JP3646830B2 - Foldable container for granular materials - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a foldable container used for transportation and storage of granular materials.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Conventionally, containers are used together with paper bags, plastic bags, carton boxes and the like for transport and temporary storage of granular materials such as cereals and pellets. Of these, bags and boxes are generally disposable and involve waste disposal problems. In this respect, since the container is premised on repeated use, it can be said that it is a better means from the viewpoint of resource saving and waste saving.
[0003]
There are various types of containers, such as a portable small hopper having rigidity, or a bag-like container having flexibility and durability and a cargo handling function such as a suspension ring. However, many of the former types do not have a folding function, and such containers have the inconvenience of requiring the same space for transportation and storage after discharging the contents as before discharging. In addition, the latter type often lacks independence, and even when placed on a pallet, the load form is unstable and multi-stage loading is difficult, and a crane may be required in addition to a forklift that is a general purpose cargo handling facility, etc. There are difficulties.
[0004]
In order to solve these problems, the predecessor company of the present applicant, who had been manufacturing and selling wooden plywood folding box containers for a long time, proposed an assembly-type simple container for granular materials. 46987). In this simple assembly-type container, the four side plates of a collapsible box container that are normally assembled on the pallet surface are erected on a frame (pallet part) equipped with an inverted truncated quadrangular pyramid hopper cone. Can be described as assembled.
[0005]
In the above-mentioned simple container for granular materials, the space formed by the four side plates and the hopper cone connected thereto form one hopper, and the granular materials are accommodated in the hopper in bulk, and the hopper bottom (i.e., It is discharged from the discharge port at the bottom of the hopper cone. The structure in which the four side plates are assembled into a cylindrical shape has great strength and is stable in shape, so that the above simple container can stably perform multi-stage products, and after taking out the contents Is characterized in that the side plate can be removed and stacked on the frame together with the lid to reduce the overall shape to a compact size (1/2 to 1/3 in volume).
[0006]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
Several problems have been discovered during the multi-year use of the above granular container. One of the problems is that cracks may occur at the corners of the ridges of hopper cones formed by butt welding of stainless steel sheets due to repeated impact during use. Further, in the above simple container, a sliding door type opening / closing door in which a groove is provided around the outlet of the bottom of the hopper cone and a shutter plate is inserted into the groove is employed. There has been an accident in which the contents naturally leak due to vibrations of the contents and the contents leak out.
[0007]
The present invention provides a collapsible container for granular materials that has been effectively improved with respect to the generation of cracks in the hopper cone and the leakage of contents from the discharge port, based on the problems found in the above-mentioned simple container for granular materials. The purpose is to do.
[0008]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
From the analysis of the cause of the occurrence of the cracks, the present inventors have an inclined angle at which the inclined surface of the hopper cone can easily discharge the contents, and the place where the bonding is performed is in the plane instead of the corner portion. The idea was that the four ridges of the hopper cone should be formed by bending the plate, not by welding. In addition, regarding the leakage of contents from the discharge port, the present invention has been completed by obtaining an idea about its implementation form by providing a stopper having an appropriate structure on the shutter plate.
[0009]
Thus, according to the present invention,
(1) Inverted truncated quadrangular pyramid hopper cone, four side plates detachably erected on the outer periphery of the hopper cone, an upper lid covering an upper opening formed by the side plate, and the hopper cone bottom A shutter plate that is sandwiched between upper and lower shutter frames provided around the discharge port with a stopper to close the discharge port, an outer peripheral portion of the hopper cone, and a lower edge portion of the four side plates. A plate material that includes a frame that connects and supports them, and the hopper cone includes a conical surface having an inclination angle of 30 degrees to 60 degrees with respect to the horizontal and two ridge lines adjacent thereto. Two substantially symmetrical portions formed by bending the hopper cone are joined in the conical surfaces facing each other of the hopper cone, and the stopper has a fulcrum outside the lower shutter frame on the lower surface of the shutter plate. The bottom surface When the shutter plate is in the closed position, a protrusion provided at the tip of the stopper is urged upward by a spring provided at the other end of the stopper, so that the lower shutter frame There is provided a collapsible container for granular materials that is locked to the inner periphery and is released from the locked state by pressing and contracting the spring, so that the shutter plate can be pulled out.
