Transport containers

Abstract

This invention provides transport containers used for the transportation and display of food products, achieving both stability during transport and cost reduction. [Solution] A transport container 1 consisting of a container 10 and a tray 20, wherein the container is composed of a bottom plate 11 and side walls 12 rising from the periphery of the bottom plate, and the inner dimensions L in the long and short directions of the bottom plate 10 and W 10 The tray is set to a predetermined size, and the tray consists of multiple trays 20A, 20B, and 20C whose outer dimensions in the long and short directions are integer divisions of the inner dimensions of the container. By combining and arranging multiple trays inside the container, a transport container is created that is stored virtually without any gaps inside the container. This provides multifaceted effects that could not be obtained with conventional technology, such as increased efficiency in food transport, reduced labor in store operations, preservation of contents quality, and improved hygiene.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] This invention relates to a transport container used for transporting and displaying food products, and more particularly to a transport container that fits into standardized containers and allows for efficient storage by combining multiple types of trays. [Background technology]

[0002] In the logistics process of the food industry, standardized plastic containers (hereinafter referred to as "standard containers") are widely used from food factories to retail stores. These standard containers have uniform dimensions based on standards set by organizations such as the Food Crate Standardization Council, and serve as the foundation for the efficient transport, storage, and display of food products.

[0003] On the other hand, the trays stored in these standard containers are mostly general-purpose foam trays primarily intended for store displays and are not specifically shaped to fit the internal dimensions of the container. As a result, dead space is created when the trays are stored inside the container, reducing transport efficiency, and there are issues such as the trays moving around inside the container, causing the contents to collapse or the appearance of the products to be compromised.

[0004] Furthermore, prior art has proposed a structure that allows trays to be inverted 180° and stacked inside a container (a so-called inverted stack tray) (for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Utility Model Registration No. 3249492 Gazette [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0006] As mentioned earlier, conventional trays were primarily designed for display purposes in stores and often did not fit the internal dimensions of standard containers used for food transport. As a result, dead space was created inside the container, reducing transport efficiency, and there were also issues with maintaining quality, such as the trays shifting during transport and the contents collapsing.

[0007] Furthermore, in structures that incorporate stacking functionality, such as conventional invertable stacking trays, the ribs become larger, reducing the internal volume, which increases costs and leaves room for further improvement in terms of versatility.

