JP7450378B2 - Food containers and food in containers - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to food containers and containerized foods.

Patent Document 1 discloses a technique related to a container in which an uneven surface such as a pattern or letters is formed on a soft food such as tofu or pudding. This document discloses that such an uneven surface has a change in appearance and is interesting. It is also disclosed that it is convenient to provide a concave surface on the top surface of the tofu to serve as a soy sauce reservoir.

Utility Model Publication No. 63-171326

In foods such as those mentioned above, it is convenient if the volume of the depression formed is known.
The invention aims at providing a food product with a depression having a known volume.

According to one aspect of the invention, a food container includes a bottom wall and a side wall. The bottom wall has a pattern that has a predetermined volume and a shape representing the predetermined volume and bulges inside the container.

According to the invention, it is possible to provide a food product with a depression having a known volume.

FIG. 1A is a perspective view of a container according to one embodiment, viewed obliquely from above. FIG. 1B is a perspective view of the container according to one embodiment, viewed diagonally from below. FIG. 2 is a bottom view of a container according to one embodiment. 3 is an end view taken along the line III--III shown in FIG. 2. FIG. FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a state in which food stored in a container is placed on a plate. FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a configuration example of a container according to another example. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing another example of the number pattern displayed on the bottom wall of the container. FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a longitudinal cross-section of a portion of a food product formed using a container having an expanded portion and a standard portion, in which numerical depressions are formed. FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example in which one numerical recess formed in a food product is formed by a plurality of numbers.

One embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. The present embodiment relates to a container for food and a containerized food in which food is housed in the container. In particular, the present invention relates to food products that maintain a shape that corresponds to the shape of the container, and containers that are molded into that shape. Examples of such foods include foods that solidify within the container, such as tofu, jelly, and pudding. Moreover, the food of this embodiment is a food that is easily deformed, and may be a food that deforms according to the shape of the container and maintains its shape when stored in the container.

[Container shape]
FIG. 1A is a perspective view of the container 1 according to the present embodiment, viewed diagonally from above. FIG. 1B is a perspective view of the container 1 viewed diagonally from below. FIG. 2 is a bottom view of the container 1. 3 is an end view taken along the line III--III shown in FIG. 2. FIG. In FIG. 3, the thickness of the container 1 is exaggerated. As shown in these figures, the container 1 has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped housing section 2 with an open top surface. The accommodating portion 2 is formed by a bottom wall 31 forming a lower surface and a side wall 32 forming a side surface. Further, the container 1 has a collar 4 provided around the upper surface.

Food is stored in the storage section 2. When food is sealed using the container 1, a film is provided to cover the opening on the top surface of the container 1, and this film is attached to the brim 4. The food contained in the container 1 is served upside down, that is, with the top side of the container 1 facing down and the bottom side facing up, onto a container such as a plate.

The bottom wall 31 of the container 1 is provided with a number pattern 5 shaped like a plurality of numbers bulging inside the container 1. In this example, a number pattern 5 in the shape of three Arabic numerals is provided. That is, the number pattern 5 includes a first character 51 in the shape of "1", a second character 52 in the shape of "2", and a third character 53 in the shape of "3".

Consider a virtual plane P that includes the main surface of the bottom wall 31 of the container 1. Each space surrounded by this virtual plane P and a surface forming each character of the number pattern 5 has a volume associated with the number represented by the character. In this example, the volume of the space surrounded by the surface forming the first character 51 and the virtual plane is 1 ml. Similarly, the volume of the space surrounded by the surface forming the second character 52 and the virtual plane is 2 ml, and the volume of the space surrounded by the surface forming the third character 53 and the virtual plane is 2 ml. The volume is 3ml. Therefore, the height of each character bulging inside the container 1 increases in the order of the first character 51, the second character 52, and the third character 53.

In addition to the number pattern 5, the bottom wall 31 of the container 1 may be provided with other patterns that bulge inside the container 1. In this example, a unit pattern 8 in the shape of "cc" is provided to indicate that the above-mentioned number pattern 5 indicates a volume in "ml" units.

The shape of the number pattern 5 is preferably such that the food does not collapse at the number pattern 5 when the food is removed from the container 1. For example, it is preferable that the corner portions of the number pattern 5 have a chamfered shape. Further, it is preferable that the wall surface extending in the height direction forming the side surface of the number pattern has an appropriate slope so that the upper surface side of the number pattern 5 is narrower than the bottom wall 31 side.

