Storage box

Abstract

To provide a storage box which can be properly sealed with a simple configuration and finally sealed more strongly.SOLUTION: A storage box of the present invention has a bottom surface plate, a plurality of side surface plates, and an opening and closing plate for closing an opening of a space partitioned by the plurality of side surface plates. One side surface plate has an inner wall surface part and an outer wall surface part, a first insertion piece protrudes from a tip of the opening and closing plate, a second insertion piece is provided at a position adjacent to the end of the outer wall surface part, a first insertion part is formed in a part adjacent to the opening and closing plate of an opening closed state, and a second insertion part is formed on the first insertion piece. A method of locking the opening closed state by the opening and closing plate includes a first method of inserting the first insertion piece into the first insertion part while the second insertion piece is not inserted into the second insertion part, and a second method of inserting the second insertion piece into the second inserting part while the first insertion piece is inserted into the first insertion part.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a storage box. [Background technology]

[0002] Paper storage boxes are used for a wide variety of purposes, for example, for transporting goods. The goods in the storage box are shipped from the manufacturer and delivered to a store or the like, and are finally delivered from the store or the like to the user. The storage box containing the goods is delivered in a sealed state (so that the goods inside the storage box cannot be seen), and is opened at the delivery destination store or the like to check the goods inside the storage box.

[0003] When sealing a storage box, for example, tape or the like may be used as described in Patent Document 1. When opening the box, the tape is removed, and after the contents are confirmed, the box is sealed again with tape. Also, just before the box is delivered to the user, the box is sealed more firmly than before in order to prevent the items in the box from being removed or tampered with. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP 2019-177890 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] Meanwhile, there is a demand for storage boxes that can be easily and repeatedly sealed and opened, that maintain a good sealed state, and that can be sealed more firmly in the final stage.

[0006] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above circumstances, and aims to achieve the following objectives: Specifically, the present invention aims to provide a storage box that can be appropriately sealed with a simple structure, and can be sealed more securely when necessary. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] In order to achieve the above object, the storage box of the present invention is a storage box having a bottom panel, a plurality of side panel parts surrounding the bottom panel part, and an opening / closing panel part for closing an opening of a space partitioned by the plurality of side panel parts, wherein one side panel part has an inner wall surface part located on the inside of the storage box, and an outer wall surface part arranged along the inner wall surface part and located on the outside of the storage box, a first insertion piece protruding from a tip of the opening / closing panel part, a second insertion piece being provided at a position adjacent to an end of the outer wall surface part, and a portion adjacent to the opening / closing panel part when the opening is closed is formed with a first insertion portion into which at least the tip of the first insertion piece is inserted, and the first insertion piece is formed with a second insertion portion into which at least the tip of the second insertion piece is inserted, and the methods for locking the opening in a closed state by the opening and closing plate portion include a first method of inserting the first insertion piece into the first insertion portion with the second insertion piece not inserted into the second insertion portion, and a second method of inserting the second insertion piece into the second insertion portion with the first insertion piece inserted into the first insertion portion.

[0008] With the above configuration, the method of locking the opening closed by the opening / closing plate can be selected from a first method and a second method. When locking by the first method, a simple lock is realized, and sealing and opening can be easily repeated. On the other hand, when locking by the second method, a stronger lock is realized, and opening cannot be easily performed.

[0009] In the present invention, it is preferable that the storage box can be assembled by folding a single blank that constitutes the storage box. In this case, it is preferable that the side panel portion is a panel portion having a double structure. It is more preferable that a notch serving as the second insertion portion is provided at the base end of the first insertion piece.

[0010] The first insertion portion may be a gap between the inner wall surface portion and the outer wall surface portion, and the first insertion piece may be inserted into the gap from an upper end side of one of the side panel portions. Furthermore, in the above configuration, the second insertion piece may protrude from an end of the outer wall surface portion and be capable of being accommodated in the gap. When the opening is locked in the closed state by the opening / closing plate portion in the first manner, it is more preferable to insert the first insertion piece into the gap with the second insertion piece accommodated in the gap.

[0011] It is also preferable that the central portion of the tip edge of the first insertion piece is curved so as to approach the opening and closing plate portion, and that when the first insertion piece is inserted into the gap with the second insertion piece accommodated in the gap, the central portion of the tip edge is adjacent to the second insertion piece.

[0012] Furthermore, it is more preferable that the first insertion direction when inserting the first insertion piece into the gap is along the direction from the base end of the second insertion piece when it is housed in the gap to the tip of the second insertion piece, and that the second insertion direction when inserting the second insertion piece into the second insertion portion intersects with the first insertion direction.

[0013] The outer wall surface may be provided with a pair of perforations extending from the end of the outer wall surface on the side where the second insertion piece is located toward the opposite side to the second insertion piece, and a rotating part located between the pair of perforations and continuous with the base end of the second insertion piece. When the opening is locked in the closed state by the opening / closing plate part in the second manner, it is more preferable to break each of the pair of perforations and rotate the rotating part toward the outside of the storage box before inserting the second insertion piece into the second insertion part.

[0014] The outer wall surface portion may be provided with a break line that is broken when the storage box is opened with the second insertion piece inserted into the second insertion portion. In this case, it is more preferable that the break line is formed in a position on the outer wall surface portion that surrounds the pair of perforations and the rotating portion.

[0015] The inner wall surface may be provided with a recess having a shape corresponding to the outer edge of the tip of the second insertion piece. In this case, it is more preferable that the tip of the second insertion piece fits inside the recess and is continuous with the inner wall surface before assembling the storage box, and a cut line is formed along the recess at the boundary between the tip of the second insertion piece and the inner wall surface.

