Food container

Abstract

To provide a food container that can be used for cutting food after thawing.SOLUTION: A food container 10 for storing frozen food W includes a resin container body 11, the container body 11 being provided with protrusions 16, 17 that protrude outward in a groove 15 or depression that is recessed from the outside toward the inside. The protrusions 16, 17 can be provided in the linear groove 15, and the protrusions 16, 17 can have a ridge 18 that spans from one end of the groove 15 to the other end in the width direction. It is also possible for the protrusions 16, 17 to form a linear ridge line along the width direction of the groove 15 with the ridge 18.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a food container for containing frozen foods. [Background technology]

[0002] With the recent improvement of freezing technology, various kinds of frozen foods are now available in stores. Sushi is no exception, and for example, Patent Document 1 describes several specific examples of frozen sushi. The first example of frozen sushi described in Patent Document 1 is a bar-shaped sushi placed in an open-top plastic container (box) and then contained in a plastic packaging bag, with the filling covered with laminated metal foil placed inside the packaging bag. The frozen sushi can be thawed in a microwave oven while still in the packaging bag, and the filling is protected from heating by the microwaves by the metal foil. After being thawed, the frozen sushi is removed from the packaging bag and container and cut into bite-sized pieces with a knife or the like.

[0003] In the second example shown in Figures 6 and 7 of Patent Document 1, sushi is cut into several pieces and placed in an open-top container, and the filling is covered with metal foil and then stored in a packaging bag together with the container and metal foil. The container has ribs that protrude from the inside to the outside, and the cut sushi is placed in the storage space between the ribs. After thawing the sushi in a microwave oven, consumers can obtain sushi in easy-to-eat sizes by removing the container containing the sushi from the packaging bag. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP 2006-240732 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, in the second example, a process was required to cut the formed sushi and then place each piece in a container, making the manufacturing process for frozen sushi more complicated than when ingredients and rice are placed in a container to form rod-shaped sushi and then frozen without cutting it. In contrast, the first example does not require the step of cutting the sushi before freezing, making it possible to simplify the manufacturing process.

[0006] However, in the first example, the container that holds the sushi is not intended to be used to cut the sushi, so the sushi sticks that are thawed and removed from the packaging are cut after being taken out of the container. This is not limited to frozen sushi, but is the same for other foods that are frozen and placed in a container. The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and has an object to provide a food container for storing frozen foods that can be used to slice the food after thawing. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The food container of the present invention, which meets the above-mentioned objectives, is a food container for storing frozen food, and comprises a resin container body, in which a protrusion protruding outward is provided in a groove or depression that is recessed from the outside toward the inside. Effect of the Invention

[0008] The food container of the present invention comprises a resin container body, which has a groove or depression that is recessed from the outside to the inside and has a protrusion that protrudes outward.By placing a blade against the protrusion and rubbing it, a cut can be easily made in the protrusion, which can be used to cut food after thawing. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] 1 is a side view of a food container according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] FIG. [Diagram 3]4 is a cross-sectional view of the food container at a position where a groove is formed. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0010] Next, with reference to the attached drawings, an embodiment of the present invention will be described for understanding the present invention. As shown in Figures 1 to 3, a food container 10 according to one embodiment of the present invention is a container for storing frozen food, and includes a resin container body 11 having an opening on one side. In this embodiment, as shown in Figures 1 to 3, the container body 11 is for storing frozen sushi rolls W, which are an example of frozen food, and is formed in a rectangular parallelepiped shape.

[0011] The container body 11 is provided with a flange-like brim 12 on its outer periphery, with the opening at the center. The side (one side) on which the opening and brim 12 are provided is set as the lower side (hereinafter, this will be assumed unless otherwise specified), and the brim 12 is formed to extend horizontally from the lower end of the side wall 13 of the container body 11. As shown in Fig. 3, the container body 11 is formed such that the upper surface 14 gradually becomes lower from the widthwise center of the container body 11 toward both widthwise ends. The connection portion between one widthwise end of the upper surface 14 and the side wall 13 and the connection portion between the other widthwise end of the upper surface 14 and the side wall 13 are each rounded.

