container

Abstract

The present invention provides a container that prevents the engagement between the lid and the interlocking member from being released when the lid is in the open position. [Solution] The container 1 includes a lid 5 that opens and closes an opening 4 of the container body 2 which opens upward, and an interlocking member 7 that interlocks the lid 5 in response to the operation of the pedal 6. The lid 5 includes a receiving portion 26 that receives force from the interlocking member 7 in response to the operation of the pedal 6. The interlocking member 7 includes a vertically extending portion 41, a horizontally extending portion 42 that protrudes laterally from the upper end of the vertically extending portion 41, and an engaging portion 43 that is connected to the end of the horizontally extending portion 42 and is engaged with the receiving portion 26. The engaging portion 43 includes an inclined portion 44 that is separated from the end of the horizontally extending portion 42 and inclined downward, a first engaging portion 45 that is connected to the horizontally extending portion 42 via the inclined portion 44 and extends in the vertical direction, and a second engaging portion 46 that protrudes from the upper end of the first engaging portion 45 toward the horizontally extending portion 42. The receiving portion 26 is configured to restrict the relative horizontal displacement of the first engaging portion 45 when the lid 5 is in the open position.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a container used for storing unnecessary items and the like.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, as a container used as a trash can or the like, there is known a container including a box-shaped container body that opens upward, a pair of lid bodies that are attached to the container body so as to be rotatably displaced between an open position where an opening is opened and a closed position where the opening is closed, a pedal, and an interlocking member that interlocks the pair of lid bodies with the operation of the pedal to open and close the opening of the container body (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] By the way, in the container of Patent Document 1, when the lid body is displaced relative to the container body in the axial direction of the rotation axis of the lid body, the engagement state between the interlocking member and the lid body is released. For example, when an operator touches the lid body in the open position (when replacing a bag installed inside the container), there is a concern that the engagement state between the interlocking member and the lid body may be released.

[0005] The present invention has been made to solve the above-exemplified problems and the like, and an object thereof is to provide a container that prevents the release of the engagement state between the lid body in the open position and the interlocking member. [[ID=4P1]]

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The following sections will describe each means suitable for achieving the above objectives. Additionally, specific effects and benefits of each means will be noted as needed.

[0007] Means 1. A box-shaped container body having an opening that opens upwards, A lid is attached to the container body so as to be rotatable between an open position that opens the opening and a closed position that closes the opening. An operating means is provided at the bottom of the container body and is operable by the user, A container comprising an interlocking member that interlocks the lid in response to the operation of the operating means, The lid is provided with a receiving portion that protrudes downward from the lower surface when the lid is in the closed position. The receiving portion is configured to receive a force from the interlocking member toward the open position when an opening operation is performed on the operating means to displace the lid toward the open position while the lid is in the closed position. The interlocking member comprises a vertically extending portion extending in the vertical direction, a horizontally extending portion extending in a direction intersecting the direction of extension of the vertically extending portion and connected to the upper part of the vertically extending portion, and an engaging portion connected to the end of the horizontally extending portion and engaged with the receiving portion. The engagement portion comprises an inclined portion extending downward from the end of the transversely extending portion, away from the longitudinally extending portion; a first engagement portion connected to the transversely extending portion via the inclined portion, extending in the vertical direction and having a range that overlaps with the extension range of the inclined portion in the vertical direction; and a second engagement portion projecting from the upper part of the first engagement portion in a direction intersecting the extension direction of the first engagement portion. The container is characterized in that the receiving portion is equipped with a restricting means capable of restricting the relative horizontal displacement of the engaging portion (the first engaging portion) when the lid is in the open position, and restricting the disengagement of the engaging state between the engaging portion and the receiving portion.

[0008] According to method 1, even if a horizontal force is applied to the lid when the lid is in the open position, it is possible to prevent the engagement between the engaging portion and the receiving portion from being released. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the operating means and the lid from becoming disconnected, and to prevent damage to the interlocking member or receiving portion due to the operation of the interlocking member while the engagement between the engaging portion and the receiving portion is released. In particular, by providing the first engaging portion, it is possible to restrict the horizontal relative displacement of the engaging portion with respect to the receiving portion by bringing the receiving portion into contact with the first engaging portion when the lid is in the open position. Therefore, compared to a configuration in which the receiving portion and the engaging portion alone cannot restrict the relative displacement of the lid in the direction of the rotation axis, such as a configuration in which an engaging hole is provided in the receiving portion that penetrates the lid in the direction of the rotation axis, and an engaging portion that protrudes from the end of the laterally extending portion in the direction of the lid's rotation axis is inserted into the engaging hole to interlock the interlocking member and the lid, this configuration ensures that the engaged state is maintained at the part where it is not desired to be released. Thus, it is possible to simplify the configuration for restricting the release of the engaged state while effectively preventing the relative horizontal displacement between the receiving portion and the engaging portion of the lid in the open position.

[0009] Furthermore, since the receiving portion is provided on the lid and the engaging portion is provided on the interlocking member, when the lid is displaced between the closed and open positions, the receiving portion changes its position relative to the engaging portion. Therefore, by providing an inclined portion, the range of movement of the receiving portion relative to the engaging portion when the lid is opened and closed can be suitably limited (guided), allowing the lid to be opened and closed more smoothly.

[0010] Means 2. The lid is provided in multiple parts, The configuration is such that at least one of the plurality of covers opens and closes in conjunction with the operation of the operating means, The transversely extending portion is provided so as to protrude to both the left and the right relative to the longitudinally extending portion. The interlocking member is provided with the engagement portions at both the left and right ends of the laterally extending portion. When the lid is in the open position, and a closing operation is performed on the operating means to displace the lid toward the closed position, the second engaging portion contacts the receiving portion of the lid, and a force is applied in a direction including downward. The container according to means 1, characterized in that, when the opening operation is performed on the operating means and the lid is in the open position, the distance between the second engaging portion of one of the engaging portions and the receiving portion corresponding to the second engaging portion in the vertical direction is different from the distance between the second engaging portion of the other engaging portion and the receiving portion corresponding to the second engaging portion.

[0011] According to means 2, the pair of lids can be opened and closed by operating the operating means, and the order in which the pair of lids are displaced from the open position to the closed position can be determined. In other words, one lid, whose distance between the receiving portion and the second engaging portion is shorter when it is in the open position, is brought to the closed position before the other lid. Therefore, even if the pair of lids are configured to be preferably brought to the closed position by closing them in a predetermined order (for example, a configuration in which the pair of lids overlap each other vertically in part when they are in the closed position, thereby improving airtightness), the lids can be brought to the closed position in this order, and the opening of the container body can be brought to the desired closed state.

[0012] Means 3. The container according to Means 1, characterized in that the container body has a recessed portion into which at least the lower part of the inclined portion and the first engaging portion is recessed when the lid is in the closed position.

[0013] According to method 3, when the lid is in the closed position, the laterally extended portion of the interlocking member can be stably supported at a point adjacent to the recessed portion of the container body. Furthermore, while ensuring that the upper part of the interlocking member does not protrude above the upper end of the container body when the lid is in the closed position, the portion supporting the laterally extended portion can be positioned as high as possible on the container body. As a result, the height of the container can be kept as low as possible while improving the strength of the area around the opening of the container body, suppressing the accumulation of dust and other debris caused by the formation of a relatively large gap between the lid in the closed position and the portion supporting the laterally extended portion, and improving the design (avoiding a situation where the height of the container increases without contributing to an increase in the container's capacity). Consequently, the container can be installed under desks or shelves where overhead space is limited, increasing the range of choices for installation and usage locations and improving usability.

