Food containers

Abstract

To provide a food container that can accommodate accessories and suppresses distortion of the container. [Solution] The food container 1 comprises a plurality of food-holding recesses 2 for holding food, a connecting portion 3 formed in a flat shape thinner than the depth of the food-holding recesses 2, which connects the plurality of food-holding recesses 2 so that the openings 21 of the plurality of food-holding recesses 2 are arranged side by side in the same plane, and an accessory-holding recess 4 provided between the plurality of food-holding recesses 2 in the connecting portion 3 for holding accessories, and the food-holding recesses 2 are supported by the side portion 42 or bottom portion 43 of the accessory-holding recess 4.

Description

Technical Field

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[0001] The present invention relates to a food container.

Background Art

[0002] A food container having a plurality of food storage recesses for storing food is known (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Document

Patent Document

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] The ice cream tray (food container) described in Patent Document 1 has a structure in which a plurality of food storage recesses are connected by a flat tray peripheral plane portion (connecting portion) that is thinner than the depth of the ice cream storage portion (food storage recess), so the rigidity of the container is low and the container is likely to be distorted. Also, there is no place to store accessories.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide a food container that can store accessories and suppress distortion of the container.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The food container of the present invention includes a plurality of food storage recesses for storing food, a connecting portion formed in a flat plate shape that is thinner than the depth of the food storage recesses, and a plurality of food storage recesses arranged so that the openings of the plurality of food storage recesses are arranged side by side in the same plane, and an accessory storage recess provided between the plurality of food storage recesses in the connecting portion for storing accessories, and the food storage recesses are supported by a side surface portion or a bottom surface portion of the accessory storage recess.

[0007] According to the present invention, since accessory storage recesses are provided between multiple food storage recesses in the connecting portion, accessories can be stored in the accessory storage recesses, and the rigidity of the container can be increased. Furthermore, since the food storage recesses are supported by the side or bottom surface of the accessory storage recesses, the rigidity of the container can be further increased. Therefore, accessories can be stored, and distortion of the container can be suppressed.

[0008] In the food container of the present invention, the accessory storage recess may be provided with a communication portion that communicates with the food storage recess.

[0009] According to the present invention, since the accessory storage recess is equipped with a communication portion that communicates with the food storage recess, even when the food storage recess is sealed with a sealing sheet such as a film, for example, oxygen absorbers and desiccant contained in the accessory storage recess can deoxygenate or absorb moisture from the multiple food storage recesses that communicate with the accessory storage recess.

[0010] In the food container of the present invention, the food storage recess may be supported by the communication portion on the side or bottom surface of the accessory storage recess.

[0011] According to the present invention, since the food storage recess is supported by the connecting portion on the side or bottom of the accessory storage recess, there is no need to provide a separate structure for supporting the food storage recess on the side or bottom of the accessory storage recess from the connecting portion, thus preventing the structure of the food container from becoming complicated. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0012] [Figure 1] A perspective view of a food container according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] Plan view of a food container. [Figure 3] A cross-sectional view taken along the line III-III in Figure 2. [Figure 4] A cross-sectional view taken along the line IV-IV in Figure 2. [Figure 5] A cross-sectional view of a food container according to a modified example of the present invention. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0013] One embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In the following descriptions, when directions are indicated, "up" refers to the Z-axis direction and "down" refers to the opposite direction; "left" refers to the X-axis direction and "right" refers to the opposite direction; and "front" refers to the Y-axis direction and "back" refers to the opposite direction.

[0014] In Figures 1 to 4, the food container (hereinafter simply referred to as "container") 1 is made of plastic by injection molding, blow molding, vacuum forming, etc., and contains food products such as ice cream, chocolate, and cheese. In this embodiment, cheese is contained as the food product, and an oxygen absorber is contained as an accessory. Furthermore, when the container 1 of this embodiment is shipped as a product containing food, a sealing member 5 such as a film or lid is attached or fitted to the container 1 (see Figures 1 and 2).

