Transport containers

Abstract

To provide a transport container that can prevent liquid contents from leaking out of the container, even if the liquid contents leak out of the container. [Solution] The transport container 1 comprises a rectangular bottom plate portion 2, a square cylindrical peripheral wall portion 3 erected from the periphery of the bottom plate portion 2, and a mouth frame portion 6 provided at the upper end opening of the peripheral wall portion 3. The peripheral wall portion 3 has a pair of swinging plate portions 4 whose upper or lower ends are rotatably connected, and a pair of folding plate portions 5 configured to be foldable inward. The bottom plate portion 2 has a recess 23 formed therein that is recessed below the lower end positions of the pair of swinging plate portions 4 and the pair of folding plate portions 5 in the assembled state of the transport container 1, and capable of accommodating liquids.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a transport container capable of storing and transporting stored items such as foods and beverages (especially those filled with liquids).

Background Art

[0002] Transport containers (also called containers) are used for transporting products such as foods and beverages. As transport containers, various shapes and sizes are used, and a foldable transport container that can be folded is known.

[0003] The foldable transport container includes, for example, a container body having a bottomed box shape. The container body has a rectangular bottom plate portion, a square tube-shaped peripheral wall portion erected from the periphery of the bottom plate portion, and a mouth frame portion provided at the upper end opening of the peripheral wall portion. Further, the peripheral wall portion has a pair of swing plate portions (also called sway plate portions) and a pair of folding plate portions configured to be foldable inward. This transport container is in a folded state when it is an empty box, and the space of the storage space of the container can be reduced (space saving) (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] Transport containers are used to transport and store a variety of items, including those filled with liquids. However, during transport and storage, these containers are subjected to vibrations and shocks, which can damage the contents. If the contents are filled with liquids, there is a risk that the liquid will leak out of the container. This could result in contamination of other transport containers or the contents they hold.

[0006] This invention has been made in view of these circumstances, and aims to provide a transport container that can prevent liquid contents from leaking out of the container, even if the liquid contents leak out of the container. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The present invention provides a transport container comprising a rectangular bottom plate, a rectangular cylindrical peripheral wall portion erected from the periphery of the bottom plate, and a mouth frame portion provided at the upper end opening of the peripheral wall portion, wherein the peripheral wall portion has a pair of oscillating plate portions whose upper or lower ends are rotatably connected, and a pair of folding plate portions configured to be foldable inward, and the bottom plate portion is characterized in that it has a recess formed therein that is recessed below the lower end positions of the pair of oscillating plate portions and the pair of folding plate portions in the assembled state of the transport container, and capable of accommodating liquids.

[0008] The bottom plate portion has a pair of sides on which the pair of bent plate portions are erected, and a female hinge portion is formed on each side to which a male hinge portion provided at the lower end of the pair of bent plate portions is attached, and the female hinge portion has an opening on a part of the bottom surface that opens to the outside and a notch on the inner side that communicates with the storage space, and a partition wall is provided at the lower end of the notch that protrudes above the bottom surface.

[0009] The bottom plate portion has a pair of other sides on which the pair of oscillating plate portions are erected, and the recess is characterized in that, at the boundary with the other sides, it has a wall surface erected from the bottom surface of the recess and an inclined surface that connects the wall surface to the other sides and whose height increases as it moves toward the other sides.

[0010] Multiple ribs are arranged on the underside of the bottom plate portion, protruding downward from the base portion, and the lower end of the rib formed in the central region on the underside of the bottom plate portion is located above the lower end of the ribs formed in the surrounding region. [Effects of the Invention]

[0011] The transport container of the present invention is a foldable transport container comprising a rectangular bottom plate, a peripheral wall portion including a pair of oscillating plates and a pair of folding plates, and a mouth frame portion. In the assembled state of the transport container, the bottom plate portion has a recess that is recessed below the lower ends of the pair of oscillating plates and the pair of folding plates, and is capable of accommodating liquids. Therefore, even if liquids leak from the contents of a container filled with liquids, the liquids can be collected in the recess, preventing them from flowing out of the container.

[0012] In the bottom plate of a transport container, it is conceivable that liquid may flow out of the container through the opening in the bottom surface from the female hinge portion, which communicates with the storage space via a notch. Taking this into consideration, a partition wall is provided at the lower end of the notch, protruding above the bottom surface. This widens the storage space in the recess, suppressing the flow of liquid into the female hinge portion and, consequently, making it easier to suppress the flow of liquid out of the female hinge portion.

