containment unit

Abstract

To enhance the versatility of a tray doubling as a lid body.SOLUTION: A storage unit (10) includes a plurality of containers (12) and trays (14) doubling as lid bodies. Each tray (14) doubling as a lid body can be used as a lid to cover upper openings (UA) of the plurality of containers (12) arranged side by side in the lateral direction, and also allows the plurality of containers (12) arranged in the lateral direction to be placed on it. The plurality of containers (12) is also arranged in the vertical direction, either in a state of being placed on a tray (14) doubling as a lid body while being arranged side by side in the lateral direction, or in a state where the containers (12) arranged in the lateral direction are stacked. The upper openings (UA) of the plurality of containers (12) arranged side by side in the lateral direction on the near side in the vertical direction and those on the far side in the vertical direction are covered by separate trays (14) doubling as lid bodies, respectively.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a housing unit.

Background Art

[0002] There is known a lid-cum-tray that is used as a lid for a plurality of containers and also as a tray for the plurality of containers (see Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In the conventional configuration, the lid-cum-tray covers the upper sides of a plurality of rectangular cans arranged in the front-rear direction and the left-right direction with a single sheet. Therefore, there is room for improvement to enhance the versatility of the lid-cum-tray. Also, the size of the container covered by the lid-cum-tray is determined by the arrangement state of a plurality of positioning convex portions, and the size of the container accommodated in the lid-cum-tray is determined by the arrangement state of a plurality of partition walls. Therefore, the lid-cum-tray cannot be used as a lid or a tray for a plurality of containers of various sizes, and it is difficult to enhance the versatility of the lid-cum-tray.

[0005] One aspect of the present disclosure aims to enhance the versatility of the lid-cum-tray.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] A storage unit according to one aspect of the present disclosure is stackable vertically and comprises a plurality of containers for storing articles, each having an upwardly opening rectangular upper opening in plan view, and a lid-combined tray used as a lid to cover the upper opening of the plurality of containers and as a tray for placing the plurality of containers, wherein the lid-combined tray can be used as a lid to cover the upper opening of the plurality of containers arranged horizontally and can also place the plurality of containers arranged horizontally on it, and the plurality of containers are arranged vertically in a state where they are placed on the lid-combined tray in a state where they are arranged horizontally in a state where they are stacked horizontally in a state where they are arranged vertically in a state where they are arranged horizontally in a state where they are arranged vertically in a state where they are arranged horizontally in a state where they are arranged vertically in a state where they are arranged vertically on the front side and the upper opening of the plurality of containers arranged horizontally in a state where they are arranged vertically on the back side of the vertical direction is covered by a separate lid-combined tray.

[0007] According to the above configuration, when loading or unloading items from containers arranged horizontally on the front vertical side, or from containers stacked horizontally, only the lid / tray on the front vertical side needs to be operated, thereby improving work efficiency. Furthermore, since the lid / tray covers multiple containers arranged horizontally on the front vertical side or the back vertical side, or multiple containers stacked horizontally, it can be made smaller and lighter compared to covering all the arranged containers. Moreover, even if the stacking heights of the containers stacked horizontally on the front vertical side and the back vertical side are different, the lid / tray can cover the upper openings of each of the horizontally stacked containers. Therefore, the versatility of the lid / tray can be increased.

[0008] In a storage unit according to one aspect of the present disclosure, the container has a container body having a lateral opening that opens on at least one side in the vertical direction, and the plurality of containers arranged horizontally on the front side in the vertical direction are placed on the lid / tray with the lateral opening that opens on one side facing the front side in the vertical direction, or the plurality of containers are stacked with the lateral opening that opens on one side facing the front side in the vertical direction, and the plurality of containers arranged horizontally on the back side in the vertical direction are placed on the lid / tray with the lateral opening that opens on one side facing the back side in the vertical direction, or the plurality of containers are stacked with the lateral opening that opens on one side facing the back side in the vertical direction.

