container

JP7939678B2Active Publication Date: 2026-10-22SANKO CO LTD
View PDF 6 Cites 0 Cited by

Patent Information

Application Number
JP2022191036
Authority / Receiving Office
JP · JP
Patent Type
Patents
Current Assignee / Owner
Filing Date
2022-11-30
Publication Date
2026-10-22
Estimated Expiration
2042-11-30

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

【0006】 本開示の容器では、指先を掛けることが可能な内側指掛部が、側壁兼用扉の先端側の内面に配置されている。そして、その側壁兼用扉の内面は、側壁兼用扉が扉収容空間に収容された状態で上を向くので、内側指掛部に対して上方から指を掛けて手前に引いて、側壁兼用扉を扉収容空間から引き出すことができる。これにより、本開示の容器では、摘み部を摘まんで引っ張る従来のものに比べて指が滑り難くなり、扉収容空間に収容されている側壁兼用扉を容易に引き出すことができる。

✦ Generated by Eureka AI based on patent content.

Smart Images

  • Figure 0007939678000001
    Figure 0007939678000001
  • Figure 0007939678000002
    Figure 0007939678000002
  • Figure 0007939678000003
    Figure 0007939678000003
Patent Text Reader

Abstract

To provide a container that has a side wall and door which is stored in a door storage space and can be easily drawn out.SOLUTION: A container 10 is in a box shape on the whole, and one of side walls is a side wall and door 30 serving as a door, wherein the side wall and door 30 is operated to rotate outward about a base end side into a horizontal posture, and then stored in a door storage space 11K below a bottom surface 12A. Then a tip end-side inner surface of the side wall and door 30 is provided with an inner finger hook part 72 where a finger tip is hooked so as to drawn out the side wall and door 30 stored in the door storage space 11K.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 17
Need to check novelty before this filing date? Find Prior Art

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a container that has a box-like shape as a whole, and a plurality of side walls include a side wall that also serves as a door.

Background Art

[0002] As a conventional container of this type, there is known a container in which the side wall that also serves as a door is pivoted outward around its base end side to a horizontal posture, and then slid and inserted into a door storage space provided below the bottom surface. This container is also provided with a tab-shaped grip portion protruding from the upper surface of the side wall that also serves as a door. When pulling out the side wall that also serves as a door stored in the door storage space, the grip portion is pinched and pulled so as to be sandwiched from above and below (for example, refer to Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

[0058] )

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, the above-described conventional container has a problem that if the force for pinching the grip portion is weak, the finger slips, making it difficult to pull the side wall that also serves as a door. In response to this, there is a demand for the development of a container that allows the side wall that also serves as a door stored in the door storage space to be easily pulled out.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0005] The container of this disclosure is box-shaped overall and has a bottom wall and a plurality of side walls, the plurality of side walls include a side wall that also serves as a door, a door housing space for housing the side wall that also serves as a door is provided below the bottom surface, the side wall that also serves as a door is rotated outward around its base end to a horizontal position and then slid into the door housing space, and the inner surface of the tip side of the side wall that also serves as a door is provided with an inner finger grip for which a fingertip can be placed to pull out the side wall that also serves as a door housing space. [Effects of the Invention]

[0006] In the container of this disclosure, an inner finger grip portion, on which a fingertip can be placed, is positioned on the inner surface of the front end of the side wall / door. The inner surface of the side wall / door faces upward when the side wall / door is housed in the door storage space, so the side wall / door can be pulled out of the door storage space by placing a fingertip on the inner finger grip portion from above and pulling it towards the user. As a result, in the container of this disclosure, compared to conventional containers where a handle is grasped and pulled, the fingertip is less likely to slip, and the side wall / door housed in the door storage space can be easily pulled out. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0007] [Figure 1] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, (A) a perspective view of a container, (B) a perspective view of the container with the side wall / door in a horizontal position, [Figure 2] (A) Perspective view of the container with the side wall / door housed inside, (B) Perspective view of the container in a folded state [Figure 3] Decomposed perspective view of the container [Figure 4] Perspective view of the underside of the base [Figure 5] (A) Exploded perspective view of the support section of the side wall / door, (B) Perspective view of the support section of the side wall / door [Figure 6] (A) Perspective view of the support portion of the side wall / door, (B) Perspective view of the lower side of the support portion of the side wall / door [Figure 7] Perspective view of the internal protrusion [Figure 8] Partially broken perspective view of a door that also serves as a side wall. [Figure 9] Partial fracture perspective view of the container [Figure 10] (A) Perspective view of the door-side restricting projection, (B) Perspective view of the interference projection [Figure 11] (A) Side cross-sectional view of the door-side restricting projection and inner projection of the side wall / door in an upright position, (B) Side cross-sectional view of the door-side restricting projection and inner projection of the side wall / door in an inclined position [Figure 12] (A) Side cross-sectional view of the interference projection of the side wall / door and the regulating projection on the main body in an upright position, (B) Side cross-sectional view of the interference projection of the side wall / door and the regulating projection on the main body in an inclined position [Figure 13] (A) Side cross-sectional view of a container with the side wall / door in a horizontal position, (B) Side cross-sectional view of a container with the side wall / door housed inside. [Figure 14] Perspective view of a container containing a side wall that also serves as a door. [Figure 15] (A) Perspective view showing the contact state between the side wall / door and the stopper, (B) Perspective view showing the engagement state between the retaining engagement part and the stopper wall. [Figure 16] Perspective view showing an example of container use. [Figure 17] Side cross-sectional view of the front end of the container housing the side wall / door. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0008] A container 10 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 17. As shown in Figure 1(A), the container 10 is box-shaped (rectangular parallelepiped) as a whole, and one of its side walls is a side wall / door 30 that also serves as a door. As shown in Figure 1(B), the side wall / door 30 rotates outward around its base end, and when it is in the horizontal position shown in the same figure, it becomes slidable toward the door storage space 11K below the bottom surface 12A, as shown in Figure 2(A). The container 10 can also be folded, as shown in Figure 2(B).