[0008] This invention has been made in view of the problems of the background technology described above, and aims to provide a transport container that can store items virtually without gaps inside a container by designing multiple types of trays for the internal dimensions of a standardized container and arranging these trays in combination. Furthermore, this invention aims to achieve both stability during transportation and cost reduction, enabling a consistent process from transportation at food factories to display and sale at stores. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] To achieve the above-mentioned objectives, the present invention provides a transport container as described in (1) to (10) below. (1) A transport container comprising a tray stored inside the container and the container itself, The container is composed of a rectangular base plate and side walls rising from the periphery of the base plate, and the internal dimensions of the base plate in the long and short directions are set to predetermined dimensions. The tray has external dimensions in the long and short directions that are integer divisions of the internal dimensions of the container, A transport container characterized in that the trays are arranged in combination within the container so that they are stored within the container with virtually no gaps. (2) The tray is similar in shape to the shape of the bottom plate of the container when viewed from above, and the tray is formed by dividing the area of ​​the bottom plate of the container into four parts, A tray obtained by dividing the area of ​​the container's bottom plate into two, wherein one length is the same as the length of the short or long side of the four divided tray, and the other length is twice the length of the short or long side of the four divided tray, and The container's base plate has at least three different sizes, including trays that divide the area of ​​the container's base plate into eight sections, where one length is the same as the length of the short or long side of the four divided trays, and the other length is half the length of the short or long side of the four divided trays. The transport container described in (1) above, which is arranged so that these trays are stored in the container with virtually no gaps between them. (3) The transport container according to (1) or (2) above, wherein at least one of the four corners of the tray is provided with a notch, and the tray can be removed from the container using the notch. (4) The transport container according to any one of (1) to (3) above, wherein the tray has a flange portion extending outward from an opening at the upper edge of the side wall of the tray, and the side wall of the tray is provided with reinforcing ribs extending from the bottom surface toward the flange portion, and the width of the reinforcing ribs is formed to be larger on the bottom surface side and smaller on the flange portion side. (5) A transport container according to any of (1) to (4) above, wherein the height of the trays is standardized and the trays are stacked in multiple layers within the container. (6) The transport container according to (5) above, wherein partition boards are interposed between the trays stacked in multiple layers. (7) A transport container according to any of (1) to (6) above, wherein the height and taper angle of the trays are standardized, and trays of different sizes can be stacked together. (8) A transport container according to any of (1) to (7) above, wherein the length in the long side direction of the inner dimensions of the bottom plate of the container is 300 mm or more and 800 mm or less, and the length in the short side direction is 200 mm or more and 600 mm or less. (9) A transport container according to any one of (1) to (8) above, wherein the ratio of the sum of the outer dimensions of the trays stored in the container corresponding to the long side direction of the container to the inner dimensions of the bottom plate of the container in the long side direction of the container is 0.90 or more and 1.00 or less. (10) A transport container according to any one of (1) to (9) above, wherein the ratio of the sum of the outer dimensions of the trays stored in the container corresponding to the short side direction of the container to the inner dimensions of the bottom plate of the container in the short side direction of the container is 0.95 or more and 1.00 or less. [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] According to this invention, the container is configured to store multiple types of trays with external dimensions obtained by dividing the internal dimensions of the container into integer parts [as described in (1) and (2) above]. As a result, the sum of the external dimensions of the trays is approximately equal to the internal dimensions of the container, allowing the container to be filled virtually without any gaps. Consequently, dead space that occurred during transport can be significantly reduced, and the loading efficiency per container can be improved. Furthermore, because multiple trays of the appropriate dimensions are securely fixed within the container, the trays do not move around during transport, preventing the contents from losing their shape or becoming deformed. This is particularly effective in maintaining the quality of easily damaged foods such as prepared foods and meat, and also contributes to improving the appearance quality when displayed in stores.

[0011] Furthermore, the configuration with notches at the corners of the tray [as described in (3) above] allows the tray to be easily lifted by hooking the fingertips into the notches, even when the trays are tightly packed in multiple layers within the container. As a result, tray removal can be performed quickly and safely in food factories, logistics centers, and stores, significantly improving work efficiency.

[0012] Furthermore, by providing reinforcing ribs on the tray sidewall that extend from the bottom surface toward the flange portion [as described in (4) above], deflection and cracking, which are characteristic of thin-walled trays, can be effectively suppressed. By making the ribs wider on the bottom side and gradually decreasing toward the top [as described in (4) above], the necessary rigidity can be ensured while making the ribs less conspicuous.

[0013] Furthermore, by standardizing the tray height and taper angle, and enabling stacking of trays of different sizes [as described in (5) and (7) above], storage space when not in use is reduced, and stacking within a container becomes possible, simultaneously improving both transport and storage efficiency.

[0014] Furthermore, by setting the trays of this invention in at least three different dimensions [as described in (2) above], more than 10 different arrangement patterns can be realized by combining various trays. This allows for flexible layout changes to suit the size, quantity, and display style of food products, resulting in a high degree of operational flexibility on-site.

[0015] As described above, this invention combines a simple yet rational tray dimensional form based on the internal dimensions of a standard container with a reinforcing structure, a retrieval structure, and a common stacking structure, resulting in unprecedented superior effects in terms of transport efficiency, workability, and hygiene. It is particularly practical in the food distribution sector, and further applications in other fields such as parts transport and pharmaceutical containers can be expected. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0016] [Figure 1] This is a plan view showing one embodiment of a transport container according to the present invention. [Figure 2] This is a cross-sectional view of the portion along line XX in Figure 1. [Figure 3] This is a conceptual plan view showing the shape relationships between containers and various trays. [Figure 4] This is a conceptual plan view showing the storage configuration of various trays in a container. [Figure 5] This figure shows one embodiment of the tray used in the present invention, where (a) is a top view, (b) is a side view, and (c) is a front view. [Figure 6] The figure shows another embodiment of the tray used in the present invention, where (a) is a top view, (b) is a side view, and (c) is a front view. [Figure 7] The figure shows yet another embodiment of the tray used in the present invention, where (a) is a top view, (b) is a side view, and (c) is a front view. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0017] The embodiments of the transport container according to the present invention will be described in detail below.

