Box opening and closing system
The box opening and closing system mechanically unlocks the front door in conjunction with the opening of the door, facilitating readiness for receiving goods, and allows for easy locking and unlocking through a simple configuration.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- JP · JP
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- UNISON CORP
- Filing Date
- 2024-12-19
- Publication Date
- 2026-07-01
AI Technical Summary
Existing box opening and closing systems do not effectively unlock the front door in conjunction with the opening of the door that opens and closes the front opening, hindering the system's readiness for receiving goods.
A box opening and closing system with a frame door and a front door, where the front door locking mechanism includes a locking portion and a biasing member, and a switching mechanism that allows the locking portion to be displaced between locked and unlocked positions in conjunction with the opening of the frame door, using a tilting part to facilitate this displacement.
The system mechanically unlocks the front door in conjunction with the opening of the door, enabling it to be in a ready state for receiving cargo, and can be easily locked and unlocked with a simple operation.
Smart Images

Figure 2026108934000001_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] The present invention relates to a box opening and closing system.
Background Art
[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a box opening and closing system installed in a detached house or the like. The box opening and closing system disclosed in Patent Document 1 includes a box body, a front door, a rear door, a front locking mechanism, a rear locking mechanism, and a switching mechanism.
[0003] The box body has a front opening, a rear opening, and a storage space communicating with the front opening and the rear opening. The front door is attached to the box body and is configured to be able to open and close the front opening.
[0004] The rear door is attached to the box body and is configured to be able to open and close the rear opening. The front locking mechanism has a locking portion and a first biasing member. The locking portion is configured to be displaceable between a locking position that prevents the opening operation of the front door and an unlocking position that allows the opening operation of the front door in a closed state where the front opening is closed by the front door. The first biasing member biases the locking portion toward the unlocking position.
[0005] The rear locking mechanism locks and unlocks the rear door. The switching mechanism includes a slide member and a second biasing member. The slide member is provided inside the box body and is configured to be slidable in the front-rear direction between a restricting position and an allowing position that is behind the restricting position. The second biasing member biases the slide member from the restricting position toward the allowing position.
[0006] The sliding member comprises a main body, a tilting portion, and a third biasing member. The main body extends in the front-rear direction. The tilting portion is tiltably supported at the front end of the main body. The third biasing member biases the tilting portion toward its neutral position. The sliding member is configured to slide forward to a restricted position when the main body is pressed forward by the closing rear door.
[0007] The switching mechanism is configured such that when the slide member is in the restricted position, the tilting part is pressed against and tilted by the locking part as it moves from the unlocked position to the locked position, thereby allowing the locking part to be displaced. Furthermore, the switching mechanism is configured such that the tilting part does not tilt even when pressed against by the locking part in the locked position, thereby restricting the displacement of the locking part, and also such that the contact between the locking part and the tilting part is released as the slide member slides to the permitted position, thereby allowing the locking part to be displaced to the unlocked position.
[0008] This type of box opening and closing system allows for a mechanical mechanism to unlock the front door in conjunction with the opening of the rear door, putting the box in a ready state for receiving cargo. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]
[0009] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 7460996 [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]
[0010] In such box opening and closing systems, it is desirable to achieve, through a mechanical mechanism, that the door lock is released in conjunction with the opening of the door that opens and closes the front opening, thereby putting the system in a ready state for receiving goods. [Means for solving the problem]
[0011] The following describes various embodiments of a box opening and closing system to solve the above problems. [Aspect 1] A box body having an opening that opens to the front and a storage space communicating with the opening, A frame door is provided, which is shaped like a frame along the edge of the opening and is rotatably attached to the box body, and is configured to open and close the opening. A front door is located on the front side of the frame door and is rotatably attached to the box body, and is configured to open and close the portion of the opening that is not covered by the frame door. A frame door locking mechanism for locking and unlocking the frame door to the box body, A front door locking mechanism having a locking portion configured to be displaceable between a locked position that prevents the front door from opening relative to the frame door and an unlocked position that allows the front door to open relative to the frame door when the opening is closed by the front door, and a first biasing member that biases the locking portion toward the unlocked position, The box body comprises a support portion fixed to the inner wall of the box body, a tilting portion supported by the support portion so as to be tiltable, and a second biasing member that biases the tilting portion toward the neutral position of the tilting portion, The switching mechanism is configured such that, while the locking part is being displaced from the unlocked position toward the locked position, the tilting part is pressed against and tilted by the locking part, thereby allowing the locking part to be displaced toward the unlocked position. At the same time, the tilting part is not tilted even when pressed against by the locking part in the locked position, thereby restricting the displacement of the locking part. Furthermore, as the front door opens together with the frame door, the locking part slides on the tilting part, releasing the contact between the locking part and the tilting part, thereby allowing the locking part to be displaced toward the unlocked position. Box opening and closing system.
