Container, base plate, tray, cover component, and storage unit

Abstract

We propose a container, base plate, tray, cover component, and storage unit that suppress the contents of the container from bouncing around and colliding with the container. [Solution] The container 1 comprises a base plate 2, a tray 3, and a cover member 4. The tray 3 is placed on the upper surface 21 of the base plate 2 in a predetermined number of layers, either one or multiple layers stacked. The cover member 4 is attached to the base plate 2 and covers the upper surface 21 of the base plate 2 and the tray 3. A tray movement restricting portion 46 is provided that protrudes downward from the lower surface 412 of the top plate 41 of the cover member 4.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a container, a base plate, a tray, a cover member, and a storage unit.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a case body made of synthetic resin having an opening for accommodating a mask upward, and a cover made of synthetic resin covering the case body to close the opening, and engaging an engaging hole formed in an elastic engaging piece extending downward from the lower edge of the cover with a protrusion provided on the peripheral surface of the case body to lock it. A case for transporting a mask is disclosed.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In the mask transport case described in Patent Document 1, during the transport of the mask transport case, the mask accommodated in the mask transport case may bounce inside the mask transport case and collide with the mask transport case, and the mask may be deformed.

[0005] The problem to be solved by the present disclosure is to propose a container, a base plate, a tray, a cover member, and a storage unit that suppress the stored item from bouncing inside the container and colliding with the container.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] A container according to one aspect of the present disclosure comprises a base plate, a tray, and a cover member. The tray is placed on the upper surface of the base plate in a predetermined number of layers, either one or multiple layers stacked. The cover member is attached to the base plate and covers the upper surface of the base plate and the tray. A tray movement restricting portion is provided that protrudes downward from the lower surface of the top plate of the cover member.

[0007] A base plate according to one aspect of the present disclosure is used in a container comprising the base plate, a tray, and a cover member. The tray is placed on the upper surface of the base plate in a predetermined number of layers, either one or multiple layers stacked. The cover member is attached to the base plate and covers the upper surface of the base plate and the tray, and is provided with a tray movement restricting portion that protrudes downward from the lower surface of the top plate. The base plate has a base plate side fitting portion that engages with the cover member, and a base plate side positioning portion that positions the tray.

[0008] A tray according to one aspect of the present disclosure is used in a container comprising a base plate, the tray, and a cover member. The tray is placed on the upper surface of the base plate in a predetermined number of layers, either in one or multiple layers stacked. The cover member is attached to the base plate and covers the upper surface of the base plate and the tray, and is provided with a tray movement restricting portion that protrudes downward from the lower surface of the top plate. The tray has a tray-side positioning portion for positioning relative to the base plate.

[0009] A cover member according to one aspect of the present disclosure is used in a container comprising a base plate, a tray, and the cover member. The tray is placed on the upper surface of the base plate in a predetermined number of layers, either one or multiple layers stacked. The cover member is attached to the base plate and covers the upper surface of the base plate and the tray. A tray movement restricting portion is provided that protrudes downward from the lower surface of the top plate of the cover member. The cover member has a cover member side fitting portion that fits with the base plate.

[0010] A storage unit according to one aspect of the present disclosure comprises a container and an outer container that houses the container, wherein multiple layers of the outer containers are stacked. The uppermost outer container among the stacked outer containers has an outer container body having an outer container opening at its upper end, and an outer container lid that is placed on the upper end of the outer container body and closes the outer container opening. The outer containers among the stacked outer containers, excluding the uppermost outer container, have an outer container body but do not have an outer container lid, and their outer container openings are closed by the outer container directly above them.

[0011] A container according to another aspect of this disclosure comprises a base plate, a predetermined number of trays stacked in multiple layers and placed on the upper surface of the base plate, and a cover member attached to the base plate and covering the upper surface of the base plate and the trays. The uppermost tray of the multiple layers of trays is empty. The trays other than the uppermost tray of the multiple layers of trays are filled with contents. A tray movement restricting portion is provided that protrudes downward from the lower surface of the top plate of the cover member. [Effects of the Invention]

[0012] In the container, base plate, tray, cover member, and storage unit of this disclosure, the contents of the container are prevented from bouncing around and colliding with the container. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0013] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is a perspective view of the container according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure, as seen from obliquely above. [Figure 2] Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of the same container, as seen from obliquely below. [Figure 3] Figure 3 shows the base plate used for the same container. The upper part is a plan view, the middle part is a side view, and the lower part is a bottom view. [Figure 4] Figure 4 shows the cover member used for the same container. The upper part is a plan view, the middle part is a side view, and the lower part is a bottom view. [Figure 5] Figure 5 shows the tray used for the same container. The upper part is a plan view, the middle part is a side view, and the lower part is a bottom view. [Figure 6] Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view of the container along the vertical section along the short side of the same container. [Figure 7] Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view of the container along the vertical section along the long side of the same container. [Figure 8] Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view of the storage unit having the same container and an outer container, in a vertical section. [Figure 9] Figure 9 is a perspective view of the tray of the container according to the second embodiment of the present disclosure, as seen from obliquely below. [Figure 10] Figure 10 is a cross-sectional view of the main part in a state where the trays used for the same container are stacked vertically in two layers.

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0014] The present disclosure relates to a container, a base plate, a tray, a cover member, and a storage unit.

