JP7500451B2 - Food packaging containers - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a food packaging container for packaging foods such as skewered dumplings and yakitori.

Plastic food packaging containers for packaging foods such as skewered dumplings and yakitori are known. Food packaging containers include, for example, a container body with an opening for putting food in and taking it out, a lid that is attached to the container body to close the opening, and a hinge that connects the container body and the lid so that they can be opened and closed. With this type of packaging container, care must be taken to prevent sugar, syrup, and other sauces on the food from leaking when the lid is closed. For example, the packaging container described in Patent Document 1 includes a lid with a protruding portion that fits into the opening wall of the container body. By fitting the lid into the container body, leakage of sauces is suppressed and sealing properties are improved.

Japanese Utility Model Application Publication No. 6-76090

In this type of food packaging container, the container body and lid are connected by a hinge to improve ease of handling. The lid is attached to the container body by bending the hinge and tilting it towards the container body to close the opening. When attached, the protrusions of the lid are aligned with and fitted into the opening wall of the container body. However, with conventional food packaging containers, this alignment can be unstable, which results in the need to carefully align the lid, necessitating additional ingenuity and consideration, and potentially reducing workability.

The present invention aims to solve the above problems by providing a food packaging container that facilitates stable internal fitting of the lid body and improves workability when attaching the lid body to the container body.

The present invention is a food packaging container for storing food, comprising a container body having an opening for putting food in and taking it out, a lid for closing the opening, and a hinge part that connects the container body and the lid so that they can be opened and closed and is flexible. The container body has an opening wall that is provided along the outer periphery of the opening, and the lid has a cover part that covers the opening, a protrusion part that protrudes from the cover part and is fitted into the opening wall, and a positioning part that is provided between the protrusion part and the hinge part and interferes with the opening wall when the lid is closed, thereby serving as a fulcrum for the internal fitting of the protrusion part.

When the hinge portion is bent to tilt the lid toward the container body to close it, the alignment portion interferes with the opening wall prior to the protrusion portion, and the protrusion portion is aligned for internal fitting. In this state, when the lid is pressed toward the container body, the protrusion portion is properly internally fitted into the opening wall. As a result, it becomes easier to stably fit the lid to the container body, improving the workability when attaching the lid to the container body.

In the above food packaging container, the alignment portion may be connected to the protrusion portion and include a step forming portion that forms a step between the protrusion portion and the hinge portion, and the opening wall may include an upper end portion that surrounds the opening, a hinge connection portion that is connected to the hinge portion, and a protruding wall portion that rises from the hinge connection portion and is connected to the upper end portion and has shape stability that does not follow the flexibility of the hinge portion. This step makes it easier for the protrusion portion to climb over the opening wall when the lid is closed. Also, by providing the protruding wall portion, it becomes easier to position the opening wall on the movement trajectory of the alignment portion, and it becomes easier for the alignment portion to interfere with the opening wall in priority to the protrusion portion.

In the above food packaging container, the opening wall has a concave-side inclined portion that is inclined downward from the inner periphery of the upper end, and a concave-side inner periphery that is bent and connected to the concave-side inclined portion and into which the protrusion is internally fitted, and the protrusion may have a convex-side outer periphery that is internally fitted to the concave-side inner periphery, and a convex-side inclined portion that is bent and connected to the convex-side outer periphery so as to overlap with the concave-side inclined portion when the convex-side outer periphery is internally fitted to the concave-side inner periphery. In this food packaging container, when the convex-side outer periphery is internally fitted to the concave-side inner periphery, the convex-side inclined portion overlaps with the concave-side inclined portion, improving the sealing performance.

In the above-mentioned food packaging container, the height difference of the step may be 0.5 mm or more and 3 mm or less. When attaching the lid to the container body, if the height difference of the step is 0.5 mm or more, the protrusion portion will overcome the opening wall and the alignment portion will be more likely to interfere with the opening wall, and if it is 3 mm or less, it will be easier to avoid instability in attachment caused by the widening of the step.

In the above food packaging container, the protrusion is provided continuously around the entire outer periphery of the cover and includes a convex outer periphery that is fitted into the opening wall, and a flange provided along the outer periphery of the convex outer periphery, and the opening wall includes an upper end that surrounds the opening and a flange receiving portion that extends along the outer periphery of the upper end and abuts against the flange portion, and the contour line of the flange portion may be recessed inward closer to the opening than the outer periphery of the flange receiving portion. When the convex outer periphery of the protrusion is fitted into the opening wall, the lid is held in a predetermined position by the flange portion abutting against the flange receiving portion of the opening wall. Here, the contour line of the flange portion is recessed inward closer to the opening than the outer periphery of the flange receiving portion, and does not protrude from the flange receiving portion. As a result, the flange portion is less likely to receive a force from the outside that would pull it away from the flange receiving portion, and unintended opening of the lid can be prevented.

In the above food packaging container, the flange receiving portion may include a support seat on which the flange portion is placed, and a barrier portion erected from the support seat and extending along the contour line of the flange portion placed on the support seat. Since the contour line of the flange portion is surrounded by the barrier portion, it is less susceptible to various external forces, and unintentional opening of the lid body can be prevented. In addition, even if liquids such as sauces pass through the gap between the flange portion and the support seat, the barrier portion can prevent leakage.

In the above food packaging container, the support seat is aligned with the upper end of the opening wall, and the hinge may be connected to the opening wall at a position lower than the upper end. Since the hinge is connected to a position lower than the upper end of the opening wall, the hinge is less likely to bulge upward when the lid is closed, and is less noticeable. This is advantageous for improving the design. Note that the support seat being aligned with the upper end of the opening wall means that the positions in the height direction are aligned.