[Shape of food]
FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the food 100 housed in the container 1 placed on a plate 190. The food 100 is placed on a plate 190 with the surface that was on the bottom wall 31 side in the container 1 as the top surface 110. Therefore, a numerical recess 150 corresponding to the numerical pattern 5 of the container 1 is formed on the upper surface 110 of the food product 100. That is, the top surface 110 of the food product 100 has a first depression 151, a second depression 152, and a third depression, which correspond to the first character 51, second character 52, and third character 53 of the container 1, respectively. A depression 153 of No. 3 is formed. FIG. 4 shows the black liquid poured into the second depression 152.

In this example, the volume of the first depression 151 modeled on the top surface 110 of the food product 100 is 1 ml. Similarly, the volume of the second depression 152 shaped in the upper surface 110 is 2 ml, and the volume of the third depression 153 is 3 ml.

[Function of number pattern]
According to the container 1 according to this embodiment and the food product 100 formed thereby, the following functions are exhibited. As described above, the numerical depression 150 of the food product 100 has a predetermined volume. Therefore, the consumer of the food product 100 can use the numerical depressions 150 to measure seasonings and the like to be added to the food product 100.

When pouring liquid only into the first depression 151, the amount of liquid poured is 1 ml. When pouring liquid only into the second depression 152, the amount of liquid poured is 2 ml. When pouring liquid only into the third depression 153, the amount of liquid poured is 3 ml. When pouring liquid into the first depression 151 and the second depression 152, the amount of liquid poured is 3 ml. When pouring liquid into the first depression 151 and the third depression 153, the amount of liquid poured is 4 ml. When pouring the liquid into the second depression 152 and the third depression 153, the amount of liquid poured is 5 ml. When pouring liquid into the first depression 151, second depression 152, and third depression 153, the amount of liquid poured is 6 ml. In this way, according to the numerical recess 150 of this embodiment, any one of 1 ml, 2 ml, 3 ml, 4 ml, 5 ml, and 6 ml can be measured.

For example, consider a case where the food 100 is tofu and a consumer eats the tofu by pouring soy sauce on it. The consumer can adjust the amount of soy sauce to be applied to tofu by pouring soy sauce into one or more of the numerical depressions 150. This is useful, for example, when it is necessary to know the amount of salt for health reasons. According to the numerical recess 150, the consumer can grasp the amount of soy sauce to be poured not intuitively, such as whether it is too much or too little, but as a numerical value. Additionally, since the depressions are in the shape of numbers, consumers can directly determine the amount of soy sauce by looking at it without having to refer to other descriptions or convert from memory. Since the amount of seasoning etc. can be grasped as a numerical value, it is convenient for recording and managing the amount. This is particularly convenient for consumers who require management based on objective numbers for health reasons or other reasons. Additionally, even consumers who do not require accurate management can gain new insights from numerical values through visually interesting measurements. For example, it is expected that consumers will have a new and favorable awareness of the amount of seasonings used, and that a favorable change in their consciousness will be encouraged.

Further, since the amount can be measured without using a measuring tool such as a measuring spoon, there is no need to prepare a measuring tool or wash it after use, and simple measurement can be realized. Further, there is no waste of seasonings and the like remaining in the measuring utensil and being washed away.

In addition, since the amount is expressed by a number, it is possible, for example, to take a photograph of food into which seasonings have been poured using a camera, and to obtain a number by image recognition based on the photograph. By utilizing such technology, it is possible to automate the management of quantities of seasonings and the like.

The number depressions 150 having a plurality of types of depressions allow the consumer to measure the amounts of seasonings, etc. in a plurality of ways. That is, consumers can choose the amount that suits their circumstances, or choose different amounts for different family members. Since one type of food 100 housed in one type of container 1 can be measured in various ways, one type of product can meet the needs of various consumers. Since one type of product can meet various needs, there is no need to prepare and distribute and sell multiple types of products, and this embodiment is advantageous in the distribution and sale of products.

[About number patterns]
The number pattern described above is just an example, and the number pattern can be modified in various ways.

