Lower container and packaging container

Abstract

To realize a lower container which enables a lidded container to be used as an upper container and can store a material with a storage space divided into upper and lower parts without impairing convenience of the lidded container, and to realize a packaging container comprising the lower container and the lidded container.SOLUTION: A lower container (2) forming a rectangular shape in a plan view includes: a storage bottom surface part (21); a peripheral wall part (22); placement step parts (24) which support an outer edge part of an upper container, which is a lidded container forming the rectangular shape in the plan view, to place the upper container above the storage bottom surface part; engagement parts (25) which engage with the outer edge part of the placed upper container; and a relief part (26) provided at a portion corresponding to a hinge part of the placed upper container. The relief part has a portion which enables opening and expanding of the hinge part occurring when a lid of the upper container placed and engaged opens or closes. The engagement parts vary in a length of a portion which engages with the outer edge part of the upper container between a long side and a short side, or the numbers of the engagement parts are different between the long side and the short side.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a lower container, a packaging container, capable of accommodating food or the like. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, in various stores and the like that sell take-out food, various foods such as boxed lunches and prepared dishes are sold in a state of being packed in a packaging container. In addition, customers can purchase only the required amount of prepared dishes that are lined up on a table by packing them into a packaging container. The task of packing the dishes into a packaging container is sometimes performed by store employees, and sometimes by the purchaser themselves.

[0003] Packaging containers come in a wide variety of shapes and structures. One known example is a lid-integrated container in which a container body and a lid are connected by a hinge, known as a food pack (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

[0004] There are also packaging containers that include an inner tray in addition to a container body and a lid (for example, Patent Document 2). In such containers, for example, cooked rice or noodles are stored under the inner tray, and side dishes or rice bowl ingredients are stored above the inner tray. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] JP 2016-41599 A [Patent Document 2] JP 2015-145285 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] Incidentally, lid-integrated containers are highly convenient products because the container body can be easily closed and opened, but because the interior is not divided, they are inferior in terms of storing food separately.

[0007] In contrast, a packaging container with an inner tray is superior in that the inside can be divided into upper and lower parts by the inner tray, allowing different foods to be stored separately. However, because the parts are separate, that is, the container body, the lid, and the inner tray, it does not offer the convenience of a container with an integrated lid.

[0008] One aspect of the present invention aims to realize a lower container that can store food, etc. by dividing the storage space into upper and lower parts without compromising the convenience of the lid-integrated container by using an integrated lid container as an upper container, and a two-tiered packaging container composed of this lower container and the lid-integrated container. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] In order to solve the above problems, a lower container according to one aspect of the present invention is a lower container having a rectangular shape in a plan view, the lower container having a bottom surface portion, a peripheral wall portion extending upward from the bottom surface portion, and an upper container having a lid body and a rectangular shape in a plan view, the upper container being located on the inner periphery side of the peripheral wall portion and having a container body and a lid body connected by a hinge portion, the upper container having a mounting step portion that supports an outer edge of the upper container and places it above the bottom surface portion, and the upper container having a lid body and ... The container has a locking portion that locks the outer edge of an upper container, and an escape portion provided at a portion corresponding to the hinge portion of the upper container placed on the mounting stage, and the escape portion has a portion that allows the hinge portion to expand when the lid is opened and closed when the upper container is placed on the mounting stage and the outer edge is locked by the locking portion, and the locking portion has a different length of the portion that locks the outer edge of the upper container, or the number of locking portions, on the long side and short side.

[0010] According to the above-mentioned configuration, the upper container can be placed on and locked onto the lower container by the placement step and locking part of the lower container. This realizes a two-tiered packaging container in which the upper container is stably set on the lower container. Moreover, the lower container has an escape part having a portion that allows the hinge part to open and close when the lid of the upper container set on the lower container is opened and closed, so that the lid of the upper container set on the lower container can be opened and closed freely.

[0011] Furthermore, in the above configuration, since the length of the portion of the locking portion that locks the outer edge of the upper container or the number of locking portions differs between the long side and the short side, for example, the length of the locking portion or the number of locking portions can be set according to each of the long side and the short side, which makes it possible to more stably lock the upper container placed on the lower container.

[0012] As one aspect of the present invention, when the lengths of the engaging portions of the engaging portion are different, the length of the long side may be longer than the short side.

[0013] According to the above configuration, the length of the engaging portion is longer on the long side, which is more likely to bend than the short side, so that the upper container can be stably engaged even if bending occurs.

[0014] As one aspect of the present invention, when the numbers of the locking portions are different, the number of the locking portions on the long side may be greater than that on the short side.