[0009] As described above, the container 10 of the present embodiment is divided into a container base 11 mainly composed of a bottom wall 12, a side wall-doubling door 30, a pair of first side walls 20 on both sides of the side wall-doubling door 30, a second side wall 25 facing the side wall-doubling door 30, and a ceiling member 90 so that its form can be changed (see FIG. 1(B)).

[0010] As shown in FIG. 3, the container base 11 includes a pair of first lower side walls 13 and a second lower side wall 14 that surround the bottom wall 12 from three sides. The pair of first lower side walls 13 extend parallel to the first horizontal direction H1, and stand vertically relative to a horizontal floor surface or the like on which the container 10 is placed. In addition, the first lower side walls 13 are in a flat shape with a low height relative to their total length.

[0011] On the other hand, the second lower side wall 14 extends in a second horizontal direction H2 orthogonal to the first horizontal direction H1, and connects one longitudinal end portion on the inner side surfaces of the pair of first lower side walls 13. The second lower side wall 14 is also in a flat shape with a low height relative to its total length. Further, the lower surface of the second lower side wall 14 and the lower surfaces of the pair of first lower side walls 13 are arranged flush (see FIG. 4), and the upper surface of the second lower side wall 14 is located below the upper surfaces of the pair of first lower side walls 13 (see FIG. 3).

[0012] In the following description, the "first horizontal direction H1" is referred to as the "front-rear direction H1", the "second horizontal direction H2" is referred to as the "lateral direction H2", and further, the side where the second lower side wall 14 is disposed in the front-rear direction H1 is referred to as the "rear side", and the opposite side is referred to as the "front side". In addition, in the description of the structures of the first side wall 20, the second side wall 25, and the side wall-doubling door 30, unless otherwise specified, the positional relationship in the up-down direction and the front-rear direction H1 will be described on the assumption that they are in an upright posture.

[0013] As shown in FIG. 3, the bottom wall 12 has a structure in which a reinforcing portion 15, a shaft support box 16 and the like are provided at the front edge of a quadrangular, horizontal flat plate-shaped bottom wall main body 12H. The bottom wall main body 12H is disposed at an intermediate position in the height direction of the second lower side wall 14, and the outer edge portions of its three sides are connected to the inner surfaces of the pair of first lower side walls 13 and the second lower side wall 14.

[0014] As shown in Figure 4, the reinforcing section 15 has a box-shaped structure that extends in the lateral direction H2, is flattened in the vertical direction, and has an open bottom surface. The reinforcing section 15 is located in front of the entire front edge of the bottom wall body 12H, excluding both ends. As shown in Figure 17, the rear side wall of the reinforcing section 15 is bent upward at a right angle from the front end of the bottom wall body 12H. The lower end of the front side wall of the reinforcing section 15 is located above the top surface of the bottom wall body 12H. As shown in Figure 3, the front surface of the reinforcing section 15 is positioned near the front end of the pair of first lower side walls 13, and the front end of the bottom wall body 12H is located slightly behind it.

[0015] As shown in Figure 4, a pair of side connecting walls 18 are provided on the extensions of the lateral direction H2 of the wall portion of the reinforcing section 15 that is bent upward at a right angle from the front end of the bottom wall body 12H, connecting the reinforcing section 15 and the first lower side wall 13 (only one side connecting wall 18 is shown in Figure 4). As shown in Figure 5(A), the side connecting wall 18 protrudes higher from the bottom wall 12 than the reinforcing section 15, and the end on the reinforcing section 15 side protrudes forward in a stepped manner and is thickened.

[0016] The shaft support box 16 is formed from the aforementioned thickened portion of the reinforcing portion 15, an opposing wall 16D facing it from the front, a ceiling wall 16E connecting the upper edges of the thickened portions of the opposing wall 16D and the side connecting wall 18, and a shaft support wall 16A (see Figure 6(B)) perpendicular to the thickened portions of the opposing wall 16D and the side connecting wall 18, and facing the first lower side wall 13. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 6(B), the shaft support wall 16A has a U-shaped support groove 16B that is open at the top, and the lower part of the support groove 16B is semicircular.

[0017] As shown in Figure 6(A), the front surface of the shaft support box 16 is located midway along the front-rear direction H1 on the side surface of the reinforcing portion 15. The main body side restricting projection 17 is provided in front of the front surface of the shaft support box 16. In this disclosure, everything in the container 10 except the side wall / door 30 corresponds to the "container body," and in that sense, the names of the components provided in parts other than the side wall / door 30 include the phrase "main body side," as in the "main body side restricting projection 17" described above.

[0018] The main body-side restricting projection 17 is, for example, a horizontal, flat, strip-shaped plate extending in the front-rear direction, and is connected to the front surface of the shaft support box 16 and the side surface of the reinforcing part 15, respectively. The front end of the main body-side restricting projection 17 has a semicircular cross-section and is equipped with a sliding contact surface 17G that curves forward. The foremost part of the sliding contact surface 17G is located in the same plane as the front surface of the reinforcing part 15 and is positioned approximately in the center of the front surface of the reinforcing part 15 in the vertical direction.