[0014] Means 4. The receiving portion is configured to receive a force from the interlocking member toward the closed position when a closing operation is performed on the operating means to displace the lid toward the closed position while the lid is in the open position. The container according to means 1, characterized in that the engaging portion is disposed between the inclined portion and the first engaging portion and comprises a third engaging portion that extends in the horizontal direction.

[0015] According to means 4, by providing the third engaging portion, the inclined portion is shaped to guide the receiving portion when opening and closing the lid, while a suitable space is secured between the first engaging portion and the inclined portion to allow a change in the position of the receiving portion relative to the engaging portion when opening and closing the lid, thereby enabling smoother opening and closing of the lid.

[0016] Means 5. The container according to Means 1, characterized in that when a force is applied directly toward the open position to the lid in the closed position without performing the opening operation of the operating means, the receiving portion is displaced to a position in which the engagement with the engagement portion is released through the gap between the inclined portion and the second engaging portion, and the lid can be moved to the open position without engaging the interlocking member.

[0017] According to method 5, as described above, when the lid is in the open position by operating the operating means, the engagement between the receiving portion of the lid and the engaging portion of the interlocking member is prevented from being released. On the other hand, when the lid is in the closed position, the engagement between the receiving portion and the engaging portion can be easily released by applying a force directly toward the open position to the lid. Therefore, while maintaining the engagement between the receiving portion and the engaging portion when the container is in use, work efficiency can be improved during assembly and disassembly of the container (including parts replacement work, etc.). Furthermore, the load caused by the lid and the interlocking member becoming interlocked during such work can be eliminated, preventing damage or malfunction. In addition, the lid can be kept in the open position without operating the operating means, improving convenience.

[0018] Means 6. The container according to Means 1, characterized in that the container body has a recessed portion into which at least the lower part of the receiving portion is recessed when the lid is in the closed position.

[0019] According to the means 6, in a state where the lid body is in the closed position, it is possible to adopt a configuration in which the horizontally extending portion of the interlocking member is stably supported at a portion adjacent to the recessed portion of the container body. Further, in a state where the lid body is in the closed position, the upper portion of the interlocking member does not protrude above the upper end portion of the container body, or even if the upper portion of the interlocking member protrudes above the upper end portion of the container body, it is configured to be within a slight extent (for example, within 10 mm, more preferably within 5 mm), and the portion supporting the horizontally extending portion can be arranged as high as possible at the upper portion of the container body. For this reason, while improving the strength of the peripheral portion of the opening of the container body, suppressing the deposition of dust and the like caused by the formation of a relatively large gap between the lid body in the closed position and the portion supporting the horizontally extending portion, and improving the design property, etc., the height of the container can be suppressed as low as possible (it is possible to avoid a situation where the height of the container increases without contributing to an increase in the capacity of the container). Therefore, the container can be installed under a desk or a shelf where the upper space is limited, the choice of installation and use locations is increased, and the usability can be improved.

Brief Description of Drawings

[0020] [Figure 1] It is a perspective view of a container with the lid body in the closed position. [Figure 2] It is a perspective view of a container with the lid body in the open position. [Figure 3] It is a perspective view of a container with the lid body in the open position. [Figure 4] It is a perspective view of a container with the lid body in the closed position and the pedal in the folded state. [Figure 5] It is an exploded perspective view showing the container body, the pedal, the interlocking member, and the bag-hanging member. [Figure 6] It is a perspective view showing the lower surface side of a pair of lid bodies. [Figure 7] It is an exploded perspective view showing the upper surface side of the first lid body and the lower surface side of the second lid body. [Figure 8] It is an exploded perspective view showing the lower surface side of the first lid body and the upper surface side of the second lid body. [Figure 9] It is a partial cross-sectional view of a container showing a pair of lid bodies in the closed position and the like. [Figure 10] This is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view showing the first overlapping portion and the second overlapping portion of a pair of lids in the closed position. [Figure 11] This is a perspective view showing the bottom of the container. [Figure 12] This is a partially enlarged perspective view showing the upper part of the interlocking member. [Figure 13] This is a magnified perspective view of a portion of the container body. [Figure 14] This is a partially enlarged perspective view showing the relationship between the receiving portion of the lid in the open position due to the pedal operation and the engaging portion of the interlocking member. [Figure 15] This is a partially enlarged front view showing a container with its lids in the open position, achieved by operating the pedal. [Figure 16] This is a partially enlarged perspective view showing how the first lid is displaced to the closed position first when the pedal is closed, starting from the open position of the pair of lids. [Figure 17] This is a partially enlarged perspective view showing the process of a pair of lids being displaced between a closed position and an open position. [Figure 18] This is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view showing the process of a pair of lids being displaced between a closed position and an open position. [Figure 19] This is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view of a container with a pair of lids in the closed position. [Figure 20] This is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view showing the state in which the first lid has been displaced to the open position without operating the pedal. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0021] An embodiment will be described below with reference to the drawings. As shown in Figures 1 to 3, the container 1 comprises a roughly rectangular box-shaped container body 2 having a storage section 3 capable of accommodating objects (e.g., garbage) and an opening 4 that opens upwards, and a pair of lids 5 that are rotatably attached to the container body 2 so as to be able to move between an open position that opens the opening 4 and a closed position that closes the opening 4. Furthermore, the container 1 is provided corresponding to the lower part of the container body 2 and includes a pedal 6 as an operating means that is operated by stepping on it with the toes of the user, and an interlocking member 7 that interlocks both of the pair of lids 5 in response to the operation of the pedal 6.

[0022] As shown in Figures 5, 11, and 13, the container body 2 comprises a bottom wall component 11 which is roughly rectangular in plan view, long-side wall components 12 which extend upward from a pair of opposing long sides of the bottom wall component 11, short-side wall components 13 which extend upward from a pair of opposing short sides of the bottom wall component 11, an overhang 14 which protrudes outward from a position slightly below the upper sides of the long-side wall components 12 and the short-side wall components 13, forming a roughly rectangular frame shape overall in plan view, and an edge wall component 15 which protrudes downward from the entire outer edge of the overhang 14. The upper sides of the long-side wall components 12 and the upper sides of the short-side wall components 13 are at the same position in the vertical direction and extend continuously from each other. Furthermore, the container body 2 is configured in a tapered shape, with the long side wall portion 12 and the short side wall portion 13 slightly inclined upwards toward the outside of the container body 2. The container body 2 in this embodiment is integrally constructed from polypropylene.

[0023] As shown in Figures 6 to 8, each lid 5 is provided with a roughly rectangular plate-shaped top wall portion 21 that can close the opening 4 of the container body 2, and a frame wall portion 22 that protrudes downward from the outer circumference of the top wall portion 21. As shown in Figure 1, the longitudinal width of the top wall portion 21 is approximately the same as the distance between the outer edges of the parts corresponding to each short-side wall portion 13 of the overhang portion 14 (the longitudinal width when the container body 2 is viewed from above), and the short width of the top wall portion 21 is approximately half the length of the distance between the outer edges of the parts corresponding to each long-side wall portion 12 of the overhang portion 14 (the short width when the container body 2 is viewed from above). On the lower surface side of each lid 5, ribs are provided on the inner circumference side of the frame wall portion 22, where appropriate, protruding downward from the lower surface of the top wall portion 21.

