container

Abstract

To provide a container which can inhibit wear of each seal member sealing a space between a side wall and a canopy.SOLUTION: A container 1 includes: a container body 2 in which a slot 2a for placing loads into the container body 2 is formed at an upper part; canopies 3A, 3B which cover the slot 2a in an openable / closable manner; an opening / closing device 4 which causes the canopies 3A, 3B to slide between a closing attitude at which the canopies 3A, 3B are placed at the upper side of the container body 2 and cover the slot 2a and an open attitude at which the canopies 3A, 3B open the slot 2a and are placed at an outer side of the side walls 12 of the container body 2; and elastic seal members 26 each of which is fixed to an upper surface of the side wall 12 and has an outer surface 28a facing the outer side of the side wall 12. The canopies 3A, 3B have beam members 31A, 31B each of which contacts with the outer surface 28a of the seal member 26 when the canopy 3A, 3B is at the closed attitude.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 17

Description

[Technical Field]

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

[0002] For example, the container described in Patent Document 1 has a slidable canopy that opens and closes an opening formed at the top of the container. A rubber packing is fixed to the upper surface of the container's side wall, and when the canopy covers the opening, the lower surface of the canopy comes into contact with the upper surface of the packing. This prevents cargo inside the container from leaking out between the side wall and the canopy during transport. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2019-64675 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] When the canopy is closed and covers the opening, the weight of the canopy crushes the gasket downward. Therefore, when the canopy is slid from the closed state to open the opening, the gasket is crushed and rubbed against the underside of the canopy, making it prone to wear.

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and has an object to provide a container that can suppress wear of the sealing member that seals the gap between the side wall and the canopy. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] (1) The present invention is a container comprising: a container body having an opening formed at the top for loading cargo; a canopy that covers the opening in an openable and closable manner; a support portion provided on the container body for slidably supporting the canopy; an opening / closing device that slides the canopy between a closed position in which the canopy is positioned above the container body and covers the opening, and an open position in which the canopy opens the opening and is positioned outward from the side wall of the container body; and an elastic sealing member fixed to the upper surface of the side wall and having an outer surface facing outward from the side wall, wherein the canopy has a beam member that contacts the outer surface of the sealing member in the closed position.

[0007] According to the present invention, when the canopy is in the closed position, the beam member of the canopy contacts the outer surface of the seal member, thereby sealing the gap between the side wall and the canopy. Furthermore, when the canopy is slid open from the closed position to the open position, the beam member moves outward from its contact with the outer surface of the seal member, preventing the seal member from rubbing against the beam member. This reduces wear on the seal member.

[0008] (2) It is preferable that the beam member has an arc-shaped outer surface that elastically deforms the outer surface in the closed position and comes into surface contact with the outer surface. In this case, when the canopy is closed, the arc-shaped outer surface of the beam member comes into surface contact with the outer surface of the seal member, and the weight of the canopy exerts a downward pressure on the seal member, thereby improving the sealing performance between the side wall and the canopy.

[0009] (3) It is preferable that the cross-sectional outer shape of the beam member is circular, and that a part of the outer peripheral surface of the beam member is the outer surface. In this case, the beam member having an arc-shaped outer surface can be easily manufactured. [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] According to the present invention, wear of the seal member that seals between the side wall and the canopy of the container can be suppressed. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0011] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a plan view of a container according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. [Figure 3] FIG. 1 is a rear view of the container. [Figure 4] FIG. 10 is a plan view showing the beam member of the right canopy. [Figure 5] 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA in FIG. 1, showing the right canopy. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a plan view showing the beam member of the left canopy. [Figure 7] 2 is a cross-sectional view of the left canopy taken along the arrow BB in FIG. 1. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a plan view showing the drive arm, the driven arm, and the connecting shaft of the right opening / closing mechanism. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a plan view showing the drive arm, the driven arm, and the connecting shaft of the left opening / closing mechanism. [Figure 10] FIG. 1 is a front view of the container. [Figure 11] 10 is an explanatory diagram showing a state in which the driven arm is midway through rotation; FIG. [Figure 12] FIG. 1 is a front view of the container with the canopy in an open position. [Figure 13] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along the arrow CC in FIG. [Figure 14] FIG. 10 is a side view showing the upper part of the left side wall. [Figure 15] FIG. 15 is a cross-sectional view taken along the arrow DD in FIG. [Figure 16] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along the arrows EE in FIG. [Figure 17] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing the upper portion of the left side wall when the canopy is in the closed position. [Figure 18] FIG. 4 is an enlarged plan view showing the periphery of the exhaust path portion. [Figure 19] FIG. 19 is a cross-sectional view taken along the arrow FF in FIG. 18. [Figure 20] FIG. 19 is a cross-sectional view taken along the arrows GG in FIG. 18. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0012] Hereinafter, an embodiment 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 this embodiment, the left side of FIG. 1 will be referred to as the "front side," and the right side of FIG. 1 will be referred to as the "rear side." The upper side of FIG. 1 will be referred to as the "left side," and the lower side of FIG. 1 will be referred to as the "right side." Therefore, in this embodiment, the left-right direction in FIG. 1 is the "front-rear direction," and the up-down direction in FIG. 1 is the "left-right direction." In FIGS. 1 and 2, a container 1 according to this embodiment is a container that can be transported by a vehicle. The container 1 includes a container body 2 and a pair of canopies 3A, 3B.

