Hinge with lock function and folding container

Abstract

To lock a rotation action of a hinge.SOLUTION: A hinge 2 with a lock function includes: a first blade member 21 mounted on one (specifically, a side plate 8A on the upper side) out of a pair of members connected so as to be mutually rotatable; a second blade member 22 mounted on the other (specifically, a side plate 8B on the lower side) out of the pair of members, including a connection engagement part 222 for supporting a connection shaft 24, and rotatably connected to the first blade member 21 via the connection engagement part 222; and a lever member 23 provided retractably with respect to the first blade member 21. At the connection engagement part 222, an engagement hole 225 is formed where the lever member 23 protruding from the first blade member 21 enters and is engaged with.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a hinge with a locking function and a foldable container equipped with a hinge with a locking function. [Background technology]

[0002] A known conventional technology for connecting two side panels is a hinge for architecture and furniture, in which V-shaped notches are cut into the top, bottom, left, and right corners and on the inside of the center in contrast to the stop holes in the left and right panels that open and close around a main shaft, and temporary fasteners are molded integrally by bending the top of the V-shaped notches at a right angle toward the back surface (see Patent Document 1).

[0003] Furthermore, as a conventional technology for transporting products such as parts, a metal container is known in which one of the side frames is pivotally attached to one side of a bottom plate so that it can rise and fall inward, short pillars are erected at the four corners of the bottom plate, the lower end of the side frame opposite the above-mentioned side frame is pivotally attached to the upper end of the short pillar so that it can rise and fall inward, another side frame is pivotally attached to one of the pillars of the side frame so that it can be folded inward, and the remaining side frame is pivotally attached between the remaining short pillars on one side so that it can also rise and fall inward (see Patent Document 2). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Utility Model Application Publication No. 56-155075 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Utility Model Application Publication No. 02-056133 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, for example, a hinge such as that disclosed in Patent Document 1 cannot be locked in a state in which the plate surfaces of the two side plates are parallel to each other.

[0006] Furthermore, for example, a container such as that described in Patent Document 2 has peripheral walls that rise from the periphery of the bottom plate and surround the front, back, left and right sides of the storage area, and it is desirable that each of the side frames (or side plates) that make up these peripheral walls can be easily fixed and that the fixation of each of the side frames (side plates) can be easily released.

[0007] Therefore, in one aspect, the present invention has an object to provide a technique capable of locking the rotational movement of a hinge. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] In order to solve the above problems, the hinge with locking function of the present invention may have a first blade member, a second blade member having a connecting engagement portion and rotatably connected to the first blade member via the connecting engagement portion, and a lever member that is retractable relative to the first blade member, and an engagement hole is formed in the connecting engagement portion into which the lever member protruding from the first blade member enters and engages.

[0009] The locking hinge of the present invention may further include a biasing member that applies a biasing force to the lever member in a direction that causes the lever member to protrude from the first blade member.

[0010] The locking hinge of the present invention may be configured such that, when viewed along the axial direction of the connecting shaft supported by the connecting engagement portion, the axial position of the connecting shaft and the position of the engagement hole coincide along the direction of the plate surface of the first blade member.

[0011] A folding container according to the present invention has a rectangular base frame, a rectangular upper frame disposed above the base frame, a pair of front and rear side plates disposed between the base frame and the upper frame facing each other in the front-rear direction, and a pair of left and right side plates disposed between the base frame and the upper frame facing each other in the left-right direction, the front and rear side plates being rotatable with respect to the base frame or the upper frame, the left and right side plates having upper and lower divided side plates, the upper side plate being rotatable with respect to the upper frame and the lower side plate being connected to the base frame. The hinge may be rotatable relative to the frame, the upper side panel and the lower side panel may be rotatable relative to each other via a hinge, and the hinge may include a locking means for fixing the upper side panel and the lower side panel to each other in a flat shape so that the upper side panel and the lower side panel do not bend in the middle via the hinge, the locking means including a first blade member, a second blade member having a connecting engagement portion and connected to the first blade member via the connecting engagement portion for rotating, and a lever member provided so as to be able to protrude and retract relative to the first blade member, and an engagement hole is formed in the connecting engagement portion into which the lever member protruding from the first blade member enters and engages.

[0012] In the folding container according to the present invention, the locking means may have a biasing member that applies a biasing force to the lever member in a direction that causes the lever member to protrude from the first blade member.

[0013] The folding container according to the present invention may be configured such that, when viewed from a line of sight along the axial direction of the connecting shaft supported by the connecting engagement portion, the axial position of the connecting shaft and the position of the engagement hole coincide along the direction of the plate surface of the first blade member. Effect of the Invention

[0014] According to one aspect of the present invention, it is possible to lock the pivoting movement of the hinge. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0015] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a side view showing a folding container according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a front view of the folding container of FIG. 1. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a plan view of the folding container of FIG. 1. [Figure 4] 2 is a perspective view showing a locking hinge (in a locked state) according to an embodiment of the present invention, which is provided on the folding container in FIG. 1. FIG. [Diagram 5] FIG. 5 is a side view of the locking hinge of FIG. 4 (in a locked state). [Figure 6] 5 is a perspective view of a first blade member of the locking hinge of FIG. 4. FIG. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a side view of the first blade member of FIG. 6. [Figure 8] 5 is a perspective view of a second blade member of the locking hinge of FIG. 4. FIG. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a side view of the second blade member of FIG. 8. [Figure 10] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a lever member of the locking hinge of FIG. 4. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a side view of the lever member of FIG. [Figure 12] FIG. 5 is a side view of the locking hinge of FIG. 4 (in an unlocked state). [Figure 13] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an installation mode of a locking mechanism for a side panel of the folding container of FIG. 1. [Figure 14] 14 is a cross-sectional view showing an outline of the overall configuration of the locking mechanism of the side plate in FIG. 13, showing a state in which an engaging portion of a latch member is protruding. FIG. [Figure 15] 14 is a cross-sectional view showing an outline of the overall configuration of the locking mechanism of the side plate of FIG. 13, showing a state in which an engaging portion of a latch member is retracted. FIG. [Figure 16] 14 is an exploded view illustrating the structure of the locking mechanism of the side plate in FIG. 13. [Figure 17]2A and 2B are diagrams illustrating the folding procedure of the folding container of FIG 1. FIG. 2A shows the folding container in an assembled state, and FIG. 2B shows the container in a state where the front and rear side panels are folded down. [Figure 18] 2A and 2B are diagrams illustrating the folding procedure of the folding container of FIG 1. FIG. 2A shows a state in which one of the long side panels has been folded, and FIG. 2B shows a state in which folding has been completed. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0016] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the description of the present invention, the directions of up / down, front / back (in other words, front / back), left / right are defined along the axes of a three-dimensional Cartesian coordinate system as shown in each drawing. However, front / back and left / right are merely distinctions for the purpose of explaining the present invention, and do not define the directions of the folding container 3 when in use.

[0017] In the following embodiment, an example will be described in which the locking hinge 2 according to the embodiment of the present invention is applied as a mechanism for fixing the relative rotation (center folding) of the upper side panel 8A and the lower side panel 8B of a folding container 3 according to the embodiment of the present invention and for releasing the fixation of the relative rotation (center folding).

[0018] (Overall structure of folding container) Fig. 1 is a side view showing a folding container 3 according to an embodiment, as an example of a specific configuration of a folding container according to the present invention. Fig. 2 is a front view of the folding container 3 according to the embodiment, and Fig. 3 is a plan view of the folding container 3 according to the embodiment. The folding container 3 will be described based on the posture of each part when the folding container 3 is assembled and used (specifically, the posture of each part in Figs. 1 to 3). In other words, the posture of each part in the following description of the folding container 3 may not match the posture of each part when the folding container 3 is folded.

[0019] The folding container 3 mainly has a base portion 4 that is rectangular in a plan view, a plurality of casters 5 attached to the underside of the base portion 4, an upper frame body 6 arranged above the base portion 4, a pair of front and rear side plates 7 and a pair of left and right side plates 8 arranged between the base portion 4 and the upper frame body 6, and a lid portion 9 arranged above the upper frame body 6.

[0020] The base portion 4 has a base portion frame 41 having a rectangular frame shape in a plan view, and a bottom plate (hidden by other members and not shown in the drawings) that covers the inside of the base portion frame 41. The bottom plate is formed from, for example, plastic cardboard (also called "pladan" or "danpla"), a honeycomb core material (specifically, for example, Texel (registered trademark)), a mesh material, or the like.

[0021] The base frame 41 has a pair of left and right frame members 42 that face each other in parallel and spaced apart from each other in the left-right direction with their respective longitudinal directions (in other words, axial directions) aligned along the front-rear direction, and a pair of front and rear frame members 43 that face each other in parallel and spaced apart from each other in the front-rear direction with their respective longitudinal directions (in other words, axial directions) aligned along the left-right direction, and is formed in a rectangular frame shape in a plan view. The left and right frame members 42 and the front and rear frame members 43 are members that are joined in a manner that is perpendicular to each other.

[0022] The left and right frame members 42 and the front and rear frame members 43 are connected perpendicular to each other by lower right-angle connecting members 45 disposed at the ends in the longitudinal direction (in other words, the axial direction) of each of these frame members 42, 43. That is, the lower right-angle connecting members 45 are disposed at each of the four corners of the base portion frame 41 in a plan view.

[0023] The lower right-angle connecting member 45 is adjacent to the outer surfaces (i.e., the outer surfaces in the left-right direction) of the left and right frame members 42, with portions upper than the top surfaces of the left and right frame members 42 protruding upward, and adjacent to the outer surfaces (i.e., the outer surfaces in the front-to-rear direction) of the front and rear frame members 43, with portions upper than the top surfaces of the front and rear frame members 43 protruding upward, and is attached in an L-shape in plan view so as to surround each of the four corners of the base frame 41 in a plan view with two sides.