[0024] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 6 and 14, each lid 5 is provided with a lid-side shaft portion 23 that protrudes downward from a portion near one of the long sides of the top wall portion 21. The lid-side shaft portion 23 has a shaft hole 24 that opens towards the central part in the longitudinal width direction of the lid 5 (top wall portion 21), and is provided in pairs so as to face each other in the longitudinal width direction of the lid 5. In this embodiment, each lid 5 is integrally constructed from polypropylene.

[0025] In contrast, as shown in Figures 13 and 14, the container body 2 is provided with a body-side shaft portion 16 located near the connection points (corner portions) between each long-side side wall portion 12 and each short-side side wall portion 13. The body-side shaft portion 16 is provided projecting outward from the outer surface of the long-side side wall portion 12 so as to fall within the formation range of the overhang portion 14 in a plan view, and is also provided with a shaft projection portion 17 that projects outward from the outer surface of the short-side side wall portion 13 in the longitudinal width direction of the container body 2.

[0026] As shown in Figures 2 and 14, the lid 5 is oriented so that its longitudinal width matches that of the container body 2, and the shaft projection 17 of the body-side shaft portion 16 of the container body 2 is inserted relative to the shaft hole 24 of the lid-side shaft portion 23 of the lid 5, thereby connecting the lid 5 to the container body 2 so that it can rotate and displace. As a result, the rotation axis of the lid 5 extends along the upper edge of the long-side side wall portion 12. In this embodiment, a pedal 6 is provided corresponding to the lower end of one of the short-side side wall portions 13. Hereinafter, the lid 5 on the right side will also be referred to as the "first lid 5a" and the lid 5 on the left side will also be referred to as the "second lid 5b" when describing the lid 5 with the short-side side wall portion 13 on the side where the pedal 6 is provided as the front. Furthermore, of the pair of short-side sidewalls 13, the short-side sidewall 13 on the side where the pedal 6 is provided is also referred to as the "front sidewall 13a," and the short-side sidewall 13 on the opposite side is also referred to as the "back sidewall 13b." In addition, of each lid 5, the side that is connected to the container body 2 is also referred to as the "connecting side," and the side opposite to the connecting side is also referred to as the "open side."

[0027] As shown in Figures 1, 9, etc., in this embodiment, when the lid 5 is in the closed position, the lid 5 (top wall portion 21) is positioned to extend in a substantially horizontal direction, and the lower side of the lid 5 (the peripheral sealing member 32, which will be described in detail later) is supported by the peripheral edge of the opening 4 of the container body 2 (for example, the upper edge of the side wall portions 12 and 13). Furthermore, as shown in Figures 2, 14, 15, etc., when the lid 5 is in the open position, the lid 5 (top wall portion 21) is positioned to extend in a substantially vertical direction. As will be described in detail later, the position of the lid 5 in the open position is maintained (held) by the interlocking member 7.

[0028] As shown in Figures 13 and 14, the portion of the shaft projection 17 of the main body shaft portion 16 that is located on the outer side of the container body 2 in the longitudinal width direction of the container body 2, relative to the outer surface of the short side wall portion 13, has a portion that is above the upper edge of the long side wall portion 12 and a portion that is below the upper edge of the long side wall portion 12, and thus has a portion that forms a substantially circular vertical cross-section. In contrast, the portion of the main body shaft portion 16 that is located on the inner side of the container body 2 in the longitudinal width direction of the container body 2 relative to the outer surface of the short side wall portion 13, is configured such that its upper surface is at the same position as the upper edge of the long side wall portion 12 in the vertical direction (so that it is flush with the upper edge of the long side wall portion 12) so that the lower surface of the pair of lids 5 in the closed position substantially abuts against the entire periphery of the opening 4 of the container body 2. Furthermore, the aforementioned portion may be configured to be located within a range below the upper edge of the long side wall portion 12 (i.e., not to protrude above the upper edge of the long side wall portion 12).

[0029] In addition, as shown in Figures 6, 14, and 19, each lid 5 is provided with a receiving portion 26 that protrudes downward from the lower surface of the top wall portion 21 when the lid 5 is in the closed position. As will be described in more detail later, the receiving portion 26 is configured to receive a force from the interlocking member 7 toward the open position when an opening operation (the action of pressing the pedal 6) is performed on the pedal 6 to displace the lid 5 toward the open position when the lid 5 is in the closed position, and is configured to receive a force from the interlocking member 7 toward the closed position when a closing operation (the action of removing the foot that was pressing the pedal 6) is performed on the pedal 6 when the lid 5 is in the open position.

[0030] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 7 to 10, the first lid 5a is provided with a first overlapping portion 27 that protrudes from the lower edge of the frame wall portion 22 corresponding to the open side of the first lid 5a toward the outer circumference of the first lid 5a. In this embodiment, the first overlapping portion 27 extends to a range located above the opening 4 of the container body 2 when the first lid 5a is in the closed position. Moreover, in this embodiment, the portion of the open side of the second lid 5b, which is in the closed position, is positioned so as to overlap the first overlapping portion 27 of the first lid 5a, which is in the closed position, so that both the first lid 5a and the second lid 5b extend horizontally, and the opening 4 of the container body 2 is suitably closed. In the closed position of the pair of lids 5, the portion of the second lid 5b that overlaps above the first overlapping portion 27 (hereinafter referred to as the "second overlapping portion 28") has a shorter projection length from the top wall portion 21 of the frame wall portion 22 and ribs provided on the lower surface side of the second lid 5b than the other portions. In addition, the portion of the frame wall portion 22 of the first lid 5a that corresponds to the first overlapping portion 27 has a slightly longer projection length from the top wall portion 21 than the other portions.

[0031] As shown in Figures 2, 3, 6, and 9, the container 1 includes a sealing member 31 interposed between a first overlapping portion 27 and a second overlapping portion 28 when the pair of lids 5 are in the closed position, and a peripheral sealing member 32 interposed between the pair of lids 5 and the peripheral edge of the opening 4 of the container body 2 when the pair of lids 5 are in the closed position. In this embodiment, the sealing member 31 and the peripheral sealing member 32 are configured separately from the lids 5 and the container body 2. The sealing member 31 is attached to the second overlapping portion 28 on the lower surface side of the second lid 5b. Furthermore, the peripheral sealing member 32 is attached to the portion located above the peripheral edge of the opening 4 of the container body 2 when the pair of lids 5 are in the closed position on the lower surfaces side of the first lid 5a and the second lid 5b. In other words, a peripheral sealing member 32 that is roughly U-shaped when viewed from below is attached to the first lid 5a. On the other hand, with respect to the sealing member 31 and peripheral sealing member 32 attached to the second lid 5b, the sealing member 31 is connected to the peripheral sealing member 32 (formed integrally), and as a whole, when viewed from below, it has a roughly rectangular shape (a continuous shape including ring shapes such as a square ring or a circular ring). The sealing member 31 and peripheral sealing member 32 are made of polyethylene that is more flexible than the lid 5, and are configured to deform (tightly adhere) to the shape of the overlapping parts 27, 28 and the peripheral edge of the opening 4 of the container body 2 when the pair of lids 5 are in the closed position.

