CN109328168B

CN109328168B - Preserving container for food

Info

Publication number: CN109328168B
Application number: CN201780039573.7A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 西蒙·丁克赫勒; 塞巴斯蒂安·波赫兰
Original assignee: Emusa Ltd
Current assignee: Emusa Ltd
Priority date: 2016-06-23
Filing date: 2017-04-21
Publication date: 2020-08-14
Anticipated expiration: 2037-04-21
Also published as: DE202016103346U1; RU2729315C1; KR20190020300A; JP2019519443A; JP7032332B2; DE112017003102A5; WO2017220067A1; KR102311366B1; EP3475175B1; EP3475175A1; CN109328168A

Abstract

The invention relates to a food storage container (100) made of hard plastic, which is formed by at least one upwardly open base body having at least one circumferential cover support edge (12, 22) and which is divided into at least two partial half-shells (10, 20). The preservation container (100) is characterized in that: the partial half-shells (10, 20) are connected to one another in a pivotable manner by means of a joint strap (30); and the cover support edges (12, 22) extend on a common outer circumference of the interconnected half-shells (10, 20) and are each interrupted on the tip side of the joint strap (30). At least one elastomer sealing web (31, 32) is formed on each sub-half shell (10, 20) of the storage container (100) between the ends of the interrupted lid support rim (12, 22).

Description

Preserving container for food

Technical Field

The invention relates to a food-holding container formed from at least one upwardly open base body made of hard plastic, which has at least one lid-supporting edge and which is divided into at least two partial half-shells.

Background

Such containers, which have a circumferential latching projection and can be closed with a lid, which in turn has a hinged latching tab, are shown, for example, in US2004/0084464a 1. The container can be used in a variety of ways in a domestic appliance for preserving, also aqueous or liquid food products. Such holding containers are provided in a plurality of sizes so that a suitable container volume can be selected depending on the size of the food product to be packaged. Each storage container is closed individually by a lid cut according to its cross section.

Furthermore, deep-bubble disposable packages are known in which two partial half-shells are connected to one another along a predetermined breaking line, so that one partial half-shell can be turned upwards relative to the other partial half-shell and the contents of the partial half-shell can be scattered into the other partial half-shell, for example, in order to disperse cereal into yoghurt or in order to disperse chocolate into cheese food.

DE 102009032198 a1 discloses a multi-part storage container, in which two half-shells are connected to one another in order to be able to transport different food products. Each sub-half shell can be closed with its own cover. For opening and closing, two separate covers must therefore be placed and closed separately or removed again. The contents of the partial half shells cannot be converted in such domestic preservation containers by means of an upward pivoting staggered packing of one half relative to the other half, since they are composed of hard and relatively thick-walled thermoplastics and are designed for a long service life, so that a rated breaking line is not possible.

Disclosure of Invention

The object of the invention is to provide a storage container having at least two partial half-shells, wherein the contents of one partial half-shell can be poured into the other partial half-shell, and wherein no individual special cover for each partial half-shell is required.

This object is achieved by a holding container having the features of claim 1.

According to the invention, the partial half-shells are connected to one another in an articulated manner, specifically by means of so-called articulation bands. This region of the joint band represents a discontinuity in the outer contour of the basic body. The upper cover support edge is, however, almost continuous, i.e. extends continuously from the outer side of one partial half-shell to the edge of the other partial half-shell which is arranged in alignment therewith. However, the cover support edge is interrupted on both sides of the joint band, i.e. in the region of its two tip sides. Furthermore, the side walls of the mutually opposite partial half-shells are not exactly as high as the outer periphery. Pivoting of the two hingedly interconnected partial half-shells is possible by removing the cover support edge, which is likewise composed of a hard material component and extends over the outer periphery, from this region of the joint band.

Preferably, the side walls of the partial half-shells made of hard material have a descending edge and the joint band is arranged approximately at the level of the edge of the recess.

It is essential to the invention that the partial half-shells be designed in this region of the joint band in such a way that a single cover can be used, which covers the entire base line (grundris) of the two partial half-shells together. By using a uniform lid, the two sub-half-shells are supported in the region of their flexible connection, so that no major deformations occur just in this region, which is modified with respect to the known container, if the preservation container and the lid are connected to one another. Furthermore, the base body, with the exception of the corresponding small interruptions on both sides of the joint band, is constructed in line with known storage containers having only one compartment, so that reference can be made to existing cover elements. The locking and sealing of the cover on the base body takes place in the same manner as is known from the prior art, namely in particular by means of a snap-in tab (raslasthen) which is connected in a hinged manner to the cover element and which is snapped in under a locking projection (verriegelung svorsprung) formed on the outer periphery of the base body.