[0013] The bottom plate section has a pair of other sides on which a pair of oscillating plates are erected, and the recess has a wall surface erected from the bottom surface of the recess at the boundary with the other sides, and an inclined surface that connects the wall surface to the other sides and whose height increases as it moves toward the other sides. Therefore, when assembling the transport container, it is possible to secure as wide a storage space in the recess as possible while avoiding interference with the rotational movement of the pair of oscillating plates. In addition, it is easy to wipe the bottom plate section after discharging liquids, which leads to increased efficiency in cleaning work.

[0014] Multiple ribs are arranged on the underside of the bottom plate, protruding downward from the base. The lower end of the rib formed in the central region on the underside of the bottom plate is positioned above the lower end of the ribs formed in the surrounding region. Therefore, even if the central region of the bottom plate deforms downward due to the long-term use of the transport container, the ribs formed in the surrounding region allow the transport container to be placed stably. Furthermore, when such deformation occurs, the volume of the recess increases by the amount of deformation, allowing liquids to accumulate in the central region of the bottom plate and preventing them from spilling out. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0015] [Figure 1] This is a perspective view of one embodiment of the transport container of the present invention. [Figure 2] Figure 1 is a perspective view of the transport container with the lid removed. [Figure 3] This is a perspective view of the bottom plate portion of the transport container shown in Figure 1. [Figure 4] This is a front view of the oscillating plate section of the transport container shown in Figure 1, as seen from the inner side. [Figure 5] Figure 1 is a perspective view of the folded plate section of the transport container, seen from the inside. [Figure 6] This is a perspective view of the opening of the transport container shown in Figure 1. [Figure 7] This is an enlarged view of section S of the transport container shown in Figure 2. [Figure 8] Figure 3 shows a close-up view of a corner of the base plate, among other things. [Figure 9]It is a partial enlarged view seen from another direction of the bottom plate portion of FIG. 3, etc. [Figure 10] It is a partial cross-sectional view of the folded state of the transport container of FIG. 1. [Figure 11] It is a plan view seen from the back side of the bottom plate portion of FIG. 3. [Figure 12] It is a C-C cross-sectional view of the bottom plate portion of FIG. 11. [Figure 13] It is a plan view showing another arrangement configuration of the ribs on the back side of the bottom plate portion. [Figure 14] It is a perspective view showing the folded state of the transport container of FIG. 1, etc.

Embodiments for Carrying out the Invention

[0016] Hereinafter, the structure of the transport container of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0017] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of one form of the transport container of the present invention. The transport container 1 in FIG. 1 shows an assembled state. As shown in FIG. 1, 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, 400 to 500 × 250 to 350 × 200 to 250H (mm). Also, the inner dimensions are dimensions that are about 20 to 50 mm smaller in each dimension than the outer dimensions.

[0018] In this specification, the height direction of the transport container 1 is referred to as the vertical direction, the direction parallel to the long side in the plan view when looking at the transport container 1 from above in the vertical direction is referred to as the long side direction, and the direction parallel to the short side in that plan view is referred to as the short side direction. Also, the direction parallel to the plane orthogonal to the vertical direction is also referred to as the horizontal direction (including the long side direction and the short side direction).

[0019] 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.

[0020] 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 integrally comprises a pair of short-side frames 61 and a pair of long-side frames 62. The upper surfaces of the pair of long-side frames 62 of the opening frame 6 are provided with connecting portions 62a used for connecting to each lid.

[0021] Furthermore, projections 61a are provided on the upper surfaces of the pair of short-side frames 61 of the opening frame 6. The projections 61a 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 61a are formed on each short-side frame 61, spaced apart in the short-side direction, and have a trapezoidal shape when viewed from the side.

[0022] In Figure 1, the lid member 7 has a first lid 7A and a second lid 7B arranged in the direction of the shorter side. The first lid 7A is rotatably connected to one of the long side frames 62 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 long side frame 62 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 starting from the long side of the transport container 1.

[0023] Next, Figure 2 shows the transport container with the lid removed. The transport container 1 has a container body consisting of a bottom plate 2, a swing plate 4, a bent plate 5, and a mouth frame 6, and the container body is box-shaped with an open top. The basic configuration of each part is described below.

