Storage bag holder used as cooking

Abstract

To provide a storage bag holder used as cooking capable of maintaining an open state of a food storage bag, and also usable as a cooking utensil.SOLUTION: A cylindrical body has an upper side opening 30 and a lower side opening 32, and is configured to store a storage bag therein while leaving at least an edge of the storage bag for food storage. The cylindrical body is made of a material that can be used in a microwave oven, and is formed by annularly connecting a plurality of hard plate members 12 to 17 not to be depressed when pressed by a finger. A connecting region between the plurality of plate members 12 to 17 includes a first connecting region JS1 and a second connecting region JS2. The first connecting region JS1 is provided with hinge parts 41 and 42 that connect the adjacent plate members 12 to 17 to each other so that they can rotate, and the second connecting region JS2 is a flexible part disposed so as to fill the gaps between the plurality of plate members 12 to 17.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a food bag holder that can be used for cooking and that can hold a food bag and also cook the food in the food bag. [Background technology]

[0002] Food storage bags such as Airwrap (registered trademark) and Ziploc (registered trademark) have been known for some time to preserve food in a suitable environment, but they are highly flexible and it is difficult to put food into them through their soft openings. For this reason, a storage bag holder that keeps the storage bag open is known (see Patent Documents 1 and 2).

[0003] In Patent Document 1, the edge of a storage bag is spread and hooked onto a linear ring portion made of metal or the like, thereby keeping the storage bag open and making it easier to put food into the bag with a ladle. Patent Document 2 relates to a bag-filling work assistance box, which has a concavely cut bag fixing groove on the opening edge, where the handle of the bag is hooked and fixed, thereby stabilizing the opening of the bag insertion port. In addition, the sides of this assistance box can be folded inward to make it flat when not in use or when carrying it.

[0004] Incidentally, food storage bags are not only used for storing food, but can also be used for cooking. For example, food ingredients can be placed in the food storage bag and cooked directly in a microwave oven or in a pot, or frozen food can be defrosted in a microwave oven. However, Patent Document 1 targets not only food storage bags but also garbage bags and the like, and its only purpose is to hold the opening of the storage bag, without considering cooking as described above. Moreover, it is made of wire such as metal, and metal cannot be placed in a microwave oven, so it is not suitable for cooking. In the case of Patent Document 2, it is unclear whether the storage bags in question are for food or not, and the purpose of the patent is also basically only to hold the opening of the storage bag. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 6957434 [Patent Document 2] Utility Model Registration No. 3206527 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] An object of the present invention is to provide a storage bag holder that can be used for cooking and can maintain an open state of a food storage bag and can also be used as a cooking utensil. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] According to the present invention, the above problem is solved by a cooking storage bag holder which is a cylindrical body having an upper opening and a lower opening, and which stores a food storage bag inside while leaving at least the edge of the bag, the cylindrical body being made of a material which can be used in a microwave oven and which is formed by connecting in a ring shape several hard plate members which will not be depressed when pressed with a finger, the connecting region between the several plate members being made of a first connecting region and a second connecting region, the first connecting region being provided with a hinge portion which connects the several adjacent plate members so that they can rotate, and the second connecting region being a flexible portion arranged to fill the gap between the several plate members.

[0008] According to the above configuration, the cylindrical body has an upper opening and contains a storage bag inside while leaving at least the edge of the storage bag for storing food. Therefore, the edge of the open storage bag can be turned over the edge of the upper opening of the cylindrical body to maintain the storage bag in an open state, and food (including ingredients; the same applies below) can be easily placed in the storage bag. And because the cylindrical body is made of a material that can be used in a microwave oven, for example, a bag containing food placed inside the cylindrical body can be loosely tied at the top and then placed in a microwave oven for cooking. Furthermore, the plate members are hard, and a hinge portion is provided in the first connecting region between the plate members, and the second connecting region is flexible. Therefore, for example, after cooking food, the food can be placed inside and force can be applied in a direction to flatten the cylindrical body with the hinge portion as a fulcrum, so that freshly cooked potatoes can be sandwiched between the plate members and crushed to make mashed potatoes. The entire cooking process, starting with putting food into the storage bag, can be carried out smoothly while the storage bag is placed inside the cylindrical body. In addition to cooking, the cooking and storage bag holder can also be used for kneading food, such as blending seasonings into food or softening it. Of course, it can also be used simply to store food at room temperature, in the refrigerator, or in the freezer without cooking. In addition, the cylindrical body can be easily folded around the hinge portion as a fulcrum, allowing the cooking and storage bag holder to be stored compactly when not in use.

