Container

Abstract

To provide a container that can improve usability.SOLUTION: The container includes: a container body; a lid body that can be attached to the container body so as to seal the container body and detached from the container body; a hinge portion provided on one of the container body and the lid body and having a center of rotation extending in a transverse direction that intersects the vertical direction; and a rotating portion that is provided on the same side as the hinge portion of the container body and the lid body and can be rotated around the center of rotation of the hinge portion between a first position in which the lid body is allowed to seal the container body and a second position in which a gap is formed between the lid body and the container body. When the rotating portion is rotated in one direction from the first position to the second position, the other sides of the container body and the lid body are pushed, thereby pushing up the lid body and releasing the seal between the container body and the lid body, and when the rotating portion is further rotated in one direction, it is inserted between the container body and the lid body, and when located at the second position, it is sandwiched between the container body and the lid body to maintain the gap.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a container. [Background technology]

[0002] It has been widely practiced in the home to store food in a sealed container in a refrigerator or freezer while preventing the food from drying out, deteriorating, or being contaminated. Such food storage containers are liquid-tight and airtight so that liquid inside the container does not leak out when tilted or tipped over. Generally, in this type of storage container, the fitting between the container body and the lid tends to be strong in order to maintain the liquid-tight and airtight properties, and a large force is required to open the container. As an example of this type of container, Patent Document 1 discloses a container in which a rotating handle rotatably connected to the container body is lifted upward and rotated to remove the lid from the container body.

[0003] In addition, when storing food in a microwave oven, various containers are available that can be heated in the microwave oven without transferring the food to another container. In order to prevent the air inside the container from expanding during heating, which can cause the container to deform or the lid to come off suddenly, it is necessary to open the inside of the container body to the outside by removing the steam valve or the lid (shifting the lid) in advance.

[0004] If the lid is shifted when heating, many water droplets form on the back of the lid and on the edge of the container body, but if the shift is small, these water droplets can cause the lid to slip and close during heating. In this case, in addition to the deformation caused by the air expansion, the container can also be deformed and become difficult to open due to the decrease in internal pressure caused by cooling after heating. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] JP 2018-193132 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] Conventional containers leave room for improvement in terms of ease of use.

[0007] To provide a food storage container capable of opening a lid with a light force from a state in which food is sealed and stored, and capable of maintaining a state in which the inside of the container body is open to the outside. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention is configured as follows. A container according to one aspect of the present invention comprises: A container body having an opening at an upper portion; A lid body that can be attached to the container body to seal the container body and is removable from the container body; a hinge portion provided on either the container body or the lid body, the hinge portion having a rotation center extending in a horizontal direction intersecting a vertical direction; a rotation part that is provided on the same side of the container body and the lid body as the hinge part and that is rotatable about the rotation center of the hinge part between a first position that allows the lid body to seal the container body and a second position that forms a gap between the lid body and the container body; Equipped with The rotating part is configured such that, when rotating in one direction from the first position to the second position, at least a portion of the rotating part presses the other of the container body and the lid body, thereby pushing up the lid body and releasing the seal between the container body, the lid body and the container body, and when rotating further in the one direction, the rotating part is inserted between the container body and the lid body, and when positioned at the second position, at least a portion of the rotating part is sandwiched between the container body and the lid body to maintain the gap. Effect of the Invention

[0009] According to the present invention, a food storage container can be provided that allows the lid to be opened with light force when food is sealed and the inside of the container body to be kept open to the outside. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a container according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the container shown in FIG. 1 in a sealed state. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line III-III in FIG. 2 . [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the container shown in FIG. 1 in an open state. [Diagram 5] 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line V-VI in FIG. 4. [Figure 6] 2 is a perspective view showing a state in which the container shown in FIG. 1 is in the middle of transition from a closed state to an open state. [Figure 7] FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of a container according to a modified example of the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a container according to a second embodiment of the present invention in a sealed state. [Figure 9] FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a container according to a second embodiment of the present invention in an open state. [Figure 10] FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a container in a sealed state according to a modified example of the second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a container according to a modified example of the second embodiment of the present invention in an open state. [Figure 12] FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a container according to a third embodiment of the present invention in a sealed state. [Figure 13] FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a container according to a third embodiment of the present invention in an open state. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0011] (Findings on which the present invention is based) As a result of extensive research into improving usability, the present inventors have come to the following findings.

[0012] As described above, in conventional storage containers, the fit between the container body and the lid is strong, so a large amount of force is required to open the lid, making it difficult to use for people who do not have much strength, such as the elderly and children.

[0013] Furthermore, with conventional storage containers, when putting food inside them and heating them in a microwave oven, it is necessary to first remove the steam valve or the lid (shift the lid) to open the inside of the container body to the outside, which is time-consuming and difficult to use.

[0014] When the lid is shifted, water droplets on the back surface of the lid or on the edge of the container body may cause the lid to close during heating, making it impossible to keep the inside of the container body open to the outside. As a result, the container may become deformed or the lid may become difficult to open, resulting in problems of poor usability.

