JP3016195B2 - Sealed storage container - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a sealed container for storing foods and the like, which is used for storing cooked foods and the like and cooking them as needed for use as food.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, for example, Japanese Patent Publication No. 4-30830.
As described in the publication, a storage container is used in which food before and after cooking is stored in a container, and the container is placed in a microwave oven and heated to reduce the pressure inside the container and hermetically close the container.

[0003] In the closed storage container, a shaft hole and a vent hole are provided through a flat top plate surface of a lid closed to the container body,
The shaft of the umbrella-type check valve and the protrusion at the lower part of the shaft are forcibly fitted into the shaft hole to engage the protrusion with the inner peripheral edge of the shaft hole to prevent the shaft from coming off, and to cover the shaft hole and the vent hole. The outer periphery of the check valve is configured to be in airtight contact with the upper surface of the flat top plate of the lid.

[0004] In this sealed storage container, the cooked food is hot-filled in the container main body, covered with a lid, and temporarily sealed with a hook, and then placed in a microwave oven. Put in a temporarily sealed container and heat. As a result, the water vapor and air in the container thermally expand and the internal pressure rises, and the internal pressure causes the check valve to slightly float, thereby discharging the water vapor and air to the outside of the container through the ventilation holes to release the pressure. It is.

Next, the heating by the microwave oven is stopped,
The reduced temperature of the container and the food product creates a reduced pressure within the container. As a result, the outer peripheral edge of the umbrella check valve is brought into close contact with the upper surface of the top plate of the lid due to the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the container, and a so-called sealed state is formed and maintained.

[0006]

However, such a conventional sealed storage container is realized by reducing the pressure in the container by sealing the outer periphery of the umbrella check valve to the upper surface of the flat top plate of the lid. Since the outer peripheral edge of the umbrella check valve is in contact with the upper surface of the flat top plate of the lid in the annular line area, foreign substances such as particles are interposed at the contact interface in these annular line areas. Easily, which has the danger of causing airtight defects.

Further, the umbrella-shaped portion of the umbrella-shaped check valve protrudes from the upper surface of the lid, and it is difficult to stack containers because of the formation of projections. Produces an airtight defect.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention solves the above-mentioned problems, and makes it possible to sufficiently secure a sealed contact area of a check valve, to maintain a depressurized and sealed state in a container reliably and stably, and to stack the containers. It is another object of the present invention to provide a hermetically sealed storage container in which a foreign substance is less likely to intervene and an airtight defect is less likely to occur even if it intervenes.

[0009]

The closed storage container comprises a container main body and a lid for hermetically sealing the container main body. The closed storage container is depressed from the outer surface of the top plate on the top plate of the lid and formed into a mortar shape toward the inside of the container main body. A check valve fitting hole having a converging inner peripheral taper surface is provided.

On the other hand, a check valve having an outer peripheral taper surface similar to the check valve fitting hole is formed, and this check valve is fitted into the check valve fitting hole, and the outer peripheral taper surface of the check valve is formed. And the inner peripheral taper surface of the check valve fitting hole are set at an inclination angle substantially synchronized with each other, and the outer peripheral taper surface of the check valve is fitted to the check valve in accordance with the reduction of the internal pressure of the container body. The hole is brought into close contact with the inner peripheral taper surface of the hole by a wedge action to achieve sealing. As a result, the inner peripheral taper surface and the outer peripheral taper surface are surely brought into close contact with each other by a wedge effect, and this tight contact surface is sufficiently secured, the sealing effect is improved, and the reduced pressure is maintained.

The check valve fitting hole has a bottom, a vent hole communicating with the inside of the container body is provided in the bottom wall, and this bottom wall is used as a mounting support wall for a shaft of the check valve.

Further, in the closed storage container, the check valve is fitted in the check valve fitting hole so as not to protrude from the upper surface of the top plate of the lid, thereby preventing a displacement due to an external force and an airtight defect. .

Further, a pressure receiving recess communicating with the inside of the container is provided on the bottom surface of the check valve so that the internal pressure of the container can be efficiently and uniformly received.

[0014]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.
A description will be given based on FIGS. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2,
The closed storage container comprises a container body 1 made of a heat-resistant, cold-resistant and microwave-permeable synthetic resin material;
And a lid 2 made of the same material as the container main body closed so as to close the opening at the upper end of the container.

The container body 1 has a substantially oval shape as a whole,
An annular flange 3 having a sectional shape bent in a substantially inverted U-shape is provided integrally with the outer periphery of the opening end. And
The upper surface of the annular flange 3 is used as a pressing surface for packing.

The lid 2 has a top plate portion 4 and an inner fitting portion 5 which is annularly lowered from the periphery of the top plate portion. A packing receiving groove 6 which opens downward is annularly connected to the outer periphery of the inner fitting portion 5, and a ring-shaped packing 7 is replaceable in this packing receiving groove 6 and does not easily fall off. Is mounted as follows. When the lid 2 is not inserted into the container body 1, a part of the packing 7 projects annularly from the opening of the packing accommodation groove 6 due to its elasticity.