[0032] In addition, as shown in Figures 7 and 8, the peripheral sealing member 32 of the first lid 5a and the sealing member 31 of the second lid 5b, and the peripheral sealing member 32 are each positioned opposite the lower surface of the top wall portion 21 and include a sealing base portion 33 (approximately U-shaped on the first lid 5a side and approximately square-shaped on the second lid 5b side) that is wider than the thickness of the frame wall portion 22, a locking base portion 34 that protrudes both upward and downward from the inner circumference of the sealing base portion 33, and locking portions 35 that protrude from multiple locations on the locking base portion 34 towards the inner circumference of the sealing base portion 33. In contrast, predetermined ribs (ribs that extend along the inner surfaces of the side walls 12 and 13 when the lid 5 is in the closed position) provided on the inner circumference of the frame wall portion 22 on the lower surface side of each lid 5 are provided with a locking portion 29 (locking hole) into which the locking portion 35 of the sealing member 31 and the peripheral sealing member 32 are locked. By locking the locking portion 35 into the locking portion 29, the sealing member 31 and the peripheral sealing member 32 are detachably attached to the lid 5.

[0033] As shown in Figures 5, 11, and 12, the interlocking member 7 comprises a vertically extending portion 41 extending in the vertical direction, a horizontally extending portion 42 extending in a direction perpendicular to the extension direction of the vertically extending portion 41 and connected to the upper end of the vertically extending portion 41, and an engaging portion 43 connected to the end of the horizontally extending portion 42 and engaged with the receiving portion 26. The horizontally extending portion 42 is provided so as to protrude to both the left and right of the vertically extending portion 41, and the engaging portions 43 are provided at both the left and right ends of the horizontally extending portion 42. The interlocking member 7 in this embodiment is integrally constructed from polypropylene.

[0034] As shown in Figures 12 and 15, the engaging portion 43 includes an inclined portion 44 that extends downward from the end of the laterally extending portion 42, away from the longitudinally extending portion 41, a first engaging portion 45 that extends in the vertical direction, a second engaging portion 46 that protrudes from the upper end of the first engaging portion 45 in a direction perpendicular to the direction of extension of the first engaging portion 45, and a third engaging portion 47 that extends substantially horizontally from the lower end of the inclined portion 44 toward the direction away from the longitudinally extending portion 41 and is connected to the lower end of the first engaging portion 45. With this configuration, the first engaging portion 45 has a range that overlaps with the extension range of the inclined portion 44 in the vertical direction (the portion that faces the inclined portion 44 in the extension direction of the laterally extending portion 42).

[0035] Furthermore, the second engaging portion 46 protrudes from the first engaging portion 45 toward the longitudinally extending portion 41, and the protruding tip of the second engaging portion 46 is located closer to the first engaging portion 45 than the connection portion between the inclined portion 44 and the third engaging portion 47. As a result, a gap is formed between the second engaging portion 46 and the inclined portion 44 (laterally extending portion 42). Moreover, in this embodiment, the shapes of the left and right engaging portions 43 are slightly different. That is, the inclination angles of the inclined portions 44 of the left and right engaging portions 43 are the same but opposite angles, and the length of the inclined portion 44, and consequently the vertical position of the third engaging portion 47, are also the same. However, the vertical width of the first engaging portion 45 of the left engaging portion 43 corresponding to the second lid 5b is longer than the vertical width of the first engaging portion 45 of the right engaging portion 43 corresponding to the first lid 5a. As a result, the second engaging portion 46 of the left engaging portion 43 corresponding to the second cover 5b is positioned higher than the second engaging portion 46 of the right engaging portion 43 corresponding to the first cover 5a. Furthermore, the length of the third engaging portion 47 and the protruding length of the second engaging portion 46 are the same for both the left and right engaging portions 43.

[0036] As shown in Figure 11, the rear side wall portion 13b of the container body 2 is provided with an interlocking housing portion 51, which is formed by recessing the center of the rear side wall portion 13b in the width direction toward the inside of the container body 2 in order to position the longitudinally extending portion 41 of the interlocking member 7 on the outer surface side of the container body 2 and to prevent the area including the lower part of the longitudinally extending portion 41 from protruding outward from the outer surface of the container body 2. The upper end of the interlocking housing portion 51 is located below the upper edge of the rear side wall portion 13b, and accordingly, the longitudinally extending portion 41 of the interlocking member 7 is also shaped so that the upper part of the longitudinally extending portion 41 protrudes outward toward the outside of the container body 2 relative to the lower part before extending upward. Furthermore, as shown in Figures 11, 13, etc., the protruding portion 14 corresponding to the rear side wall portion 13b is provided with an insertion hole 52 that penetrates vertically, through which the longitudinally extending portion 41 of the interlocking member 7 is inserted, and for positioning the longitudinally extending portion 41 in the horizontal direction. Then, by inserting the longitudinally extended portion 41 of the interlocking member 7 into the insertion hole 52 from above the container body 2, the interlocking member 7 is attached to the container body 2 so that it can slide vertically. The interlocking member 7 will be displaced vertically within the range in which the lower part of the longitudinally extended portion 41 is housed in the interlocking housing portion 51.

[0037] In addition, as shown in Figures 5, 13, 14, and 18, the upper surface of the overhang portion 14 corresponding to the rear side wall portion 13b becomes a receiving portion 53 capable of receiving and supporting the laterally extended portion 42 of the interlocking member 7. As described above, the upper surface of the overhang portion 14 is located below the upper edge of the short side wall portion 13, and in this embodiment, when the lower edge of the laterally extended portion 42 is in contact with and supported by the bottom surface of the receiving portion 53 (the upper surface of the overhang portion 14), the upper end of the interlocking member 7 (later extended portion 42, engaging portion 43) is configured to be located below the upper edge of the short side wall portion 13. Furthermore, the protruding portion 14 corresponding to the rear side wall portion 13b is provided with a recessed portion 54 into which the lower part of the engaging portion 43 of the interlocking member 7 (the inclined portion 44, the lower part of the first engaging portion 45, and the third engaging portion 47) slides in (is housed) when the lower edge of the lateral extension portion 42 is supported on the bottom surface of the receiving portion 53.

[0038] As shown in Figures 5 and 11, the pedal 6 comprises a foot-operating portion 61 positioned in front of the front side wall portion 13a and having a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape, and a pedal body 62 that extends along the longitudinal width direction of the container body 2 on the lower surface side of the bottom wall component 11, with its front end, which becomes the front side wall portion 13a, being rotatably connected to the lower surface side of the foot-operating portion 61, and its rear end, which becomes the back side wall portion 13b, being rotatably connected to the lower end of the longitudinally extending portion 41 of the interlocking member 7. The pedal body 62 is provided with substantially cylindrical pedal shaft portions 63 that protrude laterally from both sides of the pedal body 62 at an intermediate position in the extending direction of the pedal body 62. In this embodiment, the foot-operating portion 61 and the pedal body 62 are integrally constructed from polypropylene.

[0039] In contrast, as shown in Figure 11, a pedal housing 65 for housing the pedal body 62 is provided on the lower side of the bottom wall component 11 of the container body 2. The pedal housing 65 extends from the center of the short width direction of the container body 2 to the entire length direction of the container body 2 (opening downwards and opening to the front and back sides of the container body 2), and is configured to be continuous with the interlocking housing 51 on the back side side wall 13b side. Furthermore, a pedal shaft support 66 is provided at an intermediate position in the extension direction of the pedal housing 65, which supports the pedal shaft 63 so as to be rotatable (having a circular hole that pivots the pedal shaft 63). In addition, the foot-operated portion 61 is configured to be rotatable between a position where the foot-operated surface that the worker steps on faces upward, as shown in Figure 1, and a position where the foot-operated surface faces the front side wall 13a (folded state), as shown in Figure 4. Furthermore, the pedal body 62 is equipped with a rotation restricting part (not shown) that restricts the rotational displacement of the foot-pressing part 61 relative to the pedal body 62 when the foot-pressing surface of the foot-pressing part 61 is facing upward.

