Cutlery

Abstract

To provide disposable cutlery that is made without using any plastic.SOLUTION: Disposable cutlery includes: a head part coming into contact with a food; a neck part continuing to the head part; and a handle part continuing to the neck part and to be griped. The disposable cutlery is formed of a sheet material which is made by papermaking pulp fibers and part or the whole of the sheet material is compressed and molded by pressing process.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to cutlery such as spoons, forks and knives. [Background technology]

[0002] Disposable cutlery, which is intended to be discarded after one or a few uses, is used in various food and beverage service locations, such as food courts in commercial facilities, fast food shops, take-out bento shops, food service providers on airplanes, food delivery and catering events, etc. Such disposable cutlery is required to be convenient and low-cost, as most of it is provided free of charge.

[0003] For this reason, plastic cutlery, which is easy to mold into the same shape as high-quality non-disposable metal cutlery and is also inexpensive and lightweight, is widely used (see Patent Document 1).

[0004] On the other hand, in recent years, marine pollution caused by microplastics has attracted attention, and the move away from plastic is progressing worldwide from the viewpoint of environmental protection. In Japan, the "Act on Promotion of Resource Circulation Related to Plastics" was enacted, which, for example, requires certain businesses to reduce disposable plastic products. In addition, this "Act on Promotion of Resource Circulation Related to Plastics" specifies cutlery such as forks, spoons, and knives provided in certain industries such as accommodation, restaurants, and takeout and delivery food service businesses as "specific plastic-containing products," and there is an increasing demand for the move away from plastic in cutlery.

[0005] Technologies for replacing plastic cutlery with natural materials other than plastic are disclosed in the following Patent Documents 2, 3, and 4. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Special Publication No. 2017-524498 [Patent Document 2] JP 2012-249963 A [Patent Document 3] Patent Publication No. 2021-29926 [Patent Document 4] Patent Publication No. 2021-29924 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] The technology of Patent Document 2 has the advantage that the container for storing food is formed by folding and gluing a sheet-shaped material, and therefore can be manufactured by procuring and processing a pre-formed sheet-shaped material. However, since it does not have a curved design like non-disposable metal cutlery such as molded plastic cutlery, the feeling of use, such as the sensation when placed in the mouth, is significantly different from that of plastic cutlery.

[0008] On the other hand, the technologies of Patent Documents 3 and 4 use pulp molding technology to give the parts that are placed in the mouth a curved design like metal cutlery, and the surface is smooth, making the feel when placed in the mouth, etc., closer to that of plastic cutlery.

[0009] However, the pulp molding technologies of Patent Documents 3 and 4 directly mold wet pulp in a slurry state, so production requires equipment for handling wet pulp, and the production process and management are more complicated than those of Patent Document 2, which can be produced from a sheet material.In addition, with pulp molding technology, it is difficult to increase the density and water resistance of the molded product because wet pulp is molded.

[0010] Therefore, the main object of the present invention is to provide cutlery that uses natural materials as its main raw materials, yet achieves the same design and usability as conventional disposable plastic cutlery, can be manufactured from sheet material, is easy to manufacture, and has sufficient water resistance. [Means for solving the problem]

[0011] The first means for solving the above problem is: Disposable cutlery, The food container has a head portion that comes into contact with food, a neck portion that is connected to the head portion, and a handle portion that is connected to the neck portion and is for grasping the food container, It is formed from a sheet material made of pulp fibers, And, a part or the whole of the sheet material is compression molded by pressing. This is a disposable cutlery characterized by the above.

[0012] The second method is The disposable cutlery according to the first aspect contains a siloxane compound.

[0013] The third method is The disposable cutlery according to the first or second means contains 90 to 100 mass% of softwood kraft pulp and hardwood kraft pulp as pulp fibers, and the blending ratio of the softwood kraft pulp to the hardwood kraft pulp is 5:95 to 30:70.

[0014] The fourth measure is Density of the pressed part is 1.0g / cm 3 The above is the disposable cutlery according to the first to third aspects.

[0015] The fifth measure is: The device has a head portion having a dish shape or a portion curved at least toward the tip side, a neck portion connected to the head portion and narrower than the head portion, and a handle portion having the same width as the neck portion or wider than the neck portion, At least the head portion and the neck portion are formed by pressing, The neck portion is formed to have a curved cross section, and the ratio of the cross-sectional curvature radius to the width is 1:0.4 to 1:0.8. The disposable cutlery relates to the first to fourth aspects.

[0016] The sixth measure is: The knife has a head portion having a blade portion that is tapered toward one edge, a neck portion connected to the head portion, and a handle portion connected to the neck portion, The head portion, neck portion, and handle portion are formed by laminating a plurality of sheet materials, At least the blade portion is formed by pressing to be thinner toward one edge. The disposable cutlery relates to the first to fourth aspects. Effect of the Invention

[0017] According to the present invention, there is provided cutlery which, while using natural materials as the main raw materials, has the same design and usability as conventional disposable plastic cutlery, can be manufactured from sheet material, is easy to manufacture, and has sufficient water resistance. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0018] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a front view for explaining the cutlery according to the embodiment. [Diagram 2] 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the multilayer paper according to the embodiment. FIG. [Diagram 3] 1A and 1B are front, side and cross-sectional views of a spoon according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] 1A and 1B are front, side and cross-sectional views of a fork according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 5] 1A and 1B are front, side and cross-sectional views of a knife according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] 1A to 1C are diagrams for explaining a locking structure according to the present embodiment. [Figure 7]FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining a method for measuring the bending strength of the cutlery according to the present embodiment. [Figure 8] FIG. 13 is a diagram for explaining the results of bending strength measurement of the cutlery according to the present embodiment. [Figure 9] FIG. 11 is a diagram for explaining the results of other bending strength measurements of the cutlery according to the present embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0019] Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to Figures 1 to 9. However, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments.