[0009] According to the present invention, as described above, the food inside the storage bag can be crushed and cooked by applying force in the direction in which the cylindrical body becomes flat, but if the cylindrical body had a bottom, the bottom member would get in the way and make it difficult to crush the ingredients. However, the present invention is open not only on the top but also on the bottom, so food can be crushed easily. Furthermore, if the entire connecting region between multiple plate members were flexible, it would be necessary to bend the flexible parts significantly in two places to, for example, flatten the tubular body, which would increase the risk of damage to the flexible parts. However, since the present invention also has a hinge section, damage to the flexible parts can be effectively prevented by bending the flexible parts significantly at the hinge sections and folding them flat. Conversely, if the entire connecting region were made up of hinge parts, there would be many gaps, increasing the risk of food getting caught in the gaps or spilling out when crushing the food. However, the second connecting region other than the first connecting region where the hinge parts are located is a flexible section arranged to fill the gaps between the plate members, effectively preventing food from getting caught or spilling out.

[0010] In addition, it is preferable that the first connecting region in which the hinge portion is provided is arranged only on the left and right ends when the plate member is rotated to fold the cylindrical body in a flat direction and viewed from the front. In this way, the first connecting region, where gaps are generated by the hinges and food is likely to spill out, is provided only in the two regions at both the left and right ends when the cylindrical body is folded, so that if the left and right connecting regions are pressed down with the left and right hands to crush the food, the food that is about to spill out can be held down with the palms of the hands. The remaining connecting region, the second connecting region, is a flexible portion that is arranged to fill the gaps between the multiple plate members as described above. Therefore, food can be effectively prevented from spilling out of all connecting regions.

[0011] In addition, preferably, the cylindrical body has a vertical slit extending from the edge of the upper opening toward the lower opening, and a horizontal slit extending horizontally continuous from the vertical slit. Therefore, cooking can be done well. That is, when the storage bag containing food is placed in a microwave oven or a pan for heating, it is preferable to close the opening of the storage bag in order to confine the moisture in the storage bag and achieve a steaming effect. Here, in this preferred invention, there is a horizontal slit that extends horizontally in succession to the vertical slit. Therefore, the user can close the opening by rolling or folding the top of the storage bag to prevent the moisture in the storage bag from evaporating, and then insert the top of the storage bag into the horizontal slit via the vertical slit and lock it in place, thereby maintaining the top of the storage bag in a closed state. That is, the inner surfaces above and below the horizontal slit are in the direction in which the top of the storage bag that has been rolled up and closed, etc., tends to expand and return to its original state, and therefore this change in the top trying to expand is inhibited. Therefore, the closed state of the storage bag can be effectively maintained to secure moisture, and the food can be heated well.

[0012] In addition, preferably, the plate members comprise two first plate members facing each other when the cylindrical body is formed into the annular shape, and second plate members adjacent to each of the two first plate members, and the lower ends of the second plate members are inclined upward as they move away from the adjacent first plate member. This improves the stability on the plate when the cooking storage bag holder is placed on the plate and heated in a microwave oven or a pan. That is, the plate members are composed of two first plate members facing each other and second plate members adjacent to each of the two first plate members, and the cylindrical body is substantially hexagonal. The lower ends of the second plate members adjacent to the first plate member are inclined upward as they move away from the adjacent first plate member, so that the lower ends of the cylindrical body can easily conform to the shape of the plate. This reduces the risk that the lower ends of the two first plate members will not come into contact with the plate due to interference with at least the lower end of the second plate member, thereby enabling stability on the plate. Effect of the Invention

