Bottom lid opening and closing mechanism for container

Abstract

To provide a bottom lid opening / closing mechanism of a container capable of discharging a stored object by opening / closing a bottom lid and allowing anyone to easily open / close the bottom lid.SOLUTION: When the linear body (5) is pulled in the longitudinal direction of the guide rail (3), the slider (4) moves on the guide rail (3) and collides with a stopper portion (31), and the guide rail (3) is moved in the longitudinal direction by the force of the collision, whereby the lever (2) is rotated and the hook (F) of the action point portion (23) is disengaged from the fixing pin (12a).SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a bottom lid opening and closing mechanism for a container used to transport industrial waste, industrial materials, etc. [Background technology]

[0002] Industrial waste, industrial materials, etc. are transported using containers, and a known type of container is one in which the bottom lid opens to allow the stored industrial waste, etc. to be discharged (see, for example, Patent Documents 1 to 4). This type of container is equipped with a mechanism that can lock the bottom lid in a closed state so that the bottom lid does not open when industrial waste, etc. is stored therein.

[0003] For example, Patent Document 4 discloses a bottom cover opening and closing mechanism in which a fixed pin is provided at one end of the bottom cover, and this fixed pin is engaged with a hook on the application point side of a lever to lock it; when opening the bottom cover, the application point side of the lever is operated back and forth to rotate the lever, and the hook of the lever is disengaged from the fixed pin to release the lock and open the bottom cover.

[0004] However, in the prior art of Patent Document 4, when industrial waste or the like is stored, a large downward load is applied to the bottom lid, which generates a large frictional force between the fixing pin and the hook of the bottom lid, requiring a large force to operate the lever to disengage the hook from the fixing pin, making it difficult for workers to open and close the bottom lid easily. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 6-191603 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 11-343005 [Patent Document 3] Utility Model Registration No. 3172827 [Patent Document 4] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 6-191604 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] The present invention aims to solve the problems of the prior art described above, and in summary, to provide a bottom lid opening and closing mechanism for a container that allows contents to be discharged by opening and closing the bottom lid, and that allows anyone to easily open and close the bottom lid. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] As a means for solving the above-mentioned problems, the present inventor has proposed a bottom-opening container 1 in which a bottom cover 12 is attached to the bottom of a box body 11 so as to be freely rotatable in the vertical direction and a fixing pin 12a is provided on the free end side of the bottom cover 12, a lever 2 having a fulcrum part 21 rotatably attached to the box body 11 of the container 1, an application point part 22 having a hook F that can engage and disengage with the fixing pin 12a, and a first force point part 23 arranged above the fulcrum part 21, and a lever 2 having one end connected to the first force point part 23 of the lever 2 and the other end attached to a first guide member 11a provided on the box body 11 so as to be freely movable in the longitudinal direction and having an intermediate part in the longitudinal direction. The container bottom lid opening and closing mechanism is configured by a guide rail 3 having a stopper portion 31 at the position, a slider 4 slidably mounted between the lever connection portion of the guide rail 3 and the stopper portion 31, and a linear body 5 having one end fixed to the slider 4, so that when the linear body 5 is pulled in the length direction of the guide rail 3, the slider 4 moves on the guide rail 3 and collides with the stopper portion 31, and the momentum causes the guide rail 3 to move in the length direction, causing the lever 2 to rotate and the hook F of the action point portion 23 to disengage from the fixed pin 12a (the effect will be described later).

[0008] Furthermore, in the present invention, by inclining the guide rail 3 upward from the first force point 23 side of the lever 2 toward the first guide member 11a side of the box body 11, the position of the slider 4 that has been moved toward the stopper portion 31 by pulling the linear body 5 can be automatically returned to the lever connection portion side by its own weight.

[0009] In addition, in the present invention, the above-mentioned lever 2 is provided on one side of the box body 11, while a driven lever 6 is provided on the opposite side of the box body 11 opposite to it, and the fulcrum portion 21 of the lever 2 and the fulcrum portion 61 of the driven lever 6 are connected so as to move in conjunction with each other via a shaft 13, so that when the linear body 5 is pulled, the hooks F of the lever 2 and the driven lever 6 can be simultaneously released from the fixing pins 12a provided on both the left and right sides of the bottom cover 12.