In the above food packaging container, the opening wall has a concave inner periphery, the ridge portion has a convex outer periphery that is fitted into the concave inner periphery, the concave inner periphery has a body-side tapered surface that contacts the convex outer periphery, the convex outer periphery has a lid-side tapered surface that contacts the body-side tapered surface, the body-side tapered surface is inclined so that the lower part is wider outward than the upper part, and the lid-side tapered surface may be inclined to follow the body-side tapered surface. The body-side tapered surface and the lid-side tapered surface are in contact with each other and engaged, making it difficult for the lid to come off the container body, which is advantageous for improving the sealing performance when the lid is fitted into the container body.

This invention makes it easier to stably fit the lid body inside, improving the workability when attaching the lid body to the container body.

1 is a perspective view showing an unfolded state of a food packaging container according to one embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a perspective view showing a state in which the lid of a food packaging container is closed. FIG. FIG. 2 is a plan view showing the food packaging container in an unfolded state. 2 is a plan view showing the food packaging container with the lid closed. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VV in FIG. 3. 6 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing the periphery of the hinge portion shown in FIG. 5 . 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VII-VII in FIG. 4. 8 is an enlarged cross-sectional view mainly showing a flange portion and a flange receiving portion shown in FIG. 7. FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing the food packaging container according to the embodiment in a state where the lid is closed. 13 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing a state in which the alignment portion interferes with the opening wall. FIG. 13 is an explanatory diagram showing a state in which the position of the lid body to be fitted inside the container body is finely adjusted. FIG. 13 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an alignment portion according to a modified example. FIG. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a food packaging container according to a comparative embodiment. 13A and 13B are diagrams showing the relationship between the protrusions and the opening wall when the lid body according to the comparative embodiment is closed.

The food packaging container according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5. Note that the food packaging container of the present invention is not limited to this embodiment.

The food packaging container (hereinafter referred to as the "container") 1 of the embodiment is a container that contains food F (see FIG. 3) such as dumplings or yakitori. The food F is coated with a sauce such as syrup or sauce, and when the food F is contained in the container 1, it is important that the container 1 has a seal that prevents the sauce from leaking out.

The container 1 comprises a container body 2 having an opening M for putting food F in and taking it out, a lid 3 that closes the opening M, and a hinge portion 4 that connects the container body 2 and the lid 3 so that they can be opened and closed. The lid 3 is attached so as to fit inside the opening M of the container body 2, ensuring a seal. When the lid 3 comes into contact with an obstacle such as a shopper or another product, the inside fit makes it less likely to come off the container body 2 than an outside fit, which is advantageous in terms of maintaining a seal.

The container 1 is manufactured, for example, using a synthetic resin sheet, and is integrally molded so that the container body 2 and the lid 3 are joined via the hinge portion 4. The container 1 according to this embodiment is transparent, but is not limited to being transparent.

The structure of the container 1 will be explained. The structure of the container 1 will be basically explained based on the state in which the lid 3 is removed and the opening M of the container body 2 is open, that is, the deployed state. In the following explanation, when the state in which the lid 3 is attached to the container body 2 and the opening M is closed is used as the reference, a supplementary explanation will be added that the state in which the lid 3 closes the opening M is used. In addition, when the explanation is given while indicating the up-down direction such as the top, bottom, upper, or lower, it is based on the container body 2 installed so that it can stably hold the food F, and it is assumed that the opening M is installed at the top. In addition, for convenience, the "horizontal direction" means a direction approximately perpendicular to the up-down direction. For example, when the vertical direction is the up-down direction, the horizontal direction is the horizontal direction. In addition, "inward" means a direction toward the inside of the container body 2, or a direction toward the inside of the container 1 when the lid 3 is closed. In addition, "outward" means a direction toward the outside, which is the opposite of "inward".

The container body 2 has a rough shape of a horizontally long rectangle in a plan view (see FIG. 3). The top of the container body 2 is open to form an opening M. The container body 2 has a bottom 21 provided at the bottom opposite the opening M, and a side wall 22 erected from the periphery of the bottom 21. A number of linear protrusions 21a protruding inward (upward) are arranged in a line on the bottom 21. The protrusions 21a abut against the food F contained inside, and support the food F in a state where it is slightly lifted from the bottom 21. A recess 23 is formed around the bottom 21. The back side (outer side) of the recess 23 protrudes to form a leg 24 (see FIG. 5). When viewed from the outside, an adhesive tape or the like is applied to the recessed portion between the legs 24 to fix the lid body 3 in a closed state. A number of grooves that become ribs are provided in the recess 23.

As shown in Figures 1 and 5, the side wall 22 comprises a lower wall 25 erected from a recess 23 in the bottom 21, and a middle wall 26 which projects laterally outward from the upper end of the lower wall 25 and then bends up. The lower wall 25 is provided with a number of grooves 25a which are formed to be continuous with the rib grooves provided in the recess 23, forming a streamlined rib groove as a whole. The middle wall 26 bends from the lower wall 25 to project laterally, and then bends upright toward the top.

As shown in Figures 5 and 6, the side wall 22 has an upper wall that is bent and erected from the upper end of the middle wall 26. The upper wall is an opening wall 5 that receives the protrusion 7 of the cover body 3 so that it can be fitted inside. The opening wall 5 has an extension portion 51 that protrudes outward from the upper end of the middle wall 26. The extension portion 51 has a horizontal extension portion 51a that bends from the middle wall 26 and extends laterally, and an inclined extension portion 51b that bends from the horizontal extension portion 51a and extends diagonally upward.

