Vapor vent packaging container and food package

Abstract

To provide a vapor vent packaging container that can be made inexpensive by using a fastener whose mating force is not so large, even if the set internal pressure of a storage body when the steam is released from a ventilation part is large.SOLUTION: The deformation (displacement) of a storage body 1 is set to be large in the vicinity of a ventilation part 2 so that the ventilation part 2 is reliably opened at a predetermined pressure, and because of this, a large opening force is exerted on a fastener 4 near the ventilation part 2; however, by making the end of the fastener 4 on the side with the ventilation part 2 farther from the bottom of the storage body 1 than the end on the opposite side, the opening force of the fastener 4 acting near the ventilation part 2 can be reduced.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a steam release packaging container and a food package, in particular a bag-shaped container that is sealed on at least three sides, the top, bottom, and sides, and has a zipper on the top that allows the container to be opened and resealed. [Background technology]

[0002] An example of such a steam release packaging container is described in Patent Document 1 below. This steam release packaging container is made of a bag-shaped container made of a resin sheet, the extension direction of the fastener is set parallel to the bottom of the container, and a vapor passage part for releasing vapor inside the container is provided on the bottom side of the container relative to the fastener and is closed by a side seal part on one side of the container. In addition, the upper peripheral edge part of the container above the fastener is a sealable part that can be sealed, and a cutting guide for guiding the cutting of this sealable part extends upward from one side of the container through a hollow part of the vapor passage part, crosses the fastener, and then extends between the sealable part and the fastener to the other side of the container.

[0003] In this steam release packaging container, for example, the fastener is closed with processed or cooked food ingredients or seasonings filled inside the container, and the upper sealable part is sealed to close the upper end of the container. From this state, when the sealed part (=sealable part) that has been sealed is cut along the cut-off guide, the closed part of the steam passage part is also cut off together, and the steam passage part opens to the outside. Then, the fastener is opened once, new or additional food ingredients are put into the container, and the fastener is resealed. After that, the steam release packaging container is placed in a microwave oven in a self-supporting state, and the microwave oven is operated to heat the food inside. Steam generated inside the container is discharged to the outside of the container through the steam passage part, and for example, the food is heated (cooked) inside the container. In addition, in this steam release packaging container, when a part is cut off by the cut-off guide, the outer end of the steam passage part is blocked by the easy peel part, and when the pressure inside the container increases, the easy peel part peels off, the steam passage part communicates with the outside, and the steam inside the container is discharged. A structure is also disclosed. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP 2013-67393 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] Meanwhile, a steam release packaging container has been developed in which a steam passage part is provided on the side part (or in the vicinity thereof) of a similarly shaped container, which opens when the pressure inside the container reaches a predetermined pressure or higher to release steam inside the container. In this steam release packaging container, the set internal pressure of the container at which the steam passage part opens is high, so a fastener with a large fitting force must be used. However, fasteners with a large fitting force are expensive, which is reflected in the price of the steam release packaging container.

[0006] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above problems, and its object is to provide a steam release packaging container which can be made inexpensive by using a fastener having a not very large fitting force even if the set internal pressure of the container is high when steam escapes through the vapor passage part. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, a steam release packaging container according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises a bag-shaped resin sheet container which is sealed on at least three sides, i.e., the top, bottom and sides, leaving a portion of the periphery, and the unsealed portion of the periphery of the bag-shaped container is a sealable portion which can be sealed, and a fastener which can open and reseal one side which forms the top of the container is provided on the bottom side of the sealed portion and / or sealable portion of the top of the container, and the container is provided with a steam passage part on the bottom side of the fastener and on either one of the sides or in the vicinity thereof, which allows steam to be released from inside the container when the pressure inside the container is equal to or higher than a predetermined pressure, and the fastener is provided so that the end of the side on which the steam passage part is provided is farther from the bottom of the container than the end of the opposite side.

