container

Abstract

To improve strength of a door member against a load applied to the door member by packages stored in a container.SOLUTION: A container 10 of the disclosure includes a side lock member 62 and an upper lock member 63 in a door member 50 connected to a lower edge of a side surface opening W2 through a hinge, and the side lock member 62 is engaged with a side portion of the door member 50 in a container body 10H to lock the door member 50 in a closed state. Further, the upper lock member 63 is engaged with an upper portion of the door member 50 in a lid 90 to lock the door member 50 in the closed state. In other words, when the door member 50 of the container 10 of the disclosure is viewed including a hinge connection portion at its lower part, the door member 50 is supported at an upper part, the lower part, and a side part by the container body 10H and the lid 90 and locked into the closed state. The structure allows the container 10 of the disclosure to improve strength against a load applied to the door member 50 from the inner side by packages stored therein. Furthermore, the side lock member 62 and the upper lock member 63 share an operation part 61S to enable lock releasing operation to be easily conducted.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 7

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a container that is entirely box-shaped, has an upper surface opening and a side surface opening, the upper surface opening is opened and closed by a lid body, and the side surface opening is opened and closed by a door member.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, as this type of container, one in which a door member is hinge-connected to the lower edge of a side surface opening is known. Also, in this container, an engaging portion provided on the door member engages with the opening edges on both sides of the side surface opening so that the door member is locked in a closed state (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] However, in the above-described conventional container, there is a problem that the door member is deformed by receiving a load from the inside due to the stored luggage, and an increase in the strength of the door member against such a load is required.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0005] To solve the above problems, the container of this disclosure comprises: a container body having an overall box shape and having a top opening and a side opening; a lid for opening and closing the top opening; a door member hinged to the lower edge of the side opening for opening and closing the side opening; a side locking member supported by the door member and moving between a locked position in which it engages with the side portion of the door member on the container body to lock the door member in a closed state and an unlocked position in which the engagement is released; an upper locking member supported by the door member and moving between a locked position in which it engages with the upper portion of the door member on the lid to lock the door member in a closed state and an unlocked position in which the engagement is released; and an operating part shared by the side locking member and the upper locking member for operating the side locking member and the upper locking member from the locked position to the unlocked position. [Effects of the Invention]

[0006] In the container of this disclosure, a door member hinged to the lower edge of the side opening is provided with a lateral locking member and an upper locking member. The lateral locking member engages with the lateral portion of the door member on the container body to lock the door member in the closed position, and the upper locking member engages with the upper portion of the door member on the lid to lock the door member in the closed position. That is, the door member of the container of this disclosure, including its lower hinged connection portion, is supported at its top, bottom, and sides by the container body and the lid. As a result, the container of this disclosure has increased strength against the load that the door member receives from the inside due to the stored goods. Moreover, since the operating part is shared between the lateral locking member and the upper locking member, the unlocking operation can be easily performed. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0007] [Figure 1] Perspective view of a container according to one embodiment of the present disclosure [Figure 2] Perspective view of the folded container [Figure 3] Exploded perspective view of the container body [Figure 4] Perspective view of a partially broken container in a folded state. [Figure 5]Perspective view of a container with the lid in the lower position [Figure 6] Perspective view of a container with the lid in the closed state [Figure 7] Perspective view of a container with the lid in the open state [Figure 8] Side view of a container with the lid in the lower position and the door member in the folded state [Figure 9] Perspective view of the rear part of the inner surface of the lid [Figure 10] Perspective view of the upper part of the rear surface of the container [Figure 11] Perspective view of the upper surface side of the lid [Figure 12] Perspective view of the front side of the opening wall [Figure 13] Perspective view of the rear side of the opening wall [Figure 14] Perspective view of the outer surface side of the second side wall body [Figure 15] Perspective view of the inner surface side of the second side wall body [Figure 16] Perspective view of the front side of the upper door member and the lower door member [Figure 17] Perspective view of the rear side of the upper door member and the lower door member [Figure 18] Perspective view of the door member in the folded state [Figure 19] Perspective view of the door member in the folded state [Figure 20] Side view of the door member in the folded state [Figure 21] Perspective view of the composite lock member [Figure 22] (A) Perspective view of a partially broken second side wall body locked in the closed state, (B) Perspective view of a partially broken second side wall body with its lock released [Figure 23] Side cross-sectional view of the second side wall body with the door member in the closed state [Figure 24] Perspective view of the container during the process of opening the door member [Figure 25] Perspective view of the container in the stacked state

Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0008] Hereinafter, referring to FIGS. 1 to 25, the container 10 of an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described. As shown in FIG. 1, the container 10 of this embodiment has a structure in which a container body 10H that is box-shaped as a whole and has an upper surface opening W1 and a side surface opening W2 is assembled with a lid body 90 that opens and closes the upper surface opening W1 and a door member 50 that opens and closes the side surface opening W2. Further, as shown in FIG. 2, the container 10 is foldable. Note that all the components of the container 10 of this embodiment are resin molded products, but may include metal parts.

[0009] First, the structure of the container body 10H will be described below. As shown in FIG. 3, the container body 10H has a bottom wall 11 that is rectangular and long in the first horizontal direction H1 in a planar shape, a pair of first side walls 30 that face each other in the first horizontal direction H1, and a pair of second side walls 40 that face each other in the second horizontal direction H2. The pair of first side walls 30 includes a pair of first side wall base portions 31 that stand up from the bottom wall 11 and a pair of first side wall main bodies 32 that are hinge-connected thereto, and the pair of second side walls 40 includes a pair of second side wall base portions 41 that stand up from the bottom wall 11 and a pair of second side wall main bodies 42 that are hinge-connected thereto. Further, each hinge connection portion restricts the rotation range so that the first side wall main body 32 and the second side wall main body 42 do not rotate outward from the standing state and rotate inward until they become horizontal.

[0010] Also, the pair of second side wall base portions 41 are higher than the pair of first side wall base portions 31. Then, as shown in FIG. 4, after folding the pair of first side wall main bodies 32 so as to overlap on the bottom wall 11, and then folding the pair of second side wall main bodies 42 so as to overlap on the pair of first side wall main bodies 32, the container body 10H is in a folded state, and if the pair of second side wall main bodies 42 and the pair of first side wall main bodies 32 are raised in the reverse order, it returns to the assembled state. Hereinafter, unless otherwise specified, the description will be based on the premise that the container body 10H is in the assembled state.

[0011] As shown in Figure 5, each first side wall body 32 is sandwiched between the side edges of a pair of second side wall bodies 42 in the second horizontal direction H2. Also, as shown in Figure 3, each second side wall body 42 is provided with a pair of side projections 43 that extend vertically along both side edges and protrude toward the first side wall body 32, and in the assembled state, these pair of side projections 43 overlap the outer surface of the side edges of each first side wall body 32. Furthermore, each side projection 43 is provided with a plurality of through holes 43A arranged vertically, and a plurality of projections 32T that engage with these through holes 43A are formed on the outer surface of each side edge of the first side wall body 32.