[0015] According to the above configuration, the number of locking portions is greater on the long side, which is more susceptible to bending than the short side, so that the upper container can be stably locked even if bending occurs.

[0016] As one aspect of the present invention, the locking portion may be provided in a plurality on each of the long and short sides.

[0017] According to the above-mentioned configuration, since a plurality of locking portions are provided on each of the long and short sides, the upper container is locked at a plurality of points on each side, which allows the upper container to be locked more stably than a configuration in which the upper container is locked at only one point on each side.

[0018] As one aspect of the present invention, the placement step and the locking portion may be provided point-symmetrically with respect to a center of the storage bottom portion.

[0019] According to the above-mentioned configuration, the placement step and the locking part are provided point-symmetrically around the center of the storage bottom part, so the upper container can be set on the lower container even if it is rotated 180 degrees. This makes it easy to set the lower container and the upper container by simply matching their shapes without having to consider the position of the hinge part of the upper container, which is convenient to use.

[0020] As one aspect of the present invention, the peripheral wall may further include a flange portion extending flatly laterally from an upper end portion of the peripheral wall portion, and a pair of corner cut portions may be formed at diagonal positions of the flange portion.

[0021] Some lid-integrated containers, which are upper containers, have a knob formed on the end of the opening side facing the hinge part of the lid, which is to be held with the fingertips when opening the lid. With the above configuration, even if the upper container is rotated 180 degrees and set, the tip of the knob can always protrude from the corner cut part, improving usability.

[0022] In order to solve the above problems, a packaging container according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises an upper container which is a rectangular container in a plan view, in which the container body and the lid are connected by a hinge portion, and a lower container according to one embodiment of the present invention described above. Effect of the Invention

[0023] According to one aspect of the present invention, it is possible to realize a lower container that can store food, etc. by utilizing an integrated lid container as an upper container and dividing the storage space into upper and lower parts without compromising the convenience of the integrated lid container, and a two-tiered packaging container composed of the lower container and the integrated lid container. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0024] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view of a packaging container according to one embodiment of the present invention with its lid closed. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the packaging container of FIG. 1 with the lid open. [Diagram 3] 2 is a perspective view of the upper container of the packaging container of FIG. 1 in an open state, as viewed from the container body side. [Figure 4] 2 is a perspective view of a lower container 2 of the packaging container of FIG. 1. [Diagram 5] FIG. 5 is a plan view of the lower container of FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. 5. [Figure 7] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line BB in FIG. 5. [Figure 8] 2 is a schematic end view of a main part of a connecting side of the packaging container of FIG. 1 in a closed state. [Figure 9] 2 is a schematic end view of a main part of a connecting side of the packaging container of FIG. 1 in an open state. [Figure 10] 2 is a diagram illustrating the orientation of an upper container relative to a lower container in the packaging container of FIG. 1. [Figure 11] 10 is a diagram showing the upper container in the open lid state shown in FIG. 9 rotated 180 degrees. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0025] In a packaging container according to one embodiment of the present invention, the lid-integrated container itself functions as an inner tray separating the top and bottom and as a lid for the packaging container, and allows for separate storage of contents into upper and lower halves without compromising the convenience of the lid-integrated container.

[0026] Hereinafter, one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Fig. 1 to Fig. 10. In this embodiment, a food packaging container that contains food as a contained object will be described as an example of a packaging container according to one aspect of the present invention. However, the contained object contained in the packaging container according to one aspect of the present invention is not limited to food.

[0027] (Overview of packaging containers) An overview of a packaging container 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 1 and 2. Figure 1 is a perspective view of the packaging container 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention with the lid closed. Figure 2 is a perspective view of the packaging container 1 of Figure 1 with the lid open.

[0028] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, in this embodiment, the packaging container 1 has a rectangular shape in a plan view. The packaging container 1 includes a lower container 2 and an upper container 3, and each of the lower container 2 and the upper container 3 has a rectangular shape in a plan view. The lower container 2 has a pair of short sides 2S and a pair of long sides 2L. Similarly, the upper container 3 has a pair of short sides 3S and a pair of long sides 3L.

[0029] "Rectangular in plan view" means that the outer shape in plan view is rectangular or approximately rectangular as a whole. Therefore, as long as the outer shapes of the lower container 2 and the upper container 3 are approximately rectangular as a whole in plan view, at least some of the four corners may be chamfered (folded) or curved.