[0016] In addition, protrusions protruding toward the outside in the width direction of the second insertion piece may be provided on both side portions of the base end of the second insertion piece. In this case, it is more preferable that the protrusions are located outward in the width direction from the portion of the outer wall surface that is continuous with the base end of the second insertion piece. Effect of the Invention

[0017] According to the storage box of the present invention, it is possible to appropriately seal the storage box with a simple structure, and ultimately to seal the storage box more securely. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0018] [Figure 1] 1 is an external view of a storage box according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a plan view of a blank forming a storage box according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 3] 1A to 1C are perspective views showing intermediate stages in the assembly of a storage box according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] FIG. 13 is an explanatory diagram of a structure for locking using a first method. [Diagram 5] 2 is a cross-sectional view of a structure for locking using a first method taken along the line AA in FIG. 1. FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 13 is an explanatory diagram of a structure for locking using a second method. [Figure 7] 13 is a front view of the storage box after being locked in the second manner and then opened by breaking the break line. FIG. [Figure 8] FIG. 11 is a plan view of a blank forming a storage box according to another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9]11A and 11B are perspective views showing a storage box according to another embodiment of the present invention at an intermediate stage of assembly. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0019] The storage box of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to a specific embodiment. It should be noted that the embodiments described below are merely examples given to facilitate understanding of the present invention, and are not intended to limit the present invention. In other words, the present invention may be modified or improved from the embodiments described below without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Furthermore, the present invention includes equivalents thereof. In addition, in this specification, the meanings of "same," "identical," and "equal" may include a generally acceptable range of error in the technical field to which the present invention belongs.

[0020] <<First embodiment of the present invention>> The configuration of a storage box according to a first embodiment of the present invention (hereinafter, storage box 10) will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 7. As shown in Figure 1, storage box 10 is a box having a rectangular parallelepiped shape, and has a bottom plate, a plurality of side plate parts surrounding the bottom plate part, and an opening / closing plate part that closes an opening of a space partitioned by the plurality of side plate parts.

[0021] Storage box 10 is composed of one blank 12 as shown in Fig. 2. Specifically, blank 12 is a sheet body for assembling storage box 10, for example, by N-type top insertion, and storage box 10 is assembled by folding blank 12. Since storage box 10 is assembled from one blank 12 in this way, assembling is improved and assembly work becomes easier. Furthermore, with storage box 10 composed of one blank 12, the inside of the box can be sealed, further improving airtightness.

[0022] In addition, the storage box may be any type that can be locked using the first and second methods described below, and the type (assembly format) is not limited to the N-type top insertion type but may be, for example, a top and bottom insertion type, or a top insertion and bottom assembly type, etc. Furthermore, the present invention is not limited to storage boxes assembled from one blank, but can also be applied to storage boxes assembled from a plurality of blanks. The material of the blank 12 can be selected from various paper materials such as corrugated cardboard and thick paper, and the paper may be of any quality, and may be coated with various types of materials or made of resins other than paper. In the following description, the blank 12 is assumed to be a corrugated cardboard sheet.

[0023] The blank 12 before assembly of the storage box (i.e., the blank 12 in an unfolded state) extends in a plane and in two mutually perpendicular main directions, as shown in Fig. 2. In the following, one main direction is referred to as the X-direction, and the other main direction is referred to as the Y-direction. When the bottom plate portion has a rectangular shape, the X direction corresponds to the short side direction of the bottom plate portion, and the Y direction corresponds to the long side direction of the bottom plate portion. In the following, when describing each part of the storage box 10, unless otherwise specified, the corresponding part in the blank 12 in the unfolded state shown in FIG. 2 will be described.

[0024] The direction of grain M of the cardboard sheet forming the blank 12 (see FIG. 2) may be parallel to the X direction, inclined at 45 degrees to the X direction, or perpendicular to the X direction.

[0025] 2, the blank 12 has a bottom panel 21, a front panel 22, a rear panel 23, a left panel 24, a right panel 25, and an opening / closing panel 26. In the blank 12, the front panel 22, the bottom panel 21, the rear panel 23, and the opening / closing panel 26 are continuously arranged in this order in the X direction. The left panel 24, the bottom panel 21, and the right panel 25 are continuously arranged in this order in the Y direction.

[0026] The bottom plate portion 21 forms the bottom wall of the storage box 10 and has, for example, a rectangular shape. The shape of the bottom plate portion 21 is not limited to a rectangle (quadrangle), and may be a quadrangle other than a rectangle, or may be a polygon such as a pentagon or octagon. When the shape of the bottom plate portion 21 is a polygon such as a pentagon or octagon, that is, a shape with more corners than a rectangle (quadrangle), the strength of the storage box 10 can be further improved.

[0027] The front panel 22, the rear panel 23, the left panel 24, and the right panel 25 correspond to a plurality of side panel parts, form the side walls of the storage box 10, and together with the bottom panel 21, define a storage space within the storage box 10. The storage space is partitioned by the plurality of side panel parts, the front panel 22, the rear panel 23, the left panel 24, and the right panel 25, and items (not shown) are stored inside. In addition, folding lines L1 are provided at the boundaries between the bottom panel 21 and each of the front panel 22, rear panel 23, left panel 24, and right panel 25.

[0028] In the first embodiment, the opening and closing plate portion 26 is a top panel portion, and rotates around a folding line L2 provided at the boundary between the rear panel portion 23 and the opening and closing plate portion 26 as a central axis, and rotates in a direction to close the opening (top end opening) of the storage space when the storage box 10 is sealed.

[0029] 2, a first insertion piece 41 is continuous with the tip end of the opening / closing plate 26, i.e., the end opposite the rear plate 23. When the opening / closing plate 26 locks the opening closed, at least the tip end of the first insertion piece 41 is inserted into the first insertion portion. The first insertion portion is an insertion hole or gap formed in a portion adjacent to the opening / closing plate 26 when the opening is closed, and in the first embodiment, it is a gap S described below.

[0030] The first insertion piece 41 protrudes from the center in the Y direction at the tip of the opening and closing plate 26, and its width (length in the Y direction) is shorter than the width of the opening and closing plate 26. In addition, the corners of the tip of the first insertion piece 41 are rounded, and the center of the tip of the first insertion piece 41 is gently recessed. In other words, the center of the tip edge 42 of the first insertion piece 41 is curved in an arc shape so as to approach the opening and closing plate 26, as shown in FIG.

