JP7827275B2 - Insulated Container Box - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an insulated container box with a door that can be opened and closed.

Insulated container boxes have the advantages of keeping things cool, warm, moist, and airtight, so they are used on freight vehicles (hereinafter also referred to as "trucks") to transport fresh produce such as vegetables harvested from farms to processing plants where excess leaves are removed, washed, and packaged, and also to transport fresh produce from processing plants to sales outlets. Fresh produce such as vegetables is placed in baskets and loaded and unloaded into the insulated container box. When loading and unloading the baskets, the door of the insulated container box needs to be opened, but if it is a double door that opens and closes horizontally to the ground, this presents no practical problem.

However, it is important to maintain the freshness of vegetables and other perishables, and while they are harvested from the fields, placed in baskets and loaded, they need to be shielded from direct sunlight to prevent drying, but double doors did not act as awnings. Also, when workers were loading and unloading, if the double doors were in the line of their movement, they would get in the way. Therefore, a structure was needed that could act as awnings while also being able to move out of the way of workers.

To address this issue, there is a method of using so-called wing doors, which hold the doors approximately horizontally on approximately the top surface of the container box. Patent Document 1 discloses a first example of an embodiment of a method using wing doors, in which the wing doors are rotated upward around an engagement portion that engages the container box body and the wing doors, which is located approximately on the top surface of the container box and has an axis arranged in the direction of travel when loaded onto a cargo vehicle, and a gas spring is used to hold the wing doors in an open position, thereby providing them with the function of eaves.

Patent Document 2 is a second example of an embodiment of a method using wing doors, in which the wing doors are folded upward and rotated using a biasing means located on approximately the top surface of the container box and a wire connected to the biasing means and the wing doors, with the fulcrum being an engagement portion that engages the container box body with the foldable divided wing doors and that is axially arranged on the approximate top surface of the container box in the direction of travel when loaded onto a cargo vehicle. This gives the wing doors the function of a canopy and the function of being able to move out of the way of workers' movement.

Patent Document 3 is a third example of an embodiment of a method using wing doors, in which the container box body and wing doors are made up of heat insulating material, lining panels bonded to both sides of the heat insulating material, and a thin aluminum plate (FRP plate or other bendable plate), and the wing doors are rotated upward around an engaging part that engages the container box body and the wing doors, which is located roughly on the top surface of the container box and is axially arranged in the direction of travel when loaded onto a cargo vehicle, as a fulcrum, thereby providing the doors with the function of a canopy and the ability to move out of the way of workers.

Patent No. 7162808 Patent No. 3621289 Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 7-76287

However, workers transport fresh produce such as vegetables harvested from farmland to processing plants multiple times a day. Therefore, since the wing doors must be opened and closed each time baskets containing fresh produce such as vegetables are loaded and unloaded, the wing doors must be able to open and close quickly and with little force. Furthermore, the bottoms of the baskets containing fresh produce such as vegetables harvested from farmland are soiled with mud from the farmland. When transporting boxed vegetables and other produce for sale from the processing plant to the sales outlet, a structure is needed that prevents the inside of the container box from getting dirty, so that the sales boxes do not get soiled.

For this reason, while Patent Document 1 uses a gas spring to open and close the wing doors, the structure is complex. Furthermore, while the container box body and wing doors are made of thin plates, which makes it relatively easy to secure the gas springs with screws, they lack insulation and are heavy, resulting in poor operability. Furthermore, as the wing doors have been made shorter and smaller to reduce weight, they have a gate structure that holds the doors roughly horizontally on the bottom surface of the container box. However, when baskets containing fresh produce such as vegetables are loaded or unloaded, the top surface of the gate, when opened horizontally, becomes dirty due to the baskets being dragged or rainwater, resulting in the inside surface of the container box becoming dirty when closed. Furthermore, the gate is located in the line of movement of workers, which creates the problem of interfering with work.

Furthermore, in Patent Document 2, the wing doors are opened and closed using a biasing means that generates a biasing force that opens the wing doors. However, this structure is complex, and because the container box body and wing doors are made of thin plates, the biasing means can be fixed relatively easily with screws, but it does not provide thermal insulation. Furthermore, because the wing doors are made up of the entire side panels of the container box, they are heavy and difficult to operate.

In Patent Document 3, the surfaces of the insulated container box are made up of insulating material, lining panels glued to both sides, and a thin aluminum plate (FRP plate or other bendable plate). Although the box has insulating properties, the structure is complex, and the wing doors are made up entirely of the side panels of the container box, which makes it heavy and difficult to operate.

The present invention was made in consideration of the problems inherent in the aforementioned technology, and aims to provide a simply constructed insulated container box equipped with wing doors that act as eaves and are lightweight and therefore easy to open and close, and a door opening and closing mechanism using side flaps that are out of the way of workers and do not soil the inside of the insulated box.

The first solution according to the present invention is a car seat comprising a main body having four surfaces, namely a bottom plate, a front plate, a rear plate, and a top plate, each of which is made of a thermoplastic resin foam such as styrofoam (expanded polystyrene resin), and side plates (also called side doors) made of thermoplastic resin foam that are provided to cover both sides of the main body.
It is mounted on a freight vehicle equipped with a pair of tailgates with a rotating shaft parallel to the direction of travel.
It is an insulated container box.
Furthermore, at least one of the side panels on both sides of the insulated container box is composed of a movable wing door and a side flap that moves separately from the wing door and is supported above both ends by a pair of link arms , and the wing door is engaged with one end of the insulated container box body and one end of the top panel of the body by a hinge part so as to be rotatable about its axial direction which is the direction of travel when loaded onto the cargo vehicle, and is connected to the front and rear panels of the body at the inner sides of the wing door via a pair of stays (stay assemblies) that can hold the wing door in an open and closed state. The side flap has a pair of link arms rotatably engaged at one end with the inner sides of the front and rear panels, and the other ends of the link arms are rotatably disposed above both ends of the side flap and below the wing door that is engaged with it so as to be rotatable in parallel with the rotation of the wing door. In addition, the wing doors and the side flaps are opened and closed with their inner surfaces always facing inward, and when the side flaps are open, the upper end surfaces of the side flaps are held at a position lower than the inner surface of the bottom plate, making this an insulated container box .

