container

Abstract

To provide a foldable container that allows for easy repair of detached side wall connections. [Solution] The container 1 according to the present disclosure has a bottom wall portion 10, an upper frame portion 50, a pair of foldable long-side wall portions 21, and a pair of short-side wall portions 30. The long-side wall portions 21, which are rotatably connected to the bottom wall portion 10 and the upper frame portion 50, are raised, and the lower edges of the short-side wall portions 30, which are rotatably connected to the upper frame portion 50, are connected to the bottom wall portion 10 to form an assembled state. The short-side wall portions 30 are detached from the connection with the bottom wall portion 10 and rotated inward, while the long-side wall portions 21 are folded and tucked inward to form a folded state. The short-side wall portions 30 have an operating portion 86 located outside the base wall portion 72 and having an open end in part, and a bulging portion 90 that is spaced apart from the operating portion 86, is connected to the base wall portion 72, and bulges inward from the base wall portion 72 in the assembled state.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The disclosed technology relates to a container.

Background Art

[0002] As an example of a conventional container, the "box-shaped container" described in Patent Document 1 can be cited. The box-shaped container in this document includes a rectangular plate-shaped bottom wall portion, a rectangular frame-shaped upper frame, a pair of long-side side wall portions connected to the long-side portions of the upper frame and the bottom wall portion, and a pair of short-side side wall portions connected to the short-side portions of the upper frame and the bottom wall portion. The long-side side wall portion includes a lower wall portion rotatably connected to the long-side portion of the bottom wall portion and an upper wall portion rotatably connected to the long-side portion of the upper frame, and the upper side portion of the lower wall portion and the lower side portion of the upper wall portion are rotatably connected. The short-side side wall portion is rotatably connected to the short-side portion of the upper frame, and is connected to the short-side portion of the bottom wall portion and the long-side side wall portion by a fitting that can be removed by the operator's force.

[0003] This box-shaped container can be put into a low-height folded state by pushing the pair of short-side side wall portions into the inside of the container to release the connection with the bottom wall portion and the long-side side wall portions and rotating them until they extend horizontally while rotating the pair of long-side side wall portions so as to be recessed into the inside of the container from the assembled state where all of the pair of long-side side wall portions and the pair of short-side side wall portions stand vertically.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] However, the aforementioned conventional technology had the following problems. The box-shaped container in the above publication has a folding function, so in the assembled state, the short side walls are fitted to the bottom wall and the long side walls to the extent that they can be detached. Therefore, if a large force is applied inward to the short side walls during use, the connection between the short side walls and the bottom wall may come undone, or the connection between the short side walls and the long side walls may come undone. When there are contents inside the container or when multiple containers are stacked, it is difficult to reach inside the container and push the short side walls outward. Also, even if a worker tries to pull the short side walls from the outside, there are no parts that are easy to grasp or put fingers into. In the box-shaped container described in the above publication, it is conceivable to place a finger between the base wall portion on the short side wall and the reinforcing wall portion positioned opposite it further outward. However, it is desirable to make it easier to reconnect the short side wall portions securely.

[0006] The disclosed technology was developed to solve the problems of the conventional technology described above. Specifically, the objective is to provide a foldable container in which the connections of the side walls can be easily repaired. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] A container in one aspect of the disclosed technology has, in plan view, a rectangular bottom wall, a rectangular frame-shaped upper frame located above the bottom wall, a pair of first side walls connecting the first opposite sides of the bottom wall to the first opposite sides of the upper frame, and a pair of second side walls connecting the second opposite sides of the bottom wall to the second opposite sides of the upper frame, wherein the first side walls are connected to an upper member and a lower member, with the upper side of the upper member rotatably connected to one of the first opposite sides of the upper frame and the lower side of the lower member rotatably connected to one of the first opposite sides of the bottom wall, and the upper side of the second side walls is rotatably connected to one of the second opposite sides of the upper frame, and the first side walls are connected to the bottom wall. The container can be assembled in an upright position with the lower edge of the second side wall connected to one of the second opposite sides of the bottom wall, and folded in a position where the lower edge of the second side wall is released from the connection with one of the second opposite sides of the bottom wall and rotated inward, and the first side wall is folded so that the outer surfaces of the lower member and the upper member are aligned and inserted inward between the second side wall and the bottom wall. At least one of the second side walls has a base wall that is vertical in the assembled state, an operating part that is located outside the base wall in the assembled state and has an open end in part, and a bulging part that is spaced apart from the operating part, connected to the base wall, and bulges inward from the base wall in the assembled state.

[0008] In the container according to the above embodiment, the second side wall is provided with an operating part having an open end on the outside of the base wall, and the part connected to the base wall and facing the operating part at a distance is a bulge that expands inward from the base wall in the assembled state, so that sufficient space is secured between the operating part and the bulge, making it easy for the operator to place their fingers on the operating part from the outside of the second side wall. Then, by placing their fingers on the operating part and pulling the second side wall outward, the connection between the second side wall and the other walls can be accurately reconnected even while the container is in use if the connection becomes loose. In other words, according to the present invention, the work of reconnecting the second side wall and the other walls is easy to perform.

[0009] In the above-described container, it is desirable that the inner surface of the upper end of the bulge be a slope or curved surface that protrudes inward downward from the upper end. In a container like this, since the inner surface of the upper end of the bulge is not angular, it is possible to prevent the upper end of the bulge from hitting the contents and damaging them, or the contents from getting caught on the upper end of the bulge, when placing contents into the container.

[0010] The container according to the above embodiment further comprises a lid member for opening and closing the container, and it is desirable that a receiving recess is provided on the inner surface side of the lid member, so that at least a part of the bulging portion is received in the receiving recess when folded. In such a container, since the bulging portion is received in the receiving recess on the inner surface side of the lid member when folded, even if a bulging portion is provided on the second side wall portion that bulges inward from the base wall portion, it is possible to prevent the bulging portion from contacting the inner surface of the lid member when folded and causing the lid member to float.

[0011] In a container having a lid member, the lid member further comprises a first lid rotatably connected to one of the first opposite sides of the upper frame, and a second lid rotatably connected to the other of the first opposite sides of the upper frame, with receiving recesses provided in both the first and second lids, and each of the pair of second side walls having a first operating part and a first bulge, which are operating parts and bulges provided on one of the two sides perpendicular to the upper and lower sides, and a second operating part and a second bulge, which are operating parts and bulges provided on the other of the two sides, and in the folded state, it is desirable that the first bulge provided on one of the pair of second side walls and the second bulge provided on the other side are received in the receiving recess of the first lid, and the second bulge provided on one of the pair of second side walls and the first bulge provided on the other side are received in the receiving recess of the second lid.

[0012] In such a container, even if the lid member consists of a first lid and a second lid, and both of the pair of second side walls each have two operating parts (first operating part, second operating part) and two bulging parts (first bulging part, second bulging part), one bulging part from each of the pair of second side walls is received in the receiving recess of the first lid, and one bulging part from each of the pair of second side walls is also received in the receiving recess of the second lid. Therefore, it is possible to effectively prevent the lid member from floating due to the bulging parts coming into contact with the inner surface of the lid member when it is folded.

[0013] In a container having a lid member, the lid member also comprises a first lid rotatably connected to one of the first opposite sides of the upper frame, and a second lid rotatably connected to the other of the first opposite sides of the upper frame, wherein both the first and second lids are provided with receiving recesses, and each of the pair of second side walls is provided with an operating part and a bulge, and it is desirable that when folded, the bulge of one of the pair of second side walls is received together in either the receiving recess of the first lid or the receiving recess of the second lid, or separately in the receiving recess of the first lid and the receiving recess of the second lid.

