Goods transport containers

Abstract

To improve the convenience of using an article carrying container.SOLUTION: An article carrying container 10 includes an article-receiving portion 16 surrounded by a plurality of sidewall bodies 14 standing at edge sides of a bottom wall body 12. The sidewall body 14 can be bent between a lower-wall portion 24 and an upper-wall portion 26 connected to the lower-wall portion 24. The article carrying container 10 can be changed into a first state that the upper-wall portion 26 is arranged above the lower-wall portion 24 to form the article-receiving portion 16 and a second state that the upper-wall portion 26 folded back from the first state is superposed outside the lower-wall portion 24 to form the article-receiving portion 16.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to an article transport container.

Background Art

[0002] Articles are stored in a cold storage box, and the articles are transported, such as by home delivery, while being kept cold. As the articles are delivered, the number of articles in the cold storage box decreases, but the space occupied by the cold storage box remains unchanged. Therefore, a telescopic cold storage box having an inner box and an outer box with a nested structure has been proposed (see, for example, Patent Document 1). The cold storage box of Patent Document 1 can increase the interior size by arranging the inner box and the outer box so as to be vertically offset. Further, the cold storage box of Patent Document 1 can reduce the interior size by arranging the inner box and the outer box so as to overlap each other.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In the cold storage box of Patent Document 1, when the outer box and the inner box are offset and in an extended state, articles may be placed on the inner box or may get caught on the inner box when being taken in or out, resulting in poor usability. Further, even in the extended state, the cold storage box of Patent Document 1 requires a partial overlap between the outer box and the inner box. For this reason, the fact that the interior does not become much larger in the extended state also impairs usability.

[0005] In view of the above problems in the prior art, the present invention has been proposed to preferably solve these problems, and an object thereof is to provide an article transport container with good usability. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] A first aspect of the article transport container according to the present invention is: An article transport container having an article storage section surrounded by multiple side walls standing on the edge of a bottom wall, The side wall is bendable between the lower wall portion and the upper wall portion connected to the lower wall portion. The first state involves arranging the upper wall portion above the lower wall portion to form the article storage section, The gist of this is that the structure can be changed to a second state in which the folded upper wall portion is placed on the outside of the lower wall portion to form the article storage section.

[0007] A second aspect of the article transport container according to the present invention is, in the first aspect, In the first state, the system may include upper connecting means for connecting the upper wall portions of adjacent side walls.

[0008] A third aspect of the article transport container according to the present invention is, in the first or second aspect, The article storage section is equipped with a lid for opening and closing, The lid is the first state of the side wall that holds the article Delivery The part may be provided with a fitting portion that fits into the opening of the section and into the opening of the article storage section in the second state of the side wall body.

[0009] A fourth aspect of the article transport container according to the present invention is that, in any one of the first, second, and third aspects, The side wall, with the upper wall overlapping the outside of the lower wall, may be able to change its orientation so that it overlaps the bottom wall.

[0010] A fifth aspect of the article transport container according to the present invention is that, in any one of the first, second, third, and fourth aspects, The system may also include lower connecting means for connecting the lower wall portions of adjacent side walls in the first and second states.

[0011] The sixth aspect of the article transport container according to the present invention is any one of the first aspect, the second aspect, the third aspect, the fourth aspect, and the fifth aspect, the bottom wall body and the side wall body include a heat insulating member, and the article transport container may be a heat preservation and cold insulation container.

Effect of the Invention

[0012] According to the article transport container of the present invention, it is user-friendly.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0013] [Figure 1] It is a perspective view showing an article transport container according to an embodiment of the present invention. Note that it is in the first state with the lid attached. [Figure 2] It is a perspective view showing the article transport container of the embodiment. Note that it is in the first state with the lid removed. [Figure 3] It is a cross-sectional view taken along the line A-A of FIG. 1. [Figure 4] It is a cross-sectional view taken along the line B-B of FIG. 1. [Figure 5] It is a perspective view showing the article transport container of the embodiment. Note that it is in the middle of changing from the first state to the second state. [Figure 6] It is a perspective view showing the article transport container of the embodiment. Note that it is in the second state with the lid attached. [Figure 7] It is a perspective view showing the article transport container of the embodiment. Note that it is in the second state with the lid removed. [Figure 8] It is a cross-sectional view taken along the line C-C of FIG. 6. [Figure 9] It is a cross-sectional view taken along the line D-D of FIG. 6. [Figure 10] It is a perspective view showing the article transport container of the embodiment. Note that it is in the middle of further folding from the second state. [Figure 11] It is a perspective view showing the article transport container of the embodiment. Note that the side wall is in a folded state. [Figure 12]It is a cross-sectional view taken along line E-E of FIG. 11. [Figure 13] It is a cross-sectional view taken along line F-F of FIG. 11. [Figure 14] It is a side view showing another example of the article transport container.