[0012] As shown in Figure 5, each first side wall body 32 is provided with a locking member 34 at its upper end for locking the first side wall body 32 in an upright position. The locking member 34 includes a center member 35 and a pair of side locking members 36.

[0013] The center member 35 is positioned in the lateral center of the outer surface of the upper end of the first side wall body 32, and is supported so as to be slidable vertically by reinforcing ribs 32L on the outer surface of the first side wall body 32, and is covered from the outside by a cover member 38. An operating part 35B provided on the center member 35 faces outward through an operating window 38W formed in the cover member 38. The center member 35 is also provided with a pair of elastic pieces (not shown). These elastic pieces contact the reinforcing ribs 32L and bias the center member 35 to the locked position at the upper end of its movable range.

[0014] A pair of side lock members 36 are rod-shaped and extend from both sides of the center member 35. They are supported so as to be slidable laterally on the first side wall body 32 by passing through holes 36K formed in the reinforcing ribs 32L. One end of each pair of side lock members 36 is cam-coupled to the center member 35 at the rear of the cover member 38, and moves in conjunction with the center member 35 between an unlocked position where the pair of center members 35 are close to each other and a locked position where they are far apart. As shown in Figure 3, a pair of notches 36A are formed on both sides of the first side wall body 32 at positions opposite to the tips of the pair of side lock members 36 in the locked position. Furthermore, the tips of each pair of side lock members 36 are provided with inclined guide surfaces 36G on the side opposite to the surface facing the notches 36A.

[0015] The side lock member 36 engages with the engaging projection 44 of the second side wall body 42 shown in Figure 13, thereby locking the first side wall body 32 in an upright position. Specifically, the engaging projection 44 is a projection that protrudes from the inner surface of the second side wall body 42 and faces the opposite side of the side wall 43, and has a recess 44S on the side facing the side wall 43. Then, as the first side wall body 32 moves from a tilted state to an upright position, the side lock member 36 slides against the inclined guide surface 36G of the side lock member 36 in the locked position, and the side lock member 36 moves to the unlocked position. When the first side wall body 32 is in an upright position, as shown in Figure 1, the engaging projection 44 is received by the notch 36A of the first side wall body 32, and the side lock member 36 elastically returns to the locked position and fits into the recess 44S of the engaging projection 44. As a result, the first side wall body 32 is locked in an upright position. Furthermore, by operating the control unit 35B to move the side lock member 36 to the unlocked position, the first side wall body 32 can be tilted inward.

[0016] As shown in Figure 5, a projection 37 is provided on the upper surface of the first side wall body 32. The projection 37 is located in the center of the upper surface of the first side wall body 32 in the lateral direction and is in the shape of a protruding piece. When the container body 10H is assembled and the lid 90 is closed, the projection 37 engages with the slit-shaped engagement hole 91K (see Figure 7) formed in the lid 90.

[0017] The lid 90 will now be described. As shown in Figure 1, the lid 90 is connected to the second side wall body 42 of the pair of second side wall bodies 42 that does not have a side opening W2. Hereafter, when distinguishing between the pair of second side wall bodies 42, the second side wall body 42 that has a side opening W2 will be called the "front second side wall body 42," and the other second side wall body 42 will be called the "rear second side wall body 42." Furthermore, with respect to the front second side wall body 42 and the door member 50 that closes its side opening W2, the outer surface will be appropriately referred to as the "front" and the inner surface as the "rear." In addition, with respect to the lid 90, the first horizontal direction H1 will be called the "lateral direction," the second horizontal direction H2 in the closed state will be called the "front-to-back direction," the side with the side opening W2 in the closed state will be called the "front side," "front part," etc., and the opposite side will be called the "rear side," "rear part," etc.

[0018] As shown in Figure 6, the lid 90 rotates from a closed state, with the top opening W1 of the container body 10H closed, to an upright position as shown in Figure 7, centered on the upper end of the rear second side wall body 42, and then slides down to the lower end position as shown in Figure 8 while maintaining the upright position. To this end, as shown in Figure 7, a pair of rail sections 95 extending in the front-rear direction are provided at positions near both ends of the inner surface of the lid 90 in the lateral direction. A pair of engagement grooves 95M are provided on the sides of these rail sections 95 that face opposite each other. Both ends of these engagement grooves 95M are closed. The lid 90 is assembled to the rear second side wall body 42 via a pair of first hinge members 45 and a pair of second hinge members 46 as shown in Figure 9.

[0019] Specifically, the first hinge member 45 has a shape in which a projection 45B protrudes from one side edge of the slide plate 45A. When the slide plate 45A is received in the engagement groove 95M, the projection 45B protrudes from the inner surface of the lid 90 more than the rail portion 95. In addition, a cylindrical portion 45C protrudes from one side of the projection 45B and faces the slide plate 45A with the rail portion 95 in between. A hinge hole 45D extending laterally passes through the projection 45B and the cylindrical portion 45C.

[0020] The second hinge member 46 has a shape in which a support pin 46B extends from one side of a rectangular block 46A, and the support pin 46B passes through the hinge hole 45D. In addition, the block 46A is provided with a projection 46T (see Figure 10) on one side adjacent to the side having the support pin 46B.

[0021] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 5, a pair of notches 42K are formed at the upper end of the rear second side wall body 42, near both ends in the lateral direction. The notches 42K open to the inner and outer surfaces and the upper surface of the rear second side wall body 42, and are narrower below a certain point in the vertical direction. Also, as shown in Figure 10, hinge holes 46J that penetrate horizontally are provided in the walls on both sides of the lower end of the notches 42K. Moreover, a pair of block receiving holes 46V that open horizontally are provided at both ends in the lateral direction of the upper part of the rear second side wall body 42, and the block receiving holes 46V and the notches 42K are in communication via the hinge holes 46J. In addition, the pair of block receiving holes 46V are in communication with engagement holes 46W provided on the upper rear surface of the rear second side wall body 42.

[0022] Then, with the projection 45B of the first hinge member 45 received at the lower end of the notch 42K, the second hinge member 46 is inserted into the block receiving hole 46V from the support pin 46B side, and the support pin 46B is passed through the hinge holes 45D and 46J. In addition, the engagement of the projection 46T with the engagement hole 46W prevents the second hinge member 46 from coming out of the block receiving hole 46V. As a result, the lid 90 rotates and slides as described above.

