Packaging containers

Abstract

To provide a packaging container that suppresses lid-closing defects caused by bending of the flange portion during the lid-closing process, thereby facilitating the lid-closing operation. [Solution] The main body skirt portion 21 has a main body fitting projection 25 that protrudes outward, but is not provided in the corner portion 12c adjacent to the ungrounded housing portion 17A, and is provided on both sides of the corner portion 12c adjacent to the ungrounded housing portion 17A in the circumferential direction. The lid skirt portion 61 is provided with a lid fitting projection 65 that protrudes inward and engages with the main body fitting projection 25 when the lid is closed. The corner portion 12c adjacent to the ungrounded housing portion 17A of the main body skirt portion 21 is provided with a lid closing assist portion 27 consisting of an inclined surface that slopes downward from the upper end outward, and the lower end of the lid closing assist portion 27 on the main body skirt portion 21 is located below the main body fitting projection 25.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a packaging container including a container body and a lid that fits externally onto the container body, and particularly to a packaging container that makes it easier to fit the lid onto the container body.

Background Art

[0002] Prepared foods and bento sold at convenience stores and supermarkets are cooked in the backyard of each store and then packaged in containers and provided, or cooked in a dedicated factory and transported to each store and displayed after being packaged in containers.

[0003] In such containers, it is necessary to prevent the lid from accidentally coming off during transportation or display. In particular, in a dedicated factory, after cooking a large amount of food ingredients and storing them in the container body, it is necessary to perform many steps of closing the lid and packaging it. Ease of closing the lid by humans or machines is required.

[0004] The following Patent Document 1 describes a packaging container including a container body provided with a deep-bottom storage recess and a shallow-bottom storage recess in a substantially rectangular container, and a lid that fits externally onto the container body.

[0005] In this type of container, after storing the cooked food ingredients in the container body, when performing the lid closing operation, the container body is placed on a support base or the like, and a downward constant force is applied to the entire lid while the lid is placed on the container body, and the lid is fitted onto the container body.

[0006] Of the four corners of this container, the two corners adjacent to the deep storage recess make contact with the bottom surface of the deep storage recess when the container is placed down. As a result, an upward reaction force acts from the contact surface toward the edge leg in response to the downward force generated when fitting the lid, and the side portion above the edge leg acts as a column (rib), thus suppressing problems with closing the lid due to bending of the fitting projection (flange). On the other hand, in the corner adjacent to the shallow storage recess, the bottom surface of the shallow storage recess does not make contact when the container is placed down, so the side portion cannot act as a column (rib). This causes the fitting projection (flange) of the corner adjacent to the shallow storage recess to bend, resulting in problems with closing the lid. Furthermore, if the lid is fitted to the container body with a weak force that does not deform the fitting projection (flange), it becomes difficult to fit the lid to the container body in the corner adjacent to the shallow storage recess, raising concerns that the fitting process will need to be repeated, which will be time-consuming. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0007] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 7437155 [Overview of the Initiative] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0008] Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide a packaging container that suppresses lid closing defects caused by bending of the flange portion during lid closing operations, and that allows for easy lid closing operations. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] The packaging container according to the present invention comprises a container body with a main flange portion surrounding it, and a lid with a lid flange portion surrounding it that fits externally onto the main flange portion when the lid is closed, and is a packaging container having a corner portion in a plan view, wherein the inside of the main flange portion is provided with a grounding housing portion where the bottom surface of the container body touches the ground when it is placed, and a non-grounding housing portion where the bottom surface of the container body does not touch the ground when it is placed, the non-grounding housing portion is provided adjacent to the corner portion and has a main skirt portion extending downward on the outside of the main flange portion, and has a main skirt portion extending downward on the outside of the lid flange portion, which fits externally onto the main skirt when the lid is closed The main body skirt portion has a lid skirt portion that fits externally to the main body portion, and the main body skirt portion has a main body fitting projection that protrudes outward, but is not provided at the corner portion adjacent to the ungrounded housing portion, and is provided at positions on both sides in the circumferential direction of the corner portion adjacent to the ungrounded housing portion, and the lid skirt portion has a lid fitting projection that protrudes inward and engages with the main body fitting projection when the lid is closed, and the corner portion of the main body skirt portion adjacent to the ungrounded housing portion is provided with a lid closing assist portion consisting of an inclined surface that slopes downward from the upper end outward, and the lower end of the lid closing assist portion on the main body skirt portion is located below the main body fitting projection.

[0010] When the lid is closed, the lid fits onto the container body. Body fitting protrusions are provided on both sides of the corners adjacent to the non-grounded storage portion of the body skirt. On the other hand, the corners adjacent to the non-grounded storage portion of the body skirt do not have body fitting protrusions, but instead have a lid-closing auxiliary portion consisting of an inclined surface that extends below the body fitting protrusions. When the lid skirt is fitted onto the body skirt during the lid-closing process, at both sides of the corners, the lid fitting protrusions pass over the body fitting protrusions, and eventually the lid fitting protrusions are positioned below the body fitting protrusions and lock into them. At the corners, the lid fitting protrusions pass while abutting against the lid-closing auxiliary portion (inclined surface), and eventually the lid fitting protrusions are positioned below the lid-closing auxiliary portion (inclined surface). During lid closing (fitting), depending on the relative positional relationship between the container body and the lid, the lid fitting projection may contact the lid closing support portion (inclined surface), fitting from near the corner (near the inclined surface) and then fitting toward both sides of the corner; or the lid fitting projection may ride over and pass the body fitting projection, fitting from both sides of the corner and then fitting toward the corner (near the inclined surface). As a result, near corners adjacent to ungrounded storage portions, the force acting on the body flange can be suppressed, allowing the lid to be smoothly fitted to the container body without the body flange bending. In other words, when fitting the lid to the container body at corners adjacent to ungrounded storage portions, bending of the body flange due to downward force can be suppressed. Therefore, lid closing failures caused by bending of the flange during lid closing operations can be suppressed, and lid closing operations can be made easier.