The side flaps are arranged on the bottom side of the front and rear panels of the insulated container box body, and are rotatable in a direction parallel to or perpendicular to the axis of the insulated container box body, with the direction of travel of the cargo vehicle when loaded onto the box being taken as the axial direction. When the side flaps are opened, they retract downward along the side of the body or in the direction of travel of the cargo vehicle when loaded onto the box, while maintaining their outer surfaces facing outward when closed. In other words, the side flaps are opened and closed with their inner surfaces always facing inward.

Furthermore, when closed, each wing door and side flap forms the side panel of the container box, with the stepped lower edge of the wing door overlapping on the outside and the upper edge of the side flap overlapping on the inside, at a position higher than the upper end of the truck's tailgate.

Furthermore, in means 1 of the present invention, when used as an insulated container box, the wing doors and side flaps are closed and pressed against the main body of the insulated container box to create a sealed space. When loading or unloading cargo, the wing doors are lifted upward around the axis of a hinge part that is rotatably engaged with the main body, while a pair of stay assemblies hold the wing doors above the insulated container box.

According to the present invention, when loading and unloading cargo into an insulated container box, the wing doors can be opened and closed without retracting the side flaps. Therefore, when loading and unloading baskets containing relatively light perishables such as vegetables, only the wing doors need to be opened and closed, making the opening and closing operation even easier. Furthermore, when loading and unloading baskets containing relatively heavy perishables such as vegetables, the baskets are slid along the bottom of the main body. The side flaps are retracted downward from the sides of the main body or in the direction of travel when loaded onto a cargo vehicle, improving the ease of loading and unloading. Furthermore, since the inner surfaces of the side flaps do not come into contact with the baskets containing perishables such as vegetables and are not exposed to rainwater, the inside surface of the main body is not soiled, allowing the boxes for sale to be transported cleanly. This provides an insulated container box that functions as a canopy and provides thermal insulation, is simple in structure, lightweight, and has easy-to-open and close wing doors and side flaps, making the interior less susceptible to soiling.

(Other solutions according to the present invention)
In a second aspect of the present invention, one end of a pair of link arms is engaged with the front and rear panels of the insulated container box body and one of the side flaps, and the other end of the link arm is engaged above and near both end faces of one of the side flaps so as to be rotatable about its axial direction, which is the direction of travel when loaded on a freight vehicle. When the side flap is opened, it moves downward along the side of the insulated container box while maintaining its outer surface facing outward when closed. In other words, the side flap is opened and closed with its inner surface always facing inward.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the side flaps are engaged above near both end faces, and their lower ends are freely rotatable. Therefore, due to their own weight, they maintain their outer faces facing outward when closed, and can easily move to the outside of the side flap of the open truck, so that the upper end faces of the side flaps can be easily positioned at approximately the same height or lower than the loading surface of the truck. This means that workers can smoothly load and unload baskets containing fresh produce such as vegetables by sliding them along the inner surface of the bottom plate without interfering with their movement. Furthermore, because the inner surfaces of the side flaps do not come into contact with baskets containing fresh produce such as vegetables, and are not exposed to rainwater, the inside surface of the main body does not become dirty, allowing for clean transport of sales boxes.

In a third aspect of the present invention, one side flap is divided vertically into a plurality of lower side panels, and at least one of the lower side panels constituting the side flap is engaged with one end of the front panel of the main body or one end of the rear panel of the main body by a first hinge component so as to be rotatable about an axial direction that corresponds to the vertical direction when loaded on the freight vehicle.Furthermore, each of the lower side panels can be folded at its divided position so as to be rotatable about an axial direction that corresponds to the vertical direction when loaded on the freight vehicle, and is engaged with a second hinge component so that the inner sides of the lower side panels can abut against each other and face each other.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, the side flaps are designed to operate horizontally, allowing for smooth opening and closing with very little force. Furthermore, the inner surfaces of the side flaps, which form the inner surface of the insulated container box body, do not face the outside (outside) even when the side flaps are open, which has the advantage that baskets containing fresh produce such as vegetables harvested from farmland can be kept clean and free from soiling when loaded onto the body.

The fourth aspect of the present invention is that the surface of at least one of the bottom, front, rear, and top panels of the main body of the insulated container box, as well as the wing doors and side flaps, is coated (lined) with a resin compound.

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, the surface of a foam made of a thermoplastic resin foam is coated with a coating material made of a resin compound such as a polyurea resin, which has the advantage of preventing the foam from splitting and breaking and improving its rigidity and strength. Furthermore, coating the surface has the advantage of improving waterproofing and improving abrasion resistance and sliding properties.

