Transport containers

Abstract

To provide a transport container that offers excellent operability when pulling and moving the transport container. [Solution] The transport container 1 is a transport container having a bottom plate portion 2 and a peripheral wall portion 3 erected from the periphery of the bottom plate portion 2, and handle holes 44, 54 that penetrate to the inside and outside of the container are formed in the upper plate portion 51 of the swing plate portion 4 and the bent plate portion 5 of the peripheral wall portion 3, and frame portions 45, 55 which project outward and are made of a double wall having a pair of wall portions are provided at least below the outer circumference of the handle holes 44, 54, and the frame portions 45, 55 have a structure in which the inside of the container is open and the outside of the container is closed by a closed surface portion, and the connecting portion between the pair of wall portions and the closed surface portion is curved in shape.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a transport container capable of storing and transporting foods, beverages, and the like.

Background Art

[0002] Transport containers are used to transport products such as foods and beverages. As a basic configuration, a transport container has a bottom plate portion and a peripheral wall portion erected from the periphery of the bottom plate portion, and products and the like are stored in the space surrounded by the peripheral wall portion.

[0003] As a transport container, a container having a carrying handle hole penetrating inside and outside is known in a part of the peripheral wall portion. For example, in Patent Document 1, in a foldable transport container that can be folded, a carrying handle hole is formed at the upper center of a pair of swing plate portions constituting the peripheral wall portion. The container can be lifted by using this carrying handle hole.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] By the way, at the distribution site, when loading and unloading or carrying in a transport container, workers often perform operations such as carrying the transport container by hand, stacking it, and sliding it to move it, and the operability of the transport container itself is also required. In this regard, in a conventional transport container such as Patent Document 1, a carrying handle hole is formed in the peripheral wall portion, and the container can be lifted by hooking a finger on the upper outer periphery of the carrying handle hole.

[0006] On the other hand, when loading and unloading transport containers from a truck, for example, the user places their hands on the handle holes of the transport container and pulls it towards them. However, conventional transport containers are not designed with such operations in mind, raising concerns regarding the strength around the handle holes.

[0007] This invention has been made in view of these circumstances, and aims to provide a transport container that offers excellent operability when pulled and moved. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The transport container of the present invention is a transport container having a bottom plate and a peripheral wall portion erected from the periphery of the bottom plate, wherein at least one plate portion of the peripheral wall portion has a handle hole that penetrates through to the inside and outside of the container, and at least the lower outer circumference of the handle hole is provided with a frame portion that protrudes outward and is composed of a double wall having a pair of wall portions.

[0009] The above-mentioned frame has a structure in which the inside of the container is open and the outside of the container is closed by a closed surface, and is characterized in that at least the connection between the wall on the handle hole side and the closed surface of the pair of wall parts is curved.

[0010] The handle hole is horizontally elongated, and the frame portion is provided at least on the lower and upper outer circumferences of the handle hole. The handle hole is formed such that the wall portion of the frame portion located at the lower outer circumference that faces the handle hole is convex upward, and the vertical dimension of the handle hole in the widthwise center is narrowed.

[0011] On the inner surface of the plate portion, below the frame portion, a recess is formed adjacent to the frame portion into which a finger can be inserted.

[0012] The frame portion described above is characterized by being provided around the entire outer circumference of the handle hole described above. [Effects of the Invention]

[0013] The transport container of the present invention has a handle hole formed in at least one plate portion of the peripheral wall that penetrates to the inside and outside of the container, and a frame portion made of a double wall having a pair of wall portions is provided at least below the outer circumference of the handle hole, so that a portion for gripping the handle hole is formed below the outer circumference and its strength is ensured, and the operation of pulling and moving the container by hooking the fingers on the lower outer circumference of the handle hole is excellent.

[0014] The above-mentioned frame has a structure in which the inside of the container is open and the outside of the container is closed by a closed surface. Of the pair of wall sections, at least the connection between the wall on the handle hole side and the closed surface is curved, resulting in a shape that is comfortable to hold when you hook your fingers into it.

[0015] The handle hole described above has a horizontally elongated shape, and a frame is provided at least on the lower and upper outer circumferences of the handle hole. The handle hole is formed such that the wall of the frame located at the lower outer circumference on the handle hole side is convex upwards, so when you place your fingers on the lower outer circumference of the handle hole, it conforms to the shape of your palm and is easy to operate. In addition, the vertical dimension at the center of the width direction of the handle hole is narrowed, so that parts of the stored items are less likely to fall out of the handle hole.

[0016] On the inner surface of the plate portion, below the frame portion, a recess is formed close to the frame portion into which a finger can be inserted. When a finger is placed in the handle hole, the fingertip catches in the recess, making the lower outer circumference easier to grip and improving the operability of pulling and moving the transport container.