The opening wall 5 has an inner periphery 52 that stands up from the expansion section 51. The inner periphery 52 is an example of a concave inner periphery into which the protrusion 7 of the lid body 3 is fitted. The inner periphery 52 is inclined so that the lower part spreads outward more than the upper part. In other words, the inner periphery 52 has an inverse tapered shape, and the inner surface of the inner periphery 52 is a body-side tapered surface 52a that is inclined so that the lower part spreads outward more than the upper part.

The opening wall 5 has a concave side inclined portion 53 that is bent from the upper end of the inner peripheral portion 52 and extends diagonally upward outward, and an upper end portion 54 that is bent from the upper end of the concave side inclined portion 53 and extends laterally. The upper end portion 54 is provided in a continuous endless closed ring shape (e.g., a substantially rectangular ring shape) in a plan view (see FIG. 3). The inner area surrounded by the upper end portion 54 is essentially the opening M. In other words, the upper end portion 54 is provided so as to surround the periphery of the opening M, and the inner circumference of the upper end portion 54 is the periphery on the side facing the opening M. The concave side inclined portion 53 is provided along the inner circumference of the upper end portion 54 and serves as an introduction portion for the protrusion portion 7 of the lid body 3 that is fitted inside.

1, 3, 5 and 8, the opening wall 5 has a flange receiving portion 6 extending along the outer periphery of the upper end portion 54. The outer periphery of the upper end portion 54 means the periphery opposite to the inner periphery on the opening M side. The flange receiving portion 6 is provided so as to protrude outward from the upper end portion 54, and is a portion that abuts against the flange portion 8 of the cover body 3 when the cover body 3 is closed. The flange receiving portion 6 has a support seat portion 61 that is provided so as to be aligned with the upper end portion 54, and a connecting portion 62 that is shifted downward from the upper end portion 54 and connects the hinge connection portion 55 and the support seat portion 61. The fact that the support seat portion 61 is aligned with the upper end portion 54 means that the positions in the vertical direction (height direction) are aligned. For example, the support seat portion 61 in this embodiment is provided so as to be continuous and flush with the upper end portion 54. The flange portion 8 is mainly supported by abutting against the support seat portion 61.

As shown in FIG. 6, the opening wall 5 has a hinge connection portion 55 provided at a position lower (lower) than the upper end portion 54, and a protruding wall portion 56 rising from the hinge connection portion 55 and connected to the upper end portion 54. The container body 2 is connected to the hinge portion 4 at the hinge connection portion 55. The protruding wall portion 56 is provided not around the entire circumference of the upper end portion 54, but on a portion centered on the hinge connection portion 55 (see FIG. 1). The location of the protruding wall portion 56 will be specifically described in comparison with the shape of the upper end portion 54.

Although the upper end 54 (see FIG. 3) is somewhat curved, it is a portion that is provided to surround the opening M, which is substantially rectangular in shape and long in the horizontal direction in a plan view. In other words, the upper end 54 according to this embodiment can be assumed to have a pair of opposing long side portions and a pair of opposing short side portions. Here, of the pair of long side portions, one long side portion is the portion that is connected to the hinge portion 4 (hereinafter referred to as the "connection side region"), and the other long side portion is the opposite portion that is disposed so as to sandwich the opening M (hereinafter referred to as the "opposite side region"). The protruding wall portion 56 is provided mainly along the connection side region, and is not provided in the opposite side region.

The protruding wall portion 56 (see FIG. 6) has a degree of shape stability that allows it to maintain an erected state without following the flexibility of the hinge portion 4. For example, the protruding wall portion 56 is bent and erected at the hinge connection portion 55 relative to the hinge portion 4, and the bending of the hinge portion 4 is absorbed by the hinge connection portion 55 and is not transmitted to the protruding wall portion 56. In other words, the protruding wall portion 56 can be described as having a structural strength that prevents continuous bending following the bending of the hinge portion 4 even if the hinge portion 4 is bent. Conversely, the portion between the hinge connection portion 55 and the upper end portion 54 that does not follow the bending of the hinge portion 4 can be described as the protruding wall portion 56. In this embodiment, the boundary between the protruding wall portion 56 and the hinge portion 4 is formed by bending the hinge connection portion 55, but the boundary between the protruding wall portion 56 and the hinge portion 4 may be substantially formed by providing the protruding wall portion 56 with other support members or reinforcing ribs that prevent bending.

The connection side region and opposite side region of the upper end 54 are connected to a pair of opposing short side portions (see Figures 1 and 3). The protruding wall portion 56 is provided so as to extend not only into the connection side region but also into a portion of the short side portion. The protruding wall portion 56 of the short side portion gradually decreases in height from the connection side region side to the opposite side region side, and finally disappears all at the upper end 54.

As described above, the flange receiving portion 6 extends along the outer periphery of the upper end portion 54, and is provided in the area of the entire circumference of the upper end portion 54 other than the hinge connection portion 55 in a plan view. In addition, the area of the flange receiving portion 6 that is aligned with the upper end portion 54 is the support seat portion 61, and the area that is not aligned with the upper end portion 54 and is lower than the upper end portion 54 is the connecting portion 62. In other words, the area of the flange receiving portion 6 that is aligned with the protruding wall portion 56 can be described as the connecting portion 62, and the area that is not aligned with the protruding wall portion 56 is the support seat portion 61.