[0018] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the transport container 1 of the present invention consists of a container 10 set to a predetermined size and a plurality of types of trays 20 that are stored together inside the container 10.

[0019] The container 10 comprises a rectangular base plate 11 and side walls 12 rising from the periphery of the base plate 11. Preferably, the side walls 12 are tapered upwards to accommodate the storage of trays 20 and to allow for stacking of containers. In addition, the upper end of the side wall 12 is provided with an outwardly extending flange portion 13 that serves as a handle and also provides reinforcement.

[0020] The internal dimensions of container 10 are defined by the length L of the long side of the bottom plate 11. 10 and the length in the short side direction W 10 It is determined by. Length L in the direction of the longer side 10 The length is preferably set to 300 mm or more and 800 mm or less, more preferably 350 mm or more and 650 mm or less, and particularly preferably 400 mm or more and 550 mm or less. Short side length W 10 The length is preferably set to 200 mm or more and 600 mm or less, more preferably 250 mm or more and 500 mm or less, and particularly preferably 300 mm or more and 450 mm or less. In the illustrated embodiment, the inner dimensions of the container 10 are such that the length L in the long side direction 10 is 490 mm, and the length W in the short side direction 10 is 400 mm.

[0021] The effective height H of the container 10 (the effective height of the side wall 12) 10 is preferably set to be 80 mm or more and 200 mm or less, more preferably 85 mm or more and 160 mm or less, and particularly preferably 90 mm or more and 140 mm or less. The taper angle α of the side wall 12 10 is preferably set to be 2° or more and 8° or less, more preferably 2.5° or more and 6° or less, and particularly preferably 3° or more and 5.5° or less. In the illustrated embodiment, the effective height H of the container 10 10 is 126 mm, and the taper angle α of the side wall 12 10 is 4.56°.

[0022] In the present invention, the container 10 used can be a so-called standard container compliant with the food crate standardization specifications determined by the Logistics Crate Standardization Council. The standard container is composed of a square bottom plate and side walls erected from the periphery of the bottom plate, and has strength and hygiene suitable for the transportation and storage of food. Further, it is formed from a resin material compatible with food contact, has impact resistance, durability, resistance to temperature changes, etc., and the inner surface is shaped to be smooth or have drain holes to facilitate cleaning work. Furthermore, there are various types of standard containers, such as those with ventilation holes or a sealed structure according to the application, such as for fresh food or processed food. In the present invention, any square container having a bottom plate and side walls and having the inner dimensions of the above-mentioned predetermined dimensions can be applied. Particularly preferably, the II - type deep standard container most commonly used in the food logistics process is used. The container 10 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 conceptually shows this II - type deep standard container.

