Food storage container

Abstract

To provide a food container that can prevent consumers from noticing liquid components released from food ingredients. [Solution] Multiple liquid reservoirs 13 are formed on the bottom surface 11 of the food container 10 in which the food is placed, for dispersing and collecting liquid components released from the food. Here, the liquid reservoirs are not simply concave shapes that open upwards, but are also flared outwards towards the top. This prevents liquid components accumulated in the liquid reservoirs from flowing out even if the food container is tilted. Therefore, even if a food purchaser tilts the food container, it is possible to prevent the purchaser from noticing liquid components released from the food.

Description

Technical Field

[0005]

[0001] The present invention relates to a food storage container for storing food materials before or after cooking.

Background Art

[0002] A sales method has been widely adopted in which food materials before cooking, such as sliced meat and fish, and food materials after cooking, such as cooked mixed vegetables, are stored in a storage container in small portions and displayed so that purchasers can select and purchase them. In a storage container (hereinafter referred to as a food storage container) used for such purposes, in order to enable a purchaser to easily check the food materials inside the container, the entire container is usually wrapped with a transparent film-like wrap, or when the container has a lid, the lid is formed of a transparent material.

[0003] Here, among the food materials to be displayed, there are some from which a liquid component (for example, exudate from meat or raw fish, pickling juice, cooking juice or seasoning liquid of cooked mixed vegetables, etc.) comes out over time. Since the food storage container is designed to allow a purchaser to easily visually recognize the inside as described above, if the liquid component coming out of the food materials accumulates at the bottom of the container, the purchaser will immediately notice it. Then, the purchaser may get the impression that the food materials have been displayed for a long time, which may reduce the purchasing desire.

[0004] Therefore, a food storage container has been proposed in which a plurality of small concave-shaped liquid reservoirs are formed on the bottom surface of the food storage container, and the liquid component coming out of the food materials is dispersed and stored in these liquid reservoirs, making it difficult for the purchaser to notice that the liquid component is coming out (Patent Document 1, Patent Document 2).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

[0006] However, the proposed food storage containers mentioned above had a problem: customers would notice that liquid components were leaking from the food when they picked up the container to purchase it. This is because when a customer picks up the container, it is tilted, causing the liquid components that had been dispersed into multiple compartments to spill out. As a result, the spilled liquid components collect on the lower side of the container, causing the customer to notice that liquid components were leaking from the food. Furthermore, if the food storage containers containing the food are displayed at an angle, the same thing can happen even before the customer picks up the container.

[0007] This invention was made to solve the aforementioned problems of conventional food storage containers, and aims to provide a food storage container that can prevent consumers from noticing liquid components leaking from food even when the container containing food is tilted. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] To solve the above-mentioned problems, the food storage container of the present invention employs the following configuration. That is, A food storage container comprising a bottom portion on which food ingredients before or after cooking are placed, and side wall portions erected upward from the periphery of the bottom portion, Multiple concave liquid reservoirs opening upwards are formed on the bottom surface. The aforementioned liquid reservoir is formed in a shape that widens towards the top. It is characterized by the following:

[0009] In the food storage container of the present invention, liquid components released from food placed on the bottom surface are dispersed and collected in multiple liquid reservoirs formed on the bottom surface. As will be described in detail later, if the shape of the liquid reservoirs is made to widen towards the top, it is possible to prevent the liquid components collected in the liquid reservoirs from flowing out even if the food storage container is tilted. Therefore, even if the food purchaser tilts the food storage container, it is possible to prevent the purchaser from noticing the liquid components released from the food.

[0010] Furthermore, in the food storage container of the present invention described above, a columnar or conical protrusion may be formed extending upward from the bottom surface so that the food placed on the bottom surface is supported by the protrusion.

[0011] This ensures a gap between the food placed on the bottom and the bottom surface, preventing the opening of the liquid reservoir formed at the bottom from being blocked by the food. As a result, it becomes possible to reliably collect any liquid components released from the food into the liquid reservoir.

[0012] Furthermore, in the food storage container of the present invention described above, which has a protrusion formed on the bottom surface, the upper end of the protrusion may be made into a pointed shape.

[0013] This design allows the upper end of the protrusion to bite into the food or catch on the upper end of the protrusion when food is placed on the bottom, stabilizing the food's position. As a result, even if the food container is tilted, it helps to prevent the food from losing its shape.

