Transport materials, transport components, and containers for transport materials

Abstract

To provide a transportation material or the like that is stretchable and foldable according to a size of a packaged article to be packaged so as to exhibit excellent storage property and transporting property.SOLUTION: A transportation material is exemplified by a returnable box 1 having an inner part 2 and an outer part 3 having the same shape as the inner part 2 and combined with the inner part 2. The returnable box 1 includes: side surface parts 22a to 22c and a bottom part 22d arranged so as to form a rectangular parallelepiped shape, wherein the inner part 2 and the outer part 3 are provided with a first opening 21a that opens on a top surface and a second opening 21b that opens in a combination direction for storing a packaged article; reinforcing members 23a to 23j provided on rectangular parallelepiped-shaped side parts; and fixing parts 24 provided on the reinforcing members 23 and fixed to each other at a desired position when the inner part 2 is combined through the second opening 21b of the outer part 3. Moreover, the transportation material has a folding structure exemplified by the returnable box 1 which is provided with a hinge 22t and a fold 22v on a transportation material side surface part.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0005] , ,

[0001] The present invention relates to a transport material, a transport member, and a storage container for a transport material.

Background Art

[0002] From the perspective of waste reduction, a reusable box may be used as a transport material instead of a disposable cardboard box.

[0003] Patent Document 1 discloses a telescopic reusable box for packing long items (1200 mm or more). This telescopic reusable box includes two end boxes that open upward and have one end in the longitudinal direction opening laterally, and an intermediate box that opens upward and has both ends in the longitudinal direction opening laterally and is slidably fitted to the end boxes in the longitudinal direction. It also includes a connector that is fitted into and removed from holes formed in the side plates of the end boxes and the intermediate box that overlap by fitting, and detachably connects both side plates. The holes are arranged in two or more in the longitudinal direction at intervals on at least one of the overlapping side plates, and it is disclosed that the storage property and transportability are improved by expanding and contracting with this structure. However, Patent Document 1 does not disclose a technique regarding foldability.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] For example, when packaging small quantities of diverse, lightweight, thin, and compact parts and products, reusable containers and other transport materials are sometimes used. However, in this case, since the required size of the transport materials varies depending on the parts and products, transport materials of various sizes are needed. Therefore, the work efficiency when preparing the transport materials and the storage efficiency of the transport materials are poor. In addition, storing empty transport materials requires storage space and volume. For this reason, it is desirable that the transport materials can be changed to the desired size to match the size of the packaged goods and are also foldable. The present invention aims to provide transport materials that can be sized to fit the items being packaged, are expandable, and are foldable. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] To solve the above problems, the present invention provides a transport material comprising one transport member and another transport member having the same shape as the first transport member and being combined with the first transport member, wherein the first transport member and the other transport member are arranged to form a rectangular parallelepiped shape, with a first opening that opens on the top surface for accommodating the packaged goods and a second opening that opens in the direction of combination, a reinforcing member provided on the side of the rectangular parallelepiped shape, and a fixing part provided on the reinforcing member that fixes the first transport member in place at a desired position when it is combined with the other transport member through the second opening of the other transport member. Furthermore, the present invention relates to a transport material comprising one transport member and another transport member having the same shape as the first transport member and having a structure in which the sides of the transport member that is combined with the first transport member can be folded, and the transport material is folded by installing a hinge on the side of the transport material or by utilizing the hinge properties of the transport material.

[0007] Here, the fixing part has a ratchet structure and can be fixed in place by engaging with a ratchet structure provided on other transport members having the same shape. In this case, the size of the transported material can be changed in finer increments. Furthermore, the ratchet mechanism's fixing part can be designed so that the engagement is released when it is shifted relative to the other transport member in a direction intersecting the combination direction, from its fixed state with the other transport member. In this case, it becomes easier to retrieve one transport member and the other transport members after the packaged goods have been removed. Furthermore, the fixing part of the ratchet structure can be made of the same material as the surface. In this case, recyclability is improved. Furthermore, the fixing part consists of a pin and a rail, and the pin can be fixed in place by engaging with a hole provided in the rail. In this case, it becomes easier to fix the part in place. Furthermore, the pin can engage with a stopper provided on the rail, and the engagement between the pin and the stopper can fix the object in place. In this case, the object can be fixed in place using the stopper. Furthermore, the rectangular parallelepiped shape can be further equipped with stackable sections that extend upward from the side surfaces, allowing other transport materials to be stacked on top of it, with the bottoms of those materials fitting into these sections. In this case, the convenience of transporting the materials is improved. Furthermore, the stackable section can be provided on the outer edge of the first opening. In this case, the load is less likely to collapse when other transport materials are stacked on top. Furthermore, the height can be adjusted by changing the height of the reinforcing members provided on the edges that form the outer edges of the surfaces located on the bottom surface of the rectangular parallelepiped. In this case, the rattling of the bottom of one of the transport members is eliminated. Furthermore, one transport component and other transport components can be color-coded to distinguish them from each other. In this case, mistakes are less likely to occur when combining one transport component with other transport components.