[0017] Since the frame portion described above is provided around the entire circumference of the handle hole, the strength of the entire circumference of the handle hole can be ensured, and it is also easy to insert your hand into the handle hole and lift the item. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0018] [Figure 1] This is a perspective view of one embodiment of the transport container of the present invention. [Figure 2] Figure 1 is a front view of the folded plate section of the transport container, as seen from the outside. [Figure 3]It is a cross-sectional view in the vertical direction of the upper plate portion of the bent plate portion in FIG. 2. [Figure 4] It is an enlarged view of the handle hole and the frame portion as seen from the outer surface side or the inner surface side. [Figure 5] It is an enlarged view of another configuration of the frame portion in the transport container of the present invention as seen from the outer surface side. [Figure 6] It is a front view of the swing plate portion provided in the transport container of FIG. 1 as seen from the outer surface side. [Figure 7] It is a perspective view of a cross-sectional portion in the vertical direction of the swing plate portion. [Figure 8] It is a perspective view of the second lid provided in the transport container of FIG. 1. [Figure 9] It is a perspective view of the state where the lid member is opened in the transport container of FIG. 1. [Figure 10] It is an enlarged cross-sectional view in the vertical direction of the state of FIG. 9.

Embodiments for Carrying out the Invention

[0019] The transport container of the present invention is a transport container having a bottom plate portion and a peripheral wall portion erected from the periphery of the bottom plate portion. The form of the transport container of the present invention is not particularly limited, and containers with an open upper portion, containers provided with a lid member at the upper opening portion, foldable containers, etc. can be used. Hereinafter, the structure of the transport container of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0020] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of one form of the transport container of the present invention. The transport container 1 in FIG. 1 is a foldable transport container and can be put in a folded state when empty. The transport container 1 has a rectangular parallelepiped shape and is rectangular in plan view. The outer dimensions of the transport container 1 are, for example, 300 to 500 × 250 to 350 × 200 to 300H (mm). Also, the inner dimensions are dimensions that are about 20 to 50 mm smaller than the outer dimensions in each dimension.

[0021] In this specification, the vertical direction of the transport container 1 is referred to as the vertical direction, the direction parallel to the longer side in a plan view of the transport container 1 from above in the vertical direction is referred to as the longer side direction, and the direction parallel to the shorter side in the same plan view is referred to as the shorter side direction. Furthermore, the direction parallel to the plane perpendicular to the vertical direction is also referred to as the horizontal direction (which encompasses both the longer side direction and the shorter side direction).

[0022] As shown in Figure 1, the transport container 1 comprises a bottom plate portion 2, a rectangular cylindrical peripheral wall portion 3 rising from the periphery of the bottom plate portion 2, and a rectangular frame-shaped mouth portion 6 provided at the upper end opening of the peripheral wall portion 3. The bottom plate portion 2, the peripheral wall portion 3, and the mouth portion 6 are formed of synthetic resin (for example, polypropylene resin). The peripheral wall portion 3 also has a pair of opposing oscillating plate portions 4 and a pair of opposing bent plate portions 5. The pair of oscillating plate portions 4 are arranged along the short side direction, and the bent plate portions 5 are arranged along the long side direction. In the transport container 1, the pair of oscillating plate portions 4 are the same shape as the other. The pair of bent plate portions 5 are also the same shape as the other.

[0023] The oscillating plate section 4 is composed of a rectangular plate-shaped material that forms its main body. The oscillating plate section 4 is rotatably connected to the opening frame section 6 at its upper end, and its lower end is engaged with the bottom plate section 2. Alternatively, as a transport container 1, the oscillating plate section 4 may be rotatably connected at its lower end, and its upper end may be engaged with the opening frame section 6.

[0024] Each pair of folding plate sections 5 consists of two rectangular plates, an upper plate section 51 and a lower plate section 52, which are divided vertically. The upper plate section 51 and the lower plate section 52 are configured to be bent inward into a "V" shape by hinge-connecting connecting sections 53. Multiple connecting sections 53 are provided in a straight line in the width direction of the folding plate section 5. The width direction of the folding plate section 5 (including the upper plate section 51 and the lower plate section 52) corresponds to the long side direction of the transport container.

[0025] The lower end of the upper plate portion 51 is provided with a hinge shaft and a bearing hole for rotatably connecting to the lower plate portion 52. Similarly, the upper end of the lower plate portion 52 is provided with a hinge shaft and a bearing hole for rotatably connecting to the upper plate portion 51. The connecting portion 53 is assembled such that the hinge shaft of one plate portion (upper plate portion 51 or lower plate portion 52) is supported by the bearing hole of the other plate portion (lower plate portion 52 or upper plate portion 51).

[0026] In Figure 1, the transport container 1 is a container with a lid, and a lid member 7 is attached to the opening frame 6. The opening frame 6 has a pair of short-side frames 61 and a pair of long-side frames 62 that are positioned alternately and continuously in the circumferential direction, and has an opening that penetrates in the vertical direction. The upper surfaces of the pair of short-side frames 61 of the opening frame 6 are provided with connecting parts 61a used for connecting to each lid.

[0027] Furthermore, projections 62a are provided on the upper surfaces of the pair of long-side frames 62 of the opening frame 6. The projections 62a are inserted into through holes provided in each lid and are configured to restrict the horizontal displacement of the lid member 7 when it is closed. Two projections 62a are formed on each long-side frame 62, spaced apart in the long-side direction, and have a trapezoidal shape when viewed from the side.