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0014] Next, with respect to the article transport container according to the present invention, preferred embodiments will be given and described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Embodiment

[0015] As shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 6, and 7, the article transport container 10 according to the embodiment includes a bottom wall 12 that constitutes the bottom surface of the article transport container 10 and side walls 14 that constitute the side surfaces of the article transport container 10. The article transport container 10 has an article storage portion 16 surrounded by the bottom wall 12 and the side walls 14, and articles can be stored in this article storage portion 16. Further, the article transport container 10 includes a lid 18 that opens and closes the article storage portion 16, and the lid 18 constitutes the top surface of the article transport container 10. In the embodiment, the bottom wall 12 corresponds to one aspect of the bottom wall body of the present invention, the side wall 14 corresponds to one aspect of the side wall body of the present invention, and the lid 18 corresponds to one aspect of the lid body of the present invention.

[0016] As shown in FIGS. 2 and 7, the article transport container 10 of the embodiment is constituted by a box-shaped container body having an open upper portion by the bottom wall 12 and the side walls 14 standing on the edges of the bottom wall 12. In the embodiment, the side walls 14 are arranged corresponding to each edge of the bottom wall 12 formed in a rectangular shape in plan view, and the article storage portion 16 is surrounded by the four side walls 14. When the side walls 14 are particularly distinguished, one set of side walls 14 that surround the article storage portion 16 and face each other is referred to as the first side wall 14A, and the other set of side walls 14 that surround the article storage portion 16 and face each other is referred to as the second side wall 14B. In the embodiment, the first side wall 14A is arranged sandwiched between the two opposed second side walls 14B, 14B (see FIG. 2). The first side wall 14A is connected to the upper surface of the bottom wall 12 (see FIGS. 4 and 9). Further, the second side wall 14B is connected to the side end surface of the bottom wall 12 (see FIGS. 3 and 8).

[0017] The article transport container 10 has adjustable vertical dimensions for its side walls 14, thereby changing the vertical dimensions of the article storage section 16 (see Figures 1 to 9). Furthermore, the article transport container 10 may allow the side walls 14 to change their orientation between standing on the edge of the bottom wall 12 (Figures 1 to 9) and overlapping the bottom wall 12 (see Figures 10 to 13). The article transport container 10 is used for storing articles with its side walls 14 in an upright position. The article transport container 10 can be compactly stored when not in use by lowering its side walls 14 and overlapping them with the bottom wall 12.

[0018] As shown in Figures 3, 4, 8, and 9, in the embodiment, the bottom wall 12, side wall 14, and lid 18 include a heat insulating member 20 as a component. Therefore, the container body and lid 18, which are composed of the side wall 14 and bottom wall 12, have heat insulating properties. The article transport container 10 of the embodiment is a refrigerated / heat-insulating container that can maintain the inside of the article storage section 16 at a predetermined temperature such as low temperature, room temperature, or high temperature.

[0019] As shown in Figures 3, 4, 8, and 9, in the embodiment, the bottom wall 12, side wall 14, and lid 18 each comprise an outer bag 22 and a plate-shaped heat insulating member 20 housed inside the bag 22. In the embodiment, each of the wall portions 24, 26 and base wall portion 32 constituting the side wall 14 is a plate-shaped body comprising a heat insulating member 20 and a bag 22 covering the heat insulating member 20. As the heat insulating member 20, for example, foamed insulation materials made of foams such as urethane foam, polystyrene foam, and phenolic foam, vacuum insulation materials in which the air inside has been removed to create a vacuum, and inorganic insulation materials such as glass wool or rock wool can be used individually or in combination. Of course, rigid foams are preferred from the viewpoint of heat insulation, rigidity, and cost, and among these, rigid urethane foam is preferred. The bag 22 is formed into a three-dimensional shape by combining sheets by sewing or the like. The sheet constituting the bag body 22 can be a plastic sheet such as polyvinyl chloride, a composite sheet of a plastic sheet and an aluminum vapor-deposited film, or a sheet of other materials.