[0030] The upper container 3 is an integrated lid container having a hinge portion 33, and the lid body 32 of the upper container 3 serves as the lid of the packaging container 1. In other words, the packaging container 1 is a two-tiered packaging container in which the storage space is separated into upper and lower portions. A storage bottom surface portion 21 of the lower container 2, which will be described later, serves as the bottom of the packaging container 1, a main body bottom surface portion 34 of the upper container 3 serves as a middle bottom that separates the packaging container 1 from the top and bottom, and the lid body 32 of the upper container 3 serves as the lid of the packaging container 1.

[0031] The packaging container 1 is designed so that the lid 32 of the upper container 3 can be freely opened and closed with the upper container 3 placed and locked on the lower container 2. Hereinafter, placing the upper container 3 on the lower container 2 and locking it is also referred to as "setting", and this state is also referred to as the "set state".

[0032] The lower container 2 and the upper container 3 can be manufactured by thermoforming a synthetic resin sheet, although there is no particular limitation thereto. The synthetic resin sheet may be either a non-foamed resin sheet or a foamed resin sheet.

[0033] In the case of a non-foamed resin sheet, it is preferable to use a sheet having a thickness in the range of 0.12 mm to 0.45 mm, particularly in the range of 0.18 mm to 0.30 mm. In the case of a foamed resin sheet, it is preferable to use a sheet having a thickness in the range of 0.3 mm to 3.0 mm, particularly in the range of 0.5 mm to 2.0 mm. Furthermore, in the case of a foamed resin sheet, it is preferable to set the expansion ratio to 1.05 times to 20.0 times, particularly in the range of 1.5 times to 15.0 times.

[0034] Examples of non-foamed resin sheets that can be used include thermoplastic resin sheets such as polyolefin resin sheets, such as polyethylene resin sheets and polypropylene resin sheets, and polyester resin sheets, such as polystyrene resin sheets, polyethylene terephthalate resin sheets, and modified polyethylene terephthalate resin sheets that have been given heat resistance. In addition, resin sheets that can withstand heating in a microwave oven, such as heat-resistant polystyrene resin sheets, polypropylene resin sheets, and modified polyethylene terephthalate resin sheets that have been given heat resistance, may also be used.

[0035] As the foamed resin sheet, for example, a foamed polyolefin-based resin sheet, a foamed polystyrene-based resin sheet, a foamed polyester-based resin sheet such as a foamed polyethylene terephthalate resin sheet, etc. can be used.

[0036] A laminated sheet obtained by laminating synthetic resin sheets can also be used. Examples of the laminated sheet include a laminated sheet obtained by thermally laminating a resin film onto a non-foamed resin sheet or a foamed resin sheet, a laminated sheet produced by a co-extrusion method, and a laminated sheet produced by an extrusion lamination method.

[0037] Examples of thermoforming include vacuum forming, pressure forming, vacuum pressure forming, and hot plate forming.

[0038] The lower container 2 and the upper container 3 may be colored, such as black or white, or may be transparent or semi-transparent so that the inside can be seen. In this embodiment, the lower container 2 is black and opaque, and the upper container 3 is colorless and transparent. The lower container 2 and the upper container 3 may be provided with ribs or the like for reinforcement.

[0039] (Upper vessel) The upper container 3, when placed above the lower container 2, also functions as a lid that closes the opening of the lower container 2 (see Figs. 1 and 2). Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the upper container 3 of the packaging container 1 in Fig. 1 in an open state, seen from the container body 31 side. The upper container 3 is what is called a food pack, which contains various foods.

[0040] 3, the upper container 3 is an integrated lid container in which a container body 31 and a lid 32 are connected by a hinge portion 33. The lid 32 is capable of rotating up and down about a horizontal axis relative to the container body 31 by the hinge portion 33. The specific configurations of the container body 31 and the lid 32, and the hinge portion 33 that connects and integrates them, are all arbitrary, but for example, a configuration as shown in the figure can be adopted.

[0041] In this embodiment, the container body 31 has a rectangular shape in a plan view, and includes a body bottom portion 34, a body side portion 35, a convex portion 36, and a body flange portion 37.

[0042] The main body bottom portion 34 has a rectangular shape in a plan view. The main body side portion 35 is a wall surface that rises at an angle so as to widen upward from the outer edge of the main body bottom portion 34. The main body side portion 35 is provided on all four sides (four sides) so as to surround the outer edge of the main body bottom portion 34.

[0043] The convex portion 36 is provided around the entire circumference on the side of the upper end of the main body side surface portion 35, and is convex upward. Specifically, the convex portion 36 is formed at the upper end of the main body side surface portion 35 by extending slightly laterally, then rising up, then extending flatly laterally, and then falling down again.

