JP7769356B2 - Food serving box - Google Patents

Description

This disclosure relates to a food serving box.

The traditional Japanese tray used for occasions such as Okuizome (first meal), Obon, memorial meals, and honzen cuisine consists of a table with a flat top and legs, on which multiple bowls of various sizes filled with cooked ingredients are placed. When carrying the tray with food in the bowls, the dishes are unstable and may move around or tip over. Also, storing multiple trays can be inconvenient as they are all different in size, height, and shape, making it difficult to put away. As a result, serving multiple trays at a large dinner party can be time-consuming and inefficient.

Patent Document 1 discloses a meal tray used in mass meal systems in schools, hospitals, factories, and other facilities, while Patent Document 2 discloses a serving tray used for the same purpose. These meal trays and serving trays have heat retention properties because the tray body and the tray body's lid are made of synthetic resin foam, and the horizontal top surface of the tray body has storage recesses that correspond to the shape of the dishes, which has the advantage of preventing spills of soup or other liquids from the dishes. Furthermore, Patent Document 3 discloses a lunch box that allows food to be served on the top surface of the lid, thereby increasing the number of dishes, and Patent Document 4 discloses lunch boxes that do not move or become misaligned when stacked.

Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 59-2693 Specification and drawings of Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open Publication No. 60-146476 Utility Model Registration No. 3201511 Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 53-9504

The trays, trays, and lunch boxes disclosed in Patent Documents 1 to 4 have a simple structure and each has a label, but as dining tables used at celebratory occasions, they lack luxury and the number of dishes on which food can be served is limited, making them unsuitable for use at celebratory occasions.

This disclosure has been made in consideration of the above circumstances, and aims to propose a food serving box that is luxurious and suitable for celebratory occasions, easy to carry and put away, and allows for efficient food preparation.

One aspect of a food serving box according to the present disclosure comprises a box body having a bottom plate forming a flat bottom surface and a first side plate extending upward from the outer periphery of the bottom plate to form a side wall; a lid having a top plate and a second side plate extending downward from the outer periphery of the top plate to form a side wall; and at least one or more pieces of tableware for storing cooked ingredients placed on the bottom plate, the tableware having a height greater than that of the first side plate when placed on the bottom plate. The second side plate includes an inner plate and an outer plate formed outward from the inner plate and having a height from the inner surface of the top plate greater than that of the inner plate. When the box body is closed with the lid, the leading edge of the inner plate is configured to be able to abut against the leading edge of the first side plate.

One aspect of the serving box disclosed herein allows for efficient preparation of food while maintaining the luxury and elegance befitting a celebratory occasion, and is easy to carry and store away.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a serving box according to one embodiment. FIG. 2 is a front view of a box body according to one embodiment. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the cover body according to the embodiment as seen from the leg side. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a food serving box with a closed lid according to one embodiment. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a serving box with cooked ingredients placed on dishes. FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing an example of a serving box when serving food. FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing another example of a serving box when serving food. FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing yet another example of a serving box when serving food.

Several embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the dimensions, materials, shapes, and relative arrangements of the components described in these embodiments or shown in the drawings are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention and are merely illustrative examples.

Figures 1 to 8 are diagrams showing a food serving box 10 according to one embodiment. Figure 1 shows the box in an open state. Figure 2 is a front view of the box body 20. Figure 3 is a perspective view of the lid 30 viewed from the leg 52 side. Figure 4 is a perspective view showing the box in a closed state. Figure 5 is an explanatory diagram showing cooked ingredients served on dishes. Figures 6 to 8 are explanatory diagrams showing different ways of use when serving food.

As shown in Figure 1, the food serving box 10 of one embodiment is composed of a box body 20, a lid body 30, and at least one or more pieces of tableware 40 placed on the bottom plate 22 of the box body 20.
The box body 20 has a bottom plate 22 that forms a flat bottom surface and a first side plate 24 that extends upward from the outer periphery of the bottom plate 22 and surrounds the periphery of the bottom plate 22 to form a side wall. When the box body 20 is placed on a horizontal surface during serving, the bottom plate 22 normally forms a horizontal surface inside the first side plate 24. The lid 30 has a top plate 32 and a second side plate 34 that extends downward from the outer periphery of the top plate 32 to form a side wall. When the box body 20 is closed, the top plate 32 also normally forms a horizontal surface inside the second side plate 34. The tableware 40 is placed on the bottom plate 22, and cooked ingredients Fc are placed (stored) on it, as shown in Figures 5 to 8.