[0011] In particular, when the lid is closed, it is preferable that the corner end of the lid fitting projection is located closer to the corner than the corner end of the body fitting projection. In other words, it is preferable that the lid fitting projection extends further towards the corner than the body fitting projection. This configuration allows the lid to be fitted more smoothly to the container body during the closing process.

[0012] Furthermore, it is preferable that when closing (fitting) the lid, a portion of the lid fitting projection contacts the lid closing support portion while closing the lid. In other words, it is preferable that a portion of the lid fitting projection contacts the lid closing support portion and passes down to the bottom of the lid closing support portion. With this configuration, the lid can be fitted more smoothly to the container body during the closing operation.

[0013] Furthermore, it is preferable that the circumferential length of the lid fitting projection is longer than the circumferential length of the body fitting projection. For example, the lid fitting projection and the body fitting projection may be composed of circumferentially extending groove-like projections. This configuration allows the lid to be fitted more smoothly onto the container body during the closing operation.

[0014] Furthermore, it is preferable that the circumferential length of the lid fitting projection is at least longer in the direction of the corner adjacent to the non-grounded housing than the circumferential length of the main body fitting projection. This configuration allows the lid to be fitted more smoothly onto the container body during the closing operation. [Effects of the Invention]

[0015] As described above, in the packaging container according to the present invention, when the lid is closed, the end of the lid fitting projection abuts against the lid-closing assist portion (inclined surface) at the corner of the main body skirt portion, and the lid is fitted to the container body. This suppresses lid-closing defects caused by bending of the flange portion during the lid-closing process and makes the lid-closing process easier. Moreover, since the lid fitting projection of the lid skirt portion is locked into the main body fitting projection of the main body skirt portion, a secure external fit is obtained. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0016] [Figure 1] A perspective view showing the open state of a packaging container in one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] An enlarged perspective view of the main part showing the container in the open state. [Figure 3] A perspective view showing the container in the closed position. [Figure 4] A schematic plan view showing the container body of the container. [Figure 5]Enlarged side view of the main part at the corner not adjacent to the non-grounded accommodating part, showing the closed state of the same container. [Figure 6] Enlarged side view of the main part at the corner adjacent to the non-grounded accommodating part, showing the closed state of the same container. [Figure 7] Enlarged perspective view of the main part at the corner not adjacent to the non-grounded accommodating part of the same container, where the left figure shows the open lid state and the right figure shows the closed lid state. [Figure 8] Enlarged perspective view of the main part at the corner adjacent to the non-grounded accommodating part of the same container, where the left figure shows the open lid state and the right figure shows the closed lid state. [Figure 9] Cross-sectional view of the main part of the container corresponding to A-A in Figure 5, where the left figure shows the open lid state and the right figure shows the closed lid state. [Figure 10] Cross-sectional view of the main part of the container corresponding to B-B in Figure 5, where the left figure shows the open lid state and the right figure shows the closed lid state. [Figure 11] Cross-sectional view of the main part of the container corresponding to C-C in Figure 6, where the left figure shows the open lid state and the right figure shows the closed lid state. [Figure 12] Cross-sectional view of the main part of the container corresponding to D-D in Figure 6, where the left figure shows the open lid state and the right figure shows the closed lid state. <000​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​In the following description of the embodiments, the vertically upward direction when the container is placed with its bottom facing downwards is defined as "up," "upward," or "upper side," and the opposite vertically downward direction is defined as "down," "downward," or "lower side." Furthermore, the internal and external directions are defined as the direction towards the center of the container being "inside," "inward," or "inside," and the opposite direction being "outside," "outward," or "outside."

[0019] As shown in Figure 1, the packaging container 100 comprises a container body 1 with an opening at the top, and a lid 2 that is detachably fitted onto the container body 1 from above to close the opening at the top of the container body 1.

[0020] Both the container body 1 and the lid 2 are formed from synthetic resin sheets by various thermoforming (sheet molding) methods such as vacuum forming and pressure forming. Various types of synthetic resin sheets can be used for the container body 1 and the lid 2. These synthetic resin sheets are composed of, for example, polyester resins such as polyethylene terephthalate, styrene resins such as polystyrene, and polyolefin resins such as polypropylene. Stretched sheets, obtained by uniaxially or biaxially stretching these sheets, are also preferable. Among these sheets, using a sheet with excellent transparency for the lid 2 is preferable because it allows for visual confirmation of the contents.

[0021] The shape of the container in plan view can vary, and may be a polygon, rectangle, semicircle, ellipse, or other shape with corners in plan view. The container body 1 and the lid 2 correspond to each other in plan view. In this embodiment, a container with a roughly rectangular shape in plan view, specifically a roughly rectangular shape in plan view, will be described as an example.

[0022] <Container body 1> As shown in Figures 1, 2, and 4, the container body 1 is approximately rectangular in plan view, and in this embodiment, it is approximately rectangular in plan view. The container body 1 comprises a bottom portion 10, a body side portion 11 that expands outward from the periphery of the bottom portion 10 and rises upward, and a body flange portion 12 that extends outward from the upper end of the body side portion 11. The bottom portion 10 is approximately rectangular in plan view. The upper surface of the bottom portion 10 may be provided with protrusions or ridges, which will be described later. Leg portions 13 may be provided projecting downward from the periphery of the lower surface of the bottom portion 10.

[0023] The bottom portion 10 constitutes a placement area on which food items are placed. The bottom portion 10 and the main body side portion 11 define a storage area 15 for storing food items. A partition portion 14 is formed on the bottom portion 10, rising upwards. The partition portion 14 divides the storage area 15, defined by the bottom portion 10 and the main body side portion 11, into multiple regions.

