Storage box and blank

Abstract

To provide a storage box capable of appropriately maintaining a sealed state and a blank forming the storage box.SOLUTION: The storage box includes a box body having an opening, a lid portion capable of opening and closing the opening, and a lock portion 40 that locks the lid portion with the opening closed. The box body includes a wall whose one end in a first direction forms the edge of the opening. The lock portion has a lock piece 41 adjacent to the wall from the inside of the box body, and a flap 42 extending from the end of the lid portion and adjacent to the wall from the inside of the box body when the opening is closed by the lid portion. The flap has a lock hole 43 that can engage with the lock piece. The lock piece has a first portion whose width decreases as it moves away from the opening in the first direction. The lock hole has a second portion whose width decreases as it approaches the tip of the flap.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a storage box and a blank. [Background technology]

[0002] Techniques for sealing storage boxes have already been developed, and the technique described in Patent Document 1 is one example. In the storage box described in Patent Document 1, a locking part having a folding flexible locking part is provided at the tip of the locking lid sheet part, and a long and narrow locking hole is provided in the locked inner lid sheet part into which the locking part is inserted. When the locking part is inserted into the locking hole, the flexible locking part of the locking part inserted into the locking hole is deformed, thereby enabling locking. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2007-320587 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The storage box described in Patent Document 1 is sealed (locked) by the tip of the folded portion (flexible locking portion) being locked to the lid portion from the inside of the storage box. On the other hand, the repulsive force of the folded portion differs depending on the material and thickness of the storage box, etc. Therefore, depending on the magnitude of the repulsive force of the folded portion, when the lid is lifted, the folded portion may rotate relative to the locking portion, and the tip of the folded portion may not be sufficiently locked to the lid, and the storage box may not be properly sealed.

[0005] Therefore, the present invention has been made in consideration of the above circumstances, and its object is to provide a storage box and a blank for forming the storage box that can properly maintain a sealed state. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The above object is achieved by a storage box of the present invention, which comprises a box body having an opening, a lid portion that can open and close the opening, and a locking portion that locks the lid portion when the opening is closed, wherein the box body includes a wall whose one end in a first direction forms the edge of the opening, and the locking portion has a locking piece adjacent to the wall from the inside of the box body, and a flap that extends from the end of the lid portion and is adjacent to the wall from the inside of the box body when the opening is closed by the lid portion, and the flap is provided with a locking hole that can engage with the locking piece, and the locking piece has a first portion that narrows in width as it moves away from the opening in the first direction, and the locking hole has a second portion that narrows in width as it approaches the tip of the flap. The blank of the present invention has folding lines, and can be folded along the folding lines to form the above-described storage box. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a storage box and a blank for forming the storage box that can maintain an appropriate sealed state. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view showing a storage box before sealing according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a sealed storage box according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA shown in FIG. 2. [Figure 4] 10 is a view of the locking piece and the locking hole before fitting, as seen from the inside of the storage box. FIG. [Figure 5] 10 is a view of the locking piece and the locking hole after fitting, viewed from the inside of the storage box. FIG. [Figure 6] 10 is a diagram illustrating a case where an attempt is made to unlock the lid of a sealed storage box without using a card key. FIG. [Figure 7]1 is a plan view of a card key according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating a procedure for unlocking the cover using a card key. [Figure 9] 1 is a plan view of a blank constituting a storage box according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 10] 10 is a view of the locking pieces and locking holes of the storage box according to the first modified example of the present invention, viewed from the inside of the storage box before fitting. FIG. [Figure 11] 10 is a view of a storage box according to a second modified example of the present invention, showing lock pieces and lock holes before fitting, as viewed from the inside of the storage box. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] Hereinafter, one embodiment of the present invention (hereinafter referred to as the present embodiment) will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that the following embodiment is merely an example given to facilitate understanding of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention. In other words, the configuration of the present invention may be modified or improved from the following embodiment without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Furthermore, unless otherwise specified, the material and shape of each member used to implement the present invention can be arbitrarily set depending on the application of the present invention and the state of the art at the time of implementing the present invention. Furthermore, the present invention includes equivalents thereof.

[0010] In addition, in this specification, "orthogonal," "parallel," and "perpendicular" include the range of error acceptable in the technical field to which the present invention pertains. For example, "orthogonal," "parallel," and "perpendicular" in this specification mean that they are within a range of less than ±10° from the strict "orthogonal," "parallel," or "perpendicular." The error from the strict "orthogonal," "parallel," and "perpendicular" is preferably 5° or less, and more preferably 3° or less. In addition, in this specification, the meanings of "same," "identical," and "similar" may include a range of error generally accepted in the technical field to which the present invention belongs. In addition, in this specification, the meanings of "all" and "entire area" include not only 100% but also the range of error generally accepted in the technical field to which the present invention pertains, and may include, for example, 99% or more, 95% or more, or 90% or more.

[0011] <<Overview of the storage box according to this embodiment>> An overview of a storage box according to this embodiment (hereinafter referred to as storage box 10) will be described with reference to FIGS. The storage box 10 is used for a wide variety of purposes, for example, for transporting goods. The storage box 10 is sealed by a manufacturer or the like before shipping. Specifically, after goods are placed inside the unsealed storage box 10 (storage box 10 shown in FIG. 1), the opening 20a of the box body 20 is closed with the lid 30, and the lid 30 is locked by the locking unit 40. The sealed storage box 10 (storage box 10 shown in FIG. 2) is delivered from the manufacturer or the like to a store, user's residence, or the like. When opening the storage box 10 at a store, user's residence, or the like, the card key 50 (corresponding to the unlocking member) is removed from the lid 30 and inserted into the gap between the front wall 22 (side wall) of the box body 20 and the lid 30. This unlocks the lid 30, allowing the lid 30 to be opened and the goods to be removed.

[0012] The storage box 10 may be formed, for example, by folding a sheet-like blank 12 (see FIG. 9) described below, or by connecting a plurality of plates (blank pieces). The storage box 10 may be made of any material, such as cardboard or paperboard, and may be made of resin (e.g., plastic cardboard) or other materials, and may be coated with various coatings.

[0013] <<Regarding the storage box according to this embodiment>> Next, an example of the container 10 will be described with reference to FIGS.

