Delivery box

Abstract

To provide a delivery boxy that can suppress rotation of an article when stored, and can cause the article to fall substantially vertically downward.SOLUTION: A delivery box includes: a box body having an article chamber in which an article can be stored; an upper door configured to be lifted and lowered for opening / closing an opening formed on a top face of the box body; and a plurality of flaps arranged inside the box body, which swing interlocking with the lifting and lowering of the upper door. Each of the plurality of flaps is arranged symmetrically with respect to the center in a horizontal direction of the box body, and is configured to be swingable around each of at least a pair of rotation shafts arranged at opposing two ends in a horizontal direction inside the box body. The upper door is arranged to extend downward from the rotation shafts in the closed state. The plurality of flaps close the article chamber interlocking with the movement of the upper door from the closed state to the open state, and the plurality of flaps are opened interlocking with the movement of the upper door from the open state to the closed state.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a delivery box, particularly to a delivery box installed at the front door of a detached house. [Background technology]

[0002] Generally, the maximum size of parcels that can be delivered to private homes at a realistic shipping cost is a total of 1800 mm in width, depth, and height dimensions, and there is a demand for delivery boxes that fit within this size range and can receive as many larger parcels as possible over multiple trips.

[0003] One known example of such a delivery box is one that includes a housing body with a luggage compartment in which luggage can be stored, a lid that opens and closes an opening formed in the top of the housing body, and a loading plate that rotates within the housing body. With the delivery box, luggage can be placed on the top surface of the loading plate with the lid raised to open the opening. When the loading plate is rotated with the luggage placed on it, the luggage placed on the loading plate falls into the luggage compartment and is stored therein (see, for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2012-034812 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] The delivery box disclosed in Patent Document 1 has a lid attached to an opening on the front of the top, and packages are placed on a loading plate through the opening. When a package falls from the loading plate, the end of the loading plate that rotates downward falls first, and the rotation causes the package to become vertical, taking up space in the luggage compartment, which creates the problem of not being able to receive many packages.

[0006] In the case of a system such as that described in Patent Document 1, in which parcels rotate while falling inside the delivery box, parcels approximately the same size as the flat shape of the delivery box cannot be received. This is because space is required for the parcel to tilt toward the back as it falls. As a result, only parcels smaller than the flat shape of the delivery box can be received. In other words, a rotating delivery box such as that described in Patent Document 1 has the problem that the size of parcels that can be received is limited to those smaller than the size of the delivery box. If parcels approximately the same size as the flat shape of the delivery box were to be received, a mechanism would be required to drop the parcel approximately vertically downward.

[0007] An object of the present invention is to provide a delivery box that prevents cargo from rotating when stored and allows cargo to fall approximately vertically downward. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The present invention provides the following solutions.

[0009] According to the first feature of the delivery box, the delivery box comprises a box body having a luggage compartment in which luggage can be stored, an upper door that is configured to be able to rise and fall and opens and closes an opening formed on the top surface of the box body, and a plurality of flaps that are arranged inside the box body and swing in conjunction with the rising and falling of the upper door, each of the plurality of flaps being arranged symmetrically about the horizontal center of the box body and configured to be able to swing around at least a pair of rotating shafts that are arranged at both ends opposite each other in the horizontal direction inside the box body, and are arranged to extend downward from the rotating shafts when the upper door is in a closed state, and the plurality of flaps are configured to close the luggage compartment in conjunction with the movement of the upper door from a closed state to an open state, and the plurality of flaps open in conjunction with the movement of the upper door from an open state to a closed state.

[0010] According to the first aspect of the invention, the box has multiple flaps positioned symmetrically in the horizontal direction, so that the package moves inside the box while being guided by the multiple flaps as they open, thereby preventing the package from tilting as it moves downward. Furthermore, an opening is formed on the top surface, and when the top door is raised and in the open state, the loading surface formed by the multiple flaps is easily visible from around the delivery box, so the package is likely to be placed in the center of the opening, preventing the package from tilting when the multiple flaps open in unison. In particular, the loading surface formed by the multiple flaps is located inside the box, and the package is placed on the loading surface with at least a portion of the package inserted into the interior through the opening on the top surface of the box. Therefore, the package is unlikely to be placed in a position offset from the center of the loading surface, preventing the package from tilting as the multiple flaps open and the package moves downward.

