Patent ID: 8348564
Filing Date: 2013-01-08
Classification: B65D

Abstract:
1. A container coupling device comprising: a device main body having an upper fitted portion and a lower fitted portion that can be fitted into an engaging hole of a corner fitting of a container; a shaft that is rotatably supported in the device main body; an upper fitting and a lower fitting that are integrally connected to an upper end and a lower end, respectively, of the shaft so as to cross in an X shape as viewed from above and be concentric with an axis of the shaft and that are engageable with the corner fitting through the engaging hole thereof; and a spring means that is provided between the shaft and the device main body and that biases the upper fitting and the lower fitting so as to rotate the upper fitting and the lower fitting to a position at which the upper fitting and the lower fitting engage with the corner fitting, wherein a lower half portion of the upper fitting and an upper half portion of the lower fitting are formed in such a shape that when the lower half portion or the upper half portion is pressed via the engaging hole of the corner fitting, a rotational force is applied in a direction in which the upper fitting and the lower fitting overlap the upper fitted portion and the lower fitted portion, respectively, when an upper container is lifted with the upper fitting and the lower fitting being engaged with a corner fitting of the upper container and a corner fitting of a lower container, respectively, via the spring means, a container weight acts on the lower half portion of the upper fitting via an engaging hole of the corner fitting of the upper container and on the upper half portion of the lower fitting via an engaging hole of the corner fitting of the lower container, and the upper fitting and the lower fitting rotate against a biasing force of the spring means in the direction in which the upper fitting and the lower fitting overlap the upper fitted portion and the lower fitted portion, respectively, and the lower fitting rotates to a position at which the lower fitting overlaps the lower fitted portion while the upper fitting is engaged with the corner fitting of the upper container.