[0014] In such a container, even if the lid member consists of a first lid and a second lid, and both of the pair of second side walls have an operating part and a bulge, the bulges of both second side walls are received either together in one of the receiving recesses of the first lid and the second lid, or separately in both. Therefore, it is possible to effectively prevent the lid member from lifting due to the bulges coming into contact with the inner surface of the lid member when folded.

[0015] In a container having a lid member, the container can also be configured such that when folded, a portion of one of the pair of second side walls overlaps a portion of the other, and a bulge provided on the upper second side wall is received in a receiving recess. In a container with such a configuration, even if one of the pair of second side walls overlaps the other when folded, the bulge on the upper second side wall is received in the receiving recess of the lid member. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the bulge from contacting the inner surface of the lid member and causing the lid member to float when folded. As a result, it is possible to prevent the height of the container from becoming too high when folded.

[0016] In the above-described container, the lower side of the bottom wall is also provided with a lower receiving recess capable of receiving a bulge, and when multiple such containers are stacked in a folded state, the bulge of the lower container is configured to be received by the lower receiving recess of the upper container. In a container with such a configuration, when stacked in a folded state, the bulge of the lower container is received by the lower receiving recess of the bottom wall of the upper container, thus preventing the bulge of the lower container from coming into contact with the lower surface of the upper container and causing the upper container to float. As a result, the stability of stacking multiple containers in a folded state can be increased, and the upper container can be prevented from collapsing. [Effects of the Invention]

[0017] According to the disclosed technology, a foldable container is provided that allows for easy repair of detached side wall connections. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0018] [Figure 1] This is a perspective view showing the assembled state of the container according to the embodiment with the lid closed. [Figure 2] This is a perspective view showing the assembled state of the container according to the embodiment with the lid open. [Figure 3] This is a disassembled perspective view of the container according to the embodiment. [Figure 4]It is a perspective view showing the process of changing the container according to the embodiment from the assembled state to the folded state, and is a perspective view showing the state of inserting the short-side side wall portion into the inside of the container. [Figure 5] It is a perspective view showing the process of changing the container according to the embodiment from the assembled state to the folded state, and is a perspective view showing the state of inserting the long-side side wall portion into the inside of the container. [Figure 6] It is a perspective view showing the folded state of the container according to the embodiment with the lid closed. [Figure 7] It is a perspective view showing the folded state of the container according to the embodiment with the lid open. [Figure 8] It is a arrow view of the container in the assembled state as viewed from the direction A shown in FIG. 1, and is a front view of the container in the assembled state with the short-side side wall portion as the front. [Figure 9] It is a partial cross-sectional view of the cross-section cut along the line D-D shown in FIG. 8. [Figure 10] It is a partial cross-sectional view of the cross-section cut along the line E-E shown in FIG. 8. [Figure 11] It is a cross-sectional view of the cross-section cut along the line F-F shown in FIG. 8. [Figure 12] It is an enlarged perspective view of the I portion shown in FIG. 11, and is a view showing a finger-hooking concave portion including an operation portion and a bulging portion provided on the short-side side wall portion. [Figure 13] It is an enlarged perspective view of the I portion shown in FIG. 11 as viewed from an angle different from FIG. 12, and is a view showing a finger-hooking concave portion including an operation portion and a bulging portion provided on the short-side side wall portion. [Figure 14] It is a cross-sectional view of the cross-section cut along the line G-G shown in FIG. 8. [Figure 15] It is a perspective view seen obliquely from above by cutting along the line H-H shown in FIG. 10. [Figure 16] It is an arrow view of the container in the folded state as viewed from the direction B shown in FIG. 6, and is a front view of the container in the folded state with the short side portion of the upper frame portion (in the short side direction of the container) as the front. [Figure 17] It is a cross-sectional view of the folded container cut along the line J-J shown in FIG. 16. [Figure 18]This is a view of the folded container from direction C shown in Figure 6, and is a right side view of the folded container. [Figure 19] Figure 18 shows a cross-sectional view of the folded container cut along the KK line. [Figure 20] This is a cross-sectional view of a modified container, taken from the same cross-section as in Figure 17. [Figure 21] This is a cross-sectional view of a container relating to another modified example, taken in the same cross-sectional area as in Figure 17. [Figure 22] This is a partial cross-sectional view showing a vertical section parallel to the longitudinal direction of a container relating to yet another modification, in which a pair of short-side wall portions overlap vertically when folded. [Figure 23] Figures 20 to 22 show modified examples and other modified examples of containers in which a pair of short-side wall portions overlap vertically when folded, and these are partial cross-sectional views showing a longitudinal section parallel to the longitudinal direction of the container. [Figure 24] Figures 20 to 23 show modified examples, and this is a perspective view of a container relating to another modified example, which has a bottom receiving recess on the lower side of the bottom wall, with the bottom wall facing upwards. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0019] Hereinafter, embodiments of the disclosed technology will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings. The container 1 according to this embodiment is a substantially rectangular box shape that can be opened upwards, as shown in Figures 1 and 2. The container 1 comprises a container body 2 capable of containing articles and a lid member 3 that can open and close the opening of the container body 2. In this embodiment, the container body 2 and the lid member 3 are made of polyolefin resin (e.g., polyethylene, polypropylene, etc.). In this specification, unless otherwise specified, the shorter side of the container 1 is considered the front, and the directions of up, down, left, right, front, and back are used.

[0020] Figure 3 is an exploded perspective view of container 1. As shown in Figures 1 to 3, the container body 2 comprises a substantially rectangular plate-shaped bottom wall portion 10, four side wall portions 20 erected on the four sides of the bottom wall portion 10, and a substantially rectangular frame-shaped upper frame portion 50 to which the upper ends of each side wall portion 20 are connected. The four side wall portions 20 include a pair of long-side side wall portions 21 (an example of first side wall portions) erected on a pair of opposing long sides of the bottom wall portion 10, and a pair of short-side side wall portions 30 (an example of second side wall portions) erected on a pair of opposing short sides of the bottom wall portion 10. The pair of long-side side wall portions 21 are identical in shape, and the pair of short-side side wall portions 30 are also identical in shape.

[0021] Container 1 can be transformed between the box-shaped assembled state shown in Figure 1 and the compactly folded state (see Figure 6). In the assembled state, the long side walls 21 and the short side walls 30 stand perpendicular to the bottom wall 10. On the other hand, in the folded state, the long side walls 21 and the short side walls 30 overlap the bottom wall 10 in parallel. The folded state can also be called the compact state.

[0022] As shown in Figures 1 to 3, the long-side wall portion 21 consists of an upper wall portion 22 (an example of an upper member) and a lower wall portion 23 (an example of a lower member). The upper wall portion 22 is connected to the long side of the upper frame portion 50 so as to be able to rotate toward the inside of the container 1, and the lower wall portion 23 is connected to the long side of the bottom wall portion 10 so as to be able to rotate toward the inside of the container 1. The lower side of the upper wall portion 22 is connected to the upper side of the lower wall portion 23 so as to be able to rotate toward the outer surface side of the upper wall portion 22 and the outer surface side of the lower wall portion 23. In other words, the long-side wall portion 21 connects the long side (first opposite side) of the bottom wall portion 10 and the long side (first opposite side) of the upper frame portion 50, and the upper wall portion 22 and the lower wall portion 23 are joined in a hinge-like manner. As a result, the long side wall portion 21 remains connected to the upper frame portion 50 and the bottom wall portion 10, and the connecting portion (boundary portion) between the upper side wall portion 22 and the lower side wall portion 23 can be folded into a "V" shape by inserting it into the inside of the container 1 (see Figure 5). The state of the long side wall portion 21 when the container 1 is assembled is called the open state, and the state of the long side wall portion 21 when the container 1 is folded is called the folded state.