The structure of the hinge portion 4 will be described. In a plan view, the hinge portion 4 extends linearly along a portion of the opening wall 5 of the container body 2. The opening wall 5 has an upper end 54, which has a connection side region as described above. The hinge portion 4 extends along the connection side region. In a cross-sectional view along the width direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction (extension direction) of the hinge portion 4 (see FIG. 6), the hinge portion 4 has a curved shape that is approximately U-shaped and bulges downward. One end (one edge) of the hinge portion 4 in the width direction is connected to the hinge connection portion 55 of the opening wall 5, and the other end (the other edge) is connected to the alignment portion 9 of the lid body 3. The alignment portion 9 is bent and connected to the hinge portion 4, and the fold line generated by the bending is essentially the boundary between the hinge portion 4 and the alignment portion 9. In addition, the hinge portion 4 in this embodiment is smoothly curved without bending along the way, and has a shape that is symmetrical with respect to the center in the width direction.

The hinge portion 4 has flexibility that allows the lid body 3 to tilt toward the container body 2. For example, for the hinge portion 4 extending along the opening wall 5, the longitudinal direction is considered to be the extension direction, and the direction perpendicular to the extension direction is considered to be the width direction. Here, an axis line passing through the center of the width direction of the hinge portion 4 and along the extension direction is assumed to be the reference axis Sf. The hinge portion 4 has a main flexible portion 41 (see Figures 3 and 4) that has flexibility that allows bending around the reference axis Sf. The hinge portion 4 also has a narrowing portion 42 connected to both ends of the main flexible portion 41. The narrowing portion 42 becomes narrower in width as it moves away from the main flexible portion 41 in a plan view (see Figure 3). For example, the main flexible portion 41 (see Figure 6) has a curved shape that follows the reference axis Sf in a cross-sectional view, and extends along the reference axis Sf with a constant distance (inner diameter) from the reference axis Sf. In contrast, the narrowing portion 42 is tapered so that the distance (inner diameter) from the reference axis Sf becomes narrower as it moves away from the main flexible portion 41. When the lid body 3 is tilted toward the container body 2 via the hinge portion 4, the narrowing portion 42 prevents the lid body 3 from wobbling left and right, stabilizing the trajectory of the lid body 3 and making it less likely for the internal fit to become misaligned.

The structure of the lid body 3 will be described. As shown in Figures 6 and 7, the lid body 3 includes a cover portion 31 that covers the opening M when attached to the container body 2, a protrusion portion 7 that protrudes from the cover portion 31 and is provided along the peripheral portion 31c of the cover portion 31, and a flexible alignment portion 9 that is connected to the protrusion portion 7 and the hinge portion 4.

The cover portion 31 has a shape that imitates the shape of the opening M in a plan view, and in this embodiment, it is an approximately rectangular shape that imitates the approximately rectangular opening M. The cover portion 31 is formed into a three-dimensional shape with a depth (bulge) that makes it difficult for sauces and the like applied to the food F to adhere to it. For example, based on the state in which the lid body 3 is closed (see FIG. 7), the cover portion 31 has a flat ceiling portion 31a that extends laterally, a side wall portion 31b that is provided along the outer periphery of the ceiling portion 31a so as to surround the ceiling portion 31a and is inclined downward from the outer periphery of the ceiling portion 31a, and a peripheral portion 31c that protrudes laterally outward from the lower end (edge) of the side wall portion 31b. The peripheral portion 31c corresponds to the outer periphery of the cover portion 31.

As shown in FIG. 6, the protrusion 7 is bent and rises from the peripheral edge 31c of the cover 31, and is formed as a whole with a shape having multiple bends. The protrusion 7 is provided continuously around the entire circumference of the peripheral edge 31c of the cover 31, and when the lid 3 is attached to the container body 2, the entire circumference of the protrusion 7 is fitted inside the opening wall 5 (see FIG. 8).

The protrusion 7 is provided along the peripheral edge 31c of the cover portion 31. The protrusion 7 has an inner surface portion 71 that rises to protrude from the peripheral edge 31c, and an insertion end portion 72 that bends from the tip of the inner surface portion 71 and extends laterally. The inner surface portion 71 is provided continuously around the entire circumference of the peripheral edge 31c. The insertion end portion 72 is positioned so as to overlap the horizontal extension portion 51a of the opening wall 5 when the protrusion 7 is fitted inside the opening wall 5.

The protrusion 7 also has a chamfered portion 73 provided along the outer periphery of the fitting end 72, and an outer surface portion 74 provided along the outer periphery of the chamfered portion 73. The chamfered portion 73 is an inclined wall portion that is bent from the outer periphery of the fitting end 72 and is inclined relative to the fitting end 72. The outer surface portion 74 is a wall portion that is bent from the outer periphery of the chamfered portion 73 and extends to face the inner surface portion 71. The chamfered portion 73 is positioned so as to overlap the inclined expansion portion 51b of the opening wall 5 when the protrusion 7 is fitted inside the opening wall 5.

The outer surface portion 74 is provided continuously around substantially the entire circumference of the peripheral portion 31c of the cover portion 31, and is an example of a convex outer peripheral portion that fits inside the opening wall 5 of the container body 2. When the opening M is closed with the lid body 3, the outer surface portion 74 fits into and contacts the inner peripheral portion 52 of the opening wall 5. When the lid body 3 is used as a reference in its closed state, the outer surface portion 74 is inclined so that the lower portion spreads outward more than the upper portion, so as to follow the body side tapered surface 52a. In other words, the outer surface of the outer surface portion 74 is the lid side tapered surface 74a that is inclined to follow the inclination of the body side tapered surface 52a.

The outer surface portion 74 has one periphery on the chamfered portion 73 side (the upper periphery in FIG. 6) and the other periphery on the opposite side (the lower periphery in FIG. 6). The protrusion portion 7 has a convex side inclined portion 75 provided along the other periphery of the outer surface portion 74. The convex side inclined portion 75 is bent from the outer surface portion 74 and inclined so as to widen toward the outer surface portion 74. The convex side inclined portion 75 contacts the concave side inclined portion 53 of the opening wall 5 so as to overlap it when the protrusion portion 7 is fitted into the opening wall 5 (see FIG. 8).