[0028] In Figure 1, the lid member 7 has a first lid 7A and a second lid 7B arranged in the direction of the long side. The first lid 7A is rotatably connected to one of the short side frames 61 of the mouth frame 6 so as to open and close a portion of the opening of the container body. The second lid 7B is rotatably connected to the other short side frame 61 of the mouth frame 6 so as to open and close the remaining portion of the opening of the container body. In other words, the first lid 7A and the second lid 7B are configured to open in opposite directions like double doors by a rotational movement with the short side of the transport container 1 as the pivot point. The first lid 7A and the second lid 7B are identical in shape.

[0029] As shown in Figure 1, the transport container 1 has handle holes 44 formed in the oscillating plate portion 4. Also, handle holes 54 are formed in the upper plate portion 51 of the bent plate portion 5. The handle holes 44 and 54 are formed to penetrate through the inside and outside of the container. By inserting fingertips into the pair of handle holes 44 or the pair of handle holes 54 and gripping the upper outer circumference of the handle holes, the transport container 1 can be lifted from either the long side or the short side of the container. In the transport container 1, at least the lower outer circumference of the handle holes 44 and 54 is provided with outwardly projecting frame portions 45 and 55. This configuration will be explained in detail along with the structure of each plate portion.

[0030] First, Figure 2 shows a front view of the bent plate section 5 as seen from the outside. The bent plate section 5 has an upper plate section 51 and a lower plate section 52, which are connected by a connecting section 53. The upper end of the upper plate section 51 is provided with a connecting section 511 for rotatably connecting to the long side frame of the opening frame section. The lower end of the lower plate section 52 is provided with a connecting section 521 for rotatably connecting to a plurality of connecting sections provided on the long side of the bottom plate section.

[0031] As shown in Figure 2, column portions 512 extending in the vertical direction are provided at both ends of the upper plate portion 51. The column portions 512 are formed to bulge outward relative to the main surface portion 515. In the upper plate portion 51, ribs 513 are provided to connect the upper ends of a pair of column portions 512. Also, ribs 514 are provided to connect the lower ends of a pair of column portions 512. The ribs 513 and 514 are transverse ribs extending in the width direction of the upper plate portion 51. Similarly, column portions 522 extending in the vertical direction are provided at both ends of the lower plate portion 52, with ribs 523 connecting the upper ends of a pair of column portions 522, and ribs 524 connecting the lower ends of a pair of column portions 522. In this way, the rigidity of the upper plate portion 51 and the lower plate portion 52 is improved by each column portion and each rib. Further ribs extending in the vertical and width directions may be formed.

[0032] In the upper plate portion 51, a handle hole 54 is formed in the center of the width direction of the upper part of the main surface portion 515. The handle hole 54 is formed in a horizontally elongated shape when viewed from the front. In this specification, a horizontally elongated shape refers to a shape in which the width dimension of the target portion (e.g., the handle hole) is longer than the height dimension of the target portion, and specifically includes horizontally elongated elliptical shapes (see Figure 2), horizontally elongated rectangular shapes (see Figure 6), horizontally elongated circular shapes, etc. The height dimension of the target portion is the length along the vertical direction, and if the length changes, it refers to the maximum length. The width dimension of the target portion is the length along the horizontal direction, and if the length changes, it refers to the maximum length.

[0033] To give specific numerical values, the width dimension of the handle hole 54 is, for example, 80mm to 100mm, or it may be 80mm to 90mm. Also, the height dimension of the handle hole 54 is, for example, 20mm to 60mm, or it may be 20mm to 50mm.

[0034] As shown in Figure 2, a frame portion 55 is provided on the outer circumference of the handle hole 54. The frame portion 55 is formed to cover the entire outer circumference of the handle hole 54, conforms to the shape of the handle hole 54, and has a predetermined thickness around its entire circumference. The frame portion 55 has a lower frame portion 551 provided at least on the lower outer circumference of the handle hole 54. Specifically, the frame portion 55 has a lower frame portion 551, an upper frame portion 552 provided on the upper outer circumference of the handle hole 54, a left frame portion 553 provided on the left side of the outer circumference, and a right frame portion 554 provided on the right side of the outer circumference, and these are smoothly connected at their ends. The upper part of the frame portion 55 is connected to the rib 513. In addition, a bulging portion 56 that bulges outward is provided below the lower frame portion 551.

[0035] Figure 3 shows a cross-sectional view of the upper plate section cut in the vertical direction. This figure is a cross-sectional view taken at a position slightly offset from the center of the upper plate section in the width direction. Figure 3 shows cross-sections of the lower frame section 551 and the upper frame section 552 as the frame section. As shown in Figure 3, the upper frame section 552, the handle hole 54, the lower frame section 551, and the bulging section 56 are arranged side by side in the vertical direction.