[0024] The casters 5 are attached to the lower surface of the base 4 at positions near each of the four corners via the caster plates 51. The casters 5 may be swivel casters that can rotate horizontally (i.e., freely directional), or may be fixed casters that cannot rotate horizontally (i.e., fixed directional). As the casters 5, only one of the swivel casters and the fixed casters (in other words, one type) may be attached, or both the swivel casters and the fixed casters may be attached. The casters 5 may also be provided with a brake function (in other words, a braking function or a locking function). The number of casters 5 is not limited to four, and may be three, five or more.

[0025] The upper frame 6 has a pair of left and right frame members 61 that face each other in parallel and spaced apart from each other in the left-right direction with their respective longitudinal directions (in other words, axial directions) aligned along the front-rear direction, and a pair of front and rear frame members 62 that face each other in parallel and spaced apart from each other in the front-rear direction with their respective longitudinal directions (in other words, axial directions) aligned along the left-right direction, and is formed into a rectangular frame shape in a plan view. The left and right frame members 61 and the front and rear frame members 62 are members that are joined in a manner that is perpendicular to each other.

[0026] The left and right frame members 61 and the front and rear frame members 62 are connected perpendicular to each other by upper right-angle connecting members 66 disposed at the ends in the longitudinal direction (in other words, the axial direction) of each of these frame members 61, 62. That is, the upper right-angle connecting members 66 are disposed at each of the four corners of the upper frame 6 in a plan view.

[0027] The upper right-angle connecting member 66 is adjacent to the outer surfaces (i.e., the outer surfaces in the left-right direction) of the left and right frame members 61, with portions lower than the undersides of the left and right frame members 61 protruding downward, and adjacent to the outer surfaces (i.e., the outer surfaces in the front-to-rear direction) of the front and rear frame members 62, with portions lower than the undersides of the front and rear frame members 62 protruding downward, and is attached in an L-shape in plan view so as to surround each of the four corners of the upper frame body 6 in a plan view with two sides.

[0028] An upper handle 63 formed into a substantially rectangular frame shape using a round bar is attached to the center position in the longitudinal direction (in other words, the axial direction, the front-to-rear direction) of each of the pair of left and right frame members 61 via a rotating bearing 64. Specifically, one side of the substantially rectangular frame-shaped upper handle 63 along the front-to-rear direction serves as a rotating axis, and the rotating axis of the upper handle 63 is rotatably supported by the rotating bearing 64 attached to the left and right frame members 61, so that the upper handle 63 is rotatably attached to the left and right frame members 61.

[0029] The upper handle 63 rotates around the outside and above the left and right frame members 61 between a position / posture where it hangs down from a pivot bearing 64 attached to the left and right frame members 61 and follows a vertical plane (i.e., the position / posture shown in Figures 1 to 3) and a position / posture where it overlaps the lid portion 9 and follows a horizontal plane.

[0030] The pair of front and rear side plates 7 are attached to the pair of front and rear frame members 43 of the base portion frame 41 of the base portion 4 so as to face each other.

[0031] The front and rear side panels 7 have rectangular front and rear side panel frames 71, an intermediate frame member 72 that divides the inside of the front and rear side panel frames 71 in the up-down direction, and two panels 73 that cover two spaces enclosed by the front and rear side panel frames 71 and the intermediate frame member 72. The panels 73 are formed from, for example, plastic cardboard, a honeycomb core material, a mesh material, or the like.

[0032] The intermediate frame member 72 is provided to span between a lower frame member 74 (i.e., the lower end frame member in Figs. 1 and 3) and an upper frame member 75 (i.e., the upper end frame member in Figs. 1 and 3) whose longitudinal direction (in other words, the axial direction) runs along the left-right direction of the front and rear side plate frames 71, at a central position in the longitudinal direction (in other words, the axial direction, left-right direction) of each of the lower and upper frame members 74 and 75. The lower and upper frame members 74 and 75 are members that are joined to the intermediate frame member 72 in a manner that is perpendicular to each other.

[0033] The front and rear side panels 7 are attached so as to be rotatable (in other words, movable) relative to the base portion 4 by connecting the lower frame members 74 (i.e., the lower frame members in Figures 1 and 3) of the front and rear side panel frame 71 to the front and rear frame members 43 of the base portion frame 41 of the base portion 4 via two hinges 76.

[0034] When the folding container 3 is assembled and used, with the front and rear side plates 7 standing vertically (i.e., the state shown in Figs. 1 to 3), the upper frame members 75 (i.e., the upper frame members in Figs. 1 and 3) of the front and rear side plate frames 71 approach the front and rear frame members 62 of the upper frame 6 from below and are locked to the front and rear frame members 62 by the side plate lock mechanisms 1 provided on the front and rear side plates 7. This maintains the front and rear side plates 7 in a vertically standing state.

[0035] When the front and rear side panels 7 are released from their engagement with the front and rear frame members 62 by the side panel locking mechanism 1, they rotate toward the inside of the base portion 4 via the hinges 76 and fall onto the upper surface of the bottom plate of the base portion 4, assuming a position along the horizontal plane.

[0036] Here, the upper right-angle connecting member 66 has a portion adjacent to the outer surface of the front and rear frame members 62 and protruding from the lower surface of the front and rear frame members 62. Therefore, the upper right-angle connecting member 66 prevents the front and rear side plates 7 from rotating outwardly of the base portion 4 more than when they are upright (i.e., the state shown in Figures 1 to 3).

[0037] The pair of left and right side plates 8 are attached to face each other on the pair of left and right frame members 42 of the base portion frame 41 of the base portion 4. The left and right side plates 8 are configured by dividing the upper side plate 8A and the lower side plate 8B into upper and lower parts and connecting them to each other via an intermediate hinge 81 so as to be rotatable relative to each other.

[0038] The upper side plate 8A and the lower side plate 8B each have rectangular frame-shaped left and right side plate frames 82, an intermediate frame member 87 that divides the insides of the left and right side plate frames 82 in the up-down direction, and two panels 85 that cover two spaces enclosed by the left and right side plate frames 82 and the intermediate frame member 87. The panels 85 are formed from, for example, plastic cardboard, a honeycomb core material, a mesh material, or the like.

[0039] The left and right side plate frames 82 have a pair of vertical frame members 83 that face each other in parallel and spaced apart from each other in the front-rear direction, and a pair of horizontal frame members 84 that face each other in parallel and spaced apart from each other in the front-rear direction, and have their respective longitudinal directions (in other words, axial directions) along the front-rear direction when the folding container 3 is assembled and used (i.e., the state shown in Figs. 1 to 3), and are formed in a rectangular frame shape. The vertical frame members 83 and the horizontal frame members 84 are members that are joined to each other in a manner perpendicular to each other. In the example shown in the figures, the front and rear side plates 7 and the left and right side plates 8 are arranged such that the front and rear side plates 7 are sandwiched between the vertical frame members 83 of each pair of left and right side plates 8 in the left-right direction.

[0040] The intermediate frame member 87 is provided to span between the pair of horizontal frame members 84 at the center position in the longitudinal direction (in other words, the axial direction, the front-rear direction) of each of the pair of horizontal frame members 84. The horizontal frame members 84 and the intermediate frame member 87 are members that are joined in a manner that they are perpendicular to each other.

[0041] The upper side plate 8A and the lower side plate 8B are connected by two intermediate hinges 81 that are attached to each horizontal frame member 84 and interposed between the upper side plate 8A and the lower side plate 8B, so that the connection between the upper side plate 8A and the lower side plate 8B by the intermediate hinges 81 protrudes toward the inside of the base portion 4 and forms a mountain fold (the side where the intermediate hinges 81 are attached is a valley fold).

[0042] The horizontal frame member 84 (i.e., the horizontal frame member 84 on the upper end side in Figures 1 and 2) opposite to the horizontal frame member 84 to which the intermediate hinge 81 is attached, of the left and right side panel frames 82 of the upper side panel 8A, is rotatably connected to the left and right frame members 61 of the upper frame body 6 via three upper hinges 65.

[0043] The horizontal frame member 84 (i.e., the horizontal frame member 84 on the lower end side in Figures 1 and 2) opposite to the horizontal frame member 84 to which the intermediate hinge 81 is attached, of the left and right side panel frames 82 of the lower side panel 8B, is rotatably connected to the left and right frame members 42 of the base portion frame 41 of the base portion 4 via three bottom hinges 44.

[0044] With the above configuration, the lower side plate 8B rotates toward the inside of the base portion 4 via the bottom hinge 44 and falls onto the upper surface of the front and rear side plates 7 (the front and rear side plates 7 are fallen onto the upper surface of the bottom plate of the base portion 4 before the left and right side plates 8) and assumes a position along the horizontal plane, and the upper side plate 8A rotates relative to the lower side plate 8B via the intermediate hinge 81 and rotates relative to the upper frame 6 via the upper hinge 65 and is placed on the upper surface of the lower side plate 8B and assumes a position along the horizontal plane. As a result, the left and right side plates 8 are folded onto the upper surfaces of the front and rear side plates 7 that have been fallen onto the upper surface of the bottom plate of the base portion 4 first.

