Fruit fixture and fruit packaging container

Abstract

To provide a fruit fixture that can transfer a fruit without damage, endure shaking and vibrations during transportation, and securely hold and fix the fruit, as well as a fruit packaging container that accommodates the fruit fixing device.SOLUTION: A fruit fixture 1 includes: a circular film retaining upper plate 11; a flexible upper circular film 12 that is stretched across a circular central opening part 111 of the circular film retaining upper plate 11; a circular film retaining lower plate 14; and a flexible lower circular film 15 that is stretched across a circular central opening part 141 of the circular film retaining lower plate 14. The upper circular film 12 and the lower circular film 15 have concentric continuous notches 121, 151, respectively, that reduce the tension of the film, allowing a fruit F to be clamped between the upper circular film 12 and the lower circular film 15. The fruit fixture 1 is usually contained in a container with the fruit fixed in place, becoming a fruit individual packaging container 2.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a fruit fastener and a fruit packaging container that houses the fruit fastener with fruit fixed therein, and more particularly to a fruit fastener that can securely hold, fasten, and transport fruit without damaging it, and an individual fruit packaging container that houses the fruit fastener. [Background technology]

[0002] Regarding packaging containers for goods, a packaging container that can also function as a decorative device is known, with the aim of providing a packaging container that allows the storage member to stand on its own and can function as a means for transporting goods as well as a decorative means. The packaging container comprises a first storage member having a first support piece with a transparent or translucent first flexible film stretched across an opening surrounded by a first frame member, and a second storage member having a second support piece with a transparent or translucent second flexible film stretched across an opening surrounded by a second frame member, and in which an article is sandwiched between the first and second flexible films, each of the first and second support pieces is detachably attached to the surface side of the first and second storage members, and one end of each of the first and second storage members is rotatably connected by a hinge, and the other end is provided with a locking means (Patent Document 1).

[0003] Additionally, with regard to article holders, one known article holder aims to provide an article holder that can reduce the cost of packaging materials and can improve the efficiency of the packaging work into a box and the disassembly work, and is made by forming a through hole in the center of a base plate whose peripheral edge is bent up and down to form a bent portion, and spanning the side edges of the base plate to cover the through hole, in which the flexible member forms a folded portion so that both left and right ends overlap, and the position where the both ends overlap forms an overlapping portion, forming a compressed cylindrical body with the overlapping portion as an insertion outlet for the article, and both side edge portions of the cylindrical body that form the opening portion are fixed to the folded portion so that the overlapping portion is located approximately in the center of the through hole (Patent Document 2).

[0004] However, until now, no fruit fixing devices capable of securely holding and fixing fruit while transporting it without damaging it, nor individual fruit packaging containers for accommodating such fruit fixing devices, or packaging containers for accommodating such fixing devices, have been known that are specialized for fruit. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2016-222337 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2005-8244 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] An object of the present invention is to provide a fruit fastener that can withstand shaking and vibration during transportation without damaging the fruit, and can reliably hold and fasten the fruit while transporting it, and a fruit packaging container that houses the fruit fastener. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] Since there are many types of fruit, each with a variety of shapes and surface hardness, the inventors have conducted extensive research to solve the problem of how to transport (transport / convey) fruit while firmly holding and fixing it in place without damaging its surface. They discovered that by increasing the contact area between the surface and a curved surface such as a sphere, and thereby firmly holding and fixing the fruit, a flexible film can be carved with cut patterns and the tension reduced, allowing the film to withstand shaking and vibration during transport and to be securely held and fixed while being transported, and have thus completed this invention.

