container

Abstract

To provide a container that can improve workability when loading and unloading an article while preventing unnecessary contact with a stored article.SOLUTION: A container 1 includes: an approximately box-shaped container body 2 that opens upwards; a lid 5 rotatably connected to the container body 2; and a lock member 51 capable of regulating a relative displacement between the lid body 5 in a closed position and the container body 2. The container body 2 includes: a projecting wall part 21 that project outward of the container body 2 from an upper side part of the side wall parts 12, 13, 14, and 15; and an edge wall part 22 that projects downward from the projecting wall 21 that projects forward from the wall part 12. The container body 2 includes a holding part 61 capable of holding the lock member 51, the lock member 51 is disposed below the projecting wall part 21 and between the side wall part 12 and the edge wall part 22. The lock member 51 is provided with an operation part 58 that is provided so as to be operable from a lower side of the projecting wall part 21 and is operated when the lock member 51 is displaced to change its state.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 9

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a container provided with a lid.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, there is known a container that includes a substantially box-shaped container body that opens upward and a lid that is rotatably and displaceably connected to the container body and opens and closes the opening of the container body, and is installed at the entrance of a house or the like and can accommodate delivered articles. In addition, there is a technique that uses a separate lock to regulate the opening of the lid in order to prevent unnecessary contact with and theft of the articles stored in the container (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] By the way, when opening the lid, it may take time and effort to unlock it using a key and then remove the lock from the container. In addition, there is a concern that it is inconvenient because the lid cannot be opened without bringing a key.

[0005] The present invention has been made to solve the above-exemplified problems and the like, and an object thereof is to provide a container that can improve workability when taking in and out articles while preventing unnecessary contact with the stored articles.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] Hereinafter, each means suitable for solving the above object and the like will be described separately by item, and the effects and the like specific to the corresponding means will be appended as necessary.

[0007] Means 1. A container body having a roughly box-like shape with an opening at the top and a storage compartment inside capable of accommodating articles, A lid is rotatably connected to the container body and is displaceable between a closed position that closes the opening of the container body and an open position that opens the opening and allows articles to be inserted into and removed from the storage compartment. The system includes a locking member that can change between a locked state that restricts the relative displacement between the lid in the closed position and the container body, and an unlocked state that allows the relative displacement. The container body comprises a bottom wall component, a side wall component extending upward from the side edge of the bottom wall component, a protruding wall component projecting outward from the upper edge of the side wall component, and an edge wall component projecting downward from at least a part of the protruding wall component. The container body is provided with a holding portion capable of holding the locking member in both the locked state and the unlocked state. The locking member is positioned below the protruding wall and between the side wall and the edge wall. The container is characterized in that the locking member is provided so as to be operable from below the protruding wall portion and includes an operating part that is operated when the locking member is displaced to change the state.

[0008] According to method 1, when changing the state from a locked state, where the displacement of the lid from the closed position toward the open position is restricted, to an unlocked state, where displacement toward the open position is permitted, it is only necessary to operate a locking member provided on the container body. Therefore, while preventing unnecessary contact with the contained items, it is possible to improve the workability when loading and unloading items compared to a configuration in which the container is locked using a separate lock and key. In addition, the locking member is located on the back side of the protruding wall and edge wall, making it difficult to see the locking member from the outside of the container. For this reason, only those who are aware of the presence of the locking member (household members or delivery persons) can perform the locking operation. Furthermore, compared to cases in which the locking member and a mechanism to conceal the locking member are provided on the lid, for example, the weight of the lid can be reduced, and in cases in which a restricting means is provided to hold the lid in a predetermined open position and restrict the displacement of the lid toward the open and closed positions, the burden on such restricting means can be reduced.

[0009] Means 2. The container body comprises a plurality of connecting wall portions that connect the side wall portion, the protruding wall portion, and the edge wall portion, The container according to means 1, characterized in that the locking member is positioned between the connecting wall portions that allow the state change.

[0010] According to method 2, the locking member, and by extension the holding portion, is surrounded by a side wall, a protruding wall, an edge wall, and a pair of connecting walls. This increases the strength and rigidity of the area surrounding the holding portion, stabilizes the mounting state of the locking member, and prevents dust and other debris from adhering to the area surrounding the locking member, thereby hindering the displacement movement of the locking member.

[0011] Means 3. The locking member is equipped with an engaging portion and changes state between the locked state and the unlocked state by sliding displacement, The aforementioned cover is When in the closed position, the overlapping portion overlaps the protruding wall portion from above, The lid is in the closed position and the locking member is in the locked state, and the lid is equipped with an engaged portion that engages with the engaging portion, The container according to means 1 or 2, characterized in that the protruding wall portion has an insertion hole through which the engaged portion is inserted when the lid, which is in the open position, is moved to the closed position.

[0012] According to method 3, by closing the lid, the engaged portion of the lid is positioned on the back side of the protruding wall, and by sliding the locking member, the engaged portion and the engaged portion can be engaged. Therefore, difficult operations are not required for locking and unlocking, and the ease of opening and closing the lid can be improved.