[0010]
The collapsible container (1) for granular materials according to the present invention is an assembly of four side plates for a collapsible box container on a frame having a hopper cone. The space formed by the side plate and the hopper cone connected thereto form one hopper, and the granular material is accommodated in the hopper in bulk and discharged from the discharge port at the bottom of the hopper cone.
[0011]
The hopper cone is formed in the shape of a truncated quadrangular pyramid with the tip directed downward, and includes an inclined surface for sliding the granular material and a discharge port for discharging the granular material. The upper edge portion of the hopper cone extending in a substantially square shape is fixed to the frame, and is supported at a height that provides a predetermined space between the bottom discharge port surface of the hopper cone and the lower surface of the frame. Metal fittings are provided on the outer periphery of the upper surface of the underframe to hook the side plates and stop them without gaps.
[0012]
The hopper cone is formed by welding a metal plate such as stainless steel. In the case of conventional butt welding along the pyramid ridgeline, the strength of the pyramid part is weaker than that of the flat part, and cracking that seems to be caused by repeated impact during use applied to the welded part It was observed. In the present invention, each part having a shape obtained by vertically dividing the hopper cone in a plane passing through two opposite sides is formed in advance by bending or pressing a metal plate, and a flange provided at the end of each part is provided. Butts are joined along the center line of the conical surfaces facing each other and joined by spot welding or the like. Thus, in the hopper cone of the present invention, the corner ridge lines are formed by bending the plate material, and the joining locations are limited to two locations located on a plane. The above welding may be performed by directly abutting the end portions without providing a flange.
[0013]
The inclination angle of the cone surface of the hopper cone is preferably steep in order to slide the granular material. However, the simple container for granular materials described in the Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 58-46987 has an inclination angle of 10 to 15 degrees with respect to the horizontal. Since this inclination angle is often smaller than the angle of repose inherent to each granular material, it takes time to discharge the contents, and in order to completely discharge the contents, the hopper cone is often beaten with a mallet or the like. It was necessary to give a shock. Such repeated hammering during a long period of use has caused the above-described cracks to occur at the welded portion of the hopper cone. Therefore, it is desirable that this inclination angle is at least 30 degrees or more.
[0014]
On the other hand, it is better that the inclination angle is flat so that the underframe is not so high. When the inclination angle is steep, the dead space below the hopper cone in the frame becomes large, and the height of the frame is increased. Suppressing the height of the underframe is also important for increasing the folding effect after discharging the contents of the container. Therefore, it is desirable that this inclination angle does not exceed 60 degrees at the maximum. Therefore, in the present invention, the inclination angle of the conical surface of the hopper cone is in the range of 30 to 60 degrees with respect to the horizontal from the balance of both surfaces, and an angle of, for example, around 45 degrees is suitable for the above requirements.
[0015]
The bottom discharge port of the hopper cone is closed by a shutter plate sandwiched between an upper and lower shutter frame provided around the discharge port. In a stationary hopper, this type of shutter plate is usually locked by frictional force. However, in a container equipped with such a shutter, the shutter plate opens spontaneously due to vibration during transportation, and the contents leak out. Experienced. Therefore, in the present invention, a stopper is provided on the shutter plate so that the shutter plate is not opened unless the stopper is released.
