Transport container and transport method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12030712-B2
Application number	US-202018012954-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 1, 2020
Priority date	Jul 1, 2020
Publication date	Jul 9, 2024
Grant date	Jul 9, 2024

Abstract

A transport container includes: a bottom member where the transported object is placed; left and right side members disposed beside the bottom member; a handle disposed above the bottom member; left and right lower connecting members interconnecting the bottom member and side members; and left and right upper connecting members interconnecting the side and the handle members, which are respectively interconnected via hinges. When the handle is not lifted, the side members are separated from the bottom member. When the handle is lifted, the side members laterally support the transported object. As for the transport method, with the transported object stacked in the up-down direction, the transport container is installed at an unloading location such that the lower and upper connecting members are laid to be non-parallel to the side member, and the transported object is taken out from the front or rear between the left and right side members.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A transport container used for transporting transported objects and comprising:
a bottom member where the transported object is placed;
left and right side members disposed beside the bottom member;
a handle member disposed above the bottom member;
left and right lower connecting members interconnecting the bottom member and the side members; and
left and right upper connecting members interconnecting the side members and the handle member, wherein
the bottom member and the lower connecting members, the lower connecting members and the side members, the side members and the upper connecting members, and the upper connecting members and the handle member are respectively interconnected via left and right hinges having rotating shafts parallel and horizontal with respect to left and right side surfaces of the bottom member,
when the handle member is not lifted, the lower connecting members and the upper connecting members are laid to be non-parallel to the side members and the side members are separated from the bottom member, and
when the handle member is lifted, the lower connecting members and the upper connecting members become upright and the side members approach the bottom member to laterally support the transported object placed on the bottom member.

2. The transport container according to claim 1 , wherein
ribs extending toward an inside in a left-right direction are provided at front and rear ends of the side member, and
when the handle member is lifted, the ribs support the transported object placed on the bottom member from the front and rear.

3. The transport container according to claim 2 ,
wherein the rib protrudes downward beyond a lower end of the side member.

4. The transport container according to claim 2 ,
wherein the rib forms an obtuse angle with the side member in a plan view of the transport container.

5. The transport container according to claim 1 , comprising a stopper for locking the lower connecting member in an upright state or the upper connecting member in an upright state to the side member in an upright state.

6. The transport container according to claim 1 ,
wherein the side member has a through hole for inserting transported object lifting and lowering means between the transported objects placed on the bottom member.

7. The transport container according to claim 1 , comprising a rib extending toward an inside in a left-right direction in an end portion of the side member in a front-rear direction,
wherein the rib has a shape in which an inside of a lower end portion of the rib in the left-right direction is notched.

8. The transport container according to claim 1 , comprising a rib extending toward an inside in a left-right direction in an end portion of the side member in a front-rear direction,
wherein the rib has a length at which a lower end portion of the rib is positioned above an upper end of the bottom member when the handle member is lifted.

9. The transport container according to claim 1 ,
wherein the bottom member has a penetration structure of penetration in an up-down direction for inserting transported object lifting and lowering means from below the transported object placed on the bottom member.

10. The transport container according to claim 1 , comprising a rib extending toward an inside in a left-right direction in an end portion of the side member in a front-rear direction,
wherein the rib has a shape in which an inside of an upper end portion of the rib in the left-right direction is notched.

11. The transport container according to claim 1 , comprising a rib extending toward an inside in a left-right direction in an end portion of the side member in a front-rear direction,
wherein the rib has a width at which the left and right ribs cover front and rear surfaces as a whole of the transported object placed on the bottom member when the handle member is lifted.

12. The transport container according to claim 11 , comprising an openable and closable door extending toward the inside in the left-right direction in the end portion of the side member in the front-rear direction,
wherein the door has a width at which the entire front or rear surface of the transported object placed on the bottom member is covered when the handle member is lifted.

13. A transport method for individually taking out transported objects stacked in an up-down direction and accommodated in a transport container, wherein
the transport container is used for transporting the transported objects and includes:
a bottom member where the transported object is placed;
left and right side members disposed beside the bottom member;
a handle member disposed above the bottom member;
left and right lower connecting members interconnecting the bottom member and the side members; and
left and right upper connecting members interconnecting the side members and the handle member,
the bottom member and the lower connecting members, the lower connecting members and the side members, the side members and the upper connecting members, and the upper connecting members and the handle member are respectively interconnected via left and right hinges having rotating shafts parallel and horizontal with respect to left and right side surfaces of the bottom member,
when the handle member is not lifted, the lower connecting members and the upper connecting members are laid to be non-parallel to the side members and the side members are separated from the bottom member,
when the handle member is lifted, the lower connecting members and the upper connecting members become upright and the side members as structures approach the bottom member to laterally support the transported object placed on the bottom member,
with the transported object stacked in the up-down direction and accommodated, the transport container is installed at an unloading location such that the lower connecting member and the upper connecting member are laid to be non-parallel to the side member, and
the transported object placed on the bottom member is taken out from a front or rear between the left and right side members.

14. The transport method according to claim 13 , wherein
the side member has a through hole for inserting transported object lifting and lowering means between the transported objects placed on the bottom member,
with the transported object stacked in the up-down direction and accommodated, the transport container is installed at the unloading location such that the lower connecting member and the upper connecting member are laid to be non-parallel to the side member,
the lifting and lowering means is inserted through the through hole between the transported object on the lowest stage placed on the bottom member and the transported object on the second stage from the bottom and the transported objects on the second and subsequent stages are lifted, and
the transported object on the lowest stage is taken out from the front or rear between the left and right side members.

15. The transport method according to claim 14 , wherein
the transport container includes a rib extending toward an inside in a left-right direction in an end portion of the side member in a front-rear direction,
the rib has a shape in which an inside of a lower end portion of the rib in the left-right direction is notched,
with the transported object stacked in the up-down direction and accommodated, the transport container is installed at an unloading location provided with an inclined guide rising toward an outside in the left-right direction such that the lower connecting member and

Assignees

• Hitachi High Tech Corp

Inventors

• Hokari Junpei
• Yabuhara Tadao

Classifications

• B65D71/04

  with protecting or supporting elements arranged between binder and articles or materials, e.g. for preventing chafing of binder · CPC title

• B65D61/02 Primary

  Tubular frames with resilient joints · CPC title

• B65D25/2802

  fixed, i.e. non-swingable, handles (B65D25/2867, B65D25/2882 take precedence) · CPC title

• B01L3/56

  Labware specially adapted for transferring fluids · CPC title

• B01L3/5085

  for multiple samples, e.g. microtitration plates · CPC title