[0045] Here, the height dimension of the left and right frame members 42 of the base portion frame 41 of the base portion 4 is set to be larger than the height dimension of the front and rear frame members 43 by an amount equivalent to the thickness of the front and rear side plates 7 in a state in which they are laid down on the upper surface of the bottom plate of the base portion 4. As a result, when the left and right side plates 8 are folded onto the upper surfaces of the front and rear side plates 7 that have already been laid down on the upper surface of the bottom plate of the base portion 4, the lower side plate 8B (and the upper side plate 8A) assumes a position along the horizontal plane. Note that the left and right frame members 42 may be configured by two frame members overlapping and joined one above the other in order to adjust the height dimension.

[0046] Furthermore, a locking hinge 2 is provided across the upper side plate 8A and the lower side plate 8B as a locking means for fixing the upper side plate 8A and the lower side plate 8B to each other via the intermediate hinge 81 so that they do not bend in the middle when the folding container 3 is assembled and used. The upper side plate 8A and the lower side plate 8B are locked and fixed to each other by the locking hinge 2, so that the upper side plate 8A and the lower side plate 8B do not bend in the middle, and thus the upper side plate 8A and the lower side plate 8B are connected in a flat plate shape and function as a single left and right side plate 8.

[0047] Here, the lower right-angle connecting member 45 has a portion adjacent to the outer side surfaces of the left and right frame members 42 and protruding beyond the upper surfaces of the left and right frame members 42. Therefore, the lower right-angle connecting member 45 prevents the left and right side plates 8 from rotating outwardly of the base portion 4 more than when they are upright (i.e., the state shown in Figures 1 to 3).

[0048] The lid portion 9 has a pair of door panels 9A each attached to a pair of front and rear frame members 62 of the upper frame 6 via two hinges 91.

[0049] The door panel 9A has a rectangular door panel frame 92 and a panel 93 that covers the inside of the door panel frame 92. The panel 93 is made of, for example, plastic cardboard, a honeycomb core material, a mesh material, or the like.

[0050] The pair of door panels 9A are provided so as to open and close like double doors in a plan view. A retractable lid handle 94 is provided at a position near the open end of each of the pair of door panels 9A. In Figs. 1 to 3, the lid handle 94 of the front door panel 9A is in a protruding state, and the lid handle 94 of the rear door panel 9A is in a retracted state. However, the lid handle 94 is not limited to the retractable type, and may be, for example, a fixed shape with a protrusion or a hook, or a fixed shape with a recess.

[0051] A recess 95 is provided at each of the four corners of the lid portion 9 of the pair of door panels 9A as a whole. The position, shape, and size of the recess 95 are adjusted so that the wheels (lower parts) of the casters 5 of the upper foldable container 3 in the stack can fit in the recess 95 of the lid portion 9 of the lower foldable container 3 in the stack. By fitting the wheels (lower parts) of the casters 5 of the upper foldable container 3 in the stack into the recess 95 of the lid portion 9 of the lower foldable container 3 in the stack, the upper foldable container 3 does not move and slip off the lid portion 9 of the lower foldable container 3, and the folded foldable containers 3 can be stably stacked on top of each other. However, it is not essential for the folding container 3 according to the present invention to have the casters 5, and it is also not essential for the door panel 9A to have the recess 95.

[0052] (Hinges with locking function) FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a locking hinge 2 (in a locked state) according to an embodiment, as an example of a specific configuration of the locking hinge according to the present invention, which is provided to a folding container 3. FIG. 5 is a side view (or a rear side view of the locking hinge 2) of the locking hinge 2 (in a locked state) according to an embodiment. In the description of the locking hinge 2, the directions of up / down, front / back, left / right and each of the orientations of the locking hinge 2 are described based on the postures of each part when the folding container 3 to which the locking hinge 2 is attached is assembled and used (specifically, the postures of each part in FIG. 1 to FIG. 3). In other words, the postures of each part in the description of the locking hinge 2 below may not be the same as the postures of each part when the folding container 3 is folded. Moreover, up / down, front / back, left / right are merely distinctions for the purpose of describing the present invention, and do not specify the orientations of the locking hinge 2 when in use.

[0053] The locking function-equipped hinge 2 in the embodiment has a first blade member 21 attached to one of a pair of members (specifically, the upper side plate 8A) that are rotatably connected to each other, a second blade member 22 attached to the other of the pair of members (specifically, the lower side plate 8B) and having a connecting engagement portion 222 that supports the connecting shaft 24 and is rotatably connected to the first blade member 21 via the connecting engagement portion 222, and a lever member 23 that is arranged to be retractable relative to the first blade member 21, and an engagement hole 225 is formed in the connecting engagement portion 222 into which the lever member 23 protruding from the first blade member 21 enters and engages.

[0054] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the first blade member 21 of the locking hinge 2 according to the embodiment, and FIG. 7 is a side view of the first blade member 21 (which may also be considered a rear side view of the first blade member 21).

[0055] The first blade member 21 is fixedly attached to the outer surface (i.e., the outer surface in the left-right direction) of the upper side panel 8A at a position spanning the lower end portion of the intermediate frame member 87 of the upper side panel 8A and the central portion in the front-to-rear direction of the lower horizontal frame member 84 (i.e., the horizontal frame member 84 to which the intermediate hinge 81 is attached).

[0056] The first blade member 21 has a lever holding portion 211 , a first fixing portion 212 , and a first connecting portion 213 .

[0057] The lever holding portion 211 slidably holds the lever member 23. The lever holding portion 211 is formed as a band-shaped recess that is recessed toward the right side in the example shown in the figure (which can also be considered as the front side of the locking hinge 2) along the longitudinal direction (i.e., the up-down direction) of the intermediate frame member 87 of the upper side plate 8A, and holds the lever member 23 in the band-shaped recess. The lever holding portion 211 is a band-shaped recess when viewed from the left side in the example shown in the figure (which can also be considered as the back side of the locking hinge 2), and is a band-shaped protrusion when viewed from the right side in the example shown in the figure (which can also be considered as the front side of the locking hinge 2).

[0058] The lever holding portion 211 holds the lever member 23 in a position in which the longitudinal direction of the lever member 23 is aligned with the longitudinal direction (i.e., the up-down direction) of the intermediate frame member 87 of the upper side panel 8A, so that the lever member 23 can move (in other words, slide) along the longitudinal direction of the lever member 23.

[0059] At the upper end of the band-shaped recess serving as the lever holding portion 211, at the center position in the front-rear direction, a first protrusion 214 is formed which protrudes leftward (also referred to as the reverse side of the locking hinge 2).

[0060] Within the band-shaped recess serving as the lever holding portion 211, a second protrusion 215 is formed below the first protrusion 214 at a central position in the front-to-rear direction, protruding toward the left (which can also be said to be the reverse side of the locking hinge 2).

[0061] A support portion 216 is provided at the lower end portion of the band-shaped recess serving as the lever holding portion 211, and is bridged over the recess in the front-rear direction.

[0062] In this embodiment, since it is assumed that the first blade member 21 is attached to the outer surface of the upper side plate 8A (specifically, the outer surfaces of the intermediate frame member 87 and the horizontal frame member 84), the first blade member 21 does not have a member covering the band-shaped recess serving as the lever holding portion 211. Regarding this configuration, taking into consideration the mounting manner and usage manner of the locking hinge 2, the first blade member 21 may be configured to have a member covering the band-shaped recess serving as the lever holding portion 211 (in other words, the lever holding portion 211 may be configured to have a through hole).

[0063] The first fixing parts 212 are formed on both sides in the front-rear direction of the lever holding part 211. Each of the first fixing parts 212 is formed in a plate shape connected to each of both ends in the front-rear direction of the lever holding part 211, and specifically, the plate surface is formed in a plate shape along the front-rear direction and the up-down direction.

[0064] Each of the first fixing portions 212 has fastening holes 217 formed therein, penetrating the plate-shaped first fixing portion 212 in the left-right direction (in the example shown in the figures, two holes are formed in each of the first fixing portions 212). The first blade member 21 is fixed and attached to the upper side plate 8A (specifically, the intermediate frame member 87 and the horizontal frame member 84) by rivets (not shown in Figs. 4 to 7) that engage with the fastening holes 217, respectively.

[0065] The first connecting portion 213 holds the connecting shaft 24 by inserting it therethrough (in other words, penetrating it). The first connecting portion 213 is provided connected to the lower end of the first fixed portion 212. In other words, the first connecting portion 213 is not provided below the lever holding portion 211, but is provided below the lever holding portion 211, in front and rear of the lever holding portion 211, as a pair.

[0066] A through hole 218 whose axial direction is along the front-rear direction is formed in each of the pair of front and rear first connecting portions 213.

[0067] A gap 219 is defined between the pair of front and rear first connecting portions 213 (that is, below the lever holding portion 211).

[0068] The upper end 211a of the band-shaped recess serving as the lever holding portion 211 is open upward in front and behind the first protrusion 214, and the lower end 211b is open to a gap 219 between the wall constituting the band-shaped recess and the support portion 216. In addition, the rear end of the through-hole 218 of the front first connecting portion 213 of the pair of front and rear portions opens to the gap 219, and the front end of the through-hole 218 of the rear first connecting portion 213 opens to the gap 219.

[0069] FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the second blade member 22 of the locking hinge 2 according to the embodiment, and FIG. 9 is a side view of the second blade member 22 (which may also be considered a rear side view of the second blade member 22).

[0070] The second blade member 22 is fixedly attached to the outer surface (i.e., the outer surface in the left-right direction) of the lower side panel 8B, at the central portion in the front-to-rear direction of the upper horizontal frame member 84 (i.e., the horizontal frame member 84 to which the intermediate hinge 81 is attached) of the lower side panel 8B.

[0071] The second blade member 22 has a second fixing portion 221 , a connecting engagement portion 222 , and a second connecting portion 223 .

