Storage container

Abstract

The objective is to provide a storage container that facilitates storage and offers high handling performance, allowing eggs to be removed one at a time. [Solution] The present invention, which solves the above problems, is a storage container X for storing eggs E, comprising a mounting platform 1 on which eggs E are placed, and a cylindrical cover portion 2 that is separable from the mounting platform 1 and houses the mounting platform 1, wherein the mounting platform 1 is provided to be slidable in a sliding direction V inside the cover portion 2, and the length of the cover portion 2 in the sliding direction V is shorter than the length of the mounting platform 1 in the sliding direction V.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a storage container suitable for storing eggs.

Background Art

[0002] Generally, an egg pack used when selling eggs stores eggs in spaces partitioned one by one. Therefore, when stored in a refrigerator as it is, it takes up space and is difficult to take out depending on the position of the eggs. To address this, a container for taking out eggs one by one while storing them is described in, for example, Patent Document 1.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In the invention described in Patent Document 1, the storage container is composed of two stages, and eggs can be stored inside the container by putting eggs in from the upper part. However, there is a risk that the eggs may break due to the impact of dropping during the storage operation. In addition, since it has a two-stage and two-row configuration for storing eggs, it takes up space, and in an environment such as a refrigerator where the upper part is not sufficiently open, the entire container has to be moved once for the storage operation, and there is also a risk of dropping during the movement.

[0005] In view of the above problems, an object of the present invention is to provide a storage container with high handling performance that can facilitate the egg storage operation and allow eggs to be taken out one by one.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The present invention, which solves the above problems, is a storage container for storing eggs, comprising a mounting platform on which eggs are placed, and a cylindrical cover portion that is separable from the mounting platform and houses the mounting platform, wherein the mounting platform is provided to be slidable in the sliding direction inside the cover portion, and the length of the cover portion in the sliding direction is shorter than the length of the mounting platform in the sliding direction. Because the tray is detachable from the cover, eggs are less likely to break when stored on the tray, and the tray is longer than the cover, making it easier to detach the tray and remove the eggs. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] The present invention, which solves the above problems, provides a storage container that allows for easy storage and offers high handling performance, enabling eggs to be removed one by one. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] This is a perspective view of a mounting base and cover portion according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] This is a perspective view of a mounting base and cover portion according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] This is a perspective view of a storage container according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] This is an orthographic projection view of a mounting platform according to an embodiment of the present invention, viewed from multiple angles. [Figure 5] These are a cross-sectional view and a rear view of a storage container according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] A perspective view showing a stacked storage container according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] This is a perspective view showing a storage container for eggs according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] The storage containers according to each embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. The description will detail the configuration of the embodiment and the method of implementation. The embodiments described below are examples of the present invention and do not limit the present invention to the embodiments described below. Furthermore, the term "abbreviated" in the application documents is a concept that includes shapes that have been chamfered or rounded, and shapes in which the elements constituting the shape have been deformed or modified in length to the extent that it does not impede the purpose or effect of the configuration. In this specification, the forward direction is defined as the direction in which the egg E rolls, and the downward direction is defined as the direction of gravity, within the sliding direction V of the mounting base 1.

[0010] In this specification, egg E is assumed to be a chicken egg, but it may also be a duck egg or a quail egg. When describing egg E, assuming egg E is an ellipsoid (long ellipsoid), the direction of the major axis will be called the major axis, and the direction perpendicular to the major axis will be called the radial direction. In the case of a chicken egg, the length in the major axis direction is assumed to be 40 mm to 70 mm, and the maximum length in the radial direction (hereinafter, maximum diameter) is assumed to be 30 mm to 50 mm. In this embodiment, a chicken egg with a major axis direction length of 60 mm and a maximum radial length of 40 mm is specifically assumed.