[0023] The short-side wall portion 30 is connected to the short side portion of the upper frame portion 50 so as to be able to rotate inward into the container 1. Approximately in the left-right direction, at the lower end of the short-side wall portion 30, there is a fitting portion 31 that can be fitted with a fitting portion 11 provided on the short side portion of the bottom wall portion 10. The fitting portion 31 and the fitting portion 11 have fitting claws (claw portions 31a and 11a, described later, Figure 9) that interlock with each other. When the fitting portion 31 fits into the fitting portion 11, the short-side wall portion 30 is connected to the bottom wall portion 10. In this embodiment, the connection between the fitting portion 31 and the fitting portion 11 is generally referred to as a snap fit. Two fitting portions 11 are provided on each short side portion of the bottom wall portion 10, and correspondingly, two fitting portions 31 are also provided at the lower end of the short-side wall portion 30.

[0024] Furthermore, near the vertical center of each side end of the short-side wall portion 30, there are fitting portions 33 that can be fitted with fitting portions 25 provided on the side end of the long-side wall portion 21. The fitting portions 33 and the fitting portions 25 have fitting claws (claw portions 33a and 25a, described later, Figure 10) that interlock with each other. When the fitting portion 33 fits into the fitting portion 25, the short-side wall portion 30 is connected to the long-side wall portion 21. In this embodiment, the connection between the fitting portion 33 and the fitting portion 25 is generally referred to as a snap fit. One fitting portion 25 is provided on each side end of the upper wall portion 22 and one side end of the lower wall portion 23 on the long-side wall portion 21, and correspondingly, two fitting portions 33 are provided on each side end of the short-side wall portion 30.

[0025] When the fitting portion 31 is fitted into the fitted portion 11 and the fitting portion 33 is fitted into the fitted portion 25, the short-side wall portion 30 is connected in a position perpendicular to both the bottom wall portion 10 and the long-side wall portion 21. This stabilizes the container 1 in its assembled state. In the assembled state, the short-side wall portion 30 connects the short side (second opposite side) of the bottom wall portion 10 and the short side (second opposite side) of the upper frame portion 50. The fitting between the fitting portion 31 and the fitted portion 11, and the fitting between the fitting portion 33 and the fitted portion 25 can be released by an operator pushing the short-side wall portion 30 toward the inside of the container 1 and rotating it around the connecting axis with the upper frame portion 50 (see Figure 4). Conversely, when fitting the fitting portions 31 and 33 of the short-side wall portion 30 to the fitted portion 11 of the bottom wall portion 10 and the fitted portion 25 of the long-side wall portion 21, the short-side wall portion 30 is rotated from the inside to the outside of the container 1. In this embodiment, finger-grip recesses 84 are provided at the lower left and right ends of the short-side wall portion 30 to facilitate outward rotation of the short-side wall portion 30 even from the outside of the container 1. The finger-grip recesses 84 will be described in detail later.

[0026] As shown in Figures 1 to 3, the lid member 3 of the container 1 consists of a first lid 4 and a second lid 5. The first lid 4 is rotatably connected to the upper surface of the left long side frame component 54 (one of the first opposite sides), which is located on the left side in the figure, of a pair of opposing long side frame components 52 in the upper frame 50. The second lid 5 is rotatably connected to the upper surface of the right long side frame component 55 (the other of the first opposite sides), which is located on the right side in the figure, of a pair of opposing long side frame components 52 in the upper frame 50. The first lid 4 covers about half of the opening of the container 1, and the second lid 5 covers about the remaining half of the opening of the container 1. In other words, the lid member 3 is a double-hinged type lid that opens to both the left and right from approximately the center in the short direction of the container 1.

[0027] The first lid 4 and the second lid 5 can rotate within a range from the position shown in Figure 1, where their edges partially rest on the upper surface of the upper frame 50 and facing the bottom wall 10, to the position shown in Figure 2, where they face the long side wall 21. The state in which the lid member 3 shown in Figure 1 is closed is called the closed state of the container 1, and the state in which the lid member 3 is open, shown in Figure 2 is called the open state of the container 1. In the closed state of the container 1, the end of the second lid 5 opposite to the rotation axis (the open end 5a that abuts against the first lid 4) overlaps the end of the first lid 4 opposite to the rotation axis (the open end 4a that abuts against the second lid 5) (see Figure 8). In addition, in the closed state of the container 1, the open end 4a of the first lid 4 also overlaps the open end 5a of the second lid 5, allowing the lid members 3 to be closed regardless of the order in which they are assembled.

[0028] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 2 and 3, each of the pair of opposing short-side frame components 57 on the upper frame 50 is provided with two positioning protrusions 58 that project upward. Correspondingly, as shown in Figures 1 and 3, the lid member 3 is also provided with positioning protrusions 6. The inside of the positioning protrusions 6 (the back side of the lid member 3) is recessed, and when the container 1 is closed, the positioning protrusions 58 of the upper frame 50 fit into the positioning protrusions 6 of the lid member 3. This prevents the lid member 3 from shifting horizontally relative to the container body 2 when the container 1 is closed.

[0029] Furthermore, the positioning projection 6 of the lid member 3 fits into a recess (not shown) provided on the lower surface (bottom surface) of the bottom wall portion 10 of the upper container 1 when the closed containers 1 are stacked one above the other. This prevents the containers 1 from shifting horizontally when stacked.

[0030] Next, the procedure for folding the container 1 of this embodiment will be described. The axis of rotation between the short-side wall portion 30 and the upper frame portion 50 is located above the axis of rotation between the long-side wall portion 21 and the upper frame portion 50 (see Figure 2). Therefore, when folding the assembled container 1, first insert the short-side wall portion 30 into the inside of the container 1, and then insert the long-side wall portion 21 into the inside of the container 1.

[0031] Specifically, when folding the assembled container 1 shown in Figure 1, first, as shown in Figure 4, the short-side wall portion 30 is pushed inward into the container 1. This disengages the fitting portions 31 and 33 from the fitted portions 11 and 25, releasing the connection between the short-side wall portion 30 and the bottom wall portion 10, and the connection between the short-side wall portion 30 and the long-side wall portion 21, allowing the short-side wall portion 30 to rotate inward into the container 1 around the axis of rotation with the upper frame portion 50. The pair of short-side wall portions 30 can rotate without contacting each other until they are parallel to the bottom wall portion 10 (i.e., along the horizontal direction).

[0032] Next, as shown in Figure 5, the long side wall portion 21 is folded at the connection point between the upper side wall portion 22 and the lower side wall portion 23 and inserted into the inside of the container 1. As the long side wall portion 21 is inserted into the inside of the container 1, the lid member 3, the upper frame portion 50, and the short side wall portion 30, which is horizontally fitted inside the upper frame portion 50, move closer to the bottom wall portion 10. By folding the open long side wall portion 21 until it is folded, the container 1 becomes the folded state shown in Figure 6. In the folded state, the lower side wall portions 23 of the pair of long side wall portions 21 overlap the bottom wall portion 10 with their outer surfaces facing upwards and approximately horizontally, the upper side wall portion 22 overlaps on top of that with its outer surface facing downwards and approximately horizontally, and further on top of that, the short side wall portion 30 overlaps on top of that with its outer surface facing downwards and approximately horizontally. By folding the container 1, the height of the container 1 can be reduced to about 1 / 4 of the assembled state.