[0072] The second fixing portion 221 is formed in a generally plate-like shape, and more specifically, the plate surface is formed in a generally plate-like shape along the front-rear direction and the up-down direction.

[0073] Fastening holes 224 are formed in the second fixing portion 221 so as to penetrate the generally plate-shaped second fixing portion 221 in the left-right direction (in the example shown in the figures, two holes are formed at each end in the front-rear direction). The second blade member 22 is fixed and attached to the lower side plate 8B (specifically, the horizontal frame member 84) by rivets (not shown in Figs. 4, 5, 8, and 9) that engage with the fastening holes 224, respectively.

[0074] The connecting engagement portion 222 engages with a portion of the lever member 23 near the tip (i.e., a portion near the lower end) by being inserted therein. The connecting engagement portion 222 is provided connected to the upper end of the center portion of the second fixed portion 221 in the front-rear direction.

[0075] The connecting engagement portion 222 has an engagement hole 225, into which a portion of the lever member 23 near the tip (ie, a portion near the lower end) enters to engage.

[0076] The engagement hole 225 is formed as a long hole extending in the front-rear direction, opening upward, and drilled along the longitudinal direction (i.e., the up-down direction) of the intermediate frame member 87 of the lower side plate 8B and the intermediate frame member 87 of the upper side plate 8A. The engagement hole 225 may be formed in any manner as long as it allows the portion of the lever member 23 near the tip (i.e., the portion near the lower end) to enter and engage with the engagement hole, and may be formed, for example, as a hole penetrating the connecting engagement portion 222 in the up-down direction, or as a recessed portion opening upward.

[0077] The connecting engagement portion 222 also supports the connecting shaft 24. The connecting engagement portion 222 is formed with a fitting hole 226 whose axial direction is aligned with the front-rear direction.

[0078] That is, the connecting engagement portion 222 functions as a connecting portion for connecting the second blade member 22 to the first blade member 21, and also functions as an engagement portion for engaging with the lever member 23.

[0079] A band-shaped recess 229 is formed along the vertical direction below the connecting engagement portion 222 on the surface of the second fixing portion 221 on the right side in the example shown in the figure (which can also be said to be the front side of the locking hinge 2).

[0080] The second connecting portion 223 holds the connecting shaft 24 by inserting it therethrough (in other words, penetrating therethrough). The second connecting portion 223 is provided connected to the upper ends of both end portions in the front-rear direction of the second fixed portion 221. That is, the second connecting portions 223 are provided in front and behind the connecting engagement portion 222 as a pair of front and rear connecting portions.

[0081] A through hole 228 whose axial direction is along the front-rear direction is formed in each of the pair of front and rear second connecting portions 223.

[0082] A pair of front and rear gaps 227 are defined between the connecting engagement portion 222 and each of the pair of front and rear second connecting portions 223.

[0083] A front end of the fitting hole 226 of the connecting engagement portion 222 opens into the gap 227, and a rear end of the fitting hole 226 opens into the gap 227. In addition, a rear end of the through hole 228 of the front second connecting portion 223 of the pair of front and rear portions opens into the gap 227, and a front end of the through hole 228 of the rear second connecting portion 223 opens into the gap 227.

[0084] The pair of front and rear first connecting portions 213 of the first blade member 21 are inserted into the pair of front and rear gaps 227 of the second blade member 22. With the pair of front and rear first connecting portions 213 of the first blade member 21 inserted into the pair of front and rear gaps 227 of the second blade member 22, the connecting engagement portion 222 of the second blade member 22 is inserted into the gap 219 of the first blade member 21.

[0085] At this time, the axis of the through hole 218 of each of the pair of front and rear first connecting portions 213 of the first blade member 21, the axis of the fitting hole 226 of the connecting engagement portion 222 of the second blade member 22, and the axis of the through hole 228 of each of the pair of front and rear second connecting portions 223 of the second blade member 22 are all coaxial.

[0086] The connecting shaft 24 is disposed such that its axial direction is along the front-rear direction, and rotatably connects the first blade member 21 and the second blade member 22 to each other. The connecting shafts 24 are disposed as a pair, front and rear, in front and rear of the engagement hole 225 of the connecting engagement portion 222 of the second blade member 22.

[0087] The front connecting shaft 24 of the pair of front and rear shafts passes through the through hole 228 of the second connecting portion 223 of the second blade member 22 and the through hole 218 of the first connecting portion 213 of the first blade member 21, and its tip (i.e., rear end) portion is pushed into and engages with the mating hole 226 of the connecting engagement portion 222 of the second blade member 22, and is fixed to the extent that it will not easily come out.

[0088] The rear connecting shaft 24 of the pair of front and rear shafts passes through the through hole 228 of the rear second connecting portion 223 of the second blade member 22 and the through hole 218 of the rear first connecting portion 213 of the first blade member 21, and its tip (i.e., front end) portion is pushed into and engages with the mating hole 226 of the connecting engagement portion 222 of the second blade member 22, and is fixed to the extent that it will not easily come out.

[0089] In the example shown in the figure, the fitting hole 226 of the connecting engagement part 222 of the second blade member 22 communicates with the engagement hole 225, and is formed as a through hole that extends over the entire connecting engagement part 222 in the front-rear direction. In this configuration, the fitting hole 226 of the connecting engagement part 222 may be in any mode as long as it can fit and fix the tip part of the connecting shaft 24 to support it, and may be formed, for example, as a recess formed in front of the engagement hole 225 of the connecting engagement part 222 and whose front end opens into the gap 227, and a recess formed behind the engagement hole 225 of the connecting engagement part 222 and whose rear end opens into the gap 227 (in this case, the fitting hole 226 does not communicate with the engagement hole 225).

[0090] In the example shown in the figure, when viewed along the axial direction of the connecting shaft 24 (i.e., the front-to-rear direction), the axial position of the connecting shaft 24 (as well as the axial position of the through hole 218 of the first connecting portion 213 of the first blade member 21, the axial position of the fitting hole 226 of the connecting engagement portion 222 of the second blade member 22, and the axial position of the through hole 228 of the second connecting portion 223 of the second blade member 22) and the position of the engagement hole 225 of the connecting engagement portion 222 of the second blade member 22 are aligned along the direction of the plate surface of the second blade member 22 (specifically, the up-down direction) (also, the fitting hole 226 is connected to the engagement hole 225). With regard to this configuration, when viewed along the axial direction (i.e., the front-to-rear direction) of the connecting shaft 24, the axial position of the connecting shaft 24 and the position of the engagement hole 225 of the connecting engagement portion 222 of the second blade member 22 may not coincide along the direction of the plate surface of the second blade member 22 (specifically, the up-down direction) (and the fitting hole 226 may not communicate with the engagement hole 225).

[0091] In the example shown in the figure, the first connecting portion 213 of the first blade member 21 is provided as a pair of front and rear portions, and the second connecting portion 223 of the second blade member 22 is provided as a pair of front and rear portions (the connecting shaft 24 is also arranged as a pair of front and rear portions). With this configuration, the first connecting portion 213 of the first blade member 21 may be provided only in front of the lever holding portion 211 below the lever holding portion 211, and the second connecting portion 223 of the second blade member 22 may be provided only in front of the connecting engagement portion 222, or the first connecting portion 213 of the first blade member 21 may be provided only behind the lever holding portion 211 below the lever holding portion 211, and the second connecting portion 223 of the second blade member 22 may be provided only behind the connecting engagement portion 222. Even with such a structure, the first blade member 21 and the second blade member 22 can be connected to each other so as to be rotatable.

[0092] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the lever member 23 of the locking hinge 2 according to the embodiment, and FIG. 11 is a side view of the lever member 23 (which may also be considered a rear side view of the lever member 23).

[0093] The lever member 23 has a handle portion 231 , a main body portion 232 , and a locking portion 233 .

[0094] The handle portion 231 is a portion that is grasped by a user when operating (e.g., pulling up) the lever member 23. The handle portion 231 may have any shape that is easy for a user to grasp, and in the example shown in the figure, it is formed in a rounded rectangular ring shape when viewed along the left-right direction.

[0095] The main body portion 232 is connected to the lower end of the handle portion 231, and is provided with its longitudinal direction aligned along the up-down direction.

[0096] The first storage portion 234 is formed as a space penetrating the main body portion 232 in the left-right direction at the upper end position of the main body portion 232 (that is, at a position adjacent to the handle portion 231).

[0097] The second accommodating portion 235 is formed below the first accommodating portion 234, in a portion ranging from near the vertical center of the main body portion 232 to near the lower end, as a space penetrating the main body portion 232 in the left-right direction.

[0098] The portion between the first storage section 234 and the second storage section 235 that serves as a wall dividing these two storage sections (234, 235) is referred to as a "partition wall 236."

[0099] The locking portion 233 is provided adjacent to the lower end of the main body portion 232. The locking portion 233 is formed in a band-like shape extending downward from the lower end of the main body portion 232, with the plate surface aligned in the front-rear direction and the up-down direction.

[0100] The lever member 23 is inserted into and held in a band-shaped recess serving as a lever holding portion 211 of the first blade member 21.

[0101] At this time, first convex portion 214 of first blade member 21 enters first housing portion 234 of lever member 23, and second convex portion 215 of first blade member 21 enters second housing portion 235 of lever member 23. Also, locking portion 233 of lever member 23 enters between the wall constituting the band-shaped recess as lever holding portion 211 and support portion 216 (further, this is open to gap 219).

[0102] The biasing member 25 is disposed so as to be interposed between the second protrusion 215 of the first blade member 21 and the lower end of the second housing portion 235 of the lever member 23. The biasing member 25 applies a downward biasing force to the lever member 23 between the first blade member 21 and the lever member 23. In other words, the biasing member 25 exerts a biasing force on the lever member 23 in a direction that causes the lever member 23 to protrude from the first blade member 21.

