Patent ID: 8540289

Claim:
An opening/closing structure for a thin plate-conveying container, comprising: a container body having an opening; a lid removably attached to the container body for closing the opening of the container body; a lock mechanism on the lid for locking the lid to the container body with the opening of the container body closed, the lock mechanism including: a link mechanism including a rotation plate having an axis of rotation and being rotatably mounted on the lid, a lock member configured to releasably engage the container body, and a link arm member to connect the rotation plate to the lock member to exert on the lock member a rotating force of the rotation plate as an engaging force for engaging the lock member with the container body and as a disengaging force for disengaging the lock member from the container body; and a holding device for holding the rotation plate in a stopped state and thereby preventing rotation of the rotation plate both at an engagement position, at which the lock member is engaged with the container body due to the rotation of the rotation plate, and at a disengagement position, at which the lock member is disengaged from the container body due to the rotation of the rotation plate, the holding device including a pair of engagement recesses spaced apart on a periphery of the rotation plate, and including a pair of engagement projections projecting from the lid, the pair of engagement recesses and the pair of engagement projections being arranged so that a first one of the pair of engagement projections engages with a first one of the pair of engagement recesses when the rotation plate is in the engagement position, and so that a second one of the pair of engagement projections engages with a second one of the pair of engagement recesses when the rotation plate is in the disengagement position; wherein the lock member is movably disposed between the engagement position at which the lock member is engaged with the container body and the disengagement position at which the lock member is disengaged from the container body, the container body has formed therein an engagement bore for receiving the lock member inserted therein and engaged therewith; and a moving device for moving the lock member upwardly above the lid while the lock member maintains a horizontal orientation as the lock member moves toward the container body, the moving device being located between the lid and the lock member, the moving device being configured to force the lock member being inserted in the engagement bore against an edge of the engagement bore within the engagement bore so that a pressing force is exerted on the lid by the lock member to press the lid against the container body.