Container

Abstract

To provide a container capable of reducing transmission delay of a rotational driving force from a driving arm to a driven arm when a canopy is operated so as to open / close.SOLUTION: A container 1 comprises an opening and closing device 4 for operating canopies 3A, 3B so as to open / close between a closing posture and an opening posture. The opening and closing device 4 includes: a driving arm 41 which is rotatably connected to a container body 2 by the base part on a rear side of the canopies 3A, 3B and to which a driving rotating force is transmitted from a motor 47; a driven arm 43 which is rotatably connected to the container body 2 by the base part on a front side of the canopies 3A, 3B and to which the driving rotating force is transmitted from the driving arm 41; and a connection shaft 45 unrotatably connected to a tip part of the driving arm 41 and a tip part of the driven arm 43 by both the end parts in the front / rear direction. The canopies 3A, 3B include: lid members 32A, 32B for covering a charging port 2a in the closing posture; and cylindrical members 313A, 313B into which the connection shaft 45 is inserted rotatably around the axis thereof.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 8

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a container.

Background Art

[0002] For example, the container described in Patent Document 1 is provided with a lid that can open and close an inlet formed at the upper part thereof, and an opening / closing device that operates the lid to open and close. The opening / closing device includes a pair of arms rotatably provided at the upper part of the container, transmission means (such as a sprocket and a chain) that transmits a rotational driving force to both arms, and an operation lever that rotates both arms.

[0003] The pair of arms are arranged on both the front and rear sides of the lid. The base of each arm is rotatably connected to the container, and the tip of each arm is rotatably connected to both ends of a support shaft extending in the front-rear direction and fixed to the lid. Thus, by the up-and-down rotation of the tip of each arm, the lid is opened and closed. Of the pair of arms, one arm is a driving arm to which a rotational driving force is transmitted via the transmission means by the rotational operation of the operation lever, and the other arm is a driven arm to which a rotational driving force is transmitted via the support shaft by the rotation of the driving arm.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] At the connecting part between the tip of the drive arm and one end of the support shaft, and at the connecting part between the other end of the support shaft and the tip of the driven arm, play is likely to occur due to manufacturing errors and the like of these members. When such play occurs, the transmission of the rotational driving force from the drive arm to the driven arm is delayed, and there is a risk that the canopy cannot be smoothly opened and closed.

[0006] The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide a container capable of reducing the delay in the transmission of the rotational driving force from the drive arm to the driven arm when opening and closing the canopy.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0007] (1) The present invention includes a container body having a loading opening for loading goods formed at the upper part, a canopy that can open and close the loading opening, and an opening / closing device that opens and closes the canopy between a closed position covering the loading opening and an open position opening the loading opening. The opening / closing device includes a drive arm having a base rotatably connected to the container body on one side of both sides in one direction of the canopy and to which a driving rotational force is transmitted from the outside, a driven arm having a base rotatably connected to the container body on the other side of both sides in one direction of the canopy and to which the driving rotational force is transmitted from the drive arm, and a connecting shaft that extends in the one direction and has both ends in the one direction non-rotatably connected to the tip of the drive arm and the tip of the driven arm. The canopy includes a lid member that covers the loading opening in the closed position and a cylindrical member fixed to the lid member and into which the connecting shaft is rotatably inserted around its axis.

[0008] According to the present invention, since both ends of the connecting shaft are connected to the tip of the driving arm and the tip of the driven arm in the opening / closing device, the rotational driving force of the driving arm can be transmitted to the driven arm via the connecting shaft. At this time, since both ends of the connecting shaft are non-rotatably connected to the tip of the driving arm and the tip of the driven arm, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of play at the connecting portion between the tip of the driving arm and the connecting shaft and at the connecting portion between the tip of the driven arm and the connecting shaft. Thereby, it is possible to reduce the delay in the transmission of the rotational driving force from the driving arm to the driven arm when the canopy is opened and closed. Further, since the connecting shaft is rotatably inserted into the cylindrical member of the canopy around its axis, the canopy is rotatably connected to both tips of the driving arm and the driven arm via the cylindrical member and the connecting shaft. Thereby, when the driving arm and the driven arm are rotated, the opening and closing operation of the canopy is not hindered.

[0009] (2) Preferably, the container further includes a stopper that is fixed to the connecting shaft and restricts the movement of the cylindrical member to at least one side of the axis. In this case, for example, when the container is mounted on a vehicle and dumped, if the connecting shaft extends in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, the cylindrical member tends to move to one side (the rear side of the vehicle) of its axis with respect to the connecting shaft, but the movement of the cylindrical member can be restricted by the stopper.

Advantages of the Invention

[0010] According to the present invention, it is possible to reduce the delay in the transmission of the rotational driving force from the driving arm to the driven arm when the canopy is opened and closed.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0011]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7

Figure 8

Figure 9

Figure 10

Figure 11

Figure 12

Figure 13

Figure 14

Figure 15

Figure 16

Figure 17

Figure 18

Figure 19

Figure 20

MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

[0012] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a plan view of a container according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a side view of the container. Hereinafter, in the present embodiment, the left side of FIG. 1 is referred to as the "front side", and the right side of FIG. 1 is referred to as the "rear side". Also, the upper side of FIG. 1 is referred to as the "left side", and the lower side of FIG. 1 is referred to as the "right side". Therefore, in the present embodiment, the left-right direction of FIG. 1 becomes the "front-rear direction", and the up-down direction of FIG. 1 becomes the "left-right direction". In FIGS. 1 and 2, the container 1 of the present embodiment is a container that can be transported by a vehicle. The container 1 includes a container body 2 and a pair of lids 3A and 3B.

[0013] [Container body] The container body 2 is formed in a box shape that is long in the front-rear direction, and includes a front wall 11, a pair of left and right side walls 12, a rear wall 13, and a bottom wall 14. An inlet 2a into which dried materials (loaded goods) such as wood chips are loaded is formed at the upper part of the container body 2. The container body 2 has a pair of horizontal plates 2b and 2c provided on the front side and the rear side of the inlet 2a at its upper part. The front horizontal plate 2b and the rear horizontal plate 2c extend in the left-right direction (horizontal direction) between the left and right side walls 12, respectively.