[0013] As described above, according to the present invention, a dual-purpose food storage bag holder can be provided that can maintain an open state of a food storage bag and can also be used as a cooking utensil. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0014] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view of a cooking storage bag holder according to an embodiment of the present invention, seen from the top side; [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the cooking and storage bag holder of FIG. 1 from the bottom side. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a front view of the cooking and storage bag holder of FIG. 1. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a rear view of the cooking and storage bag holder of FIG. 1. [Diagram 5] FIG. 2 is a plan view of the cooking and storage bag holder of FIG. 1. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a bottom view of the cooking and storage bag holder of FIG. 1. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is a left side view of the cooking and storage bag holder of FIG. 1 (the right side view is symmetrical to the left side view). [Figure 8] 2 is a perspective view of the cooking and storage bag holder of FIG. 1 when folded and viewed from the top. FIG. [Figure 9] 9 is a perspective view of the cooking and storage bag holder of FIG. 8 as viewed from the bottom side. FIG. [Figure 10] FIG. 9 is a front view of the cooking and storage bag holder of FIG. 8 (storage bag is shown by dashed line). [Figure 11] FIG. 9 is a rear view of the cooking and storage bag holder of FIG. 8 . [Figure 12] FIG. 9 is a plan view of the cooking and storage bag holder of FIG. 8 . [Figure 13] 9 is a bottom view of the cooking and storage bag holder of FIG. 8 . [Figure 14] FIG. 9 is a left side view of the cooking and storage bag holder of FIG. 8 (the right side view is symmetrical to the left side view). [Figure 15] 15A and 15B are enlarged views of the upper hinge portion and slit portion of the cooking storage bag holder of FIG. 1, where FIG. 15A is a view from the inside and FIG. 15B is a view from the outside. [Figure 16] FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of the area around the lower hinge of the cooking and storage bag holder of FIG. 1 from the inside. [Figure 17]Figure 17(A) shows the state in which a storage bag is hung on the edge of the opening of the cooking storage bag holder and placed on a plate, and Figure 17(B) is a cross-sectional view along line AA in Figure 17(A) (the storage bag is shown with a dashed line and the plate with a double-dashed line). [Figure 18] FIG. 17 shows the state of use of the storage bag in the cooking and storage bag holder with the top of the bag tied (the storage bag is shown by a dashed line and the plate by a two-dot dashed line). [Figure 19] 18 is a diagram showing the upper part of the storage bag placed in the cooking storage bag holder of FIG. 17 being rolled up and locked into the slit portion (the storage bag is shown by a dashed line and the plate is shown by a two-dot dashed line). [Figure 20] 20(A) is a diagram illustrating the process of rolling up the top of the storage bag placed in the cooking storage bag holder of FIG. 19 and engaging it with the slit portion, and FIG. 20(B) is a diagram illustrating the process of inserting the rolled up top of the storage bag into the horizontal slit via the vertical slit (the storage bag is shown with a dotted line). [Figure 21] A diagram showing the cooking and storage bag holder applying pressure in the direction that flattens it, crushing and kneading the food inside the storage bag (the storage bag is shown by a dashed line). DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0015] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that the embodiments described below are preferred specific examples of the present invention, and therefore various technically preferable limitations are imposed thereon. However, the scope of the present invention is not limited to these embodiments unless otherwise specified in the following description to the effect that the present invention is limited thereto. Moreover, the same reference numerals are used in each drawing to denote the same configuration. In the following, unless otherwise specified, "lower side" means the side of the plate when the cooking and storage bag holder is properly placed on a plate in the usable state, and "upper side" means the side opposite the plate where the edge of the food storage bag is turned up.

[0016] Figures 1 to 14 show a cooking storage bag holder 1 (hereinafter simply referred to as "holder 1") according to an embodiment of the present invention, and holder 1 can be formed into a cylindrical body by widening its opening as shown in Figures 1 to 7, or it can be folded flat with the opening of the cylindrical body closed as shown in Figures 8 to 14. This holder 1 is sized so that a predetermined soft and highly flexible food storage bag (hereinafter referred to as a "storage bag") can be stored in the inner space S, leaving at least the edge of the storage bag. The upper side of the holder 1 has an open upper opening 30, and the edge of the storage bag can be turned up around opening edge 30A, which is the edge of the upper opening 30 (see FIG. 17). The lower side of the holder 1 also has an open lower opening 32, and the opening areas of the upper opening 30 and the lower opening 32 are approximately the same.

[0017] The specified storage bag that fits into the holder 1 of this embodiment is made of polyethylene and can be used in a microwave oven or thawed in hot water, and is assumed to be Airwrap (registered trademark) manufactured and sold by the applicant. As shown in Fig. 10, this storage bag FB is a thin bag that, when flattened, has a length H2 of about 350 mm (including gussets) and a width W2 of about 210 mm, and does not have a zipper or other means for closing the top or a handle like a plastic shopping bag. The width W1 of the inner surface of the folded holder 1 is equal to the width W2 of the flattened storage bag FB, so that when the unfolded storage bag FB is placed inside the holder 1 with its opening widened into a cylindrical shape, the outer surface of the storage bag FB comes into general contact with the inner surface of the holder 1. Therefore, when the edge of the storage bag FB is turned over over the opening edge 30A of the holder 1 and food is placed in the storage bag FB, the inner surface of the cylindrical body prevents the movement of the storage bag FB, preventing the edge of the turned over storage bag FB from coming off.

[0018] The height H1 of the holder 1 is lower than the height H2 of the storage bag FB, and in the illustrated example, is set to approximately 140 mm, which is approximately 40% of the height H2 of the storage bag FB, so that the top of the storage bag FB can be tied even when the storage bag FB is placed inside the holder 1. In this embodiment, a preferred example is shown in which an air wrap (registered trademark) is used as the storage bag FB, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, as long as the edge of the storage bag FB can be turned over and hung on the opening edge 30A of the holder 1, the width W1 of the holder 1 may be smaller than the width W2 of the storage bag, and the height H1 of the holder 1 may be a height that allows only the edge of the storage bag FB to remain when the storage bag FB is stored.

