Outer container

Abstract

To provide an easy-to-use outer container that allows for usage of bags with different dimensions.SOLUTION: An outer container (100) has a frame (10) formed in a rectangular shape, and a support surface (30). The support surface (30) has at least a front support surface (31), a rear support surface (32), a left support surface (33), a right support surface (34), and a bottom support surface (35). The front support surface (31), rear support surface (32), left support surface (33), right support surface (34), and bottom support surface (35) are each held by the frame (10). One or more of the rear support surface (32), left support surface (33) and right support surface (34) are movable support surfaces held via position adjustment mechanisms (40, 45). The movable support surfaces are movable in a direction approaching to and separating from the vertical central axis of the outer container (100).SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an outer container having an internally mounted bag capable of containing a substance. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, as in Patent Document 1, containers are used to store and move various items according to the purpose. The lower part of the container is provided with casters necessary for movement. In addition, inside the storage, shelves are provided to hold the stored items and hold the items. The container is manufactured to a size that matches the item, and a container of an optimal size is used for each item. As an example of a method of using a container, an outer container is used in which a bag is attached inside and a substance is stored in the bag and moved. For example, raw materials for various industrial products, and fluids such as water and powder used in processing are poured into the bag, stored, and moved within a factory. For example, a bag with a capacity of 1000 liters is used and is made of resin. Even if the bag has the same capacity of 1000 liters, several types of bags with different dimensions in length, width, and height are in circulation.

[0003] When a bag is filled with fluid, it becomes very heavy and is unstable, as it rolls easily. In addition, if the bag comes into contact with a protrusion or partially protrudes into a groove, it may cause the bag surface to break, causing leakage from the inside or causing the bag to burst. In order to prevent the bag from being damaged, it is necessary to hold the bag by surrounding it with a flat wall-like enclosure without protrusions, grooves, etc. If the dimensions of the bag are different even for the same capacity, the distance between the bag and the wall-like enclosure that supports it will change. If an outer container that matches the dimensions of the bag is not used, the bag will become unstable and may be damaged. Therefore, it is necessary to prepare an outer container that matches the dimensions of the bag for each bag. In addition, the attachment positions and number of hoses for inflow and outflow of fluid attached to the bag differ depending on the bag. Therefore, it is necessary to set a communication part in the outer container according to the attachment positions and number of hoses attached to the bag. Therefore, outer containers that match bags of various sizes are made and used for each bag. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Utility Model Application Publication No. 61-6402 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, even if the capacity is the same, it is costly and time-consuming to produce an outer container for each bag size and use several different types of outer containers.In addition, when the raw materials for the bags are difficult to obtain, the bags that can be obtained are limited, and there are cases where compatible outer containers are in short supply.

[0006] The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and has an object to provide an outer container that can be used with bags of different sizes and is easy to use. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The outer container of the present invention is a hollow outer container having a frame formed in a rectangular parallelepiped shape and at least a front support surface, a rear support surface, a left support surface, a right support surface, and a lower support surface, wherein one or more of the rear support surface, left support surface, and right support surface are movable support surfaces held via position adjustment mechanisms, and the movable support surfaces are movable toward and away from the vertical central axis of the outer container.

[0008] The outer container according to the present invention has at least a front support surface, a rear support surface, a left support surface, a right support surface, and a lower support surface, and one or more of the rear support surface, the left support surface, and the right support surface can be movable support surfaces. Therefore, bags of different sizes can be attached and supported by the front support surface, the rear support surface, the left support surface, the right support surface, and the lower support surface, and the bag can be easily attached and replaced by the communication part. Therefore, bags of different sizes can be used, and the outer container can be easy to use.

[0009] In addition, in the outer container of the present invention, the innermost position of the rear support surface, which is a movable support surface, is within the front-to-back length ranges of the left support surface and the right support surface, and the innermost position of each of the left support surface and the right support surface, which are movable support surfaces, is at least one of within the left-to-right length ranges of the rear support surface, and it is preferable that the inner surfaces of the rear support surface and the left support surface are adjacent to each other to form a corner, and that the inner surfaces of the rear support surface and the right support surface are adjacent to each other to form a corner.

[0010] As a result, in the outer container according to the present invention, the inner surface of the rear support surface and the inner surface of the left support surface can be adjacent to each other to form a corner, and the inner surface of the rear support surface and the inner surface of the right support surface can be adjacent to each other to form a corner. Therefore, even when the movable support surfaces are moved, no gaps are formed between adjacent movable support surfaces. This reduces the risk of the bag protruding into the gap and being damaged. Therefore, bags of different dimensions can be used, making the outer container easy to use.

[0011] In addition, it is preferable that the outer container of the present invention has a first communicating member in which a communicating portion can be provided on the front support surface, and a second communicating member, the first communicating member being a door that can be opened and closed, and the second communicating member being a member provided between the upper surface of the lower support surface in the vertical direction and the lower end of the first communicating member.

[0012] As a result, the outer container according to the present invention can include a first communicating member and a second communicating member capable of forming a communicating portion. Therefore, a communicating portion that allows access to the inside of the outer container can be provided by operating the first communicating member. In addition, the communicating portion can be expanded downward by operating or detaching the second communicating member. This prevents the lower part of the bag from protruding forward in the initial stage after the fluid starts to flow into the bag, and when the bag is replaced, the communicating portion can be expanded downward to provide a wide communicating portion. Therefore, an easy-to-use outer container can be provided.

[0013] Moreover, the second communication member of the outer container according to the present invention is preferably an openable and closable door.

[0014] The outer container according to the present invention is provided with a second communication member which is an openable and closable door. As a result, a communication section can be easily provided by opening and closing the second communication member. Therefore, bags of different sizes can be used, making the outer container easy to use.

[0015] Moreover, the lower support surface of the outer container according to the present invention preferably has a communication cover capable of providing a communication portion in a part of the lower support surface.