[0008] Furthermore, the present invention relates to a transport member comprising: a surface portion arranged to form a rectangular parallelepiped shape, having a first opening on the top surface for accommodating the packaged object and a second opening in the combination direction; a reinforcing member provided on the side of the rectangular parallelepiped shape; and a fixing portion provided on the reinforcing member, which fixes other transport members of the same shape in place at a desired position when combined with them via the second opening.

[0009] Furthermore, the present invention provides a container for transporting materials, comprising an outer box section capable of accommodating multiple transport materials and having partitions that divide each transport material to a extent that allows for its accommodation, wherein the transport material comprises one transport member and another transport member having the same shape as the first transport member and being combined with the first transport member, and the first transport member and the other transport member are arranged to form a rectangular parallelepiped shape, with a first opening that opens to the top surface for accommodating the packaged material and a second opening that opens in the direction of combination, a surface section, a reinforcing member provided on the side of the rectangular parallelepiped shape, a fixing part provided on the reinforcing member that fixes the first transport member and the other transport member in a desired position when they are combined through the second opening, and a stackable part that extends upward from the surface section located on the side of the rectangular parallelepiped shape, allowing the bottom of the other transport material to fit into when the other transport material is stacked on top, thus enabling stacking.

[0010] Here, the partition can be set to a height corresponding to the permitted number of layers when transporting materials are stacked. In this case, it becomes easier to determine the permitted number of layers. Furthermore, the partition section can be equipped with a connecting section at the top for connecting to the transported materials. In this case, the transported materials are less likely to shift or collapse. [Effects of the Invention]

[0011] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide transport materials that can be adjusted to the size of the items to be packaged, are expandable and expandable, and are foldable. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0012] [Figure 1](a) to (c) are diagrams showing the configuration of the passing box in this embodiment. [Figure 2] (a) to (c) are diagrams showing the folding mechanism of the inner part. [Figure 3] (a) to (b) are diagrams showing the structure of the lower part of the side surface. [Figure 4] (a) is a diagram showing the bottom surface of the inner part. (b) is a diagram showing the bottom surface of the outer part. [Figure 5] It is a diagram showing the number of stages when stacking the passing boxes. [Figure 6] (a) to (c) are diagrams showing the outer box that can accommodate a plurality of passing boxes and its mechanism. [Figure 7] (a) to (b) are diagrams showing the recycling forms of the inner part and the outer part. [Figure 8] (a) to (d) are diagrams showing other forms of the fixing part. [Figure 9] (a) to (b) are conceptual diagrams when recycling the fixing part of the ratchet structure. [Figure 10] (a) to (f) are conceptual diagrams when recycling the inner part and the outer part.

Embodiments for Carrying out the Invention

[0013] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. <Explanation of the Configuration of the Passing Box 1> FIGS. 1(a) to (c) are diagrams showing the configuration of the passing box 1 in this embodiment. The passing box 1 is an example of a transportation material for accommodating the packaged object. Among these, FIG. (a) is a diagram showing the overall configuration of the passing box 1. As shown in the figure, the pass-through box 1 has an inner part 2 and an outer part 3. The inner part 2 and the outer part 3 are examples of carrying members, and when combined with each other, they form the pass-through box 1. It can also be said that the pass-through box 1 consists of a pair of carrying members. Additionally, it can be said that the pass-through box 1 consists of a set of carrying members. Furthermore, it can be said that the pass-through box 1 has one carrying member exemplified by the inner part 2 and another carrying member exemplified by the outer part 3 and combined with the one carrying member.