[0014] Furthermore, in the food storage container of the present invention described above, the bottom surface may be shaped as follows: when the food storage container is placed on a horizontal surface, at least the majority of the bottom surface may be formed as an inclined surface with respect to the horizontal plane, and a liquid reservoir may be formed on that inclined surface.

[0015] If liquid components adhere to the area around the opening at the bottom of a container where a liquid reservoir is located, when the container is tilted, the liquid components that have settled downwards in the reservoir may come into contact with the liquid components adhering to the bottom surface. As a result, the liquid components in the reservoir may be drawn out by the liquid components on the bottom surface and flow out. In contrast, if a liquid reservoir is formed on an inclined surface, even if liquid components adhere to the inclined surface, they will flow down over time, so no liquid components remain on the inclined surface. Therefore, even when the container is tilted, it is possible to prevent the liquid components in the reservoir from flowing out.

[0016] Furthermore, in the food container of this embodiment in which a liquid reservoir is formed on the inclined surface, the liquid reservoir formed on the inclined surface may be formed in a direction closer to the vertical direction than the normal direction of the inclined surface.

[0017] This way, regardless of the orientation in which the food container is tilted, the liquid components in the liquid reservoir can be kept consistent. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0018] [Figure 1] This is a perspective view showing the overall shape of the food storage container 10 in this embodiment. [Figure 2] This is a cross-sectional view showing the shape of the liquid reservoir 13 formed on the bottom surface 11 of the food container 10 in this embodiment. [Figure 3] This is a cross-sectional view of a reference example of a food storage container 90 in which a cylindrical liquid reservoir 93 is formed. [Figure 4] This diagram explains why, in the case of a cylindrical liquid reservoir 93, tilting the food container 90 causes the liquid components in the liquid reservoir 93 to flow out. [Figure 5] This diagram illustrates the first mechanism in which the food storage container 10 of this embodiment can retain the liquid components in the liquid reservoir 13 even when the container is tilted. [Figure 6]This is an explanatory diagram of a second mechanism in the food storage container 10 of this embodiment that enables the retention of liquid components in the liquid reservoir 13 even when the container is tilted. [Figure 7] This is an explanatory diagram showing the reason why there is a desirable range for the angle of the circumferential side surface 13b with respect to the central axis CL in the liquid reservoir 13 of this embodiment. [Figure 8] This is an explanatory diagram showing the reason why there is a desirable range for the fillet radius of the bottom portion 13c where the circumferential side surfaces 13b intersect in the liquid reservoir 13 of this embodiment. [Figure 9] This is an explanatory diagram showing the reason why there is a desirable range for the volume of the liquid reservoir 13 in the liquid reservoir 13 of this embodiment. [Figure 10] This is an explanatory diagram illustrating another aspect of the liquid reservoir 13 of the food storage container 10 of this embodiment. [Figure 11] This is an explanatory diagram showing a desirable shape formed by adjacent circumferential side surfaces 13b when the liquid reservoir 13 is in the shape of a frustum of a pyramid. [Figure 12] This is a perspective view showing the overall shape of the food storage container 10 of the first modified example in which a conical convex portion 14 protrudes from the bottom surface portion 11. [Figure 13] This is an explanatory diagram of the function of the convex portion 14 provided in the food storage container 10 of the first modified example. [Figure 14] This is a perspective view showing the overall shape of the food storage container 10 of the second modified example in which the bottom surface portion 11 is formed in an inclined shape. [Figure 15] This is a cross-sectional view showing the shape of the bottom surface portion 11 of the food storage container 10 of the second modified example. [Figure 16] This is an explanatory diagram showing the reason why, when a liquid component adheres to the periphery of the bottom surface portion 11 where the liquid reservoir 13 opens, the liquid component in the liquid reservoir 13 may flow out when the food storage container 10 is tilted. [Figure 17] This is a perspective view showing the overall shape of the food storage container 10 of the third modified example in which the bottom surface portion 11 is formed in a dome shape. [Figure 18] This is a cross-sectional view showing the shape of the bottom surface portion 11 of the food storage container 10 of the third modified example. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0019] A. This embodiment: Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the overall shape of the food storage container 10 of this embodiment. The food storage container 10 of this embodiment is a dish-shaped member made of resin material, and side walls 12 are formed upward from the periphery of the substantially rectangular bottom portion 11, surrounding the bottom portion 11. In addition, multiple small concave liquid reservoirs 13 are formed on almost the entire surface of the bottom portion 11. Food storage containers of this shape 10 are placed on the bottom portion 11 with raw ingredients such as meat or fish fillets, or cooked ingredients such as prepared foods, and the entire food storage container 10 is wrapped in a transparent film-like wrap and displayed on a product shelf.

