Cup-like container

Abstract

To provide a cup-like container which can be inexpensively manufactured using a paper cup manufacturing facility, is excellent in long-term storage property of contents, and can suppress degradation and the like due to contact with contents as a cup-like container that enables aseptic sterilization and retort sterilization.SOLUTION: A cup-like container 1 is composed of: a body 2 molded into a cylindrical shape by overlapping and joining both end edge parts of a blank 20A for a body; and a bottom body 3 obtained by molding a blank 30A for a bottom body so as to form a bottom part 31 and a suspension part 32. An outer surface of the suspension part 32 is joined to an inner surface of a lower end 2a of the body 2. Each of the blank 20A for the body and the blank 30A for the bottom body is formed of laminates 20 and 30 that are composed of metal foil layers 201 and 301 and heat-fusible resin layers 202, 203, 302 and 303 laminated on both surfaces of the metal foil layers 201 and 301. In an overlap part 21 of the body 2, an inside end face 204 of the blank 20A for the body is covered with an inside resin reservoir part R1.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a cup-shaped container for containing food or beverages such as ice cream or yogurt. [Background technology]

[0002] 2. Description of the Related Art Paper cup-shaped containers, that is, paper cups, are commonly used as containers for filling and packaging semi-solid dairy products such as ice cream and yogurt. A paper cup is usually formed by joining together a body and a bottom, each of which is made of a paper blank cut to a predetermined shape. More specifically, the body is formed into a cylindrical shape by overlapping and joining both end edges of a substantially sector-shaped body blank, with a folded-back portion folded inward at the bottom opening edge and a flange portion curled outward at the top opening edge. The bottom has a substantially inverted U-shaped cross section, formed by skirt-molding a substantially circular bottom blank so that a hanging portion is formed on its outer periphery. The hanging portion of the bottom is wrapped around and joined to the folded-back portion of the body, thereby integrating the body and the bottom. Each blank for the body and bottom body is made of a laminate having, for example, a paper layer made of general base paper, acid-resistant paper, coated paper, etc., and a polyethylene resin (PE) layer laminated on one or both sides of the paper layer (see, for example, Patent Document 1 below).

[0003] Also known is a paper cup that uses a laminate formed by laminating a paper layer, a polyethylene resin (PE) layer, and a barrier layer made of aluminum foil or the like as the material for each of the above blanks (see, for example, Patent Document 2 below).

[0004] Additionally, containers for ice cream, yogurt, etc., made of plastic molded bodies such as polypropylene resin (PP) are also known (see, for example, Patent Document 3 below). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 58-30955 [Patent Document 2] JP 2007-210639 A [Patent Document 3] JP 2007-176505 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] However, while paper cups have excellent productivity and can be manufactured at low cost, they have poor barrier properties and are not suitable for long-term storage of contents. Paper cups with a barrier layer such as aluminum foil improve the long-term storage of the contents, but water easily penetrates through the edges of the paper layer, making retort sterilization impossible. In addition, plastic containers are expensive to manufacture and are not suitable for long-term storage of the contents.

[0007] In order to solve the above problems, the present inventor previously proposed a cup-shaped container using a laminate consisting of a metal foil layer and a heat-fusible resin layer laminated on at least one of its two sides as the material for each of the body blank and the bottom blank (Patent Application No. 2019-106125). The above-mentioned cup-shaped container can be produced inexpensively using paper cup manufacturing equipment, has excellent long-term storage properties for the contents, and can also be subjected to aseptic sterilization or retort sterilization.

[0008] Here, in the case of the above-mentioned cup-shaped container, the inner end face of the body blank located on the inside of the container is exposed to the contents at the overlapping portion of the body. Depending on the type of contents, etc., there is a risk that the inner end face may deteriorate due to delamination (peel-off between layers) or corrosion, and this may not necessarily be desirable from a hygienic standpoint. The object of the present invention is to provide a cup-shaped container which can be produced inexpensively using paper cup manufacturing equipment, has excellent long-term storage properties for the contents, and can be subjected to aseptic sterilization or retort sterilization, and which can suppress deterioration due to contact with the contents. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention comprises the following aspects.

[0010] 1) A cup-shaped container comprising a body formed into a cylindrical shape by overlapping and joining both end edges of a body blank, and a bottom body having a cross section of a generally inverted U-shape formed by forming a bottom body blank so as to form a bottom and a hanging part extending downward from the outer peripheral edge of the bottom body, the body and bottom body being integrated by joining the outer surface of the hanging part of the bottom body to the inner surface of the lower end of the body, The blank for the fuselage is Made of metal foil Metal foil layer 、 metal Foil On both sides Each is made of a two-component adhesive layer. Stacked Made up of film The laminate is formed from a thermally adhesive resin layer, It does not have a paper layer, Both end edge portions of the fuselage blank are joined by heat-sealing the heat-sealable resin layers constituting the mutually overlapping surfaces of the fuselage blank, The bottom body blank is formed from a laminate consisting of a metal foil layer and a heat-sealable resin layer laminated on at least one of both sides of the metal foil layer that will be the upper side of the bottom body, and the inner surface of the lower end of the body and the outer surface of the hanging part of the bottom body are joined by heat-sealing the heat-sealable resin layers that make up these surfaces, This cup-shaped container has an inner end face of a body blank located on the inside of the body in an overlapping portion of the body, the inner end face being covered by an inner resin reservoir formed when heat-fusible resin layers at both end edges of the body blank are heat-fused together.