[0016]
This stopper is attached to the lower surface of the shutter plate and is made of a lever that rotates perpendicularly to the lower surface of the shutter plate. The fulcrum of the stopper is located outside the lower shutter frame on the lower surface of the shutter plate, and when the shutter plate is in the closed position, the tip of the stopper reaches the frame beyond the lower shutter frame. A spring is provided at the other end of the stopper, and always urges the tip of the stopper upward. In this state, the protrusion provided at the tip of the stopper is locked to the inner periphery of the lower shutter frame, and the shutter plate is prevented from moving unless the spring is pushed and shrunk to release the locked state. In order to open and close the shutter plate, the shutter plate may be pulled out or pushed in while pressing the spring.
[0017]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The following (2) can be mentioned as a preferred embodiment of the present invention. That is, (2) The collapsible container for granular materials according to (1), wherein the inner surface of the side plate is covered with a thin plate made of the same material as the hopper cone, and one of them is provided with a transparent viewing window.
[0018]
Depending on the granular material accommodated in the container, the case where foreign matter mixing is severely restricted or the granular material itself has leachability may be considered. In order to cope with these cases, it is preferable that the inner surface of the side plate contacting the granular material is made of stainless steel or the like rather than the wood plywood. Embodiment (2) intends to achieve the object by sticking a thin stainless steel plate or the like on the inner surface of a side plate made of wood plywood. Moreover, it is desirable that one of the four side plates is provided with a transparent viewing window so that the contents can be confirmed.
[0019]
【Example】
Hereinafter, a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be given and described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing a configuration of a collapsible container for a granular material (reference numeral 100) according to this embodiment, and FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view for explaining an example of a method for forming a hopper cone.
[0020]
In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 is a frame, 11 is a fork receiver, 12 is a fork guide, 13 is a lower stopper, 2 is a hopper cone, 21 is a bottom outlet, 3 is a shutter plate, 4 is a side plate, and 41 is a peek. Windows, 42 are side plate stoppers, 5 is an upper lid, and 51 is a corner bracket of the upper lid.
[0021]
The collapsible container 100 for granular materials is an assembly of four side plates 4 on a frame 1 provided with a hopper cone 2. The space formed by the side plate 4 and the hopper cone 2 connected to the space form one hopper, and the granular material is accommodated in the hopper and discharged from the bottom outlet 21 of the hopper cone.
[0022]
The underframe 1 includes a fork receiver 11. By inserting a fork of a forklift into the lower surface of the fork receiver 11, the underframe 1 can be lifted and transported. At that time, the fork guide 12 protects the tip of the fork from coming into contact with the end structure of the shutter 3. A thin stainless steel plate is affixed to the inner surface of the side plate 4, and one of the four side plates 4 is provided with a transparent viewing window 41 so that the contents can be confirmed. Fasteners 42 are provided on both sides of the upper edge of the front and rear side plates 4, and the four side plates 4 are fixed to each other by tilting the fasteners 42 and holding the left and right side plates 4. Can do. Corner metal fittings 51 are provided at the upper surface corners of the upper lid 5 to prevent the containers from shifting when the containers 100 packed with contents are stacked on each other to perform multi-stage loading.
[0023]
For example, as shown in FIG. 2, the hopper cone 2 is formed by bending each part of the hopper cone into two vertically on a plane passing through the center of the two opposite sides, by bending or pressing a stainless steel plate. The flanges provided at the end portions are formed at the center portions of the opposing conical surfaces and joined by spot welding or the like. In the case of the present embodiment, the inclination angle of the hopper cone 2 is about 45 degrees with respect to the horizontal.
[0024]
FIG. 3 is a partial sectional view showing the structure of the shutter plate and the stopper. 3, reference numeral 31 is a handle of the shutter plate 3, 311 is a spring, 32 is an upper shutter frame, 33 is a lower shutter frame, 34 is a stopper, 341 is a fulcrum attached to the lower surface of the shutter plate 3 and supporting the stopper 34, Reference numeral 342 denotes a protrusion provided at the tip of the stopper 34.
