Container

The collapsible container's locking member and taller inner wall design prevent inward tilting, ensuring stability and efficient stacking by engaging the locking protrusion, addressing the issue of side wall instability.

JP2026018966APending Publication Date: 2026-02-05SANKO CO LTD
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Patent Information

Application Number
JP2024120336
Authority / Receiving Office
JP · JP
Patent Type
Applications
Current Assignee / Owner
Filing Date
2024-07-25
Publication Date
2026-02-05

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

The side walls of collapsible containers tend to tilt inward, especially when loaded or stacked, posing a risk of deformation and instability.

Method used

A collapsible container design featuring a locking member that slides relative to the side walls, with a receiving portion having an inner wall taller than the outer wall, preventing inward tilting by engaging the locking protrusion to maintain stability.

Benefits of technology

The design effectively reduces the risk of side walls tilting inward, enhancing stability and reducing deformation, allowing for efficient stacking and handling of loaded containers.

✦ Generated by Eureka AI based on patent content.

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Abstract

To reduce a risk that a side wall part of a foldable container is inclined toward the inside of the container.SOLUTION: In the container, the receiving portion (50) that receives the locking member (40) that has slid downward with respect to the long-side side wall section (20) in the upright posture is formed, the receiving portion (50) has the inner wall section (51) located inside the container and the outer wall section (52) located outside the container, and the height of the inner wall section (51) in the up-down direction is higher than the height of the outer wall section (52) in the up-down direction.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 9
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Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a container. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 describes a container that can be converted from an assembled box-shaped state to a folded state by tilting each side wall of the container. The container is equipped with a tilting suppression member. The insertion rod portion of the tilting suppression member is inserted into a through-hole drilled in a horizontal rib at the lower end of the long side wall and a through-hole drilled in a horizontal portion of the long side bank portion of the bottom. In this way, the tilting suppression member suppresses inward tilting of the long side wall of the folded container assembled into a box shape when a load is applied from the outside to the inside to the long side wall. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 4208733 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] There is room for further improvement in the structure for preventing the side wall portion of the foldable container from tilting toward the inside of the container.

[0005] One aspect of the present invention aims to reduce the risk of side walls of a collapsible container tilting toward the inside of the container. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, a container according to one aspect of the present invention is a container comprising: a bottom wall component including a bottom wall portion having a generally rectangular shape in a plan view and a base portion provided along each side edge portion of the bottom wall portion; a pair of opposing first side wall portions rotatably connected to the base portion; and a pair of opposing second side wall portions rotatably connected to the base portion, wherein the container is assembled into a box shape by rotating the pair of first side wall portions and the pair of second side wall portions to an upright position, and then rotating the pair of first side wall portions and the pair of second side wall portions to an upright position. The container can be changed to a folded state by rotating the pair of second side wall portions inward from the upright position and folding them, and is provided with a locking member that is slidably arranged relative to the first side wall portions, and the base portion is formed with a receiving portion that receives the locking member that has slid downward relative to the first side wall portions in the upright position, the receiving portion having an inner wall portion located inside the container and an outer wall portion located outside the container, and the height in the vertical direction of the inner wall portion is greater than the height in the vertical direction of the outer wall portion. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to one aspect of the present invention, it is possible to reduce the risk of the side wall portion of the foldable container tilting toward the inside of the container. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the assembled container from above. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the container in a folded state, seen from above. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the locking member as seen from the front. [Figure 4] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the locking member as seen from the rear. [Figure 5] 10 is an enlarged view of a locking member accommodating portion formed in a long-side sidewall portion. FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is an enlarged view of a receiving portion formed in the base portion. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing the locking member positioned at a locked position. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing the locking member in the release position. [Figure 9] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing the locking member positioned at a locked position. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing the locking member in the released position. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] [Embodiment] An embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below. In the following description, the vertical direction refers to the vertical direction of the container 1 when the bottom of the container 1 is positioned downward. The vertical direction also refers to the height direction of the container 1.

[0010] [Overview of Container 1] An overview of the container 1 will be described with reference to Figures 1 and 2. Figure 1 is a perspective view of the container 1 in an assembled state 1A as seen from above. Figure 2 is a perspective view of the container 1 in a folded state 1B as seen from above.

[0011] As shown in FIG. 1, the container 1 has a bottom wall component 10. The bottom wall component 10 has a bottom wall portion 11, a long side base portion 12, and a short side base portion 13. The bottom wall portion 11 has a generally rectangular shape in plan view. In this embodiment, the bottom wall portion 11 has a generally rectangular shape in plan view. However, the bottom wall portion 11 may also have a generally square shape in plan view.