[0020] In this embodiment, some of the food items stored in the food storage container 10 release liquid components over time (for example, broth from prepared dishes, seasoning liquids, or seepage from meat or raw fish). These liquid components are dispersed and collected in multiple liquid reservoirs 13. By dispersing the liquid components in multiple liquid reservoirs 13, it becomes difficult for the buyer to notice that liquid components are being released. In addition, in the food storage container 10 of this embodiment, the liquid reservoirs 13 are formed in a special shape, as described later, so that even if the food storage container 10 is tilted, the liquid components accumulated in the liquid reservoirs 13 can be retained in the liquid reservoirs 13. Therefore, even when a buyer picks up the food storage container 10 to purchase food items, it is possible to prevent them from easily noticing that liquid components are being released from the food items.

[0021] Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view showing the shape of the liquid reservoir 13 formed on the bottom surface 11 of the food container 10, taken by taking a cross-section of the food container 10. The position of the cross-section is the position indicated by AA in Figure 1. As shown, the liquid reservoir 13 in this embodiment has a shape like an inverted cone, with the part corresponding to the bottom surface of the cone being an opening 13a that opens to the bottom surface 11 of the food container 10. The part corresponding to the conical surface of the cone is the circumferential surface 13b of the liquid reservoir 13, and the part corresponding to the apex of the cone is a fillet-shaped bottom 13c. Therefore, the liquid reservoir 13 as a whole is formed in a shape that widens towards the top. Furthermore, the orientation of the liquid reservoir 13 is such that the central axis CL of the liquid reservoir 13, which corresponds to the central axis of the cone, points vertically upward.

[0022] In the example shown in Figure 2, the liquid reservoir 13 is conical in shape, but the shape of the liquid reservoir 13 is not necessarily limited to a cone; it just needs to be an upward-opening, flared shape. Also, in the example shown in Figure 2, the central axis CL of the liquid reservoir 13 is assumed to coincide with the vertical direction, but the liquid reservoir 13 only needs to be upward-opening; the central axis CL does not necessarily need to coincide with the vertical direction.

[0023] In this embodiment, the food container 10 has a liquid reservoir 13 formed on its bottom surface 11, which has the shape described above. Therefore, even if the food container 10 is tilted, the liquid components accumulated in the liquid reservoir 13 can be retained in the liquid reservoir 13. The reason for this will be explained below, but as preparation, we will first explain why, if the shape of the liquid reservoir were cylindrical, the liquid components in the liquid reservoir would easily flow out when the food container is tilted.

[0024] Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of a reference example of a food storage container 90 in which cylindrical liquid reservoirs 93 are formed. As shown, the reference example food storage container 90 also has multiple liquid reservoirs 93 formed on its bottom surface 91, but the shape of the liquid reservoirs 93 is cylindrical. In the following, the part of the liquid reservoir 93 that opens to the bottom surface 91 will be referred to as the opening 93a, the circumferential side surface of the liquid reservoir 93 will be referred to as the circumferential side surface 93b, and the circular bottom surface of the liquid reservoir 93 will be referred to as the bottom 93c.

[0025] Figure 4 is an explanatory diagram illustrating why the liquid component in the liquid reservoir 93 flows out when the food container 90 in the example is tilted. In the state shown in Figure 4(a), the liquid component is accumulated in the liquid reservoir 93, but the food container 90 has not yet been tilted. Now, let's assume that the food container 90 is tilted to approximately 90 degrees. Figure 4(b) shows the state immediately after the food container 90 has been tilted. When the food container 90 is tilted, as shown by the dashed arrow in Figure 4(b), the liquid component in the liquid reservoir 93 tries to flow out of the liquid reservoir 93 due to its own weight. On the other hand, a force also acts on the liquid component that tries to keep it in the liquid reservoir 93. This force is generated by the following mechanism.