[0009] According to the above configuration, when loading or unloading items from multiple containers arranged horizontally on the front or back side in the vertical direction, or from multiple containers stacked horizontally, it can be easily done through the side opening that opens outwards in the vertical direction of each container.

[0010] In a storage unit according to one aspect of the present disclosure, the container has a door member that opens and closes the lateral opening, the container body has a pair of lateral openings that open on one side and the other side in the vertical direction, and guide grooves that guide each side end of the door member in the vertical direction from each side edge of the lateral opening on the other side to the upper end of the container body, and the lid / tray may be configured to cover the upper openings of the plurality of containers and to cover the upper part of the door member inserted into the corresponding guide grooves of the plurality of containers.

[0011] With the above configuration, when the lid-in-tray is used as the lid for multiple containers, the lid-in-tray covers the top of the door member, thereby suppressing the door member from lifting up and preventing items inside the container from falling out through the side opening on the other side.

[0012] A storage unit according to one aspect of the present disclosure comprises a pallet having a pair of end beams spaced apart laterally and an intermediate beam located between the pair of end beams, wherein the pallet has two placement areas formed on its upper surface for placing the lid / tray, and the plurality of containers may be configured to be placed on the placement areas via the lid / tray.

[0013] According to the above configuration, multiple containers can be placed on the top surface of a pallet in a horizontal and vertical arrangement via a tray that also serves as a lid, and can be transported via the pallet. [Effects of the Invention]

[0014] According to one aspect of this disclosure, the versatility of the lid-type tray can be increased. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0015] [Figure 1] This is an exploded perspective view of the storage unit according to this embodiment, showing multiple standard-sized containers arranged horizontally. [Figure 2] This is an exploded perspective view of the storage unit according to this embodiment, showing multiple large containers arranged horizontally. [Figure 3] This is an exploded perspective view of the storage unit according to this embodiment, showing how standard-sized containers are stacked horizontally. [Figure 4] This is an exploded perspective view of the storage unit according to this embodiment, showing how large containers are stacked in a horizontal arrangement. [Figure 5] This is a perspective view of the container according to this embodiment. [Figure 6] Figure 5 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the container shown. [Figure 7] This is a cross-sectional view along the line VII-VII in Figure 6. [Figure 8] Figure 5 is a partial cross-sectional perspective view of the door member side of the container shown. [Figure 9] This is a cross-sectional view along the line IX-IX in Figure 3. [Figure 10] This is a perspective view of the pallet also serving as a lid as viewed from above according to the present embodiment. [Figure 11] This is a perspective view of the pallet also serving as a lid as shown in FIG. 10 as viewed from below. [Figure 12] This is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along line XII-XII in FIG. 11. [Figure 13] This is a plan cross-sectional view of the storage unit shown in FIG. 1, showing a state where the tray also serving as a lid is partially broken. [Figure 14] This is a plan cross-sectional view of the storage unit shown in FIG. 2, showing a state where the tray also serving as a lid is partially broken. [Figure 15] This is an enlarged view of part XV in FIG. 13. [Figure 16] This is a cross-sectional view taken along line XVI-XVI in FIG. 15. [Figure 17] This is an enlarged view of part XVII in FIG. 13. [Figure 18] This is a cross-sectional view taken along line XVIII-XVIII in FIG. 17. [Figure 19] This is a perspective view of the pallet according to the present embodiment, showing a state where the tray also serving as a lid is placed.