[0020] As shown in Figures 3, 4, 8, and 9, the side wall 14 is constructed by connecting multiple wall sections 24 and 26 to each other. The side wall 14 is also bendable at connecting sections 28 that connect the wall sections 24 and 26 to each other. In this embodiment, the connecting section 28 is formed by connecting bag-shaped bodies 22 that constitute the outer surfaces of vertically adjacent wall sections 24 and 26 in the first state. The connecting section 28 is provided on the outer or inner edge of the wall sections 24 and 26. As in the embodiment, by providing the connecting section 28 on the outer edge of the wall sections 24 and 26, the upper wall section 26 is allowed to bend outward from a state where adjacent wall sections 24 and 26 are aligned vertically. On the other hand, by providing the connecting section 28 on the inner edge of the wall sections 24 and 26, the upper wall section 26 is allowed to bend inward from a state where adjacent wall sections 24 and 26 are aligned vertically. It is preferable that the position of the connection portion 28 be set at the same height on all side walls 14. As in the embodiment, it is good if the multiple wall portions 24, 26 are of the same thickness, and if the side wall 14 has a base wall portion 32, it is good to make the entire side wall 14, including the base wall portion 32, of the same thickness.

[0021] The article transport container 10 can be changed between a first state (Figures 1-4) in which multiple wall sections 24, 26 are arranged vertically to form an article storage section 16, and a second state (Figures 6-9) in which one wall section 26 of two adjacent vertically arranged wall sections 24, 26 is folded over the other wall section 24 to form an article storage section 16. In the first state, the inner surfaces of the multiple vertically arranged wall sections 24, 26 are aligned (Figures 3 and 4). Also, in the first state, the outer surfaces of the multiple vertically arranged wall sections 24, 26 are aligned. In the first state, when the multiple wall sections 24, 26 are arranged vertically to form a single wall, the vertical dimension of the side wall 14 (article storage section 16) becomes larger. In the second state, where one adjacent wall section 26 is folded back so as to overlap the outside of the other wall section 24, the vertical dimension of the side wall 14 (article storage section 16) becomes smaller. Furthermore, the orientation of the side wall 14 can be changed from the second state to a state where it overlaps the bottom wall 12 (Figures 11 to 13).

[0022] More specifically, as shown in Figures 1 to 4, the first side wall 14A and the second side wall 14B of the embodiment have a lower wall portion 24 and an upper wall portion 26 connected to the lower wall portion 24. The lower wall portion 24 is a plate-like portion that constitutes a part of the side wall 14 and forms the bottom wall 12 side within the side wall 14. The lower wall portion 24 also supports the upper wall portion 26. The first side wall 14A and the second side wall 14B are bendable at the connecting portion 28 that connects the lower wall portion 24 and the upper wall portion 26. Thus, in the first side wall 14A and the second side wall 14B, the upper wall portion 26 is hinged to the upper end of the lower wall portion 24. The connecting portion 28 can be a sewn portion connecting the bag body 22 that covers the heat insulating member 20 constituting the lower wall portion 24 and the bag body 22 that covers the heat insulating member 20 constituting the upper wall portion 26, or a strip-shaped body that connects the bag bodies 22 together, or other configurations that allow bending. In addition, the connecting portion 28 connects the outer edge of the lower wall portion 24 and the outer edge of the upper wall portion 26, and the lower wall portion 24 and the upper wall portion 26 are not connected to each other at any part other than the outer edge (see Figures 8 and 9). In the embodiment, the upper end (connecting portion 28) of the lower wall portion 24 is set at the same height position in all side walls 14.