[0014] Then, as shown in Fig. 1(a), with the inner part 2 on the inside and the outer part 3 on the outside, the inner part 2 is inserted into the outer part 3 in the direction of the arrow and combined. This direction of the arrow may hereinafter be referred to as the combining direction. It can also be said that the inner part 2 is combined through the second opening 21b of the outer part 3. By combining the inner part 2 and the outer part 3, a pass-through box 1 in the shape of a box with an open top is formed, and the object to be packaged can be put in from the top and accommodated inside. The object to be packaged is the object to be packaged in the pass-through box 1, and its type and shape are not particularly limited. Here, terms indicating directions such as "up" and "down" mean the directions in the state where the pass-through box 1 is normally used. Therefore, when the pass-through box 1 is used in a direction that is not the normal use state, this direction will of course change accordingly.

[0015] When combining the inner part 2 and the outer part 3, the insertion amount of inserting the inner part 2 into the outer part 3 is determined according to the size and weight of the object to be packaged. It can also be said that the insertion amount is the length in the combining direction of the part where the inner part and the outer part 3 contact. And, as will be described in detail later, in the pass-through box 1 of the present embodiment, the inner part 2 and the outer part 3 can be fixed at a desired insertion position. That is, the pass-through box 1 can be made stretchable and contractible while adjusting the insertion amount of the inner part 2 and the outer part 3 to make the length in the combining direction a desired length.

[0016] The packaged goods are transported while contained inside the reusable container 1. During transport, the reusable container 1 functions as a cushioning material, mitigating vibrations and shocks to the goods. This allows for transportation while preventing damage to the packaged goods. In this configuration, the inner part 2 and the outer part 3 are assembled in the longitudinal direction, while the direction intersecting them along the bottom and top surfaces of the inner part 2 and outer part 3 is the shortening direction. This allows for a wider range of insertion depth. Furthermore, the inner part 2 and the outer part 3 may be colored differently to distinguish them from each other. This prevents mistakes when combining them to form the returnable container 1, such as combining inner parts 2 with each other or outer parts 3 with each other.

[0017] The inner part 2 and the outer part 3 are different in size but have the same shape. Therefore, although the structure of the inner part 2 will be described below, the structure of the outer part 3 is almost the same. For this reason, the same reference numerals will be used for the same components in the inner part 2 and the outer part 3. However, the inner part 2 is slightly smaller in size than the outer part 3 because it is inserted into the outer part 3, and there are differences in some aspects, such as the configuration of the fixing part 24, which will be described in more detail later.

[0018] The inner part 2 has a first opening 21a that opens to the top surface for accommodating the packaged items, and a second opening 21b that opens in the combination direction, while also comprising side parts 22a, 22b, 22c and a bottom part 22d arranged to form a rectangular parallelepiped shape. The first opening 21a is provided for receiving the packaged item from above. The second opening 21b is provided for combining the inner part 2 and the outer part 3. The side sections 22a, 22b, 22c and the bottom section 22d are made of, for example, corrugated plastic (plastic corrugated cardboard) or corrugated paper. By forming the side sections 22a, 22b, 22c and the bottom section 22d from such materials, the amount of waste can be reduced and a recyclable returnable container 1 can be made. Hereafter, when the side sections 22a, 22b, 22c and the bottom section 22d are not distinguished, they may simply be referred to as the side section 22.

[0019] Furthermore, the inner part 2 is equipped with reinforcing members 23a to 23j provided on the edges of the rectangular parallelepiped shape. By providing the reinforcing members 23a to 23j on the edges, the overall strength of the returnable container 1 can be increased, improving its durability. Hereafter, when the reinforcing members 23a to 23j are not distinguished, they may simply be referred to as reinforcing member 23. Here, the reinforcing members 23 are attached to all of the edges of the inner portion 2. The reinforcing members 23 consist of reinforcing members 23a, 23b, and 23c attached to the edges that form the outer edge of the first opening 21a, reinforcing members 23d, 23e, 23f, and 23g attached to the edges located vertically on the side portions 22a, 22b, and 22c, and reinforcing members 23h, 23i, and 23j attached to the edges that form the outer edge of the bottom portion 22d. The reinforcing member 23 can be attached to the surface portion 22, for example, by fixing it with a snap-in type member, or by bonding it using an adhesive.