[0014] A lift bar 15 is provided on the front wall 11 for hooking a hook of a loading arm provided on a vehicle (not shown) and loading it onto the vehicle body (see also FIG. 10). As shown in FIG. 2, the container body 2 further includes a pair of left and right legs 16 that support the front side of the bottom wall 14 and a pair of left and right rollers 17 that support the rear side of the bottom wall 14 (see also FIG. 3).

[0015] FIG. 3 is a view of the container 1 seen from the rear side. Hereinafter, the direction from the center in the left-right direction of the container 1 toward both sides in the left-right direction is referred to as the "outer side in the left-right direction", and the direction from both sides in the left-right direction of the container 1 toward the center in the left-right direction is referred to as the "inner side in the left-right direction". As shown in FIG. 3, the rear wall 13 includes a pair of left and right swing doors 13a that open and close the rear part of the container body 2. The outer edges in the left-right direction of each swing door 13a are supported so as to be rotatable in the front-rear direction with respect to the side wall 12. By opening the rear part of the container body 2 with both swing doors 13a, the loaded goods in the container body 2 can be discharged to the outside.

[0016] At the lower part on the inner side in the left - right direction of both sash doors 13a, an air supply port 18 that communicates the inside and outside of the container body 2 is formed in a state where the rear part of the container body 2 is closed by both sash doors 13a. An air duct (not shown) for introducing dry gas (for example, hot air) into the container body 2 is connected to the air supply port 18. By connecting the air duct to the air supply port 18 in this way and introducing dry gas into the bottom of the container body 2, the object to be dried accommodated in the container body 2 can be dried. When the air supply port 18 is not in use (for example, when the container 1 is being transported by a vehicle), the air supply port 18 is closed by a lid 19.

[0017] [Canopy] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, a pair of canopies 3A and 3B cover the upper part of the inlet 2a above the container body 2 in a left - right divided and openable manner. The left - right canopies 3A and 3B are inclined such that the outer side in the left - right direction is slightly lower than the inner side in the left - right direction so as to form a gabled roof of the container 1 in a state of covering the upper part of the inlet 2a.

[0018] The right - hand canopy 3A includes a beam member (first beam member) 31A and a lid member (first lid member) 32A supported from below by the beam member 31A. Similarly, the left - hand canopy 3B includes a beam member (second beam member) 31B and a lid member (second lid member) 32B supported from below by the beam member 31B.

[0019] FIG. 4 is a plan view showing the beam member 31A of the right - hand canopy 3A. As shown in FIG. 4, the beam member 31A has a plurality (five in the illustrated example) of short - hand beams 311A extending in the left - right direction, a longitudinal beam 312A connecting the outer ends in the left - right direction of these short - hand beams 311A, and a plurality (five in the illustrated example) of cylindrical members 313A fixed to the inner ends in the left - right direction of each short - hand beam 311A. Each short - hand beam 311A, longitudinal beam 312A, and each cylindrical member 313A are made of, for example, a metal pipe having a circular cross - sectional outer shape.

[0020] A plurality of short beams 311A are arranged at a predetermined interval in the front-rear direction. The short beams 311A arranged at the foremost part and the rearmost part are formed slightly longer in the left-right direction than the other short beams 311A. Both front and rear ends of the long beam 312A are fixed to the outer ends in the left-right direction of the short beams 311A arranged at the foremost part and the rearmost part respectively by welding or the like. At the middle part in the front-rear direction of the long beam 312A, the outer ends in the left-right direction of the other short beams 311A are fixed by welding or the like.

[0021] Each cylindrical member 313A is arranged with its axis directed in the front-rear direction, and all the cylindrical members 313A are arranged on the same axis. On the outer peripheral surface of each cylindrical member 313A, the inner ends in the left-right direction of the corresponding short beams 311A are fixed by welding or the like.

[0022] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line A-A of FIG. 1 showing the right canopy 3A. In FIG. 5, the beam member 31A has a plurality of tap plates 314A fixed to the upper sides of the respective short beams 311A and the upper side of the long beam 312A by welding or the like, and a tap plate 315A fixed to the inner side in the left-right direction of the cylindrical member 313A by welding or the like. In the present embodiment, two tap plates 314A are fixed to the upper side of each short beam 311A, and one tap plate 314A is fixed to the upper side of the long beam 312A. Female screw holes 316A and 317A are formed in the respective tap plates 314A and 315A.

[0023] The lid member 32A is made of, for example, a flexible resin sheet. The lid member 32A is arranged above the beam member 31A so as to cover the upper right half above the charging port 2a (see FIG. 1). The lid member 32A has a main body portion 321A arranged above the plurality of tap plates 314A, and a mounting portion 322A arranged inside the tap plate 315A in the left-right direction. The mounting portion 322A is integrally formed so as to bend downward from the inner end in the left-right direction of the main body portion 321A.

[0024] As shown in FIG. 5, the right canopy 3A includes a plurality (four in the illustrated example) of fastening members (first fastening members) 33A that fasten the lid member 32A to the beam member 31A. Each fastening member 33A is, for example, a bolt. In the present embodiment, three fastening members 33A penetrate the main body portion 321A of the lid member 32A from above and are tightened into the female screw holes 316A of the respective tap plates 314A. Also, the remaining one fastening member 33A penetrates the attachment portion 322A of the lid member 32A from the inner side in the left-right direction and is tightened into the female screw hole 317A of the tap plate 315A. Thereby, the fastening member 33A fastens the attachment portion 322A of the lid member 32A to the beam member 31A in the horizontal direction. Here, the "horizontal direction" means the horizontal direction in a state where the canopy 3A (main body portion 321A) is arranged horizontally (the state shown in FIG. 5).

[0025] FIG. 6 is a plan view showing the beam member 31B of the left canopy 3B. As shown in FIG. 6, the beam member 31B has a plurality (five in the illustrated example) of short beams 311B extending in the left-right direction, a long beam 312B connecting the outer ends in the left-right direction of these short beams 311B, and a plurality (five in the illustrated example) of cylindrical members 313B fixed to the inner ends in the left-right direction of each short beam 311B. Since the short beams 311B, the long beam 312B, and the cylindrical members 313B of the beam member 31B have the same configurations as the short beams 311A, the long beam 312A, and the cylindrical members 313A of the beam member 31A, respectively, the description thereof is omitted.

