 of the receiving member 15 is disposed above the opening 9 of the protruding portion 5 of the preform 1 as shown in FIG. 3(a). When the preform 1 is brought closer to the receiving member 15 from this state, the engaging claw 12 is elastically deformed so that the angle between the flat surface portion 13 and the engaging portion 14 becomes smaller, and as a result, the flat surface portion 13 and the wide portion 14a of the engaging portion 14 can pass between the inner wall surface 9b on the side farther from the side surface 1c of the opening 9 and the locking portion 9a as shown in FIG. 3(b). Then, when the wide portion 14a of the engagement portion 14 passes between the inner wall surface 9b of the opening 9 and the locking portion 9a, the elastic deformation of the engagement claw 12 is restored, and the narrow portion 14b of the engagement portion 14 is disposed between the pair of locking portions 9a, 9a, and the pair of locking end faces 14c, 14c formed on both sides of the narrow portion 14b are locked to the pair of locking portions 9a, 9a, respectively, as shown in Fig. 3(c). This makes it impossible to separate the preform 1 from the receiving member 15. In other words, the receiving member 15 and the preform 1 are in a state in which they cannot be separated from each other, as the engagement claw 12 on one side is engaged with the opening 9 of the protruding portion 5 on the other side. In addition, in Figure 3(c), if the engaging claw 12 is elastically deformed in a direction that reduces the angle between the flat portion 13 and the engaging portion 14, for example by holding the tip of the narrow portion 14b of the engaging portion 14 with your fingers, until the flat portion 13 and the wide portion 14a of the engaging portion 14 can pass between the inner wall surface 9b of the opening 9 and the locking portion 9a, the engagement state between the engaging claw 12 and the opening 9 of the protrusion portion 5 will be released, as shown in Figure 3(b).Therefore, by removing the engaging claw 12 from the opening 9 of the protrusion portion 5 as shown in Figure 3(a), the preform 1 can be pulled away from the receiving member 15.

[0032] Fig. 4(a) is an external perspective view of a receiving member 15 manufactured using the preform 1, and Fig. 4(b) is a view seen in the direction of the arrow B in Fig. 4(a). Note that the shape of the stored item receiving portion 15a formed in the molding target portion 2 of the receiving member 15 is not limited to the shapes shown in Fig. 4(a) and Fig. 4(b), and can be changed as appropriate. The receiving member 15 has a structure in which a storage item receiving portion 15a for supporting a product is formed by vacuum forming on a part of the molding target portion 2 of the preform 1 shown in Fig. 1(a) and Fig. 1(b) so as to protrude from the second surface 1b as shown in Fig. 4(a) and Fig. 4(b). The boundary portion 3 has the effect of preventing the deformation of the molding target portion 2 from being propagated to the first joint portion 4 and the second joint portion 10 in the above-mentioned vacuum forming process. In this case, there is no risk of the first joint portion 4 and the second joint portion 10 being deformed by the influence of the vacuum forming on the molding target portion 2. Therefore, by using the preform 1, for example, it is possible to manufacture a receiving member 15 that can be easily attached to the bottom plate 19 of a transport container 16 as shown in Fig. 5.

[0033] Fig. 5 is an external perspective view of the transfer container 16. Fig. 6(a) is a plan view showing a state in which the receiving member 15 shown in Fig. 4(a) and Fig. 4(b) is installed on the bottom plate 19 shown in Fig. 5, and Fig. 6(b) is a view seen in the direction of the arrow C in Fig. 6(a). Note that the bottom plate 19 is not shown in Fig. 6(b). 5, the transport container 16 includes a frame 18 made of a plurality of square pipes 17 combined to form each side of a rectangular parallelepiped, and a bottom plate 19 that is rectangular in plan view and is installed in a bottom opening 18a of the frame 18 and has four through holes 19a that form a rectangle in plan view, each of which is formed in pairs, as shown in FIG. 5. The transport container 16 is not limited to being made of metal, but may be made of plastic, or may be made of paper or plastic cardboard.