[0024] In other words, the container body 1 has a main flange portion 12 around its circumference. The main flange portion 12 is approximately rectangular in shape when viewed from above. The main flange portion 12 is located outside and defines the top opening of the container body 1. The main flange portion 12 is provided around the entire circumference of the upper end of the main side portion 11. Inside the main flange portion 12, a storage area 15 is defined by the main side portion 11 and the bottom portion 10. The storage area 15 is divided into multiple regions by partition portions 14 provided in the bottom portion 10.

[0025] In this embodiment, the storage section 15 is divided into four areas by the partition section 14. The storage section 15 is divided into multiple areas with different depths (length in the vertical direction, height of the side surface). Specifically, the storage section 15 is divided into a grounded storage section 16 and an ungrounded storage section 17. In this embodiment, there are two grounded storage sections 16 and two ungrounded storage sections 17, but there may be three or more, or just one; the number is arbitrary. The grounded storage section 16 is deeper than the ungrounded storage section 17 (longer in the vertical direction, higher in the side surface). Conversely, the ungrounded storage section 17 is shallower than the grounded storage section 16 (shorter in the vertical direction, lower in the side surface). The bottom surface of the grounded storage section 16 touches the ground when the container body 1 is placed on a support stand or the like. On the other hand, the bottom surface of the ungrounded storage section 17 does not touch the ground when the container body 1 is placed on a support stand or the like.

[0026] The grounding housing portion 16 and the non-grounding housing portion 17 can have various shapes in plan view, such as polygonal, rectangular, circular, or elliptical shapes in plan view. In this embodiment, the grounding housing portion 16 is provided with a roughly rectangular shape in plan view and a roughly circular shape in plan view. The non-grounding housing portion 17 is provided with a roughly rectangular shape in plan view and a roughly triangular shape in plan view.

[0027] The contents (containers) of the grounded storage section 16 and the non-grounded storage section 17 may vary. In this embodiment, the grounded storage section 16 is provided with a grounded storage section that is roughly rectangular in plan view for storing cold noodles such as zaru soba, and a grounded storage section that is roughly circular in plan view for storing dipping sauce, and multiple grounded storage sections are provided. In addition, the non-grounded storage section 17 is provided with a non-grounded storage section that is roughly rectangular in plan view for storing condiments such as green onions, and a non-grounded storage section that is roughly triangular in plan view for storing condiments such as wasabi, and multiple non-grounded storage sections are provided.

[0028] Each ground contact section 16 comprises a bottom surface (part of the bottom surface 10) that makes contact with the ground when the container body is placed on it, and a side surface (part of the main body side surface 11 and part of the partition 14) that expands outward from the peripheral edge of the bottom surface and rises upward, with the main body flange 12 extending outward from the upper edge of the side surface. In other words, each ground contact section 16 is composed of a side surface that extends inward and downward from the inner edge of the main body flange 12, and a bottom surface that extends inward from the lower end of the side surface and makes contact with the ground when the container body is placed on it. The bottom surface of the ground contact section 16 may be provided with legs 13 that protrude downward.

[0029] Each non-grounded storage section 17 comprises a bottom portion (part of the bottom portion 10) that does not touch the ground when the container body is placed on it, and a side portion (part of the main body side portion 11 and part of the partition portion 14) that expands outward from the peripheral edge of the bottom portion and rises upward, with the main body flange portion 12 extending outward from the upper edge of the side portion. In other words, each non-grounded storage section 17 is composed of a side portion that extends inward and downward from the main body flange portion 12 (the inner edge thereof), and a bottom portion that extends inward from the lower end of the side portion and does not touch the ground when the container body is placed on it.

[0030] Reinforcing ribs 18 may be provided on the side surfaces of the grounded housing section 16 or the non-grounded housing section 17. These ribs 18 can suppress bending of the main body flange section 12 when a downward force is applied during the closing operation. The ribs 18 may extend to the bottom surface.

[0031] The sides of the grounded storage section 16 or the non-grounded storage section 17, or the partition section 14, may be provided with a protrusion 19 to prevent blocking, in order to prevent the so-called blocking phenomenon in which the container bodies become stuck together and cannot be separated when many container bodies are stacked together during collection.

[0032] In this embodiment, the grounded portion 16 and the ungrounded portion 17 are arranged via a partition portion 14. The partition portion 14 may be provided with vertical ribs 18 for reinforcement. The grounded portion 16 and the ungrounded portion 17 may be connected without the partition portion 14. The height of the partition portion 14 may be lower than, higher than, or equal to the height of the upper end of the main body side portion 11 or the upper surface of the main body flange portion 12. Furthermore, the height of the partition portion 14 does not have to be constant.

[0033] Furthermore, a rib (bump) 160 protruding upward may be provided on the bottom surface of the ground contact housing 16. This rib (bump) 160 is effective, for example, in making it easier to loosen chilled noodles. In addition, the upper part of the side surface of the ground contact housing 16 may be partially curved outwards. This upper curved part 161 functions as a drinking spout to make it easier to drink soup or other liquids.

[0034] If there are multiple ungrounded housing sections 17, at least one ungrounded housing section 17 is provided adjacent to a corner section. That is, at least one ungrounded housing section 17 is adjacent to the main flange section 12 of the corner section. In this embodiment, an ungrounded housing section 17 that is roughly rectangular in plan view is provided adjacent to one corner section. Note that the ungrounded housing section 17 may be adjacent to multiple corner sections. Also, each of the multiple ungrounded housing sections 17 may be adjacent to at least one corner section. Hereinafter, an ungrounded housing section 17 adjacent to a corner section may be referred to as an ungrounded housing section 17A. In this embodiment, an ungrounded housing section 17 that is roughly triangular in plan view is not adjacent to a corner section, but is adjacent to the side section between the corner sections.

