Storage container and storage container unit

Abstract

To provide a storage container and a storage unit that make it easy to put in and take out stockpiled goods. [Solution] A storage container 10 for storing articles inside, comprising: an input port 12 through which articles pass when articles are put into the storage container 10; an output port 14 through which articles pass when articles are taken out of the storage container; a storage section 15 extending from the input port 12 to the output port 14, with its bottom 22 inclined toward the output port 14; and a guiding mechanism that moves within the storage section 15 along the extension direction of the storage section 15 to guide articles within the storage section 15 toward the output port 14. The storage section 15 comprises: a first extension 16 extending from the input port 12; a second extension 18 adjacent to the first extension 16 and extending toward the output port 14 along the first extension 16; and a folded-back section 20 provided to connect the end of the first extension 16 opposite to the input port 12 and the end of the second extension 18 opposite to the output port 14.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a storage device and a storage device unit, and particularly to a storage device and a storage device unit used for storing articles.

Background Art

[0002] In recent years, as a preparation for disasters, a stockpiling method called rolling stock has been recommended. Rolling stock means buying a little more food, daily necessities, etc. than usual from the beginning, consuming the old ones considering the expiration date, and replenishing the consumed amount in order. In this way, a certain amount of food and daily necessities are always stored at home.

[0003] As a stockpiling method, for example, Patent Document 1 discloses a house in which a storage space is provided between a living room and a non-living room adjacent to the living room, and articles can be stored from the non-living room side and taken out from the living room side.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] However, in the storage method presented in Patent Document 1, every time a user takes out an article, it is necessary to provide a space for replenishing a new article on the inlet side. However, when the stored article is heavy, such as a 2L plastic bottle filled with drinking water, there is a large workload to move all the remaining stored articles in the non-living room to the outlet side. In addition, since a storage space is provided in the house in advance, the positions of the storage place, the inlet, and the outlet cannot be easily changed. Therefore, it takes time and effort to take in and out the stored items. Therefore, the present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and its objective is to provide a storage container and a storage container unit that make it easy to put in and take out stored goods. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The above problems are solved by the storage device of the present invention, which is a storage device for storing articles inside, and has an input port through which articles pass when articles are put into the storage device, an output port through which articles pass when articles are taken out of the storage device, a storage section that extends from the input port to the output port and whose bottom is inclined toward the output port, and a guiding mechanism that moves within the storage section along the extension direction of the storage section and guides the articles inside the storage section toward the output port, wherein the storage section has a first extension that extends from the input port The problem is solved by providing a section, a second extension adjacent to the first extension and extending along the first extension toward the outlet, and a folded section provided to connect the end of the first extension opposite to the input opening and the end of the second extension opposite to the outlet, wherein the bottom of the first extension slopes downward as it moves away from the input opening, the bottom of the second extension slopes downward as it approaches the outlet, and the bottom of the folded section slopes downward as it approaches the second extension.

[0007] In the storage device of the present invention configured as described above, the guide mechanism can guide the items toward the outlet, and the items can move from the input to the output by their own weight, thereby reducing the workload involved in transporting the items. As a result, it becomes easier to put items in and take them out. Furthermore, because the input and output ports are separate, items can be easily retrieved from the first stockpiled items. As a result, inventory management becomes easier.

[0008] Furthermore, in the above-mentioned storage device, it is preferable that the shape of the storage section be U-shaped when viewed from above. With the above configuration, the input and output ports can be positioned in the same direction, making it easier to load and unload items.

[0009] Furthermore, in the above-described storage device, it is more preferable that the input port and the output port are located at the same position in the extension direction and are adjacent to each other. With the above configuration, the input and output ports can be positioned in the same direction and at the same height, making it even easier to load and unload items.

[0010] Furthermore, in the above-described storage device, it is preferable that the guidance mechanism includes a door that opens and closes the input and output ports, a movable body that moves to guide the items inside the storage compartment toward the output port when the door is opened, a moving mechanism that uses the opening motion of the door to move the movable body toward the output port, and a biasing member that biases the movable body toward the input port. According to the above configuration, when the door is opened, the items in the storage space can be moved together towards the input opening, reducing the workload involved in transporting the items. As a result, it becomes even easier to put items in and take them out.