[0033] Figure 7 shows the container 1 in its folded state with the lid member 3 open. As shown in Figure 7, in the folded state, the pair of short-side wall portions 30 are contained inside the upper frame portion 50 parallel to the bottom wall portion 10 without colliding with each other. In the folded state, the upper wall portion 22 and the lower wall portion 23 of the long-side wall portion 21 are both contained within the frame of the upper frame portion 50 when viewed in plan.

[0034] As shown in Figure 7, the back surface of the first lid 4, which constitutes the lid member 3, is provided with ribs 7 perpendicular to the back surface. The ribs 7 include a first rib 7a along the longitudinal direction of the first lid 4 and a second rib 7b along the short direction. The spacing of the first ribs 7a and the second ribs 7b is narrower on the open end 4a side and the end connected to the upper frame 50, and wider in the parts in between.

[0035] Similarly, the back surface of the second lid 5, which constitutes the lid member 3, is also provided with ribs 8 perpendicular to the back surface. The ribs 8 include a first rib 8a along the longitudinal direction of the second lid 5 and a second rib 8b along the short direction. The spacing of the first ribs 8a and the second ribs 8b is narrower on the open end 5a side and the end connected to the upper frame 50, and wider in the parts in between.

[0036] Next, the short-side wall portion 30 will be described in more detail. Figure 8 is a front view of the container 1 with the short-side wall portion 30 facing forward, Figure 9 is a view cut along the line DD shown in Figure 8, and Figure 10 is a view cut along the line EE shown in Figure 8.

[0037] As already mentioned, the lower end of the short-side wall portion 30 is provided with a fitting portion 31 that fits into the fitting portion 11 of the bottom wall portion 10. In addition, the left and right ends of the short-side wall portion 30 are provided with fitting portions 33 that fit into the fitting portions 25 of the side ends of the long-side wall portion 21. As shown in Figure 9, the fitting portion 31 of the short-side wall portion 30 has a claw portion 31a, and the fitting portion 11 of the bottom wall portion 10 has a claw portion 11a that engages with the claw portion 31a of the fitting portion 31 of the short-side wall portion 30. When the short-side wall portion 30 is rotated from the inside to the outside of the container 1 in order to assemble the folded container 1, the fitting portion 31 of the short-side wall portion 30 pushes against the fitted portion 11 of the bottom wall portion 10, causing it to bend and fit inside, and the claw portion 31a of the fitting portion 31 catches on the claw portion 11a of the fitted portion 11. As a result, the short-side wall portion 30 is connected to the bottom wall portion 10.

[0038] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 10, the fitting portion 33 of the short-side wall portion 30 has a claw portion 33a, and the fitted portion 25 of the long-side wall portion 21 has a claw portion 25a that engages with the claw portion 33a of the fitting portion 33 of the short-side wall portion 30. When the short-side wall portion 30 is rotated from the inside to the outside of the container 1 in order to assemble the folded container 1, the fitting portion 33 of the short-side wall portion 30 pushes and bends the fitted portion 25 of the long-side wall portion 21, and fits inside it, and the claw portion 33a of the fitting portion 33 engages with the claw portion 25a of the fitted portion 25. As a result, the short-side wall portion 30 is connected to the pair of long-side wall portions 21.

[0039] When container 1 is in use in its assembled state, if a force is applied to the short-side wall portion 30 that pushes it inward, the connection with the bottom wall portion 10 and the connection with the long-side wall portion 21 may partially or completely detach. When container 1 contains contents or when containers 1 are stacked, it is difficult to open the lid member 3 of container 1 and push the short-side wall portion 30 outward from the inside of container 1 to re-fit the fitting portions 31 and 33. Therefore, it is necessary to pull the short-side wall portion 30 outward from the outer surface to re-fit it with the bottom wall portion 10 and the long-side wall portion 21. In this embodiment, container 1 is provided with a portion on the short-side wall portion 30 that an operator can grip with their fingers to facilitate such re-fitting work from the outer surface.

[0040] Specifically, as shown in Figure 8, the short-side wall portion 30 has finger-receiving recesses 84 at the lower part of the left end and the lower part of the right end for the worker to insert and hook their fingers into. Since the short-side wall portion 30 has a symmetrical shape, the two finger-receiving recesses 84 on the left and right are identical. Below, the configuration of the short-side wall portion 30 other than the finger-receiving recesses 84 will be described, and then the finger-receiving recesses 84 will be described.

[0041] As shown in Figures 8 to 10, the short-side wall portion 30 has a predetermined thickness in the inward-outward direction of the container 1. The portion of the short-side wall portion 30 extending approximately 1 / 5 from the left end toward the center in the left-right direction is called the left end portion 30L, the portion extending approximately 1 / 5 from the right end toward the center in the left-right direction is called the right end portion 30R, and the area between the left end portion 30L and the right end portion 30R is called the central portion 30M. As shown in Figure 8, a handle hole portion 35 is formed at the top of the central portion 30M, which is open in the inward-outward direction of the container 1 so that a worker can insert their hand when lifting the container 1. The handle hole portion 35 is covered from the inside of the short-side wall portion 30 by a handle cover 36. The lower end of the handle cover 36 is pivotally supported on the inside of the short-side wall portion 30. A worker can insert their hand into the handle hole portion 35 by pushing and rotating the handle cover 36 inward from the outside of the container 1.

[0042] The left end 30L and the right end 30R each have two rows of inwardly recessed recesses 60 extending from left to right. The recesses 60 located closer to the center are wider in the left-right direction than the recesses 60 located closer to the edges. The recesses 60 located closer to the edges are called narrow recesses 61, and the recesses 60 located closer to the center 30M are called wide recesses 62.

[0043] The left end 30L and the right end 30R have multiple transverse ribs 64 that run horizontally across the area spanning the narrow recess 61 and the wide recess 62. These transverse ribs 64 divide the narrow recess 61 into five recesses in the vertical direction, and the wide recess 62 into four recesses in the vertical direction.

[0044] Figure 10 is a cross-sectional view of line EE in Figure 8. As shown in Figure 10, when the left end portion 30L is viewed in a cross-section along the horizontal direction, the narrow recess 61 and the wide recess 62 protrude inward from the container 1, and the portion between the narrow recess 61 and the wide recess 62 protrudes outward from the container 1. The former is also called the inward protrusion 70, and the latter is also called the outward protrusion 80. At the left end portion 30L and the right end portion 30R of the short side wall portion 30, the inward protrusion 70 and the outward protrusion 80 are arranged alternately in the left-right direction.

[0045] Here, the recessed wall portion that forms the inward projection 70 in the short-side wall portion 30 when viewed from the front is called the base wall portion 72, and the wall portion that protrudes forward and forms the outward projection 80 is called the front wall portion 82. Both the base wall portion 72 and the front wall portion 82 are parallel to the short side of the bottom wall portion 10 and are wall portions that are oriented vertically in the assembled state. From the base wall portion 72 at the left end 30L and the right end 30R, a plurality of vertical rib portions 74 are extended outward toward the outside of the container 1, parallel to the long side of the bottom wall portion 10 and oriented vertically in the assembled state (see Figure 10). The front wall portion 82 is connected to the base wall portion 72 by the vertical rib portions 74. Therefore, the cross-section of the left end 30L and the right end 30R of the short-side wall portion 30 includes a rectangular wave-shaped portion formed by the base wall portion 72, the front wall portion 82, and the vertical rib portions 74 (see Figure 10).