In order to achieve an air and liquid seal even in the case of a divided base body according to the invention, provision is furthermore made for: each sub-half shell has an elastomeric sealing tab (Dichtungssteg). The sealing web extends between the ends of the cover support edge, so that a continuous edge contour is formed on each sub-half-shell, consisting of at least one portion made of a hard component and another portion made of a soft component in the region of the joint band. If a lid with an annular sealing surface on its underside is now placed, the hard lid-supporting edge of each sub-half shell bears against this sealing surface over a considerable part of the circumference. In the region of the joint band, the sealing web of the soft elastomer bears against the underside of the cover, where the transverse connection for complete sealing of the partial half-shell is also missing. The soft sealing web covers the remaining distance completely at the end in the coupling region with respect to the hard lid support edge in such a way that it likewise bears against the sealing surface on the underside of the lid.

The joint tape is made of TPE, for example, and is directly connected to the wall of the hard thermoplastic half shell.

Furthermore, the joint band can be designed at least in one of the layers as a film hinge, which is made of the same hard thermoplastic and from which the sub-container is also made.

A preferred embodiment of the present invention provides: the two sub-containers are connected by such a film hinge and additionally have the soft elastic component injection-molded onto them as a layer. The sealing web can then advantageously be produced in one piece with the elastomer sub-laminate of the joint band. This rigidity and restoring action is thus achieved on the one hand by the hard component, without, for example, one of the sub-containers sagging significantly, if the user lifts the holding container up on the respective other sub-container, and the further handling with regard to the placement and locking of the lid can be very simple. On the other hand, good flexibility in the joint belt region is achieved, so that one sub-container can be pivoted upward or bent downward relative to the other sub-container if required.

Drawings

The invention is explained in detail later with reference to the figures. These figures show in detail:

FIG. 1 shows a preservation container according to the invention in a longitudinal section in an initial state;

fig. 2 shows the preservation container according to the invention in a longitudinal section in a downwardly bent position;

FIG. 3 shows the holding container with the lid placed in the locked state;

fig. 4 shows the holding container without the lid in a slightly perspective view from above; and

fig. 5 shows a detail of the holding container in the region of the joint band in a perspective view from above.

Detailed Description

Fig. 1 shows a storage container 100, which is composed of two

separate sub-containers

10, 20. At the top, the

sub-containers

10, 20 are closed with

lid support edges

12, 22, respectively. The

lid support edges

12, 22 are in the same plane in the shown initial position of the two

sub-containers

10, 20.

Locking projections

11, 21 are formed on the outer side surfaces of the

sub-containers

10, 20. On the sides pointing towards one another, the

sub-containers

10, 20 made of a hard thermoplastic are each closed on an

inner edge

13, 23 extending exactly in the base line plane. Between the

inner edges

13, 23, an elastic joint band 30 is formed, by means of which the two partial half-

shells

10, 20 are connected to one another in an articulated manner. Above the

inner edges

13, 23, the joint tape 30 has upwardly projecting

elastomer sealing tabs

31, 32, respectively.

Fig. 4 shows the storage container 100 in an initial state from a longitudinal side in a slightly perspective view. The

locking projections

11, 21 and the

lid support edges

12, 22 are clearly recognizable. The

cover support edges

12, 22 or the

locking projections

11, 21 converge toward one another in the region of the joint band 30, but are also interrupted there.

A bending line 35 is formed on the joint band 30, for example by local material weakening. The fold line 35 is not arranged centrally between the two sub-half-

shells

10, 20, but rather closer to the larger sub-half-shell 10.

Fig. 2 shows the use position of the storage container 100, in which the small sub-container 20 is pivoted upward, while the large sub-container 10 remains in its initial position. In this case, the joint band 30 is bent in the region of the bending line 35. The remaining regions of the joint tape 30, i.e. in particular the

sealing webs

31, 32, remain unaffected. The articulation bands 30 are separated by an eccentrically arranged fold line 35 into a narrower section 33 on the large sub-container 10 and a wider sub-region 34 on the small sub-container 20. The eccentric arrangement of the hinge line or bend line 35 results in: the upper edge of the sealing web 32, viewed in cross section, pivots on a circular path which is guided up to above the sealing web 31. The

sealing webs

31, 32 therefore do not collide, so that pivoting of one sub-container 20 relative to the other sub-container 10 is possible not only at an angle of 90 degrees, but also beyond this angle. Thereby, the side wall 24 of the small sub container 20 facing the joint tape 30 can be arranged directed obliquely downward. The food items received in the small sub-containers 20 can thus be poured or poured out relatively easily.