[0012] The bottom wall 11 is provided with a pair of opposing long side base portions 12. The long side base portions 12 are an example of a base portion. The long side base portions 12 are provided along the side edges of the long sides of the bottom wall 11. The pair of long side base portions 12 are each provided with a long side wall portion 20.

[0013] The bottom wall portion 11 is provided with a pair of opposing short side base portions 13. The short side base portions 13 are an example of a base portion. The short side base portions 13 are provided along the side edges of the short sides of the bottom wall portion 11. Each of the pair of short side base portions 13 is provided with a short side side wall portion 30. In this embodiment, the vertical height of the pair of short side base portions 13 is lower than the vertical height of the pair of long side base portions 12. Note that the vertical height of the pair of short side base portions 13 may be approximately the same as the vertical height of the pair of long side base portions 12.

[0014] The container 1 has a pair of opposing long side wall portions 20. The long side side wall portions 20 are an example of first side wall portions. The pair of long side side wall portions 20 are each rotatably connected to the long side base portion 12. The long side side wall portions 20 are rotatable relative to the long side base portion 12 by first hinge portions 121 provided at the lower ends of the long side side wall portions 20. The long side side wall portions 20 may have handle holes 21 formed to allow an operator to hold the container 1 by hand.

[0015] The container 1 has a pair of opposing short side wall portions 30. The short side side wall portions 30 are an example of second side wall portions. The pair of short side side wall portions 30 are each rotatably connected to the short side base portion 13. The short side side wall portions 30 can be rotated relative to the short side base portion 13 by second hinge portions 131 provided at the lower ends of the short side side wall portions 30. The short side side wall portions 30 may have handle holes 31 formed to allow an operator to hold the container 1 by hand.

[0016] The container 1 is in an assembled state 1A, in which it is assembled into a box shape, by rotating the pair of long-side side walls 20 and the pair of short-side side walls 30 relative to the long-side base 12 and the short-side base 13, respectively, to an upright position. As shown in Fig. 2, the container 1 is in a folded state 1B by rotating the pair of long-side side walls 20 and the pair of short-side side walls 30, which are in an upright position, toward the inside of the container 1 relative to the long-side base 12 and the short-side base 13, respectively. In other words, the container 1 can change from the assembled state 1A to the folded state 1B.

[0017] When changing the state of the container 1 from the assembled state 1A to the folded state 1B, first, the pair of short-side side walls 30 are rotated toward the inside of the container 1 and folded. At this time, the engagement portions 22 (see FIGS. 9 and 10 ) of the long-side side walls 20 are disengaged from the engaged portions 32 (not shown) of the short-side side walls 30. After folding the pair of short-side side walls 30, the pair of long-side side walls 20 are folded toward the inside of the container 1. This places the container 1 in the folded state 1B. In the folded state 1B, the pair of long-side side walls 20 are positioned above the pair of short-side side walls 30. The container 1 may be a stackable container in which multiple containers 1 are stacked vertically. Note that after folding the pair of long-side side walls 20, the pair of short-side side walls 30 may be folded toward the inside of the container 1. In this case, the height of the pair of short-side base portions 13 in the vertical direction may be equal to or greater than the height of the pair of long-side base portions 12 in the vertical direction.

[0018] The container 1 is provided with a locking member 40. The locking member 40 is provided on the long side wall portion 20. The locking member 40 is slidable in the upright direction relative to the long side wall portion 20. The locking member 40 is a member that prevents the long side wall portion 20, which is in an upright position, from tilting toward the inside of the container 1. The locking member 40 is accommodated in a locking member accommodating portion 200 (see FIG. 5) formed on the long side wall portion 20. The locking member 40 may also be arranged to be slidable in the upright direction relative to the short side wall portion 30.

[0019] [Configuration of locking member 40] The detailed configuration of the locking member 40 and the locking member accommodating portion 200 will be described with reference to Figures 3 and 4. Figure 3 is a perspective view of the locking member 40 as seen from the front. Figure 4 is a perspective view of the locking member 40 as seen from the back. In Figure 3, the front of the locking member 40 is the surface of the locking member 40 provided on the long-side sidewall portion 20 that faces outward from the container 1. In Figure 4, the back of the locking member 40 is the surface of the locking member 40 provided on the long-side sidewall portion 20 that faces inward from the container 1. In other words, the back of the locking member 40 is the surface that faces the long-side sidewall portion 20.