[0008] That is, the present invention is as defined by the following invention-specific matters. [1] A fruit holder comprising a first film holding plate having a central opening, a flexible first film stretched across the central opening, a second film holding plate having a central opening, and a flexible second film stretched across the central opening, the first film holding plate and the second film holding plate facing each other, and a slit cut into the first film and / or the second film to reduce the tension of the film, characterized in that fruit is sandwiched between the first film and the second film. [2] The fruit holder according to [1] above, characterized in that the first film holding plate and the second film holding plate are arranged parallel to each other and face each other vertically, and are configured as an upper film holding plate and a lower film holding plate. [3] A fruit holder according to [2] above, characterized in that the upper film holding plate, the lower film holding plate, and a connecting side plate that connects the opposing sides of the upper film holding plate and the lower film holding plate and separates the upper film holding plate and the lower film holding plate by a predetermined distance are integrally molded in a U-shape when viewed from the side. [4] The fruit fixing device according to [3] above, wherein the first flexible film and the second flexible film are made of a single flexible film sheet. [5] The fruit holder according to [1] above, characterized in that the central opening is a circular opening, and the holding plate is configured as an upper circular film holding plate on which an upper circular film is stretched, and a lower circular film holding plate on which a lower circular film is stretched. [6] The fruit holder according to [1] above, wherein the first film holding plate and the second film holding plate are formed of rectangular corrugated cardboard. [7] The fruit holder according to [5] above, characterized in that a through hole for inserting the core of the fruit is provided in the center of the upper circular film. [8] An individual fruit packaging container, characterized in that fruit is contained in a container in a state where the fruit is fixed to the fruit fixing device described in any one of [1] to [7] above. [9] A bulk fruit packaging container containing a plurality of the individual fruit packaging containers described in [8] above. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to the present invention, various fruits can be transported safely without being damaged. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view of a fruit fastener of the present invention and an individual packaging container for storing the fruit fastener. [Figure 2] 1 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of a state in which a fruit (apple) is fixed in the fruit fixing device of the present invention. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the fruit fixing device of the present invention. [Figure 4] 1 is a developed view showing a cut pattern of a flexible film of the present invention having a circular central opening. [Figure 5] 1 is a developed view showing a cut pattern of a flexible film of the present invention having an elliptical central opening. [Figure 6] 1 is a developed view showing a cut pattern of a flexible film of the present invention having a rectangular central opening. [Figure 7] 1 is a developed view showing the cut pattern of a flexible film of the present invention having a square central opening. [Figure 8] 1 is a developed view showing a cut pattern of a flexible film of the present invention having a triangular central opening. [Figure 9] FIG. 2 is a development view showing the cut pattern of a flexible film of the present invention having an irregular central opening. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0011] (Fruit Fixing Device) The fruit fastener of the present invention is not particularly limited as long as it comprises a first film holding plate having a central opening, a flexible first film stretched across the central opening, a second film holding plate having a central opening, and a flexible second film stretched across the central opening, the first film holding plate and the second film holding plate facing each other, and the first film and / or second film have cuts inscribed therein to reduce tension in the films, and the fruit fastener can be any fruit fastener that can hold fruit between the first film and the second film, and the fruit is placed in a packaging container with the fruit fastened to the fruit fastener, and then the fruit is transported, shipped, or transferred.

[0012] (film holding plate) The film holding plates in the fruit fastener of the present invention are composed of two opposing holding plates each having an opening near the center for stretching a flexible film, and the fruit is sandwiched between the opposing stretched flexible films. Examples of the direction in which the fruit is sandwiched between the flexible films include vertical and lateral directions. However, a configuration in which the two holding plates (the first film holding plate and the second film holding plate) are parallel and opposed to each other, i.e., the fruit is sandwiched from above and below by the first film holding upper plate and the second film holding lower plate, is preferred because it securely holds the fruit compared to a configuration in which the two holding plates (the first film holding plate and the second film holding plate) are parallel and opposed to each other laterally, e.g., the fruit is sandwiched from the left and right by the first film holding left plate and the second film holding right plate. The shape of the openings in the centers of the first and second film holding plates can be circular, oval, rectangular, square, triangular, irregular, or other shapes as appropriate depending on the type of fruit. For example, for apples, pears, peaches, melons, mandarins, etc., circular, oval, or square shapes are usually appropriate, while for kiwi, mango, grapes, etc., oval, rectangular, or irregular shapes are usually appropriate.