[0023] As shown in Figure 11, upper surface projections 91 are formed on the outer edges of all four sides of the upper surface of the lid 90, except for the middle portion of the rear edge. The upper surface projections 91 consist of corner ridges 91L located at the four corners of the upper surface of the lid 90, front ridges 91A connecting the corner ridges 91L at the front edge of the lid 90, and side ribs 91B connecting the corner ridges 91L at both sides of the outer surface of the lid 90.

[0024] The planar shape of the corner embankment section 91L is L-shaped, following the outer edges of the four corners of the cover body 90, and has a roughly rectangular cross-section and a flat top surface. Furthermore, the top surfaces of the four corner embankment sections 91L are located in the same plane (i.e., they are flush).

[0025] The side rib 91B is formed by extending the inner wall of the adjacent corner embankment portion 91L. Furthermore, the aforementioned engagement hole 91K opens outside the side rib 91B, and a reinforcing projection 91C protrudes from the opening edge onto the upper surface.

[0026] The front embankment section 91A has a shape that is slightly lower than the corner embankment section 91L, and the upper surfaces of the corner embankment section 91L and the front embankment section 91A are gently sloped. In addition, a handgrip section 92 is provided in the central part of the front embankment section 91A. The handgrip section 92 includes an outer handgrip section 92B which is formed by removing the area from the outer wall of the front embankment section 91A to the outer edge of the upper wall, and an inner handgrip section 92A which is formed by creating a corrugated shape with multiple arc-shaped recesses on the inner wall of the front embankment section 91A. Thus, the handle portion 92 is provided only on the front edge, which is one of the four outer edges of the lid 90, and the inner handle portion 92A of the handle portion 92 has a wavy shape suitable for resting fingertips on, so when the operator opens and closes the lid 90, they are guided to place their hand on the front edge, and are prevented from operating the lid 90 by placing their hand on the rear edge or side edges. In particular, on the rear edge of the lid 90, the upper projection 91 has been removed from the part facing the handle portion 92, so that the lid 90 is not opened by placing a hand on the rear edge, which is the pivot point of the lid 90.

[0027] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 7, engagement grooves 94 are formed on almost the entire front edge of the inner surface of the lid 90, except for the position where the handle portion 92 is on the back side. These engagement grooves 94 are formed by leaving the lower surfaces of the corner embankment portion 91L and the front embankment portion 91A open. Moreover, as shown in Figure 22(A), a pair of guide slopes 94G are formed on the lower ends of both sides of the outer handle portion 92B on the front outer surface of the lid 90.

[0028] The front second side wall body 42 will now be described. As shown in Figure 1, the front second side wall body 42 is provided with the aforementioned side opening W2. The side opening W2 is formed in the area of ​​the second side wall body 42 excluding the sides and bottom, and is generally a horizontally elongated rectangle. In addition, a pair of opening walls 48 protrude from the inner edges of the second side wall body 42 on the inner surfaces of one pair of inner surfaces of the side opening W2. As shown in Figure 12, each opening wall 48 has a triangular rib portion 48A that extends with a constant width from the upper end to a position near the lower end of the side opening W2, and gradually widens from the position near the lower end towards the lower end. The lower end of the triangular rib portion 48A is connected to the lower inner surface of the side opening W2. As a result, the portion of the side opening W2 inside the pair of opening walls 48 has a rectangular shape with both lower corners chamfered.

[0029] The opening wall 48 is provided with a first closing engagement portion 66, a receiving hole 52W, a second closing engagement portion 47, and a receiving hole 56W at intervals, in order from the upper end towards the lower end. The first closing engagement portion 66 comprises a base projection 66A protruding from the upper end of the front surface of the opening wall 48 and a locking projection 66T hanging down from its tip. The second closing engagement portion 47 has a pair of opposing walls 47B protruding from the outer surface of the opening wall 48 and facing each other in the vertical direction, a strip plate 47C connecting their tips, and an engagement hole 47A surrounded by the pair of opposing walls 47B and the strip plate 47C, opening laterally toward the side opening W2. The receiving holes 52W and 56W penetrate the opening wall 48.

[0030] Furthermore, the sides of the first closing engagement portion 66 and the second closing engagement portion 47 are connected to the inner surface of the side opening W2, and the front surfaces of the first closing engagement portion 66 and the second closing engagement portion 47 are flush with the tip surface of the vertical rib 71B that forms the inner surface of the side opening W2.

[0031] At both lateral ends of the front second side wall body 42, the aforementioned vertical ribs 71B that form the inner surface of the side opening W2 and vertical ribs 71A that form the lateral side of the front second side wall body 42 extend over the entire vertical surface of the second side wall body 42. A tag housing section 70 is provided between these vertical ribs 71A and 71B.

[0032] Specifically, the vertical ribs 71A and 71B are connected at multiple positions from their upper end to their lower end by the horizontal ribs 71L2 and 71L3. The lower horizontal ribs 71L3 have tip surfaces that are flush with the tip surfaces of the vertical ribs 71A and 71B, while the other horizontal ribs 71L2 have tip surfaces that are offset rearward from the tip surfaces of the vertical ribs 71A and 71B. The portion of the vertical ribs 71A and 71B above the horizontal rib 71L3 located near the lower end forms the tag housing section 70.

[0033] Furthermore, the tag housing section 70 is provided with vertical ribs 71L1 that are perpendicular to the central portions of the multiple horizontal ribs 71L2 and have tip surfaces flush with the horizontal ribs 71L2, and multiple pairs of locking projections 72 that protrude from multiple positions in the vertical direction of the vertical ribs 71A and 71B so as to approach each other. In addition, the rear surfaces of the multiple pairs of locking projections 72 are located slightly forward of the tip surfaces of the horizontal ribs 71L2 and vertical ribs 71L1.

[0034] A resin or paper tag is housed in the tag housing section 70, for example, as follows: The tag is inserted from diagonally in front and above between a pair of locking projections 72 at the top of the tag housing section 70 and the transverse rib 42J on the upper surface of the second side wall body 42, and tucks behind multiple pairs of locking projections 72. Once the entire tag is housed in the tag housing section 70, it elastically returns to a flat position and is prevented from falling out of the tag housing section 70.

[0035] As shown in Figure 14, a pair of projections 49 protrude from both lateral ends of the upper surface of the front second side wall body 42. When the lid 90 is closed, the projections 49 engage with the engagement grooves 94, restricting the rearward sliding of the lid 90.

