JP3589370B2 - Folding container - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a folding container, and more particularly, to a container which can reliably and smoothly perform a folding operation even when a lid is opened.
[0002]
[Prior art]
2. Description of the Related Art Containers made of synthetic resin or the like for transporting luggage are known (see, for example, JP-A-62-122942). This type of container is structured such that it can be assembled to store luggage inside when used, and can be folded small for storage when not in use. That is, of the four side surfaces of the container, one of the side surfaces facing each other is a “tilt plate” that can be folded upward with the upper end as the center, and the other side surface is bent inward at the connecting portion of the middle part “ It is a "side plate", so that the entire container can be folded vertically and compactly and compactly.
[0003]
Further, two lids are provided in the upper opening of the container. This lid has its base end rotatably attached to the frame, and its top end is abutted against each other, and from the horizontal closed state covering the upper opening, it is turned 270 ° around the base end. , So that it can rotate until it reaches a vertical open state in which the tip is downward.
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
These folding containers with lids may be folded with the lid open, for the sake of work procedures, or when unlocking a tilt plate or the like.
[0005]
However, in such a conventional container, when the container is to be folded in an open state with the tip of the lid facing downward, the lower end (the tip) of the lid is positioned on the side plate in the middle. The lid may be caught on the lower end portion or the outer edge of the outer plate, and the lid itself may be “tensioned”, preventing further folding and preventing the container from being folded smoothly. If you try to forcefully fold it, there is a risk that part of the container may be damaged. The fact that the container cannot be smoothly folded due to the catch of the lid is very inconvenient in a situation where many containers must be folded in a short time.
[0006]
The present invention has been made by paying attention to such a conventional technique, and provides a container that can be folded securely and smoothly even with the lid kept open.
[0007]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
According to the basic configuration of the present invention, a frame that forms an upper opening, a bottom plate that forms a bottom surface, a tilt plate whose upper end is rotatably mounted at one opposing position of the frame, and the other opposing frame and the bottom plate A side plate composed of two upper and lower plate-like portions which are rotatably mounted at respective positions via mounting shafts and which are connected to bend inward at the connecting portions, and a base end portion of which is located at the other facing position of the frame. Two lids rotatably attached to the upper edge and rotatable from a horizontal closed state covering the upper opening by abutting the tips against each other, to a vertical open state with the tip facing downward, In the folding container, the outer surface of the lower plate-shaped portion of the side plate is, when folded, brought into contact with the lowermost end of the open end of the lid to guide the end to the outside of the bottom plate. Guide provided It has been.
[0008]
According to this configuration, even when the container is folded while the lid is in the open state with the distal end thereof facing downward, the lowermost end of the distal end of the lid is provided on the slide guide provided on the lower plate-like portion of the side plate. In order to make contact, the tip of the lid is guided to the outside of the bottom plate by the slide guide. Therefore, the front end of the lid is not stuck to the side plate or the bottom plate, and the container can be reliably and smoothly folded.
[0009]
Slide guide of the present invention is characterized by that have the inclined portion contacts the lowermost end portion of the distal end portion of the lid.
[0010]
In particular, the slide guide of the present invention is a triangular rib having an inclined portion.
[0011]
According to this configuration, the slide guide has the inclined portion, and the tip portion of the lid is reliably guided to the outside of the bottom plate along the inclined portion.
[0012]
And since the slide guide is a triangular rib, the mold for manufacturing the container is not complicated, and the appearance of the container is almost the same as the conventional one.
[0013]
In the present invention, a vertical flange is formed so as to rise from the peripheral edge of the bottom plate, and the lower end of the inclined portion contacts the lowermost end of the lid when the inclined portion comes into contact with the lowermost end of the distal end of the lid. the lower end portion and the outside position than in a higher position than the upper end of the vertical flange, may inclined portion so that has a downwardly inclined state toward the outside.
[0014]
According to this configuration, even if the vertical flange rises from the peripheral edge of the bottom plate, the tip of the lid is reliably guided outside beyond the vertical flange.
[0015]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
[0016]
1 to 3 are views showing a container 1 according to the first embodiment. Note that FIG. 1 shows a state in which the container 1 is assembled and used, and FIG. 2 shows a state in which the container 1 is being folded.
[0017]
As a material of the container 1, a thermoplastic synthetic resin is mainly used, and a usual injection molding method is used as a manufacturing method. As the resin, polyethylene, polypropylene (PP), ethylene-α olefin copolymer, other polyolefin, ABS (acrylonitrile / butadiene / styrene copolymer resin), polystyrene, polycarbonate, EVA (styrene / vinyl acetate copolymer resin), Fiber-reinforced PP, filler-containing PP and the like are suitable. Other known plastics can also be used.