[0013] Means 4. The overlapping portion is provided with a through hole, The container according to means 3, characterized in that when the lid is in the closed position, a part of the locking member in the locked state can be seen through the through hole and the insertion hole.

[0014] According to method 4, it is possible to confirm from above the container that the locking member is locked without touching the locking member or looking behind the protruding wall. Furthermore, it is not necessary to provide a separate hole in the protruding wall or the like to confirm that the locking member is locked, in addition to the insertion hole, and the strength of the area around the holding part can be ensured as much as possible. In addition, since the engaged part is inserted through the insertion hole, and the part that is visible through the through hole and insertion hole is the engaged part, it is easy to intuitively understand that the locking state is achieved when the engaged part is visible, and when it is not visible, it is unlocked.

[0015] Means 5. The lid has an outer overlapping portion that protrudes downward from the overlapping portion when in the closed position and overlaps the edge wall portion from the outside of the container body, The outer overlapping portion is provided with an outer through-hole that is continuous with the through-hole of the overlapping portion. The edge wall portion is provided with an edge insertion hole that is continuous with the insertion hole of the protruding wall portion. The container according to means 4, characterized in that when the lid is in the closed position, a part of the locking member can be seen through the outer through hole and the edge insertion hole.

[0016] According to means 5, as described in means 4 above, a part of the locking member in the locked state can be visually confirmed not only from above the container through the insertion hole and through hole, but also from the front of the container through the outer through hole and edge insertion hole. Therefore, convenience when confirming the locked state can be improved. In addition, it is possible to easily insert the engaged part into the insertion hole, and for example, compared to the case where the edge insertion hole is not provided, the engaged part can be made as large as possible while suppressing an increase in the front-to-back width of the protruding wall. Therefore, the size of the container can be suppressed, the strength of the engaged part can be ensured, and the engaged part can be inserted into the insertion hole without hindrance as the lid rotates and displaces.

[0017] Means 6. The locking member is equipped with an engaging portion and changes state between the locked state and the unlocked state by sliding displacement, The aforementioned cover is When in the closed position, the overlapping portion overlaps the protruding wall portion from above, When in the closed position, an outer overlapping portion extends downward from the overlapping portion and overlaps the edge wall portion from the outer side of the container body, The lid is in the closed position and the locking member is in the locked state, and the locking member has an engaged portion that engages with the engaging portion, The container according to means 1 or 2, characterized in that the outer overlapping portion extends below the locking member and the edge wall portion.

[0018] According to means 6, after operating the locking member to the unlocked state, a series of operations for displacing the lid body toward the open position side can be smoothly performed. Further, for those who are unaware of the existence of the locking member, it is possible to make the locking member more difficult to visually recognize and to make contact with (difficult to notice).

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0019] [Figure 1] It is a perspective view of a container in a state where the lid body is closed. [Figure 2] It is a perspective view of a container in a state where the lid body is opened. [Figure 3] It is an exploded perspective view of the container. [Figure 4] It is a partially enlarged perspective view of the lid body showing the front overlapping portion, the engaged portion, etc. [Figure 5] It is a perspective view showing the upper surface side of the locking member. [Figure 6] It is a perspective view showing the lower surface side of the locking member. [Figure 7] It is a perspective view including a cross section of the container. [Figure 8] It is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view of the container showing the joining portion of the front side wall portion and the front lid wall portion. [Figure 9] It is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view of the container showing the joining portion of the front side wall portion and the front lid wall portion. [Figure 10] It is a partially enlarged plan view of the container showing the peripheral portion of the holding portion. [Figure 11] It is a partially enlarged bottom view of the container body showing the locking member etc. when the lid body is in the open position and the locking member is in the unlocked state. [Figure 12] It is a partially enlarged bottom view of the container showing the locking member etc. when the lid body is in the closed position and the locking member is in the unlocked state. [Figure 13] It is a partially enlarged bottom view of the container showing the locking member etc. when the lid body is in the closed position and the locking member is in the locked state. [Figure 14] It is a partially enlarged front view of the container. [Figure 15]These are partially enlarged perspective views showing the peripheral areas of the edge wall and the front overlapping section. (a) shows the case where the lid is in the open position and the locking member is in the unlocked state. (b) shows the case where the lid is in the closed position and the locking member is in the unlocked state. (c) shows the case where the lid is in the closed position and the locking member is in the locked state. [Figure 16] In another embodiment, this is a partially enlarged perspective view of a container showing the lid in the process of being opened or closed. [Figure 17] In another embodiment, this is a partially enlarged perspective view of a container showing the lid in the process of being opened or closed. [Figure 18] In another embodiment, the lid is shown in the closed position in a partially enlarged perspective view, where (a) the locking member is in the unlocked position and (b) the locking member is in the locked position. [Figure 19] In another embodiment, this is a partially enlarged perspective view showing the lid in the closed position. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0020] An embodiment will be described below with reference to the drawings. As shown in Figures 1 to 3, the container 1 is a roughly rectangular box shape opening upwards and comprises a container body 2 having a storage section 3 inside capable of accommodating articles, and a lid 5 that is rotatably connected to the container body 2 (corresponding to the rear edge of the opening 4 of the container body 2). The lid 5 is configured to be displaceable between a closed position that closes the opening 4 of the container body 2 and an open position that opens the opening 4 of the container body 2, allowing articles to be inserted into and removed from the storage section 3. Note that "roughly" does not strictly specify a predetermined state, but rather includes states that approximate within a range of commonly accepted error and precision, and within a range that can achieve the intended function and effect. Also, in Figure 3, the locking member 51, which will be described later, is not shown.