[0008] In addition, a food packaging body according to one aspect of the present invention is characterized in that, with food contained in the container of the steam release packaging container, a sealing process is applied to the sealable portion to hermetically seal the container. Effect of the Invention

[0009] According to the steam release packaging container of the present invention, the opening force of the fastener acting near the steam passage part can be reduced, so that even if the set internal pressure of the container when steam escapes from the steam passage part is large, a fastener with a not very large fitting force can be used, making it possible to reduce costs. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] 1 is a front view showing an embodiment of a steam release packaging container of the present invention in an unused state. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the steam release packaging container of FIG. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the steam release packaging container of FIG. 1 in use. [Figure 4] 2 is a time chart showing the change over time in the internal pressure of the container in the steam release packaging container of FIG. 1. [Diagram 5] 4 is a time chart showing the change over time in the internal pressure of the container in the first comparative example of the steam release packaging container. [Figure 6] 11 is a time chart showing the change over time in the internal pressure of the container in the second comparative example of the steam release packaging container. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0011] Hereinafter, the embodiment of the steam release packaging container of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. The embodiment shown below is an example of an apparatus and method for embodying the technical idea of ​​the present invention, and the technical idea of ​​the present invention does not specify the material, shape, structure, arrangement, etc. of the components to the embodiment described below. In addition, the drawings are schematic. Therefore, it should be noted that the relationship and ratio between the thickness and the planar dimensions are different from the actual ones, and the drawings include parts where the relationship and ratio of the dimensions are different from each other.

[0012] Fig. 1 is a front view showing one embodiment of a steam release packaging container, and Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the steam release packaging container of Fig. 1. This steam release packaging container is configured as a bag-shaped container 1 by sealing (thermally welding) a plurality of sheets made of a laminate of resin films. Each sheet has a base layer 21 for obtaining various properties such as strength, flexibility, and impact resistance as the container 1, and a sealant layer 22 for sealing the sheets together, and an intermediate layer 23 or the like may be provided between the two as necessary.

[0013] Various materials can be used for the base layer 21, but films such as polyethylene terephthalate, biaxially oriented polypropylene, and biaxially oriented nylon are suitable as examples. Films such as low-density polyethylene, linear low-density polyethylene, high-density polyethylene, and non-oriented polypropylene that have heat sealability can be used for the sealant layer 22, but linear low-density polyethylene films are preferred from the viewpoints of sealability and flexibility. Films other than these can also be used for the sealant layer 22.

[0014] For the intermediate layer 23, a film having a function not present in the base layer 21 can be used, and for the barrier function, an aluminum-deposited plastic film, a transparent vapor-deposited plastic film, an aluminum foil, or the like can be used. Examples of materials for the plastic film include polyesters such as polyethylene terephthalate, polyolefins such as polypropylene, and polyamides such as nylon, and a biaxially oriented nylon film is preferable for obtaining strength such as impact resistance and pinhole resistance. For obtaining a barrier function, pinhole resistance, and impact resistance at the same time, an aluminum-deposited biaxially oriented nylon film can be used. Films other than these can also be used for the intermediate layer 23.

[0015] A printed layer can be provided between the base layer 21 and the intermediate layer 23. The printed layer can be used to provide a pattern or a product description for the purpose of improving the sales promotion effect of the product, and can also provide light-blocking properties to the container 1. If the container 1 is provided with light-blocking properties, it can be distributed as is, for example, without being contained in an outer box. The layers are then laminated by being bonded to each other with an appropriate adhesive having a predetermined adhesive strength.

[0016] This bag-like container 1 is composed of two outer sheets (front and back sheets) 11 and a bottom sheet 12, each having a base layer 21, a sealant layer 22, an intermediate layer 23, etc. In this container 1, the bottom sheet 12 is folded 180° so that the sealant layer 22 is on the outside, and is sandwiched between the lower (end) parts of the sealant layers 22 of the two outer sheets 11 with the fold lines 24 facing upward, and both side seal parts 25 on both sides in the bag width direction of these sheets and a bottom seal part 26 at the bottom of the bag are sealed to form the lower (end) parts of the sides and the bottom of the container 1. In addition, the top seal part 27 at the upper end part of the outer sheets 11, which are overlapped, is sealed to close the upper edge part of the container 1.