[0020] The disposable cutlery 1 according to this embodiment is assumed to be provided in various places where food and drink are provided, such as food courts in commercial facilities, fast food shops, take-out bento shops, food and drink services on airplanes, food delivery and catering events, and to be discarded after about one or several uses. The disposable cutlery 1 according to this embodiment has a head part 11 that mainly touches food, a neck part 12 connected to the head part 11, and a handle part 13 connected to the neck part 12 and mainly used for gripping and operating, and includes a spoon 10, a fork 20, and a knife 30, as shown in FIG. 1 in particular. Other examples of the disposable cutlery 1 include a lotus leaf, a muddler, a spoon with a hole, and the like.

[0021] The disposable cutlery 1 of this embodiment is characteristically formed of a sheet material made of pulp fibers, and a part or all of the sheet material made of pulp fibers is pressed in the thickness direction to form the cutlery. That is, the entire cutlery is formed of a sheet material made of pulp fibers, and a mold pre-formed into a part or the whole shape of the cutlery 1 such as a spoon 10, a fork 20, or a knife 30 is pressed against a part or all of the sheet material in the thickness direction to transfer the mold shape to the sheet material. Of course, the cutlery may be formed into a desired shape by punching, cutting, or the like after pressing. Also, the cutlery may be formed by laminating another sheet material that has not been pressed in the thickness direction on the cutlery formed by pressing, thereby increasing the thickness of the cutlery in part or all. It is preferable that the entire cutlery is pressed in the thickness direction because it can be formed with a high pressing pressure. In the cutlery 1 having the head 11, neck 12 and handle 13, if the cutlery 1 is a spoon 10 or a fork 20, it is preferable that at least the head 11 and neck 12 are pressed, and in particular, it is preferable that the entire cutlery including the head 11, neck 12 and handle 13 is pressed. If the cutlery 1 is a knife 30, it is preferable that at least the edge portion of the head 11 to be the blade is pressed. Furthermore, the disposable cutlery 1 of this embodiment may be formed by pressing a plurality of laminated sheet materials, but it is preferable that only one sheet material is pressed because there is no risk of peeling between the layers.

[0022] Here, in the conventional pulp molding technology, as in the casting technology in metal molding, a fluid raw material containing pulp fibers is pressed and compressed to form a complex shape, so that the molded product is easy to mold, but it is difficult to increase the density, and since the molded product does not have fiber orientation, it is stiff and weak, and is prone to breaking and cracking. The cutlery of this embodiment is not pressed from a fluid raw material such as in the pulp molding technology, but is molded by pressing a sheet material that has been dried once to form hydrogen bonds and has a fixed fiber orientation in the thickness direction, as in the forging technology in metal molding, so that it is densely compressed and has a suitable stickiness and flexibility like plastic despite its thinness, and has a high strength sufficient for use. In addition, compared to the cutlery made by the conventional pulp molding technology, it is possible to increase the strength while reducing the thickness, and it is also possible to smooth the surface. Therefore, it can be molded into a shape similar to that of high-quality metal cutlery formed with smooth curves and curved surfaces, and it is also excellent in the mouthfeel when used. In addition, there is an advantage that it is easy to manufacture because the fluid pulp slurry does not have to be pressed during manufacturing.

[0023] Furthermore, the cutlery 1 of this embodiment is formed not of plastic but of a sheet material made of paper-made pulp fibers, so that a plastic-free society can be achieved. From the viewpoint of achieving a plastic-free society, it is preferable that the cutlery 1 of this embodiment is not laminated with plastic made of non-biodegradable resin, and it is particularly preferable that the cutlery 1 is not laminated with plastic. Furthermore, since the cutlery 1 of this embodiment is an aggregate of pulp fibers, it will not shatter in the oral cavity even if it is chewed with teeth during use, and therefore the safety during use can be ensured.

[0024] Here, the bending strength of the cutlery 1 of this embodiment is not necessarily limited because the required bending strength differs depending on the shape and the use of the cutlery, but it is desirable that the strength in a two-point bending load test measured by a composite material testing machine (10 kN) type 5966 type or an equivalent machine is 0.5 N or more at a bending deflection of 15 mm. In this two-point bending test, as shown in FIG. 7, the handle part 13 of the cutlery 1 is fixed to the support base 80A, and the center part of the head part 11 of the cutlery 1 is measured as the pushing position. For example, if the cutlery 1 is a spoon 10 as shown in FIG. 7, the bottom position of the bowl shape is the pushing position. The holding length L20 from the rear end of the cutlery to the end of the support base is not limited depending on the type and shape of the cutlery 1, but it may be 25 to 30% of the total length of the cutlery. However, it is set so that at least the position where the width of the neck part 12 is narrowest is beyond the wire end 80t of the support base 80A. The measurement is performed with a small load of 500N, a pressing speed of 40mm / min, and an indenter 81 with a semicircular tip. The measurement sample is set with the front side facing upwards in the case of the spoon 10 and the fork 20, and with the side side facing upwards in the case of the knife 30. Generally, a curry spoon or a table spoon weighs about 15 to 30g, and when operating the cutlery 1 such as the spoon 10 or the fork 20, the neck part 12 or its vicinity is supported by fingers or the like. Therefore, if the bending load at a bending deflection of 15mm is 0.5N or more by this measurement method without supporting the neck part, it can be said that the cutlery 1 has a particularly preferable strength sufficient for use with a general operation method. Furthermore, it is desirable that the cutlery of this embodiment has a bending deflection of 2N or more at a bending deflection of 30mm. Even if it has a relatively large shape like a table spoon, it has a high deflection, and the risk of breaking or breaking during use is significantly lower, making it highly safe.