[0019] Such a holder 1 is entirely made of a material that can be used in a microwave oven, and in this embodiment, it is entirely made of a resin with a high heat resistance (such as polypropylene). Note that the present invention is not limited to resin as long as it can be used in a microwave oven and has a high hardness as described below, and for example, heat-resistant glass or heat-resistant ceramic may be used, but a lightweight resin such as polypropylene is preferable so that it can be held with both hands for a long time.

[0020] [Regarding plate members] As shown in Figs. 1 to 7, the holder 1 is formed by connecting a plurality of plate members 12 to 17 adjacent to each other in a ring shape. In the present embodiment, the long sides of the six plate members 12 to 17, each of which has a flat and generally rectangular main surface (excluding the slit portion 50 described later), are connected adjacent to each other to form a generally hexagonal cylindrical shape (a generally hollow hexagonal column without a top or bottom surface). Therefore, when the holder 1 is made into a cylindrical body with a widened mouth, both the upper opening 30 and the lower opening 32 are generally hexagonal. This hexagonal shape has a moderate amount of corners, which makes it easy to turn up the edge of the storage bag and makes it difficult to come off. Specifically, the plate members 12-17 are made up of two first plate members 12 and 13 and four second plate members 14-17.

[0021] The two first plate members 12 and 13 are disposed facing each other. Since the first plate members 12 and 13 have the same configuration, hereinafter, only the first plate member 12 will be described unless otherwise specified. The first plate member 12 is a thin plate, and is trapezoidal when viewed from the front as shown in Fig. 3. Specifically, when viewed from the front, the upper base 12b (part of the opening edge 30A) is shorter than the lower base 12a, and the interior angles θ2, θ2 at both ends of the lower base 12a are equal to each other, forming an isosceles trapezoid. In the figure, the lower base 12a is about 64 mm, the upper base 12b is about 40 mm, and the interior angle θ2 is 85 degrees, and when the holder 1 is placed on a horizontal surface, the lower base 12a and the upper base 12b are approximately horizontal. Incidentally, the inner surface of the first plate member 12 is flat to prevent damage to thin storage bags, but if the storage bag to be used is thick, multiple bumps may be formed on the inner surface, for example, to prevent the storage bag from slipping.

[0022] 2 to 4, the second plate members 14, 15, 16, and 17 are disposed adjacent to each of the two first plate members 12 and 13. Since the holder 1 in this embodiment has a substantially hexagonal cylindrical shape, the second plate members 14 and 15 are adjacent to each other, and the second plate members 16 and 17 are adjacent to each other. Since the second plate members 14, 15, 16, and 17 have the same configuration, the following description will focus on the second plate member 14 unless otherwise specified. The second plate member 14 is a thin plate like the first plate member 12, but as shown in Figures 3 and 7, the upper end 14b (part of the opening edge 30a) and the lower end 14a are not parallel, and when the holder 1 is placed on a horizontal surface, the upper end 14b is approximately horizontal, while the lower end 14a has an inclination angle θ1 that slopes upward as it moves away from the adjacent first plate member 12. The inclination angle θ1 is for matching the opening edge 32A of the lower opening 32 to the shape of the dish as closely as possible when the holder 1 is placed on the dish, and even if they do not match, it is for preventing the lower end 14a of the second plate member 14 from hitting the dish, resulting in insufficient contact of the lower base 12a of the first plate member 12 with the dish (this point will be explained further later). In the figure, the inclination angle θ1 of the first plate member 12 with respect to the lower base 12a is 5 degrees.

[0023] The upper end 14b of the second plate member 14 is longer than the lower end 14a, so that even if the second plate member 14 is adjacently connected to the leg 12c of the first plate member 12, which is an isosceles trapezoid, the vertical gap (connection area JS1 described later, see FIG. 7) between the second plate member 14 and the adjacent second plate member 15 is prevented from becoming large (the same applies to the gap between the second plate members 16 and 17). In the figure, the length of the upper end 14b is about 85 mm, and the length of the lower end 14a is about 73 mm. Incidentally, the inner surface of the second plate member 14 is also flat, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the inner surface may be formed with a plurality of projections and recesses to prevent the storage bag from slipping.

[0024] Such first and second plate members 12-17 are hard enough not to be depressed when pressed with a finger. The first and second plate members 12-17 of this embodiment are made of polypropylene and have a thickness D of about 3 mm. As a result, even if the plate members 12-17 are pressed with fingers to crush or knead the food in the storage bag, as described below, the pressure of the fingers can be transmitted well to the food.