[0014] In the following explanation, the state in which the storage box 10 is placed on a horizontal surface is defined as the normal state of use, and unless otherwise specified, when describing the position of the storage box 10, as well as the orientation and extension direction of each part of the storage box 10, the position, orientation, and extension direction when the storage box 10 is in the normal state of use will be indicated. 1, the side of the storage box 10 that is placed on a horizontal surface is defined as the bottom wall 21, and the walls that rise from the bottom wall 21 are defined as the side walls 22 to 25. However, this definition is based solely on the arrangement of the storage box 10 in this embodiment, and the definition of the walls will differ depending on the arrangement of the storage box 10. For example, if the side of the storage box that is placed on a horizontal surface is a wall that corresponds to a side wall in this embodiment, that wall may be defined as the bottom wall.

[0015] In the following description, three directions that intersect (are perpendicular to) each other as shown in Fig. 1 are defined as the "up-down direction (corresponding to the first direction)," the "front-rear direction," and the "left-right direction (corresponding to the second direction)." The "up-down direction" corresponds to a direction perpendicular to the bottom wall 21, and the "front-rear direction" and "left-right direction" correspond to directions along the surface of the bottom wall 21. The "left-right direction" also corresponds to a direction perpendicular to the up-down direction among directions along the surface of the front wall 22 that forms a side wall. It should be noted that the "left side" and "right side" in the "left-right direction" are defined based on the state of viewing the storage box 10 from the front. The "up-down direction," "front-rear direction," and "left-right direction" mentioned here are defined solely based on the arrangement of the storage box 10 in this embodiment, and the definitions of each direction will differ depending on the arrangement of the storage box 10.

[0016] Furthermore, the "inside" of the storage box 10 means the side of the internal space surrounded by the walls (walls 21 to 25 and lid portion 30) that make up the storage box 10, and the "outside" of the storage box 10 means the side opposite the internal space across the wall (the side of the external space). Furthermore, the "inner surface" of the walls (walls 21 to 25 and lid portion 30) that make up the storage box 10 means the surface adjacent to the above-mentioned internal space, and the "outer surface" means the surface adjacent to the above-mentioned external space.

[0017] The configuration of the storage box 10 will be described in more detail below. As shown in FIG. 1, the storage box 10 has a box body 20 having an opening 20a, a lid portion 30 that can open and close the opening 20a, a locking portion 40 that locks the lid portion 30 with the opening 20a closed, and a card key 50 that can release the locked state set by the locking portion 40.

[0018] <Box body> The box body 20 is a hollow box body that stores items therein. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, the box body 20 has a bottom wall 21 and a plurality of (four) side walls 22 to 25 that rise upward from the periphery of the bottom wall 21. The upper end of each of the side walls 22 to 25 in the vertical direction forms the edge of the opening 20a. In this embodiment, the edge shape of the opening 20a is rectangular, but is not limited thereto, and may be, for example, a circle, an ellipse, a quadrangle other than a rectangle, or a polygon other than a quadrangle (for example, a hexagon or an octagon).

[0019] Furthermore, in the present embodiment, the shape of each of the bottom wall 21 and the side walls 22 to 25 is rectangular, but is not limited thereto and may be, for example, a circle, an ellipse, a quadrangle other than a rectangle, or a polygon other than a quadrangle (for example, a hexagon or an octagon). The number of side walls rising upward from the periphery of the bottom wall 21 is not limited to four and may be one or more depending on the shape of the bottom wall 21. For example, if the shape of the bottom wall 21 is circular or elliptical, the box main body 20 may have one cylindrical side wall, and if the shape of the bottom wall 21 is hexagonal, the box main body 20 may have six side walls. Furthermore, if the shape of the bottom wall 21 is octagonal, the box main body 20 may have eight side walls.

[0020] In this embodiment, of the four side walls 22 to 25, two side walls 22, 23 are arranged apart in the front-to-rear direction, and the remaining two side walls 24, 25 are arranged apart in the left-to-right direction. In the following description, the side wall located on one side in the front-to-rear direction will be referred to as the "front wall 22," the side wall located on the other side in the front-to-rear direction will be referred to as the "rear wall 23," the side wall located on one side in the left-to-right direction will be referred to as the "left wall 24," and the side wall located on the other side in the left-to-right direction will be referred to as the "right wall 25." In the following description, the upper end of the front wall 22 in the vertical direction is referred to as "upper end 22a (corresponding to one end)", and the upper end 22a forms the edge of the opening 20a.

[0021] 1, a left-wall flap 26 extends from the tip (upper end) of the left wall 24, and the left-wall flap 26 is folded inward (to the right in the left-right direction) of the box body 20 when viewed from the left wall 24, starting from the boundary between the left wall 24 and the left-wall flap 26. When the opening 20a is closed by the lid portion 30, the left-wall flap 26 overlaps (is adjacent to) the lid portion 30 (more specifically, a first hole portion 31 described later), and is located below the lid portion 30, as shown in FIG.

[0022] 1, a right-wall flap 27 extends from the tip (upper end) of the right wall 25, and the right-wall flap 27 is folded inward (to the left in the left-right direction) of the box body 20 when viewed from the right wall 25, using the boundary between the right wall 25 and the right-wall flap 27 as a base point. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, the length of the right-wall flap 27 in the extending direction is shorter than the length of the left-wall flap 26 in the extending direction.

[0023] <Lid> As shown in FIG. 1 , the lid portion 30 is a plate-like member extending from the tip (top end) of the rear wall 23 and is bent inward (toward the front in the front-to-rear direction) of the storage box 10 as viewed from the rear wall 23, using the boundary between the rear wall 23 and the lid portion 30 as a base point. The opening 20a can be opened and closed by rotating the lid portion 30 about the boundary point. When the opening 20a is closed by the lid portion 30, the tip of the lid portion 30 is adjacent to the upper end 22a of the front wall 22, as shown in FIG. 2 . In this embodiment, the shape of the lid portion 30 is rectangular, but is not limited thereto. For example, the shape may be circular, elliptical, quadrangle other than a rectangle, polygon other than a rectangle (e.g., hexagonal or octagonal), etc., depending on the shape of the edge of the opening 20a.