[0024] Figure 3 shows a perspective view of the bottom plate. The bottom plate 2 is rectangular in shape. The bottom plate 2 has a pair of parallel short sides 21 and a pair of parallel long sides 22 around its periphery. The short sides 21 form a portion with a predetermined thickness in the direction of the long side, and the long sides 22 form a portion with a predetermined thickness in the direction of the short side. In the transport container, a pair of oscillating plates are erected on the pair of short sides 21 of the bottom plate 2, and a pair of bent plates are erected on the pair of long sides 22. A horizontal stepped surface 21a is formed on the short sides 21. The stepped surface 21a is provided with an engaging portion 21b for engaging with the oscillating plate. This stepped surface 21a is located above the bottom surface 23a.

[0025] Furthermore, the long side portion 22 of the bottom plate portion 2 is provided with multiple female hinge portions h to which the male hinge portion of the lower plate portion of the bent plate portion is rotatably connected. The female hinge portions h are formed recessed from the upper end surface of the long side portion 22 and are the portions to which the convex male hinge portion is attached. In Figure 3, eight female hinge portions h are provided spaced apart in the direction of the long side. In this configuration, two adjacent female hinge portions h form one connecting portion, counting from the end side. A bearing hole h1 is formed between two adjacent female hinge portions h through which the shaft portion of the male hinge portion is inserted. The bearing holes h1 of two adjacent female hinge portions h may be formed to communicate with each other.

[0026] Figure 4 shows a front view of the oscillating plate portion 4 as seen from the inner side. The oscillating plate portion 4 is composed of a rectangular plate-shaped material that forms its main body, and has four ends in the circumferential direction. Specifically, the oscillating plate portion 4 has an upper end portion 41, a lower end portion 42, one side end portion 43, and the other side end portion 44. The width direction of the oscillating plate portion 4 corresponds to the short side direction of the transport container. Multiple connecting portions 411 are formed at the upper end portion of the oscillating plate portion 4, which are rotatably connected to the short side frame of the opening portion. In addition, an engaging portion (not shown) is formed on the outer surface side of the lower end portion 42 of the oscillating plate portion 4, which engages with the bottom plate portion. This engaging portion is a part that engages with the aforementioned engaging portion of the bottom plate portion from the inside so as to be able to engage and disengage.

[0027] The oscillating plate portion 4 has a main surface portion 45 in the central region in the width direction. A handle portion 46 is formed on the upper part of the main surface portion 45, which allows the worker to hook their fingers onto it. The handle portion 46 is located in the center of the width direction of the oscillating plate portion 4 and is composed of a through hole that penetrates through the thickness direction of the oscillating plate portion 4. In Figure 4, the lower surface of the handle portion 46 is formed as a curved surface that is convex downwards to prevent the worker's fingertips from getting hurt.

[0028] In the oscillating plate portion 4, recessed grooves 47 are formed on both sides of the main surface portion 45, extending outward from the main surface portion 45. These recessed grooves 47 are formed to extend linearly in the vertical direction. On the other hand, protruding portions are formed on the outer surface of the oscillating plate portion 4, corresponding to the recessed grooves 47, and extending linearly in the vertical direction (see Figure 2).

[0029] In this example, the oscillating plate portion 4 is rotatably connected at its upper end and engaged with the bottom plate portion at its lower end. However, conversely, the oscillating plate portion 4 may be rotatably connected at its lower end and engaged with the mouth frame portion at its upper end.

[0030] Returning to Figure 2, each pair of folding plate sections 5 is composed 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 (seven in Figure 2) 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 (the same applies to the upper plate section 51 and the lower plate section 52) corresponds to the long side direction of the transport container.

[0031] 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).

[0032] Figure 5 shows a perspective view of the inner surface of the bent plate portion 5. As shown in Figure 5, the upper end portion 511 of the upper plate portion 51 is provided with a connecting portion 511a for rotatably connecting to the long side frame of the mouth frame portion. Here, the hook-shaped engaging portion and the shaft portion are collectively referred to as the connecting portion. In addition, hook-shaped engaging portions 512a and 513a are formed on the side ends 512 and 513 of the upper plate portion 51, which engage with the engaging ribs provided on the oscillating plate portion.