[0016] The lower support surface of the outer container according to the present invention has a communication cover that can provide a communication part on a part of the lower support surface. Therefore, the communication part can be provided at an optimal position for a hose in a different position depending on the bag, and when not in use, the communication part can be closed to support the lower surface of the bag and prevent damage to the bag. Therefore, bags of different sizes can be used, making it possible to make an easy-to-use outer container.

[0017] Moreover, the communication cover of the outer container according to the present invention is preferably provided at a position adjacent to the front support surface.

[0018] The communication cover of the outer container according to the present invention is provided adjacent to the front support surface. This allows the communication cover to be located at the front, making it easy to work with the hose. Therefore, bags of different sizes can be used, making it an easy-to-use outer container.

[0019] It is preferable that the outer container according to the present invention is provided with a plurality of communication covers, each of which is operable so that the size of the communication portion can be changed.

[0020] The outer container according to the present invention is provided with a plurality of communication covers, each of which can be operated, thereby allowing the size of the communication portion to be changed. Therefore, a communication portion of a minimum size can be provided at an optimal portion of the lower support surface according to the number and position of the hoses 6, which differ depending on the bag 5. Therefore, bags of different dimensions can be used, making the outer container easy to use.

[0021] In addition, it is preferable that the outer container of the present invention has a member that moves in response to the movement of the movable support surface and covers, within the movement range of each movable support surface, a slide communication portion for a position adjustment mechanism provided on the lower support surface.

[0022] The outer container according to the present invention has a member that covers the slide communication part for the position adjustment mechanism provided on the lower support surface within the movement range of each movable support surface. Therefore, even when each movable support surface moves, the member can always cover the slide communication part. This prevents the bag from protruding into the slide communication part, reducing the possibility of the bag being damaged. Therefore, bags of different dimensions can be used, making the outer container easy to use.

[0023] The frame of the outer container according to the present invention is preferably provided with a closing member for closing the gap between the movable support surface and the frame.

[0024] The frame of the outer container according to the present invention is provided with a blocking member that blocks the gap between the movable support surface and the frame. This reduces the possibility that a gap will be created between the movable support surface and the frame, causing the bag to protrude into the gap and break. This allows bags of different sizes to be used, making the outer container easy to use.

[0025] The movable support surface of the outer container according to the present invention is preferably capable of being continuously moved by a position adjustment mechanism.

[0026] The movable support surface of the outer container according to the present invention can be continuously moved by the position adjustment mechanism. Therefore, the movable support surface can be easily held at a desired position. Therefore, bags of different sizes can be used, and the outer container can be easily used.

[0027] In the outer container according to the present invention, it is preferable that at least one movable support surface at its outermost position at least partially overlaps with the frame when viewed from above.

[0028] In the outer container according to the present invention, at least one movable support surface overlaps at least a portion of the frame in a top view at the outermost position of the movable support surface. This allows the inner space to be as large as possible while keeping the outer dimensions small. This allows bags of different dimensions to be used, making the outer container easy to use.

[0029] The outer container according to the present invention preferably includes a load cell for detecting the amount of substance placed in the outer container.

[0030] The outer container according to the present invention is equipped with a load cell that detects the amount of substance placed in the outer container. Therefore, the worker can accurately grasp the amount of substance placed in the outer container. This allows the worker to work while checking the amount of substance filled into the outer container and the amount discharged. Therefore, the outer container is easy to use.

[0031] The outer container according to the present invention preferably includes a base below the lower support surface, the base having a flat surface on its upper surface, and a space between the flat surface and the lower support surface.

[0032] The outer container according to the present invention includes a base under the lower support surface, and the base has a flat surface on the upper surface, with a space between the flat surface and the lower support surface. Therefore, the space can be used as a temporary storage space for the hose attached to the bag and as a place to install the load cell. This allows the hose to be stored and used without touching the floor of the work area. This makes it possible to provide an easy-to-use outer container. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0033] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a front view of an outer container according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a side view of the outer container of FIG. 1 . [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a top view of the outer container of FIG. 1. [Figure 4] 2 is a top cross-sectional view of the outer container of FIG. 1 at a position directly below the slide cover. [Diagram 5] 2 is a top cross-sectional view of the outer container of FIG. 1 at a position directly below the upper surface material of the lower support surface. [Figure 6] 2 is a front cross-sectional view of the outer container of FIG. 1 with the front support surface omitted. [Figure 7] 2 is a left side cross-sectional view of the outer container of FIG. 1 , with the left outer surface portion and the left support surface omitted. [Figure 8] FIG. 4 is a right side cross-sectional view taken along the line JJ in FIG. 3 . [Figure 9] FIG. 5 is a right side cross-sectional view taken along the line KK in FIG. 4 . [Figure 10] 2 is a schematic diagram showing the movement of a support surface portion of the outer container of FIG. 1. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0034] <Embodiment> An outer container 100 according to the present invention will be described with reference to Fig. 1 to Fig. 3. Fig. 1, Fig. 2, and Fig. 3 are a front view, a side view, and a top view of the outer container 100, respectively. As shown in Fig. 1, the outer container 100 is formed in a rectangular parallelepiped shape and has a central axis XX parallel to the up-down direction. In the following description, in Fig. 1, a direction parallel to the central axis XX is defined as the up-down direction, a direction perpendicular to the central axis XX and crossing the drawing of Fig. 1 is defined as the left-right direction, and a direction perpendicular to the central axis XX and perpendicular to the drawing of Fig. 1 is defined as the front-rear direction.