[0015] In storage containers with steam valves, there is a tendency for the steam valve to be tightly fitted in order to maintain liquid-tightness and airtightness, which means that a large force is required to remove the steam valve, making it difficult to use for people who do not have much strength, such as the elderly and children.

[0016] Therefore, the present inventors have found the following configuration for a container having a rotating part that rotates between a first position that allows the lid to seal the container body and a second position that forms a gap between the lid and the container body. That is, the present inventors have found a configuration in which, when the rotating part rotates in one direction from the first position to the second position, at least a part of the rotating part presses one of the container body and the lid, pushing up the lid to release the seal between the container body and the lid, and when the rotating part rotates further in one direction, at least a part of the rotating part is inserted between the container body and the lid, and when the rotating part is in the second position, the rotating part is sandwiched between the container body and the lid to maintain this gap. According to this configuration, by rotating the rotating part in one direction, it is possible to both release the seal between the container body and the lid and maintain the gap formed between the lid and the container body at the same time. Therefore, in order to release the steam in the container to the outside, it is not necessary to shift the lid body and place it back on the container body after removing it from the container body, or to attach a wrap to the container body, which improves usability. In addition, according to this configuration, the lid body is pushed up by the rotation of the rotating part, so that the principle of leverage can be used to form a gap between the lid body and the container body. Therefore, a gap can be formed between the lid body and the container body with a light force, which improves usability of the container. That is, according to this configuration, it is possible to provide a food storage container that can open the lid body with a light force from a state in which food is sealed and store, and can maintain the inside of the container body open to the outside. Based on this new finding, the inventors have arrived at the following invention.

[0017] According to one aspect of the present invention, A container body having an opening at an upper portion; A lid body that can be attached to the container body to seal the container body and is removable from the container body; a hinge portion provided on either the container body or the lid body and extending in a horizontal direction intersecting a vertical direction; a rotation part that is rotatable about a rotation center of the hinge part between a first position that allows the lid body to seal the container body and a second position that forms a gap between the lid body and the container body; Equipped with The present invention provides a container in which the rotating part is configured such that, when rotating in one direction from the first position to the second position, at least a portion of the rotating part presses the other of the container body and the lid body, thereby pushing up the lid body and releasing the seal between the lid body and the container body, and when rotating further in the one direction, at least a portion of the rotating part is inserted between the container body and the lid body, and when positioned at the second position, at least a portion of the rotating part is sandwiched between the container body and the lid body to maintain the gap.

[0018] According to this configuration, by rotating the rotating part in one direction, it is possible to simultaneously release the seal between the container body and the lid and maintain the gap formed between the lid and the container body, that is, to maintain a state in which the inside of the container body is open to the outside. Therefore, after removing the lid from the container body, there is no need to shift the lid and place it back on the container body or attach plastic wrap to the container body in order to release steam from inside the container, improving usability.

[0019] Furthermore, with this configuration, the lid is pushed up by the rotation of the rotating part, and the principle of leverage can be utilized to form a gap between the lid and the container body, so that a gap can be formed between the lid and the container body with a light force when food is sealed and stored, i.e., the lid can be opened with a light force, improving the ease of use of the container.

[0020] In one embodiment, at least one of the container body and the lid body may be provided with a regulating portion that regulates the rotating portion from rotating in a reverse direction opposite to the one direction when the rotating portion is located in the second position.

[0021] According to this configuration, when the rotating part is located at the second position, the rotating part is restricted from rotating from the second position to the first position, so that it is possible to prevent the rotating part from unintentionally moving from the second position to the first position and eliminating the gap between the lid and the container body, thereby improving the usability of the container.

[0022] In one embodiment, one of the container body and the lid body has the hinge portion and the rotating portion, and the other of the container body and the lid body has a recess into which the rotating portion can be fitted, The restriction portion may be constituted by a raised portion that defines the recess.

[0023] According to this configuration, since the restricting portion and the rotating portion are configured to fit together, when moving the rotating portion from the second position, an operation to disengage the rotating portion from the restricting portion is required. This makes it possible to prevent the rotating portion from unintentionally moving from the second position to the first position, causing the gap between the lid body and the container body to disappear. As a result, it is possible to improve the usability of the container.

[0024] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. The present disclosure is not limited to these embodiments. In the drawings, substantially the same components are denoted by the same reference numerals.

[0025] In addition, for ease of explanation, the following uses terms indicating directions such as "up," "down," "front," "back," and "side," assuming a state of normal use, but this is not meant to limit the state of use of the container according to the present disclosure.

[0026] (First embodiment) 1 is an exploded perspective view of a container 1 according to a first embodiment of the present invention. The container 1 of this embodiment is a storage container for storing food and the like therein, and can be used for cooking using a microwave oven.

[0027] 1, the container 1 has a generally rectangular parallelepiped shape. The container 1 has a generally rectangular shape when viewed from above.