[0011] According to the second feature of the delivery box, the delivery box is provided with an internal frame that is connected to the upper door and moves in accordance with the raising and lowering of the upper door, and the multiple flaps have abutment portions at their tips that contact the internal frame, and the internal frame is located inside the box body below the multiple flaps, and when the upper door moves from a closed state to an open state, the abutment portions abut the surface and support the multiple flaps from below, allowing them to move from the end to the center, and when the upper door moves from a closed state to an open state due to the raising and lowering of the internal frame, the multiple flaps rotate so that their tips move closer to each other, and when the upper door moves from an open state to a closed state, they rotate so that their tips move away from each other.

[0012] According to the second feature of the invention, the flaps have a double-opening structure that opens at the center, so that tilting of the luggage when it falls can be more reliably prevented.

[0013] According to the third feature of the delivery box, the delivery box is provided with a locking mechanism that keeps the upper door in an open position, and the locking mechanism is configured to fix the internal frame when the upper door is in an open position and to be able to release the fixation by operation.

[0014] According to the third aspect of the invention, the locking mechanism can fix and hold the inner frame, so the upper door will not naturally drop from the open position, making it easier to place luggage on the loading surface made up of multiple flaps.

[0015] According to the delivery box of the fourth feature, the internal frame comprises a horizontal frame that is arranged at both ends of the interior of the box body in the front-to-rear direction and extends in the left-to-right direction, the horizontal frame is positioned below the multiple flaps, and when the upper door is in the open state, the abutment portions of the multiple flaps are supported by the horizontal frame so that the rotation axis and the abutment portions are positioned horizontally side by side.

[0016] According to the fourth feature of the invention, the plurality of flaps form a loading surface that is a horizontal plane when the upper door is in an open state, so that luggage can be stably loaded.

[0017] According to the delivery box of the fifth feature, the horizontal frame has inclined surfaces that extend upward toward both ends in the left-right direction.

[0018] According to the fifth aspect of the invention, when the upper door is lowered, the multiple flaps in a downwardly extended state move along the inclined surface, so that the abutment portions at the tips of the multiple flaps abut against the internal frame and maintain a supported state until the multiple flaps are fully open. As a result, when the multiple flaps open and the luggage moves downward, the speed at which the multiple flaps open can be reliably controlled by the movement of the internal frame until the gap between the multiple flaps becomes large enough for the luggage to pass through, thereby preventing the luggage from tilting when it falls.

[0019] The delivery box according to the sixth feature is provided with a buffer mechanism that limits the speed at which the upper door and the internal frame descend.

[0020] According to the sixth aspect of the invention, the movement speed of the inner frame is limited, and therefore the movement speed of the inner frame is suppressed when storing luggage, thereby preventing the luggage from tilting when dropped.

[0021] According to the seventh feature of the delivery box, the plurality of flaps have protrusions at their leading ends that protrude toward the loading surface on which packages are placed.

[0022] According to the seventh feature of the invention, even if the luggage tries to fall tilted during the process of being stored, the luggage will be caught on the protrusion, preventing it from falling in that position, and the luggage's position will be corrected, thereby preventing the luggage from tilting when it falls. [Effects of the Invention]

[0023] According to the present invention, even if the luggage is placed unevenly, the luggage placement surface is structured so that multiple flaps open on both sides, preventing the luggage from tilting when dropped. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0024] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view of a delivery box 100 according to the first embodiment with the upper door 10 closed. FIG. [Figure 2] 2 is a perspective view of the delivery box 100 of FIG. 1 with the upper door 10 open. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of the internal structure of the delivery box 100 in the state shown in FIG. 1. [Figure 4] FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of the internal structure of the delivery box 100 in the state shown in FIG. 2. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a detailed explanatory diagram of the surrounding structure of the flap 11 in the state of FIG. 1. [Figure 6] 3 is a detailed explanatory diagram of the surrounding structure of the flap 11 in the state of FIG. 2. FIG. [Figure 7] 1 is a perspective view showing an example of the structure of a delivery box 100 according to embodiment 1. FIG. [Figure 8] 1 is an explanatory diagram of the process in which the delivery box 100 according to the first embodiment stores the package 90 in the package compartment 14. FIG. [Figure 9] 1 is a schematic diagram of the area around the contact portion 15 of the delivery box 100 according to the first embodiment before the flap 11 is fully opened. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the surrounding structure of the flap 11 of the delivery box 100 according to a modified example. [Figure 11] FIG. 10 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the periphery of the tip of the flap 11 of the delivery box 100 according to a modified example. [Figure 12] 10A and 10B are explanatory diagrams of the process of a delivery box 100 according to a modified example storing a package 90 in the package compartment 14. (a) shows the state in which the upper door 10 is fully raised and open, with the package 90 placed on the placement surface 17, (b) and (c) show the transitional states of the upper door 10 as it descends, and (d) shows the state in which the flap 11 is open enough to allow the package 90 to pass through. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0025] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The following describes embodiments of the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, these are merely examples, and the technical scope of the present invention is not limited to these examples.