[0023] The first side wall 14A and the second side wall 14B can be changed between a first state (Figures 1-4) in which the upper wall portion 26 is aligned above the lower wall portion 24 to form the article storage section 16, and a second state (Figures 6-9) in which the upper wall portion 26, folded back from the first state, is overlapped on the outside of the lower wall portion 24 to form the article storage section 16. In the first state, the side surface of the article storage section 16 is formed by the lower wall portion 24 and the upper wall portion 26, which are aligned vertically (see Figures 3 and 4). Also in the first state, the opening of the article storage section 16 is formed by the upper edge of the upper wall portion 26 (see Figure 2). In the second state, the side surface of the article storage section 16 is formed by the lower wall portion 24 and the upper wall portion 26, which overlaps on the outside of the lower wall portion 24 (see Figures 8 and 9). That is, in the second state, the side surface of the article storage section 16 is double-layered, consisting of the lower wall portion 24 and the upper wall portion 26. Furthermore, in the second state, the upper edge of the lower wall portion 24 forms the opening of the article storage portion 16 (see Figure 7).

[0024] As shown in Figures 4 and 9, the lower wall portion 24 of the first side wall 14A is connected to the upper surface of the bottom wall 12. In this embodiment, the first side wall 14A is bendable at the connecting portion 30 that connects the lower wall portion 24 and the bottom wall 12 (see Figures 10, 11, and 13). Thus, the lower end of the lower wall portion 24 is hinged to the upper surface of the bottom wall 12. The connecting portion 30 can be a sewn portion connecting the bag body 22 that covers the heat insulating member 20 constituting the lower wall portion 24 and the bag body 22 that covers the heat insulating member 20 constituting the bottom wall 12, or a strip-shaped body that connects the bag bodies 22 to each other, or any other configuration that allows bending. Furthermore, the connecting portion 30 connects the inner edge of the lower wall portion 24 to the upper surface of the bottom wall 12, and in the upright position, the lower surface of the lower wall portion 24 is not connected to the bottom wall 12 except for the inner edge (see Figure 13).

[0025] As shown in Figures 3 and 8, the second side wall 14B has a base wall portion 32 between the bottom wall 12 and the lower wall portion 24. In this embodiment, the base wall portion 32 is a plate-like body with the same thickness as the lower wall portion 24 and the upper wall portion 26. The base wall portion 32, like the lower wall portion 24, is a thermal insulation structure comprising an outer bag body 22 and a plate-shaped thermal insulation member 20 housed inside the bag body 22. The base wall portion 32 is connected to the side end face of the bottom wall 12. In this embodiment, the base wall portion 32 is fixed to the bottom wall 12, and the bottom wall 12 and a pair of base wall portions 32, 32 positioned opposite each other on either side of the bottom wall 12 are fixed objects. In this embodiment, the second side wall 14B is bendable at the joint portion 34 connecting the lower wall portion 24 and the base wall portion 32 (see Figures 11 and 12). Thus, the lower end of the lower wall portion 24 is hinged to the upper end of the base wall portion 32. The knot portion 34 can be a sewn portion connecting the bag body 22 that covers the heat insulating member 20 constituting the lower wall portion 24 and the bag body 22 that covers the heat insulating member 20 constituting the foundation wall portion 32, or a strip-shaped body that connects the bag bodies 22 together, or any other configuration that allows bending. In addition, the knot portion 34 connects the inner edge of the lower wall portion 24 and the inner edge of the foundation wall portion 32, and on the lower surface of the lower wall portion 24 in an upright position, nothing other than the inner edge is connected to the foundation wall portion 32 (see Figure 12). The projection dimension of the foundation wall portion 32 from the upper surface of the bottom wall 12 is preferably equal to or greater than the thickness of the overlapping wall portions 24 and 26 that constitute the first side wall 14A, and in this embodiment, it is set to about twice the thickness of the lower wall portion 24.

[0026] As shown in Figure 10, the lower wall portion 24 of the first side wall 14A can be changed from an upright position to a position where it is folded inward at the connecting portion 30 and overlapped with the upper surface of the bottom wall 12. As shown in Figure 11, the lower wall portion 24 of the second side wall 14B can be changed from an upright position to a position where it is folded inward at the connecting portion 34 and overlapped with the upper side of the bottom wall 12. More specifically, the second side wall 14B is placed on top of the first side wall 14A, which is in a folded position, thus being in a folded position. Here, even in the first state, it is possible to fold down the lower wall portion 24, but by folding down the lower wall portion 24 in the second state with the upper wall portion 26 folded back, interference between the opposing side walls 14, 14 can be prevented, and the structure can be made more compact.