[0046] At the left end 30L and right end 30R of the short-side wall portion 30, the front surface of the front wall portion 82 and the front surface of the transverse rib portion 64 are flush. The transverse rib portion 64 extends with a width exceeding the base wall portion 72 of the narrow recess 61, the front wall portion 82, and the base wall portion 72 of the wide recess 62 (see Figure 8). Therefore, it can be said that the left end 30L and right end 30R of the short-side wall portion 30 each have a grid of multiple transverse rib portions 64 arranged at intervals in the vertical direction and multiple vertical rib portions 74 arranged at intervals in the horizontal direction. The short-side wall portion 30 is reinforced by the vertical rib portions 74 and the transverse rib portions 64. Furthermore, the portion of the wall that constitutes the central portion 30M of the short-side wall portion 30, and which is aligned horizontally with the base wall portion 72 at the left end 30L and the right end 30R, is also included in the base wall portion 72 of the short-side wall portion 30 (see Figure 10).

[0047] As shown in Figure 8, the finger rest recess 84 is located adjacent to the lowest recess in the narrow recess 61 on the side closer to the center in the left-right direction, and below the lowest recess in the wide recess 62. The left-right width of the finger rest recess 84 is approximately the same as the combined width of the inward protrusion 70 (base wall portion 72) of the wide recess 62 and the outward protrusion 80 (front wall portion 82) between the wide recess 62 and the narrow recess 61 (see Figures 8 and 10).

[0048] Figure 11 is a cross-sectional view of the FF line in Figure 8, Figures 12 and 13 are enlarged perspective views of the I portion shown in Figure 11, Figure 14 is a cross-sectional view of the GG line in Figure 8, and Figure 15 is a perspective view taken from diagonally above after cutting along the HH line in Figure 10. As shown in Figures 8, 11 to 15, the finger-grip recess 84 is recessed inward from the container 1 compared to the outward protrusion 80 (front wall portion 82), and is an open portion on the front side.

[0049] The finger-grip recess 84 is equipped with an operating section 86 on which the operator places their fingers. The operating section 86 extends vertically downward from the front end of the transverse rib section 64 (a transverse rib section 64 that extends left and right across the front wall section 82 and the base wall section 72) which forms the upper wall of the finger-grip recess 84. The thickness of the operating section 86 and the thickness of the front wall section 82 are approximately the same, and the outer surface of the operating section 86 is flush with the outer surface of the front wall section 82. The operating section 86 is located outside the base wall section 72. The lower end of the operating section 86 is open, with the left end connected to a vertical rib section 74 which forms one of the pair of side walls of the finger-grip recess 84, and the right end connected to a vertical rib section 74 which forms the other of the pair of side walls of the finger-grip recess 84. The lower part of the operating section 86 is arched, with the center positioned higher than the left and right ends. This makes it less likely for the operator to experience pain when placing their fingers on the operating section 86 from below. The lateral rib section 64 connecting the base wall section 72 and the operating section 86 is also called the connecting rib section.

[0050] The finger-grip recess 84 also has a bulge 90 that extends inward into the container 1 compared to the base wall 72. The upper end of the bulge 90 is connected to the base wall 72 and the transverse rib 64 at the part of the short-side wall 30 closer to the left-right center (see Figures 11 to 13), and to the transverse rib 64 at the part of the short-side wall 30 closer to the left-right ends (the part located below the front wall 82) (see Figure 13). The bulge 90 is the back wall portion (a vertical wall portion that is set back inward into the container 1 when viewed from the front) that forms the inner back surface (inner back surface 84a) of the finger-grip recess 84. As shown in Figure 14, the bulge 90 has a shape in which the central part in the left-right direction bulges inward into the container 1 more than the parts at both ends. In this embodiment, the bulge 90 is the part of the short-side wall 30 that bulges the furthest inward into the container 1. The length L of the bulge 90 inward of the container 1 (see Figure 10) can be appropriately designed within a range that does not excessively narrow the storage space of the container 1.

[0051] As shown in Figures 11 to 14, the left end 90a and the right end 90b of the bulge 90 are chamfered on both the inner surface side (which faces the inside of the container 1) and the outer surface side (which faces the outside of the container 1). In other words, the inner and outer surfaces of the left end 90a and the right end 90b of the bulge 90 are curved. Similarly, the upper end 90c of the bulge 90 is also chamfered on both the inner surface side (which faces the inside of the container 1) and the outer surface side (which faces the outside of the container 1). In other words, the inner and outer surfaces of the upper end 90c of the bulge 90 are curved. Furthermore, the lower end 90d of the bulge 90 has an inclined surface on its inner surface side (which faces the inside of the container 1) that slopes upward from the bottom towards the inside of the container 1, and a chamfered curved surface on its outer surface side (which faces the outside of the container 1). Therefore, when inserting or removing contents from container 1, or moving them within container 1, the contents are less likely to be damaged even if they come into contact with the inner surfaces of the upper, lower, left, and right ends 90a, 90b, 90c, and 90d of the bulging portion 90. Also, when an operator puts their fingers into the finger-grip recess 84, it is not painful even if they come into contact with the outer surfaces (inside the finger-grip recess 84) of the upper, lower, left, and right ends 90a, 90b, 90c, and 90d of the bulging portion 90.

[0052] The left end 90a of the bulge 90 is connected to a vertical rib portion 74 that forms one of the pair of side walls of the finger-grip recess 84, and the right end 90b of the bulge 90 is connected to a vertical rib portion 74 that forms the other of the pair of side walls of the finger-grip recess 84 (see Figures 14 and 15). The lower end 90d of the bulge 90 is connected to a horizontal rib portion 64 that forms the bottom wall of the finger-grip recess 84 (see Figures 14 and 15).

[0053] Thus, the finger-grip recess 84 is a recess with an opening at the front, surrounded by a bulging portion 90 that forms the back wall, two horizontal rib portions 64 that form the top and bottom walls, and two vertical rib portions 74 that form the left and right side walls. An operating portion 86 is provided at the upper edge of the opening, spaced apart so as to face the top of the bulging portion 90. The internal space of the finger-grip recess 84, including the gap (upper space) between the operating portion 86 and the top of the bulging portion 90, forms a space for the operator to insert their fingers. This space has sufficient depth for the operator to insert their fingers and grip the operating portion 86 from the inside. This is because the bulging portion 90 has a shape that bulges inward from the base wall portion 72, and as a result, the inner back surface (inner back surface 84a) of the finger-grip recess 84 is located inside the container 1 (see Figures 10 and 14).

[0054] The length of the operating part 86 hanging down from the front end of the transverse rib portion 64 that forms the upper wall of the finger-grip recess 84 (in other words, the length that protrudes inward from the front opening edge of the finger-grip recess 84, which in this embodiment is the vertical length of the operating part 86) is approximately 1 / 6 of the vertical length of the bulging portion 90. This length is sufficient for the finger to grip the operating part 86. The length of the operating part 86 can be changed as appropriate, as long as it is long enough so that the finger does not slip off when the operator pulls it outward.

