JP7628668B2 - Container with inner plate - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a container with an inner tray, and more specifically, to a container with an inner tray suitable for storing food, the container having an inner tray between the container body and the top lid.

Containers with inner trays, which have an inner tray between the container body and the top lid, are known as containers used for selling takeaway dishes such as beef bowls, Chinese rice bowls, curry rice, and pasta dishes. Containers with inner trays store rice or noodles and soup or stock in the container body, and store ingredients in the inner tray, allowing the rice or noodles to be stored separately from the ingredients.

This type of container with an inner plate includes a container body including a first annular outer periphery that defines an upper opening, a second annular outer periphery that detachably fits onto the first outer periphery, an inner plate that is attached to the container body so as to close the upper opening of the container body by fitting the first outer periphery with the second outer periphery, and an upper lid that is detachably attached to the container body and covers the inner plate (for example, Patent Document 1).

Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 7-315447

In the container with inner tray described above, it is required that the contents of the container body do not leak to the outside, and that the contents of the container body and the contents of the inner tray do not mix. To achieve this, the inner tray must fit airtightly into the container body, and the inside of the container body must be highly airtight.

However, if the container body is highly airtight, when the inner plate is pushed into the container body to fit it, the air inside the container body is compressed, causing the internal pressure of the container body to rise, requiring a large force to push the inner plate into the container body and making it difficult to push it in quickly. This makes it difficult to attach the inner plate to the container body.

The problem that this invention aims to solve is to make it possible to easily attach the inner plate to the container body even if the container body is highly airtight.

The container with inner plate according to the present invention includes a container body (20) including an annular first outer peripheral edge portion (24) that defines an upper opening (22), an annular second outer peripheral edge portion (44) that is detachably fitted to the first outer peripheral edge portion (24), and a bottom portion (54) that extends inwardly of the second outer peripheral edge portion (44). The container body (20) includes an annular first outer peripheral edge portion (24) that defines an upper opening (22), and a bottom portion (54) that extends inwardly of the second outer peripheral edge portion (44). The container body (20) includes an annular first outer peripheral edge portion (24) that defines an upper opening (22), and a bottom portion (54) that extends inwardly of the second outer peripheral edge portion (44). The container body (20) includes an annular second outer peripheral edge portion (44) that is detachably fitted to the first outer peripheral edge portion (24) and the second outer peripheral edge portion (44). The container body (20) includes an annular second outer peripheral edge portion (44) that is detachably fitted to the first outer peripheral edge portion (24) and the bottom portion (54) that extends inwardly of ... The container (10) with inner plate has an inner plate (40) attached to the container body (20) and an upper cover (70) that is detachably attached to the container body (20) and covers the inner plate (40), and the bottom (54) includes an inverted deformation part (56) that can be elastically deformed between a first state in which the inner plate is convex downward and a second state in which the inner plate is convex upward, and the inverted deformation part (56) is in the first state in the initial state.

According to this configuration, even if the internal pressure of the container body (20) rises during the process of attaching the inner plate (40) to the container body (20), the inverted deformation portion (56) reverses from the first state to the second state due to the increase in the internal pressure of the container body (20), and the increase in the internal pressure of the container body (20) is suppressed. As a result, even if the inside of the container body (20) is highly airtight, the inner plate (40) can be attached to the container body (20) with good workability.

In the container with inner plate (10), the bottom (54) preferably includes at least one annular protrusion (58) that extends to surround the outer edge of the inverted deformation portion (56).

This configuration makes it easier for the inverted deformation portion (56) to undergo inverted deformation, making it easier to attach the inner plate (40) to the container body (20).

In the container (10) with inner plate, the bottom (54) preferably includes a protrusion (60) protruding upward from the center of the inverted deformation portion (56).

This configuration makes it easier for the inverted deformation portion (56) to undergo inverted deformation than if the inverted deformation portion (56) were annular and disk-shaped, and makes it easier to attach the inner plate (40) to the container body (20).

In the container (10) with inner plate, an air vent hole (62) is preferably provided at the top of the protrusion (58).

This configuration allows the inner plate (40) to be attached to the container body (20) with good workability by venting the air inside the container body (20) through the air vent hole (62).