[0024] As shown in FIG. 2, the cover 30 has a first hole 31 and a plurality of second holes 32 formed therein. The first hole 31 is formed by cutting the card key 50 from the lid 30, and more specifically, is a through-hole that extends in the direction in which the lid 30 extends (the front-to-rear direction in FIG. 2), and has an edge shape that corresponds to the outline of the card key 50, and in this embodiment, is substantially rectangular. Before being opened at a store, a user's residence, etc., the storage box 10 (storage box 10 shown in FIG. 2) has a cut (perforation) or the like formed at the boundary between the lid 30 and the card key 50. When using the card key 50, the card key 50 can be removed from the lid 30 by cutting the boundary between the lid 30 and the card key 50.

[0025] The two second holes 32 are each located on either edge of the first hole 31 in the extension direction, are through holes that communicate with the first hole 31, and are semicircular in this embodiment. When removing the card key 50 from the lid 30, the card key 50 can be easily removed by placing a finger in the second hole 32.

[0026] <Lock section> 1, the locking portion 40 has a locking piece 41 and a flap 42, and the flap 42 is provided with a locking hole 43 that can be fitted with the locking piece 41. Details of the "fitting" will be described later. The locking piece 41, the flap 42, and the locking hole 43 will be described in more detail below.

[0027] [Lock piece] The locking piece 41 is a plate piece adjacent to the front wall 22 from the inside of the box body 20. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3, the locking piece 41 protrudes from the upper end 22a of the front wall 22 in the up-down direction. More specifically, the locking piece 41 is bent from the boundary between the front wall 22 and the locking piece 41 toward the inside of the box body 20 (toward the rear in the front-to-back direction) as viewed from the front wall 22, and extends in a direction slightly inclined with respect to the up-down direction toward the inside of the box body 20. After being bent, a repulsive force acts on the locking piece 41, trying to return it to its original position. This repulsive force is more likely to be larger when the front wall 22 and the locking piece 41 are made of paper than when they are made of resin, and is more likely to be larger as the thickness (plate thickness) of the front wall 22 and the locking piece 41 increases. The more nearly parallel the protruding direction of the locking piece 41 and the grain direction M (see FIG. 9) of the locking piece 41 are, the greater the repulsive force.

[0028] In the above description, the locking piece 41 protrudes from the upper end 22a of the front wall 22 in the vertical direction, but this is not limited to this, and for example, it may be a separate member from the front wall 22, or may be joined to the inner surface of the front wall 22 with adhesive, adhesive tape, etc.

[0029] 4, the lock piece 41 has a base end portion 44, a first reduced portion 45 (corresponding to the first portion), and a first flat portion 46. The portions 44, 45, 46 are continuous from the top to the bottom (towards the tip of the lock piece 41) in the order of the base end portion 44, the first reduced portion 45, and the first flat portion 46. When explaining using Figure 4, unless otherwise specified, it is assumed that the protruding direction of the locking piece 41 is approximately parallel to the vertical direction, and the terms "vertical direction" and "protruding direction of the locking piece 41" can be used interchangeably.

[0030] The base end portion 44 is the portion of the locking piece 41 closest to the upper end 22a of the front wall 22, and extends in the protruding direction of the locking piece 41 while maintaining the same width. Unless otherwise specified, the "width" here refers to the width along the surface of the locking piece 41 in a direction perpendicular to the protruding direction of the locking piece 41, and in this embodiment, the width direction of the locking piece 41 corresponds to the left-right direction. Therefore, in the following description, the "width direction of the locking piece 41" and the "left-right direction" may be used interchangeably. The definition of "width" is common to the base end portion 44, the first reduced portion 45, and the first flat portion 46. In this embodiment, both ends (both sides) of the base end portion 44 in the width direction extend linearly along the up-down direction.

[0031] As shown in FIG. 4 , the first reduced portion 45 is a portion whose width narrows as it moves away from the opening 20a in the vertical direction. In this embodiment, both ends of the first reduced portion 45 in the width direction are inclined in opposite directions relative to the vertical direction. More specifically, each end is inclined linearly downward toward the center of the first reduced portion 45 in the width direction. In other words, the first reduced portion 45 has a so-called tapered shape. The inclination angle is not particularly limited, but is preferably 10° to 80°, and more preferably 20° to 60°, assuming that the vertical direction is 0°. This allows the locking function of the locking portion 40 to be ensured while the size of the locking piece 41 in the width direction to be compact. In this embodiment, the inclination angles of both ends of the first reduced portion 45 in the width direction relative to the vertical direction are the same, making the shape of the locking piece 41 symmetrical in the left-right direction (i.e., bilaterally symmetrical).

[0032] In the above description, both ends of the first reduced portion 45 in the width direction are inclined with respect to the vertical direction, but this is not limited thereto. For example, one of the ends may be inclined with respect to the vertical direction and the other may extend along the vertical direction. For example, one end of the first reduced portion 45 in the width direction may be inclined with respect to the vertical direction, and the other end of the first reduced portion 45 in the width direction may extend parallel to the vertical direction. Furthermore, the inclination angles of the ends of the first reduced portion 45 in the width direction with respect to the vertical direction may be different from each other, which may result in, for example, the shape of the lock piece 41 being asymmetrical in the left-right direction.

[0033] 4, the first flat portion 46 is located at the end of the locking piece 41 farther from the opening 20a in the up-down direction, i.e., at the lower end of the locking piece 41, and extends linearly in the left-right direction. In this embodiment, the first flat portion 46 is an edge that extends over the entire left-right area of ​​the lower end of the locking piece 41. However, without being limited thereto, the first flat portion 46 may be located, for example, in only a portion (e.g., the center) of the lower end of the locking piece 41 in the left-right direction.

[0034] The locking pieces 41 configured as described above have multiple corners, and these corners are preferably arc-shaped. This reduces stress concentration at the corners of the locking holes 43 (described later) that come into contact with the corners of the locking pieces 41, thereby reducing the risk of damage to the locking pieces 41 and locking holes 43.