1 is a perspective view showing the entirety of a first embodiment of an insulated container box of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of the insulated container box of the present invention, seen from the bottom side. FIG. 2 is a perspective cross-sectional view taken along the line AA in FIG. 1, in which one of the wing doors is not shown. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional perspective view taken along the line BB in FIG. 1. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line FF in FIG. 1. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line GG in FIG. 1. 1 is a perspective view showing the entire heat-insulating container box of the present invention when mounted on a freight vehicle. FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line JJ in FIG. 7. 1 is a perspective view showing an entire insulated container box of the present invention mounted on a cargo vehicle with wing doors and side flaps open in a first embodiment. FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line K-K in FIG. 9. 1A and 1B are detailed perspective views showing the structure of a stay assembly that supports a wing door in an insulated container box of the present invention, in which FIG. 1A is a detailed perspective view showing the state of the stay assembly when the wing door is closed, and FIG. 1B is a detailed perspective view showing the state of the stay assembly when the wing door is rotated upward and opened. 1A and 1B are diagrams showing the structure of one of the side flaps in the first embodiment of the insulated container box of the present invention, in which (a) is a detailed perspective view of the insulated container box when the side flap is closed, as seen from inside the box, and (b) is a detailed perspective view of the insulated container box when the side flap is lowered downward on the side and opened, as seen from outside the box. FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing the process of opening the wing door in the first embodiment of the insulated container box of the present invention, in which the wing door has rotated upward and opened. FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing the process of opening the side flaps of the first embodiment of the insulated container box of the present invention, in which the side flaps are lowered downward on the side and opened. 1A and 1B are perspective views of modified side flaps in the first embodiment of the insulated container box of the present invention, in which FIG. 1A shows the closed state and FIG. 1B shows the open state. FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing the entirety of a second embodiment of the insulated container box of the present invention. FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing the structure of one side flap in the second embodiment of the insulated container box of the present invention. FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing the entire insulated container box according to a second embodiment of the present invention with the wing doors and side flaps open. 10A and 10B are diagrams showing the process of opening the wing doors and side flaps in the second embodiment of the insulated container box of the invention, in which (a) shows the wing doors in an open state, (b) shows the side flaps being opened while being folded, and (c) shows the wing doors and side flaps in a fully open state. 1 is a photograph showing the state in which an insulated container box of the present invention is placed in a temperature-controlled room for a heat insulation test of an example in which the insulated container box of the present invention is used. This is a photograph showing a test specimen in which a thermocouple for measuring temperature is inserted under the thin skin of a turnip, a fresh vegetable, for an insulation test of an example using an insulated container box of the present invention. 1 is a photograph showing a state in which test specimen A is placed in a basket installed in an insulated container box for an insulation test of an example using an insulated container box of the present invention. As a comparative example, this is a photograph showing the state in which test specimen B was placed in a basket placed outside an insulated container box in a temperature-controlled room, covered with a blanket, and sprayed with sufficient water. 1 is a graph showing the results of a heat insulation test of an example using the heat-insulating container box of the present invention.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. First, the configuration of an insulated container box according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 12.

Fig. 1 is a view of an insulated container box 100 according to a first embodiment of the present invention, seen from the rear in the direction of travel of a truck 200 (see Fig. 7) , and Fig. 2 is a view of the insulated container box 100 seen from the front in the direction of travel, with wing doors 15, 16 and side flaps 17, 18 on both sides closed. Referring to Figs. 1 to 4, the insulated container box 100 has a main body 10 (see Fig. 4) whose basic structure is made up of a rectangular parallelepiped bottom plate 11, a front plate 12 arranged upward from an end of the bottom plate 11, a rear plate 13 arranged upward from an end opposite to the front plate 12, and a top plate 14 provided to connect the upper ends of the front plate 12 and the rear plate 13.

Furthermore, side doors 5, 6 are provided on both sides of the main body 10 as side panels, and the side door 5 is divided into a wing door 15 and a side flap 17, and the side door 6 is divided into a wing door 16 and a side flap 18. The insulated container box 100 is configured by the following: two wing doors 15, 16 engaged via resin (e.g., polypropylene) hinge parts 19, 20 at ends 14a, 14b of the top panel 14 (see FIG. 5 for locations); a pair of metal link arms 31 engaged at one end to the front panel 12 and the rear panel 13 of the main body approximately on the bottom panel 11 side so as to be rotatable about a rotation fulcrum 31a with the axial direction being the traveling direction when loaded on the cargo vehicle; and two side flaps 17, 18 engaged at both end surfaces of the link arm 31 so as to be rotatable about a rotation fulcrum 31b at the other end of the link arm 31 with the axial direction being the traveling direction when loaded on the cargo vehicle. In place of the resin hinge parts 19 and 20, a plurality of short metal hinges may be used.

The bottom plate 11, front plate 12, rear plate 13, top plate 14, wing doors 15, 16, and side flaps 17, 18 are made of a thermoplastic resin foam such as expanded polystyrene resin with an expansion ratio of 40 to 70 times, and the surfaces are coated (also called lining) with a resin compound (for example, polyurea resin manufactured by Shine Kohgei Co., Ltd.). While the surfaces of the bottom plate 11, front plate 12, rear plate 13, top plate 14, wing doors 15, 16, and side flaps 17, 18 do not all have to be coated with a resin compound, it is preferable to coat the entire surface with a resin compound to prevent splitting and breakage of the foam, improve rigidity and strength, and improve waterproofing, wear resistance, and sliding properties.

The cross-sectional shapes of the bottom plate 11, front plate 12, and top plate 14 are approximately rectangular. The rear plate 13 extends upward from the bottom plate 11 in an approximately rectangular shape and has a cross-sectional shape that protrudes outward and is connected to the top plate 14 with a step. (See Figure 4)

The wing doors 15, 16 and side flaps 17, 18 that make up the side doors 5, 6 are divided parallel to the direction of travel when loaded onto a freight vehicle at a position approximately one-quarter of the way from the bottom plate 11, with the height position being the height from the bottom plate 11 to the top plate 14. However, the position does not have to be limited to the one-quarter of the way, as long as it is higher than the tailgate 201 of the truck.