[0010] Furthermore, in the present invention, a second guide member 11b is provided at an intermediate position between the fulcrum portion 21 and the first force point portion 23 of the lever 2 in the box body 11 of the container 1, and the lever 2 attached to this second guide member 11b is configured to rotate along the guide hole H, thereby allowing the lever 2 to rotate smoothly around the fulcrum portion 21.

[0011] Furthermore, in the present invention, the lever 2 is bifurcated upward and laterally from the fulcrum 21, a second force point 24 is provided laterally of the fulcrum 21, and this second force point 24 is connected to the second guide member 11b of the box body 11 located above it by a tension spring 7, so that the lever 2 rotated by the linear body 5 automatically returns to its original position due to the elastic restoring force of the tension spring 7, thereby easily locking the bottom lid 12 when it is closed. [Effects of the Invention]

[0012] In the present invention, not only can the bottom cover be locked in the closed position by engaging the bottom cover's fixing pin with the hook of the lever, but when the bottom cover is opened, the lever can be rotated by utilizing the energy of the collision between the slider and the stopper portion of the guide rail. This allows a large force to be applied instantaneously when disengaging the hook from the fixing pin, making it easy to release the lock even when a downward load is applied to the bottom cover.

[0013] In addition, in the present invention, the lever can be operated simply by pulling the slider attached to the guide rail by a linear object such as a wire, so even an operator with limited physical strength can easily unlock the bottom cover. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0014] [Figure 1] 1 is an overall perspective view seen from the side showing a bottom lid opening and closing mechanism for a container according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 2] 1 is an overall perspective view seen from the front showing a bottom lid opening and closing mechanism for a container according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] 1A and 1B are schematic views showing a bottom lid opening and closing mechanism for a container according to a first embodiment of the present invention, in which FIG. 1A is a locked state and FIG. 1B is a schematic view showing a slider moving state. [Figure 4] 3A and 3B are schematic diagrams showing the function of the bottom lid opening and closing mechanism of the container according to the first embodiment of the present invention, in which (a) the lever is rotated and (b) the lock is released. [Figure 5] 1 is a schematic view showing a bottom lid opening and closing mechanism of a container according to a first embodiment of the present invention, as viewed from the front. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0015] "First embodiment" A first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figs. 1 to 5. In the figures, reference numeral 1 denotes a container, reference numeral 2 denotes a lever, reference numeral 3 denotes a guide rail, and reference numeral 4 denotes a slider. Reference numeral 5 denotes a linear body, reference numeral 6 denotes a driven lever, and reference numeral 7 denotes a tension spring. In this specification, the front-to-rear direction is the direction in which the side where the bottom cover opens is the front side, and the hinge connection part of the bottom cover is the rear side.

[0016] "Container bottom lid opening and closing mechanism" [1] Basic configuration 1 to 3(a), in this embodiment, a bottom lid 12 is attached to the bottom of a box body 11 so as to be rotatable in the vertical direction, and a fixing pin 12a is provided on the free end side of the bottom lid 12 to constitute a bottom-openable container 1. Furthermore, a fulcrum portion 21 of a lever 2 is rotatably attached near the fixing pin 12a of the box body 11 of this container 1, and an application point portion 22 of the lever 2 equipped with a hook F is arranged so as to be engageable with and detachable from the fixing pin 12a of the bottom lid 12. Furthermore, a first force point portion 23 of the lever 2 is arranged above the fulcrum portion 21.

[0017] Furthermore, one end of a guide rail 3 is connected to the first force point portion 23 of the lever 2, and the other end of the guide rail 3 is attached to a first guide member 11a provided on the box body 11 so as to be movable in the length direction of the guide rail 3 (the front-to-rear direction of the container 1). A stopper portion 31 is provided at an intermediate position in the length direction of the guide rail 3, and a slider 4 is slidably attached between the lever connection portion of the guide rail 3 and the stopper portion 31. One end of the linear body 3 is fixed to the slider 4 to constitute a bottom lid opening and closing mechanism for the container 1.