[0021] The container body 2 comprises a bottom wall component 11 that is roughly rectangular in plan view, and a front side wall component 12, a rear side wall component 13, a left side wall component 14, and a right side wall component 15 that project upward from the front edge, rear edge, and left and right side edges of the bottom wall component 11, respectively. In this embodiment, the top surface of the container body 2 is inclined downward toward the front. That is, the height of the front side wall component 12 is lower than the height of the rear side wall component 13, and the upper edges of the left side wall component 14 and the right side wall component 15 are continuous with the upper edge of the front side wall component 12 and include a portion that extends roughly parallel to the upper edge of the front side wall component 12, a portion that is continuous with the upper edge of the rear side wall component 13 and extends roughly parallel to the upper edge of the rear side wall component 13, and a portion that connects them while inclined.

[0022] As shown in Figure 7 and other figures, the container body 2 of this embodiment comprises a first body-side component 17 that mainly constitutes the outer surface of the container body 2, and a second body-side component 18 that is provided between the first body-side component 17 and the second body-side component 18, which mainly constitutes the inner surface of the container body 2 and forms an internal body-side space 19 between them. The internal body-side space 19 is provided with an insulating material 7 (for example, expanded polystyrene) molded into a predetermined shape. The first body-side component 17 and the second body-side component 18 are each integrally formed from polypropylene.

[0023] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 2 and 3, the container body 2 is provided with a protruding wall portion 21 that extends outward from the upper edges of the side wall portions 12, 13, 14, and 15 (the upper edges of the parts that make up the side wall portions 12, 13, 14, and 15 of the first component 17 on the main body side). The protruding wall portion 21 is continuously provided along the upper edges of the side wall portions 12, 13, 14, and 15 around their entire circumference.

[0024] Furthermore, the container body 2 is provided with an edge wall portion 22 that protrudes downward from the leading edge of the portion of the protruding wall portion 21 that protrudes forward from the front side wall portion 12, including the central part in the lateral direction of the container body 2. In addition, a pair of left and right bulging portions 23 are provided on both the left and right sides of the edge wall portion 22 of the container body 2, so as to cause the upper part of the portion of the first component portion 17 of the main body side that constitutes the front side wall portion 12 to bulge (incline) forward. The portion of each bulging portion 23 that is connected to the edge wall portion 22 constitutes (part of) a connecting wall portion 24 that connects the portion of the front side wall portion 12 that is opposite to the edge wall portion 22, the protruding wall portion 21, and the edge wall portion 22.

[0025] As shown in Figures 1 to 3, the lid 5, when in the closed position, has a roughly rectangular shape in plan view and comprises a top wall portion 31 that covers the top of the container body 2, and a front lid wall portion 32, a left lid wall portion 33, and a right lid wall portion 34 that protrude downward from the front edge and left and right side edges of the top wall portion 31, respectively. As described above, the upper surface of the container body 2 (the frame-shaped portion formed by the upper edges of the front side wall portion 12, the rear side wall portion 13, the left side wall portion 14, and the right side wall portion 15) is inclined downward toward the front. In contrast, when the container 1 is installed on a horizontal surface, the lid 5 is configured to support the top wall portion 31 in a position where it extends in the roughly horizontal direction by the front lid wall portion 32, the left lid wall portion 33, and the right lid wall portion 34, and to close the gap between the top wall portion 31 and the container body 2, so that the upper surface of the top wall portion 31 of the lid 5 in the closed position extends in the roughly horizontal direction. The front lid wall portion 32, the left lid wall portion 33, and the right lid wall portion 34 are supported by the front side wall portion 12, the left side wall portion 14, and the right side wall portion 15 of the container body 2 when the lid 5 is in the closed position. With this configuration, when the container 1 is in the closed state, a storage portion 3 is also formed on the lid 5 side at the upper front position of the container body 2 (opening 4), expanding the storage space of the container 1 (see Figures 7 and 8). When describing the lid 5, unless otherwise specified, it will be described assuming that the lid 5 is in the closed position.