The protrusion 7 has a flange 8 that extends continuously along the outer circumference of the outer surface 74. Continuous means that there is no missing part in the middle. The flange 8 is provided so as to protrude laterally from the convex side inclined portion 75. The flange 8 has a main placement portion 81 that is placed on the flange receiving portion 6 of the container body 2, and a connecting placement portion 82 that is connected to the positioning portion 9. The main placement portion 81 and the connecting placement portion 82 are connected to each other on the same plane to present an endless closed ring shape (approximately rectangular), and are provided continuously around the entire circumference of the protrusion 7. When the lid 3 is closed, the main placement portion 81 is placed on the upper end portion 54 of the opening wall 5 and the flange receiving portion 6, and the connecting placement portion 82 is placed only on the upper end portion 54.

The lid 3 has an alignment portion 9 disposed between the protrusion 7 and the hinge 4. The alignment portion 9 is connected to the protrusion 7 and the hinge 4. The alignment portion 9 is bent and connected to the hinge 4, and the bent portion can be considered to be the boundary between the alignment portion 9 and the hinge 4. The alignment portion 9 according to this embodiment has a structure that separates the hinge 4 and the protrusion 7 in the vertical and horizontal directions to form a step. The alignment portion 9 may have a structure that separates the hinge 4 and the protrusion 7 only in the vertical direction or only in the horizontal direction.

The step formed between the hinge portion 4 and the protrusion portion 7 will be described based on the deployed state in which the lid body 3 is released from its internal engagement and opened. This deployed state is intended to mean a state in which the lid body 3 is open and aligned directly to the container body 2. More specifically, assuming that a plane including the insertion end portion 72 of the lid body 3 is an imaginary reference plane, the state in which the lid body 3 is opened so that this reference plane intersects laterally with the up-down direction (e.g., vertical direction) of the container body 2, for example, the state in which the lid body 3 is opened so that the reference plane is a horizontal plane, is the deployed state.

The step formed between the hinge portion 4 and the protrusion portion 7 means that the protrusion portion 7 and the hinge portion 4 are displaced in the vertical and horizontal directions in the unfolded state. Furthermore, the "distance in the height direction" means the distance between the target positions when the two target positions to be compared are assumed to be arranged on the same straight line in the vertical direction. For example, the height direction distance Ha of the step in this embodiment is the distance between the upper end positions when the upper end position of the alignment portion 9 side of the hinge portion 4 and the upper end position of the alignment portion 9 are assumed to be arranged on the same straight line in the vertical direction. In addition, the "distance in the height direction" can also be considered to be the distance between each of two planes that include the two target positions to be compared and are perpendicular to each other in the vertical direction. In other words, the height direction distance Ha can also be explained as the distance between the plane including the upper end position of the alignment portion 9 side of the hinge portion 4 and the plane including the upper end position of the alignment portion 9.

The dimension of the height distance Ha of this step is, for example, 0.5 mm or more and 3 mm or less, preferably 1.0 mm or more and 2.5 mm or less, and more preferably 1.5 mm or more and 2.0 mm or less. The height Hb from the alignment portion 9 to the upper end 54 of the opening wall 5 means the distance between the two target positions when the upper end position of the alignment portion 9 and the upper end 54 are assumed to be arranged on the same straight line in the vertical direction, and this height Hb is, for example, 0.5 mm or more and 1.5 mm or less, and preferably 0.8 mm or more and 1.2 mm or less. The height Hb can also be described as the distance between the plane including the upper end position of the alignment portion 9 and the plane including the upper end 54.

The alignment portion 9 includes a step forming portion 91 connected to the connecting placement portion 82 of the protrusion 7, and a distance extension portion 92 connected to the step forming portion 91. The connecting placement portion 82 is bent from the lower periphery of the convex side inclined portion 75 in the unfolded state and extends in the horizontal direction. The step forming portion 91 is bent from the periphery of the connecting placement portion 82 and is inclined diagonally downward with respect to the extension direction of the connecting placement portion 82. In other words, the step forming portion 91 separates the protrusion 7 and the hinge portion 4 in a diagonal direction that can be decomposed into two vectors, the vertical direction and the horizontal direction, and therefore, a step is formed between the protrusion 7 and the hinge portion 4 that is separated in the vertical direction and the horizontal direction. Note that the alignment portion 9 according to this embodiment is connected to the connecting placement portion 82, but the connecting placement portion 82 may be omitted and the alignment portion 9 may be directly connected to the outer surface portion 74 of the protrusion 7.

The distance extension portion 92 is bent from the lower periphery of the step forming portion 91. The distance extension portion 92 extends from the lower periphery of the step forming portion 91 so as to protrude substantially horizontally toward the hinge portion 4. By providing the distance extension portion 92, it is possible to easily realize a configuration in which the lid body 3 is farther from the hinge portion 4 than the container body 2. In this embodiment, the additional horizontal distance W formed by the distance extension portion 92 is, for example, 1.0 mm or more and 5.0 mm or less, preferably 2.0 mm or more and 4.0 mm or less, and more preferably 2.5 mm or more and 3.5 mm or less.

