Package

Abstract

To prevent a storage container from being damaged and being expanded with time while reducing plastic raw material, according to a package formed by packaging the storage container such as a side dish case or the like.SOLUTION: A package 1 comprises a storage container group 10 obtained by vertically superposing side dish cases each formed by press-molding a sheet body, a sleeve 20 in which the storage container group 10 is inserted, and a bag 30 for packaging the sleeve 20. Plastic raw material is largely reduced by packaging the bag 30 in place of a plastic packaging cup whose thickness is large. The storage container group 10 is surrounded by the sleeve 20, and thus an impact is prevented from being directly applied from outside during conveyance of the package 1, and so forth; thereby preventing damage. Even when side walls of the side dish cases are to fall down with time due to restoring elasticity of a sheet, the side walls are supported by hitting against an inner face of a peripheral wall 21 of the sleeve 20, thereby preventing falling down, and preventing expansion thereof.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a packaging body comprising a group of storage containers formed by stacking a plurality of storage containers vertically, a sleeve into which the group of storage containers is inserted, and a bag for packaging the sleeve into which the group of storage containers is inserted.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, as a storage container for food, a container called an appetizer case is known. The appetizer case is manufactured by press-molding a sheet such as paper, film, metal foil, or a composite material thereof, and is widely used for commercial use for food manufacturers and for household use.

[0003] Since such an appetizer case is easily damaged as it is, it is generally packaged in a plastic packaging cup with a lid as in Patent Document 1 in a state of a group of appetizer cases stacked one on top of the other, and distributed as a packaging body.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] However, a plastic packaging cup such as that in Patent Document 1 requires a relatively large amount of plastic raw materials for its manufacture. For this reason, such a plastic packaging cup has been regarded as going against the recent trend of plastic reduction, considering environmental issues, and among them, the appetizer case itself is preferably made of paper rather than film.

[0006] In addition, the side dish case is composed of a bottom wall and side walls rising from the periphery of the bottom wall, and has a shape that opens upward. As described above, since it is manufactured by press-forming a sheet, due to the restoring elasticity of the sheet (also referred to as springback), there has been a problem that the side walls gradually collapse (lie down) over time. In this way, when the side dish case spreads out, the cooking juice of the side dishes stored when using the side dish case may spill out, resulting in poor usability.

[0007] Therefore, the problem to be solved by the present invention is, in a package formed by packaging a storage container such as a side dish case, to reduce the plastic raw material and protect the storage container from damage and spreading over time.

Means for Solving the Problem

[0008] In order to solve the above-described problems, as a package according to the invention, a configuration including a group of storage containers, a sleeve, and a bag is adopted. The group of storage containers is formed by stacking a plurality of storage containers having a bottom wall and side walls rising from the periphery of the bottom wall and opening upward one above the other. The sleeve has a cylindrical peripheral wall and openings at both ends, and the group of storage containers is inserted therein such that the side walls overlapping each other vertically face the inner surface of the peripheral wall. The bag is configured to wrap such that its front and back surfaces face the openings at both ends of the sleeve into which the group of storage containers is inserted.

[0009] By replacing the plastic packaging cup with a large thickness with a bag for packaging, not only when the bag is made of paper or the like, but also when the bag is made of a plastic film, the plastic raw material can be greatly reduced. In addition, since the group of storage containers formed by stacking a plurality of storage containers one above the other is surrounded by the peripheral wall of the sleeve, direct impact from the outside is prevented during transportation of the package, and damage is prevented. Since the front and back surfaces of the bag face the openings at both ends of the sleeve, the group of storage containers is also prevented from coming out of these openings.

[0010] In the package according to the invention, it is preferable to adopt a configuration in which the storage container is a side dish case formed by press-molding a sheet body.

[0011] With such a configuration, even if the storage container is manufactured by press-molding a sheet and its side wall collapses over time due to the restoring elasticity of the sheet, the side wall can be caught and supported by the inner surface of the peripheral wall of the sleeve, so that the collapse is prevented and the expansion of the storage container is prevented.

[0012] In the package according to the invention, it is preferable to adopt a configuration in which the storage container and the sleeve are made of paper.

[0013] With such a configuration, the usage fee of the plastic raw material for the entire package can be further reduced.

[0014] In the package according to the invention, it is preferable to adopt a configuration in which the sleeve is a square tube.

[0015] With such a configuration, a sleeve can be created simply and inexpensively by folding a sheet punched out in a rectangle into a square tube shape and attaching both ends with glue or the like.

[0016] In the package according to the invention, it is preferable to adopt a configuration in which the bag is made of a film and the thickness of the film is 80 μm or less.