[0026] As shown in Figure 7 and other figures, the lid 5 of this embodiment comprises a lid-side first component 36 that mainly constitutes the outer surface of the lid 5, and a lid-side second component 37 that is provided so as to form a lid-side internal space 38 between itself and the lid-side first component 36, and mainly constitutes the inner surface of the lid 5. The lid-side internal space 38 is provided with an insulating material 7 (for example, expanded polystyrene) molded into a predetermined shape. The lid-side first component 36 and the lid-side second component 37 are each integrally formed from polypropylene.

[0027] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 1 to 3, the lid 5 is provided with overlapping portions 41 that protrude outward from the lower edges of the front lid wall portion 32, the left lid wall portion 33, and the right lid wall portion 34 (the parts of the lid-side first component portion 36 that constitute the front lid wall portion 32, the left lid wall portion 33, and the right lid wall portion 34). When the lid 5 is in the closed position, the overlapping portions 41 are configured to overlap (are in contact with and supported by) the protruding wall portion 21 from above. In addition, an outer overlapping portion 42 is provided that protrudes downward from the outer edge (protruding tip) of the overlapping portion 41. When the lid 5 is in the closed position, the outer overlapping portion 42 is configured to overlap the protruding wall portion 21 from the outside of the container 1. In particular, in this embodiment, the portion of the outer overlapping portion 42 that corresponds to the edge wall portion 22 of the container body 2 (hereinafter referred to as the "front overlapping portion 43") has a longer downward projection than the other portions, and is configured so that when the lid 5 is in the closed position, the front overlapping portion 43 covers the entire front of the edge wall portion 22 (overlaps on the front side) (see Figures 9 and 14).

[0028] As shown in Figure 2, in this embodiment, when the container 1 is installed on an installation surface extending substantially horizontally, the lid 5 is rotated approximately 90 degrees from the closed position to the open position, and the top wall portion 31 (the upper surface of the lid 5 when in the closed position) is positioned to extend substantially vertically (substantially perpendicular to the installation surface) (hereinafter referred to as the "upright open position"). The container 1 is configured to restrict further displacement of the lid 5 toward the open position and toward the closed position. In other words, the container 1 is equipped with a restricting means (not shown) capable of holding the lid 5 in the upright open position. In this embodiment, the lid 5 may also be configured to rotate and displace more than the upright open position (outward from the upright open position) toward the open position. Furthermore, the restricting means can be omitted.

[0029] Now, as shown in Figure 7 and other figures, this embodiment includes a locking member 51 that can change between a locked state that restricts the relative displacement between the lid 5 in the closed position and the container body 2, and an unlocked state that allows relative displacement. More specifically, as shown in Figure 3, the container body 2 is provided with a holding part 61 that can hold the locking member 51 in either the locked or unlocked state. As shown in Figures 9, 11, and other figures, the holding part 61 of this embodiment is composed of a holding part component 62 (with a roughly T-shaped cross-section that is upside down) that is provided in pairs on the left and right sides separated by a predetermined distance from each other, and the holding part component 62 comprises a support part 63 that protrudes downward from the lower surface (back surface) of the protruding wall part 21, and contact parts 64 that protrude forward and backward from the lower end of the support part 63.

[0030] As shown in Figures 5, 6, and 11, the locking member 51 has a base portion 52 which is roughly rectangular in shape when viewed from above and whose short side width coincides with the front-to-back direction of the container body 2; long-side plate portions 53 which protrude downward from the front and rear long sides of the base portion 52; short-side plate portion 54 which protrudes downward from one of the short sides of the base portion 52 (in this example, the right short side when the container 1 is viewed from the front); and a roughly rectangular prism-shaped engaging portion 55 which protrudes from the short-side plate portion 54 to the side of the locking member 51 (in this example, to the right when the container 1 is viewed from the front). Furthermore, the base portion 52 is provided with a pair of mounting slide holes 56 which penetrate the base portion 52 vertically. Note that the parts of the upper surface of the base portion 52 that constitute the front and rear edges of the mounting slide holes 56 are chamfered (see Figures 5 and 9).

[0031] Then, as shown in Figure 9, by inserting each retaining component 62 of the retaining portion 61 into each mounting slide hole 56 of the locking member 51, the peripheral edge of the mounting slide hole 56 on the lower surface of the base portion 52 contacts and is supported (locked) by the upper surface of the contact portion 64 of the retaining portion 61, thereby holding the locking member 51 in the retaining portion 61 (attaching it to the container body 2). The locking member 51 held in the retaining portion 61 is located above the lower edge of the edge wall portion 22. That is, the locking member 51 is located below the protruding wall portion 21 and is positioned between the front wall portion 12 and the edge wall portion 22.

[0032] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 11 and other figures, the left-right width of each mounting slide hole 56 is longer than the left-right width of the support portion 63 of each holding portion component 62 (for example, about twice as long). As a result, the locking member 51 is configured to slide displace along the width direction of the container body 2 (see Figure 13). Moreover, the locking member 51 is positioned within the width range of the edge wall portion 22, and consequently between the pair of left and right bulging portions 23 (connecting wall portion 24), allowing for sliding displacement of the locking member 51 (a change in state between the locked state and the unlocked state) within the width range of the edge wall portion 22, and consequently between the pair of left and right bulging portions 23 (connecting wall portion 24).