[0035] On the other hand, in this embodiment, the grounding housing portion 16 is provided adjacent to the corner portion. The grounding housing portion 16, which is roughly rectangular in plan view, is provided adjacent to two corner portions, and the grounding housing portion 16, which is roughly circular in plan view, is provided adjacent to one corner portion. These grounding housing portions 16 are arranged via a partition portion 14 formed in an arc shape. The grounding housing portion 16 does not have to be adjacent to the corner portion.

[0036] Furthermore, when a housing unit is said to be "adjacent" to a corner unit, it means that there are no other housing units (grounded or ungrounded housing units) between that housing unit and the corner unit, and that the housing unit and the corner unit are provided in a continuous manner.

[0037] The main flange portion 12 is provided around the entire circumference of the upper end of the main side portion 11. In plan view, the main flange portion 12 has four sides 12a, 12b and four corner portions 12c. The corner portions 12c are provided between two adjacent sides 12a, 12b. In this embodiment, the main flange portion 12 is substantially rectangular in plan view, and the four sides consist of a pair of long sides 12a and a pair of short sides 12b. The corner portions 12c are provided between adjacent long sides 12a and short sides 12b. The shape of each corner portion 12c may vary; in this embodiment, it is a rounded corner curved in an arc shape in plan view, but it may also be a corner cut at an angle in plan view. The diameters of each corner portion 12c may vary. In this embodiment, the corner portion 12c adjacent to the grounding housing portion 16, which is approximately circular in plan view, has a larger diameter than the other three corner portions 12c. However, it may also have the same diameter as the other three corner portions 12c, or the diameters of each corner portion 12c may be different.

[0038] The main body flange portion 12 has a main body flange upper surface portion 20 extending outward from the upper end of the main body side portion 11, a main body skirt portion 21 extending downward from the outer edge of the main body flange upper surface portion 20, and a main body edging portion 22 extending outward from the lower end of the main body skirt portion 21.

[0039] The upper surface portion 20 of the main flange may have various shapes, such as a beaded shape that curves upward, a flat surface, or decoration such as having irregularities on the surface. The height of the upper surface portion 20 of the main flange may be constant around the entire circumference or may vary in the circumferential direction. In this embodiment, the height of the upper surface portion 20 of the main flange is substantially constant around the entire circumference. The width of the upper surface portion 20 of the main flange may also be constant around the entire circumference or may vary in the circumferential direction. In this embodiment, the width of the upper surface portion 20 of the main flange is substantially constant around the entire circumference.

[0040] The main body skirt portion 21 is provided with a main body fitting projection 25 for maintaining the closed lid state. The main body fitting projection 25 protrudes outward. The main body fitting projection 25 is formed on the upper part of the main body skirt portion 21. The main body fitting projection 25 is provided only at predetermined locations around the entire circumference of the main body skirt portion 21. The main body fitting projection 25 is provided on both sides in the circumferential direction of the corner portion 12c. In addition, the main body fitting projection 25 is provided in the center of the sides 12a and 12b. That is, the main body fitting projection 25 is provided at both ends and the center of the long side portion 12a, and at both ends and the center of the short side portion 12b. The main body fitting projection 25 is provided near both sides in the circumferential direction of the corner portion 12c, but not on the corner portion 12c. The main body fitting projection 25 may be provided one on each side in the circumferential direction of the corner portion 12c, or multiple on each side, and the number is arbitrary.

[0041] The shape of the main body fitting projection 25 when viewed from the front may vary, but preferably it is a long, circumferential groove. The main body fitting projection 25 may be provided in a groove shape, or multiple projections with short circumferential lengths may be provided. The circumferential length of the main body fitting projection 25 on the long side portion 12a may be longer than the circumferential length of the main body fitting projection 25 on the short side portion 12b. The main body fitting projections 25 on the long side portion 12a are arranged facing each other, and the main body fitting projections 25 on the short side portion 12b are also arranged facing each other. The main body fitting projection 25 may be provided only in the vicinity of both sides of the corner portion 12c in the circumferential direction, or it may be provided in corner portions 12c other than the corner portion 12c where the lid closing assist portion 27 described later is provided. The height of the main body fitting projection 25 may be constant in the circumferential direction, or it may vary in the circumferential direction. In this embodiment, the height of the main body fitting projection 25 is approximately constant in the circumferential direction.

[0042] The main body fitting projection 25 is provided only on the upper part of the main body skirt portion 21, and not on the lower part. By providing the main body fitting projection 25 on the upper part of the main body skirt portion 21, the lower part of the outer surface of the main body skirt portion 21 becomes a main body engagement recess 26 that is recessed inward relative to the main body fitting projection 25, and the lid fitting projection 65, described later, engages with this main body engagement recess 26. The bottom surface of the main body engagement recess 26 is the contact portion that the lid fitting projection 65 abuts against when the lid is closed (see Figures 10, 12, etc.).

[0043] Furthermore, the main body skirt portion 21 is provided with a lid-closing assist portion 27 to assist in the lid-closing operation. The lid-closing assist portion 27 consists of an inclined surface that slopes downward outward from the outer edge of the main body flange upper surface portion 20 (the upper end of the main body skirt portion 21) (it slopes while widening outward as it goes downward). The lower end of the lid-closing assist portion 27 is located below the lower end of the main body fitting projection 25. That is, the lid-closing assist portion 27 consists of an inclined surface that slopes downward outward from the outer edge of the main body flange upper surface portion 20 (the upper end of the main body skirt portion 21) and extends below the main body fitting projection 25. The lid-closing assist portion 27 is provided only at predetermined locations around the entire circumference of the main body skirt portion 21. The lid-closing assist portion 27 is provided only at the corner portion adjacent to the ungrounded housing portion 17A of the main body skirt portion 21. If the ungrounded housing portion 17A is adjacent to multiple corner portions, the lid-closing assist portion 27 may be provided at least one corner portion adjacent to the ungrounded housing portion 17A. That is, the lid-closing assist portion 27 may be provided at only one corner portion adjacent to the ungrounded housing portion 17A, or it may be provided at multiple corner portions adjacent to the ungrounded housing portion 17A. In other words, in this embodiment, the main body fitting projection 25 is not provided at the corner portion of the main body skirt portion 21 adjacent to the ungrounded housing portion 17A, but the lid-closing assist portion 27 is provided.