[0019] As shown in Figure 5(A), each first lower side wall 13 has a support hole 59 formed at a position facing the shaft support box 16. As shown in Figure 6(A), the outer surface of the support hole 59 is rectangular, and as shown in Figure 5(A), the inner surface of the support hole 59 is circular. Furthermore, the central axis of the circular portion of the support hole 59 coincides with the central axis of the semicircle at the bottom of the support groove 16B (see Figure 12(A)) mentioned above.

[0020] As shown in Figure 4, a pair of lower end ribs 60 protrude from the lower edges of the inner surfaces of a pair of first lower side walls 13. Each lower end rib 60 is a strip-shaped plate that extends along the entire longitudinal direction of the first lower side wall 13, and its rear end is connected to the second lower side wall 14. A notch 60A is formed near the front end of the lower end rib 60. Furthermore, the upper surface of the lower end rib 60 in front of the notch 60A is inclined upward as it approaches the rear.

[0021] A pair of stoppers 61 are provided near the rear end of a pair of lower end ribs 60. As shown in Figure 15(A), the stoppers 61 are rib-shaped, protruding from the first lower side wall 13 and extending vertically, connecting the lower end ribs 60 and the bottom wall 12. Also, as shown in Figure 4, a pair of retaining engagement parts 62 are provided on the lower surface of the bottom wall 12 at a position slightly in front of the pair of stoppers 61. As shown in Figure 15(B), the retaining engagement parts 62 have a ridge-like shape with an arc-shaped cross-section and extend laterally in the direction H2 on both sides of the lower surface of the bottom wall 12. In this embodiment, the "door holding part" described in the appendix below includes the stoppers 61, the retaining engagement parts 62, and the lower end wall 39 of the rail of the side wall / door 30 described later.

[0022] As shown in Figure 3, the second side wall 25 is a rectangle with the same width as the entire length of the second lower side wall 14 and stands upright on the second lower side wall 14. The second side wall 25 also has a plurality of hinge legs 26 hanging down from its lower surface, which are rotatably engaged with a plurality of hinge recesses 14A provided in the second lower side wall 14. A pair of first side walls 20 are rectangles with the same width as the entire length of the first lower side wall 13 and stand upright on the first lower side wall 13. Similar to the second side wall 25, they have a plurality of hinge legs 21 on their lower surface, which are rotatably engaged with a plurality of hinge recesses 13A in the first lower side wall 13. The second side wall 25 can be folded by rotating it inward by approximately 90 degrees around its lower end, and then the pair of first side walls 20 can be folded by rotating them inward by approximately 90 degrees around their lower ends.

[0023] Furthermore, recesses 27 are formed at both the upper and lower ends of the outer portion of the second side wall 25, and engaging projections 27A protrude from each recess 27 (Figure 3 shows only one pair of recesses 27 on one side). Correspondingly, a pair of projections 22 protrude inward from the side edge of each first side wall 20 on the second side wall 25 side, and engaging holes 22A are formed in these projections 22. When the pair of first side walls 20 and second side walls 25 are in an upright position, the projections 22 fit into the recesses 27, and the engaging projections 27A engage with the engaging holes 22A.

[0024] Each first side wall 20 has an inner projection 29 at the upper front corner of its inner surface. As shown in Figure 7, the inner projection 29 has first to sixth wall sections 80 to 85 parallel to the lateral direction H2, and these wall sections 80 to 85 include a first wall section 81 for restricting the sliding descent of the side wall / door 30 (described later) and a third wall section 83 for restricting the forward movement of the ceiling member 90 (described below).

[0025] Specifically, the third wall portion 83 is arranged parallel to the vertical direction and has an upper surface flush with the upper surface of the main body 20H of the first side wall 20. The first wall portion 81 is positioned diagonally below and in front of the third wall portion 83 and slopes downward as it approaches the front. The front end of the second wall portion 82, which is bent forward at a right angle from the lower end of the third wall portion 83, is connected from the rear to a position near the upper end of the first wall portion 81, and the upper end of the first wall portion 81 protrudes from the first wall portion 81 to form a locking projection 86. The surface of the locking projection 86 has an upwardly bulging curved shape, and the rear portion of the surface of the locking projection 86 is a locking surface 86B into which the downward projection 41 of the side wall / door 30 (described later) engages. The front surface of the first wall portion 81 forms the main body side restricting surface 81A and is continuous with the front portion of the surface of the locking projection 86.

[0026] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 11(A), the fourth wall portion 84 is bent at a right angle forward from the upper end of the third wall portion 83. A gap is formed between the fourth wall portion 84 and the main body 20H of the first side wall 20 to receive the rib 42 of the side wall / door 30 (see Figure 10(B)), which will be described later. Also, as shown in Figure 11(A), the fifth wall portion 85 hangs downward from the front end of the fourth wall portion 84 and abuts against the locking projection 86 from above with a gap between them. Furthermore, the sixth wall portion 80 hangs vertically downward from the lower end of the first wall portion 81. The front surface of the sixth wall portion 80 is located behind the front surface of the main body 20H.

[0027] As shown in Figure 1, the ceiling member 90 is rectangular and, as shown in Figure 9, has an outer frame wall 91 hanging down from its outer edge and an inner frame wall 92 hanging down from a position offset inward from the outer frame wall 91. The outer frame wall 91 and the inner frame wall 92 are connected by a plurality of connecting ribs 93 (see Figure 11(A)). Furthermore, the inner frame wall 92 protrudes slightly larger downward than the outer frame wall 91. The outer frame wall 91 and the plurality of connecting ribs 93 are placed on the upper surfaces of a pair of first side walls 20 and second side walls 25, and the inner frame wall 92 is fitted inside the pair of first side walls 20 and second side walls 25. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 2(B), when the pair of first side walls 20 and second side walls 25 are folded, the outer frame wall 91 and the multiple connecting ribs 93 are placed on the upper surface of the pair of first lower side walls 13, and the inner frame wall 92 is fitted inside the pair of first lower side walls 13.

