shipping container

Abstract

To provide a transport container that reduces the weight of a moisture control material to suppress deflection caused by self-weight.SOLUTION: A moisture control member 20 has a substrate that is curved to protrude upwards and a moisture control coating layer that covers the upper surface of the substrate. The substrate is made of a relatively stiff paper material that maintains its three-dimensional shape when the substrate is stationary, such as cardboard or Kent paper. Near a ceiling wall 130 of a container 1, multiple moisture control members 20 are repeatedly arranged in the lateral direction while being supported by support members 30.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to shipping containers. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, there is a technique for installing a humidity control member inside a transport container to control the humidity inside the container. Patent Document 1 is an example of such a technique, in which a humidity control member having a multilayer structure containing mesoporous silica is installed inside the container. The humidity control member according to one embodiment of Patent Document 1 is a flat member that is integrated in the left-right direction of the container. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 7036967 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] According to one embodiment of Patent Document 1, the humidity control member is placed in the container in a state where it is deflected by its own weight. In other words, Patent Document 1 is based on the premise that the humidity control member itself has a relatively large mass. However, if this deflection due to its own weight becomes too large, there is a risk that the cargo storage space in the container will be compressed in the vertical direction.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide a transport container equipped with a humidity control member that is lightweight so as to suppress deflection due to its own weight. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The transport container of the present invention has a paper plate-shaped substrate that is curved or folded toward a protruding direction, either upward or downward, and is equipped with a humidity-regulating member on the surface of the substrate facing the protruding direction, on which a humidity-regulating coating layer is formed, the humidity-regulating member being made of a coating material that contains mesoporous silica and has humidity-regulating function, and the humidity-regulating members are repeatedly arranged in one direction that intersects the vertical direction near the ceiling.

[0007] The humidity control member provided in the transport container of the present invention has a board-shaped base material made of paper, which reduces the weight of the humidity control member and suppresses bending due to its own weight.

[0008] On the other hand, the present inventors have confirmed that when a coating material applied to a paper substrate is dried, the coating material may shrink and warp. Therefore, for example, if a humidity-conditioning member is produced by applying a coating material to a flat substrate, the shrinkage of the coating material may cause excessive warping, which may lead to problems similar to those caused by bending due to the substrate's own weight.

[0009] Therefore, the humidity control member of the present invention has the following two configurations.

[0010] The first is a configuration in which the substrate is curved or bent so as to protrude upward or downward, and a humidity-conditioning coating layer is formed on the surface facing the protruding direction. For example, if the periphery of the substrate is not fixed and is a free end, the substrate may warp due to shrinkage of the coating material. In this regard, since the humidity-conditioning coating layer is formed on the surface facing the protruding direction due to the curve or bend, even if the substrate warps due to shrinkage of the coating material, the warping will be in the direction opposite to the original curve or bend direction. This prevents the humidity-conditioning member from warping too much due to shrinkage of the coating material.

[0011] The second configuration is one in which humidity control elements are repeatedly arranged near the ceiling in one direction intersecting the vertical direction. When a single large, flat humidity control element is used as in Patent Document 1, if the entire humidity control element is significantly curved downward, there is a risk that the humidity control element will compress the cargo storage space. In contrast, in the present invention, humidity control elements that are curved or bent upward or downward are repeatedly arranged in one direction. Therefore, the large curvature that occurs when a single large, flat humidity control element is used is less likely to occur.

[0012] In the present invention, the humidity control member is preferably elongated in a direction perpendicular to the one direction, whereby the humidity control function is more easily ensured due to the elongated humidity control member.

[0013] In the present invention, it is preferable that a first humidity control member having a base material with the protruding direction facing upward and a second humidity control member having a base material with the protruding direction facing downward are each aligned in the same direction.

[0014] In the present invention, it is preferable that the lower end of the first humidity control member and the upper end of the second humidity control member are connected, so that the first humidity control member and the second humidity control member are integrally formed. This suppresses deformation due to shrinkage of the coating material in each of the first and second humidity control members. Therefore, the overall shape of the first and second humidity control members is likely to be stable.