In the container (10) with inner tray, the inner tray (40) preferably includes an air vent hole (62) above the inverted deformation portion (56).

This configuration allows the inner plate (40) to be attached to the container body (20) with good workability by venting the air inside the container body (20) through the air vent hole (62).

In the container (10) with inner plate, the inverted deformation portion (56) is preferably circular in plan view.

This configuration allows the inverted deformation portion (56) to easily deform, making it easy to attach the inner plate (40) to the container body (20).

In the container with inner plate (10), preferably, the first outer peripheral edge portion (24) includes a cylindrical inner peripheral surface (26), and the second outer peripheral edge portion (44) includes a cylindrical outer peripheral surface (46) that fits airtightly into the cylindrical inner peripheral surface (26).

With this configuration, even if the airtightness inside the container body (20) is increased due to the airtight fit between the second outer peripheral edge portion (44) and the cylindrical inner peripheral surface (26), the inner plate (40) can be attached to the container body (20) with good workability.

According to the container with inner plate of the present invention, even if the inside of the container body is highly airtight, the inner plate can be attached to the container body with good workability.

1 is a cross-sectional view of an assembled state of one embodiment of a container with an inner tray according to the present invention. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a container with an inner tray according to the present embodiment in a separated state. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an inner plate of a container with an inner plate according to an embodiment of the present invention;

Below, one embodiment of a container with an inner tray according to the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 3.

The container with inner plate 10 is an airtight container used for selling takeaway dishes such as beef bowls, Chinese rice bowls, curry rice, and pasta dishes, and has a container body 20, an inner plate 40, and a top lid 70.

The container body 20 is a vacuum-formed product (heat-pressed product) made of foamed resin such as expanded polystyrene, and includes a circular first outer periphery 24 that defines an upper opening 22 at the top. It is shaped like a bowl and can hold rice, noodles, soup, stock, etc.

The first outer peripheral edge portion 24 includes a cylindrical inner peripheral surface 26 having a generatrix length (axial length) L1 that is long in the vertical direction.

The container body 20 further includes an annular flange portion 28 that is bent approximately 90 degrees from the upper edge of the first outer peripheral edge portion 24 and extends outward, and an annular shoulder portion 30 that extends diagonally downward inward from the lower edge of the first outer peripheral edge portion 24.

The inner plate 40 is a molded product made by forming a resin sheet made of a non-foamed thermoplastic resin such as polystyrene or polypropylene using a heat press (vacuum forming) or other method. It is attached to the top of the container body 20 so as to close the upper opening 22 of the container body 20, and contains ingredients, etc.

The inner plate 40 includes a second outer peripheral edge portion 44 that is annular and defines an upper opening 42 and removably fits into the first outer peripheral edge portion 24. The second outer peripheral edge portion 44 includes a cylindrical outer peripheral surface 46 that has a generatrix length (axial length) L2 that is long in the vertical direction. The generatrix length L2 of the cylindrical outer peripheral surface 46 may be the same as or slightly smaller than the generatrix length L1 of the cylindrical inner peripheral surface 26. The cylindrical outer peripheral surface 46 fits airtightly in the cylindrical inner peripheral surface 26 over the entire length and circumference in the generatrix direction (axial direction). This inscribing fit makes the container body 20 airtight.

The inner plate 40 further includes an annular flange portion 48 that is bent approximately 90 degrees from the upper edge of the second outer peripheral edge portion 44 and extends outward, an annular shoulder portion 50 that extends inward from the lower edge of the second outer peripheral edge portion 44, an annular side peripheral portion 52 that extends diagonally downward from the inner end of the shoulder portion 50, and a bottom portion 54 that is circular in plan view and extends inward from the lower edge of the side peripheral portion 52. The flange portion 48 is formed with a tongue piece 49 (see FIG. 3) for removing the inner plate that protrudes outward from the flange portion 48.

The bottom 54 is elastically deformable between a first state in which it is convex downward as shown by phantom lines in FIG. 1 and a second state in which it is convex upward as shown by solid lines in FIG. 1, and includes an inverted deformation portion 56 that is in the first state in the initial state in which no external force is acting, a plurality of concentric (annular) protrusions 58 that extend to surround the outer edge of the inverted deformation portion 56, and a protrusion 60 that is approximately frustoconical and protrudes upward from the center of the inverted deformation portion 56.