[0027] As shown in Figures 1 to 4, in the first state, there are upper connecting means 36, 38 that connect the upper wall portions 26, 26 of adjacent side walls 14, 14. The upper connecting means of the embodiment includes an upper connecting piece 36 provided on the outer surface of the upper wall portion 26 of the second side wall 14B, and an upper connecting receiving portion 38 provided on the outer surface of the upper wall portion 26 of the first side wall 14A, to which the upper connecting piece 36 can be attached and detached. The upper connecting piece 36 of the embodiment is a strip-shaped body with one end fixed to the upper wall portion 26, and a detachable portion 60 such as a hook-and-loop fastener is provided at the other end that is not fixed to the upper wall portion 26. The upper connecting receiving portion 38 of the embodiment is composed of a detachable portion 60 such as a hook-and-loop fastener.

[0028] As shown in Figures 1 to 4, in the first and second states, there are lower connecting means 40 and 42 that connect the lower wall portions 24, 24 of adjacent side walls 14, 14. The lower connecting means of the embodiment includes a lower connecting piece 40 provided on the outer surface of the lower wall portion 24 of the second side wall 14B, and a lower connecting receiving portion 42 provided on the outer surface of the lower wall portion 24 of the first side wall 14A, to which the lower connecting piece 40 can be attached and detached. The lower connecting piece 40 of the embodiment is a strip-shaped body with one end fixed to the lower wall portion 24, and a detachable portion 60 such as a hook-and-loop fastener is provided on the other end that is not fixed to the lower wall portion 24. The lower connecting receiving portion 42 of the embodiment is composed of a detachable portion 60 such as a hook-and-loop fastener.

[0029] As shown in Figures 2 and 7, the lid 18 comprises a lid body 44 and a lid mounting portion 46 provided on the outer edge of the lid body 44 and connected to the container body. The lid body 44 is sized so that its outer edge rests on the upper surface of the side wall 14. The lid body 44 also has a fitting portion 44a that protrudes downward from the outer edge that rests on the upper surface of the side wall 14 (see Figures 3, 4, 8 and 9). The fitting portion 44a is shaped to match the opening of the article storage portion 16. The lid mounting portion 46 has a detachable portion 60, such as a hook-and-loop fastener, that attaches to and detaches from a first lid mounting receiver 48 or a second lid mounting receiver 50 provided on the side wall 14. The first lid mounting receiver 48 is provided on the upper outer surface of the upper wall portion 26 in the first state (see Figures 2 to 4). In this embodiment, the first lid mounting receiver 48 is composed of a detachable portion 60, such as a hook-and-loop fastener. The second lid mounting support portion 50 is provided at the lower part of the inner surface of the upper wall portion 26 in the first state, and in the second state, the second lid mounting support portion 50 is positioned on the upper part of the outer surface of the upper wall portion 26 (see Figures 7 to 9). In this embodiment, the second lid mounting support portion 50 is composed of a hook-and-loop fastener or the like, for attachment and detachment 60.

[0030] As shown in Figures 3 and 4, in the first state, the detachable portion 60 of the lid mounting portion 46 adheres to the detachable portion 60 of the first lid mounting receiver 48 on the outer surface of the upper wall portion 26, and the lid 18 is attached to the container body. At this time, the fitting portion 44a of the lid body 44 fits into the opening of the article storage portion 16 formed by the upper wall portion 26. As shown in Figures 8 and 9, in the second state, the detachable portion 60 of the lid mounting portion 46 adheres to the detachable portion 60 of the second lid mounting receiver 50 on the outer surface of the upper wall portion 26, and the lid 18 is attached to the container body. At this time, the fitting portion 44a of the lid body 44 fits into the opening of the article storage portion 16 formed by the lower wall portion 24. In this way, the lid 18 is used in both the first and second states.