[0026] As is well known, liquids have a tendency to become as spherical as possible. This property arises for the following reasons. First, it is believed that a type of energy called "interfacial energy" exists on the surface of a liquid. Here, "interface" is a broader concept than "surface." That is, while "surface" refers to the interface between a liquid and a gas, "interface" is a broader term that refers to any interface, including not only the interface between a liquid and a gas, but also the interface between a liquid and a solid, and the interface between different types of liquids. For a liquid, the most stable state is when it is surrounded by the same type of liquid (a state where no interface has been formed), and it is believed that energy (interfacial energy) is required to form an interface in that state. Furthermore, the smaller the area of ​​the interface formed, the smaller the interfacial energy, so the liquid will try to become as spherical as possible in order to minimize the area of ​​the interface. It is also known that the magnitude of the interfacial energy changes depending on the combination of substances with which the liquid forms an interface; the interfacial energy is smaller when forming an interface with a solid than when forming an interface with a gas.

[0027] Here, as shown by the dashed arrow in Figure 4(b), when the liquid component in the liquid reservoir 93 tries to flow out, the upper end of the liquid component is pulled away from the circumferential surface 93b of the liquid reservoir 93. However, this means that the part of the liquid component that was in contact with the circumferential surface 93b changes to a state of contact with air (a state with higher interfacial energy). Therefore, a force (adhesion force) is generated on the upper end of the liquid component that prevents it from being pulled away from the circumferential surface 93b of the liquid reservoir 93. In Figure 4(b), the adhesion force acting on the upper end of the liquid component is shown by the white arrow. However, since this adhesion force is smaller than the weight of the liquid component, the liquid component flows out of the liquid reservoir 93, as shown in Figure 4(c). Based on the above explanation, we will now explain why, in this embodiment, the food container 10 can retain the liquid component in the liquid reservoir 13 even when the food container 10 is tilted.

[0028] Figure 5 is an explanatory diagram showing the first mechanism that enables the liquid component to be retained in the liquid reservoir 13 even when the food container 10 of this embodiment is tilted. Figure 5(a) shows the state in which the liquid component is accumulated in the liquid reservoir 13 of this embodiment. The diameter D of the opening 13a of the liquid reservoir 13 and the depth H of the liquid reservoir 13 are set to the same dimensions as the diameter of the opening 93a of the liquid reservoir 93 and the depth of the liquid reservoir 93 shown in Figure 4(a). Furthermore, the volume of the liquid component accumulated in the liquid reservoir 13 is also approximately the same as the volume shown in Figure 4(a).

[0029] When the food container 10 is tilted 90 degrees from the state shown in Figure 5(a), the liquid components in the liquid reservoir 13 will try to flow out of the liquid reservoir 13 due to their own weight, as shown by the dashed arrow in Figure 5(b). Here, in the liquid reservoir 93 shown in Figure 4(b), the liquid components fall along the vertical bottom 93c, whereas in the liquid reservoir 13 in Figure 5(b), they flow along the sloping circumferential surface 13b. Therefore, in the liquid reservoir 13 of this embodiment, a portion of the weight of the liquid components is supported by the circumferential surface 13b, and the force that causes the liquid components to flow out of the liquid reservoir 13 is smaller than the force that causes them to flow out of the liquid reservoir 93 shown in Figure 4(b).

[0030] In addition, as is clear from comparing Figure 5(a) and Figure 4(a), the area in which the liquid component in the liquid reservoir 13 contacts the circumferential surface 13b of the liquid reservoir 13 in this embodiment is larger than the area in which the liquid component in the liquid reservoir 93 contacts the circumferential surface 93b of the liquid reservoir 93. Therefore, when the food container 10 is tilted, the adhesive force exerted by the upper circumferential surface 13b of the liquid reservoir 13 on the liquid component (indicated by the white arrow in Figure 5(b)) is greater than the adhesive force shown in Figure 4(b). Therefore, coupled with the fact that the force that causes the liquid component to flow out of the liquid reservoir 13 is small to begin with, the adhesive force acting between the circumferential surface 13b of the liquid reservoir 13 can support the liquid component. As a result, even when the food container 10 is tilted, it is possible to keep the liquid component in the liquid reservoir 13, as shown in Figure 5(c). In addition to the mechanism described above (the first mechanism), the liquid reservoir 13 in this embodiment also has a second mechanism for retaining the liquid components within the liquid reservoir 13.