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0016] Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. The horizontal direction refers to the horizontal direction of the lid / tray, the base, the container, the container body, or the pallet, and is one of the horizontal directions. The vertical direction refers to the vertical direction of the lid / tray, the base, the container, the container body, or the pallet, and is one of the horizontal directions perpendicular to the horizontal direction. The height direction refers to the height direction of the container or the container body, and is the vertical direction (up and down direction). The outward direction refers to the direction toward the outside of the container or the container body, and the inward direction refers to the direction toward the inside of the container or the container body. Rectangular shape is not limited to a strictly rectangular shape, but includes shapes that can be visually perceived as rectangular overall, even if, for example, the corners are curved. Rectangular frame shape is not limited to a strictly rectangular frame shape, but includes shapes that can be visually perceived as rectangular overall, even if, for example, the corners are curved or bent, or a part of it is divided. In the diagram, "CD" indicates the horizontal direction, "LD" indicates the vertical direction, and "HD" indicates the height direction.

[0017] [Overview of containment unit 10] Referring to Figures 1 to 4, an overview of the housing unit 10 according to this embodiment will be described.

[0018] As shown in Figures 1 to 4, the storage unit 10 according to Embodiment 1 is a unit for storing goods and is used, for example, in a logistics system for transporting or storing goods. The storage unit 10 shown in Figure 1 comprises a plurality of standard-sized containers 12 (12A) for storing goods, a tray 14 that also serves as a lid for the plurality of containers 12 (12A), and a tray 14 that also serves as a lid for the plurality of containers 12 (12A). The storage unit 10 shown in Figure 2 comprises a plurality of large-sized containers 12 (12B) for storing goods, a tray 14 that also serves as a lid for the plurality of containers 12 (12B), and a tray 14 that also serves as a lid for the plurality of containers 12 (12B).

[0019] The storage unit 10 shown in Figure 3 comprises multiple standard-sized containers 12 (12A), multiple lid-combination trays 14 to serve as lids for the multiple containers 12 (12A), multiple lid-combination trays 14 to serve as trays for the multiple containers 12 (12A), and a pallet 16 for transporting the multiple containers 12 (12A). The storage unit 10 shown in Figure 4 comprises multiple large-sized containers 12 (12B), multiple lid-combination trays 14 to serve as lids for the multiple containers 12 (12B), multiple lid-combination trays 14 to serve as trays for the multiple containers 12 (12B), and a pallet 16 for transporting the multiple containers 12 (12B).

[0020] [Specific composition of container 12] Next, the specific configuration of container 12 will be described with reference to Figures 5 to 9.

[0021] (Container 12, container body 18) As shown in Figures 5 and 6, the container 12 comprises a box-shaped container body 18, which is made of a resin such as polypropylene and is formed by injection molding. The constituent material of the container body 18 is not limited to resin, but may also be a metal such as aluminum. The manufacturing method of the container body 18 is not limited to injection molding, but may also be a manufacturing method other than injection molding.

[0022] (Bottom wall portion 20, side wall portion 22) As shown in Figures 5 to 7, the container body 18 has a rectangular bottom wall portion 20 in plan view that supports the article, and the bottom wall portion 20 extends in the vertical direction. The container body 18 has side wall portions 22 that rise from a pair of sides of the bottom wall portion 20 that are opposite each other in the horizontal direction. The pair of side wall portions 22 are opposite each other in the horizontal direction, and each side wall portion 22 extends in the vertical direction.

[0023] (Upper opening UA, side opening SA, LA) As shown in Figures 5 and 6, the container body 18 has an upper opening UA that opens upwards, a side opening SA that opens on one side in the vertical direction, and a side opening LA that opens on the other side in the vertical direction. The side opening LA of the container body 18 is connected to the upper opening UA. Note that the container body 18 does not need to have the other side opening LA if it has one side opening SA.

[0024] (Connection wall part 24, low wall part 26) As shown in Figures 5, 6, and 8, the container body 18 has a connecting wall portion 24 formed on the upper side of the lateral opening SA. The connecting wall portion 24 extends laterally and connects one end of a pair of side wall portions 22. The container body 18 also has a low wall portion 26 that rises from the lateral opening LA side of the bottom wall portion 20, and the low wall portion 26 is located below the lateral opening LA of the container body 18. The low wall portion 26 extends laterally and connects the other ends of a pair of side wall portions 22.