[0036] Next, the door member 50 will be described. The lower end of the door member 50 is hinged to the lower edge of the side opening W2, and it rotates approximately 180 degrees outward from the closed position (see Figures 14 and 15) when the side opening W2 is closed, to the fully open position where it hangs down from the lower edge of the side opening W2, as shown in Figure 1. Also, as shown in Figure 14, the door member 50 has an intermediate hinge portion 50R in the middle of the vertical direction, and is divided into an upper door member 51 above the intermediate hinge portion 50R and a lower door member 55 below it. Hereafter, in the description of the components of the door member 50, unless otherwise specified, "upper side, lower side, front side, rear side, etc. of the door member 50 in the closed position" will simply be referred to as "upper side, lower side, front side, rear side, etc."

[0037] As shown in Figure 16, the upper door member 51 is a roughly elongated rectangle, while the lower door member 55 is a rectangle with the same overall length in the horizontal direction as the upper door member 51 but a larger overall length in the vertical direction. Furthermore, the lower door member 55 is provided with two hinge recesses 59A on its lower edge that open forward and downward, and correspondingly, as shown in Figure 14, the lower edge of the side opening W2 is provided with two hinge recesses 59B that open forward and upward. A pair of intermediate hinge members 59 are received across the pair of upper and lower hinge recesses 59A and 59B, and hinge pins 59C protruding to the sides from the upper and lower parts of each intermediate hinge member 59 engage with engagement holes 59D (see Figures 12, 14, and 16) formed on both sides of the upper and lower hinge recesses 59A and 59B, respectively. As a result, the lower door member 55 rotates approximately 180 degrees outward from the closed position to the fully open position, as described above, and rotation inward from the closed position is restricted.

[0038] Furthermore, the rotation of the lower door member 55 inward from the closed position is restricted by the fact that both sides of the lower door member 55 overlap the opening wall 48 in the closed position, and, as shown in Figure 15, the projection 55R that protrudes downward from the lower edge of the rear surface of the lower door member 55 engages with the stepped recess 42R (see Figure 19) formed at the rear of the lower edge of the side opening W2.

[0039] As shown in Figure 16, hinge connecting portions 58A are provided at three locations on the upper edge of the lower door member 55. As shown in Figure 17, each hinge connecting portion 58A has a hinge pin 58P inserted between the tips of a pair of projecting pieces 58T that protrude diagonally upward and backward from the lower door member 55 and face each other laterally, and the portion of the upper surface of the lower door member 55 that faces the hinge pin 58P is recessed.

[0040] As shown in Figure 16, the upper door member 51 is provided with three hinge connection parts 58B at three locations on the lower edge, corresponding to the three hinge connection parts 58A of the lower door member 55. As shown in Figure 17, each hinge connection part 58B has a shape in which a hinge groove 58M that opens toward the rear is provided on a projection that extends downward and backward from the upper door member 51. In addition, each hinge pin 58P is received in each hinge groove 58M to form the aforementioned intermediate hinge part 50R (see Figure 15). Then, the intermediate hinge part 50R causes the upper door member 51 to rotate approximately 180 degrees inward relative to the lower door member 55, from an unfolded state where it is located in the same plane as the lower door member 55 (see Figures 14 and 15), to a folded state where the inner surface of the upper door member 51 overlaps the inner surface of the lower door member 55, as shown in Figures 18 to 20. Note that the door member 50 shown in Figures 14 and 15 is in both the deployed state and the closed state with the side opening W2 closed.

[0041] Furthermore, the lower door member 55 is restricted from rotating outward from the extended position by the intermediate hinge portion 50R. In addition, when the door member 50 is in the closed position, both sides of the upper door member 51 overlap the opening wall 48 in the closed position, thereby restricting the upper door member 51 from rotating inward relative to the lower door member 55.

[0042] As shown in Figure 15, the upper door member 51 is divided into an upper region X1 and a lower region X2 in the vertical direction, and the thickness differs between these upper and lower regions X1 and X2. Similarly, the lower door member 55 is divided into an upper region Y1, a middle region Y2, and a lower region Y3 in the vertical direction, and the thickness differs between these upper, middle, and lower regions Y1, Y2, and Y3. Here, the thickness of the upper door member 51 refers to the combined thickness of the main plate wall 51H (see Figure 16) that demarcates the inside and outside of the container 10 and the multiple reinforcing ribs 51L (see Figure 16) that protrude from its outer surface. Likewise, the thickness of the lower door member 55 refers to the combined thickness of the main plate wall 55H and the reinforcing ribs 55L (see Figure 16).

[0043] As shown in Figure 17, in the upper door member 51, the main plate wall 51H of the upper region X1 protrudes inward relative to the main plate wall 51H of the lower region X2. Also, as shown in Figure 16, the tip surface (front end surface) of the reinforcing rib 51L is a flat surface that is flush with the surface and parallel to the vertical direction. As a result, the upper door member 51 is thicker in the upper region X1 than in the lower region X2. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 15, a stepped portion 51D is formed between the upper region X1 and the lower region X2 of the main plate wall 51H, extending across the entire lateral direction of the upper door member 51. In addition, the stepped portion 51D is bent downward in a crank shape in the middle lateral portion of the upper door member 51. Moreover, the stepped surface of the stepped portion 51D is inclined with respect to the vertical direction.

[0044] As shown in Figure 17, in the lower door member 55, the main plate wall 55H of the upper region Y1 protrudes inward relative to the main plate wall 55H of the middle region Y2. Furthermore, a stepped portion 55D is formed between the upper region Y1 and the middle region Y2 of the main plate wall 55H, extending across the entire lateral length of the lower door member 55. Moreover, in the lateral middle portion of the lower door member 55, the stepped portion 55D is bent upward in a crank shape, and the stepped surface of the stepped portion 55D is inclined with respect to the vertical direction.

[0045] Furthermore, the main plate wall 55H of the lower region Y3 is inclined from its upper end to an intermediate position in the vertical direction, gradually moving backward as it moves downward from the main plate wall 55H of the middle region Y2, and from that intermediate position to the lower end, it is parallel to the vertical direction. Moreover, at both lateral ends of the main plate wall 55H in the lower region Y3, as shown in Figure 17, a pair of corner recessed portions 55J are formed, which are recessed from a position near the upper end to the lower end to receive the lower ends (triangular rib portions 48A) of the aforementioned pair of opening walls 48. In addition, the tip surface (front end surface) of the reinforcing rib 55L of the lower door member 55 is a flat surface that is flush with the surface and parallel to the vertical direction, as shown in Figure 16. As a result, the lower door member 55 is thicker in the upper region Y1 and lower region Y3 than in the middle region Y2.

[0046] Then, when the door members 50 are folded over, as shown in Figure 20, the upper region X1 of the upper door member 51, which is thickened by protruding inward, overlaps with the middle region Y2 of the lower door member 55, which is thinner and recessed on the inner side, and the upper region Y1 of the lower door member 55, which is thickened by protruding inward, overlaps with the lower region X2 of the upper door member 51, which is thinner and recessed on the inner side.