[0017] By forming the bag from a film, it has excellent barrier properties and strength compared to those made of paper or the like, preventing the internal storage container from deteriorating or the bag from breaking. Also, by setting the thickness of the film to 80 μm or less, the thickness is extremely small compared to a plastic packaging cup or the like, so that the plastic raw material can be greatly reduced.

[0018] In the package according to the invention, it is preferable to adopt a configuration in which the minimum gap between the side walls overlapping vertically of the storage container group and the inner surface of the peripheral wall of the sleeve facing this side wall is 5 mm or less. Here, the minimum gap means the gap at the position where the inner surface of the peripheral wall of the sleeve and the side wall of the storage container group that overlaps are closest to each other.

[0019] If the gap between the storage container group and the sleeve is large, when an external impact is applied to the package, it is possible to prevent the storage container group from shifting and breaking in the sleeve, or when the side wall of the storage container falls over time, it may be insufficient to support it with the inner surface of the peripheral wall of the sleeve. By setting the minimum gap to 5 mm or less, the gap becomes extremely small. Therefore, the storage container group hardly shifts in the sleeve, and when the side wall of the storage container is about to fall over time, it immediately contacts the inner surface of the peripheral wall and is supported. Thus, breakage and spread of the storage container are better prevented. From the above viewpoints, the minimum gap may be 0 mm. However, from the viewpoint of ease of storing the storage container group in the sleeve, it is preferable that the minimum gap is about 1 mm.

[0020] In the package according to the invention, a configuration in which a window is provided in the peripheral wall of the sleeve can be adopted.

[0021] With such a configuration, when the bag is transparent, not only the uppermost storage container but also the storage containers in the middle part of the storage container group stacked vertically can be visually recognized through the window when the package is displayed. Therefore, its design, pattern, etc. can be confirmed, and the convenience for the customer is improved.

[0022] In the package according to the invention, the sleeve has a bent piece partitioned by a slit or a tear line at a location adjacent to the bottom wall of the storage container located in the lowermost layer of the storage container group on the peripheral wall, and by bending this bent piece inward, a configuration can be adopted in which the bottom wall of the storage container can be supported from below. Here, the easily breakable line means a line configured to be easily breakable, such as a perforation or a half cut.

[0023] With such a configuration, the group of storage containers inserted into the sleeve in the state before being packaged in a bag is supported from below by the folding piece, and it is possible to prevent the containers from falling from the lower end opening of the sleeve, thus facilitating the packaging operation. Since only the sleeve is provided with slits and easily breakable lines and is configured such that a part thereof can be bent inward, no separate support member is required to support the group of storage containers from below, and it is possible to prevent the group of storage containers from falling out of the sleeve simply and at low cost.

[0024] In the package according to the invention, the bag is a pillow packaging bag, and preferably adopts a configuration including a main body for storing the sleeve into which the group of storage containers is inserted, a top seal part and a bottom seal part respectively adjacent to the outer surface of the peripheral wall of the sleeve, and a center seal part facing the opening of the sleeve.

[0025] With such a configuration, compared with packaging using a general film, pillow packaging can easily form a gusset (seam), so it can be a suitable bag for storing the sleeve into which the group of storage containers is inserted. In addition, by providing holes or slits in the top seal part, it can be hooked on a hook, so it can be suspended and displayed.

[0026] In the package according to the invention, a configuration can be adopted in which a linear crease part provided with a linear crease parallel to the cutting edge of the bottom seal part is provided in the bottom seal part.

[0027] With such a configuration, it becomes easy to fold the bottom seal part along the crease part to flatten the bottom of the package, so the package can be placed on a shelf and stand on its own, increasing the variety of displays.

[0028] In the package according to the invention, it is preferable to adopt a configuration in which the crease portion is provided at a position 15 mm or more and 25 mm or less from the cut end of the bottom seal portion.

[0029] With this configuration, the length of the bent bottom seal portion can be made suitable for the package to stand on its own. When the crease portion is less than 15 mm from the cut end of the bottom seal portion, the length of the bent bottom seal portion is too short, the installation area between the bottom of the package and the shelf surface becomes small, and the package may fall because it cannot resist the restoring elasticity of the film of the pillow packaging bag on the side opposite to the bent bottom seal portion. Also, when the crease portion is more than 25 mm from the cut end of the bottom seal portion, the length of the bent bottom seal portion is too long and wasteful, and there is a risk of bulkiness during transportation or display. In addition, it is preferable to adopt a configuration in which the crease portion is provided at a position 5 mm or more and 10 mm or less from the cut end of the bottom seal portion. Being within this range makes the standing state of the package more stable.