[0013] [Container body] The container body 2 is formed in a box shape that is long in the front-to-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 is formed in the top of the container body 2, through which materials to be dried (cargo), such as wood chips, are introduced. The container body 2 has a pair of side plates 2b, 2c provided in front of and behind the inlet 2a at its top. The front side plate 2b and the rear side plate 2c extend in the left-to-right direction (horizontally) between the left and right side walls 12, respectively.

[0014] The front wall 11 is provided with a lift bar 15 for hooking a hook of a loading arm provided on a vehicle (not shown) to load the container onto the vehicle body (see also Figure 10). As shown in Figure 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 Figure 3).

[0015] FIG. 3 is a view of the container 1 as seen from the rear. Hereinafter, the direction from the center of the container 1 toward both sides in the left-right direction will be referred to as the "outer side in the left-right direction," and the direction from both sides of the container 1 toward the center in the left-right direction will be referred to as the "inner side in the left-right direction." As shown in FIG. 3, the rear wall 13 is provided with a pair of left and right gate doors 13a that open and close the rear of the container main body 2. The outer edge of each gate door 13a in the left-right direction is supported relative to the side wall 12 so that it can rotate in the front-rear direction. By opening the rear of the container main body 2 with both gate doors 13a, the cargo inside the container main body 2 can be discharged to the outside.

[0016] An air intake port 18 is formed at the lower inside of each of the gate doors 13a in the left-right direction, which communicates between the inside and outside of the container body 2 when the rear of the container body 2 is closed by both gate doors 13a. A ventilator pipe (not shown) is connected to the air intake port 18 for introducing dry gas (e.g., high-temperature air) into the container body 2. By connecting the ventilator pipe to the air intake port 18 in this way and introducing dry gas into the bottom of the container body 2, it is possible to dry the materials to be dried stored in the container body 2. When the air intake port 18 is not in use (for example, when the container 1 is being transported by vehicle), the air intake port 18 is closed with a lid 19.

[0017] [canopy] 1 and 3, a pair of canopies 3A, 3B are divided into left and right halves that can be opened and closed and cover the area above the loading opening 2a above the container body 2. The left and right canopies 3A, 3B are inclined so that the outer sides in the left and right directions are slightly lower than the inner sides in the left and right directions, forming a mountain-shaped roof of the container 1 when covering the area above the loading opening 2a.

[0018] The right canopy 3A comprises 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 canopy 3B comprises a beam member (second beam member) 31B and a lid member (second lid member) 32B supported from below by the beam member 31B.

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

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

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

[0022] Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of the right canopy 3A taken along the line AA in Figure 1. In Figure 5, the beam member 31A has multiple tapping plates 314A fixed by welding or other means to the upper sides of each short beam 311A ​​and each long beam 312A, and a tapping plate 315A fixed by welding or other means to the inside of the tubular member 313A in the left-right direction. In this embodiment, two tapping plates 314A are fixed to the upper sides of each short beam 311A ​​and one to the upper side of the long beam 312A. Female threaded holes 316A and 317A are formed in the tapping plates 314A and 315A, respectively.

[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 of the insertion opening 2a (see FIG. 1). The lid member 32A has a main body portion 321A arranged above the plurality of tap plates 314A and an attachment portion 322A arranged on the left-right inner side of the tap plate 315A. The attachment portion 322A is integrally formed with the main body portion 321A so as to bend downward from the left-right inner end.

[0024] As shown in FIG. 5, the right-side canopy 3A is equipped with multiple (four in the illustrated example) fastening members (first fastening members) 33A that fasten the cover member 32A to the beam member 31A. Each fastening member 33A is, for example, a bolt. In this embodiment, three fastening members 33A penetrate the main body 321A of the cover member 32A from above and are fastened to the female screw holes 316A of the tap plates 314A. The remaining fastening member 33A penetrates the mounting portion 322A of the cover member 32A from the inside in the left-right direction and is fastened to the female screw hole 317A of the tap plate 315A. As a result, the fastening members 33A horizontally fasten the mounting portion 322A of the cover member 32A to the beam member 31A. Here, the "horizontal direction" refers to the horizontal direction when the canopy 3A (main body 321A) is positioned horizontally (as 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 of (five in the illustrated example) short beams 311B extending in the left-right direction, a longitudinal beam 312B connecting the outer left-right ends of these short beams 311B, and a plurality of (five in the illustrated example) tubular members 313B fixed to the inner left-right ends of each short beam 311B. The short beams 311B, longitudinal beams 312B, and tubular members 313B of the beam member 31B have the same configurations as the short beams 311A, longitudinal beams 312A, and tubular members 313A of the beam member 31A, respectively, and therefore will not be described here.