[0028] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 1, the ceiling member 90 has an upper projection 94 formed by a stepped projection 94 on the inner portion of the upper surface above the outer edge. Additionally, a pair of upper projections 95 protrude from the upper edge of the upper surface of the ceiling member 90, from the portion above the pair of first side walls 20. As shown in Figure 16, when multiple containers 10 are stacked, the upper projections 94 of the lower containers 10 fit between the pair of lower end ribs 60 of the upper containers 10, and the upper projections 95 engage with the inner surface of a recess (see Figure 4) that opens to the lower surface of the first lower side wall 13, preventing the containers 10 from shifting laterally. Figure 16 shows an example in which multiple containers 10 are used as a rack or shoe rack, etc.

[0029] The pair of support holes 59 mentioned above are fitted with the rotating support members 55 shown in Figure 5(A). The rotating support member 55 has a structure in which a round rod-shaped rotating support portion 55B extends from a rectangular parallelepiped base portion 55A, and is fitted into the support holes 59 from the outer surface side of the first lower side wall 13. An elastic locking piece 55C is provided on the upper surface of the base portion 55A. The elastic locking piece 55C of the rotating support member 55 engages with the support hole 59 to prevent it from coming out, and as shown in Figure 6(B), the rotating support portion 55B protrudes from the inner surface side of the first lower side wall 13, and its tip is supported by the support groove portion 16B.

[0030] A slider 50, as shown in Figure 5(A), is rotatably supported in each rotating support portion 55B. The slider 50 has a structure in which a slide engagement portion 51 and a rotating sleeve 53 are integrally formed in a rotating relay portion 52 having a through hole 52A through which the rotating support portion 55B passes. The external shape of the rotating relay portion 52, when viewed from the axial direction of the rotating support portion 55B, is a shape in which a semicircle is attached to one end of a rectangle, and the thickness (the axial size of the rotating support portion 55B) is substantially uniform. Furthermore, the rotating sleeve 53 protrudes from the semicircular base end of the rotating relay portion 52 on the side opposite to the first lower side wall 13, and the aforementioned through hole 52A passes through the rotating relay portion 52 and the rotating sleeve 53. Then, as shown in Figure 6(B), the rotating sleeve 53 is abutted against the aforementioned axial support wall 16A. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 5(B), when the rotating relay section 52 hangs directly downward from the pivot point, it is adjacent to the front surface of the side connecting wall 18, and its rotation to the rear from that point is restricted.

[0031] As shown in Figure 5(A), the slide engagement portion 51 is flat and block-shaped, extending parallel to and longer than the rotating sleeve 53 from the tip of the rotating relay portion 52. The thickness direction of the slide engagement portion 51 is parallel to the rotational radius direction of the rotating relay portion 52. Furthermore, the width of the slide engagement portion 51 is slightly smaller than the width of the rotating relay portion 52, and the center of the slide engagement portion 51 in the width direction is positioned to coincide with the center of the rotating relay portion 52 in the width direction. When the rotating relay portion 52 hangs directly downward from the rotating support portion 55B, the slide engagement portion 51 is positioned lower than the bottom wall 12.

[0032] As shown in Figure 1, the side wall / door 30 is a rectangle with a width that fits perfectly between the pair of first side walls 20. The main plate portion 31 of the side wall / door 30 that partitions the container 10 into the inside and outside has a stepped portion 31D at a position near the outer edge of the entire surface, except for the center of the upper edge. The outer portion of the main plate portion 31 protrudes outward relative to the inner portion surrounded by the stepped portion 31D. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 9, an outer edge rib 33 protrudes outward from the lower edge of the main plate portion 31, a pair of outer edge ribs 34 protrude outward from both side edges of the main plate portion 31, and an outer edge rib 32 protrudes outward from the upper edge of the main plate portion 31.

[0033] As shown in Figure 8, the upper outer edge rib 32 corresponds to the "door tip side rib" described in the appendix below, and at the position directly above the stepped portion 31D, it protrudes slightly on the inner side to form a pair of finger-grip projections 32U. In other words, the stepped portion 31D described above forms a pair of inner recesses 72U on both sides of the central part in the lateral direction H2 on the outer edge of the tip of the door 30 which also serves as a side wall, and a part of the inner surface of this pair of inner recesses 72U is formed by a part of the outer edge rib 32. The portion above the stepped portion 31D that forms the pair of inner recesses 72U (including the finger-grip projections 32U) forms a pair of inner finger-grip portions 72.

[0034] Furthermore, in the central part of the side wall / door 30 sandwiched between a pair of inner recesses 72U in the lateral direction H2, a finger-grip projection 32T is provided, which protrudes directly downward from the tip of the portion of the outer edge rib 32 that protrudes outward from the main plate portion 31, as shown in Figure 9. The finger-grip projection 32T and the central part of the outer edge rib 32 form the outer finger-grip portion 71. Note that the portion of the outer edge rib 32 that protrudes outward from the side wall / door 30 corresponds to the "outer protrusion" described in the appendix below.