[0011] 《First Embodiment》 As shown in Figures 1 to 3, the present invention is a storage container X for storing eggs E, comprising a mounting platform 1 on which eggs E are placed, and a cylindrical cover portion 2 that is separable from the mounting platform 1 and houses the mounting platform 1. The mounting platform 1 is slidably mounted inside the cover portion 2 in a sliding direction V, and the length of the cover portion 2 in the sliding direction V is shorter than the length of the mounting platform 1 in the sliding direction V. On the other hand, as one method of use, the eggs E may be stored simply by placing them on the mounting platform 1 without providing the cover portion 2. Here, Figures 1 and 2 are perspective views of the mounting platform 1 and the cover portion 2, respectively, and Figure 3 is a perspective view showing the mounting platform 1 placed inside the cover portion 2.

[0012] The storage container X comprises a mounting base 1 capable of holding multiple eggs E placed on its upper surface, and a cover portion 2, which is a cylindrical body with open ends, capable of housing the mounting base 1 inside. The mounting base 1 and the cover portion 2 are provided independently and are slidable relative to each other in the sliding direction V. Here, the sliding direction V is parallel to the direction in which the cover portion 2 opens, and in this embodiment, it is the longitudinal direction of the mounting base 1 and the cover portion 2. The storage container X is made by molding from a resin such as plastic.

[0013] The mounting platform 1 integrally comprises a mounting container 11, which is a frame having a space inside which eggs E can be stored; an inclined surface 12 provided at an angle inside the mounting container 11 on which eggs E are actually placed; a stopper plate 13, which is a plate provided at the longitudinal end of the mounting container 11; and a guide portion 14 provided continuously on the upper side of the inclined surface 12 and the stopper plate 13, which guides the movement of eggs E in a straight line. Here, Figure 4(a) shows a right side view of the mounting platform 1, Figure 4(b) shows a top view, and Figure 4(c) shows a rear view.

[0014] The cover portion 2 is a protective member that surrounds the mounting base 1 and is provided in a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape. The cover portion 2 has a cover body 20 that forms a cylinder, a projection 21 provided on the cover body 20 that causes the cover body 20 to stand upright from the ground, a locking hole 22 that locks the cover portion 2 when stacking cover portions 2 of the same shape in the vertical direction, and an interference portion 23 that prevents the mounting base 1 from moving backward from a predetermined position. Here, the cover portion 2 is preferably made of a translucent or transparent plastic material so that the inside can be seen from the outside, thereby allowing the number of eggs E stored to be determined.

[0015] As shown in Figures 1(b), 2(b), and 4, the mounting container 11 is a rectangular frame in plan view that surrounds the four sides. In the mounting container 11, the front is the front of the base 111, the sides are the side surfaces 112, and the back is the rear surface 113.

[0016] The front surface 111 of the base has a height that allows the user to place their fingers on it (for example, about 20 mm), and is also higher than at least 1 / 3 of the maximum length in the radial direction of the egg E and lower than 2 / 3 of it. This prevents the rolling egg E from rolling further forward while facilitating its removal from the front.

[0017] As shown in Fig. 4(a), the side surface 112 of the base is provided in a substantially trapezoidal shape with the front and rear sides parallel in side view. The lower side is parallel to the sliding direction V, enabling the mounting table 1 to be moved in the sliding direction V. Also, the upper side is provided parallel to the inclination direction of the inclined surface 12, keeping the distance from the inclined surface 12 to the upper side constant and holding the egg E so that it does not fall even when the mounting table 1 is tilted to some extent with the egg E placed on it. Further, by providing the side surface 112 of the base in a trapezoidal shape, the center of gravity is shifted backward to enhance stability. Also, the length of the lower side of the side surface 112 of the base is set longer than the length of the cover part 2, and a part of the mounting table 1 always protrudes in the state where the cover part 2 is attached. Here, the interval between the side surfaces 112 of the base is at most shorter than twice the length in the long axis direction of the egg E, and the eggs E are arranged such that they do not line up in two or more rows on the mounting table 1, making the whole compact.

[0018] As shown in Fig. 4(c), the rear surface 113 of the base is continuous with the lower ends of the stop plate 13 and the side surface 112 of the base, and supports the lower side of the inclined surface 12 as if lifting it. In the embodiment, the height of the rear surface 113 of the base is lower than the height of the front surface 111 of the base.