[0035] [flap] As shown in FIG. 1, the flap 42 protrudes from the tip of the lid portion 30. More specifically, when the opening 20a is closed by the lid portion 30, the flap 42 is bent downward in the up-down direction as viewed from the lid portion 30, starting from the boundary between the lid portion 30 and the flap 42, as shown in FIG. 3, and is adjacent to the front wall 22 from the inside of the box body 20. The shape of the flap 42 is not particularly limited, but in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, the flap 42 has a generally rectangular plate shape with the longitudinal direction extending in the left-right direction, and the tip of the flap 42 is gently curved away from the base end. Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 1, the flap 42 has a flap upper portion 42a on the base end side of the flap 42.

[0036] [Lock hole] 1, the lock hole 43 is a hole that penetrates the flap 42 and is adjacent to the flap upper portion 42a from the tip side of the flap 42. More specifically, as shown in FIG. 4, the lock hole 43 has a second reduced portion 47 (corresponding to the second portion) and a second flat portion 48, and the second reduced portion 47 and the second flat portion 48 are continuous in this order toward the tip of the flap 42. When explaining using Figure 4, unless otherwise specified, it is assumed that the extension direction of the flap 42 is approximately parallel to the vertical direction, and the terms "vertical direction" and "extension direction of the flap 42" can be used interchangeably.

[0037] As shown in FIG. 4 , the second reduced portion 47 is a portion whose width narrows toward the tip of the flap 42. In other words, when the opening 20a is closed by the lid 30, the second reduced portion 47 is a portion whose width narrows toward the bottom in the up-down direction. Unless otherwise specified, the "width" here refers to the width along the surface of the flap 42 in a direction perpendicular to the extension direction of the flap 42, and the width direction of the lock hole 43 corresponds to the left-right direction in this embodiment. Therefore, in the following description, the "width direction of the lock hole 43" and the "left-right direction" may be used interchangeably. The definition of "width" is common to the second reduced portion 47 and the second flat portion 48.

[0038] In this embodiment, both widthwise edges of the second reduced portion 47 are inclined in opposite directions relative to the extension direction of the flap 42. More specifically, they are inclined linearly toward the center of the widthwise direction of the second reduced portion 47 as they approach the tip of the flap 42. In other words, the second reduced portion 47 has a so-called tapered shape. The inclination angle is not particularly limited, but may correspond to the inclination angle of the first reduced portion 45 of the lock piece 41, for example. When the extension direction of the flap 42 is defined as 0°, the inclination angle is preferably 5° to 65°, and more preferably 15° to 60°. This allows the locking function of the locking portion 40 to be ensured while the widthwise size of the lock hole 43 can be made compact. In this embodiment, the inclination angles of both widthwise edges of the second reduced portion 47 relative to the extension direction of the flap 42 are the same, which makes the shape of the lock hole 43 symmetrical in the left-right direction (i.e., bilaterally symmetrical).

[0039] In the above description, both widthwise edges of the second reduced portion 47 are inclined with respect to the extension direction of the flap 42. However, this is not limited to this, and, for example, one of the widthwise edges of the second reduced portion 47 may be inclined with respect to the extension direction of the flap 42 and the other may extend parallel to the extension direction of the flap 42, corresponding to both widthwise ends of the first reduced portion 45 of the lock piece 41. Furthermore, the inclination angles of the widthwise edges of the second reduced portion 47 with respect to the extension direction of the flap 42 may be different from each other, which may result in, for example, the shape of the lock hole 43 being asymmetric in the left-right direction.

[0040] 4, the second flat portion 48 is located on the edge of the lock hole 43 closer to the tip of the flap 42, that is, on the lower edge of the lock hole 43 when the opening 20a is closed by the lid 30, and extends in the width direction of the lock hole 43. In the present embodiment, the second flat portion 48 is an edge that extends over the entire width direction of the lock hole 43 at the lower edge of the lock hole 43. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and for example, the second flat portion 48 may be located on only a portion of the width direction of the lock hole 43 (for example, the center) at the lower edge of the lock hole 43.

[0041] In addition, in the example shown in Figure 4, the edge 43a of the lock hole 43 closer to the base end of the flap 42 (i.e., the upper edge of the lock hole 43 when the opening 20a is closed by the lid portion 30) extends linearly along the width direction of the lock hole 43, but this is not limited to this, and for example, the edge 43a may be curved toward the base end side of the flap 42.

[0042] Furthermore, the lock hole 43 configured as described above has multiple corners, and these corners are preferably arc-shaped, which can alleviate stress concentration at the corners of the lock pieces 41 that come into contact with the corners of the lock hole 43, thereby reducing the risk of damage to the lock pieces 41 and lock hole 43.

[0043] In the locking section 40 configured as described above, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 5 , at least a portion of the first reduced portion 45 of the locking piece 41 is positioned within the area of ​​the second reduced portion 47 of the locking hole 43. This causes both widthwise ends of the first reduced portion 45 of the locking piece 41 to contact both widthwise edges of the second reduced portion 47 of the locking hole 43, respectively, and as a result, the position and posture of the locking piece 41 relative to the locking hole 43 are maintained (fixed). In this embodiment, this state is referred to as a state in which the locking piece 41 and the locking hole 43 are engaged. By engaging the locking piece 41 and the locking hole 43, the lid section 30 can be properly locked with the opening 20a closed.

[0044] Here, the engagement between the lock piece 41 and the lock hole 43 is maintained even when a force is applied to pull the flap 42 upward from the box body 20. More specifically, when a force is applied to pull the flap 42 upward, the lock hole 43 provided in the flap 42 moves upward relative to the lock piece 41. When the lock hole 43 moves upward, the second reduced portion 47 of the lock hole 43 is pressed upward against the first reduced portion 45 of the lock piece 41, thereby restricting the upward movement of the lock hole 43, and as a result, the locking of the lid 30 can be maintained.

[0045] More specifically, when no force is acting to pull the flap 42 upward, the first reduced portion 45 and the second reduced portion 47 have portions of approximately the same width located at the same point in the vertical direction. On the other hand, when the aforementioned pulling force is acting on the flap 42, the portion of the second reduced portion 47 of the lock hole 43 having the first width rises to a position facing the portion of the first reduced portion 45 of the lock piece 41 having a second width that is wider than the first width. As a result, the edge of the second reduced portion 47 of the lock hole 43 in the width direction is pressed (bite) into the edge of the first reduced portion 45 of the lock piece 41 in the width direction, restricting the upward movement of the lock hole 43.