[0015] (First Embodiment) Hereinafter, a first embodiment of a container, a base plate, a tray, a cover member, and a storage unit according to the present disclosure will be described based on FIGS. 1 to 8.

[0016] <Container> As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, in a plan view, a first direction D1 and a second direction D2 orthogonal to the first direction D1 are defined. The first direction D1 is a direction along the longitudinal direction of the container 1, and the second direction D2 is a direction along the short side direction of the container 1. The container 1 is a container having a long rectangular shape in a plan view along the first direction D1. The container 1 includes a base plate 2, a tray 3, and a cover member 4.

[0017] <Base plate> As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the base plate 2 is mainly constituted by a plate body 20. The plate body 20 is a resin flat plate having a rectangular shape in a plan view. The upper surface 21 of the plate body 20 is formed by a flat surface. The tray 3 is placed on the upper surface 21 of the base plate 2.

[0018] On the lower surface 22 of the plate body 20, a lattice-shaped rib 23 protruding downward is formed in a plan view. The rib 23 is formed in a lattice shape inside the outer peripheral edge of the lower surface 22 of the plate body 20.

[0019] The base plate 2 has a base plate side fitting portion 25. The base plate side fitting portion 25 is formed on the outer peripheral edge of the lower surface 22 of the plate body 20. The base plate side fitting portion 25 is a portion that fits with the cover member 4. In the first embodiment, the base plate side fitting portion 25 is a rib protruding downward from the lower surface 22 of the plate body 20 similar to the rib 23, and is formed in a square shape (ring shape) in a plan view. The base plate side fitting portion 25 will be described later.

[0020] Leg portions 24 are formed on the lower surface 22 of the plate body 20. The leg portions 24 are formed by leg ribs 240 protruding from the lower surface 22 of the plate body 20. Three leg portions 24 having the second direction D2 as the longitudinal direction are arranged at intervals in the first direction D1.

[0021] The base plate 2 has a base plate-side positioning portion 26. The base plate-side positioning portion 26 is the part that positions the tray 3. In the first embodiment, the base plate-side positioning portion 26 is a projection that protrudes upward from the upper surface 21 of the plate body 20. The base plate-side positioning portion 26 is provided at two diagonal corners of the tray 3.

[0022] The shape of the base plate side positioning portion 26 is not particularly limited, but it is preferable that it has a conical shape (for example, a cone shape) at least at its upper end. This makes it easier for the base plate side positioning portion 26 to be inserted into the tray side positioning portion 38, which will be described later.

[0023] <Tray> As shown in Figures 2, 4, 6, and 7, the tray 3 is placed on the upper surface 21 of the base plate 2 in a predetermined number of layers, either one or multiple layers stacked. In the first embodiment, the container 1 has multiple stacked trays 3. The tray 3 is mainly composed of a bottom plate 31. The bottom plate 31 is a rectangular resin plate in plan view. The upper surface 311 of the bottom plate 31 is formed by a flat surface. The contents to be transported are placed on the upper surface 311 of the bottom plate 31.

[0024] Around the base plate 31, a raised portion 32, which is rectangular (ring-shaped) in plan view, is formed continuously with the base plate 31. The raised portion 32 protrudes above the upper surface 311 of the base plate 31. Note that the raised portion 32 is not continuous around the entire circumference in plan view, and a positioning recess 37 (see plan view in Figure 4), described later, is formed in a part of the circumferential direction, dividing the raised portion 32 in the circumferential direction at the positioning recess 37.

[0025] Around the raised portion 32, a flange portion 34, which is rectangular (ring-shaped) in plan view, is formed continuously with the raised portion 32. The upper surface of the flange portion 34 is on the same plane as the upper surface 311 of the base plate 31.

[0026] A recess 33, which is rectangular (ring-shaped) in plan view, is formed around the lower surface 312 of the base plate 31. The recess 33 is recessed upward at a position corresponding to the raised portion 32 in plan view. Ribs 35 are formed in the recess 33 at intervals along the longitudinal direction of the recess 33 and extend in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the recess 33, connecting the inner surfaces of the recess 33. The ribs 35 improve the torsional rigidity of the tray 3 having the recess 33.

[0027] A positioning rib 36 similar to the first rib 35 is formed in the recess 33. The positioning rib 36 is located at one point in the longitudinal direction of the recess 33 and extends in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the recess 33, connecting to the inner surface of the recess 33. In the first embodiment, the positioning rib 36 is provided at one corner of the tray 3.

[0028] Furthermore, a positioning recess 37 into which the positioning rib 36 can be inserted is formed at one location on the raised portion 32 of the tray 3, corresponding to the circumferential positioning rib 36. When stacking multiple trays 3 in the same orientation (an orientation in which, when each tray 3 is stacked in a plan view, the positions of the positioning rib 36 and the positioning recess 37 of each tray 3 are in the same position), the positioning rib 36 of the upper tray 3B is inserted from above into the positioning recess 37 of the lower tray 3C, thereby positioning the upper tray 3B and the lower tray 3C. Because the positioning rib 36 and the positioning recess 37 are provided at one corner of the tray 3, when attempting to stack the trays 3 in different orientations, the positioning rib 36 of the upper tray 3 does not fit into the positioning recess 37 of the lower tray 3 but rides up on the raised portion 32, causing both one short side and one long side of the upper tray 3 to lift up relative to the other short side and other long side, making it visually clear that the trays 3 are being stacked in different orientations.

