container

Abstract

To provide a container which has a higher connection strength than before between height-raising side walls.SOLUTION: In a container 10A, a fitting connection member 51 is fitted from above in height-raising side walls 30, 35, 41 adjacent to each other in a use state, and those adjacent height-raising side walls 30, 35, 41 are connected with each other, so a connection strength of the height-raising side walls 30, 35, 41 with each other improves with respect to a load applied from the inside or from the outside to the height-raising side walls 30, 35, 41. Also, by including inside ribs 51X, 51Y in an L-shaped groove part 51M of the fitting connection member 51, the fitting connection member 51 is prevented from spreading in the groove width direction, and thus the strength is improved.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a container whose storage capacity can be changed by using raised upper side walls.

Background Art

[0002] As this type of container, there is known a container in which a locking member that is hinge-connected to one of adjacent raised upper side walls and pivots horizontally is locked to the other raised upper side wall to connect the raised upper side walls to each other (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 structure of the conventional container described above, when a load is applied to the raised upper side wall from the inside or the outside, the connection between the raised upper side walls by the locking member may be disengaged, and an improvement in the connection strength between the raised upper side walls is required.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0005] In order to solve the above problems, First aspect of the invention a container that has an overall rectangular parallelepiped shape with an open top surface and raised upper side walls are connected to the upper ends of at least three or more side walls, and the raised upper side walls can be changed from a non-use state where they overlap the respective side walls to a use state where they stand on the respective side walls to increase the storage capacity, the container having a fitting connection member that fits from above into the adjacent raised upper side walls in the use state to connect the raised upper side walls to each other.

[0006] Second aspect of the inventionThe fitting connecting member has an L-shaped groove into which a pair of adjacent raised side walls are fitted while spaced apart from each other, and inside the portion of the L-shaped groove corresponding to at least one side of L, there is an inner rib facing the lateral end face of the raised side wall. First aspect This is the container described in [the document].

[0007] Third aspect of the invention The inner ribs are provided inside the portions corresponding to the two sides of the L-shaped groove. Second aspect This is the container described in [the document].

[0008] Fourth aspect of the invention It includes an upright holding mechanism provided on all of the raised side walls and all of the side walls supporting them, which engage with each other when the raised side walls are in use, thereby holding the raised side walls in use. First aspect from Third aspect one of the following manner This is the container described in [the document].

[0009] Fifth aspect of the invention The raised side wall is rotatably and vertically movable to the side wall, and is held in the use state by the upright holding mechanism at the lower end of the vertically movable range, while the holding is released at the upper end. Fourth aspect This is the container described in [the document].

[0010] Sixth aspect of the invention The overall planar shape of the fitting and connecting member is L-shaped, fitting within the planar shape of the corner portion of the side wall, and the raised side wall includes a stepped raised side wall where the fitting portion with the fitting and connecting member is thinner in a stepped manner compared to the overall thickness. First aspect from Fifth aspect one of the following manner This is the container described in [the document]. [Effects of the Invention]

[0011] First aspect of the invention In this container, when in use, a fitting connecting member fits onto adjacent raised side walls from above, connecting those adjacent raised side walls to each other. This improves the strength of the connection between the raised side walls against loads applied to them from the inside or outside.

[0012] In addition to the fitting connecting member, other connecting mechanisms may be provided to connect the raised side walls, and the fitting connecting member and other connecting mechanisms may be used in combination. This combination may be configured such that both the fitting connecting member and other connecting mechanisms are provided at the corner where adjacent raised side walls intersect at right angles, or the container may have separate corner sections equipped with the fitting connecting member and corner sections equipped with other connecting mechanisms, or furthermore, the container may have a corner section equipped with both the fitting connecting member and other connecting mechanisms, and a corner section equipped with only one of them. Other connecting mechanisms include, for example, a structure that connects the raised side walls so that they cannot be separated in directions other than up and down by sliding them relatively up and down, or a structure that connects the raised side walls with magnets. Furthermore, unused raised side walls may overlap either the inner surface or the outer surface of the side wall.

[0013] Second aspect of the invention In this container, the L-shaped groove of the fitting connector accommodates a pair of adjacent raised side walls spaced apart from each other, preventing interference between the pairs of raised side walls and facilitating the fitting of the fitting connector to the pair of raised side walls. Furthermore, the presence of an inner rib inside the fitting connector prevents the L-shaped groove from expanding in the groove width direction, increasing the strength of the fitting connector. Here, the inner rib may be provided only on the portion corresponding to one side of the L-shape of the L-shaped groove, Third aspect of the invention As shown in the configuration, it may be provided in the portion corresponding to two sides of the L-shaped groove.

