JP2024074674A - container - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a container in which a lid can be easily opened and which can contribute to increase of commodity value.SOLUTION: A resin container comprises a lid part and a storage part. A cutting line which draws a predetermined shape is provided in the lid part. The cutting line is provided so that the predetermined shape is located in an upper part of a region in which a storage object exists in the storage part, when a lid is put on the storage part by the lid part, and so that the predetermined shape includes a portion of an edge of the lid part.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1A

Description

The present invention relates to a container, and in particular to a container having a lid and a storage section.

Various technologies have been proposed so far regarding the structure of containers for storing contents such as food. One of these technologies is related to opening the lid of a container. The structure of the lid of a container is designed from various perspectives.

The following Patent Document 1 discloses technology related to a container whose lid can be opened with a relatively small force. The document discloses a "packaging container comprising a flat, generally rectangular container body having a recess for storing food and a flange attached to the upper edge of the recess, and a lid connected to the flange of the container body via a hinge, the lid being attached to the flange facing the hinge of the container body to seal the contents, the lid being provided with perforations that enclose the attached portion and open to the edge, and a concave or convex portion that serves as a finger hook when breaking the perforation" (Claim 1).

JP 2015-074478 A

When the container body and the lid are attached, for example, by adhesive or heat fusion, it is often difficult to open the lid. Even if it can be opened, the lid may break, which may negatively affect the impression of the product. This is particularly true when the person opening the container is a child, and more particularly when the person is an infant.

For example, in the case of a natto container, the storage section in which the natto is stored and the lid that covers the storage section are bonded by adhesive or heat fusion as described above. In the case of a container in which the container body and the lid are bonded in this manner, it is often difficult to remove the lid from the storage section. Even if the lid can be removed from the storage section, it may break.

Furthermore, if added value can be added to the lid itself, the value of the product that has that lid can be increased. For example, since the lid is something that users always see when using the product, displaying a character or logo on it can be considered useful in increasing the product value.

The present invention aims to provide a container that can be easily opened and contributes to increasing product value.

The present inventors have discovered that the above problems can be solved by a container having a specific configuration.
That is, the present invention provides the following:
[1]
A lid portion;
A storage section;
A resin container comprising:
The cover is provided with a cut line that defines a predetermined shape,
The cut line is
When the storage section is covered with the lid section, the predetermined shape is located above an area in which the contents in the storage section exist, and
The predetermined shape includes a part of the edge of the lid portion.
It is provided,
The resin container.
[2]
The container according to claim 1, wherein the portion of the lid portion having the predetermined shape is configured to be able to be raised relative to another portion of the lid portion.
[3]
The container according to [1] or [2], wherein the cut line is provided so that the portion of the lid portion having the predetermined shape can be separated from the other portions of the lid portion.
[4]
The container according to any one of [1] to [3], wherein when the storage section is closed by the lid section, the portion of the lid section having the predetermined shape can be separated from the other portion of the lid section by cutting the other portion away from the storage section.
[5]
The container further has a connection portion that connects the lid portion and the storage portion,
A part of the edge included in the predetermined shape is present on the edge opposite to the connection portion.
[1] - [4] The container described in any one of [1] to [4].
[6]
The container further has a connection portion that connects the lid portion and the storage portion,
The container according to any one of [1] to [5], wherein the portion of the predetermined shape is capable of rising up so as to move away from the connection portion.
[7]
The container according to any one of [1] to [6], wherein the lid portion has a recessable portion around a portion of the periphery of the predetermined shape, the recessed portion being configured so that a finger or similar object can be inserted into the lid portion.
[8]
The container according to any one of [1] to [7], wherein the lid portion has a stack portion around the periphery of the predetermined shape.
[9]
The container according to [8], wherein the stacking portion has a convex shape that protrudes toward the storage portion when the storage portion is closed by the lid portion by bending the container at the connection portion.
[10]
The container according to claim 8 or 9, wherein the stack portion is provided on the lid portion so as to define a shape that is open toward the opposite side to the connection portion.
[11]
The housing portion has a flange portion for joining to the lid portion,
The cut line that depicts the predetermined shape is provided so as to cross a joint portion between the flange portion and the lid portion when the storage portion is closed by the lid portion.
[1] The container according to any one of [1] to [10].
[12]
The container according to any one of [1] to [11], wherein the container is made of a foamed resin.
[13]
The container according to any one of [1] to [12], which is used to store food.