[0026] Embodiment 1 (Overall configuration of delivery box 100) FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a delivery box 100 according to the first embodiment with the upper door 10 closed. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the delivery box 100 of FIG. 1 with the upper door 10 open. The delivery box 100 includes a box body 50 having an opening 55 formed on its top surface and capable of accommodating packages 90 therein, the upper door 10 closing the opening 55, and a lower door 20 closing an access opening provided at the bottom of the front surface of the box body 50. The box body 50 is a substantially rectangular parallelepiped that is elongated in the vertical direction and is configured to accommodate packages 90 in its internal space. The upper door 10 is configured to be able to rise and fall at the top of the box body 50 and opens and closes the opening 55 provided on the top surface of the box body 50. For example, the upper door 10 can be pulled up by grasping a handle 10a. The lower door 20 is a door used to retrieve packages 90 stored inside the box body 50 and is configured to be locked by the user as necessary.

[0027] The delivery box 100 is intended to allow a delivery company to leave the package 90 when they come to deliver it, regardless of whether the recipient is present or absent, and even if the recipient cannot receive the package 90 in person, storing the package 90 inside the box body 50 prevents theft, damage, etc. of the package 90.

[0028] As shown in FIG. 2, when the upper door 10 of the delivery box 100 is pulled upward, the opening 55 of the box body 50 becomes visible. At this time, the interior space of the box body 50 is closed by multiple flaps 11 near the opening 55, and it is impossible to reach through the opening 55 into the luggage compartment 14 below the flaps 11. Alternatively, the multiple flaps 11 are configured such that even if there is a gap between the tips of the flaps 11, at least the luggage 90 stored in the luggage compartment 14 cannot be removed. The luggage 90 is inserted into the opening 55 through the gap between the upper door 10 and the box body 50 and placed on the multiple flaps 11 provided inside the box body 50. The luggage 90 placed on the multiple flaps 11 moves downward as the upper door 10 is closed and is stored in the luggage compartment 14 at the bottom of the box body 50. In other words, the delivery box 100 is configured so that when the upper door 10 is in the open state with the upper door 10 pulled up, the multiple flaps 11 close the internal space of the box body 50, and when the upper door 10 is in the closed state with the upper door 10 lowered, the multiple flaps 11 open so that the luggage 90 can move into the luggage compartment 14.

[0029] (Multiple flaps 11) FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of the internal structure of the delivery box 100 in the state shown in FIG. 1. When the upper door 10 is closed as shown in FIG. 1, the multiple flaps 11 (flaps 11a and 11b) arranged inside the box body 50 are arranged with their tips facing downward along the side panels 52 and 54 in the x-direction, which is the horizontal direction of the space inside the box body 50. The flap 11a arranged along the side panel 54 on the x1 side of the box body 50 is rotatably supported by the rotation shaft 16a, and its tip is positioned downward due to gravity. The flap 11b arranged along the side panel 52 on the x2 side of the box body 50 is rotatably supported by the rotation shaft 16b, and its tip is positioned downward due to gravity. In other words, the multiple flaps 11a and 11b are arranged symmetrically in the x-direction of the box body 50. Note that the multiple flaps 11a and 11b are not limited to being rotatably supported by the rotation shafts 16a and 16b, respectively, and are not limited to being freely rotatable. For example, the tips of the multiple flaps 11a and 11b may be biased toward the side panels 52 and 54, so that the multiple flaps 11a and 11b do not move easily due to vibrations or the like.

