JP2023151713A - container - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a collapsible container that can be easily folded to a smaller size and at the same time prevent a deformation of an opening of the container in use.SOLUTION: A container 1 comprises an underside part 2 made of a soft material and a side-face part 3 consisting of a first side-face pair and a second side-face pair. An upper-side bag part 6 is located at an upper side of the side-face part 3, to receive an upper-side support member 9. On the upper-side bag part of the second side-face pair to be folded when not used, two upper-side support members are arranged in a state spaced from each other. Furthermore, the container 1 is located with a fixing member 10 nearly centrally in a peripheral direction of the upper-side bag part. The container 1 becomes rectangular at the upper face thereof by the fixing member 10 linearly fixing the second upper-side bag part.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

The present invention relates to containers. In particular, the present invention relates to a container that can be folded when not in use, and can accommodate items inside while maintaining the shape of the opening when in use.

2. Description of the Related Art Containers for storing garbage and the like are known that can be folded when not in use, and can be unfolded and open at the top when in use. The inventors have so far invented a rectangular prism-shaped container with foldable sides, and disclosed it in Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2.

The container of Patent Document 1 has a rectangular lower surface made of a flexible material and two sets of opposing side surfaces, and has a substantially cubic shape with an open top surface when in use. be. The container of Patent Document 1 can be folded when not in use by rotating the upper side of the side portion clockwise or counterclockwise in a plan view so that the upper side and the side side are stacked on top of each other.

The container of Patent Document 2 also includes a lower surface made of a flexible material and two sets of opposing side surfaces. The container of Patent Document 2 can be folded when not in use by bending inward the circumferential center of the two opposing side surfaces and the approximate center of two sides of the bottom surface connected to the two side surfaces. can.

Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2016-150747 JP2019-26266A

The folding method applied to the container of Patent Document 1 is suitably applied to a container having a cubic shape as a whole. However, in the case of a rectangular parallelepiped-shaped container with different dimensions of depth and width, it is difficult to fold it using this method. On the other hand, the folding method applied to the container of Patent Document 2 is also applicable to containers having different dimensions in the depth direction and width direction. However, in the case of a container in which the dimensions of the folded side surface portion and the non-folded side surface portion are significantly different, there is a possibility that the folded portion may be bent during use and the shape of the opening portion may be deformed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a foldable container that can be easily folded and downsized when not in use, and at the same time can prevent the opening of the container from deforming when in use.

The present invention relates to a container that can be folded when not in use, and can stably maintain the shape of its opening when in use.
The container of the present invention includes a lower surface portion made of a flexible material that takes on a rectangular shape when in use, and four side portions made of a flexible material and connected to the four sides of the lower surface portion to form side surfaces during use. ing. The side surface portions include a first side surface portion and a third side surface portion having substantially the same shape facing each other to form a first side surface pair, and a second side surface portion and a fourth side surface portion having substantially the same shape forming a first side surface pair. They face each other to form a second pair of sides. Further, the container of the present invention includes a first upper side bag section disposed on the upper side of the first side pair, a first upper side support member disposed on the first upper side bag section, and a first upper side bag section disposed on the upper side of the first side pair. It includes a second upper side pouch portion disposed on the upper side, and two second upper side support members disposed within each second upper side pouch portion. The second upper side supporting member is formed with a dimension shorter than one-half of the upper side of the second side surface portion, and is arranged in a state separated from each other within the second upper side bag portion. In the container of the present invention, the fixing member is disposed approximately at the circumferential center of the second upper side bag portion, and when not in use, the fixing member is placed approximately at the circumferential center of the second side pair and at the second side pair. Approximately the center of the two sides of the connected lower surface portion is bent inward to be folded. When in use, the fixing member linearly fixes the second upper side bag portion, so that the upper surface of the container becomes rectangular.

The fixing member of the container of the present invention includes a pedestal portion fixed near the circumferential center of the second upper bag portion, and one end portion of which is separated from the pedestal portion by the circumferential center of the second upper bag portion. and a movable part whose other end extends to a position overlapping with the pedestal part, and by overlapping and joining the pedestal part and the end of the movable part, the second upper side bag part is formed. It is preferable to fix it in a straight line.