[0025] (Lower peripheral edge 18f, lower fitting portion 18p) As shown in Figures 6 and 7, the lower end surfaces of the pair of side wall portions 22, the lower end surface of the portion of the container body 18 that is outward from the lower edge of the lateral opening SA, and the lower end surface of the low wall portion 26 constitute the lower peripheral edge portion 18f of the container body 18 (container 12). A lower fitting portion 18p that protrudes downward is formed on the inside of the lower peripheral edge portion 18f of the container body 18. The lower fitting portion 18p of the container body 18 (container 12) corresponds to the lower part of the bottom wall portion 20. When the containers 12 are stacked, the lower fitting portion 18p of the upper container 12 is configured to fit into the upper opening UA of the lower container 12.

[0026] (Side wall recess 28, side wall protrusion 30) As shown in Figures 5 and 9, a downwardly recessed side wall recess 28 is formed near the lateral opening LA at the upper end of each side wall portion 22. The portion of each side wall recess 28 facing the upper opening UA is closed, while the portion opposite to the upper opening UA is open. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 7, a downwardly protruding side wall projection 30 is formed near the low wall portion 26 at the lower end of each side wall portion 22. As shown in Figure 9, when the containers 12 are stacked, the side wall projection 30 of the upper container 12 fits into the side wall recess 28 of the lower container 12.

[0027] With the above configuration, when the multiple containers 12 are stacked, the side wall protrusions 30 of the upper multiple containers 12 fit into the side wall recesses 28 of the lower multiple containers 12. This prevents misalignment between the upper and lower multiple containers 12.

[0028] (Door component 32) As shown in Figures 6 to 8, the container 12 is equipped with a rectangular door member 32 that opens and closes the lateral opening SA of the container body 18. The door member 32 extends laterally and is configured to be detachably attached to the container body 18. The door member 32 is made of a resin such as polypropylene and is formed by injection molding. The material of the door member 32 is not limited to resin, but may be a metal such as aluminum. The manufacturing method of the door member 32 is not limited to injection molding, but may be a manufacturing method other than injection molding.

[0029] (Door support section 33, guide groove 34, engagement groove 36) As shown in Figures 6 and 7, door support portions 33 are formed on the inside of each side wall portion 22 to support the inner surface of each side end of the door member 32, and the door support portions 33 extend vertically from the bottom wall portion 20 to the upper end of the container body 18. Guide grooves 34 are formed from each side edge of the lateral opening SA in the container body 18 to the upper end of the container body 18 to guide each side end of the door member 32 in the vertical direction (height direction). Each guide groove 34 extends vertically, and the height dimension of each guide groove 34 is set to be greater than the height dimension of the door member 32. In addition, an engagement groove 36 is formed on the lower edge of the lateral opening SA in the container body 18, which can engage with the lower end of the door member 32. The engagement groove 36 extends horizontally, and both ends of the engagement groove 36 are connected to the lower ends of the guide grooves 34, respectively.

[0030] (Bulging part 38, pinching part 40, locking projection 42) As shown in Figures 6 and 8, a bulge 38 is formed in the lateral center of the upper end of the door member 32, and the upper part of the bulge 38 serves as a handle for gripping. A gripping part 40 for pinching with the hand is formed on the upper part of the bulge 38. In addition, a locking projection 42 that can be locked to the lower end of the connecting wall 24 is formed on the outer surface of the bulge 38. The door member 32 is configured such that when the lateral opening SA of the container body 18 is closed, the locking projection 42 locks to the lower end of the connecting wall 24.

[0031] [Specific configuration of the lid / tray 14] Next, the specific configuration of the lid / tray 14 will be described with reference to Figures 1, 2, 9 to 18.