The reversible deformation portion 56 extends in the shape of a ring membrane between the ridge portion 58 and the protrusion portion 60 to form the main portion of the bottom portion 54, and can be elastically deformed between a first state in which it is convex downward as shown by phantom lines in FIG. 1 and in FIG. 2, and a second state in which it is convex upward as shown by solid lines in FIG. 1, and acts like a snap-action reversible spring that is in the first state in the initial state in which no external force is acting. In the initial state, i.e., in the state in which no external force is acting on the reversible deformation portion 56, it is preferable that the first state be maintained.

It is preferable that the connection between the inverted deformation portion 56 and the protrusion portion 60 is a smooth R-shape. An air vent hole 62 is formed in the upper portion of the protrusion portion 60, more specifically, in the upper end portion of the protrusion portion 60, as a pinhole-like small hole.

The top lid 70 is a molded product made by hot pressing (vacuum forming) a resin sheet made of a non-foamed thermoplastic resin such as polystyrene or polypropylene, and is shaped like a round shallow dish turned upside down.

The top cover 70 includes an annular third outer peripheral edge 74 that defines the lower opening 72 and an annular shoulder 76 that overlaps the flange portion 48 of the inner plate 40. The third outer peripheral edge 74 is formed with an annular locking ridge 78 that protrudes inward.

The top lid 70 is attached by pressing down on the container body 20 and the inner plate 40 until the shoulder 76 abuts against the flange 48 of the inner plate 40, as shown in FIG. 1, with the inner plate 40 attached to the container body 20. When the shoulder 76 abuts against the flange 48, the locking ridge 78 extends outwardly of and overcomes the flange 28 of the container body 20, thereby fixing (locking) the top lid 70 to the container body 20 in a manner that prevents it from coming off.

The inner plate 40 is attached to the container body 20 by fitting the second outer peripheral edge 44 to the inside of the first outer peripheral edge 24 of the container body 20 by pushing it from above downwards while the top lid 70 is not attached to the container body 20 and the inverted deformation portion 56 is in the first state. In this fitting, the cylindrical outer peripheral surface 46 of the second outer peripheral edge 44 fits internally in an airtight manner with the cylindrical inner peripheral surface 26 of the first outer peripheral edge 24.

As shown in FIG. 1, the inner plate 40 is pushed in until the flange portion 48 of the inner plate 40 overlaps the flange portion 28 of the container body 20. As a result, the cylindrical outer peripheral surface 46 is hermetically inscribed and fitted into the cylindrical inner peripheral surface 26 over the entire length and circumference in the generatrix direction, and the container body 20 becomes airtight.

In the process of pushing the second outer peripheral edge 44 of the inner plate 40 into the first outer peripheral edge 24 of the container body 20, the air inside the container body 20 closed by the inner plate 40 is compressed as the inner plate 40 is pushed in, and when the internal pressure of the container body 20 tries to rise, the reversible deformation portion 56 elastically deforms like a reversible spring so as to reverse from the first state shown by the phantom lines in FIG. 1 to the second state shown by the solid lines in FIG. 1.

The elastic deformation of the inverted deformation portion 56 expands the actual volume of the container body 20 (the volume of the space between the container body 20 and the inner plate 40), and prevents the internal pressure of the container body 20 from increasing. As a result, even if the inside of the container body 20 closed by the inner plate 40 is highly airtight, the inner plate 40 can be attached to the container body 20 quickly and efficiently without requiring a large force.

The elastic deformation (reverse deformation) in which the reversible deformation portion 56 reverses from the first state to the second state is ensured even when the pressure acting on the reversible deformation portion 56 is relatively low, because the outer edge of the reversible deformation portion 56 is a node that is easily bent by the protrusions 58. In particular, because multiple protrusions 58 are provided concentrically to form a bellows, the reversible deformation of the reversible deformation portion 56 is ensured even more.

Furthermore, since the protrusion 60 is provided in the center of the bottom 54, the invertible deformation portion 56 has a circular ring shape extending around the protrusion 60, so that the invertible deformation portion 56 is more likely to undergo invertible deformation from the first state to the second state than if the invertible deformation portion 56 were disk-shaped. This also ensures that the invertible deformation of the invertible deformation portion 56 is carried out reliably even when the pressure acting on the invertible deformation portion 56 is relatively low.