[0023] In this invention, the container 10 is configured to store multiple types of trays 20A, 20B, 20C, etc., each having an outer dimension obtained by dividing the inner dimension of the container 10 into integer parts. For example, as shown in Figure 3, each tray 20A, 20B, and 20C has external dimensions in the long and short directions that correspond to the internal dimensions L of the container 10, respectively. 10 ,W 10 The length L in the long side direction is the dimension obtained by dividing by an integer. 20A ,L 20B ,L 20C and the length in the short side direction W 20A ,W 20B ,W 20C It holds. Furthermore, if the tray has a notch as described later, the external dimensions in the long and short sides shall be those that avoid the notch. In addition, the trays, which are sized by dividing the internal dimensions of the container into integer parts, are preferably divided into shapes that are closest to the shape of the bottom plate when viewed from above of the container 10, from the viewpoint of handling and other factors. For example, if the tray is divided into two parts, the length in the long side direction of the container 10 shall be divided into two parts; if the tray is divided into three parts, the length in the long side direction of the container 10 shall be divided into three parts; and if the tray is divided into four parts, it is preferable to divide the length in the long side direction of the container 10 into two parts and the length in the short side direction of the container 10 into two parts. Furthermore, the trays are similar in shape to the shape of the bottom plate of the container when viewed from above, and there are at least three types: a tray that divides the area of ​​the container's bottom plate into four parts; a tray that divides the area of ​​the container's bottom plate into two parts, with one length being the same as the length of the short or long side of the four divided tray and the other length being twice the length of the short or long side of the four divided tray; and a tray that divides the area of ​​the container's bottom plate into eight parts, with one length being the same as the length of the short or long side of the four divided tray and the other length being half the length of the short or long side of the four divided tray. It is more preferable that the trays have a shape similar to the shape of the bottom plate when viewed from above the container, and that there are three types of sizes: a tray which divides the area of ​​the bottom plate of the container into four parts; a tray which divides the area of ​​the bottom plate of the container into two parts, with one length being the same as the length of the long side of the four divided tray and the other length being twice the length of the short side of the four divided tray; and a tray which divides the area of ​​the bottom plate of the container into eight parts, with one length being the same as the length of the short side of the four divided tray and the other length being half the length of the long side of the four divided tray.

[0024] That is, the internal dimension L shown in Figure 3(a) 10 ,W 10 In relation to the container 10 having the following, the large tray 20A in Figure 3(b) has a length L in the long side direction. 20A The length of the shorter side of container 10 is W 10 Set to the same as, and the short side length W 20A The length L is the length of the longer side of container 10. 10 This tray is designed to be the closest in shape to the bottom plate of container 10, which is half the size of the container 10's internal dimensions divided in half. The medium-sized tray 20B in Figure 3(c) has a length L in the long side direction. 20B The length L is the length of the longer side of container 10. 10 1 / 2 of the length in the shorter direction W 20B The length of the shorter side of container 10 is W 10This tray has a shape similar to the shape of the bottom plate of container 10, which is divided into four sections based on its internal dimensions, with the dimensions set to 1 / 2 of the original size. The small tray 20C in Figure 3(d) has a length L in the long side direction. 20C The length of the shorter side of container 10 is W 10 1 / 2 of the length in the shorter direction W 20C The length L is the length of the longer side of container 10. 10 This tray is designed to be the closest in shape to the bottom plate of container 10, which has its internal dimensions divided into eight sections, and is set to 1 / 4 of the original size.

[0025] As described above, by combining multiple types of trays 20A, 20B, and 20C that are divided into integer parts, it becomes possible to store container 10 in more than 10 different ways, such as two large trays 20A as shown in Figure 4(a), four medium trays 20B as shown in Figure 4(b), eight small trays 20C as shown in Figure 4(c), or one large tray 20A, one medium tray 20B, and two small trays 20C as shown in Figure 4(d).

[0026] In this invention, multiple types of trays 20A, 20B, 20C, etc., having external dimensions obtained by dividing the internal dimensions of the container 10 into integer parts, are arranged in combination, thereby allowing them to be stored virtually without any gaps inside the container. Herein, in this specification, "integer-divided external dimensions" is not limited to dimensions obtained by dividing the internal dimensions of the container by mathematically precise integers, but rather refers to a concept that includes dimensional relationships in which multiple trays are "stored substantially without gaps" when placed inside the container, taking into account the molding tolerance of the trays, material properties, clearances during use, etc. Furthermore, "stored substantially without gaps inside the container" means a state in which the sum of the external dimensions of multiple trays falls within the allowable tolerance of the internal dimensions of the container, and the trays are arranged so closely together that they do not shift during transport.