[0103] Furthermore, a partition wall 236 between the first housing portion 234 and the second housing portion 235 of the lever member 23 is located between the first convex portion 214 and the second convex portion 215 of the first blade member 21. The lever member 23 moves along the longitudinal direction of the lever member 23, with the longitudinal direction of the lever member 23 aligned with the longitudinal direction (i.e., the up-down direction) of the intermediate frame member 87 of the upper side plate 8A, between a position where the lower end face of the partition wall 236 abuts against the upper end face of the second convex portion 215 of the first blade member 21 (see FIG. 5) and a position where the upper end face of the partition wall 236 abuts against the lower end face of the first convex portion 214 of the first blade member 21 (see FIG. 12).

[0104] When the lower end surface of partition wall 236 of lever member 23 abuts against the upper end surface of second protrusion 215 of first blade member 21, a portion of locking portion 233 near the tip (i.e., a portion near the lower end) protrudes from the opening of lower end 211b of lever holding portion 211 of first blade member 21 (see FIG. 5). When the upper end surface of partition wall 236 of lever member 23 abuts against the lower end surface of first protrusion 214 of first blade member 21, locking portion 233 retracts into lever holding portion 211 of first blade member 21 (see FIG. 12).

[0105] In addition, the biasing member 25 applies a downward biasing force to the lever member 23 between the first blade member 21, i.e., a biasing force is applied so that the lower end surface of the partition wall 236 abuts against the upper end surface of the second convex portion 215 of the first blade member 21.

[0106] (Operation of hinge with lock function) When the plate surface of the first fixing portion 212 of the first blade member 21 and the plate surface of the second fixing portion 221 of the second blade member 22 are parallel to each other, the opening of the lower end 211b of the lever holding portion 211 of the first blade member 21 and the opening of the engagement hole 225 of the connecting engagement portion 222 of the second blade member 22 face each other (specifically, they face each other in the vertical direction; see Figure 5).

[0107] In this case, due to the biasing force of the biasing member 25, the lower end surface of the partition wall 236 of the lever member 23 is pressed against the upper end surface of the second convex portion 215 of the first blade member 21, and the portion near the tip of the engagement portion 233 (i.e., the portion near the lower end) protrudes from the opening at the lower end 211b of the lever holding portion 211 of the first blade member 21 (see Figure 5).

[0108] Then, a portion of the engaging portion 233 protruding from the first blade member 21 near the tip (i.e., a portion near the bottom end) enters and engages with the engaging hole 225 of the connecting engaging portion 222 of the second blade member 22 (see FIG. 5). As a result, the first blade member 21 and the second blade member 22 cannot rotate relative to each other, the rotational movement of the hinge is locked, and the locking hinge 2 enters a locked state.

[0109] When the user grasps the handle portion 231 from the locked state of the locking hinge 2 and pulls up the lever member 23 against the biasing force of the biasing member 25 until the upper end surface of the partition wall 236 abuts the lower end surface of the first convex portion 214 of the first blade member 21, the engaging portion 233 retracts into the lever holding portion 211 of the first blade member 21 (see Figure 12).

[0110] Then, the portion of the engaging portion 233 near the tip (i.e., the portion near the bottom end) is pulled out of the engaging hole 225 of the connecting engaging portion 222 of the second blade member 22, and the engagement is released (see FIG. 12). This allows the first blade member 21 and the second blade member 22 to rotate relative to each other, the lock on the rotational movement as a hinge is released, and the locking hinge 2 enters an unlocked state.

[0111] When the first blade member 21 and the second blade member 22 rotate relative to each other in the unlocked state so that the plate surface of the first fixed portion 212 of the first blade member 21 and the plate surface of the second fixed portion 221 of the second blade member 22 are not parallel to each other, the opening of the lower end 211b of the lever holding portion 211 of the first blade member 21 does not face the opening of the engagement hole 225 of the connecting engagement portion 222 of the second blade member 22, but faces the circumferential surface of the connecting engagement portion 222 of the second blade member 22 (i.e., the circumferential surface other than the opening of the engagement hole 225).

[0112] For this reason, although the biasing force of the biasing member 25 causes the lever member 23 to move in a direction in which the lower end surface of the partition wall 236 abuts against the upper end surface of the second protrusion 215 of the first blade member 21, the tip of the engagement portion 233 abuts against the circumferential surface of the connecting engagement portion 222 of the second blade member 22 (i.e., the circumferential surface other than the opening of the engagement hole 225), and the engagement portion 233 cannot move from the state in which it is retracted within the lever holding portion 211 of the first blade member 21.

[0113] When the tip of the locking portion 233 of the lever member 23 abuts against the peripheral surface of the connecting engagement portion 222 of the second blade member 22 (i.e., the peripheral surface other than the opening of the engagement hole 225), it can slide against the peripheral surface. Therefore, the first blade member 21 and the second blade member 22 can rotate relative to each other within a range in which their plate surfaces are not parallel.

[0114] The first blade member 21 and the second blade member 22 can rotate relative to each other until their respective right sides (which can also be said to be the front sides of the locking hinge 2) in the example shown in the figure are closed together. When the respective faces of the first blade member 21 and the second blade member 22 are closed together, the lever holding portion 211 of the first blade member 21 (which is a belt-shaped protrusion when viewed from the right side in the example shown in the figure) enters a belt-shaped recess 229 formed in the second fixing portion 221 of the second blade member 22.

[0115] Furthermore, when the lever member 23 is not operated by the user (and therefore no external force is acting on the lever member 23), the first blade member 21 and the second blade member 22 rotate relative to each other and the plate surfaces of the first fixed portion 212 and the second fixed portion 221 become parallel to each other, the opening of the lower end 211b of the lever holding portion 211 of the first blade member 21 and the opening of the engagement hole 225 of the connecting engagement portion 222 of the second blade member 22 face each other (specifically, face each other in the vertical direction), and due to the biasing force of the biasing member 25, the portion near the tip of the locking portion 233 (i.e., the portion near the lower end) protrudes from the opening of the lower end 211b of the lever holding portion 211 of the first blade member 21 and enters into and engages with the engagement hole 225 of the connecting engagement portion 222 of the second blade member 22 (see Figure 5).

[0116] In other words, when the plate surface of the first fixing portion 212 of the first blade member 21 and the plate surface of the second fixing portion 221 of the second blade member 22 change from a non-parallel state to a parallel state, the locking function-equipped hinge 2 automatically enters a locked state due to the biasing force of the biasing member 25.

[0117] However, the provision of the biasing member 25 is not a required configuration in the present invention, and when the plate surface of the first fixing portion 212 of the first blade member 21 and the plate surface of the second fixing portion 221 of the second blade member 22 are parallel to each other, the user can grasp the handle portion 231 and push down the lever member 23, causing the portion near the tip of the engaging portion 233 (i.e., the portion near the bottom end) to enter and engage with the engaging hole 225 of the connecting engaging portion 222 of the second blade member 22, thereby locking the hinge with locking function 2.

[0118] As described above, the upper handle 63 is attached to the center position in the longitudinal direction (in other words, the axial direction, the front-to-rear direction) of the left and right frame members 61 of the upper frame 6. Furthermore, the locking hinge 2 serving as the locking means for the upper side plate 8A and the lower side plate 8B is provided at the center position in the longitudinal direction (in other words, the axial direction, the front-to-rear direction) of each of the horizontal frame members 84 of the upper and lower side plates 8A, 8B. Therefore, the upper handle 63 of the upper frame 6 and the handle portion 231 of the lever member 23 of the locking hinge 2 serving as the locking means for the left and right side plates 8 are arranged vertically aligned (and relatively close to each other).

[0119] Furthermore, the locking hinge 2 is provided at a bending portion when the upper side plate 8A and the lower side plate 8B are folded. When the folding container 3 is assembled and used, the engaging portion 233 of the lever member 23 enters the engaging hole 225 of the connecting engaging portion 222 of the second blade member 22, the locking hinge 2 is in a locked state, and the upper side plate 8A and the lower side plate 8B are in an unbendable state. When the folding container 3 is folded, the engaging portion 233 of the lever member 23 is pulled out of the engaging hole 225 of the connecting engaging portion 222 of the second blade member 22, the locking hinge 2 is in an unlocked state, and the upper side plate 8A and the lower side plate 8B are in a bendable state.

[0120] A locking means (specifically, a hinge 2 with a locking function) is provided between the upper side plate 8A and the lower side plate 8B, making it possible to control whether the upper side plate 8A and the lower side plate 8B can be bent or not, thereby preventing the upper side plate 8A and the lower side plate 8B from being unintentionally folded.

[0121] In addition, by incorporating a spacer structure into the intermediate hinge 81, a gap is ensured between the upper side plate 8A and the lower side plate 8B, thereby avoiding interference with the locking hinge 2 when the upper side plate 8A and the lower side plate 8B are folded (in other words, a space to accommodate the locking hinge 2 is ensured).

[0122] (Side panel locking mechanism) Fig. 13 is a perspective view showing an installation mode of the locking mechanism 1 for side plates provided on the folding container 3. Figs. 14 and 15 are cross-sectional views showing an outline of the overall configuration of the locking mechanism 1 for side plates, Fig. 14 showing a state in which the engaging portion of the latch member is protruding, and Fig. 15 showing a state in which the engaging portion of the latch member is retracted. The locking mechanism 1 for side plates will be described based on the posture of each part when the folding container 3 is assembled and used (specifically, the posture of each part in Figs. 1 to 3). In other words, the posture of each part in the following description of the locking mechanism 1 for side plates may not match the posture of each part when the folding container 3 is folded. Fig. 16 is an exploded and assembled view explaining the structure of the locking mechanism 1 for side plates.