[0028] In the following description, the longitudinal direction of the container 1 in top view may be simply referred to as the longitudinal direction X, the transverse direction of the container 1 in top view may be simply referred to as the transverse direction Y, and the direction perpendicular to both the longitudinal direction X and the transverse direction Y may be referred to as the height direction Z. In the following description, each of the longitudinal direction X, the transverse direction Y, or a direction intersecting the longitudinal direction X and the transverse direction Y and perpendicular to the height direction Z may be referred to as the transverse direction. In the following description, the direction toward the outside of the container 1 may be referred to as the outward or lateral direction.

[0029] The container 1 has a container body 10 having an opening 10a at the top, and a lid 20 which can be attached to the container body 10 so as to seal the container body 10, but which can be removed from the container body 10.

[0030] The container body 10 is a substantially rectangular solid cylindrical shape with a bottom. The material of the container body 10 is, for example, polypropylene. The container body 10 includes a rectangular bottom 11, a cylindrical body side wall 12 rising upward from the outer edge of the bottom 11, i.e., the four sides, and a body flange 13 extending laterally from the upper end of the body side wall 12. The bottom 11 and the body side wall 12 define a storage space in which the container body 10 stores food and the like. In addition, an opening 10a is defined by the upper end of the body side wall 12. A receiving portion 12a into which a lid side wall 22 of a lid body 20 described later is fitted is provided around the entire circumference on the inner peripheral surface of the upper end of the body side wall 12.

[0031] The main body flange portion 13 is a frame-like portion provided to surround the upper end of the main body side wall portion 12. The main body flange portion 13 is disposed at an interval in the longitudinal direction X, and has a pair of short sides extending in the lateral direction Y, each of which is provided with an inclined portion 13a. The inclined portion 13a extends downwardly toward one side in the longitudinal direction X, i.e., toward the side as a whole. The inclined portion 13a is curved upward at the end on the other side of the longitudinal direction X, and is flat in other portions. The angle θ (shown in FIG. 3) between the direction in which the inclined portion 13a extends (the tangent direction of the curved surface in the curved portion curved upward) and the longitudinal direction X is preferably 45 degrees or less. The inclined portion 13a has a recess 14 recessed downward so that a flap 40 described later can be fitted therein. The recess 14 in this embodiment is an example of a restricting portion of the present invention.

[0032] The lid body 20 is in the form of a substantially rectangular plate. The material of the lid body 20 is, for example, polypropylene. The lid body 20 includes a rectangular plate-shaped lid flat portion 21, a cylindrical lid side wall portion 22 rising from the outer edge portion of the lid flat portion 21, i.e., from the four sides, and a lid flange portion 23 extending laterally from the upper end portion of the lid side wall portion 22. When the lid body 20 is attached to the container body 10, the lid flat portion 21 covers the opening 10a from above. The lid flange portion 23 is in the form of a frame provided so as to surround the upper end portion of the lid side wall portion 22.

[0033] The outer shape of the lid sidewall 22 is roughly similar to the inner shape of the receiving portion 12a of the main body sidewall 12. The outer dimensions of the lid sidewall 22 are slightly larger than the inner dimensions of the receiving portion 12a of the main body sidewall 12. This ensures the hermeticity of the container 1 because the lid sidewall 22 and the main body sidewall 12 fit together when the lid sidewall 22 is in an elastically deformed state. The lid body 20 of this embodiment is a so-called internally fitted lid that fits inside the container main body 10. In other words, the container 1 of this embodiment is a container with an internally fitted structure.

[0034] In this embodiment, the lid 20 is provided with a hinge portion 30. The hinge portion 30 is a so-called film hinge made of thin resin. The hinge portion 30 is provided on one of a pair of short sides extending in the short direction Y of the lid flange portion 23. The hinge portion 30 has a rotation center extending in the short direction Y.

[0035] The flap 40 is connected to the lid 20 via the hinge section 30. Specifically, one end of the flap 40 is rotatably connected to the hinge section 30 and extends from the hinge section 30 laterally in the longitudinal direction X. This allows the flap 40 to rotate around the rotation center of the hinge section 30. In this embodiment, the lid 20, the hinge section 30, and the flap 40 are integrally molded from resin. The flap 40 of this embodiment is an example of a rotating section of the present invention.

[0036] The width (dimension in the short direction Y) of the flap 40 gradually narrows toward the side in the longitudinal direction X, that is, away from the hinge portion 30. In other words, the width of the flap 40 gradually narrows from the base end connected to the hinge portion 30 toward the tip end. The flap 40 of this embodiment is a substantially semicircular plate when viewed from above.