[0029] Note that here, tray 3B is designated as the upper tray and tray 3C as the lower tray, but this is merely for convenience; tray 3B could also be designated as the lower tray and tray 3A as the upper tray.

[0030] The tray 3 has a tray-side positioning portion 38. The tray-side positioning portion 38 is the part that positions the tray 3 relative to the base plate 2. In the first embodiment, the tray-side positioning portion 38 is provided at two diagonal corners of the tray 3, corresponding to the base plate-side positioning portion 26. The tray-side positioning portion 38 is a hole formed in the flange portion 34 that penetrates vertically and through which the base plate-side positioning portion 26 is inserted. The base plate-side positioning portion 26 is inserted into the tray-side positioning portion 38 to position the tray 3 relative to the base plate 2. By providing the base plate-side positioning portion 26 at two locations on the base plate 2 and the tray-side positioning portion 38 at two locations on the tray 3, the tray 3 is prevented from rotating relative to one of the tray-side positioning portions 38.

[0031] <Cover component> As shown in Figures 2, 5, 6, and 7, the cover member 4 is attached to the base plate 2 and covers the upper surface 21 of the base plate 2 and the tray 3. In the first embodiment, the cover member 4 is mainly composed of a top plate 41 and side wall portions 42. The top plate 41 is a transparent resin plate that is rectangular in plan view. The upper surface 411 of the top plate 41 is formed by a flat surface.

[0032] Side wall portions 42 are formed continuously with the top plate 41 from the peripheral edges of the top plate 41. At the lower end of the side wall portion 42, a cover member side fitting portion 43, which is rectangular (ring-shaped) in plan view, is formed continuously with the side wall portion 42. The cover member side fitting portion 43 is the part that fits with the base plate 2. In the first embodiment, the cover member side fitting portion 43 has a flange portion 431 and a covering portion 432. The flange portion 431 is the part that protrudes outward from the lower end of the side wall portion 42, and the covering portion 432 is the part that hangs down downward from the outer edge of the flange portion 431.

[0033] The cover member side fitting portion 43 is fitted with the base plate side fitting portion 25. This connects the base plate 2 and the cover member 4. In the first embodiment, the base plate side fitting portion 25 is fitted inside the cover member side fitting portion 43.

[0034] A protrusion 44 is formed on the top plate 41. The protrusion 44 is located at the corners of the top plate 41 in a plan view and is a part that protrudes upward from the upper surface 411 of the top plate 41 (more precisely, the main body of the top plate 41 excluding the protrusion 44 and the handle portion 45, which will be described later). The upper surface of the cover member 4 mainly refers to the upper surface of the protrusion 44.

[0035] A handle portion 45 is formed on the top plate 41. The handle portion 45 is located in the center of the top plate 41 in a plan view and is a portion that protrudes upward from the main body of the top plate 41. In the first embodiment, the height of the handle portion 45 protruding from the upper surface 411 of the main body of the top plate 41 is the same as the height of the protruding portion 44 protruding from the upper surface 411 of the main body of the top plate 41. The handle portion 45 may also be included in the protruding portion 44. This makes it easier for the user to hold the cover member 4 by hand and to handle the cover member 4.

[0036] The cover member 4 has a tray movement restricting portion 46. The tray movement restricting portion 46 is a portion that protrudes downward from the lower surface 412 of the top plate 41 of the cover member 4.

[0037] In the first embodiment, the tray movement restricting portion 46 is formed by a rib that protrudes downward from the lower surface 412 of the top plate 41. The tray movement restricting portion 46 extends in the first direction D1. The cover member 4 has a plurality of tray movement restricting portions 46. In the first embodiment, the cover member 4 has three tray movement restricting portions 46 from one end to the center in the second direction D2, and a total of six tray movement restricting portions 46 along the entire length from one end to the other in the second direction D2.

[0038] Each tray movement restricting section 46 has a short rib 461, a long rib 462, and another short rib 461 in order from either end in the first direction D1. The short rib 461 is a rib with a relatively short protrusion length from the lower surface 412 of the top plate 41 (its lower end is located relatively upward), and the long rib 462 is a rib with a relatively long protrusion length from the lower surface 412 of the top plate 41 (its lower end is located relatively downward). In a plan view, the short rib 461 is provided at a position corresponding to the raised portion 32 of the uppermost tray 3A stored in the container 1. In a plan view, the long rib 462 is provided at a position corresponding to the upper surface 311 of the bottom plate 31 of the uppermost tray 3A stored in the container 1. The short rib 461 and the long rib 462 are continuous in the first direction D1. In addition, a notch 463 is formed in the long rib 462 at its center in the first direction D1.

[0039] As shown in Figure 7, the container 1 is constructed by placing stacked trays 3A to 3C on the upper surface 21 of the plate body 20 of the base plate 2 and attaching the cover member 4 to the base plate 2. At this time, the vertical length of the gap G1 between the bottom plate 31B of the uppermost tray 3B of the multi-tiered tray 3 and the bottom plate 31C of the lower tray 3C directly below the uppermost tray 3B is shorter than the vertical length of the gap G2 between the bottom plate 31A of the topmost tray 3A of the multi-tiered tray 3 and the lower surface 412 of the top plate 41 of the cover member 4. In other words, by forming a longer vertical length of the gap G1 between the cover member 4 and the topmost tray 3A, it is less likely that the contents stored in the topmost tray 3A will pile up and prevent the cover member 4 from being attached to the base plate 2.