[0046] As described above, in this embodiment, even if a force is applied to pull the flap 42 upward from the box body 20, the engagement between the lock piece 41 and the lock hole 43 is maintained, and the lid portion 30 can be appropriately locked with the opening 20a closed. In this way, in this embodiment, the sealed state of the storage box 10 can be appropriately maintained using the simple structure of the lock portion 40.

[0047] In addition, in this embodiment, when the lock piece 41 and the lock hole 43 are engaged, the first flat portion 46 of the lock piece 41 faces the second flat portion 48 of the lock hole 43 in the vertical direction, as shown in Figures 3 and 5. Here, when a force is applied to pull the flap 42 upward from the box body 20, the second flat portion 48 of the lock hole 43 rises and is pressed upward against the first flat portion 46 of the lock piece 41. This restricts the upward movement of the lock hole 43, and as a result, the engagement between the lock piece 41 and the lock hole 43 is maintained, making it possible to maintain the storage box 10 in an appropriate sealed state.

[0048] Furthermore, in this embodiment, when the locking piece 41 and the locking hole 43 are engaged, the flap upper portion 42a can press the base end portion 44 of the locking piece 41 forward (toward the front wall 22), as shown in FIG. 3 . This reduces the repulsive force of the locking piece 41, thereby reducing the angle of inclination of the locking piece 41 in the front-to-rear direction relative to the flap 42. That is, the locking piece 41 can be brought closer to being parallel to the flap 42, thereby increasing the area of ​​contact between the first reduced portion 45 and the second reduced portion 47. This allows the locking piece 41 and the locking hole 43 to be more appropriately engaged, thereby allowing the lid 30 to be properly locked with the opening 20a closed, and as a result, the sealed state of the storage box 10 can be more appropriately maintained. Furthermore, by pressing the base end portion 44 of the locking piece 41 forward with the flap upper portion 42a, the locking piece 41 can be brought closer to being parallel to the flap 42, and as a result, the first flat portion 46 of the locking piece 41 can be appropriately positioned so as to face the second flat portion 48 of the locking hole 43 in the vertical direction. This ensures a sufficient contact area when the second flat portion 48 of the locking hole 43 is pressed upward against the first flat portion 46 of the locking piece 41. This further restricts upward movement of the locking hole 43, thereby more appropriately maintaining the sealed state of the storage box 10. In this way, the base end portion 44 of the lock piece 41 is pressed forward (toward the front wall 22) by the flap upper portion 42a, so that the sealed state of the storage box 10 can be maintained more appropriately.

[0049] Furthermore, in this embodiment, since the lock piece 41 is bent at the boundary between the front wall 22 and the lock piece 41 as a base point, a repulsive force acts on the lock piece 41. Therefore, depending on the magnitude of the repulsive force, the angle of inclination of the lock piece 41 in the front-to-rear direction relative to the flap 42 may become large, and the first flat portion 46 of the lock piece 41 may not properly face the second flat portion 48 of the lock hole 43 in the up-down direction. In this regard, in this embodiment, the locking piece 41 and the locking hole 43 are formed to be fitted together and linearly inclined toward the center of the width of the second reduced portion 47 as they approach the tip of the flap 42. As a result, even if the inclination angle of the locking piece 41 in the front-to-rear direction is large, the first reduced portion 45 and the second reduced portion 47 come into contact at some point in the up-down direction, so the fitted state of the locking piece 41 and the locking hole 43 is maintained, and as a result, the sealing state of the storage box 10 can be maintained appropriately. In this way, the present invention can exert excellent effects even in a configuration in which a repulsive force acts on the locking pieces 41. In particular, when the repulsive force of the locking pieces 41 is large, for example, when the material of the storage box 10 is cardboard, and when the protruding direction of the locking pieces 41 and the grain direction M of the locking pieces 41 are parallel, the present invention can exert even more excellent effects.

[0050] Furthermore, the present invention can be highly effective even when a user U of the storage box 10 attempts to unlock the lid portion 30 without using the card key 50, as in the example shown in Figure 6, that is, when an attempt is made to unlock the lid portion 30 using a method that is not an appropriate unlocking method. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 6 , when a user U attempts to remove the lid 30, the user inserts a finger between the locking piece 41 and the flap 42. This creates a gap between the locking piece 41 and the flap 42 in the front-to-rear direction, and the repulsive force of the locking piece 41 causes the locking piece 41 to rotate toward the flap 42, increasing its angle of inclination in the front-to-rear direction. In such a case, as described above, the first flat portion 46 and the second flat portion 48 may not properly face each other in the vertical direction. In this embodiment, the locking piece 41 and the locking hole 43 are linearly inclined toward the center of the width of the second reduced portion 47 as they approach the tip of the flap 42, and are formed to fit together. As a result, the first reduced portion 45 and the second reduced portion 47 come into contact at some point in the vertical direction, maintaining the locking piece 41 and the locking hole 43 in an engaged state. As a result, the storage box 10 can be properly sealed.

[0051] In this embodiment, the locking piece 41 and the locking hole 43 are formed to be fitted together and inclined linearly toward the center of the width direction of the second reduced portion 47 as they approach the tip of the flap 42. This restricts the movement of the lid portion 30 when the flap 42 is pulled upward from the box body 20, but does not restrict the movement of the lid portion 30 when the flap 42 is inserted into the box body 20, making it easy to insert the flap 42 into the box body 20. More specifically, when a downward force is applied to insert the flap 42 into the box body 20, the portion of the second reduced portion 47 of the lock hole 43 having the first width moves down in the vertical direction to a position facing the portion of the first reduced portion 45 of the lock piece 41 having a third width that is narrower than the first width. As a result, the more the lock hole 43 moves down, the more a gap is created between the widthwise edge of the second reduced portion 47 of the lock hole 43 and the widthwise end of the first reduced portion 45 of the lock piece 41, making it possible to easily insert the flap 42 into the box body 20.

[0052] <Card key> The card key 50 is a member that can release the locked state of the lock unit 40, and in this embodiment, is provided on the lid unit 30 as shown in Fig. 2. In other words, the card key 50 is a part of the lid unit 30 that can be cut away, and when using the card key 50, it is removed from the lid unit 30 along a cut (perforation) formed at the boundary between the lid unit 30 and the card key 50.