[0025] On the other hand, the cutlery 1 of the present embodiment is not necessarily limited, but it is preferable that the cutlery 1 has a water resistance of 3 minutes or more, more preferably 5 minutes or more. Here, the water resistance is such that the layers do not separate or disintegrate even when completely immersed in water. However, it is particularly preferable that the strength in the above-mentioned two-point bending load test, that is, the bending load at a bending deflection of 15 mm, is maintained at 0.5 N or more even when immersed for 5 minutes.

[0026] Furthermore, the cutlery 1 according to this embodiment preferably contains a siloxane compound. It is more preferable that at least the pressed part contains a siloxane compound, and in particular, it is preferable that the entire cutlery contains a siloxane compound. When the cutlery contains a siloxane compound, the rigidity, strength, water resistance, and surface smoothness are increased by siloxane bonds. It is preferable that the siloxane compound is contained at least in a range including the head part 11, which is likely to come into contact with food and moisture in the oral cavity and is likely to come into contact with the oral cavity and lips, and the neck part 12, which is likely to be twisted or subjected to force during operation. The effect of improving the rigidity, strength, water resistance, and surface smoothness due to the inclusion of the siloxane compound is easily felt. It is preferable that the entire cutlery contains a siloxane compound.

[0027] The siloxane compound is not necessarily limited as long as it has a siloxane bond, but since the cutlery 1 may come into contact with food or be placed in the oral cavity, it is desirable that the siloxane compound is non-toxic or has low toxicity to living organisms. In addition, in order to incorporate the siloxane compound into the cutlery 1, in addition to applying the siloxane compound to the cutlery 1, a sheet material before molding may be impregnated with an appropriate alkoxysilane solution or an alkoxysilane solution processed product, and then pressed while being heated or heated. In this way, the siloxane compound is incorporated in the pulp fiber itself or coated on the pulp fiber.

[0028] Here, the cutlery 1 of this embodiment is formed by pressing a sheet material, but the pressing pressure and pressing speed can be appropriately changed according to the type and shape of the sheet material and the cutlery, and are not necessarily limited. However, in order to compact the sheet material in the thickness direction and develop sufficient strength, it is preferable to compress and form the sheet material with a pressing pressure of preferably 60 tons or more, more preferably 80 tons or more, and particularly preferably 100 tons or more. The upper limit may be designed within a range in which the sheet material does not break, but considering that the sheet material is made of pulp fibers, the upper limit is about 200 tons. In addition, when such a high pressing pressure is used for the cutlery 1 of this embodiment, it is more preferable in terms of ease of manufacture and strength to press the entire cutlery rather than press a portion of it. Therefore, the cutlery 1 of this embodiment may be formed by pressing the entire sheet material to compress it and integrating it with a sheet material that has not been pressed by partially adhering or pressing it. In addition, when performing the press working, heating may be performed during the press working, and the sheet material may be moistened to make it easier to deform. A solution containing the above-mentioned siloxane compound or a solution containing a substance that is a precursor of the siloxane compound may be used as a moistening agent. In addition, the heating temperature during heating is not necessarily limited.

[0029] The preferred basis weight of the cutlery 1 of this embodiment is 700 g / m 2 More preferably, 850 g / m 2 More preferably, 950 g / m 2 The basis weight is a value measured in accordance with "Paper and paperboard - Basis weight measurement method" described in JIS P 8124 (2011). The preferred density of the cutlery 1 of this embodiment is 0.70 g / cm 3 More preferably, 0.98 g / cm 3 More preferably, 1.1 g / cm 3 In particular, the density of the pressed part is preferably 1.0 g / cm 3 More preferably, 1.2 g / cm 3The density is calculated by (basis weight) / (paper thickness). The density of the cutlery 1 of this embodiment is sufficiently high. In particular, with the above basis weight and density, the cutlery 1 is compacted with an appropriate mass, and although thin, has an appropriate stickiness and flexibility like plastic, and is strong enough for use. The thickness is not necessarily limited, but the thickness of the pressed part is 1.5 mm or less per sheet, preferably 1.35 m or less, and particularly preferably 1.0 mm or less. The paper thickness is a value measured in accordance with "Paper and paperboard - Test method for thickness and density" described in JIS-P8118 (2014).

[0030] The pulp fibers constituting the cutlery 1 are not necessarily limited, but preferred constituting pulp fibers are softwood kraft pulps such as softwood unbleached kraft pulp (NUKP), softwood semi-bleached kraft pulp (NSBKP), softwood bleached kraft pulp (NBKP), and hardwood kraft pulps such as hardwood unbleached kraft pulp (LUKP), hardwood semi-bleached kraft pulp (LSBKP), hardwood bleached kraft pulp (LBKP). Other pulps may be used in appropriate combinations of various known pulps such as chemical pulps such as waste paper pulp, hardwood sulfite pulp, and softwood sulfite pulp, or pulps chemically or mechanically produced from non-wood fibers such as kenaf, hemp, and reed. However, since the cutlery 1 is used in applications where it comes into contact with food or is placed in the mouth, it is preferable that it is made of 100% virgin pulp and does not contain waste paper pulp. In addition, since it is virgin pulp and it is easy to balance the appearance and strength of the product after processing, it is preferable that the content of softwood kraft pulp and hardwood kraft pulp is 90 to 100 mass %. In this case, the blending ratio of softwood kraft pulp and hardwood kraft pulp is preferably 5:95 to 30:70. By increasing the blending ratio of hardwood kraft pulp with short fiber length, it is easy to compact by pressing, easy to develop strength, and easy to improve the texture of the surface. Furthermore, it is particularly preferable to use bleached softwood kraft pulp and bleached hardwood kraft pulp, since it is bleached pulp and has high whiteness, and the cutlery 1 has a design with a clean and hard feel.