[0011] 2) The metal foil layer of the fuselage blank is made of hard aluminum foil. 1) A cup-shaped container as described above.

[0012] 3) A chemical conversion coating is formed on both sides of the metal foil layer of the fuselage blank. , a cup-shaped container as described above in 1) or 2).

[0013] 4) In the body blank, the inner heat-sealable resin layer located on the inner side of the body and the outer heat-sealable resin layer located on the outer side of the body are each composed of a non-oriented polypropylene film. , any one of the cup-shaped containers 1) to 3) above.

[0014] 5) the thickness of the body blank is less than 250 μm, the thickness of the metal foil layer in the body blank is 40 to 200 μm, the thickness of the inner heat-sealable resin layer located on the inner side of the body and the thickness of the outer heat-sealable resin layer located on the outer side of the body are each 5 to 80 μm, In addition, the thickness of the metal foil layer in the body blank is T1, the thickness of the inner heat-sealable resin layer is T2, and the thickness of the outer heat-sealable resin layer is T3, where T1:T2:T3=1:0.3-1.5:0.2-1 and T2≧T3. , any one of the cup-shaped containers 1) to 4) above.

[0015] 6) In the overlapping portion of the body, the total thickness of the inner heat-sealable resin layer and the outer heat-sealable resin layer heat-sealed to each other at both end edges of the body blank is 8 to 150 μm. ,the above 5) A cup-shaped container. Effect of the Invention

[0016] 1) Above ~6) In the cup-shaped container described above, in the overlapping portion of the body, the inner end face of the body blank located on the inside of the body is covered by an inner resin reservoir formed when the heat-fusible resin layers at both end edges of the body blank are heat-fused together, and the inner end face is not exposed to the contents. This effectively prevents deterioration due to delamination or corrosion of the inner end face, and is also preferable from a hygienic standpoint. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0017] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view of a cup-shaped container according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] This is a vertical cross-sectional view taken along line II-II in FIG. 1, in which the portion surrounded by dashed dotted line A is an enlarged view of the portion surrounded by dashed dotted line a, and the portion surrounded by dashed dotted line B is an enlarged view of the portion surrounded by dashed dotted line b. [Diagram 3] 1A is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing the layer structure of a laminate used as the material for the body blank, and FIG. 1B is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing the layer structure of a laminate used as the material for the bottom blank. [Figure 4](a) is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing the layer structure of a laminate used as the material for the body blank, and (b) is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing the layer structure of a laminate used as the material for the bottom body blank, showing an embodiment in which each heat-sealable resin layer has a three-layer structure. [Diagram 5] FIG. 2 is an enlarged horizontal cross-sectional view showing one embodiment of an overlapping portion of a body of the above-mentioned cup-shaped container. [Figure 6] 4 is an enlarged horizontal cross-sectional view showing another embodiment of the overlap portion of the body of the cup-shaped container. FIG. [Figure 7] 4 is an enlarged horizontal cross-sectional view showing another embodiment of the overlap portion of the body of the cup-shaped container. FIG. [Figure 8] 4 is an enlarged horizontal cross-sectional view showing another embodiment of the overlap portion of the body of the cup-shaped container. FIG. [Figure 9] FIG. 2(a) is a plan view of a fuselage blank, and FIG. 2(b) is a perspective view of a fuselage formed from the fuselage blank. [Figure 10] 1A is a plan view of a bottom body blank, and FIG. 1B is a perspective view of a bottom body formed from the bottom body blank. [Figure 11] 5A to 5C are vertical cross-sectional views showing a part of the manufacturing process of the cup-shaped container. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0018] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. In the following explanation, "upper and lower" refers to the upper and lower sides of the cup-shaped container, body, and bottom body (e.g., the upper and lower sides in Figures 2 and 11), "inner" refers to the side closer to the center of the cup-shaped container, body, and bottom body (e.g., the lower side in Figures 5 to 8, and the right side in Figure 11), and "outer" refers to the side farther from the center of the cup-shaped container, body, and bottom body (e.g., the upper side in Figures 5 to 8, and the left side in Figure 11).