[0044] The main body flange portion 37 is provided around the entire periphery at the lower end of the outer wall that forms the convex portion 36. Specifically, the main body flange portion 37 is formed so as to extend flatly laterally from the lower end of the outer wall that forms the convex portion 36.

[0045] The lid body 32 has a shape corresponding to the container body 31, is rectangular in a plan view, and is configured so as to face the container body 31 in the closed state. The lid body 32 has an upwardly bulging shape in the closed state.

[0046] The lid body 32 includes a top surface 38, a lid side surface 39, a recessed portion 40, and a lid flange portion 41. Although Fig. 3 shows the lid in an open state, for ease of explanation, the configuration of each portion of the lid body 32 will be described based on the lid in a closed state.

[0047] The top surface 38 has a rectangular shape in a plan view. The lid side surface 39 is a wall surface that slopes downward from the outer edge of the top surface 38 so as to widen downward when the lid is closed. The lid side surface 39 is provided on all four sides (four sides) so as to surround the outer edge of the top surface 38.

[0048] The concave portion 40 is provided around the entire circumference from the lower end of the lid side surface portion 39, and is concave upward when the lid is in the closed state. Specifically, the concave portion 40 is formed by extending slightly laterally at the lower end of the lid side surface portion 39 in the closed state, then rising up, then extending flatly laterally, and then falling down again.

[0049] The lid flange portion 41 is provided around the entire periphery of the lower end of the outer wall that forms the concave portion 40. Specifically, the lid flange portion 41 is formed so as to extend flatly laterally from the lower end of the outer wall that forms the concave portion 40 in the closed state.

[0050] In this embodiment, the convex portion 36 of the container body 31 fits into the concave portion 40 of the lid body 32, whereby the lid body 32 is locked (fitted) to the container body 31, and the upper container 3 is in a closed state. The body flange portion 37 and the lid flange portion 41 are configured to overlap with each other in the closed state.

[0051] The hinge portion 33 is provided at a connecting portion between the main body flange portion 37 and the lid flange portion 41. The container main body 31 and the lid body 32 are connected by the hinge portion 33. In this embodiment, the hinge portion 33 is formed on the long side of the main body flange portion 37 and the lid flange portion 41, that is, on one side of the pair of long side portions 3L of the upper container 3. Hereinafter, the side on which the hinge portion 33 is located is referred to as the connecting side, and the side opposite to the connecting side is referred to as the opening side.

[0052] Hinge portion 33 can have various shapes, and Fig. 3 shows hinge portion 33 with an arc-shaped cross section. Hinge portion 33 may have a U-shaped cross section. Hinge portion 33 may also be configured to be flat in the open state and to be folded in half vertically by a folding portion in the closed state. The folding portion is a portion formed in a straight line in the center of hinge portion 33.

[0053] The above-mentioned body flange 37 and lid flange 41, and hinge 33 are located on the outer edge of the upper container 3. At least a part of the outer edge of the upper container 3 is supported by a mounting step 24 (see FIG. 4 ) of the lower container 2, which will be described later, so that the upper container 3 is placed above the lower container 2. In other words, the "outer edge" includes at least the connecting edge on one side on which the hinge 33 is formed, and the opening edge facing the connecting edge, which is one side of the body flange 37 and lid flange 41 on which the hinge 33 is not formed.

[0054] A lid gripping portion (grip) 42 is formed on the opening edge of the lid flange portion 41. Similarly, a main body gripping portion (grip) 43 is formed on the opening edge of the main body flange portion 37. When the upper container 3 is in the closed state, the lid gripping portion 42 and the main body gripping portion 43 are configured to overlap each other.

[0055] By pinching the lid knob 42 with the fingertips, the lid body 32 can be easily opened from the container body 31. Moreover, by pinching the overlapping portion of the lid knob 42 and the body knob 43 together, the upper container 3 can be easily removed from the lower container 2. In this embodiment, both the lid knob 42 and the body knob 43 are formed on both ends of the opening side.

[0056] (Lower vessel) The lower container 2 is configured so that the upper container 3 can be placed thereon, and is a type of packaging container that realizes a two-tiered packaging container 1 by placing the upper container 3 thereon (see Figs. 1 and 2).

