JP2018062366A - Food container - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a food container that allows a lid to be opened easily with one hand.SOLUTION: A planar shape of a food container 1 is a drum shape. A main body 10 includes a bottom surface part 11 and a lower side surface part 12, and a lid part 30 includes a top surface part 31 and an upper side surface part 32. The lower side surface part 12 and the upper side surface part 32 have constriction parts (17, 18, 37, 38) at two locations that are opposite each other in a width direction. The bottom surface part 11 to make contact with the two constriction parts on the lower side surface part 12 is constricted in a matching shape, and the top surface part 31 to make contact with the two constriction parts on the upper side surface part 32 is constricted in a matching shape.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

  The present invention relates to a food container made of a synthetic resin used for food such as a lunch box.

Increasingly, they buy lunch boxes in plastic containers sold at convenience stores.
In such a lunch box made of a synthetic resin container, the main body and the lid are firmly fitted so that the contents do not pop out. Therefore, when opening the lid, it is necessary to hold the main body with one hand and open the lid with the other hand.

An invention that makes it easy to open the lid of such a container has been proposed.
Patent Document 1 is an invention of a packaging container made of a synthetic resin composed of a container body and a lid, and is provided on two of the four corners of the flange portion of the lid, on both sides thereof. It has the lid removal structure which consists of the supported support part 16 (paragraph number 0023).
When the lid is opened, it is described that the lid 3 is removed from the container body 2 with the packaging container placed on a table or the like (paragraph number 0037).

Patent Document 2 is an invention of a packaging container that includes a container body and a lid body that are formed from a synthetic resin sheet by thermoforming into a substantially square shape in plan view, and the lid body is fitted into the opening of the container body. The lid 2 is removed from the container body 1 by holding the knobs 60 provided at the four corners of the lid (paragraph number 0046).
All conventional containers need to be opened with both hands holding the main body, and there is room for improvement in terms of convenience.

JP 2009-269661 A Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2015-20784

  An object of the present invention is to provide a food container that can be easily opened with one hand.

The present invention is a food container comprising a synthetic resin and having a main body and a lid that are fitted to each other on the opening side,
The main body has a bottom surface and a lower side surface extended in one direction from the periphery of the bottom surface;
The lid portion has a top surface portion and an upper side surface portion extended in one direction from the periphery of the top surface portion;
The lower side surface portion and the upper side surface portion are constricted inward at two locations at positions facing each other in the width direction,
Provided is a food container in which the bottom surface portion in contact with the two constricted portions of the lower side surface portion is constricted in the same shape, and the top surface portion in contact with the two constricted portions in the upper side surface portion is constricted in the same shape.

  The food container of the present invention can be easily opened with one hand. For this reason, when opening the lid of the food container, it is not necessary to place it on a table or the like, and the lid can be easily opened even when held with one hand or in an unstable state placed on the knee.

The side view of the food container of the state which covered the main-body part with the cover part. The top view of the state which opened the cover part from the main-body part in the state of FIG. The side view of the state of FIG. (A) is a fragmentary sectional view of the main-body part in FIG. 2, (b) is a fragmentary sectional view of the cover part in FIG. (A)-(d) is a figure which shows embodiment of the food container from which planar shape differs.

<Food container>
The food container 1 shown in FIG. 1 is used as a container for various foods such as a lunch box container, a prepared vegetable container, and a confectionery container.
The food container 1 is composed of a combination of the main body 10 and the lid 30 and is composed of a known synthetic resin (polystyrene, polypropylene, etc.) similar to a commercially available product.
It is preferable that at least all or a part of the lid 30 is transparent so that the contents of the main body 10 and the lid 30 can be confirmed.

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the main body portion 10 has a bottom surface portion 11 and a lower side surface portion 12 extending in one direction from the periphery of the bottom surface portion 11, and faces the height direction of the bottom surface portion 11. The part to open is opened (lower opening part 13).
The lower side surface portion 12 may be a vertical surface with respect to the bottom surface portion 11 or may be an inclined surface in the outward direction. The lower side surface portion 12 may be a flat surface, a curved surface, or a combination of a flat surface and a curved surface.
The lower opening 13 of the main body 10 has an annular convex portion 14 formed along the shape of the lower opening 13.
As shown in FIG. 4A, the annular convex portion 14 includes a lower side surface portion 12, a narrow annular surface portion 14a extending in a lateral direction (parallel to the bottom surface portion 11) from the lower side surface portion 12, and an annular surface portion 14a. And a folded portion 14b folded in the direction toward the bottom surface portion 11. A lower flange portion 16 is formed from the folded portion 14b.
The annular convex portion 14 has a shape corresponding to the annular step portion 34 of the lid portion 30 that is a mating counterpart.