[0026] FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along line B-B of FIG. 1 showing the left canopy 3B. In FIG. 7, the beam member 31B has a plurality of tap plates 314B fixed to the upper sides of the respective short beams 311B and the upper side of the long beam 312B by welding or the like, and a tap plate 315B fixed to the upper side of the cylindrical member 313B by welding or the like. In the present embodiment, two tap plates 314B are fixed to the upper side of each short beam 311B and one tap plate 314B is fixed to the upper side of the long beam 312B. Female screw holes 316B and 317B are formed in the respective tap plates 314B and 315B, respectively.

[0027] The lid member 32B is made of, for example, a flexible resin sheet. The lid member 32B is disposed above the beam member 31B so as to cover the left half above the inlet 2a (see Fig. 1). The lid member 32B has a main body portion 321B disposed above a plurality of tap plates 314B and a mounting portion 322B disposed above the tap plate 315B. The mounting portion 322B extends obliquely upward a little from the inner ends in the left-right direction of the main body portion 321B and then extends inward in the left-right direction so as to be parallel to the main body portion 321B.

[0028] As shown in Fig. 7, the left canopy 3B includes a plurality (four in the illustrated example) of fastening members (second fastening members) 33B for fastening the lid member 32B to the beam member 31B. Each fastening member 33B is made of, for example, a bolt. In the present embodiment, three fastening members 33B penetrate the main body portion 321B of the lid member 32B from above and are tightened into the female screw holes 316B of the respective tap plates 314B. The remaining one fastening member 33B penetrates the mounting portion 322B of the lid member 32B from above and is tightened into the female screw hole 317B of the tap plate 315B. Thereby, the fastening member 33B fastens the mounting portion 322B of the lid member 32B to the beam member 31B in the vertical direction. Here, the "vertical direction" means the vertical direction in a state where the canopy 3B (main body portion 321B) is arranged horizontally (the state shown in Fig. 7).

[0029] As described above, the fastening members 33A of the right canopy 3A and the fastening members 33B of the left canopy 3B fasten the mounting portions 322A and 322B to the beam members 31A and 31B in the horizontal direction and the vertical direction, respectively, so that the fastening directions are different from each other.

[0030] [Opening and closing device] In Figs. 1 and 3, the container 1 includes an opening and closing device 4 for opening and closing the left and right canopies 3A and 3B. The opening and closing device 4 opens and closes the canopies 3A and 3B between a closed posture (see Figs. 3 and 10) in which the canopies 3A and 3B are disposed above the container body 2 and cover above the inlet 2a and an open posture (see Fig. 12) in which the canopies 3A and 3B open above the inlet 2a and are disposed outside the side wall 12 of the container body 2.

[0031] The opening / closing device 4 of this embodiment includes a pair of left and right opening / closing mechanisms 40 that individually open and close the left and right canopies 3A and 3B. Each opening / closing mechanism 40 includes a drive arm 41, a drive shaft 42, a driven arm 43, a driven shaft 44, a connecting shaft 45, a speed reducer 46, and a motor 47.

[0032] FIG. 8 is a plan view showing the drive arm 41, the driven arm 43, and the connecting shaft 45 of the right opening / closing mechanism 40. FIG. 9 is a plan view showing the drive arm 41, the driven arm 43, and the connecting shaft 45 of the left opening / closing mechanism 40. In FIGS. 8 and 9 (see also FIG. 1), the drive arm 41 is disposed behind the canopies 3A and 3B. Specifically, the drive arm 41 is disposed parallel to the short side beams 311A and 311B behind the short side beams 311A and 311B disposed at the rearmost part of the canopies 3A and 3B.

[0033] The base portions on the outer sides in the left-right direction of the drive arm 41 are integrally and rotatably connected to the drive shaft 42. The drive shaft 42 is rotatably supported on the rear horizontal plate 2c of the container body 2 about an axis extending in the front-rear direction with respect to a bracket (not shown). Thereby, the base portion of the drive arm 41 is connected to the container body 2 so as to be vertically rotatable.

[0034] The end portion of the drive shaft 42 is connected to the motor 47 via the speed reducer 46. The speed reducer 46 and the motor 47 are installed on the horizontal plate 2c of the container body 2 behind the drive arm 41. The motor 47 is composed of, for example, an electric motor capable of forward and reverse rotation. By driving the motor 47, a driving rotational force is transmitted to the drive arm 41 via the speed reducer 46 and the drive shaft 42. Therefore, the drive arm 41 is configured to rotate vertically by receiving the driving rotational force transmitted from the external motor 47.

[0035] The driven arm 43 is disposed on the front side of the canopies 3A and 3B. Specifically, the driven arm 43 is disposed parallel to the short beams 311A and 311B at the front side of the short beams 311A and 311B disposed at the foremost part of the canopies 3A and 3B.

[0036] The bases on the outer sides in the left - right direction of the driven arm 43 are integrally rotatably connected to the driven shaft 44. The driven shaft 44 is rotatably supported about an axis extending in the front - rear direction with respect to a bracket 48 installed on the front horizontal plate 2b of the container body 2. Thereby, the base of the driven arm 43 is connected to the container body 2 so as to be vertically rotatable.

[0037] The connecting shaft 45 is disposed on the inner sides in the left - right direction of the canopies 3A and 3B. The connecting shaft 45 is made of, for example, a metal pipe and extends long in the front - rear direction. The outer diameter of the connecting shaft 45 is smaller than the inner diameters of the cylindrical members 313A and 313B of the first and beam members 31A and 31B. The middle part in the front - rear direction of the connecting shaft 45 is inserted into each of the cylindrical members 313A and 313B (see also FIG. 13). Thereby, the connecting shaft 45 is rotatably connected to the cylindrical members 313A and 313B about the axis.

[0038] The rear end of the connecting shaft 45 is non - rotatably connected to the front end on the inner side in the left - right direction of the driving arm 41. Similarly, the front end of the connecting shaft 45 is non - rotatably connected to the front end on the inner side in the left - right direction of the driven arm 43. In the present embodiment, both ends in the front - rear direction of the connecting shaft 45 are fixed to the front end of the driving arm 41 and the front end of the driven arm 43 by welding, respectively. Thereby, the driving arm 41 and the driven arm 43 are integrated via the connecting shaft 45. Therefore, the driven arm 43 rotates vertically integrally with the driving arm 41 by the driving rotational force being transmitted from the driving arm 41 via the connecting shaft 45.