[0019] Figures 1 and 2 show the overall structure of a cup-shaped container (1) according to an embodiment of the present invention. The container (1) is formed by joining together a body (2) formed from a body blank (20A) and a bottom body (3) formed from a bottom body blank (30A). The body (2) is a tapered cylinder, and is formed by overlapping and joining both end edges of a sector-shaped body blank (20A) as shown in Fig. 9. Therefore, the body (2) has an overlapping portion (21) that extends along its height direction. The body (2) has a folded-back portion (22) folded inward at the edge of the lower opening. The body 2 has an outwardly bent flange 23 at the upper opening edge. The flange 23 is folded downward and formed into a substantially horizontal flat shape. The flange may have a shape other than that shown in the figure, for example, it may be curled downward and formed into a substantially arc-shaped cross section. The bottom body (3) has a generally inverted U-shaped cross section, with a circular, horizontal bottom portion (31) and a hanging portion (32) extending downward from the outer peripheral edge of the bottom portion (31), and is formed by drawing a circular bottom body blank (30A) as shown in Figure 10. The outer surface of the hanging portion (32) of the bottom body (3) is joined to the inner surface of the lower end portion (2a) of the body (2), and the folded portion (22) of the body (2) is joined to the inner surface of the hanging portion (32), thereby integrating the body (2) and the bottom body (3) (see Figures 2 and 11). Although not shown in the figures, the body (2) and the bottom body (3) can be integrated by a connecting structure in which the outer surface of the hanging portion (32) of the bottom body (3) is joined to the inner surface of the lower end (2a) of the body (2) without forming a folded portion (22) at the edge of the lower end opening of the body (2). With this configuration, even if some wrinkles are generated in the hanging portion (32) when the bottom body (3) is molded, the lower end (2a) of the body (2) and the hanging portion (32) of the bottom body (3) can be reliably sealed without mixing in air or the like.

[0020] As shown in FIG. 3(a), the body blank (20A) is formed from a laminate (20) comprising a metal foil layer (201), an inner heat-sealable resin layer (202) laminated on one of both sides of the metal foil layer (201) that will be on the inside of the body (2), and an outer heat-sealable resin layer (203) laminated on one of both sides of the metal foil layer (201) that will be on the outside of the body (2), and does not have a paper layer. As shown in Figure 3(b), the bottom body blank (30A) is also formed from a laminate (30) consisting of a metal foil layer (301), an upper heat-sealable resin layer (302) laminated on one of both sides of the metal foil layer (301) that will be the upper side of the bottom body (3), and a lower heat-sealable resin layer (303) laminated on one of both sides of the metal foil layer (301) that will be the lower side of the bottom body (3), and does not have a paper layer. The thickness of each laminate (20)(30) is preferably less than 250 μm, and more preferably less than 200 μm. By setting the thickness of each laminate (20)(30) within the above range, problems such as an excessively large step in the portion of the flange portion (23) of the body (2) constituted by the overlap portion (21) and an unstable joint between the lower end portion (2a) and folded portion (22) of the body (2) and the hanging portion (31) of the bottom body (3) can be reliably avoided, as in the case of a paper cup using a laminate having a thickness of about 250 to 400 μm as the blank material.

[0021] The metal foil layers (201) (301) function as a barrier layer to protect the contents from gas, water vapor, light, etc. The metal foil constituting the metal foil layer (201)(301) may be aluminum foil, iron foil, stainless steel foil, copper foil, etc., but aluminum foil is preferably used. In the case of aluminum foil, either pure aluminum foil or aluminum alloy foil may be used, and either soft or hard. For example, annealed soft material (O material) of A8000 series (particularly A8079H or A8021H) classified by JIS H4160 is preferably used because it has excellent formability. In addition, when a hard material (H material) is used as the aluminum foil constituting the metal foil layer (201)(301) (particularly the metal foil layer (201) of the body blank (20A)), the strength of the flange portion (23) is increased, deformation of the flange portion (23) due to unexpected impact is suppressed, and the shape retention of the cup-shaped container (1) as a whole is improved. Both sides of the metal foil layers (201) and (301) are subjected to a base treatment such as a chemical conversion treatment, if necessary. Specifically, for example, the surface of the metal foil that has been degreased is 1) Phosphoric acid, Chromic acid, and at least one compound selected from the group consisting of metal salts of fluorides and nonmetal salts of fluorides. 2) phosphoric acid; At least one resin selected from the group consisting of acrylic resins, chitosan derivative resins, and phenolic resins; and at least one compound selected from the group consisting of chromic acid and chromium (III) salts. 3) phosphoric acid; At least one resin selected from the group consisting of acrylic resins, chitosan derivative resins, and phenolic resins; At least one compound selected from the group consisting of chromic acid and chromium (III) salts; and at least one compound selected from the group consisting of metal salts of fluorides and nonmetal salts of fluorides. A coating is formed by applying an aqueous solution of any one of the above 1) to 3) and then drying the applied solution to perform a chemical conversion treatment. The coating formed on the surface of the metal foil layer (201) (301) by the above chemical conversion treatment has a chromium deposition amount (per side) of 0.1 mg / m 2 ~50mg / m 2 It is preferable to use a concentration of 2 mg / m 2 ~20mg / m 2 It is preferable to set the above. The thickness of the metal foil layer (201)(301) is preferably 40 to 200 μm, more preferably 80 to 160 μm. By setting the thickness of the metal foil layer (201)(301) within the above range, sufficient barrier properties and moldability can be obtained.