In fig. 3, the complete storage container assembly is shown in a further longitudinal sectional view, consisting of a storage container 100 and a cover element 40 known per se. On the outer side, the cover element 40 rests with its sealing surface 43 on the cover support edges 12, 22. The latching

tabs

41, 42 latch under the latching

projections

11, 21, thereby causing a pressing force which presses the lid 40 firmly against the lid support edges 12, 22 in the region of the sealing surface 43.

In the region of the base body of the joint band 30 which is divided, the sealing is not effected by an additional elastomer sealing surface on the underside of the cover, but by

elastomer sealing webs

31, 32 in the region of the joint band 30. These sealing webs are deformed and, due to the existing pressing force, are pressed firmly against the smooth underside of the cover 40, so that an air and liquid seal is also produced there.

One particular concern with sealing is the transition between the

soft sealing tabs

31, 32 and the hard lid support edges 12, 22 on the container side and the associated transition between the resilient sealing surface on the exterior of the lid and the smooth sealing surface. The delimitations of the elastic sealing surface 43 in the lid are indicated in fig. 5 by means of a dashed line. It can be seen that the sealing surface 43 is, as is usual, considerably wider than the edge for the lid to rest on. This is required in order to achieve a reliable seal by simple placement of the cover 40 and without complicated adjustments. Since, in the small transition region, the elastic sealing

webs

31, 32 rest against the likewise elastic sealing surface 43 of the cover 40, each sealing

web

31, 32 is formed slightly elevated in this region, so that in each case a margin is created and a reliable seal can be achieved by compressing the elastic means when the cover 40 is locked.

Fig. 5 further shows that the joint band comprises a lower layer 37 and an upper layer 36. The upper laminate 36 is preferably made of a thermoplastic elastomer and connects the two sealing

tabs

31, 32 to one another. The lower laminate layer 37 is, in contrast, a bridge made of a rigid thermoplastic (burke) which connects the two sub-containers 10, 20 and which is designed as a film hinge in the region of the fold line 35.

Claims

1. A holding container (100) for food products, formed by at least one upwardly open base body made of hard plastic, having at least one circumferential cover support edge (12, 22); and the base body is divided into at least two partial half-shells (10, 20),

it is characterized in that the preparation method is characterized in that,

-the sub-half-shells (10, 20) are pivotably connected to each other by means of an articulation band (30);

-the cover support edges (12, 22) extend on a common outer circumference of the mutually connected sub-half shells (10, 20) and are respectively interrupted on the top end side of the articulation band (30);

-constructing at least one elastomeric sealing tab (31, 32) on each sub-half-shell (10, 20) between the ends of the interrupted lid support rim (12, 22); and

the partial half-shells (10, 20) each have an inner edge (13, 23) with a side wall of reduced height on their sides facing one another.

2. The preservation container (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that the articulation band (30) is configured as a film hinge made of the same plastic as the sub-half shells (10, 20).

3. The preservation container (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that the articulation band (30) is composed of an elastomer raw material.

4. The preservation container (100) according to claim 2, characterized in that the elastomeric sealing tabs (31, 32) are formed onto the knuckle band (30).

5. The preservation container (100) according to claim 1, wherein the articulation band (30) consists of a lower layer and an upper layer, wherein the lower layer is configured as a film hinge made of the same plastic as the sub-half shells (10, 20), and wherein the upper layer is composed of a thermoplastic elastomer.

6. The preservation container (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that the elastomeric sealing tabs (31, 32) are applied over the inner edges (13, 23).

7. The preservation container (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that the articulation band (30) has a bending line (35) which extends outside a central axis of the articulation band (30) arranged centrally between the inner edges (13, 23).

8. The preservation container (100) according to claim 7, characterized in that the wall thickness of the articulation band (30) decreases along the bending line (35).

9. The preservation container (100) according to claim 7, characterized in that the base body is divided into a large and a small sub-half-shell (10, 20) and the bending line (35) extends closer to the inner edge (13) of the large sub-half-shell (10) than to the inner edge (23) of the small sub-half-shell (20).

10. Storage container assembly with a storage container (100) according to one of the preceding claims and with a lid (40) covering the two half-shells (10, 20), which has at least one continuously encircling sealing surface (43) on its underside which can bear against the lid support edge (12, 22), and which has a flat underside at least in the region of the elastomer sealing webs (31, 32), which merges into the sealing surface (43).

11. The assembly according to claim 10, characterized in that at least one locking projection (11, 21) is formed on the outer circumference of the partial half-shells (10, 20) for engaging a latch tab (41, 42) which is connected in a hinged manner to the cover (40).