[0030] FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of the internal structure of the delivery box 100 in the state shown in FIG. 2. When the upper door 10 is open as shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, the multiple flaps 11a and 11b arranged inside the box body 50 are arranged along a plane parallel to the xy plane, and the placement surfaces 17a and 17b are approximately horizontal. In other words, when the upper door 10 is open, the multiple flaps 11a and 11b are positioned such that their tips are horizontally aligned with the rotation shafts 16a and 16b. The multiple flaps 11a and 11b have, for example, rotatable wheels attached to both ends of their tips in the y direction, and are supported by and in contact with the internal frame 13 that moves up and down within the box body 50. The wheels attached to the tips of the multiple flaps 11a and 11b are called abutment portions 15. In other words, the flap 11a is supported by the internal frame 13 with which the rotation shaft 16a and abutment portion 15 abut, and extends along the x direction. Similarly, the flap 11b is supported by the inner frame 13, which is in contact with the rotation shaft 16b and the abutment portion 15, and extends along the x-direction. In other words, the abutment portion 15 is supported by the inner frame 13 and is positioned horizontally alongside the rotation shafts 16a and 16b.

[0031] A pair of rotation shafts 16a and 16b supporting each of the flaps 11a and 11b are disposed near the opening 55 inside the box 50. The rotation shafts 16a and 16b are disposed as a pair inside the box 50 at positions facing each other on the left and right sides of the horizontal direction, i.e., in the x direction. That is, the rotation shafts 16a and 16b are disposed so that their positions in the height direction (z direction) of the box 50 are substantially the same. The rotation shafts 16a and 16b may also be disposed as a pair at positions facing each other on the front and back sides of the horizontal direction of the box 50, i.e., in the y direction. When four or more flaps 11 are disposed, the rotation shafts 16 may be disposed as a pair on each of the left and right sides and the front and back directions. At least one pair of the flaps 11 are disposed as a pair at positions symmetrical in the horizontal direction and are configured to rotate in conjunction with each other.

[0032] (Internal frame 13 and its surrounding structure) FIG. 5 is a detailed explanatory diagram of the peripheral structure of the flap 11 in the state shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 6 is a detailed explanatory diagram of the peripheral structure of the flap 11 in the state shown in FIG. 2. In FIGS. 5 and 6, the inner frame 13, flaps 11a and 11b, connecting frame 12, and their peripheral structures are shown, while other components such as the upper door 10 and the box body 50 are omitted and indicated using two-dot chain lines. As shown in FIG. 5, when the upper door 10 closes the opening 55 of the box body 50, the connecting frame 12 is disposed inside the box body 50, and the inner frame 13 connected to the lower end of the connecting frame 12 is positioned below the tips of the multiple flaps 11a and 11b. The upper end of the connecting frame 12 is connected to the upper door 10. The upper door 10 is placed on the opening 55 of the box body 50. As shown in FIG. 2, an elastic member 56 is disposed on the upper surface of the box body 50 around the opening 55, and abuts against and supports the upper door 10 in the closed state. When the upper door 10 is in the closed state, the upper door 10 is supported by an elastic member 56 at the opening 55, and the connected connecting frame 12 and internal frame 13 are positioned in the internal space of the box body 50 below the upper door 10.

[0033] The internal frame 13 is a frame that is generally rectangular in plan view and is arranged along the inner surface of the box body 50. The internal frame 13 includes horizontal frames 13a arranged along the front and back surfaces of the box body 50 and a connecting frame 13c that connects both ends of the horizontal frames 13a in the x direction. The connecting frame 13c is connected to the lower end of the connecting frame 12 at the center in the y direction. The internal frame 13 is a rectangular frame body formed by two horizontal frames 13a arranged opposite each other in the y direction and two connecting frames 13c arranged opposite each other in the x direction, and each side of the frame body is arranged in a plane parallel to the xy plane. This frame body is integral and moves up and down together with the upper door 10 and the connecting frame 12.

[0034] 6, when the upper door 10 is pulled up, the connecting frame 12 is positioned so that its upper portion protrudes upward from the opening 55. The internal frame 13 is pulled up to the vicinity of the opening 55 of the box body 50 in conjunction with the upper door 10 and the connecting frame 12.