[0020] As shown in FIG. 3 , the locking member 40 has a main body 41, a locking protrusion 42, and an operating portion 43. The main body 41 constitutes the main portion of the locking member 40. The longitudinal direction of the main body 41 is the direction along the side edges of the long-side sidewalls 20. The direction along the side edges of the long-side sidewalls 20 is the longitudinal direction of the container 1 and also the direction along the long-side edges of the bottom wall 11. The main body 41 is formed with a main body recess 411 having an opening 412. The main body recess 411 may be formed with a pair of hanging walls 413 extending across the opening 412 in the vertical direction. Furthermore, lateral protrusions 45 may be formed from both ends of the main body 41 in the direction along the side edges of the long-side sidewalls 20, protruding in the direction along the side edges of the long-side sidewalls 20.

[0021] The locking protrusions 42 protrude downward from the lower end of the main body 41. In this embodiment, a pair of locking protrusions 42 are formed on the main body 41. It is sufficient that one or more locking protrusions 42 are formed on the main body 41. A protruding portion 421 that abuts against the outer wall portion 52 (described later) may be formed on the lower portion of the locking protrusion 42. The thickness of the locking protrusion 42 at the portion where the protruding portion 421 is formed is thicker than the thickness of other portions of the locking protrusion 42. It is noted that the thickness of the locking protrusion 42 is the thickness in the inward / outward direction of the container 1. The locking protrusion 42 may be formed with a protruding wall portion 423 that protrudes in a direction along the side of the long side side wall 20 from a side surface of the locking protrusion 42 in a direction along the side of the long side side wall 20.

[0022] The operating unit 43 is provided on the main body 41. When an operator operates the operating unit 43, the locking member 40 becomes slidable in the vertical direction relative to the long side wall 20. The operating unit 43 is provided in a main body recess 411 formed in the main body 41. The operating unit 43 is located between a pair of hanging walls 413. The operating unit 43 is configured to bend toward the inside of the container 1 when an operator presses the operating unit 43. In this embodiment, only the lower end of the operating unit 43 is connected to the main body 41. Therefore, when an operator presses the operating unit 43, the upper end of the operating unit 43 moves further inside the container 1 than the lower end of the operating unit 43.

[0023] As shown in Fig. 4, one or more hanging protrusions 44 may be formed on the lower end of the main body 41. In this embodiment, two hanging protrusions 44 are formed between a pair of locking protrusions 42 in the direction along the side of the long side side wall 20. A rear protrusion 46 that protrudes toward the inside of the container 1 is formed on the rear surface of each of the pair of hanging walls 413. One or more locking portions 47 may be formed on the rear surface of the main body 41. In this embodiment, two locking portions 47 are formed on both sides of the operating portion 43 in the direction along the side of the long side side wall 20.

[0024] The main body 41 may be formed with a restricting wall 48. The restricting wall 48 is located on the rear side of the main body recess 411. A rear recess 49 may be formed in the central portion of the main body 41 in the direction along the side of the long-side side wall 20. An avoidance recess 422 recessed toward the outside of the container 1 may be formed on the rear side of the locking protrusion 42.

[0025] [Configuration of locking member accommodating section 200] Next, the locking member accommodating portion 200 will be described with reference to Fig. 5. Fig. 5 is an enlarged view of the locking member accommodating portion 200 formed in the long-side sidewall portion 20.

[0026] The locking member accommodating section 200 is formed in the long side wall section 20 on which the locking member 40 is provided. The locking member accommodating section 200 may be composed of an accommodating section inner wall 210, an accommodating section upper wall 211, an accommodating section side wall 212, an accommodating section side wall 213, and an accommodating section lower wall 214.

[0027] The accommodation portion inner wall 210 is a wall having a surface facing the outside of the container 1. When the locking member 40 is accommodated in the locking member accommodation portion 200, the accommodation portion inner wall 210 is located inside the container 1 with respect to the locking member 40.