[0123] The side panel locking mechanism 1 is provided on each of a pair of front and rear side panels 7 that are arranged opposite each other between a rectangular frame 41 and a rectangular upper frame 6 arranged above the base frame 41 and are rotatable relative to the base frame 41, and has a latch member 11 that can be inserted and removed from an upper frame member 75 of the front and rear side panel frames 71 of the front and rear side panels 7 and engages with the upper frame 6 while protruding from the upper frame member 75, and an operating bolt 12 serving as an operating part for releasing the engaged state of the latch member 11 is operated from inside the space surrounded by the base frame 41 and the upper frame 6.

[0124] The side plate locking mechanism 1 is provided straddling the upper end portions of the intermediate frame members 72 of the front and rear side plates 7 and the upper frame members 75 of the front and rear side plate frames 71, and mainly has a latch member 11, an operating bolt 12, a nut 13, a nut receiving member 14, a biasing member 15, and a support member 16. Note that Fig. 13 is a perspective view showing an installation mode of the side plate locking mechanism 1 provided on the front and rear side plates 7 of the folding container 3, and Figs. 14 and 15 are cross-sectional views of the side plate locking mechanism 1 provided on the front and rear side plates 7 of the folding container 3.

[0125] The support member 16 is disposed at a position near the upper end inside the intermediate frame member 72 of the front and rear side plates 7 , and is a member that supports the lower end of the biasing member 15 .

[0126] The support member 16 is disposed so as to remain at a predetermined position inside the intermediate frame member 72 by utilizing a fixing nut 77b into which a bolt 77a for attaching the front and rear side panel handle 77 to the intermediate frame member 72 is screwed. Specifically, the fixing nut 77b is attached by penetrating the outer wall of the intermediate frame member 72 (i.e., the outer side with respect to the front and rear side panels 7; the front side in Figures 14 and 15) with an end of the fixing nut 77b protruding into the intermediate frame member 72, and the front end portion of the lower surface of the support member 16 abuts against the end of the fixing nut 77b, thereby disposing the support member 16 so as to remain at a predetermined position inside the intermediate frame member 72.

[0127] The manner of arrangement of the support member 16 (particularly the method of fixing its position) is not limited to the manner and method in the example shown in the figure, and other manners and methods may be used, such as, for example, fixing its position by screwing the tip of a screw that penetrates the outer wall or inner wall of the intermediate frame member 72 into the support member 16, or by forming a protrusion inside the intermediate frame member 72 against which the lower surface / lower end of the support member 16 can abut.

[0128] The biasing member 15 is disposed above the support member 16, and while its lower end is supported by the upper surface of the support member 16, the biasing member 15 biases the latch member 11 disposed above it upward.

[0129] As the biasing member 15, for example, a compression coil spring is used as in the example shown in the drawing. However, the biasing member 15 is not limited to a compression coil spring, and may be other members or mechanisms as long as they can exert an upward biasing force.

[0130] The nut receiving member 14 is disposed above the biasing member 15 and functions as a receiving member for the nut 13 for attaching the operating bolt 12 to the latch member 11, and has a lower surface that abuts against the upper end of the biasing member 15 to transmit the upward biasing force of the biasing member 15 to the latch member 11. The nut receiving member 14 is provided slidably against the inner wall surface of the intermediate frame member 72 of the front and rear side plates 7.

[0131] The member designated by the symbol 78 in Figures 14 and 15 is a frame connecting member for connecting the upper frame member 75 of the front and rear side panel frames 71 to the intermediate frame member 72, and a portion of the upper surface of the nut receiving member 14 abuts against the lower end of the frame connecting member 78, thereby restricting movement of the nut receiving member 14 above a predetermined position inside the intermediate frame member 72.

[0132] The nut receiving member 14 has a hole 141 (a through hole in the illustrated example) along the front-rear direction, and the nut 13 is fitted into this hole 141.

[0133] The operating bolt 12 is attached to the latch member 11 and is a member that is directly operated when operating the latch member 11. The threaded portion of the operating bolt 12 passes through a through hole 112 formed in the latch member 11, and the tip portion is screwed into a nut 13. The head of the operating bolt 12 protrudes from a long hole 721, which is a through-hole-like opening along the longitudinal direction (in other words, the axial direction, the up-down direction) of the intermediate frame member 72 and is formed on the inner wall of the intermediate frame member 72 (i.e., the inner wall with respect to the front and rear side plates 7; the rear side in Figs. 13 to 15), and is held by a user when operating the latch member 11. The operating bolt 12 (particularly the head) is, in other words, an operating portion of the locking mechanism 1 of the side plate, protrudes into the inside of the space surrounded by the base frame 41 and the upper frame 6 of the base 4, and is operated from the inside of the space surrounded by the base frame 41 and the upper frame 6 of the base 4.

[0134] The latch member 11 is a member that engages with the front and rear frame members 62 of the upper frame 6 and acts to maintain the front and rear side panels 7 in a vertically standing state together with the upper right-angle connecting member 66. An engaged portion 621 (specifically, a through hole formed in the lower wall of the front and rear frame members 62) with which the latch member 11 engages is provided on the lower surface of the front and rear frame members 62 of the upper frame 6 at a central position in the longitudinal direction (in other words, the axial direction, the left-right direction) of the front and rear frame members 62.

[0135] The latch member 11 has a strip-shaped main body 111 with a through hole 112 formed in a position near the lower end of the main body 111, and an engagement portion 113 at the upper end of the main body 111, which has a portion that is thicker in the front-to-rear direction than the main body 111 and has a downward slope facing outward with respect to the front and rear side plates 7 (facing forward in Figs. 13 to 15). The inner surface of the engagement portion 113 with respect to the front and rear side plates 7 (the rear surface in Figs. 13 to 15) is formed approximately vertically.

[0136] The latch member 11 has an operating bolt 12 attached to its lower end via a through hole 112 and a nut 13, and is configured so that the engagement portion 113 can protrude and retract relative to the upper frame member 75 of the front and rear side plate frames 71 (i.e., protrudes from the top surface of the upper frame member 75 and retracts into the upper frame member 75) while receiving an upward biasing force from the biasing member 15 via the nut receiving member 14.

[0137] Specifically, when the operating bolt 12 is not operated by the user (and therefore when no external force is acting on the latch member 11 via the operating bolt 12), the engagement portion 113 of the latch member 11 protrudes from an opening 751 provided in the upper surface of the upper frame member 75 (see Figures 13 and 14), and when the operating bolt 12 is operated downward by the user, the engagement portion 113 retracts into the upper frame member 75 (see Figure 15). The operating bolt 12 (particularly, the head portion) is, in other words, an operating portion for releasing the engagement state of the side panel locking mechanism 1 (specifically, the latch member 11) with the front and rear frame members 62 of the upper frame 6.

[0138] In addition, when the front and rear side panels 7 fall onto the upper surface of the bottom plate of the base portion 4 and rotate from a position along the horizontal plane toward the outside of the base portion 4 to be stood up vertically, the engaging portion 113 of the latch member 11 protruding from the opening 751 on the upper surface of the upper frame member 75 (specifically, the downward slope facing outward from the front and rear side panels 7 (facing forward in Figures 13 to 15)) abuts against the lower ends of the front and rear frame members 62 of the upper frame body 6 and slides, temporarily retracting into the upper frame member 75 against the upward biasing force of the biasing member 15, and when it reaches the position of the engaged portion 621 provided on the underside of the front and rear frame members 62 of the upper frame body 6, the upward biasing force of the biasing member 15 causes it to protrude from the opening 751 on the upper surface of the upper frame member 75 and enter the engaged portion 621.

[0139] An upward biasing force is applied to the latch member 11 by the biasing member 15, and the inner surface of the engaging portion 113 with respect to the front and rear side plates 7 (the rear surface in Figs. 13 to 15) is formed substantially vertically. Therefore, once the engaging portion 113 enters the engaged portion 621, the engaging portion 113 will remain in the engaged portion 621 even if an external force toward the inside of the base portion 4 (rearward in Figs. 13 to 15) acts on the front and rear side plates 7, unless the operating bolt 12 is operated downward. As a result, the front and rear side plates 7 will remain locked to the front and rear frame members 62.

[0140] This prevents the front and rear side plates 7 from tilting inwardly of the base portion 4. The front and rear side plates 7 are also prevented from tilting outwardly of the base portion 4 by the upper corners of the front and rear side plates 7 abutting against the lower portions of the upper right-angled connecting members 66 that protrude downward below the undersides of the front and rear frame members 62. Therefore, the front and rear side plates 7 are maintained in a vertically standing state.

[0141] Here, since the side plate lock mechanism 1 is constructed by combining small parts, it can be assembled and incorporated into the front and rear side plates 7 by using the long hole 721 provided on the inner surface of the intermediate frame member 72 and the opening 751 provided on the top surface of the upper frame member 75, and can be disassembled for repair or replacement in the event of a malfunction. Specifically, the support member 16 and the urging member 15 are inserted in order into the intermediate frame member 72 from the long hole 721 provided on the inner surface of the intermediate frame member 72, and further, the nut receiving member 14 with the nut 13 fitted in the hole 141 is inserted. Then, the latch member 11 is inserted into the intermediate frame member 72 through the opening 751 provided on the top surface of the upper frame member 75 so that the lower end portion of the latch member 11 reaches the nut receiving member 14 (specifically, the through hole 112 of the latch member 11 reaches the nut 13). Then, the operating bolt 12 is inserted through the long hole 721 provided on the inner surface of the intermediate frame member 72, and the threaded portion of the operating bolt 12 is threaded through the through hole 112 of the latch member 11 and into the nut 13. This completes the assembly of the side plate locking mechanism 1. The side plate locking mechanism 1 is disassembled by reversing the assembly procedure. The nut 13 and the nut receiving member 14 are connecting members for attaching the operating bolt 12 as the operating part to the latch member 11 (in other words, connecting the operating bolt 12 as the operating part and the latch member 11), and may be formed as an integrated member.