[0044] The shape of the lid-closing support portion 27 when viewed from the front may vary. The circumferential length of the lid-closing support portion 27 is arbitrary. The lid-closing support portion 27 may be formed as a single smooth surface without irregularities, or it may be formed by connecting (dividing) multiple surfaces with short lengths in the circumferential or vertical directions. The inclination angle (taper angle) of the lid-closing support portion 27 (inclined surface) may be constant, or it may vary in the circumferential or vertical direction. In this embodiment, the inclination angle (taper angle) of the lid-closing support portion 27 (inclined surface) is approximately constant throughout. In other words, the lid-closing support portion 27 is generally composed of a single flat surface (see also Figure 11).

[0045] Furthermore, corner ribs 28, which are vertical grooves extending vertically and protruding inward, may be provided at the corners of the main body skirt portion 21. In this embodiment, corner ribs 28 are provided at each corner portion (including the corner portion where the lid closing assist portion 27 is provided). There may be only one corner rib 28, or there may be multiple corner ribs 28, and the number is arbitrary. In this embodiment, one (single) corner rib 28 is provided at the center of the circumferential direction of each corner portion. The corner ribs 28 can suppress cracking of the main body flange portion 12 when a downward force is applied, such as during fitting.

[0046] The main body rim portion 22 is the outer edge of the container body 1 and extends substantially horizontally outward. The main body rim portion 22 of the corner portion 12c may be provided with various shapes of main body handles that protrude outward more than the other parts of the main body rim portion 22. The main body handles may be substantially horizontal or not. The main body handles may be provided in appropriate locations among the four corner portions 12c, may be provided in all corner portions 12c, or in only one location. In this embodiment, it is preferable to provide them in the corner portion 12c with a larger diameter than the other corner portions 12c, but their arrangement and number are arbitrary.

[0047] The inner edge of the main body edging portion 22 may be provided with a raised portion 29 that rises one level above the outer edge of the main body edging portion 22 via a lower inclined portion 30 of the main body that slopes downward toward the outside. The raised portion 29 is preferably a convex ridge extending along the circumferential direction. The raised portion 29 is preferably provided around the entire circumference of the main body edging portion 22, excluding the corner portions 12c, and is preferably provided at least below the main body fitting projection 25 (see Figures 9 to 12, etc.).

[0048] Furthermore, the upper and lower surfaces of the main body edging portion 22 may be given a textured or embossed surface to create a textured shape. By creating a textured surface on the main body edging portion 22, the edging portion 22 is reinforced, and even if fingers or other objects come into contact with it, they will not be cut. When viewed magnified from the front, this textured surface takes the shape of waves, with numerous peaks and valleys formed in the direction of the width along each side, and at the corners, they are formed parallel to the direction connecting the corner and the center (radial direction). In addition, this textured surface may be formed by knurling, such as flat knurling or diagonal knurling, and it is preferable to form it with diagonal knurling to make it less slippery.

[0049] <Lid 2> The lid 2 is formed in a plan view shape corresponding to the container body 1. As shown in Figures 1, 2, 3, 5, and 6, the lid 2 is substantially rectangular in plan view, and in this embodiment, it is substantially rectangular in plan view. The lid 2 is preferably transparent, allowing the food contained in the container to be seen from the outside through the lid 2. The lid 2 comprises a top surface portion 50 and a lid flange portion 52 extending outward from the peripheral edge of the top surface portion 50. The central main portion of the top surface portion 50 may be made of a smooth surface without irregularities such as ribs, and is preferably a flat surface.

[0050] The periphery of the top surface 50 may be provided with protrusions 53 to prevent misalignment between containers when they are stacked vertically in a closed state. In this embodiment, L-shaped (three locations) or arc-shaped (one location) protrusions 53 are provided along the periphery of the four corners of the top surface 50 in plan view. Reinforcing ribs 54 may be provided on the protrusions 53. In addition, the top surface 50 may be provided with protrusions 55 to prevent the so-called blocking phenomenon, where the lids 2 become stuck together and cannot be separated when many lids 2 are stacked during collection. In this embodiment, the protrusions 55 are formed on the above-mentioned protrusions 53. Specifically, the protrusions 55 are provided on the outer edges of the central parts of each side of the L-shaped protrusions 53 in plan view, and on the outer edges of the central part of the arc-shaped protrusions 53 in plan view.

[0051] A lid side section may be provided between the top surface 50 and the lid flange 52, which expands downward from the periphery of the top surface 50. The lid side section may be provided with protrusions or recesses to prevent blocking. In addition, various reinforcing ribs may be provided on the lid side section.

[0052] The shape of the lid flange portion 52 in plan view corresponds to the main body flange portion 12. The lid flange portion 52 fits onto the main body flange portion 12. The lid flange portion 52 is provided around the entire periphery of the top surface portion 50. In plan view, the lid flange portion 52 has four sides 52a, 52b and four corner portions 52c. The corner portions 52c are provided between two adjacent sides 52a, 52b. In this embodiment, the lid flange portion 52 is substantially rectangular in plan view, and the four sides consist of a pair of long sides 52a and a pair of short sides 52b. Corner portions 52c are provided between adjacent long sides 52a and short sides 52b. The shape of each corner portion 52c may vary; in this embodiment, it is a rounded corner curved in an arc shape in plan view, but it may also be a corner cut at an angle in plan view. The diameters of each corner portion 52c may vary. In this embodiment, the corner portion 52c adjacent to the grounding housing portion 16, which is approximately circular in plan view when the lid is closed, has a larger diameter than the other three corner portions 52c. However, it may have the same diameter as the other three corner portions 52c, or the diameters of each corner portion 52c may be different.

