JP4830586B2 - Food container - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a food container for delivering food to a consumer in a sealed state, which can be directly ingested from the container.

  A food container in which the upper surface opening of a cup-shaped container filled with food is covered with a film-like cover material and sealed is familiar to everyday life. An example can be seen in Patent Document 1. It is also widely practiced to sterilize the food in a retort kettle after sealing the food. An example can be seen in Patent Document 2.

In addition, recently, when selling beverages over the counter, a synthetic resin cap with a mouthpiece is fitted to the lip of a paper cup and passed to the purchaser to prevent the beverage from spilling during transportation and easily from the mouth during ingestion. Making it drinkable is also widely practiced. An example can be seen in Patent Document 3.
JP 2003-72843 A ([0013]-[0016], FIG. 1-3) Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 7-300160 ([0006], FIGS. 1 and 3) Utility Model Registration No. 2600723 ([0017]-[0030], FIG. 1-7)

  When a food container is filled with food as shown in Patent Documents 1 and 2 and sold, when the food is liquid or fluid, there is a mechanism for ingesting using a cap as shown in Patent Document 3. It is convenient if there is. However, this has the following problems.

  The container main body whose upper surface opening is sealed with a film-like lid member and the cap having the intake port are shipped together in a form in which the cap is fitted to the container main body. By the way, the lid material is usually punched out slightly larger than the container body, and when the cap is re-fitted after peeling off the lid material, the fit becomes sweet. For this reason, when the container body is tilted to ingest food, the food is likely to leak from between the container body and the cap. For foods (for example, soups) that are heated and consumed in a microwave oven after removing the lid, it is necessary to prevent food leakage that can lead to burns as much as possible.

  There are other factors that cause a gap between the container body and the cap. The distortion of the container body due to the retort treatment, the shrinkage of the container body due to the microwave heating, the unevenness of the container lip generated by the peeling of the lid material, and the like. Since gaps are generated due to various factors as described above, it is not easy to prevent the food from leaking between the container body and the cap when the cap having the intake port is fitted to the container body. .

  The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and in a food container in which a cap provided with a food intake port is combined with a container body filled with food and sealed with a film-shaped lid, the container after removing the lid An object of the present invention is to provide a structure that allows a cap to be fitted to a main body.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a cup-shaped container body filled with a liquid or fluid food product and the upper surface opening is sealed with a film-like lid material, and an upper edge flange portion of the container body. A food container comprising a cap to be fitted, wherein the cap has a dome portion at the center and a rim portion at the periphery, and a food intake is formed in a part of the dome portion, An engaging portion that engages with an upper edge flange portion of the container body is formed on the outer edge, and an annular shape that is in close contact with the inner peripheral surface of the container body after the cover material is removed at the boundary between the dome portion and the rim portion. A drooping portion is formed, and the annular drooping portion has an outer diameter such that the container main body is pushed and spread when fitted to the container main body after the lid body is removed .

  According to this configuration, when the cap is fitted to the container body after the cover material is removed, the annular hanging portion of the cap is in close contact with the inner peripheral surface of the container body, so that food does not leak from between the container body and the cap, Safe food can be safely consumed.

Moreover, the present invention is characterized in that in the food container having the above-described configuration, an annular protrusion is formed on the outer circumferential surface of the annular hanging portion or the inner circumferential surface of the container body facing the annular hanging portion.

  According to this configuration, the annular protrusion formed on one surface hits the other surface and the fitting at this portion becomes tight, so that the leakage of food can be effectively prevented.

Further, the present invention is characterized in that in the food container having the above-described configuration, an annular groove that engages with the annular protrusion is formed on the inner peripheral surface of the container body or the outer peripheral surface of the annular hanging portion facing the container body. .

  According to this configuration, when the annular protrusion is engaged with the annular groove, the sealing performance is enhanced, and the leakage of food can be more effectively prevented. Since the cap is retained by the engagement of the annular groove and the annular protrusion, the cap is not easily detached. Furthermore, it becomes easier to indicate the degree of fitting, such as “please push firmly until the protrusion fits in the groove”.