[0011] The above problems can be solved by arranging multiple of the above-mentioned storage units in a vertical configuration, according to the storage unit of the present invention. The storage unit of the present invention, configured as described above, enables vertical storage and makes effective use of space in the vertical direction.

[0012] Furthermore, it is even more preferable if the height of the storage compartment differs for each storage unit in the above-mentioned storage unit. The above configuration allows for the use of storage containers appropriate to the height of the stored items. As a result, storage space can be used effectively. [Effects of the Invention]

[0013] According to the storage container and storage unit of the present invention, stored items can be easily placed inside and removed from the storage container. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0014] [Figure 1]It is a diagram schematically showing a storage device according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] It is a front view schematically showing a state in which a bottle is stored in the storage device of FIG. 1. [Figure 3] It is an explanatory diagram of a usage example of a storage device according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3(a) shows a top view showing the state when not in use (when the door is in the closing operation), and FIG. 3(b) shows a top view showing the state when in use (when the door is in the opening operation). [Figure 4] It is a top view schematically showing the configuration of a guiding mechanism according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4(a) shows the state when the door is closed, FIG. 4(b) shows the state when the door is open, and FIG. 4(c) shows the state when the door is being closed. [Figure 5] It is a side view schematically showing the configuration of the guiding mechanism of FIG. 4(b), and is a cross-sectional view taken along the line A - A of FIG. 4(b). [Figure 6] It is a diagram showing an example of a screen displayed on the display unit of the storage device. [Figure 7] It is a diagram schematically showing an example of a storage device unit. [Figure 8] It is a diagram showing a modification example of the moving body of FIG. 5.

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0015] <<Regarding the storage device according to one embodiment of the present invention>> Hereinafter, a storage device according to one embodiment of the present invention (hereinafter, this embodiment) will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings, for the sake of easy understanding of the explanation, each member is illustrated in a somewhat simplified and schematic manner. Also, the sizes (dimensions) of each member shown in the drawings and the intervals between members are different from the actual ones.

[0016] Also, in this specification, "horizontal", "vertical", "orthogonal" and "parallel" include the range of errors generally allowed in the technical field of the present invention, and include a state of being deviated within a range less than several degrees (for example, 2 to 3°) from strict horizontal, vertical, orthogonal and parallel. In the following description, the vertical direction is the perpendicular direction. Also, in the following description, among the horizontal directions, the direction passing through the inlet or outlet to be described later (specifically, the vertical direction of the paper surface in the top view such as Fig. 2(b)) is referred to as the "front-back direction", and the direction orthogonal to both the front-back direction and the vertical direction is referred to as the "width direction".

[0017] In this specification, an "article" is a stocked item. As an example of a stocked item, for example, a plastic bottle containing drinking water, canned foods, foods with an expiration date such as retort foods, daily necessities such as detergents and cylinders for cassette stoves that are preferably used in the order of purchase, or clothes such as clothes, underwear, socks, etc., based on the frequency of wearing and the number of washings, and items for which the replacement time is determined can be mentioned.

[0018] <<Configuration example of a storage device according to one embodiment of the present invention>> The storage device of the present invention can be used for storing articles in a house. Note that the storage device of the present invention can also be used in buildings other than "houses", such as facilities such as offices, stores, hospitals or schools, and buildings such as storages and warehouses, as long as they have a storage space. In the following description, a plastic bottle containing drinking water (2L) (hereinafter referred to as bottle B) will be cited as an example of an article to be stored inside the storage device of the present invention, and a case where two or more bottles are arranged horizontally and stored inside the storage device will be cited as an example for explanation. However, the storage device of the present invention is not limited to this, and the articles to be stored may be stored in the vertical direction instead of the horizontal direction.

[0019] The storage device (hereinafter referred to as storage device 10) according to the embodiment is, as shown in Figs. 1 to 3, a rectangular parallelepiped box capable of storing bottle B inside, and an inlet 12 through which bottle B passes when bottle B is inserted and an outlet 14 through which bottle B passes when bottle B is taken out are formed adjacent to each other on the front surface. Further, the storage device 10 is provided with an openable and closable door 23 (see Fig. 3) that covers the inlet 12 and the outlet 14.