[0040] As shown in Figure 7, the long rib 462 is positioned inside the raised portion 32 of the uppermost tray 3A and above the upper surface 311 of the bottom plate 31A. In the height direction, the lower end of the long rib 462 is lower than the upper surface (upper end) of the raised portion 32, and further lower than half the height of the upper surface (upper end) of the raised portion 32 from the upper surface 311 of the bottom plate 31. Also, as shown in Figures 6 and 7, the short rib 461 is positioned above the upper surface of the raised portion 32 of the uppermost tray 3A. The vertical length of the gap between the lower end of the long rib 462 and the upper surface 311 of the bottom plate 31A of the uppermost tray 3A is shorter than the gap G1. Also, the vertical length of the gap between the lower end of the short rib 461 and the upper surface of the raised portion 32 of the uppermost tray 3A is shorter than the gap G1.

[0041] In this way, because the cover member 4 is provided with a tray movement restricting section 46, even if the uppermost tray 3A stored in the container 1 lifts up, the raised portion 32 of the uppermost tray 3A contacts the short rib 461 of the tray movement restricting section 46, suppressing the lifting of the tray 3 and preventing the positions of trays 3A to 3C from shifting. In addition, the long rib 462 of the tray movement restricting section 46 suppresses the lifting of the contents stored in the uppermost tray 3A.

[0042] Furthermore, by having at least two or more tray movement restricting portions 46 on the cover member 4 from one end to the center in the second direction D2, the lifting of the tray 3 can be further suppressed.

[0043] Furthermore, the items stored in the lower trays 3B and 3C are prevented from lifting significantly by the lower surface 312 of the bottom plate 31 of the trays 3A and 3B directly above them.

[0044] Furthermore, the base plate 2 is securely connected to the cover member 4 by the base plate side fitting portion 25, and the tray 3 can be positioned by the base plate side positioning portion 26.

[0045] Furthermore, in the case of tray 3, positioning relative to the base plate 2 can be performed by the tray-side positioning unit 38.

[0046] Furthermore, the cover member 4 can be securely connected to the base plate 2 by the cover member side fitting portion 43.

[0047] <Storage unit, outer container> As shown in Figure 8, the storage unit 5 comprises the container 1 described above and an outer container 6 that houses the container 1, with multiple layers of outer containers 6 stacked on top of each other. The uppermost outer container 6A of the stacked outer containers 6 has an outer container body 61 and an outer container lid 62.

[0048] The outer container body 61 has an outer container opening 60 at its upper end. The outer container body 61 is composed of a housing that opens upward. In the first embodiment, the outer container body 61 is a housing that opens upward and has a rectangular shape in plan view.

[0049] The outer container lid 62 is placed on the upper end of the outer container body 61 and closes the outer container opening 60. In the first embodiment, the outer container lid 62 has a top plate 621 and is placed over the upper end of the outer container body 61.

[0050] Of the stacked outer containers 6, all outer containers 6 except the top outer container 6A (i.e., the lower outer containers 6B) have an outer container body 61 but no outer container lid 62, and only have an outer container body 61. The outer container opening 60 of the lower outer container 6B is closed by the outer container 6 directly above the lower outer container 6B (i.e., the upper outer container 6A).

[0051] By configuring the storage unit 5 in this way, the contents placed on the tray 3 can be stored in the container 1 and the outer container 6, preventing the contents from collapsing.

[0052] The vertical length of the gap G4 between the bottom plate 611A of the uppermost outer container 6A in the stacked outer containers 6 and the top plate 41 of the cover member 4 of the container 1B stored in the lower outer container 6B directly below the upper outer container 6A is shorter than the vertical length of the gap G3 between the bottom surface of the outer container lid 62 and the top plate 41 of the cover member 4 of the container 1A stored in the uppermost outer container 6A. In other words, by forming a longer vertical length of the gap G3 between the bottom surface of the outer container lid 62 and the top plate 41 of the cover member 4 of the container 1A stored in the uppermost outer container 6A, it is less likely that the outer container lid 62 will not be able to be attached to the outer container body 61 of the uppermost outer container 6A.

[0053] A container movement restricting portion 63 is provided on the lower surface of the outer container lid 62, protruding downward. Because the outer container lid 62 is provided with the container movement restricting portion 63, even if the container 1 housed in the uppermost outer container 6A lifts up, it will come into contact with the container movement restricting portion 63, suppressing the lifting of the container 1 and preventing the position of the container 1 housed in the outer container 6 from shifting.

[0054] The storage unit 5 described above consists of multiple stacked outer container bodies 61 and one outer container lid 62 placed on the uppermost outer container body 61. Alternatively, the storage unit 5 may be constructed by stacking multiple outer containers 6, each consisting of an outer container body 61 and an outer container lid 62, in multiple layers.