[0035] As shown in Figure 8, a pair of rail sections 35 are provided on both sides of the inner surface of the side wall / door 30. Each rail section 35 comprises a first projection 36 that extends rearward and vertically from the main plate section 31, a second projection 37 that is bent outward at a right angle from the tip of the first projection 36, and a reinforcing projection 38 that protrudes rearward from the tip of the second projection 37. The first projection 36 is positioned adjacent to the side of each side step section 31D, and the tip of the second projection 37 is positioned away from the side surface of the side wall / door 30.

[0036] Then, as explained at the beginning, the side wall / door 30 is supported so that it can rotate and slide, by slidably fitting the slide engagement portions 51 of the pair of sliders 50 into the pair of slide grooves 35M formed between the second protruding walls 37 of the pair of rail portions 35 and the main plate portion 31.

[0037] A pair of rail lower end walls 39 are provided at the lower ends of both sides of the side wall / door 30. As shown in Figure 10(B), the rail lower end wall 39 is a projection that extends a portion of the outer edge rib 33 (see Figure 9) at the lower end backward. One end of the rail lower end wall 39 in the lateral direction H2 protrudes slightly laterally from the reinforcing projection 38, while the other end is perpendicular to the first projection wall 36 and does not protrude inward from the first projection wall 36. The second projection wall 37 and the reinforcing projection 38 are also perpendicular to the rail lower end wall 39, and the lower end of the sliding groove 35M between the second projection wall 37 and the main plate portion 31 is closed by the rail lower end wall 39.

[0038] As shown in Figure 1(B), a pair of door-side restricting protrusions 40 are provided at the upper ends of both sides of the side wall / door 30. As shown in Figure 10(A), the door-side restricting protrusions 40 are projecting pieces that extend from the main plate portion 31 at a position offset downward from the outer edge rib 32. One end of the door-side restricting protrusion 40 in the lateral direction H2 is flush with the side surface of the side wall / door 30, and the other end is perpendicular to the first protruding wall 36 and does not protrude inward from the first protruding wall 36. In addition, the second protruding wall 37 and the reinforcing protrusion 38 are perpendicular to the door-side restricting protrusion 40, and the upper end of the sliding groove portion 35M is closed by the door-side restricting protrusion 40.

[0039] As shown in Figure 10(A), a downward projection 41 is provided at the tip of the lower surface of the door-side regulating projection 40, laterally from the rail portion 35. The downward projection 41 has a semicircular cross-section and extends in the lateral direction H2. In addition, a pair of ribs 42 rise from both side edges in the lateral direction H2 on the upper surface of the door-side regulating projection 40, connecting the main plate portion 31 and the door-side regulating projection 40. One rib 42 is located on the extension of the first projection wall 36, and the other rib 42 is located on the extension of the outer edge rib 34.

[0040] As shown in Figure 8, interference protrusions 43 are provided at the lower ends of each of the opposing surfaces of a pair of rail sections 35. As shown in Figure 10(B), the interference protrusions 43 protrude in a stepped manner from the first protruding wall 36 of the rail section 35, and their front portions are connected to the main plate section 31. The interference protrusions 43 also extend from the lower end of the main plate section 31 to a position slightly above the lower stepped portion 31D. The size of the interference protrusion 43 in the front-rear direction H1 is the same as the first protruding wall 36 at the upper end of the interference protrusion 43, and gradually decreases as it goes downwards. The rearward-facing surface of the interference protrusion 43 is the door-side regulating surface 44. The door-side regulating surface 44 is a concave curved surface that recesses forward and is inclined to go forward as it goes downwards.

[0041] This concludes the explanation of the configuration of the container 10 in this embodiment. Next, the operation and effects of this container 10 will be explained. To lower the side wall / door 30, which is in an upright position as shown in Figure 1(A), simply place your palm upwards, hook your fingers onto the finger-grip projection 32T (see Figure 9) of the outer finger-grip portion 71 from below, and pull it towards you. Then, the side wall / door 30 rotates together with the pair of sliders 50 around the pivot support portion 55B. When the side wall / door 30 has rotated approximately 90 degrees from the upright position to the horizontal position shown in Figures 1(B) and 13(A), the pivot relay portion 52 of the slider 50 overlaps the side connecting wall 18 of the container base 11 from the front (see Figure 5(B)), and the slider 50 and the side wall / door 30 can no longer rotate.

[0042] To house the side wall / door 30 into the door storage space 11K, the horizontally positioned side wall / door 30 is pushed backward. This causes the side wall / door 30 to slide backward due to the relative sliding of the pair of rail sections 35 and the pair of sliders 50, as shown in Figures 2(A) and 13(B). Then, as shown in Figure 15(A), the side wall / door 30 (specifically, the outer edge rib 33 of the side wall / door 30) contacts the pair of stoppers 61 on the rear side of the door storage space 11K, positioning it in the completed storage position. Also, just before the side wall / door 30 reaches the completed storage position, the pair of lower rail walls 39 of the side wall / door 30 slide against the pair of retaining engagement sections 62 on the underside of the bottom wall 12 and pass beneath them (see Figure 15(B)). As a result, the side wall / door 30 is held in the fully retracted position, preventing the side wall / door 30 housed in the door retraction space 11K from coming out of the door retraction space 11K due to vibration or the like. In this embodiment, the side wall / door 30 is positioned in the fully retracted position by contact with the stopper 61, and is held in that fully retracted position by the engagement of the rail lower end wall 39 and the retaining engagement part 62, so that the inner finger grip part 72 is positioned in a position where it is easy to grip, as will be described later.