[0027] Specifically, a system can be evaluated as "virtually seamless" if it satisfies the following numerical ranges. (1) Storage state in the direction of the longer side With multiple trays 20 stored inside the container 10, the internal dimension L in the long side direction of the bottom plate of the container 10 is... 10 The ratio of the total external dimensions of the trays 20 stored in the same direction to the length of the container 10 is preferably 0.90 or more and 1.00 or less, more preferably 0.95 or more and 1.00 or less, and particularly preferably 0.97 or more and 1.00 or less. If there are multiple total external dimensions of trays 20 stored in containers corresponding to the long side direction of container 10, it is preferable that the above ratio is satisfied for all total external dimensions. The total external dimensions of trays 20 stored in containers corresponding to the long side direction of container 10 refers, for example, to the short side length W of the large tray 20A in Figure 1. 20A and the length of the long side of the medium tray 20B L 20B The sum of the above, and the short side length W of the large tray 20A. 20A and the length of the short side of each of the two small trays 20C W 20C and W 20C It means the sum of [the two items]. (2) Storage state in the short side direction With multiple trays 20 stored inside the container 10, the internal dimension W in the short-side direction of the bottom plate of the container 10 is... 10 The ratio of the total external dimensions of the trays 20 stored in the same direction to the length L of the large tray 20A is preferably 0.95 to 1.00, more preferably 0.97 to 1.00, and particularly preferably 0.98 to 1.00. If there are multiple total external dimensions of trays 20 stored in containers corresponding to the short side direction of container 10, it is preferable that the above ratio is satisfied for all total external dimensions. The total external dimensions of the trays 20 stored in the short side direction of the bottom plate of container 10 refers, for example, to the length L of the long side direction of the large tray 20A in Figure 1. 20A The length of the short side of the medium-sized tray 20B is W 20B and the length of the long side of the small tray 20C L 20C It means the sum of [the two items]. (3) Clearance (actual gap dimensions) When multiple trays 20 are stored inside the container 10, the respective gap dimensions formed in the long side direction and the short side direction are preferably 15 mm or less, more preferably 12 mm or less, and particularly preferably 10 mm or less. Within the above range, it can be determined that the trays are "stored virtually without any gaps" because they can be easily removed while preventing shaking during transport.

[0028] Figures 5 to 7 show various embodiments of the tray 20 used in this invention. Tray 20A in Figure 5 has a length L in the long side direction. 20A The length is 385mm, and the length in the shorter direction is W. 20A 240mm, height H 20A 40mm, side wall taper angle β 20A A standard container (L) with a depth of 20°, designed for Type II containers. 10 =490mm, W 10 =400mm, H 10 This is an example of a large tray, with a size of 126mm divided into two parts. Tray 20B in Figure 6 has a length L in the long side direction. 20B The length is 240mm, and the length in the shorter direction is W. 20B 192mm, height H 20B 40mm, side wall taper angle β 20B This is an example of a medium-sized tray, designed with a 20° angle, and sized to be four times the size of the same container 10 divided into four sections. Tray 20C in Figure 7 has a length L in the long side direction. 20C The length is 192mm, and the length in the shorter direction is W. 20C 120mm, height H 20C 40mm, side wall taper angle β 20C This is an example of a small tray, designed with a 20° angle, that is the size of eight sections of the same container 10.

[0029] The height H20 of the various sizes of trays 20A, 20B, and 20C is not particularly limited, but as in the embodiment, the height H 20A ,H 20B ,H 20CIt is preferable to standardize the heights of the trays, specifically, it is preferable that the height difference between all trays be ±5 mm or less, more preferably ±3 mm or less, even more preferably ±2 mm or less, and particularly preferable that they be identical. If the heights are standardized, multiple layers of trays of different sizes can be stacked within the container 10, as shown in Figure 2. When standardized, the height H20 is preferably 25 mm to 60 mm, more preferably 30 mm to 50 mm, and particularly preferably 35 mm to 45 mm. Also, the taper angle β of the side wall 20A ,β 20B ,β 20C It is also preferable to standardize the taper angles of the side walls. Specifically, it is preferable that the difference in taper angles of all side walls be 3° or less, more preferably 2° or less, even more preferably 1° or less, and particularly preferable that the taper angles of all side walls be the same. When the taper angles of the side walls are standardized, stacking trays of different sizes becomes possible with reduced height, thereby reducing storage space when not in use. When standardized, the taper angle β20 is preferably 10° to 30°, more preferably 15° to 25°, and particularly preferably 17° to 23°.