Preferably, the fixing member of the container of the present invention includes a hook-and-loop fastener or a magnet for connecting the pedestal and the movable part.

The container of the present invention has a first lower side support member disposed on each of the two sides of the lower side that connects to the first side pair, and a first lower side support member that is placed on each of the two sides of the lower side that connects to the second side pair. It is preferable that the device further includes a second lower side support member having a lower side and a side support member disposed along a boundary between adjacent side parts.

In the container of the present invention, a second side pair consisting of a second side surface section and a fourth side surface section among the four side sections is provided with a second upper side bag section, respectively, and the second upper side bag section Two second upper side support members are housed in each bag portion. The second upper side supporting member is formed with a dimension shorter than one-half of the upper side of the second side surface portion, and is arranged in a state separated from each other within the second upper side bag portion. As a result, when the second pair of side surfaces is folded, no support member is present at the bending point approximately in the center in the circumferential direction. As a result, the side portion can be easily folded when not in use, and the entire container can be made smaller with a simple operation.

On the other hand, during use, the fixing member fixes the upper side of the container in a straight line, so that the upper surface of the container can reliably maintain its rectangular shape and prevent the entire container from losing its shape. Since the fixing member stabilizes the shape of the top surface of the container during use, it is possible to make the entire container larger than before.

The fixing member of the container of the present invention has a pedestal part fixed to the center of the second upper bag part, and the other end part extends to a position overlapping the pedestal part. a movable part fixed to the top bag part, the second top bag part can be extended linearly, and at the same time, the pedestal part and the movable part can be easily fixed, and the top part of the container can be shaped into a rectangular shape. can be fixed to. Furthermore, with such a configuration of the fixing member, the entire container can be stored in a flat state without the fixing member becoming bulky when folded when not in use.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the container of the first embodiment when in use (in an unfolded state). FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the container of the first embodiment in a transition state between use and non-use, with the other end side of the capping part of the fixing member separated from the pedestal part. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the container of the first embodiment when it is not in use (in a folded state). FIG. 4(a) is a partial perspective view of the second side surface portion, and FIG. 4(b) is a partial perspective view of the joint portion of the first side surface portion and the fourth side surface portion. FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the container of the second embodiment when in use (in an unfolded state).

The present invention will be explained with reference to the drawings. The embodiments described below are all preferred specific examples of the present invention, but the present invention is not limited to the following embodiments, and can be modified as appropriate without departing from the spirit thereof. .

The directions and positions indicated by "top", "bottom", "center", etc. included in the names of the members of the container of the present invention correspond to the directions and positions when the container is unfolded and erected in a usable state. There is. The "vertical" direction corresponds to the vertical direction when the container is stood up. "Circumferential direction" refers to the direction along the outer periphery of the opening at the top of the container.

<First embodiment>
A container 1, which is a first embodiment of the container of the present invention, will be described. FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of the container 1 in use. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the container of the first embodiment in a transition state between use and non-use. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the container of the first embodiment when not in use, that is, in a folded state.

As shown in FIG. 1, the container 1 is made of a flexible material and includes a lower surface portion 2 that is rectangular in use, and four side surfaces 3a, 3b, 3c, and 3d. The side surface portions 3a and 3c have the same shape and are arranged to face each other, forming a first side surface pair 3a, 3c. The side surface portion 3b and the side surface portion 3d have the same shape and are arranged to face each other, forming a second side surface pair 3b, 3d. Hereinafter, the first pair of side surfaces 3a, 3c and the second pair of side surfaces 3b, 3d are also collectively referred to as the side surface portion 3.

In the container 1, a storage space is formed inside by a lower surface portion 2 and a side surface portion 3. When in use, the container 1 has a rectangular shape with an open top, and its height is defined by the length of the vertical ridge line formed by the sides of the side surface portions 3. The circumferential dimension, that is, the length of the upper side, of the side surfaces 3a and 3c is the same as or longer than the circumferential dimension of the side surfaces 3b and 3d. When the lengths of the sides of the lower surface part 2 and the side parts 3 are all formed to be substantially the same, the container 1 has a cubic shape. When the lengths of the upper sides of the side parts 3a and 3c and the side parts 3b and 3d are different, or when the length of the sides of the lower part 2 and the height of the side part 3 are different, the container 1 has a rectangular parallelepiped shape.