[0032] (Overview of the lid / tray 14) As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the lid / tray 14 is used as a lid to cover the upper opening UA of multiple containers 12 arranged horizontally, as described above, and also as a tray for placing the multiple containers 12 on. The lid / tray 14 is made of a resin such as polypropylene and is formed by injection molding. The constituent material of the lid / tray 14 is not limited to resin, but may also be a metal such as aluminum. The manufacturing method of the lid / tray 14 is not limited to injection molding, but may also be a manufacturing method other than injection molding.

[0033] (Combined base 44, support part 46, housing part 14p) As shown in Figures 10 to 12, the lid / tray 14 is equipped with a rectangular multi-purpose base 44. The multi-purpose base 44 extends laterally and is formed in a plate shape. The surface of the multi-purpose base 44 is the upper surface of the multi-purpose base 44, and the back surface of the multi-purpose base 44 is the lower surface of the multi-purpose base 44. A rectangular frame-shaped support portion 46 is formed on the periphery of the multi-purpose base 44 to support the lower peripheral edges 18f of a plurality of containers 12. The support portion 46 extends laterally and protrudes upward relative to the upper surface (surface) of the multi-purpose base 44. The support portion 46 has a flat upper surface portion 46a, an inner peripheral portion 46b located inside the upper surface portion 46a, and an outer peripheral portion 46c located outside the upper surface portion 46a. Furthermore, as shown in Figures 9 and 10, a housing section 14p is formed inside the support section 46 to accommodate the lower fitting sections 18p of multiple containers 12, and the housing section 14p extends laterally.

[0034] (Support recess 48, support protrusion 50) As shown in Figures 10 and 12, a pair of horizontally opposing sides of the support portion 46 each have downwardly recessed support recesses 48. The portion of each support recess 48 on the side facing the housing portion 14p is closed, while the portion of each support recess 48 opposite to the housing portion 14p is open. Also, as shown in Figures 11 and 12, a downwardly protruding support projection 50 is formed on the upper surface portion 46a of the support portion 46 directly below each support recess 48. As shown in Figures 9 and 13, when the lid / tray 14 covers the upper opening UA of the multiple containers 12, each support projection 50 is configured to fit into a side wall recess 28 of any of the multiple containers 12. When the multiple containers 12 are housed in the housing portion 14p, the lid / tray 14 is configured so that each support recess 48 fits into a side wall projection 30 of any of the multiple containers 12.

[0035] (Positioning projection 52) As shown in Figures 12 to 14, the lower surface (back surface) of the dual-purpose base 44 has multiple rectangular frame-shaped positioning protrusions 52 that protrude downward and are spaced apart along the lateral direction. Each positioning protrusion 52 can be fitted into the upper opening UA of the multiple containers 12 and has the function of positioning the containers 12 laterally relative to the dual-purpose base 44. Each positioning protrusion 52 has curved and bent portions at its corners, but is formed in a shape that is visually recognizable as a rectangular frame overall. Furthermore, as shown in Figures 13, 15, and 16, when the lid / tray 14 covers the upper opening UA of the multiple containers 12, each positioning protrusion 52 is configured to fit into the upper part of the corresponding guide groove 34 of the multiple containers 12 and be positioned on the upper side of the door member 32. Note that the portion 52e of each positioning protrusion 52 that fits into the guide groove 34 of the container 12 is formed in a shape that follows the guide groove 34 of the container 12.

[0036] As shown in Figure 12, the lower end surface of each positioning projection 52 is located on the same plane as the lower end surface of the outer circumference 46c of the support portion 46. As a result, the lower end surface of the outer circumference 46c of the support portion and the lower end surfaces of the multiple positioning projections 52 make contact with the ground, allowing multiple containers 12 to be stably placed on top of each other.

[0037] As shown in Figure 11, the multiple positioning protrusions 52 include two first positioning protrusions 52A having the same lateral dimension and two second positioning protrusions 52B having a smaller lateral dimension than the first positioning protrusions 52A. The two first positioning protrusions 52A are spaced apart in the lateral direction, and the two second positioning protrusions 52B are positioned between the two first positioning protrusions 52A.