[0031] As shown in Figures 2 to 4, the side wall 14 is provided with wall connecting means 52, 50 that connect the lower wall portion 24 and the upper wall portion 26 in the first state. The wall connecting means 52, 50 in the embodiment are provided on the inner surface of the lower wall portion 24 and include a wall connecting piece 52 that attaches to and detaches from the second lid mounting receiving portion 50 on the inner surface of the upper wall portion 26. The wall connecting piece 52 in the embodiment is a strip-shaped body with one end fixed to the lower wall portion 24, and the other end, which is not fixed to the lower wall portion 24, is provided with an attachment / detachment portion 60 such as a hook-and-loop fastener. In this way, the second lid mounting receiving portion 50 is used not only as a target for connection to the lid mounting portion 46 in the second state, but also as a target for connection to the wall connecting piece 52 in the first state. By connecting the lower wall portion 24 and the upper wall portion 26 with the wall connecting means, the side wall 14 can maintain the position of the upper wall portion 26 which is aligned above the lower wall portion 24. Furthermore, by connecting the lower wall 24 and the upper wall 26 from the inside using the wall connection means, the wall can be made stronger against forces applied from the outside of the side wall 14.

[0032] As shown in Figures 8 and 9, the side wall 14 is provided with a holding means for holding the folded upper wall portion 26 in the second state. The holding means of the second side wall 14B includes a hook-and-loop fastener or the like attached to the outer surface of the fixed portion of the upper connecting piece 36 and a hook-and-loop fastener or the like attached to the outer surface of the fixed portion of the lower connecting piece 40. In the second state of the second side wall 14B, the fixed portion of the upper connecting piece 36 and the fixed portion of the lower connecting piece 40 overlap, and their hook-and-loop fasteners 60 connect, thereby holding the upper wall portion 26 outside the lower wall portion 24. The holding means of the first side wall 14A includes a hook-and-loop fastener or the like attached to the upper connecting receiving portion 38 of the upper wall portion 26 and a hook-and-loop fastener or the like attached to the outer surface of the extended portion of the lower connecting piece 40. In the second state of the first side wall 14A, the upper connecting receiving portion 38 and the extended portion of the lower connecting piece 40 connected to the lower connecting receiving portion 42 of the lower wall portion 24 overlap, and the attachment / detachment portions 60 of both are connected, thereby holding the upper wall portion 26 on the outside of the lower wall portion 24. In this way, in the second state, by holding the folded upper wall portion 26 on the outside of the lower wall portion 24 with the holding means, it is possible to prevent the upper wall portion 26 from swinging during transport.

[0033] As shown in Figure 1, a first handle 54 is provided on the upper wall portion 26 of the second side wall 14B. In the first state, the first handle 54 is located on the upper outer surface of the second side wall 14B and is used when holding the article transport container 10 in the first state. As shown in Figure 6, a second handle 56 is provided on the upper wall portion 26 of the second side wall 14B. In the first state, the second handle 56 is located on the article storage portion 16. In the second state, the second handle 56 is located on the upper outer surface of the second side wall 14B and is used when holding the article transport container 10 in the second state.

[0034] In its first state, the article transport container 10 forms an article storage section 16 by multiple walls 24 and 26 arranged vertically. This increases the vertical dimension of the article storage section 16, allowing it to store a large number of articles. Specifically, in the first state, the article storage section 16 can be used from the top surface of the bottom wall 12 to the top of the upper wall 26 arranged on top of the lower wall 24. Thus, in the first state, the multiple walls 24 and 26 are arranged vertically, making maximum use of the vertical dimension of the multiple walls 24 and 26 to create a wide article storage section 16. Therefore, the article transport container 10 is easy to use.

[0035] In the second state, the article transport container 10 has parts of multiple walls folded back to form an article storage section 16 with the remaining parts of the multiple walls, so the vertical dimension of the article storage section 16 can be reduced, and the size of the article storage section 16 can be changed to suit a small amount of articles. Specifically, in the second state, the upper wall 26 is folded back to the outside of the lower wall 24, so the vertical dimension of the article storage section 16 can be reduced from the top surface of the bottom wall 12 to the top of the lower wall 24. In this way, the article transport container 10 can change the vertical size of the article storage section 16 according to the amount of articles. By putting the article transport container 10 into the second state, the vertical dimension of the side walls 14 can be reduced, thereby making it more compact to occupy space on the bed of a truck, etc. Thus, the article transport container 10 is easy to use. Furthermore, if the article transport container 10 is a thermal insulation container, reducing the size of the article storage section 16 by putting it into the second state can improve the cooling efficiency or heat retention efficiency of the article storage section 16.