[0014] Fourth aspect of the invention In this container, the raised side wall is held in the usable state by the upright holding mechanism, so that the fitting connecting member can be easily fitted to the raised side wall. Here, the upright holding mechanism may include an elastic engaging part that elastically deforms during the rotation of the raised side wall and elastically returns to the usable state of the raised side wall, Fifth aspect of the inventionIn a configuration where the raised side wall is connected to the side wall so as to be rotatable and vertically movable, it may be configured to be held in the use state at the lower end position within the vertically movable range, while the holding is released at the upper end position. Note that the upright holding mechanism does not necessarily need to be provided for all the raised side walls and the side walls.

[0015] Sixth aspect of the invention In the container of [description], since the planar shape of the entire fitting and connecting member forms an L shape that fits within the planar shape of the corner portion of the side wall, the snagging between the luggage and the fitting and connecting member can be suppressed. Also, by providing a stepped raised side wall where the fitting portion with the fitting and connecting member is thinner in a stepped manner compared to the overall thickness, the step between the fitting and connecting member and the raised side wall can be suppressed, and in this regard as well, the snagging between the luggage and the fitting and connecting member can be suppressed.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0016] [Figure 1] Perspective view of the container in the raised state according to an embodiment of the present disclosure [Figure 2] Exploded perspective view of the container [Figure 3] Exploded perspective view of a part of the container [Figure 4] Exploded perspective view of a part of the container [Figure 5] (A) Perspective view of a partially broken raised side wall in the use state, (B) Perspective view of a partially broken raised side wall in the non-use state [Figure 6] Perspective view of the fitting and connecting member [Figure 7] Perspective view of the container with the raised side wall in the non-use state [Figure 8] Perspective view of the container during the rotation of the raised side wall [Figure 9] Perspective view of the container in a state where the raised side wall is arranged at the upper end of the movable range in the upright posture [Figure 10] Perspective view of the container in the raised state [Figure 11] Cross-sectional view of the (A) A-A cross-section of FIG. 10, (B) Cross-sectional view of the B-B cross-section [Figure 12] Perspective view of a partially broken corner portion of the stacked containers in the raised state [Figure 13]Perspective view of the container being folded. [Figure 14] Perspective view of stacked containers [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0017] Hereinafter, a container 10A according to one embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 14. As shown in Figure 1, the container 10A has a structure in which the middle portion of one side wall in the lateral direction of a rectangular parallelepiped with an open top is removed from the upper end to a position near the lower end, and a front opening 16 is provided. The planar shape of the container 10A is rectangular, and the front opening 16 is formed on the side wall on one of the longer sides.

[0018] Hereafter, when distinguishing between the side walls, the side wall 14 having the front opening 16 will be referred to as the "front side wall 14," the side wall 13 opposite it will be referred to as the "rear side wall 13," and the remaining pair of side walls 15 will be referred to as the "side side walls 15." When these side walls are not distinguished, they will be referred to as "side walls 13-15."

[0019] The side walls 13-15 are hinged to the bottom wall 11, and as shown in Figure 13, a pair of lateral side walls 15 can be folded onto the bottom wall 11, and then the rear side wall 13 and front side wall 14 can be folded onto them to create a folded state like the container 10A at the top of Figure 14. More specifically, as shown in Figure 2, a pair of first embankments 11A protrude from a pair of long sides of the outer edge of the bottom surface 11S, which is also the top surface of the bottom wall 11, and a pair of second embankments 11B, which are lower than the first embankments 11A, protrude from a pair of short sides. Multiple hinge legs 19 at the lower ends of the front side wall 14 and rear side wall 13 are hinged to the pair of first embankments 11A, and multiple hinge legs 19 at the lower ends of the pair of lateral side walls 15 are hinged to the pair of second embankments 11B. Then, each side wall 13-15 rotates to change between an upright position and a horizontal position where it overlaps the bottom wall 11. Also, in the assembled state of the container 10A, a pair of side walls 15 are sandwiched between the front side wall 14 and the rear side wall 13. As mentioned above, when folded, as shown in Figure 13, the pair of side walls 15 are first folded onto the bottom wall 11, and then the front side wall 14 and the rear side wall 13 are folded so that they overlap the pair of side walls 15. Note that the pair of side walls 15 do not overlap each other in the horizontal position, while the front side wall 14 and the rear side wall 13 overlap each other in the horizontal position. Furthermore, a stacking projection 11Z (see Figure 12) is formed on the lower surface of the bottom wall 11, with the inner portion protruding in a stepped manner from the outer edge. Then, as shown in Figure 14, when another container 10A is stacked on top of the assembled container 10A, the stacking projection 11Z of the upper container 10A fits inside the top opening of the lower container 10A, and when another container 10A is stacked on top of the folded container 10A, the stacking projection 11Z of the upper container 10A fits inside the pair of first bank portions 11A of the lower container 10A.