[0022] The heat-sealable resin layers (202), (203), (302), (303) constitute the inner and outer surfaces of the container (1), and serve to protect the metal foil layers (201), (301) and to impart formability to the laminates (20), (30). They also function as heat-sealing layers when joining both end edges of the body blank (20A) and when joining the lower end (2a) and folded portion (22) of the body (2) to the hanging portion (32) of the bottom body (3). The heat-sealable resin layers (202)(203)(302)(303) are formed of, for example, a general-purpose film having heat-sealability, such as a polypropylene (PP) film or a polyethylene (PE) film, or a composite film obtained by laminating these films together, but a non-oriented polypropylene film (CPP), which has excellent heat resistance and draw formability, is particularly preferable. Note that the heat-sealable resin layers (202)(203)(302)(303) may be formed of a coating layer of maleic acid-modified polyethylene, maleic acid-modified polypropylene, ethylene-vinyl acetate, an epoxy resin, a shellac resin, or the like, instead of the above-mentioned films. The thickness of the heat-sealable resin layers (202), (203), (302), (303) is preferably 5 to 80 μm, and more preferably 10 to 60 μm. By setting the thickness of the heat-sealable resin layers (202), (203), (302), (303) within the above range, sufficient adhesive strength can be obtained at the joint between both end edges of the body blank (20A) and at the joint between the lower end (2a) and the folded-back portion (22) of the body (2) and the hanging portion (32) of the bottom body (3), and the step formed by the overlap portion (21) on the upper surface of the flange portion (23) of the body (2) can be made gentle, resulting in good sealing performance when sealed with a lid.

[0023] The metal foil constituting the metal foil layer (201) (301) and the film constituting the heat-fusible resin layer (202) (203) (302) (303) are laminated, for example, by a dry lamination method via an adhesive layer (not shown). For the adhesive layer, for example, a two-component curing polyester-polyurethane adhesive or a polyether-polyurethane adhesive is used. Due to the presence of the adhesive layer, even if the inner heat-sealable resin layer (202) and the outer heat-sealable resin layer (203) of the body blank (20A) are reduced in thickness due to heat fusion, for example, in the overlapping portion (21) of the body (2), the metal foil layers (201) are prevented from coming into contact with each other, so that the sealing performance is maintained. Furthermore, with the adhesive layer, even if contents that permeate the heat-sealable resin layers (202), (203), (302), (303) are filled, it is possible to prevent the metal foil layers (201), (301) from corroding and causing the contents to leak out.

[0024] The laminate (20) constituting the body blank (20A) and the laminate (30) constituting the bottom blank (30A) are usually the same, but may be made of different materials and / or thicknesses.

[0025] Next, an example of a method for forming the cup-shaped container 1 using the laminates 20 and 30 will be described. First, the laminate (20) is punched into a sector shape of a predetermined size to form a body blank (20A) (see FIG. 9(a)). The laminate (30) is punched out into a circle of a specified size to form a bottom body blank (30A) (see FIG. 10(a)), and this blank (30A) is drawn using a mold (not shown) to form a bottom body (3) having a generally inverted U-shaped cross section and consisting of a bottom portion (31) and a hanging portion (32) (see FIG. 10(b)). The resulting bottom body (3) is free of wrinkles. The corners between the bottom portion (31) and the hanging portion (32) on the outer surface of the bottom body (3) are rounded. The bottom body (3) is set on the top surface of a generally truncated cone mold (not shown) so that the upper surface of the bottom part (31) overlaps, and the body blank (20A) is wrapped around the outer periphery of the mold so that both end edges overlap, and then the inner heat-sealable resin layer (202) and the outer heat-sealable resin layer (203), which form the overlapping surfaces of the overlapping part (21), are heat-sealed to form the tapered cylindrical body (2). The means for heat-sealing the overlapping part (21) may be heat sealing using a hot plate, high-frequency sealing, ultrasonic sealing, or the like. Here, when the inner heat-sealable resin layer (202) and the outer heat-sealable resin layer (203) are made of a non-oriented polypropylene film (CPP), the heat sealing is preferably performed under the conditions of a sealing temperature of 160 to 220°C, a load of 80 to 200 kgf, and a sealing time of 1 to 5 seconds. When the inner heat-sealable resin layer (202) and the outer heat-sealable resin layer (203) are made of a polyethylene film (PE), the heat sealing is preferably performed under the conditions of a sealing temperature of 140 to 220°C, a load of 80 to 200 kgf, and a sealing time of 1 to 5 seconds. In other words, in the case of heat sealing, it is preferable to heat both ends of the overlapped body blank (20A) at a temperature 20 to 40°C higher than the melting point of the resin constituting the heat-sealable resin layers (202) and (203) from both sides. Moreover, the high frequency sealing is preferably performed under the conditions of, for example, output: 0.5 to 1.5 kW, sealing time: 3 to 5 seconds, distance from the coil: 0.5 to 15 mm, and load: 100 to 200 kgf. 11, the lower opening edge of the body (2) is folded inward, and the folded portion (22) is pressed against the hanging portion (32) of the bottom body (3) by a disk-shaped rotating die (not shown), and then the inner heat-sealable resin layer (202), the upper heat-sealable resin layer (302), and the lower heat-sealable resin layer (303), which constitute the overlapping surfaces of the lower end (2a) and folded portion (22) of the body (2) and the hanging portion (32) of the bottom body (3), are heat-sealed to join the body (2) and the bottom body (3) together. The heat-sealing of these heat-sealable resin layers (202), (302), and (303) is usually performed by heat sealing using a hot plate or the like, but may also be performed by high-frequency sealing, ultrasonic sealing, or the like. The suitable conditions for heat sealing and high frequency sealing are the same as those for heat fusing the overlapping portion (21) of the body (2). In addition, the upper opening edge of the body (2) is curled outward using a specified curl forming die (not shown) and pressed vertically to form a flat shape, thereby forming a flange portion (23) (see Figure 11). In this way, the cup-shaped container (1) shown in Figures 1 and 2 is obtained.