[0030] In the package according to the invention, it is possible to adopt a configuration in which an air vent hole is provided in the main body at a position where the center seal portion laid down on the side of the main body of the pillow packaging bag is covered.

[0031] With this configuration, when trying to make the package stand on its own by bending the bottom seal portion at the crease portion, the excess air in the main body can be vented to the outside through the vent hole, so the unstable state of the main body being inflated with air is eliminated and the standing state becomes stable. Since the vent hole is hidden in the center seal portion, dust and dirt are prevented from entering the main body through it. Note that the hole includes a slit.

[0032] In the package according to the invention, it is preferable to adopt a configuration in which the vent hole is provided outside the portion where the sleeve of the main body is housed and adjacent to the bottom seal portion.

[0033] With such a configuration, when attempting to make the package stand on its own by bending the bottom seal portion at the crease portion, the excess air inside the main body naturally escapes through the holes due to being pressed by the weight of the storage container group and the sleeve, so that the self-standing state can be easily stabilized.

[0034] In the package according to the invention, it is preferable to adopt a configuration in which the diameter of the vent hole is 0.3 mm or more and 0.5 mm or less. When the hole is a slit, the hole diameter means the slit length.

[0035] With such a configuration, the vent hole can further smoothly discharge the air inside the main body and prevent dust and dirt from entering. If the diameter of the vent hole is less than 0.3 mm, the hole may be too small to smoothly discharge the air. Also, if the diameter of the vent hole exceeds 0.5 mm, the hole may be too large, and there is a risk that dust and dirt may enter the hole through the slight gap between the center seal portion and the main body.

[0036] In the package according to the invention, a configuration in which the sleeve is printed can be adopted.

[0037] If product descriptions, usage instructions, etc. are printed on the sleeve, there is no need to separately enclose an instruction manual, etc., which reduces the labor and materials during manufacturing. Also, since there is no need to print on the bag, the internal visibility is good and the convenience for consumers is improved.

[0038] Also, to solve the above problems, as a package according to the invention, assuming that the storage container is single, a storage container having a bottom wall and side walls rising from the periphery of the bottom wall and opening upward, a sleeve having a cylindrical peripheral wall and openings at both ends, with the storage container inserted inside such that its side walls face the inner surface of the peripheral wall, and a bag that wraps the front and back surfaces so as to face the openings at both ends of the sleeve into which the storage container is inserted are adopted.

[0039] Instead of using a thick plastic packaging cup, by packaging it in a bag, not only when the bag is made of paper or the like, but also when it is made of a plastic film, the amount of plastic raw material can be significantly reduced. In addition, since the storage container is surrounded by the peripheral wall of the sleeve, it is prevented from being directly impacted from the outside during transportation of the package, etc., and damage is prevented. At the openings at both ends of the sleeve, since the front and back surfaces of the bag face each other, the storage container is also prevented from slipping out through this opening.

Advantages of the Invention

[0040] Since the package according to the invention is configured as described above, it is possible to reduce the amount of plastic raw material and protect the storage container from damage and spreading over time.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0041]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7

Figure 8

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0042] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the package 1 of the embodiment is composed of a group of storage containers 10 as an aggregate of storage containers 11, a sleeve 20 surrounding the group of storage containers 10, and a bag 30 for packaging the group of storage containers 10 and the sleeve 20. The package 1 is circulated in the market in this state. At the place of purchase by the general consumer or the like, the bag 30 is torn, and the overlapping storage containers 11 are individually taken out from the group of storage containers 10 and used for storing foods or the like.

[0043] As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the group of storage containers 10 is formed by stacking a plurality of storage containers 11 vertically. Each storage container 11 is composed of a bottom wall 11a and side walls 11b rising from the bottom wall 11a, and has an opening at the upper side. The overlapping storage containers 11 are in contact with each other at the bottom wall 11a and the bottom wall 11a, and the side walls 11b and the side walls 11b. As a result, the entire group of storage containers 10 has a substantially cylindrical shape. The overlapping side walls 11b form the circumferential surface of the cylinder. At both ends of the cylinder, the opening of the uppermost storage container 11 and the bottom wall 11a of the lowermost storage container 11 are exposed.

[0044] The type of the storage container 11 is not particularly limited, but a so-called side dish case made of a sheet body and widely used for storing foods such as side dishes of bento can be exemplified. The storage container 11 shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 is such a side dish case, and is manufactured by press-forming a flat sheet body (blank) into a desired shape using a press-forming device.

[0045] The side dish case as the storage container 11 has a bottom wall 11a that is circular in plan view and side walls 11b that spread and rise from the bottom wall 11a. Vertical stripe-like folds derived from press-forming are formed in substantially the entire area of the side walls 11b. In manufacturing the side dish case as the storage container 11 by press-forming, a plurality of blanks are supplied to the press-forming device in a stacked state and pressed, so that a plurality of side dish cases can be efficiently manufactured in an overlapping state at the same time. It is also possible to use this as the group of storage containers 10 as it is.