The wing doors 15 and 16 each have an approximately rectangular cross-section at their ends 15a and 16a (see Figure 5 for location), similar to the ends 14a and 14b of the upper panel 14. They have curved sections 15b and 16b and flat sections 15c and 16c. The inner surfaces are stepped down toward the free ends of the tips 15d and 16d, where the thickness of the cross-section thins at stepped sections 15j and 16j. As a result, a stepped space Q is formed inward at each of the tips 15d and 16d. (See Figures 3, 5, and 8.)

The side flaps 17 and 18 are each formed in a generally rectangular flat plate shape, with outer surface portions 17a and 18a and inner surface portions 17b and 18b. The upper end surfaces 17d and 18d overlap to engage with the stepped space Q, and the lower end surfaces 17c and 18c face the bottom plate 11 (see Figures 3, 5, and 8).
As shown in Figures 1 to 3, the outer surface 17a is provided with protrusions 17g (the same applies to the side flaps 18).

The top plate 14 and the wing doors 15, and the top plate 14 and the wing doors 16 are each connected by hinge parts that allow them to pivot freely. Taking the top plate 14 and the wing doors 15 as an example, as shown in FIG. 5, they are connected by hinge parts 19 with fixing screws (not shown). The hinge parts 19 are made of resin, such as polypropylene resin, and have a thin-walled bending groove in the approximate center. The top plate 14 and the wing doors 15 are connected by multiple fixing screws. Here, the top plate 14 and the wing doors 15 are made of thermoplastic resin foam, such as expanded polystyrene resin. To ensure attachment strength, the top plate 14 and the wing doors 15 each have internal reinforcing beams 23, 24 made of metal such as aluminum or wood, and are fixed to the reinforcing beams 23, 24 with fixing screws. The hinge parts 19, 20 may also be metal hinges.

Furthermore, mounting fasteners 43, 44 for a pair of front and rear metal stay assemblies 40 are fixed to the approximately upper plate sides of the front and rear plates 12, 13 of the main body and the approximately upper plate sides of the inner surfaces of the wing doors, respectively.
As shown in Figure 11 (a), the stay assembly 40 has one end of a stay arm 41 and one end of a stay arm 42 rotatably connected by a pivot pin 45, the other end of the stay arm 41 is rotatably connected to a mounting fixture 43 fixed to the front panel 12 by the pivot pin 45, and the other end of the stay arm 42 is rotatably connected to a mounting fixture 44 fixed to the wing door 15 by the pivot pin 45, and the stay arms 41 and 42 are stored in a bent state.
The fixing members 43, 44 are fixed to the front panel 12, rear panel 13 and wing door 15 with fixing screws (not shown), but the front panel 12, rear panel 13 and wing door 15 are equipped with reinforcing beams (not shown) made of metal such as aluminum or wood to ensure attachment strength.

As a result, when the wing door 15 is rotated around the hinge part 19 and opened to approximately the height of the upper plate 14, the stay arms 41 and 42 change from a bent state to a fully extended state as shown in Figure 11 (b), and the wing door 15 can be held in that position.
In this explanation, the stay assembly 40 has been described as a bending type stay assembly, but it may be a stay assembly that can be extended and contracted in the longitudinal direction, or may be a cylinder type gas spring. (The wing door 16, the front panel 12, the rear panel 13, and the stay assembly 40 have the same structure.)

The front panel 12, rear panel 13, and side flaps 17, as well as the front panel 12, rear panel 13, and side flaps 18, are connected by metal link arms 31 located at both ends. One end of each of the four link arms 31 is pivotally supported by axle pins 32 at the pivot points 31a relative to the front panel 12 and rear panel 13. The front panel 12 and rear panel 13 are fitted with reinforcing beams (not shown) made of metal such as aluminum or wood to ensure mounting strength. Meanwhile, the other ends of the link arms 31 are fitted into grooves 17e and 18e near the upper end faces 17d and 18d of the side flaps 17 and 18 on both sides, and are pivotally supported by axle pins (not shown) at the pivot points 31b. (See Figure 12)

As a result, the side flaps 17 can be opened by lowering them to a position below the bottom plate 11 in an upright position that is approximately the same as when they are closed, that is, with the outer surface 17a of the side flaps 17 always facing outward. (The front plate 12, rear plate 13, and link arm 31 of the side flaps 18 also have a similar structure.) The opening and closing operations will be described separately below.

The sealed structure of the insulated container box 100 is formed by lowering the wing doors 15, 16 on both sides of the main body 10 and lifting the side flaps 17, 18 to close the box. At this time, the end faces 12a, 12b of the front panel 12 and the end faces 13a, 13b of the rear panel 13 abut against the inner surfaces 15f, 16f of the wing doors 15, 16 and the inner surfaces 17b, 18b of the side flaps 17, 18, respectively, forming a sealed structure. (See Figure 3)

Figure 7 shows the insulated container box 100 of the present invention mounted on a truck, and Figure 8 shows a cross-sectional view taken along the arrows J-J. When the truck's tailgate 201 is closed, the outer surface 17a of the side flap 17 shown in Figure 8 fits into the tailgate 201. Furthermore, the protrusion 17g of the side flap 17 abuts against the inner wall 201a of the tailgate, clamping and securing the insulated container box 100 from both sides between the opposite side flap 18 and the truck tailgate 202. In other words, the tailgate 201 presses the wing door 17 against the main body 10, ensuring a tight seal when the truck is traveling. (The same applies to the opposite wing door 18.)

