Container

Abstract

To enhance the workability of container placement tasks while reducing the space needed for the containers, when placing the containers.SOLUTION: A container body (12) includes: a rectangular bottom wall section (14); the lateral side wall section (16) that rise from each edge of the bottom wall section (14); and the vertical side wall section (18). An extension section (20) is formed projecting outward from the upper side of the container body (12). The extension section (20) has concave parts (20d) that are recessed inward in plan view on both sides in the lateral or longitudinal direction, as well as convex parts (20s) that protrude outward in plan view. A part of the convex part (20s) constitutes the corners of the container body (12), and these corners have a curved surface.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a container for housing an item. [Background technology]

[0002] A container used for transporting or storing items in a logistics system has a box-shaped container body with an opening at the top. The container body has a rectangular bottom wall and side walls rising from each side of the bottom wall. The container also has a protruding portion formed on the upper side of the container body and protruding outward (see Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent Publication No. 2021-31076 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] With the recent development of logistics systems, the number of containers used for transporting goods and the like is increasing, and the placement space for containers arranged horizontally or vertically is expanding. Therefore, when containers are arranged horizontally or vertically, it is urgent to reduce the placement space for the containers.

[0005] Therefore, an object of one aspect of the present invention is to reduce the space required for placing containers when the containers are arranged horizontally or vertically while improving the workability of the container arrangement operation. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, a container according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises a container body having a rectangular bottom wall portion and side wall portions rising from each edge of the bottom wall portion, and opening at the top, and a protrusion portion formed on the upper edge side of the container body and protruding outward, wherein the protrusion portion has, on both sides in the horizontal or vertical direction, a recess that is recessed inward in a planar view and a protrusion that protrudes outward in a planar view, and a portion of the protrusion portion forms a corner of the container body, and the corner portion has a curved surface. Effect of the Invention

[0007] According to one aspect of the present invention, when containers are arranged horizontally or vertically, the container placement space can be reduced while improving the workability of the container arrangement work. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a container according to the present embodiment. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the container shown in FIG. 1 as seen from below. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a plan view of the container shown in FIG. 1. [Figure 4] 2 is a plan view of a plurality of the containers shown in FIG. 1 arranged side-by-side with the containers oriented in the same direction; [Diagram 5] 2 is a plan view of a plurality of the containers shown in FIG. 1 arranged side-by-side, with the containers inverted; [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a stacking container group. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VII-VII in FIG. [Figure 8] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a nesting container group. [Figure 9] 9 is a cross-sectional view taken along line IX-IX in FIG. 8. [Figure 10] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a group of stacking containers and a group of nesting containers arranged side by side. [Figure 11]FIG. 1 shows two groups of mixing vessels arranged side by side. [Figure 12] FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a container according to a modified example of the embodiment. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is a plan view of a plurality of the containers of FIG. 12 arranged side-by-side. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0009] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the specification and claims of this application, the horizontal direction refers to the horizontal direction of the container or container body, and is one of the horizontal directions. The vertical direction refers to the vertical direction of the container or container body, and is one of the horizontal directions perpendicular to the horizontal direction. The height direction refers to the height direction of the container or container body, and is the vertical direction (up and down direction). The outward direction refers to the direction toward the outside of the container or container body, and the inward direction refers to the direction toward the inside of the container or container body. The rectangular shape is not limited to a strict rectangular shape, and includes cases where the corners are curved but the overall shape is visually recognized as a rectangular shape. In the drawings, "CD" indicates the horizontal direction, "LD" indicates the vertical direction, and "HD" indicates the height direction.

[0010] (Present embodiment) The overall configuration of a container 10 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS.

[0011] (Overview of container 10) As shown in FIG. 1, a container 10 according to this embodiment is a container for storing an article, and is used, for example, in a logistics system for transporting or storing the article. The container 10 is made of a resin such as polypropylene, and is formed by injection molding. The material of the container 10 is not limited to resin, and may be a metal such as aluminum. The method of manufacturing the container 10 is not limited to injection molding, and may be a manufacturing method other than injection molding.

[0012] (Container body 12) As shown in Figures 1 to 3, the container 10 has a box-shaped container body 12, and the upper side of the container body 12 is open. The container body 12 has a rectangular bottom wall portion 14, horizontal side wall portions 16 rising from each short side edge of the bottom wall portion 14, and vertical side wall portions 18 rising from each long side edge of the bottom wall portion 14. The pair of horizontal side wall portions 16 face each other in the horizontal direction, and each horizontal side wall portion 16 extends in the vertical direction. The pair of vertical side wall portions 18 face each other in the vertical direction, and each vertical side wall portion 18 extends in the horizontal direction.

[0013] (Protrusion 20 etc.) 1 and 2, the container 10 has a rectangular frame-shaped protruding portion 20 formed on its upper side (the upper edge and its vicinity) and protruding outward. The protruding portion 20 includes a rectangular frame-shaped upper flange portion 22 formed on the upper side of the container body 12, a rectangular frame-shaped intermediate flange portion 24 formed below the upper flange portion 22 on the upper side of the container body 12, and a rectangular frame-shaped lower flange portion 26 formed below the intermediate flange portion 24 on the upper side of the container body 12.