[0020] Furthermore, the height of the inner part 2 is adjusted by the height of reinforcing members 23h, 23i, and 23j provided on the edges that form the outer edge of the bottom surface 22d located on the bottom surface of the rectangular parallelepiped. In other words, when the inner part 2 is inserted into the outer part 3 and assembled, the bottom surface 22d of the inner part 2 is positioned above the bottom surface of the outer part 3 by the height of the bottom surface, resulting in a step. Therefore, reinforcing members 23h, 23i, and 23j are provided with heights that compensate for this step difference, thereby eliminating the step. In this case, the reinforcing members 23h, 23i, and 23j are formed to extend further downward from the position of the bottom surface 22d. Alternatively, it can be said that the reinforcing members 23h, 23i, and 23j are formed to protrude downward from the bottom surface 22d by the thickness of the bottom surface 22d of the outer part 3.

[0021] Furthermore, the inner portion 2 is provided on each of the reinforcing members 23a and 23c and includes fixing portions 24 that fix the inner portion 2 and the outer portion 3 together at a desired position when they are combined via the second opening 21b. Figure 1(b) shows the configuration of the fixing part 24 of the inner part 2. Figure 1(c) shows the configuration of the fixing part 24 of the outer part 3. As shown in Figures 1(b) and (c), the fixing parts 24 of the inner part 2 and the outer part 3 form a ratchet structure 24r. The ratchet structure 24r of the inner part 2 (Figure 1(b)) engages with the ratchet structure 24r provided on the outer part 3, which has the same shape (Figure 1(c)), thereby fixing the inner part 2 and the outer part 3 together. In other words, the ratchet structure 24r has a structure of protrusions and recesses, and the protrusions of the ratchet structure 24r of the outer part 3 engage with the recesses of the ratchet structure 24r of the inner part 2.

[0022] In this case, the fixing portion 24 needs to be provided in the area between the inner portion 2 and the outer portion 3. Therefore, in the inner portion 2, the fixing portion 24 is provided on the outside of the side portions 22a and 22c, while in the outer portion 3, the fixing portion 24 is provided on the inside of the side portions 22a and 22c. By providing the fixing part 24 on the reinforcing member 23, the fixing state between the inner part 2 and the outer part 3 becomes more stable. Furthermore, by adopting a ratchet structure 24r as the fixing part 24, the positional relationship between the inner part 2 and the outer part 3 can be adjusted in fine increments, allowing the returnable container 1 to be made to the desired size.

[0023] Furthermore, the fixing portion 24 of the ratchet structure 24r of the inner portion 2 is released when it is shifted relative to the outer portion 3 in a direction intersecting the combination direction, from its fixed state with the outer portion 3. In this case, the ratchet structure 24r is released from its engaged state by moving the inner portion 2 upward relative to the outer portion 3 in the direction shown in Figure 1(a), thereby separating the inner portion 2 and the outer portion 3. Similarly, the inner portion 2 and the outer portion 3 can also be separated by moving the outer portion 3 downward relative to the inner portion 2 in the direction shown in Figure 1(a).

[0024] Furthermore, the inner part 2 extends upward from the side parts 22a, 22b, and 22c and further includes stackable parts 25a and 25b into which the bottoms of other returnable containers 1 can be placed when other returnable containers 1 are stacked on top, enabling stacking. This can also be described as the inner part 2 further including stackable parts 25a and 25b that protrude upward from the upper edges of the side parts 22a, 22b, and 22c for stacking other returnable containers 1 on top. Hereafter, when the stackable parts 25a and 25b are not distinguished, they may simply be referred to as the stackable part 25.

[0025] The stackable sections 25a and 25b are attached to reinforcing members 23a, 23b, and 23c, which are provided on the outer edges of the first opening 21a. More specifically, the stackable section 25a is provided on either side of the top where reinforcing members 23a and 23b intersect. Similarly, the stackable section 25b is provided on either side of the top where reinforcing members 23b and 23c intersect. It can also be said that the stackable section 25b is provided at the corner of the first opening 21a. The stackable section 25 can be attached to the reinforcing member 23 by, for example, fixing it with a snap-in type member or by bonding it with an adhesive.