As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the wing door 15 is secured by levers (not shown) attached to the fixing portions 15k near both ends of the flat portion 15c and the fixing portions 12k, 13k on the end faces of the front panel 12 and rear panel 13. This secures the inner surface 15f of the wing door 15 in close contact with the side end faces 12a and 13a. Furthermore, the outer surface 17a of the side flap 17 in the stepped space Q of the wing door 15 is in close contact with the inner stepped flat portion 15m, ensuring a tight seal when the truck is traveling. (See Figure 8; the same applies to the opposite wing door 16.)

Figure 9 shows the insulated container box 100 of the present invention mounted on a truck with the wing doors and side flaps open in the first embodiment, and Figure 10 shows a cross-sectional view taken along the arrows K-K. The wing doors 15 are fixed and supported at approximately the same height as the top plate 14 by stay assemblies 40 at both ends. The side flaps 17 are engaged by link arms 31 at both ends, and due to their own weight, the upper end surface 17d is at approximately the same height as or lower than the loading surface 204a of the truck's loading section 204. In other words, loading and unloading can be performed smoothly without interfering with the worker's movement line, as baskets containing fresh produce such as vegetables slide along the inner surface 11a of the bottom plate of the main body 10. (The same applies to the opposite wing door 16 and side flap 18.)

Next, the opening and closing operation of the wing doors 15 and side flaps 17 of the present invention will be described using Figures 13 and 14. The initial state of the insulated container box 100, with the wing doors 15, 16 and side flaps 17, 18 closed, is shown in Figure 1. Figure 13 shows the insulated container box 100 with one wing door 15 open, and also shows the truck tailgate 201 rotated open. Baskets containing relatively lightweight perishable items such as vegetables can be loaded and unloaded with only the wing doors 15 open, leaving the truck tailgate 201 and side flaps 17 closed, making opening and closing even easier. Figure 14 shows the insulated container box 100 with the side flaps 17 open, allowing for smooth loading and unloading of relatively heavy baskets containing perishable items such as vegetables by sliding them along the inner surface 11a of the bottom plate. Generally, when loading and unloading cargo, one side is often operated, but the wing doors and side flaps of the present invention are preferably installed on both sides to allow for greater freedom of operation.

Next, the operation for holding the wing doors 15 of the insulated container box 100 in an open position will be described. The process from the closed state (Figure 1) of the insulated container box 100 to holding the wing doors 15 in an open position will be described with reference to Figures 11 and 13. From the state shown in Figure 1, an operator removes the fixing levers that secure the fixing portions 15k provided near both ends to the fixing portions 12k, 13k on the end faces of the front panel 12 and rear panel 13, hooks their fingers on the handle portion (not shown) provided near the tip 15d of the wing door 15, and lifts it upward while pulling it toward themselves. The wing door 15 will then rotate upward around the hinge part 19 in the direction of arrow R1 and move to the open position. Next, as the wing door 15 rotates, the stay arms 41 and 42, which are bent so that they can be folded upward of the stay assembly 40 shown in Figure 11(a), rotate around three pivot pins 45 as the wing door 15 moves, and as shown in Figure 11(b), the stay arms 41 and 42 bend slightly in the opposite direction (downward) from their approximately straight state, restricting their rotation and fixing them in place. As a result, the wing door 15 is held in an open position (the same applies to the opposite wing door 16). Note that while a handle is not shown, it may be provided on the flat portion 15c near the tip 15d of the wing door 15, or on both end surfaces.

Next, we will explain the operation for holding the side flaps 17 of the insulated container box 100 in an open position. The process from when the wing doors 15 of the insulated container box 100 are open (Figure 13) to when the side flaps 17 are held open will be described with reference to Figures 12 to 14. First, the worker opens the wing doors 15 upward as shown in Figure 13, and then rotates the gate 201 in the direction of arrow R2 to open it. Next, when the worker places his or her fingers on the handle (not shown) provided near the end surface 17d at the top of the side flaps 17 and pulls them toward the worker (in the forward direction of arrow R3 in Figure 14), the link arms 31 at both ends rotate toward the outside of the main body 10 around the rotation fulcrum 31a formed by the pivot pin 32. Furthermore, the side flaps 17, which are rotatably engaged at the rotation fulcrum 31b by the pivot pin (not shown), move downward on the bottom plate 11 on the outside (in the downward direction of arrow R4 in Figure 14). The pivot pin that engages the side flap 17 with the link arm 31 is located near the upper end surface 17d of the side flap 17. Therefore, due to its own weight, the side flap 17 remains in a substantially vertical position and moves over the open truck tailgate 201 to its open position, with the outer surface 17a of the side flap 17 always facing outward from the insulated container box 100 (Figures 12(b) and 14). In other words, the inner surface 17b of the side flap 17 always faces inward, ensuring it remains clean and resistant to rainwater even when loaded with baskets of fresh produce such as vegetables. (The same applies to the opposite side flap 18.)

As explained in detail above, according to the first embodiment, when the insulated container box 100 is closed, fresh produce such as vegetables stored inside the insulated container box 100 is covered with an insulating layer, allowing the produce to be transported while maintaining its freshness. In the above explanation, the sealing state of the front and rear panels 12 and 13 of the insulated container box 100 and the wing doors 15, 16 and side flaps 17, 18 has been explained as a structure in which the sealing is achieved by abutting the respective side end faces 12a, 12b and 13a, 13b with the inner surfaces 15f, 16f of the wing doors 15, 16 and the inner surfaces 17b, 18b of the side flaps 17, 18. Additionally, the sealing of the wing doors 15, 16 and side flaps 17, 18 has been described as being achieved by abutting the inner stepped flat surfaces 15m, 16m and the outer surfaces 17a, 18a, but sealing performance can be further improved by providing a soft foamed sponge, such as polyurethane foam, on the abutting surfaces and sealing by sandwiching them together.