[0037] Of the pair of opposing main surfaces of the flap 40, the main surface facing the main body flange portion 13 of the container body 10 is provided with a protrusion 41 that protrudes toward the main body flange portion 13. The protrusion 41 is a ridge that extends in the short direction Y and has a substantially semi-elliptical cross-sectional shape. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 3, the protrusion 41 has a shape that is curved downward as a whole in a cross section perpendicular to the short direction Y. In this embodiment, the protrusion 41 has a semi-elliptical shape in a cross section perpendicular to the short direction Y.

[0038] The lid body 20 can be attached to the container body 10 so as to seal the container body 10, and can also be attached to the container body 10 so as to form a gap between the lid body 20 and the container body 10. In the following description, the state of the container 1 in which the lid body 20 is attached to the container body 10 so as to seal the container body 10 may be referred to as a sealed state. Similarly, the state of the container 1 in which the lid body 20 is attached to the container body 10 so as to form a gap between the lid body 20 and the container body 10 may be referred to as an open state.

[0039] Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the container 1 in a sealed state. Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line III-III in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the container 1 in an open state. Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VV in Fig. 4.

[0040] 2 and 3, when the container 1 is in a sealed state, the lid side wall 22 and the receiving portion 12a of the body side wall 12 are fitted together. This allows the lid 20 to seal the container body 10.

[0041] When the container 1 is in a sealed state, the flap 40 extends laterally from the hinge portion 30 so as not to interfere with the container body 10. In the following description, a position of the flap 40 that does not interfere with the container body 10 and allows the container 1 to be in a sealed state, that is, allows the lid body 20 to seal the container body 10, may be referred to as a first position.

[0042] 4 and 5, when the container 1 is in an open state, the lid side wall portion 22 is disengaged from the receiving portion 12a of the body side wall portion 12, and a gap S is formed between the lid body 20 and the container body 10.

[0043] When the container 1 is in an open state, the flap 40 extends from the hinge portion 30 so as to incline downward toward the side (left side in FIG. 5) in the longitudinal direction X. The flap 40 and the lid body 20 are connected to bend at the hinge portion 30. When the container 1 is in an open state, the flap 40 is sandwiched between the container body 10 and the lid body 20. In other words, when the container 1 is in an open state, the flap 40 is supported by the body flange portion 13 by fitting into the recess 14 at the tip end, and supports the lid body 20 via the hinge portion 30 at the base end. As a result, when the container 1 is in an open state, the gap S formed between the lid body 20 and the container body 10 is maintained. In the following description, the position of the flap 40 that allows the container 1 to be in an open state, that is, that forms the gap S between the lid body 20 and the container body 10 and maintains the gap S, may be referred to as the second position.

[0044] The flap 40 of this embodiment is rotatable between a first position and a second position around the rotation center of the hinge portion 30. In the following description, the direction in which the flap 40 rotates from the first position to the second position around the rotation center of the hinge portion 30 (counterclockwise in Figs. 3 and 5), i.e., the direction in which the flap 40 approaches the container body 10, may be referred to as one direction. Also, the direction in which the flap 40 rotates from the second position to the first position around the rotation center of the hinge portion 30 (clockwise in Figs. 3 and 5), i.e., the direction in which the flap 40 moves away from the container body 10, may be referred to as the reverse direction.

[0045] As described above, when the container 1 is in an open state, that is, when the flap 40 is in the second position, the flap 40 fits into the recess 14. When the flap 40 fits into the recess 14, the locking wall 14a of the recess 14 prevents the flap 40 from rotating in the opposite direction. The locking wall 14a is a raised portion located on one side in the longitudinal direction X of the wall that defines the recess 14. The locking wall 14a of the present embodiment is an example of a restricting portion of the present invention.

[0046] (Flap 40 operation) The flap 40 is configured to rotate from a first position to a second position when the container 1 is in a sealed state, thereby opening the container 1. Hereinafter, the operation of the flap 40 when the container 1 is transitioned from a sealed state to an open state will be described with reference to Fig. 3 to Fig. 6. Fig. 6 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the container 1 showing a state in the middle of transitioning from the sealed state to the open state.

[0047] 2 and 3, when the container 1 is in a sealed state, pushing down the flap 40 (see arrow F1 in the figures) and rotating the flap 40 in one direction around the rotation center of the hinge portion 30 (see arrow R1 in the figures) causes the protrusion 41 to come into contact with the main body flange portion 13. More specifically, the protrusion 41 comes into contact with the curved portion of the inclined portion 13a of the main body flange portion 13.

[0048] When the flap 40 is further pushed down from this state, that is, when the flap 40 is further rotated in one direction, as shown in FIG. 6, the flap 40 rotates with the contact portion C between the inclined portion 13a of the main body flange portion 13 and the flap 40 as a fulcrum (see arrow R2 in the figure), and the cover body 20 is pushed upward (see arrow F2 in the figure). At this time, the protrusion 41 slides and moves upward and toward one side in the longitudinal direction X (the right side in FIG. 6) along the inclined portion 13a while contacting the inclined portion 13a. In other words, after the main body flange portion 13 and the protrusion 41 come into contact with each other, as the flap 40 rotates in one direction, the contact portion C moves upward and toward the other side in the longitudinal direction X within the inclined portion 13a. Similarly, after the main body flange portion 13 and the protrusion 41 come into contact with each other, as the flap 40 rotates in one direction, the contact portion C moves from the base end portion to the tip end portion within the protrusion 41. In this embodiment, while the flap 40 rotates from the first position to the second position, the distance between the contact portion C and the tip of the flap 40 is configured to be longer than the distance between the contact portion C and the hinge portion 30.