[0031] The sheet material made from pulp fibers according to the present embodiment may be a dry-processed paper or a wet-processed paper. Preferably, the paper is made from a pulp slurry by wet-processing, and has a longitudinal direction (MD) and a transverse direction (CD). Such paper has fiber orientation, and therefore strength is easily increased. In particular, in the cutlery 1 made by pressing a sheet material having such fiber orientation, it is preferable that the longitudinal direction from the head portion 11 side to the handle portion 13 side coincides with the longitudinal direction (MD) of the paper, although this is not necessarily limited thereto. By aligning the longitudinal direction (MD) of the paper with the longitudinal direction, the cutlery 1 becomes difficult to break and easy to bend when the head portion 11 is operated by the handle portion 13.

[0032] As the sheet material according to this embodiment, a multi-layered paper 50 having three or more paper layers is particularly preferred. In the cutlery 1 according to this embodiment, it is particularly preferred that the sheet material is the multi-layered paper 50 and contains a siloxane compound. Here, as shown in FIG. 2, the multi-layered paper 50 is made of a plurality of paper layers 51 and 52 laminated together, so that it is easier to increase the strength when compacted in the thickness direction than a single layer of paper. In addition, the characteristics of each layer of the multi-layered paper 50 can be changed, and it is easy to ensure elasticity while being highly dense, and it is easy to impart water resistance. For example, by combining a pair of surface layers 51, which are excellent in water resistance but hard but tend to break, with a flexible middle layer 52, it becomes excellent in water resistance, toughness, and durability. And, in the disposable cutlery 1 according to this embodiment, the sheet material is compressed and molded by pressing in the thickness direction, that is, from the layer stacking direction of the multi-layered paper 50, so that the characteristics of each layer in the multi-layered paper 50 are easily maintained. Therefore, even if the paper has a similar shape to the plastic disposable cutlery 1, for example, a thin and long shape in which the head 11 and the handle 13 are connected via a narrow neck 12, such as the spoon shown in FIG. 3 or the fork shown in FIG. 4, it is easy to exhibit sufficient strength. In particular, the neck 12 is easy to flex, and it is easy to achieve a similar feel when used to the plastic disposable cutlery 1. The multi-layer paper 50 can be manufactured by multi-layer papermaking. The multi-layer paper 50 may be a commercially available product, such as Elipla Paper manufactured by Dainichi Paper Co., Ltd.

[0033] The multilayer paper 50, which is a preferred sheet material according to this embodiment, desirably has a tensile strength of at least 50 kN / m in both the longitudinal and transverse directions measured in accordance with JIS P 8113 (2006). If the multilayer paper has this tensile strength, it is easy to ensure sufficient strength in the non-press processed areas and after shaping by press processing.

[0034] Furthermore, the multilayer paper 50, which is a preferred sheet material according to this embodiment, has a Taber stiffness measured in accordance with JIS P 8125 (2000) of 125 mN·m or more, preferably 150 mN·m or more, in the longitudinal direction, and 40 mN·m or more, preferably 60 mN·m or more, in the transverse direction. This multilayer paper 50 has sufficient stiffness and strength, and it is easy to ensure sufficient strength in the non-press processed parts and after shaping by press processing.

[0035] Furthermore, the multi-layer paper 50 has a Z-axis strength of 400 kN / m as measured in accordance with JAPAN TAPPI Paper and Pulp Testing Method No. 18-1:2000. 2 More than 450kN / m 2 It is desirable that the above conditions be satisfied. It has excellent moldability by press working, and is easy to manufacture by punching such as Thomson processing before or after press working, or by cutting with a cutting plotter or the like.

[0036] The number of layers of the multilayer paper 50, which is a preferred sheet material according to this embodiment, is not limited, but is preferably five to nine layers, and the number of middle layers 52 is preferably three or more, especially five. In particular, the form shown in FIG. 2 has three middle layers 52. It is said that when the total number of middle layers 52 is three or more, the multilayer paper 50 is more likely to exhibit its toughness and durability. From the viewpoint of maintaining interlayer strength, the upper limit of the total number of middle layers 52 is preferably seven or less. Furthermore, three to seven layers make it easier to operate while maintaining interlayer strength when using a cylinder net multi-cylinder combined papermaking machine.

[0037] Here, the basis weight of the multilayer paper 50, which is a preferred sheet material according to this embodiment, is preferably 700 g / m, similar to the cutlery 1 after molding. 2 More preferably, 850 g / m 2 More preferably, 950 g / m 2That is all. Multilayer paper 50 with this basis weight can be easily compacted in the thickness direction to provide sufficient rigidity and strength, and can be used with a similar feel to disposable plastic cutlery. There is no upper limit to the basis weight of multilayer paper 50, but there is a risk that creases may easily occur due to the calendar rolls during papermaking, and from this point of view, the upper limit is set to 1,400 g / m 2 is preferred, and 1240 g / m 2 is more preferable. The thickness of the multilayer paper is preferably 900 μm or more and 1,500 μm or less, more preferably 1000 μm or more and 1,350 μm or less. If the multilayer paper 50 having this thickness is pressed to have a thickness of 1.5 mm or less, preferably 1.35 mm or less, and particularly preferably 1.0 mm or less, it is easy to obtain the strength required for the cutlery 1 of this embodiment. The basis weight is a value measured in accordance with "Paper and paperboard - Basis weight measurement method" described in JIS P 8124 (2011), and the thickness is a value measured in accordance with "Paper and paperboard - Thickness and density test method" described in JIS-P8118 (2014).