[0038] As shown in Figure 13, when three standard-sized containers 12 are arranged horizontally, each first positioning projection 52A fits into the upper opening UA of the standard-sized container 12, and the two second positioning projections 52B also fit into the upper opening UA of the standard-sized container 12. Also, as shown in Figure 14, when two large-sized containers 12 are arranged horizontally, one first positioning projection 52A and one second positioning projection 52B fit into the upper opening UA of the large-sized container 12.

[0039] Furthermore, if the lateral dimension of the second positioning projection 52B is different from the lateral dimension of the first positioning projection 52A, it may be larger than the lateral dimension of the first positioning projection 52A. The number of first positioning projections 52A may be three or more, and the number of second positioning projections 52B may be one or three or more. If the lateral dimensions of multiple second positioning projections 52B are different from the lateral dimensions of the first positioning projection 52A, the lateral dimensions of multiple second positioning projections 52B do not have to be the same. The arrangement of the first positioning projections 52A and the second positioning projections 52B may also be changed as appropriate. Multiple positioning projections 52 are arranged in one row (one column) in the vertical direction, but they may be arranged in multiple rows (multiple columns) in the vertical direction.

[0040] (Regulation protrusion 54) As shown in Figures 13, 17, and 18, a downwardly projecting regulating projection 54 is formed between each pair of laterally adjacent positioning projections 52 on the lower surface of the dual-purpose base 44. When the lid / tray 14 covers the upper opening UA of the multiple containers 12, one of the regulating projections 54 is configured to fit into the side wall recesses 28 of each pair of laterally adjacent containers 12.

[0041] With the above configuration, when the lid / tray 14 covers the upper openings UA of multiple containers 12, one of the regulating protrusions 54 fits into the side wall recesses 28 of each pair of laterally adjacent containers 12. This prevents deformation of the upper openings UA and lateral openings LA of the multiple containers 12.

[0042] (Base protrusion 56) As shown in Figure 11, the lower surface of the dual-purpose base 44 has two base protrusions 56 that protrude downward, and the two base protrusions 56 are spaced apart laterally. The two base protrusions 56 are components for positioning the lid / tray 14 relative to the pallet 16.

[0043] [Composition of Palette 16, etc.] Next, the configuration of the pallet 16 will be explained with reference to Figures 3, 4, and 19.

[0044] (Overview of Palette 16) As shown in Figures 3, 4, and 19, the pallet 16 is used when transporting (carrying) multiple containers 12 by a forklift (not shown). The pallet 16 is made of a resin such as polypropylene and is formed by injection molding. The constituent material of the pallet 16 is not limited to resin, but may also be a metal such as aluminum. The manufacturing method of the pallet 16 is not limited to injection molding, but may also be a manufacturing method other than injection molding. The constituent material of the pallet 16 is not limited to resin or metal, but may also be wood.

[0045] (Placement area SF, pallet recess 58) As shown in Figure 19, the upper surface of the pallet 16 has two mounting areas SF for placing multiple containers 12. In other words, the upper surface of the pallet 16 has two mounting areas SF for placing the lid / tray 14. Each mounting area SF of the pallet 16 has two downwardly recessed pallet recesses 58, and the two pallet recesses 58 are spaced apart laterally. Each pallet recess 58 of the pallet 16 can be fitted into each base protrusion 56 of the dual-purpose base 44.

[0046] (End girder section 60, intermediate girder section 62, fork insertion passage 64) As shown in Figures 4 and 19, the pallet 16 has a pair of end beams 60 spaced apart laterally, and each end beam 60 extends in the vertical direction. The pallet 16 also has an intermediate beam 62 located between the pair of end beams 60, and the intermediate beam 62 extends in the vertical direction. A fork insertion passage 64 for inserting forklift forks is formed between laterally adjacent end beams 60 and intermediate beams 62. The storage unit 10 is configured such that when multiple containers 12 are placed on each placement area SF of the pallet 16 via the lid / tray 14, a portion of each second positioning projection 52B is positioned above the intermediate beam 62. Note that each end beam 60 may be divided in the vertical direction, and the intermediate beam 62 may also be divided in the vertical direction.