[0039] As shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, a plurality of stoppers 5 are fixed to the outer periphery of the connecting shaft 45. The plurality of stoppers 5 include a predetermined number (two in the illustrated example) of front stoppers 5F arranged on the front side of the cylindrical members 313A and 313B, and a predetermined number (five in the illustrated example) of rear stoppers 5R arranged on the rear side of the cylindrical members 313A and 313B. The front stopper 5F and the rear stopper 5R are formed, for example, in an annular shape concentric with the connecting shaft 45.

[0040] The front stopper 5F of the present embodiment is fixed to the outer periphery of the connecting shaft 45 on the front side of each of the cylindrical members 313A and 313B arranged at the foremost and rearmost portions. The foremost and rearmost cylindrical members 313A and 313B are restricted from moving forward with respect to the connecting shaft 45 by abutting against the front stopper 5F. The rear stopper 5R of the present embodiment is fixed to the outer periphery of the connecting shaft 45 on the rear side of all the cylindrical members 313A and 313B. All the cylindrical members 313A and 313B are restricted from moving rearward with respect to the connecting shaft 45 by abutting against the rear stopper 5R.

[0041] FIG. 10 is a view of the container 1 as seen from the front side. As shown in FIG. 10, the container 1 includes a support portion 6 that slidably supports each of the lids 3A and 3B. The support portion 6 has a bracket 7F fixed to the front side of the upper portion of each side wall 12, and a guide roller 8F rotatably attached to each bracket 7F. The bracket 7F of the present embodiment is fixed on the wall body 12a of the side wall 12. The guide roller 8F rotates while contacting the short side beams 311A and 311B arranged at the foremost portion of each of the lids 3A and 3B from below, thereby slidably guiding the front side of the lids 3A and 3B in the tangential direction.

[0042] As shown in FIG. 3, the support portion 6 further includes a bracket 7R fixed to the rear side of the upper portion of each side wall 12, and a guide roller 8R rotatably attached to each bracket 7R. The bracket 7R of the present embodiment is fixed on the wall body 12a of the side wall 12. The guide roller 8R rotates while contacting the short side beams 311A and 311B arranged at the rearmost portions of the respective canopies 3A and 3B from below, thereby slidingly guiding the rear sides of the canopies 3A and 3B in the tangential direction. As described above, each of the canopies 3A and 3B is slidably supported by a pair of front and rear guide rollers 8F and 8R of the support portion 6 provided at the upper portion of each side wall 12.

[0043] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, elastic members 49 are fixed to the outer sides in the left-right direction of the bases of the respective drive arms 41 on the rear horizontal plate 2c. Each drive arm 41 is adapted to contact the elastic member 49 when it rotates outward in the left-right direction. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 10, elastic members 49 are also fixed to the outer sides in the left-right direction of the bases of the respective driven arms 43 on the front wall 11. Each driven arm 43 is adapted to contact the elastic member 49 when it rotates outward in the left-right direction (see FIG. 12).

[0044] When each motor 47 is driven from the closed posture of the canopies 3A and 3B shown in FIG. 3, the drive arm 41 starts to rotate in the upright direction. When the drive arm 41 starts to rotate in the upright direction, the driven arm 43 also starts to rotate in the upright direction from the state shown in FIG. 10 via the connecting shaft 45. Since the drive arm 41 and the driven arm 43 rotate synchronously, the opening and closing operations of the canopies 3A and 3B accompanying the rotation of the driven arm 43 will be described below.

[0045] FIG. 11 is an explanatory view showing the state of the driven arm 43 during rotation. As shown in FIG. 11, when the top covers 3A and 3B are moved from the closed position to the open position, when the left and right driven arms 43 rotate in the upright direction (the right driven arm 43 rotates in the clockwise direction in FIG. 11 and the left driven arm 43 rotates in the counterclockwise direction in FIG. 11), the inner ends of the top covers 3A and 3B in the left-right direction are lifted, and the outer ends of the top covers 3A and 3B (the short side beams 311A and 311B) slide on the guide rollers 8F and 8R.

[0046] When the driven arm 43 further rotates from the state shown in FIG. 11, as shown in FIG. 12, the driven arm 43 comes into contact with the elastic member 49 and then stops rotating in a state of falling to the outside in the left-right direction. At this time, the top covers 3A and 3B hang down along the outer surface of the side wall 12 from the tip of the driven arm 43 on the outer side of the side wall 12 of the container body 2. In this way, the top covers 3A and 3B are in the open position where the loading opening 2a is opened. By stopping each motor 47 in this open position, the opening operation of the top covers 3A and 3B is completed. The closing operation of the top covers 3A and 3B is performed in the reverse operation of the above opening operation.

[0047] [Gap between the left and right top plates] FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line C-C of FIG. 1. As shown in FIG. 13, the beam members 31A and 31B of the top covers 3A and 3B in the closed position have opposing surfaces 318A and 318B that face each other in the left-right direction (horizontal direction). In the present embodiment, the inner surface of the tap plate 315A of the beam member 31A in the left-right direction is the opposing surface 318A, and a part of the outer peripheral surface (the inner part in the left-right direction) of the cylindrical member 313B of the beam member 31B is the opposing surface 318B. A gap S1 is formed between these opposing surfaces 318A and 318B over the entire length in the front-rear direction.

[0048] On the right canopy 3B, the mounting portion 322A of the lid member 32A described above is disposed adjacent to the opposing surface 318A and is fastened to the opposing surface 318A by the fastening member 33A described above. As a result, the tap plate 315A, the mounting portion 322A, and the fastening member 33A are disposed in the gap S1 in the closed position, that is, at a position where they do not interfere with the cylindrical member 313B of the beam member 31B.

[0049] [Cover] In FIGS. 1 and 13, the container 1 includes a cover 9 that fills the gap S1 between the left and right canopies 3A and 3B. The cover 9 is made of a metal plate member and is formed long in the front-rear direction so as to fill the entire gap S1. The cover 9 is bent so that the central portion in the left-right direction (width direction) curves upward in accordance with the inclination of the canopies 3A and 3B in the closed position.