[0057] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the lower container 2 of the packaging container 1 of FIG. 1. FIG. 5 is a plan view of the lower container 2 of FIG. 4. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. 5. FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along line BB in FIG. 5. In FIG. 6 and FIG. 7, the cut sections are drawn thicker than in reality to emphasize the cut sections. FIG. 8 is a schematic end view of the main parts of the connecting side of the packaging container 1 of FIG. 1 in a closed state. FIG. 9 is a schematic end view of the main parts of the connecting side of the packaging container 1 of FIG. 1 in an open state. The state of the hinge part 33 shown in FIG. 9 is the open state of the hinge part 33. In FIG. 8 and FIG. 9, only the end surface of the connecting side of the packaging container 1 cut in the vertical direction is shown. FIG. 10 is a view for explaining the orientation of the upper container 3 relative to the lower container 2 in the packaging container 1 of FIG. 1. FIG. 11 is a view showing the state in which the upper container in the open state shown in FIG. 9 is rotated 180 degrees.

[0058] 4 and 5, the lower container 2 has a shape corresponding to the upper container 3, is rectangular in plan view, and is open at the top. The lower container 2 includes an accommodation bottom surface portion 21, a peripheral wall portion 22 extending upward from the accommodation bottom surface portion 21, a container flange portion (flange portion) 23, a placement step portion 24, a locking portion 25, and an escape portion 26.

[0059] In this embodiment, the storage bottom surface portion 21 has a rectangular shape in a plan view, and the outer edge has a zigzag shape in a plan view. In addition, a recess 21-1 that is one step lower than the other parts is formed on the outer edge of the storage bottom surface portion 21, and the part other than the recess 21-1 is formed flat.

[0060] The peripheral wall portion 22 is formed to rise at an incline so as to widen upward from the outer edge of the housing bottom surface portion 21, and the portion surrounded by the upper end portion 22a of the peripheral wall portion 22 forms an opening. The peripheral wall portion 22 has a first peripheral wall portion 22-1 connected to the outer edge of the housing bottom surface portion 21, and a second peripheral wall portion 22-2 located above the first peripheral wall portion 22-1.

[0061] The first peripheral wall portion 22-1 is formed so as to protrude (bulge) toward the center of the lower container 2, and a flat step portion is provided between the upper end of the first peripheral wall portion 22-1 and the lower end of the second peripheral wall portion 22-2. This step portion constitutes the mounting step portion 24.

[0062] The cross-sectional shape of the first peripheral wall portion 22-1 cut along a plane parallel to the housing bottom surface portion 21 and the shape of the inner edge of the placement step portion 24 also have a zigzag shape.

[0063] The mounting step 24 is located on the inner periphery of the peripheral wall 22, and supports the outer edge of the upper container 3 to place the upper container 3 above the accommodation bottom surface 21. The provision of the mounting step 24 makes it possible to place the upper container 3 above the lower container 2 (see Figs. 1 and 2). In this embodiment, the mounting step 24 supports the upper container by at least partially abutting against the outer edge of the upper container 3.

[0064] 8 and 9, a predetermined storage space having a predetermined height h is secured between the storage bottom 21 and the main body bottom (bottom) 34 of the container body 31 of the upper container 3 placed on the mounting step 24. In other words, the mounting step 24 is provided at a height that ensures the predetermined height h between the main body bottom 34 of the upper container 3 placed on the mounting step 24 and the storage bottom 21.

[0065] In this embodiment, the mounting step 24 has a hinge mounting step 24-1 on which the hinge portion 33 is mounted. The hinge mounting step 24-1 abuts against the hinge portion 33 to support the hinge portion 33. With this configuration, as shown in Figs. 8 and 9, the hinge portion 33, whose shape changes as the lid 32 of the upper container 3 is opened and closed, can be mounted on the hinge mounting step 24-1 and stably supported, and the opening and closing operation of the lid 32 is stabilized.

[0066] In this embodiment, the first peripheral wall portion 22-1 is located inside the second peripheral wall portion 22-2 over the entire circumference. Therefore, the mounting step portion 24 is formed in an annular shape over the entire circumference of the peripheral wall portion 22. With this configuration, the outer edge portion of the upper container 3 is supported by the lower container 2 over the entire circumference, and the upper container 3 can be mounted on the lower container 2 in a more stable state.

[0067] In this embodiment, the first peripheral wall portion 22-1 protrudes more at the center of each side and at the four corners than at other portions, and the mounting steps 24 located at the center of each side and at the four corners have a larger area than the other portions. With this configuration, the first peripheral wall portion 22-1 can secure a certain amount of storage capacity even when the lower container 2 protrudes, and the mounting steps 24 with a large area provided at key points can stably support the upper container 3.

[0068] 4 and 5, and may be any configuration that can support (hold) the upper container 3 by abutting against the outer edge of the upper container 3. For example, the second peripheral wall 22-2 may be formed into a rib shape that protrudes toward the center of the lower container 2 and extends horizontally, and the upper surface of the rib may be used as the mounting step. Furthermore, the mounting step may be provided only on the four inner corners of the peripheral wall 22 so that the opening of the lower container 2 has a chamfered rectangular shape in a plan view.