[0018] [2] How to open and close the bottom cover By configuring the bottom lid opening / closing mechanism for the container 1 as described above, when the linear body 5 is pulled in the lengthwise direction of the guide rail 3 from the state shown in Fig. 3(a), the slider 4 is moved on the guide rail 3 as shown in Fig. 3(b), and the slider 4 is caused to collide with the stopper portion 31. Then, by utilizing the impact of the collision between the slider 4 and the stopper portion 31, the guide rail 3 can be moved in the lengthwise direction with the momentum as shown in Fig. 4(a). Furthermore, the movement of the guide rail 3 rotates the lever 2, and the hook F of the load point portion 23 is disengaged from the fixing pin 12a as shown in Fig. 4(b), and the bottom lid 12 can be opened.

[0019] By making it possible to unlock the bottom lid 12 of the container 1 as described above, an operator can open or close the bottom lid 12 with less force while riding on a forklift. Furthermore, when closing the bottom lid 12, the operator can loosen the linear body 5, return the guide rail 3 and lever 2 to their original positions, and engage the hook F of the load point portion 23 with the fixing pin 12a, thereby locking the bottom lid 12 in the closed state again.

[0020] [3] About containers [3-1] Box body Next, each component will be described. Regarding the material and shape of the box body 11 of the container 1, in this embodiment, a rectangular parallelepiped metal container 1 is used as shown in Figures 1 and 2, but any shape commonly used for industrial waste or transport containers 1 will do. Also, regarding the size (capacity) of the container 1, although it is a common size used for industrial waste containers 1 in this embodiment, it can be changed as appropriate as long as it can be loaded onto the forks of a forklift.

[0021] [3-2] First guide member In this embodiment, the first guide member 11a for mounting the other end of the guide rail 3 provided on the box body 11 of the container 1 is disposed at the upper rear of the side surface of the box body 11, as shown in Figs. 1 to 3(a). The shape (including the hole shape) and number of the first guide member 11a are not particularly limited as long as the first guide member 11a has a shape having a guide hole H for inserting the guide rail 3. When the guide rail 3 moves, the guide rail 3 inserted into the guide hole H moves in the front-to-rear direction of the container 1 while changing its angle, as shown in Figs. 4(a) and 4(b).

[0022] [3-3] Second guide member In this embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 1 to 3(a), a second guide member 11b is provided in the box body 11 of the container 1 at an intermediate position between the fulcrum portion 21 and the first force point portion 23 of the lever 2. An intermediate portion between the fulcrum portion 21 and the first force point portion 23 of the lever 2 is attached to a guide hole H in this second guide member 11b, and as shown in FIGS. 4(a) and 4(b), the intermediate portion of the lever 2 can be rotated back and forth along the guide hole H in the second guide member 11b. This allows the lever 2 to be rotated smoothly around the fulcrum portion 21 without rattle. Regarding the shape of the second guide member 11b, although guide holes H (slits) are formed between two metal plates in this embodiment, the shape (including the hole shape) and the number of guide holes are not particularly limited.

[0023] [3-4]Bottom lid In this embodiment, the bottom lid 12 of the container 1 is formed on the entire bottom surface of the container 1 as shown in Figures 1 to 3(a), but the bottom lid 12 can also be formed on a part of the bottom surface depending on the shape of the container 1. In this case, the hinge connection part 12b between the bottom lid 12 and the box body 11 can also be moved, and it is only necessary that the hinge connection part 12b is located behind the free end side of the bottom lid 12 on the container 1.

[0024] In this embodiment, in order to make it easier to insert a fork between the container 1 and the ground, to increase the rigidity of the bottom cover 12, and to prevent the action point 22 of the lever 2 from interfering with the ground, cylindrical pipes with rectangular cross sections are attached in the left-right direction to the underside of the bottom cover 12 as legs 12b. In this embodiment, as shown in Figures 1 to 5, the legs 12b are provided at the front and rear of the container 1, but the shape, arrangement, and number of the legs 12b can be changed as appropriate.