[0017] In addition, the right side of the outer sheet 11 in the overlapping state in FIG. 1 has a side seal portion 25 that is wide at the top (end) and narrower at the bottom, except for the vertical center, and is sealed and closed, and the vertical center is provided with a steam passage portion 2 that releases internal steam when the pressure inside the container 1 is equal to or higher than a predetermined pressure. This steam passage portion 2 is formed by sealing the upper and lower sides of a (regular) triangle that protrudes toward the inside of the container 1 in the width direction to a narrow width. Another example of such a steam passage portion 2 is described in, for example, JP 2018-188201 A. In addition, the vertical center of the left side of the outer sheet 1 in FIG. 1 protrudes in a square shape, and the upper and lower ends of this protruding portion and the side seal portions 25 above and below it are sealed and closed, and this protruding portion is, for example, a sealable portion 28 to the left of the two-dot chain line in the figure that can be sealed.

[0018] 1 and 2 show the unused state of the steam release packaging container of this embodiment, which is the state of the container before food is packaged, that is, the state of the container as a product. Therefore, the sealable portion 28 of the bag-shaped container 1 is open. In this embodiment, after contents such as seasoning (liquid) or processed / cooked ingredients are placed inside the container 1 through the sealable portion 28, the sealable portion 28 is sealed to seal the inside. This state is the state of the product as a food package. The use of the food package will be explained later.

[0019] In addition, in the area of ​​the bottom seal portion 26, there is provided a non-sealed portion 29 where the outer sheet 11 and the bottom sheet 12 are not intentionally sealed. This non-sealed portion 29 prevents the outer sheet 11 from being uneven due to thermal shrinkage during sealing, and has the function of improving the appearance of the container 1 and its strength when dropped. In addition, in both side seal portions 25 in the area of ​​the bottom seal portion 26, there is provided a main body seal portion 30 where the outer sheets 11 are sealed together. This main body seal portion 30 is formed by punching the corresponding portion of the bottom sheet 12 to provide a hole or a notch, so that the sealant layer 22 of the outer sheet 11 is sealed together when the side seal portion 25 is sealed. This main body seal portion 30 can prevent the left and right ends of the bottom from opening, and can improve the stability and appearance of the container when it is in a self-supporting state.

[0020] In the steam release packaging container of this embodiment, the inner surfaces (=sealant layers 22) of the outer sheets 11 are weakly sealed together at an easily peelable portion 3 at a position slightly above the sealable portion 28. This easily peelable portion 3 is configured by lightly joining so that the contents, such as seasoning liquid, do not exceed a fastener 4 described later, and as described later, when the sealed portion at the upper end of the container 1, i.e., the top seal portion 27, is cut off with the cutting guide 5 and the outer sheets 11 are opened so as to move away from each other, the outer sheets 11 are relatively easily peeled off and opened from each other. In this embodiment, the extension direction of the easily peelable portion 3 is set parallel to the extension direction of the fastener 4 described later.

[0021] Between the easily peelable portion 3 and the top seal portion 27, a fastener 4 is provided that can open and reseal one side of the upper portion of the container 1. The structure of the fastener 4 itself is, for example, as described in the above Patent Document 1, an arrowhead-shaped cross-section member 4a integrally provided on the inner surface (= sealant layer 22) of one outer sheet 11 and a bowl-shaped cross-section member 4b integrally provided on the inner surface (= sealant layer 22) of the other outer sheet 11, which are engaged with each other. In this embodiment, the fastener 4 is used with a linear extension direction, and the fastener 4 is provided so that the end of the side portion where the vapor passage portion 2 is provided is farther from the bottom of the container 1 than the end of the opposite side, that is, so that the right end of the figure is higher than the left end. The extension direction of the fastener 4 is preferably linear, but may be, for example, arc-shaped or stepped.