[0040] With the above configuration, as shown in Figures 1 and 11, when the pedal 6 is not being operated on the foot-pressing portion 61 (not being pressed), the interlocking member 7 is positioned on the lower side of its range of motion due to its own weight, and the pedal 6 (pedal body 62) maintains a posture in which the side of the pedal body 62 connected to the interlocking member 7 (back side wall portion 13b) is lowered and the foot-pressing portion 61 side (front side wall portion 13a) is raised, with the pedal shaft portion 63 as the center. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 19, when the foot-pressing portion 61 of the pedal 6 is not being operated, the lateral extension portion 42 of the interlocking member 7 is supported on the bottom surface of the receiving portion 53 (upper surface of the overhang portion 14).

[0041] On the other hand, as shown in Figures 2 and 14, when the foot-operated portion 61 is pressed down, the pedal 6 (pedal body 62) is positioned with the foot-operated portion 61 side lowered and the interlocking member 7 side raised, so that the interlocking member 7 is positioned on the upper side of its range of motion.

[0042] As shown in Figure 6, the receiving portion 26 is provided with an engagement hole 26a that penetrates the lid 5 in the short-width direction. The receiving portion 26 of the first lid 5a is roughly U-shaped, with both ends connected to the top wall portion 21, while the receiving portion 26 of the second lid 5b is roughly square-shaped, with one side connected to the top wall portion 21. Therefore, as shown in Figure 19, when the lid 5 is in the closed position, the engagement hole 26a penetrates in the lateral width direction of the rear side wall portion 13b (the short-width direction of the container body 2, the extending direction of the lateral extension portion 42), and when the lid 5 is in the open position (the top wall portion 21 is in a position where it extends in a roughly vertical direction), it is configured to penetrate in the vertical direction, as shown in Figure 14. Furthermore, the receiving portion 26 is provided so as to protrude downward from the portion of the lid 5 (top wall portion 21) that is located directly above the recessed portion 54 when the lid 5 is in the closed position, and when the lid 5 is in the closed position, the lower part of the receiving portion 26 is inserted into the recessed portion 54, as shown in Figure 19. Moreover, as shown in Figure 14, the receiving portion 26 of this embodiment is provided such that, in the longitudinal width direction of the lid 5, the end of the receiving portion 26 on the longitudinal width direction of the lid 5 is in approximately the same position as the lid-side shaft portion 23 provided on the back side wall portion 13b of the pair of lid-side shaft portions 23 provided on each lid 5, and is provided at a predetermined distance from the lid-side shaft portion 23 toward the open side edge of the lid 5.

[0043] As shown in Figure 19, when the lid 5 is in the closed position, the interlocking member 7 is located on the lower side of its range of motion, and the receiving portion 26 is relatively inserted between the first engaging portion 45 of the engaging portion 43 and the inclined portion 44. Also, when the lid 5 is in the closed position, the tip of the receiving portion 26 in the direction of protrusion from the top wall portion 21 (lower end, hereinafter also simply referred to as the "tip of the receiving portion 26 in the direction of protrusion") and the third engaging portion 47 of the engaging portion 43 are configured to be in substantially contact vertically. When the pedal 6's foot-pressing portion 61 is pressed (opening operation), an upward force is applied to the first lid 5a via the third engaging portion 47 against the tip of the receiving portion 26 in the direction of protrusion. As a result, as shown in Figures 17 and 18, the first lid 5a rotates and displaces around the main body side shaft portion 16 and the lid side shaft portion 23 towards the open position. During the rotational displacement process, the protruding tip of the receiving portion 26 is displaced relative to the inclined portion 44 between the first engaging portion 45 and the inclined portion 44, and comes into contact with the inclined portion 44 for a predetermined period of time, receiving an upward force from the inclined portion 44. After the predetermined period has elapsed, the portion (surface) of the protruding tip of the receiving portion 26 on the connecting side of the lid 5 and the third engaging portion 47 come into contact vertically, and an upward force is applied to the protruding tip of the receiving portion 26, causing the first lid 5a to be displaced to the open position, as shown in Figure 15.

[0044] Furthermore, with respect to the second lid 5b, which engages with the engaging portion 43, the first engaging portion 45 is longer than the engaging portion 43 that engages with the receiving portion 26 of the first lid 5a. When the lid 5 is in the closed position, not only does the protruding tip of the receiving portion 26 and the third engaging portion 47 of the engaging portion 43 come into approximate vertical contact, but the edge of the engagement hole 26a of the receiving portion 26 on the top wall portion 21 side and the second engaging portion 46 of the engaging portion 43 also come into approximate vertical contact. When the pedal 6's foot-operated portion 61 is pressed (opening operation), as shown in Figure 18, an upward force is applied to the receiving portion 26 of the second lid 5b via the third engaging portion 47 and the second engaging portion 46. As a result, the second lid 5b rotates and displaces around the main body side shaft portion 16 and the lid side shaft portion 23 towards the open position. During this rotational displacement, the protruding tip of the receiving portion 26 is displaced relative to the inclined portion 44 between the first engaging portion 45 and the inclined portion 44, and during this time, the edge of the engaging hole 26a on the top wall portion 21 side and the second engaging portion 46 come into contact, and an upward force is applied to the receiving portion 26. Subsequently, the portion (surface) of the protruding tip of the receiving portion 26 on the connecting side edge of the lid 5 and the third engaging portion 47 come into contact vertically, and an upward force is applied to the protruding tip of the receiving portion 26, causing the second lid 5b to be displaced to the open position as shown in Figure 15.

[0045] As shown in Figures 2, 3, 14, and 15, when the first cover 5a and the second cover 5b are in the open position, the first engaging portion 45 of the engaging portion 43 is inserted through the engagement hole 26a that penetrates the receiving portion 26 of each cover 5 in the vertical direction. Also, when the first cover 5a and the second cover 5b are in the open position, the part (surface) of the protruding tip of the receiving portion 26 on the connecting side of the cover 5 and the third engaging portion 47 are in approximate contact vertically. Furthermore, the protruding tip of the receiving portion 26 (the part located between the first engaging portion 45 and the inclined portion 44) and the second engaging portion 46 are arranged facing each other vertically. As described above, the first engaging portion 45 of the engaging portion 43 on the second cover 5b side is longer than the first engaging portion 45 of the engaging portion 43 on the first cover 5a side, and the distance between the second engaging portion 46 of the engaging portion 43 on the second cover 5b side and the receiving portion 26 of the second cover 5b is longer than the distance between the second engaging portion 46 of the engaging portion 43 on the first cover 5a side and the receiving portion 26 of the first cover 5a (see Figure 15).