[0142] (Folding and assembly procedures for folding containers) The folding and assembling procedures for the foldable container 3 will be described with reference to Figures 17 and 18. Note that Figures 17 and 18 are schematic diagrams showing the relationships and movements of the various parts to explain the folding and assembling procedures for the foldable container 3, and do not precisely show the structure of each part in detail.

[0143] To fold the folding container 3 from its assembled state (i.e., the state shown in Figures 1 to 3; see Figure 17(A)), first, one of the pair of door panels 9A of the lid portion 9 is rotated upward to open half of the top surface of the folding container 3 (specifically, the half on the side of the rotated door panel 9A).

[0144] Next, the locking by the side plate locking mechanism 1 is released, and the front and rear side plates 7 on the side of the rotated door plate 9A are folded inwardly of the base part 4. The locking by the side plate locking mechanism 1 is released (i.e., the front and rear side plates 7 are released from their fixed position) by pinching the head of the operating bolt 12 protruding inside the base part 4 and pushing down the operating bolt 12. This operation can be performed very easily, since it is only necessary to rotate the door plate 9A and then operate the operating bolt 12 of the side plate locking mechanism 1 located at the top of the front and rear side plates 7 downward. Once the locking by the side plate locking mechanism 1 has been released, the front and rear side plates 7 can be folded simply by grabbing the front and rear side plate handles 77 and folding them inwardly of the base part 4.

[0145] Before folding the other front / rear side panel 7, the door panel 9A on the side of the folded front / rear side panel 7 (i.e., the door panel 9A in an open state after being rotated upward) is rotated to cover the top surface of the foldable container 3. During the folding operation of one front / rear side panel 7, the other front / rear side panel 7 is locked and fixed by the side panel lock mechanism 1, so that it will not fold unexpectedly.

[0146] Next, the other of the pair of door panels 9A of the lid portion 9 is rotated upward to open half of the top surface of the folding container 3 (specifically, the half on the side of the other rotated door panel 9A), the side panel locking mechanism 1 is released from its engagement, and the front and rear side panels 7 on the side of the other rotated door panel 9A are folded inward toward the inside of the base portion 4.

[0147] After the other front and rear side panel 7 is folded, the door panel 9A on the side of the other front and rear side panel 7 (i.e., the door panel 9A that has been rotated upward and is in an open state) is rotated to cover the top surface of the foldable container 3. As a result, both of the pair of front and rear side panels 7 are laid down and folded (see FIG. 17(B) ; both of the pair of door panels 9A of the lid 9 are in a closed state).

[0148] Even when the locking mechanism 1 for the side panels is released and both of the pair of front and rear side panels 7 are folded up, the upper side panel 8A and the lower side panel 8B of the left and right side panels 8 are locked and fixed to each other by the hinges 2 with locking function, so that the upper side panel 8A and the lower side panel 8B do not bend in the middle and maintain their self-supporting state (thanks in part to the action of the lower right-angle connecting member 45 and the upper right-angle connecting member 66) and are not folded up.

[0149] Next, the lever member 23 of the locking hinge 2 of one of the pair of left and right side plates 8 (specifically, the left side in FIG. 18(A)) is pulled up to pull the engaging portion 233 out of the engagement hole 225 of the connecting engagement portion 222 of the second blade member 22 to release the lock, and the upper side plate 8A and the lower side plate 8B are bent to fold one of the left and right side plates 8 (see FIG. 18(A)). At this time, the user holds the upper handle 63 provided on the left and right frame members 61 of the upper frame 6 with one hand, and releases the lock by the locking hinge 2 with the other hand. As a result, since the upper frame 6 is supported with one hand, the left and right side plates 8 are not suddenly folded, and it is possible to prevent hands, feet, etc. from being pinched.

[0150] Even if the lock provided by the locking hinge 2 of one of the pair of left and right side panels 8 is released, the locking hinge 2 of the other left and right side panel 8 is in a locked state, so that the other left and right side panel 8 maintains a state in which the upper side panel 8A and the lower side panel 8B are connected in a flat plate shape without bending in the middle and function as a single left and right side panel 8.

[0151] Next, the lever member 23 of the locking hinge 2 of the other of the pair of left and right side plates 8 (specifically, the right side in FIG. 18(A)) is pulled up to pull the engaging portion 233 out of the engagement hole 225 of the connecting engagement portion 222 of the second blade member 22 to release the lock, and the upper side plate 8A and the lower side plate 8B are bent to fold the other left and right side plate 8 (see FIG. 18(B)). At this time, the user also holds the upper handle 63 provided on the left and right frame members 61 of the upper frame 6 with one hand, and releases the lock by the locking hinge 2 with the other hand. As a result, since the upper frame 6 is supported with one hand, the left and right side plates 8 are not suddenly folded, and it is possible to prevent hands, feet, etc. from being pinched.

[0152] As described above, the pair of left and right side panels 8 can be safely folded one by one, and the folding work can be performed by a single user. Furthermore, even if the container is relatively large, the folding work can be performed by a single user.

[0153] The folding container 3 in its folded state (see FIG. 18(B)) can be reassembled by generally reversing the above folding procedure.

[0154] First, the upper handle 63 of one of the pair of left and right side panels 8 is held with one hand and pulled up, stretching the folded (in other words, bent) upper side panel 8A and lower side panel 8B into a single flat plate shape. Then, due to the biasing force of the biasing member 25 of the locking hinge 2, the engaging portion 233 of the lever member 23 automatically enters the engaging hole 225 of the connecting engaging portion 222 of the second blade member 22, and the locking hinge 2 automatically enters the locked state (see FIG. 18(A)). As a result, even if the hand holding the upper handle 63 is released, the locking hinge 2 prevents the left and right side panels 8 from folding, and the left and right side panels 8 are not folded.

[0155] Moving to the other left or right side panel 8, the user holds the upper handle 63 of the other left or right side panel 8 with one hand and pulls it up, stretching the folded (in other words, bent) upper side panel 8A and lower side panel 8B into a single flat plate shape. Then, due to the biasing force of the biasing member 25 of the locking hinge 2, the engaging portion 233 of the lever member 23 automatically enters the engaging hole 225 of the connecting engaging portion 222 of the second blade member 22, and the locking hinge 2 automatically enters the locked state (see FIG. 17(B)). As a result, even if the hand holding the upper handle 63 is released, the locking hinges 2 on both the left and right sides prevent the left and right side panels 8 from folding, and neither of the pair of left and right side panels 8 will be folded.

[0156] In other words, since the upper side panel 8A and the lower side panel 8B of each pair of left and right side panels 8 are engaged and fixed to each other by the locking hinges 2, the upper side panel 8A and the lower side panel 8B will not bend in the middle, and (thanks in part to the action of the lower right-angle connecting member 45 and the upper right-angle connecting member 66) will maintain a self-supporting state and will not fold.

[0157] Next, the front and rear side plate handle 77 of one of the pair of front and rear side plates 7 lying on the upper surface of the bottom plate of the base portion 4 is grasped, and the front and rear side plate 7 is rotated toward the outside of the base portion 4 so as to stand it vertically. At this time, the engaging portion 113 (specifically, the outwardly downwardly sloping surface for the front and rear side plate 7) of the latch member 11 of the side plate lock mechanism 1 provided at the upper end portion of the front and rear side plate 7 protruding from the opening 751 provided on the upper surface of the upper frame member 75 abuts against the lower end of the front and rear frame members 62 of the upper frame 6 and slides, once retracting into the upper frame member 75 against the upward biasing force of the biasing member 15, and when it reaches the position of the engaged portion 621 provided on the lower surface of the front and rear frame members 62 of the upper frame 6, it protrudes from the opening 751 on the upper surface of the upper frame member 75 due to the upward biasing force of the biasing member 15 and enters the engaged portion 621. As a result, the front and rear side plates 7 are engaged with the front and rear frame members 62 of the upper frame 6 and locked, without the need to directly operate the side plate locking mechanisms 1. When the front and rear side plates 7 are rotated toward the outside of the base portion 4 and stood upright, the left and right corners of the upper end of the front and rear side plates 7 come into contact with lower portions of the upper right-angle connecting members 66 that protrude below the undersides of the front and rear frame members 62, thereby preventing the base portion 4 from tilting outward.

[0158] The operator moves to the other front and rear side plate 7 lying on the upper surface of the bottom plate of the base portion 4, grasps the front and rear side plate handle 77 of the other front and rear side plate 7, and rotates the front and rear side plate 7 toward the outside of the base portion 4 to stand it vertically (see FIG. 17(A)). At this time, the engaging portion 113 (specifically, the outwardly downwardly sloping surface for the front and rear side plate 7) of the latch member 11 of the side plate lock mechanism 1 provided at the upper end of the front and rear side plate 7 protrudes from the opening 751 provided in the upper surface of the upper frame member 75, abuts against the lower end of the front and rear frame members 62 of the upper frame 6, slides, and retracts once into the upper frame member 75 against the upward biasing force of the biasing member 15, and when it reaches the position of the engaged portion 621 provided on the lower surface of the front and rear frame members 62 of the upper frame 6, it protrudes from the opening 751 in the upper surface of the upper frame member 75 due to the upward biasing force of the biasing member 15 and enters the engaged portion 621. As a result, the front and rear side plates 7 are engaged with the front and rear frame members 62 of the upper frame 6 and locked, without the need to directly operate the side plate locking mechanisms 1. When the front and rear side plates 7 are rotated toward the outside of the base portion 4 and stood upright, the left and right corners of the upper end of the front and rear side plates 7 come into contact with lower portions of the upper right-angle connecting members 66 that protrude below the undersides of the front and rear frame members 62, thereby preventing the base portion 4 from tilting outward.