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

[0027] Lid member 32B is made of, for example, a flexible resin sheet. Lid member 32B is arranged above beam member 31B so as to cover the upper left half of slot 2a (see FIG. 1). Lid member 32B has a main body portion 321B arranged above multiple tap plates 314B and an attachment portion 322B arranged above tap plate 315B. Attachment portion 322B is bent slightly diagonally upward from the inner left-right end of main body portion 321B and then extends inward in the left-right direction so as to be parallel to main body portion 321B.

[0028] As shown in FIG. 7, the left-side canopy 3B is equipped with multiple (four in the illustrated example) fastening members (second fastening members) 33B that fasten the cover member 32B to the beam member 31B. Each fastening member 33B is, for example, a bolt. In this embodiment, three fastening members 33B penetrate the main body 321B of the cover member 32B from above and are fastened to the female threaded holes 316B of the tap plates 314B. The remaining fastening member 33B penetrates the mounting portion 322B of the cover member 32B from above and is fastened to the female threaded hole 317B of the tap plate 315B. As a result, the fastening members 33B fasten the mounting portion 322B of the cover member 32B to the beam member 31B in the vertical direction. Here, the "vertical direction" refers to the vertical direction when the canopy 3B (main body 321B) is positioned horizontally (as shown in FIG. 7).

[0029] As described above, fastening member 33A of right canopy 3A and fastening member 33B of left canopy 3B fasten mounting portions 322A and 322B to beam members 31A and 31B in the horizontal and vertical directions, respectively, and therefore have mutually different fastening directions.

[0030] [Switchgear] 1 and 3, the container 1 is equipped with an opening / closing device 4 that opens and closes the left and right canopies 3A and 3B. The opening / closing device 4 opens and closes the canopies 3A and 3B between a closed position (see FIGS. 3 and 10) in which the canopies 3A and 3B are disposed above the container body 2 and cover the top of the loading opening 2a, and an open position (see FIG. 12) in which the canopies 3A and 3B open the top of the loading opening 2a and are disposed outward from the side walls 12 of the container body 2.

[0031] The opening and closing device 4 of this embodiment includes a pair of left and right opening and closing mechanisms 40 that individually open and close the left and right canopies 3A and 3B. Each opening and 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 reducer 46, and a motor 47.

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

[0033] A base portion of the drive arm 41 on the outer side in the left-right direction is connected to a drive shaft 42 so as to be rotatable together with the drive arm 41. The drive shaft 42 is supported on a rear side plate 2c of the container body 2 by a bracket (not shown) so as to be rotatable about an axis extending in the front-rear direction. As a result, the base portion of the drive arm 41 is connected to the container body 2 so as to be rotatable up and down.

[0034] An end of the drive shaft 42 is connected to a motor 47 via a reducer 46. The reducer 46 and the motor 47 are installed on the side plate 2c of the container body 2 behind the drive arm 41. The motor 47 is, for example, an electric motor that can rotate forward and backward. By driving the motor 47, a driving rotation force is transmitted to the drive arm 41 via the reducer 46 and the drive shaft 42. Therefore, the drive arm 41 is configured to rotate up and down by the driving rotation 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 in front of the short beams 311A ​​and 311B disposed at the forefront of the canopies 3A and 3B, and is disposed parallel to the short beams 311A ​​and 311B.

[0036] A base portion of the driven arm 43 on the outer side in the left-right direction is connected to a driven shaft 44 so as to be rotatable together with the driven arm 43. The driven shaft 44 is supported rotatably about an axis extending in the front-rear direction by a bracket 48 installed on the front side plate 2b of the container body 2. As a result, the base portion of the driven arm 43 is connected to the container body 2 so as to be rotatable up and down.

[0037] The connecting shaft 45 is disposed on the inner side of the canopies 3A, 3B in the left-right direction. 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 diameter of each of the tubular members 313A, 313B of the first and beam members 31A, 31B. The middle portion of the connecting shaft 45 in the front-rear direction is inserted into each of the tubular members 313A, 313B (see also Figure 13). As a result, the connecting shaft 45 is connected to the tubular members 313A, 313B so as to be rotatable about its axis.