[0043] To pull out the side wall / door 30 in the fully retracted position from the door storage space 11K, one can simply hook the fingertips of, for example, the index or middle finger onto one or both of the pair of inner finger grips 72 of the side wall / door 30 shown in Figure 14 from above or diagonally above and pull it towards oneself. At this time, the front end of the side wall / door 30 protrudes slightly forward from the bottom wall 12, as shown in Figure 17. Furthermore, a reinforcing portion 15 is provided at the front end of the bottom wall 12, and the lower surface of the front end of the reinforcing portion 15 is located above the upper surface of the bottom wall body 12H. In addition, the inner finger grip 72 is provided with an inner recess 72U, which is formed by recessing the inner surface of the main plate portion 31 of the side wall / door 30, at a position below the front end of the reinforcing portion 15. Furthermore, because an inner recess 72U is formed in the outer edge rib 32, the tip surface (rear surface) of the finger-grip projection 32U that protrudes to the inner surface of the side wall / door 30 is shifted forward from the rear surface of the entire outer edge rib 32 (see Figure 8). As a result, in the part of the side wall / door 30 where a pair of inner finger-grip portions 72 are provided, the opening of the gap between the bottom wall 12 and the side wall / door 30 in the door storage space 11K is widened, making it easy to place fingertips on the inner finger-grip portion 72 from above or diagonally above.

[0044] Then, by placing your fingertips on the inner finger grip portion 72 and pulling it towards you, the engagement between the aforementioned retaining engagement portion 62 and the lower end wall 39 of the rail is released, and the side wall / door 30 moves forward. Then, the sliding engagement portion 51 of the slider 50 comes into contact with the lower end wall 39 of the rail of the side wall / door 30 (see Figure 6(B)), and the side wall / door 30 is positioned in the fully extended position shown in Figure 13(A).

[0045] Furthermore, when the horizontal side wall / door 30 is positioned in a location other than the fully extended position, even if the front end of the side wall / door 30 is lifted, the portion of the side wall / door 30 behind the slider 50 interferes with the lower end rib 60 and therefore does not rotate. When the side wall / door 30 is positioned in the fully extended position, such interference disappears, and the side wall / door 30 becomes rotatable together with the pair of sliders 50.

[0046] To change the horizontal side wall / door 30 to an upright position, insert your hand under the horizontal side wall / door 30 with your palm facing upward and hook your fingertips onto the finger-hook projection 32T of the outer finger-hook portion 71, or, with your index or middle fingertip on the inner finger-hook portion 72, hook your thumb, for example, onto the outer edge rib 32 from the outer surface of the side wall / door 30, thereby moving the tip of the side wall / door 30 upward. Then, as shown in Figure 12(B), when the side wall / door 30 is raised to a predetermined first angle and in an inclined position, a pair of main body-side restricting projections 17 of the container base 11 abut against the door-side restricting surfaces 44 of the pair of interference projections 43 of the side wall / door 30, and each main body-side restricting projection 17 and each door-side restricting surface 44 overlap in the longitudinal direction H3 of the rail portion 35. As shown in Figure 12(A), while the side wall / door 30 is raised to a first angle or more, the sliding contact surface 17G at the tip of the main body side regulating projection 17 slides against the door side regulating surface 44. As a result, after the side wall / door 30 has been raised to the first angle, it will no longer slide downward, and the rotation of the side wall / door 30 will be stabilized. In addition, it will no longer be necessary to lift the side wall / door 30 in order to rotate it, making it easier to operate.

[0047] Then, when the side wall / door 30 is raised further from the first angle to a second angle, as shown in Figure 11(B), a pair of door-side restricting protrusions 40 (including downward-facing protrusions 41) of the side wall / door 30 abut against the main body-side restricting surfaces 81A of the pair of first side walls 20, and each door-side restricting protrusion 40 and each main body-side restricting surface 81A overlap in the longitudinal direction H3 of the rail section 35. While the side wall / door 30 is raised to the second angle or beyond, the downward-facing protrusions 41 of the door-side restricting protrusions 40 move while sliding in contact with the main body-side restricting surfaces 81A, thereby restricting the sliding descent of the side wall / door 30. In other words, when the side wall / door 30 is raised to a second angle or more, the sliding descent of the side wall / door 30 is restricted by both interference between the main body side restricting projection 17 and the door side restricting surface 44, and interference between the door side restricting projection 40 and the main body side restricting surface 81A, along the longitudinal direction H3 of the rail section 35.

[0048] Then, when the side wall / door 30 approaches the upright position, pushing the side wall / door 30 backward causes the downward projection 41 of the door-side restricting projection 40 to ride up onto the locking projection 86, causing the door-side restricting projection 40 to elastically deform upward. When the side wall / door 30 reaches the upright position, as shown in Figure 11(A), the main plate portion 31 of the side wall / door 30 abuts against the front surface 80A of the sixth wall portion 80 on the inner surface projection 29 of the pair of first side walls 20, and the downward projection 41 passes through the locking projection 86 and engages with the locking surface 86B on the rear side of the locking projection 86. This holds the side wall / door 30 in the upright position. The main body-side restricting surface 81A also serves as a guide to lead the downward projection 41 into engagement with the locking surface 86B.

[0049] As described above, in the container 10 of this embodiment, an inner finger grip portion 72 on which a fingertip can be placed is located on the inner surface of the front end of the side wall / door 30. The inner surface of the side wall / door 30 faces upward when the side wall / door 30 is housed in the door storage space 11K, so the side wall / door 30 can be pulled out of the door storage space 11K by placing a fingertip on the inner finger grip portion 72 from above and pulling it towards the user. As a result, in the container 10 of this embodiment, compared to conventional containers where a handle is grasped and pulled, the fingertip is less likely to slip, and the side wall / door 30 housed in the door storage space 11K can be easily pulled out.