[0036] In the first state, the item transport container 10 has multiple wall sections 24 and 26 arranged vertically to form the side wall 14. Therefore, the vertical and horizontal space of the item storage section 16 enclosed by the lower wall section 24 is the same as the vertical and horizontal space of the item storage section 16 enclosed by the upper wall section 26. This prevents items from being placed between adjacent wall sections 24 and 26 in the item storage section 16, allowing for effective use of the entire item storage section 16. It also prevents items from getting caught on the wall sections 24 and 26 when loading or unloading them, allowing for smooth loading and unloading. Furthermore, in the second state, the item transport container 10 has a configuration in which the upper wall section 26 is folded back to the outside of the lower wall section 24 that surrounds the item storage section 16. Therefore, even in the second state, the upper wall section 26 does not get in the way, allowing for effective use of the entire item storage section 16 and smooth loading and unloading of items. Thus, the item transport container 10 is easy to use.

[0037] The article transport container 10 is equipped with upper connecting means 36 and 38 that connect the upper wall portions 26 of adjacent side walls 14 in the first state, so that the first state in which the upper wall portions 26 are upright can be maintained by the upper connecting means 36 and 38. This prevents the upright upper wall portions 26 from unintentionally falling over, thereby improving usability.

[0038] The lid 18 is the first state of the side wall 14 for storing items. Delivery The container is equipped with a fitting portion 44a that fits into the opening of the article storage section 16 and the opening of the article storage section 16 in the second state of the side wall 14. In this way, when the lid 18 is closed, the fitting portion 44a fits into the opening of the article storage section 16, preventing the wall portions 24 and 26 from collapsing inward. Furthermore, the rigidity of the article transport container 10 can be improved. Moreover, since the lid 18 can be used in both the first and second states, it does not lead to an increase in the number of parts. In particular, if the article transport container 10 is a thermal insulation container, the heat flow through the opening of the article storage section 16 can be suppressed, improving the cooling or heat retention efficiency of the article storage section 16.

[0039] The goods transport container 10 can be made more compact than in the second state by changing its orientation so that the side walls 14, which overlap the upper wall 26 with the outside of the lower wall 24, overlap the bottom wall 12. This reduces the space it occupies on the bed of a truck, etc. Therefore, the goods transport container 10 is easy to use.

[0040] The article transport container 10 is equipped with lower connecting means 40, 42 that connect the lower wall portions 24, 24 of adjacent side walls 14, 14 in the first and second states. The lower connecting means 40, 42 can maintain the upright position of the lower wall portions 24. In particular, when the lower wall portions 24 are configured to fold onto the bottom wall 12, the upright lower wall portions 24 can be prevented from falling unintentionally, thereby improving usability.

[0041] (Example of change) In addition to the matters mentioned above, the following may also be applied, for example. Furthermore, the present invention is not limited to the specific descriptions of the examples and the following modifications. (1) The side wall may be made to change in size by two or more stages, not just one stage. For example, as shown in Figure 14, the height of the side wall 62 may be changed in three stages. The side wall 62 shown in Figure 14 has a first wall 64, a second wall 66 connected to the first wall 64, and a third wall 68 connected to the second wall 66. By arranging the second wall 66 above the first wall 64 and the third wall 68 above the second wall 66, a first state is achieved in which the three vertically arranged wall sections 64, 66, and 68 form the article storage section 16 (see Figure 14(a)). From the first state, by folding back the uppermost third wall 68 in the side wall 62 so that it overlaps the lower second wall 66, a second state is achieved in which the first wall 64 and the second wall 66 form the article storage section 16 (see Figure 14(b)). From the first or second state, the second wall portion 66 and the third wall portion 68 are folded back at the connection portion 28 between the first wall portion 64 and the second wall portion 66 so that they overlap the lower first wall portion 64 on the outside, resulting in a third state in which the first wall portion 64 forms the article storage section 16 (see Figure 14(b)). In this way, by increasing the number of wall portions 64, 66, and 68 arranged vertically, the vertical dimensions of the article storage section 16 can be changed in multiple stages.