According to the present invention, the cap is provided with an annular hanging portion that is in close contact with the inner peripheral surface of the container body after the cover material is removed.
When the annular hanging part is fitted to the container body after the cover is removed, the container body has an outer diameter that allows the container body to be pushed and spread, so that food does not leak from between the container body and the cap. You can eat foods without worrying about getting dirty or getting burned with hot foods.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 is an external perspective view of a food container, FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the food container, FIG. 3-5 is a vertical sectional view of the food container, FIG. 3 is before removing the lid material, and FIG. 4 is the lid material being peeled off. FIG. 5 shows a state where the cap is fitted after the cover member is removed.

  The food container 1 includes the following components. That is, the container body 10, the lid member 20, and the cap 30.

  The container body 10 is obtained by vacuum-molding a synthetic resin sheet and finishing it in a cup shape with an open upper surface. The synthetic resin sheet is required to have gas barrier properties, and a composite resin sheet having a thickness of 1.3 mm in which an ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer resin is sandwiched between polypropylene from both sides is suitable. A flange portion 11 is formed on the upper edge of the container body 10 so as to project outward. The container body 10 is filled with a liquid or fluid food F.

  The lid member 20 is composed of a laminate of a synthetic resin film and an aluminum foil and is joined to the flange portion 11 of the container body 10 by heat sealing. A peel tab 21 for pinching with a finger is formed on a part of the edge of the lid member 20.

  The cap 30 is formed by injection molding a general-purpose resin such as polypropylene. The cap 30 has a dome portion 31 at the center and a rim portion 32 at the periphery. A food intake 33 is formed in part of the dome 31. A recess 34 provided in the dome 31 and a food passage opening 35 provided in the bottom of the recess 34 constitute a food intake 33. The concave portion 34 is arranged so as to be biased toward one end of the dome portion 31, and the wall is thin at that portion so that the concave portion 34 is easily attached to the mouth.

  An annular hanging portion 36 is formed at the boundary between the dome portion 31 and the rim portion 32. The annular hanging portion 36 is to be fitted to the container body 10 after the lid 20 is removed. At this time, the outer diameter is set to be large so that the container body 10 is slightly pushed and spread. is there.

  A cylindrical skirt portion 37 is suspended from the outer edge of the rim portion 32. The skirt portion 37 protrudes further downward than the annular hanging portion 36. On the inner peripheral surface of the skirt portion 37, a plurality of protruding engaging portions 38 that are engaged with the lower edge of the flange portion 11 of the container body 10 are formed at predetermined intervals.

  After the food container 1 is filled with the food F in the container body 10, the upper surface opening of the container body 10 is sealed with the lid member 20. Retort processing is performed in this state. Then, the cap 30 is fitted as shown in FIG. When the cap 30 is placed on the flange portion 11 and pressure is applied from above, the skirt portion 37 is pushed and spreads downward, and settles where the lower end of the annular hanging portion 36 hits the upper surface of the lid member 20. At this time, the engaging portion 38 is engaged with the lower edge of the flange portion 11 by the elasticity of the skirt portion 37, and the cap 30 is coupled to the upper end of the container main body 10 in a state that requires a little force to pull out. Thereafter, the entire food container 1 is subjected to shrink wrap packaging, packed in a carton, and shipped.

  When ingesting the food F, the shrink wrap packaging is removed and the cap 30 is removed from the container body 10. Then, the lid member 20 is removed, and then the cap 30 is fitted again. At that time, the container body 10 is pushed in strongly so as to be expanded by the annular hanging part 36. If it does in this way, the inner peripheral surface of the container main body 10 and the outer peripheral surface of the annular hanging part 36 will be in a close contact state, and the food F will not leak from between the container main body 10 and the cap 30. With this, the container body 10 can be tilted with peace of mind, and the food F can be taken from the food intake 33. In the case of the food F that needs to be reheated, the container main body 10 may be heated in the microwave oven at the stage where the lid member 20 is removed.

  A second embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIGS. FIG. 6 is a vertical cross-sectional view before removing the cover material, and FIG. 7 is a vertical cross-sectional view in a state where the cap is fitted after the cover material is removed.