[0031] A bending line L3 is provided at the boundary between the opening / closing plate portion 26 and the first insertion piece 41, i.e., at the base end of the first insertion piece 41, and a notch 46 is formed along the width direction of the first insertion piece 41. The notch 46 forms a second insertion portion into which a second insertion piece 43 described below is inserted. Note that, instead of the notch 46, the base end of the first insertion piece 41 may be provided with, for example, a slit-shaped insertion hole as the second insertion portion.

[0032] 2, the notch 46 has a long side portion 46a that is long in the Y direction, and short side portions 46b that are perpendicular to the long side portion 46a at both ends of the long side portion 46a. The long side portion 46a is slightly offset from the folding line L3 toward the tip side of the first insertion piece 41, and the length of the long side portion 46a is the same as or slightly shorter than the width (length in the Y direction) of the base end portion of the second insertion piece 43.

[0033] 2, two engagement holes 30 are provided at a boundary between the bottom plate portion 21 and the front plate portion 22, spaced apart in the Y direction. The front plate portion 22 corresponds to one side plate portion, and is divided into three portions in the X direction, specifically, an outer wall surface portion 27, an inner wall surface portion 28, and an upper wall surface portion 29.

[0034] In the assembled storage box 10, the outer wall surface portion 27 is arranged along the inner wall surface portion 28 and is located on the outside of the storage box 10, the inner wall surface portion 28 is located on the inside of the storage box 10, and the upper wall surface portion 29 connects the upper ends of the outer wall surface portion 27 and the inner wall surface portion 28. The "inside" of the storage box 10 means the side closer to the center of the storage space, and the "outside" of the storage box 10 means the side farther from the center of the storage space. For example, in the blank 12, the side facing the bottom plate portion 21 is called the inside, and the side away from the bottom plate portion 21 is called the outside.

[0035] In the unfolded blank 12, the outer wall surface portion 27 is continuous with the bottom panel portion 21, the upper wall surface portion 29 is continuous with the outer wall surface portion 27 on the side opposite the bottom panel portion 21, and the inner wall surface portion 28 is continuous with the upper wall surface portion 29 on the side opposite the outer wall surface portion 27. In the front panel portion 22, fold lines L4 and L10 are provided at the boundary between the upper wall surface portion 29 and the outer wall surface portion 27 and at the boundary between the upper wall surface portion 29 and the inner wall surface portion 28, respectively.

[0036] Two engagement pieces 31 protruding in the X direction are provided at the tip of the inner wall surface portion 28 located on the opposite side to the upper wall surface portion 29. The two engagement pieces 31 are located at the same positions as the two engagement holes 30 in the Y direction, and each engages with the corresponding engagement holes 30 (see FIG. 3). Also, a notch 32 for hanging fingers is provided at the center of the tip of the inner wall surface portion 28 in the Y direction.

[0037] 2, a tongue-shaped second insertion piece 43 is provided at a position adjacent to an end of the outer wall surface portion 27. The end of the outer wall surface portion 27 adjacent to the second insertion piece 43 is the end on the upper wall surface portion 29 side, and is the upper end of the outer wall surface portion 27 in the assembled state of the storage box 10 (see FIGS. 3 and 4).

[0038] The second insertion piece 43 is inserted into the second insertion portion when the opening / closing plate portion 26 more firmly locks the opening closed. To explain in detail, the notch 46 corresponds to the second insertion portion, and at least the tip of the second insertion piece 43 can be inserted into the notch 46.

[0039] 2, in the unfolded blank 12, the second insertion piece 43 is located across the inner wall surface portion 28 and the upper wall surface portion 29 in the X direction, and is provided in the center of the front panel portion 22 in the Y direction. In addition, in the blank 12, the tip portion (the end portion on the inner wall surface portion 28 side) of the second insertion piece 43 fits into a recess 48 provided on the side of the inner wall surface portion 28 where the outer wall surface portion 27 is located. The recess 48 is provided to arrange the second insertion piece 43 compactly in the blank 12, and its shape corresponds to the outer edge of the tip portion of the second insertion piece 43, and strictly speaking, is approximately the same shape as the outer edge.

[0040] 2, a cut line L6 is provided along the recess 48 at the boundary between the tip of the second insertion piece 43 and the inner wall surface portion 28. Before the storage box 10 is assembled, the second insertion piece 43 and the inner wall surface portion 28 are continuous with each other via the cut line L6.

[0041] 2, punched holes are provided in the inner wall surface portion 28 and the upper wall surface portion 29 at locations located on both sides of the second insertion piece 43 in the Y direction. When the second insertion piece 43 is separated from the inner wall surface portion 28 and the upper wall surface portion 29, the punched holes are continuous with a hole formed at the site of the second insertion piece 43 to form an opening 47. The opening 47 is located at the upper end of the front panel portion 22 when the storage box 10 is in an assembled state (see FIG. 4).

[0042] 2, a rotating portion 45 is provided in the peripheral portion of the second insertion piece 43 in the outer wall surface portion 27, located between a pair of perforations 44, 44. In addition, a substantially triangular cutout continuous with the punched hole is provided in the boundary portion between the outer wall surface portion 27 and the second insertion piece 43, at a location beside the perforation 44.

[0043] Each of the pair of perforations 44, 44 is formed by extending linearly from the end of the outer wall surface portion 27 on the side where the second insertion piece 43 is located toward the opposite side to the second insertion piece 43. Here, the perforations 44 include zippers in addition to those used as cut lines in general cardboard.

[0044] The pivoting portion 45 is a portion of the outer wall surface portion 27 that is continuous with the base end of the second insertion piece 43. When the pair of perforations 44, 44 are broken, the pivoting portion 45 becomes pivotable around the base end of the pivoting portion 45 as a central axis. A folding line L5 is provided at the boundary between the second insertion piece 43 and the pivoting portion 45. The folding line L5 is preferably located at the same position in the X direction as the folding line L4.