[0035] The bag 5 attached to the outer container 100 will be described with reference to FIG. 1. FIG. 1 illustrates the size of an example of the bag 5. The bag 5 attached inside the outer container 100 has a capacity of, for example, 1000 liters (L). There are several types of 1000L bags 5 with the same capacity, with different combinations of length, width, and height. The outer container 100 according to the present invention can be equipped with any of the bags 5 with a capacity of 1000L and with any of the combinations of the dimensions. The bag 5 stores, for example, a fluid inside. The fluid is a liquid or powder such as raw materials used in industrial products or water for processing, and can be introduced and discharged through a hose 6 attached to the bag 5. The bag 5 used in the outer container 100 is made of a strong material that can store the fluid up to a specified amount. The bag 5 is made of, for example, resin, specifically, polyethylene. The bag 5 is also used as a disposable bag that can be used only once to save the trouble of cleaning. Therefore, the outer container 100 is configured to allow easy replacement of the bag 5. The outer container 100 can also accommodate bags 5 with capacities other than 1000 L, and the outer container 100 is manufactured according to the dimensions of the bag 5 to be attached.

[0036] As shown in FIG. 1 to FIG. 3, the outer container 100 includes a frame 10, an outer surface portion 20 covering the outer surface of the outer container 100, and a support surface portion 30 supporting the bag 5. The outer container 100 includes a base 90, a load indicator 95 for measuring the load of the substance contained inside the outer container 100, and a hanging device 99 used when attaching a specific bag 5. The base 90 is provided under the lower support surface 35, and includes a base body 91 and casters 92 on the lower surface of the four corners of the base body 91. The base body 91 is a plate-shaped member and has a flat surface portion 93 on the upper surface. A space 94 is provided between the flat surface portion 93 and the lower support surface 35. As shown in FIG. 1, the hose 6 is placed on the flat surface portion 93 and stored in the space 94 when not in use. The upper surface of the base body 91 is formed flat, and the space 94 can be used as a temporary storage location for the hose 6 attached to the bag 5 and as a location for installing a load cell. This allows the hose 6 to be stored and used without contacting the floor of the work area.

[0037] The load display device 95 is provided on each of the four corners of the flat portion 93 of the base 90, and has load cells 96 supporting the frame 10, a processing device 97 that calculates the total load by tallying up the outputs of the multiple load cells 96, and a load monitor 98 that displays the calculated total load. The load display device 95 has a built-in battery for operation, and displays in real time using the load cells 96 the load that indicates the amount of material put into the outer container 100. The load display device 95 allows the user to work on the outer container 100 while checking the amount of material filled into the outer container 100 and the amount discharged.

[0038] 3 shows the support surface portion 30 provided on the outer container 100. The support surface portion 30 is a flat plate-shaped member that is attached to the inside of the outer container 100 and contacts and holds the bag 5. The support surface portion 30 has a front support surface 31, a rear support surface 32, a left support surface 33, a right support surface 34, and a lower support surface 35. The upper surface of the outer container 100 does not have an upper support surface and is open.

[0039] The configuration of the frame 10 will be described with reference to Figures 2 and 3. The frame 10 is formed into a rectangular parallelepiped shape by combining a plurality of frame materials. The frame materials have main structural members 11-14 that form the main skeleton, and a plurality of sub-structural members 15-18, 19A, 19B connected to the main structural members 11-14. The main structural members 11 are columnar frame materials that are arranged at the four corners of the rectangular parallelepiped shape when viewed from above and extend in the vertical direction. The main structural members 11 are formed from steel material with a rectangular cross section.

[0040] The configuration of the upper part of the frame 10 will be described with reference to Figs. 1 to 3. On the right and left sides of the frame 10, main structural members 12 are arranged, each extending in the front-rear direction and connecting the upper ends of two main structural members 11 extending in the up-down direction. On the rear and front sides of the frame 10, two main structural members 13 extending in the left-right direction are arranged on the upper parts of the main structural members 11. The rear main structural member 13 is connected to the upper ends of the two main structural members 11. As shown in Figs. 3 and 1, the front main structural member 13 is connected to a position slightly below the upper ends of the two main structural members 11. Plate members 65 are placed and fixed on both ends of the front main structural member 13.

[0041] As shown in FIG. 3, sub-structural members 15 formed in an L-shape are attached to the top of the frame 10 at adjacent positions of each of the four corners. The sub-structural member 15 is formed in an L-shape by connecting the ends of two straight parts at a substantially right angle. The sub-structural member 15 is attached so that the L-shape is visible when viewed from above the frame 10, and the two ends of the L-shaped sub-structural member 15 sandwich each of the four corners. The straight parts of the sub-structural member 15 are attached so that they are parallel to the front-rear direction or the left-right direction. Specifically, the two rear sub-structural members 15 are connected to the rear main structural member 13 and the main structural member 12 extending in the front-rear direction on the left side, and to the rear main structural member 13 and the main structural member 12 extending in the front-rear direction on the right side, respectively. The two front sub-structural members 15 are connected to the main structural members 12 extending in the front-rear direction on the left and right sides, and to plate members 65 placed and fixed on both ends of the front main structural member 13. Each member disposed on the upper portion of the frame 10 is formed from a steel material having a rectangular or U-shaped cross section.

[0042] Of the total eight straight line portions of the four sub-structural members 15, six straight line portions extending in the front-rear direction and connected to the main structural member 12 and the rear main structural member 13 are provided with position adjustment mechanisms 40. The position adjustment mechanisms 40 hold the upper ends of each of the multiple support surface portions 30. The configuration of the position adjustment mechanism 40 will be described later.

[0043] The configuration of the lower part of the frame 10 will be described with reference to Figures 2 to 5. Figure 4 is a top cross-sectional view taken at a vertical position directly below a plurality of slide covers 52 that partially cover the upper surface of the lower support surface 35. Figure 5 is a top cross-sectional view taken at a vertical position directly below an upper surface member 51 that is disposed below the slide covers 52, is included in the lower support surface 35, and covers almost the entire upper surface of the lower support surface 35. Each frame member disposed in the lower part of the frame 10 is formed of a steel material having a rectangular or U-shaped cross section.