[0159] As described above, the pair of left and right side panels 8 can be safely assembled one by one, and the assembly work can be performed by a single user. Furthermore, even if the container is relatively large, the assembly work can be performed by a single user.

[0160] In addition, the head of the operating bolt 12, which is an operating part that operates the locking mechanism 1 of the side plates, protrudes inside the folding container 3 (in other words, the inside of the front and rear side plates 7, and the inside of the space surrounded by the base frame 41 of the base part 4 and the upper frame 6) so that the locking mechanism 1 of the side plates cannot be operated from the outside of the folding container 3 (in other words, the outside of the front and rear side plates 7, and the outside of the space surrounded by the base frame 41 of the base part 4 and the upper frame 6), so that the locking mechanism 1 of the side plates cannot be operated unless the door panel 9A of the lid part 9 is rotated to open the top of the folding container 3. For this reason, if the door panel 9A is locked, the front and rear side panels 7 cannot be unlocked and therefore items stored in the folding container 3 cannot be removed.

[0161] (Action and effect) According to the locking hinge 2 and the folding container 3 of the embodiment, it is possible to lock the rotational movement of the locking hinge 2 as a hinge, and it is also possible to fix or release the fixation of the mutual rotation (center folding) of the upper side plate 8A and the lower side plate 8B of the folding container 3 to which the locking hinge 2 is attached.

[0162] The above describes an embodiment of the present invention, but the specific configuration of the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and the present invention also includes embodiments in which modifications and changes are made to the above embodiment without departing from the gist of the present invention.

[0163] For example, in the above embodiment, the locking hinge 2 according to the embodiment of the present invention is applied to the folding container 3 according to the embodiment of the present invention. However, the application of the locking hinge according to the present invention is not limited to folding containers. The locking hinge according to the present invention can be applied as a mechanism for connecting various pairs of members to each other so that they can rotate, and for fixing the relative rotation of the pair of members or releasing the fixation of the relative rotation of the members.

[0164] In the above embodiment, when the plate surface of the first fixing portion 212 of the first blade member 21 and the plate surface of the second fixing portion 221 of the second blade member 22 are parallel to each other, in other words, when the angle between the blades as a hinge is 180°, the locking portion 233 of the lever member 23 enters and engages with the engagement hole 225 of the connecting engagement portion 222 of the second blade member 22, locking the rotational movement as a hinge and locking hinge 2 into a locked state. However, the angle between the plate surface of the first fixing portion 212 of the first blade member 21 and the plate surface of the second fixing portion 221 of the second blade member 22 when the locking hinge 2 is locked, in other words, the angle between the blades as a hinge, is not limited to the angle in the above embodiment and may be set to any angle as appropriate, for example, taking into consideration the scene of use of the locking hinge 2 and the use required depending on the situation. The opening angle between the wings of the locking hinge 2 as a hinge is adjusted by the position at which the engagement hole 225 is formed in the connecting engagement portion 222 of the second blade member 22 (i.e., the position of the opening of the engagement hole 225 on the circumferential surface of the connecting engagement portion 222).

[0165] In the above embodiment, the front and rear side plates 7 (their lower ends) are attached to the base portion 4 so as to be rotatable (in other words, so as to be able to rise and fall), and the side plate locking mechanism 1 is provided at the upper end of the front and rear side plate 7. Alternatively, the front and rear side plates 7 (their upper ends) may be attached to the upper frame 6 so as to be rotatable, and the side plate locking mechanism 1 may be provided at the lower end of the front and rear side plate 7. In this case, an engaged portion for engaging with the latch member 11 is provided on the upper surface of the front and rear frame members 43 of the base portion frame 41 of the base portion 4, and the latch member 11 engages with the front and rear frame members 43 of the base portion frame 41.

[0166] In the above embodiment, when the folding container 3 is folded and the pair of front and rear side plates 7 are in a state where they are folded inwardly of the base portion 4, the front and rear side plates 7 do not overlap each other, and both of the pair of front and rear side plates 7 directly fall onto the upper surface of the bottom plate of the base portion 4. Alternatively, when the folding container 3 is folded and the pair of front and rear side plates 7 are in a state where they are folded inwardly of the base portion 4, one of the pair of front and rear side plates 7 may directly fall onto the upper surface of the bottom plate of the base portion 4 and the other front and rear side plate 7 may fall onto the upper surface of the already fallen front and rear side plate 7, so that the front and rear side plates 7 overlap each other. In addition, in the description of the base frame 41 and upper frame 6 of the base portion 4, "rectangular frame shape" includes "square frame shape", and in the description of the front and rear side panel frames 71 of the front and rear side panels 7, the left and right side panel frames 82 of the upper side panel 8A and lower side panel 8B, and the door panel frame 92 of the door panel 9A, "rectangular frame shape" also includes "square frame shape".

[0167] In the above embodiment, the lid portion 9 is configured with a pair of door panels 9A each attached via two hinges 91 to a pair of front and rear frame members 62 of the upper frame 6. However, the lid portion 9 may be configured with a single door panel, or may be attached to the left and right frame members 61 of the upper frame 6 via one or more hinges. [Explanation of symbols]

[0168] 1 Side plate locking mechanism 11 Latch member 111 Main body 112 Through hole 113 Engagement part 12 Operating bolt 13 Nut 14 Nut receiving member 141 holes 15. Pressing member 16 Support member 2. Locking hinges 21 First blade member 211 Lever holder 211a top end 211b bottom end 212 1st fixed part 213 1st connection part 214 First convex part 215 Second convex part 216 Support part 217 Fastening hole 218 Through hole 219 Gap 22 Second blade member 221 Second fixed part 222 Connection engagement part 223 2nd connection part 224 Fastening hole 225 Engagement hole 226 Fitting hole 227 Gap 228 Through hole 229 Belt-shaped recess 23 Lever member 231 Toride 232 Main body 233 Locking part 234 First Storage Unit 235 Second Storage Unit 236 Partition Wall 24 Connecting shaft 25 Pressing member 3 Folding container 4 Base 41 Base frame 42 Left and right frame members 43 Front and rear frame members 44 Bottom hinge 45 Lower right angle joint member 5 Caster 51 Caster plate 6 Upper frame 61 Left and right frame members 62 Front and rear frame members 621 Engaged part 63 Upper Handle 64 Rotating bearing 65 Upper hinge 66 Upper right angle joint member 7 Front and rear side plates 71 Front and rear side panel frames 72 Intermediate frame member 721 Long hole Panel 73 74 Lower frame member 75 Upper frame member 751 Aperture 76 Hinge 77 Front and rear side panel handles 77a Bolt 77b Fixing nut 78 Frame connecting members 8 Left and right side plates 8A Upper side plate 8B Lower side panel 81 Intermediate hinge 82 Left and right side panel frames 83 Vertical frame member 84 Horizontal frame member Panel 85 87 Intermediate frame member 9 Lid 9A Door plate 91 Hinge 92 Door Panel Frame Panel 93 94 Lid handle 95 Recess

Claims

1. A first blade member; a second blade member including a connecting engagement portion and rotatably connected to the first blade member via the connecting engagement portion; a lever member provided so as to be capable of emerging and retracting from the first blade member, The connecting engagement portion is formed with an engagement hole into which the lever member protruding from the first blade member enters and engages. A hinge with a locking function.

2. a biasing member that applies a biasing force to the lever member in a direction that causes the lever member to protrude from the first blade member; 2. The hinge with a locking function according to claim 1.

3. When viewed along the axial direction of the connecting shaft supported by the connecting engagement portion, the axial position of the connecting shaft and the position of the engagement hole are aligned along the direction of the plate surface of the first blade member.

2. The hinge with a locking function according to claim 1.

4. A rectangular base frame; an upper frame body having a rectangular frame shape disposed above the base frame; a pair of front and rear side plates disposed between the base frame and the upper frame body so as to face each other in the front-rear direction; a pair of left and right side plates disposed between the base frame and the upper frame body and facing each other in the left-right direction; The front and rear side plates are rotatable relative to the base frame or the upper frame body, The left and right side plates are The device has an upper side plate and a lower side plate that are divided into upper and lower portions, the upper side plate is rotatable relative to the upper frame; the lower side plate is rotatable relative to the base frame, The upper side plate and the lower side plate are rotatable relative to each other via a hinge, a locking means for fixing the upper side plate and the lower side plate to each other in a flat shape so that the upper side plate and the lower side plate do not bend at the hinge; The locking means is A first blade member; a second blade member including a connecting engagement portion and rotatably connected to the first blade member via the connecting engagement portion; a lever member provided so as to be capable of emerging and retracting from the first blade member, The connecting engagement portion is formed with an engagement hole into which the lever member protruding from the first blade member enters and engages. A foldable container characterized by:

5. The locking means has a biasing member that applies a biasing force to the lever member in a direction that causes the lever member to protrude from the first blade member.

5. The foldable container according to claim 4.

6. When viewed along the axial direction of the connecting shaft supported by the connecting engagement portion, the axial position of the connecting shaft and the position of the engagement hole are aligned along the direction of the plate surface of the first blade member.

5. The foldable container according to claim 4.

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