[0015] In the present invention, it is preferable that the first humidity control member and the second humidity control member form a closed curve shape in cross sections along both the one direction and the vertical direction, whereby the first humidity control member and the second humidity control member are integrally connected to form the closed curve cross-sectional shape, which makes it easier to stabilize the overall shape.

[0016] In the present invention, the humidity-conditioning coating layer may be formed on both the surface of the substrate facing the protruding direction and the surface opposite thereto, thereby improving the humidity-conditioning function since the humidity-conditioning coating layer is formed on both surfaces. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0017] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic view of the interior of a container according to a first embodiment of the present invention, seen from the front. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of one humidity control member of FIG. [Figure 3] 2 is a front view of one humidity control member in FIG. 1. FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a plan view of the entire humidity control device of FIG. [Figure 5] 1(a) is a front view of a humidity control member according to a second embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 1(b) is a front view of a humidity control member according to a third embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a front view of the entire humidity control member according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a perspective view of one humidity control member of FIG. 6. [Figure 8] FIG. 7 is a front view of one humidity control member in FIG. 6. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a front view of one humidity control member according to a modified example of the fourth embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 10] 10A and 10B are diagrams showing deformation of a member formed by applying a coating material to a flat paper substrate. [Figure 11] 1 is a schematic view of the interior of a container provided with a conventional humidity control member, as viewed from the front. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0018] [First embodiment] A container 1 according to a first embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4. As shown in FIG. 1, the container 1 includes a main body 10, a humidity control device 2, and a support material 30. The main body 10 may be, for example, a dry container for transportation. The size of the main body 10 is not important, and examples of containers that may be used include a 10-foot container, a 20-foot container, a 40-foot container, a 40-foot high cube container, or a 45-foot container, as specified by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). The main body 10 may be used for both marine and land transportation, and may be used for domestic and international transportation. In the following description, the width direction of the main body 10 is referred to as the left-right direction, as shown in FIG. 1. The direction perpendicular to both the left-right direction and the up-down direction is referred to as the front-to-rear direction. In FIG. 1, the front-to-rear direction corresponds to the direction connecting the front and the back.

[0019] 1 and 4, the main body 10 has a left wall 110, a right wall 120, a ceiling 130, a bottom 140, a rear wall 150, and a door 160. The left wall 110, the right wall 120, the ceiling 130, the bottom 140, the rear wall 150, and the door 160 surround a storage space for storing cargo. The left wall 110, the right wall 120, the ceiling 130, the rear wall 150, and the door 160 are made of metal such as aluminum or steel. The bottom 140 is made of wood.

[0020] The humidity control device 2 is a device that controls the humidity of the air inside the main body 10. The humidity control device 2 has a plurality of humidity control members 20 that have this humidity control function. Each humidity control member 20 controls the humidity of the air inside the main body 10, and is installed near the ceiling 130 as shown in FIG. 1. As shown in FIG. 3, the humidity control member 20 has a substrate 21 and a humidity control coating layer 22. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the humidity control member 20 is curved in an arc shape as a whole, protrudes upward, and is elongated in the front-to-rear direction. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, the humidity control members 20 are repeatedly arranged adjacent to each other in the left-to-right direction from the left wall 110 to the right wall 120 near the ceiling 130. As a result, three rows of humidity control members 20 are formed along the left-to-right direction and are arranged at equal intervals in the front-to-rear direction.

[0021] The substrate 21 is a plate-shaped member. The substrate 21 is made of a relatively hard paper material, such as cardboard or Kent paper, that maintains its three-dimensional shape when left standing. Alternatively, three-dimensional paper molded to have a specific three-dimensional shape may be used. The substrate 21 is curved in an arc, protrudes upward, and is elongated in the front-to-back direction. This shape of the substrate 21 defines the overall shape of the humidity control member 20. The substrate 21 has an upper surface 21a and a lower surface 21b. The upper surface 21a faces in the protruding direction of the humidity control member 20, i.e., upward. As shown in FIG. 3, the upper surface 21a is entirely covered with a humidity control coating layer 22. The humidity control coating layer 22 is made of a coating material with humidity control properties. The coating material contains mesopore diatomaceous earth, aggregate, glue, slag, and a corrosion inhibitor.