[0036] The lower frame portion 551 has a double-wall structure having a pair of wall portions 55a and 55b. The pair of wall portions 55a and 55b are spaced apart from each other in the vertical direction and are formed to extend along the width direction of the upper plate portion 51. Of the pair of wall portions 55a and 55b, wall portion 55a faces the handle hole 54 and is located on the side closer to the handle hole 54 (handle hole side). Wall portion 55b is located on the side further away from the handle hole 54. A cavity is formed between the pair of wall portions 55a and 55b. This double-wall structure makes it possible to ensure the strength of the lower outer circumference of the handle hole 54 while reducing weight. As a result, the portion including the lower frame portion 551 functions as a grip when pulling and moving the transport container, leading to improved operability in such operations.

[0037] As shown in Figure 3, the lower frame portion 551 has a structure in which the inside of the container is open and the outside of the container is closed by a closing surface portion 55c. Specifically, the closing surface portion 55c is integrally formed so as to connect the outer ends of a pair of wall portions 55a and 55b. The closing surface portion 55c is plate-shaped with a predetermined thickness and is provided perpendicular to the pair of wall portions 55a and 55b. The wall portion 55a and the closing surface portion 55c are smoothly connected, and the connecting portion c1 has a curved shape. Similarly, the wall portion 55b and the closing surface portion 55c are smoothly connected, and the connecting portion c2 has a curved shape. By making the connecting portions c1 and c2 curved, the burden on the fingers when grasping the lower frame portion 551 is reduced.

[0038] In Figure 3, the radius of curvature of the curved surfaces of the connecting parts c1 and c2 is not particularly limited, but is, for example, 2 mm or more and 15 mm or less. Furthermore, of the connecting parts c1 and c2, it is preferable that the radius of curvature of the curved surface of connecting part c1 on the side of the handle hole 54 is larger than the radius of curvature of the curved surface of connecting part c2 on the opposite side (c1 > c2). This makes it easier to ensure a certain thickness in the lower frame part 551 while making the shape of the part that touches the fingers particularly comfortable for the fingers. In addition, the inner edge c3 of the wall part 55a may also be a curved surface, in which case it is preferable that the radius of curvature of the curved surface of connecting part c1 is larger than the radius of curvature of the curved surface of the inner edge c3 (c1 > c3). Also, connecting part c2 does not have to be a curved surface. The relationship between the radii of curvature of the connecting parts c1, c2, inner edge c3, etc. can be set similarly for c4 to c9, which will be described later.

[0039] The inner surface of the upper plate portion 51 is mainly formed of a flat surface 51a (also called the general surface or base surface). Below the lower frame portion 551 on the inner surface of the upper plate portion 51, and adjacent to the lower frame portion 551, a recess 57 into which a finger can be inserted is formed. The recess 57 is formed by being recessed outward from the flat surface 51a. By utilizing the space created by the recess 57, a gripping area for the fingertips is secured when gripping the lower outer circumference of the handle hole 54, making it easier to grip. In addition, as shown in Figure 3, the bottom surface of the recess 57 is made into an arc shape, which is also gentle on the fingertips.

[0040] Furthermore, the recess 57 also contributes to improving the ease of removing items stored in the transport container. Depending on how the items are stored in the container, the items may be densely packed, making them difficult to remove. By forming the recess 57, the worker can insert their fingers into the space of the recess 57 and grasp the stored items, making them easier to remove. Also, as shown in Figure 3, the bottom surface of the recess 57 is arc-shaped, allowing the worker to place their fingers along the arc when inserting them into the recess 57, thus facilitating smooth insertion of fingers into the recess 57.

[0041] The recess 57 is formed in a horizontally elongated shape when viewed from the front (see Figure 2), and it is preferable that the width dimension of the recess 57 be set to be approximately the same as the width dimension of the handle hole 54. The height dimension of the recess 57 may also be set to be greater than the height dimension of the handle hole 54. Note that the shape of the recess 57 when viewed from the front is not limited to a horizontally elongated shape, but may also be square or vertically elongated. Furthermore, the shape of the bottom surface of the recess 57 is not particularly limited, and may be an arc with a constant curvature, an arc composed of multiple curvatures, an arc made of a free-form surface, a trapezoid, a triangle, a rectangle, etc.

[0042] As shown in Figure 3, the outer surface of the recess 57 bulges outward from the upper plate portion 51 in correspondence with the recess, forming a bulge portion 56. The bulging outer surface of the bulge portion 56 is formed to fit within the thickness region of the column portions 512 located at both ends of the upper plate portion 51. In other words, the bulging outer surface of the bulge portion 56 is located inside the virtual plane formed by connecting the outermost parts of the upper plate portion 51. The thickness of the recess 57 is, for example, 2 mm to 5 mm.

[0043] In Figure 3, the upper frame portion 552 also has a double-wall structure having a pair of wall portions 55d and 55e. The pair of wall portions 55d and 55e are spaced apart from each other in the vertical direction and are formed to extend along the width direction of the upper plate portion 51. Of the pair of wall portions 55d and 55e, wall portion 55d faces the handle hole 54 and is located on the side closer to the handle hole 54 (handle hole side). Wall portion 55e is located on the side further away from the handle hole 54. A cavity is formed between the pair of wall portions 55d and 55e. This double-wall structure makes it possible to ensure the strength of the upper outer circumference of the handle hole 54 while reducing weight. As a result, the portion including the upper frame portion 552 functions as a grip when lifting the transport container, which also leads to improved operability of the operation.