[0014] A plurality of vertical ribs 28 are formed along the top-bottom direction on the upper side of the container body 12, and the plurality of vertical ribs 28 are arranged at intervals along the circumferential direction of the container body 12. The plurality of vertical ribs 28 connect three flange portions (the upper flange portion 22, the intermediate flange portion 24, and the lower flange portion 26) or two flange portions (the upper flange portion 22 and the intermediate flange portion 24).

[0015] Instead of including the upper flange portion 22, the intermediate flange portion 24, and the lower flange portion 26, the overhanging portion 20 may include only the upper flange portion 22. Also, instead of including flange portions such as the upper flange portion 22, the cross-sectional shape of the overhanging portion 20 may be formed into a horizontal U-shape that opens inwardly.

[0016] (Handle part 30) 1 and 2, a rectangular handle 30 for holding the container 10 is formed on the upper side of each lateral side wall 16. A portion of each handle 30 is formed by a portion of the intermediate flange 24, a portion of the lower flange 26, and a portion of the vertical rib 28. Each handle 30 is a through hole that passes through each lateral side wall 16, but may be a bottomed hole that does not pass through each lateral side wall 16. The shape of the handle 30 is not limited to a rectangular shape, and may be changed to an appropriate shape other than a rectangular shape.

[0017] Moreover, the handle portion 30 may be formed on the upper side of each vertical side wall portion 18 instead of being formed on each horizontal side wall portion 16. Moreover, the handle portion 30 may be formed on both the horizontal side wall portion 16 and the upper side of each vertical side wall portion 18. That is, the handle portion 30 may be formed on each horizontal side wall portion 16 and each vertical side wall portion 18, respectively.

[0018] (Receiving portion 32) 1 and 3, a pair of flat receiving portions 32 is formed in a stepped shape on the upper side of each horizontal side wall portion 16, and each pair of receiving portions 32 is spaced apart in the vertical direction. The four receiving portions 32 are arranged symmetrically with respect to a first imaginary line VL1 that passes through the center 12c of the container body 12 and is parallel to the horizontal direction. The four receiving portions 32 are arranged asymmetrically with respect to a second imaginary line VL2 that passes through the center of the container body 12 and is parallel to the vertical direction.

[0019] (Support part 34) As shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3, 6, and 7, a pair of support parts 34 extending in the vertical direction is formed on the outer surface of each lateral side wall 16, and each pair of support parts 34 is spaced apart in the vertical direction. Each support part 34 is supported by a receiving part 32 which is an upper side part of the lateral side wall 16 of the lower container 10 stacked in the stacked state. Also, each support part 34 is supported by the receiving part 32 of the lower container 10 across one container 10 stacked in the nested state. The four support parts 34 are arranged symmetrically with respect to the first virtual line VL1 and asymmetrically with respect to the second virtual line VL2. Each support part 34 has a pair of support ribs 36 formed on each lateral side wall 16, and the pair of support ribs 36 face each other in the vertical direction. Each support rib 36 extends in the vertical direction from the lower side part of each lateral side wall 16 to the lower flange part 26. Each support portion 34 has a connecting piece 38 that connects the lower ends of the pair of support ribs 36 together.

[0020] Here, the stacked state is one form of stacking of containers 10, in which the upper and lower containers 10 are in contact (abut) without being interlocked with each other while maintaining the same orientation, as shown in Figures 6 and 7. The nested state is one form of stacking of containers 10, in which the orientation of one of the upper and lower containers 10 is inverted and the containers 10 are interlocked with each other, as shown in Figures 8 and 9.

[0021] (Receptor 40) As shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3, 8, and 9, a pair of groove-shaped receiving portions 40 for receiving the support portion 34 of the upper container 10 stacked in a nested state is formed on the inner surface of each lateral side wall portion 16, and each pair of receiving portions 40 is vertically spaced apart from each other. Each receiving portion 40 extends in the vertical direction and is disposed adjacent to each receiving portion 32 in the vertical direction. The upper end side of each receiving portion 40 is open on the upper flange portion 22. The lower end side of each receiving portion 40 is open so that the support portion 34 of the upper container 10 stacked in a nested state can be inserted into the receiving portion 40. The four receiving portions 40 are arranged symmetrically with respect to the first virtual line VL1 and asymmetrically with respect to the second virtual line VL2. A bulging portion 42 bulging outward is formed at a portion of each lateral side wall portion 16 corresponding to each receiving portion 40.

[0022] The pair of receiving portions 32, the pair of supporting portions 34, and the pair of receiving portions 40 may be formed on each horizontal side wall portion 16 and also on each vertical side wall portion 18. The pair of receiving portions 32, the pair of supporting portions 34, and the pair of receiving portions 40 may be formed on each vertical side wall portion 18 instead of on each horizontal side wall portion 16. Also, the pair of receiving portions 32 may be omitted, and each supporting portion 34 may be supported by the protruding portion 20 (upper flange portion 22) of the horizontal side wall portion 16 of the lower container 10 in the stacked state.