[0038] The basis weights of the surface layer 51 and the middle layer 52 in the multilayer paper 50, which is a preferred sheet material according to this embodiment, can be adjusted within the range of the basis weight of the entire sheet material described above, and are not particularly limited. Preferably, the basis weight of the surface layer 51 is 60.0 g / m per layer. 2 More than 250.0g / m 2 Below 130~150g / m 2 The basis weight of the entire intermediate layer 52 is preferably 500 g / m 2 More than 900g / m 2 Below, especially 650g / m 2 More than 800g / m 2or less is preferable. Furthermore, the multi-layer paper 50 is preferably one in which the ratio of the total basis weight of the pair of surface layers 51, 51 to the basis weight of the entire multi-layer paper 50 is 20.0% or more and 35.0% or less. This is because the pair of surface layers 51 have high rigidity and the middle layer 52 has excellent flexibility. Furthermore, in the multi-layer paper 50, a multi-layer paper 50 in which the ratio of the total basis weight of the pair of surface layers 51 is in the above range has a characteristic of being difficult to bend. A preferred multi-layer paper 50 has a density of preferably 0.65 to 1.50 g / cm before compression molding by press working. 3 , more preferably 0.73 to 1.00 g / cm 3 , particularly preferably 0.76 to 0.96 g / cm 3 By having the density of the multilayer paper 50 fall within this range, the paper has a high basis weight and excellent rigidity, is less likely to break, and is more likely to have hardness and stiffness when molded by press processing.

[0039] In addition, the preferred pulp fibers constituting each layer of the multilayer paper 50 are the same as the pulp fibers constituting the cutlery 1 described above, and are not necessarily limited thereto, but are preferably softwood kraft pulps such as softwood unbleached kraft pulp (NUKP), softwood semi-bleached kraft pulp (NSBKP), and softwood bleached kraft pulp (NBKP), and hardwood kraft pulps such as hardwood unbleached kraft pulp (LUKP), hardwood semi-bleached kraft pulp (LSBKP), and hardwood bleached kraft pulp (LBKP). As other pulps, various known pulps such as chemical pulps such as waste paper pulp, hardwood sulfite pulp, and softwood sulfite pulp, or pulps chemically or mechanically produced from non-wood fibers such as kenaf, hemp, and reed may be used in appropriate combination. However, since cutlery is used in applications where it comes into contact with food or is placed in the mouth, it is preferable that it is made of 100% virgin pulp and does not contain waste paper pulp. In addition, since it is virgin pulp and it is easy to balance the appearance and strength of the product after processing, it is preferable that the content of softwood kraft pulp and hardwood kraft pulp is 90 to 100 mass %. In this case, the blending ratio of softwood kraft pulp and hardwood kraft pulp is preferably 5:95 to 30:70. By increasing the blending ratio of hardwood kraft pulp with short fiber length, it is easy to compact by pressing, easy to develop strength, and easy to improve the texture of the surface. Furthermore, it is particularly preferable to use bleached softwood kraft pulp and bleached hardwood kraft pulp, since it is bleached pulp and has high whiteness, and the cutlery 1 has a design with a clean and hard feel.

[0040] From the perspective of eliminating plastics, the multilayer paper 50, which is a preferred sheet material according to this embodiment, is desirably made of only natural fibers, and does not contain synthetic fibers including plastics. Preferably, it is made of only pulp fibers.

[0041] Regarding the blend of pulp fibers in each layer of this multilayer paper 50, the surface layer 51 preferably has a mass ratio (%) of softwood kraft pulp to the hardwood kraft pulp of 0 / 100 or more and 15 / 85 or less. The surface layer contains a large amount of hardwood kraft pulp, which is rigid and easily densified, and the surface layer has high density and rigid characteristics, resulting in cutlery 1 with excellent strength. Along with the surface layer 51 having this blend, the middle layer 52 preferably has a mass ratio (%) of softwood kraft pulp to the hardwood kraft pulp of 15 / 85 or more and 35 / 65 or less. If the middle layer 52 contains a large amount of softwood kraft pulp, which is more flexible than the surface layer, it is easier to compress and mold firmly in the thickness direction during press processing, making it easier to form cutlery 1 into the desired shape.

[0042] Moreover, it is preferable that at least one of a sizing agent and a paper strength agent is added to the multi-layer paper 50, which is a preferred sheet material according to this embodiment, as a papermaking additive. This makes it easy to adjust the strength to the desired level. The multi-layer paper 50 can contain various other additives within a range that does not impair the intended effect of the present invention. For example, polyvinyl alcohol, wax, etc. can be applied.

[0043] Examples of sizing agents include styrene-based sizing agents, alkyl ketene dimers (AKD), alkenyl succinic anhydride (ASA), neutral rosin sizing agents, rosin sizing agents, modified rosin emulsion sizing agents, etc. Among these, rosin sizing agents and modified rosin emulsion sizing agents are preferred. The rosin sizing agent is not particularly limited. Examples of rosin-based substances include reinforced rosins obtained by modifying rosins such as gum rosin, wood rosin, and tall oil rosin with α,β-unsaturated carboxylic acids or their anhydrides such as fumaric acid, maleic acid, and acrylic acid, and rosin esters obtained by reacting rosins with polyhydric alcohols such as glycerin, trimethylolethane, trimethylolpropane, pentaerythritol, and diglycerin. In addition, the rosin sizing agents include those obtained by emulsifying these alone or a mixture thereof, and those obtained by emulsifying these alone and then mixing them. In addition, those obtained by adding various polymers to the emulsions in order to further improve the size expression are also included.

[0044] As the paper strength enhancer, various known ones such as polyacrylamide resin, polyamide resin, polyamine resin, acrylic resin, melamine resin, urea resin, polyamide epichlorohydrin resin, etc. can be used. Among these, it is preferable to use an amphoteric paper strength enhancer. Examples of amphoteric polyacrylamides include copolymers of acrylamide with anionic monomers and cationic monomers, Mannich modified copolymers of acrylamide with anionic monomers, and Hoffman decomposition products. In particular, amphoteric polyacrylamides have a self-fixing function, so that even if they are added in an increased amount to improve the inter-paper strength, they do not become excessively cationic, and can be stably fixed by including them together with a modified rosin emulsion sizing agent.

[0045] The amount of sizing agent added is preferably 0.5 kg / t or more and 5.0 kg / t or less in terms of solids. The amount of paper strength agent added is preferably 12 kg / t or more and 30 kg / t or less in terms of solids. Note that "kg / t" indicates the mass (kg) per ton of pulp. If the amount of sizing agent added is within this range, water resistance can be sufficiently improved, resulting in a multi-layer paper that is particularly suitable for cutlery use.