[0042] (2) Each side of the article transport container is not limited to being composed of a single side wall; multiple side walls may be arranged horizontally to form one side of the article transport container. (3) The side wall is constructed by connecting multiple wall sections vertically. When looking at two adjacent wall sections, the wall section connected to the bottom wall is called the lower wall section, and the wall section connected above the lower wall section is called the upper wall section. (4) The configuration in which the side wall body changes its orientation so that it overlaps the bottom wall body may be omitted. In this case, the base wall portion may be omitted in the side wall body corresponding to the second side wall, or the lower wall portions of adjacent sides may be connected to each other. (5) The upper connection means may be omitted. Also, the upper connection means is not limited to one location, but may be provided in multiple locations both above and below. (6) The lower connection means may be omitted. Furthermore, the lower connection means is not limited to one location, but may be provided in multiple locations both above and below. (7) In the second state, the retaining means for holding one wall portion outside the other wall portion is not limited to the configuration of the embodiment. For example, the retaining means may be a configuration in which the upper connecting receiver and the lower connecting receiver are joined at a detachable portion, or a configuration in which the upper connecting piece and the lower connecting piece are joined at a detachable portion, or a configuration in which the connecting piece and the connecting receiver are joined at a detachable portion. The retaining means may also be a configuration in which the extension of the upper connecting piece overlaps and is joined to the extension of the lower connecting piece which is joined to the lower connecting receiver, and the upper connecting receiver is joined on top of that. Furthermore, the retaining means may be a configuration in which the connecting piece or the connecting receiver is connected to a detachable portion provided at a different location from the connecting piece or the connecting receiver, or a configuration in which detachable portions provided at different locations from the connecting piece and the connecting receiver are connected to each other. The first lid mounting receiver may also be used as an element of the retaining means. (8) The attachment and detachment part is not limited to an attachment structure using hook and loop fasteners, but may also use a combination of magnets, a combination of magnets and metal pieces, snap buttons, or other means. (9) The container for transporting goods is not limited to a container that keeps items hot or cold, but may also be a container that does not have heat insulation properties.

[0043] This specification describes one embodiment of the following article transport container. An article transport container having an article storage section surrounded by side walls standing at the edge of a bottom wall, The aforementioned side wall is constructed by connecting multiple wall sections and is bendable between the wall sections. A first state in which the plurality of wall sections are arranged vertically to form the article storage section, An article transport container that can be changed from the first state described above to a second state in which a portion of the wall is folded back and overlapped with the outside of the other wall portions to form the article storage section. [Explanation of symbols]

[0044] 10 Article transport container, 12 Bottom wall (bottom wall body), 14 Side wall (side wall body), 16 Item storage section, 18 Lid (lid body), 20 Thermal insulation member, 24 Lower wall section (wall section), 26 Upper wall portion (wall portion), 36 Upper connecting piece (upper connecting means), 38 Upper connecting receiver (upper connecting means), 40 Lower connecting piece (lower connecting means), 42 Lower connection receiving part (lower connection means)

Claims

1. A container body having an article storage section surrounded by multiple side walls standing at the edge of the bottom wall, The article storage section comprises a lid that closes the opening, The side wall is bendable between the lower wall portion and the upper wall portion connected to the lower wall portion. The first state involves arranging the upper wall portion above the lower wall portion to form the article storage section, It is possible to change from the first state to a second state in which the folded upper wall portion is placed on the outside of the lower wall portion to form the article storage section. The upper wall portion has, in the first state, a second lid mounting receiver at the lower part of its inner surface, from which the lid mounting portion provided on the lid is attached and detached in the second state. A container for transporting articles, characterized by the following features.

2. The article transport container according to claim 1, wherein the upper wall portion has a first lid mounting receiver portion on the upper part of the outer surface in the first state, on which the lid mounting portion is attached and detached in the first state.

3. The article transport container according to claim 1, wherein the lid has a fitting portion that fits into the opening of the article storage portion in the first state of the side wall and into the opening of the article storage portion in the second state of the side wall.

4. The article transport container according to claim 1, wherein the lower wall portion is provided on its inner surface with a wall connecting piece that attaches to and detaches from the second lid mounting receiver in the first state.

5. The bottom wall and the side wall include a heat insulating member, The article transport container according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the article transport container is an insulated container.

6. The article transport container according to claim 5, wherein the side wall body, with the upper wall portion overlapping the outside of the lower wall portion, is capable of changing its orientation to overlap the bottom wall body.

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