[0012] According to this configuration, when the frame door is locked by the frame door locking mechanism, the front door is closed, and the locking part of the front door locking mechanism is in the unlocked position, the front door is in a waiting state for receiving packages, allowing it to open relative to the frame door. At this time, the delivery person can open the opening by operating the front door and store the package in the storage space. After storing the package, the delivery person operates the front door to close the opening. Then, when the delivery person operates the front door locking mechanism and displaces the locking part to the locked position, the tilting part is pressed by the locking part and tilts. Since the tilting part is biased toward the neutral position by the second biasing member, when the locking part moves over the tilting part, the tilting part returns to the neutral position.
[0013] In this state, when the delivery person releases the operating force of the front door lock mechanism, the locking part presses against the tilting part due to the biasing force of the first biasing member. However, since the tilting part does not tilt even when pressed by the locking part in the locked position, the displacement of the locking part to the unlocked position is restricted. As a result, the locking part is held in the locked position. In other words, the front door is locked to the frame door when it is closed. As described above, since the frame door is locked, the front door is locked in the closed position.
[0014] On the other hand, when the recipient opens the frame door by operating the frame door locking mechanism to retrieve the delivered package, the front door opens along with the frame door, causing the locking part to slide on the tilting part, thereby releasing the contact between the locking part and the tilting part. This allows the locking part to be displaced to the unlocked position, and the locking part returns to the unlocked position due to the biasing force of the first biasing member. In other words, the front door enters a state ready for receiving packages.
[0015] Thus, with the above configuration, it is possible to mechanically unlock the front door in conjunction with the opening of the front door, putting it in a ready state for receiving cargo. [Aspect 2] The aforementioned front door locking mechanism is A shaft portion is rotatably supported on the front door around an axis extending in the front-rear direction, It has an operating knob connected to the front end of the shaft portion, The locking part is connected to the shaft part and is configured to engage with the frame door at the locking position, while not engaging with the frame door at the unlocking position. The first biasing member rotationally biases the locking part toward the unlocking position. The box opening / closing system according to Aspect 1.
[0016] According to this configuration, the front door locking mechanism can be embodied with a simple configuration including a shaft part, an operation knob, a locking part, and a first biasing member. [Aspect 3] The frame door locking mechanism is a cylinder lock that locks and unlocks the frame door with respect to the box body. The box opening / closing system according to Aspect 1 or Aspect 2.
[0017] According to this configuration, locking and unlocking of the frame door locking mechanism can be easily performed by a simple operation such as inserting and rotating a mechanical key into the keyhole of the cylinder lock.
Effects of the Invention
[0018] According to the present invention, it is possible to mechanically realize unlocking the front door lock in conjunction with the opening operation of the front door and bringing it into a load-receiving standby state.
Brief Description of the Drawings
[0019] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the box opening / closing system according to the first embodiment in a state where the front door and the frame door are closed. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the box opening / closing system according to the first embodiment in a state where the front door is open and the frame door is closed. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the box opening / closing system according to the first embodiment in a state where the frame door and the front door are open. [Figure 4]Figure 4 is a perspective view of the box opening and closing system of the first embodiment, showing the state in which the locking part of the front door locking mechanism is in the locked position, as seen from inside the box body. [Figure 5] Figure 5 is a perspective view showing the state of Figure 4 from the outside of the box body. [Figure 6] Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view along line 6-6 in Figure 5. [Figure 7] Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view along line 7-7 in Figure 5. [Figure 8] Figures 8(a) to 8(d) are perspective views showing, in order, the locking mechanism and its surroundings as the box opening / closing system of the first embodiment moves from the unlocked position to the locked position. [Figure 9] Figure 9 is a perspective view from inside the box body showing how the front door opens together with the frame door in the box opening and closing system of the first embodiment. [Figure 10] Figure 10 is a cross-sectional view of the box opening and closing system of the second embodiment, showing the first and second doors in a closed state. [Figure 11] Figure 11 is a cross-sectional view of the box opening and closing system of the second embodiment, showing the state in which the first door is unlocked as the second door is opened. [Modes for carrying out the invention]
[0020] <First Embodiment> The following describes a storage box, which is the first embodiment of the box opening and closing system, with reference to the drawings. The storage box of this embodiment is a delivery box installed in a detached house or the like. In the following description, the front-to-back direction of the storage box will simply be referred to as the front-to-back direction. The outside and inside of the house correspond to the front and rear, respectively.
[0021] As shown in Figures 1 to 5, the storage box comprises a box body 10, a frame door 14, a front door 18, a frame door locking mechanism 20, and a front door locking mechanism 30. Furthermore, as shown in Figures 4 and 5, the storage box also includes a switching mechanism 40.
[0022] <Box body 10> As shown in Figures 2 to 4, the box body 10 has an opening 11 that opens to the front and a storage space 12 that communicates with the opening 11. The box body 10 in this embodiment is rectangular parallelepiped.
[0023] As shown in Figure 3, the inside of the box body 10 is provided with shelves 10A that divide the storage space 12 into upper and lower sections. As shown in Figures 4, 6, and 7, a restricting plate 11A is fixed to the inner wall 13 on one side (right side in front view) of the box body 10 in the width direction, protruding along the width direction and extending along the vertical direction.