[0019] The inclined surface 12 is a plate material provided inclined inside the mounting container 1 as shown in Figs. 5(a) and (b). The inclination angle is preferably about 2° to 5°, and is 3° in the embodiment. This makes the egg E easier to roll while making it less likely to crack without increasing the speed. The front end surface of the inclined surface 12 is located adjacent to the lower end of the front surface 111 of the base. Note that Fig. 5(a) is a cross-sectional view taken along the line A - A of Fig. 3(a), and Fig. 5(b) is a cross-sectional view taken along the line B - B.

[0020] The stopper plate 13 is a plate provided on the rear end face of the storage container 11, and its surface is positioned perpendicular to the sliding direction V. Its width and height, together with the rear surface 113 of the base, are provided to cover substantially the entire cross-section of the cover portion 2, as shown in the rear view of Figure 5(c). This prevents the storage base 1 from tilting relative to the cover portion 2 and the eggs E placed on top from rolling off when the storage base 1 is stored inside the cover portion 2. In addition, when the storage container X is placed in front of the cold air outlet of a refrigerator, the stopper plate 13 blocks the cold air, preventing the eggs E, which are being stored, from being cooled more than necessary.

[0021] In particular, the front surface 111, the side surface 112, and the stopper plate 13 are provided to protrude upward by a predetermined length or more relative to the inclined surface 12, so that even if the mounting platform 1 is slid with the egg E placed on it, the egg E is less likely to fall off.

[0022] As shown in Figures 5(a) and (b), the guide portion 14 is a rail-shaped projection that is continuously provided on the inclined surface 12 and the rear surface 113 of the base, with two projections provided parallel to each other, spaced apart and away from the side surface 112 of the base. In this embodiment, the guide portion 14 has an inclined guide portion 141 provided on the inclined surface 12 and a stopper plate guide portion 142 provided on the stopper plate 13.

[0023] The inclined guide section 141 is provided parallel to the inclined guide section 141 along the entire longitudinal direction of the inclined surface 12. By placing the egg E on this, the inclination of the egg E in the longitudinal direction with respect to the sliding direction V is kept constant, making it easier to roll. The width of the two inclined guide sections 141 is approximately 30 mm, and their height is approximately 3 mm, which is substantially constant throughout, so that the egg E is always supported at two points on the inclined guide section 141.

[0024] As shown in Figure 5(c), the stopper plate guide portion 142 is provided on the front surface of the stopper plate 13, continuously from the inclined guide portion 141. The stopper plate guide portion 142 is provided in the vertical direction of the stopper plate 13, and its width is approximately equal to that of the inclined guide portion 141. By providing the guide portion 14 continuously in this manner, it exerts a rib-like effect, maintaining the bending resistance of the stopper plate 13 and the connection between the inclined surface 12 and the stopper plate 13 firmly. In addition, the stopper plate guide portion 142 is provided such that its protruding height gradually decreases towards the upward direction, preventing the formation of a corner at the upper end.

[0025] The cover body 20 is a cylindrical body with a rectangular parallelepiped shape and a roughly square cross-section, and is provided so that the sliding direction V is in the longitudinal direction. The inner width of the cover body 20 is approximately the same as or slightly larger than the width of the mounting container 11 (width of the base side surface 112), and the inner height is approximately the same as or slightly larger than the sum of the heights of the base rear surface 113 and the stopper plate 13, so that the mounting base 1 can be stored inside the cover body 20. In particular, the height is set as described above to prevent the mounting base 1 from tilting forward when sliding with the egg E on it, and to prevent the egg E from falling. The cover body 20 may also be changed to a polygonal cylindrical shape, for example, it may be hexagonal or octagonal when viewed from the front. The mounting base 1 or cover body 20 is cylindrical, allowing for efficient use of depth when stored in a refrigerator. Furthermore, because the cover body 20 is rectangular, storage containers X can be placed adjacent to each other vertically and horizontally, offering high expandability.

[0026] Furthermore, the length of the cover body 20 in the longitudinal direction is shorter than the length of the mounting container 11 in the longitudinal direction, making it easier to grip the front surface 111 with your fingers. Preferably, this difference in length is made longer than the maximum diameter of the egg E, making it easier to remove the egg E.