[0031] Figure 6 is an explanatory diagram showing a second mechanism that allows the liquid component to be retained in the liquid reservoir 13 even when the food container 10 of this embodiment is tilted. Figure 6(a) shows the food container 10 tilted with the liquid component accumulated in the liquid reservoir 13 of this embodiment. When the food container 10 is tilted, the liquid component tries to flow out of the liquid reservoir 13, as indicated by the white arrow in Figure 6(a). Here, the liquid component in the liquid reservoir 13 is in contact with the circumferential surface 13b of the liquid reservoir 13, and an adhesive force is acting between it and the circumferential surface 13b. The circumferential surface 13b is formed in a flared shape toward the opening 13a of the liquid reservoir 13 (see Figure 2). Therefore, when the liquid component tries to flow out of the liquid reservoir 13, the surface of the liquid component facing the opening 13a is stretched by the adhesive force received from the circumferential surface 13b.

[0032] The dashed line in Figure 6(b) conceptually represents how the surface of the liquid component is stretched as it flows out of the liquid reservoir 13. However, in order to stretch the surface of the liquid component, interfacial energy is required. Therefore, a force acts on the liquid component that tries to prevent it from flowing out of the liquid reservoir 13.

[0033] As described above, the liquid reservoir 13 of the food container 10 in this embodiment retains liquid components within the liquid reservoir 13 by the first mechanism described above using Figure 5 and the second mechanism described above using Figure 6. Furthermore, in order to retain liquid components within the liquid reservoir 13, these first and second mechanisms must function effectively, and therefore, there is a desirable shape for the liquid reservoir 13. This point will be explained below.

[0034] Figure 7 is an explanatory diagram illustrating why there is a desirable range for the angle formed by the circumferential surface 13b of the liquid reservoir 13 with respect to the central axis CL. As shown in Figure 7(a), when the angle θ1 formed by the circumferential surface 13b of the liquid reservoir 13 with respect to the central axis CL becomes large, the inclination of the circumferential surface 13b when the food container 10 is tilted becomes closer to the vertical. Then, the first mechanism described using Figure 5 (the action of supporting part of the weight of the liquid component with the circumferential surface 13b of the liquid reservoir 13, and supporting the liquid component with the adhesive force received from the circumferential surface 13b of the liquid reservoir 13) does not work sufficiently. Therefore, it has been experimentally confirmed that an angle θ1 formed by the circumferential surface 13b of the liquid reservoir 13 with respect to the central axis CL is desirable to be smaller than 45 degrees.

[0035] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 7(b), when the angle θ2 formed by the circumferential surface 13b of the liquid reservoir 13 with respect to the central axis CL becomes smaller, the degree to which the liquid reservoir 13 flares out decreases. Consequently, the second mechanism described above using Figure 6 (the effect in which the surface of the liquid component is stretched by the adhesive force received from the circumferential surface 13b when the liquid component tries to flow out of the liquid reservoir 13) does not function sufficiently. Therefore, it has been experimentally confirmed that an angle θ2 greater than 10 degrees is desirable for the circumferential surface 13b of the liquid reservoir 13 with respect to the central axis CL.

[0036] Figure 8 is an explanatory diagram illustrating why there is a desirable range for the curved radius of the bottom 13c where the circumferential surfaces 13b of the liquid reservoir 13 intersect. If the curved radius R1 of the bottom 13c of the liquid reservoir 13 is small, air bubbles may become trapped in the bottom 13c, as shown in Figure 8(a). In the area where air bubbles are trapped, the interfacial energy of the liquid components increases. As mentioned above, the adhesive force acting on the surface of the liquid components arises from the attempt to change a surface with low interfacial energy to a surface with high interfacial energy; therefore, the adhesive force is less likely to act on a surface with high interfacial energy. As a result, when the food container 10 is tilted, the liquid components in the liquid reservoir 13 will immediately flow out. Therefore, it has been experimentally confirmed that it is desirable to keep the curved radius R1 of the bottom 13c of the liquid reservoir 13 at 0.5 mm or more.

[0037] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 8(b), if the radius R2 of the curved surface of the bottom 13c of the liquid reservoir 13 is too large, the liquid components near the bottom 13c will be closer to the state described using Figure 7(a) (i.e., the state in which the angle θ1 made by the circumferential surface 13b of the liquid reservoir 13 with respect to the central axis CL is large). As a result, the first mechanism described using Figure 5 will not function properly, and the liquid components in the liquid reservoir 13 will flow out when the food container 10 is tilted. Therefore, it has been experimentally confirmed that it is desirable to keep the radius R2 of the curved surface of the bottom 13c of the liquid reservoir 13 at 4.0 mm or less.