[0044] The upper frame portion 552 has a structure in which the inside of the container is open and the outside of the container is closed by a closing surface portion 55f. Specifically, the closing surface portion 55f is integrally formed so as to connect the outer ends of a pair of wall portions 55d and 55e. The closing surface portion 55f is plate-shaped with a predetermined thickness and is provided perpendicular to the pair of wall portions 55d and 55e. The wall portion 55d and the closing surface portion 55f are smoothly connected, and the connecting portion c4 has a curved shape. Similarly, the wall portion 55e and the closing surface portion 55f are smoothly connected, and the connecting portion c5 has a curved shape. By making the connecting portions c4 and c5 curved, the burden on the fingers when gripping the upper frame portion 552 is reduced. The radius of curvature of the curved surface of the connecting portion c4 is not particularly limited, but it is preferable that it is equal to the radius of curvature of the curved surface of the connecting portion c1 of the lower frame portion 551, and greater than the radius of curvature of the curved surfaces of the connecting portions c5 and c2 (c4=c1>c5, c2).

[0045] Figure 4(a) shows an enlarged view of the handle holes and frame portion as seen from the outside. As shown in Figure 4(a), the wall portion 55a on the handle hole side of the lower frame portion 551 is formed to be convex upward. Specifically, the wall portion 55a curves so as it moves from both ends in the width direction toward the center, it protrudes toward the handle holes 54. Therefore, when pulling and moving the transport container, when a finger is placed on the lower outer circumference of the handle hole 54, the end face conforms to the shape of the palm of the finger, making it easier to operate. On the other hand, the wall portion 55b of the lower frame portion 551 is formed to extend horizontally, and the distance between the wall portion 55a and the wall portion 55b increases as it moves from both ends in the width direction toward the center of the lower frame portion 551. Note that the configuration is not limited to this, and the wall portion 55b may also be formed to be convex upward, similar to the wall portion 55a.

[0046] Furthermore, the wall portion 55d on the handle hole side of the upper frame portion 552 is formed to protrude downwards. Specifically, the wall portion 55d curves so as it moves from both ends in the width direction towards the center, it protrudes towards the handle hole 54. Therefore, when lifting the transport container, when you place your fingers on the upper outer circumference of the handle hole 54, the end surface conforms to the shape of your palm, making it easier to operate. Note that the wall portion 55e of the upper frame portion 552 is formed to extend horizontally, but like the wall portion 55d, it may also be formed to protrude downwards.

[0047] In Figure 4(a), the lower frame portion 551 and the upper frame portion 552, located vertically, have walls 55a and 55d on the handle hole side that are close to each other, thereby narrowing the vertical dimension a at the center of the handle hole 54 in the width direction. As a result, the vertical dimension a is smaller than the vertical dimension b (in this case, corresponding to the height of the handle hole 54) near the end of the handle hole 54 in the width direction (vertical dimension a < vertical dimension b). Narrowing the vertical dimension a at the center of the handle hole 54 in the width direction makes it easier to prevent stored items or parts thereof from falling out through the handle hole 54 while still allowing the worker's fingers to be inserted. For example, the vertical dimension a is preferably 0.5 times or more the vertical dimension b, and preferably 0.7 times or more.

[0048] In the frame portion 55, the thickness of the lower frame portion 551 (distance from the upper end surface of wall portion 55a to the lower end surface of wall portion 55b) is greater than the thickness of the upper frame portion 552 (distance from the lower end surface of wall portion 55d to the upper end surface of wall portion 55e). However, these thicknesses may be made equal, or the thickness of the upper frame portion 552 may be greater than the thickness of the lower frame portion 551.

[0049] Figure 4(b) shows an enlarged view of the handle hole and frame portion as seen from the inner side. As shown in Figure 4(b), the frame portion 55 provided around the entire outer circumference of the handle hole 54 is composed of a double wall having a pair of wall portions, and ribs L are provided at arbitrary locations in the circumferential direction of the frame portion 55 (9 locations in Figure 4(b)). The ribs L are formed to connect the pair of wall portions inside the cavity, and the inner surface of the ribs L is flush with the flat surface 51a of the upper plate portion 51. In this case, the space enclosed by the pair of wall portions (e.g., wall portions 55a, 55b), the ribs L, and the closing surface portion (e.g., closing surface portion 55c) constitutes a recess that opens to the inner side.

[0050] As shown in Figure 4(b), a flat surface 51a is interposed between the lower frame portion 551 and the recess 57, and is interposed in a strip shape along the width direction. The recess 57 is formed close to the lower frame portion 551 and in a position where a finger can be inserted, and for example, the vertical width of the flat surface 51a is about 5 mm to 20 mm. In addition, flat surfaces 51a are provided on the top, bottom, left, and right of the recess 57, and the recess 57 is an independent recess in the flat surface 51a of the upper plate portion 51, and is a recess that is closed to the outer surface.

[0051] Furthermore, a connecting portion is provided above the handle hole 54, which connects the upper plate portion 51 and the mouth frame portion 6, and the connecting portion is located within the formation area of ​​the frame portion 55.