[0025]
As shown in FIG. 3, the bottom outlet 21 of the hopper cone 2 is closed by a shutter plate 3 sandwiched between upper and lower shutter frames 32 and 33 provided around the outlet 21. The shutter plate 3 is provided with a stopper 34, and the shutter plate 3 is not opened unless the stopper 34 is released.
[0026]
The stopper 34 is made of a lever that rotates perpendicularly to the lower surface of the shutter plate 3. The fulcrum 341 of the stopper 34 is located outside the lower shutter frame 33 on the lower surface of the shutter plate 3, and when the shutter plate 3 is in the closed position, the tip of the stopper 34 extends into the frame beyond the lower shutter frame 33. A spring 311 is provided at the other end of the stopper 34 and always urges the tip of the stopper 34 upward. In this state, the protrusion 342 provided at the tip of the stopper 34 is locked to the inner periphery of the lower shutter frame 33, and the shutter plate 3 is prevented from moving unless the spring 311 is compressed to release the locked state.
[0027]
To open and close the bottom outlet 21 of the hopper cone 2, the shutter plate 3 may be pulled out or pushed in by holding the handle 31 while pulling up the proximal end of the stopper 34 and pushing the spring 311. Both the pushing and pulling operations can be performed with one action with one hand.
[0028]
【The invention's effect】
In the collapsible container for granular materials according to the present invention, since the inclination angle of the hopper cone is larger than before, the discharge performance is improved, and it is almost unnecessary to hit the hopper cone with a wooden mallet when discharging the contents. , The opportunity to shock itself is reduced. Further, since the structure of the hopper cone has been changed to a two-part structure in which the ridge portion is formed by bending the plate material, sufficient durability against impact is given, and the generation of cracks is effectively prevented.
[0029]
Further, in the container according to the present invention, since the shutter plate is provided with a stopper, and the shutter plate is not opened unless the stopper is released, the shutter plate naturally opens due to vibration during transportation, etc., and the contents leak out. Accidents are prevented in advance. In addition, since the stopper can be placed in a locked state and released in one action with one hand, the shutter plate can be pushed and pulled out simultaneously, so that the operation is simple.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing a configuration of a granular container foldable container according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view illustrating an example of a method for forming a hopper cone.
FIG. 3 is a partial cross-sectional view showing a structure of a shutter plate and a stopper.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Base frame 11 ... Fork receptacle 12 ... Fork guide 13 ... Lower stopper 2 ... Hopper cone 21 ... Bottom discharge port 3 ... Shutter plate 31 ... Handle 32 ... Upper shutter frame 33 ... Lower shutter frame 34 ... Stopper 311 ... Spring 341 Fulcrum 342 ... projection 4 ... side plate 41 ... viewing window 42 ... side plate stopper 5 ... upper lid 51 ... corner fitting

Claims (1)

Inverted truncated quadrangular pyramid-shaped hopper cone, four side plates detachably installed on the outer periphery of the hopper cone, an upper lid covering an upper opening formed by the side plate, and a hopper cone bottom outlet A shutter plate that is sandwiched between upper and lower shutter frames provided in the periphery with a stopper and closes the discharge port; an outer peripheral portion of the hopper cone and a lower edge portion of the four side plates; and With the underframe supporting these,
Two substantially symmetric cones formed by bending a plate material so that the hopper cone includes a conical surface having an inclination angle of 30 to 60 degrees with respect to the horizontal and two ridge lines adjacent thereto. Parts are joined in the opposite conical surfaces of the hopper cone,
The stopper is a lever having a fulcrum on the lower surface of the lower shutter frame on the lower surface of the shutter plate and rotating perpendicularly to the lower surface. When the shutter plate is in the closed position, a protrusion provided at the tip of the stopper is The spring is urged upward by a spring provided at the other end of the stopper and locked to the inner periphery of the lower shutter frame, and the locked state is released by pressing the spring to allow the shutter plate to be pulled out. , Foldable container for granular materials.

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