[0053] The lid flange portion 52 has a lid flange upper surface portion 60 extending outward from the peripheral edge of the top surface portion 50, a lid skirt portion 61 extending downward from the outer edge of the lid flange upper surface portion 60, and a lid edging portion 62 extending outward from the lower end of the lid skirt portion 61.

[0054] The upper surface 60 of the lid flange may be a flat surface. The height of the upper surface 60 of the lid flange may be constant around the entire circumference or may vary in the circumferential direction. In this embodiment, the height of the upper surface 60 of the lid flange is substantially constant around the entire circumference, corresponding to the upper surface 20 of the main flange. The width of the upper surface 60 of the lid flange may be constant around the entire circumference or may vary in the circumferential direction. In this embodiment, the width of the upper surface 60 of the lid flange is substantially constant around the entire circumference, corresponding to the upper surface 20 of the main flange.

[0055] The lid skirt portion 61 is fitted onto the main body skirt portion 21. The lid skirt portion 61 is provided with lid fitting projections 65 that work in cooperation with the main body fitting projections 25 to maintain the closed lid state. The lid fitting projections 65 protrude inward. The lid fitting projections 65 are formed on the lower part of the lid skirt portion 61. The lid fitting projections 65 are provided only at predetermined locations around the entire circumference of the lid skirt portion 61. The lid fitting projections 65 are positioned in correspondence with the main body fitting projections 25. The lid fitting projections 65 are provided near both sides in the circumferential direction of the corner portion 52c. In addition, the lid fitting projections 65 are provided in the center of the sides 52a and 52b. That is, the lid fitting projections 65 are provided at both ends and the center of the long side portion 52a, and at both ends and the center of the short side portion 52b, respectively. The lid fitting projections 65 may be provided one on each side of the corner portion 52c in the circumferential direction, or multiple on each side; the number is arbitrary.

[0056] The number and shape of the lid fitting projections 65 may vary, but it is preferable that the circumferential range in which the lid fitting projections 65 are provided corresponds to the circumferential range in which the main body fitting projections 25 are provided. The lid fitting projections 65 may be provided in the shape of long grooves in the circumferential direction, or multiple projections with short circumferential lengths may be provided. The circumferential length of the lid fitting projections 65 on the long side portion 52a may be longer than the circumferential length of the lid fitting projections 65 on the short side portion 52b. The lid fitting projections 65 on the long side portion 52a are arranged facing each other, and the lid fitting projections 65 on the short side portion 52b are also arranged facing each other. The lid fitting projections 65 may be provided only in the vicinity of the corner portion 52c. The height of the lid fitting projections 65 may be constant in the circumferential direction, or it may vary in the circumferential direction. In this embodiment, the height of the lid fitting projections 65 is substantially constant in the circumferential direction.

[0057] The lid fitting projection 65 is provided only on the lower part of the lid skirt portion 61, and not on the upper part. By providing the inwardly facing lid fitting projection 65 on the lower part of the lid skirt portion 61, the upper part of the inner surface of the lid skirt portion 61 becomes a lid engagement recess 66 that is recessed outward relative to the lid fitting projection 65, and the main body fitting projection 25 engages with this lid engagement recess 66. The bottom surface of the lid engagement recess 66 is the contact portion that the main body fitting projection 25 abuts against when the lid is closed (see Figures 10, 12, etc.).

[0058] The shape of the lid fitting projection 65 can vary; it may be a striated projection with a constant protrusion (height) along the circumferential direction, or it may have a protrusion that changes in the circumferential direction. In this embodiment, it is a striated projection with a constant protrusion in the circumferential direction.

[0059] Furthermore, the lid fitting projection 65 may extend further toward the corner than the main body fitting projection 25 when the lid is closed, at the corner adjacent to the ungrounded housing portion 17A. In other words, at the corner adjacent to the ungrounded housing portion 17A, the corner-side end of the lid fitting projection 65 may be located closer to the corner than the corner-side end of the main body fitting projection 25. The lid fitting projection 65 is formed across the sides 52a, 52b and the corner portion 52c of the lid flange portion 52. At the corner adjacent to the ungrounded housing portion 17A, the end of the lid fitting projection 65 may be located closer to the corner than the end of the main body fitting projection 25, and may contact the lid closing auxiliary portion 27 provided at the corner when the lid is closed (fitted) (see Figures 13, 14, etc.). Note that the end of the lid fitting projection 65 does not have to contact the lid closing auxiliary portion 27 provided at the corner when the lid is closed (fitted). The circumferential (horizontal) length of the lid fitting projection 65 may be longer than the circumferential (horizontal) length of the main body fitting projection 25. The circumferential (horizontal) length of the lid fitting projection 65 may be at least a predetermined length L longer than the circumferential (horizontal) length of the main body fitting projection in the direction of the corner adjacent to the ungrounded housing portion 17A (see Figures 5 and 6 in particular).

[0060] Furthermore, corner ribs consisting of vertical grooves extending vertically and protruding outward may be provided at the corners of the lid skirt portion 61. Additionally, protrusions 67 for preventing blocking may be provided on the lid skirt portion 61. In this embodiment, the protrusions 67 are provided in the center of the corner portion of the lid skirt portion 61 where the lid handle portion 68, described later, is provided.