[0025] [3-4] Shaft In this embodiment, the lever 2 is provided on one side of the box body 11, and as shown in Figures 2 and 5, a driven lever 6 is provided on the opposite side of the box body 11, and the fulcrum portion 21 of the lever 2 and the fulcrum portion 61 of the driven lever 6 are connected to each other via a shaft 13 so as to move in conjunction with each other. As a result, when the linear body 5 is pulled as shown in Figures 4(a) and 4(b), the lever 2 and the driven lever 6 are simultaneously rotated, and the application point portion 23 (hook F) of the lever 2 and the application point portion 62 (hook F) of the driven lever 6 are simultaneously disengaged from the fixing pins 12a provided on both the left and right sides of the bottom lid 12, thereby opening the bottom lid 12. The shaft 13 is attached to bearing portions 11c provided on both side surfaces of the box body 11, as shown in Figures 2 and 5.

[0026] [4] About the lever [4-1] Shape and material In this embodiment, the lever 2 is made of a bent metal plate member, and when the bottom lid 12 is closed as shown in FIGS. 1 to 3(a), the application point 22 (hook F) is located near the lower side of the fulcrum 21, and the first force point 23 is located above the fulcrum 21. When the lever 2 is attached to the box body 11 of the container 1, the fulcrum 21 and the application point 22 (hook F) are located on the bottom side of the box body 11, and the first force point 23 is located above the box body 11.

[0027] 1 and 2, the plate-like portions constituting the fulcrum portion 21 and the application point portion 22 (hook F) of the lever 2 are arranged outside the plate-like portion connecting the fulcrum portion 21 and the first force point portion 23 so as not to interfere with the bearing 11c. Furthermore, the plate-like portion (rod-like portion) connecting the fulcrum portion 21 and the first force point portion 23 of the lever 2 is inserted into a guide hole H of the second guide member 11b of the box main body 11, and rotates back and forth within this guide hole H.

[0028] [4-2]Second force point 1 to 3, the lever 2 is bifurcated from the fulcrum 21 in the upward and lateral directions, and a second force point 24 is provided laterally of the fulcrum 21. Furthermore, this second force point 24 is connected to the second guide member 11b of the box body 11 located above it by a tension spring 7. This allows the lever 2 shown in FIG. 4(b), which is rotated by the linear body 5 due to the elastic restoring force of the tension spring 7, to automatically return to its original position shown in FIG. 3(a). As a result, after closing the bottom lid 12, the bottom lid 12 can be easily locked by simply returning the lever 2 to its original position with the tension spring 7.

[0029] [5] Guide rails [5-1] Guide rail body 1 to 3, the main body of the guide rail 3 is made of a long, thin metal plate-like member, but the shape and material are not particularly limited. One end of the guide rail 3 is connected to the first force point portion 23 of the lever 2 by a pin and is rotatably connected. The other end of the guide rail 2 is inserted as a free end into the guide hole H of the first guide member 11a of the box main body 11, but the position of the other end and the length of the main body of the guide rail 3 are not particularly limited.

[0030] [5-2] Stopper part 1 to 3, in this embodiment, the stopper portion 31 of the guide rail 3 is made thicker than the main body by attaching a separate plate material to the main body of the guide rail 3, so that it can strike and stop the slider 4. The shape of this stopper portion 31 is not particularly limited as long as it can strike and stop the slider 4, and a shape that partially increases the thickness or width of the middle portion of the guide rail 3 can be appropriately adopted.

[0031] [5-3] Guide rail inclination In this embodiment, as shown in Figures 1 to 3, by tilting the main body of the guide rail 3 upward from the first force point portion 23 side of the lever 2 toward the first guide member 11a side of the box main body 11, the position of the slider 4 shown in Figure 4(b) that has been moved toward the stopper portion 31 by pulling the linear body 5 can be automatically returned by its own weight to the lever connection portion side shown in Figure 3(a). This eliminates the need to perform an operation to return the slider 4 to its original position.