[0028] The storage section upper wall 211 is a wall that extends from the upper end of the storage section inner wall 210 toward the outside of the container 1. The storage section side wall 212 is a wall that extends from one side end of the storage section inner wall 210 in a direction along the side of the long side side wall portion 20 toward the outside of the container 1. The storage section side wall 213 is a wall that extends from the other side end of the storage section inner wall 210 in a direction along the side of the long side side wall portion 20 toward the outside of the container 1. The storage section side wall 212 and the storage section side wall 213 face each other in a direction along the side of the long side side wall portion 20. The storage section lower wall 214 is a wall that extends from the lower end of the storage section inner wall 210 toward the outside of the container 1. The storage section upper wall 211 and the storage section lower wall 214 face each other in the up-down direction.

[0029] The accommodation section lower wall 214 is formed with a first insertion hole 220 that penetrates the accommodation section lower wall 214 and through which the locking protrusion 42 is inserted. The first insertion hole 220 is formed in the accommodation section lower wall 214 to correspond to the position of the locking protrusion 42 of the locking member 40 accommodated in the locking member accommodation section 200. The first insertion hole 220 may be composed of a large diameter insertion hole 221 and a small diameter insertion hole 222. The large diameter insertion hole 221 is an insertion hole larger than the small diameter insertion hole 222. The locking protrusion 42 is inserted into the large diameter insertion hole 221. A protruding wall portion 423 formed on the locking protrusion 42 is inserted into the small diameter insertion hole 222.

[0030] The accommodation section lower wall 214 is formed with a retaining wall portion 230 extending downward from the outer end of the accommodation section lower wall 214 in the inward / outward direction of the container 1. The retaining wall portion 230 is a wall portion for retaining the locking member 40 on the long side wall portion 20. The retaining wall portion 230 is positioned further outward from the container 1 than the locking member 40 accommodated in the locking member accommodation section 200. The retaining wall portion 230 is formed in a portion of the first insertion hole 220 that corresponds to the outer side of the container 1. The accommodation section lower wall 214 may be formed with a second insertion hole 240 through which the depending protrusion 44 is inserted.

[0031] The storage section side walls 212 and 213 may be formed with an upper protrusion 250 and a lower protrusion 251, respectively. The upper protrusion 250 is located at the top of each storage section side wall 212, 213, and is formed with a gap between it and the storage section inner wall 210 in the inward / outward direction of the container 1. When the locking member 40 is located in the release position 40B (see FIG. 8), the lateral protrusion 45 of the locking member 40 is located between the upper protrusion 250 and the storage section inner wall 210 in the inward / outward direction of the container 1. When the locking member 40 is located in the lock position 40A (see FIG. 7), the lateral protrusion 45 is not located between the upper protrusion 250 and the storage section inner wall 210 in the inward / outward direction of the container 1. Here, the release position 40B is a position in which the locking protrusion 42 of the locking member 40 is not received in the receiving portion 50 (see Figure 8), and the lock position 40A is a position in which the locking protrusion 42 of the locking member 40 is received in the receiving portion 50 (see Figure 7).

[0032] The lower protrusions 251 are located at the bottom of the respective storage section side walls 212, 213, and are formed with a gap between them and the storage section inner wall 210 in the inward / outward direction of the container 1. When the locking member 40 is in the locked position 40A (see FIG. 7), the lateral protrusions 45 of the locking member 40 are located between the lower protrusions 251 and the storage section inner wall 210 in the inward / outward direction of the container 1. When the locking member 40 is in the unlocked position 40B (see FIG. 8), the lateral protrusions 45 of the locking member 40 are not located between the lower protrusions 251 and the storage section inner wall 210 in the inward / outward direction of the container 1. The abutment of the lateral protrusions 45 with the respective upper protrusions 250 and lower protrusions 251 restricts the movement of the locking member 40 in the inward / outward direction of the container 1.

[0033] An inner wall protrusion 260 that protrudes toward the outside of the container 1 is formed on the storage section inner wall 210. An upper portion of the inner wall protrusion 260 is connected to an inclined wall portion 261, which will be described later. The inner wall protrusion 260 is formed at a position corresponding to the operating portion 43 when the locking member 40 is in the locked position 40A.

[0034] A pair of inclined wall portions 261 are formed on the storage compartment inner wall 210. The inclined wall portions 261 have an inclined surface that rises as it goes downward. That is, the height of the inclined wall portion 261 in the inside-outside direction of the container 1 increases as it goes downward. The inclined wall portions 261 are formed at a position corresponding to the rear projection 46 of the locking member 40. When the locking member 40 slides in the up-down direction, the rear projection 46 slides along the inclined wall portions 261. In the direction along the side edges of the long-side side wall portions 20, the inner wall projection 260 is located between the pair of inclined wall portions 261.