[0033] As shown in Figures 1, 4, and 14, the overlapping front portion 43 of the lid 5 has an external through-hole 71 that penetrates the front-to-back portion 43 at a position closer to the right side when viewed from the front. The overlapping portion 41 is continuous with the external through-hole 71 of the front overlapping portion 43 and has a through-hole 72 that penetrates the overlapping portion 41 vertically. Furthermore, as shown in Figures 4 and 8, the lid 5 has a substantially L-shaped engaging portion 73 that connects the rear edge of the through-hole 72 and the lower edge of the external through-hole 71.

[0034] In contrast, as shown in Figures 2, 10, and 15(a), the edge wall portion 22 has an edge insertion hole 74 that penetrates the edge wall portion 22 from front to back, located towards the right side in a front view. The protruding wall portion 21 is continuous with the edge insertion hole 74 of the edge wall portion 22 and has an insertion hole 75 that penetrates the protruding wall portion 21 from top to bottom. In the lateral direction of the container body 2, the positions of the insertion hole 75 and the edge insertion hole 74 coincide with the position of the engaged portion 73. As shown in Figures 8, 12, and 15(b), when the lid 5, which is in the open position, is closed, the engaged portion 73 of the lid 5 is inserted through the insertion hole 75 and the edge insertion hole 74. As a result, the engaged portion 73 is positioned on the back side of the protruding wall portion 21 and the edge wall portion 22.

[0035] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 11, when the container body 2 is viewed from the front, the locking member 51 is displaced to the left, so that the engaging portion 55 is positioned below the insertion hole 75 and to the left of the rear position of the edge insertion hole 74. When it is displaced to the right, a part of the engaging portion 55 (the intermediate position in the protruding direction) is positioned below the insertion hole 75 and behind the edge insertion hole 74. Then, as shown in Figures 13 and 15(c), when the lid 5 is in the closed position, the locking member 51 is displaced to the right, so that the engaging portion 55 is inserted into the engaged portion 73, which is positioned below the insertion hole 75 and behind the edge insertion hole 74 (on the back side of the protruding wall portion 21 and the edge wall portion 22). As a result, the engaging portion 55 and the engaged portion 73 are engaged (see Figure 8), preventing the engaged portion 73 from coming out of the insertion hole 75 and the edge insertion hole 74, and consequently restricting the displacement of the lid 5 toward the open position. In this embodiment, the state in which the engaging portion 55 is inserted into the engaged portion 73 (the state in Figure 13) corresponds to the locked state of the locking member 51, and the state in which the engaging portion 55 is disengaged from the engaged portion 73 (the states in Figures 11 and 12) corresponds to the unlocked state of the locking member 51.

[0036] Furthermore, because the lid 5 is provided with through holes 72 and an outer through hole 71, the engagement portion (contact surface) of the engaged portion 73 with the engaging portion 55 can be formed relatively easily. In addition, as shown in Figures 8, 10, 14, and 15(c), when the lid 5 is in the closed position, a part of the engaging portion 55 of the locking member 51 in the locked state can be seen through the through holes 72 and the outer through hole 71, and the insertion holes 75 and the edge insertion holes 74 of the container body 2. When the locking member 51 is in the unlocked state, the engaging portion 55 is disengaged from the engaged portion 73, and the locking member 51 (engaging portion 55) is not easily seen through the through holes 72 and the outer through hole 71, and the insertion holes 75 and the edge insertion holes 74 of the container body 2 (see Figure 15(b)).

[0037] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 9, the front overlapping portion 43 of the outer overlapping portion 42 extends below the locking member 51 and the edge wall portion 22. In addition, a locking claw portion 76 is provided that protrudes rearward from the lower edge of the front overlapping portion 43, and when the lid 5 is in the closed position, the locking claw portion 76 is substantially locked to the lower edge of the edge wall portion 22. This prevents the lid 5 from being unintentionally displaced to the open position when it is in the closed position, and when displacing the lid 5 from the closed position to the open position, the lower edge of the front overlapping portion 43 (locking claw portion 76) is slightly displaced outward from the container body 2 to release the locking state. In addition, a reinforcing rib 77 is provided that protrudes forward from the lower edge of the front overlapping portion 43. This reinforcing rib 77 makes it easier to grip the lower edge of the front overlapping portion 43 with your fingertips when displacing the lid 5 from the closed position to the open position.

[0038] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 6, 9, and 11, the locking member 51 includes an operating part 58 that connects a pair of front and rear long-side plate portions 53. In other words, the operating part 58 is provided so as to be operable from below the protruding wall portion 21 and is operated when displacing the locking member 51 to change its state. In addition, the portion of the long-side plate portion 53 that is connected to the operating part 58 protrudes further downward than the other portions of the long-side plate portion 53, and the operating part 58 is also formed at the same height as the lower edge of the long-side plate portion 53.