[0024] <Frame Door 14> As shown in Figures 2 to 7, the frame door 14 is frame-shaped along the edge of the opening 11 and is rotatably attached to the box body 10, and is configured to open and close the opening 11. In this embodiment, the frame door 14 is rotatably attached via a hinge (not shown in the figure) provided on the other side (left side in front view) of the opening 11 in the width direction.
[0025] The frame door 14 of this embodiment includes a door body 15 and a reinforcing member 16 fixed to the inner surface of the door body 15 to reinforce the door body 15. The door body 15 is a flat plate with a U-shape when viewed from the front. More specifically, the door body 15 has an upper edge portion 15a that extends along the upper edge of the opening 11, a lower edge portion 15b that extends along the lower edge of the opening 11, and a vertical edge portion 15c that extends in the vertical direction and connects the other ends (right end when viewed from the front) of the upper edge portion 15a and the lower edge portion 15b in the width direction.
[0026] The upper edge portion 15a is configured to cover the space above the shelf 10A in the storage space 12. The upper edge portion 15a is provided with an opening 15A into which small mail items such as postcards and envelopes can be inserted. Mail items inserted through the opening 15A are stored in the space above the shelf 10A.
[0027] The upper part of the vertical edge portion 15c has a widened portion 15C. The width dimension of the widened portion 15C is longer than the width dimension of the portion of the vertical edge portion 15c other than the widened portion 15C. As shown in Figures 2, 5, and 6, a handle 17 that protrudes forward is attached to the outer surface of the vertical edge portion 15c.
[0028] The door body 15 in this embodiment is made of a metal plate. The reinforcing member 16 is U-shaped in front view. More specifically, the reinforcing member 16 has an upper edge portion 16a that extends along the upper edge of the opening 11, a lower edge portion 16b that extends along the lower edge of the opening 11, and a vertical edge portion 16c that extends in the vertical direction and connects the other ends (right end in front view) of the upper edge portion 16a and the lower edge portion 16b in the width direction.
[0029] The reinforcing member 16 in this embodiment is formed by bending a metal pipe with a rectangular cross-section. The reinforcing member 16 is fixed to the door body 15 by welding or the like. As shown in Figure 6, when the frame door 14 is closed, the vertical edges 15c and 16c are adjacent to the regulating plate 11A in the front and back directions.
[0030] <Front Door 18> As shown in Figures 1 to 7, the front door 18 is located in front of the frame door 14 and is rotatably attached to the box body 10, and is configured to open and close the portion of the opening 11 that is not covered by the frame door 14.
[0031] The front door 18 is a flat plate that is roughly rectangular in shape when viewed from the front. In this embodiment, the front door 18 is rotatably mounted via a hinge (not shown in the figure) provided on the other side (left side when viewed from the front) in the width direction of the opening 11.
[0032] As shown in Figures 1, 2, and 4-6, the front door 18 is provided with a hole 18a to accommodate the frame door locking mechanism 20, which will be described later. As shown in Figures 1 to 5, in this embodiment, the upper edge of the front door 18 is set lower than the lower edge of the input opening 15A and higher than the lower edge of the upper edge portion 15a of the door body 15, so that the input opening 15A of the frame door 14 is exposed to the outside.
[0033] As shown in Figures 1 to 3 and Figure 5, a handle 19 that protrudes forward is attached to the outer surface of one side (right side in front view) in the width direction of the front door 18. The front door 18 in this embodiment is made of a metal plate.
[0034] <Frame door locking mechanism 20> As shown in Figures 1 to 4 and Figure 6, the frame door locking mechanism 20 locks and unlocks the frame door 14 relative to the box body 10.
[0035] The frame door locking mechanism 20 is a well-known cylinder lock and comprises a cylinder 21, a plug 22, and a locking piece 24. As shown in Figure 6, the cylinder 21 is attached to the widened portion 15C of the frame door 14.
[0036] The plug 22 is rotatably mounted inside the cylinder 21. A keyhole 23 is provided on the front of the plug 22. As shown in Figures 3, 4, and 6, the locking piece 24 is connected to the rear end of the plug 22. The locking piece 24 is configured to rotate between a locked position that prevents the frame door 14 from opening when the frame door 14 is closed, and an unlocked position that allows the frame door 14 to open.
[0037] As shown in Figure 4, the locked position of the locking piece 24 is the 9 o'clock position when viewed from the rear. The locking piece 24 is configured to engage with the engaging edge 11a of the regulating plate 11A in the locked position.
[0038] As shown in Figure 3, the unlocked position of the locking piece 24 is the 6 o'clock position. The locking piece 24 is configured not to engage with the engaging edge 11a in the unlocked position. <Front door locking mechanism 30> As shown in Figures 2 and 7, the front door locking mechanism 30 includes a shaft portion 31, an operating knob 32, a locking portion 33, and a first biasing member 34.
[0039] As shown in Figure 2, the front door locking mechanism 30 is located below the hole 18a in the front door 18. As shown in Figures 2 and 7, the shaft portion 31 is rotatably supported on the front door 18 about an axis extending in the front-rear direction. The operating knob 32 is connected to the front end of the shaft portion 31 and is located on the outside of the front door 18.