[0033] Furthermore, the lower end portion 521 of the lower plate portion 52 is provided with a male hinge portion 521a that connects to a plurality of female hinge portions provided on the long side of the bottom plate portion. In Figure 5, eight male hinge portions 521a are provided spaced apart in the direction of the long side, and the same number is provided as the number of female hinge portions. The male hinge portions 521a form a pair of connecting portions when counted from the end side, with two adjacent male hinge portions 521a. The male hinge 521a has a main body portion, a shaft portion protruding from one end of the main body portion, and a hook-shaped engaging portion provided at the other end of the main body portion. In each connecting portion, two adjacent male hinge portions 521a are arranged so that their shaft portions face each other. In addition, hook-shaped engaging portions 522a and 523a are formed on the side ends 522 and 523 of the lower plate portion 52, which engage with the engaging ribs provided on the oscillating plate portion.

[0034] As shown in Figure 5, the inner surface 51a of the upper plate portion 51 and the inner surface 52a of the lower plate portion 52 are formed as flat surfaces.

[0035] Figure 6 shows a perspective view of the opening frame 6. As shown in Figure 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. As described above, a connecting portion to the lid member is formed on the upper surface of each frame. In addition, a connecting portion 61b to the oscillating plate portion is formed on the lower surface of the short-side frame 61, and a connecting portion 62b to the upper plate portion of the bent plate portion is formed on the lower surface of the long-side frame 62.

[0036] In this way, the various parts are combined to form a foldable transport container. As shown in Figure 2, in the transport container 1, the rectangular space enclosed by the bottom plate 2, the oscillating plate 4, the folding plate 5, and the mouth frame 6 becomes the storage space for the contents. When storing contents filled with liquid, if the container of the contents is damaged and the liquid leaks out, there is a risk that the liquid will flow out of the transport container. In contrast, in the transport container according to the present invention, the bottom plate has a recess formed below the lower end position of the pair of oscillating plate sections and the pair of folding plate sections in the assembled state, and is capable of accommodating liquids.

[0037] Specifically, as shown in Figure 7 (enlarged view of section S in Figure 2), a recess 23 capable of accommodating liquids is formed in the bottom plate section 2. This recess 23 is formed recessed below the lower end position P of the oscillating plate section 4 and the lower end position Q of the folding plate section 5 in the assembled state. In this case, the lower end position P is the lowest end position of the lower end of the oscillating plate section 4, and the lower end position Q is the lowest end position of the male hinge section 521a of the lower plate section 52 of the folding plate section 5. The recess 23 has a rectangular bottom surface 23a and peripheral walls surrounding the bottom surface 23a on all four sides. In this configuration, the bottom surface 23a of the recess 23 constitutes the bottom surface of the storage space. The peripheral walls of the recess 23 are located at the boundaries with each side, and the structure of the peripheral walls on the short side and the peripheral walls on the long side differs.

[0038] In conventional transport containers (for example, Figure 3 of Patent Document 1), the bottom surface of the bottom plate extends to the periphery of the bottom plate, and the height of the lower end of the oscillating plate and the lower end of the folding plate is approximately equal to the height of the bottom surface of the bottom plate. For example, the lower end of the oscillating plate and the lower end of the folding plate are in contact with the bottom surface of the bottom plate. In contrast, in the transport container according to the present invention, a recessed area 23 is formed in the bottom plate 2, allowing liquids to be stored in the space of the recessed area 23. Therefore, it is possible to prevent liquids from flowing out of the transport container. Thus, the recessed area 23 functions as a storage recess for liquids that leak from the stored contents.

[0039] In the vertical direction of the container, the lower end position P of the oscillating plate portion 4 and the lower end position Q of the bent plate portion 5 may be equal to or different from each other. If these lower end positions are different, the recess 23 is formed to be recessed lower than the lower end position (P or Q) that is located lower.

[0040] Furthermore, the bottom surface 23a of the recess 23 is not limited to a horizontal plane, but may be composed of multiple planes or curved surfaces. For example, a locally recessed portion may be formed on a horizontal plane. Alternatively, it may be formed to slope inwards from the periphery toward the central region.

[0041] Furthermore, the bottom plate portion 2 may be configured to have multiple recesses. For example, a cross-shaped flat portion at the same height as the stepped surface 21a may be formed so that the recess 23 shown in Figure 3 is divided into four sections. In this case, each recess is demarcated by the cross-shaped flat portion, with two recesses arranged in the long-side direction and two recesses arranged in the short-side direction. Alternatively, a straight flat portion at the same height as the stepped surface 21a may be formed along the long-side direction or along the short-side direction so that the recess 23 shown in Figure 3 is divided into two sections. In the former case, each recess is demarcated by the straight flat portion, with two recesses arranged in the short-side direction. In the latter case, each recess is demarcated by the straight flat portion, with two recesses arranged in the long-side direction. Furthermore, the recesses may be divided into multiple sections in other forms. It is also preferable that the lower end of the bottom rib formed on the back side of the flat portion, such as the cross-shaped or straight flat portion, and the lower end of the bottom rib formed on the back side of the adjacent recess be at the same height. This makes it possible to form recesses capable of accommodating liquids while maintaining the strength of the bottom plate portion 2.