[0039] In addition, as shown in Figure 10, the front and rear surfaces of the support portion 63 of each holding component 62 are provided with protruding portions 66 that extend forward and backward, respectively. In contrast, as shown in Figures 5, 11, etc., each mounting slide hole 56 of the locking member 51 is provided with recessed portions 59 at positions where the protruding portions 66 are inserted when the locking member 51 is in the locked state and at positions where the protruding portions 66 are inserted when the locking member 51 is in the unlocked state. This prevents unintentional displacement of the locking member 51 when it is in the locked or unlocked state.

[0040] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the front overlapping portion 43 and the edge wall portion 22 are provided with lock mounting holes 79 for attaching a separate lock that can be unlocked using a key, but these can be omitted.

[0041] As detailed above, according to this embodiment, when changing the state from a locked state in which the lid 5 in the closed position is restricted from moving toward the open position to an unlocked state in which movement toward the open position is permitted, it is only necessary to operate the locking member 51 provided on the container body 2.Therefore, while preventing unnecessary contact with the contained items, it is possible to improve the workability when loading and unloading items compared to a configuration in which the container 1 is locked using a separate lock and key.In addition, the locking member 51 is located on the back side of the protruding wall portion 21 and the edge wall portion 22, making it difficult to see the locking member 51 from the outside of the container 1.For this reason, only those who are aware of the presence of the locking member 51 (household members or delivery persons) can perform the locking operation.In addition, compared to a case in which, for example, the locking member 51 and a mechanism to conceal the locking member 51 are provided on the lid 5, the weight of the lid 5 can be reduced, and the burden on the restricting means that holds the lid 5 in the upright open position can be reduced.

[0042] Furthermore, since the locking member 51, and by extension the holding portion 61, is surrounded by the front side wall portion 12, the protruding wall portion 21, the edge wall portion 22, and the pair of left and right connecting wall portions 24, the strength and rigidity of the area surrounding the holding portion 61 are increased, which helps to stabilize the mounting state of the locking member 51, and also prevents situations where dust or other debris adheres to the area surrounding the locking member 51 and hinders the displacement movement of the locking member 51.

[0043] In addition, by closing the lid 5, the engaged portion 73 protruding from the back side of the overlapping portion 41 of the lid 5 can be positioned on the back side of the protruding wall portion 21 through the insertion hole 75 provided in the protruding wall portion 21 of the container body 2. Furthermore, by sliding the locking member 51, the engaged portion 55 and the engaged portion 73 can be engaged. Therefore, difficult operations are not required for locking and unlocking, and the ease of opening and closing the lid 5 can be improved.

[0044] Furthermore, a through hole 72 is provided in the overlapping portion 41 of the lid 5, and when the lid 5 is in the closed position, a part of the engaging portion 55 of the locking member 51 in the locked state can be seen through the through hole 72 and the insertion hole 75. Therefore, it is possible to confirm that the locking member 51 is in the locked state from above the container 1 without touching the locking member 51 or looking at the back side of the protruding wall portion 21. Moreover, it is not necessary to provide a separate hole in the protruding wall portion 21, etc., in addition to the insertion hole 75 for inserting the engaged portion 73, in order to confirm that the locking member 51 is in the locked state, and the strength of the area around the holding portion 61 can be ensured as much as possible. Also, it is not necessary to provide a separate hole in the overlapping portion 41, etc., in addition to the hole (through hole 72) formed when molding the upper surface of the engaged portion 73, in order to confirm that the locking member 51 is in the locked state, and the strength of the overlapping portion 41, etc., can be ensured, dust and other particles can be prevented from entering, and the deterioration of the design can be prevented. In addition, the engaged portion 73 is inserted through the insertion hole 75, and the portion visible through the through hole 72 and the insertion hole 75 is the engaged portion 55. Therefore, it is easy to intuitively understand whether the device is locked or unlocked, as the device is locked when the engaged portion 55 is visible and unlocked when it is not visible.

[0045] Furthermore, the front overlapping portion 43 of the outer overlapping portion 42, which is the portion facing the edge wall portion 22, is provided with an outer through-hole 71 that is continuous with the through-hole 72 of the overlapping portion 41, and the edge wall portion 22 is provided with an edge insertion hole 74 that is continuous with the insertion hole 75 of the protruding wall portion 21. When the lid 5 is in the closed position, a part of the locking member 51 is made visible through the outer through-hole 71 and the edge insertion hole 74. As a result, as described above, a part of the engaging portion 55 of the locking member 51 in the locked state can be seen not only from above the container 1 through the insertion hole 75 and the through-hole 72, but also from the front of the container 1 through the outer through-hole 71 and the edge insertion hole 74. Thus, convenience when confirming the locked state can be improved. Furthermore, it is possible to easily insert the engaged portion 73 into the insertion hole 75, and for example, compared to the case where the edge insertion hole 74 is not provided, the front-to-back width of the protruding wall portion 21 can be suppressed while the engaged portion 73 can be made as large as possible.Therefore, it is possible to suppress the enlargement of the container 1 and ensure the strength of the engaged portion 73, while the engaged portion 73 can be inserted into the insertion hole 75 without hindrance as the lid 5 rotates and displaces.