[0040] The locking portion 33 is connected to the rear end of the shaft portion 31 and extends radially outward from the shaft portion 31. The locking mechanism 33 is configured to be displaceable between a locked position (see Figure 7) that prevents the front door 18 from opening relative to the frame door 14 when the opening 11 is closed by the front door 18, and an unlocked position (see Figure 2) that allows the front door 18 to open relative to the frame door 14.
[0041] As shown in Figure 4, the locked position of the locking mechanism 33 is the 9 o'clock position when viewed from the rear. The locking mechanism 33 is configured to engage with the vertical edge portion 16c of the frame door 14 when in the locked position.
[0042] As shown in Figure 7, the restricting plate 11A is provided with a recess 11b to allow the locking portion 33 in the locked position to move out of the way. As shown in Figure 2, the unlocked position of the locking mechanism 33 is the 12 o'clock position. The locking mechanism 33 is configured not to engage with the vertical edge portion 16c of the frame door 14 when in the unlocked position.
[0043] As shown in Figures 2 and 7, the first biasing member 34 rotates the locking portion 33 toward the unlocked position. The first biasing member 34 in this embodiment is a torsion coil spring, which is provided to cover the outer circumferential surface of the shaft portion 31 and has one end and the other end that are attached to the front door 18 and the locking portion 33, respectively.
[0044] <Switching mechanism 40> As shown in Figures 4 and 5, the switching mechanism 40 comprises a support portion 41, a tilting portion 42, a second biasing member 43, and a bracket 44.
[0045] The support portion 41 has an inverted U-shape in cross-section that opens downwards. The support portion 41 is fixed to the inner wall 13 of the box body 10 via a bracket 44. The tilting portion 42 is supported by the support portion 41 so as to be tiltable. The tilting portion 42 has a U-shaped cross-section that opens downwards. The rear end of the tilting portion 42 is housed inside the support portion 41.
[0046] The support portion 41, the tilting portion 42, and the bracket 44 are made of, for example, a metal plate. As shown in Figure 5, the rear end of the tilting part 42 is connected to the support part 41 via a tilting shaft part 45 having an axis extending in the width direction. The tilting part 42 is supported by the support part 41 so as to be tiltable about the axis of the tilting shaft part 45. A cushioning material (not shown in the figure) is attached to the lower surface of the top wall of the support part 41 to absorb the impact of collisions with the upper surface of the top wall of the tilting part 42. The cushioning material is made of rubber, for example.
[0047] The second biasing member 43 biases the tilting part 42 toward its neutral position. In the neutral position, the tilting part 42 comes into contact with the cushioning material, thereby assuming a posture aligned with the front-rear direction.
[0048] The second biasing member 43 is a torsion coil spring, which is provided so as to cover the outer circumferential surface of the tilting shaft portion 45, and has one end and the other end that are supported by the lower surface of the top wall of the support portion 41 and the lower surface of the top wall of the tilting portion 42, respectively.
[0049] The switching mechanism 40 is configured to allow rotational displacement of the locking part 33 by pressing and tilting the tilting part 42 when the locking part 33 is in the process of rotating from the unlocked position to the locked position. The switching mechanism 40 is configured to restrict rotational displacement of the locking part 33 by not tilting even when the tilting part 42 is pressed by the locking part 33 in the locked position. Furthermore, the switching mechanism 40 is configured to allow the locking part 33 to be displaced to the unlocked position by releasing the contact between the locking part 33 and the tilting part 42 as the front door 18 opens together with the frame door 14, causing the locking part 33 to slide on the tilting part 42.
[0050] <Operation of this embodiment> As shown in Figure 8(a), when the frame door 14 is locked by the frame door locking mechanism 20, the front door 18 is closed, and the locking part 33 of the front door locking mechanism 30 is in the unlocked position, the front door 18 is allowed to open relative to the frame door 14, creating a waiting state for receiving packages. At this time, the delivery person can open the opening 11 by operating the front door 18 and store the package in the storage space 12. After storing the package, the delivery person operates the front door 18 to close the opening 11. Then, the delivery person rotates the operating knob 32 of the front door locking mechanism 30 clockwise to displace the locking part 33 to the locked position.
[0051] As a result, as shown in Figure 8(b), the locking part 33 rotates and displaces, pressing the tilting part 42 from above. This causes the tilting part 42 to tilt around the tilting shaft 45, so that the front part of the tilting part 42 is lowered, as shown in Figure 8(c).
[0052] As a result, as shown in Figure 8(d), the locking portion 33 rotates over the tilting portion 42 and moves to the locking position below the tilting portion 42. In other words, rotational displacement of the locking portion 33 to the locking position is permitted. Since the tilting portion 42 is biased toward the neutral position by the second biasing member 43, when the locking portion 33 overtakes the tilting portion 42, the tilting portion 42 returns to the neutral position.