The top plate portion 4 of the lid 2 has a peripheral portion bulging in a mountain shape to form an annular bulged plate portion 4a, and a central region is a substantially flat plate portion 4b. A check valve fitting hole 8 which is depressed from the flat plate portion 4b is provided at a predetermined position of the flat plate portion 4b. The check valve fitting hole 8 has an inner peripheral tapered surface 8a that converges substantially in a mortar shape toward the inside of the container body 1.

FIG. 3 shows a bottom wall 8b of the check valve fitting hole 8.
As shown in FIG. 1 and the like, one valve shaft hole 9 as a center hole and a plurality of ventilation holes 10 arranged around the valve shaft hole 9 are provided therethrough. A check valve 15 described later is fitted in the check valve fitting hole 8.

As shown in FIGS. 1, 4 and the like,
The pole portion of the flat plate portion 4b is set in a mortar shape toward the inside of the container body 1, and the mortar-shaped check valve fitting hole 8 is defined inside the mortar-shaped upsetting wall 8 '.

The check valve 15 has an outer peripheral tapered surface 15a that converges in a mortar shape toward the inside of the container body. The outer peripheral taper surface 15a and the inner peripheral taper surface 8a have inclination angles that are substantially synchronized with each other, and can be in close contact with the entire circumference of the taper surface.

At the center of the check valve 15, a valve shaft 18 protruding downward is integrally formed and protruded. A pressure receiving opening which opens downward around the base end of the valve shaft 18 is provided. A recess 19 is formed. The recess 19 is provided in the air hole 1.
0 communicates with the inside of the container body 1. Further, the valve shaft 18 is inserted into the valve shaft hole 9 and the tip is
And a valve shaft retaining member 20 such as an O-ring or a C-ring is attached to the tip of the bottom wall 8 of the check valve fitting hole 8.
b to enable locking.

A slight play 21 is formed between the valve shaft retaining member 20 and the locking surface of the bottom wall 8b to allow a slight floating of the check valve 15 with respect to the tapered surface 8a, while allowing a certain amount of floating. And omissions are regulated.

Further, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the lock plate 11 is rotated along the outer side surface of the container body 1 over a predetermined length on the long sides of the packing receiving grooves 6 facing each other. It is installed as possible. The lock plate 11 and the lid 2 are integrally formed, and the lock plate 11 is rotated left and right with a connection portion with the lid 2 as a hinge.

The inner surface of the lock plate 11 has a flange 3 on the container body 1 when the lid 2 is closed to the container body 1.
To lock the lid 2 to the container body 1,
A locking claw piece 12 for maintaining the closing is protruded. A gripping piece 11 ′ is continuously provided at the tip of the lock plate 11 to facilitate a turning operation by a finger.

Next, in the case of using the sealed storage container having the above-described configuration, first, the container body 1 is filled with pre-heated food, and the container body 1 is covered with a lid as shown in FIGS. Is fitted and closed. When the cover 2 is pressed in the process of closing the cover 2 to the container body 1, the locking claw 1 of the lock plate 11 is pressed.
2 abuts against the flange 3 to rotate outward against the elasticity,
When passing through the flange 3, it is restored by elasticity and automatically engages with the lower surface of the flange 3. At this time, the packing 7 in the packing housing groove 6 of the lid 2 is
The upper surface is pressurized and sealed.

Subsequently, when the food-filled container is placed in a microwave oven and heated by microwaves, the food generates steam from inside, the air inside expands, and the internal pressure gradually increases. Then, the internal pressure gas acts intensively on the bottom surface of the check valve through the vent hole 10, and the check valve 1
5 is applied. Pressure receiving recess 19
Efficiently receives the internal pressure acting on the bottom surface of the check valve. As a result, as shown in FIG. 4, the tapered surface 15a of the check valve 15 rises together with the valve shaft within a range allowed by the play 21 and is slightly separated from the tapered surface 8a to form an annular gap 17, so that the inside of the container is formed. Water vapor and air are ejected from these gaps 17 to the outside to remove air.

When the heating by the microwave oven is completed and the heat is released, the inside of the container is depressurized due to the above-mentioned deflation, so that the check valve 15 returns to the position immediately in close contact with the tapered surface 8a, and is cooled. , The taper surface 15a of the check valve 15 and the taper surface 8 of the check valve fitting hole 8
Further, the adhesive force with a is further promoted. Therefore, backflow of outside air into the container is prevented. That is, the inside of the container is automatically sealed and maintained by the pressure difference between the inside and the outside. As a result, the food can be stored at room temperature or at low temperature.

The check valve 15 rises away from the tapered surface 8a at the time of the degassing, but the valve shaft retaining member 20 hits the periphery of the valve shaft hole 9, and the amount of the rise is regulated and the retaining is prevented.