[0050] One end portion 9a in the left-right direction of the cover 9 is fixed to the left canopy 3B. Specifically, one end portion 9a of the cover 9 is disposed on the mounting portion 322B of the lid member 32B and is fastened to the beam member 31B together with the mounting portion 322B by the above-described fastening member 33B. As a result, in the closed position, the fastening member 33B fastens the lid member 32B and the cover 9 to the beam member 31B in the vertical direction with the lid member 32B and the cover 9 vertically overlapped.

[0051] The intermediate portion 9b in the left-right direction of the cover 9 protrudes to the right of the lid member 32B (mounting portion 322B) in the closed position and fills the gap S1. The other end portion 9c in the left-right direction of the cover 9 protrudes above the main body portion 321A of the right lid member 32A in the closed position and abuts on the upper surface of the main body 321A. As a result, since the gap S1 is sealed by the cover 9, when the object to be dried in the container body 2a emits an odor, the diffusion of the odor from the gap S1 to the outside can be suppressed.

[0052] [Configuration of Side Wall] FIG. 14 is a side view showing the upper part of the left side wall 12. In FIG. 14, the illustration of the canopies 3A and 3B and the opening / closing device 4 is omitted. FIG. 15 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line D-D in FIG. 14. In FIGS. 14 and 15, the side wall 12 has a wall body 12a and a partition 12b fixed to the upper part of the wall body 12a. The partition 12b extends in the front-rear direction so as to be disposed entirely below the canopy 3B in the closed posture in a side view (also refer to FIG. 2).

[0053] Incidentally, since the length of the charging port 2a in the front-rear direction in the container body 2 varies depending on the presence or absence of the opening / closing device 4 and the exhaust passage portion 60 (described later), it goes without saying that the lengths of the canopy 3B and the partition 12b in the front-rear direction are also adjusted according to the length of the charging port 2a in the front-rear direction.

[0054] The partition 12b is formed, for example, in a substantially hollow rectangular cross-sectional shape and is disposed offset inward in the left-right direction on the upper surface of the wall body 12a. The partition 12b has an extension plate 12c extending downward from the lower end on the inner side in the left-right direction. The partition 12b is fixed to the upper surface of the wall body 12a by welding or the like. Further, the extension plate 12c is fixed by welding or the like in contact with the inner surface of the wall body 12a. Incidentally, the partition 12b may be integrally formed with the wall body 12a.

[0055] [Engaging device] FIG. 16 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line E-E in FIG. 1. In FIG. 16, the illustration of the lid member 32B of the canopy 3B, the rail 25 and the seal member 26 described later is omitted. As shown in FIG. 16, the container 1 includes an engaging device 20 that suppresses the vertical movement of the outer ends in the left-right direction of the canopy 3B in the closed posture. The engaging device 20 has a protrusion (engaging portion) 21 provided on the left side wall 12 and a receiving portion (engaged portion) 22 provided on the canopy 3B.

[0056] In FIGS. 14 and 15, a plurality (three in FIG. 14) of protrusions 21 are provided at a predetermined interval in the front-rear direction of the partition 12b of the side wall 12. In the present embodiment, the protrusion 21 located at the center in the front-rear direction of the partition 12b is formed longer in the front-rear direction than the protrusions 21 located on the front side and the rear side of the partition 12b. The protrusion 21 is formed in a flat plate shape and is integrally formed with the partition 12b so as to protrude laterally outward from the upper end on the outer side in the left-right direction of the partition 12b.

[0057] As shown in FIGS. 6 and 16, a plurality (three in FIG. 6) of receiving portions 22 are provided at a predetermined interval in the front-rear direction of the longitudinal beam 312B in the beam member 31B of the canopy 3B. These three receiving portions 22 are provided on the longitudinal beam 312B so as to be respectively arranged corresponding to the protrusions 21 provided at three locations in the front-rear direction of the side wall 12 in a state where the canopy 3B is in the closed posture (see FIG. 2). In the present embodiment, the receiving portion 22 located at the center in the front-rear direction of the longitudinal beam 312B is formed longer in the front-rear direction than the receiving portions 22 located on the front side and the rear side of the longitudinal beam 312B.

[0058] As shown in FIG. 16, the receiving portion 22 is formed by bending a flat plate member. Specifically, the receiving portion 22 has a first plate portion 22a extending in the left-right direction, a second plate portion 22b extending downward from the outer ends in the left-right direction of the first plate portion 22a, and a third plate portion 22c extending laterally outward from the lower end of the second plate portion 22b. The first plate portion 22a and the second plate portion 22b are respectively fixed to the upper side and the outer side in the left-right direction of the longitudinal beam 312B by welding or the like.

[0059] Below the longitudinal beam 312B of the second plate portion 22b, an insertion hole 22d into which the protrusion 21 is inserted when the canopy 3B is in the closed posture is formed to penetrate in the plate thickness direction (left-right direction). The protrusion 21 is engaged with the receiving portion 22 by being inserted into the insertion hole 22d of the second plate portion 22b. Thereby, it is possible to suppress the vertical movement of the outer end portion in the left-right direction of the canopy 3B in the closed posture.

[0060] In FIGS. 14 to 16, the engaging device 20 further has a guide portion 23 provided at the upper end portion of the side wall 12. The guide portion 23 guides the receiving portion 22 to the engaging position with the protruding portion 21 (the position shown in FIG. 16) when the top cover 3B is closed from the open position to the closed position. The guide portion 23 of the present embodiment is provided at the central portion in the front-rear direction of the upper end portion of the side wall 12 in order to guide the receiving portion 22 at the central portion in the front-rear direction of the longitudinal beam 312B (see also FIG. 2).

[0061] The guide portion 23 has a pair of front and rear support plates 23a and a guide plate 23b fixed to these support plates 23a. The support plates 23a are arranged on the outer sides in the left-right direction of the upper surface of the wall main body 12a with their plate thickness directions facing the front-rear direction. The lower surface 23a1 and the inner side surface 23a2 in the left-right direction of the support plate 23a are fixed to the upper surface of the wall main body 12a and the outer side surface in the left-right direction of the partition 12b by welding or the like, respectively. A convex arc-shaped support surface 23a3 is formed between the upper end of the side surface 23a2 of the support plate 23a and the outer end in the left-right direction of the lower surface 23a1.