[0046] Here, as the sheet body for manufacturing the side dish case as the storage container 11, the material is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include paper, resin film, aluminum foil, or a composite base material obtained by laminating these. Among these, paper is preferable because it can reduce the use of plastic raw materials, but it is more preferable that the surface in contact with food is a resin film so that juice does not penetrate. For this reason, a sheet in which paper and a resin film are laminated so that the paper content exceeds 50% by weight is more convenient and further preferable.

[0047] When the storage container 11 is made of paper, the type of paper is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include pure white roll paper, kraft paper, parchment paper, ivory paper, glassine paper, and the like. The basis weight of the paper is not particularly limited either, but it is preferably 20 g / m 2 or more and 100 g / m 2 or less. If it is less than 20 g / m 2 , there is a risk of insufficient strength and shape retention. Also, if it exceeds 100 g / m 2 , the rigidity increases, and depending on the number of stacked sheets, the moldability during manufacturing by press molding may deteriorate.

[0048] Also, when the storage container is made of a resin film or a resin film is laminated, the type of resin film is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include thermoplastic resins such as polyester resins such as polyethylene terephthalate and polybutylene terephthalate, and polyolefin resins such as polypropylene, polyethylene, and polymethylpentene. Also, biodegradable resins can be used. The thickness of the resin film is not particularly limited either, but it is preferably 12 μm or more and 40 μm or less. If it is less than 12 μm, there is a risk of insufficient strength and shape retention, and if it exceeds 40 μm, the amount of plastic used will increase.

[0049] Although the storage container 11 is shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 as having a bottom wall 11a that is circular in plan view, the shape is not limited to this. As shown in FIG. 4(a), the bottom wall 11a may be elliptical in plan view, or as shown in FIG. 4(b), it may be a polygon such as a quadrilateral (including a triangle). The number of storage containers 11 in the storage container group 10, the dimensions, patterns, colors, etc. of each storage container 11 are not particularly limited either.

[0050] As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the sleeve 20 is composed of a rectangular tube-shaped peripheral wall 21 and openings 22 at both upper and lower ends. The material of the sleeve 20 is not particularly limited, but examples include paper, resin, metal, and composite materials thereof. Among them, paper is preferable because it can reduce the plastic raw material. When the sleeve 20 is made of paper, the type of paper is not particularly limited, but examples include coated cardboard, marbled paper, and cardstock. The basis weight of the paper is not particularly limited either, but it is preferably 200 g / m 2 to 400 g / m 2 as follows. If the basis weight is less than 200 g / m 2 , the strength may be insufficient and there is a risk of deformation when an impact is applied. If the basis weight exceeds 400 g / m 2 , it becomes difficult to fold to form the sleeve, and there is a risk of cracks in the paper when it is folded or the like.

[0051] As shown in the figure, when the sleeve 20 is in the shape of a rectangular tube, a sheet such as cardboard is punched into a rectangle and folded into a rectangular tube shape, and both ends are pasted with glue or the like, so that the sleeve can be created simply and inexpensively. Although not shown in the figure, the sleeve 20 may be subjected to various prints such as product descriptions and usage instructions. As a result, there is no need to separately enclose an instruction manual or the like, and the labor and material costs during manufacturing are reduced. Also, since there is no need to print on the bag 30, when the bag 30 is transparent, the internal visibility is good, and the pattern and state of the storage container 11 can be well confirmed. Therefore, the convenience for the consumer is also improved.

[0052] As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the storage container group 10 is inserted into the sleeve 20 through the opening 22. In the inserted state, the inner surface of the peripheral wall 21 of the sleeve 20 faces the overlapping side wall 11b of the storage container group 10. Also, the opening of the uppermost storage container 11 of the storage container group 10 faces the opening at the upper end of the sleeve 20, and the bottom wall 11a of the lowermost storage container 11 of the storage container group 10 faces the opening at the lower end of the sleeve 20. The axial length of the sleeve 20 is not particularly limited, but it is preferably larger than the stacked height of the storage containers 11 of the storage container group 10 so that the inserted storage container group 10 does not protrude from the opening 22.

[0053] As shown in the figure, since the storage container group 10 is surrounded by the peripheral wall 21 of the sleeve 20, it is prevented from being directly impacted from the outside during transportation of the package 1, and breakage is prevented. Also, when the storage container 11 is a side dish case or the like made by press-molding a sheet, the side wall 11b has a property of gradually falling over time due to the restoring elasticity of the sheet. However, when the side wall 11b is about to fall over, it comes into contact with and is supported by the inner surface of the peripheral wall 21 of the sleeve 20, so the fall is prevented and the storage container 11 is prevented from expanding.