[0025] [Regarding linked areas] The above-mentioned multiple plate members 12 to 17 are adjacent to each other with their end faces aligned, and as shown in Figures 1 to 7, the gaps between them are connecting regions that connect the multiple plate members 12 to 17. The connecting regions are made up of a first connecting region JS1 and a second connecting region JS2. First, the first connecting region JS1 will be described. The first connecting region JS1 is a region that can be bent most by rotating the adjacent plate members 12-17 relative to each other so that the cylindrical body becomes flat. Hinge portions 41, 42 are provided in this first connecting region JS1, and adjacent second plate members 14, 15 and second plate members 16, 17 can rotate relative to each other with the hinge portions 41, 42 as fulcrums. The first connecting region JS1 in this embodiment is vertical when the holder 1 is placed horizontally, and is arranged only at the left and right ends when the first and second plate members 12-17 are rotated to fold the cylindrical body flat and viewed from the front, as shown in Figures 10 and 11 (in the figures, the left and right ends in the longitudinal direction in the folded front and back views). Since the hinge portions 41, 42 between the second plate members 14, 15 and the hinge portions 41, 42 between the second plate members 16, 17 have the same configuration, the following description will be directed to the hinge portions 41, 42 (at the left end in Figure 10) between the second plate members 14, 15 using Figures 15 and 16.

[0026] Fig. 15 is an enlarged view of the periphery of upper hinge portion 41, Fig. 15(A) is a view of the periphery of upper hinge portion 41 seen from the inside, and Fig. 15(B) is a view of the periphery of upper hinge portion 41 seen from the outside. Fig. 16 is an enlarged view of the periphery of lower hinge portion 42 seen from the inside. As shown in FIG. 15, the upper hinge portion 41 has a shaft portion and a bearing portion 37 that engages with the shaft portion .

[0027] The shaft portion 36 has a shaft pin 36a and an arm portion 36b that connects the shaft pin 36a to one of the second plate members 14 and 15, that is, the second plate member 14. The bearing portion 37 is connected to the other of the second plate members 14, 15, and has an upper bearing portion 37a and a lower bearing portion 37b. The bottom surface of the upper bearing portion 37a is provided with an axial hole (not shown) that receives the upper portion of the axial pin 36a. The upper surface 39 of the upper bearing portion 37a is flat and becomes horizontal when the holder 1 is placed horizontally. The lower bearing portion 37b is a claw-like engaging claw provided along the outer circumferential surface of the lower portion of the shaft pin 36a, and is an engaging claw that relatively rotatably engages with the shaft pin 36a. A part of the lower bearing portion 37b is formed as a notch portion S1, and when a strong force is applied in a direction to flatten the holder 1, the arm portion 36b can pass through the notch portion S1, and the shaft pin 36a can be pulled out downward. Such an upper hinge portion 41 is positioned at a predetermined distance L1 from the opening edge 30A, which is the edge of the upper opening 30, and as a result, a gap is formed at the upper part of the second connecting region JS1, and this gap becomes the vertical slit 52 of the slit portion 50 (the slit portion will be described in detail later).

[0028] As shown in FIG. 16, the lower hinge portion 42 has a shaft portion 61 and a bearing portion 62 that engages with the shaft portion 61. The shaft portion 61 has an axle pin 61a and a protruding portion 61b that protrudes from the second plate member 14, which is one of the second plate members 14 and 15, and connects the axle pin 61a to the second plate member 14. The protruding portion 61b also serves to prevent the bearing portion 62 from moving downward. The bearing portion 62 is connected to the other of the second plate members 14, 15, and has a cylindrical shape that fits loosely with the shaft pin 61a along the outer circumferential surface of the shaft pin 61a. Since the lower hinge portion 42 is configured as described above, the pivot pin 61a connected to the second plate member 14 can be pulled downward. Therefore, if a strong force is applied in a direction to flatten the holder 1, the two pivot pins 36a, 61a connected to the second plate member 14 can be pulled downward, and the second plate member 14 can be separated from the second plate member 15. The second plate members 16 and 17 shown in Figs. 8 and 9 can be separated in the same manner, and therefore the holder 1 can be separated into two parts: the first plate member 12 and the second plate members 14, 17 on both sides thereof, and the first plate member 13 and the second plate members 15, 16 on both sides thereof.