[0069] The locking portion 25 is located above the mounting step 24 and locks the outer edge of the upper container 3 placed on the mounting step 24. The provision of the locking portion 25 makes it possible to lock the upper container 3 to the lower container 2. In this embodiment, the locking portion 25 is provided on the inner circumferential side of the peripheral wall portion 22.

[0070] In this embodiment, the locking portion 25 is located at the upper end portion 22a of the peripheral wall portion 22, and is provided on the second peripheral wall portion 22-2 in the shape of a rib that protrudes toward the center of the lower container 2, as shown in Fig. 6. The upper surface of the outer edge of the upper container 3 abuts against the lower surface of the locking portion 25, thereby locking the upper container 3. The locking portion 25 is provided on the upper end portion 22a of the peripheral wall portion 22, extending in the direction in which the edge of the upper end portion 22a extends.

[0071] 4 and 5, in this embodiment, the locking portion 25 includes a long side locking portion 25L located on the pair of long side portions 2L and a short side locking portion 25S located on the pair of short side portions 2S. The long side locking portion 25L and the short side locking portion 25S have different lengths of portions that lock the outer edge of the upper container 3.

[0072] In this way, by making the length of the portion of the locking portion 25 that locks the outer edge of the upper container 3 different between the long side and the short side, for example, the length of the locking portion can be made to correspond to each of the long side and the short side. This makes it possible to more stably lock the upper container 3 placed on the lower container 2.

[0073] Specifically, in this embodiment, as shown in Fig. 5, the length LL of the engaging portion of the long-side engaging portion 25L is longer than the length LS of the engaging portion of the short-side engaging portion 25S. In other words, LL>LS.

[0074] The rectangular lower container 2 and upper container 3 are more likely to bend on the long sides than on the short sides. When bending occurs, the locking by the locking portion 25 becomes more likely to come loose. By forming the length of the locking portion to be longer on the long sides than on the short sides in this way, the upper container 3 can be more stably locked even if deformation occurs due to bending.

[0075] Instead of changing the length of the engaging portion of the engaging portion 25, the number of engaging portions 25 may be different between the long side engaging portion 25L and the short side engaging portion 25S. In other words, the number of engaging portions 25 is set according to the long side and the short side, respectively. This allows the upper container 3 placed on the lower container 2 to be more stably engaged.

[0076] Specifically, the number of the long side locking portions 25L is made greater than the number of the short side locking portions 25S. In this way, by making the number of the long side locking portions 25L greater than the number of the short side locking portions 25S, the upper container 3 can be more stably locked even if deformation occurs due to bending.

[0077] Furthermore, a plurality of locking portions 25 may be provided per long side and a plurality of locking portions 25 per short side. In this embodiment, two long side locking portions 25L and two short side locking portions 25S are formed per side.

[0078] In this way, by providing multiple locking portions 25 per side on both the long and short sides, the upper container 3 can be locked at multiple points per side, making it possible to lock the upper container 3 more stably than a configuration in which the upper container 3 is locked at only one point per side.

[0079] In this embodiment, the locking portion 25 is located above the hinge mounting step 24-1 and has a hinge locking portion 25-1 that locks the hinge portion 33. With this configuration, as shown in Figures 8 and 9, the hinge portion 33, which changes shape as the lid body 32 of the upper container 3 is opened and closed, can be locked by the hinge locking portion 25-1, stabilizing the opening and closing operation of the lid body 32.

[0080] In addition, since the shape of the outer edge on the hinge portion 33 side changes with the opening and closing of the lid 32 of the upper container 3, it may be easier to come off than the other three sides of the outer edge of the upper container 3. Therefore, the hinge locking portion 25-1 may be provided so that the length of the portion that locks the outer edge of the upper container 3 is longer than the other locking portions 25 other than the hinge locking portion 25-1, or the number of locking portions 25 may be greater.

[0081] The configuration and location of the locking portion 25 are not limited to the configurations exemplified in Figures 4 and 5, as long as it can lock the outer edge of the upper container 3 placed on the placement step 24.

[0082] The relief portion 26 is provided at a position corresponding to the hinge portion 33 of the upper container 3 placed on the placement step 24. In this embodiment, the relief portion 26 is provided in the peripheral wall portion 22. The relief portion 26 has a portion that allows the hinge portion 33 to expand when the lid 32 is opened or closed in a state in which the upper container 3 is placed on the placement step 24 and the outer edge portion is locked by the locking portion 25. In other words, the relief portion 26 allows the lid 32 to be opened and closed by preventing any change in shape that occurs when the hinge portion 33 expands in the upper container 3 placed and locked (set state).