[0012] The side wall 13 is inclined downward so as to move away from the center of the container body 11. In this embodiment, the cross section (transverse section) of the container body 11 in the width direction has an inverted U-shape. Further, grooves 15 are provided in the container body 11 at equal pitches in the longitudinal direction of the container body 11. Each groove 15 is linear along the width direction of the container body 11, and extends from the lower end of one side wall 13 on both sides in the width direction of the container body 11, through the upper surface 14, to the lower end of the other side wall 13 (i.e., it traverses the area of ​​the container body 11 excluding the flange 12). Each groove 15 has a V-shaped cross section recessed from the outside to the inside of the container body 11 (V-shaped in a cross section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the groove 15), and in this embodiment, the groove 15 has a width of 1 to 5 mm and a depth of 1 to 5 mm.

[0013] Each groove 15 is provided with a plurality of protrusions 16, 17 protruding outward from the container body 11. In this embodiment, there are two protrusions 16, 17 for one groove 15, but there may be three or more. The protrusions 16, 17 are arranged at intervals on the upper surface 14 as shown in Figs. 1 to 3 (in this embodiment, the protrusions 16, 17 are arranged near the side wall 13). Each of the protrusions 16, 17 has a top portion 18 formed from one end to the other end in the width direction of the groove 15, and the top portion 18 forms a linear ridge line along the width direction of the groove 15. The protrusion 16 has inclined surfaces on one and the other sides of the longitudinal direction of the groove 15 with the top portion 18 as the center, and the protrusion 16 is in an inverted V shape in the cross section of the container body 11.

[0014] 3, in this embodiment, the height of protrusion 16 is substantially equal to the depth of groove 15, and top portion 18 is disposed at the same height as upper surface 14. The same is true for protrusion 17. In this embodiment, protrusions 16, 17 have a height of 1 to 5 mm based on the deepest part of groove 15. In addition, the food container 10 has a resin sheet 19 adhered (in this embodiment, by heat and pressure bonding) to the brim 12 (around the opening) of the container body 11, and the opening of the container body 11 is blocked by the resin sheet 19.

[0015] The food container 10 described so far is in a state in which frozen sushi rolls W are contained therein through the process described below. Step 1: With the upper surface 14 of the container body 11 to which the resin sheet 19 is not attached placed downward, as shown in Figure 3, the filling W1 of the sushi roll W is placed inside the container body 11 so that it is in contact with the upper surface 14, and the cooked rice W2 of the sushi roll W is placed in the container body 11 so that it is in contact with the filling W1 (above the filling W1).

[0016] Step 2: The resin sheet 19 is bonded to the container body 11 by heat and pressure bonding, and the sushi roll W is sealed between the container body 11 and the resin sheet 19. Step 3: The sushi rolls W sealed with the container body 11 and the resin sheet 19 are frozen in a freezing facility.

[0017] The processes from step 1 to step 3 are extremely hygienic because they can be performed without humans touching the ingredients W1 or the cooked rice W2. Furthermore, since the sushi rolls W are isolated from the outside air after the sealing process, the sealing process minimizes the risk of secondary contamination and also suppresses quality deterioration when the frozen sushi rolls W are thawed at room temperature (non-heated thawing).

[0018] In addition, after thawing, the frozen sushi roll W can be easily cut into pieces by following the procedure below. First, with the upper surface 14 of the container body 11 placed on the upper side (at this time, the resin sheet 19 may be adhered to the container body 11 or may be removed), a blade such as a knife is pressed against the protrusion 16 (or protrusion 17).

[0019] Next, by moving the blade along the groove 16 (reciprocating or moving in one direction), the projection 16 splits at the center of the top portion 18, and the cut of the container body 11 tends to spread along the groove 16 with the projection 16 at the center. In this state, by moving the blade further along the groove 16, the portion of the container body 11 excluding the brim 12 is cut along the groove 15 (the brim 12 may also be cut), and the sushi roll W is also cut. This series of cutting operations can be performed by the worker placing his or her hand on the container body 11. Therefore, the sushi roll W can be cut into equal widths without directly touching it with his or her hand (i.e., hygienically).