The present invention provides a container that can be easily opened and has high commercial value. The container according to the present invention has a lid that can be easily opened, even by a child, and the lid itself can be used as an item displaying a character or logo.
It should be noted that the effects of the present invention are not limited to those described herein, and may be other effects described in this specification.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration example of a container according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration example of a container according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration example of a container according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration example of a container according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration example of a container according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration example of a container according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration example of a container according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration example of a container according to the present invention. 13A and 13B are diagrams for explaining modified examples of the stack section. 13A and 13B are diagrams for explaining modified examples of the stack section. 13A and 13B are diagrams for explaining modified examples of the stack section. 13A and 13B are diagrams for explaining modified examples of the stack section. 13A and 13B are diagrams for explaining modified examples of the stack section. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a state in which the lid of a container according to the present invention is closed; 13 is a diagram for explaining the adhesive state between the lid portion and the storage portion. FIG. 1A to 1C are schematic diagrams for explaining an example of how to open a lid of a container according to the present invention. 1A to 1C are schematic diagrams for explaining an example of how to open a lid of a container according to the present invention. 1A to 1C are schematic diagrams for explaining an example of how to open a lid of a container according to the present invention. 1A to 1C are schematic diagrams for explaining an example of how to open a lid of a container according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram for explaining a stack state of containers according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a container according to the present invention in a closed state. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram for explaining an example of dimensions of a container according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram for explaining an example of dimensions of a container according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram for explaining an example of dimensions of a container according to the present invention. FIG. 13 shows a variant of the container according to the present invention. FIG. 13 shows a variant of the container according to the present invention. FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram showing a state after the lid of the container of the modified example is opened.

The following describes preferred embodiments for implementing the present invention. Note that the embodiments described below are representative of the present invention, and the scope of the present invention is not limited to these embodiments.

The present invention will be described in the following order.
1. First embodiment (container)
(1) Storage section 110
(2) Lid portion 120
(3) Connection portion 130
(4) Examples of shapes and dimensions (5) Materials (6) Modification 1
(7) Modification 2
2. Second embodiment (manufacturing method)

1. First embodiment (container)

A container according to the present invention will now be described with reference to Figures 1A to 1H, which show an example of the container's configuration, with the container's lid open.
FIG. 1A is a front view of a container 100 according to the present invention. FIG. 1B is a diagram for explaining components of the container 100. In the same figure, the components of the container 100 are divided by dashed lines in the front view. FIGS. 1C to 1E are a plan view, a bottom view, and a perspective view of the container 100, respectively. FIG. 1F is a front view of the container 100 as viewed from a direction D1 in the perspective view. FIG. 1G is a front view of the container 100 as viewed from a direction D2 in the perspective view. As shown in these figures (particularly as shown by the dashed lines in FIG. 1B), the container 100 includes a container portion 110 and a lid portion 120. The container portion and the lid portion may be connected by a connection portion 130 as shown in these figures.
As shown in Fig. 1H, an object B may be contained in the container 100. With the object contained therein, the lid portion 120 may be closed. The object may be, for example, a food product. That is, the container of the present invention may be used to contain a food product. The food product may be, in particular, beans, more in particular, natto, but is not limited thereto.
2 shows a state in which the storage section 110 is covered by the lid section 120. As shown in the figure, the connection section 130 functions as a hinge. The storage section is folded at the connection section, and is thereby closed by the lid section.
The container 100 according to the present invention may be a resin container. The lid 120 may be provided with a cut line 124 that depicts a predetermined shape, and the cut line may be provided so that when the lid 120 is used to cover the storage section 110, the predetermined shape is located above an area in which the contents are present in the storage section, and the predetermined shape includes a part of the edge of the lid. The container of the present invention will be described in more detail below.

(1) Storage section 110
The storage section 110 (hereinafter also referred to as the "container body 110") has a bottom surface 111, a side surface 112, and an edge 113. The shape of the bottom surface 111 may be a rectangle in a plan view as shown in the figure, but is not limited thereto. The shape of the bottom surface 111 may be a polygon such as a triangle, a rectangle, a pentagon, or a hexagon, or may be a circle such as a regular circle or an ellipse, or may be a shape in which a circle and a polygon are connected. In the figure, the shape of the bottom surface 111 is approximately square, but may be approximately rectangular, and the length of the sides of the polygon of the bottom surface may be appropriately selected. The length of the radius of the circle may also be appropriately selected. In addition, the shape of the corners of the polygon may be rounded or not rounded as shown in the figure.
The number of side surfaces 112 may be equal to the number of sides of the bottom surface 111, and in the figure, the storage section 110 has four side surfaces 112, which corresponds to the number of sides of the approximately square (4). The number of edges 113 may be equal to the number of side surfaces 112, and in the figure, the storage section 110 has four edges 113.

The bottom surface 111 may be configured as a surface having wavy irregularities, particularly as shown in FIG. 1A, but the shape of the irregularities is not limited to being wavy. The irregularities of the bottom surface 111 may be, for example, a shape in which a number of mountain-shaped structures are arranged in a lattice pattern. The bottom surface 111 may also be flat. In this specification, a bottom surface having minute irregularities due to the material itself that forms the surface is included in the term "flat surface."

As shown in the figure, the side surface 112 may be configured as a surface having wavy unevenness, but the shape of the unevenness is not limited to being wavy. The unevenness of the side surface 112 may be, for example, a shape in which multiple mountain-shaped structures are arranged in a lattice pattern, similar to the bottom surface 111. Furthermore, the side surface 112 may be a flat surface, similar to the bottom surface 111.

The surface shapes of the bottom surface 111 and the side surfaces 112 may be appropriately selected by a person skilled in the art depending on the item to be stored in the storage section 110. For example, from the viewpoint of improving the strength of the container, a bottom surface having irregularities is preferable. For example, for a stored item that requires stirring, such as natto, the irregularities also improve the ease of stirring and the feel when stirring.