[0020] As shown in Figure 2, the side wall 15 has a pair of vertical ribs 20 and a pair of horizontal ribs 21 and 22 on the outer surface of a flat main plate 15S that forms its entire inner surface. The pair of vertical ribs 20 extend vertically on both sides of the main plate 15S, and one horizontal rib 21 extends along the lower edge of the main plate 15S, connecting the lower ends of the pair of vertical ribs 20. The aforementioned hinge legs 19 hang down from the lower surface of the horizontal rib 21. The other horizontal rib 22 connects the pair of vertical ribs 20 at a position slightly above the vertical center of the side wall 15. The tip surfaces of these vertical ribs 20 and horizontal ribs 21 and 22 are flush with each other.

[0021] As shown in Figure 3, the upper ends of a pair of vertical ribs 20 are flush with the upper end of the main plate 15S, and multiple upright support parts 33 are provided between the upper ends of the pair of vertical ribs 20 at intervals in the lateral direction of the lateral side wall 15. Each upright support part 33 is, for example, a rectangular parallelepiped with an open top. The upper surface of the upright support part 33 is flush with the upper surfaces of the pair of vertical ribs 20 and the main plate 15S, and the front surface of the upright support part 33 is flush with the tip surfaces of the vertical ribs 20 and lateral ribs 21 and 22. Furthermore, elongated holes 34 extending in the vertical direction are formed in the opposing walls of adjacent upright support parts 33.

[0022] Although not shown in the figure, the outer surface of the rear wall 13 has a similar structure to the side wall 15. Specifically, the rear wall 13 is equipped with a pair of vertical ribs 20, horizontal ribs 21 and 22, multiple upright support parts 33, and elongated holes 34. The front wall 14, as shown in Figure 2, is equipped on each side of the front opening 16 with a pair of vertical ribs 20, horizontal ribs 21 and 22, multiple (two) upright support parts 33, and elongated holes 34, similar to the rear wall 13.

[0023] As shown in Figure 2, a pair of side connecting portions 24 are provided on the outer surfaces of a pair of vertical ribs 20 of the lateral wall 15, facing opposite directions. The side connecting portion 24 has a structure in which a strip-shaped piece is provided on both sides of the main plate 15S of the lateral wall 15, extending from the upper end to a position near the lower end (a position that reaches the upper surface of the first embankment portion 11A), and a rib 23 lower than the vertical rib 20 protrudes from the outer edge of the outer surface of the strip-shaped piece. In addition, multiple connecting protrusions 15A are provided at multiple positions in the vertical direction of the side connecting portion 24, protruding at approximately the same height as the vertical rib 20.

[0024] The inner surfaces of the front wall 14 and the rear wall 13 have engagement holes 13A into which multiple connecting protrusions 15A protrude, and multiple engaging protrusions 13C that abut the outer surface of the side connecting portion 24. Furthermore, at the upper part of the front wall 14 and the rear wall 13 near both side edges, an elastic engaging piece 13B is provided, which is a cantilevered section of the front wall 14 and the rear wall 13 with a protrusion on the inner surface of its tip. When the connecting protrusions 15A are engaged with the engaging holes 13A, the elastic engaging piece 13B engages with the inner surface of the side wall 15, holding the container 10A in its assembled state. When the elastic engaging piece 13B is pressed and the engagement with the inner surface of the side wall 15 is released, the container 10A returns to the folded state described above.

[0025] As shown in Figure 1, the container 10A has raised side walls 30, 35, and 41 hinged to the upper ends of the side walls 13 to 15. As shown in the same figure, the container 10A can be switched between a raised state in which the raised side walls 30, 35, and 41 are held upright on the side walls 13 to 15, and a normal state in which the raised side walls 30, 35, and 41 are superimposed on the outer surface of the side walls 13 to 15, as shown in Figure 7. In the following description, unless otherwise specified, the vertical direction of the raised side walls 30, 35, and 41 refers to the vertical direction in the upright state where the hinge legs 31, which will be described later, are located at the lower end. The detailed structure of the raised side walls 30, 35, and 41 will be described.