[0022] Mesoporous diatomaceous earth is composed primarily of mesoporous silica and is formed by the accumulation of diatom shells. The average diameter of the mesopores is preferably 2 to 50 nm, and more preferably 10 nm. Instead of mesoporous diatomaceous earth, artificially synthesized mesoporous silica may also be used.

[0023] The aggregate used may be volcanic clay, calcium carbonate, silica stone, etc. The aggregate is used to increase the strength of the humidity-conditioning coating layer 22. Two or more types of materials may be mixed.

[0024] The glue is made from natural materials or organic synthetic resins. The glue used is one that does not block mesopores even when solidified and has durability and strength. As natural materials, thickeners for food additives made from starch, seaweed, cellulose, etc. are used. As organic synthetic resins, urethane resins, etc. are used. Two or more materials may be mixed. From the viewpoint of environmental protection, natural materials are preferred.

[0025] The reeds are made of fibrous materials such as cellulose fiber and natural pulp. The reeds are used to prevent cracks in the humidity-conditioning coating layer 22. Two or more materials may be mixed. From the viewpoint of environmental protection, natural materials are preferred.

[0026] Boric acid is used as an anti-corrosion agent. It is used to prevent decay when the paint material is mixed into a paste and left to stand. Two or more materials may be included. If there is little need for anti-corrosion, it is not necessary to use an anti-corrosion agent.

[0027] The coating material preferably contains 80 to 90 parts by mass of mesopore diatomaceous earth, 0 to 10 parts by mass of aggregate, 5 to 15 parts by mass of glue, 0 to 5 parts by mass of waste, and 0 to 5 parts by mass of anti-corrosion agent.

[0028] The humidity-conditioning coating layer 22 preferably has a thickness of 0.6 to 2.0 mm. If the thickness of the humidity-conditioning coating layer 22 is less than the above range, the humidity-conditioning function may not be fully exerted. If the thickness of the humidity-conditioning coating layer 22 exceeds the above range, the humidity-conditioning coating layer 22 may be prone to cracking.

[0029] As shown in FIG. 1 , the support material 30 is a plate-shaped member that supports the humidity control members 20 by placing them on their upper surfaces. The support material 30 is disposed at each of the front and rear ends of the humidity control members 20. The support material 30 extends horizontally from the left wall portion 110 to the right wall portion 120 near the ceiling portion 130. The right end of the support material 30 is fixed to the right wall portion 120, and the left end of the support material 30 is fixed to the left wall portion 120. The support material 30 supports the humidity control members 20 at each of the front and rear ends of each humidity control member 20. The humidity control members 20 may or may not be fixed to the support material 30.

[0030] Next, a method for producing the humidity-conditioning member 20 will be described. First, the coating material that constitutes the humidity-conditioning coating layer 22 is prepared as follows. Mesopore diatomaceous earth, aggregate, glue, slag, and corrosion inhibitor are stirred, and then water is gradually added while further stirring to form a paste. Next, the paste-like coating material prepared as described above is applied to the entire upper surface of the substrate 21 to a predetermined thickness using a roller, brush, etc. Next, the substrate 21 is left to dry the coating material, forming the humidity-conditioning coating layer 22. In this manner, the humidity-conditioning member 20 is produced.

[0031] In the humidity control device 2 provided in the container 1 as described above, each humidity control member 20 has a paper plate-shaped substrate 21. This reduces the weight of the humidity control member 20 and suppresses bending due to its own weight.

[0032] On the other hand, the inventors have confirmed that when a coating material applied to a paper substrate dries, the coating material shrinks and warps. Therefore, for example, if a humidity-conditioning member is produced by applying a coating material to a flat paper substrate, the shrinkage of the coating material may cause excessive warping, as shown in Figure 10, which may lead to problems similar to those caused by bending due to the substrate's own weight.