For example, FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a configuration example of a container 1a according to another example. The container 1a in this example includes a number pattern 5a including a first character 51a having a volume of 1 ml, a second character 52a having a volume of 1 ml, and a third character 53a having a volume of 5 ml. . According to the food product formed by the container 1a of this example, measurements of 1 ml, 2 ml, 5 ml, 6 ml, and 7 ml can be performed. In this way, the value represented by each character included in the number pattern may be any value.

Further, the number of characters included in the number pattern is not limited to three, but may be one, two, four or more. For example, the container 1 may include six letters "1" each having a volume of 1 ml, and may be configured such that the food 100 can be measured in amounts of 1 ml, 2 ml, 3 ml, 4 ml, 5 ml, and 6 ml. Further, the container 1 includes three characters "1" having a volume of 1 ml and one character "5" having a volume of 5 ml, and the food 100 can contain 1 ml, 2 ml, 3 ml, 5 ml, 6 ml. , 7 ml, and 8 ml.

Further, the volume of each character included in the number pattern 5 does not have to be the volume represented by each character, and it is sufficient that the number pattern 5 shapes the value of the volume that the number pattern 5 has. For example, the number pattern 5 may include two characters "1" and "0", and the two characters "1" and "0" may have a total volume of 10 ml.

Further, the number pattern is not limited to Arabic numerals. The number pattern may have any shape as long as it allows consumers to recognize the value. For example, the number pattern may be in the shape of Roman numerals, Chinese numerals, or the like.

[About the shape of the number pattern]
The shape of the number pattern 5 is preferably a shape that allows the consumer to easily measure the weight, as long as it allows the consumer to recognize the value. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing another example of the number pattern displayed on the bottom wall 31 of the container 1. The shape of each character included in the number pattern 5b shown in FIG. 6 is assumed to be used when measuring liquid, and is an example of a form that allows a consumer to easily pour liquid. In the example of FIG. 6, the number pattern 5b includes a first character 51b in the shape of "1", a second character 52b in the shape of "2", and a third character 53b in the shape of "3". , a part thereof is provided with an extension part 61 that is wider than the other part. Among the parts constituting the number pattern 5b, the parts other than the extended part 61 will be referred to as a standard part 62.

According to the example of FIG. 6, since the surface area of the expanded portion 61 is large, the consumer can relatively easily form the seasoning etc. into the food by aiming at the recess of the food formed by the expanded portion 61 and pouring the seasoning. You can pour seasonings etc. into the number-shaped depressions.

Furthermore, it is preferable that the height of the expansion part 61 bulges inward of the container 1 is higher than the height of the bulge of the standard part 62 inward of the container 1 . Further, the shape of the standard portion 62 is preferably such that the height of the bulge of the standard portion 62 inward of the container 1 decreases as the distance from the expanded portion 61 increases.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a vertical cross section of a portion of a food product 100b formed using a container 1 having an expanded portion 61 and a standard portion 62, in which a numerical recess 150b is formed. The expanded recess 161 of the food product 100b formed by the expanded portion 61 of the container 1 is deeper than the standard recess 162 of the food product 100b formed by the standard portion 62 of the container 1. As a result, seasonings poured into the expanded recess 161 are less likely to splash out.

Further, the depth of the standard depression 162 becomes shallower as it is farther away from the expanded depression 161. With such a shape, when the deep expansion depression 161 is filled with seasoning, the seasoning etc. flows into the shallow standard depression 162, and the seasoning etc. spreads into the standard depression 162 in order from the expansion depression 161 side to the other end. become. Such a shape allows the consumer to visually see how the seasoning gradually spreads into the numerical recesses 150b, making it easier to make adjustments to fill the numerical recesses 150b with seasonings and the like. In other words, if the depth of the numerical depressions is uniform, the consumer must check the depth of the seasoning, etc. that has been poured, but if the depth of the numerical depressions 150b is different, the consumer must check the depth of the seasoning etc. It is possible to determine whether the space is full or not based on the spread of the space, that is, whether or not the shape of a character appears. Furthermore, since the standard depression 162 in the part that is finally filled with the seasoning etc. is shallow, the error in the amount of seasoning etc. poured becomes small.