In this specification, "upper side" refers to the upper side (toward the top plate 32) when the box body 20 is closed by the lid body 30 and the lid body 30 is placed above the box body 20 on a horizontal surface, and "lower side" is defined to refer to the lower side (toward the bottom plate 22) in the above-mentioned state.

As shown in Figure 2, when the tableware 40 is placed on the bottom plate 22, it has a height greater than that of the first side plate 24. In this specification, "height" refers to the distance from the top surface 22a of the bottom plate 22 or the inner surface 32a of the top plate 32, respectively. In other words, the height H3 of the first side plate 24 is configured to be less than the height H2 of the tableware 40.

As shown in FIG. 3 , the second side panel 34 includes an inner panel 34 (34a) and an outer panel 34 (34b) formed further outward than the inner panel 34 (34a). The height H5 of the outer panel 34 (34b) from the inner surface 32a of the top panel 32 is greater than the height H4 of the inner panel 34 (34a) from the inner surface 32a of the top panel 32 (H4 < H5). Furthermore, when the box body 20 is closed with the lid 30, the leading edge surface 36 of the inner panel 34 (34a) is configured to be able to abut against the leading edge surface 24a of the first side panel 24.

In this way, in the serving box 10, one or more pieces of tableware 40 are placed on the bottom plate 22, which has a flat upper surface 22a of the box body 20. Furthermore, the height H2 of the tableware 40, based on the upper surface 22a of the bottom plate 22, is greater than the height H3 of the first side plate 24 that forms the side wall of the box body 20, so the upper portion of the tableware 40 is positioned above the upper end of the first side plate 24. Therefore, the tableware 40 is not enclosed by the first side plate 24, creating a feeling of claustrophobia. This allows for the same luxury as traditional celebratory meals.

The second side panel 34 forming the side wall of the lid 30 has an inner panel 34 (34a) and an outer panel 34 (34b) that is higher than the inner panel 34 (34a) from the inner surface 32a of the top panel 32. Therefore, when the lid 30 is closed on the box body 20, the leading edge 24a of the first side panel 24 abuts against the leading edge 36 of the inner panel 34 (34a), and the outer panel 34 (34b) is positioned outside the first side panel 24 of the box body 20, overlapping the first side panel 24. Therefore, unlike the structures in Patent Documents 1 and 2 where the body and lid abut against each other at their abutting surfaces, this structure achieves the solid feel of a traditional multi-tiered box.

Furthermore, when the box body 20 is closed with the lid 30, the tip surface 24a of the first side panel 24 of the box body 20 abuts against the tip surface 36 of the inner panel 34 (34a). Therefore, the internal volume of the serving box 10 can be adjusted by adjusting the height of the first side panel 24 or the inner panel 34 (34a). Therefore, the internal volume can be adjusted according to the cooked ingredients Fc served on the tableware 40, providing a wider range of options for the volume of cooked ingredients Fc.

In this embodiment, the inner plate 34 (34a) and outer plate 34 (34b) that make up the second side plate 34 are configured as separate bodies, but they may also be configured as a single body.

In one embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, the box body 20 and lid body 30 are formed in a rectangular, particularly square, shape in plan view. This gives them a sense of solidity similar to traditional Japanese tiered boxes. However, the box body 20 and lid body 30 may also be formed in a rectangular or other shape in plan view.

In addition, in the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the tableware 40 is bowl-shaped, but it may be plate-shaped or have other shapes. In addition, in the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the tableware 40 is bowl-shaped with a circular outer shape for the portion where food is stored, but it may not be circular and may be, for example, oval, rectangular, or have other shapes.

In addition, in the embodiment shown in Figures 1 to 4, the bottom plate 22 is located at a midpoint in the height direction of the first side plate 24, but it may also be located at the lower end of the first side plate 24.