[0035] The internal frame 13 has an engagement piece 18 that protrudes in the y2 direction from the horizontal frame 13a located on the y2 side. The engagement piece 18 is held by the locking mechanism 30 when the upper door 10 is pulled up to the top. By holding the engagement piece 18 by the locking mechanism 30, the internal frame 13 is fixed in position near the opening 55 of the box body 50, and the connecting frame 12 and the upper door 10 are also held in a pulled-up state.

[0036] (Connecting frame 12) As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 , the upper door 10, connecting frame 12, and inner frame 13 are raised and lowered while being guided by a structure in which the connecting frame 12 is installed on the box body 50. The connecting frame 12 has a rail 12a on its surface facing outward in the x direction. The rail 12a is configured to be movable in the z direction while being guided by a slider 19 fixed to the box body 50. In FIGS. 5 and 6 , the rail 12a is formed as a groove into which the slider 19 is fitted. The slider 19, which is fixed to the side panels 52 and 54 of the box body 50, fits into the rail 12a, thereby restricting displacement of the connecting frame 12 in the x and y directions and allowing sliding movement in the z direction. Note that the rail 12a and slider 19 that guide the connecting frame 12 are not limited to this structure. For example, the structure that guides the movement of the connecting frame 12 may be configured such that a groove is provided on the box body 50 into which a structure on the connecting frame 12 fits and allows sliding in the z direction. Furthermore, the guides for raising and lowering the upper door 10, the connecting frame 12, and the internal frame 13 may be provided in a location other than the connecting frame 12. In other words, guides for raising and lowering the upper door 10, the connecting frame 12, and the internal frame 13 may be provided elsewhere.

[0037] The connecting frame 12 has a rack 41 on its surface facing the y1 side. The rack 41 meshes with a pinion 40a of a shock absorber 40 provided on each of the side panels 52 and 54 of the box body 50. The shock absorber 40 limits the speed of movement of the connecting frame 12 when it descends, so as to prevent the connecting frame 12 from free falling or a state close to free falling. Specifically, the pinion 40a of the shock absorber 40 provides rotational resistance when the connecting frame 12 moves downward, thereby limiting the speed of movement of the connecting frame 12. Note that the device that limits the speed of movement of the upper door 10, connecting frame 12, and inner frame 13 is not limited to the structure of the shock absorber 40 described above. For example, a structure in which two pinions 40a are meshed with the connecting frame 12 may be used, or a hydraulic shock absorber may be provided.

[0038] The connecting frames 12 are not limited to being provided one at each end in the x direction. For example, the connecting frames 12 may be provided at each corner of the rectangular inner frame 13.

[0039] (Opening and closing mechanism for multiple flaps 11a and 11b) FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing an example of the structure of the delivery box 100 according to the first embodiment. In FIG. 7, the front panel 51 of the box body 50 is omitted, and the upper door 10, connecting frame 12, and inner frame 13 are shown in a state in which they are in the middle of being lowered. The delivery box 100 is used, for example, so that a delivery person who has come to deliver a package 90 places the package 90 inside the box body 50, and a recipient can receive the package 90 by opening the locked lower door 20 (see FIG. 1) at any time and removing the package 90 from the luggage compartment 14. Therefore, anyone other than the recipient can place the package 90 inside the box body 50, but cannot remove it.

[0040] When the upper door 10 of the delivery box 100 is open as shown in Fig. 2, a package 90 is placed on the placement surfaces 17a and 17b, which are made up of multiple flaps 11a and 11b. Fig. 7 shows the state in which the upper door 10, connecting frame 12, and inner frame 13 are in the middle of descending from the state in which the package 90 is placed on the placement surfaces 17a and 17b. In this state, the package 90 moves downward while sliding on the placement surfaces 17a and 17b of the multiple flaps 11a and 11b, which are about to open as the inner frame 13 and the like are lowered.

[0041] Figure 8 is an explanatory diagram of the process in which the delivery box 100 according to embodiment 1 stores a package 90 in the package compartment 14. In Figure 8, the front panel 51 and side panels 52 and 54 of the box body 50 are not shown. Figure 8(a) shows the state in which the upper door 10 of the delivery box 100 is fully raised in the open state and the package 90 is placed on the placement surface 17. Figure 8(b) shows the transition state in which the upper door 10 of the delivery box 100 is in the middle of descending. Figure 8(c) shows the closed state in which the upper door 10 of the delivery box 100 is fully lowered.