Furthermore, because the wing doors 15, 16 are separated from the side flaps 17, 18 and made compact, the weight is light, and even when lifted upward, they can be opened and closed easily with a relatively light force. Furthermore, if the baskets containing fresh produce such as vegetables are relatively light, loading and unloading can be performed without opening the side flaps 17, 18. If the baskets containing fresh produce such as vegetables are relatively heavy, the side flaps 17, 18 must be opened, but they can be opened and closed easily with a relatively light force. Furthermore, because the upper end portions 17b, 18b of the leading ends can be moved to a position lower than the loading surface 204a of the truck's loading section 204, even relatively heavy baskets can be loaded and unloaded by sliding them across the loading surface 204a, resulting in a structure that allows for efficient work. Furthermore, because the inner surfaces 17b, 18b of the side flaps 17, 18 are always positioned on the inside, they can be kept clean even when loaded with baskets of fresh produce such as vegetables on farmland, without being soiled by rainwater. This allows for a structure that prevents the boxes from becoming soiled when transporting boxed vegetables and other produce for sale from a processing factory to a sales outlet.

Furthermore, in the first embodiment of the present invention, by installing at least one torsion coil spring in the hinge components 19, 20 that engage the wing doors 15, 16 and the upper plate 14 so that they can rotate freely, the wing doors 15, 16 can be opened and closed more easily with less force, although the structure becomes more complex.

Alternatively, in the first embodiment of the present invention, by installing a gas spring (not shown) between the wing doors 15, 16 and at least one of the front panel 12 and rear panel 13, the structure becomes more complex, but the wing doors 15, 16 can be opened and closed more easily with less force. It is desirable to fasten the gas spring with screws to a metal plate (not shown) that is inserted or glued into the front panel 12 and rear panel 13.

<Modification of the First Embodiment>
A modified example of the first embodiment of the present invention is shown in Figure 15. Figure 15(a) is a diagram showing the state of the side flap 75 when the insulated container box 100 is sealed, and the side flap 75 is divided into two approximately rectangular pieces, an upper side plate 76 and a lower side plate 77, which have approximately the same dimensions and similar shapes. Furthermore, the lower end surface of the upper side plate 76 and the upper end surface of the lower side plate 77 are each connected by hinge parts 63 so as to be foldable by rotating in the direction of arrow T in the figure toward the inner side.

To keep the side flaps 75 open, the entire side flaps 75 are pulled in the direction of arrow R3 shown in Figures 13 and 14, as with the side flaps 17, and are rotated and folded in the direction of arrow T in Figure 15(a), while the entire side flaps 75 are moved in the direction of arrow R4 shown in Figure 14 in accordance with the rotation of the link arms 31 at both ends to open them. In this way, the upper side plate 76 and the lower side plate 77 are folded inward around the hinge parts 63, with the inner surfaces 76b and 77b coming into contact with each other, and the entire side flaps 75 are held outside the gate 201.
By doing so, only the outer surface 76a of the upper side plate 76 is exposed to the outer surface of the side flap 75, and the inner surfaces 76b, 77b are protected even more than the side flap 17 of the first embodiment. Even when loading baskets containing fresh produce such as vegetables on farmland, the baskets can be kept clean without being soiled by rainwater.

Second Embodiment
A second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 16 and 17. Similar to the first embodiment, an insulated container box 150 has a main body 10, the basic structure of which is made up of a rectangular parallelepiped bottom plate 11, a rectangular parallelepiped front plate 12 disposed above an end of the bottom plate 11, a rear plate 13 disposed above an end opposite the front plate 12, and a top plate 14 provided to connect the upper ends of the front plate 12 and rear plate 13. Also, similar to the first embodiment, two wing doors 15, 16 are provided on both sides of the main body 10 and are engaged with ends 14a, 14b of the top plate 14 via hinge parts 19, 20 so as to be rotatable relative to the main body 10.

Furthermore, side flaps 50, 55 are provided on both sides of the main body 10 so that the side ends 12a, 12b of the front panel 12 and the side ends 13a, 13b of the rear panel 13 can rotate freely in an axial direction perpendicular to the rotation axis of the hinge parts 19, 20 when loaded onto the cargo vehicle, that is, in an axial direction perpendicular to the rotation axis of the hinge parts 19, 20. The side flap 50 is divided into two side panels 56, 57 at the front and rear approximately at the center in the direction of travel of the cargo vehicle. Furthermore, its upper end surface 50d fits into the step space Q of the inner step flat surface 15m of the wing door 15, similar to the side flap 17 (similar to the side flap 55).

The side flap 50 is made up of four lower side panels, namely, end side panels 51 and 54, which are generally rectangular and have generally the same dimensions, and central side panels 52 and 53. The end side panel 51 has a flap portion 62a fixed to the side end surface 12a of the front panel 12 by a first hinge part 62 so as to be rotatable about its axial direction, which is the vertical direction when loaded onto a cargo vehicle. Similarly, the end side panel 54 has a flap portion 62a fixed to the side end surface 13a of the rear panel 13 by a first hinge part 62 so as to be rotatable about its axial direction, which is the vertical direction when loaded onto a cargo vehicle.