[0053] In this state, when the operating force of the front door lock mechanism 30 by the delivery person is released, the locking part 33 is biased by the first biasing member 34 and presses against the tilting part 42. However, even when the tilting part 42 is pressed by the locking part 33 in the locked position, it does not tilt above the neutral position in contact with the cushioning material, so the displacement of the locking part 33 to the unlocked position is restricted. As a result, the locking part 33 is held in the locked position. In other words, the front door 18 is locked to the frame door 14 in the closed state. As described above, since the frame door 14 is locked, the front door 18 is locked in the closed state.
[0054] On the other hand, when the recipient inserts a mechanical key (not shown) into the keyhole 23 of the frame door lock mechanism 20 and rotates the mechanical key to unlock the cylinder lock and open the frame door 14 in order to retrieve the delivered package, the front door 18 opens together with the frame door 14, as shown in Figure 9. As a result, the locking part 33 slides on the tilting part 42, releasing the contact between the locking part 33 and the tilting part 42. This allows the locking part 33 to be displaced to the unlocked position, and the locking part 33 returns to the unlocked position due to the biasing force of the first biasing member 34. In other words, the front door 18 enters a state of readiness for receiving packages.
[0055] <Effects of this embodiment> (1-1) As described above, the lock on the front door 18 can be unlocked in conjunction with the opening of the front door 18, thereby enabling it to be in a loading-receiving standby state, through a mechanical configuration.
[0056] (1-2) The front door locking mechanism 30 can be realized with a simple configuration including a shaft portion 31, an operating knob 32, a locking portion 33, and a first biasing member 34. (1-3) The frame door locking mechanism 20 can be easily locked and unlocked by a simple operation such as inserting a mechanical key into the keyhole 23 of the cylinder lock and rotating it.
[0057] <Second Embodiment> The storage box of the second embodiment will be described below with reference to the drawings. As shown in Figures 10 and 11, the storage box comprises a box body 110, a first door 113, a second door 114, a first locking mechanism 120, a second locking mechanism 130, and a switching mechanism 140.
[0058] <Box body 110> The box body 110 has an opening 111 that opens to the front and a storage space 112 that communicates with the opening 111.
[0059] <Cover 1, page 113> The first door 113 is rotatably attached to the box body 110 and is configured to open and close the opening 111. In this embodiment, the first door 113 is rotatably attached via a hinge (not shown in the figure) provided on the other side (left side in front view) of the opening 111 in the width direction.
[0060] <Door 2, page 114> The second door 114 is positioned parallel to the first door 113 in the planar direction of the opening 111 and is rotatably mounted on the box body 110, and is configured to open and close the opening 111. In this embodiment, the second door 114 is provided above the first door 113 and is rotatably mounted via a hinge (not shown in the figure) provided on the other side (left side in front view) in the width direction of the opening 111. The second door 114 is positioned parallel to the first door 113 in the vertical direction.
[0061] <First locking mechanism 120> The first locking mechanism 120 comprises a shaft portion 121, an operating knob 122, a locking portion 123, and a first biasing member 124. The first locking mechanism 120 has the same configuration as the front door locking mechanism 30 of the first embodiment, and is identical in configuration to the "front locking mechanism 20" in the [Modes for Carrying Out the Invention] of Patent Document 1.
[0062] The first locking mechanism 120 is provided on one side of the first door 113 in the width direction, that is, on the side opposite to the hinge of the first door 113. The shaft portion 121 is rotatably supported on the first door 113 about an axis extending in the front-rear direction. The operating knob 122 is connected to the front end of the shaft portion 121 and is located on the outside of the first door 113.
[0063] The locking portion 123 is connected to the rear end of the shaft portion 121 and extends radially outward from the shaft portion 121. The locking mechanism 123 is configured to be displaceable between a locked position that prevents the opening of the first door 113 and an unlocked position that allows the opening of the first door 113 when the opening 111 is closed by the first door 113.
[0064] The locking portion 123 is configured to engage with the first engaging edge 115 of the opening 111 in the locked position shown in Figure 10, while not engaging with the first engaging edge 115 in the unlocked position shown in Figure 11. The engaging edge is the right-side edge of the opening 111 when viewed from the front.
[0065] The first biasing member 124 rotationally biases the locking portion 123 toward the unlocked position. In this embodiment, the first biasing member 124 is a torsion coil spring, which is provided so as to cover the outer circumferential surface of the shaft portion 121 and has one end and the other end that are attached to the first door 113 and the locking portion 123, respectively.
[0066] <Second locking mechanism 130> The second locking mechanism 130 locks and unlocks the second door 114 relative to the box body 110, and includes a shaft 131, an operating knob 132, a locking piece 133, and a dial lock 134.
[0067] The second locking mechanism 130 is provided on one side of the second door 114 in the width direction, that is, on the side opposite to the hinge of the second door 114. The shaft portion 131 is rotatably supported relative to the second door 114 about an axis extending in the front-rear direction. The operating knob 132 is connected to the front end of the shaft portion 131 and is located on the outside of the second door 114.