[0042] In the state shown in Fig. 8(a), when the locking mechanism 30 is released, the inner frame 13 starts to descend. As shown in Fig. 8(b), when the inner frame 13 starts to descend, the abutment portions 15 at the tips of the flaps 11 supported by the inner frame 13 move downward and rotate around the rotation shaft 16. When the abutment portions 15 move around the rotation shaft 16, the abutment portions 15 of the flaps 11 arranged on the left and right move away from each other. As a result, the internal space of the box body 50 that was closed by the flaps 11 gradually opens as the upper door 10 descends.

[0043] As shown in FIG. 8(b), each of the left and right flaps 11 extends from the rotation axis 16 to the center of the box 50 in the x direction. Therefore, as the tip of the flap 11 rotates, the gap in the center gradually widens. Furthermore, the tilt angle of the placement surface 17 from the horizontal (parallel to the xy plane) gradually increases as the flap 11 rotates. As the tilt angle of the placement surface 17 increases, the baggage 90 gradually slides downward on the placement surface 17.

[0044] As the gap between the tips of the left and right flaps 11 widens, when the gap becomes larger than the width of the luggage 90 in the x direction, the luggage 90 slips through the gap between the tips of the flaps 11 and falls downward. As shown in FIG. 8(c), when the internal frame 13 reaches its lowering position, the abutment portions 15 at the tips of the flaps 11 lose support, and the flaps 11 are fully opened to the left and right. Therefore, if the size of the luggage 90 can be placed on the placement surface 17, the left and right flaps 11 open, allowing the luggage 90 to pass between the flaps 11 and move into the luggage compartment 14. Note that the luggage compartment 14 may be provided with cushioning material or the like to prevent impact when the luggage 90 falls.

[0045] The internal frame 13 can open the left and right flaps 11 in conjunction with each other by lowering the internal frame 13 with the abutment portions 15 at the tips of the left and right flaps 11 placed on its upper surface. In contrast to the process in which the luggage 90 moves downward inside the box 50 described above, when the upper door 10 moves from the closed state to the open state, the flap 11 gradually closes from the fully open state shown in Figure 8(c) as the internal frame 13 rises. As a result, even if someone other than the recipient opens the upper door 10, the left and right flaps 11 close the internal space of the box 50 as the upper door 10 opens, making it difficult for people other than the recipient to access the luggage 90 in the luggage compartment 14 through the opening 55 of the box 50. Furthermore, even when the upper door 10 is in a transitional state between the open state and the closed state, the flap 11 is open to some extent, but the upper door 10 is lowered, so even if a person tries to reach inside the box body 50, the gap between the upper door 10 and the top surface of the box body 50 is narrow and they cannot reach the luggage compartment 14.

[0046] As shown in FIG. 8(c) and other figures, the internal frame 13 has, at both ends in the x direction, inclined surfaces 13b that extend upward from the center in the x direction toward the outside. The inclined surfaces 13b are the surfaces that the abutting portions 15 first abut against when the internal frame 13 is raised from the state shown in FIG. 8(c). The abutting portions 15 abut against the inclined surfaces 13b of the rising internal frame 13, and are thereby moved inward along the inclined surfaces 13b. This has the effect of preventing the internal frame 13 and the flap 11 from getting caught and preventing the upper door 10 from becoming stuck when the upper door 10 is raised.

[0047] When the internal frame 13 descends, the inclined surface 13b abuts against the abutment portion 15 of the flap 11 until just before the flap 11 is fully opened, thereby supporting the flap 11. Therefore, the flap 11 rotates in conjunction with the descending speed of the internal frame 13 until it is fully opened.

[0048] FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram of the area around the abutment 15 of the delivery box 100 according to the first embodiment before the flap 11 is fully opened. The abutment 15, located at the tip of the flap 11, moves along the arc a in FIG. 9, at an angle close to horizontal. Because the flap 11 is loaded by the cargo 90, the flap 11 receives a load in the opening direction, and this load is supported by the upper surface 13d of the internal frame 13. If the internal frame 13 does not have the inclined surface 13b, the movement directions of the upper surface 13d and the abutment 15 are nearly parallel, which could cause the abutment 15 to slide on the upper surface 13d in the direction of arrow P. If the abutment 15 slides in the direction of arrow P, the flap 11 loses support and suddenly opens, potentially dropping the cargo 90. Furthermore, the sudden opening of the flap 11 could result in a strong impact against surrounding structures, such as the side panels 52 or 54. The inclined surface 13b has the effect of preventing such an event.