[0026] In the cup-shaped container (1) of this embodiment, the overlap portion (21) of the body (2) has the following structural features. That is, as shown in FIG. 5, the inner end surface (204) of the body blank (20A) located on the inside of the body (2) is covered by an inner resin reservoir portion (R1) formed when the inner heat-sealable resin layer (202) and the outer heat-sealable resin layer (203), which form the overlapping surfaces of both end edges of the body blank (20A), are heat-sealed. In addition, the outer end surface (205) of the body blank (20A) located on the outside of the body (2) is also covered with an outer resin reservoir (R2) formed when the inner heat-fusible resin layer (202) and the outer heat-fusible resin layer (203) constituting the overlapping surfaces of both end edges of the body blank (20A) are heat-fused (see FIG. 5). However, the outer resin reservoir (R2) does not necessarily have to be formed. The above-mentioned inner resin reservoir portion (R1) and outer resin reservoir portion (R2) are formed when the overlapped end edges of the body blank (20A) are heat-sealed together, and a portion of the inner heat-sealable resin layer (202) and the outer heat-sealable resin layer (203) constituting the overlapping surfaces melts, and the molten resin is pushed out in the width direction of the overlap portion (21) by the pressure applied during heat sealing. In addition, the inner resin reservoir portion (R1) is also formed by melted resin from the inner heat-sealable resin layer (202) and outer heat-sealable resin layer (203) that constitute the inner end surface (204) of the body blank (20A), and a portion of the inner heat-sealable resin layer (202) adjacent to the inner end surface (204), and the outer resin reservoir portion (R2) is also formed by melted resin from the inner heat-sealable resin layer (202) and outer heat-sealable resin layer (203) that constitute the outer end surface (205) of the body blank (20A), and a portion of the outer heat-sealable resin layer (203) adjacent to the outer end surface (205). These resin reservoir portions (R1) (R2) can be formed, for example, by controlling the sealing conditions during heat fusion (sealing temperature, pressure, sealing time, sealing area, etc.) or by appropriately setting the configuration of the body blank (20A) as described below.

[0027] In the body blank (20A), the thickness of the metal foil layer (201) is T1, the thickness of the inner heat-sealable resin layer (202) is T2, and the thickness of the outer heat-sealable resin layer (203) is T3. It is preferable that T1:T2:T3=1:0.3-1.5:0.2-1 and T2≧T3. More preferably, T1:T2:T3=1:0.5-0.8:0.4-0.7. According to the above thickness ratio configuration, it is possible to increase the probability of forming the inner resin reservoir portion (R1) that covers the inner end surface (204) of the body blank (20A). In addition, if T2 is made larger than T3, it is possible to increase the sealing property between the lower end portion (2a) and the folded portion (22) of the body (2) and the hanging portion (32) of the bottom body (3).

[0028] The melt mass flow rate (MFR) of the inner heat-sealable resin layer (202) of the body blank (20A) is preferably 1 to 20 g / 10 min, more preferably 7 to 18 g / 10 min. Here, when the inner heat-sealable resin layer (202) has two or more layers, the above MFR refers to the average value. If the MFR of the inner heat-sealable resin layer (202) is set within the above range, the probability of forming the inner resin reservoir portion (R1) is particularly increased. In addition, in specifying this invention, "MFR" refers to a value obtained in accordance with the standard test method for MFR specified in JIS K7210-1:2014. For example, when the inner heat-sealable resin layer (202) is made of polypropylene, its MFR is determined in accordance with the above test method at a temperature of 230 ℃ The values ​​were measured under a load of 2.16 kgf. The MFR of the outer heat-sealable resin layer (203) of the body blank (20A) is preferably 1 to 15 g / 10 min, and more preferably 4 to 10 g / 10 min. When the outer heat-sealable resin layer (203) has two or more layers, the above MFR refers to the average value. If the MFR of the outer heat-sealable resin layer (203) is set within the above range, the molten resin does not easily flow during heat sealing, and the surface roughness of the sealed portion is reduced.