[0030] As shown in Figures 5 to 7, it is preferable to provide a notch 21 in at least one of the four corners of each tray 20A, 20B, and 20C. The notch 21 is for the worker to grip with their fingers and lift the tray, making it easy to remove the tray even when multiple trays are stored in layers. Furthermore, from the viewpoint of easy removal, it is more preferable to provide notches 21 in two or more of the four corners of the tray, and even more preferable to provide notches 21 in all four corners of the tray. Cutout depth D for each tray 20A ,D 20B ,D 20CIt is not necessarily required to standardize the dimensions, and they can be designed appropriately according to the size of the tray, but preferably they are 5 mm to 30 mm, more preferably 8 mm to 25 mm, and especially preferably 10 mm to 20 mm.

[0031] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 5 to 7, it is preferable to form reinforcing ribs 23 on the side walls 22 of each tray 20A, 20B, and 20C. The width of the reinforcing ribs 23 is preferably tapered, being wider on the bottom surface 24 side and becoming narrower towards the flange portion 25 side. This structure makes the ribs less conspicuous while ensuring the necessary rigidity. The formation position and size of the reinforcing ribs 23 on each tray do not necessarily need to be standardized; the formation position and size can be appropriately designed according to the size of the tray. However, the rib width w1 on the bottom surface 24 side is preferably 13 mm to 25 mm, more preferably 15 mm to 22 mm, and particularly preferably 16 mm to 20 mm, and the rib width w2 on the flange portion 25 side is preferably 5 mm to 17 mm, more preferably 7 mm to 14 mm, and particularly preferably 8 mm to 12 mm.

[0032] It is preferable that the reinforcing rib 23 has a rib material thickness on the bottom surface 24 side that is approximately 1.5 times that of the normal section (preferably 2.5 mm to 3.5 mm) and is continuous with the bottom surface 24, thereby ensuring high rigidity even if it is made of foamed resin. Furthermore, the bottom surface 24 is formed flat in the center by positioning the reinforcing ribs 23 closer to the outer edge. As a result, even if prepared foods or meats come into direct contact with the tray, tray marks are less likely to remain, and the appearance quality of the food is not compromised.

[0033] Each tray has a height of 20 H 20A ,H 20B ,H 20C As described above, if the common elements are used, multiple layers of trays of different sizes can be stacked within the container 10. Container height H 10 If the height is 126mm, then each tray height H 20A ,H 20B ,H 20CBy setting the height to 40 mm, it becomes possible to stack three trays, as shown in Figure 2. In this case, divider boards 30 may be interposed between the trays as needed. The divider boards 30 are used to prevent leakage of food juices and to distribute the load, and can be made of foamed resin boards, corrugated cardboard boards, synthetic resin boards, etc.

[0034] The trays 20 of various sizes used in this invention are not particularly limited, but thermoplastic foam sheets, such as thermoformed products of polyethylene-based foam sheets, polyolefin-based foam sheets, polystyrene-based foam sheets, and polyester-based foam sheets formed by extrusion foaming, can be used. Among these, thermoformed products of polystyrene-based foam sheets and polypropylene-based foam sheets are particularly preferred due to their low cost and excellent strength.

[0035] Furthermore, the thickness of the foam sheet used to form the tray 20 is generally 0.05 mm to 10 mm, preferably 1 mm to 5 mm. The density of the foam sheet is generally 5 kg / m³. 3 More than 300kg / m 3 The following applies: 50 kg / m 3 More than 150kg / m 3 The following is preferable. Within the above range, the strength of the container after secondary molding will not decrease, and it will be desirable from the viewpoint of weight reduction and heat insulation.