The lower side surface portion 12 of the main body portion 10 is constricted at two positions facing each other in the width direction, and a first lower constricted portion 17 and a second lower constricted portion 18 are formed.
The bottom surface portion 11 in contact with the first lower constricted portion 17, the annular convex portion 14, and the lower flange portion 16 in contact with the annular convex portion 14 are each constricted in the same shape.
The bottom surface portion 11 in contact with the second lower constricted portion 18, the annular convex portion 14, and the lower flange portion 16 in contact with the annular convex portion 14 are each constricted in the same shape.
The degree of constriction of the first lower constricted portion 17 and the second lower constricted portion 18 is not particularly limited, but the angles θ1 and θ2 shown in FIG. 1 are preferably in the range of 110 to 170 °, 120 to What is the range of 160 degrees is more preferable, and what is the range of 130-150 degrees is still more preferable.
The degree of constriction (θ1 and θ2) of the first lower constricted portion 17 and the second lower constricted portion 18 is preferably the same, but may be different.

The main body portion 10 is a pressing portion formed in the height direction (between the bottom surface portion 11 and the annular convex portion 14) in the lower side surface portion 12 where the first lower constriction portion 17 and the second lower constriction portion 18 are present. A recess 19 is provided.
The concave portion 19 is not essential, but it is preferable that the concave portion 19 be easily caught by fingers when the main body portion 10 is held by hand.
The shape of the concave portion 19 is not particularly limited, but as described above, a semi-cylindrical concave portion is preferable from the viewpoint that a finger can be easily applied.

  The main body 10 is projected to the inside of the bottom surface portion 11 across two adjacent sides at four corners of the bottom surface portion 11 excluding the first lower neck portion 17 and the second lower neck portion 18. It has a recessed portion (stepped portion) 20 formed.

Two constricted portions corresponding to the first lower constricted portion 17 and the second lower constricted portion 18 of the lower flange portion 16 of the main body portion 10 have corrugated portions formed in the thickness direction or the width direction at the width direction front end portion. 16a.
The constricted portion of the lower flange portion 16 is often touched by a finger when the food container 1 is held. Therefore, by forming the corrugated portion 16a, the finger is cut by the linear lower flange portion 16 to be injured. Nothing will happen. The corrugated portion 16a can be formed using the techniques described in, for example, the invention of Japanese Patent No. 4704688, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 60-212293, registered utility model No. 3044932, and Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 9-11198. .
In addition, a similar waveform portion can be formed at a corner portion that is easy to touch with a finger.

The bottom surface portion 11 of the main body portion 10 is divided into a plurality of portions by ribs 21 protruding inward.
By forming the ribs 21, the bottom surface portion 11 is reinforced and can be put separately for each type of food. In FIG. 2, the ribs 21 form two rice balls and two supplementary food containers.
Further, in addition to the ribs 21, the bottom surface portion 11 can be further provided with irregularities for reinforcement.

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the lid portion 30 has a top surface portion 31 and an upper side surface portion 32 extended in one direction from the periphery of the top surface portion 31, and the direction facing the top surface portion 31 is open. (Upper opening 33).
The upper side surface portion 32 may be a vertical surface with respect to the top surface portion 31, or may be an inclined surface in the outward direction. Further, the upper side surface portion 32 may be a flat surface, a curved surface, or a combination of a flat surface and a curved surface.
An upper flange portion 36 is formed in the upper opening portion 33 of the lid portion 30.
As shown in FIG. 4B, the lid portion 30 has an annular step portion 34 that is formed to protrude outward from the upper side surface portion 32.
The annular stepped portion 34 has a shape corresponding to the annular convex portion 14 with which the main body portion 10 is fitted, and the width of the annular stepped portion 34 and the width of the annular convex portion 14 match or approximate.