[0046] In addition, the outer overlap portion 42 extends below the locking member 51 and the edge wall portion 22. Therefore, a series of operations can be smoothly performed, from operating the locking member 51 to release the lock, to displacing the lid 5 towards the open position. Furthermore, for someone unaware of the existence of the locking member 51, it becomes more difficult to see and to touch (less likely to be noticed). Moreover, it becomes possible to provide a locking claw portion 76 that substantially engages with the lower edge of the edge wall portion 22, thereby stabilizing the lid 5 in the closed position without complicating the structure (without adding any components to the container body 2), and the operation to release the locking state of the locking claw portion 76 can also be smoothly included in the aforementioned series of operations.

[0047] Furthermore, the embodiment is not limited to the description above, and may be implemented as follows, for example. Of course, other applications and modifications not exemplified below are also possible.

[0048] (a) For example, it is also possible to materialize this into a container 80 as shown in Figures 16 to 19. Of the components of the container 80, those components that are the same as (have the same function as) those components of the container 1 in the above embodiment will be described using the same component names and reference numerals. In the above embodiment, the edge wall portion 22 of the container body 2 is also provided with an edge insertion hole 74 that is continuous with the insertion hole 75 of the protruding wall portion 21. However, as shown in Figure 16, the edge insertion hole 74 may be omitted, and a configuration in which the engaged portion 73 is inserted through the insertion hole 75 may be adopted. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 16, the protruding wall portion 21 may be provided only in the portion including the center in the lateral direction of the front wall portion 12. When this configuration is adopted, the wall portion that protrudes downward from the front edge of the protruding wall portion 21 is the edge wall portion 22, and the wall portion that connects the edge wall portion 22 and the front wall portion 12 is the connecting wall portion 24.

[0049] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, an outer through-hole 71 is provided in the outer overlapping portion 42 (front overlapping portion 43) of the lid 5, which is continuous with the through-hole 72 of the overlapping portion 41. However, as shown in Figure 16, a configuration in which the outer through-hole 71 is omitted may also be adopted. Even when this configuration is adopted, as shown in Figure 17, an engaged portion 73 is provided on the back side of the overlapping portion 41 corresponding to the through-hole 72. As shown in Figure 18(a), when the lid 5 is in the closed position, the engaged portion 73 is inserted into the insertion hole 75 of the container body 2. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 18(b), when the locking member 51 is in the locked state, the engaging portion 55 of the locking member 51 is inserted into the engaged portion 73. As shown in Figure 19, a part of the engaged portion 55 that is engaged with the engaged portion 73 through the through-hole 72 and the insertion hole 75 is visible.

[0050] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the retaining portion 61 (retaining portion component 62) is provided so as to protrude downward from the protruding wall portion 21. However, as shown in Figure 17, the retaining portion (61) may be composed of the portion of the front wall portion 12 facing the edge wall portion 22, and claw portions 81 that protrude forward and backward from the edge wall portion 22, respectively, and support the lower surface of the locking member 51. In addition, as shown in Figures 16 and 17, instead of the locking claw portion 76 provided on the lower edge of the front overlap portion 43, a locking projection 82 that protrudes forward from the edge wall portion 22 may be provided, and a locking hole portion 83 may be provided in the front overlap portion 43 into which the locking projection 82 is inserted and locked when the lid 5 is in the closed position.

[0051] (b) In the above embodiment, the edge wall portion 22 is provided only in the portion of the front side wall portion 12 that includes the lateral central portion, but it is also possible to provide it in other portions of the front side wall portion 12, or in the left side wall portion 14 and the right side wall portion 15. Furthermore, the arrangement of the locking member 51 is not limited to the lateral central portion of the front side wall portion 12, but may also be provided on the lateral side of the front side wall portion 12, or in the left side wall portion 14 or the right side wall portion 15. However, by configuring the side of the lid 5 opposite to the pivotally supported side (the side that is opened) (in particular, the part operated when moving the lid 5 from the closed position to the open position, in the above embodiment, the front overlapping portion 43 where the locking claw portion 76 is provided) and the locking member 51 to be positioned close to each other when the lid 5 is in the closed position, it is possible to make it easier to perform a series of operations when releasing the lock state of the locking member 51 and moving the lid 5 to the open position (other items can also be placed close to both the left and right sides of the container 1 without interfering with the locking operation).

[0052] (c) In the above embodiment, the upper surface of the container body 2 is inclined downward toward the front, but it may also be configured to extend in a substantially horizontal direction. However, inclining the upper surface of the container body 2 makes it easier to see inside the container body 2 when the lid 5 is in the open position, and also makes it easier to put items in and take them out. Also, in the above embodiment, the upper surface of the lid 5 in the closed position extends in a substantially horizontal direction, but it may also be configured to be inclined downward toward the front, or to be slightly curved in a substantially arc shape in cross-section. However, by configuring the upper surface of the lid 5 in the closed position to extend in a substantially horizontal direction, when the lid 5 is in the closed position, a relatively wide storage area 3 is formed on the lid 5, making it possible to secure the storage space of the container 1 as wide as possible, and it also becomes possible to place items on the upper surface of the lid 5 in the closed position.