The shape of the surface of edge 113 (hereinafter also referred to as "storage section edge 113") may correspond to the shape of the surface of edge 123 (hereinafter also referred to as "lid section edge 123") of lid section 120 with which storage section edge 113 comes into contact when storage section 110 is closed by lid section 120. For example, if the surface of lid section edge 123 is flat, the surface of storage section edge 113 may also be flat. This ensures airtightness inside storage section 110 when storage section 110 is closed by lid section 120.

(2) Lid portion 120
The lid portion 120 (hereinafter also simply referred to as "lid") has a top surface 121, a stack portion 122, and an edge 123. The top surface 121 may be rectangular in plan view, and is substantially square in the figure, but may also be substantially rectangular. The stack portion 122 may be located between the top surface 121 and the edge 123. The number of edges 123 may correspond to the number of sides of the shape of the top surface 121, and in the figure, the lid portion 120 has four edges 123.

The top surface 121 may be flat as shown in the figure, but may also have an uneven shape. Being flat makes it easier to cut along the cutting lines 124, which will be described later.

The top surface 121 has a cut line 124 that defines a predetermined shape. The cut line is described in more detail below.

The cut line is provided so that, when the container 110 is covered with the cover 120, the predetermined shape is positioned above an area in which the contents are present in the container.
More specifically, the cut line (particularly the specified shape) is provided so that when the container is placed with its bottom surface facing down (e.g., when the bottom surface of the container is placed in contact with a table or stand) with the storage portion 110 covered by the lid portion 120, the specified shape is located above the storage portion.
In the drawing, a shape including a human face (particularly a bust) is depicted as the predetermined shape. The predetermined shape shown in the drawing is shown in a simplified manner for a better understanding of the present invention, and in reality, the shape to be depicted may be described in detail.
The predetermined shape may be drawn by the cutout lines, and may include illustrations such as a person (particularly a part or all of a person's body, more particularly a person's face, bust, half-body portrait, or full image), a character (particularly a part or all of a character, more particularly a character's face, bust, half-body portrait, or full image), an animal (particularly a part or all of an animal, more particularly an animal's face, half-body portrait, or full image), a logo, or a mark.
In one embodiment, the illustration may be, for example, a design representing a season (e.g., one of the four seasons or one of the months from January to December, etc.) or a design representing a specific day (e.g., Christmas, Halloween, Tanabata, Setsubun, etc.). The inclusion of an illustration having such a design makes it possible to add a seasonal feel to the container, thereby increasing the added value of the product. Although food containers may have the same shape or appearance throughout the year, such an illustration can add a seasonal feel to the container, which leads to an increase in the value of the product.
In another embodiment, the illustration may be, for example, a character representing the manufacturer or seller of the contents. The inclusion of such an illustration on the lid contributes to increasing awareness of the character and, further, of the manufacturer or seller represented by the character. This increases the product value.
The cut line is provided so that the predetermined shape is located above the area in the container where the contents are present, so that a larger area for the predetermined shape can be secured, and thus, for example, illustrations of people, characters, animals, logos, marks, etc. drawn by the cut line can be drawn larger. Also, the larger the cut-out portion, the easier it is to perform the cutting.
As described above, the container of the present invention can contribute to improving commercial value.

As described above, the cut line may be provided so that the portion of the lid with the predetermined shape can be separated from the other portions of the lid. In this way, when the portion with the predetermined shape is cut along the cut line as described above, the cut portion with the predetermined shape can be used as an item that is attractive to children, for example.

The tear line 124 is provided so that the predetermined shape includes a part of the edge of the lid. More preferably, the tear line 124 is provided so that the predetermined shape includes a part of the edge of the lid that is bonded to the edge of the container. The lid and the container may be bonded, for example, by adhesive or heat fusion, at any position of the part of the edge included in the predetermined shape. This makes it easy to open the container, as described below. The tear line 124 may be a so-called perforation, or may be another line formed so that the container can be torn along the line. The perforation may be holes that are continuously arranged along the line.
This is explained below with reference to FIG.

As shown in the figure, it is assumed that positions P1 and P2 on edge 123 of the lid are used as adhesion sites when the container is closed by the lid.
Adhesive is applied to positions P1 and P2, and the container is closed by the lid, whereby positions P1' and P2' of edge 113 of the container are bonded to positions P1 and P2 of edge 123 of the lid via the adhesive.
Alternatively, a heat fusion process may be performed at positions P1 and P2 while the container is closed by the lid, so that positions P1' and P2' of the edge 113 of the container may be bonded to positions P1 and P2 of the edge 123 of the lid.
Positions P1 and P2 are located inside the cut line 124 that describes the specified shape (more specifically, within the area described by the cut line 124 and a line L1 that is part of the outer periphery of the lid portion), and are also located within the edge 123.
As described above, in the present invention, a part of the edge of the lid and a part of the edge of the container are used as adhesive positions for keeping the lid closed, and the adhesive positions are inside the cut lines that define the predetermined shape. This makes it possible to easily open the container, as described below.