[0038] The rear end of the connecting shaft 45 is non-rotatably connected to the tip of the drive arm 41 on the inside in the left-right direction. Similarly, the front end of the connecting shaft 45 is non-rotatably connected to the tip of the driven arm 43 on the inside in the left-right direction. In this embodiment, both front-rear end portions of the connecting shaft 45 are fixed by welding to the tip of the drive arm 41 and the tip of the driven arm 43, respectively. As a result, the drive arm 41 and the driven arm 43 are integrated via the connecting shaft 45. Therefore, the driven arm 43 is configured to rotate up and down integrally with the drive arm 41 by transmitting a driving rotation force from the drive arm 41 via the connecting shaft 45.

[0039] 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, 313B, and a predetermined number (five in the illustrated example) of rear stoppers 5R arranged on the rear side of the cylindrical members 313A, 313B. The front stoppers 5F and the rear stoppers 5R are formed, for example, in the shape of an annular ring concentric with the connecting shaft 45.

[0040] The front stopper 5F of this embodiment is fixed to the outer periphery of the connecting shaft 45 on the front side of each of the cylindrical members 313A, 313B arranged at the forefront and rearmost positions. The front and rearmost cylindrical members 313A, 313B come into contact with the front stopper 5F, thereby restricting the forward movement of the cylindrical members 313A, 313B relative to the connecting shaft 45. The rear stopper 5R of this embodiment is fixed to the outer periphery of the connecting shaft 45 on the rear side of all of the cylindrical members 313A, 313B. The rear movement of all of the cylindrical members 313A, 313B relative to the connecting shaft 45 is restricted by the rear stopper 5R.

[0041] FIG. 10 is a view of the container 1 as seen from the front. As shown in FIG. 10, the container 1 is equipped with support parts 6 that slidably support each of the canopies 3A and 3B. The support parts 6 include brackets 7F fixed to the front side of the upper part of each of the side walls 12 and guide rollers 8F rotatably attached to each of the brackets 7F. In this embodiment, the brackets 7F are fixed to the wall main body 12a of the side walls 12. The guide rollers 8F rotate while contacting from below with the short beams 311A ​​and 311B arranged at the forefront of each of the canopies 3A and 3B, thereby guiding the front sides of the canopies 3A and 3B to slide 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. In this embodiment, the bracket 7R is fixed to the wall main body 12a of the side wall 12. The guide roller 8R rotates while contacting from below the short beams 311A, 311B located at the rearmost portion of each canopy 3A, 3B, thereby tangentially guiding the rear side of the canopies 3A, 3B to slide. As described above, each canopy 3A, 3B is slidably supported by the pair of front and rear guide rollers 8F, 8R of the support portion 6 provided at the upper portion of each side wall 12.

[0043] As shown in Figures 1 and 3, elastic members 49 are fixed to the rear horizontal plate 2c on the outer side in the left-right direction of the base of each drive arm 41. When each drive arm 41 rotates outward in the left-right direction, it comes into contact with the elastic members 49. As shown in Figures 1 and 10, elastic members 49 are also fixed to the outer side in the left-right direction of the base of each driven arm 43 on the front wall 11. When each driven arm 43 rotates outward in the left-right direction, it comes into contact with the elastic members 49 (see Figure 12).

[0044] When each motor 47 is driven from the closed position of canopies 3A, 3B shown in Fig. 3, drive arm 41 begins to rotate in the standing direction. When drive arm 41 begins to rotate in the standing direction, driven arm 43 also begins to rotate in the standing direction from the state shown in Fig. 10 via connecting shaft 45. Since drive arm 41 and driven arm 43 rotate in synchronous fashion, the opening and closing operation of canopies 3A, 3B accompanying the rotation of driven arm 43 will be described below.

[0045] Figure 11 is an explanatory diagram showing a state in the middle of rotating driven arm 43. As shown in Figure 11, when canopies 3A, 3B are opened from the closed position, the left and right driven arms 43 rotate in the upright direction (the right driven arm 43 rotates clockwise in Figure 11 and the left driven arm 43 rotates counterclockwise in Figure 11), causing the inner ends of canopies 3A, 3B in the left-right direction to be lifted, and the outer ends of canopies 3A, 3B (short beams 311A, 311B) in the left-right direction to slide on guide rollers 8F, 8R.

[0046] When the driven arm 43 rotates further from the state shown in Fig. 11, the driven arm 43 comes into contact with the elastic member 49 and stops rotating in a state in which it is collapsed outward in the left-right direction, as shown in Fig. 12. At this time, the canopies 3A, 3B hang down from the tips of the driven arms 43 along the outer surfaces of the side walls 12 outside the side walls 12 of the container main body 2. In this way, the canopies 3A, 3B assume an open position that opens the loading opening 2a. By stopping each motor 47 in this open position, the opening operation of the canopies 3A, 3B is completed. The closing operation of the canopies 3A, 3B is performed in reverse to the opening operation described above.