[0033] However, the humidity control member 20 of the container 1 has a structure in which the base material 21 is curved so as to protrude upward, and a humidity control coating layer 22 is formed on the upper surface 21a facing the protruding direction. The periphery of the base material 21 is not fixed and is a free end. Therefore, there is a possibility that the base material 21 will be deformed and warped due to shrinkage of the coating material. In this regard, because the humidity control coating layer 22 is formed on the surface facing the protruding direction of the base material 21, even if the base material warps due to shrinkage of the coating material, the warping will be in the direction opposite to the original curvature. This prevents the humidity control member 20 from warping too much due to shrinkage of the coating material.

[0034] Furthermore, the humidity control members 20 are repeatedly lined up in the left-right direction (the direction intersecting the vertical direction in the present invention) near the ceiling portion 130. For example, when a single large, flat humidity control member is used as in the conventional container shown in FIG. 11, if the entire humidity control member has a shape that is significantly curved downward, the humidity control member may compress the cargo storage space. In contrast, in this embodiment, the humidity control members 20 that are curved upward are repeatedly lined up in the left-right direction. Therefore, the large curvature that occurs when a single large, flat humidity control member is used is less likely to occur.

[0035] Furthermore, since the humidity control member 20 is long in the front-rear direction, the humidity control function is easily ensured.

[0036] [Second embodiment] A container according to the second embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 5(a). Hereinafter, parts common to the first embodiment will be designated by the same reference numerals as above, and descriptions thereof will be omitted where appropriate.

[0037] The container according to this embodiment includes a main body 10, a humidity control device 202, and a support material 30. The humidity control device 202 is supported by the support material 30 and disposed near the ceiling wall 130 of the main body 10. The humidity control device 202 includes multiple humidity control members 20. The humidity control members 20 include humidity control members 20a and 20b oriented in different directions. In the humidity control member 20a (the first humidity control member of the present invention), a humidity control coating layer 22 is disposed above an upwardly protruding substrate 21. In the humidity control member 20b (the second humidity control member of the present invention), a humidity control coating layer 22 is disposed below a downwardly protruding substrate 21. The humidity control members 20a are arranged at equal intervals in the left-right direction. The humidity control members 20b are arranged at equal intervals in the left-right direction. The humidity control members 20a and 20b are supported by the support material 30 and arranged alternately in the left-right direction.

[0038] According to this embodiment, each of the humidity control members 20a and 20b has a curved substrate 21 that protrudes upward or downward, and a humidity-conditioning coating layer 22 is formed on the top or bottom surface facing the protruding direction. Therefore, as in the first embodiment, even if the substrate 21 warps due to shrinkage of the coating material, the warping will be in the opposite direction to the original curvature. This prevents the humidity control member 20 from warping too much due to shrinkage of the coating material.

[0039] Furthermore, the humidity control members 20a and 20b are arranged alternately and repeatedly in a direction intersecting the left-right direction near the ceiling portion 130. This makes it difficult for large curvature to occur, as occurs when a single large, flat humidity control member is used.

[0040] [Third embodiment] A container according to the third embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 5(b). Hereinafter, parts common to the first and second embodiments will be designated by the same reference numerals as above, and descriptions thereof will be omitted where appropriate.

[0041] The container according to this embodiment has a main body 10, a humidity control device 302, and a support material 30. The humidity control device 302 is supported by the support material 30 and is disposed near the ceiling wall 130 of the main body 10. The humidity control device 302 has a structure in which humidity control members 20a and 20b are integrally formed. Specifically, curved portions 302a corresponding to humidity control members 20a and curved portions 302b corresponding to humidity control members 20b are arranged alternately in the left-right direction. The curved portions 302a are curved in an arc shape so as to protrude upward. The curved portions 302b are curved in an arc shape so as to protrude downward. The lower end of the curved portion 302a and the upper end of the curved portion 302b are connected, so that the entire humidity control device 302 is integrally formed.

[0042] According to this embodiment, the curved portion 302a corresponding to the humidity control member 20a and the curved portion 302b corresponding to the humidity control member 20b each exert the same effects as those of the humidity control member 20. In addition, the curved portion 302a and the curved portion 302b are integrally connected, so that the overall shape is stably maintained.