[0044] 2, main structural members 12 extending in the front-rear direction connecting the lower ends of main structural members 11 which are located at both the front and rear ends and extend in the up-down direction are disposed on the left and right sides of frame 10. Upper surface member 51 which is included in lower support surface 35 and covers the upper surface of lower support surface 35 is formed of a thin steel plate.

[0045] FIG. 5 shows the configuration of the lower part of the frame 10. A main structural member 13 extending in the left-right direction is connected between the rear ends of the left and right main structural members 12 extending in the front-rear direction. Main structural members 13, 14 extending in the left-right direction are connected to the front-rear middle parts of the left and right main structural members 12 and between the front-rear middle parts and the front ends, respectively. The lower part of the frame 10 is configured by connecting a plurality of sub-structural members 16, 17, 18, etc., in addition to the two main structural members 12 at the left and right ends and the three main structural members 13, 14 arranged between them. At the rear end of the frame 10 and the middle part in the front-rear direction, three sub-structural members 16, 17 extending in the front-rear direction are connected between the two main structural members 13 extending in the left-right direction. One sub-structural member 16 is located in the center in the left-right direction, and two sub-structural members 17 are located approximately midway between the sub-structural member 16 in the center and the main structural members 12 at the left and right ends. The sub-structural member 17 is provided with a position adjustment mechanism 45 on each of its central surfaces.

[0046] Sub-structural members 18 are disposed between the main structural members 12 and the sub-structural members 17 at the left and right ends, respectively. The sub-structural members 18 are provided with position adjustment mechanisms 45 on their respective central surfaces. In addition, the main structural members 14, which are disposed in front of the left and right main structural members 12 extending in the front-rear direction, are provided with position adjustment mechanisms 45 on their respective central surfaces.

[0047] 3 to 5, a total of six position adjustment mechanisms 45 are provided on the lower part of the frame 10. The position adjustment mechanisms 45 hold the respective lower ends of the support surface portions 30. The configuration of the position adjustment mechanisms 45 will be described later.

[0048] The configuration of the front end portion of the lower part of the frame 10 will be described with reference to Figure 5. An L-shaped sub-structural member 15 is attached to the front ends of the main structural members 12 located at the left and right ends. The L-shaped sub-structural member 15 is formed by connecting one end of two straight members at a substantially right angle to each other. Each end of the sub-structural member 15 is fixed to the front ends of the left and right main structural members 12 and the front surface of the main structural member 14, respectively.

[0049] Between the main structural member 14 and the front end of the outer container 100, the secondary structural members 19A and 19B are attached. The secondary structural members 19A and 19B are members that slidably support a plurality of communication covers 61a to 61d that can be provided with a lower communication portion 38 through which the hose 6 passes on the lower support surface 35. Two secondary structural members 19A are provided parallel to each other from the main structural member 14 toward the front. In addition, a hole for a fastening member 64 that connects and fixes the second communication member 63 is provided at the front end of the secondary structural member 19A. Between the two secondary structural members 19A, the communication cover 61a is disposed with no gap between the two secondary structural members 19A in top view. The communication cover 61a is slidable in the front-rear direction and parallel to the upper surface member 51. In FIG. 5, the communication cover 61a is in the drawn-out position. The communication cover 61a is pushed in the direction of arrow M to move it to the storage position indicated by the dashed line, thereby forming the lower first communication portion 38. The lower first communication portion 38 is a communication portion through which the hose 6 passes. In the storage position, the communication cover 61a is stored in the vertical gap between the lower surface of the upper surface material 51, which is omitted in FIG. 5, and the upper surface of the secondary structural member 19B.

[0050] Between the left sub-structural member 19A and the left sub-structural member 15, and between the right sub-structural member 19A and the right sub-structural member 15, the sub-structural member 19B is connected in parallel to the main structural member 14. Between the above, the communication covers 61b to 61d are arranged from the sub-structural member 19A toward the sub-structural member 15, that is, from the center toward the outside. The communication covers 61b to 61d are arranged adjacent to each other so that there is no gap between the sub-structural member 19A and the communication cover 61b, between the communication covers 61b to 61d, and between the communication cover 61d and the sub-structural member 15, in a top view. The communication covers 61b to 61d can slide in the front-rear direction, parallel to the upper surface member 61, and separately. The communication covers 61a to 61d can slide in both directions of the arrow M. The communication covers 61a to 61d can be closed when not needed to support the bottom surface of the bag 5.

[0051] In FIG. 5, all of the left communication covers 61b-61d and all of the right communication covers 61b-61d are in the storage position and are stored in the vertical gap between the lower surface of the upper surface material 51, which is omitted in FIG. 5, and the upper surface of the secondary structural member 19B. As a result, the lower second communication parts 39, which are the spaces of the communication covers 61b-61d, are connected to each other, and are formed on the left and right sides. The lower second communication parts 39 are communication parts through which the hose 6 passes. The communication covers 61b-61d can be pulled out in the direction of the arrow M and moved to the positions indicated by the broken lines to close the lower second communication parts 39. The communication covers 61b-61d can slide individually, and the lower second communication parts 39 of the minimum size are provided at the optimal positions depending on the number and positions of the hoses 6 attached to the bag 5. When the hose 6 is stored in the outer container 100 without being connected to an external device, the hose 6 is stored on the base body 91 as shown in FIG.

[0052] The left-right width of communication covers 61a to 61d has a dimensional ratio of 1 for communication cover 61a, 2 to 3 for communication cover 61b, 0.5 to 1 for communication cover 61c, and 2 to 3 for communication cover 61d. The left-right width and sliding amount of communication covers 61a to 61d are appropriately determined depending on the position and number of bag 5 and hoses.