[0047] With the above configuration, when multiple containers 12 are placed on each mounting area SF of the pallet 16 via the lid / tray 14, a portion of each second positioning projection 52B is positioned above the intermediate beam 62. When multiple containers 12 are placed on each mounting area SF of the pallet 16 via the lid / tray 14, a portion of one side of each second positioning projection 52B and a portion of the side intersecting that side are positioned above the intermediate beam 62. As a result, multiple large containers 12 (12B) with large lateral dimensions are supported spanning between the end beam 60 and the intermediate beam 62. This prevents deformation of the pallet 16 and allows for stable transport of multiple containers 12 (12B) using the pallet 16. In particular, because a portion of one side of each second positioning projection 52B and a portion of the side intersecting that side are positioned above the intermediate beam 62, multiple containers 12 (12B) can be transported more stably.

[0048] (Effects of this embodiment) Next, the effects and advantages of this embodiment will be explained.

[0049] As described above, a rectangular frame-shaped support portion 46 is formed on the periphery of the dual-purpose base 44 to support the lower peripheral edges 18f of multiple containers 12. Inside the support portion 46, a storage portion 14p is formed to accommodate the lower fitting portions 18p of multiple containers 12. Therefore, the lid / tray 14 can be used as a tray for placing multiple standard-sized containers 12 (12A) with small lateral dimensions, or as a tray for placing multiple large-sized containers 12 (12B) with large lateral dimensions. The lid / tray 14 can also be used as a tray for placing multiple containers 12 with different lateral dimensions. Furthermore, the spacing between the containers 12 can be reduced to improve the loading efficiency (stack efficiency) of the containers 12 on the lid / tray 14.

[0050] As described above, multiple rectangular frame-shaped positioning protrusions 52 are formed on the lower surface of the multi-purpose base 44, which can be fitted into the upper openings UA of multiple containers 12. Therefore, when the lid / tray 14 is used as a lid for the upper openings UA of multiple containers 12, the multiple containers 12 can be positioned relative to the lid / tray 14 while reducing the spacing between the containers 12.

[0051] As described above, the multiple positioning protrusions 52 include two first positioning protrusions 52A with the same lateral dimensions and two second positioning protrusions 52B with smaller lateral dimensions than the first positioning protrusions 52A. Therefore, the lid / tray 14 can be used as a lid to cover the upper opening UA of multiple standard-sized containers 12 (12A) with small lateral dimensions, or as a lid to cover the upper opening UA of multiple large-sized containers 12 (12B) with large lateral dimensions. The lid / tray 14 can also be used as a lid to cover the upper opening UA of multiple containers 12 with different lateral dimensions.

[0052] Therefore, according to this embodiment, it is possible to improve the loading efficiency (stacking efficiency) of the container 12 onto the lid / tray 14 while also increasing the versatility of the lid / tray 14.

[0053] According to the configuration of the storage unit 10 in this embodiment, when the lid-tray 14 covers the upper opening UA of the multiple containers 12, each positioning projection 52 fits into the upper part of the corresponding guide groove 34 of the multiple containers 12 and is positioned above the door member 32. Therefore, when the lid-tray 14 is used as a lid for the multiple containers 12, it is possible to suppress the lifting of the door member 32 and prevent the items from falling out of the side opening SA of the containers 12 during transport.