[0049] Then, when the flap 40 is further pressed down, that is, when the flap 40 is further rotated in one direction, the sealing between the lid body 20 and the container body 10 is released. In other words, a gap S (shown in FIG. 5) is formed between the lid body 20 and the container body 10.

[0050] Thereafter, when the flap 40 is further pushed down, that is, when the flap 40 is further rotated in one direction, the tip of the flap 40 rotates toward the second position while contacting the flat portion of the inclined portion 13a, and fits into the recess 14 provided in the main body flange portion 13, as shown in Figures 4 and 5. This places the container 1 in an open state.

[0051] According to the container 1 of this embodiment, by rotating the flap 40 in one direction in the container 1 in a sealed state, it is possible to simultaneously release the seal between the container body 10 and the lid body 20 and maintain the gap S formed between the lid body 20 and the container body 10, that is, to maintain a state in which the inside of the container body 10 is open to the outside. Therefore, after removing the lid body 20 from the container body 10, there is no need to shift the lid body 20 and place it again on the container body 10 or attach plastic wrap to the container body 10 in order to release steam inside the container 1 to the outside, which improves usability.

[0052] The container 1 of this embodiment is configured to push up the lid body 20 by rotating the flap 40. Specifically, the lid body 20 can be pushed up by utilizing the principle of leverage with the contact part C between the inclined part 13a of the main body flange part 13 and the protrusion part 41 of the flap 40 as a fulcrum, and a gap S can be formed between the lid body 20 and the container body 10. Therefore, the gap S can be formed between the lid body 20 and the container body 10 with a light force, and the usability of the container 1 can be improved.

[0053] According to the container 1 of this embodiment, when the flap 40 is located at the second position, the recess 14 restricts the flap 40 from rotating in the reverse direction from the second position to the first position. This makes it possible to prevent the flap 40 from unintentionally moving from the second position to the first position, thereby preventing the gap S between the lid 20 and the container body 10 from disappearing. As a result, the usability of the container 1 can be improved.

[0054] According to the container 1 of this embodiment, the recess 14 and the flap 40 are configured to fit together, so that in order to move the flap 40 from the second position, it is necessary to move the lid body 20 upward and remove the flap 40 from the recess 14. This makes it possible to prevent the flap 40 from unintentionally moving from the second position to the first position, thereby preventing the gap S between the lid body 20 and the container body 10 from disappearing. As a result, the usability of the container 1 can be improved.

[0055] In the case where the width of the flap 40 (dimension in the short-side direction Y in this embodiment) is constant from the base end connected to the hinge part 30 to the tip end, when the user presses the end of the flap 40 in the width direction (in this embodiment, the short-side direction Y) of the tip end when pressing the flap 40, the force of the user pressing the flap 40 may not be efficiently transmitted to the lid body 20. In contrast, according to the container 1 of this embodiment, the width of the flap 40 gradually narrows from the base end to the tip end. Therefore, compared with the case where the width of the flap 40 is constant from the base end to the tip end, the position at the tip end where the user presses the flap 40 can be limited. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the force of the user pressing the flap 40 from being inefficiently transmitted to the lid body 20. As a result, the lid body 20 can be easily removed from the container body 10, and the usability of the container 1 can be improved.

[0056] According to the container 1 of this embodiment, the angle θ between the direction in which the inclined portion 13a extends and the longitudinal direction X is 45 degrees or less, so that the upward component of the reaction force that the flap 40 receives from the inclined portion 13a at the contact portion C is larger than the lateral component (specifically, outward in the longitudinal direction X) of the reaction force that the flap 40 receives from the inclined portion 13a. This makes it easier for the protrusion 41 to move upward along the inclined portion 13a when the flap 40 is rotated around the rotation center of the hinge portion 30. As a result, the flap 40 moves upward as a whole, so that the lid 20 can be easily pushed up.

[0057] According to the container 1 of this embodiment, when the flap 40 is rotated around the rotation center of the hinge portion 30, the downwardly curved projection 41 contacts the flat portion or the upwardly curved portion of the inclined portion 13a, so that the flap 40 and the main body flange portion 13 are in line contact at the contact portion C. Therefore, compared to when the flap 40 and the main body flange portion 13 are in surface contact at the contact portion C, the frictional force generated at the contact portion C is smaller, so that the projection 41 can move smoothly along the main body flange portion 13. As a result, the lid body 20 can be easily removed from the container body 10, and the usability of the container 1 can be improved.