[0038] Figure 9 is an explanatory diagram illustrating why there is a desirable range for the volume of the liquid reservoir 13. As shown in the figure, the larger the volume of liquid reservoir 13, the greater the volume of liquid component that can be stored in one liquid reservoir 13. However, as the volume of liquid component increases, its weight also increases, so when the food container 10 is tilted, it cannot support the weight of the liquid component, and the liquid component flows out of the liquid reservoir 13. Conversely, if the volume of the liquid reservoir 13 decreases, the weight of liquid component that can be stored in one liquid reservoir 13 also decreases. Therefore, it becomes easier to hold the liquid component in the liquid reservoir 13 when the food container 10 is tilted, but the amount of liquid component that can be stored in the liquid reservoir 13 decreases. From this, it has been experimentally confirmed that the volume of the liquid reservoir 13 is desirable in the range of 0.5cc to 2.0cc.

[0039] In the above explanation, the liquid reservoir 13 was described as having the shape of an inverted cone. However, the liquid reservoir 13 only needs to have a shape that opens upwards and widens towards the top, and does not necessarily have to be an inverted cone. For example, as illustrated in Figure 10(a), it could be an inverted frustum of a cone, as illustrated in Figure 10(b), or an inverted pyramidal shape, or as illustrated in Figure 10(c), an inverted frustum of a pyramidal shape.

[0040] Furthermore, if the liquid reservoir 13 is shaped like a pyramidal pyramid or an inverted truncated pyramid, it is desirable that the angle between adjacent circumferential surfaces 13b be greater than 90 degrees, or that a large radius (R) be formed between adjacent circumferential surfaces 13b. For example, as shown in Figure 11(a), if the liquid reservoir 13 is shaped like an inverted square pyramidal pyramid, the angle θ3 between adjacent circumferential surfaces 13b is 90 degrees (see Figure 11(b)). However, this could lead to air bubbles entering at the intersection of adjacent circumferential surfaces 13b, and if air bubbles enter, there is a risk that the liquid components in the liquid reservoir 13 will flow out when the food container 10 is tilted.

[0041] Therefore, as illustrated in Figure 11(c), it has been experimentally confirmed that it is beneficial to make the pyramidal shape (or truncated pyramid) with pentagons or more, so that the angle θ3 formed by adjacent circumferential surfaces 13b is 108 degrees or more, or to make the fillet radius r between adjacent circumferential surfaces 13b 0.75 mm or more, as shown in Figure 11(d).

[0042] B. Variant: There are several variations of the food container 10 in the above-described embodiment. Below, each variation will be described, focusing on the differences from this embodiment.

[0043] B-1. First variation: In the food container 10 of the above-described embodiment, liquid components released from the food are dispersed and held in multiple liquid reservoirs 13, making it difficult to notice the liquid components even if the food container 10 is tilted. However, since the liquid reservoirs 13 are formed on the bottom surface 11 of the food container 10, if the liquid reservoirs 13 are blocked by food placed on the bottom surface 11, it becomes impossible to collect the liquid components released from the food in the liquid reservoirs 13. Therefore, in the food container 10 of the first modified example, columnar or conical protrusions are formed at multiple locations on the bottom surface 11.

[0044] Figure 12 is a perspective view showing the overall shape of the first modified food container 10. The first modified food container 10 differs from the food container 10 of this embodiment described using Figure 2 in that it has multiple conical protrusions 14 formed on the bottom surface 11, but is otherwise the same as the food container 10 of this embodiment.

[0045] Figure 13 is a cross-sectional view of the first modified food container 10 when it is cut at position BB in Figure 12. As shown in the figure, even in the first modified food container 10, multiple liquid reservoirs 13 are formed on the bottom surface 11, but protrusions 14 are provided at various positions between these liquid reservoirs 13. As a result, food placed on the bottom surface 11 is supported by the protrusions 14, so that a gap is maintained between the bottom surface 11 and the food. In Figure 13, the food is shown with diagonal lines. As a result, the liquid reservoirs 13 are not blocked by the food, and liquid components released from the food can be collected in the liquid reservoirs 13.

[0046] Furthermore, because the protrusions 14 are formed in a columnar or conical shape, the liquid components released from the food can be evenly collected in multiple liquid reservoirs 13 for the following reasons. That is, if the protrusions 14 were in a wall shape, the liquid components could not flow over the wall-shaped protrusions 14, so the direction of flow would be restricted to the direction along the wall. As a result, the flow of the liquid components would be uneven, and the liquid components would accumulate unevenly in some of the liquid reservoirs 13, reducing the total volume of liquid components that the food container 10 can hold. In contrast, if the shape of the protrusions 14 is columnar or conical, the direction of the flow of the liquid components is not restricted. Therefore, the liquid components can be evenly collected in multiple liquid reservoirs 13, and the food container 10 as a whole can hold a sufficient volume of liquid components.