The check valve 15 has a moderate compressive elasticity in the radial direction, and the tapered surface 15a exhibits a high degree of conformity to the tapered surface 8a, and is combined with the wedge action of the tapered surfaces 15a, 8a. Improves adhesion. Further, the valve shaft 18 has a slight elasticity in the axial direction, so that the check valve 15 can be reliably raised by the internal pressure. In this case, the installation of the play 21 of the retaining member 20 can be omitted.

As means for effectively imparting radially compressive elasticity to the check valve 15, as shown in FIG. 4, a bottomed hole 16 opened at the upper surface of the check valve 15 is provided. Is a relief hole for the compression pressure, and facilitates radial reduction of the mortar-shaped peripheral wall having the tapered surface 15a around the bottomed hole 16.

As another means, as shown in FIG. 5, the inside of the check valve 15 is made hollow, and this hollow is opened at a portion opposed to the vent hole 10 to form the pressure receiving concave portion 19 ', and at the same time, the hollow is defined. The mortar-shaped peripheral wall to be formed is easily reduced in the radial direction.

According to this structure, when the food contained in the container is heated by the microwave oven, the steam pressure and the air pressure generated in the container are quickly introduced into the large-capacity concave portion 19 'through the ventilation hole 10. Since the check valve 15 can be concentrated, the check valve 15 can be floated from the tapered surface 8a with high sensitivity. Therefore, the inside of the container is quickly evacuated.

By providing the bottomed hole 16 and the concave portion 19 'as described above, the thickness of the check valve 15 can be reduced over a wide range at the portion in contact with the tapered surface 8a, and the flexibility can be increased. , The reverse valve 15 with respect to the tapered surface 8a
The adhesion performance of the tapered surface 15a is greatly improved.

[0034]

As described above, according to the present invention, in a sealed storage container comprising a container main body and a lid for sealing the container main body, a check valve fitting hole provided in a top plate of the lid is provided. The inner peripheral taper surface and the outer peripheral taper surface of the check valve exert a wedge action to secure a strong adhesion. Further, a sufficient contact area between the check valve and the check valve fitting hole is ensured, and the adhesion is further improved in combination with the wedge action. In addition, the tapered surface prevents the attachment of particulate foreign matter, and effectively prevents airtight defects due to the presence of foreign matter. Therefore, the pressure reduction operation and the pressure reduction in the container can be reliably and stably realized.

Further, by fitting the check valve into the check valve fitting hole, the fitting degree is particularly increased so as to fit into the check valve fitting hole so as not to protrude from the upper surface of the top plate of the lid. By doing so, stacking is possible without generating unnecessary protrusions on the top surface of the top plate, and the problem that the check valve shifts against the object to cause an airtight defect can be solved.

In addition, by providing the pressure receiving concave portion on the bottom surface of the check valve, the high pressure in the container body can be concentrated on the concave portion, and the floating of the check valve and the bleeding due to it can be performed quickly.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front sectional view showing a sealed storage container according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side sectional view showing the closed storage container.

FIG. 3 is a bottom view showing the lid in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged sectional view showing another embodiment of the check valve according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged sectional view showing still another embodiment of the check valve according to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Container main body 2 Lid 4 Top plate 8 Non-return valve fitting hole 8a Inner peripheral taper surface 8b Bottom wall 8 'Mortar-shaped upsetting wall 9 Valve shaft hole 10 Vent hole 11 Lock plate 11' Holding piece 12 Locking claw Piece 15 check valve 15a outer peripheral tapered surface 16 bottomed hole 17 annular gap 18 valve shaft 19 pressure receiving recess 20 retaining member 21 play

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (58) Field surveyed (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) B65D 81/34 A23L 3/00 101 A47J 47/02

Claims (4)

(57) [Claims] 1. A closed storage container comprising a container main body and a lid for hermetically sealing the container main body, wherein a check valve having an inner peripheral tapered surface on a top plate of the lid converging in a mortar shape toward the inside of the container main body. A fitting hole is provided in communication with the inside of the container body, and a check valve having an outer peripheral tapered surface that converges in a mortar shape toward the inside of the container body is fitted into the check valve fitting hole. The outer peripheral taper surface and the inner peripheral taper surface of the check valve fitting hole are set at an inclination angle that substantially synchronizes with each other, and the outer peripheral taper surface of the check valve and the non-return valve are checked according to a reduction in the internal pressure of the container body. A hermetically sealed storage container characterized in that a close contact state is formed by a wedge action with an inner peripheral tapered surface of a valve fitting hole to maintain the above-mentioned reduced pressure state. 2. The sealed storage container according to claim 1, wherein a pressure receiving recess communicating with the inside of the container body is provided on a bottom surface of the check valve. 3. The sealed storage container according to claim 1, wherein the check valve fitting hole has a bottom, and a vent hole communicating with the inside of the container body is provided at the bottom. 4. The seal according to claim 1, wherein the check valve is fitted into the check valve fitting hole so as not to protrude from the top surface of the top plate of the lid. Storage container.