[0045] It is preferable that the pivoting portion 45 is narrower than the base end of the second insertion piece 43, that is, a step is formed at the boundary between the second insertion piece 43 and the pivoting portion 45. In other words, protrusions 49 protruding outward in the width direction (Y direction) of the second insertion piece 43 may be provided on both sides of the base end of the second insertion piece 43. Each protrusion 49 has a substantially triangular shape as shown in FIG. 2, and protrudes outward in the width direction of the second insertion piece 43 from the pivoting portion 45. However, this is not limited to this, and the base end of the second insertion piece 43 and the pivoting portion 45 may have the same width, that is, protrusions 49 may not be provided on both sides of the second insertion piece 43.

[0046] A break line L7 for opening is formed on the outer wall surface portion 27. The break line L7 is formed at a position surrounding the pair of perforations 44, 44 and the rotating portion 45, and strictly speaking, as shown in FIG. 2, the break line L7 extends from a position outside one of the perforations 44 to a position outside the other of the perforations 44, forming a substantially semicircular shape.

[0047] An upper flap portion 51 that supports the opening / closing plate portion 26 from the inside is provided continuously and foldably at each tip (the end opposite the bottom plate portion 21) of the left panel portion 24 and the right panel portion 25. A reinforcing flap portion 52 adjacent to the outer wall surface portion 27 in the Y direction is provided so as to be foldable continuously at one end of each of the left panel portion 24 and the right panel portion 25 in the X direction. The left and right reinforcing flap portions 52 are inserted between the outer wall surface portion 27 and the inner wall surface portion 28 when the storage box 10 is assembled.

[0048] A connecting flap portion 53 adjacent to the rear panel portion 23 and the opening / closing panel portion 26 in the Y direction is foldably connected to the other end of each of the left panel portion 24 and the right panel portion 25 in the X direction. The width (length in the Y direction) of the connecting flap portion 53 is approximately the same as the width of the left panel portion 24 and the right panel portion 25. The tip of each connecting flap portion 53 is cut out to form an approximately J-shaped engaging portion 54. When assembling the storage box 10, the two connecting flap portions 53 are connected by engaging the respective engaging portions 54 with each other (see FIG. 3).

[0049] An example of a procedure for assembling the storage box 10 by folding the blank 12 described above will now be described. First, the left panel portion 24 and the right panel portion 25 are each folded at the folding line L1 so as to stand on the bottom panel portion 21.

[0050] Thereafter, the reinforcing flap portions 52 of the left panel portion 24 and the right panel portion 25 are folded inward, and the connecting flap portions 53 of the left panel portion 24 and the right panel portion 25 are folded inward. Then, the engaging portions 54 of the connecting flap portions 53 are engaged with each other to connect the two connecting flap portions 53. As a result, a connecting wall portion 55 consisting of the two connecting flap portions 53 is disposed between the left panel portion 24 and the right panel portion 25 and stands upright against the bottom panel portion 21, as shown in FIG.

[0051] Thereafter, the rear panel 23 is folded along the folding line L1 to be erected relative to the bottom panel 21. As a result, the rear panel 23 is arranged alongside the connecting wall 55. In other words, the rear panel 23 is reinforced by the connecting wall 55 and forms a side wall (rear wall) of the storage box 10 together with the connecting wall 55.

[0052] Meanwhile, the outer wall surface portion 27 of the front panel portion 22 is folded at the folding line L1, and further the upper wall surface portion 29 is folded at the folding line L4, and the inner wall surface portion 28 is folded at the folding line L10. Then, each of the two engagement pieces 31 provided at the tip portion of the inner wall surface portion 28 is fitted into the corresponding engagement holes 30, and the inner wall surface portion 28 is fixed while standing upright against the bottom panel portion 21. As a result, the inner wall surface portion 28 is located inside the storage box 10, and the outer wall surface portion 27 is arranged along the inner wall surface portion 28 and located outside the storage box 10. Each portion of blank 12 has a laminated structure in which a corrugated paper core is sandwiched between two flat sheets of paper. In outer wall surface portion 27 and inner wall surface portion 28, when the extension direction of the corrugations formed in the core, in other words, the direction of grain M (see FIG. 2) of the cardboard sheet, is aligned with the up-down direction (height direction) of storage box 10, the strength of storage box 10 is increased and the loading capacity of storage box 10 can be improved.

[0053] As described above, in the first embodiment, the front panel portion 22 constitutes a double wall, that is, a wall having a picture-frame structure, consisting of the outer wall surface portion 27 and the inner wall surface portion 28. A gap S is formed between the outer wall surface portion 27 and the inner wall surface portion 28, and the left and right reinforcing flap portions 52 are inserted into the gap S. The method of fixing the inner wall portion 28 to the bottom plate portion 21 inside the storage box 10 is not limited to the fitting method between the engagement hole 30 and the engagement piece 31, and other methods may be used. For example, the inner wall portion 28 may be fixed to the bottom plate portion 21 by applying an adhesive to the tip of the inner wall portion 28 and joining the tip of the inner wall portion 28 and the bottom plate portion 21 with the adhesive when the inner wall portion 28 is folded.

[0054] In the first embodiment, when folding the upper wall surface portion 29 and the inner wall surface portion 28, the front plate portion 22 is torn along a cut line L6 formed at the boundary between the second insertion piece 43 and the inner wall surface portion 28, and the second insertion piece 43 is separated from the inner wall surface portion 28. Thereafter, when folding the upper wall surface portion 29 and the inner wall surface portion 28, the second insertion piece 43 is folded inside the inner wall surface portion 28 at the folding line L5. As a result, the second insertion piece 43 enters the gap S from the upper end side of the front plate portion 22, and the second insertion piece 43 can be accommodated in the gap S as shown in FIGS. 3 to 5. That is, in the first embodiment, the second insertion piece 43 protruding from the upper end portion of the outer wall surface portion 27 is folded at the folding line L5 to be accommodated in the gap S.