[0058] The curved portion curved downward of the protrusion 41 is an arc-shaped surface that extends in a curved manner from one side (left side in FIG. 3) to the other side (right side in FIG. 3) in the longitudinal direction X, and has different distances (radii of curvature) from the center of curvature to different positions on the curved surface. The distance from the center of curvature to a position on the other side of the curved surface is longer than the distance from the center of curvature to a position on the one side of the curved surface. In other words, the distance from the center of curvature to a position on the curved surface is longer from one side to the other side. This different distance is set to a distance at which the flap 40 comes into contact with the main body flange portion 13, etc., so that the upward component of the force when the flap 40 is rotated becomes larger.

[0059] If the flap 40 is configured to rotate from the first position to the second position by pushing up the flap 40, for example, when opening the lid 20 of the container 1 placed on a table, the container body 10 may be pulled by the lid 20 when the flap 40 is pushed up, causing the container 1 to float off the table, making it difficult to remove the lid 20 from the container body 10. In contrast, in the container 1 of this embodiment, the lid 20 is pushed up from the container body 10 by pushing down the flap 40, so that when the container body 10 is removed from the lid 20, the container body 10 is not pulled by the lid 20 and does not move, and the lid 20 can be easily removed from the container body 10. As a result, the usability of the container 1 can be improved.

[0060] In the present embodiment, the protrusion 41 has a semi-elliptical shape in a cross section perpendicular to the short side direction Y, but is not limited thereto. The protrusion 41 may have a semicircular shape in a cross section perpendicular to the short side direction Y.

[0061] In addition, in this embodiment, the protrusion 41 is curved as a whole in a cross section perpendicular to the short-side direction Y, but is not limited to this. It is sufficient that the protrusion 41 is curved in a range where it comes into contact with the main body flange portion 13 when the flap 40 rotates from the first position to the second position, that is, in a range where the contact portion C between the protrusion 41 and the main body flange portion 13 moves within the protrusion 41. It is preferable that the protrusion 41 has a smooth curved surface so that the frictional force generated at the contact portion C does not become excessively large.

[0062] (Modification of the first embodiment) FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view of a container 1 according to a modified example of this embodiment. In the modified example shown in FIG. 7, the lid sidewall 22 is cylindrical and extends downward from the outer edge of the lid flat surface 21, i.e., from the four sides, and the lid flange 23 extends laterally from the lower end of the lid sidewall 22. In addition, in this modified example, a receiving portion 12a into which the lid sidewall 22 of the lid body 20 is fitted is provided on the outer peripheral surface of the upper end of the main body sidewall 12 over the entire circumference. In this modified example, the lid sidewall 22 of the lid body 20 fits from the outside into the receiving portion 12a provided on the main body sidewall 12 of the container main body 10, so that the lid body 20 seals the container main body 10. In other words, the lid body 20 of this modified example is a so-called externally fitted lid that fits on the outside of the container main body 10. In other words, the container 1 of this modified example is a container having an externally fitted structure.

[0063] Second embodiment A second embodiment of the present invention will be described below. The second embodiment is similar to the first embodiment unless otherwise specified. In the drawings of the second embodiment, elements that are the same as or similar to those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals.

[0064] Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the container 101 in a sealed state according to the second embodiment. Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the container 101 in an open state according to the second embodiment.

[0065] The container body 10 of this embodiment has a configuration generally similar to that of the container body 10 of the first embodiment, except that it does not include the inclined portion 13a and the recessed portion 14, and therefore a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0066] 8 and 9, the hinge portion 30 of this embodiment is disposed at one of the four corners of the lid flange portion 23. The hinge portion 30 of this embodiment has a rotation center that is perpendicular to the height direction Z and extends in a direction intersecting both the longitudinal direction X and the lateral direction Y.

[0067] The flap 140 of this embodiment is generally plate-shaped. The flap 140 includes an annular operation portion 141 having a semicircular outer shape, and an actuation portion 142 extending to the opposite side of the operation portion 141 via the hinge portion 30. The actuation portion 142 includes a first locking piece 142a that stands up from the surface opposite the container body 10 when the container 101 is in a sealed state, and a second locking piece 142b that extends from the base of the first locking piece 142a to the opposite side of the hinge portion 30. In this embodiment, the distance between the end of the operation portion 141 opposite the hinge portion 30 and the hinge portion 30 is greater than the distance between the end of the actuation portion 142 opposite the hinge portion 30 and the hinge portion 30.

[0068] 8, when the container 101 is in a sealed state, that is, when the flap 140 is in the first position, the operating portion 141 of the flap 140 extends laterally from the hinge portion 30. From this state, when the flap 140 is pushed up and rotated in one direction around the rotation center of the hinge portion 30 (see arrow R3 in the figure), the operating portion 142 comes into contact with the main body flange portion 13.

[0069] When the flap 140 is pushed up further from this state, that is, when the flap 140 is further rotated in one direction, the lid body 20 is pushed up by the reaction of the force with which the operating portion 142 of the flap 140 presses the main body flange portion 13 .