[0029] Meanwhile, the lower hinge part 42 in FIG. 16 is provided with a stopper 63 for maintaining the holder 1 in a cylindrical state with the mouth widened. The stopper 63 is in the form of a tongue protruding from the second plate member 15 toward the adjacent second plate member 14, and the end face is generally arc-shaped, but a flat part 63a is formed on a part of the end face. When the holder 1 is made cylindrical, the flat part 63a abuts against the inner surface of the second plate member 14, making it possible to maintain the cylindrical state. The stopper 63 in the figure is provided on the lower hinge part 42, but the present invention is not limited to this.

[0030] Next, the second connecting region JS2 will be described. As shown in Figs. 3 to 5, the second connecting region JS2 is substantially entirely made of the flexible portion 60, and is flexible at least in the direction in which the second plate members 14 to 17 rotate relative to each other by the hinge portion. The flexible portion 60 is a thin-film resin, and in this embodiment, is made of polypropylene and has a thickness of about 0.3 mm. Therefore, when the holder 1 in a cylindrical state in which the flexible portion 60 is bent as shown in Figs. 5 and 6 is rotated by the hinge portions 41 and 42, the flexible portion 60 becomes straight as shown in Figs. 12 and 13, and the holder 1 can be folded in a flattened direction that closes the upper and lower openings 30 and 32. Conversely, the holder 1 in the folded state shown in Figs. 12 and 13 can be changed to the holder 1 in a cylindrical state as shown in Figs. 5 and 6. As shown in Figures 1 to 4, such second connecting region JS2 is provided over almost the entire area from the upper opening edge 30A to the lower opening edge 32A so as to substantially fill the gaps between the first plate member 12 and the adjacent second plate members 14, 17, and between the first plate member 13 and the adjacent second plate members 15, 16.

[0031] [About the slits] The slit portion 50 is a cut for locking the upper portion of the storage bag when it is rolled or folded closed, and is formed in the upper portion of the holder 1. 1 and 2, a pair of slit portions 50 are formed in the second plate members 14, 15 and the first connecting region JS1 therebetween, and in the second plate members 16, 17 and the first connecting region JS1 therebetween. Since one of the pair has the same configuration as the other, the second plate members 14, 15 and the slit portion 50 therebetween will be described below mainly with reference to FIG. 15 and also with appropriate reference to FIGS. 1 to 7.

[0032] The slit portion 50 has a vertical slit 52 extending from the upper opening edge 30A toward the lower opening 32 (see FIG. 2) and a horizontal slit 53 extending continuously from the vertical slit 52 in the horizontal direction. The vertical slit 52 is formed by a gap (the gap at the top of the first connecting region JS1) between the adjacent second plate members 14, 15. The width dimension (dimension in the direction perpendicular to the extension direction) W3 of this vertical slit 52 is about 5 to 11 mm in the cylindrical holder 1, and increases toward the upper side, making it easy to insert a storage bag. Vertical slit 52 is linear, and its length L1 is approximately 25 mm. A flat (flat in a direction perpendicular to the extension direction of vertical slit 52) ​​upper surface 39 (upper surface of bearing portion 37 in this embodiment) of upper hinge portion 41 is disposed at the terminal portion extending downward of vertical slit 52. This upper surface 39 of upper hinge portion 41 also serves as a part of the lower inner surface of vertical slit 52, and serves as a guide for stopping the movement of the containing bag that has passed through vertical slit 52 and guiding it to horizontal slit 53. The "vertical" in the vertical slit 52 means that the main component is in the vertical direction, and it may be angled (for example, about 20 degrees) or curved.

[0033] The horizontal slit 53 is spatially connected to the vertical slit 52, and is for receiving the upper part of the storage bag that has passed through the vertical slit 52 and has been rolled or folded to close, and for locking the upper part of the storage bag so that it does not open and return to its original state. The horizontal slit 53 in this embodiment is a narrow through hole formed in the second plate members 14, 15, and is formed by opening this through hole facing the gap between the second plate members 14, 15. The upper and lower inner surfaces 53a, 53b of this through hole are adapted to lock the upper part of a closed storage bag. The horizontal slits 53 may be connected to the vertical slits 52 midway in the vertical direction, but it is preferable to connect them at the bottom of the vertical slits 52 as shown in the figure. Incidentally, the horizontal direction in which the lateral slit 53 extends means that the horizontal component is predominant when the upper opening 30 of the holder 1 is held upright horizontally; it does not matter if there is an angle (for example, about 15 degrees) as long as it can effectively retain the closed upper portion of the storage bag.