[0020] Furthermore, the storage unit 10 includes a storage section 15 that extends in a U-shape from the input opening 12 to the output opening 14. Specifically, the storage section 15 includes a first extension 16 extending from the input opening 12, a second extension 18 adjacent to the first extension 16 via a partition plate 17 and extending along the first extension 16 toward the output opening 14, and a folded-back section 20 provided to connect the end of the first extension 16 opposite to the input opening 12 and the end of the second extension 18 opposite to the output opening 14, forming a U-shaped storage space S1 when viewed from above.

[0021] Furthermore, the storage section 15 is configured such that its bottom 22 slopes as it approaches the outlet 14. Specifically, the bottom 22a of the first extension 16 slopes downward as it moves away from the input opening 12, the bottom 22b of the second extension 18 slopes downward as it approaches the outlet 14, and the bottom 22c of the folded-back section 20 slopes downward as it approaches the second extension 18. Furthermore, a slide rail (not shown) is attached to the upper surface of the bottom 22 of the storage compartment 15, allowing the bottle B to be easily moved towards the dispensing side. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 1, a stopper 19 is provided at the outlet 14 of the bottom 22b of the second extension 18 to prevent the bottle B from falling out of the outlet 14 when the door 23 is opened. Note that the stopper 19 is omitted in Figures 2-4 for illustrative purposes.

[0022] Within the space enclosed by the bottom 22a of the first extension 16, the bottom 22c of the folded-back portion 20, and the side walls 27a and 27b, a guide space S2 is provided through which the wire 26, the leg portion 25b of the push plate 25, and the coil spring 30, which will be described later, are inserted (see Figure 5). In addition, a number of pulleys 28 for appropriately changing the orientation of the wire 26 are also provided within the guide space S2. Furthermore, within the guide space S2, specifically the bottom 22 in the front-rear direction of the input opening 12, and within the bottom 22a of the first extension 16 and the bottom 22c of the folded-back section 20, a guide rail 31 (see Figure 5) is provided that fits with the leg portion 25b of the push plate 25 and can be moved in the front-rear direction.

[0023] Furthermore, the storage unit 10 is equipped with a guidance mechanism that moves along the inner wall 21 of the storage section 15 to guide the bottle B inside the storage section 15 toward the dispensing opening 14. As shown in Figures 4(a) to 4(c), the guidance mechanism includes a door 23, a push plate 25 that moves to guide the bottle B in the storage section 15 toward the dispensing opening 14 when the door 23 is opened, a wire 26, a pulley 28, and a reel 29 that move the push plate 25 toward the dispensing opening 14 using the opening motion of the door 23, and a coil spring 30 that biases the push plate 25 toward the input opening 12. Note that the "push plate" corresponds to the "moving body" in this invention, the "wire," "pulley," and "reel" correspond to the "moving mechanism" in this invention, and the "coil spring" corresponds to the "biasing member" in this invention.

[0024] The door 23 covers the input opening 12 and the output opening 14 and is an openable and closable door. A reel 29 for winding the wire 26 (described later) is mounted on the upper inside of the door 23, on the opposite side from the opening axis. As shown in Figure 5, the pressing plate 25 is a convex-shaped member composed of a pressing portion 25a and a leg portion 25b. The pressing portion 25a has a plate shape and is formed to contact the side surface of the bottle B and to push it toward the dispensing opening 14, specifically toward the rear (back) of the first extension portion 16. The shape of the pressing portion 25a is not particularly limited as long as it is capable of pressing the bottle B and is a shape that makes it easy to insert the bottle B. The leg portion 25b is fitted into a guide rail 31 (guide space S2) provided within the bottom portion 22a of the first extension portion 16, and has a shape that allows it to move in the front-rear direction within the guide rail 31. A wire 26 is connected to one end of the leg portion 25b, and a coil spring 30 is connected to the other end.