[0053] (d) In the above embodiment, the container 1 (first component 17 on the main body side, second component 18 on the main body side, first component 36 on the lid side, and second component 37 on the lid side) is made of polypropylene, but it may also be made of other resin materials such as polyethylene, PET, or polyamide. In addition, in the above embodiment, in order to improve the cooling and heat retention performance, the container body 2 and the lid 5 are made of a hollow two-layer structure, and an insulating material 7 is provided in the internal space 19 on the main body side and the internal space 38 on the lid side, but the insulating material 7 may be omitted, or the container body 2 and the lid 5 may be made of a single-layer structure. Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the container 1 is in the shape of a roughly rectangular box, but it is also possible to materialize it into a container that is, for example, roughly cylindrical, roughly semicircular in plan view (with the front corners having a relatively large radius), etc.

[0054] In addition, although not specifically mentioned in the above embodiment, the locking member 51 may be colored the same as the lid 5 so that the locking member 51, which is visible through the through-hole 72, is not easily noticed (in this case, security is improved), or the locking member 51 may be colored differently from the lid 5 so that it is easier to see through the through-hole 72, etc., that the locking member 51 is in the locked state (in this case, user convenience is improved). [Explanation of symbols]

[0055] 1...Container, 2...Container body, 3...Storage section, 4...Opening, 5...Lid, 6...Connecting section, 11...Bottom wall component, 12,13,14,15...Side wall section, 21...Protruding wall section, 22...Edge wall section, 24...Connecting wall section, 41...Overlapping section, 42...Outer overlapping section, 43...Front overlapping section, 51...Locking member, 55...Engaging section, 58...Operating section, 61...Holding section, 71...Outer through hole, 72...Through hole, 73...Engaged section, 74...Edge insertion hole, 75...Insertion hole.

Claims

1. A container body having a roughly box-like shape with an opening at the top and a storage compartment inside capable of accommodating articles, A lid is rotatably connected to the container body and is displaceable between a closed position that closes the opening of the container body and an open position that opens the opening and allows articles to be inserted into and removed from the storage compartment. The system includes a locking member that can change between a locked state that restricts the relative displacement between the lid in the closed position and the container body, and an unlocked state that allows the relative displacement. The container body comprises a bottom wall component, a side wall component extending upward from the side edge of the bottom wall component, a protruding wall component projecting outward from the upper edge of the side wall component, and an edge wall component projecting downward from at least a part of the protruding wall component. The container body is provided with a holding portion capable of holding the locking member in both the locked state and the unlocked state. The locking member is positioned below the protruding wall and between the side wall and the edge wall. The container is characterized in that the locking member is provided so as to be operable from below the protruding wall portion and includes an operating part that is operated when the locking member is displaced to change the state.

2. The container body comprises a plurality of connecting wall portions that connect the side wall portion, the protruding wall portion, and the edge wall portion. The container according to claim 1, characterized in that the locking member is disposed between the connecting wall portions that allow the state change.

3. The locking member has an engaging portion and changes state between the locked state and the unlocked state by sliding displacement. The aforementioned cover is When in the closed position, the overlapping portion overlaps the protruding wall portion from above, The lid is in the closed position and the locking member is in the locked state, and the lid is equipped with an engaged portion that engages with the engaging portion, The container according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the protruding wall portion has an insertion hole through which the engaged portion is inserted when the lid, which is in the open position, is moved to the closed position.

4. The overlapping portion is provided with a through hole. The container according to claim 3, characterized in that when the lid is in the closed position, a part of the locking member in the locked state can be seen through the through hole and the insertion hole.

5. The lid, when in the closed position, has an outer overlapping portion that protrudes downward from the overlapping portion and overlaps the edge wall portion from the outer side of the container body. The outer overlapping portion is provided with an outer through-hole that is continuous with the through-hole of the overlapping portion. The edge wall portion is provided with an edge insertion hole that is continuous with the insertion hole of the protruding wall portion. The container according to claim 4, characterized in that when the lid is in the closed position, a part of the locking member can be seen through the outer through hole and the edge insertion hole.

6. The locking member has an engaging portion and changes state between the locked state and the unlocked state by sliding displacement. The aforementioned cover is When in the closed position, the overlapping portion overlaps the protruding wall portion from above, When in the closed position, an outer overlapping portion extends downward from the overlapping portion and overlaps the edge wall portion from the outer side of the container body, The lid is in the closed position and the locking member is in the locked state, and the locking member has an engaged portion that engages with the engaging portion, The container according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the outer overlapping portion extends below the locking member and the edge wall portion.

Images