[0054] Here, referring to FIG. 1(b), the size of the gap between the inner surface of the peripheral wall 21 of the sleeve 20 and the overlapping side wall 11b of the storage container group 10 is not particularly limited, but the minimum gap d is preferably 5 mm or less. As shown in the figure, when the sleeve 20 is a square tube, the minimum gap d means the closest gap in the radial direction of the square tube between the four inner corners of the four sides of the square tube and the overlapping side wall 11b.

[0055] If the gap between the storage container group 10 and the sleeve 20 is large, when an external impact is applied to the package 1, the storage container group 10 may shift and move inside the sleeve 20, and there is a risk that breakage cannot be sufficiently suppressed. In addition, when the side wall 11b of the storage container 11 collapses over time, since the distance to the inner surface of the peripheral wall 21 is far, there is a risk that the support will be insufficient. By making the minimum gap d extremely small, such as 5 mm or less, the storage container group 10 hardly moves out of position within the sleeve 20. Also, when the side wall 11b of the storage container 11 is about to collapse over time, it immediately comes into contact with the inner surface of the peripheral wall 21 and is supported. Therefore, breakage and spreading of the storage container 11 are more effectively prevented.

[0056] In FIGS. 1 to 3, the sleeve 20 is shown as a regular square prism (a square prism in cross-section) with an equal aspect ratio to match the fact that the storage container 11 is circular in plan view, but the shape is not limited to this. For example, as shown in FIG. 4, it can also be a rectangular prism (a rectangular prism in cross-section) with a different aspect ratio according to the shape of the storage container 11. Note that the shape of the sleeve 20 in side view is not particularly limited as long as the effects of the present invention are not hindered. Also, it can be made cylindrical or elliptical. When the storage container 11 is circular in plan view, by making the sleeve 20 cylindrical, the gap between the inner surface of the peripheral wall 21 of the sleeve 20 and the overlapping side wall 11b of the storage container group 10 can be made smaller. When the sleeve 20 is cylindrical, the gap between the inner surface of the peripheral wall 21 of the sleeve 20 and the side wall 11b is equal in the circumferential direction, so the minimum gap d is the gap at any position in the circumferential direction.

[0057] Furthermore, the sleeve 20 can be made conical as shown in FIG. 5(a) or frustum-shaped as shown in FIG. 5(b). Since the storage container group 10 tapers along the shape of the lowermost storage container 11 on the side of the opening 22 at the lower end of the sleeve 20, by making the sleeve 20 frustum-shaped or conical with a taper in the same direction, the gap between the inner surface of the peripheral wall 21 of the sleeve 20 and the side wall 11b of the storage container group 10 can also be made smaller.

[0058] In FIGS. 1 to 3, the peripheral wall 21 of the sleeve 20 is non-porous, but as shown in FIG. 6(a), a window 21a can also be provided in the peripheral wall 21. The number, position, and size of the window 21a are not particularly limited. For example, regarding the number, when the sleeve 20 is a rectangular tube, it may be provided on only one side of the peripheral wall 21 or on all four sides. By providing the window 21a in the peripheral wall 21, when the bag 30 is transparent, during the display of the package 1, etc., not only the uppermost storage container 11 in the storage container group 10 but also the storage containers 11 in the middle part can be visually recognized through the window 21a. Therefore, when the patterns of the storage containers 11 are various, the patterns of the storage containers 11 in the middle part can be confirmed, improving the convenience for the consumers.

[0059] Also, in FIGS. 1 to 3, no slit is provided in the peripheral wall 21 of the sleeve 20, but as shown in FIG. 6(b), a slit can be provided to deform a part. In the illustration, a pair of slits are formed at positions adjacent to the bottom wall 11a of the storage container 11 located at the lowermost stage of the storage container group 10 in the peripheral wall 21. The slits are respectively formed parallel to the opening edge on the lower end side of the sleeve 20 and straddling the corners of two adjacent sides of the rectangular tube-shaped peripheral wall 21. Here, the corners straddled between the pair of slits face each other in the diagonal direction.

[0060] A bent piece 21b is defined in the peripheral wall 21 by this slit, and by bending this inward, it becomes possible to support the bottom wall 11a of the lowermost storage container 11 from below. Since the storage container group 10 inserted into the sleeve 20 in the state before being packaged with the bag 30 is supported by the bent piece 21b, it is prevented from falling from the lower end opening of the sleeve 20. Therefore, the packaging operation becomes easy. Since no separate support member is required to support the storage container group 10 from below, it is simple and low-cost. Note that instead of the slit, a perforation line or a half-cut line, etc., which are easily breakable lines, may be used.