[0047] [Gap between left and right top panels] Figure 13 is a cross-sectional view taken along the CC arrow in Figure 1. As shown in Figure 13, beam members 31A and 31B of canopies 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 this embodiment, the inner surface of tap plate 315A in beam member 31A in the left-right direction serves as opposing surface 318A, and a portion (inner portion in the left-right direction) of the outer circumferential surface of tubular member 313B in beam member 31B serves as opposing surface 318B. A gap S1 is formed between these opposing surfaces 318A and 318B over the entire length in the front-to-rear direction.

[0048] In the right-side canopy 3B, the mounting portion 322A of the above-described cover member 32A is disposed adjacent to the opposing surface 318A and is fastened to the opposing surface 318A by the above-described fastening member 33A. As a result, the tap plate 315A, mounting portion 322A, and fastening member 33A are positioned in the gap S1 in the closed position, that is, in a position that does not interfere with the tubular member 313B of the beam member 31B.

[0049] [cover] 1 and 13, the container 1 is provided with 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 to be long in the front-to-rear direction so as to fill the entire gap S1. The center of the cover 9 in the left-to-right direction (width direction) is bent so that it curves upward in accordance with the inclination of the canopies 3A and 3B in the closed position.

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

[0051] In the closed position, the left-right middle portion 9b of the cover 9 protrudes to the right of the lid member 32B (mounting portion 322B) to fill the gap S1. In the closed position, the other left-right end portion 9c of the cover 9 protrudes above the main body portion 321A of the right lid member 32A and abuts against the upper surface of the outer portion 321A. This seals the gap S1, so that if the materials to be dried in the container body 2a emit an odor, the odor can be prevented from diffusing to the outside through the gap S1.

[0052] [Side Wall Configuration] Fig. 14 is a side view showing the upper part of the left side wall 12. Note that the canopies 3A, 3B and the opening / closing device 4 are not shown in Fig. 14. Fig. 15 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line DD in Fig. 14. In Figs. 14 and 15, the side wall 12 has a wall main body 12a and a partition 12b fixed to the upper part of the wall main body 12a. In a side view (see also Fig. 2), the partition 12b extends in the front-to-rear direction so as to be positioned entirely below the canopy 3B in the closed position.

[0053] Furthermore, since the longitudinal length of the loading port 2a in the container body 2 differs depending on whether or not an opening / closing device 4 and an exhaust path section 60 (described later) are present, it goes without saying that the longitudinal lengths of the canopy 3B and the partition 12b are also adjusted to match the longitudinal length of the loading port 2a.

[0054] The partition 12b is formed, for example, in a generally hollow rectangular cross section, and is disposed offset to the inner side in the left-right direction of the upper surface of the wall main body 12a. The partition 12b has an extension plate 12c extending downward from its lower end on the inner side in the left-right direction. The partition 12b is fixed to the upper surface of the wall main body 12a by welding or the like. The extension plate 12c is fixed to the inner surface of the wall main body 12a by welding or the like while abutting against it. The partition 12b may be formed integrally with the wall main body 12a.

[0055] [Engagement device] Figure 16 is a cross-sectional view taken along the arrow EE in Figure 1. Note that Figure 16 does not illustrate the cover member 32B of the canopy 3B, rails 25, and seal members 26, which will be described later. As shown in Figure 16, the container 1 is equipped with an engagement device 20 that prevents the outer left-right end of the canopy 3B in the closed position from moving up and down. The engagement device 20 has a protrusion (engagement portion) 21 provided on the left side wall 12 and a receptacle portion (engaged portion) 22 provided on the canopy 3B.

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

[0057] 6 and 16, a plurality of sockets 22 (three in FIG. 6) are provided at predetermined intervals in the front-to-rear direction of longitudinal beam 312B of beam member 31B of canopy 3B. These three sockets 22 are provided on longitudinal beam 312B so as to correspond to protrusions 21 provided at three locations on the front and rear of side wall 12 when canopy 3B is in the closed position (see FIG. 2). In this embodiment, socket 22 located at the center of longitudinal beam 312B in the front-to-rear direction is formed longer in the front-to-rear direction than sockets 22 located on the front and rear sides of longitudinal beam 312B.

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

[0059] Below longitudinal beam 312B of second plate portion 22b, insertion hole 22d, into which protrusion 21 is inserted when canopy 3B is in the closed position, is formed penetrating in the plate thickness direction (left-right direction). Protrusion 21 is inserted into insertion hole 22d of second plate portion 22b, and is thereby engaged with socket portion 22. This makes it possible to prevent the outer left-right end of canopy 3B in the closed position from moving up and down.