Next, with the lid being in the closed state, a method of opening the lid when the predetermined shape is cut off using the cut line will be described with reference to FIGS.
As shown in FIG. 4A, a user who opens the container 100 cuts off the predetermined-shaped portion of the lid along a tear line 124. More specifically, a finger or similar object is pressed against or inserted into a portion of the tear line as shown in the figure, and a portion of the predetermined-shaped portion is cut off from the other portion of the lid. More specifically, as shown in FIG. 4B, the predetermined-shaped portion 126 of the lid is raised up against the other portion 127 of the lid. More specifically, since the lid and the container are bonded at bonding positions P1 and P2, the bonded portions serve as fulcrums, and the predetermined-shaped portion is easily raised up against the other portion. By raising it up in this manner, the predetermined-shaped portion is separated from the other portion.
In this manner, the container of the present invention may be configured such that the portion of the lid having the predetermined shape can be raised up relative to the other portion of the lid, and further, the cut line may be provided so that the portion of the lid having the predetermined shape can be separated from the other portion of the lid.
More particularly, the container may further have a connection part 130 that connects the lid part and the container part, as described below, and a part of the edge of the lid part included in the predetermined shape may be present on the edge opposite to the connection part. Furthermore, the part of the predetermined shape may be able to be raised so as to move away from the connection part.

Next, since the cut line crosses the edge of the lid, when the raising operation is carried out as described above, the portion 126 of the predetermined shape is completely separated from the other portion 127. This is because the cut line crosses the edge of the lid and reaches the outer periphery of the lid.
As shown in FIG. 4C, by separating the portion 126 of the predetermined shape from the other portion 127 so as to stand it up, the adhesion between the edge of the lid portion and the edge of the container portion at the adhesion positions P1 and P1' and P2 and P2' is also released.
Here, the adhesion between the lid edge and the container edge at the adhesion positions P1 and P2 may be configured so that they can be separated by applying a predetermined force. The adhesion may be performed in the same manner as the adhesion between the lid and the container in a typical natto container made of foamed resin.

In addition, since the cut line crosses the edge of the lid and reaches the outer periphery of the lid, by cutting off the portion 126 of the predetermined shape from the other portion 127, the other portion 127 can be separated from the housing portion as shown in Fig. 4C. This is because the other portion 127 of the lid is connected to the housing portion only via the connection portion 130, and the other portions (such as the lid edge of the other portion) are only in contact with the housing portion (particularly the housing portion edge) and can be separated.
In this manner, the contoured portion 126 of the lid is separated from the remainder of the container, as shown in FIG. 4D.
As described above, the container of the present invention may be configured such that, when the storage section is closed by the lid section, the portion of the lid section having the predetermined shape can be separated from the other portion of the lid section to separate the other portion from the storage section. This makes it possible to open the lid section by the task of separating the portion having the predetermined shape.

In the present invention, when the portion of the lid with the predetermined shape is separated from the container, the other portion of the lid separates from the container. More specifically, since the adhesive portion between the lid and the container is included in a part of the edge of the lid with the predetermined shape, the lid (particularly the other portion of the lid) separates from the container by separating the portion with the predetermined shape as described above.
In other words, in the container of the present invention, the storage portion has an edge for joining to the lid portion, and the cut line on the lid portion that depicts the specified shape may be arranged to cross the joint between the edge and the lid portion when the storage portion is closed by the lid portion.

As described above, the portion of the lid that has the predetermined shape may be configured to be able to stand up relative to the other portions of the lid. More specifically, the portion of the predetermined shape stands up relative to the other portions, moving away from the container, with the adhesive point between the edge of the lid and the edge of the container as an axis. This allows the illustration included in the predetermined shape to stand up when the lid of the container is opened, making the action of opening the lid more enjoyable.

In one embodiment, the illustration may be drawn by providing a groove for drawing the illustration on the surface of the lid (particularly the surface within the predetermined shape). The depth of the groove may be smaller than the thickness of the lid. In this case, the groove may be drawn, for example, during molding of the container, and ink or paint may not be used. This may omit the process of drawing the illustration with ink or paint.
In another embodiment, the illustration may be drawn on the surface of the lid (particularly the surface within the predetermined shape) with ink or paint. In this case, the illustration is drawn in a color other than the color provided by the material of the lid itself. For example, a color that is the same as or similar to the original color of the illustration may be displayed on the surface of the lid. For example, an illustration that is the same as or similar to an actual person, character, animal, logo, or mark may be displayed on the surface of the lid.

The lid portion may have a stack portion 122 around the periphery of the predetermined shape, in particular around a perforation line that outlines the predetermined shape.
When the container 100 is used in the production of natto, for example, before beans that are the raw material for natto are contained in the containing section, the container 100 can be transported without being covered with the lid section 120. During the transport, a plurality of containers 100 are stacked. The stack section 122 provides the effect that, when a plurality of containers 100 are stacked, the stacked containers do not slip and shift.
Also, there may be no stack portion above the perforation line 124, since it is often difficult to provide a perforation line in the stack portion. In one embodiment, there may be no stack portion within the perforation line 124.