[0046] Then, when the pedal 6's foot-operated portion 61 is pressed down, causing the pair of lids 5 to be in the open position, an operation is performed to release the foot-operated portion 61 (closing operation), causing the second engaging portion 46 to be displaced relative to the receiving portion 26 (the surface of the protruding tip of the receiving portion 26 on the open side of the lid 5), and a downward force is applied. As a result, as shown in Figures 16 and 17, the lid 5 rotates and displaces around the main body shaft portion 16 and the lid shaft portion 23 towards the closed position. The lid 5 is rotated and displaced to a certain extent towards the closed position by the second engaging portion 46, and thereafter it is displaced to the closed position by its own weight. Furthermore, when the pedal 6 is closed while the first lid 5a and the second lid 5b are in the open position, the second engaging portion 46 first contacts the receiving portion 26 of the first lid 5a, applying a downward force, and then the second engaging portion 46 contacts the receiving portion 26 of the second lid 5b, applying a downward force. As a result, as shown in Figure 16, the first lid 5a begins to displace towards the closed position first, followed by the second lid 5b, and the first lid 5a is set to the closed position first, followed by the second lid 5b. In this embodiment, the pair of lids 5 are set to the closed position so that the second overlapping portion 28 of the second lid 5b is superimposed on the first overlapping portion 27 of the first lid 5a, thereby closing the opening 4 of the container body 2 without any gaps.

[0047] Furthermore, of the receiving portion 26, the tip side portion that constitutes the protruding end of the receiving portion 26 is the part that receives force from the interlocking member 7 (engaging portion 43) in conjunction with the opening and closing operation of the pedal 6. As shown in Figures 14 and 15, when the lid 5 is in the open position, the tip side portion is in approximate contact with the first engaging portion 45. Therefore, when the lid 5 is in the open position, for example, if the receiving portion 26 is displaced relative to the first engaging portion 45 to the side in the short-width direction of the container body 2 (so that the lid 5 in the open position opens further outward from the container body 2), the receiving portion 26 (tip side portion) will come into contact with the first engaging portion 45, and any further relative displacement will be restricted.

[0048] Furthermore, when the lid 5 is in the open position, the receiving portion 26 has two sides: one located towards the center of the lid 5 in the longitudinal direction relative to the first engaging portion 45, and the other located towards the end of the lid 5 in the longitudinal direction relative to the first engaging portion 45. These sides are in approximate contact with the first engaging portion 45. Therefore, when the lid 5 is in the open position, if the receiving portion 26 is displaced relative to the first engaging portion 45 in the longitudinal direction of the lid 5 (the direction of the rotation axis of the lid 5), the receiving portion 26 (side side) will come into contact with the first engaging portion 45, restricting further relative displacement. As a result, the receiving portion 26 of the lid 5 and the engaging portion 43 of the interlocking member 7 are displaced relative to each other in the longitudinal direction of the container 1, and the receiving portion 26's tip side is prevented from engaging with the engaging portion 43. In addition, this configuration prevents the lid-side shaft portion 23 from detaching from the main body-side shaft portion 16. In this embodiment, the regulating means is formed by the peripheral edge of the engagement hole 26a of the receiving portion 26 (particularly the side edge of the receiving portion 26).

[0049] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 20, when a force is applied directly toward the open position to the lid 5 in the closed position without operating the pedal 6 (by placing a hand on the lid 5 and displacing it), the receiving portion 26 (protruding tip and tip side) is displaced to a position where the engagement with the engaging portion 43 is released through the gap between the inclined portion 44 and the second engaging portion 46, making it possible to open the lid 5 without engaging the interlocking member 7. In other words, when the interlocking member 7 is located at the lower end of its range of motion, the engaging portion 43 is not on the trajectory of the receiving portion 26 of the lid 5 as it displaces between the closed and open positions.

[0050] In addition, as shown in Figure 6 and other figures, the portion of the frame wall portion 22 of the lid 5 that straddles the upper edge of the short-side wall portion 13 when the lid 5 is in the closed position has a shorter protruding length from the top wall portion 21 compared to the portion located above the overhang portion 14. Furthermore, as shown in Figures 12 and 19, the upper edge of the central part in the extension direction of the lateral extension portion 42 of the interlocking member 7 is provided with a positioning recess 49 into which the lower edges of the frame wall portions 22 of the pair of lids 5 in the closed position are relatively inserted. This allows for positioning of the lid 5 in the closed position on the open side (restriction of relative displacement in the horizontal direction).

[0051] As shown in Figure 11, a roller 71 is rotatably mounted on the lower surface of the bottom wall component 11, near the rear side wall 13b. The lower surface of the bottom wall component 11 extends approximately horizontally over a relatively wide area including its central part, and the area where the roller 71 is provided is an inclined surface that slopes upward toward the rear side wall 13b. This allows the container 1 to be stably placed on a surface such as a floor, while tilting the container 1 toward the rear side wall 13b allows the roller 71 to make contact with the floor or other surface, enabling the container 1 to be moved relatively smoothly.

[0052] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 5, etc., the container 1 of this embodiment is equipped with a bag-hanging member 72 for holding the upper part of a bag (garbage bag) that is attached to the inside of the container body 2. The bag-hanging member 72 is roughly rectangular in shape. In contrast, the container body 2 is provided with a bag-receiving portion 73 by forming a step that displaces the area near the upper part of each short-side side wall portion 13 toward the outside of the container body 2. Then, by fitting the bag-hanging member 72 into the opening 4 of the container body 2, the lower part of the bag-hanging member 72 is supported by the bag-receiving portion 73, and the bag-hanging member 72 is attached to the container body 2. Also, as shown in Figure 9, in this embodiment, when the pair of lids 5 are in the closed position, the peripheral seal member 32 provided on the lower surface of the lid 5 abuts against the upper part of the side walls 12, 13 of the container body 2, and also abuts against the upper part of the bag-hanging member 72 (via the bag attached to the bag-hanging member 72). Here, even if there is a slight difference in height or gap between the upper edges of the side wall portions 12 and 13 and the upper edge of the bag-hanging member 72, the peripheral sealing member 32, due to its flexibility, is designed to fit snugly against both members.

[0053] As described in detail above, according to this embodiment, the receiving portion 26, which is provided on each lid 5 and receives force from the interlocking member 7 when the pedal 6 is opened or closed, has an engagement hole 26a that penetrates vertically when the lid 5 is in the open position, and when the pair of lids 5 are in the open position, the first engaging portion 45 of the interlocking member 7 is inserted vertically into the engagement hole 26a. Therefore, even if a horizontal force is applied to the lid 5 when the pair of lids 5 are in the open position (for example, when a worker's body comes into contact with the lid 5 during a predetermined operation on the storage unit 3, such as replacing a bag installed in the storage unit 3), it is possible to prevent the engagement between the engaging portion 43 and the receiving portion 26 from being released. Accordingly, it is possible to prevent the pedal 6 and the lid 5 from becoming disconnected, and to prevent damage to the interlocking member 7 or the receiving portion 26, etc., due to the interlocking member 7 operating with the engagement between the engaging portion 43 and the receiving portion 26 released. In particular, the provision of the first engaging portion 45 allows for a configuration in which the relative horizontal displacement of the engaging portion 43 with respect to the receiving portion 26 can be restricted by bringing the receiving portion 26 into contact with the first engaging portion 45 when the lid 5 is in the open position. For this reason, compared to a configuration in which the receiving portion and engaging portion alone cannot restrict the relative displacement of the lid in the direction of the rotation axis, such as a configuration in which an engaging hole is provided that penetrates the receiving portion in the direction of the rotation axis of the lid, and an engaging portion that protrudes from the end of the laterally extending portion in the direction of the rotation axis of the lid is inserted into the engaging hole to interlock the interlocking member and the lid, this configuration ensures that the engaged state is maintained at the part where it is not desired to be released. Therefore, while simplifying the configuration for restricting the release of the engaged state (a configuration that restricts the relative horizontal displacement between the receiving portion 26 and the engaging portion 43 of the lid 5 in the open position), it is possible to effectively prevent the relative horizontal displacement between the receiving portion 26 and the engaging portion 43 of the lid 5 in the open position.