[0029] FIG. 4(a) shows a preferred embodiment in which the inner heat-sealable resin layer (202) and the outer heat-sealable resin layer (203) of the laminate (20) constituting the body blank (20A) each consist of two or more thermoplastic resin layers. In FIG. 4(a), the inner heat-sealable resin layer (202) of the body blank (20A) has a three-layer structure consisting of a seal-side thermoplastic resin layer (202a) that constitutes the inner surface of the body (2), a laminate-side thermoplastic resin layer (202b) that is laminated to the metal foil layer (201), and an intermediate thermoplastic resin layer (202c) that is interposed between these layers (202a) and (202b). The MFR of the seal side thermoplastic resin layer (202a) is preferably 3 to 10 g / 10 min, more preferably 4 to 9 g / 10 min. The MFR of the laminate side thermoplastic resin layer (202b) is preferably 3 to 10 g / 10 min, more preferably 4 to 9 g / 10 min. The MFR of the intermediate thermoplastic resin layer (202c) is smaller than the MFRs of the seal side thermoplastic resin layer (202a) and the laminate side thermoplastic resin layer (202b), and is preferably 0.5 to 5 g / 10 min, more preferably 1.5 to 4 g / 10 min. By defining the ranges of the MFRs of the three layers (202a), (202b), and (202c) as described above, the probability of forming the inner resin reservoir portion (R1) is increased, and thus the body blank (20A), particularly the inner end surface (204), can be reliably covered and protected. Similarly, the outer heat-sealable resin layer (203) of the body blank (20A) also has a three-layer structure consisting of a seal-side thermoplastic resin layer (203a) constituting the outer surface of the body (2), a laminate-side thermoplastic resin layer (203b) laminated to the metal foil layer (201), and an intermediate thermoplastic resin layer (203c) interposed between these layers (203a) and (203b). The MFR of each layer (203a), (203b), and (203c) can be set to the same range as the MFR of the corresponding layers (202a), (202b), and (202c) of the inner heat-sealable resin layer (202). The inner heat-sealable resin layer (202) and the outer heat-sealable resin layer (203) having the above-mentioned layer structure can be composed of, for example, a two-kind three-layer (random polypropylene (rPP) / block polypropylene (bPP) / random polypropylene (rPP)) or one-kind three-layer (random polypropylene (rPP) / random polypropylene (rPP) / random polypropylene (rPP)) unoriented polypropylene film (CPP). Also, as shown in FIG. 4(b), the upper heat-sealable resin layer (302) and the lower heat-sealable resin layer (303) of the laminate (30) constituting the bottom blank (30A) can be made to have a three-layer structure consisting of a seal side thermoplastic resin layer (302a) (303a), a laminate side thermoplastic resin layer (302b) (303b), and an intermediate thermoplastic resin layer (302c) (303c), similar to the above. The body blank (20A) and the bottom blank (30A) may have a two-layer structure consisting of a seal side thermoplastic resin layer and a laminate side thermoplastic resin layer, in addition to the three-layer structure described above. In that case, the MFR of the seal side thermoplastic resin layer should be made high and the MFR of the laminate side thermoplastic resin layer should be made low.

[0030] In the overlap portion (21) of the body (2) of the cup-shaped container (1), the total thickness (T4) of the inner heat-sealable resin layer (202) and the outer heat-sealable resin layer (203) heat-sealed to each other at both end edges of the body blank (20A) is preferably 8 to 150 μm, more preferably 16 to 80 μm (see FIG. 5). If the total thickness (T4) is less than 8 μm, the sealing property of the overlap portion (21) may be insufficient. On the other hand, if the total thickness (T4) exceeds 150 μm, the barrier property of the overlap portion (21) may be impaired. In the overlapping portion (21) of the body (2), the overlapping width (W1) between the metal foil layers (201) (201) at both ends of the body blank (20A) as viewed in the thickness direction is preferably 2 to 10 mm, more preferably 4 to 8 mm (see FIG. 5). If the overlapping width (W1) is less than 2 mm, the barrier properties of the overlapping portion (21) may be impaired, and the seal width may be too small, resulting in insufficient sealability. On the other hand, if the overlapping width (W1) exceeds 10 mm, the width of the overlapping portion (21) becomes larger than necessary, leading to increased costs, and furthermore, due to the difference in stress applied to the inner portion (one end edge of the body blank (20A)) and the outer portion (the other end edge of the body blank (20A)) of the overlapping portion (21), there is a risk of poor appearance, such as wrinkles on the inner portion of the overlapping portion (21).