[0047] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 12 and 13, the upper end of the protrusion 14 of the first modified food container 10 is pointed. As a result, food placed on the protrusion 14 will either catch on the upper end of the protrusion 14 or be embedded in it, stabilizing the food's position. Consequently, the process of filling the food container 10 with food becomes easier, and even when the food container 10 is held by the purchaser, the food inside is less likely to fall apart.

[0048] In the examples shown in Figures 12 and 13, the shape of the protrusion 14 is assumed to be conical. However, the shape of the protrusion 14 may also be pyramidal, cylindrical, or prism-shaped. Furthermore, if the shape is cylindrical or prism-shaped, making the upper end of the protrusion 14 pointed will stabilize the position of the food, making the food plating process easier and preventing the plated food from falling over.

[0049] B-2. Second variation: In the above-described embodiment or first modification, the bottom surface 11 of the food container 10 was described as being formed so that the bottom surface 11 is horizontal when the food container 10 is placed on a horizontal surface. However, when the food container 10 is placed on a horizontal surface, at least a part of the bottom surface 11 may be formed to be inclined with respect to the horizontal, and a liquid reservoir 13 may be formed in the inclined portion of the bottom surface 11 (hereinafter referred to as the inclined surface).

[0050] Figure 14 is a perspective view showing the overall shape of a second modified food container 10 in which multiple liquid reservoirs 13 are formed on the inclined surface 11a of the bottom portion 11. In the example shown in Figure 14, a wide inclined surface 11a is formed in the center of the bottom portion 11 which is formed on the inside of the side wall portion 12, and multiple liquid reservoirs 13 and protrusions 14 are formed on the inclined surface 11a. Furthermore, an annular fitting groove 15 is formed in the side wall portion 12 surrounding the bottom portion 11. In the example shown in Figure 14, liquid reservoirs 13 and protrusions 14 are formed on the inclined surface 11a, but the protrusions 14 do not have to be formed. Also, in the example shown in Figure 14, liquid reservoirs 13 and protrusions 14 are not formed on the bottom portion 11 other than the inclined surface 11a, but liquid reservoirs 13 and protrusions 14 may be formed on the bottom portion 11 other than the inclined surface 11a.

[0051] Furthermore, the second modified food container 10 is fitted with a lid member 16 made of a transparent resin material, and a ring-shaped insertion portion 17 is formed on the outer edge of the lid member 16, protruding downwards. When the insertion portion 17 of the lid member 16 is inserted into the fitting groove 15 of the food container 10, the insertion portion 17 is attached to the fitting groove 15 in a tight seal with the fitting groove 15, and the lid member 16 can be attached to the food container 10 in a way that prevents liquid from leaking out between the lid member 16 and the food container 10.

[0052] Figure 15 is a cross-sectional view showing the shape of the food container 10 and lid member 16 of the second modified example, obtained by cutting the food container 10 and lid member 16 at position CC in Figure 14. As shown in the figure, in the food container 10 of the second modified example, most of the bottom surface 11 is an inclined surface 11a, and the inclined surface 11a is inclined in the same direction. Multiple liquid reservoirs 13 are formed on the inclined surface 11a, and the direction in which the liquid reservoirs 13 open to the inclined surface 11a is not the normal direction of the inclined surface 11a, but rather the vertically upward direction when the food container 10 is placed on a horizontal surface. With this second modified example of the food container 10, it is possible to more reliably retain liquid components released from the food in the liquid reservoirs 13. The reason for this will be explained below.

[0053] If the liquid reservoir 13 opens into a horizontal bottom surface 11, liquid components may adhere to the bottom surface 11 immediately adjacent to the opening of the liquid reservoir 13. Figure 16(a) illustrates a state in which liquid droplets Ld of liquid components are attached to the bottom surface 11 immediately adjacent to the liquid reservoir 13, and liquid components have also accumulated inside the liquid reservoir 13. If the food container 10 is tilted in this state, the liquid components in the liquid reservoir 13 will be held within the liquid reservoir 13 but will be biased downwards by their own weight. However, if liquid droplets Ld of liquid components are attached to the bottom surface 11 immediately below the liquid reservoir 13, it is possible that the liquid components biased downwards inside the liquid reservoir 13 may come into contact with the droplets Ld. Figure 16(b) shows a state in which the lower end of the liquid components biased downwards inside the liquid reservoir 13 is about to come into contact with the droplets Ld attached to the bottom surface 11. When contact actually occurs, as shown in Figure 16(c), the liquid component in the liquid reservoir 13 is drawn out by the droplet Ld on the bottom surface 11, causing it to flow out of the liquid reservoir 13.