[0054] Furthermore, since the receiving portion 26 is provided on the lid 5 and the engaging portion 43 is provided on the interlocking member 7, when the lid 5 is displaced between the closed position and the open position, the receiving portion 26 changes its position relative to the engaging portion 43 (it rotates relatively, and also moves relatively in the vertical direction and in the direction of extension of the lateral extending portion 42). Therefore, by providing the inclined portion 44, the range of movement of the receiving portion 26 relative to the engaging portion 43 when the lid 5 is opened and closed can be suitably limited (guided), allowing the lid 5 to be opened and closed more smoothly. Furthermore, if the interlocking member 7 may be slightly misaligned in the lateral direction of the rear side wall portion 13b when it moves up and down, even if the interlocking member 7 is misaligned when the engaging portion 43 descends from a position above the receiving portion 53 (recessed portion 54), the lower side of the inclined portion 44 will be guided to the upper edge of the recessed portion 54, allowing the lower part of the engaging portion 43 to be inserted into the recessed portion 54 relatively smoothly.

[0055] Furthermore, of the pair of engaging portions 43 of the interlocking member 7, the first engaging portion 45 of the engaging portion 43 that engages with the second lid 5b is configured to be longer than the first engaging portion 45 of the engaging portion 43 that engages with the first lid 5a. This configuration ensures that when the lid 5 is in the open position, the distance between the second engaging portion 46 of the engaging portion 43 on the second lid 5b side and the receiving portion 26 of the second lid 5b is longer than the distance between the second engaging portion 46 of the engaging portion 43 on the first lid 5a side and the receiving portion 26 of the first lid 5a. As a result, the pair of lids 5 can be opened and closed by operating the pedal 6, and the order in which the pair of lids 5 are displaced from the open position to the closed position can be determined. In this embodiment, the second overlapping portion 28 of the second lid 5b overlaps the first overlapping portion 27 of the first lid 5a, so that the opening 4 of the container body 2 can be closed to the desired state by the pair of lids 5. Even when the lids 5 are opened and closed by operating the pedal 6, the pair of lids 5 can be reliably and suitably closed. Furthermore, the effort required to correct the situation if the pair of lids 5 are not closed in the predetermined order (the work of changing the order in which the pair of lids 5 overlap) is eliminated. Moreover, by adopting a configuration in which the first overlapping portion 27 and the second overlapping portion 28 overlap, it is possible to prevent the formation of a gap that penetrates vertically between the pair of lids 5 in the closed position (joint portion) (improving airtightness). As a result, for example, even if the lids 5 are in the closed position, if an object that generates an odor is placed inside the container 1, it is possible to further suppress situations such as the odor leaking out of the container 1, pests entering the container 1, or the inside of the container 1 being visible from the outside.

[0056] In addition, the container body 2 is provided with a recessed portion 54 into which at least the lower part of the inclined portion 44 and the first engaging portion 45 (and the lower part of the receiving portion 26) fits when the lid 5 is in the closed position. Therefore, when the lid 5 is in the closed position, the receiving portion 53 adjacent to the recessed portion 54 can stably support the laterally extended portion 42 of the interlocking member 7. Furthermore, the receiving portion 53 can be positioned as high as possible on the container body 2 while ensuring that the upper part of the interlocking member 7 does not protrude above the upper end of the container body 2 when the lid 5 is in the closed position (or, even if the upper part of the interlocking member 7 protrudes above the upper end of the container body 2, it is limited to a small amount (for example, within 10 mm, more preferably within 5 mm)). Therefore, the height of the container 1 can be kept as low as possible while improving the strength of the area around the opening 4 of the container body 2, suppressing the accumulation of dust and other debris caused by the formation of a relatively large gap between the lid 5 in the closed position and the receiving part 53 (protruding part 14), and improving the design (avoiding a situation where the height of the container 1 increases without contributing to an increase in the capacity of the container 1). Consequently, the container 1 can be installed under desks or shelves where the overhead space is limited, increasing the range of choices for installation and use locations and improving usability. In addition, a positioning recess 49 can be provided in the lateral extension part 42 so that the frame wall part 22 of the lid 5 in the closed position can be inserted, preventing the lid 5 from shifting position in the closed position.

[0057] Furthermore, the engaging portion 43 is positioned between the inclined portion 44 and the first engaging portion 45 and includes a third engaging portion 47 that extends horizontally. Therefore, while the inclined portion 44 is shaped to guide the receiving portion 26 when opening and closing the lid 5, a suitable space can be secured between the first engaging portion 45 and the inclined portion 44 to allow for changes in the posture of the receiving portion 26 relative to the engaging portion 43 when opening and closing the lid 5, thereby enabling smoother opening and closing of the lid 5.

[0058] Furthermore, in this embodiment, when a force is applied directly toward the open position to the lid 5 in the closed position without operating the pedal 6, the receiving portion 26 is displaced to a position where the engagement with the engaging portion 43 is released through the gap between the inclined portion 44 and the second engaging portion 46, making it possible to open the lid 5 without engaging the interlocking member 7. For this reason, as described above, when the pedal 6 is opened and the lid 5 is in the open position, the release of the engagement between the receiving portion 26 of the lid 5 and the engaging portion 43 of the interlocking member 7 is prevented, while when the lid 5 is in the closed position, the engagement between the receiving portion 26 and the engaging portion 43 can be easily released by applying a force directly toward the open position to the lid 5. Therefore, while maintaining the engagement between the receiving portion 26 and the engaging portion 43 when the container 1 is in use, work efficiency can be improved during assembly and disassembly (including parts replacement, etc.) of the container 1. Furthermore, the load caused by the lid 5 and the interlocking member 7 becoming interlocked during such work can be eliminated, preventing damage or malfunction. In addition, the lid 5 can be kept in the open position (for example, in a state where the lid 5 is in contact with the container body 2 at a range where it is tilted outward by 15 degrees from a state where it is extended perpendicularly to the container body 2) without operating the pedal 6 (even when the worker moves away from the container 1), thereby improving convenience.

[0059] Furthermore, the embodiment is not limited to the description above, and may be implemented as follows, for example. Of course, other applications and modifications not exemplified below are also possible.

[0060] (a) In the above embodiment, a pair of lids 5 are attached to a pair of opposing side edges of the opening 4, but for example, a pair of lids 5 may be attached side by side to one side edge of the opening 4, or a pair of lids 5 may be attached to side edges of the opening 4 that extend in mutually perpendicular directions. Also, for example, the opening 4 of the container body 2 may be closed by one lid 5, or the opening 4 of the container body 2 may be closed by three or more lids 5. If three or more lids 5 are provided, at least one pair of lids 5 should be configured to open and close in response to the operation of a common pedal 6 and to be equipped with a sealing member 31 that seals the space between the pair of lids 5 (with overlapping portions 27, 28) (a separate pedal may be provided next to the pedal for opening and closing the pair of lids in order to open and close a lid other than the pair of lids). Furthermore, by using a pair of lids 5 to close the opening 4, the space required for rotating the lids 5 and the force required for pedal operation can be made relatively smaller compared to, for example, using a single lid, thereby shortening the time it takes to fully open the opening 4.