[0043] [Fourth embodiment] A container according to the fourth embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 6 to 8. Hereinafter, parts common to the first to third embodiments will be designated by the same reference numerals as above, and descriptions thereof will be omitted where appropriate.

[0044] As shown in FIG. 6 , the container according to this embodiment includes a main body 10, a humidity control device 402, and a support member 30. The humidity control device 402 is supported by the support member 30 and disposed near the ceiling wall 130 of the main body 10. The humidity control device 402 includes multiple humidity control members 420. The humidity control members 420 are arranged at equal intervals in the left-right direction. As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 , each humidity control member 420 includes a cylindrical humidity control unit main body 421 that is elongated in the front-rear direction and buffer members 422 fixed to both ends of the humidity control unit main body 421 in the longitudinal direction. The buffer members 422 are plate-shaped members made of an elastic material such as urethane foam or polystyrene foam. The buffer members 422 extend circumferentially along the outer surfaces of both ends of the humidity control unit main body 421. The buffer members 422 prevent the humidity control members 420 from rolling sideways and coming into contact with each other, causing the humidity control coating layers 421b (described below) to come into contact with each other.

[0045] As shown in FIG. 8 , the humidity control unit main body 421 has a cylindrical substrate 421a and a humidity control coating layer 421b coated on the outer peripheral surface of the substrate 421a. The substrate 421a is made of the same material as the substrate 21. The humidity control coating layer 421b is made of the same material as the humidity control coating layer 22. The substrate 421a has a shape of a plate curved to form a cylindrical shape. The substrate 421a is made, for example, by bending a flat paper plate until both ends contact each other and fixing the ends together. Alternatively, three-dimensional paper molded into a cylindrical shape may be used as the substrate 421a. The humidity control coating layer 421b is made by applying the same coating material used to form the humidity control coating layer 22 to the outer peripheral surface of the substrate 421a using the same method as when forming the humidity control coating layer 22, and then drying the coating material.

[0046] As shown in FIG. 8 , the cross section of the humidity control unit main body 421 perpendicular to the front-rear direction is circular (corresponding to the phrase “cross sections along both the one direction and the vertical direction form a closed curve” in the present invention). A semi-cylindrical portion 421X (corresponding to the phrase “first humidity control member”) constituting the upper half of the humidity control unit main body 421 includes a portion that protrudes upward from the base material 421a. A semi-cylindrical portion 421Y (corresponding to the phrase “second humidity control member”) constituting the lower half of the humidity control unit main body 421 includes a portion that protrudes downward from the base material 421a. The lower end of the semi-cylindrical portion 421X is connected to the upper end of the semi-cylindrical portion 421Y, so that the entire structure integrally forms the cylindrical humidity control unit main body 421. As the humidity control unit main bodies 421 having such a structure are lined up in the left-right direction, the semi-cylindrical portions 421X and 421Y are also lined up in the left-right direction. This corresponds to the phrase "...the first humidity control member and...the second humidity control member are each arranged in the same direction" in the present invention.

[0047] According to this embodiment, semi-cylindrical portion 421X has a structure corresponding to humidity control member 20a, and semi-cylindrical portion 421Y has a structure corresponding to humidity control member 20b. Semi-cylindrical portion 421X and semi-cylindrical portion 421Y are connected to form humidity control portion main body 421, which has a circular cross-sectional shape. This makes it easy to stabilize the shape of humidity control portion main body 421 as a whole.

[0048] Instead of the humidity control unit main body 421 having a circular cross section, the humidity control unit main body 421 may have a cross section that is a closed curve, such as an ellipse or a polygon.

[0049] Furthermore, the humidity control unit main body 421 has a humidity control coating layer 421b formed only on the outer peripheral surface of the base material 421a. Alternatively, a humidity control unit main body 521 shown in FIG. 9 may be used, in which a humidity control coating layer 421b is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the base material 421a and a humidity control coating layer 421c is formed on the inner peripheral surface of the base material 421a. The structure of the humidity control unit main body 521 corresponds to the structure of the present invention in which "the humidity control coating layer is formed on both the surface of the base material facing the protrusion direction and the surface opposite thereto." In this case, humidity control coating layers are formed on both sides of the base material 421a, improving the humidity control function.