[0047] As shown in Figure 16, a pair of notches 55K are formed on both side edges of the lower door member 55 by cutting out their upper ends in a rectangular shape. The lower ends of these notches 55K are located slightly below the stepped portion 55D. In contrast, as shown in Figure 17, a pair of protrusions 52 are provided on both ends of the stepped portion 51D on the inner surface of the upper door member 51. When the door members 50 are folded over, as shown in Figure 19, the pair of protrusions 52 overlap the lower edges of the pair of notches 55K (in Figure 19, the upper part of the notches 55K because the upper and lower parts of the lower door member 55 are reversed), thereby stabilizing the upper door member 51 relative to the lower door member 55.

[0048] As shown in Figures 15 and 23, when the door member 50 is closed, the pair of projections 52 are received by the pair of receiving holes 52W on both sides of the side opening W2, so as not to interfere with the opening wall 48 and not to protrude into the inside of the container 10.

[0049] As shown in Figure 16, a pair of auxiliary locking members 67 are assembled to both lateral ends of the upper region Y1 of the lower door member 55. To this end, the lower door member 55 has the following structure. Specifically, the upper region Y1 of the lower door member 55 is surrounded by reinforcing ribs 55L. At both lateral ends of the upper region Y1, a pair of rectangular cover walls 67D are provided, supported by the tips of the reinforcing ribs 55L and covering the main plate wall 55H from the front. In addition, a pair of arch-shaped ribs 67F, which are curved to bulge away from the cover walls 67D, are placed between the upper and lower reinforcing ribs 55L of the upper region Y1, near both lateral ends of the upper region Y1. Furthermore, each cover wall 67D has an engagement hole 67E that extends laterally. Moreover, the space between the cover walls 67D and the main plate wall 55H is open on both lateral directions by slits that penetrate the reinforcing ribs 55L.

[0050] On the other hand, the pair of auxiliary locking members 67 has a structure in which an operating portion 67A is provided at one end of a strip-shaped locking piece 67B that extends laterally. The operating portion 67A is a D-shaped ring with a curved portion on the side away from the locking piece 67B. A projection 67C also protrudes from the front surface of the locking piece 67B. The locking piece 67B is inserted into the space between the cover wall 67D and the main plate wall 55H from the arch-shaped rib 67F side, and the projection 67C is received in the engagement hole 67E, and the operating portion 67A is positioned between the arch-shaped rib 67F and the cover wall 67D. As a result, the auxiliary locking member 67 is supported so as to be slidable in the lateral direction. In the locked position, when the projection 67C is located at one end of the engagement hole 67E, the locking piece 67B protrudes from the side surface within the notch 55K of the lower door member 55 (see Figure 16). In the unlocked position, when the projection 67C is located at the other end of the engagement hole 67E, the locking piece 67B no longer protrudes from the side surface of the lower door member 55 (see Figure 19). When the auxiliary locking member 67 is moved from the unlocked position to the locked position in the closed position of the lower door member 55, the tip of the locking piece 67B engages with the engagement hole 47A of the second closing engagement part 47 shown in Figure 12, thereby locking the lower door member 55 in the closed position. Furthermore, the thickness of the auxiliary locking member 67 is smaller than the amount of protrusion of the reinforcing rib 55L from the main plate wall 55H, so that the entire auxiliary locking member 67 fits within the lower door member 55 of the upper region Y1 in the thickness direction.

[0051] A composite locking member 60 is assembled to the upper region X1 of the upper door member 51. For this purpose, the upper door member 51 has the following structure. That is, as shown in Figure 16, a pair of notches 51K are formed on both side edges of the upper door member 51, similar to the lower door member 55. The lower end of each notch 51K is located in the middle of the upper region X1 in the vertical direction, and a protective projection 51M protrudes from the rear edge of the lower end surface of the notch 51K, with the upper end of the protective projection 51M located in the middle of the notch 51K in the vertical direction. In addition, the upper region X1 is surrounded by reinforcing ribs 51L and is divided into multiple sections in the lateral direction. Furthermore, among the multiple reinforcing ribs 51L in the upper region X1, multiple vertically elongated reinforcing ribs 51L are unevenly distributed at both ends in the lateral direction and are provided with through holes 51N. Furthermore, a pair of through holes 63A are formed in the horizontally elongated reinforcing rib 51L that forms the upper surface of the upper door member 51 at the upper end of the upper region X1, at two rearward positions in the lateral direction. In addition, a handle projection 61T is provided on the horizontally elongated reinforcing rib 51L that extends horizontally at the lower end of the upper region X1, hanging downward from the central tip in the lateral direction.

[0052] On the other hand, as shown in Figure 21, the composite locking member 60 has a center member 61 and a pair of lateral locking members 62 extending from the center member 61 to both sides, with the pair of lateral locking members 62 and the center member 61 being separate parts.

[0053] The lateral locking member 62 has a flattened cross-sectional shape in the front-rear direction and extends laterally. A locking hole 62A that penetrates in the front-rear direction is formed at the base end of the lateral locking member 62, and a pair of inclined surfaces are formed at both the upper and lower ends of the rear surface of the tip of the lateral locking member 62. The upper of these inclined surfaces serves as a guide portion 62G that slides against the aforementioned first closing engagement portion 66 (see Figure 12). By providing a pair of inclined surfaces and designating one of them as the guide portion 62G, the pair of lateral locking members 62 have the same shape, thus enabling parts commonality.

[0054] The center member 61 has a horizontally elongated, flat front wall 61F with a rib 61L on its rear surface. A rectangular opening, the operating section 61S, is formed in the lateral center of the center member 61. A pair of connecting sections 61G are provided at both lateral ends of the center member 61. Each connecting section 61G is provided with a groove 61M that extends laterally, sandwiched between a pair of ribs 61L from above and below, with one end of the groove 61M opening to the side surface of the center member 61. Furthermore, a pair of protrusions 61N project from the upper and lower opening edges on the rear surface of the groove 61M, approaching each other. In addition, an engaging arm 61H is formed on the front wall 61F by cutting off a portion of the part facing the groove 61M in a cantilevered shape. A locking projection 61J is provided on the rear surface of the tip of the engaging arm 61H. Then, the base end of the lateral locking member 62 is inserted into the groove 61M from the side of the center member 61, and the locking projection 61J engages with the locking hole 62A of the lateral locking member 62, thereby fixing each lateral locking member 62 to the center member 61.

[0055] A pair of elastic pieces 64 are provided on the lower surface of the center member 61. These elastic pieces 64 extend diagonally downward from both lateral ends of the lower surface of the center member 61 so as to approach each other. In addition, the central part of the lower surface of the center member 61 protrudes downward from both ends in the lateral direction.