[0052] The configuration of the frame portion 55 is not limited to the configuration described above. In Figure 4 above, the wall portion 55a of the lower frame portion 551 is formed to be convex upward, but it may also be formed to be convex downward, or to extend in a straight line horizontally. Also, in Figure 4 above, the wall portion 55d of the upper frame portion 552 is formed to be convex downward, but it may also be formed to be convex upward, or to extend in a straight line horizontally.

[0053] Furthermore, in Figure 4 above, the double-wall structure of the frame 55 is configured to open on the inner side, but the double-wall structure of the entire or a part of the frame 55 may be configured to open on the outer side. For example, as shown in Figure 5(a), the opening side can be different at the top and bottom of the frame. In the left diagram of Figure 5(a), the upper part of the frame (including the upper frame) has a structure in which the inside of the container is open and the outside of the container is closed by a closed surface, and the lower part of the frame (including the lower frame) has a structure in which the outside of the container is open and the inside of the container is closed by a closed surface. Also, in the right diagram of Figure 5(a), the upper part of the frame (including the upper frame) has a structure in which the outside of the container is open and the inside of the container is closed by a closed surface, and the lower part of the frame (including the lower frame) has a structure in which the inside of the container is open and the outside of the container is closed by a closed surface. In Figure 5(a), the opening side is swapped between the upper and lower parts of the frame, with the ribs formed on both the left and right sides of the handle hole 54 as the boundary; however, the location where the opening side is swapped is not particularly limited.

[0054] Furthermore, the frame portion is not limited to being formed around the entire circumference of the handle hole; the frame portion may be partially divided. For example, as shown in Figure 5(b), the frame portion may be divided vertically at positions on both the left and right sides of the handle hole 54. Moreover, the frame portion may consist only of the lower part of the frame portion in the configuration shown in Figure 5(b).

[0055] Thus, even with the configuration shown in Figure 5, by providing a frame portion consisting of a double wall having a pair of wall portions that protrude outward at least to the lower outer circumference of the handle hole 54, the operability of the operation of hooking a finger onto the lower outer circumference of the handle hole 54 and pulling to move it can be improved.

[0056] Next, we will describe the handle holes and frame of the oscillating plate. Note that the handle holes and frame of the oscillating plate can also be appropriately adapted from the configuration of the upper plate described above, and therefore, some explanation is omitted.

[0057] Figure 6 shows a front view of the oscillating plate section as seen from the outside. The width direction of the oscillating plate section 4 corresponds to the short side direction of the transport container. Multiple connecting parts 41 are formed at the upper end of the oscillating plate section 4, which rotatably connect to the short side frame of the opening section. In addition, an engaging part 42 is formed at the lower end of the oscillating plate section 4, which engages with the bottom plate section. The engaging part 42 is a part that engages with the engaging part of the bottom plate section from the inside so as to be able to engage and disengage.

[0058] The oscillating plate portion 4 has a main surface portion 43 in the central region in the width direction. On both sides of the main surface portion 43, protrusions 47 are formed that project outward from the main surface portion 43. These protrusions 47 are formed to extend linearly in the vertical direction. On the other hand, on the inner surface of the oscillating plate portion 4, recesses are formed to extend linearly in the vertical direction, or multiple recesses are arranged linearly, corresponding to the protrusions 47. The rigidity of the oscillating plate portion 4 is improved by the protrusions 47 and their corresponding recesses.

[0059] A handle hole 44 is formed in the center of the width direction of the upper part of the main surface portion 43 of the rocking plate portion 4, and penetrates through the rocking plate portion 4 in the thickness direction. This handle hole 44 is also formed in a horizontally elongated shape when viewed from the front. As shown in Figure 6, a frame portion 45 is provided on the outer circumference of the handle hole 44. The frame portion 45 is formed to cover the entire outer circumference of the handle hole 44, is formed in a rectangular frame shape to conform to the shape of the handle hole 44, and has a predetermined thickness around its entire circumference. The frame portion 45 has a lower frame portion 451 provided at least on the lower outer circumference of the handle hole 44. Specifically, the frame portion 45 has a lower frame portion 451, an upper frame portion 452 provided on the upper outer circumference of the handle hole 44, a left frame portion 453 provided on the left side of the outer circumference, and a right frame portion 454 provided on the right side of the outer circumference, and these are smoothly connected at their ends, and the corners of the frame portion 45 in the circumferential direction are rounded. Furthermore, a bulging portion 46 is provided below the lower frame portion 451, which protrudes outward.

[0060] Figure 7 shows a perspective view of a cross-section of the oscillating plate section cut vertically. As shown in Figure 7, the lower frame section 451 has a double-wall structure with a pair of wall sections 45a and 45b. The pair of wall sections 45a and 45b are spaced apart from each other in the vertical direction and extend linearly along the width direction of the oscillating plate section 4. The portion of the lower outer circumference of the handle hole 44 that includes the lower frame section 451 also functions as a grip when pulling and moving the transport container, leading to improved operability in this operation.