The lower surface portion 2 and the side surface portion 3 are made of the same flexible material made of net-like (ie, net-like or mesh-like) or sheet-like resin or cloth. The lower surface portion 2 and the side surface portion 3 may be formed of a single piece of material, or may be made of a composite material in which different materials are connected by stitching or welding. When the lower surface portion 2 and the side surface portions 3 are formed of a net-like material, wind can pass through, so that an effect of not blowing away even outdoors can be obtained. When formed from a sheet-like material, it is possible to obtain the effect of blocking wind, rain and light. As the net-like material, recycled PET resin is preferably used from the viewpoint of strength and environmental protection. Alternatively, acrylic mesh, ester tarpaulin, etc. can be used. Polyethylene is suitably used as the sheet material.

When not in use, the side surface portions 3b and 3d are bent inward and folded at a center line 13 approximately at the center in the circumferential direction, as shown in FIG. The lower surface portion 2 is bent inward and folded around a straight line 14 connecting the center of the lower side of the side surface portion 3b and the center of the lower side of the side surface portion 3d. Although not essential, by forming creases along the center lines 13 and 14 in advance on the side surface 3 and bottom surface 2 of the container 1, the container 1 can be folded more neatly without folding.

In the container 1 of this embodiment, a flexible reinforcing member is arranged on the upper side of the side surface portion 3 to form the upper side pouch portion 6, and a hard upper side support member 9 is housed in the bag portion 6 and closed. This defines the shape of the opening at the time. Upper side bag parts 6a, 6c are arranged on the upper sides of the side parts 3a, 3c, and one upper side supporting member 9a, 9c is arranged therein, respectively. An upper side bag part 6b is arranged on the upper side of the side part 3b, and two upper side supporting members 9b, 9b are arranged therein. An upper side bag part 6d is arranged on the upper side of the side part 3d, and two upper side support members 9d, 9d are arranged therein. Both the upper side support member 9b and the upper side support member 9d are formed with a dimension shorter than half of the upper side of the second side pair 3b, 3d, and within the second upper side bag portions 6b, 6d, They are arranged in series and spaced apart from each other. Note that for convenience of explanation of the arrangement, the upper bag portion 6 is labeled with numerals a to d for each side portion arranged, but the inside of the upper bag portion 6 may be in communication.

As the reinforcing member forming the upper bag portion 6, a sheet-like resin material or cloth is suitably used. The most preferred material is polyethylene sheet. The reinforcing member can be fixed to the upper side of the side part 3 by suturing, welding, adhesive bonding, or any other method used for fixing, but when the side part 3 is formed of a net-like material is most suitable for fixation with sutures. Incidentally, in order to simply explain the configuration, the upper bag portion 6 is distinguished by a reference numeral for each side portion, but it is also possible to form the entire upper bag portion 6 with a single reinforcing member. be.

The fact that the two upper support members 9b and 9d are accommodated in the upper bag parts 6b and 6d of the side parts 3b and 3d at a distance from each other is effective for folding the entire container 1 into a flat state. It is. FIG. 4(a) shows a partially enlarged view of the vicinity of the center of the upper side of the side surface portion 3b. The two upper support members 9b in the upper bag portion 6b do not reach the center of the upper side of the side surface portion 3b, and are arranged at a distance without their tips touching each other. Similarly, the two upper side support members 9d in the upper side bag portion 6d do not reach the center position of the upper side of the side portion 3d, but are spaced apart from each other. That is, in the upper bag portions 6b and 6d, regions of a certain length on both sides of the center line 13 are hollow. When the container 1 is folded, the upper bag portions 6b and 6d, which are hollow near the center line 13, are folded without being bulky like the other portions, as shown in FIG.

In the container 1 of this embodiment, the lower side bag part 4 made of the same material as the upper side bag part 6 is arranged on the four sides of the lower surface part 2. A side pouch portion 5 made of the same material as the top pouch portion 6 is arranged on the side of the side portion 3. One lower side support member 7a, 7c is arranged in each of the lower side pocket parts 4a, 4c of the side parts 3a, 3c. A side support member 8 is arranged inside the side bag portion 5. One lower side support member 7b, 7d is arranged in each of the lower side pocket parts 4b, 4d of the side parts 3b, 3d.