[0036] The polystyrene resin mentioned above can be any polystyrene resin commonly used in polystyrene foam sheets, and examples include general-purpose polystyrene (GPPS) and high-impact polystyrene (HIPS). As a method for thermoforming the tray 20 using the above-mentioned thermoplastic resin foam sheet, vacuum forming, pressure forming, or applications thereof can be employed.

[0037] In the transport container 1 according to the present invention described above, a food factory can select an appropriate size from multiple types of trays 20A, 20B, 20C (2-part tray, 4-part tray, 8-part tray, etc.) having outer dimensions obtained by dividing the inner dimensions of the container 10 into integer parts, according to the type and quantity of contents such as prepared foods, meat, and seafood, and store the contents. Since the container is configured so that the selected trays 20A, 20B, 20C, etc. can be combined and arranged inside the container 10, the sum of the outer dimensions of each tray substantially matches the inner dimensions of the container, preventing the trays from moving left to right or front to back during transport. As a result, problems such as crushing, shifting, and leakage of contents due to tray movement during transport, which were issues with conventional general-purpose trays, can be effectively prevented, and transport quality is greatly improved.

[0038] Furthermore, the trays 20, after transport, can be placed directly on store shelves or display cases, eliminating the need for repacking at the store level. This configuration eliminates the need to repackage from the transport trays to the display trays, which was previously required, significantly reducing the workload in retail environments facing labor shortages. In addition, the risk of secondary contamination that may occur during repacking is reduced, resulting in significant improvements in hygiene.

[0039] Furthermore, if the tray 20 is configured with a notch 21 in at least one of its four corners, even when the trays are densely packed in multiple layers within the container 10, the worker can easily hook their fingertips onto the notch 21 at the corner of the tray and quickly pull the tray upward to remove it. This significantly reduces the labor required to remove trays in various settings such as food factories, logistics centers, and retail stores, and provides the added benefit of being less slippery and safer, especially when wearing gloves.

[0040] Furthermore, if reinforcing ribs 23 are provided on the side walls of the tray 20, extending from the bottom surface 24 toward the flange portion 25, and the width of the reinforcing ribs 23 is formed in a tapering shape, being larger on the bottom surface 24 side and smaller on the flange portion 25 side, the necessary rigidity of the tray 20 can be ensured while making the rib portion less conspicuous and not compromising the appearance. In addition, since the strength distribution of the reinforcing ribs 23 is concentrated on the bottom side, deflection of the entire tray is suppressed even when the weight of the contents is added, improving holding performance during transport and stability when displayed in stores.

[0041] Also, the height of tray 20 H 20 and taper angle β 20 By designing a standardized tray system that allows stacking even between trays of different sizes, the space occupied during empty tray storage in food factories will be significantly reduced, and transportation efficiency during empty tray collection will also improve during logistics. In particular, this will resolve the issue of differing stackability for each size, which made mixed storage difficult, thus achieving both operational flexibility and space savings simultaneously.

[0042] Furthermore, when partition boards 30 are interposed between multiple stacked trays 20, the load is evenly distributed across each layer even when stacking different types of trays, preventing deformation of the lower trays and load concentration on the contents. As a result, the quality of the contents can be maintained even when the stacking height is increased, and the efficiency of transportation to stores is improved.

[0043] As described above, the transport container 1 according to the present invention has a configuration that allows for the combination of multiple sizes of trays based on the internal dimensions of a standard container, a notched structure to improve ease of removal, a reinforcing rib structure to optimize rigidity, and a common shape structure that enables stacking between different sizes, thereby providing multifaceted effects that could not be obtained with conventional technology, such as increased efficiency in food transport, reduced labor in store operations, preservation of contents quality, and improved hygiene.

[0044] Note that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and it is needless to say that various design changes, shape changes, and dimension changes can be made by those skilled in the art based on the description in the claims for utility model registration.

