JPH0530639Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed explanation of the invention] <Purpose of the invention> Industrial application field This invention relates to a high-vacuum can that can individually store contents such as multiple types of solid substances (hereinafter simply referred to as contents). , utilizing the structural feature of an inner container in which at least two downwardly constricted divided containers are arranged in the radial direction, and the upper ends of these divided containers are joined together by a connecting portion passing through the center, While food and other contents can be stored individually in each divided container in a vacuum state, it can also be heated and sterilized by adding a small amount of injection liquid such as water, and it is lightweight and has excellent transportability, and is resistant to external shocks. Concerning high-vacuum canning that is sufficiently durable.

Conventional Technology Among the storage methods for marine products, livestock products, agricultural products, etc., canned foods have long been known to have excellent storage properties and can be stored for long periods of time even when left at room temperature. There is still a lot of room for improvement.

Generally, canned food is made by filling the contents of food etc. into a can.
With the lid on, the can is heat sterilized in a heating device such as a retort for heat sterilization, and during heat sterilization, the infusion liquid such as water, seasoning, syrup, etc. added to the can is The flow of the injection liquid progresses heat sterilization. However, this flow causes the contents to mix, and if multiple types of contents are packed in one can, the contents may be mixed, so it is better to fill one can with only one type of contents. It is considered customary. Also, canned food is
The addition of such an injection solution makes it unnecessarily heavy, making it cumbersome to carry, and despite its excellent storability, it has hindered its widespread use.

Therefore, recently, research and development has been carried out in these areas, reducing the amount of injection liquid such as water as much as possible.
So-called high-vacuum canning, which maintains the inside of the can in a near-vacuum state, has been proposed and implemented. This high-vacuum canning can reduce the amount of injected liquid such as water to a minimum, but the reduction in the amount of injected liquid added causes problems during heat sterilization. In addition, it is necessary to expel the air inside the can before heat sterilization. For this reason, high vacuum canning
This solves the problem of conventional methods that canned food is heavy.
However, since it is impossible to completely expel air, reducing the amount of injection liquid may result in incomplete heat sterilization, so high-vacuum canning is not widely used at present.

In contrast, so-called multi-item canned goods, in which a plurality of types of contents are separately packed into one can, have been proposed and implemented. This multi-item canned product was developed in response to the recent demand that two or more types of food can be packed together in one can, allowing the user to eat a wide variety of contents from one can. It is what was done. To avoid mixing of the contents, multi-item canned goods use an inner container with two or more divided containers to separate each contents individually and pack them together. The contents themselves are mixed together in order to be heat sterilized.

In order to avoid this mixing, it is conceivable to reduce the amount of injected liquid even in multi-item cans, and to keep the cans in a vacuum by expelling the air in the cans in advance. However, in order to configure multi-item canned goods as vacuum canners, the inner container must have pressure resistance that can withstand heat sterilization in a vacuum state. In addition to being able to maintain sufficient strength to withstand, conditions such as fluidity are required to enhance the fluidity of the injection liquid and enhance the heat sterilization effect, and such an inner container is required as a premise.

Problems that the invention aims to solve The invention aims to solve these problems, and specifically, it is necessary to store at least two or more contents separately and store them separately, even during heat sterilization. It can completely prevent the contents from mixing with each other, improve the fluidity of the injection liquid even if the amount of injection liquid, mainly water, is small, and completely absorb external impact forces, and is lightweight and transportable. We propose high-vacuum canning with excellent properties.

<Structure of the invention> Means for solving the problem In other words, the high-vacuum canned food according to the present invention is made by deaerating the air inside and maintaining it in a vacuum state, and is capable of storing multiple types of contents separately. In high-vacuum canning, a plurality of divided containers made of synthetic resin that are squeezed downward are arranged, and the upper ends of these divided containers are joined together by a joint passing through the center, and the inner container is and a can into which the top lid is brought into contact with the joint part with its inner surface,
Each divided container is wrapped around the can so that the interval between the lower parts is left open, and each divided container is provided with a flow path through which steam of an injection liquid such as water flows for heat sterilization. shall be.

Therefore, the configuration of these means is shown in the drawings.
A more detailed explanation is as follows.

