JP2002002694A - Container - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a container which is stackable. SOLUTION: The container has a bottom, side walls, and a flange and has nearly a regular polygonal shape. A step is provided at each corner of the bottom so that the container can be stacked in such a manner that the steps of an upper container mate with the flange of a lower container.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to containers and packages, which can be stacked.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Packaging containers made of expanded polystyrene or the like are widely used mainly as food packaging containers in supermarkets, convenience stores, and the like.
After storing the objects to be packaged in the containers, the containers are provided to consumers by covering the opening with a stretch film or the like. In this case, it is preferable that the containers can be stacked when the objects to be packaged are stored in the container and the opening is covered with the stretch film. Thus, work can be performed in a small space, and work efficiency can be improved. As such a container, there is, for example, Japanese Patent Publication No. 484293.

[0003]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a stackable container.

[0004]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention comprises a bottom, side walls,
A container having a substantially regular polygonal shape having a flange portion,
A container characterized in that it can be stacked by providing a step portion at a lower corner portion. The containers can be stacked by engaging the step of the upper container with the flange of the lower container.

[0005]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a plan view showing an embodiment of the present invention.
The material used for this container is not particularly limited to a method for producing the same, but is preferably a foamed thermoplastic resin. It can be obtained by molding by vacuum molding or thermoforming. Of these, expanded polystyrene sheets are preferred. Although the thickness of the container is not particularly limited, it can be used in the range of 0.1 to 3 mm.

The container has a bottom (1), a side wall (2), and a flange (3). Although the bottom is flat in FIG. 1, it can be provided with a suitable uneven shape as long as it does not hinder stacking. The side wall (2) rises upward from the periphery of the bottom (1) and its upper end is connected to the flange (3). The side wall is preferably slightly inclined so as to widen the opening of the container, but may be inclined perpendicular to the bottom (1) or toward the inside of the container such that the opening becomes narrower. The shape of the flange portion (3) is not particularly limited. The flange part (3) in FIG.
As is apparent from the cross-sectional view of FIG. 1, the extension of the side wall (2) is formed by curling outside the container. The flange portion may be flat, or may simply be such that the side wall portion is cut. Preferably, it is shaped or flat as shown in FIG. The flange (3) has projections, irregularities, cuts,
Changes such as waveforms can be added.

[0007] The shape of the container is substantially a regular polygon. Here, the shape refers to the shape of the opening formed by the flange portion (3) when the container is viewed from above. The container of FIG. 1 forms a substantially square shape. This shape may be, for example, an equilateral triangle as shown in FIG. In addition, the container of the present invention can be formed into a substantially regular pentagon, a substantially regular hexagon, or the like depending on the use. Here, “substantially” means a regular polygon and a shape similar thereto. The similar shape refers to a shape in which each side of the opening is not a straight line but forms an arc outside the container, an arc inside the container, or another curve.

In FIG. 1, the container has a step (4) at the corner of the bottom (1). The step (4) has a step surface (5) in which the distance from the opening is shorter than the distance between the opening and the bottom (1).
Having. The step also has a step side (6) rising from the bottom (1). When two or more containers are stacked, the step (4) of the upper container engages with the flange (3) of the lower container as shown in FIG. Here, the meshing means that the flange portion (3) of the lower container contacts the step portion (4) of the upper container. When the step portion (4) of the upper container engages with the flange portion (3) of the lower container, the step surface (5) and the step side surface (6) of the upper container, and the flange portion (3) of the lower container. The vertical and horizontal movements of the containers are restrained by the side walls (2), so that the containers are stabilized in a stacked state.

In FIG. 1, a step surface (5) and a step side surface (6) are partitioned, which is a preferred embodiment in the present invention. On the other hand, the step portion is not limited to the shape shown in FIG. 1, and the step surface (5) and the step side surface portion (6) may be integrally and continuously formed to form one surface. .
In the present invention, the step (4) has a step surface (5) whose distance from the opening is shorter than the distance between the opening and the bottom (1). Each surface constituting the step portion (4) may be flat or curved, and may have irregularities.

There is no particular limitation on the items to be packaged in the container, but food is a preferred item to be packaged. The object to be packaged is stored in a container, and the opening is covered with a lid material to form a package. As the cover material, a stretch film, which can suitably use a stretch film, can also be used. As the hard resin, there is, for example, OPS. Since the containers can be stably stacked, they can be stacked and stored before being covered with the lid material. Further, when covered with a stretch film, the distance between the step surface (5) and the opening is made closer to the bottom (1), so that it is possible to stack even when covered with the stretch film.

[0011]

The container of the present invention can be stacked by providing a step on the bottom, and can be suitably used as a container for foods and the like.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a container.

FIG. 2 is a side view of a container.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the container (A direction in FIG. 1).

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the container (the direction B in FIG. 1).

FIG. 5 is a bottom view of the container.

FIG. 6 is an oblique lower view of the container.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a state in which containers are stacked.

FIG. 8 is a plan view of a container.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 bottom part 2 side wall part 3 flange part 4 step part 5 step surface 6 step side surface part

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. A container having a bottom portion, a side wall portion, and a flange portion and having a substantially regular polygonal shape, wherein a container having a step portion provided at a corner portion of the bottom portion can be stacked. 2. The container according to claim 1, comprising a foamed thermoplastic resin. 3. The container according to claim 1, wherein the container is made of expanded polystyrene. 4. The container according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the container is stacked by engaging the step of the upper container with the flange of the lower container. 5. A package comprising a container to be packaged in the container according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein an opening defined by a flange portion of the container is covered with a lid material. 6. The package according to claim 5, wherein the article to be packaged is a food. 7. The cover material is a stretch film.
Or the package according to claim 6.