According to the positioning portion 9 of this embodiment, a difference in height can be provided between the upper end 54 of the opening wall 5 and the fitting end 72 of the protrusion 7. In addition, by providing the positioning portion 9, for example, it is possible to make the distance Lb from the hinge portion 4 to the center of the protrusion 7 longer than the distance La from the hinge portion 4 to the center of the opening M (the center of the opening wall 5) (see FIG. 5). To be more specific, the center in the width direction of the hinge portion 4, the center of the opening M, and the center of the protrusion 7 are assumed. The center of the opening M can be assumed to be the center of the area of the inner region surrounded by the upper end 54 of the opening wall 5, and the center of the protrusion 7 can be assumed to be the center of the area of the inner region surrounded by the protrusion 7. In this embodiment, the distance Lb from the center of the hinge portion 4 to the center of the protrusion 7 is longer than the distance La from the center of the hinge portion 4 to the center of the opening M (the center of the opening wall 5), although it is about 0.5 mm to several mm.

Next, referring to FIG. 12, modified examples of the alignment portion will be described. FIG. 12(a) is a cross-sectional view showing an alignment portion 9A according to a first modified example, and FIG. 12(b) is a cross-sectional view showing an alignment portion 9B according to a second modified example. In the alignment portion 9A according to the first modified example, the step forming portion 91A is extended and directly connected to the outer surface portion 74 of the protrusion portion 7, and the convex side inclined portion 75 is mainly omitted. In addition, in the alignment portion 9B according to the second modified example, the step forming portion 91 is omitted, and the distance extension portion 92A is extended and directly connected to the outer surface portion 74 of the protrusion portion 7.

Next, the structure in which the flange portion 8 and the flange receiving portion 6 engage with each other will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 4 and 8. The flange receiving portion 6 has a barrier portion 65 erected from the support seat portion 61. The barrier portion 65 is provided along the outer peripheral edge 6a of the flange receiving portion 6, but is partially missing to form a clearance portion 65a.

The location where the recess 65a is formed will be specifically described. The support seat 61 has a portion (opposing portion) that is arranged facing the hinge portion 4 so as to sandwich the opening M, and the recess 65a is formed at the curved corners that are both ends of the opposing portion. Note that the recess 65a may be provided in the middle of the opposing portion, rather than at the ends.

The support seat 61 has a support extension 61a that protrudes outward to correspond to the clearance 65a where the barrier 65 is missing. The support extension 61a has a recess 61b formed therein to form a gap for the flange 8 placed on it.

The flange portion 8 has a main placement portion 81 that is placed on the support seat portion 61, and a tab 85 that protrudes from the main placement portion 81. When the main placement portion 81 is placed on the support seat portion 61, it fits inside the barrier portion 65 to avoid the barrier portion 65. The contour line of the main placement portion 81 substantially corresponds to the contour line 8a of the flange portion 8, and the barrier portion 65 extends along the contour line 8a of the flange portion 8. In addition, the barrier portion 65 is provided along the outer peripheral edge of the flange receiving portion 6, and the contour line 8a of the flange portion 8 (the contour line of the main placement portion 81) is set back inward closer to the opening M than the outer peripheral edge 6a of the flange receiving portion 6.

The gripping piece 85 is provided so that it fits into the clearance 65a where the barrier 65 is missing when the flange 8 is placed on the flange receiving part 6. The gripping piece 85 is placed on the support extension 61a of the flange receiving part 6. The support extension 61a is provided with a recess 61b to make it easier to grip the gripping piece 85. The outline of the gripping piece 85 is set back inward, closer to the opening M than the outer periphery of the flange receiving part 6.

Next, the manufacturing method of container 1 will be described. Container 1 is made of a synthetic resin sheet and is formed by known sheet molding. Examples of sheet molding methods include vacuum molding, pressure molding, vacuum pressure molding, double-sided vacuum molding, and hot plate molding. In any case, the container is formed by thermoforming a synthetic resin sheet. It is preferable to use a transparent synthetic resin as the material of container 1, so that the contents inside container 1 can be visually confirmed. Examples of transparent synthetic resins include polystyrene-based, polyethylene-based, polypropylene-based, and polyester-based synthetic resins.

In addition, in terms of the mechanical strength of the molded container 1, it is preferable that the synthetic resin sheet used for the container 1 is a stretched sheet manufactured by stretching the synthetic resin so that its molecules are oriented. In addition, biaxially stretched sheets have a better balance of physical properties than uniaxially stretched sheets, and are therefore more preferable. In particular, biaxially stretched sheets of polystyrene resin have well-balanced performance in terms of rigidity, heat resistance, transparency, environmental friendliness, and processability, making them suitable as a material for the container 1.

Next, the function and effect of the container 1 according to this embodiment will be described. Food F with sauces attached thereto is put in and taken out through the opening M of the container body 2. When the food F is placed in the container body 2, the hinge portion 4 is bent to tilt the lid 3 toward the container body 2, and the opening M is closed and the lid is placed over the container body 2.

Here, in order to explain the advantages of the container 1, a food packaging container 100 (comparative form) not having an alignment portion 9 will be described first with reference to Figs. 13 and 14. In the case of the food packaging container 100, when the lid body 103 is tilted toward the container body 102 by bending the hinge portion 104, the protrusion portion 107 may interfere with the opening wall 105 (see Fig. 14(a)), or the protrusion portion 107 that has climbed over the opening wall 105 may move too far away from the opening wall 105 (see Fig. 14(b)). As a result, the alignment of the protrusion portion 107 becomes unstable, and the internal fit of the protrusion portion 107 becomes unstable. In addition, for an operator who is trying to close the opening Ma with the lid body 103, it becomes necessary to carefully align the protrusion portion 107, which requires additional ingenuity and consideration, and this may reduce workability.

