Patent ID: 7828341
Filing Date: 2010-11-09
Classification: H01L,Y10S,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A storage container comprising: a container body for accommodating articles; a door element for opening and closing the opening of the container body; and a locking mechanism for locking the door element that covers the opening of the container body, wherein the locking mechanism includes: a rotatable rotary element; a first advancing and retracting element which, in accordance with the rotation of the rotary element, projects toward the door element's periphery from a door element's reference position when the door element is locked and returns to the door element's reference position when the door element is unlocked; a second advancing and retracting element which is rotatably supported by the first advancing and retracting element, and projects out from the door element to be inserted into a recess in the inner periphery of the opening of the container body when the door element is locked and returns from the recess of the container body towards the door element when the door element is unlocked; and a guide element for inclining the second advancing and retracting element in the door element's direction of thickness when it is projecting, wherein a plurality of guides for guiding the first and second advancing and retracting elements to move along guide surfaces of the plurality of guides are formed on opposing surfaces of a casing and a cover of the door element, wherein the first advancing and retracting element includes a neck portion at its front end part and a coupling in attached to said neck portion, and wherein the second advancing and retracting element includes a U-shaped grooved portion formed in its front end part which detachably receives and holds the coupling pin of the first advancing and retracting element, and pin projections projectively formed on both lateral sides thereof so that they can be slidably held between the plurality of guides.