[0061] In Figure 7, the lower frame portion 451 has a structure in which the inside of the container is open and the outside of the container is closed by a closing surface portion 45c. Specifically, the closing surface portion 45c is integrally formed so as to connect the outer ends of a pair of wall portions 45a and 45b. The closing surface portion 45c is plate-shaped with a predetermined thickness and is provided perpendicular to the pair of wall portions 45a and 45b. The wall portion 45a and the closing surface portion 45c are smoothly connected, and the connecting portion c7 has a curved shape. Similarly, the wall portion 45b and the closing surface portion 45c are smoothly connected, and the connecting portion c8 has a curved shape.

[0062] Furthermore, the upper frame portion 452 also has a double-wall structure having a pair of wall portions 45d and 45e, and the pair of wall portions are connected by a closing surface portion 45f.

[0063] In the frame portion 45 of the oscillating plate portion 4, a portion of the outer end face is formed to be recessed inward. Specifically, the end face of the upper portion of the frame portion 45 (including the upper frame portion 452) and the end face of the lower portion of the frame portion 45 (including the lower frame portion 451) are connected by a stepped surface 455, and the end face of the lower portion of the frame portion 45 is positioned inward relative to the end face of the upper portion. The shape of the outer end face of the frame portion 45 is formed to correspond to the shape of the convex ridge on the upper surface of the lid, which will be described later.

[0064] As shown in Figure 7, on the inner surface of the oscillating plate portion 4, below the lower frame portion 451, a recess 47 into which a finger can be inserted is formed adjacent to the lower frame portion 451. The shape and function of the recess 47 are the same as those of the recess 57 described above. Furthermore, on the inner surface of the frame portion 45, which is provided around the entire outer circumference of the handle hole 44, ribs are provided at any point in the circumferential direction of the frame portion 45 (see Figure 9).

[0065] Next, Figure 8 shows a perspective view of the second lid as a lid member of the transport container. The second lid 7B is rectangular in shape and has four ends in the circumferential direction. Specifically, the second lid 7B has a base end 71 which is the pivot point, a tip end 72 which is the end opposite to the base end 71, and side ends 73 and 74 which connect the base end 71 and the tip end 72.

[0066] The second lid 7B has corrugated ridges 75 on its upper surface that project upward in a linear fashion. Multiple ridges 75 are arranged in the direction of the longer side, and each extends in the direction of the shorter side. The corrugated ridges 75 improve the rigidity of the second lid 7B. In addition, ribs 76 are formed that extend in the direction of the longer side perpendicular to the ridges 75. Here, in the second lid 7B, the upper end faces of the multiple ridges 75 are not at the same height position; the upper end faces of the other ridges 75a are positioned above the upper end face of the ridge 75b at the base end. In other words, the height position of the upper end faces of the upper surface changes from the middle of the tip side so that they project upward.

[0067] The side ends 73 and 74 are provided with through holes 731 and 741 that penetrate in the thickness direction, respectively. The through holes 731 and 741 are formed near the tip 72 and are elongated holes that are longer in the long side direction when viewed from above. When the second lid 7B is closed, the projections of the opening frame are inserted into the through holes 731 and 741.

[0068] A thin plate portion 721 is integrally provided at the tip portion 72. The thin plate portion 721 is formed in a flat plate shape extending along the short side direction. When the lid members are closed, the thin plate portion 721 of the first lid and the thin plate portion 721 of the second lid 7B overlap vertically (see Figure 1). The tip portions 72 of the first lid and the second lid 7B are configured as described above, so that the lids do not have a directionality, and the lids can be closed from either the first lid or the second lid 7B, which is convenient. Furthermore, since the thin plate portion 721 at the tip portion 72 is formed to descend in a stepped manner from the side edges 73 and 74, even when the thin plate portions of both lids are overlapped when closing the lid members, the upper thin plate portion does not protrude above the side edge of the other lid, or only protrudes slightly, allowing for stable stacking.

[0069] A hinge portion 711 is formed at the base end 71, which is rotatably connected to the short side frame of the mouth frame. A notch portion 712 is also formed at the base end 71, which is cut out through the top plate portion in the thickness direction. The notch portion 712 is a portion cut out from the central area in the width direction of the base end 71 toward the tip end, opening toward the base end and having a rectangular shape in plan view. The hinge portions 711 are arranged on both sides of the notch portion 712 at the base end 71. As will be described later, when the second lid 7B is opened and hanging down, the area of ​​the notch portion 712 overlaps with the position of the handle hole, and the handle hole is formed to be gripped through the notch portion 712.

[0070] Figure 9 shows a perspective view of the lid in the open position. As shown in Figure 9, when the lid is open, the first lid 7A and the second lid 7B are positioned along the oscillating plate 4 so as to hang vertically downwards. In this state, the handle holes 44 of the oscillating plate 4 are fully exposed through the notch 712 of the second lid 7B. Thus, the notch 712 of the second lid 7B is formed in a position and size such that when the second lid 7B is opened, the handle holes 44 of the oscillating plate 4 located on the inside are exposed. As a result, even when the lid is open, the outer circumference of the handle holes 44 of the oscillating plate 4 can be grasped to lift or pull the transport container 1.