[0046] Moreover, it is preferable that at least one of the above-mentioned sizing agent and paper strength enhancing agent is added as a papermaking additive to each of the surface layer 51 and the middle layer 52 of the multilayer paper 50. In this case, the amount of sizing agent added to the surface layer 51 is preferably 0.5 kg / t or more and 5.0 kg / t or less in solids. The amount of sizing agent added to the middle layer 52 is preferably 2.0 kg / t or more and 5.0 kg / t or less in solids. The amount of paper strength enhancing agent added to each layer is preferably 12 kg / t or more and 30 kg / t or less in solids. Within these ranges, it is easy to achieve various paper strengths, such as interlayer strength of the multilayer paper suitable for cutlery.

[0047] Furthermore, a more preferred specific shape of the disposable cutlery 1 according to this embodiment will be further described using a spoon 10 as an example. Figure 3 shows a table spoon 10, which is a disposable cutlery according to this embodiment. In this Figure 3, (A) is a diagram showing a front view, (B) is a diagram showing a side view, and (C) is a diagram showing a cross-sectional view of the curved shape on the front side at positions (1) to (7) in (A).

[0048] The spoon 10 of this embodiment shown in the drawings is formed by pressing and compressing a sheet material from the head portion 11 to the handle portion 13. The head portion 11, which comes into contact with food, is shaped like a bowl with an open front side, like a typical metal spoon or a conventional disposable plastic spoon, so that it can scoop up food of various shapes, such as solids, powders, or liquids.

[0049] In addition, in the spoon 10 according to this embodiment, the neck portion 12 connected to the head portion 11 is formed narrow and smoothly continuous with the head portion 11 in a curved line in front view, and the handle portion 13 connected to the neck portion 12 is equal in width to the neck portion 12 or wider than the neck portion 12. Furthermore, the edges from the head portion 11 to the handle portion 13 are curved in front view and side view, and the front and back are formed of curved surfaces, so that the spoon 10 according to this embodiment has a shape similar to that of high-quality cutlery made of metal or the like that is not disposable and has a streamlined shape, and has excellent design. However, the spoon 10 according to this embodiment is not limited to this shape.

[0050] On the other hand, in the spoon 10 according to the present embodiment, the neck portion 12 connected to the head portion 11 is formed narrow and smoothly continuous from the head portion 11 in a curved line when viewed from the front, and in particular, as shown in FIG. 3, the neck portion 12 is formed into a curved cross section with an open front side, and the ratio of the radius of curvature R1 of the cross section to the width L1 is 1:0.4 to 1:0.8. Particularly preferably, it is 1:0.4 to 1:0.75. By making the ratio of the radius of curvature of the cross section to the width of the neck portion 1:0.4 to 1:0.8, it is possible to remove the spoon from the compression molded mold while increasing the strength. In general metal molding, if the ratio of the radius of curvature of the cross section to the width is less than 1:0.5, the spoon cannot be removed from the mold, but in the cutlery of the present embodiment, the sheet material is a sheet material made by papermaking rup fiber, and since it bends to open the curved surface, it can be less than 1:0.5. Compared with a neck portion 12 that is not curved in cross section, the bending strength of head portion 11 is improved when pressed from the front or back side. In particular, when the ratio of the cross-sectional radius of curvature to the width is 1:0.4 to 1:0.8, the risk of the neck portion breaking during use, for example, during a typical operation of scooping food with a spoon, is significantly reduced.

[0051] The specific size of the spoon of this embodiment is not limited, but in the case of the table spoon 10 shown in FIG. 3, the overall length L2 is 180 to 200 mm, the length L3 of the head portion 11 is 45.0 to 60.0 mm, the maximum width L4 of the head portion 11 is 35.0 to 45.0 mm,

[0052] The length L5 of neck portion 12 can be 40.0 to 50.0 mm, and the minimum width L6 of neck portion 12 can be 8.5 to 22.0 mm. With this shape, it is possible to provide a feeling of use similar to that of a commonly available disposable plastic table spoon 10.

[0053] In the illustrated embodiment, the shape and size of the table spoon 10 have been described as an example, but when the cutlery of this embodiment is a spoon, it is not limited to this and can be of any appropriate size as long as it does not impede the effects of the present invention, and can be of any size and shape suitable for use as a service spoon, dessert spoon, soup spoon, fish spoon, teaspoon, coffee spoon, demitasse spoon, ice cream spoon, etc. Also, it may be a spoon with a bifurcated or trifurcated tip, such as a melon spoon or strawberry spoon.

[0054] Furthermore, a more preferred specific shape of the disposable cutlery 1 according to this embodiment will be further described using the fork 20 as an example. Fig. 4 shows a table fork 20, which is the disposable cutlery 1 according to this embodiment. In Fig. 3, (A) is a diagram showing a front view, (B) is a diagram showing a side view, and (C) is a diagram showing a cross-sectional view of the curved shape on the front side at positions (1) to (7) in (A).

[0055] The fork 20 of this illustrated embodiment is formed by pressing and compressing a sheet material from the head 11 to the handle 13, similar to the spoon 10. The head 11, which comes into contact with food, is shallow and bowl-shaped with an open front side so that it can scoop up food of various shapes, such as solids, powders, or liquids, and has a four-pronged comb-shaped tip so that it can pierce and hold food.

[0056] In addition, in the fork 20 according to this embodiment, the neck 12 connected to the head 11 is formed narrow and smoothly continuous with the head 11 in a curved line in front view, and the handle 13 connected to the neck 12 is equal in width to the neck 12 or wider than the neck 12. Furthermore, the edges from the head 11 to the handle 13 are curved in front view and side view, and the surfaces are curved, so that the fork 20 has a shape similar to that of high-quality non-disposable cutlery made of metal, etc., and has excellent design. However, the fork 20 according to this embodiment is not limited to this shape.