[0035] An accommodating recess 264 is formed below the inclined wall portion 261. The accommodating recess 264 is composed of the inner wall protrusion 260, the inclined wall portion 261, a first upper and lower rib 262 described later, and a horizontal rib 265 described later. The rear surface protrusion 46 moving from above to below is guided by the inclined wall portion 261 and accommodated in the accommodating recess 264. In other words, when the locking member 40 is located at the lock position 40A, the rear surface protrusion 46 is accommodated in the accommodating recess 264. The rear surface protrusion 46 accommodated in the accommodating recess 264 is restricted from moving upward by the inner wall protrusion 260 and the inclined wall portion 261.

[0036] A pair of first upper and lower ribs 262 extending in the up-down direction may be formed on the storage compartment inner wall 210. Each of the pair of first upper and lower ribs 262 has an upper end connected to the storage compartment upper wall 211 and a lower end connected to the storage compartment lower wall 214. In the direction along the side edges of the long-side side wall 20, the pair of inclined wall portions 261 and the inner wall protrusion 260 are located between the pair of first upper and lower ribs 262. The pair of first upper and lower ribs 262 abut against the rear recesses 49 of the locking member 40, and restrict movement of the locking member 40 in the direction along the side edges of the long-side side wall 20.

[0037] The storage compartment inner wall 210 may have a claw portion 263 formed thereon that protrudes toward the outside of the container 1. The tip of the claw portion 263 is bent in a direction along the side of the long-side side wall portion 20. The claw portion 263 is inserted into the opening 412 of the locking member 40. The claw portion 263 abuts against the restricting wall portion 48 of the locking member 40, and restricts the movement of the locking member 40 toward the outside of the container 1.

[0038] The storage compartment inner wall 210 may be formed with a horizontal rib 265 connecting the pair of first upper and lower ribs 262. The storage compartment inner wall 210 is formed with a second upper and lower rib 266 extending in the vertical direction. The second upper and lower rib 266 has an upper end connected to the storage compartment upper wall 211 and a lower end connected to the inner wall protrusion 260. The second upper and lower rib 266 is formed at a position corresponding to the operating portion 43 of the locking member 40 when it is in the release position 40B.

[0039] A slit 280 is formed in the container inner wall 210. The slit 280 is U-shaped when viewed from the inside to the outside of the container 1 (see FIG. 1). The slit 280 is formed so as to surround the periphery of the inner wall protrusion 260 and the inclined wall portion 261. A horizontal rib 265 is located below the slit 280. By forming the slit 280, when the inner wall protrusion 260 is pressed by the operating unit 43, the portion surrounded by the slit 280 bends. Therefore, the inner wall protrusion 260 and the inclined wall portion 261 are pressed toward the inside of the container 1.

[0040] The accommodating section inner wall 210 may be formed with a locked portion 270 that is locked to the locking portion 47 of the locking member 40 when the locking member 40 is positioned at the release position 40B. The locking portion 47 is locked to the locked portion 270, so that the locking member 40 can be maintained in the release position 40B. In other words, the locking member 40 positioned at the release position 40B is prevented from sliding downward due to its own weight.

[0041] When an operator presses operating portion 43 of locking member 40 located in lock position 40A, operating portion 43 bends toward the inside of container 1, and operating portion 43 comes into contact with inner wall protrusion 260. When the operator presses operating portion 43 further from the state in which operating portion 43 and inner wall protrusion 260 are in contact, the portion surrounded by slit hole 280 bends, and inner wall protrusion 260 moves toward the inside of container 1. This releases rear protrusion 46 of locking member 40 from the housed state in housing recess 264, and allows locking member 40 to slide upward.

[0042] When an operator presses the operating portion 43 of the locking member 40 in the released state 40B, the operating portion 43 bends toward the inside of the container 1, and the operating portion 43 comes into contact with the second vertical rib 266. When the operator further presses the operating portion 43 from the state in which the operating portion 43 comes into contact with the second vertical rib 266, the locking member 40 moves in the direction inward and outward of the container 1, away from the inner wall 210 of the storage compartment. This releases the engagement between the locking portion 47 and the locked portion 270, allowing the locking member 40 to slide downward. Note that the operator may also press the operating portion 43 of the locking member 40 in the released state 40B downward. In this case, the rear projection 46 of the locking member 40 comes into contact with the inclined wall portion 261 in the direction inward and outward of the container 1, and the locking member 40 moves along the inclined wall portion 261 in the direction away from the inner wall 210 of the storage compartment. This releases the engagement between the locking portion 47 and the locked portion 270. The rear projection 46 is then guided by the inclined wall portion 261 and accommodated in the accommodation recess 264.