[0053] The positional relationship between the position adjustment mechanism 45 and the slide cover 52 will be described with reference to FIG. 3 and FIG. 4. FIG. 4 shows the position adjustment mechanism 45 that supports the support surface portion 30 on the lower support surface 35. Since the position adjustment mechanism 45 needs to be connected to the lower end of the support surface portion 30, the upper surface material 51 of the lower support surface 35 has a slide communication portion 49 formed long along the sliding movement direction of the position adjustment mechanism 45, formed directly above each position adjustment mechanism 45. If the slide communication portion 49 is exposed to the lower support surface 35, the bag 5 filled inside may partially protrude into the slide communication portion 49 and be damaged. For this reason, as shown in FIG. 3, a slide cover 52 that covers the slide communication portion 49 is provided. The slide cover 52 is connected to the lower end of the movable support surface, i.e., the rear support surface 32, the left support surface 33, and the right support surface 34, respectively, and slides and moves on the upper surface material 51 together with the rear support surface 32, the left support surface 33, and the right support surface 34. As shown in Fig. 4, the slide cover 52 is mounted on the upper surface member 51 of the lower support surface 35 and can be easily detached. Two projections with a circular cross section (not shown) are provided on the back surface of each slide cover 52. The slide cover 52 is attached while being fitted into the fitting hole 44 of the position adjustment mechanism 45. Since the slide cover 52 can be easily detached, maintenance of the position adjustment mechanism 45 can be easily performed.

[0054] The outer surface part 20 will be described with reference to FIG. 2. FIG. 2 is a left side view of the outer container 100, and the right side and rear side have the same basic configuration. The outer surface part 20 is a member that closes the rear, left, and right sides of the frame 10. The outer surface part 20 has a plurality of outer plates 21. Each of the rear, left, and right sides of the frame 10 has two internal frames 56 that extend parallel to the main structural members 11 between the upper and lower main structural members 12, and divides each of the rear, left, and right sides of the frame 10 into three. An outer plate 21 is attached to each of the three divided areas, and each of the rear, left, and right sides of the frame 10 is closed by fixing the three outer plates 21 to the frame 10 without any gaps. The outer plate 21 has a plurality of long holes 22 that are held when attached and detached. When the assembled outer container 100 is in use, the inside can be seen through the long hole 22, and the inside of the outer container 100 can be visually confirmed, for example, when cleaning the inside.

[0055] The support surface portion 30 of the outer container 100 will be described with reference to FIG. 3. The support surface portion 30 is a plate-like member that contacts and holds the bag 5 attached inside the outer container 100. The rear support surface 32, the left support surface 33, and the right support surface 34 are disposed inside the outer surface portion 20 provided on the rear side, left side, and right side of the outer container 100, respectively, that is, on the central axis XX side of the outer container 100. The outer container 100 holds the bag 5 by the front support surface 31, the rear support surface 32, the left support surface 33, the right support surface 34, and the lower support surface 35, that is, by a total of five surfaces including four surfaces on the front, rear, left, and right sides and the lower side. As shown in FIG. 3, the rear support surface 32, the left support surface 33, and the right support surface 34 are suspended from the upper part of the frame 10 and held by the lower part of the frame 10.

[0056] The front support surface 31 will be described with reference to Figs. 1 and 2. The front support surface 31 has a first communicating member 62 and a second communicating member 63 held by at least one of the main structural members 11 at the left and right ends and the main structural members 13 at the top and bottom ends. The first communicating member 62 and the second communicating member 63 are members that can provide the front communication portion 37 on the front support surface 31. In Figs. 1 and 2, the first communicating member 62 and the second communicating member 63 in the closed state are shown by solid lines, and the first communicating member 62 and the second communicating member 63 in the open state are shown by dashed lines. The front communication portion 37 is a space or an opening that communicates between the internal space of the support surface portion 30 and the outside of the outer container 100. The shape of the front communication portion 37 is approximately rectangular. The first communication member 32 is provided above the front communication section 37, and the second communication member 63 is provided below the front communication section 37 and separated from the first communication member 62 by a horizontal line. The first communication member 62 is formed larger than the second communication member 63, and the vertical position of the horizontal line is a position that divides the upper side:lower side of the vertical length of the front communication section 37 into 4:1 to 7:1. A frame material such as the main structural member 13 is arranged above the front communication section 37, and the front communication section 37 is surrounded by the frame material in a frame shape. Note that the upper part of the front communication section 37 may be open without arranging a frame material such as the main structural member 13 above the front communication section 37.

[0057] The first communicating member 62 and the second communicating member 63 are door members, and are double doors that are divided into left and right sides at a position that is central in the left-right direction and overlaps with the central axis XX in a front view. The left ends of the first communicating member 62 and the second communicating member 63 are held by hinge members to the left main structural member 11 and the right ends of the first communicating member 62 and the right main structural member 11, respectively, and each door can be opened and closed independently. At the upper end positions of the left and right first communicating members 62 and at a position close to the central axis XX, fastening members 64 that can be connected to and disconnected from the upper main structural member 13 are provided, respectively. In addition, at the lower end positions of the left and right first communicating members 62 and at a position close to the central axis XX, fastening members 64 that can be connected to and disconnected from the second communicating member 63 are provided, respectively. Furthermore, at the lower end positions of the left and right second communication members 63 and at positions close to the central axis XX, fastening members 64 that can be connected to and disconnected from the lower main structural member 13 are provided, respectively.

[0058] At least one of the left and right first communication members 62 is provided with a plurality of slits 36. The slits 36 are provided in the first communication member 62 and are arranged along the vertical direction. Since the slits 36 are formed over almost the entire vertical length of the first communication member 62, the worker can easily visually check the amount of liquid or the like in the bag 5, which changes successively due to the inflow or outflow of liquid or the like, through the slits 36. The vertical length of one slit 36 ​​is formed to be a length obtained by dividing the vertical length of the first communication member 62 into a plurality of substantially equal parts. The slits 36 are arranged at slightly different left and right positions over almost the entire vertical length of the first communication member 62. Therefore, it is possible to prevent a decrease in the strength of the first communication member 62 compared to a case in which one long slit is formed over almost the entire vertical length of the first communication member 62.