[0026] Furthermore, it is preferable that the surface portion 22, the reinforcing member 23, and the stackable portion 25 are all made of the same material. That is, if the surface portion 22 is made of corrugated plastic (PP), it is preferable that the reinforcing member 23 and the stackable portion 25 are also made of PP, and if the surface portion 22 is made of cardboard, it is preferable that the reinforcing member 23 and the stackable portion 25 are also made of cardboard. In addition, as will be described in more detail later, it is preferable that the fixing portion 24 is also made of the same material. This makes it possible to create a returnable container 1 that is highly recyclable.

[0027] Furthermore, the inner part 2 and the outer part 3 are foldable. Figures 2(a) to 2(c) show the folding mechanism of the inner part 2. The surface 22k shown in Figure 2(a) is a reinforcing surface that reinforces the self-supporting ability of the returnable container 1. Furthermore, the reinforcing surface 22k can be used as a lid when the returnable container 1 is full of packaged goods and its self-supporting ability is maintained. The side sections 22a, 22b, and 22c are movable and can be folded by moving them. Specifically, from the state shown in Figure 2(a), the lower part of the side section 22b is placed inside the inner section 2, with the upper part of the side section 22b as the pivot point, as shown in Figure 2(b). In addition, the side section 22a has a fold line 22v in the direction along the combination direction, and it is possible to fold it along this fold line 22v. Here, the side section 22a is folded so that the fold line 22v is placed inside the inner section 2. The side section 22c also has a similar structure and can be folded. As a result, it can be folded into the form shown in Figure 2(c).

[0028] Figure 2(d) shows the structure of the upper part of the side section 22b. As described above, the side section 22b can move around its upper part as the pivot point. This rotation mechanism can be realized by the hinge 22t shown in Figure 2(d). Figure 2(e) shows the fold line 22v of the side portions 22a and 22c. The fold line 22v is a V-shaped groove, and by folding the side portions 22a and 22c along this groove, the side portion 22a can be folded.

[0029] Figures 3(a) and 3(b) show the structure of the lower part of the side section 22c. When the side portion 22c is folded so that the fold line 22v is placed inside the inner portion 2, the lower part of the side portion 22c is also folded. As shown in Figures 3(a) and 3(b), the lower part of the side portion 22c is fitted into a groove 22m provided in the bottom portion 22d. A hinge portion 22h is provided on the upper part of the side portion 22c adjacent to the fitted portion, and this hinge portion 22h makes it possible to fold the side portion 22c. The lower part of the side portion 22a can be folded in the same way, and has a similar structure. Furthermore, the upper parts of the side portions 22a and 22c can be folded in the same way, and have a similar structure.

[0030] Figure 4(a) shows the bottom surface 22d of the inner part 2. Figure 4(b) shows the bottom surface 22d of the outer part 3. Lines indicating the relative limits of insertion depth are drawn on the bottom surfaces 22d of both the inner section 2 and the outer section 3. These lines are drawn by printing or other means. In Figure 4, lines L1 to L3 are drawn at the ends L0 of the opposite points. These lines L1 to L3 are determined according to the weight of the items being packaged.

[0031] In other words, the greater the insertion amount of the inner part 2 and the outer part 3, the stronger the returnable container 1 becomes, allowing it to transport heavier packages. However, in this case, the size of the returnable container 1 becomes smaller. Therefore, it can only transport smaller packages. Conversely, the smaller the insertion amount of the inner part 2 and the outer part 3, the lower the strength of the returnable container 1, and the less weight the packaged items can be transported. On the other hand, in this case, the size of the returnable container 1 can be increased, and larger packaged items can be transported.

[0032] Therefore, in this embodiment, lines L1 to L3 indicate the upper limit of the weight of the packaged item. For example, the insertion amount shown on line L1 sets the upper limit of the packaged item's weight to 1 kg. The insertion amount shown on line L2 sets the upper limit of the packaged item's weight to 2 kg. Furthermore, the insertion amount shown on line L3 sets the upper limit of the packaged item's weight to 4 kg.