[0027] The cover body 20 has a cover bottom surface 201 located at the bottom, a cover top surface 202 located at the top, and a cover side surface 203 located on the side, all of which are approximately rectangular flat plate members. Their edges are connected and enclosed on all four sides to form a rectangular parallelepiped cylindrical cover body 20. In this embodiment, the cover bottom surface 201 and the cover side surface 203 are molded integrally, but the cover top surface 202 is molded separately and connected to the upper surface of the cover side surface 203. This improves the yield when forming the locking holes 22 in the cover top surface 202, which will be described later. In addition, the fixing performance is enhanced by connecting holes provided at corresponding positions on the cover top surface 202 to a plurality of protrusions provided on the upper end of the cover side surface 203.

[0028] The protrusion 21 is a projection member provided on the bottom surface 201 of the cover. The protrusion 21 is raised about 4 mm from the bottom surface 201 of the cover, and as shown in Figure 2(b), its shape when viewed from the bottom is a track shape that is elongated in the longitudinal direction. In addition, the protrusion 21 is provided near each of the four corners of the bottom surface 201 of the cover, thereby allowing the storage container X to be stably supported against a smooth surface and also providing stably support when engaging with the locking hole 22.

[0029] As shown in Figure 1(b), the locking holes 22 are holes provided in the top surface 202 of the cover, and are provided in a manner that allows them to engage with the protrusions 21. In this embodiment, the locking holes are elongated in the shape of a track in the front-to-back direction, and their width is approximately the same as or slightly larger than the width of the protrusions 21, while their length is shorter than the length of the protrusions 21, making it easier to engage them by sliding them along the longitudinal direction of the hole. Furthermore, four locking holes 22 are provided at the corners of the top surface 202 of the cover to enhance stability. In this way, by engaging the protrusions 21 and the locking holes 22, it becomes possible to engage one cover part 2 with another cover part 2 and use the storage container X stacked vertically as shown in Figure 6, thereby improving usability.

[0030] As shown in Figure 2(b), the interference portion 23 is a component integrally provided at the corner of the rear end face of the cover portion 2. Specifically, the interference portion 23 is integrally provided at the corner formed by the cover bottom surface 201 and the cover side surface 203, and as shown in Figure 5(a), the interference portion 23 interferes with the base rear surface 113, causing the mounting base 1 to stop at the end face of the cover portion 2. In other words, the usability is improved by stopping the base front surface 111 at a predetermined position. Furthermore, by providing the interference portion 23 at the corner, the connection between the cover bottom surface 201 and the cover side surface 203 is reinforced, and it is supported so that it is in a right-angle position. The interference portion 23 is provided in the form of a roughly rectangular parallelepiped that is long in the vertical direction. This increases the contact area with the mounting base 1 when it actually interferes with the rear surface 113 of the base, as well as the contact area with the side surface 203 of the cover, thereby improving strength and durability.

[0031] In this embodiment, the stopper plate 13 is provided so as to protrude rearward from the rear surface 113 of the base by the thickness of the interference portion 23, so that when interference occurs, the stopper plate 13 aligns with the rear end face of the cover portion 2. This improves the appearance and prevents gaps from forming between the mounting base 1 and the cover portion 2, which would allow cold air to enter.

[0032] The method of carrying out the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. The present invention is carried out by a user who stores and takes out eggs E from a storage container X installed in a refrigerator. Furthermore, the method of carrying out the invention shown below is just one example, and the method of carrying out the invention is not limited to this, and the order may be different.

[0033] When the user stores egg E, they perform the following steps: First, the user pulls out the tray 1 as shown in Figure 3(b), and then pulls out the tray 1.

[0034] Next, the user places the eggs E on the platform 1. The user places the eggs E in order from the front of the platform 111. At this time, the eggs are placed so that their long axes are perpendicular to the two inclined guides 141, so that the eggs E and the two inclined guides 141 are in contact at two points. This allows all the eggs E inside the storage container X to be placed without being subjected to impact. In addition, the egg E furthest forward is in contact with the front of the platform 111, and adjacent eggs E are in contact with the egg E in front of them, so that all the eggs E are stably supported at three points.