[0023] (Concave portion 20d and convex portion 20s) 3 to 5, the protruding portion 20 has, on both sides in the lateral direction, a recess 20d recessed inward in a plan view and a protrusion 20s protruding outward in a plan view. The recess 20d and the protrusion 20s located on one side in the lateral direction and the recess 20d and the protrusion 20s located on the other side in the lateral direction have the same shape and are arranged rotationally symmetrically with respect to the center 12c of the container body 12. The recess 20d and the protrusion 20s located on one side in the lateral direction and the recess 20d and the protrusion 20s located on the other side in the lateral direction are arranged asymmetrically with respect to the second virtual line VL2.

[0024] When the protruding portion 20 of the container 10A abuts or comes close to (closely facing) the protruding portion 20 of the laterally adjacent container 10B in any of the flat-laid state (single-tiered state), stacked state, and nested state, the concave portion 20d and protruding portion 20s of the container 10A engage with the convex portion 20s and concave portion 20d of the laterally adjacent container 10B, respectively. Here, the concave portion 20d and protruding portion 20s of the container 10A engaging with the concave portion 20d and protruding portion 20s of the adjacent container 10B, respectively, means that the concave portion 20d of the container 10A engages with the convex portion 20s of the adjacent container 10B and the convex portion 20s of the container 10A engages with the concave portion 20d of the adjacent container 10B.

[0025] The end faces of the portions of the overhanging portion 20 that extend from the upper edge of each handle portion 30 to the upper side of the overhanging portion 20 are located on the same plane. In other words, the outer end portions of the portions of the overhanging portion 20 that correspond to each handle portion 30 are formed in a straight line in a plan view.

[0026] (Configuration of stacking container group SF and nesting container group NF) Next, the configuration of the stacking container group SF and the nesting container group NF arranged side by side will be described with reference to FIG.

[0027] As shown in FIG. 10, when the stacking container group SF and the nesting container group NF are arranged side by side, the protruding portion 20 of any container 10B in the stacking container group SF and the protruding portion 20 of any container 10A in the nesting container group NF come into contact with each other or come close to each other (closely facing each other). Then, the recessed portion 20d and the protruding portion 20s of any container 10B in the stacking container group SF engage with the recessed portion 20d and the protruding portion 20s of any container 10A in the nesting container group NF. Here, the stacking container group SF refers to a container group consisting of a plurality of containers 10 (for example, two in this embodiment) stacked in a stacked state. The nesting container group NF refers to a container group consisting of a plurality of containers 10 (for example, three in this embodiment) stacked in a nested state. The stacking container group SF and the nesting container group NF are the same height. Note that the same height is not limited to being strictly the same height, but also includes a case where there is an error of ±5 mm.

[0028] Specifically, when the stacking container group SF and the nesting container group NF are arranged side by side, the protruding portion 20 of the uppermost container 10B in the stacking container group SF and the protruding portion 20 of the uppermost container 10A in the nesting container group NF come into contact or come close to each other (closely facing each other). Then, the recessed portion 20d and the protruding portion 20s of the uppermost container 10B in the stacking container group SF engage with the protruding portion 20s and the recessed portion 20d of the uppermost container 10A in the nesting container group NF, respectively. Also, the protruding portion 20 of the lowermost container 10B in the stacking container group SF and the protruding portion 20 of the lowermost container 10A in the nesting container group NF come into contact or come close to each other. Then, the recessed portion 20d and the protruding portion 20s of the lowermost container 10B in the stacking container group SF engage with the protruding portion 20s and the recessed portion 20d of the lowermost container 10A in the nesting container group NF, respectively.

[0029] (Configuration for two mixed vessel groups MF) Next, the configuration of the two mixing container groups MF arranged side by side will be described with reference to FIG.

[0030] As shown in Fig. 11, when two mixing container groups MF are arranged side by side, the protruding portion 20 of any container 10A in one mixing container group MF comes into contact with or comes close to (closely facing) any container 10B in the other mixing container group MF. Then, the concave portion 20d and the convex portion 20s of any container 10A in one mixing container group MF engage with the convex portion 20s and the concave portion 20d of any container 10B in the other mixing container group MF. Here, the mixing container group MF refers to a container group consisting of multiple (for example, five in this embodiment) containers 10 stacked in a stacked and nested state. The two mixing container groups MF are the same height.