[0033] Figure 5 shows the number of layers when stacking the returnable containers 1. As described above, the returnable container 1 can be stacked using the stackable section 25. However, there is an upper limit to the number of stacked containers, depending on the weight of the items being packed. Figure 5 shows the maximum number of stacks for each weight of the packaged items. For example, assuming that the load capacity of one returnable container 1 is 4 kg, the maximum number of stacks is 4 if the weight of the packaged items is 1 kg. If the weight of the packaged items is 2 kg, the maximum number of stacks is 2. Furthermore, if the weight of the packaged items is 4 kg, the maximum number of stacks is 1, meaning that stacking is not possible.

[0034] Figures 6(a) to 6(c) show the outer box 5 and its mechanism, which can accommodate multiple returnable containers 1. Figure 6(a) is a view of the outer box 5 from above. The outer box 5 shown in Figure 6(a) is an example of a container for the returnable container 1. The outer box 5 has an outer box section 51 that can accommodate multiple returnable containers 1 and has partition sections 52 that divide the space to accommodate each returnable container 1. That is, one returnable container 1 can be accommodated in one section separated by the partition section 52 shown in the figure. The partition section 52 can be set to a height corresponding to the permitted number of layers when the returnable containers 1 are stacked. In other words, the partition section 52 is formed to match the height of the upper limit of the number of layers when stacking as shown in Figure 5.

[0035] Furthermore, when the returnable container 1 is placed inside the outer box 5, it is preferable to secure the returnable container 1 to the outer box 5 to prevent the returnable container 1 from collapsing or other damage. For this purpose, the partition section 52 is provided with a connecting section at the top that connects to the returnable container 1.

[0036] Figure 6(b) shows a first example of the joint. Here, the returnable container 1 is fixed to the outer box section 51 by a snap fit. The left side of Figure 6(b) shows the structure of the upper part of the reinforcing member 23. A recess 23k is formed on the upper part of the reinforcing member 23. The right side of Figure 6(b) shows the structure of the upper part of the partition section 52. A protrusion 52k is formed on the upper part of the partition section 52. The recess 23k and the protrusion 52k engage with each other by a snap fit, allowing the returnable container 1 to be fixed to the outer box section 51.

[0037] Figure 6(c) shows a second example of the joint. Here, the returnable container 1 is fixed to the outer box portion 51 by a slide slip. The left side of Figure 6(b) shows the slide slip 52s provided on the upper part of the partition portion 52. In addition, a recess 23s that engages with the slide slip 52s is formed on the upper part of the reinforcing member 23. When the slide slip 52s is slid as shown on the left side of Figure 6(c), the slide slip 52s engages with the recess 23s as shown on the right side of Figure 6(c), and the returnable container 1 can be fixed to the outer box portion 51.

[0038] Figures 7(a) and 7(b) show the recovery configurations for the inner part 2 and the outer part 3. Figure 7(a) shows the case where multiple folded inner parts 2 are stacked together, as well as multiple folded outer parts 3. This allows the folded inner parts 2 and folded outer parts 3 to be stacked and collected separately. In this case, each part is collected by placing it in a rack or similar container. Figure 7(b) also shows the case where multiple inner parts 2 and multiple outer parts 3 after folding are stacked side by side. This allows for the collection of both the multiple inner parts 2 and the multiple outer parts 3 after folding. In this case, they are collected by placing them in a rack or similar container. During collection, space can be saved by folding the inner part 2 and the outer part 3. Furthermore, by adopting the configuration shown in Figures 7(a) and 7(b), even greater space savings can be achieved during collection.

[0039] Figures 8(a) to 8(d) show other forms of the fixing part 24. Here, when combining the inner part 2 and the outer part 3 shown in Figure 8(a), a pin 242 and a rail 243 are used as the fixing part 24. Figure 8(b) shows the rail 243. Here, the rail 243 provided on the outer part 3 is shown. The rail 243 is located inside the outer part 3 and is provided on the reinforcing members 23a and 23c. The rail 243 is provided with a plurality of holes 243h.