[0060] 14 to 16, the engagement device 20 further includes a guide portion 23 provided at the upper end of the side wall 12. The guide portion 23 guides the socket portion 22 to an engagement position with the protrusion 21 (the position shown in FIG. 16) when the canopy 3B is closed from the open position to the closed position. The guide portion 23 in this embodiment is provided in the front-to-rear direction center of the upper end of the side wall 12 to guide the socket portion 22 in the front-to-rear direction center 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 the support plates 23a. The support plates 23a are arranged on the outer left-right sides of the upper surface of the wall main body 12a with their thickness direction facing the front-rear direction. A lower surface 23a1 and an inner left-right side surface 23a2 of the support plate 23a are fixed to the upper surface of the wall main body 12a and the outer left-right side surface of the partition 12b, respectively, by welding or the like. 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 left-right end of the lower surface 23a1.

[0062] Guide plate 23b is formed in a convex arc shape along support surface 23a3 of each support plate 23a and is fixed to these support surfaces 23a3 by welding or the like. Guide plate 23b is arranged so that, during the closing operation of canopy 3B, the lower end of socket portion 22 (in FIG. 16, the connection portion between second plate portion 22b and third plate portion 22c) slides from below to above while abutting against guide surface 23c, which is the convex arc-shaped outer peripheral surface of guide plate 23b. Furthermore, guide plate 23b is arranged so that, when a portion of socket portion 22 slides upward along guide surface 23c, it reaches a position where protrusion 21 is inserted into insertion hole 22d, i.e., an engagement position where socket portion 22 engages with protrusion 21. Note that guide surface 23c of guide portion 23 may be formed in a shape other than a convex arc shape (for example, an inclined shape).

[0063] In this embodiment, as described above, the receiving portion 22 located in the center of the longitudinal beam 312B in the fore-and-aft direction is guided to the engagement position by the guide portion 23, so that the receiving portions 22 located on the front and rear sides of the longitudinal beam 312B are also guided to the engagement positions.

[0064] As shown in Figure 4, a socket 22 is also provided on the right-side canopy 3A (longitudinal beam 312A). Although not shown, a protrusion 21 is also provided on the right-side side wall 12. These right-side protrusions 21 and sockets 22 function as an engagement device 20 that prevents the outer left-right end of the right-side canopy 3A from moving up and down when the right-side canopy 3A is in the closed position. The right-side protrusions 21 and sockets 22 have the same configuration as the left-side protrusions 21 and sockets 22 described above, and therefore will not be described here.

[0065] [Sealing material] 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 with a C-shaped cross section that opens upward. The length of the rail 25 in the front-to-rear direction is approximately the same as the length of the partition 12b in the front-to-rear direction. The sealing member 26 is a member that seals the gap between the underside 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-to-rear direction is approximately the same as the length of the rail 25 (partition 12b) in the front-to-rear direction.

[0066] The seal member 26 has a seal base 27 that is inserted into and fixed to the rail 25, and a seal main body 28 that is integrally formed on the upper side of the seal base 27. The seal main body 28 is exposed above the rail 25. The seal main body 28 of this embodiment is formed in the shape of a hollow, generally rectangular cylinder. The seal main body 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 above the outer side of the rail 25 in the left-right direction, extending in the vertical direction, and facing outward from the side wall 12. The inner surface 28b is formed above the inner side of the rail 25 in the left-right direction, extending in the vertical direction, and facing inward from the side wall 12. The upper surface 28c is formed above the outer surface 28a and the inner surface 28b, extending in the horizontal direction, and facing upward from 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] Figure 17 is a cross-sectional view showing the upper part of the left side wall 12 when the canopy 3B is in the closed position. As shown in Figure 17, the beam member 31B of the canopy 3B is positioned so as to contact the seal main body 28 in the closed position. In this embodiment, the longitudinal beam 312B of the beam member 31B is positioned so as to elastically deform the seal main body 28 (particularly the outer surface 28a) in the closed position and come into surface contact with the outer surface 28a.

[0069] Specifically, when the longitudinal beam 312B slides from the outer side to the inner side of the side wall 12 in the left-right direction due to the closing operation of the canopy 3B, it comes into contact with the outer surface 28a of the seal main body 28 and presses the outer surface 28a inward in the left-right direction, causing elastic deformation. As a result, the arc-shaped outer surface 319, which is part of the outer peripheral surface of the longitudinal beam 312B, comes into surface contact with the outer surface 28a of the seal main body 28, which has elastically deformed inward in the left-right direction in the closed position.

[0070] Although not shown, a 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 is in surface contact with the outer surface 28a of the seal main body 28 of the seal member 26. Like the longitudinal beam 312B, part of the outer peripheral surface of the longitudinal beam 312A is an arc-shaped outer surface 319 that is in surface contact with the outer surface 28a of the seal main body 28 in the closed position.