[0070] Then, when the flap 140 is further pushed up, that is, when the flap 140 is further rotated in one direction, the sealing between the lid body 20 and the container body 10 is released. In other words, a gap is formed between the lid body 20 and the container body 10.

[0071] Thereafter, when the flap 140 is pushed up further, that is, when the flap 140 is further rotated in one direction, as shown in FIG. 9, the flap 140 reaches the second position, and the operating portion 142 of the flap 140 is inserted between the lid body 20 and the body flange portion 13 of the container body 10, and the gap formed between the lid body 20 and the container body 10 is maintained. As a result, the container 101 is in an open state. When the flap 140 is in the second position, the first locking piece 142a is supported by the body flange portion 13, and the flap 140 supports the container body 10, and supports the lid body 20 via the hinge portion 30. In other words, a part of the flap 140 is sandwiched between the container body 10 and the lid body 20. Also, when the flap 140 is in the second position, if the flap 140 tries to rotate in the opposite direction, the second locking piece 142b of the flap 140 interferes with the body flange portion 13. In other words, when the flap 140 is in the second position, the flap 140 is restricted from rotating in the opposite direction by the second locking piece 142b and the main body flange portion 13. In this embodiment, the second locking piece 142b and the main body flange portion 13 constitute a restricting portion of the present invention.

[0072] According to the container 101 of the second embodiment, the same effects as those of the container 1 of the first embodiment are achieved.

[0073] (Modification of the second embodiment) Fig. 10 is a perspective view of a container 101 in a sealed state according to a modified example of the second embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 11 is a perspective view of a container 101 in an open state according to a modified example of the second embodiment of the present invention.

[0074] As shown in FIG. 10, in this modification, convex portions 13b protruding upward are provided at two diagonally opposite corners of the four corners of the main body flange portion 13. When the lid body 20 is attached to the container body 10 and the container 101 is put into a sealed state, the operating portion 142 of the flap 140 is pressed by the convex portion 13b, so that the flap 140 rotates in the opposite direction around the rotation center of the hinge portion 30. As a result, when the container 101 is in a sealed state, the operating portion 141 of the flap 140 extends downward from the hinge portion 30. In addition, the convex portion 13b is provided with a hole portion 13c, and a third locking piece 142c that fits into the hole portion 13c is provided at the tip portion of the operating portion 142, that is, the end portion opposite the hinge portion 30. As shown in Fig. 11, when the flap 140 is in the second position, the third locking piece 142c and the hole 13c fit together to be supported by the container body 10 and to support the lid 20 via the hinge portion 30. In other words, a part of the flap 140 is sandwiched between the container body 10 and the lid 20. When the container 101 is in an open state, that is, when the flap 140 is in the second position, the third locking piece 142c and the hole 13c fit together to restrict the flap 140 from rotating in the opposite direction. In this modification, the third locking piece 142c and the hole 13c constitute the restricting portion of the present invention.

[0075] Third embodiment Hereinafter, a third embodiment of the present invention will be described. The third embodiment is the same as the first embodiment unless otherwise specified. In addition, in the drawings of the third embodiment, elements that are the same as or similar to those in the first embodiment are given the same reference numerals.

[0076] Fig. 12 is a perspective view of the container 201 in a sealed state according to the third embodiment. Fig. 13 is a perspective view of the container 201 in an open state according to the third embodiment.

[0077] In this embodiment, the container body 10 is provided with a hinge portion 30. The hinge portion 30 is provided on both of a pair of short sides extending in the short direction Y of the body flange portion 13. The hinge portion 30 has a rotation center extending in the short direction Y.

[0078] The flap 240 of this embodiment is generally plate-shaped. The flap 240 includes a substantially rectangular operating portion 241 and an actuating portion 242 extending to the opposite side of the operating portion 241 via the hinge portion 30. The actuating portion 242 includes a first locking piece 242a that stands up from the surface opposite the lid body 20 when the container 201 is in a sealed state, and a second locking piece 242b that extends from the base of the first locking piece 242a to the opposite side of the hinge portion 30. In this embodiment, the distance between the end of the operating portion 241 opposite the hinge portion 30 and the hinge portion 30 is greater than the distance between the end of the actuating portion 242 opposite the hinge portion 30 and the hinge portion 30.

[0079] 12, when the container 201 is in a sealed state, that is, when the flap 240 is in the first position, the operating portion 241 of the flap 240 extends laterally from the hinge portion 30. When the flap 240 is pressed down from this state and rotated in one direction around the rotation center of the hinge portion 30 (see arrow R4 in the figure), the operating portion 242 comes into contact with the lid flange portion 23.

[0080] When the flap 240 is further pressed down from this state, that is, when the flap 240 is further rotated in one direction, the force with which the operating portion 242 of the flap 240 presses the lid flange portion 23 causes the lid body 20 to be pushed upward.