[0032] [6] About the slider [6-1] Shape and material 1 and 2, the slider 4 in this embodiment uses a metal weight member with small holes formed therein, and the main body of the guide rail 3 is inserted into the small holes to be attached. The material and shape of the slider 4 can be changed as appropriate to match the shape of the guide rail 3, but it is preferable to use a member having a certain weight or more so that the energy generated when the slider 4 collides with the stopper portion 31 is large.

[0033] [6-2] Ring section In this embodiment, as shown in Figures 1 to 3, a ring portion 41 is formed on a part of the slider 4, and one end of the linear body 5 can be connected to this ring portion 41. There are no particular limitations on the shape of this ring portion 41 as long as it can secure the linear body 5, and a hook ring or the like can also be used. Alternatively, a fastening hole can be formed in the slider 4, and the linear body 5 can be passed through this fastening hole to be secured.

[0034] [7] About linear bodies In this embodiment, a metal wire is used for the linear body 5, but a string made of synthetic resin fiber or natural fiber may also be used as long as it has a certain tensile strength. In this embodiment, as shown in Fig. 1, a handle portion 51 is provided on the end of the linear body 5 that is not fixed to the slider 4, making it easier for an operator to grasp the handle portion 51 and pull the linear body 5. [Explanation of symbols]

[0035] 1 container 11 Box body 11a first guide member 11b second guide member 11c Bearing section 12 Bottom lid 12a Fixing pin 12b Hinge connection part 12c leg 13 Shaft 2 levers 21 Fulcrum 22 Point of action 23 First point of emphasis 24 Second power point 3 Guide rails 31 Stopper part 4 Slider 41 Ring section 5 linear body 51 Handle 6 Follower lever 61 Fulcrum 62 Point of action 7. Tension spring H guide hole

Claims

1. a bottom-opening container in which a bottom lid is attached to the bottom of a box body so as to be freely rotatable in the vertical direction and a fixing pin is provided on the free end side of the bottom lid; a lever including a fulcrum portion rotatably attached to a box body of the container, a point of application portion having a hook that can engage and disengage the fixing pin, and a first force point portion that is located above the fulcrum portion; a guide rail, one end of which is connected to the first force point portion of the lever and the other end of which is attached to a first guide member provided on the box body so as to be freely movable in the longitudinal direction, and a stopper portion is provided at an intermediate position in the longitudinal direction; a slider slidably mounted between the lever connection portion and the stopper portion of the guide rail; a linear body having one end fixed to the slider, When the linear body is pulled in the longitudinal direction of the guide rail, the slider moves on the guide rail and collides with the stopper portion, and the momentum causes the guide rail to move in the longitudinal direction, causing the lever to rotate and disengaging the hook at the point of application from the fixed pin. This is a container bottom lid opening and closing mechanism.

2. 2. The container bottom lid opening and closing mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the guide rail is inclined upward from the first force point side of the lever toward the first guide member side of the box body.

3. 3. A container bottom lid opening and closing mechanism as described in claim 1 or 2, wherein the lever is provided on one side of the box body, while a driven lever is provided on the opposite side of the box body opposite to the lever, and the fulcrum portion of the lever and the fulcrum portion of the driven lever are connected so as to move in conjunction with each other via a shaft.

4. 3. The container bottom lid opening and closing mechanism according to claim 1, wherein a second guide member is provided at an intermediate position between the fulcrum portion of the lever and the first force point portion on the box body of the container, and the lever attached to this second guide member rotates along the guide hole.

5. 5. The container bottom lid opening and closing mechanism according to claim 4, wherein the lever is bifurcated upward and laterally from a fulcrum portion, a second force point is provided laterally from the fulcrum portion, and this second force point is connected to a second guide member of the box body located above it by a tension spring, so that the lever rotated by the linear body automatically returns to its original position due to the elastic restoring force of the tension spring.

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