[0071] [Exhaust path] As shown in Fig. 1, the loading port 2a of the container body 2 is sealed by the above-mentioned canopies 3A, 3B, cover 9, and sealing member 26 (see Fig. 17). For this reason, the container 1 is provided with an exhaust path 60 for exhausting dry gas introduced into the container body 2 from the air supply port 18 (see Fig. 3) when the canopies 3A, 3B are in the closed position. The exhaust path 60 is provided in the center of the upper rear side of the container body 2 in the left-right direction 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 path section 60. FIG. 19 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line FF in FIG. 18. FIG. 20 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line GG in FIG. 18. Referring to FIGS. 18 to 20, the structure of the container body 2 around the exhaust path section 60 will first be described. The container body 2 has a vertical plate 2d extending upward from the front end of the horizontal plate 2c at the upper rear side thereof. The upper end surface of the vertical plate 2d supports the canopies 3A, 3B in the closed position from below via a sealing member (not shown). For this reason, the upper end surface of the vertical plate 2d is inclined so that both outer sides in the left-right direction are lowest, in accordance with the inclination of the canopies 3A, 3B in the closed position.

[0073] An accommodation space 2e for the material to be dried is formed below the horizontal plate 2c and in front of the vertical plate 2d in the container body 2. A connection port 2f, to which the exhaust path section 60 is connected, is formed across the horizontal plate 2c and the vertical plate 2d in the container body 2. The connection port 2f is composed of a first cutout portion 2f1 formed in the horizontal plate 2c and a second cutout portion 2f2 formed in the vertical plate 2d.

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

[0075] The exhaust path section 60 of this 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 above the horizontal plate 2c and behind the vertical plate 2d, between the left and right motors 47. 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 rectangular in plan view. When the canopies 3A, 3B are in the closed position, the tips of the left and right drive arms 41 are positioned above the upper plate 61a. Therefore, the upper plate 61a is configured not to interfere with the tips of the drive arms 41. Specifically, the upper plate 61a includes a first upper plate portion 61a1 extending horizontally rearward from its front end, a second upper plate portion 61a2 extending diagonally rearward and upward 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 diagonally rearward and upward from the upper end of the third upper plate portion 61a3. The tips of the drive arms 41 are positioned above the first upper plate portion 61a and in front of the third upper plate portion 61a3.

[0077] The rear plate 61c, like the upper plate 61a, is formed in a rectangular shape in a plan view. The rear plate 61c extends obliquely downward and 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 in the rear plate 61c so as to penetrate in the plate thickness direction.

[0078] The upper and rear ends of the side plate 61b are formed to follow the shapes of the upper plate 61a and the rear plate 61c, respectively, in a side view. 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-to-rear direction).

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

[0080] The cylindrical body 62 is formed in a cylindrical shape. One end of the cylindrical body 62 is inserted into a mounting hole 61d of the box body 61 and fixed to the rear plate 61c by welding or the like. As a result, the interior of the cylindrical body 62 communicates with the connection port 2f of the container main body 2 via the interior of the box body 61. A circular exhaust port 63 that opens to the outside is formed at the other end of the cylindrical body 62. The opening area of ​​the exhaust port 63 is smaller than the opening area of ​​the input port 2a of the container main body 2. An annular flange portion 62a is formed on the outer periphery of the other end side of the cylindrical body 62 so as to protrude radially outward.

[0081] 18 and 19, the container 1 is provided with a lid 71 that can open and close the exhaust port 63 of the exhaust path section 60. The lid 71 is formed in a cylindrical shape with a top. An annular flange 71a is formed on the outer periphery of the open end side of the lid 71 so as to protrude radially outward. The flange 71a of the lid 71 is locked by a locking mechanism (e.g., a snap lock) in a state where it is overlapped with the flange 62a of the cylindrical body 62 (the state shown in FIG. 19). As a result, the exhaust port 63 of the exhaust path section 60 is covered and closed by the lid 71.

[0082] The lid 71 is connected to the exhaust path 60 by a chain or the like (not shown). This allows the lid 71 to be fastened to the periphery of the exhaust path 60 even when the lid 71 opens the exhaust port 63.

[0083] By removing the lid 71 from the exhaust path 60 and opening the exhaust port 63 to the outside, the dry gas introduced into the container body 2 from the air inlet 18 passes through the material to be dried, the connection port 2f, and the exhaust path 60, and is then 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] 19 and 20 , the container 1 includes a closure plate 72 that can close only the first cutout 2f1 of the first cutout 2f1 and the second cutout 2f2 of the connection port 2f. In this embodiment, the closure plate 72 is rectangular and is larger than the first cutout 2f1 in the front-to-rear and left-to-right directions. The closure plate 72 closes the first cutout 2f1 from below. With the closure plate 72 closing the first cutout 2f1, both left and right ends of the closure plate 72 are detachably attached to the side plate 2c with multiple bolts 73 and nuts 74. When the first cutout 2f1 is closed by the closure plate 72, the dry gas in the container body 2 passes through the second cutout 2f2 of the connection port 2f and is discharged to the outside through the exhaust port 63. Note that the bolts 73 and nuts 74 are not shown in FIG. 19 .