[0054] Furthermore, when the lid-combined tray 14 covers the upper opening UA of multiple containers 12, each support projection 50 fits into a side wall recess 28 of any of the multiple containers 12. Therefore, when the lid-combined tray 14 is used as a lid for multiple containers 12, misalignment of the multiple containers 12 relative to the lid-combined tray 14 can be prevented. Additionally, when multiple containers 12 are placed in the storage section 14p of the lid-combined tray 14, each support recess 48 fits into a side wall projection 30 of any of the multiple containers 12. Therefore, when the lid-combined tray 14 is used as a tray for multiple containers 12, misalignment of the multiple containers 12 relative to the lid-combined tray 14 can be prevented.

[0055] Therefore, according to this embodiment, whether the lid-and-tray 14 is used as a lid for multiple containers 12, or as a tray for multiple containers 12, the goods can be transported (carried) stably.

[0056] [Additional Notes] The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications are possible within the scope of the claims. Embodiments obtained by appropriately combining the technical means disclosed in the embodiments are also included in the technical scope of the present invention. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0057] 10 containment units 12 containers 12A Standard-sized container 12B Large-sized container 14. Lid / Tray 16 Palettes 18 Container body 18f Lower peripheral edge 18p Lower fitting part 20 Bottom wall section 22 Side wall section UA upper opening SA side opening LA lateral opening 24 Connecting wall section 26 Low wall section 28 Side wall recess 30 Side wall protrusion 32 Door components 33 Door support section 34 Guide grooves 36 Engagement groove 38 Bulge 42 Locking protrusion 44 Dual-purpose base 46 Support part 46a Top part 46b Inner circumference 46c outer periphery 14p Detention area 48 Support recess 50 Support protrusion 52 Positioning protrusion 52A First positioning projection 52B Second positioning protrusion 54 Restriction protrusion 56 Base protrusion SF mounting area 58 Pallet recess 60 End girder 62 Intermediate girder section 64 Fork insertion passage

Claims

1. It is stackable vertically and has a rectangular top opening in plan view that opens upwards, and has multiple containers for storing articles. A storage unit comprising a tray that serves as both a lid and a tray, which is used to cover the upper openings of the plurality of containers and as a tray for placing the plurality of containers, The aforementioned lid-and-tray can be used as a lid to cover the upper openings of the multiple containers arranged horizontally, and can also be used to place the multiple containers arranged horizontally on top of it. The aforementioned multiple containers are arranged in a row horizontally on the lid / tray, or in a row horizontally stacked on top of each other, and are also arranged vertically. A storage unit characterized in that the upper openings of the plurality of containers arranged horizontally on the front side in the vertical direction and the plurality of containers arranged horizontally on the back side in the vertical direction are each covered by a separate lid-also serving tray.

2. The container has a container body having a lateral opening that is open on at least one side in the vertical direction. The plurality of containers, arranged horizontally on the front side in the vertical direction, are placed on the lid / tray with the lateral opening facing the front side in the vertical direction, or the plurality of containers are stacked with the lateral opening facing the front side in the vertical direction. The storage unit according to claim 1, characterized in that the plurality of containers arranged horizontally at the rear in the vertical direction are placed on the lid / tray with the lateral opening that opens to one side facing the rear in the vertical direction, or the plurality of containers are stacked with the lateral opening that opens to one side facing the rear in the vertical direction.

3. The container has a door member that opens and closes the side opening, The container body is A pair of lateral openings having one side and the other side open in the vertical direction, From each side edge of the side opening on the other side to the upper end of the container body, there are guide grooves that guide each side end of the door member in the vertical direction, The aforementioned lid / tray is, The storage unit according to claim 2, characterized in that when it covers the upper openings of the plurality of containers, it is configured to cover the upper part of the door member inserted into the corresponding guide groove of the plurality of containers.

4. The pallet comprises a pair of end beams spaced apart laterally, and an intermediate beam located midway between the pair of end beams. The pallet has two mounting areas formed on its upper surface for placing the lid / tray, The storage unit according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the plurality of containers are placed in the aforementioned storage area via the lid-also serving tray.

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