[0031] Specifically, when two mixing container groups MF are arranged side by side, the protruding portion 20 of the uppermost container 10A in one mixing container group MF and the protruding portion 20 of the uppermost container 10B in the other mixing container group NF come into contact or come close to each other (closely facing each other). Then, the recessed portion 20d and the protruding portion 20s of the uppermost container 10A in one mixing container group MF engage with the protruding portion 20s and the recessed portion 20d of the uppermost container 10B in the other mixing container group NF, respectively. Also, the protruding portion 20 of the lowermost container 10A in one mixing container group MF and the protruding portion 20 of the lowermost container 10B in the other mixing container group MF come into contact or come close to each other. Then, the recessed portion 20d and the protruding portion 20s of the container 10A on the lowest stage side in one mixing container group MF engage with the protruding portion 20s and the recessed portion 20d of the container 10B on the lowest stage side in the other mixing container group MF, respectively.

[0032] Additionally, in one mixing container group MF, the containers 10A on the bottom side to the containers 10A on the middle side correspond to a nesting container group stacked in a nested state. In the other mixing container group MF, the containers 10B on the bottom side to the containers 10B on the middle side correspond to a stacking container group stacked in a stacked state. The configurations related to the stacking container group SF (FIG. 10) and nesting container group NF (FIG. 10) described above are applied to the nesting container group in one mixing container group MF and the stacking container group in the other mixing container group MF.

[0033] That is, in the present invention, whether the stacking container group SF, the nesting container group NF, or the mixed container group MF are arranged side by side, the recessed portion 20d and the protruding portion 20s of any container 10 in one container group will engage with the protruding portion 20s and the recessed portion 20d of any container 10 in the other container group. Note that the stacking configuration of the nesting container group and the stacking container group in the mixed container group MF (the difference in the number of layers of each container group, the order of each container group in the stacking direction) is not particularly limited.

[0034] (Effects of the embodiment) In any of the flat, stacked, and nested states, when the containers 10 are arranged side by side, the recess 20d and the protrusion 20s of the container 10A can be engaged with the recess 20d and the protrusion 20s of the container 10B adjacent in the horizontal direction. This allows the horizontal dimension of the two laterally adjacent containers 10 (10A, 10B) or the two container groups SF, NF to be smaller than twice the horizontal dimension of one container 10 by an amount corresponding to the recess amount of the recess 20d and the protrusion amount of the protrusion 20s. Therefore, according to the first embodiment, when the containers 10 are arranged side by side, the mounting space can be reduced.

[0035] As described above, the recess 20d and the protrusion 20s located on one side in the horizontal direction and the recess 20d and the protrusion 20s located on the other side in the horizontal direction are arranged rotationally symmetrically with respect to the center 12c of the container body 12. The recess 20d and the protrusion 20s located on one side in the horizontal direction and the recess 20d and the protrusion 20s located on the other side in the horizontal direction are arranged asymmetrically with respect to the second virtual line VL2. Therefore, not only when the containers 10 (10A, 10B) are in the same orientation, but also when they are inverted, the recess 20d and the protrusion 20s of the container 10A can be engaged with the recess 20d and the protrusion 20s of the container 10B adjacent in the horizontal direction. This allows the containers 10 (10A, 10B) to be arranged side by side without considering the orientation of the containers 10 (10A, 10B). Therefore, according to this embodiment (10A, 10B), when the containers 10 (10A, 10B) are arranged side by side, the workability of arranging the containers 10 can be improved.

[0036] When the stacking container group SF and the nesting container group NF are arranged side by side, the recessed portion 20d and the protruding portion 20s of one of the containers 10A in the stacking container group SF are engaged with the recessed portion 20d and the protruding portion 20s of one of the containers 10B in the nesting container group NF. This allows the horizontal dimension of the stacking container group SF and the nesting container group NF, which are adjacent in the horizontal direction, to be smaller than twice the horizontal dimension of one container 10 (10A, 10B) by an amount corresponding to the recessed amount of the recessed portion 20d and the protruding amount of the protruding portion 20s. In addition, the stacking container group SF and the nesting container group NF can be arranged side by side without considering the orientation of the containers 10 (10A, 10B).

[0037] When two mixing container groups MF are arranged side by side, the recess 20d and the protrusion 20s of one of the containers 10A in one mixing container group MF are engaged with the recess 20d and the protrusion 20s of one of the containers 10B in the other mixing container group MF. This allows the horizontal dimension of two horizontally adjacent mixing container groups MF to be smaller than twice the horizontal dimension of one container 10 (10A, 10B) by an amount corresponding to the recess amount of the recess 20d and the protrusion amount of the protrusion 20s. In addition, the two mixing container groups MF can be arranged side by side without considering the orientation of the containers 10 (10A, 10B).

[0038] That is, according to this embodiment, when the containers 10 (10A, 10B) are arranged side by side, the installation space for the containers 10 can be reduced while improving the workability of arranging the containers 10 (10A, 10B).

[0039] As described above, the end faces of the portions of the protruding portion 20 extending from the upper edge of each handle portion 30 to the upper side of the protruding portion 20 are located on the same plane. This provides a good grip when the operator holds each handle portion 30 in his / her hand. Therefore, according to this embodiment, the container 10 becomes easier to hold, and the handleability of the container 10 can be improved.

[0040] (Modification of the embodiment) The configuration of a container 44 according to a modified example of this embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS.