[0083] By providing the relief portion 26, the lid 32 of the upper container 3 can be freely opened and closed even when the upper container 3 is set on the lower container 2. The relief portion 26 makes it possible to open the lid 32 at an angle of 90 degrees or more relative to the container body 31.

[0084] In this embodiment, the distance between the hinge mounting step 24-1 and the hinge locking part 25-1 is set to a distance that allows for the change in shape when the hinge part 33 is opened and expanded, and a space that allows the lid body 32 to be opened and closed is secured above the hinge locking part 25-1, thereby forming the escape part 26. By locking the outer edge of the upper container 3 at a part other than the hinge part 33 and not providing the hinge locking part 25-1, a space that allows for the lid body 32 to be opened and closed may be secured above the hinge mounting step 24-1, and this may serve as the escape part 26. In short, the escape part 26 may have any shape that allows for a space that allows for the change in shape when the hinge part 33 is opened and expanded when the lid body 32 is opened and closed, at the part where the hinge part 33 of the upper container 3 in the set state is located.

[0085] The container flange portion 23 is formed so as to extend flatly laterally from the upper end portion 22a of the peripheral wall portion 22. The container flange portion 23 is provided around the entire periphery of the upper end portion 22a of the peripheral wall portion 22.

[0086] 9, the inner end of the container flange 23, i.e., the upper end 22a of the peripheral wall 22, has a stopper function that restricts the movement of the lid 32 of the upper container 3 set on the lower container 2 in the opening direction. This configuration makes it possible to prevent the lid 32 of the upper container 3 set on the lower container 2 from opening too far, keeping it in a half-open state. This makes it possible to reduce the area occupied by the two-tiered packaging container 1 when the lid 32 is open.

[0087] In this embodiment, as shown in Figures 4 and 5, the placement step 24, the locking portion 25, and the relief portion 26 are provided point-symmetrically with respect to the center of the accommodation bottom portion 21. With this configuration, as shown in the drawings of reference numerals 101 and 102 in Figure 10, the upper container 3 can be set even if it is rotated 180 degrees relative to the lower container 2. And, as shown in Figure 11, the lid 32 of the upper container 3 can be opened and closed even if the upper container 3 is rotated 180 degrees.

[0088] As a result, when placing the upper container 3, there is no need to consider which side of the two long sides of the lower container 2 the opening edge of the upper container 3 should be positioned on, and the upper container 3 can be easily set by simply matching the shapes of the lower container 2 and the upper container 3.

[0089] In this embodiment, as shown in Figures 4, 5 and 7, a pair of corner cutting portions 27 are formed at diagonal positions on the container flange portion 23. The corner cutting portions 27 allow the tips of the lid gripping portion 42 and the main body gripping portion 43, which are the gripping portions of the set upper container 3, to protrude beyond the outer edge of the lower container 2, making it easier to open the lid body 32 by gripping the gripping portions. By providing a pair of such corner cutting portions 27 at diagonal positions on the container flange portion 23, the gripping portions can always protrude even when the upper container 3 is set after being rotated 180 degrees.

[0090] In this embodiment, the corner of the second peripheral wall 22-2 where the corner cutting portion 27 is located is formed with an inclined surface 28 that is inclined so as to widen from the upper end of the second peripheral wall 22-2 toward the upper end of the first peripheral wall 22-1. By providing the inclined surface 28, the lid gripping portion 42 and the main body gripping portion 43 of the set upper container 3 face obliquely upward, and their tips protrude obliquely upward. This makes it easier to grip both the lid gripping portion 42 and the main body gripping portion 43 and remove the upper container 3 from the lower container 2.

[0091] (effect) As described above, according to the lower container 2 and packaging container 1 of this embodiment, the upper container 3, which is a lid-integrated container, functions as an inner tray that separates the upper and lower parts of the storage space of the packaging container 1 and as a lid for the packaging container 1, and allows for separate storage in upper and lower parts without compromising the convenience of a lid-integrated container. Moreover, the lower container 2 is formed with the relief portion 26 that allows the lid 32 to be opened and closed by accommodating changes in shape caused by the hinge portion 33 of the upper container 3 when it is opened and expanded, so that the lid 32 of the upper container 3 can be opened and closed freely even when set in the lower container 2.