[0061] As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the bag 30 wraps the sleeve 20 into which the storage container group 10 is inserted. The material of the bag 30 is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include film, paper, and metal foil. However, if it is made of film, it will have excellent barrier properties and strength, preventing the internal storage container 11 from deteriorating or the bag 30 from tearing, and also having excellent visibility of the internal storage container 11, which is preferable. Note that if it is made of paper, the use of plastic raw materials can be reduced.

[0062] When the bag 30 is made of film, its type is not limited, and examples thereof include polyethylene, polypropylene, polyethylene terephthalate, nylon, or a composite base material obtained by laminating these. It may also be a biodegradable resin. Its thickness is not particularly limited, but preferably 40 μm or more and 60 μm or less. If it is less than 40 μm, it may be torn by an external impact, and if it exceeds 60 μm, the amount of plastic used will increase.

[0063] When the bag 30 is made of film, its packaging mode is not particularly limited, but in FIGS. 1 to 3, it is in a pillow packaging. Pillow packaging is suitable for packaging relatively thick articles such as the sleeve 20 into which the storage container group 10 is inserted because it is easy to form a gusset (seam). As shown in the figure, the top seal portion 31 and the bottom seal portion 32 of the bag 30 are respectively located beside two opposite sides among the four sides of the peripheral wall 21 of the sleeve 20, and the sleeve 20 into which the storage container group 10 is inserted is stored inside the main body 33 located between the top seal portion 31 and the bottom seal portion 32. The ends of the top seal portion 31 and the bottom seal portion 32 are cut ends formed by cutting the front and back (upper and lower) of the film in the process of pillow packaging.

[0064] The main body 33 is composed of a front surface, a back surface, and a gusset interposed between the front surface and the back surface, with the front surface facing the opening 22 at the upper end of the sleeve 20 and the back surface facing the opening at the lower end of the sleeve 20 in proximity. As a result, the opening 22 of the sleeve 20 is closed on the front and back surfaces of the main body 33, preventing the storage container group 10 from coming out of the sleeve 20. In addition, gussets of the bag 30 face each other on two opposite sides out of the four sides of the peripheral wall 21 of the sleeve 20. On the back surface of the bag 30, a center seal portion 34, which is the joining portion of the film rolled into a tube shape in the pillow packaging process, is formed. The center seal portion 34 is inclined toward the main body 33 and faces the opening 22 at the lower end of the sleeve 20.

[0065] Here, referring to FIG. 1(b), the relationship between the width W1 of the bag 30 and the width W2 of the sleeve 20 is not particularly limited, but it is preferable that W2 / W1 is 0.9 or more and less than 1.0. If W2 / W1 is less than 0.9, the gap between the bag 30 and the sleeve 20 becomes large, and the sleeve 20 may shift or move within the bag 30, risking damage to the storage container 11. Also, if the bag 30 becomes relatively too large compared to the sleeve 20, it may become bulky during display or transportation. Moreover, if W2 / W1 is 1.0 or more, the sleeve 20 is too large to be accommodated in the bag 30.

[0066] As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, a suspension hole 31a is provided in the top seal portion 31, enabling the package 1 to be suspended and displayed by hooking it on a hook. Instead of the suspension hole 31a, a slit through which a hook can be inserted can also be provided. The top seal portion 31 is longer than the bottom seal portion 32 in order to form the suspension hole 31a and the like.

[0067] As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, a linear crease portion 32a is provided at the boundary between the bottom seal portion 32 and the main body 33. The crease portion 32a is formed concave toward the front surface of the main body 33 and convex toward the back surface of the main body 33, and is formed parallel to the cut end of the bottom seal portion 32. With this crease portion 32a, by bending the bottom seal portion 32 toward the main body 33, the bottom of the package 1 becomes almost flat, so that, as shown in Fig. 3(a), the package 1 can stand on a shelf or the like. Therefore, not only can the package 1 be hooked on a hook or the like and suspended for display, but it can also be stood up for display, increasing the display variations.

[0068] The method for forming such a crease portion 32a is not particularly limited, but as shown in Fig. 7, it can be exemplified that it is incorporated in the pillow packaging process by a horizontal pillow packaging machine. That is, as viewed in order from the film traveling direction (indicated by the arrow in Fig. 7), it is exemplified that it is formed by a line in which an auxiliary tool A is attached upstream of the bottom sealer S2 in a general one in which the bottom sealer S2, the cutter C, and the top sealer S1 are arranged in this order. Note that this figure schematically shows a horizontal pillow packaging machine. Here, the auxiliary tool A is configured to sandwich the film with unevenness extending in a direction perpendicular to the film traveling direction, and by having a heater attached, it can heat the film in a sandwiched state to form a linear crease parallel to the cut end of the bottom seal portion.