[0013] The individual fruit packaging container that houses the fruit fixing device of the present invention is usually formed as a rectangular parallelepiped or cube to save space by arranging and stacking the fruit fixing devices without any gaps, so the two holding plates are usually formed as a rectangle such as a square, rectangle or diamond. However, when the individual fruit packaging container is formed as a triangular prism or hexagonal prism, the two holding plates can also be formed as an equilateral triangle or regular hexagon.

[0014] The two film holding plates are preferably arranged parallel to each other at a certain distance apart inside the individual fruit packaging container that houses the fruit fasteners. To ensure the certain distance apart, two opposing horizontal or vertical guard rails can be provided on the inner surface of the individual fruit packaging container, but connecting side plates formed integrally with the two holding plates can also be provided, connecting the two holding plates in a U-shape in cross section. Furthermore, each of the two holding plates can be provided with a locking member or a support member to lock and support the two holding plates and connecting side plates connected in a U-shape in cross section to the inner surface of the individual fruit packaging container.

[0015] (flexible film) The flexible film stretched on the film holding plate can be a resin film such as polyethylene (PE) resin film, polypropylene (PP) resin film, polyethylene terephthalate (PET) resin film, or polystyrene (PS) resin film. The thickness of the flexible film is preferably 30 to 100 μm. For fruits with cores, it is preferable to provide a through-hole in the flexible film at the appropriate location to allow the core of the fruit to pass through.

[0016] (Flexible film installation) The first flexible film stretched over the central opening of the first film holding plate and the second flexible film stretched over the central opening of the second film holding plate may be stretched individually over the inner surface of each central opening, but in the case of a fruit fixing device having two holding plates and connecting side plates connected in a U-shape in cross section, it is possible to easily stretch the flexible film and achieve a strong finish by adhering one flexible film sheet from the inner surface (lower side) of the upper film holding plate, through the inner surface of the connecting side plate, to the inner surface (upper side) of the lower film holding plate.

[0017] (A cut made in a flexible film) In the present invention, the term "slit" refers to the marks left by cutting a flexible film with a blade or by making incisions. The marks left by cutting a flexible film or by making a net-like shape are not referred to as "slits." However, for convenience, continuous small holes and small holes formed over the entire surface are also included in the term "slits." Examples of slit patterns include continuous concentric arc-shaped slits, continuous "-" shaped slits, continuous "+" shaped slits, continuous wavy "~" slits, continuous " / / " shaped slits, continuous "<<" shaped slits, continuous "((" shaped slits, continuous star-shaped slits, continuous round slits, etc.). Slit patterns similar to the central opening, such as continuous concentric arc-shaped slit patterns, are preferred because they can stably hold the spherical surface of a fruit such as an apple. The slit patterns of the two films may be the same or different.

[0018] (individually wrapped fruit containers) The fruit fastener of the present invention usually holds one fruit (a bunch of fruit), and one fruit fastener holding one fruit is usually contained in one individual fruit packaging container.

[0019] (Fruit bulk packaging container) The individual fruit packaging containers can be transported one by one, or they can be transported in bulk. When transporting them in bulk, a rectangular parallelepiped bulk fruit packaging container that can accommodate a plurality of the individual fruit packaging containers can be used.

[0020] (fruit) Examples of fruits to be transported include apples, peaches, mandarin oranges, lemons, hassaku oranges, tomatoes, strawberries, pears, persimmons, kiwis, mangoes, melons, watermelons, etc. Materials that have a certain degree of strength, such as cardboard, thick paper, plastic panels, and polystyrene foam, can be used as materials for the fruit fastener of the present invention and the individual fruit packaging containers that house the fruit fasteners.

[0021] (Example) The present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings, but the present invention is not limited to the embodiments referred to in the drawings.