[0026] As shown in Figure 1, the raised side walls 35 of the front side wall 14 are arranged in pairs on both sides of the front opening 16. As shown in Figure 4, each raised side wall 35 has a structure in which reinforcing ribs 35L are provided on the outer surface of a flat main plate 35S that is located on the inner surface when standing upright on the front side wall 14, and has a hinge leg portion 31 on its lower surface and a pair of lower surface projections 32 that are arranged laterally on either side of the hinge leg portion 31. The pair of lower surface projections 32 have a box-shaped structure. The hinge leg portion 31 extends downward from the lower surface projections 32, and a pair of hinge protrusions 31P protrude from both sides of its lower end.

[0027] Then, as shown in Figure 5(A), the lower end of the hinge leg portion 31 is received between a pair of upright support portions 33, and as shown in Figures 7 to 9, a pair of hinge projections 31P are rotatably and vertically slidably engaged with the elongated hole 34. Then, as shown in Figures 5(A) and 9, when the raised side wall 35 is positioned at the upper end of the slidable range in an upright position with the hinge leg portion 31 at its lower end, and then lowered straight down from there, as shown in Figures 1 and 11(A), the multiple lower surface projections 32 of the raised side wall 35 fit into the multiple upright support portions 33 of the front side wall 14, thereby holding the raised side wall 35 in an upright position on the front side wall 14 for use. Furthermore, when the raised side wall 35 is lifted straight up and tilted outwards, it becomes an unused state overlapping the outer surface of the front side wall 14, as shown in Figure 5(B), and fits into the receiving recess 29 which is surrounded on all sides by a pair of vertical ribs 20, horizontal ribs 22 and multiple upright support parts 33 on the front side wall 14.

[0028] The overall thickness of the raised side wall 35 is slightly less than the overall thickness of the front side wall 14. When the raised side wall 35 is not in use, as shown in Figure 5(B), the entire raised side wall 35 fits within the receiving recess 29 so as not to protrude from the tip surface of the transverse rib 22. When the raised side wall 35 is in use, the inner surface of the raised side wall 35 is located slightly outside the inner surface of the front side wall 14, and the outer surface of the raised side wall 35 is located slightly inside the outer surface of the front side wall 14. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 11(B), one side surface of the lateral end of the raised side wall 35 is located slightly inside the inner surface of the front opening 16, and the other side surface of the lateral end of the raised side wall 35 is located slightly towards the front opening 16 from the extension surface of the inner surface of the transverse side wall 15.

[0029] As shown in Figure 2, the raised side wall 30 of the rear wall 13 has a structure in which reinforcing ribs 30L are provided on the outer surface of a strip-shaped main plate 30S that extends laterally from the rear wall 13, and on the lower surface, similar to the raised side wall 35, lower projections 32 and hinge legs 31 are arranged alternately. Furthermore, the overall thickness of the raised side wall 30 is slightly less than the overall thickness of the rear wall 13. Moreover, the raised side wall 30, like the raised side wall 35, is hinged to the upper end of the rear wall 13 so as to be slidable and rotatable. When the raised side wall 30 is held in use by the fitting of the lower projection 32 and the upright support part 33, the entire raised side wall 30 fits into the area directly above the rear wall 13, and when not in use, the entire raised side wall 30 fits into the receiving recess 29 (not shown) of the rear wall 13. Furthermore, both lateral sides of the raised side wall 30 are located slightly away from the lateral side wall 15 than the extended inner surface of the lateral side wall 15, similar to one side of the raised side wall 35.

[0030] Furthermore, a pair of stepped surfaces 30D are formed on the inner surface of the raised side wall 30 near both ends in the lateral direction, and the lateral ends of the raised side wall 30 are a pair of connecting fitting portions 30E that are thinner than the intermediate portion between the pair of stepped surfaces 30D. When the raised side wall 30 is in use, similar to the raised side wall 35 described above, the inner surface of the connecting fitting portion 30E is located slightly outside the inner surface of the rear side wall 13, and the outer surface of the connecting fitting portion 30E is located slightly inside the outer surface of the rear side wall 13.