[0068] The locking piece 133 is configured to rotate between a locked position that prevents the opening of the second door 114 when the upper part of the opening 111 is closed by the second door 114, and an unlocked position that allows the opening of the second door 114. Specifically, the locking piece 133 engages with the second engaging edge 116 of the opening 111 in the locked position shown in Figure 10, while not engaging with the second engaging edge 116 in the unlocked position shown in Figure 11.
[0069] <Switching mechanism 140> The switching mechanism 140 comprises a first slide member 150, a second slide member 160, a second biasing member 161, and a connecting member 170.
[0070] The first sliding member 150 is provided inside the box body 110 and is configured to slide in the front-rear direction between a first restricting position (see Figure 10) and a first allowable position (see Figure 11) which is a position behind the first restricting position.
[0071] The first slide member 150 has a main body portion 151, a tilting portion 152, and a third biasing member 153. The main body 151 is supported so as to be slidable in the front-rear direction relative to the box body 110. More specifically, the main body 151 is supported so as to be slidable in the front-rear direction via a bracket (not shown) fixed to the box body 110.
[0072] The main body 151 has a U-shaped cross-section that opens downwards. The tilting portion 152 is tiltably supported at the front end of the main body portion 151. The tilting portion 152 has a U-shaped cross-section that opens downwards. The rear end of the tilting portion 152 is housed inside the main body portion 151.
[0073] The rear end of the tilting section 152 is connected to the main body 151 via a tilting shaft section 155 having an axis extending in the width direction. The tilting section 152 is supported by the main body 151 so as to be tiltable around the axis of the tilting shaft section 155. A cushioning material (not shown in the figure) is attached to the lower surface of the top wall of the main body 151 to absorb the impact of collisions with the upper surface of the top wall of the tilting section 152.
[0074] The third biasing member 153 biases the tilting part 152 toward its neutral position. In the neutral position, the tilting part 152 comes into contact with the cushioning material and assumes a posture along the front-rear direction.
[0075] The third biasing member 153 is a torsion coil spring, which is provided to cover the outer circumferential surface of the tilting shaft portion 155, and has one end and the other end that are supported by the lower surface of the top wall of the main body portion 151 and the lower surface of the top wall of the tilting portion 152, respectively.
[0076] The second sliding member 160 is provided inside the box body 110 and is configured to slide in the front-rear direction between a second restricted position (see Figure 10) and a second allowable position (see Figure 11) which is a position forward of the second restricted position. More specifically, the second sliding member 160 is supported so as to be slidable in the front-rear direction via a bracket (not shown) fixed to the box body 110 above the first sliding member 150.
[0077] The second biasing member 161 biases the second slide member 160 from the second regulated position toward the second allowable position. The second biasing member 161 has the same configuration as the "second biasing member 42" in the [Mode for Carrying Out the Invention] of Patent Document 1, but the biasing direction is reversed front to back compared to the "second biasing member 42".
[0078] The connecting member 170 connects the first slide member 150 and the second slide member 160, and is configured to transmit the force with which the second slide member 160 slides forward or backward to the first slide member 150, thereby causing the first slide member 150 to slide backward or forward.
[0079] The connecting member 170 extends in the vertical direction. The connecting member 170 is rotatably supported relative to the inner wall of the box body 110 by a pivot support portion 173 provided at the vertical center of the connecting member 170.
[0080] The lower end of the connecting member 170 and the rear end of the first sliding member 150 are rotatably connected via a pivot shaft portion 171 having an axis extending in the width direction. The upper end of the connecting member 170 and the rear end of the second sliding member 160 are rotatably connected via a pivot shaft portion 172 having an axis extending in the width direction.
[0081] The first sliding member 150 is configured to slide forward to a first restricted position as the second sliding member 160 is pressed backward by the second door 114 as it is closed.
[0082] The switching mechanism 140 is configured such that when the first slide member 150 is in the first restricting position, the tilting part 152 is pressed and tilted by the locking part 123 as it rotates from the unlocked position to the locked position, thereby allowing rotational displacement of the locking part 123. The switching mechanism 140 is configured such that the tilting part 152 does not tilt even when pressed by the locking part 123 in the locked position, thereby restricting rotational displacement of the locking part 123. Furthermore, the switching mechanism 140 is configured such that the contact between the locking part 123 and the tilting part 152 is released as the first slide member 150 slides to the first allowable position, thereby allowing the locking part 123 to rotate and displace to the unlocked position.
[0083] <Operation of this embodiment> As shown in Figure 10, when the second door 114 is locked by the second locking mechanism 130, the first door 113 is closed, and the locking part 123 of the first locking mechanism 120 is in the unlocked position, as shown by the dashed line in the figure, the first door 113 is allowed to open, and the room is in a waiting state for receiving packages. At this time, the delivery person can open the opening 111 by operating the first door 113 and store the package in the storage space 112. After storing the package, the delivery person operates the first door 113 to close the opening 111. Then, the delivery person rotates the operating knob 122 of the first locking mechanism 120 clockwise to displace the locking part 123 to the locked position.
[0084] Then, the locking part 123 presses against the tilting part 152, causing it to tilt. Since the tilting part 152 is biased toward the neutral position by the third biasing member 153, as shown by the solid line in Figure 10, when the locking part 123 overcomes the tilting part 152, the tilting part 152 returns to the neutral position.