[0055] 4, when the second insertion piece 43 is accommodated in the gap S, its tip portion faces the edge portion of the recess 48 in the inner wall surface portion 28, and is locked by the edge portion of the recess 48. This is because the recess 48 has a shape corresponding to the tip portion of the second insertion piece 43, more specifically, approximately the same shape. The second insertion piece 43 is stably held in the gap S by being locked by the edge portion of the recess 48.

[0056] Furthermore, as second insertion piece 43 is folded, a hole formed at the site of second insertion piece 43 and a punched hole provided in front plate portion 22 are continuous to form opening 47. Opening 47 is provided at the upper end of front plate portion 22, i.e., upper wall surface portion 29, as shown in Fig. 4, and communicates with gap S as shown in Fig. 5. The width of opening 47 (opening width) is the same as or slightly longer than the width of first insertion piece 41.

[0057] After completing the above steps, the upper flap portions 51 of the left panel portion 24 and the right panel portion 25 are folded toward the inside of the storage box 10 so as to be parallel to the bottom panel portion 21. Then, the opening / closing plate portion 26 is folded at the folding line L2 and placed on the upper flap portions 51 and the upper wall portion 29. As a result, the opening of the storage space is closed by the opening / closing plate portion 26.

[0058] In the first embodiment, there are a number of different methods for locking the opening closed by the opening / closing plate 26, specifically including a first method and a second method. Each of the locking methods will be described below.

[0059] <1st method> The first method is a locking method in which the first insertion piece 41 is inserted into the first insertion portion in a state in which the second insertion piece 43 is not inserted into the notch 46. In the first embodiment, the first insertion portion is the gap S between the inner wall surface portion 28 and the outer wall surface portion 27 of the front panel portion 22. In other words, locking by the first method is achieved by inserting the first insertion piece 41 into the gap S from the upper end side of the front panel portion 22.

[0060] Specifically, when the opening / closing plate 26 is folded at the folding line L2, the first insertion piece 41 is folded at the folding line L3. As the opening / closing plate 26 is folded toward the upper wall surface 29, the first insertion piece 41 eventually reaches the opening 47 and enters the gap S from the opening 47. At this time, the second insertion piece 43, which has been folded in near the opening 47, is accommodated in the gap S, as shown in Figures 3 and 4. In other words, when locking using the first method, the first insertion piece 41 is inserted into the gap S with the second insertion piece 43 accommodated in the gap S.

[0061] As shown in Fig. 5, the first insertion piece 41 that has entered the gap S is inserted into the gap S in contact with the second insertion piece 43 housed in the gap S, and is inserted into the back of the gap S as the opening and closing plate portion 26 is bent. The insertion direction at this time is along the direction from the base end of the second insertion piece 43 housed in the gap S toward the tip end of the second insertion piece 43. As a result, the first insertion piece 41 is guided by the second insertion piece 43 toward the inside of the storage box 10 when it is inserted into the gap S. This guide effect (so-called slide effect) allows the first insertion piece 41 to be smoothly inserted into the gap S. In the following, the direction in which the first insertion piece 41 is inserted into the gap S will be referred to as a first insertion direction.

[0062] The first insertion piece 41 is inserted into the gap S by the slide effect while abutting against the second insertion piece 43, and enters the gap S up to the vicinity of the base end of the first insertion piece 41. In this state, the second insertion piece 43 is sandwiched between the first insertion piece 41 and the rotating part 45 in the gap S.

[0063] In the first embodiment, the storage box 10 is assembled by folding one blank 12. That is, by folding the blank 12, the front plate surface portion 22 of the double wall is formed, and the second insertion piece 43 can be accommodated in the gap S between the outer wall surface portion 27 and the inner wall surface portion 28 that form the double wall.

[0064] More specifically, the blank 12 has an outer wall surface portion 27, an inner wall surface portion 28, and an upper wall surface portion 29, and the second insertion piece 43 is provided at a position adjacent to an end portion of the outer wall surface portion 27. The tip portion of the second insertion piece 43 is continuous with the inner wall surface portion 28, more precisely, with the edge portion of the recess 48, via a cut line L6. The folding line L5 located at the base end of the second insertion piece 43 is provided at the same position in the X direction as the folding line L4 formed between the outer wall surface portion 27 and the upper wall surface portion 29.

[0065] When the blank 12 is folded to assemble the storage box 10, the front panel 22 is formed with a double-wall structure, and a gap S having a width equivalent to the dimension of the upper wall 29 in the X direction is formed between the outer wall 27 and the inner wall 28 that constitute the front panel 22. The second insertion piece 43 is separated from the inner wall 28 by breaking the cut line L6. When the inner wall 28 and the upper wall 29 are folded, the second insertion piece 43 is folded at the folding line L5 that is located at the same position as the folding line L4 in the X direction. Here, when the part of the cutting line L6 that is the farthest from the outer wall 27 in the X direction, that is, the part where the tip of the second insertion piece 43 is located in the blank 12 before folding, is defined as the "end of the cutting line L6", the distance between the end of the cutting line L6 in the X direction and the folding line L10 is shorter than the X-direction length of the second insertion piece 43. With this configuration, when the inner wall surface portion 28 and the upper wall surface portion 29 are folded, the second insertion piece 43 is folded inward of the inner wall surface portion 28 and inserted into the gap S (see FIG. 5). In addition, since the gap S has a width equivalent to the dimension of the upper wall surface portion 29, the second insertion piece 43 can be held in the gap S while being separated from the outer wall surface portion 27.

[0066] In addition, in the gap S, the upper surface of the second insertion piece 43, that is, the surface facing the opening 47, is inclined with respect to the vertical direction. Therefore, when the first insertion piece 41 is inserted into the gap S, the above-mentioned slide effect in which the upper surface of the second insertion surface 43 guides the first insertion piece 41 is obtained. In addition, in the gap S, the tip of the second insertion piece 43 is located adjacent to the edge portion of the recess 48 of the inner wall surface portion 28. Therefore, even if the second insertion piece 43 moves toward the inner wall surface portion 28 after the tip of the second insertion piece 43 is arranged so as to be inserted into the gap S, the tip of the second insertion piece 43 is engaged with the edge portion of the recess 48, and the movement of the second insertion piece 43 is restricted. This makes it possible to keep the second insertion piece 43 in the gap S, that is, the state in which the second insertion piece 43 is accommodated in the gap S can be stably maintained. As a result, the above-mentioned slide effect can be obtained more reliably.