[0034] As shown in Figures 6(a) and 6(b), with the first surface 1a facing the bottom plate 19 of the transport container 16, the receiving member 15 and the preform 1 are fixed to both sides of the bottom plate 19 by engaging the engaging claw 12 of the other with the opening 9 of one protrusion 5 through the through hole 19a. However, in the preform 1 and the receiving member 15, the openings 9 of the protruding portions 5 and the engaging claws 12 are provided symmetrically across the molding target portion 2, so that when one engaging claw 12 engages with the openings 9 of the other protruding portion 5, the other engaging claw 12 also simultaneously engages with the openings 9 of the one protruding portion 5. In other words, the preform 1 has a structure that allows it to be easily attached to the bottom plate 19 used in the transport container 16 by combining it with a receiving member 15 manufactured from another preform 1 of the same structure. 3(b) and 3(c), when the engaging claw 12 is elastically deformed in a direction in which the angle between the flat portion 13 and the engaging portion 14 becomes smaller, for example by holding the tip of the narrow portion 14b of the engaging portion 14 with the fingers, the engaging state of the engaging claw 12 and the opening 9 of the protruding portion 5 is released, and the above-mentioned receiving member 15 and the preform 1 can be separated from each other. In other words, the preform 1 and the receiving member 15 can be easily removed from the bottom plate 19. The receiving member 15 and the preform 1 can also be fixed to the bottom plate 19 using screws inserted through the through holes 8a and 8b. However, if there is no need for such a method, the through holes 8a and 8b do not have to be provided.

[0035] That is, the preform 1 can be attached to the bottom plate 19 of the transport container 16 by combining it with a receiving member 15 manufactured from another preform 1 of the same structure, and the attachment and removal can be done extremely easily. In this manner, by using the preform 1, the receiving member 15 that is detachable from the bottom plate 19 of the transport container 16 and that can be attached to either side of the bottom plate 19 can be easily manufactured. Furthermore, when the receiving member 15 and the preform 1 are attached to the plate material, as already explained with reference to Fig. 3(c), the pair of locking end faces 14c, 14c are locked to the pair of locking portions 9a, 9a, respectively, so that the engaging claws 12 are securely engaged with the opening 9 of the protruding portion 5. In this case, there is no risk of the receiving member 15 coming off the bottom plate 19 of the transport container 16, so that it can be used safely. Therefore, with the preform 1, it is possible to manufacture a receiving member 15 that can be installed on the bottom plate 19 of the transport container 16 and used safely.

[0036] The manufacturing method of a receiving member for a transport container of the present invention is characterized by comprising a step of forming the preform 1 by injection molding, for example, in the case of manufacturing a receiving member 15 using the preform 1, and a step of forming a stored item receiving portion 15a in the molding target portion 2 of the preform 1 by vacuum molding. According to this manufacturing method, the first connecting portion 4 and the second connecting portion 10 are formed by injection molding, so that the protrusions 5 and the engaging claws 12 having complex shapes that are difficult to form by vacuum molding can be easily formed. Also, since the mold used for vacuum molding is less expensive to manufacture than the mold used for injection molding, according to the above manufacturing method in which the stored item receiving portion 15a is formed on the molding target portion 2 by vacuum molding, the receiving member 15 having the stored item receiving portion 15a having a different shape for each part or product stored in the transport container 16 can be realized at a lower cost than when injection molding is used. In other words, according to the manufacturing method of the present invention for a receiving member for a transport container, it is possible to easily and inexpensively manufacture a receiving member 15 having protrusions 5 and engaging claws 12 with complex shapes that are difficult to form by vacuum forming, and stored item receiving portions 15a with different shapes for each part or product stored in the transport container 16. EXAMPLES

[0037] Fig. 7(a) is an external perspective view of a preform 20 according to a second embodiment of the present invention, and Fig. 7(b) is a cross-sectional view taken along line DD in Fig. 7(a). In Fig. 7(a) and Fig. 7(b), in order to avoid the drawings becoming complicated, only some of the protrusions are labeled with reference numerals. Also, the components already described using Figs. 1 to 4 are labeled with the same reference numerals, and their description will be omitted as appropriate. As shown in Figures 7(a) and 7(b), a preform 20 according to a second embodiment of the present invention is characterized in that a preform 1 has a constant thickness and a plurality of protrusions 20a which are ripple-shaped when viewed in a plane and are provided on the molding target portion 2 so as to protrude toward the second surface 1b. When the receiving member 15 is manufactured using the preform 20 having such a structure, the molding target portion 2 is stretched using a vacuum molding die, and when the stored item receiving portion 15a is formed in the molding target portion 2, the protrusion 20a is crushed by the die and the resin material of that portion is supplied to the surrounding area, preventing the stored item receiving portion 15a from becoming thin-walled. Therefore, the preform 20 makes it possible to manufacture the receiving member 15 without reducing the strength of the stored item receiving portion 15a. EXAMPLES