[0018]
Reference numeral 2 denotes a frame, which is a rectangular frame having a predetermined vertical width h, and in which the upper opening 3 of the container 1 is formed. Below the frame 2, a bottom plate 4 forming the bottom surface of the container 1 is provided. A vertical flange 5 is formed upright on the periphery of the bottom plate 4 (see FIG. 3).
[0019]
A tilt plate 6 is provided on each of the opposite short sides of the frame 2. The tilting plate 6 has an upper end rotatably attached to the frame 2 and can be rotated to lift the lower end thereof upward.
[0020]
Further, side plates 7 are provided on opposite long sides of the frame 2. The side plate 7 has an upper plate-like portion 8 rotatably attached to the frame 2 via an attachment shaft α, and a lower plate-like portion rotatably attached to the bottom plate 4 via an attachment shaft β. The end of the portion 9 is connected to each other as a connecting portion 10 that bends inward.
[0021]
A base end 12 of a lid 11 is rotatably attached to an upper edge of a long side portion of the frame 2 via a hinge 13. The distal ends 14 of the lid 11 have substantially corrugated shapes corresponding to each other, and the lid 11 closes the upper opening 3 of the container 1 so that the distal ends 14 partially overlap each other. Will be engaged. Due to this engagement, the lids 11 do not shift relative to each other in the longitudinal direction of the container 1 and maintain the strength of the container 1. Although the lid 11 is horizontal in the closed state (see the state of the lid 11 on the left side of FIG. 2), the distal end portion 14 of the lid 11 is rotated outward by 270 ° about the base end portion 12. As a result, a vertical open state in which the tip portion 14 faces downward can be obtained (see the state of the right lid 11 in FIGS. 1 and 2). Since the container 1 can close the upper opening 3 with the lid 11, a plurality of containers 1 can be stacked upward with luggage stored therein.
[0022]
Since the distal end portion 14 of the lid 11 has the above-described roughly corrugated shape, the two top portions 14a of the distal end portion 14 are the "lowest end portions" in the open state with the distal end portion 14 facing downward.
[0023]
At the lower end of the lower plate-like portion 9 of the side plate 7, a horizontal flange 15 is formed on the outer surface thereof. The horizontal flange 15 is located directly above the mounting shaft β, and a triangular rib 16 as a “slide guide” is integrally formed at a position on the horizontal flange 15 corresponding to the top portion 14a of the tip portion 14 of the lid 11. Have been. The triangular rib 16 has an inclined portion 17 at an angle of 45 ° to the horizontal flange 15. Accordingly, the inclined portion 17 of the triangular rib 16 is inclined downward toward the outside. Since the tip portion 14 of the lid 11 is directed to the mounting axis β immediately below in the open state, the inclined portion 17 of the triangular rib 16 is located directly below the tip portion 14 of the lid 11. The angular condition of the inclined portion 17 of the triangular rib 16 and the positional condition of the lower end 17a of the inclined portion 17 will be described later.
[0024]
Next, a procedure for folding the container 1 will be described mainly with reference to FIGS. When folding the container 1, first, the lower ends of both the tilting plates 6 are turned so as to lift inward, and each of them is brought into a substantially horizontal state. Next, the connecting portion 10 of the side plate 7 is bent inward, and the side plate 7 is folded in the vertical direction.
[0025]
In this case, as shown in FIG. 2, for example, even if one of the lids 11 is kept open, the distal end 14 of the lid 11 is caught on the side plate 7 or the bottom plate 4 by the effect of the triangular rib 16. Therefore, the entire container 1 can be reliably and smoothly folded.
[0026]
The mechanism by which the container 1 is smoothly folded as described above will be described with reference to FIG. When the container 1 is assembled and used, the inclined portion 17 of the triangular rib 16 is located immediately below the tip portion 14 of the lid 11. As described above, the inclined portion 17 has an angle of 45 ° with respect to the horizontal flange 15. However, in the process of folding the container 1, the lower plate-like portion 9 of the side plate 7 is turned inward by the angle θ _1. when tilted by, for top 14a of the lid 11 which came down from above (distal portion 14) is brought into contact with the inclined portion 17, the abutment angle theta ₂ actual slope portion 17 to the top portion 14a of the lid 11 (45 ° -θ ₁ ). In this embodiment, since the inclination angle theta ₁ of the plate-like portion 9 is less than 45 ° at the time contact, the inclined portion 17 of the contact angle theta ₂ is still inclined state dropped outward. Therefore, by top 14a of the lid 11 abuts on the inclined portion 17 of the contact angle theta _2, the top portion 14a of the lid 11 is guided to slide outward, being caught on the plate-like portion 9 and the bottom plate 4 is Absent.