1, the lid 30 has a flange 50 that protrudes from the outer periphery of the top plate 32 above the outer surface 32b of the top plate 32. After the food is served in the serving box 10 at a celebratory event, the box body 20 may be placed on the outer surface 32b of the top plate 32, and the lid 30 may be used as a base for the box body 20. In such cases, the outer periphery of the first side panel 24 is configured to fit.
In this way, the outer peripheral surface of the box body 20 is positioned so as to be able to fit inside the flange 50, and the flange 50 acts as a wall that prevents the box body 20 from moving freely or shifting from the top plate 32. Therefore, the box body 20 can be stably fixed on the lid 30.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the second side panel 34 and the flange 50 are integral and flush. In another embodiment, the second side panel 34 and the flange 50 may be formed to have the same thickness. In such a configuration, if the outer panel 34 (34b) is positioned so that it can fit onto the outside of the first side panel 24 when the lid 30 is closed on the box body 20, then when the lid 30 is used as a base for the box body 20, the flange 50 will naturally be positioned outside the outer periphery of the box body 20. This makes it easier to form the flange 50.

In one embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, the bottom plate 22 of the box body 20 and the top plate 32 of the lid 30 are rectangular. The outer plate 34 (34b) constituting the second side plate 34 has leg portions 52 at the four corners, which have a height from the inner surface 32a of the top plate 32 that is greater than the height of other portions of the outer plate 34 (34b). Between the leg portions 52, recesses 54 are formed in the outer plate 34 (34b) on the four sides, which have a height smaller than the leg portions 52.

In this embodiment, the outer panel 34 (34b) has legs 52 at its four corners that are taller than the other parts of the outer panel 34 (34b). This allows the lid 30 to have a luxurious feel similar to conventional trays when used as a base for the box body 20, or when dishes 40 filled with food Fc are placed on the top surface of the top plate 32 of the lid 30. Furthermore, the outer panel 34 (34b) has recesses 54 on the lower edge between the legs 52, allowing hands to be inserted into the recesses 54 to lift the lid 30, making it easy to carry.

In one embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, the box is equipped with a partition plate 60. The partition plate 60 is disposed on the upper surface 22a of the bottom plate 22 of the box body 20 to divide the bottom plate 22 into multiple areas. When dishes 40 containing multiple ingredients Fc are placed on the bottom plate 22, the partition plate 60 divides the upper surface of the bottom plate 22 into multiple areas appropriate for each dish 40. Therefore, the partition plate 60 prevents the dishes 40 placed in each of the multiple areas from moving or tipping over.

1 and 2, the partition plate 60 is configured separately from the box body 20 and the lid body 30. By configuring the partition plate 60 separately from the box body 20 or the lid body 30, the size and shape of the area separated by the partition plate 60 can be changed according to the size and shape of the tableware 40, and by removing unnecessary partition plates 60 after serving the food, the bottom plate 22 on which the tableware 40 is placed can be made to appear wider, just like a conventional tray.
On the other hand, in another embodiment, the partition plate 60 may be configured integrally with the box body 20 or the lid body 30 .

In one embodiment, as shown in Figure 2, if the height of the partition plate placed on the upper surface 22a of the bottom plate 22 of the box body 20 is H1 and the height of at least one piece of tableware 40 placed on the upper surface of the bottom plate 22 is H2, H1 and H2 have the relationship H2 < H1.
According to this embodiment, since the height H2 of the tableware 40 is smaller than the height H1 of the partition plate 60, when the tableware 40 is placed on the bottom plate 22 of the box body 20 and the lid 30 is closed on the box body 20, the inner surface 32a of the top plate 32 does not drop below the upper end surface of the partition plate 60, ensuring that space is secured above the tableware 40 inside the serving box 10 after the lid is closed. This allows the food ingredients Fc to be arranged so that they rise above the top edge of the tableware 40, and prevents the food ingredients Fc arranged above the top edge of the tableware 40 from being crushed by the top plate 32 after the lid is closed.