[0031] As shown in Figure 3, the raised side walls 41 of the pair of lateral side walls 15 have a structure in which reinforcing ribs 41L are provided on the outer surface of a strip-shaped main plate 41S that extends laterally from the lateral side wall 15, and on the lower surface, similar to the raised side walls 30 and 35, lower projections 32 and hinge legs 31 are arranged alternately. The overall thickness of the raised side wall 41 is slightly less than the overall thickness of the lateral side wall 15. The raised side wall 41 is also hinged to the upper end of the lateral side wall 15 so as to be slidable and rotatable, similar to the raised side walls 30 and 35. When the raised side wall 41 is held in the use state by the fitting of the lower projection 32 and the upright support part 33, the entire raised side wall 41 fits into the area directly above the lateral side wall 15, and when not in use, the entire raised side wall 41 fits into the receiving recess 29 of the lateral side wall 15. Furthermore, both lateral sides of the raised side wall 41 are positioned away from the extended surfaces of the inner surfaces of the front side wall 14 and the rear side wall 13.

[0032] Furthermore, similar to the raised side wall 30, a pair of stepped surfaces 41D are formed on the inner surface of the raised side wall 41 near both ends in the lateral direction, and the lateral ends of the raised side wall 41 are made up of a pair of connecting fitting portions 41E that are thinner than the intermediate portion between the pair of stepped surfaces 41D. When the raised side wall 41 is in use, similar to the raised side wall 35 described above, the inner surface of the connecting fitting portion 41E is located slightly outside the inner surface of the side wall 15, and the outer surface of the connecting fitting portion 41E is located slightly inside the outer surface of the side wall 15.

[0033] When the container 10A is changed from its normal state, where the raised side walls 30, 35, and 41 are not in use, to the raised state, where the raised side walls 30, 35, and 41 are in use, as shown in Figure 1, the storage capacity increases. However, depending on the manner of use, there may be concerns about the strength against loads applied to the inside or outside of the raised side walls 30, 35, and 41. For such cases, the container 10A is provided with four fitting connecting members 51 that connect adjacent raised side walls 30, 35, and 41 to each other.

[0034] The fitting connecting member 51 has an L-shaped, open-bottomed rectangular groove structure, and as shown in Figure 3, it has an L-shaped ceiling wall 51B and a pair of fitting side walls 51A that hang down from the inner and outer edges of the L-shape of the ceiling wall 51B, and is equipped with an L-shaped groove 51M on the inside. The connecting fitting portion 41E of the raised side wall 41 fits perfectly inside the portion of the fitting connecting member 51 corresponding to one side of the L shape, while the connecting fitting portion 30E of the raised side wall 30 adjacent to the raised side wall 41, or the raised side wall 35, fits perfectly inside the portion of the fitting connecting member 51 corresponding to the other side of the L shape. As a result, adjacent raised side walls 30, 35, and 41 are connected to each other by the fitting connecting member 51 as described above. Furthermore, the fitting of the connecting member 51 into the connecting fitting portions 30E and 41E of the raised side walls 30 and 41 is simply referred to as "the connecting member 51 fitting into the raised side walls 30 and 41."

[0035] In detail, both sides of the L-shaped fitting connecting member 51 are of the same length. When the fitting connecting member 51 is fitted to the raised side walls 30, 35, and 41, one end face of the fitting connecting member 51 is either substantially flush with the inner surface of the front opening 16, as shown in Figure 11(B), or adjacent to the stepped surfaces 30D and 41D of the raised side walls 30 and 41.

[0036] Furthermore, the thickness of the fitting connecting member 51 is approximately the same as the thickness of the side walls 13, 14, and 15. When the fitting connecting member 51 is fitted into the raised side walls 30, 35, and 41, the entire fitting connecting member 51 fits into the area directly above the side walls 13, 14, and 15. The inner surface of the fitting connecting member 51 and the inner surfaces of the side walls 13, 14, and 15 are positioned approximately identically, and the outer surface of the fitting connecting member 51 and the outer surfaces of the side walls 13, 14, and 15 are also positioned approximately identically.

[0037] Furthermore, the height of the fitting connecting member 51 is approximately uniform, and as shown in Figures 11(A) and 11(B), when the raised side walls 30, 35, and 41 are in contact with the lower surface of the ceiling wall 51B within the fitting connecting member 51, the lower surface of the fitting connecting member 51 is slightly raised from the upper surfaces of the side walls 13, 14, and 15.