As a result, the inner plate 40 can be attached to the container body 20 quickly and efficiently without requiring much force.

Furthermore, if the internal pressure of the container body 20 increases during the process of attaching the inner plate 40 to the container body 20, the air in the container body 20 is vented through the air vent hole 62. This also prevents the internal pressure in the container body 20 from increasing during the process of attaching the inner plate 40 to the container body 20, and the inner plate 40 can be attached to the container body 20 quickly and efficiently without requiring a large amount of force.

The air vent hole 62 is provided at the upper end of the protrusion 60 located above the inverted deformation portion 56 that forms the main portion of the bottom 54. Therefore, as long as the height of the contents, such as ingredients, contained in the inner plate 40 is equal to or lower than the upper end of the protrusion 60, the contents will not leak through the air vent hole 62 into the container body 20, nor will the air vent hole 62 be blocked by the contents. Also, because the air vent hole 62 is a small hole such as a pinhole, the contents of the inner plate 40 will not leak through the air vent hole 62 into the container body 20.

The present invention has been described above in terms of its preferred embodiment, but as will be easily understood by those skilled in the art, the present invention is not limited to such an embodiment, and can be modified as appropriate without departing from the spirit of the present invention. For example, the air vent hole 62 is not limited to the upper end of the protrusion 60, but may be provided above the inverted deformation portion 56, such as the shoulder portion 50. The protrusion 60 may be omitted, and the inverted deformation portion 56 may be circular in plan view. If the inverted deformation portion 56 is circular in plan view, it is easier to invert and deform than if the inverted deformation portion 56 is rectangular in plan view. The container body 20, the inner plate 40, and the upper lid 70 may be pulp molded products. The container with plate is not limited to a round shape, and may be of various shapes such as an ellipse, an oval, or a square. In addition, not all of the components shown in the above embodiment are necessarily essential, and they can be selected as appropriate without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

Reference Signs List 10: Container with inner tray 20: Container body 22: Upper opening 24: First outer peripheral edge portion 26: Cylindrical inner peripheral surface 28: Flange portion 30: Shoulder portion 40: Inner tray 42: Upper opening 44: Second outer peripheral edge portion 46: Cylindrical outer peripheral surface 48: Flange portion 49: Tongue piece 50: Shoulder portion 52: Side peripheral portion 54: Bottom portion 56: Inverted deformation portion 58: Protrusion portion 60: Protrusion portion 62: Air vent hole 70: Top cover 72: Lower opening 74: Third outer peripheral edge portion 76: Shoulder portion

Claims (4)

A container used for takeaway food,
a container body including an annular first outer periphery defining an upper opening;
an inner tray including an annular second outer peripheral edge portion detachably fitted to the first outer peripheral edge portion and a bottom portion extending inwardly of the second outer peripheral edge portion, the inner tray being attached to the container body so as to close the upper opening by the fitting of the first outer peripheral edge portion with the second outer peripheral edge portion;
A container with an inner tray having an upper lid that is detachably attached to the container body and covers the inner tray,
the bottom portion includes a reversible deformation portion that is elastically deformable between a first state in which the bottom portion is convex downward and a second state in which the bottom portion is convex upward, the reversible deformation portion being in the first state in an initial state;
The bottom portion includes a protrusion portion protruding upward from a center portion of the inverted deformation portion, and an air vent hole is provided only at an upper portion of the protrusion portion,
The container with inner plate has an inner plate that fits into the container body in an airtight manner, and the top cover is attached to the inner plate without having any holes, thereby sealing the container body via the inner plate . The container with inner plate according to claim 1, wherein the bottom portion includes at least one annular protrusion portion extending to surround the outer edge of the inverted deformation portion. A container with an inner plate according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the bottom is circular in plan view. A container with an inner plate according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the first outer peripheral edge portion includes a cylindrical inner peripheral surface, and the second outer peripheral edge portion includes a cylindrical outer peripheral surface that fits airtightly with the cylindrical inner peripheral surface.

Images