[0041] 12 and 13, a container 44 according to a modification of this embodiment has a similar configuration to the container 10 according to this embodiment (see FIG. 1), and only configurations of the container 44 that are different from the container 10 will be described. Note that, among the multiple components of the container 44, those corresponding to the respective components of the container 10 are given the same reference numerals in the drawings.

[0042] The protruding portion 20 has, on both sides in the lateral direction, a plurality of recesses 20d recessed inward in a plan view and a plurality of protrusions 20s protruding outward in a plan view. The plurality of recesses 20d and the plurality of protrusions 20s located on one side in the lateral direction and the plurality of recesses 20d and the plurality of protrusions 20s located on the other side in the lateral direction are arranged rotationally symmetrically with respect to the center 12c of the container body 12. The plurality of recesses 20d and the plurality of protrusions 20s located on one side in the lateral direction and the plurality of recesses 20d and the plurality of protrusions 20s located on the other side in the lateral direction are arranged asymmetrically with respect to the second virtual line VL2.

[0043] In any of the flat, stacked, and nested states, when the protrusion 20 of container 44A abuts or comes close to (closely facing) the protrusion 20 of container 44B on the laterally adjacent side, the multiple recesses 20d and multiple protrusions 20s of container 44A respectively engage with the multiple protrusions 20s and multiple recesses 20d of container 44B on the laterally adjacent side.

[0044] The modified example of this embodiment also provides the same advantageous effects as those of the embodiment described above.

[0045] (Other embodiments) Although detailed illustration is omitted, the protruding portion 20 may have a recess 20d and a protrusion 20s on both sides in the vertical direction instead of having a recess 20d and a protrusion 20s on both sides in the horizontal direction. The protruding portion 20 may have a recess 20d and a protrusion 20s on both sides in the horizontal direction and a recess 20d and a protrusion 20s on both sides in the vertical direction. The recess 20d and the protrusion 20s located on one side in the vertical direction and the recess 20d and the protrusion 20s located on the other side in the vertical direction have the same shape and are arranged rotationally symmetrically with respect to the center 12c of the container body 12. The recess 20d and the protrusion 20s located on one side in the vertical direction and the recess 20d and the protrusion 20s located on the other side in the vertical direction are arranged asymmetrically with respect to the first virtual line VL1.

[0046] In this case, in any of the flat-laid, stacked, and nested states, the protruding portion 20 of the container 10 abuts or approaches (closely faces) the protruding portion 20 of the vertically adjacent container 10B. Then, the recessed portion 20d and the protruding portion 20s of the container 10A engage with the protruding portion 20s and the recessed portion 20d of the vertically adjacent container 10B, respectively.

[0047] Furthermore, when two mixing container groups MF are arranged vertically, the protruding portion 20 of any container 10A in one mixing container group MF comes into contact with or close to (closely facing) the protruding portion 20 of any container 10B in the other mixing container group MF. Then, the recessed portion 20d and the protruding portion 20s of any container 10A in one mixing container group MF engage with the recessed portion 20d and the protruding portion 20s of any container 10B in the other mixing container group MF, respectively.

[0048] Furthermore, in other embodiments, the same effects as those of the present embodiment described above can be achieved, and when the containers 10 are arranged vertically, the workability of arranging the containers 10 can be improved while reducing the space required for placing the containers 10.

[0049] 〔summary〕 In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, a container according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises a container body having a rectangular bottom wall portion and side wall portions rising from each edge portion of the bottom wall portion, the container body being open at the top, and a protruding portion formed on the upper edge side (upper edge side) of the container body and protruding outward, the protruding portion having a concave portion recessed inward in a planar view and a convex portion protruding outward in a planar view on both sides in the horizontal or vertical direction, the concave portion and the convex portion located on one side in the horizontal or vertical direction, and the concave portion and the convex portion located on the other side in the horizontal or vertical direction are arranged rotationally symmetrically with respect to the center of the container body, and when the concave portion and the convex portion are located on one side in the horizontal direction and the other side in the horizontal direction, they are arranged asymmetrically with respect to a virtual line passing through the center of the container body and parallel to the vertical direction, and when the concave portion and the convex portion are located on one side in the vertical direction and the other side in the vertical direction, they are arranged asymmetrically with respect to a virtual line passing through the center of the container body and parallel to the horizontal direction.

[0050] According to the above configuration, when the containers are arranged side by side or vertically, the recess and the protrusion of the protruding portion are engaged with the protrusion and the recess of the protruding portion of the container adjacent in the horizontal or vertical direction. This makes it possible to reduce the horizontal or vertical dimension of two containers adjacent in the horizontal or vertical direction by an amount corresponding to the recess amount of the recess and the protrusion amount of the protrusion, rather than twice the horizontal or vertical dimension of one container. Therefore, the container placement space can be reduced when the containers are arranged side by side or vertically.