[0025] The reel 29 is configured to unwind or rewind the wire 26 as the door 23 opens and closes. It is also configured to maintain a constant amount of wire. Specifically, when the door 23 is opened, it is configured to maintain an amount that allows the push plate 25 to move to the end of the first extension 16 opposite the input opening 12.

[0026] The wire 26 is connected to a reel 29 at one end and to the leg portion 25b of the push plate 25 at the other end, via a plurality of pulleys 28a to 28e provided on the inside and outside of the side wall of the storage unit 10. As shown in Figure 4(a), when the door 23 is closed, the wire 26 is wound onto the reel 29 and maintained in a taut state. On the other hand, as shown in Figure 4(b), when the door 23 is opened, the wire 26 is unwound from the reel 29 and is configured to pull the push plate 25 (leg portion 25b) backward.

[0027] As shown in Figures 4(a) to (c) and Figure 5, pulleys 28a to 28d are provided at the following positions: a position where the guide rail 31 and the side wall 27b of the storage unit 10 are perpendicular in the horizontal plane (pulley 28a), a position where the side wall 27b and the side wall 27a are perpendicular (pulley 28b), a position above pulley 28b (pulley 28c), a position in front of pulley 28c (pulley 28d), and a position in front of and above the side wall 27c (pulley 28e). Of these, pulleys 28a to 28d are provided inside the side walls 27a and 27b (within the guide space S2), and pulley 28e is provided on the inner wall surface of the side wall 27c. In the guide space S2, the wire 26 is connected to the terminal reel 29 via pulleys 28a to 28e from one end (pressing plate 25).

[0028] The coil spring 30 is connected at one end to the leg portion 25b of the push plate 25 and at the other end to the front wall surface that forms the guide space S2 within the first extension portion 16, which will be described later. The coil spring 30 is a general-purpose compression coil spring in which a metal wire is wound spirally at predetermined intervals in the axial direction. As shown in Figure 4(a), when the door 23 is closed, a biasing force acts forward and the coil spring 30 is positioned in front of the door 23. As shown in Figure 4(b), when the door 23 is opened and the push plate 25 (leg portion 25b) is pulled backward by the wire 26, the coil spring 30 extends. Then, as shown in Figure 4(c), when the door 23 is closed, the wire 26 loosens, and the restoring force of the coil spring 30 acts, compressing it.

[0029] Here, the operation of the induction mechanism will be explained with reference to Figures 4(a) to 4(c) and Figure 5. Figure 4(a) shows the door 23 when it is closed, Figure 4(b) shows the door 23 when it is open, and Figure 4(c) shows the door 23 when it is in the process of closing. Figure 5 shows the push plate 25 pushing in bottle B. In Figures 4(a) to 4(c), the wire 26 and pulleys 28a to 28d are assumed to be located within a guide space S2 (not shown) formed inside the side wall 27 and bottom 22.

[0030] When the user opens the door 23 of the storage unit 10, the wire 26 is unwound from the reel 29. Furthermore, when the door 23 is opened beyond a predetermined amount, the wire 26 and the push plate 25 connected to the wire 26 are pulled via the pulleys 28a to 28e. The push plate 25, due to the pulling force of the wire 26, pushes the bottles B backward (towards the dispensing opening 14), making it possible to move at least all of the bottles B in the first extension 16 towards the second extension 18 (towards the dispensing opening 14). The bottles B that have been transported to the second extension 18 can be moved to just before the dispensing opening 14 by the inclined bottom surface and slide rails. On the other hand, when the door 23 is open, if the user pulls the push plate 25 towards them, a space can be created behind the push plate 25. The user can then insert a new bottle B into this space. Furthermore, when the user closes the door 23, the wire 26 loosens, and the reel 29 winds up the loosened wire 26, which weakens the force pulling on the push plate 25. As a result, the push plate 25 can be returned to its original position by the restoring force of the coil spring 30.

[0031] Furthermore, the storage unit 10 has a display unit on the front side of the door 23 that displays an image of bottle B, the remaining quantity, and information (display image I) indicating the expiration date of the next bottle B to be taken out, as shown in Figure 6. The information displayed on the display unit can be entered by the user manually when storing bottle B, or by reading the image of the expiration date, etc. The information displayed on the display unit is not limited to these examples. For instance, it could include the remaining number of bottles B with the same expiration date, the storage date, etc.