[0053] As shown in Figure 7, the card key 50 has a plate-shaped main body 51 that extends in a predetermined direction, and a plate-shaped folded portion 52 that extends from one end of the main body 51 in the extension direction. Note that the card key 50 shown in Figure 7 is the card key 50 before assembly. When using the card key 50, the card key 50 must be assembled; specifically, the folded portion 52 is folded back toward the main body 51. In the following description, with regard to the three mutually perpendicular directions, the extension direction (longitudinal direction) of the main body portion 51 is referred to as the "X direction," the width direction of the main body portion 51, which is the direction along the surface of the main body portion 51 and is perpendicular to the extension direction of the main body portion 51, is referred to as the "Y direction," and the direction perpendicular to the surface of the main body portion 51 is referred to as the "Z direction."

[0054] 7, two first cut portions 51a are formed in the main body portion 51, and each first cut portion 51a extends in the Y direction, specifically, extends from an end of the main body portion 51 toward the center in the Y direction. A second cut portion 51b is formed at the tip of the first cut portion 51a in the Y direction, and the second cut portion 51b extends in the X direction from the tip of the first cut portion 51a toward the folded portion 52. In the following description, the region of the main body portion 51 on the folded portion 52 side as viewed from the first cut portion 51a will be referred to as portion 51c, and the region on the opposite side of the folded portion 52 as viewed from the first cut portion 51a will be referred to as portion 51d.

[0055] Two insertion pieces 52a are provided in the folded portion 52. Each of the two insertion pieces 52a protrudes from the tip of the folded portion 52 in the X direction (the end opposite the main body portion 51), and is located at each end of the folded portion 52 in the Y direction.

[0056] Next, the procedure for assembling the card key 50 will be described. First, the folded portion 52 is folded toward the main body portion 51, starting from the boundary between the main body portion 51 and the folded portion 52. As a result, the portion 51c of the main body portion 51 and the folded portion 52 overlap in the Z direction, and each insertion piece 52a of the folded portion 52 is adjacent to each first cut portion 51a of the main body portion 51. Here, by deforming the portion 51d of the main body portion 51 relative to the portion 51c in the Z direction, a gap in the Z direction is created in the first cut portion 51a. By inserting the insertion piece 52a into this gap, the folded portion 52 is fixed to the main body portion 51, thereby completing the assembly of the card key 50. In this embodiment, since the second cut portion 51b is formed in the main body portion 51, it becomes easier to deform the portion 51d relative to the portion 51c in the Z direction, using the tip of the second cut portion 51b as a base point. As a result, the insertion piece 52a can be easily inserted into the gap of the first cut portion 51a.

[0057] The card key 50 assembled using the above procedure can be used to release the lock state set by the lock unit 40. The procedure for releasing the lock state set by the lock unit 40 is explained below. In the following explanation, the "tip of the card key 50" refers to the overlapping portion 51c and the folded portion 52.

[0058] First, as shown in the left illustration of FIG. 8 , the tip of the card key 50 is inserted between the locking piece 41 and the flap 42 of the sealed storage box 10. At this time, the card key 50 is inserted so that the folded portion 52 of the card key 50 faces the flap 42 in the front-to-rear direction. This causes the locking piece 41 to disengage from the locking hole 43 and move toward the front wall 22. By further inserting the card key 50 downward, as shown in the right illustration of FIG. 8 , the tip of the card key 50 reaches the underside of the flap 42, and the flap 42 (strictly speaking, the tip of the flap 42) and the tip of the card key 50 (strictly speaking, the tip of the folded portion 52) are adjacent to each other in the vertical direction. Thereafter, by pulling the card key 50 upward, the tip of the flap 42 and the tip of the folded portion 52 come into contact with each other, and the folded portion 52 pushes the flap 42 upward, allowing the flap 42 to be pulled out together with the card key 50. As a result, the locked state by the locking unit 40 can be released.

[0059] <<Regarding the blank according to this embodiment>> The storage box 10 may be formed, for example, from a single blank 12 as shown in FIG. 9. Note that the present invention is not limited to storage boxes 10 assembled from a single blank, but is also applicable to storage boxes assembled from multiple blank pieces. In the following description, the blank 12 is assumed to be a cardboard sheet made of paper, and unless otherwise specified, the cardboard sheet refers to a cardboard sheet made of paper. Note that the blank 12 is not limited to this, and may be, for example, a cardboard sheet made of paperboard or plastic.

[0060] The blank 12 before assembly of the storage box 10 (i.e., the blank 12 in an unfolded state) extends in a plane and in two directions that are perpendicular to each other, as shown in Fig. 9. Hereinafter, one direction will be referred to as the V direction, and the other direction will be referred to as the W direction. For example, if the portion 73 forming the rear wall (the portion corresponding to the rear wall 23) that serves as the reference portion of the blank 12 has a rectangular shape, the V direction may correspond to the short side direction of the portion 73 forming the rear wall, and the W direction may correspond to the long side direction of the portion 73 forming the rear wall.

[0061] In this embodiment, the grain direction M of the cardboard sheet forming the blank 12 is parallel to the W direction, but this is not limited to this and may be, for example, inclined at 45 degrees to the W direction, or perpendicular to the W direction (i.e., parallel to the V direction).

[0062] As described above, in this embodiment, because the blank 12 is made of a cardboard sheet, the rigidity of each of the locking piece 41 and the flap 42 against vertical forces can be improved in the assembled storage box 10, regardless of the grain direction M. As a result, even when a force is applied to pull the flap 42 upward from the box body 20, the rigidity in the vertical direction of both the locking piece 41 and the flap 42 in which the locking hole 43 is formed is improved, so the locking piece 41 and the locking hole 43 fit together more appropriately, and as a result, the sealed state of the storage box 10 can be maintained more appropriately.

[0063] Furthermore, when the protruding direction of the locking piece 41 is parallel to the grain direction M of the cardboard sheet of the locking piece 41, the rigidity of the locking piece 41 against vertical forces can be further improved in the assembled storage box 10. In addition, when the extending direction of the flap 42 is parallel to the grain direction M of the cardboard sheet of the flap 42, the rigidity of the flap 42 against vertical forces can be further improved. As a result, even if a force is applied to pull the flap 42 upward from the box body 20 described above, the rigidity in the vertical direction of both the lock piece 41 and the flap 42 in which the lock hole 43 is formed is further improved, so that the lock piece 41 and the lock hole 43 fit together more appropriately, and as a result, the sealed state of the storage box 10 can be maintained more appropriately.