First, FIG. 1a is a perspective view of the inner container of a high-vacuum canned food according to one embodiment of the present invention, and FIG.
is a vertical sectional view taken along the line A-A, FIG. 1c is a bottom view of the inner container shown in FIG. 1a, and FIGS. 2a and b are plan views of inner containers according to other embodiments. 3 is a bottom view, and FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a high-vacuum canner according to an embodiment of the present invention. Reference numeral 1 generally indicates an inner container used in high-vacuum canning according to one embodiment of the present invention. This inner container 1 comprises at least two divided containers 2, and these divided containers 2 are arranged in the radial direction. That is, the examples shown in FIGS. 1a, b, and c are provided with two divided containers 2, and the examples shown in FIGS. 2 a and b described later are provided with three divided containers 2, but there are Four or more divided containers can be provided. The upper ends of each divided container 2 are connected together at the center as shown in FIG. The structure is narrowed down to: With this configuration, as shown in FIG. 3, insertion into the can 6 becomes easy, and as described later, the connecting portion 2a of each divided container 2 closes the can lid due to the pressure difference during heat sterilization. When pressed through the can 6, each divided container 2 opens outward and comes into contact with the inner wall surface of the can 6, thereby preventing the contents from being mixed and the contents from separating from each divided container 2. In addition, when the divided containers 2 are combined and integrated at their upper ends in this way, the flange part 3 is interposed at the upper end part over the entire circumference, and a part of this flange part 3, that is, the center part is It is also possible to connect the upper ends of each divided container 2 together by using the connecting portion 2a through which it passes. By interposing the flange portion 3 around the entire circumference of the upper end of each divided container 2 in this way, the flange portion 3 comes into close contact with the inner wall surface of the can 6, thereby allowing the contents to be mixed and contained at the upper end. It is possible to reliably prevent objects from falling out of each divided container.

Next, on the outer surface of each divided container 2, a flow path 4 is formed over at least the bottom surface or the entirety. That is, in the examples shown in FIGS. 1a, b, and c, flow passages 4 are formed in the bottom surface 2c in addition to the outer wall 2b, and these flow passages 4 are made to communicate with each other. As shown in FIG. 3, these flow paths 4 are used to flow an injection liquid such as water during heat sterilization and heat the contents in each divided container 2, and are generally configured as grooves. It can be configured in any shape or configuration as long as the injection liquid can flow smoothly, and furthermore, the flow passage 4 is configured so that each divided container 2 can be heated by the flow of the injection liquid. Therefore, the flow path 4 needs to be configured so that a small amount of added injection liquid such as water can smoothly flow and circulate at least on the bottom surface 2c during heat sterilization, but the outer surface 2b of each divided container 2
However, it is preferable to provide upwardly straight flow passages 4 at intervals, and to connect the lower end of each flow passage 4 on the outer surface to the flow passage 4 on the bottom surface.

Further, as shown in FIGS. 1a and 1b, openings 3a may be formed in the flange portion 3. When the openings 3a are formed in this way, the injection liquid rising through the flow path 4 on the outer surface during heat sterilization contacts or partially enters each divided container 2 from above in a state such as steam, and due to this circulation. Due to convection, the contents in each divided container 2 are heated and sterilized from above as well. However, depending on the contents, it is not necessary to form the opening 3a in the flange portion 3, and each divided container 2 is heated by the injection liquid from its outer wall surface as described above.
The contents in each divided container can be sufficiently heat sterilized.

In addition, as shown in Figure 1 a, b and c, 2
Instead of forming two divided containers 2, for example a second
As shown in Figures a and b, it is also possible to have three divided containers without forming an opening in the flange. That is, Figure 2a
and b are a plan view and a bottom view of an inner container according to another embodiment, and similarly in this container 1, at least a part of the outer wall surface of each divided container 2, for example, in the example shown in FIG. As shown, a flow path 4 is provided on the bottom surface 2c, each divided container 2 is constricted downward, and each divided container 2 is joined together at the upper end via a portion passing through the center of the flange portion 3. Unlike the above example, this flange portion 3 does not have any openings, but for example, during heat sterilization in a retort, the flange portion comes into close contact with the inner wall surface of the can, preventing injection liquid and contents from getting mixed in. The contents can be prevented from leaving each divided container 2.

In addition, in the above example, the flange portion is provided all around the circumference, but it is not necessarily the case that each divided container 2 can be heat sterilized as long as its upper end is connected integrally by a connecting portion passing through the center. If at least the upper end of each divided container 2 can be brought into close contact with the inner wall surface of the can by pressing this joint portion, there is no need to provide the flange portion 3 all around the circumference.