[0032] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 7, multiple storage units 10 can be arranged vertically to form a "storage unit." The heights h1 to h3 of the storage compartments 15 of each storage unit 10A to 10C that make up the storage unit 100 are configured to differ for each storage unit according to the size of the items to be stored.

[0033] As described above, in the storage container 10 and storage container unit 100 of this embodiment, the guidance mechanism pushes the bottle B toward the outlet 14, and the bottle B moves from the input port 12 to the outlet 14 by its own weight, thereby reducing the workload in transporting goods. Furthermore, by utilizing the opening motion of the door 23, it is possible to position bottle B in front of the dispensing opening 14 and create space in front of the input opening 12, thereby making it easier to insert and remove bottle B.

[0034] <<Regarding other embodiments>> Although one embodiment of the storage container and storage container unit of the present invention has been described above, the above embodiment is merely an example to facilitate understanding of the present invention and does not limit the present invention. In other words, the present invention can be modified and improved without departing from its spirit. Furthermore, it goes without saying that the present invention includes equivalents thereof.

[0035] Furthermore, other embodiments (modified versions) of the present invention that differ from the embodiments described above are conceivable. Modified versions will be described below. In the following, the differences from the embodiments described above will be the main focus, and common points will be omitted from the explanation.

[0036] (Modified version of the mobile body) In the above embodiment, the storage container 10 uses a pressing plate 25 as a moving body to press and transport the stored items (bottles B). However, it is not limited to this, as long as the stored items can be moved towards the outlet 14 side. For example, a tray 32 as shown in Figure 8 may be used as a moving body. With such a configuration, even if the stored items are items that are difficult to press, such as clothing or paper, it is possible to scoop the stored items from below and place them on the tray 32 for transport. [Explanation of symbols]

[0037] 10, 10A~10C storage unit 12 Inlet 14 Outlet 15 Storage compartment 16 1st extension part 18 Second extension part 19 Stopper 20 Folded section 21 Inner wall 22 Bottom 22a Bottom of the first extension 22b Bottom of the second extension 22c Bottom of the folded-over section 23 Doors 25 Push plate (moving part) 25a Pressing part 25b Legs 26 wires 27, 27a~27c side wall 28, 28a~28e pulley 29 reels 30. Coil spring (biasing member) 31 Guide rails 32 Trays (Mobile Units) 100 Storage Units B. Plastic bottles (items to be stored) S1 Storage Space S2 Guide Space Image I

Claims

1. A storage container for storing items inside, The storage container has an opening through which the article passes when the article is placed inside, An outlet through which the item passes when the item is removed from the inside of the storage container, A storage section extending from the input opening to the output opening, with its bottom sloping toward the output opening, It has a guiding mechanism that moves within the storage section along the extending direction of the storage section to guide the items within the storage section toward the outlet, The aforementioned storage compartment is The first extension extending from the aforementioned input opening, A second extension is adjacent to the first extension and extends along the first extension toward the outlet, It comprises a folded portion provided to connect the end of the first extension opposite to the input opening and the end of the second extension opposite to the outlet, The bottom of the first extension slopes downward as it moves away from the input opening. The bottom of the second extension slopes downward as it approaches the outlet. The bottom of the folded portion is a storage container that slopes downward as it approaches the second extension.

2. The storage device according to claim 1, wherein the shape of the storage compartment is U-shaped when viewed from above.

3. The storage device according to claim 1, wherein the input port and the output port are located at the same position in the extension direction and are adjacent to each other.

4. The induction mechanism is, Doors for opening and closing the input port and the output port, A movable body that moves in a direction that guides the items inside the storage compartment toward the exit when the door is opened, A moving mechanism that uses the opening of the door to move the movable body toward the outlet, The storage device according to claim 1, further comprising a biasing member that biases the movable body toward the input opening.

5. A storage unit comprising multiple storage units according to any one of claims 1 to 4, arranged vertically.

6. The storage unit according to claim 5, wherein the height of the storage compartment differs for each storage unit.

Images