[0064] Furthermore, in this embodiment, because the blank 12 is made of a cardboard sheet, the rigidity of the card key 50 against vertical forces can be improved regardless of the grain direction M. This allows the flap 42 to be more appropriately pulled upward using the card key 50. Furthermore, when the extension direction of the main body 51 of the card key 50 is parallel to the grain direction M of the cardboard sheet of the card key 50, the rigidity of the card key 50 against vertical forces can be further improved. This allows the flap 42 to be pulled upward more appropriately using the card key 50.

[0065] 9, the blank 12 is composed of a bottom wall portion 71 (a portion corresponding to the bottom wall 21), a front wall portion 72 (a portion corresponding to the front wall 22), a rear wall portion 73 (a portion corresponding to the rear wall 23), a left wall portion 74 (a portion corresponding to the left wall 24), a right wall portion 75 (a portion corresponding to the right wall 25), a left wall flap portion 76 (a portion corresponding to the left wall flap 26), a right wall flap portion 77 (a portion corresponding to the right wall flap 27), three joining pieces 78, 79, and 80, a lid portion 81 (a portion corresponding to the lid portion 30), a locking piece portion 82 (a portion corresponding to the locking piece 41), and a flap portion 83 (a portion corresponding to the flap 42). The bottom wall portion 71 has four partial pieces 71a, 71b, 71c, and 71d. In the blank 12, the joining piece 80, the portion 72 forming the front wall, the portion 75 forming the right wall, the portion 73 forming the rear wall, and the portion 74 forming the left wall are arranged successively in this order in the V direction. At the position of the rear wall portion 73, the flap portion 83, the lid portion 81, the rear wall portion 73, and the partial piece 71a are arranged continuously in this order in the W direction, and a joining piece 78 protrudes from the edge of the partial piece 71a that is inclined relative to the W direction. At the position of the portion 74 forming the left wall, the portion 76 forming the left wall flap, the portion 74 forming the left wall, and the partial piece 71d are lined up continuously in this order in the W direction. At the position of the portion 75 forming the right wall, the portion 77 forming the right wall flap, the portion 75 forming the right wall, and the partial piece 71b are lined up continuously in this order in the W direction. At the position of the part 72 forming the front wall, the part 82 forming the locking piece, the part 72 forming the front wall, and the partial piece 71c are arranged continuously in this order in the W direction, and a joining piece 79 protrudes from the side of the partial piece 71c that is inclined relative to the W direction.

[0066] Next, an example of the procedure for assembling the storage box 10 by folding the blank 12 will be described. Note that folding lines are formed at the boundaries between each section of the blank 12, and folding along these folding lines results in the storage box 10 before sealing. Below, the procedure for reaching the state of the storage box 10 before sealing will be described.

[0067] First, the boundary portions between adjacent portions are folded among the front wall portion 72, the rear wall portion 73, the left wall portion 74, and the right wall portion 75. Next, the previously folded joint piece 80 is joined to the left wall portion 74 with an adhesive or the like, thereby forming the front wall portion 72, the rear wall portion 73, the left wall portion 74, and the right wall portion 75 into a cylindrical shape. At this time, the boundary portions between the four partial pieces 71a, 71b, 71c, and 71d that make up portion 71 forming the bottom wall are also folded in advance, and joining piece 78 is joined to partial piece 71d with adhesive or the like, and joining piece 79 is joined to partial piece 71b with adhesive or the like, thereby forming bottom wall 21 from the four partial pieces 71a, 71b, 71c, and 71d. Note that the assembly method for bottom wall 21 described above is a so-called one-touch case, but the assembly method for bottom wall 21 is not limited to this, and any known assembly method can be used. Thereafter, the part 76 forming the left wall flap and the part 77 forming the right wall flap are folded, and then the part 81 forming the lid is folded, thereby completing the assembly of the blank 12 into the storage box 10 before sealing.

[0068] <<Other embodiments>> In the above embodiment, as shown in Fig. 4, the lock piece 41 had the base end portion 44, the first reduced portion 45, and the first flat portion 46. However, this is not limited to this, and for example, the lock piece 41 may further have an enlarged portion 61 (corresponding to the third portion) as shown in Fig. 10. Also, in the above embodiment, as shown in Fig. 4, the lock hole 43 had the second reduced portion 47 and the second flat portion 48. However, this is not limited to this, and for example, the lock hole 43 may further have an enlarged portion 62 (corresponding to the fourth portion) as shown in Fig. 10.

[0069] More specifically, the expanded portion 61 of the locking piece 41 is positioned farther from the opening 20a in the vertical direction than the first reduced portion 45. In the example shown in FIG. 10 , the portions 44-46, 61 of the locking piece 41 are successively arranged from top to bottom in the order of the base end portion 44, the first reduced portion 45, the expanded portion 61, and the first flat portion 46. The expanded portion 61 increases in width as it moves away from the opening 20a in the vertical direction. Therefore, the first flat portion 46, which is located below the expanded portion 61, has a longer length in the horizontal direction than the first flat portion 46 in the above-described embodiment. In this modification, both ends of the expanded portion 61 in the width direction are inclined in opposite directions relative to the vertical direction. More specifically, they are inclined linearly downward so as to move away from the center of the expanded portion 61 in the width direction. In other words, the expanded portion 61 has a so-called tapered shape.

[0070] The enlarged portion 62 of the lock hole 43 is located closer to the tip of the flap 42 than the second reduced portion 47. In the example shown in FIG. 10 , the portions 47, 48, and 62 of the lock hole 43 are successively arranged toward the tip of the flap 42, in the order of the second reduced portion 47, the enlarged portion 62, and the second flat portion 48. The enlarged portion 62 increases in width as it approaches the tip of the flap 42. Therefore, the length in the left-right direction of the first flat portion 46, which is located closer to the tip of the flap 42 than the enlarged portion 62, is longer than that of the second flat portion 48 in the above embodiment. In this modification, both widthwise edges of the enlarged portion 62 are inclined in opposite directions relative to the extension direction of the flap 42. More specifically, they are linearly inclined so as to move away from the center of the widthwise direction of the enlarged portion 62 as they approach the tip of the flap 42. In other words, the enlarged portion 62 has a so-called tapered shape.