The upper side surface portion 32 of the lid portion 30 is constricted at two positions facing each other in the width direction, and a first upper constricted portion 37 and a second upper constricted portion 38 are formed.
The top surface portion 31, the annular stepped portion 34, and the upper flange portion 36 that are in contact with the first upper constricted portion 37 are each constricted in the same shape.
The top surface portion 31, the annular stepped portion 34, and the upper flange portion 36 that are in contact with the second upper constricted portion 38 are each constricted in the same shape.
The degree of constriction of the first upper constricted portion 37 and the second upper constricted portion 38 is not particularly limited, but the angles θ1 and θ2 shown in FIG. 1 are preferably in the range of 110 to 170 °, and 120 to What is the range of 160 degrees is more preferable, and what is the range of 130-150 degrees is still more preferable.
The degree of constriction (θ1 and θ2) of the first upper constricted portion 37 and the second upper constricted portion 38 is preferably the same, but may be different.
When the lid portion 30 is fitted to the main body portion 10, the annular step portion 34 is fitted to the annular convex portion 14, and the first lower neck portion 17 and the second lower neck portion 18 of the main body portion 10 are fitted to the lid portion 30. Since the first upper constricted portion 37 and the second upper constricted portion 38 are overlapped, the first lower constricted portion 17 and the first upper constricted portion 37, the second lower constricted portion 18, and the second upper constricted portion 38 The shapes (degrees of constriction) are preferably the same.

The lid portion 30 is projected to the outside of the top surface portion 31 across two adjacent sides at four corners of the top surface portion 31 excluding the first upper constriction portion 37 and the second upper constriction portion 38. It has the convex part 40 formed.
When the food containers 1 are stacked, the four concave portions 20 of the main body portion 10 are fitted into the four convex portions 40 of the lid portion 30.

The two constricted portions corresponding to the first upper constricted portion 37 and the second upper constricted portion 38 of the upper flange portion 36 of the lid portion 30 have corrugated portions formed in the thickness direction or the width direction at the width direction front end portion. 36a.
Since the constricted portion of the upper flange portion 36 is often touched by a finger when the food container 1 is held, the corrugated portion 36a is formed so that the finger is cut by the linear upper flange portion 36 to be injured. Nothing will happen. The corrugated portion 36a can be formed using the techniques described in, for example, the invention of Japanese Patent No. 4704688, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 60-212293, registered utility model No. 3044932, and Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 9-11198. .
In addition, a similar waveform portion can be formed at a corner portion that is easy to touch with a finger.

The top surface portion 31 of the lid portion 30 can form a stamp indicating desired information. Examples of the stamp include company names of sales companies, logo marks, store names, brand names indicating raw materials for food, items indicating seasons, items indicating place names, items indicating events such as Christmas and Valentine's Day, and the like.
Further, it is preferable to mark the top surface portion 31 when the food container 1 is used as a lunch box because the top and bottom can be clearly defined.

The food container 1 may have the main body 10 and the lid 30 as separate bodies, and as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the first lower constricted portion 17 and the second lower constricted portion 18 of the main body 10 are not provided. The lower side surface portion 12a and the upper side surface portion 32a side without the first upper constricted portion 37 and the second upper constricted portion 38 of the lid portion 30 can be connected to each other by a connecting portion (hinge portion) 60 so as to be freely opened and closed. .
When the food container 1 is stored and transported after manufacture, many are stacked and stored and transported in the state shown in FIG. For this reason, unevenness can be formed on the inner surfaces of the main body 10 and the lid 30 to prevent stacking when stacked.

As shown in FIG. 2, the food container 1 has a drum shape when the lid portion 30 is fitted to the main body portion 10, and the main body portion 10 and the lid portion 30 are each independently a drum shape. is there.
In order to obtain the effect of the present invention, it is important that the food container 1 of the present invention has a constricted portion. For example, the food container 1 has a constricted shape as shown in FIGS. 5 (a) to (d). Is included.
FIG. 5A shows a shape in which the vicinity of an intermediate position in the length direction between opposed long sides (planes) is narrowed inward in the width direction when the non-constricted planar shape is a rectangle. The constricted portion may be a straight line (plane) or a curved line (curved surface). The two short sides without the constricted portion may be straight (plane) or curved (curved surface).
FIG. 5 (b) shows a shape in which when the planar shape not constricted is a square, the vicinity of the intermediate position in the length direction between either one of the two opposite sides (two surfaces) is constricted inward in the width direction. Show. The constricted portion may be a straight line (plane) or a curved line (curved surface). The two sides having no constricted portion may be a straight line (plane) or a curved line (curved surface).
FIG. 5C shows a shape in which the vicinity of the intermediate position between the curves (curved surfaces) facing the short axis side is constricted in the short axis direction when the non-constricted planar shape is an ellipse.
FIG. 5D shows a shape in which curves (curved surfaces) facing one diameter are constricted inward in the diameter direction when the planar shape not constricted is a circle.