[0071] Figure 10 shows an enlarged view of the vertical cross-section in the state shown in Figure 9. As shown in Figure 10, when the second lid 7B is opened and hanging downwards, the outer end face of the frame portion 45 is positioned to face the upper surface of the second lid 7B. More specifically, the right frame portion and the lower frame portion 451 of the frame portion 45 of the oscillating plate portion 4 are positioned to face the outer periphery frame portion of the notch portion 712. In addition, a portion of the frame portion 45 is recessed to correspond to the shape of the convex ridge 75a on the upper surface of the second lid 7B. Specifically, a portion of the outer end face of the frame portion 45 is recessed so as to fit with the convex shape of the convex ridge 75a. This allows the shape of the upper surface of the second lid 7B to not interfere with the frame portion 45, enabling the second lid 7B to hang vertically downwards.

[0072] In the above description, notches 712 are provided in the first and second lids. However, through holes (not opening towards the base end) may be provided in the top plates of the first and second lids so that when the first and second lids are opened, the handle holes of the swing plate located on the inside are exposed.

[0073] The transport container of the present invention is not limited to the above-described form.

[0074] In Figure 1 and other figures, the foldable transport container 1 is configured such that handle holes 44, 54 and frame portions 45, 55 of a predetermined structure are formed on the upper plate portion 51 of the oscillating plate portion 4 and the folding plate portion 5, respectively. However, the configuration is not limited to this, and the handle holes and frame portions of a predetermined structure may be formed on only one of the upper plate portion 51 of the oscillating plate portion 4 and the folding plate portion 5. Also, in Figure 1 and other figures, one recess 47, 57 is formed on the inner surface of the upper plate portion 51 of the oscillating plate portion 4 and the folding plate portion 5, along with the frame portions 45, 55. However, the formation of recesses is not mandatory and may be omitted. Furthermore, multiple recesses may be formed.

[0075] In Figure 1 and other figures above, the lid members 7 are configured to open and close with the first lid 7A and the second lid 7B each starting from the short side of the transport container 1. However, the first lid and the second lid may also be configured to open and close with the long side of the transport container each starting from the long side. Furthermore, the lid members only need to be attached to the container body, and they do not need to be rotatable; they may be attached by other methods such as being detachable. Also, although the lid members are composed of two lids in the above description, they may be composed of a single lid (one member).

[0076] Furthermore, although a container with a lid was shown above as a transport container, a lid member is not essential for the transport container of the present invention, and the lid member may be omitted. In such a configuration, there is no need to provide a connecting part or protrusion with the lid member on the opening frame, and for example, the upper surface of the opening frame may be made of a flat surface.

[0077] Although the planar shape of the transport container described above was rectangular, the present invention may also be applied to a transport container with a square planar shape. [Industrial applicability]

[0078] The transport container of the present invention offers excellent operability in pulling and moving operations, and can therefore be widely used in distribution settings where workers frequently carry, stack, and move transport containers by hand. [Explanation of symbols]

[0079] 1. Transport container 2 Bottom plate part 3 Peripheral wall part 4. Swivel plate section 41 Connecting part 42 Connecting part 43 Main surface part 44 handle holes 45 Frame section 451 Lower frame part 452 Upper frame part 453 Left frame section 454 Right frame section 45a, 45b, 45d, 45e Wall section 45c and 45f closing surfaces c7 and c8 connecting parts Inner edge on the inner side of c9 455 stepped surface 46 bulging part 47 concave part 5 bending plate part 51 upper plate part 52 lower plate part 53 connecting part 54 handle hole 55 frame part 551 lower frame part 552 upper frame part 553 left frame part 554 right frame part 55a, 55b, 55d, and 55e wall parts 55c and 55f closing surfaces c1, c2, c4, and c5 connecting parts Inner edges on the inner side of c3 and c6 56 bulging part 57 concave part 6 mouth frame part 7 cover member 7A first cover 7B second cover 71 base end part 711 hinge part 712 notch part 72 tip end part 73 and 74 side end parts 75, 75a, and 75b rib strips 76 rib L rib

Claims

1. A transport container having a bottom plate and a peripheral wall portion erected from the periphery of the bottom plate, A handle hole is formed in at least one plate portion of the peripheral wall portion, which penetrates to the inside and outside of the container. A transport container characterized in that at least the lower outer circumference of the handle hole is provided with a frame portion that protrudes outward and is composed of a double wall having a pair of wall portions.

2. The transport container according to claim 1, wherein the frame portion has a structure in which the inside of the container is open and the outside of the container is closed by a closed surface portion, and of the pair of wall portions, at least the connecting portion between the wall portion on the handle hole side and the closed surface portion is curved.

3. The handle hole is elongated horizontally, and the frame portion is provided at least on the lower and upper outer circumferences of the handle hole. The carrying container according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the handle hole is formed such that the wall portion of the frame portion located at the lower outer circumference on the side of the handle hole is convex upward, and the vertical dimension at the center of the handle hole in the width direction is narrowed.

4. The transport container according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that a recess into which a finger can be inserted is formed on the inner surface of the plate portion, below the frame portion, adjacent to the frame portion.

5. The transport container according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the frame portion is provided around the entire outer circumference of the handle hole.

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