In one embodiment, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, the partition plate 60 is composed of multiple long plates 62 extending on one side, and each of the long plates 62 has the same length in the width direction (short direction). Each of the multiple long plates 62 is arranged so that its long side runs along the upper surface of the top plate 32, and the multiple long plates 62 are combined with each other in a lattice pattern.

With the divider plate 60 according to this embodiment, the long sides of the multiple long plates 62 are arranged along the upper surface of the top plate 32, so the divider plate 60 has the same height everywhere. This makes it easy to set the height of the divider plate 60 relative to the height of the first side plate 24 or the tableware 40. Furthermore, because the upper surface 22a of the bottom plate 22 can be divided into a grid pattern, the shape of the divided areas can be made to make it easy to store tableware 40. Furthermore, it is easy to change the shape of the divided areas to match the shape of the tableware 40.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the multiple long plates 62 are arranged diagonally (i.e., diagonally) relative to the four sides of the top plate 32 that form the outer edge of a square. In another embodiment, depending on the size and shape of the multiple tableware 40, each of the multiple long plates 62 may be arranged parallel to the four sides of the top plate 32.

The box body 20, lid 30, and partition plate 60 can be made of, for example, wood, plastic, or synthetic resin foam. The tableware 40 can be made of, for example, wood, plastic, or metal.

In one embodiment, the height H1 of the partition plate 60 is set equal to the sum of the height H3 of the first side plate 24 and the height H4 of the inner plate 34 (34a), as shown in the following formula (1).
H1=H3+H4 (1)
According to this embodiment, when the lid 30 is closed on the box body 20, the inner surface 32a of the top plate 32 contacts the partition plate 60, and the leading end surface 24a of the first side plate 24 contacts the leading end surface 36 of the inner plate 34 (34a) simultaneously. Therefore, the compressive strength against a vertical compressive load acting on the top plate 32 or the bottom plate 22 can be increased.

In addition, when the following formula (2) is satisfied, the inner surface 32a of the top plate 32 does not abut against the partition plate 60, and only the tip surface 24a of the abutting first side plate 24 abuts against the tip surface 36 of the inner plate 34 (34a).
H1<H3+H4 (2)
In this case, the space above the dish 40 is expanded, so that the ingredients Fc can be arranged so that they bulge significantly above the top edge of the dish 40, as described above, creating a luxurious dish suitable for a celebratory occasion.

In one embodiment, when the lid body 30 is closed on the box body 20 and the tip surface 24a of the abutting first side plate 24 abuts against the tip surface 36 of the inner plate 34 (34a), the lower end of the leg 52 of the lid body 30 is configured not to reach the lower end of the first side plate 24 of the box body 20.
This ensures that when the lid 30 is closed on the box body 20 and food is served, the tip surface 24a of the abutting first side plate 24 and the tip surface 36 of the inner plate 34 (34a) are in abutting contact with each other.

Figures 5 to 8 are explanatory diagrams showing examples of how to use the food serving box 10. Figure 5 shows, as an example, food for the first meal served in multiple bowls 40 (40a) placed on the bottom plate 22 of the box body 20. A small bowl 42 containing a teething stone is placed in the center of the bottom plate 22.

In the example of use shown in Figure 6, the partition plate 60 has been removed, widening the bottom plate 22 on which the dish 40 is placed and making the bowl 40 (40a) easier to carry. Also, although a bowl 40 (40a) is available as the dish 40, a plate just large enough to serve the sea bream Sb is not available, so the top plate 32 of the lid 30 is used as a plate, and the sea bream Sb is placed on the bottom plate 22. By using the lid 30 in this way as a plate, the lid 30 can be used as a substitute for a plate for food Fc that is too small for the bowl 40 (40a).
In addition, in the example of use shown in Figure 6, the partition plate 60 is removed when eating, but by removing the partition plate 60, it is possible to give the tray a luxurious feel like a conventional tray and also make the area above the bottom plate 22 appear wider.

Figure 7 shows an example of use in which the partition plate 60 is left on the bottom plate 22 of the box body 20. Other usage methods are the same as in Figure 6. In this way, there is no problem eating while the partition plate 60 is left on the bottom plate 22 of the box body 20.

