JP3114859B2 - Food storage containers - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a container formed by molding a synthetic resin sheet (including a synthetic resin film), for example, a container for storing food by thermoforming such as pressurized vacuum.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, containers of this type have various structures. Some of such containers have a structure for allowing expanded air in the container to escape to the outside of the container when the heated food is stored. For example, JP-A-7-
JP-A-237658 describes a food container in which a concave portion is formed in a part of a lid, and a small hole is formed near the center of the concave portion so that air in the container is leaked from the small hole. ing.

[0003]

However, when food containing a large amount of water is stored in a container and the whole container is heated by a microwave oven or the like, the air in the container expands, and accordingly, steam is generated in the container. I do. At this time, if a small hole is formed in the lid like the food container, water vapor can be leaked together with the expanded air, but water vapor adheres around the small hole to cause dew condensation, This does not solve the problem that it easily adheres to the outside of the container.

Accordingly, the present invention has been made to solve such a problem, and the air expanded inside the container is leaked together with water vapor by heating in a microwave oven or the like, so that dew is hardly generated in the container. In addition, it is an object of the present invention to provide a food storage container having a structure in which dew condensation generated in the container does not leak to the outside of the container.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention provides a food storage container having a container body and an edge formed on a peripheral wall of a lid so as to be fitted to each other. A protruding portion having a folded end of a lower end of a peripheral wall covering the edge so as to maintain a gap between the edge and the edge of the container body in a fitted state, and a swelling surface and a hanging surface bulging upward. In addition, the upper part of the peripheral wall of the container body is formed as an inwardly inclined flange surface, and a projecting edge projecting upward is formed on the outer edge thereof.

[0006] In order to make it easier for dew condensation adhering to the flange surface to flow down into the inside of the container, it is more preferable that an inclined groove having a downward slope is formed in the flange surface.

[0007]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Next, a preferred embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings as an example of a food storage container according to the present invention. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a food storage container 1 according to the present invention. The food storage container 1 has a structure in which the lid 3 is fitted to the container main body 2, and is formed by a thermoforming method such as pressurized air or vacuum forming.

The container body 2 has a bottom surface 4 and a peripheral wall 5. The upper portion of the peripheral wall 5 is turned outward to form a slightly inwardly inclined flange surface 6, and the outer edge of the flange surface 6 protrudes slightly upward. Edge 6a
There is. The peripheral wall 5 is formed with a large number of inclined grooves 7 as shown in FIG. 4 from the flange surface 6 to the upper part of the inner wall surface 5a. Although not shown, the inner wall surface 5a is formed with a pattern along the circumferential direction, and the bottom surface 4 is formed as a lower protruding portion 4a having four corners slightly deeper, but these configurations are arbitrary.

The lid 3 has a top surface 8 and a peripheral wall 9 inclined downward, and a lower portion of the peripheral wall 9 is formed as a fitting edge 10 with the container body 2. The top surface 8 has a receiving portion 11 formed by appropriately recessing the four corners thereof so as to correspond to the downward projecting portions 4a, and a reinforcing rib 9a is formed on the peripheral wall 9,
These configurations are optional. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the fitting edge 10 has a horizontal flange surface 12 a facing the flange surface 6 of the container body 2, an outer bent portion 12 b hanging down, and a folded end portion 12 c having a U-shaped cross section. The protruding portions 13 which are not joined to the flange surface 6 are formed at a predetermined interval on the edge portion 12 made of, and the locking concave portions 14 are formed on the outer bent portions 12b at the four corners. As shown in FIG. 2, each of the protrusions 13
It comprises a lower folded end portion 13a, a bulging surface 13b and a bent end portion 13c having a U-shaped cross section formed through a bulging surface 13b.

In the above configuration, when the fitting edge 10 of the lid 3 is joined to the flange surface 6 and the lid 3 is fitted to the container body 2, the edge 12 is joined to the protruding edge 6a as shown in FIG. At the same time, the locking recess 14 is locked to the lower end of the protruding edge 6a, so that the lid 3 does not come off.