[0055] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the width of the finger-grip recess 84 in the left-right direction is equal to the combined width of the inward protrusion 70 and outward protrusion 80 formed by the wide recess 62 (see Figures 8 and 10). In other words, sufficient width is secured in the left-right direction of the finger-grip recess 84. Therefore, the operator can place multiple fingers (three fingers such as the index finger, middle finger, and ring finger, or two of these) into the finger-grip recess 84 and hook these fingers onto the operating part 86 from below.

[0056] Furthermore, in this embodiment, as shown in Figure 15, the base end (upper end) opposite to the open end (arch-shaped lower end) of the operating section 86 is connected to a horizontally extending transverse rib section 64. Above this transverse rib section 64, it is connected to the inward convex portion 70, the outward convex portion 80 of the wide recess 62, and the vertical rib section 74 connecting the inward convex portion 70 and the outward convex portion 80. Therefore, compared to a configuration where the entire left and right sides of the base end (upper end) of the operating section 86 are connected to the outward projection 80 (a configuration without an inward projection 70 due to the wide recess 62), or a configuration where the entire left and right sides of the base end of the operating section 86 are connected to the inward projection 70 via the lateral rib 64 (a configuration without an outward projection 80), the rigidity of the base end side of the operating section 86 is increased, making it less likely for the operating section 86 to break even when a torque is applied to the operating section 86 with the base end as the axis of rotation when the short side wall 30 is pulled outward.

[0057] In this embodiment, a finger-grip recess 84 is provided in the short-side wall portion 30, and the upper opening of the finger-grip recess 84 forms an operating portion 86 with its lower end open. The bulging portion 90, which is the back wall portion of the finger-grip recess 84, bulges inward into the container 1 compared to the base wall portion 72 of the short-side wall portion 30. Therefore, if the fitting portions 31 and 33 of the short-side wall portion 30 become loose during use of the container 1, the operator can insert their finger upward into the finger-grip recess 84 from the outside of the container 1 and hook it onto the operating portion 86. Then, the short-side wall portion 30 can be rotated outward around the rotation axis at the upper end to accurately refit the short-side wall portion 30.

[0058] Next, the storage state of the short-side wall portion 30 in the folded container 1 will be described. Figure 16 is a front view of the folded container 1, Figure 17 is a cross-sectional view of the line JJ shown in Figure 16, Figure 18 is a right-side view of the folded container 1, and Figure 19 is a cross-sectional view of the line KK shown in Figure 18. In this embodiment, the short-side wall portion 30 is provided with a bulge portion 90 that protrudes inward from the base wall portion 72 (see Figure 15). In the folded state, the inner surface side of the short-side wall portion 30 faces upward (see Figure 7). Therefore, the height of the short-side wall portion 30 in the folded state is higher than the base wall portion 72 by the amount of the bulge caused by the bulge portion 90. If the bulge portion 90 were to hit the lid member 3 in the folded state, the lid member 3 would lift up. Therefore, in this embodiment, a receiving recess 9 is provided on the inside of the lid member 3 to receive the bulge portion 90 in the folded state.

[0059] As already explained, on the inner surface (back side) of the lid member 3 (first lid 4, second lid 5), there are multiple first ribs (first rib 7a of the first lid 4, first rib 8a of the second lid 5) along the longitudinal direction of the lid member 3, and multiple second ribs (second rib 7b of the first lid 4, second rib 8b of the second lid 5) along the short direction, which are arranged in a grid pattern (see Figure 7). As a result, the areas surrounded by each rib are recesses that are indented towards the front side when viewed from the back side of the lid member 3.

[0060] In the first lid 4, the spacing between the first rib 7a and the second rib 7b is narrow on the open end 4a side and the end connected to the upper frame 50, and wider in the area in between. Similarly, in the second lid 5, the spacing between the first rib 8a and the second rib 8b is narrow on the open end 5a side and the end connected to the upper frame 50, and wider in the area in between. Thus, in this embodiment, multiple recesses of various sizes are formed on the back side of the lid member 3 (see Figures 7 and 17).

[0061] As shown in Figures 7 and 17, of these recesses, there are four particularly large recesses located along the longitudinal direction, closer to the center in the width direction (short direction) of each lid (first lid 4, second lid 5). Two of these four recesses, located closer to the longitudinal center, face the bulge portion 90 when folded. The bulge portion 90 is received within these recesses when folded. The recess that receives the bulge portion 90 is called the receiving recess 9. In this embodiment, the receiving recess 9 receives a portion of the bulge portion 90 that protrudes inward from the base wall portion 72 into the container 1 (see Figure 19). Alternatively, the entire portion of the bulge portion 90 that protrudes inward from the base wall portion 72 into the container 1 may be contained within the receiving recess 9.

[0062] As shown in Figures 17 and 19, of the two receiving recesses 9 (first receiving recess 9a, second receiving recess 9b) provided in the first lid 4, the first (front) receiving recess 9a receives the bulge 90 located to the left, directly facing the first (front) short side wall portion 30, and the second (rear) receiving recess 9b receives the bulge 90 located to the right (left in Figure 17), directly facing the second (rear) short side wall portion 30. In contrast, of the two receiving recesses 9 (first receiving recess 9a, second receiving recess 9b) provided in the second lid 5, the first (front) receiving recess 9a receives the bulge 90 located to the right when directly facing the first (front) short-side wall portion 30, and the second receiving recess 9b receives the bulge 90 located to the left (right in Figure 17) when directly facing the second (rear) short-side wall portion 30. In this embodiment, each bulge 90 is received at a position near the end of the lid member 3 on the rotation axis side in each receiving recess 9. The operating section 86 and bulge 90 located to the left when directly facing the short-side wall portion 30 are examples of the "first operating section" and "first bulge," and the operating section 86 and bulge 90 located to the right when directly facing the short-side wall portion 30 are examples of the "second operating section" and "second bulge."

[0063] To elaborate on the receiving recess 9, in this embodiment of the container 1, the first ribs 7a, 8a and the second ribs 7b, 8b on the lid member 3 are positioned so as not to interfere with any of the bulging portions 90 when folded. As shown in Figure 19, in this embodiment of the container 1, when folded, the protruding tips of the first ribs 7a, 8a and the second ribs 7b, 8b are located below the upper end (the most bulging part) of the bulging portion 90. Therefore, if the first ribs 7a, 8a and the second ribs 7b, 8b were positioned opposite the bulging portion 90, they would interfere with it. For this reason, in this embodiment, the first ribs 7a, 8a and the second ribs 7b, 8b are positioned so as not to face the bulging portion 90 when folded, and the bulging portion 90 is housed within the receiving recess 9 surrounded by these ribs. This prevents the lid member 3 from lifting up when it comes into contact with the bulging portion 90 in the folded state, and also makes it possible to increase the strength of the lid member 3 by ensuring that the length of the first ribs 7a, 8a and the second ribs 7b, 8b is maintained to a certain extent.

[0064] As described in detail above, in this embodiment of container 1, the short-side wall portion 30 is provided with an operating portion 86 having an open end, located outside the base wall portion 72. The portion connected to the base wall portion 72 and facing the operating portion 86 at a distance is a bulging portion 90 that protrudes inward from the base wall portion 72 in the assembled state. Therefore, sufficient space is secured between the operating portion 86 and the bulging portion 90, making it easy for the operator to place their fingers on the operating portion 86 from the outside of the short-side wall portion 30. By placing their fingers on the operating portion 86 and pulling the short-side wall portion 30 outward, the connection between the short-side wall portion 30 and other walls (bottom wall portion 10 and long-side wall portion 21) can be accurately reconnected even while the container 1 is in use if the connection becomes loose. In other words, with this form of container 1, it is easy to reconnect the short-side wall portion 30 to the other walls (bottom wall portion 10 and long-side wall portion 21).