[0061] The lid edging portion 62 is the outer edge of the lid 2 and extends substantially horizontally outward. The lid edging portion 62 of the corner portion 52c is provided with lid handles 68 of various shapes that protrude outward more than other parts of the lid edging portion 62. The lid handles 68 may be substantially horizontal or not. If a body handle is provided on the body edging portion 22, the lid handles 68 may be provided in a position corresponding to the body handle. The lid handles 68 may be provided in a suitable location among the four corner portions 52c, may be provided on all corner portions 52c, or on only one. In this embodiment, it is preferable to provide them on a corner portion 52c with a larger diameter than the other corner portions 52c, but their arrangement and number are arbitrary. The above-mentioned protrusions 67 may function as retaining members to maintain the inclination of the lid handles 68 between the lid skirt portion 61 and the lid edging portion 62.

[0062] Furthermore, the upper and lower surfaces of the lid edging portion 62 may be given a textured surface by applying fine indentations or embossing. By creating this texture on the lid edging portion 62, the lid edging portion 62 is reinforced, and even if fingers or other objects come into contact with it, they will not be cut. This texture, for example, takes the form of a wave when viewed magnified from the front, with numerous peaks and valleys formed in the direction of the width along each side, and at the corners, they are formed parallel to the direction connecting the corner and the center (radial direction). In addition, this texture is formed by knurling, such as flat knurling or diagonal knurling, and it is preferable to form it with diagonal knurling in order to make it less slippery.

[0063] The container body 1 and lid 2 are formed by so-called sheet molding. Sheet molding methods include, for example, vacuum forming, pressure forming, vacuum pressure forming, double-sided vacuum forming, and hot plate forming, and in any case, they are formed by thermoforming a synthetic resin sheet. The synthetic resin sheet is made of, for example, styrene-based resins such as polyethylene terephthalate and polystyrene, or olefin-based resins such as polypropylene and polyethylene, and transparent sheets are used in particular for the lid 2. Transparent sheets may also be used for the container body 1. Furthermore, stretched sheets, which are obtained by appropriately stretching these sheets, are a more preferable sheet material because they can improve heat resistance and strength while maintaining transparency.

[0064] Furthermore, in addition to these materials, the container body 1 can also be made of non-transparent materials, such as sheets made by filling the aforementioned synthetic resin with inorganic substances, or foamed sheets made by foaming these sheet materials. It may also be a foamed polystyrene sheet made by foaming polystyrene, or a heat-resistant foamed styrene resin sheet using a styrene-based resin with improved heat resistance, such as polyphenylene ether, which has excellent heat resistance as polystyrene. Furthermore, a laminated sheet can be used, which has a print applied to the foamed sheet, or a plain resin film laminated on one or both sides. When the container body 1 is formed from a foamed sheet, the foamed sheet easily deforms like a cushion when the lid fitting projection 65 overcomes the body fitting projection 25 during closing, providing a buffering effect and allowing the lid fitting projection 65 to smoothly overcome the body fitting projection 25. Also, the lid fitting projection 65 can easily slide over the outer surface of the body fitting projection 25. On the other hand, when the lid 2 is formed from a non-foamed sheet, the lid handle 68 can be made taut and highly rigid.

[0065] As described above, when the lid is closed, the lid flange portion 52 (and its outer lid skirt portion 61) fits onto the main body flange portion 12 (and its outer main body skirt portion 21). In the closed state, the upper surface portion 60 of the lid flange faces the upper surface portion 20 of the main body flange. Note that a gap may be formed between the upper surface portion 20 of the main body flange and the upper surface portion 60 of the lid flange, or the upper surface portion 20 of the main body flange and the upper surface portion 60 may be in contact. The lid skirt portion 61 faces the outside of the main body skirt portion 21. Note that a gap may be formed between the main body skirt portion 21 and the lid skirt portion 61, or the main body skirt portion 21 and the lid skirt portion 61 may be in contact. The lid fitting projection 65 is located below the main body fitting projection 25 and engages with the main body fitting projection 25 (the main body fitting projection 25 and the lid fitting projection 65 engage). Furthermore, the lid rim portion 62 faces the main body rim portion 22. A gap may be formed between the main body rim portion 22 and the lid rim portion 62, or the main body rim portion 22 and the lid rim portion 62 may be in contact.

[0066] <Closed state (fitted state)> Figures 7 to 12 show the open state, i.e., the state during closing or before fitting (left diagram in each figure), and the closed state, i.e., the state when fitted (right diagram in each figure). Figures 7, 9, and 10 show corners of the container that are not adjacent to the ungrounded housing portion or their vicinity, while Figures 8, 11, and 12 show corners of the container that are adjacent to the ungrounded housing portion or their vicinity. Figures 13 and 14 also show the state in which a part of the lid fitting projection is in contact with the lid closing aid during the closing process.

[0067] First, with the lid open, cooked food is placed in the container body 1. Then, the container body 1 is placed on a support stand or the like, and with the lid 2 placed on top of the container body 1, a constant force is applied to the entire lid 2 by pressing it from above. In the state before the lid 2 is fitted onto the container body 1, on both sides of the corner adjacent to the non-grounded storage section 17, the lid fitting projection 65 is located above the body fitting projection 25. However, at the corner adjacent to the non-grounded storage section 17, the end of the lid fitting projection 65 is located closer to the corner than the end of the body fitting projection 25 and is located above the lid closing assist section 27. As described above, the circumferential length of the lid fitting projection 65 may be longer than the circumferential length of the body fitting projection 25. In this embodiment, the body fitting projection 25 and the lid fitting projection 65 are provided in a slit-like manner, but one or both of them may be projections with a shorter circumferential length.