[0031] 6 to 8 show different embodiments of the overlap portion (21) of the body (2) of the cup-shaped container (1).

[0032] In the case of the overlap portion (21) of the body (2) shown in FIG. 6, the inner end surface (204X) of the body blank (20A) is formed as an inclined surface facing the outside of the body (2). The angle between the inner end surface (204X) consisting of the same inclined surface and the inner surface of the portion adjacent to the outer end edge that is the outside of the body (2) among the overlapped both end edges of the body blank (20A) is smaller and more acute than that in the embodiment shown in Fig. 5. Therefore, the gap between these surfaces is easily filled with the inner resin reservoir (R1), and thus the inner end surface (204X) is more reliably covered by the inner resin reservoir (R1). The inner end surface (204X) consisting of such an inclined surface can be formed, for example, by cutting the laminate (20) from the outer heat-sealable resin layer (203) side toward the inner heat-sealable resin layer (202) side to form a body blank (20A). Although not shown in the drawings, in addition to the above configuration, the outer end surface (205) of the body blank (20A) may be formed as an inclined surface facing the inside of the body (2). This makes it possible to more reliably cover the outer end surface (205) with the outer resin reservoir (R2).

[0033] In the overlap portion (21) of the body (2) shown in Fig. 7, a step portion (206) is formed by bending the overlapped end edge portion of the body blank (20A) in a crank shape so as to face the inner end face (204) of the body blank (20A) adjacent to the outer end edge portion that is the outside of the body (2). An inner resin reservoir portion (R1) is formed between the step portion (206) and the inner end face (204). In this case, the angle between the inner end surface (204X) of the body blank (20A) and the inner surface of the step portion (206) is smaller and more acute than that in the embodiment shown in Fig. 5. Therefore, the gap between these surfaces is easily filled with the inner resin reservoir (R1), and thus the inner end surface (204X) is more reliably covered with the inner resin reservoir (R1). The step portion (206) can be formed, for example, by deforming required portions of the body blank (20A) using pressure from a hot plate or the like when overlapping and heat-sealing both end edges of the body blank (20A).

[0034] In the case of the overlap portion (21) of the body (2) shown in Fig. 8, the inner end surface (204X) of the body blank (20A) is an inclined surface facing the outside of the body (2). In addition, a step portion (206) bent in a crank shape to face the inner end surface (204X) of the body blank (20A) is formed in a portion adjacent to the outer end edge portion that is the outside of the body (2) of the overlapped both end edges of the body blank (20A). An inner resin reservoir portion (R1) is formed between the step portion (206) and the inclined inner end surface (204X). In the above embodiment, compared to the embodiment shown in Figures 6 and 7, the gap between the inner end face (204X) of the body blank (20A) and the inner surface of the step portion (206) is further narrowed, so that it is more easily filled with the inner resin reservoir (R1), and thus the inner end face (204X) is more reliably covered by the inner resin reservoir (R1).

[0035] The cup-shaped container (1) of this embodiment provides the following advantages. a) The body blank (20A) and the bottom blank (30A) are each formed from a laminate (20) (30) consisting of a metal foil layer (201) (301) and heat-sealable resin layers (202) (203) (302) (303) laminated on both sides thereof, and therefore can be produced inexpensively using paper cup production equipment. b) The laminates (20) (30) from which the blanks (20A) (30A) are made have metal foil layers (201) (301), so that the contents can be stored for a long time. c) Since the thickness of the body blank (20A) is smaller than that of a paper cup, the step on the upper surface of the flange portion (23) of the body (2) formed by the overlap portion (21) can be made smaller, and therefore poor sealing is less likely to occur when sealing the lid to the upper surface of the flange portion (23) of the container (1). Also, when performing aseptic (sterile) filling, sterilizing liquid is less likely to remain in the step on the upper surface of the flange portion (23). d) Since the bottom body (3) is formed by drawing the bottom body blank (30A), wrinkles do not occur in the bottom body (3). Therefore, there is no risk of poor bonding between the hanging portion (32) of the bottom body (3) and the lower end portion (2a) and the folded portion (22) of the body (2) or of reduced barrier properties, as occurs with conventional paper cups. e) Since the thickness of the body blank (20A) and the bottom blank (30A) is smaller than that of a paper cup, the lower end (2a) and the folded portion (22) of the body (2) can be stably joined to the hanging portion (32) of the bottom body (3). f) Compared to a paper cup, the radius of curvature (R) of the corner portion between the bottom portion (31) and the hanging portion (32) on the outer surface of the base body (3) can be made smaller, so that when performing aseptic filling, sterilizing liquid is less likely to remain at the boundary between the upper surface of the bottom body (3) and the inner surface of the body (2) of the cup-shaped container (1). g) Since the laminates 20, 30 from which the blanks 20A, 30A are made do not have a paper layer, retort sterilization can be carried out without any problems. h) In the overlap portion (21) of the body (2), the inner end faces (204), (204X) of the body blank (20A) located on the inside of the body (2) are covered by the inner resin reservoir portion (R1) formed when the heat-sealable resin layers (202), (203) at both end edges of the body blank (2) are heat-sealed to each other, and are not exposed to the contents. This effectively prevents deterioration of the inner end faces (204), (204X) due to delamination or corrosion, and is also preferable from a hygienic standpoint. i) In the overlap portion (21) of the body (2), the outer end face (205) of the body blank (20A) located on the outside of the body (2) is covered by the outer resin reservoir portion (R2) formed when the heat-fusible resin layers (202), (203) at both end edges of the body blank (2) are heat-fused together, so that deterioration of the outer end face (205) due to delamination and corrosion is effectively suppressed. EXAMPLES