[0085] [Effects of this embodiment] According to the container 1 of this embodiment, when the canopies 3A, 3B are in the closed position, the beam members 31A, 31B (longitudinal beams 312A, 312B) of the canopies 3A, 3B come into contact with the outer surface 28a of the seal member 26, thereby sealing the gap between the side wall 12 and the canopies 3A, 3B. Furthermore, when the canopies 3A, 3B are opened by sliding them from the closed position to the open position, the beam members 31A, 31B move outward in the left-right direction from a state in contact with the outer surface 28a of the seal member 26, so that the seal member 26 is less likely to rub against the beam members 31A, 31B. This reduces wear on the seal member 26.

[0086] Furthermore, when canopies 3A, 3B are in the closed position, arc-shaped outer surfaces 319 of beam members 31A, 31B are in surface contact with outer surface 28a of seal member 26, and the weight of canopies 3A, 3B applies a downward pressing force to seal member 26. This improves the sealing performance between side wall 12 and canopies 3A, 3B.

[0087] Furthermore, a part of the outer peripheral surface of the beam members 31A, 31B is the outer surface 319 that comes into surface contact with the seal member 26, so that the beam members 31A, 31B having the arc-shaped outer surface 319 can be easily manufactured.

[0088] [others] The cover members 32A, 32B of the canopies 3A, 3B in the above embodiment are not limited to flexible resin sheets, and may be formed of a rigid body such as a metal plate. Also, the gap S1 between the canopies 3A, 3B may be filled with a sealing material such as packing instead of the cover 9. Also, instead of the pair of canopies 3A, 3B, the drop opening 2a may be opened and closed by a single canopy that covers the entire drop opening 2a.

[0089] Although the tip ends of the drive arm 41 and the driven arm 43 in the opening / closing device 4 of the above embodiment are non-rotatably connected to the connecting shaft 45, they may be rotatably connected to the canopies 3A, 3B without using the connecting shaft 45. Furthermore, the pair of left and right drive arms 41 or the pair of left and right driven arms 43 may be rotated in conjunction with each other via a transmission means (such as a sprocket and a chain).

[0090] In the opening / closing device 4 of the above embodiment, the drive arm 41 is rotated by the rotational driving force of the motor 47, but the drive arm 41 may also be rotated by the rotational driving force of another actuator, or by the rotational driving force of a manual operating handle instead of an actuator.

[0091] Although the beam members 31A, 31B in the above embodiment are in surface contact with the sealing member 26, they may also be in line contact. Furthermore, the outer surfaces 319 of the beam members 31A, 31B may be in a shape other than an arc (for example, an ellipse). Furthermore, the cross-sectional outer shape of the beam members 31A, 31B may be in a shape other than a circle (for example, a polygon). The shape of the sealing member 26 is not limited to that in the above embodiment, and it may be in any shape as long as it has an outer surface 28a facing outward from the side wall 12.

[0092] Although the exhaust path section 60 in the above embodiment is provided on the rear side of the container body 2, it may also be provided on the front side of the container body 2. Although the air supply port 18 in the above embodiment is formed on the rear wall 13 of the container body 2, it may also be formed on the front wall 11 or side wall 12 of the container body 2. The present invention can also be applied to ordinary containers that do not dry the load (items to be dried) inside the container body 2, that is, containers that do not have the air supply port 18 and exhaust path section 60 for introducing and exhausting drying gas into the container body 2.

[0093] It should be noted that the embodiments disclosed herein should be considered to be illustrative and not restrictive in all respects. The scope of the present invention is defined by the claims, not by the meaning described above, and is intended to include meanings equivalent to the claims and all modifications within the scope thereof. [Explanation of symbols]

[0094] 1 container 2. Container body 2a Inlet 3A,3B Canopy 4 Switchgear 6 Support part 12 Side wall 26 Sealing material 28a External surface 31A, 31B Beam members 319 Exterior

Claims

1. a container body having an inlet formed at the top for inserting cargo; a canopy that covers the insertion port in an openable and closable manner; a support portion provided on the container body and configured to slidably support the canopy; an opening / closing device that opens and closes the canopy between a closed position in which the canopy is disposed above the container body and covers the loading opening, and an open position in which the canopy opens the loading opening and is disposed outward from the side wall of the container body; a resilient sealing member secured to the upper surface of the side wall and having an outer surface facing outward from the side wall; the canopy has a beam member that contacts the outer surface of the seal member in the closed position and moves outward from the state of contacting the outer surface of the seal member when the canopy is opened by sliding it from the closed position to the open position.

2. The container according to claim 1 , wherein the beam member has an arcuate outer surface that elastically deforms the outer surface in the closed position to come into surface contact with the outer surface.

3. The cross-sectional outer shape of the beam member is circular, The container according to claim 2 , wherein the outer surface is a portion of the outer peripheral surface of the beam member.

Images