[0020] Also, if the sushi roll W is cut on a plate (if the resin sheet 19 has not been removed from the container body 11 before cutting, then after cutting the sushi roll W, the resin sheet 19 can be removed from the container body 11 and the sushi roll W can be placed on a plate so that the topping W1 is above the rice W2), then the cut sushi roll W can be eaten by removing the container body 11. In other words, all the steps from putting the ingredients in the container body 11, gluing the resin sheet 19, freezing, thawing, cutting the ingredients, plating, and eating can be carried out without directly touching the ingredients with one's hands.

[0021] The container body 11 functions as a mold into which food before freezing is placed and shaped, as a storage container for frozen food, and as a tool for easily cutting thawed food. The ingredients W1 and cooked rice W2 placed in the container body 11 are shaped into the shape of the sushi stick W without pressure, so there is no need to apply pressure to shape the sushi stick W. Therefore, ingredients W1 (such as salmon roe) that easily lose their shape when pressed can be used.

[0022] In this embodiment, the thickness of the container body 11 is set to 100 μm or more and 800 μm or less (preferably 500 μm or less, more preferably 400 μm or less) so that the container body 11 can be easily cut. From the viewpoint of making container body 11 easily cuttable, it is sufficient that only the grooves 15 and protrusions 16, 17 of container body 11 have a thickness of 800 μm or less (preferably 500 μm or less, more preferably 400 μm or less). The reason why the lower limit of the thickness of container body 11 is set at 100 μm is to allow container body 11 to stably function as a mold for forming food and further as a container for storing frozen food.

[0023] If the thickness of the container body 11 is less than 100 μm, it becomes difficult to reliably prevent deformation of the ingredients W1 and cooked rice W2 placed in the container body 11 (deformation that may occur during each process until they are frozen, for example, movement of the container body 11 containing the ingredients W1 and cooked rice W2, and adhesion of the resin sheet 19 to the container body 11). In addition, the grooves 15 formed in the container body 11 also function as ribs that maintain the shape of the container body 11.

[0024] Although the embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiment, and all changes in conditions that do not depart from the gist of the present invention are within the scope of application of the present invention. For example, the frozen food is not limited to frozen sushi, but may be frozen kamaboko (fish cake), frozen Western-style sweets, etc. Also, instead of a main container having a groove, a main container having a depression (such as a circular depression in plan view) recessed from the outside to the inside may be adopted, and a protrusion protruding outward may be provided in the depression. In this case, too, by pressing a blade against the protrusion and moving it, a cut edge can be easily provided in the main container, making it easier to cut.

[0025] In addition, when a main container having a groove is used, the groove does not have to be linear. Furthermore, the top of the protrusion provided in the groove does not have to extend from one end to the other end in the width direction of the groove, and may be, for example, a protrusion whose top extends from one end to the center in the width direction of the groove. Only one protrusion may be provided in one groove. When the top of the protrusion has a top extending from one end of the groove in the width direction to the other end, the protrusion may form a bent ridgeline or a curved ridgeline. In addition, the resin sheet is not necessarily required. For example, the food before freezing may be placed in a container body with one side open and then housed in a bag together with the container body. Furthermore, the container body may not have an opening and may cover the entire frozen food. [Explanation of symbols]

[0026] 10: food container, 11: container body, 12: brim, 13: side wall, 14: upper surface, 15: groove, 16, 17: protrusion, 18: top portion, 19: resin sheet, W: sushi roll, W1: filling, W2: cooked rice

Claims

1. In a food container for storing frozen food, A food container comprising a resin container body, the container body having a groove or depression recessed from the outside toward the inside and a protrusion protruding outward.

2. 2. The food container according to claim 1, wherein the protrusion is provided in the linear groove.

3. 2. The food container according to claim 1, wherein the protrusion is provided in the groove and has a top portion extending from one end to the other end in a width direction of the groove.

4. 4. The food container according to claim 3, wherein the projections each define a linear ridge line extending along a width direction of the groove at their top portions.

5. 2. The food container according to claim 1, wherein the container body has an opening on one side, and a resin sheet is adhered around the opening to close the opening.

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