[0055] (Second Embodiment) Hereinafter, a second embodiment of the container 1 according to this disclosure will be described with reference to Figures 9 and 10. The second embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that a contamination prevention rib 39 is formed on the lower surface 312 of the tray 3. As shown in Figure 9, in a view from below, the contamination prevention rib 39 is formed on the outer peripheral edge of the recess 33 on the lower surface 312 of the tray 3. In a view from below, the contamination prevention rib 39 is formed in a rectangular annular shape. More specifically, the contamination prevention rib 39 protrudes downward from the base end of the flange portion 34 (the boundary between the raised portion 32 and the flange portion 34). The lower end of the contamination prevention rib 39 protrudes below the lower surface 312 of the bottom plate 31. The lower end of the contamination prevention rib 39 may be at the same height as the lower surface 312 of the base plate 31, or it may be above the lower surface 312 of the base plate 31 (in other words, the lower surface 312 of the base plate 31 may protrude below the lower end of the contamination prevention rib 39).

[0056] In the stacked trays 3A and 3B, the lower end of the contamination prevention rib 39 of the upper tray 3A is located below the upper surface of the raised portion 32 of the lower tray 3B. As a result, when the stacked trays 3A and 3B are viewed from the side, the contamination prevention rib 39 of the upper tray 3A overlaps with the raised portion 32 of the lower tray 3B, so that the area inside the raised portion 32 is not visible.

[0057] Furthermore, the gap G5 (outer gap G5) is defined as the space between the inward-facing surface 391 of the contamination prevention rib 39 of the upper tray 3A and the outward-facing surface 321 of the raised portion 32 of the lower tray 3B. Also, the gap G6 (inner gap G6) is defined as the space between the outward-facing surface 331 of the recess 33 of the upper tray 3A and the inward-facing surface 332 of the recess 33 of the lower tray 3B. In this case, the gap G5 is smaller than the gap G6 (gap G5 < gap G6). In this case, when the upper tray 3A and the lower tray 3B are misaligned laterally relative to each other, the surface 391 of the contamination prevention rib 39 of the upper tray 3A and the surface 321 of the raised portion 32 of the lower tray 3B come into contact with the surface 331 of the recess 33 of the upper tray 3A and the surface 332 of the recess 33 of the lower tray 3B, respectively, on either side of the first direction D1. As a result, lateral misalignment is suppressed compared to the case where the gap G5 ≥ the gap G6. Furthermore, by making the outer gap G5 smaller than the inner gap G6, so that the inward-facing surface 391 of the contamination prevention rib 39 and the outward-facing surface 321 of the raised portion 32 come into contact first, even if trays 3A and 3B come into contact with each other and cause scraping when stacked, the outer surface of the raised portion 32 of trays 3A and 3B will come into contact first, thus preventing scraping dust from passing over the raised portion 32 and entering the trays 3A and 3B.

[0058] Furthermore, the tray 3 in the second embodiment is the same as the tray 3 in the first embodiment in that it has a bottom plate 31, a raised portion 32, a recess 33, a flange portion 34, and a rib 35. However, the tray 3 in the second embodiment differs from the tray 3 in the first embodiment in that it does not have a positioning rib 36, a positioning recess 37, and a tray-side positioning portion 38.

[0059] In addition, the tray 3 in the second embodiment (i.e., the tray 3 having the contamination prevention rib 39) may also have a positioning rib 36 and a positioning recess 37.

[0060] <Variation> The plate body 20 does not have to be rectangular in plan view, and its shape is not limited. The upper surface 21 of the plate body 20 does not have to be flat. The ribs 23 formed on the lower surface 22 of the plate body 20 do not have to be grid-like in plan view, and the ribs 23 do not have to be formed on the lower surface 22 of the plate body 20.

[0061] The base plate side fitting portion 25 does not have to be a rib formed on the plate body 20. The size, shape, number, position, etc. of the base plate side fitting portion 25 are not particularly limited.

[0062] The size, shape, number, and position of the legs 24 formed on the base plate 2 are not particularly limited. Furthermore, the base plate 2 does not need to have legs 24.

[0063] Tray 3 is preferably made of resin, but is not limited to resin. If tray 3 is made of resin, it is formed by an appropriate molding method such as injection molding or vacuum forming.

[0064] The tray 3 does not have to be rectangular in plan view, and its shape is not limited. The upper surface 311 of the bottom plate 31 of the tray 3 does not have to be a flat surface. The shape of the raised portion 32 is not limited. The tray 3 does not have to have the raised portion 32. The tray 3 does not have to have the flange portion 34, rib 35, positioning rib 36, and positioning recess 37. Furthermore, if the tray 3 is provided with the positioning rib 36 and positioning recess 37, the position where the positioning rib 36 and positioning recess 37 are provided is not limited to the corners of the tray 3, but may be in the middle of the side of the tray 3 (the middle part between both ends (parts corresponding to the corners) on the side of the tray 3, such as the center between both ends or the part between one end and the center), and is not particularly limited. Also, the size, shape, number, etc. of the positioning rib 36 and positioning recess 37 are not limited.