[0081] Then, when the flap 240 is further pressed down, that is, when the flap 240 is further rotated in one direction, the sealing between the lid body 20 and the container body 10 is released. In other words, a gap is formed between the lid body 20 and the container body 10.

[0082] Thereafter, when the flap 240 is further pushed down, that is, when the flap 240 is further rotated in one direction, the flap 240 reaches the second position as shown in Fig. 13, and the operating portion 242 of the flap 240 is inserted between the lid flange portion 23 of the lid body 20 and the container body 10, thereby maintaining the gap formed between the lid body 20 and the container body 10. This causes the container 201 to be in an open state.

[0083] When the flap 240 is in the second position, it is supported by the container body 10 via the hinge portion 30, and supports the lid body 20 by supporting the lid flange portion 23 at the first locking piece 242a. In other words, a part of the flap 240 is sandwiched between the container body 10 and the lid body 20.

[0084] When the flap 240 is in the second position, if the flap 240 tries to rotate in the opposite direction, the second locking piece 242b of the flap 240 interferes with the lid flange portion 23. In other words, when the flap 240 is in the second position, the flap 240 is restricted from rotating in the opposite direction by the second locking piece 242b and the lid flange portion 23. In this embodiment, the second locking piece 242b and the lid flange portion 23 form the restricting portion of the present invention.

[0085] According to the container 201 of the third embodiment, the same effects as those of the container 1 of the first embodiment are achieved.

[0086] Although specific embodiments of the present invention have been described, the present invention is not limited to the first to third embodiments and their modifications, and can be practiced with various modifications within the scope of the present invention. For example, an embodiment of the present invention may be one in which part of the contents described in the first to third embodiments is deleted or replaced. [Explanation of symbols]

[0087] 1 container 10 Container body 10a opening 11 Bottom 12 Main body side wall 12a Receiving part 13 Body flange 13a Slope 14 Recess 14a Locking wall (regulating part) 20 Lid 21 Lid flat part 22 Lid side wall 23 Lid flange 30 Hinge part 40 Flap (rotating part) 41 Protrusion 101 Container 140 Flap (rotating part) 141 Operation section 142 Actuating part 142a 1st locking piece 142b Second locking piece 142c 3rd locking piece 201 Container 240 Flap (rotating part) 241 Operation section 242 Actuating Part 242a 1st locking piece 242b Second locking piece

Claims

1. A container body comprising a bottom portion, a cylindrical body side wall portion rising upward from an outer edge of the bottom portion, and a body flange portion having an inclined portion extending downward from an upper end portion of the body side wall portion toward a side, the upper end portion of the body side wall portion defining an opening; a cover body including a cover surface covering the opening, a cylindrical cover side wall portion extending vertically from an outer edge of the cover surface and fitted inside the main body side wall portion, the cover body being attachable to the container body so as to seal the container body, and being removable from the container body; a hinge portion provided on a peripheral portion of the lid side wall portion and having a single rotation center extending linearly in a first horizontal direction intersecting with the vertical direction; a flap that is disposed facing the inclined portion in the up-down direction, has a protrusion that is curved convexly downward, is connected to the lid body via the hinge portion, extends in a second horizontal direction that intersects the up-down direction and the first horizontal direction, and is rotatable about the rotation center of the hinge portion between a first position that allows the lid body to seal the container body and a second position that forms a gap between the lid body and the container body; Equipped with the inclined portion has at least one of a curved portion extending downward while curving convexly toward a side and a planar portion extending downward while inclining toward a side, A container configured such that, when the flap rotates in one direction from the first position to the second position, the protrusion presses the curved portion or the planar portion, thereby pushing up the lid body and releasing the seal between the lid body and the container body by using the principle of a lever with the contact point between the protrusion and the curved portion or the planar portion as a fulcrum and the hinge portion as a point of application, and when the flap is positioned at the second position, the flap is sandwiched between the container body and the lid body to maintain the gap.

2. A container as described in claim 1, wherein the angle between the direction in which the inclined portion extends and the second lateral direction is 45 degrees or less.

3. The inclined portion has a recess formed therein that fits with the tip of the flap, A container as described in claim 1 or 2, wherein when the flap and the recess are engaged, a raised portion defining the recess prevents the flap from rotating in a direction opposite to the one direction, and the flap is held in the second position, thereby maintaining the gap.

4. the inclined portion has both the curved portion connected to the main body side wall portion and the planar portion connected to a side of the curved portion, 3. The container according to claim 1 or 2, wherein when the flap rotates in one direction from the first position to the second position, the protrusion presses the curved portion, thereby pushing up the lid body and releasing the seal between the lid body and the container body by using the principle of a lever with the contact point between the protrusion and the curved portion as a fulcrum and the hinge portion as a point of application.

5. The cover surface is planar, The container according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the lid side wall portion is cylindrical and rises upward from an outer edge portion of the lid surface.

Images