[0027]
Further, in order to reliably guide the top portion 14a of the lid 11 to the outside of the bottom plate 4, the top portion 14a of the lid 11 surely comes into contact with the inclined portion 17 and moves on the vertical flange 5 formed on the peripheral edge of the bottom plate 4. You need to be sure to go over it. Thus, in this embodiment, in a state where the plate-like portion 9 is inclined by theta ₁ to the inside (i.e., when the top portion 14a of the lid 11 abuts against the inclined portion 17), the lower end 17a of the inclined portion 17, the lid 11 so as to be positioned on the upper side by d ₂ than the upper end of the just located outside and the vertical flange 5 d ₁ than the top portion 14a, various dimensions are designed. Even when the vertical flange 5 is formed on the peripheral edge of the bottom plate 4 by such a dimensional design, the top portion 14a of the lid 11 is reliably guided outside beyond the vertical flange 5 by the effect of the triangular rib 16. Will be done.
[0028]
The lid 11 guided to the outside of the bottom plate 4 is then stored in a horizontal state in the frame 2 as in the closed state, so that the container 1 can be completely folded. When the container 1 is completely folded, not only the lid 11 but also the tilt plate 6 is stored in the frame 2, and the container 1 is obtained by adding the vertical width h of the frame 2 and the thickness of the bottom plate 4. It becomes only compact size.
[0029]
FIG. 4 relates to a second embodiment of the present invention, and shows a lid 18 having another shape. The figure shows a plan view of the container 19 with the lid 18 closed, and the tip 20 of the lid 18 has one side 21 closer to the other lid 18 than the other side 22 as shown. It has a deeply penetrating shape. Therefore, when the lid 18 is opened, the side 21 that has penetrated deeply into the opponent is lower than the other side 22, so that one lowermost end 21a is set in this side 21. A triangular rib 16 is provided on the side plate 7 corresponding to the lowermost end 21a. The other configuration and operation and effect are the same as those of the previous embodiment.
[0030]
FIG. 5 relates to a third embodiment of the present invention, and shows a lid 23 having still another shape. The tip portion 25 of the lid 23 in the container 24 according to this embodiment has a linear shape as illustrated. Therefore, when the lid 23 is opened, any part of the tip part 25 is in the lowest state. Therefore, two lowermost parts 25a are set at arbitrary points in the tip part 25, and the lowermost part 25a is set at this point. Triangular ribs 16 were provided on the corresponding side plates 7. The other configuration and operation and effect are the same as those of the previous embodiment.
[0031]
In each of the above embodiments, the triangular rib 16 is formed as the “slide guide”. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the distal ends 14, 20, and 24 of the lids 11, 18, and 23 are guided outward. Such a shape may be used as long as it can be formed.
[0032]
【The invention's effect】
According to this invention, even if the container is folded while the lid is open, the front end of the lid does not become caught on the side plate or the bottom plate, and the container can be reliably and smoothly folded. Therefore, there is no possibility of damaging a part of the container, and the efficiency of folding the container is improved. Further, if a triangular rib is formed as a slide guide, a mold for manufacturing the container does not become complicated, and the appearance of the container is almost the same as the conventional one.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an assembled and used state of a container according to a first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a state in which the container is being folded.
FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line SA-SA shown in FIG. 2;
FIG. 4 is a plan view showing a container according to a second embodiment.
FIG. 5 is a plan view showing a container according to a third embodiment.
[Explanation of symbols]
1, 19, 24 Container 2 Frame 3 Upper opening 4 Bottom plate 5 Vertical flange 6 Tilt plate 7 Side plate 8, 9 Plate portion 10 Connecting portion 11, 18, 23 Lid 12 Base end 14, 20, 25 Tip 14a Top ( Lowermost part)
16 Triangular rib (slide guide)
17 Slope 17a Lower ends α and β of slope

Claims (2)

A frame that forms the upper opening, a bottom plate that forms the bottom surface, a tilt plate whose upper end is rotatably mounted at one opposing position of the frame, and a mounting shaft at the other opposing position of the frame and the bottom plate, respectively. A side plate composed of upper and lower two plate-shaped portions rotatably mounted and connected to bend inward at a connection portion, and a base end portion rotatably mounted on an upper edge portion of the other opposing position of the frame. A folded lid comprising two lids mounted and pivotable from a horizontal closed state covering the upper opening with the tips abutting each other to a vertical open state with the tips down.
A triangular rib having an outer surface of a plate-like portion on a lower side of the side plate, which has an inclined portion which , when folded, comes into contact with a lowermost end portion of a tip portion of the lid which is opened and guides the tip portion to the outside of the bottom plate. A folding container provided with a slide guide. A vertical flange is formed upright from the periphery of the bottom plate, and at the time of contact between the inclined portion and the lowermost end of the tip of the lid, the lower end of the inclined portion is located outside the lowermost end of the tip of the lid, and The folding container according to claim 1 , wherein the folding container is located at a position higher than an upper end of the vertical flange, and the inclined portion is inclined downward outward.

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