[0038] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 6(A), the fitting connecting member 51 is provided with inner ribs 51X and 51Y inside. The shape of the fitting connecting member 51, including these inner ribs 51X and 51Y, is identical for fitting connecting members 51 located diagonally opposite each other in the container 10A, and mirror-image symmetrical for fitting connecting members 51 located at adjacent corners. The inner rib 51X overlaps the side surface of the raised side wall 30 or raised side wall 35 (see Figure 11(B)), and the inner rib 51Y overlaps the side surface of the raised side wall 41 (see Figure 11(A)). Also, as shown in Figure 6(A), these inner ribs 51X and 51Y have a lower surface flush with the fitting side wall 51A and are connected to the upper surface and both sides inside the fitting connecting member 51. The inner rib 51X is formed by extending one of the flat plate walls that constitute the fitting side wall 51A located on the inner edge side of the fitting connecting member 51 into the fitting connecting member 51 (the inner rib 51X is connected to the fitting side wall 51A located on the outer edge side of the fitting connecting member 51 by extending from one of the fitting side walls 51A located on the inner edge side of the fitting connecting member 51).

[0039] This concludes the explanation of the configuration of the container 10A in this embodiment. Next, the operation and effects of this container 10A will be explained. The container 10A shown in Figure 7 is in its normal state, assembled and with all the upper side walls 30, 35, and 41 in an unused state. In this state, when multiple containers 10A are stacked, goods can be loaded and unloaded from the front opening 16 of each container 10A, and it can be used as a display shelf for goods or a rack in a warehouse (see the first container 10A from the bottom in Figure 14).

[0040] Products that are too tall to fit in the container 10A in its normal state can sometimes be accommodated by raising the container 10A. To raise the container 10A from its normal state, as shown in Figure 8, the raised side walls 30, 35, and 41 are rotated upward to an upright position as shown in Figure 9 and positioned at the upper end of the slidable range. Then, the raised side walls 30, 35, and 41 are lowered from there and their lower projections 32 are fitted into the upright support parts 33 of the side walls 13, 14, and 15, respectively.

[0041] As a result, the raised side walls 30, 35, and 41 are not connected to each other but are held in a usable state, so that the container 10A can accommodate tall items and can also be stacked.

[0042] However, there may be cases where the strength against loads applied to the inside or outside of the raised side walls 30, 35, and 41 is a concern. In such cases, the fitting connecting members 51 can be fitted from above to adjacent raised side walls 30, 35, and 41 at each corner of the container 10A. Then, the fitting connecting members 51 connect the adjacent raised side walls 30, 35, and 41, improving the strength against loads applied to the inside or outside of the raised side walls 30, 35, and 41. Furthermore, as shown in Figures 12 and 14, even if the fitting connecting members 51 are attached to the container 10A, another container 10A can be stacked on top of it.

[0043] The container 10A can be returned to its normal state by reversing the procedure described above. Then, by pressing the elastic engaging piece 13B of the container 10A in its normal state from the inside, the pair of side walls 15 are folded onto the bottom wall 11 as shown in Figure 13, and the rear side wall 13 and front side wall 14 are folded on top of them, thereby folding the container 10A (see the first container 10A from the top in Figure 14). In addition, since the raised side walls 30, 35, and 41 are housed in the receiving recesses 29 of the side walls 13 to 15, the container 10A does not become bulky even when folded. The fitting and connecting members 51 that are not in use can be stored, for example, in a bag.

[0044] As described above, in the container 10A of this embodiment, when in use, the fitting connecting member 51 is fitted onto adjacent raised side walls 30, 35, 41 from above, connecting them to each other. This improves the strength of the connection between the raised side walls 30, 35, 41 against loads applied to them from the inside or outside. Furthermore, by providing inner ribs 51X and 51Y inside the L-shaped groove 51M of the fitting connecting member 51, the fitting connecting member 51 is prevented from expanding in the groove width direction, thereby increasing its strength.

[0045] Furthermore, the overall planar shape of the fitting connector 51 is L-shaped, fitting within the planar shape of the corners of the side walls 13-15, and the fitting connector 51 does not protrude from the inner and outer surfaces of the side walls 13-15, thus reducing snagging between the cargo and the fitting connector 51. Moreover, the raised side walls 30 and 41 have a stepped design where the connecting fitting portion 30E and 41E, which is the fitting portion with the fitting connector 51, is thinner in a stepped manner compared to the overall thickness of the raised side walls 30 and 41, and the entire raised side wall 35 fits into the fitting connector 51, so the step difference between the fitting connector 51 and the raised side walls 30, 35, and 41 is reduced, which also reduces snagging between the cargo and the fitting connector 51.