The upper side support members 9a, 9b, 9c, 9d, the side support members 8, and the lower side support members 7a, 7c are rod-shaped or flat plate-shaped rigid members made of resin or metal, and are used for transition between use and non-use. In the process, bending (elastic deformation) occurs, but it has the strength to not undergo plastic deformation. The most suitable material for these supporting members is fiber reinforced plastic. By providing side support members 8, the container 1 can stand on its own during use.

The lower side support members 7a and 7c serve to stabilize the shape and serve as a weight for the lower surface portion 2. On the other hand, the lower side support members 7b and 7d need to be stable in shape and at the same time movable to follow the movement of the lower surface section 2 which is folded upward when not in use. For this reason, it is preferable that the lower side support members 7b and 7d are made of a flexible material that is lighter than the lower side support members 7a and 7c. For the lower side support members 7b and 7d, a dip cord, which is a lead-containing rope, or a similar cable is preferably applied.

FIG. 4(b) shows an enlarged view of a joint portion between the side surface portion 3a and the side surface portion 3d as an example. Both ends of the upper bag portions 6a, 6b, 6c, and 6d have almost the same structure as shown in FIG. 4(b). The end of the upper side pouch 6 does not reach the end of the upper side supporting member 9, and is in a hollow state. Similarly, hollow regions where the lower side supporting members 7a, 7c are not arranged are also provided at both ends of the lower side bag parts 4a, 4c (not shown). In order to put the container 1 into a state when not in use, the four vertical ridges are bent so that the adjacent side parts are overlapped. At this time, both ends of the lower bag part 4 and the upper bag part 6 are Since it is hollow, it can be folded flat like the other parts without being bulky.

A fixing member 10 is disposed approximately in the circumferential center of the upper bag portions 6b and 6d on the inner surface of the container 1, respectively. The upper bag portions 6b, 6d are provided with portions that are wider in the vertical direction than the upper bag portions 6a, 6c in order to fix the fixing member 10. The fixed member 10 includes a base portion 11 and a movable portion 12. When the container 1 is used, the fixing member 10 linearly fixes the upper bag portions 6b and 6d, thereby stabilizing the rectangular opening on the upper surface of the container.

As shown in FIG. 4A, the pedestal portion 11 is fixed to the inner surface of the container 1 at approximately the center in the circumferential direction of the upper bag portion 6, that is, near the center line 13. One end of the movable part 12 is fixed at a position substantially in the center of the upper bag part 6 and separated from the pedestal part 11 by a center line 13. The other end of the movable part 12 is a free end that is not fixed. During use, when the upper bag portions 6b, 6d of the container 1 are expanded linearly, at least a portion of the movable portion 12 extends to a position where it overlaps and contacts the surface of the pedestal portion 11.

The fixed member 10 includes a hook-and-loop fastener or a magnet for connecting the base portion 11 and the movable portion 12. In the most preferred embodiment, the pedestal portion 11 is composed of a loop side 11a of the hook-and-loop fastener, and the hook side 12a of the hook-and-loop fastener is fixed to the surface of the movable portion 12 that overlaps with the pedestal portion 11. In an alternative embodiment, the pedestal part 11 is made of a magnet, and a magnet with a different magnetic pole from that of the pedestal part 11 is fixed to the movable part 12.

The movable part 12 is coupled to the pedestal part 11 to prevent the upper bag parts 6b and 6d from bending at the center in the circumferential direction and fix the upper sides of the side parts 3b and 3d in a straight line. The main part of the movable part 12 is composed of a resin flat plate. The preferred material for the main part is a flat plate made of polypropylene. Furthermore, it is most preferable that the movable part 12 has a structure in which the outside of the main part, which is a flat resin plate, is wrapped in a sheet-shaped resin material or cloth, which is a reinforcing member, and the main part is covered with the reinforcing member. Such a movable part 12 functions as a component of the fixed member 10 by fixing the reinforcing member at one end to the upper bag part 6 and attaching a hook-and-loop fastener or a magnet to the reinforcing member at the other end. do.