[0056] A pair of upper locking members 63 are provided on the upper surface of the center member 61, near both ends in the lateral direction. The pair of upper locking members 63 have their thickness direction oriented in the front-to-back direction and are positioned at the rear of the upper surface of the center member 61 in the front-to-back direction. Furthermore, the tip of each upper locking member 63 has chamfered edges on both sides in the lateral direction, and in the front-to-back direction, only the corner between the tip surface and the rear surface is chamfered. The chamfered surface on the rear side serves as a guide portion 63G.

[0057] The composite locking member 60 is assembled by first housing the center member 61 in the central part of the upper region X1 surrounded by the reinforcing rib 51L, and then passing a pair of lateral locking members 62 through the through holes 51N from both sides of the upper door member 51 and inserting them into the grooves 61M of the pair of connecting parts 61G of the center member 61. In this way, the composite locking member 60 is assembled to the upper door member 51 and supported so as to be slidable in the vertical direction. In this state, the entire composite locking member 60 fits within the upper door member 51 of the upper region X1 in the thickness direction of the upper door member 51.

[0058] The composite locking member 60 is normally positioned in the locked position at the upper end of the movable range by the elastic force of a pair of elastic pieces 64. As shown in Figure 22(A), a pair of upper locking members 63 protrude upward from the upper door member 51 through a pair of through holes 63A, and as shown in Figure 16, the tips of a pair of lateral locking members 62 protrude upward from the protective projection 51M. When the composite locking member 60 moves to the unlocked position at the lower end of the movable range, as shown in Figure 22(B), the pair of upper locking members 63 no longer protrude upward from the upper door member 51, and the amount of upward protrusion of the tips of the pair of lateral locking members 62 from the protective projection 51M decreases.

[0059] The door member 50 is locked in the closed position by the composite locking member 60 as follows. For example, when the lid 90 closes the top opening W1 and the open door member 50 is moved to the closed position, in the process the guide portion 62G of the lateral locking member 62 (see Figure 21) overlaps with the inclined surface 66G at the lower end of the locking projection 66T of the first closing engagement portion 66 (see Figure 12), and the guide portion 63G of the upper locking member 63 (see Figure 22(A)) overlaps with the guide inclined surface 94G of the lid 90. Then, when the door member 50 is pushed into the closed position, the composite locking member 60 moves from the locked position to the unlocked position due to the sliding contact between the overlapping surfaces described above (see Figure 22(B)). When the door member 50 reaches the closed position, the elastic force of the elastic piece 64 causes the composite locking member 60 to return to the locked position. As shown in Figure 23, the lateral locking member 62 engages with the locking projection 66T from the rear, and as shown in Figure 22(A), the upper locking member 63 engages with the engagement groove 94 of the lid 90, locking the door member 50 in the closed position. Furthermore, even if the operation of the operation unit 61S is stopped after the composite locking member 60 is held in the unlocked position and the door member 50 is closed by operating the operation unit 61S, the door member 50 will similarly be locked in the closed position.

[0060] In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 22(B), the through-hole 63A is positioned on the rear side of the reinforcing rib 51L on the upper surface of the upper door member 51, as described above. This leaves a large amount of wall material in the reinforcing rib 51L in front of the through-hole 63A. The upper locking member 63 is supported in a balanced manner from the front and rear by the wall material of the reinforcing rib 51L and the main plate wall 51H on the rear side of the through-hole 63A, thereby increasing the strength of the lock provided by the upper locking member 63.

[0061] As shown in Figure 17, the rear surface of the lower door member 55 is provided with a pair of folding engagement parts 56 for locking the door member 50 in a folded state by a composite locking member 60. Each folding engagement part 56 is located below the lateral end of the middle region Y2 of the lower door member 55 and has a support projection 56A protruding from the rear surface of the lower door member 55 and a locking projection 56T protruding upward from the tip of the support projection 56A. The side of the locking projection 56T opposite to the lower door member 55 is an inclined surface 56G that is inclined in the vertical direction. As shown in Figures 15 and 23, when the door member 50 is closed, the pair of folding engagement parts 56 are received by a pair of receiving holes 56W on both sides of the side opening W2, so as not to interfere with the opening wall 48 and not to protrude into the inside of the container 10.

[0062] The door member 50 is locked in a folded state by the composite locking member 60 and the folding engagement portion 56 as follows. That is, as shown in Figure 24, when the door member 50 is opened and the upper door member 51 is folded relative to the lower door member 55, and the inner surface of the upper door member 51 is placed on the inner surface of the lower door member 55, the guide portion 62G of the lateral locking member 62 slides against the inclined surface 56G of the folding engagement portion 56, and the composite locking member 60 moves from the locked position to the unlocked position. Then, when the door member 50 is in a folded state, the elastic force of the elastic piece 64 causes the composite locking member 60 to return to the locked position, and as shown in Figure 20, the lateral locking member 62 engages with the locking projection 56T of the folding engagement portion 56, and the door member 50 is locked in a folded state. Furthermore, even if the operation of the operating unit 61S is stopped after the composite locking member 60 is held in the unlocked position and the door member 50 is folded over by operating the operating unit 61S, the door member 50 will remain locked in the folded over position in the same manner.

[0063] As shown in Figure 4, the bottom wall 11 has a bottom projection 11T that protrudes from the entire bottom surface except for the outer edge, and as shown in Figure 25, when multiple containers 10 are stacked, the bottom projection 11T of the upper container 10 fits inside the top projection 91 of the lower container 10. Also, when containers 10 are stacked on top of a container 10 with the lid 90 open, the bottom projection 11T of the upper container 10 fits into the top opening W1 of the lower container 10. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 3, the upper surface of the front second side wall base 41 is provided with a pair of protrusions 11K at a position directly below the pair of upper locking members 63 mentioned above. And, as shown in Figure 4, when the container 10 is folded, the pair of protrusions 11K engage with the engagement groove 94 of the lid 90, restricting the rearward sliding of the lid 90.

[0064] This concludes the explanation of the structure of the container 10 in this embodiment. Next, the operation and effects of this container 10 will be explained. The container 10 can be used, for example, as a transport container for transporting goods shipped from a factory, and also as a display case (or display case for exhibiting goods) for displaying goods in a retail store. Specifically, the container 10 is assembled at the factory that ships the goods, as shown in Figure 5, with the door member 50 closed and the lid 90 open. Then, after multiple goods are placed in the container 10 through the top opening W1 as cargo, the lid 90 is closed as shown in Figure 6.