[0049] (Modification of flap 11) Figure 10 is a perspective view showing a modified example of the flap 11 of the delivery box 100 according to embodiment 1. The delivery box 100 in Figure 10 has a modified structure of the flap 11 of the delivery box 100 in Figure 2, with the rest of the structure being the same as that shown in Figure 2. The modified flap 11 has a protrusion 60 at the tip.

[0050] FIG. 11 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the periphery of the tip of the flap 11 shown in FIG. 10. FIG. 11 shows the structure of the tip of the flap 11 in a cross section parallel to the xz plane. A protrusion 60 is formed at the tip of the flap 11, protruding toward the placement surface 17 on which the luggage 90 is placed. The tip of the flap 11 is formed by bending the end of the plate material constituting the placement surface 17 toward the z1 side, forming a circular shape in cross section. However, the cross-sectional shape of the protrusion 60 is not limited to this, and any structure may be used as long as it protrudes toward the placement surface 17 and is configured to catch the luggage 90 when the flap 11 is opened, as described below. For example, the protrusion 60 may be formed by fixing a separate member to the placement surface 17 side of the tip of the flap 11. Furthermore, the protrusion 60 is not limited to being provided at the tip of the flap 11, and may be provided on the rotation shaft 16 side as long as it is at the tip.

[0051] Figure 12 is an explanatory diagram of the process by which the delivery box 100 shown in Figure 10 stores a package 90 in the package compartment 14. Figure 12 shows a cross section of the center of the box body 50 in the y direction. Figure 12(a) shows the state in which the upper door 10 of the delivery box 100 is fully raised and open, with the package 90 placed on the placement surface 17. Figures 12(b) and (c) show the transition state of the upper door 10 of the delivery box 100 as it descends. Figure 12(d) shows the state in which the flap 11 of the delivery box 100 is open enough to allow the package 90 to pass through.

[0052] 12(a) shows, as an example, a case where the package 90 is placed in a position slightly off-center in the opening 55. In the delivery box 100 equipped with the flap 11 according to the modified example, even if the package 90 is placed unevenly on the placement surface 17, the posture is corrected as the flap 11 opens, so that the tilt of the package 90 is corrected when it falls into the luggage compartment 14.

[0053] 12(a), when the locking mechanism 30 is released, the inner frame 13 starts to descend. As shown in FIG. 12(b), when the inner frame 13 starts to descend, the abutment portions 15 at the tips of the flaps 11 supported by the inner frame 13 move downward and rotate around the rotation shaft 16. When the abutment portions 15 move around the rotation shaft 16, the abutment portions 15 of the flaps 11 arranged on the left and right move away from each other. As a result, the internal space of the box body 50 that was closed by the flaps 11 gradually opens as the upper door 10 descends.

[0054] As shown in FIG. 12(b), the tilt angle of the placement surface 17 from the horizontal (parallel to the xy plane) gradually increases as the flap 11 rotates. As the tilt angle of the placement surface 17 increases, the luggage 90 gradually slides downward on the placement surface 17. At this time, the lower left corner of the luggage 90 is positioned lower than the lower right corner. This is because the luggage 90 was initially positioned to the right, as shown in FIG. 12(a). If the luggage 90 were positioned in the center when placed, this tilt would be suppressed.

[0055] As the gap between the tips of the left and right flaps 11 widens from the state shown in FIG. 12(b), the lower left corner of the luggage 90 first gets caught on the protrusion 60. Meanwhile, the lower right corner of the luggage 90 slides along the placement surface 17 of the right flap 11, so the luggage 90 remains caught on the protrusion 60. As shown in FIG. 12(c), when the gap between the left and right flaps 11 becomes approximately the same as the width of the luggage 90 in the x direction, the luggage 90 gets caught on the protrusions 60 of the left and right flaps 11. At this point, the posture of the luggage 90, which was initially tilted, has been largely corrected.