[0071] As described above, in this modification, similar to the above embodiment, both widthwise ends of first reduced portion 45 of locking piece 41 come into contact with both widthwise edges of second reduced portion 47 of locking hole 43, thereby allowing locking piece 41 to fit into locking hole 43. As a result, lid 30 can be properly locked with opening 20a closed, and storage box 10 can be properly maintained in a sealed state. Furthermore, in this modification, the lock piece 41 has an enlarged portion 61, and the lock hole 43 has an enlarged portion 62, so that the widths of the first flat portion 46 and the second flat portion 48 in the left-right direction are longer than in the above embodiment. Therefore, when the second flat portion 48 of the lock hole 43 is pressed upward against the first flat portion 46 of the lock piece 41, the contact area between them is larger. This further restricts upward movement of the lock hole 43, and as a result, the sealed state of the storage box 10 can be more appropriately maintained.

[0072] 10, a protruding piece 63 that protrudes toward the base end of the flap 42 may be provided on the edge of the lock hole 43 that is closer to the tip of the flap 42. The shape of the protruding piece 63 is not particularly limited, but in the example shown in FIG. When the locking piece 41 and the locking hole 43 are fitted together, the protruding piece 63 is adjacent to the first flat portion 46 of the locking piece 41 from the inside (rear side in the front-to-rear direction) of the storage box 10. Therefore, even if the repulsive force of the locking piece 41 is large, the protruding piece 63 prevents the first flat portion 46 from moving toward the inside (rear side in the front-to-rear direction) of the storage box 10 due to the repulsive force, and the locking piece 41 can be made closer to parallel to the flap 42. This allows the first flat portion 46 and the second flat portion 48 to be appropriately adjacent to each other in the vertical direction, ensuring a sufficient contact area when the second flat portion 48 of the locking hole 43 is pressed upward against the first flat portion 46 of the locking piece 41. Therefore, upward movement of the locking hole 43 is more effectively restricted, thereby more appropriately maintaining the sealed state of the storage box 10.

[0073] In addition, in the example shown in Figure 10, the storage box 10 is configured to have both the enlarged portion 62 and the protruding piece 63, but this is not limited to this, and it may be configured to have, for example, only one of the enlarged portion 62 and the protruding piece 63.

[0074] 4, the edge 43a of the lock hole 43 on the side closer to the base end of the flap 42 extends linearly along the width direction of the lock hole 43, or, although not shown, is curved toward the base end of the flap 42. However, this is not limiting, and for example, as shown in FIG. 11, the edge 43a may be curved toward the tip end of the flap 42. More specifically, the edge 43a is positioned closer to the tip end of the flap 42 than an imaginary line (the two-dot chain line in FIG. 11) connecting both ends of the edge 43a in the width direction (left-right direction) of the lock hole 43. 11 can be increased in area compared to the flap upper portion 42a in the above embodiment. Therefore, compared to the above embodiment, the flap upper portion 42a can further reduce the repulsive force of the base end portion 44, and as a result, the sealed state of the storage box 10 can be more appropriately maintained. [Explanation of symbols]

[0075] 10 Storage Box 12 Blank 20 Box body 20a opening 21 Bottom wall 22 Front wall 22a upper end (corresponding to one end) 23 Back wall 24 Left Wall 25 Right wall 26 Left wall flap 27 Right wall flap 30 Lid 31 1st hole 32 2nd hole 40 Lock Section 41 Lock piece 42 Flap 42a Top of flap 43 Lock hole 43a Edge 44 Proximal part 45 First reduction part (corresponding to the first part) 46 1st flat part 47 Second Reduced Part (corresponding to the second part) 48 Second flat part 50 Card Key 51 Main body 51a 1st cutting section 51b 2nd cutting section 51c, 51d, 71~77, 81~83 part 52 Turned part 52a Insert 61 Enlarged section (corresponding to the third section) 62 Enlarged section (corresponding to the fourth section) 63 Projecting piece 78~80 Joint piece M Grain Direction U user

Claims

1. A storage box including a box body having an opening, a lid portion that can open and close the opening, and a locking portion that locks the lid portion in a state where the opening is closed, the box body includes a wall whose one end in a first direction forms an edge of the opening, the locking portion includes a locking piece adjacent to the wall from the inside of the box body, and a flap extending from an end of the lid portion and adjacent to the wall from the inside of the box body when the opening is closed by the lid portion; The flap is provided with a lock hole that can be fitted with the lock piece, The lock piece has a first portion whose width narrows as it moves away from the opening in the first direction, The lock hole has a second portion that narrows toward the tip of the flap.

2. a first flat portion is provided at an end of the lock piece farther from the opening in the first direction, the first flat portion extending in a second direction that is along the surface of the wall and intersects with the first direction; 2. The storage box according to claim 1, wherein a second flat portion is provided on the edge of the lock hole closer to the tip of the flap, the second flat portion extending in a direction along the surface of the flap and in a direction intersecting the extension direction of the flap.

3. the lock piece has a third portion at a position farther from the opening in the first direction than the first portion, the third portion having a width that increases with increasing distance from the opening in the first direction; The storage box according to claim 1 , wherein the lock hole has a fourth portion that is located closer to the tip of the flap than the second portion and that increases in width as it approaches the tip of the flap.

4. The storage box according to claim 1 , wherein a protruding piece that protrudes toward a base end side of the flap is provided on an edge of the lock hole that is closer to the tip end of the flap.

5. The storage box according to claim 1 , wherein the lid portion is provided with an unlocking member that can release the locked state of the locking portion.

6. The storage box according to claim 1 , wherein an edge of the lock hole closer to the base end of the flap is curved toward the tip end of the flap.

7. The storage box according to claim 1 , wherein the locking piece protrudes from the one end of the wall in the first direction and is bent inward of the box body from a boundary between the wall and the locking piece as a base point.

8. A blank having a folding line, which becomes the storage box according to any one of claims 1 to 7 by folding along the folding line.

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