The operation of the fixing member 10 when the container 1 in an unused state is transferred to a used shape will be described. When the container 1 is not in use, the side parts 3b and 3d are folded up, and the fixing member 10 protrudes from the upper bag part 6 in which the free end side of the movable part 12 is folded up, as shown in FIG. When in use, the upper bag parts 6b, 6d are spread out and the upper support members 9b, 9d therein are arranged in a straight line, so that the movable part 12 follows the movement of the upper bag parts 6b, 6d and supports the pedestal. It overlaps and is bonded to the surface of the portion 11. The container 1 can be constructed by expanding the upper bag parts 6b, 6d and arranging the inner upper support members 9b, 9d in a straight line without performing any special work on the fixing member 10. 11 and the movable part 12 are combined, and the shape of the upper surface is fixed to a rectangular shape. As a result, the entire container 1 is stabilized in the shape of a rectangular parallelepiped.

When folding the container 1 in the shape in use, the upper bag portions 6b, 6d are folded so as to overlap inward from the center, and the side portions 3b, 3d follow and are folded toward the inside of the container. At this time, the connection between the base portion 11 of the fixed member 10 and the movable portion 12 is released, and the bottom portion 2 is also folded following the movement of the side portions 3b and 3d.

As explained above, in the container 1 of this embodiment, the upper bag parts 6b, 6d are extended linearly by the fixing members 10 each disposed approximately in the circumferential center of the upper bag parts 6b, 6d. The upper surface of the container 1 can be fixed in a rectangular shape. Moreover, despite the arrangement of the fixing member 10, the arrangement of the upper side bag portions 6b, 6d and the upper side support members 9b, 9d allows the container 1 to maintain its upper side even when folded when not in use. The bag portion 6 is not bulky and the entirety is flat.

<Second embodiment>
A container 21, which is a second embodiment of the container of the present invention, will be described. FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of the container 21 in use. The container 21 of this embodiment is a container with a configuration added to the container 1 of the first embodiment, and duplicate explanations of those having the same configuration as the container 1 will be omitted.

The container 21 of this embodiment includes an upper surface portion 22. The material forming the upper surface portion 22 is not particularly limited, but when a sheet-like material is used, the effect of shielding the stored articles from wind, rain, and light can be further enhanced. Moreover, when the upper surface part 22 is formed of the same material as the side surface part 3, manufacturing is easier than when a different material is used.

In this embodiment, the upper surface portion 22 is formed of the same material as the side surface portion 3, and is fixed to the upper bag portion 6c of the side surface portion 3c. The upper surface portion 22 has a size that allows it to cover and close the opening of the container 21. That is, the width direction length of the upper surface part 22 is longer than the circumferential direction length of the upper side bag parts 6a, 6c, and the length of the upper surface part 22 in the depth direction is longer than the circumferential direction length of the upper side bag parts 6b, 6d. One of the sides of the upper surface part 22, which is a free end parallel to the end fixed to the upper side bag part 6c, is bent to form a bag-shaped part, in which a weight 23 is inserted. is fixed. As the weight 23, a sinker cord or cable similar to the lower side support members 7b and 7d is suitably applied.

External connection members 25 for fixing to an external building or the like are fixed to the side bag parts 5 on both sides of the side part 3c, respectively. The external connection member 25 of this embodiment is a rectangular member made of the same material as the side bag portion 5, and has an opening with an eyelet in the center. 21 can be fixed to an external object. In the container 21 that is intended to be fixed to an external object, the strength of the supporting member can be lowered than that of a container that is intended to stand alone, and the container 21 can be made lighter.

A pair of side joining members 26a and 26b are fixed to the side bag parts 5 on both sides of the side part 3b for bundling the side bag parts 5 containing the side support members 8 when the container 21 is not in use. ing. In a preferred embodiment, a loop portion of a hook-and-loop fastener is fixed to one of the side-side connecting members 26a, 26b, and a hook portion of the hook-and-loop fastener is fixed to the other side-side connecting member 26a, 26b. There is. By joining the hook-and-loop fasteners, the center portions of the side support members 8 can be bundled when not in use, and the container 21 can be further downsized for storage and transportation.