[0067] In the first method described above, by inserting the first insertion piece 41 into the gap S, locking can be achieved relatively easily. Furthermore, by inserting the first insertion piece 41 into the gap S, a frictional force acts between the first insertion piece 41 and the outer wall surface portion 27 and / or between the first insertion piece 41 and the inner wall surface portion 28, making it possible to prevent the first insertion piece 41 from unintentionally coming out of the gap S. This makes it possible to satisfactorily maintain the state in which the first insertion piece 41 is inserted into the gap S, i.e., the locked state. Furthermore, the lock can be easily released by removing the first insertion piece 41 inserted into the gap S from the gap S. In other words, with the first type of lock, the storage box 10 can be easily and repeatedly sealed and opened. This effect is particularly significant in cases where, for example, the sealed storage box 10 is delivered to multiple locations and items are removed from the storage box 10 at each location for checking or inspection.

[0068] In addition, in the first method, since the second insertion piece 43 is housed in the gap S, it is possible to prevent the second insertion piece 43 from being mistakenly and unintentionally inserted into the notch 46. In other words, by locking in the first method, it is possible to limit (restrict) the action of inserting the second insertion piece 43 into the notch 46 until it is necessary to do so.

[0069] In the first embodiment, the first insertion piece 41 is inserted into the gap S, and therefore it is possible to avoid a situation in which the first insertion piece 41 gets into the storage space and reduces the storage space. In particular, in the first embodiment, the first insertion piece 41 has a shape in which the central portion of the leading edge 42 is curved (concave) in an arc. Then, when the first insertion piece 41 is inserted into the gap S with the second insertion piece 43 accommodated in the gap S, the central portion of the leading edge 42 is adjacent to the second insertion piece 43.

[0070] In other words, the recessed central portion of the tip of the first insertion piece 41 is adjacent to the second insertion piece 43, so the amount of overlap between the first insertion piece 41 and the second insertion piece 43 in the gap S can be reduced. If the amount of overlap in the gap S were to increase, the double-wall structure of the outer wall surface portion 27 and the inner wall surface portion 28 would bulge in the wall thickness direction, and if it bulged inward, the storage space would decrease. In the first embodiment, the above configuration can reduce the amount of overlap in the gap S, so the reduction in storage space is suppressed. Also, because outward bulging is suppressed, the aesthetics of the side panel portion (front panel portion 22), which is a double-wall structure, can be well maintained.

[0071] Furthermore, in the first embodiment, the first insertion piece 41 is inserted into the gap S formed in the side panel portion (more specifically, the front panel portion 22), so the bottom surface of the storage space does not rise. Therefore, in the first embodiment, items can be placed flat on the bottom surface in the storage space.

[0072] <Second method> The second method is a locking method in which the second insertion piece 43 is inserted into the notch 46 with the first insertion piece 41 inserted into the gap S. Specifically, when each of the pair of perforations 44, 44 in the outer wall surface portion 27 is broken, the rotating part 45 becomes rotatable about its base end as an axis, and the rotating part 45 is rotated toward the outside of the storage box 10. As a result, the second insertion piece 43 that was previously housed in the gap S is taken out of the gap S, as shown in FIG.

[0073] Thereafter, the rotating portion 45 is rotated toward the inside of the storage box 10, and the second insertion piece 43 is brought closer to the base end of the first insertion piece 41 that is inserted into the gap S. Then, the second insertion piece 43 is inserted from its tip side into the notch 46 provided in the base end of the first insertion piece 41. The insertion direction at this time intersects with the first insertion direction (more specifically, approximately perpendicular to it), and will be referred to as the second insertion direction hereinafter.

[0074] Locking by the second method is achieved by inserting the second insertion piece 43 into the notch 46. The second method can achieve a stronger lock than the first method. In particular, since the second insertion direction intersects with the first insertion direction, the locking by the second method is even stronger.

[0075] In addition, protrusions 49 are provided on both sides of the base end of the second insertion piece 43, and each protrusion 49 protrudes outward from the part that is continuous with the base end of the second insertion piece 43, i.e., the rotating part 45. By providing such protrusions 49, the second insertion piece 43 is less likely to come out after being inserted into the notch 46, and a stronger lock is realized. As a result, the storage box 10 can be firmly sealed without using tape or adhesive, etc., and the labor involved in sealing and the expense (cost) of tape, etc. can be reduced. Furthermore, the strong lock of the second method makes it difficult to remove items from the storage box 10, so that, for example, removal (theft) of items from the storage box 10 and tampering with recorded data of items can be prevented.

[0076] Furthermore, since the notch 46 is provided at the base end of the first insertion piece 41, the opening / closing plate 26 can be maintained in a good closed state by inserting the second insertion piece 43 into the notch 46. If the notch 46 were provided at the tip end of the first insertion piece 41, the opening / closing plate 26 could float up and open even when the second insertion piece 43 was inserted into the notch 46. In contrast, if the notch 46 is provided at the base end of the first insertion piece 41, the opening / closing plate 26 can be prevented from floating up, and the opening / closing plate 26 can be maintained in a flat, closed state. As a result, the airtightness of the storage box 10 can be improved.

[0077] Furthermore, before being locked by the second method, the perforations 44, 44 that define the pivoting portion 45 are not torn, and the pivoting portion 45 is located on the same plane as the other portions of the outer wall portion 27 (see FIG. 1). In this state, the outer surface of the outer wall portion 27 is flat, ensuring aesthetic appeal as a box, and for example, it is possible to decorate the outer surface of the outer wall portion 27 with printing or the like.