[0022] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a fruit fastening device 1 (standard type) of the present invention, in which a fruit is sandwiched between flexible films from above and below and has a circular opening, and an individual packaging container for storing the fruit fastening device 1. FIG. 2 shows a longitudinal cross-sectional view of an individual packaging container for storing the fruit fastening device 1 of the present invention. FIG. 3 shows an exploded view of the fruit fastening device 1 of the present invention. The present invention will be described below, focusing on the fruit fastening device 1 (standard type). In FIG. 1, as viewed from the direction of the arrow, the front is referred to as "front," the back is referred to as "rear," the right side is referred to as "right," the left side is referred to as "left," the upper side is referred to as "upper," and the lower side is referred to as "lower." FIG. 4 also shows a plan view of the cut pattern of the flexible film of the present invention.

[0023] (Fruit fixing devices and individual fruit packaging containers) 1 to 3 show a fruit fixing device 1 that includes a circular film holding upper plate 11, a flexible upper circular film 12 stretched over a circular central opening 111 of the upper circular film holding plate 11, a circular film holding lower plate 14, and a flexible lower circular film 15 stretched over a circular central opening 141 of the lower circular film holding plate 14, with continuous concentric slits 121, 151 cut into the upper circular film 12 and the lower circular film 15 to reduce the tension of the film, and that can hold a fruit F between the upper circular film 12 and the lower circular film 15. The fruit fixing device 1 is then usually placed in a container with the fruit fixed therein, to form an individual fruit packaging container 2.

[0024] The upper circular film holding plate 11 and the lower circular film holding plate 14 in the fruit fastener 1 of the present invention are configured as squares, and the individual fruit wrapping container 2 is configured as a cube. In order to maintain a constant distance between the upper circular film holding plate 11 and the lower circular film holding plate 14 and secure the upper circular film holding plate 11 and the lower circular film holding plate 14 inside the individual fruit wrapping container 2, a connecting side plate 17 is provided that connects opposing sides 171, 172 of the upper circular film holding plate 11 and the lower circular film holding plate 14 and is integrally molded into a U-shape when viewed from the side, thereby maintaining a constant distance between the upper circular film holding plate 11 and the lower circular film holding plate 14.

[0025] The circular film holding top plate 11 is locked and housed in the individual fruit packaging container 2 by locking members 13. Examples of the locking members 13 of the circular film holding top plate 11 include a rear locking plate 131, a right locking plate 132, a left locking plate 133, a right rear locking plate fold-in portion 134, and a left rear locking plate fold-in portion 135, and the rear locking plate 131, the right locking plate 132, and the left locking plate 133 each abut against the inner surface of the individual fruit packaging container 2 to lock the circular film holding top plate 11 in the individual fruit packaging container 2. An inward fold-in portion 136 is formed in the front portion of the right locking plate 132, and an inward fold-in portion 137 is formed in the front portion of the left locking plate 133.

[0026] The circular film holding lower plate 14 is supported and housed in the individual fruit packaging container 2 by a support member 16. The support member 16 for the circular film holding lower plate 14 includes a right front support plate 161, a left front support plate 162, a rear support plate 163, a rear support plate notch 164, a right support plate 165, and a left support plate 166. The right front support plate 161, the left front support plate 162, the rear support plate 163, the right support plate 165, and the left support plate 166 each abut against the inner surface of the individual fruit packaging container 2, and the peripheral pieces of the right front support plate 161, the left front support plate 162, the rear support plate 163, the right support plate 165, and the left support plate 166 are supported by the bottom inner surface 21 of the individual fruit packaging container, thereby supporting the circular film holding lower plate 14 in the individual fruit packaging container 2.

[0027] (Central opening and cut pattern) Figures 4 to 9 show central openings that are circular, elliptical, rectangular, square, triangular, and irregular in shape. Also, (a) of Figures 4 to 9 shows a slit that is similar in shape to the central opening, (b) of Figures 4 to 9 shows a "-" shaped slit, (c) of Figures 4 to 9 shows a "+" shaped slit, (d) of Figures 4 to 9 shows a star-shaped small hole slit, and (e) of Figures 4 to 9 shows a circle-shaped small hole slit. Also, the shaded areas in Figures 4 to 9 represent the adhesive portion (glue tab) of the rectangular flexible film.