[0046] Furthermore, since adjacent pairs of raised side walls 30, 35, and 41 are spaced apart within the fitting and connecting member 51, they do not interfere with each other, which also facilitates the fitting and connecting member 51 to the raised side walls 30, 35, and 41. In addition, the structure in which adjacent raised side walls 30, 35, and 41 are spaced apart within the fitting and connecting member 51 allows the sides of unused raised side walls 30, 35, and 41 to be separated from the corners of the side walls 13 to 15, enabling the provision of reinforcing structures (ribs, surface changes, columns, etc.) at the corners of the side walls 13 to 15, thereby increasing the strength of the container 10A. Moreover, the raised side walls 30, 35, and 41 can be fitted into the receiving recesses 29 of the side walls 13 to 15 while avoiding interference with the reinforcing structures. Furthermore, the raised side walls 30, 35, 41 and the side walls 13-15 are provided with lower projections 32 and upright support parts 33 (corresponding to the upright holding mechanism of this disclosure) that engage with each other when the raised side walls 30, 35, 41 are in use, holding the raised side walls 30, 35, 41 in use. This makes it easy to fit the fitting connecting member 51 to the raised side walls 30, 35, 41.

[0047] In this embodiment, as described above, the raised side walls 30, 35, and 41 are maintained in an upright position and lowered from the upper end position of the slidable range. This "upright position" may be referred to as the "preparation position for use," and the state in use in which the lower projections 32 of the raised side walls 30, 35, and 41 are fitted into the upright support portions 33 of the side walls 13 to 15, and the raised side walls 30, 35, and 41 are held in an upright position may be referred to as the "upright holding position," thus distinguishing between the two positions.

[0048] [Other embodiments] (1) The shape of the fitting connecting member is not limited to the shape of the fitting connecting member 51 in the above embodiment, and any shape is acceptable as long as it fits from above onto adjacent raised side walls in the state of use and connects those raised side walls. Specifically, as shown in Figure 6(B) for the fitting connecting member 71, a pair of inner ribs 71X may be provided symmetrically within the fitting connecting member 71, or as shown in Figure 6(C) for the fitting connecting member 72, inner ribs 72X may be arranged diagonally within the fitting connecting member 71. Alternatively, as shown in Figure 6(D) for the fitting connecting member 73, a pair of orthogonal walls constituting the inner fitting side wall 73A may be connected by connecting ribs 73X. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 6(E) for the fitting connecting member 74, a portion of the fitting side wall 74A may be cut off in a cantilevered shape extending downward to provide a pair of elastic locking pieces 74E, and the locking projections 74T at the lower ends of the pair of elastic locking pieces 74E may engage with the lower surfaces of the raised side walls 30, 35, and 41. Moreover, as shown in Figure 6(F) for the fitting connecting member 75, the heights of the fitting side wall 75A and fitting side wall 75C that hang down from the outer and inner edges of the ceiling portion 75B may be different.

[0049] (2) The upright holding mechanism is not limited to the configuration in which the lower projections 32 of the raised side walls 30, 35, 41 engage with the upright support portions 33 of the side walls 13 to 15 in a concave-concave manner, as in the above embodiment. For example, the raised side wall or the side wall may be provided with an elastic engaging portion that elastically deforms during the rotation of the raised side wall and elastically returns to its original position when the raised side wall is in use. Alternatively, fitting holes that penetrate vertically may be provided in the lower part of the raised side walls 30, 35, 41, and fitting projections that protrude upward from the side walls 13 to 15 may engage with these fitting holes.

[0050] (3) Furthermore, in cases where the raised side wall overlaps the outer surface of the side wall when not in use, a restricting projection may be provided that protrudes from the outer edge of the upper surface of the side wall, and the raised side wall is held in a usable state supported by the restricting projection unless the raised side wall is moved to the upper end position of the sliding range. Similarly, in cases where the raised side wall overlaps the inner surface of the side wall when not in use, a restricting projection may be provided that protrudes from the inner edge of the upper surface of the side wall, and a similar configuration can be provided. In addition, regardless of whether the raised side wall overlaps the inner or outer surface of the side wall, the restricting projection may protrude from both the inner and outer edges of the upper surface of the side wall. Furthermore, multiple types of upright holding mechanisms may be used in combination.