[0065] Furthermore, in this embodiment of container 1, when providing the finger-grip recess 84 (operating part 86) for the operator to place their fingers on, the entire base wall 72 is not moved inward, but only a part connected to the base wall 72 (bulging part 90) is bulged inward. Therefore, the volume of the container does not become too small, nor does the height in the folded state (folded height) become too high.

[0066] Furthermore, in this embodiment of container 1, the finger-grip recess 84 (operating part 86) is provided at the lower part of the short-side wall portion 30. Therefore, the position of the operating part 86 is far from the axis of rotation of the short-side wall portion 30 relative to the upper frame portion 50, making it easy for an operator who places their finger on the operating part 86 to apply an outward rotational force to the short-side wall portion 30. Also, because the position of the operating part 86 is close to the fitting point with the bottom wall portion 10, it is easy to refit the short-side wall portion 30 onto the bottom wall portion 10. The position of the finger-grip recess 84 on the short-side wall portion 30 is preferably within a range of approximately 1 / 3 of the total length in the vertical direction from the lower end of the short-side wall portion 30.

[0067] Furthermore, in this embodiment of container 1, finger-grip recesses 84 (operating parts 86) are provided at both the left end 30L and the right end 30R of the short-side wall portion 30. Therefore, since the position of the operating parts 86 is close to the fitting points with either of the long-side wall portions 21, it is easy to refit the short-side wall portion 30 to either of the long-side wall portions 21. In addition, when container 1 is being automatically transported in a factory, even if it deviates from the lane in either the left or right direction relative to the transport direction, it is easy to return the container that has deviated from the lane by placing a finger on the operating part 86 at the left end 30L or on the operating part 86 at the right end 30R.

[0068] Furthermore, in this embodiment of container 1, the operating part 86 is provided on the upper edge of the opening of the finger-grip recess 84. Therefore, compared to a configuration in which the operating part is provided on the lower edge of the opening of the finger-grip recess, foreign matter such as water and dust is less likely to accumulate at the bottom of the finger-grip recess.

[0069] This embodiment is merely illustrative and does not limit the disclosed technology in any way. Therefore, the disclosed technology can naturally be improved and modified in various ways without departing from its essence. For example, the number of finger-grip recesses 84 (including the operating portion 86 and the bulging portion 90) in one short-side wall portion 30 may be one or three or more. Specifically, as shown in Figure 20, a configuration may be provided in which one finger-grip recess 84A is provided at one end in the left-right direction of each of the pair of short-side wall portions 30A. In this case, the first lid 4A and the second lid 5A constituting the lid member 3A each only need to be provided with one receiving recess 9A for accommodating the bulging portion 90A of the finger-grip recess 84A.

[0070] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 21, one of the pair of short-side wall portions 30B may be provided with one finger-grip recess 84B at one end in the left-right direction (the left end when facing the short-side wall portion 30B), and the other of the pair of short-side wall portions 30B may be provided with one finger-grip recess 84B at the other end in the left-right direction (the right end when facing the short-side wall portion 30B). In this case, only one of the first lid body 4B and the second lid body 5B constituting the lid member 3B (the first lid body 4B) is provided with a first receiving recess 9Ba that accommodates the bulge 90B of the finger-grip recess 84B provided at one end of one of the short-side wall portions 30B, and a second receiving recess 9Bb that accommodates the bulge 90B of the finger-grip recess 84B provided at the other end of the other short-side wall portion 30B.

[0071] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the pair of short-side wall portions 30 do not overlap each other when folded (see Figure 7). In contrast, one of the pair of short-side wall portions may overlap the other when folded. In this case, it is desirable that the bulge provided on the upper short-side wall portion be received in the receiving recess of the lid member when folded. Specifically, for example, as shown in Figure 22, of the pair of short-side wall portions 30C, 30C, the bulge 90C of the upper short-side wall portion 30C may overlap the bulge 90C of the lower short-side wall portion 30C when folded. In this case, the upper short-side wall portion 30C is inclined so that its open end is higher than the end on the rotation axis side. Therefore, the bulge 90C of the upper short-side wall portion 30C is located higher in the folded state than that of the above embodiment. As shown in Figure 22, the lid member 3C has a receiving recess 9C of a predetermined depth, surrounded by the first rib 7Ca and the second rib 7Cb. The bulge 90C of the upper short-side wall portion 30C is received within the receiving recess 9C of the lid member 3C. This prevents the lid member 3C from floating. In this modified example, the number of bulges 90C provided on the short-side wall portion 30C may be one or more. If multiple bulges 90C are provided, it is desirable that all of them be received within the receiving recess of the lid member 3C.

[0072] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 23, a finger-grip recess 84D (including a bulge 90D) is provided on only one of the pair of short-side wall portions 30D, 30D. In the folded state, the short-side wall portion 30D without the bulge 90D is placed on the bottom, and the short-side wall portion 30D with the bulge 90D is placed on top. In this case as well, the upper short-side wall portion 30D is inclined so that its open end floats above the end on the rotation axis side. Therefore, the bulge 90D of the upper short-side wall portion 30D is positioned higher in the folded state than that of the above embodiment. The lid member 3D shown in Figure 23 has a receiving recess 9D of a predetermined depth surrounded by the first rib 7Da and the second rib 7Db. The bulge 90D of the upper short-side wall portion 30D is received within the receiving recess 9D of the lid member 3D. This prevents the lid member 3D from floating. In this modified example, the number of bulges 90D provided on the short side wall portion 30D that is on the upper side when folded may be one or more. If multiple bulges 90D are provided, it is desirable that each of the bulges 90D be received in the receiving recess of the lid member 3D.

[0073] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 24, the bottom wall portion 10E of the container 1E may be configured to have a bottom receiving recess 18 on the bottom side (the back side located above when the container 1E is inverted) that can receive the bulge portion 90. The container 1E shown in Figure 24 does not have a lid member. Therefore, the upper frame portion 50E of the container 1E does not have a hinge at the upper end for connecting a lid member. When stacking such containers, it is conceivable that the bulge portion 90 of the short side wall portion 30 of the lower container will come into contact with the bottom wall portion of the upper container, hindering horizontal stacking. In order to prevent such a situation, the container 1E shown in Figure 24 has the following configuration.

[0074] Container 1E has a grid-like support rib 19 projecting vertically from the lower surface of the bottom wall 10E. However, in this container 1E, the support rib 19 is missing from the bottom wall 10E in the area that would face the bulging portion 90 of the lower container 1E when the containers 1E are stacked. The area without the support rib 19 becomes a recess that is lower than the protruding end of the support rib 19. This recess becomes the lower receiving recess 18. In other words, the lower surface of the bottom wall 10E has a grid-like support rib 19 projecting in contact with the floor when the container 1E is placed on the floor, but a portion of the grid-like rib section is left without the support rib 19, and this portion becomes the lower receiving recess 18. With this configuration, when stacking foldable containers 1E without lid members, the bulging portion 90 of the lower container 1E is received by the lower receiving recess 18 of the upper container 1E, making it possible to form a stable stacked state where each container is horizontal.