[0040] Furthermore, the inner part 2 is provided with a pin 242, as shown in Figure 8(c). The pin 242 is located on the outside of the inner part 2 and is provided on the reinforcing members 23a and 23c. The pin 242 is rotatable in the direction of the arrow shown in the figure. By rotating the pin 242 and inserting its tip into the hole 243h provided in the rail 243, the pin 242 and the rail 243 engage, and as a result, the inner part 2 and the outer part 3 are fixed together. In other words, the fixing part 24 consists of the pin 242 and the rail 243, and is fixed by the engagement of the pin 242 and the hole 243h provided in the rail 243.

[0041] Multiple holes 243h are provided, and a pin 242 can be inserted into any one of the holes 243h. Therefore, the relative position of the inner part 2 and the outer part 3 can be adjusted by changing the position of the hole 243h into which the pin is inserted, and the returnable container 1 can be made to the desired size. As shown in Figure 8(d), the pin 242 can also engage with the stopper 243s of the rail 243. The stopper 243s is provided at the end of the rail 243. In this case, the pin 242 can engage with the stopper 243s provided on the rail 243, and the engagement between the pin 242 and the stopper 243s fixes the rail in place. Furthermore, in the example described above, the rail 243 was provided on the outer part 3 and the pin 242 on the inner part 2, but this can be reversed. That is, the rail 243 may be provided on the inner part 2 and the pin 242 on the outer part 3.

[0042] Figures 9(a) and 9(b) are illustrative diagrams of the recycling process for the fixing part 24 of the ratchet structure 24r. Although the inner part 2 is described here, the same process applies to the outer part 3. When a ratchet structure 24r is used as the fixing part 24 of the inner part 2 or outer part 3 shown in Figure 9(a), it is preferable that it be made of the same material as the side parts 22a and 22c. For example, if the side parts 22a and 22c are made of corrugated plastic, as shown in Figure 9(b), the ratchet structure 24r is made of plastic, and after the ratchet deteriorates, it is replaced with a new ratchet, and the inner part 2 and outer part 3 are reused. Alternatively, if the side parts 22a and 22c are made of cardboard, as shown in Figure 9(c), the ratchet structure 24r is made of cardboard and can be formed by embossing the cardboard sheet.

[0043] Figures 10(a) to (f) are illustrative diagrams of the recycling process for the inner part 2 and the outer part 3. Although the explanation here focuses on the inner part 2, the process is similar for the outer part 3. Figure 10(a) shows the inner part 2 in a new condition. Here, the inner part 2 is a new corrugated cardboard enclosure, and the reinforcing member 23 is also made of corrugated cardboard. The inner part 2 is manufactured by bending and processing sheet corrugated cardboard to fit the packaged goods. The inner part 2 is manufactured in the required quantity to accommodate small quantities of a wide variety of packaged goods. Then, by packing and transporting the items to be packaged, the inner part 2 is used, as shown in Figure 10(b). At this time, the inner part 2 is combined with the outer part 3 to form the reusable container 1, which can be used multiple times.

[0044] Furthermore, when it no longer meets the required strength, it becomes used cardboard as shown in Figure 10(c). As shown in Figure 10(d), these used cardboard boxes are collected by a specialized manufacturer and recycled by that specialized manufacturer, as shown in Figure 10(e). As a result, the recycled corrugated cardboard sheet D is obtained, as shown in Figure 10(f). Then, the sheet-shaped corrugated cardboard D is bent or otherwise processed based on CAD data, etc., and becomes the inner part 2 again.

[0045] According to the configuration described above, a reusable container 1 that can be expanded to fit the size of the items to be packaged can be provided. In this embodiment, reinforcing members 23 are provided on the edges of the inner part 2 and the outer part 3, and fixing parts 24 are provided on the reinforcing members 23. This makes it easier to stabilize the fixing state between the inner part 2 and the outer part 3. Furthermore, the fixing parts 24 become less prone to deterioration, improving the durability of the reusable container 1. Furthermore, by combining these components, it is possible to provide an inner part 2 and an outer part 3 that can be sized to fit the items being packaged and create an expandable returnable container 1. In addition, it is possible to provide an outer box 50 that can accommodate multiple returnable containers 1 and prevent the contents of the returnable containers 1 from collapsing. Moreover, by providing a foldable returnable container 1, the storage and transportability of the returnable container 1 can be improved.