[0056] When the left and right flaps 11 are further opened from the state shown in Figure 12(c), the luggage 90 passes between the left and right flaps 11 in the same position as shown in Figure 12(d). Since the position of the luggage 90 is corrected during the process from Figure 12(a) to (c), the luggage 90 is prevented from falling into the luggage compartment 14 in an inclined position.

[0057] In this way, even if the luggage 90 tilts to one side while falling, the corner of the luggage 90 on the tilted side gets caught on the protrusion 60, preventing it from falling in a tilted state, and therefore preventing it from falling into the storage chamber in a tilted state.

[0058] Although the present invention has been described above based on the embodiments, the present invention is not limited to the configurations of the above-described embodiments. For example, while the upper door 10 has been described as having a handle 10a on its top surface and being manually raised, it may be configured to open automatically by a predetermined operation by having a mechanism for raising it and a mechanism for maintaining it in a closed state. Furthermore, the number of flaps 11 is not limited to two, and more flaps 11 may be provided. In short, it should be noted that the gist (technical scope) of the present invention also includes various modifications, applications, and uses that may be made by those skilled in the art as needed. [Industrial Applicability]

[0059] The delivery box of the present invention can be applied to any facility that stores items. [Explanation of symbols]

[0060] 10: Upper door 10a: Handle 11: Flap 11a: Flap 11b: Flap 12: Connecting frame 12a: Rail 13: Internal frame 13a: Horizontal frame 13b: Inclined surface 13c: Connection frame 13d:Top surface 14: Luggage compartment 15: Contact part 16: Rotation axis 16a: Rotating axis 16b: Rotation axis 17: Placement surface 17a: Placement surface 17b: Placement surface 18: Engagement piece 19: Slider 20: Lower door 30: Locking mechanism 40:Buffer device 40a: Pinion 41: Rack 50: Box body 51: Front panel 52: Side panel 54: Side panel 55: Opening 56: Elastic member 60: Protrusion 90: Luggage 100: Shipping box a: arc

Claims

1. a box body having a luggage compartment capable of accommodating luggage; an upper door configured to be able to rise and fall and configured to open and close an opening formed on an upper surface of the box body; a plurality of flaps disposed inside the box body and swinging in conjunction with the raising and lowering of the upper door; Each of the plurality of flaps is The box body is configured to be symmetrically disposed about the center in the horizontal direction thereof and to be swingable about at least a pair of rotation shafts disposed at both ends of the box body that are opposed to each other in the horizontal direction, The upper door is disposed so as to extend downward from the rotation shaft when in a closed state, The plurality of flaps are configured to close the luggage compartment in conjunction with the movement of the upper door from a closed state to an open state, and the plurality of flaps are configured to open in conjunction with the movement of the upper door from an open state to a closed state. Shipping box.

2. An internal frame is connected to the upper door and moves in accordance with the elevation of the upper door, The plurality of flaps include: a contact portion at a tip end for contacting the internal frame; The internal frame is Located inside the box body below the plurality of flaps, When the upper door moves from the closed state to the open state, the abutting portion is supported from below so as to be movable from the end portion to the center portion while abutting against the surface, The plurality of flaps include: When the upper door moves from a closed state to an open state due to the raising and lowering of the internal frame, the tips rotate so as to approach each other, and when the upper door moves from an open state to a closed state, the tips rotate so as to move away from each other.

10. The shipping box of claim 1.

3. A locking mechanism is provided to keep the upper door in an open state, The locking mechanism is The upper door is configured to fix the internal frame in an open state and to be able to release the fixation by operation.

3. The shipping box of claim 2.

4. The internal frame is horizontal frames disposed at both ends of the interior of the box in the front-rear direction and extending in the left-right direction; The horizontal frame is Located below the plurality of flaps, The plurality of flaps include: When the upper door is in an open state, the abutment portions of the plurality of flaps are supported by the horizontal frame so that the rotation shaft and the abutment portions are positioned side by side in the horizontal direction.

4. The shipping box of claim 3.

5. The horizontal frame is The inclined surfaces extend upward toward both ends in the left-right direction.

5. The shipping box of claim 4.

6. a buffer mechanism for limiting the speed at which the upper door and the inner frame are lowered; A shipping box according to any one of claims 2 to 5.

7. The plurality of flaps include: A protrusion is provided at the tip end of the carrier that protrudes toward the loading surface on which the cargo is placed. A shipping box according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

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