[0092] This allows the user to easily add side dishes by opening and closing the lid 32 even when the upper container 3 containing side dishes such as tempura is set on top of the lower container 2 containing rice, noodles, etc.

[0093] In addition, in the above configuration, the placement step portion 24 and the engagement portion 25 are provided point-symmetrically around the center P of the storage bottom portion 21, so that the upper container 3 can be set on the lower container 2 even if it is rotated 180 degrees.

[0094] This allows easy assembly by simply matching the shapes of the lower container 2 and the upper container 3 without having to consider the position of the hinge portion of the upper container 3, making it easy to use.

[0095] Moreover, in the above configuration, the escape portion 26 is also provided point-symmetrically around the center P of the storage bottom portion 21, so that the lid 32 of the upper container 3 can be freely opened and closed even when the upper container 3 is rotated 180 degrees and set.

[0096] In other words, according to the above configuration, the upper container 3 can be set even if it is rotated 180 degrees relative to the lower container 2, and the lid 32 of the upper container 3 can be opened and closed even if the upper container 3 is rotated 180 degrees relative to the lower container 2.

[0097] Although a configuration in which the upper container 3 can be set with 180 degree rotational symmetry has been exemplified here, such a configuration is not necessary in a configuration in which the lid 32 of the upper container 3 can be freely opened and closed when set on the lower container 2.

[0098] In addition, since the upper container 3, which is a lid-integrated container, functions as the lid and inner tray of the upper and lower two-tiered packaging container, the lid 32 is doubly locked (fitted) with the container body 31 and locked by the locking portion 25 of the lower container 2. This effectively prevents the lid 32 from accidentally opening and causing waste of the contents during transportation.

[0099] In addition, by designing the lower container 2 to match an existing integrated lid container, it is possible to realize a two-tiered packaging container 1 using an existing integrated lid container. As a result, even if a new upper container 3 is designed, the upper container 3 can be used both alone and in combination with the lower container 2.

[0100] As a result, we will be able to contribute to achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including Goal 12 "Responsible Consumption and Production" and Goal 14 "Conserve and sustainably use the oceans and marine resources."

[0101] Although an example has been shown in which the lid-integrated container is placed on the lower container as the upper container, the use is not limited to this. Instead of the lid-integrated container, a fitting lid may be fitted to the lower container.

[0102] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications are possible within the scope of the claims. Embodiments obtained by appropriately combining the technical means disclosed in different embodiments are also included in the technical scope of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0103] 1 Packaging container 2 Lower vessel 3. Upper vessel 21 Storage bottom part 22 Peripheral wall section 22a Upper end 23 Container flange (flange) 24 Loading stage 25 Locking part 25L Long side locking part (locking part) 25S Short side locking part (locking part) 26 Relief 31 Container body 32 Lid 33 Hinge part (outer edge)

Claims

1. A lower container having a rectangular shape in a plan view, A storage bottom portion; A peripheral wall portion extending upward from the housing bottom portion; a mounting step portion that supports an outer edge of an upper container, the mounting step portion being located on an inner periphery side of the peripheral wall portion, the upper container being a lid-integrated container having a rectangular shape in a plan view, the container body and a lid body being connected by a hinge portion, and that mounts the upper container above the accommodation bottom portion; a locking portion located above the mounting stage and configured to lock an outer edge of the upper container placed on the mounting stage; a relief portion provided at a portion corresponding to the hinge portion of the upper container placed on the placement step portion, the relief portion has a portion that allows the hinge portion to open and close when the lid body is opened and closed in a state in which the upper container is placed on the placement step portion and the outer edge portion is locked by the locking portion, The length of the engaging portion that engages the outer edge of the upper container or the number of engaging portions differs between the long side and the short side of the lower container.

2. The lower container according to claim 1 , wherein when the engaging portions of the engaging portion have different lengths, the length of the longer side is longer than the length of the shorter side.

3. The lower container according to claim 1 , wherein when the numbers of the locking portions are different, the number of the locking portions on the longer side is greater than that on the shorter side.

4. The lower container according to claim 1 , wherein a plurality of the locking portions are provided on each of the long and short sides.

5. The lower container according to claim 1 , wherein the placement step and the locking portion are provided symmetrically with respect to a center of the accommodation bottom portion.

6. The housing further includes a flange portion extending laterally and flatly from an upper end portion of the peripheral wall portion, 6. The lower container according to claim 5, wherein a pair of corner cuts are formed at diagonal positions of the flange portion.

7. an upper container that is a container having a rectangular shape in a plan view, in which a container body and a lid are connected by a hinge portion; A packaging container comprising a lower container according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

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