[0036] Next, specific examples of the present invention will be described, but the present invention is not limited to these examples.

[0037] <Example 1> A two-component curing urethane adhesive was applied at approximately 3 g / m2 to both sides of a 100 μm thick aluminum foil (A8021H-O) that had been chemically treated. 2The adhesive was applied to the film and dry laminated with a 60 μm thick non-oriented polypropylene film (CPP). A laminate was obtained by carrying out a prescribed aging treatment to harden the adhesive. The non-oriented polypropylene film used had a three-layer structure made of random polypropylene (rPP). The test method was based on JIS K7210-1:2014 (temperature 230 ℃ The MFR of each layer, measured under a load of 2.16 kgf, was 7 to 18, and the average MFR of the three layers was 11. Next, the obtained laminate was punched into a predetermined shape to form a body blank and a bottom blank (see Figs. 9 and 10). Then, using the body blank and the bottom blank, a cup-shaped container shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 was produced by the same process as in the above-described embodiment, and this was designated as Example 1. The resulting cup-shaped container is made of aluminum foil with a thickness of 100 μm, and therefore has excellent barrier properties with almost no permeation of oxygen or water vapor. The dimensions of the cup-shaped container were as follows: (Cup-shaped container dimensions) -Inner diameter of the opening at the top of the cup-shaped container: 65mm -Inner diameter of the bottom of the cup-shaped container: 50mm Flange width: 4mm Height of cup: 95mm Height of the cup-shaped container's legs (folded part (22)): 6 mm -Width of fuselage overlap (overlap): 8mm In addition, when the overlapping portion of the body of the cup-shaped container was cut transversely and the cut surface was observed under a microscope, it was confirmed that the inner end face of the body blank was covered by the inner resin reservoir portion formed during heat sealing, and the outer end face of the body blank was covered by the outer resin reservoir portion formed during heat sealing. [Industrial Applicability]

[0038] The present invention can be suitably used as a cup-shaped container for holding, for example, liquid food or beverage. [Explanation of symbols]

[0039] (1): Cup-shaped container (2): Torso (2a): Lower end of the fuselage (21): Overlap section (23): Flange (20A): Body blank (20): Laminate (201): Metal foil layer (202): Inner heat-sealable resin layer (202a): Sealing side thermoplastic resin layer (202b): Laminate side thermoplastic resin layer (203):Outer heat-fusible resin layer (204)(204X):Inner end surface (205):Outer end face (206): Step (3): Bottom body (31):Bottom (32): Drooping part (30A): Bottom blank (30): Laminate (301):Metal foil layer (302): Upper heat-sealable resin layer (303): Lower heat-fusible resin layer (R1): Inner resin reservoir (R2): Outer resin reservoir

Claims

[Claim 1] A cup-shaped container comprising a body formed into a cylindrical shape by overlapping and joining both end edges of a body blank, and a bottom body having a generally inverted U-shaped cross section formed by forming a bottom body blank so as to form a bottom and a hanging part extending downward from the outer peripheral edge of the bottom body, the body and the bottom body being integrated by joining the outer surface of the hanging part of the bottom body to the inner surface of the lower end of the body, the body blank is formed from a laminate consisting of a metal foil layer and heat-sealable resin layers laminated on both sides of the metal foil layer, and both end edges of the body blank are joined by heat-sealing the heat-sealable resin layers constituting the mutually overlapping surfaces of the metal foil layer, The bottom body blank is formed from a laminate consisting of a metal foil layer and a heat-sealable resin layer laminated on at least one of both sides of the metal foil layer that will be the upper side of the bottom body, and the inner surface of the lower end of the body and the outer surface of the hanging part of the bottom body are joined by heat-sealing the heat-sealable resin layers that make up these surfaces, This cup-shaped container has an inner end face of a body blank located on the inside of the body in an overlapping portion of the body, the inner end face being covered by an inner resin reservoir formed when heat-fusible resin layers at both end edges of the body blank are heat-fused together.

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