Furthermore, side plate 56 is composed of end side plate 51 and center side plate 52, and inner surfaces 51b and 52b are connected by second hinge parts 61 so that they can rotate freely about an axial direction that corresponds to the top-to-bottom direction when loaded onto a freight vehicle, and inner surfaces 51b and 52b can be folded inward in a direction in which they face each other. Similarly, side plate 57 is composed of end side plate 54 and center side plate 53, and inner surfaces 54b and 53b are connected by second hinge parts 61 so that they can rotate freely about an axial direction that corresponds to the top-to-bottom direction when loaded onto a freight vehicle, and inner surfaces 54b and 53b can be folded inward in a direction in which they face each other.

As shown in Figure 17, the central side plate 52 of the side flap 50 has a stepped inner surface, forming a protrusion 52c, so that the thickness of the cross-sectional shape at the tip is thinner. The central side plate 53 has a stepped outer surface, forming a protrusion 53c, so that the thickness of the cross-sectional shape at the tip is thinner. When the container box is closed, the protrusion 52c of the central side plate 52 of the side flap 50 abuts against the protrusion 53c of the central side plate 53. The engagement between the end side plate 51 and the central side plate 52, and the engagement between the end side plate 54 and the central side plate 53, are similar. As a result, the inner stepped flat surface 15m of the wing door 15 abuts against the outer surfaces 51a, 52a, 53a, and 54a of the side flap 50, forming a sealed structure. (See Figure 8; the same applies to the side flap 55.)

Side flaps 50, 55 are similarly made of a thermoplastic resin foam such as expanded polystyrene resin with an expansion ratio of 40 to 70 times, and the surface is coated with a resin compound (polyurea resin).

Figure 18 shows a perspective view of the wing doors 15, 16 and side flaps 50, 55 in the open state. With regard to the side flap 50, the end side panel 51 rotates outward at the first hinge part 62, and the central side panel 52 rotates inward at the second hinge part 61. In other words, with the end side panel 51 and the central side panel 52 constituting the side panel 56 folded in such a way that the inner surfaces 51b and 52b face each other, the end side panel 51 and the central side panel 52 rotate forward of the front panel 12 while maintaining their horizontal position in the height direction. Similarly, the end side panel 54 and the central side panel 53 rotate outward at the first hinge part 62, and the central side panel 53 rotates inward at the second hinge part 61. In other words, when the end side panels 54 and the center side panel 53 that make up the side panels 57 are folded in such a way that the inner surfaces 54b and 53b face each other, the end side panels 54 and the center side panel 53 rotate forward of the rear panel 13 while maintaining a horizontal height. (The same applies to the side flaps 55.)

The operating method for opening the wing door 15 and side flap 50 in the second embodiment will be explained using Figure 19. First, the method for opening the wing door 15 is exactly the same as in the first embodiment. As shown in Figure 19(a), the wing door 15 is unlocked from the state shown in Figure 16 by operating the fixed levers (not shown) on both ends. Then, when the wing door 15 is lifted up while being pulled toward the user, its fingers are hooked on the handle (not shown) provided near the tip 15d of the wing door 15. The wing door 15 then rotates upward around the hinge part 19 in the direction of arrow S1, moves to the open position, and is held by the stay assembly 40.

To open the side flaps 50, rotate the gate 201 in the direction of arrow S2 and lower it. Then, pull the area near the joint between the end side panel 51 and the center side panel 52 and the area near the joint between the end side panel 54 and the center side panel 53 in the direction of arrow S3. Then, push the end side panel 51 and the center side panel 52, and the end side panel 54 and the center side panel 53 toward the front panel 12 and the rear panel 13, respectively, in the direction of S4 shown in Figure 19(b). As a result, the inner surface 51b of the end side panel 51 and the inner surface 52b of the center side panel 52 are folded in opposing directions and come into contact. Similarly, the inner surfaces 54b and 53b of the end side panel 54 and the center side panel 53 are folded in opposing directions and come into contact. (Figure 19(c))

According to the second embodiment, the side flaps 50, 55 are designed to move horizontally when opened or closed, allowing for smooth opening and closing with very little force. Furthermore, the end and central side panels of the side flaps 50, 55, which form the inner surface of the insulated container box body, can be folded in such a way that their inner surfaces face each other, preventing them from being exposed to the surface even when the inner surface is open. This structure has the advantage that baskets containing fresh produce, such as vegetables harvested from farmland, can be kept clean and free from soiling when loaded into the body. In the second embodiment, the side flap 50 is divided into central side panels 52, 53 approximately in the center, and is designed to be folded from between them toward the front panel 12 and the rear panel 13, respectively, relative to the direction of travel of the freight vehicle. Of course, if there is an even number of lower side panels, they can be connected with the second hinge parts 61 and folded in either direction, and it is clear that this will be effective because the inner surfaces of each lower side panel will abut against each other. However, from the standpoint of workability, it is preferable to divide the panel roughly in the middle and fold it towards the front panel 12 and towards the rear panel 13, respectively, so that only the necessary parts can be folded.

The present invention will be described in more detail below with reference to examples.
Example 1
The results of a heat insulation test using the heat-insulating container box 100 of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 20 to 24.

As shown in Figure 20, an insulated container box 100 was placed inside a temperature-controllable constant temperature room 70, and test specimens 73 were prepared in which a temperature-measuring thermocouple 71 was inserted under the thin skin of a fresh vegetable turnip 72, as shown in Figure 21. Regarding test specimens 73, test specimen 73A was placed inside a basket 160 installed inside the insulated container box 100, as shown in Figure 22. Test specimen 73B was placed inside the constant temperature room 70 in a basket 160 installed outside the insulated container box 100, as shown in Figure 23, and then covered with a blanket 74 and sprayed with sufficient water. Test specimen 73A served as an example to evaluate the performance of the insulated container box of the present invention, and test specimen 73B served as a comparative example, recreating a conventional preservation method for fresh vegetable turnips from harvesting to transportation to a processing plant.