[0046] Although this embodiment has been described above, the technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the scope described in the above embodiment. It is clear from the claims that various modifications or improvements made to the above embodiment are also included in the technical scope of the present invention. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0047] 1…Returnable container, 2…Inner part, 3…Outer part, 21a…First opening, 21b…Second opening, 22…Surface, 22a~22c…Side parts, 22d…Bottom surface, 23, 23a~23j…Reinforcement members, 24…Fixing part, 24r…Ratchet structure, 25…Stackable part, 242…Pin, 243…Rail, 243s…Stopper

Claims

1. A transport material comprising one transport member and another transport member having the same shape as the first transport member and being combined with the first transport member, The first transport member and the other transport member are, A surface portion is arranged to form a rectangular parallelepiped shape, while having a first opening on the top surface for accommodating the packaged items and a second opening in the direction of combination, A reinforcing member provided on the side of the rectangular parallelepiped, A fixing part is provided on the reinforcing member, which fixes the first transport member in a desired position when it is assembled with the second transport member through the second opening of the other transport member, Equipped with, The aforementioned fixing part has a ratchet structure and is fixed in place by engaging with a ratchet structure provided on another transport member having the same shape.

2. The transport material according to claim 1, wherein the fixing portion of the ratchet structure is released from the fixed state with other transport members when it is shifted relative to other transport members in a direction intersecting the combination direction.

3. The transport material according to claim 1, wherein the fixing portion of the ratchet structure is made of the same material as the surface portion.

4. The transport material according to claim 1, further comprising a stackable portion that extends upward from the surface portion located on the side of the rectangular parallelepiped shape, allowing the bottom portions of other transport materials to fit into when other transport materials are stacked on top of it, thereby enabling stacking.

5. The transport material according to claim 4, wherein the stackable portion is attached to the reinforcing member provided on the side portion that forms the outer edge of the first opening.

6. The transport material according to claim 1, wherein the surface portion located on the side of the rectangular parallelepiped shape is movable and can be folded by moving it.

7. The transport material according to claim 1, wherein the first transport member and the other transport member are different in color from each other in order to identify each other.

8. A transport material comprising one transport member and another transport member having the same shape as the first transport member and being combined with the first transport member, The first transport member and the other transport member are, A surface portion is arranged to form a rectangular parallelepiped shape, while having a first opening on the top surface for accommodating the packaged items and a second opening in the direction of combination, A reinforcing member provided on the side of the rectangular parallelepiped, A fixing part is provided on the reinforcing member, which fixes the first transport member in a desired position when it is assembled with the second transport member through the second opening of the other transport member, Equipped with, A transport material whose height is adjusted by the height of the reinforcing member provided on the edge portion that forms the outer edge of the surface portion located on the bottom surface of the rectangular parallelepiped.

9. A surface portion is arranged to form a rectangular parallelepiped shape, while having a first opening on the top surface for accommodating the packaged items and a second opening in the direction of combination, A reinforcing member provided on the side of the rectangular parallelepiped, A fixing portion is provided on the reinforcing member, which, when combined with another transport member having the same shape via the second opening, fixes them together at a desired position. Equipped with, The fixing portion has a ratchet structure, and the transport member is fixed in place by engaging with a ratchet structure provided on another transport member having the same shape.

10. It has an outer box section that can accommodate multiple transport materials and has partitions that divide each of the transport materials into a range that can accommodate them, The aforementioned transport materials are It comprises one transport member and another transport member having the same shape as the first transport member and being combined with the first transport member, The first transport member and the other transport member are, A surface portion is arranged to form a rectangular parallelepiped shape, while having a first opening on the top surface for accommodating the packaged items and a second opening in the direction of combination, A reinforcing member provided on the side of the rectangular parallelepiped, A fixing part is provided on the reinforcing member, which fixes the first transport member and the other transport member in a desired position when they are combined through the second opening, A stackable portion extends upward from the surface portion located on the side of the rectangular parallelepiped, allowing the bottom of other transport materials to fit into it when other transport materials are stacked on top, thereby enabling stacking. A container for transporting materials equipped with [a specific feature / feature].

11. The container for transporting materials according to claim 10, wherein the partition is provided to a height corresponding to the permitted number of layers when the transporting materials are stacked.

12. The container for transporting transporting materials according to claim 10, wherein the partition portion is provided with a connecting portion at the top for connecting with the transporting materials.

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