[0051] In addition, the recess and the protrusion located on one side in the horizontal or vertical direction, and the recess and the protrusion located on the other side in the horizontal or vertical direction are arranged rotationally symmetrically with respect to the center of the container body. When the recess and the protrusion are located on one side in the horizontal direction and the other side in the horizontal direction, they are arranged asymmetrically with respect to a virtual line passing through the center of the container body and parallel to the vertical direction. When the recess and the protrusion are located on one side in the vertical direction and the other side in the vertical direction, they are arranged asymmetrically with respect to a virtual line passing through the center of the container body and parallel to the horizontal direction. Therefore, not only when the containers are in the same orientation, but also when they are inverted, the recess and the protrusion of the protrusion can be engaged with the protrusion and the recess of the protrusion of the container adjacent in the horizontal or vertical direction. This allows the containers to be arranged horizontally or vertically without considering the orientation of the containers. Therefore, when the containers are arranged horizontally or vertically, the workability of the arrangement of the containers can be improved.

[0052] In a container according to one embodiment of the present invention, a pair of side wall portions opposing each other in the horizontal or vertical direction are each formed with a handle portion, and the end faces of the portions extending from the upper edge of each handle portion to the upper side of the protrusion portion may be positioned on the same plane.

[0053] According to the above configuration, the end faces of the portion extending from the upper edge of each handle portion of the protrusion to the upper side of the protrusion are positioned on the same plane, providing a comfortable feel when the worker holds the handle portion in his or her hand.

[0054] In one embodiment of the container of the present invention, a support portion is formed on the outer surface of the side wall portion and is supported by the upper edge portion of the side wall portion of a lower container stacked in a stacked state, and a receiving portion is formed on the inner surface of the side wall portion and receives the support portion of an upper container stacked in a nested state, and in either the stacked state or the nested state, when the protrusion portion abuts or comes into close proximity to the protrusion portion of an adjacent container in the horizontal or vertical direction, the concave portion and the convex portion of the protrusion portion may engage with the convex portion and the concave portion of the protrusion portion on the adjacent container in the horizontal or vertical direction, respectively.

[0055] According to the above configuration, in both the stacked state and the nested state, when stacked container groups are arranged side by side or vertically, the recess and the protrusion of the protruding portion are engaged with the protrusion and the recess of the protruding portion of the container adjacent in the horizontal or vertical direction. This makes it possible to reduce the horizontal or vertical dimension of two container groups adjacent in the horizontal or vertical direction by an amount corresponding to the depression amount of the recess and the protrusion amount of the protrusion, less than twice the horizontal or vertical dimension of one of the containers. Furthermore, in both the stacked state and the nested state, the stacked container groups can be arranged side by side or vertically without considering the orientation of the containers.

[0056] In a container according to one embodiment of the present invention, when a group of stacking containers stacked in the stacked state and a group of nesting containers stacked in the nested state are arranged side by side either horizontally or vertically, when the protrusion of any container in the stacking container group abuts or comes into close proximity with the protrusion of any container in the nesting container group, the concave portion and the convex portion of any container in the stacking container group may engage with the convex portion and the concave portion of any container in the nesting container group, respectively.

[0057] According to the above configuration, when the stacking container group and the nesting container group are arranged horizontally or vertically, the recessed portion and the protruding portion of the protruding portion of the uppermost container in the stacking container group are engaged with the protruding portion and the recessed portion of the protruding portion of the uppermost container in the nesting container group. Also, the recessed portion and the protruding portion of the protruding portion of the lowermost container in the stacking container group are engaged with the recessed portion and the protruding portion of the protruding portion of the lowermost container in the nesting container group. This makes it possible to reduce the horizontal or vertical dimensions of the stacking container group and the nesting container group that are adjacent in the horizontal or vertical direction by an amount corresponding to the depression amount of the recessed portion and the protruding amount of the protruding portion less than twice the horizontal or vertical dimension of one container.

[0058] In a container according to one embodiment of the present invention, when two mixed container groups stacked in the stacking state and the nesting state are arranged horizontally or vertically, when the protrusion of any container in one of the mixed container groups abuts or comes into close proximity with the protrusion of any container in the other mixed container group, the concave and convex portions of any container in one of the mixed container groups may engage with the convex and concave portions of any container in the other mixed container group, respectively.

[0059] According to the above configuration, when two mixing container groups are arranged side by side or vertically, the concave and convex portions of the protruding portions of any of the containers in one mixing container group are aligned with the concave and convex portions of the protruding portions of any of the containers in the other mixing container group, respectively. This makes it possible to make the horizontal or vertical dimensions of two mixing container groups adjacent in the horizontal or vertical direction smaller than twice the horizontal or vertical dimension of one of the containers by an amount corresponding to the depression amount of the concave and the protrusion amount of the convex.