[0075] In the modified example shown in Figure 24, the portion of the bottom wall 10E where the lower receiving recess 18 is provided does not have any support ribs 19 protruding. However, depending on the height of the bulging portion 90 in the folded state, the length of the support rib facing the bulging portion 90 in the folded state may be made shorter than the length of the support ribs in other parts to form the lower receiving recess that receives the bulging portion 90.

[0076] Furthermore, in the embodiment described above, the receiving recess 9 is surrounded on all four sides (surrounded all around) by the ribs 7 and 8, but the receiving recess may also be not surrounded on all four sides (part of the circumference is open). Also, the receiving recess does not have to be formed by ribs, as long as it can form a space capable of receiving the bulge 90. These points also apply to the lower receiving recess 18 in the modified example shown in Figure 24.

[0077] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, a finger-grip recess 84 (including the operating portion 86 and the bulging portion 90) is provided on both of the pair of short-side wall portions 30, but the finger-grip recess 84 may be provided on only one of the pair of short-side wall portions 30.

[0078] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, finger-grip recesses 84 were provided at the lower part of the left end 30L and the lower part of the right end 30R of the short-side wall 30, taking into consideration the ease of fitting the fitting portion 31 of the short-side wall 30 with the fitted portion 11 of the bottom wall 10, and the ease of fitting the fitting portion 33 of the short-side wall 30 with the fitted portion 25 of the long-side wall 21. However, the position of the finger-grip recesses 84 on the short-side wall 30 can be changed as appropriate. For example, one finger-grip recess 84 may be provided at the lower part of the center in the left-right direction of the short-side wall 30. Alternatively, one finger-grip recess 84 may be provided at the center in the top, bottom, left, and right directions of the short-side wall 30.

[0079] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the inner and outer surfaces (internal surfaces of the finger-grip recess 84) of the left end 90a, right end 90b, and upper end 90c of the bulging portion 90 are curved, but they may also be sloped. Similarly, the inner surface of the lower end 90d of the bulging portion 90 is sloped, but it may also be curved, and the outer surface of the lower end 90d is curved, but it may also be sloped. If the smoothness of movement of contents within the container 1 and resistance to damage are not considered, the bulging portion may have angular parts on the inner and outer surfaces of each end (top, bottom, left, and right).

[0080] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the open end of the operating section 86 is configured in an arch shape (curved shape), but it may also be configured in a straight shape. Also, in the above-described embodiment, the operating section 86 is provided on the upper edge of the opening of the finger-grip recess 84, but the operating section may extend from the left edge, right edge, or lower edge of the opening of the finger-grip recess. In addition, the operating section may be configured to extend in a band shape from the left edge to the right edge of the opening of the finger-grip recess. In this case, the upper and lower ends of the operating section are open ends. Therefore, the operator can place their fingers on the operating section from both above and below. Also, the operating section may be configured to extend in a band shape from the upper edge to the lower edge of the opening of the finger-grip recess. In this case, the left and right ends of the operating section are open ends. Therefore, the operator can place their fingers on the operating section from both the left and the right.

[0081] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, a double-door type lid member 3 consisting of two members (first lid 4 and second lid 5) was used, but a single-door type lid member may also be used. In this case as well, it is preferable to provide a receiving recess on the back side of the lid member. Also, in the above-described embodiment, the first receiving recess 9a and the second receiving recess 9b were provided separately in the first lid 4, but these receiving recesses 9a and 9b may be connected as a single receiving recess. In other words, a configuration in which multiple bulges can be accommodated in a single receiving recess is also possible. The size of the receiving recess can be changed as appropriate.

[0082] Furthermore, in the embodiment described above, the lid members 3 (first lid 4, second lid 5) are rotatably connected to the upper frame 50, but the lid members may be removable (detachable) from the container body 2. [Explanation of symbols]

[0083] 1 Container 21 Long side side wall portion (first side wall portion) 3. Cover member 30. Short side side wall portion (second side wall portion) 4. First lid 50 Upper frame 5. Second lid 72. Base wall section 9 Receptive recess 84 Finger rest recess 10 Bottom wall section 86 Operating section 18 Lower receiving recess 90 Bulging part

Claims

1. A container having, in plan view, a rectangular bottom wall, a rectangular frame-shaped upper frame located above the bottom wall, a pair of first side walls connecting the first opposite sides of the bottom wall and the first opposite sides of the upper frame, and a pair of second side walls connecting the second opposite sides of the bottom wall and the second opposite sides of the upper frame, The first side wall portion is, The upper member and the lower member are connected, The upper side of the upper member is rotatably connected to one of the first opposite sides of the upper frame, and the lower side of the lower member is rotatably connected to one of the first opposite sides of the bottom wall. The upper edge of the second side wall portion is rotatably connected to one of the second opposite sides of the upper frame portion. An assembled state in which the first side wall portion is positioned upright relative to the bottom wall portion and the lower edge of the second side wall portion is connected to one of the second opposite sides of the bottom wall portion, The lower edge of the second side wall is released from its connection with one of the second opposite sides of the bottom wall and rotated inward to a position where it is in a folded state where the first side wall is folded so that the outer surface of the lower member and the outer surface of the upper member are aligned and the first side wall is inserted inward between the second side wall and the bottom wall. At least one of the second side wall portions is The base wall portion, which is oriented vertically in the assembled state, In the assembled state, the operating section is located outside the base wall and has an open end in part, A container having a bulge that is positioned at a distance from the operating section, is connected to the base wall, and in the assembled state, bulges inward from the base wall.

2. A container according to claim 1, A container in which the inner surface of the upper end of the bulging portion is a slope or curved surface that protrudes inward from the upper end downward.

3. A container according to claim 1 or claim 2, The container further comprises a lid member for opening and closing the container. A receiving recess is provided on the inner surface side of the lid member. A container in which at least a portion of the bulging portion is received in the receiving recess when folded.

4. The container according to claim 3, The lid member comprises a first lid rotatably connected to one of the first opposite sides of the upper frame, and a second lid rotatably connected to the other of the first opposite sides of the upper frame. Both the first lid and the second lid are provided with the receiving recess, Each of the pair of second side wall portions has a first operating portion and a first bulge, which are the operating portion and the bulge, provided on one of the two sides perpendicular to the upper and lower sides, and a second operating portion and a second bulge, which are the operating portion and the bulge, provided on the other side of the two sides. A container in the folded state in which the first bulge provided on one of the pair of second side walls and the second bulge provided on the other are received in the receiving recess of the first lid, and the second bulge provided on one of the pair of second side walls and the first bulge provided on the other are received in the receiving recess of the second lid.

5. The container according to claim 3, The lid member comprises a first lid rotatably connected to one of the first opposite sides of the upper frame, and a second lid rotatably connected to the other of the first opposite sides of the upper frame. Both the first lid and the second lid are provided with the receiving recess, The operating portion and the bulging portion are provided on each of the pair of second side wall portions. A container in which, in the folded state, the bulging portion of one of the pair of second side walls and the bulging portion of the other are received together in either the receiving recess of the first lid or the receiving recess of the second lid, or are received separately in the receiving recess of the first lid and the receiving recess of the second lid.

6. The container according to claim 3, In the folded state, a portion of one of the pair of second side walls overlaps a portion of the other. A container in which the bulge provided on the second side wall, which is located at the top in the folded state, is received in the receiving recess.

7. A container according to claim 1 or claim 2, The lower surface of the bottom wall portion is provided with a lower receiving recess capable of receiving the bulging portion. A container configured such that when multiple such containers are stacked in the folded state, the bulging portion of the lower container among the multiple such containers is received by the lower receiving recess of the container above it.

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