[0050] [Variations] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above with reference to the drawings, it should be understood that the specific configurations are not limited to these embodiments. The present invention is not limited to the description of the embodiments, but is also defined by the claims, and includes all modifications within the meaning and scope of the claims. Modifications of the above-described embodiments will be described below. Furthermore, parts common to the above-described embodiments will be designated by the same reference numerals as above, and descriptions thereof will be omitted where appropriate.

[0051] In each of the above-described embodiments, the humidity-conditioning coating layer is formed directly on the surface of the substrate. For example, as shown in Fig. 3, the humidity-conditioning coating layer 22 is formed directly on the upper surface of the substrate 21. Alternatively, another layer, such as a layer made of a primer for surface preparation, may be formed between the surface of the substrate and the humidity-conditioning coating layer.

[0052] In each of the above-described embodiments, the humidity-conditioning coating layer is formed over the entire area of ​​one surface of the substrate. For example, the humidity-conditioning coating layer 22 is formed over the entire area of ​​the upper surface 21a of the substrate 21. Alternatively, the humidity-conditioning coating layer may be formed only on a portion of one surface of the substrate.

[0053] In each of the above-described embodiments, the base material is curved to protrude upward or downward. Alternatively, the base material may be bent to protrude upward or downward. For example, the base material may be bent to protrude upward in a U-shape.

[0054] In each of the above-described embodiments, the multiple humidity control members are supported by the horizontally extending support material 30 and are repeatedly lined up along the horizontal direction. Alternatively, the multiple humidity control members may be supported by the support material 30 that is inclined from the horizontal and are repeatedly lined up along a direction inclined with respect to the horizontal direction. In other words, it is sufficient that the multiple humidity control members are repeatedly lined up along a direction that intersects with the vertical direction.

[0055] Furthermore, in each of the first to third embodiments described above, the humidity-conditioning coating layer is formed only on the surface facing the protruding direction of the substrate. For example, in the first embodiment, the humidity-conditioning coating layer 22 is formed only on the upper surface 21a, which is the surface facing the protruding direction of the substrate 21. In addition, a humidity-conditioning coating layer may also be formed on the surface opposite the protruding direction of the substrate. In this case, the humidity-conditioning coating layer formed on the opposite surface and the humidity-conditioning coating layer formed on the surface facing the protruding direction of the substrate each cause warping of the substrate due to shrinkage of the coating material. The effect of the former warping on strengthening the curvature of the substrate is alleviated by the latter warping. Therefore, even in this case, excessive curvature of the substrate is suppressed. [Explanation of symbols]

[0056] 1 container 2, 202, 302, 402 Humidity control device 20, 20a, 20b, 420 humidity control material 21, 421a Base material 22, 421b, 421c Moisture-conditioning coating layer 30 Support material 130 Ceiling 140 Bottom

Claims

1. The humidity-conditioning member has a paper plate-like substrate that is curved or folded toward a protruding direction, which is either upward or downward, and a humidity-conditioning coating layer made of a coating material that contains mesoporous silica and has a humidity-conditioning function, formed on a surface of the substrate that faces the protruding direction; The humidity control members are repeatedly arranged in one direction intersecting the vertical direction near the ceiling, A transport container characterized in that a first humidity control member having a base material with the protruding direction facing upward and a second humidity control member having a base material with the protruding direction facing downward are lined up in the same direction.

2. 2. The transport container according to claim 1, wherein the humidity control member is elongated in a direction perpendicular to the one direction.

3. 2. The transport container according to claim 1, wherein the lower end of the first humidity control member and the upper end of the second humidity control member are connected, thereby forming the first humidity control member and the second humidity control member as a single unit.

4. 4. The transport container according to claim 3, wherein the first humidity control member and the second humidity control member form a closed curve shape in cross section along both the one direction and the vertical direction.

5. The transport container according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the humidity-conditioning coating layer is formed on both the surface of the base material facing the protruding direction and the surface opposite thereto.

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