[0069] On the further upstream side of the line (the left side of Fig. 7 not shown), the film is wound around the sleeve 20 into which the storage container group 10 is inserted, and after being folded and pasted (center sealed) to form the center seal portion 34, it is fed into the line. Next, the film is sent to the upstream side of Fig. 7 (the left side of Fig. 7), and the film is sandwiched from above and below by the bottom sealer S2 and heated at an interval corresponding to the main body 33 in which the sleeve 20 is stored to form the bottom seal portion 32. Then, the film is sandwiched from above and below by the top sealer S1 on the downstream side of Fig. 7 and heated to form the top seal portion 31. Note that on the downstream side of the bottom seal portion 32 (the right side of Fig. 7), it is separated from the film that is cut by the cutter C and travels.

[0070] At the same time, the boundary portion between the main body 33 of the bottom seal portion 32 is sandwiched from above and below by the unevenness of the auxiliary tool A and heated to form the crease portion 32a. Thus, the package 1 is completed. By doing so, on the manufacturing line of the pillow packaging, since the crease portion 32a is formed simultaneously with the completion of the packaging, it is efficient. The temperature of the heater of the auxiliary tool and the sandwiching time (heating time) due to the unevenness are not limited, but examples of the temperature are 100°C or higher and 150°C or lower, and examples of the time are 1 second or longer and 3 seconds or shorter, respectively.

[0071] The position of the crease portion 32a is not limited as long as it is within the bottom seal portion 32, but it is preferably at a position 15 mm or more and 25 mm or less from the cut end of the bottom seal portion 32. By doing so, the length of the bent bottom seal portion 32 can be made suitable for the package 1 to stand on its own. When the crease portion 32a is less than 15 mm from the cut end of the bottom seal portion 32, the length of the bent bottom seal portion 32 is too short, the installation area between the bottom of the package 1 and the shelf surface becomes small, and the package 1 may fall over. Also, when the crease portion 32a is more than 25 mm from the cut end of the bottom seal portion 32, the length of the bent bottom seal portion 32 is too long and may become bulky.

[0072] In the above, for convenience of explanation, the side opposite to the film traveling direction is described as the top seal portion, and the side where the crease portion is provided is described as the bottom seal portion. However, even when a crease portion is provided in the seal portion located on the film traveling direction side, it is regarded as the bottom seal portion, and the seal portion on the opposite side is regarded as the top seal portion. Also, a separate crease portion may be provided in the top seal portion. In this case, it is possible to make either the top seal portion or the bottom seal portion stand on its own.

[0073] As shown in Fig. 2, an air vent hole 33a is formed in the main body 33 of the bag 30 at a position where the center seal portion 34 overlaps. In the illustration, the vent hole 33a is located outside the portion where the sleeve 20 of the main body 33 is housed and near the bottom seal portion 32. When trying to make the package 1 stand on its own by folding the bottom seal portion 32 along the fold portion 32a, the accumulated air in the portion outside the portion where the sleeve 20 of the main body 33 is housed may interfere and cause the balance to become unstable. At that time, by discharging the air at that location from the vent hole 33a, the standing state of the package 1 becomes stable. When the vent hole 33a is in the above position, due to the self-weight of the sleeve 20 into which the storage container group 10 is inserted, air automatically escapes from the vent hole 33a, so there is no need to separately perform the operation of venting air, which is convenient. Here, since the vent hole 33a is covered by the center seal portion 34 with a slight gap, it is not in an exposed state to the outside. Therefore, dust and dirt do not enter the inside of the main body 33 through the vent hole 33a and contaminate the storage container 11.

[0074] In the figure, the vent hole 33a is shown as a single one, but the number of vent holes 33a is not limited to this, and a plurality of them may be provided. Also, the position of the vent hole 33a is not limited as long as it is at a position where the center seal portion 34 of the main body 33 overlaps. It may be provided at intervals on a line with a space between the top seal portion and the bottom seal portion, but it is preferable to have at least one or more at a position close to the fold portion 32a of the bottom seal portion because it makes it easier to vent the air near the bottom seal portion and makes it easier for the package 1 to stand on its own more smoothly. The method of forming the vent hole 33a is not particularly limited, but piercing the film with a needle can be exemplified as a mode that can be easily formed. Such a needle punching process can also be incorporated into the above-described pillow packaging line. In that case, since it is difficult to perform the process with the center seal portion 34 covering the main body 33, it is preferably performed on the more upstream side.