[0015] The container 1 comprises a plurality of food-containing recesses 2 for accommodating food, a connecting portion 3 that connects the plurality of food-containing recesses 2, and an accessory-containing recess 4 provided between the plurality of food-containing recesses 2 in the connecting portion 3 for accommodating accessories.

[0016] The food storage recess 2 is supported by the connecting portion 3 and also by the side portion 42 of the accessory storage recess 4. The food storage recess 2 comprises an opening 21, a circumferential portion 22 which serves as a side portion, and a bottom portion 23. In this embodiment, the food storage recess 2 is circular in shape when viewed from above, and the diameter of the circumferential surface 22 decreases as it moves from the opening 21 side towards the bottom surface 23 side. The food storage recess 2 also includes a connecting surface 24 that connects the opening 21 and the circumferential surface 22 in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction of the food storage recess 2, that is, in a direction parallel to the connecting portion 3, and the connecting surface 24 corresponds to the flange of the circumferential surface 22.

[0017] The connecting portion 3 is formed in a flat plate shape thinner than the depth of the food storage recess 2, and connects the plurality of food storage recesses 2 so that the openings 21 of the plurality of food storage recesses 2 are arranged side by side in the same plane. In the case of the present embodiment, the connecting portion 3 is in the shape of an oval flat plate in plan view. The openings 21 of the plurality of food storage recesses 2 are formed in the connecting portion 3, and the food storage recesses 2 are supported by the connecting portion 3 at the openings 21.

[0018] The accessory storage recess 4 includes an opening 41, a side surface portion 42, a bottom surface portion 43, and a communication portion 44. In the case of the present embodiment, the accessory storage recess 4 is rectangular in plan view, and is formed such that the distance between the opposing side surface portions 42 becomes narrower as it goes from the opening 41 toward the bottom surface portion 43. The depth of the accessory storage recess 4 is shallower than the depth of the food storage recess 2 and smaller than the distance between the opposing side surface portions 42. The communication portion 44 communicates with the plurality of food storage recesses 2. In the case of the present embodiment, the communication portion 44 is composed of a notch portion formed by cutting out the side surface portion 42 of the accessory storage recess 4 and the peripheral surface portion 22 of the food storage recess 2 toward the bottom surface portion 43 side, and the food storage recess 2 is supported by the side surface portion 42 of the accessory storage recess 4 by the communication portion 44. Further, the bottom surface of the communication portion 44 is connected to the connection surface portion 24 of the food storage recess 2 so as to be flush with each other.

[0019] According to the above-described embodiment, since the accessory storage recess 4 is provided between the plurality of food storage recesses 2 in the connecting portion 3, accessories can be stored in the accessory storage recess 4. Further, since the accessory storage recess 4 acts like a rib provided between the plurality of food storage recesses 2 in the connecting portion 3, the bending rigidity of the connecting portion 3 can be increased, and the rigidity of the container 1 can be increased. Furthermore, since the food storage recess 2 is supported by the side surface portion 42 or the bottom surface portion 43 of the accessory storage recess 4, the rigidity of the container 1 can be further increased. Therefore, accessories can be stored, and distortion of the container 1 can be suppressed.

[0020] In addition, since the accessory accommodating recess 4 includes a communication portion 44 that communicates with the food accommodating recess 2, even when the food accommodating recess 2 is sealed by the sealing member 5, the deoxidizer accommodated in the accessory accommodating recess 4 can deoxidize the inside of the plurality of food accommodating recesses 2 that communicate with the accessory accommodating recess 4.

[0021] Also, since the food accommodating recess 2 is supported by the side surface portion 42 of the accessory accommodating recess 4 by the communication portion 44, there is no need to separately provide a configuration for supporting the food accommodating recess 2 on the side surface portion 42 of the accessory accommodating recess 4, and it is possible to prevent the structure of the container 1 from becoming complicated.