Industrial Applicability

[0045] The container for conveyance of the present invention can be applied not only to food uses but also to part conveyance, organization of chemicals and inspection samples, sectional storage of precision instruments, and the like.

Explanation of Signs

[0046] 1: Container for conveyance 10: Container 11: Bottom plate of the container 12: Side wall of the container 13: Flange portion (handle and reinforcement portion) of the container L 10 : Inner dimension in the long side direction of the container W 10 : Inner dimension in the short side direction of the container H 10 : Effective height (side wall height) of the container α 10 : Side wall taper angle of the container 20: Tray 20A: Large tray L 20A : Outer dimension in the long side direction of the large tray W 20A : Outer dimension in the short side direction of the large tray H 20A : Height of the large tray β 20A : Side wall taper angle of the large tray D 20A : Notch depth of the large tray 20B: Medium tray L 20B : Outer dimension in the long side direction of the medium tray W 20B : Outer dimension in the short side direction of the medium tray H 20B : Height of the medium tray β 20B : Side wall taper angle of the medium tray D20B : Notch depth of medium tray 20C: Small tray L 20C : Outer dimension of small tray in the long side direction W 20C : Outer dimension of small tray in the short side direction H 20C : Height of small tray β 20C : Side wall taper angle of small tray D 20C : Notch depth of small tray 21: Notch part of tray 22: Side wall of tray 23: Reinforcement rib of tray 24: Bottom surface of tray 25: Flange part of tray 30: Partition board w1: Rib width on the bottom surface side w2: Rib width on the flange part side

Claims

1. A transport container comprising a tray stored inside the container and the container itself, The container is composed of a rectangular base plate and side walls rising from the periphery of the base plate, and the internal dimensions of the base plate in the long and short directions are set to predetermined dimensions. The tray has external dimensions in the long and short directions that are integer divisions of the internal dimensions of the container, A transport container characterized in that the trays are arranged in combination within the container so that they are stored within the container with virtually no gaps.

2. The tray has a shape similar to the shape of the bottom plate of the container when viewed from above, and the tray divides the area of ​​the bottom plate of the container into four parts. A tray obtained by dividing the area of ​​the container's bottom plate into two, wherein one length is the same as the length of the short side or long side of the four divided tray, and the other length is twice the length of the short side or long side of the four divided tray, and The container's base plate has at least three different sizes, including trays that divide the area of ​​the container's base plate into eight sections, where one length is the same as the length of the short or long side of the four divided trays, and the other length is half the length of the short or long side of the four divided trays. The transport container according to claim 1, wherein these trays are arranged in a manner that allows them to be stored virtually without gaps within the container.

3. The transport container according to claim 1 or 2, wherein at least one of the four corners of the tray is provided with a notch, and the tray can be removed from the container using the notch.

4. The transport container according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the tray has a flange portion extending outward from an opening at the upper edge of the side wall of the tray, and the side wall of the tray is provided with reinforcing ribs extending from the bottom surface toward the flange portion, and the width of the reinforcing ribs is formed to be larger on the bottom surface side and smaller on the flange portion side.

5. The transport container according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the height of the trays is standardized and the trays are stacked in multiple layers within the container.

6. The transport container according to claim 5, wherein partition boards are interposed between the trays stacked in multiple layers.

7. The transport container according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the height and taper angle of the trays are standardized, and trays of different sizes can be stacked together.

8. The transport container according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the internal dimensions of the bottom plate of the container have a length in the long side direction of 300 mm or more and a length in the short side direction of 200 mm or more and a length of 600 mm or less.

9. The transport container according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the ratio of the sum of the outer dimensions of the trays stored in the container corresponding to the long side direction of the container to the inner dimensions of the bottom plate of the container in the long side direction of the container is 0.90 or more and 1.00 or less.

10. The transport container according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the ratio of the sum of the outer dimensions of the trays stored in the container corresponding to the short side direction of the container to the inner dimensions of the bottom plate of the container in the short side direction is 0.95 or more and 1.00 or less.

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