[0061] In addition, the shape of the lid 5 is not particularly limited. For example, the open side of the lid 5 may extend diagonally with respect to the longitudinal width of the container 1 (a trapezoidal shape in plan view), or the open side of the lid 5 may be curved. Furthermore, the shape and size of the pair of lids 5 (top wall portion 21) in plan view do not have to be the same.

[0062] (b) In the above embodiment, the first overlapping portion 27 may be omitted, and the lids 5 in the closed position may not overlap. In the case where the lids 5 do not overlap, the pair of lids 5 in the open position may be simultaneously placed in the closed position. Alternatively, the first overlapping portion 27 may be integrally formed with the lid 5 using a material more flexible than the body of the lid 5, and the first overlapping portion 27 may also serve as a sealing member. Furthermore, while the first overlapping portion 27 is omitted, a sealing member may be provided that protrudes from the open side edge of the first lid 5a and elastically deforms to contact the open side edge of the second lid 5b when the pair of lids 5 are in the closed position (partially or entirely located between the open side edges of the pair of lids 5). Even when this configuration is adopted, depending on the shape and arrangement of the sealing member, the lids 5 can be suitably placed in the closed position by placing the pair of lids 5 in a predetermined order, and the opening 4 can be placed in the desired closed state. Furthermore, the sealing member 31 and the peripheral sealing member 32 can be omitted.

[0063] (c) In the above embodiment, the receiving portion 26 has a closed shape with the engagement hole 26a not opening horizontally when the lid 5 is in the open position. However, when the lid 5 is in the open position, the receiving portion 26 restricts the first engagement portion 45 from being displaced relative to the receiving portion 26 in the direction of the rotation axis of the lid 5, and it is sufficient that the engagement state between the receiving portion 26 and the first engagement portion 45 is not released. For example, the receiving portion 26 may be configured such that the engagement hole 26a opens horizontally at the portion of the receiving portion 26 on the top wall portion 21 side (for example, the receiving portion may be substantially hook-shaped).

[0064] Furthermore, in configurations where, when the lid 5 is in the closed position, a recessed portion 54 is provided into which at least the lower part of the receiving portion 26 is recessed (housed) relative to the container body 2, the engaging portion 43 may be simplified. Moreover, instead of the engaging portion 43, an arm portion may be provided, which contacts the receiving portion 26 and applies force to the lid 5 toward the open position and / or the closed position. In cases where this configuration is adopted, the receiving portion and the engaging portion may be engaged when the lid 5 is in the closed position, or, as in the above embodiment, the receiving portion 26 and the engaging portion 43 may not be engaged when the lid 5 is in the closed position.

[0065] (d) In the above embodiment, the container body 2 and the lid 5 are made of polypropylene, but are not limited to this configuration, and may be made of other resin materials such as polyethylene, PET, or polyamide. The shape and use of the container 1 are also not particularly limited, for example, the container body 2 (opening 4) may be configured to be approximately circular in plan view, and it may be used not only as a trash can but also as a storage box for tools and articles. In addition, instead of the lid 5 being directly attached to the container body 2, a lid unit may be provided which is attached to the container body 2 and has an opening into which objects can be inserted, and a pair of lids which are rotatably connected to the lid mounting frame and can open and close the opening, and by extension, the opening of the container body. Furthermore, the materials of the interlocking member 7 and the pedal 6 are also not particularly limited, for example, the interlocking member 7 may be made of metal. [Explanation of symbols]

[0066] 1...Container, 2...Container body, 4...Opening, 5...Lid, 5a...First lid, 5b...Second lid, 6...Pedal, 7...Interlocking member, 12...Long side wall, 13...Short side wall, 13b...Back side wall, 14...Protruding part, 26...Receiving part, 26a...Engagement hole, 41...Long-extending part, 42...Horizontal-extending part, 43...Engagement part, 44...Inclined part, 45...First engagement part, 46...Second engagement part, 47...Third engagement part, 53...Receiving part, 54...Recessed part.

Claims

1. A box-shaped container body having an opening that opens upwards, A lid is attached to the container body so as to be rotatable between an open position that opens the opening and a closed position that closes the opening. An operating means is provided at the bottom of the container body and is operable by the user, A container comprising an interlocking member that interlocks the lid in response to the operation of the operating means, The lid is provided with a receiving portion that protrudes downward from the lower surface when the lid is in the closed position. The receiving portion is configured to receive a force from the interlocking member toward the open position when an opening operation is performed on the operating means to displace the lid toward the open position while the lid is in the closed position. The interlocking member comprises a vertically extending portion extending in the vertical direction, a horizontally extending portion extending in a direction intersecting the direction of extension of the vertically extending portion and connected to the upper part of the vertically extending portion, and an engaging portion connected to the end of the horizontally extending portion and engaged with the receiving portion. The engagement portion comprises an inclined portion extending downward from the end of the transversely extending portion, away from the longitudinally extending portion; a first engagement portion connected to the transversely extending portion via the inclined portion, extending in the vertical direction and having a range that overlaps with the extension range of the inclined portion in the vertical direction; and a second engagement portion projecting from the upper part of the first engagement portion in a direction intersecting the extension direction of the first engagement portion. The container is characterized in that the receiving portion is equipped with a restricting means capable of restricting the relative horizontal displacement of the engaging portion and preventing the disengagement of the engaging state between the engaging portion and the receiving portion when the lid is in the open position.

2. The aforementioned lids are provided in multiple units, The configuration is such that at least one of the plurality of covers opens and closes in conjunction with the operation of the operating means, The transversely extending portion is provided so as to protrude to both the left and the right relative to the longitudinally extending portion. The interlocking member is provided with the engagement portions at both the left and right ends of the laterally extending portion. When the lid is in the open position, and a closing operation is performed on the operating means to displace the lid toward the closed position, the second engaging portion abuts against the receiving portion of the lid, and a force acts in a direction including downward. The container according to claim 1, characterized in that, when the opening operation is performed on the operating means and the lid is in the open position, the distance between the second engaging portion of one of the engaging portions and the receiving portion corresponding to the second engaging portion in the vertical direction is different from the distance between the second engaging portion of the other engaging portion and the receiving portion corresponding to the second engaging portion.

3. The container according to claim 1, characterized in that the container body has a recessed portion into which at least the lower part of the inclined portion and the first engaging portion is recessed when the lid is in the closed position.

4. The receiving portion is configured to receive a force from the interlocking member toward the closed position when a closing operation is performed on the operating means to displace the lid toward the closed position while the lid is in the open position. The container according to claim 1, characterized in that the engaging portion is disposed between the inclined portion and the first engaging portion and includes a third engaging portion that extends in the horizontal direction.

5. The container according to claim 1, characterized in that when a force is applied directly toward the open position to the lid in the closed position without performing the opening operation of the operating means, the receiving portion is displaced to a position in which the engagement with the engagement portion is released through the gap between the inclined portion and the second engaging portion, and the lid can be moved to the open position without engaging the interlocking member.

6. The container according to claim 1, characterized in that the container body has a recessed portion into which at least the lower part of the receiving portion is recessed when the lid is in the closed position.

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