[0042] Next, the structure of the boundary between each side of the recess will be described. Figure 8(a) shows a magnified view of the area around the corner of the bottom plate, Figure 8(b) shows a cross-sectional view along line AA, and Figure 8(c) shows a cross-sectional view along line BB.

[0043] As shown in Figures 8(a) and (b), the recess 23 has a wall surface 23b that rises from the bottom surface 23a of the recess 23 at the boundary with the short side portion 21, and an inclined surface 23c that connects the wall surface 23b and the short side portion 21 (specifically, the stepped surface 21a). The wall surface 23b is, for example, a surface that is upright with respect to the bottom surface 23a. The inclined surface 23c is an inclined surface that is inclined so that its height increases as it moves toward the short side portion 21. In a plan view, the inclined surface 23c is formed in the shape of an elongated strip along the direction of the short side. Note that the connection points between the bottom surface 23a, the wall surface 23b, and the inclined surface 23c may be connected by smooth curved surfaces.

[0044] By providing an inclined surface 23c at the boundary with the short side portion 21, interference with the rotational trajectory of the oscillating plate portion can be avoided when assembling the transport container, and the assembly work can be carried out smoothly. The inclination angle θ of the inclined surface 23c with respect to the horizontal plane is not particularly limited, but for example it can be 20° to 60°, or it may be 20° to 40°.

[0045] Furthermore, by combining the inclined surface 23c and the wall surface 23b at the boundary with the short side portion 21, the volume of the recess 23 can be increased compared to, for example, the case where only the inclined surface 23c is used, leading to improved storage capacity. In addition, when liquids leak out, it is easier to wipe them away when draining the liquid and cleaning.

[0046] The inclined surface 23c may be composed of a single inclined plane, multiple inclined planes with different inclination angles θ arranged in the direction of the longer side, an inclined curved surface, or a combination of an inclined plane and an inclined curved surface.

[0047] As shown in Figures 8(a) and (c), the recess 23 has a wall surface 23d that rises from the bottom surface 23a of the recess 23 at the boundary with the long side portion 22, and a stepped surface 23e that connects the wall surface 23d to the long side portion 22. The wall surface 23d on the long side is, for example, a surface that is upright with respect to the bottom surface 23a, and is continuously connected to the wall surface 23b on the short side in the circumferential direction. The stepped surface 23e is, for example, a horizontal surface, and in a plan view, is formed in an elongated strip shape along the long side direction. The stepped surface 23e is also connected to an inclined surface 23c at its end in the long side direction. From the end in the long side direction of the stepped surface 23e, it is configured to be inclined so that the height increases as it moves toward the short side portion 21. The stepped surface 23e is also connected to a partition wall, which will be described later.

[0048] Here, as shown in Figure 10, regarding the relationship between the depth d1 of the recess 23 to the bottom surface 23a when the stepped surface 23e is used as the reference surface, and the height d2 to the lower end of the bottom rib on the back side when the stepped surface 23e is used as the reference surface, from the viewpoint of maintaining the strength of the bottom plate portion 2, it is preferable that the depth d1 is a recess amount of 10% to 50% of the height d2, and more preferably 10% to 30%.

[0049] As shown in Figure 8(a), by connecting the stepped surface 23e to the wall surface 23d at the boundary with the long side portion 22, it is easier to ensure the strength at the long side corner of the recess 23 compared to, for example, when the recess 23 is constructed using only the wall surface 23d. Alternatively, instead of or in addition to the stepped surface 23e, an inclined surface may be formed such that its height increases as it moves toward the long side portion 22.

[0050] Next, we will explain the female hinge portion formed on the long side. Figure 9(a) shows a magnified view of the female hinge portion, and Figures 9(b) and (c) show cross-sectional views.