In contrast, in the container 1 according to this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 9, when the lid 3 is tilted toward the container body 2, the alignment portion 9 interferes with the opening wall 5 in preference to the protrusion 7 (see FIG. 10). Then, the alignment portion 9 that interferes with the opening wall 5 becomes a fulcrum, and the protrusion 7 descends at a position where it overcomes the opening wall 5. In other words, the trajectory of the protrusion 7 shifts from a rotation about the reference axis Sf of the hinge portion 4 to a rotation about the alignment portion 9, and it is guided to an appropriate location within the opening wall 5. When the lid 3 is placed over the opening M, the lid 3 is pressed from above, targeting the protrusion 7, and the entire circumference of the protrusion 7 is fitted within the opening wall 5.

As described above, with the container 1 according to this embodiment, when the hinge portion 4 is bent so as to fold back and the lid body 3 is tilted toward the container body 2 in order to close the lid body 3, the alignment portion 9 interferes with the opening wall 5 in preference to the protrusion portion 7, and the protrusion portion 7 is aligned for internal fitting, so that the protrusion portion 7 is properly fitted into the opening wall 5. As a result, stable internal fitting of the lid body 3 is facilitated, and the workability when attaching the lid body 3 to the container body 2 can be improved. Furthermore, this improved workability increases the reliability when fitting the lid body 3 into the container body 2, which also works to improve sealing performance.

In the above-mentioned container 1, the alignment portion 9 includes a step forming portion 91 that forms a step between the protrusion portion 7 and the hinge portion 4. The opening wall 5 includes a protruding wall portion 56 that rises from the hinge connection portion 55 and is connected to the upper end portion 54, and the protruding wall portion 56 has a shape stability that does not follow the flexibility of the hinge portion 4. The step formed by the step forming portion 91 makes it easier for the protrusion portion 7 to climb over the opening wall 5 when the lid 3 is closed. In addition, the protruding wall portion 56 makes it easier to position the opening wall 5 on the movement trajectory of the alignment portion 9, and makes it easier for the alignment portion 9 to interfere with the opening wall 5 in priority to the protrusion portion 7.

In the above container 1 (see FIG. 8), the opening wall 5 has an inner periphery 52 and a concave side inclined portion 53, and the protrusion 7 has an outer surface portion 74 and a convex side inclined portion 75 that fit inside the inner periphery 52. When the outer surface portion 74 of the protrusion 7 is fitted inside the inner periphery 52 of the opening wall 5, the convex side inclined portion 75 of the protrusion 7 overlaps with the concave side inclined portion 53 of the opening wall 5, improving the sealing performance.

In the above container 1, the height difference Ha (see FIG. 6) is 0.5 mm or more and 3 mm or less. When attaching the lid 3 to the container body 2, if the height difference Ha is 0.5 mm or more, the protrusion 7 will climb over the opening wall 5 and the alignment portion 9 will be more likely to interfere with the opening wall 5, and if it is 3 mm or less, it will be easier to avoid instability in attachment caused by the widening of the step.

In the above container 1, the protrusion 7 has a flange 8 (see FIG. 8) provided along the outer periphery of the outer surface portion 74, and the opening wall 5 has a flange receiving portion 6 that abuts against the flange 8, and the contour line 8a of the flange 8 is set back inward closer to the opening M than the outer periphery 6a of the flange receiving portion 6. When the outer surface portion 74 of the protrusion 7 is fitted into the opening wall 5, the lid body 3 is held in a predetermined position by the flange 8 abutting against the flange receiving portion 6 of the opening wall 5. Here, the contour line 8a of the flange 8 is set back inward closer to the opening M than the outer periphery 6a of the flange receiving portion 6, and does not protrude from the flange receiving portion 6. As a result, the flange 8 is less likely to receive a force from the outside that would pull it away from the flange receiving portion 6, and unintended opening of the lid body 3 can be prevented. In addition, the flange 8 is provided continuously along the outer periphery of the outer surface portion 74, and the sealing property can be improved at the point where it abuts against the flange receiving portion 6.

In the above container 1, the flange receiving portion 6 is provided with a barrier portion 65. The contour line 8a of the flange portion 8 placed on the support seat portion 61 is surrounded by the barrier portion 65, making it less susceptible to various external forces and preventing the lid body 3 from opening unintentionally. In addition, even if liquids such as sauces pass through the gap between the flange portion 8 and the support seat portion 61, the barrier portion 65 can prevent leakage.

In the above container 1, the support seat 61 is provided so as to be aligned with the upper end 54 of the opening wall 5, and the hinge portion 4 is connected to the opening wall 5 at a position lower than the upper end 54. Since the hinge portion 4 is connected to a position lower than the upper end 54 of the opening wall 5, the hinge portion 4 is less likely to bulge upward when the lid 3 is closed, and is less noticeable. As a result, this is advantageous in improving the design.

The inner peripheral portion 52 of the container 1 has a body-side tapered surface 52a, and the outer surface portion 74 has a lid-side tapered surface 74a that contacts the body-side tapered surface 52a. The body-side tapered surface 52a and the lid-side tapered surface 74a contact and engage with each other, making it difficult for the lid body 3 to come off the container body 2, which is advantageous for improving the sealing performance when the lid body 3 is fitted inside the container body 2 (see Figure 8).

In addition, in the above container 1, the distance Lb from the center of the hinge portion 4 to the center of the protrusion portion 7 is longer than the distance La from the hinge portion 4 to the center of the opening M. The advantage of extending the distance Lb on the protrusion portion 7 side will be explained with reference to FIG. 11. When the hinge portion 4 is bent and the lid body 3 is tilted toward the container body 2 and placed on the container body 2, this structure makes it easier for the protrusion portion 7 located on the inside near the hinge portion 4 to climb over the opening wall 5 (see FIG. 11(a)). Then, by moving the lid body 3 laterally and fine-tuning it while giving priority to fitting the protrusion portion 7 located on the inside into the opening wall 5 (see FIG. 11(b)), it becomes easier to smoothly fit the entire protrusion portion 7 inside.