[0028] The method for stretching the flexible films 12, 15 over the central opening portions 111, 141 of the upper circular film holding plate 11 and the lower circular film holding plate 14 is not particularly limited, and circular flexible films 12, 15 can be stretched over the central opening portions 111, 141, but if a rectangular flexible film is attached to the underside of the upper circular film holding plate 11, the inner surface of the connecting side plate 17, and the upper surface of the lower circular film holding plate 14 in Fig. 3 as attachment portions (glue margins), the upper circular film 12 and the lower circular film 15 can be stretched efficiently. In addition, the flexible upper circular film 12 stretched over the central opening portion 111 of the upper circular film holding plate 11 is provided with a fruit core insertion hole 122 through which the core of a fruit F can be inserted. [Industrial Applicability]

[0029] The present invention will revitalize the fruit logistics industry. [Explanation of symbols]

[0030] 1 Fruit Fixing Tool 11 Circular film holding top plate 111 Central opening of circular film holding top plate 12 Upper circular film 121 Concentric cut pattern 122 Fruit core insertion hole provided in upper circular film 13 Circular film holding upper plate locking member 131 Rear locking plate 132 Right locking plate 133 Left locking plate 134 Right rear locking plate fold-in part 135 Left rear locking plate fold-in part 136 Right locking plate inner fold-in part 137 Left locking plate inner fold-in part 14 Circular film holding bottom plate 141 Central opening of circular film holding bottom plate 15 Lower circular film 151 Concentric cut pattern 16 Support member for circular film holding lower plate 161 Front support plate right 162 Front support plate left 163 Rear support plate 164 Rear support plate notch 165 Right support plate 166 Left support plate 17 Connecting side plate 171 One side of the circular film holding upper plate facing the circular film holding lower plate 172 One side of the circular film holding lower plate facing the circular film holding upper plate 18 Rectangular flexible film attachment section 2 Individually wrapped fruit containers 21. Inner bottom surface of individual fruit packaging container F Fruit

Claims

1. A fruit fixing device comprising: a first film holding plate having a central opening; a flexible first film stretched across the central opening; a second film holding plate having a central opening; and a flexible second film stretched across the central opening, the first film holding plate and the second film holding plate facing each other; a slit cut into the first film and / or the second film to reduce tension in the film; and a fruit fixing device characterized in that the fruit is sandwiched between the first film and the second film.

2. 2. The fruit holder according to claim 1, wherein the first film holding plate and the second film holding plate are arranged parallel to each other and face each other vertically, and are configured as an upper film holding plate and a lower film holding plate.

3. 3. The fruit holding device according to claim 2, wherein the upper film holding plate, the lower film holding plate, and a connecting side plate that connects opposing sides of the upper film holding plate and the lower film holding plate and separates the upper film holding plate and the lower film holding plate by a predetermined distance are integrally molded in a U-shape when viewed from the side.

4. 4. The fruit holding device according to claim 3, wherein the first flexible film and the second flexible film are formed from a single flexible film sheet.

5. 2. The fruit fixing device according to claim 1, wherein the central opening is a circular opening, and the holding plates are configured as an upper circular film holding plate on which an upper circular film is stretched, and a lower circular film holding plate on which a lower circular film is stretched.

6. 2. The fruit holder according to claim 1, wherein the first film holding plate and the second film holding plate are formed of rectangular corrugated cardboard.

7. 6. The fruit fixing device according to claim 5, wherein the upper circular film has a through hole in the center thereof for inserting the core of the fruit.

8. 8. An individual fruit packaging container, comprising fruit fastened to the fruit fastener according to claim 1 and contained in a container.

9. A bulk fruit packaging container comprising a plurality of the individual fruit packaging containers according to claim 8.

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