[0043] [Configuration of Receiving Section 50] The configuration of the receiving portion 50 will be described with reference to Figures 6 to 10. Figure 6 is an enlarged view of the receiving portion 50 formed on the long-side base portion 12. Figure 7 is a perspective view showing the locking member 40 positioned at the locked position 40A. Figure 8 is a perspective view showing the locking member 40 positioned at the unlocked position 40B. Figure 9 is a cross-sectional view showing the locking member 40 positioned at the locked position 40A. Figure 10 is a cross-sectional view showing the locking member 40 positioned at the unlocked position 40B.

[0044] As shown in FIG. 6 , the long side base portion 12 is formed with a receiving portion 50 that receives the locking protrusion 42 of the locking member 40 that has slid downward relative to the upright long side sidewall portion 20. The receiving portion 50 has an inner wall portion 51 and an outer wall portion 52. The receiving portion 50 may further have a receiving bottom wall portion 53 and a side wall portion 54. The inner wall portion 51 is a wall portion located inside the container 1 of the receiving portion 50. The outer wall portion 52 is a wall portion located outside the container 1 of the receiving portion 50. The inner wall portion 51 and the outer wall portion 52 abut against the locking protrusion 42 of the locking member 40, preventing the locking member 40 (long side sidewall portion 20) from tilting toward the inside of the container 1. The side wall portion 54 is a wall portion that connects the inner wall portion 51 and the outer wall portion 52. The receiving bottom wall portion 53 is a wall portion that connects the lower ends of the inner wall portion 51, the outer wall portion 52, and the side wall portion .

[0045] 9 and 10 , the height of the inner wall portion 51 in the vertical direction is greater than the height of the outer wall portion 52 in the vertical direction. That is, the position of the upper end of the inner wall portion 51 is located higher than the position of the upper end of the outer wall portion 52. The thickness T1 of the inner wall portion 51 in the internal / external direction of the container 1 is greater than the thickness T2 of the outer wall portion 52 in the internal / external direction of the container 1. Note that the outer wall portion 52 may be provided with a reinforcing rib that protrudes toward the inner wall portion 51. That is, in this embodiment, the thickness T1 of the inner wall portion 51 in the internal / external direction of the container 1 is greater than the thickness T2 of at least a portion of the outer wall portion 52 in the internal / external direction of the container 1. Furthermore, the thicknesses T1 and T2 may be the same, regardless of whether or not the reinforcing rib is included.

[0046] 9, when the locking member 40 is located at the lock position 40A, the locking protrusion 42 has an avoidance recess 422 formed therein, so that the locking protrusion 42 does not interfere with the inner wall 51. By forming the avoidance recess 422, the inner wall 51 can be made thicker toward the outside of the container 1. That is, the thickness T1 can be increased without forming a step between the inner surface of the long-side side wall 20 that constitutes the interior of the container 1 and the inner surface of the inner wall 51. Furthermore, when the locking member 40 is located at the lock position 40A, the lower end 424 of the locking protrusion 42 of the locking member 40 received in the receiving portion 50 is located below the midpoint CP of the height of the inner wall 51 in the up-down direction.

[0047] As shown in FIGS. 7 to 10, a gap S is formed between the retaining wall 230 and the outer wall 52 in the vertical direction. As shown in FIGS. 7 and 9, when the locking member 40 is positioned at the lock position 40A, the locking member 40 (locking protrusion 42) can be seen through the gap S. Furthermore, as shown in FIGS. 8 and 10, when the locking member 40 is positioned at the release position 40B, the inner wall 51 can be seen through the gap S. As shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, the lower end 231 of the retaining wall 230 and the lower end 20A of the long-side side wall 20 are positioned at the same height in the vertical direction. Note that the lower end 231 may be positioned higher than the lower end 20A.

[0048] The formation of the gap S improves the visibility of the locked and unlocked states of the locking member 40. Furthermore, because it is easy to confirm the unlocked state of the locking member 40, the risk of folding the long side wall portion 20 in a state where the locking member 40 has not been completely released can be reduced, thereby improving the efficiency of the folding operation of the long side wall portion 20. Furthermore, although not a required configuration, the visibility can be further improved by making the locking member 40 and the inner wall portion 51 different colors. In this case, for example, the entire bottom wall portion 10 including the inner wall portion 51 may be a different color from the locking member 40, or only a part of the bottom wall portion 10 including the inner wall portion 51 (for example, only the inner wall portion 51 or only the long side base portion 12) may be a different color from the locking member 40.