[0068] When closing (fitting) the lid, as the lid skirt portion 61 is fitted onto the main body skirt portion 21, on both sides of the corner portion adjacent to the ungrounded housing portion 17, the lid fitting projection 65 passes over the main body fitting projection 25, and eventually the lid fitting projection 65 is positioned below the main body fitting projection 25 and locks into it (Figure 7, etc.). On the other hand, at the corner portion adjacent to the ungrounded housing portion 17, the end of the lid fitting projection 65 passes while abutting against the closing support portion (inclined surface) 27 (Figures 13 and 14), and eventually the end of the lid fitting projection 65 is positioned below the closing support portion (inclined surface) 27 (Figure 8, etc.). During this lid closing (fitting) process, depending on the relative positional relationship between the container body 1 and the lid 2, the end of the lid fitting projection 65 may contact the lid closing assist portion (inclined surface) 27, fitting from near the corner (near the inclined surface) and then fitting toward both sides of the corner; or the lid fitting projection 65 may ride over the body fitting projection 25 and pass through, fitting from both sides of the corner and then fitting toward the corner (near the inclined surface).

[0069] As a result, near the corner adjacent to the ungrounded housing section 17, the force acting on the main body flange section 12 can be suppressed, and the main body flange section 12 does not bend, allowing the lid 2 to be smoothly fitted onto the container body 1. In other words, when fitting the lid 2 onto the container body 1 at the corner adjacent to the ungrounded housing section 17, bending of the main body flange section 12 due to downward force can be suppressed. Therefore, lid closing failures caused by bending of the flange section during lid closing operations can be suppressed, and the lid closing operation can be performed easily.

[0070] In particular, when the lid is closed, the corner end of the lid fitting projection 65 is located closer to the corner than the corner end of the main body fitting projection 25. In other words, if the lid fitting projection 65 extends further towards the corner than the main body fitting projection 25, the lid closing operation becomes even smoother.

[0071] Furthermore, when closing the lid (fitting it in place), if a portion of the lid fitting projection 65 contacts the lid closing support portion 27 while closing, that is, if a portion of the lid fitting projection 65 contacts the lid closing support portion 27 and passes down to the bottom of the lid closing support portion 27, the lid closing operation becomes even smoother.

[0072] Furthermore, if the circumferential length of the lid fitting projection 65 is longer than the circumferential length of the main body fitting projection 25, the lid closing operation becomes even smoother.

[0073] Furthermore, if the circumferential length of the lid fitting projection 65 is at least longer (by a predetermined length L) in the direction of the corner adjacent to the non-grounded housing portion 17 than the circumferential length of the main body fitting projection 25, the lid closing operation will be even smoother.

[0074] As described above, in the packaging container 100 according to this embodiment, when the lid is closed, the end of the lid fitting projection 65 abuts against the lid-closing assist portion (inclined surface) 27 at the corner of the main body skirt portion 21, and the lid 2 is fitted onto the container body 1. This suppresses lid-closing defects caused by bending of the flange portion during the lid-closing process and makes the lid-closing process easier. Moreover, since the lid fitting projection 65 of the lid skirt portion 61 is locked onto the main body fitting projection 25 of the main body skirt portion 21, a secure external fitting state can be maintained.

[0075] In the above embodiment, the container body 1 and the lid 2 were separate components, but they may also be integrated components connected via a hinge, as is sometimes referred to as a food pack. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0076] 1. Container body 2 Lid 10 Bottom part 11 Side of the main unit 12 Main body flange section 12a Long side 12b Short side 12c Corner section 13 Legs 14 Partition section 15. Storage Area 16 Grounding housing 160 Rib (Bottom) 161 Upper curved section 17 Ungrounded housing section 17A Ungrounded housing adjacent to the corner 18 Reinforcement ribs 19. Protrusions to prevent blocking 20 Main body flange upper surface 21 Main body skirt section 22 Main body edging 25 Main body fitting projection 26 Main body engagement recess 27 Lid closing auxiliary part (slanted surface) 28 Corner Ribs 29 Excitement 30 Lower inclined section of the main body 50 Top section 52 Cover flange portion 52a Long side 52b Short side 52c Corner section 53 Protrusions to prevent misalignment 54 Reinforcement ribs 55 Blocking prevention protrusion 60 Upper surface of the lid flange 61 Lid skirt section 62 Cover rim 65 Lid fitting projection 66 Cover engagement recess 67 Blocking prevention protrusion 68. Cover knob 100 Packaging containers

Claims

1. A packaging container having a corner portion in a plan view, comprising a container body with a main flange portion surrounding it, and a lid with a lid flange portion surrounding it that fits externally onto the main flange portion when the lid is closed, Inside the flange portion of the main body, there is a grounded storage portion where the bottom surface of the container body touches the ground when it is placed, and a non-grounded storage portion where the bottom surface of the container body does not touch the ground when it is placed, and the non-grounded storage portion is provided adjacent to the corner portion. The main body flange portion has a main body skirt portion that extends downward on the outside, The lid has a skirt portion that extends downward on the outside of the lid flange portion and fits onto the main body skirt portion when the lid is closed. The main body skirt portion has outwardly protruding main body fitting projections, which are not provided at the corner portion adjacent to the ungrounded housing portion, but are provided at positions on both sides in the circumferential direction of the corner portion adjacent to the ungrounded housing portion. The lid skirt portion is provided with a lid fitting projection that protrudes inward and engages with the main body fitting projection when the lid is closed. At the corner portion of the main body skirt adjacent to the non-grounded housing portion, a lid-closing assist portion is provided, which consists of an inclined surface that slopes downward from the upper end outwards. A packaging container wherein, in the main body skirt portion, the lower end of the lid-closing auxiliary portion is located below the main body fitting projection.

2. The packaging container according to claim 1, wherein, in the closed lid state, the corner-side end of the lid fitting projection is located closer to the corner than the corner-side end of the main body fitting projection.

3. The packaging container according to claim 2, wherein a part of the lid fitting projection can be in contact with the lid closing assist portion while the lid is closed.

4. The packaging container according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the circumferential length of the lid fitting projection is longer than the circumferential length of the main body fitting projection.

5. The packaging container according to claim 4, wherein the circumferential length of the lid fitting projection is at least longer in the direction of the corner portion adjacent to the non-grounded housing portion than the circumferential length of the main body fitting projection.

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