[0051] (4) In the above embodiment, elongated holes 34 were provided on the side walls 13-15, and the hinge projections 31P of the raised side walls 30, 35, 41 were slidably and rotatably engaged therein. However, conversely, elongated holes may be provided in the raised side walls 30, 35, 41 and hinge projections 31P may be provided on the side walls 13-15. Also, the raised side walls 30, 35, 41 do not need to move up and down, nor do they need to rotate.

[0052] (5) In the above embodiment, the standing support mechanism was provided between all the side walls 13 to 15 of the raised side walls 30, 35, and 41, but the standing support mechanism does not need to be provided on all the raised side walls and side walls.

[0053] (6) In the above embodiment, adjacent raised side walls 30, 35, and 41 were spaced apart in the use state, but the raised side walls may be connected to each other. Examples of structures for connecting the raised side walls include a configuration in which one of the adjacent raised side walls slides up and down to engage with the other, or a configuration in which a horizontally rotating engagement lever is provided on one of the adjacent raised side walls and engages with the other raised side wall.

[0054] (7) Although the container 10A in the above embodiment was foldable and had a front opening 16, the above-mentioned fitting connecting member may be provided to containers that are not foldable or containers that do not have a front opening but have raised side walls.

[0055] (8) In addition, when not in use, the raised side walls 30, 35, and 41 may overlap either the inner surface or the outer surface of the side wall.

[0056] (9) In the above embodiment, when not in use, the entire raised side walls 30, 35, and 41 fit into the receiving recess 29, but a configuration in which a part of them protrudes from the receiving recess 29 is also possible.

[0057] (10) In the above embodiment, when the unused upper side walls 30, 35, 41 are brought out of the receiving recess 29 and brought into use, they are rotated by a certain amount (outward and upward), then slid upward and rotated further, and then slid downward. However, it is also possible to slide them upward first, then rotate them (outward and upward), and then slide them downward. In other words, a structure that is rotatable and movable up and down is not limited to the embodiment.

[0058] 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]

[0059] 10A container 13~15 side wall 30,35,41 Bulky side wall 30D,41D Step surface 30E,41E Connection fitting part 32 Bottom protrusion (erecting holding mechanism) 33 Standing support part (standing holding mechanism) 34 long hole 51, 71~75 Fitting connecting members 51M L-shaped groove 51X, 51Y, 71X, 72X Inner Rib

Claims

1. A container having an overall rectangular parallelepiped shape with an open top, wherein at least three or more side walls have raised side walls connected to their upper ends, and these raised side walls can be changed from an unused state where they overlap each side wall to an usable state where they stand upright on each side wall, thereby increasing the storage capacity, The planar shape is L-shaped and has an open bottom groove structure, and it has an L-shaped groove inside into which a pair of adjacent raised side walls fit together in the usage state, and it has a fitting connecting member that connects these pairs of raised side walls. In the aforementioned usage state, a pair of adjacent raised side walls fit into the L-shaped groove while being spaced apart from each other. A container having an inner rib inside the portion of the L-shaped groove corresponding to at least one side of L, facing the lateral end face of the raised side wall.

2. The container according to claim 1, wherein the inner ribs are provided inside the portions corresponding to two sides of the L-shaped groove.

3. A container having an overall rectangular parallelepiped shape with an open top, wherein at least three or more side walls have raised side walls connected to their upper ends, and the storage capacity can be increased by changing the raised side walls from an unused state overlapping each side wall to an usable state standing up on each side wall, In the aforementioned usage state, it has a fitting connecting member that fits from above onto adjacent raised side walls to connect those raised side walls together. The raised side walls and all the side walls supporting them are provided with an upright holding mechanism that engages with each other when the raised side walls are in use, thereby holding the raised side walls in use. The raised side wall is rotatably and vertically movable to the side wall, and is held in the use state by the upright holding mechanism at the lower end of the vertically movable range, while the holding is released at the upper end.

4. A container having an overall rectangular parallelepiped shape with an open top, wherein at least three or more side walls have raised side walls connected to their upper ends, and the storage capacity can be increased by changing the raised side walls from an unused state where they overlap each side wall to an usable state where they stand upright on each side wall, In the aforementioned usage state, it has a fitting connecting member that fits from above onto adjacent raised side walls to connect those raised side walls together. The overall planar shape of the fitting and connecting member is L-shaped, fitting within the planar shape of the corner portion of the side wall, and the raised side wall includes a stepped raised side wall in which the fitting portion with the fitting and connecting member is thinner in a stepped manner compared to the overall thickness.

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