[0057] On the other hand, in the fork 20 according to this embodiment, similar to the spoon 10, the neck 12 connected to the head 11 is formed narrow and smoothly continuous with a curve from the head 11 in front view, and as shown in FIG. 4, the neck 12 is formed to have a curved cross section with an open front side, and the ratio of the radius of curvature R2 of the cross section to the width L7 is 1:0.4 to 1:0.8. It is particularly preferably 1:0.4 to 1:0.75. When the neck 12 is formed to have a curved cross section, the bending strength is improved when the head 11 is pressed from the front or back side, compared to when it is not formed. In particular, by making the ratio of the radius of curvature of the cross section to the width 1:0.4 to 1:0.8, the risk of the neck 12 breaking during use, for example, during a general operation of stabbing food with a fork, is significantly reduced.

[0058] Although the specific size of the fork 20 of this embodiment is not limited, in the case of the table fork 20 shown in Fig. 4 in particular, the overall length L8 can be 180 to 200 mm, the length L9 of the head portion 11 can be 45.0 to 60.0 mm, the maximum width L10 of the head portion 11 can be 35.0 to 45.0 mm, the length L11 of the neck portion can be 40.0 to 50.0 mm, and the minimum width L12 of the neck portion can be 8.5 to 22.0 mm. With this shape, it is possible to provide a feeling of use similar to that of a disposable table fork 20 made of plastic that is generally available.

[0059] In the illustrated embodiment, the shape and size have been described using a table fork as an example, but when the cutlery of this embodiment is a fork, it is not limited to this and can be of any appropriate size as long as it does not interfere with the effects of the present invention. For example, the cutlery can be of a size and shape suitable for use as a service fork, dessert fork, fish fork, salad fork, fruit fork, cake fork, or small fork.

[0060] Furthermore, a more preferred specific shape of the disposable cutlery 1 according to this embodiment will be further described using the knife 30 as an example. Fig. 5 shows a table knife 30, which is the disposable cutlery 1 according to this embodiment. In Fig. 5, (A) is a diagram showing a rear view, (B) is a diagram showing a side view, and (C) is a diagram showing a cross-sectional view at positions (1) to (7) in (A).

[0061] The knife 30 of the illustrated embodiment has a blade portion 11B in which one edge of the head portion 11 is tapered toward the one edge by pressing. In addition, in the knife 30 according to this embodiment, one edge constituting the blade portion 11B is formed in a curved shape that bulges out slightly in side view, and the neck portion 12 connected thereto is smoothly and continuously curved in side view and continues to the handle portion 13, so that the edge on the blade portion 11B side has a shape similar to that of high-quality cutlery made of metal that is not disposable and has a streamlined shape as a whole, and is excellent in design. However, the knife 30 according to this embodiment is not limited to this shape.

[0062] Moreover, the knife 30 of this embodiment is characterized in that the head portion 11, the neck portion 12, and the handle portion 13 are formed by stacking two sheets 30A, 30B. In particular, the sheet material is not pressed except for the one edge portion that is pressed, and the thickness is increased compared to the blade portion 11B. The thickness of the non-pressed portion is not necessarily limited, but is 1800 μm or more and 3000 μm or less. The number of laminated sheets is not necessarily limited, but is preferably 2 to 3 sheets. By forming the blade portion 11B, which is made thinner toward one edge by pressing, at one edge of the head portion 11, and further stacking the sheet material in the other portion, the risk of the knife breaking during use, for example, during a general operation of cutting food with the knife, is significantly reduced. Although not shown, the edge of the blade portion 11B may be formed into a sawtooth shape. This makes it easier to cut fibrous materials such as meat.

[0063] Although there are no specific limitations on the size of the knife of this embodiment, in particular the table knife 30 shown in Fig. 4, the overall length L13 can be 180 to 200 mm, the length L14 of the head portion 11 can be 90.0 to 110.0 mm, the maximum width L15 of the head portion 11 can be 12.0 to 20.0 mm, the length L16 of the handle portion can be 90.0 to 100.0 mm, and the width L17 of the handle portion can be 15.0 to 25.0 mm. With this shape, the knife can have a similar feel to a commonly available disposable plastic table knife.

[0064] In the illustrated embodiment, the shape and size of a table knife have been described as an example, but when the cutlery of this embodiment is a fork, it is not limited to this and can be of any appropriate size as long as it does not interfere with the effects of the present invention. For example, the size and shape can be suitable for use as a dessert knife, fish knife, fruit knife, or butter knife.

[0065] Here, in the cutlery of this embodiment, there may be a portion in which non-pressed portions of the sheet material are laminated together and integrated, as in the knife 30 shown in FIG. 4. Furthermore, there may be a portion in which a pressed portion of the sheet material and a non-pressed portion of the sheet material are laminated together and integrated. The method of joining the sheet materials together is not necessarily limited. As long as the effect of the present invention is not hindered, they can be joined by joining means such as adhesives, pressure bonding means, rivet means, eyelet means, wedge means, staple means, and joining by a locking structure also called a coreless staple. In addition, the joining means may be a combination of multiple types of joining means. As the adhesive for joining, starch, various modified starches, modified cellulose such as carboxymethyl cellulose, water-soluble polymer adhesives such as polyvinyl alcohol, acrylic esters, water-based emulsion resins such as vinyl acetate, etc. may be used. Starch and cellulose-based natural materials are preferable in terms of environmental load. Rivets and staple needles constituting the rivets and eyelets for joining are preferably made of wood or metal other than plastic, and are preferably made of materials other than plastic.