8, the lid 30 is placed under the box body 20 and used as a base for the box body 20. That is, the box body 20 is placed on the bottom plate 22, and the outer peripheral surface of the box body 20 is arranged so as to fit inside the protruding edge 50 formed on the outer peripheral edge of the top plate 32.
In this way, by using the lid 30 as a base for the box body 20, it is possible to realize a luxurious appearance similar to that of a conventional tray. Furthermore, because the outer peripheral surface of the box body 20 is positioned so as to be able to fit inside the flange 50, the flange 50 acts as a wall that prevents the box body 20 from moving freely or shifting from the top plate 32. Therefore, the box body 20 can be stably fixed on the lid 30.

The contents described in each of the above embodiments can be understood, for example, as follows:

1) A serving box according to one embodiment comprises a box body (20) having a bottom plate (22) forming a flat bottom surface and a first side plate (24) extending upward from the outer periphery of the bottom plate (22) to form a side wall; a lid (30) having a top plate (32) and a second side plate (34) extending downward from the outer periphery of the top plate (32) to form a side wall; and a small container (30) placed on the bottom plate (22) for storing cooked ingredients (Fc), which, when placed on the bottom plate (22), has a height greater than that of the first side plate (24). and at least one or more pieces of tableware (40), wherein the second side panel (34) includes an inner panel (34 (34a)) and an outer panel (34 (34b)) formed further outward than the inner panel (34 (34a)) and having a height from the inner surface (32a) of the top panel (32) greater than that of the inner panel (34 (34a)), and wherein the tip surface (36) of the inner panel (34 (34a)) is configured to be able to abut against the tip surface (24a) of the first side panel (24) when the box body (20) is closed with the lid (30).

With this configuration, one or more dishes can be placed on the flat bottom surface of the box body, and the height of the first side panel that forms the side wall of the dish box body is greater than that of the first side panel, so the bottom of the box body is not enclosed by the first side panel, creating a feeling of claustrophobia.As a result, it is possible to embody the same luxury as a traditional celebratory tray.
Furthermore, the second side panel forming the side wall of the lid has an inner panel and an outer panel that is higher than the inner panel from the inner surface of the top panel, so that when the box body is closed with the lid, the outer panel is positioned outside the first side panel of the box body so as to overlap the first side panel. Therefore, unlike the structure in Patent Documents 1 and 2 where the body and lid are butted together at their contact surfaces, this structure can embody the solid feel of a conventional tiered box.

In addition, when the box body is closed with the lid, the leading edge of the first side panel of the box body can come into contact with the leading edge of the inner panel, so the internal volume of the serving box can be adjusted by adjusting the height of the inner panel or the first side panel. This allows the internal volume to be adjusted according to the amount of cooked ingredients served on the tableware, expanding the range of options for the volume of cooked ingredients.

2) Another aspect of the food serving box is the food serving box described in 1), in which the lid (30) has a protruding edge (50) that protrudes from the outer periphery of the top plate (32) above the outer surface of the top plate (32), and is configured so that the outer periphery of the first side plate (24) can fit into the protruding edge (50) when the box body (20) is placed on the outer surface (32b) of the top plate (32).

With this configuration, after serving food, when the lid is used as a base for the box body in the same vertical direction as when the lid is closed, the box body can be placed on the top plate so that its outer edge is surrounded by the protruding edge, preventing the box body from moving freely and ensuring it is stably fixed on the lid.

3) In yet another embodiment, the food serving box is the food serving box described in 1) or 2), wherein the bottom plate (22) and the top plate (32) are rectangular, and the outer plate (34 (34b)) has legs (52) at the four corners of the outer plate (34 (34b)) that are higher from the inner surface (32a) of the top plate (32) than the rest of the outer plate (34 (34b)).

This configuration allows for a luxurious feel that is no different from conventional trays, whether the lid is used as a base for the box body or as a substitute for tableware by placing cooked ingredients on top of the lid. Furthermore, by forming a recess between the legs of the outer panel, the lid can be carried by inserting one's fingers into the recess, making it easier to handle.