Figure 5A shows a schematic diagram of two containers 100-1 and 100-2 of the present invention stacked using a stack section. As shown in the figure, multiple containers of the present invention may be stacked such that the stack section 122-2 of one container 100-2 is inserted into the stack section 122-1 of the other container 100-1. More specifically, these containers may be stacked such that the convex shape of the stack section 122-2 fits into the convex shape of the stack section 122-1 (particularly the concave section on the opposite side of the convex shape).

The stacking portion may have a convex shape that protrudes toward the storage portion when the storage portion is closed by the lid portion by bending the container at a connecting portion 130 described below. More specifically, the convex shape is a convex shape that protrudes toward the storage portion when the storage portion is closed by the lid portion.
Similarly, even before the lid portion is used to cover the storage portion, the convex shape protrudes from the surface opposite to the surface on which the specified shape of the lid portion is drawn (the surface that is visible to the user when the lid is closed).
5B shows a cross-sectional view of the container 100 of the present invention with the lid closed. This figure is a cross-section taken along a plane parallel to the line A-A' in FIG. 2 and perpendicular to the top surface. As shown in this figure, the stack section 122 may be provided so as to be located inside the edge 113 of the storage section when the lid is closed. This can further strengthen the positional relationship between the lid and the container.

The stack portion may be provided on the cover portion so as to define a shape that is open toward the opposite side of the connection portion. It is difficult to provide the cut line across the stack portion. In other words, by providing the stack portion so as to define the open shape, it is possible to define the cut line according to the present disclosure.
The opening shape may be, for example, a rectangle in which one of the four sides (or part of that side) is not drawn (U-shape), or a circle or ellipse in which part is missing (C-shape).

The structure of the stacking section is not limited to the open shape described above, but may be other shapes configured to prevent the lids from shifting when two or more containers are stacked. Examples of such other shapes are described with reference to Figures 1I to 1m. These figures are plan views similar to the plan view of container 100 described above, and are intended to explain examples of the position and shape of the stacking section.
As shown in FIG. 1I, the lid may be provided with two linear stack sections 140a and 140b in a plan view. As shown in the figure, the stack sections 140a and 140b may be provided to sandwich the predetermined shape. These two stack sections may be said to have a shape in which one side of the U-shaped stack section 122 shown in FIG. 1C on the connection section 130 side is omitted and only the two opposing sides remain. In the figure, the lines of the stack section 140a and the lines of the stack section 140b are arranged in parallel, but they may be non-parallel. In the figure, the lines of the stack section 140a and the lines of the stack section 140b are both straight lines, but they may be curved lines (for example, wavy lines or lines that draw an arc) or lines of other shapes such as zigzag lines.
1J, the lid may be provided with a stack section 141 that is L-shaped (or "L"-shaped) in plan view. As shown in the figure, the stack section 141 has a straight section 141a on the connection side and a straight section 141b that is provided to form an angle (particularly a right angle) with the straight section 141a. A cut line that draws the predetermined shape is provided on the acute angle side formed by these two straight sections. As described above, these straight sections may be lines of other shapes, such as curved or zigzag lines.
1I and 1J have a line shape having a length equal to or greater than half the size of one side of the lid, but the length of the stack part may be short. An example of such a short stack part is shown in FIG. 1K. The lid part of the container shown in the figure has four stack parts 142a, 142b, 142c, and 142d. These four stack parts can be said to have a shape in which only four parts (two ends and two corners of the line that draws the U-shape) are left out of the U-shaped stack part 122 shown in FIG. 1C, and the rest are omitted. These four stack parts are arranged with a gap around the cut line that draws the predetermined shape. In this way, in the present invention, two or more stack parts may be arranged with a gap around the cut line that draws the predetermined shape.
When two or more stack parts are arranged with a gap therebetween as described above, the cut line may be present between two adjacent stack parts. This allows a wider area to be secured for the predetermined shape to be drawn. An example of this case will be described with reference to FIG. 1L. The lid part of the container shown in the figure is provided with four stack parts 142a, 142b, 142c, and 142d, which are the same as those shown in FIG. 1K. The lid part is provided with a tree shape 143 (particularly a Christmas tree) with a star on the top by the cut line. These stack parts are provided around the shape. These four stack parts are provided with a gap therebetween. As shown in the figure, the star is present between stack part 142c and stack part 142d. Also, a part of the tree is present between stack part 142c and stack part 142a. Also, a part of the tree is present between stack part 142d and stack part 142b. In this way, by arranging two or more stack parts with a space between them, a line that draws a predetermined shape can be present between them, thereby making it possible to draw the predetermined shape larger.
In addition, although the stacking parts provided on the lid of the container shown in Figures 1I to 1L all have a shape that draws a line in a plan view, the stacking parts do not necessarily have to be provided to draw a line. An example is shown in Figure 1M. The lid of the container shown in the figure has three stacking parts 144a, 144b, and 144c. These stacking parts have a point shape (circular shape) in a plan view, that is, they are point-like convex parts. These point-like stacking parts may be, for example, convex parts having a cone-like shape (a shape having a circular bottom like a cone), more particularly, convex parts having a truncated cone shape, and may have a shape that protrudes toward the container side when the container is closed by the lid. The point-like stacking parts are not limited to a cone-like shape, and may be convex parts of other shapes such as a pyramid-like shape. The pyramidal-shaped protrusions may be triangular, quadrangular, pentagonal, or hexagonal pyramidal protrusions, and more particularly may be truncated pyramidal protrusions (e.g., triangular, quadrangular, pentagonal, or hexagonal pyramidal protrusions). These point-shaped stacking portions may be configured to be concave when viewed from the opposite side in order to overlap when two or more containers are stacked. The concavity may be formed as shown in FIG. 5B mentioned above.
The stacking unit as described above can also prevent the lid from shifting when two or more containers are stacked. Thus, the number of stacking units provided on the lid may be one or more than one. A cut line that draws a predetermined shape may or may not be present between the one or more stacking units. In addition, the configuration of the stacking units (e.g., number, position, and shape) may be appropriately selected by a person skilled in the art according to the predetermined shape.