An auxiliary string 24 is stretched between the upper bag portion 6a and the upper bag portion 6c. The auxiliary string 24 prevents the entire container 21 from inflating due to bending of the upper support members 9a, 9c in the upper bag portions 6a, 6c. The auxiliary string 24 is particularly effective in preventing deformation in the elongated rectangular parallelepiped container 21, which has different dimensions in the width direction and depth direction.

Since the container 21 includes the upper surface portion 22, it is possible to prevent crows and the like from destroying the contents of the container 21. Further, by using the external connection member 25, it becomes possible to fix the container 21 to an external building, etc., and the container 21 can be installed in more places. Furthermore, by providing the auxiliary string 24, deformation of the entire container 21 can be more effectively prevented.

An example embodying the container 1 will be described. The container 1 is formed such that the length of the upper side of the first pair of side surfaces is 900 mm, the length of the upper side of the second pair of side surfaces is 600 mm, and the height of the side surface portion is 600 mm. The lower surface part 2 and the side surface part 3 are made of a net-like material made of recycled PET resin. A polyethylene sheet is used as the reinforcing member that forms the bag portion. Fiber-reinforced plastic is used for the upper side support members 9a, 9b, 9c, and 9d, the side support members 8, and the lower side support members 7a and 7c. A dipstick cord is used for the lower side support members 7b and 7d. The pedestal portion 11 of the fixing member 10 includes a fastener loop portion 11a having a length in the height direction of 50 mm and a length in the circumferential direction of 80 mm. The movable part 12 of the fixed member 10 is formed by covering the outside of a polypropylene flat plate with a length in the height direction of 50 mm and a length in the circumferential direction of 180 mm with a polyethylene sheet, and the length in the height direction is 180 mm. A hook portion 12a of a hook-and-loop fastener having a length of 50 mm and a circumferential length of 80 mm is attached.

1, 21 Container 2 Bottom part 3 (3a to 3d) Side part 4 (4a to 4d) Bottom bag part 5 Side bag part
6 (6a to 6d) Upper side bag portion 7 (7a to 7d) Lower side support member 8 Side side support member 9 (9a to 9d) Upper side support member 10 Fixed member 11 Pedestal portion 12 Movable portion 22 Top surface portion 24 Auxiliary string

Claims (4)

A container that can be folded when not in use, and unfolded to have a rectangular opening at the top when in use,
A lower surface portion that is made of a flexible material and has a rectangular shape when in use;
Four side parts that are made of a flexible material and connect to the four sides of the lower part to form the side surfaces when in use, the first side part and the third side part having substantially the same shape facing each other. A side face part that constitutes a first side pair, and a second side face part and a fourth side face part that have substantially the same shape face each other and constitute a second side face pair;
first upper side bag portions respectively disposed on the upper sides of the first side pair;
a first upper side support member disposed within the first upper side bag portion;
second upper side bag portions respectively disposed on the upper sides of the second side pair;
two second upper side support members disposed in each of the second upper bag parts, each of which is formed with a dimension shorter than one-half of the upper side of the second side part; a second upper side support member disposed in a spaced apart state within the upper side bag portion;
a fixing member disposed approximately in the circumferential center of the second upper bag portion;
It is equipped with
When not in use, the substantially center in the circumferential direction of the second pair of side surfaces and the substantially center of two sides of the lower surface portion connected to the second pair of side surfaces are folded by bending inward;
A container characterized in that, when in use, the fixing member fixes the second upper side bag portion in a straight line, so that the upper surface of the container becomes rectangular. The fixing member is
a pedestal portion fixed near the circumferential center of the second upper bag portion;
a movable part, one end of which is fixed to the pedestal at a position spaced apart from the center of the second upper bag part in the circumferential direction, and the other end of which extends to a position overlapping the pedestal;
It is equipped with
2. The container according to claim 1, wherein the second upper bag portion is fixed in a straight line by overlapping and connecting the base portion and the end portion of the movable portion. 3. The container according to claim 2, wherein the fixed member includes a hook-and-loop fastener or a magnet for coupling the base part and the movable part. a first lower side support member disposed on each of the two sides of the lower surface portion connected to the first side pair;
a second lower side support member disposed on each of the two sides of the lower surface portion connected to the second side pair;
a side support member disposed along a boundary between the adjacent side parts;
The container according to claim 1, further comprising:

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