[0038] Fig. 8(a) is an external perspective view of a preform 21 according to a third embodiment of the present invention, and Fig. 8(b) is a cross-sectional view taken along line EE in Fig. 8(a). In Fig. 8(a) and Fig. 8(b), in order to avoid the drawings becoming complicated, only some of the protrusions are labeled with reference numerals. Also, the same reference numerals are used to label the components already described with reference to Figs. 1 to 4, and the description thereof will be omitted as appropriate. As shown in Figures 8(a) and 8(b), a preform 21 according to a third embodiment of the present invention is characterized in that a preform 1 has a constant thickness and multiple hemispherical shell-shaped protrusions 21a provided on the molding target portion 2 so as to protrude toward the second surface 1b. When the receiving member 15 is manufactured using the preform 21 having such a structure, the molding target portion 2 is stretched using a vacuum molding die, and when the stored item receiving portion 15a is formed in the molding target portion 2, the protrusion 21a is crushed by the die and the resin material of that portion is supplied to the surrounding area, preventing the stored item receiving portion 15a from becoming thin-walled. Therefore, the preform 21 makes it possible to manufacture the receiving member 15 without reducing the strength of the stored item receiving portion 15a. Although the preform 21 has the same action and effect as the preform 20, the shape and number of the protrusions 20a and 21a are different, and therefore the manufacturing cost of the mold used for injection molding is different between the preform 20 and the preform 21. Therefore, it is preferable to decide whether to select the preform 21 or the preform 20 depending on the size of the molding target portion 2 and the storage item receiving portion 15a. EXAMPLES

[0039] Fig. 9(a) is an external perspective view of a preform 22 according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention, and Fig. 9(b) is a cross-sectional view taken along line FF in Fig. 9(a). Fig. 10(a) is a cross-sectional view taken along line GG in Fig. 6(a), and Fig. 10(b) is a diagram showing a modified example of Fig. 10(a). Fig. 10(b) corresponds to a diagram in which preform 22 is used instead of preform 1 in Fig. 10(a). The components already described using Figs. 1 to 4 are given the same reference numerals, and their description will be omitted as appropriate. As shown in Figures 9(a) and 9(b), the preform 22 is characterized in that in the preform 1, an abutment portion 23 having a constant thickness and an abutment surface 23a parallel to the first surface 1a is provided on the molding target portion 2 so as to protrude toward the first surface 1a.

[0040] As already explained using Figures 6(a) and 6(b), when the bottom plate 19 of the transport container 16 is sandwiched between the receiving member 15 and the preform 1 and the opening 9 of one of the protrusions 5 is engaged with the engaging claw 12 of the other, the receiving member 15 and the preform 1 are attached to the bottom plate 19 with the first surface 1a abutting against both sides of the bottom plate 19, as shown in Figure 10(a). In contrast, when the receiving member 15 and the preform 22 are attached to a plate material 24 that is thinner than the bottom plate 19 and has through holes 19a at the same locations as the bottom plate 19, the first surface 1a of the receiving member 15 and the abutment surface 23a of the abutment portion 23 of the preform 22 abut against both sides of the plate material 24, as shown in Fig. 10(b). In this way, when the preform 22 is used instead of the preform 1, the receiving member 15 can be attached to the plate material 24 that is thinner than the bottom plate 19. That is, when the preform 22 is used instead of the preform 1, the thickness of the plate material to which the receiving member 15 manufactured from the preform 1 can be attached is determined by the distance between the contact surface 23a of the contact portion 23 of the preform 22 and the first surface 1a of the receiving member 15. Therefore, by using the preform 22, the receiving member 15 can be attached to a plate material that is thinner than the bottom plate 19. In addition, by changing the height at which the contact portion 23 protrudes from the first surface 1a of the molding target portion 2, the receiving member 15 can be attached to plate materials of different thicknesses.