[0049] The long side base portion 12 includes a support portion 122. The support portion 122 can abut against an installation surface on which the container 1 is installed. The support portion 122 extends downward from a lower portion of the receiving portion 50. In this embodiment, the support portion 122 extends downward continuously from the lower end of the outer wall portion 52. The support portion 122 may be located more inward than the outer wall portion 52 in the inward / outward direction of the container 1. Note that the support portion 122 is preferably located closer to the outer wall portion 52 than the inner wall portion 51 in the inward / outward direction of the container 1. The support portion 122 may be provided over the entire locking member accommodating portion 200 (from the accommodating portion side wall 212 to the accommodating portion side wall 213) in the direction along the side of the long side side wall portion 20.

[0050] The lower end of the support portion 122 is located at the same position in the vertical direction as the lower end of the bottom wall portion 11 that abuts against the installation surface. Therefore, when the container 1 is placed on the installation surface, the lower end of the support portion 122 abuts against the installation surface. Note that when the container 1 is placed on the installation surface, a slight gap may be formed between the lower end of the support portion 122 and the installation surface. The support portion 122 only needs to be configured to abut against the installation surface when the long side base portion 12 is bent due to the application of a vertical load such as a compressive load to the long side sidewall portion 20.

[0051] If the bottom wall constituent part 10 does not have the support part 122, the bottom wall constituent part 10 is likely to deform when a vertical load such as a compressive load is applied to the long side side wall part 20. In particular, the long side base part 12 is likely to deform. Even if the long side side wall part 20 is provided with a locking member 40, there is a possibility that the long side side wall part 20 will deform as the bottom wall constituent part 10 deforms. By providing the support part 122, even if a vertical load such as a compressive load is applied to the long side side wall part 20, deformation of the bottom wall constituent part 10 can be prevented by positioning the support part 122 below the receiving part 50.

[0052] Furthermore, by providing the support portion 122 below the outer wall portion 52, it is possible to suppress deflection of the inner wall portion 51 in the inward / outward direction even if the vertical height of the outer wall portion 52 is made lower than the vertical height of the inner wall portion 51. Therefore, the outer wall portion 52 can be designed to be even lower than the height exemplified in this embodiment. For example, the height of the outer wall portion 52 may be any height that allows it to abut against the raised portion 421 at the bottom of the locking protrusion 42 when the locking member 40 is positioned at the locked position 40A.

[0053] When the locking member 40 is positioned at the locked position 40A, the locking member 40 prevents the long side wall portions 20 from tilting toward the inside of the container 1. Specifically, when the long side wall portions 20 tilt toward the inside of the container 1, the locking member 40, which is positioned at the locked position 40A, also tilts toward the inside of the container 1. When the locking member 40 tilts toward the inside of the container 1, the upper portion of the inner wall portion 51 abuts against the upper portion of the locking protrusion 42, and the raised portion 421 at the lower portion of the locking protrusion 42 abuts against the lower portion of the outer wall portion 52. This prevents the locking member 40 from tilting toward the inside of the container 1, and therefore prevents the long side wall portions 20 from tilting toward the inside of the container 1.

[0054] A stepped rail portion 123 (see FIG. 6) is formed on substantially the entire long-side base portion 12, except for the receiving portion of the first hinge, by recessing the outer edge of the upper surface in a stepped shape in the direction along the side of the long-side sidewall portion 20. The support portion 122 is formed on substantially the entire long-side base portion 12, except for two locations (e.g., handle recesses) near the center in the direction along the side of the long-side sidewall portion 20. Therefore, when stacking containers 1 in the folded state 1B, the upper container 1 is tilted and the support portion 122 of the upper container 1 is positioned on the outer edge of the stepped rail portion 123 of the lower container 1, and one end in the longitudinal direction is moved toward one end in the longitudinal direction of the lower container 1, thereby enabling slide stacking.