  The second embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that an annular protrusion 39 is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the annular hanging portion 36. When the cap 30 is put on the container body 10 from which the lid member 20 has been removed and pressed from above, the container body 10 is pushed and spread by the annular hanging portion 36 as in the first embodiment, but at this time, the inner periphery of the container body 10 is The ring-shaped protrusion 39 hits the surface, and the fitting at this point becomes tight. Accordingly, the leakage of the food F can be effectively prevented. The position of the annular protrusion 39 may be reversed, and the annular protrusion 39 may be provided on the inner peripheral surface of the container body 10 facing the outer peripheral surface of the annular hanging portion 36. The number of annular protrusions 39 is not limited to one, and a plurality of annular protrusions 39 may be provided.

  A third embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIGS. FIG. 8 is a vertical cross-sectional view before removing the cover material, and FIG. 9 is a vertical cross-sectional view in a state where the cap is fitted after the cover material is removed.

  In the third embodiment, the following configuration is added to the second embodiment. That is, the annular groove 40 with which the annular protrusion 39 engages was formed on the inner peripheral surface of the container body 10 facing the outer peripheral surface of the annular hanging portion 36. When the cap 30 is put on the container body 10 from which the lid member 20 has been removed and pushed from above, the annular hanging part 36 descends while expanding the container body 10, and stops when the annular protrusion 39 engages with the annular groove 40. Engagement of the annular protrusion 39 with the annular groove 40 increases the sealing performance, and the leakage of the food F can be more effectively prevented. Since the cap 30 is retained by the engagement of the annular groove 40 and the annular protrusion 39, the cap 30 is not easily detached. In addition, it is easy to indicate the degree of fitting such as “please push firmly until the protrusion fits in the groove”.

  It is also possible to reverse the positional relationship between the annular protrusion 39 and the annular groove 40, provide the container body 10 with the annular protrusion 39, and provide the annular hanging part 36 with the annular groove 40. The number of combinations of the annular protrusions 39 and the annular grooves 40 is not limited to one set, and a plurality of sets may be provided.

  Each embodiment of the present invention has been described above, but various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

  INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY The present invention is widely applicable to food containers that supply ready-to-eat foods in a sealed manner.

Appearance perspective view of food container Exploded perspective view of food container Vertical section of the food container before removing the lid Vertical sectional view of the food container with the lid removed Vertical sectional view of the food container with the cap fitted after removing the lid The vertical sectional view of the food container before the cover removal according to the second embodiment The vertical cross section of the food container of the state which peeled the cover material based on 2nd Embodiment The vertical sectional view of the food container before lid material removal concerning a 3rd embodiment The vertical sectional view of the food container of the state which peeled off the cover material based on 3rd Embodiment

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Food container 10 Container main body 11 Flange part 20 Lid material 30 Cap 31 Dome part 32 Rim part 33 Food intake 36 Annular hanging part 37 Skirt part 38 Engagement part 39 Annular protrusion 40 Annular groove F Food

Claims (5)

It is a food container comprising a cup-shaped container body filled with liquid or fluid food, and the top opening sealed with a film-like lid, and a cap fitted to the upper edge flange of the container body. And
The cap has a dome portion at the center and a rim portion at the periphery. A food intake port is formed in a part of the dome portion, and an outer edge of the rim portion is engaged with an upper edge flange portion of the container body. the engaging portion for engagement is formed at the boundary of the dome portion and the rim portion, an annular suspended portion in close contact with the container body peripheral surface after the lid is removed is formed, the annular hanging portion, said A food container having an outer diameter that allows the container body to be expanded when fitted to the container body after removing the lid . The food container according to claim 1, wherein an annular protrusion is formed on the outer circumferential surface of the annular hanging portion or the inner circumferential surface of the container body facing the annular hanging portion. The food container according to claim 2, wherein an annular groove that engages with the annular protrusion is formed on the inner peripheral surface of the container main body or the outer peripheral surface of the annular hanging portion facing the container main body. The food container according to claim 2, wherein a plurality of the annular protrusions are provided . The food container according to claim 3, wherein a plurality of combinations of the annular protrusion and the annular groove are provided .

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