[0051] As shown in Figure 9(a), the female hinge portion h is formed in a concave shape on the long side portion 22 and is the portion to which the male hinge portion of the lower plate portion of the folded plate portion is attached. The female hinge portion h has a bearing hole h1 through which the shaft portion of the male hinge portion is inserted and an engaging portion h2 into which the hook-shaped engaging portion of the male hinge portion is engaged. The female hinge portion h is open at the top, and the male hinge portion is attached through this upper opening. The female hinge portion h also has a lower opening h4 (see Figure 9(b)) that opens to the outside in a part of the bottom surface h3. The female hinge portion h also has a notch h5 on the inner side that communicates with the storage space. This notch h5 is formed to communicate with the upper opening and becomes the portion to which a part of the male hinge portion is housed when the container is folded.

[0052] As shown in Figure 9(c), the female hinge portion h is provided with a partition wall h6 at the lower end of the notch h5, protruding above the bottom surface h3. That is, the partition wall h6 partially obstructs communication between the recess space and the space of the female hinge portion h. By providing the partition wall h6, it is possible to prevent liquids accumulated in the recess space 23 from flowing through the notch h5 into the female hinge portion h, and further prevent them from flowing out of the container through the opening h4. In addition, if liquids flow into the female hinge portion h, subsequent cleaning work becomes complicated, so this also helps to prevent such an increase in burden. The protrusion height of the partition wall h6 from the bottom surface h3 is, for example, about 1 mm to 3 mm. It is preferable that the partition wall h6 be provided in all female hinge portions h in the bottom plate portion 2. This effectively increases the volume of the recess.

[0053] The inner surface of partition wall h6 is connected to the inner wall surface of the long side portion 22 so as to be flush with it. The lower end of partition wall h6 is connected to the stepped surface 23e.

[0054] Such a partition wall h6 can widen the storage space for liquids, and also has advantages when folded. Figure 10 shows a partial cross-sectional view of the container in its folded state, showing a cross-section cut along the short side at the partition wall. In this state, the lower plate portion 52 of the folded plate is bent so that it faces inward as the male hinge portion 521a rotates inward. In this state, a gap g is normally formed between the lower plate portion 52 and the upper end of the partition wall h6. On the other hand, when a load is applied in the vertical direction, the lower plate portion 52 comes into contact with the upper end of the partition wall h6, so that the force applied to the shaft portion of the connection between the upper plate portion 51 and the lower plate portion 52 can be distributed.

[0055] Next, we will describe the structure of the underside of the bottom plate (the side facing the surface on which the container is placed). Figure 11 shows a plan view of the bottom plate as seen from the underside. The underside 24 refers to the underside portion of the bottom plate 2. The underside 24 is mainly composed of a rectangular plate-shaped base portion 25, and the various ribs, which will be described later, are formed protruding downward from the base portion 25.

[0056] As shown in Figure 11, the back surface 24 has a rectangular outer frame rib 26a and a rectangular inner frame rib 26b formed inside the outer frame rib 26a. Reinforcement ribs 27a and 27b are formed between the outer frame rib 26a and the inner frame rib 26b. Multiple reinforcement ribs 27a are arranged in the direction of the longer side, each extending in the direction of the shorter side, connecting the outer frame rib 26a and the inner frame rib 26b. Multiple reinforcement ribs 27b are arranged in the direction of the shorter side, each extending in the direction of the longer side, connecting the outer frame rib 26a and the inner frame rib 26b. In Figure 11, the rectangles partitioned by the reinforcement ribs are arranged in a single row in the circumferential direction between the outer frame rib 26a and the inner frame rib 26b, but for example, the rectangles may be arranged in multiple rows in the circumferential direction.

[0057] On the back surface 24, the lower end of the outer frame rib 26a is located above the lower end of the inner frame rib 26b (see Figure 12). In other words, the lower end of the inner frame rib 26b is lower than the lower end of the outer frame rib 26a. Furthermore, the lower ends of the reinforcing ribs 27a and 27b are formed to become lower as they move from the outer frame rib 26a towards the inner frame rib 26b.

[0058] As shown in Figure 11, multiple diagonal ribs 28 are formed in the rectangular region enclosed by the inner frame ribs 26b. The diagonal ribs 28 consist of multiple ribs extending along the upper right 45° diagonal direction in Figure 11, and multiple ribs extending along the lower right 45° diagonal direction, and a grid structure is formed when these intersect with each other. In Figure 11, each grid is a square, but it may be composed of, for example, rhombuses, rectangles, or other polygons.