[0050] Furthermore, in the container 10 of this embodiment, a part of the main plate portion 31 of the side wall / door 30 bulges outward and recesses inward, forming an inner recess 72U. Since the inner surface of the inner recess 72U is the inner finger rest portion 72, the tip of a finger placed on the inner finger rest portion 72 is received by the inner recess 72U, allowing the finger to be placed deeply on the inner finger rest portion 72. Moreover, since the outer edge rib 32 of the side wall / door 30 protrudes inward from the side wall / door 30 and becomes part of the inner finger rest portion 72, the outer edge rib 32 is effectively utilized.

[0051] Furthermore, since a finger-grip projection 32T extends from the tip of the portion of the outer edge rib 32 that protrudes outward from the main plate portion 31 of the side wall / door 30 toward the base end of the side wall / door 30, forming an outer finger-grip portion 71, the side wall / door 30 can be opened and closed by placing a finger on the finger-grip projection 32T of the outer finger-grip portion 71 even from the outside of the side wall / door 30.

[0052] Furthermore, since the inner finger grip portion 72 and the outer finger grip portion 71 are alternately aligned and offset in the lateral direction of the side wall / door 30, each finger grip portion can be enlarged in the thickness direction of the side wall / door 30, allowing fingers to be placed more deeply on each finger grip portion.

[0053] [Other embodiments] (1) Although the container 10 in the above embodiment had a ceiling member 90, it may not have a ceiling member 90 and its top surface may be open.

[0054] (2) In the above embodiment, the door storage space 11K was open at the bottom, but it may also be closed at the bottom.

[0055] (3) Although the container 10 in the above embodiment was foldable, it may not be foldable.

[0056] (4) In the above embodiment, one of the multiple side walls of the container 10 served as a side wall / door 30, but two opposing side walls may also serve as side walls / doors. Alternatively, a portion of any of the side walls in the lateral direction may serve as a side wall / door.

[0057] (5) In this embodiment, the container 10 had an outer finger grip portion 71 in the lateral center of the side wall / door 30 and inner finger grip portions 72 on both sides thereof, but it may also have an inner finger grip portion 72 in the lateral center and outer finger grip portions 71 on both sides thereof.

[0058] (6) In this embodiment, the container 10 is provided with an outer finger rest 71 and an inner finger rest 72, but it may also be configured to have only an inner finger rest 72. In that case, the number of inner finger rests 72 may be one or more.

[0059] (7) In this embodiment, the inner finger grip portion 72 of the container 10 was partially formed by the outer edge rib 32 at the upper end of the side wall / door 30. Alternatively, an inner recess 72U may be formed at a position lower than the outer edge rib 32 at the upper end, and the inner finger grip portion 72 may be formed on the inner surface of the inner recess 72U.

[0060] (8) In this embodiment, the inner finger grip portion 72 of the container 10 had an inner recess 72U, but the inner finger grip portion 72 may be formed by a projection that simply protrudes from the inner surface of the side wall / door 30, without having an inner recess 72U.

[0061] (9) In the above embodiment, the front surface of the portion of the side wall / door 30 in which the inner finger grip portion 72U is formed was located behind the tip surfaces of the outer edge ribs 32, 33, 34 (see Figure 8), but it may also be located in front of the tip surfaces of the outer edge ribs 32, 33, 34. However, if the front surface of the portion of the side wall / door 30 in which the inner finger grip portion 72U is formed is located behind or flush with the tip surfaces of the outer edge ribs 32, 33, 34, the side wall / door 30 can be smoothly housed in the door storage space 11K.

[0062] <Note> The following describes the features extracted from the above embodiments, showing their effects and other details as needed. For ease of understanding, the corresponding components in the above embodiments are indicated in parentheses; however, these features are not limited to the configurations indicated in parentheses.

[0063] [Feature 1] The container (10) is box-shaped overall and has a bottom wall (12) and a plurality of side walls (20, 25, 30), the plurality of side walls (20, 25, 30) include a side wall / door (30) that also serves as a door, a door housing space (11K) for housing the side wall / door (30) is provided below the bottom surface (12A), the side wall / door (30) is rotated outward around its base end to a horizontal position and then slid into the door housing space (11K), and the inner surface of the tip end of the side wall / door (30) is provided with an inner finger grip (72) on which a fingertip can be placed to pull out the side wall / door (30) that is housed in the door housing space (11K).

[0064] In the container of Feature 1, an inner finger grip is located on the inner surface of the front end of the side wall / door, allowing the user to place their fingertips on it. The inner surface of the side wall / door faces upward when the side wall / door is housed in the door storage space, so the user can place their fingers on the inner finger grip from above and pull it towards them to pull the side wall / door out of the door storage space. As a result, in the container of Feature 1, the user's fingers are less likely to slip compared to conventional containers where the user grips and pulls, making it easier to pull out the side wall / door housed in the door storage space.

[0065] [Feature 2] The container (10) according to Feature 1, wherein the side wall / door (30) is provided with a main plate portion (31) that separates the inside and outside of the container (10), and an inner recess (72U) formed by a part of the main plate portion (31) bulging outward and recessed inward, and the inner surface of the inner recess (72U) is the inner finger grip portion (72).

[0066] In the container of Feature 2, a portion of the main plate of the side wall / door bulges outward and recesses inward, forming an inner recess. The inner surface of the inner recess serves as an inner finger rest, so the tip of a finger placed on the inner finger rest is received by the inner recess, allowing the finger to be placed deeply on the inner finger rest.