[0085] In this state, when the operating force of the first locking mechanism 120 by the delivery person is released, the locking part 123 is biased by the first biasing member 124 and presses against the tilting part 152. However, since the tilting part 152 does not tilt even when pressed by the locking part 123 in the locked position, the displacement of the locking part 123 to the unlocked position is restricted. As a result, the locking part 123 is held in the locked position. In other words, the first door 113 is locked in the closed position.
[0086] On the other hand, as shown in Figure 11, when the recipient opens the second door 114 by operating the dial lock 134 of the second locking mechanism 130 to retrieve the delivered package, the pressing force acting on the second slide member 160 by the second door 114 is released. As a result, the second slide member 160 slides forward from the second restricted position to the second allowable position by the biasing force of the second biasing member 161. Concurrently, the first slide member 150 slides backward from the first restricted position to the first allowable position. Consequently, the contact between the tilting part 152 and the locking part 123 is released, and the locking part 123 returns to the unlocked position by the biasing force of the first biasing member 124. In other words, the first door 113 enters a state of waiting to receive packages.
[0087] <Effects of this embodiment> (2-1) As described above, the lock on the first door 113 can be unlocked in conjunction with the opening of the second door 114, thereby enabling a loading-receiving standby state, through a mechanical configuration.
[0088] (2-2) The first locking mechanism 120 can be realized with a simple configuration including a shaft portion 121, an operating knob 122, a locking portion 123, and a first biasing member 124. <Example of changes> This embodiment can be implemented with the following modifications. This embodiment and the following modifications can be combined with each other to the extent that they do not contradict each other technically.
[0089] In the first embodiment, the frame door 14 may not have an input opening 15A. In this case, the shelf board 10A can be omitted. In the first embodiment, the frame door lock mechanism 20 may be a digital key that is opened and closed by a motor. In this case, the digital key may be opened and closed using a smartphone or the like. The frame door lock mechanism 20 may also be a mechanism that can be operated by both a mechanical key and a digital key.
[0090] In the first embodiment, the frame door locking mechanism 20 may be a dial lock that locks and unlocks the frame door 14 relative to the box body 10. <Note> The above embodiment includes the configuration described in the following appendix.
[0091] [Note 1] A box body having an opening that opens to the front and a storage space communicating with the opening, A first door is rotatably attached to the box body and configured to open and close the opening, A second door is provided, which is positioned parallel to the first door in the plane direction of the opening and is rotatably mounted on the box body, and is configured to open and close the opening. A first locking mechanism having a locking portion configured to be displaceable between a locked position that prevents the opening of the first door and an unlocked position that allows the opening of the first door when the opening is closed by the first door, and a first biasing member that biases the locking portion toward the unlocked position, A second locking mechanism for locking and unlocking the second door to the box body, The switching mechanism comprises: a first slide member provided inside the box body and configured to slide in the front-rear direction between a first restricting position and a first allowable position which is a position behind the first restricting position; a second slide member provided inside the box body and configured to slide in the front-rear direction between a second restricting position and a second allowable position which is a position forward of the second restricting position; a second biasing member that biases the second slide member from the second restricting position toward the second allowable position; and a connecting member that connects the first slide member and the second slide member and transmits the force of the second slide member sliding forward or backward to the first slide member, causing the first slide member to slide backward or forward. The first sliding member comprises a main body portion supported so as to be slidable in the front-rear direction relative to the box body, a tilting portion supported so as to be tiltable at the front end of the main body portion, and a third biasing member that biases the tilting portion toward the neutral position of the tilting portion, and is configured to slide forward to the first regulated position as the second sliding member is pressed rearward by the closing second door. The switching mechanism is configured such that, when the first slide member is in the first restricting position, the locking portion presses against the tilting portion as it moves from the unlocked position toward the locked position, thereby allowing the locking portion to move; on the other hand, it restricts the movement of the locking portion by preventing it from moving even when pressed against by the locking portion in the locked position; and as the first slide member slides to the first allowable position, the contact between the locking portion and the tilting portion is released, thereby allowing the locking portion to move toward the unlocked position. Box opening and closing system.
[0092] According to this configuration, when the second door is locked by the second locking mechanism, the first door is closed, and the locking part of the first locking mechanism is in the unlocked position, the first door is allowed to open, creating a waiting state for receiving packages. At this time, the delivery person can open the opening by operating the first door and store the package in the storage space. After storing the package, the delivery person operates the first door to close the opening. Then, when the delivery person operates the first locking mechanism and displaces the locking part to the locked position, the tilting part is pressed by the locking part and tilts. Since the tilting part is biased toward the neutral position by the third biasing member, when the locking part moves over the tilting part, the tilting part returns to the neutral position.
[0093] In this state, when the delivery person releases the operating force of the first locking mechanism, the locking part presses against the tilting part due to the biasing force applied by the first biasing member. However, since the tilting part does not tilt even when pressed by the locking part in the locked position, the displacement of the locking part to the unlocked position is restricted. As a result, the locking part is held in the locked position. In other words, the first door is locked in the closed position.