[0059] The configuration of the rear support surface 32 will be described with reference to Figs. 3, 5, and 6. Fig. 6 is a front cross-sectional view of the outer container 100 with the front support surface 31 omitted. In Fig. 3, the rear support surface 32 at the outermost position in the moving range of the rear support surface 32 is shown by a broken line. The rear support surface 32 directly forms the rectangular parallelepiped shape of the upper part of the outer container 100 in a top view, and is arranged in a position where it at least partially overlaps with the rear main structural member 13, which is the frame 10. Thereby, the outer container 100 can have an internal space for accommodating the bag 5 as large as possible while keeping the outer dimensions as small as possible, and can be configured with high space utilization efficiency. It is preferable that the rear support surface 32 completely overlaps with the rear main structural member 13, which is the frame 10, in a top view.

[0060] As shown in FIG. 6, the left-right length of the rear support surface 32, i.e., the horizontal length, is formed to be slightly shorter than the length between the main structural members 11 at the left and right ends on the rear side. Therefore, the rear support surface 32 can be accommodated between the main structural members 11 at the left and right ends. Also, as shown in FIG. 3, when the rear support surface 32 is accommodated between the main structural members 11 at the left and right ends, the inner surface 58 of the rear support surface 32 and the inner surface of the main structural member 11 are configured to be substantially flush with each other. Therefore, a part of the bag 5 filled with liquid or the like does not protrude into the gap between the rear support surface 32 and the main structural member 11. This makes it possible to prevent the bag 5 from being damaged.

[0061] As shown in Fig. 6, the upper part of the rear support surface 32 is held at two points by a position adjustment mechanism 40 and a connecting member 53 attached to the left and right sub-structural members 15, respectively. Also, as shown in Fig. 5, the lower part of the rear support surface 32 is held at two points by a position adjustment mechanism 45 and a connecting member 54 attached to the left and right sub-structural members 17, respectively. The mounting parts of the connecting member 53 and the connecting member 54 on the rear support surface 32 side are attached to the outer side surface of the rear support surface 32. This prevents protrusions and the like from protruding on the inside of the rear support surface 32.

[0062] The rear support surface 32 is a panel made of metal, and has a rectangular outer frame 55, an inner frame 56 provided at a position that equally divides the outer frame 55 in the left-right direction and the height direction, and a flat plate material 57 that covers the outer frame. The flat plate material 57 is attached to the inner surfaces of the outer frame 55 and the inner frame 56. As a result, an inner surface 58 of the rear support surface 32 is formed as a flat surface without any protrusions.

[0063] The above-described configurations of the flush structure between the rear support surface 32 and the inner surface of the main structural member 11, the mounting structure of connecting member 53 on the rear support surface 32 side of connecting member 54, and the inner surface 58 of rear support surface 32 which is formed as a flat surface reduce the possibility of damage due to protrusions or partial protrusion into a gap when a bag 5 filled with liquid or the like is pressed against it and comes into contact with it.

[0064] The configuration of the left support surface 33 will be described with reference to Figures 3, 5, and 7. Figure 7 is a left side cross-sectional view of the outer container 100 with the left outer surface portion 20 and the left support surface 33 omitted. The arrangement and structure of the right support surface 34 are symmetrical to those of the left support surface 33 with respect to a plane passing through the central axis XX and parallel to the front-rear direction. Figure 3 shows the left support surface 33 and the right support surface 34 at the outermost positions in the movement ranges of the left support surface 33 and the right support surface 34.

[0065] As shown in FIG. 3, the front-rear length of the left support surface 33 and the right support surface 34, i.e., the horizontal length, is formed slightly smaller than the length between the main structural members 11 at the front and rear ends. The front ends of the left support surface 33 and the right support surface 34 in the front-rear direction are adjacent to the rear side of the front main structural member 11 and the rear side of the front support surface 31 with a small gap therebetween that allows them to move relative to each other. On the other hand, the rear ends of the left support surface 33 and the right support surface 34 in the front-rear direction are disposed slightly away from the front side of the rear main structural member 11, and a gap exists between them. The left and right main structural members 11 on the rear side of the frame 10 are provided with blocking members 66 that block the gap between the movable support surface and the frame 10. The blocking members 66 are formed to have a vertical length that is approximately the same as the vertical length of the left support surface 33 and the right support surface 34, and have a flat surface 66a over the entire length. The blocking members 66 are fixed to the left and right rear main structural members 11, respectively, and are disposed so as to fill the gaps.

[0066] At the outermost positions of the left support surface 33 and the right support surface 34, the inner surface 58 of the left support surface 33 and the flat surface 66a of the left blocking member 66, and the inner surface 58 of the right support surface 34 and the flat surface 66a of the right blocking member 66 are configured to be approximately flush with each other. Therefore, at the outermost positions of the left support surface 33 and the right support surface 34, the flat surface 66a serves as a wall, and a part of the bag 5 filled with liquid or the like does not protrude between the left support surface 33 and the right support surface 34 and the adjacent main structural member 11. This makes it possible to prevent the bag 5 from being damaged.

[0067] As shown in FIG. 7, the upper parts of the left support surface 33 and the right support surface 34 are held at two locations by the position adjustment mechanism 40 and the connecting member 53 attached to the left and right sub-structural members 15, respectively. Also, as shown in FIG. 5, the lower parts of the left support surface 33 and the right support surface 34 are held at two locations by the position adjustment mechanism 45 and the connecting member 54 attached to the main structural member 14 and the left and right sub-structural members 18, respectively. As shown in FIG. 5 to FIG. 7, the mounting parts of the connecting member 53 and the connecting member 54 on the left support surface 33 and the right support surface 34 sides are attached to the outer surface side of the left support surface 33 and the right support surface 34. This prevents protrusions and the like from protruding from the inner surface 58 of the left support surface 33 and the right support surface 34.