[0075] The hole diameter of the punching hole 33a is not particularly limited, but examples thereof include 0.3 mm or more and 0.5 mm or less. Note that the holes referred to here also include slit-shaped ones. If the hole diameter of the punching hole 33a is less than 0.3 mm, the hole is too small and there is a risk that air cannot be smoothly discharged from the main body 33. On the other hand, if the hole diameter of the punching hole 33a exceeds 0.5 mm, the hole is too large and there is a risk that dust and dirt may enter the hole through the slight gap between the center seal portion 34 and the main body 33.

[0076] When the bag 30 of the package 1 is film packaging, the packaging mode is not limited to pillow packaging. For example, the bag 30 may be a film packaging bag whose opening is sealed with a sealing tape. In the example of FIG. 8, a suspension hole 31a is attached to the bag 30 so that it can be suspended from a hook for display. In this case, the sealing tape is peeled off, the bag 30 is opened, and the storage container group 10 is taken out.

[0077] The embodiments disclosed this time are illustrative in all respects and not restrictive. The scope of the present invention is shown by the claims and includes all modifications and changes within the scope and equivalents thereof.

[0078] In the embodiment, as an example of being inserted into the sleeve 20 and packaged in the bag 30, a storage container group 10 formed by stacking a plurality of storage containers 11 vertically is illustrated, but a single storage container 11 can also be used.

Explanation of Signs

[0079] 1 Package 10 Storage container group 11 Storage container 11a Bottom wall 11b Side wall 20 Sleeve 21 Peripheral wall 21a Window 21b folding piece 22 opening 30 bag 31 top seal part 31a hanging hole 32 bottom seal part 32a crease part 33 body 33a punching hole 34 center seal part d minimum gap W1 width of the bag W2 width of the sleeve S1 top sealer S2 bottom sealer C cutter A tool

Claims

1. A storage container group, a sleeve, and a bag, wherein the storage container group is formed by stacking a plurality of storage containers vertically, each storage container having a bottom wall and side walls rising from the periphery of the bottom wall and opening upward, the sleeve has a cylindrical peripheral wall and openings at both ends, and the storage container group is inserted therein such that the side walls overlapping vertically thereof face the inner surface of the peripheral wall, the bag is a packaging body that wraps the front and back surfaces thereof so as to face the openings at both ends of the sleeve into which the storage container group is inserted.

2. The packaging body according to claim 1, wherein the storage container is a side dish case formed by press-molding a sheet body.

3. The packaging body according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the storage container is made of paper.

4. The packaging body according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the sleeve is made of paper.

5. The packaging body according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the sleeve has a rectangular tubular shape.

6. The packaging body according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the bag is made of a film, and the thickness of the film is 80 μm or less.

7. The packaging body according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the minimum gap between the side walls of the storage container group overlapping vertically and the inner surface of the peripheral wall of the sleeve facing the side walls is 5 mm or less.

8. The packaging body according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a window is provided on the peripheral wall of the sleeve.

9. The packaging body according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the sleeve has a bent piece partitioned by a slit or a frangible line at a location adjacent to the bottom wall of the storage container located at the lowermost layer of the storage container group on the peripheral wall, and by bending this bent piece inward, the bottom wall of the storage container can be supported from below.

10. The packaging body according to claim 6, wherein the bag is a pillow packaging bag, and includes a main body for storing the sleeve into which the storage container group is inserted, a top seal portion and a bottom seal portion adjacent to the outer surface of the peripheral wall of the sleeve respectively, and a center seal portion facing the opening of the sleeve.

11. The packaging body according to claim 10, wherein a linear crease portion parallel to the cut end of the bottom seal portion is provided on the bottom seal portion.

12. The packaging body according to claim 11, wherein the crease portion is provided at a position 15 mm or more and 25 mm or less from the cut end of the bottom seal portion.

13. The package according to claim 10, wherein an air vent hole in the main body is provided at a position covering the center seal portion that has fallen to the side of the main body of the pillow packaging bag.

14. The package according to claim 13, wherein the vent hole is provided outside the portion of the main body where the sleeve is housed and at a position adjacent to the bottom seal portion.

15. The package according to claim 13, wherein the hole diameter of the vent hole is 0.3 mm or more and 0.5 mm or less.

16. The package according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the sleeve is printed.

17. A storage container having a bottom wall and side walls rising from the periphery of the bottom wall and opening upward, A sleeve having a cylindrical peripheral wall and openings at both ends, with the storage container inserted therein such that its side walls face the inner surface of the peripheral wall, A package comprising a bag that wraps the front and back surfaces so as to face the openings at both ends of the sleeve into which the storage container is inserted.

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