[0060] A container according to one aspect of the present invention comprises a container body having a rectangular bottom wall portion and side wall portions rising from each side of the bottom wall portion and open at the top, and a protruding portion formed on the upper side of the container body and protruding outward, wherein the protruding portion has, on both sides in the horizontal or vertical direction, a concave portion that is recessed inward in a plan view and a convex portion that protrudes outward in a plan view, the convex portion has a substantially rectangular shape with a one-sided inclined surface, the concave portion has a shape having an inclined surface that is molded into a shape corresponding to the convex portion when the containers are engaged with each other in a flat laid state, the concave portion and the convex portion located on one side in the horizontal or vertical direction and the concave portion and the convex portion located on the other side in the horizontal or vertical direction are arranged rotationally symmetrically with respect to a center of the container body, and when the concave portion and the convex portion are located on one side in the horizontal direction and the other side in the horizontal direction, When the containers are asymmetrically arranged and the recess and the protrusion are located on one side in the vertical direction and the other side in the vertical direction, the containers are asymmetrically arranged with respect to a virtual line passing through the center of the container body and parallel to the horizontal direction, the containers are configured so that when the two containers are laid flat, the recess of one container can engage with the protrusion of the other container and the protrusion of the one container can engage with the recess of the other container, a pair of side wall portions facing each other in the horizontal or vertical direction each have a handle portion formed thereon, and the handle portion is located between the recess and the protrusion of the pair of side wall portions, and the protrusion portion has only the convex portion on one end side and only the concave portion on the other end side, when viewed in a plan view, with the handle portion between them, the convex portion protrudes outwardly from the protrusion portion located above the range in which the handle portion is formed, and the recess is located inwardly from the protrusion portion located above the range in which the handle portion is formed.

[0061] In a container according to one aspect of the present invention, end faces of the portion of the protruding portion extending from the upper edge of each handle portion to the upper side of the protruding portion may be located on the same plane.

[0062] In one embodiment of the container of the present invention, a support portion is formed on the outer surface of the side wall portion and is supported by the upper edge portion of the side wall portion of a lower container stacked in a stacked state, and a receiving portion is formed on the inner surface of the side wall portion and receives the support portion of an upper container stacked in a nested state, and in either the stacked state or the nested state, when the protrusion portion abuts or comes into close proximity to the protrusion portion of an adjacent container in the horizontal or vertical direction, the concave portion and the convex portion of the protrusion portion may engage with the convex portion and the concave portion of the protrusion portion on the adjacent container in the horizontal or vertical direction, respectively.

[0063] A container according to one aspect of the present invention includes a container body having an open upper side, a rectangular bottom wall portion, and side wall portions rising from each side of the bottom wall portion, and a protruding portion formed on the upper side of the container body and protruding outward, the protruding portion having, on both sides in the horizontal or vertical direction, a concave portion recessed inward in a plan view and a convex portion protruding outward in a plan view, the convex portion having a substantially rectangular shape with a slope on one side, and the concave portion having a slope formed into a shape corresponding to the convex portion when the containers are engaged with each other in a flat laid state. the recess and the protrusion located on one side in the horizontal or vertical direction, and the recess and the protrusion located on the other side in the horizontal or vertical direction, are arranged rotationally symmetrically with respect to the center of the container body, and when the recess and the protrusion are located on one side in the horizontal direction and the other side in the horizontal direction, they are arranged asymmetrically with respect to an imaginary line passing through the center of the container body and parallel to the vertical direction, and when the recess and the protrusion are located on one side in the vertical direction and the other side in the vertical direction, they are arranged asymmetrically with respect to an imaginary line passing through the center of the container body and parallel to the horizontal direction, The containers are configured such that, when the two containers are placed flat, the recess of one container can engage with the protrusion of the other container, and the protrusion of one container can engage with the recess of the other container, and a pair of side walls opposing each other in the horizontal or vertical direction are each formed with a handle portion, and the handle portion is located between the recess and the protrusion of the pair of side walls, is formed on the outer surfaces of the side walls, and is supported by an upper edge portion of the side wall portion of a lower container stacked in a stacked state, and is formed on the inner surface of the side wall portion, and is configured to be supported by an upper edge portion of the side wall portion of a lower container stacked in a stacked state. and a receiving portion that receives the support portion of an upper container stacked in the stacked state, and in either the stacked state or the nested state, when the protrusion portion abuts or comes into close proximity with the protrusion portion of an adjacent container in the horizontal or vertical direction, the concave portion and the convex portion of the protrusion portion engage with the convex portion and the concave portion of the protrusion portion on the horizontally or vertically adjacent side, respectively, and when a group of two stacked containers stacked in the stacked state and a group of three nesting containers stacked in the nested state are arranged side by side or vertically,When the protruding portions of the containers on the top and bottom sides of the two stacking container groups come into contact with or are close to the protruding portions of the containers on the top and bottom sides of the three nesting container groups, the concave portions and convex portions of the containers on the top and bottom sides of the two stacking container groups may engage with the convex portions and concave portions of the containers on the top and bottom sides of the three nesting container groups, respectively.

[0064] In a container according to one embodiment of the present invention, when two mixed container groups stacked in the stacking state and the nesting state are arranged horizontally or vertically, when the protrusion of any container in one of the mixed container groups abuts or comes into close proximity with the protrusion of any container in the other mixed container group, the concave and convex portions of any container in one of the mixed container groups may engage with the convex and concave portions of any container in the other mixed container group, respectively.