[0062] The guide plate 23b is formed in a convex arc shape along the support surface 23a3 of each support plate 23a and is fixed to these support surfaces 23a3 by welding or the like. The guide plate 23b is arranged such that when the top cover 3B is closed, the lower end portion of the receiving portion 22 (the connection portion between the second plate portion 22b and the third plate portion 22c in FIG. 16) slides upward from below while contacting the guide surface 23c, which is the convex arc-shaped outer peripheral surface of the guide plate 23b. Further, the guide plate 23b is arranged such that when a part of the receiving portion 22 slides upward along the guide surface 23c, the protruding portion 21 is inserted into the insertion hole 22d, that is, the receiving portion 22 is in the engaging position engaged with the protruding portion 21. Note that the guide surface 23c of the guide portion 23 may be formed in a shape other than a convex arc shape (for example, an inclined shape).

[0063] In the present embodiment, by guiding the receiving portion 22 located at the central portion in the front-rear direction of the longitudinal beam 312B to the engaging position by the guide portion 23 as described above, the receiving portions 22 located on the front side and the rear side of the longitudinal beam 312B are also guided to the engaging position.

[0064] In addition, as shown in FIG. 4, a receiving portion 22 is also provided on the right canopy 3A (longitudinal beam 312A). Although not shown, a protruding portion 21 is also provided on the right side wall 12. These right protruding portion 21 and receiving portion 22 function as an engaging device 20 that suppresses the vertical movement of the left and right outer ends of the canopy 3A when the right canopy 3A is in the closed position. Since the right protruding portion 21 and receiving portion 22 have the same configuration as the above-described left protruding portion 21 and receiving portion 22, the description thereof is omitted.

[0065] [Sealing member] In FIGS. 14 and 15, an elastic sealing member 26 is fixed to the upper surface of the partition 12b on the left side wall 12 via a rail 25. The rail 25 is made of a metal or resin member having a C-shaped cross section that opens upward. The length of the rail 25 in the front-rear direction is substantially the same as the length of the partition 12b in the front-rear direction. The sealing member 26 is a member that seals between the back surface of the canopy 3B and the upper surface of the side wall 12 (partition 12b) when the canopy 3B is in the closed position (see FIG. 17). The length of the sealing member 26 in the front-rear direction is substantially the same as the length of the rail 25 (partition 12b) in the front-rear direction.

[0066] The sealing member 26 has a sealing base portion 27 that is inserted into and fixed to the rail 25, and a sealing main body portion 28 that is integrally formed above the sealing base portion 27. The sealing main body portion 28 is exposed above the rail 25. The sealing main body portion 28 of the present embodiment is formed in a substantially rectangular tube shape with a hollow interior. The sealing main body portion 28 has an outer surface 28a, an inner surface 28b, an upper surface 28c, an outer curved surface 28d, and an inner curved surface 28e on its outer periphery.

[0067] The outer surface 28a is formed to extend vertically above the outer side in the left-right direction of the rail 25 and faces the outer side of the side wall 12. The inner surface 28b is formed to extend vertically above the inner side in the left-right direction of the rail 25 and faces the inner side of the side wall 12. The upper surface 28c is formed to extend horizontally above the outer surface 28a and the inner surface 28b and faces the upper side of the side wall 12. The outer curved surface 28d is a curved surface connecting the outer surface 28a and the upper surface 28c and is formed in a convex arc shape. The inner curved surface 28e is a curved surface connecting the inner surface 28b and the upper surface 28c and is formed in a convex arc shape.

[0068] FIG. 17 is a cross-sectional view showing the upper part of the left side wall 12 in a state where the canopy 3B is in the closed position. As shown in FIG. 17, the beam member 31B of the canopy 3B is disposed at a position where it contacts the seal main body portion 28 in the closed position. In the present embodiment, the longitudinal beam 312B of the beam member 31B is disposed at a position where it elastically deforms the seal main body portion 28 (particularly the outer surface 28a) and makes surface contact with the outer surface 28a in the closed position.

[0069] Specifically, when the longitudinal beam 312B slides from the outer side in the left-right direction to the inner side in the left-right direction of the side wall 12 by the closing operation of the canopy 3B, it contacts the outer surface 28a of the seal main body portion 28 and presses the outer surface 28a inward in the left-right direction to elastically deform it. As a result, an arc-shaped outer surface 319 that is a part of the outer peripheral surface of the longitudinal beam 312B makes surface contact with the outer surface 28a elastically deformed inward in the left-right direction of the seal main body portion 28 in the closed position.

[0070] Although not shown, the seal member 26 is also fixed to the upper surface of the right side wall 12. The longitudinal beam 312A of the beam member 31A in the right canopy 3A makes surface contact with the outer surface 28a of the seal main body portion 28 in the seal member 26. A part of the outer peripheral surface of the longitudinal beam 312A is an arc-shaped outer surface 319 that makes surface contact with the outer surface 28a of the seal main body portion 28 in the closed position, similar to the longitudinal beam 312B.

[0071] [Exhaust passage portion] As shown in Fig. 1, the inlet 2a of the container body 2 is sealed by the above-described lids 3A, 3B, the cover 9, and the seal member 26 (see Fig. 17). Therefore, the container 1 is provided with an exhaust passage portion 60 for exhausting the dry gas introduced into the container body 2 from the air supply port 18 (see Fig. 3) with the lids 3A, 3B in the closed position. The exhaust passage portion 60 is provided at the center in the left-right direction on the upper rear side of the container body 2 so as to communicate the inside and outside of the container body 2.

[0072] Fig. 18 is an enlarged plan view showing the periphery of the exhaust passage portion 60. Fig. 19 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line F-F of Fig. 18. Fig. 20 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line G-G of Fig. 18. In Figs. 18 to 20, first, the structure of the container body 2 around the exhaust passage portion 60 will be described. The container body 2 has a vertical plate 2d extending upward from the front end of the horizontal plate 2c at its upper rear side. The upper end surface of the vertical plate 2d supports the lids 3A, 3B in the closed position from below via a seal member (not shown). Therefore, the upper end surface of the vertical plate 2d is inclined such that both outer sides in the left-right direction are the lowest in accordance with the inclination of the lids 3A, 3B in the closed position.