[0068] The left support surface 33 and the right support surface 34 are panels made of metal and have a rectangular outer frame 55, an inner frame 56 provided at a position that equally divides the outer frame 55 in the left-right direction and the height direction, and a flat plate material 57 that covers the outer frame. The flat plate material 57 is attached to the inner surfaces of the outer frame 55 and the inner frame 56. As a result, the inner surfaces 58 of the left support surface 33 and the right support surface 34 are formed as flat surfaces without any protruding portions.

[0069] The fixing mechanism of the movable support surface will be described with reference to FIG. 4. The rear support surface 32, left support surface 33, and right support surface 34, which are the movable support surfaces, can be fixed to the lower support surface 35 by an additional fixing device as necessary, in addition to the braking action by the levers 43, 48 of the position adjustment mechanisms 40, 45. A plurality of fixing holes 59, which are fixing mechanisms for the movable support surfaces, are provided at positions adjacent to each position adjustment mechanism 45. A lock pin, not shown, is passed through the corresponding hole in the movable support surface and the fixing hole 59 to fix the movable support surface. This fixes the movable support surface more firmly.

[0070] The above-described flush structure between the left support surface 33 and the right support surface 34 and the flat portion 66a of the blocking member 66, the mounting structures of the connecting members 53 and 54 on the left support surface 33 side and the right support surface 34 side, respectively, and each of the configurations of the inner surface 58 of the left support surface 33 and the right support surface 34 which are formed as flat surfaces, can reduce the possibility of the bag 5 being damaged by a protrusion or partial protrusion into a gap when a bag 5 filled with liquid or the like is pressed against it and comes into contact with it.

[0071] With reference to FIG. 8, the position adjustment mechanism 40 and the connecting member 53 arranged on the upper part of the outer container 100 will be described. FIG. 8 is a right side cross-sectional view taken along the JJ cross section of FIG. 3. The position adjustment mechanism 40 has a clamping member 41, a guide member 42, and a lever 43. As shown in FIG. 8, the guide member 42 is a member in which grooves are provided along the longitudinal direction on both side surfaces of the guide member 42, and is attached to the secondary structural member 15. The clamping member 41 has a substantially U-shaped cross section, and has inward protrusions at the respective tips. The position adjustment mechanism 40 has a lever 43 and an internal mechanism of the position adjustment mechanism 40 (not shown) that is operated by the lever 43, such as a cam mechanism. By operating the lever 43, the clamping member 41 can hold or release the state in which it strongly clamps the guide member 42 at a desired position in the longitudinal direction. The position adjustment mechanism 40 is attached to the mounting portion of the connecting member 53 on the position adjustment mechanism 40 side. The clamping member 41 can move continuously relative to the guide member 42 while fitting into grooves on both sides of the guide member 42. Therefore, the left support surface 33 and the right support surface 34 can move integrally and continuously with the movement of the clamping member 41 of the position adjustment mechanism 40.

[0072] The position adjustment mechanism 45 and the connecting member 54 arranged at the bottom of the outer container 100 will be described with reference to Fig. 9. Fig. 9 is a right side cross-sectional view taken along the line KK in Fig. 4. The position adjustment mechanism 45 has a clamping member 46, a guide member 47, and a lever 48. The clamping member 46, the guide member 47, and the lever 48 of the position adjustment mechanism 45 correspond to the clamping member 41, the guide member 42, and the lever 43 of the position adjustment mechanism 40, respectively, and the configurations and functions of the respective members are the same. Therefore, detailed descriptions of the position adjustment mechanism 45 and the connecting member 54 will be omitted.

[0073] The movements of the rear support surface 32, the left support surface 33, and the right support surface 34, which are movable support surfaces, will be described with reference to Fig. 10. Fig. 10 is a schematic diagram showing the movement of the support surface portion 30 when viewed from above the outer container 100. The rear support surface 32, the left support surface 33, and the right support surface 34 are movable between an outermost position E and an innermost position F closest to the central axis XX in the vertical direction of each surface, i.e., in the direction approaching and moving away from the central axis in the up-down direction of the outer container 100. In Fig. 10, the movement amount of the rear support surface 32 is P, and the movement amount of the left support surface 33 and the right support surface 34 is Q.

[0074] The innermost position F of the rear support surface 32, which is a movable support surface, can be moved within the respective left-right length ranges of the left support surface 33 and the right support surface 34 in a side view. In this state, the inner surface 58 of the rear support surface 32 and the inner surface 58 of the left support surface 33 are adjacent to each other, and a corner portion 71 can be formed. In addition, the innermost position F of each of the left support surface 32 and the right support surface 34, which are movable support surfaces, can be moved within the respective left-right length ranges of the rear support surface 32 in a front view. In this state, the left support surface 32 and the inner surface 58 of the rear support surface 32 are adjacent to each other with only a minimum gap required for movement, and a corner portion 72 can be formed. In addition, the inner surface 58 of the right support surface 34 and the inner surface 58 of the rear support surface 32 are adjacent to each other with only a minimum gap required for movement, and a corner portion 72 can be formed. In other words, even in a state in which each movable support surface has been moved, the adjacent support surface portions can form the corner portions 71 and 72. Therefore, the corners 71, 72 without any gaps become walls, preventing a part of the bag 5 filled with liquid or the like from protruding between the rear support surface 32 and the left support surface 33, and between the rear support surface 32 and the right support surface 34. This makes it possible to prevent the bag 5 from being damaged.