[Variation example of number pattern]
In the number pattern of the container 1 representing a plurality of numbers, the letters do not need to be separated. FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example in which one numerical recess 150c formed in the food product 100c is formed by a plurality of numbers. In the numerical depression 150c shown in FIG. 8, the first depression part 151c shaped like "1" is the deepest, and is formed so that seasonings and the like can be poured therein. When 1 ml of seasoning or the like is poured into the first recessed portion 151c, the first recessed portion 151c is filled with the seasoning or the like, allowing the consumer to recognize the character "1". Further, when seasonings and the like are poured, the seasonings and the like are configured to spread into the second recessed portion 152c. When a total of 2 ml of seasoning etc. is poured, the first recessed portion 151c and the second recessed portion 152c are filled with the seasoning etc., allowing the consumer to recognize the character "2". Further, when seasonings and the like are poured, the seasonings and the like are configured to spread into the third recessed portion 153c. When a total of 3 ml of seasoning etc. is poured, the first recessed part 151c, the second recessed part 152c and the third recessed part 153c are filled with the seasoning etc., and the consumer recognizes the character "3". become able to. The container 1 may be provided with a numerical pattern that forms such numerical depressions 150c in the food product 100c.

[Uses of container]
As an example of the use of the container 1, the food 100 is tofu and an example in which soy sauce is poured into the depression has been described, but the use of the container 1 may be various. In addition to soy sauce, liquid seasonings such as sake, mirin, vinegar, and sauce are particularly easy to measure when poured into the depression. The substance poured into the depression is not limited to liquid, but may be powder or granule.

The food contained in the container 1 may be pudding or jelly, and the food poured into the recesses may be sauce poured over them. Further, the food may be a frozen dessert or the like, and the thing poured into the depression may be syrup or the like.

The food taken out from the container 1 may not be eaten as is, but may be cooked. For example, the food may be tofu or konnyaku, which is used as an ingredient for a hot pot dish, and the amount of seasoning for the hot pot dish may be measured in the depression of the food. Alternatively, the food may be a curry roux, and spices added in desired amounts according to the consumer's preferences may be measured in a recess formed in the curry roux. The food is a frozen food, and the seasoning etc. is measured by putting it into a cavity in a frozen state, and by heating it in a microwave oven, the seasoning etc. is distributed to the thawed food. may be done.

Moreover, the container 1 may be a container that shapes the shape of the food when serving it. For example, the food may be cooked rice, and the cooked rice may be formed using the container 1 and placed in the bowl. In this case, the amount of furikake may be measured using the depression.

Further, the container 1 is not limited to a small-scale container for personal use, but may be a large-scale container for commercial use, such as one used in cooking a large amount of food at a restaurant or the like.

[others]
In the above-described embodiment, the number pattern 5 has been described as an example of a pattern that has a predetermined volume and a shape representing the volume and bulges inside the container 1. However, the shape of the pattern is not limited to those shaped like numbers. The pattern may be in any other form as long as it represents volume, such as a circular pattern and the volume represented by the number of circles.

In the embodiment described above, the shape of the accommodating part 2 of the container 1 is a substantially rectangular parallelepiped, but it goes without saying that the accommodating part 2 may have any shape. Further, although the container 1 has a brim 4 on the top surface and is sealed by pasting a film on the brim 4, the top surface etc. can take various shapes depending on the purpose of the container.

Any method may be used to form the container 1. For example, the container 1 can be manufactured by sheet molding, extrusion molding, injection molding, etc.

Although the present invention has been described above by showing preferred embodiments, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and it goes without saying that various modifications can be made within the scope of the present invention. Nor.

1 Container 2 Storage part 4 Brim 5 Number pattern 8 Unit pattern 31 Bottom wall 32 Side wall 51 First character 52 Second character 53 Third character 61 Expansion part 62 Standard part 100 Food 150 Number depression 161 Expansion depression 162 Standard depression 190 plate P virtual plane

Claims (4)

A food container,
comprising a bottom wall and a side wall,
The bottom wall has a pattern that has a predetermined volume and a shape representing the predetermined volume and bulges inside the container ,
The pattern is a number pattern in the shape of numbers,
The number pattern includes a plurality of characters,
Each of the plurality of characters is shaped like a number representing the volume that the character has,
at least one set of the plurality of characters has the volumes different from each other;
container. 2. The container of claim 1 , wherein the number pattern comprises a standard portion and an extended portion that is wider than the standard portion. The container according to claim 2 , wherein the expanded portion has a higher bulge height than the standard portion. The container according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
A food packaged in a container, comprising: a food product that maintains a shape corresponding to the shape of the container.

Images