(3) Connection portion 130
The container 100 has a connection portion 130 that connects the lid portion and the storage portion. The connection portion 130 may be configured to function as a hinge when the lid portion covers the storage portion.
For example, in order for the connection portion 130 to function as a hinge, the thickness of the connection portion 130 may be smaller than the thickness of the edge of the lid portion to which the connection portion 130 is connected (and the thickness of the edge of the housing portion to which the connection portion 130 is connected). By making the thickness of the connection portion 130 smaller, it can be easily bent at the connection portion 130.
In order for the connecting portion 130 to function as a hinge, the connecting portion may have other structures that allow it to be folded, for example, a crease may be provided.

In some embodiments, the connection portion 130 may be provided with a cut line 131 at the position where it is bent, as shown in Figures 1C and 1D. This allows the other portions of the lid portion 120 to be cut off at the cut line after the portion of the lid portion 120 having the predetermined shape is opened. This makes it possible to leave only the storage portion (or the storage portion and a portion of the connection portion on the storage portion side from the cut line).

(4) Examples of Shape and Dimensions Examples of dimensions of the container of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 6A to 6C.

The shape of the storage section 110 in plan view (particularly the shape defined by the outer periphery of the storage section edge) may be rectangular as shown in the figure. One side L11 of the rectangle may be, for example, 50 mm to 200 mm, particularly 60 mm to 150 mm, and more particularly 70 mm to 130 mm.

The width L12 of the edge of the storage section 110 may be, for example, 3 mm to 15 mm, particularly 4 mm to 12 mm, and more particularly 5 mm to 10 mm. An edge with such a width makes it easier to provide an adhesive spot between the storage section 110 and the lid section 120.

The thickness L13 of the housing edge of the housing portion 110 may be, for example, 0.5 mm to 5 mm, more particularly 1 mm to 3 mm, and more particularly 1.5 mm to 2.5 mm.

The depth L14 of the storage section 110 may be, for example, 10 mm to 100 mm, particularly 15 mm to 50 mm, and more particularly 20 mm to 40 mm.

The shape of the lid 120 in plan view (particularly the shape defined by the outer periphery of the lid edge) may be rectangular as shown in the figure. Preferably, the shape of the lid 120 in plan view may be substantially the same as the shape of the storage section 110 in plan view. One side L21 of the rectangular shape of the lid 120 in plan view may be, for example, 50 mm to 200 mm, particularly 60 mm to 150 mm, and more particularly 70 mm to 130 mm.

The width L22 of the lid edge of the lid portion 120 may be, for example, 3 mm to 20 mm, particularly 4 mm to 18 mm, and more particularly 5 mm to 15 mm. An edge with such a width makes it easier to provide an adhesive point between the storage portion 110 and the lid portion 120.

The thickness L23 of the lid edge of the lid portion 120 may be, for example, 0.5 mm to 5 mm, more particularly 1 mm to 3 mm, and more particularly 1.5 mm to 2.5 mm.

The width L24 of the stack portion of the lid portion 120 may be, for example, 1 mm to 10 mm, particularly 1.5 mm to 8 mm, and more particularly 2 mm to 6 mm.

The depth L25 of the stack portion of the lid portion 120 may be, for example, 1 mm to 10 mm, particularly 2 mm to 9 mm, and more particularly 3 mm to 8 mm.

The stack pitch L26 of the container 100 may be, for example, 1 mm to 10 mm, particularly 2 mm to 9 mm, and more particularly 3 mm to 8 mm.

The width L31 of the connection portion 130 may be, for example, 0 mm to 15 mm, particularly 0.5 mm to 13 mm, and more particularly 1 mm to 10 mm.

The length L32 of the connection portion 130 may be the same as the length of one side of the storage portion 110 and the lid portion 120, but may be shorter. The length L32 of the connection portion 130 may be, for example, 50 mm to 200 mm, particularly 60 mm to 150 mm, and more particularly 70 mm to 130 mm.