[0067] [Feature 3] The container (10) according to Feature 1, wherein the side wall / door (30) is provided with a main plate portion (31) that separates the inside and outside of the container (10), a door tip rib (32) that extends laterally at the tip of the side wall / door (30) and protrudes outward from the main plate portion (31), and an inner recess (72U) in which the portion of the main plate portion (31) along the door tip rib (32) bulges outward and is recessed inward, and a part of the inner surface of the inner recess (72U) formed by the door tip rib (32) is the inner finger grip portion (72).

[0068] [Feature 4] The container (10) according to Feature 1, wherein the side wall / door (30) includes a main plate portion (31) that separates the inside and outside of the container (10), and a door tip rib (32) that extends laterally at the tip of the side wall / door (30) and is perpendicular to the main plate portion (31), and at least a part of the door tip rib (32) protrudes inward from the main plate portion (31) to form the inner finger grip portion (72).

[0069] In containers with features 3 and 4, the rib on the front edge of the door, which also serves as a side wall, protrudes inward from the side wall and door, forming an inner finger grip, thus enabling effective use of the rib on the front edge of the door.

[0070] [Feature 5] The container (10) according to feature 4, wherein the door tip side rib (32) includes an outer projection that protrudes to the outside of the side wall / door (30), and a finger grip projection (32T) extends from the tip side of the outer projection toward the base end side of the side wall / door (30).

[0071] In the container of Feature 5, a finger-grip projection extends from the tip of the rib on the door's leading edge that protrudes outward from the side wall / door, toward the base end of the side wall / door. Therefore, even from the outside of the side wall / door, the side wall / door can be opened and closed by placing a finger on the finger-grip projection.

[0072] [Feature 6] The container (10) according to Feature 1, wherein the outer surface of the side wall / door (30) is provided with an outer finger rest (71) on which fingertips can be placed from below when the side wall / door (30) is in an upright position, and either the inner finger rest (72) or the outer finger rest (71) is positioned in the lateral center of the side wall / door (30), and the other finger rest is positioned on both sides of the first finger rest.

[0073] According to the container of Feature 6, the inner finger grips and outer finger grips are alternately aligned and offset in the lateral direction of the side wall / door, so that each finger grip can be enlarged in the thickness direction of the side wall / door, and fingers can be placed more deeply in each finger grip.

[0074] [Feature 7] A container (10) according to any one of features 1 to 6, comprising door holding parts (39, 61, 62) that hold the side wall / door (30) in a state where it is housed in the door housing space (11K).

[0075] In the container of Feature 7, the side wall / door is held in place within the door storage space by the door holding mechanism, preventing the side wall / door from coming out of the door storage space due to vibration or other factors.

[0076] 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]

[0077] 10 containers 11K Door Storage Space 12 Bottom wall 12A bottom 30 Side wall / door 31 Main plate part 32. Outer edge rib (door tip side rib) 32T finger hook protrusion 38 Reinforcement protrusions 39. Lower wall of rail (door holding part) 61 Stopper (door retaining part) 62 Retaining engagement part (door holding part) 71 Outer finger rest 72 Inner finger rest 72U Inner recess

Claims

1. In a container having a box shape overall, with a bottom wall and multiple side walls, the multiple side walls include side wall-integrated doors that also serve as doors, a door housing space is provided below the bottom surface for housing the side wall-integrated doors, and the side wall-integrated doors are rotated outward around their base end to a horizontal position, and then slid into the door housing space, A container provided with an inner finger grip on the front end side of the side wall / door, which is used as both a side wall and a door, for gripping the fingertips to pull out the side wall / door that is housed in the door storage space.

2. The aforementioned side wall / door is provided with a main plate portion that separates the inside and outside of the container, and an inner recess in which a part of the main plate portion bulges outward and is recessed inward. The container according to claim 1, wherein the inner surface of the inner recess is the inner finger rest.

3. The aforementioned side wall / door includes a main plate portion that separates the inside and outside of the container, a door tip rib that extends laterally at the tip of the side wall / door and protrudes outward from the main plate portion, and an inner recess in which the portion of the main plate portion along the door tip rib bulges outward and is recessed inward. The container according to claim 1, wherein a portion of the inner surface of the inner recess, formed by the door tip side rib, is the inner finger grip portion.

4. The aforementioned side wall / door includes a main plate portion that separates the inside and outside of the container, and a door tip rib that extends laterally at the tip of the side wall / door and is perpendicular to the main plate portion. The container according to claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the rib on the door tip side protrudes inward from the main plate portion and forms the inner finger grip portion.

5. The aforementioned door tip side rib includes an outward projection that protrudes to the outside of the door which also serves as a side wall, The container according to claim 4, further comprising a finger-grip projection extending from the tip side of the outer protrusion toward the base end side of the side wall / door.

6. The outer surface of the door which also serves as a side wall is provided with an outer finger rest that allows fingertips to be placed from below when the door is in an upright position. The container according to claim 1, wherein either the inner finger grip portion or the outer finger grip portion is positioned in the lateral center of the side wall / door, and the other finger grip portion is positioned on both sides of the first finger grip portion.

7. The container according to any one of claims 1 to 6, further comprising a door holding part for holding the side wall / door in a state where it is housed in the door housing space.

Citation Information

Patent Citations

  • JP1992086720U

  • Cabinet

    JP2000125958A

  • Wooden box for setting paper sheets in order

    JP2003174941A

  • Folding container

    JP2007161258A

  • Pallet for packing glass plate

    JP2010143599A