[0055] In this embodiment, the shape of the receiving portion 50 is used to provide a stepped rail portion 123, and further, in the assembled state 1A, the element that forms the gap S also serves as the outer edge of the stepped rail portion 123. In other words, by configuring the inner wall portion 51 so that its vertical height is greater than that of the outer wall portion 52, it is possible to form the rail portion 123 and the gap S, resulting in a simpler design than if they were provided separately, and allowing the functions to be shared. Note that a stepped rail portion may be provided at the top of the long side side wall portion 20, where the outer edge of the upper surface is recessed in a stepped shape in the direction along the side of the long side side wall portion 20, so that when containers 1 in the assembled state 1A are stacked on top of each other, a slide stacking configuration is possible.

[0056] The container 1 and locking member 40 described above are made of a resin material (such as polypropylene or polyethylene). In this specification, the term "substantially" does not strictly specify a predetermined state, but rather includes a range of error or precision that is commonly accepted for an article made of a resin material.

[0057] It has long been known that the side walls of a folding container tend to tilt inward. For example, when the folding container is carried or when multiple folding containers are stacked, the side walls of the folding container tend to tilt inward. In particular, when folding containers containing heavy items are carried or stacked, the side walls of the folding container tend to tilt inward. Furthermore, when the long-side side walls of a folding container are long, the long-side side walls tend to tilt inward. It is believed that the side walls (especially the long-side side walls) also tend to tilt inward in conventional foldable containers equipped with locking members. The inventors have discovered a configuration for preventing the side walls from tilting due to the locking member by devising a configuration for a receiving portion that receives the locking member in a foldable container equipped with a locking member.

[0058] According to the container 1 of the present invention, the vertical height of the inner wall 51 is greater than the vertical height of the outer wall 52, so that when the locking member 40 tilts inward, the contact position where the inner wall 51 abuts against the locking protrusion 42 can be positioned above the locking protrusion 42. This reduces the risk that the long-side side wall 20 of the container 1 will tilt inward of the container 1.

[0059] By positioning the lower end 424 of the locking protrusion 42 below the intermediate position CP, the contact position where the inner wall portion 51 contacts the locking protrusion 42 can be positioned higher on the locking protrusion 42. This makes it possible to further prevent the locking member 40 from tilting toward the inside of the container 1 due to the inner wall portion 51.

[0060] Furthermore, because the height of the inner wall portion 51 is greater than the height of the outer wall portion 52, the position at which the locking protrusion 42 abuts against the inner wall portion 51 is located above the inner wall portion 51. This makes the inner wall portion 51 more susceptible to deformation. By making the thickness T1 greater than the thickness T2, the strength of the inner wall portion 51 can be increased. This reduces the risk of the inner wall portion 51 being deformed by abutting against the locking protrusion 42.

[0061] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications are possible within the scope of the claims. Embodiments obtained by appropriately combining the technical means disclosed in different embodiments are also included in the technical scope of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0062] 1 container 10 Bottom wall component 11 Bottom wall 12 Long side base 20 Long side wall 30 Short side wall 40 Locking member 50 Receptor 51 Inner wall 52 Exterior wall 122 Support part

Claims

1. a bottom wall component including a bottom wall portion having a generally rectangular shape in a plan view and a base portion provided along each side edge of the bottom wall portion; a pair of opposing first sidewall portions rotatably connected to the base portion; a pair of opposing second sidewall portions rotatably connected to the base portion; A container comprising: The container comprises: the state can be changed from an assembled state in which the pair of first side wall portions and the pair of second side wall portions are rotated to an upright position to be assembled into a box shape to a folded state by rotating the pair of first side wall portions and the pair of second side wall portions inward from the upright position to be folded, a locking member provided slidably relative to the first side wall portion; a receiving portion is formed on the base portion to receive the locking member that has slid downward relative to the first side wall portion in the upright position; The receiving portion has an inner wall portion located inside the container and an outer wall portion located outside the container, The height of the inner wall portion in the vertical direction is greater than the height of the outer wall portion in the vertical direction. A container characterized by:

2. the first side wall portion has a holding wall portion located outside the container with respect to the locking member and holding the locking member on the first side wall portion; A gap is formed between the retaining wall portion and the outer wall portion. Container according to claim 1 , characterized in that

3. The bottom wall component is capable of contacting an installation surface on which the container is installed and includes a support portion extending downward from a lower portion of the receiving portion.

3. The container according to claim 1 or 2.

4. When the locking member is positioned at a locked position where the locking member is received in the receiving portion, a lower end portion of the locking member received in the receiving portion is positioned below a middle position of the height of the inner wall portion in the up-down direction.

2. The container of claim 1.

Citation Information

Patent Citations

  • folding container

    JP4208733B2