(5) Material In one embodiment, the container of the present invention may be made of resin, more particularly may be made of foamed resin. The type of material of the container may be appropriately selected by a person skilled in the art, and may be appropriately selected by a person skilled in the art depending on, for example, the object to be stored. When the object to be stored is, for example, natto, it is preferable that the material is foamed resin, and in particular, it may be polystyrene-based foamed resin.
The container may be formed from a single layer of resin, or may be formed from a laminate having multiple layers. The laminate may have one or more layers that are resin layers, for example, all layers may be resin layers, or one or more layers may be resin layers and other layers may be layers of a material other than resin. The layer of a material other than resin may be, for example, a paper layer.
When the container is formed from a single layer of resin, the single layer of resin may be a foamed resin or a non-foamed resin.
When the container is formed from a laminate having a plurality of layers, all of the plurality of layers may be foamed resin, or at least one of the plurality of layers may be foamed resin and the other layers may be non-foamed resin, or all of the plurality of layers may be non-foamed resin. In this case, for example, the plurality of layers may be composed of one or more foamed resin layers and one or more non-foamed resin layers, and in particular may be composed of one foamed resin layer and one non-foamed resin layer. The foamed resin layer may be a polystyrene-based foamed resin as described above. The non-foamed resin layer may be, for example, a film of a polyolefin-based resin, a polyester-based resin, or a polystyrene-based resin, and in particular may be a film of a polystyrene-based resin. That is, the laminate of the plurality of layers may be a laminate of a foamed resin layer and a layer of the film. The thickness of the film may be, for example, 10 μm to 50 μm, in particular 15 μm to 40 μm, and more particularly 20 μm to 30 μm.

The container of the present invention may be made of a material other than resin, for example paper. The structure of the container of the present invention, particularly the configuration of the lid portion having a specific cut line, can also be applied when a material other than resin is used as the container material.

Of the materials mentioned above, it is preferable that the container of the present invention is made of a material that allows a cut line to be provided in the lid. More specific examples of such materials are described below.

In one embodiment, the container of the present invention may be made of expanded or non-expanded polystyrene, and is particularly preferably made of expanded polystyrene, i.e., the container may be manufactured, for example, from a polystyrene foam sheet (also called PSP).
In other embodiments, the containers of the present invention may be formed from polypropylene or polyethylene terephthalate.
These resins may, for example, be recycled resins (eg, resins reclaimed from waste plastics) or non-recycled resins (eg, primary plastics).
These resins may also include non-resin components, such as biomass components and fillers.
The biomass component may be a plant-derived or animal-derived component. The biomass component may be, for example, a waste-based biomass component, an unused biomass component, or a resource crop biomass. The waste-based biomass component may be, for example, a livestock waste-derived component, a food waste-derived component, a wood-derived component, or a paper-derived component. The unused biomass component may be a rice straw-derived component, a wheat straw-derived component, a rice husk-derived component, or a forest residue-derived component. The resource crop biomass may be, for example, a carbohydrate resource (such as sugar cane), a starch resource (such as corn), or an oil and fat resource (such as rapeseed).
In one embodiment, the non-resin component may be a cellulose powder, in particular a cellulose nanofiber.
The filler may be, for example, one or a combination of two or more of calcium carbonate, talc, silica, clay, and carbon black.
Furthermore, the material forming the container may have a resin component content equal to or greater than the non-resin component content, or the resin component content may be less than the non-resin component content.
In yet other embodiments, the containers of the present invention may be formed from paper.

The material of the container of the present invention may be appropriately selected depending on the item to be stored. For example, when natto is stored in the container, the container of the present invention is preferably formed from a foamed resin, and particularly preferably from expanded polystyrene. Expanded polystyrene may be, for example, PSP. Expanded polystyrene is particularly preferred from the viewpoint of the functions as a natto container (for example, heat retention, cushioning properties, suitability for natto production lines, stack stability, and lid closure and welding properties).

(6) Modification 1
In the container of the present invention, the lid may be provided with a recessable portion around the periphery of the predetermined shape, configured to allow insertion of a finger or similar object. The recessable portion may have a cut line that describes the predetermined shape cut out in advance. That is, the recessable portion may be described by a cut line rather than a cut line. The recessable portion makes it easier to insert a finger or similar object and to cut out the predetermined shape. The recessable portion will be described below with reference to FIG. 7.

The container 200 shown in the figure is the same as the container 100 described above, except that the predetermined shape drawn by the cut line is different. The lid 220 of the container 200 is provided with a cut line 224 that draws a predetermined shape. The cut line 224 is provided to draw the shape of an animal. Among the cut lines 224, the ears of the animal are not cut lines, but are pre-cut. This allows a finger or similar object to be inserted into the ears, making it easier to cut out the part of the animal shape along the cut line 224. The ears correspond to the above-mentioned indentable portion 225.
As described above, some of the cut lines that define the predetermined shape may not be cut lines but may be cut in advance.

The recessable portion (the ear portion in the figure) may be indicated as such by, for example, a mark or letter, or a mark or letter indicating the recessable portion may be displayed near the recessable portion. This makes it easier for a user of the container to recognize the recessable portion.