[0066] A preferred joining means is an engagement structure in which cut pieces 70, 70 are formed by punching out a part of the front and back surfaces, and the tip portions 70t, 70t are pushed into at least the adjacent layers to mechanically join the layers together, as shown in FIG. 5(A) and FIG. 5(B) showing the cross section BB of the cut pieces 70, 70. In this engagement structure, a half-cut line may be formed at the same position as the edge 70e of the cut piece 70 in at least the adjacent layer in a plan view so that the tip portion 70t can be easily inserted. Specifically, this engagement structure can be formed at a plurality of appropriate locations to integrate the sheet materials together, as in the engagement portion 40 of the knife 30 shown in FIG. 4. Since the sheet material of the cutlery 1 of this embodiment is a stiff paper material, the layers can be joined together by joining using such an engagement structure. This engagement structure is desirable in that it does not require the use of other parts. However, as described above, a mechanical engagement structure including this engagement structure may be used in combination with an adhesive. Even in this case, there is an advantage in that the amount of adhesive used can be reduced. EXAMPLES

[0067] Next, spoons (Examples 1 to 7) were produced as cutlery according to the present invention, and their bending strength was measured. All of Examples 1 to 7 had the shape shown in FIG. 3. The overall length was 190 mm. The sheet material was a multi-layer paper whose fiber raw material was 100% pulp fiber (Eripura Paper, manufactured by Dainichi Paper Co., Ltd., basis weight 1000 g / m2). 2 ) was used. The press processing was performed on the whole, and Example 1 was processed with a press pressure of 60 tons, Example 2 was processed with a press pressure of 80 tons, and Example 3 was processed with a press pressure of 110 tons, so that the processing pressures were different. Moreover, Examples 4 and 5 were processed with a press pressure of 110 tons and contained a siloxane compound. In Examples 4 and 5, the content of the siloxane compound in Example 4 was doubled. In Examples 6 and 7, the press pressure was 60 tons and contained a siloxane compound. In Examples 6 and 7, the content of the siloxane compound in Example 6 was doubled.

[0068] The test method was a two-point bending load test using a composite material testing machine (10 kN) Model 5966, and the sample was fixed so that the tip position 80t of the support stand 80A was 70 mm from the rear end of the cutlery, as shown in Figure 7. The narrowest part of the neck portion 12 was located forward of the tip position 80t. The pressing position was the bottom position of the bowl shape. The measurement was performed with a small load of 500 N, a pressing speed of 40 mm / min, and a radius R1 of the indenter 81 of 5 mm.

[0069] The measurement results of each example are shown in Figures 8 and 9. As shown in Figure 8, although the press processing pressure is different in Examples 1 to 3, the bending load is 0.5 N or more when the bending deflection is 15 mm, and further, it is 2 N or more when the bending deflection is 30 mm, which shows that the strength is sufficient for cutlery. In addition, as shown in Figure 9, it was confirmed that the strength is further increased by including a siloxane compound.

[0070] Next, a spoon (Example 8) and a fork (Example 9) which are cutlery according to the present invention, and a sheet material in the shape of the cutlery before pressing (Comparative Examples 1 and 2) were prepared, and a sensory test was conducted in which subjects actually used them. The spoon according to Example 8 was the same as that of Example 3, and the fork according to Example 9 had the shape shown in FIG. 4, and the sheet material was made of multi-layer paper whose fiber raw material was 100% pulp fiber (Eripura Paper manufactured by Dainichi Paper Co., Ltd., basis weight 1000 g / m 2 The shapes of Comparative Examples 1 and 2 were the same as those of Examples 8 and 9 before pressing, and the sheet material was a multi-layer paper (Eripura Paper, manufactured by Dainichi Paper Co., Ltd., basis weight 1000 g / m) whose fiber raw material was 100% pulp fiber. 2 ) was used.

[0071] In the sensory test, the participants freely tried the curry roux, rice, and fried chicken from the take-out "Crispy Chicken Curry" sold by curry specialty store "Curry House CoCo Ichibanya" (operated by Ichibanya Co., Ltd.) using the spoons and forks of Examples 8 and 9 and the spoons and forks of Comparative Examples 1 and 2, and evaluated the usability. The evaluation criteria were based on a free evaluation criteria, particularly on strength, mouthfeel, and operability, with easy to use being rated as ◯ and difficult to use being rated as ×. The number of subjects was N=5. As a result of the test, all five subjects rated Examples 8 and 9 as easy to use ◯ and Comparative Examples 1 and 2 as difficult to use ×. From this result, it can be said that the cutlery according to the present invention can be used sufficiently.

[0072] As described above, according to the present invention, cutlery is provided which uses natural pulp fiber as the main raw material, yet achieves the same design and feel as conventional plastic disposable cutlery; further, it can be manufactured from sheet material, making it easy to manufacture, and also has sufficient water resistance. [Explanation of symbols]

[0073] 1...cutlery, 10...spoon, 20...fork, 30...knife, 30A, 30B...sheet material, 11...head portion, 12...neck portion, 13...handle portion, 50...multi-layer paper, 51...surface layer, 52...middle layer.

Claims

1. Cutlery, The food container has a head portion that comes into contact with food, a neck portion that is connected to the head portion, and a handle portion that is connected to the neck portion and is used for holding the food, The sheet material is made of pulp fiber, and the entire sheet material is press-processed and compression-molded. The sheet material is a multi-layer paper having three or more paper layers, The cutlery is water-resistant so that the layers do not separate and do not disintegrate when completely immersed in water for more than 3 minutes. Cutlery characterized by:

2. Cutlery according to claim 1, containing a siloxane compound.

3. Cutlery according to claim 1, having a density of 0.70 g / cm 3 or more.

4. Cutlery according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the basis weight of the multilayer paper is 700 g / m 2 or more.

5. The cutlery according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the density of the multilayer paper is 0.65 to 1.50 g / cm 3 .

6. Cutlery according to claim 1 or 2, having a Taber stiffness measured in accordance with JIS P 8125 (2000) of 125 mN·m or more in the longitudinal direction and 40 mN·m or more in the transverse direction.

Images