Next, the procedure for the insulation test will be explained. The temperature inside the temperature-controlled chamber 70 was rapidly raised from 10°C to 35°C at the temperature-controlled chamber 70's maximum capacity (2°C/min), and the temperature change of test specimens 73A and 73B was measured. At the same time, the temperature inside the temperature-controlled chamber 70 was measured. The temperature-controlled chamber 70 used was the Hitachi Global Life Solutions, Inc., constant temperature and humidity chamber ER-105EXMH-R.

The results of the insulation test will be explained using Figure 24. The temperature inside the thermostatic chamber 70 reached 30°C 10 minutes after the start of the test, and 35°C 20 minutes later. The time between harvesting turnips as a vegetable and transporting them to the processing plant, and from the processing plant to the market, is generally assumed to be within 50 minutes, and the temperatures of test specimens 73A and 73B after 50 minutes of testing were compared. Test specimen 73B, which replicated the conventional storage method, reached a temperature of 25°C after 50 minutes of testing, a temperature increase of approximately 15°C, whereas test specimen 73A, which was placed inside the insulated container box of the present invention, maintained a temperature of 13°C even after 50 minutes of testing, a temperature increase of approximately 3°C.

Compared to test specimen 73B, which replicates conventional storage methods, test specimen 73A, placed inside the insulated container box of the present invention, experienced a more controlled temperature rise, demonstrating the high insulating effect of the insulated container box. The insulated container box allows fresh produce such as vegetables to be transported while maintaining their freshness better than before, and also reduces the heavy labor of repeatedly covering them with heavy, damp blankets and spraying them with water each time they are loaded.

As explained in detail above, the insulated container box of the present invention provides insulation, a simple structure, and is lightweight. It also allows for easy opening and closing of the wing doors, and provides wind pressure resistance because the tips of the wing doors can be securely held in place when the doors are open. This has the advantage of safely preserving the freshness of vegetables and other perishables and improving worker workability compared to conventional methods.

Note that the present invention is not limited to the contents described in the above-described embodiments and examples, and the constituent elements include those that are substantially the same, or those that are within the scope of what is known as equivalents. Furthermore, the constituent elements disclosed in the above-described embodiments and examples may be combined as appropriate, or may be selected and used as appropriate.

5, 6: Side door (side panel)
10: Main body of insulated container box 11: Bottom plate 12: Front plate 13: Rear plate 14: Top plate 15, 16: Wing doors 15d, 16d: Tip portions 15e, 16e: Outer surface portions 15f, 16f: Inner surface portions 15j, 16j: Step portions 15m, 16m: Inner step flat portions 17, 18, 50, 55, 75: Side flaps 17a, 18a: Outer surface portions 17b, 18b: Inner surface portions 17d, 18d, 50d, 55d: End surface portions 19, 20, 63: Hinge part 61: Second hinge part 62: First hinge part 31: Link arms 31a, 31b: Link arms Rotational fulcrum portion 32 of the arm: pivot pin 40: stay assembly 41, 42: stay arm 43, 44: mounting fixing member 45: pivot pin 51, 54: end side plates of side flap 52, 53: central side plates of side flap 51a, 52a, 53a, 54a: outer surface portions 51b, 52b, 53b, 54b: inner surface portions 56, 57: side plate 70: constant temperature chamber 71: thermocouples for temperature measurement 73, 73A, 73B: test specimens 100, 150: insulated container box 200: trucks 201, 202, 203: truck tailgate 204: truck loading portion

Claims (4)

A cargo container comprising a thermoplastic resin foam body made of a rectangular parallelepiped bottom plate, a rectangular parallelepiped front plate arranged upward from one end of the bottom plate, a rectangular parallelepiped rear plate arranged upward from the end of the bottom plate opposite the front plate, and a rectangular parallelepiped top plate engaged at the upper ends of the front plate and the rear plate , and side plates made of thermoplastic resin foam provided to cover both side surfaces of the body, and a pair of gates having rotation axes parallel to the direction of travel.
An insulated container box for use on a vehicle ,
a wing door in which an end portion of at least one of the side panels on both sides opposite an end portion of the upper panel is engaged with a hinge part so as to be rotatable about an axial direction of the traveling direction when the door is mounted on the cargo vehicle;
A side flap that moves separately from the wing door;
Equipped with
The main body and the wing door are connected via a pair of stay assemblies that can hold the wing door in an open state and a closed state, and the side flaps are connected to the front panel and
a pair of link arms, one end of which is rotatably engaged with the inner surface of the rear panel, the other end of which is rotatably engaged with the upper portion of the side flap adjacent to both ends thereof in parallel with the rotation of the wing door , and further including link arms disposed in parallel below the wing door;
The wing doors and the side flaps are opened and closed with their inner surfaces always facing inward.
In addition,
When the side flaps are opened, the upper end surfaces of the side flaps are in contact with the inner surface of the bottom plate.
An insulated container box characterized by being held at a position lower than the surface . 2. The insulated container box according to claim 1, wherein the side panels of the container box are configured such that, when the wing doors and the side flaps are closed, the lower tip of the stepped portion of the wing door is on the outside and the upper tip of the side flap is on the inside, at a position higher than the upper end of the tailgate of the cargo vehicle. 3. The insulated container box according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the bottom plate, the front plate, the rear plate, the top plate, the wing doors, and the side flaps made of the thermoplastic resin foam, or at least one surface thereof, is coated with a resin compound. 3. The heat-insulating container box according to claim 1, wherein the thermoplastic resin foam is expanded polystyrene resin.