[0034] There are two horizontal slits 53, one on the left and one on the right of each vertical slit 52, and they are formed in the second plate members 14, 15 on both the left and right sides of the vertical slit 52. The length L2 and width W4 of the horizontal slit 53 shown in Fig. 15 may be changed depending on the expected size and hardness of the storage bag, but in the figure, the length L2 is about 18 mm and the width W4 is about 8 mm. In addition, the upper surface 39 of the hinge portion 41 is flush with the lower inner surface 53a of the horizontal slit 53. In the illustrated example, the upper surface 39 is flush with the lower inner surface 53a of one of the horizontal slits 53, 53 connected to one vertical slit 52, so that the containing bag can be smoothly guided into the horizontal slit 53.

[0035] The inner surface of the horizontally extending end portion 53c of the horizontal slit 53 is curved, and the boundary portion 53d between the horizontal slit 53 and the vertical slit 52 and the upper end portion 52a of the vertical slit 52 are rounded to prevent damage to the thin storage bag.

[0036] [How to use] Next, an example of a method of using the holder 1 will be described with reference to FIGS. The main ways to use Holder 1 can be broadly divided into three: "Putting food in the storage bag," "Heating and thawing food in the storage bag," and "Cooking food in the storage bag by crushing or kneading it."

[0037] [How to put food into the storage bag] First, an example of how to put food into the storage bag RA will be described with reference to Fig. 17. Note that the storage bag RA in Fig. 17 is represented by a dashed line and the plate by a dashed line (the same applies below). When putting food into the storage bag RA, first open the upper opening 30 and the lower opening of the holder 1, hold the cylindrical object with the stopper 63 (see FIG. 16), and place it on the plate PL. Next, insert the storage bag RA from the upper opening 30 of the holder 1 and store the storage bag RA inside, and then turn up the upper part RA1 including the edge of the storage bag RA over the opening edge 30A of the holder 1. This keeps the storage bag RA open, and food can be easily put into the storage bag RA even if it is highly flexible. The reason for placing the holder 1 on a plate is to prevent the storage bag RA from touching the pot and melting when the food is next heated or defrosted, for example, if it is heated in a pot, and to make it easy to remove from the microwave after heating, if it is heated in a microwave oven. Therefore, if heating or defrosting is not required, there is no particular need to place it on a plate.

[0038] Here, the lower ends 14a, 17a of the second plate members 14, 17 have an inclination angle θ1 that inclines upward as it moves away from the adjacent first plate member 12 (similar to the second plate members 15, 16). Therefore, when the holder 1 is placed on a dish, the lower ends 14a, 17a of the second plate members 14, 17 come into contact with the dish, preventing the lower bottom 12a of the first plate member 12 from coming into contact with the flat part of the dish and becoming floating. Of course, this effect differs depending on the shape of the dish used, and depending on the dish, as shown in Figure 17(B), it is possible to make the holder 1 stand more stably by bringing not only the lower bottom 12a of the first plate member 12 but also the lower ends 14a, 17a of the second plate members 14, 17 into contact with the dish.

[0039] [How to use: Heating and defrosting food in the storage bag] Next, a method of use for heating and thawing food in the storage bag RA will be described with reference to FIGS. To heat or thaw food in a storage bag RA, the top of the storage bag RA is tied as shown in Fig. 18, or the top RA1 of the storage bag RA is rolled or folded as shown in Fig. 19 to close the opening, and then the food is placed in a pot or microwave oven for heating or thawing. The opening is closed in this way to retain moisture in the storage bag RA to improve the steaming effect, and to retain moisture that is vibrated by the microwaves of the microwave oven. In both cases of Figures 18 and 19, it is necessary to make a small hole in the storage bag RA with a toothpick or the like to prevent the storage bag RA from bursting due to heating. However, in the case of Figure 19, since the opening of the storage bag RA is loosely closed, there is little need to make a small hole depending on the heating temperature and time. For example, if it is just a hot water bath, there is little need to make a small hole.

[0040] Here, a method for closing the mouth of the containing bag RA as shown in Fig. 19 will be described with reference to Fig. 20. Fig. 20 is a diagram for explaining a method for keeping the mouth of the containing bag RA closed. To close the mouth of the containing bag RA, the upper part RA1 is rolled or folded as shown in FIG. 20(A). Next, both ends of the upper portion RA1 are held with fingers, and it is inserted into the vertical slit 52 as shown in Fig. 20(B). At this time, even if the upper portion RA1 of the storage bag RA is forcefully inserted into the vertical slit 52, it hits the upper surface 39 of the hinge part 41 and the upper portion RA1 of the storage bag RA does not go further downward. Next, the upper portion RA1 of the containing bag RA is inserted into the horizontal slit 53 to hold the opening of the containing bag RA closed. Since the upper surface 39 of the hinge portion 41 and the lower inner surface of the horizontal slit 53 are flush with each other, the upper portion RA1 of the containing bag RA can be smoothly inserted into the horizontal slit 53.