<How to use food containers>
As shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, with the lid 30 opened from the main body 10, the desired food is packed in the main body 10, and then the lid 30 is closed to the state shown in FIG. 1.
At this time, the annular step portion 34 of the lid portion 30 is fitted to the annular convex portion 14 of the main body portion 10, and the upper side surface portion 32 of the lid portion 30 (the upper side surface portion on the upper opening 33 side of the annular step portion 34). 32) is brought into contact with the folded portion 14b of the annular convex portion 14 of the main body portion 10 from the outside, and the lower flange portion 16 and the upper flange portion 36 are overlapped. Is not to come off.

In a convenience store or the like, a food container 1 (hereinafter referred to as “lunch box 1”) containing food in the state shown in FIG. 1 is displayed and sold.
A consumer who has purchased the lunch box 1 holds the lunch box 1 (main body part 10) by holding the first lower constriction part 17 of the lower side surface part 12 with the thumb of one hand and the second lower constriction part 18 with the index finger and middle finger of one hand. When the first lower constricted portion 17 and the second lower constricted portion 18 are pushed inward from both sides in the held state, the lid portion 30 is easily opened and the state shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 is obtained.
After that, a lunch can be eaten while holding the main body 10 with one hand.

Conventionally, when trying to open a lid from a container composed of a main body and a lid, a method of picking and opening a part of the lid has been usual. For this reason, it was necessary to open the container after placing it on a table or the like, and further, it was necessary to hold the main body by hand so as not to move, and to open the lid with the other hand.
The food container 1 of the present invention can be easily opened with the food container 1 held in one hand, and the convenience is remarkably improved.
For this reason, consumers with weak power such as women and elderly people can easily open the lid with one hand, for example, when sitting on a bench or lawn in a park etc. and trying to eat a lunch box, It is convenient because you can easily open the lid with one hand.

  The food container of the present invention can be used as a food container for lunch boxes (including lunch boxes for noodles), prepared dishes, and confectionery (Japanese confectionery, Western confectionery).

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Food container 10 Main body part 11 Bottom face part 12 Lower side part 16 Lower flange part 17 1st lower constriction part 18 2nd lower constriction part 30 Lid part 31 Top surface part 32 Upper side part 36 Upper flange part 37 1st upper constriction part 38 Second upper constriction

Claims (7)

A food container comprising a synthetic resin and having a body part and a lid part fitted to each other on the opening side,
The main body has a bottom surface and a lower side surface extended in one direction from the periphery of the bottom surface;
The lid portion has a top surface portion and an upper side surface portion extended in one direction from the periphery of the top surface portion;
The lower side surface portion and the upper side surface portion are constricted inward at two locations at positions facing each other in the width direction,
The food container, wherein the bottom surface portion of the lower side surface portion in contact with the two constricted portions is constricted in the same shape, and the top surface portion in contact with the two constricted portions of the upper side surface portion is constricted in the same shape.   In the food container, a lower side surface portion without the constricted portion of the main body portion and an upper side surface portion without the constricted portion of the lid portion are connected so that the main body portion and the lid portion can be freely opened and closed. The food container according to claim 1.   The food container according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the food container has a concave portion formed in a portion where the constricted portion of the lower side surface portion of the main body portion is present. The food container, the main body portion has a lower flange portion in the opening portion, and the lid portion has an upper flange portion in the opening portion;
The lower flange part in contact with the constricted part of the main body part is constricted in the same shape, and the upper flange part in contact with the constricted part of the lid part is constricted in the same shape. Food container.   The food container has a corrugated portion formed in a thickness direction or a width direction at a tip portion in a width direction at a constricted portion of the lower flange portion, and a width direction tip portion at a constricted portion of the upper flange portion The food container according to claim 4, further comprising a corrugated portion formed in a thickness direction or a width direction.   The food container according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the bottom surface of the main body is partitioned into a plurality of ribs protruding inward.   The food container according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein a bottom surface portion of the main body portion has unevenness for reinforcement, and a top surface portion of the lid portion has a stamp indicating desired information.

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