[0065] A container according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises a container body having a rectangular bottom wall portion and side wall portions rising from each edge of the bottom wall portion and open at the top, and a protrusion portion formed on the upper edge side of the container body and protruding outward, wherein the protrusion portion has, on both sides in the horizontal or vertical direction, a recess that is recessed inward in a planar view and a protrusion that protrudes outward in a planar view, and a portion of the protrusion portion forms a corner of the container body, and the corner portion may have a curved surface.

[0066] In a container according to one embodiment of the present invention, the protrusion portion includes a rectangular frame-shaped upper flange portion formed on the upper edge side of the container body, and the upper flange portion may form part of the curved surface at the corner portion.

[0067] In the container according to one aspect of the present invention, the container body may be provided with a plurality of vertical ribs formed along the up-down direction from the upper flange portion.

[0068] In the container according to one aspect of the present invention, the curved surface may be arranged rotationally symmetrically with respect to the center of the container body.

[0069] In a container according to one embodiment of the present invention, the containers may be configured such that when the protrusion portion of one container arranged side by side abuts or comes into close proximity with the protrusion portion of the container adjacent thereto in the horizontal or vertical direction, the concave portion and the convex portion of the container engage with the convex portion and the concave portion of the container adjacent thereto in the horizontal or vertical direction, respectively, and the containers may be configured to be displaceable from the state in which they are engaged with each other in a direction perpendicular to the horizontal or vertical direction and the up and down direction.

[0070] In one embodiment of the present invention, a container comprises a support portion formed on the outer surface of the side wall portion and supported by an upper edge portion of the side wall portion of a lower container stacked in a stacked state, and a receiving portion formed on the inner surface of the side wall portion and receiving the support portion of an upper container stacked in a nested state, wherein the recess and the protrusion are provided on the side wall portion having the support portion and the receiving portion, and the outer end portion of the protrusion is located outward from the outer end portion of the support portion.

[0071] In a container according to one embodiment of the present invention, a portion of the side wall corresponding to the receiving portion may be provided with a bulge portion that bulges outward, and the outer end portion of the convex portion may be located outward from the outer end portion of the bulge portion.

[0072] [Additional Notes] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications are possible within the scope of the claims. Embodiments obtained by appropriately combining the technical means disclosed in different embodiments are also included in the technical scope of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0073] 10 containers 10A Container 10B container 12 Container body 14 Bottom wall 16 Lateral side wall section (side wall section) 18 Vertical side wall (side wall) 20 Overhang 20d recess 20s Convex 22 Upper flange 24 Intermediate flange 26 Lower flange 28 Vertical Rib 30 Handle 32 Receiving part 34 Support part 36 Support Rib 38 Connecting piece 40 Receptor 42 Bulge 44 Container 44A Container 44B Container SF Stacking Containers NF nesting container group MF mixing container group

Claims

1. A container body having a rectangular bottom wall portion and side walls rising from each side of the bottom wall portion and having an open upper side; A protruding portion formed on an upper side of the container body and protruding outward; Equipped with The protruding portion has, on both sides in the horizontal direction or the vertical direction, a concave portion recessed inward in a plan view and a convex portion protruding outward in a plan view, A part of the protrusion is The corner portion constitutes a corner of the container body, and the corner portion has a curved surface. A container characterized by:

2. The protruding portion is The container body includes a rectangular frame-shaped upper flange portion formed on an upper side thereof, The upper flange portion constitutes a part of the curved surface at the corner portion.

2. The container of claim 1.

3. The container body includes: A plurality of vertical ribs are formed along the upper flange portion in the vertical direction.

3. The container according to claim 2.

4. The curved surface is The container body is arranged rotationally symmetrically with respect to the center of the container body.

2. The container of claim 1.

5. The container comprises: When the protruding portion of the containers arranged side by side abuts against or approaches the protruding portion of the container adjacent thereto in the horizontal or vertical direction, the concave portion and the convex portion of the container engage with the convex portion and the concave portion of the container adjacent thereto in the horizontal or vertical direction, respectively; The containers are configured to be displaceable from the engaged state in a direction perpendicular to the horizontal direction or vertical direction and the up-down direction.

2. The container of claim 1.

6. a support portion formed on an outer surface of the side wall portion and supported by an upper edge portion of the side wall portion of a lower container stacked in a stacked state; a receiving portion formed on an inner surface side of the side wall portion and configured to receive the support portion of an upper container stacked in a nested state; Equipped with The recess and the protrusion are The side wall portion includes the support portion and the receiving portion, The outer end of the protrusion is located outward from the outer end of the support portion.

2. The container of claim 1.

7. a bulging portion bulging outwardly at a portion of the side wall portion corresponding to the receiving portion, The outer end of the protrusion is located outward from the outer end of the bulge.

7. The container according to claim 6.

Images