[0065] The base plate-side positioning portion 26 and the tray-side positioning portion 38 do not necessarily have to be in a form in which projections are inserted into holes. The tray-side positioning portion 38 may not be formed on the flange portion 34 but on the bottom plate 31. The position in which the tray-side positioning portion 38 is formed on the tray 3 is not particularly limited. The base plate-side positioning portion 26 may be provided at two locations on one side of the base plate 2 in the first direction D1 or the second direction D2, and the tray-side positioning portion 38 may be provided at two locations on one side of the tray 3 in the first direction D1 or the second direction D2, corresponding to the base plate-side positioning portion 26. This makes it possible to reliably recognize whether the trays 3 can be stacked on the base plate 2 or not.

[0066] The shape, size, and number of the base plate-side positioning section 26 and the tray-side positioning section 38 are not limited.

[0067] The cover member 4 (especially the top plate 41) does not have to be rectangular in plan view, and its shape is not limited. The upper surface 411 of the top plate 41 of the cover member 4 does not have to be a flat surface. The cover member 4 does not have to be made of transparent resin. The cover member side fitting portion 43 does not have to be composed of a flange portion 431 and a covering portion 432. Also, the base plate side fitting portion 25 and the cover member side fitting portion 43 may be configured such that the cover member side fitting portion 43 is fitted inside the base plate side fitting portion 25. Furthermore, the base plate 2 and the cover member 4 may be connected to each other by locking or other methods or means, rather than by fitting.

[0068] For example, a groove opening upward with the circumferential direction as the longitudinal direction may be formed at the peripheral end of the base plate 2 to constitute the base plate side fitting portion 25, and the lower end of the side wall portion 42 may constitute the cover member side fitting portion 43, in which the cover member side fitting portion 43 may be fitted into the base plate side fitting portion 25 from above. In this case, it is even more preferable to provide a further groove within the groove that becomes the base plate side fitting portion 25, to house a packing in this further groove, and to interpose the packing between the base plate 2 and the cover member 4.

[0069] Alternatively, in a plan view, an L-shaped wall portion may be erected at the corner of the base plate 2 to form the base plate side fitting portion 25, and the lower end of the side wall portion 42 may form the cover member side fitting portion 43, with the cover member side fitting portion 43 being fitted into the interior of the wall portion of the base plate side fitting portion 25 from above.

[0070] The shape, size, position, and number of the protrusions 44 are not limited. The protrusions 44 may be formed along the entire length or part of the peripheral edge of the top plate 41 of the cover member 4 in a plan view. Furthermore, the protrusions 44 do not have to be formed on the cover member 4.

[0071] The height at which the handle portion 45 protrudes from the upper surface 411 of the main body portion of the top plate 41 may be higher or lower than the height at which the protruding portion 44 protrudes from the upper surface 411 of the main body portion of the top plate 41. Furthermore, the cover member 4 does not have to have the protruding portion 44 and the handle portion 45. Also, the handle portion 45 may have a through-hole that penetrates horizontally, so that a finger can be inserted into the through-hole and the upper end of the handle portion 45 can be gripped by hand. Alternatively, the handle portion 45 may be formed in a form in which a part of the protruding portion 44 has a through-hole that penetrates inward and outward in a plan view. Furthermore, the handle portion 45 may be formed by recessing a part of the cover member 4.

[0072] The tray movement restricting portion 46 does not necessarily have to be formed by ribs. For example, a portion of the top plate 41 may be recessed downwards to form the tray movement restricting portion 46. The size, shape, number, position, etc., of the tray movement restricting portion 46 are not particularly limited. It is preferable that the cover member 4 has at least two or more tray movement restricting portions 46 from either end to the center in the second direction D2.

[0073] The trays 3 of the multi-tiered trays 3 may be configured such that no items are placed on the top tray 3A, while items are placed on the other trays 3. This allows the top tray 3A to function as a dummy tray with a lid, and lids to be placed directly above all the trays 3.

[0074] Instead of attaching a separate container movement restricting section 63 to the lower surface of the outer container lid 62, the container movement restricting section 63 may be formed by recessing a part of the outer container lid 62 downwards, thereby creating a container movement restricting section 63 that is integrated with the body of the outer container lid 62.

[0075] When storing and transporting container 1 and outer container 6, they may be in their used state, or each component, namely the base plate 2, tray 3, cover member 4, outer container body 61, and outer container lid 62, may be nested. However, when the cover member 4 is nested, because the side wall portion 42 of the cover member 4 is long and the interior is deep, the lower cover member 4 that is fitted into the upper cover member 4 may become difficult to remove. For this reason, a contact portion consisting of a rib or the like may be provided on a part of the outer or inner surface of the side wall portion 42 of the cover member 4, so that the lower end of the cover member 4 that is placed on top of it comes into contact with it and restricts the downward movement of the upper cover member 4.

[0076] <Summary> As is clear from the embodiments and their modifications described above, the container 1 of the first embodiment comprises a base plate 2, a tray 3, and a cover member 4. The tray 3 is placed on the upper surface 21 of the base plate 2 in a predetermined number of layers, either one or multiple layers stacked. The cover member 4 is attached to the base plate 2 and covers the upper surface 21 of the base plate 2 and the tray 3. A tray movement restricting portion 46 is provided that protrudes downward from the lower surface 412 of the top plate 41 of the cover member 4.