[0065] Then, the projections 37 and 49 on the upper surface of the container body 10H shown in Figure 7 engage with the engagement holes 91K or engagement grooves 94 of the lid 90, restricting the sliding movement of the lid 90 relative to the container body 10H. As shown in Figure 22(A), the upper locking member 63 on the upper surface of the door member 50 engages with the engagement grooves 94 of the lid 90, thereby supporting the upper part. At this time, as shown in Figure 14, the door member 50 is also supported on the sides by the engagement of a pair of side locking members 62 and a pair of first closing engagement parts 66. In other words, including the lower hinge connection part, the door member 50 is supported at the top, sides, and bottom by the container body 10H and the lid 90, and locked in the closed state. This increases the support strength of the door member 50 in the closed state and improves its durability against being pushed from the inside by the stored cargo. Furthermore, since the pair of lateral locking members 62 and upper locking members 63 are passed through through holes 51N and 63A in the reinforcing ribs 51L of the door member 50 and their forward and backward movement relative to the door member 50 is restricted, the load on the door member 50 is reliably transmitted to the lateral locking members 62 and upper locking members 63, improving the support strength. In addition, the door member 50 is equipped with a pair of auxiliary locking members 67, and when they are moved to the locked position, they engage with a pair of second closing engagement parts 47, supporting each side of the door member 50 at two points, further increasing the support strength of the door member 50 in the closed state.

[0066] At the store, multiple containers 10 are stacked so that all side openings W2 face the same direction, and the door member 50 is opened. To open the door member 50, a pair of auxiliary locking members 67 are moved closer to each other to the unlocked position. Then, for example, by placing the thumb and index finger on the operating part 61S of the composite locking member 60 and the handle projection 61T below it, and pushing down the composite locking member 60 toward the handle projection 61T, the composite locking member 60 is moved to the unlocked position, and both the lock on the door member 50 by the lateral locking member 62 and the lock on the door member 50 by the upper locking member 63 are released. Then, when the door member 50 is opened and the upper door member 51 and the lower door member 55 are placed on top of each other, the door member 50 is locked in a folded state by the engagement of the pair of lateral locking members 62 and the pair of folding engagement parts 56 as described above (see Figure 20). As a result, container 10 becomes a display case, and customers can take out the product from inside container 10 through the side opening W2.

[0067] Once the product is empty, the container 10 is returned to the closed position by the reverse procedure described above, and locked by the composite locking member 60 and the auxiliary locking member 67. Then, as shown in Figure 2, the container 10 is folded and returned to the product factory.

[0068] As described above, the container 10 of this embodiment is equipped with a door member 50 hinged to the lower edge of the side opening W2, and has a side locking member 62 and an upper locking member 63. Therefore, when the door member 50 is closed, its upper, lower, and side portions are supported by the container body 10H and the lid 90, increasing its strength against the load that the door member 50 receives from the inside due to the stored contents. Moreover, since the operating part 61S is shared between the side locking member 62 and the upper locking member 63, the lock release operation can be easily performed.

[0069] [Other embodiments] (1) In the above embodiment, the composite locking member 60 was configured to slide vertically as a whole, but any structure is acceptable as long as it can lock the door member 50 in the closed and folded positions. Specifically, the composite locking member 60 may be configured such that, in response to the operation of the operating unit 61S, a pair of lateral locking members 62 move laterally, while the upper locking member 63 moves vertically. The operating unit 61S may be operated by sliding or by rotating.

[0070] (2) In the above embodiment, the center member 61 and the lateral locking member 62 are separate parts, but they may be the same part formed integrally. Also, the center member 61 and the upper locking member 63 are the same part formed integrally, but they may be separate parts.

[0071] (3) In the above embodiment, there were two upper locking members 63 for the door member 50, but there may be one or three or more. Also, although the upper locking member 63 passed through the through hole 63A of the reinforcing rib 51L and was supported by the reinforcing rib 51L from the front, back and sides, for example, a notch may be provided in the reinforcing rib 51L instead of the through hole 63A, so that the upper locking member 63 is not supported by the reinforcing rib 51L.

[0072] (4) In the above embodiment, the locking positions of the composite locking member 60 with respect to the first closing engagement portion 66 and the folding engagement portion 56 are both the same position within the movable range of the composite locking member 60, but they may be different. However, if they are the same position, the engagement operation or disengagement operation of the composite locking member 60 with respect to the first closing engagement portion 66 and the folding engagement portion 56 will be the same, improving operability. In order to configure the composite locking member 60 to have different locking positions with respect to the first closing engagement portion 66 and the folding engagement portion 56, for example, the protruding direction of the locking projection 56T in the aforementioned folding engagement portion 56 may be reversed up and down, the elastic piece 64 may be released from the composite locking member 60 so as not to be biased toward one end of the movable range, and the composite locking member 60 may be configured to be locked to one end and the other end of the movable range.

[0073] (5) In the above embodiment, the composite locking member 60 and the folded-over engaging portion 56 for locking the door member 50 in a folded state were arranged on the upper door member 51, while the folded-over engaging portion 56 was arranged on the lower door member 55. However, the reverse is also possible. For example, the aforementioned pair of auxiliary locking members 67 provided on the lower door member 55 may be used as locking members for locking in a folded state, and a pair of folded-over engaging portions may be provided that protrude from the inner outer edge of the upper door member 51 and engage with the pair of auxiliary locking members 67. However, if the composite locking member 60 is provided on the upper door member 51 and the folded-over engaging portion 56 is provided on the lower door member 55, as in this embodiment, the operation of engaging and disengaging the composite locking member 60 with the folded-over engaging portion 56 is easy, and the engagement between the folded-over engaging portion 56 and the composite locking member 60 is easy to visually confirm.

[0074] (6) In the container 10 of the above embodiment, the door member 50 was configured to rotate only outward from the closed position, but the door member 50 may also be configured to rotate inward. Also, in the upper door member 51 being configured to rotate only inward relative to the lower door member 55, the upper door member 51 may also be configured to rotate outward relative to the lower door member 55. Specifically, with the lower door member 55 locked in the closed position by the auxiliary locking member 67, the upper door member 51 may be rotated outward or inward to make the side opening W2 half-open.

[0075] (7) In the above embodiment of the container 10, the door member 50 was configured to rotate approximately 180 degrees outward from the closed position. However, in a configuration in which the door member 50 rotates outward by an angle of less than 180° from the closed position (for example, 90° or 120°), the door member 50 may be locked in a folded state.

[0076] (8) The lid 90 is structured to rotate from a closed state with the top opening W1 of the container body 10H closed until it is in an upright position around the upper end of the rear second side wall body 42, and then slide down to the lower end position while maintaining the upright position. However, for example, it may be structured not to rotate or not to slide, or the lid 90 may be detachable from the container body 10H. In addition, the lid 90 for closing the top opening W1 of the container body 10H may be structured by multiple lids (for example, two lids, a first lid and a second lid).