[0075] The movable support surface has a slide cover 52 that contacts the upper surface material 51 on the surface of the lower support surface 35 and moves integrally with the movable support surface. Each slide cover 52 is a plate member having a shape and area that covers each slide communication part 49 for the position adjustment mechanism 45 provided on the lower support surface 35 shown in FIG. 4 within the movement range of each movable support surface. The rear support surface 32 has two slide covers 52 connected to the lower end. The two slide covers 52 of the rear support surface 32 move integrally with the rear support surface 32 in the R direction as the rear support surface 32 moves forward and backward. The left support surface 33 and the right support surface 34 each have two slide covers 52 connected to their respective lower ends. The slide covers 52 of the left support surface 33 and the right support surface 34 move integrally with the left support surface 33 and the right support surface 34 in the S direction as the left support surface 33 and the right support surface 34 move. Therefore, a part of the bag 5 filled with a liquid or the like does not protrude into the slide communication portion 49. With the above-mentioned structure, the bag 5 can be prevented from being damaged.

[0076] <Modifications of the embodiment> The above-described embodiment of the present invention can be partially replaced or modified as follows.

[0077] In the above embodiment, the left support surface 33, the right support surface 34, and the rear support surface 32 are movable support surfaces that are held via the position adjustment mechanisms 40 and 45, respectively. Alternatively, any one or any two of the rear support surface 32, the left support surface 33, and the right support surface 34 may be movable support surfaces that are held via the position adjustment mechanisms. In this case, any one or two of the rear support surface 32, the left support surface 33, and the right support surface 34 are fixed to the frame 10. The left-right length of the rear support surface 32 is configured to contact the inner surface 58 of either the left support surface 33 or the right support surface 34 that is fixed, via only a small gap necessary for movement. In addition, the front-rear length of at least one of the left support surface 33 and the right support surface 34 is configured to contact the inner surface 58 of the rear support surface 32 that is fixed, via only a small gap necessary for movement. Even in this case, the corners 71, 72 formed by the left support surface 33, the right support surface 34, and the rear support surface 32 are also formed in the same manner. Compared to the case where the left support surface 33, the right support surface 34, and the rear support surface 32 are all configured as movable support surfaces, the configuration can be made at low cost.

[0078] In the above embodiment, the movable support surface is configured to be continuously movable. However, the movable support surface may be configured to be detachable from the frame 10 by a fastener such as a combination of a pin and a pin hole, and the frame 10 may be provided with a plurality of fastening parts, so that the position of the movable support surface can be changed stepwise relative to the frame 10. This can be configured at a lower cost than the above movement adjustment mechanisms 40 and 45.

[0079] In the above embodiment, the first communicating member 62 and the second communicating member 63 are described as doors that can be opened and closed. However, at least one of the first communicating member 62 and the second communicating member 63 may be removable. If the first communicating member 62 and the second communicating member 63 are removable, the first communicating member 62 and the second communicating member 63 can have a stronger and more sturdy structure than the above-mentioned doors that are attached to the frame 10 by a fixing device such as a plug pin and a pin hole.

[0080] In the above embodiment, the movable support surface has the front support surface 31, the rear support surface 32, the left support surface 33, the right support surface 34, and the lower support surface 35. In addition, an upper support surface may be provided as necessary. Also, the outer surface portion 20 may be omitted.

[0081] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide an outer container that is easy to use and can be used with bags of different sizes. [Explanation of symbols]

[0082] 10 frame, 31 front support surface, 32 rear support surface, 33 left support surface, 34 Right support surface, 35 Lower support surface, 37 (front) communication section, 38 (lower 1st) communication part, 39 (lower 2nd) communication part, 40, 45 position adjustment mechanism; 61a, 61b, 61c, 61d communication cover; 62 (first) communicating member, 63 (second) communicating member, 66 blocking member, 71,72 corner, 90 base, 93 flat surface, 96 load cell, 100 outer packaging.

Claims

1. A frame formed in a rectangular parallelepiped shape, and a support surface portion held by the frame, In an outer container, the support surface portion has at least a front support surface, a rear support surface, a left support surface, a right support surface, and a lower support surface, one or more of the rear support surface, the left support surface, and the right support surface are movable support surfaces that are held via a position adjustment mechanism; The movable support surface is movable in a direction toward and away from a vertical central axis of the outer container.

2. The innermost position of the rear support surface, which is the movable support surface, is within the length range of each of the left support surface and the right support surface in the front-rear direction, and The innermost positions of the left support surface and the right support surface, which are the movable support surfaces, are at least one of the positions within a length range in the left-right direction of the rear support surface, an inner surface of the rear support surface and an inner surface of the left support surface may be adjacent to each other to form a corner; The outer container of claim 1 , wherein an inner surface of the rear support surface and an inner surface of the right support surface are adjacent to each other to form a corner.

3. The front support surface has a first communication member and a second communication member that can be provided with a communication portion, The first communication member is an openable and closable door, The outer container according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the second communication member is a member provided between an upper surface of the lower support surface and a lower end of the first communication member in the vertical direction.

4. The outer container according to claim 3 , wherein the second communication member is an openable and closable door.

5. The outer container according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the lower support surface has a communication cover capable of providing a communication portion in a part of the lower support surface.

6. The outer container according to claim 5 , wherein the communication cover is provided at a position adjacent to the front support surface.

7. The communication cover is provided in plurality, The outer container according to claim 5 , wherein each of the communication covers is operable, thereby making it possible to change the size of the communication portion.

8. The outer container according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising a member that moves in response to movement of the movable support surface and covers a slide connection portion for the position adjustment mechanism provided on the lower support surface within the movement range of each of the movable support surfaces.

9. 3. The outer container according to claim 1, wherein the frame is provided with a blocking member that blocks a gap between the movable support surface and the frame.

10. The outer container according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the movable support surface is continuously movable by the position adjustment mechanism.

11. The outer container according to claim 1 or 2, wherein at least one of the movable support surfaces at its outermost position at least partially overlaps with the frame in a top view.

12. 3. The outer container according to claim 1, further comprising a load cell for detecting the amount of material introduced into the outer container.

13. A base is provided below the lower support surface, The base has a flat surface on an upper surface thereof, The outer container according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a space is provided between the flat portion and the lower support surface.

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