[0077] According to the first embodiment, even if the tray 3 stored in the container 1 floats up, the tray 3 comes into contact with the tray movement restricting part 46, suppressing the further floating of the tray 3 and preventing the tray 3 from shifting position. In addition, the contents stored in the trays 3 (3B, 3C) are prevented from floating up by the lower surface 312 of the bottom plate 31 of the tray 3 (3A, 3B) directly above them.

[0078] The second embodiment is realized by combining it with the first embodiment. In the second embodiment, the container 1 has multiple stacked trays 3. The vertical length of the gap G1 between the bottom plate 31B of the uppermost tray 3B of the multiple stacked trays 3 and the bottom plate 31C of the lower tray 3C directly below the uppermost tray 3B is shorter than the vertical length of the gap G2 between the bottom plate 31A of the topmost tray 3A of the multiple stacked trays 3 and the lower surface 412 of the top plate 41 of the cover member 4.

[0079] According to the second embodiment, it is less likely that the contents stored in the tray 3 will pile up, preventing the cover member 4 from being attached to the base plate 2.

[0080] The third embodiment is realized by combining it with the first or second embodiment. In the third embodiment, the cover member 4 is provided with a handle portion 45.

[0081] According to the third embodiment, the user can easily hold the cover member 4 in their hand and handle the cover member 4.

[0082] The fourth embodiment is realized by combining it with any of the first to third embodiments. In the fourth embodiment, a first direction D1 and a second direction D2 perpendicular to the first direction D1 are defined in plan view. The cover member 4 has a plurality of tray movement restricting portions 46 extending in the first direction D1. The cover member 4 has at least two or more tray movement restricting portions 46 from one end to the center in the second direction D2.

[0083] According to the fourth embodiment, the lifting of the tray 3 is further suppressed.

[0084] The base plate 2 of the fifth embodiment is a base plate 2 used in a container 1 comprising a base plate 2, a tray 3, and a cover member 4. The tray 3 is placed on the upper surface 21 of the base plate 2 in a predetermined number of layers, either one or multiple layers stacked. The cover member 4 is attached to the base plate 2 and covers the upper surface 21 of the base plate 2 and the tray 3, and is provided with a tray movement restricting portion 46 that protrudes downward from the lower surface 412 of the top plate 41. The base plate 2 has a base plate side fitting portion 25 that fits with the cover member 4, and a base plate side positioning portion 26 for positioning relative to the tray 3.

[0085] According to the fifth embodiment, the base plate side fitting portion 25 ensures secure connection with the cover member 4, and the base plate side positioning portion 26 allows for positioning of the tray 3.

[0086] The tray 3 of the sixth embodiment is a tray 3 used in a container 1 comprising a base plate 2, a tray 3, and a cover member 4. The tray 3 is placed on the upper surface 21 of the base plate 2 in a predetermined number of layers, either one or multiple layers stacked. The cover member 4 is attached to the base plate 2 and covers the upper surface 21 of the base plate 2 and the tray 3, and is provided with a tray movement restricting portion 46 that protrudes downward from the lower surface 412 of the top plate 41. The tray 3 has a tray-side positioning portion 38 for positioning relative to the base plate 2.

[0087] According to the sixth embodiment, the tray-side positioning unit 38 can be used to position the tray relative to the base plate 2.

[0088] The seventh embodiment of the cover member 4 is a cover member 4 used in a container 1 comprising a base plate 2, a tray 3, and the cover member 4. The tray 3 is placed on the upper surface 21 of the base plate 2 in a predetermined number of layers, either one or multiple layers stacked. The cover member 4 is attached to the base plate 2 and covers the upper surface 21 of the base plate 2 and the tray 3. A tray movement restricting portion 46 is provided that protrudes downward from the lower surface 412 of the top plate 41 of the cover member 4. The cover member 4 has a cover member side fitting portion 43 that fits into the base plate 2.

[0089] According to the seventh embodiment, the connection with the base plate 2 can be ensured by the fitting portion 43 on the cover member side.

[0090] The storage unit 5 of the eighth embodiment comprises a container 1 as described in any of the first to fourth embodiments, and an outer container 6 that houses the container 1, with multiple layers of outer containers 6 stacked on top of each other. The uppermost outer container 6A of the stacked outer containers 6 has an outer container body 61 having an outer container opening 60 at its upper end, and an outer container lid 62 that is placed on the upper end of the outer container body 61 and closes the outer container opening 60. The outer containers 6 of the stacked outer containers 6, excluding the uppermost outer container 6A, have an outer container body 61 but no outer container lid 62, and their outer container openings 60 are closed by the outer container 6 directly above them.

[0091] According to the eighth aspect, the contents placed on the tray 3 can be stored in the container 1 and the outer container 6, preventing the contents from collapsing.

[0092] The ninth embodiment is realized by combining it with the eighth embodiment. In the ninth embodiment, the vertical length of the gap G4 between the bottom plate 611A of the uppermost outer container 6A of the stacked outer containers 6 and the top plate 41 of the cover member 4 of the container 1B housed in the lower outer container 6B directly below the uppermost outer container 6A is shorter than the vertical length of the gap G3 between the lower surface of the outer container lid 62 and the top plate 41 of the cover member 4 of the container 1A housed in the uppermost outer container 6A. A container movement restricting portion 63 is provided that protrudes downward from the lower surface of the outer container lid 62.