4) In yet another embodiment, the food serving box is the food serving box described in any one of 1) to 3), further comprising a partition plate (60) arranged on the bottom surface (22) of the box body (20) for dividing the area of the bottom surface (22) into multiple areas.

With this configuration, the divider plate prevents tableware placed in the area defined by the divider plate from moving around or tipping over when the serving box is carried. Furthermore, by configuring the divider plate as a separate part from the box body or lid, the size and shape of the area defined by the divider plate can be changed depending on the size and shape of the tableware, and by removing the divider plate after serving, the bottom surface on which the dishes are placed can be made to appear larger, just like a conventional tray.

5) In yet another aspect, the serving box is the serving box described in 4), where the height H1 of the partition plate (60) and the height H2 of the at least one piece of tableware (40) satisfy the relationship H2 < H1.

With this configuration, the relationship (dish height H2) < (partition plate height H1) is established, so when dishes are placed on the bottom of the box body and the lid is closed, space is secured above the top of the dishes inside the serving box. This makes it possible to serve food above the top of the dishes, and there is no risk of the food being crushed by the top plate 32 even after the lid is closed.

6) In yet another embodiment, the food serving box is the food serving box described in 4) or 5), in which the partition plate (60) includes multiple long plates (62) that extend longitudinally and have the same width, and the multiple long plates (62) are arranged in a grid pattern.

With this configuration, by arranging the partition plate with the long side of the long plate aligned with the bottom surface of the box body, the height of the partition plate can be made uniform at any position on the partition plate, making it easy to set the height of the partition plate relative to the height of the first side plate, tableware, etc. Furthermore, because the bottom surface of the box body can be divided into a grid pattern, the shape of each divided area can be made to make it easy to store tableware.

10 Food serving box 20 Box body 22 Bottom plate 22a Top surface 24 First side plate 24a Tip surface 30 Lid 32 Top plate 32a Inner surface 32b Outer surface 34 Second side plate 34 (34a) Inner plate 36 Tip surface 34 (34b) Outer plate 40 Tableware 40 (40a) Bowl 42 Small bowl 50 Rim 52 Leg 54 Recess 60 Partition plate 62 Long plate Fc Cooked food H1 Height of partition plate 60 H2 Height of tableware 40 H3 Height of first side plate 24 H4 Height of inner plate 34 (34a) H5 Height of outer plate 34 (34b) Sb Sea bream

Claims (5)

a box body having a bottom plate forming a flat bottom surface and a first side plate extending upward from an outer periphery of the bottom plate to form a side wall;
a lid body having a top plate and a second side plate extending downward from the outer periphery of the top plate to form a side wall;
At least one or more dishes for storing cooked ingredients, which are placed on the bottom plate and have a height greater than that of the first side plate when placed on the bottom plate;
Equipped with
the second side plate includes an inner plate and an outer plate formed outside the inner plate and having a height from the inner surface of the top plate greater than that of the inner plate,
When the box body is closed with the lid, a tip end surface of the inner plate is configured to be able to abut against a tip end surface of the first side plate,
The bottom plate is a flat plate-like member having an upper surface on which the dish is placed and a lower surface opposite to the upper surface ,
The lid body has a protruding edge that protrudes from the outer peripheral edge of the top plate above the outer surface of the top plate, and the protruding edge is configured so that the outer peripheral surface of the first side plate can be fitted into the protruding edge when the lower surface of the box body is placed on the outer surface of the top plate.
Food delivery box. The bottom plate and the top plate have a rectangular shape,
The outer plate has leg portions at four corners of the outer plate, the leg portions having a height from the inner surface of the top plate greater than that of other portions of the outer plate.
2. The serving box of claim 1 . 3. The food serving box according to claim 1 , further comprising a partition plate disposed on the bottom surface of the box body for dividing the area of the bottom surface into a plurality of areas. When the height of the partition plate is H1 and the height of the at least one dish is H2, the height of the partition plate H1 and the height of the dish H2 have a relationship of H2<H1.
4. The serving box according to claim 3 . The partition plate includes a plurality of elongated plates extending along the longitudinal direction and having the same width, and is configured by combining the plurality of elongated plates in a lattice pattern.
5. The serving box according to claim 3 or 4 .