[0077] (9) The container 10 in the above embodiment is equipped with a lid 90, but it may also be configured to be equipped with the above-mentioned door member 50 without a lid 90.

[0078] (10) The container 10 of the above embodiment is foldable, but a non-foldable container may be provided with a side opening and a door member.

[0079] (11) The planar shape of the container 10 in the above embodiment is rectangular, but it may also be square, and if the planar shape is rectangular, the door member 50 may be placed on either the long side or the short side. In addition, the door member 50 may be provided on two or more side walls.

[0080] <Note> The following describes the features extracted from the above embodiment, showing their effects and other details as needed. For ease of understanding, the corresponding components in the above embodiment are indicated in parentheses; however, these features are not limited to the configurations indicated in parentheses.

[0081] [Feature 1] The container body (10H) is box-shaped and has a top opening (W1) and a side opening (W2); a lid (90) opens and closes the top opening (W1); a door member (50) is hinged to the lower edge of the side opening (W2) and opens and closes the side opening (W2); and a side locking member (62) is supported by the door member (50) and moves between a locked position that engages with the side portion of the door member (50) on the container body (10H) to lock the door member (50) in a closed state and an unlocked position that releases the engagement. The container (10) comprises: an upper locking member (63) supported by the door member (50) and moving between a locked position in which it engages with the upper portion of the door member (50) on the lid (90) to lock the door member (50) in a closed state, and an unlocked position in which the engagement is released; and an operating unit (61S) shared by the lateral locking member (62) and the upper locking member (63) for operating the lateral locking member (62) and the upper locking member (63) to move from the locked position to the unlocked position.

[0082] [Feature 2] The container (10) according to feature 1, wherein the lateral locking member (62), the upper locking member (63), and the operating part (61S) move up and down together, and the locked position of each of the lateral locking member (62), the upper locking member (63), and the operating part (61S) is located above the unlock position.

[0083] [Feature 3] The container (10) according to feature 1 or 2, wherein the upper locking member (63) moves up and down by operation of the operating part (61S), and the outer surface of the door member (50) is provided with a reinforcing rib (51L) that extends laterally along its upper edge, and a through hole (63A) is formed in the reinforcing rib (51L) through which the upper locking member (63) passes.

[0084] [Feature 4] A container (10) according to any one of features 1 to 3, comprising: a biasing means (64) for biasing a composite locking member (60) including the lateral locking member (62), the upper locking member (63), and the operating part (61S) to the locked position; and guide parts (62G, 63G) provided on one or both of the container body (10H) and the lid (90) and the composite locking member (60), which slide against each other in the process of closing the door member (50) and guide the composite locking member (60) from the locked position to the unlocked position against the biasing means (64).

[0085] [Feature 5] The container (10) according to feature 3 or 4, wherein the through hole (63A) is located near the base end of the reinforcing rib (51L).

[0086] The container (10) of Feature 1 is equipped with a door member (50) hinged to the lower edge of the side opening (W2), and includes a lateral locking member (62) and an upper locking member (63). The lateral locking member (62) engages with the lateral portion of the door member (50) on the container body (10H) to lock the door member (50) in a closed position, while the upper locking member (63) engages with the upper portion of the door member (50) on the lid (90) to lock the door member (50) in a closed position. In other words, the door member (50) of the container (10) of this disclosure, including its lower hinged connection portion, is supported at the top, bottom, and sides by the container body (10H) and the lid (90) and locked in a closed position. As a result, the strength of the container (10) of this disclosure against the load that the door member (50) receives from the inside due to the stored goods is increased. Furthermore, since the operating part (61S) is shared between the lateral locking member (62) and the upper locking member (63), the lock release operation can be easily performed.

[0087] The door member (50) may rotate inward or outward. Also, the direction of movement of the lateral locking member (62) and the direction of movement of the upper locking member (63) may be different, but if they are the same, as in the container (10) of Feature 2, the structure can be simplified. Furthermore, as in the container (10) of Feature 3, if the upper locking member (63) passes through a through hole (63A) formed in the reinforcing rib (51L) on the upper surface of the door member (50), the upper locking member (63) is supported at the opening edge of the through hole (63A), thereby improving the strength of the lock. To improve this strength, it is preferable that the through hole (63A) is located near the base end of the reinforcing rib (51L).

[0088] Furthermore, according to the configuration of Feature 4, the composite locking member (60), which includes the lateral locking member (62), the upper locking member (63), and the operating part (61S), is biased to the locked position by the biasing means (64). When the door member (50) is pushed from the open position to the closed position, the composite locking member (60) is guided from the locked position to the unlocked position against the biasing means (64) by sliding contact between the guide parts (62G, 63G) provided on the composite locking member (60) and one or both of the container body (10H) and the lid (90). When the door member (50) reaches the closed position, the composite locking member (60) returns to the locked position, and the door member (50) is locked in the closed position.

[0089] While this specification and drawings disclose specific examples of the technology included in the claims, the technology described in the claims is not limited to these specific examples, but also includes various modifications and changes to these examples, as well as parts of the examples taken individually. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0090] 10 containers 10H Container Body 50 Door components 51L Reinforcement Rib 60 Composite locking member 61S operation section 62 Side locking member 62G, 63B Guide section 63 Upper locking member 63A through hole 90 Lid W1 Top opening W2 Side Opening

Claims

1. The container body is box-shaped overall and has an opening on the top and on the sides, A lid that opens and closes the aforementioned top opening, A door member is hinged to the lower edge of the side opening to open and close the side opening, A side locking member is supported by the door member and moves between a locked position, which engages with the side portion of the door member in the container body to lock the door member in a closed state, and an unlocked position, which releases the engagement. An upper locking member is supported by the door member and moves between a locked position, which engages with the upper portion of the door member on the lid to lock the door member in a closed state, and an unlocked position, which releases the engagement. A container comprising an operating unit shared by the lateral locking member and the upper locking member, for operating the lateral locking member and the upper locking member from the locked position to the unlocked position.

2. The lateral locking member, the upper locking member, and the operating part move up and down together. The container according to claim 1, wherein the lock positions of the lateral locking member, the upper locking member, and the operating part are located above the respective unlock positions.

3. The upper locking member moves up and down by the operation of the operating unit, The outer surface of the door member is provided with reinforcing ribs that extend laterally along its upper edge. The container according to claim 1, wherein the reinforcing rib has a through hole through which the upper locking member passes.

4. A biasing means for biasing the composite locking member, which includes the lateral locking member, the upper locking member, and the operating portion, to the locked position, A container according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising: a guide portion provided on one or both of the container body and the lid and the composite locking member, which slides against each other in the process of closing the door member and guides the composite locking member from the locked position to the unlocked position against the biasing means.

5. The container according to claim 3, wherein the through hole is located near the base end of the reinforcing rib.

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