[0093] According to the ninth aspect, even if the container 1 housed in the uppermost outer container 6A floats up, it comes into contact with the container movement restricting part 63, suppressing the floating of the container 1 and preventing the position of the container 1 housed in the outer container 6 from shifting.

[0094] The container 1 of the tenth embodiment comprises a base plate 2, a predetermined number of trays 3 stacked in multiple layers and placed on the upper surface 21 of the base plate 2, and a cover member 4 attached to the base plate 2 and covering the upper surface 21 of the base plate 2 and the trays 3. The uppermost tray 3A of the multiple layers of trays 3 is empty. The trays 3 other than the uppermost tray 3A of the multiple layers of trays 3 are filled with contents. A tray movement restricting portion 46 is provided that protrudes downward from the lower surface 412 of the top plate 41 of the cover member 4.

[0095] According to the tenth embodiment, the uppermost tray 3A is made to function as a lid by using a dummy tray, and lids can be provided directly above all trays 3. [Explanation of symbols]

[0096] 1, 1A, 1B container 2 Base Plate 21 Top side 22 Bottom side 25 Base plate side fitting part 26 Base plate side positioning section 3, 3A~3C Tray 31, 31A~31C bottom plate 38 Tray-side positioning section 39 Contamination prevention ribs 4 Cover component 41 Top plate 411 Top surface 412 Bottom surface 43 Cover member side fitting portion 45 Handle 46 Tray movement restriction section 5 Storage Units 6, 6A, 6B Lower outer container 60 Outer container opening 61 Outer container body 611, 611A bottom plate 62 Outer container lid 621 Top plate 63 Container Movement Regulation Department D1 1st direction D2 2nd direction G1-G6 gap

Claims

1. A container comprising a base plate, a tray placed on the top surface of the base plate in a predetermined number of layers, either one or multiple layers stacked, and a cover member attached to the base plate to cover the top surface of the base plate and the tray, A container characterized in that a tray movement restricting portion is provided that protrudes downward from the underside of the top plate of the cover member.

2. The container has multiple trays stacked on top of each other. The container according to claim 1, characterized in that the vertical length of the gap between the bottom plate of the uppermost tray among the multiple trays and the bottom plate of the lower tray directly below the uppermost tray is shorter than the vertical length of the gap between the bottom plate of the topmost tray among the multiple trays and the lower surface of the top plate of the cover member.

3. The container according to claim 1, characterized in that the cover member is provided with a handle.

4. In a plan view, a first direction and a second direction perpendicular to the first direction are defined. The cover member has a plurality of tray movement restricting portions extending in the first direction, The container according to claim 1, characterized in that the cover member has at least two or more tray movement restricting portions from one end to the central portion in the second direction.

5. A base plate used in a container comprising: a base plate; a tray placed on the upper surface of the base plate in a predetermined number of layers, consisting of one or multiple stacked layers; and a cover member attached to the base plate, covering the upper surface of the base plate and the tray, and provided with a tray movement restricting portion that protrudes downward from the lower surface of the top plate, A base plate characterized by having a base plate side fitting portion that engages with the cover member, and a base plate side positioning portion that positions the base plate relative to the tray.

6. A tray used in a container comprising: a base plate; a tray placed on the upper surface of the base plate in a predetermined number of layers, consisting of one or multiple stacked layers; and a cover member attached to the base plate, covering the upper surface of the base plate and the tray, and having a tray movement restricting portion that protrudes downward from the lower surface of the top plate, A tray characterized by having a tray-side positioning portion for positioning relative to the base plate.

7. A cover member used in a container comprising a base plate, a tray placed on the upper surface of the base plate in a predetermined number of layers, consisting of one or multiple stacked layers, and a cover member attached to the base plate to cover the upper surface of the base plate and the tray, A cover member characterized in that it is provided with a tray movement restricting portion that protrudes downward from the lower surface of the top plate of the cover member, and has a cover member side fitting portion that fits with the base plate.

8. A storage unit comprising a container according to any one of claims 1 to 4, and an outer container housing the container, wherein multiple layers of the outer containers are stacked, The uppermost outer container among the stacked outer containers has an outer container body having an outer container opening at its upper end, and an outer container lid that is placed on the upper end of the outer container body and closes the outer container opening. A storage unit characterized in that, among the stacked outer containers, all outer containers except the uppermost outer container have an outer container body but no outer container lid, and the outer container opening is closed by the outer container directly above it.

9. The vertical length of the gap between the bottom plate of the uppermost outer container in the stacked outer containers and the top plate of the cover member of the container housed in the lower outer container directly below the uppermost outer container is shorter than the vertical length of the gap between the bottom surface of the outer container lid and the top plate of the cover member of the container housed in the uppermost outer container. The storage unit according to claim 8, characterized in that a container movement restricting portion is provided that protrudes downward from the lower surface of the outer container lid.

10. A container comprising a base plate, a tray placed on the top surface of the base plate in a predetermined number of stacked layers, and a cover member attached to the base plate to cover the top surface of the base plate and the tray, The top tray of the aforementioned multi-tiered trays does not have any items placed on it. Items are placed on all of the trays in the aforementioned multi-tiered trays, except for the top tray. A container characterized in that a tray movement restricting portion is provided that protrudes downward from the underside of the top plate of the cover member.

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