At this time, the protruding portion 13 is
2A has a swelling surface 13b via a.
As shown in (1), a moderately wide gap a can be formed between the flange surface 6 and the protruding edge 6a inside the protruding portion 13. This gap a communicates inside and outside of the container 1
It serves as a passage for internal expansion air. Therefore, when the lid 3 is fitted on the container 2 after storing the heated food, or when the container 1 is heated by a microwave oven or the like after storing the food, the expanded air inside the container passes through the gap a. At this time, the water vapor generated inside is also discharged to the outside through the gap a like the expanded air. As described above, a large passage for leaking air containing water vapor to the outside is ensured in the container 1, so that the generated water vapor can be leaked to the outside without difficulty.
As a result, the structure is such that dew condensation hardly occurs in the container.

By the way, when water vapor is generally generated, it tends to flow upward. For example, if a small hole is formed in the top surface 8, the water vapor tends to rise and easily gather at the small hole or the periphery thereof. As a result, the water vapor is cooled at the periphery of the small hole, so that dew condensation easily occurs. However, when the passage is provided in the horizontal direction as in the case of the gap a, the steam may come into contact with the lower part of the peripheral wall 9 or the periphery of the inner side surface 5a and be cooled, but the leakage from the gap a may occur. Container 1 because it is natural and reasonable
Has a structure capable of suppressing the occurrence of dew condensation.

When water vapor comes into contact with the lower portion or the folded end portion 13a of the peripheral wall 9, dew condensation occurs. Then, the generated condensation propagates down the inner surface of the peripheral wall 9,
Since the bulging surface 13b is formed to be inclined upward through the folded end portion 13a, the folded end portion 13a functions as a drain for dew condensation that has occurred, and the dew falls from the folded end portion 13a to the flange surface 6. Will accumulate. At this time, since the flange surface 6 is formed as a protruding edge 6a whose outside is turned upward, it is possible to prevent the dew condensation accumulated on the flange surface 6 from going around the outside of the container.

As described above, the container 1 has the lid 3
In the state where is fitted, an appropriate gap a can be formed between the flange surface 6 and the protruding edge 6a inside the protrusion 13, but this gap a is formed as an appropriately wide one. Therefore, the steam can be effectively leaked to the outside together with the internal expanded air. Moreover, the gap a
Are formed in the horizontal and horizontal directions, so that the occurrence of dew condensation due to the adhesion of water vapor can be suppressed, and also in this respect, an excellent effect is achieved. Therefore, compared with the case where the small hole is formed in the top surface, the container 1 is excellent in the effect of leaking the expanded air together with the steam because the space a is formed as a wide one, but is not limited thereto. By forming the gap a in the horizontal and horizontal directions, the structure can more effectively suppress the occurrence of dew condensation.

Since the inclined groove 9a is formed in the flange surface 6 to the inner wall surface 9a, the dew condensation accumulated on the flange surface 6 is
It also flows downward along the inclined groove 9a. Also,
As shown in the figure, the lower protruding portions 4 a are formed at the four corners of the bottom surface 4 and the receiving portions 11 are formed on the lid 3.
Even when stacked in a state where the cover 3 and the cover 3 are fitted to each other, it is difficult to cause lateral displacement.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an example of a food storage container according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line II-II of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line III-III of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged perspective view of a main part of the container body.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Food storage container 2 Container main body 3 Lid 6 Flange surface 6a Protrusion 10 Fitting edge 12 Edge 13 Projection 13a Folded end 13b Swelling surface

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. A container body and a peripheral wall edge of a lid are formed with edges to be fitted to each other, and at least an edge of the lid is provided so as to maintain a gap between the container body and the edge of the container body in the fitted state. A folded portion at the lower end of the peripheral wall covering the edge portion and a protruding portion having an upwardly bulging surface and a hanging surface are formed, and the upper peripheral wall of the container body is formed as an inwardly inclined flange surface. A food storage container having a configuration in which a protruding edge protruding upward is formed on an outer edge. 2. The food storage container according to claim 1, wherein a downwardly inclined groove is formed in the inwardly inclined flange surface.