[0073] Below the horizontal plate 2c and in front of the vertical plate 2d in the container body 2, a storage space 2e for the object to be dried is formed. In the container body 2, a connection port 2f to which the exhaust passage portion 60 is connected is formed across the horizontal plate 2c and the vertical plate 2d. The connection port 2f is composed of a first notch portion 2f1 formed in the horizontal plate 2c and a second notch portion 2f2 formed in the vertical plate 2d.

[0074] The first notch portion 2f1 is formed in a concave shape so as to open forward at the center in the left-right direction of the horizontal plate 2c. The second notch portion 2f2 is formed in a concave shape so as to open downward at the center in the left-right direction of the vertical plate 2d. The lower opening of the second notch portion 2f2 communicates with the front opening of the first notch portion 2f1. Thereby, one connection port 2f is formed across the horizontal plate 2c and the vertical plate 2d in the container body 2.

[0075] The exhaust passage portion 60 of the present embodiment is composed of a box body 61 connected to the connection port 2f and a cylindrical body 62 attached to the box body 61. The box body 61 is disposed between the left and right motors 47 above the horizontal plate 2c and behind the vertical plate 2d. The box body 61 is composed of an upper plate 61a, a pair of left and right side plates 61b, and a rear plate 61c.

[0076] The upper plate 61a is formed in a rectangular shape in plan view. Above the upper plate 61a, the front ends of the left and right drive arms 41 are arranged when the canopies 3A, 3B are in the closed position. Therefore, the upper plate 61a is formed so as not to interfere with the front ends of the both drive arms 41. Specifically, the upper plate 61a has a first upper plate portion 61a1 extending horizontally from the front end rearward, a second upper plate portion 61a2 extending obliquely upward rearward from the rear end of the first upper plate portion 61a1, a third upper plate portion 61a3 extending vertically upward from the rear end (upper end) of the second upper plate portion 61a2, and a fourth upper plate portion 61a4 extending obliquely upward rearward from the upper end of the third upper plate portion 61a3. The front ends of the both drive arms 41 are arranged above the first upper plate portion 61a and in front of the third upper plate portion 61a3.

[0077] The rear plate 61c is formed in a rectangular shape in plan view, similarly to the upper plate 61a. The rear plate 61c extends obliquely downward rearward from the rear end (upper end) of the fourth upper plate portion 61a4 so as to be perpendicular to the fourth upper plate portion 61a4. A circular mounting hole 61d is formed through the rear plate 61c in the plate thickness direction.

[0078] The upper end and the rear end of the side plate 61b are formed along the shapes of the upper plate 61a and the rear plate 61c in side view, respectively. The front end of the side plate 61b is formed to extend vertically, and the lower end of the side plate 61b is formed to extend horizontally (front-rear direction).

[0079] The lower end and the front end of the box body 61 are each open, and are fixed to the horizontal plate 2c and the vertical plate 2d in a state of being arranged on the periphery of the connection port 2f of the container body 2. Specifically, the front end of the upper plate 61a (the first upper plate portion 61a1) is fixed to the vertical plate 2d by welding or the like in a state of being arranged along the upper edge of the second notch portion 2f2. The front ends of the left and right side plates 61b are fixed to the vertical plate 2d by welding or the like in a state of being respectively arranged along the left and right side edges of the second notch portion 2f2. The lower ends of the left and right side plates 61b are fixed to the horizontal plate 2c by welding or the like in a state of being respectively arranged along the left and right side edges of the first notch portion 2f1. The lower end of the rear plate 61c is fixed to the horizontal plate 2c by welding or the like in a state of being arranged along the rear edge of the first notch portion 2f1.

[0080] The cylinder body 62 is formed in a cylindrical shape. One end of the cylinder body 62 is fixed to the rear plate 61c by welding or the like in a state of being inserted into the mounting hole 61d of the box body 61. Thereby, the inside of the cylinder body 62 communicates with the connection port 2f of the container body 2 through the inside of the box body 61. A circular exhaust port 63 that opens to the outside is formed at the other end of the cylinder body 62. The opening area of the exhaust port 63 is smaller than the opening area of the inlet 2a of the container body 2. An annular flange portion 62a protrudes radially outward on the outer periphery of the other end side of the cylinder body 62.

[0081] In FIGS. 18 and 19, the container 1 includes a lid body 71 that can open and close the exhaust port 63 of the exhaust passage portion 60. The lid body 71 is formed in a cylindrical shape with a top. An annular flange portion 71a protrudes radially outward on the outer periphery of the open end side of the lid body 71. The flange portion 71a of the lid body 71 is locked by a locking mechanism (for example, a patch lock or the like) not shown in a state of being overlapped with the flange portion 62a of the cylinder body 62 (the state shown in FIG. 19). Thereby, the exhaust port 63 of the exhaust passage portion 60 is covered and closed by the lid body 71.

[0082] Note that the lid body 71 is connected to the exhaust passage portion 60 by a chain or the like not shown. Thereby, even when the lid body 71 opens the exhaust port 63, the lid body 71 can be retained around the exhaust passage portion 60.

[0083] By removing the lid body 71 from the exhaust passage portion 60 and opening the exhaust port 63 to the outside, the dry gas introduced into the container body 2 from the air supply port 18 passes through the object to be dried, passes through the exhaust passage portion 60 from the connection port 2f, and is exhausted from the exhaust port 63. At this time, by connecting one end of a hose (not shown) to the exhaust port 63, the dry gas introduced into the hose from the exhaust port 63 can be exhausted from the other end of the hose at a desired location. For example, when the container 1 is installed indoors, the dry gas in the container body 2 can be exhausted outdoors via the hose.