Next, the inner container 1 configured as described above is inserted into the can 6 as shown in FIG. Heat sterilize using a heating device such as a commercial retort. That is, before inserting the inner container 1 into the can 6, add a small amount of injection liquid 5 such as water into the can 6,
Different types of contents 8a and 8b are placed in each divided container 2 of the inner container 1. Thereafter, the can 6 is covered with the upper lid 7 to bring it into a so-called temporary seaming state, and in this state, the air inside the can 6 is expelled by a vacuum device, and the final seaming is performed in a vacuum state. Then,
The canned food in this state is placed in a heating device such as a retort for heat sterilization and heat sterilized as usual. When heat sterilized in this way, the inside of the can 6 has been degassed in advance and is in a vacuum state as described above, so the pressure inside the can 6 is reduced to the surrounding pressure (that is, the pressure of the outside air), as shown in FIG. ), and due to this pressure difference, a pressure P in the direction of the arrow is applied from the outside via the upper lid 7 to the connecting portion 2a that connects the upper ends of each divided container 2. At this time, since each divided container 2 is arranged in a radial direction centered on the center on the joint portion 2a, each divided container 2 in the inner container 1 is directed outward as shown by the dotted line in FIG. Once deformed to open, the periphery of the flange portion 3 comes into close contact with the inner wall 6a of the can 6. In addition, the injection liquid 5 is heated at the bottom of the can 6, and at least a part thereof becomes a vapor state, and circulates along the flow path 4 on the bottom surface 2c, and rises and descends in the flow path 4 on the outer surface 2b. The contents 8a and 8b in each divided container 2 are circulated and sterilized by heating. In the example shown in FIG. 3, the flange portion 3 is in close contact with the inner wall surface 6a of the can 6, and the outer surface 2b of each divided container 2 is not in complete contact with the inner wall surface 6a of the can 6; If the width of the container 3 is not too large, the outer surface 2b of each divided container 2 will normally meet the inner wall 6a of the can 6 when it is deformed as described above.
closely adhere to. However, even if they are in close contact with each other, if a flow path 4 is formed on the outer surface 2b, the injection liquid rises and falls along this flow path 4, providing lubrication, and each divided container 2 can be heat sterilized smoothly. be done. Further, in FIG. 3, the flange portion 3 is not provided with an opening 3a as shown in FIG. 1a. However, when openings are formed, the injection liquid circulates through these holes, and while the injection liquid circulates in the upper part of each content 8a, 8b, a part of it enters, and each content also enters from the upper part. 8a and 8b are heat sterilized.

Note that the inner container must have the strength to withstand the pressing force that acts on the joint that joins the upper ends of each divided container, and the pushing force causes each divided container to open outward. Moreover, it is necessary to have the characteristics of a heating container. Therefore, it is usually made of synthetic resin such as plastic, metal, or paper that can maintain thermal conductivity, but it can be made of any material other than these as long as it meets the above conditions.

<Effects of the invention> As explained in detail above, the vacuum canning according to the invention consists of an inner container and a can into which the inner container is inserted, and the inner container includes at least two divided containers arranged in the radial direction. , each divided container is squeezed downward and the upper end is joined together by a connecting portion passing through the center, and the interior of the can is evacuated to a vacuum state. Therefore, each divided container of the inner container can be easily inserted into the can from the point where it is squeezed downward, and even if there is a gap between each divided container and the inner wall surface of the can, during heat sterilization, the upper end can be easily inserted. Since a downward pressing force is applied to the joint portion, each divided container opens outward and comes into close contact with the inner wall surface of the can at least at the upper end. Therefore, during heat sterilization, it is possible to sufficiently prevent the contents of each divided container from being separated from each other and from being mixed with each other. In addition, since the injection liquid flow path is provided at least on the bottom of each divided container, even if the outer surface of each divided container is in close contact with the inner wall surface of the can, each divided container can be smoothly filled with a small amount of injection liquid. The individual contents can be heat sterilized without mixing.

Moreover, the canned food according to the present invention has almost no air inside and contains little injected liquid, so it is lightweight and has excellent portability.

Furthermore, if an opening is formed in the flange portion, the contents can be heated from above by the injection liquid from the opening, further improving the heat sterilization effect.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Fig. 1a is a perspective view of an inner container of a high vacuum canned food according to one embodiment of the present invention, and Fig. 1b is an A-A thereof.
FIG. 1c is a bottom view of the inner container shown in FIG. 1a, FIGS. 2a and b are plan and bottom views of inner containers according to other embodiments, and FIG. FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a high-vacuum canner according to one embodiment of the invention. Code 1...Inner container, 2...Divided container, 2a...
...Joining part, 2b...Outside wall, 2c...Bottom surface, 3
...Flange part, 4...Flow path, 5...Injection liquid,
6...Can, 7...Top lid, 8a, 8b...Contents.

Claims (1)

[Claim for Utility Model Registration] In a high-vacuum can that separates and stores multiple types of solids, the internal air is degassed and kept in a vacuum state, and the synthetic resin division is squeezed downward. A plurality of containers are arranged, the upper ends of these divided containers are integrally connected by a connecting part passing through the center, and a can is provided with the inner container inserted therein. By contacting the joint, the can is tightened to open the space between the lower portions of each divided container, and each divided container is filled with steam of an injection liquid such as water for heat sterilization. A high-vacuum canned product characterized by having a distribution channel.