[0022] As described above, the best configuration, method, etc. for implementing the present invention are disclosed in the above description, but the present invention is not limited thereto. That is, the present invention is mainly illustrated and described with respect to specific embodiments, but without departing from the scope of the technical idea and purpose of the present invention, those skilled in the art can make various modifications to the above-described embodiments in terms of shape, material, quantity, and other detailed configurations. In addition, the descriptions that limit the shape, material, etc. disclosed above are exemplified for easy understanding of the present invention and do not limit the present invention. Therefore, the descriptions using the names of members with some or all of the limitations on those shapes, materials, etc. removed are included in the present invention.

[0023] As shown in FIG. 5, the food accommodating recess 2 may be supported by the bottom surface portion 43 of the accessory accommodating recess 4. The food accommodating recess 2 does not have to be circular in plan view, and for example, it may be elliptical or oblong, or may be triangular, square, rectangular, rhombic, or a polygon with five or more sides. The food accommodating recess 2 does not have to include a connection surface portion 24, and the peripheral surface portion 22 may be directly connected to the opening portion 21. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the connecting surface portion 24 may be formed in a non-annular shape that is interrupted midway in the circumferential direction of the food storage recess 2, or it may be formed in an annular shape that is continuous along the entire circumferential direction of the food storage recess 2. Furthermore, the connecting surface portion 24 may connect the opening 21 and the circumferential surface portion 22 in a direction inclined with respect to the direction perpendicular to the axial direction of the food storage recess 2.

[0024] The connecting portion 3 does not have to be oval-shaped in plan view; for example, it may be elliptical or circular, or it may be a triangle, square, rectangle, rhombus, or polygon with pentagons or more.

[0025] The accessory storage recess 4 may be formed in a vertically elongated shape with a depth greater than the distance between the side portions 42, or it may be formed to the same depth as the food storage recess 2. The accessory storage recess 4 does not necessarily have a connecting portion 44. In this case, the food storage recess 2 may be supported by the side portion 42 or bottom portion 43 of the accessory storage recess 4 by having its outer surface directly connected to the side portion 42 or bottom portion 43 of the accessory storage recess 4, or by having the outer surface of the food storage recess 2 connected to the side portion 42 or bottom portion 43 of the accessory storage recess 4 via ribs or the like. The connecting portion 44 does not have to be a notch; for example, it may be a tubular connecting pipe that connects the circumferential surface portion 22 of the food storage recess 2 and the side surface portion 42 of the accessory storage recess 4.

[0026] The sealing member 5 can be anything that seals the container 1, and may be, for example, a sheet member such as a film or adhesive sheet that is attached to the upper surface of the connecting portion 3, or a lid that covers the entire connecting portion 3.

[0027] The accessories may be anything attached to the food or container 1 that is stored in the food storage recess 2, and may be, for example, supplementary food items attached to the food, or non-food items. Supplementary food items may be, for example, nuts, seaweed, jam, spices, seasonings, or other seasonings or toppings. Non-food items may be, for example, oxygen absorbers or desiccant agents, or spoons, forks, knives, chopsticks, toothpicks, etc., used when eating the food. [Explanation of symbols]

[0028] 1...Food container, 2...Food storage recess, 3...Connecting part, 4...Accessory storage recess, 21...Opening, 42...Side part, 43...Bottom part, 44...Communication part

Claims

1. Multiple food storage recesses for storing food, A connecting portion is formed in a flat shape thinner than the depth of the food-containing recess, and connects the multiple food-containing recesses such that the openings of the multiple food-containing recesses are arranged side by side in the same plane, The connecting portion includes an accessory storage recess provided between the plurality of food storage recesses for storing accessories, A food container characterized in that the food storage recess is supported on the side or bottom of the accessory storage recess.

2. The food container according to claim 1, characterized in that the accessory storage recess is provided with a communication portion that communicates with the food storage recess.

3. The food container according to claim 2, characterized in that the food storage recess is supported by the communication portion on the side or bottom portion of the accessory storage recess.

Images