[0084] In FIGS. 19 and 20, the container 1 includes a closing plate 72 that can close only the first notch portion 2f1 among the first notch portion 2f1 and the second notch portion 2f2 of the connection port 2f. The closing plate 72 of the present embodiment is formed in a rectangular shape and is formed larger than the first notch portion 2f1 in the front-rear direction and the left-right direction. The closing plate 72 closes the first notch portion 2f1 from below. In a state where the closing plate 72 closes the first notch portion 2f1 in this way, both left and right end portions of the closing plate 72 are detachably attached to the horizontal plate 2c by a plurality of bolts 73 and nuts 74. When the first notch portion 2f1 is closed by the closing plate 72, the dry gas in the container body 2 passes through the second notch portion 2f2 of the connection port 2f and is discharged to the outside from the exhaust port 63. Note that the illustration of the bolts 73 and nuts 74 is omitted in FIG. 19.

[0085] [Operation and Effect of the Present Embodiment] According to the container 1 of the present embodiment, since both ends of the connecting shaft 45 are connected to the tip of the driving arm 41 and the tip of the driven arm 43 in the opening / closing device 4, the rotational driving force of the driving arm 41 can be transmitted to the driven arm 43 via the connecting shaft 45. At this time, since both ends of the connecting shaft 45 are non-rotatably connected to the tip of the driving arm 41 and the tip of the driven arm 43, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of play at the connecting portion between the tip of the driving arm 41 and the connecting shaft 45 and at the connecting portion between the tip of the driven arm 43 and the connecting shaft 45. Thereby, it is possible to reduce the delay in the transmission of the rotational driving force from the driving arm 41 to the driven arm 43 when the canopies 3A and 3B are opened and closed. Further, since the connecting shaft 45 is rotatably inserted into the cylindrical members 313A and 313B of the canopies 3A and 3B around its axis, the canopies 3A and 3B are rotatably connected to both tips of the driving arm 41 and the driven arm 43 via the cylindrical members 313A and 313B and the connecting shaft 45. Thereby, when the driving arm 41 and the driven arm 43 are rotated, the opening and closing operations of the canopies 3A and 3B are not hindered.

[0086] Further, since the connecting shaft 45 is provided with the stopper 5 against which the cylindrical members 313A and 313B abut, it is possible to restrict the movement of the cylindrical members 313A and 313B to the front side and the rear side with respect to the connecting shaft 45. In particular, when the container 1 is mounted on a vehicle and dumped backward, although the cylindrical members 313A and 313B tend to move to the rear side with respect to the connecting shaft 45, it is effective in that the movement of the cylindrical members 313A and 313B can be restricted by the stopper 5.

[0087] [Others] The pair of canopies 3A and 3B in the above embodiment open and close by dividing the loading port 2a in the left-right direction, but may open and close by dividing it in the front-rear direction. Further, the lid members 32A and 32B of the canopies 3A and 3B are not limited to flexible resin sheets, and may be formed of a rigid body such as a metal plate, for example. Further, the gap S1 between the canopies 3A and 3B may be filled with a sealing material such as a packing instead of the cover 9. Further, instead of the pair of canopies 3A and 3B, the loading port 2a may be opened and closed by a single canopy that covers the entire loading port 2a.

[0088] The opening and closing device 4 of the above-described embodiment rotates the drive arm 41 by the rotational driving force of the motor 47. However, the drive arm 41 may be rotated by the rotational driving force of another actuator or by the rotational driving force of a manual operation handle instead of the actuator. Further, the connecting shaft 45 of the opening and closing device 4 is fixed to the tip portions of the drive arm 41 and the driven arm 43 by welding, but may be fixed using other fixing means such as bolts or adhesives.

[0089] The cylindrical members 313A and 313B into which the connecting shaft 45 is inserted are not limited to the above-described embodiment. For example, the cylindrical members 313A and 313B of the above-described embodiment are formed in an endless cylindrical shape (circular cross-section), but may be formed in an end cylindrical shape (C-shaped cross-section). Further, the cylindrical members 313A and 313B of the above-described embodiment are constituted by a single member, but may be constituted by being divided into a plurality in the circumferential direction.

[0090] The stopper 5 of the above-described embodiment includes the front stopper 5F and the rear stopper 5R, but may include only one of them. Further, the front stopper 5F restricts the forward movement of the cylindrical members 313A and 313B arranged at the foremost part and the rearmost part, but may restrict the forward movement of the cylindrical members 313A and 313B arranged at other locations. Further, the rear stopper 5R restricts the backward movement of all the cylindrical members 313A and 313B, but may restrict the backward movement of at least one of the cylindrical members 313A and 313B.

[0091] The exhaust passage portion 60 of the above-described embodiment is provided at the rear side of the container body 2, but may be provided at the front side of the container body 2. The air supply port 18 of the above-described embodiment is formed in the rear wall 13 of the container body 2, but may be formed in the front wall 11 or the side wall 12 of the container body 2. The present invention can also be applied to a normal container that does not dry the load (object to be dried) in the container body 2, that is, a container that does not include the air supply port 18 and the exhaust passage portion 60 for introducing and exhausting dry gas into the container body 2.

[0092] It should be considered that all the embodiments disclosed this time are illustrative and not restrictive in any way. The scope of the present invention is shown not by the above meaning but by the claims, and it is intended that all modifications within the meaning and scope equivalent to the claims are included.

Explanation of Signs

[0093] 1 Container 2 Container body 2a Inlet 3A, 3B Canopy 4 Opening / closing device 5 Stopper 32A, 32B Cover member 41 Driving arm 43 Driven arm 45 Connecting shaft 313A, 313B Cylindrical member

Claims

1. A container body having a loading opening for loading objects formed at the upper part, a lid for covering the loading opening in an openable and closable manner, and an opening and closing device for moving the lid between a closed position covering the loading opening and an open position opening the loading opening. The opening and closing device includes a drive arm having a base rotatably connected to the container body on one side of both sides in one direction of the lid, and to which a driving rotational force is transmitted from the outside; a driven arm having a base rotatably connected to the container body on the other side of both sides in one direction of the lid, and to which the driving rotational force is transmitted from the drive arm; and a connecting shaft extending in the one direction and having both ends in the one direction non-rotatably connected to the tip of the drive arm and the tip of the driven arm. The lid includes a lid member for covering the loading opening in the closed position, and a cylindrical member fixed to the lid member and into which the connecting shaft is inserted rotatably about its axis. The container is as described above.

2. The container according to claim 1, further comprising a stopper fixed to the connecting shaft for restricting the movement of the cylindrical member to at least one side of the axis.

Images