[0059] Here, as the transport container is used over time, the central area of ​​the bottom plate may deform due to the weight of the contents, causing it to sag downwards. In that case, looking at the front side of the bottom plate 2, the volume of the aforementioned recess increases by the amount of deformation, making it easier to store liquids. On the other hand, looking at the back side of the bottom plate, the central area of ​​the back surface 24 protrudes downwards, raising concerns that the placement of the transport container may become unstable.

[0060] From this perspective, the lower end of the diagonal rib 28 formed in the central region on the back side of the bottom plate 2 (the rectangular T-shaped portion in Figure 11) is located above the lower end of the diagonal rib 28 formed in the surrounding region. As a result, even if the central region protrudes downward due to the above deformation, the container can be stably placed on the surrounding ribs that are already protruding.

[0061] The above-mentioned central region is the region that includes the center point O of the back surface 24. Specifically, when the length of the inner frame rib 26b in the short side direction is L1, it is the region centered on the center point O that is 0.2 times or more and less than 0.5 times the length of L1 in the short side direction. Also, when the length of the inner frame rib 26b in the long side direction is L2, it is the region centered on the center point O that is 0.3 times or more and less than 0.8 times the length of L2 in the long side direction, and may also be 0.5 times or more and less than 0.8 times the length of L2.

[0062] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 11, multiple circular portions 29 (for example, six) are formed on the back surface 24, where gate marks are formed during injection molding. The central region on the back surface may be formed inside the region surrounded by these circular portions 29.

[0063] Figure 12 shows a cross-sectional view of line CC in Figure 11. For convenience, in Figure 12, the diagonal ribs formed in the central region are shown as central ribs 28a, and the diagonal ribs formed in the surrounding regions are shown as surrounding ribs 28b.

[0064] As shown in Figure 12, the lower ends of the inner frame rib 26b and the periphery rib 28b are at the same position in the vertical direction of the bottom plate portion 2 and are flush with it. On the other hand, the lower end of the central rib 28a is located above these positions. In other words, the lower ends of the inner frame rib 26b and the periphery rib 28b are lower than the lower end of the central rib 28a, and under normal circumstances, the lower ends of the inner frame rib 26b and the periphery rib 28b rest on the ground or other surface, while the lower end of the central rib 28a does not come into contact with the ground or other surface.

[0065] If the protruding heights of the base portions 25 of the respective ribs 28a and 28b are ha and hb, then the relationship is ha < hb. For example, hb is 5 mm to 10 mm, and ha is 3 mm to 8 mm. Also, if the depth to the bottom surface 23a of the concave portion 23 with respect to the stepped surface 21a of the short side portion as the reference surface is d3, the depth d3 of the concave portion 23 may be greater than the protruding height ha of the central rib 28a (ha < d3), or may be greater than the protruding height hb of the peripheral rib 28b (ha < hb < d3). The depth d3 is set, for example, to 3 mm to 20 mm, and may be set to 3 mm to 10 mm. Note that the total height H of the bottom plate portion 2 is, for example, 20 mm to 30 mm.

[0066] The rib located between the central rib 28a and the peripheral rib 28b changes such that the height of the lower end increases as it goes from the peripheral rib 28b toward the central rib 28a.

[0067] Also, when forming the concave portion 23 while maintaining the total height H of the bottom plate portion 2 at the same level as that of the conventional product, the protruding height of each rib becomes shorter than the normal design by that amount. As a result, there is concern about a decrease in the strength of the bottom plate portion of the transport container. From this perspective, in the rib arrangement configuration of FIG. 11, among the plurality of diagonal ribs 28, the thickness of some ribs is made thicker than other portions. Specifically, a total of 14 ribs La, which are the rib extending diagonally upward to the right passing through the center point O and three ribs on each of its left and right sides, and the rib extending diagonally downward to the right passing through the center point O and three ribs on each of its left and right sides, are formed with a thicker thickness than the other ribs Lb. Note that the rib La is formed with a uniform thickness from one end connected to the inner frame rib 26b to the other end. '

[0068] Also, as another arrangement configuration of the ribs, the formation pitch (distance between ribs) of some diagonal ribs may be made finer than other portions. For example, the formation pitch of the rib passing through the center point O and a plurality of ribs on each of its left and right sides may be made finer than the other ribs.