[0078] When opening the storage box 10 after locking by the second method, the outer wall surface portion 27 is broken along the breaking line L7. As a result, the portion of the outer wall surface portion 27 located inside the breaking line L7, including the rotating portion 45, is cut off. At this time, the second insertion piece 43 remains inserted in the notch 46, and the cut piece can be pulled out of the gap S together with the first insertion piece 41, as shown in FIG. 7. As a result, the storage box 10 is opened after locking by the second method.

[0079] Furthermore, if the break line L7 is formed on the outer wall surface portion 27, the opening operation, i.e., breaking the storage box 10 along the break line L7, becomes easy. The break line L7 for opening the storage box 10 after locking by the second method may be formed on the opening / closing plate portion 26, and specifically, may be formed at a position surrounding the notch 46 so as to form a quadrangle such as a circle, an ellipse, or a rectangle, or a polygon other than a quadrangle.

[0080] <<Second embodiment of the present invention>> In the first embodiment, the first insertion piece 41 is inserted into the gap S between the outer wall surface portion 27 and the inner wall surface portion 28 from the upper end side of the front panel portion 22, which is one of the side panel portions. On the other hand, the first insertion portion into which the first insertion piece 41 is inserted only needs to be provided in a portion adjacent to the opening-closing plate portion 26 when the opening is closed, and may be other than the gap S. Below, as a second embodiment of the present invention, an embodiment in which the first insertion portion is provided other than the gap S will be described with reference to Figures 8 and 9.

[0081] In the following, the second embodiment will be mainly described in terms of differences from the first embodiment, and descriptions of the commonalities between the first embodiment and the second embodiment will be omitted. In addition, the same reference numerals as those in the first embodiment are used for the commonalities between the first embodiment and the blank 14 shown in FIG.

[0082] The configuration of the storage box 10x of the second embodiment is generally the same as that of the storage box 10 of the first embodiment, but is different in that the opening and closing plate portion 26 is composed of two parts, specifically, a top plate portion 33 and a front cover plate portion 34. In the blank 14 of the second embodiment, as shown in Fig. 8, the top plate portion 33 is continuous with the rear plate portion 23 in the X direction, and a folding line L2 is provided at the boundary between the rear plate portion 23 and the top plate portion 33. The front cover plate portion 34 is continuous with the top plate portion 33 on the side opposite to the rear plate portion 23, and a folding line L8 is provided at the boundary between the top plate portion 33 and the front cover plate portion 34.

[0083] As shown in Fig. 8, the first insertion piece 41 is continuous with the tip of the opening / closing plate 26, more specifically, with the tip of the front cover plate 34. The base end of the first insertion piece 41 is provided with a folding line L3 and a notch 46 formed along the folding line L3. The front cover plate 34 is also formed with a breaking line L7 for opening. The breaking line L7 is formed so as to surround the notch 46, and more specifically, as shown in Fig. 8, the breaking line L7 extends so as to connect positions on the outside of both ends of the first insertion piece 41 in the Y direction, forming a substantially V-shape or a substantially arc-shape.

[0084] 8, in the blank 14, the second insertion piece 43 is adjacent to the bottom plate portion 21 in the X direction and is provided at the same position as the center portion of the bottom plate portion 21 in the Y direction. In the blank 14, the tip of the second insertion piece 43 is inserted into a recess 50 provided on the side of the outer wall surface portion 27 where the bottom plate portion 21 is located. In addition, as shown in FIG. 8, a cut line L9 is provided along the recess 50 at the boundary between the tip of the second insertion piece 43 and the outer wall surface portion 27. Before assembling the storage box 10x, the tip of the second insertion piece 43 and the outer wall surface portion 27 are continuous via the cut line L9.

[0085] 8, slits extending in the Y direction are formed in the outer wall surface portion 27 at locations on both sides of the second insertion piece 43. When the second insertion piece 43 is separated from the outer wall surface portion 27, these slits are connected to a hole formed in the trace of the second insertion piece 43 to form a single insertion hole 56. The insertion hole 56 functions as a first insertion portion in the second embodiment, and is located at the lower end of the front panel portion 22 when the storage box 10x is in an assembled state (see FIG. 9).

[0086] 8, a pair of perforations 44, 44 and a rotating portion 45 are provided in the peripheral portion of the second insertion piece 43 in the bottom panel portion 21. Each perforation 44 extends linearly from the end of the bottom panel portion 21 on which the second insertion piece 43 is located toward the opposite side to the second insertion piece 43.

[0087] In the second embodiment, the storage box 10x is assembled by folding the blank 14 configured as described above in a procedure substantially similar to that of the first embodiment. In the assembly process, the opening of the storage space is closed by the opening and closing plate portion 26, and at that time, the top plate portion 33 is folded at the folding line L2 and the front cover plate portion 34 is folded at the folding line L8. As a result, the top plate portion 33 is disposed above the storage space to close the opening, and the front cover plate portion 34 is disposed in front of the front plate portion 22 to cover the front side of the front plate portion 22. With this configuration, the second embodiment can improve the airtightness of the storage box 10x compared to the first embodiment.

[0088] In addition, when comparing the first embodiment with the second embodiment, in the first embodiment, the amount (area) of the sheet constituting the opening / closing plate part 26 is smaller than that of the second embodiment because the opening / closing plate part 26 does not have the front cover plate part 34. As a result, the opening / closing plate part 26 can be made more compact, the amount of blank paper can be reduced, and the yield (number of sheets) can be improved.

[0089] In the second embodiment, the second insertion piece 43 is cut out from the outer wall surface portion 27 along the cut line L9. When the storage box 10x is assembled, the second insertion piece 43 is provided at a position adjacent to the lower end of the outer wall surface portion 27 as shown in Fig. 9. When the storage box 10x is assembled, the second insertion piece 43 is cut out from the outer wall surface portion 27, so that a hole formed by the second insertion piece 43 and a slit hole provided in the outer wall surface portion 27 are connected, and an insertion hole 56 is provided at the lower end of the outer wall surface portion 27.