[0041] It is also possible to form something equivalent to the abutment portion 23 of the preform 22 on the molding target portion 2 of the preform 1 by vacuum molding and use this in place of the preform 22, and in this case the above-mentioned functions and effects can be similarly achieved. Furthermore, when attaching the receiving member 15 to the bottom plate 19 of the transport container 16, another receiving member 15 may be used instead of the preform 1 or the preform 22. That is, with the bottom plate 19 disposed between a pair of receiving members 15, 15, the pair of receiving members 15, 15 may be fixed to the bottom plate 19 by engaging the engaging claw 12 of one of the receiving members 15 with the opening 9 of the protruding portion 5 of the other receiving member through the through hole 19a. [Industrial Applicability]

[0042] The present invention can be utilized in the case of manufacturing support members that are installed on plate materials constituting a transport container in order to support parts or products. [Explanation of symbols]

[0043] REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1...preform 1a...first surface 1b...second surface 1c-1f...side surface 2...molding target portion 3...boundary portion 3a...thickness recess 4...first joint portion 4a...seat plate 5...projecting portion 5a, 5b...side plate 5c...upper plate 5d...reinforcing plate 6, 7...projection portion 7a...straight portion 7b, 7c...projecting portion 8a, 8b...through hole 9...opening 9a...engaging portion 9b...inner wall surface 10...second joint portion 10a...seat plate 10b...slit 11a...slit 11b...engaging piece 12...engaging claw 12a...thick portion 13...flat portion 14...engaging portion 14a...wide portion 14b...narrow portion 14c...engaging end surface 15...receiving member 15a...stored item receiving portion 16: Transport container 17: Square pipe 18: Frame 18a: Bottom opening 19: Bottom plate 19a: Through hole 20-22: Preform 20a, 21a: Protrusion 23: Contact portion 23a: Contact surface 24: Plate material

Claims

1. The plate is made of a rectangular flat plate material having a first surface and a second surface that are parallel to each other and are rectangular in plan view, and is formed by injection molding of a thermoplastic resin. a molding target portion on which a storage item receiving portion is formed by vacuum molding; a first joint portion and a second joint portion provided on both sides of the molding target portion; a protruding portion having a flat surface parallel to the first surface and provided on the first surface of the first coupling portion; an engagement claw provided symmetrically with respect to the rectangular opening provided on the flat surface with the molding target portion interposed therebetween, The engaging claw comprises a planar portion extending from the seat plate of the second connecting portion and bent at a right angle toward the first surface side, and an engaging portion extending from the planar portion so as to protrude in a direction away from the molded portion when the seat plate is viewed in a planar view, and bent at an acute angle toward the second surface side, wherein the planar portion and the engaging portion are elastically deformed so that the angle between them becomes small, thereby becoming a size that can be placed within the opening, and the elastic deformation is restored so that the angle becomes large, thereby becoming a size that allows the engaging claw to engage with the opening.

2. 2. The preform according to claim 1, wherein the molding target portion is provided with a plurality of protrusions having a constant thickness so as to protrude toward the second surface side.

3. 2. The preform according to claim 1, characterized in that a contact portion having a constant thickness is provided on the molding target portion so as to protrude toward the first surface, and the contact portion has a contact surface parallel to the first surface.

4. The engaging portion has a tip end that is cut away to form a wide portion extending from the flat portion and a narrow portion continuing from the wide portion, The preform according to claim 1, characterized in that a portion of the inner wall surface of the opening, which corresponds to the long side of the rectangle when viewed in a plane, is cut out, so that a locking portion that can engage with the end surface of the wide portion when the engaging claw is positioned within the opening is provided on the side farther from the portion to be molded.

5. a boundary portion surrounding the molding target portion and protruding from the second surface; 5. The preform according to claim 1, wherein the first bonded portion and the second bonded portion are provided outside the boundary portion.

6. A method for manufacturing a carrier container support member using the preform according to any one of claims 1 to 4, comprising the steps of: forming the preform by injection molding; and forming the stored item receiving portion on the molding target portion of the preform by the vacuum molding.

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