[0022] As described later, the fastener 4 is provided at a distance of 40 mm or more from the steam passage portion 2. The fastener 4, whose extension direction is linear, is inclined so that the extension direction forms a predetermined angle with respect to the bottom of the container 1. In this embodiment, the top seal portion 27 is cut off by a cutting guide 5 (a two-dot chain line in FIG. 1) described later. Therefore, the right end portion of the container 1 after the top seal portion 27 is cut off is the highest in FIG. 1. The height of the steam release packaging container, which is intended to be heated in a microwave oven, is determined by the height inside the microwave oven. In other words, the container must be stored in a self-supporting state inside the microwave oven. On the other hand, in the container 1 in which the fastener 4 is provided at an angle as in this embodiment, the opposite end portion, i.e., the left end portion, can be lowered, but the left end portion of the fastener 4 shown in the figure must be higher than the easily peelable portion 3. For this reason, the allowable inclination angle of the extension direction of the fastener 4 with respect to the bottom of the container 1 (= the table of the microwave oven) is in the range of 0° to 5°.

[0023] In this embodiment, the extension direction of the tear guide 5, which serves as a guide when cutting off the top seal portion 27, is set to be parallel to the extension direction of the fastener 4. The tear guide 5 extends from the side seal portion 25 on the right side of FIG. 1 to the side seal portion 25 on the left side, and triangular notches 31 are formed in the side seal portions 25 corresponding to both ends of the tear guide 5. This tear line is formed, for example, by forming a linear weakened portion in the outer sheet 11. Therefore, when the top seal portion 27 above either the left or right notch 31 is pinched with the fingers and pulled up, the tear guide 5 cuts the outer sheet 11 from one side to the other, and the top seal portion 27 can be cut off. The upper edge of the container 1 after cutting is inclined so that the right side of FIG. 1 is higher and the left side is lower (see FIG. 3).

[0024] FIG. 3 shows the state of use of the steam release packaging container in FIG. 1, specifically, the state in which the top seal portion 27 of the food packaging as a product is cut along the cut guide 5, and the fastener 4 is opened (the easily peelable portion 3 has already been peeled). As described above, in the food packaging as a product, processed and cooked ingredients and seasonings (liquids) are sealed inside the container 1, so when the container 1 is opened, these are inside as shown by the broken line in FIG. 2. The sealable portion 28 is sealed and integrated with the side seal portion 25. New or additional ingredients are placed inside the container 1, and the fastener 4 is resealed. The steam release packaging container is then placed in a self-supporting state in a microwave oven, and the microwave oven is operated (microwave up) to heat the ingredients inside. At that time, when moisture evaporates from the ingredients and seasonings, the volume increases significantly, the container 1 expands, and the internal pressure increases. When the pressure inside the container 1 reaches or exceeds a predetermined pressure, the seal of the steam passage part 2 is peeled off, opening the steam passage part 2 and allowing the steam inside to escape. By maintaining this state for a predetermined time, the food inside the container 1 is heated and cooked.

[0025] Therefore, the fastener 4 must not be opened during this time. As described above, the height of the container 1 after the top seal portion 27 is cut off is determined by the height inside the microwave oven, and therefore the height of the fastener 4 is also determined. As described above, the steam passage portion 2 must be at a height that prevents the contents from spilling out of the opening after the seal portion is peeled off and the steam passage portion 2 is opened. Generally, however, the steam passage portion 2 is set at the center of the container 1 in the height direction where the displacement is greatest when the container 1 expands due to steam generation, so that the seal portion of the steam passage portion 2 is peeled off reliably at the set internal pressure. In fact, the deformation amount, i.e., the displacement, is greater in the vicinity of the steam passage portion 2 compared to other regions. The greater the displacement in the expansion direction of the container 1, the greater the opening force for opening the fastener 4. Therefore, the closer the fastener 4 is to the steam passage portion 2, i.e., the lower the height at which the fastener 4 is disposed, the greater the opening force of the fastener 4 acting when the container 1 expands.