[0090] In the second embodiment, when the opening / closing plate 26 closes the opening, the tip (lower end) of the front cover plate 34 is adjacent to the insertion hole 56. When locking using the first method in the second embodiment, the first insertion piece 41 is brought close to the front plate portion 22 from the front of the front plate portion 22, and the first insertion piece 41 is folded at the folding line L3 and inserted into the insertion hole 56. According to this method, the first insertion piece 41 can be inserted into the insertion hole 56 without tilting the storage box 10x. When locked in the first manner, the second insertion piece 43 is not inserted into the notch 46 and is in a state where it protrudes from the front end of the bottom panel portion 21.

[0091] When locking using the second method in the second embodiment, the second insertion piece 43 is inserted into the notch 46 with the first insertion piece 41 inserted into the insertion hole 56. Specifically, each of the pair of perforations 44, 44 in the bottom panel portion 21 is broken, and the rotating part 45 is rotated toward the outside of the storage box 10x. Thereafter, the rotating part 45 is rotated toward the inside of the storage box 10x, and the second insertion piece 43 is brought close to the base end of the first insertion piece 41 and inserted into the notch 46 from below the first insertion piece 41.

[0092] When opening the storage box 10x after locking with the second method, the front cover plate 34 is broken at the break line L7. As a result, the portion of the front cover plate 34 located inside the break line L7 is separated from the other portions. This allows the opening and closing plate 26 to be opened with the first insertion piece 41 inserted into the insertion hole 56 and the second insertion piece 43 inserted into the notch 46, and as a result, the storage box 10x can be opened. In this way, in the second embodiment, the storage box 10x can be opened without destroying the side plate portions such as the front plate 22. [Explanation of symbols]

[0093] 10,10x storage box 12,14 Blank 21 Bottom plate part 22 Front plate section 23 Rear plate part 24 Left side plate 25 Right side plate 26 Opening and closing plate 27 External wall section 28 Inner wall section 29 Upper wall 30 Engagement hole 31 Engagement piece 32 Cutout 33 Top plate section 34 Front cover plate 41 First Insert 42 Tip edge 43 Second Insert 44 Perforations 45 Rotating part 46 Cut 46a Long side 46b Short side 47 Opening 48,50 Recess 49 Protrusion 51 Upper flap part 52 Reinforcement flap 53 Connecting flap section 54 Engagement part 55 Connecting wall 56 Insertion hole L1, L2, L3, L4, L5, L8, L10 bending lines L6,L9 Cutting lines L7 Break Line M Sheet Eyes S Gap

Claims

1. A storage box having a bottom panel, a plurality of side panel parts surrounding the bottom panel, and an opening / closing panel part closing an opening of a space partitioned by the plurality of side panel parts, One of the side panel portions has an inner wall surface portion located inside the storage box and an outer wall surface portion disposed along the inner wall surface portion and located outside the storage box, A first insertion piece protrudes from a tip end of the opening and closing plate portion, A second insertion piece is provided at a position adjacent to an end of the outer wall surface portion, A first insertion portion into which at least a tip end of the first insertion piece is inserted is formed in a portion adjacent to the opening / closing plate portion when the opening is closed, The first insertion piece is formed with a second insertion portion into which at least a tip end of the second insertion piece is inserted, A pair of perforations extending from an end of the outer wall surface portion on a side where the second insertion piece is located toward an opposite side to the second insertion piece; A rotating portion located between the pair of perforations and continuous with a base end portion of the second insertion piece; a break line that is broken when the storage box is opened in a state in which the second insertion piece is inserted into the second insertion portion, is provided on the outer wall surface portion, The break line is formed at a position surrounding the pair of perforations and the rotating portion on the outer wall surface portion, The method of locking the opening in a closed state by the opening and closing plate portion is as follows: a first method of inserting the first insertion piece into the first insertion portion in a state in which the second insertion piece is not inserted into the second insertion portion; and a second method of inserting the second insertion piece into the second insertion portion while the first insertion piece is inserted into the first insertion portion.

2. 2. The storage box according to claim 1, wherein the storage box can be assembled by folding a single blank that constitutes the storage box.

3. The storage box according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a notch serving as the second insertion portion is provided at a base end of the first insertion piece.

4. The first insertion portion is a gap between the inner wall surface portion and the outer wall surface portion, The storage box according to claim 1 , wherein the first insertion piece is inserted into the gap from an upper end side of one of the side panel portions.

5. The second insertion piece protrudes from an end of the outer wall surface portion and can be accommodated in the gap, A storage box as described in claim 4, wherein when the opening is locked in a closed state by the opening / closing plate portion using the first method, the first insertion piece is inserted into the gap with the second insertion piece accommodated within the gap.

6. A central portion of a tip edge of the first insertion piece is curved so as to approach the opening and closing plate portion, The storage box according to claim 5 , wherein when the first insertion piece is inserted into the gap with the second insertion piece accommodated in the gap, a central portion of the tip edge is adjacent to the second insertion piece.

7. a first insertion direction when the first insertion piece is inserted into the gap is along a direction from a base end of the second insertion piece to a tip end of the second insertion piece in a state in which the second insertion piece is accommodated in the gap; The storage box according to claim 5 or 6, wherein a second insertion direction when the second insertion piece is inserted into the second insertion portion intersects with the first insertion direction.

8. A storage box as described in any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein when the opening is locked in a closed state by the opening / closing plate portion using the second method, each of the pair of perforations is broken, the rotating portion is rotated toward the outside of the storage box, and then the second insertion piece is inserted into the second insertion portion.

9. The inner wall surface portion is provided with a recess having a shape corresponding to an outer edge of the tip end of the second insertion piece, A storage box as described in claim 8, wherein before the storage box is assembled, a tip portion of the second insertion piece fits inside the recess and is continuous with the inner wall surface portion, and a cut line is formed along the recess at the boundary between the tip portion of the second insertion piece and the inner wall surface portion.

10. A protrusion protruding outward in a width direction of the second insertion piece is provided on each side of a base end of the second insertion piece, The storage box according to claim 1 , wherein the protruding portion is located outboard in the width direction of a portion of the outer wall surface portion that is continuous with a base end portion of the second insertion piece.

Images