[0041] By placing the rolled or folded upper portion RA1 in the horizontal slit 53, the rolled or folded state can be maintained even if it is subsequently heated, for example. That is, when heated, the air inside the storage bag RA expands and tries to escape from the upper portion RA1, causing the rolled or folded upper portion RA1 to expand and return to its original state. However, because the upper and lower inner surfaces 53a, 53b of the horizontal slit 53 are located in the returning direction, the returning force is suppressed and the rolled or folded state of the upper portion RA1 can be maintained. 19, it is not necessary to carry out the troublesome task of untying the top of the storage bag RA that has been tied as in FIG. 18, making cooking easier.

[0042] [Method of use: Crush or knead the food in the storage bag to cook it] Next, an example of a cooking method in which the food in the storage bag RA is crushed or kneaded will be described with reference to FIG. For example, when cooking mashed potatoes, the potatoes in the storage bag are heated in a microwave oven as described above, then removed, and as shown in Fig. 21, the hard second plate members 14-17 (second plate members 15, 16 are not shown) are grasped, and the second plate members 14, 17 are pressed with fingers FG to deform the holder 1 in the folding direction. This makes it possible to easily mash the freshly cooked potatoes in the storage bag RA stored in the holder 1. At this time, the mashed potatoes will attempt to escape through the gaps between the multiple plate members, but will not escape from the second connecting region JS2 because substantially the entire second connecting region JS2 is flexible section 60. Furthermore, in the first connecting region JS1, the potatoes will attempt to escape through gaps where there are no hinge sections 41, 42, but the first connecting region JS1 is located at both the left and right ends as shown in Figure 21, and these gaps are held down by the pads of the hands, preventing such escape.

[0043] Thus, with the holder 1 of this embodiment, the process of putting food into the storage bag RA shown in FIG. 17, closing the top of the storage bag RA shown in FIG. 19, heating it in a microwave oven or the like, and then crushing the food and cooking it as shown in FIG. 21 can be smoothly performed. Incidentally, the action of applying force in the folding direction to deform holder 1 as described above is not limited to cooking mashed potatoes as mentioned above. It can also be used in a variety of other cooking applications, such as placing ingredients and seasonings in the storage bag and kneading them to allow the flavors to penetrate, placing cooked rice in the storage bag and flattening it to make it easier to thaw after freezing, or removing the air from the storage bag for storage.

[0044] The above describes the embodiments of the present invention. However, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the claims. The configurations of the above embodiments can be partially omitted or arbitrarily combined in a manner different from the above. For example, in this embodiment, the cylindrical body is a substantially hexagonal cylindrical body, but it may be another polygonal cylindrical shape. In addition, since the holder of this embodiment is folded flat, the first connecting regions having hinge parts are provided in two places where they can bend the most, but if the holder is folded to form a rough T shape when viewed from above, for example, the first connecting regions having hinge parts may be provided in four or more places. In other words, the connecting regions may be a combination of the first connecting region having the hinge part and the second connecting region having the flexible part. Additionally, although all of the plate members in this embodiment are flat, some or all of them may be slightly curved. [Explanation of symbols]

[0045] REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1... cooking and storage bag holder, 12, 13... first plate member (plate member), 14, 15, 16, 17... second plate member (plate member), 30... upper opening, 32... lower opening, 41, 42... hinge portion, 52... vertical slit, 53... horizontal slit, 60... flexible portion, J1... first connecting region, J2... second connecting region, RA... food storage bag

Claims

1. A cylindrical body having an upper opening and a lower opening, and configured to accommodate a food bag therein while leaving at least an edge of the bag, The cylindrical body is made of a material that can be used in a microwave oven and is formed by connecting a plurality of hard plate members in an annular shape so that the plate members are not indented when pressed with a finger. a connecting region between the plurality of plate members includes a first connecting region and a second connecting region; The first connecting region is provided with a hinge portion that connects the adjacent plate members to each other so that they can rotate, The second connecting region is a flexible portion disposed so as to fill gaps between the plurality of plate members. A cooking and storage bag holder.

2. The first connecting region in which the hinge portion is provided is disposed only on both left and right ends when the cylindrical body is folded in a flat direction by rotating the plate member and viewed from the front.

2. The combined cooking and storage bag holder according to claim 1.

3. The cylindrical body has a vertical slit extending from the edge of the upper opening toward the lower opening, and a horizontal slit extending horizontally from the vertical slit.

3. The cooking and storage bag holder according to claim 1 or 2.

4. The plate members include two first plate members facing each other and second plate members adjacent to each of the two first plate members, The lower end of the second plate member is inclined upward as it moves away from the adjacent first plate member.

3. The cooking and storage bag holder according to claim 1 or 2.

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