(7) Modification 2
The container 100 described above has a perforation line on the lid and no perforation line on the storage portion, but the container of the present invention may have a perforation line on the storage portion in addition to the lid. This will be described below with reference to Fig. 8. The container 300 shown in this figure is the same as the container 100 described above, except that a perforation line 324 is further provided on the edge 113 of the storage portion 110.

As shown in the figure, the container of the present disclosure may have a cut line 324 not only on the lid but also on the edge 113 of the container. In this case, the cut line 324 on the edge of the container may preferably be provided so as to surround the adhesion site (P1' and P2' in the figure) when the container is closed by the lid. In other words, the adhesion site may be present within the area defined by the cut line and a part of the edge of the container.
By providing the storage portion with the cut line 324 in this manner, when the lid is opened as described above with reference to Figures 4A to 4D, the portion 126 of the predetermined shape is cut off with a portion 325 of the edge of the storage portion remaining attached to the portion 126 of the predetermined shape via the adhesive site, as shown on the right side of Figure 9. As a result, the storage portion is in a state where a portion of the edge 113 is missing, as shown on the left side of Figure 9.
In this case, there is no need to release the adhesion at the adhesion portion when opening the lid, and therefore the operation of releasing the adhesion is not required, and the lid can be easily opened.

2. Second embodiment (manufacturing method)
The present invention also provides a method for manufacturing the container described in the above item 1. The manufacturing method may include a molding step of molding a container material into a container shape, and a perforation line forming step of providing a perforation line on the container. The container of the present invention is manufactured by carrying out these steps.
These steps are described below.

In the molding step, for example, a sheet made of a container material is prepared. The container material may be as described in 1. (5) above. When the container is used as a natto container, the sheet is an expanded polystyrene sheet, in particular PSP.
The sheet is heated by a heater, and after the heating, is molded by a mold (e.g., a metal mold). After the molding, the sheet is cooled. After the cooling, the sheet is punched out into a predetermined shape. When the sheet is a PSP, secondary foaming may occur during the heating.
The heating, molding, cooling, and punching may be performed using equipment known in the art and can be appropriately performed by a person skilled in the art. Also, the mold can be appropriately manufactured by a person skilled in the art depending on the desired shape of the container.

In the tear line forming process, a tear line is provided in the lid of the container. The tear line may be provided simultaneously with the punching or after the punching. The device for providing the tear line may be a device known in the art, and the blade design for the punching can be appropriately implemented by a person skilled in the art.

The configurations, methods, processes, shapes, materials, and values given in the above-mentioned embodiments and examples are merely examples, and different configurations, methods, processes, shapes, materials, and values may be used.

In addition, the configurations, methods, processes, shapes, materials, and numerical values of the above-mentioned embodiments and examples can be combined with each other without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

In addition, in this specification, a numerical range indicated using "to" indicates a range including the numerical values described before and after "to" as the minimum and maximum values, respectively. In a numerical range described in stages in this specification, the upper limit or lower limit of a numerical range in a certain stage may be replaced with the upper limit or lower limit of a numerical range in another stage. Unless otherwise specified, the materials exemplified in this specification may be used alone or in combination of two or more types.

Claims (13)

A lid portion;
A storage section;
A resin container comprising:
The cover is provided with a cut line that defines a predetermined shape,
The cut line is
When the storage section is covered with the lid section, the predetermined shape is located above an area in which the contents in the storage section exist, and
The predetermined shape includes a part of the edge of the lid portion.
It is provided,
The resin container. The container according to claim 1, wherein the portion of the lid having the predetermined shape is configured to be able to be raised relative to the other portion of the lid. The container according to claim 1, wherein the cut line is provided so that the portion of the lid with the predetermined shape can be separated from the other portions of the lid. The container according to claim 1, in which, when the storage section is closed by the lid, the portion of the lid having the predetermined shape is separated from the other portion of the lid, so that the other portion is separated from the storage section. The container further includes a connection portion that connects the lid portion and the storage portion,
A part of the edge included in the predetermined shape is present on an edge opposite to the connection portion.
2. The container of claim 1. The container further includes a connection portion that connects the lid portion and the storage portion,
The container of claim 1 , wherein the shaped portion is riseable so that the shaped portion is away from the connection portion. The container according to claim 1, wherein the lid portion is provided with a recessable portion around a portion of the periphery of the predetermined shape, the recessed portion being configured so that a finger or similar object can be inserted into the lid portion. The container according to claim 1, wherein the lid portion has a stack portion around the periphery of the predetermined shape. The container according to claim 8, wherein the stacking portion has a convex shape that protrudes toward the container portion when the container is folded at the connection portion to close the container portion with the lid portion. The container according to claim 8 or 9, wherein the stacking portion is provided on the lid portion so as to form a shape that opens toward the opposite side to the connection portion. The container has an edge for joining with the lid,
The cut line that depicts the predetermined shape is provided so as to cross a joint portion between the edge and the lid portion when the storage portion is closed by the lid portion.
2. The container of claim 1. The container according to claim 1, wherein the container is made of foamed resin. The container of claim 1 , wherein the container is used to contain food products.