[0054] In contrast, if a liquid reservoir 13 is formed on the inclined surface 11a, even if liquid components adhere to the inclined surface 11a, the liquid components will flow down the inclined surface 11a over time and will not remain on the inclined surface 11a. Therefore, when the food container 10 is tilted, it is possible to prevent the liquid components in the liquid reservoir 13 from being drawn out and flowing out onto the liquid components on the inclined surface 11a.

[0055] In addition, the direction in which the liquid reservoir 13 opens to the inclined surface 11a is upward in the vertical direction. Therefore, regardless of the direction in which the food container 10 is tilted, it is possible to retain the liquid components released from the food in the liquid reservoir 13 in the same way.

[0056] B-3. ​​Third variation: In the second modified food container 10 described above, it was explained that a liquid reservoir 13 (and protrusion 14) is formed on a flat inclined surface 11a. However, the liquid reservoir 13 (and protrusion 14) may be formed on a curved inclined surface 11a.

[0057] Figure 17 is a perspective view showing the overall shape of a third modified food container 10 in which multiple liquid reservoirs 13 are formed on a curved inclined surface 11a. The third modified food container 10 differs significantly from the second embodiment food container 10 described using Figure 14 in that the center of the bottom portion 11 is raised in a dome shape to form a curved inclined surface 11a. In addition, the example shown in Figure 17 differs from the second modified food container 10 in that a partition wall 18 protrudes from the inclined surface 11a, and the inclined surface 11a is divided into three regions by the partition wall 18, but is otherwise the same.

[0058] Figure 18 is a cross-sectional view showing the shape of the food container 10 and lid member 16 of the third modified example, obtained by cutting the food container 10 and lid member 16 at position DD in Figure 17. As shown in the figure, in the food container 10 of the third modified example, the center of the bottom portion 11 is formed in a dome shape, so that when food is placed on the bottom portion 11, it can be arranged in a three-dimensional manner. In addition, since liquid reservoirs 13 and protrusions 14 are formed on the inclined surface 11a, liquid components released from the food can be held in the liquid reservoirs 13 in the middle of the inclined surface 11a, and the position of the arranged food can be stabilized by the protrusions 14, making it possible to prevent the arranged food from collapsing.

[0059] Although the embodiment and various modified versions of the food storage container 10 have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment and modifications, and can be implemented in various forms without departing from the spirit of the invention. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0060] 10...Container for storing food ingredients, 11...Bottom surface, 11a...Inclined surface, 12...Side wall, 13...Liquid reservoir, 13a...Opening, 13b...Surface, 13c...Bottom 14...Protrusion, 15...Fitting groove, 16...Lid member, 17...Insertion part 18...partition, 90...food container, 91...bottom section, 93…liquid flow, 93a…opening, 93b…surrounding side, 93c…bottom.

Claims

1. A food storage container comprising a bottom surface on which food ingredients are placed before or after cooking, and side walls that are erected upward from the periphery of the bottom surface, Multiple concave liquid reservoirs opening upwards are formed on the bottom surface. The aforementioned liquid reservoir is formed in a shape that widens towards the top. A food storage container characterized by the following features.

2. A food storage container according to claim 1, The bottom surface has a columnar or conical projection that extends upward to support the food placed on it. A food storage container characterized by the following features.

3. A food storage container according to claim 2, The aforementioned protrusion is formed with a pointed upper end. A food storage container characterized by the following features.

4. A food storage container according to any one of claims 1 to 3, When the food container is placed on a horizontal surface, at least the majority of the bottom surface is formed as an inclined surface with respect to the horizontal plane, and at least the liquid reservoir is formed on the inclined surface. A food storage container characterized by the following features.

5. A food storage container according to claim 4, The liquid reservoir formed on the inclined surface is formed in a direction closer to the vertical than to the normal direction of the inclined surface. A food storage container characterized by the following features.

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