[0094] On the other hand, when the recipient opens the second door by operating the second locking mechanism to retrieve the package, the pressing force acting on the second sliding member by the second door is released. As a result, the second sliding member slides forward from the second restricted position to the second allowable position by the biasing force of the second biasing member. Concurrently, the first sliding member slides backward from the first restricted position to the first allowable position. Consequently, the contact between the tilting part and the locking part is released, and the locking part returns to the unlocked position by the biasing force of the first biasing member. In other words, the first door enters a waiting state for receiving packages.
[0095] Thus, with the above configuration, it is possible to mechanically unlock the first door in conjunction with the opening of the second door, thereby putting it into a loading-receiving standby state. [Note] The first locking mechanism is, A shaft portion is rotatably supported by the first door about an axis extending in the front-rear direction, It has an operating knob connected to the front end of the shaft portion, The locking portion is connected to the shaft portion and is configured to engage with the engaging edge of the opening in the locked position, while not engaging with the engaging edge in the unlocked position. The first biasing member rotates the locking portion toward the unlocked position, The switching mechanism is configured such that when the first slide member is in the first restricting position, the tilting portion is pressed against and tilted by the locking portion as it rotates from the unlocked position toward the locked position, thereby allowing rotational displacement of the locking portion. Conversely, the rotational displacement of the locking portion is restricted by preventing tilting even when the tilting portion is pressed against by the locking portion in the locked position. The box opening and closing system described in Appendix 1.
[0096] According to this configuration, the first locking mechanism can be realized with a simple structure consisting of a shaft, an operating knob, a locking part, and a first biasing member. [Explanation of symbols]
[0097] 10,110... Box body 10A...Shelf 11,111…Aperture 11A…Regulation plate 11a...Engagement edge 11b…recess 12,112... Storage space 13…Inner wall 14...Frame door 15... Door body 15A…Inlet 15C... Widening section 15a...Top edge 15b…Lower edge 15c…Vertical edge 16…Reinforcement material 16a...Top edge 16b…Lower edge 16c…Vertical edge 17...Handle 18…Front door 18a…hole 19...Handle 20... Frame door locking mechanism 21... Cylinder 22...plug 23... Keyhole 24... Rock fragments 30…Front door locking mechanism 31... Shaft 32... Operation knob 33... Rock Club 34…First biasing member 40…Switching mechanism 41...Support part 42…Tilt part 43...Second biasing member 44…Bracket 45…Tilt shaft part 113... Door 1 114... Door 2 115...First engagement edge 116...Second engagement edge 120...First locking mechanism 121... Shaft 122... Operation knob 123... Rock Club 124...First biasing member 130...Second locking mechanism 131... Shaft 132... Operation knob 133... Rock fragments 134... Dial lock 140…Switching mechanism 150...First slide member 151...Main body 152...Tilt part 153...Third biasing member 155...Tilt shaft part 160...Second sliding member 161...Second biasing member 170... Connecting member 171,172... Rotating shaft section 173... Rotating support section
Claims
1. A box body having an opening that opens to the front and a storage space communicating with the opening, A frame door is provided, which is shaped like a frame along the edge of the opening and is rotatably attached to the box body, and is configured to open and close the opening. A front door is located on the front side of the frame door and is rotatably attached to the box body, and is configured to open and close the portion of the opening that is not covered by the frame door. A frame door locking mechanism for locking and unlocking the frame door to the box body, A front door locking mechanism having a locking portion configured to be displaceable between a locked position that prevents the front door from opening relative to the frame door and an unlocked position that allows the front door to open relative to the frame door when the opening is closed by the front door, and a first biasing member that biases the locking portion toward the unlocked position, The box body comprises a support portion fixed to the inner wall of the box body, a tilting portion supported by the support portion so as to be tiltable, and a second biasing member that biases the tilting portion toward the neutral position of the tilting portion, The switching mechanism is configured such that, while the locking part is being displaced from the unlocked position toward the locked position, the tilting part is pressed against and tilted by the locking part, thereby allowing the locking part to be displaced toward the unlocked position. At the same time, the tilting part is not tilted even when pressed against by the locking part in the locked position, thereby restricting the displacement of the locking part. Furthermore, as the front door opens together with the frame door, the locking part slides on the tilting part, releasing the contact between the locking part and the tilting part, thereby allowing the locking part to be displaced toward the unlocked position. Box opening and closing system.
2. The aforementioned front door locking mechanism is A shaft portion is rotatably supported on the front door around an axis extending in the front-rear direction, It has an operating knob connected to the front end of the shaft portion, The locking mechanism is connected to the shaft and is configured to engage with the frame door in the locked position, while not engaging with the frame door in the unlocked position. The first biasing member rotates the locking portion toward the unlocked position. The box opening and closing system according to claim 1.
3. The frame door locking mechanism is a cylinder lock that locks and unlocks the frame door relative to the box body. The box opening and closing system according to claim 1 or claim 2.