The hinge portion 4 of the container 1 includes a main flexible portion 41 that extends along the opening wall 5 and has flexibility around a reference axis Sf along the extension direction, and a narrowing portion 42 that is connected to the end of the main flexible portion 41 and has a narrower width than the main flexible portion 41 (see Figures 3 and 4). When the lid body 3 is tilted toward the container body 2 via the hinge portion 4, the narrowing portion 42 can prevent the lid body 3 from wobbling left and right, stabilizing the trajectory of the lid body 3 and making it less likely for the internal fit to become misaligned.

Although the food packaging container has been described above based on the embodiment and the modified example, the present invention is not limited to only the above embodiment. For example, the step forming portion of the alignment portion according to the present invention is not limited to an inclined wall shape, but may be in a stepped shape. Also, in the above embodiment, the flange portion has a connecting placement portion, and the alignment portion is connected to the connecting placement portion. However, it is also possible for the flange portion to omit the connecting placement portion and have only the main placement portion. When the connecting placement portion is omitted, the alignment portion may be directly connected to the outer periphery of the convex side of the protrusion portion.

1...container (food packaging container), 2...container body, 3...lid, 4...hinge portion, 5...opening wall, 6...flange receiving portion, 6a...outer periphery of flange receiving portion, 7...ridge portion, 8...flange portion, 8a...contour line of flange portion, 9, 9A, 9B...alignment portion, 31...cover portion, 31c...periphery portion (outer periphery of cover portion), 52...inner periphery portion (concave inner periphery portion), 52a...body side tapered surface, 53...concave side inclined portion, 54...upper end portion, 55...hinge connection portion, 56...protruding wall portion, 61...support seat portion, 62...connection portion, 65...barrier portion, 74...outer surface portion (convex outer periphery portion), 74a...lid side tapered surface, 75...convex side inclined portion, 91, 91A...step forming portion, Ha...height distance of step, F...food, M...opening.

Claims (8)

A food packaging container for containing food,
A container body having an opening for inserting and removing the food;
A cover for closing the opening;
a hinge portion that connects the container body and the lid body so as to be openable and closable, and that has flexibility;
The container body includes an opening wall provided along an outer periphery of the opening,
the lid body includes a cover portion that covers the opening, a protrusion portion that protrudes from the cover portion and is fitted into the opening wall, and a positioning portion that is provided between the protrusion portion and the hinge portion and interferes with the opening wall when the lid body is closed to serve as a fulcrum for the internal fitting of the protrusion portion,
the opening wall has an upper end surrounding the opening;
A food packaging container in which, when unfolded, the alignment portion is positioned at a lower position than the upper end of the opening wall, and is configured to abut against the upper end of the opening wall before the protrusion portion when the lid is closed . In the deployed state, the alignment portion includes a step forming portion that protrudes obliquely downward from the protrusion portion and forms a step between the protrusion portion and the hinge portion, and a distance extension portion that protrudes laterally from the step forming portion and is connected to the hinge portion,
2. The food packaging container according to claim 1, wherein the distance extension portion is provided so as to come into contact with the upper end portion of the opening wall before the protrusion portion comes into contact with the upper end portion of the opening wall when the lid is closed. The food packaging container according to claim 2, wherein the opening wall comprises a hinge connection portion connected to the hinge portion, and a protruding wall portion rising from the hinge connection portion, connected to the upper end portion, and having shape stability that does not follow the flexibility of the hinge portion. the opening wall includes a concave-side inclined portion inclined downward from an inner peripheral side of the upper end portion, and a concave-side inner peripheral portion bent and connected to the concave-side inclined portion, and into which the protrusion portion is internally fitted,
The food packaging container of claim 3, wherein the protrusion portion comprises a convex side outer peripheral portion that is fitted into the concave side inner peripheral portion, and a convex side inclined portion that is bent and connected to the convex side outer peripheral portion so as to overlap with the concave side inclined portion when the convex side outer peripheral portion is fitted into the concave side inner peripheral portion. the protrusion portion includes a convex-side outer peripheral portion that is provided continuously around an entire outer peripheral edge of the cover portion and that is fitted into the opening wall, and a flange portion that is provided along an outer periphery of the convex-side outer peripheral portion,
the opening wall includes an upper end portion surrounding the opening, and a flange receiving portion extending along an outer periphery of the upper end portion and abutting against the flange portion,
5. The food packaging container according to claim 1, wherein the contour line of the flange portion is recessed inwardly closer to the opening than the outer circumferential edge of the flange receiving portion. The food packaging container according to claim 5, wherein the flange receiving portion comprises a support seat portion on which the flange portion is placed, and a barrier portion erected from the support seat portion and extending along the contour line of the flange portion placed on the support seat portion. The support seat is aligned with the upper end of the opening wall,
The food packaging container according to claim 6 , wherein the hinge portion is connected to the opening wall at a position lower than the upper end portion. The opening wall has a concave inner periphery,
the protrusion portion includes a convex outer periphery that is fitted into the concave inner periphery,
the concave-side inner peripheral portion includes a body-side tapered surface in contact with the convex-side outer peripheral portion,
the convex outer periphery includes a lid-side tapered surface in contact with the body-side tapered surface,
The body-side tapered surface is inclined so that the lower portion is wider outward than the upper portion,
The food packaging container according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the lid-side tapered surface is inclined to conform to the body-side tapered surface.

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