[0035] Finally, as shown in Figure 7, the user slides the mounting base 1 in the sliding direction V and stores it in the cover portion 2. At this time, the shape of the rear end surface of the mounting base 1 substantially matches the shape of the inner circumferential surface of the cover portion 2, so that the mounting base 1 slides stably without tilting relative to the cover portion 2. In addition, the interference portion 23 can hold the mounting base 1 in a predetermined position. As described above, an egg storage container X that facilitates storage can be provided.

[0036] When the user removes an egg E, they can remove the eggs E one by one by lifting the egg E that is in contact with the front surface 111 of the stand upwards. At this time, the stand 1 protrudes from the cover portion 2 by at least the maximum diameter of the egg E, making it easy to remove the eggs E. At this time, the inclined surface 12 causes any eggs E adjacent to the removed egg E to move to the front surface 111 of the stand, allowing the user to remove eggs E one after another.

[0037] Furthermore, the difference in length between the cover portion 2 and the mounting base 1 in the sliding direction V is at least longer than the maximum diameter of the egg E, making it easy to remove the egg E.

[0038] Furthermore, the mounting platform 1 has an inclined surface 12 on which eggs E can be placed, and the inclined surface 12 is provided at an angle with respect to the sliding direction V, making it easy to roll the eggs E and take them out one by one.

[0039] Furthermore, the inclined surface 12 is provided with multiple guide sections 14 that protrude parallel to each other, thereby supporting the egg E at two or more points at all times and ensuring that it rolls reliably forward, thus improving its performance.

[0040] Furthermore, the cover portion 2 has a protruding portion 21 that extends from the bottom surface and a locking hole 22 provided on the top surface that can engage with the protruding portion 21, allowing it to be used in a stacked state and enabling the storage of more eggs E in a space-saving manner.

[0041] Furthermore, the mounting base 1 has a stopper plate 13 erected at the end in the sliding direction V that closes the cross section of the cover portion 2, thereby preventing the mounting base 1 from tilting, allowing for smooth sliding, and also preventing excessive cooling inside the storage container X.

[0042] Furthermore, the cover portion 2 is provided with an interference portion 23 that interferes with the mounting base 1, which makes it possible to control the degree to which the mounting base 1 protrudes from the cover portion 2, thus easily maintaining an easy-to-handle state. [Explanation of symbols]

[0043] X storage container 1. Mounting platform 11. Mounting container 111 front 112 sides 113 rear side 12 Slope 13 Stop plate 14 Information Department 141 Inclined guide section 142 Stop plate guide part 2. Cover section 20 Cover body 201 Cover bottom 202 Top of cover 203 Cover side 21 Protrusion 22 Locking holes 23 Interference section V sliding direction E-egg

Claims

1. A storage container for storing eggs, It comprises a mounting platform for placing eggs, and a cylindrical cover portion that is detachable from the aforementioned mounting platform and houses the aforementioned mounting platform. The mounting base is provided on the inside of the cover portion so as to be slidable in the sliding direction, A storage container in which the length of the cover portion in the sliding direction is shorter than the length of the stand described above in the sliding direction.

2. The difference in length between the cover portion and the aforementioned base in the sliding direction is, The storage container according to claim 1, which is at least longer than the maximum diameter of the egg.

3. The aforementioned mounting platform has an inclined surface on which the egg can be placed, The storage container according to claim 1, wherein the inclined surface is provided at an inclination with respect to the sliding direction.

4. The storage container according to claim 3, wherein a plurality of guide portions for guiding the eggs are provided on the inclined surface, protruding parallel to each other.

5. The storage container according to claim 1, wherein the cover portion has a protruding portion that protrudes from the lower surface and a locking hole provided on the upper surface that can lock with the protruding portion.

6. The storage container according to claim 1, having a stopper plate erected at the end of the mounting base and covering a part of the cross section of the cover portion.

7. The storage container according to claim 1, wherein the cover portion has an interference portion that interferes with the stand described above.

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