[0026] In order to prevent the fastener 4 from being opened by this large opening force, it is easiest to use a fastener 4 with a large fitting force. However, such a fastener 4 with a large fitting force is expensive, which is reflected in the price of the container. In order to use a fastener 4 with a not-so-large fitting force, in this embodiment, the fastener 4 is arranged so that the end of the side where the vapor passage portion 2 is provided is higher than the end on the opposite side, that is, farther from the bottom of the container 1. Specifically, in this embodiment, if the vapor passage portion 2 is separated from the fastener 4 by 40 mm or more, the fastener 4 will not be opened. At this time, since the extension direction of the fastener 4 (and the easily peelable portion 3) on the opposite side to the side where the vapor passage portion 2 is provided is set obliquely, the bulge of the food package in which ingredients or other contents are contained and sealed inside the container 1 can be reduced. If the bulge of the food package can be reduced in this way, the size of the transport box such as the outer box for storing and transporting the food package can be reduced, and the transport cost can also be reduced. For this purpose, in this embodiment, the extension direction of the easily peelable portion 3 is set parallel to the extension direction of the fastener 4. Also, in this embodiment, in order to improve the pouring of the contents from the container 1 after the top seal portion 27 is cut off, the extension direction of the tear-off guide 5 is also set parallel to the extension direction of the fastener 4. By slanting the upper edge of the container 1 during use in this way, after heating (cooking) in the microwave oven, the heat is reduced by holding the higher upper edge with the fingers, and the contents are poured from the lower part of the upper edge, making it easier to pour, and in particular, in the case of liquid contents, the last droplets poured out are easily broken off.

[0027] 4 to 6 show the change over time in the internal pressure of steam release packaging containers using fasteners 4 with different engagement strengths during heating (cooking) in a microwave oven. FIG. 4 shows the internal pressure during heating and cooking in the steam release packaging container of FIG. 1. All steam release packaging containers are the same size, and the fasteners 4 used in the steam release packaging containers of FIG. 4 and FIG. 6 are the same fasteners with a not-so-strong engagement strength, while the steam release packaging container of FIG. 5 uses a fastener 4 with a strong engagement strength. In the steam release packaging containers of FIG. 5 and FIG. 6, the left end of the fastener 4 in FIG. 1 is disposed at a constant height and parallel to the bottom of the container 1. The conditions for heating in a microwave oven were as follows: 200 mL of water and a pressure logger (recording device) were placed inside the opened steam release self-standing container, the fastener 4 was resealed, and the container was microwaved at 500 W for 10 minutes. The pressure logger was a PicoVACQ PT made by TMI-ORION.

[0028] In the steam release packaging container of FIG. 5, the pressure inside the containing body 1 rises quickly, and the high pressure can be maintained for a long time (predetermined time). In contrast, in the steam release packaging container of FIG. 6, the pressure inside the containing body 1 rises quickly, but the pressure drops immediately thereafter. This is because the fastener 4 is partially opened as the containing body 1 expands due to steam generation, causing the steam inside to leak (escape). In contrast, in the steam release packaging container of FIG. 4, i.e., FIG. 1, the internal volume is slightly larger than that of FIG. 5, so the rise in the internal pressure of the containing body 1 is slightly delayed, but after the rise, the same pressure as in FIG. 5 is maintained. In addition, the time during which the internal pressure is high is also the same as the pressure increase time in FIG. 4, and after the same time (predetermined time) has passed, the steam passage part 2 opens and the internal steam is released (the pressure is reduced). Therefore, the steam release packaging container of FIG. 4 (FIG. 1) can achieve a heat treatment (cooking) time equivalent to that of the steam release packaging container of FIG. 5 using the fastener 4 with a large fitting force. As a result, it has become possible to produce a steam release packaging container having the same heat treatment (cooking) capacity as the steam release packaging container of FIG. 5 at a low cost.