[0069] [[ID= Furthermore, as an alternative arrangement of the ribs, as shown in Figure 13, reinforcing ribs extending in a different direction from the diagonal ribs 28 may be added along with the diagonal ribs 28. The reinforcing rib Lc consists of a rib passing through the center point O and extending in the direction of the short side, and three ribs on each of its left and right sides, while the reinforcing rib Ld consists of a rib passing through the center point O and extending in the direction of the long side, and three ribs on each of its left and right sides. In such an arrangement, it is preferable that the added reinforcing ribs are formed so as to pass through the intersections of each grid formed by the diagonal ribs 28.

[0070] Figure 14(a) is a perspective view showing the folded state of the transport container, and Figure 14(b) is a cross-sectional view of Figure 14(a) along line DD. The transport container 1 is folded by first disengaging the pair of oscillating plate sections 4 from the bottom plate section 2 and rotating them at their upper ends to flip them up inside the container body. Then, the pair of folding plate sections 5 are folded inward into a "V" shape to reduce their height and fit into the space enclosed by the bottom plate section 2 and the opening frame section 6, resulting in the folded state shown in Figure 14. The height of the transport container 1 in the folded state is, for example, 60 to 70 mm.

[0071] As shown in Figure 14(b), in terms of vertical positional relationship, the bottom plate 2, lower plate 52, upper plate 51, oscillating plate 4 (not shown), and lid member 7 are positioned stacked on top of each other from bottom to top. The upper plate 51 and lower plate 52 are bent so that their outer surfaces face each other.

[0072] Although the transport container of the present invention has been described above with reference to the drawings, the transport container of the present invention is not limited to the above-described form.

[0073] The lid member of the transport container of the present invention may be attached to the container body, and may not be rotatable, but may be attached by other means such as being detachable. Furthermore, although the lid member is composed of two lids in the above description, it may be composed of one lid (one member).

[0074] 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 to the lid member on the opening frame, and for example, the upper surface of the opening frame may be made of a flat surface.

[0075] 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]

[0076] The transport container of the present invention can be widely used in distribution settings because it can prevent liquid contents from leaking out of the container, even if liquid contents leak from the container. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0077] 1. Transport container 2 Bottom plate part 21 Short side 21a Step surface 21b Engagement part 22 Long side 23 Recess 23a Bottom 23b Wall 23c Slope 23d Wall 23e Step surface 24 Back part 25 Base section 26a Outer frame rib 26b Inner frame rib 27a Reinforcement ribs 27a Reinforcement ribs 28 Diagonal Rib 29 Circular section 3 Peripheral wall part 4. Swivel plate section 41 Upper end 42 Lower end 43 Side edge 44 Side edge 5 Bent plate part 51 Upper plate section 51a Inner surface 511 Upper end 512 Side edge 513 Side edge 52 Lower plate part 52a Inner surface 521 Lower end 521a Male hinge section 522 Side edge 523 Side edge 6. Opening section 7 Lid member 7A 1st lid 7B 2nd lid h Female hinge section h1 Bearing hole h2 Engagement part h3 bottom h4 opening h5 Notch h6 bulkhead g gap

Claims

1. A foldable transport container comprising a rectangular base plate, a rectangular cylindrical peripheral wall portion erected from the periphery of the base plate portion, and a mouth frame portion provided at the upper end opening of the peripheral wall portion, wherein the peripheral wall portion has a pair of swinging plate portions to which the upper or lower end is rotatably connected, and a pair of folding plate portions configured to be foldable inward, A transport container characterized in that the bottom plate portion has a recess formed therein that is recessed below the lower end positions of the pair of oscillating plate portions and the pair of folding plate portions in the assembled state of the transport container, and capable of accommodating liquids.

2. The bottom plate portion has a pair of sides on which the pair of bent plate portions are erected, and a female hinge portion is formed on each side to which a male hinge portion provided at the lower end of the pair of bent plate portions is attached. The transport container according to claim 1, characterized in that the female hinge portion has an opening on a part of the bottom surface that opens to the outside and a notch on the inner side that communicates with the storage space, and a partition wall protruding above the bottom surface is provided at the lower end of the notch.

3. The transport container according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the bottom plate portion has a pair of other sides on which the pair of oscillating plate portions are erected, and the recess has, at the boundary with the other sides, a wall surface erected from the bottom surface of the recess and an inclined surface that connects the wall surface and the other sides and whose height increases as it proceeds toward the other sides.

4. The transport container according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a plurality of ribs protruding downward from the base portion are arranged on the back side of the bottom plate portion, and the lower end of the rib formed in the central region on the back side of the bottom plate portion is located above the lower end of the rib formed in the surrounding region.

Images