[0029] Thus, in this embodiment, the amount of deformation (displacement) of the containing body 1 is set large in the vicinity of the vapor passage portion 2 in order to reliably open the vapor passage portion 2 at a predetermined pressure, and as a result, a large opening force acts on the fastener 4 near the vapor passage portion 2, but by making the end of the fastener 4 on the side where the vapor passage portion 2 is provided farther from the bottom of the containing body 1 than the end on the opposite side, it is possible to reduce the opening force of the fastener 4 acting near the vapor passage portion 2. Therefore, even if the set internal pressure of the containing body 1 when the vapor passage portion 2 opens is large, the fastener 4 is difficult to open, and a fastener 4 with a not-so-large fitting force can be used, making it possible to reduce costs.

[0030] Furthermore, by inclining the extension direction of the fastener 4 at a predetermined angle with respect to the bottom of the container 1, there is no difficulty in opening and resealing the fastener 4, particularly in resealing. In addition, because the extension direction of the cutting guide 5 that guides the cutting of the top seal portion 27 at the upper end is parallel to the extension direction of the fastener 4, the upper edge of the container 1 after the top seal portion 27 is cut off becomes slanted, and the heat of the container 1 after heating in the microwave oven is mitigated by holding the upper end portion on the steam passage portion 2 side with the fingers. In addition, by pouring the contents from the lowest point of the upper edge of the container 1, which is cut at an angle, the contents can be easily poured out, and the last droplets are particularly well cut off.

[0031] Furthermore, by separating the fastener 4 from the steam passage portion 2 by 40 mm or more, it is possible to reliably prevent the fastener 4 from being opened during heating (cooking) in a microwave oven. Furthermore, in a food packaging body in which food is contained in the container 1 and the sealable portion 28 is sealed to hermetically seal the container, the high airtightness required during the distribution process can be maintained, making it possible to maintain the freshness of the food for a long period of time and also preventing foreign objects from being mixed into the container during the distribution process.

[0032] Although the steam release packaging container according to the embodiment has been described above, the present invention is not limited to the configuration described in the above embodiment, and various modifications are possible within the scope of the gist of the present invention. For example, in the above embodiment, only a freestanding packaging container that stands on its own inside a microwave oven has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this, as long as it is a packaging container in which it is desired to prevent the fastener 4 from being opened until steam is released from the steam passage portion 2. [Explanation of symbols]

[0033] 1. Containment Unit 2 Steaming section 3. Easy-to-peel area 4 Zipper 5 Cutting Guide 25 Side seal part (seal processing part) 26 Bottom seal part (seal processing part) 27 Top seal part (seal processing part) 28 Sealable part

Claims

1. The container is made of a resin sheet and has a bag-like shape, with at least three sides (top, bottom, and sides) sealed except for a portion of the periphery, and the portion of the periphery of the bag-like container that is not sealed is a sealable portion that can be sealed, and a fastener is provided on the bottom side of the sealed portion and / or the sealable portion of the top of the container, allowing one side of the top of the container to be opened and resealed, The container is provided with a steam passage portion on the bottom side of the fastener and on one of the sides or in the vicinity thereof, for venting steam from inside the container when the pressure inside the container is equal to or higher than a predetermined pressure; The fastener is provided so that the end portion on the side where the steam passage portion is provided is farther from the bottom of the container than the opposite end portion.

2. 2. The steam release packaging container according to claim 1, wherein the direction of extension of said fastener is inclined at a predetermined angle with respect to the bottom of said container.

3. A steam release packaging container as described in claim 2, wherein a cutting guide is provided between the upper end and the fastener to guide the cutting of the sealed portion and / or the sealable portion, and the extension direction of the cutting guide is parallel to the extension direction of the fastener.

4. 2. The steam release packaging container according to claim 1, wherein the fastener and the steam passage portion are spaced apart from each other by 40 mm or more.

5. A food package in which food is contained in the container of the steam release packaging container according to any one of claims 1 to 4 and the container is hermetically sealed by applying a sealing process to the sealable portion in a state where the container is contained in the container.

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